- Why don’t you just try?As I logged into LinkedIn a couple of days back, it gave me an option to create newsletters (and run them on a regular basis). The ever-curious me decided to have a go. And so I headed to Canva, made a banner, thought of a name (a bit of this…and a bit of that…) and …
- Of worms and learning…घुणाक्षर न्याय (Gunākshara Nyāya) – The maxim of the letters made by the wood worm, Ghuna. This worm bores holes in wood and in books which sometimes assume the shape of a letter; hence it is used to denote the occurrence of something quite accidental, or a chance occurrence. Chakrapani in Deerghamjeeviteeyam Adhyaya refers this Nyaya while explaining the Samyagyukta Bheshaja …
- Where did all our innocence go?Where did all our innocence go? When did it disappear, only to be replaced by so-called knowledge? As I see Keshav grow in front of my eyes, I can only but fear the day when he loses his innocence…actually, this would be a process, and not a sudden change, but I can see it happening …
- Quotable quotes from over a thousand years…सुहृदि निरन्तर-रचिते गुणवति भृत्येऽनुवर्तिनि कलत्रे ।स्वामिनि शक्ति-समेते निवेद्य दुःखं सुखी भवति ॥ ३७२ ॥ suhṛdi nirantara-racite guṇavati bhṛtye’nuvartini kalatre |svāmini śakti-samete nivedya duḥkhaṃ sukhī bhavati || 372 || One’s grief becomes much lighter if we confide in a stable-minded friend, a servant of good character, a devoted spouse or a powerful master. क्व कस्य कर्म संवीक्ष्य करोत्य् …
- An iPad around the corner…May 7th it is. When the new set of iPads release. Count me in:) Still excited about what comes out of the Apple stable. Will it be the same next year? Lets see. A lot depends on the much-touted AI features that are rumored to be rolled out with iOS18 – and the implementation of …
- Of snakes and gold coins…“My king, what is there to think about? He should be killed! It is said… हीनः शत्रुर् निहन्तव्यो यावन् न बलवान् भवेत् ।प्राप्त-स्व-पौरुष-बलः पश्चाद् भवति दुर्जयः ॥ १३० ॥ hīnaḥ śatrur nihantavyo yāvan na balavān bhavet |prāpta-sva-pauruṣa-balaḥ paścād bhavati durjayaḥ || 130 || An enemy that is weak should be killed immediately, he should not be given …
- Of quacks and cock-a-doodle-doo!The ‘doctor’ is at it again. If you don’t know what I am talking about, do read a previous post of mine that I have pasted below. Anyway, so the ‘doctor’ – something that he painstakingly ensures that one is made aware of, was recently on LinkedIn feeling humbled and thankful and gracious for being …
- Sosai Oss!Today is the 30th death anniversary of Sosai Masutatsu Ōyama, the grandmaster of Kyokushin Karate. Yog is a way of life, that combines asanas (postures) and pranayama ( breathing), mudras (gestures) and bandhas (body locks)… Breathing is an essential part of Kyokushin, but unexplored due to the constant focus on Kumite. While Kumite is the blood …
- Just a reminder…Nothing much to say, just see the video:) For those of us who are with our families and able to see them every single day…isn’t it a huge blessing in itself? Many of our ‘problems’ seem so small in comparison to what these people experience – living away from their children, all to make a …
- The power of focus…यतो यतो निश्चलति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ २६ ॥ yato yato niścalatimanaś cañcalam asthiramtatas tato niyamyaitadātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self. बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् …
- It’s interview time!So the next round of expansion has begun – an integral part of this are the interviews that we conduct with potentials. And it’s always good to catch up with candidates to know more about what they have been doing, and what they want to do. Some interviews go well, others well, don’t quite add …
- Some random rambling – I guess the 50 is near…Today, my kid made a paper bag. Well actually, I did. I don’t know how schools expect a 3-year old to make a paper bag, when adults like me struggle at the task…well whatever it turned out to me, I guess it ticked the boxes for now. It’s odd, the kind of things that a …
- Of eggs and scamsters…You may have come across this kind – as they say in Hindi – अंदर से कुछ और, बाहर से कुछ और। In English – appearances are often deceptive, two-faced people who are something on the inside and convey something else on the outside. Hypocrites and dishonest. I did so today. It wasn’t a person …
- Our living world…The kid is home from nearly a week, and online classes, while being creative and satisfying (NOT), still cannot provide Keshav with the hyper-excitement that he craves for during his waking hours. And there are only so many trips that we can make to the neighborhood park everyday. So, he has been watching animals, and …
- And then we were seven…Seven years back we started with one, now we are many. I don’t quite recall the process of selecting the name and creating the logo in vivid detail, but here is a tidbit – we were originally called DAS LEAVES – Das being German for ‘the’. I also had to domain for it, and a …
- Dubai rocks!Of course, you all know by now that Dubai received the highest rainfall in 75 years, and images and videos of flooded roads and houses and cars abandoned on the roads have done multiple rounds on social media. Yes, happened. But that is nature. Not in your control. And no, this was not cloud seeding, …
- And what did you see?“As brains get larger and more complex, what goes on inside the brain gets further removed from what is happening in the environment. To see what we mean, consider face recognition. People are tremendously skilled at recognizing faces. This is a really hard information-processing problem. At a coarse level, we all pretty much look the …
- Of lightning and rumbles and grumbles all over…Waterproofing and storm drains – never thought that I would have to think of these two words while staying in Dubai. But then, I hadn’t thought that I would have to think of Sunday holidays and tax either so… Anyways, cloud seeding or nature seething, the rains seem here to stay. So do the aforementioned …
- Of brains, drains and LinkedIn pains…One opens LinkedIn and gets drowned in the virtual sea of seemingly missed opportunities. Everyone is an influencer, a mentor, a visionary, or at the least, a CEO, doling out dollops of gyaan that often follows Solomon’s Paradox. What is Solomon’s Paradox? Well, it occurs because we tend to approach others’ problems with objectivity and …
- Don’t do anything…Well, and so it comes to an end. The looo(ooo)ng weekend of 9 days, went faster than expected. With a host of tasks and meetings now waiting on the other side. And surprisingly, I am not in panic mode. I feel a bit calm (of course this might change), but it isn’t as bad as …
- Come here and attain moksha!Read the preview here… In this city, King Candraprabha fasted and performed tapasya, distributed more of his wealth and fed more Brāhmans, and performed the śrāddha. He then went to Vārāṇasī, which seemed by the silken flags of it’s temples, tossed about in the gusts of wind, to cry out from afar… “Come here, and …
- I bet you can’t read the first sentence…ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਮੈਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂਗਾ You didn’t understand the title right? It’s in Punjabi. Even if you are a Punjabi, and it is your mother tongue, there is a high chance are you were not able to read it. Being a Punjabi myself, I feel ashamed that I still haven’t …
- The running of time…Time that runs away! Ricardo Gondim I counted my years and found that I will have less time to live from now on than I have lived until now. I feel like that boy who was given a bowl of fruits. The first ones, he sucked carelessly, but realizing that there are few left, he gnaws the kernel. …
- Of ladies and mongooses…ब्राह्मणीनकुलकथा The story of the Brahmin lady and the mongoose In a village, not so far away from here, lived a Brahmin named DevaSharma. He lived with his wife and their pet mongoose in a small house, and made his living from working at the nearby temple. One year, his wife gave birth to a baby …
- To new beginnings…Today is Ugādi — the first day of Chaitrā māsā, or the beginning of the new year. Largely celebrated in South India (where I am from), Maharashtra (as Gudi Padwa), Sindh (as Cheti Chand), and Manipur (as Sajibu Nongma Pānba). It is also the start of Navaratri. Unlike New Year’s day as per the Gregorian calendar, the …
- Of the seven sages…तदेष श्लोको भवति ।अर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः, तस्मिन्यशो निहितं विश्वरूपम् ।तस्यासत ऋषयः सप्त तीरे, वागष्टमी ब्रह्मणा संविदान ॥इति ।‘अर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः’ इतीदं तच्छिरः, एष ह्यर्वाग्बिलश्चमस ऊर्ध्वबुध्नः; ‘तस्मिन्यशो निहितं विश्वरूपम्’ इति प्राण वै यशो विश्वरूपम्, प्राणानेतदाह; ‘तस्यासत ऋषयः सप्त तीरे’ इति प्राणा वा ऋषयः, प्राणानेतदाह; ‘वागष्टमी ब्रह्मणा संविदाना’ इति वागष्टमी ब्रह्मणा संवित्ते ॥ ३ ॥ tadeṣa śloko bhavati |arvāgbilaścamasa …
- Ramayana for kids…The Illustrated Ramayana for kids is meant to be read with context – the material is basic, and aims to serve as an introduction to the epic, and not an accurate attempt at a comprehensive translation of the meaning, both in letter and in spirit. You can read the whole series here. And below is …
- On the origins of phrases…Read a bit about the origins of some common phrases. Interesting! They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were “piss poor.” But …
- Of visions and CEOs…A year back to this day, I visited one of the offices of a very famous CEO in Dubai. Here is what I wrote then… The business in itself is quite interesting, but even more interesting is the way that it is run. From the time I approached the reception, to the completion of the …
- Of suns and eclipses…A solar eclipse is imminent… यत्त्वा॑ सूर्य॒ स्व॑र्भानु॒स्तम॒सावि॑ध्यदासु॒रः । अक्षे॑त्रवि॒द्यथा॑ मु॒ग्धो भुव॑नान्यदीधयुः ॥यत्त्वा सूर्य स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अक्षेत्रविद्यथा मुग्धो भुवनान्यदीधयुः ॥ yat tvā sūrya svarbhānus tamasāvidhyad āsuraḥ | akṣetravid yathā mugdho bhuvanāny adīdhayuḥ || यं वै सूर्यं॒ स्व॑र्भानु॒स्तम॒सावि॑ध्यदासु॒रः । अत्र॑य॒स्तमन्व॑विन्दन्न॒ह्य१॒॑न्ये अश॑क्नुवन् ॥यं वै सूर्यं स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविध्यदासुरः । अत्रयस्तमन्वविन्दन्नह्यन्ये अशक्नुवन् ॥ yaṃ vai sūryaṃ svarbhānus tamasāvidhyad āsuraḥ | …
- Of interests and small horses…Did you know that the etymology of the word “hobby” is “hobby”, which meant a small horse? The word then went on to become “hobby horse”, which was a wooden playhorse for children. It then began to be associated with pastimes, something that was practiced regularly but did not necessarily have a financial reward associated …
- Of ants and serpents…पिपीलिकाभुजङ्गमकथा The story of the ants and the serpent “This is a short story. At the base of a fig tree not very far away from here, lived a huge black serpent named AtiDarpa (the arrogant one). He was huge in size, and so he bullied all the creatures who lived near the fig tree. No one …
- Day one done!Day 1 – done! Well, was a bit of an anti-climax actually, since it went pretty smoothly – he got up well, ate well, went to school without any fuss and was cheerful when we picked him up. Also, no traffic snarls and no untoward incidents. Phew. Ok, I know that this is just the …
- A new phase begins…Tomorrow is Keshav’s first day at his first school. While he has been going to nursery for nearly a year, this will be his first experience of a formal school – at pre-kindergarten. He is of course oblivious to this (for now), but as parents, we do have butterflies in our stomachs. How will he …
- Of common men and uncommon messages…It finally happened. The scamster politician is on his way to jail, and we are being bombarded with hilarious messages from his party men on his “concern” for Delhi, including some from his wife that were downright silly. If innocent, it will be proved. If guilty, the law will take its course. At the end …
- Managing one’s money…Money is simple – it is a promise. Made by the Central Bank of the country, to honor it when presented, and to assign a pre-determined value to it. A piece of paper, made important because of this promise. Handling money however, is a different ballgame altogether. We spend our lives trying to earn it, …
- Of apps and health…A couple of days back, I was at the clinic (again) – Keshav had developed an infection (again). They have now implemented a comprehensive digital platform from which you can book appointments, check reports and prescriptions and sign digital consent forms. All from the convenience of your mobile, as you continue the scroll of doom …
- Closer than you think…An elderly couple lived in great poverty, on the brink of a huge forest. They used to walk through the forest everyday, to gather firewood for their daily needs. One day, Shiva and Parvati were also walking through the same forest, when Parvati happened to see the couple. She was filled with compassion for them, …
- Orientation day…So tomorrow, Keshav begins his journey in a formal school. Actually, his parents do, since it is orientation day. The actual classes will commence a bit later. Stationery purchased, labelled and ready to be dispatched. Photos of Keshav in his new uniform – ready. KHDA process – done. Black shoes (additional) – procured. Tick marks …
- Just surrender to me…When I was uneducated, when I didn’t know…a stone was a stone. I gained education, and became learned…when I knew…then a stone was not a stone. Then I reached the pinnacle of knowledge, and I again didn’t know…and a stone was a stone. We spend our whole lives trying to find a purpose, to find …
- Holy and Holi…होली है!! Holi hai! Holi is a popular festival in Sanatana Dharma, originating from India. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Holi is popularly known as the Indian “festival of spring”, the “festival of colours”, or …
- On Sarvajña…Vidyea parvathave aadha Sarvajña… ಒಲೆಗುಂಡನೊಬ್ಬನೇ ಮೆಲಬಹುದು ಎಂದಿಹರೆ ಮೆಲಬಹುದು ಎಂಬವನೆ ಜಾಣ , ಮೂರ್ಖನ ಗೆಲುವಾಗದಯ್ಯ Olegundanobbanaee maelabahudhu yendhihare Maelabahudhu yembavane jaana, Murkhana geluvaagadheyaa, Sarvagna Arguing with a fool is a foolish act in itself. If a fool says that iron can be chewed, one must reply – yes, it can be chewed, and allow the fool to win! Sarvajña (Kannada: ಸರ್ವಜ್ಞ) …
- Let the games begin!The school is about to begin. We got the invite for the orientation, with a cover letter, teachers welcome and a whole load of details. Also about purchasing around 700 dirhams worth of stationery and uniforms. And many, many instructions – about homework that will be given on Friday for prompt delivery by Monday. Swimming …
- Finally…And finally, my home is nearly ready. A long time, but I know it will be worth it. An amount of Rs 11.30 crore was spent on interior decoration; Rs 6.02 crore on stone and marble flooring; Rs 1 crore on interior consultancy; Rs 2.58 crore on electrical fittings and appliances; Rs 2.85 crore on …
- Always in doubt…चलने ही चलने में कितना जीवन, हाय, बिता डाला!‘दूर अभी है’, पर, कहता है हर पथ बतलानेवाला,हिम्मत है न बढूँ आगे को साहस है न फिरुँ पीछे,किंकर्तव्यविमूढ़ मुझे कर दूर खड़ी है मधुशाला।।७। Chalne hi chalne me kitna jeevan, haaye, bita dala‘Door abhi hai’, par, kehta hai har path batlanewalaHimmat hai na badhu aage ko …
- Is it good to be quiet?I had written about Quiet in a post a few days ago. In a world that places a premium on group activity, extroverts and brainstorming, Quiet comes across as a reminder that everyone is not cut from the same cloth. We all work differently, but studies have constantly shown that work best gets done when one has …
- A con and a big pro!Phew. Exhausted. Shifting homes can be a tedious exercise for everyone involved. The outgoing occupant, the incoming occupant, the neighbors and even the movers and packers. Everyone just wants to get it over with, but the fact is that it takes a good couple of months of planning in advance – even then there are …
- A common mother?Do you know about Mitochondrial Eve? If you recall (or don’t) from biology class, mitochondria generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell’s biochemical reactions. Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Now, as nature has it, All mitochondrial information is transferred from …
- The beginning…मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां- त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।यत्क्रौंचम- िथुनादेकम्- अवधीः काममोहितम् || “mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṁ tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam” “You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity For you killed an unsuspecting bird in love” It is said that all Sanskrit literature originated in its form as sahitya from the time of Sage Valmiki himself. …
- Where is the news?Open any new site today. The ratio is roughly 30/70. That is, 30% of actual news, and 70% clickbait and tabloid-type articles. Top clickbaits include Bollywood holidaying in Maldives, although I am very curious to know who takes along professional photographers to holidays and even worse, honeymoons. The rest is about couple goals, vacay goals, …
- Of shoes and naughty boys…Saw a beautiful movie a few months back, that I saw bits of again today. Of Bengaluru, my town, in the 60’s and 70’s, the place I grew up in, far removed from the bustling metropolitan jungle that it has become today. Where Indiranagar was a mini forest and Kamannahalli was a halli( village) outside …
- Of cultures and joyousness…Muditā (Pāli and Sanskrit: मुदिता) is a Sanatan concept of joy, particularly an especially sympathetic or vicarious joy—the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people’s well-being. Schadenfreude – pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. Two words that do not have an equivalent in English. And two contrasting thoughts. One is about being happy when others are happy, having played …
- Of expectorants and kitchen grouts…Specialisations. Once seen as a must-have, specialization is now looked at with a little skepticism. Carving yourself a niche too narrow can be counter-productive, given the tendency for being a generalist and the dipping timelines for up-skilling. I too am a generalist, but I do appreciate the specialists (sometimes). Specific knowledge is always handy. And …
- A mystery yet unsolved…It was written 600 years ago. It’s 234 pages long. It’s been studied by cryptographers and codebreakers alike. And yet, we still have no idea what any of it means. This is the Voynich manuscript. The Voynich manuscript has been studied by many professional and amateur cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. …
- Do you really look?On Looking: Eleven walks…came highly recommended. I haven’t read Alexandra Horowitz before, and the reviews on Goodreads were not the most encouraging. Nevertheless, I did start reading… As the title suggests, and I suspect the blurb outlines, this book is about a few walks that Alexandra took around New York City. Alone, with her kid, …
- What’s gotta give…Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva. For instance, why is Shiva synonymous with austerity? He is always depicted as a mendicant, as a renunciate – …
- The night that surpasses all nights…Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva. For instance, why is Shiva synonymous with austerity? He is always depicted as a mendicant, as a renunciate – …
- Of the original mother…Mother Nature – We are born from nature, we live by nature, and when we are gone, we become part of nature again. It is sad that we have to practice something that is inherently natural in us. For thousands of years, we have lived in close conjunction with nature, being a part of it, like …
- On writing…Wilting flowers do not cause suffering; it is the unrealistic desire that flowers will not wilt that causes suffering. – Thich Nhat Hanh. “And how is an individual like an inscription in water? There is the case where a certain individual—when spoken to roughly, spoken to harshly, spoken to in an unpleasing way—is nevertheless congenial, companionable, …
- India…or Bharat?Bharat that is India. Or India, that is Bharat. Kiran Bedi: Did we make a mistake in converting our name from Bharat to India? Sadhguru: A serious mistake. Whenever somebody occupies a nation, the first thing they will do is change your name. This is the technology of dominance; this is the technology of enslaving. If …
- Twelve steps to a better you…The 12 steps of Suryanamaskara Pranamasana or Anjali Mudra / Prayer Pose Utthana Hasthasana / Upward Salute Padahastanasana / Hand To Feet Ashva Sanchalanasana / Equestrian Pose Phalakasana / Plank Pose Ashtanga Namaskra / Salute With Eight Limbs or Knee Chest and Chin Bhujangasana / Cobra Pose Adho Mukha Svanasana / Downward Facing Dog Ashva Sanchalanasana / Equestrian Pose Padahastanasana / Hand To Feet Utthana Hasthasana / Upward Salute Pranamasana or Anjali Mudra / Prayer Pose 1. Pranamasana/ Anjali Mudra …
- Stand straight!Today, we look at Tadasana. Tadasana, ‘mountain pose’. B.K.S. Iyengar, the renowned guru of yoga, said, “Once we can master ‘tadasana’ then all the other poses come.” In tadasana one begins the journey from the outer body… inwards. The basic standing pose tadasana awakens the practitioner to the body – the outermost sheath – the …
- Of hands and feet…Padahastasana is a variation of Uttanasana (उत्तानासन) or Standing Forward Bend.Pada (पाद, Pāda) = leg, footHasta (हस्त, Hasta) = handAsana (आसन, Āsana) = pose, posture, seatPada-Hastasana (पादहस्तासन, Pāda-Hastāsana) = feet-on-hands-posture Padahastasana or the Hand to Foot pose is part of Sūryanamaskāra or the Sun Salutation series. It appears as the 3rd pose and the 10th pose in this series.https://www.youtube.com/embed/3R7TDfhiIDk?feature=oembed How to practice …
- of bound angles…Bhadrasana is also known as Baddha Konasana. The name comes from the Sanskrit words बद्ध, Baddha meaning “bound”, कोण, Koṇa meaning “angle”,[ and आसन, Āsana meaning “posture” or “seat”. The name Baddha Konasana is relatively recent, but the pose is medieval, as the meditation seat Bhadrasana (from भद्रा Bhadra, “throne”[6]) is described in the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Bhadrasana denoting ‘auspiciousness’ is …
- Of trees and poses…One of the most recognizable yoga asanas, Vrikshasana has been identified in Indian relics dating back to the seventh century. In ancient times, wandering sadhus would meditate in this posture for long periods of time as a practice of self-discipline. In some traditions, the pose is called Bhagirathasana, to honor a great yogi king from India who—legend …
- Of diamonds and health…The name comes from the Sanskrit words vajra, a weapon whose name means “thunderbolt” or “diamond”, and asana meaning “posture”. Vajrasana or Thunderbolt pose is considered to be the best sitting posture, for practicing breathing exercises and meditation. In India, a lot of people sit in this asana after eating their meals. This is a great posture for smooth digestion.https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2MzM2QeF20?feature=oembed …
- Of slithering snakes and healthy humans…The name comes from the Sanskrit words भुजङ्ग bhujanga, “snake” or “cobra” and आसन asana, “posture” or “seat”, from the resemblance to a cobra with its hood raised. The pose is described in the 17th century hatha yoga text Gheranda Samhita. In the 19th century Sritattvanidhi, the pose is named Sarpasana, which similarly means Serpent Pose.https://www.youtube.com/embed/PR7q_CY95ik?feature=oembed The Cobra Pose …
- Of hares and the moon…Shashankasana resembles a ‘Hare’ in its final stages and hence the name. Since it has a calming effect on the body and mind, it is also called Sashankasana, Sashanka meaning moon in Sanskrit. It is a popular posture to cure any back related troubles and when practiced regularly can be a boon to tired backs …
- Aao twist karein…Vakra means twisted, and hence Vakrasana is called the twisted pose. The Vakrasana yoga posture helps to tone the nerves around the spinal cord, strengthen our abdomen and stimulate the internal organs. This yoga asana helps reduce belly fat and lose weight – a major factor in helping diabetics control their blood sugar and lead an active …
- Of triangles and health…The triangle pose is consisted of two Sanskrit words Trikon and Asana. The meaning of trikon (त्रिकोण) is triangle while the meaning of asana is pose. Trikonasana is very important for health & wellness. It has greater significance and relevance in the domain of sound health. Extended Triangle pose yoga has the ability to bring …
- On deliberate practice in solitude…“What’s so magical about solitude? In many fields, Ericsson told me, it’s only when you’re alone that you can engage in Deliberate Practice, which he has identified as the key to exceptional achievement. When you practice deliberately, you identify the tasks or knowledge that are just out of your reach, strive to upgrade your performance, …
- Do you dare to dream?Is your dream too big? Or too small? Or do you have one at all? Do they say its not going to happen, this dream of yours Do they make fun of you? Do they tell you to aim lower, to be less reckless To think of a stable future, rather than an unknown one? …
- On reading…1) Read 10 pages to start the day. 2) A good way is to wake up, drink a glass of water, write down 3 things that you are grateful for, and read 10 pages of a book. 3) 10 pages is small enough that it’s not intimidating. Most people can finish reading 10 pages within …
- Of fasting and service…There is so much to do nowadays that I am living between Ekādashis. Days are passing very fast – I manage to keep track only of fortnights. Just realized that we are already nearly two months into the year! Anyways, Ekādashi is a reminder that one has to pause a bit, and reflect. These days, …
- Of babies and pastimes…Did you know that in the Middle Ages in England, one could swing by during lunch to watch a public execution? Or get into the nearby theatre and watch freshly dissected human bodies? Or maybe a visit to the neighbourhood mental asylum to ‘enjoy’ seeing lunatics do their thing? It seems quite ridiculous today, but …
- Of dogs and donkeys…रासभशृगालकथा The story of the donkey and the fox In a village, not so far away from here, lived a donkey named Uddhata (the arrogant one). He belonged to a washerman, and carried huge bundles of clothes every day in the mornings. His evenings were usually free, and so he used to sneak out and wander freely …
- Learning and discipline…आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते । इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् ॥ १९ ॥ ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate | ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaramśamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya First is enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal; next comes aversion to the enjoyment of fruits (of one’s actions) here and hereafter; (next is) the group of six attributes; and (last) is clearly the …
- Machines and consciousness…Physics describes patterns in spacetime that correspond to particles moving around. If the particle arrangements obey certain principles, they give rise to emergent phenomena that are pretty independent of the particle substrate, and have a totally different feel to them. A great example of this is information processing, in computronium. But we’ve now taken this …
- A few steps away from me…In around a couple of months from today, Keshav will join his first regular school. He has been attending nursery (or pre-nursery, whatever they call it nowadays) nearby, and it has been a delightful experience. I really wish that Building Blocks had a school to continue the wonderful work that they have been doing with …
- Deepa Jyothi…One of the Shlokas that I want to teach Rohāmrta is the Deepa Jyothi shloka. I did try hard to search for its original source, but was unsuccessful. But sometimes origins do not matter. Here is a shloka that a child can recite in the evening, after lighting a Deepa. Not a candle, but a …
- On commencing a journey of learning…सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥ sarasvati namastubhyaṃ varade kāmarūpiṇi .vidyārambhaṃ kariṣyāmi siddhirbhavatu me sadā .. Namaskar, O Saraswati, grantor of blessings and embodiment of all wishes. Bless me as I commence my studies, and help me to be successful in the gain of knowledge. Today’s shloka is as relevant for …
- Are you a caveman?“In fact, public speaking anxiety may be primal and quintessentially human, not limited to those of us born with a high-reactive nervous system. One theory, based on the writings of the sociobiologist E. O. Wilson, holds that when our ancestors lived on the savannah, being watched intently meant only one thing: a wild animal was …
- Liking things the way they are…Status-quo bias – The tendency for people to stay committed to current situations, for fear of changing to the unknown. Status quo bias is also caused by laziness, aversion to complexity, unnatural learning style demands, reading small print, etc. I have been reading this book – Nudge – by Richard H Thaler and Cass R Sunstein. The crux of the …
- Henry and BubblesHad a chance meeting with an elderly gentleman today, at the Arte Market at Times Square Mall. A grandfather of many, John Felton retired 17 years back and settled in Dubai – he now writes delightful rhymes for kids packaged with beautiful illustrations. I found Keshav responding to his way of narrating stories and we …
- Mundana…One year back 🙂 Chaulam is also called Cūḍākarma (चूडाकर्म) and Cūḍākaraṇam ((चूडाकरणम्) Chudakarana). Cūḍā means tuft (of hair) that is kept on the back side of the head while the remaining part is clean shaven. In tradition it is popularly called “Śikhā”. In Sanskrit the letters “ल (la)” and “ड (ḍa)” are often interchanged. …
- The art of breathing…Nadi is a subtle energy channel in the human body – there are 72,000 Nadis in all. Shodhana means cleaning or purification, and Pranayama is a breathing technique. Nadis are subtle energy channels in the human body that can get blocked due to various reasons. The Nadi Shodhana pranayama is a breathing technique that helps …
- sniff sniff sneeze sneeze aaaachhooo!It’s that time of the year again! So the cold caught up with me, brought with it a nice sore throat and a light fever to boot. Along came downtime, missed calls and fuming clients. But a man’s sick and can’t help it now can I? The young one went to visit the Safari (part …
- Of little worms and strangled priests…Did you know that strozzapreti (a type of pasta) means ‘strangled priests’, or that vermicelli means ‘little worms’? Or that the Scottish word sgiomlaireachd (yes it’s a mouthful) means ‘the habit of dropping in at mealtimes’? Of course, you know that German is full of jaw-crunching words like Wirtschaftstreuhandgesellschaft (business trust company), Bundesbahnangestelltenwitwe (a widow of a federal railway employee), and Kriegsgefangenenentschadigungsgesetz (a …
- Of hunger and hunger games…A very productive day, and a monster dinner to wrap things up! As we returned, stuffed to the brim, I recalled one of the episodes of the epic Panchatantra, which, while not completely relevant to the topic, does work in a tangent. Hope you like it:) What sin will a hungry man not commit, in …
- Mantra – the right way…Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week We have, so far, practiced an āsana, a form of prānāyāma, a mudra and basic meditation. Bringing this all together is mantra japa, or meditative repetition of a mantra. The mantra that I have chosen is Aum, since it is familiar (but a bit different from what you …
- You “can” do it…Watching a child grow can be the most fulfilling thing that you can ever experience. Here is what I wrote when he was 10 months old. The experience then was different than it is now. But the feeling is the same:) I see him picking up an empty can, carefully, trying to coordinate his limbs, …
- And who am I?As with most people who are well-raised, well-educated and financially secure, Dr. Tokai only thought of himself… Men without Women, Haruki Murakami Who am I? This question has been posed by everyone, to themselves, at some point in their lives. Who are you, once you are stripped of your name, your family, social status, education, …
- And the day went well…So the day started with Keshav’s birthday celebrations at school, and ended with Keshav’s birthday celebrations at home! Good food( a little too much food), cakes, sweets, savories, gifts, children creating a ruckus, adults enjoying the resulting melee…the works:) And once done, as I sit down to write this blog, I think about the days …
- And three years go by…Three years. Time flies, goes the cliche. Well, it actually does. Three years back, this day, I had no clue that someone would visit the next day. That someone was to come in on the 2nd, and all preparations had been made. But no sir, he didn’t want to wait any further. By the time …
- Giving on your janma tithi…ज्योतिषाम् अपि तज् ज्योतिस् तमसः परम् उच्यते । ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञान-गम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य धिष्ठितम् ॥ १८ ॥ jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate |jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñāna-gamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya dhiṣṭhitam || 18 || Srimad Bhagavad Gita The Self is the source of all light. The Self is beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. The Self is …
- Rohaamrut’s janma tithi…दीप्यते दीपयति वा स्वं परं चेति that which is light and enlightens others is known as Deepa… Tomorrow is my janma tithi, that time of the year when the celestial ingredients are the same as when you were born, your own personal set of inputs that led to the miracle that is you. We all are born …
- Akshayais…Akshayais a Sanskrit word meaning ‘unending’ or ‘indestructible’. On this day, the Pandavas received the Akshaya Patra (upon worshipping Surya deva), a vessel that never ran out of food. The day is associated with material wealth and prosperity when people buy gold and start business ventures, but that is perhaps a reflection of what we …
- Instead…Aim high, for the stars they say, But the stars are impossible, says me. Why don’t I aim to be higher, better, stronger than what I was yesterday instead? For goals are best seen closer an intimate connection to you rather than something unreal, something you know will never happen… Be ambitious they say, be …
- A cryptic life…It was written 600 years ago. It’s 234 pages long. It’s been studied by cryptographers and codebreakers alike. And yet, we still have no idea what any of it means. This is the Voynich manuscript. The Voynich manuscript has been studied by many professional and amateur cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. …
- One nation…one Republic!Ah, the Indian Republic Day! The tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the parades, the tableaus, the march past…the show of strength… I remember when we were kids…switching on the television early morning, watching India at its finest, on Doordarshan (the only channel available). The commentary was a damper (very boring, and it hasn’t got …