August LP Magazine 2022

Most people find it difficult to achieve a work-life balance becayse they are more focussed on the curcle of concern than the circle of influence
the complete helplessness of the concentration camp, there are some people who maintain a positive attitude. According to Frankl, there is one thing that no one can take away from you. It is your freedom to choose how to respond to a situation. It is the last freedom that remains with you even after you are stripped of everything else.
Taking control
I had an epiphany when I read this. All this while, I was thinking I was the victim of my circumstance. It seemed like there was nothing I could do to change it. My office was far away; my working hours were long; what could I do about it? It dawned on me that if Viktor Frankl found a way to pick himself up in a Nazi concentration camp, surely, there is something I could do. I started focussing on my circle of influence. I began thinking about what I could do to make my life better. I discovered that the reason I was so tightly wound was that I had
no time to relax and unwind. Since childhood, my way of relaxing was to read a good book. I realised that I had a lot of time during the long commute, to and from the office, which I mostly spent complaining about the traffic. I could use this time for reading.
So, I started reading during my commute. This was only a tiny change in my routine, but it had an extraordinary impact on my life, both in the short term and long term. Reading immediately improved my day. The commute stopped bothering me because I was doing something that I enjoyed. Even after a stressful day at work, I used to read a book and calm down before I reached home. As a result, I was in a better frame of mind to deal with challenges at home. Even though the amount of time I spent with my family did not increase, the quality of that time definitely improved.
It had an even more remarkable impact in the
Life 51


long term. One day, I came across this book called A leader’s guide to storytelling by Steven Denning. It was about how to use stories to communicate within organisations. After reading this book, I met my CIO, who was pioneering an internal blogging platform for my company. I lent him my copy of Steven Denning’s book, and I told him I was interested in starting a blog to collect stories from within the organisation and share them with everyone.
It became one of the most popular blogs in cognisant. People across the company read and contributed their stories to the blog. This way, I could reconnect to another one of my passions—writing.
Life-changing paradigm
During blogging, I came across many people in the organisation who were involved in community service. Some people were helping orphanages stay open, sponsoring children’s education, building technical platforms for nonprofits, and going back to their native village schools to help improve the
infrastructure. I used my blogging platform to publicise their work and share their stories. After reading these inspiring stories of employees making a difference to society, our CEO decided to set up a CSR department to help these volunteers contribute more effectively to society. I was invited to set up a global volunteering programme and run it. This went on to become one of the largest corporate volunteering programs in the world. All the awards that you see in my resume are the result of the work we did through this volunteering initiative. More importantly, it was one of the most gratifying and fulfilling experiences of my life.
It all started with my decision to focus on what I could control—my circle of influence. It began with my deciding to read a book every day. Which led me to write and, then, led me to my dream job. This is the power of focussing on your circle of influence. I decided to take control of one small aspect of my life, and in a few short years, it changed my whole life.
Archana Raghuram, is a YouTuber, Former CEO, United Way Chennai and Former Senior Director, Cognizant. She was awarded the prestigious Forbes India Philanthropy Award in the ‘Good Samaritan’ category by Forbes India Magazine. She was honored as “one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business” by a leading US publication, Fast Company. The Brew magazine recognized her as an Outstanding women achiever in her chosen field. She has a YouTube channel called Temples, Books and Science where she shares her knowledge on Hindu philosophy, Temples and books that are at the intersection of science and spirituality.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoi_7OONfDLoMhgPwkbuJw/channels
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
52 LifePositive | AUGUST 2022


EPIPHANY
Investigation Incubation Illumination Verification
Our biggest and most reliable investment is our ability to think. This treasure chest of thoughts is, in fact, the most accessible because it exists right between our ears. Yet, the paradox is that so few people discover and utilise it.
Why isn’t every other person a thought leader, a creative writer, or a visionary? Why are so few people enriching themselves with their thoughts? The reason is that purposeful thinking is difficult. One of the best thinkers in Western history, Albert Einstein, put it very well: “Thinking is hard work; that’s why so few do it.”
Focussed creative thinking requires tremendous intellectual effort. So, let us learn how to think better.
Investigation
It implies digging deeper for related information and knowledge. Rather than assuming that we know, we adopt a beginner’s mindset. This means getting rid of the I-already-know attitude.
An interesting episode highlighting the need for an investigative attitude is about the sale of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Corporation by its parent company, Vickers PLC.
The two customers were Volkswagen and BMW. Volkswagen won the bid to purchase the luxury car company for $780 million. However, after the deal was complete, the buyers made a shocking discovery. The rights to the use of the name ‘Rolls- Royce’ belonged to another company, Rolls-Royce PLC. The name was synonymous with luxury cars around the world. Without it, the purchase of the manufacturing facility, etc., was not helpful.
Even worse, the company that owned the name ‘Rolls-Royce’ had ties with BMW. Now, who do you think got to use the brand name? It was BMW, not Volkswagen.
This was a case of poor investigation. The investigative attitude means to be inquisitive like a child and open-minded. We never know where a good idea might germinate from. This stage in creative thinking is like research, where you
e Four Stages of Creative inking
H H Swami Mukundananda reveals why only a few get into the involved process of thinking deep and how we can develop this faculty
Epiphany 53


accumulate the intellectual resources out of which you hope to construct new ideas.
Incubation
After gathering the facts, do not expect your mind to come up with creative new ideas right away. Instead, let them simmer in the cooker of your mind for a while. This is the incubation stage.
Incubation is a subconscious process which is essential to creativity. It means letting the conscious mind take rest and allowing the subconscious mind to get to work on the jigsaw puzzle. Overthinking with the conscious mind serves as a roadblock. Repeated experiments have proved that a short break does wonders for the creative process.
Incubation can be done through a variety of activities, like doing household chores, shaving, sipping a beverage, mowing the lawn, and so on. Author Harper Lee did much of her creative thinking while golfing.
Sleeping over it is another great way to incubate. Recent advances in neuroscience are providing evidence of how our brain consolidates waking experiences into memory while we sleep.
Illumination
After incubation, bam! An idea will strike you in a flash of insight. This is the Eureka moment, when an intuitive realisation happens, and you suddenly realise you know the answer.
What better example of it than the person who made ‘Eureka’ famous, Archimedes himself? He is remembered in history as the scientist who was sitting in his bathtub, when suddenly, the moment of epiphany happened. He was so euphoric that he shouted “Eureka (I know it)!” and ran naked through the streets of Syracuse in his excitement.
Never skip incubation. Spend hours working on a problem, then switch off and let go. Hand it over to the subconscious, so that the Universe can step in for you.
Verification
Your intuition tells you the solution is found. But we must not rashly accept it without verifying it. The reason is that our intuition is not yet perfect and could be wrong as well. Hence, this is the stage when you take on the role of a scientist and validate the results. If found unsatisfactory, the thinker must then repeat the process from the beginning.
This stage also involves putting the inspiration into words, the vision into paint, and the idea into a business plan. Or simply, announcing it to the world.
This four-step process to creative thinking along with many transformative pearls of wisdom are revealed by best-selling author, Swami Mukundananda, in his latest book, The Power of Thoughts, released by Penguin Ananda.
Swami Mukundananda
H H Swami Mukundananda—a yogi, a world-renowned spiritual teacher, an authority on mind management, an IIT and IIM alumnus, and a bhakti saint— is the founder of JKYog. He is the author of several books: Science of Mind Management | Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God.
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SPIRIT
Stepping out of the way
Both the body and emotions are not just healthy but if caught in a temporary tailspin are programmed to return to homeostasis, provided the mind does not interfere. Therefore, asks Suma Varughese, why worry?
I t is astonishing how life leads at having brought it on, my worry was a rock-solid certainty to it.
you through a voyage of
discovery through the various circumstances and situations it sends into your life. Who would have thought that a series of health challenges that have visited me relentlessly ever since the first week of May, would have helped me discover the key to one of my biggest existential questions: In a world of uncertainty and no guarantees, where was safety?
Being fearful by nature, I found it very hard to come to terms with this truth, despite all my years of working on myself. My immediate reaction to any challenge would be fear, worry and anxiety. The mind would fast forward to a doom- ridden future. Only thereafter would my spiritual training kick in, help me discover the lessons I had to learn, look for possible solutions, and also wait for the silver lining to reveal itself.
Illness particularly, got me into a sweat. I would worry about eating the wrong food (and most food has ended up falling into the wrong category over time), about exposing myself to fans, ACs and open windows, or about eating heaty food or cold-giving food. And should an illness manifest, and it inevitably did, my regret
about what would happen to me were immense.
Since May, therefore, as issue after issue visited me, beginning with an abscess on my left little finger, then a crippling arthritis attack, followed by a urinary infection (UTI), a chest congestion, and a frozen shoulder, not to mention Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), I was reduced to a state of stress and anxiety.
The IBS manifests as an inability to burp, and on the day of my nephew Naveen’s 50th birthday, for which great festivities were in store, it chose to act up. As I tried to burp, I noticed that I was tightening up my stomach. I decided to loosen it instead, and behold, burp after burp smoothly emerged, eventually leaving me with a robust appetite for the delicious biryani.
As tiny as it was, the incident unfolded amazing insights. The first was that the body was absolutely healthy, and it was the mind, with its worry, stress and anxiety, that was coming in the way of the health manifesting. I have had both these insights coming to me at several points of my journey, but this time there
Why was I worrying? Because of my deep fear that my poor eating habits were destroying my health. But the body was not ailing, it was healthy. And even if went through some temporary illness, it relentlessly strove to return to homeostasis. So why worry?
And the same could be said of my emotions. If the mind did not interfere, every negative emotion would eventually return to peace, whether anger, fear, grief or shame. Why then did I have to worry? It was worry that was the problem, never the body’s or emotion’s health. Therefore worry was not just damaging, it was also redundant.
Ironically, I have been even more ill since the realisation, the body converging into a grand climax of fever, cough, cold, chest congestion and UTI. However, the worry, fear and anxiety are considerably less, for I am able to step out of the way of both the body and the emotions. And I have the faith that my turbulent present will surely fructify into a more healthy future. Thathasthu!
Suma Varughese is a thinker, writer, and former Editor-in-Chief of Life Positive. She also holds writer’s workshops. Write to her at [email protected].
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
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CONTEMPLATION
Can Money Buy Happiness?
Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy a certain degree of satisfaction, depending on how much wealth you have and how you spend it, says Darshan Goswami
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Many people share a fairly common In and of itself, money is neither good nor bad.
misconception. They believe that
having lots of money can make you happy. The more money you have, the happier you can be. Others believe that having money is not spiritually or socially acceptable, and that money is the root cause of all evil. Are any of these beliefs really true? To answer this question, begin by asking yourself what money means to you and how you treat it when you have it? Here’s what science has to say.
The new science of happiness starts with a simple insight: human beings are never satisfied. In other words, once a person’s needs are met, additional income mostly goes towards satisfying wants, which, beyond a very initial level, doesn’t lead to additional happiness in life. A study of more than 12,000 people from various social and economic groups found no correlation between income and happiness. The single biggest culprit is that having money raises our aspirations about the happiness that we expect in our daily lives, and these raised aspirations can be toxic. While earning more money makes us happy in the short term, we quickly adjust to our new wealth—and everything that it buys us. More money can also lead to more stress and impairs our ability to enjoy those things.
Depending on how it is used, money can create powerful, positive changes in the world. Having money allows us to function more easily in the world and provide comfort in our lives and the lives of others. However, because attachment to money is based on fear, it always creates insecurity. The desire to have more money, and thereby feel more secure, never ends. Security can never come from money alone. Some extremely wealthy people are also the most insecure. Does this mean we must give up the desire to attain wealth? Not necessarily.
It is what we choose to do with the money that determines if it will have a positive effect on others, the society, the world, and ourselves. Sure, money can make a difference in many aspects of our life, but could it really improve our happiness? Numerous studies and surveys suggest that money may help buy happiness when used to meet basic needs. The total happiness value money may produce can only be increased when it is shared with others or spent on those in need.
Happiness guide
Like many people, you probably think factors such as education, intelligence, athletic ability, being sociable, marriage, family, and status make a person happy. Studies of happiness in several countries have found that while money makes these factors more attainable, it has little to do with happiness (except among the very poor) when compared to an individual’s characteristic sense of well-being. Some psychologists believe happiness is genetic. Other scientists say they may have located an important area of the brain where happiness is generated.
While these ideas are debated, we don’t have to wait to begin discovering happiness within ourselves. Each of our lives is sprinkled with ample opportunities for achieving happiness. Search for the small things that give you a little laugh or a smile. Take time to be with your family and friends. These are the treasures that will enhance your happiness in the long run and not some grand achievements that only give you a lift for a short while.
Conclusion
Money alone will not make us happy. Decades of research show that while money doesn’t buy happiness, for some people, it may
Contemplation 57


Those who spent money on others or donated it to charity reported a greater sense of happiness than those who lavished it on themselves. This experience of unselfish sharing with others can make us truly happy.
reduce unhappiness. After a minimum level of income that allows people to satisfy their basic needs, the relationship between financial and emotional well-being is weak. Just having money doesn’t necessarily translate into greater happiness, but using it well can. In addition, the evidence shows that valuing time over money promotes social connections, which leads to a host of benefits and happiness. According to spiritual wisdom, real happiness is the natural by-product of unselfish service to God and humanity without any ulterior motives. Those who spent money on others or donated it to charity reported a greater sense of happiness than those who lavished it on themselves. This experience of unselfish sharing with others can make us truly happy. Spending money on experiences has been found to bring more profound happiness than
Darshan Goswami
spending it on possessions.
I believe that happiness, on some level, comes from the people that you care about most, and that true happiness results from sharing generously of yourself, your mind, knowledge, emotion, and spirit with all those who come in contact with you. Genuine relationships are where true happiness comes from. So, be an optimist, do kind deeds for others, and explore the deeper resources within you by praying to God from your heart. Through sincere prayer and mindful meditation, you will attain the highest achievement in life—the discovery of your eternal happiness with God.
It is extremely rare that you can have both money and happiness. Which will you choose?
Darshan Goswami, has more than 40 years of experience in the energy field. He worked as a project manager for Renewable Energy, Micro-grid and Smart Grid projects at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in Pittsburgh. He is an electrical engineer with a passion and commitment to promote and develop renewable sources of energy.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
58 LifePositive | AUGUST 2022


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SHARING
In awe of autumn
K Geethanjali finds beauty in falling violet blossoms as well as in the winter of her mother’s life
Humble dazzle Of autumn: These leaves
On the ground – Each one page In the Book,
A poem that says I lived...
As humans, we tend to see beauty only in the blossoming of things. Anything falling and dying is seen as destruction.
Last week, I marvelled at a tree in my apartment’s gardens, so abundant in its violet blossoms that it caught the eye of all passers-by. This Sunday morning, sitting on the garden bench, I was enraptured by the falling showers of these same violet flowers. A sudden landing of a crow on the tree branch or a naughty gust of wind was enough to create the dance of falling flowers. With a gentle twirl, they came slowly down, embracing the ground as elegantly as they had, the tree. Time seemed to stand still as there was an ease and timelessness in their falling.
As the day wore on, there were more flowers on the ground than on the tree. For the life of me, I couldn’t decide which looked more beautiful, the full blossoms on the tree that I had seen earlier or the carpet of dying flowers on the ground?
There is a grace in the blooms and a grace in the falling showers. What appears as the falling and the death of the flowers is but a recycling. After they sink into the mud, won’t they be raised again
as yet another form some other day?
What if we see beauty in all the things of life that fall away? My first grey hair need not be a source of concern to me but a joy. The falling away of black and the rise of the silver locks—a sign of the days I have lived and the experiences I have had. The failure to land a promotion that I was eyeing; can I see it as a beautiful falling dream leaf? What if it opens up another path for me?
As I write this, I am in the middle of witnessing a great falling away. My 90- year-old mom is slowly fading away, but there is such grace and beauty in the whole process that there is nothing to resist. There is an overall shrinking as the food intake lessens. The craving for sweets, which was predominant a few months back, has all but fallen away. The snow-white hair, which was once long and lustrous, lie dishevelled over her fair face until combed by one of her children. An Alzheimer’s patient, she has no past or future but lives in the now. Memory has fallen away, but there is a beauty and serenity that living in the present has given her.
Autumn is beautiful. Winter is beautiful. Let’s not hang on to spring and summer. Once we let go and embrace autumn and winter, spring will come again. Albeit in a form we may not recognise.
What a gift the falling leaf has been given! It has lived a ripe old age and is now dry with the wealth of experience. As Gregory Orr continues in his poem ‘Humble dazzle,’
60 LifePositive | AUGUST 2022


I was
A small part
Of the whole Story – this
Is my song.
This is my glory.
Truly, the fact that it has lived and is part of a larger story is its greatest bliss.
In His image
A tranquil, contemplative evening brings Gurjas Chahal the peace inherent in wishing well for one’s fellow humans (even the nasty ones) and being one with them in spirit
K GEETHANJALI
K Geethanjali is a teacher, writer and healer, currently based in Bangalore. She is a disciple of Mahavatar Babaji.
Sitting by the calm lakeside one evening, enjoying and contemplating the beauty God has showered everywhere, I remembered a noble soul who passed away last year, a person highly advanced in spirituality. Shri Rabindra Kumar Bhuiyan was his name. He was my neighbour, a selfless server of greenery near the lake, and a good human being. We used to meet every day during our morning walk.
Sharing 61


He would come to the lakeside every evening and watch the setting sun in complete silence. I remembered the thoughts he used to share about his prayers. In his mind, he would pray for everyone’s happiness—a simple and sweet prayer. He wished happiness for all living beings.
I could never bring myself to pray for everyone’s happiness then. I had difficulty in wishing happiness for people who were nasty to me or had played politics with me. However, that evening, when the noble soul was far away in the world of no return, the anguish of separation made me experiment. For a moment, I thought how it would be to wish happiness even for my enemies!
The subtle fibre of thought kindled a sudden spark of light inside me. For a moment, I wished happiness for everyone, including those for whom I had always prayed for karma to catch up with and punish. For a moment, I visualised them smiling with happiness. I must admit, it was a great feeling. I felt as if a rock had been lifted off my shoulders, leaving my being joyous and playful.
For coming to the state of experimenting with an idea, credit must go to Adolf Just. He has shared some wonderful prose on how to be happy in his book Return To Nature: “Man is originally the image of God, the highest
essence of love. . . . One need no longer hope to find salvation in a scientific school education, but in the undisturbed health of body and soul resulting from a natural mode of life, and the love of God and his fellow men.”
What I comprehend from these words is that happiness will come automatically when we understand that it has a very simple formula, which is to keep our body as close to nature as possible foodwise by consuming fruits, nuts, and milk only.
Next comes making the mind happy, and that happens when we truly comprehend that God has created man in His image. I used to find this concept difficult to understand. Then one fine day, in a wonderful book on spirituality by Bhai Guriqbal Singh, I came across a small para, reading which the import of the concept simply flowed into my head. The author explained it thus: Just as while tying a turban he saw in the mirror how he was looking, the Formless One, on attaining a human form, looked in the mirror to see how He was looking. That is, human beings are nothing but God in form. And, when all of us are created in the image of God, we are all one. It will be only natural and the most obvious thing to wish happiness for each other.
I realised how deep the knowledge of my guru was and felt, once again, in awe of him.
Gurjas Kaur Chahal
Gurjas Kaur Chahal is a voracious reader and a writer by hobby. She enjoys reading the works of renowned authors, children’s books, fables, scriptures and non-fiction. Her other interests are travelling, playing guitar and keeping fit
62 LifePositive | AUGUST 2022
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MUDRAS
Good health=Gut health
The digestive system is a breeding ground for illness. Abhay Kumar Shah shows us mudras that are beneficial for its proper functioning
Jnana Mudra Apana Vayu Mudra Apana Mudra Pooshan Mudra
T he root causes of numerous diseases lie in the stomach, indigestion and constipation being the foremost. A lot of factors lead to these two problems.
First of all, an unhealthy lifestyle is the main culprit: having meals late at night, heavy junk food, lack of exercise, stress, and sleeping late.
Some of us, after crossing fifty, are diseased with bacterial infections. Medication (for diabetes and blood pressure, for example) can also cause constipation or hamper the digestive system. Some drugs, like painkillers, raise acidity. The regular intake of antacids reduces the amount of vitamin B12, and that of laxatives becomes habit-forming.
It is to our benefit to make our digestive system strong and healthy. No medication is a permanent solution for these problems. Changing our eating habits and lifestyle for the better, and reducing stress will go a long way in keeping us healthy and fit.
Mudra Therapy can give miraculously fast results for constipation, indigestion, and acidity.
Jnana Mudra
Jnana Mudra reduces stress and calms the mind, which ultimately helps to correct digestion. In fact, it sets every system in place.
Touch the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining three fingers comfortably straight. Rest the back of the palms on the thighs or knees.
Mudras 63


Practise for 16 to 48 minutes, preferably in the early morning.
Apana Vayu Mudra
Apana Vayu Mudra releases the gases clogged in the stomach area and the intestines by forcing them downwards. This mudra also reduces the effects of late-night sleeping and a hangover, and is very important for heart care too.
Touch the tip of the index finger to the bottom of the thumb. Touch the tips of the middle and the ring fingers to the tip of the thumb. Keep the little finger straight. Rest the back of the palms on the thighs or knees.
Practise for at least 16 minutes, twice a day.
Apana Mudra
Apana Mudra is a detoxifying mudra. It eliminates the waste from our body through the processes of excretion, sweating, exhalation, and urination. The regular practice of this mudra can reset our digestion system. Apana Mudra creates an outward and downward pressure.
Touch the tip of the thumb to the tips of the middle and the ring fingers. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Rest the back of the palms on the thighs or knees.
Practise for 30 minutes, twice a day.
Pooshan Mudra
Pooshan Mudra is the best mudra for handling gut infections. It helps to grow the good bacteria while reducing the bad. It also cleans the intestines and detoxifies them.
In this mudra, two different formations are to be formed with both hands.
Right hand: Touch the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb. Put the tip of the middle finger on the nail of the index finger. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Rest the back of the palms on the thighs or knees.
Left hand: Touch the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the thumb. Put the tip of the ring finger on the nail of the middle finger. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Rest the back of the palms on the thighs or knees.
Practise for 30 minutes or more at night, before going to bed.
Abhay Kumar Shah is a mechanical engineer, who has learnt Mudra Shastra from experts and established his own method of using this science correctly, and in the modern context. He can be reached at: [email protected]
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
64 LifePositive | AUGUST 2022


BANYAN TREE
TEACHING STORY
DROP THE BURDEN
When I first watched this video of a professor pouring water into a glass, I expected him to ask the typical glass-half-empty-or-glass-half- full question. Instead, the professor asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?”
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to sixteen ounces.
He replied, “The absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralysed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”
As the class shook their heads in agreement, he continued, “Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer, and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralysed—incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”
This analogy is true for many millennials. It is a reminder to take a chill pill. Dozens of people in their mid-20s are working away the best years of their life because they want to be a hustler and achieve financial freedom. While there’s nothing wrong with working hard, you shouldn’t sacrifice your quality of life for a big paycheck.
THIS, I KNOW
ACHARYA PRASHANT
• Spirituality is not the renunciation of life; it is the art of living fully.
• Fight so hard, play so hard, that the result stops mattering.
• The quality of this moment decides the quality of life. If this is life, then the worthiness of this moment is the worthiness of life.
• Living well, living fully is the purpose of life. Why ask for another purpose?
• Any search for life must begin by going very close to death. To understand death is to understand life. To die once is to come alive forever.
• Do you know why you keep moving outwards? To search for the Centre. And where is the Centre? From where you started.
• If you want to change who you are you will have to want something radically different
• In the right battle, even defeat is victory.
• The courageous mind solves itself rather than the problem
• When the truth is the lover, to be kissed is to be killed.
Banyan Tree
65


INSPIRATION
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference. —Robert Frost
ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
BABIES ARE CLOSER TO GOD
When her brother was born, Sa-chi Gabriel begged her parents to leave her alone with the baby. They refused, fearing that, as with many four-year-olds, she was jealous and wanted to mistreat him. But Sa-chi showed no signs of jealousy. And since she was always extremely affectionate towards her little brother, her parents decided to experiment. They left Sa-chi alone with their newborn baby but kept the bedroom door ajar so that they could watch what she did. Delighted to have her wish granted, little Sa-chi tiptoed over to the cradle, leaned over the baby, and said: “Little brother, tell me what God is like. I’m beginning to forget.”
QUOTE
“Meditation demands an astonishingly alert mind. It is the understanding of the totality of life in which every form of fragmentation has ceased.”
—Jiddu Krishnamurthy
JUST FOR LAUGHS
COOKIES FOR THE LORD
Mother asks her child: “Do you know that God was watching you while you were stealing cookies from the kitchen?”
Child: “Yes, I do.” “And what did he say to you?” “He said, ‘There is nobody here apart from us, so take some cookies for me too!’”
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LifePositive | AUGUST 2022