C hange is the unchangeable law of time’ goes a popular adage. However, never has change been thrust upon us in such a radical way as now.
Families, organisations, and institutions have had to reimagine the way they operate, function, and interact; and Life Positive is no different.
The biannual Life Positive International Spiritual Festival too has adapted to the changing times. Instead of cancelling the event in the wake of the contagion, we decided to take it online in a completely new format.
Over two days, October 31 and November 1,2020, we will hold eight online workshops conducted by cutting-edge, facilitators who will share their expertise and skills, and give you important tools to have a better grasp over your life.
Here is a sneak peek of the upcoming festival and the workshops that are being offered by world-class facilitators in two-hour capsules. You are invited to register and book your space at the earliest for this online mega event, all from the comfort of your home.
Go to www.lifepositive.org for registration
ISF Preview 51
OCTOBER 31, 2020
Partha Gupta How to Shift the Energy of a Space Time -9:00 am to 11:00 am
As a body-mind-emotion complex, we may experience different inner states. However, our fundamental essence is never affected, and it is who we are in any given space. We are what we contribute to any space.
The quality of our relationship with any aspect of life depends on the quality of our communication with it. So, the space we dwell in, as well as every space that is a part of our memory, is just a perception away from establishing our connection with it. Positive spaces yield positive results and memories.
When one is established in space, one finds ‘presence’ in every quantum of existence and the ability to shift the energy of any space at will. This workshop will help you change the energy of a space to highly positive one.
Partha Gupta has been closely associated with Life Positive for the past six years, and his credo is ‘Breathe like a child to receive like a child.’
Having spent 12 years in close association with many a realised master, Partha has documented his message in the form of e-workbooks to make it accessible to people. The books are available on Amazon.
Suma Varughese The Zen of Good Writing
Time -11:30 am to 1:30 pm
The workshop will introduce participants to some of the most powerful principles of good writing followed by all good writers anywhere. However, the workshop’s USP is its infusion of spirituality, by offering tools and techniques to go within and to write from your own inspiration and creativity, as well as to heal from fears and build up confidence. Of the hundreds who have done the course, as many as 97 per cent have credited the workshop with having increased their confidence, diminished their fears, and given them the impetus to write regularly.
Suma Varughese is the founder-facilitator of The Zen of Good Writing course. Since 2015, she has been holding this course all over India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Surat, and Nagpur. Currently, The Zen of Good Writing has migrated online and is enjoying considerable popularity. The course uses a spectrum of tools, techniques, and exercises that will help us express ourselves with greater clarity and precision.
Ms Varughese is the former editor-in-chief of Life Positive and Society magazines. She is the author of Travelling Light and Travelling Lighter. Her third book, Fifty Life Lessons, is undergoing publishing by Hay House.
52 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
OCTOBER 31, 2020
Andrew
Cohen
Evolutionary Enlightenment:
A Spiritual Path
for the 21st Century Time -2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Most traditional teachings of enlightenment that promise happiness and inner freedom are three to five thousand years old. Are they equipped to meet the urgent spiritual and practical needs of our time? Andrew Cohen thinks not. In fact, he makes a bold claim: Enlightenment itself is evolving.
Cohen calls his approach ‘Evolutionary Enlightenment.’ It’s a compelling and provocative vision of spiritual evolution. Departing radically from a traditional Eastern approach to enlightenment, Andrew calls not for transcendence of the world but for a deep and heroic responsibility for its evolution. He sees the transformation of culture as critical to the shaping of a new and positive future for human beings in the 21st century and beyond.
A fateful meeting with the revered master H W L Poonja in 1986 sparked a life-changing awakening in him, and he quickly began developing a unique spiritual teaching. From 1991 to 2010, he was the editor-in- chief of the award-winning Enlighten Next (formerly What Is Enlightenment?) magazine, a widely cherished publication that explored the deepest existential questions of our time with some of the world’s most noted thought leaders.
Sanjiv Ranjan Self-healing Time -5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Whether it’s fear of abandonment, failure, going broke, not being loved, or the unknown, fear shows up in many ways. It keeps you stuck and not living your true potential. Once you let go of fear, you can see your lifeopening up and yourself blossoming into your full bloom. This releasing of fear also leads to the healing of chronic ailments in the body.
To address fear, we have to work with not only the mind but the energy body and emotions. When we get to the root issue that’s causing distress, we can change our lives—meaning zero panic, no fear, and more peace. This workshop is designed to help you eliminate fear and finally live a courageous life.
Sanjiv Ranjan, the author of The Seven Mystical Laws of Self-Healing is a mystic, gifted healer, visionary, and reformist writer who helps you eliminate the three biggest fears that hold you back from living your life to its full potential through his workshops. He has also contributed richly to the Life Positive magazine through his insightful and enlightening cover stories on a host of practical as well as deeply spiritual topics.
ISF Preview 53
NOVEMBER 1, 2020
Dr. Anu
Mehta
From Spiritual
Blindness to
Spiritual Wellness
Time -9:00 am to 11:00 am
When we lose health, we feel helpless, trapped, and powerless, and start working to get rid of the illness. This need to be healthy again can propel us towards a deeper understanding of who we are and what we need to do to create happiness and health. Our illness, thus, many a time, can ignite spiritual growth in us.
Disease is created when we hold on stubbornly to the false illusion of our reality. As long as we are flexible and ready to embrace transformation, we are fine. This workshop is aimed at making us aware of the spiritual meaning of ourself to help us achieve holistic well-being.
Facilitator Dr Anu Mehta is the chairlady and a member of the Board of Directors for META-Health International. She is a Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] from The Open International University for Complementary Medicines, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Dr Anu Mehta is the first MasterTrainer in METAHealth, Matrix Reimprinting, and Advanced Clearing Energetics. She is a trainer in NES-Health, EFT, and ColourPsychology. She is also a facilitator and trainer in hypnotherapy, Tibetan singing bowls, and family constellation.
Anu has given talks in countries like the United Kingdom, Egypt, Prague, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Hawaii and Sri Lanka.
Srimatha Vijayalakshmi Panthaiyan Alpha Mind Power Time-11:30 am
to 1:30 am
The Alpha brain wave is that level of our mind where manifestations happen. However, reaching it is not as simple as one would like to believe. In this workshop on Alpha Mind Power,you will know the concept of Alpha level of the mind. The subconscious mind opens at this level of the mind. The participants will experience the Alpha frequency of the mind through a meditation. They will also learn how to visualise goals at that level and manifest them more easily through guided meditation.
Facilitator Srimatha Vijayalakshmi Panthaiyan is a spiritual guru and the Sfounder of Alpha Mind Power, Chennai. She is also a Mind Power Expert, a counsellor, and a psychologist. She started Alpha Mind Power workshops in May 2000 and has conducted more than 1000 workshops for the public for stress management, goal achievement, empowerment, etc. with Alpha Meditations in various cities in India such as Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Goa, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Salem, Thanjavur, Pondicherry, Tirunelveli, Rishikesh, and many others. She appears on TV channels inspiring lakhs of people and also writes for various newspapers. The energy of the Siddhas experienced during her initiation in the class is life-transforming.
54 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
NOVEMBER 1, 2020
Aarti Desai Animal Connect—Talking to Animals
Time -2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Animals are conscious and highly evolved beings. They play a huge role in our lives as pets and as fellow living beings. In this workshop, Aarti will impart the skill to understand the mood, language, and the mental and emotional state of your pet in order to understand them better and be more available to them.
Each animal that she has worked with has enriched her with new learning and wisdom, helping her grow, evolve, and transform.
Aarti’s passion is to raise the consciousness of human–animal relationship through the various modalities that she has learnt over the years. She is a certified animal and nature communicator who has studied under national and international teachers. A professional sound healing facilitator working with singing bowls, gong, tuning forks, and vocal cords, she has played in various national and international events includingBarcelona, Egypt, and schools and animal shelters in India.
She also facilitates one-on-one private Bach Flower workshops for human–animal well- being. She also incorporates colour psychology, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, and Vastu in helping animals and their owners, and also takes individual sessions with people.
Naini
Setalvad
One Bite to Success—Food
Can Change the Blueprint of Your Life. Time -5:00pm to 7:00pm
With increased home and work pressure, longer working hours, and keeping a single posture throughout the day, people are finding it difficult to maintain emotional and physical well-being. Naini wants to effectively steer people towards brilliant nutrition with her motto: One Bite to Success—Food Can Change the Blueprint of Your Life. Shuruat Karo Kamyaabiki Mere Saath (Work your way to success with me).
In short, Naini wishes to prevent, retard, and reverse diseases by using food as a tool to reduce stress, manage weight, boost immunity, improve memory, enhance interpersonal relationships, have better sleep, and get better insurance premiums. Naini Setalvad is a famous nutritionist, dietician, food guru, and wellness expert; an obesity, lifestyle, and disease-management coach and a sports nutritionist, researcher, columnist, and public speaker on health.
With over 20 years of experience in helping her clients combat obesity, PCOD, and degenerative disorders using her food combinations, there is no one better than Naini.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
ISF Preview 55
SHARING
One with the Universe
Badal Suchak takes us through four states of intention to help us get to the state of surrendering to the Higher Will
V ery clearly, it has long been scientifically established that mind rules over matter. Mind shapes one’s life. Therefore, the
quality of mind matters. The more evolved one’s mind is, the superior the quality of one’s life. There are four different levels at which the mind can function. These can be categorised on the basis of levels of consciousness and intention. Exploring these levels, one can observe for oneself the level of functioning of the mind and can make a shift to a higher level with awareness.
My friend Nithya Shanti has developed a model of four states of consciousness and intention, which I have interpreted from my perspective:
• Unconscious non-intention
Masters often give the metaphor of a dry leaf being blown away by the wind to explain the mind which is in a state of inertia. A dry leaf is lifeless, has no active mind, and, therefore, no intention of its own. It can get unconsciously blown away by the wind anywhere. It makes no choice as to where it wants to go. There is no awareness, and it is completely lost. It is dull, devoid of energy, and in a state of inertia. It is tamasic in nature. This state of mind is that of ‘unconscious non-intention.’
• Unconscious intention
One can either develop one’s own intelligence or get influenced by others’ intelligence. Have you noticed how most of us rush to shop when discounts are being offered during a sale period? We often tend to purchase products which we don’t really need but do so under the spell of getting a bargain. If a product is on 20 per cent discount, we greedily buy it, not realising that we are still paying 80 per cent for something which we do not need at all. One buys into the idea that owning stuff will make one happy by making one look successful, powerful, and desirable. This is a clear case of being influenced by cleverly crafted advertisements and marketing ploys by shrewd business owners. One is not consciously utilising one’s own intelligence, but, rather, is under the spell of someone else’s intention.
There are various other situations where there is a possibility of getting influenced by someone else’s intention. One can get easily influenced by one’s parents’ values, give in to peer pressure, or blindly follow societal norms without questioning their validity. This is a life governed by subconscious programming, by the intention and will of others. The quality of such a life depends on the quality of intention
56 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
of others whom we allow to influence us. This state of mind is that of ‘unconscious intention.’
• Conscious intention
As one matures, one develops an increasing understanding of how the mind and consciousness function. It is malleable like clay in a skilled potter’s hands who can consciously mould it into pots of various desired shapes. Rather than being influenced by someone else’s intention, one intelligently exercises their own intention and moulds their life as per their will.
With such an evolved state of mind, one gets into the driver’s seat, feeling empowered to shape their life with consciously set affirmations. There is clarity regarding dreams, aspirations, and vision, with which one plans a structured pathway to achieve goals. One can intentionally use ‘The Secret’ of visualising, emotionalising, and actualising one’s goals, and experience success in life. It is the art of conscious manifestation which has gained much popularity. This state of mind is that of ‘conscious intention.’
The quality of one’s life depends on the quality of one’s intention. Largely, such people function from a highly materialistic vision living in a rajasic state of mind, creating success and wealth, and having an agenda of self-aggrandisement. Some people use conscious intention negatively to harm others. Conversely, others create conscious intention for a larger purpose to serve the world. This is
the most positive way of exercising ‘conscious intention.’
• Conscious non-intention
The previous state of conscious intention involves intense self-effort driven by the ego. It is very structured masculine energy. There is a possibility of experiencing stress or even the burden of one’s own intention. Intentions can be binding, and there is a possibility of getting entangled by creating more karma.
As one evolves, one lets go of egocentric desires and intentions. One experiences a sense of oneness with the Universe: structures created by the lower mind collapse and an understanding of a larger purpose of the Universe emerges. One begins the journey from the head to the heart. Personal agenda and intentions effortlessly drop as one merges into the universal consciousness. One is divinely guided into doing the right thing intuitively by the developed psychic energy. Work is no more effort but a joyful flow of offering to the Divine. One experiences synchronicity, Grace, and bliss in every aspect of life. It is a sattvic state of mind of ‘conscious non-intention,’ driven by joyful surrender to the Higher Will. The heart overflows with gratitude as one affirms: “Thy Will be done!”
Thus, experientially understanding various stages of consciousness and intention, with awareness, one can choose to shift from inertia or victimhood to a more empowered, surrendered, or awakened state of mind.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
Sharing 57
JOURNEY
If truth be told
Shivi Verma rejoices in her discovery that righteousness is the only dharma worth sticking to if you want to blossom as a spiritual being
My spiritual journey had that there was only as much scope • Is my uncle guilty of domestic
started quite early in my
life, unlike that of most of my peers who were focussed on making a career or getting married in their youth.
When I look back, I feel I was born with the seeds in my DNA. And one of these seeds was being truthful at all times. It’s not that I did not know that I could save my skin by lying after making a mistake. It was just that an inner awareness would tell me that even though the other might not know that I had erred, I knew that I was guilty and I could never run away from myself.
On the two or three occasions that I had lied, I could never forget the face of the kin on whom the blame was shifted and who had cried hard because they could not prove their innocence. How my conscience had rebuked me and their helpless faces haunted me, long after everybody had forgotten about the incident! This realisation made me resolve to be honest with myself in all situations. To scan my inner self on being accused of a wrongdoing and find if my conscience agreed with it or not. To my dismay, my inner voice spoke unadulterated truth to me each time, forcing me to admit things I would not have otherwise. But this habit ensured that I led a guilt-free life.
As I grew older, I began to realise
for a person to grow spiritually as the number of honest admissions they could make to themselves. I observed that an amicable resolution of a conflict was possible only if both parties were willing to go on a self-inventory. Even if one person lived in denial of their mistakes, the relationship would either collapse or become a burden.
Furthermore, speaking the truth also includes speaking uncomfortable truths to others. And it is not easy.
Often, in the course of living our lives, we try to ignore the elephant in the room just because we do not want to upset the applecart of relationships. To some extent, it works, but in the larger scheme of things, keeping mum about uncomfortable realities and pretending that all is well in paradise can lead to suffocation, depression, and even illness in the body.
Ask yourself these questions if you really want spiritual growth in your life:
• Do I know of a sexual predator in my family who victimises children, yet I have stayed quiet about it?
• Does my roommate steal money and belongings, yet I am afraid of confronting her?
violence, yet I have never called him out on that?
• Does my sister play mind games and sets family members against one another?
When you start listening to your inner voice, it will not stay confined to simply making you aware of your own shortcomings. It will throw a glaring light on all that is decaying and decomposing in your environment as well. It will prod you to speak up and take a stand in favour of the victim or bring to light someone’s unholy intentions. Ofcourse, there will be backlashes, but seeking God’s help while you decide to speak your truth will give you strength, faith, and support.
A real connection with the Divine will make you courageous, conscientious, and more honest. You begin to understand that there is no refuge anywhere for those who run away from themselves. You can take comfort in the fact that even during the storm, you will be protected because you listened to God within your heart and earned Her grace.
Editor of Life Positive, Shivi Verma is a devotee who found all her answers in loving God passionately.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
58 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
MUDRAS
Abhay Kumar Shah recommends three Mudras to take care of the pesky common cold
I n the wake of the hurricane of COVID-19, there is almost no discussion about other diseases or viral infections—as if they are non-existent! The oldest, most common, and the simplest viral infection amongst all is the common cold. It is more common than common sense.
It is humorously said that the common cold is cured with medicine within seven days and without medicine within a week. Contracting this infection is the easiest way to gauge our immunity status; people with low immunity catch this virus easily.
The symptoms are not very painful, but they could be quite disturbing. A runny nose, sneezing, congestion in the chest, low or high fever, muscle pain, phlegm, nasal congestion, loss of smell, redness in the eyes, itchiness, chills, fatigue, body ache, sinus pressure, swollen lymph nodes, throat irritation—the list is endless. It’s amazing how a simple common cold can be so potent!
Although there is no sure-shot remedy for the common cold in modern medical science, Mudra Therapy can treat and reduce the risk of infection as well as the symptoms.
Here are some mudras which will help make your life easier:
PRANA MUDRA
We all know that viral infections enter through a window in the wall of the immune system. This mudra works well for reinforcing our immune system. It is observed that a person practising Prana Mudra regularly is very unlikely to be infected with any kind
of virus.
Formation
Touch the tips of the ring and the little fingers to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your knees or thighs.
Practise twice a day for at least 16 minutes each time; 30 minutes is ideal.
Mudras 59
SURYA MUDRA
If one is affected by symptoms like cough, cold, and chills, then Surya Mudra works best. It increases the heat in the body. When the environmental temperature is low, the phlegm thickens and can’t flow easily. It chokes the nasal spaces and accumulates on the vocal cord. Surya Mudra raises the temperature of the body and makes the phlegm flow freely and also reduces its accumulation in the chest.
Formation
Touch the tip of the ring finger to the root of the thumb. Keep the thumb on the back of the folded ring finger. Place the back of your palms on your knees or thighs.
Practise for 16 minutes to 30 minutes. Never overdo it. Stop when the result is achieved.
LING MUDRA
As far as increasing the heat in the body is concerned, there is one other mudra, which can be combined with Surya Mudra; it is Ling Mudra.
It increases the heat in the body very rapidly. The only caution while practising Ling Mudra is to consume a lot of water and other liquids as the heat created by this mudra dehydrates our body.
Formation
Clasp the fingers of both the hands with each other and apply
little pressure. Keep one thumb vertically straight. Wrap the other thumb around the straight thumb.
Never practise this mudra for more than 10 minutes without the advice of a mudra consultant. Stop practising this mudra after achieving the desired result.
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]
60 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
SPIRIT
It is no coincidence that all or most sages are gifted with a sense of humour, says Suma Varughese, for humour gives us a sense of proportion, prunes our ego, and increases awareness
H aving been on the The Power of Now. He too has a
spiritual circuit for
close to three decades (out of which 21 years were in Life Positive), I can say with some confidence that most of the really sound gurus or spiritual teachers I have met have had an equally
sound sense of humour.
Swami Sukhabodh ananda, for instance, who used to hold a programme called Life some years back,had such a rollicking sense of humour that it would literally have you rolling in the aisles. Mahatria, the Chennai-based spiritual teacher, too has a great sense of humour. His very popular discourses are richly larded with droll observations that can have you in stitches.
Swami Tejomayananda, former worldwide head of the Chinmaya Mission, too has a face from which laughter is never too far away.
Similarly, you only have to look at the Dalai Lama’s face to know that laughter is as much a part of his spirit as depth and gravitas are. Mahatma Gandhi too had a fabulous sense of humour.
be extremely serious about life in general. Almost all of them appear a little out of proportion in some way, and what is more, are singularly charmless.
A sense of humour gives us a sense of proportion. It enables us to laugh healthily at life and, sometimes, at ourselves too. It prevents us from taking ourselves too seriously or thinking too well of ourselves. I am convinced that those who lack a sense of humour are usually lacking in awareness too. And as we all know, the spiritual path is fuelled only by awareness.
Because of their refined nature, gurus have a refined sense of humour. They will never ridicule anyone or laugh at what is sacred. But their keen perception allows them to sniff out the pretensions and follies of humans. And they will gently call attention to it. Making us aware of our pretensions is one more way of pruning the ego and enhancing our awareness. Their laughter is a healthy inoculation against the spiritual traps along the path.
Suma Varughese is a thinker, writer, and former Editor-in- Chief of Life Positive. She also holds writer’s workshops. Write to her at sumavarughese@ hotmail.com.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
terrific sense of humour, all the more funny because it is delivered quietly, even as he chortles gently.
To the outsider, the gravity of the spiritual life and the levity of humour can seem almost too contradictory to go together, but spirituality is, in fact, all about fusing polar opposites and being comfortable in every mood, or rasa. The enlightened or even the evolved soul has the flexibility and innate comfort to laugh like a baby one moment and be as still as a graven statue the next. Without the need for an identity or an image to keep up, the soul is free. And it is light. Enlightened souls are lighthearted. Life is both joyous and fun for them. Having no self to drag them down, there is no question of taking themselves seriously, and so they elicit laughter out of every possible situation.
And yet, it is not as if these people discovered their funny bone on enlightenment. I am fairly sure that a sense of humour is more or less a necessity for anyone to qualify for a spiritual quest. Think of the humourless people in your life. Chances are high that they may be a little dry in personality or, perhaps, pompous and inclined to take themselves a little too
In these lockdown months, I have
been watching and listening to
Eckhart Tolle on YouTube. Eckhart
is one of the world’s most popular
spiritual teachers and author of seriously. Or, yet again, they may
Spirit 61
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Bestselling author and Indiaʼs legendary Wiccan High Priestess
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Talking.Tales.v05C.pdf
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What do tales speak about when they talk?
Is it of wishing spells,
or the way dinosaurs walk? What falls out
when you turn a page? Is it dwarf's wisdom,
or a giant's rage?
Pick up the book,
and hear it speak. Maybe it has answers that you seek.
About the Author
Bharat Shekhar lives in New Delhi.
He tries to write when he can, and doodles when he can't.
Hauntings
Reincarnation
True stories from recent times
Spirit Communication Possession A woman in Delhi remembers the hell which surrounded her at
an old sacred site in Kedarnath.
A radio in a Kolkata apartment reaches out and contacts spirits.
A murdered courtesan from centuries ago appears in a mirror at a Jaipur hotel.
These and many more stories delve into the deepest parts of man and spirit, bringing together science and the supernatural with legend and lore.
Other Stories
For the Body, Mind & Spirit www.lifepositive.com
` 195
Author Photo by Srabasti
For the Body, Mind & Spirit www.lifepositive.com
Psychic researcher and lawyer, Deepta is the daughter of Indiaʼs best known Wiccan Ipsita Roy Chakraverti. Deepta holds a first degree in Mathematics from the University of Delhi and a degree in law from Kingʼs College London. She is working in a legal capacity with an oil and energy major in India and is also General Secretary of The Wiccan Brigade. Deepta is the author of Bhangarh to Bedlam: Haunted Encounters.
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Cursed at Kedarnath & other Stories
Foreword by
Ipsita Roy Chakraverti
Cursed At Kedarnath &
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tquwu vkSj Li’Vrk ftl rjg ls vkidh Lo&vkjksfir lhekvksa dks foLQksfVr djrs gq, ijr&nj&ijr vkids vanj ds lks, gq, “ksj dks txkrh gS& ml ij vki [kqn viuh vka[kksa ls ns[ks fcuk fo”okl ugha dj ik,axsA mudh fdlh Hkh dk;Z”kkyk esa Hkkx ysus ds ckn vki vius thou dks ml rjg ugha th ik,axs] tSls vc rd thrs vk, gSaA ;g yxHkx r; gSA
vR;f/kd fcØh okyh fdrkc ^fc;kWUM nh lhØsV* dh ysf[kdk czsUMk ckuZch us viuh bl iqLrd esa mUgsa 19 fo”oLrjh; vk/;kfRed ys[kdksa ds chp LFkku fn;k gSA O;kogkfjd mRd`’Vrk vkSj ÅtkZ fpfdRlk ds {ks= esa vius dk;Z vkSj ;ksxnku ds cy ij mUgsa bu fo’k;ksa ds varjkZ’Vah; ukeksa] tSls vk;jk psysQ] VkWe xhxsDl] MkW- fofy;e dkWVfjaxj] MkW- czk;u lhxy vkSj MkW- fØLVhvku ukWFkZji dh vksj ls cgqr ls iz”kalk i= izkIr gq, gSaA
og ^VkbEl vkWQ bf.M;k* esa LraHkdkj gSa vkSj Vsyhfot+u ds jk’Vah; usVodZ pSuy ij ^bZofuax ykbo “kks* esa O;kogkfjd eqÌksa ij ,d fo”ks’kK ds rkSj ij dbZ ckj vkeaf=r fd;s tk pqds gSaA blds vfrfjDr ^Vhe bUVsfytUl* ds vkfo’dkjd ds :i eas og vesfjdk esa dbZ ^oschukj* dj pqds gSaA
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BANYAN TREE
TEACHING STORY
A MEASURE OF TRUE STRENGTH
A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when, suddenly, his room was filled with light and the Saviour appeared. The Lord told the man, he had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day.
For many years, he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night, the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind: “You have been pushing against that
rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus, when Satan gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened him.
“Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough.”
And that he planned to do until, one day, he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimetre.
What is wrong? Why am I failing?”
The Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was
to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But is that really so?”
“Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition, you have grown much and your abilities now surpass those which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push, and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.”
INSPIRATION
THE WORDS TO SAY I LOVE YOU
I was there, yet you did not see Me the times you did cry I wrapped you in My loving arms and wiped the tears from your eyes. Every prayer—I heard and answered every cry for help—I came I cast down all your enemies and brought them all to shame. You are My beloved son whom I have set free I removed your chains of darkness because you believed in Me. I am in you and you in Me None can take us apart Where are the words to express my love? They are written on your heart. —Jennifer Kulp
64 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
THE LAST JOB
A carpenter with years of experience was ready to retire. He communicated to his contractor about his wish to live a more leisurely retired life with his wife and family. The contractor felt a little upset that his good and experienced carpenter was leaving the job, but he requested the carpenter to build just one more house for him.
The carpenter agreed, but his heart was not in his work like it used to be. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials for building the last house of his career. When the carpenter completed the house, the employer came for inspection.
He looked around the house, and just before
he exited, he handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my
gift to you.” This was a huge surprise for the carpenter. He wasn’t feeling good, for if he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in a home that wasn’t built that well.
QUOTE
You have to grow, from the inside out. None can teach you. None can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own soul. ~Swami Vivekananda
THIS, I KNOW
KABIR DAS
• All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop.
• If you want the truth, I’ll tell you the truth: Listen to the secret sound, the real sound, which is inside you.
• Love does not grow on trees nor is it bought from the market, but if one wants to be ‘LOVED,’one must first know how to give (unconditional) LOVE.
• Listen, my friend. He who loves, understands.
• Slowly, slowly, O mind . . . Everything at its own pace happens. The gardener may water with a hundred buckets, but the fruit arrives only in its season.
• When at last, you have come to the ocean of happiness, do not go back thirsty.
• Only they are pure who’ve completely cleansed their thinking.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
PRAY
Did it work? No
Yes Praise the Lord
God works in mysterious ways
Banyan Tree
65
Purnima Coontoor
Purnima Coontoor is a mass communications professional from Bangalore, Freelancing as a writer, editor, translator and teacher, she is an Osho admirer and lover of life.
Suniel Parihar
Suniel Parihar is a veteran army officer and an outdoor enthusiast. As a motivational coach and a practitioner of Positive Psychology and, he helps people work through their problems and attain their desired goals.
Badal Suchak
Badal Suchak runs a multidisciplinary design tech firm, Zoetic innovations, which endeavours to add value to the lives of people it touches through its projects.
Naini Setalvad
Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on healthy food habits.
66 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2020
www.lifepositive.com
YOUR PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMPANION
September 2020
How learning affects your brain
PAGE 90
What is Rolfing?
PAGE 115
LEARN AND STAY YOUNG
Are you being manipulated?
PAGE 109
Guruspeak by Daaji
PAGE 104
A student of life
We are living in uncertain times. Everywhere, old and familiar structures are falling apart, forcing us to reinvent ourselves according to changing times and needs. Although technology is meant to ease our lives and make it faster and smoother, for most of us born in the pre-90s era, it is not easy to constantly upgrade to higher levels of technical proficiency as more and more advanced versions replace old and familiar devices and techniques. However, the current situation has made it mandatory for us to become more tech-savvy and make the best use of the latest inventions in the telecommunication facility available to us.
The biggest challenge we face is getting past the mental block or the discomfort which comes with learning something new. So often, we procrastinate or avoid facing the task of learning because we are either afraid or too snug in our comfort zones. Even so, learning has its dividends, and the joy of having acquired a new skill is an achievement in itself. The lead story for September, Learning: The elixir of life, by Jamuna Rangachari, demystifies the secrets of learning and how to go about it. Certain things will come easy to us while others will feel difficult. However, if we are passionate about acquiring a new skill or proficiency, we would make efforts to know the best techniques through which they can be mastered.
The article shares inspirational stories of several senior citizens who did not let their age come in the way of their onward learning curve and motivates everyone to be a student throughout their lives.
Managing manipulators is another significant article which addresses the crucial issue of emotional manipulation which often happens in close relationships. Once we become aware of it, we can
look for ways to protect ourselves and put an end to this toxic cycle. Just like everything else, these challenges confront us to help us find our inner Self as well as inner strength. So look at the big picture and have a happy September.
- Editor
Dear Reader,
LP mascot: Laughing Buddha
September 2020 Vol. 24 Issue 06
Chairman: Aditya Ahluwalia President: D R Kaarthikeyan Director: V Venkat
Editor: Shivi Verma
EDITORIAL
Assistant Editor: Nikita Mukherjee
Senior Correspondent: Annesha Banerjee Chief Correspondent: Rishi Rathod (Mumbai) Graphic Designer: Sandeep Kumar
MARKETING
Assistant Manager, Ad Sales: Santosh Pandey
PRODUCT MARKETING
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Executive: Dhananjay Singh, Brajesh Rawat
SUBSCRIPTION
Executive: Swetnisha Sharma, Swati, Ankita Sharma, Vikash Prasad
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Deputy General Manager: Ambika Sharma
Advisors
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Kiran Bedi, M Madhavan Nambiar, SD Saxena, Ameeta Mehra, Manisha Verma, Shruti Nada Poddar, Hamid Ahmed, Shovana Narayan, Ritika Goyal Editorial & Advertising Office
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losZ HkoUrq lqf[ku~%] losZlUrq fujke;k%
losZ Hknzkf.k i’;Urq] ekdf’pn~nq%[kHkkd~Hkosr!
May all beings be happy, May all be healthy, May people have the well-being of all in mind, May nobody suffer in any way. — Vedic prayer
Edited by Shivi Verma. Printed and published by
Aditya Ahluwalia on behalf of Life Positive Pvt. Ltd. from F1/9, First floor, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase - I,
New Delhi-110 020
Printed at M.P. Printers, B-220, Phase 2 Noida, 201305 Member, Indian Newspaper Society
68 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
90
LEAD STORY
Learning: The elixir of life
The best way to stay youthful, creative, and realise the purpose of your incarnation on earth is to constantly keep learning new things, says Jamuna Rangachari
82
CLOSE ENCOUNTER
The bureaucrat yogi
Mr Madhavan Nambiar tells Rishi Rathod that yoga a wisdom tradition and a master class in conscious living
78
HEARTSPEAK
The Silent Soldier
Encounter with a selfless soul enriches Gurjas Chahal’s life
105
FOOD
The ideal fare
Indian food is the best diet in the world
Contents 69
COVER STORY
109
LESSON
Managing manipulators
An incisive look at the machinations of manipulators and how to cope with them
115
HEALTH & FITNESS
Regain your balance with Rolfing
Rolfing corrects the imbalances in the connective tissues of the body, resulting in improved posture
120
YOUR STORY
Protected by the Divine
An amusing account of the events leading up to the author’s marriage, which was blessed by the Divine Mother from Pondicherry
REGULAR COLUMNS
Response 71 Mandala 73 Yoga 76 Guruspeak 104
Cover photo: Adobe Stock, Photo credit: Adobe Stock, Cover design: Sandeep Kumar
114 Mudra Column 128 119 Positive Focus 133 127 Banyan tree 136
70 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
Aha-moments
Journey
Spirit
Sharing 130
RESPONSE
www.lifepositive.com
YOUR PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMPANION
BE YOUR OWN
CHEERLEADER!
The power of self-appreciation PAGE 46
An analysis of your inner self PAGE 24
` 150
July/August 2020
Are you a victim of your shadow?
Knock down
depression
PAGE 60
Guruspeak by
Sister BK Shivani
PAGE 40
Letter of the month
Mail from our readers, online fans and subscribers
LP fan for life
I am an avid reader of your esteemed magazine Life Positive for the last four years. I came across
the first issue of Life Positive at New Delhi Airport, and after glancing through the magazine, immediately subscribed to it there itself. I could feel from within that this was the publication I was frantically searching for over the years.
Life Positive, I can vouch, is the finest spiritual publication being published across the globe. I may miss a meal but never miss reading the magazine on a daily basis, many times repeatedly.
I have shifted from Goa to Mumbai since the last two years, and I am in regular communication with your team member, Miss Harsha Dasshore, regarding the despatch of the magazine. True to the name of your magazine, this lady has been extremely positive, as well as polite and focussed, ensuring a speedy addressal of issues. I am sure such qualities have been imbibed in this fine lady because of the leadership and positivity exhibited by you.
I wish great success to you and your team, and assure you that I would consider it a boon to get a lifelong subscription to the magazine. I personally feel that if you haven’t read this magazine, you have not lived fully on this planet.
Randhir Singh, Mumbai
Hoping for a miracle mudra
I am a regular subscriber to LP. The article Mudras for women’s woes by Abhay Kumar Shah in
the August 2020 issue was excellent. I would appreciate if he can include mudras for women in menopause, as well as elderly women, particularly those suffering from recurring UTIs.
My 72-year-old wife is on a low dosage of a steroid for a condition called Panhypopituitarism (Empty Sella syndrome) and 50 mg of thyroxine for hypothyroidism. She gets a recurring
Response 71
UTI. Once she stops the prescribed dosage of antibiotics, within five-eight days, the UTI recurs. And we have to start on the antibiotics again despite taking precautions of good hygiene. I would appreciate Mr. Shah’s advice on this matter.
Both of us practise yoga and are followers of YSS, Kriya yoga by Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda. Looking forward to his response.
Vijayakumar P via email
Positivity throughout India
I have been reading Life Positive magazine for the last five years, and I want to tell you how blessed I feel to have come across it. I was going through a distressing situation in life when I picked it up while waiting at a doctor’s clinic.
As I flipped through it, I felt many of my life’s dilemmas and problems were being answered through its soulful articles. I became addicted to Life Positive. Over the years, I could get deep insights into the nature of my problems and how best to handle them. I still have gloomy days, but every time I read Life Positive, I find some reason or the other to start feeling optimistic. Megha Bajaj’s writing has especially influenced me .
I have begun recommending Life Positive to everyone I meet. I want LP to reach every household in India. Thank you to the entire team.
Shanti Singhal, Hyderabad
Enthused by empathy
The article Empathy-I feel you in the June 2020 issue of Life Positive was extremely well-written. It is an in-depth study of human emotions and is something which is sometimes seen in birds and animals also when one of their kind gets hurt or injured. We all can feel it if we can learn to get out of ourselves and begin to feel connected with others. I hope it will help us all to grow a little more as human beings if we can develop this emotion in ourselves. It is there in us, but it also takes effort to develop empathy and to become aware of others’ pain, the way they feel it. I wish we could have more of such articles.
Thank you, Life Positive, for coming up with it. Satwant Mathur, New Delhi
72 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
MANDALA
A first-of-its-kind umbrella platform for ayurveda and holistic wellness
of the body, mind, and soul, AyurDNA, was launched
in a virtual ceremony
from its headquarters
in Bengaluru on July
14, 2020, through a
webinar which was
attended by more than
200 people. The founder
and president, Gopinath
Nair, began the event by
narrating the story of the
genesis of AyurDNA with his
co-founder and partner, Suma Nair.
The inauguration and website launch was
done by the chief guest, Dr Issac Mathai of the globally famous holistic wellness destination SOUKYA.
Discussing the increased relevance of ayurveda and traditional healing in today’s world in the first panel, Dr Mathai emphasised the need for the world to recognise the importance of ancient healing systems of India. He spoke about the need for genuine and authentic practitioners to be identified and recognised for the benefit of mankind. He also delved on the need to explore the highly effective preventive properties of ayurveda for boosting the immune system and going back to the basics of Dinacharya (daily routines) and RithuCharya (seasonal discipline) for a healthy life. Mr Madhavan Nambiar, a renowned former civil servant and a yoga practitioner, trained under Swami Rama Yoga of the Himalayas, lauded the initiative saying that India needs organisations like AyurDNA to look at standardisation and accreditation of practitioners so that people can stay away from
Virtual launching ceremony of AyurDNA
shady setups to ensure one’s well-being. Prominent personalities like Ms Shailu Suresh, the founder of Om Vedic Heritage Centre in Singapore; Ms Nithya Rajendran, an Indian classical singer and the founder of MusicVruksh; and Mr Aneish Kumar, an expert on medical research in traditional medicine, also
presided over the first panel.
The second-panel discussion on corporate wellness saw other eminent personalities discuss the crucial need for mental and emotional well-being for organisations and employees alike. Panellist Maj. Gen. Anil P. Dere, Indian Army veteran and advisor, AyurDNA, said that work-from-home has blurred work-home boundaries, leading to physical, mental, and emotional issues and that employees need to learn how to find discipline and routine in everyday life. Ms Vasundhara Das, a singer, facilitator, and partner, asserted that India has abundant traditional healing methodologies that can be used to beat the challenges of emotional, physical, and mental stress. Dr Rathi Jafer, director, InKo Centre (The Indo- Korean Cultural and Information Centre), and Anita Belani, the co-founder and director of Emotionally, also presided over the event.
AyurDNA aims to be the undisputed leader in the wellness and healing industry.
Mandala 73
Vacation in the time of corona?
Sipping a glass of Pinot Noir in the South of France, eating a wood-baked pizza in Italy, or floating down a gondola in Venice sounds like the ideal vacation we all need. Unfortunately, the global pandemic has converted a leisure trip into a minefield of risk and uncertainty. Someone put it wisely—“It’s better to be safe than sorry.” To forewarn yourself of the perils of your next adventure, here are a few things to consider and keep in mind if you are planning to travel after all.
Your age: The elderly, especially those over the age of 75, and children are the ones most vulnerable to the complications of coronavirus disease.
Your medical history: Those who suffer from any respiratory or cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. should reconsider travelling.
The country you will visit: As a precaution, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has warned against travel to the hot zone countries unless it is essential. Moreover, self-quarantine
is mandatory for two weeks for those returning from a high-risk country, regardless of being uninfected.
Local restrictions:
While special flights
have resumed allowing
people to travel to certain
countries, travel and
other restrictions can vary
from state to state. Save yourself unpleasant surprises
and delays by checking for restrictions and requirements at
your destination and anywhere you might stop along the way. State and local health department websites are your best resource.
Packing list: Grab any medicines you may need on your trip and include essential safe-travel supplies such as cloth face masks, alcohol-based hand sanitisers (at least 60 per cent alcohol), disinfectant wipes (at least 70 per cent alcohol) for surfaces, and a thermometer.
CDC recommendations: Follow the steps recommended by the CDC while travelling to protect yourself and others when you travel:
• Maintain a distance of 6 feet (2 meters) with others, wherever possible, and avoid crowds.
• Wear a cloth face covering.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow.
• Wash your hands often with soap or sanitiser.
It’s especially important after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
But remember, safety comes first. If you feel sick before your planned travel, stay home except to get medical care from a doctor or hospital. It’s always better to open a bottle of wine sitting on your couch at home and eating homemade pizza rather than ending up in
the hospital.
~Dr Vijaita Syngle, Obesity Medicine, Harvard
Medical School
Be well geared while travelling during the pandemic
74 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
While doing healing, if guided meditation and spiritual mentoring are done in alignment with the yin-yang paradigm, transformation and healing become much faster, fuller, and deeper. This paradigm has also been called male-female energy and the coupling of Shiva with Shakti. The use of this force-multiplying paradigm is the foundation of Zubin Mistry and Meherpoonam’s healing and transformation practice: Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Sessions and S.T.E.M. (Shamanic Trance Energy Meditation), which was started by them in 2017.
Meherpoonam started her healing journey in 1998 when she found that she could heal the emotional clutter of people naturally to help in health, relationship, financial, and career- related issues. Zubin comes from a lineage of seven generations of drummers in his family, and to further explore his interest in sound healing and other healing methods, he travelled around the world and learned shamanism, breath healing, ancient tantra
practices, nada yoga, sound healing, transcendental meditation, aura healing, heart counselling,
and many more such practices.
Inspired by ancient
and mystic wisdom, as
well as contemporary
scientific research
regarding the power
of sound and its therapeutic effects, Zubin began to understand that
we are, ultimately, vibrational
beings by nature and are constantly affected by our environment. He says, “Music is a universal language that can bridge cultural divides and bring people together in harmony and unity.”
Combining their energies, Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Sessions and S.T.E.M. help people go into deep states of meditation through channelled sound frequencies for their healing. Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Session is a blend of best spiritual modalities combined with the pure energy of sound to help release past traumas, stress, depression, and anxiety from one’s intracellular memory and help live in the now and manifest the future. It is a channelled process that works on all chakras, helping one find their true divine light in awareness and live in gratitude of all that is.
Their national award-winning modality entails a journey from the recognition of duality in nature within us and honouring it, to space
where the realisation occurs of the non-dual represented in the image of Ardhanarishwara, who is at once Shiva and Shakti. The duohasawakenedand transformed thousands of lives, guiding and healing people across the globe. During current times, when travelling is not possible, many of their followers are experiencing the change within through their online
sessions.
Zubin Mistry and Meherpoonam use the coupling energy of Shiva with Shakti to heal
people.
Mandala 75
YOGA
Kamala Venkat recommends the Cobra Pose to boost your immunity against diseases this rainy season
T he monsoon not only brings refreshing showers but also various diseases like dysentery, asthma, arthritis, and nasal
and skin allergies. Immunity plays a key role in fending off such diseases. Practising Bhujangasana daily helps in increasing immunity.
Bhujangasana is a back-bending yoga pose, which is also a part of the traditional Surya Namaskar sequence. Visually, it reflects the posture of a cobra that has its hood raised, and hence it is also known as the ‘Cobra Pose.’
Start your practice by warming up which consist of a gentle rotation of the neck, arms, wrists, hips, and ankles. Walk around briskly, and stretch and mobilise your muscles. This will prepare your body and keep you safe from injuries. Before you attempt any back-bending postures, ensure that your body is sufficiently warmed up.
COBRA POSE
Step-by-step instructions
• Lie down flat on the floor on your stomach. Stretch your legs back with your toes pointing out. Spread your palms on the floor under your shoulders and bring the elbows close to the sides of your body.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
• As you inhale, press your palms into the floor and begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor. Lift only till your navel; let your pelvis maintain a connection with the floor. Gently squeeze and firm your buttocks even as you keep pushing your navel centre downwards.
• Be strong with your shoulder blades as you engage them to open up your chest forward. Make sure that you are distributing the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.
• Hold the pose for anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Return to the floor with an exhalation.
Bhujangasana is very useful to keep your back healthy. Practise this asana individually or through the Surya Namaskar sequence to make your spinal region strong and very agile. This posture can tone your body and spinal nerves. It improves your digestion, liver, and kidney functions as well.
Mrs. Kamala Venkat is a home maker with a great passion for yoga. Inspired by Shri Swami Ramdev of Patanjali, she has been practising it with complete dedication for the last 20 years.
76 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
HEARTSPEAK
e Silent Soldier
Gurjas Chahal’s encounter with a selfless soul enriches her life with the wisdom of humility and noble service
78 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
W e meet wonderful souls at the most the plantation drive, of which I had been made
unexpected of places. I had seen one
such person working at the lakeside, all busy uprooting weeds with bare hands, removing watercress in armfuls, watering the plants dotting the lakeshore, and working with full sincerity all by himself. A wizened face, worn-out, nondescript clothes, swarthy body, and muddy flip-flops—all suggesting he was some gardener appointed by the lake authorities.
Good deed for the day
One day, after a five-kilometre walk on the tracks around the lake, I paced down to my usual spot by a tree to do some physical exercises. At some distance from me, a group of men were crowding together around a patch, planting a sapling. I noticed there were many more young saplings with them for sowing. It looked as if they were carrying out some plantation drive. One of them invited me to join them in planting a sapling with my own hands and feel the pride. When I had done it, somebody suggested that mere planting was not enough; I must come to see it atleast once a week. I agreed.
Routine brings peace of mind
On the very next day, I was eager to see how my plant was shaping up. Its bed was dry. I looked around for something to pour water with. Near the lake by the big banyan tree, lay an old paint bucket which could be put to use. The gardener was working nearby. I guessed it was his. “Can I take the bucket for a while,” I asked, “for watering my plant there?” “Your plant?” he said in surprise. I told him about
a part of, the day before. He smiled and let me take the bucket. Taking water from the lake, I watered not only my plant but many others around it. The work gave me a lot of peace, and this became a daily routine for me.
Slowly, the gardener and I got talking. He was not just any gardener. He was a respectable senior citizen, ex-employee of Engineers India Limited, who had been appointed by the government, even after retirement, to provide consultancy for another ten years. He was a widely travelled man, father of four girls, three of whom were married and settled in the US, and one was working for the BBC World. He spoke perfect English and Hindi, laden with a Bengali accent. He had been working at the lake for the past thirty years. Why, despite being so well placed in life, did he work like a labourer? He replied that working with plants and water gave him a lot of physical exercise, and this helped in keeping his sugar levels low. To me, this appeared to be only an overt reason.
Work for work’s sake
As time went by and my visits to the lake became almost regular, I noticed that his efforts were tireless. He would carry armfuls of watercress from the deep water to the shore for hours on end, without any fear of snakebites or slipping on the lake floor. This could not be just to reduce sugar levels. And then, one day, the facts were revealed casually. Somebody asked him, “Dada, what is the point in clearing the lake? Look, the wind has blown in beds and beds of weeds again from the Trilokpuri end.”
Heartspeak 79
One act of selfless service to Nature invites others to follow the lead. Dada’s godly work is a source of inspiration for others. And above all, he teaches us a lesson of practical humility.
Dada replied calmly, “God is giving me more work.” Sometimes, he would reply to people’s similar concerns by saying, “It’s not about finishing the work. It’s about going on doing it.”
His thoughts on the issue of work, remind me of my late father. He used to narrate an incident from the life of Baba Bulleh Shah. Once someone asked Bulleh Shah, “Bulleha, what is God?” At that time Baba Bulleh Shah was standing in a water-filled paddy field and uprooting plants from one side and sowing them on his other side. BullehShah replied, ‘Itthonchukkiyateyuttheylaya’ (uproot from here and sow over there).
All sorts of people visit the lake. Some encourage Dada by words like ‘Good work’ or ‘Keep it up.’ Some discourage him in a downright ugly way. Once a man said, ‘Dada,
is it your father’s lake that you slog like this?’ Dada was hurt but he kept smiling. The next day, Dada narrated this incident to me and others who had gathered around. A sense of outrage filled me, and I thought if I had been there, I would have replied to the foolish man: ‘Yes, the lake is indeed Dada’s father’s lake. It is your father’s lake too, only if you recognise Him.’ God is everyone’s father, and we all are His children.
Dada inspires
One act of selfless service to Nature invites others to follow the lead. Dada’s godly work is a source of inspiration for others. A person working as a software engineer in Gurgaon comes to the lakeside to help him in shifting mounds of weeds to places far off from the shore. He does it with his bare hands, unmindful of his clothes getting soiled or shoes getting wet. One housemaid, after finishing her chores in
80 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
three to four houses, comes to broom the place on her own volition. Nobody pays her for this. People will bring leftover food from home to spread it over the dyke, frequently visited by crows, stray dogs, and chipmunks for food and water.
There’s no provision of implements from the authorities. Dada gets his own knife and bucket. Many of his knives have been stolen from the lakeside. A minute of careless abandonment of the implement, and it is gone forever. Nobody has stolen his bucket though, probably because it can’t be pocketed and run off with.
His work is a source of inspiration for me and all others who have even an iota of God element in them. My attachment with Dada’s calling is only a year old, but working at the lakeside, I have discovered the panacea against stress. No matter how hard the previous day has been, an early morning working with the plants—mending their beds, watering them, and talking to them in slow whispers (as if they were listening to me)—relieves me of all thoughts, thereby refreshing me and filling me with a lot of peace and serenity.
Lesson well learnt
Besides the above, I learnt a big lesson in practical humility from Dada, for which I shall always remain indebted to him. One day, a guy came by the lakeshore walking his dog. Though it was a prohibited area for walking pet animals, the man insisted on having his way. It was all very well till his dog decided to squat down for pooping. Dada objected by shouting that the dog should be taken far away by the dustbin near the gate so that this place could remain clean for the morning walkers. At this, the man barked back with nasty words. Dada also replied in the same tone, admonishing him. “And what happened after that?” I asked. The man did not listen, and Dada had to lift the poop in the cup of his palms for throwing it in the dustbin by the gate.
I learnt the very important lesson that one must speak one’s mind on seeing the ills in our surroundings but then, in the very next moment, become humble enough to right the wrongs, no matter how much humbling of the ego is required. Dada teaches through his actions, rather than words.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
Heartspeak 81
CLOSE ENCOUNTER
Mr Madhavan Nambiar tells Rishi Rathod that the world needs to become aware that yoga is beyond physical movement; it is a wisdom tradition and a master class in conscious living
82 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
M r Madhavan Nambiar, a former IAS for the therapeutic uses of yoga) as a trustee.
officer, who has also been a Secretary
to the Government of India in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, joined Life Positive’s advisory board in the year 2005. Ever since, he has been effusive in his praise of Life Positive’s content and has been taking keen interest in the spiritual programmes organised by us. His passion for yoga, spirituality and truth-seeking, made Life Positive decide to interview him.
After a few attempts, I finally got the opportunity to speak to him. His adherence to punctuality, his articulation of ideas, and his uncommon insights into the multifaceted tradition of yoga left an imprint on my mind. His reverberating metallic voice, robust due to his commitment to Vedic chanting over the years, added to the pleasure of hearing him speak with an unruffled poise that brought to my mind the ease of a yogi slipping into a seemingly difficult asana. During our conversation, I got to know of many of his sterling achievements and noteworthy contributions to society.
He has taught public policy for several years at the School of International Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University. He is on the boards of several global companies as well as a fellow at Judge Business School, Cambridge University. Furthermore, Mr Nambiar has undergone several years of intensive training in yoga during the 70s from the renowned Swami Rama of the Himalayas and has been closely associated with Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (an internationally renowned school
Based on his years of experience with yoga, Mr Nambiar has customised several training routines to cope with everyday pressures. These techniques include physical exercises (asanas), breathing (pranayama), relaxation, and meditation. His experience with yoga is based on the stresses and strains of real life. Below is the conversation.
Nambiarji, can you please tell us about your journey into yoga and spirituality? Regarding yoga, I was very fortunate to be associated with Swami Rama of the Himalayas from 1970 till his passing away in 1996. At a fairly young age, I had an opportunity to work with him. During those days, he was in Rishikesh and then regularly in the Himalayas, where he did intense meditations, spiritual practices, and yoga, and I was blessed to have a very close association with him. I learned asanas, pranayamas, and meditations, as well as had glimpses of spiritual connections.
Later, when I came to the legendary Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, TKV Desikacharya, son of T Krishnamacharya, took me into his fold, and I am still involved as a trustee on the Board of Studies of Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. So that was essentially my spiritual and yoga journey with the great masters.
These were the two schools which greatly influenced me in my work as a civil servant as well as in health, healing and my personal
Close Encounter 83
growth. I have also done some sessions at the Bihar School of Yoga, one of the oldest yoga schools in Bihar. These things helped me shape my spiritual life immensely.
What are the benefits and insights that you have gained by practising yoga over the years?
I was a civil servant for 36 years with the state of Tamil Nadu as well as the Government of India. I held high-profile jobs that came with high level of stress, which would manifest in my physical body and affect my mental and emotional health. But I’m thankful for the kind of yoga that Swami Rama taught me— the stress management techniques. For this, he had devised fabulous packages of asanas, pranayamas, relaxation, and meditation techniques that helped me handle exceedingly difficult and stressful situations very well.
Can you name a few pranayama and meditation techniques that helped you navigate the stressful times? Are they relevant during the current pandemic times too?
Swami Rama had emphasised breathing as the core technique to fight stress. He said that when we are stressed, the immediate effect is on the breath, which later impacts the body. So, when we talk about yoga, there is a link between the mind and the body through the breath. For example, one of the techniques that Swami Rama taught me was that of diaphragmatic breathing. It is quite simple. You lie down and inhale and exhale through your diaphragm, such that when you inhale, the diaphragm goes up and when you exhale, the diaphragm comes down. You can do this for 10, 20, or 30 minutes. He also imparted a very simple series of asanas such as the
Pawanmuktasana series where one does 15-20 minutes of body stretching, which he felt was great to keep the inner organs fit. He took me through a few simple pranayamas which most of us know, such as Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Ujjai, and Bhramari. According to my experience, these three to four pranayamas, along with diaphragmatic breathing, are incredibly simple yet effective breathing practices. During these COVID-19 days, there is enormous mental stress on all of us which will manifest in the body. If we can start doing what I just explained, we can surely navigate this pandemic successfully.
Swami Rama, additionally, shared some of his spiritual insights and knowledge from the Upanishads, but knowing about my extremely busy work life, he wanted to ensure that my mind and body remained fit so that I could do my work efficiently. He taught me a 61-point relaxation technique associated with 61 points on the body, where I would focus my attention to release all the stress. Along with this, he taught me 10 minutes of pranayama and Aum chanting to induce sound sleep. I felt my body was like a laboratory which tests several stress management techniques. I would sense stress and tiredness in the body and, accordingly, I would choose and adjust the exercises to relax myself completely. I would come exhausted and tired from my work and get into Shavasana and do diaphragmatic breathing, the 61-relaxation technique, and pranayamas to rejuvenate myself. That is, in essence, my experience with yoga as an officer and as an individual who wanted to ensure a work-life balance.
You have learned yoga in the 70s from the legendary Swami Rama. But today, every housing complex has one or two yoga
84 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
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teachers, not to mention different types of yoga such as Slim Yoga, Hot Yoga, etc. How do you see all this?
Thanks to the popularity of yoga, it has now spread all over the world. In fact, our prime minister, Modiji, is a great example of a yoga practitioner, even though he is touching 70. The kind of energy he radiates is remarkable. The important thing that I learned from Swami Rama and Desikacharya was that yoga is for the individual. It is a psycho-physical exercise, where the teacher must closely work with his student. A pupil will have a particular type of body or a particular type of stress and problems that require particular exercises. Some may need more meditation, some may need more relaxation. The younger pupils may require more vigorous asanas like Surya Namaskar as compared to older people. So the one-size-fits-all approach will not work here. Hence, it is not wise to teach yoga to large groups of 200-300 people, like it is done on TV. The true essence of yoga is that it has to be rooted in the tradition laid down by Pantanjali some 5000 years back. We need to go in depth, do smaller sessions, and have a teacher-pupil rapport. People like Swami Rama and Desikacharya have taken their knowledge from this ancient text which is the rasa (essence) of yoga. Some of the modern-day yoga practitioners do a lot of practices which are more gymnastics than yoga because there is no body, mind, and breath connection. Yoga has become commercial; everybody takes one course and becomes a teacher. Having said that, I don’t want to comment on others, but we have to see that we go back to our tradition, our roots, and the teachers who are trained in that tradition. Yoga is actually a process. It is not that you do an hour of yoga and that is the end of it. Honestly, that one hour that
Yoga is for the individual. It is a psycho-physical exercise, where the teacher must closely work with his student. A pupil will have a particular type of body or a particular type of stress and problems that require particular exercises.
you give to yoga, you have to be able to carry with you throughout the day. It must reflect in your everyday behaviour and interaction with people. Yoga, I would say, is essentially a way of life.
Swami Rama, with whom I was so close, once told me, “Don’t get into the guru business. I am giving you some techniques. Learn them and move on. When you walk on the path I show you, you are your own guru, and when you have a problem, you come back to me.” He was an absolute master. In fact, under laboratory conditions, he has stopped his heartbeat. He had mastery over his body.
Kindly elaborate on yoga as a way of life. Yes, this is something I would like to emphasise. Yoga covers all aspects of human life: our relationships, behaviour, breathing, health, and meditation path. It is essentially a way of life and not just a technique. For example, during these COVID-19 days, it is imperative to contemplate and see what is stressing us and what are the fundamental things we need to correct. As a part of yoga
86 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
training, at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, we have a powerful teaching session on Vedic chanting. This is immensely important for health and healing, and Desikacharya was a great teacher in Vedic chanting. My wife does a lot of intensive Vedic chanting, and when we practise at home with 10, 15, or 20 people together, it facilitates a healing process. At times, some even start sobbing while chanting, de-stressing and cleansing their system. This is our old tradition and very much a part of yoga.
You have understood yoga and mantra chanting deeply, but today, the situation is different. How can we make the current generation rooted in our spiritual tradition when they are so deeply influenced by social media?
So many things have happened in the last few months, thanks to all the disruption that COVID-19 has caused; everybody is now looking inwards. As they say, “If you can’t go outwards, you have to look inwards.” Looking inwards, everybody is now aspiring for solutions which are different from what has been happening. So, we have to see that the
Change has to come about with the understanding and will of the citizens. The lesson here is to live very much in harmony with nature.
younger generation gets interested in holistic living, and yet, it cannot be pushed onto them. We have to do it gently. Firstly, we have to subtly spread knowledge and information through social media, on which they thrive. I think it is here that magazines like Life Positive play an important role in converting information to transformation in this atmosphere of negativity and fear over loss of health. So, I think if we can communicate this to the younger generation—through webinars, blogs, social media, and other platforms, and have talks, seminars, conferences where people share their experiences, like the way I am doing with you—it will turn the tide slowly.
I tell people that though I have led a very stressful life, with the help of great teachers, I have managed to handle the challenges well. These teachers were very clear about one thing: what is important is the message and not the messenger. So for the younger generation, we have to have role models who can guide them on the path. It’s all about role-modelling and knowledge dissemination.
We are yet not completely aware of the consequences of global warming and environmental degradation. Why is this happening?
According to me, two major reasons for this are the profit motive and an ever-growing population. We are building all kinds of structures close to the coast and the waterbodies because everybody is here to make more money. Obviously, with our large population, there is a requirement for more accommodation, so this is where we have to pause and think about every infrastructure that is coming up and question ourselves whether it is absolutely necessary and in harmony with nature or not. We keep degrading all the forest lands and waterbodies, which is causing floods. In this
Close Encounter 87
regard, legislation can’t do much. Change has to come about with the understanding and will of the citizens. The lesson here is to live very much in harmony with nature. It is not about yoga but about environmental protection, nature, and harmony between individuals.
I see the present calamity as the time for us to pause and think. Now people are becoming more conscious about living in harmony with nature and helping each other. This kind of thing will only happen if everybody has much more empathy, compassion, love, and concern for each other. Overall, it’s a question of attitudinal change, which will take time. But I think that these five-six months of pausing and thinking as well as articles that are being published in magazines like Life Positive will go a long way in making people reflect on their conditioned way of life.
Currently, in our society, polarity is building by the day. There is a war of words between the left wing and the right wing, between pro-national and antinational. This is creating an anxiety-ridden environment in society. What should we do to create a balance and deal with such a situation?
I think what is clear and deeply important is that we all have to build an inclusive society, including the political leaders and other stakeholders because they have a significantly larger role and responsibility. Social media generally is trending to become not so inclusive as there are lots of differences, bitterness, fake news, etc. This is now something that is going on endlessly, so I think it’s the right time for people to pause and ensure that there is collaboration rather than competition in creating a harmonious and peaceful society. The key here is to collaborate to work together and help the less privileged people who are struggling. The collaboration is a must
for political leadership and bureaucracy to support the economy and industry. We must start a movement where all sections of society are supporting and participating in building a harmonious place to thrive for all.
If there were a few things you could change about child-rearing, education, and skill acquisition in India, what would they be?
Now with so many people in their 40s losing their jobs to the young generation due to COVID-19 and industrial recession, I think skill development is key and we have to make smart use of technology towards this purpose. We should impart technological education and distance education to youngsters in different avenues such as agriculture, animal husbandry, and farming so that they learn the latest technology from wherever they are or from a nearby area. This type of skill development will help employment and growth. This kind of skill training is already happening, but much more is needed to develop a skilled nation and for creating job-oriented growth.
At present, there is serious unemployment, which will lead to frustration, and hence we have to look at and create new opportunities. The industry and governments should sit down together and build a proper skill development platform for various occupations because there is no point having skilled people who get no jobs. The government has done a lot of work in sector-wise skill development, but that needs to grow. The new education policy is a welcome step in this direction.
What are your thoughts about the pandemic?
You see, the problem exists all over the world. We have a huge challenge, and I think we must work together very closely, support, and listen
88 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
to the government because they are in the driving seat. It’s a big challenge that the nation is facing, just like an emergency—a war-like situation. With God’s grace, spirituality, and other things, we will come out of this. During this period, I think it is important that we are together and help people who are really struggling, like poor workers who don’t have money and people undergoing sickness. I think we all can play a role if we have compassion and empathy.
What is your experiential understanding of yoga as a spiritual process and its benefits to the yogi on the path?
Honestly, when I worked with Swami Rama on meditation, I always felt a great sense of calmness and well-being: that I am with higher powers. But it is essentially you who is invoking the Divine in yourself because, in yoga, the whole idea is ‘to link.’ Yoga is to bind to mind and body through the breath. It could also function on a higher level—the
Atma-Paramatma. The journey should be enjoyable even if the destination is not visible. That is the essence of yoga, of good satsang, good comradeship, walking together on the journey. Here I would like to quote from Bhaja Govindam by Shankaracharya.
Satsangatve nissangatvam, nissangatve nirmohatvam,
nirmohatve niscalatattvam, niscalatattve jivanmuktih
Good people coming together and doing satsang results in non-attachment. The freedom from attachment results in freedom from desires. Freedom from desires gives us the necessary steadfastness or grounding. This grounding will take us to Jivanmukti, the final merging with the Divine.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
Close Encounter 89
LEAD STORY
Learning: The elixir of life
Being open to constantly learning new things and mastering new skills is the best way to stay youthful, creative, and realise the purpose of your incarnation on earth, says Jamuna Rangachari
90 LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
Lead Story 91
You don’t grow old when you age but when you stop learning. ~Kenneth H Blanchard
92
LifePositive | SEPTEMBER 2020
N one of us want to grow old and we keep looking for ways to delay the process of ageing, but the truth is that eternal youth has little to do with the body and more to do with our
mind and spirit.
As long as the brain is sharp and agile and one is willing to constantly learn and evolve, one is young. But if the mind has become closed, fixed, and stagnated, one can be said to have aged much before one’s time, even if one is physically young. Examples abound of people who have put a cap on their learning and have chosen to stop their mental growth because they do not want to make anymore efforts. However, learning is an attitude of a curious and ever-evolving mind which is full of wonderment, excitement, and childlike enthusiasm for life.
According to NLP coach Nasreen Khan, the more people stick to the same old ways of doing and thinking, the more are their chances of contracting Alzheimer’s in their old age. Conversely, learning a new skill or adopting a new way of doing the same thing helps create new neural pathways in our brain, keeping it young, active, fit, and productive. A sound memory, a sharp focus, new knowledge, and good problem-solving skills keep one feeling empowered, motivated, and confident. Learning new things is a good way of keeping the brain engaged, active, and young, and the spirit renewed and energised.
Just like a physical fitness routine, we need to have a mental one too. For learning is a tonic for life. Many people were able to infuse fresh vigour in their lives simply because they chose to learn something new.
Evergreen heroes
Mr Srinivasan (name changed), 70, an engineer from Bangalore, was diagnosed with arthritis and could hardly move his arms, especially his fingers. “Just don’t use your arms much,” the doctors advised him. He was a little depressed for a while. But then he decided to move on. He had always been fond of music but had never learnt to play an instrument. He took his arthritis as a challenge to learn an instrument. He bought a casio and diligently practised it, and today, after nearly two years, plays songs, ranging from film to classical numbers. “I never wanted to stop learning something new. Now God has blessed me with a skill which makes me understand music even more.”
Srinivasan has almost forgotten his arthritis because his mind is focussed on something which brings him joy. This reminds me of my late mother-in-law who suffered from many ailments but primarily arthritis. However, being musically inclined, she kept learning new songs to divert her mind from her pain. Another such person is Shoba Mathur from Mumbai. Shoba was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 71. She kept going for chemo but never gave up hope. By the grace of God and the efforts of her family, she was able to recover from it. Now, at the age of 76, she gives occasional talks, is very active online, and has two websites. She spends most of her time researching for the websites. She likes to dance, take part in cultural activities, and do craftwork too. This attitude has made her lead a wholesome life.
Another such wonderful story is that of 90-year-old Lorna Prendergast, who completed her Master’s degree in music and dementia in Melbourne in July 2019. Prendergast enrolled for the degree after watching an ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) science
Just like a physical fitness routine, we need to have a mental one too. For learning is a tonic for life. Scientists have been able to demonstrate how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn.
programme on music and dementia. She completed the course online from the Victorian town of Bairnsdale, overcoming technological hurdles that would challenge many others. She studied the effects of music therapy in nursing homes, including the delivery of personalised playlists using music technology.
“During my research, I found a number of studies where it was suggested that thirty minutes a day of listening to personal music was very productive. Using an iPod with a headphone has proved very effective both in nursing homes and home care. Recently, a headphone has become available where a memory card containing a personal playlist can be inserted into the headphone and does not need to be connected to an iPod,” she says. Music technology has changed a lot in the course of Prendergast’s life. In an interview with ABC Classic, she recalled a time when it was common to make your own music, “Many family homes had a piano. Most men carried a mouth organ in their pocket. The accordion
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Our brain, just like any other muscle, grows when we water it with diverse knowledge on a regular basis
and the violin were also popular, as were the guitar and the ukulele. In those days, people made their own music. It was only when the wireless hit the airwaves that people listened more to music rather than make their own.”
This is something even I have observed in my own family. Both my children are fond of music and even used to compose some numbers earlier. But now, after the Internet and technology boom, they only listen to music and hardly ever think of composing their own pieces. This makes me wonder what may have happened if the Internet had not invaded and taken over their lives, as there are both merits and demerits of so much technology everywhere.
The mystery of learning
The fact is that we are born to learn and keep
learning new skills all the time. However, many people consider the brain a mystery. We rarely think about what intelligence is or how it works. We mostly believe that a person’s intelligence is predetermined at birth. Either you are a ‘maths person’ or not, and it stays that way for life. However, new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle—it changes and gets stronger when you use it. Scientists have been able to demonstrate how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn. Everyone knows that when you lift weights, your muscles get bigger and stronger. A person who cannot lift 20 pounds when they start exercising can get strong enough to lift 100 pounds after working out for a considerable time.The muscles become larger and stronger with exercise. But when you stop exercising, the muscles shrink and you get weaker. That’s why people say, “You either use it or lose it.”
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ADVANTAGES
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This is equally applicable to the brain.
Most people don’t know that when they practise and learn new things, parts of their brain change and get larger just like muscles. This is true even for adults. So, it’s not true that some people ‘just can’t learn.’ You can improve your abilities if you practice and use good strategies.
Can adults grow their brains?
Scientists have recently shown that adults can grow the parts of their brains that control abilities, like the ability to do maths or juggle. In one study, scientists found a group of adults who were not jugglers. They taught half of them how to practise juggling the right way. These people practised for a long time and got much better at juggling. The other half didn’t practise and didn’t get any better. Next, the scientists used a brain scanner to compare the brains of the two groups. They found that the people who learned how to juggle actually grew the parts of their brains that control juggling skills—the visual and motor areas. Their brains changed, so they actually had more ability. This was surprising because these people had said before the study that they couldn’t juggle, just like some people say they’re ‘not good at maths.’ But when they learned good strategies of practising and kept trying, they actually learnt and grew their brains.
This happens because learning causes permanent changes in the brain. The juggler’s brain cells grow larger and grow new connections between them. These new
connections make the juggler’s brain stronger and smarter, just like a weightlifter’s toned muscles.
Similarly, people aren’t ‘smart’ or ‘dumb’ at maths. At first, no one can read or solve equations. But with practice, they can learn to do so. The more a person learns, the easier it gets to learn new things because their brain ‘muscles’ grow stronger. This is true even for adults who have struggled for a long time to learn something. People who don’t know this can miss out on the chance to grow a stronger brain. They may think that they can’t do it or that it’s too hard. It does take work to learn, just like becoming stronger physically or becoming a better juggler does. Sometimes, it even hurts. When you find yourself getting better and stronger, you realise that all the work was worth it.
The formula for learning
The formula for growing one’s brain is Effort
The more a person learns, the easier it gets to learn new things because their brain ‘muscles’ grow stronger. This is true even for adults who have struggled for a long time to learn something.
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The truth is that everyone can become smart. In fact, scientists have found that the brain grows more when we learn something new and less when we practise things we already know.
+ Good strategies + Help from others.
Learning to juggle is a lot like getting better at maths. When people learn and practise new ways of doing algebra or statistics, they can grow their brains even if they haven’t done well in maths in the past. Strengthening the ‘maths’ part of your brain usually happens when you try hard at challenging maths problems. To grow your brain, you need to learn skills that let you use your brain in a smarter way. If you use a bad strategy, you may not learn even if you try hard. A few people study maths by solving the same set of easy problems and skipping the hard ones or just re-reading the textbook because it feels easier. When the time comes to do the test, they don’t do well
When we practice our learnings, we reinvent our habits and build a new self
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because they didn’t work on the problems that stretched their brains and taught them new things. When this happens, they may even say “I’m just not smart at maths.”
The truth is that everyone can become smart at maths if they practise it the right way. If a weightlifter watches other people exercise all day, would he get stronger? If someone tried to learn to juggle by just reading a book on juggling, would they learn? We have to practise the right way, and usually, that means the hard way, to get better at something. In fact, scientists have found that the brain grows more when we learn something new and less when we practise things we already know. This means that it’s not just how much time and effort we put into studying maths but whether, when we study, we learn something new and hard to master. To do that, we usually need to apply the right strategies. Luckily, strategies are easy to learn if we get help.
Expertspeak
Pulkit Sharma, an author and psychologist from Puducherry, says, “Learning should never stop at any age or stage of life and one must continue to learn till one’s last breath. When we learn something new, the curiosity of opening up to that entity fills us with life, adding vibrancy to our otherwise monotonous life. As we achieve perfection in the new activity, our self-esteem gets boosted and we feel very positive about ourselves. These beneficent emotions help us in combating our negative thoughts and feelings and be at peace with ourselves.”
Recalling an incident he says, “A woman who was reeling under severe depression and anxiety approached me for help. Apart from the routine psychological treatment, I encouraged
her to pursue an unfulfilled dream. She wanted to learn singing as a child, but her parents considered it a waste of time and discouraged her. At 63, she finally made up her mind to learn vocal music and engaged a teacher. She was pleasantly surprised that ageing had not spoiled her vocal cords and that her mind was able to remember all the lessons perfectly. As she acquired proficiency in vocal music, her anxiety and depression vanished, and she began to feel extremely confident as a person. After some time, she started singing devotional music and ghazals in small gatherings, and the applause from the listeners made her pick it up as a career.”
This fact is confirmed by Anil Bhatnagar, corporate trainer, author, columnist, reiki teacher, and motivational speaker from Delhi. He says, “As per the principles of neuroscience, consciousness drops away from any activity where it is not required. We are most attentive when we are experiencing something new, even if it is the challenge of learning a new skill. Doing so necessitates the formation of new neural pathways and, sometimes, even the birth of new neurons. This keeps our brain from degenerating, getting old and dying out, and retains its agility. This is so because what we don’t use, we lose. Spirituality is more about being curious, asking questions, opening new doors, learning new skills, and finding more meaning than seeking validation for our beliefs or staying in our comfort zones. The more consciously awake we are, the more we get closer to the sacred. And conscious awareness is born when we necessitate it by doing or learning something new.”
Recalling the memories of his college days, he says, “I had a friend who had never played a musical instrument before, but he learnt it on
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his own and went on to win several awards in the five years we were at IIT—even the best musician award!”
One of his uncles began to learn how to drive a car in his fifties and drove it until his final days at the age of 80 plus. “We all need to keep learning. Look at Amitabh Bachchan who keeps reinventing himself even though he is ageing physically,” Anil emphasises.
Sadly, in the area of technical innovation, which comes with learning and experimenting, all the time we lag behind many nations. Here, I often remember the movie 3 Idiots where the protagonist asks the principal why Indians have not produced any innovative products but only repeat what has been taught to them in
class. “We are not robots but human beings,” he says, much to the chagrin of the principal. This, unfortunately, is true of most colleges in India. Innovation is not encouraged, and students are told to follow the old route.
A shining example
This is where people like Prashant Gade from Madhya Pradesh have led the way and shown what learning is all about. An innovator at heart, he was always ready to take risks, all to fulfil his dream. “I knew what I did not want to do, and that is the most important thing. From there, I eventually figured my path to success,” says the 27-year-old entrepreneur, who dropped out of college twice to pursue his desired path. Prashant had always dreamed of becoming an engineer and creating innovative devices that
We remain young as long we as keep learning and growing
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could have a social impact. So when he finally enrolled in an electronic engineering course, it was a dream come true.
However, his high spirits were short-lived. “My idea of education was very different from the reality over there. Every time I would approach a professor with a new idea, he would first ask me about my grades. The world there was more inclined towards grades and rote-learning than real, practical education. I could not align myself with this attitude that discouraged creative thinking. It was a huge let-down, and I felt like my bubble had just been burst!” he shares.
Following this disappointing experience, he dropped out of college in the final year in the pursuit of real experience and learning. “I was looking for a job, when I came across a post on Facebook about a robotics course. My long-term interest in the subject piqued my curiosity, and I decided to go for it,” says Prashant, who enrolled for the six-month FAB training course in Pune. It was a distance learning course, being conducted under the aegis of the Center for Bits and Atoms of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He had to complete a project to graduate from the course. While searching for inspiration, he came across the story of Nicolas Huchet, a bionic hand-maker, who, after losing his hand in an accident, made himself a bionic arm. “I was inspired by his work and began creating a prototype. Moreover, while in Pune, I had come across a seven-year-old girl who was born without arms. I felt very moved by her condition and wanted to help her as well as many others in a similar condition,” he shares.
Prashant’s device was far from ready, so he
decided to gift the little girl prosthetic arms. But he was shocked when he found out the cost! Firms not only in India, but also in China, USA, and Europe charged approximately Rs. 24,000,00/- for two arms. “Plus, being a kid, she would have to get the arm changed every two years as she grew older. How could a person afford that kind of expenditure?” he exclaims.
This pertinent question pushed him to create an affordable and more effective alternative. “Research revealed that every year, over 40,000 people in India lose their upper arms, and 85 percent of them continue to live without any solution, as the majority of them come from economically underprivileged sections. This gave me an idea about the potential of my innovation and how it can impact people in and beyond the country,” he adds.
Just 23 at the time, he began his quest to perfect a low-cost semi-bionic arm. He wanted to dedicate himself to finding a solution and use it for social good. But resistance towards
We are most attentive when we are experiencing something new, even if it is the challenge of learning a new skill. Doing so necessitates the formation of new neural pathways and, sometimes, even the birth of new neurons.
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LP Magazine October 2020
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