July LP 2020

Mom gets her home
Lalit Modi narrates how his mother got her desire for a permanent home fulfilled thanks to the abusive diatribe of a mentally ill woman!
M y mom was a typical homemaker. In fact, she preferred to be a housewife and took pride in being one. Unlike the kitty party types, here was a noble lady, passionate about family values, who stayed out of the limelight. Her world
comprised my dad, my brother, and me. Giving no room for complaints on the domestic front, she executed her household duties with passion and dedication. She hardly stirred out of the house except to buy requirements to keep us self-sufficient. She went about her housekeeping chores with incredible grace and dignity, while her humility endeared her to one and all. Possessing a frail frame and a soft voice, she was ever gentle and never spoke a harsh word to anyone. She would never, ever harm an ant or even a mosquito. She was religious and always grateful to the Almighty for His kindness.
My dad was a hard-working individual, employed in a private company. He could not afford comforts and luxuries but provided us with the necessities of life. However, his monetary constraints prevented him from providing us with a shelter of our own, and we had to live in rented houses for many years. But rented accommodations were not permanent as the landlords made us vacate their houses on some or the other pretext. We would protest when the time came to move, but Mom would pacify us and ask us to pack. We loved her too much and always relented, though shifting every two to three years was arduous and annoying. Considering the travails of our parents, we accepted the situation with mature understanding and moved on.
Your story 51


My timid mom was caught in a frustrating situation, and Dad requested her to be a little patient and tolerate the landlady’s verbal abuses for some time. She did so, but the unrestricted verbal onslaughts and rancour affected her health.
Time flew by, and my brother and I completed our education. We also got decent jobs, and being the eldest son, I got married too.
In the course of shifting, we landed in the house of a government officer. While he lived on the first floor with his wife and children, they rented us the ground floor. It was a typical South Indian construction with an opening in the centre between the two floors. As usual, our family settled down quickly, experienced by now in the art of shifting and settling.
There was soon an addition to our family with the arrival of my daughter, and we were upbeat. For Mom, the arrival of little Komal was a good omen and a harbinger of good things to come. Happiness reigned in our household after a long time.
The raucous landlady
A few months down the line, after moving into the new house, the landlady upstairs began giving trouble. For no rhyme or reason, she
began abusing our family from upstairs. Her voice that came through the central opening became rough and raucous day by day, and we knew not what aggravated her. All four of us were of a peaceful mindset and disposition. When I approached the officer with courteous protest and asked him what aggrieved his spouse, he asked me to ignore her shouting. He assured me he held no grievance against us and liked our family very much. To me, it was an inadequate response. I sensed that the landlord’s apparent warmth was feigned and behind his calm visage there was some sorrow and something was bothering him. I knew him for years and was aware that he was a good human.
I returned, but the verbal assault of the choicest expletives accompanied by unbridled personal vainglory continued unabated. When confronted again a few weeks later, the officer confided that he had some problems in his office and his job was at stake. He further revealed that his wife was mentally ill, and since she did not take the medicines prescribed by her psychiatrist in time, she could not control herself. When I informed Mom of the landlord’s plight, she felt sorry for him and the landlady.
The onslaughts increase
Soon the officer lost his job and the landlady became more aggressive in her verbal hostility which lasted the whole day every day. My timid mom was caught in a frustrating situation, and Dad requested her to be a little patient and tolerate the landlady’s verbal abuses for some time. She did so, but the unrestricted verbal onslaughts and rancour affected her health. In fact, most of the family members were outdoors throughout the day, and she and my wife had to endure the brunt of the verbal assaults. My mom’s body and mind could not withstand
52 LifePositive | JULY 2020


this onslaught, and she stayed in her bedroom for most of the time and prayed for peace. The offensive continued, and my little child too could not sleep peacefully, while my wife was distraught. The sustained attack of verbal terrorism grew and gnawed away the peace of our family and increased my mom’s woes.
The only alternative left for us was to move to another rented premises, and the landlord told me to look for another accommodation, though he had no objection if we wished to continue staying in his house. My dad philosophised that being nice was equivalent to being foolish and moving on was not an option but a necessity.
The uncontrollable conduct of the landlady turned Mom’s life into an unending litany of stress and depression. Her concentration during puja (worship) time began waning, and the time she could spend before Krishna
became shorter. When finally informed that we had to look for alternative accommodation once again, she got disturbed.
Last straw on the camel’s back
One Sunday, after her power prayer at the altar, she took refuge in her bedroom. The landlady’s vocal cords continued to emanate bitter words. One by one the family members gathered around Mom, and, for the first time, saw tears in her eyes. Pain replaced the calmness on her face. Behind her endearing looks hid an enduring sense of being wronged. Looking at Dad, my brother, and me, she spoke just two sentences between sobs and a choking voice: “Throughout my life, you have made me live in rented houses. At least let me die in my own house.” Having said this with immense pain in her heart, she wept unabashedly. Her heart had reached its emotional threshold. We were jolted out of our reverie by this plaintive
A home is built with love and painstaking efforts of its family members
Your story 53


impassioned outpouring of her pent-up emotions. We just gaped at each other while an emotional shock gripped our hearts.
A tsunami of insights
I sat by her side wringing my hands, looking upward to see if the Creator had her words. A deluge of thoughts and emotions got triggered in my being by the lament in her two sentences. I realised that even a bird built and lived in its own nest. A lion too lived in a cave it considered its own. Even the mouse found its own independent hole to live in. The banyan trees, the mango trees, the palm trees, and their counterparts grew deep roots at the spot where their seeds fell, never to migrate from there but perish in the same soil they originated in. The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the oceans, and the rivers also had a permanency in the scheme of things as designed by the Divine.
Cavemen had made little dwellings and settlements of their own. People living in the slums fought for their right to have their own shelter till the government offered them permanent alternative dwellings. It also dawned on me that my grandparents too had residences of their own in their respective villages. Mother Teresa provided permanent beds and wards for people lying in the gutters of Calcutta. They finally died peacefully in her ‘home for the aged’ they called their home.
Turning more philosophical and inward, I reflected that even the soul is housed in a
body till the latter perishes, and once it finds another body, it remains intact therein till that body too perishes. And after the atman (soul) has cleared its karmic indebtedness, it takes everlasting refuge in the Paramatma. I further ruminated that till we surrender at the feet of our guru or the Divine we are living in rented space, and till we live in that rented space we will not find peace. Infinite peace can be found only by total surrender. I thus concluded that it was the law of nature that both body and soul seek and aspire for a permanent abode of enduring peace.
A new resolve
I surmised that Mom’s grief and agony were just. The simple desire of this desireless lady shook me to the very core. I figured subconsciously that my mom wanted a home and not just a house. From my mother’s emotional outburst, I realised that permanency is an important factor that can make a house a home. We all require comfort, safety, and security. Mom was tired of living a nomadic life like a gypsy. For her, a home had a deep and unique emotional meaning because it defined her family and brought peace.
I felt that to sit and brood about how unfair things had been would be a waste of time, and, therefore, to kick start ‘MISSION HOME’ would be the proper direction to adopt. Dad, my brother, and I embarked on the journey to provide a permanent habitat for this noble lady of our household. The issue had to be addressed with a spirit of perseverance, failing
54 LifePositive | JULY 2020


My mom wanted a home and not just a house. From my mother’s emotional outburst, I realised that permanency is an important factor that can make a house a home. We all require comfort, safety, and security. For her, a home had a deep and unique emotional meaning because it defined her family and brought peace.
which her words would haunt us for years to come. The ruthless verbal carnage had left Mom devastated and robbed her of the peace she deserved, but it was all a blessing in disguise. The ways of the Lord are amazing.
Mom gets her home
Mom was ushered into her permanent home five years later. Dad, my brother, and I worked hard to mobilise the required funds for a spacious 2BHK flat on the outskirts of Pondicherry. A promoter cum builder allotted me this flat on soft and easy instalment. I had started my own chartered accountancy firm. My savings from my practice went directly to him. My brother who had completed his CA in the meantime, left for Nakuru in Kenya for a job. He too contributed generously.
Dad too chipped in with some funds loaned to him by his employer.
The point that I wish to emphasise is that till Mom uttered her painful words of pathos, we were all complacent and did not have the courage to even think of acquiring a house. It was her pain that triggered the very thought of getting her a home of her own; and that we did with élan.
On the day of gruhapravesam (housewarming ritual), Mom’s joy knew no bounds. It fulfilled the need of her soul. Cosmic justice of the Divine stood out in all its glory and Mom got a home, thanks to the anguished landlady for whom Mom had always prayed for to be cured of her ailment. It was a clear-cut case of opportunity in adversity.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
Your story 55


JOURNEY
Learning to respect
On her spiritual journey, Shivi Verma has found that respecting ourselves and others is our dharma. And the rest will just take care of itself.
G rowing up, I often came across the statement, ‘Respect is not demanded but commanded.’ I found this idea very daunting. How does one command respect? Did one have to become cold, authoritative, withdrawn, and speak in a stentorian voice in order to gain respect? This seemed like a tall order, and I did not know how to
be all of the above.
When I looked around, I found that respect for others was enforced upon me by my culture and surroundings. We were supposed to respect our elders, teachers, and seniors, and not talk back or contradict them.
they were unwilling to give the investment of energy and thought.
same treatment to others. I noticed that people wanted to gain respect by putting others down and establishing their own superiority through clever mind games.
Then there were others who sought respect by fitting into society’s expectations from them. Yet, I hardly found anyone genuinely respecting the other person. People would be outwardly sweet and respectful to each other but critical of them behind their backs. It was a ludicrous situation. Each one was dependent on others for respect and value, did all possible things to gain them, yet always fell short of being actually respected.
I was not willing to do this kind of work. All that I needed to do was respect myself wholly and completely, and that was enough. How others viewed me was not my problem. There was no onus on others to respect me. But it was definitely my responsibility to value myself wholeheartedly and not entertain disrespectful behaviour. It was my business to set my boundaries and not accept their breaching by anyone. And it was my job to respect others for who they were, regardless of whether they displayed a high level of integrity or not. I needed to respect others because, as human beings, we are inherently deserving of respect. Respect has the power to germinate good self-worth and self-respect in others, which makes them do noble deeds. With this awareness, the burden attached to gaining respect dropped away. I began to feel free, light, and liberated. Life had begun to make sense finally.
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]
I abided by it, but mostly
unwillingly, as I rarely found
anything worthy of respect in those
I was supposed to hold in high
regard. No admiration crossed
my heart and mind upon meeting
older people, with the exception
of my school principal and my
parents. While my principal
epitomised authority, command,
and an impeccable character,
my parents stood for integrity in
words and actions. I recognised
that most people I knew lacked
these qualities. I also observed
that even though the majority of
the people wanted to be respected, task which required too much
As for me, I did not find anyone respecting me either. No matter what I did or said, people always found something ridiculous about it and did not shy away from telling me so. This made me lose all faith in myself. I did not feel valued, respected, or acknowledged by anyone.
However, spiritual seeking sorted out many things for me—respect being one of them. As I grew, I realised that it was not my business at all to command respect from others. It was a monumental
56 LifePositive | JULY 2020


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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
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MIND MATTERS
Messages for mindfulness
Dr Narjes Gorjizadeh shows us how to turn the distracting nature of modern life to our advantage by using each distraction as an opportunity for practising mindfulness
58
LifePositive | JULY 2020


Mindfulness is one of the best ways to enhance our attention. Mindfulness is an ancient technique and a scientific process that trains the mind to learn to be focussed. Contrary to what distraction does, mindfulness trains our mind to remain in the moment and therefore increases our attention span.
Distraction seems to be a natural element of today’s lifestyle. Gadgets and features of modern technology
bring us more comfort and accessibility, but they come at a significant cost. They disconnect us from ourselves and disrupt one of the essential skills that we human beings need to thrive in life—the ability to pay attention.
All the constant beeps, dings, rings, and buzzes that come from our smartphones and other digital devices fragment our attention and wire our brain for distraction. Also, researchers say that when we hear a notification sound, our heart rate goes up, and we feel anxious until we check what the notification was for.
It is a natural tendency of an untrained mind to get distracted. Our brain loves novelty; it thinks there might be something better in the next new thing, and it rewards us whenever we get distracted. Modern lifestyle feeds this quality of the brain and trains our mind to crave for more distraction. But the long-term effect is detrimental to our brain. Constant distraction has a negative impact on our performance, our productivity, and our ability to focus, not to mention its detrimental influence on our relationships and sense of happiness. Moreover, research shows that
distraction decreases our attention span and leads to stress and anxiety.
Smartphone addiction
Nowadays, many people are addicted to their smartphones. Research shows that adults check their phones 52-80 times a day. Staying focussed on one task is becoming a challenge for most people these days. We often feel a need to check our emails or social media feeds frequently to see if something is happening, even when we don’t hear any notification sound.
Advances in technology is a positive thing; it makes our life more enjoyable and more comfortable. However, with any great discovery and advances in technology comes the necessity of using it responsibly so that it benefits us rather than harms us. Unfortunately, removing distractions in this fast-paced modern world does not sound realistic despite the fact that distraction is disrupting our attention. And this is so, although the ability to remain focussed is one of the key factors that define the quality of our life and our level of happiness.
The good news is that there is a way to use distraction in a positive way. We can minimise the negative effects of distraction
Mind matters 59


The mindful distraction technique uses every moment of distraction as a trigger to create a moment of mindful attention. Then, distraction becomes a positive support for our own betterment rather than a method
of degrading our life experience.
by consciously enhancing our ability to pay attention, and we can let the distraction itself be a reminder for us to practise attention. This is a technique called ‘mindful distraction.’ Being exposed to constant distraction creates the habit of being distracted, and the mindful distraction technique creates the habit of paying attention.
To simplify it further, the mindful distraction technique uses every moment of distraction as a trigger to create a moment of mindful attention. Then, distraction becomes a positive support for our own betterment rather than a method of degrading our life experience.
Mindfulness is one of the best ways to enhance our attention. Mindfulness is an ancient technique and a scientific process that trains the mind to learn to be focussed. Contrary to what distraction does, mindfulness trains our mind to remain in the moment and therefore increases our attention span. Having a daily routine of mindfulness practice is an effective way to slow down the mind and retain its
focus. However, mindfulness is not only about doing an exercise for a few minutes a day. It is about staying mindful moment by moment as we go through our day. Every moment that you have mindful attention and focus counts. The positive effect of all the micro-doses of mindfulness adds up to strengthening your attention muscles.
If you have tried before to be mindful moment by moment during the day, you have probably noticed that it is not easy to remember to be mindful because an untrained mind tends to wander. Here is where mindful distraction comes in to use the distractions as positive support. We can use the distraction to remind us to be mindful.
Here is how to practise the mindful distraction technique:
Whenever you hear a notification sound from your digital devices, before you reach out to check what the sound was for, pause for a moment and take one mindful breath; take a deep breath with full attention. For one moment, disconnect from all your activity and the digital world and connect with yourself and be fully present with your breath. For one inhale and one exhale, be with your breath completely, as if the whole world disappears for you and at that moment, only you and your breath exist.
These small doses of mindfulness gives rest to your mind and relaxes your body. Research is increasingly showing the enormous benefits of mindfulness for our well-being, performance, and experience of life. Mindfulness reshapes your brain to increase focus and improve cognitive function. It enhances creativity, memory, and decision-making ability. Mindfulness also strengthens the immune
60 LifePositive | JULY 2020


system and improves sleep. In addition, it decreases stress and anxiety.
We must cultivate the ability to focus to distract- proof our mind. The more we face distraction, the more we need to train our mindfulness muscles. And with mindful distraction, the more we face distraction, the more we have a trigger to remind us to be mindful.
Considering that adults are checking their phones 52-80 times a day and this number is increasing over the years, you can easily create the habit of being mindful this many times a
day and enjoy the many benefits of mindfulness if you practise mindful distraction. And it is a great achievement if you become mindful for one breath, 52-80 times a day.
In this digital world of distraction where all the ads and apps demand our attention, the best gift we can give ourselves is to regain our attention, and mindful distraction is the simplest way to do that.
Using the mindful distraction technique is a unique solution for today’s disrupted life.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected]
Distractions can also be seen as an opportunity to practice mindfulness
Mind matters 61


MUDRAS
Mudras to keep your cool
Abhay Kumar Shah shares some mudras to beat the heat during these scorching summer days
T his is the time of year when summer is at its peak and the sun seems to be melting the earth. Even the nights are uncomfortable. COVID-19 has put restrictions on the use of air-conditioning for various reasons. It is a time of fatigue, sweating, discomfort, and
dehydration. In fact, for some, this season is a nightmare.
So dear friends, I would like to share some mudras which are extremely beneficial in this unbearable heat. Hope they help you to breeze through this sizzling summer!
VYAAN MUDRA
‘Vyaan’ means ‘breeze.’ This mudra can create a burst of air in our body and increase our comfort level in the heat.
Connect the tips of the index finger and the middle finger to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your thighs. Practise for at least 16 minutes.
PRANA MUDRA
This mudra reduces the burning sensation in our body; burning palms and feet can be healed.
Connect the tips of the ring finger and the little finger to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your thighs. Practise for at least 16 minutes, whenever required.
PRITHVI MUDRA
The Prithvi Element counters the Agni Element. It reduces the heat in our body naturally. It even reduces body temperature during any kind of fever. One can practise this mudra essentially in the summer.
Touch the tip of the ring finger to the tip of the thumb. Place the back of your palms on your thighs. Practise for a
62 LifePositive | JULY 2020


minimum of 16 minutes. One can extend it for a longer period, if required.
PANKAJ MUDRA
It’s also called the Lotus Mudra. This flower grows in mud and water, and mud and water have cooling properties, as we know. This mudra reduces the excess heat in the body.
Touch the sides of the little fingers of both the hands to each other. Touch the sides of the lower portion of the palms (below the little fingers) to each other. Touch the sides of the thumbs in the same way. Touch the wrists to each other. Stretch and extend the remaining three fingers of both the hands in the air, as if you are holding a ball in between. This will form a lotus- like gesture. Put this gesture at your sternum, close your eyes, and think of a lotus swaying in the wind, in a cool blue pond. Aha! You can practice Pankaj Mudra for 16 minutes.
VARUN MUDRA
This mudra saves us from the effects of dehydration in the summer. We excrete water from our body in the form of sweat and urine. Many times, we drink less water than we excrete, which causes dehydration. We may feel dizzy or even lose consciousness, especially in hot and crowded places. Varun Mudra helps to tackle this situation.
Connect the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining three fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your thighs. Practise this mudra for at least 30 minutes a day, or 16 minutes, twice or thrice a day.
When you see a person losing consciousness, hold their little finger and thumb in your hand and rub their tips over each other. This will help them to regain their senses.
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]
Mudras 63


POSITIVE FOCUS
Ayurveda - The Progressive Science
Ayurveda in modern times has immensely contributed to global progress. However, there is an old saying: ‘A prophet is seldom honoured in his own country.’ Astonished by Indian knowledge, Western minds experimented on it, validated this information, and re-represented it in a foreign language. And we accepted it as a matter of science. But unaware of the source of this information, we rejected our own heritage and upheld Western thought in the highest esteem of cultural evolution. Recently, the American President recognised our common greeting ‘namaste’ as a useful method of social distancing, and it became the talk of the town. Indians were elated. Surprisingly, we still need foreign recognition to be proud of our own culture! Indian cultural practices are an endless source of science. From the morning ‘Surya Namaskar’ to our bedtime rituals, processes of our daily routine are based upon subtle scientific principles. We, as a nation, are the proud founding fathers of ayurveda, the science that has pioneered standard operating procedures of the human body.
Concept of modern times and ayurveda
What is the parameter for demarcating modern times? In the Indian context, if it is the advent of English, then it is an unjust one. Languages evolved as part of a necessity to express emotions based upon geographical and cultural needs. Those civilisations which attempted to understand the mind developed a deep desire for emotional expression. Due to this impulse, certain languages evolved much earlier. However, in mentally backward civilisations, the vernacular evolved later.
On the other hand, if the advent of mechanisation is to be considered as modern times, then it is a worthless comparison vis-a- vis the human body. Mechanisation definitely reduced human labour but it did not alter our bodily constitution. Therefore, the word ‘modernisation’, with reference to the human body, seems implausible.
Still, if modern times are all about our current understanding of bodily basics, then an undeniable fact worth knowing is that significant information on human anatomy and physiology was already existing in ayurvedic literature. Current anatomy and physiological advancements also confirm these facts. However, understanding ayurveda remains a mystery for contemporary sciences. For example, ayurveda expounds seven layers of skin, but current information is limited to only three layers.Basic understanding of the human anatomy remains the same. However, physiological understanding and the language of expression are definitely different. It is astonishing that the evolution of ayurveda is estimated to be around 1500 B.C.; yet, bodily fundamentals and the use of medicines remain unchanged. But if ayurveda is so useful, then why is it so far away from the mainstream?
Period of oppression
Due to its antiquity and progressive attitude, our Indian civilisation has witnessed the pinnacle of prosperity. By the medieval period, along with its eight specialities, ayurvedic pharmacology had also fairly progressed. The branch of surgery was especially developing. But upon conversion of king Ashoka to Buddhism, a blanket ban on surgery was imposed on account of its principle of non-
64 LifePositive | JULY 2020


violence. As surgery is a hands-on skill vocation, it gradually receded due to lack of practical experience. Excommunicated from the scientific fraternity, surgery was now confined to only a folklore practice. Thereafter, Mughal invasions demolished the roots of ayurveda. By setting fire to the Nalanda University library, invaders turned most of the ayurvedic literature into a heap of ash. Original manuscripts of the science were now reduced to a memory. Following this incident, the university of ayurveda was never reconstructed. Familial traditions were trying to save this heritage, but their practices were more benevolent in nature rather than professional. Too much charity without a scientific base annihilated its credibility. Thereafter, the period of British oppression made matters worse. The seed of cultural inferiority which was sowed in the Indian mindset by them is prospering unabated till date. Post-independence efforts to rekindle indigenous medicines were initiated, though it is required to speed up the pace according to current times.
Pandemic and ayurveda
The world is perplexed by the current pandemic. The mortality rate of countries having a robust healthcare system is worrisome. According to the WHO, the cure for this pandemic is not available yet, albeit research is going on. On the Indian Prime Minister’s instructions, the department of AYUSH is also working relentlessly. But, whether ayurveda can dispense a possible cure for this disease or not will only be answered after applied analysis of its treatments. Ayurveda has an independent mechanism of patient examination and diagnosis of a disease. As per its fundamental principles, everything in this world constitutes space, mobility, heat, liquidity, and solidity. Diagnosisis are based on the analysis of doshas (biological humours) and dhatus (metabolic factors) and their effect on physiological functioning. The selection of an appropriate
medicine will be dependent on it. Various modalities of treatment depending upon the six stages of a disease are also mentioned. Suitable climatic conditions of India facilitate the production of medicinal plants in plenty. Detailed qualitative analysis and functions of these medicines are well documented in the Indian Materia Medica. Ayurvedic physicians have been using these medicines for ages on the basis of scriptural principles to ameliorate human sufferings. With the sincere efforts of dedicated ayurvedic physicians, ayurveda has gained a fresh lease of confidence.
Research in ayurveda
Recently, there is a necessity for comprehensive research in ayurvedic modalities. It is true that there is a dearth of concrete evidence of a possible cure for the ongoing pandemic in ayurveda. Due to the novelty of this disease, efforts are being made by contemporary sciences as well to find a possible cure. The recommendation by the Government of India and AYUSH ministry to allow treatments through these modalities to find out the best possibilities is a welcome step. In ayurveda, a considerable number of treatments depend upon herbal formulations. Due to the homogeneity of elements, the human body accepts herbal medicines with much ease. Therefore, the side effects of herbal medicines are lesser. Yoga as well as ayurveda contribute to health maintenance simultaneously. Now, the onus is on ayurvedic physicians, scientists, and researchers to live upto the expectations of the time. Due to its extensive research, ayurveda is a well-supported experiential science, which shall remain relevant forever.
Ashutosh Guleri, Administrator,
HRIYN, Kayakalp, Holta, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh Contact: 9418049070
E-mail: [email protected]
Positive Focus 65


A better world and a better future
It’s about time we think ‘sustainability’ in every aspect of life, both individual and collective, if we want a better future.
The present state of the world
• Physical and mental health has suffered greatly despite an increase in the longevity of life.
• The environment, including its natural ecosystems, has seriously degraded, with the pollution levels of air, water, and food at their peak.
• Economic disparity is at its highest.
• Socio-political conflicts and violence have escalated.
This sorry state of the world has been unparalleled in its recorded history.
Major factors contributing to the present situation
• Insatiable desire for consumerism and materialism.
• ‘Greed is good and more is better’ economic models.
• Global education systems are solely designed to create workers. Education does not include the
holistic development of human beings or the wisdom required for it.
• Believing technology is the only solution for all problems and ignoring the
root causes of problems entirely.
• Total lack of wisdom and spirituality in the collective consciousness.
The way forward to a better future
• Sustainable and holistic models of progress and development in every aspect of human affairs.
• Fundamental reforms in education to restore the spirit of learning and consciousness.
• Seeking harmony and peace as the highest priority, rather than materialism or gratification.
• Understanding the truth that we are mortals here on Earth for a very limited time and that the creative intelligence is all-pervading and eternal. Conducting all human affairs in accordance with
dharma: the highest moral and ethical values.
~ Dr Acharya; Contact: +91 9000533590, [email protected]
66 LifePositive | JULY 2020


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SPIRIT
Meditating on death
Iam63yearsold,andI having Masters do your life review
Suma Varughese muses over life’s inescapable certainty—death. She raises questions, all of us need to ask to better our life on Earth
live in Mumbai, which is
currently the epicentre of COVID-19 in India. Two of my neighbouring buildings have reported COVID-19 cases. The question is inescapable. Am I going to get it? And if I do, will I die?
The only thing I have done so far to prepare for this eventuality is to write a will. As to what I feel about it, I am not quite sure. The idea of dying of COVID-19 is daunting. I will be carted away by the municipality and cremated, without any member of my family being present. It could get worse. My body could be simply dumped somewhere because, as a bearer of the disease, no one would want to come near it. My neat-as-a-pin house will be violently overturned and fumigated, and who knows what will be taken. Moreover, I always thought I would be enlightened in this lifetime itself, so I would be pretty disappointed if I went before that happened.
On the brighter side, death by COVID is a speedy process, unlike paralysis or cancer. And furthermore, I do look forward to returning to what is our true home. All the accounts I have read of near-death experiences paint a marvellous picture of a space of unconditional love, of meeting and melting into your Divine Source, of
and help you process your learnings of the life gone by, and of a grand reunion with your departed friends and family. I am guessing it would be like, what a kid in boarding school feels when returning home from the holidays.
And I also know that if I am going, it means my work here is done.
But still, I am not ready to go. I am aware of many unfinished conversations, many unhealed parts of my being, many incomplete relationships. I suppose the idea of a clinically neat death with all parts of my life neatly tied up is unrealistic, but I do want more closure, a greater sense of having come to terms with my life.
The prospect of death also makes life so much more enticing. The sunshine, trees, breeze, river, sea, sky, animals, family. How would it feel to leave them all behind?
And I suppose that is what death is here to teach us. The very thought of feeling its fetid breath upon us makes us embrace life so much more fervently and become aware of the incompletions that haunt us.
Every moment becomes invaluable, forweknowthatitisnevergoingto return. Like Olympic athletes train with dead seriousness, we take on our projects, aware that we may
not get another chance. And what is most important is that we will evaluate our life and our choices. In the face of death, what remains important? And what does not?
In the collective history of humanity, this is one such time. Destiny has trapped us all as neatly as a bird catcher traps songbirds, and money, power, fame, gold, land, no longer seem as significant. The concerns are more primal.
If I were to go tomorrow, am I prepared? What legacy am I leaving, if any? Am I proud of the way I have lived my life? What changes would I make if I could? What should my priorities be?
These are the best questions we can grapple with. The answers may not come immediately, but when they do, we will change within. Meditating on death is the most powerful way to lead a meaningful life. Try it. And when all this is over and we can resume our lives once again, maybe our encounter with death will support us in the business of living.
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]
68 LifePositive | JULY 2020


BANYAN TREE
TEACHING STORY
ALL PATHS ARE RIGHT
Five wise men got lost in the forest. The first one said, “I will take the left; my intuition tells me that.” The second one said, “I will take the right because ‘right’ comes from the word ‘rightness.’ The third one said, “I will go back. We came from there, which means I will exit the forest.” The fourth one said, “I will go straight. We should move forward. The forest will end, and we will come upon something new.” The fifth one said, “You are all wrong. There is a better solution. Wait for me.”
He found the tallest tree and climbed onto it. While he was climbing, everyone else went ahead with their plan. From above, he saw the shortest way out. He understood the problem and found the best solution! He knew that he was right, and the others were wrong. They were stubborn, and they didn’t listen to him. He was the real Wise Man!
But he was wrong. Everyone was right. The one who went to the left found himself in the thicket. He had to starve and fight with wild animals. But he learned how to survive in the forest. He became a part of the forest and could teach others the same. The one who went to the right met thieves. They took everything from him and made him steal too. But after some time, he had woken up something in those thieves that they had forgotten—humanity and compassion. The remorse was so strong in some of them that, after his death, they also became the wise men. The one who went back made a pathway through the forest, which soon became a road for those who
wanted to walk in the forest without being afraid of getting lost. The one who went straight became a pioneer. He visited places where no one else had gone and opened wonderful new possibilities for people, of amazing healing plants and magnificent animals. The one who climbed into the tree became a specialist in finding the shortest way. People turned to him when they wanted to find the fastest way to deal with their problems, even if it didn’t lead to any development.
This is how the five wise men reached their destiny.
ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
TWO NEIGHBOURS
A wise and successful man bought a beautiful house with a huge orchard. An envious man lived in an old house next to him. He constantly tried to make his neighbour’s life as miserable as possible. He threw garbage under his gate and did other nasty things.
One fine day, the wise man went out onto his porch and noticed buckets of garbage thrown there. The man took a bucket and cleaned it. Then he carried a bucket and went to his envious neighbour’s door.
The neighbour heard the knock at his door and gleefully thought, “I have finally got him!” He answered his door, ready to quarrel with him. However, the wise man gave him a bucket of freshly picked apples saying, “The one who is rich in something, shares it with others.”
Banyan Tree
69


THIS, I KNOW
PAULO COELHO
INSPIRATION
I WILL NOT DIE AN UNLIVED LIFE
I will not die an unlived life I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which came to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which came to me as blossom, goes on as fruit. —Dawna Markova
QUOTE
Knock, and He'll open the door Vanish, and He'll make you shine like the sun Fall, and He'll raise you to the heavens Become nothing, and He'll turn you into everything.
—Jalal ad-Din Rumi
•
• • •
•
• •
When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.
The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.
We can never judge the lives of others because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.
There are moments when troubles enter our lives, and we can do nothing to avoid them. Only when we have overcome them, will we understand why they were there.
The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.
People never learn anything by being told; they have to find out for themselves.
We are travellers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling, and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal.
JUST FOR LAUGHS
A JOB FOR JESUS
Jesus was bored so he went to God his father and asked him, “Dad, give me something to do. I am bored!” “Take a file and smooth the top of the Himalayas,” said God. After 7,000 years, Jesus came back again. "And now what can I do?” he asked God again. God gave him a spoon and told him to empty the Indian Ocean. After 7,000 years, he was back again. “It's done. And now?” he asked God. Tired, God looked at him and said, “Listen, Jesus, go down to Earth and convince the men down there to love each other. That will keep you busy for eternity!”
70
LifePositive | JULY 2020


Pradeep Krishnan
Pradeep Krishnan is a student of consciousness, based in Kerala. A seeker
by nature, he is deeply attracted to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Deepa Gulabani
Deepa Gulabani wears
many hats. She’s an Image Consultant, the CHRO at P. Mangatram Jewellers and a philanthropist. She uses her life experiences to mentor people inside and outside the organisation and tap their full potential.
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.
Lalit N. Modi
A chartered accountant by profession; and a writer
and motivational speaker
by passion, Lalit Modi is spiritually inclined towards the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and Lord Krishna and is also the trustee of a few NGOs.
Dr Narjes Gorjizadeh
Dr Narjes Gorjizadeh,
PhD, is a research scientist and a certified teacher of meditation and mindfulness. She is also an internationally published author on subjects of science and spirituality.
Naini Setalvad
Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising
in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on healthy food habits.
Response 71


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