YOUR PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMPANION Subscriber copy www.lifepositive.com October 2022 Hydrogen Economy: The fuel of the future PAGE 54 PAGE 19 Caring for the caregiver PAGE 40 Healthy street foods of India PAGE 26 THE SHAKTI OF BHAKTI Contemporary bhakti movements of India
TIME MEDITATION COURSE FOUNDATION COURSE WITH SWAMI VIDYANAND WITH SWAMI VIDYANAND Transformational Integral Meditation Education Purification and Generation of energy in Yogic Bodies and Chakras Founder, Meditation Alliance International Starting November 5th 2022 Ending January 21st 2023 10 Sessions | LIVE ONLINE 2 hours sessions every Saturday TO REGISTER: [email protected] www.meditationallianceinternational.com 8:30 am to 10:30 am (UK time) | £175 9:30am to 11:30 am (Central European time) | €200 1 pm to 3 pm (India time) | Rs16,000 INR Registered Trademark with: World Intellectual Property Office Intellectual Property India (Govt. of India) United States Patent and Trademark Office (US Govt.) European Union Intellectual Property Office (EU) Intellectual Property Office (Govt. of UK) C M Y CM MY CY CMY K LIFE POSITIVE AD - TIME.pdf 1 27/09/22 8:31 PM
LP mascot: Laughing Buddha 4 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022 - Editor October 2022 Vol. 26 Issue 07 Chairman: Aditya Ahluwalia President: D R Kaarthikeyan Director: V Venkat Editor: Shivi Verma EDITORIAL Chief Correspondent: Rishi Rathod (Mumbai) Correspondent: Navni Chawla Graphic Designer: Sandeep Kumar WEBSITE Content curater: Jamuna Rangachari Digital media marketing analyst: Srishti Pant PRODUCT MARKETING Assistant Vice President, Circulation & Subscription: Dharamveer Singh SUBSCRIPTION Shweta Naithani- Subscription Executive FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Deputy General Manager: Ambika Sharma Advisors Parveen Chopra, Suma Varughese, Kiran Bedi, M Madhavan Nambiar, SD Saxena, Ameeta Mehra, Manisha Verma, Shruti Nada Poddar, Hamid Ahmed, Shovana Narayan, Ritika Goyal Editorial & Advertising Office Delhi: F1/9, First floor, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase - I, New Delhi-110 020 Ph: (011) 49563777 | Fax: (011) 49563773 E-mails: [email protected] Readers are requested to make appropriate enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement in this publication. Life Positive or Life Positive Pvt Ltd do not vouch for any claims made by the advertisers of products and services. The printer, publisher or editor of Life Positive or any employee of Life Positive Pvt Ltd shall not be held liable for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All rights reserved. © Life Positive Pvt. Ltd. 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-110020 Printed at M.P. Printers, B-220, Phase 2 Noida, 201305 Member, Indian Newspaper Society Sorry, Mother Earth Dear Reader, The world is seeing unprecedented weather conditions. Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and America are facing a catastrophic heatwave, leading to drought and wildfires. The Yangtze river of China has dried up and so have perennial water bodies across continents. Our neighbouring country is three-fourths submerged in water, and Taiwan suffered a massive earthquake recently, which injured hundreds of people. In India, torrential rains have virtually taken cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi hostage, and nobody can say with certainty what the future has in store for them. What is clear is that all this is not only a consequence of greenhouse gases and climate change alone. Gaia too is shifting and trying to reset her lost balance by returning to mankind all that it gave her. Her purpose is to awaken the human race and bring it down from its high horse. Measures to restore the ecological balance of the earth may not bear immediate fruit, but we can at least begin by repairing our relationship with Mother Earth. If our greed and selfishness have given her innumerable wounds, our love can heal her too. All that we have to do is touch Mother Earth with our hands, send our love to her, and seek her forgiveness. My guru taught me to say the following prayer to heal our connection with the earth. Dear Mother Earth, “Today and now, I express my love and care for you. Forgive me for causing pain to you. Let me protect and nurture you once again. Let me heal your wounds with my love. Love, Love, and only Love for You.” The lead story for October is on various Bhakti movements and traditions of India which are still being practised. Such movements unify society with the glue of service and devotion and contribute richly to the cultural and literary tapestry of the land. We also have an article on a caregiver’s travails and another which addresses the issues caused by attachment to possessions and people. Enjoy them and have a blissful October.
Identify personality types of family members. Understand Behavioural patterns of family members during conflicts. Identify language patterns used by family members. Improve Family Dynamics. FAMILY DYNAMICS Based on the work of Virginia Satir Abhay U Thakkar Internationally Certified NLP & New Code NLP Trainer UNDERSTANDING Learn to: Facilitator: Website: t-nlp-i.com Date: 15th & 16th October Timings: 5:30pm -7pm Investment: Rs 1200 (Early bird, register before 12th, Rs 850) Contact: +91 9769274933 Online Session
06 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022 18 HEARTSPEAK Which life do you want? Ajay Kalra claims that a soul chooses a difficult existence in order to absorb the lessons of a hundred incarnations. 19 THERAPY Caring for the caregiver An account of the ordeal faced by caregivers and how they can make their arduous tasks more manageable LEAD STORY Devotion in motion Jamuna Rangachaari discusses the bhakti movement’s powerful influence in uniting people through devotional worship 26
Contents 07 40 FOOD Street Smart Savour nutrient-dense Indian street food to boost your immunity. Cover photo: Adobe Stock, Photo credit: Adobe Stock, Cover design: Sandeep Kumar Total pages 68, including the cover page and the back cover REGULAR COLUMNS Response 08 Mandala 10 Yoga 14 Aha-moments 46 Journey 52 Spirit 60 Sharing 61 Mudra Column 63 Banyan Tree 65 47 ISF REPORT Coimbatore musings The 2022 Coimbatore ISF was a cornucopia of fun, healing, learning, and growing 54 ENVIRONMENT Fuel of the Future Hydrogen created from tap water might eventually replace fossil fuels as the primary source of energy 57 LETTING GO The doctrine of detachment The Bhagavad Gita and other spiritual practices, teach us to live in the world with a feeling of non-attachment.
Mail from our readers, online fans and subscribers YOUR PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMPANION Subscriber copy www.lifepositive.com A wave of transformation September 2022 PAGE 30 HOP ON THE HOBBY HORSE PAGE 20 PAGE 54 Flex your financial muscle PAGE 15 Listen to your body Tips on investing wisely Pay heed to the body’s messages RESPONSE Life is a song The article Hop on the Hobby Horse in the September 2022 issue made me realise how I can spend my time fruitfully instead of wasting it. I rekindled all my talents like music, and I must say I am much happier than before. The bonus is that I have also made new friends with similar interests and look forward to each day with interest and verve. I have begun writing down all the songs I like in a journal as school children do. Even my children have noticed me looking happier and, according to them, even younger. They are proud of me for learning new songs all the time. Thank you, Life Positive. Indira Ramaratnam, Chennai Article set the balance right The article on work-life balance, The Balancing Act, by Archana Raghuram in the September 2022 issue was wonderful. I used to keep thinking I was neglecting my house due to my high-pressure job in a multinational company, but I realised it is not possible to be the best in everything. After reading the article, I worked on getting more help both at home and in the office, and soon, I was able to manage life well, including a personal fitness routine. The main advantage has been low stress and more enjoyment in all areas. This made me realise how important it is to get one’s priorities right. Shalini Rajgopal, Mumbai Investing in independence The article Financial Emancipation of Women in the September 2022 issue was truly inspiring. Financial planning is something I never bothered about, as my husband took care of the finances while I just did some basic home and kitchen management. After reading this article, I too started thinking about investing and ensured that I saved and invested in some mutual funds that I could easily handle on my own. Although I could have asked others to do this for me, I didn’t, as I wanted to be completely independent on the financial front also. Thanks, Life Positive, for all your well-researched guidance. Lakshmi Rajgopal, Bangalore 08 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] Deepa’s advice goes deep The article Listen to Your Body by Deepa Mahesh in the September 2022 issue was insightful and educational. We are never instructed to listen to our bodies, so it almost seems absurd to do so. I am impressed by the author’s ability to illustrate how we might connect with our bodies in such a brief article. In addition, I found it amazing that the body can express itself through metaphors like music, colour, or a picture. For years, I had neglected the ache in my lower back. After reading this article, I sat down to listen to what my body had to say about it. I have not yet been able to figure out the solution, but in the process, I have developed a tremendous sensitivity to my own body. Panner Selvam, Hosur Response 09
10 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022 Doctoring the environment – By Jamuna Rangchari Dr. Ruby Makhija of Delhi always wanted to do something to make our cities and our country cleaner and greener. Though most people complain about the system in our country, she wanted to be a part of the solution. Dr. Makhija felt strongly about the need to reduce the use of single-use plastic, as it impacts the environment hugely, and decided to do something about it. In November 2021, she launched an initiative for making cloth bags and supplied them to the markets. In the beginning, this initiative was not well received by all because it was working out costlier than plastic bags. Shopkeepers did not wish to keep these bags for fear of losing their customers. To get around this bottleneck, she started the Why Waste Wednesday Foundation. Through this foundation, she encourages people to ditch single-use plastic and spreads awareness about sustainable ways to save the environment. Since both the shopkeepers and consumers were not ready to give up single-use plastic, intensive drives and conversations were held to make them aware. The latest ban on singleuse plastic items and Project Vikalp, which aids small-scale entrepreneurs, also helped her to keep producing cloth bags. Even now, providing a good quality cloth bag at a low cost is the biggest challenge. She is trying to tackle it with support from groups like Inner Wheel Club. Her husband, Dr Praveen Makhija, and her two daughters supported her the most. Ruby says, “We are middle-class professionals. To sacrifice one person’s earnings is not easy. However, my family not only understood but also supported me wholeheartedly.” She also received full support from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, without whom it wouldn’t have been possible to achieve her goals. When ladies share their stories as to how Vikalp helped them earn their livelihood and support their families, it is truly overwhelming. They use the earnings to send their kids to school or buy books for them. Dr Makhija wishes to see every shop as a Vikalp store so that consumers do not have to search for a cloth bag. She also wants to expand the services to include other alternatives to singleuse plastic. Dr Ruby Makhija: being part of the solution
Mandala 11 – By Jamuna Rangchari Punjab da puttar, innovates kamaal da scooter Some people innovate for others, and this is what makes them inspirational and remarkable. Babbar Singh, an automobile mechanic from Punjab, worked on building a mini-jeep in 2012 for his disabled friend Shakti Kumar, who wanted to ride a bike with his friends and family. Babbar had always been good with machines and felt that this was a good opportunity to apply his skills innovatively. Babbar’s vehicle looks like a jeep but has the working mechanism of a scooter. He has always found automobiles interesting right from his childhood—especially jeeps. He used existing designs, modifying them suitably to make the ride comfortable and easy for all. This did take time and effort, but he succeeded in the end. It cost him around seventy thousand rupees to build such a vehicle. Later, he realised that there are many others like his friend, who need this innovation to make their life better. Shakti, the inspiration behind the invention, was so satisfied with the product that he uses it to date. Eventually, Babbar built fifteen such jeeps, all for disabled individuals. “My aim is to help everyone who, like my friend, has a disability related to their lower body,” says the innovator. Everyone who uses the jeep is extremely grateful for an innovation that takes care of their needs. Very soon, orders began pouring in from across the state. The 66-year-old, who runs a small mechanic shop in Mansa, has truly helped many by catering to their needs. Today, Babbar receives orders from all over Punjab as well as Haryana. As of now, each vehicle costs between sixty and eighty thousand rupees. Babbar Singh: An innovative mind combined with a compassionate heart
12 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022 Ekta (unity) is strength There are three tribal-dominated villages in Orissa, namely, Muhuliya, Sibida, and Nandoor, in which people of the Kaundh community reside. After independence, the rays of development spread all across India, but these three villages were amongst those deprived of the light because they were forest villages. These three villages did not have basic facilities like hospitals, schools, rural child care, preschool centres, electricity, or even roads. The villagers had to travel 60 km to Banpur for medical treatment and eight km to Barbara to get their rations from the Public Distribution System, i.e., PDS shops. The tribals of the villages wanted the conversion of their villages from forest to revenue villages because, as forest villages, they did not have access to basic facilities, and development was hampered. These people consistently tried to get this reformation done, but it wasn’t so easy. However, they were determined to get their villages registered in the list of revenue villages. With this objective, in 2002, they joined Ekta Parishad, an NGO based on Gandhian principles. After joining, the villagers started raising their issues at various levels. Land and education rights, rural child care centres, drinking water, – By Jamuna Rangchari medical facilities, PDS systems, roads, etc. were some of the major issues. Initially, the government didn’t pay heed to the non-violent action of the organisation. Ultimately, in 2015, the Odisha Government took the initiative to convert these three villages into revenue villages. On August 3, 2015, the collector of Khordha wrote a letter to the tehsildar (revenue officer) ordering him to take permission from the Gram Sabha to convert the villages to revenue villages. Following the orders, a meeting was held on September 3, 2021. Currently, all the processes like Gram Sabha resolution, making of revenue maps, etc. are being completed by the tehsildar and the district development officer in the presence of the villagers and the Ekta Parishad activists. They asserted that in a few days, these villages were going to be marked on the revenue map of Odisha. The real credit for this success goes to all the families residing in these three villages who have won this battle together with Ekta Parishad. This shows us that unity can indeed achieve anything. The victory of perseverance
YOGA Gateway to flexibility P arighasana is also known as Gate Pose. In Sanskrit, ‘parigha’ means ‘gate’ or ‘crossbar,’ and ‘asana’ means ‘pose.’ Practising this pose regularly helps open up your hips and give a good stretch to your hamstrings and the sides of your body. Method • You can start this pose by sitting in Vajrasana. • Slowly come into an upright kneeling position with your hips over the knees. (Your knees and hips should be aligned.) • Now slowly try to extend the right leg, keeping the knee and ankle in line with your right hip. (The left leg should remain in the kneeling position.) • Slowly inhale and extend your arms to your sides. • Exhale and slowly move your upper body towards the right side. (You should be careful not to bend forward when you bend sideways.) Try to rest your right palm and wrist on the right thigh, or the shin or ankle, depending on your flexibility. Raise your left hand straight, alongside your left ear. Turn the head upwards and gaze at the roof. Do a deep inhalation and exhalation. • Stay in this pose for 10 seconds, feeling the stretch in the left side of your body. Then slowly raise your upper body, keeping it straight, and bring your right leg back to the Mrs. Kamala Venkat is a homemaker with a great passion for YOGA. Inspired by Shri Swami Ramdev of Patanjali, she has been an ardent yoga lover and has been practising it with complete dedication for the last 20 years. She has done a Yoga Instructors’ course from VYSA(Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana) kneeling position with your hands down by the side of your thighs. • Rest in Vajrasana. Then repeat the same sequence with the left side also. Benefits • Gives a good stretch to the ribs, inner thighs, and hamstrings. • Helps you to expand your chest and breathe easily. • Gives a good stretch to your sides and back muscles. • Strengthens the ankles and feet. Contraindications • Knee, shoulder, ribs, or ankle injury. Parighasana, as demonstrated by Kamala Venkat, gives you a good stretch overall while strengthening your ankles and feet 14 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Heartspeak 15 HEARTSPEAK A soul takes on a tough life in order to learn the learnings of a hundred lifetimes says Ajay Kalra Which life do you want?
I often joke, before I was born God sat me down in his heavenly drawing room and said to me: “Look son, I have two designs for your next life. The first one will be easy and smooth. Loving family, easy career progression, traditional values, devoted wife, caring children and a comfortable retirement. But you won’t learn much.” I smiled. That sounded good. I visualised myself smoking a pipe post retirement while my pet dog scampered about in the manicured lawn of a spacious bungalow. Life seemed good, even before I had lived it. “The second option” he said, breaking me out of my reverie “will be a life packed with all kinds of challenges, full of ups and downs, nothing predictable, unstable family, wrong career choices, addictive behavior, spiritual pursuit and alienation from mainstream society.” I gulped. Suddenly the visual of the spacious bungalow was replaced by snowy peaks. I saw myself in a loincloth with a long beard, living as a hermit in a cave in the Himalayas surviving on roots and berries. It was a no-brainer. The first life was definitely more appealing. “But the second life” said God, “will give you learnings of a hundred lifetimes.” He then looked into my eyes and asked “Which life do you want? The easy one with not much to learn. Or the extremely difficult one with tremendous growth.” He paused and smiled, awaiting my response. “What the hell” I thought to myself. “I have to make a choice, even before I am born!” My mind wanted the easy, relaxed, conventional life. My soul was hungry for learning and growth. I needed more information, before making this life altering decision. “What is the ultimate purpose of all learning and growth?” I asked God, trying to hide the scepticism in my voice. “It is to realise that you and me, are One.” he said. Often we mistakenly believe that our problems and suffering are because of our life situations. A heartbreak, a financial crisis, a health scare, a death of a near one, a job loss, a divorce. Whatever be the situation the problem is not the situation. It is our mind interpreting the situation. 16 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Heartspeak 17 That sealed the deal. “I will go for the difficult one.” I said. Whoosh! As soon as I said this I was conceived in the womb that would provide me all the life challenges God had promised. True to his word, he ensured my life was full of ups and downs, and yet something kept moving me to the next chapter of my life. Every chapter was filled with new life lessons. Since I have lived the life I have lived, I can share with some credibility a few pointers, for living such a life. Especially for people who have chosen to pack learnings of a hundred lifetimes in a single life, like me. Nothing Is Constant I know this is a cliché but it is true. When I felt I had messed up my life, there was no hope for a better future and the best option would be to end my life; life changed. Almost as though one chapter of the book got over and the next one started. And just when I thought that nice chapter of my life would remain forever, that chapter got over too. Every time a good chapter began I was exhilarated. Every time a good chapter ended I was plunged in despair. The only thing that kept me going was the thought “Life is not over. I am in winter. Spring will come. That is how seasons are. That is how life is. There is always change.” Manage Mind, Not Life Often we mistakenly believe that our problems and suffering are because of our life situations. A heartbreak, a financial crisis, a health scare, a death of a near one, a job loss, a divorce. Whatever be the situation the problem is not the situation. It is our mind interpreting the situation. Life takes care of itself. It has been doing so for 13.8 billion years. Which means something new always unfolds. No situation ever remains the same forever. But the mind can hold on to an interpretation of the situation and prolong the suffering. Even trauma can be released with the right help and a willingness to let go. If we use suffering to create an identity and derive satisfaction from our tragic story, nothing can help us. If we learn to acknowledge the painful energy, with the attitude of surrender, we free ourselves from the shackles of fear, anxiety, loneliness, sadness, anger, hurt, sooner than later. Trust Life Whenever I found it difficult to deal with life, it has been due to a lack of trust. Not in myself, someone else or even God. Just lack of trust in Existence. There are patterns and laws that govern nature. If there is hunger, there is food to satiate it. If there is thirst, there is water to quench it. Whenever I was in dire need, it came in the most unexpected manner. Someone to talk to, someone to give me shelter, someone to edit a book, some community to belong. The help came without planning or seeking. And when its role was done, it went. Universe Is Intelligent If we care to notice the Universe is intelligence in motion. It is not random. The Sun rises every morning without fail. The plants give oxygen without missing a single day. The Earth rotates on its axis, creating seasons every year. We may not realise the deeper meaning of our existence, but there is one, if we were to infer based on the behavior of the Universe. Life has a plan. But we want to know the plan
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] right away. We want to know how the story will end. The mind goes crazy not knowing. It tries to control and predict everything. If we can trust life, give life a chance and be comfortable with the vulnerability of not knowing the future, change is easier to manage. Each moment leads to the next moment, naturally. Conclusion God appeared in my dream one night. “How are you doing? Are you happy with the choice you made” he asked. “It’s not been easy.” I responded. “It’s been one helluva ride. I am surprised I am still sane and sound.” I said, hoping for some sympathy. He smiled his Godly smile. “What’s coming next?” I couldn’t help asking. “You will soon find out.” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. “Will I realise that you and I are One?” I asked. “Haven’t you?” he said, before disappearing into Oneness. *** PS: I didn’t end up in a Himalayan cave, but a lovely homestay in Dharamshala. Whew! Ajay Kalra Ajay Kalra is a life coach, psychologist, yoga teacher and an author. He teaches principles of mindful living through his monthly online classes, workshops, writing and YouTube videos. 18 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Therapy 19 THERAPY Caring for the caregiver This article by Bijal Maroo explains the ordeal that caregivers face and how they can make their arduous tasks more manageable
I t is better to die than to live this kind of a life.” These are the words of a middleaged man (let’s call him Rehan) who had slipped into the throes of depression. Life dealt him a huge blow when his wife was severely immobilised due to parkinsonism. Suddenly, life had taken a 180-degree turn. Rehan found himself looking after all his spouse’s needs as well as undertaking household responsibilities while continuing his work. He was so short on time that he had to manage on just four-and-a-half hours of sleep. He had to forgo his daily walk, as all his time was spent preparing meals for the family. This added burden took a toll not only on his health but also his income. He was forced to cut down on his business activity, and the quality of his life suffered. His wife’s ailment being incurable, there was no hope of a normal life again. His thoughts fluctuated between wanting to end his life and wanting to stay alive to look after her. Many times, life springs an unpleasant surprise on us. A responsibility that we least expect is thrust upon us. A family member takes ill or a special child arrives in our midst. The responsibility of looking after them, and even anticipating all their needs, falls on our shoulders. A ‘caregiver’ looks after a person who cannot look after themselves, e.g., an ill, disabled, or ageing person. In India, this responsibility is mostly taken on by a family member, as we rarely consider hiring a professional caregiver. We, as a society, are largely unaware of this role and the fallouts of the same. Hence, the plight of the caregiver goes unnoticed. They end up feeling like they are on an endless treadmill. I experienced this first-hand when a spate of illnesses hit my family members. Like a nightmarish relay race, all three of them fell ill, one after the other. My mom needed cataract surgery, and my dad came down with lumbar spondylosis. Next, my sister suffered a vertebral fracture, followed by my mom needing a biopsy to diagnose her post-menopausal bleeding. I had to wake up at odd hours to help them with their medicines and their biobreaks. There was no time to sleep, leave aside any daily exercise. I was constantly edgy. Luckily for me, this bad dream ended within three months. However, most caregivers grapple with this burden day in and day out, with the end nowhere in sight. I spoke to a few people in a bid to try and understand their arduous journey: Hemali, a psychotherapist and Arts Based Therapy practitioner, is playing caregiver to her bedridden mother-in-law. Jay Mehta, a tuition teacher, opened up about how she looked after her dyslexic daughter. Trupti Saraiya, a life skills counsellor and Arts Based Therapy practitioner, stepped into the caregiver role a few years back. She nursed her mother back to health from cancer. At present, she looks after her mother-in-law, who is recovering from bilateral hip fractures. Rehan is the fictitious name of a caregiver who tends to his wife, a patient of parkinsonism. Poorna Toprani, a creative art therapist, working at a residential care home in the UK, shared her observations about her colleagues who are professional caregivers. A caregiver faces challenges at five different levels: • Accepting the diagnosis Jay Mehta refused to accept that her only daughter was dyslexic. She herself had been a 20 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Therapy 21 high achiever academically, and the diagnosis came as a rude shock to her. Rehan researched his wife’s early-onset parkinsonism. The grim future she faced, of being permanently bedridden, robbed him of his will to live. Hemali was engulfed by guilt pangs when she took the momentous decision of stopping her father’s chemotherapy a few years ago. Her father was suffering more from the side effects of the chemo than from the cancer itself. Though she knew it was the right choice, she was constantly plagued by the guilt that her decision might have sent him to his grave faster. • Physical health Poorna highlights the occupational hazards of her caregiver colleagues. Many of them suffer from backaches, as they have to constantly bend and use hoists to assist patients. • Mental health The caregivers grapple with the unfairness of life while asking questions such as “Why me?” Many a time, they are at the receiving end of criticism from the patient and relatives. They are told that they are not doing enough, triggering seething anger. Some family members shirk their responsibilities towards the patient and continue their life unhindered. This leads to immense resentment and jealousy. According to Poorna, even professional caregivers may experience anger or guilt. Sometimes, patients are demanding when the caregivers have more patients on their hands than they can effectively handle. The long work hours and having to listen to the patient’s choice of music all day can cause irritability and resentment. They are also subject to the secondary trauma of having to Caregivers need to be heard, supported, and appreciated for the sacrifices they make inorder to take care of an ailing family member
face so much illness, disability, and death daily. Professional caregivers live in constant fear as the patients can sometimes get violent, completely unprovoked. Patients in the throes of their senility and dementia end up soiling the furniture or the floor. Thus, the caregivers are saddled with an increased workload of cleaning up. Hemali has observed many caregivers of cancer patients undergoing treatment in civic hospitals. As they end up living on the streets, the resultant mental trauma makes them blame the patient and curse them with a “why don’t you die?” Often, they think aloud, “What a sinner I am to be stuck in this hellish situation!” • Career and finances Trupti did not feel the pinch financially, as her mother-in-law was covered by medical insurance. However, Hemali and Rehan experienced their finances dipping drastically, as they were forced to cut back on their work. Hemali and her husband are a contented lot, which helped them come to terms with their situation. Rehan rues how most of his already depleted income finds its way into the pockets of doctors and pharmacists. • Relationships and social life A lack of time and understanding can cause a lot of collateral damage in other close relationships. It can drive a wedge between spouses and cause rifts between parents and children. Many a time, friendships too get crucified at the altar of sacrifice. Rehan started avoiding socialising, as taking his wife along was impossible for him. This social isolation aggravated his depression. Hemali and her husband take turns to attend social events. They cannot even travel in tandem and are forced to vacation alone. Someone once said, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” Caregivers need to find ways to revitalise themselves in order to care better for their patients. Here are a few pointers which can help caregivers in their journey: • Accept all negative feelings Trupti would frequently sit down with herself and let all her feelings about her ordeal The caregivers grapple with the unfairness of life while asking questions such as “Why me?” Many a time, they are at the receiving end of criticism from the patient and relatives. They are told that they are not doing enough, triggering seething anger. Some family members shirk their responsibilities towards the patient and continue their life unhindered. This leads to immense resentment and jealousy. 22 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Therapy 23 surface. This self-compassion helped her feel compassion for her mother-in-law. She also realised that life offers no guarantees and that she might find herself in the same situation as her mother-in-law. In the light of these insights, she made sure that her mother-in-law was treated with all the dignity and respect that she deserved. Hemali also made a conscious choice to look after her mother-in-law after she accepted and dealt with her anger and irritation completely. Now, she reaches out to her clique of psychotherapist friends every time she needs to vent her feelings. • Seek help One can hire professionals to lighten one’s burden. Jay Mehta had no stamina to take up her daughter’s studies after a hard day’s work. So she enlisted the services of a tuition teacher who understood and catered to her daughter’s needs. She was then able to spend quality time with her daughter, instead of perennially fretting over her studies. However, many times, prohibitive expenses can prove to be a deterrent. Then, one can solicit the help of relatives, neighbours, and friends. Rehan’s son took advantage of the WFH (workfrom-home) culture and learnt cooking. This provided much-needed relief to Rehan. Both Hemali and Trupti are very grateful for supportive spouses and children. Hemali’s son and spouse help to carry her mother-in-law to the bathroom. Trupti acknowledges how her friends and extended family sometimes pitch in to stay with her mother-in-law so that she can spend quality time with her husband. However, Hemali wisely advises using all these resources (friends and neighbours) sparingly, to be called upon only in emergencies. • Create healthy boundaries When the resentment builds up, anger often gets directed at the patient or the immediate family. Slipping into the caregiver role was doubly difficult for Hemali, as she shared a strained relationship with her mother-inlaw. Hence, she created a physical distance between the two of them. She says it is important to define what is acceptable and what is not, how much or how little you are willing to do. Her mother-in-law was not only bedridden but suffered additionally from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Giving in to her demands meant risking her own sanity. So, Hemali refused to indulge her obsessive needs. Trupti says that one can say no, but there is no need to be harsh or rude. • Communication Trupti was compelled to wake up more than 2–3 times every night to change her motherin-law’s diapers. The lack of restful sleep made her short-fused. Her anger and resentment were directed at her ailing mother-in-law. Her husband was blunt enough to confront her and told her that she was no longer her usual caring self. This forced her to take stock and make peace with her situation. Hemali could not forgive or be loving to her mother-in-law because of their past history. Instead, she discharged her duties more out of compassion and a sense of responsibility. Having an honest conversation about this with her husband helped strengthen their own relationship. She also realised that she could
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] not take her son’s help for granted and made it a point to ask him about his convenience every time she solicited his help to babysit his grandmother. • Employ useful hacks Hemali uses a face mask and applies Vicks VapoRub to her nose to overcome the offensive odour emanating from her mother-in-law’s soiled clothes while she gives her a daily bath. Jay Mehta came up with jingles to aid her daughter’s memory. She also tried enacting and breaking down complex information into bullet points to help her grasp new concepts. • Join support groups Trupti recalls how her mother would use her time in the waiting room to chat up fellow cancer sufferers. They exchanged useful tips to tackle day-to-day difficulties, unique to their own situation. Hemali had observed a group of mothers, who waited as their children went in for chemotherapy sessions. These mothers laughed, sang songs, joked, and pulled each other’s legs. Thus they relaxed before the roller coaster ride started all over again. • Look after yourself A month was all Trupti took to realise that she needed to be strong to discharge her duties well. She immediately went back to her selfcare routine, which has held her in good stead. She is grateful to her extended family who frequently arrange online socialising, in keeping with the pandemic trends. Thus, she can let her hair down and keep her sanity. Hemali too vouches for the same. Though earlier she walked in the park, she now takes a walk on her terrace. In this way, she is within earshot in case her mother-in-law needs to reach out for help. She also advocates indulging in a hobby for at least 15 minutes daily. This me-time can help keep your spirits from sagging. • Spirituality Jay Mehta credits her guru Rakeshbhai’s satsangs (spiritual gatherings) on Jainism for the strength to overcome her challenges. “A negative experience is only a positive experience in need of translation.” Trupti now shares a much better equation with her mother-in-law. Rehan has re-prioritised his life and spends much more time with his wife, creating happy memories. Hemali has decided to use her experiences to help any newbies ease into their role as caregivers. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” There can be no better words to sum up a caregiver’s journey. Dr Bijal Maroo An Arts based Therapy practitioner, Dr Bijal Maroo is a homeopathic consultant, counselling and health psychologist since 20 years. She reflects on life through her gifts as a writer, poet and singer. Contact- [email protected] or visit www.drbijalmaroo.com 24 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Make your food choices, mindfully Indian food is impossible to imagine without cooking oil, salts, regular spices, and sugar etc., as they are part of meal essential. Whenever we go to Kirana shops or nearby superstore, either we just look at the MRP of the product or buys with impressive packaging with jazzy words claiming a lot to make your decision impulsive without being fully aware of what is we are bringing up to our Kitchen. Is it health or slow poison? Many reports have been cited in the news with rapid growth and competing health claims like pre-mature cardiac arrest, BP disorders, diabetes, thyroids etc., which itself reflects contradiction coming out of the claims made by various products at large. It simply boils down that we are going somewhere wrong and making wrong food and lifestyle choices, it’s not a rocket science. Human body is made up of what we eat and hence it becomes imperative to be mindful enough of what we are consuming on daily basis. I am not talking about the superfoods but rather our daily dietary essential like cooking Oil, which has been over-shadowed with refined cooking oil in the last 2-3 decades. And as a consumer, we have never bothered to get into the details of what and how the refining processes takes place, how come refined oils are available so cheap considering the cost of raw materials and production. Isn’t this simply looks fishy? May be our brains have been washed enough with marketing tactics and probably we have been sold a lie about refined oils. There is significant amount of content available over internet which demonstrates use of palm oil, life threatening chemicals like hexane, ethanol, phosphoric acid, caustic soda, bleaching clay, and multiple heating, which naturally takes away all the good which the original seed has. At Kaya Naturals, we intend to ignite and develop the behavior of being aware of your daily dietary choices, being little thoughtful and not get biased with marketing campaigns by simply using your common-sense. We are creating universe of meal essentials such as cooking oils like Groundnut, Mustard and Coconut which has no chemicals, no trans- fats, no preservatives, and no bad cholesterol. All our Oils are made with traditional wood churned (Kolhu) method and carries authenticity. We believe that intent always gets counted in the long run and we are committed in adhering to our promise. Kaya Naturals’ offering also includes authentic sugarcane jaggery powder which itself is a perfect substitute for white sugar and is ideal for the ones who are suffering from diabetes. Himalayan pink rock salt which directly comes from panes of Sindh province in its natural form, which is ideal for the ones who are suffering from thyroid and premium spices like High Curcumin Turmeric to ensure your daily immunity is maintained. Vandana Daga, has launched Kaya Naturals’ online platform and is building D2C business by bringing back the lost culture of Indian cooking tradition and connecting modern consumers with traditional food. Her natural inclination of delivering the best quality with utmost pure intent of serving the humanity is helping a lot to under-privileged farming families also. Kaya Naturals TM Super-rich Wood Churned cooking Oils | Natural Salts and sweeteners | Authentic Spices Email: [email protected]
LEAD STORY 26 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 27 Devotion in motion The Bhakti movement in India has been a potent force in bringing people together through devotional worship and making us realise that all of us, in essence, are one. Jamuna Rangachari talks about the various forms that this movement has taken and its widespread influence in various parts of the country
I ndia has been the land of seekers since times immemorial, and this is evident from the Bhakti movements that have flourished in all regions, with their respective flavours and traditions, albeit always with fervour. India is known as the land of unity in diversity, and this can be seen more colourfully in the Bhakti movements than anywhere else. My late mother-in-law used a rosary for chanting God’s name and believed that she would always be taken care of unconditionally. “Perumal en kai vidamatan,” loosely translated as “God will never let go of me,” was her firm belief till the end of her life. To everyone else too, be it us, our maids, or our friends, this was her way of counselling, as she was clear that God is always with his children. It is this trait of hers that endeared her deeply to me even before I became her daughter-in-law and was definitely one of the reasons I was happy to be part of the family. It is said that people define societies and societies define nations. Ours has always been a land of seekers. So, lasting changes have taken place only through this potent force of spirituality. Historically, the Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in the 15th and 16th centuries. It sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting devotion to achieve salvation. In the South, it gained prominence through the poems and teachings of the Vaishnavite saints called Alvars and the Shaivite saints called Nayanars, and through Goddess worship called Shaktism, before it travelled northwards. Bhakti has also been metaphorically seen as spiritual love for the Lord where the bhakta (devotee) seeks the Lord, just like a woman seeks a man. In this context, just as Meera is popular in the North for her bhakti to Krishna, Andal is very popular in the South, especially Tamil Nadu, for her bhakti, again to Krishna, whom she is believed to have married and merged into. The difference between the two is that while Meera’s devotion was not accepted by her family, Andal’s was, right from the beginning, as she was blessed to be born to an Alwar, a Vaishnavite saint. Till today, from December 15 to January 15, everyone sings Andal’s bhajans, as she composed one bhajan a day during the same month to convey her love for Krishna, whom she subsequently married. While unmarried girls are encouraged to pray for a husband like Krishna, others sing the bhajans primarily for Krishna’s bhakti. One can see people singing the bhajans early in the morning wherever they may be. Bhakti has also been metaphorically seen as spiritual love for the Lord where the bhakta (devotee) seeks the Lord, just like a woman seeks a man. 28 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
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This is one tradition that I shall always remember, for I was born in Delhi, and despite the extremely cold weather, my late grandfather, a Carnatic musician, used to go along with all his students while others would join in to take part in singing these bhajans. In fact, at that time, Andal became well-known in that part of Delhi, as everyone started looking forward to the bhajans. Even recently, when I met some old friends from Delhi, they asked me to sing those bhajans with them and said that they continued following this tradition both in Delhi and in America, where they were now based. So, yes, the tradition of Bhakti becomes a part of one’s identity when one does it sincerely. The Bhakti movement has been instrumental in bringing people together, especially when its principles are followed diligently. Principles of the Bhakti movement The Bhakti movement taught that God is one, and to worship God, man should serve humanity and treat all men as equals. Bhakti maintained and propagated that the worship of God with devotion and inner piety is better than external worship, like participating in various ceremonies and going on pilgrimages. It also eschewed caste distinctions and superstitious practices. All this may seem simple in theory but is difficult to practise in the journey of life. Here too, I remember my late mother-inlaw who would not be that interested in pilgrimages but would insist that we perform an annadana (food donation) regularly for the underprivileged. Even during my late fatherin-law’s barsi (death anniversary), she would insist on feeding all the underprivileged in whichever area we stayed. It is indeed for this reason that she is fondly remembered in all the areas we lived in, and I am sure she has gathered a lot of spiritual blessings in the process. As she loved music also, she kept singing the hymns of saints, of which Kanaka Das was her favourite for his songs and stories. There is a legend that talks about how Sri Krishna came from Dwarka to Udupi, a coastal town. Initially, his idol was placed in a temple, looking The Bhakti movement has been instrumental in bringing people together, especially when its principles are followed diligently. 30 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 31 eastward, by the seer Lord Madhavacharya, as was the norm. At that time, an ardent devotee whose name was Kanaka Das came to Udupi to get the blessings of Sri Krishna. However, he was denied entry into the Udupi temple for he belonged to a lower caste. This again was the norm in those days. The devotee sat in front of the temple and prayed with fervour to Sri Krishna, and then something miraculous happened. Pleased with his devotion, Sri Krishna decided to bless him with a glimpse. The Balakrishna idol, which was initially facing eastward, magically turned westward. The walls of the temple had a crack and this allowed Kanaka Das to see Sree Krishna. After this incident, a proper window was constructed in the place where the crack had appeared, and this window is known as Kanakana Kindi. To date, the idol of Udupi Krishna faces the west, and the window is my favourite place in the temple, for this reminds all that God never ever discriminates between his devotees and sees only pure devotion. Bhakti movements across India The Varkaris of Maharashtra Among all the states that I have lived in, Maharashtra is my favourite for its egalitarian attitude in all areas. When I was in Mumbai, I remember the fervour with which the Varkaris (devotees of Lord Vithoba) went to Pandharpur. So much so that I was very intrigued and accompanied my maid to visit the place along with other Varkaris. It was an amazing trip where I could see solidarity and bhakti all around me; everyone kept chanting “Vithala” while some sang abhangs (devotional songs). There was absolutely no discrimination against anyone. It was then that I understood The Varkaris of Maharashtra gather in lakhs every year to seek the blessings of Lord Vithoba. how Maharashtra has always been progressive in all aspects—they had a head start! The tradition is that on Ashadhi Ekadashi every year, since the 13th century, lakhs of Varkaris gather in Pandharpur to seek the blessings of their beloved deity Vithoba, also called Vitthala. The movement was democratic from the beginning, as the great Bhakti saints Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, and Namdev were from different castes and laid the foundation together. They were inspired by both the
Bhakti and the Sufi saints, who were reacting to the religious orthodox practices in their respective religions. These saints not only included all castes but also gave a special place to women much before women’s liberation was even discussed. The way they did this was by comparing Vitthal to a mother, calling her Vithu Mauli, and by including the contribution of female poets like Muktabai, Janabai, and Bahinabai. Essentially, they wished to highlight the fact that all are equal in the eyes of Vitthal, and were, indeed, extremely successful, as Maharashtra, to date, has in its fabric the ethos of unity in Bhakti. The Kanwars of North India Another significant movement of Bhakti is in the North and is that of the Kanwars. They are devotees of Shiva who make an annual pilgrimage to temples in Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj in Bihar, where thousands of participants gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry it across hundreds of miles to dispense it as offering in their local Shiva shrines or the temples in areas where they reside. The pilgrims derive their name, ‘Kanwars,’ from the contraption they use for gathering the Ganga water, which is called ‘kanwar,’ and while the source of the water is often the Ganga, it can also be its local equivalents. The offering is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is addressed as Bhola (innocent) or Bhole Baba (innocent guardian or god). This used to be a small affair earlier until the late 1980s. However, it is gaining in popularity now, with millions from many age groups joining in. I remember that when I was in Delhi, many of my friends used to take me to see the devotees’ fervour and also ask me to carry some water and a few snacks to serve them. I still remember hearing their chants and devotion, and everyone undertaking this journey together without ever stopping or giving up. This year during the gathering, a son carried The Ksnwar yatra of North India is full of verve and devotion for Lord Shiva 32 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 33 his elderly parents in a palanquin and was lauded by Uttarakhand’s DGP, Ashok Kumar, who shared a lovely video on Twitter calling the devotee a modern-day Shravana Kumar. This practice of the Kanwars has travelled outside India too. There is an annual Maha Shivaratri pilgrimage in Mauritius, where around half a million Hindus go on a pilgrimage to Ganga Talao, a crater lake in that region, with many walking barefoot from their homes, carrying kanwars. The Sabrimala yatra of Kerala As most of us know, a very well-known Bhakti movement in the South is the Sabarimala Yatra in Kerala, which was recently in the news for the wrong reasons, unfortunately. The temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha (Dravidian) temples in Kerala. Most South Indian men plan a visit to this temple and undertake a forty-one-day fast before travelling there. People who wish to go there wear a garland made of tulsi or rudraksha, observe celibacy, and are clad in black, saffron, or dark blue. They also walk barefoot wherever they may be. This is done as Lord Ayyappa himself was a celibate. Though there have been some disputes over why women should not attend, the reality is that the territory is not too friendly for men and women to walk barefoot together. So I, for one, feel the tradition should be respected. I know of many of my friends who diligently undertake this journey regularly and, I have also seen the transformation of many from debauchery to devotion, just with true bhakti. I personally would recommend this journey to all young men for understanding true bhakti and solidarity. I remember a Christian friend of mine who undertook this yatra and went to the temple following all guidelines. This temple welcomes devotees of all castes, creeds, and religions. Even the famous singer Yesudas is said to be an ardent bhakta of this temple and often goes there. What’s more, the temple uses his voice every day to play the famous song Harivarasana that is recited before closing the temple. Saints not only included all castes but also gave a special place to women much before women’s liberation was even discussed. The way they did this was by comparing Vitthal to a mother, calling her Vithu Mauli, and by including the contribution of female poets like Muktabai, Janabai, and Bahinabai.
“You will never change what you tolerate” – Joel Osteen Nothing is certain in this World. The global consequences of COVID-19 and the ongoing wars have been a testament to that. All these events highlight that uncertainty can reach extreme levels and completely disrupt our typical ways of living and working. This not only exacerbates our fear, anxiety, panic, grief, and hopelessness but also forces us to question Spirituality – an antidote to our challenges and sufferings of Life No matter how difficult your circumstances are, Spirituality will help you choose differently to thrive instead of simply surviving. fundamental beliefs about life. This is what happened with Rachana, a corporate professional, whose life suddenly changed during the COVID-19 lockdown. She was asked not to come to the office again as her company was downsizing to cut costs. Naturally, she felt profoundly hopeless as this job offered her security, identity, and most importantly the bread and butter for her family. Like Rachana, most people were stuck in certain painful misery and dead ends in their life during COVID-19. People have still not recovered from the loss of their family members, their jobs, and the emotional distress of staying locked up in toxic family dynamics. Given the new normal post-pandemic, the threat of wars, and the looming global recession, what is the way out for people like Rachana, you, and me? Over the years, I have seen that as individuals, we all have the power to rise above the most impossible of scenarios. Most things are beyond our control in situations like natural disasters, pandemics, wars, recessions, etc. but what we can control is how we respond to them. How we perceive a crisis as an opportunity to grow is what matters at the end of the day, and it is Spirituality that helps us discover that ladder. Gone are the days when the word “Spirituality” meant rising from the attachments of life and renouncing everything - your home, job, responsibilities, and children to pursue a Spiritual path. That way of pursuing Spirituality is history. In the modern world, pursuing the path of spirituality means creating a life around Spirituality in tandem with the practical realities of life which is a constant denominator. 34 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 35 When we talk about pursuing Spirituality, we talk about living a more conscious and mindful life. Spirituality helps us become aware of ourselves, our values, our purpose, and our life lessons, all of which are personal for each one of us. It helps us to get re-connected to that unlimited abundant source of power, knowledge, and love within ourselves waiting to be tapped. When we integrate Spiritual practices into our lives, we realize that the intricately woven threads of emotions, circumstances, and relationships are led by that one powerful needle called the Universe. Embrace it and have unwavering faith that as it weaves through your past, present, and future, your life will beautifully come full-circle. During COVID, more than ever, people realized through our transformative courses that it was indeed possible to remove fear and live by embracing their own truth. This sharpened their vision for future and gave them a new lease on life. Today, Rachana has a job in one of the large management consulting firms in a learning and development profile – a role that she always wanted to pursue but lacked the vision for. Not just her, but many of our clients are working at positions that they could only have imagined before 2020. They are now leading balanced lives, which is one of the gifts of Spirituality. It makes me feel elated to witness people changing their lives and being able to express who they are by embracing Spirituality in their life. To sail through any unprecedented times with courage, strength, and purpose, we must integrate Modern Spirituality into our daily lives. She also advances Corporate Professionals to successfully adopt the business model of Spiritual Leadership to lead their organization with Purpose and Emotional Intelligence. During COVID, more than ever, people realized through our transformative courses that it was indeed possible to remove fear and live by embracing their own truth. This sharpened their vision for future and gave them a new lease on life. Many of our clients are working at positions that they could only imagine before 2020, and are now leading balanced lives, which is one of the gifts of Spirituality. Dr. Manmit Kumarr is a Psychic Medium, Spiritual Coach, Automatic Writing teacher, and an Akashic Records expert. She coaches people from all over the world to live their purpose and bring spiritual intelligence to their relationships, experiences, and challenges. E-mail: [email protected] Advertorial
The temple is open only during certain months, and the pilgrimage undertaken here is a symbiotic combination of mind power, determination, physical stamina, and faith to reach the sanctum sanctorum! The Bauls of Bengal Bengal too has had many Bhakti movements. There is one movement called the Baul tradition, which has inspired many from all castes, religions, and nations (India and Bangladesh), and writers too, so much so that it has even been recognised by UNESCO. The origin of the word ‘baul’ is something that is often discussed. It could have been derived either from the Sanskrit word ‘vatula,’ which means ‘enlightened’ or someone who is eager to the point of being considered mad for the spiritual life, where they can realise their union with their beloved, who is the Divine. The devotees sing a form of music called Baul Sangeet, which is folk music and part of a heritage of preaching mysticism through songs. They express their feelings through their songs but never bother to write them down. Their tradition is essentially an oral tradition. Seeing their spiritual strength, Rabindranath Tagore was deeply influenced by them, and his songs, too, often use their kind of music. He has also written about them and their mysticism. Whether we have heard Baul Sangeet or not, most of us do know that music for Bengalis is almost like a religion and, hence, the Baul tradition does make sense as it has deep musical roots. Impact on society It is stated by many that the Bhakti movement’s rapid spread throughout India was, in part, due to the arrival of Islam with the invaders. This could be the case, as people wanted succour then, and we all do turn to the Divine for guidance, hope, and sustenance. Revival of culture and literature: The fact is that the Bhakti movement did witness a great increase in Hindu literature in regional languages, particularly in the form of devotional poems and music. This movement also resulted in several spiritual works getting When someone with so much spiritual depth as Adi Shankara acknowledged the potent force of bhakti, everyone around him also started understanding and practising bhakti as a powerful way of accessing the Divine. 36 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 37 translated into various Indian languages. As we know, literature always reflects the times and, therefore, as everyone wished to move towards Bhakti, it did get many proponents in various forms. This movement has two ways of accessing the Divine, known as Brahman— Nirguna and Saguna. Brahman as Nirguna is the concept of the Ultimate Reality as formless, without attributes or qualities. In contrast, Saguna Brahman was envisioned with form, attributes, and qualities. These concepts have parallels in the ancient pantheistic unmanifest and theistic manifest traditions, respectively, and are traceable to the Arjuna–Krishna conversation in the Bhagavad Gita. It is said that even Adi Shankara, the famous Advaita seer, wrote the famous verse, Bhaja Govindam, merging bhakti and philosophy to make people understand the Divine, as he found that Bhakti philosophy is accessible to all. When someone with so much spiritual depth as him acknowledged the potent force of bhakti, everyone around him also started understanding and practising bhakti as a powerful way of accessing the Divine. I remember this song being played in all homes on most occasions, be they festive or sorrowful, with people saying it is bhakti to Govinda alone that will provide succour, sustenance, and connection with the Divine. Service to humanity: The Bhakti movement also introduced many forms of social service such as anna dana (food charity). This practice has been embraced particularly by Sikhism, for it has been impacted a lot by the Bhakti movement, and many call it a kind of Bhakti movement. In fact, this movement has impacted everyone in India, for it was always meant to convey that the Divine is accessible to all. Even Islam found it easier to reach out to people through Sufism, which is also a variant of the Bhakti tradition. Even today, Shirdi Sai Baba is visited by people of all faiths, who come together as one. “Baba ka bulava aya hai,” is a phrase that one often hears not just in Maharashtra but all over India. Sai temples are springing up everywhere, and people of all castes, creeds, and religions throng there. In my family, most people have an image of Shirdi Sai Baba and the book Sai Satcharitra, which talks about his miracles. Recently, an uncle of mine who was an atheist was asked to read this book for a health challenge he was facing and, to everyone’s surprise, he began doing this. Soon, his health improved, and he became an ardent Sai devotee. He goes to Shirdi whenever he can or at least to one of the Sai temples in Chennai. Both his children took their spouses also to Shirdi before their weddings, and it thus became a family tradition. Yet another movement in the South is that of Muruga, who is believed to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, and the brother of Lord Ganesh. There are many songs in both folklore and classical music about him. In my husband’s maternal family, though they are Vaishnavites, all cousins were named with ‘Kumar’ added to their names as both, a kind of surname as well as obeisance to Muruga, who is also known as Kumar. There are many ways of worshiping Muruga, but bhakti is known as one of the surest and easiest ways of realising the Supreme. Many people all around Tamil Nadu go to various Muruga temples, the primary one being the one
Bhakti Teaching Story Seeing God everywhere There was a woman who prayed to God, desiring to meet Him personally. She thought continuously about him. One day, before sleeping, she thought of him intensely. The next day, she felt she heard His voice saying that He would come, and began preparations to welcome Him. She cooked delicious food and made the house look sparkling clean. Just then, someone knocked at the door. She was excited but was disappointed to see a salesman selling some magazines. She turned him away and shut the door with irritation. After some time, someone else came. It turned out to be her daughter’s friend who had come to play with her. She was very disappointed again. That night she cried and asked God why He had not come. He replied, “You didn’t see me. I came twice, once as a salesman and then as a young girl, but you just turned me away.” The woman understood her mistake and realised that God is present in everything and everyone. From then onwards, she understood the true meaning of bhakti. Interpretation: We often treat people or other living creatures and things around us without respect and love, and keep waiting to ‘see’ divinity. We must use the learnings of Bhakti and see God everywhere and in all beings. Including bhakti in our lives 1. Never discriminate between the highs and the lows 2. Remember God is always with us 3. Chant His name to bring Him closer to us 4. Serve humanity in whatever way possible 5. Never lose hope or faith 6. Don’t insult anyone’s way of worship The Baul bhakti tradition of Bengal has been recognised even by UNESCO 38 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Lead story 39 We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] at Palani. They often undertake the pilgrimage barefoot to visit the Lord. In my own family, a relative who was not too well insisted on going to Palani barefoot and firmly believed that all would be well. He went despite protests from relatives and returned with his health restored, having made many new believer friends from all strata of society. To date, he and his friends travel to Palani together with a firm belief in the Divine and pray for all of humanity. Removal of discrimination: Another important Bhakti movement worth noting is that of Lord Basaveswara of Karnataka, who was born a Brahmin but questioned traditions since the tender age of eight, throwing away his sacred thread, for he wished everything to be the same for all. He held many posts, including that of the Prime Minister of the kingdom of Kalyan, where he later went. Though he reached a high level in his own life, Lord Basaveswara wished to do something for everyone around him. He was deeply interested in changing society and making everyone truly understand the Divine as he knew it. He then guided many in bringing about social change. He wrote his practical experiences in a novel form of literature called Vachana (poetry), which is still very popular in Karnataka. His teachings were based on greater societal inclusion, removal of gender- and class-based bias, performing good karma, the importance of love and devotion, and the importance of bhakti as a means of liberation, or moksha. Hence, his teachings will always remain relevant. Bhakti brings people together like nothing else can, for it is indeed while worshipping the Divine that we realise we all are children of the Divine and share each other’s experiences and journeys. This is why bhakti could be said to be the best glue to bind human beings together. Bhakti is a force that can never die, for the Creator has blessed us with it. This is why I am certain that whatever the situation, India, being the land of seekers of the Divine, shall remain a fertile ground for the Bhakti movement eternally.
FOOD Street-smart Enjoying tongue-tingling Indian street food is a good way to get all your nutrients and build your immunity, says Naini Setalvad 40 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Food 41 www.sampathrani.com • [email protected] facebook.com/sampath.rani 9848709677 Chakras are the energy centre in our body. Balancing chakras through Meditation is a way to experience to the fullest potential that each one of us are having to lead a life of our choice. How could we balance the functioning of the chakras? How is it to live a life with balanced chakras? In these 8 days of Chakra Healing and Balancing Meditation workshop, we will have an understanding on the functions of the chakras, the importance of healing and balancing with each chakra. Experience one Chakra every day. If there is one thing in this universe that can be relied upon is energy. From the smallest atoms to the largest galaxies, energy is in play on some level. This energy can work for us if we want it to. It is our choice. This Universal power connects us all in ways that humans have only just begun to comprehend. The constantly transforming energy is something the world has been struggling to explain since the beginning. Free Meditation session:- 16th October 2022 Online Pre-registration via whatsApp 9848709677 Paid session Date & Timings:- Chakra Healing & Balancing workshop When : 28th Jan 2023 - 4th Feb 2023 Time : 7pm - 8pm Where : Online Energy Exchange : 10K Sampath Rani Clinical Law of Attraction Teacher Trainer.
Being a Mumbaikar, when I think of street food, Bollywood songs come to mind: “Chowpatty jayenge, Bhel puri khayenge” or “ Meri beri ke ber mat todo.” Every nook and corner of India has street foods that are salty, sweet, tangy, and everything in between. Be it chats over chai (tea) and chaats (savouries), night drives with friends, or weddings, street food has and will always be part of our lives. The counter with the most rush at a wedding is always the chaat counter. Street food is FUN where F is for fresh, U is for unprocessed, and N is for natural. Shocked, aren’t you? Often, as a nutritious option, I encourage my clients to enjoy street food. It’s made fresh daily, as vendors have no storage facility. Let’s run through these nutritious immunity-building foods. • Vitamin C powerhouse: Remember, the hawker outside your school selling precious rubies and emeralds of the plant kingdom? The raw mango, tamarind, red ber (Indian palm), star fruit, and amla (Indian gooseberry) sprinkled with salt? All these goodies are abundantly rich in Vitamin C. • B vitamins: The unmatchable flavour of the bhel/ muri, aloo/ sweet potato/arbi as a chaat or roasted just cannot be replaced. Hot corn on the cob and stuffed parathas (flat bread) with achar (pickles) are to be cherished. Not only are these delicious but are also packed with energising and vitalising B vitamins. Skip the fried sev to make the most of these foods. • Protein power: Worried about getting enough protein? Your humble peanut has more of it than an egg. Have it roasted, boiled, or just munch on it. Your moong (green gram)/chana (black gram or chickpeas) chaat or roasted chana are commonly available across the country. Often, one sees moonglets or besan (gram flour) chillas, a fluffy alternative to egg omelettes. Street food is full of proteins. • A complete meal: Tawa pulao (spicy rice dish), ragda pattice (potato patties with peas curry), dosa (thin pancake), and chutney sambar (lentil stew) are balanced in protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Just squeeze lemon, add some onions and tomatoes, and you will be totally satiated. • Natural sugar: Fruits sold at every corner with a bit of salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of mint contain natural sugar. Fruits are packed with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. 42 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
Food 43 • Electrolyte replenisher: “Le lo re, le lo babu, pee lo nariyal pani.” Coconut water. Your greatest gift from the planet. No matter what you have done or how much you have mistreated your body, it will save you. It is the greatest source of electrolytes. It even comes in a biodegradable container to boot! • Instant energy: If you are low on sugar, don’t reach out for sweets but have sugar cane juice instead. The natural sugars will immediately energise and vitalise the mind. • Probiotics: Fermented foods like idli (rice cake) with chutney, dhokla (fermented batter dumplings) with chutney, and buttermilk with roasted cumin are rich in probiotics. Our intestines must be inhabited by friendly organisms to help us digest food and produce nutrients like B vitamins and Vitamin K. No wonder we can’t get enough of them. • Digestive: Burp! My goto is jaljeera. This drink quenches your thirst, replenishes electrolytes, and aids in digestion. The rock salt and roasted cumin powder is an amazing gas-buster. • Chai: Refresh yourself with a cutting chai (small cup of tea), ‘cheeni kum (less sugar)’ though. • Paan: Amitabh Bachchan sang “Khayke paan banaraswala, khul jaye band akal ka tala” A natural aphrodisiac, paan (betel leaf) relaxes you. Avoid tobacco and any sweet ingredient like syrups. Paan contains plenty of iron, calcium, folate, and vitamin C. The fennel seeds act as a digestive aid, and the coconut is a refreshing healthy fat.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] Naini Setalvad Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on healthy food habits. In the natural progression of life, the human baby is first fed on mother’s milk. Thus, the baby’s intestinal tract is saturated with mother’s probiotic milk. The second stage is when the baby crawls and through his hands that goes into his mouth, the organisms found in the environment go into the system, giving the baby a robust immune system. Similarly, we adults too need to get as many organisms from the environment, and what better way than street food! Moong Aloo Dahi Chaat Ingredients 2 potatoes, boiled, peeled, diced 1 katori (bowl) boiled moong 200ml beaten curd 2 green chillies, deseeded, finely chopped 1 tomato, deseeded, medium chopped 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 1 tsp chaat masala Salt to taste Method 1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. 2. Taste and adjust the salt and spices to taste. 3. Garnish with coriander and crushed peanuts. 4. Serve fresh. 44 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
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AHA-MOMENTS We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at [email protected] Megha Bajaj is a bestselling author, film script writer, and poet. An ardent seeker at heart, she also runs her online writing and healing workshops called WoW. You can read more about her on www.MeghaBajajWoW.com. Ask me about the two most divine and precious relationships of my life, and without batting an eyelid, I will say the ones with my guru, Mahatria, and my mother, Sunila Bajaj. The most beautiful thing is that, somehow, both these relationships have helped me get closer to one another in ways that are profound and lifetransforming. And today, I feel like sharing a part of my soul, and that’s probably going to take a lot of courage. Being vulnerable takes courage. Since I believe the purpose of my life is to go through experiences and share them with my readers through words, here I am. My mother took me closer to Mahatria through faith. When she was diagnosed with stage 4, grade 4 brain cancer in 2013, I had no option (the medical fraternity gave us little hope) but to turn to spirituality. It was the first time I experienced choiceless faith. Unconditional faith. Irrational faith. Mahatria said that she would fight it through, and I had no option but to believe it, as I held on to her for dear life. She did fight it through and led the most beautiful, happy, dancing, travelling, and reaching-out life for nine years. Mahatria brought me closer to my mother. Over the years, I Being present with the presence Megha Bajaj’s relationships with her guru and her mother have been symbiotically beneficial, helping her deepen her experience with them learnt to relate to my guru, not just as a form—dressed in white, with white, curly hair, having a beard, twinkling eyes, and a divine smile—but as a presence. As I kept growing in my love for Him, experience by experience from a relationship, He became a connection. From having conversations, I found myself in communion with Him. From words, we moved to Silence. In a recent experience, when I was lost in an embrace with Him, I suddenly looked up and told Him, “You know, Mahatria, when I am alone, I feel exactly how I am feeling right now, as I am in such close proximity to you.” He smiled and asked, “When are you ever alone?” Somehow, this little encounter was so important as it occurred just two months before we lost Mummy in her physical form. Suddenly, that frail, smiling lady with grey, brown eyes and a smile was no longer with us. Knowing how much she meant to me, I honestly thought I would go mad with grief and pain. But much to my surprise, I was able to move from the form version of her to the formless one, with effortless ease. I had already experienced it with Mahatria—moving from a person to a presence—and I simply had to do the same with Mummy. I feel amazed at how peaceful I am in less than three months since she left. I feel her in everything. A beautiful moment happens, and I know she is hugging me. I feel hurt, and I know she is holding my head in her lap. Whatever happens, she is with me. Mahatria had already taught me how to transition from form to formless. I wish I could tell every person out there who is going through the loss of a relationship due to death. It’s still there. The love. The memories. The beauty. The relationship. It’s just transitioned from form to formless. When I wanted to be with Mom earlier, I had to go to the other room. Now, I just have to close my eyes. In fact, I don’t even have to do that. She just is. A part of me. I need no validation from outside. I am infinitely grateful to these two deepest loves of my life that served to bring me closer to each other. I feel like the chosen one, to experience love so deeply, so intimately, all the time. I wish I can be instrumental in helping those experiencing this. 46 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
ISF Report 47 ISF REPORT Coimbatore musings The 2022 Coimbatore ISF was a cornucopia of fun, healing, learning, and growing say Shivi Verma and Rishi Rathod
L ife Positive returned to Coimbatore after a gap of three years to an eagerly waiting audience. Even though the venue is the same, each ISF is different from another because of the circumstances and people. The last time we were there, we had travelled to the Isha centre and enjoyed the food and ambience, meditated inside the Dhyanlingam cave, and clicked photographs with the mighty Shiva statue as the backdrop. Yet another time, my colleague and I had travelled to Ooty after the festival and come back with beautiful memories of lakes, boat rides, hills, flowerbeds, and shopping for artefacts. This time, we discovered a local café, to which Team Life Positive and guest facilitators, Partha Gupta, Kalyaan Sir, and Father KC Thomas used to saunter every evening and have riveting conversation over cuppas of tea, fritters, and fruit cake slices. Laughter, banter, jokes, and intense discussions on spiritual concepts made this sojourn in Coimbatore a highly unforgettable one. However, the real merit of the facilitators was seen at the workshops. Day 1, August 20, 2022 TOVAA (Teacher of Visualisation and Affirmation) by Kalyaan Sir Kalyaan Sir, the originator of TOVAA, started the workshop with his infectious energy and optimistic attitude. He took out a pendulum and familiarised everyone with its working. Calling it a divination tool, he told the participants that when the energy of a space or a person is positive, the pendulum moves clockwise, and when it’s negative, anticlockwise. When it doesn’t move at all, it signifies static energy. He then hung the pendulum over the palm of a participant for some time. The pendulum did not budge. Kalyaan said that people’s auras get muddied due to travelling and mixing with others. He taught a set of energy-clearing exercises and asked everyone to do it. After that, when the pendulum was suspended over the hands of people, it began to revolve in a clockwise direction. Kalyaan said that most affirmations do not work because we do not take into account elements like direction, space, energy, frequency, and numbers. If we did our visualisation and affirmations by involving and invoking the energies of these elements, our desires would come to fruition much faster. Kalyaan said that every direction has a specific energy, a planet, and a patron deity, and responded to a certain set of numbers or colours to become fully responsive to a seeker. His claims could easily be tested with a dowsing pendulum. According to him, the four main directions, i.e., East, West, North, and South are ruled by Sun, Saturn, Mercury, and Mars respectively, and each of these directions has a certain characteristic which gives a certain outcome when approached correctly. He however told everyone to be cautious while dealing with the South direction, as its governing planet is Mars, and Mars is about spiritual matters and giving, not receiving. Therefore, if this planet is afflicted in your life, you need to give gratitude, do charity, and avoid the colours red and black. Furthermore, he said that these major directions also had specific numbers which were their representation. For example, number one represented the Sun and the East direction, and its accompanying colour was orange. Five represented Mercury and the North direction, and its colour was green. Eight 48 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022
ISF Report 49 represented Saturn and the West direction, and its colour was blue. Nine represented Mars and the South direction, and its colour was red. To prove his point, he made everyone undergo the pendulum test. When we mismatched the number, colour, affirmation, and planet, the pendulum moved anticlockwise and when we followed the sequence, the pendulum moved clockwise. Keeping this in mind, Kalyaan made us all say positive affirmations related to health, wealth, relationships, prosperity, fame, and longevity but in a way that was aligned to their respective planets, directions, colours, and numbers. He said that it was possible to heal a direction and get the desired outcome if we practise a certain affirmation 21 times for 40 days, facing the right direction and wearing the resonant colour. Kalyaan emphasised that this was nothing new, as ancient Indians used these elements routinely to lead a fulfilling and harmonious life. We tested the pendulum and the teachings of Kalyaan Sir even after retiring to our rooms and found them to be accurate each time. Breathing Abundance In by Partha Gupta Since Partha Gupta’s reputation precedes him wherever he goes, the excitement for his workshop was palpable, and many young teachers from universities and a few business executives also attended his workshop. Partha entered the space in a subtle, casual manner, resembling a sophisticated Himalayan yogi. Partha began with the aspect of yoga that is most frequently misunderstood. He articulated the relationship between yoga and separation beautifully. He explained that the food we consume is already in a yoga-like state. It has matter and energy in alignment and inside one another. Similar to how the body is made up of matter and energy, where energy comprises prana, i.e., life force and consciousness. Wherever we put our attention, the mind guides the energy there. Therefore, when one is fully present and not paying attention to fragments, it is yoga. Partha said, “Most of us don’t experience this state because we have convinced ourselves that it is rare and difficult to achieve. In reality, it is not.” Partha discussed meditation in this context. Fundamentally, meditation is ceasing to be distracted and being fully present in the current breath. To comprehend this, he gave us a short activity which involved hearing the sound of our in- Activate Your Inner Healer through and out-breaths. The beauty of this straightforward exercise is that it immediately grounds one in the present, from where one can observe everything going on around them. He claimed that when you do this more often, you will experience life on a higher plane and move deeper. This was one of the few exercises he did with all of us. Throughout the workshop, he was like a magician who would pull a rabbit out of his hat every now and then to let us experience other ways of living and seeing things simply by using one’s breath. He scattered seeds of breathwork so that we could experience spirituality in our daily lives, just like a farmer who sows seeds to get a rich harvest in the months to come. The manner in which he led the workshop is worth mentioning. We felt as though a close friend was speaking to us, as he shared his own experiences in an effort to improve our lives. The learning experiences were many. However,
I decided to start with one exercise and do it for a while. I was still working on my second experiment, as I was writing this. I feel very much like my calm, natural self. When I am actively tuning into the sound of my breath, I experience a flow. It sounds elusive, yet it is simple. Day 2, August 21 Activate Your Inner Healer with Holotropic Breathwork by Fr K C Thomas Father K C Thomas was doing this famous workshop for the first time with Life Positive, and like everyone else, even we were curious about it. He is a certified facilitator of Holotropic Bodywork and has given over 100 workshops and retreats in various parts of India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, and the United States. Currently, he is doing research at Gulbarga Central University in Holotropic Breathwork, with central government funding. Though I knew that it had a lot to do with breathing and music, how it was going to unfold was something we wanted to know. And Fr Thomas did not disappoint. When we entered the hall, instead of chairs, there were mattresses, pillows, and bedsheets lying on the floor. Fr Thomas, with the help of participants, arranged them into beds. Then he paired up the participants. While one underwent the process, the other was supposed to provide support and assistance. We followed Father’s instructions, and one of us lay down on the bed and another sat on a watch. Father Thomas began to instruct the lying participant to breathe deeply (from the navel) and then to go on increasing the pace of their breathing. This went on for about 10 minutes. Then came a time when the breathing became minimal and extremely slow. Immediately, music began to play. The music was unlike anything we had heard in the past. It was a mix of oriental, occidental, African, and other forms of music. Father Thomas said that the music was mixed in such a way as to facilitate a cathartic release from a person’s subconscious. No sooner had the music begun than a few participants began to have a catharsis. A lady let out a heart-wrenching scream and began to convulse. A boy just got up and began to complain of neck and back pain. Another one went deeper within herself and began to radiate a blissful smile. Whenever a participant had a strong emotional outburst or a reaction as a result of the surfacing of hidden trauma, Father Thomas and his female assistant provided physical support to them by holding them while they released pent-up emotions. After the first session was over, the roles were reversed, and the caregiving participant got the chance to lie down and undergo the process. After the entire session was over, all participants were asked to pick crayons and make designs and patterns of their choice. In the end, everyone sat in a circle and shared their experiences while they were undergoing catharsis. Some shared having seen a vision, some an old, suppressed memory, and many got guidance on which step to take next in life. A few said that they enjoyed being in a deep state so much that they didn’t realise how four hours had passed. This was the first workshop in which participants didn’t have to sit, listen, learn, make notes, or practise anything later on. They simply lay down and allowed things to happen. The whole thing was a private affair, as the 50 LifePositive | OCTOBER 2022