The Story of my experiments with Truth

Treating life as an experiment is a process of not getting attached to the outcome but of continually asking “What is this telling me?”. Life is a series of experiments. An experiment is defined as a success if something is learned as a result of an experiment. The only time an experiment fails is if there is no learning. When that happens, the experiment is repeated until there is learning and new experiments can be performed based on what was previously learned.

Here are his favorite wonderful lines:

For a bowl of water give a goodly meal;
For a kindly greeting bow thou down with zeal;
For a simple penny pay thou back with gold;
If thy life be rescued, life do not withhold.
Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold they reward.
But the truly noble know all men as one,
And return with gladness good for evil done.



'The Lord has bound me
With the cotton-thread of love,
I am His bondslave,'

sang Mirabai. And for him, too, he was bound by love of service.



Uttamchand Gandhi, was his grandfather and Karamchand Gandhi his father. Gandhiji was the youngest born by his last wife Putlibai at Porbandar (Sundampuri) on the 2nd October, 1869.

At Rajkot during school days, he never told a lie, used to be very shy, could not learn the art of 'copying', had distaste for reading beyond school books, but Harishchandra and Shravana were living realities and childhood inspirations, had a Child marriage to Kasturbai. Having read in books about the benefits of long walks in the open air, had formed a habit of walking, which continued through out his life.

The Gandhi’s were Vaishnavas, there was great opposition to meat-eating, but his mind was bent on the 'reform' and felt it would make him strong and daring and help fight British. This friend even took him to brothel, but he was saved, got into the habit of smoking, and was involved in Stealing . He confessed to his father who was bedridden by writing them, this was for him an object-lesson in Ahimsa. Soon after his father passed away, he regarded himself as a lustful, though a faithful, husband; his wife was pregnant then, but the child did not breath for more than 3-4 days. This was when he was 16years. He developed deep devotion to the Ramayana and regard the Ramayana of Tulsidas as the greatest book in all devotional literature. A Gujarati didactic stanza likewise gripped mind and heart. Its precept--return good for evil--became guiding principle. And he began numerous experiments in it.

At the age of eighteen he went to England being called to the bar, leaving behind his wife and baby of few months after passing the matriculation examination in 1887, he vowed not to touch wine, woman, and meat to get his mother’s permission. His experiments in England were conducted from the point of view of economy and hygiene. Towards the end of second year in England he came across two Theosophists, brothers who asked him to read Geeta. The book struck as one of priceless worth and regarded it as the book par excellence for the knowledge of Truth and regarded Sir Edwin Arnold's best. There were two conditions which had to be fulfilled before a student was formally called to the bar: 'keeping terms', twelve terms equivalent to about three years; and passing examinations. He passed examinations, was called to the bar on the 10th of June 1891, and enrolled in the High Court on the 11th. On the 12th sailed for home. But notwithstanding study, there was no end to helplessness and fear. Three moderns left a deep impress on his life: Raychandbhai by his living contact; Tolstoy by his book, The Kingdom of God is Within You; and Ruskin by his Unto this Last.

At Bombay High court, he could not follow the cases, and dozed off; so set up office in Rajkot. A Meman firm from Porbandar made tempting offer in South Africa, which was accepted as it gave opportunity of seeing a new country, and of having new experience. At Pretoria he gave his first speech and formed association to make representations to the authorities concerned in respect of the hardships of the Indian settlers, and offered to place at its disposal as much of time and service as was possible. Stay enabled to make a deep study of the social, economic, and political condition of the Indians in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State; though principal duty for the moment was to attend to the case of Dada Abdulla. Success helped him realized that the true function of a lawyer was to unite parties riven asunder, which he did for next 20 years. On the day of his farewell he read in the newspaper of a bill then before the House of Legislature, which sought to deprive the Indians of their right to elect members of the Natal Legislative Assembly. Farewell party was turned into a working committee. Thus God laid the foundations of life, and sowed the seed of the fight for national self-respect. Practice as a lawyer remained a subordinate occupation. The name 'Congress', was in bad odour with the Conservatives in England, and yet the Congress was the very life of India. With full explanation of reasons, the organization the Natal Indian Congress, came into being on the 22nd May. Carefully kept accounts are a sine qua non for any organization. He made the religion of service his own. In 1896 after 3 years, he got his wife and children. He propagated the plight of Africans, on his return and joined committees during his time in India. Loyalty, and aptitude for nursing was deeply rooted in his nature. Sir Pherozeshah helped him have first meeting in Mumbai, where Mr. Pestonji Padshah advised him not to return to Africa. He was unable to give Children enough attention and literary education as he was unwilling to send them into Christian schools and there were no Gujarathi schools in South Africa, so his sons had complaints against him in this matter. Human nature shows itself at its best in moments of trial. Love that bound him to the community was too strong to break.

On relief from war-duty, he felt that his work was no longer in South Africa but in India, and this time of return he was given more gifts but could not keep it so created a trust in favour of the community and appointed Parsi Rustomji and others trustees. In consultation with wife and children finally got rid of the heavy incubus. It was the year 1901, when the Congress met at Calcutta under the presidentship of Mr. (later Sir) Dinshaw Wacha. He attended it and was first experience. On return from Burma, he decided to travel India in 3rd class. Gokhale was very anxious that he should settle down in Bombay, practise at the bar, and help him in public work; he took chambers in Payne, Gilbert and Sayani's offices. Shorty he was called to South Africa again, there they were printing Indian Opinion from Phoenix. He also started Satyagraha there.

At the conclusion of the Satyagraha struggle in 1914, he received Gokhale's instruction to return home via London. So in July, with Kasturbai and Kallenbach he sailed for England. Where he was to participate in war, people questioned his Value of Ahimsa. It was such a joy to get back to the homeland after an exile of ten years.

Gokhale took f a promise that he should travel in India for gaining experience, and express no opinion on public questions until probation period is over. He did not officially become a member of the Society, but have been a member in spirit. He did not wear the sacred thread, as he saw no necessity for it, as countless Hindus remain Hindus without it. He considered it to be a symbol of spiritual regeneration. The Satyagraha Ashram was founded on the 25th of May, 1915 at Ahmedabd with twenty-five men and women weathering internal and external storms,

Desired to continue the constructive work for some years, to establish more schools, and to penetrate the villages more effectively, along with working for Champaran, Kheda peasants' question was being discussed, and had taken up the question of the mill-hands in Ahmedabad. On 6th April 1919, first All India Hartal was called when the Rowlatt Bill had been published as an Act. Began work on civil disobedience, Khilafat, cow protection, non-corporation, participation in Congress proceedings at Amritsar was real entrance into the Congress politics. Soon after Khadi was born, and people were asked to use looms. From its very inception the Khadi movement, Swadeshi movement as it was then called, evoked much criticism from the mill-owners. life from this point onward had been so public that there is hardly anything about it that people do not know. Moreover, since 1921 he worked in such close association with the Congress leaders that there was hardly any episode without referring to relations with them.

His experience convinced him that there was no other God than Truth. Only means for the realization of Truth is Ahimsa in mind, word and deed - farthest limit of humility. Love the meanest of creation as oneself and one cannot afford to keep out of any field of life. Without the slightest hesitation, and yet in all humility, he says those who say that religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion means. Without self-purification the observance of the law of Ahimsa must remain an empty dream; purification of oneself necessarily leads to the purification of one's surroundings. One has to become absolutely passion-free in thought, speech, and action; to rise above the opposing currents of love and hatred, attachment and repulsion.

Essential Roles of Leadership Vs. Management

The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership

A Framework for Success for Leaders Everywhere



THE CHALLENGE

The world is changing at an unprecedented pace.

Every day, leaders are making countless decisions and facing problems they’ve never encountered before. What worked yesterday can change overnight. The speed is relentless, the stakes are high, but the rewards are great for those who can lead a team to consistently achieve extraordinary results.



So how can leaders stay ahead of the curve and differentiate themselves and their teams when so much is changing so quickly?



"Trust is the confidence born of the character and competence of a person or an organization."

STEPHEN R. COVEY

THE SOLUTION

There are four roles leaders play that are highly predictive of success. We call them essential, because as leaders consciously lead themselves and their teams in alignment with these roles, they lay the foundation for effective leadership.



01

Inspire Trust: Be the credible leader others choose to follow—one with both character and competence.



02

Create Vision: Clearly define where your team is going and how they are going to get there.

03

Execute Strategy: Consistently achieve results with and through others using disciplined processes.

04

Coach Potential: Unleash the ability of each person on your team to improve performance, solve problems, and grow their careers.



THE OUTCOME

Develop leaders who can master these skills consistently, within a unique framework that focuses on who a leader is, as well as what a leader does.

Participants will learn to:



Build trust, starting with their own character and competence.
Create a shared vision and strategy, and communicate it so powerfully that others join them on the journey.
Execute their vision and strategy all the way through to completion, with and through others.
Develop the leadership potential in others and improve performance through consistent feedback and coaching.

Leaders have to do different things depending on their areas of activity, roles, and responsibilities, as well as on their own desires and goals. The three tasks are common: envisioning, aligning followers to their vision, and ensuring execution. In all three roles, influencing remains the core skill.

The Lessons of Stephen Covey #2:
Leadership versus Management


If you’ve been reading this site regularly, you have probably gleaned my belief that only you can choose the direction and progression of your own life. The things people have told you, the past embarrassments you’ve felt, and the current work you are doing do not have to get in the way of what you truly want in this world. The only thing that can block you is your choice to block yourself. Once you have taken control of this decision you can go toward your goals. But, how do you get there? How do you ensure that you are in fact making the proper choices to move forward in your creative life?

Dr. Stephen Covey, author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, talks about the difference between choosing a goal and working toward a goal. This is a very important distinction to make. The second habit in his book, called “Begin with the End in Mind" centers on choosing these goals. His third habit titled “Put First Things First" discusses the achievement of these goals.

If you look to the end of your life, what do you expect to have accomplished? What kind of life do you wish to have led? Stephen Covey asks his readers to picture their own funerals. At this memorial service, your friends, family, and co-workers are all represented by different eulogies throughout the day. If you had your choice of what you wanted them to say, what would it be?

Many of us would want to be remembered as a loving, generous, and successful person who was much loved by the people around him. We would want to be seen as rich of spirit and bank account while also being full of warmth. Not everybody would want to be seen that way, but few would want to be viewed as lying jerks, so I figured I would approximate :).

Now look at your current life. Are your present goals and desires aligned with how you want to be viewed at the end of it all? If so, then you are on a great path for yourself. If not, you might consider changing the things you’re working towards.

By beginning with the end in mind, you can determine if your current direction is right for you. A person who excels in this habit can be a great leader for himself and others. You can choose the right goals for your team at work, your family, and your community if you can see clearly to the potential end result. Leadership is about your vision for the future.

Stephen Covey Habit #3 is to “Put First Things First." I discussed a major component of this in my article on the Quadrant II concept. Quadrant II is about picking the tasks on a day to day basis that will help your future. Putting the most important things first every day is the purpose of time management. If you are unable to manage your time well, you will either accomplish the wrong things or nothing at all.

Quadrant II tasks are the cornerstone to Stephen Covey's time management strategy. These responsibilities are those that are important but not urgent. Some that would qualify are improving the efficiency of your filing system, brainstorming new ways to increase sales, or spending twenty minutes a day to refine your writing skills. These activities would add to your abilities and give you a better opportunity for success in the future. These activities are also the ones that often get pushed to the back of the queue. They are the kind of things that you’ve been meaning to do that kind of fell off the wagon along the way.

Dr. Stephen Covey uses an extremely apt jungle metaphor to unite these concepts of leadership and management. Many people are fantastic managers. They are able to push forward on whatever projects are thrown their way. In a jungle, if given the task to slash through the brush and clear a path, these amazing managers would wield their machetes valiantly. They would cut through the flora no matter what problems came up to face them. These managers don’t care about the big picture; they just accomplish the task at hand.

Meanwhile, the leaders are doing something quite different. Leadership is all about making sure that the direction the solution is going in is the right one for the future. The leaders are up high in the sky surveying the jungle. They are the ones who are willing to say, “This is the wrong jungle! Let’s move on."

A manager might respond to the leader by saying, “But we’re doing so well!"

The manager doesn’t care about the bigger picture. He’ll chop whatever jungle is put in front of him.

Are you the leader of your own life or just the manager? To be a leader for yourself you need to ensure that you’re going in the proper direction for you. Many creative people get locked into the trap of going for security. They find an undesired but high enough paying job. They tend to the management of their lives by making enough money and getting insurance with few plans of the far off future. Little do they realize that at the top of the company they work for is a group of leaders. They are visionaries who are thinking of the future and you are doing all their management for them.

Getting mired in a life of management is a dead end for a creative person.

Thinking...

Adding time to think in your life, can help you progress in almost every aspect of it.

In my personal development path, it was recommended that I listen to the works of Earl Nightingale. Earl Nightingale was a radio personality and a speaker who is the only person to ever receive a gold record for a spoken word recording.

I found a copy of Earl Nightingale's audio program, “Lead the Field" and started working my way through it. There were many great and timeless concepts on the program: the money you make is equal to the service you put out, your acres of diamonds are typically right in your backyard, etc. The one that struck me almost immediately was the power of thinking.

Mr. Nightingale suggested that you put aside just an hour a day for thinking. He said to sit down with a cup of coffee (which, I wouldn’t do myself because I gave up caffeine) and a sheet of paper and just write down my thoughts. He gave me the opportunity to write down things I thought of that could make my life better and more efficient. In my years of schooling, no teacher had ever asked me to do that.

Sure, I’ve brainstormed for a paper before or gotten into one of those ridiculously unproductive group projects where just one person ends up doing the work of four. But I had never just been sat down with paper and pencil and told, “don’t worry about other stuff right now, just think about yourself and your future." The results were incredible.

I began to brainstorm new ideas to improve different aspects of my life. I figured out how I could afford to go on a mostly raw food diet and how I could spend more time with my friends. My days ended up being planned better and I felt like I was starting to accomplish nearly twice the amount of work that I had previously been doing. I was starting to get ahead of where I was and I have never looked back.

Now, some of you will read this and say that an hour a day is way too much time to give for just sitting around and hoping for some brilliant thought to hit me. Fine. Give it ten minutes a day for a week, and if you make it through that, try a month. If you find that you have been able to get more accomplished as a result, bump it up to 20 the next month. Then thirty. I have a feeling that you’ll find it so worth the time that you will naturally try to incorporate it into your schedule.

Now, once you get this into your individual repertoire, how can you further apply this principal?

You can bring other people into the mix. And while they might not jibe with it at first, they will understand the benefits of it after they see the positive consequences.

Some examples:

Sit down with your wife/husband/partner/boyfriend or girlfriend and think about how you can make the relationship better, stronger or just plain more fun.
Sit down and talk with your child and ask him to think about how you can be a better parent to them and how they can be a better kid to you.
Do some thinking with members of your family.
Try to hammer out some thoughts with a co-worker or even with your boss!
An enemy or a perceived enemy is worth sitting down with and doing some thinking.
Just as with everything, I am sure that you have even more examples in your own life. I think that you should make every effort to improve your life in this way. What do you have to lose? If there is something that you are trying to avoid talking about, you may as well get it out in the open (it’ll come out anyway and when you least expect it otherwise). If you think that a person won’t be interested in “thinking" with you and you are afraid of the rejection then you might as well go for it. The possibility of a one-time rejection is not nearly bad enough to offset the potential gains of a new established habit of actual thought.

If you are able to add thinking to your life and your relationships, you can essentially make every part of your life more efficient.

As with all of the ideas you find on this website, I would try them for 30days and see how they work for you. I mean, let’s face it, you wouldn’t have stumbled onto this site if you didn’t need to change things in your life a little. Integrating something like this into your life is hard at first, but it may help you make the changes you’ve needed to grow in your day-to-day lives and relationships.

You should go for it…I think :).

International Yoga day

Happy Yoga Day!

• Who all does Yoga?
• Why Yoga?
• What is Yoga?

According to the yogic lore, over 15,000 years ago, Adi Yogi attained to his full enlightenment and abandoned himself in an intense ecstatic dance upon the Himalayas. Though Yoga was being practiced in the pre-Vedic period, the great Sage Maharshi Patanjali systematized and codified the then existing practices of Yoga, its meaning and its related knowledge through his Yoga Sutras.

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. As per Yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the mind and body, Man & Nature. 

The science of yoga is being in perfect alignment, absolute harmony, complete sync with existence. We are composed of five ‘Sheaths’/’Layers’/bodies viz:

1. The physical body-the annamayakosha (hardware); 
2. The mental body- the manomayakosha (software); 
3. The energy body – the pranamayakosha (power) – each more subtle than preceding like lightbulb, electricity and light. 
4. The fourth is transient state called vignanamayakosha or the etheric body means ‘extraordinay knowledge” – that which is beyond the sense of perception. It is link between physical and non physical. 
5. The fifth is anandamayakosha, indefinable dimension, producing overwhelming experience of bliss.

 Work is only with the first three bodies, yoga is the science of aligning these three dimensions to reach ecstatic union with life itself. 

• If you employ your physical body to reach this ultimate union, it is Karma yoga, 
• employing intelligence is gnana yoga, 
• employing emotions is bhakti yoga or yoga of devotion and 
• if you use energies, it is kriya yoga, the yoga of transforming energies.
• Path of meditation - art of mastery of mind - Dhyana Yoga

Pranayama is often overlooked, while the beautiful sister, asana’s is the guest of honor for general people doing Yoga.

Meditation, Breath and Asanas are like Music, Song & dance.

As you breath so shall you move unaware.  

Without the renunciation of the ego (Sanyasa) to a certain  extend, relinquishment of the anxieties to enjoy the fruit of action (Yoga) is not possible. The renunciation of the fruit (Tyaga) also requires  renunciation of the ego (sanyasa). (VI Dhyana Yoga - Bhagavat Geeta) Sloka 36

Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice (Pranayama) from Inner Engineering is one interesting and helpful Yoga.

Heath Benefits of Yoga:

• Yoga for Flexibility: Yoga poses stretch muscles and increase the range of motion. With regular practice, it helps you in a great way to work on your flexibility and strength.
• Yoga for Strength: Helps to tone muscles all over and balance with each other. Yoga integrates muscle groups to create overall, functional strength.
• Breathing Benefits: Calms the mind and body and thereby reducing stress and anxiety. Pranayama is the formal practice of controlling the breath, which is the source of our prana, or vital life force.
• Good for Heart: Practicing meditation or yoga may help to lower the heart rate. Studies show that yoga benefits many aspects of cardiovascular health.
• Less Stress: One of yoga’s clearest benefits to the heart is its ability to relax the body and mind. You may feel less stressed and more relaxed after a yoga session.

Not one but a sequence of 12 powerful yoga poses Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is my favorite which is done slightly differently at Isha yoga, but Art of Living follow the traditional format. It begins with prayer

The Sanskrit verse is as follows:

https://youtu.be/9x7cWogTeF0

“Hiranmayena patrena satya-syapi-hitam mukham,

tattvam pusanna-pavrnu satya-dharmaya drstaye.”

हिरण्मयॆन पात्रॆन सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।

तत् त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टयॆ ॥

It means – “The Truth is concealed by the golden vessel. O Sun! Open the entrance to that cover, so that the Truth that is concealed by you is visible to me, a truthful devotee, by your illuminating Grace.”

Those who have a busy schedule may not have time to do an elaborate set of asanas, but they can always do a round of the Surya Namaskara which takes just a couple of minutes per round. Depending on the time available, one can increase the number of rounds of the practice. This can be done in a very slow pace, which is the best, in a medium pace or fast pace like airobics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xRX1MuoImw

Steps to do Surya Namaskar:

Step 1. Pranamasana (Prayer pose) - Exhale

Stand at the edge of your mat, keep your feet together and balance your weight equally on both the feet. Expand your chest and relax your shoulders. As you breathe in, lift both arms up from the sides, and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in prayer position.

Mantra:
Om Mitraaya Namaha
Meaning:
One who is friendly to all.
Pranamasana helps maintain the balance of the body.
Relaxes the nervous system.



Step 2. Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose) - Inhale
Breathing in, lift the arms up and back, keeping the biceps close to the ears. In this pose, the effort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
You may push the pelvis forward a little bit. Ensure you're reaching up with the fingers rather than trying to bend backward.



Mantra:
Om Ravaye Namaha
Meaning:
The shining or the radiant one.
Hastauttanasana stretches and tones the muscles of the abdomen.
It also expands the chest, resulting in a full intake of oxygen, thereby fully utilizing the lung capacity.



Step 3. Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend) - Exhale
Breathing out, bend forward from the waist keeping the spine erect. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor beside the feet.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
You may bend the knees, if necessary, to bring the palms down to the floor. Now make a gentle effort to straighten the knees. It's a good idea to keep the hands fixed in this position and not move them henceforth until we finish the sequence.



Mantra:
Om Suryaya Namaha
Meaning:
The dispeller of darkness, responsible for generating activity.
· Hastapadasana makes the waist and spine flexible.
Stretches the hamstrings.
Opens the hips, shoulders, and arms.



Step 4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) - Inhale
Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up.

Tip: How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that the left foot is exactly in between the palms.



Mantra:
Om Bhaanave Namaha
Meaning:
One who illuminates or the bright one.
Ashwa Sanchalanasana strengthens the leg muscles.
Makes the spine and neck flexible.
Good for indigestion, constipation, and sciatica.



Step 5. Dandasana (Stick pose) - Hold the breath
As you breathe in, take the left leg back and bring the whole body in a straight line.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor.



Mantra:
Om Khagaya Namaha
Meaning:
One who is all-pervading, one who moves through the sky.
Dandasana strengthens the arms and back
Improves posture.
Stretches the shoulders, chest, and spine.
Calms the mind.



Step 6. Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight parts or points) - Exhale
Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly, slide forward, rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior a little bit. The two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin (eight parts of the body) should touch the floor.

Mantra:
Om Pooshne Namaha
Meaning:
Giver of nourishment and fulfillment.
Ashtanga Namaskara enhances the flexibility of the back and spine.
Strengthens the back muscles.
Reduces tension and anxiety.



Step 7. Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) - Inhale
Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra pose. You may keep your elbows bent in this pose with the shoulders away from the ears. Look up at the ceiling.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
As you inhale, make a gentle effort to push the chest forward; as you exhale, make a gentle effort to push the navel down. Tuck the toes under. Ensure you're stretching just as much as you can and not forcing your body.



Mantra:
Om Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha
Meaning:
One who has a golden colored brilliance.
Bhujangasana stretches the shoulders, chest, and back.
Increases flexibility.
Elevates mood.
Invigorates the heart.



Step 8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose) - Exhale
Breathing out, lift the hips and the tailbone up to bring the body into an inverted ‘V’ pose.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.



Mantra:
Om Mareechaye Namaha
Meaning:
Giver of light with infinite rays.
Parvatasana strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs.
Increases blood flow to the spinal region.



Step 9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) - Inhale
Breathing in, bring the right foot forward in between the two hands. The left knee goes down on the floor. Press the hips down and look up.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
Place the right foot exactly between the two hands and the right calf perpendicular to the floor. In this position, make a gentle effort to push the hips down towards the floor, to deepen the stretch.



Mantra:
Om Aadityaaya Namaha
Meaning:
The son of Aditi, the cosmic divine mother.
· Ashwa Sanchalanasana tones the abdominal organs.
Adds flexibility to leg muscles.



Step 10. Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend) - Exhale
Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees, if necessary.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
Gently straighten the knees, and if you can, try and touch your nose to the knees. Keep breathing.



Mantra:
Om Savitre Namaha
Meaning:
One who is responsible for life.
Hastapadasana stretches the hamstrings.
Opens the hips, shoulders, and arms.



Step 11. Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose) - Inhale
Breathing in, roll the spine up. Raise the hands up and bend backward a little bit, pushing the hips slightly outward.

Tip to deepen this yoga stretch:
Ensure that your biceps are beside your ears. The idea is to stretch up more rather than stretching backward.



Mantra:
Om Arkaaya Namaha
Meaning:
One who is worthy of praise and glory.
Hastauttanasana stretches and tones the muscles of the abdomen.
Expands the chest resulting in a full intake of oxygen. Lung capacity is fully utilized.



Step 12. Tadasana (Mountain pose) - Exhale
As you exhale, first straighten the body, then bring the arms down. Relax in this position and observe the sensations in your body.

This completes one set of Surya Namaskar. Complete the round by repeating the steps. Only this time, start with taking the left foot behind in step number 4 and bringing the right foot forward in step number 10. Once done, you would’ve completed one round of Surya Namaskar.

Mantra:
Om Bhaskaraya Namaha
Meaning:
Giver of wisdom and cosmic illumination.
· Tadasana improves posture.
Strengthens thighs, knees and ankles.
Relieves sciatica.

If you desire is for the limitless you arrive at yoga.  Yoga is not about being superhuman; it is about realizing that being human is super.

Primary Greatness - Stephen R.Covey

In this Posthumous work, Covey lays out the 12 leavers of success; the intrinsic rewards of primary greatness far outweigh the superficial rewards of secondry greatness – money, popularity and the self-absorbed, pleasure-ridden life that some people consider success.

How to achieve primary greatness:

The secret life is where your heart is, where your real motives are – the ultimate desires of your life. Untill you choose your own motives you really can’t choose to live your own life. Everything flows out of motives and motivation – they are the root of our deepest desires. A key to having a healthy secret life is self-affirmation; the following three practice are very helpful in the process of self-affirmation:

Use relaxation techniques to plant affirmations
Use repetition to ensure success
Use imagination and visualization to see the change.
We live too much out of our memories, too little out of our imagination – too much on what is or has been not enough on what can be. That’s like trying to drive forward by looking in the rearview mirror.

Character, what you are, is ultimately more important than competence, what you can do. Humility is the mother of all virtues. The humble progress because they willingly submit to and try to live in harmony with natural laws and universal principles. Courage is the father of all virtues. We need great courage to lead our lives by correct principles and to have integrity in the moment of choice.

Principles and natural laws are absolute, inarguable and always relevant. True North is a symbol for bedrock principles that don’t change overtime. The Three word test of truth suggest there is a true north, when it is all relative, viz:

Universal – eg. Professed mission and shared values of gang members who pillage and plunder might sound very much like many corporate mission statements, the problem is that their value system is not based on the natural laws of honesty and respect for others.
Timeless – Distortion can totally throw off your sense of direction and your moral bearings. And when that happens, you are uprooted. You become a double-minded person, unstable in all your ways, and your experience a deep inner sense of loss. Conscience is the repository of timeless truths and principles, the internal monitor of natural law.
Self-evident – You can’t argue against them. Eg. There is no trust without trustworthiness.
As human beings, we have four unique endowments which we need to nurture – self-awareness by keeping a personal journal, conscience by learning, listening and responding, independent will by making and keeping promises, and creative imagination through visualization – that not only separate us from the animal world, but also help us to distinguish between reality and illusion, to transform the clock into a compass and to align our lives with the extrinsic realities that govern quality life.

Roots yield fruits. Only by centering on timeless principles, and then living by them, can we enjoy sustained moral, physical, social and financial wellness.

Three causes of distortion that shifts you from the right direction are:

Building (Culture) – Due to magnetic pull, both physical and our behavior go off course
Projector (Subculture) – Any powerful or persuasive subgroup can create its own slanted definition of due north.
Magnet (Powerful emotions, strong personality or compelling philosophy) – Extremely powerful personality with strong ego.
Many crashes, both personal and organizational are caused by such ethical vertigo.

Without alignment behind the same vision, and without being tied into the same value system based on principles, everything else gets messed up. If you show respect for each other and seek synergy, you will work through those differences, and begin to regard them as strengths.

Some people see mud, and others star from behind a bar because of:

Emotional Imprisonment - Acknowledge own failings and seek forgiveness.
The sickness of finding fault – Take responsibility and get out of the victim mentality. Work on personal faults.
Scarcity Scripting – Have Abundance Mentality.
Role Imbalance – Involve, share vision, develop complementary team, preserve time, make what is important to other person as important to you, as the other person is to you.
12 levers of success – Highest – Leverage principles successful people live by:

Primary greatness is the natural consequence of pushing on these leavers.

Integrity The state of being whole and undivided inside-out. For people who have lost integrity, seems is all they know. They live and work in a world of seeming to be something they are not. They worry more about how others see them than about who they are. They are actors who wear a false face to cover up covert operations or maintain an image. The fruits of integrity are wisdom, abundance mentality, synergy, relationships of trust with all stakeholders. When leaders justify the means by the ends, people pick up the signals. They note who is hired, promoted and rewarded – and why. They see who gets away with murder and who condones inappropriate behavior.
Contribution The principal of leaving a meaningful legacy, of making a positive difference. Rather than place blame, reconsider own purpose and redesign to accommodate new reality. Have sense of what true north is; be willing to bear risk, in the way one speaks, listen and act; Make and keep a commitment to lifelong learning. To achieve line of sight between what the world needs and what you offer, you need to answer three questions: What does the world need? What am I good at? How can I best do what I like to do and met real needs where I now work? If you’re ever going to hear your opus played, you’ll have to undergo personal reengineering and win both the private and public victories, ultimately gaining a shares sense of mission. Search your own heart.
Priority Enables us to make that contribution without losing our way in the thick of thin things. Key is to schedule our priorities. Our unique contribution is often never made because the important first things in our lives are choked out by other urgent things. So some important works are never started or finished. Safeguard your creative freedom, rather than spending time on problem solving. As you look back on your life, you may realize that the things that mattered most were at the mercy of things that mattered least, that the good was the enemy of the best, that you were terrorized by the tyranny of urgency and that you enjoyed very little creative freedom. And the net result, you frittered away much of your time, traded your life mission for minutiae, seldom exercised your unique talents and gifts, and finished precious little of the creative work you dreamed of doing. People both want and need to buy into transcendent purposes that give their lives and work more meaning.
Sacrifice is needed. We are better together, no one person can do it all, and for it to be successful, there should be no hidden agenda. We should be more open and honest in communication. Power must come from four character-based sources – the wise exercise of self-awareness, imagination, independent will and conscience; spending more time doing things that are important but not urgent; continuous learning, improving and progressing; having a network of win-win relationships and partnerships.
Service Get beyond the ego. The deepest hunger of the human soul is to be recognized, valued, appreciated and understood. The older I get, the more clearly, I see the connection between the way employees are treated and how they treat customers. It’s like a chain reaction. Learn not to be offended, to refuse to self-alienate. Cultivate security from within, based on integrity to fundamental principles, so that we can love when we’re not loved, be kind when people aren’t kind to us, and be patient when others are impatient.
Responsibility Be responsible even when things aren’t going well. People tend to become like you treat them or believe them to be. Get security from your integrity, that will help you be vulnerable. Don’t reject other people and new opportunities because you’ve been rejected. You will build a shell around yourself. Pay the uttermost farthing (tiny English coin equaling 1/4th of a penny), mean’s pay the price that’s required. It means a humble and complete acknowledgment of your responsibility for the problem, even though others might be partly responsible. Your behavior must then comport with that expression. It also means getting to know the other person better. Clear the legal hurdle. When applying this principle to any seriously broken or strained relationship, admit that we are at least partly to be blamed for the problem, don’t be or let people be deeply hurt or embarrassed as it draws back. Improving our behavior alone won’t release us from this prison, as they can’t afford to trust as again, we need to admit our mistake, apologies and ask forgiveness; not as a manipulative technique to bring others around, but with utter sincerity. Inspire, not force others to make some hard admissions and resolves.
Loyalty Natural consequence of serving others. Defend the integrity of a person who is absent or decline to participate. Provide constructive feedback. Involve people in the discussion about them. Anticipate discussion and get clearance. Call the person after the discussion and report what was said. Give people a chance to explain or defend their position, bring up the bring side, the positive side of the person.
Reciprocity What you give, comes back to you. Be honest with yourself, look to yourself, create intimacy, share knowledge and information, include all stakeholder relationships, care about those on the front lines, choose mercy over measure for measure. The law of reciprocity is just as constant as the law of gravity. Violation of moral principles or natural law will have consequences. There is no win in life, if other’s don’t win. WIFM (What’s in it for me?) is the motto of people who believe in secondary greatness.
Diversity If two people have the same opinion, one of them is unnecessary. Have people who will tell you what you need to know and not what you want to hear. Cloning gives leaders a false sense of security. When you have people thinking like you, doing like you, speaking like you, referring to you, quoting you, then you feel you’re being validated as a leader. You feel that you have value because another people value being like you, analyse is it what you need to know? Security breeds synergy. We need to base our identity, security and confidence on something other than our performance, position, or public opinion. If we share a common vision and mission, we can build our identity on the transcendent purpose that unites us, as well as on correct principles. From habits of doing things that failures don’t like to do.
Learning or you become stagnant and Irrelevant. Have daily study sessions and relevant on-the-job training. We all have a moral obligation to learn and progress. And lifelong learning is not so much about big campaigns, programs, academic degrees and credentials. Development options are research skills of analysis and synthesis, personal reading program, review of classic literature, personal universities like TED talks.
Renewal of self through rejuvenating practices. Irresponsible criticism and backbiting weaken character in the person and in the culture. Act on four assumptions which will help renew ourselves in all four dimensions on personal and professional level viz physical, mental, social and spiritual. Assumptions are : Imagine you already had one heart attack or one business failure; your knowledge and skills will be obsolete within three years; everything you say about other people will be heard by them, both at home and at work; you will soon have a 1-1 accounting with people you love and who love you and with your boss and team members. You will start putting first things first.
Teaching Become not just an exemplar, teach to learn – Primary greatness. Everyone has to be upgraded in knowledge and skills. We all have to go back to school. The new emphasis on training and education, on upgrading the mindset and skillset of everyone, comes in response to the demands of the global economy. Capture learning by taking notes under five heading – purpose, main points, validation, application and value. Teaching to learn unleashes new level of performance, the advantages are you simply learn better when you teach, you feel good about, you increase the likelihood of living by it, you promote bonding in the relationship, it lubricates the change and growth process for yourself.
These are fundamental, inescapable and there is something of a hierarchy about them.

Six causes in the distortion in judgment or lapses in wisdom and corrective measures are:

The pride of self-referencing. Correction: The humility of submitting to true-north principles.
The folly of relying only on information. Correction: Converting information to wisdeom and directed action.
The confusion caused by a renaissance of immorality. Correction: The clarity resulting from a renaissance of morality.
The discrepancy between the value people place on their performance and the value management places on it. Correction: The objectivity of market value.
The ignorance and apathy that comes as a consequence of closed systems. Correction: Make systems as open as possible within the limits of trust.
The myopia of using local criteria to assess quality and competitiveness. Correction: Use global competitive criteria.
Four tenets of wisdom worthy of consideration is wisdom, is knowing that sustained positive change begins on the inside. It requires both character and competence, it is manifest when character and competence overlap, it lies beyond knowledge and information.

The end of life filled with primary greatness is Wisdom. A perspective that embraces principles, continuous growth, and an integrated wholeness. It brings peace to the inner person and prosperity to the world. Brings security because the principles upon which we live our lives are solid, enduring and will never change.



Many of us are hurting. We have chronic problems, dissatisfactions, and disappointments. We feel overwhelmed by burdens we carry. The idea of living a “great life” can seem like a distant dream.

Stephen R. Covey—the late, legendary author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People—believed there were only two ways to experience life: primary greatness or secondary greatness. Through his books and speaking, he taught that the intrinsic rewards of primary greatness—integrity, responsibility, and contribution—far outweighed the extrinsic rewards of secondary greatness: money, popularity, and the self-absorbed, pleasure-ridden life that some people consider “success.”

These can be leveraged in daily life and will help to lead both professional success and personal happiness. Featuring his trademarked wisdom that has inspired countless readers and leaders, Primary Greatness once again delivers classic Covey advice in a concise and reader-friendly way. 7 Habits was not very easy to read and comprehend, but this isn

One Can!

‘The greatest threat to our planet is the thought that someone else will save it,’ by Robert Swan.



‘Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.’; Save Earth.



Tension leads to innovation. We are all transformation designers.”Anyone can transform an existing situation into a preferred one. We just need to know how to get there. For most teams and organizations, the true challenge is how to get to the preferred situation together.”



There is a great power in One. Be a Though Leader.

Very Beautifully written,

Salt -VS- Rice...

If you were to cook 3 cups of rice, would you add 3 cups of salt to it?

Certainly not!

So, in every preparation of rice, the rice always outnumbers the salt, yet a little salt makes a huge difference/impact in the overall outcome.

In the room in which you currently are, look up at the ceiling...
What is the size of the bulb compared to the size of the room? It is probably a ratio of 1:5000.
Yet, darkness flees the entire space once the small bulb is flipped on.

If I am the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, then "little me" has the ability to make big things happen..

Sometimes, because we feel outnumbered or overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of evil or wrong-doers, we then choose powerlessness, and decide to go with the flow, not standing up for what we believe is right.

Little doesn't mean insignificant.

You are significant. Your presence should make a BIG difference. Stop waiting to be on the side of the majority. They may be the majority, but they are the trivial majority and you are the impactful minority.

They are the rice of the world, and you are the salt of the world..
They are the room and you are the light.
Make your influence felt!

Remember:
You are the world's seasoning, to make it beautiful...

Organised Underworld Crime in India

The Bombay underworld, refers to the organized crime network in the city of Mumbai(formerly Bombay). Over a period of time, the Mumbai underworld has been dominated by several different groups and mobsters.



The powerful trio of Haji Mastan, Varadarajan Mudaliar, and Karim Lala enjoyed backing from their communities from 1940 to 1980’s. Vardha Bhai controlled the criminal operations in the east and north-central Bombay. Karim Lala commanded south and central Bombay, and the majority of smuggling and illegal construction financing was Haji Mastan's domain.



D-Company is the organised crime group controlled by Dawood Ibrahim, which originated in Mumbai around 1980’s. It has been argued that the D-Company is not a stereotypical organised crime cartel in the strict sense of the word, but rather a collusion of criminal and Islamic terrorist groups based around Ibrahim's personal control and leadership. Ibrahim is currently on Interpol's wanted list for cheating, criminal conspiracy, and running an organised crime syndicate; and he was number two on The World's 10 Most Wanted list.



Chotta Rajan is the boss of a major crime syndicate based in Mumbai. He was a former key aide and lieutenant of Dawood Ibrahim. Starting as a petty thief and bootlegger working for Rajan Nair, also known as Bada Rajan (Big Rajan), Chhota Rajan took over the reins of Bada Rajan's gang after Bada Rajan's murder. Chhota Rajan was arrested in Bali by Indonesian police on 25 October 2015.



Arun Gawli's gang is based at Dagdi Chawl in Byculla, Mumbai. He started his criminal activities there and used the rooms there for keeping kidnapped persons, torturing them, extorting money from them and murdering them. He was finally convicted for the murder of Shiv Sena leader Kamalakar Jamsandekar by a court in August 2012.



Organised crime can also be seen in several other Indian cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Calcutta, and most notably in Vadodara with NRI (Non Resident of India) organized crime committed by people of Indian background. It has been noted on multiple occasions that foreign influence on organized crime in India plays a critical role in how mafias and dons take action. It is speculated an NRI of Indian descent plays a critical role in mob activities in Vadodara and Mumbai, specifically in areas of Mumbai such as Zaveri Bazaar, Dadar, Nariman Point and more affluent areas such as Andheri, and Bandra.



Several local Indian, Russian, Israeli and Nigerian mafia groups are heavily involved in the organized drug trade in Goa, India's smallest state. Punjabi mafia refers to the organized criminal gangs in the state of Punjab in India. There has been a spurt in the formation and activities of such criminal gangs in Punjab over the last decade even though some gangs, associated with those based in Uttar Pradesh, have been operational in the state since the end of militancy in Punjab. A major form of Indian Punjabi organised crime are also the foreign-based, Indo-Canadian organised crime. These criminal organizations are mainly active in the province of British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.



India is a major transit point for heroin from the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent en route to Europe. India is also the world's largest legal grower of opium; experts estimate that 5–10% of the legal opium is converted into illegal heroin, and 8–10% is consumed in high quantities as concentrated liquid. The pharmaceutical industry is also responsible for a lot of illegal production of mandrax, much of which is smuggled into South Africa. Diamond smuggling via South Africa is also a major criminal activity, and diamonds are sometimes used to disguise shipments of heroin. Finally, a lot of money laundering takes place in the country, mostly through the use of the traditional hawala system, although India has criminalised money laundering as of 2003.



Hope the new government is able to put this in check.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Shantaram is a 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts, in which a convicted Australian bank robber and heroin addict who escaped from Pentridge Prison flees to India.



The protagonist Lindsay (according to the book, Roberts' fake name) arrives in Bombay carrying a false passport in the name of Lindsay Ford. Mumbai was supposed to be only a stopover on a journey that was to take him from New Zealand to Germany, but he decides to stay in the city. Lindsay soon meets a local man named Prabaker whom he hires as a guide. Prabaker soon becomes his friend and names him Lin (Linbaba). Both men visit Prabaker's native village, Sunder, where Prabaker's mother decided to give Lin a new Maharashtrian name, like her own. Because she judged his nature to be blessed with peaceful happiness, she decided to call him Shantaram, meaning Man of God's Peace. On their way back to Mumbai, Lin and Prabaker are robbed. With all his possessions gone, Lin is forced to live in the slums, which shelters him from the authorities. After a massive fire on the day of his arrival in the slum, he sets up a free health clinic as a way to contribute to the community. He learns about the local culture and customs in this crammed environment, gets to know and love the people he encounters, and even becomes fluent in Marathi, the local language. He also witnesses and battles outbreaks of cholera and firestorms, becomes involved in trading with the lepers, and experiences how ethnic and marital conflicts are resolved in this densely crowded and diverse community.



Lin falls in love with Karla, a Swiss-American woman, befriends local artists and actors, landing him roles as an extra in several Bollywood movies, and is recruited by the Mumbai underworld for various criminal operations, including drug and weapons trade. Lin eventually lands in Mumbai's Arthur Road Prison. There, along with hundreds of other inmates, he endures brutal physical and mental abuse from the guards, while existing under extremely squalid conditions. However, thanks to the protection of the Afghan mafia don "Abdel Khader Khan", Lin is eventually released, and begins to work in a black market currency exchange and passport forgery. Having traveled as far as Africa on trips commissioned by the mafia, Lin later goes to Afghanistan to smuggle weapons for mujahideen freedom fighters. When his mentor Khan is killed, Lin realizes he has become everything he grew to loathe and falls into depression after he returns to India. He decides that he must fight for what he believes is right, and build an honest life. The story ends with him planning to go to Sri Lanka, which lays the premise for the sequel to this book

My XL wife

From a house that was spick and span, to trying to keep a house clean,

From books and plants all around, to cloths and vessels,

From travels and eat outs, to cooking and cleaning,

From relatives and friends, to mother and son,

From lot of me time, to we time,

Is how my XL wife, excelled?



Restrictions in bringing home friends at night,

Having to know and meet new people,

Having to make unplanned visits,

Having to face harsh realities

Coping up with unexpected situation,

Is how my life change, with xl wife?



Was it the right choice,

Why did I go for it,

What should I do now,

When will all this be okay,

How could I back out,

I keep wondering….

Summer Break of Cricket and Politics

This summer break was intermingled with alternate swings of Cricket and Politics. Though had stopped following cricket since a decade, being Indian, cannot completely ignore it especially at this juncture, when this is what you see and hear everywhere, every time. Started with IPL, then began the elections, once IPL was over, it was election results and new government formation; and then now it is the World cup Finals of Cricket.



Again last couple of years, in IPL it has been Mumbai Indian’s or Chennai Super Kings; With Chennai fans around, the final game was being played till the end; and Mumbai Indian’s were the winners. The fans home were so disappointed, even said that as long as Ambani’s are the owners of MI, no other team would be able to win!!!???



Election results, Kerala again proved to be outside India – South Indian states, the Dravidian states? ; rejecting the massive victory to BJP ; with Kerala being the only state to have given so much of majority to congress, when Rahul lost from his constant seat at Amethi, he won with a huge margin at Wayanad. Not sure if these are matters to be happy or not?? Not sure if in the North, people were fed up with Rahul and just wanted to reject him or is Modi so charismatic? People seems to fall for the words of Thadipaar gunda than an dumb, obviously they make better leaders – Right from Godfather!



Are people not aware of the ballot option NOTA – “None of the above “also known as “against all” or a “scratch” vote and that it’s important to vote for a part and not person?

And here comes Cricket again the World Cup mania and this time with so much of Pomp and show! Inaugural India Cricket Heroes event held at Lord’s ; The event was presented by actor & singer Farhan Akhtar and TV personality Shibani Dhandekar; the co-chairs of the awards jury were 1983 World Cup winner Kapil Dev and business tycoon Sanjiv Goenka, India's World Cup squad mingled with Bollywood celebrities at the Indian Cricket Heroes event in London. The inaugural edition of 'Indian Cricket Heroes', a concept by Virat Kohli's agent Bunty Sajdeh, had present World Cup squad members in appearance alongside few former players, business tycoons and Bollywood celebrities. Men and Women Cricketers were felicitated, not only the present but the past as well.


2011 World Cup winner and Man of the Tournament of that edition Yuvraj Singh with wife Hazel Keech; was present for the function; and soon after their return, he announced his retirement. Though he was unfit and not in form for some time, the time and the way the announcement has come is a bit surprising. Again a proof, that nothing lasts forever. Soon after the world cup, he was diagnosed with cancer, but he came back in form, and was with the team for 19 year and active for almost 17 years. Wishing him all the very best in his second innings. There was something about him that was special and with him going, I think I am complete blank about the new cricketers except Dhoni! Virat I know only for Manyatha Ad and as Anuska’s husband unfortunately. This world cup appears to be in water..with rain disrupting many of the matches. Was sad to see Vijay Mallya roaming around free and enjoying match, but was happy to hear the shouts and screams - Chor hey...heart goes out of the unemployment and poverty he has created and the loan defaults.



All these at the time of other uncertainties around – what next? Why not many companies coming up in Kochi when there are openings in Bangalore and Chennai; is the government here efficient? The number of service and past glory is not enough to continue, we need to be fit and updated. With time, things change, we need to be ready for the change and not Complacent!

Chicken Pox

Chicken pox gives you a 10 to 15-day seclusion that your mind will use thinking over some of the useless things; let alone the itching.



Also known as varicella, chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It is most often recognized by a rash of itchy red blisters that appear on the face, neck, body, arms, and legs.



Flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, body aches, and headache. These symptoms typically start a day or two before a rash appears.
Red spots appear on the face and chest, eventually spreading over the entire body. The red spots develop into itchy, fluid-filled blisters.
Blisters weep, become sores, form crusts, and heal. As some of the blisters form crusts, it’s not unusual for more red spots to appear, for a total of 250 to 500 blisters.
Don't give aspirin to anyone with chickenpox because it can lead to a serious condition called Reye's syndrome. And don't treat a high fever without consulting your doctor.

When a patient is inflicted with the Smallpox/chickenpox, its believed they got the blessings of Vasoorimala as the disease happens when the sweat drop of lord Shiva touches the body. And the disease being cured when Ghantakaran licks the sores (symbolically by spreading neem leaves over the body), thus purifying the body. Thus the legend of Kali blessing the devotee by Smallpox/Chickenpox is too popular in Kerala and hence the disease is never seen in a negative light worth for panicking.

Legend has it that Goddess Sheetla carries a silver broomstick in right hand, a water pot in left hand, wears a red saree and a garland of neem leaves and rides around the villages in North India on a donkey (ass), inflicting people with the pox – small pox, chicken pox etc.

A Tinge Of Rationality

It is difficult to actually believe that Chicken Pox has anything to do with Sheetla Mata’s anger, but a delve into the symbolism of this Goddess is somewhat rational. The internet says:

1. The silver broomstick in right hand symbolizes spreading cleanliness.

2. Water pot in left hand symbolizes recovering victims with cool water from river Ganges.

3. The red saree resembles fear and protection.

4. The garland of neem leaves considered as a remedy for infection and the donkey is the symbol of determination or stubbornness of the disease.

The first and last points seem logical.

I think ancient Hindu doctors were expert and badass, they knew that people have a tendency to do exactly those things that they have been prescribed not to do so they came up with an idea of Sheetla Mata. They thought that fear of God will make them do those things and indeed thousands of years after, in this country, the fear of God is the driving force behind most of the beliefs and actions.

Chickenpox and shingles
If you’ve had chickenpox, then you still have the varicella-zoster virus in your nerve cells. It never goes away and it can lie dormant for years. Even though you are now most likely immune to reinfection from the chickenpox virus, you’re at risk of another disease: shingles.

Shingles is a painful viral infection that is characterized by a blistering skin rash that forms in a band in a specific location of the body. It most often appears on the left or right side of your torso, sometimes around one eye or on one side of the face or neck.

Shingles is most likely to appear in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Two shingles vaccines — Zostavax and Shingrix — are available and many doctors recommend them for their patients who have had chickenpox and are age 50 and older.

Interestingly nowhere did I read that Inlaws are not supposed to visit patient.

The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project" is an upbeat, quirky, impertinent gem of a read. As the novel makes its logically irrefutable progression, readers will become enchanted by what may well be the world's first rigorously evidence-based romantic comedy.

Graeme Simsion has created an unforgettable and charming character unique in fiction. Don Tillman is on a quirky, often hilarious, always sincere quest to logically discover what is ultimately illogical--love. Written in a superbly pitch-perfect voice, "The Rosie Project" had me cheering for Don on every page.

Don Tillman has got his love life planned out. He knows exactly who he wants, but is it who he needs?

Love isn't an exact science - but no one told Don Tillman.

A thirty-nine-year-old geneticist, Don's never had a second date.

He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

So he devises the Wife Project, a scientific test to find the perfect partner. Enter Rosie - 'the world's most incompatible woman' - throwing Don's safe, ordered life into chaos. On a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

'I couldn't put this book down. It's one of the most quirky and endearing romances I've ever read. I laughed the whole way through'

Second Thought

Marriage is no bed of roses alone. It got thorns too.. There's limit to being nice, giving, adjusting, understanding.. literally everything! In a relationship if only one does it all then it is exploitation that's in long turns to rebellion. One is bad if she start raising voice. A friend is on the verge of exploding, some of my best friends are going through challenges in life due to reasons ranging from addiction, financial issues, adultery, domestic abuse etc. Every other woman I know is silently managing.

We all get our own share of pain. Some mistakes can't be rectified and we live through. But it is never a choice to perish along with all your dreams. Truth is you can't keep everyone happy and be happy. To be happy you must do what makes you happy & not others. If it is called being selfish then be it! Being selfless has only made people unhappy.

”Who decides the expiry date of a woman’s dreams?”

For argument’s sake you may counter it’s not just for the woman. Maybe. But the fact remains that more often than not, the moment the knot is tied around her neck, she is expected to instantly reincarnate herself into a capable, efficient and obedient home maker. You may argue times have changes, however the norm remains more often than not. There are modern minded men, of course. Most of them are like those husband, though, who takes pride in moving with the times realizes late that

‘her freedom was always with his acquiescence.’

Wish men understand that marriage is not an institution for women to take care of faulty guys. And husband's don't expect their wives to earn and look like Priyanka Chopra cook and clean like domestic servant both at the same time. Wondering when today, they say wedding to be a partnership how can they be so biased? One-sided? Selfish?

Like it or not, there is a Lakshman Rekha for mostly every married women, still in India.
My lovely ladies have fun and don't restrict yourself to the boundaries of someone's expectations. A little adjustments retain peace but too much of it leads to unrest and rebellion.


The primary cause of unhappiness is never a situation but your thoughts about it... Quote in office today👍👍

Amit Modi Jodi - Fevicol Khi?

What one person cannot do, two can; and what one person can do, two can do still better. This has been proved time and again; and the latest being Amit Modi Jodi. "They know each other's secrets, theirs has been a relationship of mutual trust, and gains from the association."



The Beginning:

Both Modi and Shah emerged from the cauldron of politics in their western home state of Gujarat. It is said that Amit first met Narendra Modi in 1982 through Ahmedabad RSS circles. At that time, Modi was an RSS pracharak (propagator), working as in-charge of youth activities in city. Amitji joined BJP in 1987, one year before Modi joined the party. He campaigned for Lal Krishna Advani in Gandhinagar during the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. In 1995, BJP formed its first government in Gujarat, Modi and Shah worked together to decimate Congress in the rural areas. Modi, who had become a general secretary in the party's state unit by the early 1990s, used his influence to get bigger roles for Shah. After Shankersinh Vaghela and some other leaders complained about Modi's growing clout in the Gujarat government, the party leadership moved Modi out of Gujarat, to the BJP headquarters in Delhi. During this time (1995-2001), Shah served as Modi's informer in Gujarat. In 1997, Modi lobbied to get Shah a BJP ticket for the Gujarat Legislative Assembly by-election in Sarkhej. Shah became an MLA in February 1997 after winning the by-election. He retained his seat in the 1998 Assembly elections.

Top Notch in Gujarat:

In October 2001, BJP replaced Keshubhai Patel with Narendra Modi as the chief minister of Gujarat, following allegations of inefficient administration. Over the next few years, Modi and Shah gradually sidelined their political rivals. During Narendra Modi's twelve-year tenure as the Gujarat CM, Shah emerged as one of the most powerful leaders in Gujarat. At one time, he held 12 portfolios.It is said that Politics is the last resort of the scondrels; and also that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There have been various cases and encounters, to name a few 2002 Gujarat – Godhra riots and they have managed to outlive them.



National Politics:



After his election as prime minister, Modi resigned as the chief minister and as an MLA from Maninagar on 21 May 2014. Anandiben Patel succeeded him as the chief minister. After Narendra Modi became the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP, Shah's influence also increased in the party. Shah was appointed as a BJP general secretary, and was given charge of Uttar Pradesh (UP). In July 2014, BJP's Central Parliamentary Board unanimously approved Amit Shah's appointment as president of the party. Amit Shah led BJP to victory in the Indian general election, 2019, becoming the most successful BJP President ever, in the process. Shah took oath as Cabinet Minister on 30 May 2019. He took office as Minister of Home Affairs on 1 June 2019.



“Chote Mann se khoye bhada nahi hota, Toote mann se khoye Khada nahi hota.”



“That I am Narendrabhai's right hand man is a media perception. There is no special relationship between us. Narendrabhai has taught me that if you persevere in spite of the most adverse circumstances, you are bound to reach your destination. He has restored the confidence of the people in the multi-party democratic system and proved in Gujarat that good governance is possible within the existing system. The principles of governance he has developed will deliver excellent results at the national level now.” So said Amit Shah in one of his interview.


Interesting things to look out for is will he end up being what L.K. Advaniji was to Atalji or will this Chanakya of Indian politics today, have a bigger role in future? Will their Gathbandhan make or break India and the future of BJP with the present stardom?

For now it looks like They are husband and wife...husband taking care of international things, wife managing the domestic course.

All the lives we never lived - By Anuradha Roy. (Rukun Advani)

Ah what a book! There is no black and white - each character beautiful in their own sense, all love in their own ways. So much of friendship and versions of freedom.

At its heart, All The Lives We Never Lived is an examination of the roles that define and constrain an individual, tempered as these roles are by the expectations of others.

Set in a small town called Muntazir, literally “to wait,” the novel evokes a bygone era. The chapters set in Muntazir begin with ‘Muntazir’ written in Urdu, while the chapters set in Tjampuhan in Bali begin with a word in the Balinese script, which I guess must be ‘Tjampuhan’.


Motherhood and nationhood are intertwined in our country, and Gayatri’s husband wants her to be both — the woman who will fight for her country on the street, and also stay home and look after her child. Her own needs and desires are dismissed by him as trivial.


Myshkin’s life is filled with Separation – first mother and then father. Myshkin is a horticulturist, preferring plants and animals over humans, and Roy describes his solitude in moving words – “People think of my solitude as an eccentricity or a symptom of failure… It is hard to explain to them that the shade of a tree I planted years ago or the feverish intensity of a dog fruitlessly chasing a butterfly provides what no human companionship can” – and this novel feels like an ode to memories – “We have no precise recollection of how long things took: a few days, weeks, a month?” – and separation: “Is this how partings happen? No word, no preparation, it is over and you didn’t even know it.”

Roy’s attention to the period setting and the detail with which she draws real people from history is admirable. There are at least five actual people making cameos in this novel: Walter Spies, Beryl de Zoete, Tagore, the singer Begum Akhtar, and the horticulturist Alick Percy-Lancaster.

He is lonely even when you are surrounded by people. Overall the characters evokes lot of row emotions. It’s an ode to memories and separations
Though the narration is effortless, Roy’s research and imagination in recreating a bygone era shine out. This is an excellent, unputdownable book.

_______________________________________
A Compelling Story of A Woman who Rebels Against Tradition for Her Artistic Freedom
Freedom of a different kind is in the air across India. The fight against British rule is reaching a critical turn. The Nazis have come to power in Germany. At this point of crisis, two strangers arrive in Gayatri's town, opening up for her the vision of other possible lives. So what was it exactly that took Myshkin's mother from India to Dutch-held Bali in the 1930s? Excavating the roots of the world in which he was abandoned, Myshkin comes to understand the connections between anguish at home and a war-torn universe overtaken by nationalism.

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From another blog:

”"Who decides the expiry date of a woman’s dreams?”

For argument’s sake you may counter it’s not just for the woman. Maybe. But the fact remains that more often than not, the moment the knot is tied around her neck, she is expected to instantly reincarnate herself into a capable, efficient and obedient home maker. You may argue times have changes, however the norm remains more often than not. There are modern minded men, of course. Most of them are like Gayatri’s husband, though. He, who takes pride in moving with the times realizes late that

‘her freedom was always with his acquiescence.’

Looking at many a woman who have passionately gone after their dreams, their journey seem to have been a lone path. There are some who have spread their wings after years of keeping them tied down, some willingly, most with a seething defiance within. And the ones who break free, their journeys were never smooth. Life was tougher by all practical means, much different from the ‘protected’ life they were used to. But if you ever get to ask any of them whether they would have gone back to what was, I’m sure the answer would be a resounding no. For they know the past would have been far worse than anything that came after."

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*Why Women Need a Husband?*
A Woman goes to a Psychiatrist and complains: “I don't want to marry. I am educated, independent, and self-sufficient. I don't need a husband. But my parents are asking me to marry. What do I do?”

The psychiatrist replied: “YOU, undoubtedly will achieve great things in life. But somethings inevitably will not go the way you want. Somethings will go wrong. Sometimes you will fail. Sometimes your plans won't work. Sometimes your wishes will not be fulfilled. Then who will you blame?
Will you blame Yourself?”

Woman: “NO!!!”

Psychiatrist: “Yes... That's why you need a husband “

Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the world's second-highest-grossing film of all time. Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers -- Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner -- must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos -- the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe. In theaters April 26, 2019! The Avengers take a final stand against Thanos in Marvel Studios' conclusion to 22 films. Avengers: Endgame is a 2019 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. When the whole world was ga-ga over it, can you belive, I dossed off in the theater when watching, and would be suddenly awake hearing the clapps and shouts; could be because it was my first experience and I had not seen any before.

Uyare - Malayalam Movie

Uyare is a great film that conveys optimism with a lot of nuances. Directed by Manu Ashokan, the film stars Parvathy, Tovino Thomas and Asif Ali in lead roles. Screenwriters Bobby-Sanjay has written a film that can transcend a social issue-based thread into the medium of story, where characters and plot are written around the theme.

Uyare conveys the trials and tribulations of Pallavi Ravindran (played by Parvathy), an aspiring pilot, whose dreams get totally shattered by an abusive relationship. But the universe conspires in her favour as she encounters personal and professional battles. Uyare set the events into motion with a prelude that is set in an airport control room where the crew receives the message of an airplane's technical glitch. The scene was completely free from expositions and we can see some focused and less spoon-fed writing right from the film's initial moments.

The film delves much more into the composite shades of patriarchy, where we see Pallavi's boyfriend Govind (Asif Ali) silently sulk as he fails at a job interview and can't bear the presence of an successful woman like her. Pallavi's characterization is driven by ambition, which makes her more grounded, yet, less ordinary.

The scenes portraying an acid-attack victim's mental agony might break our heart, we see Pallavi rebuild herself. The film gradually builds a beautiful support system around her through her classmate Saria and the flamboyant businessman Vishal Rajasekaran (played by Tovino Thomas), a complete opposite of Govind.

The film consistently carries its uplifting tone without divulging into heavy-duty melodrama. In the latter portions of the film, we see Pallavi emerge victoriously amidst setbacks. The film becomes slightly predictable at the end, but the issue is compensated by the feel-good, idealistic portions without giving you a feeling of change happening overnight.

Uyare really takes off when an innocent pallavi inside a flight asks air-hostess,"Cockpit onnu kaanan pattuo".Then Bobby-Sanjay establishes Pallavi and Govind individually .In a scene, Pallavi explains her father about her boarding life and attachment to Govind. That scene contained life and enough depth for the audience to connect to. Script also conveys why Govind is so rough & tough (about parenting) and the motive behind the acid attack. In another scene where Govind's father asks Pallavi's father to withdraw the case,Pallavi does nothing,but sit in front of him which is far effective than words. Dialogs are sharp. For example:Pallavi at a point says ,"Sathruvairunnengil polum pirake povillairnu". Pallavi mocking Tovino initially being son of a rich father, and Tovino asking her in the flight, if he could help her in any way, and she telling him if he could give her the job of air-hostess; Tovino’s out of way support for her, and his birthday celebration, and finally the boy giving the rose to Parvathy are all touching.

The pre-climactic sequence is breathtakingly shot and edited, where we see moments of turbulence being intercut by reaction shots and close-ups of faces that witness the impending doom. Like the earlier movie Traffice we have reluctant individuals take charge of extraordinary situations (or driver seats, for that matter). But unlike Traffic, the vehicle used in Uyare is not a car, it is a ton-sized airplane.

Overall Uyare leaves you at an emotional high.

Movie Review :Kalank

Karan Johar's 'Kalank' was undoubtedly one of the much-anticipated films of this year, however, it left audiences unimpressed post the release not me. I was thrilled, mesmerized. Helmed by Abhishek Varman starring Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur in lead roles the film couldn't create magic at the box office. Even though individual performances were praised the film failed to attract more footfalls at the theaters.

The film is a romantic drama set during the Partition, which also forewarns us about the bittersweet story of love and betrayal. The story is based in a town called Husnabad, near Lahore, a few years before the Partition of India and Pakistan. At the heart of this visual extravaganza, is the story of how eternal love goes beyond the norms and rules of society, the trappings of religion, all other physical and man-made boundaries. It is the saga of six lives against the tumultuous times of the partition.

Set in 1945, in Pre-Independent India, the elite, opulent and solemn world of the Chaudhry family, and the wild, mysterious and musical underbelly of the town, Hira Mandi, clash when Roop Chaudhry encounters Zafar, a daredevil from Hira Mandi, unleashing deep-buried truths, secrets of betrayal and affairs that threaten to bring the both worlds crashing down.

Many of my friends felt it boring. Loved the costumes and the extravagant sets. Songs and Dances were amazing. Loved some of the dialogues as well:

Jab kisi aur ki barbaadi apni jeet jaisi lage ... toh humse zyada barbaad aur koi nahi hai is duniya mein

Kuch rishtey karzon ki tarah hote hai ... unhe nibhana nahi, chukana padta hai

Umeed sirf intezar karati hai ... sachai nahi badalti

Mohabbat aur nafrat dono ke rang laal hai ... lekin fark yeh hai ki nafrat se duniya barbaad ho jaati hai ... aur mohabbat mein khud barbaad hona padta hai ... phir bhi kalank aksar mohabbat pe lagta hai

For me, it was a visually stunning film, topped with great performances.

The Secret of Teams - Mark Miller

The Secret of Teams - Mark Miller

The key to building great teams are universal. A team can’t really be a team if its members don’t know what they’re doing. You team will never perform at the highest possible level if the members of the team don’t exhibit genuine care and concern for one another. Practice is how we build skills, speed and consistency. One can’t be an effective leader without measurement. Measurement tells us where we need to improve, it lets us know if our improvement efforts are working or not; it helps us stay focused; it brings out the best in us as a team; it presents a tangible challenge. This fuel continued improvement. It’s a great tool that helps us refine our skills. If our success is contingent on our physical presence, we will become a prisoner of our business.

Big Ideas from:

• The General: Selection, Training, Esprit De Corps
• NASCAR: Fit, practice and doing life together contribute to high levels of performance.
• The Restaurant: Family, Good Process, People
• Thus, to build a team that can generate great performance over the long haul, you must…

Get the right people on the team

• Help them grow
• Create an environment in which genuine care and concern are the norm
• So the key elements of a high-performance team are:

• Selection, Fit, People, get the right people - Talent
• Practice, Training, Good Process, Help People Grow - Skill
• Life together, family, Espirt De Corps, Environment of care and concern - Community

What we have discovered is not really three things – the secret of teams is the power of combining three things to create one. It’s like making lemonade – you need to have lemons, water and sugar all together. Never stop looking for ways to do life together.

Disengagement is the manifestation of something, it’s a symptom, not a root cause. Attitude is difficult to coach.

What is a team? A team is typically a small group of people working together towards a common goal. Effective teams are characterized by trust and mutual accountability. Working together, they achieve more than they could working as individuals.

What is a High-Performance team? In addition to phenomenal numeric success, these teams also enable their leaders to increase their effectiveness and foster significant growth among the individual team members.

The Secret of High-Performance teams: They focus on talent, skills and community.

• Talent – We need good fit people who want to be on a winning team as opposed to being individual contributors
• Skills – It is the deployment of both individual and team skills that enables sustainable progress and improvement.
• Community – Turbocharges their performance.

High-performance teams is a strategy – a means to an end. It is not the goal. Results are the real objective.

The ultimate goal is a movement.

To bring about change you need Motivation + Information + Assistance.

Ongoing senior leadership support is important.

Issues with failing teams are:

• Irregular/Infrequent meetings
• Lack of role clarity (specifically the leader)
• Unclear on the big idea behind the team
• Command and control approach
• Leader readiness
• Team readiness
• Inadequate learning resources
• Lack of understanding regarding the up-front investment.
• Having the right talent starts with having the right leader. When you select talent for your teams, make sure to help your team members build the necessary skills and create a strong community. So

• Evaluate your current reality - facts, performance, trends, future, quality,
• Assess your team’s talent – Functional diversity, commitment to life long learning, will to be part of something bigger than themselves.
• Assess your team’s skill – Priorities. Teach, Need not do alone. Seek help to close gap.
• Build genuine community – Requires ongoing attention. Create opportunities for team to better know each other; Serve, Celebrate.
• Lead at the next level – Cast vision, Delegate real responsibility – not just tasks, teach, encourage, set boundaries, provide resources and set the expectation that the team will manage their own work.

Enjoy the Journey!