Thanks my friend

One of the best ways to bid adieu to someone is to express gratitude.

I have a friend. His name is 2011. He is going away, for now. I don't think we will meet again, not in this realm. So diving deep the memory lane my friend 2011, here are a few things that you gave us which I have captured in the digicam.

 Thanks for the beautiful sunshine on 24 th March....

Thank you for all the colourful flowers all around the 4 seasons...

Thanks for showing me the light during the dark nights......

For all the beautiful trips with wonderful people....I thank you 2011

Loved the sun kissed afternoons with a cup of tea and lots of inner calm...

Thanks for a great festive time

Thank you so much for safe journeys

I am grateful that you kept me dry and warm during rainy days

Abundance has flowed freely into my life, thank you 2011

You helped me grow when I was pulling myself down, and I found inspiration in the most beautiful ways...

And 2011, my friend, thank you most for giving me the people whom I could love and be loved <3

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The truth about gods and goddesses

It’s very important to realize the God that lives inside each of us. Actually like everything else in this universe, it is balance-  the god and goddess energy. In other words, each one of us is an amalgamation of masculine and feminine energy.

You take a huge leap in making your life better and closer to your true self once you grasp this concept. Vedic tradition calls this energy couple as Shiv and Shakti. In Oriental terms, it is better known as Yin and Yang. The idea is expressed in physics as well; call it the poles, the opposite energies or call it matter and anti-matter. The essence of the universe is to maintain a healthy balance where life flows and grows.

Shakti

Shakti is another name for the Kundalini. It is the seat of tremendous power at the base of the spine. Seated spirally at the Base Chakra, it rises like a serpent along the spine when given the call. Durga, Kali, Lakshmi or Saraswati- whatever you name her, however you see her; she is the Goddess aspect in you. She is the feminine energy that will bring you material success and power.

Shiv

Shiv is the masculine energy in us.  Kundalini Shakti rises and unites with her consort in the upper chakras. The crown chakra opens at last and you become the fountainhead of love, knowledge and creation.

Masculine and feminine energy are not the equivalent of male and female. On the contrary, both genders need these energies. Lack of any of these energies leads to problems in our material and spiritual dimensions.

If you look closely, this concept is everywhere in the Hindu pantheon. Lakshmi & Vishnu, Shiv & Parvati, Ram & Sita, Radha & Krishna – it scintillates with balance and flow of life.

It might take one ages to believe that the god and goddess is inside us, and makes us divine. But when does believe it, then the voice on the inside gets stronger. It sets him free. It gives him divine wings.


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Love your hair and it loves you back

I love my hair. Truly, deeply, madly.

That’s why I follow a hair regime that’s simple and full of common sense.

The one simple truth about lovely hair is that you must not experiment with too many brands or types. Keep it basic –

• Use oil overnight or if not at least for 1-2 hours, preferably plain coconut oil.
• Use a nice shampoo that suits you hair to wash off the oil. Wash twice to keep it cleaner.

I can vouch that you will have the softest, smoothest hair that you would want to kiss again and again :)

One other amazing benefit of this practice is that it also helps in repairing split hair. It works for me and I have recommended to my friends. It has worked for them and they absolutely love their hair now.

My practice of keeping hair beautiful is sans too many fancy hair products. My mother and my lovely granny follow the same regimes. My granny who is past 80, still has ravishing dark hair!

So my mantra is to keep it simple, use oil and shampoo as it suits you. Keep your hair absolutely clean. That’s all it needs to grow and glow.

 (For The Dove Blogger Contest)

5 Lovely songs that lift me UP

Music and song  are creations in audible form. It's joyful and sublimes you into a state where you forget yourself for a while. 
I believe music is as good as much as one enjoys it. Here are a few contemporary songs which light up my mood and inspire me to live my life better. 


I Have a Dream ~ Westlife 
Beautiful, simply; here is an extract. I have italicized the dreamiest line in this song. 

I have a dream, a song to sing

To help me cope with anything

If you see the wonder (wonder) of a fairy tale 

You can take the future even if you fail

I believe in angels Something good in everything I see  

I believe in angels 

When I know the time is right for me 

I'll cross the stream - I have a dream 

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HkL8GuU9_0&ob=av2n


The Animal Song ~ Savage Garden

I have imagined running barefoot on the warm sand with the wind blowing through my hair. Anytime you are tired, exhausted and need some mood-lift, this is the one. 
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_15ZrZXhXe8




Absolutely Everybody ~ Vanessa Amorosi

A song packed with lots of great music, lyrics and good vibes. Lovable. Uplifting. Absolutely Everybody should enjoy this. 
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgXTBqiKE3k


Forever and Always - Shania Twain

Golden voice of an angel singing on earth. That's how Shania Twain expresses her eternal love. 

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpT-FW_G8-A&ob=av2e

Loving Each Day ~ Ronan Keating

I am. Thank you Ronan. Your song made my Day :)

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bO5h71TlMU&ob=av2e

The mystery of the Third eye chakra

There is a point of immense power within us and it lies in a position in our forehead between our eyes. Release of this power is possible only through deep meditative states when one understands that godliness is being true to your human self and by seeing that in oneself.

The Third Eye looks to many as a figment of imagination that stems from the tales of Hindu deities. The truth is, however as good as fiction. The Third Eye is a real point situated near the pituitary gland in the forehead.

To understand it more deeply, we need to delve into the realms of energy and vibrations. Our subtle body , or which some call simply the energy or astral body, is a myriad of beautiful colours. It is tuned to nature and shares the rainbow's seven hues. The 6th point is the mystical Third Eye point and in perfect  state, it is awashed in the colour of indigo.

Yogis, ascetics and seekers, who have been through the process of opening of a third eye through meditation speak of a light between the eyebrows. It's like a pure light of a candle scintillating in the darkness. It gives a feeling of completeness and pleasure and joy so deep that one feels complete. The perception of the world outside is changed positively and the enlightened gets such insight that inspiration, ideas and success in come in scores. Everything was  always there, only the awareness was missing ; this was the great truth the one realizes. That one realizes his or her oneness with the Great One who lives in heaven. That one also realizes that the One lives with him, within him.

The third eye cannot be opened by force or mere will. It opens when the person is ready and prepared for it. And it should be so. Until a mind is calm enough, it cannot handle this tremendous power. It's like handling fire,  metaphorically.

So much would be our life better if we had your third eyes activated? The answer is, better than your comprehension right now. It is not difficult to seek your third eye light. It is your natural state of living, the goal towards your completeness. If you seek, you shall receive.


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Seeing differently - 5 unusual things I love in Kolkata

At times I try to forget the teeming-with-life picture of Kolkata for a while. I relax and mentally go over those small things which are the beautiful and exciting images of the city.

Garden@Science city

In the busiest part of this great city, lies an oasis. And an oasis it is of flowers and fountains and gardens and a few birds too. A treat to the nerves which had been long denied the pleasure of being in natural bliss. Relax and breathe. Your soul will soak in the beauty to rejuvenate your body and mind.

Taxis!

Not the most beautiful, but very very useful and one of the easiest ways to go around this huge city. The yellow looks awfully outdated but somehow this has become a denotation of the city's characteristics.

Nostalgic chandeliers

Remnants of a time when Kolkata used to be known as the City of Palaces. The chandeliers have changed hands  but still illuminate through the dark nights.

Crumbling buses ,Wacky drivers

And I absolutely loved riding in some of them. Gave me all the adrenaline rush I needed for the day...

And the old architecture....

Some are renovated and the others are crumbling under the passage of time. Coloured walls and glasses  remind us that within each wall remains history of art , music and literature that is so much an inseparable part of the city.

It's funny how a different world will open up to you when you change your perception.

And I have seen that in whatever  perception you choose to live with, this city loves to have you with it. Unconditionally and purely , like an oasis of love in a big hard world.


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6 cool tips from the Ramayana

Some call the Ramayana  the 'greatest story ever told'. Here are some modern day tips from the ancient book which work and sound cool.


Adopt

Adopt kids - Sita was adopted by Raja Janak. He and his family took her in as a blessing from God. They didn't over-analyse. They did a great job and they were very happy. Today, he is still famous and revered.

Crime doesn't pay 

You could get lucky but things change. One day, when  you have your hands full of it - even ten heads can't find a way out. Ask Ravan.


You can't do domestic politics and live in peace

This is lesson for all the mean women(and men) out there who suck the mental peace out of their spouses. Drama can bring you short term peace but stop being so cold. Learn to love unconditionally before pointing fingers. For more details, read Kaikeyi.


False looks lower your self esteem

Make up and Botox is temporary like Surpanakha's shapeshifting skill. Lusting resulted in her deface and defamation. She spent the rest of her life secluded in anger and regret. Didn't do a woman like her any good. Remember the old saying? Beauty lies within - see Sita, King Janak's adopted girl.

Get away from negative people

Vibhishan got a lot of flak when he thumbed down Ravan. Don't worry, that is the most common side-effect of following your heart. At the end, all was well and he was honoured.

Power comes from within

Here's the best part - virtue. If you are right, if your heart is pure , if you know it is the positive - don't worry about the struggle. The whole universe will help you in your mission. There is no goal too big and there is no no place too far.

This is how this epic inspires. This is how this gives its message.   This is why this is the greatest story ever told.


PS - Images from Ramayan 3392 AD.  For comic lovers, this is a treat!

Something to do before 2012

Supervolcanoes. Crime lords. Dictators and dogs of war. Nuclear weapons missing or leaking. Add to that a few solar flares and climate distortion. 2012.

Perfect recipe to the end of world.

Mayan teachings and doomsday images are shining in box office and Google hits. However, in real life, tsunamis would get more disastrous and earth could be extinct of human life. You don't need brilliant seers like Nostradamus to speculate that today - just open your eyes and look around you.

Let us say that we are scared and tired and helpless. So, now we wait for Kalki Avatar, the great saviour. We pray for Jesus to return. We look up to Allah. We pray to our own gods to return as messiahs and save our lives, again like countless decades.

Have you ever thought how would the One feel when we did our own saving?

It is very simple- if we once follow what the great prophets and messiahs say, our beautiful earth would be so peaceful. If we had more followed our hearts than being so stubbornly cynical, we wouldn't feel so powerless or helpless. We all want miracles but we don't want to create one.

God lives within us and in everything around us. Grok it - god is blessing you all the time to create what you want. Every minute and day we need to celebrate joy and love and life . We need to get out of fear and be the one to create.

Let's stop living under the Cinderella syndrome. God is giving so much all the time - this time let us give him a treat. Instead of waiting for a Superman to come rescue us, let us appreciate what we have inside and cultivate that.

Let us make our world so absolutely, unimaginably wonderfully amazingly lovely that we feel complete and whole. Don't worry about the how. Just listen to that beautiful sound in you called the instinct. The instinct is the way the universe communicates with you.

I am sure the One will love it. It's time we all thanked Him for all that he has done for us.


So when the messiahs come on earth next time , I hope their hearts fill up with joy. Because they will see that we have remembered not only them but more importantly, we have lived their message. 

Leisure management

Leisure is a bane in our modern, 9 to 5 busy world. It's like a taboo to sit for a few minutes and do nothing.

And of course, it is us who have suggested our minds to work that way.

Think before you blame anybody else in this world.

Break the chain. Give your brain some real, fresh food – unless you want a crash due to system overload. 

You only need a few minutes a day to go back to your natural state. Try these time tested methods.

Breathe
Most of all breathe in the wrong way. No wonder diseases prosper in our bodies.  Focus on your breath and imagine you are in a calm place in nature. In moments, you will become more aware of your body and mind.

Here is an excellent breathing exercise. Take slow and deep breaths in counting from one to four, hold it for one to four. Now exhale counting one to eight. This helps to focus and calm in amazing ways.

Express gratitude

Say thanks. Not later. Now. For the reason that you can see and read this. Because you have a computer or phone where you are reading this.Be thankful for each and every little thing around you.

Watch the people around you

Watch the street and the people. Watch how they walk and talk and react. Don’t react or judge. You will see the panorama of life with a detachment. It’s a fun way to see all the activity around you and also to gain insights on human behaviour.

See the leaves playing with the wind  

Watch the ones fallen on the ground or still on the tree. At the traffic lights. While sipping coffee. While wondering what to do. If you watch closely, it’s beautiful.

Smell a flower

One with a nice smell, of course. It will reactivate your brain cells and make you relaxed. Nice natural smells are great for mind and body.

Hum a song
Hum a song you love. Don’t worry about the correct tune and words. You are singing it for yourself. It will definitely make you feel better. If you don’t like to sing, paint. Or write. Click photographs.

Go for a walk. Fix a Rubik cube. Whatever suits you.

So the next time when you wait at the traffic signal, stop whining and start breathing.

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Get dirty this Season

For the ones who love gardens and flowers, there is no greater joy in getting downright dirty with mud around your fingers, plant the saplings and watch it grow!

Having your garden to tender can give you a wide range of benefits. Research shows it can lower your blood pressure, alleviate worry and insecurity and make you feel happily content.

So whether you want to dig up the soil or buy pots for your apartment, here are some wonders for the garden.

Roses

Beauty. Pure beauty.

Easily and widely available. A must for any garden. Easy to tend to. Available in various colours – white , yellow, red, pink, orange or multi-coloured. Choose your own rose, the one that suits your personality.

Dahlia

The attention grabber of your garden. If you live in a tropical country, this is the one for the winters. Blooms big and stays long. Enlivens your garden like no other. Various colours available in saplings and seeds.

Marigold

Not the gorgeous one after the roses and dahlias but definitely has its own style. Very easy to grow and requires almost zero effort. Comes in amazing shades of single and multi-colour. It wards off mosquitoes too- so definitely invaluable.

Aloe Vera

Here’s an herbaceous one without any flashy flowers. Aloe Vera juice is amazing for skin care. A very handy plant for those interested in nature healing and care. This is also a quite non- hassle plant which stays in your garden for many years.

The holy Basil (Tulsi)

A wonderful plant grown mainly in the Indian subcontinent. It acts amazingly against cough & cold. Makes the body strong and immune to germs if taken regularly. It is considered holy and a must-grow in many Indian homes.

And Tomatoes!

Go organic. Grow your own veggies. Stay healthy. It’s easy to grow tomatoes. Just throw over some tomato seeds and water regularly. Use your kitchen leftovers for manure like boiled tea leaves. Within a few months, you will see your own green tomatoes appearing. Marvel as they take on the red hue. Home grown veggies are not only good for health but also taste more delicious.

So go ahead and get your hands dirty in the holy mud.



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