Me And My Paper Boat

She felt a strange tug

At her heart

Telling her to let go

That it will be alright

Me and my paper boat 

Was she ready

The sky hadn't cleared up

Grey clouds still marred

The blue sky 

The rain was about to shower

She was drenched

As was the paper boat

That rested in her 

Hands securely

It was stronger than before now

It was ready to sail

She was crouched at her

Feet again 

Her eyes running up

And down that

A little stream of water

She thought as she 

Set it down

Placing a part of herself

In it, she set it to sail

Me and my paper boat 

The ocean of life 

As calm as it may be seen

A few beautiful storms

Are hidden somewhere within

 Some moments to float

And a little time to wait

I wrote your name 

 On my paper boat again

Waited, will it sink or float

Sailing even when drowning

Those little paper boats

Brought smiles

On those faces 

Me and my paper boat .

Melancholy or Depression

Nowadays this "Depression" word has become so common that we humans are failing to understand what is lacking behind, and how to cope with it. According to current statistics 5.8% of men's population and 9.5% of women, population are suffering from this illness. I was totally devasted when heard about a superstar a humble human being ending his life. This year 2020 will be remembered in the times to come. 

He was a very positive person, full of energy, and had a great interest in Astronomy, Cosmos,  chanting of Sanskrit shlokas, coding, algorithm, philanthropist. He was a great thinker and a vivid reader. And he was a great follower of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Gurudev). Regular in his meditations. A wonderful actor and a great dancer. A self-made person. With no big tags behind his name. I used to adore his dance and acting skills. But we never know the stories and struggle behind those enchanting smiles. He tried hard but couldn't succeed. Don't know what lacked behind. Very hard to digest such a multi-talented soul is no more.

Why is dealing with depression so difficult and to discuss it? Why it's still a taboo in our so-called modernize  Indian society?

People going through this, completely drained out mental illness need some basic support, love and care to overcome and maintain mental hygiene. It completely drains out your energy, hope and drives to take that very first step. The things that help the most are the things that are very difficult to do.  However, between something that's difficult and something that's impossible we need to take those in-between steps. It's not easy to come out of this as quick and instant, but remember one thing you have more control over your mind than you think. One needs to start with those small baby steps.  First and foremost is to accept it.  That, yes I have some particular kind of issue which I need to fix it.  Acceptance is the key to step forward.

Secondly, reach out to people your loved one and stay connected. Getting support plays an essential role in overcoming depression. On your own, it would be a bit difficult to maintain a healthy perspective and sustain the effort required to beat this. One may feel too exhausted to talk or discuss and may feel guilty. Remember this is not you this is your depression who is making you think like this or act indifferently. Look out for support from people who love you and care for you. With whom you feel safe and happy.

Make face-time a priority. Like phone calls, social media, or texting a friend whom you would love to be with and discuss your good old days where you lived a carefree life. Try to keep yourself socially active. Even if you don't feel like doing it. Often it feels you more comfortable to be just with you in your own shell. But being around other people will make you feel less depressed.

Find ways to support others. It's nice to receive support,  but research shows you may get an even bigger mood boost from providing support yourself. So find ways both big and small to help others. Become a volunteer, a good listener for a friend. Or do something nice to somebody. Ask a loved one to check with you regularly. Do not feel shy in asking help or to just being with you holding your hand.

Call or email an old friend. Schedule a weekly dinner with a closed one. Meet new people by taking a class or joining a club. Learn art or something creative. Being with art is like being with divine. Aim for 8 hours of sleep. Keep stress in check. Be regular in your relaxation technique. Do some stretches, Yoga,  meditation. It has played a great role in maintaining good mental hygiene.

Watch a funny movie or a TV show. Keep a habit of reading book. List what you like about yourself.  Spend some good time with nature. Breathe some fresh air.  Listen to music, chanting prayers. Take care of a few small tasks. Do something spontaneous. Eat healthily. Don't skip meals, minimize refrained sugar and crabs. Boost your B vitamin. Have food rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Daily take sufficient amount of direct sunlight.

Amid this pandemic and lockdown, women are getting affected badly and going through mental trauma. As there are no schools and no offices more people tend to be working from home. Due to this workload has increased. Keep a check on your women in the family. Lend a helping hand, show her love and support. If you see her looking depress or exhausted talk to her.  Give her assurance that she is equally important and the entire family is with her. If a woman herself is weak, depress, unhappy she can't keep her family and kids happy.

Lastly, a big shout out to all of you who is fighting this battle, God has given this beautiful life. Let's not waste it or end up for a few failures. Your mind is bigger than your body. Train it in such a way that no failure or no success will ever make you feel small or big. It is you who has to take that very first step in coming out and beating this depression and maintain good mental hygiene. Let's lead a peaceful life with good ideologies, practises and experiences. And lead a remarkable life on this planet until our journey ends.

Few lines well said by my master:-

"Life is a combination of happiness and pain. Having a broad perspective on life gives you the strength to move forward through painful times. Know that you are very much needed in this world. With all its infinite possibilities, this life is a gift for it can become a fountain of joy and happiness not just for oneself but for many others as well."
~ Gurudev @srisriravishankar

Please take care and Be safe. You are here for a bigger cause. Don't let go waste of it. Om Shanti.

ज़िन्दगी एक कटिंग चाय

चाय के शौकीनों को 

रोक नहीं पाते

ये लेकिन, अगर और

मगर के बहाने।।

ज़िन्दगी भी कभी

रुकती नहीं 

कभी मजबूरी की प्याली

में नचाती है

कभी मशहूरी की प्याली में।।

ये ज़िन्दगी उसे इत्तेफ़ाक़ से

न टकराये होते

उस टपरी पे

कुछ साज़िश उस चाय 

की भी होगी

मेरे महबूबा से मिलाने में।।

हम तो ये मानते है
जनाब

चाय हो या ज़िन्दगी या ईश्क़

बस 

कड़क होनी चाहिए।।

ज़िन्दगी बदलने के लिए

लड़ना पड़ता है

सवारने के लिए मिल-जुल के 

रहना पड़ता है

जैसे चाय की पत्ते और दूध।।

ज़िन्दगी कुछ इस तरह

जीना चाहिए

बात बिगड़े या बने

बस चाय पीना चाहिए।।

फुर्सत महंगे है वरना सुकून तो इतना सस्ता है

लेकिन मील जाते है दोनों
जब हाथ में हो में और मेरा कटिंग चाय ।।

Moksha Patam

Recently I came across a very interesting concept about a very famous indoor game which we all have been playing since our childhood and for ages now. And the game name is "Snake and Ladder". Got to know some amazing facts about this all-time favourite game, as to how and when this game came into existence. And was in total mesmerization to know, how our old sages and saints used to impart knowledge in one's life and how to attain Moksha through this board game.

The story goes this way, in the 13th-century poet-saint "Gyandev" created a children's game called "Moksha Patam". But later the Britishers named it as " Snake and Ladder ".

In the original one, hundred square game board, Gyandev has elaborated the phase of our life and the stages of knowledge which one has to attain to reach salvation. It goes this way:- 12th square was faith, the 51st square was reliability, the 57th square was generosity, the 76th square was knowledge, and the 78th square was asceticism. These were the squares where the ladders were found and one could move ahead faster. 

Next comes the 41st square was for disobedience, the 44th square for arrogance, the 49th square for vulgarity, the 52nd square for theft, the 58th square for lying, the 62nd square for drunkenness, the 69th square for debt, the 84th square for anger, the 92nd square for greed, the 95th square for pride, the 73rd square for murder and the 99th square for lust. These were the squares where the snake waited with its mouth open. The 100th square represented "Nirvana" or "Moksha".

This shows how in olden times, knowledge used to impart even through games. Feel extremely proud of our Sanatana dharma and their ideologies. Proud of Hindutva. 

Garbh Sanskar (The Pre-Birth Knowledge)

A very important Sanskar which holds a higher value in getting a beautiful soul in one's life. It is one among the 16 sanskaras/rituals which are followed especially in Hinduism. And this topic is very near to my heart, as I have experienced and have thoroughly enjoyed this amazing process.

The meaning of Grabh Sanskar means, educating the fetus in the womb. In Indian culture, it is believed education of spiritual, material and traditional values starts from the time the fetus is formed in the womb. It is scientifically proved that baby can learn from initial stages. Mother's bond with a child starts from the time of conception. Baby listens to the mother and her feelings even when it is developing in the womb. The mother can shape up a baby's first impression by listening to good music,  chanting the mantra's doing meditations and yoga. All these promote good and positive well being of the mother and also have a greater impact on the baby too.

Having said the above I personally look at the Grabh Sanskar as an opportunity to impart spiritual thoughts. In this view, we should direct our thoughts towards the Sattva Guna such as good qualities and positive thinking in the material sense to achieve the ultimate goal, in reducing the desire in an individual. In simple terms to impart the seed of future with spiritual knowledge and interests in the baby.

One more very important accept I would like to add here is the effects of chanting mantras and listening to our old scriptures and Upanishads, which has a very higher impact on the fetus in the womb. The powerful chantings and listening or reading out aloud of our ancient scriptures like- Bhagavad Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Kathopnishad to name a few, which has a greater impact on the brain of the fetus, because in the 7th month the baby can hear from the mother's womb and its surrounding and also respond to them. Also few instruments music such as-  Veena, Flute and Samaveda mantras which has a greater impact on the baby's brain development. If an expecting mother follows all these practices, one is bounded to have a spiritually inclined soul in the family.

As I  said earlier Grabh Sanskar is practised in Hinduism from ancient times. It has been traced from Hindu Vedas which dates to 1500 -500 BC. We can also see its reference in Mahabharat which was roughly written in 400BC. One of the famous and well-known tales is that of Abhimanyu from Mahabharata. When Arjuna's wife was expecting with there son Abhimanyu, Arjuna told a knowledge about how to penetrate the Chakravyuh, a particular war formation. When Abhimanyu became a young man and a warrior in the Kurukshetra war, he remembered his father's story and was able to employ the strategy, which he had heard when he was in his mother's womb.

This sanskara also finds its place in Ayurvedic medicine, which acts as a guide for expecting mother as a parental guide and to incorporate the true knowledge and sattva guna to the baby in the womb. It is all about the well being of an expecting mother to be in a good state of mind,  physically fit,  emotionally stable and mentally calm. This sanskara helps in being creative and communicating with the unborn child.

Amid this lockdown, many expecting mothers who are going through anxiety issues, this phase of expecting a baby, can be turned in to blessing in disguise and keep themselves busy in following and imparting this knowledge to the baby. 

Learnings and Self-Realization from COVID -19.

This year will be remembered and marked in history. As life came to standstill when this dangerous pandemic had hit our Globe badly. While at the same time we can say it's a blessing in disguise for mother nature and also self-realisation to humans as well. I am sure by now we all have been realised it. 

We, humans, have taken our mother nature for granted and completely ruined it. Have we ever thought that we all will be locked inside our house and experience this quarantine period? Never. This summer vacation will be remembered by our kids and it's great learning for future generation and to mankind itself. Treasure what we have, and start respecting and showing gratitude. Relations are getting better. We have started valuing food. In this lockdown period where we have very less accessibility to buy few required commodities, we are cooking as much required. Wasting food has been reduced.

We all have become more conscious and giving importance to stay Hygiene. Especially kids at home have become more aware of keeping themself and there surrounding clean. R does hand wash without me giving instructions. Otherwise, also he is very particular in keeping his room and his things in an organised way.  But I can see that responsibility in kids now. 

Feel so peaceful when I stand in my balcony and watch a clear blue sky,  birds creeping, no pollution, clean air, no noise. Not much or say 90% of the roads are empty. I feel nostalgic and get the feeling we are back in our 80's. No honking sounds of vehicles. In this lockdown, we have started valuing our relations with much gratitude, as being locked down inside house without seeing family, friends our parents, we know now how much we love them and need all of them in life badly.  

I would say it's the best time for kids to learn a few life skills, to honour what they have in life and to be in gratitude. R helps me in the kitchen, in arranging washed vessels. He waters the plants daily. R tells we cannot go out to buy flowers for the pooja if I daily water them we can use the flowers grown in our garden for the pooja. I get so amazed by his thinking. Later he does his morning prayers and his practices. plays few puzzles, attain few online classes which have been initiated by AOL to keep kids busy and creative in this lockdown time. At the same time learn few yoga asanas and breathing techniques. Few arts and crafts. Then again evening prayers and pooja with me. Have dinner at 6.45 pm and go to bed by 7.30 pm. I bet you no summer classes will teach your kids this type of life lessons. I am sure you all will agree with me. 😊

Amidst all this chaos, forwards, messages of COVID-19, which started bombarding through various means of communication. With so much negative news. Let's calm down and sit back and think what was that which was lacking in life. Rather what nature wanted from us.  Let's go within. Let's honour a few aspects in this quarantine time:-
1. Time
2. Food
3. Relationships
4. Learning
5. Discipline
I am a huge fan of Gulzar Sahab. Want to mention one of there beautiful thought which they had penned down during this current crisis.

Let's fight together in eradicating this dangerous pandemic and help each other with whatever possible ways we can. Self-isolation and social distancing is the norm. Before this also we had faced many epidemics and have come out with a solution. Here I would like to tell one short story which I came across and my heart boomed with positive sense. The story goes this way:-

During the Mahabharata war, Ashwathama was very angry when his father Dronacharya was killed in the war. He launched a terrible weapon " Narayan Astra" on the Pandava army. Nobody could retaliate it. It used to fire and destroy people in whose ever hand it could find the weapon. Then Lord Krishna ordered the Pandava army to drop the weapon and keep folding hands silently.  And said do not even bring the idea of war in their mind, it will destroy them. Ultimately Narayan Astra slowly calmed down when it's time expired. In this way, the Pandava army was protected.

Everywhere the battle does not succeed. To avoid the wrath of nature, we should also leave all the work for some time, silently praying with folded hands and keeping positive with good intentions in mind to stay in one place. Let's allow, obey and respect our doctors, government officials and health workers and stay calm indoors. Only then we all gonna survive with this havoc. This Corona will also cool down after completing its time.

Let's pray for the entire being and mankind this shall too pass. And we will win over it. Coexist with nature, else nature knows how to reclaim it. Stay at home. Stay safe.

Naturopathy - An holistic healing

A few months back I happened to experience this amazing therapy, which has made me more healthy and have become more aware with regards to my eating habits. Thought of sharing a few insights on this amazing holistic process.

What is Naturopathy? Its a self-healing approach on treating few disorders and illness of all kinds, by stimulating the body's self-healing mechanism through food. YES. Food plays a major role in all our lives. Which we often ignore rather don't give much importance to it.

Naturopathy is one such practice which is as older than those conventional medicines, and are globally known for promoting and maintaining the body's long term optimal health. Naturopathy sets one's life and gives the proper direction in maintaining health and to lead a life in harmony. It is a highly individualized treatment that involves facilitating effective restoring techniques, self-care decisions, and much more which can prevent future health problems.

In brief, Naturopathy is an alternative to medicines, in the form of food combinations, natural herbs, and healthy practices just like how it was in our good olden days. This includes a diet of- 40% vegetables, fruits 500g per day. Specifically seasonal fruits.  Plenty of green leafy vegetables in the form of smoothies. Recommended to have unpolished rice, millets. Avoid wheat, as it generates heat. Replace sugar with organic jaggery and raw honey. And lastly, use cast iron and earthen wear vessels as much as possible.

Preferably the diet should be something like this:-

1. 25%  salads. (5 colours of raw vegetables and 5 types of leafy vegetables - in the form of chutney).

2. 25% steamed cooked vegetables.
3. Moong and tur dal
4. Sprouts.
5. Use only cold-pressed organic oil for cooking. And use only A2 fresh cow ghee.

Must avoid:- Milk products, panner, sugar, rice, wheat.

But one is advised to consult naturopathy specialist, as each person body has different dietary requirements,  depending on each of our body type. I have seen and heard people suffering from a different hormonal disorder like PCOD, Thyroid etc, through naturopathy their medicines have stopped completely and there health getting better than before through this amazing process of healing.

When our body gets, a sufficient amount of nutrition automatically one's sleep pattern gets set. You will start feeling light from inside and feel more confident than before. Hence one should inculcate a healthy diet with minimum 40 minutes of exercises and yoga. Which has helped many patients to come out of there health conditions and started living a joyful life.

Hence take care of your health before its too late. After all, if health is there everything will fall in place automatically. Be healthy. Be safe.

The Echo Of Silence

I recently experienced an amazing program from AOL, which was pending from my side for a long while now. I had kept postponing it. Finally, the call came from the master to do this better now. 😇  it's a 3-day program from morning till night over a weekend, starting from Friday noon till Monday morning. It's a combination of series of meditation and few yoga asanas and knowledge talks from Gurudev. But the icing on the cake is you have to be in silence. YES, no talking, no phone calls, totally cut off from the outside world, until Monday morning. Once the course ends in the morning we can come out of silence. 

I was mentally getting prepared to experience this amazing program. Since the course was on a weekend I sent R to my mom place. This was the first time R was far away from me, for three whole days. I was extremely emotional from inside to leave him and most importantly I cannot talk to him. I will be in silence. Finally made my mind strong and geared up to experience this amazing program. 

The first day went well with the introduction talk from the teacher and meeting with the participants to get to know each other before going into silence. Met a wonderful soul in this program, Hasi aunty. A 62-year-old Bengali, thin, short, fair and extremely polite humble lady. We both sat next to each other on the very first day. In no time we both connected so well. Even in the silence Hasi aunty used to be with me during doing Seva, nature walks, mealtime and she used to not live me anywhere. I just loved her name "Hasi" meaning - Thousand Laughter... She was no less than the meaning of her name. Always smiling with lots of love. Found a motherly figure to calm down my emotional trauma which I was going through, far away from my loved ones R and family. 

The second and third day went extremely well with early morning yoga, sadhana and Sudarshan kriya, later breakfast. Again a few knowledge talks from Gurudev, few processes and there was a series of meditations. We humans, accumulate so much of stress inside us we don't even realise how it has been affecting our mind and body. They say meditation is food to our soul. By doing meditation all our bad karmas and previous lives impressions get clear and it cleanses the mind and soul. A lot of emotional things come up when one goes into silence along with deep meditations and few processes. It knuckles our resistance and brings back our scattered mind to one place. Gurudev has designed it so well one has to experience it to feel it.

We all participants relished the food in these three days. Food used to get cooked freshly three times a day. Without onion and garlic. Satvik food plays a major role in being healthy and positive. As I have mentioned in one of my previous write-ups too on food. After a delicious meal at the noon,  we all used to rest with Yoga Nidra. In no time we all used to go into a deep sleep but with awareness. It controls our wandering mind and brings back in to present moment and go into deep rest. They say 20 minutes of deep meditation is equal to 4 hours of sleep. 

On the last day of the course, we all participants were so happy to come out of silence. We all took a group photo and had a yummy breakfast, with a nice laugh n smile talking with each other. After breakfast, the time came to depart. We all exchanged our numbers to be in contact later too. And yes Hasi aunty hugged me tight and blessed me with a whole heart. And told me to be in contact. She has an only son with whom she stays in the city. Told me, after meeting you I have found a daughter too now. I felt so overwhelmed by her gesture.

At times unknowingly we meet somebody and bond so well that relations continue for a lifetime. Such was that with Hasi aunty. And yes after silence I got first call from Mumma, she was in waves of emotions listening to my voice after 3days. And yes spoke to R who was on his way to school felt so complete. And yes I am back with a bang to face all the challenges which come on my way and face it with a wink 😜

A Tale of 6 yards

Seeing the title you all must be thinking what is that I am talking about. Any guesses. Well, here I have come up with beautiful belongingness of our very own Indian attire, which represents our Indian culture and tradition, the 6-yard Saree. 

From my childhood, I have been seeing my grandmom and my mom in saree beautifully draped. Many thoughts come to my mind when I see this beautiful attire. That pallu of mom's saree was not only to provide the elegance of her drape, but it also had a lot of other cute many things which all our mom's used to do.

Mom's pallu used to serve as a potholder for removing hot pans from the stove. It used to be wonderful to dry children's tears, and at times use as a hand towel. And for sleeping kids, her laps used to be the mattress and her pallu the warm cover. If guests at home those pallus were an ideal hiding place for shy kids.  And while going out as a little kid those pallus were an anchor, a guide to follow mom in the big bad world.

Those pallus with mom's warm hug used to wrap us around as kids, to save us from cold weather. The glorious saree pallus wiped many perspiring brows and bent over the hot wood stoves. It also carried all sorts of vegetables from the garden. After the peas have been shelled, it carried over the hulls. In the fall, the pallu used to bring in the berries and sweetly scented flowers, which had fallen from trees.

Before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time saree pallu", that carried so many purposes. These pallus are nothing but magic woven of our mom's. In today times I don't think our kids know the magic of mom's pallu. But I will definitely read out to my little son the magic of moms pallu, where I caught nothing but my mom's LOVE. 😍😇

Mandala - Limitless Cricle

Mandala is an archetypal image whose occurrence is attested throughout the ages. It signifies the wholeness of the self. As quoted by 

- C.G.Jung

I being a creative person by nature see wholeness and happiness, in all the creative things and nature. I always had a great urge and belongingness to learn this beautiful art form. If one sees a minute designs of this art form it has a lot of things to say.

I believe each person's life is like a Mandala - a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the centre of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and thinks forms the mandala of our life. What lies behind us, what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.

If you see Sun, it is also in the form of a mandala a Circle. It starts with a promise of new beginnings. Every time a Sunsets, it lives behind luminous colours. Those colours are the suns promise for a new day to come. Every individual should learn this nature of giving something in return for whatever we have been blessed with abundance and lead life with gratitude.

Each one of us should be grateful for every ray of the sunrise, as it means that we have another day to make a positive difference for the people around us and to yourself. Start each day with a positive intention of leading life in a positive manner with spreading rays of hope and love around us. 

Our life keeps going around similar to this Mandalas, with various relations, people, promises, which we keep meeting again and again. Start each day with positive intention and send out only love in the future. And all should live life with inspiration and gratitude. 

As we are all ready to ring the bells and welcome New Year, let's make a promise to ourselves - "  Let's take care of our physical body to allow the spiritual self to blossom and flourish.  And extract all the sweetness in life, without filling our life with any harmful substance. And make the choice to lead a life with love and harmony... 

Happy New Year 2020 🌠⭐🌷💐🎂