We Are Born, We Live, We Die
Three undisputed facts of humanity’s complex existence. But what is to come before and after these things, and why? An ancient philosophy could help us live more harmoniusly in the modern world.
Before he could say anything more, the uninvited guests, who were the agents of death, grabbed him and took him away and his body dropped dead. He was not willing to go but he was hopelessly powerless, his dear family members wanted him to be with him but they were hopelessly helpless.
From the spiritual perspective, cow plays a vital role in providing core ingredients for worship. Cows largely influenced social life and economy in the ages when Bharath (ancient India) was the place for peace and prosperity, attracting the attention of the whole world.
Bhaktivedanta Manor, the largest ISKCON temple in the UK, has stopped accepting a new five pound note that contains traces of tallow, made with animal fat like mutton and beef. Many devotees support the move. Many others, however – while agreeing with the principle that there should not be meat fat in currency we all have to use – have issues with the practicality and even the philosophical grounding in actually banning it.
What’s this world coming to when we’re having a ‘mindful moment’ and we still feel miserable, not having found the happiness we think we deserve? What’s the value of meditation if it only makes us all the more aware of our mundane reality?
Successful people have something in common in their routine – getting up early. They strongly claim that being a morning person is an important habit to stay ahead in the competition.
High streets are intriguing places; a microcosm of modern life. It’s where people descend in their thousands, searching for something extra to enrich their existence. Enter the monks. This is where we spend many days and weeks; standing on street corners, speaking to random people, and showing them spiritual books.
The sharp growth in online video consumption suggests the people of the world are becoming more enraptured by visual content than anything else. But for teachers of the ancient Vedic tradition, sound is seen as capable of having a much deeper transformational effect on a human being.
Many people had been angry by the failures or inaction of one side or other; angry with a do-nothing government which doesn't consider their needs; angry with the moral failures of leadership. And rightly so. But anger and frustration don’t provide a platform from which to make a sound decision.
All leaders, political or otherwise, should try their best to “lead by example.” There should be an awareness that not only the people of the nation, but the entire world is listening to their messages and watching their behavior.
Time is ticking and I’m reflecting on what I’ve actually contributed to the world. Though trying to avoid the egotistical desire to ‘make a mark,’ we are impelled to share the ‘fruits’ we have received.
While the unhealthy world loses its physical edge, we may also consider how we’re losing our mental edge. Just as we exercise the body and keep it tuned, we also need to exercise our mental capacity.
Welcome to the material world, I thought! Without alarming anyone, be prepared that life has its way of rudely ejecting us from our comforts at any moment. Change is unstoppable, uncontrollable and unpredictable.
Probably, most of us say things in private we wouldn't dare utter in public. But, is that acceptable or morally healthy? Hindu texts indicate that all speech reveals who we are. The Upanishads say our actual character is made up of our deepest desires; those desires manifest as our words and actions, which, in turn, create our destiny.
“Buy the car and enjoy the envy in your neighbours’ eyes”. With this tagline a car company hopes to lure more people to buy their brand. And what’s wrong with the message if today people prefer buying products not because of their needs but because of their desire to flaunt their wealth to prove their worth.
A recent article published by Scientific American suggests, “Meditation can decrease stress, lower blood pressure, and lift one’s mood.” With increasing competition and demands in the workplace, mindfulness is more relevant than ever.
Looks can be deceiving, and often far from the full story. It is said that one who laughs too much, even at small and insignificant things, may well be harboring dissatisfaction and sorrow within. A person who feels impelled to keep talking and communicating, could be experiencing loneliness and lack of meaningful camaraderie.
For someone who has a little bit of knowledge and is somewhat observant, life is replete with a plethora of opportunities to correct other people. And, truth be told, we do like to be right. The urge to rightfully correct someone, however, must be exercised with caution.
Though we live in times of chronic movement, we must pause for thought, reflect, and carefully examine our desires and motivations. In a society where life’s success factors tend to be external and tangible ones, such ‘soul-searching’ doesn’t come naturally.
In life, few things are as hurting as criticism. Even more excruciating is unwarranted criticism, that is, criticism based on misunderstandings or untruths. We tend to respond to such criticism in one of three broad ways.
In any area of human life, when someone begins an endeavour – especially one they hope will endure for a long time, they are, in effect, planting a seed. By their aspirations, their vision of the final result, and by their determination, they plant a seed. And, provided the conditions are right, it will grow.
Central to the concept of avatar is the idea of crossing over from one realm to another. In its original Sanskrit philosophical context, avatar refers to the Absolute Truth descending from the spiritual world to the material world.
The average person spends 23 days a year on the phone. Ironically, we seldom use them for the purpose they were invented – to audibly speak to people.
Let’s face it, there’s an obsessively-conformist, magically-numb muggle in us all. Being different, even a little odd, is a nightmare of Dursleyian proportions that most of us know (and fear) all too well. The magical world, however, has no room for such muggle-mindedness, and neither does the world of yoga.
A person is attracted to the notion of bhakti after hearing about it, examines the concepts involved, tests it by meeting others who have adopted it and then experiments with the daily practises. After finding some satisfaction the person then moves toward ‘advocacy’ of bhakti.
