LIFE MUDRAS

*A SPLITTING HEADACHE*...  The proprietor of a coffee shop had been busy all day. Being Saturday, it was very crowded & the customers were just unending. He had been on his toes since morning. Towards the evening he felt a splitting headache surfacing. As the clock ticked away, his headache worsened. Unable to bear it, he stepped out of the shop leaving his staff to look after the sales. He walked across the street to the Chemist, to buy himself a painkiller to relieve his headache. He swallowed the pill & felt relieved. He knew that in a few minutes he would feel better. As he strolled out of the shop, he casually asked the salesgirl, "Where is Mr Savarkar (the Chemist)? He's not at the cash counter today!" The girl replied, "Sir, Mr Savarkar had a splitting headache & said he was going across to the coffee shop. He said a cup of hot coffee would relieve him of his headache."  The man's mouth went dry & he mumbled, "Oh!...

The idea that we can fix perceived flaws in our partners, friends, parents, and grown children remains a promise of something that is unobtainable. A healthy dose of ego often convinces us that our way of looking at things is right, but if we try to correct someone else it usually backfires. Most of the times it implies that we are more enlightened and that we have a deeper knowledge of what’s best. The other person may get the message that he or she isn’t good enough and will in every probability become resentful. A safer approach would be to look inward to fix the problem. This involves the recognition that you will never be in sync about some matters. We have to accept the fact ‘We have this permanent difference, but we need to learn to live with each other’.

We have traveled through many lifetimes and lived with many different souls amidst family, friends or those who don't really get along with us. Some may have even tried to harm us emotionally, physically or spiritually. All said and done, we all are the same and belong to only one group that is SOULS. We have all traveled together in different lifetimes and have shared various relationships with each other - Father-mother Husband-wife Uncle-aunt Brother-sister Friends Neighbors Servants Drivers and  even so-called enemies Each person is a soul that tries to help the other move forward spiritually and reduce the karmic luggage. Sometimes the soul that loves us the most, might willingly take birth as an enemy or a tormentor in a lifetime, just to help us work out our karma. Thus, a person who we think hates us and we in return hate, might be our greatest well-wisher spiritually. He or she may be responsible for our becoming spiritual or co...

Words hold the power to destroy, but they also hold the power to create.  This is because words do more than define our experiences.  In many cases they actually create them. Help me finish the following phrase: “If you can’t say something nice…” That’s right: “don’t say anything at all.”  Most of us only think of that phrase in terms of how we talk to others.  But what about how we talk to ourselves?  If we say something nice to ourselves, it can be wonderful, encouraging, uplifting.  And if we say something negative or critical or depressing to ourselves, it can be absolutely devastating. What about that little voice that lives inside all of us?  You know what I’m talking about.  Listen.  I bet you can hear it right now:  “What voice?  I don’t have a little voice.  This Sean guy is crazy.  I ate too much and feel bloated.  I’m tired.  That girl over there doesn’t like me.  Did I leave the stove on? ...

Life - we see it all around us,buzzing, moving, and still.   Happiness and sadness both exist at the same time. This reminds me of the basic principle of accounting - For every credit there is an equal debit.  Happiness, sadness is it real, fake, perception or plain mirage? What we all perceive is with respect to. That one is more happy than me. That one has more wealth than me. That one is more lucky than me.  What does it mean? It means that we ignore our happiness and create sadness for ourselves. We are making ourselves a prisoner of our own thoughts. Is it necessary or has it become the only reason of our existence? The spirit is free and totally devoid of expectations.  Aren't we free prisoners?

Every act of yours, every choice you make each day contributes in one way or the other. Do not think that you are just a speck on the infinite canvas of life and it does not matter what you do – the world will always be the same. That’s not true and not the correct thinking. Your every action and every word makes a difference to someone. Your power - positive or negative contributes to the energy of the universe. A thoughtful mind and a motivated individual can change the world and history is a witness to this, that it always has and will always make a difference. The smallest seed gives birth to the tallest tree. The real change has and always starts with an individual, an individual who dares to dream of a different world, influences people to join him on the quest to get there, and takes action accordingly. Easier said than done – but it doesn’t have to be grandiose and insurmountable plan or action. It simply has to start with the intention of changing one person atleas...

Borrowing strength builds weakness   is a concept that hit close to home with me. When you borrow strength from others, you build weakness in your own character.    And just to be clear, we’re not talking about   effective delegation . Trying to do everything yourself is not only ineffective and impractical, but it’s selfish and just plain wasteful.  What we’re talking about here is the idea of staying within your comfort zone, avoiding risk, calling it quits too early, asking for help before you really   try , letting your inner weakness take over before you allow your inner strength the opportunity to build you up for the next time, etc. One of the realities of life is that challenge, struggle, and difficulty will always turn up on your path.  You can count on it.  And what we’re here to remind you of today, is that the other reality of life is that you always have 100% control over your mindset and how you choose t...