ATTITUDES AND THEIR COMPONENTS

ATTITUDES AND THEIR COMPONENTS

To celebrate the New Year along with my family , we went to a restaurant. I asked for a fork and all I got was an attitude.

Attitude is a settled way of thinking about something. It can be further added to state that it is an expression of favour or disfavour towards a person , place ,thing or event. Today,we find display of attitude ( invariably in an abrasive manner) quite commonplace.

Winston Churchil writes," Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

We boast about " Incredible India" , but does the country really believe in the philosophy of " Atithi Devo Bhava". On one side of the spectrum are world famous trains like -" Palace on Wheels", " Fairy Queen"." Royal Orient Express" and the " Deccan Odyssey" to name some and on the other side of the faultline are the infamous " Nirbhaya Rape Case", abnormal delay in the passage of the Juvenile Justice Act , fleecing of tourists and a general unhygienic and unclean environment.  These act as deterrent for the potential tourists visiting and revisiting the country. We imminently need Swacch Minds and Swacch Bharat .  Indians have become apparatchik  of unholy traditions holding on to geek gadgets.  No where men!

The country is blessed with a salubrious climate, a large countryside, extensive coastline, rugged deserts ,majestic forts, marvelous temples and places of worship of different faiths with extraordinary architecture,cool climes of the Himalayas, yet we fail to exploit the true potential of tourism.. Tourism can be a money spinner and generate massive employment.

The problem is our archaic and abrasive attitude.

Thomas Jefferson , once famously said," Nothing can stop the man with the right attitude from achieving his goal, nothing on the earth can help the man with wrong mental attitude."

Attitudes consists of the way a person feels and thinks about something ,aswell as the person chooses to behave. Some of the broad components of this human trait are Affective, Behavioral and Cognitive approaches to behaviour.

a) The Affective component of an attitude is the way a person feels about any object, person  or a situation . It broadly implies " emotions"  and " feelings". It can be zeroed upon as an emotional component. For example an individual may find  Hindustani classical music soothing to the ears and uplifting . So such a person gets connected with this genre of music quite easily. However  our attitude  towards tourism is not sympathetic nor  we can empathise  with the tourists . Thus  we score pretty low on the score .

b) The Behavioual component  of an attitude is the action an individual takes with regard to the situation . Now the Hindustani classical  loving person would purchase a large cachet of such a collection. He would be attending concerts and watching the programmes  on TV .  I find our attitude towards tourism industry is  that  of neglect.We  treat our customers is a  disparaging   manner. Thus the potential tourist gets  lost in the maze and labyrinths of irreverent behaviour.

c) Finally the Cognitive component of attitude formation. This is purely the way a person thinks about himself, an object, a situation . Such thoughts , or cognition's , include beliefs  and ideas about the focus of the attitude.   An individual would place classical music on a higher plane in comparison to other forms of music and patronise it to the fullest.

Unfortunately , the czars  of tourism industry  do not even posses this  cognitive aspect of attitude formation . They seem to have a low esteem about the entire industry they head  and  thus cannot  project it in a positive  manner  .  Thus on all scales our component of attitudinal behaviour are lackadaisical .

Attitudes are formed through contacts, instructions, interactions with others and observational behavioral patterns.

Tourism in India has a negative connotation and therefore we  cannot  advertise our product effectively.  Further attitudes are formed through direct instructions. Like parents can impress upon children that smoking and drinking are unhealthy vices. Children would  over a period of time learn  and stave off  from these addictions. But the reverse is true of our tourism industry . We beget negativity and there are virtually no learning.

Interaction with people also form an impression on our attitudes.  A non smoking parent , peers, siblings  have a significant impact on attitude formation  of a child. The propensity of the child not to smoke enhances. The recall value of tourism industry is woeful , and moments are captured only on camera or cellphones and not in our minds.

Finally attitudes are  influenced by other people in the immediate  world and also by the larger world of the education system .  However the ecosystem of tourism in India has become so corrupted that  the prospective foreign client is put off by the delinquent behaviour.

Interestingly we talk about the  ingress of foreigners increasing from 1.7million to 7 million between 1991 to 2013.. But are we making a comparison to countries in South East Asia like China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia  and Sri Lanka ?  Absolute numbers mean nothing .

India has to make a clear  break away from the past and concentrate as Carl Jung says," focus on the  conscious and unconscious,extraversion an introversion, rational and even irrational " to rejig our attitudes . Only then can we be a hospitable country.

Yoga and Yoga mats are exported today, so is Spiritualism . May be it happened always............ Buddhism and Vipassana left the shores of this country!

FEAR

They numbered 400 and we were a mere 4. The 400 comprised of widows,half-widows and orphans. All victims of the senseless violence in Assam during the period of insurgency.

Widowed in the theatre of conflict of  sylvan surroundings of Assam. The half-widows lost their loved ones and husbands in the ether of conflict. And children numbed by witnessing the horrific bloodshed all around them.

They became mute spectators and were victims of fear. What is fear? Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger ,pain or harm. It is a human response to the twin physical and emotional dangers which lurk around us. The firewall of protection gets destroyed by this primordial human emotion called fear.

Normally the emotion is quiescent ,but surfaces , when the windshield of protection is broken.

In unison these 400 odd victims of terror violence seem to be echoing , what the noted Kashmiri poet Lal Ded wrote:

" Ill or well

Whatever befalls

Let it come

My ears will not hear

My eyes will not see

When the voice calls from within

The in most mind,

The lamp of faith burns steady and bright

Even in the wind."

As Brahmaputra flowed the swathes of Assam, the chilling termination of human lives took place, which rendered women and children totally rudderless.

Now the 4 of us were not perpetrators of any violence . We held responsible positions in government and private sector and were connected through the philosophy of Art Of Living. We had been asked by friend,batchmate and then DIG Law and Order , Assam to provide succor and emotional sanity to the traumatized souls.

The Beginning

Mukut Medhi , and Art Of Living teacher dropped in my office and asked me to counsel an alcoholic who happened to heading ITDC in Guwahati.

The counselling sessions lasted a few days. One day after the session , I found myself amidst the top activists of AASU( All Assam Students Union). They were soon connected through Skype with his HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at Bangalore. I was quite taken aback at the turn of events. The mandate was simple- ultras of Assam were to lay down arms and report to the Bangalore Ashram for a transformation through Art Of Living where they would undergo programmes to repair their lives and rejoin the mainstream . At the Ashram, they were to be imparted Yoga, meditation and the unique breathing technique of Sudarshan Kriya.

Since I was working on North East Frontier Railway and was involved with the Art Of Living  activities, Mukut Medhi  approached me to help in transportation of the ultras to Banagalore Ashram. All the paper work  from Ministry Of Defence and Ministry of Home were already executed .

In the archipelago of my mind were several insidious , fearful and negative thoughts. Yet I took up the challenge to assist in the logistics and providing the Last Mile Connectivity.

Arun Madhavanji , a very senior Art Of Living teacher was to tell me later that" Gurudev inspires devotees to take up unique challenges, which appear beyond their natural capacity . Yet through his grace , the unthinkable happens. "

" To achieve the impossible , it is the unthinkable that must be thought", wrote an American writer.

So what would have been normally antithetical to a bureaucrat , I proved otherwise. Now transportation of the ultras by trains to Bangalore Ashram of Art Of Living , escorted by men in fatigues and accompanied by officials of Ministry of Home Affairs  was  a herculean task. But then in this month of December, even Santa did not come without a clause. The terrorists/militants proved to be tough customers and kept detraining at stations giving security personnel a scare. There was a virtual bedlam at stations as trains were halted . While recalling " The Dirty Dozen" and " Great Escape" , I was gripped with paranoia and fear. My thoughts veered on as to what would railway bosses think and respond.

But there was a Divine Plan at work . After a few abortive attempts , persuasion by Art Of Living volunteers and teachers paid off and the militants reached their DESTINATION, BANGALORE ASHRAM. They returned  after a few months of  spiritual rejuvenation , having eschewed arms and violence and rejoined the mainstream. Today they lead normal lives.

The Interim

Mukut Medhi and the 3 of us accepted the challenge to help out these 400 victims of violence. A three day Nav Chetna Shibir was conducted to ameliorate the lives of the widows , half widows and orphans. After a few rounds of Bhastrika Pranayama  and Ram Dhyan Meditation , an avalanche of emotions flowed through the group of 400 and they were engulfed with  a tide that broke months of stony silence. My batchmate  Bhaskar , DIG Law and Order approached the Art Of Living post the success story of the earlier mission of transporting ultras to Bangalore Ashram and their recovery .

" Revolution needs its own children. If it goes of your hands , you can't do anything , you are helpless . That is what happened to us" . This saying was so true for all of us . We did not remain as mute spectators . We too eschewed our fears and took up the challenge headlong.

The victims of violence too joined the mainstream after a few Art Of Living programmes. They conquered their fears and we ours , through the grace of the Guru.

The events described above took place during my tenure at Guwahati between 2007 and 2009.

Mind Management -3

Recently I received a message on my cell," I am the son of Lord Krishna , I keep visiting Tirumala , yet I take drugs, why do I suffer, please help me?"

My terse response was ," Meet a psychiatrist , undergo counselling , take medication and undergo the Happiness Programme of the The Art Of Living".

But the caller was unsatisfied and kept pestering me with a flurry of such messages.

This person was positively in a state of misery and fear. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger and pain. His crutch and life boat was Lord Krishna. To my mind , it seemed a state of hallucination , perhaps because of medicines and drugs. The mind of the caller was both fragmented and deeply disturbed. He appeared to be in a state of imbalance . No one in his right frame of mind would come up with such outlandish prepositions.

He refused take proper medication , meet a psychiatrist or undertake the Art Of Living programme. Here was a challenge staring me in my face. The individual positively required attention and help.

The Patanjali Yoga Sutras have identified the following as root causes of miseries in life- Avidya, Asmita, Raga, Dwesha and Abhinivesha.

1) Avidya- This is nothing but lack of knowledge or ignorance. Everything around us keeps changing constantly. It could be our cells , blood, stomach linings, hair to name some. But we are oblivious of the change. The only permanent thing in life is impermanence said Buddha.

2) Asmita- Is our intellect and our self. We get stubbornly stuck to our opinions. Like the caller was fixated with the idea that he was the child of Lord Krishna and stay put at Tirumala. Yet he was partaking drugs. We are unable to comprehend life beyond a state of our stubbornness and ignorance. Unfortunately the mind is stuck in our mirror image of stubbornness. We too becomes " Pictures of Dorian Gray"

3) Raga- This is nothing but craving. Normally craving arises out of certain pleasurable experiences of the past . It has deep imprint on the mind. But such impressions only aggravates our wants and misery. It is a vicious cycle of pleasure begetting more pleasure  and ending up in a cachet of misery.

4) Dwesha- Is nothing but hatred . Hatred is antithetical to craving. Though it arises out of craving , the premise is an unpleasant experience. Some kind of an oxymoron like situation. This could be because of certain tragic moments in the past  or unrealistic expectations which do not materialise.

5) Abhivivesha- This is fear of the unknown . An emotion which affects all of us. Only a saint or  an insane person has overcome this barrier. Fear can also help as a protecting cloak  when it is in  relatively small measure. This helps us to not indulge in chest thumping bravado. Erudite scholars too live with this primordial instict.

The above points have been explained in a succinct and elaborate manner by HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in his commentary on Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

The caller proclaiming to be the son of Lord Krishna was in obvious pain and agony. He could experience ecstasy only through scientific help that is consulting a psychiatrist  , taking proper medication and undertake an Art Of Living course. That was of course my suggestion. However his escapist response was that the course would be expensive  and where could he locate a centre . This is how a how a fragmented and an escapist mind reacts. That is primarily looking for excuses and not accepting the reality. I suggested that through Art Of Living website  a centre could be identified and a course undergone . Further there are free courses like Nav Chetna workshops which he could attend.

The caller continued to escape and dodge the inevitable. This is how human mind reacts. It keeps hunting for excuses, alternatives . Invariably the cloak of negativity and ignorance shrouds the mind from combating the problem.

Exercising all love, caution and care , I asked him to chant " OM NAMAHA SHIVAYA" - 108 times thrice a day to purge his mind from all negative thoughts and making positive affirmations by writing" I AM HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL". This task also to be done thrice daily 108 times. And the Tapas to be done for 41 days. Incase a day is missed for some reason , repeat the process again for 41 days. Such signals to the mind are extremely useful and powerful . The mind then responds to positive thoughts and discards negative feelings and emotions.

He has not contacted me so far. Presumably , he has embarked on the journey of Tapas and hopefully has found support and a beacon of light in the dark tunnel. His Ishta Devata , Lord Krishna wielded Sudarshan Chakra wading through negativity and impurity. Sudarshan Kriya , Pranayama , Yoga and Meditation will certainly swathe through the cobwebs of his troubled mind and increase his Prana, Chi or energy to obliterate the negativity.

I am waiting for the 41 days to end so that he can be happy , healthy and peaceful. 

Jai Guru Dev.

Addictions- How to overcome them?

Addictions- How to overcome them?”

“ We are addicted to our thoughts . We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking, “ writes Santosh Kalwar.

Addiction is actually a physical or a psychological need for a habit forming substance, could be drugs, alcohol, food, sex , even shopping  or even  excessive  physical  exercise. No wonder the term gym rat  has been added to  our usage. In all these cases the initial engagement is pleasurable , but a stage develops when ingestion  of the substance say alcohol becomes compulsive in nature and it interferes in  normal routine working.

Anais Nin ( an artiste) says, “ This day is my kief , hashish and opium pipe. This is my day and my vice.”  Gail Carniger yet another artiste , exults that,” I suspect it may be like the difference between a drinker and an alcoholic; the one merely reads books , the other needs books to make it through the day.”

 Addiction is  an unpleasant physical activity , yet the human body and mind demand another dose be it alcohol or drugs   every a few hours. The addict throws up and consumes yet again . It is nothing but mental bulimia.

The afflicted person refuses to acknowledge the state and lives in a state of denial and  not to accepting  it as a malady or a disorder .

 Addictions can strike anyone and is not class specific. Alcoholism or drug addiction is not a malady of the rich and it easily encompasses the hoi-polloi.  But I focus on celebrities  and wonder  as to how noted writers , artistes , musicians , celebrities fall for  various addictions despite  being aware of the perils associated with the addiction. To begin with  it impairs  their performance , quality of life  and contribution to the art world and society  . In a drunken or stoned state  addicts abuse their bodies and those of others .  Pavement dwellers  get maimed for life or worse,  killed due to   reckless driving by such celebrities ( it could be a commoner too)   in that state of high. Such  stars may  resort to crime or harbour criminals or ultras. Subsequently they plead innocence  before the judiciary and walk free from imprisonment . It could be because of  lack of evidence, compromised investigation, exchange of money at high places or simply  owing to their celebratory status.

These are gifted individuals and nature has endowed them with exceptional skills , which  need to be explored  but addiction distracts them from honing their talent. Even the society enjoys such actions with  pure voyeuristic pleasure and provides the television  viewer  with some cheap entertainment. The biggest promoters of this voyeurism are our 24*7 TV channels  for whom only TRPs  matters.

After years of travails , tribulations , physical and mental suffering an addict becomes aware of the problem. The intellect awakens only through an inexplicable   experiential phenomenon. It is when we realise our bodies and minds are sacred that the addict can take the first step. This can happen only through grace of the Divine or a Guru.

“ Take the first step in faith . You don’t have to see the whole staircase , just take the first step ‘’ said  Martin Luther King Junior.

The addict needs to take one day at a time . One should not plan for unrealistic long term goals . What ever be the provocation , the afflicted should remain positive , engage in hobbies , divert the mind , keep  harmonious company and engage in physical activity. Look for an environmental change . For instance do not take the same road back home from office ,just drive past a bar  or  a wine shop or that group of associates who can  pull the wrong trigger.

There are several anonymous groups like AA, Smokers Anonymous, Sex Anonymous etc who help to wean away the addict from their programmes. Addicts are medically treated  in rehabs to detoxify the system . Psychiatrists are providing special service to treat such patients. But in countries like India , the patient lives in a state of denial and does not seek medical attention. There is both lack of awareness and secondly  one feels that he would be ostracised thus does not approach a doctor for help. Besides these self –help groups , families , friends have a pivotal role to play and convince the addict to seek medical help at the earliest .This has to be done with love , care and compassion and not with a whip. 

It would be indeed  beneficial  to take up Art Of Living Courses , which has now offers a special programme to overcome addictions and detoxification. Breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya,meditation  techniques, practice of Yoga and Pranayama( alternate nostril breathing) infuse fresh energy or prana into the mind and body of  an individual to remain calm and detoxify the self.

As Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says ,” When you consider life to be sacred , Nature waits on you.” And when nature waits on you miracles  happen.

Mind Management-2

Mind Management – 2

Sometime back I had written a piece on “ Mind Management” and   received  certain queries about  generation of multiple thoughts and the acceptance by people that  mind was not at ease. It was frightening and troubling that several   people of various age groups  were plagued by all kinds of  negative thoughts and  were not living lives in the Present Moment.

People  were troubled by thoughts arising during  the whole day and particularly at night time. Thoughts arising at bed time reside  with us and seep deep into our consciousness and   the following morning  we are again troubled by those very  thoughts   and  are not like fresh dew on petals.

Ashtravaka Gita  ( a  dialogue between King  Janaka and sage Ashtavakra) says that “ all  action resides in the mind “  and this is further  corroborated by modern science. Modern science  amplifies that there is no difference in the activity of the mind; whether you slap someone or merely think of slapping someone .It is actually the brain’s limbic system , which is where the  motor control  gets expressed . Just thinking of slapping  someone activates all muscles that would  be employed to undertake that   specific action.

Jesus adds   further   that a  sin gets committed by the mere thought of being unfaithful to your spouse. On an average we  are bombarded by 50 to 60 thousand  thoughts a day. And we seem to have   no control over them.

These thoughts arise on account of  our  memory bank (   past impressions and Karma) , the  company we keep ,past and current experiences and  also the food we partake.

According to Ashtavakra Gita  , enlightenment occurs  only when we live in our hearts. Heart is synonymous  for a point of inflexion where there is no past or future . There is only a present. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says that “  the  Present moment is inevitable.” And   this state is  true enlightenment. A state where you a become a witness to the actions . From an   actor  or doer , we  become witnesses to what is happening around us.

How does one reach that state of Present Moment . Before dwelling on some techniques , let us witness    a  few stories.

Two Buddhists monks  were riding  cycles and  were on their way to meet   a Zen Master. Monk one ,  described the number of trees, clouds, waft of cold breeze striking his cheek, mountains , beautiful blue sky , fruits plucked on the way, village folk he encountered  among others before meeting the Zen Master. While the second monk in all trepidation , meekly replied that he only cycled to meet the Zen Master. Immediately , the Master proclaimed the second monk to be the next Zen Master. Why?  , because he was only cycling ! He was in the present moment. How many of us have seen Virendra Sehwag   despatch the red cherry all over the park . He is in that present moment zone , where the  mind is not cluttered. That is true consciousness.

Yet  another Buddhist story . There were two Buddhist monks travelling through a  dense forest . On their way they came across a naked woman . The older one removed his apparel and clothed the  bare woman and carried her across the river and left her on the other side of the  bank. The younger monk was greatly troubled by this act of his senior. He kept chiding the senior monk, literally  accusing him of  for what he perceived as an act of  sacrilege . The older one just smiled and remarked that, he carried the lady across the river , while  the other monk was still carrying the lady in his mind. Obviously the older monk through his “ Sadhana”   achieved a state of  being in the present moment.

I would recommend , readers and all the callers to  undertake the Happiness Programme of Art Of Living . Read, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s , Celebrating Silence and  knowledge sheets of Guruji   to acquire this wonderful knowledge of being in the present moment.

Practising  Pranayama , Sudarshan Kriya, Yoga ,  undertaking vigorous exercise , pursuing hobbies, contemplating, praying , observing  nature  and  just  being a spectator or a witness  will help also help a  seeker  and those with troubled minds   to live  in the present moment. Once in the present moment , unwanted thoughts dissolve and a person  is  at peace.

Confucious says” Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

Brick, in, Break the wall- Teacher -Student relationship

Last  friday  , after  school , my  daughter stormed  into the  house(  it was very hot ,she was sweating and did not  secure good grades in English) . Instead of being greeted by me or by my father , she was questioned about her performance in English. That infuriated her further and my daughter skipped the customary evening  snack and locked herself in her room  only to appear for tuitions later in the evening.

How did I forget my childhood? Why did I not recall , Pink Floyd’s classic ,” Brick in the Wall”. And how did I not recollect  our very own school  production  with Barry John called KIDSTUF , staged years ago  which highlighted the  travails of children  at school and at home.

President Kalam opined that to be a unique human being , an individual needs to possess four qualities , namely  a great aim, continuously acquiring knowledge by reading great books and keeping great company , hard work and great perseverance.

Are   parents , schools , administrators and  teachers  nourishing this dream of  creating   unique children fired with passion , imagination and talent  or producing marionettes from factories ? This needs to be deliberated by all stakeholders including children.

In this age of SMAC( Software , Mobiles, Apps and Cloud) and not SMACK , teachers and parents  need  to navigate the field of technology  adroitly  so that they keep  pace  with the latest information to challenge  the mind of the child and not confront them.

Today  education is imparted in three ways. Face to Face, Correspondence Courses and On- Line. A  student/child/learner expects the  teacher/educationist is respectful( to the demands of the learner),responsive,knowledgeable,approachable,communicative,organised , engaging , professional and humorous  in disposition .

Teachers, need to look at this inventory  list and  do some soul searching . Without, any doubt , a child expects  moments of wonder in the classroom . Students crave for that  AHA! moment to break the monotony of non-stop classes . The educator today  needs to navigate pop culture and understand the lingo of being”cool”, and understand the mind of the child. Mutual trust between students and teachers is absolutely paramount . There should be no politicking, favouritism etc . Studies in Organisation behaviour ,  clearly  indicate that many a times teachers pay attention to certain children or certain columns  in the classroom,  neglecting others at their own peril. This results in resentment and poor grades of the lot  ignored . A bit of humour, being witty , that lighter moment immediately attracts  a child towards the teacher . As Gail Goodwin says,” Teaching is one-fourth preparation and three fourths theatre.”.

Teachers need to  master two secrets to be successful  in their careers . The Law Of Attraction and The Law Of Acceptance . Law  one  makes  a teacher radiate energy, liveliness ,inspire students, invoke positive vibes and thoughts in the classroom .  The second law encourages a teacher  to accept  the learner  in all respects .  The student  is taken seriously, feels  recognised and challenged, develops  special skills  and their  creativity gets harnessed   . Besides the teacher needs to  understand the difficulties, complexes, sexuality and  hesitations of the child . A student is to be embraced not humiliated.

Today  the teacher today is harassed , has odd timings, plenty of corrections to undertake , rear children at home ,  manage  two fronts(home and school), invariably carries school to house and home to school, does not have time to exercise , yearns for that  Sunday or holiday to relax and unwind .  In such a scenario teachers  have  certain expectations   from children, administration, fellow  teachers  and their  spouses and families .

From  Students- Teachers expect  children are prepared , committed to learn, motivated , respectful , understand their strengths and weaknesses , respect each other and  do not become bullies .

From Parents- It is expected that  the parents do not become super teachers . The common goal is the interest of the child . Parents need to be participative and not coercive . They need to inculcate habits which  need not be moral policing but  to encourage their children to blossom.

From Administration- Not to play petty politics  amongst teachers . Inculcate discipline among the fraternity , provide good packages , encourage  them and support them during crisis . Invariably the  home front  impinges upon the circumference of the school , but the school is so tied up with the TRPs of SRPs- Scholastic Report Performance Schemes)  that they lack the ability  to hear out the teacher, forget even listening to them.

From Co- Teachers- Need to be collaborative, professional, supportive , respect differences among them and also accept unity  among some groups  gracefully.

From Family- To be  warm and proud of the profession and provide that extra space  in their lives .

All this may appear to be altruistic , but  is perhaps essential for the teacher to sport a SMILE to the child  and GREET and be GREETED everyday by  the children. And most essentially to increase the SPAN OF ATTENTION of the child  in the classroom.

This  piece covers  the spectrum of public schools  which have reasonable resources . There  are millions of children who are illiterate  and several schools in  India which do not have  necessary infrastructure , including TOILETS ,which  leads to large drop outs especially among  the girl child.

In the final analysis as Kofi Anan put it  “ Knowledge is power , information is liberating , education is the prism of progress in every society , in every family.”

Clean your lungs - No Smoking Please

Some years back an Irish gentleman  and others were partying at our house . While drinks were permitted , but cigarettes were a taboo. An occasional drink was a relaxation so to say. This Irish gentleman survived a plane crash and gave up smoking , thanking his stars and  God almighty. A few years later , he once again  survived a plane crash and  restarted  smoking. But I reckon he lacked in gratitude. " When a person doesn't have gratitude , something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude towards gratitude." writes Elie Wiesesl .

 

So very true.

 

A few days back I met a junior in service , who kicked smoking  in circa 2000, but once again resumed smoking 11 years later.   Why do we smoke? Peer pressure , just to chill it out or relax?  There is no definitive answer . However it is a  weak mind which cannot resist the temptation. But all smokers agree that smoking is dangerous to their health . Not only theirs  but also of their family members  and those in close in proximity.

 

WHO estimates that in the year 2014  approximately 6.4million  deaths  occurred  on account of tobacco consumption. And apparently 100 million people have perished over the course of 20th century because of smoking and tobacco related diseases . There is an apt Japanese proverb that " Fear is only as deep as mind allows ." Despite realising the dangers of smoking and consumption of tobacco related products we fall prey to the temptation.

 

The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco use as " the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide." Several countries have adopted stringent measures to control the consumption of tobacco with the  usage and sale restrictions as well as bold warning messages   printed on the  packaging .

 

While our venerable  Parliamentarians do not agree to the passage of GST( Goods and Service Tax) to kickstart  the economy, they   are however  in unanimity not to print the prohibitive  and  horrific pictures on the products which would  otherwise  scare the prospective consumer .Without doubt the tobacco lobby in India is brazen and   emboldened  to carry on the sale of their dangerous products. Infact celebrities like sports persons , filmstars and others should refrain from endorsing  tobacco and alcohol products completely . That should be their minimum  corporate social responsibility for the enormous  wealth accumulated .

 

Without any doubt tobacco is one of the single greatest cause of preventable deaths globally. It affects the heart, liver and lungs of human bodies. Smoking is a major contributor for heart attacks, COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This  includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.   I recall of an incident  when  an  officer( who was  both  an  alcoholic and smoker) in railways who   was charred to death in a  state of stupor. I reckon as Arthur Rubinstein says" If you love life, life will love you back." Such tragic human foibles lead to us hubris as we  fail to  love and appreciate  life.

Smoking causes cancers of larynx and mouth , hypertension besides  polluting  the environment. Secondary smoking is equally debilitating for the passive smoker. WHO argues that cigarettes sold in underdeveloped countries tend to have a higher tar content and are less likely to be filtered , potentially increasing the  vulnerability of  tobacco and  smoking related diseases .

Given all these negativeness, people still consume tobacco and smoke. To begin with a  person planning to quit smoking should find a powerful reason to stop smoking as his mind remains   in a  state of denial . The individual should realise that both he and his family needs  to be protected.

Is the addict not being self centred by not caring for the family. As Louis Hay says" By choosing loving , joyous thoughts, I create a joyous , loving world. I am safe and free."  The addict is neither safe nor free  or joyous.

 

The  human brain is wired to this addiction and  nicotine. It is the withdrawal symptoms which plays a havoc on the physical and psychological self. The addict needs to consult  a counselor, take medication or join self help groups like smokers -anonymous to be free from this addiction.

 

That craving for that  ONE -DRAG needs  to be challenged  at any cost . It would be wise on part of the smoker or tobacco addict to fix a goal of not smoking at all for a certain period of time  and see the results and benefit . Make a solemn promise to the  self and family that smoking is deleterious to health and therefore , resolve that whatever may  be the provocation , avoid smoking . It would be worthwhile to look at the financial  cost of the packet and savings that  could accrue by quitting smoking . The amount of money saved in a day, a week , a month , a year by abstaining from smoking would be manifold. This is Darren Hardy's  Compound Effect .

Simultaneously , the addict should avoid triggers like coffee, cafine,   tea and alcohol . Invariably  an addict lights  up a cigarette while consuming triggers. Instead we  would recommend taking to exercise, long walks and developing hobbies to divert the mind from consuming tobacco products and smoking.

A smoker should clear his office room and house of those innumerable  stubs and see the garbage accumulated over a period of time. Just clean the environment of the existing  stench and appreciate as to how fresh the air could be( despite the existing pollution).

 

We would strongly recommend breathing techniques like Nadi Shodhan Pranayama ( alternate nostril breathing), Sudarshan Kriya ( as discovered by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), meditation and yoga to overcome this malady. An addict without fail should enroll for the Happiness Programme of Art Of  Living  followed by the Advanced Meditation Course to kick the habit.As such breathing patterns and techniques permeate to the millions of cells in our body and detoxify the system. . An addict becomes addicted to a healthy way of life and accumulate positive thoughts .  Such positivism spreads and acts as a change agent.  

There is a saying ," If you want to walk fast , walk alone, and if you want to walk far , walk with someone." So an addict can walk with the Art Of Living to overcome the habit . That is what Guruji calls Sangachadwam ( Let us Move Together).

CLEAN YOUR LUNGS -NO SMOKING PLEASE

Some years back an Irish gentleman  and others were partying at our house . While drinks were permitted , but cigarettes were a taboo. An occasional drink was a relaxation so to say. This Irish gentleman survived a plane crash and gave up smoking , thanking his stars and  God almighty. A few years later , he once again  survived a plane crash and  restarted  smoking. But I reckon he lacked in gratitude. " When a person doesn't have gratitude , something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude towards gratitude." writes Elie Wiesesl . So very true.

A few days back I met a junior in service , who kicked smoking  in circa 2000, but once again resumed smoking 11 years later.   Why do we smoke? Peer pressure , just to chill it out or relax?  There is no definitive answer . However it is a  weak mind which cannot resist the temptation. But all smokers agree that smoking is dangerous to their health . Not only theirs  but also of their family members  and those in close in proximity.

WHO estimates that in the year 2014  approximately 6.4million  deaths  occurred  on account of tobacco consumption. And apparently 100 million people have perished over the course of 20th century because of smoking and tobacco related diseases . There is an apt Japanese proverb that " Fear is only as deep as mind allows ." Despite realising the dangers of smoking and consumption of tobacco related products we fall prey to the temptation.

The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention describes tobacco use as " the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide." Several countries have adopted stringent measures to control the consumption of tobacco with the  usage and sale restrictions as well as bold warning messages   printed on the  packaging .

While our venerable  Parliamentarians do not agree to the passage of GST( Goods and Service Tax) to kickstart  the economy, they   are however  in unanimity not to print the prohibitive  and  horrific pictures on the products which would  otherwise  scare the prospective consumer .Without doubt the tobacco lobby in India is brazen and   emboldened  to carry on the sale of their dangerous products. Infact celebrities like sports persons , filmstars and others should refrain from endorsing  tobacco and alcohol products completely . That should be their minimum  corporate social responsibility for the enormous  wealth accumulated .

Without any doubt tobacco is one of the single greatest cause of preventable deaths globally. It affects the heart, liver and lungs of human bodies. Smoking is a major contributor for heart attacks, COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This  includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.   I recall of an incident  when  an  officer( who was  both  an  alcoholic and smoker) in railways who   was charred to death in a  state of stupor. I reckon as Arthur Rubinstein says" If you love life, life will love you back." Such tragic human foibles lead to us hubris as we  fail to  love and appreciate  life.

Smoking causes cancers of larynx and mouth , hypertension besides  polluting  the environment. Secondary smoking is equally debilitating for the passive smoker. WHO argues that cigarettes sold in underdeveloped countries tend to have a higher tar content and are less likely to be filtered , potentially increasing the  vulnerability of  tobacco and  smoking related diseases .

Given all these negativeness, people still consume tobacco and smoke. To begin with a  person planning to quit smoking should find a powerful reason to stop smoking as his mind remains   in a  state of denial . The individual should realise that both he and his family needs  to be protected. " Our mind is a malleable tool that can be trained to help and enable us " writes Jamuna Rangachari. But the addict becomes a slave of the  mind that is so  full of cobwebs and resistance which is  unwilling to see reason.

Is the addict not being self centred by not caring for the family. As Louis Hay says" By choosing loving , joyous thoughts, I create a joyous , loving world. I am safe and free."  The addict is neither safe nor free  or joyous.

The  human brain is wired to this addiction and  nicotine. It is the withdrawal symptoms which plays a havoc on the physical and psychological self. The addict needs to consult  a counselor, take medication or join self help groups like smokers -anonymous to be free from this addiction.

That craving for that  ONE -DRAG needs  to be challenged  at any cost . It would be wise on part of the smoker or tobacco addict to fix a goal of not smoking at all for a certain period of time  and see the results and benefit . Make a solemn promise to the  self and family that smoking is deleterious to health and therefore , resolve that whatever may  be the provocation , avoid smoking . It would be worthwhile to look at the financial  cost of the packet and savings that  could accrue by quitting smoking . The amount of money saved in a day, a week , a month , a year by abstaining from smoking would be manifold. This is Darren Hardy's  Compound Effect .

Simultaneously , the addict should avoid triggers like coffee, cafine,   tea and alcohol . Invariably  an addict lights  up a cigarette while consuming triggers. Instead we  would recommend taking to exercise, long walks and developing hobbies to divert the mind from consuming tobacco products and smoking.

A smoker should clear his office room and house of those innumerable  stubs and see the garbage accumulated over a period of time. Just clean the environment of the existing  stench and appreciate as to how fresh the air could be( despite the existing pollution).

We would strongly recommend breathing techniques like Nadi Shodhan Pranayama ( alternate nostril breathing), Sudarshan Kriya ( as discovered by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), meditation and yoga to overcome this malady. An addict without fail should enroll for the Happiness Programme of Art Of  Living  followed by the Advanced Meditation Course to kick the habit.As such breathing patterns and techniques permeate to the millions of cells in our body and detoxify the system. . An addict becomes addicted to a healthy way of life and accumulate positive thoughts .  Such positivism spreads and acts as a change agent.  

There is a saying ," If you want to walk fast , walk alone, and if you want to walk far , walk with someone." So an addict can walk with the Art Of Living to overcome the habit . That is what Guruji calls Sangachadwam ( Let us Move Together).

Sri Aurobindo - Mystic Seeker( 1872-1950)

The next few days , rains are expected to batter Pudducherry . But the devout, seekers,faithful and  those in search of the eternal truth would be meditating at the Ashram and the Samadhis of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo , irrespective of the hostile and inclement weather conditions.

Last year, I spent considerable  time at the Samadhi , keeping my eyes closed and contemplating , while my family was cycling in the French  settlement area. My mind too was cycling, wrestling with innumerable thoughts and gradually settled down. Once we start accepting thoughts, they dissolve and the mind calms down and we can feel the inhalation and exhalation of breath. That is meditation, a state where we do nothing but are in a state of deep rest according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Sri Aurobindo was born on 15th August 1872 and left his mortal self on 5th December 1950. This piece is a  tribute to the remarkable personality  and tries to capture the life of this modern day master. Is it not ironical and significant that, the Master was born on 15th of August (though 75 years earlier), the date  India achieved freedom from foreign yoke ? He played a significant part in our freedom struggle, but later in life pursued the search for eternal truth.

He was occidental in upbringing, schooled at St Paul's, England from 1879 to 1884  and also admitted to King’s College . As his academic record was without blemish, he secured a scholarship. Sri Aurobindo qualified for the Indian Civil Service in 1890 but as  he did not attempt the rider’s test,  was disqualified from  the prestigious service. Around that time he met the Gaekwad from Baroda and joined the princely state where he served for 13 long years (1893 to 1906). The seeds of freedom were obviously strongly embedded in his personality that he chose to work for an Indian principality rather than the oppressive British.

At Baroda apart from discharging a variety of responsibilities, ranging from the revenue department , working in the Secretariat of the Maharaja  and being the Vice Principal of the Baroda College , Sri Aurobindo mastered Sanskrit , other Indian languages , much to the delight of his father. From being a Burra Saheb, Sri Aurobindo established his connection with the orient world.

In 1905, Lord Curzon divided Bengal. This unjust action was nothing but the  policy of Divide-et -empera policy  practiced by  the British. This prompted Sri Aurobindo to leave the establishment of Baroda Principality and plunge into the freedom struggle of his native Bengal. The period from 1902 to 1910, saw Sri Aurobindo take part in the Swadeshi movement. He along with Tilak, attacked the moderate leadership of Congress  and were branded as extremists.

The movement was called the Indian Sinn Fein or Swadeshi and espoused the cause of Swaraj. much later Congress had taken up this doctrine . So in a way these leaders were pioneers in nourishing the dream of a free India. The struggle included boycott of British and foreign merchandise ( which Gandhiji espoused subsequently), complete non- cooperation and foundation of a system of Arbitration  courts , boycott of universities , colleges and creation of a network of national schools and colleges. Meanwhile he founded a daily called Bande- Mataram. Sri Aurobindo was tried for sedition , arrested and later acquitted. He presided over the National Conference of Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907 and was also implicated in the Alipore Conspiracy case along with his brother, Barindra. He was jailed for a year but was released unscathed. Sri Aurobindo also established two weeklies namely, Dharma in Bengali and the Karmayogin in English.

He was again to be interned in 1910 for sedition, but the charges were quashed by the  Calcutta High Court . There began the inner quest for emancipation -the spiritual search . And he sailed to Pudducherry heeding the call of his inner voice to devote to spiritual work and Sadhana . Around this period the Mahatma became the beacon of our freedom struggle. Almost a case of one fighting from within and the other from without. This is the magic of the Divine. Perhaps nature conspired and conjured this drama, The man with those piercing , magnetic yet compassionate eyes yearned for the eternal quest and the slightly built man with broad ears and an enigmatic smile launched India's freedom struggle.

Four years of practice of deep, silent Yoga saw works like, The Divine Life, The Synthesis of Yoga, The Isha Upanishad , Essays on Gita appear in the philosophical monthly  called Arya ,in 1914. As he was evolving spiritually and examining the contours of the eternal truth during his retreat, works like The Foundations of Indian Culture, The Secret Of Veda , The Future Of Poetry and The Ideal Of Human Unity were revealed to humanity.

Sri Aurobindo started practising Yoga in 1904 and worked to realise the essential elements of spirit and matter. He postulated that mind is in a state of yet   ignorance   in search of truth . However there is a super mind  and a much higher consciousness and this  consciousness is what needs to be discovered. I gather it is the difference between the small and the big mind.

It is possible for a Sadhak to reach that state of super-mind  or that elevated state of  super consciousness through practice of yoga, sadhana, observation and contemplation. This is the essence of Sri Aurobindo's yoga and teachings, in which we become  aware of the self.

Mirra Alfassa  is the Mother who had several psychic and spiritual experiences and came in contact with Sri Aurobindo. It was during her second coming in 1920 that began her real tryst with Sri Aurobindo's philosophy and the search for the eternal truth.

Sri Aurobindo cast his mortal self on 5th December and the baton was passed on to the Mother. She left her mortal self on November 17th 1973. However their work continues at Puddicherry, in the wonderful Auroville Complex. This is a wonderful place to meditate and realise ones true self. Mother , in the documentary at Auroville Complex states that to establish another religion would be a big disaster. The attempt should be to continue with the existing tenets of yoga, rather than establish a dogma.

" Escape , however high, redeems not life,

Life that is left behind on a fallen earth.

Escape cannot uplift the abandoned race

Or bring to it victory and the reign of God.

A greater power must come , a larger light"- Sri Aurobindo