Karna

Who is the most tragic hero of Mahabharat? I don’t understand why people don’t realize that entire Mahabharat is full of tragic heroes who bore more Pain than Karna who lived all his life in Palaces and enjoyed Luxuries. His problems stepped from his ambitions not circumstances. When it comes to tragic hero we need to think only about those who did not invite tragedies but they came searching for them and though they were great but did not get their due. Bhishma pitamah was also not tragic hero in my opinion as he himself made wrong decision as he was never clear about what his duty was as a prince and a son. He chose being a son over a prince. His life was painful no doubt but he made those decisions on his own. Tragic hero has two elements, One he should have a tragedy beyond his or her control and second he must be a hero fighting for a just cause not for his own ambitions or false Dharma. Real tragic heroes were those who had no choices to make and were dragged or forced by others. Even they had choices to make they were trapped by already created circumstances that they couldn’t leave their duties. Vidur- He was no less than Pandu in valor or intellect. In fact he deserved to be king more than anyone else. But as he was son of a maid he always had to be under thumb of someone like Dhritrashtra. Vidhur had to always silently work to save Pandavas and Dharma even bearing insults of ‘Khatta’ from Duryodhana. A person of such caliber never got his due but he still overcame all those and kept himself and his dignity intact. Vidur is a true hero who did not forget his real duty and protected his state and its people. He neither did stop giving right advise to king nor did stop protecting Pandavas. He wanted good life for all others but sadly was neglected. It is a great tragedy for a society that a man of his stature had to be under rule of a man like Dhritrashtra and still work selflessly for greater god. Yuyutsu- What was his fault? He deserved same place as Dushashana or others. He was also son of Dhritrashtra but got neglected as again he was of lower caste and son of a maid. Dhritrashtra wanted a heir and as Gandari took long to give birth Dhrit used her but when he got it from Gandari then he left her. Yuyutsu even though lived in palaces but he was far worse than Karna in condition. He was left to fight in Varnavrat for six months alone even though he was defending Hastinapur boundaries. He then chose pandavas before final battle. One might argue that he still got to administer Indraprastha later and was a traitor but form his point of view he did not get his right place. What he did was right but he did not get love from his father and got tag of traitor for just being righteous? He is a hero to defy those who oppressed him and his rights and join the righteous camp where he knew he would never get throne and might be just any other soldier in future. It was Pandavas goodness that they finally made him administrator realizing his merit. Draupadi- Her life was most tragic beyond doubt. Full of humiliation and life in forests. She was just a tool for revenge in hands of her father and then became a pawn in dice game so that Duryodhana could insult others. And in popular perception she got tag of someone who rejected Karna and insulted Duryodhana. However, real MB says both were false. BORI had rejected Karna’s rejection and there is no mention of her calling Durydodhana son of a blind man. She bore insults and all hardships because those who were supposed to protect her like his father and husbands all failed. She is a hero to motivate Pandavas to fight for their right. Kunti- Her entire life was a tragedy where she spent in forests or was worried about her sons. Everyone shouts at her for leaving Karna but forget how difficult would it have been for a mother. She made sure that Surya protects here and even kept an eye on him through spies. Had she kept him then Pandu had not married her and Karna would have got tag of illegitimate son and more humiliation. She lost her husband, lived in forests and had to face constant threat. In the end lost many of her grandsons and saw so much pain. She did not chose any of that. In fact Kunti was also given in adoption to Kuntibhoj and his real parents did not even care for her pain. Yadavavs barring Krishna were not concerned about her at all. She is a great role model for all single mothers to fight for their right in society with prejudice against woman and the way she raised her sons including step sons to live as a unit

Art of War to Art of Living Chapter 3

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What Impacts the Mind

What Impacts the Mind The Bengali siblings were my close companions; their staple diet was fish curry with rice. Our conversations veered around politics, girls, religion (Durga Puja) and sports. The older one idolized Amitabh, Netaji Bose and Imran Khan. He was an idealist and younger brother, the pragmatic one. The elder sibling was pushed into pursuing sciences much to his disapprobation. Their father died of Alzheimer’s and mother succumbed to abdominal cancer. Though they seemed to have recovered from the twin tragedies and proceeded with their careers and lives, they could not realise their full potential. The mind of the elder one especially, swayed like a pendulum between the past, present and future. There are many of us like him who continue to be regretful of the past and anxious of the future, never living in the present. Marketing lexicon talks of 4Ps- product, place, promotion and price. I choose to add a few more to the cocktail that impinges human mind. These are our past impressions, partaking of food and the path of time we traverse on this planet. All the Ps are inextricably interwoven. Human talent spans from the ordinary to the exceptional. This is the product available. It is genetic and must be accepted. Richards and Sehwag were exceptionally gifted batsmen; something a less accomplished batsman cannot quibble about. Now, the product can be harnessed and developed through tapas. Resolute practice embellishes and burnishes the product. Sadhana and breathing techniques can magnify the mind’s potential so that it can be high yielding and profitable for the self and society. Let us envisage a house enveloped with positive and negative auras. This is the placewhere the mind resides. The quality of the mind to be in the present moment would appreciably increase when affected by positive thoughts, incantations, meditations, inspirational speeches or soulful singing. The same mind becomes unsettled and distraught by provocative speeches, squabbles and contretemps. Therefore, it is a prerequisite to protect the positive disposition and aura of the house. How does one promote the mind? The mind loves challenges, however daunting they may be! Maj DP Singh runs with a prosthetic leg. During the Kargil conflict he lost his limb but resolved to acquit himself with every activity that those with normal limbs can undertake. The organization of amputees was suitably christened, “The Challenging Ones” (with a membership of 800 runners). Oscar Pistorius is of course the original blade runner. Price of the mind is directly proportional to the quantum of sacrifice the body is willing to undertake. Both mind and body are conjoined in this endeavour. Mind may be willing; but the body may not submit to its authority. Or the body is disposed to take up the combat, but the mind declines to undertake the activity. If the mind becomes the parachute to transport the body to scale greater heights it will command a greater price and approbation. We are all blessed with remarkable discriminatory power. It is for us to break the barrier and exit the comfort zone to become achievers through sacrifice. Stephen Hawking despite suffering from motor neuron disability is a cosmologist, physicist, unravelling the mysteries of the universe. Past impressions have a profound impact on the mind and its performance. Tulsidas writes, “Our destiny was shaped long before the body came into being.” Impressions or Karmas are impacted by our thoughts, attitudes, acts, and actions which others undertake under our orchestration and administration. As per Hinduism there are three types of Karmas or impressions namely, Sanchita (accumulated Karma – which we cannot bear all in one lifetime), Prarabdha Karma (fruit bearing Karma) and Kriyamana Karma (this can change our destiny). The first is carried on forward to the next lifetime. Prarabdha Karma can be mitigated through meditation and yogic techniques, while proper action (Kriyamana Karma) can reduce sufferings. Positive impressions lead to positive intent and a healthy impact on the mind. Negative impressions have an antipathetic and gloomy impression on the mind. Practioners of yoga, pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya develop the wherewithal to annihilate impressions /karmas. This needs to be fostered through knowledge, awareness, service and positive company among others. Partaking of food has a consequential impact on our thoughts and thereby minds. Thoughts are opinions or conceptions. We can have brooding or glum thoughts, celebratory ones or meditative ones. Augustus Hare writes, “Thought is like the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel.” The human vessel consumes three kinds of food products, namely Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasic. Sattvik food is easily digestible, generally consisting of fruits, nuts and vegetarian fare. It keeps us alert and aware. Disciplined practitioners of Yoga consume this food. Rajasik foods are neither overtly beneficial nor harmful. It includes oily, starchy, aerated drinks, caffeine products, overtly salty and sugary items. Such individuals are excitable or irritable and generally not at peace with themselves. Tamasic food consists of meat, alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic, fermented and canned food items. These take a long time to digest and make individuals sluggish and torpid. Therefore, generally speaking those consuming Sattvik food attain a contemplative or a meditative state of mind in comparison to those partaking Tamasic or Rajasik food. The trajectory path of time traversed has an expansive influence on the mind. Various times of the day, months and years impact our self. Incidents, events occurring shape the thought processes, alertness and decision making capabilities of our minds. Further during this span of time, we are likely to encounter many people, friends and associates who also influence our thinking pattern. Human mind through discipline, practice of yoga and pranayama and various breathing techniques can acquire a superior intelligence and develop an investigative mind, which can surmount challenges confronted and live in the present moment. As that is the only state of bliss.

Mind Management – Why do thoughts arise

Mind Management – Why do thoughts arise 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 , practice 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 or 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 to 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 become " 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 undertaking 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 the Art Of Living website a centre could be identified and a course undertaken . 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. In case 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.

Mind Management – A few Observations

Mind Management – A few Observations 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.”

Mind and Mind Management

Mind and Mind Management Mind Management – Some Random Thoughts What is the difference between PK and PIKU? Two letters, ‘I’ and ‘U’; I is us and U are them (an extra-terrestrial Aamir Khan). Their CPU is cerebral and our CPU is at the level of abdomen. Or say for vast multitudes the focus is at the abdomen. It would be quite captivating watching the main protagonists PK and Bhaskor sharing their thoughts and respective metabolisms in a spaceship. Food has a tremendous impact on our system, which we do not quite comprehend. Improper diet first takes a toll on the metabolism and then attacks other organs of the body. Simply put, intake of toxic foods generates repugnant thoughts and results in a weak mind and body. I remember the remarkable lines by from the master piece movie Chakra, ‘Zindagi mein keval do hi chakker hein , ek pet ka aur ek uske neeche ka’. Yes our thoughts are at the baser levels. Of course, there are sages, philosophers and the enlightened ones who transcend this level and reach a superconscious state. The human mind is an enigma and a reservoir of potential. But the moot question is how do we tap this potential? The mind is a movie theatre where we script and enact innumerable movies and soap operas. Some funny, some mysterious, some idealistic and others tear jerkers. It is hyperactive. It needs a relaxation room, wherein you can dump the garbage, and achieve something useful for yourself and the society. Technology alone cannot be a substitute for the enormous potential of the mind. It needs to be cultured, harnessed and harmonized with the needs and wants. Talent, energy and thoughts have to be channelized, to become achievers. We need to focus on goals and objectives. We need to distinguish brain from the mind. The brain is an organ that serves as the centre of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. Only a few invertebrates such as sponges, do not have a brain, diffuse or localized nerve nets are present instead. Mind on the other hand is the faculty of consciousness and thoughts. It is an individual’s intellect or memory or his attention span or will. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has captured it very succinctly. He says mind is like the sky and thoughts are like clouds. Your thoughts make or mar the progress and development of the mind. In fact he further elaborates by saying that mind is like a kite and breath is like the string which can control the mind. To be happy in life humans need to calm the obdurate and recalcitrant mind. Further keep reminding ourselves that we are blessed, grateful and have abundance in our lives. Life is full of valleys and peaks. It can never be a rising curve or a straight line indefinitely. There are constant changes in life and we have to accept this reality without any strings. So we need to move in life with equilibrium, equipoise and equanimity. The human mind vacillates between the past and the future. In the past, the mind is regretful and if it is in the future, it is anxious. In either situation the mind is not at peace nor in the present moment and so remains unhappy. Why are we stressed out? Are we running after a chimera? Or like Rama and Lakshman are we running after a non-existent golden deer. We are not wakeful enough, neither listening to our gut feeling and or maybe we have a woeful sense of time management. There is a deep connect between the stomach and mind. That is why it is called the gut feeling or the sixth sense. Our solar plexus keeps sending us signals. It depends as to whether we are conscious and wakeful enough to grasp those signals. Humans can truly celebrate only if we are able to quiten our minds. There are techniques to do it and develop a relaxation room or space in our minds and harness the energy so that it does not get dissipated . This energy can be channelized in innumerable ways. There may be some who may practice meditation, breathing techniques or simply observe silence to quieten the mind. Others realise their potential by say playing a game of tennis and sweating it out or pursue other passions. The path is chosen based on our personality type. But the ultimate aim is to be in the present and lead a happy life. Let our minds not be judgmental and complain and cling on to negativities. Willy-nilly we provide the hook to hang the coat of negativity. Isn’t it? As Alice Walker said, “Look closely at the present you are constructing; it should look like the future you are dreaming.”

MIND MATTERS AN OVERVIEW

MIND MATTERS AN OVERVIEW MIND YOUR MUNCHING – KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN CHEW “ Seeing to this , neglecting that , once the mind stops setting one things against the other, it is no longer craves pleasure,”- Sage Ashtavakra My dear friends, what is the difference between PK and PIKU. Two alphabet. I and U.Assume I is us( protagonist Amitabh Bachchan essaying the role of Bhaskor in PIKU) and U are them (an extra-terrestrial Aamir Khan playing a pivotal role as PK in the eochmaking film which scorched multiplexes). There; CPU is cerebral. And our CPU is at the level of abdomen. Or say for vast multitudes the focus is at the midriff. It would be quite captivating watching the main primemovers PK and Bhaskor sharing their thoughts and respective metabolisms in a spaceship. We ignore at our peril that food ( which includes liquids too) has a prodigious impact on our system. Humans do not quite comprehend this vital aspect of our existence. Improper diet first takes a toll on the metabolism and then attacks other organs of the body. Simply put intake of toxic foods generates repugnant thoughts and results in a weak mind and body. The chamber of our stomach consists of three parts of which a third is meant for solids , one third for water/liquids and the remaining third for air. Wellness of body and mind lies in consumption of superfoods. They consist of seasonal fruits and salads which get digested within 30 to 45 minues. A normal vegetarian diet which is not too spicy or sweet is absorbed by the system in about 6 to 7 hours. Non vegetarian fare normally takes around 72 hours to assimilate. And during this period toxins accumulate and this affects the mind and body. Liquids should certainly not included aerated drinks , drinks laced with drugs or alcohol . These psychedelic substances blurs the thought process apart from wreaking havoc on the mind and body. I remember the remarkable lines by from the master piece movie, “ Chakra” that Zindagi mein keval do hi chakker hein , ek pet ka aur ek uske neeche ka . Yes our thoughts are the baser levels. Ofcourse, there are sages,philosophers and the enlightened ones who transcend this level and attain a super conscious state . Imagine people suffering from mental disorders? Why does it happen? Pressure! Other reasons could be heavy drinking and smoking, improper diet, lack of exercise and basically a drive to excel at any cost. Rhonda Byrne, the noted writer of The Secret, Magic and Power among others says” You are the most powerful magnet in the universe. You contain a magnetic power within you that is more powerful than anything in this world, and this unfathomable magnetic force is emitted through your thoughts.” Human mind is an enigma and a reservoir of potential. But the moot question is as to how do we tap this potential? The mind is a movie theatre where we script and enact innumerable movies and soap operas. Some funny, a few mysterious, others idealistic and sheer tear jerkers . The mind is constantly on the move. It is hyperactive. It needs a relaxation room, wherein an individual can dump the garbage, declutter it and achieve something useful for the self and the society. “The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.” opines Wayne W Dwyer. The generation today is a product of SMAC, not SMACK. Smac is an acronym for software, mobiles, apps and cloud. Technology alone cannot be a substitute for the enormous potential of mind. It needs to be cultured, harnessed and harmonized with the needs and wants. Talent, energy and thoughts have to be channelized to become achievers. We need to focus on goals and objectives. Technology when misused can make people mental wrecks. A person can become addicted to watching porn, he could become a hacker or even a terrorist. We need to distinguish brain from the mind. The brain is an organ that serves as the centre of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. Only a few invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, adult sea squirts and starfish do not have a brain, diffuse or localized nerve nets are present instead. The brain is located in the head, usually close to the primary sensory organs for such senses as vision, hearing, balance, taste and smell. It is the most complex organ in a vertebrate’s body. Mind on the other hand is the faculty of consciousness and thoughts. It is an individual’s intellect or memory or his attention span or will. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has captured it very succinctly. He says, “Mind is like the sky and thoughts are like clouds.” Your thoughts make or mar the progress and development of the mind. In fact he further elaborates by saying that, “ Mind is like a kite and breath is like the string which can control the mind.” Through the practice of breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya, Pranayama and meditation among other techniques an individual can harness this enormous realm of possibility. Primarily, we need to quiten or silence the mind. We intend to live in harmony with ourselves and our environment. Or do we wish to listen to the endless chatter and cacophony of the mind? I reckon anyone would prefer symphony to cacophony or be silent. MIND – MAKE IT HAPPY To be happy in life and calm the obdurate and recalcitrant mind, human beings should be aware of certain intrinsic laws of nature. That is Law of Attraction and the Law of Acceptance. Further we need to train our minds to keep reminding ourselves that we are blessed, we are grateful and have abundance in our lives. Life is full of valleys and peaks. It can never be a rising curve or a straight line indefinitely. There are constant changes in life and we have to accept this reality without any strings. We may apparently like some peers and friends today and tomorrow move on with another group. It is inevitable and a natural process. As Buddha says, “The only permanent aspect in life is its impermanent nature.” So we need to move in life with equilibrium, equipoise and equanimity. Law Of Attraction simply states that if a person is joyful and happy the individual would attract such people and thoughts which are joyful in nature. Such a person is positive in nature and begets positivity. The reverse is also true. If the mind focusses on lack it would only attract lack. Therefore we need to be constantly reminding ourselves that we are blessed, be grateful with whatever we have and feel we have abundance. In such a situation we attract only positive energy or prana from the universe. In fact to such people universe conspires to provide more. The Bible says that if we are grateful for what we have, we will be given more and if we are not grateful and happy, all that was given would be taken away from us. The human mind vacillates between the past and the future. In the past, the mind is regretful and if it is in future it is anxious. In either case the mind is not at peace or in the present moment and so remains unhappy. Eckhart Tolle puts it, “Nothing ever happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now”. As we sweep our house, we need to declutter our mind. Sweep our mind from negative thoughts. Virendra Sehwag comes to my mind as a cricketer whose mind was not filled with cobwebs. With absolute panache he could score runs. Yes he could score a triple century and also got out on zero. But apparently it did not affect his mind. Unlike a Marcus Trescothik , who could not survive mentally on foreign tours . He suffered from multiple phobias. This leads us to various types of personalities. Personality is derived from the latin word “Persona”. The mask used by actors in Roman theatre for changing their makeup. Personality refers to our characteristic ways of responding to individuals and situations. Human mind is temperamental in nature and action. It has several attributes, different dispositions, moods and reacts and responds in a variegated manner. The mind can be our greatest friend or enemy and like a chameleon acquires various colors, characters, characteristics and keeps acquiring various patterns. Noted Psychologists, Paula Costa and Robert McCrae have developed a five factor model to elaborate various psychological traits of human personality. a) Open to experience- Those who score high on this factor are imaginative, curious and open to new ideas. b) Extraversion- People who are socially active, assertive, outgoing and fun loving as compared to those who are shy and introverts. c) Agreeableness- Essentially cooperative, caring and friendly people. Those opposite to this trait are hostile and self centred. d) Neuroticism- These are emotionally unstable people, irritable in nature and are hypersensitive. Those opposite to this trait are centred and well adjusted. And finally e) Conscientiousness- Those who score high on this attribute are dependable, responsible, hardworking and achievement oriented. Those on the opposite scale are impulsive in nature. So in which quadrant would we place our minds and personalities. WHY ARE WE SO STRESSFUL? OR WHY ARE WE STRESSED OUT? Are we running after a chimera? Or like Rama and Lakshman are we running after a non existent golden deer? Or like the Pandavas, save Yuddhistara we partake water from a poisonous lake. In all situations our mind is fully aware that what we are attempting is incorrect and inchoate, yet we undertake that activity. There are a couple of reasons for this hara-kiri or running after the hubris. We are not wakeful enough, neither are we listening to our gut feeling and or we have a woeful sense of time management. A) We are not wakeful (not sleepy in a literal sense) as we are not focused or centred. We cannot differentiate and distinguish between choices. Consequently we are gobbled by the snake in the game of snakes and ladders. B) Our mind and thoughts (a human mind on an average receives 50k thoughts a day) batter us endlessly . Now the company we keep and the food we partake has a significant impact on the human mind and body. Negative company drains a person and toxic food and drink totally enervates and debilitates our system. I was a victim and patient of alcoholism and realise the suffering one goes through it and following the techniques of Sudarshan Kriya and Pranayama overcame the disease. There is a deep connect between the stomach and mind. That is why it is called the gut feeling or the sixth sense. Our solar plexus keeps sending us signals. It depends as to whether we are conscious and wakeful enough to listen to those signals. Yoga is the latest buzzword. With regular practice of Yoga, especially Surya namaskar and pranayama our solar plexus develop to receive and transmit important signals. C) Tools for effective Time Management- a) The POSEC METHOD – That is to prioritise by organizing, streamlining, economizing and then effectively contributing. b) Do a SWOT analysis and become winners. c) Learn to work in groups and Art of delegation. d) Attempt all hard tasks first e) Build in flexibility in your schedules or else one would suffer from psychosomatic disorders. f) Develop hobbies, read creative books and self help books. g) Every morning and night while being grateful make an inventory of do’s and dont’s and must Do lists. h) Learn to say NO. Also learn to say YES. An oxymoron kind of a situation. However a Yes mind makes an individual take up responsibility. And taking up responsibility only can empower a person. Imagine a situation where you could have shouldered responsibility but evaded or shied away or a situation where you took up responsibility. Which box would you like to be in? i) Live life king size and learn to celebrate. We can celebrate only if we are able to quiten our minds. These are some ways to quiten our mind and develop a relaxation room or space in our minds. For that we can the following: Go for long walks, talk out our problems, hug a person ( perhaps someone whom you do not like), write down all our botherations, be in sync with our breath and movement, pursue a passion, be a daredevil, get out of our comfort zone, exercise vigorously( positive endorphins get released which have a soothing affect on the mind and body), have cold water baths to conquer passion and carnal instincts( they can be a distraction especially during examination times). Despite practicing all techniques, we may not be able to find our place in the sun. So what does one do? Just surrender to the immense power within ourselves and learn to accept. Realise that “Aham Brahmasmi-“ I am the infinite reality.”as written in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad . Our mind has that immense power. It needs to harnessed and realized. We just need to declutter our minds. “Your mind is aninstrument . It is there to be used for a specific task, and when the task is completed, you lay it down. As it is , I would say about 80% to 90% of most people’s thinking is not only repetitive and useless , but because of its dysfunctional and often negative nature , much of it is harmful . Observe your mind and you find this is to be true. It causes a serious leakage of vital energy.” writes Echart Tolle. Today he is a great philosopher. At the age of 29 he was about to commit suicide. There are several ways to channelize this energy. There may be some who may practice meditation, breathing techniques and observe silence to quiten minds. There may be others who remain focused by playing a game of tennis and sweating it out or pursue other passions. You have to choose the path that suits your personality. But the ultimate aim is to be in the present and lead a happy life. Feel blessed, feel grateful and feel abundance. Let your mind not be judgemental and complain and cling on to negativities. Willy nilly we provide the hook to hang the coat of negativity. Isn’t it? As Alice Walker said, “Look closely at the present you are constructing; it should look like the future you are dreaming.” In the pages that follow is a collection of articles on various facets of human life which is intrinsically connected with the mind.