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Showing posts from 2013

A look at 2013: Embrace the New Year Together

The New Year is just around the corner. As I look back at the year 2013 that had begun with Ganga Darshan in Rishikesh, I feel a flood of mixed emotions surge within me. There has been a lot of good, bad and mixed stuff one would find in the bag. Like you, I have had my shares of tears, smiles, celebrations and heartbreaks. After all, you don't always get a perfectly tailored life no matter how well you plan for it. In my case, I never plan anything because I know that the moment I plan, everything topples. Planning or not, life always has a way of surprising you when you least expect it to. There's always a dash of surprise that is tucked in.   But I have my happy moments too. I began baking to beat stress and I love it! I got my hair colored magenta - it turned everyone a little dizzy in the head to see that burst of color, but so what? I loved it on me! I started wearing my favorite outfit - top & skirt - in October and I am loving that too. And then when I look at

Meditation: Signs of Progress & How to identify a Real Vision from a False One

Hope that you have read my   introductory post on Raja Yoga   as being one of the   four paths to Divinity    prescribed in Hinduism. In this post, I want to delve briefly into some basic aspects of meditation. [Note: I am not a follower or a devotee of Sri Paramahansa Yogananda but I find his teachings deeply inspiring on the spiritual path and I try to make a sincere attempt to study his teachings.] Meditation: The Importance of Being Receptive This is beautiful saying from Sri Paramahansa Yogananda:   " The man who has the power of receptivity quickly grasps everything. People with no receptivity maybe exposed to the same experiences or information, yet not really see nor fully comprehend what is there. Your experiences bring wisdom according to the cup of your receptivity. "                                                                                 [Image:Unsplash] Guru Mayi Chidvilasananda, renowned among the Siddha Yoga practitioners, says: &quo

What is Raja Yoga?

Hinduism prescribes four paths to attain self-realization on the spirit is interesting ual path. These are  Karma Yoga,    Bhakti Yoga,  Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga . Each path   and presents different challenges to spiritual seekers. In this post, lets understand about Raja Yoga, what it means and who are the spiritual masters in Hinduism who have mastered this form of Yoga.                                 [Source: Paramahansa Yogananda Facebook page] A song by Leonardo Cohen 'Anthem' goes like this, ''There's a crack in everything. That's how the Light gets in." Think about your heart. Way too often, it is a a broken heart with cracks that leads you to ask questions like, 'What is the purpose of my life?'. Ah yes, this is how the Light gets in, my dear friends. Raja Yoga Meaning, Definition and Effect Raja Yoga is generally seen as the path of meditation and it is known as the king among Yogas. Why? It relies on techniques tha

What are the Four Main Paths of Yoga in Hinduism?

For spiritual seekers, Hinduism prescribes four paths, namely, Karma Yoga,  Bhakti Yoga,  Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. If you are curious to know more, do read the works of Sri Paramahansa Yogananda as well as Swami Vivekananda, as they are India's most respected monks who took the wise teachings of the Rishis to the rest of the world.  'Independence or 'Swatantrya' is the soul of Vedantic teachings' You may wonder  "Why can't I simply pray to God and attain God?"  You can reach Mumbai from anyplace but you have to plan your trip according to your unique travel needs, right? You have to also consider your circumstances and the place you are currently at to plan your travel ahead. More importantly, simply wanting to reach Mumbai or booking your tickets isn't enough.  To reach the destination, you have to act with sincere will power and disciplined effort.    In the picture below, my son and I are sitting by the Ganga. We are filled

Jealousy: Why do we feel it?

A funny thing happened. A friend whom I don't particularly like or get along with shared a link on Facebook that I had intended to share. It irked me. Made me angry. Somewhat jealous. This probably sounds ridiculous to someone as sensible as you. In fact, it sounds downright cheesy to me. I mean, I am not some one who gets jealous over material things. I always consider myself to be at peace from within. And to think that I got jealous over the sharing of a link! Ridiculous!    [READ: What are Tantric Practices? Find out!]   Unforgivable. I feel so bad about this. I have always steered clear of jealousy. Because it blurs clarity and dilutes a person's focus. Then why did I feel jealous? Why do we become jealous?  I thought it over. Seriously. Because I am not the jealous type and i had to understand why I felt jealous for a few fleeting seconds. When I contemplated on this, this is what I could logically come up with: “You can only be jealous of someone who ha

Why are women mean to women?

Women, in my experience, have always been mean to women, particularly when they occupy positions of power. This is a question I have always asked myself several times based on the various 'encounters' I have: Why are women more mean to women ?                                      {Image:Pexels} This post here may shake you up :   1. Researchers say that women try to take down other women whom they perceive as rivals for male attention. 2. This happens in order to 'eliminate competition.' 3. The more attractive a woman is, the more likely she is to be a target for contempt. Independent of the research findings, I want to share here some of my experience: Some years ago, I was stranded in Mumbai airport because the pilot couldn't land in Delhi due to low visibility on the runway. So, the flight was diverted to Mumbai.  I was traveling alone and recovering very slowly from a bout of jaundice that had left me very weak and worse, my cellp

Why Fear When I am here By Your Side?

The year is 1987. The place is Blantyre, Malawi in Africa. A ten year old forlorn-looking girl sat by the school's pool side. Tears hover in her dark eyes, her chin trembles just a little and she looks defiant and defeated at the same time.  If you look closely, you know that there is nothing remarkable about her features unless you see plain mousiness in new light. Her skin is the color of almond - slightly brown, neither too dark nor light. Her hair is a short mop of curls that you know cannot be tamed, just like her heart.  Her father had bought her something for a school activity, telling her with utmost seriousness, "This costs a lot in dollars. Keep it carefully. Don't lose it. I don't think I have the money to buy you another one like this."  On the very first day of bringing it to school, she had misplaced it and couldn't remember where she had last taken it. In her memory, she felt that it is by the pool. But she had looked all aroun