VARAHA - The Boar
All glories to you, O Lord of the universe, who took the form of a boar.
When the earth fell into the ocean at the bottom of the universe you caught her on your tusk,
where she looked like a spot on the moon.
Hiranyaksha was the first and greatest demon that ever walked this earth. His body was so big and strong that it blocked the view in all directions just like a mountain. The crest of his crown seemed to kiss the sky and cover the sun. When he walked the earth shook at his every step. Even the demigods hid themselves from him. Fearing death at the hands of no one, he wandered the earth searching for a suitable opponent to fight. He wore golden anklets, a golden girdle, golden bracelets on his arms, golden armour and a crown of gold. To obtain this gold he mined the earth. He considered the earth as his property to do with as he wished, and so he mined her deeper and deeper - so deep that she lost her inner balance and fell from her position in space. Plunging to the depths she came to rest in the primeval waters which lie at the very bottom of the universe. There she lay, lost and helpless in the darkness.
Vishnu saw the distress of the earth planet as she was lying in the dark ocean. He took the form of a gigantic boar, Varaha, and entered the universe to rescue the earth from the deep. It is said that he first appeared in a tiny form no larger than a thumb, and steadily grew until he seemed to fill the heavens. Although a boar is normally considered to be an ugly animal, Varaha was most beautiful. All the demogods and sages sung his glories as he dived into the ocean. Meanwhile Hiranyaksha, not caring for the earth's predicament, roamed about restlessly looking for someone with whom to do battle. As Varaha was picking up the earth on his tusks, the angry demon came upon him and eagerly challenged him to fight. There was a great battle, fought for the sake of the earth, in which the demon finally lost his life. Varaha picked up the earth and carefully restored her to her proper position in space.
Showing posts with label Motivational. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motivational. Show all posts
Friday, June 04, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Ten Incarnation of Lord Vishnu - Part 2
KURMA - The Tortoise
All glories to you, O Lord of the universe, who took the form of a tortoise.
When the ocean of milk was churned you became the pivot beneath the churning rod of Mount Mandara leaving a beautiful impression on your back.
Once, the demigods and the demons both wanted to get the Nectar of Immortality. Whoever drank this nectar would be invincible. On the advice of Lord Vishnu, they made a pact and agreed to co-operate together to get it. Vishnu told them what to do. In the universe is a sacred ocean of milk. They should throw all kinds of vegetables, grass, creepers and herbs into that ocean and churn it. From this churning, he said, would come the Nectar of Immortality. To churn the ocean they would have to use the golden mountain, Mandara, as a churning rod. With great difficulty and Vishnu's help they managed to bring Mount Mandara to the Milk Ocean. They used Vasuki, the giant serpent, as a rope. Wrapping him round the mountain, the demons took hold of his head and the demigods took his tail.
They tried to churn, but the mountain sank into the ocean floor and they began to despair. Vishnu then took the form of a gigantic tortoise, Kurma, and supported the mountain on his back. Using Kurma as a pivot, the demons and the demigods started to churn again, back and forth. Kurma felt as though they were scratching an itch on his back and this gave him pleasure. The first thing the churning produced was a deadly poison which threatened the whole world. This was drunk by Lord Shiva to save everyone. As they continued churning many wonderful things came out of the ocean, but at last they got what they wanted - the Nectar of Immortality. Both groups wanted it, and a quarrel developed. Vishnu came to the aid of the demigods and helped them get the nectar for themselves. Seeing that they had lost the nectar, the demons attacked the demigods and after a terrible battle the demons were defeated.
In the form of a giant tortoise, Kurma balanced the opposing forces of the demons and the demigods about the churning rod of Mount Mandara in the Milk Ocean. In the end the demigods, who were his devotees, got immortal nectar. The demons, who had worked so hard, but who did not have the blessing of Vishnu, got only disappointment and poison. This is the fate of an atheistic society which works hard to aquire material success and comfort, but offers nothing to God - all its good work turns to poison and pollution and it ends up with nothing.
All glories to you, O Lord of the universe, who took the form of a tortoise.
When the ocean of milk was churned you became the pivot beneath the churning rod of Mount Mandara leaving a beautiful impression on your back.
Once, the demigods and the demons both wanted to get the Nectar of Immortality. Whoever drank this nectar would be invincible. On the advice of Lord Vishnu, they made a pact and agreed to co-operate together to get it. Vishnu told them what to do. In the universe is a sacred ocean of milk. They should throw all kinds of vegetables, grass, creepers and herbs into that ocean and churn it. From this churning, he said, would come the Nectar of Immortality. To churn the ocean they would have to use the golden mountain, Mandara, as a churning rod. With great difficulty and Vishnu's help they managed to bring Mount Mandara to the Milk Ocean. They used Vasuki, the giant serpent, as a rope. Wrapping him round the mountain, the demons took hold of his head and the demigods took his tail.
They tried to churn, but the mountain sank into the ocean floor and they began to despair. Vishnu then took the form of a gigantic tortoise, Kurma, and supported the mountain on his back. Using Kurma as a pivot, the demons and the demigods started to churn again, back and forth. Kurma felt as though they were scratching an itch on his back and this gave him pleasure. The first thing the churning produced was a deadly poison which threatened the whole world. This was drunk by Lord Shiva to save everyone. As they continued churning many wonderful things came out of the ocean, but at last they got what they wanted - the Nectar of Immortality. Both groups wanted it, and a quarrel developed. Vishnu came to the aid of the demigods and helped them get the nectar for themselves. Seeing that they had lost the nectar, the demons attacked the demigods and after a terrible battle the demons were defeated.
In the form of a giant tortoise, Kurma balanced the opposing forces of the demons and the demigods about the churning rod of Mount Mandara in the Milk Ocean. In the end the demigods, who were his devotees, got immortal nectar. The demons, who had worked so hard, but who did not have the blessing of Vishnu, got only disappointment and poison. This is the fate of an atheistic society which works hard to aquire material success and comfort, but offers nothing to God - all its good work turns to poison and pollution and it ends up with nothing.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Story of Krishna and Jarasandha
King Brihadratha of Magadha was married to the twin daughters of the King of Kashi. Brihadratha loved both his wives equally and had all the material joys of the world, but no son. This left him in a depressed state.
The sage Chandakaushika visited his kingdom and Brihadratha served him with respect. Being pleased with his service, the sage granted Brihadratha a boon. Brihadratha asked the sage for a son and the sage gave him a mango, which Brihadratha was to give one of his wives. Now Brihadratha loved both his wives equally so he cut the mango in two equal halves and fed both of them.
Nine months later, both his wives gave birth to a child, or rather half a child each. Seeing this the queens attendants were horrified and decided that they must dispose of the two halves, so they dumped them outside the kingdom. Now outside the kingdom, there lived a demoness named Jara. Sensing human flesh, she found the two halves of the child. Hoping to carry them home to eat them, she placed both the halves side by side in a basket and lo behold the halves miraculously joined up, making one complete human child. Jara realized that this must be the son of the King of Magadha, and wanting a reward, took the child to the palace. The King was overjoyed and named the child Jarasandha in order to honor Jara, the demoness who had saved him.
Jarasandha grew up and became a very powerful king. He defeated many other kings and made them promise their allegiance to him making him supreme emperor. He gave both his daughters in marriage to Kamsa of Mathura.
Now Krishna killed Kamsa, making Jarasandha an enemy. Jarasandha attacked Mathura seventeen times and Krishna decimated his army, sparing Jarasandha alone.
Krishna had five cousins, the Pandavas, who had just acquired a kingdom -Indraprastha. The eldest Pandava, Yudishtra wanted to perform the Rajasuya Yagya. In order to perform the Rajasuya Yagya, a king had to be declared emperor and all the surrounding kingdoms had to recognize the emperor as their overlord. In order for this to happen, Yudishtra would have to defeat Jarasandha and obtain the title of emperor. Yudishtra, not knowing how to go about this, asked Krishna for help. Krishna said that he, Arjuna (the third Pandava) and Bheema (the second Pandava) would dress up like brahmans and go to Magadha and challenge Jarasandha to a wrestling match.
Upon reaching Magadha, Krishna, Arjuna and Bheema challenged Jarasandha to a wrestling match. Jarasandha seeing their physiques realised that these were not brahmans and asked them who they were. Krishna revealed their identities and told Jarasandha that they had come to challenge him and that Jarasandha must pick an opponent. Jarasandha said that he would not fight Krishna as he was a cowherd and he did not match his dignity and social standing. He then refused to fight Arjuna saying that Arjuna was too young, but he agreed to fight Bheema as Bheema seemed mighty and a worthy opponent.
Bheema and Jarasandha fought for days, both equally matched and neither succumbed to the other's blows. Bheema realizing that Jarasandha was an equal match looked to Krishna for help. Now Krishna who knew the story of Jarasandha's birth, picked up a twig from the floor, broke it in two halves and threw the two halves far away from each other.
Bheema now knew what he must do. He threw Jarasandha to the ground, held his legs and split his body in two. He then threw the two halves of Jarasandha far away from each other so that they might not join. Bheema had defeated Jarasandha and Krishna installed Jarasandha's son as the king of Magadha. In return, Jarasandha's son agreed to be a vassal to the Pandavas.
The sage Chandakaushika visited his kingdom and Brihadratha served him with respect. Being pleased with his service, the sage granted Brihadratha a boon. Brihadratha asked the sage for a son and the sage gave him a mango, which Brihadratha was to give one of his wives. Now Brihadratha loved both his wives equally so he cut the mango in two equal halves and fed both of them.
Nine months later, both his wives gave birth to a child, or rather half a child each. Seeing this the queens attendants were horrified and decided that they must dispose of the two halves, so they dumped them outside the kingdom. Now outside the kingdom, there lived a demoness named Jara. Sensing human flesh, she found the two halves of the child. Hoping to carry them home to eat them, she placed both the halves side by side in a basket and lo behold the halves miraculously joined up, making one complete human child. Jara realized that this must be the son of the King of Magadha, and wanting a reward, took the child to the palace. The King was overjoyed and named the child Jarasandha in order to honor Jara, the demoness who had saved him.
Jarasandha grew up and became a very powerful king. He defeated many other kings and made them promise their allegiance to him making him supreme emperor. He gave both his daughters in marriage to Kamsa of Mathura.
Now Krishna killed Kamsa, making Jarasandha an enemy. Jarasandha attacked Mathura seventeen times and Krishna decimated his army, sparing Jarasandha alone.
Krishna had five cousins, the Pandavas, who had just acquired a kingdom -Indraprastha. The eldest Pandava, Yudishtra wanted to perform the Rajasuya Yagya. In order to perform the Rajasuya Yagya, a king had to be declared emperor and all the surrounding kingdoms had to recognize the emperor as their overlord. In order for this to happen, Yudishtra would have to defeat Jarasandha and obtain the title of emperor. Yudishtra, not knowing how to go about this, asked Krishna for help. Krishna said that he, Arjuna (the third Pandava) and Bheema (the second Pandava) would dress up like brahmans and go to Magadha and challenge Jarasandha to a wrestling match.
Upon reaching Magadha, Krishna, Arjuna and Bheema challenged Jarasandha to a wrestling match. Jarasandha seeing their physiques realised that these were not brahmans and asked them who they were. Krishna revealed their identities and told Jarasandha that they had come to challenge him and that Jarasandha must pick an opponent. Jarasandha said that he would not fight Krishna as he was a cowherd and he did not match his dignity and social standing. He then refused to fight Arjuna saying that Arjuna was too young, but he agreed to fight Bheema as Bheema seemed mighty and a worthy opponent.
Bheema and Jarasandha fought for days, both equally matched and neither succumbed to the other's blows. Bheema realizing that Jarasandha was an equal match looked to Krishna for help. Now Krishna who knew the story of Jarasandha's birth, picked up a twig from the floor, broke it in two halves and threw the two halves far away from each other.
Bheema now knew what he must do. He threw Jarasandha to the ground, held his legs and split his body in two. He then threw the two halves of Jarasandha far away from each other so that they might not join. Bheema had defeated Jarasandha and Krishna installed Jarasandha's son as the king of Magadha. In return, Jarasandha's son agreed to be a vassal to the Pandavas.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Lessons From the World’s Greatest Minds - 5
5. Self Acceptance
“If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Jesus
When we stop trying to be what we are not, we realize our authenticity. Before we had knowledge, we were completely authentic. We learn to use knowledge to measure and judge, which is a powerful tool we have as humans. However we create an image of perfection in our mind of what we should be, but are not. We confuse knowledge for nature. We believe in the lie of our imperfection. When we realize this we can reclaim the truth of our perfection and live in love and acceptance.
Action: Make a commitment to never go against yourself. Practice non-judgment and realize that the same part of your mind that condemns you is the same voice that caused you to take the action in the first place. We don’t even have to believe what we say to ourselves.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Lessons From the World’s Greatest Minds - 3
3. Intention and Desire
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.”- Guatama Buddha
Our thoughts determine our reality. When we stop thinking about what we don’t and begin thinking about what we do want, our lives begin to transform. Instead of working against our desires and intentions, we move into alignment with them.
Action: Create a list of your intentions and desires. Wherever you go, take this list with you. Read it when you wake up and before you go to sleep.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Story of Robby
He was a young boy who lived with his elderly Mother. His mother wanted him to learn how to play the piano because she longed to hear her son play for her. She sent her son to a piano teacher who Took Robby in under her guidance.
However, there was one small problem Because Robby was not musically inclined and therefore was very slow in Learning.
The teacher did not have much faith in the boy because of his Weakness. The mother was very enthusiastic and every week she would send Robby to the teacher.
One day Robby stopped attending the piano lessons. The teacher thought that He had given up and in fact she was quite pleased since she did not give much hope to Robby. Not long after, the piano teacher was given the task to organize a piano concert in town. She sent out circulars to invite the Students and public to attend the event.
Suddenly, she received a call from Robby who offered to take part in the concert. The teacher told Robby that He was not good enough and that he was no longer a student since he had Stopped coming for lessons.
Robby begged her to give him a chance and Promised that he would not let her down.
Finally, she gave in and she put him to play last, hoping that he will Change his mind at the last minute. When the big day came, the hall was packed and the children gave their best performance. Finally, it was Robby's Turn to play and as his name was announced, he walked in. He was not in Proper attire and his hair was not properly groomed.
The teacher was really nervous since Robby's performance could spoil the whole evening's brilliant Performance.
As Robby started playing the crowd became silent and was amazed At the skill of this little boy. In fact, he gave the best performance of the evening. At the end of his presentation the crowd and the piano teacher gave him a standing ovation. The crowd asked Robby how he managed to play so brilliantly.
With a microphone in front of him, he said, "I was not able to attend the weekly piano lessons as there was no one to send me because my Mother was sick with cancer. She just passed away this morning and I wanted her to hear me play. You see, this is the first time she is able to hear me play because when she was alive she was deaf and now I know she is listening to me. I have to play my best for her!"
MORAL OF THE STORY:
This is indeed a touching story of love and excellence. When you have a
Passion and a reason to do something, you will surely excel. You may not be Talented or gifted but if you have a strong enough reason to do something, you will be able to tap into your inner God given potential.
However, there was one small problem Because Robby was not musically inclined and therefore was very slow in Learning.
The teacher did not have much faith in the boy because of his Weakness. The mother was very enthusiastic and every week she would send Robby to the teacher.
One day Robby stopped attending the piano lessons. The teacher thought that He had given up and in fact she was quite pleased since she did not give much hope to Robby. Not long after, the piano teacher was given the task to organize a piano concert in town. She sent out circulars to invite the Students and public to attend the event.
Suddenly, she received a call from Robby who offered to take part in the concert. The teacher told Robby that He was not good enough and that he was no longer a student since he had Stopped coming for lessons.
Robby begged her to give him a chance and Promised that he would not let her down.
Finally, she gave in and she put him to play last, hoping that he will Change his mind at the last minute. When the big day came, the hall was packed and the children gave their best performance. Finally, it was Robby's Turn to play and as his name was announced, he walked in. He was not in Proper attire and his hair was not properly groomed.
The teacher was really nervous since Robby's performance could spoil the whole evening's brilliant Performance.
As Robby started playing the crowd became silent and was amazed At the skill of this little boy. In fact, he gave the best performance of the evening. At the end of his presentation the crowd and the piano teacher gave him a standing ovation. The crowd asked Robby how he managed to play so brilliantly.
With a microphone in front of him, he said, "I was not able to attend the weekly piano lessons as there was no one to send me because my Mother was sick with cancer. She just passed away this morning and I wanted her to hear me play. You see, this is the first time she is able to hear me play because when she was alive she was deaf and now I know she is listening to me. I have to play my best for her!"
MORAL OF THE STORY:
This is indeed a touching story of love and excellence. When you have a
Passion and a reason to do something, you will surely excel. You may not be Talented or gifted but if you have a strong enough reason to do something, you will be able to tap into your inner God given potential.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Believe in yourself
There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren't the way you had hoped they would be.
That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you.
It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.
So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
Keep Believing in Yourself.
That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you.
It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.
So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
Keep Believing in Yourself.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Attitude Determines Altitude
I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfil today. I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new titbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honoured because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new titbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honoured because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Looking for Gold?
As a young Scots boy, Andrew Carnegie came to America and started doing odd jobs. He ended up as one of the largest steel manufacturers in the United States. At one time he had 43 millionaires working for him.
Several decades ago, a million dollars used to be a lot of money; even today it is a lot of money. Someone asked Mr. Carnegie how he dealt with people? Andrew Carnegie replied, "Dealing with people is like digging gold: When you go digging for an ounce of gold, you have to move tons of dirt to get an ounce of gold. But when you go digging, you don't go looking for the dirt, you go looking
for the gold."
Several decades ago, a million dollars used to be a lot of money; even today it is a lot of money. Someone asked Mr. Carnegie how he dealt with people? Andrew Carnegie replied, "Dealing with people is like digging gold: When you go digging for an ounce of gold, you have to move tons of dirt to get an ounce of gold. But when you go digging, you don't go looking for the dirt, you go looking
for the gold."
Friday, July 11, 2008
David and Goliath
There was a giant who was bullying and harassing the children in the village.
One day, a 17-year-old shepherd boy came to visit his brothers and asked, "Why don't you stand up and fight the giant?" The brothers were terrified and they replied, "Don't you see he is too big to hit?" But David said, "No, he is not too big to hit, he is too big to miss."
The rest is history. We all know what happened. David killed the giant with a sling. Same giant, different perception.
One day, a 17-year-old shepherd boy came to visit his brothers and asked, "Why don't you stand up and fight the giant?" The brothers were terrified and they replied, "Don't you see he is too big to hit?" But David said, "No, he is not too big to hit, he is too big to miss."
The rest is history. We all know what happened. David killed the giant with a sling. Same giant, different perception.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Why Me? Oh GOD.....Why Me??
Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed:
'Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease'?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
'The world over --
50 million children start playing tennis,
5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?' .....
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' '
'Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...
'Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease'?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
'The world over --
50 million children start playing tennis,
5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?' .....
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' '
'Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Power of Passion
The story is told that a dispassionate young man approached the Greek philosopher Socrates and casually stated, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge".
The philosopher took the young man down to the sea, waded in with him, and then dunked him under the water for thirty seconds. When he let the young man up for air, Socrates asked him to repeat what he wanted.
Knowledge, only O great one," he sputtered. Socrates put him under the water again, only that this time it was a little longer. After repeated dunking and responses, the philosopher asked, "what do you want"? The young man finally gasped, "Air; I want air!"
"Good," answered Socrates. "Now, when you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, you shall have it."
The are no two ways about it. If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it. The only way to have that kind of desire and willpower is to develop passion.
Passion is everything:
A sociologist observed, "We are caught up at a particular stage in our national ethos in which we're not only materialistic but worse than that, we're becoming emotionally dead as people. We don't sing, we don 't dance, we don't even commit sin with much enthusiasm."
If you look at the lives of successful individuals, you will find that they often don't fit into a stereotypical mold. For example, more than 50 percent of all CEOs in the country had 'C' or 'C-' grade averages in higher institutions. Nearly 80 percent of all Nigerian presidents were in the bottom half of their school classes.
And more than 65 percent of all millionaire entrepreneurs never went to higher institution or never finished. What makes it possible for people who might seem ordinary to achieve great things? It is passion. Nothing can take this place of passion in their lives.
For you to achieve anything in life, passion must come first. Think of great leaders, and you will be struck by their passion: Zik for One Nigeria, Gandhi for human rights, Churchill for freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. for equality, Bill Gates for technology, Mother Teresa for service to the poor, Robert W. Woodruff for coke at every table etc.
These men live beyond an ordinary life and have great desire. Call it passion, commitment or conviction. Whatever the name, powerful leaders have it in large measure. They also insist on sharing it, constantly. Their passion is not directionless. It is sharply focused around what they want to achieve. It is concentrated and, like a laser beam, cuts through objections, obstacles and negativity. It is hard to say no to someone who cares so strongly about something and difficult to resist being drawn into their vision and becoming engaged.
It is passion that causes people to stay up late and get up early. It' s passion that helps relationship flourish. Passion gives life power, energy and meaning. There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it's the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent or a businessman...
Whenever anything fires our soul, impossibilities vanish....so don't under rate the power of passion.
See you over the top!
The philosopher took the young man down to the sea, waded in with him, and then dunked him under the water for thirty seconds. When he let the young man up for air, Socrates asked him to repeat what he wanted.
Knowledge, only O great one," he sputtered. Socrates put him under the water again, only that this time it was a little longer. After repeated dunking and responses, the philosopher asked, "what do you want"? The young man finally gasped, "Air; I want air!"
"Good," answered Socrates. "Now, when you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, you shall have it."
The are no two ways about it. If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it. The only way to have that kind of desire and willpower is to develop passion.
Passion is everything:
A sociologist observed, "We are caught up at a particular stage in our national ethos in which we're not only materialistic but worse than that, we're becoming emotionally dead as people. We don't sing, we don 't dance, we don't even commit sin with much enthusiasm."
If you look at the lives of successful individuals, you will find that they often don't fit into a stereotypical mold. For example, more than 50 percent of all CEOs in the country had 'C' or 'C-' grade averages in higher institutions. Nearly 80 percent of all Nigerian presidents were in the bottom half of their school classes.
And more than 65 percent of all millionaire entrepreneurs never went to higher institution or never finished. What makes it possible for people who might seem ordinary to achieve great things? It is passion. Nothing can take this place of passion in their lives.
For you to achieve anything in life, passion must come first. Think of great leaders, and you will be struck by their passion: Zik for One Nigeria, Gandhi for human rights, Churchill for freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. for equality, Bill Gates for technology, Mother Teresa for service to the poor, Robert W. Woodruff for coke at every table etc.
These men live beyond an ordinary life and have great desire. Call it passion, commitment or conviction. Whatever the name, powerful leaders have it in large measure. They also insist on sharing it, constantly. Their passion is not directionless. It is sharply focused around what they want to achieve. It is concentrated and, like a laser beam, cuts through objections, obstacles and negativity. It is hard to say no to someone who cares so strongly about something and difficult to resist being drawn into their vision and becoming engaged.
It is passion that causes people to stay up late and get up early. It' s passion that helps relationship flourish. Passion gives life power, energy and meaning. There is no greatness without a passion to be great, whether it's the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent or a businessman...
Whenever anything fires our soul, impossibilities vanish....so don't under rate the power of passion.
See you over the top!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Know Your Value!
A well-known speaker started off his public speech in a strange manner – by holding up a Rupee 1000 Note !! Holding up the Note high in the air in one of his hands, he addressed the eagerly looking curious audience, "Who would like this Rupee 1000 Note?"
With great cheers almost all of them raised their hands with the shout, "I want it", "I want it" !! He said, "Oh! that's nice. Well, I am going to give this Note to one of you... But, first let me do this." Then, he crumpled the Note in his hands vigorously & now showed the awkwardly wrinkled 1000 Rupee Note by holding up high in his hand.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
The same hands went up in the air this time too.
"Well", he replied, "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe like a mad man. It seemed he is deriving great merriment in his unusual act. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. It was so smudgy that no one could recognise it now as a 1000 Rupee Note. "Now who still wants it?" Strangely, now also, all the hands were up in the air with equal cheers & spirit.
Now he addressed his audience with great feeling. "My friends," said he, "You have all learned a very valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to this valuable Rupee Note, all of you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth the same - Rs.1000/-
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt of shame & insult by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come in our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. In the eyes of God, you are the same "most precious jewel of His".
"VALUE HAS A VALUE ONLY IF ITS VALUE IS VALUED !"
With great cheers almost all of them raised their hands with the shout, "I want it", "I want it" !! He said, "Oh! that's nice. Well, I am going to give this Note to one of you... But, first let me do this." Then, he crumpled the Note in his hands vigorously & now showed the awkwardly wrinkled 1000 Rupee Note by holding up high in his hand.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
The same hands went up in the air this time too.
"Well", he replied, "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe like a mad man. It seemed he is deriving great merriment in his unusual act. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. It was so smudgy that no one could recognise it now as a 1000 Rupee Note. "Now who still wants it?" Strangely, now also, all the hands were up in the air with equal cheers & spirit.
Now he addressed his audience with great feeling. "My friends," said he, "You have all learned a very valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to this valuable Rupee Note, all of you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth the same - Rs.1000/-
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt of shame & insult by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come in our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. In the eyes of God, you are the same "most precious jewel of His".
"VALUE HAS A VALUE ONLY IF ITS VALUE IS VALUED !"
Friday, June 13, 2008
God - The Almighty
A conversation between a student and professor, I bet you certainly would not like to miss.......
:Narinder Sharma.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God - The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof : Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent..)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Prof:So, who created them? (Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Prof: Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist.
Prof: What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat.
But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold . Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat . We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy . Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going..)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.
My wife forwarded this email to me (which was of-course sent to her by some of her friend..); But it does not loose any value because I picked up from an forwarded email. Life is much more than we understand and we think have understood........I found this article mind grinding.. a food for our brain... to break the illusion and rise to epiphany. Email claimed that this is a true conversation that happened; and the student was none other than..........APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India.
:Narinder Sharma.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God - The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and.....
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof : Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent..)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Prof:So, who created them? (Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Prof: Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist.
Prof: What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat.
But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold . Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat . We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy . Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going..)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.
My wife forwarded this email to me (which was of-course sent to her by some of her friend..); But it does not loose any value because I picked up from an forwarded email. Life is much more than we understand and we think have understood........I found this article mind grinding.. a food for our brain... to break the illusion and rise to epiphany. Email claimed that this is a true conversation that happened; and the student was none other than..........APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Story of two little mice...in milk
Once a big fat Mouse and a lively little Mouse were hopping along together when they had the misfortune of jumping into a pail of fresh milk. They swam for hours and hours hoping to get out somehow; but the sides of the pail were steep and slippery and death seemed to be certain.
When the big Mouse was exhausted he lost courage. There seemed no hope of rescue. "Why keep struggling against the inevitable? I cannot swim any longer." He moaned.
"Keep on! Keep on!" urged the little Mouse, who was still circling the pail. So they went on for a while. But the big Mouse decided it was no use.
"Little brother, We may as well give up" he gasped. "I am going to quit struggling."Now only the little Mouse was left.
He thought to himself. "Well, to give up is to be dead, so I will keep swimming."
Two more hours passed and the tiny legs of the determined little Mouse were almost paralysed with exhaustion. It seemed as if he could not keep moving for another minute. But he thought of his dead friend, and repeated,
"To give up is to be meat for someone's table, so I'll keep paddling on until I die – if death is to come – but I will not cease trying – while there is life, there is hope."
Intoxicated with determination, the little Mouse kept on swimming around and around the pail, chopping the milk into white waves. After a while, just as he felt completely numb and thought he was about to drown, he suddenly felt something solid under him.
To his astonishment, he saw that he was resting on a lump of butter which he had churned by constant paddling! And so the successful little Mouse leaped out of the milk pail to freedom.
When the big Mouse was exhausted he lost courage. There seemed no hope of rescue. "Why keep struggling against the inevitable? I cannot swim any longer." He moaned.
"Keep on! Keep on!" urged the little Mouse, who was still circling the pail. So they went on for a while. But the big Mouse decided it was no use.
"Little brother, We may as well give up" he gasped. "I am going to quit struggling."Now only the little Mouse was left.
He thought to himself. "Well, to give up is to be dead, so I will keep swimming."
Two more hours passed and the tiny legs of the determined little Mouse were almost paralysed with exhaustion. It seemed as if he could not keep moving for another minute. But he thought of his dead friend, and repeated,
"To give up is to be meat for someone's table, so I'll keep paddling on until I die – if death is to come – but I will not cease trying – while there is life, there is hope."
Intoxicated with determination, the little Mouse kept on swimming around and around the pail, chopping the milk into white waves. After a while, just as he felt completely numb and thought he was about to drown, he suddenly felt something solid under him.
To his astonishment, he saw that he was resting on a lump of butter which he had churned by constant paddling! And so the successful little Mouse leaped out of the milk pail to freedom.
Monday, June 09, 2008
An Obstacle In Your Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king with a Note that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many of us never understand.
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king with a Note that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many of us never understand.
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Hinduism - Hindu Religion - a positive way of Life (part-2)
The history of religions illustrates the tragic effect of intolerant and exclusive faiths.
God has no special favourites.
God as a jealous one and there will be no peace in the religious world.
According to the भगवद गीता (Bhagavad Gita): "I am alike to all being."
"None is hateful or dear to me। But those who worship me with devotion are in me and I in them"
Hindu seer has no contempt for other religions. He does not believe that salvation is to be had only through any one particular religion. God does not refuse his truth, his love and his grace to any who, in sincerity, seek him, wherever they may be and whatever creeds they may profess. It is unfair to God's love and mercy to assume that he left millions of men to stagnate for thousands of years, practically without hope in the darkness of ignorance.
The word Hindu is a geographic rather than a religious term. Hindus call their religion सनातन धर्मं (Sanatana Dharma)- 'Eternal law'.
It is based on the practice of धर्मं (Dharma), the code of life. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu.
Knowledge, vision, wisdom, is the goal of the Vedas/Upanishads. It is a new kind of thinking in which the whole man in implicated. The aim is not intellectual conformity to inherited doctrine, but one of attainment of knowledge. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine. Hinduism extends into every aspect of the believer's life.
Hindus have never been communal. They represent an ancient civilization not known either to draw a boundary between the faithful and the faithless, the blessed and the damned, or to engage in heresy hunting and its counterpart, persecution of other faiths.
J. Abbe Dubois, (1765-1848) French missionary, has said that India is:
"the only nation perhaps in the universe which has never sunk into barbarism, and which...may deserve to fix the attention of the philosopher."
To the Hindu, religion is an awareness of ultimate reality, not a theory about it; religion is psychology and method rather than theology and dogma. Hindus have been able to rise above their biological boundaries and roam at will in transcendental realms from which the intellect is forever barred.
Hinduism is life style, where human beings are exalted to God himself. Everyone is God - a minute God. All living beings, human, animals and plants do have an element of God, the soul and again a part of a kind of suzerainty.
हरे राम हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण, हरे हरे
हरे कृष्ण हरे राम, राम राम, हरे हरे
Hare Rama Hare Krishna , Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Hinduism is not a religion of the book: it is a 'heard' tradition. Its scriptures are recited, or sung not read. Though the Rig Veda is very ancient, it was not written down until almost 3,000 years later.
more to come in part-3 of this multi part series...
God has no special favourites.
God as a jealous one and there will be no peace in the religious world.
According to the भगवद गीता (Bhagavad Gita): "I am alike to all being."
"None is hateful or dear to me। But those who worship me with devotion are in me and I in them"
Hindu seer has no contempt for other religions. He does not believe that salvation is to be had only through any one particular religion. God does not refuse his truth, his love and his grace to any who, in sincerity, seek him, wherever they may be and whatever creeds they may profess. It is unfair to God's love and mercy to assume that he left millions of men to stagnate for thousands of years, practically without hope in the darkness of ignorance.
The word Hindu is a geographic rather than a religious term. Hindus call their religion सनातन धर्मं (Sanatana Dharma)- 'Eternal law'.
It is based on the practice of धर्मं (Dharma), the code of life. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu.
Knowledge, vision, wisdom, is the goal of the Vedas/Upanishads. It is a new kind of thinking in which the whole man in implicated. The aim is not intellectual conformity to inherited doctrine, but one of attainment of knowledge. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine. Hinduism extends into every aspect of the believer's life.
Hindus have never been communal. They represent an ancient civilization not known either to draw a boundary between the faithful and the faithless, the blessed and the damned, or to engage in heresy hunting and its counterpart, persecution of other faiths.
J. Abbe Dubois, (1765-1848) French missionary, has said that India is:
"the only nation perhaps in the universe which has never sunk into barbarism, and which...may deserve to fix the attention of the philosopher."
To the Hindu, religion is an awareness of ultimate reality, not a theory about it; religion is psychology and method rather than theology and dogma. Hindus have been able to rise above their biological boundaries and roam at will in transcendental realms from which the intellect is forever barred.
Hinduism is life style, where human beings are exalted to God himself. Everyone is God - a minute God. All living beings, human, animals and plants do have an element of God, the soul and again a part of a kind of suzerainty.
हरे राम हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण, हरे हरे
हरे कृष्ण हरे राम, राम राम, हरे हरे
Hare Rama Hare Krishna , Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Hinduism is not a religion of the book: it is a 'heard' tradition. Its scriptures are recited, or sung not read. Though the Rig Veda is very ancient, it was not written down until almost 3,000 years later.
more to come in part-3 of this multi part series...
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Little Candle
Once upon a time a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of them much larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and some were rather simple, like herself. Some were white, some were blue, some were pink, some were green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant.When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking toward her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. No, no!! she cried, Aaaaagghhh! Don’t burn me, please! But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow.To her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished his fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself.Then the man struck another fire stick and, one by one, lit the other candles in the room. Each one gave out the same light that she did.During the next few hours, she noticed that, slowly, her wax began to flow. She became aware that she would soon die. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. Perhaps my purpose on earth is to give out light until I die, she mused. And that’s exactly what she did.Lord created you and I to produce light in a dark world. Like that little candle, we all can produce the same amount of light, no matter how small we are or what color we might be. But we can’t produce light until we receive it from an outside source. That source is Lord, the light of the world.
"My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night
But ah my foes and oh my friends
It gives a lovely light...." :Roald Dahl
"My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night
But ah my foes and oh my friends
It gives a lovely light...." :Roald Dahl
Monday, April 28, 2008
Virtues of Enlightened Living
Master Your Mind
Follow Your Purpose
Practice Kaizen
Live with Discipline
Respect Your Time
Selflessly Serve Others
Embrace the Present
Source/Reference: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by: Robin Sharma www.robinsharma.com
- Cultivate your mind - it will blossom beyond your expectations
- The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts
- There are no mistakes - only lessons. See setbacks as opportunities for personal expansion and spiritual growth
Follow Your Purpose
- The purpose of life is a life of purpose
- Discovering and then realizing your lifework brings lasting fulfillment
- Set clearly defined personal, professional and spiritual goals, and then have the courage to act on them
Practice Kaizen
- Self-Mastery is the DNA of life mastery
- Success on the outside begins within
- Enlightenment comes through the consistent cultivation of your mind, body and soul
Live with Discipline
- Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage
- The more you nurture the embryo of self-discipline, the more it will mature
- Willpower is the essential virtue of a fully actualized life
Respect Your Time
- Time is your most precious commodity and it is nonrenewable
- Focus on your priorities and maintain balance
- Simplify your life
Selflessly Serve Others
- The quality of your life ultimately comes down to the quality of your contribution
- To cultivate the sacredness of each day, live to give
- By elevating the lives of others, your life reaches its highest dimensions
Embrace the Present
- Live in the "now". Savor the gift of the present
- Never sacrifice happiness for achievement
- Savor the journey and live each day as your last
Source/Reference: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by: Robin Sharma www.robinsharma.com
Retiring Carpenter
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.
"This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly?
Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past.
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make Today...
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.
"This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly?
Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past.
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make Today...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
