Right and Wrong

Recently met a long lost pal after years and was disappointed to see this 'zest of life', tug of war between his heart, mind and religious beliefs. He was confused and guilty with the rights and wrongs about his living.

William Lloyd Garrison was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer who once questioned, “Are right and wrong convertible terms, dependant upon popular opinion?”

Well I did counsel my pal to see the positive side of his actions and deeds and help him overcome the guilt of his life. Hopefully, this beautiful quote from Buddha will make some sense to him and to all those who are caught between the cross roads of confusion and guilt.

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.

But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

-Buddha (Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)

Nirvana from all our guilts!

Vikram

http://www.metronirvana.com/

You are a Masterpiece

A plum once said, just because a banana lover came by, I converted myself into a banana. Unfortunately, his taste changed after a few months and so I became an orange. When he said I was bitter I became an apple, but he went in search of grapes. Yielding to the opinions of so many people, I have changed so many times that I no more know who I am. How I wish I had remained a plum and waited for a plum lover.

Just because a group of people do not accept you as you are, there is no necessity for you to strip yourself of your originality. You need to think good of yourself, for the world takes you at your own estimate. Never stoop down in order to gain recognition. Never let go of your true self to win a relationship. In the long run, you will regret that you traded your greatest glory - your uniqueness, for momentary validation. Even Gandhi was not accepted by many people. The group that does not accept you as you is not your world.

There is a world for each one of you, where you shall reign as king/ queen by just being yourself. Find that world. In fact, that world will find you. What water can do, gasoline cannot and what copper can, gold cannot. The fragility of the ant enables it to move and the rigidity of the tree enables it to stay rooted. Everything and everybody has been designed with a proportion of uniqueness to serve a purpose that we can fulfill only by being our unique self. You as you alone can serve your purpose and I as I alone can serve my purpose. You are here to be you... just you.

There was a time in this world when a Gandhi was required and he was sent. There was a time in this world when a Muhammad Ali was required and he was sent. There came a time when you were required on this planet and hence you were sent. Let us be the best we can be. Don't miss yourself and let the world not miss you.

In the history of the universe, there has been nobody like you and to the infinite of time to come; there will be no one like you. Existence should have loved you so much that it broke the mold after making you, so that another of your kind will never get repeated.

You are original. You are rare. You are unique. You are a wonder. You are a masterpiece!!!

Celebrate your Uniqueness…

Vikram

http://www.metronirvana.com

Cause of Disease-The soil or the seed?

“Illnesses hover constantly above us, their seeds blown by the wind, but they do not set in the terrain unless the terrain is ready to receive them.” -Claude Bernard

Claude Bernard was a 19th century French physiologist and contemporary of French chemist Louis Pasteur. The two famous doctors argued throughout their lives as to what really was the cause of disease, the soil or the seed. Pasteur insisted it was the seed (germ) while Bernard claimed it was the soil (the body). On Pasteur’s death bed, it is said that he admitted that Bernard was right; he said, “it is the soil, not the seed.”

The seed (germ factors) or the soil (the body, host factors) argument was as prevalent then as it is now again today. Today many medical authors are agreeing that, although germs are certainly a factor involved in the diseases of man, the germ involved in the diseases of man, the germ alone is not the cause of disease.Dr. B. J. Palmer, the developer of chiropractic, stated: “If the ‘germ theory of disease’ were correct, there’d be no one living to believe it.”

Think about it for a moment, and you will see the common sense in Dr. Palmers statement. The cause of disease is within you, it is the lack of your bodys ability to ward off disease. Or else why do some individuals never get sick, while other’s pick up every cold in the neighborhood. Although the germ may be one of the essential and contributing causes, it alone is not sufficient to produce illness.

Accomplished and noted medical writer Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. , in his popular book “Health and Healing,” states:“Germs are agents of disease. …Agents of disease are not causes of disease…agents of disease do not cause us to get sick. They are merely potential vectors of illness waiting for chances to do their mischief. Given a chance, they will do it. Chances come along because of the natural fluctuations of our cycles of relative health. Agents of disease are all around us, not only in the form of viruses, bacteria, and parasites, but as a multitude of potential irritants, such as carcinogenic chemicals, allergens, insects, toxic plants, and so forth. A person solidly equilibrated in a phase of relative health can often interact with these agents and not get sick. Since internal factors determine the nature of our relationships with them, the true causes of disease are internal.”

The ancient Indian health system of Ayurveda which is one of the world's oldest and still most practical health treatises states the same philosophy that the cause of disease comes from inside, not outside. Rather than warring on disease agents with the hope of eliminating them, we ought to worry more about strengthening resistance to them and learning to live in balance with them. Ayurveda states how yoga, pranayam, plants, herbs and diet not only benefit immensely in strengthening our immune system but also aid in healing us physically,mentally and emotionally.

To your holistic good health !

Vikram

http://www.metronirvana.com/

The power of silence

“Silence”, said Christina Rossetti “is more musical than any song”. Silence is to mind what sleep is to the body. Silence cures all afflictions caused by stress and strain, tensions and troubles, anxiety and confusion. Silence clears the cobwebs, purifies us, rejuvenates us and gives us strength! And yet we haven’t realized the efficacy of this powerful tool. In fact, silence is the best tranquillizer one can have in today’s noisy world.

Why is that, when one visits a quiet place of worship or amidst the hills, one gets a feeling of peace and harmony. The silence within stills the mind since it drives out desire, frustration, and attachment to material objects. Silence within comes with the emptying of trash from the mind and humbling our attitude.

Silence is of two types: The external silence, which is the absence of the hustle bustle of crowds and noises of all kind. This ‘noise pollution’ is testing human endurance, especially in the metros. But silence is not mere absence of noise. The second type of silence, the internal silence, which can be found through solitude. It is this solitude, the place of reflection and contemplation, and the place where growth takes place in a person by working at a deep inner level in a sustained atmosphere of silence.

When the external and internal silence meet, that’s when your powers of intuition unfold, and you become the recipient of much subtle energy. You become more creative and this enhances your true nature. In fact, most great artists received ‘creative flashes’ in silence. Just analyze, how can we hear our wise voice of intuition if we are always thinking, talking and distracted by outer events? If only we take time daily to experience physical stillness and to direct our attention inside, we can begin to find the peace, love, will and wisdom that exist as our essence.

When you sit in silence, the circles of positive energy are formed, healing both your body and mind. This positive energy works wonders, when the external and the internal silence merge. Silence helps you to realize your true personal identity. In silence emerges your true self, you become aware of consciousness and you are able to see yourself as ‘you’. For then the mysteries are revealed and you witness the great divine phenomenon. This is another dimension to silence. It facilitates linking of our soul with God, which helps in our communion with God. In fact, self-realization is felt in the silence of the soul.

Lao Tzu quoted, “Silence is a source of great strength.” However for many people especially first timers silence can be disturbing. The fright and fear associated with silence make us avoid it. This negative perception of silence creates a feeling of blankness, emptiness and loneliness. For many, silence is an anathema, an irritant and probably even rude! In fact, many cultures especially western cultures find the eulogy to silence very odd. Asians consider silence not just an effective means of communication but also a sign of respect for elders and seniors. But whatever said, silence is never negative. Silence is positive — it heals, uplifts, and rejuvenates.

As Ronan Keating aptly stated it in his song, "You say it best when you say nothing at all".


Vikram
http://www.metronirvana.com/