Finding a right Guru - 3rd basic conndition

The third basic pre-requisite of a right Guru is his or her motive. He should teach with an ulterior motive, for name, or fame or anything else. He is teaching simply for love, pure love for you. When spiritual forces are transmitted from  the teacher to the taught, they can only  be conveyed  thorough the medium of love; there is no other medium that can convey them. Any other motive such as gain or name , would immediately destroy the conveying medium; therefore all must be done through love.

So summarizing the three basic conditions for a Guru are;

• He must have the secret of scripture, the spirit of scripture and the true meaning and just not the superficial knowledge.
• He must be sinless, his own conduct and behavior
• His motive to teach is simply pure love and no other ulterior motive. 

Positive thinking vs Wishful thinking

We have a  notion that the positive thinking is believing and having faith that outcome of a situation will be in our favor as we desire. We want results to happen as we wish. For example I will get 95% marks irrespective whether I study well or not. There is a belief that the universal forces will work on my thought and the desired outcome will happen.

Similarly, a gambler is thinking  that he is going to win large sum of money and start playing in casino. This belief can be based on past record of success and hence we have the faith that by positive thinking we can manifest outcome to happen. This concept is based on theory that universal forces will align to manifest the desired outcome.This is wishful thinking and not positive thinking specially if not supported by the concerted action to achieve the desired outcome.

Positive thinking on the other hand is referring to the present situation and thinking about how good or bad we feel based on it. We have two choices;

Either we look for positives of the present situation and be happy and visualize future positive possibilities and decide to act to  improve further. If we do that we feel happy and energized and have the necessary energy to propel us to move forward. We always need to move forward in life.

Or we start  thinking of negative aspect of the  present situation and start visualizing all possible negative aspects and feel out of control. This will lead to frustration and lack of action. We will feel energy-less. Life is being in action.

So we have a choice all the time - take stock of present situation. Think and visualize positive aspects of the present situation and make an action plan or to do list to achieve the positive aspects in the best possible manner. Many other positives will follow from there. Remember every situation has a mix of positive and negative possibilities and do not dwell too much on negative aspects.

Mahabharata story- Karna last moment

Karna was lying on the battlefield gasping for breath in his last moments. Krishna assumed the form of an indigent Brahmin and approached him wanting to test his generosity. Krishna exclaimed: "Karna! Karna!" Karna asked him: "Who are you, Sir?" Krishna (as the poor Brahmin) replied: "For a long time I have been hearing about your reputation as a charitable person. Today I came to ask you for a gift." "Certainly, I shall give you whatever you want", replied Karna."I want a small quantity of gold", said Krishna. Karna opened his mouth, showed the gold fillings for his teeth and said: "I shall give this to you. You can take them". Assuming a tone of revulsion, Krishna said: “Do you expect me to break your teeth and take the gold from them? How can I do such a wicked deed?” Karna picked up a stone, knocked out his teeth and offered them to the "Brahmin".Krishna in his guise as Brahmin wanted to test Karna further. "What? Are you giving me as gift teeth dripping with blood? I cannot accept this. I am leaving", he said. Karna pleaded: "Swami, please wait." Even while he was unable to move, Karna took out his arrow and aimed it at the sky. Immediately rain dropped from the clouds. Cleaning the teeth with the rainwater, Karna offered the teeth with both his hands.Karna asked: "Who are you, Sir"? Krishna said: "I am Krishna. I admire your spirit of sacrifice. In any circumstance you have never given up your spirit of sacrifice. Ask me what you want." Beholding Krishna's beauteous form, Karna said with folded hands: "Krishna! To have the vision of the Lord before one's passing is the goal of human existence. You came to me and blessed me with your form. This is enough for me. I offer my salutations to you."

Mahabharata story - Friendship of Karna and Duryodhana

Once Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi and Karna were playing a game of dice. As the game progressed, it was evident that Karna was winning and Bhanumathi was losing. Just then Duryodhana entered his queen's chamber. Karna had his back to the door while Bhanumathi was facing it. Seeing her husband coming, she was about to stand up. As she was just rising, Karna, thinking that she was trying to get away, snatched at her drape, studded with pearls.Tugged at by Karna's powerful hands, the thread snapped and all the pearls rolled on the floor. Queen Bhanumathi was stunned and did not know what to say or do. She was afraid that, for no fault of hers, she would be misunderstood by her husband because of Karna's offensive and insensitive behavior. Seeing her shocked state and sensing that something was wrong, Karna turned round and saw his friend Duryodhana. He was also deeply shocked and distressed beyond words.Here he was, in the royal chamber, playing a game of dice with his friend's wife and, as if this was not enough, he had the audacity to catch her clothes, thus embarrassing and endangering her chaste reputation. He stood dumbfounded and transfixed. As both Bhanumathi and Karna look down sheepishly, unable to meet Duryodhana's eyes, the Kaurava scion only asks, "Should I just collect the beads, or string them as well."

Mahabhararta story - Birth of Dronacharya

The birth of Dronacharya, the Guru of the Pandavas and Kauravas in the Mahabharata, is very interesting. It would not be wrong to say that Dronacharya is the first test tube baby in the world. Rishi Bharadwaja is the father of Dronacharya and mother is an Apasara name Krithaji. One evening Rishi Bharadwaja was getting ready to do his evening prayers. He went to the Ganga River to take his usual bath but was amazed to find a beautiful woman bathing at his usual spot in the river.On seeing Rishi Bharadwaja, the beautiful Apsara Krithaji got out of the Ganga River wearing a single loin cloth. Rishi Bharadwaja was moved by the heavenly beauty of the Apsara. Overpowered by the moment, the sage involuntarily emitted his semen. The Rishi collected this sperm in a clay pot and stored it in a dark place in his Ashram. Drona was born in this pot. 'Dronam' means pot and 'Dronar' is one who was born from the pot.

Finding day for a given date - part-2 (for dates before year 2000 and after 2099)

In part-1 we learnt hoe to find day for a given date in the 21st century i.e. from year 2000 to 2099. here we will see how to find for other centuries.

As we mostly deal with the current century and previous century one simple formula is find the day for current century and add 1 to it for 1900s. This mean we can first  find the day for 20th July 2053 and then add one to final result. As 20th July 2053 is Sunday and hence 20th July 1953 was Monday.But let us understand the full logic.

For this the only change is adjustment for the year code. For year 1900 to 1999 we need to add 1 to year code so for 1915 the year code is 4+1=5 and for 1914 it is 3+1=4.

So for finding day for 20th July 1953 steps are
Year code for 2053 is 53+13=66/7 and remainder is 3 and hence for 1953 year code is 4
Month code for July is 5
Now date value is 4+5+20=29 and dividing by 7 we get remainder as 1 and the day is Monday


For any date in other centuries we need to do adjust the year code as follows :

• 2300 to 2399 = add 1

• 2200 to 2299 = add 3

• 2100 to 2199 = add 5

• 2000 to 2099 = add 0

• 1900 to 1999 = add 1

• 1800 to 1899 = add 3

• 1700 to 1799 = add 5

• 1600 to 1699 = add 0

Finding day for a given date - part-3 (leap year)

Leap years

Feb normally  has 28 days but every 4 years we get leap year and Feb has 29 days.
Year 2004, 2008, 2012 and so on are leap years.

But there is an exception to this and century years are not
Thus year 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200,2300 are not leap years.

There are exception to this exception and every 4th century is a leap year ( Year divide by 400)
Thus year 1600, 2000 & 2400 are leap years.

Remember for leap years we need to subtract 1 from year factor for month of Jan & Feb.


Tips for simplifying calculations.

We can simplifying the calculation is by dividing the individual number by 7 and adding the remainders. So to compute year code for 2053 we can first divide 53 by 7 and we get remainder as 4, the we can find leap years which is 53/4 and quotient is  13 for year 2053 and 13/6 we get remainder as 6 and then we add 6+4 = 10 and we get remainder for 10/7 as 3. This way we deal with relatively smaller numbers and easier to calculate mentally.
Similarly while adding days we can divide by 7 and carry remainder. So far 23 we can carry only 2

Finding day for a given date part-1 (for dates between year 2000 to 2099)

We can find day for a given date. Steps are given below

First find Day-sum and then divide this by 7 and remainder is day code (0 for Sunday and 6 for Saturday starting). 

Day-sum =  year code+month code+Date.

Year code for 2015 is 4 and  Month code from Jan to Dec are 622 503 514 624 .

Let us find the day for 23 May 2015 

Year code is 4, month code 0 and date is 23rd

Day-sum is 4+0+23 = 27,  divide 27 by 7 and remainder is 6 and hence 23rd May is Saturday.

31st Dec 2015

Day-sum is 4+4+31 = 39, Divide 39 by 7 and the remainder is 4 and hence the day is Thursday

Finding year code : Value  for year 2000  is zero and and for subsequent years we add 2 digit of year code by number of leap years and divide by 7 and the remainder is year code for the year.

For year 2015 - leap years are 3 ( 15/4 ) and hence year value is  15+3=18 and divide 18 by 7 and the remainder is 4 which is the year code for 2015.

Year code for 2014 is (14+3) is 17 and dividing 17 by 7 we get remainder as 3 which is the year code for 2014,

Year code for 2042 is (43+10) is 53 and dividing  by 7 we get remainder as 4 which is the year code for 2043.

LEAP YEAR - For 2016 year code is 16+4=20, divide 20 by 7 and value is 6 but  for Jan & Feb we subtract 1 being leap year. So for Jan & Feb the year code is 5 and for rest of the month it is 6.

let us find days for some dates in year 2016 being a leap year.
2nd Jan 2016 ; We will take year code as 5 (6-1) being a leap year,  Day-sum is 5+6+2=13. Divide 13 by 7 and remainder is 6 and hence Saturday
31st March 2016 ; For march year code is 6, Day-sum is 6+2+31=39 and divide by 7 and remainder is 4 thus Thursday.

Why we need a spiritual teacher ?- Extract from works of Swami Vivekananda

Every soul is destined to be perfect, and every being, in the end, will attain to that state. Whatever we are now, is the result of whatever we have been, or thought in the past, and whatever we shall be in future will be the result of what we do or think now. But this does not preclude our receiving help from outside; the possibilities of the soul are always quickened by some help from outside. In fact in the vast majority of cases in the world, help from outside is absolutely necessary. This quickening impulse, which comes from outside, cannot be received from books; the soul can receive impulse from another soul , and from nothing else. We may study books all our lives,  we may become very intellectual, but in the end we find we have not developed at all spiritually. 

It does not follow that a high order of intellectual development always shows an equivalent development of the spiritual side of man; on the other hand we find cases almost every day where the intellect have become very highly developed at the expense of the spirit. This is the reason that many of us can speak most wonderfully on spiritual subjects, but when the time of action comes, we find ourselves so woefully deficient. Many times acclaimed Gurus, with huge fan following by their mesmerising and intellectual  talks, behave in a manner that is not worthy of a developed of soul or spirituality.

The soul from which this impulse comes is called Guru or the teacher. In order to convey this impulse the Guru must possess the power of transmitting it and the disciple must be fit to receive it. The seed must be a living seed, and the field must be ready ploughed. When both these conditions are fulfilled, a wonderful growth of development of soul takes place.

The precondition for this to happen is that disciple must have a strong and sustained urge to develop and not just a momentary feeling driven by some mishap in life and the prerequisites are;

1. Purity 
2. A real and lasting thirst after knowledge
3. Perseverance

Guru must be the right one fulfilling the necessary conditions as follow;

1. He must have the knowledge of scriptures and understands and practices the spirit of the scriptures - Vedas, Bible, Koran...
2. He must be sinless by his action and conduct
3. His motive is pure for disciple's development and not any other motive, fame or money.

Only if the above two set of conditions are met, the real progress begins.

Why a spiritual teacher must be a pure soul?- Extract from works of Swami Vivekananda

A condition necessary in the spiritual teacher is that he must be sinless-pure. We sometime think that "why should we look to the personality of a teacher? - we have only to judge of what he says, and take that up". Not so. If a man wants to teach maths or science, or any other subject, he may be of any character and he can  teach. For teaching subjects like maths and physical science requires intellectual strength and the development of soul is not a prerequisite.

But in the spiritual science it is impossible from first to last that there can be any spiritual light in that soul which is impure. What can such a soul teach? It knows nothing. Spiritual truth is purity. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God". In this one sentence is the gist of all religion and spirituality.

If you have learned that, all that has been said in past, and all that is possible to say in the future, you have known.A vision of God, glimpse of beyond, never comes until the soul is pure. Therefore in the teacher of spirituality, purity is the one thing indispensable. We must see first what he is, and then alone comes the value of  his teachings, the words he says, because he is transmitter. What will he transmit, if he has not that spiritual power in him?

To give a simile - if this heater here is hot, it can convey heat vibrations, but if not, it is impossible to do so. Even so is the case with mental vibrations. It is a question of transference, and not stimulating our intellectual facilities. Some power, real and tangible, goes out from the teacher and begins to grow in the mind of taught. Therefore the necessary condition is that the spiritual teacher must be true.

"Share and Grow mindset" vs "Grow and Share mindset"

All of us want to grow and for growth we need others to contribute, our family members, our employees, our customers, our vendors and the society in which we live and work. We are all interdependent and most of us do believe in sharing the fruits of one's success. No one can grow by one's own effort alone.

Though we believe, but many times we wait for sizable success to come our way before we start sharing. The mindset is once we have made it then we will share. Many times because of this thinking we do not start sharing early and that inhibits growth. This is vicious circle as we do not start sharing the universal forces are also slow to contribute towards our growth. The partners/ employee are not sure if they will get their due share of success  and their energy level does not rise very high.

 On the other hand if we start contributing with small fruits of our success, the universe and the people around us start seeing our intention and a much higher energy level starts propelling us as a united force. This will lead to greater success and much larger sharing with the people who are contributing to our success.

Though intention can be similar in both the mindset but results can be vastly different if we will believe in mindset of " Share and Grow". 

Make the right moves to minimise injuries-Part-2, By Richa Goel - First published in MyPaper

RICHA GOEL

Ready to give your workspace a makeover? Use this guide to help transform your workstation into an ergonomic one.

1. WORKSPACE

a. Height of workspace:

Should be between 65cm and 75cm, depending on your height.

b. Position of monitor:

The best position is directly in front of you, if your job consists mainly of computer work.

c. Desk surface:

Should not be reflective and should be large enough to accommodate all the equipment needed, such as monitor, keyboard and mouse.

d. Your workstation:

Should be organised to minimise being in an awkward posture or overreaching. Frequently used items should be kept within the primary zone and less frequently used items in the secondary zone.

2. CHAIR

While sitting, your feet should comfortably reach the floor and your knees should be in line with your hips.

If your chair doesn't support your lower back, place a cushion between the curve of your back and the back of the chair.

3. MOUSE POSITION

Consider keeping the mouse within close reach, and keep your wrist in a neutral and comfortable position.

4. WRIST POSITION

When you are typing, keep your wrists straight - not bent up, down or to either side.

5. HEADSET

If you talk frequently on the phone and take notes at the same time, consider using a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and shoulder.

6. FOOTREST

If your feet don't reach the floor comfortably, you can use a footrest/small stool to ensure maximum comfort.

7. POSTURE

Sit directly in front of your monitor and keyboard. Sit up straight, back supported, with your knees bent 90 deg. Keep your forearms level or tilted up slightly.

8. DESK DIMENSIONS

Generally, the desk should be at least 48cm deep, 76cm wide and, depending on your height, up to 86cm high. Ensure there is sufficient space for your legs under the desk - do not use this area for storage.

9. MONITOR HEIGHT

The monitor should be directly in front of you, about an arm's length away. The top of the screen should be slightly below eye level. Where possible, try to minimise glare from sunlight/overhead lighting. The proper viewing distance is approximately an arm's length from the screen. The line of sight should be approximately at a right angle to the screen.

Be aware of these factors and try to apply them as much as possible, even when you are not at your primary workstation.

Remember, the simplest and most well-worn piece of advice is to take a break. Leaving your workstation gives your muscles and your mind the rest they deserve.

Make the right moves to minimise injuries-Part-1- By Richa Goel - First published in MyPaper

RICHA GOEL

IN TODAY'S world, wherever we turn, we see hunched shoulders, poking chins, bent wrists and constantly tapping fingers. Around 20 years ago, computers were used mainly in offices, but now people are constantly using - or perhaps abusing - laptops, smartphones and tablets at work, at home, on the MRT, in coffee shops and restaurants.

People are hunching and slouching to use their gadgets in confined spaces. Too much of this is bound to take a physical toll. As people twist their bodies to use electronic devices in all possible places, they may unknowingly be risking injury.

Through improper positioning, people are at greater risk of eye strain, tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, among other ailments. Repeated movements can lead to an overuse of muscles and tendons, making them inflamed and causing pain in the hands, shoulders, neck and back.

By changing our work environment and workstation design, as well as being aware of good work posture and practices, we can prevent such injuries at work.

Ergonomics is regarded as the science of designing a workplace to match our physical and psychological needs, limitations and capabilities.

"Office ergonomics" is using these principles in an office setting. The goal of office ergonomics is to set up your office workspace so that it fits you and the job you are doing.

An ergonomically set-up workstation will:

Reduce headaches and eye strain

Reduce neck and back pain

Prevent bursitis, or tendon problems linked to repetitive tasks

A comfortable workspace can help you feel more comfortable at work. Sitting at a desk for hours at a time does not have to lead to a career of neck and back pain, or sore wrists and fingers.

Proper office ergonomics - including correct chair height, adequate equipment spacing and good desk posture - can help you stay comfortable at work.

The writer is a senior physiotherapist with Clinical Services, Collaborative Care, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics.

Thank you God

God has been so kind to me that he has give us so much that a man can aspire to have. First of all wonderful parents who gave me head start in life by giving me good education and values. Then my parents in law who are so wonderful human beings and who gave me lovely wife Alka, who has been very kind, caring and capable. She is a pillar of strength for our family and an extra ordinary human being. And the came our two angel daughters Ruchika & Neha. Both are very capable, caring and doing so well in their work. God, you have blessed me with good health, money and professional achievements and every thing.

Extracts from work of Swami Vivekanad

 A finite subect cannot love, nor a finite object be loved. When the object of the love of a man is dying every moment, and his mind is constatly changing as he grows, what external love can you find to to expect in the world? There cannot be any real love but in God, why then all thes love? These are mere stages. There is apower behind implelling us forward, we do not know where to seek for the real objects, but this love is sending us forward in search of it. Again and again we find out our mistakes. We grasp something, and find it slips though our fingers and then we grasp something else. Thus on and on we go, till at last comes light: we come to God, the one who loves. His love knows no change, and is ever ready to take us in. How long would any one of you bear with me if I injured you? He in whose mind is no anger, hatred or envy, who never loses his balance, dies or is born, who is he but God?