Taking education beyond the confinements of a classroom is the need of the hour. Let's introduce a curriculum that allows the child to follow a different path of learning that imbibes values like tolerance, forbearance and hard work so that the child attains more than just an academic degree.
What comes to your mind when you think of education? School buildings? Libraries? Textbooks? Curricula? Teachers? Examinations? Most of us, in all probability, associate education with at least one of the above-mentioned things, and surely many more could be added. But does education take place outside of such formal settings? Can curricula be found beyond that of the normal course of study? Can we find teachers who are teaching outside the classroom? Does education always needs be in a specific pattern? Is education only limited to textbooks and examinations? The students mind is programmed to pass the class with higher percentage so as to get admittance in good colleges. A profound analysis is required to understand the real meaning and essence of education.
Real education must ultimately be limited to those who insist on knowing, the rest is mere sheep-herding.
Ezra Pound
The water of the Ganga, especially at the source, contains no impurities and remains uncontaminated even after being kept over several years. While Hindus attribute this to its holiness, geologists say it is because of the minerals in it and scientists to the secretion of herbs.
There is something strikingly spiritual about this place. The loftiness of the mountains, the expanse of the undulating hills, the depth of the ravines, the softness of the wafting breeze and an endless sense of being – all these factors happen to touch the heart and the mind. These are the mountains that have beckoned, from long, long ago, a stream of wandering ascetics, religious scholars, devotees and travelers to their laps. There is a mention of these mountains in the Mahabharata when Pandavas ascended the slopes of a peak called Swargrohini or Ascent to Heaven. Just 4 kms away is Mana, where there is a cave where Vyas is said to have written the Mahabharata.
People were talking about strange, sometimes mythical beasts, and someone iin the teahouse told Nasruddin that there were monsters to be found even near his own village.
As he was on his way home, the Mulla saw a new animal. It had long ears, like a donkey, but it was brownish, furry and chewing. So preoccupied was it that Nasruddin was able to steal up to it and catch it by the ears. He had never seen anything like this before. It was, in fact, a rabbit…
Health is the buzzword. With changing lifestyles, every
individual wants to stay healthy and look fit. With today's
escalating awareness pertaining to healthy means of living, comes the concept of 'smart cooking'. Gone are those morose days when no oil free food only meant boiled, tasteless and bland khichdi and daliya meant only for patients. We bring you recipes that are wholesome, lower cholesterol, reduce calories and are easy to make.
Come, let's savour the flavour!
If you are passionate about heathy eating, here is your choice to enrich your gastronomic experience. Try these….
Veggie Pick ups – a healthy soya, paneer, capsicum dish Shabnam Curry- mushroom, peas and corns looks together nice in curry. taste it! Mirch-Makai Ka Salan Nugget Satay
Though menstruation is normal, some women experience Dilemma during this cycle, like Menstrual Cramps or Dysmenorrhea, or Pre-menstrual Syndrome. They are normally asked to rest - probably the reason why elders asked them to stay in their room and forget home chores. But how this changed into banishment is a mystery.
Menstruation is a natural monthly cycle in women. The discharge consists of blood and cells which sheds from the lining of the uterus. The bleeding can last from two to seven days and signifies that no conception has taken place. The main hormones involved in controlling menstruation are estrogen and progesterone. The cycle begins when a dormant egg cell within an ovary begins to ripen. The cells around this maturing egg cell then release estrogen which prompts the lining of the endometrium to thicken as preparation for the receipt of fertilized egg. When the egg matures, ovulation begins. In ovulation, the matured egg will burst from the ovary and go down to the fallopian tube to the uterus. The cells that are left behind after ovulation will then begin the production of progesterone. This hormone, the progesterone, is responsible for the further growth of the endometrium.
Our mind is always occupied with the incessant flow of thoughts. It is always in a state of disturbance, and has a habitual tendency for distraction. This leaves us feeling so much fragmented that we find ourselves scattered in all directions. It is no exaggeration then, to say that our mind cannot stay still for longer than a few moments, which eventually results in lack of concentration and loss of memory. We are unable to grasp and focus in the present moment.
Now, how do we enhance our power of concentration and strengthen our memory? A unique meditation technique called Tratak is an answer to this. It has many benefits.
Tratak not only brings an end to the mind’s distractions but also enhances the ability to concentrate. It increases the power of memory and brings the mind in a state of awareness, attention and focus.
Tratak is an ideal meditation technique for people of all age groups, especially for students who need to concentrate on studies. Older people who often tend to forget every now and then can greatly benefit from this technique.
We all know that oxygen is undoubtedly an intrinsic part of our lives. It is the major key element towards having excellent health! Oxygen is the single most important substance taken into the body. Let's find out what 'Oxy Therapy' is all about.
It is an open secret that there is no escape from the stress and the strain of the hectic life. Migraines, tensions, headaches, skin problems, pre-mature aging and so many other uninvited evils ailments take a toll on our lives. It is quite reassuring that there are a few things which can bring immediate relief to any unpleasant condition. Personal spa care is a leader among them. A bouquet of therapies to suit the contemporary times is offered across all spas but there is one skincare treatment, ‘Oxy Therapy’ that is gaining popularity and is exclusively available at select places.
It does not contain preservatives,
artificial fragrances, colour or essences.
In other words, it is totally natural in every sense of the word. So make the most of it.
Moisture is the skin’s basic requirement. It keeps the skin soft, healthy and youthful. As knowledge about the skin and its cosmetic needs have grown, it has been found that aged and prematurely aged skins have one thing in common: lack of moisture. The amount of moisture that the skin holds determines its texture to a great extent – whether it is soft and smooth, or dry, rough or covered with fine lines. The skin loses moisture to the environment when humidity is low, or through artificial means like airconditioning and central heating. Exposure to the sun, over a period of time, also lowers the skin’s ability to retain moisture. Even the water that you wash the face with is treated with chemicals like chlorine which deplete moisture and cause dryness. If the skin is perpetually short of moisture, it can get dehydrated and shrivel up. This makes the skin texture rough and sensitive, vulnerable to the formation of lines and wrinkles.
Shiamak, meaning 'Prince', the 'Prince of Hearts, the 'Prince' of Joy, the 'Prince' of Simplicity. Actually, everything about this ace dancer, choreographer, actor, singer and now director is highly intriguing. Dancing comes naturally to Shiamak Davar, and when he is on stage he is at peace, and awareness surrounds him. this man who is apparently wedded to glamour, spirituality has always been a great anchor. He, however, is essentially a performer who believes that dance, song and acting are products of a collective effort of the mind, body and the spirit. Soul Curry Spoke To Him.
This is an interesting question because more than half of the humanity is a believer in God, and every religion has its own definition which is quite different from the definition given by the other religion. This earth is having more than 350 religions, so we can say there are more than 350 kinds of God. And in this whole jamboree of so many plural Gods, one is seemingly so different from the one. It really confuses the mind. Then sometimes one tends to say that there isn’t any God and it’s just the fabrication of the human mind. Some sociologists come out with their own definitions that God is an idea which has been concocted by the priests and by the politicians for selfish interests. For some ulterior motive, God has been created, because God is never going to come up and say ‘I am God’.
Zikr, a glittering event of love to celebrate the 800th Birth Anniversary of Hazrat Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi in India has been organised by Rishi Chaitanya Trust in association with Turkish Embassy and in co-association with Gurumaa Vani. The highlight of the opening event was the launch by the Guests of Honour of the special audio CD, titled "Zikr", produced by Mystica Music and composed by India's leading neyzen and musicologist Kaanchman Babbar.
It was probably the most talked-about event of the month. A large crowd had already gathered outside the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi on the evening of 14th February 2007, waiting to enter and watch for themselves the towering personality of Anandmurti Gurumaa and the dervishes who were especially brought from the interiors of Turkey.
To a hall packed and under the glaring lights of the media, Guests of Honour, Dr Karan Singh, President, ICCR and Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, along with Turkish Ambassador in India, HE Halil Akinci, marked the start of the 800th Birth Anniversary of Hazrat Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi in India.
Anxiety attacks, phobias and depression, heart disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, allergies, blood pressure and headaches are just a few of the commonly listed complaints that originate from stress.
Raman, CEO of a multinational company, gets up at 6 in the morning, switches on his PC to read overseas mails, requests his wife to wake up early, reads the newspapers, makes sure children are being ready, drops them to the bus stop, prepares himself for one hour of commuting time, conducts business while finishing his breakfast; upon reaching office, peruse e-mails, answer calls, attends series of meetings throughout the day, even as gulping down mugsful of coffee. He takes a light lunch, probably pizza. And then moves onto afternoon meetings and conferences. When evening arrives he calls up his wife to say – “I will be late”. And when he does go back home, through several traffic snarls, he reaches at around 10 to find his children asleep or sometimes waiting for him to finish their homework. Once the action of the day has ceased, they may try to unwind and watch TV – cricket match. Before they know it, they are asleep in their sofa. They head for bed, from where a few hours later, the day starts all over again. If all this is not stress-producing, then what is?
In our modern world, we often define ourselves in terms of our relationships with others but forget the relationship that we share with our inner selves. Solitude is the best way to get to know ourselves.
Does being alone sometime give you a very deep and rare sense of contentment? If yes, then consider yourself fortunate enough to enjoy such state of bliss called Solitude. There is an important distinction to be established right off the bat. There is a world of difference between solitude and loneliness, though the two terms are often used interchangeably. From the outside, solitude and loneliness look a lot alike. Both are characterized by solitariness. But all resemblance ends here.
Very often, we mistake solitude with loneliness. Its only when we experience solitude in the true sense that we discover the difference. Loneliness is marked by a sense of isolation. Solitude, on the other hand, is a state of being alone without being lonely and can lead to self-awareness.
Take your child's 'No' in your stride and show that you respect his viewpoint in a way that makes him feel that he is being empowered and not overpowered by parents.
Till about the age of 2, parents are in complete control of the child. They can put him to sleep at a time it suits them, make him wear what they want, take him out to places they like, and can distract him from his demands. But one fine day, they hear a two-letter word from their child’s mouth – ‘NO!’ And this two-letter word declares the beginning of a war between the parent and the child.
The parent feels how could a little child defy his authority, and the child feels how can he deny me my right to freedom. The parent and the child then try to assert their power with parents thrusting, forcing their choices on the child and the child becoming headstrong not to follow what parents tell him to do. The outcome is a more stubborn, rebellious child who is so easily labeled as ‘bad’.
God isn't far away from us, but in us, within us as well as beyond us.
As every human being is divine, every human being can be called God. You too are God; all of us are God.
God is not the name of an entity, which is away from us, living somewhere in the sky, in some far, remote place in the cosmos. For the seers who understood the Truth, God is Truth.
Truth and God are synonyms; when I say God it means Truth, when I say Truth it means God. God exists in every core of an atom. This means that this whole universe is a manifestation of that very God, that very existence. Thus, each and every thing as well as the forms which we are seeing is the form of the divinity. The seers of this land loved and worshipped each and every form as God. The vision of God is not limited. It was limitless, which was beyond the boundaries of human mind.
Time is irreplaceable. Once we waste time, there is no way we can regain it. It is something which cannot be put in a locker, but must be made the best use of, when it is still with us.
Truly, time once gone, is gone forever. A number of people have different answers when asked about the availability and utility of time. Some say there is not enough time to do everything they want to do. Others say that time hangs heavily on their heads and still others say they cannot keep track of time. There are those who say that they have plenty of time but little to do. Such people have lost their moorings. Such people are not equipped or have not been taught the blessings of gainful employment. You can see plenty of such people who sit outside their offices in the sun, and play cards.
Many times people have come to me with this problem but have been ashamed to talk about it. They live a sexual life and are guilty of still having sexual urges. For the benefit of all I bring this out so that you know the facts. Let us try to understand the human body.
Sex is a very small part of your bio-energy. It is given by nature to all beings. No one trains you to feel sexual. Yet you know it is there. What is required is to understand it and to face all the feelings that it arouses, rather than resorting to the centuries-old habit of repression and suppression.
It is a natural instinct which grows as the body grows. The hormonal and chemical changes bring forth the urge for sex. Our rishis have never ever condemned it – no wonder that most of them led a married life. Our ancestors never gave us this theory that celibacy is more pious and greater than indulgence.
