3 friends and value of friendship

This is story of 3 friends of mine AM, KT and SK. 
The story brings out that friendship or relation is more important then money.

Lets start with AM. He was my best buddy in engineering college. We were very close friends and knew almost everything about each other. He was the most egoistic guy from outside and the most helpful, understanding guy from inside. He came in a little later in our college but we got along well quickly. After college also we were in touch with each other. AM Moved to USA for studies while I started working for an IT company in India. Fast forward 3 years in to my job and first year of job of AM in Chicago. I got a chance via my company to go to USA. I landed in NJ in 2014. My first visit to USA while AM had been in USA for 3 years now with 2 years of studies and few months in to his job.

Both me and AM grew up in middle class family. When I came to USA, I was paid very less. Not that AM was earning too much. At one point, were talking about me visiting him at Chicago. I looked up flight tickets. I think it was 140USD one way which for me was expensive at that point Plus trip expenses. BTW - Born Kutchi :)

Ameya bought and send tickets to me. Not only this but he received me at the airport and we wanted to hug but the presence in USA did not let us hug. We did have a long discussion about it later in the trip. He took me for 3-4 day trip to near by places in chicago in rented car. He paid for all expenses including lunch breaks, ice creams. I may have paid once or twice not during the entire trip.

Looking back, I realise even AM did not have too much money on hand but for him my friendship was more valuable then money. This was a big lesson for me. It was not about money for him at all. He never for once ever made me realise that he had done this for me.

Thank you AM

Lets come to KT: He came in by failing a previous year. 2 completely different personalities.
Me as meek as one could be with no guts to confront and KT will walk out of a running lecture saying he has upset stomach and he cannot hold it any longer :)

We were not great friends till last year. But sometime during last year, we came to know each other. 

KT was a completely different personality. He had a lot of violence inside him and used to break signals on bike and pipes of college bath room all alike :) 

For some unknown reason,  we kept in touch with each other. He wanted to do business from day one and I had no guts to jump in any sort of business. My father was bank manager for 33 years in 1 bank. I hardly saw any business men while I was growing up. I was largely influenced by family background for the financial security tied to a job.

KT went on to do MBA and I went to do IT and then went to USA. KT had a yahoo group he used to post and I used to enjoy reading his email. He became a stock trader. He asked me to trust him with my money which I did. I think we both were very naive, young but we valued our friendship so much.

He lost my money in a big number. On top of it, I lend him some money at different times. At one point things even turned soar. 

However, few years down the line, KT returned every money he took from me with interest. 

This time I invested my time and we build IT company to gather. It paid off for both of us. We both worked in different start ups and different levels of failures and some level of success.

The whole point here, it was easy for KT to declare he had no money to pay and I could not have done anything. But he never let that feeling come to me. He paid everything back in full. Although both our action of trusting a novice for money and KT using my money for stock trading were wrong, our friendship was our priority. And I would not repeat my action because I now value our friendship more and would not even try to ruin it by lending money.

KT is a man of sansakaras, he also has the ego of the same or ego of knowing too much :) Thats just judgement of him, however, Who am I to judge him, nobody!

We are really opposite personalities, I on hand do not think through all barriers about things I go to do. He will think about everything that can wrong. Each has its own pros and cons and is coming from the past baggage

KT: Thank you

Last but not the least is SK

SK and I had the best alignment. We were probably most similar across all the friends I had in this life time. SK and I met in Mithibai college. we were both from middle class. we had lot of similarities.

We went to different engineering colleges but were still in constant touch. His friend circle was completely different then mine. My friend circle was more middle class then him :)

SK and I have been friends for longest time. we are still in touch he meets me every time he comes to Mumbai. We can still talk for few hours about things we probably don't talk to a lot of people around us.

For me, its very sacred friendship. SK is the simplest and down to earth guy and accepts so many perspectives of the same thing without much perception.

He is the one who has accepted me as I am and I am very glad for the same. He has accepted whatever path I have chosen to move ahead in my living. 

Every year, I approach him to donate a portion of money to a NGO which believe is serving a higher purpose in human evolution. He donates it without a 2nd thought in his mind.

It just goes to show, he values our friendship more then money.

SM - Thank you

I have made many friends along the way, some have made a space in heart. Even though we may not be in touch however even a phone call or meeting brightens up our day.

I personally feel, friendship is loosing its importance. The casualness in it is lost, its becoming more professional.

Coming to AM's hug episode at the airport. It was me who probably stepped back and when we parted the Chicago Airport, we did hug each other :)

Friends are for a life time, Friends forever. Cherish it.

Passion or equanimity

Its 11:30pm, my mind is running through some thoughts.

The whole world around you may think you are wrong. Thats the time to hold your ground.

That world is not yours, that world is not real.

Karma works in miraculous ways, nobody has figured it fully. We are too small to figure it out and may be we dont need to do it.

God created this world and he will take care of it including you.

You gotta be sure of that and not of anything else.

As I pen down these thoughts, I actually dont know who I am. Am I an engineer? Am I a sales guy? Am I a writer?

What is my passion? Is it necessary to have one?

If you dont have passion, is it okay?

There is got to be more to life then passion.

Its probably equanimity.

I have not discovered it yet but I am in search and flux.

Writing gives me joy and yes it does.

I am okay even if nobody reads it. But I do hope somebody does find it interesting.

Thank you
Him

Your Real Earning In Life

I was driving to office today and realized that things do not matter as things don't have energy or spirit.
If money could buy happiness, all rich people should be happy. However, all rich people are stressed.
So who is rich? Rich is one who has time for himself and people around him. Rich is one who thinks rich. Richness does not come from money. Richness comes from thinking. Rich is one who has friends who love him. Rich is one who have people to listen to him. Rich is one who has peace in his life. Rich is one who can does not need to be presentable all the time. Rich is one who can be himself without thinking what will others think because there are no others.
Our real earning in life is not money. Our real earning in life is "happiness". Happiness comes from within you and not from outside. Have you ever seen a happy person surrounded by sad people? It can't happen, happiness spreads so does sadness. Being happy is a choice. Your entire life is about choice.  Choices at each step make up your life and living. Only point is choice is yours. Its given to you. Its a like ala carte, you can choose what you want. Wrong choices lead to sadness, Right choices lead to happiness.

A friend of mine had a girl friend. She was extremely possessive and james bond of its kind. Now this guy has 2 choices here either to break away and become free or accept her as she is. Life is about choices. If he chooses to break away, it causes temporary system failure. If he accepts it causes permanent damage. More often then not, we band aid a thing then heal it completely. Okay, he broke off ;). Of course I won't name him. However, great choice!

Coming back to real earning of our life. Its certainly not money. Its people, their faith, their laughter, their tears, their hugs.
The 2nd earning is the peace in your life and choice of being what you are and potential to what you can become.

You have to create these things in your life. The filter will leave you very few people along side but you will feel great about being yourself.

For the same, you will have to become a rebel. If you are not then you will certainly have to do things to please some one else and not yourself (BTW, nothing wrong in doing it as long as its real).

So -

God it's beautiful world.

We exist by your word.

Smiling is our nature

We are beautiful creature.

Love is our crater.

Your grace on us is greater.

Gratitude creates our future.

Thank you for this occasion.

My first hindi blog post

हम जीवन में एक रेस छोड़ कर दूसरी रेस में लग जाते हैं. कोई अच्छा  बनाने की रेस में कोई अच्छा  दिखने की रेस में कोई पैसा कमाने की रेस में तो कोई दुसरो को सुधारने की रेस में. इस बीच में जीवन चला जाता हैं. जीवन रेस नहीं ढेहराव हैं. स्थिरता ही जीवन का नियम हैं. हम दुसरो को समजने में अपना समय डालते हैं जबकि समजना अपने आपको हैं. जीवन मिला हैं हर पल जीने के लिए, हम उसको सुख और दुःख में बाँट देते हैं.

एक बार मुम्बई में बहुत बारिश हो रही थी मैने देखा लोग इधर उधर भाग रहे हैं, खुदको बचा रहे हैं. इतने में मैने एक बच्चे  को झूमते देखा. मैने उससे पूछा क्या तुम्हे बारिश से बचना नहीं हैं? उसने कहाँ ये तो कुदरत का करिश्मा हैं इसको नहीं जिया तो फिर क्या जिया? भगवान् तो हमे कितने मौके देता हैं जीवन जीने के पर हम या तो बचने में या कंप्लेंट करने में लगे रहते हैं. जीवन में दोष नहीं क्षमा भाव होना चाइये. 

हमे स्कूल से ही रैंकिंग से इंट्रोड्यूस कर दिया कोई फर्स्ट तो कोई सेकंड तो कोई लास्ट तो कोई फ़ैल. अक्सर जो फ़ैल हो गए वो जीवन में फर्स्ट आते हैं. सभी लोग एक ही पढाई करते हैं पर किसको कुछ तो किसको कुछ और समाज आत्ता हैं। ज्सिने इंजीनियरिंग कर ली बादमे पता चलता हैं वो तो शायर था, इंजीनियर तो कम्पटीशन ने बना दिया. 

एक शायरी -

ज़िन्दगी में ढेहरों तुम कुछ इस तरह. 

जीवन की पुकार  सुनाई दे उस तरह. 

तूम बनो जो तुम हो 

ये समजो तुम सब नहीं हो. 

दाग चाँद में भी होता हैं. 

फिर भी वो चाँद ही रेहता हैं. 

दुःख और सुख दोनों जीवन के ही भाग हैं 

जीवन इसे जीने का ही नाम हैं. 

अपने आप पे न गुरुर कर न गुमार कर. 

जिसने जीवन दिया उसका शुक्रगुज़ार कर. 

जीवन बहुत छोटा हैं,

इसे हर पल तुजे जीना हैं.

हर पल को जिले इस तरह.
जीवन का आखरी लम्हा हो उस तरह  

The social image

Everyone likes to play with a playful dog. Nobody likes to play with a angry barking dog.
Universe gives us so many examples to learn, you just need to observe.

We are given birth on the planet earth to liberate ourselves however we spend a life time entangled in series of our outer world.

What do you love in a person?
A blood relation, body, nature. All of it changes as time goes by, isn't it?
Thus love becomes a fallacy. Body is going to die, will the love die?
So what should you love? You say spirit but you can't see the spirit.

You can only connect. Only connection lasts it does not need blood relation, body or nature. When you feel one, the distinction goes away.
Confused, not yet, let me try more.

We are here spending a life time of making a social image of a good father, mother, brother or sister. In all of this, you loose your real self.
You should rather be yourself and let time be the filter of one's who want to be with you.

We are busy satisfying our senses and living sensation where as we were born for liberation.

We are busy earning money, fame, power where as life is in silence, gratitude and peace. Choice is yours.

Life is neutral, we create polarities.

"Live in the hearts of people, let mind have the thoughts and not you"

Goli Maar Bheje mien, Bheja Shor karta hain!!

We have heard many times that whatever is in your mind gets manifested in your life. Be it thoughts, feelings or emotions. 
So, You are told to think positive. But its vicious spiral as we are under gravitation force.
Let me tell you a short story here. One day a disciple came to the master and told him I want to learn new things. He went on to say I have learned this, I know this, I know that too. Pls teach me new things.
Master said okay but first let's have some tea. Master takes a pot and starts pouring tea in to the cup, the cup overflows but he still keeps pouring. Disciple immediately asks him to stop saying the cup is full master.
Master says "exactly, your cup is full too, I can't teach you. You have to empty the cup to learn anything new".
You can't think positive till your mind has a space. It is filled with past experiences, observations, emotions.
Till you silence your mind I.e. empty your cup, nothing positive is going to go inside it.
The first step is to let go of the noise in your head. Take a pause, don't do anything, just breath. 
God has given all the buttons record, play, rewind, forward, pause.
We use record and play the most. The play button is always ON, not knowing what is playing.
Use the pause button, silence your mind.
Let go of the chaos, fight, struggle, just be for sometime. Let the mind settle.
Time for one more story.
Buddha had a hyper active disciple and he wanted to teach him to silence his mind. He send him to take water from the sea while the water was flowing. Disciple saw water has lot of mud in it. He came back to master and said the water has mud in it. After sometime, Buddha send him again. The flow of water had stop, mud had settled down. Disciple came back with pure water for the master and learned to let the mud settle to get pure water.
God has given us life to understand this very thing of letting the dust settle and then only you can discover your purest form.
Beauty of silence is that it brings clarity to your life.
We had a saying in school silent waters run deep. I could only realize the same after I grew up.
There is a thing to notice all famous personalities are silent in some way shape or form.
Anyone seen hyper active sachin tendulkar or rahul dravid?
They became what they are because of the balance they had in their style. People talk about passion, I talk about balance.
Passion is short lived, balance has longevity.
Harshad mehta had passion, warren buffet had balance.
Output of silence is clarity. Output of clarity is balance.

God Loves Innocence not intelligence

I remember an incident from my school. During a biology period, we had to view a slide in the microscope. When my turn came to see the slide, the slide was moved already by some one however nobody told the teacher.
I saw that slide was moved and out of sheer innocence, I told the teacher. She blasted me and slapped me. Everyone knew who had moved the slide, but nobody told the teacher. I was too innocent to even know who did it.
I cried that day! Yes, I did. So why am I writing this now.
The reason being I was neither famous nor very intelligent but whoever was around me or with me loved me.
I was not smart, intelligent, funny, fighter, strong. I was not even good at sports.
The reason they liked me was because I was innocent. In spite of that slap from the teacher, my friends loved me. They loved the innocence in me.
I have been observing through my life that god loves innocence. God does not love intelligence, God loves purity.
Ever seen very rich people, they are not very intelligent. They are innocent. They became rich when they were innocent.
Innocence is important. Innocence has no rules or boundaries and has no definition too.
Innocence is feeling that you carry with yourself. Innocence does not mean you do not know anything. Innocence means you don't mince with your words. You mean what you say.
Its a sad reality that over time, one tends to loose innocence.
Be innocent and God will love you!!

The spoon

I just told my son to eat with hands instead of the spoon because it has Paraná. He asked me what is Paraná?
I was silent. He told me oh, I get it, the spoon can't move on its own. U have to move it with your hand. So hand has Paraná and not spoon.
Then he ate with the spoon but now we both know the answer ;)

The relative truth

When you go introvert, you realize truth is relative.
A labourer has to eat things that will give him energy to do physical work.
A office goer needs to eat things that will give him energy to use brain.
A businessman needs food for his mind.
A child needs food for energy to play.
A women needs food for her creativity.
A aged person needs food that can be digested easily.
Yeah, there is a difference between brain and mind.
Brain can do repetitive work. Mind needs creativity.
The point is truth for everyone is relative.
Above is the key to great relationships.
You will start living in acceptance mode.
when you realize the above absolute truth that truth is relative ;).

HAPPY NEW YEAR

One may ask why am I wishing happy new year now? It is already gone.
No, no, I am talking about the movie happy new year.
Oh, why talk about the movie which makes no sense to many?
Hmm..because I loved the movie ;)
It is a  good entertainer and great deal of learning. Learning from a Shahrukh khan movie. Am I nuts? Lets Find out if I am really nuts.

1. Recipe for success - right team
A. Old - brings experience.
B. Young - brings strength.
C. Women - brings love, bonding.
D. Very young - brings technology ;)
E. Leader - objectivity and focus.

2. Age old learning -
What you sow is what you reap. So be careful of your actions.

3. Heart and head - the right mix
Work from your heart, think from your head, again act on what your heart says!
Head will create fears, heart creates strength.

4. Love your country -
There was another movie named namaste London where Akshay kumar gives bol bachan to the UK resident. Loved it.
Same essence here but in a different way.

5. Kismat connection
Not the movie, I meant to say agar irade mazboot Hoon to kismat ka badalna padta hain. I think that dialog bought life to the entire movie.

6. Fun
I say this is one more recipe for success, there are ups and downs but remember to have fun on the way. Get serious at times but funny at all times ;)

7. Winning is not important
Yeah, life is about being with it and not winning it. Sometimes the call of destiny is to be human then win it. Win hearts then win a competition ;)

From indiawale ;)

The Life of Sadhana

Life of Sadhana

 

As I continue to learn from my own life and my ownself, living life of sadhana day in and day out.

It is a joyous process and I am lucky to be living it. I have realizations during this topless mountain journey (so it seems, how does the rabbit hole goes) which I will share during the course of this article.

Life of Sadhana path can be depicted as follows -

Struggling ----> Doing ----> Being

It is a journey from "Being of the world" to Being of the world but not of it"

Without any introspection or study of your ownself, you will start of with a struggling stage.

Once you have some realizations, You "choose" the doing and become a doer. Your struggle reduces. a layer of struggle is gone because now you are "doing".

Once you start doing and still go deeper, you realize that doing still involves effort. To make it effortless, you have to learn the art of "Being".

From learning the art of "being", you have reach the state of "being".

There are  many aspects which one needs to self realize, act and live. There is no option here - Books, Religion, Gurus, Sanstha's will guide you in the right direction but you have to put yourself in to action to live otherwise this is a philosophy for you and not the truth.

I was once asked by a very learned man - "What is truth?" I was quite puzzled at the question as I could not derive the context of it. As the illusion of me being a very intelligent person disappeared, I did see the context of the question. I realized there is no "single truth".

For example there is a happily married couple (hypothetically ;)) and there is a unhappily married couple (the 99% zone). For the latter, marriage is bad. But that is still not the truth. There are hypothetically happily married couples (he..he) for whom marriage is good. So what is the truth?

Another example of Indian going to US. I had good number of friends going to US with me. Out of all, 3 of us came back as we preferred to be in India. Rest of them stayed back. So what is the truth? Is US good for living or Bad?

Now you apply this to people you interact, circumstances you face. What you see as right is wrong for others and vice-versa. This understanding can come by reading but to be able to action it, you have to walk the path of sadhana.

So my realization was that truth is only your perspective of a person, circumstances, event nothing more and nothing less. Truth is multi dimensional.

There are few things I have self explored and realized during my journey -

1. Learning to leave - Over a period of time, your sense of belonging becomes a bondage for you. You can "choose" to leave these bondages or live with it. Your choice will decide your actions and actions will decide your life (so called results). This is very important in art of relationship. The ones who are yours, you will always set them free. And ones who you want to hold on, you never considered them yours and thus you hold on to them. Start living freedom in your relations, few people will leave your life and so be it. When I say relations, I do not mean only family. It may be your friend, your employees, your business partner, your manager, your guru, your peers at work places and also includes your family (who ever you interact with on day to day basis).

2. Your Food - Food is the only energy after breathe that you use for daily actions in life. So your food should be suited to your life style. If you are on a spiritual path, food is important aspect. Your choice of food will decide your life style or you choose the food as per your life style. I have realized this myself that more balanced my food, more balanced my life. It just makes things easier and smoother if you tune the food energy to life you want to live. For e.g. if you want to do physical work, you need heavy diet to produce huge amount of physical energy and metabolism. But if you are doing mind work, your diet needs to help your mind work. You can even do other way round, change your diet and you will attract work of your liking because you have now become a conscious energy for it.

3. Accept, Adapt and Grow - I have realized that first step of personal and spiritual growth starts from acceptance. Accept things as they are, then you adapt them and then you can grow.

4. Begin today - The biggest thing I have learned is to start from right now and not from yesterday. The best thing is brings to your life is newness. Now every day is new for you. You will learn this when you do business. You cannot hold on to your past to do business, you have to do and live new things with unending desire to grow. So begin today. If you can do this, your 90% things become easy suddenly.

5. Action - This is where I used to lack a bit. Action is the only thing that will lead you to the truth for yourself. Put your words in to action and you will get new meaning to life.

6. Silent Meditation - This is love of my life, most of my realizations have come from simple meditation of being in silence. It has taught me things which has bought my action closer to my real self. It has taught me art of non reacting and being. It has taught me to listen. It has made me patient. It has taken away so many fears of my life.

In my life, I have been blessed to have found right spiritual school at right time. The school is Nira Multiversity - http://www.niramultiversity.org.

All that I have learned and acted is  attributed to this wonderful multiversity.



Quality of Relationship

I was very young when I realized that the root cause of my emotions was expectations. we are son or daughter, brother or sister as we are born in to this world. As we grow up, we acquire friends, cousins, relatives. Further, we turn in to husbands or wives and have kids of ourselves. (Assuming you are married because you did not see other options, if you chose to not get married, stop reading and enjoy your freedom ;))
Before moving forward, let me put some key ingredients of a true relationship -
1. Freedom - First and foremost, it allows everyone in a relationship to be free to be one self. You accept the other person as he currently is in to your life with all his faults or the relationship has a hole in it.
2. Love - You love the person with all your heart. Here love means caring, true selfless caring.
3. Faith - You have full faith in the person in truest sense of the word. People tell blind faith is dangerous, I say the nature of faith is blind otherwise it ceases to exist.
4. Respect - You respect the person for who and what he is? Not what he is to you only.

Having played so many roles in your life, you are bonded by expectations of everyone around you. These expectations quickly grows in to emotions and further in to resistances in your relationships.
How do you get out of this loop?

There is only one key, the world is a reflection of yourself. It starts from you and ends at you.
1. The first step to have a quality relationship is to stop your own expectations. Once you stop expecting, everyone in your relationships stops expecting from you.
2. Start Accepting as is without any duality.
3. Be Honest and truthful (dangerous per se),
There is a thin line between stop expecting and stop giving. Give 100% to your relationship but without expecting. This requires sadhana, it is not possible without sadhana. If you do this based on the information provided here, you will end up suppressing yourself rather then being one in that relationship.
You will notice that the people who really value you will stay and others will automatically have a very nominal role to play.
Spiritually, it is actually matter of frequency like radio. Based on matching frequencies, depth of relationships will build over a period.
So go ahead, be truthful, faithful, honest. May god bless you for the most amazing relationships in your life!
 

Seva makes you simple

Just back from a children's seminar conducted by Nira Multiversity. I am probably still wondering about any logical reason behind giving seva. I found none. There is no logical reason behind giving seva.
Exploring further -
It seemed seva does not touch any part of your ego and thus you will not find any logical reason to do seva. I believe there should be some part of your life which is dedicated for no physical form of returns. Generally we do things for self satisfaction, ego, money, sex, food. Seva does not give you any of these, may be self satisfaction but then I don't treat that as seva.
So what does doing seva teach you -
1. Not everything has a logical reason, some things are just to be done ;)
2. Seva is a form of meditation.
3. Through Seva, you become simple.
4. You learn to manage through seva.
5. You learn real love through seva.
6. Seva makes you neutral and peaceful.
Okay, so I did manage to find subtle reasons of doing seva ;)
All in all, I feel seva shifts your focus from the head (logic) center to heart (life) center.

Sharing and spreading happiness

A trip to water kingdom. I wanted to go to a place where we can relax and everyone can have fun. So we decided to go to water kingdom. In our first slide, we met couple of poor looking guys. I was surprised as how they could afford entry ticket of 700Rs.
After some time, we saw 2 foreigners, who were playing and watching these kids.
That time I realized that these guys have organized for these little ones to get them to Water kingdom.
I got real taste of what is meant by "spreading happiness". Even though I did not tell them anything, I was awestruck by their act of bringing happiness to these little ones.
At one point I saw one of the tired kids sleeping on his lap. In the end I also saw, one of the guys had also picked up a little one in his arms like you would carry your own child.
So these guys were not just doing it as formality. I have never seen such selfless act of taking these poor kids not only to play but also take care of them.
I never spoke to those guys but I appreciated from heart their act of kindness and spreading happiness. I bow to the humbleness they carried with them selves and pray to god for giving me the same in every way, shape.
I also learned a great thing that always share happiness and not grief. When there is grief, be alone. When you are happy, share it and spread it.

 

If God were to ask you "make a wish, what would be yours?"

God asked me today - what do I want?
I was not prepared to answer this question as I did not know what I wanted?
I wanted many things on one hand and nothing on other hand.
I wanted a bigger house, better car, interesting creative projects, money, great food, big vacations with all expense paid.
Actually, I wanted love, peace, success, satisfaction, happiness.
What would be one thing that would bring all of the above?
It was "freedom" or "nothing".
I either choose freedom which will encompass all of the above or have nothing in which I will not need any of them.
So for it was freedom or nothing, what is your wish?

Education of Life

Education of Life

I was thinking about the current education system where we have ourselves gone through school, college, graduation and so on.

Never thought about it while I was studying - what I was studying for? Being Born in a middle class family, I was always told to be studious is good. So study hard and get a degree. It never occurred to me to ask around why to get a degree? Because answer was already given i.e. to get a job. And job obviously to make a living.

The point I missed was education of life. None of these gave me education of life.

I still remember that I was an electrical engineer and was afraid to even change a light bulb. A part of it was my fault as I never questioned the system and it's end results.

Now at the age of 35, I realize that I would have done better if I had questioned by the mechanism. 

I now realize the real education is education of life, it is not found in current system of schools.

I personally feel that education system needs a revamp, they should teach principles of life, practical of life along with the current subjects. I am listing few things which I feel must be included -

• Training about healthy and unhealthy food habits
• Training about self discipline
• Banking and financial institutions
• History should be shown in audio visuals and should be used as inspiration rather then just knowing about it.
• Training on information technology should start at an early age.
• Way to celebrate festivals, Importance of each festival (they should be taught that plastic bags are harmful, I see huge number of plastic bags being thrown every day before and during holi).
• Planets significance in astrology and not only astronomy.
• Importance of mantras in life.
• Importance of goals in life.
• Different phases and facets of life.
• Equity and Stock market basics ;)
• Arth Tantra - Economics ;)
• Relationship building
• Spiritual Education.
• Cooking - Not only cooking but also buying good quality stuff.
• Stress management (at later stage of course).
• Time Management
• Capital Management
• Innovation

Your entire life is dependent upon the type of education you get in early stages of your life.
Our life style has come very fast paced, our education should teach us to manage and manage it well.
Well, Someday I hope I will be part of building such an institution where people do not have to study but "learn and explore".

Inspiring Lines by Chankya as Guru

Inspiring lines by Chankya when he requests chandragupta's mother to take him to Taksh Shila -
You have given birth to a possibility,
I have to make it possible.
You have given birth to a dream,
I have to make it reality
You as mother are worried about your child,
I am an educator and I am worried about the nation
You want Chandra gupta to take care of you and your cattles, I want chandra gupta to take care of the nation.
My need for chandragupta is much higher then yours!

The Roasted Sweet Potato

We wanted to go out for few days and did not have prior bookings done. Last minute research lead to a beautiful place named Dang in Gujarat near Saputara. More research and I found the contacts of DFO Mr Suchindra who did the booking for us.
With car fully loaded with CNG and Petrol, we started for our trip and the first halt was saputara. It took about 4-5 hrs from Ghatkopar (stayed over night at cousin's place) to reach Saputara. On the way,we were greeted by sweet grapes and black kismiss. We relished the grapes. After wandering a bit, decided to stay at Toran hill resort in valley facing rooms (the hold Toran Resort) which was a great experience.
The awesome lunch at Purohit was quite fulfilling. After resting for few hours, we head out for the lake and sun set point.
Kids enjoyed the Horse ride near the lake. 

Don't miss the sunset point, Boiled Corn, Poha, Kismiss.
Next day we headed out towards Mahal Camp site in Dang. The road from Saputara to Mahal via Ahwa was amazing. The last 2 km at mahal is a kachha road.
We reached and gave them ingredients to make lunch. The food here is cooked on Wooden Chulah which gives excellent flavor to the food. 
We went to bath in the river till our food gets ready.
The awesome food was ready by 2:30, we relished the lunch.
We had given a Sweet Potato to Boil to the cook, instead he just put the sweet potato in wooden chulah. We peeled it off and it was heavenly taste right their -
We went out for Girmaal falls, Pampa Sarovar and ShabriMandir. Pampa Sarovar was beautiful. Kids loved to feed a Dog with some biscuits ;)
On the way back, we visited Cashew Factory at Subir (the factory was closed and we asked a guy near by to call the attendant). He did come to make his sale ;)
We also bought Brinjals (these were really nice brinjals) to eat baigan bartha in the evening with mix veg khichadi.
By the time we came back, it was dark and also very cold. Time to hit the campfire and dinner.
As there was no electricity, we slept very early. It was extremely cold and over night temperatures dropped to 7 degrees celcius. In the morning, we enjoyed our pet oo-long tea, and headed to the next camp site Kilad.
For us, it was as good as it gets. The camp was amazing and we got a bunglow with 2 large double beds, big toilet. This was much better because it has mix of modern facility and cooking on wooden chulah. We went to botanical garden and Gira Falls (these were dried up). Botanical garden was very beautiful and we could explore only few portions of it.
Kids wanted to go back to the river as usual so we went to the river. And had a perfect sun shine on us ;)
Back to the resort and campfire. This time we had the satisfaction of roasted sweet potato ourselves. We shared it with another family and they loved it too.

Few things to note -
1) At Mahal you need all ingredients with you, things are available at 16 kms at subir (but that  too limited)
2) If you are a group, take tents and huts in right mix. tents are really cheap (200 Rs and 8 people can sleep ;))
3) It gets really really cold in winter overnight, so carry woolen caps and cotton for ears.
4) There is a market between Mahal and Kilad at village called Jamla pada, do not miss the market. It has good stuff like Jalebis, Sugar cane juice, Whole Red Pepper. Whole lot of fresh veggies.

If you want more information on Dang -
http://pandyadhaval.blogspot.in/

Bitter Sweet Parenthood

Being a good Parent is a tough task. If you want your kid to be live life full of life, you have to put sanskars in to him. He is going to do things you taught him for major part of his life, so it is matter of utmost importance.
Here are the things I try to teach my kids -
1) Self Improvement and Only self improvement - The only comparison they have to make it is between yesterday and today of one's own self. Be it games or studies, just improve yourself.
2) To Give - At times, I give the food from their share to poor and needy children. I also ask them to feed animals like dogs. This sanskar will go a long way to show them that life is a reflection, more you give more you get. Only the form will change.
3) Audio Visuals - Watch good movies with them - Karate Kid (Your focus needs more focus), Iqbal (commitment), Avataar (Love), ChandraGupta Maurya(many aspects of life), BolBhachan (laughter is the best medicine), Chak de India(love your country), Life of Pie(difficulties make you strong and they end eventually). This is one of the easy, impactful ways of teaching them.
4) Discipline - Give them Military training when it comes to discipline. They may not like it when you do it, but they will love you for life. Do not be emotional with them, make them tough but tough like coconut. They should be strong and be able to lead from the front. Only strong can lead and we need leaders for sure.
5) What you eat is what you become - I have created this infamous saying that "If you eat lays, you will become a bag a full of air and less substance". Tell them difference between fresh food and stale food. Give them fresh fruits and not soft drinks. The society is such that every parent is giving in to the demands of the child because it is "easy". But be tough, deny them these things. At times, let them have it and tell them it is bad but you can have it this time ;).
6) True sense of freedom and not illusion - People have this general illusion that freedom is to be able to eat, drink, do anything at any time otherwise they are taking away their child hood. It is not that way. Teach them that real freedom means be able to choose good things for themselves and not compromise by having what they get "easily". For example - Bread is easy to get but roti takes time and effort to create. Roti as everyone knows is more beneficial for health. 
7) Take them to the market - Teach them to shop for vegetables, fruits and so on (does not matter girl or a boy). 
8) Unlock the door - Teach them to lock and unlock the door, Teach them what is passbook, chequebook, bank balance, ATM, ATM Pin, Cell Phone (prepaid and post paid). Every parents are so proud that my kid can now recognize all gestures of iPAD so well, teach them how to unlock a door, it will help them in practical life. 
9) Make him a Player - Teach him team spirit. Play with him, appreciate his talent. Teach him cycling, Skating, Swimming at early age. Make him fear less in true sense of the world. 
10) Love them - Love in not sense of being emotional. Giving to their cries is not love. Love is to share, cook, play, music, hugs, blessings, hair cuts, long drives, camp fires, good night and a good morning.
11) Friends are forever - Teach them importance of having good friends. Their lives are going to be shaped by the circle of friends they form. Tell him to make friends who put smile on his face, or the ones who smile when he meets them. 
Schools will only teach the syllabus, you as parent are responsible to educate them for "life".

Meditation Changes your Attitude

Effect Of Meditation

The word "meditation" is a misnomer. Meditation is a polymorphic in nature meant to result in to different things for different people. 
Meditation begins with sitting silently but ends in change of the person. Till some point meditation is to sit at a place and do some kriya but after some point it is all about the change it bought in you.
So what does Meditation change in anyone?
It changes your outlook or attitude towards life. The life is still the same, people you deal with are same, the change is in your attitude.
The world as they say is reflection of yourself. So meditation changes the attitude from within.
The real measure of meditation lies in the outcome of it. 
If there is no change, meditation is a temporary feel good phenomena which you enjoyed for that time. Even that is powerful enough I believe.
I believe every meditation changes a person from within, it may be slow but it does change.
So it is very important to meditate on one's self. Meditation makes you introvert.
Here is what meditation has taught me -
1. In any circumstances, see your reaction not others.
2. Be hard to yourself and soft to others (exception - Your Children who are born through you ;))
3. If you are sad, you will be alone and vice-versa. Rather when you are sad, be alone till it passes out. Do not pass on sadness or Anger.
4. The joy in giving.
5. The joy of cooking for your dear ones.
6. Acceptance of things as they are.
7. Fearlessness - Especially ability to speak truth.
8. Appreciate and it will grow. criticize and that will grow too.
9. Rise in awareness and grounding.
These changes are subtle in nature.
All in all, it makes your life easy. It is the same life but your response to life has changed and that makes it easy.
Anger, Anxiety, Fear will still remain, they won't go away. Your ability to deal with them will be better externally and their effect will be dimming internally.

Remember - "Go to the temples outside, worship the god inside."