The Best Business and Investment in this Recession

A severe recession has set in, especially in the developed part of the world. No one is sure how long it will last. The recession has left many persons in debt and jobless. For such persons its time to take hard decisions, such as moving out of their homes by renting, selling, foreclosure or filing bankruptcy. The sooner a person makes a decision the better. Postponing the inevitable may be lead to the situation worsening. Once they have done that it will be a good idea to explore new employment opportunities in rural areas. It does not look like like many new opportunities are going to arrive in urban areas any time in the near future, perhaps not for a decade even. However, there are others who may have lost their jobs or are in fear of losing it but remain in positive territory as far as their financial assets are concerned i.e. they do not owe banks more than the worth of their savings, value of property, and any other assets. These are the fortunate ones yet such persons may be wondering as to the best possible investments and business opportunities in these hard economic times so as to secure their future.

The safest investment, especially in uncertain economic times appears to be gold or silver. In this regards gold or silver as bank issued bullion or coins is the route to go rather than jewelry that entails a loss both at the time of purchase and sale. It cannot be readily valued or liquidated when the necessity arises. The safest place to store gold when purchased is perhaps in a hole inside the ground on one’s own property provided it can be secured with care and no one else is made a party to the secret. The next best investment is agricultural land provided one can put it to productive use.

Agricultural activity goes on even in the worst of recessions because people must eat. Besides the fact that a farm can provide shelter and food, it is secure from the worst possible downturn. Moreover, it provides the opportunity for a healthy lifestyle close to nature. A farm can provide shelter and occupation not just for the owner but also for the entire family, including grown up children who may loose their jobs or homes in a city at some time in the near future. Producing food also leads to the satisfaction that one is making a positive contribution to the world as compared to a manufactured product such as a cosmetic that adds no real value to life. Membership of a country club and participating in the farmers market can provide quality social interaction. Besides, one can generate employment for other younger persons hired to help on the farm by providing them with board and lodgings and a modest salary.

For those who have the money and aptitude for acquiring agricultural property and living on a farm this may be the right time to liquidate their urban assets and make the move. For governments seized with generating employment and shelter it can be a positive policy move if they assist such ventures through policy initiatives and even financial investments in the associated infrastructure. It is better than building a highway or bridge to nowhere and will produce quicker results. The economic activity of the past century has resulted in the expansion of urban areas. We now have polluted cities that are bursting at their seams. It is time now for the growth of rural areas and villages in a new phase of human civilization that this recession may be leading to. The widespread prevalence of mobile telephony and the Internet will make the change a feasible and enlightened one. Perhaps the time has come for humans to loose their unbridled fascination for the wonders of modern science and return to their spiritual roots. Moving away from a crowded city may be that first step.

Small Farms in the new Economy

With a raging recession proceeding towards depression many persons are losing their manufacturing and city jobs. Some are considering returning back to the land and becoming small farmers.

Living close to nature can be a delightful change and if one can afford it, and make an outright purchase of irrigated agricultural land. It makes good economic sense to acquire a small farm of even five or ten acres. However infrastructure costs can be steep in starting a new agricultural venture. It would be a mistake to meet such costs by getting into debt. That would probably be a move from the frying pan into the fire. However for a new small farmer who can take it easy and slow and avoid getting into debt, the move can turn out to be a brilliant one over a period of time. There is lots that can be done on a small farm –poultry, fish farming, orchards, timber farming, mushroom growing, wine and cheese making, bee keeping besides growing vegetables, flowers and corn or wheat.

With and Without God

There are many persons in the modern world who believe that there is neither any God nor any gods, or any other intelligence higher than their own in the Universe. They uphold that this world is godless and brought about through the random movements of matter and some feisty sex, what else? There is no place for a Supreme Creator or Intelligence in their superior minds. It is a different matter that they are not able to create even a single cell of their own bodies or alter the tiniest fraction of the laws of this vast and infinite universe in which our own individual selves is an incredibly small fractional thing.

It is quite amazing that a human mind or ego can regard itself as the highest of intelligence in the universe. One may wonder at the cause of the belief that there is no intelligence higher than the human one. Some believe it is because of a delusion. Perhaps the Love of God is involved in this belief and He lets any one of His beloved creatures believe that he or she is the greatest if it pleases him or her, just out of plain and simple love. In some vague way this is similar to a parent that will let a small child think that he is the most important person in the house and everything runs because of the child if it please the child to think like that.

However just as an infant will call out to his mother as soon as he gets into serious trouble or difficulty, many humans too remember God when in difficulty. And just as a child forgets his mother when engaged in play, there are humans who promptly forget God just as soon as the difficulty is over and they get cozy. God permits that once again out of Love. God or the Universal Intelligence appears to care most for the least capable or least evolved. It is because of that perhaps that cows can become healthy on a diet of wild grass whereas humans have to make far greater efforts for acquiring food. Many animals are happy after a meal just once a weak or even once a month. The camel is happy with a drink of water once in many days. The universal intelligence is indeed full of love for all of its creation and continues to nurture all irrespective of the fact that they regard or disregard Him.

It is up to humans as intelligent beings to respond to that love or ignore it. The Universal Intelligence has granted humans the freedom to do that. God does not impose His views remaining subtle and behind veils so that if we wish to ignore Him we may do so with ease. No human or human religion should impose a belief either if it wishes to be something of God. A human cannot make himself or herself love another from the heart let alone another. These are matters for personal discovery. However, it is good to share any good news that anyone may discover about Him just in case that helps. Just as it is possible to love a human only after our attention is brought to rest on that human, the love of God is only possible after we withdraw our attention from other things and bring it to rest on the Lord of this Universe. It will touch our hearts although words will be inadequate to describe it. If our love for Him grows our knowledge of Him will Grow. If we serve Him, He will pay us and he is the best of pay masters in the Universe. If a human can remain happy and satisfied by ignoring God, by all means he should continue that way. However, In my experience that is not possible except for brief periods of indulgence.

Animals can be Superior to Humans

Watching the birds and squirrels that come to play in my garden, I have arrived at the conclusion that animals are happier than humans. Most certainly they are not troubled by the numerous concerns humans usually have to deal with. They do not have to worry about school, job, debt, money, home, family, hospital bills, wardrobe, reputation, guilt, regrets about past deeds, worries for the future etc. etc. They can spend much of the day playing and frolicking about in the wide world. It is true they have to spend some time gathering food but the effort seems to be less than the effort humans have to make to grow food or earn money to purchase it. A cow simply grazes on wild grass and a monkey appears to be quite delighted to feed on leaves. If they do not like the area they live in they can easily move to another without the help of packers and movers. They can change countries without the hassle of getting a visa. Animals face dangers from other animals from time to time, but this danger appears to be less than the danger humans face from wars, crimes, traffic accidents and other humans.

It may seem odd that humans are the least happy of creatures on earth because they are also the most intelligent of life forms. The reason for the misery is that humans do not always use their capabilities to produce happiness. Often they use it to produce misery for themselves and others. Humans are capable of producing far more joy or misery than most animals ever has to face. This fact can be verified by comparing the quality of life of different humans in different parts of the world. Some humans have a high quality of life whereas others live in miserable hell like conditions.

Since all desire happiness, an intelligent human may wonder why human beings do not make efforts to inculcate behavior that will increase happiness. The answer lies in things like violence, greed, anger, selfishness etc. A human being can steal from another for his own temporary gain causing misery to another. Corrupt officials of corrupt government spend time in lining their own pockets rather than focusing on their jobs. It eventually leads to mismanagement and poverty of entire nations. It is possible that a criminal gets found out eventually and ends up in jail. However, the temptation of immediate gain and the possibility of not being found out leads many humans to immorality time and again

Human happiness can be increased provided humans behave in a manner that produces happiness. The sort of behavior that produces wide spread happiness is the sort that that religious teachers recommend – moral, loving and ethical behavior. However, human religions contain much more than recommendations for moral behavior. Depending on the religion, they may contain things that are just not acceptable to the modern scientific mind. The result is that many end up rejecting religion altogether. Others follow it nominally as a social thing.

There are also some human beings that follow their religion fanatically, rejecting the religion of other humans as false. As a result, instead of loving other humans they become intolerant of those that belong to other religions, even resorting to the use of violence against them. Thus they end up doing the very opposite of what any true religion must preach, love of other humans as opposed to hatred and selfishness.

Human religions were started by charismatic or saintly personalities. They are perpetuated by other humans who are usually not as saintly as the founders. Since humans propagate all religions, they must contain errors. Further, even the primary percepts of the greatest of religions such as God, the soul and an afterlife cannot be proved through the scientific method. This too can lead a modern human to turn away from established religions. When a human moves away from beliefs of a religion, he or she may continue to believe in God in his own personal way or he may become an atheist. Deprived of reinforcements that a community can provide to its members, many who turn away from a religion become atheists or do not think of God often.

If a religion is full of poor practices moving away from it should be a good thing. However, along with that goes away a source of moral education. Thus we end up with more of the sort of behavior that produces misery in society. There is another reason for a weakening of morality in modern times. Many nations contain individuals of many different religious backgrounds. Therefore most modern governments are secular. In the past religion received support from governments but such support may be absent or peripheral in a secular government.

Modern educated persons may not believe in any religion but in public they often support moral and ethical behavior. Such a stance might be hypocritical because it does seem that without a belief in the principle of retribution by an all knowing Supreme Intelligence a human will commit an immoral act if it produces gain or pleasure provided he or she is assured of not being found out, if such a human does not believe in the punishment that God might deliver. He or she would be foolish not to. However, publicly such a person may continue to support moral behavior. Thus the sin of hypocrisy is added to other misery producing acts, increasing human misery even further. It does seem that unless a human believes, loves or fears a Supreme Intelligence from Whom nothing is hidden, not even thoughts, it will be impossible for a human to become a fully moral being.

Thus modern human society is faced with the dilemma of either conforming to a religion that appears to be ridden with defects or to live with immoral and selfish behavior that leads to an increase of human misery. Both are undesirable alternatives. Perhaps the solution lies in secular spiritualism. By secular spiritualism is meant a belief in some of the most fundamental and essential beliefs of spirituality that are common in most religions. These are the belief in the existence of a Universal Intelligence or God, The belief in a soul and afterlife and belief in retribution.

Secular Spiritualism can then be incorporated in educational curriculums so as to promote good behavior in society. The various other beliefs, rituals and practices of religions can be left to the individual and his family. Thus a Christian need not believe in reincarnation and a Hindu or Buddhist can continue to do so. Secular Spiritualism can be a sound basis for developing moral education curriculums in education institutions in order to produce societies that lead to an increase of human happiness. It must be included at all levels of education from the lowest to the highest. Higher education grants a human enhanced capability. If these enhanced capabilities are not combined with moral and responsible behavior then the capacity to undermine human happiness can increase greatly. As an example, it can result in a nuclear scientist who will go around selling nuclear technology to all and sundry that pays for it, endangering the security of mankind as a whole. Probably, it is something that has already happened.

When Heart Disease is a Blessing

Doctors may have diagnosed some persons who suffer from occasional chest pain and discomfort as suffering from a heart condition that might one-day lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death. They may then worry about the condition and explore surgical intervention to correct the condition. However, there are some who do not worry about heart disease and consider that the disease may even be a blessing. Surprised?

The reasoning goes something like this. All persons have to die one day and when that time comes they shall eventually suffer a cardiac arrest. Now that final cardiac arrest can come in different ways that can be classified into two categories.

The first category of causes for the final cardiac arrest (death) is after some accident or serious illness such as the failure of some critical organ in the body, cancer or indeed any other number of different ways death takes place. The second category of causes is a direct cardiac arrest that takes place without any other illness or accident. It is usually sudden and may happen to a person who is in reasonable health prior to the attack.

Considering the two different methods of death if given the choice (a choice that only the Almighty can give), this author would definitely go for the second since it appears to be the route of least agony. Such a thing is more likely to happen to someone who suffers from a disease of the heart rather than another who suffers from some other disease. If the person in question is not very young i.e. well past the age of fifty, if the final exit from this world is not preceded by prolonged sickness, it is indeed fortunate. In that sense heart disease may be viewed as a blessing. If the person is a spiritual one who believes in life after death, then he may not worry about leaving this body when the time comes and feel relieved that such a moment is not preceded by extended illness and suffering.

Einstein and the Four Pillars of Happiness

In the post ‘ Happiness is like a Building’ it was described that the building of happiness stands on four pillars. One of these pillars was described as the love of God. There are many reasons why the love of God leads to happiness. One of them is best elaborated in the following description by the greatest of scientists - Albert Einstein:

“ A human being is a part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

Elsewhere in this blog God was described as the whole of the Universe – everything that can be perceived by the finite mind as well as everything that cannot be perceived and must yet remain hidden from us. Thus, the love of God becomes a means to achieving the sort of unity described by Einstein. In such a state we are content to let nature decide the outcome of our endeavours and are freed from disappointments. It leads to contentment that is only a stepping stool to great happiness.

In fact, the description of Einstein helps explain the other pillars as well – service to mankind, all living creatures and nature besides working for one’s own self – two more pillars. The remaining pillar, that of self-improvement too leads to the same goal, because if we do not take care of the tools immediately available to us –our own mind and body – then we cannot get very far in anything. Can we?

Personally, I find spending time in natural surroundings, alone and away from the sights and sounds of anything that man ever built, an extremely energizing, joyful and peaceful experience. To walk or sit in a forest, besides a stream or on a wild mountainside does something special to the spirit of man. Such an experience is not available to modern humans who live in large cities and the number of such humans has increased rapidly over the last century. The better off amongst the city dwellers who have homes with their own private gardens get a small substitution of nature in their yards. There are very many others who do not have even that, living in apartment blocks or crowded homes set neck to neck on a street. There must result, as an outcome, some essential and fundamental differences between the two kinds of humans i.e those who have had ample opportunities to commune with nature and those who have not. I have as yet not put my mind to discover precisely what these differences are but feel that the city dweller that has missed nature has missed important dimensions of life. However, given the large population of humans on earth, living in small villages or towns set close to natural surroundings is not really possible for most, in the present century. As a philosophical person with full confidence in the doings of the supreme intelligence of the Universe, I believe it is He who is at the root of this tremendous explosion in human population. One may wonder at what the supreme wisdom is behind such a large population increase of humans. Could it be, it is because mankind is now near a natural catastrophe that will restore the human population on earth to a much smaller level? It certainly seems to be something like that. Perhaps it will be a welcome change for the planet and the survivors after time has dimmed the memory of the tragedy.