Life and Spirituality

There are several posts on different kinds of trees in this blog that are widely read and popular posts. Truly, to commune with a tree or to raise one from a sapling is a blessing as the words in the picture describe. Blessings from a Tree Read more on trees in this blog here: http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/search?q=trees Some well argued recent studies indicate that planting more tree will do much more to control adverse climate changes than controlling carbon emissions. For example see this post that has a summary and links to much more information on this issue that is in the focus of world attention nowadays http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/2014/04/a-new-perspective-on-climate-change.html

T here are many articles in this blog about life and how to improve mind, body and soul so as to become a better human. Since the collection is rather large a reader may wish for a small list that can be read quickly and followed easily. Just five earlier articles are selected here that can set any person on a quick path of evolution while increasing happiness substantially. To begin with you may wish to read what the purpose of life is in this post: http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/2011/04/purpose-of-life.html Now if this article convinces you that it is the purpose of every life to evolve into greatness let us get started. A good place to start is a simple practice called entropy yoga. You probably already know of it and follow most of it anyway. It is described here: http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/2014/07/a-yoga-for-everyone-entropy-yoga.html The next step is a practice called mindful breathing that may now be added to your routine and you shall be on yo...

Kingdom of Piland I t has been mentioned in various places in this blog that mankind needs to do more to protect our environment and forests. While different parts of the world have been under the jurisdiction of different countries of the world and the responsibility falls upon them, surprisingly there were still a couple of areas that were Terra Nullius, at least until a few weeks ago. Aside from protecting the environment,  it would also be good if different countries use the area under their control to help at least some others such as refugees fleeing their countries under severe distress or violence and much has been written about that in recent posts. The two new countries have now been declared as two new Kingdoms, the Kingdom of North Sudan and the Kingdom of Piland. The first is a very tiny desert area and the second an icy sector of the Antarctica. It is not known if these claims would stand the test of time since they are very new. However, either they ...

T here is a lot of misery around the world and a lot of refugees. America or any one country in the world cannot take them all, but perhaps America could take a few as its share, as long as the practice of hosting refugees continues around the world, a policy that America has actively supported and even encouraged in the past, as far as other countries are concerned. It is now America’s turn to host its share. There are about ten million refugees around the world and around 192 countries, discounting tiny city states. The share per country if divided equally comes to around 52000 for America, 10,000000/192 = 52000. However, if the division is done on the basis of size of a country the share of America would be much larger. The difference between illegal immigrants and refugees is that whereas the former arrive as a steady trickle, the latter come as a flood. A much larger number shall arrive in the near future until America assists affected Central American countr...

me on a boat in Nainital I t struck me today that my profile photo being used in the blogs is from work whereas I write on everything else besides work in the blogs. Therefore today I changed it to another more informal one. it shows me on a boat in the middle of Nainital lake a few years ago. The picture was snapped by Shankar, the driver who drove me to Nainital every weekend, and everywhere else besides with the blessing of the goddess of Nainital. He was sitting on the other side of the boat while we were in the middle of the lake. My home, provided by work place, was in the foothills region of Nainital District at that time.

The various asanas (physical movements) and breathing exercises come later. If done before steps like entropy yoga or what Patanjaili described as Yama and Niyama, they may not amount to much more than improved physical abilities and freedom from common ailments afflicting persons who lack physical exercise and activity. For a broader benefit and success in life begin with entropy yoga. The maximum benefit from physical yoga movements is derived when thoughts do not wander and are focused on the physical movement alone, for in the very first few lines of his text on yoga, Patanjali, the father of yoga describes that yoga is to still the activities of the mind. Entropy yoga prepares the mind for such a focus. President Obama in a Yoga Asana at the White House!?!?  :) INTRODUCTION Y oga is an ancient Sanskrit word.   Since the term was invented a few thousand years ago, a lot of water has passed under the bridge and many new meanings having been giv...