Life and Spirituality

Y esterday while walking through the local Bazaar I noticed a boy, a roadside vendor, selling some cheap clay toys and things. I purchased a small plastic vase from him that had a few plastic leaves and flowers stuck in it. I did not quite need it but the boy did not seem to be making any sales. He was delighted at the sale; perhaps it would help him later with his daily meal. It cost thirty rupees or half a dollar. At home, in my kitchen, there is a kitchen table by a window. It attracts a lot of afternoon sun and any cut flowers placed in a vase there just wilt away rapidly. Therefore I placed this little inexpensive flower vase there and immediately the room lit up. Later in the day a visitor remarked that it looked pretty. I have some unused expensive vases at home too and could easily place this inside those but it is not necessary. I shall let them lie unused for it is not expense that makes a home pretty but love and goodness. Many a mansion of the rich have I visi...

  I n my younger days my family was regular meat and fish eaters and this was central to the daily dinner most days of the week. Now older, I have given up on meat and fish as something that is neither good for health nor the soul. However I still consume eggs and milk products since these can be procured without perpetuating violence on animals. This is unlike vegans who shun these latter too. I have given a name of to this latter type of food - Lovegan Food. It signifies love for all life, not just animal life but also plant life. Whenever possible, I try to avoid perpetuating violence on plants too. For example I grow my own spinach but never cut the entire plant for its leaves. Just take some selectively and gently while allowing the plant to go to seed and complete its life cycle. I consume potatoes and peanuts though because these are leftovers from the plant when its life cycle is over. Giving up meat however created problems for planning dinners. The traditio...

http://absfreepic.com/free-photos/download/old-couple-walking-in-park-5184x3204_62221.html Aside from what one may choose to do for the world a human being has three major personal responsibilities in life and a fourth more esoteric one that many ignore in the modern age. The first three responsibilities are to prepare for a career and means of earning a livelihood, to raise a family and see that children grow safely into adulthood as good humans; and to look after one’s parents in their old age if needed for often old people need as much help as little children do. These three responsibilities may vary in extent for individuals. For example, someone may not marry at all or have parents that do not need any help in old age because they manage to look after themselves quite well. There are some who receive an inheritance and need not work for a living but spend time in service or alternatively destroy themselves through indulgence. Some may also face life traumas o...

All across India are temples of the Almighty recognized in various names and forms, the most prominent of all being the Lord of The Universe named as Shiva. For worship, Shiva is recognized in diverse forms ranging from the formless infinite to various symbols and the human form known as Shiva Shankar. Yesterday I wrote a small note on Shiva Shankar and a spiritual mantra associated with him. It can be found in a companion blog here: https://nainitalgoddess.blogspot.in/2017/07/jai-shiv-shankar-spiritual-mantra.html In the Hindu lunar month of Sawan that falls around the monsoon month of July every year, the Lord Shiv Shankar is especially worshiped on Mondays regarded, the favorite of the Lord known as Shiva. In this month, a fair is organized near Shiva temples across villages and towns of India. Although I rarely visit temples, being content to pray to the Lord in my heart, home or indeed anywhere, especially secluded natural green forests and mountains where the Lord ...

Text on The Lamentation over the Dead Christ. Tempera on canvas I nformation and news is what humans base many of their actions on. The worst possible human atrocities may be taking place in your town not very far from where you live but if you do not hear of it at all then nothing can be done. In authoritarian countries, flow of information and freedom of speech is carefully controlled by the ruler. However modern democracies pride themselves on freedom of speech. It is necessary in democracies so that people may express their opinions to frame policies that influence their lives as also make to the best possible choices in selecting representatives at time of elections. However even in some of leading democracies media is not totally free, it may have corporate owners who have their own interests to maintain and grow their fortunes. Against this backdrop, the internet has offered a valuable place to seven billion humans on earth to share information and services like...

    O nce upon a time, nestled between pretty green hills lay the happy kingdom of Joy. It was a rich kingdom and the royal family was a kind and generous one. The people were happy and well cared for. Therefore, while world moved on to adopt other forms of governance like democracies, some even dictatorships, Kingdom of Joy continued as an absolute monarchy. Every evening,  people of  Kingdom would gather around the Palace to sing and dance and cheer the King wishing a long life for him. In the fiftieth year of his reign, the King organized an international conference on governance in his kingdom so as to get updated with changes taking place in the world. Leading experts from different countries were invited to the conference. In the opening address, the King requested that in the final plenary session, delegates prepare a one sentence long conclusion in simple language for benefit of all. There would be a day of sight seeing after that and  ...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Valley_of_flowers_uttaranchal_full_view.JPG by   Araghu “Theologians may quarrel, but the mystics of the world speak the same language.” ― Meister Eckhart L eaving behind ambitions of world and attainments of the world, most of his wealth and property, keeping only the minimum necessary to sustain his remaining years, he became a recluse. When he entered the forests on the mountains and set up his abode there, he became a hermit, a mystic yogi. At first his sleep was disturbed as he tossed and turned through the night, as he resolved the dilemmas and anguish all of us face while in the world for gain, ambition and desire. In time, the tossing and turning subsided. His sleep became as sweet as it was when he was a child. He would wake up early with the same delight that a child wakes up when it is holiday, for every day is a holiday now, each day with its own new magic. He now enjoyed the flowers of the forest...