Life and Spirituality

W e look at a lovely rose and say, look how beautiful it is. At other times we look at other parts of the world, individually focussing our attention on that part. All these parts of the universe,  some lovely, others ugly  are part of just one single entity, the created universe, as is our physical body, every part in it changing with time, some rapidly, others slowly. There is something beyond the created Universe; it is the consciousness of the Universe.  As parts of it look at created parts of itself, some of those parts develop attachment or aversion to those parts and seem to develop their own individual identity in this vast infinite ocean of consciousness. Developing a desire to make changes in the observed part, shorn of their infinite power that can make changes by mere will, these parts acquire a physical body. From this is born life, an individual soul, and an aperture through which a part of the universe looks at its other parts. But, alas! The...

While the planet needs humans to grow many more trees and forests to make up for the loss of last hundred years, food producing trees must be the choice now for the huge human population at present time. Walnuts, almonds, chestnuts, apples, mulberry family trees, bananas, coconut, drum stick trees are excellent choices depending on location and a grape vine on home walls is a near must for the modern age.

Ram Ram is a common greeting in central Himalayas and elsewhere that invokes the divine. Here is one from me as a musical video with best wishes for the new year for all

Road and mountain landscape. Photo by Alexander Kozlovsky . They called me King in Piland Babaji in a cave A Doc or Prof at work But my mama just Ashok For that simply was my name One’s journey through the jungle On one’s own one must make If the path is marked by love and beauty Just the love of duty The Journey and destination Surely shall be lovely and a cutie Just LOL with your Laughter Jump on board the roller coaster

It does not take much to make a difference in lives of others for the better, just a heart rooted in humanity and willing to do so. You can make a difference. Yes you can. T he Lord has been extremely gracious in first giving me birth in an educated and enlightened family, education to the highest possible levels in some of the finest universities of our planet, later an opportunity to travel, live and work across the world. Around seven years ago, at the age of sixty, as I stepped out from my academic profession, the thought occurred that my rich experience would be a waste if it could not benefit the world in various ways. It would be ungrateful to the Lord that provided this experience. Next time around, in a new life, he may not bless me similarly. A human is full of good and bad qualities. Much activity in the world, as my earlier years witnessed, involves doing not just good but some wrong and shameless acts that I too have not escaped and regret. All things have con...

T ime and Space are fundamental to creation. The created universe exists because of it. Of this time is even more fundamental than space because it existed even before space was created at the beginning of creation. In this glorious creation exist both animate and inanimate matter. Both are affected by time. The timing of movements of the stars and planets is determined by universal laws, such as the law of gravity that creates and holds the universe together. These laws prescribe timing of movements of planets and they also determine when stars and planets deviate significantly from orderly movements, a time when they are destroyed. Animate matter or life is distinguished from inanimate matter in the universe by the fact that it has the capacity to perceive and feel and a degree of freedom of choice that it may exercise for its activities in time and space. The kind of choices humans make decides the quality of their experience in the universe and their progress as a...

   A worldly wise uncle of mine had advised that soon after one begins work, one must start planning for a home that would be suitable for one’s retirement. The sooner one builds it the better. Just as is the case with most humans, my working life was spent in thickly populated urban areas spread across three countries including in Delhi, India, the country of my birth. However, it must be kept in mind that, “While one may be compelled to spend one’s working life in a crowded city, it is not at all necessary to do so when one retires. It is wiser to look for a home in quieter less crowded town and cities for retirement.” I am thankful that I did not choose Delhi to acquire a home because the pollution there now is such that many an aged person is  either running away from it or landing up in hospitals unless they drop dead first. From a practical point of view it is wiser because property and land is much cheaper in the countryside than in large...