Life and Spirituality

A ll countries require shelters for homeless and destitute people. In an earlier note here this author had suggested a shelter concept known as HISA. In view of its increasing importance, its essential features are summarized again here, 1. HISA centers are shelters that provide a single bed and closet in partially enclosed beds in a dorm type of setting to a person in need of shelter. A possible configuration is shown in the figure. Sets of ten to sixteen beds in a dormitory are connected to common bathroom, clothes washing, and toilet area on one end. At the other end is the exit that has a boiling hot and cold drinking water spout in a washbasin as well as trash bin. 2. Dormitories are segregated into three types within a HISA complex q        For women, girls and male children under the age of ten q        For men older than sixteen q        Boys between ten and ...

https://www.pexels.com/photo/beautiful-bloom-blooming-blossom-414160/ Yesterday, in another post, I was saying that no one can help all the suffering people of the world but everyone can help at least some. When we spread happiness, the Universe returns happiness in our lives. Personally, I campaign a lot for issues that touch my heart through social media. These issues have been suffering of children in war zones; those separated from parents on American borders and in general those who hunger anywhere in the world. Another issue that I campaigned a lot about is the environment, in particular the need to grow more forests and trees on the planet. Trees and forests provide food and a home to wild animals and birds, medicines and fruit for humans as well as help control adverse climate changes. Some of my campaigning has included messages to influential political leaders. Some have been critical and knowingly I take the risk that if I annoyed them, they can easily har...

Through much study and experience, I discovered two of the simplest ways to relieve stress, fear, anxiety, pain and a variety of other things that trouble humans are Mindful breathing Mantra Jap Not only do either of these ancient and time tested methods relieve problems mentioned they can also be used for emotional and spiritual development when practiced in peaceful moments. Mindful breathing is a type of mindfulness when a person focuses on one’s breathing silently. The interested reader can find an excellent note on it by the author at, https://ashokbabaji.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-breath-of-life.html Mantra Jaap (or Jap)is repetition of holy word or name of the Lord. One may use any word that one can repeat comfortably, musically or even in a monotonous manner. While mindful breathing can be practiced if one believes in God or not, Mantra Jap is for those who believe in God. Personally I feel that it is not possible to attain peace without b...

By the side of my garden is a gravel patch that runs through the middle of the driveway. Of and on weed comes up through the gravel and needs weeding. The full driveway is shown in the picture at the bottom of this post. Today as I sat weeding a portion of it, a little yellow butterfly kept coming near me, hopping around and sitting near me. I felt it was most unusual. When I put out my hand near it even hopped on. I felt it was most unusual and when one is involved with mysticism as I have been, one interprets such things as a sign from the Lord, a direct message. On reflection I think it was a sign to complete a small work of mystic fiction that has been languishing in my basement for more than a quarter century. I have been a scientist and Professor of engineering with interests in mysticism. Some quarter century ago, I had written the first draft of this small novel. The preliminary name of the book was ‘Butterfly Boy’ and butterflies feature in it. Perhaps the name ...

Recent devastating floods that submerged an entire province in southern India – Kerala - drew my mind back to emergency food supplies for humans caught in natural disasters. Food that can be delivered swiftly to such persons needs to be compact, lightweight, and nutritional with a long shelf life. It can then be stored in emergency relief depots and supplied to disaster management teams swiftly. It should be food that can be consumed without cooking. In earlier posts this author has described precisely such a food in the form of biscuits that aside from wheat flour contain micronutrients and proteins, are organic and easily digestible. They were named OFR biscuits. The interested reader may like to look up these posts too. They can be found here  Aside from disaster relief such a food when available, is useful for travelers. They are useful in homes as a snack, for an occasional quick lunch perhaps along with soup, salad or fruits, or, breakfasts along with tea, co...

For years USA has faced huge immigration problems on its southern borders as large numbers of persons have crossed its border through Mexico. The American response to the problem has varied over the years. Few of its responses have been perfect; few responses have escaped criticism. The most recent response of zero tolerance that consisted of declaring those entering as criminals, separating adults from children and putting them in separate detentions has been criticized hugely around the world. It was described as torture of little children by no less than the UN Human Rights Commission from which America withdrew subsequently, of even babies and of snatching babies from mothers. It has been reversed but thousands of children remain separated while America scampers for alternate policies. This present move may have destroyed future of thousands of children through psychological trauma. It is heaping disgrace upon a once great nation. More tragic still is the fact that inst...

Presently the immigration issues are back in central focus with a ship carrying some six hundred refugees being turned away from Italian shores and finding refuge in Spain, while on American borders the world is horrified in seeing children being torn away from   parents, some babies, while their parents are sent to private prisons. While solutions to these issues will be debated and discussed endlessly just as they have been for the past several years, some temporary solutions found, as presently for the ship in Spain, the problem shall continue until its root cause is dealt with. The present note is about these root causes and the solution. First, the refugee influx into Europe, it arises from instabilities and violence in Middle East and Africa. It will stop effectively when this turmoil stops to conditions as prevailed before WWII in these countries when relative peace prevailed. At the center of the Middle Eastern Crisis is the Israel-Palestinian problem. Around i...