A Mother’s Day Miracle

Michael was a bright, four-year old boy who loved to sing. He had grown up as an only child, but his wish was to have a baby brother or sister. Needless to say he was overjoyed when Kevin and Karen, Michael’s parents, told him he was going to be a big brother. Every night, he would sing his favorite preschool song straight into his mommy’s tummy, “You Are My Sunshine”, and his mommy assured him that even though his baby sister was tiny, she could still hear his voice.

The first of May was slowly approaching, and Karen experienced some complications due to injuries received in a terrible car accident earlier in the year. The severe migraine headaches and related problems caused the doctors to schedule a C-Section delivery on Thursday, May 7, 1992. Much thought went into the next few weeks as Kevin and Karen prepared Michael for the arrival of his baby sister, Marlee.

As the delivery team wheeled Karen to the delivery room, Kevin stopped at the waiting room and said to Michael “we will back with your baby sister in about thirty minutes”. No one could have prepared for what happened next.

As soon as Marlee was delivered, Karen heard Marlee making little hiccup sounds and whether do to the anesethia or the excitement, she laughed about her little girl having the hiccups. The nurse looked at Kevin and Karen with a worried expression and immediately took Marlee away from the delivery room, and the staff alerted the NICU that a emergency baby was on the way. Moments later, Kevin followed out of the room to get more information. As Karen lay on the operating table, she was unable to move because of the epidural and the fear.

A few minutes later, Kevin returned and a doctor followed to explain Marlee’s condition. She was suffering surfactant, a condition of the lungs where the chemical needed for flexibility hadn’t developed. When she began to breathe oxygen, her lungs hardened like paper bags. As she exhaled, the lungs collapsed together and holes were torn in the lining. Air was escaping from Marlee’s lungs into her chest and her condition became critical.

Many prayer chains from several churches were called to pray for a miracle. Michael was devastated because he couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t let him see his baby sister. He told his mother, “Mom, I know Marlee would feel better if I could sing my song to her!”

Two days had passed without any improvement, and no setbacks. Kevin went home to shower and gather some personal belongings. While Karen waited in the room, a hurried knock came on the hospital room door, and the doctor rushed into the room with a worried look on his face. He said “Mrs. Simmons, there has been a serious complication in Marlee’s condition. One of her lungs has a large hole in it and the air is escaping into her chest much too fast. Her belly has swollen due to the air and it could be fatal if it continues to fill her abdomen. We must have your permission to proceed with the emergency surgery.”

A tube was placed between Marlee’s ribs that allowed the air to be drained out of her abdomen, but her condition did not improve. The doctor explained that the damage was too great to Marlee’s lungs, and if she did survive, she would most likely remain on the ventilator.

Michael desperately wanted to see his sister so he could sing to her like he had during the pregnancy. But the hospital policy wouldn’t allow children under the age of fourteen into the NICU. The next day was Mother’s Day, and Marlee’s condition was worsening. Michael asked his dad, “Can I go see Marlee now? I want to sing my song to her.” In spite of the hospital rules, Kevin took Michael to the door of the NICU, scrubbed him with the disinfectant sponge and draped him in an adult gown and proceeded to carry him across the room to stand beside his sister’s bed. A nurse stepped in front of Kevin and said, “You can’t bring that boy in here. The doctor and hospital rules won’t allow it.”

Kevin was determined that no one was going to stop Michael from seeing his sister. He looked straight in her eyes and said, “My baby girl is on the verge of death. Michael will see his sister!” The nurse backed away, then the doctor started walking toward Kevin to stop him. Kevin was visibly angry, and the doctor quickly turned around and walked out of the room.

As the staff looked on with disbelief, Kevin held Michael up to Marlee’s bed as he sang, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy, when the skies are gray You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

When Michael finished his song, there wasn’t a dry eye in ICU. The nurses were crying and wiping tears from their eyes. The rules that were so important just a few minutes earlier didn’t seem to matter anymore. Immediately Marlee, lifted her and turned toward to sound of her brother’s voice. That simple song, sung to her while in the womb, created a spark of life in here. Michael’s childlike faith, expressed through his singing, breathed life into his little sister.

By early evening, the doctor came bursting through the door of Karen’s room saying, “This is the most incredible thing I have ever seen” There is no physical reason why, but Marlee has improved two hundred percent within the last hour. For the first time, all of her gas levels are normal”. He was ecstatic as he continued telling more of Marlee’s miraculous recovery. “Never in all the years of working with neonatal situations, have I seen a child with such an injury improve in such a short time. This boy of your must have been the key.”

The doctor went over to Michael, knelt down and said “Young man, you really made a difference today. I think your sister liked your song.” He ruffled Michael’s hair as he stood up. “Kevin and Karen, tomorrow morning, the regular neonatal doctor will in and he can look at these results. But as for now, I have ordered that Marlee be taken off of the ventilator.”

The next morning, Marlee had completely recovered. The doctor’s only comment was, “There was something bigger than all of us involved in this one!” Today, Marlee is a healthy and very active young lady with no residual effects from her lung problem at birth except one tiny scar on her chest.

Her brother had a song from his heart that allowed God’s great healing work to enter that room that day. Some call it “A Brother’s Song”. Others refer to it as “A Mother’s Day Gift”. But for all those involved, they know that a true miracle happened that wonderful Mother’s Day, 1992.

This story has allowed the kids and I to witness on many occasions. There have been many versions of their story spread across the Internet and through email chains around the world. Still many people don’t believe that it is true. But there is a fact that has remained constant throughout all the tales…GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES TODAY. Our earnest prayers, and the heart-felt prayers of our families, our friends and many strangers led to that one moment when God used a little boy to shed God’s “Sunshine” on Marlee so that one person might believe.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

A FATHER'S PROMISE The Universal Father is GOD

In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.

In the midst of utter devastation and chaos, a father left his wife securely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake.

After the traumatic initial shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!" And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of debris that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment to his son.

He began to concentrate on where he walked his son to class at school each morning. Remembering his son's classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging through the rubble.

As he was digging, other forlorn parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying: "My son!" "My daughter!" Other well meaning parents tried to pull him off of what was left of the school saying:

"It's too late!"
"They're dead!"
"You can't help!"
"Go home!"
"Come on, face reality, there's nothing you can do!"
"You're just going to make things worse!"

To each parent he responded with one line: "Are you going to help me now?" And then he proceeded to dig for his son, stone by stone.

The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off of the school's debris, saying, "Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You're in danger. We'll take care of it. Go home." To which this loving, caring Armenian father asked, "Are you going to help me now?"

The police came and said, "You're angry, distraught and it's over. You're endangering others. Go home. We'll handle it!" To which he replied, "Are you going to help me now?" No one helped.

Courageously he proceeded alone because he needed to know for himself: "Is my boy alive or is he dead?"

He dug for eight hours . . . 12 hours . . . 24 hours ... 36 hours . . . then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" He heard back, "Dad!?! It's me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told 'em that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised, 'No matter what, I'll always be there for you!' You did it, Dad! . . . "

"What's going on in there? How is it?" the father asked.

There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We're scared, hungry, thirsty and thankful you're here. When the building collapsed, it made a wedge, like a triangle, and it saved us."

"Come on out, boy!"

"No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, 'cause I know you'll get me! No matter what, I know you'll be there for me!"

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Knowledge,Power,Wealth

Taking undue pride in knowledge could be disastrous.We begin to think we know all and that we are doer and creator;we also tend to cause hurt to others.We think were always right and expect everyone else to think so too.
Most times,arguments in homes and offices are based on pride of knowledge.Just think of the huge amount of time we waste in arguments life going down the drain,as it were.
Pride of knowledge also keeps us from realising God.We are born into a faith.We could have just as easily been born into another religion,isnt it Then why become so dogmatic There is one God.Few people take the time and effort to make a comparative study of religions.If they did,they would find that there are certain truths common to all religions.But instead,each believes his religion is the only way.
In every age,enlightened souls come to show humanity that there is one God,and that we are all His children.They point out that each religion is basically the same and that each shows the same path to God.
When we are overcome with pride in our knowledge,we are not prepared to listen to anyone.We forget the true purpose of faith and pay more attention to rites and rituals.
Even when we go to an enlightened person who can show us the way to find God,pride of knowledge may stand in the way of our progression.Often times,our pride prevents us from following instructions accurately.We judge everything by the touchstone of our intellect.We alter everything according to what we like and dislike.We take only the portion that fits our preconceived ideas.We may practise teachings only partially and so get only partial results.
Pride of power,too,deters us from our inner journey.Pride of power means we try to control others.We want to determine lives and fates of those around us.At home,we try to run the lives of our family members.At work its the same story.We try to force our views and ideas on others.Many a dictator has cruelly and ruthlessly persecuted thousands of people only because he had the power to do so.We may think we are all-powerful,but we must remember it is God who is really all-powerful.If we wish to receive His compassion and mercy,we must be compassionate and merciful to others.Finally,we have pride of wealth.We never think of wealth as a gift from God.When we lose it we blame God,but when we gain it do we ever thank God And when we have it do we ever think of sharing it with those less fortunate than us We should be grateful for money and its comforts but should not forget the needy.We need to treat everyone equally,whether or not they have riches.
Baba Sawan Singh said that when we meditate,if we block the door by standing in it,God cannot enter.But if we step aside and wait,He will come.He will fill us with his love,light and music.The more we empty ourselves of our ego,the more Gods grace can enter us.This is the secret of humility.


Excerpt from Inner and Outer Peace through Meditation.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Deal With Stress

Stress is the physical or mental demand upon a person that exceeds the capacity of the body. It means stress the pressure on the person that makes the person loose his balance.

During stress - heart beat increases, palpitations increase, the person starts breathing heavily, or one can have butterflies in his or her stomach, the person starts blushing, sometimes, the person also stammers while speaking.

Stress is the part of life. Basically, it is of two kinds:- Eustress and Distress.

Eustress is the stress or tension which comes into the events or incidents of happiness like marriage, birth of a child, getting a new job etc.

Distress is the stress or tension which comes due to the effect of unpleasant events like loosing a job, or death in a family or getting divorced etc.

• 1.The first thing is to realize that you are under distress. You should be able to catch the symptoms like having excessive fatigue, increased palpitations, facing sleep problems, inability to relax and so on.
• 2.The next thing is to find out the sources how to relieve it. Find out somebody with whom you can talk out your stress. Talk out with the significant others and have their support. This is the kind of social support you are gaining and thereby reducing your stress. Also, you can take their suggestions or physical help if you require it.
• 3.The next thing is to do some physical exercises, like going to gym, run or exercise or practice swimming, jogging etc.
• 4.Sit and relax. Listen to your favorite music, , take out time for yourself and most importantly listen to your body.
• 5.Indulge in pleasurable activities, which you enjoy to do e.g.: go for riding, go for outings, go for movies.
• 6.Spend time with your family. That is another way of reducing stress.
• 7.Do not carry the burden of your work to home. Do not convert your home into office.
• 8.Be calm and maintain your cool. If your heart has started beating faster, take your time and relax. Practice any of the techniques of relaxation twice daily.
• 9.Give yourself positive self statements e.g.: “I will be able to make it, I can do this"
• 10.Have proper sleep and practice methods of sleep hygiene.
• 11.Finally, a little stress is a booster but excessive stress is unhygienic so recognize that unhealthy part and remove it from your life. Crack jokes, spend some time leisurely and enjoy your life as much as possible.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The night of death and new life

Maha Shivratri is perceived by most as an all-night celebration that is ritualistic. To the evolved, it is a night of death - quiet and peaceful.

Shiva as destroyer symbolises death. The darkness of amavasya that follows the big night creates an ambience that prompts the seeker to look for illumination. As the Adi Guru, Shiva inspires us to be awake ^ that is, aware. Hence the practice prevails of staying awake all night on this special day. Another aspect of darkness is anonymity. Mystical happenings, the occult, too are associated with darkness. So in one special night you have elements of isolation, awakening and the occult.

Maha Shivratri calls for unusual demands on the fragile body and rigid mind. Scriptures say that the body is only a mud house and the Atma is a passing tenant. Many mystical questions arise: how does the tenant select the house, how does it maintain and use the house?

Shiva is the final frontier for fulfilling all desires. You are limited only by your knowledge. The world is full of events which do not appear in your known consciousness, but then even your body is full of events which do not appear in your known consciousness, but that still does not prevent you from claiming your body as your own. You know this world exactly as you know your own body through your limited senses. It's your mind that separates the outside world from your inside world, creating fear and mistrust. Hence, offering only water to Shiva is symbolic of simplicity and spiritual grace. Flow is the message here.

Maha Shivratri is neither a night of pleasure nor of pain. The understanding is simple: you have been given a beautiful stone at the age of 21 and you're told that it is a priceless diamond. You safeguard it all through your life till you're told - at the age of say, 50 - that it's just a piece of glass. Suddenly you feel cheated; the pleasure you experienced in possessing the stone suddenly vanishes and what remains is pain. Shiva cracks the whip and wakes you up from a nightmare.

The end of pain does not lie in pleasure but in freedom from both pain and pleasure.

The search for Shiva ends in the space within. So the ritual of Maha Shivratri is asking the devotee to be a witness. Witnessing is a normal natural process. The problem is excessive interest leading to a sense of self-importance that destroys the joy of living.

The night of waking up from this dream is crucial. It can be painful if you desire to hold on to it.

Stop imagining that your dream is your own. The night of Maha Shivratri is better spent in solitude; you definitely don't want to be woken up in somebody's bed you never intended to spend the night with!

There is nothing wrong in having desires. The point is: what kind of desires do you have? Are they petty, are they narrow and selfish? If so, it's time to expand the scope of your desires so that all the energy that goes into making up your various desires gets transformed into love. Ultimately, what do you really desire? You wish all longing for love and happiness to be fulfilled, isn't it? Simply lead a life full of love and everything else will follow. After all you are not in the body. The body is in you, and you are the one who has the power to steer life the way you wish.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Happiness is the beginning, the middle and the end of your origin.

How is Happiness Your True Nature?

Happiness is your True Nature, for it is the substratum of your existence.


Happiness is the beginning, the middle and the end of your origin.

It is your essential being. This is not a cold, self serving happiness. A happiness that does not include others. It is who you really are.

You are like the sun. This is your Divine Origin. Pure joy. The sun actually pales in comparison. The clouds come in front of the sun. This is the material world experience. You look at the clouds and you say, “There is no sun.” Then you identify with the clouds. You begin to believe that all there is, is clouds. Sometimes a little sun peeks through. And this is your ‘reality'. You have forgotten to look beyond, to the sun behind it that never goes away. The clouds will come and go, but the sun remains. In this light, God is the sun. God is within you. The spiritual practices are the practices of removing the clouds and understanding that the sun is the Omnicient Reality. The clouds are an illusion. They are temporal. The sun is eternal. Unalloyed Happiness. To this you return.



This does not mean that everything in the material world will always go your way. This depends on your past actions. On the measure to which love is your motivation. This will change your experience in the material world. While you are in the material world, every thought, action, and word will have a repercussion. And when this returns to you, you will call it the clouds. The clouds of your life. For you see, the sun is Love. Pure Love. Omnicient, all-pervading love. And it is your obligation to become a manifestation of this love. That is the quickest path out of this illusion.

Anything that you do out of unconditional love for someone else, will awaken your True Nature. As a result of this, your life will begin to see the clouds disperse. The sun will become more apparent, because you have made the effort to negate the little, human self, the ego. And you and live according to a higher vision. You will cease creating negative repercussions to your actions, for you will begin to live in unconditional love. You will live in the light of the eternal sun.

This is why I say that while you are unfolding, spread sunshine to all you meet. This is a manifestation of your True Nature. Everything else will pass away. But love is eternal. You can practice the most austere of disciplines, see a multitude of teachers, and be able to debate the scriptures until the cows come home. But if you are not a loving person, if you have not got the human ego in check and are living correctly, you will not reap the rewards of your efforts. You are fooling yourself. So many people think that they can do spiritual formalities, paths, say they are ‘enlightened', and continue to hurt other people. This will not work.

For happiness is your True Nature. There is nothing else. But understand what happiness is. Happiness is pure, unadulterated joy, compassion, selflessness. Yes. Selflessness. Some people do not like that part. That is why the simple person who leads a good life of self sacrifice and good deeds will progress more quickly than the spiritual aspirant who thinks only of himself. Me. Me. Me. When will I be illuminated? When will I be happy? Happiness happens. It just happens. When you are living correctly the illusion fades away, and there is a joy. There appears a sense of brotherhood with others. But you must do the work. You must allow your True Nature to surface. You must make an effort. Allow the clouds to disperse. Do not identify with them.

How do you do this? There is a world out there. There is apparent suffering. This does not mean that you block this all out and ignore the suffering of others. This will only intensify your own suffering. It is a gentle process. You will not progress by coldly alienating yourself from love. Instead, you observe the inclinations, the habits, the motivations that are not originating from your True Nature, from love, and your do not act on them. You do not pay them one iota of attention. Let them go by. Some of these habits you observe may seem deeply ingrained, They may be from childhood, or even before. But this makes no difference. As long as you do not act on them, they have absolutely no hold over you. Do you see? This is beautiful.



Soon, they will cease to appear. They only have the power you give them. When you are no longer engaging in any actions that do not arise out of love, you are no longer creating clouds that block your experience of your True Nature of unalloyed Happiness.

And you naturally want everyone to experience this.

Then something funny happens. You find happiness in alleviating the suffering of others. I am not talking about puffing yourself up as a teacher or some search for recognition. I am talking about a gentle path. Of helping others. Without seeking reward. This is the happiness of the saints and sages.



Once you experience this you can never go back again. Everything else seems insignificant. And you realize that your True Nature is the same as everyone else's. An ever present, non- changing, all pervading Happiness. And this happiness never goes away. For this is how you were meant to live. Right here. Right now. Not in the future. Not on a mountaintop. But today. Until then, until you can honestly experience this, not as a show or in words, but in experience, consciously become as loving as you can. This is the first step. And it is the only step. For none of the others can exist without it.

And as the clouds that are obscuring your true life begin to disperse. You see that temporal events can become vehicles for your True Nature to emerge. If you handle them correctly. With love.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Gateway to Spiritual Consciousness

Love is the saving grace of all of humanity. We contact this primal energy in our finest moments. From the moment a baby is born, it is enshrouded in the unselfish love of its mother. From the moment a person springs into action to save others from peril, their own thoughts of survival are ‘overlighted’ by the love and caring that shines from their heart.

When a person dies and reviews their life, they see that one thing that mattered the most: Love. Pure, unadulterated, unconditional love. It is the source of compassion. It is the energy of caring for others. It is the binding force which holds together the entire universe, and it flows through you whenever you simply allow it.

Love is the gateway to spiritual consciousness. It is through activation of the spiritual heart that we pass into a whole new world of expansion and joy. In the realms of spiritual consciousness, we find peace, bliss, and continual inspiration. In the realms of spiritual consciousness, we expand our view of life to see the issues that are important to the soul. We can then see how love can heal and how we can and should spend the time to spread a little more love in the world every day, even if it is simply done in silent prayer for the well-being of others.

Let your heart open to love each and every day. Start the day in meditation and prayer for the healing and well-being of others and you will invoke a beautiful flow of natural energy through yourself. It truly is a great way to start each day because it sets the tone and the energy flow for the day.

When you are attuned to the natural flow of love throughout the universe, you then feel the natural flow of energy within your own universe. Your senses of insight and timing develop to help you achieve more and to succeed easily at the tasks that are important to you.

The flow of love is critical to life. Without the love of the Divine Mother which fills the universe, nothing would exist. For centuries, humankind has been playing a game where love and inner inspiration have been blocked off and ignored. Today, the tide is turning and people are opening up to this wonderful flow of natural energy.

Remember the love within, especially when outer circumstances seem dark. Remember that love is the gateway to the higher realms of consciousness where answers can be found to meet every challenge that life presents.

Tune into love. It will never let you down. Instead, it will set your spirit free to explore the realms of consciousness which offer greater vistas of awareness, greater peace of mind, and the sense of ever-present joy.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Color Me ‘Buddha-ful’ Live a Healthy Life

Each chakra (energy centers in the body) is associated with a color and a corresponding sound, and every color is a different wavelength of light, which gives it a unique energy. Therefore, since each color has a different tone, eating a variety of colorful foods is like a symphony playing in your body. If you want to be in harmony, give your body a healthy balance of colorful foods. On the other hand, eating the same things every day is like playing “Chopsticks” over and over and won’t do much for your body.

Test Your Nature IQ

Try answering these colorful questions:

1.What’s the best color plate to use if you’re on a diet?
2.What color indicates that a plant or food may contain sunscreening benefits?
3.According to Chinese medicine, what do yellow foods help in the body?
4.Name the color that Leonardo da Vinci is referring to in this quote: “The power of meditation can be ten times greater under _____ light falling through a stained glass window of a quiet church.”
Answers

1.Blue
2.Red
3.The liver and digestion
4.Violet
Like food, color isn’t a one-size-fits-all affair. As in life, there are exceptions to the rules, but here are general clues of food colors that can help you:

Red. Primitive cultures believed that red food helped the blood, since it mirrors its appearance. We know that beets have a plentiful supply of iron, which nourishes the blood, along with fiber, which helps reduce serum cholesterol. Betacyanin, the red pigment of beets, can increase the blood’s oxygen-carrying ability by being absorbed into the blood’s corpuscles. The powerful antioxidant lycopene, found in red foods like tomatoes (which even have four chambers like the heart), reduces cholesterol. Anthocyanins, reddish pigments found in many red fruits, also protect against heart disease.

In addition, red flower essences are reportedly good for the heart, blood circulation, energy, and vitality. In herbalism, red plants are used to treat fever. And pink and red are associated with the endocrine system.

Orange. Orange flower remedies are used to increase sociability, which is a characteristic of the second chakra.

Yellow. Yellow foods are associated with digestion (“yellow belly”), the solar plexus, the lymph system, cells, intestines, and the liver. In Chinese medicine, this color is associated with the stomach and spleen, and in Western herbalism, an olive (yellow green) color is associated with bile, which is a crucial part of the digestive system.

To get your energy moving first thing in the morning, drink some warm lemon water and tap on your kidneys, which are located near the spine at the small of the back. You can also add a little cayenne pepper as a wake-up call.

Look at how Nature’s yellows are related to the stomach area. Ginger relieves upset stomachs and encourages bile flow. The bromelain in pineapple helps with digestion. Chamomile helps inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

Yellow-flower remedies are often used for liver and self-esteem issues. Dark yellow flowers stimulate life force and the liver, while light yellow flowers help with internal cleansing.

Green. Green plants store the energy they receive from the sun, and that energy becomes a part of the food you eat. Dark green plants are generally high in minerals and help the circulatory system. Cucumbers and fresh green juices are great for alkalizing your body, contributing to optimum health. (You’ll get great results juicing fresh greens for a few days. You’ll actually feel more energy; develop clearer, more vibrant skin; and gain new perspectives easier.)

Blue. According to author and berry researcher Paul Gross, Ph.D., dark blue, purple, or black fruits that easily stain your fingers during picking are great sources of anthocyanins, plant pigments that have numerous health benefits. Among other benefits, anthocyanins help eyesight and the nervous system, and they fight atherosclerosis.1

And interestingly, using small-sized sky blue plates may help you eat more slowly, because this light color has a calming effect on the brain. Dark blue fends off a large appetite.

Purple. Generally, purple flowers calm and relax you. This is no surprise because purple, the color of the seventh chakra, is known to be soothing and is related to spirituality in many cultures. Even Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditating was up to ten times greater under a stained-glass window’s violet light in a church.2

Black. According to Chinese medicine, black herbs and foods (such as nori, black rice, black cherries, black mushrooms, and black beans) help improve kidney function.





More About Chakras


Chakra diagram
Chakras an overview
Chakras are energy centres in the body believed to influence the way the body functions. There are seven major chakras commonly used in yoga, meditation and crystal healing. These are located centrally in the body, five lie in front of the spine, one in the forehead and one on the top of the head. There are also many smaller chakras dispersed around the body.

The term chakra originates from sages and seers of ancient India (thousands of years BC). They perceived life forces (nadis) flowing through the body in pathways of energy that interacted with every element of the body. Chakras are positioned where these pathways of energy intersect. The term chakra means "wheel", it is likely to have been used because where two sources of energy intersect a spinning vortex is created (this can be seen in eddies in rivers and in tornados).

Chakras are said to govern the balance and health of the body. Generally where the energy forces in the chakras are balanced, the body will be in a good state of health. If the chakras become unbalanced (i.e. one or more chakras produce more or less energy than the others) there will be a corresponding physical effect on the organs of the a body or the persons mental state. When this occurs chakra balancing is required.

Chakra balancing
Involves controlling the energy in the chakras using one of a number of techniques: Yoga uses posture to relieve stress on the imbalanced chakras, meditation uses visualisation to channel the bodies energies appropriately, crystal healing uses the energies of crystals associated with the chakras to regulate the unbalanced chakras.

The seven major chakras
The following sections give a basic description of the 7 major chakras, what part of the body they influence and their affinity to crystals and gemstones.

base chakra (muladhara)
Physical Influences - lower intestines, lower spine, rectum and adrenal glands (although some distance away, the base chakra is strongly linked with survival instincts which influence the adrenal glands).

Emotional Influences - the base chakra is strongly linked with support and security. It provides grounding and a general feeling of safety.

Psychic Influences - the base chakra is associated with helping to increase a persons general intuition.

Empathic Gemstones - bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, hematite, obsidian, ruby, red jade, red jasper, rhodochrosite, smokey quartz.


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sacral chakra (svadistana)
Physical Influences - the sacral chakra has strong affinity with sensuality, pleasure and self image. It influences the lower spine, sex glands, ovaries and testicles.

Emotional Influences - the sacral chakra is said to inspire creativity, intimacy and sensuality in a person.

Psychic Influences - the sacral chakra is strongly linked with a persons cliarsentience. This is the ability to touch an object and feel the energy surrounding it.

Empathic Gemstones - amber, carnelian, citrine, moonstone, orange calcite, rutilated quartz, tigers eye.


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solar plexus chakra (manipura)
Physical Influences - the digestive system including the stomach, liver, spleen, small intestine.

Emotional Influences - the solar plexus chakra is associated with self-esteem, courage and confidence. The solar plexus can give a person control over their life in order to make greater achievements. It also provides emotional solidity.

Psychic Influences - the solar plexus chakra is known for increasing peoples sensitivity to emotional reactions.

Empathic Gemstones - citrine, malachite, rhodochrosite, rose quartz, smokey quartz, tigers eye, topaz.


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heart chakra (anahata)
Physical Influences - the heart chakra controls life energy and hence influences the respiratory system including lungs and heart.

Emotional Influences - the heart chakra is said to enhance a persons overall compassion. It is also associated with unconditional love.

Psychic Influences - the heart chakra helps people who use it to understand peoples emotions more clearly.

Emphatic Gemstones - jade, green quartz, lepidolite, moss agate, rose quartz, sugilite, watermelon tourmaline.


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throat chakra (vishuddha)
Physical Influences - the throat chakra controls the body's metabolic rate and breathing. It influences the throat, thyroid gland, saliva glands and neck.

Emotional Influences - the throat chakra is closely linked to expression, communication and speaking honestly. It is also linked with knowing the truth.

Psychic Influences - the throat chakra is said to increase a persons clairaudience. This is the perception of messages in thought forms from an entity who exists in another realm.

Emphatic Gemstones - blue lace agate, celestite, lapis lazuli, turquoise.


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third eye (ajna)
Physical Influences - the third eye directs wisdom, intuition, foresight and imagination. It influences the pineal and pituitary glands which control cycles of activity and rest.

Emotional Influences - the third eye chakra is directly linked to clearness, intuition, vision and good judgement.

Psychic Influences - the third eye chakra is linked with advanced intuition, having a sixth sense, psychic powers and clairvoyance. This is the ability to see with senses beyond the five we normally use.

Emphatic Gemstones - amethyst, fluorite, lapis lazuli, sodalite.


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crown chakra (sahasrara)
Physical Influences - the crown chakra influences the higher brain functions, it is associated with knowledge and understanding.

Emotional Influences - the crown chakra is linked with spirituality. It is also associated with being at one with your higher self.

Psychic Influences - the crown chakra is linked to developing inner knowledge and possibly a seventh sense.

Emphatic Gemstones - amethyst, clear quartz, selenite, sugilite.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The selfless and the selfish

For any human change, evolution or transformation to take place, elements of awareness and purity are required. They act as springboards for transcending our innate tendencies. In their absence, the good in us is overpowered by evil, leading to self-destruction.

A story by Manoj Das talks about what happens when a village community becomes greedy. Even greed, it seems, is sustainable so long as purity co-exists, but once it exits, there is no hope.

In the courtyard of each household kin a village is the sacred yajnakund where the ancient fire rite is earnestly performed. One day a Brahmin discovers a piece of gold in his kund. His wife informs him that a bull had entered their courtyard while she was sweeping it. Since she was chewing a betel-leaf and it became imperative to shout off the bull, she spat into the kund so she could frighten away the intruder. The Brahmin is outraged at the pollution of a sacred site but his hands are already rubbing the piece of gold which shines brighter with the rub! He protests but his wife snatches the gold from him with a laugh, spitting another mouthful into the kund! The next day she appears before him in a silk sari and the promise of a pair of silk dhotis for him. Soon their humble hut gives way to a fine building, a large number of cows and servants.

The neighbours are envious. The wife who spat into the kund shares her secret with a young woman: “Who is endowed with my merit? I spit and there grows gold!” Soon the young woman too is bedecked in a silk sari and jewellery. The secret spreads and soon, gold emerges in every yajnakund - in all except one.

A village teacher remains true to his swadharma of using the yajnakund only for worship. His wife implores him to allow her to spit betel-leaf into the kund but he resists. Unable to live in poverty in the midst of such opulence, she suggests they move to their daughter’s serene hamlet at the edge of a forest. He reluctantly agrees despite knowing it would prove disastrous. As they walk away they hear a commotion behind them. The village goes up in flames, each house torched by the fire of quarrel and division. Says the teacher tearfully: “This is the catastrophe I foresaw. Wealth earned without toil bred hatred. So long as even one yajnakund remained pure, order prevailed. But with our departure, the village lost all right to peace.”

The yajnakund symbolises divine presence and selfless service. By polluting it we give in to greed, compromise morals and adulate material prosperity. The original strength of simplicity and piety inspired by service to the divine is eroded so insidiously by materialism that a single spark is enough to destroy this weak superstructure. If purity and awareness are undermined or neglected, not only is the macrocosm of community destroyed but the microcosm of the individual psyche is destroyed as well.

Says Kabir in the Guru Granth Sahib: Kabir, pleasant is the saint’s humble hut, but the village of the wicked is a burning oven – May that palace be set on fire where Hari’s Name is not invoked!


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Taste the sweetness of life

When you exist here as body or mind, your suffering is inevitable. Your body and mind are always subject to the forces of duality, so circumstantial aspects will rule.

As long as this is so, you being happy or unhappy, peaceful or not, is not in your control – the way you are right now depends on the situations you are in. Meditation means to transcend limitations of physical body and mind so that you exist in a state where body and mind are not deciding the quality of who you are. During meditation you are in touch with the source, the basis of your body and mind. The basis of all creation is what you are referring to as God. Body and mind are something that you gathered from outside. They are not the basis of life, they are only the surface.

The physical reality of existence is only the peel of the fruit. Only as a protective layer for the fruit, the peel has some value; not by itself. You have to feed your body, clothe it, decorate it, and pamper it in so many ways. This seems very important right now. But if that something which is the basis of your body and mind, that which you have never experienced so far, leaves this body, nobody is interested in this body anymore. The fruit is gone. Nobody is interested in the peel alone. Only because the fruit is inside, we value the peel. But right now, you have gotten so deeply involved with the peel that you have forgotten about the fruit. If you are eating the peel of life, how can life be? It has to be bitter. But the problem with the peel is, it has spots of sweetness in it. Right now, your whole life is about searching for these spots of sweetness. These spots of sweetness have come only because of the fruit. If you transcend the peel, if you go beyond the peel and taste the fruit, your life will become completely different. Physical existence is just the peel of life.

Right now, your whole experience of life is limited to the physical existence because you experience life only through your five senses. Sense organs can only experience that which is physical. They cannot experience anything beyond that.

If you want to experience something beyond the physical existence, you need to go beyond the five senses. Right now, you can only talk about God; you cannot experience God. But if you can experience the fruit beyond the peel and access that which is the source of creation, there is a possibility for you to live every moment of your life in the company of the Divine – an intelligence and competence that will make your life magical and blissful. If you do not utilise this possibility, why exist here as a human being? If we have just come here to eat, sleep, reproduce and die one day, we don’t need this kind of intelligence; we don’t need this kind of body. Once you have come here as a human being, you have come with the capability of knowing and experiencing life beyond the physical dimension. That is what meditation means – to know life beyond the limitations of the five senses; to know life beyond the sphere of that which is physical; to know and experience life at the source, not the surface. To live, and to live totally.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

To Heal A Thousand Wounds

A married couple came to a counselor for advice. No sooner were they seated, than they began speaking at the same time in a duel of criticisms. When they finally stopped for lack of breath, the counselor suggested that now they tell each other all the good they see in one another.

There was total silence.

Then each was given a ball-point pen and a sheet of paper and told to write down something praiseworthy about the other. Neither of them wrote. They both sat and stared at the paper. After what seemed like a long time, the husband started to write something. At once the wife also began to write--fast and furiously. Finally, the writing stopped.

There was silence again.

The wife pushed her paper over to the watching counselor. He pushed it back signaling that she was to give it directly to her husband. She reluctantly shoved the paper halfway across the table. He took it and in turn, slid his paper towards his wife. Each began to read.

The counselor watched...Soon a tear slid down the cheek of his wife. She crumpled the paper in her fist and held it tight. That proved that she treasured the sudden revelation of good things her husband had expressed about her. The whole atmosphere of the room changed. There was no need for anything to be said. Praise had healed a thousand wounds.

The husband and wife left arm in arm.


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Friends,

There's something to be said for remembering to notice (and share) the good you see in others. Sometimes when we are hurting, the last thing we want to do is something to uplift another. The funny thing is, when we uplift another, we often end up uplifted ourselves. God designed these vessels we live in to have feelings. The beautiful thing is that these vessels contain spirit and soul that can only be happy and fulfilled when they are in "service" to God and all of His creation!

Blessings,



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Thank You God

This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen and is so true:

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments. 'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world

'If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.: 'Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with.'

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on???? I thank God for everything, especially all my family and friends!!



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Give some time to your little ones

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his
5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON:"Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD:"Yeah sure, what is it?" replied the man.
SON:"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD:"That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"
the man said angrily.
SON:"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD:"If you must know, I make Rs.100 an hour."
SON:"Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON:"Daddy, may I please borrow Rs.50?"
The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behavior."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that Rs.50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
"Are you asleep, son?" He asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier" said the man.
"It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.. Here's the Rs.50 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!" He yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
"Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have Rs.100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?
Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.
Do remember to share that Rs.100 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Love, love me do

We say “God-fearing” of a man who is deeply religious person. Is that not a misconception? If the essence of God is love, why fear Him? Hasn’t he created the universe and all life, providing us with resources? Why should anyone fear Him? The Bible (John) states: “He that loveth not, knoweth not God. For God is love. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear.”

Fear is negative, it’s limiting. It makes one weary and distrusting. It stops us from standing up against corruption, it prevents us from protesting against wrongdoing and it makes us hesitate to challenge injustice. In a state of fear we turn passive supporter of misdeeds. Since God is not only love but also upholder of universal law, perhaps we do need to fear Him.

Virtue is rewarded and ill-doing attracts retribution. If at all one needs to fear something, it is to fear retribution. On the other hand if one has nothing to fear, it means the conscience is clear, there is courage of conviction and life flows smoothly.

Religious diktats are followed not out of fear of God but because of fear of ungodly misguided people in authority who are themselves far removed from God. We fear pain, failure, separation. We fear situations that cafull of opportunities to learn and move on. If we resent setbacks and blame it all on God, then God becomes intimidating.

Yet, we do look up to God as our saviour. And when we do so, we pay more attention to rites and rituals, chants and intonations rather than on invocation. We are depriving ourselves of His love, losing sight of the soul, the integral part of the supreme soul; we are turning a deaf ear to the voice from within. “He who realises the joy of Brahmn is free from fear,” say the Upanishads. “Only by love can men see me and know me and come unto me” said Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. According to the Svetavatara Upanisad “The one God is hidden in all beings, all-pervading , the inner self of all beings, the ordainer of all deeds dwells in all beings, the witness, the knower the only one..........” Therefore it is futile to try to hide dark thoughts and actions from the Divine. Make friends with the Almighty who could then be your sakha or ally in life and help you overcome anger, jealousy lust, passion and greed.

“Friend, stay in my heart, in my day’s work, in my prayer, in my knowledge, in happiness, in sorrow, in laughter, in tears...” so prayed Rabindranath Tagore. He addressed the Supreme as his beloved and friend, mate, co-traveler, companion playmate, partner in deep realisation.

Sufism is perhaps the best example of complete surrender to the Almighty with devotional love, reflected so beautifully in Rumi’s verse: “I thought of you so often, that I completely became you. Little by little you drew near, and slowly but slowly I passed away.” With the strength of divine love Meerabai united with her beloved Krishna and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu got engulfed in the blue God’s ocean of love.

According to Swami Surya Jowel fear acts as hindrance to freely love the Supreme. When we condition our love with expectation there are chances of disappointment ad fear of rejection. This creates distances. Divisibility of self creates room for dilemma, doubts, and insecurity. All fuelled by fear. “Turn to the Sun; he says you will realise how he takes care of life with love and light.”



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Love, Wealth & Success

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.
She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she said. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a house together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she wanted to know.

One of the old men explained, "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing again, "He is Success, and I am Love."

Then headed, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion, "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him.

Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success, "I only invited Love, why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!"

All sorts of life's riches come to those who love...



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

THE RIVER

Walking through the forest, a seasoned hiker came upon a broad, slowly moving river. He stopped to gaze over the waters, appreciating the beauty, when suddenly he heard a faint cry coming from upstream.

Looking in the direction of the noise, he saw an obviously drowning man floundering in the river and drifting slowly toward him.

The hiker was stunned momentarily, but he sprang into action when he saw the man disappear beneath the waters. Throwing off all of his cumbersome gear, he dove into the river and swam like a madman toward the spot where the man went under.

Upon reaching the spot he plunged below the surface and frantically hauled up the helpless man. He then laboriously towed the victim to shore. Heaving the lifeless body up on the riverbank, the hiker attempted to revive the man, who eventually spit up water and began to breathe.

Relieved, the hiker paused to catch his breath. But no sooner had he done so than he heard another voice out on the water. Another drowning person!

Once again he swam out and pulled the person to shore, a little more slowly this time. As the hiker-turned-lifeguard revived the second victim, he heard yet another cry for help.

All day long the hiker worked, rescuing one person after another as they came drifting down the river. There seemed to be no end of drowning victims, and the hiker didn't think he could keep it up.

Just when he was about to collapse from exhaustion, he spotted another man walking rapidly beside the river, headed upstream. "Hey mister!" he cried out. "Please help me! These poor people are drowning!"

Amazingly, the man kept walking upstream. The astonished hiker called out again. Without even acknowledging the cry, the man kept going. Indignant and angry, the hiker leapt to his feet, ran toward the uncompassionate man, stood directly in his path, and in a loud voice demanded, "Sir! How can you possibly walk past all these drowning people? Have you no conscience? Must I force you to help me save these people?"

The stranger stopped, looked at him for the first time and said with a calm, focused voice, "Sir, please get out of my way. I am headed upstream to stop the guy who is pushing all these people in."

Each of us has a role to play in rescuing those who are drowning in sin. Some of us pull people from the water and resuscitate them with counseling, food and shelter, a rehabilitation program, a support group, or financial aid. Affirm those doing these important ministries.

Others of us find our place of ministry upstream, opposing the one pushing people into the river. We do this by introducing those people to Jesus Christ. Knowing Christ sets a person free from sin and releases them from Satan's power over them.

By itself, pulling people from the water isn't enough.

We need to help people deal with the problem of sin at its source.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Heaven and Hell

A holy man was having a conversation with God one day and said, ' God , I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

God led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.

In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished.

They were holding spoons with very long handles, that were strapped to their arms and each found it impossible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.

But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

God said, 'You have seen Hell.'

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.

There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.

The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand..'

It is simple,' said God . 'It requires but one skill.

You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

A Perfect Heart

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people stared -- how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man's heart, saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges --giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not at the edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.

How sad it must be to go through life with a whole heart.

Remember...

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody is watching.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Never Give Up

This story is about a farmer and his mule. The effectiveness of the story lies in the way it focuses upon adversity and how attitude determines the course of seemingly lost cause. There was this farmer in a tiny village.

He owned an old mule that used to carry grains and other farming related stuff for the farmer. During one of those days, the mule fell into a well. The well ran deep and despite trying hard many a times, mule couldn’t get himself out the well. He started to lose hope. His consistent shrieks drew attention of the farmer who came rushing to the well.

Farmer looked around and tried to come up with a rescue plan but eventually, he also lost the hope. He decided that the old mule was not worth the trouble of saving. So, he called his neighbours and asked for their help in hauling dirt to bury the old mule.

The mule got hysterical. Soon enough, the farmer and the neighbours started to shovel and fill well with the dirt. When the first bout of dirt hit mule’s back, suddenly his fast losing spirit came up with an idea. He thought every time a shovel load of dirt will land on his back, he will just shake it off and step up a bit higher. The idea filled him with a new lease of life and hope.

Old mule kept doing the same blow after blow. He would just shake the dirt off and step up a notch higher. He kept reminding himself of possibility of a brand new life. He controlled his nerves and kept stepping up. After some time, the exhausted mule managed to step over the wall of that well. He was completely tired and fatigued yet his spirit triumphed. The dirt that was meant to bury him actually helped him in remaining alive.

The story is a clear example of how our attitude towards seemingly impossible adversities determines the final outcome. Life is like this only. If we respond positively to the stream of problems faced by us and refuse to surrender, we are likely to emerge victorious.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Prayer for common benefit

Prayer is like breathing. Without breathing, we cannot live ... Prayer is communion with God; we become more like God, more loving, wise, powerful, kind and good. We are cleansed of the accumulated impurities ...

Prayer is not only asking God for things ... the relationship is valuable in itself, as in all true love. Does not God know what we need, even before we ask him? Why does He want us to ask? God wants that our will should not incline towards negative desires, but desire the good with deep yearning. God said: ‘Let there be light’, and there was light ... What God willed became reality. We must also acquire the capacity to will the good, and it will happen as we desire. When we are delivered from selfishness, pride, and negative desires, our prayers will become more like the creative Word of God. By prayer we do change reality ... But this power is not available to us until we become more godlike. That is why the prayers of saints are more effective than our own.

In unselfish prayer, the first focus is God – His name, His kingdom, His will. The second focus is other people. Only in the third place should we ask things for ourselves.

Prayer can achieve ‘miracles’ of healing and transformation that cannot be explained by medical science. Prayer is also subject to certain laws. In prayer, we are never alone. In group prayer, we commemorate all those who are members of the Body of Christ. This is why we commemorate the prophets, apostles, the blessed Virgin Mary, martyrs, saints, great teachers and all the faithful, departed and living.

Prayer has to be learned. It is like swimming. When you are first thrown into the water, you may sink. By repeated practice, one acquires the skills of remaining afloat. Some people are more skillful swimmers because they have learned the rules and acquired the skills by constant practice.

The first rule in prayer as in swimming is not to give up just because you do not succeed in the first three or four attempts. Prayer is a spiritual skill to be acquired by constant practice. The second rule, is to ‘let go’, to let the water support you, to not be anxious, but relaxed. Relax, trust in God to support you and teach you how to pray. The third rule is to keep up the practice, even if you do not enjoy it. It will take years before you get the habit of prayer and really begin to enjoy it.

The fourth rule is to develop the discipline of prayer through fasting and self-control. Fifthly, use your whole body in the service of prayer. The body can participate in prayer through posture, speech, and acts. Sixth, keep the balance between group prayer and personal prayer. It is important for us to come in the presence of God regularly as a community to get rid of our selfishness and pride, and grow. Seventhly, prayer needs to be nourished by reading scriptures and meditating every day. Systematic reading of the scriptures will be found helpful as life advances.

Prayer can never be isolated from continuous, active compassionate love for your fellowmen.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Cracked Pot

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water..

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Why dogs don't live as long as people

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owner, his wife, and their little boy were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, the owners told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old boy to observe the procedure. They felt he could learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. The little boy seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.

Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

The little boy, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year- old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Cherish your 'aloneness'

Billions of people live on earth. Every second, as many thoughts take birth and dissolve, even as beings come and go. There is a process in life: to come and to go. Have you seen any wave in the ocean that stays still? No, it comes and goes. Thoughts also come and go, reactions come and go, everything comes and goes.

Considering the transitory nature of life, it makes sense to not cling to things. And why are we so serious? Perhaps we are so serious because we have so much negativity. Even if something happens that helps us, that brings us prosperity, we think negative and we refuse it. We are unable to see the difference between a diamond and mere stone.

What causes you pain often turns out to be the most beautiful blessing of your life. If any source gives you pain, feel gratitude for that. For suffering creates the opportunity for change. Sometimes we need pressure and pain to make us change for the better.

When a sculptor takes a stone, he removes all the unwanted parts and discovers the figure in that stone. Pain and pressure in life are processes that help remove all unwanted substances from our lives and realise our true Self.

Aurobindo said that pain is a hammer in the hands of the Divine. Divinity is trying to make a true figure; He is removing all the unwanted substances very slowly, and all around you, for some it could also be their near and dear.

Keep alive your aloneness. We came from One and we have to become One. One is alone; alone means One. The highest possibilities of life can come in aloneness. When you are two, nothing comes to you, two is a pastime. If our life is happy, if it is full of the divine blessings, blessed by divine grace, it is because life gives us the fruit of aloneness. Only the Divine is alone. The Divine is one, He's not two.

We should feel gratitude if something or someone gives us the experience of aloneness. Only when we are alone, are we able to understand ourselves, to know who we are, to become aware of ourselves, to see the value of our lives. But we are always afraid of aloneness. Nobody wants to be alone, to be single; we want to become two, and two takes you out from you. Becoming one is a process of life.

When i say, “I do yoga,” what does yoga mean? To become One. You are two and now you want to become one. Yoga means to become One and One is God, One is the highest source of possibilities. If you want only a pastime you can become two, three or four.

If we feel alone, we should try to live with this aloneness for a long time. When we live with this and the seed of aloneness is established in us, a beautiful tree comes out. And the tree that comes from the seed of aloneness gives us love, peace, harmony, joy, bliss, everything.

But we have to hold this aloneness with all the patience. Remember that we are blessed with divine grace if aloneness comes into our life, because this comes to very few people. This world is so strange that it always keeps us involved, always busy. So keep alive your aloneness and play the game of life with that.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Life's Biggest Problems And Their Solutions

1. Tunnel Vision : The tendency to focus only on the immediate crisis or sore spot . Under stress, things look worse or more complex than they really are.

The solution
Perspective : Ask if it will matter in 6 months . Ask what else is going on? How did I create this situation and, in an ideal world, what would I like to do about it?

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2. Fear : The anxiety or terror that things will go badly, that we will fail or be embarrassed.

The solution
Humor and Curiosity : Modern life has very few saber-tooth tigers . The situation is rarely life or death . Ask, What's the worst that can happen? What's the best? What can I learn? What would I do if I had no fear?

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3. Confusion : The sense of being lost or unclear about our direction . The sense that we don't know our own priorities anymore.

The solution
Responsible Choices : Choose your values and priorities and set your own path . Your life is yours . Check your moral compass, pick a direction and do something extraordinary!

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4. Guilt : The belief that we have hurt or failed or sinned and deserve punishment . Guilt is either accurate, because sometimes we do behave badly, or it is false and simply an illusion.

The solution
If we have transgressed, we must make restitution, ask forgiveness, learn from our error and move on . If it is false guilt, set it down as an unnecessary and irrational burden.

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5. Shame : The belief that we are worth-less than others, that we have a terrible, incurable flaw . It is not that we have done something wrong (guilt), but that we are bad or wrong.

The solution
Clear, rational thinking : Everyone has behaved badly, but no one was created badly! Any flaws only serve to make you stronger, more heroic or more compassionate toward others.

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6. Loneliness : The belief that no one loves us, that no one cares and we must desperately cling to anyone who finds us attractive or acceptable . This creates dependency, not intimacy.

The solution
Accurate Self-Assessment : Not everyone will love you, but many people will if they meet you, get to know you, and spend time working/playing along side you.

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7. Resentment : Holding anger and refusing to move beyond real or imagined mistreatment in the past . Some people spend their whole lives as "victims", nurturing a terrible event in their past.

The solution
Let go! Life is not fair and people do not always behave well or kindly . Use your trauma to make you wise, kind, gentle, and strong . Holding anger will not work.

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8. Self-Doubt : The repeated, endless questioning of your own abilities, opinions or actions . The inability to take a stand, to act boldly, or to follow-through.

The solution
Action! Think clearly, then take action and follow-through : Start small, but do it! You are the world's expert on your life! Use your wisdom to live well.

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9. Stubbornness : The refusal or inability to re-assess a situation, change your mind, or admit you were wrong.

The solution
Wisdom and Humility : Only a fool stays on a course that is headed for disaster! Search for new and better information, remain flexible, open and creative . When the situation changes, adjust accordingly and set a new course.

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10. Addiction : Humans become addicted to drugs, but we also become addicted to our jobs, our opinions or our lifestyle . We can be addicted to people and need them rather than love them.

The solution
Take a vacation! Periodically, walk in someone else's shoes . Break your habits, re-arrange your schedule, delegate those things that only you can do "right" . Use habits and traditions to set you free, don't let habits enslave you!

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You