In awe of you

I am "in awe" of my husband.

In love , ah yes of course, .....I have always been in love with him.
Back when a smile from used to make my heart flutter.  An appreciative glance from him used to make my day. A slight touch and my heart used to skip a beat.
But lately, 2 years into our marriage and birth of our baby girl, I am increasingly growing in awe of him.
He is simply awesome. I knew him since the last 7 years but it is after our marriage that I "discovered" him. I knew he was a good person. But post marriage, he has been responsible to "up the ante" of my understanding of the term "goodness" .
I would consider a person good if  he or she would not wish ill for anyone. But my husband,  he never ever sees any ill in anybody. He says people are only different in their opinions and mindset but not necessarily wrong.
I have explored his goodness in his day to day activities. From guiding strangers to their destination in sheer good faith, to respecting elders, he is an epitome of being genteel.
Ever since our marriage and courtship period, he has been my pillar of support. He has never has he stopped me from doing anything I want to, however silly it might sound. His faith in me has kept me going. He has encouraged me to do well at office and shares my workload at home. Unlike many a male chauvinists he shares the responsibility of bringing up our daughter and running the household.

The way he supported me during my pregnancy, the childbirth, the pains, incision and the surgery is what no words can describe. He, who never took a single day off from office, took a week off for me. He, who works on a 5 year old laptop at home, refuses to spend money on a more up-to-date model, scoffs at the idea of buying a new shirt, decided to book the best child delivery package for me at the hospital. And that was despite me being quite vocal about my apprehensions of us exceeding our budget. But he said he didn't care about finances. He is not stingy, he is simply very well organized and is ideologically against any unnecessary expenditure or wastage.

He is emotional and sensitive and yet he is quite practical as well. Despite all his goodness, he doesnt let people take undue advantage of him. He knows how to speak his mind but is never impolite or rude..

I was and I am in love with him but now I respect him more than ever. He is my inspiration and ideal.
I have been lucky enough to find my spiritual partner in my romantic partner.  

Go Paleo !!!

I recently bought a copy of the book "Paleo Beginners" at amazon.com and wrote a review for it.
Consider the link below
Paleo-Diet-Beginners-Complete-ebook

And here it goes:

Being a foodie, I am always looking out for new recipes and cuisines which would please my fine tuned taste palette but without compromising my health. I had heard about Paleo diets. I was interested to know more about them but I did not know where to begin with. I stumbled across the book "Paleo Beginners: The Complete Paleo Diet Guide With 30 Days Of Paleo Recipes" while browsing at amazon and it was the best thing that could have happened to me in the last few days. This is the first Paleo diet book that I have read and it has fueled my interest in the Paleo lifestyle.

The book is very engaging. Not for a minute did I want to put down the book while reading it. For the book is not only about recipes and cooking but it was like exploring a philosophy. The philosophy of healthy dieting and lifestyle. It was about the philosophy of Paleo living, which actually signifies the very of life of our rough and tough ancestors.

The book helps provide tips for a gradual transition from our dietary habits of eating preserved and processed food to eating the unprocessed and unadulterated food filled with nature's goodness. The book describes the correct approach for shedding pounds and living healthy and optimally. It stresses about dieting correctly without suppressing hunger or going low on energy. I got to know how simple and effective the Paleo diet really is. There are also tips for shopping and stocking Paleo diet items, such as what kind of organic food to look for and where, thumbs up!

Another thing I like about this book is the Paleo recipes. Pancakes, muffins, casseroles, deserts, you name it! How often are you allowed to eat these food when you're on a "diet". I'm thrilled! They are actually fairly simple recipes. I tried my hands on a few dishes and I am planning to try out a recipe a day (to mark my Paleo month). Perhaps, I even could maintain a journal about my culinary experiments (the "Julie and Julia" way). My personal favorites from the book are Almond power pancakes and Whipped sweet potato casserole.

The book is written in a friendly and considerate manner. It is opt for Paleo beginners like me who would not feel very comfortable with jargon and esoteric verbiage. The authors really knows their stuff. I also found that they have penned half a dozen cook books on Paleo diet. Maybe I will try them out as well.

The Art of taking rejections,...

I wonder why is it so hard to take a rejection.

Perhaps, because we all think very highly of ourselves. We often take ourselves to be the center of the universe. We put attach undue importance to our woes and worries and treat them to be over and above those of others. We often think that world has been unfair to us, without ever contemplating on what we have or could have done to make it fair. We all need to feel special, loved and appreciated to get going. To achieve this, we shy away from our shortcomings. We picture and project ourselves as something or someone what we are not. All that to seek acceptance. It is therefore that a rejection hurts us.
However, if we had been more comfortable we what we are, it would have been more easier to take rejections. Knowing our strength and weaknesses , accepting and cherishing them is the key. We should accept ourselves as we are, rather than seek acceptance. Be loving rather than seeking it out. There is absolutely no harm in getting inspired from and appreciating others. In fact it a very enriching process.
Its okay to be rejected, move on and work harder. Rejections and failures accelerate our learning. But, only if we are will are willing to learn and improve , rather than being in denial of our shortcomings.

It is only by accepting our shortcomings that we would overcome them. Rejections are masked opportunities to contemplate, introspect and rise.

Being comfortable with ourselves, we would never mind other's perceptions of ourselves. It would not bother us that much. If we know ourselves well enough we would know how to differentiate between constructive and destructive criticism. We would then benefit from the former and reject the latter. We could simply take things in stride rather than creating a hullabaloo about our wounded self esteem.

Instead of feeling "Rejected" or be dejected we should reject the feeling of being insulted or hurt due to other's perception of us or of our work. Nothing is absolute, nothing is completely objective. Life and perceptions are subjective. There are shades of grey rather than everything being in black and white. What someone may perceive as ugly may be perceived as beautiful by the other. Know your worth, be comfortable and confident, consider the fallacies of life and be accommodating. See if rejections still bother you.

The Woman of Tomorrow

The Woman of Today took efforts to nurture her self esteem. Her efforts have paved a way for the Woman of Tomorrow.

The Woman of Tomorrow knows how to start afresh and is willing to take chances.

She has long broken away from the painful, binding and demeaning bonds which were pushing her backwards.

She is independent and liberated. The world welcomes her arrival.

The Woman of Tomorrow is sensible and is aware of her capabilities.

She trusts her intelligence and instincts and knows how to tap her abilities to move forward.

She is full of aspirations. She has the freedom to enter the "man’s" work force, freedom to hold bank accounts and get mortgages and loans.

Her financial freedom enables her to play a greater role in society. She is a potential contributor to country's development and social welfare.

She is accountable, assertive and confident.

The Woman of Tomorrow is kind, compassionate, accommodating and empathetic.

Rather than ignoring, she actually acknowledges her sentiments and emotions. She knows that they drive her towards empowerment.

She is good manager at home and at work. She loves her family and respects her work and colleagues.

She is more comfortable with herself and her surroundings than ever.

The woman of tomorrow is open-minded and progressive.

She is not afraid to put forth new ideas, experiment and be a trailblazer. And yet she is equally enthusiastic about other's ideas.

She respects and considers the perspective of others however conflicting the perspective might be.

The Woman of Today is challenging and questioning the society. She is pushing the society towards introspection.

The Woman of tomorrow is bound to take legacy forward. She would work towards improvising the society.

The woman of tomorrow knows that her role is changing and it is changing for the better.

Beauty of Sorrow

Why does a person come back to his or her ground state only in sorrow or sadness.

We are hyperactive, enthusiastic, bubbly in happiness. Such an excited state cannot remain forever. It would wear us out. Drain us of all our energy.
Sorrow bring balances us. Why do we despise sorrow ?
Isn't it an integral part of our life. Our system of being and behaviour.
Sorrow lends creatively to the one who bears it. Suddenly he or she starts analyzing, philosophizing.
My father used to listen Kishore's/Mukesh's dard bhare geet. They are mesmerizing, beautiful. The same singer, the lyrics from the same lyricist sound different and shallow in a another song sung in a irrationally happy mood. Why the sorrowful mood lend soberness, serenity, graveness and depth to the songs.
The great poems, The most meaningful and beautiful ones come from an author in sorrow.
Sorrow is ubiquitous and omnipresent. It part of everybody's life. Everyone can relate to it.
Sorrow has the potential to bring people.
Feelings of sympathy and empathy are more meaningful than binding that shared joys.
My regards to 'the sorrow' which balances our life. To 'the Fear' which makes us sincere.
To 'the thorns' that protect the rose


Wrote for triond : http://authspot.com/poetry/beauty-of-sorrow/

IshtaDevaaye Namah: The history and significance of the Ishtadevatas

The particular title on Helium caught my attention and I felt an instinctive pull to make a contribution to it. The term 'Ishtadevtaa' is a Sanskrit word and is related to Hinduism. Sanskrit is one the oldest languages of the world and Hinduism one of the oldest religions.

The term 'Ishtadevtaa' is composite and is formed by joining the two words 'Istaa' and 'Devata'. The former means 'Favorite' and the latter means 'God'. The term translates as 'Favorite God'. Hindusim is a religion based on sense of gratitude and well being. In Hinduism, an entity which gives you something but does not take anything in return is a God. In that respect, the trees, the rivers, parents, teachers , cows are revered and worshipped. God is Omniscient and omnipresent. There is not a place or time where God is not. There is God in everything and everybody. The concept of Devil as in Christianity and Islam does not exist. In Hinduism the creator (Brahma) is a God, the preserver (Vishnu) is God and the Destroyer (Shiva) is a God too. This is to recognize Destruction as an integral part of the Cycle of Life. Destruction is necessary for Construction and to maintain Equilibrium .The all-powerful trinity of the Creator 'Brahma', the Preserver 'Vishnu' and the Destroyer 'Shiva' form the basis of Hinduism.
The Hindu Mythology, as evident in the written scriptures and great epics, talks about millions of Gods and demi-Gods. There are the nature Gods like the sun , the moon, Rivers, Rain, Mountains , Wind and Sea which are worshipped. There are the 'Avatars' (Human manifestations of the God who come up to the earth to destroy the evil and set example for the mankind) like Ram, Krishna, Sita, Radha, Hanuman, Pashu Ram who are worshipped fervently. And then, there are the reincarnations of the celestial beings who are worshipped in many forms. Each of the Gods have a different and ditinctive personality. While Ram is patient, calm, obedient and truthful, Krishna is playful and manipulative. The offerings to be made and rituals to be performed for each of the Gods is different (and in accordance with their personality and origin).

So Many Gods to be worshipped, So less time. The Concept of 'Ishtadevtaa', enables you to choose your God and devote your life unto him. I might choose the fun-loving and auspicious son of Shiva , the elephant God 'Ganesha' as my 'IshtaDevta' and find happiness in worshipping him, reading his stories, listening to the hymns composed in his honour and offering 'laddu' (sweets) to him. And You could chose the Goddess Kali, as your 'Ishta' and devote your life fighting again deceit and wrong since that is what Kali signifies. Choose your Path. Choose your God. The religions Buddhism and Jainism have much in common with Hinduism especially with the concepts of moksha (liberation) and ahimsa (non-voilence). Hinduism is has multitude of philosophies which are at times contradictory. While there is a concept of ahimsa (non-voilence), there's also a concept of 'Bali' or life- sacrifice. Another irony is the philosophy of 'One God' in Hinduism. All the Hindu Gods are said to be facets of one supreme God. The religion can be moulded any which way and has a lot of scope. The believers of contradictory Hindu philosophies co-exist and share mutual respect. That is why the religion still lives and breathes.

Concept of 'IshtaDevaa' reminds me of a documentary is saw on the Indian National Television a few years back. The Documentary was about a Hindu from Bengal who worshipped Christ. He loved Christ with all his heart. He read Bible , composed songs for Christ and yet he stated that he was essentially Hindu. Hinduism was not only a religion but a way of life to him. To him, being Hindu meant he respected his elders, loved his juniors. That he showed gratitude to nature and That he could chose his God. His 'Ishtadevtaa'.

Wrote the article for helium.com : http://www.helium.com/items/2130122-ishtadevata-hinduism-sanskrit-ishta

God and You

A man knocked the door of the house where God resided.
"Who are you", came God's voice from inside.
"Your devotee... lover." replied the man.
"Sorry. There isn't space for two," was what God had to say.

The man left the place. He came back after sometime and knocked the door again.
"Who are you", asked God.
"You," replied the man.
God opened the door and hugged him.
The story signifies that we are closest to God when we realise that we are actually a part of him. A true prayer is not a wish-list but the aura, the moment when you forget yourself and feel the presence of God. The concept is age-old. Our ancestors tried to achieve the same ambience through Yogic meditation. An ambience where atma dissolves unto paramatma (the supreme, God), both of which are within you. This is to say that God is a part of yourself rather than the other way round.
'Kasturi kundal baase' , the phrase is has a significance.
The musk deer chases the fragrance which lies in his very own belly. It is in a confused state. So are we. It never realises that it itself is the source of the fragrance, it has been trying to explore. God too does not have to be searched in anywhere. He is with you, forever.
In true love you acknowledge the mistakes of your lover as your own and forgive them. Ego, does not come into picture.
"Drop", said Buddha to the King who came up to present the largest diamond of his kingdom and a lovely lotus to Lord Buddha.
The king dropped the flower, taking it to be insignificant.
"Drop", said Buddha again. The King, being a little confused, dropped the diamond too.
"Drop", repeated Buddha.
The king was perplexed. He had nothing to drop.
"Drop your ego son. This is the most valuable offering."

Two people in love are often expressed as "One soul trapped in two bodies". Loving God is to accept that either you are a part of God or that God himself is a part of you. Thus loving God makes you a better person. When you realise that God is forever with you, ( i.e. he is with you when you help others or abuse them.), you would definitely not like to make your most beloved and revered God to be a party in your misdeeds. Would you? So you would stop doing them.
Now the question comes: "Does God really exist?"
"No, he does not. For I have never seen him."
"Do you exist?"
"Of course I do. What kind of question is this. I am sitting next to you, you can see me, touch me." So you believe in your existence when you know that you won’t be here, 70-80 years from now. Anyway, does your existence count or make a difference in a universe with billions of galaxies, each galaxy having billions of stars, and each star capable of supporting many solar systems?
But still, you exist, since your presence can be felt.
God exists for those who can feel his presence, who believe in his presence.

Wrote the arcticle for Indiatimes. http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/779124.cms