Sunday, February 28, 2010

BE COURAGEOUS

BE COURAGEOUS

Man creates trouble and misery for himself.

Give up all sorts of fears.

Stand up like a lion.

Draw courage from within.

There are many people who are so timid that they will not move around at night. Even when they see a cat at night, a cockroach at floor, lizard on a wall, they tremble. What a shame.

They are embodiments of timidity. They are 'moustache ladies'. They tremble with fear when they are put to a little test. They perspire and quiver when there is any impending danger!

They are poor, miserable specimens. A dacoit can become a good Vedantin, if his energy is turned in a spiritual direction, because he is absolutely fearless and has no feeling "I am the body"; but not a timid man.

Fearlessness is the greatest qualification for a spiritual aspirant.

All fears are imaginary.

They have no real basis.

When you think seriously they will melt away like snow before the sun.

Think a tiger or a lion has come in front of you, and you will have to face it.

Think that you are placed in front of a machine gun, and that you will be blown up right now.

Draw courage now.

Think of the verses of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. They deal with the immortality of the soul.

Again and again think of the divine verses of the Avadhut Gita. You will become courageous – though perhaps not all at once.

Gradually you will find that you are gaining courage.


Constantly think that you are the atman, the self.

You will gradually develop great courage.

Worry and fear are fearful forces within us.

They poison the sources of life; they destroy all harmony, vitality and vigour. Thoughts of cheerfulness, joy, and courage are healing and soothing.

Always be cheerful. Always laugh and smile.

Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so also fear cannot exist in the presence of self-denial or self-realisation or courage.

Exhibit undaunted spirit, intrepidity and manliness.

Make a strong resolve: "I will die or realise the self."

Give up the idea that you are the body.

Fearlessness is one important sign of a liberated being.

Solving social problems with a nudge



MacArthur winner Sendhil Mullainathan uses the lens of behavioral economics to study a tricky set of social problems — those we know how to solve, but don’t. We know how to reduce child deaths due to diarrhea, how to prevent diabetes-related blindness and how to implement solar-cell technology … yet somehow, we don’t or can’t. Why?

AVOID HARMING YOURSELVES

AVOID HARMING YOURSELVES

 

A woman suffered from severe rheumatic pains in the knee joints. No treatment was of any avail. The pain became unbearable. She sought the blessings of a holy man to help her out of her utter misery.

 

“Do you hold a grudge against anyone?” he asked her gently.

 

For a split second, she hesitated: then she answered, “My mind is seething with resentment against my own sister who did not behave properly towards me.”

 

The holy man said to her, “Your pain will disappear only when you forgive her and make peace with her.”

 

The woman found it very difficult to do so. However, with a tremendous effort of will, she went to meet her estranged sister; she hugged the astonished sister and said to her, “Let bygones be bygones. Let us begin anew!”

 

To her amazement, she found that soon thereafter, the pains disappeared completely!

 

We hold resentment against someone, we may not harm that person – but surely, we will harm ourselves!

 

 

 

 

Saturday, February 27, 2010

ADD THAT TRUE ONE WITH YOU

ADD THAT ONE WITH YOU

 

 

Prophet Mohammad’s life is in danger. Information has reached him that people are out to kill him under cover of the night.

 

It is a dark hour. Mohammad leaves his home and the town of his birth; with him is his faithful friend and follower; Abu Bakr.

 

In hot pursuit of these two devoted servants of God are those who wish to kill Mohammad. They are so many; they are riding strong steeds and in their hands are drawn swords and sharp lances. Abu Bakr sees them from a distance and feels nervous. In the agony of terror, he says to Mohammad, “They are coming; soon they will slay us with their sharp swords. And our bodies will lie on the desert sands to be devoured by wild beasts.”

 

Mohammad is silent; he speaks not a word. In his heart, he feels sure that God is with him and no harm can come his way. Nearby is a cave. Mohammad and Abu Bakr hide themselves in its depths. The party of persecutors halt at the mouth of the cave; their leader suspects that Mohammad has entered the cave. Abu Bakr begins to tremble and whispers to Mohammad, “What shall we do now? We are two and they are so many!”

 

Quietly answers Mohammad, “Not so, my friend, we are not two but three! The third is Allah. When He is near, we need not fear!”

 

A miracle has happened. Just after the two fugitives entered the cave and little before the party of persecutors arrived, a huge spider crawled to the entrance of the cave and wove its web across it. Seeing the web, some of the persecutors exclaim, “Mohammad could not have got into the cave. Don’t you see the spider’s web covering the entrance? Had anyone got in, the web would have been torn. Let us not waste precious time; let us move on!” Mohammad is saved!

 

 

 

Friday, February 26, 2010

TOYS FROM TRASH / One-Minute Films

TOYS FROM TRASH / One-Minute Films

 

 

 

Science / Educational Films

Animated Films