Stolen Heart

Life is empty,
There is no point.

There is no life,
Nothing left.

All joy is gone,
Where do I go?

What do I do?

Where is my heart?

All is lost.

Life is meaningless.

One step at a time.

Being lost is nothing new.

There's always a new day.

Sometimes being lost can be fun.

Let's see what happens next.

Will I find my heart?

What If I do?

Will life be better?

Who knows?

One step at a time,

One step at a time.

A whisper in the wind

What's that?

I thought I heard someone whispering...

No, I guess that was the wind.

What's that smell?

Light and delicate...hardly noticeable...

I'm starting to feel really good...

Yes, it's the smell. mmmmmmm! That smells good! It's hardly noticeable, but it is affecting me so powerfully!

I thought I heard a voice, sweet as an angel. What a smile in that sound. I could listen to it all day. It's so intoxicating...beautiful...and that laugh!

Maybe I'm just imagining things. It must be the wind.

Is this an illusion? How much of it is real? What trap lies ahead? Am I just being paranoid?

That sweet smell...mmmmmmmm! It's so delicious. I could just lose myself in it.

That whisper in the wind...what an enchanting experience!

Maybe it's love...

A thief by any other name

Shakespere said "a rose by any other name should smell as sweet..."

I recently came across the friend of a beautiful woman. My friend was idealizing this woman and aspired to be like her. For convenience sake, let's call this 'ideal' woman "Jane".

Apparently Jane has the uncanny power to make men happy. She doesn't really do anything, but men want to do things to make her happy. She does not sleep around or offer any other favours for men, but for some reason they are happy to give her things, expensive things.

Every once in a while she "picks" a (well-to-do) "boyfriend". Invariably, the "boyfriend" has to travel a lot or lives in a different town, far away. In order to keep her interested he often sends her things, sends her on trips and in some cases even pay her mortgage. In many cases, this activity continues even after she has "dumped" the "boyfriend".

The amazing thing is that quite often total strangers walk over and start giving her expensive things without her asking for anything...all without strings attached. Wow!

A couple of examples will help illustrate the good fortune of this phenomenal woman:

Jane and a friend had just finished lunch in an expensive restaurant one time. Her friend offered to pay the bill, but Jane said that she would take care of it. Her friend went to the washroom for a few minutes. When she came back, there were two men were insisting on paying the bill. They were total strangers, neither of the women knew them before. Apparently, they were waiting for an opportunity to talk with Jane without her friend being there.

In another case, Jane was at a jewelery store trying on things. A man showed up to repair a watch. He saw her trying on a necklace worth around $300. He offered to buy it for her, but she refused the offer. He asked the teller to wrap up the necklace as a gift and handed it to Jane and left with no demands or obligation on Jane.

Remarkable!

Now, I have some questions:

Human nature is that no one gives anything without expecting something in return. Even though she apparently refuses gifts, why do men insist on giving her things without asking anything in return?

Why are men willing to go out of their way to make this woman happy?

Does she have any responsibility or obligation toward these men? Should she?

Here's my opinion:

It seems this woman has mastered the art of non-verbal communication with men. Without saying a word, she is offering "womanly things". Men are led to believe they will get "her" if they give her things.

Next, she has mastered the art of postponing the fulfillment of her nonverbal promises indefinitely, without offending her suitors.

Unfortunately, men are willing to be led on indefinitely in anticipation of a "reward".

It all seems so innocent until you realize that she does this on purpose and can command compliance from men at will.

As proof of my theory, the man who gifted her the necklace showed up at the jewelery store a couple of weeks later expecting to find Jane. He didn't realize she didn't work there.

Is Jane's behaviour ethical? I don't think so. Even though she doesn't ask for things overtly, she is actually making promises and not fulfilling them. She is playing with people's hearts. That is mean. Being a man myself I understand the drive to give. Men are by nature willing to give in the name of love. If a man has any kind of self esteem, he is willing to give limitlessly to the person he loves.

This woman is tapping into that instinct in her male "victims".

Carmically, I predict the hurt feelings of unfulfilled promises will come back to her in the form of unfulfilling relationships with men. Since we all need someone who loves us, she may have difficulty settling down with someone. She is likely to continue with her "wiles", tricking men into thinking they will get love. When the person she is tricking is her own husband, or someone she actually likes, eventually, the man will catch on and recoil.

I think it is o.k. to accept things from someone you love, as a gift of love.

A freebie is either a result of charity or a result of manipulation. Both will end. Taking advantage of people's weakness is wrong. There is no happiness in it in the long term. It simply makes your heart callus and unable to love.

On the other hand, a gift of love that is returned in some way by love, will continue and blossom in your life. Your life will be full of happiness and love always.

Happy Love Day!

Krishna was a man born several thousand years ago. Many Hindus consider him to be God incarnate. He is prominently featured in books like the Mahabharat, Bagwad Geeta and Shrimad Bhagwatam. It is said that if a person reads any one of these he is assured a place in heaven.

I had a Krishna experience once.

I was doing a speech for a group of high school students. They started talking about morality in religion and someone mentioned Krishna. My instant reaction was quite negative...I said if you are looking for a moral role model you should look at Raam, not Krishna. The literature on Krishna depicts Krishna as quite a ladies man. Other instances describe him as being quite manipulative. In fact, the Mahabharat was a world war that some say was engineered by Krishna. Some would say that the Geeta is an elaborate sales pitch for justifying the killings during war.

This does not sound like the God that religious people would like to believe in. I took these kinds of ideas and said negative things about him to my group of students.

As my speech ended I was heading out the door, thinking about what had come out of my mouth and suddenly it felt like something opened up in front of my eyes. It was just a flash of realization, but I saw Krishna and I felt a tremendous love swell up inside me. I realized that Krishna is pure love...just infinite love.

I was really surprised. Since Krishna is considered to be God, I expected some sort of reprimand for saying bad things about Him, but instead, I got love.

I took this new perspective of Krishna and went through everything I knew about him as described in the literature. I realized that at the time Krishna was born people had lost their path and were doing all sorts of immoral things. A system had developed where even good people supported the bad out of obligation and political correctness. Good people were being squeezed out of society.

Krishna's role was to bring balance back into nature. The 'good' needed a hand. The only way to eliminate the influence of 'bad' was through a war. This is why he engineered a war where millions were killed. Krishna re-established the right path to heaven in the Geeta. The Bhagwatam is Krishna incarnate...Simply by reading it or listening to it, a persons sins are washed away...problems are replaced by success, unhappiness is replaced by bliss...I have met people who read the Bhagwatam every day and I have found them to be some of the gentlest, most loving people.

I also learned that according to the Veda, Krishna is considered to be the first unit of creation. My own experience has been that as I go deeper into the mind I experience more bliss and love. If Krishna is the first unit of creation, that would mean that love takes shape as Krishna as the universe is created.

My conclusion is that despite what people may say the reality of Krishna is love.

Today is Krishna's birthday. Today is the day to be thankful for the love in your life. Today is the day you can have infinite love simply by having your attention on Krishna.

I wish you a happy Janmashthmi. I wish you happy love day. May the ifluence of this day fill you with so much love that all your trouble are forgotten. May you live in bliss.

Jai Shree Krishna.

How To Be In Love

Falling in love is so much fun! You feel good all over, life takes on a new meaning, you look forward to being with the person you love, you feel happy just thinking about your new friend...

Unfortunately, our culture, led by the media, sets us up to fall out of love as quickly as possible. The chatter in your mind, your friends, movies etc., they all fill your head up with ideas that make it impossible for love to thrive or even survive. We all know the scripts...

You know...

If he loved me he would buy me chocolates... he would phone me more often... he would bring me flowers when we go on a date...

Or maybe...

If he really loved me he would ask me to marry him... he would understand that I don't like it when he (does this)... he would have (this) kind of look in his eyes...

How about this...

If I was really in love I would feel like... I wonder if this is really love... I hope this lasts...

Can you identify with many of these thoughts and feelings? These are all culturally bred into us by our society.

In an attempt to capitalize on the power of love story tellers and advertisers have put all kinds of words and pictures into our mind. Yes, many of these are based on people's experiences, but what any one person experiences is always different from the next one.

If you find yourself starting to think along these lines, realize that you are probably about to talk yourself out of love.

Love is a feeling. Love is an experience. Love is life itself.

When you are really in love, you know. There is a sense of fulfillment, a sense of satisfaction. The tension that often accompanies love is created by the scripts we begin to play in our minds, based on cultural influences.

If you are in love, try this: just relax. Let life unfold the way it does. Don't try to second-guess what you will do next or what your partner will say or do.

Just relax. Let it happen. Bask in the good feelings. Let them nurture you. Let them heal you. Let them give you that which you have been longing for, for such a long time.

By doing this you will give love a chance.

If it is really love, you will know. Love is nurturing, caring. Love is attractive. Love is good health. Love is full of life. If you are experiencing any or all of this, love is probably real.

Let it be. Let it give you fulfillment. Respond to your feelings in terms of giving love. Don't stifle it with fear and considerations. If it is real it will continue. If it is not real, you won't be able to delude yourself for long. The whole experience will become negative. That is not love. That is neurosis.

Love is the essence of creation. Love is the glue of the universe. Love is the most fundamental expression of God.

By relaxing and letting love happen you are coming in tune with the deepest aspect of yourself. You are coming in tune with God.

Let it happen. Be real. Don't go into pretending love. Enjoy it while it lasts. After it is gone (if it goes away) you will be a transformed person. Your life will have changed forever. You will be more capable. You will have more wisdom. You will have lived!

Let love happen. It is life itself. Once you have experienced it, you will have tasted the nectar of immortality. You will have experienced heaven, on earth.

Be at peace with love. Be in silence. Let love guide your life. Don't fight it. Don't try to control it. Don't try to predict it. Let it be.

That's the way to enjoy love.

If you try anything, you are getting away from the true experience. The true experience is good. As soon as you get away from it you are dealing with your own ideas rather than the reality of love.

Love is the gentlest of experiences. It is so subtle that it can hardly be pinpointed by the conscious mind. This is why you have to just let it be.

Love exists at the deepest levels of consciousness...just after the pure essence of being. The experience of pure being is nothingness (but a full nothingness). Just as your experience of pure Self comes out of the nothingness, love is the first thing that is experienced...then happiness is experienced. This is why love is associated with happiness.

For the record, Krishna is the first unit of creation. He is pure love. People who have experienced Krishna report waves and waves of love.

Similarly, when you meet someone who is tuned in to the deepest aspect of themselves you will have experiences of love. I have found children are almost entranced when they see someone like that. Women also respond with love. They can't explain it, but they just fall in love with such a person, even if there is no basis for it. Even men, especially highly sexed men respond this way (I'll explain why later some time).

Love can be triggered by the right person, or it can be a normal experience of someone who it tuned in to the deeper aspect of themselves.

If you want it to continue, just leave it alone. Let it be. Let your soul swim in the experience. It is the most wonderful thing that could happen to a person.

My Pain

Generally, I am a very positive, active person. I have big dreams and the goals to match. You will often find me involved in exciting situations and deals reserved for the most successful in any society.

But for some reason, which I can't understand, my heart really hurts. Many times physically, but quite often it is just searching.

I took a course about ten years ago which changed my life. I had been fighting with my father for many years, since I was a teenager. In this course I realized that when I was two and a half years old my younger brother was born. Because he was the baby, he got all the attention and I, at the age of two, came to the conclusion that nobody loved me.

I hung on to that conclusion throughout my life. All my dealings with people were based on that decision. I had no friends, I didn't get along with my brothers or parents. I belonged nowhere and had nobody (in my mind).

When I realized that my life was based on the conclusions of a two year old child, I decided to do a review of my life. I realized that all my life I had been surrounded by an ocean of love. I had good, caring friends and the most loving parents anyone could have. I was stunned. As soon as I could, I called up my father and apologized for being a jerk all my life. I told him "you didn't have a chance" because I had already made up my mind that no one loved me, especially him(how stupid of me!).

Since then I have made friends with my father and life has improved 1000%.

But I am still so sad at this time. I don't know what to do.

I do many spiritual things that give me happiness and satisfaction beyond description. I am constantly in touch with an ocean of love deep inside me. The experience is transcendental. When I am in touch with that "zone" life is good. However, sometimes I guess I lose the connection and it really hurts. I wonder how other people survive? How do they go through life without the incredible happiness of the "zone"? I can't stand it when I lose touch for short periods of time.

For anyone reading this, don't worry. The zone is likely to kick in anytime now. I am just in an unusually deep state of personal pain. I'm sure it will pass. It always does. As I continue my practices I have noticed that the good feelings last longer and longer. The bad feelings pass much more quickly. I feel privileged to have this knowledge. Eventually it is supposed to become permanent. I am looking forward to being in the happiness zone all the time, but I wish it would hurry up! I don't like being in the pain I am in.

Expressing feelings like this is highly unusual for me. I hope no one I know reads this.

How To Get Out Of A Slump

Life is unfair.

Sometimes bad things happen and keep happening without letting up. Things keep getting from bad to worse. There seems to be no end in sight. What's a person to do? Just roll over and die?

I don't think so.

Being a vetran of life not working out the way I planned, I have learned some survival techniques. Sometimes they get me out of trouble. Often they give me the mental toughness to get through a series of daunting situations. If nothing else, they always keep me from going into a depression.

Here are some of the strategies I have found useful:

1. Take time to relax.

This can be one of the hardest things to do when life is not being nice to you but it must be done. Let go of the things you feel you must do. Maybe not all of them, but enough so you can take three to five, five minute breaks in a day. Just do nothing. Sit there. If possible, close your eyes and sit there. After the five minutes, get back to work.

Transcendental Meditation is the best way to get a deep level of rest in 20 minutes twice a day. Being a closet workaholic, this has been my secret weapon for maintaining my sanity (and energy levels) through the toughest situations. This is my single most important tip. Check it out here: http://www.alltm.org/Transcendental_Meditation.html

2. Keep your mind focused on a goal.

Sometimes a difficult situation means you should be switching directions. Sometimes it just means you should learn more. Often it doesn't mean anything at all. In any case, if you focus on something that is worth chasing and keep working toward it something will happen. You may get to a point where it becomes clear that you are on the wrong path. You may get a bright idea that gets you through the bad situation. Many times focusing on some worthwhile goal will just keep you positive enough that you can recognize the way out of your problems.

3. Get enough sleep.

Especially if you are tending toward depression, take time to get enough hours of sleep. You have to do this. There is no way out. Being tired all the time is a quick way to go into depression.

4. Exercise.

If you are going toward a depression, do aerobic exercise. Get your blood pumping. Do some deep breathing. Get some fresh air.

If your nerves are being stressed, do a little bit of vigorous exercise but lean toward streching exercises like yoga. Learn to do rhythmic breating exercises like Qi Gong or Pranayam. I have found Tai Chi to be very therapeutic.

5. Eat properly.

Eat freshly prepared foods. Don't eat leftovers. Have at least two hot, balanced meals a day. Have something light for breakfast. Don't stay hugry for long periods of time. Good nutrition habits are essential if you are going to survive stressful situations in life.

6. Take herbal supplements.

I went through many situations and ended up getting chest pains. I later discovered that I didn't need to do that. There are many good quality herbal supplements you can take. I rely on products by a company called Sunrider. They have something called ESE. This is a great herbal mixture for getting relaxed. There are no side effects. I have found the anxiousness goes away with just one or two capsules. I only use it when all else fails.

If money is an issue Sunrider may be too expensive. In that case, go to an Indian grocery store and buy some Brahmi and Amlaki (or Amla) tablets. Take four to six a day of each one. You'll feel 100% better within a couple of days.

7. Stay around positive people.

Don't become a loner. Don't hang out with others who are going through a bad time. I know it's tempting, but don't do it. Be around people who are succeeding. Their energy will pull you through. It will keep you from falling into a depression. Don't talk to them about your problems, unless you think they can actually help. If you need to talk out your problems find a friend you can dump on, once. If you keep putting your attention on your problems there is no way out. You'll keep feeling worse about it. Get out of yourself and into the lives of positive people who are going places. This is really a powerful strategy, just try it.

8. Read a book on positive thinking or goal setting or anything like that.

Once I was going through such a depression that I wanted to commit suicide. I somehow made a decision to read positive thinking books. Within a few months I was out of the depression. I highly recommend this strategy. Who knows, you might even learn something useful!

9. Get someone to pray for you.

As Hindu I have access to many different approaches to praying. Followers of every system make promises of the benefits of their approach. I have tried many of them. What I have found is that the effect of my prayers for me keep my life in a general good trend but I haven't found results in eliminating specific problems. On the other hand I have seen some remarkable results from someone else praying for me.

Some traditional Indian astrologers (Jyotishees) offer prayers to various planets in a person's chart to eliminate their bad effect. I have found good results with every one (of many) that I have tried but one person's prayers have had significantly better results for me. His name is Dr. M.P. Uniyal. You can reach him at: 626-256-3325.

10. Take a philosophical approach to life.

I have found that good times and bad times are like the weather. They seem to come and go without warning. When things are good, life is fun. When things go bad, try to get out of the way of the bad and wait out the storm. Eventually, the bad situation will go away. Do what you need to, to survive, but don't fight the situation. It will just drain you. Accept things the way they are and quietly, purposefully do what needs to be done.

Under The Light Of The Moon

Under the light of the moon...

Fires burning, pastel flames,

Words silent, no one to blame.

So soft, so sweet,

At long last we meet.

Intoxicating...exciting,

Hearts igniting.

Lips glowing, moonlit night,

Tender touch, so just right.

Moist, delicate...a gentle state,

Desire is strong, night is late.

A beautiful smile, a warm embrace,

Eternal love, enchanting place.

The mystery is deep,

The cliffs are steep.

Under the light of the moon,

There is no talk of sleep...

Affairs Of The Heart

Where Reason Surrenders To Reality

Relationships can get complicated. Personalities can clash, circumstances can create stresses, values you never knew you had can sneak up on you and cause problems in relationships.

Living in harmony in a relationship is truly bliss. There is nothing better, but how long can a good relationship last? With all the tensions in our lives it is easy to lose the joy that brought the relationship into existence in the first place.

Parents fight with children, children fight with their siblings, fights break out among good friends, good friends get together and fight with other groups of good friends in the form of gangs. Political parties fight with each other and countries fight with other countries. What a mess.

When everyone knows the good feelings generated by good relationships why are there so many fights?

Good feelings come from good feelings.

Love comes from loving. Friendship comes from giving friendship. Harmony comes from a state of harmony within.

It is really a special experience to have a good friend that you can count on: Someone that loves you no matter what. Someone you can trust with your most intimate secrets. Someone that always has your best interests at heart.

However, how realistic is it to expect a person to always be there for someone else? When personal mental stresses and physical ailments create an imbalance within, the basis for expressing love and friendship has been lost. Good friends turn into enemies, lovers split apart, families scatter and countries go to war... All because the state of harmony within was lost.

The basis for good relationships is within.

When you go deep within, there is harmony. There is peace.

When you go deeper, you notice that the harmony turns into an ocean of love. Everything is experienced as infinitely dynamic, all encompassing happiness. The feeling of peace is so profound that no words can describe it.

Deep within you find that which never changes. You find a source of love and joy that is always available to you.

When you are in love with someone life becomes beautiful. You feel good and nothing bothers you. Life is a joy and everyone around you feels it through you. This is the same thing that happens when you go deep within.

Women have a special connection with the deepest aspects of nature. They seem to be able to connect with the "source" very easily. There is no greater joy than being with a woman who is at peace and feeling happy.

This is why it is advisable for a husband to protect his wife from the stresses of life and provide a beautiful environment for her to live in. It is purely selfish from a man's point of view, but it works from the woman's perspective also.

Unfortunately, traditions have taken this idea and turned it into a system where a woman is expected to provide the love and happiness in the family even if the man hasn't done his job of providing the stress-free, beautiful environment.

Parents experience the same thing. They are so in love with their children that they sacrifice everything just to see their children be happy. Nothing is more rewarding than to see your children be happy.

All this happiness is a result of connecting deep within yourself. There is an infinite ocean of happiness and love within you, deep in the essence of your being. The essence of your being is the same thing that physicists call the unified field. The unified field is the same in everyone and everything.

When two people are in love they instinctively know what the other person is feeling. They know what they need and want. Even without consciously recognizing the process, people in love "just know" the right thing to say or do.

The same holds true for close friends, parents, children and siblings.

Communication is instantaneous. It is clear. There is no doubt about what the other person is feeling even though no words are spoken.

Sometimes you find a person who is established in that deep state. Now, you can count on that person, just like you can count on the state of being when you go within yourself.

You may not be established deep within yourself. You may not have access to infinite peace, happiness and love within yourself all the time. But if you can find someone who does have that, he/she will be your best friend, forever.

The reason they will be there for you forever is because when the mind goes deep within it recognizes its own essential nature. When you break down the molecules and atoms further and further you get to the unified field. The unified field is eternal. The human mind in its essence is eternal. When a person's mind is firmly established in the eternity of the unified field, the love and joy of that field is a constant experience day in, day out.

The unified field within you and the the unified field within me is the same. There is not a separate unified field for everyone. It is the same field.

When a person is permanently merged with infinite love and happiness within, they are permanently merged with your essential nature. They are you. They will love you as you love you. They will be there for you just as you are there for you. Through thick and thin, good and bad they will be there. You can count on them.

Traditionally, this kind of person is called a Guru. The word Guru has been loosly translated as "teacher" or "spiritual guide". That is a very limiting description of the word.

A Guru is the deepest most personal part of you. When a person established in the essence of Self comes into contact with you, the person is actually the deepest, most personal part of you. He/she knows...just knows all about you. If you develop an honest relationship with this type of person you open up a channel to the deepest aspects of your own being. You come into contact with the eternal ocean of love and happiness within you.

People often experience great happiness in the company of a Guru. They say that the Guru makes them happy. That's not really true. The Guru is simply you, in essence. Because the Guru is near you, you have easy access to the source of all love and happiness in the universe. It is your own happiness. The Guru has simply made it possible for you to access it.

When you have a real Guru, you instinctively know what will make him/her happy. If you follow that feeling, you will find your own happiness. You will find your way out of your problems. Life will become bliss. Following a (real) Guru is the quickest, surest path to eternal happiness.

It is not necessary for your Guru to be alive. My Guru died six years before I was born. His name is Swami Brahmanand Saraswati. He was given the title of "Jagadguru", the Guru of the whole universe. Jesus, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Mahaveer Jain and Abraham are also Gurus because they are (were) completely established within the unified field, the Self deep within their mind. When someone becomes permanently established in the Self, they become eternal, like the unified field. It doesn't matter whether they have a body or not. Following them will be as effective as following a Guru who still has their body.

The surest path to having good relationships in your life is to first have a good relationship with your Guru. Any Guru will do. If the Guru is real, you will quickly find that your problems melt away. You will find you are happy regardless of the circumstances. Life will become easy.

You can look for the reasons why this is true or not true. Having reasons or not having them won't matter. Whether you understand it or not the results will be there. Simply find (or pick) a Guru and follow your heart. Ask yourself "how would my Guru feel about this". You will develop an uncanny ability to always pick the right path. Luck will favour you at all times.

Following your Guru is the golden path in life.

Today is Guru Poornima. This is the day the moon is the brightest it will be all year. Today is a good day to thank your Guru for being there. Today is the day to acknowledge that all good things in your life became possible because your Guru led you to your happiness. Today is the day to satisfy all affairs of the heart.

Jai Guru daiv.

A Celestial Flower?

I saw a flower the other day, on the other side of the river. It was raining.

A long, slender stem reached up to an ivory white flower with a pinkish flavour. Its long thin leaves fluttered in the wind.

The petals seemed so delicate. They curled up slightly at the top...beautiful.

The skin of the petals was iridescent, like a pearl...intoxicating.

It was raining fairly steadily. Small drops of water were hitting the flower. It looked so helpless. It is not fair that such a beautiful flower should have to endure the cold, harshness of nature...I wanted to protect it, but what could I do?

The flower moved, a little, in the cold wind and rain but never too far. The stem was quite rigid so it wouldn't bend too far...pride?

It was all alone. There were no other flowers like it anywhere nearby. There were no trees or bushes to protect it from the elements. It had to survive on its own...what strength.

I was strangely attracted to it. I wanted it. I really wanted it. But it was all wet and muddy. I could slip and fall into the river. Everything would be ruined. I couldn't take that chance.

I wanted to taste it. That surprised me. I suppose people eat jams and jellies made out of rose petals.

I wondered what it would smell like. Would it be as sweet as it looked?

If I plucked it, how long would it last? Maybe I could transplant it in my home. I wonder if it would survive. Would I know how to care for it?

I looked toward the bridge, thinking I might take a chance. It was a long bridge. It would take a long time to cross. I was getting cold and wet. I moved a little toward the bridge then looked back to the flower. It was gone. I couldn't see it anymore. Where did it go? Maybe It was a dream.

My heart hurts. I guess I should take my medication.

Visions Of Divine Flowers

My parents named me Neeraj. Neeraj was a famous poet in India. My dad is a poet. When he was a teenager him and his friends participated in public poetry readings and competitions. Poetry was a deep love in his life. Neeraj was his favourite poet. The idea of my name emerged from the deepest feelings of my father. My name is Neeraj.

My relationship with my name has been formed in a foreign country. English is the common language here. Literally, my name means lotus flower. Whenever someone asked what my name meant I told them it meant lotus flower. I usually got a giggle. A boy / man named after a flower...that's funny! (No they didn't actually say that, but that's what I understood from the giggle).

A lotus flower, in the Hindu religion, is the seat of Vishnu and Luxmi. They are also said to exist in the physiology of human beings where the chakras are located. There are seven chakras in the body. The lowest one starts at the base of the spine and has four petals. The highest one is at the top of the head and has one thousand petals. This is the explanation given in the books.

In reality, these flowers are divine in nature. They are not made of hard, physical matter. They are made of some sort of etherial material which serves as a connection between the physical body and the divine.

When these flowers are cognized in a person's consciousness, they are actually dynamic and full of life. They are actully not static flowers. As life energies converge at that connecting point between the physical and non-physical, the interaction of various forces is appears to be a flower. These flowers are different colours at each chakra.

At the top of the head, the "thousand-petaled-lotus" is predominantly pink in colour. It is activated when a person is fully enlightented. When John The Baptist initiated Jesus, Jesus said "my cup runneth over". This has been interpreted in many ways by the religious but Jesus was actually describing an experience he was having.

When the top chakra is activated the flower turns from facing downwards to facing upwards. The highest divine energies fill up the lotus flower (cup). These energies are absorbed into the body through the spinal column. All the chakras are fully active at this time. The top chakra fills up and the energies overflow into the body and the surroundings.

When all of the highest divine energies are absorbed into the body, the body goes through a chemical transformation. Every cell of the body changes from being physical to being divine. This is known as being reborn in the light of the Christ. This is a real Christian. Everything else is just pretending. This is why Jesus said "I am the light and the life". This is why being Christian is the only way to salvation. In reality, this transformation from the physical to the divine is not related to religion at all (but if it makes religious people happy to think so, I am o.k. with it).

This is when the person gains an eternal place in heaven. A person who has not gone through this kind of transformation, from physical to divine, will not gain an eternal place in heaven. Being baptised and becoming Christian are actually referring to this process. People have taken it as symbolic but the experience is overwhelming and all-encompassing. It is very real. There is nothing symbolic about it. Being a born-again Christian is the highest achievement in a human being's life. All religions talk about it. None of them are able to achieve it. In my opinion, any religion that can't deliver on this most fundamental goal doesn't deserve to exist. It is time to move on from religion to reality. Religions are no longer on the spiritual path...none of them!

In the Hindu religion this is referred to as "Dwij" - "Twice born". According to the plan of life, a person goes through a tutoring process until the age of 25. Through various means the person gains knowledge, strengthens his/her mind and body and gets married at the age of 25. This is the age when a person is supposed to get married.

The marriage ceremony is the final step in becoming a "Dwij". Traditionally, it is an eight day process where both the man and woman become one with each other and with the universe. They undergo the final transformation from being physical to being divine. Divine energies are powerfully radiated into the surroundings. Everyone is blessed. Everyone's wishes are fulfilled. There is happiness everywhere. This why, traditionally, lots of people like to go to weddings and there is so much joy and celebration around weddings...it is a chance to have all your desires fulfilled. Of course, this whole process is virtually unknown in the modern age. What remains today is symbolic. Instead of getting drunk on divine essence, people now get drunk on alchoholic beverages.

The divine lotus flower is associated with the greatest achievement of human beings and the most joyful and fulfilling celebration in society.

A couple of years ago I had a feeling that I was surrounded by a pink light. Whenever I tried to pay attention to it, it disappeared. I also felt that there was a pink lotus flower present, with the petals half-closed. Whenever I noticed it I felt a deep, gentle warmth and profound love. It was a delicate and refreshing experience.

One day it dawned on me that this was actually a manifestation of Vishnu. This time I was able to put my attention on the experience. I confirmed that this was Vishnu, the highest of Gods. I took it as a blessing. Since then the experience has always been within reach for me. I am thankful.

My name is Neeraj. It has been a source of embarassment from time to time. However that was a sad mistake. I now realize that I have a divine name. It comes out of the deepest love of my parents and merges into the divine blessings of Vishnu. My name is a vision of the divine lotus flower.

What To Do When The Young Outshine The Old And The Experienced

Recently a young woman was hired at our company. In her first month she was the top salesperson in the company. Wow!

Other salespeople are jealous. Every effort is being made to show how many weaknesses she has. In some cases she is even being mistreated. Not cool.

She is young, good looking, smart, a hard worker and most of all, she is very keen to learn everything. With all these qualities put together she has beat out all the others who have a lot more experience than her.

How is it possible? How is it possible for a brand new person to learn so much so quickly?

Here's what she did: She took on a mentor. Not just any mentor, she took on the owner of the company as her personal guide. The owner of the company has more knowledge and experience in the business than probably all of his competitors and salespeople combined.

Next, she listend to every word he said with an alert mind. She absorbed everything...and I mean everything. Whenever she speaks, you can hear the owners words coming out of her mouth. Her every move is a mirror image of what the owner does. This is a good strategy because the owner cultivated his words and actions for years until he found what really works.

She also went through all the literature she could find and took notes. She read every book she could find in the company. She constantly explores what is on the Internet. She went to her sister, also in the same business, and learned all her tricks and techniques. She picked up every magazine in her house and in the company and highlighted areas of interest to her and to her potential clients. Whenever she has a spare moment she goes through the software provided by the company to rehearse scenarios which she could show to her clients.

Based on her readings, she instituted a customer follow-up program with thank you cards and follow-up phone calls to prospects. She started making appointments in people's homes as an added service to her customers. As recommended by the books she read she started shopping competitors and learning from their sales presentations. When she found a product that seemed similar to what she was selling she went to the owner and asked for more information that would help position her product as superior.

When the owner's father came in for a visit, she cornered him for almost two hours on a busy day, foregoing her potential clients, to learn from someone who has even more experience than the current owner, her mentor.

The most remarkable thing I have seen is her ability to actually implement what she learns. In addition to doing what the experienced people taught her, she uses her own good sense and adds to the value she delivers to the customer.

She listens to customers from the point of view of what they are looking for in terms of their needs and wants regarding the products. She also listens to what the customer wants from the interaction with her. For example, in some cases she says that all the customer wanted was to feel good about the decision they were leaning towards. In other cases the customer wants to guidance on the right decision. Yet others simply want someone to bounce their ideas off of someone.

I have seen her take a leadership role in helping and teaching her customers. Her style is gentle and helpful. Her enthusiasm is contagious.

Can you tell I have been watching her closely? Other experienced people have also been watching her and trying to do what she is doing. One of the most experienced people commented to me that he is now closing more sales after being refreshed by this newcomer's enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, not everyone is taking this ambitious new salesperson in a positive light. Some have commented that she is only doing well because she is good looking. I bet these people go into flower shops and get mad at the flowers because they are more beautiful then them. I wonder how many of the above things these people are doing or have ever done?

Here's the bottom line: If a person wants to succeed, all the resources that this person is using are available to them also. It's just a matter of doing what needs to be done. The new, "top dog" in the company isn't doing anything that is new or unheard-of. She is simply doing what we should all be doing constantly, everyday of our working lives.

Cheers to you, my friend. You are an inspiration to an old (maybe not so old), dyed in the wool salesperson who just needs to get off his lazy butt and do what it takes to be successful. I will do what I need to get past my ego and pull myself up to the challenge at hand. I promise to challenge you in achieving greater heights than I have ever achieved. In the process, if you do need some help from me, I offer it willingly, as thanks for your breathing life into my life again.

Scientists Crack The Code On A Two Million Year Old Misunderstanding That Has Caused Endless Suffering For Humanity

This blog was inspired by a conversation with a friend who mentioned how her church was really upset when she started studying evolutionary biology at university.

I find it amazing how much nonsense religious groups can get away with. For some reason intelligent people willingly suspend their common sense and judgement in favour of some fantasy cooked up by modern day religious leaders. Yes, the originators of all the religions of the world knew what they were talking about. And yes, the truth is not always obvious. But, today's religious leaders are so off base that their founders would be shocked at what is being taught. Intelligent people who are interested in truth are actively leaving religions.

Fortunately, modern science has come to save the day. Today's scientists are leading the way to truth just as the founders of religions did in the past. As scientific thinking advances, the reality of religions is becoming clear. The religious books always had the truth but followers missed the point. This article is meant to put to rest some of the misunderstandings of creation vs. evolution by viewing the subject through the lens of science.

According to the legend, God incarnated as King Raam, uprooted all evil and personally ran a perfect society all over the world for 11,000 years. Recent satellite photos show a man-made structure that looks like a bridge, just South of India, deep in the ocean, where Raam led the final battle to conquer the forces of evil. According to the photos the bridge is about 2 million years old.

Since the time of Raam, people have been trying to replicate the success of that society. It is said that no one was ever sick, no one was poor, there was no crime, everyone had a role in society that they were happy with, the weather was always on time and beauty was everywhere.

After Raam left the earth and went back to heaven things went well for a while then slowly started to deteriorate to the point we are at today. In the interim countless religions and philosophies were put forward to somehow capture the glory of Raam's time.

Recent advances in quantum physics have verified the existence of the unified field, initially theorized by Albert Einstein. Physicists have successfully cracked the code on how everything in the universe is created.

According to scientists all matter and all energy can be boiled down to four forces: gravitation, electromagnetism, strong interaction (the force between the proton and neutron) and the weak interaction force (the force between the electron and the nucleus). These forces combine into the Grand Unification where gravitation is in one group and the others are in another. Both of these groups of forces originate from the unified field.

When creation starts to happen from the unified field, there is a process called "spontaneous, sequential, symmetry breaking". Spontaneous means that the process is initiated by the unified field with no external stimulus (in fact, since everything in its essence boils down to the unified field, there can't be anything "outside" the unified field). Sequential means that creation unfolds in a specific order rather than just randomly. Symmetry breaking means right at the beginning forces start to form into patterns, long before matter is created.

We can compare the unified field with the religious term "God" (in reality God is much more than the unified field). Just as the unified field is the source and cause of everything, so is God. Like God, the unified field is eternal, omnipresent, omnicient and without origin. God has intelligence. The unified field originates, organizes and sustains everything in the universe so it can be said to have intelligence.

Religious people say that God declared creation into existence and the universe just showed up out of nothing. The unified field is in essence "nothing" and according to quantum physicists creation shows up spontaneously out of it.

After the universe is created, according to scientists, it evolves into the many and varied expressions of nature as we know it. Most religions don't deal with that. This is called evolution.

Some ancient religions deal with the elemental patterns that are formed right at the beginning. These patterns are often displayed for good luck or used in religious rituals.

Whereas scientists have used mathematical models to explore the essence of the universe. Sages have experienced "that the unknown" through their own mind. This ability is what became lost or hard to find as Raam's civilization started to fade.

When a person dives within himself/herself, the process of spontaneous, sequential, symmetry breaking is experienced as words and symbols. These words and symbols came to be known as the Veda.

Nothing is felt when experiencing the unified field, but as the unified field starts manifesting itself as creation an incredible amount bliss is experienced. This is the Veda starting to be clear in the mind. The experience is like having your body turning into honey. Every cell of your body is filled with light and an incredibly delicious, sweet feeling. The best part is that the feeling continues for several days afterwards. Eventually it becomes a normal state of existence, permanently.

People who experienced the Veda in their mind taught the sounds and symbols to their disciples to help them have the experience more quickly and clearly. A verbal tradition carried this knowledge from teacher to student until a man by the name of Veda Vyas wrote it down about 5,000 years ago. Even today people memorize the Veda and recite it as part of religious rituals. It is important to realize that as creation is endless, the Veda is also endless. Veda Vyas simply wrote down the highlights which, when experienced, open the mind to the full experience of Veda.

While the term Veda is associated with religion these days, it is actually the sight and sound of nature functioning at its deepest level. Veda is not a philosopy. It is simply the Self interacting with itself in the process of creation. Since the unified field is the essence of everything, it is also the essence of the Self. Said in different terms: everything is, in reality, the unified field. Everything in reality is the Self. All a person has to do is "Know Thyself" and they will have all knowledge of everything.

Despite what religions may say, knowledge of the Self (Veda) is not the territory of any specific religion or philosophy. The experience of "spontaneous symmetry breaking" (Veda) is simply the objective reality of life. Self observing iteself (Veda) is the subjective reality of life. All reality, both subjective and objective is Self.

All of this has been explained by the founders of religions throughout the ages. However, the concept remained unclear until the unified field was identified from the point of view of objective science, rather than the nebulous descriptions provided by people who experience it in their mind. On the other hand, objective science has no way to use this knowledge.

When a person experiences the Veda they also have the ability to influence the outcome of the "spontaneous, sequential, symmetry breaking". This is possible is because in order to experience the Veda a person must have a very clear perception of the Self, the unified field. While experiencing the unified field there is actually no difference between the individual and the Self. From this state it is possible to "spontaneously" create any result. It is as if the universe "spontaneously" generates what the individual wants. There is no difference between "God's will" and the individual's desire.
Another way to say it is God "spontaneously" fulfills every desire with no effort on the part of the individual.

People who do not have the ability to fully experience the unified field often use various methods to harness the elemental power of nature. Since they are not completely in tune with the universe, they end up getting what they want but in the process they cause a lot of harm. These people come to be known as evil.

In order to create a perfect society, like Raam did, it is vital that every person have the ability to fully experience the unified field and act from the basis of nature/ the Self/ the unified field. This ability will ensure that people are always satisfied and fulfilled. Their every desire will be fulfilled spontaneously, naturally, effortlessly. Evil will be wiped out because everyone will be in tune with the essence of nature (God). No one will make mistakes or cause harm in an effort to get what they want.

This is the knowledge that was lost when Raam's civilization disappeared. This is the knowledge that will once again bring back the glory of that time. Two million years of experience has shown that it is not possible to have a perfect society unless everyone has the experience of the unified field. Many people have spoken about it but without the experience the good results remain theoretical.

How To Stop The Terrorist Bombings In The UK

Getting The British To Say Uncle
When I was a child my friends and I would often wrestle with each other. The goal was to pin the other person down until they admitted defeat. The defeated person had to say "uncle" before they were allowed to get up again.

A couple of months ago Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was very frustrated with the people and particularly the government in the UK. In his frustration he declared that they didn't deserve the knowledge of how to create peace and happiness in their country (that he was teaching). He asked all the Governors Of The Age Of Enlightenment to leave the country as soon as possible.

Governors Of The Age Of Enlightenment are people who practice and teach advanced meditation techniques. When practicing these techniques a person goes deep into the source of thought. They go deep into the source of creation. Scientists have correlated the experiences in this state with the properties of the Unified Field theory, initially conceived by Albert Einstein. These people can consciously go to the Unifield Field and create whatever effect they want at the surface levels of creation.

When a person is in this state the harmony that exists in nature is activated such that it is radiated into the meditator's surroundings. The meditator becomes a conduit for the peacefulness that exists deep in the essence of the universe.

The point Mahrishi was making was to show that real peace comes from going deep within. It does not come from enforcement and punishment.

We will see what actually happens. If the Governors Of The Age Of Enlightenment actually leave the country, in theory, a powerful source of peace and happiness would also leave the country. Disharmony and destruction would prevail. Very tragic.

The Governors Of The Age Of Enlightenment are regular people who have a family and career. They live quietly in the community practicing their techniques privately. Most Governors don't like to discuss it too much. If someone wants to learn, they will teach them how to do what they do.

If the UK wants to see peace and harmony they need to invite the Governors back into their country. I can't imagine how peace would be established without the influence of these people.

Actually, there is another way. Efforts are being made in other countries to create a large group of people who practice these advanced meditative techniques. If a large enough group can be established quickly enough, the peaceful influence will pervade all around the world. Peace will be everywhere.

Creating Peace In Iraq

My friend's sister's husband was the victim of a terrorist bomb blast about five weeks ago. He is a US soldier in Iraq. The injuries were critical. He is lucky to be alive.

When I first heard obout it my instant reaction was "he deserves it" because I had always been against the invasion of Iraq. However, in the next instant I realized that I was about to meet his wife, a real human being. All of a sudden this "concept" of a war in Iraq that I was against became real to me.

This young man is married. He has friends and family. He has lived a life among us for 22 years. Now, he is hurt, real bad. He is not a concept.

As soon as the injured "US soldier" became human, I felt moved by the situation. I was no longer thinking of the war. I started thinking of the person. Now, I wanted to help him, a fellow human being, who also happens to be a relative of my friend.

How many people have been injured in wars like this? How many people continue to die for "their country"? Their cause? It's not right.

Countless human beings have been injured, both physically and emotionally. What cause justifies this kind of pain and anguish?

It's not right.

This "US soldier" is not motivated by hate. He is motivated by honour. There are people who do bad things in this world. US soldiers like him are willing to take a stand and put their lives at risk to protect the rest of us. This man is a hero.

But that still does not justify the act of war. Time and again, people have faced the undeniable fact that it is not possible to force people to live in peace.

Recently, my two daughters have been fighting with each other. After letting them work it out and not succeeding my wife and I intervened. Still no resolution. What do I do now?

The only way to have real peace is when it is based on peace and satisfaction from within. But who in the world has that? There is always some issue: "She did this to me so I did that". People are always miscommunicating. People are always making mistakes. Nobody is perfect. As long as these statements are true, there is bound to be anger and hostility in the world.

A wise man once said "In order for a forest to be green, every tree must be green". In order for us to have a peaceful society, every person must be at peace.

Based on this understanding I have decided to encourage my kids to practice Transcendental Meditation regularly, twice a day. I have found in my own practice that this really helps keep me peaceful and happy. In addition, I have decided to play soccer with my kids every evening after work. It seems to be working. My daughters were laughing and joking with each other last night.

Perhaps this two-pronged approach would work in international politics as well. Scientific studies have shown that when large groups of people meditate together an influence of peace is generated which creates peace in the environment. Even people who don't meditate start to feel good. Fewer incidences of violent crime are reported. Accident rates fall and hospital admissions decline. Apparently this kind of study has been replicated many times.

Part two of this plan would involve some excuse or other for pleasant interactions, perhaps through trade, sports, cultural exchanges etc. A relationship based on friendship goes a long way toward "forgiving and forgetting" past offences.

Perhaps the way to peace is through peace. Perhaps the way to war is through war. History has shown that the approach of punishing people for undesireable behaviour is unsuccessful when it comes to preventing bad behavior. Perhaps it is time to try something else.

For this soldier, I offer my prayers.

As a Hindu, I believe that whatever good or bad that comes in our lives is a result of our own actions, coming back to us from many lifetimes of existence. There is no way to really know why something is happening to us. However, we believe that despite our faults in the past or present, if we appeal to God, He or She will forgive our sins and grant us freedom from suffering.

I was surprised by how moved I was by this soldier's plight. In my efforts to deliver something tangible to help this man, I decided to offer a "charged-up" Rudraksh seed.

Rudraksh is a tree found deep in the Himalayan jungles. It is considered sacred by many. Legend has it that Shiv, the creator of the Creator shed tears when his son (the Creator) Brahma committed suicide. The tears fell to the ground and became the Rudraksh tree. Brahma was unhappy because he was unable to fulfill his father's wishes in creating a good universe. Everything he created turned out to be evil. When he died, Shiv was very sad..."all he had to do was to come to me for help", he said. Brahma was given life again and the Rudraksh seeds became an embodiment of Shiv's love. Rudraksh seeds are known for their healing capabilities when charged up by prayer.

For all those who have been affected by this war, I wish for them peace and happiness. This includes soldiers, terrorists and the common people who suffer just because they happen to be there. Through peace we will build more peace. When every individual is happy, no one will be a terrorist. There will be no need for people to become soldiers and offer their lives as a sacrifice.

I am grateful for this young man's courage. I am thankful for his honourable intentions. I will do my best to support his efforts to create a peaceful and happy planet by helping individuals be at peace, within themselves.

May God bless you, my friend. I hope you heal quickly and fully. I hope you never have to go to war again.

Neeraj.

The Truth Is Not Politically Correct

I wrote this note to a personal friend who is a Sidha (practicing the advanced version of Transcendental Meditation). I thought others may gain from the perspective I presented. The note was in response to some spiritual oriented sites she had emailed me. These sites were by the followers of some of the most well-respected philosophers and Yogi's in the past 100 years. Here's what I said:


This isn't directly related to what you said, but with the recent changes that Maharishi (Mahesh Yogi) has implemented I have had reason to field some misunderstandings among the Sidha/Governor group.

Because of my father's politico/spiritual involvements I have had access to many of the greatest thinkers and those who study them (from an Indian perspective).

Yes, you are right, many people have said the same thing that Maharishi says, but that is where they stop. They don't have the technique to transcend, much less, create waves in the absolute that produce tangible results (the Sidhi program). All the Vedic masters in recent times have very good book knowledge but the VAST majority have, at best, a fleeting glimpse of the experience of transcendence.

I am not clear on why people such as you don't understand, through their own experience, that what we have is far superior to anything offered by anyone else on this planet.

Yes, beautiful words are nice to read, but the experiences we have on any given day could fill volumes of books such as those written by modern thinkers.

Maharishi has been so intently focused on the "highest first" goal that, in my opinion, he has neglected to help people understand the value of their own experiences.

I don't know if you took the first Veda In The Physiology course or not. Most people that took it consider it to be so basic that it was practically a waste of time. The people that I know who took the course are long time Sidha's and Governors. Do you realize that even that level of experience is not available to ANY of the other followers of the many gurus in the world today? If you don't realize it, it is worth considering.

The basic experience of transcendence that we take for granted is something others would give their life for, just to be able to experience it once! This is the history of the world. People have done all kinds of amazing things in an effort to gain that simple experience that we take for granted.

If you talk to ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE of the modern day gurus they will categorically say that the experience of transcendence is very difficult, if not impossible for anyone but those who dedicate their lives to a full time pursuit of the goal.

I have met so many full timers who dream of the experience. These people are not slackers by any stretch of the imanigation. The people I am talking about are scholars. They are authorities on the Vedas through family tradition and learning.

The experience we have on a daily basis is the goal of their life. When we talk of being established in the transcendental field 24 hours a day, that is absolutely beyond their imagination. They chase one siddhi after another, using various techniques. Sometimes they are successful in getting some minor results and that becomes their claim to fame for the rest of their life.

I have seen many such people. They keep telling people of their experience over and over again with various embellishments throughout their lives.

What we experience, on a daily basis, with the Sidhi program is so far beyond their conception that it can't even be discussed.

I have no intention of diminishing the value of anyone's spiritual knowledge or experiences, but I do want to put into perspective that what we have, and often take for granted, is really special by any yardstick.

Neeraj.