ARTICLES

Indian sub- continent is famous for its festivals and the splendid rituals and zeal with which the celebrations are carried out. Although the rituals differ from place to place and the incidents attached to them also vary, their essence and the message they elaborate remain more or less the same...

पश्चाताप या अफसोस करना यह हमारे जीवन की एैसी दुःखदायी भावनाएँ है, जिसका असर बाहर से तो दिखाई नही पड़ता है लेकिन अंदर बड़ी अजीब सी घुटन महसूस कराता हैं जिससे हमारा मन अंदर ही अंदर खाता रहता हैं। इसका मूल कारण है भूतकाल की कुछ घटनाओं को परिवर्तित करनेकी..

“Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana” is a very important verse in Gita that applies to all of us and not just Arjuna. The word “Karma” (Actions) has been a topic of study & research for sages & scholars since ages. When people think of karma, they immediately think of..

Most of us have a deep quest to know the truth that is complete and unmixed. However, it has been learnt from experience that, in general, when a man is told the truth which does not square well with his present belief, he does not accept it, or, at least,..

डिक्शनरी की परिभाषा अनुसार मुस्कराहट, चेहरे का एक ऐसा भाव है जिसमें होठों के किनारे हलके से ऊपर की तरफ उठ जाते हैं, और इससे एक व्यक्ति का उत्साह, उसकी रज़ामंदी या खुशी ज़ाहिर होती है। मुस्कान तथा प्रसन्नता हमारे शरीर एवं मन पर आश्चर्यजनक प्रभाव डालते हैं और शोक,..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe29gLzjSqgThe film begins with a pious and theist child who is on his way to school. He has a placid smile on his countenance which suggests a happy mood. He is spirited and cheerful as he cycles through a lonesome path noticing the small beautiful things of nature like the..

Of all the Indian festivals, there are a few that are celebrated by people throughout, irrespective of their caste, creed, or religion & Holi is one of them. Holi, the name itself brings out unparalleled emotions from within and adds colours to our monotonous life. People across India and around..

आजकल हम होली पर्व के नाम पर एक मनुष्य द्वारा दूसरे मनुष्य पर रंगों के साथ-साथ कीचड़ और गंदा पानी फेंका जाता हुआ देखते हैं। भारत के कुछ गाँवों में, विशेष नातों में (जैसे भाभी-देवर), एक द्वारा दूसरे की मोटी रस्सी या डंडे से पिटाई करने की प्रथा भी इस..

In Northern India the burning of Holika is celebrated as the killing of the demon named Putna by Lord Krishna. In Southern India the belief is that on this day Lord Shiva opened his third eye and burnt Kamdeva to ashes. He then applied the ash to his body and..

India is a land of festivals. Each festival denotes a spiritual meaning. A mere celebration of the festivals without an understanding of its deeper significance is of little benefit. Like other festivals, the Holi celebration fills us with lots of excitement and enthusiasm. During Holi, we get a chance to..

Intelligence, strength, passion, and leadership are the qualities that can empower anyone – male or female. The qualities have nothing to do with gender, age, caste, colour or creed but the societal mental makeup is such that we view most things in terms of gender and hence the term ‘women..

If humans do not destroy hate and anger, these demons would kill mankind, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji:- The air during the past few days has been thick with the dust and debris of war. The whole world was shocked while watching visuals of missiles that were fired from a..

Without working in accordance with ancient spiritual wisdom, neither can we have principled politics nor can we have value-based economics, and neither can we have peace nor can we make such constant progress as should give us real happiness:- We all wish to live in a society that is peaceful..

We all dream of a better world where there is peace, happiness and harmony, don’t we? No one would like degradation of the environment, loss of human lives due to wars and murders, dehumanization through poverty and troublesome social, economic and political conditions. But the question is, what are those..

The different countries of the world can come in harmony, if each individual strives to achieve it with all human beings For ages, people, communities and countries across the globe have longed for world peace and, in many ways, everyone has been trying to achieve it. Similarly if one looks..

Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji discusses the vital role that rest has in preserving health and lists the four kinds of rest:- Sleep is the best form of relaxation, close to meditation, that’s why those who sleep well always keep well and feel well. Hence, not too many people need to..

An honest person must empower himself with the unflinching hope that better times will follow, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji:- The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads everywhere, said Acharya Chanakya. If we ponder over this quote we..

This ignorance towards values brings sufferings to humanity due to which vices are created bringing further misery to our lives:- Nowadays, it has become customary among leaders of all political parties to discuss in detail about annual budget or an economic plan as to whether it promotes the public sector..

Mind pollution has led to moral degradation in society, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji :- A little reflection on the recent political affairs in India and its neighbouring countries would enable anyone to identify and understand the factors that are causing high pollution in the national atmosphere of these countries...

Guiding Light: A matter of great concern:- The thought of social good, the emotion of love for the human family and the consideration for the less fortunate brethren have little or no place in this system. It is now almost universally recognized that the world economic situation, today, is very..

If we see the 21st century with a new outlook, we will be rewarded with a break from the past, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji - It’s been a couple of weeks since we entered a new year with fresh plans and renewed hopes. We have been reading and watching..

Founding fathers of independent India had envisioned truth, non-violence, sacrifice and service to be the salient principles of life for building a strong and prosperous nation:- Today, we see that there are two distinct India’s that seem to have been created in the post-independence era, of which the first is..

Ethics and Sustainability

It is now well-established that when female literacy goes up, fertility goes down and the number of early marriages also decreases:- According to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometers, the current world population is 7.9 billion which could attain a growth level of 9-12 billion before the..

Over the centuries, it has been forgotten that there is another philosophy of life, which is that of 'giving' rather than 'taking':- One clearly visible feature of our present-day society is divisionism, disunity or disintegration, which is based on dissent, discontent or difference in self- interests. This ominous trend of..

The best thing, therefore, is to observe moral norms and to base our economy on ethics, for without that, there cannot be peace and happiness in the world:- In the present scenario, it is being widely believed and said that business and ethics do not go together and hence everyone..

Today if you open any newspaper or tune into any news channel, you can be pretty sure to read or watch about crimes of all sorts ranging from petty thefts to dacoity, murder, terrorism, sexual crimes etc. Everyone from criminologists to law-enforcing agencies who hold the portfolio of law and..

White-collar crimes are not a new phenomenon in our country. Every other day, we witness some or the other story of a scam involving some corporate honcho, a government officer, or a person considered highly respectable by society. If we go through the criminal records of the last 70 years..

योगासन भारत की प्राचीन विद्या है। हज़ारों साल पहले, जब विज्ञान का विकास ही नहीं हुआ था, भारत के ऋषि मुनियों ने जीवन को सदा निरोगी रहने के लिए तथा सुख शांतिमय जीवन का आनंद लेने के लिए हमें योगासन सिखाकर गए थे। महर्षि पतंजलि द्वारा वर्णित अष्टांग योग तो..

It is a known fact that all religions, philosophies, social, economic and political theories, psychological systems, etc., are based on a particular interpretation or understanding of history. This itself is untenable or erroneous, so these systems cannot correctly trace and understand the historical roots of the problems or conflicts. In..

The festival of Deepawali is celebrated on Amavasya, the night of new moon. Bhai Dooj or Yam Dwitiya, is celebrated two days after Diwali. On the second day of the bright fortnight. Like the festival of Raksha Bandhan, this festival too symbolizes the sacred love between brothers and sisters. This..

On the fourth day of Kartik month of Hindu Calendar Year, comes ‘Karva Chauth’ – a fast observed by Hindu wives. On this day, the wife observes fasting from sunrise to moonrise. This is observed for the good health and longevity of her husband. She breaks it only by first..

The festival of Dhanteras or “Dhanatrayodashi” or “Dhanvantari Trayodashi marks the beginning of 5-day long Diwali festival. One of the most important festivals in India. The preparations for Diwali are at their peak. The festival of Dhanteras is celebrated on the 13th lunar day of Krishna paksha (the fortnight following..

‘However hard I try, I can never keep them happy’ – Have you ever faced such situations in your relations? Do you meet people who tend to consume most of your energy? You are left drained after they are gone. Have you wondered why it happens? The principle stands tall..

Diwali symbolizes igniting the soul-lamp or awakening of the self. It also symbolizes the coronation of Shri Lakshmi and Shri Narayan. –the first Empress and Emperor of the Golden Age. We’ve been igniting the earthen lamps and evoking Shri Lakshmi for years. However, we have not been able to ignite..

The roles of various saints and great souls, born from time to time, have been significant. They all were messengers of God. Even though their roles cannot be compared to that of God, yet the message they gave inspired humanity to do something good. They were pure and divine souls..

The festival of Chhath is celebrated on the sixth day of the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar year. This great Indian festival is observed by worshipping the Sun god i.e. Surya dev. It is a festival of penance (tapa) and dedication. It is known by several names such as..

18th January, Smriti Divas (Day of Remembrance) is one of the most celebrated occasions across all the centres of Brahma Kumaris in the world. On the same day, in 1969, Brahma Baba left his corporeal body. Dada Lekhraja was an ordinary and yet an unusual person. A successful self-made businessman,..

As children, we were told by our grandparents that when someone dies they become a star in the sky. However, when we grow up to face the stark reality of death we don’t find ourselves prepared to face it. What about the story after death? This is an unsolved mystery..

The “Essence Of Gita” (Gita Saar) is: “Whatever happened in the past, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good; whatever will happen in the future, will happen for the good only. Do not weep for the past, do not worry for the future, concentrate on..

World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event. It takes place on June 5 every year since it began in 1972. UN Environment provides leadership in caring for the environment. Their mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling..

The day 31st May is celebrated as “World No Tobacco Day”. Hence today, let’s understand the scientific and spiritual aspects of overcoming addictions. What is an addiction? Addictions are of different kinds. Addiction to substances such as tobacco, alcohol, drugs or towards gadgets, the internet, shopping, etc. Addiction refers to..

Today, the whole world is in chaos. The human race is in pain and suffering more than ever before. Crime is happening in every sector. Be it religion, politics or science. These three key sectors have miserably failed to function the way they should. Religious practices, government laws, or facilities..

Eckhart Tolle, the author of the bestseller The Power Of Now – A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment, narrates his experience in his book A New Earth – Create A Better Life. One day a friend visited him and shared all her sorrows with him. Feeling drained, he went to a..

Power in this mundane world comes with several shades of good and bad. We know that power corrupts. More often than not, a person in power is on a roller coaster ride rather than a smooth one. Power comes with a lot of limitations and burdens in this world. ‘Crown..

Kathua and Unnao, towns in J&K and UP respectively, in the news for horrific incidents of child rape and murder, have come to symbolise a breakdown in social values, ethics and morals. The world is waking up to disturbing news reports of women and child abuse, rape and brutalization of..

Every human being yearns for peace and happiness. These two states of mind have little to do with gross objects. There is another experience, which is the highest, and is independent of worldly objects and senses – that of bliss. Bliss is something for which a person should practice meditation...

We are what we eat. The kind of food that we eat has a direct impact on our minds and how we think. Studies by modern medical science suggest that the human body is not naturally designed to digest and assimilate non-vegetarian food. Many medical practitioners recommend a healthy vegetarian..

Bible clearly highlights how inexcusable humankind could be if they don’t seek their Heavenly Father. “God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Bible, Romans 1:20). Let’s have a close..

I come from an orthodox Christian family. My entire life, me and my family have been inspired by the divine, elevated and electrifying personality of Jesus Christ. His teachings influenced me at every step of my life. However, a few years back, in 2011, I started visiting the Brahma Kumaris..

Dada Lekharaj was born in a village in Sindh Hyderabad, now Pakistan. He had a spiritual bent of mind. Due to his hard work and dedication, he rose to become a diamond merchant. His business was located in Calcutta. However, it extended to Mumbai, Nepal, and many other places. He..

Albert Einstein commented about Mahatma Gandhi: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” Gandhi was very certain about his life. He said ‘if I am bed-ridden waiting for death, you may conclude that I did not..

“Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part of the mystery that we are trying to solve” Max Planck, the Father of Modern Physics. Humans have limitations. No human can unfold the mysteries of the universe and..

‘I hope you feel loved and appreciated on Valentine’s Day’ This is the message which people send to their near and dear ones on this special day. It’s a way of expressing the joy of having them in their lives. How did Valentine’s Day start? There are various stories associated..

We need to be the conqueror of attachment. Only those who constantly have the one Supreme Being, in their vision can conquer attachment. If you have thoughts such as “this is my relative, my property, my specialty…”, then this “I” and “mine” will not allow you to conquer attachment. Where..

The purpose of relationships is to be able to share love and happiness, but does it happen? When we ask people about the biggest cause of their stress, the answer we get across the world is relationships. Spirituality has an interesting response: it says that everything starts inside and then..

Meditation shows me what I have to do for the world. It’s not so much my actions as the thought behind them that counts. I do need to act, but it is the purity and goodness in my actions that will make the world a better place. God gives me..

It requires a lot of intelligence to be wrong all the time. As parents what type of conversations do you have with your children? Are you berating them all the time? Instead, can you have a conversation with them at least once a week on what is good in them?..

Every human being yearns for peace and happiness. These two states of mind have little to do with gross objects. There is another experience, which is the highest, and is independent of worldly objects and senses – that of bliss. Bliss is something for which a person should practice meditation...

It is said that ‘old habits die hard’. Let us discover how far it is true and what can be done to change it. Each of us has habits we would like to change but despite putting in lots of effort, we are unable to do so. We make resolutions..

Have your friends often told you to not blow things out of proportion? With so many situations and events in life, do you see them the way they should be? Or, do you distort them? Do you often find it hard to think positively? If positive thinking is difficult, let’s..

It is said that the quality of our life is determined by our mind. It is also said that it is difficult to focus or control the mind. The scriptures tell us that capitulation to the mind brings defeat and mastery over the mind brings victory. One who conquers the..

When we hear the word ‘change’, where does our attention go? Towards the world outside, other people, or towards the self? Change is happening everywhere – in the world, in the people around you, and within you. Change is taking place constantly, and we are told that change is the..

There are layers of wisdom and all are required for a balanced life. They are IQ, EQ and SQ, or we can say Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence. IQ refers to our rational, logical, rule-bound, problem-solving intelligence. It is supposed to make us bright or dim. It is also a..

Where there is spiritual love, we see each other as souls and remember God, the Father of all souls. But when love is without spiritual awareness, there are expectations, and they bring sorrow. Expectations even break relationships, because of, “I didn’t know you were like this,” “I didn’t expect this..

Our thoughts are a precious treasure. Like money, they are a valuable asset that can give us happiness or sorrow, depending on how we think. There are people who have everything they need, but they are unhappy because of their negative thinking. Similarly, some people face a small problem but..

Why do we get disturbed by unexpected or challenging situations? It is because we forget that the world is a vast stage on which the drama of life is being played out and we are enacting our roles in it. The tests we face are a part of the play...

Everyone wants to succeed in life, but those who achieve success are not all alike. They can be classified into three types: the stars of success, the lucky ones, and the hopeful ones. The stars shine brighter than the others by virtue of their determination that they will definitely succeed...

The Hindi word for healthy is ‘swasth’. ‘Swa’ means the self, and one who is established in the self, or stable in his or her true identity, is healthy. Our true identity is that we are souls, and if we remember that while going about our tasks, and we relate..

It is said that truth is God. That which is true is eternal. The first truth is that we are immortal spiritual beings, or souls. All material things, including our body, are resources used by the soul. Our powers come from the soul, not the body. Just as an electrical..

Without religion science is lame and without science religion is blind, said Albert Einstein. Most of us would agree with what he has said. There is no doubt in it that modern society has surpassed many cross roads but real progress can be attained only when both science and spirituality..

On the spiritual path, we can measure our progress by checking three things: (1) to what extent do we reflect on our true, spiritual self, the soul; (2) how pure and positive are our thoughts about others; and (3) how much do we serve the world. Our feelings for others..

When we think of mercy, some related words come to mind, such as pity, sympathy and compassion. Pity is to feel sorry for someone but not do anything about it. We look at the poor or those who are suffering and we pity them, but are unable to offer succour...

The most profound need of the human spirit is to love and be loved, to belong and to manifest the highest principles, values and virtues, through thoughts, words and deeds. Irrespective of the culture, nation, gender or beliefs; when there is a pure feeling of belonging, souls long to contribute..

Good wishes, it is said, have the power to cool down burning situations. They keep the mind calm in challenging situations and touch the hearts of others, inducing positive feelings and a like response. Often we do not have good wishes for others because we are ignorant of their value...

Looking at the world right now, we wonder if this is a time of crisis or opportunity. We all understand that we are living in precarious times, and we all recognise the need to rise, support and help others. Spiritual traditions share insights into principles and practices that will be..

Meditation is to cultivate the mind. Just like a garden, the mind needs weeding, fertilising and nurturing in order to flourish. Here is an invitation to experiment with a ‘diet’ and ‘exercise’ to lighten the mind and to taste the sweetness of silence. for one week. Start the day at..

“Any normal action that takes on a special degree of attention, expression, finesse and value is an art – a high standard of doing things.” Purity magazine, April 2016 Living becomes art when every thought, word and action is an expression of spiritual fullness. Artists spend years refining the small..

The deities worshipped in temples are greatly revered, so much so that kings bow down at their feet, and the rich and famous supplicate before them for a little prasad – the devotional offering handed out to the faithful. Why do they do that? What is it that the deities..

In our life we learn many things; to walk, to sing, ride a bicycle—but no one ever teaches us how to think. We have to learn that for ourselves. Our teachers and parents probably did not know how to think either. The mind is a little like an airport. In..

We are more likely to remember experiences that caused suffering rather than enjoyment: They leave more of a mark. Yet we all have the key to leaving suffering behind. The more content and fulfilled we are, the more we are able to tolerate whatever life may bring. You have to..

Sometimes while undergoing a change we notice the external symptoms have faded away. However, we fail to read or ignore the subtle symptoms. E.g. you have made a resolution of not getting angry and be loving and friendly with your office people. You have made good efforts in this direction..

Nowadays, people are not happy with what they have or what they are because they are worried about the praise and attention of others. What is interesting is, we want to be happy to show others how happy we are… we don’t want to be happy for ourselves. It is..

Humans beings have the capacity to experience both positive and negative emotions. Sadness, anger, happiness, sympathy, and the list is endless. Out of all these, one very powerful and dominating emotion is jealousy. Identifying jealousy Is the honest answer ‘yes’ to any of the questions below: Do you compare yourself..

Over a period of time, water freezes and forms ice cubes when kept in an ice tray. Similarly, perceptions of different people and events take a rigid form with time. These rigid perceptions keep coming up to the surface of your consciousness. You shape your thoughts, words, and actions based..

Once in a session, we asked the audience to list 10 positive qualities in themselves. About 80% of the audience could not complete the list. However, when we asked them to list the positive qualities of their friends they completed the task. Finally, when asked to list 10 weaknesses in..

A few days back, I was having a discussion with one of my friends who was having low self-confidence. The reason as per him was that others don’t believe in him. Suddenly it struck me whether this is ‘self-confidence‘ or ‘others confidence? If someone doubts my abilities, is it not..

There is a quote on the internet – I love you so much it hurts. It is high time this thought changes. Love is an empowering feeling and something which hurts cannot be empowering. True love is unconditional True love is not a surge of emotions. It is a treasure..

At Brahma Kumaris, you must have heard about ‘Sanskar’ and ‘Sanskar Transformation’. Let’s look at these in detail here. What is a Sanskar? There are various ways to define it. Deep-rooted habits, old habits, attitude, nature, etc. In short, it is a learned behavior repeated over a long period of..

People use social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, to share their thoughts and opinions with others. Nobody would deny the fact that they have had the experience of feeling envious of the fun their friends seem to be having. This might especially be the case if you are..

Every man is the architect of his own life. However, when something goes wrong, we immediately start looking for someone or something to blame. While shaping our lives, let’s sit back and reflect on how much time and energy we spend on blaming others for all the problems. Why do..

Recent ceasefire violations in border areas have raised serious questions in everybody’s minds. People are wondering was lies in near future. There is a fear that the war that is being waged in the name of justice and freedom from terror, will go out of the hands of the war..

History has a great record of changes that occurred in civilizations, nations, cities, human settlements, etc. It is a story of rise and fall of certain men and women and also of communities, nations, or groups which were led by them during a particular period. These annals show that certain..

Experts say that a human mind creates anything between 36,000 to 80,000 thoughts in a day. Which means about 25 to 55 thoughts per minute. It is impossible to watch all your thoughts. But you surely have control over the quality of thoughts you create. How do thoughts originate There..

Many of my patients come to me with very serious issues and it takes longer than usual to treat them. They might have gone through a traumatic experience as a child or were humiliated in public or faced the sudden death of a loved one. They find it difficult to..

The power to face is a spiritual power. This power connects to the spiritual heart of the soul. When the soul uses this power to face, what is released is courage, clarity, confidence and the capacity of the spiritual heart. The power to face springs from the ability to be..

As long as the human soul is in a body, it performs actions, even if it is just thinking or breathing. Each of the body’s organs has a task to perform, which it does naturally. You do not labour to move your hands or feet, unless you are debilitated. Similarly,..

Our thoughts shape our experience of life, colour our view of the world, and affect our physical health. They also create the atmosphere around us, through our vibrations. We all have experience of the racing mind seemingly running away with us. Make no mistake, negative, critical, or angry thoughts have..

If you were asked what you needed most in life, how would you respond? Most people say, inner strength, spiritual power. When we go a little deeper, it seems that people want to be in more peace and deal with any internal negativity, but do not know how to acquire..

If you have the power of concentration, then you have the ability to be free from obstacles. Concentration is of two kinds. One is intellectual concentration, and many people, working in fields such as information technology and science, are able to have very deep, focused concentration. However, there is another..

The scientific worldview is that there is time, space, matter and energy, and consciousness somehow arises out of those four things. Science does not explain consciousness. Science is created on the basis of consciousness but consciousness is not explained by science. It is a huge paradox. But in quantum mechanics,..

There is a new wave in the world of science, a wave that is pushing forward the frontiers of conventional medical and scientific views of the world. The most exciting aspect of it is that it connects with ancient spiritual understanding about the exact nature of being human and living..

(This post is an answer to the question asked in the article: Happiness is in You ) Question: When do I face a situation & when do I adjust in a situation? What facing a situation really means? We use the phrase ‘let’s face it when we state a fact..

Very rarely you come across people who don’t access social media. It’s a part of everybody’s life or even DNA. While there is nothing wrong with it, social media can cause many issues. Addiction, depression, poor mental and physical health are a few of them. What are the dangers of..

Exercise is a very important part of your lifestyle. It is not an option. It is a must for all. Exercise is a great way to detox Why should you exercise? If you want to become an athlete, a bodybuilder, or participate in the Olympics your aim to exercise is..

Balance is necessary to live a contented yet fulfilled lives. Hence Ricky Lankford said, “Balance The Ultimate Goal.” Even happiness is intimately connected with balance. If the balance is lost happiness too is lost. Thomas Merton rightly put it: “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and..

The human mind has amazing and extraordinary capacities. It can create, remember, evoke and travel into the past and future. Everything that is visible, every particle of matter that we touch and feel first had its blueprint in the human mind. In other words, everything outside is a physical manifestation..

Living a successful life means having good relationships. Success in relationships depends on our character, which determines how I think, speak and act. If I am rude to someone, it is not because of something wrong in the other person, but due to a flaw within me. Do I expect..

If we wish to have harmonious relations with others, we need to resolve in our minds to change ourselves – our perspective, attitude, and behaviour – in order to adapt to any situation. When we change, our world will change. The formal education we receive, unfortunately, does not make us..

In Indian culture, the festival of Makara Sakranti is very prominent and significant. It commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in Southern India. It is a great coincidence that in various regions of Bharat, many festivals of happiness such as Pongal, Onam, Lohri..

For many centuries human beings have tried to attain a higher state of consciousness. The idea behind this goal was to know and get closer to God. All the religions in the world believe in One Supreme as The Creator and Guardian of all living beings. Among Hindus there is..

Basant Panchami marks the beginning of the spring season, paving the way for end of winter season. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the fortnight during the dark phase of the moon in the Magh month of Hindu calendar year. The Hindus offer prayers to the goddess of..

In the series of festivals celebrated in Bharat, Shivratri or Shiv Jayanti is of paramount importance. We celebrate this festival as the commemoration of the incarnation of Supreme God Father Shiva. Shivratri is celebrated on the Krishna Paksh of Phalgun month of the Hindu calendar year. Supreme God Father Shiva..

Parties, cards, Whatsapp messages, Facebook status updates, phone calls, and more. This is the way most of us start our New Year. Many would also spend time in a Tarot reading, Astrology, etc to know what’s at stake for them. People celebrate this annual change of year with much fanfare...

In the Holy Gita there’s a line – be stable in fame and defamation. This is the sign of a true yogi. That’s to be stable in all situations (Sthitprajana) (Chapter 2 56:58). If you fly high when you are praised it’s highly likely that you will come crashing down..

I am no better than anyone, I am no worse than anyone, I am what I am. No one in this world is ordinary. Everyone is special and lucky in their own way. There’s something unique in everyone which no one in the world has. There’s nobody like you. You..

The celebrations of Maha Shivratri take place when the winter cold has departed, and the pleasant fragrance of flowers fill the air. Temple bells ring all around. They draw everyone’s attention towards the Greatest of the great: the Supreme Soul, Incorporeal God Shiva. For centuries, the devout all over the..

A physical illness can be diagnosed by feeling the pulse, and similarly, the speed of one’s thoughts can be determined from the lines on the forehead. If the speed of thoughts is very fast, if thoughts constantly arise one after the other, they waste our energy. It is like the..

Over the past couple of months we have witnessed a very interesting period in the whole year. The period of fasting by Muslims as well as the worship of Supreme Being, Shiva, at Amarnath, during these months seemed to have positive effect on the attitudes and thinking of many communities...

Christmas and Easter are the two important festivals in Christianity. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and Easter is about his death and coming back to life. Eggs being an apt symbol of coming to life celebrating Easter with eggs became quite popular. Easter is usually celebrated on the..

Today, many people are sleep deprived and find it hard to enjoy quality sleep. Sleep is vital for your well-being. Let’s explore this aspect further. Sleep creates a strong impact in striking a balance between your mind and body. Why do you need sleep? The whole day, you do various..

In this ever rushing age, it is very easy to feel low. Many are even depressed. I call the 21st century the age of depression. In India about 36% are depressed. People don’t accept it. When I talk about symptoms of depression in my shows they realize that they are..

Whenever there is a small or a big problem there are two approaches. One is to take that particular problem as a threat and the other is to take it as a challenge. When you are afraid of any circumstance your coping skills reduces. Also, extremely harmful cortisol hormones are..

Sleep is the best form of relaxation, close to meditation. That’s why those who sleep well always keep well & feel well. It’s a fact that if we get sound sleep during night, we get up fresh being more active & feeling more energetic. However in today’s world getting a..

The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. It represents about 2 percent of the body weight but consumes about 20 per cent of the body’s oxygen. Like every other organ, the brain is also affected by our lifestyle, food habits, exercise and most important, our thoughts..

Once, the son of a rich businessman went to his guru for advice. He was not able to sleep. The guru told him to visit the ashram the next day. The son did as instructed. The guru made him work since morning. Cut the wood, clean the garden, fill water..

International Yoga Day was observed a few weeks back. Everybody then was talking about yoga. It’s unbelievable how this euphoria has touched the hearts of people across 195 countries. How did the International Day of Yoga start? It started with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the United..

Just like hunger, sleep is a natural process. You don’t have to do anything to feel hungry. Similarly, you don’t need to do anything to fall asleep. But if you find yourself struggling with sleep in spite of following the sleep hygiene you might want to try other means as..

There is no doubt that the present-day society that we live in is rife with many kinds of conflicts and predicaments. Like, there is communal discord at its ignition point that can flare up even at the slightest show of heat. There are casteist tensions that rise to the point..

A study of the world's recorded history gives conclusive evidence that there has constantly been a bitter or bloody strife over the last two-and-a-half millennia. This strife may have been social, economic, political, religious, militaristic, or any other kind, but it was often buckled by a claim that it was..

Sleep is a natural process. It’s really sad, people are not able to sleep these days. In my previous articles, I have covered a few generic questions around sleep, sleep hygiene and sleep management techniques. There’s another important mechanism that aids sleep – detachment. The better your ability to detach..

Today we proudly say that we are a free country, but our behaviour suggests that we are still not free. How? Because we are full of bitterness towards other religions, traditions and always try to suppress the growth of the other, we are tied in shackles of terrorism, false ideologies,..

Inner discord is the root of all disharmony. It disturbs harmony in the family, in society, and the harmony in our relationship with nature. Harmony exists at four levels. The first is harmony within the self – between our intellect, conscience, and our actions. When these are not aligned with..

Trees have been venerated for ages in different cultures, as evidenced by the thousands of sacred groves created all over the world. Indic mythology contains references to the Kalpavriksha, a wish-fulfilling divine tree that is said to have emerged during the churning of the ocean of milk. Trees regarded as..

Happiness of the human race depends not on power to dominate others but on his mastery over his demoniac traits:- In present world many people consider survival and security as prime values. They argue that if a person does not survive, then what value the other values have for him...

In India, the tradition of following a Guru dates back to many thousand years. In fact, in Hindu society, it is often believed that a person who dies without a Guru has led a useless life. That is why devotees flock to gurus and have staunch faith in them. There..

We all have heard about saint Valmiki, who used to rob passengers that passed his way into the deep forest. One day, he made an attempt to rob some Sadhus or mendicants. The Sadhus told him that he was earning his livelihood in a sinful way and none of his..

The Indian caste system is historically one of the main dimensions where people in India are socially differentiated through class, religion, region, tribe, gender, and language. Although this or other forms of differentiation exist in all human societies, it becomes a problem when one or more of these dimensions overlap..

For many people, spiritual beliefs may tremendously influence their outlook on the world, offer solace in turbulent times, or provide support from a like-minded community. These beliefs may thus contribute to resilience and well-being and result in improved force readiness and performance. In simple words, resilience is the potential of..

It’s a proven fact that wrong lifestyles are the source of most bodily ills that we suffer from, and such harmful lifestyles are rooted in the mind and seeded in the soul. Medical research has found that almost 85 % of all diseases are psychosomatic in nature i.e they originate..

… continued from last week It should not be difficult to understand that there are certain laws that govern our mutual relationships or human behaviour in general. These are known as moral laws or ethical principles. Based on these, are certain norms, codes of conduct or rules and regulations to..

We all dream for a better world where there is peace, happiness and harmony. However, when we look at the present world scenario, we come to the conclusion that certain things have gone wrong and we feel that something is definitely amiss. We infer that there have occurred some lapses..

As Diwali falls on the day of “Amavasya”, which is symbolized by darkness, there is a competition among each household to the light maximum number of attractive lamps inside and outside the house. While cleaning our house we should also remember to clean-up our minds. Through self-introspection we should try..

Human relationships are infinitely complex and tricky to manage and hence they need immense patience, understanding, acceptance, acknowledgement and engagement. We are living in a world where most of the people are caught up in their own lives and their problems which, to them, are big issues. But if we..

It is a common belief in the Indian culture that pilgrimage or tirtha as they call in Hindi is a great religious endeavour and is essential for the true devotees of God and that it helps the soul in liberation from the past sins. The very fact that people go..

Most of us identify ourselves with the body that we have acquired because we are unaware of the immortal entity called 'soul' which resides within us and functions through our body. As a result of this ignorance, one letter that dominates our lives is – ‘I’. Even when we are..