Chapter 6 Consciousness or Self and Some Systems of Psychology Earlier, in other chapters, we have discussed Conscious-ness with reference to Science, some systems of Philosophy and some Religions though in a very sketchy and selective way be­cause the scope of this Paper did not permit any exhaustive dis­cussion on some..

Chapter 5 Consciousness or Self From the Perspective of various Sciences and Spirituality If we think deeply on the nature of Thought, Emotions, Will, etc.,we will come to the conclusion that these are metaphysical in their nature, for Thought is not quantifiable as various forms of Physical or Material energy are..

Chapter 4 Consciousness from a Religio-Spiritual Perspective(A part of author's Paper-II, presented at the International Conference on Science and Consciousness) Before Science came on the world-scene as an organised and formalised branch of knowledge, such as we have to-day, Consciousness, under the nomenclature of Self, Soul, Mind or Psyche was discussed..

Chapter 3 Consciousness from the Spirituo-Scientific Perspective of Rajyoga In this paper, the term ‘Spiritual’ or ‘Spirituality’ does not refer to any particular religion nor does it refer to any reli­gious rituals. It simply refers to one’s rational belief in one’s own identity as a metaphysical self which is basically different..

Do you know your real self ? A dissertation on the Self & Consciousness from the view-point of Science, Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Yoga, Religions & CommonsenseIt includes two Papers, presented by the author at International Conference on Science & Consciousness, at Olympus, Greece from January 3 to 7, 1993Rajyogi B.K...

Chapter 2 Consciousness in the light of the views of some other philosophers Earlier, we have had a brief overview of some systems of Indian Philosophy such as The Sãmkhya, The Nyãya, The Vaisheshika, etc. We made very quick and short references to only some of the systems and even those..

Chapter 1 The nature and identity of the self in the light of Common Logic & Indian Philosophy“Do you know your real self ? Are you aware of your real identity?” These questions were put to thousands of people across the world. In most cases, the answers given by them..

Knowing the Conscious and the Unconscious Consciousness is believed by all as the substratum of all human actions. Man's thoughts, understanding, judgement, perceptions, learning, feelings, ambitions, goals, efforts, etc., are various expressions of his consciousness.  More than half the population of the world believes that consciousness is an essential and inherent..

SHORT DEFINITION OF ADDICTION Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is..

Counseling Procedures This unit will cover the basic procedures for drug addiction counseling. Building an alliance with your client is crucial to the success of any counseling program. In drug addiction counseling, we call this a therapeutic alliance. The counselor should create a sense of participation in collaboration and partnership...

Counseling Techniques Sometimes a counselor might know the skills and techniques required for doing effective drug addiction counseling, but that does not necessarily mean that the person is an effective counselor. To be an effective counselor requires practice. Practice, practice, and more practice will help you build experience and allow..

Counseling Skills In order to help you understand the difference between skills and techniques, I would like first to discuss "techniques". A technique is a way of accomplishing a task in a manner that is not immediately obvious or straight forward. An example of technique might be the way you..

Principles In Drug Addiction Counseling Similar to HIV services, the success of drug addiction services in the community relies very much on the number of clients who utilize the service. Bearing that in mind, there are certain principles that drug addiction counseling needs to adhere to so as to promote..

Drug Addiction Counseling As a counselor, you are going to play a very important role in supporting your clients to take responsibility for themselves by setting goals and making informed decisions. To be effective, you will need to understand the basic concepts of drug addiction counseling. DRUG ADDICTION COUNSELING We..

COUNSELING BASICS The role of the counselor in addiction counseling is to provide support, education, and non - judgmental assistance to enables change. Counselors must establish a good rapport with their clients. A client recovering from addiction deserves to feel understood and that he or she has an ally. Counselors..

The Importance of Water Conservation: Protecting Our Most Valuable Resource Water is the most important and valuable natural resource on Earth. It sustains all life. There is no life without water. Water is not only important for human beings but for the entire ecosystem. Without enough water, the existence of..

शिवरात्रि का आध्यात्मिक रहस्य शिव कौन हैं? शिव के लिए लिंग या 'ज्योतिर्लिंग' शब्द का प्रयोग क्यों किया जाता है? शिव के साथ रात्रि का क्या सम्बन्ध है ? कृष्ण के साथ अष्टमी और राम के साथ नवमी तिथि जुड़ी हुई है परन्तु शिव के साथ रात्रि ही जुड़ी है,..

भारत ही स्वर्ग……भारत ही नर्क आज आप सबको हमारे भारत की एक अनोखी व अनसुनी कहानी बताने जा रहे है, जो आपने कभी सुनी नहीं होगी। हम सब जानते है कि भारत देश सब देशों से उत्तम है। भारत देश को सर्वोच्च ‘तीर्थ स्थल’ माना जाता है। भारत देश ‘देव..

शिव जयन्ती एक सार्वभौमिक उत्सव इसे विडम्बना ही कहेंगे कि जिस सर्वशक्तिमान परमात्मा को लोग अपने विचारों और भावनाओं में याद करते हैं उसे यथार्थ रूप से जानते ही नहीं हैं। सृष्टि के नियन्ता परमात्मा की अदभुत रचना को देखकर उसका गुणगान तो बहुत लोग करते आये हैं, किन्तु उस..

शिव और शिवरात्रि भारत के लोग शिव को 'मुक्तेश्वर' और 'पापकटेश्वर' मानते हैं। उनकी यह मान्यता है कि शिव 'आशुतोष' हैं अर्थात् जल्दी और सहज ही प्रसन्न हो जाने वाले हैं तथा अवढर दानी भी हैं अर्थात् सहज ही उच्च वरदान देने वाले हैं। इसी भावना को लेकर वे शिव..

शिवरात्रि अथवा परमात्मा का दिव्य - जन्म शिव अर्थात् कल्याणकारी नाम परमात्मा का इसलिए है क्योंकि यह धर्मग्लानि के समय, जब सभी मनुष्यात्माएं पांच विकारों के कारण दुःखी, अशान्त, पतित एवं भ्रष्टाचारी बन जाती हैं तो उनको पुन: पावन एवं कल्याणकारी बनाने का दिव्य कर्तव्य करते हैं । अतः परमात्मा..

परमात्मा का कर्तव्य एवं त्रिदेव की रचना कर्तव्य से ही किसी की महिमा अथवा महानता प्रकट होती है । परमपिता परमात्मा शिव सारी सृष्टि का पिता होने के कारण उसका दिव्य एवं कल्याणकारी कर्तव्य भी समस्त विश्व के लिए होता है । साधारणतया किसी से यह प्रश्न पूछा जाये तो..

शिवरात्रि का ईश्वरीय सन्देश परमात्मा शिव साकार मनुष्य प्रजापिता ब्रह्मा के तन का आधार लेकर नई सतयुगी दुनिया की स्थापना का दिव्य कर्म करा रहे हैं। अब परमात्मा शिव आदेश देते हैं - मेरे प्रिय भक्तो, आप जन्म-जन्मान्तर से बिना यथार्थ पहचान के मेरी जड़ प्रतिमा की पूजा, जागरण तथा..

महाशिवरात्रि विकारों पर विजय पाने का यादगार पर्व है महाशिवरात्रि, कल्याणकारी परमपिता परमात्मा शिव के द्वारा इस धर्म भ्रष्ट, कर्म भ्रष्ट, अज्ञान, अंधकारपूर्ण समय पर दिव्य अवतरण लेकर, विकारों के पंजे से सर्व आत्माओं को स्वतंत्र कराकर, ज्ञान की ज्योति से पवित्रता की स्निग्ध किरणें बिखराकर सुख, शांति, आनन्द संपन्न..

जल - एक सामूहिक उत्तरदायित्व जल प्रकृति द्वारा मनुष्य को दी गई एक महत्वपूर्ण सम्पत्ति में से एक है। जीवन जीने के लिए जल की आवश्यकता काफी ज्यादा होती है। 'जल ही जीवन हैं'- इस बात को कोई नकार नहीं सकता। जल का ना तो कोई कलर होता है और..

जल - जन अभियान धरती के समस्त प्राणियों, वनस्पतियों एवं जीव-जन्तुओं में जीवन-शक्ति का संचार करने वाली जल की बूंदे बढ़ते पर्यावरण प्रदूषण के कारण जहर का कहर बनकर मानवता के अस्तित्व पर संकट का बादल बनकर छा रही है। आधुनिकता, विकास और अंतरिक्ष में बस्तियों को बसाने का सपना..

Shivratri Secrets Shivratri is here again. What better occasion to take a close look at the very interesting deeper aspects of this festival and of God Shiva, with whom it is associated. First of all, who is God Shiva and what is our relationship with Him? Shiva - the name..

Shivratri the Harbinger of Golden Dawn Shivratri is the most important festival for the entire humanity because it signifies the incarnation of the incorporeal God Shiva for re-establishing heaven on earth. On Shivratri devout people in India, observe a fast that is symbolic of the purification of body and soul...

Memory of The Divine Incarnation of the Incorporeal God Shiva Shivratri is celebrated in memory of the divine incarnation of the Incorporeal God Shiva. The word ‘Shivratri’ literally means the night of Shiva. Why is the advent of Shiva celebrated as the birthnight, and not as a birthday? The word..

The Spiritual Significance of Shivratri The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated every year in India. On this day, devotees visit Shiva temples to offer leaves of bel upon the Shivalinga, observe fast and keep awake all night as a mark of their devotion to God Shiva. In order to celebrate..

Calming the Storm: Navigating Anger through Faith Patience Please! “Here I am writing you letters of warning and there seems to be no effect on you” she yelled at the top of her voice. “This is nothing compared to what Brahma Baba was put through. He didn’t fledge, why should..

The Art of Soul Consciousness: Embracing Positivity in Others Welcome to The Sweet Soul World Ten thousand DVDs around me! How do I tell one Digital Versatile Disc apart from the other? Do I need to? The same virtues are to be loaded onto all so setting them apart and..

प्रकृति का शाश्वत नियम है रात के बाद दिन और दिन के बाद रात आने का। ठीक उसी तरह जब-जब मानव अपने धर्म-कर्म-मर्यादाओं से गिर जाता है तब-तब कोई न कोई प्रकाश की किरण ऊपर से नीचे उतरती है जो दिखा जाती है जीवन का यथार्थ मार्ग। कोई न कोई..

ये वृतान्त सन् 1953 का है। तब इस ईश्वरीय विश्व विद्यालय का मुख्यालय भरतपुर के महाराजा की 'बृजकोठी' में स्थित था। यह कोठी आज भी माउण्ट आबू में, वर्तमान बस अड्डे से कोई डेढ़ फर्लांग आबू रोड़ की ओर है। उस कोठी के एक हिस्से का नाम था - 'सरदारी..

Whilst in Karachi, Brahma Baba taught knowledge to the growing family of children, teaching through example as much as through precept. And with the power of meditation (yoga), the souls who had faith in God were going ahead remarkably, attaining stability of thought in every testing situation.“Now you have taken..

हम हृदयंगम करते (दिल से कहते ) हैं कि भगवान हमारा साथी है। भगवान हमारा साथी बना, उसने कब, कैसे साथ दिया यह अनुभव सबको है। एक है सैद्धान्तिक ज्ञान कि अपने हाथ परमात्मा के हाथ में दो। उसके प्रति समर्पित हो जाओ। भगवान का भी यह वचन है कि..

एक बाबा ही हमारा संसार है। गीत के थोड़े-थोड़े शब्दों में भी बहुत दफा बहुत ज्ञान भरा हुआ रहता है। एक बाबा ही हमारा संसार है। इसका क्या मतलब है? शब्दार्थ को तो कोई कुछ कहेगा, कोई कुछ कहेगा। बाहर का व्यक्ति समझेगा ही नहीं कि बाबा कैसे हमारा संसार..

ब्रह्मा बाबा अपने लौकिक जीवन में खिदरपुर के बादशाह के रूप में प्रसिद्ध थे। उनके घर पर चार-चार सेविकाएँ थीं और भारत भर में कई स्थानों पर उनका हीरे-जवाहरात का व्यापार चलता था। अनेक सहयोगियों, नौकरों और संयुक्त परिवार के बीच रहते वे सबके प्रिय भी थे, सबके आदर्श भी..

साकार ब्रह्मा बाबा के जीवन पर जब मन की नज़र डालते हैं तो पाते हैं कि उन्होंने हर पल, हर श्वास दूसरों को दिया ही दिया। जो भी उनके संपर्क में आया, उसे उन्होंने चन्दन-सम जीवन की सुगंध दी, उसको पत्थर से पारस बना दिया। वे स्वयं तो महान और..

प्रसन्नचित्त यह घटना जून 1956 की है| जब बाबा की शारीरिक आयु 78 से 79 वर्ष की होगी| अनायास ही बाबा को एक शारीरिक व्याधि ने आ घेरा| आबू के स्थानीय डॉक्टर एवं सिविल सर्जन ने कहा कि पिताश्री को तुरंत ही मुंबई ले जाया जाए| वहाँ बड़े -बड़े अस्पताल..

When we mention the birth place of Brahma Baba, we say that he had his physical birth in Sindh. But, his personality and character were such that he belonged to the world and not only to India or ‘Sindh’. He was a ‘universal man’. No doubt he loved and praised..

So invaluable was Godly knowledge to Baba that he had given clear instructions that the literature thereon should not be sold, for selling according to him simply meant putting a price on it, while, in fact, it was too precious to be sold. He would also add that this gyan..

His whole life‐story is by itself a story of the highest form of spiritual love. Just as a lover or a beloved offers his or her all at the altar of love, so did Baba, in the very first moments of his entry into the house of divine love. The..

His whole life‐story is by itself a story of the highest form of spiritual love. Just as a lover or a beloved offers his or her all at the altar of love, so did Baba, in the very first moments of his entry into the house of divine love. The..

Brahma Baba’s life and acts have left, in the minds of those who came in touch with him, very happy and cherished memories of the visit of an angel that he was, for his acts, one and all, were inspired by the highly noble intent of blessing the poor, the..

प्रजापिता ब्रह्माकुमारी ईश्वरीय विश्व विद्यालय के साकार संस्थापक पिताश्री प्रजापिता ब्रह्मा के नाम से आज जन-जन भिज्ञ हो चुका है। सन्‌ 1937 से सन्‌ 1969 तक की 33 वर्ष की अवधि में तपस्यारत रह वे “संपूर्ण ब्रह्मा' की उच्चतम स्थिति को प्राप्त कर आज भी विश्व सेवा कर रहे हैं।..

कहा जाता है कि भगवान ने मानव को अपने जैसा बनाया अर्थात्‌ अपने समान गुणों से संपन्‍न देवी-देवता बनाया परन्तु समय अनवरत गति से बहता है और समय के साथ-साथ परिवर्तन भी अनवरत होता रहता है। न समय को रोका जा सकता है, न परिवर्तन को। परिवर्तन के शाश्वत नियम..

जब महान दार्शनिक और शिक्षाविद् सुकरात ने लोगों को बौद्धिक रूप से शिक्षित करने के लिए अपनी संस्था 'एकेडमी' खोली होगी तो उनके मन में यह ख्याल भी नहीं रहा होगा कि एक दिन ये शिक्षण संस्थान सबसे अधिक आर्थिक लाभ देने वाले करमुक्त (टैक्स फ्री) उद्योग में बदल जाएंगे..

A Thought Provoking story of Shri Ganesh https://youtu.be/7YTPX0W-rZkBefore the commencement of any auspicious work it has been a practice to lovingly invoke Shri Ganesh. He is the destroyer of obstacles, wiper of sorrows and bestower of happiness. Siddhivinayak Shri Ganesh is lovingly praised remembered and worshipped. We begin every task..

Ram Chandra Panda

Ram Chandra Panda

हर वर्ष भारत में जन्माष्टमी के दिन श्रीकृष्ण का जन्मोत्सव बड़ी धूमधाम से मनाया जाता है। हरेक माता अपने बच्चे को नयनों का तारा और दिल का दुलारा समझती है, परन्तु फिर भी वह श्रीकृष्ण को सुंदर, मनमोहन, चित्तचोर आदि नामों से पुकारती है। वास्तव में श्रीकृष्ण का सौंदर्य चित्त..

वर्तमान समय में लोगों में जन्मदिन मनाने का रिवाज काफी प्रचलित है। शायद यह प्रथा हमारे पूज्य महापुरुषों व देवताओं के जन्मदिन मनाने से ही प्रेरित है। भारत में आए दिन कभी विवेकानन्द, कभी महावीर, कभी गाँधी, कभी तिलक की जयंती और कभी सुभाषचंद्र बोस का जन्मदिन मनाया जाता है।..

We are just stepping out of the month which is of a great importance and pride for all of us, primarily because of the Independence Day being celebrated in the mid of the month. It is that time of the year again! The time when children in all-whites are seen..

Leader- it i sa word, a position, a label, a responsibility and much more. let us discuss on some more characteristics of a leader. * Always a Learner, always an InnovatorA good leader is in a constant growth mode and learning is the bedrock of progressing. He never repeats the..

Leadership is a much talked about and desired trait that is seemingly becoming necessary to excel in all areas of life.It is quite different from management, even though managers need leadership skills and leaders need managerial skills. If a manager has to ensure that the team is moving up the..

We constantly live in a noisy world today. All the time we hear traffic snarls, blaring sirens, and the churning of machines. There are beeps of incoming messages on smartphones and laptops and overly loud music on personal stereos. Even the places like bookstores, cafes, movie halls or libraries, once..

There is no denying the fact that today’s environment at most work places has become quite demanding and challenging which makes everybody at work feel stressed or fatigued. An administrator feels more so because being at the helm of affairs makes it even more demanding for him or her. According..

Happiness and well-being of the people are the new indicators to measure the country’s actual progress. Governments all over the world are beginning to recognize the relevance of creating and sustaining the happiness of the citizens, which is now influencing the public policies. The latest “The World Happiness Report 2017”..

All organizations want happy employees. And one of the most effective and successful ways to keep employees happy is to bring transparency at the workplace. Most experts agree that transparency is one of the most important elements of a harmonious and efficient workplace and relationships. The simplest definition of a..

Beginning of a New Year doesn’t really mean just the beginning of a new calendar year. For many, it’s time to make new resolutions with renewed energy and start afresh, leaving the past behind. Many make new promises to themselves – to change a bad habit or to develop a..

Leadership is a much talked about and desired trait that is seemingly becoming necessary to excel in all areas of life.It is quite different from management, even though managers need leadership skills and leaders need managerial skills. If a manager has to ensure that the team is moving up the..

One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be the ever-increasing rate at which we are moving, a rat-race of which we find ourselves a part of. Most of us, today, crib about lacking time. We are too busy (read terminally busy) to have enough time to do what..

Corridors lit up with series of lamps, diyas, candles; floors outside the door decorated with beautiful rangolis; all the balconies, roofs and walls of the house glittering with candles or lightings; houses cleaned and renovated; people wearing new dress and greeting everyone with smile on the faces and sweets in..

India, the most ancient land, the land of culture and diversity, is the mother of the entire world in terms of ethics and values. Indian history has given the world various lessons of morality, bravery, honesty, faith and elevated lifestyle. It is the Indian culture that teaches us the lessons..

Many attributes are fundamental to a successful administration such as being a visionary, a good communicator, optimistic, self-assured, encouraging, and empowering - and these attributes generally are visible in many successful administrators. One may or may not realize this, but there are certain powers in a successful administrator which bring..

Administration is believed to be root of all civilizations. As the administration, so is the nation. Even if we talk about a small system or an organization, the work culture and the environment within the organization depends a lot on its administration. And talking about administration, it is further the..

Tolerance is often termed as Sahan-Shakti. The name itself defines tolerance to be a power of the self. But today it is often disguised to be a weakness. We have heard people saying ‘why should we tolerate this…..’ and also ‘a person who tolerates is treated as a doormat’ etc...

Think of administration and you think of a role or a position which has inbuilt ‘power’. Whether it is the power to create a system, or the power to transform a system or the power to carry out any task, the administrators have them in their kitty. The administrators, having..

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” - Leonardo da Vinci But when one talks about Simplicity, some may consider it to be a state of mediocrityor lack of paraphernalia, pomp and show. If we see the root of all scientific inventions and technological advancements, it is to make experiences ‘better’by making..

Did you ever wonder- Why are others mean to you? Why don’t they do as you say? Why is your boss so bossy? Why doesn’t your spouse understand you? Why don’t your children listen to you? Why your wife or your mother-in-law doesn’t ever gets satisfied by you? Or ever..

Leadership in today’s world is a much discussed quality of an individual which is given a lot of weightage when we talk about being successful. But to truly imbibe this quality of leadership,one must be aware of its true meaning and method. * Leadership is a continuous process of influential..

Of all the human values that sustain the society or any system, RESPECT is considered to be the most basic one. It is considered to be the way to imbibe others ethics easily. The seeds of respect are sown into every individual since the early years. It is observed that..

Since the past few months, we are noticing a huge change in Indian economy which is in buzz not just in the nation but also all around the world. Demonetization, followed by introduction of new currency was a major step in removing the black money from the face of the..

Across the nation administration is being called for excellence. Like everything else, excellence cannot be taught in classrooms. Excellence in administration is achieved when the administration fulfils its objectives and it is sustained when each one is working for it at a personal and professional level. However, what about a..

Present time of uncertainty isposing new challenges for each one of us. These challenges may be at a personal level, sometimes at the organizational level, or at societal level or even at global level, ranging on various grounds like health, environmental, professional, economical, behavioral, ethical etc. Under such strained circumstances..

India had celebrated Independence Day last month with hearts filled with patriotism. All over the nation there was a wave of pride and praise for the country and our brave freedom fighters, as they surrendered their lives to give the country, the gift of freedom, so that their countrymen could..

“The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God’s laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love.”- Anonymous Love and Law are the two sides of a coin. Neither of them can be compromised, be it to..

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” -- Albert Einstein In order to understand the importance of values in life, first and foremost we have to recognize what do values mean? It is a word much used but never explored..

“By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascents to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descents below the level of a beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character; and man is their maker and master." Since time..

Once, a tailor was at work. He took a piece of cloth and with a pair of shining, costly, scissors; he cut the cloth into various bits. Then he put the pair of scissors at his feet. Then he took a small needle and thread and started to sew the..

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...

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..

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..

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..

Ethics and Sustainability

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..

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, a..

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..

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...

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..

“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..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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..

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..