20 attributes for success in every venture of life

Had heard a lot about Chanakya niti, but never read it.

Then few days ago, Swami Ramdev was explaining 20 attributes for success in every venture of life. This is brilliant, so sharing with you all.

The entire Nitishastra of Chanakya in English is available at www.hinduism.co.za site


6/15. Learn one thing from a lion; one from a crane; four a cock; five from a crow; six from a dog; and three from an ass.

6/16. The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.

6/17. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.

6/18. To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair division (of property) among relations; and to earn one's own bread by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a cock.

6/19. Union in privacy (with one's wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are to be learned from a crow.

6/20. Contentment with little or nothing to eat although one may have a great appetite; to awaken instantly although one may be in a deep slumber; unflinching devotion to the master; and bravery; these six qualities should be learned from the dog.

6/21. Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass.

6/22. He who shall practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all his undertakings.

Be The Worst

"It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours, and you'll drift in that direction."
-- Warren Buffett

This reminds of chapter 'Be The Worst' in The Passionate Programmer...

Before starting my career in information technology, I was a professional jazz and blues saxophonist. As a musician, I had the good fortune of learning this lesson early on and sticking to it. Being the worst guy in the band means always playing with people who are better than you.

Now, why would you always choose to be the worst person in a band? “Isn’t it unnerving?” you ask. Yes, it’s extremely unnerving at first. As a young musician, I would find myself in situations where I was so obviously the worst guy in the band that I was sure I would stick out like a sore thumb. I’d show up to a gig and not even want to unpack my saxophone for fear I’d be forcefully ejected from the bandstand. I’d find myself standing next to people I looked up to, expected to perform at their level—sometimes as the lead instrument!

Without fail (thankfully!), something magical would happen in these situations: I would fit in. I wouldn’t stand out among the other musicians
as a star. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be obviously outclassed, either. This would happen for two reasons. The first reason is that I really wasn’t as bad as I thought. We’ll come back to this one later.

The more interesting reason that I would fit in with these superior musicians—my heroes, in some cases—is thatmy playing would transform itself to be more like theirs.

-- Chad Fowler in The Passionate Programmer

Loss of Lumbar Lordosis

For many years, I had this problem that I could not sit for long without back support.

Since this almost always coincided with sitting cross legged, I thought that it was because I don't have habit of sitting cross-legged for long.

When I started doing Yog, I ended up sitting cross-legged long for about 1-2 hours. Overtime I also added Yog aasana into the routine, especially the back exercises. However, to my surprise there was not much improvement, thougt I had much releif. Still my case seemed that of an extreme.

So I visited orthpaedic doctor recently, and he got Lumbar Spine x-ray done. It was found that I had problem of 'Loss of Lumbar Lordosis'. The doctor, after discussion, concluded that this could mostly be because of the nature of work, of sitting for hours on chair, and not in the perfect ergonomic back support posture, and not taking proper breaks. He also told that it may set in earlier or later depending persons body constitution.

Loss of Lumbar lordosis is the state when the lower end curve of the spine (the lordosis), starts loosing its curve. This lower end curve is also called 'sway' and this problem is also called 'Sway back' and also 'Flat back'. The back is actually curved and forms a kind of spring to bear allow kinds of jerks we get all life long, and also protects the nerves running down.

He told that this problem has no medicinal remedy and solution is only Yog, and for temporary relief Diathermy and some massge/vibrations to of spine vertebrates.

So I want to share, that for people like us, its of utmost importance that we:

1. Sit in upright posture, with proper lower back support
2. Take break from chair for at least 1 min every 30 to 45 mins
3. Daily do the very essential essential minimum back aasana/postures - Bhujanga aasana, Shashaka aasana (these two were told by the Doctor's therapist, but there are many more simple ones like - simple Dhanur aasana, simple Setubandh aasana, simple Ushtra aasana*)
4. Ensure that you get adequate calcium, and also other essential vitamins and nutrients

* the word simple indicates that there is a simple and full form of the posture. The simple ones are simple for everyone. Full forms can be done by ones who do it with care, and prior experience of the simple ones, and their body has started stretching.

Take care of your back.

Affirmations for Belief Change

Lately have been struggling to change myself, to bring some changes in my life, to improve, to set free of certain baggage, limitations. Was trying to figure how to create scaffold to ensure that I do change this time, and not just ride the change wave for few days and then forget.

Then just few days ago was thinking about Beliefs, and then Values and Virtues - it struck that my thoughts are working in cycles. This is actually common sense, but when one is in rushing water (life in this case), its difficult to have a clear sense. Anyway I realized it, and it felt like that instead of just reminding myself and trying to change my thoughts, I really should be working on my incorrect Beliefs, inculcate better Values, and implement more Virtues in by life.

Strangely, since then have come across lots of stuff that help me get started. So sharing all encountered till now, in the same order...

1. First I encountered Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) - a form of psychotherapy created by Albert Ellis in the 1950's.
   
2. Then encountered this post by Steve Pavlina - Remove a Limiting Belief in About 20 Minutes
3. Tried one of Morty Lefkoe's Recreate Your Life free belief change  Encountered Affirmation CD site, and watched the video 'It Comes From Me'
4. Then also watched Affirmation 2006. It has Savage Garden's Affirmation song in background (lyrics here)

All the above set of events have been quite interesting. I went from state of cluelessness, and somewhat confusion - to sense of clarity along with quite some inspiration. Thanks to all those who have shared this stuff on net.

Hope this helps others.

del.icio.us/vikramsjn

Links for 2009-10-21 [del.icio.us] Posted: 22 Oct 2009 12:00 AM PDT What is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)? - REBT Network: Albert Ellis | Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy whenever we become upset, it is not the events taking place in our lives that upset us; it is the beliefs that we hold that cause us to become depressed, anxious, enraged, etc.

Happy Deepawali

Wishing all of you a very happy and prosperous DIWALI !!

Remember that this is a festival of light, not of sound and pollution!!

No where in Valmiki Ramayana or Tulsidas Ramayana there is mention of cracker usage (or anything such) to celebrate or rejoice.

This day should remind and inspire us to become like Shri Ram and Shri Krishna – and not to pollute and waste

Sure one may not reduce cracker usage outright, then at least reduce as much as possible.

Best wishes again.

On being vegetarian

Just read this tweet of Steve Pavlina

@MetroPed Absolutely. Eating no animals means killing fewer plants. So does eating fruit since picking fruit doesn't kill the plant.

This is very interesting, and so very true.

This reminded me of a recent reply I gave to a friend on mail regarding my view on being a vegetarian.
Here it is:

My incomplete reasoning on being vegetarian….
I am not arguing you to be vegetarian, but sharing just for information sake and for the sake of discussion


the way i see it (or as i have come to believe or understand)
animals and plants both have souls, animals are more developed forms
and killing them certainly would release stuff  in their body when in extreme pain
besides kiliing someone for taste is so very mean an low
plants on other hand do not always get killed by taking off fruit from them... the originating plant basically lives
btw in ayurveda they do mention animal meat for certain ailments.... but do not recomment it
and even when they recommend it they say that that animal should be free animal a happy and healthy animal only
then there is also the concept that animal food is tamsic and rajsic
I also consider non-veg or even spicy veg food to be addictions

Earlier I did not eat non-veg food just because I fealt filthy and dirty…. But then I used to eat stuff like cakes etc which may have some animal relation (eg egg used in cake)
But now realizing that consuming such foods leads to indirectly doing harm to animals…. I now have given that up strictly
An excuse is that increased no. of animals could then become a problem (a possible argument) but then there could other ways to keeping them in control

My reason for not taking non-veg food has never been religious
I have had pork chicken etc, but just because of curiosity
But I do value what our forefathers have said after much evaluation and study
And I don’t want to spend time doing the same evalutiona myself
Btw… doing kapal bhaati does bring some kind of change (I am not advocating for ramdev or pranayam), because I feel some changes in myself
Like I have started noticing more what are addictions… even eating sweets just for taste is also an addiction (in my opinion… now)


and here is one link from Steve Pavlina site
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/09/why-vegan/
this person experiments a lot , and does extreme experiments
he has read hundreds of self improvement and health books
from non-veg he moved to being vegetarian, then vegan, then now for past 1 year he is only on raw foods
and he says that his abilities have increased drastically by change in diet

I did a search of why vegetarian and of the various reasons these are the major ones
Religious beliefs is just one of them

1. The love of animals and not wanting to kill them to sustain our life
2. Environmental concerns
3. Disagreement with factory farming and killing
4. Religious beliefs
5. Concerns about antibiotics and steroid use in animal farming
6. Health concerns


btw I am also trying to give up leather completely

Effects of Cellphone tower 'electrosmog'

We knew that mobile phone radiations must be dangerous, but phone companies were arguing otherwise - rather wanted us to believe otherwise.

Now here is recent study which says that not just man, but entire environment is in danger - because electrosmog caused by cellphone towers leads to destruction of entire beehive in just 10 days.

In Kerala it may wipe off all honey bees in 10 years.

More links:

• Are Cell Phone Towers Honey Bees' Next Big Threat? New Study Says Yes.