8/31/2010

Dont worry of The Other Side of The Door...



A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said,
“Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”
Very quietly the doctor said, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” the man said.
“You, a So Famous Doctor , do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.”

“I know little of what is on the other side of death,” the doctor continued, “but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but with gladness.”



Read more at Thoughts - Part 109

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Love Life in Any Form


As he was about to sip his tea, the discipled noticed a fly in his cup. The master saw the grimace in the disciple's face and leaned forward with concern. What's the matter?

"Oh nothing" the disciple said.. "Its, nothing jus' a fly in my tea" the disciple added with a little smile , afterall he didn't want his master to think that a little fly can disturb him..

"Oh oh fly in the tea" the master said in a low tone. "Its no problem " the disciple reassured with a smile.

But the master with concern written all over his face, continued to focus on the cup. He rose from his chair, leaned and dipped his finger into the tea taking the fly out with great care and left the room.

A while later the master returned smiling saying "He's going to be alright" and he explained how he placed the fly on the leaf of a bush so that its wings can dry. "He's still alive and will take flight soon" the master added confidently.

Then the master turned towards the disciple and added, its not a question of the tea, but the life of a fly. You can always get another cup of tea but the fly wouldn't have got another life.

"Use things and love life, don't love things and abuse life"


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

I Wish you Enough...


A father and daughter at the airport in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough."
She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy." They kissed and she left.

He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied.

Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.

"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked.

"I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back will be for my funeral," he said.

"When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I asked what that means?"

He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment, and looking as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more.

"When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued...and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory :

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough 'Hello's' to get you through the final 'Goodbye.' "

He then began to sob and walked away.

My friend, I wish you enough!


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Barbers Dont Exist............


A man went to a barbershop to have his hair and his beard cut as always. He began to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him. They talked about so many things and various subjects.

Suddenly, they touched on the subject of God. The barber said, "Look man, I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

"Well, it's so easy, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God exists, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't think of loving a God who permits all of these things.

The customer thought for a moment, but he didn't respond because he did not want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long hair and a beard. It was very long, and a long time since he had his hair cut and he looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber, "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say they don't exist?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. Why I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long hair and beard like that man who is outside."

"Ah, barbers do exist; what happens is that people do not come to us."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God does exist. What happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him! That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be True to Yourself............


When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you king for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what the guy has to say.


For it isn't your mother, your father or wife
Whose judgement on you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life,
Is the guy staring back from the glass.


He's the fellow to please , never mind all the rest
For he's with you clean to the end;
And you've passed your most dangerous and difficult test.
If the guy in the glass is your friend .


You may be like Jack Horner and Chisel and plum.
And think you are a wonderful guy.
But the guy in the glass says you are a bum
If you can't look straight in the eye.


You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass;
But the final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

You Are Slave of My Slave.....


Long ago when Alexander the great came to India , he found the people fearless and friendly. He befriended many of them. when he prepared to leave to his homeland he wanted to take a sage from India along with him.
He went in quest of a sage into the forest . He found one sitting under a tree deep in meditation. Alexander greeted the sage warmly and kindly requested him to accompany him to Greece. He promised the sage great riches and comfort.
The sage calmly replied that he has no desire to go with the king and that he has no use for riches and is very comfortable here.
Alexander flew in to a rage he burst out in anger, "do you know who I am? I am the great king Alexander, no one lives after disobeying me" .So saying he unsheathed his sword. The sage was not perturbed he replied ,"you say you are a king ,but you are just a slave to my slave".
Alexander was much surprised by this reply,he could not comprehend its meaning, "why did you call me the slave of your slave? I am nobody's slave",he called back .
The sage answered in a sweet calm voice," Great king , I have mastered my anger. Anger is my slave,I don't lose my temper as you do, you are still a slave to your anger. Anger is my slave , so, you are a slave to my slave".



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/29/2010

Find Happiness


This story is about a beautiful, expensively dressed lady who complained to her psychiatrist that she felt that her whole life was empty, it had no meaning.

So, the lady went to visit a counselor to seek out happiness.
The counselor called over the old lady who cleaned the office floors.

The counselor then said to the rich lady"I'm going to ask Mary here to tell you how she found happiness. All I want you to do is listen to her."


So the old lady put down her broom and sat on a chair and told her story:
"Well, my husband died of malaria and three months later my only son was killed by a car.
I had nobody... I had nothing left. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I never smiled at anyone, I even thought of taking my own life.

Then one evening a little kitten followed me home from work.
Somehow I felt sorry for that kitten. It was cold outside, so I decided to let the kitten in. I got it some milk, and the kitten licked the plate clean.

Then it purred and rubbed against my leg and for the first time in months, I smiled.
Then I stopped to think, if helping a little kitten could make me smile, maybe doing something for people could make me happy.
So the next day I baked some biscuits and took them to a neighbor who was sick in bed.

Every day I tried to do something nice for someone.
It made me so happy to see them happy.
Today, I don't know of anybody who sleeps and eats better than I do.
I've found happiness, by giving it to others."


When she heard that the rich lady cried.
She had everything that money could buy, but she had lost the things which money cannot buy



Start Giving Happiness to Others To Get Some for Yourself Today.............
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be Nice Even if Others are Not..



In our lives we encounter people who harm us, insult us, plot against us, whose actions seem calculated to thwart the successful achievement of our goals. Sometimes these are obvious acts, such as a co-worker who continually steals our ideas or speaks badly of us to our boss. Sometimes these acts are subtle – a friend, relative or colleague who unexpectedly betrays us or who we find has been surreptitiously speaking negatively about us behind our back.

Slowly we find that our own actions, words and thoughts become driven by anger and pain. We find ourselves engaged in cunning thoughts of revenge. Before we realise it, we are injuring ourselves by allowing negative emotions dominate us. They insulted us or plotted against us or sabotaged a well-deserved achievement at work. But we injure ourselves more deeply and more gravely by allowing our hearts and minds to darken.

Our dharma is to be kind, pure, honest, giving, sharing and caring. Others, due to ignorance, lack of understanding or due to the way in which their own karmic drama is unfolding, may act with malice, deceit, selfishness and indifference. But we must not let their actions or their ignorance deprive us of fulfilling our dharma. We must not allow ourselves to be lowered by their ignorance, their habits or their greed. The darkness in their heart should not be allowed to penetrate into the lightness of our hearts.


The Following Story Describes the ereason for it...

One day a sadhu went to the river to bathe. There he noticed a scorpion struggling in the water. Scorpions cannot swim and the sadhu knew that if he did not save the scorpion, it would drown...

Therefore, carefully picking up the scorpion, the monk rescued it from drowning and was just about to set it down gently on land when the scorpion stung his finger. In pain, the sadhu instinctively flung his hand and the scorpion went flying, back into the river. As soon as the sadhu regained his composure from the sting, he again lifted the scorpion out of the water. Again, before he could set the scorpion safely on land, the creature stung him. This drama went on for several minutes as the sadhu continued to try to save the life of the drowning scorpion and the scorpion continued to sting his saviour's hand before reaching the freedom of the riverbank.

A hunter watched as the saint carefully and gingerly lifted the creature out of the water, only to fling it back in as he convulsed in pain from each fresh sting. Finally, the hunter said to the sadhu, "Forgive me for my frankness, but it is clear that the scorpion is simply going to continue to sting you each and every time you try to carry it to safety. Why don't you give up and just let it drown?"

The sadhu replied: "My dear child, the scorpion is not stinging me out of malice or evil intent. Just as it is the water's nature to make me wet, so it is the scorpion's nature to sting. He doesn't realise that I am carrying him to safety. That is a level of conscious comprehension greater than what his brain can achieve. But, just as it is the scorpion's nature to sting, so it is my nature to save. Just as he is not leaving his nature, why should I leave my nature? My dharma is to help any creature of any kind – human or animal. Why should I let a small scorpion rob me of the divine nature which I have cultivated through years of sadhana?"




Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/28/2010

Clean Your Window


A young couple moved into a new neighborhood
The next morning while they were eating breakfast,
The young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
'That laundry is not very clean,' she said.
'She doesn't know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.'

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
The young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see
a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

'Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this.'

The husband said, 'I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows.'

And so it is with life.
What we see when watching others
Depends on the window through which we look.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be Thankful



Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Talk To Me

TALK TO ME ....................................

As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to me, even if it was just a few words asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday. But I noticed you were too busy trying to find the right outfit to wear.

When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were too busy. At one point you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair. Then I saw you spring to your feet. I thought you wanted to talk to me, but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip instead. I watched patiently all day long. With all your activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to me.

I noticed that before lunch you looked around -- maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me is why you didn't bow your head. You glanced three or four tables over and you noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't. That's okay. There is still more time left, and I hope that you will talk to me yet.

You went home, and it seemed as if you had lots of things to do. After a few of them were done, you turned on the TV. I don't know if you like TV or not, just about anything goes there and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it not thinking about anything. I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, but again you didn't talk to me.

Bedtime--I guess you felt too tired. After you said goodnight to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you. I've got patience, more than you will ever know. I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well.

I love you so much that I wait every day for a nod, prayer, thought or a thankful part of your heart. It is hard to have a one-sided conversation.

Well, you are getting up once again. And once again I will wait, with nothing but love for you. Hoping that today you will give me some time.

Have a nice day!

GOD...............................

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/27/2010

.20 ways to simplify your life


1 Avoid amassing clothes. Give your credit card a break. Women tend to wear only 20 per cent of their wardrobe 80 per cent of the time. If you find an item that really suits you and makes you feel good whenever you wear it, go back to the shop and buy it again in another colour.

2 Only ever bake one cake. If you must bake a cake for your child’s birthday, just use one tried-and-tested recipe. Remember, most children probably prefer a made-to-order novelty cake.

3 Don’t “work through it” when you’re ill. Just because you are still standing doesn’t mean you should force yourself to go into the office. Take a day off and switch off the BlackBerry. You’ll get over it quicker and you won’t infect your colleagues.

4 Stop looking at models. Studies show an immediate depressive response in women who have looked at models in fashion magazines. After just three minutes, all women felt a drop in their self-esteem and felt less attractive, regardless of their own height, age, shape or size.

5 Buy clothes for the size you are. Don’t buy clothes that are slightly too small in the mistaken belief that it will spur you to lose weight. There’s no faster track to a day-long grump than a waistband that digs in, a zip that keeps creeping down and sleeves so tight that you can’t reach for the Tim Tams.

6 Cull after-school activities.There’s lots of evidence to show that over-scheduled children become burnt-out teens who are less able to amuse themselves. My stress levels halved when I dropped any after-school commitments that involved driving.

7 Pep up your child’s lunchbox by dropping into a foodhall. Drop into a David Jones food hall or a supermarket on the way home from work rather than spending hours marinating chicken. Choose a wrap, fruit salad or pasta for your kid’s lunch the next day.

8 Get out of the kitchen. If you catch yourself creating a smiley face on top of a cottage pie with carrots and peas, pour a glass of wine and leave the kitchen immediately.

9 Stop tidying your house. Don’t tidy the house just because the cleaner is coming. Cleaners can pick up empty mugs – and you’re paying them to do this.

10 Cut down your to-do list. Restrict your daily to-do list to three tasks only. Don’t try to tackle your entire mental “master’’ list. Pick three things that are achievable in a day, including one easy one that you can cross off straight away.

11 Get everything you can delivered. Order in everything – food, clothes, toys, dvds, even haircuts (mobile hairdressers will be a lot more tolerant of your children’s nits).

12 Arrange regular breaks from the school run. Escape the pressure of the ticking clock and the fact that you’ve only got mascara on one eye. Organise swaps with neighbours, find a bus route or rope in your husband or mother.

13 Make it a rule not to look in the mirror. Never glance in a mirror when you’re out unless you have a specific reason to suspect you have something on your nose.

14 Stop cleaning your child’s room. Stop cleaning the kids’ rooms as soon as they turn eight. Make them tidy their own rooms from time to time. But make it easy – no bedroom should be without under-bed storage drawers.

15 Don’t ignore tiredness. Take a rest. Tiredness is not something that should be dismissed as part of a busy life. Lack of energy is one of the symptoms of depression. Seek help before you crash.

16 Stop waxing all year round. It takes valuable minutes from your day, costs an (under)arm – and a leg – and it hurts. Save it for holidays and dates.

17 Don’t plod on with a book. Don’t persevere with a book just because it’s on the Booker shortlist or it’s your book club choice. If your mind constantly wanders off the page, give up. Reading should be a pleasurable escape route. It’s okay to pick up Agatha Christie instead. (Apply the same approach to TV and films.)

18 Examine your motivation before you step up your career. Take time to evaluate whether you really want that promotion at work, which will mean longer hours and more stress. Studies routinely find that, once we have our basics – a home, food and a livelihood – our happiness levels are not boosted by a higher income. In most developed countries, happiness levels have remained static over the past 50 years, even though we have more money and a lot more stuff.

19 Don’t worry yourself with the idea that everyone but you is having great sex. Who cares what anyone else is doing? While researching her book Sizzling Sex (JR Books), Dr Pam Spurr found that 90 per cent of us probably won’t try anything new sexually after our first anniversary. And, once past the two-year mark, you can forget it. Bear in mind that even Madonna lived for a time in a sexless marriage (to Guy Ritchie). Apparently they were both too tired – which surely lets the rest of us off the hook.

20 Choose an extra holiday over a new kitchen floor. Children couldn’t care less if the floor is vinyl or limestone, but memories of holidays will stay with you all for a lifetime.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Think OF God .......



Self is immutable and so is the Supreme Self. Therefore be one with the immutable.

Why do you allow yourself to be swept hither and thither like a straw? You become peace-less in the face of petty troubles – a notice from a government department, not being able to have your way, not being able to gratify your senses, a slight to your ego, a servant not saluting, not getting approval or recognition in some matter... how small you become!

As you think, so does your mind become. Therefore, please think of God.

Don't let your mind go towards any person or thing other than God. Focus.

You are told that God is in everybody and everything and that His will be done. It means the Lord abides in you. Thousand of gamblers are playing games; let them play. You think of playing with the Indweller Lord and so turn your mind inward. You shouldn't exhaust yourself capitulating to kinsmen labouring under delusion. God's will be done means accepting whatever is happening whether or not it is to your liking.

Some people, when they meditate, expect some type or depth of meditation. Don't predetermine any type of meditation nor have preconceived notions of the results it should produce. As you sit for meditation, tell Him, 'O Lord! Hail to you! Thy will be done!' This is meditation and reflection, too.

Whatever you do with your body, do it for the pleasure of Indweller Lord. Don't work for sense-gratification or for ego trip. Work with a view to propitiate the Lord. This is real service. If people seek your help or service by flattering you, be careful and examine yourself whether you are being motivated by adulation or you are rendering service for the pleasure of the Guru or the Indweller Lord. If you exercise this care, your service will become much rewarding and your nature will be sweet.

Those who work for appreciation and fame end up quarrelling and fighting with each other.

Reject your ego. Doing so is good for you. Give your acceptance by saying, 'O Lord! What you will is for the best of all! Thy will be done!' God, the Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute and Freedom Absolute, wants you to be like Him. God's will being fulfilled means God will make you God. The Supreme Brahmn wants to see you as Brahmn for you are in substance one and the same as Himself.

Instead of praying for a particular kind of weather, pray to Him, 'O Lord! Thy will be done!' Then whatever the weather may be, it will not cause any trouble to you. Just give your consent. If somebody hurls abuses at you, say in your mind, 'God! You are great! Through these cuss words, You are destroying my ego. O Lord! Thy will be done!' This in itself is a great sadhana. If you think 'Oh my god! It is very hot...' you will be tormented by hot weather. But you want to enjoy the rain -- summer heat is essential for the rains to come. Summer heat is essential also for making one strong enough to tolerate cold as cold is essential for making one strong enough to tolerate the summer heat. Insults are necessary to make one able to assimilate appreciation and fame. Death is necessary for one to assimilate life. The Lord is doing all that is necessary for you



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Life, a laughing matter



Humour relieves boredom, eases tension and enlivens the atmosphere. Laughing at oneself is a good way to keep one's ego in check. Yet `serious' spiritual seekers tend to think that humour and spirituality are poles apart. This is far from the truth.

Evolved masters have a sense of humour, and they often use humour to drive home a point. Gurus like Kanchi Paramacharya, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Chinmaynanda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati sprinkled their talks liberally with humour.

Swami Chinmayananda was once scouting for a suitable venue in Chennai to hold his Geeta Gyana Yagna. Most temples, under the dominant influence of Brahmins, were reluctant to help out. Finally, one of his disciples rushed to him with the news that a Muslim was ready to make available his empty bungalow for the purpose. "But there is a problem," said the disciple, "the house is believed to be haunted." On hearing this, the Swami quipped: "What a wonderful opportunity! I've never seen a ghost in my life!"

Every morning, Ramana Maharshi would walk up the Arunachala hill. Once a stranger spotted him all alone, and wishing to have darshan, he walked faster and managed to overtake the Maharshi and stood in front of him, blocking his way. With folded palms he said " Swamiji, this is a great day for me. You have blessed me with your darshan." The Maharshi responded: "This is really funny. What darshan you're talking about? It is you who have come before me and given me your darshan."

On another occasion a group of American devotees who were seated at a distance from Maharshi because of the crowd, asked him whether they could move forward so that Maharshi's grace will be upon them. Maharshi replied that he has no objection to their moving forward but his grace was always there for everyone irrespective of proximity. The group, nonetheless, pushed forward and almost came near him. After some time the devotees requested Maharshi to place his palms on their head so that they can receive the grace in full measure. An amused Maharshi said: "Next you might ask me to sign a bond and take me to court if you imagine that the grace has not worked!' The entire gathering burst into laughter.

While delivering a discourse on the Gita Swami Dayananda Saraswati narrated the following story: There were three terminally ill patients and the doctor asked them to express their last wish so that he could arrange to fulfill them. The first patient said that he would like to meet the priest and confess. The second said that he would like to meet his entire family. The doctor took care of the requests. He turned to the third patient who muttered: "I'd like to see another doctor."

A scholar approached Kanchi Paramacharya and boasted that he was an expert on the Gita. The seer asked him if he could spare some time to hold a 10-day discourse at the local temple. The scholar assented. On the first day 50 people were came to hear him and the attendance dwindled on subsequent days. The scholar said to Paramacharya and said: "What sort of a town is this? No one seems to be interested in the Gita. On first day there was a crowd of 50, second day 25 and on the third day there were only two persons to listen to me!'

With a twinkle in his eye the seer remarked: "Why fret? When Krishna spoke the Gita there was only one person to listen to him!"



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/26/2010

Circle of Joy Share this and it will be shared back to you....


One day, a countryman knocked hard on a monastery door. When the monk tending the gates opened up, he was given a magnificent bunch of grapes.

"Brother, these are the finest my vineyard has produced. I've come to bear them as a gift."

"Thank you! I will take them to the Abbot immediately, he�ll be delighted with this offering."

"No! I brought them for you."

"For me?" The monk blushed, for he didn�t think he deserved such a fine gift of nature.

"Yes!" insisted the man. "For whenever I knock on the door, it is you opens it. When I needed help because the crop was destroyed by drought, you gave me a piece of bread and a cup of wine every day. I hope this bunch of grapes will bring you a little of the sun�s love, the rain�s beauty and the miracle of God, for it is he made it grow so fine."

The monk held the grapes and spent the entire morning admiring it: it really was beautiful. Because of this, he decided to deliver the gift to the Abbot, who had always encouraged him with words of wisdom.

The Abbot was very pleased with the grapes, but he recalled that there was a sick brother in the monastery, and thought:

"I�ll give him the grapes. Who knows, they may bring some joy to his life."

And that is what he did. But the grapes didn�t stay in the sick monk�s room for long, for he reflected:

"The cook has looked after me for so long, feeding me only the best meals. I�m sure he will enjoy these."

When the cook appeared at lunch, to bring him his meal, he presented him with the grapes:

"They're for you," said the sick monk. "Since you are always coming into contact with that which nature produces, you will know what to do with this work of God."

The cook was amazed at the beauty of the grapes, and showed his assistant how perfect they were. So perfect, he thought to himself, that no one would appreciate them more than the sexton; since he was responsible for the Holy Sacrament, and many at the monastery considered him a holy man, he would be best qualified to value this marvel of nature.

The sexton, in turn, gave the grapes as a gift to the youngest novice, that he might understand that the work of God is in the smallest details of Creation. When the novice received them, his heart was filled with the Glory of the Lord, for he had never seen such beautiful grapes.

Just then, he remembered the first time he came to the monastery, and of the person who had opened the gates for him; it was that gesture which allowed him to be among this community of people who knew how to value the wonders of life.

And so, just before nightfall, he took the grapes to the monk at the gates.

"Eat and enjoy them," he said. "For you spend most of your time alone here, and these grapes will make you very happy."

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Lizards Have Done It Why Cant We.........


In Japan, a man breaks open the wall to renovate his house. Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls, and when when tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard stuck there because a nail from outside had been hammered into one of its feet. The man sees this, feels pity, and at the same time is curious because upon checking the nail he realized it had been there since the house was built ten years ago.

What happened?

The lizard had survived in that position for ten years! In a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving, the man found this to be impossible and mind boggling. Then he wondered how this lizard survived for ten years without moving a single step--since its foot was nailed!

So the man stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it had been doing, and what and how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where it came, appeared another lizard... with food in its mouth.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Blind Bus Passenger


The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver, and using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg. It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity.

Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her. "How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted or prayed, she knew the painful truth: her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion.

And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark. Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.

Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working - it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?

Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me." Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses especially her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.

He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase. Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend.

Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience and his love. She said goodbye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live the past year? Curious she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?" The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?"

The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, and gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady." Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there had been darkness.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Seven Jars

Long ago there lived in Northern India a merchant whose wife had died and who went daily from his lonely house in the foothills to the town below, for buying and selling. "I must have a holiday," he said to himself one day, and he began to climb up into the hills to enjoy the view and the sounds of the forest. In the hot afternoon, feeling sleepy he looked for a quiet place for a nap. Soon he discovered a kind of hole in a cliff, actually a cave; so he lay down in the dark interior and slept. Waking up, he felt there was something with him, in the cave.

Crawling back inside he found a large earthen jar. Then another, and another and another -- there were seven jars there, altogether! Now the merchant wondered if he dared to open them. There was no sound of anyone about, still it seemed a bit risky. But curiosity, as you know, is powerful indeed. He found he could lift the lid of the first jar. What do you know! It seemed to be full of gold coins. So were the second, third, fourth and fifth. Under the lid of the sixth jar he found an aged piece of paper.
On it was written, "Finder, beware!! The seven jars of gold are yours, but there is a curse. No one who takes them with him can leave the curse behind." Now, next to curiosity, greed is the most powerful urge. Our merchant overjoyed with his luck, wasted no time in borrowing a two-wheeled cart to carry the jars of gold to his house. It was exhausting and next to impossible. Bulky and hard to lift, they had to be taken two by two; in the dark of night he lugged them to his house. On the last trip, with the seventh jar alone thankfully the load was lighter, and he noticed nothing.

"Let me count the coins," he thought, "and see how great my fortune is."

But when that seventh jar was opened he found it was only half-full. "What!" he cried, "I was promised seven jars!" He had thrown the note away and forgotten about the curse. The merchant was overcome and obsessed by a spirit of grasping and greed. Now, in the town, he went at his money-making hand and fist; it was all he lived for. "I must fill the seventh jar with gold,": this was his constant thought. Yet the more he put into the jar, strangely the more it remained half-full. He lived some years more, but never did he enjoy spending the gold he had found, because it was never enough.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

My Request to Buddha


I have a request to Buddha,

“Please let all my friends healthy and happy forever ?”

Buddha says,“Only four days!”

I say,“Alright, Spring-day, Summer-day, Autumn-day, Winter-day.”

Buddha says,“Three days!”

I say,“Alright, Yesterday, Today, Next-day.”

Buddha says,“No, Two days!”

I say,“Alright, White-day and Black-day.”

Buddha says,“Just one day!”

I say,“Alright, when all my friends are living in every single day.”

Buddha smiles and says,
“From now on, all your friends will be healthy and happy in every single day!”

NAN - WU - E - MI - TUO - FU



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Crossing the Water


A farmer's daughter duty was to carry fresh milk to customers in various villages had, one of whom was a priest. To reach his house, the milkmaid had to cross a good-sized stream. People crossed it by a sort of ferry raft, for a small fee.

One day the priest, who performed worship daily with the offering to God of fresh milk, finding it arrived very late, scolded the poor woman. "What can I do?" she said, "I start out early from my house, but I have to wait a long time for the boatman to come."

Then the priest said (pretending to be serious), "What! People have even walked across the ocean by repeating the name of God, and you can't cross this little river?" This milkmaid took him very seriously. From then on she brought the priest's milk punctually every morning. He became curious about it and asked her how it was that she was never late anymore.

"I cross the river repeating the name of the Lord," she replied, "just as you told me to do, without waiting for the ferry." The priest didn't believe her, and asked, "Can you show me this, how you cross the river on foot?" So they went together to the water and the milkmaid began to walk over it. Looking back, the woman saw that the priest had started to follow her and was floundering in the water.

"Sir!" she cried, "You are uttering the name of God, yet all the while you are holding up your clothes from getting wet. That is not trusting in God!"

So Trust yourself and your god and you will cross all the rivers in the world on foot...........

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Thief


There was one great master, a Buddhist master, Nagarjuna. A thief came to him. The thief had fallen in love with the master because he had never seen such a beautiful person, such infinite grace. The thief asked Nagarjuna, "Is there some possibility of my growth also? But one thing I must make clear to you: I am a thief. And another thing: I cannot leave it, so please don't make it a condition. I will do whatsoever you say, but I cannot stop being a thief. That I have tried many times--it never works, so I have left the whole sport. I have accepted my destiny, that I am going to be a thief and remain a thief, so don't talk about it. From the very beginning let it be clear."

Nagarjuna said, "Why are you afraid? Who is going to talk about your being a thief?"
The thief said, "But whenever I go to a monk, to a religious priest, or to a religious saint, they always say, 'First stop stealing.'"

Nagarjuna laughed and said, "Then you must have gone to thieves; otherwise, why? Why should they be concerned? I am not concerned!"

The thief was very happy. He said, "Then it is okay. It seems that now I can become a disciple. You are the right master."

Nagarjuna accepted him and said, "Now you can go and do whatsoever you like. Only one condition has to be followed: be aware! Go, break into houses, enter, take things, steal; do whatsoever you like, that is of no concern to me, I am not a thief--but do it with full awareness."

The thief couldn't understand that he was falling into the trap. He said, "Then everything is okay. I will try." After three weeks he came back and said, "You are tricky--because if I become aware, I cannot steal. If I steal, awareness disappears. I am in a fix."

Nagarjuna said, "No more talk about your being a thief and stealing. I am not concerned; I am not a thief. Now, you decide! If you want awareness, then you decide. If you don't want it, then too you decide."

The man said, "But now it is difficult. I have tasted it a little, and it is so beautiful--I will leave anything, whatsoever you say. Just the other night for the first time I was able to enter the palace of the king. I opened the treasure. I could have become the richest man in the world--but you were following me and I had to be aware. When I became aware, diamonds looked just like stones, ordinary stones. When I lost awareness, the treasure was there. And I waited and did this many times. I would become aware and I became like a buddha, and I could not even touch it because the whole thing looked foolish, stupid--just stones, what am I doing? Losing myself over stones? But then I would lose awareness; they would become again beautiful, the whole illusion. But finally I decided that they were not worth it."

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/25/2010

Five Simple Rules to Be Happy


Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred.
Free your mind from worries.
Live simply.
Give more.
Expect less.
No one can go back and make a brand new start.
Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

God didn't promise days without pain,
laughter without sorrow,
sun without rain,
but He did promise strength for the day,
comfort for the tears,
and light for the way.

Disappointments are like road bumps,
they slow you down a bit,
but you enjoy the smooth road afterwards.
Don't stay on the bumps too long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn't get what you want,
just sit tight and be happy,
because God has thought of something better to give you.

When something happens to you, good or bad,
consider what it means.
There's a purpose to life's events,
to teach you how to laugh more,
or not to cry too hard.

You can't make someone love you,
all you can do is be someone who can be loved,
the rest is up to the person to realize your worth.

It's better to lose your pride to the one you love,
than to lose the one you love because of pride.

We spend too much time looking for the right person to love,
or finding fault with those we already love,
when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

Never abandon an old friend.
You will never find one who can take his/her place.
Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows older.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

1. Give people more than they expect. Do so cheerfully.

2. Memorize your favorite poem.

3. Don't believe all your hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

4. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

5. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

6. Be engaged to be married for at least six months.

7. Believe in love at first sight.

8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

11. Don't judge people by their relatives.

12. Talk slowly, Think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

15. Call your mum.

16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

18. Remember the three R's:

Respect for self;
Respect for others;
Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship

20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

23. Spend some time alone.

24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

26. Read more books and watch less TV.

27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.

28. Trust in God but lock your car.

29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil, harmonious home.

30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

31. Read between the lines.

32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

33. Be gentle with the earth.

34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.

36. Mind your own business.

37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.

38. Once a year, go some place you've never been before.

39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

41. Learn the rules then break some.

42. Remember that the best relationship is one, where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.

43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

44. Remember that your character is your destiny.

45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/23/2010

God Has Love For all Of Any Color


Diversity is an essential part of life, something which we should all value and respect. This is an example of where the positive nature of man kind can always come out and shine.

On a flight from Johannesburg, a middle aged well off white south African Lady found herself sitting next to a black man. She called the cabin attendant over to complain about her seating.

"What is the problem madam?" asked the attendant.

"Can't you see?" she said. "You've sat me next to a kaffir. I can't possibly sit next to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!"

"Please calm down Madam,"the stewardess replied. "The flight is full today, but I'll tell you what I 'll do. I'll go and check to see if we have any seats available in club or first class."

The woman gave a snooty look at the outraged black man beside her(not to mention many of the surrounding passengers).A few minutes later the stewardess returned with a good news, which she delivered to the lady, who cannot help but look at the people around her with a smug and a self-satisfied grin.

"Madam, unfortunately as i suspected the economy is full. I've spoken to the director and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in the first class."

Before the lady has a chance to answer, the stewardess continued..

"It is most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade, however and i had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the circumstances the captain felt that it was outrageous that someone be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious person."

With that she turned to the black man sitting next to the woman and said:"So if you'd like to get your things sir, I have your seat ready for you..."

At that point apparently the surrounding passengers stood and gave a standing ovation, while the black man walked up to the front of the plane.

...people will forget what you said...
...people will forget what you did...
But, people will never forget how you made them feel...



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

I can sleep when the wind blows


Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received A steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, Hired him. The little man worked well around the farm and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.
To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Moral of this Story

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Money has no memory, experience has.


You will never know what was the total cost of your education , but for a lifetime you will recall and relive the memories of schools and colleges. Few years from now you will forget the amonut you paid to settle the medical bill, but will cherish having saved a loved one's life. Money has no memory, experience has.

Good times and bad times, times of prosperity and times of poverty, times when the future looked so secure and times when you didnt know from where the tomorrow will come ... life has been in one way or the other a roller coaster ride for everyone. Beyond all that abundance and beyond all that deprivation ,what remains is the memory of experiences. Sometimes the wallet was full .. sometimes even the pocket was empty. There was enough and you still had reasons to frown. There wasn't enough and you still had reasons to smile. today you can look back with gratitude for all the times you had laughed together and also look back with a smile at all the times you cried alone. All in all, life filled you with experiences to create a history of your own self and you alone can remember them all.

The first time you balanced yourself on your cycle without support...
The first time since she said yes and it has been two years since you proposed ...
The first cry.. the first steps... the first word... the first kiss.. all of your child.
The first gift you bought for your parents .. the first gift your daughter gave you..
The first award.. the first public appreciation .. the first stage performance ...

Experiences with timeless memory ...

No denying that anything that's material cost money, but the fact remains the cost of experience will be forgotten, but the experiences never.

So, what if it is economic recission?Let it be, but let there not be a recesiion to the quality of your life. You can still take your parents if not on a pilgrimage, at least to the local temple. You can still play with your children if not on an international holiday, but on the local park.

Nice time to train employees, create leadership availability and be ready for the wonderful times when they arrive. Time will pass.. economy will revive.. currency will come in current.. and in all this we shouldn't look back and then realise that we did nothing but stayed in gloom. Recession can make you loose out on money. Let it not make you lose out on experiences .. If you are not happy with whaqt you have, no matter how much more you have, you still will not be happy.

Make a statemnt with the way you live: How I feel has nothing to do with how much I have.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Better Times are Bound To Come...




There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to Judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn,to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring,the third in summer,
and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and returned, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise.The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.


The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season.That the essence of who they are, and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life, can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer and the fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.Don't judge life by one difficult season.

Persevere through the difficult patches,
and better times are sure to come in time.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Feathers from Heaven




In November of 2000, my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer in the final stages. My oldest sister, took on the responsibility of his care. Each weekend I would drive the 300 miles to give her a break by going to the grocery store and pharmacy and helped to take care of our brother.

One weekend, my sister in law told us that she would be fine with our brother for a few hours and for the three of us girls to go spend some time with each other.
We went to lunch and then to the store. On the way back to my brothers house, I asked my sisters to make a promise to me that which ever of us passed first, we would let the others know by giving us a sign. They agreed and we discussed what the "sign" should be.

The oldest, said how about turning on the lights but the middle sister said that would scare her. We laughed and finally decided on a white feather. It had to be some place that you would not expect to see it.

We arrived back at my brothers home, unloaded the car and settled down to listen to some music. I was sitting next to my brothers hospital bed on one side and my sister in law was on the other side, my two sisters were on the sofa talking to each other quietly.

All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I see a WHITE feather floating from the ceiling. I thought that I was so stressed out that I was seeing things and I wanted desperately for my two sisters to quit talking and look my way so I could see if they saw it too! Keep in mind that my sister in law was not in the car with us so she did not know of our conversation. My sister in law must have seen the look on my face and she said "How odd, I wonder where that white feather came from"

Immediately, both my sisters stopped talking and started crying! I was too! We all hugged one another then told our sister in law what we had discussed and that we all knew that it was our mother sending us the sign, letting us know that she was with us.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Eight Clues To Happiness



Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a person should strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a few essentials which I put forward for the readers’ appraisal.

  • First and foremost is good health. If you do not enjoy good health you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from your happiness.
  • Second, a healthy bank balance. It need not run into crores but should be enough to provide for creature comforts and something to spare for recreation, like eating out, going to the pictures, travelling or going on holidays on the hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be only demoralizing. Living on credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one’s own eyes.
  • Third, a home of your own. Rented premises can never give you the snug feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides: if it has a garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with them.
  • Fourth, an understanding companion, be it your spouse or a friend. If there are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your peace of mind. It is better to be divorced than to bicker all the time.
  • Fifth, lack of envy towards those who have done better than you in life — risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be very corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.
  • Sixth, do not allow other people to descend on you for gup-shup. By the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.
  • Seventh, cultivate some hobbies which can bring you a sense of fulfilment, such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to meet celebrities is criminal waste of time.
  • Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes to introspection. In the morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling the mind and then five in listing things you have to do that day. In the evening, five minutes to still the mind again, and ten to go over what you had undertaken to do.

If solid happiness we prize,/ Within our breast this jewel lies;/ And they are fools who roam:/ The world has nothing to bestow;/ From our own selves our joys must flow/

And that dear hut, — our home.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/22/2010

Words of Wisdom Of the Day # 295

The awakened sages call a person wise when all his undertakings are free from anxiety about results; all his selfish desires have been consumed in the fire of knowledge.

~ Bhagavad Gita 4:19-21




8/21/2010

Give Me Your Email...............


A jobless man applied for the position of ;office boy; at Some Company.
The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
You are employed.He said.; Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.;
The man replied ;But I don't have a computer, neither an email.;
I'm sorry;, said the HR manager, ;If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job.;
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the Operation three times, and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this Way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
5 years later , the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his email. The man replied, ;I don't have an email;.
The broker answered curiously, ;You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?!!;
The man thought for a while and replied, ;Yes, I'd be an office boy at Some Company!

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

8/20/2010

One Word of Knowledge


There once there was a thief whose job was to steal others' belongings and valuable properties from their home and houses. His faith was strong and he believed that, in his entire life, he would never hear words of wisdom from any religious or spiritual preacher. He believed that by hearing even one word of knowledge, his business of robbery would become very weak and damaged.

One day, while he was going through a temple area there was a Pandit (Religious preacher) giving a powerful speech on the lifestyle of deity and god, goddess in heaven. The thief completely blocked his ears with his fingers so that even a single word of knowledge would not enter him.

While walking, he stepped on a thorn and reached down to pick it out with his left hand. In that moment, he heard the Pandit say that "No living God or Goddess has a shadow." Upon hearing this word of knowledge, the thief felt very unlucky and said "Oh! What a wasteful moment this is!"

Anyway, after much time passed he was eventually arrested for being involved with a big robbery at the royal palace of the kingdom. Security personnel tried to get him to admit that he had stolen valuable things from the palace, but he denied everything. The security unit reported this to the King, so her majesty the Queen suggested that she would use her trick to make him surrender the truth.

The next night, at midnight, the Queen went alone to visit the thief privately where he was being held in the Royal Palace. The Queen disguised herself by dressing like the fearful and frightening Goddess Mahakali. With a roaring voice, she demanded "Oh Sinful thief - I am the Goddess Mahakali! Tell me the truth! Did you steal the property of the Royal Palace?"

The frightened thief shivered with fear and decided that he would confess the truth. As he was about to speak, he remembered that he had seen the shadow of the Goddess Mahakali in the moonlight when she came into the room. He remembered the words of knowledge, "No living God or Goddess has a shadow." Since he had seen the shadow of Mahakali in front of him on that night, he knew that she could not be the real goddess Mahakali.

In that moment, he felt tremendous inner support from the words of knowledge. He responded with full confidence and without hesitation, "I did not steal anything!"

Again, the Queen disguised as Mahakali tried to make him fearful but the thief felt no fear and replied the same again:

"I DID NOT STEAL ANYTHING!"

After some time, the Queen knew the thief would say nothing else so she left. The next day, with the permission of Her Majesty the Queen, the thief was freed from the royal custody.

Because of this incident, the thief realized the true power of knowledge to transform his very troublesome situation into a very favorable one for him. He wondered, "How useful would it be if I heard more words of wisdom?" The answer to this question was profound.

In that moment, his faith and belief were strengthened, and his heart and mind were transformed. He decided that to listen to more knowledge so that he could feel completely fearless in all situations. However, in becoming a devoted listener to more words of wisdom, he completely awakened and went on to live a very happy and fully satisfied life, free from thievery and full of truth.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Forgotten Path to Abundance


For years I have practiced "Prosperity Through Generosity" sometimes known as tithing or sharing the wealth. Whenever I receive money, I share it with others even though I may not have a lot of cash at the time. I have learned that, by continuing to share, the energy keeps moving and more money comes in. I also tithe in time by doing my work for no charge when someone can truly not afford it. This has afforded me the opportunity to do many things that I might not have done because of lack of funds. One day, while musing on the subject, I got a little hungry, so off I went to one of my favorite restaurants, not knowing that Spirit had a special challenge and a lesson for me.

I headed over to the Enchanted Garden (nice name eh?), and they knew me because I ate there a lot. It was one of my regular hangouts. When I walked in, the regular waitress came over and introduced me to a new waitress. The new waitress, Mary, knowing that I was into spiritual studies had a story and a question for me. She told me how she had been out of work and down to her last $43. She was driving to a job interview and on the way saw a woman holding a baby and a sign that said, "Baby needs Dr. please help." Being soft-hearted, she pulled over to the woman and reached into her purse and handed her $3. As she drove away, in the rear view mirror, she could see the woman clasping her hands and shouting, "Thank you, thank you, thank the Lord."

She thought, "Wow, a lousy $3 makes her so happy," and she felt good about having given it to her even though her funds were low. When she arrived at her interview, she looked in her purse and found that she had given the woman two twenties and a one instead of three ones. She now had $2 to her name. She was kicking herself and couldn't believe she had given away her last money. The next day she got the job at Enchanted Garden. She asked what I thought about all that.

I told her not to be upset about the money, that perhaps that woman needed exactly that amount for the doctor and that she may have been praying for it. Mary may have been the instrument to answer her prayer and change her belief about prayers being answered and about life in general. She said that was a good way to look at it. That being said, I headed for the ladies room.

While in the ladies room, my guides said to me, "Give her back the money." I protested that I did not get paid for two more days and I wasn't even sure if I had that much in my bank account. They insisted, so I wrote a check for $50 and wrote prosperity through generosity at the bottom. I asked the other waitress to give it to her after I left so she wouldn't refuse it and wouldn't be embarrassed.

But that started me thinking about my checking account, so I went to balance it and see if all my checks were in and how much money I actually had left. I did not want my gesture to be negated by a bounced check. When I did that, I found that I had an extra $500 that could not be accounted for anywhere in my deposits, and all the checks had cleared the account. Suddenly I had 10 times what I had just given away. I felt it was a major sign for me. And that was a huge lesson, but the biggest lesson was yet to come.

A month later I received a letter from Mary. She said, "I don't know if you remember me, but I just wanted to tell you that I never cashed your check for $50. Money started to come to me from all directions. I framed the check and put it on my wall, and whenever anyone comes into my home, I tell them the story of your generosity."

I choked up and cried. I still can't tell that story without
getting misty. And I got the message to think about how many people were being affected by that simple gesture while following my guidance. I will never know exactly how many people were moved by that story, but it was a very powerful lesson for me, and a much better reward than the $500. The small random acts of kindness that we do ripple out into the world and create all kinds of abundance, and it comes back from all directions.

Ever since that day, when I give a tip, pay my bills or receive money of any sort, I hold the money in my hands (and the hands of the giver and receiver whenever possible) and say this... "Divine Love through me blesses and multiplies all the good I am and have, all the good I give and receive, Bless the gift, the giver and the receiver. Bless and multiply and multiply and multiply."

After telling that story at a class, one of my students tried it and was amazed at what happened. She stopped to buy a sandwich from a charity fund raiser. They were complaining that business was slow because of rain. When she paid them, she said the blessing out loud so they could hear her. They thanked her, and immediately three cars drove up and placed large orders for food. They looked at her and said, "You did that." She smiled and continued her day, knowing that however it happened, that something had happened. It became a mystical experience for all concerned. She felt great and continues to do this all the time now!


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be Compassionate



Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike;
each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.

Gautama Buddha

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You have no compassion; the Lord's Light does not shine in you.
You are drowned, drowned in worldly entanglements.

Guru Granth Sahib

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We are ready to become the people we are meant to be.
None of us can afford to squander our days, our years,
or our lives. We have too much to give; we have too much to live.

Lama Surya Das

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The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence.
When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.

Henry W Beecher

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Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling
what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin.
It is the knowledge that there can never really be
any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.

Frederick Buechner

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Yes You Can



Know yourself and you will win all battles.
Sun Tzu
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Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, ...If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.
M K Gandhi
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The most important thing is God's blessing and if you believe in God and you believe in yourself, you have nothing to worry about.
Mohamed Al-Fayed
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Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.
Mary Kay Ash
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Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.
Joseph Campbell


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Spice of life



Visiting swanky City Shopping Mall recently, i found myself behaving like a village bumpkin faced with an avalanche of choices. I counted 18 types of organic cheese, 90 varieties of toothpaste, 200 shades of lipstick and 50 kinds of hair mousse. While picking up a tube of toothpaste, i was totally at a loss. Should i choose the herbal variety with added fluoride, the cavity-busting option with baking soda or the original formula with flavoured crystals? What would anyone do if given the onerous task of choosing from 600 kinds of coffee and 400 brands of shampoo?

The other day, i peeked into the laptop of a junior colleague who seemed totally lost switching between matrimonial websites. Grilled, he said he'd 'shortlisted' some 50 responses in an exercise he later confessed to be bride-hunting. He had also put an advertisement in the matrimonial columns of a few national dailies. The result was astounding. Among some 'prospective' choices numbering no fewer than 300, he zeroed in on 40 applications. "But you only need one soulmate," i mumbled. To which he replied, nonplussed, "That's precisely the problem. I can't have a swayamvar like in the days of yore. Nor is polygamy allowed in India!" For those hapless and harried enough not to be able to find a suitable spouse, picking one through the market is even more brain-racking.

Likening myself to a village bumpkin overawed by the ways of the city, i feel quite intimidated visiting posh restaurants. The first difficulty is not what to eat but what not to, that is, if you decide to go beyond the regular fare. A friend of mine left the dinner table of a chic restaurant in a huff because one of the randomly picked exotic-sounding 'specials' among 20 suggested by the waiter did not work well with his girlfriend's tummy. That cost him the relationship.

I know of a simpleton who, on visiting a rich man's house, was struck by the ordeal of making a simple choice of what to drink. The reason: the host believed in customising service to a fault. When the poor guest opted for orange juice, he was asked if he wanted it to be organic or regular, with or without calcium and, finally, with minimal or maximal pulp. That's when he swiftly switched to tea. But then he had to choose between Ceylon tea, herbal tea, bush tea, honey bush tea, iced tea and green tea. To have his Ceylon tea with milk, he had to choose between goat milk, camel milk and cow milk. To have his tea sweetened, he had to choose between beet sugar and cane sugar.

Tired of such bizarre if 'meticulous' hospitality, the guest finally settled for a glass of water. Mineral water or still water, he was asked. Mineral water, he replied. He was then asked to clarify whether he wanted it flavoured or non-flavoured. The matter was finally settled when, unable to take it any longer, he burst into a fit of rage and exclaimed: "I'd rather die of thirst!

None of us wants to make a wrong choice or be a sucker. Yet, this isn't just about our dilemmas when making serious choices like selecting a pension plan or an insurance plan, a holiday destination, an educational board for one's ward or a doctor to consult. Why, sometimes it gets so difficult simply to decide which pair of jeans one should buy. There's slim fit, easy fit, relaxed fit and, of course, baggy and extra baggy. Choose among them, but there's still the fabric: should it be stone-washed, acid-washed or 'distressed'? Finally, will it be button-fly or zipper-fly? My conclusion: we've become addicted to variety, which is really many, many versions of the same thing. And they call this variety the spice of life!



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You