VILVAM (BEL)

This is the latest picture of the Vilvam plant that I have planted in my house. For this year's Margzhali, I can be rest assured that I will the Vilvam leaf for my Sivalingam everyday.

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EDUCATION

The 3rd term holidays has just started, and my children have been in their joyous mood. My eldest daughter will be starting her Standard 1 in Jan next year and my youngest daughter will be attending her 2nd year in Kindergarten.

How fast they grow…….. I hope, we can fulfill the role entrusted to us to educate them, with the blessings of my Guru and the Almighty…..

Swami Vivekananda points out, Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested all your life. We must have life-building, man-making and character-making assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated five ideas and made that your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a hole library.

Swami also said Education, education, education alone! Traveling through many cities of Europe and observing in them the comforts and education of even the poor people, there was brought to my mind the state of our own poor people, and I used to shed tears. What made the difference? Education was the answer I got. Through education comes faith in one’s own self, and through faith on one’s own self, the inherent Brahman is waking up in them, while the Brahman in us is gradually becoming dormant.

Please bless and guide us through this journey………

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YOGA

Today, there are many misleading information regarding YOGA. As for me, I do not accept any other explanation other than from my Holy Trio’s saying.

Below is what Swami Vivekananda have explained in regards to YOGA.


FOUR PATHS OF YOGA

(Written by the Swami during his first visit to America in answer to questions put by a Western disciple.)

Our main problem is to be free. It is evident then that until we realise ourselves as the Absolute, we cannot attain to deliverance. Yet there are various ways of attaining to this realisation. These methods have the generic name of Yoga (to join, to join ourselves to our reality). These Yogas, though divided into various groups, can principally be classed into four; and as each is only a method leading indirectly to the realisation of the Absolute, they are suited to different temperaments. Now it must be remembered that it is not that the assumed man becomes the real man or Absolute. There is no becoming with the Absolute. It is ever free, ever perfect; but the ignorance that has covered Its nature for a time is to be removed. Therefore the whole scope of all systems of Yoga (and each religion represents one) is to clear up this ignorance and allow the Âtman to restore its own nature. The chief helps in this liberation are Abhyâsa and Vairâgya. Vairagya is non-attachment to life, because it is the will to enjoy that brings all this bondage in its train; and Abhyasa is constant practice of any one of the Yogas.

Karma-Yoga. Karma-Yoga is purifying the mind by means of work. Now if any work is done, good or bad, it must produce as a result a good or bad effect; no power can stay it, once the cause is present. Therefore good action producing good Karma, and bad action, bad Karma, the soul will go on in eternal bondage without ever hoping for deliverance. Now Karma belongs only to the body or the mind, never to the Atman (Self); only it can cast a veil before the Atman. The veil cast by bad Karma is ignorance. Good Karma has the power to strengthen the moral powers. And thus it creates non-attachment; it destroys the tendency towards bad Karma and thereby purifies the mind. But if the work is done with the intention of enjoyment, it then produces only that very enjoyment and does not purify the mind or Chitta. Therefore all work should be done without any desire to enjoy the fruits thereof. All fear and all desire to enjoy here or hereafter must be banished for ever by the Karma-Yogi. Moreover, this Karma without desire of return will destroy the selfishness, which is the root of all bondage. The watchword of the Karma-Yogi is "not I, but Thou", and no amount of self-sacrifice is too much for him. But he does this without any desire to go to heaven, or gain name or fame or any other benefit in this world. Although the explanation and rationale of this unselfish work is only in Jnâna-Yoga, yet the natural divinity of man makes him love all sacrifice simply for the good of others, without any ulterior motive, whatever his creed or opinion. Again, with many the bondage of wealth is very great; and Karma-Yoga is absolutely necessary for them as breaking the crystallisation that has gathered round their love of money.

Next is Bhakti-Yoga. Bhakti or worship or love in some form or other is the easiest, pleasantest, and most natural way of man. The natural state of this universe is attraction; and that is surely followed by an ultimate disunion. Even so, love is the natural impetus of union in the human heart; and though itself a great cause of misery, properly directed towards the proper object, it brings deliverance. The object of Bhakti is God. Love cannot be without a subject and an object. The object of love again must be at first a being who can reciprocate our love. Therefore the God of love must be in some sense a human God. He must be a God of love. Aside from the question whether such a God exists or not, it is a fact that to those who have love in their heart this Absolute appears as a God of love, as personal.

The lower forms of worship, which embody the idea of God as a judge or punisher or someone to be obeyed through fear, do not deserve to be called love, although they are forms of worship gradually expanding into higher forms. We pass on to the consideration of love itself. We will illustrate love by a triangle, of which the first angle at the base is fearlessness. So long as there is fear, it is not love. Love banishes all fear. A mother with her baby will face a tiger to save her child. The second angle is that love never asks, never begs. The third or the apex is that love loves for the sake of love itself. Even the idea of object vanishes. Love is the only form in which love is loved. This is the highest abstraction and the same as the Absolute.

Next is Râja-Yoga. This Yoga fits in with every one of these Yogas. It fits inquirers of all classes with or without any belief, and it is the real instrument of religious inquiry. As each science has its particular method of investigation, so is this Raja-Yoga the method of religion. This science also is variously applied according to various constitutions. The chief parts are the Prânâyâma, concentration, and meditation. For those who believe in God, a symbolical name, such as Om or other sacred words received from a Guru, will be very helpful. Om is the greatest, meaning the Absolute. Meditating on the meaning of these holy names while repeating them is the chief practice.

Next is Jnâna-Yoga. This is divided into three parts. First: hearing the truth — that the Atman is the only reality and that everything else is Mâyâ (relativity). Second: reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view. Third: giving up all further argumentation and realising the truth. This realisation comes from (1) being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal; (2) giving up all desire for enjoyment; (3) controlling the senses and the mind; (4) intense desire to be free. Meditating on this reality always and reminding the soul of its real nature are the only ways in this Yoga. It is the highest, but most difficult. Many persons get an intellectual grasp of it, but very few attain realisation.

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CUMMIN

This is a cumin (known as jeera) plant at my garden.This is yet another important spice in Indian cooking.The flower are yellow and is beautiful. The seeds are used as whole or powedered. I have also used the leaves in salads and also in curries and it does taste good. This is a very easy to grow. Just soak the seed in water for about 1 hr and sow into the soil, simple as that........

Below are some useful information from http://www.ayurhelp.com/plants/Cumin-jeera.htm

According to ayurveda jeera exhibits the following medicinal properties :

• It reduces superficial inflammation and pain.
• Apart from kindling appetite, it digests food and normalizes vata in digestive system.
• Reduces pain experienced during indigestion, flatulence or heaviness of stomach .
• It purifies blood
• Cumin seeds act on female reproductive system by reducing inflammation of uterus.
• It is eulogized for its galactogog properties. (Increases milk production in lactating mothers).
• As it normalizes vata and kapha it acts as an aphrodesiac.
• It is a skin friendly herb and reduces itching.

Home remedies using jeera

• A fine paste of cumin seeds (cumin seeds ground with water), when applied on boils or aching body parts gives relief from pain.
• Water boiled with ground jeera has to be given regularly to lactating mothers. This increases breast milk and reduces inflammation of uterus.
• Boil ground jeera in water and allow it to cool down. Add a pinch of cardamom to filtered jeera water. Gargling with this flavored water helps to keep the mouth fresh, heals mouth ulcers and eliminates foul smell.
• Roast jeera without oil till it warm. Grind this to a fine powder along with rock salt. Massage gums with this powder. This helps to prevent bleeding from gums and strengthens them.
• Boil a tea spoon of jeera in a glass of water, allow it to cool. Consuming this water frequently relieves indigestion and flatulence.
• Consuming powdered jeera with honey reduces colic pain and reduces diarrhea caused due to indigestion.
• A tea prepared by boiling cumin seeds and a small piece of fresh ginger help to give relief in common cold.
• Mix a spoon of ground roasted cumin seeds ,½ spoon of fresh ginger juice and a pinch of salt in a glass of butter milk. Frequent consumption of this butter milk helps to relieve piles and sooths inflamed intestine.
• Patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome can use pomegranate juice mixed with roasted and ground jeera powder. This helps to reduce frequency of stools and sooths colon.

Precaution has to be taken while roasting cumin seeds .Cumin seeds have to be roasted in low heat till it becomes warm and should be taken off from stove when it is sufficiently warm to touch. This precaution helps to prevent the escape of volatile compounds of jeera.

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Home Garden

Coriander leave Purlpe long brinjal Red spinach

The above are the latest from the garden...

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THE CUP

What would you do when you are stressed and frustrated with something that did not work out the way you have planned out? Will you go to the SPA, take a vacation or go for shopping or spend the time cursing ..This is what many would do, however for me I will head to either the garden or read Swami Vivekananda’s or Sri Sarada Ma’s book…..


The Cup

This is your cup -- the cup assigned
to you from the beginning.
Nay, My child, I know how much
of that dark drink is your own brew
Of fault and passion, ages long ago,
In the deep years of yesterday, I know.

This is your road -- a painful road and drear.
I made the stones that never give you rest.
I set your friend in pleasant ways and clear,
And he shall come like you, unto My breast.
But you, My child, must travel here.


This is your task. It has no joy nor grace,
But it is not meant for any other hand,
And in My universe hath measured place,
Take it. I do not bid you understand.
I bid you close your eyes to see My face.

- Swami Vivekananda


Will provide the narrative of this poem soon….

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