K O S M I C

J O U R N E Y

THE MONTHLY E-MAGAZINE

For Mind, Body and Soul

September 2012 ISSUE

A Perspective across Generations

DEALING WITH STRESS

The Doorway to Bliss

DETACHMENT

Bringing in awareness

MYTHS OF MEDITATION

Truly Inspiring story A Chat with Sudha Chandran

© Copyright 2011, “All Rights Reserved* www.anewlifefoundation.com, www.kosmicjourney.com

Founder’s Note

Dear Friends,

I’d like to share with you something that I have been focusing on, with great passion and enthusiasm, and also with great success

- Using our Breath to re-pattern our mind-body systems. We have a natural ability within each one of us to react to stress in a

healthy and resourceful way, and this mechanism is through use of our breath. Our mind can do only one thing at a time – either

focus on the innumerable stressful thoughts coming and going every moment, destabilizing us emotionally and draining us

physically; or it can observe the breath. It is a well established fact that we can change or re-pattern our mind-body systems

through breath observation, which is also known as Conscious Breathing or Energy Breathing. Practicing certain breathing

movements result in an automatic unconscious tendency to remain free and clear, calm and creative, conscious and loving, to be

naturally flowing even under the most difficult conditions, and in the midst of the most stressful situations. We can develop the

ability to experience freedom and clarity, even when tested by physically uncomfortable or emotionally disturbing events, or when

caught in negative or limiting thoughts. In other words, we can use the breath to wake up to who we really are, and to remember

why we are here, especially in those moments when we need to the most. Something very remarkable happens in us when our

breathing automatically responds in certain ways to stressful events. Something extraordinary happens in us when a

different breathing response than usual is automatically triggered by stressful thoughts, events, or situations. Something amazing

happens in us when certain new breathing responses become the habit of our system. When we train certain resourceful

breathing reflexes into our system, we don’t have to think about being loving or kind, we don’t have to try to be patient or

understanding, we don’t have to focus on being calm or creative: we automatically and naturally tend to feel and behave in these

ways! It’s simply a matter of skill and practice. I made these breathing movements an important part of SKY Healing Technique,

which I have developed after a lot of research and meditation. I wish that all of you should take advantage of this brilliant yet easy

to learn ability within us, and make the most of life.

Remember to meditate, exercise and have healthy diet on a regular basis. Drink lots of water.

I wish you all the best.

Love and Peace,

Santosh Joshi

~ Kahlil Gibran ~

Editor’s Note …..………..4

Detachment- The doorway to

Bliss ……………………….5 By Priyanka Ghode

Students Exchange

Programme

An experience of

lifetime……..................7 By Rudra Chauhan

SKY Healing

Workshop experience

By Madhu Sahoo……….9

We do reap, What we sow

………………………………10 By Anuya Agnihotri

Myths of Meditation……….12 By Jyotsna Nair

Tete-a-tete with Sudha

chandran……………..14 An interview with Sudha

Chandran

Dealing with stress

A perspective across

Generations…………..17 By Col. Rakesh Pedram

A path of my own……..21

By Aekta Kapoor

Science of Mudras……22

By Nalini Jethwani

Food for Body, Mind and

soul……….…………… 23

Disclaimer : The contents of this E-Magazine are the thoughts / views of the contributors / writers herein. Any similarity with

contents of any other magazines or books is purely coincidental, unless stated otherwise. Those thoughts / views are not

necessarily the views of the owners of this e-magazine.

Copyright : All the content, intellectual ideas and graphics of this E-Magazine is the sole property of the owners of

www.kosmicjourney.com. Any copying or transferring or outside using of this material, unless authorised by the owners, will be seen

as a breach of this Copyright and will be treated accordingly.

© Copyright 2011, “All Rights Reserved* www.anewlifefoundation.com, www.kosmicjourney.com

The Monthly E-Magazine September 2012 issue

For Mind, Body and Soul

Editor’s Note

It would be great to hear from you or receive your feedback or comments on this effort. Please feel free to contact us through my email id

editor@kosmicjourney.com if you have any suggestions to improve this e-magazine. We really hope that you find this of some value

towards improving and enriching your journey of life.

~ 3 ~

FOUNDER : Santosh Joshi

EDITOR : Aruna Joshi ASSOCIATE EDITOR : Jyotsna

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE : Madhu, Preeti, Santa

PUBLISHER : New Life Foundation DESIGN BY : New Life Foundation

Dear Friends,

Welcome back. I hope you all are liking the issues of your e-

magazine Kosmic Journey. We would really appreciate your

feedback regarding the same .

As we are moving towards Dec 2012, we are all experiencing a

lot of energy shifts in and around our life. It has already started

showing its effects in the form of increased number of natural

calamities such as recent earthquakes in china and Costa Rica

and the very noticeable changes in the global climate. The

energy shift are sometimes so strong that they completely

uproot you out of your emotional stability. People are simply

going crazy, not able to comprehend, exactly why and where

things are going wrong. The flip side of the whole scenario is

that more and more people have started getting a pull towards

spirituality, self introspection and self discovery. The more you

are on this path, the more you feel protected and at peace.

As they say, “ whatever you resist, persists” . It is true in every

aspect of life. Say, If we resist anger it persists; if we resist

hate, it persists; and so on. The best way to deal with these

negative emotions is to make peace with them, to acknowledge

them. You may tell yourselves, “it is perfectly ok to be angry”,

and by doing so, these negative emotions will simply vanish.

Try and apply this concept. It works like magic, and helps to

stay in peace with yourself. This is the time of change and any

change always brings a lot of upheavals along with it. So to sail

through it smoothly, we need to learn to deal with our emotions

in a positive way.

Love, Peace and Light….

~ 4 ~

To subscribe to this monthly E-Magazine and receive it in your inbox every month,

just visit our website www.anewlifefoundation.com and fill in the subscription form

Do you like this e-magazine..? Then write to us at editor@kosmicjourney.com

Subscription

is

~ 5 ~

Detachment The Doorway to

Bliss

Priyanka Ghode Pune, India

Detachment is an inner state of calmness and being

uninvolved on the emotional and mental planes. It is definitely

not indifference. People who are indifferent, do not care about

anything, and are not active and initiative. Real detachment

means inner strength, and the ability to function calmly and

with full inner control under all circumstances. A detached

person is not harassed and hurried, and can do everything with

concentration and attention, thus insuring a successful

outcome of his actions.

People who possess emotional and mental detachment can be

very active and caring, though they accept calmly whatever

happens. Such people accept the good and the bad equally,

because they enjoy inner balance and peace.

If they cannot do or change something, it does not disturb their

peace of mind. If they are convinced of the importance of some

action, they will pursue it whole-heartedly, and can ignore

distractions easily. If they succeed with what they do, that is

fine, and if they don't, they will either try again or forget the

matter and move to something else.

Count the number of times you got emotionally involved in

something against your will and better judgment. How many

times have you got angry, frustrated or disappointed? How

many times have your moods swung high and low? Each time

you tell yourself that next time you will stay cool and calm, and

yet each time you forget what you said.

When it comes to personal affairs, it is hard to stay emotionally

uninvolved. You get involved, and this is quite natural,

otherwise life would have been boring. Involvement makes life

ticking and active. However, it is advisable to develop at least

some detachment, as this will help you in many situations.

Detachment is important in daily life, in the pursuit of ambitions

and on the spiritual path. It is important to everyone, whether

pursuing spirituality or material success. Every spiritual

tradition speaks about detachment, but detachment cannot be

confined only to spirituality.

What happens when somebody says to you something that

you do not like? You will probably become angry, unhappy or

insulted. Why is this so? Because you value other's people

words and opinions more than you value your own thoughts

and opinions of yourself. You let other's people thoughts;

words and actions influence your happiness, actions and

reactions. Your happiness and actions depend on them.

On the other hand, if you are able to stay detached, you will not

be disturbed. You will stay calm. You will even be able to

benefit from what they say. You will not waste hours thinking

about their words. Emotional detachment would not necessarily

make your life problems-free. You will still encounter disturbing

circumstances and disturbing people, because this is part of

life. However, your attitude toward them, your state of mind,

and the way you react would change.

Have you ever thought, how much time and energy are wasted

every day, brooding on useless thoughts and feelings, due to

lack of detachment? Much of the anger, frustration,

unhappiness and disappointments are due to lack of

detachment.

One of the ways to develop detachment is through meditation.

In meditation, one endeavors not to follow the thoughts and

feelings that arise. Meditating day after day, develops the habit

of staying calm and emotionally detached, not only during

meditation, but also in everyday life.

If you practice any kind of meditation, sooner or later, you will

start to experience detachment. You will find that you feel and

behave in a different way under circumstances that previously

raised anger or agitation. You will find that you can handle your

daily affairs of life in a calm and relaxed way.

~ 6 ~

Emotional agitation, anger, and hurt feelings, cause stress and

unhappiness, and lead nowhere, except to more pain, suffering

and broken relationships. They disturb your mind, disrupt your

concentration, and prevent you from focusing on the matters at

hand. If you wish to enjoy inner peace, it is imperative that you

try to gain at least some degree of detachment.

Emotional involvement leads to attachment, to fear of letting

go, and to avoiding changes. If you wish progress in life, you

need at least some degree of emotional detachment, otherwise

you let people and events, your thoughts and your past, tie you

down.

"Letting Go”

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring; it means I can't do it for someone else.

To "let go" is not to cut myself off; it's the realization I can't control another.

To "let go" is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To "let go" is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another; it's to make the most of myself.

To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.

To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To "let go" is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To "let go" is not to be protective; it's to permit another to face reality.

To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.

To "let go" is not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To "let go" is not to criticize and regulate anybody, but to try to become what I dream I can be.

To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To "let go" is to not regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To "let go" is to fear less and love myself more.

~ 7 ~

STUDENT EXCHANGE

PROGRAMME A Life-time Experience

Rudra Chauhan Mumbai, India

I first heard of the Student Exchange Programme, through a

session in my school, done by an organization named AFS

(American Field Service. In the beginning, it did not make

much sense to me. But when I was given the details of the

programme, I was intrigued and excited.

A Student Exchange program is something that is formed by

the mutual co-operation between the governments of two

countries. It is a program whereby, a certain number of

students are selected through a strict and tough process of

selection. The selected participants are sent to a foreign

country that they have applied for, for a certain period of time

that the program offers. There they stay with a family selected

by a similar kind of selection process. They also study in a

school in that foreign country. They learn their culture, their

religion, their education, their lifestyle; simultaneously they

teach the culture of their home country to the people they meet

there. So indirectly, this is an exchange; but at a greater level

of culture and lifestyle. The selection process is tough and

strict as the students are ambassadors of the country. There

are many programs that one can opt for- a full scholarship

program, a partial-scholarship program, or a no-scholarship

program. For a full-scholarship program , the options of

countries to choose from are less, for a partial scholarship

program, there are more options of countries to choose from,

and for a no scholarship program, the options are aplenty.

Then what if we have problems in that foreign country? No

worries; the organization through which you will get selected,

will make sure that there is a counselor arranged for you over

there. So that if you have problems, you can discuss it with the

counselor and the counselor can help you out with a solution.

I immediately made a decision to apply for the full-scholarship

program called YES (Youth Exchange and Study). However,

although I had made up my mind, I soon realized that I would

have to convince my parents as without their permission and

co-operation, I won’t be able to apply for this program. I talked

with them the same evening and tried to convince them.

Initially, they gave excuses on how I won’t be able to adjust

myself in some other country on my own; with no known

person around me. However, I saw their faces and I

understood that basically they didn’t want me to go away from

them; and it is completely reasonable for them to do that. I

reasoned with them that such opportunities don’t come very

often in one’s life and that I had to take a leap of faith and just

let it all go.

They also doubted whether I would get selected for this

program in the first place ! But later on, when they heard that I

was the only boy from the entire city who was selected, they

were amazed. My father was so proud by this achievement that

he was completely convinced. Although my mother was happy

for me, she was also a little sad that her son would be going

away for a year. But then in the end, she slowly started settling

down to the idea that it was for my betterment.

Before leaving for US, I had attended a couple of orientations

organized by AFS. From those orientations I thought that my

upcoming year would be a challenge, but then I said to myself,

“What’s life without any challenge!”

When I finally reached US, it initially felt very weird. Everything

felt very new and very nice. I was also kind of nervous to face

the new, and was excited for the upcoming year. I felt strange;

I was full of mixed feelings. I landed in New York and then from

there I had my connecting flight to Washington D.C. There I

had another orientation. But this time, it wasn’t just me and my

fellow Indian Exchange students, but students from other

countries too. The three day orientation was one of the most

amazing times I have had in America. After that, I flew to my

host city; Phoenix, Arizona.

~ 8 ~

The AFS Group

“Having children makes you no more a parent than having a piano makes you a pianist”

~ Michael Levine ~

~ Alvin Price ~

I did not know how Arizona was. However, as I was about to

reach Phoenix, when I looked outside the window from the

airplane, I was shocked; what I saw was a desert ! This was

something I had not expected from Arizona. However, I kept

telling myself that it wouldn’t be that bad. But, the moment I

stepped out of the airport, I feel this boiling hot weather around

me and I start thinking, “Have I entered an oven or what!? This

is horrendous.” And I was in a bad mood for a couple of weeks.

However, my host parents were very nice to me and I start

settling down after a month or two. Later on, I apologized to

them for not being in a good mood and not mingling in the way

I should have. However, there is a phrase in Hindi that

describes this situation perfectly, “Subah ka bhula agar shyam

ko ghar aaye, toh usse bhula nahi kehte!” That’s how my host

parents thought and accepted my apologies.

The next couple of months went fantastic until December when

it really started to drop down for me. This was the period when

everything that was new to me started to get usual or old; and

that’s when I started to miss things about India. Whenever I

would see a bus, I would remember the BEST buses and the

fun-time I had in them. Whenever, I would go to school, I would

remember the everyday effort of going to school on a cycle and

the fun-time I had in school. My host parents were trying their

best to bring me out of my home-sickness. But it wasn’t

enough I guess. There were times when I would forget about

home because I would get busy in doing something. But in

general it was the home-sickness month.

Then January went the same way, and it was mid-February

when I realized that now I have only four months left until I get

back to India. And I said to myself, “I think I should try to make

most out of every moment of my life.” And then it was back to

the happy mood whereby I am trying to enjoy as much as I can

because this is not going to come in my life again.

As June came in the way, it was time for a trip to Iowa and

Connecticut which my host parents had planned at the very

beginning of the year. That trip was a very memorable one.

One of the best things that occurred was that, in Connecticut,

the brother of my host father said, “You have to visit us again

because now you are a part of our family.” This was special as

I had hardly spent a week with them. That’s when I came to

know the true value of this exchange program. You don’t just

learn about other cultures and teach your culture to others, but

you also become a part of a family and remain the same

forever.

As the time of returning back to India came closer, I was

having mixed feelings; on one hand I was excited to get back

home, whereas on the other hand I was getting sad too as I

was going to miss my family, my friends and my life in America.

When I left US, it was a poignant moment. I felt the sorrow of

leaving my host family, although I didn’t let it show it on my

face as I am not an emotionally expressive person.

When I returned back, my family told me of how much they

missed me whilst I was away ; that they would remember me in

almost all the activities that they did. I was happy to be back

home.

Now when someone says to me, “What’s the big deal in being

an exchange student?” I tell them, that it has enriched my life,

having seen and experienced a different country. Staying away

from the comforts of home and family has taught me to be self-

reliant. The experience cannot fully be expressed in words, it

has to be experienced and lived and I am indeed fortunate to

have been a Foreign Exchange Student.

“If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine

it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in

ourselves. ~ C.G. Jung ~

~ 9 ~

Madhu Sahoo, Mumbai, India

I had heard the phrase “sky is the limit” several times before,

but practicing the SKY technique has given the phrase an

entire new meaning to me. When I decided to participate in the

SKY workshop, it was both out of curiosity and the need for the

desperately sought after ‘peace of mind’ that was lacking in my

life. Some experiences in life leave us gasping for breath and

no amount of kind words or advice is good enough to soothe

the pain.

The workshop experience itself was very fascinating - full of

wit, humor and knowledge like all the workshops conducted by

Santosh are. My moment of revelation came when we were

informed by Santosh that we had to practice the SKY

Technique for 21 days without a break. Consistency and I are

antonyms; if I were told to brush my teeth for 21days

continuously I would probably miss a day just trying to keep a

track of the dates. Although I was not too cheerful about the 21

days of continuous practice, I knew deep within that this was

much needed and I have full faith on Santosh. He reassuringly

said to me at the end of the workshop “just keep faith and do it,

don’t think too much. Enjoy the experience of the technique.”

And I did just that. He did not even ask for a feedback, I guess

as a mentor he knew already that the experience will speak for

itself and it did!

In the first five days, I felt like a blanket of energy was wrapped

around me each time I completed the technique. I have always

had problems with sleep, and that was one of the first changes

I noticed about myself. I would fall asleep within ten minutes of

completing the technique at night. In the last 21 days I have

calmed down substantially. The calming effect is a very

positive change in me, as it is helping me become a good and

patient listener (those who know me know what I’m talking

about). I feel this sudden surge of protective energy around

me and I’m no longer afraid. The visualization part of the

technique is the best part, in my opinion. It is like watching a

movie. I never thought I could picture things so clearly. The

best part is I have become a more positive person after the 21

days of SKY. I feel like an overhaul has taken place from within

and something wonderful has blossomed.

To say that I’m grateful to Santosh Joshi would be an

understatement. I cannot describe in words the Gratitude I feel

towards him for introducing me to the SKY Technique. I can

only say this about the SKY Technique, “when the student is

ready, the master will appear.” So if you are truly ready and

looking for peace, a newfound energy, happiness and positivity

in your life then you MUST try out the SKY Technique.

SKY Healing

WORKSHOP

EXPERIENCE

SKY Healing Highlights of SKY

• SKY is a new age healing technique which makes use of one’s own energy meridians and breath as a powerful tool.

• This technique is extremely potent and powerful.

• It is a combination of ancient therapies with modern healing practices.

• SKY technique is short; however, even in a short time this technique has the effect of deep meditation.

• This technique has the potential of bringing harmony in our body, mind and soul.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SKY HEALING CONTACT : +91 9820401670 /+91 9820500427

OR SEND AN EMAIL TO santosh@anewlifefoundation.com

~ 10 ~

We Do Reap, What We Sow

Anuya Agnihotri Marlborough,

Massachusetts, USA

This biblical quotation is just one way of expressing a

fundamental truth about the Universe. If we do not change our

ways, we will reap the whirlwind. Parenting is somewhat

similar. Parenting is an extremely tenacious, fiercely

competitive and highly accomplished job. It is arguably the

biggest battle of a parent's life.

Most parents claim that raising a child is like “ Planting and

Caring for a Tree" as it can be likened to a tree that is grown

from a seed. When a seed is planted, it needs to be nurtured

constantly, until it is established as a sapling. Precisely, babies

need constant care and attention in order to grow into

responsible children. Once the tree is established, it still needs

to be watered day after day. If you not do so; the plant would

probably not survive. Similarly children should be nurtured so

that they become established individuals. Although, they would

need excessive care and the need to be 'watered' everyday in

order to shine in the sunlight of the Universe. While it’s true

that the apple rarely tumbles too far from the tree, it is also true

that there are a multitude of things we as parents can do to

raise a healthy and happy child. We might not be able to help

the variety of our branches, but we are the ones who control

the nutrients in their soil and the sunlight in their sky.

Even making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to

decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside

your body all your life. Having a child is surely the most

beautiful act that two people in love can commit; whether the

child is biological or not. But being a part of that act is

somehow synonymous with being an eternally available source

of perfection and nothing less.

In the Law of Karma ,what you get back is what you put out,

and same is the case with parenting. So be loving, give love,

have loving thoughts, become love and love will come back to

you. The most important job is to love and be truly interested in

your children. This not only gives them a sense of security,

belonging, and support, but also soothes the difficulties of

childhood. Love should be constant and unconditional--love

must always be there, even when the child is behaving terribly.

The parent should express and show their love openly so that

the

children never doubt its presence. Here I must quote a

generous contribution from a mother who is friend of mine. She

said, "My son is 4 years old and is very adamant. Sometimes

he throws tantrums by flinging himself on the floor, writhing and

screaming until he makes himself sick. So what we do is hold

him firmly, calm him down until his rage melts into tears, cradle

him but never insist on overpowering him. As the tantrum lasts,

it does no good to argue or scold or even try a reason, so we

let that moment go and wait patiently." She indeed does the

right thing so that later on, the child should not feel shameful

for having thrown a tantrum.

The goal as a parent is to help your child feel competent and

confident, and help them to develop a sense of passion and

purpose. The journey of both the child and the parents travel

through certain phases, which begins at childbirth, weaves

through infancy, toddles on through childhood and moves in fits

& starts through adolescence, on into adulthood. For both of

them this journey is full of adventures, and this adventure is

mutual.

~ 11 ~

Discipline is an essential preparation for the outside world. It

will make your child happier and better behaved. Discipline

means establishing and adhering to rules of behaviour. The

parents should stress the importance of giving a clear direction

and making sure that the children comply with the rules of

conduct. It is better to use positive statements and say "Do

this" more often than "Don't do that." It is essential to punish

the child when you say you will. Be firm saying what you will do

and doing what you have said. Punish them as soon as

possible after the bad behaviour. Don't lay the burden on your

spouse saying, "Wait till your father (or mother) gets home!"

Mother Theresa quotes, "Everybody today seems to be in such

a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater

riches and so on, so they have very little time with their

parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the

home begins the disruption of the peace of the world." So,

when you are in the presence of a child, you have to behave

like a child as the child is going to observe every move of yours

and try to repeat it. We are really never going to understand

human nature until we know why a child on a merry-go-round

will wave at his parents every time it goes around - and why his

parents will always wave back. Parents can only give good

advice or put their children on the right paths, but the final

forming of a person's character lies in their own hands. Every

child has unique gifts and talents. These special attributes can

show up in a traditional school setting, but there are plenty of

children who shine after the final bell has rung for the day.

Nevertheless, Parents are like a potter, how they mould their

children decides the destiny of the child.

Once a young man came to a revered teacher, who was

seated under a tree near a beautiful lake, and asked for the

solution for his unhappiness. After some minutes of

conversation the old master kindly instructed the visitor to put a

handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink a few

mouthfuls.

“How does it taste?” the teacher asked. “Awful,” said the

apprentice after he had spat out the revolting liquid a few

paces away. The teacher chuckled and then asked the young

man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The

two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the

youngster swirled his handful of salt into the lake, the old man

told him, “Now drink from the lake.”

As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master

asked him again, “How does it taste?” “Good!” he replied. “Do

you taste the salt?” asked the Master. “No,” said the young

man. The Master sat beside the troubled youth, took his hands,

and said, “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The

amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But

the level of ‘pain we taste’ depends on the container we put it

into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to

enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a

lake.

And you can become a lake where you broaden your outlook;

when you stop looking only at yourself and your own miseries.

Look at life as a whole and the many things without which you

would not be what you are today – your friends, family,

hobbies, nature around you.

When you are confronted with a problem, you see only the

problem and ruminate over it endlessly which only makes the

situation more tragic. Think of previous instances when things

were better. Look at all the blessings that God has filled your

life with about which you never give a thought.

Never compare yourself negatively with others. You are a

unique person and if you have the faith, God will provide what

you need. When you have a pain in your life, put it in front of

GOD – then it will surely lessen. Do not put it in front of

yourself – as you cannot see beyond it.

God is Infinite. Tap this source, with confidence.

The young man left, and his viewpoint on his problems had

totally changed. As the saying goes:

“Tell your problems how big your God Is.”

Dissolving the bitterness of Life - An inspiring story

When Buddha was on his death bed he noticed his young disciple Anan

was weeping.

“Why are you weeping, Anan?” he asked.

“Because the light of the world is about to be extinguished and we will be

in darkness.”

The Buddha summoned up all his remaining energy and spoke what

were to be his final words on earth..

“Anan, Anan, be a light unto yourself...”

~ Buddha’s final words ~

~ 12 ~

Myths of

Meditation Jyotsna Nair Mumbai, India

Freedom is instantaneous the moment we accept things as

they are. ~ Karen Maezen Miller

Meditation is often considered as a worship or prayer. But it is

not so. Meditation is awareness. Whatever you do with

awareness is meditation. As long as any activity is free from

any distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.

Meditation serves many purposes, from stress relief to self-

awakening. Personally, I started meditating because I was fed

up with my mind working overtime. I wanted peace, and

through meditating regularly I have become less focused on

the movement of my mind and more aware of the pristine

peace that is always present.

Despite meditation being so simple, and having such big

rewards, there are some myths about meditation that can

stop people getting started or make them quit before they get

to reap the benefits possible from meditating regularly.

The top 10 myths of meditation myths are:

Myth 1: Mediation is difficult.

When practiced correctly, meditation can be the easiest and

the most enjoyable thing you ever do. For something to be

difficult, it requires effort, struggle, stress and stamina.

However, the truth is that meditation requires the exact

opposite. There is no effort because you are learning how to

do nothing. There is no struggle because you are not forcing

anything. There is no stress because you are not resisting

anything, and there is no need for stamina because the main

purpose of meditation is to relax.

Myth 2: I must still my mind

“I can’t meditate because I can’t stop my thoughts” is one of

the most common reasons I hear from people who’ve tried

meditation but quit. However, what’s important to understand

is that thoughts are a natural (and necessary) part of

meditation. When you meditate, your body gets rest. When

the body rests, it heals. Healing is an active process—stress

is released and healing is being undertaken. Due to the

mind-body connection, activity in your body is reflected by

activity in your mind—in the form of thoughts.

Thoughts are therefore a sign that healing is taking place in

your body. Healing your nervous system is a fantastic by-

product of meditation. It is not useful to resist having thoughts

when meditating. To resist thoughts is to resist healing.

Instead, let the healing process happen, as it naturally wants

to, by not resisting the existence of thoughts. Let them come

and go by learning to be at peace with whatever thoughts

want to happen when you are meditating.

Myth 3 : Meditation takes hours of time

Studies have shown results that meditating only twenty

minutes daily can improve concentration immensely and bring

about positive changes in a person. There are meditations

that take even less time than twenty minutes. As an example,

if you let your eyes focus on nothing for just two minutes, this

allows the brain to clear and helps to re-center focus. This

technique is good for clearing the mind while

working. Meditation can last for a short time or a long amount

of time. It all depends on what the person whishes to

accomplish through meditation. It is said that the minimum

time in minutes one should spend daily in meditation for a

perfect mental and physical body is equal to one’s age.

However, more the duration of a session, deeper would be

the state of meditation.

Myth 4: Meditation stops when I open my eyes.

Most of your day will be spent with your eyes open so

thankfully the little flaps of skin that you call your eyelids do

not need to impact your peace. Peace is experienced when

you put your attention on the still silent space that resides

within your conscious awareness. You can direct your

attention with your eyes open and closed. One “goal” of

meditation is to develop the habit of effortlessly having some

of your attention looking inward on the presence of still silent

space at all times. Eyes open or closed—it need not matter.

~ 13 ~

Sunday Group Meditation What : 1 hour group meditation

When : Every Sunday At 8.30 Am

Where : At Kandivali (East), Mumbai

Please let us know on the following contact details if you

would like to join

Mobile : +91 9820401670 / 9820500427

Email : santosh@anewlifefoundation.com

Myth 5 : Meditation requires a professional guide

Another common misconception is that in order to meditate

one must be professionally trained on how to do so.

Meditation is a very personal experience, and while one could

meditate through a guide, this is not necessary.

Myth 6 : Meditation can be done only in the morning

Meditation can be done at anytime during the day or night.

Any time is right time for Meditation. However, early

mornings are the best, as we would be fresh after a night’s

sleep. It is preferable to set the same time daily for

meditation, as then the mind and body gets tuned to that

particular time.

Myth 7 : Meditation is Contemplation

Many times, the term meditate is used for deep contemplation

or reflect / ponder upon something. Meditation is beyond

contemplation state, and happens when the mind stops

thinking.

Myth 8: If thoughts are okay, then it’s good to think.

Although having thoughts is OK, I am not recommending

you intentionally think your way through every meditation.

There is a big difference between having thoughts and

thinking.

When you are meditating, you want to let thoughts flow

through your awareness without engaging in them through

the act of thinking. Thinking occurs when you

stop observing your thoughts and you start being your

thoughts. When you are thinking, you are in the thought

stream. You are in the dream. Engaged in the story of your

mind, you are having an imaginary conversation with your

friend, planning what you’re going to have for dinner, or

whatever. Thinking is very similar to falling asleep. When you

are thinking, you are essentially lost in your mind. You are no

longer present, nor consciously aware of your Real Self.

Thinking is a habit you learn to do less of through the regular

practice of meditation.

Be gentle on yourself if you find yourself thinking when

meditating. It’s just a habit. When you become aware that

you’ve been thinking, simply come back to being alert and

present.

Myth 9 : Meditation is Chanting

Meditation is many times misunderstood as chanting or

repeating a mantra or an affirmation. As a matter of fact,

Meditation is stilling all the activities of the mind. Chanting

may sometimes be used to begin meditation as it helps in

making the mind still, however meditation starts only when

chanting stops.

Myth 10 : It takes a long time to enjoy any benefits.

You start benefiting from meditation from the moment you

begin. You might not experience immediate peace or joy, but

your body will get a chance to rest, release stored stress, and

heal.

This myth reminds me of a story. A 70-year-old man wanted

to learn to play piano. His son questioned what the point was

because it takes so long to learn. However, the piano-playing

pensioner wasn’t persuaded to quit. Instead, he simply told

his son that if he started now he’d be a much better piano

player by age 75 than if he didn’t start at all. I love this story

because it is very much the same for meditation. It may take

a little time to experience highly noticeable changes. But if

you start, and keep doing it regularly, you can be sure you will

be experiencing much more peace, love, and happiness over

the coming months and years, compared to if you never start

at all.

~ 14 ~

Tete-a-tete with

Sudha Chandran

K J : I am sure this question must have been asked to you

umpteen number of times….What happened when you were

16 ?

Sudha Chandran : It was meant to be a spiritual journey. I am

basically a South Indian living in Mumbai. We led a normal

busy Mumbai life, with my dad working and me studying. We

have a kuldevata (family deity) in Trichi, south india, and every

year we had to go there for abhishekh puja. It is a trip that we

had actually forgotten to make for many years. This is how we

decided to go to South India on a pilgrimage. We were

travelling from Trichi to Chennai. While returning from this

temple, there is a Goddess temple on the way, called the

Samaypuram Temple. This is a Goddess of the downtrodden,

the rudra avatar of the goddess. While we were nearing the

Samaypuram Temple, somebody casually mentioned that this

place was very dangerous. “ Bali chadhayi jaati hai “; there is a

tradition of sacrifice. And within 15 minutes, there was a head-

on collision and nobody remembers anything after that. It was

midnight, a dark amavas (new moon) night. There were 4 boys

from Delhi who were athletes. I was the only person in the bus

who could understand hindi and communicate with them. The

first four rows were totally crashed and jammed. It was

midnight and the boys ran to get an ambulance. There was a

fracture on my right leg. The driver came and fell on my lap

and gasped asking for water. One of the boys tied his banyan

on my femur. I could not move, all I remember is removing the

banyan, dipping it in water and tipping it into his mouth. He

died soon after that on my lap. It was the first time that I was

coming face to face with death. I was only 16 at that time. It

was a harrowing time. We could not understand what was

happening, I …….. I had seen hindi films and thought that

accidents separated people. I started looking for my mom and

dad. Police told me to sign a Death certificate because my

mother is dead. I could see her lying far away from me . I

Looked at her, I realised that she is breathing. I brought this to

the notice the police – the police is so negligent in our country.

5 days later I saw my parents. The amputation did not happen

because of the accident . I was shifted to Trichi government

hospital. No doctors, only interns. 5 days after the accident,

my mother noticed my leg turning blue and tried to bring it to

the notice of the doctors. At that time, the doctors assured her

that everything was ok and that it was not related. That was a

government hospital and they said that if we were not satisfied

with their treatment, we could go elsewhere. It was then that I

was moved me to Chennai. I was shifted to Vijaya Hospital in

Chennai where for 15 days, my battle with the wound

continued. The wound was not treated properly. It was covered

with plaster. It was a losing battle and they finally decided to

amputate my leg as gangrene had set in. I was a minor and my

parents had to sign a ‘No objection certificate’ for amputating

my leg. I think the biggest miracle that took place was that the

leg had to be amputated below my know and that allowed me

to stand up again and dance. Dr. Mohandas though an atheist,

still quotes that he saw a miracle happen on the operating

table. Because I had my knee, I could dance. I saw a miracle

happened. I personally believe that there was some spirituality,

may be, I was coming back from the temple that miracle

happened. People say that when a mishap happens you loose

trust in God. But my grandmom used to say that in the most

difficult times cling on to your God. Only he can take you

through this.

“Sudha Chandran is a dancer, actor and a passionate human being. After she lost her leg to a fatal accident at

the age of 16, she bounced back to life fighting the battle with her own self, emerging out as a winner. Living

with one artificial leg, did not stop her from performing dance shows and acting in movies and TV serials. A

truly inspiring story, Sudha Chandran narrates how this accident made her the person she is today.”

~ 15 ~

K J : How did you cope up on a day to day basis after that?

Sudha Chandran : Well I had to prove my point and I did not

look at it as a day to day. When I came back from south our so

called sympathetic society, people used to come and meet me,

they use to tell my mother,” “oh Mrs Chandran, so sad, you

wanted to make your daughter an dancer and she cant even

dance now. She is an intelligent girl, put her into education,

make her IAS, don’t dream about her being a dancer.” I don’t

know whether they were rude or sarcastic, I had no idea. It

didn’t bother me at that time. What bothered me was the after

effect of what people spoke to my parents. My mother would sit

there crying thinking that I have gone to sleep. My father turned

to alcoholism. He started to depend on alcohol to reduce the

tension. As it is we were going through lot of issues, he would

come drunk at night and then there would be ugly scenes. This

was not the culture that my father had given me, I failed to

understand what was happening. The beautiful small and

happy family going into shambles. My mother use to go to the

market at 8 o’clock in the night because she didn’t want people

to ask her questions. I found that they were shying away from

society.

That point I decided that I need to do something that would

make my parents proud .only thing I knew was dance. Only

question is how? People thought that I had gone mad. The

accident had affected her life. I believe that God answers your

prayers. My connection and communication is always with god.

In the first place, ‘why did this happen when I was coming back

from your temple and having happened now you give me an

answer’.

Three months later Dr P. K. Sethi got Magsaysay award. That

was the first time I read about him. I wrote a letter to Dr Sethi.

He was an international doctor at that time. A very busy person

but I got a reply from him asking me to meet him. I went and

met him. I didn’t tell anybody about him. I just took my mom.

The moment I saw him I don’t know what prompted, but I told

him, “I would love to dance.” He said, “why not?” I said, “

Doctor do you think it is that simple?” He said, “Of course, I

don’t think it is a big thing.” Then I started explaining, “ Sir it is

Bharatnatyam, it has lot of foot work.” I started explaining him

not realising that his daughter-in-law is a dancer. He said, “ you

don’t worry I know about it.”

The moment he confirmed it, I started working towards it. It

took me 2 long years, which was the most harrowing

experience of my life. Many a times I said no, and each time I

would turn around I would see my parents. Then I would tell ,

“No Sudha you go ahead and do it.”

I started all over from scratch. Thanks to my Guruji and my

parents, that I could do it. When I was ready ,we booked the

auditorium and I wanted to have a show. When I told my dad

he said, “ don’t make a fool of me.” I said, “No dad I don’t want

anybody to be there. It would be just me, my parents, my

Guruji and Dr Sethi, if he is available.” The show was on

Saturday and somehow the news leaked from somewhere and

the newspaper carried an article, “ looses a foot walks a mind”.

And everybody read as people knew me as a dancer, and the

evening the auditorium was packed. I was shocked where did

so many people come in from. My father said ,“this is the article

and I don’t know how this came. I will look into this matter on

Monday but you have to do this show now.” I would like to tell

this since yours is a spiritual magazine. Till that time I was very

bold but the moment the music started, the prayer song, my

heart actually sank. I said Sudha will you or will you not. I just

turned back and I asked my mom . I said, “If the God that I

believe in, if my faith is true then he should be here.” They say

God appears, god disappears. People feel. Today is my testing

day.” I said, “Mom he will be there in the form of sanyasi.

Check it out.” and I went. Suddenly I felt something has pushed

me and I didn’t even realise that I danced for 3 hours. I finished

my performance and I got a standing ovation. Show was over. I

came back home. The biggest tribute I got was from my father

who touched my feet when I came back home. He said, “ when

I was sitting there, a man came and sat besides me. He gave

me this purse and vibhuti and told me to apply this vibhuti on

you and bless you. My mother said was scared as she believes

in black magic. I opened the purse and there was lord

Buddha’s photo in that. Then my mother suddenly recollected I

telling her before I went on the stage that he will come as a

sanyasi. It just got connected.

This is my belief and it has been continuing since then.

~ 16 ~

K J : What has been your source of inspiration that has pulled

you through?

Sudha Chandran : My failures. Each time I fail I know I am

going to succeed. Each time I succeed I am going to fail. So

each time I fail I tell myself that don’t worry Sudha, success is

just round the corner.

K J : Did you always feel that dancing was your goal?

Sudha Chandran : No, as a child you cannot decide whether

you want to be a dancer or a doctor. My mother was a classical

singer and she wanted to be a dancer. It is always what your

parents dream for you end up doing. What they have not

realised they realise through you. My dad comes from Kerala.

We had a big family there. When my dad came to Mumbai from

kerala, apart from his job he use to work as a part timer, at a

dancers office, as a typist. Her name was Sudha Doraiswami.

He use to type her dance letters. That was the time he decided

‘that if ever I get married and I have a daughter she will be

named Sudha’, and that’s how I got my name. She became

Sudha Chandrashekhar after marriage and I became Sudha

Chandran. My parents dreamt it for me and I followed it. I

followed it till my mom died.

K J : What are your views on parenting?

Sudha Chandran : They are the best gift that God has given

you. I fulfilled all my mother’s aspirations except my marriage.

My mother wanted me to get married to a south Indian and

married a North Indian. At that point in life I was looking for a

man who would stand behind me like a rock and my husband

Ravi is just like that. My mom kept telling my dad this is a

wrong thing she is doing. All my dad said was that ‘I don’t know

about that guy but I trust my daughter and my daughter can

never go wrong.’ That answers all my questions for parents. Till

the end my mother thought that I made a wrong decision but

when she got cancer What Ravi has done for her, no son

would have done. When she left the world she was convinced

that I had taken a right decision.

K J : How do you take criticism?

Sudha Chandran : I hate criticism. I don’t criticise and dont

like to be criticised. Especially on personal issues. If its

constructive I take it.

K J : So what do you do when somebody criticises you?

Sudha Chandran : Before 40, I use to keep quiet but after 40,

I give it back. I don’t take it lying down

K J : How do you take day to day stress?

Sudha Chandran : I enjoy working. I can’t sit idle. I am very

happy when working. There is no time to even get stressed

out. This is not being thrust on me. This is what I love doing. I

am workaholic.

K J : What is spirituality?

Sudha Chandran : To me spirituality is talking to God when I

need him. I have not seen him. But I know there is a force that I

believe in. He is always guiding me.

K J : Do you believe that there is a world out there?

Sudha Chandran : I don’t know, but I completely believe in the

theory of reincarnation. I love people who have learnt this. It is

very interesting to know that something of this sort exists there.

I would love to understand this.

K J : Have you found the purpose of your life?

Sudha Chandran : I don't know, but I feel it is being an

inspiration to the next generation. And if that is the purpose,

then I have found it.

K J : What is your message to the readers of K J?

Sudha Chandran : My life is a message. I am happy that

people have been inspired by my life, people have learnt a lot

from my life. And that people are evolving learning from my life.

~ 17 ~

Dealing with S T R E S S Perspective across generations

With my muted agnostic credentials I am the most unsuited for

contributing to this forum of people on a spiritual journey. But

Santosh and Aruna being old friends have given me an

opportunity to share my thoughts and views about issues

affecting daily life and how we deal with them. Joining the

National defence Academy at the age of 16 has kept me

insulated from the corporate world with occasional jolts to

reality during leave. Socio economic boom has however

diminished the divide between the civilian environments and

the rigid army settings. Stress which a decade back was only

construed as physical and mental conditioning has entered the

Army lexicon in form of mental stress primarily for dealing with

situations on the home front. I intend to share how stress

affects people in uniform and also share some insights on a

child’s perspective to spirituality and happiness. I feel children

are a great source of learning with innocence and no malice.

Ask the old cronies and veteran soldiers about the recent

stress related outbursts by men in uniform and they will tell you

in a cocky fashion, “These guys are getting too much of time to

think”. Their solution- Keep them busy keep them gainfully

occupied. Rigorous Physical in the mornings with shoulder

rubbing troop games with the colleagues in the evenings

followed by some regimental activity like mandir parade, social

get together etc keeps mind body and soul in perfect synch.

Don't forget to add a taut of rum touted as the best stress

buster.

Times have since changed and the omnipresent mobile can

transfer stress and tensions of the rabid fights or cold war

between Mom and wife or property disputed within seconds. A

soldier fights on many fronts and this dimension of stress both

at work and home is a challenge for the organisation. Long and

continuous deployment in highly stressful counter terrorist

operations and diminishing peace tenures has further

complicated the issue. An organisation strongly discouraging

cult following and religious endorsement, the army deals with

stress in a unique manner borrowing on tradition, camaraderie

and accountability of the leader.

The stress management programme of the army now hinges

on spiritual development and understanding stress. Creative

occupation of mind with physical activity and social interaction

with peers is quintessential. The strength of the defence forces

is in their bonding, interaction and a strong collective identity

and a sense of purpose. Increased accountability of the leader

to his command ensures problems with individuals are

identified and nipped in the bud. Experience tells us that

introvert and extrovert persons deal with stress in completely

different manner. The introvert personality gravitated to

depressions and suicidal tendencies while the extrovert

personality can break the law and run amok. These vulnerable

individuals are closely monitored and positive effort is taken in

getting them to open out. Addressing the extraneous

relationship problems though counselling is resorted and

trained psychologists interact with the affected individuals.

Stress however in itself isn’t all destructive. In combat it raises

sensory perception to a high degree and helps deliver optimal

battle performance. In common life too stress is helpful in

meeting deadlines. It helps trigger creative juices and work

under pressure. It is just the effect of the negative stress that

one needs to understand and stem. The corporate world can

borrow a lot from the army’s experience in dealing with stress. I

feel the basic difference is that in civil organisation it is each

one for himself and no sense of responsibility and interaction

with the subordinates.

Col. Rakesh Pedram CWE, Ludhiana, India

~ 18 ~

Married to woman who is also exploring the spiritual journey

with the founders of New life foundation, my house is packed

with self help books of all genre. I took some help from my 9

year old daughter, Sana, with whom I am in perfect synch, in

trying to make sense of spirituality, health and happiness from

her perspective. She has been dosed with Santosh’s

presentations and her Moms genesis of every book she reads.

I have posed some random questions to her and pen her

unadulterated replies however silly they may sound.

Have you ever felt stress at school?

Yes. When I am playing dodge ball and my team is loosing and

the game depends on me.

So how do you deal with stress?

Close my eyes drink cold water knock my forehead with my fist

couple of times and forget about the incident. It goes away.

Have you seen your mother stressed? How she deals with

it?

I have often. She Calls my Dad in Sukna cries fights and reads

a trillion Deepak Chopra, Robin Sharma books. Then I think

the stress goes and she doesn’t scold me.

Seen your Dad stressed?

Never. He is full of fun and always joking. If you are fun there is

no stress. He reads Men are from mars and Women from

Venus to find out why Mom gets angry.

Your secret of good health?

Tasty food, healthy snacks and playing. Getting up late.

Your Mom reads a lot of books.

Tell us about them and how they help?

She reads books to help her connect to GOD. Deepak Chopra

is her favourite. (Pulls out Synchro destiny from the shelf) This

tells us if you think of something without negative thoughts it

comes true. Like after my best friends Palak left Ahmedabad

when her father was posted out I wished strongly that I meet

her again and now my father has got posted to place close to

their home.

Power of subconscious minds tells us how powerful our

dreams are. Subconscious mind is alive at night so if you sleep

well you get most powerful and creative thoughts. But all books

say same thing.

Last book Mom read and told me about was Autobiography of

a Yogi. This is story of a boy who runs away from house to

become a sadhu. His guru appears in front of him after even

after he dies to guide him. The story tells us that the soul never

dies and your near and dear ones are always there to guide

you.

What are the advantages of being a spiritual being?

Being connected to GOD

Don’t have to listen to Moms lectures.

You will not feel like doing anything bad and will be kind.

You live in a world where everything is good.

People to whom you are closest to? What you like and

hate bout them?

Mom

Like

•Takes me out to eat

•Helps me in studies

•Likes drawing and art my favourite subjects

•Kind hearted

•Takes me to see new places like museums and heritage sites

Things I’d wish to change

•Scolds a lot

•Fights in front of me with Dad

•Doesn't let me watch TV

•Lectures me a lot

•Forces me to take bath immediately after I come from playing.

Dad

Like

•Loves things I like most, like ice-creams and chocolates

•Never scolds

•Permits to play with all his electronic things

•He is always fun

Things I’d wish to change

•Wakes me up at 6 am

•Forces me to do exercise

•Scares me with Halloween Masks

•Forgets everything and makes me search for it

•Makes me sleep in a separate room at night

Zorro(Boxer pet)

Like

•Listens to me every time

•I can share everything with him

•Looks after me

•Very cute dog

•Eats everything

Things I’d wish to change

Fights with other dogs

Farts a lot

Keeps getting tics which I have to clean.

You have attended Santosh Kakas workshop in

Ahmedabad. Tell me about past life regression.

Its therapy to make you see your past lives.

How many lives does a man have?

Seven.

~ 19 ~

What do you want to be in your future life?

I want to be a Snow Queen fairy.

And your ambition in present life?

National Geographic wild life photographer.

Tell me about Santosh and Aruna.

Santosh Uncle is always in a happy mood and talks to me a lot

and makes me laugh. He makes colourful presentations with

lots of pictures. I like him. Aruna Aunty has given me my huge

teddy, ‘Big Brother Bhaalu’. I like her fashion style and like to

wear her sandals. She is always laughing and I like it when

they both come to our house.

Fairy Dog Zorro

Sana, Fairy Queen

Fairy friends

Fairy God Mother n Dad

Personal Regression & Counseling Session

If you would like to experience a

personal Regression Session or a

Healing / Counseling Session, please

contact on the below given contact

details for charges, and to fix-up a

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Time for a regression session 2 – 3 hours approx.

Mobile : +91 9820401670 / 9820500427

Email : santosh@anewlifefoundation.com

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• It helps in making you understand how you can live life completely and heal your past

emotions or traumas

The workshop covers the following :

• Brief information about Theory of Reincarnation/Evolution, Theory of Karma, Life after Life

• Knowing How to find the Purpose of Life, What is Rebirthing Breathwork, Importance of

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Experiencing – Past Life Regressions, Astral Travel, Meeting your Master, Theta level meditations

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For registration contact : +91 9820401670 / 9820500427 Email : santosh@anewlifefoundation.com

Where there is a will there is a way….

“Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of

fools”, said Napoleon. There is nothing in this world that is

impossible. Determination is what brings us success. ‘Where

there is a will there is a way’ the saying itself means that if we

are unwavering enough to get something done we would

always find a way to do it. Our will power is very strong. And

with a strong will, one can do wonders. But unfortunately, we

usually choose to give up or conclude a particular task as

impossible. In fact, little things like waking up early in the

morning, studying for a particular number of hours, keeping to

time and organizing ourselves calls for a strong

determination. But often we quit or postpone.

When a little child takes his first steps he often falls down and

even hurts himself, but it is because he gets up each time he

falls that he is able to walk around in a few days time. People

like Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sudha

Chandran are great source of inspiration for today’s

generation as they have achieved a lot with the help of their

own resolve. These are just a few examples for us to

understand but in life there are a number of hurdles which

cannot be crossed without our grit and dedication. When we

face a particular problem we are overcome with fear and

anxiety and don’t realize the strength of our will. This is

generally the reason why we tend to surrender.

According to me each one of us is born with a capability

which allows us to do extraordinary things. It is just about how

dedicated, patient and firm you are. I conclude by saying that

where there is a will there is way.

Shruti Kunisetty, Mumbai, India

~ 21 ~

A PATH OF

MY OWN…

Aekta Kapoor Delhi, India

There is no "right path" or "wrong path" but only the path

that you're on. – Neale Donald Walsch

I just realised a couple of days ago that I don’t know too many

working moms – and the ones I know are usually those in the

government or teaching sector where they get home by 3 or 4

pm; or who have support at home such as a mother or mother-

in-law, or at the very least a husband; or have only one child.

I have yet to come across an Indian woman in circumstances

such as my own: two kids; no other adult support at home; a

full-time, high-stress job. I only have part-time domestic help

and I run two homes. I also handle my own finances and admin

work. I do an hour and a half of yoga daily, and make time to

read. I never say no if someone asks for any kind of writing or

editing help. And I still manage to be punctual most of the time.

My life is carefully structured and my weekday routine mostly

runs like clockwork. But when something happens to set it off

routine – such as a wedding in the family or visiting guests –

my equilibrium just gets thrown off gear. My workload goes up

twice its usual capacity and I begin to crack under the strain.

These days, the strain is coming from all ends. To top it all, my

housekeeper took the day off when I was expecting guests.

The burden of ensuring wedding-wearable outfits for all three

of us, coordinating with the choreographer and driver taking

kids for their dance sessions, doing my own writing and

practice for the wedding events, driving to and from family

functions twice a day, sweeping, mopping, doing the laundry,

making tiffins and ensuring other meals for everyone – besides

usual busy days at work – led to a mini breakdown this

morning. A few exhausted tears rolled down my cheeks while I

sat in lotus pose.

An inner voice told me to ‘detach’ – from the chores, the

expectations and the disappointments. From the fatigue and

the sense of burden. With my eyes closed, I attempted it, and

managed to attain a neutral mindset. But later, the tears welled

up again and I asked God, “How can I detach if there is so

much work to be done? How can I detach once my eyes are

open?”

The response came later in the form of the above quote in my

inbox, and moments later, the universe sent me an unexpected

gift. It was almost as if God was saying: “Your path is

admittedly difficult but look, here’s a little treat to let you know I

am thinking of you and appreciate your efforts.”

I love the silly catchphrase in one of the advertisements: Tedah

hai par mera hai (it's crooked, but it's mine). Today, I see that

the same holds true for my life's journey as well. The path is

crooked but it's mine. I have to love it like I love everything else

that's been bestowed on me. The highs and the lows together

make me who I am. I'd be incomplete without these bends in

the road. And who knows what wonderful surprises await at the

next corner?

Challenges never cease and responsibilities only grow. But

then, so do I.

“If you want to feel rich, just count the things you have that money can’t buy”

Many of us associate money to happiness. To a certain extent money may be important, in order to fulfil basic needs and

responsibilities towards the well being of self, family, community and loved ones. But beyond a point money cannot

replace relationships. It cannot buy happiness. It cannot make you truly rich.

As they rightly say ” A truly rich man is the one whose children run into his arms when his arms are empty”.

Being Truly Rich

~ 22 ~

SCIENCE OF MUDRAS MUDRA OF THE MONTH

Nalini Jethwani

.

Varun Mudra This mudra is formed by joining together the tips of the thumb and the little finger. This increase the Jal

(water) element with in the body.

Almost 70% of the body is water. Thus water is the most abundant element in the body, being present in

the protoplasm of cells, extra-cellular fluid, lymph, blood, tears saliva, mucous, digestive juices, enzymes,

hormones, semen, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) etc.

A deficiency of water in the body would result in dehydration of tissues. Performance of ajl-vardhak mudra

increase the water content of the body by suitably affecting the water-matabolism. Thus, it helps to

rehydrate cells, tissues, muscles, skin, joint-cartialge, etc.

Major Benefits: Varun mudra can be used to overcome the following disorders :

Dryness of eyes, Dryness of the digestive tract(mouth, throat and intestines), Indigestion, For constipation, Dryness of the skin

leading to cracks, dry eczema, psoriasis, etc., Degeneration of joint-cartilage, Osteo-Arthritis, Anaemia, cramps, dehydration,

deficiency of hormones, scanty urination (oliguria), Scanty semen(oligospermia), scanty menses (oligomenorrhoea), Loss of taste

sensation, tongue-disorders, disorders of vatta-exces.

This should be done for 45 minutes every day, either at one stretch or in 3 parts(i.e, for 15 minutes, thrice a day).

Precaution: people having water-retention in their bodies or people with a Pitta + Kapha constitution should perform this mudra

moderately, if at all.

If you have any questions pertaining to the issues you are going through, you can send your question (one at a time) to

editor@kosmicjourney.com and we will be happy to answer that through tarot card reading. It is absolutely FREE. Please

mention in your mail your date of birth and if it is ok to publish your question in the e-magazine, or if we can publish by

changing your name. We will publish a few general questions with their answers in our next issue with the consent of the

sender.

FOR PERSONAL TAROT SESSIONS CONTACT

ARUNA JOSHI ON +91 9820500427

MYSTIC MUSINGS THROUGH

TAROT

~ 23 ~

Jyotsna Nair

Food for Body, Mind

and Soul

PUMPKIN LOVE

Pumpkin bring to me memories to the time I was growing up

and was a fussy eater. And one of the things that I eat without

much of a fuss was Pumpkin Rice. I had a sweet tooth, so the

natural sweetness from the pumpkins was very appetizing to

me. My mom followed this wonderful recipe of Pumpkin rice,

made with Orange pumpkins. Its very simple really. You cut up

the pumpkin into little chunks, toss it in with some grains of rice

and dal, add a dash of salt and spice powder (she

used sambar powder) and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.

When it is cooled off, she mashed it well with her hands and

added a nice dollop of homemade ghee. Yuuummm! Good

healthy antioxidant success. This was such a huge hit with me

at that time. Soon, it gained the proportions of comfort food in

my world. If we were headed out to travel, and mom had to

take something along for me, she would cook pumpkin rice. If

we came back home after a lengthy and tiring shopping trip,

she would have made pumpkin rice prior to leaving, and it

would go down very well on our return. Such was the special-

ness of pumpkin rice in my home and in my life. It was that

easy resort for my mom in the hard days of food struggles with

me. Pumpkin Rice was the Maggi noodles of my college life,

and that's saying something !

Despite having such strong connection with the vegetable,

cooking with pumpkin is something I've started doing just

recently. So it was an occasion of great sentiment and joy, the

first time I cooked it for P. I was anxious and excited in turns.

Excited to be making it again after such a long time. Anxious to

have it well received with warmth by him. But I needn't have

worried. P gulped it all down in a smooth, uninterrupted 10

minutes, by the end of which and my heart was overflowing!

Just like the old times.

And it made me realise...that the ways in which you live out

memories are manifold. In addition to the pictures and videos,

in addition to the memories, apart from the nostalgia and the

temperaments...there is also this dimension. Food. And when I

think of food...this is one of the things that comes to mind.

Pumpkin rice. And pumpkin love.

Here is my recipe for Pumpkin Rice (minus the ghee !)

Pumpkin Rice Ingredients

3 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Chopped Onion

2 cups basmati Rice

½ cup dal

1 cup Pumpkin

6 cups vegetable stock

3 bay leaves

Salt, pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil. Add onions and cook, stirring

occasionally until softened and transluscent. Add

rice and dal and stir. Add pumpkin, bay leaves,

salt and pepper and stir. Add the vegetable stock

and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover

and cook, stirring occasionally to keep rice from

sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is

absorbed and rice is cooked. Transfer to a bowl

and serve immediately.

THE BLIND SIDE

“ The Blind Side” (2009 ) is an inspirational sports movie. It won Sandra Bullock the Best

Actress award in Academy Awards in 2010. This motivational story is about a homeless African

_American youngster from a broken home who is taken in by a well-to-do family who help him

fulfill his potential as an All-American football player and first round NFL draft pick. The movie is

based on the true story of Baltomore ravens offensive tackle Micheal Oher. The entire movie is

about Micheal becoming a professional football player and how his adoption into the Tuohy

family got him there.

Micheal ( Quinton Aaron ) a.k.a Big Mike is practically homeless when he meets Leign Tuohy (

Sandra Bullock ). She invites him into her home to be with her husband Sean ( Tim McGraw )

and her two young children, Collins and SJ. Michels appearance belies his personality and he

soon becomes part of the Tuohy family. The more, The Blind Side progresses, the more

engaging it becomes. Before you know it, you”ll be completely engrossed in Michael”s

transformation. By the end of the film, Leigh Anne maintains the stick-to-itiveness that she

utilizes to change Michael”s life and keep her own family together, she sheds her tough exterior

and absorbs what their journey has revealed to her about herself. This is what makes the story

unique. It is not just about a rich woman being charitable to a poor boy or the rise of an unlikely

athlete ; it is about the transformation of a family, making it a truly inspiring film. It isn’t until the

credits roll that you realize what a major sentimental impact it has made on you.

~ 24 ~

Books & Movies

ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA You don't get life a second time

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a beautifully scripted journey of catharsis. It is a story of three young

men who take a holiday that changes their lives forever. It is a fantasy holiday that they had

planned to take after college that never happened. It is a road trip in Spain where each one gets

to do the ultimate sport of his choice and the other two just have to do it with him. Whether they

want to or not. It is an adventure that will not only make them iron out their differences but also

face their fears, alter their perception, unravel their fabric, force them to break out of the box and

teach them to seize the day. In short, it is a holiday that will change their lives forever.

During the journey, their outer shells are peeled off and their true lives are revealed to one

another. Emerging stronger from the experience, they are prepared to live their lives moment by

moment, taking pleasure in what they have than bother over what they don't.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a movie to give you a deep and heartfelt message on why we

should live life by seizing the moment and following our hearts.

" The Greatness Guide" by Robin Sharma

"If you don't act on life, life will act on you" quotes flamboyant leadership guru Robin

Sharma, who carved his niche with his worldwide famous book "Monk who sold his Ferrari",

added another feather to his cap with his book "The Greatness Guide". This book wears an

air of practical ideas which are easy and compelling. The language used in the book is

admiringly 'simple'.

This book offers 101 tips on making yourself great. The author pulls together his own

experiences and combines them with succinct quotes from others to illustrate numerous

ways that you can better yourself or your company. He continued to touch a little on

everything time management, family life, setting a goal, determining what's important in life

and many more such things. You will feel truly uplifted and inspired by this book, an

appealing and real treat to his ardent fans.

Past Life Regression Workshop, Mumbai

1st – 2nd September 2012

~ 25 ~

I count him braver who conquers his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is

the victory over self. ~ Aristotle ~