A nice article on the ground realities of of our every day life… i read it today.. you may also like to read and appreciate the importance of our own precious LIFE..
natarajan

Forget ‘me’ not

BY BHARAT SAVUR IN BUSINESS LINE…

Don’t lose yourself in the rush of everyday life.
There’s an interesting allegory about a group of 10 travellers who come upon a river. They wade across to the other side. Since the water comes up to their necks and they struggle with undercurrents, when they reach land, they decide to take a headcount. Each of the 10 counts and finds only nine in the group. They are devastated. A farmer passing by sees their woeful state and stops to help. They tell him tearfully that 10 of them crossed the river but only nine survived. It’s a tragedy, they moan. The farmer counts and finds there are 10. Then he explains that each one had omitted to count himself.

In our rushed life, we have a long list of things to do, people to contact, brainstorming sessions to attend… but we forget to put that all-important ‘I’ on the list. Please let ‘I’ head the list. If you don’t, you lose something precious in spirit as demonstrated by this incident: When Michael Christensen took his brainchild Big Apple Circus Clown Units to a children’s hospital, a busy doctor came up to him and snapped, “Clowns don’t belong in hospitals!” Retorted Christensen swiftly, “Neither do children!” It’s important not to lose one’s perspective. There’s nothing wrong in being on the go. But what is the quality you are bringing to your body, mind, spirit, to your people, your environment? Are you truly using your waking hours wisely? Are you doing anything to improve your health? Are you doing any one thing with deep passion, with love? Have you been completely peaceful for at least five continuous minutes in the day? When was the last time you laughed?

If your immediate reaction is one of acute irritation where you want to shut your eyes, your ears and say, “Stop bothering me” it’s okay. Just know that joyful living with a free spirit is possible. Even sitting with your eyes and ears shut is a beautiful beginning. When we shut out thought, we are fully in our body. We feel it breathing, each breath so peaceful like the flow and ebb of the ocean. Take your time… you’re becoming more aware. When you come out of this silence, please come as one who went in as an ordinary person but emerged as an extraordinary being. From being half awake, you emerge fully alive.

Over the next few days, start noticing things which you may be doing but should not do:

Eating hastily, on the run. Going for long hours without any sustenance and then bingeing on a big meal at night.

Straining your eyes on the computer and TV without giving them adequate rest and lubrication.

Living in an air-conditioned atmosphere sans sunlight.

Not having leafy greens and salads with your meals.

Not exercising for long periods of time.

Doing lots of intense cardio and no weight-training.

Overeating sweets, drinking too much tea/coffee.

Ignoring acidity or at the most chewing antacids.

Not making time to be by yourself.

Ignoring a back pain.

Taking constipation lightly.

Not giving time for a hobby.

Worrying about the future and not enjoying the present fully.

Taking painkillers and/or antibiotics too often.

Taking what’s good in your life for granted and complaining about or bearing stoically (that’s passive complaining) what’s not good.

When you live in this way, the mind loses its clarity and becomes a blur. And when things don’t occur as per your expectations, you become irritable, impatient, officious, smart-alecky, sarcastic or plain indifferent and depressed. Each time your expectations are not met, inside you something goes ‘twinge’. These are micro-traumas. Sometimes your back aches, head throbs, digestion gets upset, you feel tired, feverish, listless. You don’t pay attention to these recurring minor ailments. Yet, you must. If you don’t, in time they become a little more intense, then a little leap from minor to major, and farther into some kind of serious illness. So, dare to make changes:

Do healing things as revealed above. Things that matter. Things that give meaning to your life. Things that build up your body, mind, spirit. Do them your way. Example: if you’re not a morning person, go for an evening walk/run. But, do them!

Try the 21-route. Choose one bad habit you genuinely want to be rid of. Decide to do it in 21 days. Fill up 21 lines of a sheet with the relevant affirmation: Example: “I quit smoking” or “I let go anger “. Again, do it!

Realise and act accordingly: In some things, the middle path is the best, in some the one-fourth, in some the three-fourth path , in some you need to go all out and in some, completely renounce. This is how you live a balanced, fulfilled, fit and healthy life.

Rest copiously, think peacefully, positively and be as relaxed as a meditating monk in whatever you do.

As an old Spanish proverb goes: ‘How beautiful it is to do nothing-and then to rest afterward.’ It’s beautiful indeed.

The writer is co-author of the book Fitness for Life….MR.BHARATH SAVUR

SOURCE…Information from SAI GROUP … A Remarkable contribution by an individual to environment..

natarajan

An individual citizen by name Jadav Peyeng Single-Handedly Plants a 1,360 Acre Forest.

A little over 30 years ago, a teenager named Jadav “Molai” Payeng began burying seeds along a barren sandbar near his birthplace in northern India’s Assam region to grow a refuge for wildlife. Not long after, he decided to dedicate his life to this endeavor, so he moved to the site where he could work full-time creating a lush new forest ecosystem. Incredibly, the spot today hosts a sprawling 1,360 acre of jungle that Payeng planted single-handedly.

The Times of India recently caught up with Payeng in his remote forest lodge to learn more about how he came to leave such an indelible mark on the landscape:
It all started way back in 1979 when floods washed a large number of snakes ashore on the sandbar. One day, after the waters had receded, Payeng , only 16 then, found the place dotted with the dead reptiles. That was the turning point of his life.

“The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms. It was carnage . I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there. They said nothing would grow there. Instead, they asked me to try growing bamboo. It was painful, but I did it. There was nobody to help me. Nobody was interested,” says Payeng, now 47.
While it’s taken years for Payeng’s remarkable dedication to planting to receive some well-deserved recognition internationally, it didn’t take long for wildlife in the region to benefit from the manufactured forest. Demonstrating a keen understanding of ecological balance, Payeng even transplanted ants to his burgeoning ecosystem to bolster its natural harmony. Soon the shadeless sandbar was transformed into a self-functioning environment where a menagerie of creatures could dwell. The forest, called the Molai woods, now serves as a safe haven for numerous birds, deers, rhinos, tigers, and elephants — species increasingly at risk from habitat loss elsewhere.

Despite the conspicuousness of Payeng’s project, Forestry officials in the region first learned of this new forest in 2008 — and since then they’ve come to recognize his efforts as truly remarkable, but perhaps not enough.

“We’re amazed at Payeng,” says Assistant Conservator of Forests, Gunin Saikia. “He has been at it for 30 years. Had he been in any other country, he would have been made a hero.”

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/man-single-handedly-plants-entire-forest.html

WHAT AN INTERSETING AND THOUGHT PROVIKING STORY!!!…A true story narrated by a samosa vendor to one of my friends at a local train compartment… i thought i shoud share with you all!!!!!
Natarajan

Subject: Vaanga samosa vikka polam – … !!!!

True Story of a Samosa Vendor:

It was my usual train journey to home from work boarding the 20:50 train at Paranur. When the train was about to start from Guduvanchery, one Samosa vendor with his empty samosa basket boarded the train sat next to my seat. As the compartment was sparsely crowded and also my destination station is far away, I felt like interacting with the Samosa vendor for sometime as a time pass.

Me: “Innaikku Samosa full sales pola!”
(Seems like you have sold all the samosas today)

Samosa Vendor: Smilingly, “Aamanga Kadavul punniyathula innaikku full salesnga”
(Yes, by God’s grace full sales today)

Me: “Paavamga aanal, Full day ippdi sales pannal tired aayida maateengala”
(I really feel pity on you people. Wont you get tired if you do this tiresome job all the day?”)

Samosa Vendor: “Enna saami seiya.. adhanae pozhappu… Ippdi samosa vithakka dan Oru samosaku 75paisa commission kuduppanga”
(What to do sir! This is our job. Only if we sell samosas like this everyday, we will be getting a commission of 75Paise per samosa we sell)

Me: “Oh appdiya! Oru naalaikku evvalavu Samosa sales aagum?”
(Oh is it! On an average, how many Samosas you sell every day?”)

Samosa Vendor: “Peak timena 3000-3500 samosa ore aalu vithuruvom. Dull time na 1000 kooda theradhu.. Thoraiyama 2000 samosa vippom oru naalaikku”
(If it is peak time, we sell around 3000-3500 samosas per peson. If dull time not even 1000 will move on that day. On an average, it will be around 2000 samosas we sell everyday)

I was speechless for a second, since if it is 75paise per samosa and that guy says he sells at an average of 2000 samosas every day which means his daily earnings is Rs.1500 approx and his monthly earnings come to Rs45000 per month.(OMG!!!) I further intensified my questioner and this time not for time pass but out of curiosity.

Me: “Samosa neenga seiveengala?”
(Will you prepare samosa yourself?)

Samosa vendor: “Ileenga. Enga mudhalali samosa mastera vachu seiya solluvaru. Samosa vithu kaasu kuduppom. Evvalavu vithomo adhukku maenikku 75kaasu nu pottu kudupparu.
(No. Our owner prepares these samosas through samosa vendor and we just sell them here. After selling, we will give the money to him and he will give us a commission of 75paise per samosa we sell.)

I was unable to speak a single word further. But that person continued.

Samosa vendor: “Aana onnunga.. Evvalavu sambadichalum Kudiliyae poidudu paadhi panam… Meedhi panatha vachu dan matha businessae odudu”
(But onething, Most of our earnings are being spent on Drinks itself. Only with the remaining amount we are able to take care of other business)

Me: “Matha businessa! Adhu enna!!”
(Other business!! What is that?”)

Samosa Vendor: “Land businessunga… Indha samosa kaasa saethu vachu 2007la Urapakkathula 1.5 grounds 3lakhs ku vaanginaen adha konjam kaalam munnadi 15Lakhs ku vithaen. Vandha panathula 5Lakhs ku Uthiramerur la Land vaangi potrukken”

(It is land business. In 2007 I bought 1.5 grounds of land at Urapakkam for 3 Lakhs and I have sold it few months back for 15 Lakhs. With that money, I have purchase some Land in Uthiramerur for 5 lakhs.)

Me: “Micha panatha enna paneenga”
(What did you do with the remaining amount?)

Samosa Vendor: “Micha panam 6 Lakhsa Ponnu kalyanathukku odhukki vachuttaen, 4 lakshatha Bankla pottutaen.”
(With the remaining amount, I have set aside 6 lakhs for my Daughter’s marriage and 4 lakhs deposited it in bank).

Me: “Sir evvalavu padichirukeenga?”
(How much have you studied?)

Samosa Vendor: “moonavadhu passunga.. naalavadhula niruthikitten. Aana ezhuda padikka theriyumunga”
(Third standard pass. Stopped studies when I was in 4th. . But I know how to read and write)

I was almost in a shocked state and the further statement of him nailed me right in the head.

Samosa vendor: “Sir ungala maadhir neraiya paeru Office ku Tie Kattitu, Boots pottukittu, English paesittu, AC roomla vela seiveenga aana Azhukku thuni pottutu irukkara naanga vangara Sambalam Vaanguveengala nu Sandhegam dan”

(There are many people like you who dress well wearing tie, shoes, talks fluently in English. Work in AC room. But I don’t think you guys earn as much as we do wearing dirty clothes and sell Samosas.)

What can I speak after this!! I am talking to a Millionaire!!!

At this point of time, the train chugged into Chrompet station and the Samosa vendor started from his seat.

Samosa vendor: “Sir, enn station vandruchu.. paakalam…”
(See you sir. My station has come.)

Me: “Paakalamga”
(Take care..)

Well, what can I say after this incident!!!!!

SOURCE…THE HINDU DATED 15 APRIL2012… POSITIVE SIDE OF POWERCUT IS NICELY BROUGHOUT IN THIS ARTICLE WITH A HILARIOUS TOUCH…. ENJOY READING IT…
Natarajan

Electricity is everything. Unless you plug in, you can’t play. No doubt, India is going ‘power-hungry’, not just political power but even otherwise. There is no magic wand to bridge the current deficit, I mean, not the currency deficit in our budget but the power struggle that industries and individuals go through these days. After a long cursing of the reality, finally, I decided to better see the brighter side of darkness.

With the regular outage of one-hour-a-day in Tamil Nadu, we managed our lives pretty well. But the recent extended power cut has really ‘put us off’. First, the compulsive-obsessive laptops ran out of their battery soon. As the UPS beeped into silence, the inverter breathed its last. Suddenly, you have your children ‘looking at your face’ instead of the Facebook. After the cessation of electronic bombardment of their retinas, surprisingly, we even found them sharing the dining table with us for lunch. There was a great inevitable quality family time together.

Since the younger child was bored to death as there was ‘no excitement’, she asked for interesting anecdotes from our life-story. I struggled to access my failing hard disk and looked at my older generation for help. They happily recalled my childhood pranks and there was a quick generational bond, instead of the continuous streaming of movies of James Bond on TV. In fact, we talked for long, after long, long ago, so long ago, nobody can say how long ago, well beyond the lunch hour. School-day jokes and long-forgotten friends’ stories came into play, on a rotational basis.

Next in line to pass time was the search for games. Chess, carrom, cards and board games brought us to the ground level and we had a merry ‘floor time.’ Some days, we pulled out our long-cherished family albums and fondly recalled those great moments of tours and marriage occasions. At other times, there were our well-preserved love letters to read and recall the pre-marriage romance.

Old melody

On a power cut day, surprisingly, I even caught myself humming an old melody and got in touch with the ‘sound of my soul’. In fact, as children we often heard our parents singing happily, as they went about their daily chores. Except for a friendly transistor then, there was no blaring of electronic gadgets generating artificial sounds dominating our space. Now there is no singing, but only thinking.

With darkness around during power cuts, we had candlelight dinners and had a lot of fun playing ‘catch the moving shadows’ on the walls. The family came very close not only due to the fright of darkness, but even as we bumped into one another negotiating ourselves inside our tiny flat. Lots of touching, pecking and love-hugs, which otherwise are a rarity.

With the matchbox flat going ‘air tight,’ we opened the main door of our cell only to see and get to know our neighbours in detail. They were neither bank robbers nor bomb-makers, but a miserable middle class family just like us. We chatted for quite long enquiring into our lineage and got to know that we were even long-distance relatives in a round about way.

Children preferred to read stories (a long forgotten pleasure) sitting near the windows for sunlight. I was surprised to note the beautiful greenery through my otherwise curtain-clad windows and realised that ‘it was there for me, ALL THE TIME’. But I did not have the eyes. There was no time to stand and stare as I jumped down the stairs to rush to office. Happy leaves were waving beautifully in the air, without the burden of thought which we humans suffer from.

With eyes going blind, our other senses were accentuated. We heard the crows, mynas and squirrels in the neighbourhood, playing happily around, punctuated once a while with the barking of a lonely dog somewhere. Our son was strumming his guitar lost in singing and our daughter was indulging in painting, gardening and such other forgotten personal pleasures.

Now, we eagerly ‘look forward to’ power cuts. They have made us more organised and sensible. We charge our mobiles at a particular time, look at our mail for a limited duration, and even keep the geyser on for a short while for the whole family to take bath in quick succession. The electricity bill is slim. There is compulsory conservation and more conversation in the family. We have come close to each other as we communicate lovingly. In the end I would say, like the TV soap ad, “Dark Achha Hai!”

An young couple moves in to a new neighbourhood. the next morning, while they are taking breakfast, the young woman sees the neighbour hang the washed cloths outside. That laundry is not very clean….she said , the neighbour does not know how to wash correctly. Perhaps the neighbour lady needs a better detergent. Her husband remains silent.

Everytime , the neighbour would hang her wash to dry , the young woman would make the same comments. About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash of the linen and said to her husband “look she learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who thaught her this . ”

The husband said ” i got up early this morning and CLEANED OUR WINDOWS !!!”…

And so it is with our life too !!!!!.

What we see when watching others depends on the purity of our mind window thro which we look…Before we criticise and comment on others , it might be a good idea check our state of mind and ask ourselves , if we are ready to see the good rather than to be looking for something in the person we are about to judge !!!!

YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT WE SHOUD START CLEANING OUR WINDOWS FIRST!!!!

Natarajan

A MAIL RECD FROM ONE OF MY FRIENDS TODAY TALKS ABOUT A GROUP OF WORKERS AT TRICHY WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A MAUFACTURING INDUSTRY..THE AUTHOR OF MAIL IS A SENIOR EXECUTIVE IN IOC PROJECT SETUP AND HE NARRATES HIS EXPERIENCE AT WORKSPOT WHERE WORKERS WITH NO VISION ARE AT JOB WITH A CLEAR VISION AND MISSION FOR REALISING THEIR OBJECTIVE WITH PRECISION .. I AM SHARING THE INPUT WITH YOU ALL …. ONCE YOU READ, YOU WILL AGREE THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE… HATS OFF TO THE TEAM WORK OF “ORBIT”
Natarajan.

“Meeting Project objectives differently
Blind people work together and make parts of Boilers at Trichy for IOCL’s Paradip Refinery project …..… An experience sharing.

21st December 2011 has etched an unforgettable memory in my mind. I was at Tiruchirapalli on a mission to expedite supplies of Boilers at BHEL’s works for Power plant of IOCL’s ongoing Paradip Refinery Project. BHEL has outsourced non-pressure parts of these boilers to certain vendors nearby Trichy. ‘ORBIT’ is among such outsourced vendors, who is making Pins & Clamps of these boilers for our project. We decided to visit ORBIT also for review and expediting balance supplies.
When we reached ORBIT works, we were greeted by their President Mr. P.R. Pandi, who himself is a blind person. To my utter surprise, the whole ORBIT workshop is run by blind persons. Though I was aware of certain special schools and institutions for blind persons but never heard about any manufacturing industry run completely by such persons. What I saw next inside the workshop is quite difficult to believe.
I had never witnessed such well coordinated and coherent working by blind persons. People were segregating the raw material, feeding the raw material on cutting, shearing and punching machines with the help of their fellow blind friends, collecting the final products and bagging them after quality checks. The whole manufacturing process was efficiently done and finished product was meeting the quality standards. I was lost in deep admiration seeing their untiring efforts for making vital parts for my project and emotionally touched. Their interpersonal understanding and collective effort was exemplary and far better as compared to normal workers engaged in other industrial units.

People were working with no ego and communication was being made not with vital sensory organs like eyes, but with their hearts. I was thrilled and compelled to think that dedicated and sincere working by these special people is a great example towards values of humanity which defies all laws of Project management. Calm and peace prevail here in their coordinated rhythm of working against any feeling of industrial acrimony.
What came next was even more surprising. A physically handicapped welder was doing welding on the job and was assisted by a blind helper. We saw his blind helper almost running and going to store room next door to fetch the electrodes quickly. When enquired how he could do such job with much ease, my fellow companion from BHEL, Mr. Jai Ram told me that every worker working here is fully conversant with the layout of workshop and does the job with calculated steps – concepts of time and motion study, well grasped by them by heart. I was overwhelmed by their indomitable spirit, everlasting zeal and working in perfect harmony.
At the end, ORBIT president Mr. Pandi requested me ‘Sir, if you come across any blind person, please direct him to me, we will make him our team member here’. I controlled my emotions, advised them to maintain timelines and quickly moved out with mixed feelings, thinking and admiring effort and passion of ORBIT in this endeavour and with firm conviction that Paradip Refinery Project will soon be a realised dream.”
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SOURCE.. ARTICLE BY K.S BHARATH.. IN ‘” THE HINDU..”… A GOOD PIECE OF MESSAGE CONVEYING THE POWER OF “THIS WILL ALSO PASS “… SURE TO BRING SERENE SMILE IN OUR FACES TOO ONCE WE PRACTICE THIS ART WITH PERFECT MENTALMAKEUP….

A GOOD ARTICLE TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS…
Natarajan

About 20 years back, some of us from the family went for a dance program organized by the Kalakshetra Academy in Chennai. We were introduced to the choreographer with a request to drop her on our way back. She was middle aged and pleasant. While in the car, after the initial pleasantries and a little talk on dance, the conversation turned to her personal background. She asked, “Do you recollect the Kanishka aircraft accident?” After a second’s pause she added, “My husband and two daughters were in it.” There was a stunned silence in the car. Then we mumbled our regrets and returned to normalcy. She mentioned that she had taken to dance and had decided to spend her life teaching the art. She was neither self-sympathetic nor bitter. She seemed to have come to terms with her life and move on.

The brief conversation with her made it clear that one needn’t walk away from life or escape from worldly activities to be ‘serene’. From a cozy and blessed life in Canada, she had to start afresh with the Kanishka accident playing spoilsport. She continues to remain in my mind as a perfect living example of the Serenity Prayer: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and importantly, the wisdom to know the difference.”

While reading the serenity prayer for the first time in an executive waiting lounge, it seemed an esoteric sentence with little practical application. After having heard this lady, it suddenly seemed to make immense sense. The power of ‘let go’ was clear. She had a choice to be miserable and make everyone around her feel wretched or pick up the pieces and put her life together again. In good wisdom, she had chosen the latter. She must have had to ‘let go’ of her dreams and subsequent disappointments. She must have had to ‘let go’ of memories and the associated scars. She chose to hold on to her ‘art’ as a way of life, an art that she loved and fortunately had not lost.

At a personal level, each of us has our share of unhappy memories. Frustrating disappointments on the path not taken and bitter disillusionments in the path chosen are all too common. Worse are the smoldering insults and burning grievances that we nurse in our mind.

To first become aware of all that hurts us and then consciously drop them would see a heavy peel being removed off us. That would make us light and affable. On the other hand, clinging on to regrets can be burdensome, making us fret and fume and cynically watch life pass by.

“Letting go” is important with regard to relationships too. Many a relationship would blossom better at least in subsequent generations if the past was forgotten and forgiven. Many a bond would strengthen better if intention was understood more than nitpicking words or action. Many a friendship would deepen if there is a ‘let go’ of misunderstandings and a resolution to ‘start afresh’. But then one should let dead dogs lie… Repetitive misinterpretations in relationships can translate into frustration within, if unexpressed and into bruised relationships, if expressed.

“Letting go” is very relevant as we flow with life’s experiences too. We can learn with humility from success and with grace from failure and become richer with either. The learning from an experience can be selectively held on to, while ‘letting go’ the success or failure itself. There is a possibility to get carried away with success and become vain or proud.

Alternatively, one can get bogged down by failure and become scornful or bitter. Neither helps. Knowing that ‘this shall also pass’, be it success or failure, we should move on with life, doing our best in all circumstances. Then, being composed and poised in moments of recognition and triumph would be as natural as accepting and coping calmly with defeats and disenchantments.

This approach is both philosophical and pragmatic. It leads to an inner balance, freedom from perturbation and hence, serenity.

If we practise this art of selective ‘let go’, the possibility of a serene smile wouldn’t be limited to a painted Mona Lisa or a liberated Buddha. It would be equally feasible for us now and here.

கர ஆண்டு ஸ்ரீகர ஆண்டு —இரு கரம் கூப்பி

தர வேண்டும் விடை அதற்க்கு இன்று

வர வேண்டும் வர வேண்டும் இனிய புத்தாண்டு

தர வேண்டும் தர வேண்டும் நலம் அனைத்தும் !

சிரம் தாழ்த்தி வந்தனம் கூறி வரவேற்ப்போம்

நந்தன ஆண்டே வருக வருக —

இந்த நாட்டின் வளம் பெருக –நலம் பல தருக தருக !!!!!

A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled and asked.
‘Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?’
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout.’
‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.’ asked the saint
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained, .
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.
What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small…’
The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’
He looked at his disciples and said.
‘So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

The Ripples

A man was sitting by a lake. He was throwing small pebbles into it from time to time. A young boy happened to cross by. He was intrigued to see that after every few minutes or so, the man would toss a pebble into the lake.

The boy went up to the man and said, “Good pastime, this stone throwing, he?” “Hmmm,” said the man. He seemed to be deep in thought and obviously did not wish to be disturbed.

Sometime later, the man said softly, “Look at the water, it is absolutely still.”

The boy said, “Yeah, it is.”

The man tossed a pebble into the water and continued, “Only till I toss a pebble into it now do you see the ripples?”

“Yeah,” said the boy, “they spread further and further.”

“And soon, the water is still again,” offered the man.

The boy said, “Sure, it becomes quiet, after a while.”

The man continued, “What if we want to stop the ripples? The root cause of the ripples is the stone. Let’s take the stone out. Go ahead and look for it.” The boy put his hand into the water and tried to take the stone out.

But he only succeeded in making more ripples. He was able to take the stone out, but the number of ripples that were made in the process were a lot more than before.

The wise man said, “It is not possible to stop the movement of the water once a pebble has been thrown into it. But if we can stop ourselves from throwing the pebble in the first place, the ripples can be avoided altogether!
So too, it is with our minds. If a thought enters into it, it creates ripples. The only way to save the mind from getting disturbed is to block and ban the entry of every superfluous thought that could be a potential cause for disturbance. If a disturbance has entered into the mind, it will take its own time to die down. Too many conflicting thoughts just cause more and more disturbances. Once the disturbance has been caused it takes time to ebb out. Even trying to forcibly remove the thought may further increase the turmoil in the mind. Time surely is a great healer, but prevention is always better than cure.”

Before you allow a thought or a piece of information to enter your mind, put it through the triple filter test of
Authenticity,
Goodness and
Value.
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SOURCE…FROM ONE OF MY FRIENDS THRO MAIL…. I AM SHARING WITH YOU ALL.
Natarajan