SET A DEFINITE GOAL

MOST OF US WANT TO DO SOMETHING BIG IN OUR LIFE BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE GOAL FOR OURSELVES.

A MAN WITHOUT A DEFINITE GOAL WASTES HIS ENERGY IN USELESS THINGS AND GETS NOTHING. LIVING WITHOUT A PURPOSE IS LIKE WALKING ON A ROAD WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE TO GO. WHEN A PERSON DOES NOT KNOW HIS DESTINATION HE WANDERS ON THE STREETS WASTING HIS TIME AND ENERGY.

BUT ONE WHO IS CLEAR ABOUT WHERE TO GO UTILIZES HIS ENERGY IN GETTING THERE. EVEN IF HE IS NOT SURE ABOUT THE PROPER ROUTE HE CAN FIND HIS WAY AS HE IS CLEAR WHERE TO GO.

"First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end."   [Aristotle]


WHEN WE HAVE A DEFINITE GOAL TO ACHIEVE IT PUSHES US TO OBTAIN IT. WE THINK ABOUT IT DAY AND NIGHT. PLAN OUR ACTIONS IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN GET IT. WE PUT ALL OUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ENERGY IN GETTING THAT GOAL.

WE ALL HAVE POWER TO DO BIG THINGS. IT REMAINS DORMANT WITHIN US. WE NEED TO STIMULATE IT. THIS CAN BE DONE WHEN WE HAVE A GOAL TO ACHIEVE. OUR GOAL CAN BRING OUT BEST OF US. WE UTILIZE OUR ENERGY IN BEST POSSIBLE WAY.

ONE WHO IS LIVING FOR A PURPOSE IN LIFE NEVER GIVES UP, NO MATTER HOW MANY OBSTACLES COME IN HIS PATH. HE OVERCOMES ALL OF THEM WITHOUT BEING UPSET. HE NEVER FINDS LIFE DULL BECAUSE HE ENJOYS THE CHALLENGES PUT BY LIFE IN HIS WAY TO REACH HIS GOAL.

HE NEVER FEELS WORRIED ABOUT HIS FUTURE AS HE IS FULLY OCCUPIED BY HIS GOAL. NEGATIVE THOUGHTS DON'T TROUBLE HIM AS HE HAS NO TIME FOR THEM. 

EVEN FAILURES CAN NOT STOP HIM. NO MATTER HOW LOW HE MAY HAVE FALLEN BUT HE SOON GETS ON HIS FEET AND STARTS WALKING TOWARDS HIS DESTINATION.


"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it." [Robert Heinlein]

WHEN WE HAVE NO DEFINITE GOAL FOR US WE WASTE OURSELVES IN TRIVIAL THINGS. LIFE BECOMES SO MONOTONOUS THAT WE BECOME FRUSTRATED. ALL SORTS OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS SCARE US. WE HESITATE TO ACCEPT CHALLENGES OF LIFE. WE START FEELING DEPRESSED. SLOWLY WE BECOME A DULL PERSON AND CREEP INSIDE THE SHELL OF OUR COMFORTS.


“Set your mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass.”
[Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich]

SET A GOAL FOR YOURSELF. CONTEMPLATE ON IT ALL THE TIME. SOON IT WILL BECOME A PART OF YOU WITHOUT WHICH YOU WILL FEEL INCOMPLETE.WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP TOWARDS IT WITH FULL DETERMINATION THINGS WILL START HAPPENING FOR YOU. EVEN IF SOME DIFFICULTIES COME TO YOUR WAY THEY CAN NOT DISSUADE YOU FROM YOUR PATH.


"Keep a definite goal of achievement constantly in view. Realize that work well and worthily done makes life truly worth living."  [Grenville Kleiser]

LIFE IS AN OPPORTUNITY  TO SHOW OUR TALENT. WE CAN DO IT WHEN WE HAVE A PURPOSE TO LIVE. IT WILL PROVIDE YOUR LIFE A NEW MEANING. IT WILL TAKE YOU TO UNEXPECTED HEIGHTS. THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR GOAL THE MORE ENTHUSIASM YOU FEEL IN YOUR LIFE. IT WILL BRING A POSITIVE CHANGE FOR YOU.

YOU ARE DIVINE POWER

The 31-year-old, from Toronto, Canada - who lost his legs when he was just five years old - reached the summit of the 19,341ft high Mt. Kilimanjaro on Tuesday after a slow, gruelling and awe-inspiring trek.

 MOST OF US THINK OURSELVES AS BODY. THEN HOW A PERSON WITHOUT LEGS CAN CLIMB SUCH A HEIGHT. THIS LOOKS LIKE A MIRACLE. 

THIS UNTHINKABLE IS ACHIEVED BY MR.  SPENCER WEST WHO WAS BORN WITH SACRAL AGENESIS A GENETIC DISORDER DUE TO WHICH HIS LOWER SPINE WAS POORLY DEVELOPED. SO HIS LEGS WERE PERMANENTLY CROSSED. SO HIS BOTH OF LEGS WERE AMPUTATED TO BELOW HIS PELVIS.

DOCTORS TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD NEVER BE A FUNCTIONING MEMBER OF SOCIETY BUT HE DEFIED THEM. HE TRAINED HIMSELF TO SCALE THE TALLEST PEAK IN AFRICA WITHOUT LEGS.

HE STARTED HIS ADVENTURE WITH HIS BEST FRIENDS AND REACHED TO THE TOP IN SEVEN DAYS. HE MADE MOST OF HIS JOURNEY ON HANDS. 

ON REACHING THERE HE SAID

" I set out to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro not only to redefine what's possible for me, but to inspire others to overcome obstacles and challenges of their own, and to give back to communities, that need our help.
'Reaching the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro was the most mentally and physically challenging thing I have ever done, but in doing so, it reinforced the powerful message behind believing in yourself, and believing in others."

WHAT THIS STORY TELLS US. IT GIVES US A MESSAGE THAT OUR EXISTENCE IS NOT LIMITED TO OUR BODY. WE ARE NOT MERE BUNDLE OF FLESH AND BONES. OUR REAL IDENTITY IS BEYOND THIS BODY.

THERE IS SOMETHING WITHIN US WHICH IS WORKING. WHICH GUIDES US, PROVIDES US STRENGTH TO FACE HARDSHIPS. THIS SOMETHING IS 'ATMAN'. THIS IS OUR REAL SELF.

CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD HAS A MAHAVAKYA  [PHRASE]

                                                      'TAT TVAM ASI' 

                        [ YOU ARE THAT ]

WHAT IT MEANS. IT MEANS THAT WE ARE WHAT WE ARE SEARCHING FOR. WE ALL SEEK POWER, KNOWLEDGE, HAPPINESS PEACE. WE ARE THE UNLIMITED SOURCE OF POWER, KNOWLEDGE, JOY AND PEACE. WHAT WE NEED IS TO SEARCH THEM WITHIN US. 

'BRAHMAN' IS SUBSTRATUM OF THIS UNIVERSE. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEN FROM A SMALL PARTICLE OF DUST TO MOUNTAIN EVERYTHING IS BRAHMAN. BRAHMAN IS DWELLING IN EVERY HEART FROM AN ANT TO AN ERUDITE SAGE. 'BRAHMAN' WHICH IS SOURCE OF ALL POWERS, KNOWLEDGE AND ETERNAL PEACE. 

THEN WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF OUR MISERIES. WHY WE FEEL SO HELPLESS, SO DISTRESSED. WHY WE ARE SO IGNORANT ABOUT OUR STRENGTH. BECAUSE WE NEVER TRY TO CONNECT WITH OUR REAL SELF. WE SEARCH FOR STRENGTH AND PEACE IN OUTSIDE WORLD BUT NEVER PEEP INSIDE OUR HEART.

OUR SITUATION IS LIKE A MAN CARRYING WITH HIM THE BUNDLE OF VALUABLES GEMS BUT IGNORANT ABOUT THIS FACT ASKING FOR PENNY.

WE SAY THAT GOD IS MERCIFUL. WITH THE GRACE OF GOD WE CAN DO ANYTHING. BUT HOW CAN WE GET THAT MERCY TO BE BESTOWED UPON US. NOT BY BEGGING IT. WE CAN HAVE IT IF WE ARE READY TO HELP OURSELVES.

                               'GOD HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.'

DON'T BE PATHETIC ABOUT YOUR SELF. REMEMBER 

'TAT TVAM ASI'

FEEL THAT STRENGTH WITHIN YOU. TRY TO GET THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR REAL SELF. YOU HAVE IT WITHIN YOU. YOU WILL FEEL IMMENSE PEACE.

DEVELOP A SELF CONFIDENCE SO YOU CAN PUT A CHALLENGE BEFORE A CHALLENGE.

WHY ME ??

THERE WAS A PHASE IN MY LIFE WHEN I WAS VERY DISTURBED. I WAS FULL OF COMPLAINTS AND WAS UPSET WITH GOD. WHY HE HAS GIVEN ME A LIFE WHERE I HAVE TO DEPEND ON OTHERS' FOR DAILY CHORES. WHY I AM NOT BORN WITH AN ABLE BODY. SO I CAN LIVE AND ENJOY LIFE LIKE OTHER PEOPLE DO.

THESE QUESTIONS WERE PESTERING ME. I STARTED TO QUESTION THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.

I WAS SUFFERING AND WAS HEADING TOWARDS DEPRESSION. BUT AT THE RIGHT TIME GOD HELPED ME TO COME OUT OF THAT PHASE.

IT IS NOT THAT SOME EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ME. IT WAS A SLOW PROCESS. GOD LED ME OUT OF THAT SITUATION BY GIVING ME SMALL SIGNALS. WHICH I RECEIVED SOMETIMES WHILE READING A BOOK OR WATCHING A T.V. PROGRAMME OR TALKING TO SOMEONE.

THROUGH THOSE SIGNALS I  REALIZED THAT NO ONE IN THIS WORLD IS FREE FROM SUFFERINGS. THERE ARE MANY PERSONS WHOSE AFFLICTIONS ARE MUCH GREATER THAN MINE.

'THERE IS AN OLD SAYING I WAS CRYING FOR MY BARE FEET UNTIL I SAW A MAN WITHOUT LEGS.'

MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE SO DEEPLY IMMERSED IN THINKING ABOUT OUR SUFFERINGS THAT WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION ON OTHER POSITIVE THINGS WE HAVE.
I FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING WITH ADVERSITIES WITHOUT ANY COMPLAINT. THIS BROUGHT A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MY LIFE. I REALIZED THAT ALL THIS COMPLAINING AND LAMENTATION WILL TAKE ME NOWHERE.

LIFE IS NOT ABOUT BEING IN DARKNESS BUT IT IS A STRUGGLE TO COME TO LIGHT. I SHIFTED MY ATTENTION ON POSITIVE SIDE OF MY LIFE. THE MORE I LOOK AT POSITIVE SIDE THE MORE I FELT BLESSED BY GOD. SOON I WAS OUT OF THAT BAD PHASE.

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IF WE CAN UTILIZE WHAT WE HAVE IN BETTER WAY. ONE SHOULD NOT WASTE HIS LIFE IN LAMENTING FOR WHAT HE DOES NOT HAVE. RATHER HE SHOULD TRY TO MAKE MAXIMUM USE OF WHAT HE HAS.


WHENEVER  I LOOK BACK AT THAT TIME AND THINK ABOUT THOSE SIGNALS WHICH I RECEIVED, MY HEART FILLS WITH GRATITUDE. HOW INTELLIGENTLY GOD WAS DIVERTING ME FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE ASPECT OF LIFE. NOW I AM GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR WHATEVER HE HAS GIVEN TO ME.

FIND UNITY IN DIVERSITY

HUMAN SOCIETY IS LIKE A BIG CANVAS PAINTED WITH VARIOUS VIBRANT COLORS. PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SKIN COLORS, FORMS, LIVE IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS. THEY SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. FOLLOW DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND CUSTOMS.THERE CUISINE, ETIQUETTE, THE WAY OF DRESSING EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT.
BUT THERE ALWAYS LIES UNITY IN DIVERSITY. THE PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, SKIN COLORS AND FORMS HAVE THE SAME EMOTIONS. WE ALL FEEL THE JOY AND SORROW, LOVE, COMPASSION, HATRED, ANGER. THE SKIN COLOR MAY BE DIFFERENT BUT THE BLOOD WHICH OOZES OUT FROM A WOUND HAS THE SAME COLOR.

AS THE LIGHT BEAM WHICH PASSES THROUGH A PRISM SCATTERS ITSELF IN SEVEN DIFFERENT COLORS SIMILARLY ONE ENERGY TAKES THE DIFFERENT FORMS IN LIVING BEINGS.

THEN WHY WE FIGHT ON TRIVIAL THINGS LIKE SKIN COLOR, LANGUAGE, RELIGION. WHY WE DON'T UNDERSTAND AFFLICTIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE. WHY WE CREATE DIVISION BETWEEN US. .
THE REASON OF  THIS IS OUR LIMITED OUTLOOK DUE TO WHICH WE CAN NOT LOOK DEEP INSIDE THE MATTER. WE ONLY SEE THE OUTER LAYER WHICH HAS THE VARIETY BUT NEVER TRY TO LOOK INSIDE THE LAYER WHERE EVERYTHING IS SAME. 

WHEN WE FAIL TO SEE THE  FACT THAT SAME ENERGY IS WORKING WITHIN US AS VITAL FORCE WE HURT EACH OTHER WITHOUT CONSIDERING THAT WE ARE INSULTING THE ABSOLUTE POWER WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF THIS UNIVERSE. WHEN ONE PERSON KILLS THE OTHER PERSON IN THE NAME OF RELIGION, CAST, SKIN COLOR HE HARMS THE HUMANITY. HE DISRESPECTS THE VALUES OF LIFE.

THE TRUTH CAN BE REACHED THROUGH DIFFERENT WAYS BUT TRUTH WILL REMAIN SAME. THE ONE AND ONLY TRUTH OF THIS UNIVERSE IS 'GOD'. DIFFERENT  RELIGIONS ARE LIKE DIFFERENT ROUTES REACHING TO SAME DESTINATION. THE PROBLEM ARISES WHEN WE THINK THAT THE ROUTE WE ARE TAKING IS ONE AND ONLY CORRECT WAY TO FIND TRUTH.WHEN WE REJECT THE OPINION OF OTHER PERSONS ON THIS MATTER. THIS LEADS TO RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND CREATES A DISTURBANCE IN SOCIETY. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO LEAD OUR LIFE ON OUR OWN BELIEFS AND THOUGHTS BUT WE SHOULD ALSO RESPECT OTHERS' WAY OF THINKING. EVEN IF WE HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION WE SHOULD TRY TO SHOW IT WITHOUT HURTING OTHERS' FEELINGS.

THE HUMAN SOCIETY IS FACING SO MANY PROBLEMS. THEY MAY LOOK DIFFERENT FROM OUTSIDE BUT THEY HEART PEOPLE IN SAME MANNER. WE ALL NEED LOVE AND PEACE. THE NEED OF THE HOUR IS TO REMOVE ALL THE DIFFERENCES AND HELP EACH OTHER. 

AS WE ARE MOST INTELLIGENT CREATURES OF THIS EARTH IT IS OUR DUTY TO CREATE A PEACEFUL SOCIETY WHERE EVERYONE CAN LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND FEEL SECURE TO PLACE HIS OPINION. TO LIVE LIFE ACCORDING TO HIS FAITH. WHERE NO ONE FEEL INFERIOR ON THE BASIS OF HIS CAST OR SKIN COLOR.
THIS CAN BE DONE ONLY WHEN WE LEARN TO ACCEPT THE WHOLE HUMANITY AS A ONE BIG FAMILY.

WE SHOULD TRY TO BECOME GENEROUS LIKE NATURE WHICH BINDS TOGETHER DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN PERFECT HARMONY.

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः
सर्वे शन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु
मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
{Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Shantu Nir-Aamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||}

Meaning:
Om, May All become Happy,
May All become free from Illness.
May All see what is Auspicious,
Let no one Suffer.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

DO WE NEED RELIGION

HUMAN BEINGS FOLLOW DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.WE FOLLOW THE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES WITH ABSOLUTE FIDELITY.

NOW THE QUESTION ARISES DO WE NEED TO FOLLOW ANY RELIGION.

YES WE NEED TO FOLLOW A RELIGION

WHAT IS RELIGION AND WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IT HAS IN OUR LIFE.

RELIGION IS A WAY OF LIFE. IT IS A SET OF BELIEFS WHICH HELPS US TO BECOME GOOD HUMAN BEINGS. IT REGULATES HUMAN SOCIETY.

ALL RELIGIONS TEACH US TO BE TRUE, PURE. TO LEAD A SIMPLE LIFE. TO CULTIVATE THE QUALITIES OF LOVE, BENEVOLENCE, KINDNESS, NON VIOLENCE.

RELIGION IS A MEDIUM WHICH HELPS US TO REACH OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIFE "GOD"

This is what I found out about religion: it gives you courage to make the decisions you must make in a crisis, and then the confidence to leave the result to a higher power. Only by trust in God can a man carrying responsibility find repose. [Dwight Eisenhower]

EVERY RELIGION HAS ITS OWN METHOD TO INTERACT TO GOD KNOWN AS PRAYER. PRAYER CONNECTS US DIRECTLY WITH GOD. IT TAKES US TO THE HIGHER PLATFORM OF SPIRITUALITY. 

SPIRITUALITY OPENS THE DOOR OF REALM OF GOD. IT IS A STATE WHEN WE FORGET OUR WORLDLY CONNECTIONS AND ENTERS INTO THE WORLD OF SUPREME REALITY.

SO RELIGION IS A MEDIUM TO TO GET INTO THE ZONE OF SPIRITUALITY.

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.
Buddha

AS ONE NEEDS A VEHICLE TO REACH TO A CERTAIN PLACE. WHEN HE GETS THERE HE DOES NOT NEED THE VEHICLE. SIMILARLY FOLLOWING A RELIGION HELPS US TO ENTER THE WORLD OF SPIRITUALITY.

ONE WHO REACHED THERE AND COMPLETELY SITUATED IN SPIRITUAL WORLD DOES NOT NEED TO FOLLOW ANY RELIGION.

BUT UNTIL THAT STAGE IS NOT ACHIEVED ONE SHOULD NOT DEVIATE FROM HIS RELIGIOUS DUTIES.

THEN WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. WHY MOST OF US CAN NOT GET TO THE WORLD OF SPIRITUALITY. 

BECAUSE MOST OF US THINK THAT FOLLOWING THE RITUALS OF A RELIGION IS ONLY THING WE NEED TO DO. IT IS LIKE WALKING ON A ROAD WITHOUT ANY INTENTION TO REACH SOMEWHERE. 

THE RELIGION IS LIKE A RUNWAY  WHICH IS LAID FOR A PLANE TO TAKEOFF. ONCE THE PLANE GETS FLIGHT IT DOES NOT NEED RUNWAY. AS IT IS GOING TO FLY HIGH.
BUT INSTEAD TO TAKEOFF WE ARE ROAMING ON THIS RUNWAY AIMLESSLY.

THE NEED IS TO RECOGNIZE  THE GOAL OF LIFE. WE SHOULD TRY TO REACH THAT GOAL WITH THE HELP OF RELIGION. 

RELIGION IS A MEDIUM NOT THE DESTINATION.