Hectic 2 weeks and some learnings

Well I have had real hectic 2 weeks since I last wrote my blog. Have come back from San Francisco, but had 4 hectic days non stop and then left for New York for 4 days and then went from there to San Francisco again for 4 more days. Have come back and got immersed in to work.

The great thing is that I am still doing plenty of exercises including Pranayam and walking, despite of all these travel.

Major learning is that FUN, PLAY and EASE has ignited the interest in my HINDI classes at Jain Temple in Chicago. This last time, that is on January 18th class not only small kids came in, but were actually looking forward to the class. Also when class was about to end and parents wanted to go, it was the children who were saying that they wanted to stay, in fact one girl forced her parents to stay longer, so that she could play games.

I MUST bring this Fun, Play and Ease in every walk of life to become the Remarkable person to the world for which I am undergoing an expensive course with Landmark Education http://www.landmakeducation.com/.

I have also realized that unless I say I am tired, I am rarely tired despite of any amount of physical activity. But if I say or think I am tired without any rhyme of reason I would feel tired.

Lastly I have dedcided now to publish my father's life store, a short biography by commissioning a writer to do so. Since his life was such an exemplary one, every one needs to learn from it. Earlier I thought I could do it, but my dear wife brought the fact to the fore that it is a quite time consuming task and I do not have that much at this juncture in life. I also realized that if I want the book to be fairly unbiased, it should be written by a person who is not related and also who does an extensive research.

For this I have already sounded out many people for a suitable writer and prepared a short note on how and what to do for research work. I need to commission the writer by my July trip in India.

Sayings of my father - Babuji ki suktiyan

Well as a tribute to my father, I have decided to publish a small compilation of his sayings, words and proverbs he used to say often; here is a small list of the same.

1. सबलन को नहीं दोष गुसाईं Sabalan ko nahin dosh gusain - God, looks like the powerful are not held for their mistakes.
2. प्रभु जाको पीड़ा देहीं ताकी बुद्धि पहले हर लेहीं Prabhu jako pida dehin, taki buddhi pahle her lehin - Who ever God wants to inflict pain on, He takes away the person's wisdom (judgment making ability).
3. जीवन में ऊपर चढ़ना सरल है किन्तु नीचे उतरना कठिन. Jeevan me upar chadhna saral hai, kintu neeche utarna kathin - In life it is easier to climb up, but difficult to go down.
4. If you have made real difference in few people's lives, that is more important than doing big social work which is uninspirational.
5. You can only lead people by example (doing) and no so much by words (saying) alone.
6. One could only show others paths to follow, they always find their own way.
7. हर व्यक्ति को अपना जीवन का उद्देश्य स्वयं बनाने का और उसे पूरा करने का अधिकार है. Every one has a right to make their own goals in life and pursue them.
8.

Six points to note on Jainism

This last Sunday I attended a prayer meeting in Jain temple in memory of a person's mother. There they recited a prayer written by Shrimad Rajchandra (Guru of Mahatma Gandhi), a Jain person, who lived like a monk and have written many scriptures in modern Gujrati. This prayer was to teach 6 basic understanding in a Guru-Shishya (Teacher-Disciple) Q&A style. Here are the highlights as I understood it.

There are 6 basic points to understand in life:
1. Atma hai (Soul exists)
2. Atma anitya hai (Soul is eternal)
3. Nijkarm ka karta hai (Causes its own deeds[actions])
4. Bhokta hai (Bears the fruits of its deeds[karmas])
5. Moksha hai (Moksha exists - a state of eternal bliss with freedom from life-death cycle)
6. Sadharm hi sadhan hai (Righteous ways are the ways to achieve Moksha - as propounded in Jain scriptures).

These fundamental thoughts on Jainism were quite revealing to me, as before then I never read about them or contemplated on. Although it was known in various ways, but presentation in this way is quite unique and makes the understanding quite clearer and simpler.

First of the year 2009

This is my first post of this new year 2009 of Common Era. I really wanted to write on first hours of the year itself, but did not. Later it was just laziness or procrastination.

All 4 days have been quite hectic. On the new year day I woke up with cold sweat and giddiness, which was a bot scary as I thought I was having some sort of an Heart Attack or some thing. But having clarified with Aman worked.
Went to Jain temple with family that day and then visited a friend's place where an old social group met to say good byes to people shifting to Canada.

On second spent with morning calling India and with kids as Shubhra had gone to work, Later a friend invited me over for lunch, so spent time discussing inspirational thoughts at his home. Subsequently helped Aayami with her college applications and in the evening hosted Andurkar family.

On Saturday we all first went to Celebratory lunch at Mongolian Barbecue in downtown Naperville followed by a visit to Lemont Hindu temple to see Mrs. Talluri's decoration with Shubhra. In the evening hosted Pepping family and in the night completed Aayami's application to Purdue University.

Today on 4th Jan after Pranayam, talk with Aagam, breakfast of Pani-Puri, we all went to Jain Mandir. There I was taking Pathshala for young adults, but some area school students came for knowing Jainism for their school project and hence spent time with them. This I followed with Hindi class and then attended the prayer meeting for Anil Mehta's mother's passing away.

Now while helping Aayami write her essay for IIT, Chicago, I am writing this first post of the year.

Here are the resolutions for the new year:
1. Instilling Babuji's ideals in my life; be the living example of his principle as my tribute to him.
2. Exercise at least 4 times a week, morning Pranayam and evening 1 mile walk on the treadmill or in the fresh air.
3. No yelling and shouting at home or any where; convey my feelings calmly and firmly, without getting angry.
4. Write my blog at least once a week.
5. Be the powerful transceiver of positivity, health, wealth and peace.

Last post of 2008

Wow!!! The year is ending in couple of hours. What an year, really eventful. It started in Jabalpur, where we were visiting and did a lot of going around within first week of the year and then it continued to be travel, travel and more travel all thru the year.

I completed one landmark senior course of 'Partnership exploration' at Los Angeles and signed up in the next course of 'Power and Contribution'. Besides completed another 3 seminars at Chicago - Velocity, Landmark Forum in Action and Creativity.

Also attended several conference and exhibitions - J P Morgan, ASCO, DIA, BIO and Clinical Outsourcing World. Made many city visits around the country to Los Angeles, San Francisco, NYC, Philly, NJ, Boston areas.

Finally rushed to India after hearing about Babuji's illness. Was with him for 10 days after which he was to be hospitalised. He passed away on Dec 2nd and I completed all rituals etc. And came back on Dec 16th after 4 weeks. This has been one of the great disturbing event of the year.

Also completed relationship with Dow, and many other projects. more later in the new year...........

Sense of Gratitude towards one and all

Today I am so present to the saying that we must have a sense of gratitude towards one and all to be really peaceful as well as powerful. I also realize that this makes one magnanimous, which in turn increases the efficiency and efficacy of a person in whatever he does.

The thought of Gratitude came across to me last night from the video of the person with no limbs, who had said that we need to be looking at what we have rather than focusing on what we do not have. Hence this morning I got up with a resolve to see only good things my wife and family has and that culminated in to feeling grateful about my employee's services. Therefore I was not only with the best of the attitude with my wife, son and daughter, but also expressed and then wrote an appreciation letter to my employee.

In the obvious consequences my such behaviour empowered all others, while empowering me as well.

Also I feel that despite of my father not being an overtly optimistic person, he was a person filled with gratitude, even towards the people who had wronged him and his mother. Possibly this provided him the immense power with which he led a phenomenally successful life, even though it was full of struggles, with an ever present peace and smile. This is what most people remembered about him in the condolence meetings.

So learning of the day 'A sense of gratitude empowers all'.

Inspirational Video

Today I watched a video sent in one of the groups I subscribe to. It was really inspirational at the same time unbelievable. It is about a 23 year old inspirational speaker Nick Vijucic, who goes around world tour with packed houses. The unbelievable part is that he has no limbs (No arms and Legs), just one little foot like structure at his bottom. He is very successful speaker, who has already spoken to and inspired more than a Million people in last 3 years across the world.

Here is his video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_24_qTNac&feature=related .

He professed three points:
1. Perspective - Look at what you have and not what you do not have.
2. Vision - Develop ideas and dreams on what you want to do and live them as a possibility.
3. Choices - Make choices to fulfill your vision by making constant efforts towards achieving your dreams; the first step - Stop procrastinating.

He says that when he realized that he did not have limbs like normal people, he looked at what he had. This was the change in perspective, which brought him strength to deal with life. Else he has not only thought, but have also attempted committing suicide several times.

Then he developed dreams - visions of what he want to be. Not that he has achieved even few of them, but has started working have started achieving, like he wants to appear in Oprah Winfrey Show, would like a movie made on him and is writing a book titled "No arms, No Legs, No Worries".

Every thing is coming to him, as he has been making constant efforts and making continuous choices towards achieving his vision (dreams). Not that he has not procrastinated, he has all the times. But he says even if you fall a 100 times, never give up on getting up one more time. You would only fail, once you give up.

Besides this I have been very present to my father's absence in the life, but after speaking to Ma and her interaction with several Muni Maharaj, anecdotes with Babuji's fellow worshippers made me feel better.

As I am saying to many people, I MUST live the ideals of my father to truly pay my tributes to him.