Holistic Living - Will power

by Life Positive

THE SCIENCE OF FAITH

It is an old custom among Indians and almost all the ancient people who have roots in history to pray and offer food to God before eating. This practice has profound cosmological, spiritual and down to earth biological significations.

This was done to invigorate the food to make it beneficial for the human body. Praying and chanting over food sends vibrations, which bring the food, nature and man in perfect harmony for better assimilation of the food's values in the digestive system. This is a sure way to energize the food by tapping the source of universal energy. Science says that there should be enough chewing of food to activate the salivary glands in the mouth and the pharynx for better digestion.

The food, when ingested, moves down the vishuddhi or throat chakra (one of the seven energy centers in the human body) which purifies it. Praying incorporates the food with prana, which, in turn, puts it in harmony with the body's vibrations. The state of mind also has much to do with the assimilation and elimination processes in the gastrointestinal tract. So, whatever the situation, have a positive attitude towards food while eating.

Rasmi Vyas, Delhi, India

GETTING CONNECTED WITH GOD

Should my tea contain one teaspoon of sugar or one-and-half? That's an important question in the day of an individual who is indecisive, for it can cause many hours of agonized contemplation.

Until the age of 15, every moment of my life was spent oscillating. Should I go for a walk or a jog? Should I call Anita or Sunita? Should I do this or should I do that? And I was unable to take a single positive step. I could feel all my energies being dissipated. The vibrations that I let out were those of insecurity and negativity. And this worked against me.

Then I read the biography of Allen Neuharth, the newspaper baron who launched USA Today. I realized that he is a positive thinker who possesses a sharp mind. I began to read every available book on the subject of positive thinking. And that has changed my life.

Negativity causes lethargy. Positive thoughts bring buoyancy in one's life, a certain vibration that can even connect us on line with the supreme spirit through telepathy and tell Him to aid us in realizing the goals we cherish.

Dhanuka A, Mumbai, India

DISCOVERING THE SELF

Reading books on Ramana Maharshi, I became interested in the most basic question of life, who am I? The great sage had said "Be as you are, all that is required of you is to be in your pristine state called self".

Of course, meditating on "Who am I?" didn't get me anywhere. Gradually it passed into my unconscious mind. It would, however, resurface at moments when I was engaged in a heated argument—the inquiry then would pass through me like a shock. It made me see the constitution of the borrowed personality. Every time it chipped away a part of me and I began to see the folly of keeping pretences, making me more aware of myself.

Around this time I quit my job and came home. One day, sitting idly in my room, I felt relaxed and closed my eyes. I became aware of a cool breeze blowing through me, I was shivering and I became aware of a cold sensation running through my palms, feet and my whole body. A bubbly feeling of bliss began to erupt from my chest. I felt myself as a dark and silky presence that was silent and effortless. The true meaning of "Be as you are" suddenly became clear to me.

Later, I was able to repeat the experience and absorb it into my daily life. Nowadays I don't meditate on "Who am I?" Instead, I think I will find relief in the words of the wise Zen Buddhist monk, "Why think of right and wrong when the bell goes like that?"

Surinder Sharma, Jalandhar, India

WILL POWER

I was 27 years old, working as a manager in a multinational company and cruising along the road of life happily when fate suddenly put on the brakes. I injured my head in a scooter accident, resulting in blood clots in the brain. This led to a paralytic attack—I couldn't move my left arm and leg.

Bedridden, I began questioning the reason for my worldly existence and the purpose of life. I had earlier read Quantum Healing by Deepak Chopra and The power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. I decided to put their theories into practice.

The central theme of both books is that unleashing the power of the subconscious you can cure any affliction, from amnesia to cancer.

I told myself that I had one arm, one leg and an eye in perfect working condition. I could hear, talk, see and write. I could move with the help of a crutch. I began reading with one eye.

To unleash the power of my mind to the fullest, I began saying to myself: "I am going to be healthy soon, divine energy flows through me and I will beat paralysis in the game of fate".

I uttered these words like a devotee who chants "Ram Ram". The results began to appear soon. I distinctly remember the sense of touch returning to the little finger of my left hand—I had won my first victory. I was discharged from the hospital after four weeks.

Then I started taking physiotherapy. One of my female friends helped me by frequently saying: "Murli, you will be your old jumpy self soon." By the fourth week of physiotherapy, I had regained sensation till my elbow. After two more months, my left arm had become as normal as the right one.

As advised by Deepak Chopra, every night I visualized my brain sending electrical impulses to the left side of my body and I visualized my body responding. I continue to do this even today.

I started walking and going to the physiotherapist without support. Six months after the accident, the neurosurgeon declared me fit to travel, I re-joined my company and my collection of poems that I had been writing while recovering was accepted for publication in London.

Murli Menon, Ahmedabad, India

MIRACLE IN THE KITCHEN

I was in the kitchen, my wife and I were fixing together a hurried snack before dashing off to our god-daughter Anubha's wedding. In the process of hurrying, I picked up the hot tava (skillet) so expertly that my fingers and a part of my palm were badly burnt. There was no time to do anything except hold my hand under running water and rush.

I had earlier read a very interesting book called Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway which a friend had brought for me from England. The author, Susan Jeffers, says that the subconscious mind blindly accepts what the conscious mind tells it and does not discriminate. So whatever you tell it, it believes. Tell it you're tired, you feel tired; tell it you're energetic and, presto, you are. Only positive statements are to be made and it works whether you believe it or not—all you have to do is just say it.

I saw the accident as a golden opportunity to check it out. I had nothing to lose. My burnt hand and me were going to be in a church for a longtime before I could attend to it. So I did it. I repeated, "My hand is fine" twenty times as I held my hand under the water.

Believe it or not, I forgot all about my hand. I went to the wedding, sang songs with the band and had a gala time. The next morning I woke up and remembered by burnt hand. All I had was a small blister at the tip of one finger, which disappeared by the evening.

Now, this is the tricky part. You are a reader, not my wife. You weren't there when it happened. So, if you're skeptical, I completely endorse it. One must be. Being gullible is stupid. But all I can say is check it out for yourself—if it worked for me, it may work for you.

Amit Jayaram, New Delhi, India

PHILOSOPHY AS PAINKILLER

My friend was shattered when her two-day-old baby died. I counseled her whenever we met and told her about the eternity of life. In reality, there's no life, death, time or space. These concepts are all Maya (illusion).

Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death, it is eternity.

Life is a road winding down the hills of time. With every turn in the road, the old view vanishes and a new one appears. Beyond the bend, hidden from our view, some person pass quickly and some slowly—but they do not cease to be; they only pass beyond human sight.

Life is as much on the unseen side, as on the seen side. There is unity beyond time and space that links both the sides. If we can raise our consciousness high enough, we will realize that life and death are but two sides of nature's coin. Death is a rest between the two notes in an unfinished musical symphony. It is a page we turn, to begin a new chapter in the soul's voyage.

When my friend grasped this concept, she became her cheerful self once again, and is expecting another baby, due any time now.

Ruby Lilaowala, Mumbai, India

CLEARING THE JUNK WITHIN US
I recently attended a course called Awakening, conducted by Ranganath Bharadwaj, who was trained by a teacher from the Dale Carnegie Institute, USA. The course lay emphasis on effective communication, improving your memory and enthusiasm levels, public speaking, and overcoming the ego.

It was a valuable experience for all of us as we learned to fight shyness and fear and clear various mental blocks created by ourselves.

I had many complexes. All my weaknesses have disappeared after attending this course. Above all, I learned what my limitations are. I learned how to accept them and how to go beyond them. I am a student, 20 years old, and I'm sure this course will help me in the future as well. We, the participants of Awakening, have formed a group called Chancellor's Club to reinforce the workshop's impact. We meet once a month and continue to motivate each other through interactive sessions. We have also introduced related courses like hypnosis, time management and reiki.

Ranjith Menon, Kerala, India