Response-NOV
Mail from our readers, online fans and subscribers
Outstanding October issue
All the articles in the October 2019 issue are of stellar quality and teach great lessons to live a meaningful life. We are blessed to read the articles Hide and seek with God, The New Age Valmiki, The legacy of wisdom, Festival of enlightenment as well as Editspeak.May the sincere efforts of the LP team shine on!
Ashok Upadhyay, Khareda Morbi, Gujarat
Awakening to the world of dreams
I enjoyed reading Dreams, nightmares, and bogeys in the September 2019 issue. The article captures your interest right from the beginning which opens with the description of a friend’s dream. Basic information about dreams and nightmares has been described in a lucid manner; in fact, the complex subject of dreams has been presented in a simple way that will be comprehensible to laypeople.
I have read somewhere that apart from unspecific memories stored in the brain, neurological disorders, like damage to a few cells of the brain stem, may lead to violent dreams and nightmares which, if left untreated, may further lead to Parkinson’s disease. The last three paragraphs show how, by analysing the undefined bits of memory stored in the brain in the light of one’s own intellect, one can redefine and reset such memories, and the dreams may vanish in due course of time.
The excellent language and the flow of the article make it immensely readable.
R Chandrashekhar, via WhatsApp
I happened to go through the September 2019 issue of Life Positive recently. The layout of the matter as well as the print quality was good.
One article that captured my attention was Dreams, nightmares, and bogeys, well-written by Mrs Vanitha Vaidyalingam. The author has made an elaborate attempt to provide insights into all the above terminologies. She has vividly explained how one is different from the other by presenting them in distinct paragraphs. At least, now I know a new meaning for the word ‘bogey.’ Valuable information on how to try to overcome these phenomena using our intellect has been offered.
Overall, the author has taken pains to make these concepts intelligible to the readers, and it would be nice if she could contribute more of such articles. Kudos to the author and thanks to you for carrying this article in your magazine.
Piravi Perumal, via email
Your article Dreams, nightmares, and bogeys in the September 2019 issue has a scientific take on these phenomena. However, Indian spirituality has its own philosophy regarding the jagrat (waking), swapna (dream), sushupti (deep sleep) and turiya (samadhi or transcendental consciousness) states.
In the waking state, all the sense organs, the mind, and the jeevatma (individual soul) are awake and active. In the dream state, the dharma-bhuta-jnana (attributive consciousness) of the jeevatma and mind are active and the karma is worked out in a less severe form as a kind gesture of God. Your punya (good deeds) can make you a king in your dreams and your paapa (sins), a bhogi (one who pays for their sins), who undergoes nightmares. In the deep sleep state, the mind and dharma-bhuta-jnana are inactive and the jeevatma rests with the Paramatma (supreme consciousness). In the Puritat Nadi (energy channel) in the heart where the Paramatma resides, there in dahrahasa, and so the jeevatma enjoys a near moksha (liberation) state and feels the same only after waking. It is akin to enjoying the joy felt by a youngster visiting their parents after a long stay at their hostel and feeling the same on their return after the short visit. Turiya is samadhi, the final state, which is almost in Vaikunth (celestial abode of Vishnu).
In the waking and dream states, karma is spent, and in deep sleep, karma temporarily vanishes but is revived on waking up. Similarly, in Vaikunth, after making the karma balance sheet nil, there is permanent bliss which is different from just happiness.
Devanathan via email
Megha makes her ‘voice’ heard
What I strongly feel about the inner voice or the higher intelligence is aptly written by Megha in The Voice in the September 2019 issue. I can easily recall the moments I suffered and regretted when I didn’t listen to the voice or, rather, when I was not allowed to listen because of certain people and circumstances. Acting on it is not always easy. This inner voice comes very quickly like a flash of light and we know that it is the right answer or decision, but we are too scared to express or take action as we are conditioned. People around us tell us to use logic. They discourage us and we (especially women in the typical Indian culture scenario), with heavy heart, shun our inner voice and regret later.
Tripta Dewan, Rishikesh
Gender parity
Apropos of the article Maculinity vs Femininity in the September 2019 issue of Life Positive, if we say masculinity is superior then we are aligned with orthodox patriarchal society and its norms. I think the attributes of both, femininity and masculinity need to find their proper place in a person for the larger interest of society. Geert Hofstede, a social psychologist, gives an example of a married couple where the female is more concerned about their business and feels responsible, and the husband is caring, modest, and loving but not accountable. It is so because of their different cultural backgrounds. I feel that both seemingly opposite traits actually complement each other. Thanks, Shivi, for writing on topics (Masculinity vs femininity, September 2019 issue) which make us think and go deep within.
Tripta Dewan, Rishikesh
How many men have loving, affectionate, kind, caring, selfless, nurturing, and always-there-for-you motherly qualities? Your wonderful article Masculinity vs femininity in the September 2019 issue makes us consider the possibility of women running the world since man has always indulged in violent disagreement. I am sure there can be a positive and peaceful change!
Tariq Khan, Mumbai
LP makes a difference
I am a regular reader of Life Positive which is rendering yeoman service to society. I read the article Humble is the way by Shilpa Shah in the July 2019 issue and found it so impressive that I am now trying to follow the advice therein for my self-development. I am grateful to the writer and the publishing team for their contribution to society.
C M Ramteke, Retired executive, Air India