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• Personal Growth

October 2006

By Life Positive

Time out with Ananda
As you sow, so you Reap
Ananda showed the children the beautiful flowers that had just bloomed and patted Nandini and the other girls. 'Bravo,' he said, 'You have really taken care of the plants well.'

Then, looking at the other patch that was dry and full of weeds, Ananda asked, 'You know we put some seeds there too. Why has that not bloomed?'

There was a long pause.
Ananda looked at the group of boys.

Slowly, Suresh spoke up for the group.

'We are sorry,' he said, shamefacedly.

'Yes' said Ananda, 'That patch of land was given to the boys to maintain and they did not tend it. Naturally, it did not bloom.'

'Still, I hope we have learnt a lesson from this. 'This really is the law of cause and effect or karma in action. The beautiful care that Nandini took is the cause of it blooming wonderfully and the neglect in the other patch of land has resulted in weeds.'

He continued, 'This law applies to each and every action of ours. Nothing ever goes unnoticed or unrewarded in the universe.'

Looking at the glum boys, he smiled and added, 'Karma is open for change anytime. You have the power to create it anytime. Try tending your patch now. With patience, it will become beautiful too.'

Mind-Benders
Puzzles
Unscramble each word below to find a riddle and its answer.

HEERW ANC OYU ALVEE OYRU OGD NHEW OUY OG OT A HINGSOPP LMAL?
NI HTE KARBING OTL
Answer:Where can you leave your dog when you go to a shopping mall?
In the barking lot.

What happened in 1961 and will not happen again until 6009?
Answer: A year that reads the same upside down

How could all of your cousins have an aunt who is not your aunt?
Answer: Your mom is their aunt

The Jataka Tales
The Golden Deer
In an ancient forest dwelt two golden deer, Banyan and Branch, heads of two herds in the forest. In the tall grass and shadows of the deep forest, the two herds lived in peace.

The king of Benares and his group came to the forest everyday and killed more deer than was needed for his dinner table. Finally, Banyan Deer called the two herds together, 'Friends, we know there is no escape from death, but this needless killing can be prevented. Let the deer take turns going to the chopping block, one day from my herd and the next day from Branch's herd.'

All the deer agreed. Each day the deer whose turn it was went to the chopping block on the edge of the forest and laid its head upon the block.

One day, the turn fell to a pregnant doe. She begged, 'Grant that I be passed over until after my fawn is born. Then I will gladly take my turn.'

Banyan Deer gently said, 'Go rest in peace. I will put your turn upon another.' The deer king went and laid his golden head upon the chopping block. A deep silence fell in the forest.

When the king of Benares came and saw the golden deer ready for sacrifice, his heart skipped a beat, 'You are the leader of the herd,' he exclaimed, 'You need not die!' Banyan Deer explained how he had come to save the life of the doe.

A tear rolled down the cheek of the king. 'Golden deer king,' he exclaimed. 'Among men and beasts, I have not seen one with such compassion. Arise! I spare both your life and hers.'

'What about the rest of the deer?' Banyan asked 'Their lives too, I shall spare,' the king answered.

'What of the other animals in the forest, birds that fly in the sky and fish in the water?' continued Banyan.

'I promise you that all creatures of the land, sea, and sky will be free,' the king replied. Having saved the lives of all creatures, the golden deer raised his head from the chopping block and returned to the forest.

Poems that Please
My Lord Within
I asked my Amma just yesterday...
'When I seem to be in a spot,
How do I know which decision is
Right and which is not?'

Amma placed her fingertips on my heart
And whispered in my ear,
'You'll know which direction to go
If you believe in the Lord who's here.'

'If He's the foundation of your life
Then no matter where you go,
He'll be right behind you, child
That you must firmly know.'

'You may take a wrong step
And trip up once in a while.
But the Lord will pick you up, my dear.'
Said Amma with a smile.

'He'll help you learn in times of strife
Lessons to help you grow.
Knowing He's there, it makes it easy
To handle life's ebb and flow.'

'It matters most that we know how
To hold onto the Lord within.
You must try and lead your life, my dear
Completely in harmony with Him.'

'Then it really matters not
Which path you choose to take.
For He'll be the foundation on whom you
Will base your decision to make.'

I hugged my Amma...it felt so good,
To know that in my heart,
My Lord stays awake to look after me,
As I, my life, do chart.
Courtesy: The Chitrapur Sunbeam

Do you know?
Mother nature's armory is indeed much better than any we can ever think of.

An owl can hear much better than us humans.

The facial discs (the ring of special feathers around each side of the face) appear to be around the eyes, but are actually around the ears which are right behind the eyes. Each ear is a different shape from the other and in a different position on the skull. That, coupled with the 'fence' of feathers down the center of the face over the beak, makes sound reception different in each ear, and the owl can skilfully focus the sound and pinpoint its location exactly. Flying at the sound with feet outstretched in front of its face allows the owl to strike its target even in total darkness.

Another striking feature is its silent flight - that is achieved by special downy structures on the feathers. This silent flight allows the owl to hear the movements of the prey and also ensures that the prey cannot hear the wing --beats and avoid the attack in the dark.

Awesome, isn't it ? I am sure you will now never think of the owl as 'just a bird'.

Laugh Out Loud
Three little boys were bragging about how tough they were. 'I'm so tough,' said the first boy, 'that I can wear out a pair of shoes in a week.'

'Well,' said the second little boy, 'I'm so tough, I can wear out a pair of jeans in a day.'

'That's nothing,' said the third boy. 'When my parents take me to see my grandma and grandpa, I can wear them out in a hour.'

A boy took a summer job and came home one day very excited. 'Dad, I've got some great news, they've doubled my wages.'

'You must have been working very well,' replied his father.

'Yes, instead of paying me hundred rupees a week, they're now going to pay me hundred rupees every two weeks!'

'The computer programmer to his son, 'Here, I brought you a new basketball.'

'Thank you, daddy, but where is the user's guide?'

Technique
Affirmative Action
We all feel very good when someone tells us that we are going to do very well - in an exam or competition. With this feeling, we are most likely to do well. Of course, when they don't believe in us, we might be depressed and end up doing badly.

Wouldn't it be much better if we relied on ourselves for the messages we give ourselves?
These are called affirmations.
Try it by telling yourself any of these:
o I am brave
o I am intelligent
o I am confident
o I am loved by lots of people.
And, see how it works.

Once you get the hang of it, you will go on practicing them for any thing you would like to be. Like a famous line goes, 'No one can stop at just one.'