You can't sleep away your problems...they'll still be there when you wake up
You can't eat away your problems
You can't smoke away your problems
You can't drink away your problems
You can't f**k away your problems
You can't shop away your problems
You can't talk away your problems
You can't wish away your problems...ad infinitum the crutches we've been believing in vainly
But this is what we are all trying to do
All our life.
Face them...
And you'll see them for what they are..
Before your calm and focussed attention
They lose their power to intimidate you...
For you've found yourself
You've thrown away your crutches
And learnt to rest in your own self
Your breath.
Your attention.
You're free.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018
"Unlocking the Secrets of Writing: Your Roadmap to Success"
Learning to write appeared deceptively simple at first glance. Armed with an online course and a collection of books, I eagerly embarked on this journey of self-discovery. However, the path ahead proved far more daunting than I initially imagined.
The online course I enrolled in offered only a superficial overview of various writing genres. While the additional materials I downloaded provided a wealth of information, they presented conflicting advice and left me overwhelmed. Every task seemed to have ten different approaches, leaving me unsure of where to even begin.
The question arose: Can one truly learn everything independently? Attempting to navigate the sea of textbooks and online resources only led to further confusion. Each source offered a different perspective, leaving me stranded in a labyrinth of conflicting information.
It was then that the value of teachers became strikingly apparent. Experienced instructors possess the expertise to distill complex concepts into manageable chunks, guiding students towards their goals with clarity and focus. Without their guidance, I found myself lost amidst the chaos of information overload, struggling to maintain motivation.
For those unable to access formal courses or experienced teachers, maintaining focus and commitment to self-learning becomes paramount. Here are some essential strategies to stay on track:
Single Vision: Choose a single authoritative source on the subject and stick to it. Avoid the temptation to consult multiple texts, which can lead to confusion.
Clear Workspace: Create a dedicated study environment free from distractions. Remove any materials not directly related to your learning objectives to maintain focus.
Digital Declutter: Extend the principle of a clear workspace to your digital environment. Remove irrelevant files, bookmarks, and applications from your computer to minimize distractions.
Time Management: Allocate specific time slots for studying and adhere to them rigorously. Consistency is key to making steady progress.
In conclusion, the journey of learning to write is fraught with challenges, but it is not insurmountable. Whether through formal instruction or self-guided study, the guidance of experienced teachers or the discipline of independent learning, mastering the art of writing is a rewarding endeavor. By adopting focused study habits and staying committed to the learning process, one can navigate the complexities of writing with confidence and clarity.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Sunday, September 09, 2018
How We Make Meditation Difficult
We're attached to our thoughts even if they're just meaningless chatter and other such garbage. We cling on to them, don't let them go. It's like the story of the man who clung to a bear drowning in the river. To escape, he had to just let go of the bear!
Wednesday, September 05, 2018
Friday, August 17, 2018
When Will The Floods in Kerala End?
The people of Kerala are suffering from floods on an unprecedented scale. Incessant rainfall has filled all the dams and the government had to open 35 of them to release the waters. As a result many lives (97 as of today) have been lost, properties damaged.
People are stranded in their homes without basic supplies and electricity. The Indian Army, Navy, and various voluntary groups are working round the clock to rescue the stranded.
I'm no expert in astrology, but cast a horary chart to see how long this ordeal would last. Some of my extended family have also been hit.
In the chart, the fourth house represents my state. Its ruler is Mars.
It is square the Moon and the aspect takes about 4.5 degrees to perfect.
Moon is in 3rd house and Libra. Cadent+Cardinal should give the fastest time unit. In this case, days can be considered as the time unit.
Therefore one can hope that the flood difficulties will last for another 4.5 days from the time of the chart that is 16/8/18 5:46 am. Hopefully the worst should be over by 20/8/18 evening.
The meteorological dept has also issued an advisory that the floods will last for another four days or so.
People are stranded in their homes without basic supplies and electricity. The Indian Army, Navy, and various voluntary groups are working round the clock to rescue the stranded.
I'm no expert in astrology, but cast a horary chart to see how long this ordeal would last. Some of my extended family have also been hit.
In the chart, the fourth house represents my state. Its ruler is Mars.
It is square the Moon and the aspect takes about 4.5 degrees to perfect.
Moon is in 3rd house and Libra. Cadent+Cardinal should give the fastest time unit. In this case, days can be considered as the time unit.
Therefore one can hope that the flood difficulties will last for another 4.5 days from the time of the chart that is 16/8/18 5:46 am. Hopefully the worst should be over by 20/8/18 evening.
The meteorological dept has also issued an advisory that the floods will last for another four days or so.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Why is This Called a Dream
In Vedanta, there are frequent exhortations that this Universe and human life is like a dream, experiences are transient, and so on. Buddhism echoes similar thought when it says the self is void.
To us who are embedded in the turmoil of worldly existence, this may seem like a contradiction, out of touch with reality.. We could argue: then why is pleasure and pain sensations so persistent?
The real meaning of dream or illusion is that it is not what is appears to be..or what we conceive it to be..
We cannot possess anything in its true sense, we only have custody of our possessions for some time. Even the material objects which we possess and enjoy everyday, are not in our permanent possession. They leave us, or we leave them, at the time of death, if not before.
Even this body of ours is no exception. We cannot possess it forever.
To us who are embedded in the turmoil of worldly existence, this may seem like a contradiction, out of touch with reality.. We could argue: then why is pleasure and pain sensations so persistent?
The real meaning of dream or illusion is that it is not what is appears to be..or what we conceive it to be..
We cannot possess anything in its true sense, we only have custody of our possessions for some time. Even the material objects which we possess and enjoy everyday, are not in our permanent possession. They leave us, or we leave them, at the time of death, if not before.
Even this body of ours is no exception. We cannot possess it forever.
Sunday, June 03, 2018
Why you should speak English like you’re playing a video game | Marianna...
Some years ago, I was in an e-learning company. I was creating web based tutorials for its client. The project required a lot of instructional designers, but they were in short supply. So the company hired writers from various fields. They had to meet quality standards, but could be from any field- web content writing, technical writing, journalism, even teaching. The company would provide a crash course in instructional design and we would be put on the project.
I myself was a technical writer.
Because it was a huge project for a huge overseas client, we tried to deliver ahead of schedule. There was hardly time for training.
It was a steep learning curve--the various learning models and theories, expected learning outcomes, content analysis, lesson design, assessments-- all the nuances of instructional design packed into hardly a week of training. We would learn the rest on the job, we were told.
Needless to say, the first tutorials that we produced weren't up to the mark. The senior instructional designers put them through several rounds of reviews to bring them up to quality standards.
The stress levels and the attrition rate was sky high. New employees came and went. To add to their woes, many of them had relocated and were still adjusting to life in the megapolis.
At the end of a particularly frustrating day, I opened the company's employee feedback site and wrote down my concerns. I remember having written that learning has to be a fun process, not something to dread. Even toddlers, when they learn to walk, fall down many times.,,
Naive, was'nt it? Tell that to the MNC that's billing you by the minute and you lose the contract. But something had to be done. Atleast explore the options.
I thought nobody had read it, for there never was a formal acknowledgment. Then one day, in the midst of a brief elevator conversation, a middle level manager told me, chidingly: ...and that is why, you've to get it right the first time..
That was my reply. But would it do any good if the employees on that project never again wanted to work there?
I myself was a technical writer.
Because it was a huge project for a huge overseas client, we tried to deliver ahead of schedule. There was hardly time for training.
It was a steep learning curve--the various learning models and theories, expected learning outcomes, content analysis, lesson design, assessments-- all the nuances of instructional design packed into hardly a week of training. We would learn the rest on the job, we were told.
Needless to say, the first tutorials that we produced weren't up to the mark. The senior instructional designers put them through several rounds of reviews to bring them up to quality standards.
The stress levels and the attrition rate was sky high. New employees came and went. To add to their woes, many of them had relocated and were still adjusting to life in the megapolis.
At the end of a particularly frustrating day, I opened the company's employee feedback site and wrote down my concerns. I remember having written that learning has to be a fun process, not something to dread. Even toddlers, when they learn to walk, fall down many times.,,
Naive, was'nt it? Tell that to the MNC that's billing you by the minute and you lose the contract. But something had to be done. Atleast explore the options.
I thought nobody had read it, for there never was a formal acknowledgment. Then one day, in the midst of a brief elevator conversation, a middle level manager told me, chidingly: ...and that is why, you've to get it right the first time..
That was my reply. But would it do any good if the employees on that project never again wanted to work there?
Another Reason To Do Just One Thing At A Time
Several years ago, as a novice instructional designer, I was struggling to learn everything about the trade in a crash course at my company.
It was my first e-learning project. I was frustrated as the rest of the team that there wasn't enough time. The disapproving glares of the senior instructional designers weren't helping.
I had, if you may, the audacity to write in the employee feedback site, that learning should be fun and that even toddlers fall down many times while learning to walk.
It was the fear of failure that was preventing us from making the effort and enjoying the process.
In this video, Marianne Pascal reveals another secret why trying to do it correctly while learning a new skill is counterproductive:
While you are learning a new skill, that itself is a major task. When you try to do it well as well, then you are multitasking. The brain cannot multitask, it shuts down on one of them.
So while learning a new skill, it is enough that you just do it.
It was my first e-learning project. I was frustrated as the rest of the team that there wasn't enough time. The disapproving glares of the senior instructional designers weren't helping.
I had, if you may, the audacity to write in the employee feedback site, that learning should be fun and that even toddlers fall down many times while learning to walk.
It was the fear of failure that was preventing us from making the effort and enjoying the process.
In this video, Marianne Pascal reveals another secret why trying to do it correctly while learning a new skill is counterproductive:
While you are learning a new skill, that itself is a major task. When you try to do it well as well, then you are multitasking. The brain cannot multitask, it shuts down on one of them.
So while learning a new skill, it is enough that you just do it.
Saturday, June 02, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
The Power of a Word
This reminded me of Dr. Masaru Emoto's experiment on water crystals and rice. Below is the rice experiment video which might be shocking.
This experiement below also includes ignore and is even more graphic:
 |
| Results of Masaru Emoto's original water crystal experiment |
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Ayesha Noor- Karate Prodigy From Kolkata
The State and Central governments should be encouraging people like Ayesha Noor with awards and recognitions, so that more women take up martial arts.
Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Monday, April 23, 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018
What happens when you meditate? Transcendental Meditation at Maharishi ...
This is just to show the change in our brain activity during meditation. Any effective meditation technique should produce similar results.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Don't Support Your Child
If you want your child to grow strong and successful, do not keep supporting him/her forever. It's the worst thing that you can do to them.
If you are teaching them to swim, would you support them in the water. Then they will never learn to swim.
What does not kill you, only makes you stronger.
If you are teaching them to swim, would you support them in the water. Then they will never learn to swim.
What does not kill you, only makes you stronger.
Sunday, April 08, 2018
Thursday, April 05, 2018
Dirty White Gold: Can Anyone Solve This Problem?
The Cotton Film : Dirty White Gold | Crowdfunding trailer from Leah Borromeo on Vimeo.
Governments have come, governments have gone; India lands an explorer on Mars--still the farmers keep killing themselves. The seed suppliers like Monsanto get millions in tax benefit. What exactly is the problem and how can we solve it?
In this article, Leah Borromeo tries to bring some clarity to this matter.
Why are Indian farmers committing suicide over their debts?
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Sunday, March 04, 2018
Saturday, March 03, 2018
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
12 Creative Ways to Deal With Angry People Without Strangling Them to Death
12 Creative Ways to Deal With Angry People Without Strangling Them to Death: Its as if you swallowed a hot coal and been burned by acid. Violated and abandoned, a victim of life’s cruel sense of humor. At times you just want to die: there is no escape, no light at t…
Monday, February 05, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Reason For Modern Man's Maladies
The tragedies of some rich people and celebrities make headlines often.
We are having so many maladies in modern life because we have neglected the inner for the outer.
Pleasures of the body, making money etc are outer pursuits.
We have inner equipment also. The mind is inner to the body.
When we cease to take care of our inner being, existing only for material success and/or pleasures, we are setting ourselves up for a disaster. A disaster from which the body's pleasures and our material achievements will not rescue us.
For they're not our friends. At best, they can be good servants.
Our inner being (mind and consciousness) is our real friend that will stand by us always. We need to devote time to cultivating our inner being. This time spent will serve us well in future.
What we ate and drank and splurged on, is not going to support us. That can even bring disease and ill being.
Be an island unto yourself.
Be heedful, monks, mindful, virtuous.
With your resolves well-concentrated, look after your minds.
He who, in this doctrine & discipline, remains heedful,
leaving the round of birth, will make an end of stress.
We are having so many maladies in modern life because we have neglected the inner for the outer.
Pleasures of the body, making money etc are outer pursuits.
We have inner equipment also. The mind is inner to the body.
When we cease to take care of our inner being, existing only for material success and/or pleasures, we are setting ourselves up for a disaster. A disaster from which the body's pleasures and our material achievements will not rescue us.
For they're not our friends. At best, they can be good servants.
Our inner being (mind and consciousness) is our real friend that will stand by us always. We need to devote time to cultivating our inner being. This time spent will serve us well in future.
What we ate and drank and splurged on, is not going to support us. That can even bring disease and ill being.
Be an island unto yourself.
Be heedful, monks, mindful, virtuous.
With your resolves well-concentrated, look after your minds.
He who, in this doctrine & discipline, remains heedful,
leaving the round of birth, will make an end of stress.
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