This is a forward from my friend. Felt like sharing with you all...

Three things in life once gone never come back -
   Words  Opportunity  Time
Three things in life are never sure -
  Dreams  Success  Fortune
Three things in life that make you a great person -
  Hardwork  Sincerity  Success
Three things in life are most valuable -
  Love  Self Respect  Friends
Three things in life must not be lost -
  Peace  Hope  Honesty
Three things in life that destroy a person -
  Greed  Pride  Anger
Three things in life that never last -
  Pain  Sorrow  Disappointment

Bhakti means devotion or pure love. The 9 forms include:

1. Sravanam / Hearing the glories of God.
2. Kirtanam / Singing the glories of God.
3. Smaranam / Internal meditation on the Lord's form.
4. Padasevanam / Serving His lotus feet.
5. Archanam / Worshiping(deity worship) the Lord.
6. Vandanam / Prostration to Lord(offering prayers to please God).
7. Dasyam / Servant of God.
8. Sakhyam / Friendship with the Lord.
9. Atmanivedanam / Complete surrender of the Self.

These nine modes of Bhakti help the devotee to remain constantly in touch with God. A devotee can take up any of these paths and reach the highest state.

Learnt something new today about Self-confidence vs Ego. There is a very thin line dividing the two. Let's see.

confidence : I can do the work and others also can do it.
ego : I alone can do it and nobody else can.

confidence : I always try to encourage and help others in building their confidence.
ego : I try to curb and discourage others when they try to come up in life.

confidence : I always attract people. Even the weak feel confident and elevated in my presence and get inspiration in my company.
ego : I create repulsion in the minds of people who try to avoid me because of my boastful nature.

confidence : I appreciate the success of others and share my happiness with them.
ego : I discourage and humiliate others and feel jealous of the success of others.

confidence : Everyone enjoys working with me because I am always cheerful and can mix freely with everybody.
ego : Even confidence feels an inferiority complex and feel nervous to work with me.

confidence : I always command love and respect.
ego : I always demand and expect love and respect.

confidence : I am always successful in every field of life because I can conquer the hearts of all by putting my faith and confidence in others and receive all help and cooperation from colleagues and friends.
ego : I always suffer setbacks and failures losing men and power because of my arrogant speech which adds only to my worries and tension.

confidence : My faith is in the innermost Divine Self, the source of all power and energy, and also feel the presence of Divine in everyone while dealing with them.
ego : My faith is in my mental and intellectual abilities and skills, forgetting the Divine which operates through mind and intellect out of ignorance. I apply the same standards while dealing with others. I am only aware of weaknesses and drawbacks and never realise that the perfect Divine is hidden behind these superficial appearances, which can be awakened by constant training and positive approach.

Here are few good quotes that I felt like sharing with you all.

HEALTH IS WEALTH

Money Can Buy
A Bed But Not Sleep
A House But Not Home
Food But Not Appetite
Finery But Not Beauty
Amusement But Not Happiness
Luxuries But Not Culture
Pleasure But Not Peace
Religion But Not Salvation
Books But Not Brain
Medicines But Not Health
Service But Not Love
A Woman But Not Lawful Wife
A Passport To Every Where
But Not TO Heaven!!! So, Money Should Be Secondary.

THE ESSENCE OF ALL TEACHINGS

The Best Day - Today
The Greatest Sin - Fear
The Most Expensive Indulgence - Hate
The Most Appropriate Time - Just Now
The Greatest Need - Common Sense
The Most Reliable Friend - Your Own Effort
The Greatest Mistake - Waste Of Time
The Greatest Trouble Maker - Talking Too Much
The Meanest Feeling - Jealousy
The Luckiest Person - Who Is Immersed In Work
The Easiest Thing To Do - Finding Fault
The Greatest Teacher - Experience
The Cleverest Man - One Who Does What He Thinks Right
The Most Hateful Thing - To Criticize Others
The Worst Bankrupt - The Soul That Has Lost Its Enthusiasm
The Most Difficult Thing - To Appreciate Qualities Of Others
The Essence Of All Religions - Truth, Honesty & Humbleness

IN'TENSION'

The moment you are in TENSION
You will loose your ATTENTION
Then you are in total CONFUSION
And you'll feel IRRITATION
Then you'll spoil personal RELATION
Ultimately, you won't get CO-OPERATION
Then you'll make things COMPLICATION
Then your BP may also raise CAUTION
And you may have to take MEDICATION
Instead, understand the SITUATION
And try to think about the SOLUTION
Many problems will be solved by DISCUSSION
Which will worn out better in your PROFESSION
Don't think it is my free SUGGESTION
It is only for your PREVENTION
If you understand my INTENTION
You'll never come again to TENSION !!!

Parachutes and Minds can work only when they are open.

THE WAY TO HAPPINESS

Keep your heart free
from hate,
Keep your mind free
from worry...
Lead a simple life...
Expect little...
Give much.

The richest man - the one who can give his time and attention.

My portrait of Sri Sainath Maharaj.




He is my sweet little Friend, Guru and Guide. It's already 14 years since I knew Him. I love staring at Him a lot( that might have made me draw this :-) ). It just calms my mind and gives eternal happiness. Sometimes, even tears of joy flow down. Love it, SAI. Happy Teacher's Day!!!

To control Hair Fall:

1.   Massage your scalp with raw milk thoroughly. Wash off after 1 hour. It helps in hair growth.
2.   If you boil water including Neem leaves(Vepaku) and have a bath, it will help in the growth of black and thicker hair.
3.   Including garlic in your food will lessen hair fall.
4.   Massage your hair with warm coconut oil weekly once. It helps your hair grow thicker.
5.   Mix 2 spoons pepper powder in 1/2 cup milk and apply to your head. Keep it for the whole night and have a bath early morning. This helps in reducing dandruff and hair fall.

6.   Massage, 2 spoons lemon juice with curd, gently into your scalp. Wait for 2 hours and have a bath. It promotes hair growth.
7.   Meditation for a while per day helps to reduce hair fall.
8.   Gigantic Swallowort(Mandara) oil, when applied weekly twice will help in hair growth.
9.   Applying lemon juice or onion juice in the scalp will help in hair growth.
10.  Use umbrella or a cap when you go out on a sunny day.

11.  A high protein diet with plenty of fruits, green vegetables and dairy products is a must.
12.  Drink 10-12 glass of water everyday. Exercise too will help.
13.  Laugh heartily. The reason for hair fall can also be due to tension, stress, worries, anger, constipation.
14.  Apply almond oil weekly twice to the scalp and massage. It promotes hair growth.
15.  Castor(Aamudam) oil will help in hair growth when massaged monthly once.

16.  Mix Methi powder in curd thoroughly. Apply it and wash it off after 4 hours. It promotes hair growth.
17.  Apply ground coconut to the scalp for hair growth.
18.  If hair falls while combing your hair, have cabbage juice or cabbage regularly as part of your food.
19.  Apply sour cow buttermilk to the scalp. Then wash your hair and see the difference. Your hair will shine and at the same time helps in hair growth.
20.  Apply the paste of cooked Urad dal and leave it for 2 hours. Then wash your hair. Do this weekly twice.

To control Dandruff:

1.   Massage scalp with curd and leave it for 2 hours. Then wash with warm water.
2.   Apply Neem oil to the scalp. The next day, wash your hair. This reduces dandruff.
3.   Never use other's comb. Don't use hair dye's till it is necessary.
4.   Wash your hair weekly twice.
5.    Mix 2 spoons of lemon juice with 2 spoons of coconut oil. Massage well. After 2-3 hours, wash off with warm water.
6.   Apply the paste of Fenugreek(Menthi kura). Then wash hair after an hour.

You can check for more info from these sites.
Ayurvedic stuff    Hair Care    More Tips

We need to develop personality based on character and not on achievements in life, since this is what is remembered by the world through eternity.There are four dimensions of the human personality i.e. Physical, Mental, Intellectual, and Spiritual. A harmonious growth of all these aspects constitutes the real personality. One must strive for sound health, strong mind, pure intellect, and spiritual growth simultaneously.

Now let's talk about Physical Dimension. Most of our miseries are caused by our physical weaknesses. Good health is the source of happiness and success in life. A healthy person always keeps his mind cool in all circumstances. He performs his duties efficiently, enthusiastically and cheerfully. Habits too play a vital role in developing physical dimension. So, nutritious food, regular exercise, cultivating good habits, and self-control help us to improve our health, which forms a part of personality development.
In Mental Dimension, the mind is superior to the body. Negative and evil thoughts make the mind weak. Violence, crime, killing, committing suicide are the outcome of weak minds. Such a mind acts upon us like an enemy. Sri Krishna says 'One should save oneself by oneself; one should not lower oneself. For oneself is verily one's own friend; oneself is verily one's own enemy'. The strong and disciplined mind acts like a friend, but the weak, uncontrolled, and frustrated mind acts like a enemy and leads to destruction. Here are a few observations about the strong and weak minds.

STRONG MIND
1. A strong mind always remains calm even in adversities.
2. It never succumbs to temptations, and develops tremendous courage to say 'No' to immoral thoughts and actions.
3. It always remains free from prejudice, suspicion, and jealousy.
4. Clarity of thinking makes it possible to take right decisions and comes to right judgements.
5. Such a mind will never indulge in wrong actions, prompted by evil emotions, such as desire, anger, greed, fear, hatred, etc., but will be always guided by serious, deep and right thinking.
6. Positive thinking, concentration, fearlessness, adventurous nature, and self-confidence are the vital qualities of a strong mind.

WEAK MIND
1. A weak mind gets irritated and loses temper over trifling matters and reacts violently.
2. Such a mind can easily succumb to temptations, like bribery, stealing, etc.
3. Due to confusion, suspicion, and prejudice, it fails to take the right decision and make impartial judgements.
4. Such a mind always compromises with and surrenders to evil forces.
5. It cannot face challenges in life, and tries to escape from them by adopting easy and cheap methods.
6. Such a mind always takes recourse to weeping and grumbling.
7. Such a mind never appreciates good qualities in others.
8. Restlessness, fear, tension, laziness, frustration, superstition, and negative thinking are the main characteristics of a weak mind.

Swami Vivekananda says 'Whateve you think, that you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will be. If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be.'
Now coming to Intellectual Dimension, intellectual strength is superior to physical, and mental strength. We need to bring it out through deep thinking which is possible through the power of concentration. For this will power is required and at the same time you will need to discriminate between right and wrong.
And Spiritual Dimension is superior to all other aspects of personality. Lord Krishna says 'Knowledge remains covered by ignorance. The moment we remove this screen of ignorance, the knowledge of the Atman will shine forth, and then will manifest all the great virtues in our personality.' Ignorance is nothing but the impurity in mind. The person with the pure mind alone can realize this divine. And, therefore, one shoud never deviate from the path of righteousness. There are six enemies i.e. lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and jealousy. The moment we drive them away from the mind, the Divine will reflect in that pure mirror of our mind. These impurities can be removed through the path of devotion, discrimination, selfless action, meditation.

We all need to struggle for perfection in all these aspects which will ultimately lead us to the development of the real personality. And all this is almost related to personality development.

My favourite quotes of Swami Vivekananda's :
* 'Strength is life, weakness is death. Strength is felicity, life eternal, immortal; weakness is constant strain and misery.'
# 'Neither money pays, nor name, nor fame, nor learning; it is CHARACTER that can cleave through adamantine walls of difficulties.'
* 'If you really want to judge the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Every fool may become a hero at one time or another. Watch a man do his most common actions; those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man.'
# 'We are to take care of ourselves - that much we can do - and give up attending to others for a time. Let us perfect the means; the end will take care of itself. For the world can be good and pure, only if our lives are good and pure. It is an effect, and we are the means. Therefore, let us purify ourselves. Let us make ourselves perfect.'
* 'The remedies for weakness is not brooding over weakness, but thinking of strength. Teach men of the strength that is already within them.'

As I am going through all these, I strongly feel there is lot to learn in this world to build our own CHARACTER. And, we are not complete.