LIFEism

We've moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Yes folks,
We've moved to a new address at http://lifeism.wordpress.com
We've moved because we like change.
Change is good.

So log onto the new address of the blog, bookmark it, add it to your favorites, join the facebook group, follow us on twitter or do any other thing that reminds you about us coz if you don't, you might just miss out on some good posts that will follow ;)

Henceforth, this address will be inactive.

Thanks and see you at http://lifeism.wordpress.com

The most SPEC-tacular truth of life

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:47:00 +0000

Hi there.

Hope the last recession article got your grey cells movin!

Anyways, to the right I give you an array of beautiful specs/ shades/ sunglasses. You are absolutely free to choose the one that you like. Your decision could be based on either the shape, size, style, fit or color (or your fashion quotient!).

Whatever your choice maybe, the final outcome will be radically different in each case simply because each different color will give you a completely different look & feel of the world around you.

It's surprising how the similar looking yet distinctly colored spectacles give you a completely different picture of things.
But mind you, this selection is important.

Why?

Because this simple yet SPEC-tacular selection is analogous to the most significant truth of our lives. This single, powerful law manifests into our reality at every passing moment or instance.

And what is it?

It is the LAW OF BELIEF. It is the way we think about things and believe in events and instances.

Consider the age-old superstition:
'Do not cross the road when a black cat passes by!'

People 'believe' that it could be a bad omen or something bad could happen.

My belief is: 'Do not cross the road when ANY cat passes by. Do this only if you are a MOUSE!'

Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on Friday, which many 'believe' is a day of bad luck. There's a famous story of a man who 'believed' that something bad was going to happen to him on Friday the 13th. He canceled all appointments for that day and stayed within the confines of his home with the constant fear that something bad is still going to happen to him. Eventually, because of his staunch belief, a wasp bit him that evening and he died of shock.

On the positive side, Lance Armstrong, in spite of being diagnosed with cancer, believed that he would ride his bike again... which he did because he 'believed' he would.

One of the worlds oldest man (aged over 100) who had a history of alcohol abuse, faulty eating habits and constant ill health 'believed' that he would live a long enjoyable life, and he did.

Looking back, the point is that we all have a choice in life to choose the spectacle we want, i.e. the belief system we want. One belief system may show you a gory picture while another one may show you a colorful canvas. Yet another SPEC-tacular belief system could bring forth a plethora of unanticipated wonderful things. And all this just because you dared to 'believe'.

Your current color of spectacle (belief system) has got you where you presently are and has done for you exactly what you believed it would do for you.

If you want to experience emotions beneficial to you or want things to be the way you would want them to be, then its time to change your spectacle!
For instance, for a long time I believed that I could never gain weight or have a decent physique in proportion to my height. Because of this powerful negative belief, I ended up always being the thin, lanky guy.

Then I changed my spectacle. I believed that it was possible. I ate, gymmed, ate, gymmed...... and at the end, I gained weight and had a proportionate built. All this because I 'believed' I could.

Shockingly, I also believed that I might injure myself while gymming if I went too fast. I ended up cracking my wrist :( All Because I 'BELIEVED'.

In a nutshell,
'Whatever you believe, IS. Whatever you truly believe in (with feeling) becomes your reality!'

So go back to your thought world and select your spectacle wisely.
Remember, the LAW OF BELIEF is SPEC-tacular and is indeed, true!

Two of my favorite quotes which summarize the article:

'Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way you're right!'

There's nothing right or wrong, thinking makes it so!

(If this article got you thinking and you 'believe' it holds some truth, write back by citing any example to affirm the same. You can also tell-a-friend if you like. Join our Facebook group if you still haven't by clicking here)
Till then, sayonara!

This is the real RECESSION

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Hiya folks!

I happened to read this simple story and it had an idea I strongly stand by. I have reproduced it here with permission. Here goes...

This Story is about a man who once upon a time was selling Hotdogs by the roadside.
He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers.
He was hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio.
His eyes were weak, so he never watched television.
But enthusiastically, he sold lots of hotdogs.
He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his sales.
His sales and profit went up..

He ordered more a more raw material and buns and use to sale more.
He recruited few more supporting staff to serve more customers.
He started offering home deliveries.
Eventually he got himself a bigger and better stove.
As his business was growing, the son, who had recently graduated from College, joined his father.

Then something strange happened.

The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is coming our way?"
The father replied, "No, but tell me about it." The son said, "The international situation is terrible.
The domestic situation is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."
The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers, listened to the radio and watched TV.
He ought to know and his advice should not be taken lightly.

So the next day onwards, the father cut down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colourful signboard,
removed all the special schemes he was offering to the customers and was no longer as enthusiastic.
He reduced his staff strength by giving layoffs.

Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered to stop at his hotdog stand.
And his sales started coming down rapidly, same is the profit.

The father said to his son, "Son, you were right".
"We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you warned me ahead of time."

Moral of The Story: It's all in your MIND! And we actually FUEL this recession much more than we think we do!

What can we take away from this story??

1. How many times we confuse intelligence with good judgment?

2. Choose your advisers carefully but use your own judgment

3. A person or an organization will survive forever, if they have the 5 Cs

* Character
* Commitment
* Conviction
* Courtesy
* Courage

The tragedy today is that there are many walking encyclopaedias that are living failures.
The More practical and appropriate views on this economic recession is:
"This is the time to reunite together for any small or a big organization,
this is the time to motivate and retain people which are the biggest asset,
this is the time to show more commitments to the customers,
this is the time show values of our company to the world,
and this is the time to stand by our Nation".

FORWARD THIS LINK TO OTHERS YOU KNOW TO MAKE THEM REALIZE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING...

CHEERS!

It's all about YOU this Valentine's day!

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:51:00 +0000

Ahoy folks!

It's been a while since I performed the live experiment (which I claimed could make - or - break your life.)

Just to remind you, in the experiment where any object is burnt by focusing the sun's rays on it through a magnifying glass:
Replace the magnifying glass with your mind;
Replace the paper/leaf with an object or anything that you crave for or absolutely detest, could be something positive or negative, conflicting or pleasing, anything;
Replace the sun with your thoughts which in a sense is energy;
But keep you as YOU only...

Now that you have a gist of how the experiment applies to your life, it would be great to know how you can really get the desired results and score a 10 on 10 (if someone were to grade you for it.) And as I mentioned in the last post, it boils down to YOU!

So,
Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here? What am I doing here? Why am I doing it? What do I want to do with my life? Why is life this way? Why is it not that way? Why me?

These are just some questions that I have asked myself and I'm sure many of you must have asked yourselves too. In fact, for the last post (the experiment), a friend raised a question: 'Why is life unfair to some and overly fair to others?'

According to me, there are 2 ways of looking at it:
1. Life happens to you or
2. You create your life.

If you believe in point 1, then it doesn't matter what you think because all the instances and happenings in your life would be attributed to destiny (which again is a topic very close to my heart and will be exploring it in detail soon)

However, if you vouch for point 2, then it's a matter of thought power and action which is shaping your life every minute.

So how can life be more fair to you? How can you start the process for creating a wonderful life for yourself?

Being Valentine's day, I'm sure everyone is busy sending out sms's, greeting cards, gifts etc to others to express their feelings and love.
Good.
Any sort of love expressed is good because it is a positive feeling which is beneficial for the lover and the loved.

But in all this hush-hush, have you ever stopped by to spare a moment for your own self?
Though it may sound obscure, but have you ever loved yourself?

Unlikely.
This is because as always, we never thought it was important or it never occurred to us at all.
Knock-knock.... it's very very important and the process of creating a wonderful life for yourself begins with you loving yourself and all that you have! Only when you love yourself will you be able to love others and appreciate all the things that life has to offer.

I mentioned above, 'any sort of love expressed is good because it is a positive feeling which is beneficial for the lover and the loved'. The positive power is thus multiplied if you love yourself!
Spare a moment for yourself now and appreciate all the good things that have happened to you and the way you have developed. Praise yourself and feel proud of all that's good about you or all the great things you've done. Look into a mirror and smile. Feel good, feel loved!

So this Valentine's day, shed all your inhibitions and simply love yourself. It's not funny to do so, really!

In the next post, we will take one very important action step to make life better instantly. I'd like to hear from you on how it felt to be loved (by yourself)...
And before I end,
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

(REMINDER: Join our Facebook group if you still haven't. Click on the right panel icon)

Watch out- 'This experiment can make - or - break your life!!'

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Greetings!

So, did you just 'be'? Even for a while?
Haha.... For those of you who are wondering at this abrupt start can read the previous post by clicking here.
For those who have already read it & still haven't tried out 'just being' please give it a shot soon.

Getting back to the topic: 'This experiment can make you - or - break you!' I've been a Science student and will write in true Journal Fashion.

APPARATUS: A Magnifying glass, a paper/ leaf, the sun and you.

EXPERIMENT: Take a magnifying glass (one which has that round glass lens at the top and a lollypop type handle at the bottom, got it?) and hold it. Look through it and you will notice that things are out of focus and hazy.
Adjust it at a suitable distance from your eyes and bingo: you get a clear magnified image of the object you focused on. Now take a paper or a leaf and focus the sun's rays on it such that you get a small, bright yellowish spot on the paper/leaf. Give it some time and you see things go black. Smoke appears and you might end up burning a hole through the object. You want the real hibbie-jibbies, try focusing the sun's rays on your hand...not for too long off-course!

OBSERVATIONS: As the sun's rays converge on the object, there is focus of tremendous amount of heat, enough to burn a hole. When you look at objects by focusing the lens on them, their image converges to form a clear picture on your retina giving you a clear picture..

CONCLUSION: The Magnifying Glass is a Magnificent instrument with a variety of uses.

TEACHER'S REMARKS: The title of this post needs correction. The correct title is- 'THE EXPERIMENT THAT CAN MAKE YOU - or - BURN YOU!'
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Yeah folks, we all are performing this experiment every single moment & either getting made or getting burnt. It's happening all the time & yet we don't realize it. Still don't get it?
No problem.

In the above experiment,
Replace the magnifying glass with your mind;
Replace the paper/leaf with an object or anything that you crave for or absolutely detest, could be something positive or negative, conflicting or pleasing, anything;
Replace the sun with your thoughts which in a sense is energy;
But keep you as YOU only...

Ringing any bells??? You bet...

You look at everything, attach objectivity and reason out stuff with the most powerful magnifying glass- your mind. Just like different lenses have different optical strength's, each one of us has a unique mind which is different from other minds courtesy our up-bringing, our past conditioning, our knowledge & skills and various other factors.
As a result, people have different mindsets and tonne's of ways of looking at life & facing situations that form part of life. (Just like the famous adage- 'the glass is either half empty or half full')

However, the basic purpose of the magnifying glass is- 'expand that which is focused upon' and your mind being just like a lens- 'expands everything that it focuses on!'
This simply happens because your thoughts (energy) positive or negative, good or bad, are converged by your mind on the object or thing or circumstance or absolutely anything you crave for or have aversion against. As I said- WHAT YOU FOCUS ON EXPANDS and hence you get more and more of those things into your life. If you focus your thoughts on good, positive things, you will be able to see a good picture which will MAKE your life in the way you want.
However, if the power of your thoughts (burning like the sun's scorching heat) are focused on negative or self-detrimental issues, then god bless you, you will BURN!

Ponder over this thought and you will realize that 'its worth its weight in platinum!'

If your thinking has done good for you till now, then really, GOOD FOR YOU!
But what if you've already done enough damage to yourself by negative thinking?
Well, there's a way out and the answer lies with the last apparatus- YOU!

Tooo much of a good article ain't good so you'll have to wait for the next article where I talk about the powerful- YOU and how you can direct your 'thought ray's' to creating the picture of your dreams! Before I give you that, I need you to help me out by 'focusing' your mouse pointer on the 'tell-a-friend' icon below and 'expanding' the reach of this article and this blog to your friends. Do this if you want to spread this thought. Do this if this article got you thinking. It only takes a while! Thanks.

The next few posts will explore this 'life-experiment' further so hold on till then. In the mean time, I'd like to know your comments on this experiment.

{The 'Tell-a-Friend' icon at the bottom of each article can help you send a link of this blog to any of your hotmail, gmail, yahoo contact lists. Just follow the simple instructions and help us spread the word of 'LIFE'}

Have you just 'been'?

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:35:00 +0000

Howdy folks! Happy New Year once again.
This is my first post this year and going by the length of my previous posts, I'd like to KISS this one. (Keep It Short Stupid)
Before beginning, I'm glad my last post managed to shake you up a bit and I also hope that you all are scaring yourselves in some way or the other, each day. I have frightened myself everyday for the past week and I'm richer in thought, word, deed and action. (For those of you who missed the last post, I recommend you click here & read it before proceeding.)

OK...so have you just been?
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I'm sure you're puzzled. It seems to be an incomplete question. I should have asked:
- How have you been? or
- Where have you been? or
- Have you been to blah, blah and blah?

BUT NO. I asked you a simpler question: 'HAVE YOU JUST BEEN?'
Still think it's a tough question?

Sure it is a tough question to answer for anyone simply because we have never 'just been!'
I don't mean being here or there or being like someone. I'm not even inquiring about your well-being.
What I mean is 'have you ever been YOU? or is this a facade or an illusion or a role you are playing?'

When was the last time you sat down alone just observing all that was happening around you?
When was the last time you introspected yourself?
When was the last time you just stared out of the window or looked up at the starry night?
When was the last time you did absolutely nothing?

Forget the last time, have you ever done the above things?
In all probability, the answer is NAHHH...

And why is it so?
Simply because we never had the time to do so or never thought it was important.
We all are busy playing various roles in life at all times. We are constantly trying to please others or derive satisfaction from the outcomes of our actions. But the point is there is satisfaction even in inaction. This is when you are observing reality as it is and you get to know the true 'you' who is buried beneath your physical being in the ordinary scheme of events. This real 'you' comes out when you are alone, when you are just an observer, when you are in a state of solitude. Just being 'you' can give you answers to life's toughest questions. Just being 'you' gives you clarity
of thought. Just being 'you' is the least you can do to give yourself a much needed break in today's fast paced world.

So how can you just be?
Its the simplest thing to do (and we never knew!) Try being alone for some time and just cut out all thoughts from your mind.
Observe as reality unfolds around you, but do not react. Look outside the window and just be still. Meditate if you can (mail, message or write to me for tips on how to just 'be').

Don't just live the length of life, live the breadth of it too!

I asked you to try out something new everyday in my last post. How about trying to 'just be' tomorrow? Give it a try and gift yourself a wonderful moment.

(I'd love to hear from you how it was to 'just be'...its done wonders for me! Join the facebook group if you still haven't to keep yourself updated.)
Cya...

The Best New Year Resolution for 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:42:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again...where the past is forgotten and where everyone looks forward to
start afresh; Where old promises (fulfilled or not) are reviewed and fresh ones are made; where everyone bids goodbye to one year to welcome a new one.

2008 has been one hell of a year. It managed to surprise everyone, either pleasantly or unpleasantly.
But that's it... as we all look forward to yet another year, the only thing we can be rest assured about is that 'CHANGE' is the order of the year. Things are changing constantly and adapting to these is gonna be a task for all. So while we grapple with our mundane lifestyles which are all set to change dramatically thanks to major events taking place all over the globe, we need to make firm resolutions and abide by them devotedly. Gone are the days where 'resolutions are meant to be broken' was the easy way out. If I were to rephrase it aptly keeping current times in minds, I'd say 'Stick to your resolutions or they will break you!'

So, whats the BEST NEW YEAR RESOLUTION for 2009?
For some it could be kicking a bad habit (excessive smoking/alcohol/drugs) or losing weight (or gaining in my case!) or reading daily or investing regularly or controlling their anger or whatever!

GOOD! Your intention to do so solves half the problem... but its the other half that's the hardest, the ACTION part!

I've been one of those resolution breakers too but I've come across some concrete advice that's definitely going to bring about positive changes in me and my life. So what is this 'priced' possession?

Well, its a combination of:
1. A Plan,
2. A Ready Reckoner/Reminder &
3. A SCARY SECRET!

First of all, have a goal. Set it. Like they say, 'have a goal and bend every angle towards achieving it.' I call it a plan because it is a detailed set of instructions/steps to be taken to reach the goal, like a blueprint. So first thing- PREPARE A BLUEPRINT OF YOUR GOAL.

Secondly, have a ready reckoner/reminder (a book, a white board, a chart paper, your computer desktop or your mobile phone). This is the most important part (the ACTION part) as it stands to constantly remind you of your plans and tells you to keep your ass movin'. I say this because- 'when your ass is on fire, efficiency is higher!'
Make notes and action steps (like a to-do list and cross out whats already done). You will feel relieved trust me!

Lastly, the SCARY SECRET!
I've read a couple of books recently and they talk about a technique that I call 'kick the butt and get out of the rut'. What is it?
SECRET: 'DO 1 NEW THING EVERYDAY FOR THE NEXT 365 DAYS or DO 1 THING EVERYDAY THAT SCARES YOU!'
What this means is that by trying to do one new/exciting/scary thing everyday for the next 365 days, on 31st December, 2009, you will be equipped with 365 new ideas/ techniques/ choices/ skills/ experiences/ _________ (fill in).
Just imagine the power of this simple yet life changing possibility.

One valid question sure to arise: 'is it practically possible to do one new/scary thing everyday?'
Thankfully, the answer is YIPEEE YAHOOO YESS!!! IT IS POSSIBLE!

The idea is to do one NEW/ NEVER DONE BEFORE thing everyday which could be reading something you've never read before, trying out a new dish, exploring a new website, making a new friend, cutting down one cigarette everyday, following a new diet pattern, taking guitar lessons, learning a magic trick, not brushing teeth for a week, visiting a new city, knocking down your foes, inviting Warren Buffett for dinner, etc (excuse me if I've mentioned something
wrong, I just tried losing my head today)

The above list of things to do everyday is just limited by your imagination and your interests and your drive to actually learn something new. One more crucial ingredient is to have a 'positive mindset' & Richard Branson's 'Screw it, lets do it' attitude. You might fail 99 times, but at the end of it all, you will atleast know how 'not to do the thing' rather than never having tried at all.

I'm sure 2008 has frightened us all enough and we all are quite immune to being scared.
So scare yourself just a lil' bit more and see the changes that you bring about in yourself in 2009.

I'm scaring myself tomorrow by booking my 'first online flight ticket'...how are you gonna scare yourself?
I'd love to know your scary strategies so that I may also learn in the process. General comments are also welcome.

Its 12:00 am. 1st January 2009!
Wish you all a very happy new year!
I ended my last post by saying- BE HAPPY.
I end this by saying- BE SCARED! (you know how!)

(Click on the JOIN FACEBOOK icon on the right pane to join our exciting group on facebook and be up-to-date with LIFE!)

Santa's gift

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:25:00 +0000

Christmas is the season that honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a fun filled & holy festival that's celebrated across the globe. The holiday season is characterized by church celebrations, late night masses, feasts, christmas trees, holly, mistletoes, gift giving and offcoursethe ever-so cuddly Santa Claus.

While the whole world is busy preparing for the holidays either by way of planning family trips ordeciding on the menu or carol singing, our dear Santa Claus is having a tough time. Since time immemorial,this plump, jolly, white-bearded man called Saint Nicholas has been assigned the daunting task of spreadinghappiness by satisfying everyone's materialistic demands by way of gifts. Only this time, things are a lil' different.

With the ongoing recession and climatic changes taking place all over, Santa is finding it reallyhard to cope up with things. Firstly, he's up north where the ice is melting uncontrollably and igloos arebecoming extinct. As a result, the sleigh manufacturers are shutting shop due to falling demand. Secondly,the dollar has shot up increasing prices of gifting supplies & also import costs. Lastly, with the exploding population, the North Pole Postal Agency which receives the letters for Santa from across theglobe are demanding higher compensation from Santa for having to work overtime. As a result, the demand/gift/materialistic list prepared by santa has run into so many pages that he has decided to outsourcesome other Santa's from different parts of the world to accomplish this seemingly impossible task.

Problems have compounded for poor Santa as the demands made by children and adults alike have been showing a'trend-upheaval'over the past years. While demand for simple toys, games and books have considerably gone down, the demand for snazzy gizmos like mobile phones, ps3's, iPods and robots have increased exponentially! This isweighing down heavily on Santa who has budget constraints. To add to his woes, this year Santa has received severalletters and requests which have left him dumbfounded. A boy from the U.S. of A wants to be part of the Obama administration so that atleast he and his family don't have the fear of being laid-off in the economic downturn. The boy urges Santa to fulfill his request by ending his letter with the words- 'YES YOU CAN' in true Obama style. A young girl from the middle east wants to marry the guy who threw his shoes on Bush while a kid from Afghanistan wants that very shoe! As though this was not enough, a Japanese couple has sent in a request demanding a miracle torevive their economy. To top it all, an Indian kid wants to lay his hands on Dawood Ibrahim! I really pity Santa...

But the good samaritan that Santa is, he somehow managed to arrange for the weird materialistic and self-centered demandsmade by mortals all over. On Christmas eve, Santa with all his elves has set up a 'happiness laden train' of his own sleighs (and some rented) to form something a little less longer than the Great wall of China. As he is about to set off for what might be his longest excursion, in comes one last request. Its from a young girl who lives in a distant land. She has just mentioned her address and wants to meet Santa once. Thats it! "NO gift?", exclaimed Santa with shock and surprise. Being unable to decline this mysterious but simple request, Santa decided to oblige and keep it for the end. He finally sets off.

First stop was obviously the U.S.A. which made utmost use of technology to contact Santa. He went from state to state in a flash dropping by the chimneys and filling the stockings with gifts. Some were sweet in leaving behind cakes and eastereggs but being overweight, Santa would carry them for his elves. He flew over New York where he heard a guy called EMINEM sing 'will the real santa please stand up, please stand up' in front of a huge crowd of santa wannabe's. Gosh, he didn't seem amused. The other outsourced Santa's also bumped into him over Europe and some gifts got exchanged by mistake addingto the delay. To the weird demands made by people wanting the 'shoe' or the 'obama' kid, Santa politely dropped in anexciting gadget to divert their attention from their dreamy wants.

It was all finally over when Santa took a break atop Mt. Everest. He could picturize the entire globe enjoying and derivinghappiness from materialism. He began thinking how people were finding happiness externally when true happiness was right within them. He was mulling over the varying definitions of happiness that people had coined but how he strongly believed thatall seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within. All of a sudden, he remembered the girl. He quickly left.

Upon arrival at the address, all he saw was an open lawn with a solitary christmas tree and a lit candle on a box at the bottom. Beside it was a girl dressed in a dingy frock (in all probability, the girl who wrote the letter to meet Santa). Looking at Santa alight from his sleigh, the girl ran towards him and hugged him tight without saying a word. The girl was overjoyed at the sight of Santa who hugged her too as tears of happiness rolled down her eyes. "What happened child? Whyare you alone on this holy evening and why did you want to meet me? Why don't you want a gift?" The girl still not being able to contain her joy spoke in a tone that moved Santa. "I am from a simple family and my parents have to toil very hardeveryday to afford a good meal. Despite this, we are all happy as we never sleep hungry. My parents tell me that unlike others,we are extremely lucky people as we get a gift everyday from you in the form of good food and a roof to cover oursleves. Somedays ago, for the first time my daddy got me a box of chocolates. I was overjoyed. My mother told me its a christmas gift from Santa and said that I should be thankful to you. I see others get big & colorful presents for christmas everytime. Some are happy for the moment while some are not. But I am always happy as I get a gift everyday from you. I don't want any other gift that keeps me happy for only some time as I have all the precious gifts I need to live life happily forever. So I just wanted to meet you and thank you for everything that you have given us."

As she said this, she picked up what looked like a small box from the bottom of the christmas tree. "Thank you Santa!", the girl said handing the box to the teary-eyed Santa. He opened the box and broke into a smile as he saw the chocolates in there with a friendship band with the words 'santa's gift' written in an untidy script. She tied it around Santa's wrist. "This friendship band is for you to thank you for always keeping me happy. I want to share the chocolates with you so that you can be a part of my happiness." This was the first time Santa had received a gift from someone who had never asked for one. It was the first time that someone had expressed immense gratitude for the simple gifts of life for which even Santa wasn't responsible.

Santa was touched by this affable gesture. He knew that the girl would develop into being a wise human being for whomhappiness meant to love, to be loved and to be thankful for every minute of this precious gift of life. The only thing he could give the girl was his word that he would celebrate every christmas with her. The childs joy knew no bounds as both the emotional souls bid each other good-bye only to meet next christmas.

The girl had the best christmas ever and knew that she was not alone on this holy day. For Santa, it was the happiest day of his life as he had finally unravelled the true definition of happiness from a girl who had also given him his first- 'santa's gift'

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves.When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."

If you like this post, please feel free to comment below and write your thoughts on 'happYness' to share a happy moment with the world. You can also pass on this post to others you want to share the happiness with by clicking on the envelope icon below.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Be Happy.

25-12-08
-Varun Thakur

Howdy, Suckers. Take note…

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +0000

First thing anyone reading the title would say ‘why sucker?' or ‘what can you note anyways?' Valid questions I must admit. And I shall try to throw some fresh perspective to this sucker.

You walk into a restaurant/pub/bar or whatever place you desire. You look at the menu and order for your drink. After some time, the waiter gets you that gleaming liquid which might help in making your wallet lighter, but that does not deter you. Your pricey drink comes with a humble straw whose primary job is ‘to suck.' Straws are of various shapes, sizes, colors, materials, etc but they have two ends. You have the liberty to choose the drink you want to suck through the straw. You move your straw from drink to drink (if there are others on the table) and try to see if there are other drinks better than yours. At times, you suck directly from another person's straw. Most times, you get drunk and get lost in the ecstasy. You have options when it comes to the choice of your drink and the pleasure you derive from it but no one would bother changing a straw!

So what's the big deal about the straw? And why talk about it?

Because the straw has a huge impact on the kind of individuals we are & the lives that we live. Simple.

Baffled! Confused!
So was I until I let the sucker inside me talk to the sucker in my drink.

The straw is analogous to our minds. We enter this world with one and we leave this world with the same one. Throughout the journey of life, we condition it in ways which are acceptable or comfortable to us. Just like the suckers (you and me) use the straw to suck in the drink of our choice, the intellect (the sucker) uses the mind to suck in circumstances, consequences and effects from the surroundings into our bodies.

If you like a drink, you drink more. If you don't like a drink, you might even spit it out. Similarly, pleasant situations/ events draw us more towards them. But when it comes to an undesirable event, we suck & repent as spitting it out isn't an option. We only have to learn from the mistake.
Sometimes we also use some other persons mind (straw) to base our judgements.A unique situation arises when you get so heavily drunk that you don't even realize what or how much you suck in. There are instances in life when your mind is so badly cluttered/ flustered/ befuddled & out of control that you behave like a straw with a suction pump on one end and go on slurping anything from anywhere and at anytime without realizing what's happening. This is a garbage dump situation. This is where we are lost and our intellect takes us for a ride. This is where we infuse negative circumstances into our lives without realizing the harmful effects of our uncontrolled sucking. Remember, spitting is really not an option then. That's when you puke.

We train our intellect to guide our minds in the right direction but circumstances are so tempting that we lose control. The suction pump within us attracts and sucks in all that we think about or talk about or crib about. Also we move from event to event in life and base our judgements on our intellects perceptions just like we move from drink to drink. We may think something is right while something is wrong. But the reality is that there's nothing right and there's nothing wrong when it comes to life. Everyone wants to change the world but no one wants to change their way of looking at the world.

The straw tells us to look before we leap and suck in only those events into our lives that are beneficial to us. For this, we need to be aware at all times and keep our conscience alert and alive.

The bottomline is that I suck! You suck! In fact, we all suck....BIG TIME! And the worst part is we suck without even realizing! So please realize and avoid getting drunk and losing it.

People say ‘mind your tongue, it's in a wet place and likely to slip.'I say ‘Mind your straw. It will take care of your tongue too!'

17-12-08

Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:23:00 +0000

Do you know of any prayer that has no reference to any deity and one that is different from the normal, sombre & usual tones of a usual prayer? Do you know why you pray? Do you know of any prayer that has no pleads & demands but one that has humor & gratitude contained in it?
......
.......
NO!
Well, why not?The answer to this is relatively simple. A prayer is usually an indictment of a culture's shallow and atheistic invocation of god for that religions own means and ends. Most of us get soo deeply engrossed in prayer and its verses that we ultimately defeat the whole meaning of a prayer!
So, what is a prayer?Some say it's a platform where you can ask for forgiveness, some believe it's a form of allegiance to their culture/ religion. Some think it as a sure shot path to heaven while some others don't even know why they pray!You see, there's so much ambiguity even when it comes to something as simple and pure as a prayer. This is again where our belief system intervenes and separates us!
Simply put, a prayer in its innate form is moment of solitude, a short period where you are in equanimity with your inner self. Period.It is a moment where you reflect upon all that has happened and all that is happening in and around you and your life. It is moment where you observe reality as it is and as it should be. It is the only time when you connect with the universe and its vast & infinite expanses and derive energy and power to unleash a force within you that supercedes anything and everything!
When you are in prayer, it is your inner self and your conscience that takes over. Now someone will surely argue that for any form of communication to be complete, there needs to be a sender and a receiver. That's what they mean by you and god (a deity). When you pray, its your inner self that is in conversation with the universal forces. There is no physical being in the heavens listening to you and waiting to grant you with what you want. Had it been that way, the problems in the world would have been magnified manifold!
So what happens when you pray?There is a karmic connection between you and the infinity above. The universe listens to everyone and responds in an unconventional manner. It gives you not what you want but gives you only what you need to have to get what you want. The answers are already there within us and they surface when we are in prayer. Life's seemingly impossible questions have unbelievably mundane answers...its just that we decode them in a wrong fashion.
What about the poor athiests? Do they pray? And to whom?Most athiests would say that they don't pray and they dont believe in such things. But the reality is that they do pray, its just that its done unconsciously in the ordinary scheme things. They do thank, they do ask for forgiveness and they do receive answers... but they term the incidence as 'luck' or 'finding answers to questions on their own accord' which again is a form of prayer!
So why not free prayers of selective references & particular codes of conduct?Because it is considered unwise & awry to do so. But my prayers are away from any particular references of god. In fact, I talk to my god like a friend in a humorous way and converse in a manner that seems natural to me. I delve deep into my inner self and get my answers right there. And I haven't been punished by any higher power for doing so...yet!
So PRAY! But pray with meaning & purpose and not because of seeking allegiance to someone or the fear of being abandoned by your religion. Pray because you yourself are responsible for your circumstances and because you already have the answers hidden within you. Pray to gift yourself a moment away from the world and reflect upon all things that matter in life.Pray not because you have to, but because you WANT to!

RELIGION: boon or bane?

noreply@blogger.com (Varun Thakur) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:07:00 +0000

Dictionary meaning of Religion: 1. A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny, 2. An institution to express belief in a divine power.

I might be termed a psycho for writing something so strident or blatant on a topic as 'sacred' as religion, but the current scheme of events (terror attacks on Mumbai) have really messed around with my head BIG TIME! My mind is puzzled: Why are these jerks (read terrorists) performing such inhumane acts against humanity, that too in the name of religion?

A recent article in the TOI spoke about the 'fidayeens' or 'young-smart-terrorists' who believe that by sacrificing others and themselves 'in the name of god' they will attain a 'BLISSFUL AFTERLIFE.' Ahem, ahem, did anyone say BLISSFUL AFTERLIFE? Now that’s a bloody new concept! Right from the time that 'time began' (the gods alone know when that was) afterlife is something whose existence no one knows about. We are just forced to believe in inane concepts such as these, all 'in the name of religion.'

Our battle with religion begins right from the time of birth. Depending on the circumstances we are born under, the 'divine power' our families believe in, etc, etc. Throughout life, we are forced to believe that we are different from others, we have different gods, we have separate customs and traditions, different practices and that we must obey the 'law' or else face dire consequences which will be inflicted upon us by our 'religion' or our 'community.' This battle finally ends upon the individual’s death (in fact it continues even till the last rites are performed!)

If I am made to believe that there is a physical entity called 'god' who is different for different religions would be absurd. I’m not saying that I am an atheist, its just that for me, God is an all-pervading abstract entity who is omnipresent in all our hearts and minds in the form of our 'conscience.' All religions ultimately speak the same truth in the form of deities of that religion. All the deities point to the same principles of loving everybody, caring for the world, peace, harmony, etc, BUT, all in their own way/tone/style which gives each one of them something to boast about. This is the problem, this is where we are differentiated/ separated.

The terrorists have tried to nurse a new religion of their own called 'terrorism' (note the 'ism' in the end just like other religions of the world) whose dictionary definition is: 'The calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear.' Terrorism speaks the language of 'destruction', 'disease' and above all 'DEATH.' These attention hungry mortals are performing such acts to publicize their religion & create a new belief which starts and ends in hatred, agony and death only.

I called this article 'RELIGION: boon or bane' not because my religion teaches me anything wrong or makes me a bad person in any way. But I don’t like it because till today it has kept me away from the universal religion that I (and we all) belong to- THE RELIGION OF 'LIFEism.'

LIFEism(Humanity) is not governed by any deity and does not have any set rules/ regulations/ social norms which separate its followers. In fact, it teaches the same principles that all other religions teach, just that its scream is not loud enough for all to hear and follow. Every act against humanity is a scream by LIFEism in disguise to come and follow the religion of oneness, kindness, love and unity. It is screaming loud and clear to forget religious boundaries and accept every individual as a HUMAN rather than a member of a community.

Like all other religions that have a god, LIFEism has 'CONSCIENCE' as its deity. We believe in all religions because we can see the god. Unfortunately 'CONSCIENCE' is invisible and hence forgotten!
Please listen to your conscience and spread the word of life!