If you didn’t get the newspaper tomorrow morning, would you completely freak out? When you forget to take your cell phone with you, do you keep reaching into your pocket for it again and again? How long can you go without checking your mail? How often do you check the news on TV or the Internet?

Information has become a bare necessity these days. It is imperative for us to stay connected. Information and connectivity make us feel in control. We feel that we will lag behind if we don’t connect. We want to be constantly wired. We want the world to be with us all the time. It makes us secure. It keeps us from facing ourselves. It has become almost impossible for us to spend a few minutes by ourselves, doing nothing.

Experts believe information addiction is a real and present concern. Information, according to them, secretes a hormone called dopamine, which gives us a high. But information can be as addictive as narcotics. Information addiction can disrupt our lives. It impinges on our relationships and our social lives. It makes us lose sleep. The negativity of news vitiates our lives.

Information addiction does not happen overnight. We are aware of it while we are getting caught into the mire. It is important that we stop before it gets really serious.

You can start today. Start cutting down on your Internet time. Get the news only from one source and only once a day (Altogether staying away from news is not a bad idea either). Every weekend, visit a person you would have otherwise emailed.

In order to connect with yourself, it is important you get disconnected.

In the 15th century a Hindu Sage by the name of Yogi Swatmaram propounded Hatha Yoga. He chronicled his treatise in the ‘Hatha Yoga Pradapika’. Hatha Yoga is a path to physical purification after which a person can undertake the higher pursuit of meditation. The form of Yoga practiced by most westerners is Hatha Yoga.

Hatha is the amalgamation of two Sanskrit words Ha and Tha meaning sun (solar channel or pingala) and moon (lunar channel or Ida) of the subtle body. Hatha represents the opposing forces of Hot and Cold, Male and Female, Yin and Yang and positive and negative. Hatha Yoga aims at balancing the conflicting mental and body forces, laying a harmonious groundwork for meditation to attain the higher self. This is done through physical exercises (Asanas), breathing exercises (pranayam) and Dhyana (Meditation). The word Hatha combined means forceful; meaning a whole lot of force is required for the purification of the body.

Although Hatha Yoga is based on Yogi Swatmaram personal yogic experience and ancient Sanskrit texts but there is also a mythological tale behind its origin. Lord Shiva is believed to have conceived Hatha Yoga. On a deserted island he shared his newfound insight with goddess Parvati, only to be overheard by a curious fish. Shiva forgave the fish (Matsya) for its folly and turned him into a Siddha, who came to be known as Matsyendranaath. Matsyendranaath spread the divine knowledge amongst the laymen and was one of the first Hath Yogis.

Hatha Yoga is one of the branches of Yoga, the other one being Raja Yoga, together they form the Ashtanga Yoga i.e. the eight limbs or segments of Yoga. Hatha Yoga mainly focuses on the physical aspect of Yoga hence most of the Asanas come under its domain unlike Raja Yoga where only the Asanas that aid lengthened meditation are employed.

As per some opinions Hatha Yoga belongs to a different school of Yoga according to which main purpose of the six stages is to awaken the Kundalini, hence Hatha Yoga is also sometimes referred to as Kundalini Yoga.

Nature is the manifestation of God’s love for us. Just like we bestow gifts on our children, all the wonders of nature are God’s gifts to his children - us. I would like to quote Tagore in Geetanjali:

“When I bring to you colored toys, my child, I understand why there is such a play of colors on clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints…

When I sing to make you dance I truly know why there I music in leaves…

When I kiss your face to make you smile, my darling, I surely understand what pleasure streams from the sky in the morning light, and what delight that is which summer breeze brings to my body – when I kiss you to make you smile.”

The mountains, the plains, the entire terrain are like the fingerprints of god. And when we heartlessly slash trees and mindless alter the terrain to build our houses – we erase god’s fingerprints. We are the only organisms on this earth who destroy the homes of countless plants and animals to make our own homes.

In the name of development we are irreparably and irreversibly changing what god made for us.   The Indian government, for example, is planning to destroy Ram Sethu or Rama’s bridge, which is a chain of shoals connecting the southernmost tip of India with Sri Lanka.  It is believed that Rama Sethu was built by the Lord Rama’s army in order to reach Sri Lanka, where demon-king Ravana had kept Ma Sita (Rama’s consort) hostage.

NASA has confirmed that the actual bridge closely resembles its description in an ancient Hindu scripture. ‘We can see the picture dramatically resembles the description given in Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsham.  Kalidasa wrote, (sarga 13): ‘Rama, while returning from Sri Lanka in Pushpaka Vimaana told Sita: “Behold, Sita, My Setu of mountains dividing this frothy ocean is like the milky way dividing the sky into two parts”, ‘ confirms George M Low, the then deputy director of Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA. Christians believe that the bridge was made by Adam and hence it is also known as ‘Adam’s bridge’.

Heedless to the religious sentiments of billions of Hindus, the government of India is adamant on destroying Rama Sethu as a part of a project for the creation of a shorter alternative route for ships to cross.  Needless to say, the project will contribute enormously to the government exchequer (and a part of which will inevitably go into the pockets of powerful politicians).

In addition to the destruction of a site of religious significance, the project will also jeopardize the fragile ecosystem in the area.
The trees, the rocks, the seas, the landscape are supposed to be the way god made them.  Let us hope that millions of those who are protesting against the destruction of Ram Sethu prevail over the Indian government.  Let us hope and pray that god prevails!

According to Hinduism the body is temple in which the great divine resides. For the divine being to live in comfort the body has to be unsoiled and fresh. When we are born our bodies are pristine and pure but as time goes by we get caught up in patterns that contaminate our beings. The body is the medium through which we live out our purpose; hence it has to be purged of all the impurities that get accumulated over the years.

The foundation of yoga is cleanliness. An unblemished body and mind devoid of all the toxins and residual waste are healthy and therefore ready for the next step that is meditation for self-actualization. Toxins that get formed in the body because of an unclean colon lead to various diseases and pains, which become obstacles in the path of spiritual redemption. So, first comes catharsis and then rejuvenation.

Yoga has various techniques for detoxifying various parts of the body, although one needs to know the process thoroughly to gain the apparent benefits. Jal Neti is a way of cleaning the nasal cavity. It is great for all the ear, Nose and throat diseases. Colon cleansing is done by way of an elaborate procedure called Enema. The waste that gets collected in the intestines become a breeding ground for germs, flushing them out is as important as getting rid of harmful emotions. Fortunately, if you wash out this physical waste the emotional waste goes with it because a healthy, energetic body leaves no room for a lethargic negative mind. The process involves loads of water intake accompanied by relevant yogic asanas, an austere diet and a whole lot of peace of mind. The results are not less than miraculous.

Once clean and fit, the body can graduate to meditation, with no bodily pains to break the magical spell.

Time and again, let’s say when you are going through a rough patch or when you look at the sky on a beautiful starlit night or when you take an astoundingly refreshing morning walk or when a baby laughs uncontrollably at your crazy antics, you must wonder, who made all this possible, who created all this.  If you are lucky you get your answers from within, if you don’t, then fear not, because Hinduism throws a whole lot of light on the topic.

According to Hinduism, the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh creates, sustains and destroys everything. Brahma (the universe) is the creator of the entire universe.  Everything that is, is Brahma’s Magnum Opus.

Brahma is an amalgamation of all the subtle bodies in the universe.  Just like the subtle body of a human being, i.e. is his mind and thoughts, creates the world around him and also his own physical body, the subtle body of the macrocosm (Brahma) creates his world and his physical body.  In other words the cosmic subtle body is the amalgamation of all the microcosmic subtle bodies.  Hence all the worlds everywhere, the entire cosmos, the whole creation is product of the cosmic subtle body.  This Body is called Hiranyagarbha, the creator or the Brahma.

Brahma is portrayed with four arms carrying a water pot (Kamandal), a sacrificial instrument (Sruva), a text (the Vedas) and a rosary.  Brahma’s seat is the lotus, which symbolizes magnificent reality.  Brahma is wedded to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, as he requires true knowledge to accomplish the task of creation.

The four things Brahma carries in his hands dictate a path that leads to nirvana.   The first step is the Vedas. A person must become familiar with the profound truths mentioned in Holy Scriptures called the Vedas.  The sacrificial instrument is the next stage, which signifies sacrificing the self in the service of others.  This way the mind is purged of all impurities and one reaches a state of renunciation.  He then must carry a Kanmandal, an accessory sported by hermits.  Thereafter, one is ready to go into deep meditation and chanting of Mantras, that’s where the rosary comes into the picture. Meditation is a gateway to salvation.  It is now that a man attains nirvana and is able to separate illusions from the truth.

Brahma, the ultimate creator, is worshiped by artists and scientists for blessing them with creative ideas.  So, next time you find yourself wondering as to who created the beautiful blue lagoons, just know that according to Hindu mythology, you did, with a little help from the over soul, the Brahma.

Hinduism propounds that Moksha or salvation can be achieved by serving the supreme in four ways – Karma Yoga or working for the almighty, Jnana Yoga, understanding the almighty, Raja Yoga, meditating on the almighty and Bhakti Yoga, devoting oneself to the almighty.  Yoga as we popularly know it, involves the practice of asanas.  This is Hatha Yoga, an extension of Raja Yoga.

“In Karma-yoga no effort is ever lost, and there is no harm. Even a little practice of this discipline protects one from great fear [of birth and death].”  Bhagawad Gita.

Karma Yoga or the yoga of action is the first step towards Moksha. Karma Yoga entails dedicating all your actions and their fruits to the almighty.  It involves selfless service to humanity.  It is futile to pursue Jnana Yoga or enlightenment without first practicing Karma Yoga.  Because it is Karma Yoga or selfless action in the name of god that ultimately prepares the mind for enlightenment by purifying it.  In other words, when you devote your life in service and do everything in god’s name then you would be pure enough to merge with the divine. Mahatma Gandhi puts it beautifully: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Work leads to emancipation, but only selfless work.  Work that is done for the self binds, while work dedicated to the almighty liberates.  Lord Krishna says in the Bhagawad Gita, “By this attitude of complete renunciation you shall be freed from the bondage, good and bad, of Karma.  You shall be liberated, and come to Me.”

Work can really make life worthwhile.  And if you have a lofty purpose to pursue then you can’t hope for a more fulfilling life.  There is so much to be done in the world; so many wrongs to be remedied.  There are so many people who need us.  Not just people but all the beings – animals, plants, mother earth herself. God has sent each of us with a purpose.  It is for us to find that purpose and live it out.  And that is life well spent.  Emily Dickinson says it all:

“If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Up to his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.”

They were the rich and famous rockers in search of truth; he was an Indian Rishi who could have known the truth.  East met west and a bridge was built practically in no time.  The builders parted ways but the bridge still stands because the groundwork was Fabulous.

On that fateful day of August 24 in 1967, the Brits who almost dethroned Elvis attended their very first discourse by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.  They say when you are ready, you can see the light.  The boys were ready; they saw the Maharishi’s light.  Although, the light would fade as abruptly as it appeared and the Beatles as the world knew them would be over.  But while the light remained, the Beatles wrote some of their best work. The Beatles attained music nirvana.

The Maharishi had such a profound effect on the boys that two days after their first meeting, they relinquished drugs publicly.  Maharishi’s influence only grew after the sudden death of the Brian Epstein on August 27th (the Beatles manager).  The Beatles needed HELP, the Maharishi was all compassion.

From then on for a year, the boys dabbled in the wonderful world of mysticism under the guidance of the great Yogi.  They went to the Ashram in Rishikesh, practiced transcendental meditation in the quietude of the country.  The entire mire of illusory fame disappeared and yet again their ultra-creative genius got manifested in song (Most of them found a place on the White album).

Sadly, the glorious journey towards enlightenment was interrupted due to a sudden falling out between the Maharishi and The Beatles.  The story goes that Maharishi couldn’t live up to his chaste celibate image, bringing to the fore the fact that he was only human and no savior. The Beatles went back to their world to save themselves.

They did save millions from musical boredom and they found love and that was the truth.

According to Hinduism the body is temple in which the great divine resides. For the divine being to live in comfort the body has to be unsoiled and fresh. When we are born our bodies are pristine and pure but as time goes by we get caught up in patterns that contaminate our beings. The body is the medium through which we live out our purpose; hence it has to be purged of all the impurities that get accumulated over the years.

The foundation of yoga is cleanliness. An unblemished body and mind devoid of all the toxins and residual waste are healthy and therefore ready for the next step that is meditation for self-actualization. Toxins that get formed in the body because of an unclean colon lead to various diseases and pains, which become obstacles in the path of spiritual redemption. So, first comes catharsis and then rejuvenation.

Yoga has various techniques for detoxifying various parts of the body, although one needs to know the process thoroughly to gain the apparent benefits. Jal Neti is a way of cleaning the nasal cavity. It is great for all the ear, Nose and throat diseases. Colon cleansing is done by way of an elaborate procedure called Enema. The faucal waste that gets collected in the intestines become a breeding ground for germs, flushing them out is as important as getting rid of harmful emotions. Fortunately, if you wash out this physical waste the emotional waste goes with it because a healthy, energetic body leaves no room for a lethargic negative mind. The process involves loads of water intake accompanied by relevant yogic asanas, an austere diet and a whole lot of peace of mind. The results are not less than miraculous.

Once clean and fit, the body can graduate to meditation, with no bodily pains to break the magical spell.

Ever wonder why there is starvation, why there is deprivation? Why do millions die of hunger and cold and rain?

There is enough for each one of us on this earth. It is we who create pseudo-poverty. Mother Earth offers her bounty to each one of us. But a handful of us, the powerful and fortunate ones, withhold her gifts and do not let them reach the teeming millions. We erect fences and build walls to control what is not rightfully ours.

According to the Buddhist scripture Itivuttaka Sutra, the immortal Lord Buddha said, "If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without have given, nor would the stain of selfishness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were someone to receive their gift." It is a sin to consume more than we need. It is a sin to fill our coffers, while millions around the world starve.

Each one of us is responsible for bringing equity in the world. Mahatma Gandhi gave up elaborate clothing and decided to wear only a dhoti (loincloth) until the day each one of his countrymen would be fully clad. It is important that we share, what we are fortunate enough to have, with those less fortunate.

Hinduism propounds that nothing it ours, everything is god’s gift to us. It is only by giving that we can detach from material possessions and become worthy of the gifts that god gives to us unasked. It is only by giving that we can overcome desire, which is the root of all suffering.  So, resolve to give at least one thing everyday to someone who needs it. With each little thing you give, you realize that it was never yours to give.

The image of Lord Krishna playing his Flute, in a serene pastoral setting has enchanted poets over the ages. The pure beauty emanating from his persona leaves the observer fascinated by the glory of God. The flute of Lord Krishna represents his divine’s love affair with Music. He charmed devotees into submission by his heavenly music. Naturally, without any deliberation or effort the masses turned to the Celestial Charmer. He was a pied piper indeed, only a good one.

Krishna’s flute symbolizes simple, natural, egoless state. Made of Bamboo, a Flute is hollow with seven holes. Being empty, the instrument is not fraught with superfluities like ego and pride. It only has room enough to churn out universal harmony. The music that resounds transports the listener to the other glorious worlds.

According to one story, Lord Krishna’s flute was an embodiment of one of the gopis(her female devotees) who wanted to be the instrument of God, a channel of his music and love. This means that all humans are the instrument of the lord. When their heart is pure and hollow without any fallacies, like the flute, then God plays his unchained melody, his magnum Opus.

But not all can be his instrument, like a reed must endure the pain of chiseling and reshaping to become a flute, a human who aspires to have the divine music played through him must undergo suffering to become a channel of his love. Then lord Krishna will hold you lovingly like a flute and then sublime music shall flow through you forever more. In the words of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore:

“Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life. This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.”

Then you will be the flute, you will be the song, you will be one with God.