LEO'S INSIDE OUT

Master the Art of Speaking: 5 Tips to Communicate Like a Pro at Work!

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 17:06:00 +0000

In today’s fast-paced workplace, communication can make or break your success. Whether you’re leading a team, working on a project, or simply engaging in everyday interactions with colleagues, how you communicate will define the outcome. Strong communication isn’t just about what you say but how and when you say it. Over time, I've come to realize that striking the right balance between brevity, clarity, and engagement is key to becoming a powerful speaker.

In my own journey, I’ve faced common struggles, like over-talking when excited or undersharing in formal settings. If you’ve ever found yourself caught in the trap of oversharing or speaking too much in casual conversations, or if you’re concerned about appearing reserved in more formal meetings, you’re not alone. In this blog, we’ll dive deep into five practical strategies that will help you become a more impactful speaker in the workplace.

1. Pause Before Speaking

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to pause before speaking. In the hustle of workplace conversations, we’re often eager to jump in and share our thoughts. However, this eagerness can sometimes lead to oversharing or providing unnecessary details, which can make communication feel cluttered and overwhelming.

When you take a moment to pause before you speak, you give yourself time to organize your thoughts. This pause helps you assess what’s essential to the conversation and prevents you from rushing into irrelevant points. It’s like giving your brain a moment to filter out any unimportant information. This practice is particularly effective if you’re in a high-pressure meeting or when discussing complex topics where clarity is crucial.

Moreover, pausing gives the person you’re speaking with time to process what’s already been said, allowing for a more balanced exchange. Remember, conversations are not just about delivering information—they’re about creating dialogue.

Practical Tips to Apply This:

Count to three in your head before responding. This brief pause can give you just enough time to think through your response.
Mentally ask yourself, “What’s the key point I need to make here?” This will help you stay focused and avoid going off on tangents.
In high-stress or excited moments, take a deep breath before speaking. It helps calm nerves and organizes thoughts.

2. The BLUF Method: Bottom Line Up Front

The BLUF method, which stands for “Bottom Line Up Front,” is a military communication technique that’s highly effective in fast-paced workplaces. The concept is simple: start with the most critical piece of information first, then follow up with additional context or details if necessary.

Many times in the workplace, people don’t have time to sift through long explanations. By using the BLUF method, you ensure that the key point is understood immediately. If more details are needed, they can be provided afterward, but this way, your audience gets the core message right away.

This approach is particularly useful when presenting to leadership, delivering status updates, or even during informal team meetings. Leaders and managers often want the bottom line quickly before diving into specifics, so starting with the conclusion sets a strong foundation for clearer communication.

Practical Tips to Apply This:

When crafting a message or speaking in a meeting, think about the single most important takeaway for your audience. Lead with that.
For emails, begin with a sentence that summarizes your main point, and then offer more context in the body of the message.
Practice delivering concise updates in informal settings to get comfortable with this method.

3. Know Your Audience: Adapt Your Message

Understanding your audience is crucial for effective communication. The same message won’t work for every person or situation. Whether you’re in a formal meeting or engaging in a casual conversation, being able to tailor your communication style to the context ensures your message is received well.

In formal settings like presentations, meetings with executives, or team briefings, concise and structured communication is often valued. Here, you should focus on delivering the facts, using professional language, and being respectful of everyone’s time. On the other hand, in casual settings like one-on-one chats with colleagues, you can afford to be more relaxed, but that doesn’t mean you should talk excessively. In these scenarios, it’s about keeping the conversation balanced—contributing, but also allowing room for others to share.

One of the key skills in knowing your audience is to identify what level of detail they need. If you're speaking to technical colleagues, they may appreciate more in-depth details, whereas non-technical stakeholders may only need a high-level summary. Adjusting your depth of information ensures you’re not overwhelming people with unnecessary details or leaving them uninformed.

Practical Tips to Apply This:

Before speaking, ask yourself: Who am I talking to? What’s their level of knowledge on this topic? What do they need to take away?
In meetings, gauge the body language and engagement of your audience. If they seem confused or disengaged, you might need to clarify or shorten your message.
Practice summarizing complex topics in one sentence to make sure you’re prepared to explain it at various levels of detail.

4. Practice Active Listening

While being a strong speaker is important, being an active listener is equally critical. Effective communication is a two-way street. When we focus too much on what we’re going to say next, we may miss key points from others or fail to pick up on cues that the conversation is veering off course. Active listening means fully engaging with the person speaking, giving them your full attention, and responding thoughtfully to what they’ve said.

Active listening not only helps you stay present in the conversation but also signals to others that you value their input. When people feel heard, they’re more likely to engage openly and constructively. Additionally, it prevents you from over-speaking, as you’re taking in more from others rather than solely focusing on delivering your own thoughts.

Practical Tips to Apply This:

Nod or give verbal cues like “I see” or “That makes sense” to show that you’re engaged with what the other person is saying.
When someone finishes speaking, take a moment to reflect on what they’ve said before responding, rather than jumping in immediately.
Ask clarifying questions if you’re unsure about a point. This encourages more dialogue and shows that you’re paying attention.

5. Maintain Approachability: Balance Conciseness with Warmth

One of the fears of speaking less is that you might come across as distant or reserved. However, being concise doesn’t mean withholding important information or appearing cold. You can balance conciseness with warmth by being mindful of your tone, body language, and the way you structure your responses.

For instance, in a workplace setting, you might want to keep your statements clear and brief, but you can also add a friendly comment or ask for feedback from the person you’re talking to. This shows that even though you’re being efficient in your communication, you’re still open and approachable.

By combining clarity with engagement, you prevent misunderstandings that come from over- or under-talking, and you build stronger connections with your colleagues. Creating this balance allows you to be perceived as both effective and personable.

Practical Tips to Apply This:

Pair concise statements with an open-ended question like, “What do you think about that?” to keep the conversation flowing.
Use body language, like maintaining eye contact and smiling, to show that you’re engaged and approachable, even when speaking briefly.
In email communication, even if you’re being concise, include polite phrases like “Thanks for your input” or “Let me know if you have any questions.”

Overcoming the Challenges of Over-Talking and Under-Talking

For many of us, the real challenge isn’t just learning to communicate effectively but managing the balance between over-talking and under-talking. It’s easy to get carried away in casual conversations, especially when we’re excited about something. Likewise, in formal settings, there’s often a fear of undersharing or coming across as too reserved.

The key to overcoming this is self-awareness. By recognizing when you’re prone to over-talking—whether it’s in moments of excitement or casual conversation—you can train yourself to pause and refocus. On the flip side, if you tend to hold back in formal settings, practicing concise yet open communication will help you share the right amount of information while remaining approachable.

Conclusion: Communication as an Ongoing Journey

Becoming a powerful and effective speaker at work is a continuous process. It’s not about being perfect in every conversation but about recognizing where you can improve and taking steps to adjust. By incorporating these five strategies—pausing before speaking, using the BLUF method, knowing your audience, practicing active listening, and balancing conciseness with warmth—you can enhance your communication skills and make a stronger impact in your workplace interactions.

Avoid These 5 Career Pitfalls: A Guide for Professionals

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 10:55:00 +0000

5 Common Traps Professionals Fall Into

In the fast-paced world of professional growth, it’s easy to fall into certain traps that can hinder our progress. Here are five common pitfalls that professionals often encounter and how to avoid them.

1. Comparing Your Growth with Others

One of the most common traps is comparing your growth with that of others. It’s natural to look at successful individuals in your field and wonder why you aren’t at the same level. However, this comparison is often flawed.

We tend to see only the success of others, not the hard work, sacrifices, and challenges they faced along the way. This is akin to seeing just the tip of the iceberg. The unseen part, which includes their struggles and efforts, is often much larger. Additionally, factors like luck or bias, though insignificant, can play a role.

In a professional setting, opportunities to showcase our skills may be rare. Therefore, it’s crucial to be prepared and competent enough to seize these opportunities when they arise. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on your own growth and the steps you need to take to achieve your goals.

2. Victim Mentality

Another common trap is adopting a victim mentality. This often manifests as constant complaints about the company, outdated technologies, or difficult colleagues. These complaints are usually excuses that mask the real issue: a gap between your current situation and your desired success.

Instead of blaming external factors, identify where you lack and take measures to correct it. Your success is in your hands, not in the hands of others. Believing that someone else will pave the way for you is a misconception. If you don’t achieve the growth you expect, it’s easy to fall into this trap. Take responsibility for your own progress and work towards bridging the gap.

3. Individual Contributor Conundrum

Professionals who work as individual contributors for a long time often face this conundrum. They may not grow with the market and lack peers to compare themselves with technically. This can lead to a false sense of being at the top of the technology chain.

However, when reality hits, they may feel helpless and fall into a victim mentality. This is why working with a team is crucial. Collaboration and teamwork provide opportunities for growth, learning, and benchmarking your skills against others. It helps you stay grounded and aware of the latest developments in your field.

4. Give Up Attitude

When faced with skill-related issues, some professionals adopt a give-up attitude. They might say, “Fine, I’m wrong. You tell me what I should do now, and I’ll do it.” This is an expression of frustration, victimhood and a give-up attitude.

When you reach a point where bouncing back seems difficult, people tent to make a decisive move. This means switching projects, teams, technologies, or even companies. However, the key is to understand where the gap lies. If you don’t, the new place will just be another setting where you fail. Recognize your shortcomings and take proactive steps to address them.

5. Taking Up-Skilling for Granted

Many professionals believe that their lack of success is due to not having marketing or advertising skills. They might say, “I am skilled, but I don’t know how to promote my work.” However, these skills are crucial for personal and professional development.

Just as you continuously upskill your technical abilities, you need to develop your professional skills as well. Some may call it politics, while others call it strategy. As long as it doesn’t harm others, the company, or yourself, it’s not bad. In today’s information era, everything can be taught and learned. Embrace continuous learning and development to stay ahead in your career.

Conclusion

Avoiding these common traps requires self-awareness, responsibility, and a proactive approach to personal and professional growth. By focusing on your own journey, taking responsibility for your success, collaborating with others, maintaining a positive attitude, and continuously upskilling, you can navigate the professional landscape more effectively and achieve your career goals.

Unlocking Knowledge: Lessons from an Inspiring Training Session

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:54:00 +0000

Last week, our team had the privilege of participating in an enlightening five-day training program led by a distinguished engineer from the United States. His visit to our office in India was not just a transfer of knowledge, but an inspiring journey that reshaped my perspective on effective learning. Here are five key takeaways from this immersive experience:

🚧 Structured Learning: The sessions were meticulously organized, ensuring that each day built on the previous one. Our trainer adeptly adjusted his approach, making complex concepts accessible to everyone.
⏰ Punctuality Matters: Every session started and ended on time, demonstrating respect for our schedules and reinforcing the importance of discipline in professional settings.
🌏 Relevance for All: The content was tailored to engage sales, marketing, and development teams simultaneously. He ensured that sessions were inclusive, allowing for breaks when certain topics were more pertinent to specific groups.
🏓 Interactive Engagement: The dynamic nature of the training kept everyone alert and involved. The trainer employed interactive techniques that transformed potentially dry topics into stimulating discussions.
🎯 Patient Guidance: His ability to gauge the audience's understanding was remarkable. He patiently addressed questions, adjusting the pace of the session as needed to ensure clarity.

This experience was more than just a technical training; it was a masterclass in effective communication and engagement. I left not only with newfound knowledge but also with inspiration on how to connect with diverse audiences. Here’s to continuous learning and growth!
ProfessionalDevelopment Training Leadership ContinuousLearning EffectiveCommunication NI (National Instruments) SystemOnDemond

[Tamil] Do Christians Participated in Indian Freedom Struggle?

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:11:00 +0000

இந்திய சுதந்திரப்போராட்டத்தில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களின் பங்கு என்ன ?

Felix Wilfred என்கிற ஓர் வரலாற்று ஆசிரியர் இந்தியாவின் சுதந்திரத்தில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களின் பங்கு என்னவென தெளிவாக ஆதாரத்தோடு எழுதிவைத்துள்ளார். சுதந்திர தேசத்திற்காக பாடுபட்ட மிஷனரிகளில் முக்கியமானவர்கள் ஸ்டான்லி ஜோன்ஸ் , C.F.அன்றூஸ் , J.C.வின்ஸ்லோ , வர்ரியர் எல்வின், ரால்ப் ரிச்சர்ட் கைதாஹ்ன் மற்றும் எர்னெஸ்ட் போர்றேச்டார்-பேடன். இவர்கள் ஆங்கிலய காலனி ஆதிக்கத்தை நேரடியாக எதிர்த்தவர்கள். இந்திய தேசம் இந்தியர்களுக்கே இன்று முழங்கியவர்கள். பல மிஷனரிகள் இதனால் ஆங்கிலேயர்களால் நாடுகடத்தப்பட்டனர். இதன் மத்தியிலும் பல கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் ஆங்கிலேய ஆதிக்கத்தை எதிர்த்து உயிர்விட்டனர். பலரும் ஆங்கிலேயர்களால் தான் கிறிஸ்தவம் இந்திய தேசத்திற்குள்ளே வந்தது என்று கதைகட்டி நரிகளைப்போல் தெருவெங்கும் ஊளையிடுகின்றனர். கிறிஸ்தவம் 2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே "பரிசுத்த தோமா" என்கிற கிறிஸ்தவ சீடர் மூலம் வந்துவிட்டது. இன்றும் இவர் சரித்திரம் சொல்லாத ஏடுகள் இல்லை. அந்நிய ஆதிக்கம் 17ம் நூற்றாண்டுகளில் தலைதூக்கியது. அன்றுவரை கிறிஸ்தவம் இந்தியத்தேசத்தில் பலவிதங்களில் சொல்லப்பட்டுவந்தது என்பதை நினைவில் வைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.

ஜார்ஜ் தாமஸ் என்கிற கிறிஸ்தவர், இந்திய தேசிய காங்கிரஸ் சுதந்திரபோராட்டத்தில் குதித்த ஆரம்ப நாட்களில், இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவ சமுதாயம் (1885) என்கிற ஓர் அரசியல் சார்ந்த ஓர் கூட்டத்தை சேர்த்து சுதந்திர போராட்டத்தில் குதித்தார். 1887ம் ஆண்டு இந்திய காங்கிரஸ் தாக்கல் செய்த மூன்றாம் அரசியல் சாசனத்தில் 607 பேர் கலந்துகொண்டனர். இதில் 15 பேர் கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் (கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் மக்கள் தொகை எண்ணிக்கை மிக குறைவு). இதில் முக்கியமானவர்கள் ஒரிசாவை சார்ந்த மது சுதன் தாஸ் (1848-1934), பெங்காலி கிறிஸ்தவர் காளி சரண் பேனர்ஜி (1847-1907) என்பவர்கள். இவ்விருவரும் தேசிய அரசியலில் காங்கிரசோடு இணைந்து பல அரசியல் சாசனங்களை தாக்கல் செய்தனர். 1889ம் ஆண்டு நடைபெற்ற முக்கியமான கருத்தரங்கில் கலந்துகொண்ட 10 பெண் தலைவர்களில் 3 ன்று பேர் கிறிஸ்தவ தலைவர்கள். இவர்கள் பண்டித ரமாபாய் சரஸ்வதி (1858-1922), திருமதி திரயும்புக் மற்றும் திருமதி நிகம்பே.

1920ம் வருடம் ஆரம்பித்து பல கிறிஸ்தவ இயக்கங்கள் ஆங்காங்கே சபைகள், கிறிஸ்தவ கல்லூரிகள், அரசியல் சார்பு இயக்கங்கள் உருவாகி சுதந்திர தேசத்திற்காக பாடுபட்டனர். அனைத்திந்திய கிறிஸ்தவ மாநாடு, தேசிய கிறிஸ்தவ ஆலோசனை சபை (the National Christian Council of இந்திய), ஒருங்கிணைந்த கிறிஸ்தவ சாஸ்திர கல்லூரி (United Theological College (Bangalore)) சார்பாக உருவாகின கிறிஸ்தவ தலைவர்கள் மற்றும் வாலிப மாணவ குழுக்கள் , பெங்கால் செரம்பூர் கல்லூரி (Serampore College) (Bengal), புனித பவுல் கல்லூரி, கொல்கத்தா (St. Paul’s College, Calcutta (Bengal)), கேரளா மலபார் கிறிஸ்தவ கல்லூரி (Malabar Christian காலேஜ்), Calicut (Kerala), கிறிஸ்தவ வாலிப ஆலோசனை மற்றும் செயல்படுத்தல் குழு (கேரளா) (the Youth Christian Council of Action (Kerala)), இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவ மாணவ இயக்கம் (the Student Christian Movement of India), இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவ கழகம், பெங்கால் (the Indian Christian Association of Bengal, கிறிஸ்தவ கூடுகைகள், மும்பை (conference of Christians in Bombay), இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவ கூட்டம், பாளையம்கோட்டை மற்றும் திருநெல்வேலி (Meeting of Christians in Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli) போன்றவற்றின் மூலம் பல இடங்களில் சபைகள் மூலமாக கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் ஆங்கிலேய காலனி ஆதிக்கத்திற்கு எதிர்த்து நின்று இரவு பகல் பாராமல் போராடினர். சில இடங்களில் முன்வந்து போராட்டம் நடத்தி தங்கள் எதிர்ப்பை பதிவு செய்தனர்.

1973ம் ஆண்டு தமிழ்நாடு அரசு சுதந்திர போராட்ட தியாகிகள் பெயரை வெளியிட்டது. அதன் தலைப்பு "யார் சுதந்திர போராட்டத்தில் பங்கேற்றது, தமிழ்நாடு" "Who is Who of Freedom Fighters, Tamil Nadu" இதில் D.ஆர்தர் ஜெயகுமார் (D. Arthur Jayakumar) மற்றும் 103 பேர் கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் என்று குறிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்திய தேசிய அளவில் சுதந்திர போராட்டத்தில் பங்கேற்ற கிறிஸ்தவர்களில் D.ஆர்தர் ஜெயகுமார் அவர்களின் பங்களிப்பு அளவிடமுடியாதது யாராலும் மறுக்கமுடியாத உண்மை.

J.C.குமரப்பா (உண்மையான பெயர் ஜான் ஜேசுதாசன் கொர்நெலேயு, (1892-1960), முக்கியமான காங்கிரஸ் தலைவர். இவர் அண்ணல் காந்தியை 9 மே 1929 அன்று சபர்மதி ஆசிரமத்தில் சந்தித்த பின் அவர் நெருங்கிய நண்பர் ஆனார். இவர் "சத்தியக்ரஹம்" போராட்டத்தில் கலந்துகொன்று பல கிறிஸ்தவ இயக்கங்களை இதனோடு இணைத்தார்.
பவுல் ராமசாமி (1906) மற்றொரு முக்கியமான கிறிஸ்தவர். காந்தியின் உப்பு சத்தியாக்ரஹ போராட்டத்தில் கலந்துகொண்டு பிஷப் ஹீபர் கல்லூரியை மையமாக வைத்து செயல்பட்டார். பின்னை ஆங்கிலேயர்களால் கைதுசெய்யப்பட்டு திருச்சி, அல்லிபுரம் சிறைச்சாலைகளில் வாடினார். வெங்கல் சக்கரி (1880) காந்தியின் ஒத்துழையாமை இயக்கத்தின் முக்கிய நபராக செயல்பட்டவர். 1930 ம் வருடம் லண்டனில் நடைபெற்ற வட்டமேசை மாநாட்டில் K.T.பவுல் அவர்கள் கலந்துகொண்டு விடுதலை முழக்கமிட்டார்.

லக்னௌவில் நடைபெற்ற அனைத்திந்திய கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் மாநாட்டிற்கு (1922, டிசம்பர் 27-30) பிறகு "ஒத்துழையாமை" இயக்கத்தில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களின் பங்களிப்பு அதிகமாக இருந்தது. இதன் பிறகு அதிகமான கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் சிறையில் அடைக்கப்பட்டனர். ஆதாரம்:1930 The editor of The Guardian. N.H.துப்ஸ் பிஷப் கல்லூரி முதல்வர், கொல்கத்தா, நிறத் பிஸ்வாஸ் (பிஷப் அஸ்ஸாம் சபைகள்) ஆகிய இருவரும் 1932ம் ஆண்டு உப்பு சத்தியாக்ரஹ போராட்டத்தில் தங்களை இணைத்துகொண்டனர்.
1930 மற்றும் 1940ம் ஆண்டுகளில் கிறிஸ்தவ தலைவர்களான T.M. வர்கீஸ், A.J. ஜான், மச்காறேனேஷ் மற்றும் அக்கம்மா செரியன் ஆரம்ப நாட்களில் முக்கியமானவர்கள். திருவேன்கொர் காங்கிரஸ் தலைவர்களில் பிலோப்போஸ் ஏலஞ்சிக்கள் ஜான் (1903-1955) முக்கியமானவர்.

கிறிஸ்தவ குடும்பங்கள் பல இணைந்து சுத்திர தேசத்திற்காக போராடினர். முக்கியமாக திரு ஜோசிம் அல்வா Joachim Alva (1907-1979) அவர்களின் பங்களிப்பும் முக்கியமானது. இவர் கிறஸ்தவ வாலிப இயக்கத்தின் முன்னோடி. சுதந்திர போராட்டத்தில் குதிக்க தான் பார்த்துவந்த பணம்கொளிக்கும் வேலையை தூக்கிஎறிந்து வந்தார். திருமதி வியோலேட் அல்வா (1908-1969). கணவனும், மனைவியுமாக இணைந்து பல இடங்களில் சுதந்திர வேட்க்கையை தீயாய் பரப்பினர்.

இதை ஒரு ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ் இயக்கத்தை சேர்ந்த ஓர் பத்திரிகை எழுத்தாளர் M.V.காமத் அவர்கள் ஒப்புகொண்டிருக்கிறார். தன் சுயசரிதையில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களில் பங்களிப்பு பற்றி தெளிவாக குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். சிப்ரியன் அல்வறேஸ் (Cyprian Alvares), திரு ஜோசிம் அல்வா (Joachim Alva), மார்செல் (Marcel A. M. D’Souza) ஆகியோரை பற்றி இவர் புத்தகத்தில் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். மட்டும் அல்லாமல் கத்தோலிக்க கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் பங்களிப்பு தேசிய அளவில் பெரிய தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியதையும் நினைவு கூறுகிறார்.

ஜார்ஜ் ஜோசப் (George Joseph (1887-1938) was another outstanding Christian who engaged in the freedom struggle) அவர்களின் விடுதலை போராட்ட பங்கு மிகவும் பெரியது. 1918ம் ஆண்டு இங்கிலாந்தில் நடைபெற்ற விடுதலை போராட்ட கருத்தரங்கில் கலந்துகொண்டது மூலம் இந்திய கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் தேசிய விடுதலைக்காக போராடுகின்றனர் என்பதை உலகிற்கு உணர்த்தினார்.

C.சாமுவேல் ஆரோன் மற்றும் அவர் துணைவியார் திருமதி கிரேசி ஆரோன் அவர்களில் பங்களிப்பு பலரை விடுதலை போராட்டத்தில் குதிக்க வைத்தது. உப்பு சத்தியாக்ரக போராட்டம் மலபாருக்கு வந்தபோது இவர் குடும்பம் தான் முன் நின்று வழிநடத்தியது. தன் சொந்த கட்டிடத்தை இப்போராட்டத்திற்கு இலவசமாக கொடுத்து முன் நின்றவர். இவர் எந்நேரமும் கொலை செய்யப்படலாம் என்று அப்போதைய அதிகாரி E.M.கவனே மிரட்டினார். 1930ம் ஆண்டு காங்கிரஸ் தடைசெய்யப்பட்ட போது இவரும் கைதானார். ருபாய் ஆயிரம் அபராதம் அல்லது 6 வார சிறை என்ற நிலை வந்தது. தன்னுடன் போராடிய பாமர மக்கள் சிறையில் வாடும் போது இவர்மட்டும் வெளியில் இருக்க மனம் வரவில்லை. பணம் கட்ட மறுத்து சிறைத்தண்டனையை ஏற்றார்.

இது மட்டும் அல்ல. கிறிஸ்தவ பத்திரிக்கைகளும் சுதந்திர போராட்டத்திற்கு ஆதரவாக வெளிவந்தன. அதிகமாக மலையாள மொழியில் கிறிஸ்தவ பத்திரிக்கைகள் வெளிவந்தன. Malayala Manorma Company (1888) இன்றும் இந்த பத்திரிக்கை புகழ் பெற்றதாகும். இதை ஆரம்பித்தவர் ஒரு கிறிஸ்தவர். பெயர் Varghese Mappilla Kandathil (1858-1904). பின்னர் இது Malayala Manorama (1890 onwards) என்று பெயர் பெற்றது. இப்படி கிறிஸ்தவர்களால் ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்ட பல பத்திரிக்கைகள் அரசியலையும், விடுதலை வேட்க்கையையும் பலநிலைகளில் தூண்டியது. இவைகளில் பங்களிப்பு மிகபெரிய வெற்றியை தேடித்தந்தது.

இப்படி அரும்பாடுபட்டு பெற்ற சுதந்திர இந்தியாவின் அமைதிக்காக தொடர்ந்து ஜெபிப்போம்.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Jamakkaaran/posts/1080445982160725

Depressing Story in Zoological Park

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:48:00 +0000

It was before Corona outbreak. Since it was Saturday, I was thinking to myself that I should go out somewhere. Because close to my brother's house there are plenty of attractions. I wanted to take a personal break for long time. So I used that Saturday as a chance to take my family there. Place name is steel city “Salem". I wasn't still knowing that as name mentioned I would come out of that place with iron heart! Though Yercaud is very near by place, I have visited there many times and I'm sure if you ever visited there, you would know what I mean, it is simply waste of money and time. Instead we can rent a Vijatakanth movie in Google movie and not watching it (It is basically to kill our time and money).

When I heard that there is a Zoological park nearby, I was super excited. So we have decided to go there. I thought definitely gonna get some content for my YouTube channel. Now a days it is very hard to get content for science stuff. Even Sunny Leon hosts geek show, nobody would watch. So I don't want to miss this opportunity not because I'm super excited about science, it's been a while I posted a video in my channel. I desperately need some content. So I packed my gears and stuffs in my car.

We reached Zoo by 5.00PM (Park's closing time is 6.00PM). So I have to plan for all my shots in 1 hour. Unfortunately it didn't turn up well. I didn't even took a photo. I had to take care of my son and daughter while my wife was sightseeing, because she never been to any zoo except our home. I'm telling you that, it is one of the worst zoo ever, more that actual animals there were plenty of concrete animals in every corner. It's like you pay for Katy Perry's concert and she turn on the CD and lip sync. Not worth for even the entry fee, that is 20 bucks.

Some abandon peacock without feathers gazing up to the people in desperation of getting some food. I think zoo staffs fed those poor birds on last blue moon. The worst part is, I have seen most beautiful white peacocks (all are male birds), but caged with regular coloured female peacock. It's like you being millionaire paid for first class and end up in a corner seat with a big ass Indian in economy class. What a tragic place to be from Aussie. This is payback for Australia for defeating us in 2007 Men's cricket world cup. Some lean parrots in almost 6 different cages, each one had different colors. Apparently, due to rain water their colors washed away I guess.

Few crocodiles, a python, a small lonely fox, many empty cages (I think I have seen more empty cages than actual animals in it), 4 to 5 different type of birds and few other items. Among all, one particular cage caught my eye. It was one of the two cages which made me so depressed. In first, there was a solo parrot in a big cage which was talking. Yes, you read it right. It was talking. May not be fluent but at least it was able to say “Hi”, “Bye”, “See You” few words like that. That made me to think, it is locked up alone just because it was talking (I’m not referring to Modi government). Otherwise it could have got some pals to talk. I could sense the depression in its voice. Few monkeys. There were great deal of monkeys outside the cage. Since it is the footstep of Yercaud mountain, there were many monkeys roaming around the zoo. But their cousins were in the cage. I think they did some terrible crime in their community end up in this lock up.

Second one was worse than the first one. In a single cage called exotic birds, there were 2 seagull, 2 crane, 3 American white Pelican and 2 weird ass birds. Through their look I’m sure they all are foreigners. Come on, all are free birds. Take Pelican for example, Each time it can eat kilograms of fresh fish. But unfortunately they all locked up in a 30x30 completely covered cage nothing but few unrelated birds for company against their will. Only they can eat the limited meal whenever zoo keeper decides to feed. What did they do? What made them to stay in this prison without parole? I am sure their life will get over in this place, they are never gonna see their family or home again. Forget about home, not even sea again. Do we have warrant for it or is it like war criminal without outside worlds knowledge they are enslaved? Kind of Payback for America for what they have done for Middle East. It made me to think a lot.

I have seen other animals like deer and few wildlife animals but after seeing those birds nothing tasted well for me. I was keep thinking about it. Isn’t it our selfish motive that we are keeping them against their will? Just to show your kid how Pelican looks like, you are actually holding a free bird behind bars and torture them not thinking about their feelings. I am not a vegan or PETA supporter. But many times we think only about ourselves not thinking about the feelings of others. This is one of a eye opener for me that I should respect everyone. Big or small, powerful or powerless, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, male or female, animal or human. We need to learn how to respect everyone in the world. Understand others feeling and act upon it. All the living things have right to share and live in this world.

Though it may be a boring and philosophical content, it made a major impact in my mind. Think about it and share your comments.

Biker Story in Thalappakatti

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 14:49:00 +0000

I was out for lunch with my family. Of course, it was late. My wife was keep nagging about the delay in our city ride. Though I was little upset, one thing made me happy that she proposed a restaurant name for lunch which she never did before. Often ask me to take her to a restaurant not mentioning any name which would create a lot of chaos. But this time for my surprise, she asked me to take her to "Dindigul Thalappakatti Restaurant" for lunch. Since it is on my way to home in JP Nagar, I thought it would be easy for me to take my two kids and her there. I was happy because I avoided unnecessary fight and gonna get nice lunch.

I parked the car in front of the restaurant and asked wale parking guy to take over my version of BMW, Alto LXI. My wife and daughter entered into the hotel, but i was waiting for the guy to park my car safely few feets next to me. I was cursing myself that I could have done the same road side parking myself and saved few bucks. While myself and my son staring at the car, a fancy cruising bike stopped in front of me. either it could be avenger or enticer, I'm not sure. A guy nicely dressed jumped off the bike and shared a broad calm smile at us. It's anyway free, so I smiled at him back.
Straight he walked up to me and introduce himself to me. I nodded. He said "I feel embarrassed to tell you that ...". And he continued that he was cruising around the city in the bike, he was from hosur (which is 40 kilometers away from that place). He has only good enough fuel to reach Hosur. He has many friends in the city. But nobody is picking his call. So he asked me to offer a chicken biriyani in Thalappakatti. I was freaked. WHAT????.

I asked him why your friends are not picking the call?, he said may be they are busy. I asked him whether you want me to call them from my phone?, He said he don't remember their number. I replied why don't you look at your phone and tell me. he said, his phone is switched off. Then I got pissed, I asked him "Do you want me to charge your phone for me so that you can restart your phone". He replied that he is not comfortable sharing his phone with me. It really pissed me off. I said, so you are not agreeing to any of the things I say, are you really looking for food? He said. "I'm not cheating, you offer me food here, I'll be on my way". I resisted saying that I'm not able to trust you because if you are looking for food, you would at least ask me for some food. To be frank chicken biriyani in Thalappakatti is around 400 bucks. Instead if he walk up to nearby A2B (which is 200 meters away), then he can have a wonderful mini tiffin for 60 bucks. At least he could have asked me for that. In my mind two things were going on, either it could be some stupid prank show which I hate the most. or some fraud attempt to loot money. He is a biker, his home is around 40 Kilometer away which is approximately 30-45 mins drive. I didn't see him that weak to drive 30 mins more. So i decided and said, if you are not agreeing what I say, sorry i cannot help you and walked into the restaurant with my son.

My wife asked me what was the conversation is all about. I explained the whole thing to her. She felt pity and asked me to give some money to him. I did not agree to it. because I wasn't able to trust him.
He was waiting outside for around 15 mins. Then I stopped looking at him. Yet my mind was thinking that I should have given 50 bucks and directed him to A2B. So after around 20 mins later I went out to give him some 50 bucks, but I didn't see him. Till end of the day I was keep thinking should I offer what he asked for or some money? or nor. Till today I don't have answer for that. But one thing is for sure that i acted little mean. What do you guys think? Comment below your opinion.

Clean Bible Jokes (Only for Laugh!)

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 18:56:00 +0000

Disclaimer: The below jokes are only for Christian who are mature in spiritual level and ready to laugh with clean mentality.

Below are the questions:

1. What kind of man was Boaz before marriage?

2. Did Eve ever had a date with Adam in Eden?

3. What do they call Pastors in Germany?

4. Who was the biggest law breaker in the Bible?

5. Who doesn't have father? (Not Jesus boy!)

6. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?

7. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?

8. Why was everyone in the Biblical time so poor?

9. Where is the first tennis match mentioned in the Bible?

10.Why didn't Noah go for fishing?

11. What is the best way to get to Paradise?

12.Who was known as a mathematician in the Bible?

Scroll below for answers!

Answers:

1. What kind of man was Boaz "before marriage"?

He was Ruthless!

2. Did Eve ever had a date with Adam in Eden?

No,Just an apple

3.What do they call Pastors in Germany?

German Shepherd

4. Who was the biggest law breaker in the Bible?

Moses, He broke all 10 commandments at once.

5. Who doesn't have father? (Not Jesus boy!)

Joshua, he is the son of nun.

6. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?

The area around Jordan, because the banks were always overflowing!

7. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?

Noah, He was floating his stocks while everyone was in liquidation.

8. Why was everyone in the Biblical time so poor?

Because there was only one Job!

9.Where is the first tennis match mentioned in the Bible?

When Joseph served in Pharaoh's court.

10.Why didn't Noah go for fishing?

Because he had only two worms.

11.What is the best way to get to Paradise?

Turn right and go straight

12.Who was known as a mathematician in the Bible?

Moses, he wrote the book of Numbers!

Fun in JESUS Name

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:56:00 +0000

FUN IN THE NAME OF JESUS

Most of you thinking how this image and the title are related to each other? This is a warning picture for the people those are reading this. Modern days I can see so many videos, pictures and posts mocking Christianity and churches. I was bit annoyed by seeing those posts. But as you know instead of feeling angry about those people. It is time for us to post-mortem this issue by ourselves.

Once upon a time in mid-80's when people (other faith people) see Christians/Pastors, they had some sort of respect in their heart. With that due respect they wished them. But currently people seeing Christians as religion conversion machine. All those respects are gone. What goes wrong here?

In India, most of the missionaries and Christians showed Christ though their life. They lived like Christ. They invested/lose whatever they had for the sack of Christ. They loved all race and kind of people. They built free hospitals/schools/charities/public services. They worked for the people. They spend most of their time for the social welfare. They fought for freedom, fought against caste system, racism and slavery. That made a huge impact in the society through their life. They didn't even think about their family, their wealth, status, money or health. People saw Christ in them and they respected them.

What is happening now? Please see the following few videos.

Doing Adultery in the Altar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG27E2iagXI

Fake Healing Drama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWxRA4onaxo

Asking money for G650: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkyTIB9U4Xg

Making fun of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdUIqKJyD0Q

I saw one more video in the internet, a full gospel church rural part of Southampton, Virginia has a rule that everyone in the church has to come naked. I don’t wanna attach that video, but you can see it in YouTube. Not only that, prayer/miracle oil which heals people instantly (again it is fake). Speaking in tongues (it is not coming out of holiness) as fun, laughing spirit, vomiting spirit, visiling spirit, dancing spirit and pushing spirit. And so on,.

I truly believe in the spirit of the Lord. Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the mighty majestic power of Christ. But I never allow anybody to make fun of my lord’s name. Galatians 6:7 says God does not allow anybody to mock at his name. If a non-Christian sees all the above videos, what will he think about Christians? Isn't it wrong?

And moreover, because of this the name of the Lord will put down. If a person back slide because of that. then there will be a greater punishment (Mark 9:42). Again through your action, if somebody mock at the Holy Spirit that will never been forgiven (Matt 12:32). So never ever make the Holy Spirit sad (Ephesians 4:30).

All the teachings of God is towards Love, but in John 2:12-22, why God got so hustle and violent? Because church is the place God expects to be more holy (Which supposed to be a holiness factory). But when he saw church as a commercial/robbers place he was not able to tolerate that. Now you can correlate the current church situation. It is all become commercial. Everybody from lower-end believer to the church pastor wants to make money using Gods name. Isn’t it the same situation God faced? Now if God comes today surely the punishment will be awaiting for those kind of people.

Now let us discuss about the current situation, unless church turns back to the Lord and start showing that same “Christ’s Love” on people, we cannot see a revival. We can shout until out throat torn, but surely revival will not come. Start involve yourself with the society. Make a better change in the society then the same respect we got earlier will automatically come. Christ's name will be lifted up. Final conclusion is never use the name of the Lord for “fun”. If you do so, there is a greater reward waiting for you in the hell.

Easter/Christmas - What is important for Christians?

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 04:28:00 +0000

EASTER/CHRISTMAS - WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR CHRISTIANS?

Couple of months ago, I was hanging out with my friends, we have decided to go to a nearby attraction called “Nandi Hills” on 27th March 2016 (this past Sunday). I agreed to that without checking my Calendar. But when I finally check, that was “Easter”. So I apologized and asked them to cancel the trip. But they asked a question back which shakes my heart. My question is, how people are not aware of this. Though my friends are Christians, still they are not knowing anything about “Easter”. I’m portraying our conversation for your understanding.

Jack: Dai! What is there in Sunday da, just Easter Sunday right?

Myself: Dude! It is not just a Sunday, it is Easter Sunday. Our Lord’s resurrected Sunday.

Pat: We have lot of festivals in a year to celebrate, why you wanna take this so serious. If you want let’s show up in a nearby church (in Nandi Hills) in a timely manner.

Jack: Yes, Pat is right. May be some other festival let’s gather in our regular church and celebrate.

Myself: Why are you guys not having interest on Easter Sunday?

Nash: Hi man, think about last Christmas how we celebrated couple of months back? That is celebration.

Jack: Ya.. But that is Christmas, no other festival is as important as Christmas for me! (Expresses Joy in his face)

Myself: That’s true friends, but what do you think “Easter Sunday” gets less priority than Christmas?

Pat: Nothing like that, but nobody celebrates right? What we will do alone. So generally we won’t celebrate “Easter” that much.

Jack: But for Christmas we will have carols, cakes, fun and so on… right? What we will do for Easter? Just finish our lent and enjoy “Chicken Biriyani”.

Myself: So do you think eating/enjoying is the only thing you know about “Easter”?

Pat: What is there is Easter? I don’t think it is that much important as Christmas for us.

Myself: Guys! Guys! It is really surprise to here that you guys are neglecting Easter just like that. I wanna know what do you know about Easter?

Jack: It is the day Jesus resurrected from death.

Myself: Well said. Then?

Pat: It is 2000 years ago. Do you know something? Nobody knows actually which day Jesus died or rose again. Then how can we celebrate?

Nash: But Christmas, we all know December 25. And a savior has given to us. So we need to celebrate.

Myself: Wow, maybe we may not know when Jesus was crucified. But certainly we do know “Jesus was crucified” that is true.

Myself: Then, how do you know that Jesus is savior?

Jack: Because he died for our sins.

Myself: That is wonderful, but what if Jesus didn’t die for our sins.

Jack: That is stupid! Then there will not be any forgiveness. We all will go to hell.

Myself: Now tell me. Which makes you to enter into heaven? His birth? Or his Crucifixion?

Pat: I think his death on the cross (with a puzzle look).

Myself: Yes, think about this. Jesus died for our sins in the cross. Then if he didn’t rose again as the legends of this world (like Budda, Gandhi, etc,.) what could have happened?

Jack: He could have considered as human rather than God. :P

Myself: Yes. So just because he rose from the death, we believe and follow him. So his resurrection is very important right? Because if we are not following him, his death/blood will not make any sense in our life. right?

Nash: Yes! I understand where you are coming to.

Myself: Yes Nash! You are right. As same as Good Friday, Easter is also very important. As Pat has mentioned, Christmas is important. But this Christmas will not give you the meaning of your life. It is the cross which makes meaning for our life.

Nash: So do you mean more than Christmas, we need to celebrate “Good Friday/Easter”?

Myself: If you ask me, by ideal case “YES”. “Good Friday/Easter” is much more important than Christmas.

Pat: Then why none of the people celebrating it as popular as Christmas? Especially “America” is not celebrating “Easter” as Christ’s resurrection. Instead they are celebrating with some “Easter Eggs”.

Myself: First of all, America is not our guideline. “Bible” is our guide line. I will tell you later what Easter eggs are. But before that we need to understand that people started making money with every possible reasons. Now they found “Easter Eggs” can give more money than the real news about Christ’s resurrection. In other case more than Easter eggs, Christmas gives lot of income. So they are celebrating Christmas more than “Easter”. For most people, all these festivals are just a source of income, rather than making meaning in their life.

Jack: Ohh! At least let us tell this fact to others and make them understand man!!!!

Dear friends, may be this conversation looks stupid. But when I explain all these thinks, few people were not able to even digest. Because till today they though “Easter” is just another day of celebration without knowing the real meaning of it. But it is time for us to understand the meaning of “Easter”.

When we (all) were still sinners, Jesus volunteer himself to die on the cross for our sins. His innocent blood washes all our sins and makes us holy. The whole world thought the chapter of Jesus was over when he died on the cross. But he conquered the death and rose again on the third day. This resurrection gives new hope for all the human race. If he did not raise from the death then the victory could have been belongs to the enemy. But that one “Easter” morning, he rose from death and gave us hope on our life and our future. So this “Easter” day is a reminder for all of us to think about the love God has on us and gives a new hope in our life.

Let us all have a wonderful Easter!

WHY GOOD FRIDAY IS A HAPPY DAY FOR CHRISTIANS?

info@leumaseoj.com (leumaseoj) — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 19:21:00 +0000

WHY GOOD FRIDAY IS A HAPPY DAY FOR CHRISTIANS?

I was checking a video in Youtube, It is called "Mind Game - Lier (S02E12)", It was basically a social experiment conducted by National Geographic. The host of the experiment is Mr. Barry Mcmanus (an ex-CIA investigator). In his experiment he chose 4 kids and keep them in a room alone with a beautiful chocolate cake and gave a condition not to touch or taste the cake. 15 minutes was given for each kid. By the end of the session there was something which attracted my interest. All those kids were around in the age of 3.

Once the given time was over, the investigator entered into the room and enquire whether they have tasted it or not. 3 out of 4 kid actually tasted the cake. But none of the kid accepted the truth that they have tasted it. The way they have acted and given the explanation was quite funny, if you get a chance check it in the internet.

But here is my concern, since they were kids

How do they know that they have to lie.
Who taught them to lie.
Couple of extraordinary acts like;

Fake stories.
Wipe the evidence.
Temptation.
Lie.
Distract the investigator from the truth.

So I questioned myself that there is some thing wrong with this human mind. Nobody taught anything bad to those kids, still their mind takes the decision towards wrong, not towards good. They could have admitted the truth because, they had 50/50 chance between good and evil. Without anybody direction, human mind goes towards evil decision. Though science gives lot of explanation. I wonder is that right?

For this I got the answer from the bible. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden, the lie (sin) entered into human mind. In other words, all the human mind started thinking towards evil. As all of us know, sin is a crime which is not acceptable. If somebody commit crime, they are worthy to be punished. For example, murder someone is a crime, the criminal should be punished. In the same context, human minds are corrupted even before they know what is good and what is bad (as we seen in the previous experiment). The whole human race are the victims of sin. So everybody has to get punished. There is no exception. So are we gonna get punished?

As we have seen, all the criminals needs to be punished. But what if somebody accepts all our crimes on their-self and accept all our punishments as theirs. Who can take all punishments instead of us? we all are criminals right? not even a single human can take our punishment in this world because they themselves are worthy to be punished. So yes, I'm worthy to be punished.

But this point of time, God himself came into this world, commit no mistake and live a holy life. Accepted all out punishments on his name and gave his life (as a punishment for our sins) and died on the cross of carvery around 2000 years ago. Does that mean all our sins are gone? then why those kids are still telling lie? In John 3:16 it says "Whoever believes in him", that means, the price of our sin has been paid. But if you believe with your whole heart that a person paid his life for my sins, then the burden of sin and rebellion nature will automatically change.

Now how this post title and this story matches? A person died for our sins and made us free from the burden of sin. Right?, that particular day is called "GOOD FRIDAY". Basically we can call this day as "Freedom Day" from the sin, death, punishment and rebellion. So this freedom day we cannot celebrate as a sad day, we have to celebrate as a "Happy Day". The name of the person who died for us in the cross is "JESUS"

Let us think of his mercy and goodness and celebrate a wonderful "GOOD FRIDAY". May God blesses you!