EL
MUNDO
NATURAL
Nourish your Soul to Enhance Inner Beauty
Ayurveda considers the human being to be a combination of body, mind and soul. Any discussion in Ayurveda relating to humans would normally relate to all three aspects of a human being. Beauty is no exception and Ayurvedic beauty principles are based on the concept of beauty at all three levels.
It is easier to connect to the physical body, partly because it is the outward manifestation of beauty and health. However, the body is big and comprises of a number of complicated systems. One has to be a true expert to deal with physical systems. The other two constituents of the human being, mind and soul, are easier to deal with. However, dealing with the mind and soul requires extensive training.
Ayurvedic health principles stress not just physical balance but also balance of mind. The principle is applicable in the context of beauty too. It is difficult to hide anxiety, worry and depression through cosmetics; it will still be clearly visible on the face. It is difficult to look beautiful when one is angry, envious or jealous. Take a look at your face in a mirror the next time you get angry – it is usually not a pleasant sight.
By contrast, if one is happy, it reflects on one’s face. Not only do you look more beautiful, you do not need to use a lot of make up or cosmetics. This is called inner beauty.
Depression, anxiety, anger, stress, envy, greed, attachment to material things, and mental unrest are common ailments in the modern age. These psychological disorders lead to the breakdown of healthy cells, destroy anti-aging factors, and cause hormonal imbalances. Further, they lead to numerous beauty related problems like acne, pimples, skin problems, hair loss, and obesity. The application of chemical-based creams or other preparations may help temporarily but will not offer permanent relief, since the root cause of the problem is in the mind. In order to treat these disorders permanently, it is important to regain mental balance.
Ayurveda prescribes sattvavajaya (enhancing sattva or purity) as the main treatment to heal the mind. In terms of nutrition, this includes an increase in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, salads, pure fruit juices, herbal teas, water and milk, nuts, seeds and honey. Food should be prepared fresh. Foods that are processed, preserved, fermented, microwaved, fried, high in sugar or spices, or containing artificial flavors or colors should be minimized. Mushrooms, onions, spices, and garlic should be avoided, as they are tamasic (increase ignorance) and/or rajasic (increase passion). Consumption of alcohol, caffeine and meat should be moderated or eliminated for the same reason.
Like sattvic dietary considerations, mind balance and sattvic qualities can be enhanced with activities that are sattvic in nature. These are calming, quiet, inspiring and mentally invigorating. They may include meditation, yoga or other forms of gentle exercise, listening to classical music, enjoying nature and the outdoors, gardening, creative or artistic pursuits, or reading good quality literature. Meditation is calming and helps balance emotions by minimizing passion, anger, fear and other extreme emotions.
The mind plays an important role in dealing with stress and anxiety. Managing stress through classic Ayurvedic concepts like meditation, breathing and relaxation exercises are now scientifically accepted. Such practices stop the flow of hormones associated with stress and lower the heart rate and blood pressure. All these factors have a significant, positive effect on the overall beauty of an individual.
Sattvic lifestyles not only enhance the individual’s beauty, but also contribute to a more peaceful and productive community. Having a balanced, calm and gentle approach to life is necessary to attain beauty and only involves a change in attitude. It involves being kind to your body and mind through balanced and ethical behavior. Learning to reduce and deal with stress is a crucial aspect of this lifestyle approach.
The profound nature of the mind-body link has only been superficially considered in modern medicine. However, it is already clear that mental health is essential to reduce both the physical and financial costs of disorders that result when the mind is unbalanced. The basis of Ayurvedic nutrition and lifestyle guidance is not only to balance the doshas, but also to increase sattvic temperament. This includes avoiding conflict, aggression, hostility, and other negative emotions that have a detrimental impact on physical and mental health.
It is easier to connect to the physical body, partly because it is the outward manifestation of beauty and health. However, the body is big and comprises of a number of complicated systems. One has to be a true expert to deal with physical systems. The other two constituents of the human being, mind and soul, are easier to deal with. However, dealing with the mind and soul requires extensive training.
Inner Beauty
Ayurvedic health principles stress not just physical balance but also balance of mind. The principle is applicable in the context of beauty too. It is difficult to hide anxiety, worry and depression through cosmetics; it will still be clearly visible on the face. It is difficult to look beautiful when one is angry, envious or jealous. Take a look at your face in a mirror the next time you get angry – it is usually not a pleasant sight.
By contrast, if one is happy, it reflects on one’s face. Not only do you look more beautiful, you do not need to use a lot of make up or cosmetics. This is called inner beauty.
Depression, anxiety, anger, stress, envy, greed, attachment to material things, and mental unrest are common ailments in the modern age. These psychological disorders lead to the breakdown of healthy cells, destroy anti-aging factors, and cause hormonal imbalances. Further, they lead to numerous beauty related problems like acne, pimples, skin problems, hair loss, and obesity. The application of chemical-based creams or other preparations may help temporarily but will not offer permanent relief, since the root cause of the problem is in the mind. In order to treat these disorders permanently, it is important to regain mental balance.
Enhancing Inner Beauty
Ayurveda prescribes sattvavajaya (enhancing sattva or purity) as the main treatment to heal the mind. In terms of nutrition, this includes an increase in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, salads, pure fruit juices, herbal teas, water and milk, nuts, seeds and honey. Food should be prepared fresh. Foods that are processed, preserved, fermented, microwaved, fried, high in sugar or spices, or containing artificial flavors or colors should be minimized. Mushrooms, onions, spices, and garlic should be avoided, as they are tamasic (increase ignorance) and/or rajasic (increase passion). Consumption of alcohol, caffeine and meat should be moderated or eliminated for the same reason.
Like sattvic dietary considerations, mind balance and sattvic qualities can be enhanced with activities that are sattvic in nature. These are calming, quiet, inspiring and mentally invigorating. They may include meditation, yoga or other forms of gentle exercise, listening to classical music, enjoying nature and the outdoors, gardening, creative or artistic pursuits, or reading good quality literature. Meditation is calming and helps balance emotions by minimizing passion, anger, fear and other extreme emotions.
The mind plays an important role in dealing with stress and anxiety. Managing stress through classic Ayurvedic concepts like meditation, breathing and relaxation exercises are now scientifically accepted. Such practices stop the flow of hormones associated with stress and lower the heart rate and blood pressure. All these factors have a significant, positive effect on the overall beauty of an individual.
Sattvic lifestyles not only enhance the individual’s beauty, but also contribute to a more peaceful and productive community. Having a balanced, calm and gentle approach to life is necessary to attain beauty and only involves a change in attitude. It involves being kind to your body and mind through balanced and ethical behavior. Learning to reduce and deal with stress is a crucial aspect of this lifestyle approach.
The profound nature of the mind-body link has only been superficially considered in modern medicine. However, it is already clear that mental health is essential to reduce both the physical and financial costs of disorders that result when the mind is unbalanced. The basis of Ayurvedic nutrition and lifestyle guidance is not only to balance the doshas, but also to increase sattvic temperament. This includes avoiding conflict, aggression, hostility, and other negative emotions that have a detrimental impact on physical and mental health.
Secret of Beauty
The words ‘soul’ and ‘spiritual’ are often confused with something religious. Today, many people feel uncomfortable when the word “spiritual” is mentioned or discussed. Spirituality simply means, “relating to the soul”. As anything relating to the body is “physical”, and anything relating to the mind is “psychological”, whatever relates to the spirit (or soul) is “spiritual”.
According to Ayurveda ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’ is the energy that keeps the body and mind alive. It may be difficult to grasp exactly what the soul is, so the closest equivalent term is perhaps “conscience”. The physical body is simply a shell for the soul. It is the physical outer layer, or material expression, of it. To be ‘spiritual’ means to perform activities for the ‘spirit’. It has nothing to do with a particular community or religion. Each individual has a soul and just as we regularly feed the body and mind, it is necessary to feed the soul.
To engage in ‘spiritual’ activities means to feed the soul. As stated earlier, mind-body balance is an important factor to attain physical beauty. Since a human being is a body-mind-soul complex, a ‘contented’ soul is also necessary for perfect physical beauty. If the soul is not happy and content, this discontentment will be reflected on the physical level. Modern concepts of applying cosmetics to look beautiful or surgically fixing physical abnormalities is akin to keeping a beautiful bird (soul) inside an intricate, precious cage (body). Rather than feeding the bird and listening to it sing, all our energy is devoted to polishing and maintaining the cage. If we do not feed the bird (soul), it will not be happy even though the cage (body) has been polished, washed and painted.
It is essential to feed the soul in order to attain permanent and everlasting beauty. Food for the soul includes practicing non-violence, speaking the truth, helping others, not cheating or exploiting others and living with love, peace and harmony. A contented soul fuels the subtle energies of the body, which regulate cell functions and rejuvenate the body. This is the reason why saints and spiritual persons (gurus, swamis) look beautiful, attractive and young even though they generally do not use any cosmetics or make up.
According to Ayurveda, attaining beauty, therefore, depends on maintaining a balanced mind and contented soul and not merely on physical beauty treatments. Even physical treatment should be of natural origin. It should not aim at temporary good looks but at ensuring permanent and everlasting beauty.
By Dr. Partap Chauhan
This article is an excerpt from Dr. Partap Chauhan’s book, Eternal Beauty – The Aura of Ayurveda. To know more about how to keep your body, mind and soul beautiful, buy the book now by clicking here.
Where Schools Fail,
Career Centers Succeed
Over the past few months, I have been amazed to see the number of companies moving into the space of career guidance and training. From large multi-crore business houses with aggressive franchising plans, to individuals with tiny offices in the basements of crowded marketplaces, everyone seems to be getting in on India’s rising wave of ‘future preparation’.
This sudden explosion of counselling companies comes as a result of students becoming more desperate to secure seats in colleges, which have failed to increase in numbers relative to the population growth. Kids flock to these centres in search of tuitions or prep classes that help them increase their exam scores, attain positions in the better institutions and enable them to opt for the most desirable courses of study.
However, the pursuit of topping exams is not the only cause of attraction to these establishments. Another reason that has emerged more recently is the promise of employment. As the economy continues to flourish, manpower requirements have been rising, creating pressure for companies to find large numbers of capable employees with specialized abilities. But while this employment boom has been a blessing for India’s young job seekers, it has become a problem for businesses, who have been forced to hire freshers with limited work and life skills. For years, they have had to bear the burden of taking on raw individuals and footing the bill for training them—and absorbing the losses when these youngsters jump ship just when they become productive.
But not any more. Businesses have recently begun reducing their direct recruitment activities through websites and on-campus interviews, instead turning to career institutes to provide them with polished candidates who are capable of hitting the ground running. The centres have answered the call by sharpening candidates’ abilities and personalities through an array of soft skills courses covering topics such as English speaking, selling, handling customers, teamwork, leadership, and so on. And for a pretty penny. These ‘finishing classes’ that last for up to a year run anywhere from Rs. 20,000-80,000.
What seems unfortunate to me is that after 15 years of education, students still lack the basic skills necessary to make them employable. For years they’ve been forced to sit in straight rows, restricted from talking to their classmates, and made to memorize vast volumes of data. Yet when they begin hunting for jobs, they find out that what companies want are people who can communicate well, work effectively in groups, close a deal, handle unhappy customers, and solve complex problems. (There is surely no one out there searching for exceptional test takers!) And it only adds insult to injury when, after paying lakhs of rupees for their school education, parents are forced to cough up even more money to compensate for the missing skills that schools should have provided their children in the first place.
With the rapid pace of development and globalization, there was never a need as great as there is now for changes to be made in the field of education. The CBSE has taken a step in the right direction—and a bold one at that, by introducing CCE. However, if we really want to bring India’s antiquated system of instruction into the 21st Century, we are in dire need of more educational initiatives, training programs, products, films, TV shows, and champions to affect change of this magnitude.
In the meantime, career institutes are currently playing an unlikely, though critical role in this process of educational metamorphosis by offering courses that streamline the path from school to careers. Their most recent experiment of offering soft skills courses directly in colleges is a trend that I believe will succeed immensely, and that will even trickle down into schools over the next few years. In fact, there is a strong likelihood that this will become the channel that connects young learners directly to industry. In whatever way things pan out, it will be exciting to see India reinvent itself with the help of these organizations which, at one time, were little more than test-prep centres.
This sudden explosion of counselling companies comes as a result of students becoming more desperate to secure seats in colleges, which have failed to increase in numbers relative to the population growth. Kids flock to these centres in search of tuitions or prep classes that help them increase their exam scores, attain positions in the better institutions and enable them to opt for the most desirable courses of study.
However, the pursuit of topping exams is not the only cause of attraction to these establishments. Another reason that has emerged more recently is the promise of employment. As the economy continues to flourish, manpower requirements have been rising, creating pressure for companies to find large numbers of capable employees with specialized abilities. But while this employment boom has been a blessing for India’s young job seekers, it has become a problem for businesses, who have been forced to hire freshers with limited work and life skills. For years, they have had to bear the burden of taking on raw individuals and footing the bill for training them—and absorbing the losses when these youngsters jump ship just when they become productive.
But not any more. Businesses have recently begun reducing their direct recruitment activities through websites and on-campus interviews, instead turning to career institutes to provide them with polished candidates who are capable of hitting the ground running. The centres have answered the call by sharpening candidates’ abilities and personalities through an array of soft skills courses covering topics such as English speaking, selling, handling customers, teamwork, leadership, and so on. And for a pretty penny. These ‘finishing classes’ that last for up to a year run anywhere from Rs. 20,000-80,000.
What seems unfortunate to me is that after 15 years of education, students still lack the basic skills necessary to make them employable. For years they’ve been forced to sit in straight rows, restricted from talking to their classmates, and made to memorize vast volumes of data. Yet when they begin hunting for jobs, they find out that what companies want are people who can communicate well, work effectively in groups, close a deal, handle unhappy customers, and solve complex problems. (There is surely no one out there searching for exceptional test takers!) And it only adds insult to injury when, after paying lakhs of rupees for their school education, parents are forced to cough up even more money to compensate for the missing skills that schools should have provided their children in the first place.
With the rapid pace of development and globalization, there was never a need as great as there is now for changes to be made in the field of education. The CBSE has taken a step in the right direction—and a bold one at that, by introducing CCE. However, if we really want to bring India’s antiquated system of instruction into the 21st Century, we are in dire need of more educational initiatives, training programs, products, films, TV shows, and champions to affect change of this magnitude.
In the meantime, career institutes are currently playing an unlikely, though critical role in this process of educational metamorphosis by offering courses that streamline the path from school to careers. Their most recent experiment of offering soft skills courses directly in colleges is a trend that I believe will succeed immensely, and that will even trickle down into schools over the next few years. In fact, there is a strong likelihood that this will become the channel that connects young learners directly to industry. In whatever way things pan out, it will be exciting to see India reinvent itself with the help of these organizations which, at one time, were little more than test-prep centres.
By Steven Rudolph
Don’t be an Animal;
Understand the Reality of Beauty
Two thousand years ago, there was a great king in India named Bhartrihari. Besides being a ruler, he was a grammarian, poet, and philosopher. He wrote many wonderful books on various topics. He used to say, “Sahitya-sangita-kala-vihinah saksat pashuh puccha-vishana-hinah.” It means, a person devoid of knowledge of aesthetics, music and arts is indeed an animal, albeit without a tail and horns.
Why did he utter these harsh words? Was he frustrated with life or with the behaviour of people? No, such indeed was not the case. He spoke a fundamental truth, i.e. the difference between a human being and an animal. He is not interested in the external appearance of these two; all of us know that distinction.
What makes a human being a human being is not that he can stand on two legs and eat with a fork and knife, but his/her character. An animal is called pashu in Sanskrit. It means – sarvam aviseshena pashyatiti pashuh – one who looks at everything without any sense of discrimination. A cow cannot discriminate between a good and bad piece of music. She is not more elated by hearing Beethoven symphony than rap music. Put some grass in front of her and she will eat without bothering whether you are in a pleasant mood or sad. A dog is not going to discriminate among his mother, sister or a stranger female dog during their rut period. May be some animals like dogs are little more sensitive to the mood of their master than others, but in general, they are just happy to get their food. They do not have any sense of beauty. To appreciate beauty one needs a higher intellect. Those human beings who do not have that are like animals in the words of king Bhartrihari.
One who cannot appreciate poetry, arts, music, and aesthetics lacks the finer sentiments of human life. He will be brutish in his behaviour or at best apathetic. Such a person may be beautiful to look at but have a cruel heart. He is compared to a beautiful, artistic scabbard, studded with gems, but contains a sharp sword within which is only used to slit the throat of others.
The concept of beauty, therefore, is not merely external looks but the state of one’s heart. Hence, ‘beauty is skin deep’ is a misconception. Real beauty is the deepest thing. There is nothing deeper than it. There have been many great people in history who were not so-called beautiful externally, but had a beautiful heart and were full of love for their fellow beings.
In today’s world, the focus seems to be on ‘looks’. External beauty is considered as paramount. Especially, the youth of today is mesmerized by external looks. But the externals do not last long. Hence, one who is enticed by it is bound to be frustrated in due course of time. Moreover, one deals with the behaviour of a person, not with the external looks. And even if someone is enchanting now, he or she may look boring after a few days. The mind is whimsical. What appeals to it in the morning may not cast a spell in the evening and vice versa. Therefore, in the opinion of King Bhartrihari, the concept of beauty should not be limited only to the external looks, but should also extend to the character and state of the heart, which is more stable.
When the heart is clean and soft, it can reflect the emotions and moods of fellow beings which are necessary to be different from animals. There is a statement I have heard time and again -’You should not judge anyone’. What does it mean? Shall I close my eyes and condone everything around me. Then how do I become greater than an animal that does not have the ability to judge to begin with? How will I be superior if I were to do that? Is it really practical not to make any judgements in our life? If someone is looking for a life-partner, should she judge or close her eyes? What is the meaning of education if we should not make any judgements? If I want to learn music, shall I not make judgements between a good and bad teacher? The very function of intelligence is to make judgement or to discriminate and take decisions. If this faculty is not used, it is tantamount to be equal to an animal or an insane person. An insane person is one who does not have any sense of discrimination. He can eat inedible things, speak unspeakable words, or display any such forbidden, abnormal behaviour.
When it is advised not to judge others, it means not to be exploitative or biased unnecessarily. To appreciate beauty, one must know what beauty is and one must have the sense of discrimination. Aesthetics, music, and art help us to develop finer sentiments in our life and thus rise above the animalistic platform. Bhartrihari is not cursing people by calling them animal, but indirectly imploring that everyone should develop these finer sentiments to earn the title of being called a human being.
In another place he writes about beauty:
Shrotram shrutenaiva na kundalena
Danena panirna tu kankanena
Vibhati kayah karunaparanam
Propakaraairna tu chandanena
“The beauty of ears is by listening to proper knowledge not by the earrings;
The beauty of hands is by giving in charity not by bracelets;
The body of compassionate people shines by welfare deeds not by cosmetics.”
Here again, he stresses that the good heart of a human being is the real sign of beauty and not external ornamentation.
Understand the Reality of Beauty
Two thousand years ago, there was a great king in India named Bhartrihari. Besides being a ruler, he was a grammarian, poet, and philosopher. He wrote many wonderful books on various topics. He used to say, “Sahitya-sangita-kala-vihinah saksat pashuh puccha-vishana-hinah.” It means, a person devoid of knowledge of aesthetics, music and arts is indeed an animal, albeit without a tail and horns.
Why did he utter these harsh words? Was he frustrated with life or with the behaviour of people? No, such indeed was not the case. He spoke a fundamental truth, i.e. the difference between a human being and an animal. He is not interested in the external appearance of these two; all of us know that distinction.
What makes a human being a human being is not that he can stand on two legs and eat with a fork and knife, but his/her character. An animal is called pashu in Sanskrit. It means – sarvam aviseshena pashyatiti pashuh – one who looks at everything without any sense of discrimination. A cow cannot discriminate between a good and bad piece of music. She is not more elated by hearing Beethoven symphony than rap music. Put some grass in front of her and she will eat without bothering whether you are in a pleasant mood or sad. A dog is not going to discriminate among his mother, sister or a stranger female dog during their rut period. May be some animals like dogs are little more sensitive to the mood of their master than others, but in general, they are just happy to get their food. They do not have any sense of beauty. To appreciate beauty one needs a higher intellect. Those human beings who do not have that are like animals in the words of king Bhartrihari.
One who cannot appreciate poetry, arts, music, and aesthetics lacks the finer sentiments of human life. He will be brutish in his behaviour or at best apathetic. Such a person may be beautiful to look at but have a cruel heart. He is compared to a beautiful, artistic scabbard, studded with gems, but contains a sharp sword within which is only used to slit the throat of others.
The concept of beauty, therefore, is not merely external looks but the state of one’s heart. Hence, ‘beauty is skin deep’ is a misconception. Real beauty is the deepest thing. There is nothing deeper than it. There have been many great people in history who were not so-called beautiful externally, but had a beautiful heart and were full of love for their fellow beings.
In today’s world, the focus seems to be on ‘looks’. External beauty is considered as paramount. Especially, the youth of today is mesmerized by external looks. But the externals do not last long. Hence, one who is enticed by it is bound to be frustrated in due course of time. Moreover, one deals with the behaviour of a person, not with the external looks. And even if someone is enchanting now, he or she may look boring after a few days. The mind is whimsical. What appeals to it in the morning may not cast a spell in the evening and vice versa. Therefore, in the opinion of King Bhartrihari, the concept of beauty should not be limited only to the external looks, but should also extend to the character and state of the heart, which is more stable.
When the heart is clean and soft, it can reflect the emotions and moods of fellow beings which are necessary to be different from animals. There is a statement I have heard time and again -’You should not judge anyone’. What does it mean? Shall I close my eyes and condone everything around me. Then how do I become greater than an animal that does not have the ability to judge to begin with? How will I be superior if I were to do that? Is it really practical not to make any judgements in our life? If someone is looking for a life-partner, should she judge or close her eyes? What is the meaning of education if we should not make any judgements? If I want to learn music, shall I not make judgements between a good and bad teacher? The very function of intelligence is to make judgement or to discriminate and take decisions. If this faculty is not used, it is tantamount to be equal to an animal or an insane person. An insane person is one who does not have any sense of discrimination. He can eat inedible things, speak unspeakable words, or display any such forbidden, abnormal behaviour.
When it is advised not to judge others, it means not to be exploitative or biased unnecessarily. To appreciate beauty, one must know what beauty is and one must have the sense of discrimination. Aesthetics, music, and art help us to develop finer sentiments in our life and thus rise above the animalistic platform. Bhartrihari is not cursing people by calling them animal, but indirectly imploring that everyone should develop these finer sentiments to earn the title of being called a human being.
In another place he writes about beauty:
Shrotram shrutenaiva na kundalena
Danena panirna tu kankanena
Vibhati kayah karunaparanam
Propakaraairna tu chandanena
“The beauty of ears is by listening to proper knowledge not by the earrings;
The beauty of hands is by giving in charity not by bracelets;
The body of compassionate people shines by welfare deeds not by cosmetics.”
Here again, he stresses that the good heart of a human being is the real sign of beauty and not external ornamentation.
By Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa
News and Events Former Nepal PM visits Jiva for Ayurvedic Treatment
Jiva Ayurveda hosted a special guest recently. Mr. Lokendra Bahadur Chand, former Prime Minister of Nepal, visited our Faridabad Clinic and Panchakarma Centre for his treatment. His wife, Mrs. Subhadra Chand, also undertook Ayurvedic treatment at our clinic.
Mr. Chand met Dr. Partap Chauhan, Jiva Ayurveda Director, in Nepal during one of his consultation camps there. On receiving a personal invitation and assurance from Dr. Chauhan, Mr. Chand decided to pursue further treatment at the Jiva Faridabad Clinic.
During his stay here, he undertook Panchakarma therapies and was also prescribed Ayurvedic medicines, as well as special diet and lifestyle advice for his condition. “I have had a great time at Jiva. The doctors, therapists and other staff have been extremely kind and caring towards all of us. After the Panchakarma treatment, my condition has improved a lot,” said Mr. Chand about his stay.
Speaking about the mission of Jiva Institute, he said, “The work that Jiva Institute is doing is quite commendable. Whether it is the medical facilities, school, or cultural wing, the entire institution is working for a mission – to make our society and the world a better and happier place. In today’s world of cut-throat competition and political loading, we need more of this kind of social service. I convey my heartiest wishes to the entire team of Jiva.”
Mr. Chand met Dr. Partap Chauhan, Jiva Ayurveda Director, in Nepal during one of his consultation camps there. On receiving a personal invitation and assurance from Dr. Chauhan, Mr. Chand decided to pursue further treatment at the Jiva Faridabad Clinic.
During his stay here, he undertook Panchakarma therapies and was also prescribed Ayurvedic medicines, as well as special diet and lifestyle advice for his condition. “I have had a great time at Jiva. The doctors, therapists and other staff have been extremely kind and caring towards all of us. After the Panchakarma treatment, my condition has improved a lot,” said Mr. Chand about his stay.
Speaking about the mission of Jiva Institute, he said, “The work that Jiva Institute is doing is quite commendable. Whether it is the medical facilities, school, or cultural wing, the entire institution is working for a mission – to make our society and the world a better and happier place. In today’s world of cut-throat competition and political loading, we need more of this kind of social service. I convey my heartiest wishes to the entire team of Jiva.”
Jiva Institute recently welcomed a group of ten French students, who came here to undertake the Advanced Panchakarma Therapist Course. During their 11-day stay at Jiva, they got a microscopic view of Panchakarma treatments and analyzed real patients and their diseases. They were trained to use Panchakarma treatments on real people, thereby getting practical, hands-on training on this unique treatment system.
On the occasion of Lord Dhanvantri’s (God of Ayurveda) birth anniversary, the students said prayers and lit diyas in his worship. The group, led by translator Ms. Ellen Vergovin, also visited the Jiva Culture Centre in Vrindavan and got a first-hand experience of India and its diverse culture.
On the occasion of Lord Dhanvantri’s (God of Ayurveda) birth anniversary, the students said prayers and lit diyas in his worship. The group, led by translator Ms. Ellen Vergovin, also visited the Jiva Culture Centre in Vrindavan and got a first-hand experience of India and its diverse culture.
The Jiva Sanskar Mela (Cultural Fair) was an affair-to-remember! Held on November 14, which is celebrated as Children’s Day in India, the event managed to impress one and all – students, parents, teachers, and other guests. Having stood by its vision and principles for the last eighteen years, Jiva has come a long way in ‘Shaping Change’ as was the dream of its founders.
The Mela, through its focus on India’s cultural diversity, added another feather to Jiva’s cap. A gamut of games, dances, stalls, and competitions were organized to make the day memorable for parents and especially children, who also celebrated Children’s Day. This year, all the games and competitions were centered on the concept of Multiple Intelligences and Multiple Natures, which form the core of Jiva’s educational philosophy. Student volunteers and teachers were allotted duties according to their strong Natures, which were clearly mentioned on the badges they wore.
The Mela, through its focus on India’s cultural diversity, added another feather to Jiva’s cap. A gamut of games, dances, stalls, and competitions were organized to make the day memorable for parents and especially children, who also celebrated Children’s Day. This year, all the games and competitions were centered on the concept of Multiple Intelligences and Multiple Natures, which form the core of Jiva’s educational philosophy. Student volunteers and teachers were allotted duties according to their strong Natures, which were clearly mentioned on the badges they wore.
Volume 3 Issue 7
Sattva - An important factor in Manifestation & Healing of Diseases
In the modern age, it is evident that most diseases, even the ones that are physical in nature, have a root in the mind. It has been proved through clinical studies that the mind plays an important role in both manifestation and treatment of diseases. Some experts even go on to say that all diseases originate in the mind or sub-conscious mind and the body is just a manifesting area for them.
According to Ayurveda, the mind has three different characteristics, known as the Gunas, namely Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. A mind dominant in Sattva is peaceful, relaxed and strong. In this state, the intelligence is active and one can discriminate between what is good and what is bad. Rajas is responsible for an active mind, but when Sattva is low and Rajas is dominant, the mind is negatively active and will come up with do things that can harm the body. Tamas indicates an inert or dull state of mind and, when dominant, it generates confusion.
Modern foods and lifestyles generally enhance Rajas and Tamas, making the mind overly active and confused. In this state, our intelligence does not work properly. As a result, we eat foods and do things that cause imbalance in the normal functioning of our body and mind. For example, you might have often seen people jogging with their walkmans on, exercising while watching TV or in loud music (in gyms), or wearing torn and dirty jeans, etc. These are just some cases of confused actions which are caused due to high Rajas and Tamas in the mind.
Low Sattva and high Rajas and Tamas are responsible for causing various mental and physical disorders. According to Ayurveda, one of prime causes of disease is 'not using the intelligence' (Pragyaparadha). Human beings are the most intelligent race on the planet. But do we really always use our intelligence? Maybe not, especially when it concerns our own body and health. We use our intelligence to solve the most difficult problems in our outer world, such as our jobs, finances, family, etc., but when it comes to our own body, we don't use it. Let me give you some examples to prove my point.
In India, I often meet patients who come and complain to me that they are suffering from hair loss, acne, pimples, heartburn, hyperacidity, burning sensation in the urine, burning or itching on the skin, hot and sweaty palms and feet, etc. When I ask them, “Do you eat chilies or drink black tea (chai),” the answer is a big “Yes”. Any intelligent person, who has heat and burning in the body, will not make this mistake because there is already excess heat/fire in the body and chilies and black tea (chai) are heating in nature. There are also people who proudly tell me that they eat ‘junk’ food almost daily. The word 'junk' means garbage; so actually, they are saying they 'EAT GARBAGE' daily. Why would someone with intelligence eat garbage?
So, why don't we use our intelligence to make the right choices for our mental and physical health? When Sattva is low, our intelligence does not function and we do things that are self-destructive or that cause imbalance in our systems. Then, what’s the solution? It’s simple - increase Sattva in your body. When Sattva is dominant in the mind, our intelligence functions properly and everything is in order.
The best means of increasing Sattva is by taking things that are pure, clean and fresh. In Ayurveda, we apply the rule ‘like increases and opposite decreases’, which means foods, things and activities which have similar qualities as that of Sattva will increase it and those with opposite qualities will decrease it. Fresh, natural, organic, and vegetarian foods increase Sattva, so try to include them in your diet. Canned foods, old-kept foods items (leftovers), processed foods, foods containing chemicals/preservatives, deep fried and heavily spiced foods, junk foods and meat, etc., should be avoided as they increase Rajas and Tamas. In addition, stimulants like caffeine (coffee, black tea), alcohol, smoking, fizzy drinks and drugs should also be avoided.
In Ayurveda, food (aahar) is defined as ‘anything that goes into the body’. So, ‘food’ is not only limited to what goes into our mouth, but also includes things that go in through our eyes, nose, ears or thoughts. So, be careful of the kind of music you hear, television shows you watch, and thoughts that you bring into your mind. Choose music that is soothing (classical, spiritual), watch programs that relax you (history, culture, humor, etc.), use soothing aromas and think positive. These will help in increasing Sattva.
Lastly, take good care of yourself. Protect your body and mind from outer disturbances, and enjoy life. Do not forget that we are all 'souls' - temporary residents of this body. One day, all of us have to leave our bodies. So, what's the fight about, what’s the stress about, what’s the competition about? We are all in 'transit' waiting for our ‘flights’. Let us enjoy this wonderful opportunity (called life) to do something good and positive. Let us live with love, help each other, and do something constructive. Start from today - Sattvic food (aahar), Sattvic lifestyle (vihar), and Sattvic thoughts (vichar), and you will be able to feel the difference in yourself in just one month.
According to Ayurveda, the mind has three different characteristics, known as the Gunas, namely Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. A mind dominant in Sattva is peaceful, relaxed and strong. In this state, the intelligence is active and one can discriminate between what is good and what is bad. Rajas is responsible for an active mind, but when Sattva is low and Rajas is dominant, the mind is negatively active and will come up with do things that can harm the body. Tamas indicates an inert or dull state of mind and, when dominant, it generates confusion.
Modern foods and lifestyles generally enhance Rajas and Tamas, making the mind overly active and confused. In this state, our intelligence does not work properly. As a result, we eat foods and do things that cause imbalance in the normal functioning of our body and mind. For example, you might have often seen people jogging with their walkmans on, exercising while watching TV or in loud music (in gyms), or wearing torn and dirty jeans, etc. These are just some cases of confused actions which are caused due to high Rajas and Tamas in the mind.
Low Sattva and high Rajas and Tamas are responsible for causing various mental and physical disorders. According to Ayurveda, one of prime causes of disease is 'not using the intelligence' (Pragyaparadha). Human beings are the most intelligent race on the planet. But do we really always use our intelligence? Maybe not, especially when it concerns our own body and health. We use our intelligence to solve the most difficult problems in our outer world, such as our jobs, finances, family, etc., but when it comes to our own body, we don't use it. Let me give you some examples to prove my point.
In India, I often meet patients who come and complain to me that they are suffering from hair loss, acne, pimples, heartburn, hyperacidity, burning sensation in the urine, burning or itching on the skin, hot and sweaty palms and feet, etc. When I ask them, “Do you eat chilies or drink black tea (chai),” the answer is a big “Yes”. Any intelligent person, who has heat and burning in the body, will not make this mistake because there is already excess heat/fire in the body and chilies and black tea (chai) are heating in nature. There are also people who proudly tell me that they eat ‘junk’ food almost daily. The word 'junk' means garbage; so actually, they are saying they 'EAT GARBAGE' daily. Why would someone with intelligence eat garbage?
So, why don't we use our intelligence to make the right choices for our mental and physical health? When Sattva is low, our intelligence does not function and we do things that are self-destructive or that cause imbalance in our systems. Then, what’s the solution? It’s simple - increase Sattva in your body. When Sattva is dominant in the mind, our intelligence functions properly and everything is in order.
The best means of increasing Sattva is by taking things that are pure, clean and fresh. In Ayurveda, we apply the rule ‘like increases and opposite decreases’, which means foods, things and activities which have similar qualities as that of Sattva will increase it and those with opposite qualities will decrease it. Fresh, natural, organic, and vegetarian foods increase Sattva, so try to include them in your diet. Canned foods, old-kept foods items (leftovers), processed foods, foods containing chemicals/preservatives, deep fried and heavily spiced foods, junk foods and meat, etc., should be avoided as they increase Rajas and Tamas. In addition, stimulants like caffeine (coffee, black tea), alcohol, smoking, fizzy drinks and drugs should also be avoided.
In Ayurveda, food (aahar) is defined as ‘anything that goes into the body’. So, ‘food’ is not only limited to what goes into our mouth, but also includes things that go in through our eyes, nose, ears or thoughts. So, be careful of the kind of music you hear, television shows you watch, and thoughts that you bring into your mind. Choose music that is soothing (classical, spiritual), watch programs that relax you (history, culture, humor, etc.), use soothing aromas and think positive. These will help in increasing Sattva.
Lastly, take good care of yourself. Protect your body and mind from outer disturbances, and enjoy life. Do not forget that we are all 'souls' - temporary residents of this body. One day, all of us have to leave our bodies. So, what's the fight about, what’s the stress about, what’s the competition about? We are all in 'transit' waiting for our ‘flights’. Let us enjoy this wonderful opportunity (called life) to do something good and positive. Let us live with love, help each other, and do something constructive. Start from today - Sattvic food (aahar), Sattvic lifestyle (vihar), and Sattvic thoughts (vichar), and you will be able to feel the difference in yourself in just one month.
By Dr. Partap Chauhan
Not a Child without Quality
When you observe people in India, you find so many examples of how accommodating they are: inviting unexpected visitors to eat at mealtimes, sliding forward or back to fit additional passengers on a scooter (three, four or even five!) and welcoming people and ideas from all countries, cultures and religions. However, when it comes to education, Indians have found it much harder to exercise their spirit of inclusion; educators have not been actively engaged in recognizing learners’ unique abilities and finding ways to get them to build on those qualities.
While children possess a wide variety of aptitudes, parents have dissuaded them from focusing on those that don’t help them secure marks, especially in standard academic areas such as maths and science. The reason is that until recently, there has been a limited scope for employment, with a greater number of higher paying jobs related to engineering or medicine. Those who achieve better results get the chance to get into better colleges, which in turn leads to better positions in better companies. Thus, there has been less reason for parents to pay much attention to, say, their child’s prodigious artistic or musical abilities as they have little faith that alternative careers could provide a regular and significant source of income.
Schools have followed suit by catering to the demands of parents, doing their best to ensure children are on a track of attaining higher marks in traditional academic streams and facilitating their rise up the professional value chain. With such pressure on these institutions to cater to this narrow scope of learning, is it any wonder that there has been little incentive for them to explore and cultivate the full array of children’s abilities? Neither have there been attempts to help children foster a feeling of self-esteem—that even though they may not be endowed with certain academic prowess, they possess qualities that are not just redeeming but also of tremendous value. And what to speak of trying to enfranchise children with special needs such as those with physical or mental disabilities!
But while the last few decades have been marked by a rapid urban shift and a competitive scramble to gain a foothold in the white-collar domain, the evolution and maturation of the economy has spawned new markets and careers; the money trail has branched into sectors such as hospitality, retail and design, and the demand and pay for competent professionals in these areas has skyrocketed. People are settling down more comfortably as they are finding gainful employment even after failing to succeed in the traditional route of schooling or failing to get into top colleges. As a result, many are beginning to wake up to the fact that their children are not cut out for standard education, but that this doesn’t preclude them from finding successful, meaningful careers.
While children possess a wide variety of aptitudes, parents have dissuaded them from focusing on those that don’t help them secure marks, especially in standard academic areas such as maths and science. The reason is that until recently, there has been a limited scope for employment, with a greater number of higher paying jobs related to engineering or medicine. Those who achieve better results get the chance to get into better colleges, which in turn leads to better positions in better companies. Thus, there has been less reason for parents to pay much attention to, say, their child’s prodigious artistic or musical abilities as they have little faith that alternative careers could provide a regular and significant source of income.
Schools have followed suit by catering to the demands of parents, doing their best to ensure children are on a track of attaining higher marks in traditional academic streams and facilitating their rise up the professional value chain. With such pressure on these institutions to cater to this narrow scope of learning, is it any wonder that there has been little incentive for them to explore and cultivate the full array of children’s abilities? Neither have there been attempts to help children foster a feeling of self-esteem—that even though they may not be endowed with certain academic prowess, they possess qualities that are not just redeeming but also of tremendous value. And what to speak of trying to enfranchise children with special needs such as those with physical or mental disabilities!
But while the last few decades have been marked by a rapid urban shift and a competitive scramble to gain a foothold in the white-collar domain, the evolution and maturation of the economy has spawned new markets and careers; the money trail has branched into sectors such as hospitality, retail and design, and the demand and pay for competent professionals in these areas has skyrocketed. People are settling down more comfortably as they are finding gainful employment even after failing to succeed in the traditional route of schooling or failing to get into top colleges. As a result, many are beginning to wake up to the fact that their children are not cut out for standard education, but that this doesn’t preclude them from finding successful, meaningful careers.
Here's a story to illustrate my point. Read more
By Steven Rudolph
Tolerance – The Catalyst for Love and Unity
Long ago, Japan was ruled by King Yamato. He had a minister whose name was Ocho San. Ocho San had a big joint family that was famous for its cordiality and the love among its members. The family had more than a hundred members but they lived together peacefully and had a common kitchen. There was no quarrel among the family members. Anybody who visited the family was received cordially and left impressed by the service and reception by the family members.
The news of this unique and wonderful family spread all over Japan. Even the king heard about it and became very curious to find the secret of the unity among Ocho San’s family. By now, Ocho San was very old and had retired. The king decided to visit the famous family himself and thus one day reached the Ocho San’s house unannounced. Ocho San was surprised to see the king outside his door. He received the king with great honor. When the formalities were over the king said, “My dear minister I have heard many stories about your huge family and I am very eager to know the secret behind the unity of your family. In my family we are only five members and yet there is often some quarrel among us. How is that you have such a large family and yet you do not quarrel among yourselves? Would you kindly tell me the secret behind this wonderful family?”
The minister was very old and weak. He was not able to talk further and he motioned his grandson to bring a pen and paper. When he got the paper and pen he began writing with his trembling hands. He wrote about hundred words and handed over the paper to the king. The king was eagerly waiting and as soon as he got the paper, he was surprised that there was only one word written repeatedly. The word was ‘tolerance’.
Seeing the king looking at him surprisingly, the minister said, “Majesty, this one word contains the secret of my family’s unity. This is the only thread that keeps us bound together.” The king thanked the minister and left in a pleasant mood. Read more
By Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa
News and EventsJiva Ayurveda opens new clinic in Ambala, India
Furthering its mission of taking Ayurveda to every home, Jiva recently opened a new Jiva Ayurveda Clinic and Panchakarma Centre in the city of Ambala in Haryana. The clinic will have all facilities and services that have been part of Jiva’s healthcare standards over the years. Catering to the prime North India belt of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the clinic will offer authentic Ayurvedic treatment and medicines for all kinds of diseases and conditions, including diabetes, arthritis, obesity, stress, migraine, high blood pressure, skin diseases, asthma, spondylitis, allergies, hair loss, and piles, among others. Ambala Clinic Address:
Pankaj Healthcare Enterprises
DS-40, Sector 1, Urban Estate,
Ambala City – 134003, Haryana
Contact Person: Dr. Pankaj Chaudhary
Ph: 09992668229
Jiva to launch multiple programs in Lithuania DS-40, Sector 1, Urban Estate,
Ambala City – 134003, Haryana
Contact Person: Dr. Pankaj Chaudhary
Ph: 09992668229
Jiva Ayurveda will soon be starting multiple Ayurvedic programs in Lithuania. In the one-week tour that recently concluded, Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director of Jiva Ayurveda, had a number of important meetings in addition to public lectures in various cities of Lithuania.
He met the Director of Medical Education, Klaipeda University. The university has shown keen interest in adding Ayurveda into the curriculum of a bachelor's course in complimentary medicine. Dr. Chauhan also met Mr. Alberas Kurvydas, the Rektor of Kaunas Physical Education University, and they have also agreed to introduce Ayurveda into their degree course. Ayurvedic treatments will soon be offered at the Palanga Rehablitation Hospital where people suffering from spinal injuries are treated.
In order to promote Ayurveda for general people, Dr. Chauhan met Member of Lithuanian Parliament, Dangute Mikutiene, and Diana Mickeviciene, the head of Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania.
Government officials have also shown interest in introducing Jiva's Multiple Natures Test in Lithuanian schools.
He met the Director of Medical Education, Klaipeda University. The university has shown keen interest in adding Ayurveda into the curriculum of a bachelor's course in complimentary medicine. Dr. Chauhan also met Mr. Alberas Kurvydas, the Rektor of Kaunas Physical Education University, and they have also agreed to introduce Ayurveda into their degree course. Ayurvedic treatments will soon be offered at the Palanga Rehablitation Hospital where people suffering from spinal injuries are treated.
In order to promote Ayurveda for general people, Dr. Chauhan met Member of Lithuanian Parliament, Dangute Mikutiene, and Diana Mickeviciene, the head of Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania.
Government officials have also shown interest in introducing Jiva's Multiple Natures Test in Lithuanian schools.
A New Twist on Vata
There are two distinct, yet inter-related, classifications of a person in Ayurveda. The first relates to the body and the second to the mind. Your nature is determined by this combination of body and mind types. Knowing your nature helps you tailor a personal diet and lifestyle plan that can prevent disease and physical disorders and help obtain peace of mind. It provides you with an understanding of your basic physical and psychological nature, and how to keep it in balance with your surroundings. This is the key to maintaining good health.
Ayurveda categorizes the physical constitution of the body into three types – Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water). These are known as Ayurvedic humors or doshas and are responsible for causing disease in the body. This article will give you a detailed insight into Vata, arguably the most significant dosha in the body.
The Sharanghdhar Samhita beautifully describes the importance of Vata in the following lines:
Pitta pangu Kapha pangu pangvo maladhatava
Vayuna yatra niyante tatra gachchhanti meghavat
This means, “Pitta, Kapha, Mala (wastes) and Dhatus (tissues) are all “pangu” or crippled (cannot walk or move). They are controlled and taken to various places in the body by Vata, exactly like clouds are taken to different places by the atmospheric air.”
The importance of Vata is not only limited to the body's physical functions, but it also plays a great role in the functioning of senses and mind, as mentioned in the Hathayoga Pradipika.
Indriyanam mano natha manonathastu maruta
This means, “The mind is the controller of the senses and Vata is the controller of mind.”
Modern science believes the mind is not different from the brain and nervous system. Ayurveda has a similar description, wherein it considers a human being like an inverted tree with the head (brain) as its root, spinal chord as the trunk and nerves as its branches. Vata nourishes this tree by allowing for free flow of prana (energy) into the whole nervous system. This indicates that abnormality in Vata can cause various nervous system related ailments like Depression, Stress, ADD, Dementia, Bipolar Disease, etc.
Vata is ‘ayu’ or life and Ayurveda is ‘science of life (ayu)’. Balanced Vata gives health, strength, happiness and excitement. Mentioned below are just some of the important roles played by Vata in the body:
Ayurveda categorizes the physical constitution of the body into three types – Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water). These are known as Ayurvedic humors or doshas and are responsible for causing disease in the body. This article will give you a detailed insight into Vata, arguably the most significant dosha in the body.
The Sharanghdhar Samhita beautifully describes the importance of Vata in the following lines:
Pitta pangu Kapha pangu pangvo maladhatava
Vayuna yatra niyante tatra gachchhanti meghavat
This means, “Pitta, Kapha, Mala (wastes) and Dhatus (tissues) are all “pangu” or crippled (cannot walk or move). They are controlled and taken to various places in the body by Vata, exactly like clouds are taken to different places by the atmospheric air.”
The importance of Vata is not only limited to the body's physical functions, but it also plays a great role in the functioning of senses and mind, as mentioned in the Hathayoga Pradipika.
Indriyanam mano natha manonathastu maruta
This means, “The mind is the controller of the senses and Vata is the controller of mind.”
Modern science believes the mind is not different from the brain and nervous system. Ayurveda has a similar description, wherein it considers a human being like an inverted tree with the head (brain) as its root, spinal chord as the trunk and nerves as its branches. Vata nourishes this tree by allowing for free flow of prana (energy) into the whole nervous system. This indicates that abnormality in Vata can cause various nervous system related ailments like Depression, Stress, ADD, Dementia, Bipolar Disease, etc.
Vata is ‘ayu’ or life and Ayurveda is ‘science of life (ayu)’. Balanced Vata gives health, strength, happiness and excitement. Mentioned below are just some of the important roles played by Vata in the body:
• Creates, maintains and destructs the living entity
• Carries things in various channels (srotas) in the body
• Assists in formation of various dhatus • Right from the time of conception, Vata is responsible for the growth (cell division)
of the fetus • Governs functions of various organs and systems in the body including the most
vital respiratory system
• Controls normal functioning of karmendriya (working senses), gyanendriya
(knowledge acquiring senses) and mind • Stimulates jatharagni (digestive fire), dhatu agnis and bhuta agnis • Eliminates wastes from the body
• Ensures normal functioning of the nervous system
• Carries things in various channels (srotas) in the body
• Assists in formation of various dhatus • Right from the time of conception, Vata is responsible for the growth (cell division)
of the fetus • Governs functions of various organs and systems in the body including the most
vital respiratory system
• Controls normal functioning of karmendriya (working senses), gyanendriya
(knowledge acquiring senses) and mind • Stimulates jatharagni (digestive fire), dhatu agnis and bhuta agnis • Eliminates wastes from the body
• Ensures normal functioning of the nervous system
In brief, Vata is the main cause of all diseases/miseries that occur at the mental or physical level.
According to Ayurveda, there are three main causes of disease in human beings. It is remarkable to note that Vata plays an important role in all of them. Read more
By Dr. Partap Chauhan
A Natural Choice
The Times of India, India's leading national daily, has recently published an article on Multiple Natures. The article focuses on how every individual has the potential to achieve happiness and success in his life; all he needs to do is work on his inherent strengths. It also talks about the MN Test as a tool to help kids identify their unique abilities and discover the path to success.
To read the complete article, click here
The Journey after Death
Life is a journey that continues even after death. Death is like changing a vehicle to travel to another destination. Human life is like a bridge from where there are four routes. If you do not follow any moral discipline, lead a life of gross sense pleasures, are attached to the material body and possessions, then you are destined to go to hell. If you follow moral and religious principles, harbor material desires and follow religious duties with the intention of getting happiness after death, then you are promoted to heavenly sphere. If you follow moral principles and religious duties only for the sake of duty, you will be promoted to spheres beyond heaven within the material universe. The fourth possibility is to take the spiritual path of devotion to Supreme God. Then, you will go to the Lord’s abode after giving up the present body. This is a place of no return, and therefore, you come out of the cycle of birth and death, called sansara (Universe). Whether you go to the heaven or hell, you have to come back to the earth and be born as a human being in due course.
In the third book of Bhagavata Purana, Bhagavan Kapila has described these four paths in greater detail. He says that a person who has not learned to control his senses and is absorbed only in maintaining his body and family members dies in the midst of his kinsmen. At the time of death, trembling at heart he sees two messengers of Yama (the Lord of death), called Yamadutas. They are ferocious to look at and instill fear in the heart of the dying person. The Yamadutas pull out the soul along with the subtle body and dress them with another body called yatana sharira or body meant for meting out suffering for the sinful acts in hell. They tie the person with aerial cords and drag the person like a slave to the land of Yama. On the way, he is bitten by hungry dogs while he feels hungry and thirsty himself. Sometimes, he faints in pain and is beaten by the Yamadutas to stand up and move. He has to travel a distance of 7,92,000 miles in 2-3 hours. After reaching hell, he is tortured in various ways depending upon the sins committed by him on earth. There is a very gory description of hells furnished by Bhagavan Kapila. One should not believe these hells to be imaginary. They are not gross but subtle places. The types of suffering described can also be seen on earth. Having gone through the various tortures in hell, the person takes birth in a lower species and purges his sins until he can be reborn as a human. Usually, such human beings are cruel and tamasika by nature. Read more
By Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa
News and EventsJiva Goswami disappearance day celebrated at Radha Kund
On January 7, 2011, a group of devotees led by Baba Satyanarayana Dasji celebrated Srila Jiva Goswami’s disappearance day at the Sri Chaitanya Sanskrit School of the Jiva Institute at Radha Kund, Vrindavan. The devotees first visited Radha Kund Mahant, Pandit Ananta Das Babaji, and then participated in the program organized by the school. The program began with recitation of stutis (spiritual phrases) in glorification of Jiva Goswami and the other Goswamis. This was followed by aarti (prayer), parikrama (walking around) of Radha Kund and a sumptuous feast.
Afterwards, Baba Satyanarayana Dasji spoke about the greatness of Jiva Goswami’s Sat Sandarbhas. He explained how Jiva Goswami proves that the Bhagavata Purana is the natural commentary to Vedanta Sutra. He also stressed on the need to study the works of Jiva Goswami. “Sri Jiva Goswami wrote these books for us, not for himself. The best way to glorify him is to study his works and apply his teachings in our life. People in our sampradaya (community) think that doing bhajan (by which they mean chanting) is the most important thing. But according to Sri Jiva Goswami, the word bhajan means to do service. Moreover, to do bhajan, one must know the theory of bhajan from the works of Sri Jiva Goswami. The quality of one’s bhajan will improve if one is clear about the siddhanta (principles).”
Baba also said that we should not worry that if we engage our time in study we will not be able to maintain ourselves. This is one of the arguments posed by people. “If we take to study, follow the teachings and preach this philosophy to inquisitive people, then maintenance will be arranged by Lord Krishna. We must have this faith,” said Babaji. He also stated that the Bhakti Sandarbha published by him is being used as a textbook at Rutgers University (USA). The program ended with distribution of warm clothes to all the teachers and students by Jiva Institute management.
In his latest book titled Indian Ocean Strategy – School of Indian Management in Practice, Indian author Sandeep Singh has credited Jiva for its innovative ideas and service to the society. The book is a refreshing overview of India’s present with its links to the unique, copious and cultural past that will help forge its future. Thanking Jiva for helping him take the book to the corporate world, Sandeep goes on to mention how Jiva has been successfully working on reviving India’s traditional knowledge systems through relevant programs, products and services.
Lithuanian Ambassador visits Jiva
Petras Simeliunas, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania, and his wife paid a visit to Jiva recently. The ambassador was highly impressed by the innovative learning methodologies followed at the Jiva Public School. He found our concept of SOE (Self-Others-Environment), which means to gain knowledge for self, and use it for the benefit of others and create a clean and healthy environment, to be unique and useful for creating a better society. In fact, he expressed his desire to conduct a seminar for Indian professors and teachers in Lithuania.
Volume 3 Issue 9
February, 2011
Stand up to Cancer
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” – Frederick Keonig, German Inventor
When was the last time you took your kids to the park, or enjoyed a family holiday, or spend an entire day with your aged parents? The answer to these questions would be an unequivocal, “Don’t really remember.” Well, at least for most of us! After all, where’s the time? Haven’t we been working tirelessly to earn well and live better.
This all-too-familiar scenario is witnessed in most global societies today. Members of a family – be it husband-wife or parent-child – do not have the time to connect with each other. They are so exhausted from the pursuit of the ‘good things in life’ - a big house, private school for the kids, fancy cars and expensive gadgets - that they are time-starved and worn-out. Life is luxurious, but unsatisfying and simply no fun.
So, why are people in modern times, with all the conveniences of technology to make life easier, realizing that life has lost all joy? This is because consumerism and materialism has seeped into our entire social system. Our unyielding ambition and greed has had many repercussions - damaged relationships and self-esteem, a heightened risk of depression and anxiety, and less time for what truly makes us happy, like family, friendship and engaging work.
Cancer in Body vs. Cancer in Society
This all-too-familiar scenario is witnessed in most global societies today. Members of a family – be it husband-wife or parent-child – do not have the time to connect with each other. They are so exhausted from the pursuit of the ‘good things in life’ - a big house, private school for the kids, fancy cars and expensive gadgets - that they are time-starved and worn-out. Life is luxurious, but unsatisfying and simply no fun.
So, why are people in modern times, with all the conveniences of technology to make life easier, realizing that life has lost all joy? This is because consumerism and materialism has seeped into our entire social system. Our unyielding ambition and greed has had many repercussions - damaged relationships and self-esteem, a heightened risk of depression and anxiety, and less time for what truly makes us happy, like family, friendship and engaging work.
Cancer in Body vs. Cancer in Society
The social evils of greed and materialism can be easily compared to Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases in the history of mankind. Just like cancer is considered incurable due to its complexity and its ability to spread rapidly and uncontrollably, these social evils too are slowly taking over our entire existence, damaging our body and soul beyond repair.
The constant pursuit of materialistic ambitions leads to an increase in Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance) and decrease in Sattva (purity). When the mind loses its Sattvic properties, our physical body tends to get imbalanced, leading to several disorders including cancer. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the difference between the good and the bad at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and social.
Cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early and treated completely in its early stages. Even in the late stages, where total cure may not be possible, patients can be treated appropriately so that they have a meaningful life with minimum discomfort. In cancer, correct diagnosis and management are paramount.
What Does Ayurveda Say?
The constant pursuit of materialistic ambitions leads to an increase in Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance) and decrease in Sattva (purity). When the mind loses its Sattvic properties, our physical body tends to get imbalanced, leading to several disorders including cancer. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the difference between the good and the bad at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and social.
Cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early and treated completely in its early stages. Even in the late stages, where total cure may not be possible, patients can be treated appropriately so that they have a meaningful life with minimum discomfort. In cancer, correct diagnosis and management are paramount.
What Does Ayurveda Say?
According to modern scientific research, there are certain chemicals that damage the DNA. In the process of cell division the flawed DNA keeps replicating itself, resulting into cancerous growth. It seems the seers of Ayurveda knew this fact thousands of years ago. Only they could not explain this in modern scientific terms because modern science did not exist then. Inventing new chemicals or drugs may actually increase the problem or create new problems on the cancer front. It is therefore necessary to become aware of the root cause of the problem and make appropriate changes in our food, lifestyle and environment. Read more
By Dr. Partap Chauhan
Identity versus Cancer
Everybody has the innate desire to be healthy, happy and immortal. Yet, everybody experiences sickness, sadness and death. The experiencer is always different from the experience. This means that by nature we are healthy and sickness is an abnormal state. The word for healthy is svastha or ‘situated in the self’. Thus, being unhealthy or sick means to not be situated in one’s self. How can one not be situated in one’s self? Where else can one be situated? How is it even theoretically possible not to be situated in one’s self?
The answer to this riddle is given by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. He says that a living being is a combination of prakriti and purusha or matter and a conscious being. Purusha or atma means an individual conscious of entity or soul. This union between prakriti and purusha has no beginning. The purusha or an individual being is conscious by nature and prakriti inert. Purusha is immutable, immortal, healthy and happy by its very nature, and prakriti is ever in flux. Although they have opposing qualities, they have been together and their union is causeless and hence beginningless. The awareness of the purusha can be either self-oriented or the other-oriented. When it is self-oriented, the purusha is said to be situated in self and hence svastha or healthy. When the awareness of the purusha is other-oriented i.e. engrossed in the objects of the world, which are products of prakriti, the purusha is said to be not situated in the self or asvastha i.e. unhealthy or spiritually sick.
In the present state, a living being is other-oriented because he is not aware of his true nature distinct from the body and the mind. Therefore, in the view of the Bhagavad Gita, every living being is sick. Even the so-called healthy person is unhealthy. Therefore, everyone suffers continually unless one becomes self-realized and thus self-situated.
Read more
The answer to this riddle is given by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. He says that a living being is a combination of prakriti and purusha or matter and a conscious being. Purusha or atma means an individual conscious of entity or soul. This union between prakriti and purusha has no beginning. The purusha or an individual being is conscious by nature and prakriti inert. Purusha is immutable, immortal, healthy and happy by its very nature, and prakriti is ever in flux. Although they have opposing qualities, they have been together and their union is causeless and hence beginningless. The awareness of the purusha can be either self-oriented or the other-oriented. When it is self-oriented, the purusha is said to be situated in self and hence svastha or healthy. When the awareness of the purusha is other-oriented i.e. engrossed in the objects of the world, which are products of prakriti, the purusha is said to be not situated in the self or asvastha i.e. unhealthy or spiritually sick.
In the present state, a living being is other-oriented because he is not aware of his true nature distinct from the body and the mind. Therefore, in the view of the Bhagavad Gita, every living being is sick. Even the so-called healthy person is unhealthy. Therefore, everyone suffers continually unless one becomes self-realized and thus self-situated.
Read more
By Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa
Teach your children to make goals
Not long back, I was at a friend’s house one evening. His eleven-year old daughter Anita had just finished her final exams and was lazing about watching TV, while he and I talked on the couch. My friend made a comment about his daughter’s tendency to watch TV all the time, so I took it as an opportunity to put my method into practice. I sat down on the coach next to Anita and asked her what she had planned for the next two weeks during her vacation, and she looked at me in a most puzzled manner, and said, ‘Um, nothing really,’ as if to suggest, ‘My school work is done, so my plan is to do nothing but watch TV for the next two weeks.’ I then told her that she had a perfect opportunity to work on achieving her dreams and goals in this extra time. She was amused and baffled at the same time, and laughed in protest, ‘But I don’t have any goals.’ To which I replied, ‘That’s an even better reason to write them down! But first we have to make some.’
She shut off the TV, shuffled into her bedroom with a sense of compliance, returned with a copy and a pen. However, her reluctance began to give way after a few explanations and some gentle little coaching. She then began to list some out a few areas she wanted to work on: Improving mathematics, improving drawing, getting better at dance. Then others started to flow: learning to make bracelets, learning to prepare food—and even a secret desire to learn Spanish. Within no time her list grew to about 12 goals and her eyes grew wide with them. Though the items were rough at first, we spent another 10 minutes making them more specific and time-bound. Within 25 minutes, she was armed with a list of powerful goals—her own goals—and she looked at them with a sort of amazement, and with a sense of pride and ownership of them, as if she suddenly had a new set of friends—a new purpose to live for.
What are goals?
Goals are objectives that people create in order to give them a sense of purpose in life. When you have goals, you have a direction to move in—a way to focus your energy so that you can get things accomplished and get a sense of satisfaction in your abilities and efforts. It is not incorrect to say that without goals, you would get little accomplished or at least not in the way you would want.
Like adults, children too need goals to help them concentrate and stay focused during the course of their childhood. Read more
She shut off the TV, shuffled into her bedroom with a sense of compliance, returned with a copy and a pen. However, her reluctance began to give way after a few explanations and some gentle little coaching. She then began to list some out a few areas she wanted to work on: Improving mathematics, improving drawing, getting better at dance. Then others started to flow: learning to make bracelets, learning to prepare food—and even a secret desire to learn Spanish. Within no time her list grew to about 12 goals and her eyes grew wide with them. Though the items were rough at first, we spent another 10 minutes making them more specific and time-bound. Within 25 minutes, she was armed with a list of powerful goals—her own goals—and she looked at them with a sort of amazement, and with a sense of pride and ownership of them, as if she suddenly had a new set of friends—a new purpose to live for.
What are goals?
Goals are objectives that people create in order to give them a sense of purpose in life. When you have goals, you have a direction to move in—a way to focus your energy so that you can get things accomplished and get a sense of satisfaction in your abilities and efforts. It is not incorrect to say that without goals, you would get little accomplished or at least not in the way you would want.
Like adults, children too need goals to help them concentrate and stay focused during the course of their childhood. Read more
By Steven Rudolph
This article is an excerpt from Steven Rudolph’s book, The 10 Laws of Learning. For the most effective parenting tips, buy the book now by clicking here.
Si alguien te dice: "En la fortificada ciudad de lo imperecedero, nuestro cuerpo, hay una flor de loto y en esa flor de loto un espacio pequeñito: ¿qué es lo que contiene que uno desearía conocerlo?" Tú debes responder: "Tan vasto como Fuera de este espacio es el espacio pequeñito dentro de tu corazón: el cielo y la tierra se encuentran ahí, Fuego y aire, sol y luna, relámpagos y constelaciones, cualquier cosa que te pertenezca aquí abajo y aquello que no, todo esto está reunido en ese pequeñito espacio dentro de tu corazón". Chandogya Upanishad 8.1.2-3
 Medicina Natural - Las Plantas Medicinales 1Created by SriCaitanya on December 13th, 2011 at 7:02am PST TOMILLO - PROPIEDADES Y TRATAMIENTOS - SALUDLAUREL - SUS PROPIEDADESEL OLIVO - SUS PROPIEDADESACEITE Y AJO - SALUDSAL MARINA - SUS BENEFICIOSGARBANZOS TAN EFECTIVOS COMO EL" PROZAC"LA FARMACIA DE DIOSARBOL - LIMPOPO - MOZAMBIQUEPREVENCIÓN DEL CANCER - DIETA ADECUADACANCER - ALTERNATIVAS - HOSPITAL JHON HOPKINSGERMINADOS COMO HACERLOSNUECES - SUS PROPIEDADESRENÉ QUINTON - PROPIEDADES DEL AGUA MARINA PARA SALVAR VIDASCHIRIMOYA - SUS PROPIEDADES ANTI-CANCERIGENASREMEDIOS ANTIGUOS DE FARMACIAMIEL DE ABEJA Y CANELA - PROPIEDADES CURATIVAS10 COMIDAS PARA LA LONGEVIDADQUEMADURAS REMEDIOSEL SECRETO DE LA CEBOLLAEL LENGUAJE DE LAS FLORESFLOR EN INDIAS - PENSAMIENTOS DE VIDABICARBONATO - SUS PROPIEDADESEL LIMÓN - SUS PROPIEDADES CURATIVAS (2)EL LIMÓN - SUS MARAVILLOSAS PROPIEDADES ANTI- CANCERIGENASMENSAJES DEL AGUA - MASARU EMOTOCUIDEMOS NUESTRO HIGADOACTIVACIÓN GLANDULA PINEAL - FUNDACIÓN SOLIRISBEBER AGUAALIMENTOS QUE COMBATEN EL ENVEJECIMIENTOPROPIEDADES "AGUA OXIGENADA"PON COLOR EN TUS ALIMENTOS - PON SALUD EN TU VIDAEL PEREJIL - SUS PROPIEDADES CURATIVASLAS MARAVILLAS DE LA UVAPLATANO - BANANA ( SUS PROPIEDADES)LA MENOPAUSIA13 CONSEJOS DE VIDAINFARTO FEMENINOESPARRAGOS PARA EL CANCERARTE EN LA COCINA - VERDURAS - FRUTAS
TABLA - FUENTES - FONTS
SOUV2
 Disculpen las Molestias TABLA de Greek Mythology
Category: Greek Mythology | A - Amp | Amp - Az | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q- R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Greek Mythology stub | Ab - Al | Ale - Ant | Ant - Az | B | C | D | E | F - G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q - R | R | S | T | A - K | L - Z | Category:Greek deity stubs (593)EA2 | A | B | C | D | E | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | S | T | U | Z
TABLA de Mitología RomanaTABLA de Otras Ramas de Mitología
Mitología en General 1 | Mitología en General 2 | Category:Festivals in Ancient Greece (2865)JC | Category:Indo-European mythology | Category:Festivals in Ancient Greece (1483)JC | Category:Ancient Olympic Games (1484)JC | Category:Ancient Olympic Games (2876)JC | Category:Ancient Olympic competitors (2889)JC | Category:Ancient Olympic competitors (1485)JC | Category:Ancient Olympic competitors (2910)JC | Category:Ancient Greek athletes (2938)JC | Category:Ancient Greek athletes (1486)JC | Mitología General (3033)SC | 101SC | 3132SC | 3048SC | 3060SC | 3118SC | 3095SC | 876SC | 938SC | 986SC | 1289SC | 1109SC | 1407SC | 1107SC | 2494JC | 2495JC | 2876JC | 2865JC | 2889JC | 2938JC | 2596JC | 2606JC | 2621JC | 2450JC | 1476JC | 1477JC | 2825JC | 2740JC | 2694JC | 2806JC | 2738JC | 2660JC | 2808JC | 2734JC | 2703JC | 2910JC | 3051SK
TABLA - Religión Católica
Vaishnavas
General
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