WHERE YOUR LIFE STANDS HERE ON EARTH

(Translated from the Chinese).

Because none of us have many years to live,
and we can't take along anything when we go,
so we don't have to be too thrifty...

Spend the money that should be spent,
enjoy what should be enjoyed,
donate what you are able to donate,
but don't leave all to your children or grandchildren,
for you don't want them to become parasites
who are waiting for the day you will die!!

Don't worry about what will happen after we are gone,
because when we return to dust,
we will feel nothing about praises or criticisms.
The time to enjoy the worldly life and your hard earned
wealth will be over!

Don't worry too much about your children,
for children will have their own destiny
and should find their own way.
Don't be your children's slave.
Care for them, love them, give them gifts
but also enjoy your money while you can.
Life should have more to it  
than working from the cradle to the grave!!

Don't expect too much from your children.
Caring children, though caring, would be too busy
with their jobs and commitments to render much help.

Uncaring children may fight over your assets
even when you are still alive, and wish for your early demise
so they can inherit your properties and wealth.

Your children take for granted
that they are rightful heirs to your wealth;
but that you have no claims to their money.

50-year old like you, don't trade in your health for wealth
by working yourself to an early grave anymore...
Because your money may not be able to buy your health... 

When to stop making money, and how much is enough
(hundred thousands, million, ten million)?

Out of thousand hectares of good farm land,
you can consume only three quarts (of rice) daily;
out of a thousand mansions, you only need
eight square meters of space to rest at night.

So, as long as you have enough food and
enough money to spend, that is good enough.
You should live happily.
Every family has its own problems.
Just do not compare with others for fame and social status
and see whose children are doing better, etc., b 
ut challenge others for happiness, health, enjoyment,
quality of life and longevity...

Don't worry about things that you can't change
because it doesn't help and it may spoil your health.

You have to create your own well-being and
find your own place of happiness.
As long as you are in good mood and good health,
think about happy things, do happy things daily
and have fun in doing, then you will pass your
time happily every day.

One day passes without happiness, you will lose one day.
One day passes with happiness, and then you gain one day.

In good spirit, sickness will cure;
in a happy spirit, sickness will cure faster;
in high and happy spirits; sickness will never come.

With good mood, suitable amount of exercise, always in the sun, variety of foods,
reasonable amount of vitamin and mineral intake,
hopefully you will live another 20 or 30 years
of healthy life of pleasure.

Above all, learn to cherish the goodness around...
and FRIENDS... They all make you feel young and "wanted"...
without them you are surely to feel lost!!

Wishing you all the best.

Source: Email and no source is given.

Have an Average Day

June 22nd



Surprising, isn't it? How many times, we tell children to do their best? How many times we think of achieving great things and get disappointed? Read this website and have an average day (and also happiness). http://haveanaverageday.org/

Why I read books or attend classes?

Lots of people ask me why I read books, listen to audios, and attend seminars?  When is enough?  They also wonder when do I get chance to read books?  Where do I get references to different books?  I always remember following quote:

"You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read". - attributed to Charles Jones author of Life Is Tremendous

Also, I remember what Jim Rohn says about reading: "Don't just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it." Jim Rohn wrote number of books and one of my favorite book is Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle

So, whenever, I visit Library, I look for interesting titles.  Recently, I picked up a book, "You are your choices" by Alexandra Stoddard.  I don't know much about author, however, title is interesting and I wanted to see how she presented the topic, because I love that title.  In this book, she answered the question about why I read books very well.  That forced me to post this blog.  I will review that great book in another blog.  Here it is:

"I study philosophy every day because I know information is not inspiration.  I'm trying to absorb and discover as much as I can that is enlightening and inspiring.  Rather than filling myself up only with current events, I balance what I read with ancient philosophy in hopes of becoming influenced by its wisdom and vision.  I know I will never know very much compared to how much there is to know, but I treasure how I feel about the quality of my life and the integrity of my soul.  This is, to me, the main focus of my learning: to try to raise my consciousness to higher and deeper levelsof awareness of the beauty of life and all the mysteries that are beyond our knowing.

The important truth to remember is that how we life, how we feel, and how deeply we breathe in the divine spark, defines who we really are.  Perhaps we can try to unlearn some of the facts that are no longer true for us.  Maybe we should pay close attention to the muse of our poetic instincts.  I'd rather breathe in inspiration than be logical or literal.  It's a good feeling to know we don't know--and we never will know--the great mysteries."  --- Except from "You Are Your Choices" by Alexandra Stoddard.


Yes, that's why I read books, which vary very widely (philosophy, self help, leadership, management, sales, spirituality, Vedas, etc.).  They keep satisfying my curiosity to know this world, understand myself and others, to lead a better life in this world.

Yes, I am way different from what I was eighteen years back (in college life, only college subjects I read, nothing else).  I got introduced to books and tapes when I came to United States of America and I am more than willing to give the credit to this country.

My suggestion to you:  Enjoy books, help children to read different kind of books.  Change your commute to mobile university by listening to wonderful book summaries, or other programs available in library.  Use library and grow to make a better world.

PDF Metadata Editor (which is affordable)

Hello,

Last month, I purchased Barnes and Nobles Nook (e-book reader).  I have lots of PDF files to read, however, when I tried to load them to Nook, all I got was 1 as title or some other invalid strings as title of the document.  So, I searched internet for a good PDF meta character editor and found "A-PDF Rename" tool, which helps to rename the title of the document, author, etc.  Very nice tool and I love the ease of using the tool and also ease of converting multiple files at the same time (if file name is the title you want for the documents).  Easy to change author, key words, etc.  Before the advent of e-book readers, lots of PDF files were out there which doesn't have correct title.  So, get this tool and enjoy your PDF files in the e-readers.
Here is the link: http://www.a-pdf.com/rename/?product-rn

I know you will love to use this tool to update the title, author, etc. details.

I will post review of Nook later.

Nagaraj

One and Only You!!!

Today Morning I found this excellent poem about uniqueness of each one of us. 

One And Only You

Every single blad og grass,

And ever flake of snow...

It just a wee bit different...

There's no two alike, you know

From something small, like grains of sand

To each gigantic star

All were made with THIS in mind:

To be just what they are!

How foolish then, to imitate---

How useless to pretend!

Since each of us comes from a MIND

Whose ideas never end.

There'll only be just ONE of ME

To show what I can do---

And you should likewise feel very proud,

There's only ONE of YOU.

That is where it all starts

With you, a wonderful

unlimited human being.

-- James T. Moore

If we ALWAYS remember this, life will be beatiful

Yesterday, someone send me this link to a video "Wills Wisdom". Its amazing and short and sweet messages. Check it out.

Today morning, I got this quote from Swamy's website. Yet another wonderful message. Thank you Swamy for sending these messages again and again so that I can ingrain them in my life.

There is love in one and all. Ther eis none bereft of love in this world. Sometimes, people may speak words with wrong intentions against you. You should not be perturbed by such criticism. If some one criticizes you loudly, it will vanish in to thin air. If they criticize you inwardly, then they will suffer. Either way, you will not be affected by it. In this manner, you should practice developing equanimity. Then, you will neither be elated by praise nor be depressed by criticism. If you want to attain God, you must have harmony in your thoughts, words and deeds. Harmony in thoughts, words and deeds is the sign of a noble person; those who lack this harmony are wicked. -- Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Note: Highlights and bold are mine.

Why should I let him decide what kind of day I am going to have?

When I sent Four agreements, lots of people said, point two is very key and how easy we forget it. Here is the second agreement from the Four Agreements (book by Don Miguel Ruiz -- Which is a excellent book by itself and costs less then ten dollars. I highly recommend you to read. If you do read or listen to the book, let me know so that we can discuss because these agreements are very close to what Swami is teaching, only different perspective or different way to present the principles to live every day):

Agreement 2
Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

After seeing these mails, I thought of sharing anothe story which is related to this point.

Enjoy:
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Powell and his friend were strolling down a New York City street, walk they took on many occasions. they stopped at a newspaper vendor's stand for the daily paper, the same stand where Powell's friend always stopped. The vendor was exceedingly rude in spite of the generous tip he received. After walking away, Powell simply had to ask his friend why he was so nice to a vendor who was rude virtually every day. He said, "Why should I let him decide what kind of day I am going to have?" -- From: Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am? -- John Powell
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