Barbers are a Brilliant Businessman
A few days ago, I was at a barber shop to shave off my hair to bald as part of the rituals I perform every year on my father’s death anniversary.
The art of having conversations and networking is a great skill that differentiates an ordinary barber from a great barber. While he scissor-snip and shaves, he starts the conversation with the client – asking questions, listening, staying curious, cross-selling and up-selling his other services to maximize the sale. He has stories of startup founders, businessmen, corporate executives, artists, coaches, and others. At the same time, his hands are on the heads of men who created real value in the world or faced great difficulties in dealing with life challenges.
It reminds me of a time when a barber for my hair colouring persuaded me. Here is how it went between us during a few sessions of haircutting over three months :
The first time, he proposed to me to get the hair colouring done, and after asking for the price, I refused: “Sorry, will think about it next time.”
The second time, he remembered and again proposed to me to get the henna, and after asking for the price, I refused again: “I have another work. May be next time.”
The third time he asked me to go for hair dye, I refused again after asking for the price.
The fourth time he advised, “buy it from the shop for Rs. 12 and apply yourself.”
Surprised by his advice, I asked: “Why do you propose that?”
He replied: “Every time you ask for the price and refuse. So, I thought you might have money constraints. However, it would look good if you colour your hair.”
I smiled and said thank you, handing over тАФ Rs.50 as tips on his hand.
How many times have you persuaded your customer like this to buy from you?
There is no proof for God
Vivekananda was in search of proof for God. He went to Ramkrishna and challenged him to show him the proof that there is God. Ramakrishna started laughing after listening to the question. He touched Vivekananda’s heart with his feet. Vivekananda fell into a swoon, a trance. Despite being a learned, intellectual, atheistic, sceptical, and well-trained person, he fell into a trance. He was not able to understand what was happening to him. Why was he losing control?
Vivekananda tried to escape from Ramkrishna, but it was impossible. He used to feel like some high-power magnet forcefully pulled him to the Ramkrishna. He would escape for a few days and again come back. Feeling tired one day, Vivekananda requested, “Leave me alone. Why are you haunting me?”
Ramkrishna said, “What can I do? You asked, “Is there any God? Is there any proof?” I don’t know any proof. All that I know is that God is in me, so I allowed him to touch you. What else can I do? Now it is for you to decide whether God is or not.”
There is no proof, but there are enough proofs; no direct proof but much indirect evidence of God exists because we know the kind of transfiguration that happened in Meera, Transmutation happening in Chaitanya, and transformation happening in Rahim. They were ordinary metal suddenly becoming gold.
Shiv Pariwar
рд╡рд┐рд╖рдорддрд╛ рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдорддрд╛ рдХрд╛ рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рдпрдХ рдЕрджреНрднреБрдд рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░
рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рдиреН рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдХреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдореЗрдВ рд╢рд┐рд╡ рд╕рд╣рд┐рдд рдорд╛рддрд╛ рдкрд╛рд░реНрд╡рддреА, рдХрд╛рд░реНрддрд┐рдХреЗрдп, рдФрд░ рдЧрдгреЗрд╢ рд╣реИрдВ.
рдлрд┐рд░ рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдХреА рд╕рд╡рд╛рд░реА рдирдВрджреА рдмреИрд▓ рд╣реИ, рдорд╛рддрд╛ рдкрд╛рд░реНрд╡рддреА рдХреА рд╕рд╡рд╛рд░реА рд╕рд┐рдВрд╣ рд╣реИ, рдХрд╛рд░реНрддрд┐рдХреЗрдп рдХреА рд╕рд╡рд╛рд░реА рдореЛрд░ рд╣реИ рдФрд░ рдЧрдгреЗрд╢ рдХреА рд╕рд╡рд╛рд░реА рдореВрд╖рд┐рдХ рд╣реИред
рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рдиреН рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдХреЗ рдЧрд▓реЗ рдореЗрдВ рд╕рд░реНрдк рд╣реИред
рд╡рд┐рд╖рдорддрд╛ рдХреЗ рд╡рд╛рддрд╛рд╡рд░рдг рдореЗрдВ рднреА рд╕рдорддрд╛ рдХреИрд╕реЗ рд╕реНрдерд╛рдкрд┐рдд рдХреА рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ рдЗрд╕рдХреА рдПрдХ рдЕрджреНрднреБрдд рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рдпрдХ рд╣реИ рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ред рд╕реНрд╡рд╛рднрд╛рд╡ рд╕реЗ рдореЛрд░ рд╕рд╛рдБрдк рдХрд╛ рджреБрд╢реНрдорди рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рд╕рд┐рдВрд╣ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдмреИрд▓ рдПрдХ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдкреНрд░рд┐рдп рдЖрд╣рд╛рд░ рдФрд░ рд╕рд╛рдВрдк рдХрд╛ рддреЛ рдореБрдЦреНрдпрд╛ рднреЛрдЬрди рдореВрд╖рд┐рдХ рд╣реА рд╣реИред
рдФрд░ рдЕрдЧрд░ рд╕рдорддрд╛рдПрдБ рджреЗрдЦреЗрдВ рддреЛ рдорд╛рддрд╛ рдкрд╛рд░реНрд╡рддреА рд╢рд┐рд╡ рд╕реЗ рдХрдерд╛рдПрдВ рднреА рд╕реБрдирддреА рд╣реИрдВ, рд╢рдХреНрддрд┐ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рджрд╛рдирд╡реАрдп рд╢рдХреНрддрд┐рдпреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рд╕рдВрд╣рд╛рд░ рднреА рдХрд░рддреА рд╣реИрдВ, рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рдиреН рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рдЪреМрдкрдбрд╝ рднреА рдЦреЗрд▓рддреА рд╣реИрдВ рдФрд░ рднрд╛рдВрдЧ рднреА рдШреЛрдЯрддреА рд╣реИрдВред
рдХрд╛рд░реНрддрд┐рдХреЗрдп рд╢реМрд░реНрдп ,рдкрд░рд╛рдХреНрд░рдо ,рдпреМрд╡рди рдФрд░ рд╡рд┐рдЬрдп рдХреЗ рджреЗрд╡рддрд╛ рдХреЗ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рдкреВрдЬрдиреАрдп рд╣реИрдВред
рдЧрдгреЗрд╢ рдЬреА рддреЛ рд╣рд░ рдШрд░ рдХреА рдореЗрдВ рдкреНрд░рдердо рдкреВрдЬрдиреАрдп рд╣реИ – рд╕рдмрдХреЛ рдкреНрд░рд┐рдп, рд╕рдмрдХреЗ рдЙрджреНрдзрд╛рд░рдХ рдФрд░ рдкреНрд░рдердо рдкреВрдЬрдиреАрдпред рдЗрдиреНрд╣реЗрдВ рд╕рд╛рд░реА рджреБрдирд┐рдпрд╛ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдорд╛рддрд╛ рдкрд┐рддрд╛ рдХреЗ рдирдЬрджреАрдХ рд╣реА рдирдЬрд░ рдЖрддреА рд╣реИред
рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рдиреН рд╢рд┐рд╡ рджреЗрд╡рд╛рдзрд┐рджреЗрд╡ рд╣реИрдВред рд╣рд▓рд╛рд╣рд▓ рд╡рд┐рд╖ рдХреЛ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдХрдВрда рдореЗрдВ рджрдмрд╛рдпреЗ рд╣реБрдП рд╣реИрдВред рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХрд╛ рдореБрдЦрд┐рдпрд╛ рд╕рд╛рд░реА рд╡рд┐рд╖рдорддрд╛рдУрдВ рдХреЛ рдкреВрд░реНрдг рджрдХреНрд╖рддрд╛ рд╕реЗ рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рд▓рди рдХрд░рдиреЗ рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдХреНрд╖рдо рд╡ рддрддреНрдкрд░ рд╣реИ рдЗрд╕реАрд▓рд┐рдП рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рд╕рдореНрдкреВрд░реНрдг рд╕рдВрд╕рд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рд▓рди рдореЗрдВ рд╕рджреИрд╡ рддрддреНрдкрд░ рд╣реИрдВ рдФрд░ рд╣рдо
рд╕рдм рдХреЛ рдкреНрд░рд┐рдп рднреАред рдХреНрдпреЛрдВрдХрд┐ рд╕рддреНрдп рд╣реА рд╢рд┐рд╡ рд╣реИред рд╢рд┐рд╡ рд╣реА рд╕реБрдВрджрд░ рд╣реИред
рддреЛ рдЖрдк рднреА рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдмрдирд┐рдПред рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХреА рд╕рдорддрд╛ рдФрд░ рд╡рд┐рд╖рдорддрд╛ рдХреЛ рд╢рд╛рдВрддрд┐, рд╕реБрдЧрдорддрд╛ рдФрд░ рд╕рд╛рдордиреНрдЬрд╕реНрдпрддрд╛ рдкреВрд░реНрд╡рдХ рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рд▓рд┐рдд рдХреАрдЬрд┐рдпреЗред рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рдиреН рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдФрд░ рдЙрдирдХреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХреА рдкреВрд░реНрдг рдХреГрдкрд╛рджреГрд╖реНрдЯрд┐ рдЖрдк рдкрд░ рд╕рджреИрд╡ рдмрдиреА рд╣реБрдИ рд╣реИред
рд╣рд░ рд╣рд░ рдорд╣рд╛рджреЗрд╡ рд╕рдВрднреБ рдХрд╛рд╢реА рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡рдирд╛рде рдЧрдВрдЧреЗред
рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдЕрд░реНрдкрдгрдорд╛рд╕реНрддреБ
рдПрдХ рдЫреЛрдЯрд╛ рд╕рд╛ рдмрдЪреНрдЪрд╛ рд╣реИред рдорд╛рдБ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдЫрд╛рддреА рд╕реЗ рд▓рдЧрд╛ рд▓реЗрддреА рд╣реИ рдмрдЪреНрдЪрд╛ рдорд╛рдБ рдХрд╛ рджреВрдз рдкреАрдиреЗ рд▓рдЧрддрд╛ рд╣реИред рдорд╛рдБ рдорд╛рддреГрддреНрд╡ рдХреЗ рдЖрдирдВрдж рд╕реЗ рдЖрдирдВрджрд┐рдд рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рддреА рд╣реИ – рдЬреИрд╕реЗ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдорд╛рддреГрддреНрд╡ рд╕реЗ рдмрдбрд╝рд╛ рдХреЛрдИ рд╕реБрдЦ рд╣реА рдирд╣реАрдВ рд╣реЛред рдПрдХ рдмрдЪреНрдЪрд╛ рдорд╛рдБ рдХреЗ рджреВрдз рдкрд░ рд╢рдВрдХрд╛ рдирд╣реАрдВ рдХрд░рддрд╛ред рдЗрд╕реАрд▓рд┐рдП рдорд╛рдБ рдХреЗ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рд╣рдореЗрдВ рдИрд╢реНрд╡рд░рд┐рдпрддрд╛ рд╕реЗ рдкреНрд░рдердо рд╕рд╛рдХреНрд╖рд╛рддреНрдХрд╛рд░ рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ ред рдЖрдк рдХрд┐рддрдиреЗ рднреА рджреБрдГрдЦ рдореЗрдВ рд╣реЛ, рдорд╛рдБ рдХрд╛ рдЖрдБрдЪрд▓ рдЕрдЧрд░ рджреЛ рдШрдбрд╝реА рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдорд┐рд▓ рдЬрд╛рдП рддреЛ рд╢реВрдХреВрдБ рдЖ рд╣реА рдЬрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИред
рдЖрдЬ рдХрд▓ рд▓реЛрдЧ рдИрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдкрд░ рд╢рдВрдХрд╛ рдмрд╣реБрдд рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд▓рдЧреЗ рд╣реИрдВред рдИрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдореЗрдВ рднрд╛рд╡рдирд╛ рдХреА рдЬрдЧрд╣ рд╡реНрдпрд╛рд╡рд╣рд╛рд░рд┐рдХрддрд╛ рдХреЛ рдЬрд╝реНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рдЦреЛрдЬрдиреЗ рд▓рдЧреЗ рд╣реИрдВ ред рд╕рдорд░реНрдкрдг рдХреА рдЬрдЧрд╣ рд▓реЙрдЬрд┐рдХ рдиреЗ рдЬрд╝реНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рд▓реЗ рд▓реА рд╣реИред
рдореБрдЭреЗ рдмрдЪрдкрди рдореЗрдВ рд╕реБрдиреА рдПрдХ рдХрд╣рд╛рдиреА рдпрд╛рдж рдЖ рд░рд╣реА рд╣реИ – рдПрдХ рд╕реНрддреНрд░реА рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рд╣рд░ рдХрд╛рдо рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдХреЛ рд╕рдорд░реНрдкрд┐рдд рдХрд░ рджреЗрддреАред рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рддрдХ рдХрд┐ рдШрд░ рдХреЛ рдЧреЛрдмрд░ рд╕реЗ рдиреАрдкрддреА рдФрд░ рдмрдЪреЗ рд╣реБрдП рдЧреЛрдмрд░ рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдЕрд░реНрдкрдгрдорд╛рд╕реНрддреБ рдХрд╣ рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд╣рд░ рдлреЗрдВрдХ рджреЗрддреАред рд╡рд╣ рдЧреЛрдмрд░ рд╕реАрдзрд╛ рдЧрд╛рдБрд╡ рдХреЗ рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рдореЗрдВ рд╕реНрдерд╛рдкрд┐рдд рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдХреЗ рдореВрд░реНрддрд┐ рдХреЗ рдЪреЗрд╣рд░реЗ рдкрд░ рдЬрд╛ рдЧрд┐рд░рддрд╛ред рдкреБрдЬрд╛рд░реА рдмрд╣реБрдд рдкрд░реЗрд╢рд╛рдиред рд╣рд░ рджрд┐рди рдЙрд╕реЗ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреЗ рдЪреЗрд╣рд░реЗ рдХреА рд╕рдлрд╝рд╛рдИ рдЬреЛ рдХрд░рдиреА рдкрдбрд╝рддреАред
рд╡рд╣ рд╕реНрддреНрд░реА рдмреАрдорд╛рд░ рдкрдбрд╝ рдЧрдпреА рдФрд░ рдЬрдм рдореГрддреНрдпреБ рдХрд╛ рд╕рдордп рдЖрдпрд╛ рд╡реЛ рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдЕрд░реНрдкрдгрдорд╛рд╕реНрддреБ рдХрд╣ рдХрд░ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдгрддреНрдпрд╛рдЧ рджреАред рддреБрд░рдВрдд рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рдХреЗ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреА рдореВрд░реНрддрд┐ рднреА рдЯреВрдЯ рдЧрдпреАред рдлрд┐рд░ рдЙрд╕ рд╕реНрддреНрд░реА рдХреЛ рд▓реЗрдиреЗ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рд╕реНрд╡рд░реНрдЧрд▓реЛрдХ рд╕реЗ рд╡рд┐рдорд╛рди рдЖрдпрд╛ред рд╡рд╣ рд╡рд┐рдорд╛рди рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рд╕реЗ рдЯрдХрд░рд╛ рдЧрдпрд╛ рдФрд░ рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рднреА рдЯреВрдЯрдХрд░ рдЧрд┐рд░ рдЧрдпрд╛ред
рдпрд╣ рдХрд╣рд╛рдиреА рдЗрд╕ рдмрд╛рдд рдХрд╛ рдкрд░рд┐рдЪрд╛рдпрдХ рд╣реИ рдХреА рднрдХреНрдд рдЬрдм рдЕрдкрдирд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╕реНрд╡ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреЛ рд╕рдорд░реНрдкрд┐рдд рдХрд░ рджреЗрддрд╛ рд╣реИ рддреЛ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдЙрд╕реЗ рд╕реНрд╡рдпрдВ рд╕реЗ рднреА рдКрдкрд░ рдЙрдард╛ рджреЗрддреЗ рд╣реИред рдПрдХ рдмрд╛рд░ рдмрд┐рдирд╛ рдХрд┐рд╕реА рд▓реЙрдЬрд┐рдХ рдХреЗ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреЛ рд╕рдорд░реНрдкрдг рддреЛ рдХрд░рдХреЗ рджреЗрдЦреЛ, рдПрдХ рдмрд╛рд░ рд╕рд░ рдЙрдард╛рдХрд░ рдЙрд╕реЗ рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдЕрд░реНрдкрдгрдорд╛рд╕реНрддреБ рдХрд╣рдХрд░ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдХреЛ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рд╣рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдХрд░рдХреЗ рддреЛ рджреЗрдЦреЛред рдкреНрд░рд╢реНрди рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдЖрдк рд╕реБрд▓рдЭ рдЬрд╛рдПрдБрдЧреЗред рдореАрд░рд╛ рдХреЗ рдЬрд╝рд╣рд░ рдЕрдореГрдд рдореЗрдВ рддрдмреНрджреАрд▓ рд╣реЛ рдЧрдП, рджреНрд░реМрдкрджреА рдХреА рд▓рд╛рдЬ рдмрдЪ рдЧрдпреА, рдзреНрд░реБрд╡ рдХреЗ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдг рдмрдЪ рдЧрдП, рдФрд░ рдЧрдЬрд╝ рдХреА рд░рдХреНрд╖рд╛ рд╣реЛ рдЧрдпреАред рддреЛ рдЖрдкрдХрд╛ рднреА рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдПрдЧрд╛ред
Be attentive to the attack from the lair person in the same way as the snake
He said, тАЬDharma, truth, good conduct, character, etc. are a useless imposition on us. You should not care much about it and return to Ayodhya.тАЭ
God Ram replied: тАЬLooking at a personтАЩs conduct and character, only you can determine whether he is born into a good family or boasting himself. Also, you can find his character whether he is unblemished or blemished.тАЭ
You should be attentive to the attack from the lair person in the same way as the snake.
Truth is the sole controller of the world, and the truth is rooted in Dharma.
No act of yours can repay the debt of your father and mother
Sage Vashisth visits God Ram in the forest to request him to return to the homeland.
Lord Ram refuses to disobey the wish of his father and says to him:
“The course of action the parents always adopt in respect of their son, the benefits they confer on him according to their resources, the way they lull him to sleep and clothe him, the affectionate words they always speak to him and the way they bring him up all these cannot be repaid.”
He continues: “Beauty may leave the moon, Himavaan may become bereft of snow, the ocean may transgress its shores but I will never violate the promise my father gave.”
Such a commitment and obedience towards fulfilling the father’s wish can only make us God.
Bootstrapper’s Era, India
The best part was everyone was bootstrapped entrepreneur. They were plumbers, carpenters, gardeners, weavers, and mostly farmers. Despite no formal degree, most people were intellectually fit, mentally stable and wise.
No one was worried about the economy because people did not know it. No one was worried about the job loss because there was never one.
Everyday evening village people will assemble at a bazaar in the village. People will buy from each other or exchange goods based on their needs. Plumbers, carpenters, gardeners, weavers, farmers and some banyas (traders) will come with their products. Only banyas will deal in cash.
But, gradually, everything changed. Few people left the native for greener pastures in big cities. They did pity jobs in Kolkata, Mumbai and other places, but when they returned home, they would wear neat clothes, buy a bicycle, apply scented oil on their hair and comb it, wear a watch and listen to music on their radio.
It started fascinating young men like us to look outside for a better life. By the ’80s, the rate race was in full swing тАУ India started losing its bootstrappers and craftsman. We are now part of a larger global mess тАФ worried, sleepless, distracted, and confused.
The only way to get out of this urban living mess and ruts is to hone your craft and reclaim the bootstrapper in you. It’s in your gene. It’s in every Indian gene. Wake up and reclaim yours to live with peace, positivity, and prosperity.
Stop wasting your time living worried, stop stressing yourself to trolling other people and stop being the victim creatively. It’s your nation. It’s your society. It’s your family. It.s you. The time is now to be the bootstrapper! If not, when?
To bring out the best in you, Make yourself your ally
- Selectively forget the past, but remember some of the daily acts that made a positive change in your or someone elseтАЩs life.
- Every day aims to learn something new. It will help you keep engaged and feel productive.
- From time to time, engage with your friend and family to know the best of you. The best way is to begin by telling them about their uniqueness, and you will see they will start appreciating you and your achievements. It will make you feel your importance.
- Whenever there is an opportunity to show kindness, lap it up. Helping others always makes you feel good.
- Disconnect from the external world and connect with your inner self. Do deep breathing for just 2 minutes to feel calm and peaceful.
- Listen to your favourite music and indulge in the activities that you are passionate about. Music helps soothe and relax.
- Plan your day, and schedule things in advance. Do not hassle yourself. Go with the pace. You will do more with lesser efforts.
Two wolves inside us: The evil and the good
One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth.”
The boy paused for some moments, thought about it, and asked, “Grandfather, which wolf wins?”
The old man quietly replied, “The one you feed.”
–Author Unknown
What if you focus on changing the system and not just the symptom
If you just focus on treating the symptom, you will only get the repressing outcome.
If you go to work on the structure and the system, you will automatically become a natural performer who gets what you ought to.
So, remind yourself of your vision, plan the structure and the system that will get you there, start performing it every day for 30 days, and you’ll convert it into your habit…you’ll be able to RECREATE yourself.
Ragupati Ragav Raja Ram Patit Pawan Sita Ram
One day he was speaking about the power of Ram’s name chanting and how it helps him attain peace and clarity.
During the Q&A, a girl asked him a question, “Mahatma, I was also doing name chanting every day until I read Kabir couplet тАФ the rosary rotating by the hand and the tongue-twisting in the mouth, With the mind wandering everywhere, this isn’t meditation anyway. Since then, I stopped the name chanting.”
Mahatma Gandhi replied: “You have asked an interesting question. One day a person purchased a bathing soap and carried it home. He handed it over to his wife, praising the aroma and usefulness of soap. He instructed his wife to place it safely in the cupboard.
Pointing to the specks of dirt on his body wife asked him to take the soap and take a bath. Merchant murmured angrily: “Don’t you think such a beautiful and aromatic soap will get dirtied when contacting these specks of dirt on my body?”
The wife replied with a smile: “The usefulness of soap’s beauty and aroma lies in cleaning and washing off the specks of dirt from the body; otherwise, what’s the use of it? ”
The moral of the story is whether you can get the focus or not, whether you can realise the benefits or not, and whether you can find substantial proof for name chanting; you continue to meditate on God’s name. It will certainly help you clear, cleanse, and attain focus. And most importantly, feel safe in the heavenly adobe of God.
Suppress negativity spread goodness
Guru Nanak blessed them too and advised them to abandon the village and disperse.
Mardana, his close disciple got puzzled observing the strange blessings, he asked, “Why did you bless the unworthy people of first village with prosperity, and asked the good people of the second village to disperse.
Guru Nanak smiled and answered: тАШThe quarrelsome will only spread unrest and friction wherever they go. So I asked them to remain where they were. But it is better for the peace-loving to disperse and take their good qualities so that wherever they go people can learn the art of peaceful coexistence.тАЩтАЭ
Here is how to find yourself when you are feeling lost
Everything in your life begins with how you feel. The very secret of enlightenment begins by remembering who you are. If you remember being kind, you will start feeling like a kind. If you think you are a master, you will feel like a master.
I remember a story narrated by my mother in my childhood. There was a king, and he had a dumb and spoilt son. One day he fired his son because of his misbehaviour and forced him to leave home.
For ten years, the king’s son lived the life of a homeless beggar in tattered and dirty clothes. He completely forgot that he was ever a prince.
The ageing king felt for his son and asked his prime minister to search for his son. While on the search duty, the prime minister found the king’s son, bare feet, lacerated with wounds begging for little money outside a hotel. He immediately recognized the king’s son, bowed and said, “The king has pardoned you and asks you to return to your kingdom.” Within no time, the son threw away his begging bowl and became a king. He ordered the prime minister to bring him a pair of good shoes and kingly clothes and arrange his bath immediately. Everyone who humiliated him a while ago gave him started obeying him. A person in the crowd reminded him of what he was a moment ago, “How is it you forget us in a moment?”
The prince replied, “I remembered you as long as I had forgotten who I was. Just now I have remembered I am prince so, I forget I am a beggar. Now, I remember, I am a king and I have always been a king.”
You would have heard about fake it till you made it. It applies here тАФ If you continue to remember who you are, there is no need for any practice or reminder for any external forces to remind you of who you are. If you have forgotten your real self, remember who you are and see yourself transforming.
How to create peace and harmony
I can tell you there is no such place. Whether you go to the office, stay home, or run away to the forest, you’d face some kind of distractions everywhere.
I know a story: A man approached the master and pleaded for the secret mantra to help him fulfil his wishes. Master gave him the mantra and warned him to chant the mantra only at a place of absolute peace.
He started chanting at his home, but due to continuous disturbances, he could not continue it. He moved to the forest, sat beneath the tree and began his chanting. The birds started chirping, the animals were hounding, and the birds were dropping their shit on him from the top. Embarrassed by it, he moved to find another place. He found an empty field and decided to build a hut there for peaceful chanting. A saint approached him and warned him that the high wind might blow away his hutment. Scared of the high wind, he decided to return to his home and practice there itself.
If you truly want things to get done, you have to do it in your settings and situations. Stop wasting your time in search of a perfect place. There isn’t one. To live a peaceful life, you must create a peaceful and harmonious surrounding wherever you are now. Fleeing away is not a solution, but it’s a delusion that wanders in your mind.
Do not choose
Like our desire to become rich stems from the misery we know poor people suffer. You ask any rich person whether they enjoy being wealthy, and you will hear NO.
The virtuous good people feel they deserve special treatment because they condemn the sinners, not because of the good itself.
What if you find a man who says nothing is like this in hell, or he says that hell is better and more luxurious than hell?
What if you know the darker side of having luxury items, mansions and cool cars?
What if you face people considering you weak, you attract the wrong type of people, and people distrust you despite you being good to everyone?
Most of our acts are polarized against the good and the bad. Non-violence depends on violence, and light owes its existence to the darkness, and good grows in the soil of bad.
Krishna says to Arjuna тАУ “The world is unity of opposites. Accept both the polarities, because both are there together. Go with them, because they are. Don’t choose!” Krishna advises pursuing choicelessness. Those who choose a part and deny another are bound to be in tension because despite denying it, the other part will always continue to be. And the irony is that the part we choose depends on its existence in the part we deny.
You have made my day
- Being right is okay but only if it does not erode your being kind.
- Choose your words wisely before speaking to provide listening pleasure.
- You must gauge your level of effectiveness by the glow and smile your words have generated on a listener’s face.
- Everyday, offer the prayer to the almighty to help those who need blessings to come out of the tough times and uneven terrain.
- Don’t be serious. Each one of us needs a friend with whom you can act goofy.
From time to time, throw out your caring and compassionate best to make someone’s day. You will become happier, more acceptable, more delightful and more generous.
So, for whom will you make the day happy today?
Do you have these 3 bank accounts
Your life is fixed between your birth date and death date. Organise and prioritise your time for those high-fulfilling activities that will move you forward in your personal, family and professional life.
RELATIONSHIP BANK
People come into your life for a reason, season or a lifetime. Whenever people come into your life, analyse them, accept them and treasure them for however long they were meant to be part of your life.
FINANCE BANK
It’s not how much you earn but how much you keep. The best way to gain financial security is to constantly grow your income and develop the habit of saving for rainy days.
Small steps cause a significant impact
A jet plane with 257 passengers onboard departed from New Zealand airport to experience Antarctica and back. A ground handling staff from the air traffic control department altered the flight coordinates by 2 degrees, putting the aircraft 28 miles east from where they were supposed to be. Sadly that alteration put them directly on the top of Mount Erebus, an active volcano.
Despite turbulence and other conditions keeping aeroplanes off-course 90% of flight time, most flights arrive at the correct destination at the intended time. The snow on the volcano blended with the clouds above, deceiving the pilots into thinking they were flying above flat ground. When the instruments sounded a warning of the quickly rising ground, it was too late. The plane crashed into the volcano, and everyone onboard died.
The reason for the accident was the pilot’s dependency on air traffic control for constantly course correcting their movement. Course correction includes notification and pathway correction to help the pilot stay on course and reach the destination.
This flight analogy is so much contextually relevant to our lives. Even seemingly inconsequential aspects of our lives can create ripples and waves of consequence тАФ for better or worse.
I have some homework for you — Citing this lesson, how do you notify and course correct if you are flying the aircraft called your life:
- How are you piloting your life and checking whether you are on the right course?
- What feedback are you receiving to correct your course?
- Do you have a guidance system? How often do you check your guidance system?
- Where is your destination?
- When are you going to get there?
- Are you on-course or off-course?
- How would you know if you are on the right course?
- How do you minimize the turbulence and other conditions distracting your path?
Go where you are rare
If I’d have refused the opportunity, Sony Music wouldn’t have happened. The opportunity to write 100s of articles won’t have happened. Joining the league of youngest CEO of Digital at Zee won’t have happened. Travelling around the globe won’t have happened. Speaking, mentoring and guiding 100s of entrepreneurs won’t have happened. And meeting 1000s beautiful people won’t have happened.
“Go where you are rare.” is a great sentenceтАФbeing rare positions you as extraordinarily unique. It brings power to you. Things work differently. That ‘rare’ position allows you to discover, justify, explain, convince, and win over hundreds of people aiming to grab the spot you are enjoying. You’re in the spotlight.
If you have spotted that ‘rare’ position, the only word of precaution is don’t sit on it having full reliance on your talent alone to draw extraordinary results. Push your limits, empathy and desire to serve the cause. Keep honouring the purpose of you in that ‘rare’ person, and do more things to serve the people around you.
Impatience in your heart brings you alive
dreams in your eyes make you alive
Live like the free waves of wind
Learn to flow like the waves floating over the sea
Receive every moment in life with open arms
Every moment is a new beginning
surprise in your eyes keeps you alive
impatience in your heart keeps you alive
A true friendship
“I am a friend of one and all. It is up to you whether you consider me as your father, mother, master, associate or friend.
For me, friendship comes first. I enjoyed my childhood with the cowherds of Vrindavan. I played with them like an ordinary boy. I went on to steal the butter from the house of the herdsmen.
I killed the Kaliya snake who was poisoning the Yamuna water and making the water undrinkable for cows and cowherds.
You would have read about my friendship with Sudama. He was my best friend. When Sudama arrived at my home, I could not control myself even for a moment. I ran barefoot to hug him. I treated him better than myself showering my complete compassion and equanimity.
During the war of Mahabharata, I was drawn to a peculiar situation. Kauravas’s blamed me for playing one-sided. I proposed they visit my place and whomsoever I see first when I will join whom I see first when I wake up in the morning.
You know that Duryodhan came first and sat on my head, assuming I would first look at him. Arjuna knew I would see one seated on my feet first. Arjuna was my ardent devotee. For him, I was the ultimate master ruler of his life.
You know that Draupadi used to call me “Sakha”, and I used to call her “Sakhi”. I always came to her rescue as she treated me as her ultimate friend, and I always protected her whenever she remembered me for help.
I live in the heart of everyone in the form of consciousness. Some people forget me, and some constantly keep me in their thoughts and hearts. I have guaranteed the rescue to all those who remember me for help. Even though you think of your individuality, you are never separate from me. You can only conquer me through love, and your love alone binds me to you. I am gladly conquered by those who have indomitable faith in me.”
Best friends forever
Whether its thick or thin
Hold the hand and walk together
Keeps the secret, holds the baton
Holds friendship above the prayer
Makes every life moment merrier
No conditions no infatuation
Just made to love without discrimination
Counsels you when you are wrong
Comforts you when you are down
Supports you when you’re about to fall
Dedicated to all my friends, who’s made me more wiser, better and merrier…