Story

Guru Nanak arrived at a village where people were a quarrelling with each other. He blessed them and asked them to prosper and live in that village forever. In the next village, people were living with peace, compassion and tranquility.

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: ‘The 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.’”

A true devotee surrenders his actions as a duty to his God and considers himself only a follower of God’s instructions.

When Hanuman Ji begins his journey to Lanka in search of Sita, he proclaims with chastity, “Now I have no rest until I complete the job of my Prabhu Ram”.

On his way to cross the sea to reach Lanka, Hanuman faced Surasa, the mother of all snakes.
She obstructs Hanuman’s path from all sides. She says, “Today I will eat you as my food.”

Hanuman requests her, “I am on my way to search of mother Sita, the Lord Ram’s wife. Upon my return I will surrender myself to you. Please don’t obstruct my path as I am on duty of my lord Ram.”

Surasa doesn’t listen to Hanuman’s request. Hanuman entered into her mouth — he doubled his size, Surasa quadrupled, and they both continued it. Hanuman cleverly reduced his size to a small form and got out of her tail. Hanuman defeats her through his intelligent acts. She blesses Hanuman saying – “You be the force to complete the job of God Ram.”

After entry to Lanka, Hanuman visits Ashok Vatika. Hanuman drops the finger ring Lord Ram given to Hanuman, stating she’ll recognise the finger ring.
Sita, doubting him, asks for his introduction. Hanuman replies -“I am the messenger of God Ram and I swear by his name.” Sita gets convinced.

Hanuman was presented in the court of Ravan. Ravan ordered his ministers to burn Hanuman’s tail – he realises this is happening because of his Lord Ram’s wish.

On his return from Lanka, Ram asked him about activities in Lanka. Hanuman said, “God, the devils burnt fire in your tail, and it caused entire Lanka got devastated in the fire.” Lord Ram was smiling, observing the childlike devotion of Hanuman.

The true meaning of surrendering your duty is to consider every action as a work of God. It’s like feeling like a child of God and devoting yourself to work free from fear and worries. Believe that God is ever present to support you as his favoured child and always leave in peace and tranquillity under his governance.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students
again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.” The professor then produced two cans of coke from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space
between the sand. The students laughed. “Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things-your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favourite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.” The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. “Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

Isn’t it true! Very often, most of us are worried about small pebbles and sand in our lives at the cost of the big golf ball of our life, our parents, family, and friends. To meet the deadline of our professional life, we ignore our family.

You would have observed during the meetings, interviews, conferences and seminars that when someone asks the right question and it gets acknowledged with compliments like;
“You have asked a very intelligent question.”
“This is certainly a relevant question.”

You would have felt a sense of accomplishment on the face of a person who asked the question. Such a compliment changes the involvement of the person in the entire conversation.

Do you want to know how to ask an intelligent question?

Let me explain.

The best way to appear intelligent in any meeting starts with preparing beforehand.

Prepare a Venn Diagram of things you know and don’t know as displayed in the picture below. After that, have your attention fixed on the topic. Your preparation with help you both ways — you can ask an intelligent question or support the answer if you find the explanation appropriate. Such endeavour will help you gain the audience’s attention, recognition and appreciation.

Share if you have a better way to appear intelligent through any other way.

The dream you’ve had since you were born is still there, you know. It may seem impossible, ridiculous, or unrealistic. Yet, it’s still there—waiting to go beyond your fear of failing, your “what-if” excuses, and your concern about what others may think. Your dream is ready to get out of your head and heart to be a reality.

So, pick up the pen. Pick up the paper, pick up the microphone, pick up the guitar, pick up your tools, and pick up your toolkits. Pick up yourself, and go for it.

Your audience has waited too long to see you perform live for them. Now is the time to show what you can do. Now is the time to give that rockstar performance. Now is the time to reclaim your original artist. Don’t die keeping your music within.

Being busy means you’re blessed, because your life’s not boring. You’re stressed, but you feel fulfilled. You feel tired, yet you’re happy of being what, who or where you are now.

God is so good that despite of exhaustive activities at work, at home or personal life, you still have that positive outlook about everything in life. He gave you that strength of not giving up so easily. You just keep on fighting and making your life to become a meaningful one without any regrets at all.

A Zen student went to Bankei and said:”Master,I have an ungovernable temper.How can I cure it?”
“You have something very strange,Show me where it is?” asked Bankei.
“Just now I can’t show it to you” said the student.
“If not now, when?” asked Bankei
“It arises unexpectedly,” replied the student.
Then,” concluded Bankei, “it must not be ur own true nature. If it were, you’d show it to me any time. When you’re born, you did not have it,and your parents did not give it to you. Think that over.”