To complain or to thank?

One fine day, I woke up to do my laundry. Wearing a worn out slipper I carelessly walk down the stairs and end up slipped and fall from the staircase. My hip (an approximate position where my kidney is located) hit right at the edge of stairs twice and I landed on my back. Ouch! Yeah it hurt badly. Knowing some basic first aid I reach for ice cold water, wet a cloth with it and put on for fifteen minutes. It hurt so badly that I can hardly walk, sit or lie down. I saw some swellings and soreness. “Did I hurt my kidney? Did I hurt my spine? Oh God! Why? What did I do? Why you didn't safe me?”

Then I went to the hospital and the doctor told that I am lucky enough that I didn't hurt my spine. I just suffer from torn muscle from that fall.

I stopped and thought for a second. It is not my first time slipping, somehow I do manage to balance myself from falling. So I never thought of changing my slipper. If this incident never happened, probably the next time I fall, I might not be as lucky as I am now. It was just less than half inch away from my spine. If I had fall right on it, chances for me to hurt my spine, paralyse or have a dislocation would have been very high! I can’t image how my life would have been if that happened. “Oh God! You did safe me don’t you? I will be more careful next time. Thank you so much. Thank you God! I will buy a new pair of slipper.”

There are these little signs and warnings here and there in our life, but most of the time we tend to be careless and ignore it. Those unnoticed warnings eventually result in disaster. Well, as for me those signs are from God. God is always there, guiding us and showing us little warnings that we do fail to notice. Don’t blame God. He have tried his best to safe you. 

So the next time you face a situation, think, whether to complain or to thank. Everything happens for a reason. 

Help her please

Dear readers. This is an emergency. I need your help. This is a true story of a pity mother I knew. If anyone could help her, please help her.

She is a single mother with sons and daughters. She raise them with love and care. She provide them shelter, food, water and everything they need to live happily. However, her children was so ungrateful. They always kick her, pull her hair till she almost go bald, punch her, pinch her to bleed, cause her have fever, bruise her smooth soft skin, make her nose, ears and mouth bleed, break her brittle bone, break her teeth, make her drink dirty water and spit on her face (in short, they abuse her without mercy). They are not adopted, they are her own flesh and blood.

But why they are doing that? No one knows. Although all this happened, she still hug them with love. As the children grow up, they were obsessed in earning money and fame, drowned in the illusion of entertainment. All the money was spent on their personal pleasure, just a penny or two was given to their mother for her medical care.

She is still suffering from various disease. Mourning in silence looking at her ignorant children. Still hoping for love and care. Her grandchildren are no different from her own children either. They all treat her the same. She still never lose hope.

One day, there will be a day where this loving humble mother give up on all her children and grandchildren. Give up hoping for the hope that is not there and die. Her children have forgotten the fact that if she dies, they can never live either. Oh I forgot to tell the name of the mother and the children.

Here are the details: 

This pity mother’s name is Earth. She is about four point five four billion years old now. Her children are you and me. She lives in the No. 3 Orbit, Solar system. To safe her dying soul, stop abusing her. Let her heal. Let her live peacefully. Let our Mother Earth heal.

Thank you. 

Library in Hindu Temples

Every temple should have a free access mini library. The mini library should comprise of selected Hinduism related books for all ages. The books such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita and Upanishad, Vedas, quotes from famous Hindu leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and their biographies should be made available to be read in the temple. This will encourage people to sit and learn about the religion, build intellectuality and hinder superstitious believes. The books should be reviewed before displayed in that library to avoid the misleading books that encourage superstitions. If needed, there should be volunteers who are willing to rewrite the books in simple words for easier understanding of the message. Even CDs and DVDs that is related to Hinduism should be made available. As after prayers most of the time was spend on talking to each other, using the resources in this library can change the temple’s environment too. I personally feel it will be a good move to bring a positive change to understanding of Hinduism. A number of Hindu temples in overseas have started this practice. Why don't we?

http://www.hindutemplesatx.org/home.html

http://www.hindutemple.ca/

http://www.hindutemplestlouis.org/Community/Library.aspx

Let’s be a more intellectual and sensible Hindus.

Hello future. Its me. (A video for my future self)

Today I sit to type a letter for my future self. Yup a letter for me in the future, ten years from now. It’s so exciting and cool. Seriously. At first it was a bit awkward but as I continue to type it, it turn out to be so exciting.

Right after clicking the save button, I thought of a better idea.

A video. Yup. I am going to do a video for my future self. Now this is even sweeter. My video will be for my future self to be watched on my wedding day, when I am 34 years old and when I am 54 years old. 

Trust me it will be cute to watch your younger self talking to you about 10 years later. About the plans you had for yourself, comparing your perspective then and now. Priceless.

So why wait? Start it right away people. You will never regret it.

Take 10 minutes the most

It’s a funny thing that every one of us know one rule of life but pretend as if it doesn't exist. The rule that every living thing will eventually die. We, as human also will die one day. The trick is we do not know when and how. But the rule is always there. People die at birth, at 20’s, at 40’s and the lucky ones maybe at 80’s. But the rule is strict and the same for all. 

So whenever you are angry with your loved ones, forgive them. Life is way too short to keep grudge. Take 10 minutes the most to calm yourself down. 

Don’t make yourself regret and wish you could spend just another 10 minutes with them when they are gone. 

I have realized it. Have you?

Curious kid

Naturally children are very curious. Answering all their questions can be tiring but remember those unanswered questions can cause a real big trouble one day. I am not a parent yet but I did help my mother to babysit children for many years. The most frequent question we encounter them asking is about the sexual difference and physical appearance. 

I started to search and ask around what is the best possible way of explaining these matter without being shy and at the same time providing only the information that they need at that age.

Here is a summary in form of Q&A:

            Situation 1

1.       What is this mummy? (While pointing at your breast)
 This is breast. Big girls have it so that when they have baby after marriage, the baby could drink milk from it. (Show pictures of other mammals feeding their babies such as a calf feeding on a cow’s milk to bring a more positive conversation). Take time to explain babies have no teeth and can only drink milk from mother.

2.       Did I drink milk from your breast too?

Yes dear. Now you have your teeth so you don’t need mummy’s milk anymore. So mummy stop producing milk for you.

3.       Why I don’t have a breast?

For girl: Because you are not a big girl yet.
For boy: Because you are not a girl. You don’t need to feed a baby in future dear.

              Situation 2

1.      Why my baby brother have that thing?

Because he is a boy. Girls and boys have difference there. That is how mummy and daddy know you are a girl or a boy when you born. It is called a private part.

2.       What is a private part?

Private part is a body part that you can’t show to others or see that of others. No touching either. It is your tiny little secret okay? Once you show it, nobody will respect you and your privacy anymore. Do you want that to happen?

           Situation 3

1.       How do babies born?

Okay here it goes. Mummy and daddy become good friends. When we both finished schooling and started to work, we love each other so much and decided to live together. So mummy and daddy get married. Then because daddy love mummy so much every day, a baby start to grow in mummy’s tummy. After nine months growing in mummy’s tummy the doctor take the baby from mummy’s tummy. That baby is you.

(There is NO NEED of adding magical elements (eg: the fairy left you outside our house one day) or hugging kissing elements (eg: married+stay together+hug+kiss= baby) or complicated things (ovum+sperm= baby) in this story yet. Trust me. It works.)

These are just few. If I get more of it, I will share it here. Hope it helps.

Never imagined

Technology, human’s great invention to ease our routine and make things that once thought to be impossible, possible. Once upon a time, long, long ago, human might never imagined of travelling around the world. Human might never imagined making thousand of copies of a document in few minutes. Human might never had imagined of flying in the past. All this are possible now. All these are discovered now. Why? How?

When? - When information was hard to find and only hard works paid off.

How? - Because of endless curiosity, amazing creativity and having a dream to achieve something.

Why? - Because there were no technology then to get all the job done while sitting on a chair.

Right now, at this very minute, human are clearly misusing the technology initiated and invented by those genius. Those genius might never image that the gun invented for self-protection or used to win wars could also be used to kill anyone, to commit robbery and any other kind of crime. The inventors of vehicles might never imagined that one day all the trees will be cut down and carried away using huge tractors. The genius who created computer to store and organize the information could never imagined it to become an addiction for entertainment and a tool to share porn over the internet that eventually lead to easy access by children who end up contributing to sexual assaults at very young age. All this happens and happening.

When? - When information at fingertips and when everyone have already created every basic stuff that human need to survive and all those stuffs can be bought with money.

How? - Because too much of free time and the once called “free time activity” have now become a “routine activity”.

Why? - Technology become smarter and people become stupider.

Monkey see, monkey do. Child see, child do.

Children do what adults do in front of them.

Children say what adults say in front them.

After all we all have been a child before growing up right, so what is so hard to understand them? Guide them well. They will grow up well. Keep your so called “it’s an adult thing” away when you are with them. Let them enjoy their childhood. Simple.

Being Fair Is Not A Rule

This quote with picture was posted on Facebook last year. It was a perfect quote that I needed at that time. I am pretty sure many of you do your part well whether in work, studies or relationship.

Then one day, you may feel mistreated or be the one that always gives but get almost nothing good in return. At that particular time, you may claim that the world is not being fair to you. Well just remember this quote then. Problem solved.

You will get the uttermost satisfaction from giving when you do not expect anything in return.

If in case you were doing something to get something in return, no harm, wait and see. When there is no return, just stop doing it. Because even though what you are doing is good but if it make you feel sad, feel not appreciated and so on, 

JUST STOP DOING IT THEN.

Life is not always about pleasing people. Your life is about you. About your happiness. Do what makes you happy and satisfy as long as it does not bring harm to you and others.

Time and Watches

Nowadays there is an increase in number of people who tend to appreciate materials and properties more than their life. Let me give you a simple example. Time is the most precious thing. Once it’s gone, it will never come back. All of us knows that and yet how frequent did we ever think of the consequence of wasting time?
In short, a modern human is now going for fancy expensive watches rather than realizing the true value of time. 

The choice is always ours. Whether we are going to spend our time just like that. End up sitting and listing down things to be done when your "day to departure" is nearing. Planning so hard and living a zombie life hoping for a better carefree peaceful retirement age that may never come. Yes, I did that too. I think ahead about future and almost carried away from present. It is completely normal. But dudes, wake up from that day dream. You might never had the chance to do what you want to do today if you keep it for tomorrow. Planning for future is not wrong at all but remember you are living in your present right now. Not your future and not your past.

Live every moments of your life. 

Clearing Doubts (Thaipusam- a famous Hindu festival)

Thaipusam

This document was created in conjunction with one of the well-known Hindu event called Thaipusam. Malaysia became one of the famous spot for both Hindus and tourist on Thaipusam. Therefore let us unfold the understandings related to this event which have been misunderstood and mislead from the actual meaning and purpose of it. A mini research was done for a month on it based on various sources.

Before knowing about Thaipusam, we need to know about Lord Murugan. But before knowing about Lord Murugan we need to know the basics of Hinduism to avoid misunderstandings. Therefore, let us start with the basic exposure to Hinduism.

The many Hindu deities

As we all know there are so many Hindu temples build to worship different Hindu deities all around the world. So let us know why it is so first.

The divine that the Hindus adorn and worship is half-veiled (half revealed) manifestations.

Hindu “gods” are not intended to be understood literally (directly as how it look).

When the hymns become Veda, and Veda was to be delivered orally, Aryans had problems in describing the forces of the universe. Hence they portrait God through drawings of figures to symbolize the divine of the universal force. It was not easy to manifest all the forces of the universe and the message Hinduism wanted its followers to know through one figure. Therefore, with the agreement of the Hindu leaders, they portrait the force of the universe through multiple figures. The key point here was to deliver the message and to spread the realization of the universal force. With that effort, many different deities were designed and people were given freedom to choose to worship the deities that they adorn. They believed this form of devotion towards the God will eventually lead them to the understanding of the existence of the universal force. This devotion will attract them to learn more about Hinduism and soon they will understand that the divine transcends the image.

The various portraits and statues of Hindu deities.

This portraits of the deities are not to be understood directly. Meaning the portraits were done with meaning and a hidden message. This hidden messages were delivered through stories and worship songs. However many among us knows the stories and songs but fail to emphasise on the hidden message. Now let us move on to the god that Hindus worship on Thaipusam, Murugan.

Polytheistic or monotheistic

Hinduism actually cannot be described as polytheistic or monotheistic. Hinduism have a unique description of god: God is within all and all is within God.

Hinduism believes that God is infinite and can’t be described.

Murugan

Lord Murugan was known to have beautiful face and structure. He sits on a peacock that step on a snake in the picture.

= The peacock is the proudness over our external physical beauty.

= The eternal beauty of God’s creation is beyond the physical beauty that we show off.

= The snake is the poisonous thoughts of revenge that we have.

= Worshipping the God whole heartily can help us forget our revenge.

Lord Murugan holds a flag with chicken symbol

= The chicken was symbolized as the ego that chicken outs in front the strong devotion towards god.

Lord Murugan sometimes portrayed to be accompanied by two beautiful wives.

= His two wives Valli (represent desire) and Deivanai (represent power of action).

= This symbolize it is not easy for a man to balance his desire and action. If you want to have great desire, u should have great power of action.

The wives are portrayed to look happy in the picture.

= The devotion to God will show us the right way to balance our desire and action perfectly.

Some pictures of Lord Murugan portrayed him having six faces.

= Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (covetousness), Moha (delusion), Mada (pride), Matsarya (jealousy) are the six passions of the mind.

=To survive the battle of life successfully, one should be alert of all these six passions of mind and handle them correctly.

Lord Murugan was portrayed to hold a sharp weapon called Vel.

= Vel that have a broader base and sharper top represents wide knowledge and sharp intelligence.

This is the basic explanation of Lord Murugan manifestation potrayed in the form of statue and pictures. In short, Murugan symbolize the path shown in Hinduism to reach perfection in life.

Thaipusam

Thaipusam stories can be retrieved online and in books easily. However, many just stop after reading the story despite having doubts on it. I did had doubts that did that incident really happens? Why we are still celebrating it if it happens years ago?

The story can be synopsised in this way and let us see the hidden message behind it.

1.    Tarakasuran and his siblings were evil and disturbing the mortals. They were monstrous and can’t be defeated easily.

= Tarakasuran here means Ego. The ego and all the other negative desires are polluting people’s mind everywhere. With the growing intelligence and desires to own everything we want to live a sedentary life, it is definitely not easy to defeat or overcome Ego and these negative desires.

2.    Tarakasuran have gained boon from Lord Siva and he can only be killed by Lord Siva. However, Lord Siva could not kill him because he was very loyal and devoted to him.

= These ego cannot be eliminated easily. Our ego and greedy desires and gave us all the pleasure and happiness that we wanted. Hence it can’t be ‘killed’ easily.

3.    Muruga born from the third eye of Lord Sivan to destroy Tarakasuran. He used all the weapons and army used by Lord Siva to fight Tarakasuran.

=The desire to destroy ego and negative desires have to born from us.

=Our inner soul can be encouraged to fight the ego and negative desires with the help of family and friends.

4.    But only the Vel, a weapon gave by Mothe Shakti destroyed Tarakasuran.

= Only broad knowledge and sharp intelligence can destroy Ego which is the source of all evil desires.

Overall Thaipusam is a day to do some self-realization on our bad desires and ego and a day to turn to a new leaf with the guidance from God.

Thai month and Pusam/Poosam star constellation

The month of Thai is the first month of Hindu calendar. On this day, there is a day where the poosam star constellation.

*Star constellation= An arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or design, especially one of 88 recognized groups named after characters from classical mythology and various common animals and objects.

The poosam star constellation was said to be in the shape of udder of a cow which symbolise nurture. This star constellation was said to be shine very brightly even on a full moon.

*nurture = care for and encourage the growth or development of someone or something.

Therefore this day was chosen as an auspicious day to encourage and develop spirituality in order to leave ego and negative desires.

It was stated in astronomy websites that most of the stars and the brightest star in the Poosam star constellation is in yellow colour. This could be a reason the yellow colour was chosen as an auspicious colour for this day.

Kavadi

Myth= Beautifully decorated, brought as a symbol to thank Muruga to make our wish come true.

Fact = The kavadi which is decorated beautifully was then used to bring the prayers items such as flowers, coconut and so on for Thaipusam prayers. As most of the temples those days were built on hills, there were no convenient vehicles to bring those items up. Therefore people used to carry those prayers stuffs on their shoulder up the hill using kavadi. They had the great sense of pleasure after carrying the things to the temple and putting down the weight there.

Significant= The size of kavadi is up to an individual’s preference. Hence the items for the prayers that one carries signifies his love and devotion. But, if a person is greedy in showing his devotion by bringing kavadi bigger than his strength, he might not make it till the temple unless he gave up some of the things. This signifies that too much of desires that exceeds our capability (greed) will burden us.

Pal Kudem

Myth= Usually taken by girls. Thankgiving to the Lord for fulfilled desire.

Fact= The purpose pal kudem was taken was to bring the milk for Murugan abishegam. Cow’s milk is considered as sacred and pure by Hindus and used for prayer’s purpose. Once again the milk was carried in pot on head up the hill because no transport to go up the hill.

Significant = Same as kavadi.

Body and tongue piercing

Myth= To show the pain one can endure to show his/her love to god. Or pierce tongue to remind us not to talk bad.

Fact= Most of us have heard of Yoga. But not all of us able to understand it. There are few stages in Yoga that is unlocked through the chanting of Aum/Om.

1.       1^st stage= Conscious mind.

Where we are able to feel our external environment through our senses. The conscious mind enable us to feel the pain and pleasure.

2.       2^nd stage= Unconscious mind.

Where we can’t feel our external environment through our senses. We could feel the internal environment which includes dream and illusions.

3.       3^rd stage= Unconscious mind. Deep sleep state.

We can’t feel both the external and internal environment. It’s a total silence. Energy regained. Recovery of the cells.

4.       4^th stage= Atman.

We can’t feel external and internal environment. It is not entirely a total silence, we sense our atman and realize the universe. All ego and bad desires were realized.

If you read those stages properly, you can see there is another way to go through these stages. A harder way. That is through tongue and body piercing.

1.       1^st stage

The pain can be felt.

2.       2^nd stage

A certain amount of pain can cause a pleasure sensation. (This is proven in studies). The pleasure is the pleasure that can lead to a sense of ecstasy that will make us enter the unconscious mind. Feel dreamy and have illusionary images.

Most of us tend to stop at this stage and enjoy the pleasure it gave us. Dance along and entertain the illusions created by our mind.

Only those who overcome this stage and believe this sense of pleasure is an illusion created by mind could pass to the next stage.

3.       3^rd stage

At this stage, the person will be in total silence. He or she can’t feel both pain and pleasure. It’s a total silence. The energy is regained slowly and cell recovers.

4.       4^th stage

The self-realization process takes place.

At both stage 3 and 4, a person will be in total silent. Hence, salangai is tied to his/ her leg to alert people on his/her presence so that they can walk through.

Only a person that manage to pass all these levels during body or tongue piercing will experience a new energy and a refreshed mind. Still there is milder way to do this. That is through Yoga. Yoga can be learned through books and online for free, there is a better alternative to the harder way.

Once again, the level of piercing is up to the individual. It is not necessary to pierce a lot and in variety of ways to show one’s capacity to endure pain on Thaipusam. It was supposed to be done humbly to reach one’s atman. This is the reason why the piercing was done without bleeding during Thaipusam. The person in charge of piercing said to have gone through trainings to do this kind of piercing.

Head shaving

Myth= Was done as thank giving for Lord Muruga.

Fact= Was done for small children to shave off their baby hair in the presence of family and maternal uncle. However now even the adults are shaving their hair off.

Significant= Was done on small children to remove their baby hair as the Hindus believe shaving baby hair off will eliminate the baby’s previous life sins before he/ she begin her life as another life in this birth. Adults do this to signify that the person have taken vow to eliminate all his/her previous sins and be a person with pure thoughts.

Conclusion

Overall, Thaipusam is a day that is held to nurture spiritual development and self- realization. Thaipusam should bring calm to your mind and feel satisfied with what you are and what you have. With this realization no more sins will be committed. It’s a day to thank God for the good things and memories of last year and leave all the ego and bad desires that we had to start ahead a better year as a better person with the guidance of God.

Amazing thoughts to share

Perspective

I used to be a carefree person. As I grow up I tend to give over emotional responds over things that I don’t agree with. I do freak out for some matters and then realize it is wrong for me to do that after sometimes, mostly when someone point out my mistake. I guess it is a process of growing up.

I realize that life is not just about looking at the world from your own perspective. Each and every one of us have our own perspective of viewing the world. Own environment, the person we came across in life, the books we read, the movies we watch, the experiences we went through in life, our emotions and reactions all building, changing and moulding our perspective.

I searched for the answers to various questions via Google. One of the topic I searched today is about finding purpose of life. I came across a website : http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/11/04/hunter-s-thomspon-letters-of-note-advice/

There was a particular quotation that attracted me a lot. Here it is:

Every man is the sum total of his reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different man, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective.

It is true. It applies to everybody.

A teenage boy’s perspective of freedom could be slightly different from his parents’ perspective. His parents could have heard of harms and danger of hanging out late night. They might have experience something bad themselves. This creates a perspective to them that hanging out late night is not good. However the boy experience entertained night environment, feeling free and secured when he is with his friends, plus he had not face dangerous situations yet. Hence it could be hard for him to understand his parents’ perspective. Both the parents and the boy are not having wrong perspective. They are having different perspective. Both of them should try to explore the cause of the different perspective rather than blaming each other.

Hei there,

Thanks for dropping by. Hope to share lots of beautiful things that I personally read, learn and experience. Join my journey. Thank you.