Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Acknowledge your blessings



I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.
      
My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.' I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on  voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
    
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.'
      
I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery.
      
Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the Door of a very small station to my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.
    
'So sad,’ the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'  



   
'How does one acknowledge the blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered.  Just say, 'O Lord! Let me be grateful to You for all Your blessings upon me.’




Live! Aftershocks in India, 3.9-metre waves at Andaman

 Aftershocks have been felt in Chennai and Kolkata, six districts in Orissa on high alert as well as Andaman and Nicobar. 3.9-metre-high waves seen at Andaman and Nicobar. The government says there is no cause for panic and that it is fully prepared. The PM has issued instructions to take all precautions, says home secretary RK Singh.

Earthquake: Govt evacuates some people from South Andaman as a precautionary measure


NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday issued a tsunami warning for Nicobar islands and alerted the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh after an earthquake of 8.9 magnitude hit waters off western coast of northern Sumatra.
"We have issued a tsunami warning for Nicobar islands," Shailesh Nayak, Secretary Ministry of Earth Sciences told PTI.
The projections issued by the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) showed the tidal waves triggered by the quake hitting parts of Nicobar, Komatra and Katchal minutes after it struck the region at 14:08 IST.
The ITEWC also issued an alert for coastal Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman islands forecasting the arrival time of the first wave.
For Tamil Nadu, the first wave was expected to reach the coastal regions at around 4:33pm.
Strong tremors were felt in Chennai and some other nearby areas. People in multi storeyed apartments and those working in high rise buildings rushed out to open areas.
Kolkata and its neighbourhood were rocked by tremors which were also felt in North 24 Parganas adjoining Kolkata and in the north Bengal town of Siliguri.
A large number of people rushed out of offices in Park street and downtown BBD Bagh area here as windows and doors rattled.
According to reports, some buildings on Park street developed cracks.
Metro Rail services in the metropolis were suspended from 2:42 pm and passengers were asked to vacate stations.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.
A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent.
The US Geological Survey said the powerful quake was centered 33 kilometers beneath the ocean floor
A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on December 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 2,30,000 people, nearly three quarter of them in Aceh.

Earthquake in bangalore

Bangalore earth quake !!! Mild Quake was experienced by residents of Bangalore the quake was reported at HSR Layout, Kengeri and J.P Nagar around 8.45 to 9.00 am though residents were panicked and came out if their home in these areas....

Though in some part of the city no vibrations were sensed but people in almost all parts of Bangalore heard the loud noise which resembled lightning and the people in some areas experienced fluttering ow windows and doors for about 5 seconds though it is speculated that the tremors of size 1.0 to 1.3 would have been occurred.......

though Bangalore is very safe and lies in Deccan plateau where quakes are rare have to see how the nature co operates in the future but some times i feel whether it is really a quake or some weird underground experiments from government?

After Indonesia earthquake, tsunami alert and tremors in India

New Delhi:  A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Indian Ocean after an earthquake measuring  8.7 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia a little after 2 pm.  Officials in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are preparing for evacuation procedures.

The quake was felt in Singapore, Thailand and India. High-rise apartments and offices on Malaysia's west coast shook for at least a minute.

In India, tremors were reported in Mumbai, Kolkata,  Bangalore and the southern part of Chennai.  The tremors lasted for a few seconds.  In Bhubaneshwar, people were seen running out of their homes and offices. No damage has been reported so far.


NDTV viewer AG Kalidass emailed from Bangalore to say, "We were feeling our building shaking." Another viewer Shyam Agarwal writes, "I am from Kolkata. Just now a few minutes back heavy stroke of earthquake has been observed here."

The U.S. Geological Survey said the powerful quake was centered 20 miles (33 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor around 308 miles (495 kilometers) from Aceh's provincial capital.

Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity.

A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people  in 13 Indian Ocean countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Health benefits of quitting smoking | benefits of quitting tobacco


We all are aware of the destructive effects of smoking and
how cigarette smoking is injurious to health, yet people find it difficult to quit tobacco addiction. Let’s look at the other side. What are the benefits of quitting smoking/tobacco? Thelivingwine tries to tell you what are the benefits of quitting tobacco or cigarette and improve your health. It is time we improve our health. You may have to check out How to quit smoking?

There are innumerous benefits of quitting smoking or tobacco.

benefits of quitting smoking/tobaccosource:my.clevelandclinic.org

Heart and lungs improve:

improve heart health by quitting smokingThe human body is an amazing machine. It is a machine that makes out the difference within matter of hours. When you quit smoking, the body realize that the smoking timetable has been changed and it starts altering the body on it’s own from the inside. Within 12 hours of quitting smoking or having your last cigarette the withdrawal symptoms begin. The lungs and the heart have their own mechanisms and they start cleaning the body from the inside removing the adverse damage caused by years of smoking! The heart rate and pulse rate which in smokers is very high start coming down to normal. Wow, the human body has its own clock which works! The lung clears the air sacs clogged due to the dust particles of cigarette and tobacco and voila! you are breathing easy now. Your Wheezing and cough seem to have disappeared.

Improved skin, eyesight and sense of smell:

improve your eyesight by quitting smokingWell if the inner parts of the body are improving the external part that is exposed to sunlight, rain and cold be left behind? No! The human body is like a self taught physician. As the internal body organs start recuperating and rejuvenating, the outer body parts like the hair, skin, teeth, eyes, and nose seem to improve too! Your sense of taste and smell improves considerably. Studies have revealed that after quitting smoking the eyesight of smokers improves by 15 – 20 %. The skin benefits of smoking too are wonderful. Skin feels tight and fresh and the wrinkles that are caused by smoking seem to disappear. With the bad taste of tobacco gone, the sense of taste improves and people tend to relish on foods which they once thought was bland!

Improved eating and digestion abilities:

benefits of quitting smoking or toabccoHealth improves a lot after quitting smoking or tobacco. The digestive system of the body seems to improve a lot after quitting smoke. People smoking cigarettes or addicted to tobacco seem to feel less hungry than others and this is due to the fact that the digestive system is not right and hence this leads to gastro-intestinal problems and acidity in smokers. When we quit smoking or tobacco, the body digestive system improves and so does the eating habits. People find themselves having larger servings of food and also put on weight which is actually an indication of improved digestion. Smokers may be enlightened on the fact that when smoking is quit, it is but natural to have larger servings and have frequent intake of fluids and have a craving for chocolate or ice cream.

Reduced threat of cancer:

Though cigarette may not be the only cause for cancer, it is surely one of the causes. Smoking or tobacco causes cancer of the lungs and throat cancer. Quitting smoking naturally reduces chances of cancer and also helps in living a healthy and prolonged life. It may also be noted if people having cancer quit smoking they have higher chances of preventing its growth and in some cases also cured cancer!

Diabetes, blood circulation, stroke reduced:

Smoking is the cause for diabetes in most cases and also prevents blood coagulation which results in hemorrhage . Improper blood circulation causes stroke in the human body which is caused due to the lack of oxygen and blood to the brain cells. Quitting smoking helps prevent diabetes due to smoking and the blood circulation in the body. The brain cells get sufficient oxygen and blood and this reduces risk of stroke.
Financially beneficial and helps in image makeover:
financial benefits after quitting smoking or tobaccoIt is somehow a general notion among people in the society that smokers are not good people and are addicted to other cheap stuffs which gentlemen do not conduct. However it is a wrong notion. Smokers have to always remain in that zone of doubtful retrospection by the society which tends to damage the personality of an individual. All smokers may have faced this embarrassment. You enjoy a leisurely smoke and enter the lift and you see people staring at you with shrew eyes and screwing up their nose as if a skunk just entered the lift! C’mon that is not smokers are but yes, smokers breath stinks! Quitting smoking improves the smell of breath and hopefully people will not be staring at you like an E.T! And remember smokers usually get a huge hole in their pockets due to the cost of cigarettes! Cigarettes are costly and it makes no sense spending so much money to die! The cost of cigarettes smoked in roughly five years or so can get a beautiful coffin and I suggest invest the money on the coffin rather than cigarette!
quitting smoking timeline and benefitssource:health.utah.gov
Well I have laid down the benefits of quitting smoking/tobacco and you are invited to let me know more benefits or correct me if I am wrong. Smoking kills and we don’t want lose great people who are here on this beautiful planet to make a mark and enjoy their stay here. Let’s quit smoking and live a fuller life. Let’s live to fulfill our dreams rather than dying young of smoking and being just a memory! Sorry if I have hurt a few smokers, but there are only facts out here!!

Stressed and want to see a vedic way of celebration

If you are Stressed and want to see a vedic way of celebration then you have to go to Iskcon bangalore on Bramhotsavam. The agamas or the Vedic literatures which describe the process of Deity worship in a temple recommend performance of Brahmotsava - a festival to commemorate the divine appearance of the Deities of that temple.

Generally, this is a grand eleven day long festival. Devotees at ISKCON Bangalore celebrate the merciful appearance of the Supreme Lord as the Deities, Sri Sri Radha Krishna Chandra. The Deity of the Lord in the temple is non-different from the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. The devotees offer tasty foodstuffs, perform gorgeous aratis, decorate the Deities with gorgeous dresses, jewellery, flower garlands and so on. The devotees offer their humble prayers unto the Deity to keep them always engaged in His service. The devotees also reveal their minds in front of the Deity and the Deity of the Lord also reciprocates. These are the wonderful dealings between the Deities and the devotees. Srila Rupa Gosvami has also written a comprehensive literature on Deity worship rules.
On the first day of the Brahmotsavam, all the important demigods like Lord Brahma, Indra, Shiva and so on are invited to participate in the festival. A flag bearing the picture of Garuda is hoisted (dhvaja arohana). This indicates the commencement of the festival. Every evening there is a gorgeous pallakki utsava. Everyday the utsava Deities of Sri Sri Radha Krishna Chandra are decorated in different alankaras. Each Pallakki has its respective carriers (vahanas), insignia carriers and the fan bearers. The Lord mounts the vahana and goes for a pleasure ride on His carrier, along with His eternal consort and other devotees just like a king goes out in his chariot along with his entourage. The Deities are carried in the particular vahana to suit the alankara He is wearing on that day. When He is adorned in the Suryanarayana alankara, His vahana is Suryaprabha vahana; and in His Seetharama Pattabhisheka alankara, His vahana is Hanumad vahana and so on.
Various performances of traditional dance styles, depicting the pastimes of Lord Krishna, are enacted in the evenings for the pleasure of the Lord. After the cultural performances, the Deities receive dolotsava seva, during which the utsava vigrahas are swung on a decorated swing.
Apart from these festivities, Brahma Rathotsava, Kalyanotsava and Churanabhisheka are also performed as part of the eleven day festival. During the Brahma Rathotsava, the utsava vigrahas of Radha Krishna ride on a chariot or ratha. Churanabhisheka is the ceremonial bath during which They are bathed in turmeric paste and other auspicious items.
The festival concludes with the dhvaja avarohana - lowering of the flag of Garuda.







Monday, April 9, 2012

Something of the past


Anytime you are fixated, immobilized, absorbed in, or even overly concerned with something that is over – whether it happened this morning or ten years ago – constitutes reverse gear.

    The reason people find it so difficult to get out of reverse gear is that they can so easily justify being there. In other words, they argue for their “right” to be in reverse by saying things like, “But he did sabotage the deal,” or “She did criticize me in public.” People will use the fact that events actually took place as evidence to support their anger and frustration. What they usually fail to see, however, is that right now, in this moment, the event they are frustrated about is over. The only factor keeping it alive is their memory, their own thinking.
   
Obviously, it’s important to learn from our past, from our mistakes. I can assure you; however, that being in reverse gear will not help you do so. To learn from our past experiences, it’s helpful to gently reflect on the way we have done things. Reverse gear isn’t gentle. In fact, it’s harsh.
   
The way out of reverse is to notice how it feels to be in reverse. If you can observe yourself – your mind, your thoughts, your attention – focused on past events, or past frustrations, you can gently bring your attention back to the present. Training your mind to stay out of reverse can be a little like training a puppy to stay at your side. The puppy will stay for a minute, and then dart away. Your mind is like that, too. It can stay focused for a minute or two, then dart backward to an annoyance from this morning or a frustration from yesterday. The most effective way to train your puppy is to gently lead him back to your side. The same approach works with your mind as well. As you notice your thoughts drifting backward, remind yourself that the past is over and done with. Then, gently and easily, guide yourself back to the here and now. All it takes is a little patience and some practice. Pretty soon, your tendency to be in reverse gear will be a part of your past.