Sunday, March 18, 2012
Staying at Hotel / your credit card was swiped ?
A very useful information.
Always take a small magnet on your holiday; they come in handy at the end of it.
Thought you all needed to know this
This is pretty good info. Never even thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for the room!
HOTEL KEY CARDS
Fun In Frustration
“To bind Him should have required only a rope not more than two feet long. All the ropes in the house combined together might have been hundreds of feet long, but still He was impossible to bind, for all the ropes together were still too short. Naturally mother Yashoda and her gopi friends thought, ‘How is this possible?’ Seeing this funny affair, all of them were smiling.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.9.17 Purport)
What is it like to be liberated? Enlightenment is the pinnacle of thought because of the influence it has on behavior. An enlightened individual isn’t sad over the loss of a job, the sudden downturn in the economy, or the onset of the winter season. By the same token, the truly wise don’t offer too much elation when something good happens, when something they know is only temporary should arrive and bring others so much excitement that they can’t explain it. For the spirit soul transcending the influence of the senses, there is one more step to go, one more hill to climb. In that highest state of liberation, wherein one happily falls victim to the influence of sharanagati, there is all sorts of activity with variety, but instead of bringing about a temporarily painful or pleasurable state, or even a neutral indifference, there is pure elation.
How does this work exactly? How can we say that one kind of elation is different from another? We actually see examples of this all the time. The elation and misery involved in the progression towards a culminating state are different from those temporary ups and downs that have no bearing on anything. For instance, if I’m frustrated from studying for an exam that I must pass in order to complete a certain course, that pain will prove to be beneficial if it forces me to study harder and do everything in my power to pass. On the other hand, if I’m frustrated over being unable to find a specific shirt to wear or the wallet I need for purchasing liquor, the frustration has no bearing on an ultimate progression.
It is for this reason that the Vedas, the oldest system of spirituality in existence, put behavior into three different categories. In goodness, the highest mode, all work is done under the umbrella of knowledge gathering, wherein the individual gradually learns how to see the difference between matter and spirit and their position transcendental to the ever-changing external nature. In passion, one works very hard to get a temporary reward that does not bring lasting happiness. Along the way there could be ups and downs and in the end the fruit is not guaranteed to manifest on time. Throughout the process the living being remains tied to the idea that they are their body, which is an indication of illusion.
Picture identifying yourself as a child throughout your life. As a fully grown adult you get up in the morning to watch Sesame Street or some other children’s program. In the afternoon you go out to play on the fields and at night you wait for your parents to set dinner out on the table. The next day you repeat the cycle again, not taking advantage of your adult form. Obviously the incorrect identification as a child is the cause of your misfortune.
In the larger picture, the living being’s ignorance of his true position as pure spirit leads to pain and misery not only in this life, but in future ones as well. The next life is sort of like a new day, as the passage of time has no bearing on the properties of spirit. Through the passage of time the flower may wilt away and die, but the spark of life within it, the spirit soul, is always the source of identification. When the external form decays and eventually dies, the spirit soul gets placed into a new body to begin the cycle again.
“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22)
In the lowest mode of activity, there is not even a temporary fruit received. Rather, the behavior is considered stupid; it does not fulfill any tangible purpose. The individual remains in ignorance in the current life and in the next one as well. Think of driving drunk, going on a killing spree, or sleeping throughout the day. These behaviors don’t further any purpose, though in illusion the bewildered soul may think that they do.
The height of practicing the mode of goodness is the realization of Brahman, which is the impersonal spiritual force. Think of every life form that you see and what makes up its identity. Then take all those individuals and group them into a collection. That whole energy is known as Brahman, and it is very difficult to see, sort of like looking at a large number in its numeral representation without any commas. If you add some commas and take some time to study the same number, you can perhaps make out its value. The brahma-bhutah soul understands the essence of spirit and thus remains aloof to the temporary changes.
Yet this stage of liberation is not the end. The spirit soul has inherent properties, the foremost of which is its desire for ananda, or bliss. Brahman too has a source. Not surprisingly, the fountainhead of Brahman is also the reservoir of pleasure. The liberated soul cherishes this person’s association more than anyone else’s. From the knowledge of Brahman comes equanimity in demeanor, not being taken off of the righteous path regardless of what happens in external surroundings. However, in the highest state when connected with the source of Brahman, there is still activity. From activity come temporary results, so that should bring the individual back into the trap of acceptance and rejection, no? Ah, but the nature of the rewards is different. Both frustration and victory have the same effect for the spirit soul connected with the reservoir of pleasure.
An example is always helpful in this situation. To see how even frustration is pleasurable to the liberated soul, we can go back to a famous incident that occurred in the courtyard of a cowherd woman named Yashoda. This event took place some five thousand years ago in the farm community of Vrindavana, so the people were generally more pious than they are today. As further time elapses from the beginning of creation, dharma, or virtue, represented as a table or stool loses its legs. In the beginning it stands on all four legs, but with the passage of time dharma dwindles to the point that it only stands on one leg, as is the case today.
On this day Yashoda was involved in punishing her young son. In defiance, in anger over her having gotten up to tend to boiling milk in the kitchen, the son purposefully broke a pot of butter and then took some of the goods to a neighboring room. He ate some of the butter that was so difficult to churn and then also shared some with the monkeys. When Yashoda found out what happened, she chased her son with a whipping stick, finally catching Him.
The boy cried crocodile tears of remorse, and to make sure that He didn’t run away, the mother decided to tie Him to a mortar. This should have been a pretty simple chore. The boy was rather small and the mother was a mature adult. Yet after the first attempt, the rope came up two finger widths short. Okay, so this means that the rope was just too short. Not a big deal; you just get another rope to compensate for the short length. Adding another rope, Yashoda began tying again. Uh oh. The same problem. The rope was just short by the same length. She kept trying rope after rope and each time the problem was the same.
Now, normally this frustration would not be pleasurable. The child needed to be punished and something strange was occurring to stop it from happening. Yet mother Yashoda was smiling after each failure, as were the neighboring cowherd women watching the apparent magic. They didn’t step up to show the mother how to correct the situation, for they were enjoying this display from her young son. You see He had this effect on people and situations. The many nefarious characters that had come to Vrindavana to kill the boy could not escape with their lives intact. Though they were much more powerful than Yashoda’s son, they could not kill Him as they were ordered to do.
On this wonderful day the sweet child could not be tied up, no matter how hard Yashoda tried. Since the boy that was caught was the reservoir of pleasure, the source of Brahman, the connection with Him in love was on the highest platform of activity, even above the mode of goodness. This automatically made Yashoda and her friends liberated souls, the most enlightened. Though they weren’t outwardly acknowledged as such, since they got to interact with the young boy in this way, they felt the bliss that can only come through God’s association.
In this liberated state, even the frustration of being unable to tie Him up brought Yashoda and others so much pleasure. That same happiness is available to every person should they harbor the same level of affection for the young boy, who has an eternally existing form that is full of bliss and knowledge. His sach-chid-ananda-vigraha can be worshiped with the mind through thoughts, with the body through offerings to the deity, and with words through the regular recitation of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.
So what would happen? Would Yashoda’s son named Krishna get away? The Lord can never be caught by yoga, austerity, sacrifice, or knowledge alone. Only through love will He agree to be caught, to stay within the vision of the people who truly relish it. Therefore He allowed Yashoda to finally tie Him up, to perform her motherly duties with dedication. Whether He was playing with His friends, breaking pots of butter, sneaking into the neighbors’ homes to steal their food, or frustrating His mother by making the rope always too short, Krishna was a delight to everyone. With connection to Him through the discipline of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, even frustration turns into fun.
In Closing:
Yashoda’s naughty son is on the run,
Chasing after Him for mother good fun.
Breaking pot of butter He did something bad,
But deep down the affectionate mother was glad.
Chase reached culmination when Krishna was caught,
For tying Him up to mortar Yashoda brought.
Despite best efforts, rope was short on its reach,
Through this magic God divine lessons did teach.
Only through divine love this delight can you find,
Worship Him with body, speech and mind.
All about a boy..
I think everyone might have read abt Mom's, Wife's and Girl's...
Its time to learn something abt Men...
A boy/man is one of the most beautiful creations of God.
Later, he sacrifices his love for just a smile on his parent's face. He sacrifices his love for his wife and children by working late nights.
He builds their future by taking loans from banks and then repaying them for a lifetime. Thus he sacrifices full youth for his wife and children without any complaints.
Believe me he struggles a lot but still has to hear the music (scolding) of Mother, wife and his boss. Yet every mother, wife and boss tries to have control over him.
Finally his life ends up by compromising for others happiness. He is that creature of God with whom no one can compete.
Respect every boy/man in your life. You will never know what he has sacrificed for you.
Just extend your hand when he needs it
Saturday, March 17, 2012
சிந்தனை செய் மனமே
 வேலைகளுக்கு நடுவே நாம் ஏதாவது எண்ணிக்கொண்டேதான் இருப்போம். அவை எண்ணங்கள். நான் சொல்வது, ஓய்வாக அமர்ந்து நமக்கு நாமேமனத்துக்குள் விவாதம் நடத்துவது; 'சிந்தனை'. எதைப் பற்றியாவது கேள்வி கேட்டு, உங்கள் மூளையைக் குடையுங்கள். நீங்களே வியக்கும் வண்ணம், பல புதிய விஷயங்கள், சிந்தனைகள் உங்கள் கபாலத்தை நிரப்பும். ஏதோ ஓர் அலைவரிசை உங்களுக்குள் புதிதாய் பிறக்கும். சிந்தித்ததால் அசோகன் மனிதம் காத்தான், சித்தார்த்தன் புத்தன் ஆனான். சிந்தித்ததால் யானை முகன் ஞானப் பழம் வென்றான். சிந்தனை ஞானம் கொடுக்கும் சரி... அதை வைத்துக்கொண்டு 'புளியங்காய்' கூட வாங்க இயலாது... ஆமாம்! ஆமாம்.... வாங்க முடியாது.... உற்பத்தி செய்யலாம்...! சிந்தனை வேறு என்ன தரும்? அது உங்களை வித்தியாசப்படுத்திக் காட்டும். வழக்கமான முறையில் அல்லாமல், புதிய வழியில் செயலாற்றி, மற்றவரை வியப்பில் ஆழ்த்துவீர். ஒரு துணுக்கு: ஒரு அலுவலகத்தில் வேலைக்கான ஒரு நேர்காணலில், மேலாளர் கேட்கிறார் - "what is before you?" ஒருவன் சொன்னான் - காபி மற்றொருவன் சொன்னான் - காபி மூன்றாமவன் சொன்னான் - டீ எல்லோரும் சிரித்தார்கள். ஏனென்றால் காபி தானே பரிமாரப்பட்டது. வியப்பாக, 'டீ' என்று சொன்னவன் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டான். எப்படி? ஆங்கில எழுத்து வரிசையான 'a,b,c,d' யில் 'U' விற்கு முன் 'T' தானே!!!! இந்தச் சாதுர்யம், பக்குவம், யோசனையெல்லாம், நீங்கள் அன்றாடம் சிறந்த புத்தகங்களை, கருத்துகளை, நிகழ்வுகளை படித்துத் தெரிந்து, கேட்டு, பின்பு நன்கு ஆய்ந்து உங்கள் கபாலத்தில் போட்டு வைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். தேவைப்படும் பொழுது தட்டித் திறந்துகொள்ளலாம். சிந்தனை நம்மை மனிதன் ஆக்குகிறது. செய்யும் பணியில் கவனம் செலுத்த உதவுகிறது, வெற்றிக்கு வழிவகுக்கிறது. நேரம் கிடைக்கும் போதெல்லாம் சிந்தித்துக்கொண்டே இருங்கள். அன்புடன் சவிதா |
அருமையான அம்மாவும்.......... அருமையான மனைவியும் ...
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Friday, March 16, 2012
Study suggests motivation to be active may lead to impulsive behavior
A new study finds that those primed with words suggesting action are more likely to make impulsive decisions than those primed with words suggesting they pause, stop or rest. Credit: Wordle
Those motivated to actively change bad habits may be setting themselves up for failure, a new study suggests.
The study, described in an article in the journal Motivation and Emotion, found that people primed with words suggesting action were more likely than others to make impulsive decisions that undermined their long-term goals. In contrast, those primed to "rest," to "stop" or to be inactive found it easier to avoid impulsive decisions.
"Popular views of self-control maintain that individuals should 'exert' willpower, 'fight' temptations, 'overcome' desires and 'control' impulses when they want to successfully control their own behavior," said University of Illinois graduate student Justin Hepler, who led the study with psychology professor Dolores Albarracín. "Ironically, in these situations people are often 'fighting' to do nothing – for example, they want to not eat a piece of cake."
"Those who try to be active may make wild, risky investments, for example, and persist in behaviors that clearly make them unsuccessful," Albarracín said.
Hepler, Albarracín and colleagues at Idaho State University and the University of Southern Mississippi wanted to determine whether successful self-control involves the active, effortful pursuit of one's goals, as some researchers have proposed, or whether one is more likely to succeed by "delay(ing) behavior until sufficient pre-action information processing has occurred," as others suggest, the researchers wrote.
In a first experiment, the researchers exposed volunteer participants to words suggesting action ("start," "active," etc.) or inaction ("stop," "pause," etc.) and then tested their self-control by measuring their willingness to forego an immediate monetary reward in exchange for a larger, later one. A second experiment also primed participants with action and inaction words and then tested their impulse control on a simple computer game.
In both experiments, volunteers who were motivated to be active were more likely to select immediate rewards and had poorer impulse control than those who had been primed with words suggesting inaction, the researchers found.
"Overall, these experiments demonstrate that attempting to motivate oneself to be active in the face of temptations may actually lead to impulsive behaviors," Hepler said. "On the other hand, becoming motivated for inaction or calming oneself down may be the best way to avoid impulsive decisions."
"Of course, inaction words like 'stop' may induce effort directed at decreasing undesirable behavior," Albarracín said. "But these inaction words have been shown to relax individuals, and our research suggests that the relaxed state is better at inhibiting the pull of temptations."
More information: The paper, "Being Active and Impulsive: The Role of Goals for Action and Inaction in Self-Control," is available online.
Provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"Study suggests motivation to be active may lead to impulsive behavior." March 14th, 2012. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-impulsive-behavior.html
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek
Robert Karl Stonjek
Facts on Brhaspati or Jupiter - Effects in the 12 Houses
Brhaspati in the Ascendant/1st House
Jove or Brhaspti in the Ascendant makes one scholarly, beautiful, jovial. Jovian influence on the First House endows one with majestic appearance, magnetic personality, learning and wisdom. High longevity is conferred by Jovian presence in the First. Scholarship will grace in no uncertain measure. Will be respected by the multitude. Will be handsome and will have a high discriminative intellect.
Brhaspati in the 2nd House
In the second Jove bestows poetic faculties, handsomeness, wealth and fame. Will have the gift of the gab or the divine gift of articulate speech. Will speak beautifully. Will have scholarship and learning. The wisdom planet in the house of speech makes one scholarly.
Brhaspati in the 3rd House
Brhaspati in the 3rd makes one miserly and not an altruist. Will have to face many a defeat. Will have bad relations with brothers and sisters. Will be the subject of ridicule. Will have stomach problems.
Brhaspati in the 4th House
Jovian tenancy of the fourth makes one hedonistic with a lot of friends and relatives. Will be fortunate with respect to house. Your fame will cross the seas and spread all over the land. Will be of adamantine nature. Will enjoy all the comforts of life.
Brhaspati in the 5th House
High intelligence is conferred by the position of Jupiter in the fifth. Wealth will grace you in no uncertain measure. May be worried due to children. Will be versatile. Jupiter in one of the moral triangles can make one highly moral and spiritual.
Brhaspati in the 6th House
Brhaspati in the sixth is the destroyer of enemies. Will be lazy and physically weak. May resort to occult rites.
Brhaspati in the 7th House
Will be equivalent to a king as the royal planet of Wisdom becomes posited in a quadrant. Will destroy millions of afflictions. Will have high communication ability. Scholarly, a lover of poetry, handsome, will be more liberal than the father, famous with good life-partner and children-these are the effects of a benign Jove in the seventh.
Brhaspati in the 8th House
This adverse position of Jupiter makes one dependent on others, will do sinful acts, will have high longevity, will be well liked by all, will do jobs on behalf of others, will be highly determined & will be interested in base women.
Brhaspati in the 9th House
Jovian tenancy of the Ninth makes one highly spiritual. Will have devotion to preceptors, will be scholarly and well informed, will be of ministerial cadre, will be famous & will be highly moral and ethical.
Brhaspati in the 10th House
This benign position of Jupiter makes one well off in life. Will be equivalent to a lord, will be famous with comforts, vehicles and children, will be virtuous, scholarly and fortunate.
Brhaspati in the 11th House
Jupiter well posited in the eleventh makes one highly determined, scholarly with good longevity, with multiple streams of income, famous and with a lot of conveyances.
Brhaspati in the 12th House
In the adverse 12th, Jupiter makes one devoid of happiness, sons & fortune. Earlier wealth gets destroyed. Will be lacking in funds most of the time. Will be lazy and will lack proper education. Will be ridiculed by many. Will have dubious character.
In summary the facts on Jupiter or Brhaspati and its influences on the twelve houses points to strengths and weaknesses to help you better understand individual horoscopes.
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