An Indian was accompanying two Blacks (foreign tourists) who were travelling to different places in India. They were curious to know about Indian Gods, sincere prayers and wishes coming true. They happened to visit a temple in a CAVE. The pujari narrated the "Sthala Puran" i.e. about the idol and the beliefs connected with that place. 

The Blacks wanted to experiment. The pujari said "Please close your eyes and pray sincerely. Your wish will definitely come true!" 

The first Black gentleman prayed in a loud voice, " Oh Indian God. Please make me a fair individual. I don't want to remain a Black". 

A voice from the back ground said, "THATHASTHU" (in english " MAY YOUR WISH COME TRUE") Fair enough...The wish was granted! 

The second Black gentleman also wished for the same. And what a surprise! His wish too was granted. 

Now the pujari asked the Indian who accompanied them to make a wish. He was in a dilemma. He started thinking and had doubts about all this. After thinking for a while he decided  "this is my country's prestige issue. If this does not actually happen then they will lose faith. So let me wish for something which will save my country's image, just in case". 

He prayed loudly. "Hey. Bhagwaan. Ye donon ko phir se kaale bana dena." "Oh God. Please make them Black again". 

hahahaha.... 

Friends...how is that? Actually I viewed this in the laughter challenge. But the person who shared this expressed differently. His version was that, the Indian could not tolerate the Blacks becoming Fair. 

Some how I could not digest it.   No No. The Indians cannot be and must not be so mean and selfish. We are known for our hospitality, love and compassion. Let us depict good things, even if it is a joke! 

Cheers. 

Chitra.

Man is endowed with the capacity of imagination. Most of the problems arise because of the wrong use of this faculty, habitually. It is common in most of us to indulge what is kite-flying, day dreaming and meaningless speculations of various sorts. Our expectations, may be imaginary, bring us nothing but disappointments. Our fears may be baseless but they cause genuine trepidation in our heart.  We make unreal things real for ourselves and become victims of worries and concerns. This becomes a habit for some and then it is very difficult to control the mind. One has to get out of this habit. This story can give some important clue. It is told by a great spiritual leader.

A somewhat inebriated gentleman was slowly moving along a street carrying a box with perforations on the lid and sides of the box. It appeared as if he was carrying some live animal. An acquaintance stopped him and asked, “What is it that you have in the box?”

“It is a mongoose”, replied the tipsy man.

“What on earth for?”

“Well you know how it is with me; I am not really drunk now, but soon I shall be. And when I am, I see snakes all around and I get awfully scared. That is why I am having a mongoose, to protect me from the snakes!”

“Good heavens. Those are all imaginary snakes!”

“This also is an imaginary mongoose!” 

You know what, the box was actually empty!

Similarly we require one imagination to counter act another. We require a right imagination to throw out the wrong ones. Swami Vivekananda teaches: “Imagination properly employed is our greatest friend; it goes beyond reason and is the only light that takes us everywhere. The purest of imaginations is the thought of God. The more we cling to it the less will be our troubles!

Please try it...it works...really!

Wish you all for right imaginations...

Keep smiling.

Chitra. 

Once upon a time there lived a young man. 
This young man wanted to achieve 
quick progress in life.  He went 
to a Sage 
and expressed his wish.  The Sage smiled 
and gave him two coins and 
advised him 
to drop them one after another
 and achieve 
whatever he wants!

The youth became very happy 
and overjoyed at the prospect of 
achieving success just by asking a Sage,
 so easily, ran away before
 the Sage could even explain
 him further.   

He dropped one coin at a 
particular place and wow!
 a beautiful chariot with 
a board "ACTION" along 
with an invitation appeared! The excited 
young man jumped on to it and
 what's this...??? 
It shot into the space 
at a terrific speed.  

Puzzled he held the side 
support tightly and suddenly 
realised that the chariot did 
not have a steering wheel !  

The man did enjoy the speed 
for a while and also the journey 
but as the speed increased 
and increased...
he started becoming nervous.  

At a certain point of time he did
 not understand what was happening.  
He became panicky.
 Where was he going? 
What was the destination?
 Whether he would land somewhere or not? 
He was frightened.

 He started searching frantically
 for some means, to stop the chariot. 
Somehow he could locate a small button 
written "STOP" above it! 

Thank God ! Hurriedly 
he pressed it harder hoping and praying 
that the chariot would stop. Finally, 
the chariot stopped and dropped 
to the ground The young man 
jumped out of it with and 
heaved a sigh of relief.

The youth was exhusted by 
the tiring trip but, once he 
regained his energy and
 enthusiasm he thought may be 
the other coin will help him 
achieve the goal. He dropped 
the other coin. 

This time another
 beautiful chariot appeared. It was almost 
similar and with a board " In-action" 
and again with an invitation !  
Now that he has experienced 
something he jumped into the 
chariot with lots of hope 
and anticipation.  

But this experience was even 
more surprising.   
This time the chariot stood still !
 Everything else around him 
started revolving!  The speed 
of things which rotated around 
was so much, that he could 
not see anything clearly!  

The panaroma was not clear 
and was dazed.  He did not 
know what to do. However 
hard he tried he could not grasp 
anything at all. Vexed and disappointed
 he again looked for the 
" STOP " button and pressed it. 
The revolving panaroma stopped 
completely and he 
jumped out of the chariot.

He ran to the Sage 
utterly disappointed and expressed 
his anxiety and returned 
both the coins saying that 
he could not achieve any progress and 
they were of no use, to him.

"My dear son",  the Sage said,
 "Most of the young people 
suffer like you.  You want every 
thing the moment you seek for it. 

Some of you think that 
by unceasing activity you can achieve 
progress while some others 
think that by not acting 
they can achieve progress !
 But please know that, by action 
alone one cannot achieve progress 
and similarly in-action alone 
also will not help 
achieve progress. 

All actions are non-actions.  
They should be motivated by a purpose. 
A procedure should be followed.  
One should strive to the 
desired level and wait with patience 
and perseverance.  They should 
find support in reason 
and sustenance in reasonableness.  

When these guidelines 
coupled with discretion, 
promote action or in-action 
they lead to worldly 
success or to spiritual progress. 
Action or in-action 
without purpose and perseverance 
is like a vehicle 
without steering wheel ! 
We know very well the purpose 
of the steering wheel for a vehicle!

So....Karmanye vaadhikaarasye....

Keep striving with a smile.....
Chitra. 

There is always a reason to laugh and a reason not to laugh. The choice is ours. Laughter is very good for health. Numerous studies, articles and stories have explained how people used laughter to treat people from serious ailments like high blood pressure, stress etc. It boosts the immune system and adds years to our life. Laughter is a medicine. It is more important than money. 

Those who know how to use humour effectively usually know how to persuade others. It can be used as a tool in defusing any potentially troublesome situation. Laughing has the power to change one’s life, to make things seen in the right perspective and allows us to keep going. It has the power to move us, inspire us, heal us and also to change those around us well, for the better!

It is fun to be around people who laugh a lot. Laughter is infectious. It spreads easily and a tense situation can be converted quite effortlessly to an amusing one and it can also lit up the serious faces instantly. Humour filled people are upbeat and positive. Such people are not discouraging and judgmental. Laughter brightens our good times and lightens our heavy times. It is the life of a party!

Humour can be taught while children are young. It is a very valuable lesson. A small e.g. A father observes that his daughter was overpacking for a short stay. He had to stop her from doing that for so many reasons. Instead of telling his feelings on the face he looked at her sadly. The girl wondered at his expression and asked “What happened dad?” “Nothing dear. I thought you were moving out”. She laughed immediately and realized her folly.

Now a days many laughter techniques are being adopted by all those who realize the importance of it. It is used as a therapy. People’s awareness has increased. Laughter is accorded prime place and the media viz. Radio, TV and Cinema has adopted the theory of including laughter in daily life. We must make it a habit to include laughter at least on one occasion or two daily, to keep fit. Laughter must be a part of our diet.

So what are you waiting for? Laugh to your heart’s content. Don’t laugh at some one, Laugh WITH them.

Laugh when:

ľ There is nothing you can do but laugh
ľ One or both of you do not understand what to do next
ľ One of you have an overriding urge to shout or yell at the other
ľ We need to positively pre set our mind to handle a negative situation
ľ When we need a safety valve to help heal the hurts of grief!

Laughter is the best medicine. Whatever we do let us learn to laugh at life !

Here’s a bonus. ( I am repeating this because it definitely makes one laugh. Those who have already read…please enjoy again…No alternative…)
Hahahaha…

Before & After marriage ! 

BEFORE MARRIAGE 

He: Yes at last. It was so hard to wait.
She: Do you want to leave me?
He: No. Don't even think about it.
She: Do you love me?
He: Of course.
She: Have you ever cheated on me?
He: No. Why are you even asking me?
She: Will you kiss me?
He: Yes.
She: Will you hit me?
He: No way! I'm not such a kind of person.
She: Can I trust you?

Now AFTER MARRIAGE.....
You can read it from bottom to top !!!

Keep laughing. 

Laugh for a lively life !

Chitra.

Hi.

Good Day to one and all.

Imagine how very much more effective your work would be if it was done with sincere joy in your heart. Consider how much more richly you could relate with others if you consistently did so from a perspective of joy. Peace of mind is not the absense of conflict from life but the ability to cope with it. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.  Nothing at all but the triumph of principles. 

Be nice to people on the way up - because you will meet them on the way down, as well. 

Before you criticise some one you should walk a mile in their shoes! That way when you criticise them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes!

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future.  By living your life one day at a time you live all the days of your life!

Do not be afraid to encounter risk. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not be afraid to fail because only through failures you learn to succeed.

God gives every bird it's food.  But he does not throw it into it's nest.

For every minute you remain angry you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind!

If we did all the things that we are capable of doing, then we would literally astound ourselves!


Cheers. Keep smiling. Fake it till you make it!

Chitra.