EDITORS' NOTE Ayushi Mrigen | Naitik Jain In today’s busy world, one doesn’t have the time to take care of one’s own health. Depression has become a common term, and people are increasingly complaining about the rapid rise in the economic polarisation of the world, and the lack of wealth in the country.
These problems have plagued today’s society, and we have been looking for solutions to the same, hoping someone comes in and solves our problems. However, what we don’t realise is that we are the ones who are in the best position to solve these problems, as these problems are our own. We must understand that self help is still the best form of help, and that an individual who relies on himself to solve his problems is always happier than one who doesn’t.
Health is paramount in an individual's life, and people today are increasingly neglecting simple yet effective habits that lead to a significant improvement in one’s health. With better health comes better efficiency, which leads to an increase in one’s wealth. However, only hard work cannot lead to one’s wealth reaching its maximum potential. Therefore, it becomes imperative to understand how to utilise one’s wealth in order to maximise the same.
Happiness is the factor that ties an individual to his activities and society. People strive to become happier and more successful individuals, yet often opt for delayed gratification, sometimes culminating in no gratification at all. Therefore, it is necessary for one to enjoy life as it comes, and to be happy in all the little moments of life!
Through Health, Wealth and Happiness, we hope to spread this message of self help and growth of happiness across society. We aim to make people increasingly self reliant, and help them understand the value of the little joys of life. Each of our articles carries a lesson that helps people develop their inner self and personality, and become healthier, wealthier and happier.
The authors of each article come from a vast spectrum of wakes and spheres of life, and are aged from seventeen to seventy! This diverse a take on various topics culminates in a unified aim to aid the reader attain a better lifestyle, and be successful personally, professionally and socially.
We hope that you, the readers, enjoy reading this magazine, learn from it and apply the same in various spheres of life!
Stay Healthy, Wealthy and Happy!!
Ayushi Mrigen
Naitik Jain Find the e-version of the magazine, visit www.investmentyojna.com. For suggestions and feedback, please write to hwh@investmentyojna.com.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
CONTENTS
The Secret to Happy Relationships Page 25
Something For Everyone: The Alchemist Page 28
Being Wise MoneyWise Page 18
Financial planning for mid 20s Page 22
The Joy of Serving Page 31
The Pursuit of Happiness Page 34
"Gharelu Nuskhe" Page 15
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Systematic Investment Plan Why SIP? Page 24
Yoga At Home Suryanamaskar Page 11
The Power of Good Habits Page 3
The Tools of Healthy Parenting Page 6
Why Deadly Diseases Aren't That Deadly Page 9
The Power of Good Habits
Dharmkant Jha
THE POWER OF GOOD HABITS About the Author: A retired manager from Tata Motors, Dharmkant Jha is the one of the most active and organised people you shall meet. He has never let his age become a barrier to his activities, and despite being 77 years of age, he has maintained the routine of regular yoga and exercise. He has always stayed away from popping pills and tablets, or what he calls 'Angrezi' medicine. A believer of Ayurveda, he has always used indigenous techniques to address ailments, and the result has been a perfectly healthy and active person. A perfectionist by nature, he has always ensured that he does every task completely and well. He is also a huge fan of the Indian Cricket Team and of the Indian National Congress. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ A healthy person is one who not only has a fit body, but also a healthy mind. It is also believed that a healthy mind can reside only in a healthy body. Our perception of health is a compilation of all the knowledge gained from our childhood. Therefore, if inculcated from one’s childhood, healthy habits become an integral part of life.
Fortunately, I spent my childhood in a village, where all the healthy habits for both the mind and the body prevailed. Any child in my village was deemed to have a strong and a fit body, owing to the presence of numerous opportunities to provide ample exercise to his body on a daily basis. Throughout my childhood, I went to school on foot, along with my friends. Every job required a lot of strength in the body, something which children in the cities miss to gain. I Any child in my village was deemed to have a spent my early days playing games like Kabaddi, Football, Wrestling and strong and a fit body, swimming in ponds.
owing to the presence Another important benefit of growing up in a village was that I always ate of numerous healthy food. I used to love to eat the corn grown in our fields, with natural opportunities to manure, devoid of all chemical fertilizers. Every season had its own variety of provide ample fruits to offer. We had access to plenty of fruits like Mangoes, Jamun, Banana, exercise to his body Guava etc. The prevalence of religion also added to the discipline inculcated in on a daily basis.. the children’s lifestyle. For example, in my village, it was an unsaid rule that if a child does any wrong out of the house, any senior person of the village could prevent him from doing so. Hence, as a kid, I was always careful with my manners and behaviour and never ventured into anything wrong. Little things, like the existence of a Ram temple in my village, where my father used to worship regularly, and the play of ‘Ram Lila’ every year imprinted a religious temper in me. In my later life, these religious thoughts acted as a pillar of strength.
On the completion of my studies, I joined Tata Motors. I spent most of my life in Jamshedpur, leaving it only upon my retirement. The food habits from my village continued to be a part of my life. On a typical day, my food routine consisted of ‘Chura-Dahi’ as breakfast. I had rice and dal for lunch, accompanied typically by a green vegetable and curd. For the evening snacks, I had ‘ankurit chana’ along with flat fried rice, and a green vegetable along with a chapatti made of mixed grains for dinner. Surprisingly, my meals remain exactly the same even till date. Additionally, I have always been fond of seasonal fruits and made it a point to have them regularly. A sherbet made of ‘Bel’ was my favourite while it Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Power of Good Habits
Dharmkant Jha
was available. I always avoided eating oily food, or any kind of food which would not agree with my stomach. As my work required me to reach the office early, I could not exercise in the morning on my office days. However, I made it a point to spend an hour in the evening exercising. Initially, I would follow the routine that I used to follow in my village. However, a few years later, a yoga trainer came to my colony in Jamshedpur, who trained us for fifteen days. The yoga taught by him has been a part of my daily routine ever since, and continues to stay with me even today, at the age of seventy seven. Later, I also learnt pranayama from yoga guru Ramdev, which I now practice regularly. After my retirement, I developed a lot of interest in the field of naturopathy and yoga. I remember witnessing an experiment by a naturopath in Chicago. He said that if our body is healthy, no bacteria can affect us. He then drank a notable amount of liquid containing the cholera virus, which had no effect to his body. I devoured a number of books on the subject, thus enhancing my knowledge in the field. There is a famous saying in Ayurveda: “Pet saaf, Bimari saaf. Pair garam, pet naram, sir thanda. Vaidya aawe to maaro danda.”
I remember praying to Lord Ram, to now erase ‘Foundry technology’ from my mind and fill that space with devotion towards Him
Post my retirement, I was offered a job. However, I wanted to live a religious and healthy life, so I politely declined the offer. In fact, I remember praying to Lord Ram, to now erase ‘Foundry technology’ from my mind and fill that space with devotion towards Him. Despite being a retired professional, the span of twenty four hours seems less for me. I hardly get five hours of sleep a day. At this age, besides sleep, maintaining a healthy body takes up a lot of my time. Early in the morning, I spend seventy minutes in my yoga and pranayama. Additionally, I walk for an hour in the morning while plucking flowers for my pooja, and an hour in the evening, while going to the nearby temple and the adjoining vegetable market. Following the walk in the morning, I do my pooja, and finally have my breakfast sharp at 10:30 a.m. Most of my day is then spent reading religious books, along with magazines like Kalyan and Nirogdham that educate me more on Ayurveda. On the television, I often watch historical or religious shows, along with the news. I have ensured that I spend my life post retirement enhancing my knowledge.
The question now remains: What is a healthy mind? There are several ways to describe a healthy mind. According to me, “Man par vijay” or the victory over mind constitutes of winning over the six deformities of mind: “Kam, Krodh, Mad, Lobh, Moh and Matsar”. These deformities translate to the following chain of thought:
● He has. Why don’t I have?
● Hence, I desire.
● Hence, I get attached to my desire.
● The attachment transforms to anger if I don’t get it.
● Finally, I begin thinking ill of others.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Power of Good Habits
Dharmkant Jha
All these things affect both the body and the mind, and people end up wasting a lot of energy due to them. By conquering these, the mind is led to positive thinking, thus leading to a healthy body and a healthy mind.
As I child, I used to see the Bhagwada Gita as only a religious book. However, when I read it, I realised that it teaches more on lifestyle than on religion. I also believe that virtues have an important role to play in ensuring good health. The thinking of a person is believed to be a culmination of the mind set acquired in a number of births. A person can overcome all the negative qualities in him only through self actualization.
From all that I have done in my life, I have realised two very important things. First, it is essential to keep your heart and mind clean. Second, one should do one’s duty without worrying about the reward. The final reward is always in the hands of God. According to the Bhagavad Gita: “Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana.”
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Tools of Healthy Parenting
Nisha Mishra
THE TOOLS OF HEALTHY PARENTING About the Author: A super mom by day and an artist by night, Nisha Mrigen is a highly talented individual who is still in touch with her creative self. Specialising in Madhubani paintings, she has impressed one and all with her works. Besides being an amazing cook who loves to make continental cuisines, she also loves to design clothes and is an amazing interior decorator, which one realises as soon as one visits her home. She believes in keeping herself busy at all times, as is evident from her active participation in the Art of Living foundation. She is in also in charge of an Art of Living Center co-founded by her, where she regularly organises courses that enable people to become better individuals form within. Her belief is that the learning process never stops, and she leads by example here, trying to learn as much as she can not just from books and magazines, but from experiences in life! _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Fitness, both physical and mental, is desired by one and all. No one likes illness and disease. However, we need to understand that just like any other machine, our body demands a lot of maintenance, and it works properly only if it is nurtured properly. A lot of us understand this and are ready to provide the required amount of attention to our body by following the ‘right way of living’. However, we either do not understand what this ‘right way’ is, or are apprehensive of its difficulty. These lessons, sadly, are not taught in schools, and there has been very limited discussion about it in the past.
Good food and the right amount of rest are the two pillars of good health. When a child is born, the responsibility of inculcating good food habits and a proper routine in him falls on his parents. Thus, it is imperative for today's youth to understand the right way of living. The generations before us had a relatively simpler life. People ate healthy food and made sure that their sleep cycle was well maintained. However, in today's rat race, it has become a gargantuan task to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The plethora of junk food available, the lack of time to cook healthy food at home, and the compulsion to work late into the night make life difficult for today's youngsters. Moreover, when they go on to become parents, it gets impossible for them to understand what the child’s body requires. The catchy advertisements for packed food that promise a variety of nutrients for their child look like an easy choice to them. They convince themselves that the food is healthy for their child, and conveniently close their eyes to the known side-effects of such packaged food. Moreover, the bandwagon effect prevails, and in this confusion of what is right and what is wrong, people often tend to follow the crowd blindly.
The generations before us had a relatively simpler life. People ate healthy food and made sure that their sleep cycle was well maintained...
We therefore need to ask ourselves whether it is possible for parents to maintain a healthy lifestyle for their child in a time when children have their own demands for the kind of food they want, and parents are busy in their careers. The answer, surprisingly, is yes. A balance is achievable, if the parents put a little effort in Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Tools of Healthy Parenting
Nisha Mishra
understanding the effects of small changes in the habits of the child in the early stages of the child's development.
The first important habit to be inculcated in a child, is that of a good night’s sleep. It has been proven scientifically that maintaining a proper sleep cycle makes a person more efficient. As a parent, it is important to ensure that the child sleeps on time and wakes up early, especially in his formative years. This may demand a modification in the parents' time table, but the inconvenience is worth the results attained. A child who is used to proper time tables at home, is likelier to follow a disciplined time table himself later in his life.
While retaining the old Indian healthy food habits is an impossibility in today’s day and age, we can try to do as much as our lifestyle allows us to..
The next habit is that of cleanliness. While most households today remain clean, it is also important to make the child understand the importance of keeping himself clean. A number of college students refrain from taking a bath daily, thus leading to a number of diseases. When a child is forced to brush his teeth and take a bath daily by his parents at home, he will later ensure that he does the same even when people around him do not. It is easiest to introduce these habits in the childhood of a person, and then they stick with him throughout his life. Also, it is the responsibility of the parent to make the child understand the significance behind him being forced to do these things. The child often won’t be convinced with the provided explanations at that point of time, but he will surely understand it later, when he needs it the most.
The third ingredient in the recipe of a healthy lifestyle is good food. While retaining the old Indian healthy food habits is an impossibility in today’s day and age, we can try ..a child is forced to brush his teeth and to do as much as our lifestyle allows us to. take a bath daily by However, we face a number of challenges in this his at home, he will regard. As discussed earlier, preserved and later ensure that he packaged food is tempting, not only for the kids does the same even but the parents as well. We cannot deny the when people around presence of easier options, but parents need to him do not go through the extra effort of providing what is good for the child. For example, a convenient tradition that exists among the youngsters today, is to prepare extra amount of food and consume it over a period of two-three days. While the body of adults can still adjust to this, stale food has a tremendous negative impact on a child’s body. The same goes with fertilisers and chemical
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Tools of Healthy Parenting
Nisha Mishra
pesticides. The existence of fruits and vegetables that contain these chemicals cannot be denied. However, if a parent takes the extra effort to buy organic food from a vendor, or to soak it in water for an extra hour and peel it completely before cooking, a lot of chemicals going inside his child’s body can be prohibited.
We live in an era where every kid likes food items like pasta, pizza and noodles. We cannot deny them all of this, in spite of understanding the deteriorating effects that these have on their health. Hence, the best that we can do is to prepare these dishes at home in a fashion that minimises the harms. A few tricks that can be used are: adding extra chopped vegetables on the pizza, using Atta noodles instead of the standard Maida noodles, frying items in less oil, and so on. Another thing that can be done is dressing the healthy food items in ways that look appealing to the kids. Salad should be a compulsory ingredient with every meal. While salads contain a lot of minerals and roughage, they can also be made extremely colourful and tasty, something that every child will relish. For lunches and dinners, every household with kids can follow a simple rule: while one dish will be prepared according to what the child wants, the other will be a healthy dish according to the parent’s choice. When a child is given a healthy dish, along with his favourite dish, he will not feel cheated and eventually will develop a taste for the healthy dish as well. Growing children need a large amount of proteins. This needs to be kept in mind while designing a balanced diet for them.
Another important problem, particularly in Indian households is that parents feel that the amount of food that they give to their child should be proportional to their love for him. As a result, many kids develop the habit of overeating in an early age! Also, due to a lack of playing grounds in the crowded cities of today, a lot of kids lack regular exercise. Parents too, in a bid to make their kid perform well in studies, readily substitute their playing hours with additional academic hours. Hence, obesity at a very young age has become a problem. As parents, we need to understand that if a child’s body is not healthy in his early years, it can not be healthy later on. We need to understand the importance of small things, like an hour of outdoor games daily, which helps in building up the child’s stamina. It is also important to take some time out to play with our children as kids. The kids of today have a variety of options like video games and computer games to substitute outdoor games. The absence of outdoor games not only results in a bad physique but also stunts mental growth.
We need to understand the importance of small things, like an hour of o u t d o o r g a m e s d a i l y, which helps in building up the child’s stamina. It is also important to take some time out to play with our children as kids.
While we as adults understand the importance of keeping healthy from our past experiences, we need to ensure that our children understand the same. Regular discussions on this topic by the entire family, on the dining table, is very important. Teaching our kids a healthy lifestyle by setting good examples in front of them is essential if we want them to follow the same in the future. I remember that my father always ensured that all our meals contained a lot of green vegetables and informed us of the nutrients in each dish, while we ate. I found the discussions drudging at that time. However, now, every time I prepare a healthy meal for my children, those words come back to me. Also, because of developing the habit of eating green vegetables from the very beginning, even my kids accept the fact that they are beneficial to them and happily eat them!
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Why Deadly Diseases Aren't That Deadly.
Snigdha Komal
WHY DEADLY DISEASES AREN'T THAT DEADLY About the Author: The daughter of two doctors and a medical student at NRS medical college herself, Snigdha Komal aims to create a world free from all kinds of diseases once she becomes a doctor. Her parents being doctors led her to developing an innate sense of hygiene, which she not only pursues herself, but also passes on to people she knows. An excellent student academically, she believes that becoming a doctor is just the first step towards all the great things she wants to do in life. Once you meet her, you immediately know that Snigdha will go on to become an amazing doctor, given the perfect combination of intelligence and a gentle nature that she has. When she's not busy learning how to cure and treat people, she enjoys reading thrillers and sketching portraits. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ There is no time better to start living healthy than now. Health awareness is at an all time high. There are various health awareness and free medical aid camps being organised at various levels to motivate people to take up a healthy lifestyle. Health is not merely absence of diseases. It is the complete physical, mental and social well-being of an individual.
Keeping healthy has two important components - staying physically fit Obesity is the cause and disease free. Both of these can be achieved by practicing hygienic habits, of multiple other exercising regularly and eating healthy. These few simple steps can help our body diseases. It leads to avoid and overcome several diseases. A healthy person is many folds better and hypertension, liver more efficient than the ill counterparts. He will be able to give much more to the diseases and affects society by putting his capabilities to work maximally.
heart functions by However in developing countries, including India, there still remains a lot interfering with the that is to be worked upon and accomplished in this sphere. The dawn of the era blood flow. of a happy and healthy life for all is still a distant dream. Those who are facing economic challenges or living in rural setup are still not sufficiently connected with the rest of the advancing world. They aren't aware of the importance of the recent advances in medicine. They still prefer visiting quacks(those without proper qualifications). The sad part of the story, however, is not that. These issues can be solved by education. Their lifestyle can be still considered as the best with proper exercise and healthy diet with fresh vegetables and fruits that are free of unwanted chemicals.
The other half of the society with complete awareness is more vulnerable these days. They suffer from lifestyle diseases. Sedentary lifestyle and chemically manipulated food makes them extremely susceptible to diseases. Lifestyle jeopardy leads to obesity, sleep cycle, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. which is extremely common in the urban population. Obesity is the cause of multiple other diseases. It leads to hypertension, liver diseases and affects heart functions by interfering with the blood flow. It makes people lazy and furthers to weaken their immune system. According to a study conducted in 2014, sleep deprived individuals are more likely to catch cold or fall prey to other viral diseases and weaken in the due course of time. Owing to the role of sleep in normal body metabolism, it might cause excess fat accumulation in body, or conversely lead to excessive weight loss. It is important to eliminate such unwanted problems which makes people prone to diseases and healing time is prolonged.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Why Deadly Diseases Aren't That Deadly.
Snigdha Komal
The cure of lifestyle diseases is easy:
- Regular exercise which may include yoga, acrobatics or any other form of exercise which might simply include fast walking or jogging.
- A healthy balanced diet which has sufficient fresh fruits and vegetables.
It should also have a proper protein content which has an adequate mix of plant and animal protein. Vegetarians must have proper amount of milk, pulses and grams.
- Positive thinking and optimistic attitude help reduce work stress which is very injurious to normal body functions in severe cases. This keeps us feeling better and body is healthier.
- Cleanliness and maintenance of hygienic practices like bathing and washing hands regularly.
- Giving up on unhealthy obsessions such as uncontrolled alcohol and drug consumption and inclinations such as smoking.
All diseases have a well described procedure for treatment ..I can already sense how passive till the complete well being of the individual concerned. Following people are towards their own such regimen strictly till prescribed by doctors is a must to reduce sufferings. They just don't care till chances of recurrence.The treatment mostly involves intake of drugs eventually they are inches away with prescribed doses or some days of stay at the hospital for from the deathbed professional vigilance. Though fear is what such names induce these ought to be followed with utter sincerity for it prompts the protection of one's own body.
We must all love ourselves enough to take care of one's body because that's the only place we can live. Those who can't find time for healthy eating shall soon find time for sickness. With the increased awareness of people and their acceptance of novel developments in the field of medicine, the role of physicians, dieticians and physiotherapists becomes pivotal. With the knowledge that they have obtained, they can help the affected take suitable cure for their unease. Being a medical student myself, the scene here at the hospitals makes me realise the dire need of doctors. The government hospitals specially paint a very grim picture of the situation prevailing.
As a child, when every other elder would ask me, "Bade hoke kya banna hai, beta?" My sole reply would be anything but a doctor, since my parents were doctors and seeing them work so hard would put me off. But now that I'm here, I'm extremely proud of having changed my decision. As my parents are doctors, it is a prized benefit. Having been around hospitals since childhood helps me relate more. I have an idea about the fact that the first step is to convince the patient to undergo the required medication. It is just the beginning of my professional course but I can already sense how passive people are towards their own sufferings. They just don't care till eventually they are inches away from the deathbed. The hard truth is that there is no value of health till disease strikes strong and hard.
The effectiveness of global and local disease prevention programs largely depends on the extent to which individuals participate and take responsibility of their own health. People who undergo required immunisation, screening, regular general health check ups, take adequate rest and exercise, eat healthy, wear seatbelts in automobiles, avoid alcohol and drug abuse, manage stress successfully and maintain a positive attitude towards life are the ones actually using health care resources best, courtesy of being on the front line of disease prevention.
Ultimately, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Being healthy isn't a trend. It is a basic principle of living. Your happiness is a mirror to your health. The greatest of accomplishments in the blue of health can't be enjoyed. People often spend their life earning wealth and then spend the wealth curing their bruised health. Health is wealth. Time spent in taking care of your body is time put to its best use. Enjoy being healthy!
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Yoga at Home - Surya Namaskar
Ayushi Mrigen
YOGA AT HOME - SURYA NAMASKAR About the Author: Ayushi Mrigen, an undergraduate Mathematics student at IIT Kharagpur, is a highly intelligent and versatile individual. With a knack for learning new things, she is known to have read every book she could lay her hands on. While her smiling and amicable personality win the hearts of all around her, her sharp arguments and dedicated attitude towards work wins over their minds. Her mantra for success stems from her belief in making the best out of any situation, which, combined with her passion towards coding, enabled her become the recipient of the prestigious UARE research scholarship, oered by the University of Alberta, Canada. She has always believed that a sound mind rests in a sound body, and has thus incorporated meditation and yoga into her daily routine, along with encouraging those known to her to do the same. Always ahead of the herd right from childhood, she has brought home prizes in various fields, and has a passion for sketching and singing. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Yoga has always been known to be an excellent mechanism for the cleansing of the body. With the increasing stress in today’s day and age, a lot of people all over the world have found yoga to be the sole solution for all their physical and mental problems.
However, in the rat race of today, everybody has an extremely busy life. In such a situation, it becomes impossible for people to go out of their house to specially take yoga lessons daily. Hence, most people resort to spending some time at home to practice yoga regularly. Practicing yoga at home isn’t as easy as it looks. A lot of constraints need to be managed. A few tips to successfully practice yoga regularly at home are as follows:
Health, Wealth and Happiness
..it becomes impossible for people to go out of their house to specially take yoga lessons daily. Hence, most people resort to spending some time at home to practice yoga regularly
Yoga at Home - Surya Namaskar
Ayushi Mrigen
Choice of time: It has been widely accepted that practicing yoga early in the morning is the best for the body. Waking up an hour or so earlier than what our job requires us to and practicing yoga, ensures that the energy levels are high throughout the day. However, any slot that is convenient for us can be chosen. Practicing yoga in the evening helps us release the stress collected during the day. The choice of time should be such that our stomach is empty while we practice yoga.
Choice of place: While we can spread a yoga mat anywhere in the house and the yoga will prove to be beneficial, it is advisable to take care of a few things so that the results of the yoga come out in the best possible manner. Having a small private room specially for yoga is the best scenario. Failing to get that, we can choose a quiet place devoid of any disturbance for the duration of yoga. The place should be well ventilated, and should not have any sharp objects nearby.
What to wear: We should always prefer simple, loose and comfortable clothing and avoid tight bodyhugging outfits which are likely to come in the way of doing some wide stretches. Also, things like jewellery and make-up should be avoided.
Setting a timetable: Yoga requires a lot of consistency. Hence, it is important for us to set a timetable for the week’s yoga at the beginning of the week. The best thing to do is to include yoga in our daily timetable thus ensuring that it becomes a habit. Krishan Verma, senior Art of Living Yoga teacher says, "Twenty minutes of daily yoga practice is more likely to show positive results sooner than two hours of occasional practice."
Enjoying the yoga: For a lot of people, yoga gets boring after a point of time. Hence it is important to enjoy what we are doing. Having a smile on the face, and concentrating on our postures is a good way to do so. Practicing yoga at home with our family or friends can also help eradicate the boredom.
The benefits which a person can derive from yoga are amazing. People who have been practicing yoga for a long period of time not only have a flexible body and good posture, but are also a lot healthier. A lot of research has happened all over the world about the ways in which yoga enhances the human body. One of the easiest ways to perform yoga at home is by doing Surya Namaskar.
Surya Namaskar is considered to be a complete body workout. A set of 12 powerful yoga asanas (postures) that provide a good cardiovascular workout in the form of Surya Namaskar. Literally translated to sun salutation, these postures are a good way to keep the body in shape and the mind calm and healthy. Yoga experts say that doing 12 sets of Surya Namaskar translates into doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15 minutes. The best part about Sun Salutation is that it works well for those ‘super busy’ people who often complain about not being able to do yoga because of a time crunch. Doing at least 12 sets of Sun Salutation, preferably at sunrise, at a fast pace provides a good cardiovascular workout. If
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Yoga experts say that doing 12 sets of Surya Namaskar translates into doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15 minutes
Yoga at Home - Surya Namaskar
Ayushi Mrigen
done at a slower pace, these postures help tone the muscles and can be relaxing and meditative. Moreover, it allows us to enjoy the stretch and makes the body more flexible. The following are the twelve asanas that constitute the Surya Namaskar:
Step #1: Pranamasana (Prayer pose) Stand at the edge of your mat, keep your feet together and balance your weight equally on both the feet. Expand your chest and relax your shoulders. As you breathe in, lift both your arms up from the sides and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in a prayer position
Step #2: Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose) Breathing in, lift the arms up and back, keeping the biceps close to the ears. In this pose, the eort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers. You may push the pelvis forward a little bit. Ensure you're reaching up with the fingers rather than trying to bend backwards.
Step #3: Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose) Breathing out, bend forward from the waist, keeping the spine erect. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor, beside the feet. You may bend the knees, if necessary, to bring the palms down to the floor. Now make a gentle eort to straighten the knees. It's a good idea to keep the hands fixed in this position and not move them until you finish the sequence, 12 Surya Namaskar Steps.
Step #4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up. Ensure that the left foot is exactly in between the palms.
Step #5: Dandasana (Stick pose) As you breathe in, take the left leg back and bring the whole body in a straight line. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor.
Step #6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight parts or points) Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly, slide forward, rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior a little bit. The two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin (eight parts of the body touch the floor).
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Yoga at Home - Surya Namaskar
Ayushi Mrigen
Step #7: Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra posture.You may keep your elbows bent in this pose, the shoulders away from the ears. Look up. As you inhale, make a gentle effort to push the chest forward; as you exhale, make a gentle effort to push the navel down. Tuck the toes under. Ensure you're stretching just as much as you can; do not force your body.
Step #8: Parvatasana (Mountain pose) Breathing out, lift the hips and the tail bone up, chest downwards in an 'inverted V' posture. If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.
Step #9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) Breathing in, bring the right foot forward in between the two hands, left knee down to the floor, press the hips down and look up. Place the right foot exactly between the two hands and the right calf perpendicular to the floor. In this position, make a gentle effort to push the hips down towards the floor, to deepen the stretch.
Step #10: Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose) Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees, if necessary. Gently straighten the knees and if you can, try and touch your nose to the knees. Keep breathing.
Step #11: Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose) Breathing in, roll the spine up, hands go up and bend backwards a little bit, pushing the hips slightly outward. Ensure that your biceps are beside your ears. The idea is to stretch up more rather than stretch backwards.
Step #12: Tadasana As you exhale, first straighten the body, then bring the arms down. Relax in this position, observe the sensations in your body.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Gharelu Nuskhe
Nisha Mishra
"GHARELU NUSKHE" ...A few natural remedies to beat all kinds of problems this winter The chilling weather brings with it a number of issues, including, but not limited to, parched skin, dry hair, and cough and cold. A lot of people look for natural remedies to these problems, since we all know that all cosmetic cures have significant side effects. These natural remedies are not only easy to prepare, but also very safe to use.
Our skin is badly affected during winters. The chilly winds take away the much required moisture from our skin, making it dry and parched. Excessive dryness of the skin results in constant irritation, and often leads to exposed blood vessels. Taking small steps towards maintaining healthy skin goes a long way in making us look fresher and healthier. A few natural skincare techniques that I have successfully used in the past are as follows.
In order to keep one's skin healthy, it is very important to keep the digestive system healthy. Avoiding constipation is of utmost importance. Starting the day with four glasses of lukewarm water along with a few drops of honey, helps in healthy bowel movements. This ensures that the skin is free of pimples.
An average to 3-4 litres
Drinking a lot of water throughout the day is very important for skin care. An
of water daily in winter will make one's skin radiate and glow throughout the winter season and will also provide one's body with the necessary
average to 3-4 litres of water daily in winter will make one's skin radiate and glow throughout the winter season and will also provide one's body with the
moisture.
necessary moisture. One should avoid caffeine during winter as it has drying effects on the skin.
Avoiding excessive usage of soap during winters is important. Soap takes away the moisture from our skin, thus taking away the natural softness. Instead of soap, you can prepare an Ubtan to clean our skin daily.
The Ubtan contains the following ingredients:
• 2 Tablespoons of Besan
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• A pinch of fresh Sandalwood paste
• 3-4 drops of Rosewater
Ubtan not only proves to be a natural scrub, but also preserves the moisture content in the body.
• 3-4 drops of honey
The prepared Ubtan is applied to the body followed by a 3-5 minute gentle massage. This not only proves to be a natural scrub, but also preserves the moisture content in the body.
Hot water bath, though irresistible during winter, is best avoided. It strips your skin of natural oils and can cause itchiness and redness of the skin. At the same time, it is important to take a bath daily, to wash out the dirt and the dead dry skin. That is why; one must go for lukewarm water while taking a bath.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Gharelu Nuskhe
Nisha Mishra
Applying Keokarpin body oil throughout the body, following the bath ensures high moisture content of the skin throughout the day. One can gently rinse after application of the oil and wipe the body dry with a soft towel. Immediate softness of the skin shall be noticed. One should use natural moisturisers like butter, oils, glycerin etc in winter, and avoid using chemical moisturisers.
Yogurt helps remove dead skin cells, smooth out fine lines, tighten pores, hydrate dry patches and provide much-required shine and glow to dry skin.
Yogurt comes from milk, and provides the dose of animal protein and several other nutrients like calcium, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, potassium and magnesium that one needs. The presence of lactic acid helps prevent dry and itchy skin. According to the University of Vienna, a daily 7 ounce dose of yogurt is just as effective to boost
immunity as popping pills. Yogurt helps remove dead skin cells, smooth out fine lines, tighten pores, hydrate dry patches and provide much-required shine and glow to dry skin. One can apply fresh yogurt all over the body, leave it for 10 minutes and then wash it off with water.
Fruits and vegetables which have high water content are essential in winter. They help one digest food soon and cleanse the digestive system too. Hence, including green vegetables as well as carrots, lettuce, cucumber and lemon in one's diet is recommended.
One of the most annoying skin problems of winter is Cracked and parched heels. In order to take care of the foot, one can carry out the following routine regularly:
• Take warm water in a bucket. Add a teaspoon of salt and 2-3 drops of shampoo to it.
• Soak your feet in the prepared solution for four to five minutes.
• Use a scrubber to remove the dead skin.
• Prepare a mixture of glycerine, lemon and rose water. Apply the mixture to the feet after rinsing it and wiping it dry with a towel. Massage for 3-4 minutes.
Soap takes away the moisture from our skin, thus taking away the natural softness.
Another important issue which the winter season brings with it is that of cough and cold. A number of natural processes help in preventing the body from catching a cold.
To get rid of a cold, the age old recipe of homemade Kadha has always proved to be successful. The Kadha that I make, contains the following ingredients:
• 4 Glasses of water
• 1 Teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 Dalchini stick
• A bit of crushed ginger
• 7-8 pieces of clove
• 25-30 Tulsi leaves
• 1 Tablespoon jaggery powder
Boil the above ingredients completely for 4-5
Health, Wealth and Happiness
..consume a cup of hot Kadha two to three times daily. Also, taking ample rest and keeping away from dust if mandatory when one has a cold.
Gharelu Nuskhe
Nisha Mishra
minutes. One should consume a cup of hot Kadha two to three times daily. Also, taking ample rest and keeping away from dust if mandatory when one has a cold.
Having hot milk with 2-3 teaspoons of turmeric is very beneficial during winters. Turmeric has a number of medicinal properties, which help the body specially during winters. If one has a cold, having milk with turmeric 3-4 times a day ensures that the cold completely vanishes within two-three days. A pinch of pure desi ghee can also be added to the milk, thus multiplying the benefits.
Regular exercise of the body, followed by pranayama in the morning becomes even more important in winters. It helps build up immunity, and keeps the body away from diseases.
In Ayurveda, Amla is called the ‘Amrit Phala’. The fruit is widely available in the winter season, and has an extremely beneficial effect on the immune system of the body. Amla can be easily consumed at home, in one form of the other. One can boil it with a little salt, peel it and have 1-2 pieces daily. One can also improve the taste by preparing a chutney, and having it in little quantities daily. People with a sweet tooth can add some jaggery and prepare the famous ‘Amle ke murrabbe’ or halwa or have ‘Amle ke laddu’.
A few benefits derived from the fruit are as follows: • Daily consumption of raw amla reduces the chances of constipation. It is rich in fibres and acts as a gentle laxative.
• It has anti-inflammatory properties which help in reducing the swelling and joint pain of knees caused due to arthritis.
• It relieves stress and therefore cures sleep disorders like insomnia.
• Amla increases the haemoglobin level in blood, the RBC (red blood cells) count and purifies blood.
• It helps in maintaining the proper functioning of liver and bladder. Having amla juice in an empty stomach every morning is highly beneficial in getting rid of toxins.
• Amla is very useful in improving eyesight. It also reduces reddening, itching and watering of the eyes.
Amla is widely available in the winter season, and has an extremely beneficial effect on the immune system of the body.
• Regular consumption of amla is very good for the stomach, as it balances the acids levels of stomach and thus improving digestion.
• Amla oil has always been used for hair growth and as a cure for hair loss.
• It helps to cure sore throat and cold.
Therefore, we see that maintaining good health is not as difficult a task as it seems, and just one extra step by us can lead to immense health benefits. A sound body is essential for increased productivity, and also enables us to enjoy the winter season. Hence, it is quite useful to follow these little 'gharelu nuske' to help us take care of ourselves at home itself!
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Being Wise MoneyWise
Mrigendra Kumar Mishra
BEING WISE MONEYWISE About the Author: Mrigendra Mishra, founder and Managing Director of Investment Yojna, one of the most successful financial consultancies in Ranchi, is the person to go for any investment related advice. Coming from a middle class background, he is as self made a person as the word could mean. Through his journey as an individual, he has learnt a lot from his experiences, which now enables him to educate others better, thus distinguishing him from others in the same field. Despite being a highly successful individual, he is extremely humble and homely, who is ready to help anyone in need of it. His accolades and awards as a Financial Consultant have been known to all those who have heard of him. He is also one of the directors of Ethical Consultancy and Ethical Homes, which have recently gained popularity in North India. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ I spent most of my childhood in the Burra Bazar area of Kolkata. It was the financial hub of the city at the time and was full of businessmen. As a child, I was always fascinated by money. I would often ponder over the means of the creation of so much wealth. Through my interactions with a lot of people during my job tenure and after reading a number of testimonials, I realised that a lot of wealth cannot be created just by If a person transacts the earnings of your job or business. I also only time with money, the money obtained learnt that investment plays an important role will always stay in wealth creation. If a person transacts only limited. It is only when time with money, the money obtained will our money itself starts always stay limited. It is only when our earning, that the real money itself starts earning, that the real growth in wealth growth in wealth happens.
happens. Many years later, when I finally started investment consulting, I met a number of people from dierent walks of life. Initially when I began investigating the portfolios of people and started seeing where most people kept their hard earned money, I was extremely surprised. I observed that most people knew very little or absolutely nothing about investment, and thus, wealth creation. Most of the people I interacted with were either holding a number of insurance products or had all of their money in savings accounts, either in banks or in the post oďŹƒce. I was surprised that these people did not realise that the returns from most of these products did not beat even tax and inflation! A common trend was that these people bought insurance products from their relatives and acquaintances and carried out little or no research on it. Hence, they ended up paying very high premium on insurance products with very little coverage. These insurance products could never fulfil either their insurance requirements, or their investment needs. Moreover, I found it extremely unfortunate that in our country, insurance products are sold as investment products among the masses.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Being Wise MoneyWise
Mrigendra Kumar Mishra
I soon began interacting with a lot of clients, and had long conversations with them at my oďŹƒce, in order to educate them about the dierent types of investment products. I started analysing their objectives and purposes. I began explaining to them the dierence between blindly buying investment products, and actually looking for solutions. I showed them how solutions . . n o t h i n g i n t h e vary among people and how a proper analysis of various investment market asset classes and the risks associated with each class is risk free. At the is required before making a choice. A common trend same time, nothing that I found in my client base, specially during the early can be branded as stages of their investment, was that they stressed on absolutely risky. going for a risk free investment. I remember spending long hours in my chamber, explaining to them the concept of risk. According to me, nothing in the investment market is risk free. At the same time, nothing can be branded as absolutely risky. As Indians, we have always had an extremely skewed perception of the risk involved. Like everything else, the amount of risk that can be taken by an individual requires a thorough analysis of his background and requirements, including, but not limited to things like his age, the kind of job he is in, and various other factors. These factors also aid in determining which product is risky for the said individual and which is not. We need to also understand that the degree of risk is always proportional to the reward. For example, investments in equity markets are branded as being risky, but they have the potential to give the maximum reward, and hence the growth of wealth is the steepest there. Once a person understands the potential risk and rewards it is easy for him to invest properly. Moreover, most people fail to understand that not taking a risk is the biggest risk, especially when it comes to proper investment.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Being Wise MoneyWise
Mrigendra Kumar Mishra
Today, even after serving in this profession for over a decade, a lot of people approach me with the same question, “What is so different about you as a financial planner?”
To this, I have a simple answer. Instead of simply telling the investor where he should invest in, I always focus on educating the investor. This ensures that the investor makes right decisions and understands where his wealth needs to be put and why. In order to educate the investor, I usually focus on the following points:
• Discussing the end objective of the investment
• Analysing the time horizon of returns
• Understanding the risks related of the various asset classes
• Laying out the growth expectations in various products
• Understanding the need for liquidity in the investment
• Discussing the tax issues during the time of investment and issues expected at the time of withdrawal
• Clarifying the difference between insurance, investment and savings
• Discussing the cash flow - the expected income and expenditure in the given time frame
• Giving the investor any other relevant information regarding the investment in particular or on various economic issues and wealth creation in general
"..not taking a risk is the biggest risk, especially when it comes to proper investment. "
However, over the years I have realised that the job of the financial planner is not complete once an investment is done. The investor looks up to the financial planner for advice and help even after the investment is made. A number of things are to be taken care of, which include:
• Providing functional support and prompt service available after the investment
• P e r i o d i c a l l y re v i e w i n g t h e investor's objectives of investment
After years of experience with educating the investors and providing them with good service, what gives me the greatest amount of satisfaction is the fact that they place their absolute trust on me. The best part of my working hours are easily the long hours that I spend conversing with my clients and educating them about the different kinds of investments that they can make. The fact that my clients learn from the same, and are increasingly taking better and more informed decisions gives immense pleasure to me. Wealth, at the end of the day, is for everyone to share, and the fact that I play a small role in helping people make use of their wealth in the best possible manner makes me glad.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Financial Planning for Mid 20s
FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR MID 20'S You are in your 20s, have completed graduation and are stepping into the corporate world with your first job. You are excited to receive your first pay cheque, and the entire money is spent in a week splurging on your desires! Don't let this pattern continue throughout the year otherwise you will end up saving practically nothing. Early 20s is regarded as the right time to plan your finances in a systematic manner. Just follow these simple guidelines:
Learn the art of budgeting People in their 20s tend to overindulge and end up with high debt instead of savings. Budgeting will help you understand where you are spending money and how you can reduce unnecessary expenditure. Having a budget will make certain that you have adequate cash to pay for regular expenses such as rent, phone bills, fuel, groceries, electricity etc. Moreover, you will never fall short of funds even in case of an emergency.
Keep a close watch on debt If you are in your 20s, you are likely to have a credit card. It is vital to manage debt prudently. First, select a suitable credit card limit in line with your income and look for low interest rates. Second, make sure you clear the monthly credit card bill to avoid paying higher interest or penalty charges.
Don't let your savings sit idle. Invest them Most people in their 20s think it is too early to begin investing or saving for their retirement. However the earlier you begin this process, the greater you benefit from the power of compounding. Let's take a simple example: If you start investing Rs.1000 every month in a recurring deposit at 8% interest from the age of 25 till 60, you would have 22.5 lakhs when you retire. On the other hand, if you invest Rs.2000 every month from the age of 35 till 60 at the same interest rate, you will receive around 19 lakhs only, despite investing more.
If you start investing Rs. 1000 every month in a recurring deposit at 8% interest from the age of 25 till 60, you would have 22.5 lakhs when you retire. On the other hand, if you invest Rs.2000 every month from the age of 35 till 60 at the same interest rate, you will receive around 19 lakhs only, despite investing more..
Set long-term targets for yourself At this age, it might be diďŹƒcult to predict the future but you can certainly start establishing vital financial goals such as buying a house in the next 5-7 years, purchasing your dream car, setting up an emergency fund and most importantly taking life insurance. Premiums are low when you opt for life insurance at a younger age. With sound financial planning, you can easily achieve your desired objectives.
Stepping into your 20s marks an important phase of your life. You start working towards attaining your goals in life and in addition, take on other responsibilities. Inculcate these eective financial habits right from the beginning so that you can reap rich benefits later.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Systematic Investment Plan - Why SIP?
SYSTEMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN WHY SIP? You cannot earn crores of rupees overnight unless you have won a huge lottery. Money is accumulated over a period of time and the best way to multiply your savings is through investing them in a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). As the name implies, this program allows an individual to develop his portfolio by investing small amounts at fixed intervals. The benefits of this plan are as follows:
No restrictions on amount to be invested: Investors can begin an SIP with an amount as low as Rs.500. This allows people of all financial backgrounds to take advantage of this plan. Moreover, it inculcates the habit of saving since you have to keep aside a fixed amount. It is a disciplined investment mode which brings you one step closer to achieving your financial goals.
Convenient process: One can select from different investment vehicles for SIP such as equity, mutual funds or ETF’s (exchange traded funds). In addition, you can also choose if you want to invest on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. All you have to do is instruct your bank to enable auto-debit option so that the fixed amount is debited from your account every month eliminating the need for you to check every time if the amount is invested or not. Investors also receive periodic statements mentioning the number of units purchased and current balance.
Ability to multiply: SIPs possess the brilliant potential of compounding. For example, if you start an SIP at the age of 25 investing Rs.5000 each month, in 35 years’ time when you reach 60, your maturity amount would be approximately 1.1 crores considering 8% interest rate. However, if you begin 10 years later with the same amount, you would have around 47 lakhs by the time you are 60 years which is less than half. Thus, the earlier you begin investing, the more your
..if you start an SIP at the age of 25 investing Rs.5000 each month, in 35 years’ time when you reach 60, your maturity amount would be approximately 1.1 crores
money multiplies.
Flexibility in terms of termination or modifying amount: Apart from convenience, an SIP offers tremendous flexibility. You can continue the plan till the chosen date or you can terminate it as per your desire by submitting a written request. In a month’s time, the SIP will be discontinued. Individuals who want to increase or decrease the sum being invested can easily do so by ending the present SIP and beginning a new one.
SIPs are a safe investment option since they protect you from market volatility. These plans ensure that you invest a fixed amount regularly and reward you with long-term financial gains.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Secret to Happy Relationships
Kishore Narain Mishra
THE SECRET TO HAPPY RELATIONSHIPS About the Author: If you have an opinion on a topic, Kishore Narain Mishra will make sure you can discuss it with him for hours without getting bored about it. A Metallurgical Engineer from RIT Jamshedpur (Now an NIT), PG Diploma in Elect, Mech and Metallurgical Engg of Iron and Steel making from SNTI, Jamshedpur, he has also done Masterclass in Directorship from Instt. Of Directors, New Delhi, apart from doing many Certificate Courses from IIM's/XLRI, JUICE, Japan and Project Management Inst., USA. He started working at Tata Steel, but soon moved to TinPlate, where he went on to become the Vice President of the company. Everyone who knows him falls in love with his amicable nature and helpful personality. A Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, he has been very active OďŹƒce Bearer of several Social, Professional and Spiritual organisations in India and abroad. In spite of having a busy schedule, he ensures to take some time out to play games like golf, pool and table tennis. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
When I think of my childhood, I remember how I used to enjoy maintaining relations with everyone. Ours was a joint family living in a village in North Bihar. I distinctly remember my days there from the time I was in middle school. I was very attentive in my class and tried to practise whatever was taught in the classes. Like everyone of my age, I would make mistakes.
I find that this habit It was essential to maintain good relations with not just my extended family, of maintaining but also the entire village. This helped me both in my studies and behaviour, relations helped me since by doing so I had the opportunity of asking some of the educated people in not only in my the village for help in solving any problem in my academics. Being focused in family, but also in both studies and games helped me become happier. Today when I look back, I other walks of my find that this habit of maintaining relations helped me not only in my family, but personal and also in other walks of my personal and professional life, which made me happier professional life, which made me and more content.
happier and more Being an alumni of the Netarhat school ensured that I am a part of a strong content. network spread all cross the country. Apart from that, I was fortunate to be a part of a huge family. I maintained good relations with all these people, and as a result I have close people in all major cities of the country today! Knowing so many people also enabled me to help a lot of people. In those days when there was no Internet for people to find brides and grooms for their children, my huge contact base helped me suggest right matches for them. Today when I see these happily married couples, it gives me a sense of immense joy and fulfillment.
Once I retired, a number of people used to invite me to their homes. I have always tried to ensure that I visit as many people as I can. In the process of maintaining good relationships, small things matter a lot. Hence, every time someone visits my house, I make sure that I oer them to sit with me for a meal.
It is not that all my experiences were good, and I had my fair share of bad experiences. However, the good experiences taught me to love and the bad ones taught me resilience. Every person from my past is like a shadow in my mind. Good or bad, they all helped me write the story of my life and shape my
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Secret to Happy Relationships
Kishore Narain Mishra
persona. Making everyone happy is not in our hand, but being happy with everyone is, and by doing so we also maintain good relations with our loved ones.
When there is no Ego, divine intelligence will flow. Our ego is like the dust in our eyes. When there is dust in the eyes, the whole universe appears to be in a state of chaos. Therefore, by discouraging ego, we have better relations with our relatives, friends and colleagues, and we are happy.
Being different and giving more importance to material gain is greatest insult one can inflict on one’s mind. In any relationship, there are bound to be differences of opinions. Some differences will remain unresolved universally.
We have witnessed during our times some issues like the Kashmir problem, the Sri Lankan problem or the Palestinian problem, which have been persisting for years. Relationship problems between a husband and wife are in no way different from these. Being different and giving more importance to material gain is greatest insult one can inflict on one’s mind. In any relationship, there are bound to be differences of opinions. Some differences will remain unresolved universally. You can never find a couple without discord. This truth has to be understood. One should learn to be happy despite these problems, by knowing the art of dissipating a problem without allowing it to grow to mammoth proportions. Let us understand it this way.
It is not the unresolved differences of opinions or problems which give grief. It is only the perception with which we view them that creates trouble. For example, one may enjoy the thrill of driving a sports car at a tremendous speed, but the other may be filled with a mortal fear at the very thought of high speeds, and thus the risk of an accident. We cannot say that it is not okay to have differences. A couple that can respect its differences is bound to have fewer quarrels.
There are different ways to ensure that a couple maintains an excellent marital relationship. First and foremost, whenever a problem crops up, one should not shift the blame onto the spouse, and accept equal responsibility. When one tries to solve the problem with this frame of mind, solutions are easier to obtain. The very attitude creates the recipe for success.
Also, create an atmosphere for discussion, as opposed to arguments, as discussions and disagreements may be healthier. The basis for the relationship between husband and wife is love and trust. Logic for argument should not prevail upon love. In life, or in any relation, we should have some expectations, but we should not let our happiness depend on expectations. Love provides a caring energy, and this energy makes one effective and happy.
I have distributed my total time in four categories: 1) Professional life, 2) Personal life- body and mind, 3) Family life and 4) Social life.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Secret to Happy Relationships
Kishore Narain Mishra
In the process, we neglect our personal life or our relatives and families. This is not fair. Tomorrow if I am in a problem, my company may not look after me, but my family and friends will...
Most of us devote most of our time in the company or profession we work for. In the process, we neglect our personal life or our relatives and families. This is not fair. Tomorrow if I am in a problem, my company may not look after me, but my family and friends will. We must devote time for our own health, both for mind and body. Practising Yoga and Meditation and following a particular life style has helped me immensely. Similarly, I have been very particular in maintaining healthy relations with my family and friends. I give an equal amount of time and attention to social work, along with spending time with my family. Above all, we must do time management and prioritise our jobs. Delegation of work and training my junior colleagues and rewarding them, wherever required, has certainly helped me. Time keeping is another thing that I have been very particular about. It has given me satisfaction and happiness and also improved my relation with others.
I have always kept my goal in focus. Goals are dreams with a direction, deadline and action plan. Through passion and hard work, dreams can be turned into realty. Also, I have often sought suggestions from my colleagues, friends or relatives for not only the execution of action plans, but also for improvements in the same. This has helped in a cohesive relation building. Transparency has also helped a lot in relation building, which eventually has brought in happiness since people have more reasons to trust me.
In spite of following so many good practices and taking sufficient precautions, there could be occasions when some people may have a grudge against you. I have tried to be patient under such situations and tried to listen to their concerns. I have also tried to resolve them, if need be. But have always kept certain "mantras" in my mind. Some of them are as follows:
• Your time is the greatest gift you can give to someone, because it shows how much you care. Trust your journey, a journey of self awareness, peace of mind and joy. How beautiful it is to find someone, who asks for nothing but your company. In the journey of happiness and relationship building, there may be times when we may lose, but we must appreciate that losing is essentially just the postponement of victor. We should still be happy, since joy and happiness are not outside us, but within us.
• To continue to have good relations and happiness, we must learn to forgive people in our life, even those who are not sorry for their actions. Holding onto anger will only hurt us, not them. We must realise that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination. In case we cannot do great things, do small things in great ways.
• There is no bigger blessing than a friend or relative, who is there, when good times are not. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you will be able to enjoy it. You have to grow from within. None can teach you or make you spiritual. There is no greater teacher than you yourself.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Something For Everyone: The Alchemist
Naitik Jain
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: THE ALCHEMIST About The Author: A Mechanical Engineering student at IIT Kharagpur with one internship at ITC and the other at Deutsche Bank, Naitik is someone who wants to try everything! Author of the novella 'Voiced Whispers' and the collection of verses 'Under the Green Woods', both having featured among the top books of the Amazon Book Store, Naitik is an avid reader. Proud of the nickname 'bookworm' , he is rarely ever seen without his kindle! While he devours books of almost every genre, he has a special corner for philosophical and motivational books. He writes poems, stories and articles regularly, and has an opinion on everything except engineering!! ______________________________________________________________________________________________
It has often been said that the essence of a journey is not in the destination, but in the path. 'The Alchemist', by Paulo Coelho, exemplifies that fact beautifully. It teaches us the value of resilience, and the rewards of hard work. The Alchemist is one of the most celebrated books in modern literature, so much so that it has even been taught in colleges as a literature textbook. Such is the book, that every person who reads it carefully enough claims to have been transformed by it in one way or the other. The essence of the book is not that it teaches someone everything, but that it teaches everyone something. The book starts with a young shepherd, Santiago, deciding to discover the meaning of a SUCH IS THE BOOK, recurring dream THAT EVERY PERSON about a treasure WHO READS IT hidden in the CAREFULLY ENOUGH pyramids of CLAIMS TO HAVE Egypt. When he BEEN TRANSFORMED BY IT visits the town, IN ONE WAY OR THE he is persuaded OTHER. by a king to follow this dream, and he is convinced enough to sell his sheep and travel to Africa. However, he is robbed on the first day itself, and this poor lad now contemplates going back to his native country, since he was alone, and didn't even know the local dialect! He, however, remembers the king's words, and takes up a job at a crystal shop, where he works for a year, learning more about the ways and difficulties of life than he ever could back home. He earns enough money to buy his flock and go back home. However, he takes a last minute decision to join a
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Something For Everyone: The Alchemist
Naitik Jain
caravan going to Egypt, where he meets an Englishman who is going to seek a famous Alchemist. As they discuss further, Santiago learns more about alchemy from the Englishman, who has read several complex books on the subject. However, Santiago decides that his way of learning is through experiencing the world.
They soon reach an oasis, where Santiago has a dream about the host tribe being attacked. He warns the elders, and when his vision becomes true, they offer him the position of a counsellor. He contemplates staying owing to the fact that the love of his life, Fatima, also lived in the same Oasis. However, the alchemist seeks him out that very night, and promises him to help him reach the treasure. On their journey, the Alchemist and Santiago are taken prisoner by a warring tribe. The Alchemist tells them that Santiago can transform himself into the wind, and he does so by seeking the help of the elements and the soul of the world. Then they reach Egypt, where Santiago is robbed again. When the robbers ask him what he is doing there, he replies that he is looking for a hidden treasure based on a dream. One of the robbers laughs at him, and says that he had a similar dream, except that he dreamt that the treasure was in Spain. Santiago now realises that the treasure was back home all along! The story jumps in time to show Santiago digging in Spain and finding the treasure, exclaiming out in joy. He then looks up, and says, "I'm coming, Fatima." The Alchemist's beauty is not just in the beautiful story, but the little lessons it teaches us. It shows us the importance of resilience, and how valuable hard work can be. We also learn that without experience, we cannot become successful. When Santiago sets out for the first time, he loses everything he has, but that loss is what prompts him to take up a job at the crystal shop, where he learns so much more about life. THE ALCHEMIST'S BEAUTY IS NOT JUST IN This is exactly what life does to us too. There are moments in life THE BEAUTIFUL STORY, where we think that we have lost everything we had, that there is BUT THE LITTLE nothing ahead for us to look forward to. Most of us turn back from this LESSONS IT TEACHES US. situation and return to our comfort zone, like Santiago was thinking of IT SHOWS US THE doing. However, there are a few of us who push themselves even IMPORTANCE OF further, and continue on the tough road. These are the few Santiagos RESILIENCE, AND HOW VALUABLE HARD WORK in the world who become successful. CAN BE We also note the importance of listening to our heart. Had Santiago always been rational, had he not taken the risks that he took, he might have been content, but when he took that risk, when he decided to put his sweat and money into the dream, he became so
Health, Wealth and Happiness
Something For Everyone: The Alchemist
Naitik Jain
much more. We often feel that we are content where we are, that we don't want to move further because it is comfortable. We leave success to the Ambanis and the Zuckerburgs of the world, not realising that we have the potential to become one of them too. Our inertia of getting out of the comfort zone is what holds us back, and the biggest problem with this is the fact that we may never even realise the losses that we have made! The fact that we don't take a risk is what pulls us down! The Alchemist teaches us the value of trust. Santiago had been robbed on the first day that he reached Africa, yet he didn't lose faith in the king's words, and kept treading the rocky road. He was offered a comfortable life in the oasis, yet he trusted the alchemist to lead him to a much greater life. Eventually, that trust paid off, and he became a very rich man. However, more than trust, more than resilience, and more than hard work, the Alchemist shows us the true meaning of love. Santiago falls in love with Fatima the first time he meets her, and they meet for a short duration. Yet, the first thing he does after finding the treasure is to make a resolution to go back to Fatima. His love for HOWEVER, MORE her remains unmoved THAN TRUST, MORE despite all the THAN RESILIENCE, success he achieves, AND MORE THAN something that is lacking in today's world. HARD WORK, THE ALCHEMIST SHOWS It is well known that in today's rat race, love and trust have taken a back US THE TRUE seat. As appealing as that may be, it has become the truth of life. However, MEANING OF LOVE. what we don't understand is that success can never be enjoyed alone. Neither can it be attained alone. Having more people around us to share our happiness and sadness with brings about a change in our personalities, and helps us in reaching higher than what we could ever have imagined. Lastly, the Alchemist teaches us the concept of 'signs of nature'. The book claims that nature and man are in a symbiotic relationship, and that nature often warns us of impending disasters, or aids us in making important choices, only if we can see the signs nature gives us. However, this is not to be confused with superstition, something that the book never promotes. Every time that one reads this book, one learns something new. This book has a charming effect on the people who read it, and continues to be one of my favourite books of all time. One learns the true meaning of life through this book, and gets a beautiful insight to the ways of living it.
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Joy of Spreading Happiness
Sumit Kumar
THE JOY OF SPREADING HAPPINESS ...An interview with Sumit Kumar, an Art of Living teacher
About the Author: A former mechanical engineer who found his passion in making other people happier, Sumit Kumar is a highly calm and humble individual. When he joined the Art of Living organisation a few years back, he found the answers to several of his questions in the tranquility of the environment there. This accepting and loving nature of the organisation led him to become a teacher in Art of Living, where he has helped several people become better and happier individuals. He tries to learn as much as he can, and also ensures that he transfers all his knowledge through his role as a teacher. A highly sincere person with an infectious smile, Sumit has played a pivotal role in honing the and improving the personality of all those who have been touched by the air of positivity that surrounds him. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
1. What did the first course do to you, that made you stay in the Art of Living? Frankly, it did nothing. It was simple. I liked that the course offered practical wisdom. It included techniques like the Sudarshan Kriya, which I just appreciated intellectually. The good thing that I did was to continue with my daily practice of Sudarshan Kriya. Later, when my life was going through a roller coaster ride I was once again pushed, infact drawn emotionally to the course.
What made me stay thereafter was an amazing knowledge session on Ashtavakra Gita by Sri Sri for which am really grateful. That was the moment I gained the immense strength to contribute for the society.
..THE COURSE OFFERED PRACTICAL WISDOM. IT INCLUDED TECHNIQUES LIKE THE SUDARSHAN KRIYA, WHICH I JUST APPRECIATED INTELLECTUALLY.
2. Why did you become an Art of living teacher? It was a trap. (laughs) Just kidding! Become a teacher and I'll tell you.
However, one thing I would like to say, which I in fact say to everyone, is that whatever major decisions that you make in your life, the answer to the ‘why’ should be really strong. It is this strong reason behind it, that will keep you going even in challenging situations
3. What kind of happiness do you, as a teacher get from the "happiness" course? Ask me what I don’t! (laughs again)
Health, Wealth and Happiness
... THE ANSWER TO THE ‘WHY’ SHOULD BE REALLY STRONG. IT IS THIS STRONG REASON BEHIND IT, THAT WILL KEEP YOU GOING EVEN IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
The Joy of Spreading Happiness
Sumit Kumar
4. Doing any kind of social service brings a lot of resistance from family and friends. How did you handle it?
I'VE SEEN SRI SRI BEING MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERSONAL GROWTH OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL..
That's true, especially when it's something unconventional like Spirituality. However, at some level we also know that their concern is quite genuine and it comes from a space of love and protection that every parent has. For me, my parents, especially my mom, used to feel that all these programs and techniques are just to take their child away from all material world and family responsibilities. But eventually, when she observed that my love and care for them has infact matured, she feels a lot at peace. In fact she appreciates the changes that she sees in me. She notices that now I am considerably more involved in all the major decisions of my family, something that previously wasn't there. Just a few days back I remember my mom saying, "The way I see you handling things, it gives me immense strength. I am proud of you!"
Honestly, I don't even have to handle them. I just made them do Sudarshan Kriya and now they have the strength to handle their own minds!
5. Can you share any special experience in a course that you took? Hmmm. Every course is very special, There have been multiple instances where people come and share how they have come out of mental trauma, suicidal tendencies, physical discomfort and so on. They tell me how much has the course helped them in their personal and professional life. Last month a participant called me and shared, how it helped her crack the toughest examination of her life just through regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation!
6. All of us have our own special reasons to love Guruji. What is yours? You know the best part is that I've seen Sri Sri being more concerned about the personal growth of every individual. That's why our organisation has "Vyakti Vikas Kendra" as its registered name in India. I see myself growing every moment and there is so much access to his practical wisdom and knowledge. I indeed feel very fortunate to have a Living Master.
7. There are a number of people who want to do something for others, but either don't get time or don't know where to start. Any advice for them?
MEDITATE, AND YOU'LL SEE HOW MUCH TIME INFACT GETS ADDED TO YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE!
I don't think there is any lack of time. Meditate, and you'll see how much time infact gets added to your daily schedule! The satisfaction that any kind of service can provide is just unparalleled. I really encourage people to come forward and do some service to humanity. In fact the country is looking forward to such people. The Art of Living is really catering to every aspect of human civilisation be it Environment, Women and Child Protection, Education, Old Age, Natural Disaster Management, corruption etc - you name it and we are there. For volunteer work you can just get in touch with any Art of Living teacher or volunteer, or you can visit our website artofliving.org. Infact you can just go out and daily do five random acts of kindness, and see how helpful it is!
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Pursuit of Happiness
Anurag Kar
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS About the Author: Anurag Kar is one of the most philosophical individuals you will come across. His curriculum vitae lists him as an Undergraduate Electronics student at IIT Kharagpur, with internships at IIM Ahmedabad, Oyo Rooms and more, but one conversation with him leads you to realise that he is so much more than that! With a guitar in one hand and his pen in the other, he is sure to have an opinion on almost anything under the sun. A former writer for YouthConnect, this young gentleman is the one to go to for all kinds of advice!
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Happiness is paramount for a good life. But how exactly do you stay happy? People might argue there are many ways to get there. In this article, I shall narrate the story of how my hobbies helped me become a happier and better person.
SCENE 1: Debating
I am a frustrated Indian, which is to say I am, well, an Indian in
general. I look around me and see issues and problems I care about. Sexism, child labour, corruption, unjust laws and the whole shenanigan. I have elaborate ideas to solve all the problems of the world. If only I was POTUS or something, I could probably alleviate the world of all its problems. But, I am not. I am a powerless common man, who has to sit through these things and has to content himself by simply complaining loudly to his fellow passengers as he takes the crowded bus from Maninagar to Mirzapur (places in Ahmedabad, where I am from).
It helped me become a much more patient individual, because now I could see the rationale behind some supposedly unjust things that happened and not freak out about.. them
That's when I found debating on campus. A group of people who are angry and passionate about arguing dierent viewpoints of the same problem. A group which taught me to think about all sides of a problem before I go about shouting injustice to the world. A group where I learnt, nothing is ever black and white, and that human problems are complex in nature and what is good for humanity in general is debatable and negotiable.
A place for the frustrated, argumentative Indian in me. It was here that I learnt to question everything and not take things for granted. It helped me become a much more patient individual, because now I could see the rationale behind some supposedly unjust things that happened and not freak out
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Pursuit of Happiness
Anurag Kar
about them. It helped me understand that everyone has their own problems and it is important to try to look at anything from everyone’s perspective and not yours alone.
SCENE 2: Music
Travel through time, back to July 2008, I said to my friend Emil, "We ..Music calmed should start a band!”. "Totally!” he said. (Come on, there has always been a me. It helped me time when we all wanted to start a band). Then there was a moment of weird enjoy myself even when I was alone, chest bumping and clinking of metaphorical beer glasses in the air.
Warp to the present, the band dreams are as dead as the tiny ant I just all by myself... crushed under my feet. All I do is play air guitar and headband to rock songs. Every time I decided to learn an instrument, I found some excuse to not do it.
However, the summer of 2015, something changed. I made one of the best decisions of my life. I enrolled myself in a guitar class, and went there. 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. I found solace in the hollow, tapering piece of dead tree with some metal wires attached to it. But every time I played it, the vibrations felt like Apollo playing my heartstrings. It helped me get calmer, more focused.
Better yet, I found that friends need not always be living, breathing humans. My callused and string-cut hands breathed life into a piece of wood and it became my best friend ever.
Music calmed me. It helped me enjoy myself even when I was alone, all by myself. It taught me that being comfortable with yourself is as important as being friendly with a lot of people. It’s only when you like yourself and like spending time with yourself, can you expect other people to spend time with you.
SCENE 3: Writing and Reading
As a kid, I’d never been very expressive. I was mostly the introvert guy sitting in a corner waiting for someone to initiate conversation with him. The idea of talking about things to strangers horrified me ( and still horrifies me to some extent). I was always good with words, though. What I couldn’t speak out loud, I penned down. My essays were usually the best in class, yet I was never encouraged to THE VERY FEELING OF make anything PEOPLE READING MY more out of it WORDS IS (Oh, do we see another Bhagat in the making? God, I hope not).
EXHILARATING. I FEEL HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE However, college gives you more space to try out new things. I started TELL ME THAT THEY writing more and more. I made people read what I am writing and got slightly REALLY CONNECTED appreciated. It motivated me to write more, and make people read more. The WITH WHAT I WROTE very feeling of people reading my words is exhilarating. I feel happy when AND COULD FEEL WHAT I AM FEELING. people tell me that they really connected with what I wrote and could feel what I am feeling.
However, like the quintessential night-time vigilante, scouring the crime
Health, Wealth and Happiness
The Pursuit of Happiness
Anurag Kar
infested streets of the city, my ability has two sides. The one I show people and the one that is locked away in a folder in some corner of the house.
These are things I write to pour out what I feel about things, people and issues. My darkest thoughts, my deepest fears, all out of my heart and playing on a canvas of white paper. Writing has often helped me convalesce from deep shocks and difficult times. It has helped me talk to someone without actually talking to someone. Helped me understand my own self from a time past and has helped me learn from my mistakes. Writing and reading have helped me become more expressive while at the same time increasing my knowledge by mountains.
CLIMAX? CRESENDO? I don’t know! I’m not a playwright.
Work! Yes! As silly and counterintuitive as it sounds, this is something I recently found to be true and useful.
Make a hobby out of work! Need to clean the room up? No problem. Make a game out of it. See how fast you can do it. Need to pick up some groceries? Run to the shop, while listening to music. Need to study? Talk to a friend, and race each other to see who does it faster.
Sadly for most, life is not really all hunky dory. As much as I’d like to write and play the guitar all day, I cannot. There are mundane, everyday tasks that need to be taken care of. But that does not mean I cannot squeeze some happiness from these tasks.
An account from my own experience. Just to spruce it up a bit, read it like one of those telecommercials selling random things you don’t even need:
I was sad.
I was frustrated.
I couldn’t concentrate on my academic pursuits.
But then, I found this new product HaveFunWhileYouWork 2000.
The HFWYW helped me and my friend not care about marks and study because we wanted to.
Now we are all happy and fulfilled.
All thanks to HFWYW 2000*.
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony” - MAHATMA GANDHI
*Terms and conditions apply.
So my parting message is, do have a few things that you do just because you want to do them and because you love to do them. Apart from that, some extra happiness can also be accommodated, if you start enjoying things that you have to do no matter what.
Au revoir!
Health, Wealth and Happiness