Thank You 2024 For Precious Lessons

Amazing how 2024 sped by! In the blink of an eye, it feels like New Year 2025 is around the corner - and yes, it is! A year that made me cry, laugh, sparkle with joy and experience the deepest lows of despair - oh 2024 - what a rollercoaster year!

1. Time is precious - don't waste it. Spend time with your loved ones. Learn new things. Or more importantly, intensify your sadhana through meditation.

2. There are no permanent friends in any relationship - the earlier we focus on our inner serenity and detach from toxic relationships, the better.

3. There will always be people who choose to misunderstand how you communicate - that's not your problem.

4. Whether it is among family members or friends, a relationship built on accusations and grudges will never work - walk out.

5. Relationships are about how you make others feel and vice-versa. If someone is continuously targeting you and disrespectful, remove yourself from there.

6. Life is short. You don't know what happens the next moment.

7. Don't wait till another day to apologise for your mistakes or to say you love someone - do it now - the future is tricky!

8. Those who treat you like dirt and act as though only their choices in life matter - steer clear from their narrow thinking and judgmental bias. Detach yourself.

9. Help others as much as you can. Expect nothing from anyone. If you've read the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the message is clear: Trust in God.

10. Life is precious and fleeting. Prioritise what makes you happy.

Why not rise out of 2024 with inspiring thoughts?

How to Build New Habits in 2025

It could be as simple as waking up at sunrise, journaling, sky gazing and taking at least 2-3 hours off the Internet to simply enjoy one's own solitude, even if it means zoning out of continuous pings or notifications?

"In solitude, a dialogue always arises, because even in solitude, there are always two," Hannah Avendt observes.

How About Waking Up Early and Digital Detox

Not easy - I am sure - especially if your work schedule keeps you glued to your smartphone, not to mention other online distractions including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and many more.

The point is you deserve some time to enjoy clear thinking and nurture peaceful zone within.

If it means switching off from social media for 2-3 hours daily, it's a good habit to start in the New Year.

Structure your time in an impactful way and review it daily.

Go for a jog.

Take a brisk walk.

Gaze at the sky, feel the warmth and enjoy being briefly in sync with Nature.

Read a book. Check out Japanese fiction - it's my current favourite!

Join the Listening Room and experience stillness and mindfulness.

Write poetry or get started with journaling. Listen to soulful music.

Learn something new. You may have more fun!

Tell yourself, "I'll live the focused life, because it's the best kind there is," as Winifred Gallagher observes in 'Rapt'.

I look back with gratitude to the year 2024 for teaching me precious lessons.

Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2025

Lastly, do read these posts:

Mothers: Some Are Strong At The Broken Places

There's No Woman in the Moon

Lost Someone You LOVED?Amazing Story of Peddabottu

Comments

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are also considered auspicious for lighting at home. When lighting diyas on Fridays, it is better to use ghee than oil, if possible. [ Connect with Svara on Facebook ] [Read: Vidyarambham - The Labyrinth Within] When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. At what time should we light diya today? Every morning at sunrise and every evening before or at sunset. An ideal time would be to light the diya at least half an hour before sunset. Can we light diya after 12 PM? In Hindu homes, the diya is lit early morning at around sunrise and towards evening sunset. Can ...

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences. [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste. You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ] [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] Why Did My Lamp Suddenly Turn Off? Where there is faith, there should be no scope for fear - this is Bhagawan Krishna's message to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. That represents strength of Bhakti. [READ: Bhakti: Meera's Greatest Wealth] Consider another example in the tradition of Bhakti. When Prahlada, a young lad, is targeted by his own father, he remains calm under every situation. When he is thrown into the sea, the wise lad is reminded that the sea is the abode of Shriman Narayana. [ READ: Amazing Stories of Lord Shiva ] H...

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. The most essential factor is unwavering focus and concentration when you light the lamp every eve...

What is the story of Shivaji? The great son of a great mother called Jijabai

Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks! [ READ: Significance of Surya Argya and How do you Light Deepam? ] Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj, the more fascinated I am. I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books! As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to...

Petals!

Search This Blog