Petals!

One fine midnight, I deactivated my Facebook account. For curiosity, fun and solitude.  Just like that - it is curiosity that initially made me do it and then my need for absolute solitude. To be honest, it was like getting a slice of heaven. Let me explain a bit more about curiosity and solitude if you have time to listen. Curiosity to know if any friend on Facebook would note that I am not there anymore.  Solitude and the need to meditate,   to listen and reconnect with myself. Five Lessons on Life after Facebook So, yes, its a combination of both that made me take this decision. And here is what I learned after I deactivated from Facebook: 1. Out of 790 friends on Facebook, there are less than 20 friends who reached out by mail/phone call/twitter to ask if everything is fine at my end.   Out of the 20 friends, many of them called to ask if I had removed them as friends on Facebook! 2. Only five were women. And before you jump to conclusions, l...

We are all guilty of emotional eating at some point in our life. This is an area that we all need to look at closely because it affects our health.  How spiritual discipline can keep you out of emotional eating  While I was in my teens, I underwent spiritual mentoring that taught me how to control the mind and to discipline it.  Spiritual discipline required me to automatically stem any sense of taste with the power of the mind. It worked wonders for me because the moment I ate food, my mind had the power to block the sense of taste. I didn't have any craving to eat more. This technique also gave me control on maintaining body weight too.  When I let go of the serene spiritual world that protected me, everything changed. My eating pattern went for a toss and became influenced by my emotions.  I lost control of disciplining the mind, so did my control over maintaining body weight. How relationships trigger your emotional eating pattern Recall the year...

I read this thought provoking post by Suruchi Sharma and she packs in some salient points for ‘single women’ in India such as the typical question “What are your marriage plans?” Single in India: The dreaded "What are your marriage plans" question Marriage isn't something to rush into. It is more important than any other decision in your entire life. Sadly, few people think about why they want to marry X, Y or Z.  That reminds me of an incident that took place in front of me. A well-spoken, highly educated young lawyer friend was booking a three bedroom flat. He was trying to convince the builder that he will pay the entire money (in lakhs) in less than a year. The builder wasn't convinced that a lawyer who had just started his career could do that. Exasperated, the lawyer said, "Of course I will. The day I get married, you can consider that the payment will be complete." The builder was impressed and convinced. The rest is history.  Marriages in ...

It's March! Woohooo! My son turns 8, this month. It's also that month of the year when I take stock of my journey into motherhood and how I am still faring. Nothing frightens me more than being totally responsible for the little life that I have been instrumental in giving birth to. H e's a growing boy, on the verge of turning 8 and I am so happy for the person he is - positive, full of life, energy and amazing wit! The other thing is - I am not one of those perfect moms.  What a relief! In fact, I don’t endorse the very concept of perfect moms raising perfect kids. I mean, what is that? Are we grooming robots or kids?  Here are four things parents should be wary of: 1. Perfect Parenting  With all respect, I have come across many ‘perfect parents’ kids.  Those who learn to tie their shoe laces perfectly by the time they are three, those who are taught to distinguish between ‘designer’ clothes/toys versus the rubbish that the rest of us dole out as n...

Maha Shivaratri is a festival of great spiritual significance to Hindus. Prayers are undertaken by devotees throughout the night. Yet how many of us understand what makes it a holy occasion? It doesn't have anyt marketing jazz or feel-great frenzy to it like many other festivals. Yet  Maha Shivaratri  is one of the most spiritually powerful festivals you just shouldn't miss . According to Hindu scriptures, observing night long prayer has been declared by Lord Shiva himself. This is cited as His answer when Parvati Devi asked him which rituals performed by his devotees pleases him most. It is also believed that those who observe Maha Shivratri correctly will be greatly blessed and that they will attain moksha. Here are some interesting points to explain the spiritual significance of Maha Shivaratri, . taken from various discourses rendered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. 1. Shiva means 'auspiciousness.' Maha Shivaratri  should be spent in the constant...

The best writers get their story ideas from crazy, unexpected places. If you don't believe me, read Stephen King's book 'On Writing.' You may also want to read my previous posts on ' How to transform a blank page into a chrysalis, a work of art ' and  ' What do you want from your writing? '  So, what's still holding you back from exploring fabulous story ideas?  Maybe the thought that there's nothing left to learn in a world where everything is written about already?  This reminds me of an apt quote from Avvaiyar, " What we've learned is like a handful of earth, what we are yet to learn is like the whole world. " Profound, isn't it? If you are still on the lookout for story ideas, Barry has an answer for you and yup, it tucks in a dash of magic. Here you go: Imagine you have a magic blender. And you carry it with you all day as you go about your life. And stuff falls into it: Sounds, names, words, smells, peo...

"To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease and lightness. Learn to accept the impermanent nature of all things and conditions. Life flows with ease." -  Eckhart Tolle Think like a writer. Every para is  garland of words, carefully woven together for a purpose. The purpose is usually leading you to a situation of conflict, heartbreak or pain. So, you already know (whether you are a reader or a writer) that it is hiding just around the corner, waiting to pounce on you at exactly the moment when you lower your guard. It's just a matter of time before it hits you - pain, discomfort, conflict, problems. So, in a way, I have always resisted and fought against situations that create conflict or discomfort within or around me. A sense of 'survival' sets in - but this doesn't mean that I go and fight with each and everyone who stands in my way. Far from it! I don't ever hold individuals responsible for conflicts as much as the situati...