A Thought for Today-128:

Grateful thanks to Jon Sullivan and www.public-domain-photos.com for the above photo.

The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited – Plutarch.

A Thought for Today-128:

Grateful thanks to Jon Sullivan and www.public-domain-photos.com for the above photo.

The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited – Plutarch.

==========================Today’s Parents are Poor Role Models for Kids

Parents are usually considered to be a child’s first teachers and role models. But, a study has some dampening news for today’s generation of adults – you are responsible for your kid’s lack of basic moral values.

Researchers at the Children’s Society in Britain have carried out the study and found that children are not acquiring basic moral values nowadays because today’s parents are actually poor role models.

According to the society, the rise of the celebrity culture and weakening family bonds are undermining traditional moral values among young people.

But it has also blamed adults for failing to engage with children and being too eager to criticise their behaviour rather than just intervening and helping them to navigate the challenges of modern life.

According to Bob Reitemeier, the chief executive of the society, adults need to take more responsibility for the young people around them. “We reap what we sow when it comes to teaching children values. Every adult plays a vital role, which we should nurture as much as we can.

Unfortunately, it is easier to criticise children than to invest in them, and it is the children most in need of positive role models who are becoming disconnected from their communities and wider society.” – PTI

Excerpt from The Times of India, Chennai, July 1, 2008.

Grateful thanks to PTI and The Times of India.

S&T Watch-22: "A new magnetic Carbon"

The newest form of carbon is almost nothing at all – but it will stick to a refrigerator for a few hours. Carbon was known to come in four configurations: diamond crystals, flat sheets of graphite, soccer-ball-shaped cages known as bucky balls and rolled-up cylinders called nanotubes. The new form also consists of narrow tubes, but the tubes are connected in a willowy lattice. The surprise discovery is that nanofoam, unlike the other four forms of carbon, is magnetic. In the first few hours after it forms, nanofoam is attractive enough to stick to a refrigerator. The magnetism then wanes and disappears. It is one of the airiest materials known; a gallon of nanofoam weighs about a quarter of an ounce. – New York Times News Service.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, details not available.

Wikipedia articles on “Nanofoam” and “CARBON”:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanofoam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_(element)

Grateful thanks to New York Times News Service, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Facts & Figures-43: "Rarest Disease in the World"

The rarest disease in the world, called Kuru or Laughing Sickness, affects only the cannibals of New Guinea and is believed to be caused by eating human brains.

Courtesy: ‘501 Fascinating Facts’

Pushtak Mahal, Delhi

Grateful thanks to Pushtak Mahal.

Foods that Heal-6: "Sprouted Wheat Grains"

Sprouted wheat grains contain Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals like Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Sulphur, Cobalt, Silica, Iodine. Hence it is considered good for anaemia, nervous debility, initial stages of diabetes, heart ailments, kidney ailments, watery swellings in different parts of the body, eczema.

Health Facts-4: "Value of Sexual Vital Fluid"

In the structure of the body, every part, every limb, every chemical and every phenomenon is important and valuable, deserving appropriate respect and attention. Among all the phenomena the sexual vital fluid is most important for germination, survival and in short, all aspects of life. ….Only by the excretion of the sexual vital fluid man is germinated. By the same excretion man leves the body and that is the end, Death. The entire mechanism and chemistry of the body is based wholly on the sexual vital fluid. It is a unique mixture of various mysterious chemicals serving as a suitable container for the life-force. The quantity and quality of the life-force in a body is commensurate with the quantity and quality of the sexual vital fluid. Further, it is according to the quantity and quality of the life-force in a body that the quantity of charge and stock of bio-magnetism are conditioned.

When the sexual vital fluid is thrown away in an irresponsible manner, or production is reduced by illness or old age, simultaneously the stock of life-force will become proportionately less. As a result, all the three functions of the Consciousness connected with the (1) Central Nervous System (CNS); (2) Autonomous Nervous Systems (ANS); and (3) Universal Wave will become disturbed and thereby man is rendered weak in potential. Now you know the great value of the sexual vital fluid. One has to store it with care, conserve it with due reverence and expend it creatively with a total perspective awareness to enjoy a healhty, happy, prosperous and blissful life.

Although overflow of of the sexual vital fluid (i.e.) enjaculation of the surplus starts at the age of maturity, about 14 years of age, it requires ten years more for males and six years more for females to get proper strength and concentration of fluid to withstand many kinds of disturbances. After this age, the sexual vital fluid will be surprlus has to be necessarily eliminated in a natural way by coition. One or two years more or less for sexual gratification will not produce any harm. Completely suppressing the flow for lack of opportunity or by some wrong concepts will cause definite damage to the kidneys, prostate gland and brain in males, and to kidneys, uterus, ovaries and brain for females.

If for some reason one decides to lead a celibate life, some special process should be followed under the guidance of a spiritual master. There are some exercises and breathing processes to neutralise the sexual vital fluid and transmute it into spiritual energy. One should not neglect any of the facts explained above.

Over-indulgence in sex will replete the vital fluid and bring the stock to a low level. As a result of the reduction in the stock of life-force, the bio-magnetism will become deficient in intensity. Eventually the health of the body and clarity of the intellect will be the casualty. Over-indulgence in sex will also cause impotency which will result in un told suffering for both the life-partners.

Masturbation, homosexuality, having sexual contact with animals and enjoy sex during menstrual period of women will not only deteriorate the health but upset the body-chemistry to such an exrtent that it cannot be restored to normal by treatment. These are examples of improper sex.

The education in schools and colleges has come to cover a wide range of subjects from Health to Computer Technology but the importance of Sexual Education is undreestimated and overlooked. Karma Yoga includes sex education to a full extent.

Excerpts from “KARMA YOGA : The Holistic Unity” by Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi.

“KARMA YOGA : The Holistic Unity”

Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi.

Vethathiri Publications

Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600041, India

Pages 123

1986 edition

Grateful thanks to Vethathiri Publications.

"On Meditation" – Swami Muktananda

The Upanishads say that everything in the universe is in meditation. The earth is held in position by meditation, fire burns through the power of meditation, water flows through the power of meditation, and the wind blows through the power of meditation. Through meditation, the ancient sages discovered the various laws of society and how to govern so that everything functioned smoothly. In the same way, the secrets of the ancient sciences were revealed to these sages. Through meditation, they accomplished great tasks.

Meditation is such a great purifier that it washes away the sins of countless lifetimes and removes all the impurities and tensions which beset the mind. Meditation rids us of disease and makes us more skillful at everything we do. Through meditation, our inner awareness expands and our understanding of inner and outer things becomes steadily deeper. Through meditation, we travel to different inner worlds and have innumerable inner experiences. Above all, meditation stills the mind – which constantly wanders, which constantly causes suffering – and establishes us forever in the state of supreme peace…. Ultimately, meditation makes us aware of our own true nature. It is this awareness which removes all suffering and delusion, and this awareness comes only when we see our own Inner Self face to face.

Excerpts from “MEDITATE” by Swami Muktananda.

“MEDITATE”

Swami Muktananda

UBS Publishers’ Distributors Ltd

by special arrangements with

Gurudev Siddha Peeth, Ganeshpuri

Pages 71

1991 edition – Prices Rs.60/-

Grateful thanks to Gurudev Siddha Peeth and UBSPD.

"On Meditation" – Swami Muktananda

The Upanishads say that everything in the universe is in meditation. The earth is held in position by meditation, fire burns through the power of meditation, water flows through the power of meditation, and the wind blows through the power of meditation. Through meditation, the ancient sages discovered the various laws of society and how to govern so that everything functioned smoothly. In the same way, the secrets of the ancient sciences were revealed to these sages. Through meditation, they accomplished great tasks.

Meditation is such a great purifier that it washes away the sins of countless lifetimes and removes all the impurities and tensions which beset the mind. Meditation rids us of disease and makes us more skillful at everything we do. Through meditation, our inner awareness expands and our understanding of inner and outer things becomes steadily deeper. Through meditation, we travel to different inner worlds and have innumerable inner experiences. Above all, meditation stills the mind – which constantly wanders, which constantly causes suffering – and establishes us forever in the state of supreme peace…. Ultimately, meditation makes us aware of our own true nature. It is this awareness which removes all suffering and delusion, and this awareness comes only when we see our own Inner Self face to face.

Excerpts from “MEDITATE” by Swami Muktananda.

“MEDITATE”

Swami Muktananda

UBS Publishers’ Distributors Ltd

by special arrangements with

Gurudev Siddha Peeth, Ganeshpuri

Pages 71

1991 edition – Prices Rs.60/-

Grateful thanks to Gurudev Siddha Peeth and UBSPD.