State of Mind - SOM

If one’s State of Mind is always happy and positive your have fulfilled your mandate of the gift of your life. 

Coupled with the desire to be in selfless service to humanity you have absolutely made good use of the physical life gifted to you.

All the rest is an Illusion.

To achieve the ultimate truth you have to tread through many falsehoods-illusions. Do you recognize the falsehoods ? 

Real direct knowledge is gained by introspection and meditation which helps to dispels darkness.

Let us attempt to define Happiness mathematically ;

Happiness =  What you Have  /  What you Need   ( A Ratio)

Happiness is a ratio where any thing greater than or equal to one means Positive and less than one is not.

In the equation the Numerator = What you have, depends on many external circumstances not all in your control.

Say you prosper and increase the numerator to a high number. Good luck.

Denominator = What you need,  again depends on your thought process and ego. This number will increase with you desires.

Keeping this number in check helps immensely in the overall Ratio.

Pursuit of wealth, name and fame, is the blueprint most want to follow. Truth is that ultimately it is not fulfilling as your denominator also increase causing the ratio to be less than one.

Happiness is an inner state not an outer accomplishments.

What is required is a good balance between the Inner and Outer worlds.

Good Health,  Peace of Mind and contentment are treasures to be cultivated and cherished.

Use your own methods to balance the Happiness ratio. 

Meditate to improve Direct Experiential Knowledge to guide you.

Life is actually simple but we all make it unusually complicated. 

You now know what is required- Execute . You will Honour the Gift of your Life given to YOU.

CaptainWB

Rishikesh the Holy City

My departure to Toronto was delayed due to official reasons. Now I had 2 months to finish my project. This was after all near the dreaded March 31st financial closing in India. I was stationed at Chandigarh India

To make constructive use of the time I decided to visit Rishikesh. I chose Rishikesh as a by-product, because Swami Rama’s Ashram was located there. I had discovered Swami Rama on the Internet in 2008 and since then had become well versed in his teachings. 

Swami Rama
 1925 –– 1996

Swami Rama's translation of the Mandukya Upanishad, Enlightenment without God is my favourite philosophy.

One of the sites www.swamij.com is dedicated to his teachings. There are 40 hours of videos on the internet which one can see. Swami Rama just made the knowledge of the scriptures easy to understand in this own simple way. 

I wanted to enroll for a course starting March 31 for 14 days. This was about transforming your self by applying the teachings of Swami Rama. There was no vacancy, sold out course. There was a course starting March 7th for 3 days and another course starting on March 20th for 5 days. In between was 10 days gap which the ashram allowed me to stay as a self-directed meditation. 

So I stayed from  March 7th to March 26th in Rishikesh at the Sadhna Mandir Ashram built by Swami Rama, exact co-ordinate of the Ashram is 30.084745, 78.288762. 

To reach there from Chandigarh, it took Rs 50 to reach the bus stand, another Rs 50 to reach Ambala by bus, Rs 65 Train ticket to Rishikesh - 4.5 hours journey, Rs 100 to the Auto Rickshaw to reach the Ashram.
1 USD is equivalent to  Rs 65. So in Rs 265 or $ 4 did a 225 Km journey.

View of the Ganges from the Ashram

The Ashram has simply constructed building with an exquisite garden for meditative walks. It was located 50 feet from a flowing river called the Ganga. This place was a  1 kilometer upstream of a barrage which diverted the water for electricity generation, so the water was clean and abundant and at least having a width of 1200 feet. I did swim in the holy waters.

The per day fees for the course and to stay there was Rs 750 or $11.50. This included three vegetarian meals daily and room rental. The food was adequate and wholesome. You had to wash your own dishes and there was no room service!

View of the garden from the dining room

The first course was taught by Ms Savitri Jugdeo. She was a visiting teacher from Toronto.  She had met Swami Rama in person in the ’90s. Imagine meeting in Rishikesh after originating from the same city.

The second course was more intense and was taught by  Dr. Prakash Keshaviah. He was IIT Madras graduate and was a practicing Ph.D. engineer in Minnesota, USA. Swami Rama persuaded him to move back to India in 1990 and join the Himalayan Trust Hospital in Dehra Dun, Uttar Khand, India.

During my stay, I visited Swami Yogananda Yogacharya and attended his Yoga Class. The Swami is 106 years of age at the time of meeting him.

He has his own teeth, own eyes hears well and is on no medication at all.

He was married and has 10 children. His grandson is  60 years old. He has been a widower for the last 10 years.

With Swami Yogananda 

He eats once a day a diet of fruits and nuts only. Typically 2 kgs of oranges, walnuts, almonds, cashews, raisins - nut count 40 units each.

No beverages of any kind except water. He fasts for a week every two months. 

I had the opportunity to ask him directly his secret of longevity.

One of his yoga poses at 106

o

To have a life filled with love. Love is defined as the absence of hate.

If you don’t do or think of violence you are a loving person. 

Ego, the need for separate existence, will always steer you away from love.

He practices Sukshma Yoga daily. This is the easiest form of yoga for longevity as is apparent. This allows for the best breathing for health

Eat what your body requires. We do tend to eat 3 times more than what the body needs.

With age, we tend to start listening to your body language. If we listen to our bodies early we can no doubt live a healthy long life.

He says it is best practice to keep a fast once a week for better health. You can in one 24 hour period only drink water. 

I want to talk about the dip in the Ganges in my next post.

-

CaptainWB
www.sarabsandhu.com

A Perfect food for Longevity and tasty too.....

Have you ever asked your body what would it like to eat ?  Most of the time it would be different from what your mind wants to eat ! 

A recipe listed here is from the Vedas. It is essentially the same with some minor changes. Just imagine you will be eating a dish which people ate 5000 years ago.

This is a wholesome  diet  in keeping with advise in the scriptures regarding nuts, grains, fruits and vegetables (NGFV) to be the staple diet for a human being.

Dairy Products, Animal flesh, birds and fish are not on the prefered list of longevity foods.  Light Diary like 0% Fat Yoghourt and Skim Milk can be used for source of protiens.

As the body grows in years the digestive system gets weaker so the food habits have to get simpler to the consumption of  Nuts, Grains, Fruits and Vegetables.

The watch word is to eat Whole Foods which are minimally cooked. No processed foods,  no added sugar,   no added salt, no animal fats. There is enough nutirents in the NGFV family to sustain you and more.

The Recipe: Makes two Portions

• In one cup (Let us say the Grain Cup) measure 1/2 Moong Dal (Split - The whole Moong Beans is split in two portions)
• The balance 1/4 fill with Quinoa or Spilt Peas (My Variation)
• The remaining 1/4 fill with Basmati Rice.
•  (Rinse all above  in Cold water and drain)

• 
  
• In another empty cup (Let us say the Spice Cup)-  
• 2 Table Spoons of Cumin Seeds
• 1 Table Spoon of Fenugreek Seeds,
• 1 Table spoon of Kalonji Seeds
• 1/2 Table spoon of Cayenne Pepper.  (not the hot Chili Powder)
• 1 Inch Grated Fresh Ginger
• 2 Table spoons of Grated Garlic. (10 cloves of Garlic chopped)
• 1/2 Table Spoon of Turmeric Powder.
• 
  
• Keep Two Tables spoons of Olive Oil  Ready. ( My Variation - the Vedic Recipr calls for Ghee- Clarified Butter)
• 
  
• Two Handful of frozen vegetable mix (My Variation)

SALT to Taste......You will get used to it without SALT!

Place  a 8 inch crock pot (with a lid) on the flame and introduce the olive oil.

Now things happen rapidly from now on.

Introduce the entire content of the Spice Cup in hot oil.

On crackling of the seeds Introduce the entire content of the Grain Cup.

Keep moving the ingredients and introduce 3 and 1/4 cup of Water.

Now introduce the Frozen Vegetables (Broccali, carrots, French Beans, Pea Pods, Mushrooms...what ever is in the frozen vegetable packet. Can subsitute

with fresh vegetable if you desire)

Now on the start of the boil ( it should have taken no more than 5/7 minutes from the time you started with the pot on the fire) place the lid on the crock pot, bring the flame to low and put the timer for 35 minutes. Do not open the lid till the timer is done.

When you come back you better be hungry. The best way to eat it is garnished with  Plain 0% Fat Yoghourt and some spicy pickles. 

This will provide you with a wholesome Grains,  Legumes, Vegetables and Cleansing Spices. (For better effect you can grind the Spice Cup's  dry contents to a powder.)

If you make the dish kindly leave a comment and the variations you did to the dish and how it came out.

Here are some benefits of all that goes in our spice cup.

  Fenugreek Seeds

Listed here some of fenugreek's primary health benefits.

• Fasting Blood sugar levels significant reduction.
• Healthy cholesterol and triglycerides  reduced.
• Sexual health - Fenugreek has long been understood to increase libido. 
• Digestion - Fenugreek causes a protective coating on the lining of the stomach and intestine, reducing gastric inflammation, reflux and heartburn.
• Skin inflammation - Effective  treatment for skin problems such as abscesses, boils, burns, eczema and gout.
• Eases childbirth and  boosts milk production in nursing mothers.
• Relieves fever and eases flu symptoms.
• Eases menopause symptoms
• May help prevent cancer -  as an antioxidant and free radical cleanser.
• Rich fiber content make it useful in treating constipation, and as a preventive against cardiovascular disease.

Because it is a food substance, fenugreek may be safely consumed in moderate amounts, either added to food, or in the form of supplements. 

Kalonji - Nigella Sativa Seeds

This is a  miracle potion which cures most disease afflicting Humans except death. 

• Very High in Nutritional Value
• Immune System Strengthening
• Anti Histaimine Activity
• Anti Bacterial
• Anti Inflammatory
• Fights Cancer.
• Promotes Lactation in new Mothers.

Cumin  Seeds

This is a dried seed of Cuminum Cyminum, a member of the parsely family.
Some benefits are listed.

• Aids digestion.
• Excellent food for ensuring good colon health and prevention of piles.
• Relief from Insomnia. (cannot sleep)
• Respiratory Disorders like Asthma and Bronchitis.
• High in Vitamin C helps with the common Cold.
• Improves Lactation in Young Mothers.
• High in Irom excellent for Anemia.
• Has disinfectant and anti Fungal properties help with skin disorders.
• Removes toxins from body - less boils and pimples.
• General improvement of the immune system.
• Anti Carcinogenic Properties in the Intestines and colon.
• Improves memory and increases concentration.

Cayenne Pepper

This is  powdered Cayenne Pepper which is milder than pure chilli power avaiable.

Many benefits include:

• Anti Irritant Properties.
• Anti Cold and Flu AgentAnti Fungal Properties.
• Anti Bacterial 
• Anti Allergen
• Anti Infammatory Properties.
• Migraine Headache prevention.
• Joint Pain Reliever
• Digestive Aid
• Improves Saliva production.
• Treatment and prevention of Blood Clots
• Help detoxification.
• Improves Heart Health
• Topical paste for snale bites, inflammations .

Turmeric Powder.

It has an immense interal healing properties. Taken daily in your food can help with these benefits.

• Anti Cancer
• Help in delaying the onset of Alzhiemer Disease
• General Sugar Control in Diabetic cases
• Alleviation of Allergies
• Reduction of Artheritic Symptoms.
• General Anti Septic properties when ingested.

All these spices are not pills where you see the results right away, the effects are gradual if consistently taken.

If you have any question do contact me at captainwb@gmail.com

Captain WB