Dr. Bharat Desai's Blog

Book Review: Art of Power by Thich Nhat Hanh Part – III How to develop mindfulness  We think that if we can obtain a certain thing, we will be happy. But when we get them, we continue to crave and suffer. Fame, sex, power and wealth are the four kinds of bait that have a hook. If you are motivated by any of the desire, your destiny is suffering. To love each other does not mean we sit and look at each other. It means we look in the same direction. Do not try to be someone else.

Book Review: Art of Power by Thich Nhat Hanh  Part – II Mindfulness Mindfulness is the energy of attention and capacity to be 100% present to what is happening within and around us, right here and right now. Whatever you do, you do with your whole being. Invest yourself entirely in the here and now, without running away from here and now. The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. If you miss the present moment, you miss your appointment with life. We have been taught to do many things at once. Actually, forget this and everything. Instead of multitasking, we must restrict ourselves to 'unitask'. If you are not capable of being in the here and now, you won't be able to recognise yourself, your happiness or your sufferings. FIVE pieces of training for this: Be aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life. Not to kill anyone and be a supporter of killers.  Be aware of sufferings caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing and oppression.  Se...

Book Review: Art of Power by Thich Nhat Hanh Part – I Our society is founded on a very limited definition of power, namely wealth, professional success, fame, physical strength, military might and political control. My dear Friends, I suggest that there is another kind of power, a greater power: the power to be happy right in the present moment, free from addiction, fear, despair, discrimination, anger and ignorance. This power is a birthright of every human being, celebrated or unknown, rich or poor, strong or weak. A Vietnamese Buddhist Zen master, poet, scholar and peace activist THICH NHAT HANH wrote this book in 2007 to enlighten us on this subject of power and tell us how true power comes from WITHIN. What we seek is what we already have. He walks to talk and to tell us "LET US HAVE THE COURAGE TO BEGIN THIS WITH OURSELVES." To bring happiness to others, we must be happy.

Be cautious in critising the in-laws of your son; he may not like it even if you are right. Avoid being critic with bad taste, you will be the loser. Your son is married and he is neutral to both the sides, non-biased for any.

I recently re-read this book Freedom From The Known by J Krishnamurti, edited by Mary Lutyens. I have gone through the details. I cannot summarize it for you, but as I have told you his thoughts regarding LOVE , now I will tell you some other ideas he told. 1. Seeking for security is inviting insecurity. 2. We human beings are what we have been for millions of years… Colossally greedy, Aggressive, Jealous, Anxious, and despairing with occasional flashes of joy and affection.

Love - As portrayed by J. Krishnamurti in 'Freedom From The Known' Adoring someone, sleeping with someone, the emotional exchange or the companionship. Is that what we mean by love? Can love be divided in the sacred or the profane, the human or the divine or there is only love?

An introduction video on Refractive Surgeries. Quite primitive and fundamentally useful information for the viewers from all groups.

Cyberworld and You - Part 2 Facebook Here I want to conclude my first article on the same subject with important closing remarks. I have tried to describe four signs of the DISEASED person - they may or may not apply any of us!

From:    Dr Bharat Desai To:         feedback2jyoti@chitralekha.com Date:      Sun, Jul 18, 2010, at 9:53 PM Subject:  Father's reply to a daughter married against his will, on Father's day. Beloved Prathana, This is a reply to your letter published in Chitralekha direct from the heart of a Father, uncensored.

We are always comparing what we are with what we should be. The 'should be' is projection of what we think we ought be. Contradiction exists when there is comparison, not only with something or somebody, but with what you were yesterday and hence there is conflict between 'what has been' and 'what is'. There is 'what is' only when there is no comparison at all, and to live with 'what is', is to be peaceful. Then you can give your whole attention to 'what is' within yourself and you can live with it completely. -  J. Krishnamurti (Freedom From the Known)

Cyberworld & You - Part 1 Social Networking - An Addiction FACEBOOK MYSPACE ORKUT TWITEER HI5 FRIENDSTER BABO ...and so many so called social networking websites.

It is the THE RIGHT of a married couple to decide when to be parents and how many times. Parents and parents-in-law must not dictate or suggest about what they wish. In my opinion, ideal is the first child soon after the wedding, second at the earliest convenient time. Late parenthood is complicated and difficult once in a while. Single child is sometimes a problem child.

Life begins with 100 and ends with 0 (zero). The death is the process of zeroing oneself physically (no body), intellectually (no brain, intelligence or thought process) and materialistically (you are owner of nothing). Death is a slow process progressing gradually. The Vedas tell us: up to 50 yrs full social life, 50 to 75 yrs live with family semi attached, and after 75 yrs go for  Sannyasa (renunciation). Can we start zeroing?

It is easy to fall into the habit of condemning others, even those we love the most. We criticize the way someone eats or the manner in which one speaks. We focus on the most minute details and find fault with the smallest of issues. But what we focus grows to the extent we start feeling it to be a great problem. Instead, why not begin to respect the differences? Often, we perceive in others the weaknesses we most need to address in ourselves. STOP BLAMING AND CONDEMNING. - Robin Sharma Author of Who Will Cry When You Die

I came across a very nice book this morning by Thich Nhat Hanh  (a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen). I am yet to start reading it. But meanwhile, I would like to share a peek from the book as ‘preview’: “Our society is founded on a very limited dentition of power, namely wealth, professional success, fame, physical strength, military might, and political control. My dear friends, I suggest that there is another kind of power, a greater power: the power to be happy right in the present moment, free from addiction, fear, despair, discrimination, anger, and ignorance. This power is the birthright of every human being, whether celebrated or unknown, rich or poor, strong or week.” -   from The Art of Power

  For Car Drivers: Stop immediately on mere doubt of puncture or your tyre will get torn to pieces. I have done that and paid Rs. 2,400 expense of new tyre. While taking car on reverse gear, wait a little and continue looking back or there will be big scratch or broken rear glass. I have done both on separate occasions and paid for each mistake. Never miss a seat belt even for short drive. I saw a dead yesterday.

George Carlin (Age 102) has this to say about LOVE and LIFE: Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. The only person who is with us our entire life is oneself. Love thyself the most. Surround yourself with people you love. Keep only cheerful friends. Laugh often, long and loudly. Enjoy simple things.

Assume you are being monitored all the time and behave accordingly, be it chat, social media, Email or any move on internet. This will make you disciplined, in the virtual life. I know this is equally true for anything in life!

When we live together with our partner, friend or relative, we get used to the company so much so that we don't realize the presence. Let us say we get conditioned and habituated enough to recognize one's presence. Let me say start ignoring one. It is at the time of separation that we understand the loss or say importance... Small separation in physical form teaches us the lesson.

Unique The mother NATURE demands nothing. It is not in hurry .It does not want to prove anything, but wants to remain as original and as oneself as possible. You are an individual having personalized unique properties comparable to none. Then why try to compare oneself with any and prove superior or inferior. You are You - unique, great, different. Just remain so.

I am addressed as UNCLE for last 3 to 4 years. Not because, I have suddenly grown old, but because, westernization and English has attacked us. We have stopped someone telling KAKA, MAMA, MASA or FUVA which are self-explanatory words. Instead we have gone for UNCLE. I am not unhappy about this, because there is some address instead of none. I am actually getting used to with this. And I have started liking it.

If a husband competes with his wife, it is quite possible, he’d win. But if a father competes a mother in reference to love, emotions, feelings of her to her offsprings, it is impossible to win.

Element of uncertainty is LUCK. Whenever you do some activity, you wait for result: THE OUTCOME The tragic part of the story is circumstances, time, environmental and human factors also play important role in deciding the end-point. So your proper planing, hard work and intelligent efforts are not the only factors to talk about.

About relationship with your parents and parents-in-law: Never think of in-laws as your opponents or enemies. They have some limitations of nature, similarly you too have. Simply accept. Bringing your parents in problem with in-laws does not solve it, but complicate it most of the times. Think it over,... ultimately it is your life.

One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat one at politeness. -Josh Billings  Are you really in love ? You are in love when you would rather not live life without the other person; when he or she is the first that springs to your mind in happiness or grief. 

Few Sparks of Today’s Ideas Live life, as You like it. At the end of day, one may find out that all I did to get success, fame, friendship, relations and all such activities has nothing to do with my own self, me. And surprisingly one comes to conclusion, all these were trivial activities with no meaning whatsoever. I was wandering behind nothingness. Well, all that analysis of life at sixty or so gives wonderful surprises. LIVE TODAY. LIVE RESPONSIBLY. LIVE as YOU please yourself. No formalities. No rituals. JUST ONE SELF.

When you start receiving the following... No new messages or emails  No mobile calls to disturb you round the day  Phones and letters are left only for death news ...don't bother much about them. Start understanding the limit of relationships and be on-guard, instead of disturbing concerned the persons.

To start with, some facts about Suicide (in India): Causes : 1. Poverty 2. Alcoholism 3. An anguished man 4. A misfortune 5. Failure in exam 6. Family Feud 7. Depression 8. Unemployment 9. Dowry

Use of computer is unavoidable in day to day life of an individual dealing with IT industry and such other professions. It is not a safe thing to go using computer carelessly. Then What? The answer to such questions follows. Our science tells following 10 rules to be taken care of.

This is a platform to express yourself uninhibited. The readers are friends chosen by you. Why not tell your views, have a mental catharsis and relax? Friends are one who are eager to read your story, share it and be with you.

To hate someone is easy. To abuse someone is even easier. To insult someone is the easiest. How to manage it? I am not talking about power of mind, personality development, positive thinking, yoga or many other such things. It can be read or heard elsewhere. I am describing my present thought-cycle. Why not love? Why not ignore? Or why not accept the individual in one's original form? If reacting is inevitable, be brief.

When I see someone, my senses form one opinion and accordingly, I start reacting.I start loving and respecting the said fellow  without reasons or its opposite. The friend-circle gets formed this way. That is the reason why some of your contacts who are most of the time with you, are never your friends.