Category Archives: Motivational

blogs, Book Review, inspiration, Motivational, philosophy, Uncategorized

Conversations With God- A Catalyst To Your Higher Self- My Reflection

There are some books meant for something beyond the labelled purposes- educate and enlighten. Some books are not just mere pages, words and experiences (all inclusive) but they are MESSAGES meant for you and Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch is one such book. This book has three parts of which the first part is what this review-experience is all about. I am more convinced than ever that perfect timings exist, from doing or not doing something to reading a book or coming across a message, things happen on time. I would like to first acknowledge and express my gratitude to Shweta, one of my Instagram friends who introduced this book to me for which I’m eternally grateful. I see her as the God sent ‘Messenger’. Something in her post about this book stayed with me and I decided to read it. This book is what connected me to her and developed this friendship or rather connection that I know is meant to be and it is an honour to experience it. Heartfelt gratitude to the author N. D. Walsch himself who chose to write this book and spread the magic beyond him, on people who desperately need it. I believe this book has reached people at the time destined.

Every so often, you may suddenly find a book that was lying in a corner or amidst the stack for years, and decide to read it all of a sudden, only to find how life-changing it is. Conversations With God has been such a book for me at least. If I have to suggest one book to every person, this would be it. The book talks about almost everything and not just praising or defining God. It is more real and serious than it may even sound. People differ in their interests and choices naturally, some may be intimidated by this book or even find this review vague or ‘crazy’. However different our thoughts may be, in the deepest depth and farthest realm, we are all souls. We all have the potential to feel, think and experience similar, collectively and ‘crazily’. It all may direct to one message, one goal or one truth. Truth is, after all, One- with countless or limitless facets, much like us humans or souls or GOD.

Initial Thoughts

Initially, while reading the book, there was a little conflict within my mind. The book did not seem to resonate with my conditioned idea of God. The whole idea of a book speaking to me in the form of God was weird to me. In all honesty, I even thought that, perhaps, the author wants to create his version of God just so that he can give sense to what he is writing and all this he even did effortlessly and rightfully. I was just a thought away from discontinuing until the thought of – KEEP AN OPEN MIND barged in. First Walsch tries to make us comfortable with this idea that it is God speaking to him or us. He seems to be equally skeptical and uncomfortable, almost unable to believe. You can feel the dilemma, the struggle to come out of this conditioned zone. As I started reading further, I forgot that it is a book and is written by someone. I felt as if it were me and God having a dialogue. Despite being the reader, I felt I was the author. This is where I know Walsch has already done a commendable job. Shaking up a reader, un-conditioning the conditioned, making them contemplate and observe what they did not before, making them find their potential and believe in, making them believe that they are LIMITLESS. If this is not what describes a successful writer, then I don’t know what else does.

Knowing Your Creator- who is God?

God’s answer from Conversations With God

Each one of us or factions among us define God in their own way and even conclude that ultimately, ‘God is One’. To some God could be in holy shrines, sculptures or images and even stone. To some God could be nothing or non-existent. The very idea or belief itself of anything, is something. Delving more into the book, I realized how simple and liberal the book is and how the author rather wants you to create your own version of God- call it the Universe, God, Higher Self, or simply Life. N. D. Walsch has simplified the concept of God that seems quite complex, sometimes beyond our understanding otherwise and makes the reader so comfortable with the concept. It may seem contradicting the ancient texts that talk differently about God but is similar to spiritualism. In the entire book there is at least one question that I am sure any person would relate with, the answer to which is, at least for me, thought-provoking and eye-opening. God is your Higher Self and if that does not satisfy you, you are free to find God and define the way you want, ultimately understand that God is not in limitations- neither in the definitions of the world nor in the most concrete form- mostly all of it and nothing.

Communication with God

I have always believed that God does speak to us in different ways and forms. Walsch elaborates it in the book very well with examples. How often we miss on the same messages or signs that keeps popping in front of us! The book, in one way or the other makes us think, helps us become conscious. It is important that conscious living starts defining us. Every conscious thought and action can probably make a better difference than the other and consciousness can differ from person to person, to some it may mean more analytic or calculative and to some it may mean more moralistic. It is mentioned in the book that “God communicates with us through our Highest Though which contains joy, Clearest Word which contains truth and Grandest Feeling which we call love. Anything less is from another source and not God”. If we think deeper this seems true. The first feeling and thought, the purest one, the one that just appears, seems like the one from the Supreme or ‘Unknown’.

God’s answer. An excerpt from Conversations with God

Good and Bad; Right and Wrong

Using examples of casualties or wars, diseases, mental health problems, relationship and life problems and so on, the book takes you off the mindset that either victimizes oneself or blames the other. The book would make you solely responsible for the occurrences in your life. This does not include the bad occurrences that we don’t choose or ask for but the reason for that is better explained in the book. I realized that there has to be good for bad and bad for good. Both are relative. To know the other, the another needs to exist. Without ‘it’ there is no ‘that’. Without bad there is no good. However, in a limitless realm, in the wide whole universe, there is no good or bad. Simply actions or choices and consequences with polarities.

I have never set down a “right” or “wrong” or a “do” or a “don’t”. To do so would be to strip you completely of your greatest gift- the opportunity to do as you please and experience the results of that; the chance to create yourself anew in the image and likeness of Who You Really Are; the space to produce a reality of a higher and higher you, based on your grandest idea of what it is of which you are capable.

God’s answer, quoting from the book, p. 39

What if You are God?

You are LIMITLESS. You create and through you, God experiences. One would wonder what is this ‘God experiencing through his creation’? We believe that we are God’s creation, so how can we think that God’s creation would be any less? Walsch implies that we are Creators and we re-create.

Events are created by the combined consciousness of man. All of the world, co-creating together, produces these experiences. What each of you do individually, is move through them, deciding what, if anything, they mean to you and Who and What You Are in relationship to them.

Thus you create collectively, and individually, the life and times you are experiencing, for the soul purpose of evolving.

God’s answer. Conversations With God, p.37

We have come a long way and all of this has been our creation, with or without the help of God. This way God experiences through his creation’s recreation. It is like humans and AI, to make it simple. The message of this book revolves around the fact that we are limitless, our potential is far beyond we can even think. The book tries to make you question and think Who You Are. This phrase is often repeated. After all, this is what are hunt is all about. We create and we still try finding our purpose and under Who We Are.

The book has done a brilliant job in awakening the urge in me to create, to be the creator that I am already, create better and help others create better as well. Like many spirituality-centric books, this one also focuses on many aspects of spirituality, in a more Western way by quoting the western texts like Bible, and also every now and then the Eastern texts. I noticed, ultimately, I have got similar messages in different words and forms. It is indeed like the God speaking to me in different forms, we know the Universe does this. How different is the universe from God? How different are We from God?

-Pooja Ashokkumar, the creator and the Creator 😉

If you have already made up your mind to buy the book, here is a direct link for the same: https://amzn.to/3qrJAAL

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Book Review, Hinduism, Motivational, Mythology, philosophy

My interpretation of My Gita

I have always believed that the Universe has too many ways to communicate with us. It might not be too soon or too late but right on time. Out of many ways, one is through books. I am so convinced with this based on my own experience of stumbling upon a book and realizing how much I needed to read it. I tend to accidentally buy books that I don’t not really want to but something pushes me to buy and read them at the right-est time, in all honesty, one such book is My Gita by Devdutt Pattanaik. I cannot stress on how I am happy to have read it.

Author’s magic

https://www.juggernaut.in/authors/devdutt-pattanaik

Before I start discussing about the book, I would like to acknowledge and shower my love on the author’s narrative. Every writer is different, has a unique story to present and connects with you differently. Devdutt Pattanaik stands out in terms of connecting quite accurately. Simple at the language, minimalist approach and makes the most complex concepts perceivable. A good writer or a storyteller is the one who enables you to visualize. Devdutt Pattanaik, throughout his narrative, presents you the picture. This keeps you engaged as a reader. He is any reader’s writer and by that I mean ANYONE can read and understand what he is trying to convey.

My Gita to the rescue

There are times when you are pensive and perplexed, almost in a dilemma about many things in life. You seek answers for so many questions that linger over your mind. I experienced this. Just when I thought I am lost without a beginning or an end, My Gita came to the rescue. The personification here comes from the feeling of almost having a conversation with someone more than a book. I was answered. Yes! I could relate to every alternate passage and verse. In a way, I was able to recollect similar experiences or those that made more sense after reading the book. I will be sharing a few quotes from the book to relate with my thoughts about it.

My Gita is Devdutt Pattanaik’s interpretation of Shri Bhagavad Gita which is the knowledge of the universe given to Arjuna (the seeker) by Lord Krishna (the giver) amidst the Mahabharata war. The book revolves around the Hindu paradigm but also around other religions, giving you an understanding of those too. A newbie would not really have to worry about not understanding something as every concept is well explained in the most comprehensible manner.

It connects the past with the present, thus making it more relatable for a contemporary. This also left me wondering about the accuracy and significance of the modern terms that we apply on the narratives of the past. While reading I realized that we look at the past, the times that we have not witnessed, with the present or modern magnifying glass and conclude on that basis. This might not do complete justice to the past. I realized how the world was different in each stage, thus, the possibility of needs and definitions of many things being different from what it is now. Simply, even the meaning of our identity differs. A lot might have not been the same as we see them today. A following quote from the book may explain what I mean here.

Karma may determine the circumstances of our life. But humans have the power to create their own identity by creating and claiming property, or kshetra. Society values people more as proprietors than as residents of the body, for property is visible and measurable. As a result, ‘mine’ becomes more important than ‘me’.

Devdutt Pattanaik, My Gita, 2015, p.183

Besides, My Gita is more psychological and philosophical in its narrative than just religious as it seems. I realized how religious notions are also not too different from concepts involved in these western terms- psychology and philosophy irrespective of different languages or explanations

It got me to the gradual realization that I was being led towards ‘self-actualization‘. I questioned myself, my thoughts, approach and attitude towards many things in life. It made me ponder upon those I had not thought about otherwise. It added on to my insights and broadened my ways. Many may disagree with his interpretation of the Gita but that is what My Gita focuses on, you may agree or disagree, you can be right or wrong, you are free to believe anything or nothing, after all,

Your reality is different from my reality because your body is different, your filters are different, your experiences are different, your knowledge is different.

Quoting from My Gita, 2015.

Lastly, I realized that I am a different person after I finished reading My Gita. I evolved with each reading. In the end, I started seeing things and understanding differently. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I did feel enlightened. Sharing this one last quote among a plethora of wise quotes from the book that changed me as a person.

My deha is different from yours. My hungers are different from yours. My assumptions are different from yours. My capabilities are different from yours. My experiences are different from yours. My expressions are different from yours.

Devdutt Pattanaik, My Gita, 2015, p.66

Those looking out for My Gita

My Gita on Amazon: https://amzn.to/30nlbTy

Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3h72DwV

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Assam, Crisis, India, Inspirational, life, Motivational, Mysery, Polity

National Resources under Natural Threat

All you need to know about the drowning Gateway of North-east India.

image source: https://in.pinterest.com/

Assam, the Gateway of North-east India, the land of Red river and of the magnificent Blue hills.
The land of largest tea garden and of the fleecy silk ‘Eri’ and ‘Muga’.
The land with men in ‘Suria‘ or ‘Dhoti‘ and women in ‘Mekhela Chador’ or ‘Riha Mekhela’.
The land holding the legacy of Kamarupa and of the Ahoms, whom Assam derives its name from and the land that sees the ‘Bleeding Goddess’ as divine.
The land of “Dig-Boi” producing onshore natural gas and land of national parks dwelling ‘One-horned Rhino‘ along with numerous specie being worshiped the most

Recently, this pleasing land of the undemanding people has seen nature’s wrath but hope and succour of the people is still intact and unaffected. Although, it is not the first time that the State has witnessed something as devastating as this, it has only become more immune and stronger with each calamity’s stroke without any talking about their grievances.

Image source: https://in.pinterest.com/

“We have grown up watching the floods. My Grandmother recollects the time when they had lived on streets and the conditions have been this worse since then. It has become a routine for us; like other seasons- summer, winter and rainy, the floods have become a season too.”

– A resident of Assam.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/east/story/brahmaputra-floods-wreak-havoc-assam-displace-over-one-lakh-india-today-169358-2013-07-06

What is happening in Assam?

Overflowing of the rivers Brahmaputra, Barak and Jia Bhoreli has left the state into a catastrophe. Brahmaputra floods keep striking the state every now and then, but the sudden rise in the rivers since June 2019 has caused severe damage to the state. Assam receives excessive rainfall as it falls under the meteorological zone causing an increase in the water levels of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries that flows through the state.

Till 18th July, death toll touched 27 and increased, 4000 villages in 28 districts out of 33 of the state have been affected. 1000 houses damaged and over 16 lakh animals included livestock have been affected.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/monsoon-misery-assam-annual-tryst-with-floods-1571473-2019-07-20
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/79267/flooding-along-the-brahmaputra-river

The Brahmaputra floods are not a new concept. It is a catastrophic flood event occurred across the Brahmaputra and its tributaries subsequently since 2012.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmaputra_floods
https://scroll.in/article/931127/these-satellite-images-show-the-severity-of-the-floods-in-assam-and-bihar

The floods have severely damaged the embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and many other infrastructures of Assam and Barpeta district is the most devastated out of all others, followed by Nagaon, Goalpara, Morigaon and Hailakandi. The rising water level has affected Nematighat, Tezpur, Guwhati, Dhubri, Goalpara. Other areas affected include Dibrugarh, Kamrup, Cachar, Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Sonitpur, and Karimganj. The floods have affected 95% of Kaziranga National Park has with the increase in the toll of wild animals and some submerging in water, including the affects on anti-poaching camps of the national park. The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district was also flooded. Floods in Assam has disastrously hit the agricultural lands too.

Why is Assam prone to floods?

Any area affected by some crisis has contribution of both natural and man-made factors. Assam already falls under the meteorological zone that receives excessive rainfall during monsoon. The region has occasionally witnessed even 500 mm of rainfall in a day.

The region receives rainfall ranging from 248 cm to 635 cm, rainfall of more than 40 mm in an hour is frequent and around 70 mm per hour is also not uncommon.

Brahmaputra Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/monsoon-misery-assam-annual-tryst-with-floods-1571473-2019-07-20
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-behind-assams-flood-fury-5836815/

The rapidly overflowing rivers through the narrow valley where the Brahmaputra flows from, spread reaching the narrow strips which later affects the forest covers and farming areas in the low-lying areas around. Assam also possesses steep slopes that results into rivers cascading towards the plains. As the North-east region of India lies in a seismic zone, earthquakes and landslides are frequent which ends up in sedimentation that raises river beds. Other major factor is encroachment- the destruction of natural drainage like wetlands and water bodies has provoked the problem.

What can be or is being done for Assam floods?

https://www.guwahatiplus.com/daily-news/khalsa-aid-provides-ration-to-over-4000-victims-of-assam-floods
https://www.kaziranga-national-park.com/blog/assam-flood-information/

Measures have been taken by the locals and the State Government through rescue operations and rehabilitation. People have been evacuated and accommodated to relief camps across the state. Major role being played by the National Disaster Response force and Khalsa Aid that has been distributing emergency supplies to flood-affected people in Assam and other flood affected areas earlier. Similarly, the State health department along with animal husbandry and veterinary are also addressing medical issues due to the floods.

How can you contribute?

Natural calamity is a phenomenon that we cannot control or stop. It will happen and it will stop too, but the amount of destruction it causes is transcendent. All we can do is take measures or precautions to be prepared or at least find ways to recover for the aftermath. As humans, we need to help other humans.

Assam has been suffering for a long time, the State has been recovering on its own and the Centre has taken the matter into consideration, although none have been able to successfully find a solution for the inevitable floods. As fellow countrymen and humans, it is our responsibility to provide aid to the state in all possible ways. An official account and website for relief funds have been spread among others. Below mentioned are the details for the same along with the official website of the Chief Minister of Assam attached, where you can donate.

Account-Holder’s Name: Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Assam
Bank: State Bank of India (SBI)
Account Number: 35969660230 (SBI), Secretariat Branch
IFSC: SBIN0010755
PAN: AAATC4667K

https://cm.assam.gov.in/relieffund.php

Some other ways to help the flood affected people

Paytm app- the mobile payment app can be used for making online monetary contribution to Assam Flood Relief. You can also contribute items like Rice, Dal, Biscuits, Sanitary napkins, clothes and other essentials to the authorities in Assam through mentioned details and link ahead.

Jhalukbari
Name: Debashish Rajkhowa
Address: H-10, Pragjyotish Nagar
Contact Number: 8876993579

Dharapur
Name: Robin Diksha Dhar
Address: Agrim Vista
Contact Number: 7002602010

Narangi Tinali
Name: Robin Ajay
Address: Indira Gandhi Computer Shakshrta Mission, Opposite of UCO Bank
Contact Number: 9085140567

More details in here : https://www.kaziranga-national-park.com/blog/assam-flood-information/

https://www.wti.org.in/tag/kaziranga-national-park/

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Inspirational, Motivational, philosophy, Uncategorized

Six ways to keep yourself happy.

Image source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/632474341397257029/

“Happiness is not a product or property to be owned. It is a state of mind that can be created.“- The Sapient Musings

https://sapientmusing.home.blog/

Life has come to a point where an emotion, the basic, has to be reminded and motivated about. We are on the search of those emotions that we feel are lost among the hustle and tussle of everyday life. Emotions are present in each one of us. Some inclining on the extreme side, while some on the mild or least side. When I look around the people around me, I think, I introspect, if they are truly happy. I ask myself, if I am happy. The ones reading this right now, ask yourself if you are happy? Happy about the job you do, about the people you are surrounded by, about the things you do, about the life you live? We are still trying to figure that out.

It is true that many of us are lagging behind the fast pacing world unable to cope up with and find a solution for it. This is continuously repressing us from being happy. Here are five ways that you can keep yourself happy.

Know your needs

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” 

― Philip Pullman

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/needs

A lot of people fail to distinguish between needs and wants, this is one of the major cause of distress. Once you know what is your need and work to suffice it, you will be less distressed. Know what you need, what is your instant need and save the rest for later. This process will satisfy yourself which will unconsciously and consciously make you happy.

Acknowledge and focus on the good

Image source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/632474341398629833/

In a day, there are many good things that happen, that usually are ignored or goes unacknowledged by us. Keep a track of the good things that happen with you in a day and count on them. This will help you focus less on the negative and more on the positive side of your day ending up in a happy mood.

Appreciate little things

Image source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/13159023897240289/

Start noticing the little things that you come across everyday. It is the little things that embrace big happiness. Notice and appreciate if someone smiles at you, if someone helps you, if someone appreciates your efforts. We may snub these little things, but these are the reasons that can make your day.

Stop the comparison


Remind yourself that you are good the way you are and doing better whatever you are doing! We often compare ourselves and our lives with others, this is a natural phenomenon but consciously you can remind yourself that you are doing good. The comparison is what makes you feel less and leaves you in a desperate state of owning things and a life that someone else owns. Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side. The mantra to be happy is to be happy with what you have and feel happy when others grow.

Achievements are not the only success

https://izquotes.com/quote/orison-swett-marden/achievement-is-not-always-success-while-reputed-failure-often-is-it-is-honest-endeavor-119587

Achievement and success are two different things. You many not always need to achieve something to be successful but you can be successful without achieving big things. It is easy to be happy after realizing this. Achievement and success can differ individually too. For some, success might be money, growth, luxury and achieving other big things, while for some it might be just helping out someone in a day, making someone cross the road or show direction, or help in some task. Knowing what success and achieving means for you will help you in being happy.

Yourself, hard-work and time

There is no other mantra for being happy except for yourself, hard-work and time. When you know your needs, your thoughts and ideas, your caliber, your skills and when you incorporate all this with some hard-work and leave it on time, things will fall on its place. Time is a healer and assents with hard-work. This is the ultimate solution to be happy.

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