Introduction to Meditation: How to Meditate
By Gabriel Zappia
Extracted from www.experiencefestival.com
There are many ways to meditate. They all seem to lead to the same place, so find one that suits you. Here I describe a classic meditation that is simple and easy.
Mantras:
A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated to yourself. It could be spoken aloud as a chant, or silently, as in meditation. Many people think that the best mantras are sounds which have no clear meaning, and are used as a way of displacing your usual thoughts and moving your awareness inward. There are many mantras ranging from words taken from Hindu Sanskrit to Christian scripture (as when "saying the rosary," where the repetition of the prayer is meditative). If you do not already know of a good mantra to use I suggest you use "hamsa." This is a natural mantra, being the sound that one makes when breathing, with "ham" (h-ah-m) on inhalation and "sa" (s-ah) on exhalation.
Directions for the hamsa meditation:
¥ Sit comfortably. A quiet place is preferred, but not required.
¥ Close your eyes. Breathe naturally. Sit for about one minute before you begin thinking the mantra to allow your heart and breathing to slow.
¥ Gently bring your attention to your breath and begin to think the mantra, gently and easily. Just let it come, don't force it. Think "ham" on the inhale and "sa" on the exhale. Allow yourself to be absorbed in it.
¥ Allow your thoughts and feelings to come and go with detachment. Don't try to control them in any way. Just note them, and when you realize that you are not repeating the mantra, gently return to the mantra. Do not try to force yourself to think the mantra to the exclusion of all other thoughts. You may experience a deep state of relaxation but it is OK if you don't.
Meditate in this way for 20 minutes (children for less time). When done, take about a minute to slowly return to normal awareness. Be gentle with yourself when opening your eyes or coming to stand after a meditation. It isn't good for your heart to get up quickly after the state of deep rest that is often a result of meditation.
Note: It is OK to glance at a clock to time the meditation. **Don't use an alarm timer.**
I have found the following techniques deepen my experience. You will certainly find your own as well. These techniques are secondary and may be omitted entirely or added later:
- Keep your spine straight, head balanced on your cervical column.
- Many people like to pray or do visualization after meditating, while still in an altered state. Some teachers of meditation are opposed to this practice while others advocate it. I suggest to do it if it feels right to you. I do.
- As a "pre-meditation" preparation, bring your attention to the physical act of breathing. Breathe naturally and, with each cycle of the breath, bring your attention to a different part of your body, paying attention to the changes there as a result of the breathing: the rising and falling of the chest, the movement of your belly, the sensation of the air entering and leaving the nostrils. Can you feel any movement of your kidney area? How about your pelvis, do you feel your pelvis tilt at all when you breathe? What do you do between breaths? Is there a pause?
- If you don't feel these things it is OK, just consider them, one at a time, and move on. (This can also serve as a short "centering" meditation that can be done while waiting for a stoplight to change, or as a short work or study break.)
During meditation your business is simple awareness, nothing else. It is a time to connect to your inner Source and let go of the things and roles we get caught up in: work, parenting, worries and responsibilities. It may be that your meditation is peaceful, or it may be fretful and full of obsessive thought. Regardless, daily meditation will have a positive effect on your life.
Benefits of Meditation
The benefits are unique for each person, but both physiological and psychological balancing is common. Some of the benefits of meditation will be realized quickly, and others over many months, so don't be discouraged.
When to Meditate
I recommend that a person meditate twice a day. Before breakfast and before dinner are ideal. (The digestive system often shuts down during meditation, so a full stomach may result in indigestion.) Remember, whatever happens is OK. It's OK to fall asleep or to not become relaxed, OK to laugh or cry, OK to be or not to be in an altered state, OK if the mantra doesn't follow the breath as I have suggested, or even goes away altogether. What is important is that you have an *intention* to think the mantra during your meditation. In short, don't try to control it! For 20 minutes, twice a day, JUST BE!
Questions and comments on meditation
The most common question I get when I teach someone to meditate is "What do you mean by "think the mantra gently and easily?" My best answer is an analogy. When you read you take the effort to look at the page, to focus on the page and the words. And you *intend* to discern the meaning of the words. That is usually enough and the meaning comes without much effort, yet there is *some* effort involved. Thinking the mantra is similar in that you direct a similar level of effort (which is very little, yet it is there) toward thinking the mantra. You do *not* force yourself, brow furrowed, to think the mantra to the exclusion of all else. Just let it come, and if that is not enough, then encourage your mind to think it with a small effort.
If you are tired when you meditate you may fall asleep. Regardless, do not use meditation as a sleep aid. If you have insomnia, just meditate during the day and the insomnia will probably take care of itself.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Meditation
Here are some of the facts/advises that I found w.r.to Meditation in the net. There are many things that we know are good, but are too lazy/blind to follow - Mediation is one of them.
I will try to meditate atleast for 20 mins everyday from today.
Meditation
According to Swami Vishnu Devananda, meditation is "….a continuous flow of perception or thought, just like the flow of water in a river." A practice wherein there is constant observation of the mind, meditation brings awareness, harmony and natural order into life. It helps you dig deep into your inner self to discover the wisdom and tranquility that lie within.
Principles of MeditationThe basic points to be kept in mind in practicing meditation are:
• Have a special place and specific time for meditation. Try doing it daily.
• Choose a time when your mind is not clouded with worries.
• Sit up straight with your back, neck and head in one line. Facing north or east.
• Condition your mind such so as to remain quiet for the duration of your meditation session.
• Regulate your breathing. Start with 5 minutes of deep breathing. Then gradually slow it down.
• Follow a rhythmic breathing pattern - inhale and exhale.
• Initially let your mind wander. It grows more restless if you force to concentrate.
• Then slowly bring it to rest on the focal point of your choice.
• Hold your object of concentration at this focal point throughout your session.
• Meditation happens when you reach a state of pure thought. Even while retaining an awareness of duel self.
Followed diligently you will soon be able to attain a super-conscious state.
Tips on Concentration• At the outset, it is hard to keep your attention to keep focussed on one object.
• So it is better to start off by limiting your field of concentration to a category of objects.
• Choose your objects with care e.g. any four flowers, fruits, trees...etc. You must feel at ease with what you choose.
• After concentrating on one, you can move on to the next, if & when your mind starts wandering.
This style of meditative exercise will help you control your mind down to a finer focus, teaching you the principle of single point concentration.
Indian type seating position
Different spiritual traditions, and different teachers within those traditions, prescribe or suggest different physical postures for meditation. Most famous are the several cross-legged postures, including the so-called Lotus Position. For example, the Dalai Lama recommends the Seven Points of Vairocana in which
• the legs are crossed in either the Lotus Positon (here called the vajra position) or the other way, "Indian" or "tailor" fashion (here called the bodhisattva position)
• the eyes are kept open (thus affirming the world)
• the back is kept straight (like "an arrow" or "a stack of coins")
• the shoulders are kept even and relaxed
• the gaze is kept at a medium level — too low and one becomes drowsy; too high and one becomes restless
• the mouth is kept slightly open
• the tongue touches the roof of the mouth
Many meditative traditions teach that the spine should be kept "straight" (i.e. that the meditator should not slouch). Often this is explained as a way of encouraging the circulation of what we might call "spiritual energy," the "vital breath", or the "life force" (Sanskrit pranha, Chinese qi, Latin spiritus).
In some traditions the meditator may sit on a Western chair, flat-footed (as in New Thought); sit on a stool (as in Orthodox Christianity); or walk in mindfulness (as in Theravada Buddhism).
Various hand-gestures or mudras may be prescribed. These generally carry theological meaning. For example, a common Buddhist hand-position is with the right hand resting atop the left (like the Buddha's begging bowl), with the thumbs touching.
Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a meditative state. The Tibetan tradition described above is probably in the minority for recommending that the eyes remain open; many forms assume that the eyes will be closed.
Often such details are shared by more than one religion, even in cases where mutual influence seems unlikely. One example would be "navel-gazing," which is apparently attested within Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Chinese qigong practice. Another would be the practice of focusing on the breath, which is found in Orthodox Christianity, Sufism, and numerous Indic traditions.
Sitting cross-legged (or upon one's knees) for extended periods or when one is not sufficiently limber, can result in a range of ergonomic complaints called "meditator's knee".
There are a few recommended guidelines for meditation:
¥ It should be done every day, preferably at the same time
¥ It should preferably be done before a meal rather than after a meal
¥ A spot should be set aside for meditation, which should be a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation
¥ One should sit with the spine straight and vertical (a chair is ok to use)
What is the best time of day to meditate? While meditation is beneficial at any time, most people who meditate agree that early morning is the best time to meditate. Part of the reason is that it is said that in early morning the hustle-and-bustle of the world has not yet begun and so it is easier to establish a meditative atmosphere. Having an early morning meditation also lets us carry some of the energy and peace of the meditation into our daily activities.
How long should I meditate? When first learning meditation it is usually not possible to meditate for more than 10-15 minutes. After regular practice for awhile, one becomes able to meditate for longer periods of time. Many people meditate twice-daily for 20-30 minutes each time, but the right duration and frequency is for each individual to decide.
I will try to meditate atleast for 20 mins everyday from today.
Meditation
According to Swami Vishnu Devananda, meditation is "….a continuous flow of perception or thought, just like the flow of water in a river." A practice wherein there is constant observation of the mind, meditation brings awareness, harmony and natural order into life. It helps you dig deep into your inner self to discover the wisdom and tranquility that lie within.
Principles of MeditationThe basic points to be kept in mind in practicing meditation are:
• Have a special place and specific time for meditation. Try doing it daily.
• Choose a time when your mind is not clouded with worries.
• Sit up straight with your back, neck and head in one line. Facing north or east.
• Condition your mind such so as to remain quiet for the duration of your meditation session.
• Regulate your breathing. Start with 5 minutes of deep breathing. Then gradually slow it down.
• Follow a rhythmic breathing pattern - inhale and exhale.
• Initially let your mind wander. It grows more restless if you force to concentrate.
• Then slowly bring it to rest on the focal point of your choice.
• Hold your object of concentration at this focal point throughout your session.
• Meditation happens when you reach a state of pure thought. Even while retaining an awareness of duel self.
Followed diligently you will soon be able to attain a super-conscious state.
Tips on Concentration• At the outset, it is hard to keep your attention to keep focussed on one object.
• So it is better to start off by limiting your field of concentration to a category of objects.
• Choose your objects with care e.g. any four flowers, fruits, trees...etc. You must feel at ease with what you choose.
• After concentrating on one, you can move on to the next, if & when your mind starts wandering.
This style of meditative exercise will help you control your mind down to a finer focus, teaching you the principle of single point concentration.
Indian type seating position
Different spiritual traditions, and different teachers within those traditions, prescribe or suggest different physical postures for meditation. Most famous are the several cross-legged postures, including the so-called Lotus Position. For example, the Dalai Lama recommends the Seven Points of Vairocana in which
• the legs are crossed in either the Lotus Positon (here called the vajra position) or the other way, "Indian" or "tailor" fashion (here called the bodhisattva position)
• the eyes are kept open (thus affirming the world)
• the back is kept straight (like "an arrow" or "a stack of coins")
• the shoulders are kept even and relaxed
• the gaze is kept at a medium level — too low and one becomes drowsy; too high and one becomes restless
• the mouth is kept slightly open
• the tongue touches the roof of the mouth
Many meditative traditions teach that the spine should be kept "straight" (i.e. that the meditator should not slouch). Often this is explained as a way of encouraging the circulation of what we might call "spiritual energy," the "vital breath", or the "life force" (Sanskrit pranha, Chinese qi, Latin spiritus).
In some traditions the meditator may sit on a Western chair, flat-footed (as in New Thought); sit on a stool (as in Orthodox Christianity); or walk in mindfulness (as in Theravada Buddhism).
Various hand-gestures or mudras may be prescribed. These generally carry theological meaning. For example, a common Buddhist hand-position is with the right hand resting atop the left (like the Buddha's begging bowl), with the thumbs touching.
Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a meditative state. The Tibetan tradition described above is probably in the minority for recommending that the eyes remain open; many forms assume that the eyes will be closed.
Often such details are shared by more than one religion, even in cases where mutual influence seems unlikely. One example would be "navel-gazing," which is apparently attested within Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Chinese qigong practice. Another would be the practice of focusing on the breath, which is found in Orthodox Christianity, Sufism, and numerous Indic traditions.
Sitting cross-legged (or upon one's knees) for extended periods or when one is not sufficiently limber, can result in a range of ergonomic complaints called "meditator's knee".
There are a few recommended guidelines for meditation:
¥ It should be done every day, preferably at the same time
¥ It should preferably be done before a meal rather than after a meal
¥ A spot should be set aside for meditation, which should be a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation
¥ One should sit with the spine straight and vertical (a chair is ok to use)
What is the best time of day to meditate? While meditation is beneficial at any time, most people who meditate agree that early morning is the best time to meditate. Part of the reason is that it is said that in early morning the hustle-and-bustle of the world has not yet begun and so it is easier to establish a meditative atmosphere. Having an early morning meditation also lets us carry some of the energy and peace of the meditation into our daily activities.
How long should I meditate? When first learning meditation it is usually not possible to meditate for more than 10-15 minutes. After regular practice for awhile, one becomes able to meditate for longer periods of time. Many people meditate twice-daily for 20-30 minutes each time, but the right duration and frequency is for each individual to decide.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
"I have a Dream"
This is part of the famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
The whole speech can be found in: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm
I got to see is speech in PBC and man, he is the best...
"Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! "
The whole speech can be found in: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm
I got to see is speech in PBC and man, he is the best...
"Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! "
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Ayyanar Vratham
Date: 03/03/2005
Place: India
I've always been amused by Ayyanar... Ayyanar is the Indian god for some selected group of villages in South India - he stands tall outside the village in an effort to protect te village. People usually beleive he is the strictest God and kindest, if you are true.
We do the following fasting ritual every year in March.
We stop eating non vegetarian, fried food, fermented anything from 03/08... then, mythically, Ayyanar goes to forest for hunting ("vettai") to the forest on 03/20... when he comes back on 03/25 he comes with good vettai (animals?)... ppl mimick that by walking thru forest w/ "kavadi"... Kavadi is a heavy weight teak-wooden structure decorated with peacock feathers, colorful clothes and flowers. The walk is the real test for patience and durability since it involves carrying this heavy weight kavadi for 14 miles walking in barefeet on scorching sun. Every year, one member, in round-robin selection, in the family takes the kavadi while others walk around him.
when the chosen guy takes kavadi, the family will make him sit alone in a madam (village common place) with water and snacks aside. He would fast the whole day... the family will leave to make other arrangements and to take a
sumptuous meal. In the afternoon, the family will come back to offer prayers and the chosen guy lifts the Kavadi and walk back to temple... 14 miles... w/ just a waist (yep, no shirt, no sandals:) his whole body will be covered in sandal paste..
The whole village ppl will fall on his legs, considering him a reprentative of God, to get blessings. Once the temple is reached, he's all tired, takes good food/sleep..
when he gets up - he will have all that missed for a month - morning starts w/ hot idli (rice cake) and 'kudal kichadi' (lamb intestine curry) :)""
By God's wish, I took the kavadi in Mar 2002...
Place: India
I've always been amused by Ayyanar... Ayyanar is the Indian god for some selected group of villages in South India - he stands tall outside the village in an effort to protect te village. People usually beleive he is the strictest God and kindest, if you are true.
We do the following fasting ritual every year in March.
We stop eating non vegetarian, fried food, fermented anything from 03/08... then, mythically, Ayyanar goes to forest for hunting ("vettai") to the forest on 03/20... when he comes back on 03/25 he comes with good vettai (animals?)... ppl mimick that by walking thru forest w/ "kavadi"... Kavadi is a heavy weight teak-wooden structure decorated with peacock feathers, colorful clothes and flowers. The walk is the real test for patience and durability since it involves carrying this heavy weight kavadi for 14 miles walking in barefeet on scorching sun. Every year, one member, in round-robin selection, in the family takes the kavadi while others walk around him.
when the chosen guy takes kavadi, the family will make him sit alone in a madam (village common place) with water and snacks aside. He would fast the whole day... the family will leave to make other arrangements and to take a
sumptuous meal. In the afternoon, the family will come back to offer prayers and the chosen guy lifts the Kavadi and walk back to temple... 14 miles... w/ just a waist (yep, no shirt, no sandals:) his whole body will be covered in sandal paste..
The whole village ppl will fall on his legs, considering him a reprentative of God, to get blessings. Once the temple is reached, he's all tired, takes good food/sleep..
when he gets up - he will have all that missed for a month - morning starts w/ hot idli (rice cake) and 'kudal kichadi' (lamb intestine curry) :)""
By God's wish, I took the kavadi in Mar 2002...
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Identity Theft (Lost?)
Date: Jan 27, 2005
Place: Los Angeles
I belong to a religion called ‘Hindu’ in India. Compared to Christian and Muslim communities, Hindu religion may not have many followers, but is the primary religion in India.
Sincere Hindu followers conduct in-house prayers everyday morning after bath. Some even recite mantra and Sanskrit poems, while others use friendly language to speak to God. After prayer, they wear a sacred powder in their forehead signifying the presence of the God. This powder may be of different color based on the God you worship, the common one being the white powder (‘thiruneeru’). This is comparable to the ash that Christians wear during ash-Wednesday.
In India, on any fine day, if you are in a technology park or in a business development center, you would see at least 50% of the men and women wearing these traditional powders in their forehead.
Here comes the disdain:
When these people travel to foreign countries, particularly to US, they either do not wear these marks or they rub off soon after the prayer is over (??). The common reason being ‘In US, the client folks are very particular about their religion and they would see this as invasion’. Te next famous one is ‘Oh, they would be surprised and often ask questions on how this works – I don’t want to be embarrassed.”
I wonder if these people believe and trust the Hindu religion, only when in India. Does God disappear when they are in America? If you believe in something, you should be confident enough to carry it over –irrespective of where you are – India or US, Client place or home.
Are American’s concerned about this? No. I wear my religion marks to office or wherever I go and people do not usually question that. Yes, they are surprised to see this for the first time. At times, if I have worked with someone long enough, they come and ask me, “Hey, if you don’t mind me asking, what is that orange mark in your forehead?” and I explain it to them.
I had a women colleague who used to wear such red marks in India and avoid the same in US. She would say “If you are acting as a dog, you are supposed to bark”. And I think that is the worst crap I have ever heard.
Place: Los Angeles
I belong to a religion called ‘Hindu’ in India. Compared to Christian and Muslim communities, Hindu religion may not have many followers, but is the primary religion in India.
Sincere Hindu followers conduct in-house prayers everyday morning after bath. Some even recite mantra and Sanskrit poems, while others use friendly language to speak to God. After prayer, they wear a sacred powder in their forehead signifying the presence of the God. This powder may be of different color based on the God you worship, the common one being the white powder (‘thiruneeru’). This is comparable to the ash that Christians wear during ash-Wednesday.
In India, on any fine day, if you are in a technology park or in a business development center, you would see at least 50% of the men and women wearing these traditional powders in their forehead.
Here comes the disdain:
When these people travel to foreign countries, particularly to US, they either do not wear these marks or they rub off soon after the prayer is over (??). The common reason being ‘In US, the client folks are very particular about their religion and they would see this as invasion’. Te next famous one is ‘Oh, they would be surprised and often ask questions on how this works – I don’t want to be embarrassed.”
I wonder if these people believe and trust the Hindu religion, only when in India. Does God disappear when they are in America? If you believe in something, you should be confident enough to carry it over –irrespective of where you are – India or US, Client place or home.
Are American’s concerned about this? No. I wear my religion marks to office or wherever I go and people do not usually question that. Yes, they are surprised to see this for the first time. At times, if I have worked with someone long enough, they come and ask me, “Hey, if you don’t mind me asking, what is that orange mark in your forehead?” and I explain it to them.
I had a women colleague who used to wear such red marks in India and avoid the same in US. She would say “If you are acting as a dog, you are supposed to bark”. And I think that is the worst crap I have ever heard.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Are cats our enemies?
Date: 12/22/2004
Place: Los Angeles
In India, I think there is a tad over belief and dependency on God, Stars and Superstition.
For example,
- If a cat or widow or a sneeze guy comes across, the job you are going for would most probably fail.
- One is not allowed to perform any important activity during certain time of the day (Rahukalam, etc.)
Thinking back, you would realize that no God would ask you to do follow these rules – unless he doesn’t have any control over the activities in the world. In my opinion, people who follow these superstitions are not believers of God.
If you see the big picture, it would have been some less self-confident guy, who might ave failed in his activities on all days when he saw a cat across. He would have spread his experience and people, in an effort to strike right and strike first, follow these and these beliefs have gone on to become rules.
This is exactly where a belief, rather than helping people, starts to occupy and command them.
I believe there will be a number of Indians, like me, who want to stop the black-journey of superstitions. But the rest should think twice or more, what they get from those silly rituals. It is enough to believe in God, and to be a moral and good person, and to love peace & prosperity of the mankind.
Recently, Maharashtra, an eastern state in India, is moving to introduce an anti-superstition law. The details can be found in: http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/nov/04spec.htm
As the joke goes, “A friend of mine saw a cat walk across on one fine day and that whole the activities went very bad – for the cat. Is it in cat’s bible to stop activities if a man comes across?”
Some wonderful quotes on superstition here…
"It is bad luck to be superstitious." ~ Andrew W. Mathis
"Superstition is the religion of feeble minds." ~ Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
"The general root of superstition is that men observe when things hit, and not when they miss; and commit to memory the one, and pass over the other." ~ Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
“Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy; the mad daughter of a wise mother.“ ~ Voltaire
“Superstition is a senseless fear of God.” ~ Cicero
Place: Los Angeles
In India, I think there is a tad over belief and dependency on God, Stars and Superstition.
For example,
- If a cat or widow or a sneeze guy comes across, the job you are going for would most probably fail.
- One is not allowed to perform any important activity during certain time of the day (Rahukalam, etc.)
Thinking back, you would realize that no God would ask you to do follow these rules – unless he doesn’t have any control over the activities in the world. In my opinion, people who follow these superstitions are not believers of God.
If you see the big picture, it would have been some less self-confident guy, who might ave failed in his activities on all days when he saw a cat across. He would have spread his experience and people, in an effort to strike right and strike first, follow these and these beliefs have gone on to become rules.
This is exactly where a belief, rather than helping people, starts to occupy and command them.
I believe there will be a number of Indians, like me, who want to stop the black-journey of superstitions. But the rest should think twice or more, what they get from those silly rituals. It is enough to believe in God, and to be a moral and good person, and to love peace & prosperity of the mankind.
Recently, Maharashtra, an eastern state in India, is moving to introduce an anti-superstition law. The details can be found in: http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/nov/04spec.htm
As the joke goes, “A friend of mine saw a cat walk across on one fine day and that whole the activities went very bad – for the cat. Is it in cat’s bible to stop activities if a man comes across?”
Some wonderful quotes on superstition here…
"It is bad luck to be superstitious." ~ Andrew W. Mathis
"Superstition is the religion of feeble minds." ~ Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
"The general root of superstition is that men observe when things hit, and not when they miss; and commit to memory the one, and pass over the other." ~ Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
“Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy; the mad daughter of a wise mother.“ ~ Voltaire
“Superstition is a senseless fear of God.” ~ Cicero
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
My GMAT experience
Date: Oct 12, 2004
Place: Los Angeles
Ladies and Gentleman,
I wrote my first attempt GMAT on 10/11 and received the following score:
Quants: 50/60 (95 percentile)
Verbal: 31/60 (65 percentile)
Total: 680/800 (90 percentile)
Overall, I am satisfied with the total score and excited about the maths score (this is the highest of all my practice scores), but was a little disappointed at the out-of-balance verbal. I know the score is very typical of an IT Indian - good in Quants and bad in verbal. I am still contemplating my retake.
Please let me know your opinion in http://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=61967#61967
Phase 1 last year (Decision - last year):
I made my decision to write GMAT last Dec. But, I had been out of college for four years and was totally occupied in work, that I was looking for a good time to start preperation. During these days, I couldn't prepare but were collecting materials and documents all along. I had also been brushing up my quants on and off, but nothing serious.
Phase 2 Day 1-45(Preperation - Read):
This July, I moved to a new client place and expected the next three months to be comparitively less loaded with work. Hence, I booked a date for the GMAT in Oct. I had exactly 90 days for exam. I went through almost all the books taking notes for the first 45 days - mostly understanding the format, tricks and concepts (POE, back substitute, grammar, probability, perm comb, etc). During these days, I did not take any full test, except for the usual diagnostic PP-1 (640), but was participating in GMATClub full fledged. Please see below for the list of books that I used. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I explored new project prospects in the client that I work with. This was out of my (technical) work scope, but wanted to utilize the oppurtunity. I ended up preparing (sales) proposals and presentations, doubling up my work load, more than what it was last year. My usual routine was to come back from office at 7PM, sleep immediately, getup at 9 and read till 3:00 PM before sleeping for 4-5 hours and rushing to office in the morning.
Phase-3 Day 48-84(Preperation - Practice):
I had to take a break from studies to accompany my undergrad friends on a road trip after 45 days of preperation. When I came back, I started practicing with OG, Gmatclub, Kaplan800 and practice tests. I also realized my weakness for Verbal and started concentrating solely on SC/RC.
Phase-4 Day 85-90 (Preperation - Lastweek):
I took off from work all last week. The work was too hectic and meetings were filled all day, that had I not taken a week off, it would have been difficult even to practice one test. I took one full practice test almost all day last week. I even wrote the AWA essays, a couple of times.
Phase-5 (Test day):
A couple of days before exam, I got too stressed out afraid of a score of 540s and 560s. I also had too many notes to review with two days left. I ended up studying all night on Friday and almost completed reviewing all my notes. Saturday was less painful; I reviewed my notes again and read some philosophy books to stay away from being stressed out on the exam. As a result, I had 9 hours sleep on Sat night. Sunday, I drove to the nearby Malibu Hindu temple and spent four hours there. When I came back, mind was clear and cool, body and back was paining like hell that I fell asleep within minutes. Again had a 7 hour sleep. Went an hour earlier to the center only to find that they dont open up until 8:30 or open the restroom without special key There was a big queue to fill the forms and to get a good seat. I ended up getting a seat near the entrance. An another indian girl also wrote GMAT; She sat near me and finished the whole exam without any break. I looked like a fool using up all the break (took 9 mins break each time). Ate too much during the breaks that I felt heavy all day along.
AWA: I had a custom template. I was concerned about my verbal skills that wanted to do the best possible in AWA, as a backup (Now it helps ). I even had predetermined words and examples - like Bush Vs Kerry debate, Afghanistan war, Patriotism, etc that I wanted to push in AWA when I get a chance. Despite all claims that AWA is too easy, I would advise test takers to put in some effort (1 day atleast) to have your own template, words and how you want to go about, etc. Never forget to write atleast two mock AWA essays for issue and analysis each. AWA is the only exam where there is no correct answer :D
Quants: Got 1 pb, 1 perm, 1 high-fi SD in the first five. Guys, quants is another good area where there is a tanglible answer. I mean, unlike verbal, one cannot argue and change your answer. (Say for eg: we all used to select some answer for a CR, when some one would come and give a new view and choose a different answer). There is no such possibility in Quants. In the exam, surprisingly, I had enough time to do the problem, check the answer and again recheck the answer by back-substituting - for first 15 questions. Please check and make sure your answer is correct for all the first 15 questions. That said, do not do this for any question after 15, since you would have to catch up on time. Formualte a time standard and adhere to it even for the practice tests, so your eye goes towards that time standard paper after each problem. I finished with 1 minute left.
Junk Verbal: Don't ask me about that . Anyway, it started with SC, CR, SC, 50line-single para-women related-RC. The questions were also okay. I thought I answered them correct. I got a bold faced in the 15th question or so. One thing that we miss in GMATClub is long SCs. I once got looong SC that I thought it was a CR, strangely it was underlined most part. I thought ETS is testing me by underlinging instead of boldfacing the CR. Alas, it took me 2 mins to even read the SC and find the sublime changes in it. Got a 90line RC towards the end. I guess the culprit for my case would have been some SC/RC error in the first 15. I finished with 1 minute left. I still don't know where I can correct myself. My verbal score in practice tests has been around 34-37.
Resources:
OG - Got this from library sales for $1 - I completed 80% A MUST; try to finish atleast 80%, if not 100%. Also, do not do this in a hurry, make sure you read ALL the explanations in the answers scetion (not just for wrong answers). I used most of OG in the second phase. Best method would be to form a table with date, 10SC, 10RC, 10CR, 10DS, 10PS and hang it in your bedroom. Strike them each day as you do - gives you some sort of acheivement and satisfaction. I used to do OG whenever I feel bored with reading books. If I am bored with OG, I used to participate in GMATclub. Kaplan 2004, Kaplan 800, PR or Kaplan Verbal: These are also must books to start, particularly for non-natives.
Maths - www.ilovemaths.com -- basics; can use when you start.
Verbal - http://dictionary.cambridge.org, http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/, http://www.bartleby.com/64/, http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html I used to listen to a grammar cassette in my car too - "The write way", a good one for basic GMAT grammar.
Full Tests:
Make sure to try both Power prep exams. 4 PR CD tests come nearby. Its a good idea to not keep Kaplan for the last 2 weeks, since that may destroy the confidence. Word of caution: I tried my hands at crack-gmat CD tests, an Indian product. But this was more out of context for GMAT. Most questions appeared to have been prepared for the Indian CAT exam. I was also not satisfied with an another Nova Press CD. It was too preliminary.
Practice Scores: 07/17 - Power Prep - 640 07/24 - Kaplan center - 680 8/7 - Kapaln CD1 - 580 8/14 - Kaplan CD2 - 600 9/12 - PR CD1 - 690 9/19 - PR CD2 - 660 10/5 - PR CD3 - 690 10/6 - CAmbridge - 690 10/7 - Nova Press - Cancelled exam after quants 10/7 - Crack GMAT - 630 10/9 - PP - 730
Stress - Howto:
1. If interested, read philosophy books for 30 mins or so, the day before.
2. http://health.indiatimes.com/articleshow/230637.cms
Some posters that I had in my room:
"I don't bound out of bed aspiring to mediocrity, I strive for perfection". "Fortune favors the brave" "hardwork+dedication+discipline=GMAT"
How does GMATClub contribute:
1) GMATclub may seem like a relaxation technique, but we end up learning more than what we do by reading books. I was so addicted that I would turn up laptop as soon as I got up from bed as soon as I reached home from office. 2) When you answer to a question, explain why you went for this answer. Also, when someone is in trouble, stretch yourself to help them as much as possible. IMO, knowledge multiplies when divided.
My Tips:
1. Sleep for 8 hours is very important - atleast for two days before the exam.
2. OG is like GOD for GMAT. If you haven't exhausted atleast 80%, you have not prepared yet.
3. Review, review, have a log of mistaked. It just takes 2 mores seconds.
4. Dont over practice or over read. Mix it up.
5. If you had to read some book that you find very tiresome, mix it up with something you like - for me Quants and Kaplan800 were relaxations.
6. Take a week or two days off before exam day.
7. Write AWA essays sincerely atleast twice.
8. Practice atleast two exams at the same time in the week before.
9. Reutrn back to old sleeping habits in the last week.
10. IMO, 3 months is an apt time for one to prepare for GMAT, unless you have written LSAT or GRE before.
11. If you acheive a score of your desire, make it a point to donate/help charity. 12. GMAT has a bit of luck involved in it, so pray to your God or believe in yourself that you are lucky
Place: Los Angeles
Ladies and Gentleman,
I wrote my first attempt GMAT on 10/11 and received the following score:
Quants: 50/60 (95 percentile)
Verbal: 31/60 (65 percentile)
Total: 680/800 (90 percentile)
Overall, I am satisfied with the total score and excited about the maths score (this is the highest of all my practice scores), but was a little disappointed at the out-of-balance verbal. I know the score is very typical of an IT Indian - good in Quants and bad in verbal. I am still contemplating my retake.
Please let me know your opinion in http://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=61967#61967
Phase 1 last year (Decision - last year):
I made my decision to write GMAT last Dec. But, I had been out of college for four years and was totally occupied in work, that I was looking for a good time to start preperation. During these days, I couldn't prepare but were collecting materials and documents all along. I had also been brushing up my quants on and off, but nothing serious.
Phase 2 Day 1-45(Preperation - Read):
This July, I moved to a new client place and expected the next three months to be comparitively less loaded with work. Hence, I booked a date for the GMAT in Oct. I had exactly 90 days for exam. I went through almost all the books taking notes for the first 45 days - mostly understanding the format, tricks and concepts (POE, back substitute, grammar, probability, perm comb, etc). During these days, I did not take any full test, except for the usual diagnostic PP-1 (640), but was participating in GMATClub full fledged. Please see below for the list of books that I used. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I explored new project prospects in the client that I work with. This was out of my (technical) work scope, but wanted to utilize the oppurtunity. I ended up preparing (sales) proposals and presentations, doubling up my work load, more than what it was last year. My usual routine was to come back from office at 7PM, sleep immediately, getup at 9 and read till 3:00 PM before sleeping for 4-5 hours and rushing to office in the morning.
Phase-3 Day 48-84(Preperation - Practice):
I had to take a break from studies to accompany my undergrad friends on a road trip after 45 days of preperation. When I came back, I started practicing with OG, Gmatclub, Kaplan800 and practice tests. I also realized my weakness for Verbal and started concentrating solely on SC/RC.
Phase-4 Day 85-90 (Preperation - Lastweek):
I took off from work all last week. The work was too hectic and meetings were filled all day, that had I not taken a week off, it would have been difficult even to practice one test. I took one full practice test almost all day last week. I even wrote the AWA essays, a couple of times.
Phase-5 (Test day):
A couple of days before exam, I got too stressed out afraid of a score of 540s and 560s. I also had too many notes to review with two days left. I ended up studying all night on Friday and almost completed reviewing all my notes. Saturday was less painful; I reviewed my notes again and read some philosophy books to stay away from being stressed out on the exam. As a result, I had 9 hours sleep on Sat night. Sunday, I drove to the nearby Malibu Hindu temple and spent four hours there. When I came back, mind was clear and cool, body and back was paining like hell that I fell asleep within minutes. Again had a 7 hour sleep. Went an hour earlier to the center only to find that they dont open up until 8:30 or open the restroom without special key There was a big queue to fill the forms and to get a good seat. I ended up getting a seat near the entrance. An another indian girl also wrote GMAT; She sat near me and finished the whole exam without any break. I looked like a fool using up all the break (took 9 mins break each time). Ate too much during the breaks that I felt heavy all day along.
AWA: I had a custom template. I was concerned about my verbal skills that wanted to do the best possible in AWA, as a backup (Now it helps ). I even had predetermined words and examples - like Bush Vs Kerry debate, Afghanistan war, Patriotism, etc that I wanted to push in AWA when I get a chance. Despite all claims that AWA is too easy, I would advise test takers to put in some effort (1 day atleast) to have your own template, words and how you want to go about, etc. Never forget to write atleast two mock AWA essays for issue and analysis each. AWA is the only exam where there is no correct answer :D
Quants: Got 1 pb, 1 perm, 1 high-fi SD in the first five. Guys, quants is another good area where there is a tanglible answer. I mean, unlike verbal, one cannot argue and change your answer. (Say for eg: we all used to select some answer for a CR, when some one would come and give a new view and choose a different answer). There is no such possibility in Quants. In the exam, surprisingly, I had enough time to do the problem, check the answer and again recheck the answer by back-substituting - for first 15 questions. Please check and make sure your answer is correct for all the first 15 questions. That said, do not do this for any question after 15, since you would have to catch up on time. Formualte a time standard and adhere to it even for the practice tests, so your eye goes towards that time standard paper after each problem. I finished with 1 minute left.
Junk Verbal: Don't ask me about that . Anyway, it started with SC, CR, SC, 50line-single para-women related-RC. The questions were also okay. I thought I answered them correct. I got a bold faced in the 15th question or so. One thing that we miss in GMATClub is long SCs. I once got looong SC that I thought it was a CR, strangely it was underlined most part. I thought ETS is testing me by underlinging instead of boldfacing the CR. Alas, it took me 2 mins to even read the SC and find the sublime changes in it. Got a 90line RC towards the end. I guess the culprit for my case would have been some SC/RC error in the first 15. I finished with 1 minute left. I still don't know where I can correct myself. My verbal score in practice tests has been around 34-37.
Resources:
OG - Got this from library sales for $1 - I completed 80% A MUST; try to finish atleast 80%, if not 100%. Also, do not do this in a hurry, make sure you read ALL the explanations in the answers scetion (not just for wrong answers). I used most of OG in the second phase. Best method would be to form a table with date, 10SC, 10RC, 10CR, 10DS, 10PS and hang it in your bedroom. Strike them each day as you do - gives you some sort of acheivement and satisfaction. I used to do OG whenever I feel bored with reading books. If I am bored with OG, I used to participate in GMATclub. Kaplan 2004, Kaplan 800, PR or Kaplan Verbal: These are also must books to start, particularly for non-natives.
Maths - www.ilovemaths.com -- basics; can use when you start.
Verbal - http://dictionary.cambridge.org, http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/, http://www.bartleby.com/64/, http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html I used to listen to a grammar cassette in my car too - "The write way", a good one for basic GMAT grammar.
Full Tests:
Make sure to try both Power prep exams. 4 PR CD tests come nearby. Its a good idea to not keep Kaplan for the last 2 weeks, since that may destroy the confidence. Word of caution: I tried my hands at crack-gmat CD tests, an Indian product. But this was more out of context for GMAT. Most questions appeared to have been prepared for the Indian CAT exam. I was also not satisfied with an another Nova Press CD. It was too preliminary.
Practice Scores: 07/17 - Power Prep - 640 07/24 - Kaplan center - 680 8/7 - Kapaln CD1 - 580 8/14 - Kaplan CD2 - 600 9/12 - PR CD1 - 690 9/19 - PR CD2 - 660 10/5 - PR CD3 - 690 10/6 - CAmbridge - 690 10/7 - Nova Press - Cancelled exam after quants 10/7 - Crack GMAT - 630 10/9 - PP - 730
Stress - Howto:
1. If interested, read philosophy books for 30 mins or so, the day before.
2. http://health.indiatimes.com/articleshow/230637.cms
Some posters that I had in my room:
"I don't bound out of bed aspiring to mediocrity, I strive for perfection". "Fortune favors the brave" "hardwork+dedication+discipline=GMAT"
How does GMATClub contribute:
1) GMATclub may seem like a relaxation technique, but we end up learning more than what we do by reading books. I was so addicted that I would turn up laptop as soon as I got up from bed as soon as I reached home from office. 2) When you answer to a question, explain why you went for this answer. Also, when someone is in trouble, stretch yourself to help them as much as possible. IMO, knowledge multiplies when divided.
My Tips:
1. Sleep for 8 hours is very important - atleast for two days before the exam.
2. OG is like GOD for GMAT. If you haven't exhausted atleast 80%, you have not prepared yet.
3. Review, review, have a log of mistaked. It just takes 2 mores seconds.
4. Dont over practice or over read. Mix it up.
5. If you had to read some book that you find very tiresome, mix it up with something you like - for me Quants and Kaplan800 were relaxations.
6. Take a week or two days off before exam day.
7. Write AWA essays sincerely atleast twice.
8. Practice atleast two exams at the same time in the week before.
9. Reutrn back to old sleeping habits in the last week.
10. IMO, 3 months is an apt time for one to prepare for GMAT, unless you have written LSAT or GRE before.
11. If you acheive a score of your desire, make it a point to donate/help charity. 12. GMAT has a bit of luck involved in it, so pray to your God or believe in yourself that you are lucky
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Comedy of errors
Date: Aug 3, 2004
Place: Seattle, US
I wrote this in Aug 2002...
Yesterday... Our Acct. Manager "Mitra" and Sales Manager for this region"Eugene" (an American) has come to see us all and to take us to a lunch.I made a real mess with them right from the begnning to the end...The Joker inside me really played a part yesterday...
1. They took us to a Thai rest to eat and we ordered some NV stuff.Towards the end of lunch, Eugene was taking some rice (for himself) and wasasking me "is it good?"I, beggr, heard it as "some more food?"... I started acting.. "No No"... andkept the hands crossed on the plates andsaid "My Stomach is full!!!"... Everyone there understood this fellow isblabering.. and Eugene asked me again "Is the lunch good?"This time got it an said "Yeah! Its good"...Then he replied "That was the question. I was not trying to serve you!!!". .. this is what I call perfect embarrasment..
2. Then they all (Mitra, Eugene, Suman, Rekha and I was standing simply inthe corner) had a discussion in our bay.Then they started to leave. They bid "Good Bye" and "Take care" and allthat.Now Suman went out (for his cabin). They (Mitra & Eugene) both left out forcar.Rekha wanted to convey smthing to Mitra and she went with them.Seeing everyone leaving the cabin, I , beggar, thought "Ok!, We are goingfor send off" and I too followed them.Thats when Eugene turned back and said to Mitra "Will he follow us whereverwe go?" and to me "Take Care G'Man! GO to work!!!".. this is what I call perfect embarrasment..
Hmmm, Only God can save me out...
Place: Seattle, US
I wrote this in Aug 2002...
Yesterday... Our Acct. Manager "Mitra" and Sales Manager for this region"Eugene" (an American) has come to see us all and to take us to a lunch.I made a real mess with them right from the begnning to the end...The Joker inside me really played a part yesterday...
1. They took us to a Thai rest to eat and we ordered some NV stuff.Towards the end of lunch, Eugene was taking some rice (for himself) and wasasking me "is it good?"I, beggr, heard it as "some more food?"... I started acting.. "No No"... andkept the hands crossed on the plates andsaid "My Stomach is full!!!"... Everyone there understood this fellow isblabering.. and Eugene asked me again "Is the lunch good?"This time got it an said "Yeah! Its good"...Then he replied "That was the question. I was not trying to serve you!!!". .. this is what I call perfect embarrasment..
2. Then they all (Mitra, Eugene, Suman, Rekha and I was standing simply inthe corner) had a discussion in our bay.Then they started to leave. They bid "Good Bye" and "Take care" and allthat.Now Suman went out (for his cabin). They (Mitra & Eugene) both left out forcar.Rekha wanted to convey smthing to Mitra and she went with them.Seeing everyone leaving the cabin, I , beggar, thought "Ok!, We are goingfor send off" and I too followed them.Thats when Eugene turned back and said to Mitra "Will he follow us whereverwe go?" and to me "Take Care G'Man! GO to work!!!".. this is what I call perfect embarrasment..
Hmmm, Only God can save me out...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
