Shutterbug's Blog

Living with Multiple Myeloma in Hyderabad , India . Random musings .

Author Archives: Lifeisbeautiful


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Pics from a recent trip to our village

I was due for a BMA test in a week and  was a bit nervous and had this strong urge to spend a few days in our village before I went for the test.

Here are a few pics from this visit. These pics give a  glimpse of life in a village.

The winter months are here and village folks warm up with a bonfire in the early hours of the morning.
A group of women are warming up while discussing the days chores.

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A dish TV antenna has been fixed to a dried trunk of a Palmyra tree.
A Palmyra tree is one of the most useful trees in this part of the country. The leaves of the Palmyra tree are used as a roof for their huts ,cattle sheds and fence. It is called a thatched roof and can be seen in the pic. The palmyra fruit is relished during summer months. Palmyra Toddy is a popular drink in the villages.

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The cling clang sound of sheep bells is so soothing . The sounds from these bells , the cool evening sea breeze (this village is around 8km from the sea) and chirping birds can take us to a meditative state. This is bliss !!

I am back in Hyderabad now and as I close my eyes I transport myself to that scene and location :).

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Found a few feathers of the ‘Indian roller stuck on the trunk of a palmyra tree. The bird must be nesting on the tree. A very beautiful bird, often seen flitting from one palmyra tree to another ,is usually found near agricultural fields in this part of the country. The bird appears mostly brownish with streaks of blue when perched . While flying its light and dark blue feathers are open and the bird appears very bright ans beautiful.

Found a link to a video of the bird in flight.

http://www.arkive.org/indian-roller/coracias-benghalensis/video-00.html

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Love the contrast of a tender climber climbing up the rough trunk of a palmyra tree.

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Rural atmosphere is very peaceful , less polluted and life is very simple . A village appears to be another far away planet far far away from the noisy Urban world. Feeling energized and rejuvenated after spending a few days there. I am also done with my BMA test and awaiting the results.

” We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us “

 


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Random musings !!

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Wishing I was Fishing –

My Ayurvedic diet includes fish but the biggest problem is that we dont get fresh fish 🙁  . I was having this terrible craving for fish. After some brainstorming I decided that we should go to the nearest river and get some fresh fish from there. The closest place is Manjeera river near Sangareddy. Told my idea to mom and she readily accepted to go. She doesnt like to buy fish that come in boxes full of ice at the usual fish markets and I have taken after her. So mom and I went to Manjeera Dam near Sangareddy with our driver .We were happy with the fish that we bought 🙂 . Thoroughly enjoyed Fish fry and Fish pulusu after a looong time.Mom makes the best ‘Nellore Chepala Pulusu’ in the world !! I see mom and myself going there more often from now onwards 🙂 . Its been a month and its time to go fishing .

Diwali and my sickness –

Diwali has come and gone and this time I was down with cough/cold/severe bronchitis and was unable to celebrate. My two little nieces helped me perform Lakshmi Puja in the evening and also lit up all the Diyas. Love these little girls . I was down for almost 10 days and I wasn’t able to eat/drink anything .There was no appetite. The side effect of medication ensured that my stomach was out of order. I was watching cooking videos during those days. I wanted to eat but was unable to eat as the stomach felt uneasy and heavy all the time.

Once I recovered , my hunger doubled and I have been eating like crazy.Custard apples are in season and these are my favourite too. I would eat them first thing in the morning … and also the first thing after I came home from work. Was craving for mirchi bajjis and bought them at a local sweet shop. Wanted to eat chicken Biryani and made it at home. Made bean soup one day.Will post the recipe. I have never been this hungry 🙂 Since one week I have been doing all the cooking, cooking stuff my way, and told my cook to relax and just help me and watch me while I cook. Poor lady gets terrified whenever I come to the stove, for fear of losing her job. I have to plead with her to allow me cook 🙂

Votes and Notes –

Last few days have shocked the world with Trumps votes and Modis ban of 500 and 1000 notes. Notes and Votes were the only discussions everywhere. A strange experience for all .The rich ,the poor and common man were affected one way or the other.The world was either Red/Blue or Black/White.

Wine and Immunity –

Yesterday I received a whatsapp message from my Ayurvedic doctor about his article on the benefits of wine and who should drink Dry / Sweet wine based on the ‘dosha’of their body. Wine has antioxidants which boost the immune system. When I asked him if wine would help me,  I have a weak immune system, he said I can take Dry wine in small quantities twice a week. So, currently , I am doing some research on the different types of Wines 🙂

…….and its time for me to get my CBP , LFT and RFT tests done. Will give the sample this Sunday. Time to also get a Bone Marrow Test done. I feel ok and hope all will be well.

An ISMS Internal Audit is coming up next week which is keeping me busy at work.

 

~    ‘Your only purpose is to be yourself’ – Anita Moorjani     ~

 

 

 


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My ‘Life Support System’

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I wouldn’t be treading this beautiful planet if it weren’t for some special people in my life to whom I will be forever indebted.

My Oncologist , a thorough  gentleman always positive and encouraging . When I had questions he would patiently explain in detail. Made the ASCT ( Autologous Stem Cell Transplant) process appear very simple which helped me go ahead with confidence. I completely surrendered to him He continues to support me while I try alternative therapies.
My parents who had sleepless nights and helped me recover from the terrible after effects of chemo. At times I would be so irritated with the discomfort that I would push away the glass of drink that my dad offered to me.
I am so sorry Nanna.
Love you Amma , Nanna .

Hubby makes sure I have all the medicines at all times …reminds me when I am due for the blood tests,fixes an appointment with the doctor. I don’t have to think when my next blood tests are due. Took care of me like a baby , feeding and giving medications on time when I was admitted in the hospital before and after the Transplant. His highly disciplined military style ensures that everything happens on dot 🙂  Nurses can relax  when he is around 🙂 He has been very patient all the while and continues to bear with my grumpiness till date.My son too bears with my erratic behavior .

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I am so grateful to my organisation that bore all the expenses for the Transplant.
My colleagues at work have been super accommodating. I would go to work but did not have the energy to take up any tasks…they just patiently waited for me to bounce back.Initially it was very difficult for me to sit for 10 hrs every day including travelling. No one ever made me feel that I was sick. They didn’t shun me nor avoided me, which is what I had expected. I was part of all the events and occasions. Such wonderful people they are.Once I had  bounced back I started volunteering for more assignments and now I am also made responsible for some important tasks in the organisation.

I also have good domestic help to take care of the household chores. To take care of cooking and cleaning and to drive me to work everyday. May God bless them.

I am also being taken care of by Mother nature which is nourishing me through the various leaves, seeds and roots of medicinal plants. I have also surrendered myself to my Ayurvedic doctor who is treating me with various herbs.

There are also a few good online friends who keep me going with their encouraging words.

How can I not mention the invisible spiritual guidance which is supporting me all the while. Without which I would have given up the fight long ago.

A disease like Cancer requires hell of a lot of support from all directions and from within.

How many are blessed with this kind of support system. It pains me a lot to see the suffering that people are going through and are giving up due to various reasons. A lot more has to be done quickly by  medical research. Oncologists and hospitals should treat patients with a holistic approach by including counselling sessions to the patients and  their caregivers.Alternative therapies should be a part of the treatment.

Feeling blessed.

  ~~Lokaan Samasthaan Sukhino Bhavanthu~~


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My diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma

I had always been anemic since I was in my teens. I frequently suffered from tonsillitis and throat infections which required antibiotics. I always had this fear that I may be having throat cancer 🙂

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One day, 5 years ago, I collapsed and was struggling with stomach upset , throat infection and chills . Met a physician who lives close to where we live . He recommended blood tests which revealed that my Hb was 6 . I was advised to go for a blood transfusion.
We were not ready to get a transfusion and decided to go to Apollo hospital, Hyderabad to get a second opinion. I boldly walked into the hospital emergency and got admitted by showing my previous reports.

I was in the hospital for three days . Several tests were done, blood tests, Xray, bone scan and a Bone marrow test. I knew why the test is done but was confident that I was fine.

The test confirmed I was suffering with Multiple Myeloma.

A couple of new doctors came in and interviewed me about my past record . I told them about the compression fracture in my spinal cord..I was least aware of the seriousness behind the scenes. I was told to get a ‘port’ inserted into a blood vessel my arm . Now there was some suspicion that something was wrong but no one told/discussed anything with me , not even the doctor or nurses.I didnt ask any questions either. Inspite of being a very curious person always , I was too scared to ask..We just went about doing whatever was to be done. Everyone including my parents, hubby , sister appeared very normal and cheerful.

On the third day , with the port in my arm I was told to go to another wing to get an injection through the port. We entered a building which no one would ever want to even look at, the Cancer wing of the hospital. My worst fears began appearing to be real, but I was not ready to ask/confirm nor anyone around me was ready to talk.

While I type these words my heart seems to have stopped beating and I have tears in my eyes and my body is trembling.

My Oncologist had suggested that I should start chemo immediately. A second opinion was quickly taken and we went ahead to take the injections.

I put on a brave face and entered the Chemo ward where I saw many other patients on beds with IV.  I wanted to run away from the place. I hated myself for being in this place. I rebelled inside , that I don’t have cancer, even while an injection was being given to me, my first Chemo injection.  We came home. The next day I had very high temperature and thought I would die . But here I am , after 5 years , after undergoing Stem Cell Therapy . Hope to live and write for many more years to come .

Hope to tell my story to many more , to inspire and give them hope so they can fight and never give up.

People around me , my parents,my hubby, friends and colleagues, continue to be cheerful and their attitude is definitely helping me stay strong.

The attitude and behavior of people around a cancer patient can heal/break the patient.

All caretakers must appear cheerful when they are around a patient and help them feel normal and feel good about themselves. Give them the assurance that new and improved medications are now available , which is a fact too, and more will be available as we go forward. One can also try Alternative treatments simultaneously.

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The same applies to a patient too. To appear calm and try to be as cheerful as you can ,so that people around you can also stay strong and in turn can help you to heal better and faster.


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My experience with Meditation

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There are a lot of people all over the world who are able to manage and control chronic illnesses with Meditation. Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Stress, Anxiety , Depression and Cancer too can be ‘managed’ well by including meditation as a part of your daily routine.

My curiosity about meditation and yoga began about 15 yrs ago.
I wanted to learn to meditate but didn’t know what it was all about.

I bought books on Meditation. All the books mentioned a wonderful experience and wrote about a lot of steps and discipline that are required to reach that blissful state. I got discouraged reading all this. I even feared it , thinking I would die during meditation , especially after reading about yogis who pass on during meditation . This is called ‘Samadhi’

I continued reading up on the Internet .

I came across various methods to meditate. Some of them are ..

  • Staring at an object a little away from you. A flower or a candle should do.
  • Sitting with closed eyes and trying to concentrate on the gap between two consecutive thoughts.
  • Focusing on various parts of the body starting from top to the bottom while relaxing those parts of the body.
  • Gently focusing  on the point between the eyebrows with closed eyes.
  • Chanting a mantra etc

I later came across various spiritual organizations that taught meditation. But, I was not ready to accept any Guru.

I continued reading and one day came across ‘Chakra meditation’.
This particular method appealed to me. I read about it several times and one day decided to try it out.I had read enough of theory and was confident and ready for some practicals :))
The experience I had was indescribable. I couldn’t discuss my experience with anyone.

During the process of  meditation all the chatter in my mind had stopped. Breathing was very slow and steady.  I was not able to feel my body, only  a part of the face, the throat, and the breath. It was as if the body had disappeared and expanded into a balloon , this balloon had a diameter of a few meters. There was a lot of energy in this balloon.It was a peaceful state and all was still , as though time was frozen.

This was my first experience. There was no way of knowing if all those who meditate have the same/similar/better experience.The experience was good and I was happy that I was able to ”meditate” without a Guru :))

Soon all was forgotten.

One day , a few years later , I learned that a course was being held by a spiritual organization , close to where I lived. I joined the course hoping to know more about meditation. They didn’t teach any meditation but I learned Pranayama and other rhythmic breathing techniques which are supposed to improve our health and clarity in the mind.

Later on, I also did the Meditation course conducted by the same organisation. The experience was just ok . I  was unable to sit for long periods with my spine erect during all those different kinds of meditation sessions. It was painful 🙂

Once in a while, I would practice Pranayama followed by Meditation. Each time my experience was different.

I have now begun to meditate regularly. So glad that I had learnt to meditate .

Advantages of Meditation :Thoughts too create havoc in the body. Meditation helps in calming the mind which in turn helps the body to relax and heal.

  • Clarity in the mind.
  • A reduction in unnecessary thoughts which drain your energy.
  • One feels calm and peaceful within.
  • Better management of chronic illnesses.
  • Feel more energetic.
  • Deep Rest. It is said that 15 mins of deep meditation is equivalent to 4 hrs of deep sleep.
  • Improves the immune system.
  • Stress relief.
  • Reduction in Anxiety.
  • …and many more

I too had a lot of doubts about meditation dulling the mind. But NO , it helps you to be more efficient as all the clutter is out of your system and you feel more energetic.

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Here is an easy method to make a beginning  :

  1. Sit in sukhasana (cross legged) on a mat on the floor.The spine should be erect.You can also sit on a chair or lean on a wall. You can use pillows/cushions to ensure your spine and head are upright.Place your open palms facing upward on your lap/knees .
  2. Gently close your eyes.
  3. Gently try to focus your eyes at the center of your eyebrows. Do not  apply any pressure while doing this.
  4. Start observing your breath going deep inside your lungs and also observe the air going out through your nose.
  5. Continue to observe your breath.
  6. If your mind wanders , try to gently push the thought away  and bring back your focus to your breath. You can even arrive at a solution to whatever that is bothering you and gently push the thought away.
  7. Continue to bring back your focus to your breath.
  8. Sit in this position for as long as you can.You can also set a timer for 15 mins. It is okay if you are unable to sit for 15 minutes initially. Do this for as long as you can.
  9. Slowly open your eyes while cupping them with your hands.

Initially the process seems irritating as you are unable to focus on your breath and the mind continues to wander. Regular practice will definitely help in focusing and thereby to reach a state of thoughtlessness and the benefits should follow.

The practice can be done anytime during the day. Ensure your stomach is not full , should be almost empty. The best time to meditate is before having breakfast , lunch or dinner.

Where can one learn to Meditate ? 

There are several organizations that conduct regular meditation courses all over the world. You can earn from more than one and choose the one that you are more comfortable with.Take your time to accept the process. There’s no hurry.

A lot of CDs and YouTube videos are available which can help you make a beginning. Once you learn the technique you no longer need any external aid and you will be able to meditate anywhere.

Your experiences are unique to you. We need not compare with others experiences. Just go ahead and enjoy the feeling.

Practicing any art form makes the mind stay calm. These are wonderful methods to calm your mind. Any hobby is good too.

I am enjoying writing these posts and it is definitely helping my mind to stay calm.

Benefits of Meditation have been proven scientifically.

~~Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthihi ~~

 

 

 


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Book review: ‘You can heal your life’ by Louise Hay

Very recently , I had read the book ‘Dying to be me ‘ by Anita Moorjani. I was curious to ‘hear’ her and ‘see’ her. Immediately went to YouTube and checked for her videos.There were lots of talks by Anita. Watched a few videos.

While watching these videos , on the right pane of the screen , I came across a video with the title ‘You can heal your life’. The title described  exactly what I had in my mind and had started believing . That the power to heal, is within. Watched her talk and learned that Louise Hay had written a book by the same title, I soon got hold of the book.

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Louise Hay was diagnosed with Cancer and healed herself. She is 90 yrs now and the book was written in 1984.

Here is an excerpt from the book :

“Be grateful for what you do have, and you will find that it increases. I like to bless with love all that is in my life right now – my home, the heat, water, light, telephone, furniture, plumbing, appliances, clothing, transportation, jobs – the money I do have, friends, my ability to see and feel and taste and touch and walk and to enjoy this incredible planet.”

This is yet another self-help book which enables one to transform and heal themselves.

Her Philosophy  (Taken from her book) :

  • We are each responsible for all our experiences.
  • Every thought we think is creating our future.
  • The point of power is always in the present moment.
  • Everyone suffers from self-hatred and guilt.
  • The bottom line for everyone is ”Ï am not good enough”.
  • It’s only a thought and thought can be changed.
  • We create every so-called illness in the body.
  • Resentment, criticism and guilt are the most damaging patterns.
  • Releasing resentment will dissolve even cancer.
  • We must release the past and forgive everyone.
  • We must be willing to begin to learn to love ourselves.
  • Self approval and self acceptance in the now are the keys to positive changes.
  • When we really love ourselves , everything in our life works.

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The body requires healing not only at the physical level but at the mental level too.Healing at the mental level in turn heals the physical body. This book confirmed my belief that we can heal ourselves. The steps mentioned in the book are easy to follow.

Louise Hay strongly recommends a method to love oneself , by looking into the mirror and telling yourself that you love yourself.

I love it when I look into the mirror and tell myself “I love you”. A big smile appears on my face and it feels so good :))) .

Highly recommend this book to all, with disease or with no disease. Get rid of all the nonsense sitting up there in your head 🙂

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Allopathy and/or Alternative treatments for Cancer

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Depending on past experience (self or others) , nature of the disease and stage of the disease, people choose Allopathy or  Alternative treatments like Naturopathy, Acupuncture ,Homeopathy, Ayurveda etc.

When the situation is not critical , one can choose Alternative therapies. But when the patient is in a critical stage do not hesitate to go for Allopathic treatment . Get a second or third opinion.Agree Allopathy is expensive but do not take any risk at this point.

When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma , the thought of Alternative treatments didn’t arise. I was in a state of denial . I didn’t want to accept that I had cancer.I didn’t dare to type the word ‘cancer’ . We immediately took a second opinion and went ahead with Chemo followed by Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (SCT). This was in Jan 2012. It was only after 3 yrs of SCT , when my plasma cells started increasing again that I started scouring the internet for Alternative treatments. By then it was obvious that Chemo is not a permanent solution and comes with a lot of side effects.

Thankfully, I had the hope and confidence that I would find a solution and didn’t give up.

Alternative therapies can be started once Allopathic treatment, ie Chemo/ Radiation/surgery, is done and the patient is in remission. One can also take Alternative treatments simultaneously after consulting experts.

It is strongly advisable to take your Oncologist into confidence when you wish to start Alternative treatments.Don’t ever stop the medication give by your Oncologist.

My strong advice is that you start looking for Alternative therapies as soon as one is diagnosed . The patient or their caretaker can do it.There’s a lot of information on the Internet.  Ignore any negative information.

Read blogs of people who are doing well and cured themselves. The first blog that I came across was margarethealthblogs.com . I was introduced to Curcumin by Margaret.

Watch youtube videos on the methods that several people are adopting to cure cancer.

Join online forums where you can share your problems and you may get some advise.

In India, yoddhas.com is one such forum. They are on facebook too.Feel free to share your concerns.Only when we open up and share , we receive help. It was through this forum that I met some wonderful people who have helped me to be where I am now.

Continue to look for other solutions even if you have started using an Alternative therapy.

Some options are : Juicing, Exercise , Deep breathing , Meditation , Positive thinking , Eliminating foods like sugar , white rice , dairy , maida (all purpose flour) and other acid forming foods in your diet and  include more alkaline foods .

Check your B12, Vitamin D , Calcium, Uric acid levels as often as you can along with other regular tests like CBP, LFT and RFT.

There are a lot of self help books written by those who have successfully battled cancer. Read up and follow them. I have read two inspiring books recently , namely ‘Dying to be me’ by Anita Moorjani and ‘You can heal yourself’ by Louise Hay. Both have healed themselves of cancer and helping a lot of people to heal themselves.There are a lot of videos by them on youtube.

 

 ‘If you think you can, or think you can’t , you are right’ – Henry Ford 

 


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Witness Consciousness (Saakshi bhaav) and Healing

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I had first come across the terms ‘Witness consciousness’ and ‘Saakshi Bhaav’, almost 15 yrs ago. All these years I never quite understood what exactly they meant in spite of reading several spiritual books and articles.

All of a sudden I am now able to get a glimpse of what ‘Witness consciousness’ means and able to appreciate and experience what these terms mean.It took sooo loong 🙂

In this post, i will try and attempt to answer whether we are the body or the mind or both or something else, as per my understanding and how we can try to heal ourselves.

I am not my body : Our bodily functions are taking place without our  intervention.They are involuntary actions.  We don’t have to tell the lungs to breathe, heart to beat , the 5 senses to do their job and stomach to digest. They have the intelligence to perform these actions on their own. These functions are carried out even while a person is in a coma. Each cell in the body is extremely intelligent . It performs its activities , multiplies and dies. They come with their own instruction set. Every type of cell is replaced periodically. Some are replaced every few days , some every few weeks. It is said that every cell in the body is replaced every 7 years. In spite of this all the cells are bound to the body. There must be some reference for all these cells to stay together.

Then who am I ??

I am able to create and perform a lot of actions with my body using my thoughts.Without thoughts, there is no action.  We are continuously bombarded by thoughts. Am I my thoughts ??

I am not my thoughts : When we were born and as a kid, our thoughts and actions were pure and based on instinct, there was pure unconditional love , there was togetherness, we enjoyed sharing , we were simple and innocent and trusted others. As we grew we started identifying ourselves with various tags . I am this , I am that ,I studied this,I work here, I live there, I own this etc. Along with the identification, there are negative feelings of  envy , greed , possessiveness, hatred , vengeance etc .What has happened to that pure innocence that we were born with? It is shoved into the background and all the other thoughts and feelings started to dominate our innate divine nature. All these thoughts disappear when we are in deep sleep. Not many are even aware that we were once very pure and full of love and trust and that is our true nature. All these thoughts are actually not us. They are a result of the environment and circumstances that we are growing in. All the competition and stress that one is exposed to all the time starting from school to college to work and marriage and society. All this creates a lot of unnecessary thoughts which affect the body too.

Yes ,we cannot function without these thoughts but we can do quite well without a lot of them too!!

I would like to conclude saying that I am not the body and I am not the thoughts, then who am I ??

I am the witness consciousness : There is a part of me that is able to witness these thoughts and body functions . There is Reference point from which everything happens. I can see a thought coming and going. Another thought comes and goes and this happens nonstop.It is easier to observe your thoughts by simply sitting calm with closed eyes. There is a part of me that is hidden and forgotten and lost. That part of me can watch and witness my body and my thoughts. The moment we start observing these thoughts, the thoughts slow down and we reach a no thought zone . The body parts start relaxing too. It is a peaceful state when we witness our thoughts and get in touch with our divine self. It feels as if all the shackles that are binding us with the external world are breaking.There is a sense of freedom .This can be practiced even  while we are performing our day to day chores.

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We are conscious beings, meaning we are aware of our surroundings and our thoughts and we take conscious decisions all the time.

I had read that thoughts are like waves in the ocean. Deep under, the ocean is still and calm. Only the surface is turbulent. Our consciousness is like the ocean and the thoughts are the waves which continuously rise and fall…non-stop .There is a strong mind-body link and  negative thoughts make the body restless and also make it sick.

This understanding is a strange feeling but a great feeling. Something that I had come across numerous times in various spiritual texts and articles and never could understand or appreciate . Finally , I seem to have understood and able to experience it now.

Once this is experienced it is easier to get detached from the body and thoughts thereby helping our body to relax/heal  and mind to stay sane.

Being in the present moment , positive thinking ,  not judging people and the happenings around us are frequently mentioned by all the wise people in order to help ourselves. The advantage of learning to be a witness is that all these are possible.

Another advantage of being in this state is that healing happens. Thoughts are very powerful and a lot of unnecessary thoughts mess up the body functions. The mind-body connection is very strong. The moment we let go of  thoughts by tapping the ‘witness consciousness’, the body can heal itself..

Sounds good isn’t it ?!! 🙂

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There seems to be a strong link between consciousness ,quantum mechanics and creation which is being studied scientifically.

I am just beginning to try to understand how the two are related and hopefully one day it will all make perfect sense not just to the spiritual masters , philosophers, and scientists but to all of the humanity, so that we understand how everyone and everything in the universe are connected and evolves from the same Consciousness , that Heaven is not some place far away, but on Earth , right here right now  :)) and we don’t need any religion to help us reach Heaven.

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*****Lokaan Samasthaan Sukhino Bhavanthu******

 

 

 

 

 


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My latest Obsession : Organic food

Reading and discussing about Organic food is the first half of a story whereas actually buying , tasting , appreciating and getting addicted to Organic food is the second and most exciting part of the story.

I came across Organic food some 7 years ago and accidentally came across a store selling Organic food  in Hyderabad about 4 yrs ago, for the first time in the form of ‘Natures  Basket’.

Having read about the benefits of  Organic food , I walk into the store and find that all the veggies and fruits were shrivelled and the quantity was very less. I was excited about buying a lot of stuff  but was disappointed . Bought some other groceries like dals .The store was far from home and hence was conveniently forgotten .

Come 2016 and I suddenly start searching the net for other Organic food stores in Hyderabad. Was glad to see that a lot of stores were open. Read about Organic Bazaars at Saptaparni , Lamakaan, Hyderabad Goes Green, Sristi Naturals, Sacred space  etc.

Visited the Monthly bazaar at Saptaparni, Banjara Hills and loved the atmosphere and variety of products. Veggies, fruits, Dals, cold pressed oils, mud vessels, honey, millets, handicrafts, hand made jewelry, jute bags, soaps (vegan), shampoos and many other items are available.They do appear fresh and look good too. I was happy but then the doubting mind starts questioning whether the products are genuine . They are expensive too, almost double the price of the regular stuff.

I did buy a few veggies hesitantly and found that they did taste good .

I continued reading about the other stores.

Landed at Lamakaan , Banjara Hills on anothet Sunday. They had similar stuff like in Saptaparni. Saw lots of people buying stuff and carrying big bags full of groceries. My confidence levels on the authenticity of the wares increased. I bought many more veggies during this visit. I also bought a few varieties of dals , tamarind and a hair shampoo bar.

I usually end up throwing away a few veggies in the refrigerator once in a while but this time I made sure not a single vegetable was wasted. I wouldn’t allow my cook to do the cooking and I would prepare the curries myself 🙂 . I wanted to wash , cut , smell and taste the expensive veggies myself .

I liked the taste and flavors.

Lamakaan and Saptaparni are far from home and I wanted to visit more often but was unable to.

I had joined a group ‘Organic Meetup’ on FB, sometime ago.

A few days back I saw a post with the address of an Organic food store closer to where i live. It is named ‘Goodseeds’ . I wanted to go there the next minute. Went there directly from work and entered this neat little store with several packets and veggies placed on the shelves on the walls.I spent some time looking at each one of them.Though the atmosphere is incomparable to the lively atmosphere at  Saptaparni and Lamakaan , I was pleased with the items that are available here.There were a few veggies and I was told that new stock will arrive the next day.
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I pick up a few veggies , virgin coconut oil , millet ravva , chia seeds and apples.

I am back the next day and pick up cinnamon and more veggies.

I no longer want to buy groceries at the regular supermarkets. I am thoroughly enjoying the taste and flavor of Organic food.

I am now addicted to Organic food!!

The lady managing this store added my phone number to her whatsapp group and sent a msg as soon as new stock arrived.

I was her first customer to buy from the new stock :)))

This was the grocery haul.
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My experience till now with Organic food :

For the first time in three decades I tasted original  Shimla apples which crispy and have a sweet fragrance unlike other imported ones that have flooded the market.

For the first time in decades I was able to taste authentic cinnamon that is sweet. Memories flashed from childhood days when I would love to chew a small piece of cinnamon while mom was cooking and had placed a few pieces on the kitchen counter. These were very neat and clean too.

My morning ginger + cinnamon tea now tastes very sweet and I need not add honey to it .

Been ages since I smelled the typical sour flavour of dosakaaya (cucumber) while it was being cooked.

I like the shampoo bar too. It is vegan and made of soap nuts and vegetable oils.

I finally started cooking with cold pressed coconut oil and the curries are yummy. I plan to prepare Avial one of these days 🙂 .

While I buy the groceries I have a nice chat with the lovely lady as to how and where they source the groceries, the quality checks , home delivery , organic manure etc


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Book Review – ‘Dying to be me’ by Anita Moorjani

A colleague recommended the book ‘Dying to be me’ by Anita Moorjani.

anita-moorjani

It is the true story of Anita, who had a Near Death Experience when she was almost on the verge of dying from Cancer,went into coma but recovered completely in a few weeks after that experience.A miracle by all standards.

I have come across people who have been managing quite well and living for several years. I recently learnt about a woman who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma 23 years ago.She meditates regularly and is doing fine.

While reading the book ,I was nodding at every point that was mentioned by Anita. About how we restrict our true feelings for the sake of society, about how we feel inadequate , how we give the least priority to ourselves etc.

Her experience during NDE about feeling one with all the beings in the universe , about realising that we are made up of love , about experiencing past present and future simultaneously , feeling love for all beings etc are all the same stuff that all spiritual masters have been saying all along and is written in various biographies and scriptures of hinduism and possibly other religions too.

I picked up the following from another link.

Things Anita Moorjani learned from her Stage Four Cancer & Ensuing NDE:

1. You attract what you fear.

2. If you’re sick, don’t fight it. Embrace it. Love where you are now. Only when you approach your health challenges from a point of love can you overcome the fear.

3. Sometimes less information is better. When it comes to illness, more information does not necessarily equal more power (too much research can actually add to the fear and symptoms).

4. Through your illness, your body is giving you a message. Work to understand and be with what is.

5. Everything comes from within.

6. Ask yourself, “What brings me joy?” And do more of that.

7. Don’t obsess and make your life about the illness.  

8. Love yourself unconditionally.

9. Positive thinking can only help to a certain extent. It’s more about being yourself and loving yourself – regardless of what you are going through.

10. Stop judging yourself.

11. Express yourself fully. Ask yourself: “Am I allowing myself to express who I am?  Am I being this person because I want to be accepted, or because it is who I am?”

12. Be centered in your true essence. From the place of pure centeredness, miracles are possible.  It’s about being, not doing.  When you are in the space of being, miracles are possible.

13. The only thing that limits you is your own beliefs.

14. The best way to get our of a fear state is to do something that brings you into a state of joy.  Find something that changes your state completely.  Whatever it is – music or art or going out in nature. Do something completely different. Or meditate.  If we can be still, we can go into a different reality.

15. Stay totally open. Get into a defused state in which all of the possibilities lie before you and you haven’t locked into any one.  

16. Follow your bliss and do what you love. We tend to do what we think we should do, rather than what our heart tells us to do.  We don’t do what makes our heart sing.

17. You are your own guru. All your answers are inside you.

18. Nobody is better than (or less than) you. We are all equal.

19. Focus on your feelings more than your thoughts. Make your everyday choices based on what makes you FEEL good, rather than what you THINK you should do or what others think you should do.

20. Don’t let a fear of failing or displeasing others run your life.

21. Realize your own MAGNIFICENCE!

Each of the above points has a deep significance and meaning. It is easier to read but practising is not that easy. Surely all of us have experienced and also accept a few of the above points. We should also incorporate the other points and also ponder on them as much as we can so that we can realise the benefits .

I shall read these beautiful words of Anita every day.

Very thankful to my colleague for recommending this wonderful book.

I bought this book in Amazon.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon.

https://amzn.to/3GrNvpv

Do check it out to transform your life !!

~Lokaan samasthaan sukhino bhavanthu~