Stress Management, = Pujya Gurudev

Stress Management

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

These days, stress is even more rampant than it was in 1983, when Time magazine declared it to be “the epidemic of the eighties.” Stress is growing and so is the health care cost for treatment of stressed employees. 
But what exactly stress is? Classically it is defined as - 'a non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it or to an external stimuli.' Generally speaking, “stress” refers to two simultaneous events: an external stimulus called a stressor, and the emotional and physical responses to that stimulus (fear, anxiety, surging heart rate and blood pressure, fast breathing, muscle tension, and so on).
Stress is not always harmful. Good stressors (a ski run, a poetry contest) inspire you to achieve. In fact it is the spice of life. Only thing is that, one has to learn - how to cope with stress?
Commonly stress refers to our internal reaction to negative, threatening, or worrisome situations-a looming performance report, role ambiguity in organization, a dismissive superior, rush-hour traffic, and so on.

Oxford Dictionary defines stress as 'a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy'.

Accumulated over time, negative stress can depress you, burn you out, make you sick, or even kill you. This is because, as our research shows, negative stress is both an emotional and a physiological habit.

Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

The GUIDE= Pujya Gurudev

The Definitive Guide.

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

You might wonder what exactly is meant by self-refinement, self-transformation and self-development and how to go about it? To achieve this you will have to adopt four disciplines – sanyam, swadhyaya, sadhana, and seva. Self-restraint, Self-introspection, Self-discipline and selfless service. These are like four essential steps of the excelsior of human life, four foundational pillars of the edifice of accomplished life, four resources of divine ascent of human self.

By adopting these four foundational principles of self-transformation you can elevate your lives to glorious heights and also help the wellbeing and upliftment of the society as a whole.

Need for a comprehensive approach : All the fours traits of personality development are interwoven. We cannot expect elevating our life without anyone of them. This can be better understood by the following analogies :

(I) For growing a crop, four things are crucial – seed (or sapling), soil, water and sunlight (or some source of vital elements).

(2) If you want to do a business, again a quadruple is a must; namely, capital, experience, demand and customer.

(3 ) Combination of four things – bricks, cement, iron and wood is essential for building even an ordinary house.

(4) Talent, resources, support and appropriate opportunity are required for recognizable success in this world. Paucity or deficiency on any of these four fronts hinders the success-race.

(5) What is most vital for our clinical health? Balanced food (includes water), labor, rest and excretion. Disturbance in any of these upsets the body-system.

So you see! Nature has ample examples of four interdependent fundamental necessities. We cannot dream of anything worthwhile along the path of soul-evolution without accomplishing the fundamental necessities of self-ascent.

Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru

Shiv Sharma

Personality Development= Pujya Gurudev

Personality Development

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Innovative research in deep-psychology towards the late 20th Century has revealed some new facts that affirm some of the principles and values of spirituality. The nature of one’s thinking and emotions is now regarded as the basis of his personality development.

Our thinking affects our mental, intellectual and also the physical makeup. Psychosomatic disorders are well known manifestations of sickness, infirmities or depravation in one’s thinking. Refinement and creative orientation of thoughts on the contrary is found to bring positive changes at the emotional and behavioral levels and thus also improve one’s ability of progressive social adjustment.

               The first and most important task for personality development is to first identify and focus attention on the central root that directly or indirectly governs the course of our lives. Think and ponder over what really makes one what one is as a person? It is the force of intrinsic tendencies of the mind. The hidden desires activated by these tendencies drive the mind and generate the corresponding currents of thoughts and trigger the brain for matching actions.

Although the conscious mind appears to be our decision maker and manager with the brain being its counterpart at the level of the physical body, the real ruler is our unconscious mind. The intrinsic impressions on it are so intense that these block even the voice of the soul. So, for self-refinement and self-transformation, it is essential that we first purify our inner self – especially the unconscious mind, reign in its passions and control its wayward tendencies that dominate our desires, thoughts and actions. Transformation of the central root will transform our life in no time.
Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,
Shiv Sharma

Booms Of Life-II,= Pujya Gurudev

Invisible Booms Of Life-II

Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

( Akhand Jyoti Jun.July 2007)

Maybe, this Akhand Deepak is symbolic of Akhand Yagya. The joss sticks may be playing the role of material for oblation, japa playing the part of recitation of mantras, and the Deepak (Lamp) playing the part of offering of ghee in the sacrificial fire. In this way an automatic process of sacrificial offering may be getting accomplished. The pitcher of water and the lamp kept together could be instrumental in producing vaporization in a subtle way and be generating some subtle power, like steam in an engine. Or it may be that this external light is helpful in kindling the light within. Whatever it may be, I have been getting spiritual light and inner bliss from this Akhand Deepak in ample measure.

This lamp placed on the pedestal was burning externally in the beginning. Later I experienced that the lamp was burning within me in the same form and was illuminating my entire inner being as the outer one illuminated the room. The illumination I was feeling within my body, mind and soul - in the gross, astral and causal bodies - might have been its repercussion. Throughout the duration of Upasana this light was glowing in the senses, just like the room was illuminated by the ever–alight lamp. Everything about me became illuminated, the veil of darkness was removed, desires and cravings vanished. Mind and body were radiating illumined feelings, thoughts and actions.

The ocean of light was undulating everywhere and I was merrily swimming in it, like a fish in the lake. The role played by these sensations in the development of the power of self, divine outlook, and joy is beyond description. Maybe it is my imagination, but had not the Akhand Deepak been kindled my inside too would have perhaps remained as dimly lighted as the prayer room. Now it is seen glittering like the festive light of Diwali. It is in this emotional flow that the magazine I started years back in 1937 was christened "Akhand Jyoti ", the name that I liked the most in the world. Maybe it is due to this devotional start that the small sapling has now grown so large that its present circulation is estimated to be over 10 lakhs and the magazine is spreading its enlightened message all over the world.

On entering the third phase of Sadhana, the rays of "Âtmavat SarvabhuteÌu" began to illuminate my soul. The first two phases i.e. "Matrivat ParadareÌu" and "LoÌÚhavat ParadravyeÌu" were concerned with my own body only. When sin entered in the two eyes, the third eye of discernment made it beat a hasty retreat. The body was subjected to austere discipline and snapped the roots out of which sinful sprouts originated. So the evil tendencies had no soil to take roots.

The "Sadhana of Matrivat ParadareÌu" was mastered without any difficulty. Mind created a little trouble in the beginning, but the body was always at my command and control. The mind ultimately accepted defeat and began to cooperate like a good friend. By voluntary adoption of poverty and minimizing the needs to the barest, as well as giving up the tendency to hoard, there was no question of
coveting "paradravya" (others wealth). When ones own earning was adequate to feed the stomach and cover the body, why to covet others things? Whatever could be saved after meeting the minimal needs was distributed among others.

Those who are by nature prone to giving and distributing and deriving joy out of it can never hoard. A life style based on minimum needs, simplicity and a non-hoarding Brahmana (One who is devoted to spiritual pursuits and leads a simple altruistic life) has filled my inner-self with unexplainable happiness and contentment. Had this happiness and contentment been the way of life of masses, there would have been hardly anyone wanting to earn sin, by coveting others wealth. Merely boasting to be an Aparigrahi (non-coveter) would not do. How many can feel in themselves the unique joy that comes out of giving? In my case, I got the treasure of these divine gifts effortlessly.

 Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Booms Of Life-I= Pujya Gurudev

Invisible Booms Of Life-I

Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

( Akhand Jyoti Jun.July 2007)

       To me my Guru was everything; his instructions were gospel truth for me; discipline was everything; my submission to his will was total. To a soldier discipline is dearer than life. Call it blind faith, or love for discipline, whatever duty was assigned to me or whatever life routine I was asked to follow have been carried out with utmost devotion and dedication.

           Two phases of my spiritual life have been completed in 24 years between the age-span of 15 and 40. Deviations from the precepts of "Matrivat ParadareÌu" and "LoÌÚhavat ParadravyeÌu" normally occur during this phase of life. This is the period when normally the pull of cravings, lust, greed and ambitions is almost irresistible. This period in my case was spent in studying, thinking, introspecting, self-restraint, meditation and Sadhana. Generally persons past adulthood are selected for spiritual Sadhana.

                 People of young age can, and should, shoulder the responsibilities ranging from financial management to military service. There is enough scope in these fields for fulfilling ambitions. The youth can also contribute in service activities. But youth is not the appropriate phase of life for spiritual leadership. There are a few exceptions like Shankaracharya, Dayanand, Vivekanand, Ramdas, Meera, Nivedita etc., who right in their early youth, successfully shouldered the responsibility of spiritual leadership.

           Generally raw youth is devoid of mature wisdom. Those who enter the public field while still gripped by greed for power and fame and are prone to temptations and sensual attractions, create problems for themselves and the society. Downfall of even the best institutions is caused by such novices. Though evil is not restricted to any particular age, the normal perception is that youth is for pursuing ego-centric ambitions. With receding age, a person grows physically weak and so do his material desires. With lurking fear of death entering the mind, an interest in inner life, and religious activities develops. Hence scholarly seers have considered the post-adulthood phase of life appropriate for Vanaprastha (transition from material pursuits to spiritual aspirations) and for Sanyas (renunciation of all worldly pursuits).

         I do not know as to why my master engaged me in tapaicarya (life of devout austerity) at a very young age and in accomplishing it when I reached the age of 40. Maybe, he apprehended that I may slip down and get carried off by temptations of name, fame, pelf and power. He must have visualized that without inner strength and maturity, accomplishment of a great missionary task would not be possible; and that it was essential to inculcate in me the qualities of firmness, patience, courage and equanimity as pre-requisites before entrusting me with the great task. Thus, my youth and adulthood were spent in austere Sadhana. Everything went on normally during that period. The only uncommon feature was the "Akhand Deepak" burning day and night with ghee of cow milk.

         It was kept incessantly burning in the prayer room. Its spiritual or scientific secret was not exactly known to me. To me my Guru was everything; his instructions were gospel truth for me; discipline was everything; my submission to his will was total. To a soldier discipline is dearer than life. Call it blind faith, or love for discipline, whatever duty was assigned to me or whatever life routine I was asked to follow have been carried out with utmost devotion and dedication. The installation of Akhand Deepak in the prayer room is part of this process. After relying on the Guide and fully submitting to him, there was no question of doubt or debate. On being told that Akhand Deepak had a role in the Sadhana prescribed to me, I simply complied with it and kept it burning throughout the duration of 24 Puraicaranas.

              Later on, it became dearer than life. It could be put out after 24 years, but such a thought was tantamount to extinguishing my own lamp of life. Hence it was decided to keep it lighted. When I was away in unknown parts of Himalayas, my dedicated soulmate (my wife) would take care of it. Had I been alone without a soulmate, I would not have been able to do any other Sadhana. It was very difficult to keep the Akhand Deepak ever lighted. Servants, disciples or people of weak spiritual conviction would not have been able to do so. It could not have been possible by mere external alertness; it needed total inner dedication, which only a true soulmate could,provide.
Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,
Shiv Sharma

Foundation of Cultur-II, Pujya Gurudev

Children are the Foundation of Cultural-II

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

During that period the child keeps observing very minutely the attitudes and activities of his mother, hence the mother should behave very responsibly during this period. During this period it is harmful to inculcate fear in the children, to keep them dirty, to give them drowsy drugs to sleep, etc. Sexy gestures, anger, quarrels etc. are bound to make children impertinent and self-willed by nature. Hence one should always be cautious not to act or behave in a way, which may leave a baneful impression on the delicate mind of the child. On attaining five years of age child?s thirst for knowledge starts increasing. Now he starts becoming curious about the things and the environment around him. At this age children learn rapidly through pictures and stories. Their interest is aroused for lullabies and sweet music. At this time children should be shown beautiful pictures containing portraits of great persons and natural scenes etc. House should be decorated with artistic things and children should be made to have interest in them.

 Biographies of great persons should be narrated to them in easily understandable and interesting way. Pathetic, peace-inducing and entertaining lullabies amuse children, encouraging emergence of noble instincts in their inner being. At this age a child can be made to apply his mind in any direction. At present the only aim of education is to develop the capacity to earn lot of money hence Gurukul tradition can not be suddenly introduced but guardians can at least train them in self-control, altruism, compassion and caring concern for all sentient beings. It is a blunder to marry them so long as they do not become mature, responsible and self supporting; otherwise they may prove as miserable failures throughout their lives.

The condition of family, whose members neither know the art of living nor have the requisite knowledge and experience of life to opt for it, is as miserable as that of a chariot having un-reined horses. What sorts of conflicts are going on in the families of today running on the pattern of blind beliefs is known to every body. Education is supposed to have a cleansing, uplifting and refining effect. If this education system is enlivened by inclusion of moral, ethical and spiritual values, it will lead to training a new generation of young persons sizzling with zeal to embrace and uplift the lowliest and the lost by voluntarily educating them in an exclusive pattern, inculcating in them qualities of love, kindness, compassion, sharing and caring. Earth can thus become a place worth returning again and again.

For social progress and national uplift also every citizen should compulsorily be educated in ethical, moral and spiritual values. Education develops a person?s intelligence and makes him fit to earn worldly as well as spiritual boons. There can be no other better way for overall development of life. For cultural elevation, we should develop our life by introspection and purification but should not forget that with this much only it will not be possible to raise our culture to a per-eminent place in the world. The greatest need of today is the character development of our children. The day our children get morally and ethically elevated the time will not be far when dignity of our society will again start attracting world attention.

 Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Foundation of Cultural-I= Pujya Gurudev

Children are the Foundation of Cultural-I

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Even after a hard penance and deep repentance a person of advanced age, carrying the burden of accumulated errors, mistakes and sins is not likely to become pious and noble in the short time left to him. On the contrary, a young child, given proper guidance, training and education can become a paragon of virtues and noble character. Whenever animal instincts hidden in inner psyche find favourable circumstances they create terrible tribulations in the mind which generates uncontrollably dirty and dissolute thoughts and emotions in adults and the persons of advanced age. This makes the purification and control of mind very difficult. Hence the Indian sages had stressed that character can be made strong and noble in childhood only. Advancement in age makes the character traits very rigid.

Only those who went through a regimen of self-control and self refinement in childhood can become great, intelligent and spiritually elevated. So long as this tradition continued properly there was no lack of happiness, peace and prosperity in society ? which is a collection of individuals. This important aspect of character building in children is neglected to-day, which is a matter of deep concern. Seeing the speed with which moral crimes are increasing in children, social reformers are bound to be worried. When hatred and vices get deeply rooted in nature at young age no reformative programs would give desired success even after great efforts.

 Practical difficulty is that the guardians do not bear this responsibility consciously and seriously. Most of them do not even know how to inculcate nobility of character in children. Self-willed children adopt only evils and vices of society because they are surrounded by them only. Formation of personality starts in womb itself. Keeping in mind this fact Indian rishis introduced ritual system ( sanskars). This gave the children moral training in a natural manner. A lady went to Socrates and asked, "Sir! When should I start educating my son?" "What is the age of child?" asked Socrates. "Four years" the lady simply replied. "Then your are lagging behind by four years and nine months," Said Socrates. Instincts of the child start forming by mother?s daily routine hence it will not be exaggeration to say that children?s education should be started right from pregnancy.

This system was methodical and scientific. This was the reason that spiritually evolved children like Dhruv, Prahlad, Bharat, Abhimanyu used to be born in many families. Today there is an urgent need for revival of these traditions. Foundation of cultural elevation should be started with upliftment of children, only then will nobility of character prosper in society. Practice of making children cultured should be started right from their conception. Mentality of parents affects the mentality of the child. His body is made with the flesh and blood of mother?s body. Subtle effect of the way of living of the parents affects the soul-development of the child. Hence parents should practice purity and piety in their eating and drinking, way of living and behaviour as soon as the child is conceived. Mothers who eat chilly spices, sour, acrid, stale food would give birth to children who are mostly hot tempered, wicked and vile. Clothes, ornaments, language spoken, etc. also affect the child in womb.

If there is no warmth and love in the relationship between husband and wife, children born to them are likely to be vicious, atheist, and of irritating nature. Parents should definitely be aware of these plane facts. From birth to adolescence the child is mostly under the influence of his mother.

Thanks GOD,Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma