• Keep yourself busy.Look at rational assumptions of a problem and also alternative solutions.
• Don't fuss about trifles.Don't permit little things to ruin your long term happiness.
• Avoid being in the company of people who always find the negative in the positive.
• Be aware of all the feelings experienced due to a problem.
• Bury the past which is dead.
• Physical exercise,deep breathing and meditation helps when you're feeling stressed.
• Be in sync with your natural sleep-wake cycle.
• Write down positive affirmative statements prior to sleep.Example : I am free from worry, tension, stress, anxiety, anger, insomnia, pain...... I have good memory, focus, attention, confidence, relationship......
• When an option is not visible, sleep over the problem and you might find the answer next morning. The brain works calmly when you sleep.

# There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run, the sword will be conquered by the spirit.

# The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.

# The one predominant duty is to find one's work and do it.

# Search for the truth is the noblest occupation of man; it's publication is a duty.

# The highest destiny of individual is to serve rather than to rule.

# Doubt isn't the opposite of faith ; it is an element of faith.

# The world is the prison of believers and the paradise of non-believers.

# Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks for us, and the art of life is to get the message.

Keep it simple ! That is the mantra which can help you reduce stress and tension.Possesions and acquisations may seem marvellous.But after a whilw, you do not own them, they own you.

A Tao story tells us of an artist who was so gifted that his fame spread all over. One day,he painted the picture of a snake.It was so life like that viewers seemed to hear it hiss ! The artist was so carried away by his own success and the adulation of his fans that he touched up the snake.He made its eyes glow;he outlined the fangs so that they seemed to dart at you ! He could not stop; he went on and painted feet on the snake !

The ex-pression,"painting feet on a snake",a chinese saying,refers to situations that are needlessely made more complicated by people who do not know when and where to stop.

When our life becomes complicated with power and possessions,we move farther and farther away from the simple joys and pleasures of life.We fail to notice the green grass and the fresh morning flowers.We don't have time to hear birds singing or watch our little ones smiling.We drift away from the state of childlike innocence and simple joy,which is our basic nature.

Simplicity is not self denial.It is a return to those values that matter most in life.It emphasises spontaneity and intution.It helps us to rediscover the feeling of wonder and joy that we have lost as adults.

A group of young men and women were walking across a shopping mall.They were happy and relaxed;they were talking and laughing merrily.Not a care in the world did they seem to have.There was a young girl among them,who happened to glance at the window of a jewellery store which they passed.On display was a beautiful, brilliant diamond bracelet.How it sparkled and shone ! The girl's eyes opened wide.She went close to the window to inspect the price.She could not afford it.

She caught up with her friends but she was not the happy,laughing,bubbly girl that she had been five minutes earlier.Her cheerful,buoyant attitude had been replaced by a mood of glum disappointment.

This is the worst part about wanting things.Getting them may give you momentary happiness.But not being able to get them often makes you miserable !

Victor Hugo in his novel ' Les Miserables' highlights the benefaction that charity brings to the receiver. A convict had escaped from prison and sought shelter for the night.The priest obliged, gave him supper and a bed to sleep. In the middle of the night he decamped with the silver plates of the house. The next morning the police who had caught him brought him in. The priest feigned surprise and asked the policeman : " why did you harass him ? I gifted the plates to him last night." The policeman apologised and left. The convict was astounded.To crown it all, the priest picked up two solid silver candle stick stands from his desk and gave them to the convict with these words : "Remember,life is to give,not to take.The convict took them and departed.Thence,he was transformed.Living a life of service and sacrifice.Such would be the outcome of true charity.

Likewise,the donor is blessed with the effect of charity.Charity is a synonym for prosperity.So is sacrifice for success.Swamy Rama Tirtha proclaims : The way to gain anything is to lose it.The more you run after wealth,the more it recedes.You crave for it, and it eludes you.Leave it alone, and it follows you. Work earnestly,dispassionately ; the reward of work shall court you.

The phenomenon of colours illustrates this law of life.Light is constituted of seven colours.When an object is bathed in light the seven colours impinge upon it.An object appears blue when it actually gives away blue and takes in the other six.It appears in the colour it parts with.An object gains colour it gives away ! You gain what you give away.What you sacrifice.Not what you take.Develop the spirit of dispassion,renunciation in life.You turn pure,divine.And when you amass wealth you turn impure,demonic.Oliver Goldsmith wrote : Where wealth accumalates,men decay.

Social service is indeed a noble trait.But these scattered units can in no way solve the problem of poverty and misery in the world.Hence the world needs not just bouts of social service but education and dissemnination of social conciousness among people.That one should empathise,share and live in harmony with fellow beings.The idea of social consciousness needs to be introduced at the level of primary schools for children to grow with that concept.And gradually inculcated in families at home. ' With the dawn of social conciousness the mist of social service disappears.Every individual becomes a social worker.

Just imagine a country devoid of literacy barring a group of literates.The residual literates have to choose one of two options : Each of them starts teaching people 'individually'. Or start schools for teachers' training.And these teachers in turn produce more teachers.

The former method can provide only a limited satisfaction for educating a few pockets in the country,while the latter can gradually cover the entire country and solve the problem of illiteracy.

Similarly, Social workers and their social work can only create pockets of relief while the perennial problem of poverty and misery persists.The problem can be solved only through mass education and dissemination of social conciousness. Vedanta,the ancient philosophy of India,educates and inculcates this spirit of social consciousness in human beings.

# There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

# If you don't find God in the next person you meet, it's a waste of time looking for him further.

# There is only one religion, though there are hundred versions of it.

# The candles are many,but the light is one.

# The fewer the words, the better the prayer.

# You can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there.

# When in doubt, do it.

# Change direction, or you may end up where you're heading.

The serial blasts in Bangalore and in Ahmedabad over the weekend appear to have been well-orchestrated, to claim innocent lives and unleash panic.It is not everyday that a country faces such a situation. Now that we have been visited be terror, the response must necessarily be one that is tempered with calm and cumalative prayers,despite the understandable disposition to outrage.

Terror strike after terror strike,we are fed with the same story about how each failed the other.There is clearly a systemic fault in our intelligence and security arrangements that exposes the public to dangers that could perhaps be avoided.It is an issue that must no doubt be redressed speedily.But it must be acknowledged that securing a country as vast and densely populated as ours is no easy task.

The pattern of the attacks reveals that terrorists can and will strike not just at our metros but anywhere in our country they think maximum damage --- to life and economic activity --- can be inflicted. As we have argued,boosting security,even if it means inconveniencing citizens to some measure,is an urgent need.Equally pressing is the need to bring the perpetrators of earlier terror strikes to book.Meanwhile,citizens must stay calm and offer collective prayers,----- wherever possible,in temples,mosques,churches,or gurudwaras,maybe through groups of friends ---- in response to such deliberately provocative attacks.Otherwise,we would be playing into the hands of those who are avowed enemies of our way of life and our secular,democratic politics.

our ilander friends have started taking initiative in this direction,and our friend Vibhuti has made a start in this direction,which should be appreciated and followed by others.

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. ........ goodness, you will reap friends. ........... humility, you will reap greatness. ........... perseverance, you will reap victory. ..............consideration, you will reap harmony. ........... hard work, you will reap success. .......... forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. ............ openness, you will reap intimacy. ........patience, you will reap improvements. .........faith, you will reap miracles.

But.......

If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust. .........selfishness, you will reap loneliness. ..........pride, you will reap destruction. ........envy, you will reap trouble. ......laziness, you will reap stagnation. .......bitterness, you will reap isolation. .......greed, you will reap loss. .........gossip, you will reap enemies. .........worries, you will reap wrinkles. .........sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter,will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

Why Should we be good and do good when others don't respond the same way ? What is the use of showing compassion ?

well friends the above questions made me think, and what I thought was..... To help others is a humanitarian attribute ; a compassionate nature is proof that you're human, you know this. That's why you've expressed doubts over the relevance of the ' be good-do good-feel good' principle. Maybe someone you trusted broke your heart !

If your intention is to really help others, then your entire concentration should be on the word "others". There would be no scope to think about yourself. The ideal of helping others is not a barter transaction,wherein you give something in exchange of something.It is just giving,pure and simple,and not taking.

If we entertain the selfish idea of receiving something,even a warm thank you,the idea of helping loses its charm.Then it will be just like any commercial transaction.That's why many a times, we are told by our wise grand-parents,and parents,"Do a good deed and throw it into the well !" What it means is, do good and forget about it.Don't even expect a smile of gratitude in return.

Once I had read in some book that --- one afternoon, Jesus Christ cured 10 lepers.But, do you know how many of them stayed on to express their gratitude or even say a word of thanks to Jesus ? Just one. Read the account of Luke in the Bible; it says that Jesus turned and enquired of his diciples,"where are the other nine ?" The disciples answered; "Master,their selfish desire is fulfilled and,therefore,they have now gone from here." Listening to this, Jesus smiled and simply proceeded further to help other poor and unhappy persons, while telling hs disciples : "Do good unto others."

Even the Messiah, who gave a fresh lease of life to others, had to taste bitter ingratitude of the selfish. What then can people like you and me expect ? So, let us make this the motto of our life. To help others not for any commission but just to enjoy the inner feeling of indescribable joy. Help for the inner joy of helping.

Nature never leaves you empty handed. There was a farmer named Fleming in scotland. One day he heard a call for help. He saw a boy sinking in the quicksand.Fleming pulled the boy out of the quicksand; he affectionately patted him and told him to go home.Then,he returned to his farming job again.

Next day, a well dressed gentleman arrived at his hut,"you saved the life of my son ; I wish to present you with a reward,"he said.But Fleming said that he had only done his duty.Spotting a boy in rags, the gentleman asked Fleming if that were his son,Fleming nodded.And the gentleman took the responsibility for the boy's education.

Years later the farmer's son became a scientist, Alexander Fleming. He became renowned for his invention of Penicillin.A few months after the invention, the boy who his father saved got a severe attack of pneumonia.And his life was saved,this time by Fleming Jr's invention.What goes around does come around.As you sow,so shall you reap,in whatever form.Nature returns everything with interest.

As per the Bible, Jesus Christ would say : "Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied..... don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing.And your father who knows all secrets will reward you."

After a while you learn the subtle difference, between holding a hand and chaining a soul, and you learn that, love dosen't mean leaning. And company dosen't mean security, and you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of a man, not the grief of a child, and you learn to build all your roads on TODAY, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you have too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers, and you learn that you really can endure........ That you really are strong and you really do have worth, And you learn and learn with every person you meet or employ. You learn with every friend or lover, you learn with every goodbye,you learn.

# The ink of a scholar is more sacred than blood of a martyr.

# The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give.

# You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

# You yourself, as much as anybody in the universe, deserve your love and affection.

# Whenever we may come alive, that is the area in which we are spiritual.

# the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.

# Happiness can't be travelled to, owned, earned or consumed. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

# In the end it all comes down to enthusiasm. Your creativity is basically your expression of God - force.