Pranic Healing

'Miracles are fantastic events which utilize hidden laws of nature. Most people are unaware of these laws. Miracles do not break the laws of nature; they are actually based on them' - Master Choa Kok Sui

Ones default state of being is happy and healthy……….it’s being in rta….. in harmony.

It is extraneous factors, or at times our reactions to extraneous factors that can upset this harmony or balance. And there will always be these extraneous forces which are acting on you, and which you are quite naturally reacting to also. And that’s what upsets the balance.

So what balance are we talking about?

It’s the energy balance. Today, it’s kind of widely accepted even by science that everything in life is a form of energy, even the physical body is constituted of energy, and is in constant flux. Stress or illness can upset the balance by impacting the body, be it at the physical, mental or emotional level.

Pranic healing is an ancient science and art of healing that utilizes prana or life energy to balance, harmonize and transform the body’s energy processes

Apart from the physical body, we all have an etheric body, it runs through the body, and for about 4 to 5 inches beyond the physical body. It’s what in general parlance is called the aura. It is a subtler form of body and is directly connected to physical health. Alternate systems of medicine essentially focus on healing illnesses through this subtler body.

Indian Rishis, Chinese Taoists and Tibetan monks have practiced various forms of Energy Healing for thousands of years. It was widely practiced in the early civilizations of China, Egypt, and India, and in many other parts of the world.

The practice of Pranic healing in the Hindu tradition is based on the existence of Energy centers or vortexes, the chakras that are documented  in the ‘Yoga Kundalini Upanishad’

Many illnesses are either caused or partially caused due to the malfunctioning of one or more of the Energy Centers. It is said that both the energy body and the visible physical body are so closely related that what affects one affects the other and vice-versa. A certified Urologist who practices pranic healing alongside allopathy said ‘What I have come to learn as a result of studying and practicing Pranic Healing is that stress and negative emotions stored in the body create blockages in the body’s energy systems, and when the body’s healing energy becomes blocked and cannot flow properly, then disease occurs.’

The teaching as we learn it today is what has been developed by master Choa Kok Sui, and is based on some basic principles:

• The body has an innate ability to repair and heal itself
• Any illness or disease reveals itself in the subtler body before it manifests in the physical body.
• Vital Life Energy can be obtained from the air, the sun, the ground and trees, as well as ‘divine energy’ which is received as a result of meditation, prayer and other practices
• It is possible to transfer energy from one person to another person in many different ways
• Energy flows where attention is directed.

The course is split into different levels. The first level, which I did earlier this year, teaches you how to absorb prana from the air and how to project it to the patients, more specifically the chakra that is impacted by the illness. It teaches you how to sensitize your hands, how to scan the energy body of the patient, and  how to cleanse, energize and stabilize the energy bodies, with emphasis on doing so without depleting your own energy. It’s an interesting course, and one needs no special inborn healing power or to be a clairvoyant, all it needs is to follow the process with a certain level of discipline, powered by some regular meditation.

It is saod that the transformational technology of Pranic Healing begins to empower and enable a high level of self confidence as you see your immediate ability to produce measurable results. And I can vouch for this, as a week after I did the course, my mother complained of a pain in her knee when I very gingerly and unsurely asked if I could try pranic healing. She said yes, and I did. And I was even more surprised than her, when within minutes she said she had relief from the pain.

From that point you find your patterns of thinking shifting gear, just to become aware that you can alter subtle and even physical matter not only of oneself, but also of others, and make that difference to the world around.

The mysterious

I just read and thought I'd share

'the most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious......it is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed'

Albert Einstein

Salt

Dead Sea - Courtesy: Google images

A pretty amazing chemical….. this salt. If you think about it, you realize it’s almost like a magic compound. Just look at all these disconnected facts and you’ll see the common thread that runs through them.

It is widely believed that a dip in the Dead Sea has huge therapeutic benefits and is known to heal even very serious illnesses. The dead sea is called the dead sea because of it’s high salinity; It has 27% salinity against the normal 3% salinity of oceans

Goa has a ritual, where it is believed by locals that during the month of May, a series of dips in the sea with the sea water left unwashed over a two to three day period keeps all illnesses at bay for the year

In Pranic healing, negative energy that is removed from the body is dissipated through a bowl of salt water

In many Indian households, the dhishti ( removal of the evil eye) is often done with a fistful of salt

Sports folks are asked to bathe or soak in a bucketful of salt water when their bodies are sore

Salt water gargling is the simplest and best panacea for a sore throat

Interesting, huh?

Know thyself

There’s a little story I came across today, an old one, but thought I’d share as it fits into the stream of thought………… repetition does not spoil the prayer :)

One day, two woodcutters got into an argument on who could cut more wood in a day. Next morning, the two of them took up their positions. First, they worked at the same speed. But, within an hour, one of them heard that the other one had stopped working, so he started cutting trees on the double. Ten minutes later, he heard the second woodcutter had started cutting trees again. They were now working almost synchronously. This kept happening. Everytime the first woodcutter heard that his opponent had stopped, he would increase his speed so he could win the bet. This lasted all day long. Each hour, the second woodcutter stopped for ten minutes, the first woodcutter would continue working with greater speed. At the end of the day, the first woodcutter who worked without stopping was absolutely sure that he would win the bet.

But he was in for a surprise when at the end of the day he found that he was mistaken. ‘How did that happen?’ he asked his partner. ‘How could you cut more trees than me? It’s impossible…I was continuously working!’

‘It was very simple’, answered the second woodcutter. ‘Each hour I stopped working for ten minutes, and you doubled your speed of cutting trees, I was actually sharpening my axe’.

Writing a Diary

Ever since I can remember, I’ve written a diary. It’s been an almost constant companion right since school. Through all those days of childhood secrets, first crushes, growing up pangs et al.  I remember the efforts of creating my own version of the morse code, trying what we used to called finglish which just gets a lot of f’s between letters, all that so those deep secrets stayed with me. Then as I grew up and got my own cupboard, it was about keeping it hidden and locked and protected. Once married, it was about setting boundaries, earning trust. It’s a different story that nothing ever really worked :). And yes, it’s also true when people say diary writing can get you into a lot of trouble. Well, it has, it’s gotten me into real big trouble too, yet I somehow never stopped. Some may think foolish, but guess I felt that what it gave me on consistent basis was worth more than the trouble it put me into on occasional basis.

What does it give you? I think space. It’s one space where you can actually be totally and completely yourself, where you can articulate your innermost desires, fears, anguishes, sorrows, jealousies, angers and all those emotions which you might otherwise not even allow to surface, to acknowledge to yourself....... leave alone talk about. And a big plus of that articulation is an acceptance of that emotion, an opportunity to let it flow and then to make peace with it.  I think it is what has enabled a lot of what I am today. An ability to know myself that little more, be myself that little more, and live life on my own terms that little more. I’m still a strong endorser. 

Facilitate......Don't Teach

It is said that when a student is ready, the teacher appears

Yesterday Dhruva says he needs to buy two books, and imagine my surprise when he says he needs to buy ‘Magic by Rhonda Byrne’ and ‘Ýou can heal your life by Louisa Hayes’. I’m staring open mouthed…. because just two weeks back I’d given him the same book to read and he’d said no.  What changed? Now he’s like, my teacher from school messaged me with these two books asking me to read them, and I need to.

In fact I remember Diksha’s reaction when her teacher (same school, so same teacher ) asked her to do an assignment on ‘Magic’ three years back. She read it, and said ‘Ít’s the same kind of crap you talk about ma’.

It used to upset me when they’d brush aside what I thought I was teaching them. But now I know it’s about facilitating it. It’s like that example of the bean seed. You would do good to provide it the requisites; the water, the sunshine, the soil, and it knows best the when and what it needs to optimize itself….you can only provide, you can’t make it grow. Likewise, you can at best make available the teachings, and the learnings happen when they have to and on their own…….

Vipassana

When I was done with the Vipassana course, a friend asked in what way it had impacted me; after all I had devoted ten complete days of my life to it. At that point I could articulate some of my key takeaways; but today I realize that the change runs way deeper than that.  Vipassana in Pali means 'ínsight', and I think that's what it gives you, an insight into life.

For those not familiar; Vipassana is a Buddhist technique of meditation and philosophy that is taught over a ten day intense course. To add the real punch, it is ten days of minimalist living, rigid schedules, strict discipline, and a complete journey inward, with all senses practically shut down. It is a no speaking, no reading, no writing, no eye contact, no music, no communication……..essentially a complete cut off from the world outside to enable a journey within. Most of the day is spent in meditation, more precisely twelve hours. And trust me, it’s bloody tough. Though I went thinking I was fully ready and prepared, there were two days in between when I thought I’d go nuts and wanted to run away. But once it gets you, it’s an amazing journey.

What really distinguishes the course is the shift from theory to the empirical. It’s the most experiential teaching I've seen, where the tenets go from being known to becoming a part of you. Said or written, they would be what we’ve heard or read at some time or the other. Be it the four noble truths or the eight fold path of Buddhism, the mahavakyas of Advaita, the tenets from the Bible, and so many from other religions or great thinkers; they are all extremely cryptic and simplistic sounding. The course helps you understand and absorb.

Each individual experience is unique I’m sure. Apart from the learning, to me, the time there itself enabled some brilliant experiences. It's the moving from the conscious to the subconscious, to the subtler layers of consciousness which basically enables these, like a real surreal :). I had two distinct past life regressions, and both times I went back to the same life, the first time by chance and the second time by intent. (call it subconscious memory or past life). I had one clear out of body experience, which for some reason scared me, so I stopped it too quick. I had another even more scary experience of an eerie nature. I know all this must sound stretched to some of you, but it’s what it is and what your mind is capable of……. what can happen when the mind gets rid of clutter and is in free flow. It’s essentially connecting with other layers of yourself and the universe, be it at the level of the atman or the brahman, the microcosm or the macrocosm, it’s all ultimately the same.

If you want to check it out for yourself, it's here: Vipassana Meditation, the course is available in almost all countries. And if anybody wants to, I'll be happy to talk more about it...... offline :)

Thanks !

 Courtesy: Google images :)

Flowers blooming in my garden again !

Guess I must be coming back to real normal only now, cause I just realized that I’d all over again forgotten to be grateful, this time to all those who supported us through this crisis of last week.

Ma, who took my first call and only heard me cry, she was here by my side within the day, and she was rock solid. Dhruva said he realized how much it affected her only when she hugged him after the second clear report. Thanks for being my backbone ma. My dad, who was totally shook up as indicated even by his dentist, but didn’t let me see any of it, and stood solid on the ground that this can’t be happening. Praveen who kept talking to me, but said he couldn’t talk to dhruva cos he’d break down himself.

Kamlesh aunty and Janardhan uncle, I don’t know how I could have gone through this without your continuous and detailed inputs in helping me understand the diagnosis and information that was being dumped on us, and all the love and care that came through. Nammu and Bablu for letting us know how much you cared.

Revathi aunty and Mohan uncle, who were constantly there, uncle who kept supporting us through his contact with the hospital and with his Guruvayurappan. Thanks for all those prayers uncle.

Vijji aunty, Dev uncle and Amit, aunty who didn’t call because she said she didn’t have it in her to speak to me, and in that, I understood how much she cared. Amit, who on the other hand kept calling to ask what he could do. Thanks for being my family in Bangalore.

My friends, who understood me and were there only when I needed it, but ensured they were just a call away at all times; Girija and Vishakha, I know exactly how difficult that was and I truly appreciate it. 

The energy pipelines I drew from so so much…….. they really mattered.

Dhruva’s friends and even teachers, who kept his spirits up all along. In fact this message from a teacher from class 9, which was a whole five years ago, really touched me ‘take care and keep in touch….it’s great connecting with you…they don’t make kids like you any more ….I really mean that’

Revathi and Vedant, who were there for him and me through the whole phase. God bless you.

And there’s all the others who I know were there with us through their prayers and wishes.

Adi, out there….for making the miracle happen.

I love how long this post is. Shows how many people care when it matters. Thanks from the heart. 

Kiwi

It’s Kiwi’s birthday today. Had he been around he would have been 14, but last year he chose to go.

A friend sent me this when kiwi died and I dedicate it to kiwi today:

What a dog would tell you

1.My life is likely to last ten to fifteen years. Any separation from you will be painful: remember that before you get me

2.Give me time to understand what you want of me

3.Place your trust in me; it is crucial to my well being

4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment

5.You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I only have you.

6.Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice

7.Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget

8.Remember before you hit me that I have sharp teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you.

9.Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me; perhaps I’m hungry, or tired or too old

10. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old. Accompany me on the difficult journey. Don’t say, “I can’t bear to watch’ or ‘let it happen in my absence’…it is easier for me if you are there – even in my death

Diksha and Kiwi is sync

Dhruva and Kiwi is quiet companionship

We love you and miss you kiwi !

The Surreal

from a day time bus ride; blore to hyd

What do we mean when we say something seems ‘surreal’?

That an experience is one level removed from the normal spectrum that the mind is accustomed to. To draw a parallel to the light spectrum; the human eye can see anything that’s within the range of ‘vibgyor’; the ultra violet and infra red are not visible to the human eye, yet we know they exist. Is a surreal experience similarly beyond grasp of the human mind as we know it and we just don’t have the tools or mechanism to perceive it. Do psychics have a bent of mind or a subtler layer of mind that enables them to reach there? And if we want to, can we also do it? I think yes.

For instance dreams:

When I was talking to a friend about it last month, he was like, leave out your dreams, don’t think about them, just move on. But I was like, why? I actually like them, they are a very unique and individual experience……..just as reading a book, or watching a movie, so why should I be leaving them out? In fact there are times when they are more vivid and intense than wakeful experiences.

I’ve actually been trying to practice lucid dreaming for quite a while now, which enables a level of control on the dream state; different things, like continuity of dreams through those times that you come awake, initiation of the dream, at times an intermingling of thought and dream. It’s very interesting and  I think it’s one way of understanding the surreal or your own subconscious. You should try it if you’re interested, it’s a further step in knowing oneself, plus it’s a lot of fun. 

The joy of laughter

Laughter from the heart is one of the most undiluted joys of life, and considering there are n number of sources all around, I wonder why we get so caught up in the realities of life that we forget to take more of those moments out.

Yesterday we watched this really cute movie ‘finding fanny’, a spunky and insightful satire set in the backdrop of a laid back Goan village, where a motley group of  five, pretty self obsessed people, discover love in different ways. Really well done with a brilliant cast (mostly) and it was wonderful to laugh so much. Catch it if you can.

Also helps to become aware of what makes you laugh, and do a little more of it. I for sure intend to, even if it means watching ‘friends’ if nothing else.

The aftermath

You’d expect it to be a big positive…huge relief……a high…… but surprise, surprise;

I got up this morning to a low. I’m driving home after dropping off diksha in college, and seeing all those cars slowly creeping forward in traffic brought to mind this picture of a long line of ants that crawl along with seemingly no larger purpose than to be alive. And yes, my already low frame clung to the word purposeless, and before I knew it I found myself getting dragged down further and further. I’ve always found that when we’re low, it’s like a lot of problems, issues, negatives are just waiting around the corner to piggy back. And by the time I was home, I found I had heavy and negative thoughts in the mind.

What was it? Was it fatigue? Was I just feeling drained? Was I overwhelmed with what had happened? It was so over bearing that I knew I needed to grapple with it, else it would take me down.

It took effort to step out of myself and try to understand. As I articulated, I found that I had been hit by ‘self sympathy’, I was actually feeling sorry for myself, and it was taking over my mind. Sure shot weak moment.

Becoming aware of the issue with clarity has within it a major part of the solution.

I’d forgotten to be grateful. That one realization enabled a complete shift in consciousness. And I’m back with a smile :)

To ‘keep smiling’ is in one’s own hands !

When life got hijacked

That’s how I feel about what happened from the morning of 8^th September to the morning of 13^th September…….. like life got hijacked.

So what happened that was that big? And in a life that’s been so full of intense and extreme experiences, what made this stand so far apart as to make me use the word 'hijack'? I’ll be candid and tell, and there’s two reasons why I’m sharing this inspite of being repeatedly told that this is something that does not get spoken about.

First, on what actually happened: Dhruva was diagnosed with appendicitis and was operated upon on the 3^rd of September. On the 8^th morning the doctor called Ravi and me to his room to tell us that the biopsy report was done and that Dhruva had Adenocarcinoma, yes cancer. He also said the immediate treatment was a surgery called the right hemicolectomy, which involved removing part of his colon, which is part of the large and small intestine, and as you can imagine, the whole thing was pretty devastating. Needless to say, any parent will know how the pain is x times more difficult to handle when it’s effecting ones children, and that’s exactly what happened. It was like feeling the earth fall away from under your feet.

Now ‘cancer’ is like this word that should not be spoken,  maybe even a few degrees more than the dreaded ‘voldemort’, right?……….and it starts there, Who do I tell? Who do I not tell? Do I tell Dhruva? How do I tell him? How do I tell diksha? Even the Oncologist was of the opinion that I tell dhruva that it’s an infection  and that it needs further surgery.

This is where you step back and move within. Listen to your gut, and remember that it’s your own opinion that should matter above anyone else’s, especially in what effects you most. I know this sounds simplistic and obvious, but pause to do some honest introspection and you’ll see how much of life is lived based on external opinions and expectations. And what’s more, when you start to trust and depend on yourself, you’ll find an endless source of strength and fortitude within. This is the first of the two reasons that made me share this experience. 

That in the direst of times, you’ll be amazed at the bottomless pit of strength within.

Once I’d done this sorting out for myself, the first thing I did was tell dhruva and diksha. I spent a lot of time thinking of the best way, and I took the help of diksha and the general surgeon who dhruva had developed immense faith in, and we did it the best possible way we could. But that was important. Why? Because Dhruva needed to know what he was up against, it’s important that you know the enemy in order to fight it best. And that was one of the best things I did, as over the next few days I saw a level of maturity and strength in him that was amazing…….. it was like watching hanuman in lanka, the visual scene from the tv serial Ramayana where he grows and grows in size to take on the enemy; now I get the symbolism there. 

And then, here’s where the universe does its bit, and what you can do is look on in awe and gratitude. Whether it’s gods, luck, energy, chance or what have you, the senior surgeon who was to operate on dhruva for the cancer was stuck in Kashmir in the floods. So we needed to wait. During that period, we spoke to specialists and experts and also got the specimen tested again.

The second pathology report showed no cancer. We gave it yet again for a third test. The most excruciating period was the waiting for the third report. We got that on the 13^th and it also said ‘no malignancy’. Dhruva didn’t after all have cancer.

So the second and more important reason I share this, is for you and anyone known to you, to please be alert to such life changing errors that can occur, especially in the medical stream. This is such an area of expertise and complexity that we as laymen tend to mostly go on trust. But even here we need to use our own intelligence and common sense. Ensure to get that second opinion on tests and diagnosis, especially when it involves surgery. Don’t let anyone play god.

My top 10 learnings

I actually did my exercise from yesterday, and if I had to list out my top ten learnings over the last year or more, this is how they’d read:

1. Become aware of what matters to you, clarity is key; and keep focus and energy directed accordingly
2. There’s always opinions out there, learn to listen to your own
3. Where it matters, over communicate rather than under communicate, it’s a super useful tool
4. ‘It’s not what you’re saying……..it’s what I’m hearing’ remember this during any communication
5. Anger never achieves anything, least of all change
6. Handle any situation with positivity, even the most sticky or painful  ones, you’ll see an entire energy shift happening
7. When upset, break it down to what’s actually triggered it, and it becomes that much easier to deal with
8. Take those risks, do new things, embrace change…….it enables living at multi levels and its brilliant learning too
9. Acceptance and Space are the best expressions of love
10. Be nice to people, they are what they are; but don’t ever forget to be nice to yourself too !

Teacher's day

When the kids were in school, the day would be about buying roses, making cards, sending messages; but now I didn’t even know it was teacher’s day, so I owe a thanks to a friend for starting my day with a message that touched the heart…... It read: ‘Happy teachers’ day. Thank you for teaching me much’. There was a lesson in that for sure..... to become aware and say thanks where you feel it.

Yes, it’s a day to overtly acknowledge your teachers; no not just from school or college but from generally around. It would be a nice exercise to spend some time today thinking of who you have learnt from, send out the thanks and maybe even to articulate for yourself what those learnings might be.

When children grow up

People love to say that children are most enjoyable when they are really little, like between 2 and 6. Agreed that’s an enjoyable stage, but I think it’s also really enjoyable as they get older and you gradually start to relate to them as adults, with independent thinking minds. I’m enjoying that with both my children; I love those moments when I see their behavior in situations better and more mature than mine; and even more, when they have different views to mine, but backed by such rational thinking…. It’s very interesting to get in those perspectives. With an open mind, I realize that the term ‘generation gap’ can actually be a myth.

But before more of that, a little peep effort to see why most adults like it when their children are little, (this is atleast largely true for India).

It’s about control; I’m grown up - you are little, I’m grown up so I know more – you’re little so you know less, I’m grown up so I tell – you are little so you listen. And as children grow and as this control equation gets more and more threatened, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable. That’s why little is the best age for parents I guess.

As the children grow, this control depending on the balance, leads to either conflict or complete subjugation. And the sad part is that the control is so disguised in love and concern, that it’s not even possible to detect it, leave alone fight it.

I’m not saying love and concern are bad, they are great, but let’s learn to love by facilitating or enabling rather than controlling …… learn to love by letting go 

Morning walks in Lalbagh

When I made the decision of moving from Hyd, I was afraid that one thing I’d really miss,  were my early morning walks in KBR Park…..….and you can imagine how pleased I was when I discovered that the house I’d picked was walking distance from Lalbagh. Lalbagh is a really old botanical garden in the heart of Bangalore, and it’s beautiful.  I’m awestruck, almost daily, by the size of some of the trees in the park; some of them must be easily over a hundred years old.  And further amazed to see the varied kinds of wild birds in the lake;  there are even exotic birds like Pelicans and Painted storks that nest in the lake. I guess pictures, even if from my phone camera, will speak better:

Painted storks fishing

Snake birds enjoying a stretch

A dog that loves his view

So imposing and solid....reminds me of Kahlil Gibran

Pelicans - I'd seen them only in picture books before this

Ducks ..they're so cute

                                        

A month with Selco

It’s been a whole month with SELCO, and the adage of ‘time flies’ really fits.

I’d like to dedicate this one-month-in post to a friend at SELCO. This girl called Palak. She works with the Rural labs in Selco Foundation, which is a department set up to study and research innovation towards improving livelihood in a rural set up.

She has taken her job to a whole new level by actually shifting base to a small village in Kalahandi in Orissa. She has been there for over six months, actually staying with the villagers in their huts. For a girl who is hard core city bred ( from Delhi), she now lives, eats, breathes kalahandi. Not just metaphorically; she has been living on the local diet of ganji ( rice and water) for breakfast, lunch and dinner, stating that even a vegetable is a luxury in those poverty stricken villages; has withstood their summer of 49 degree c;  has adapted to a no toilets,  no electricity, no mobile, way of life. She says there was a day the craving for food got so bad that she travelled all the way to Chattisgarh for a pizza. From a girl who was scared of cockroaches, she says now even snakes and wolves don’t worry her.

Kudos to you palak ;  your courage, grit, and commitment are truly admirable !!