Conclusion...!?!

In last few weeks, we have seen the pictures about Global Warming and Green Peace.
Today let's meet some of the unsung and uncelebrated heroes of this Armageddon...!!

Think or Sink...!?!

At least NOW, plant more trees...!!!



This is the last picture of the 'Think or Sink' series as I think the message is conveyed...!
Tomorrow let's meet someone to conclude this episode of Green Peace...!

Think or Sink...!?!

Think about WHAT it Consumes before BUYING...!

Think or Sink...!?!

More Cars... Less Clean Air... More is Less...!!!

Think or Sink...!?!

Save the Climate

Awareness...!?!

Awareness is the state of mind and another virtue like loyalty - equally important and essential. Here is a story by Osho portraying the value and practice of awareness.

A king sends his son to a mystic, to a master, to learn awareness. The king was old. And he said to the son, "Put your total energy into it because unless you are aware, you are not going to succeed me. I will not give this kingdom to a man who is asleep and unconscious. It is not a question of father and son. My father has given it to me only when I attained awareness. I was not the right person, because I was not his eldest son, I was his youngest son. But my other two brothers, who were older than me, could not attain.

"The same is going to happen to you. And the problem is even more complicated because I have only one son: if you do not attain to awareness, the kingdom is going into somebody else's hands. You will be a beggar on the streets. So it is a question of life and death for you. Go to this man; he has been my master. Now he is very old, but I know that if anybody can teach you, he is the man. Tell him, `My father is sick, old, can die any day. Time is short, and I have to become fully aware before he dies; otherwise I lose the kingdom.'"

A very symbolic story too: If you are not aware, you lose the kingdom.

The king's son went to the old master in the mountains. He said to the master, "I have been sent by your disciple, the king."

The master was very old, older than his father. He said, "I remember that man. He was really an authentic seeker. I hope you will prove to be of the same quality, of the same genius, of the same totality, of the same intensity."
The young prince said, "I will do everything."
The master said, “Then start cleaning in the commune. And remember one thing -- that I will be hitting you at any time. You may be cleaning the floor and I may come from the back and hit you with my stick, so be alert."
He said, "But I have come to learn about awareness...."
The master said, "This is how you will learn."

One year passed. In the beginning he was getting so many hits every day, but gradually he started becoming aware. Even the footsteps of the old man... he might be doing anything -- howsoever absorbed in the work, he would become immediately aware that the master was around. The prince would be ready. After one year the master hit him from the back while he was deeply involved in talking with another inmate of the ashram. But the prince continued to talk, and still he caught hold of the stick before the stick could reach his body.

The master said, "That's right. Now this is the end of the first lesson. The second lesson begins tonight."The prince said, "I used to think that this was all. This is only the first lesson? How many lessons are there?"
The old man said, "It depends on you. The second lesson is that now I will be hitting you while you are asleep, and you have to be alert in your sleep."
He said, "My God. How can one be alert in sleep?"
The old man said, "Don't be worried. Thousands of my disciples have passed through the test. Your father has passed through the test. It is not impossible. It is difficult, but it is a challenge."

And from that night he was getting hit six times, eight times, twelve times in the night. Sleep was difficult. But within six months he started feeling inside himself a certain awareness. And one day when the master was just going to hit him, with closed eyes he said -- "Don't bother. You are too old. It hurts me; you are taking so much trouble. I am young, I can survive these hits."

The master said, "You are blessed. You have passed the second lesson. But up to now I have been hitting with my wooden staff. The third lesson is that now I will start hitting, from tomorrow morning, with a real sword. Be alert! Just a moment of unconsciousness and you are finished."

Early in the morning the master used to sit in the garden, just listening to the birds singing... the flowers opening, the sun rising. The prince thought, "Now it is becoming dangerous! A wooden stick was hard, difficult, but it was not going to kill me. A real sword...." He was a swordsman but he was not given any chance to protect himself; only awareness was going to be his protection.

An idea came to his mind: "This old man is really dangerous. Before he starts his third lesson, I would like to check whether he himself can pass the third test or not. If he is putting my life at risk, I cannot allow him to do it without checking whether he is worthy of it or not." And these were only thoughts that he was thinking lying down in his bed; it was a cold morning.

And the master said, "Come out of your blanket, you idiot! Do you want to hit your own master with a sword? Feel ashamed! I can hear the footsteps of your thoughts... drop the idea." He had heard. Nothing was said to him, nothing was done to him. Thoughts are also things. Thoughts also, while moving, make sounds, and those who are fully alert can read your thoughts. Even before you have become aware of them, they can become aware of them. The prince was really ashamed. He fell at the feet of the master and he said, "Just forgive me. I am really stupid."

But because it was a question of a sword, a real sword, he became aware of everything around him, even his own breathing, his heartbeat. Just a small breeze passing through the leaves, a dead leaf moving in the wind, and he was aware. And the master tried a few times but found him always ready. He could not hit him with the sword because he could not find him unconscious, unalert. He was just alertness. It was a question of death - you cannot afford to be anything but alert.

In three days' time the master could not find a single moment, a single loophole. And after the third day he called him and told him, "Now you can go and tell your father - and this is the letter from me - that the kingdom is yours."

Loyalty...!?!

Happy 60th Republic Day to INDIA!

On this occasion, here is a story about L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y...!!

A long, long time ago, before people and their cities filled the Earth, even before many things even had a name, there was a mysterious place that was guarded by the Fairy of the Lake. Fair and generous, each of her followers were ever willing to serve her. There was a time in which some evil beings threatened the lake and its surrounding forests, and the fairy’s followers joined her on a dangerous journey across rivers, swamps and deserts in search of the Crystal Stone, their only hope of being saved.

The fairy warned them of the dangers and difficulties that lay ahead, of how hard it would be to endure the whole journey, but none of her followers were afraid. They all promised to accompany her to wherever it was needed, and that same day the fairy and her fifty most loyal followers set out on their journey.

As it turned out, the voyage was even harder and more terrible than the fairy had imagined and warned them about. They were met by terrifying beasts. They had to march day and night, lost in deserts, hungry and thirsty. Faced by such adversity, many followers lost heart and abandoned the quest. Finally, only one remained, and his name was Shadow.

Shadow was by no means the bravest, he was not the best fighter, nor was he the most quick-witted or the most fun. However, what he did do was stay loyal to the fairy, right to the very end. Whenever the fairy asked Shadow why he had not done as the others and simply abandoned her, Shadow would always say, ‘I told you I would follow you in spite of all difficulties, and that is what I am doing. I am not going to turn my back on you just because the journey has been hard.’

Thanks to her loyal Shadow, the fairy finally managed to find the Crystal Stone. Unfortunately, there was a monster guarding the stone, and this monster was not about to give up the stone easily. At this, Shadow, in a final act of loyalty, offered himself in exchange for the stone. The monster accepted, and so Shadow spent the rest of his days in the monster’s service.

The powerful magic of the Crystal Stone meant that the fairy could return to the lake and make the evil beings disappear. But every night she would cry at the absence of her loyal Shadow, because from Shadow’s act of self-sacrifice had arisen a love stronger than any
other.

And in memory of Shadow, and to show everyone the value of loyalty and commitment, the fairy presented every being on Earth with its own shadow during the day; but when nighttime comes all these shadows travel to the lake, to spend time with the sad fairy, and to try to console her for her loss.

Is there any moral to this story...!?!

Hmmmmm....!!