January 27th, 2010
Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story
by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor is a very interesting book. I envy the relationship that Sue and Ann shares as a mother and a daughter. It is so interesting to see that Sue and Ann discover and then build a faith in a Divine Mother. I love the first sentence of the opening prayer of Ann’s wedding ceremony, "Eternal Spirit, Mother, and Father who art in earth and heaven".
This book has inspired me to visit Greece and France. I can’t wait to see the idols of Black Mary and Athena. Also, after having read this book, I want to read "The Secret Life of Bees" again because now I understand the importance of Black Madonna in that story. The most fascinating part for me is that I watch Sue and Ann discover the knowledge that Shri Mataji has told us so many times that there has to be a Mother along with the Father. Also, I love the Rumi’s quote: "We are pain / and what cures pain, both. We are / the sweet, cold water and the jar that pours."
Posted in Non Fiction, Recommended Books | No Comments »
December 23rd, 2009
When I was pregnant, my sister-in-law, Geetika, gave me the best advice. She told me that meditate when your child is awake and he will eventually meditate as well. I listened to her and every day I meditate with my son. It seems like a challenge to meditate with him but eventually meditation gets deeper and it is possible to not be bothered or distracted by external noises. Meditation helps me become a calmer and a balanced mother (most days!). This translates into a calmer and balanced child and a home. Also, every child loves to copy its parents. So, if a child watches us meditate, it will eventually copy us and hopefully, do even better than us.
As Shri Mataji explained to us, each child is born with a connection to the Divine power of love fully established. Each child is born innocent and pure. It is us, the parents who have problems on a subtle level and without being aware of them, we pass them on to our kids. The kids are like a clean white cloth and they absorb our stresses easily and the best way we can free them of these stresses is by creating a time for meditation every morning and evening, both for us and our kids.
My son and I sit for meditation (I follow Sahaja Yoga Meditation) in the morning and every evening we practice a technique known as foot-soaking while we meditate. For foot-soaking we pit a teaspoon of kitchen salt into a little tub of lukewarm water (enough to soak the feet just above the ankle). I don’t know for certain if my son meditates or not, or whether he can feel any difference after doing it or not. I do know that he enjoys meditation time and that after meditation he is calmer and less hyper and a better listener. After meditation, there is more love and tranquility in our house. Therefore, it is very important for us to meditate. Meditation is one device that we can give to our child that will help him to become a better person and a device that will help him to overcome the stresses and obstacles in life. A natural and innate spirituality is the best gift we can give to our progeny. Without spirituality it’s like raising a kid without any nourishment for his heart and soul.
Posted in Children / Kids, Meditation | No Comments »
December 20th, 2009
Another classic from Mitch Albom is Have a Little Faith: A True Story
. All his books impart such wisdom! Mitch Albom is one of the authors that I would feel honored if I can get his autograph. I would love to own his entire collection one day as I need to read his books again and again to learn important lessons of life.
I firmly belief that role of religions is to pull us together and not divide us. It is humans who use religion to divide us by propagating the attitude such as: “We are saved and they are not” or “Our God is true God and every other religion’s God is false one”. God has made us look different as the beauty is in the variety. So, God gave us different ways or religions to reach him. We can use any and as long as we follow the true spirit of any religion we will reach him and be one with him.
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December 19th, 2009
Here’s another book that I enjoyed reading: Madras on Rainy Days
by Samina Ali. There are so many issues that were a shocker for me in this novel. I have never had a closer look into the Muslim family in India. I must say that it was surprising that how insecure some of them may feel in their own country. All the killings in the name of God and religion are unforgivable sin.
Another issue brought out in this novel that was a shocker for me was homosexuality in India. Also, it was surprising to see how subservient and naïve Layla was in spite of being brought up in America. I wonder if I would think of Layla being subservient and naïve when I was 20. Probably not!
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November 10th, 2009
Native Son
by Richard Wright is a very interesting novel. It’s a story of Bigger Thomas – a very competent black boy raised right by his mother despite of extreme poverty during 1940’s in Chicago. Lack of opportunity and prejudice of being black makes him very weak in heart. He cannot rise above the vicious circle of self pity and insecurity and this is what makes him commit crimes. This book gave me a perspective of why and how abused people can get tangled in the clutches of violence and crime.
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