You may not have ever heard of an early 20th-Century entrepreneur by the name of Marquis M. Converse, but you are certainly aware of the effect his ideas have had. Certainly, brands such as Nike, Reebok and Addidas have learned his lessons.
Marquis Converse (1861-1930) owned the Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Company and was doing pretty well selling 4000 pairs of rubber boots and shoes daily.
But he had what he called his master precept. This was his over-riding attitude to life and business.
The story goes that as a young man Converse worked in a department store. His hours were 8 AM to 6 PM.
One day he was promoted to the position of buyer. Now the buyers generally came in at 8.30 AM and went home at 5.30 PM. So Converse did the same. About a week later, the owner of the store called him in and told him that his hours were now changed to 11AM to 2 PM.
Converse started working his new 3-hour days but pretty soon got fed up and went back to the owner and asked if he could return to normal working hours.
The owner said, "if you are ready again to do a full day's work, sit down: I want to talk to you."
The boss went on to give Converse these words which became his master precept for life:
"If you want to be what most others are, do what most others do; if you want to be different, do things differently and better."
Those words stayed with him and in 1915 his shoe company invented the rubber-soled canvas tennis shoe - a basic design that has influenced sports and leisure footwear ever since.
In 1917 he introduced one of the first basketball boots and to differentiate his product hired one of the then top basketball coaches to help create the design. The result was padded ankle-bone patches. An innovation that is still in use in basketball boots today.
In 1924, Converse wrote, "I believe that advertising is directly productive in proportion to the extent to which it is different."
Another clear example of his master precept at work.
We can all learn from Marquis Converse. We can all be different.
If we dare.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Are you putting anything off because it is too hard?
Are you putting anything off because it is too hard?
Try this simple technique - but don't be put off because it IS so simple.
Take a blank sheet of paper and write down the difficult task at the top.
Now imagine that you have got to sell that hard job to someone else. What would you say to convince them to take it on?
Use every scrap of imagination you possess and find three 'benefits' that another person will gain by doing the job. Get creative here!
Write them down as bullet points and then draw a line under them.
Now, under the line, write down the first action that is needed to begin the job. What is the VERY first thing that you have to do?
THAT action is your primary task for today.
When it is done, read your whole sheet over again and write down the NEXT action required.
Keep on repeating the process until the job is done or you are so far into it that your own momentum will keep you going.
But don't forget to read the ENTIRE sheet each time you come back to it.
Re-reading it is the key because each time you go through it you will reinforce to yourself the positive benefits that the job will bring. Plus, your motivation will be enhanced every time you see all the parts of the job that have already been achieved.
Simple, but not stupid.
Give it a try and get something really hard done today.
Try this simple technique - but don't be put off because it IS so simple.
Take a blank sheet of paper and write down the difficult task at the top.
Now imagine that you have got to sell that hard job to someone else. What would you say to convince them to take it on?
Use every scrap of imagination you possess and find three 'benefits' that another person will gain by doing the job. Get creative here!
Write them down as bullet points and then draw a line under them.
Now, under the line, write down the first action that is needed to begin the job. What is the VERY first thing that you have to do?
THAT action is your primary task for today.
When it is done, read your whole sheet over again and write down the NEXT action required.
Keep on repeating the process until the job is done or you are so far into it that your own momentum will keep you going.
But don't forget to read the ENTIRE sheet each time you come back to it.
Re-reading it is the key because each time you go through it you will reinforce to yourself the positive benefits that the job will bring. Plus, your motivation will be enhanced every time you see all the parts of the job that have already been achieved.
Simple, but not stupid.
Give it a try and get something really hard done today.
Don't u think it is worth taking challange?
Here are three words of advice for you to help you start to get the best out of yourself:
Make Yourself Uncomfortable.
All of us tend to live within a narrow boundary that we define as our own comfort zone. We know that pretty much anything that we attempt between the walls that we've internally agreed upon is possible for us to achieve.
Anything outside those walls may present a challenge.
And a challenge, God forbid, may make us fall flat on our faces.
When did we learn such defeatist behavior?
When we were kids we didn't say, 'I'd better not learn to walk in case I fall over'. No - we fell over. Over and over again.
And most of the time we probably rolled around laughing about it.
We didn't refuse to speak in case we said something wrong. We DID say things wrong, and people laughed at us. But we learned.
We didn't look upon writing as something other people did. We practiced until our chicken scratches were intelligible (and if they never did become intelligible we went to medical school).
And then we didn't say to our teacher, 'I can't write a story today because I've never done it before.' We just accepted that this was another challenge to get on with.
So when did you, and I, learn to fear being uncomfortable?
What sets people who achieve great things apart from the majority of people who achieve nothing is the degree to which they are struck motionless by their fear of being uncomfortable.
So today, make an agreement with yourself that you will do one thing that will make you uncomfortable.
Embrace that discomfort and see it not as a harbinger of doom and defeat, but as a break in the clouds that brings a ray of sunshine to light up your world of opportunities.
If you try to make yourself uncomfortable every single day the walls that surround you won't just expand, they'll crumble to reveal a fantastic and exciting world that is yours for the taking.
Make Yourself Uncomfortable.
All of us tend to live within a narrow boundary that we define as our own comfort zone. We know that pretty much anything that we attempt between the walls that we've internally agreed upon is possible for us to achieve.
Anything outside those walls may present a challenge.
And a challenge, God forbid, may make us fall flat on our faces.
When did we learn such defeatist behavior?
When we were kids we didn't say, 'I'd better not learn to walk in case I fall over'. No - we fell over. Over and over again.
And most of the time we probably rolled around laughing about it.
We didn't refuse to speak in case we said something wrong. We DID say things wrong, and people laughed at us. But we learned.
We didn't look upon writing as something other people did. We practiced until our chicken scratches were intelligible (and if they never did become intelligible we went to medical school).
And then we didn't say to our teacher, 'I can't write a story today because I've never done it before.' We just accepted that this was another challenge to get on with.
So when did you, and I, learn to fear being uncomfortable?
What sets people who achieve great things apart from the majority of people who achieve nothing is the degree to which they are struck motionless by their fear of being uncomfortable.
So today, make an agreement with yourself that you will do one thing that will make you uncomfortable.
Embrace that discomfort and see it not as a harbinger of doom and defeat, but as a break in the clouds that brings a ray of sunshine to light up your world of opportunities.
If you try to make yourself uncomfortable every single day the walls that surround you won't just expand, they'll crumble to reveal a fantastic and exciting world that is yours for the taking.
Hey... shortcut to happinezzz
There is something you can do, right now, that will:
* Make you feel better
* Make the people around you feel better
* Disarm difficulties
* Release chemicals into your blood to brighten your mood
* Make people like you better
* Make people respond to you better
It isn't a book to read, or a tape to listen to. It doesn't take any time to learn to do, but is a skill that many people have forgotten.
It wont cost you a penny, but it has a priceless value in your life.
Have you guessed?
Of course - it is a smile :-) :-)
* Make you feel better
* Make the people around you feel better
* Disarm difficulties
* Release chemicals into your blood to brighten your mood
* Make people like you better
* Make people respond to you better
It isn't a book to read, or a tape to listen to. It doesn't take any time to learn to do, but is a skill that many people have forgotten.
It wont cost you a penny, but it has a priceless value in your life.
Have you guessed?
Of course - it is a smile :-) :-)
Thought for the Day!
Bad habits, good habits, they are all habits.
The way you manage your life, including the finite amount of time you are blessed with each day, is largely a matter of habit.
We are creatures of habit - that is the way we deal with life.
Our habits - or learned behaviors - are the bedrock that keeps us on track. But unfortunately, there are times when our learned behaviors are keeping us on the wrong tracks.
When you read about good ideas to manage your time better, or to help you set and achieve goals, or to positively advance your life, what do you do?
Do you read about them, think 'Good idea!' and forget all about them?
Do you halfheartedly put them into action for a day or two and then forgetfully revert back to your old behaviors? And end up saying that the new idea was good, but didn't work for you?
Or do you actively embrace the idea, put systems in place to make it work in your life, become an evangelist for it, and over time incorporate it into your daily living?
I doubt if the latter applies very often!
And the reason boils down to habit. It is more comfortable, more habitual, to keep on keeping on than to make the real effort required to bring about real change in your life.
It takes three to four weeks to really create a new habit in your life. And those 3-4 weeks are hard work.
First you have to be sure that you really want this new habit - and that you're prepared to ditch the old one.
Then you have to build it into your life. By this I mean that you have to be on the lookout for all of your other behaviors that work to reinforce the old bad habit and find ways to modify them to the advantage of the new.
If possible, try to document your new behavior - write an entry in your diary, or tick a box on a form to show you've completed it each day.
Ask people around you to keep on reminding you.
Most of all, reward yourself. The more beneficial you can make your new habit RIGHT NOW the deeper and faster it will bed into your life.
In a few short weeks you will have changed.
Your new behavior will no longer be something you are learning - it will be something that you rely on.
The process of actively managing your life - whether that is the time allocation part of it or any other part - will have begun.
The way you manage your life, including the finite amount of time you are blessed with each day, is largely a matter of habit.
We are creatures of habit - that is the way we deal with life.
Our habits - or learned behaviors - are the bedrock that keeps us on track. But unfortunately, there are times when our learned behaviors are keeping us on the wrong tracks.
When you read about good ideas to manage your time better, or to help you set and achieve goals, or to positively advance your life, what do you do?
Do you read about them, think 'Good idea!' and forget all about them?
Do you halfheartedly put them into action for a day or two and then forgetfully revert back to your old behaviors? And end up saying that the new idea was good, but didn't work for you?
Or do you actively embrace the idea, put systems in place to make it work in your life, become an evangelist for it, and over time incorporate it into your daily living?
I doubt if the latter applies very often!
And the reason boils down to habit. It is more comfortable, more habitual, to keep on keeping on than to make the real effort required to bring about real change in your life.
It takes three to four weeks to really create a new habit in your life. And those 3-4 weeks are hard work.
First you have to be sure that you really want this new habit - and that you're prepared to ditch the old one.
Then you have to build it into your life. By this I mean that you have to be on the lookout for all of your other behaviors that work to reinforce the old bad habit and find ways to modify them to the advantage of the new.
If possible, try to document your new behavior - write an entry in your diary, or tick a box on a form to show you've completed it each day.
Ask people around you to keep on reminding you.
Most of all, reward yourself. The more beneficial you can make your new habit RIGHT NOW the deeper and faster it will bed into your life.
In a few short weeks you will have changed.
Your new behavior will no longer be something you are learning - it will be something that you rely on.
The process of actively managing your life - whether that is the time allocation part of it or any other part - will have begun.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Seven changes that a ‘better India’ awaits!
Seven changes that a ‘better India’ awaits!
|
We made the common men wear the thinking cap and propose changes, reformations and alterations that they think can contribute to a brighter future for our nation. Here's the list of proposed changes...
1. KRA's & accountability of MP's
“When every odd job and employee in our country is assessed on the basis of clearly defined ‘Key Result Areas’, the performance of the so-called ‘well-wishers’ of our country definitely demands a fair assessment! Consequently, all deserving candidates should be rewarded, while a bad performer has to bear the brunt. The MP’s and politicians should be treated according to their performance,” suggests chef Devraj Halder.
2. Mind set
“The mindset of the Indian people definitely needs an overhaul. The day people feel that it's 'My country’, there will surely be positive changes in their approach towards everything,” opines Mahesh Srikanta, a Mumbai-based media professional.
3. Responsible youth
“It’s high time we stop blaming the government and get rid of the “It’s government’s fault” attitude! This is the time to take charge. The youth should become more responsible towards their country and realise the fact that no one else, but the people of India chose their government...so better blame yourself for all the chaos!” exclaims Noor Enayat, a Delhi-based PR professional.
4. An end to moral policing
“It is time to break free from the barriers of moral policing and set a code of moral conduct, where individual freedom deserves utmost respect. The government should shift its focus to other important issues rather than raiding pubs or indulging in round table conferences to fix the dress code for women,” says Mohika Gupta, a journalist.
5. Overhauling of the education system
“The government should realise that students don’t need initiatives like scrapping the class 10th board exams, but the need of the hour is the complete reformation of the education system. ‘Relevant education’ should be heralded! The condition and quality of education provided in government schools should be improved and higher education should be streamlined to be in touch with industry. In short, we should stop taking short cuts and embrace educational reformations that will benefit the students and the country in the longer run,” says Harish Kumar, a chartered accountant.
6. Responsible cinema
“Since the youth is deeply inspired by what they see in films, there should be a paradigm shift in Indian cinema as well. Rather than sticking to slapstick comedy in the name of entertainment, focus on responsible and meaningful cinema,” opines Raghav Dasgupta, a student from Delhi.
7. Better journalism
“The amount of footage given to celebs like Chand and Fiza or to Rakhi Sawant made me say that. I think there are better events/people to cover,” feels Tariq Khan, an Indian techie.
|
We made the common men wear the thinking cap and propose changes, reformations and alterations that they think can contribute to a brighter future for our nation. Here's the list of proposed changes...
1. KRA's & accountability of MP's
“When every odd job and employee in our country is assessed on the basis of clearly defined ‘Key Result Areas’, the performance of the so-called ‘well-wishers’ of our country definitely demands a fair assessment! Consequently, all deserving candidates should be rewarded, while a bad performer has to bear the brunt. The MP’s and politicians should be treated according to their performance,” suggests chef Devraj Halder.
2. Mind set
“The mindset of the Indian people definitely needs an overhaul. The day people feel that it's 'My country’, there will surely be positive changes in their approach towards everything,” opines Mahesh Srikanta, a Mumbai-based media professional.
3. Responsible youth
“It’s high time we stop blaming the government and get rid of the “It’s government’s fault” attitude! This is the time to take charge. The youth should become more responsible towards their country and realise the fact that no one else, but the people of India chose their government...so better blame yourself for all the chaos!” exclaims Noor Enayat, a Delhi-based PR professional.
4. An end to moral policing
“It is time to break free from the barriers of moral policing and set a code of moral conduct, where individual freedom deserves utmost respect. The government should shift its focus to other important issues rather than raiding pubs or indulging in round table conferences to fix the dress code for women,” says Mohika Gupta, a journalist.
5. Overhauling of the education system
“The government should realise that students don’t need initiatives like scrapping the class 10th board exams, but the need of the hour is the complete reformation of the education system. ‘Relevant education’ should be heralded! The condition and quality of education provided in government schools should be improved and higher education should be streamlined to be in touch with industry. In short, we should stop taking short cuts and embrace educational reformations that will benefit the students and the country in the longer run,” says Harish Kumar, a chartered accountant.
6. Responsible cinema
“Since the youth is deeply inspired by what they see in films, there should be a paradigm shift in Indian cinema as well. Rather than sticking to slapstick comedy in the name of entertainment, focus on responsible and meaningful cinema,” opines Raghav Dasgupta, a student from Delhi.
7. Better journalism
“The amount of footage given to celebs like Chand and Fiza or to Rakhi Sawant made me say that. I think there are better events/people to cover,” feels Tariq Khan, an Indian techie.
Thoda Gyan: Spirituality :Six stages of realisation enabled by Krishna
When Parama Purusa incarnates as Taraka Brahma, the liberating Supreme Entity, at a certain transitional period, the people of that period
Six stages of realisation enabled by Krishna
invariably enjoy some special privileges. As Vraja Krishna and Parthasarathi, the Lord helps people find the path of spirituality.
When people attain progress in the realm of spiritual realisation, that progress is divided into six stages. At the stage of salokya, people feel that they have come onto the earth at the same time as Parama Purusa. This brings a sense of ecstasy. This state of bliss is termed salokya. When Krishna was in Vraja, the people felt intense joy and a sense of pride that a great personality in the form of a young man had chosen to live in their midst.
Duryodhana, even though he was apparently Krishna's enemy, was convinced that Krishna was not an ordinary person. He thought that he would be fortunate indeed if he could win Krishna's support. So on the eve of the Kurukshetra war he went to Krishna to ask Him for help. Arjuna was there, too, for the same reason.
Duryodhana arrived at Krishna's palace before Arjuna to find Krishna lying in bed with His eyes closed. He seemed to be fast asleep. Duryodhana sat near Krishna's head. Arjuna came afterwards and took his seat near Krishna's feet. Suddenly Krishna sat up. He was awake. He looked first towards Arjuna sitting near His feet and said, "Welcome Arjuna, you've come. It's good to see you." Then He caught sight of Duryodhana and said, "Welcome Duryodhana, you have come too. It's good to see you." Duryodhana's realisation of salokya was less than Arjuna's; hence he could not get benefits of salokya, while Arjuna easily could. Now the entity who seemed to be asleep was not Vraja Krishna, the constant wielder and player of the magic flute, but instead, He was Parthasarathi Krishna, the intellectual. Had He been Vraja Krishna, he would have played his magic flute, drawing Duryodhana as close to Him as Arjuna. Parthasarathi Krishna was practical and diplomatic.
The second stage of spiritual realisation is samiipya. In the second stage, they feel close enough to Parama Purusa to talk to Him on friendly terms, even regarding extremely personal matters, and thus be relieved and comforted by Him.
Next comes the stage of sayujya. It implies close contact, almost body contact, the closest proximity imaginable. But it was not so easy to attain the state - not everyone was blessed with this realisation. None of the other brothers had the opportunity.
The next stage of sadhana or spiritual practice is sarupya. It implies that "Not only am I close to Him, but whenever I think of Him I see Him in all directions." Next comes sarshthi, when spiritual aspirants realise Parama Purusa in all possible ways and in all conceivable manners. Not only do the devotees see Him, they also remain united with him, one with Him. When a sadhaka attains this stage, he feels, "Lord! You exist. I exist. We are so close that I have become You. You have become me."
One can attain sarshthi through Parthasarathi Krishna no doubt, but not of this kind. There the ideation is "O Parama Purusa, O Lord, O Parthasarathi! You have made me exclusively Your own. Finally when the devotee merges with Parama Purusa without maintaining its existence, that is the stage of Kaevalya.
Six stages of realisation enabled by Krishna
invariably enjoy some special privileges. As Vraja Krishna and Parthasarathi, the Lord helps people find the path of spirituality.
When people attain progress in the realm of spiritual realisation, that progress is divided into six stages. At the stage of salokya, people feel that they have come onto the earth at the same time as Parama Purusa. This brings a sense of ecstasy. This state of bliss is termed salokya. When Krishna was in Vraja, the people felt intense joy and a sense of pride that a great personality in the form of a young man had chosen to live in their midst.
Duryodhana, even though he was apparently Krishna's enemy, was convinced that Krishna was not an ordinary person. He thought that he would be fortunate indeed if he could win Krishna's support. So on the eve of the Kurukshetra war he went to Krishna to ask Him for help. Arjuna was there, too, for the same reason.
Duryodhana arrived at Krishna's palace before Arjuna to find Krishna lying in bed with His eyes closed. He seemed to be fast asleep. Duryodhana sat near Krishna's head. Arjuna came afterwards and took his seat near Krishna's feet. Suddenly Krishna sat up. He was awake. He looked first towards Arjuna sitting near His feet and said, "Welcome Arjuna, you've come. It's good to see you." Then He caught sight of Duryodhana and said, "Welcome Duryodhana, you have come too. It's good to see you." Duryodhana's realisation of salokya was less than Arjuna's; hence he could not get benefits of salokya, while Arjuna easily could. Now the entity who seemed to be asleep was not Vraja Krishna, the constant wielder and player of the magic flute, but instead, He was Parthasarathi Krishna, the intellectual. Had He been Vraja Krishna, he would have played his magic flute, drawing Duryodhana as close to Him as Arjuna. Parthasarathi Krishna was practical and diplomatic.
The second stage of spiritual realisation is samiipya. In the second stage, they feel close enough to Parama Purusa to talk to Him on friendly terms, even regarding extremely personal matters, and thus be relieved and comforted by Him.
Next comes the stage of sayujya. It implies close contact, almost body contact, the closest proximity imaginable. But it was not so easy to attain the state - not everyone was blessed with this realisation. None of the other brothers had the opportunity.
The next stage of sadhana or spiritual practice is sarupya. It implies that "Not only am I close to Him, but whenever I think of Him I see Him in all directions." Next comes sarshthi, when spiritual aspirants realise Parama Purusa in all possible ways and in all conceivable manners. Not only do the devotees see Him, they also remain united with him, one with Him. When a sadhaka attains this stage, he feels, "Lord! You exist. I exist. We are so close that I have become You. You have become me."
One can attain sarshthi through Parthasarathi Krishna no doubt, but not of this kind. There the ideation is "O Parama Purusa, O Lord, O Parthasarathi! You have made me exclusively Your own. Finally when the devotee merges with Parama Purusa without maintaining its existence, that is the stage of Kaevalya.
Thoda Gyan
The Bhagavad Gita's approach to death is cool and unsentimental. In the second chapter Krishna tells Arjuna: ''For one who is born, death is
Religion has been raising human consciousness for centuries.
assured; for one who dies, rebirth is assured; therefore, for what is inevitable, you should not grieve.'' However, human relations are not as simple as this advice may sound.
In life we go through so many different experiences that involve relationships of varying degrees of intimacy. The husband and wife relationship is the closest physically, emotionally and spiritually, in a way symbolising the union of male and female as in the unique figure of Shiva depicted as Ardhanarishwara, half-male, half-female.
Recently my wife passed away in the sixtieth year of our marriage. Having married when we were teenagers, we virtually grew up together, becoming an integral part of each other's lives. As i watched my elder son light the funeral pyre, it struck me that fire had defined our relationship when it began and now after 60 years, when it ended. We were married when we circumambulated the sacred fire seven times, it being witness to the union. When it was time to say goodbye, again, it was fire that bore witness to our separation with her departure.
In Vedic tradition, fire has always been held to be sacred. Aurobindo calls his translation of the Vedic verses 'Hymns to the Sacred Fire'. Several Vedic hymns are on Agni, the interlocutor between the human and the divine, and which, through Yagna, conveyed human aspirations to the higher power. In several western cultures also fire has a special place. The brave Prometheus brought down fire from the heavens to humanity, for which the jealous Gods punished him with eternal torment. The Zoroastrians have their fire temples. The discovery of fire by early humans marked a major milestone in human evolution.
With its dual quality of having potential to remain benign as well as to be destructive, fire has been cherished down the ages. A Rig Vedic hymn to Agnideva says: "Virtuous Agni, we set thee, a sage, around us as a fort, thee triumphant in thy colour, day by day, destroyer of the treacherous foe. Through Agni man finds prosperity, nourishment from day to day, glory and greatest pride in heroes. To thee, Agni, dispeller of night, we come with prayer day by day, offering thee our obeisance.''
Shiva as Nataraja carries fire in one of his hands and is often depicted dancing within a fiery nimbus. The Isha Upanishad closes with the verse: ''O Agni, lead us by the fair path that we may reap the good we have sown. Thou knowest all our deeds. Lord, destroy all sin in us. We salute Thee with our words again and again.''
The outer fire is but a symbol of the spiritual flame that burns in our hearts. Fanning the spiritual spark into the blazing fire of divine realisation is the true, deeper purpose of our existence. However, there are lower dimensions of fire also, as in the insatiable desire for worldly possessions, or negative aspects such as emotionally disturbing manifestations of anger and revenge. Robert Frost's poem titled Fire & Ice says it all: "Some say the world will end in fire/ some say in ice./ From what I've tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favour fire./ Though if it had to perish twice/ I think I know enough of hate/ to say that for destruction ice/ is also great and would suffice.
The contours of our inner life will depend on which dimension of fire we choose to embrace.
Religion has been raising human consciousness for centuries.
assured; for one who dies, rebirth is assured; therefore, for what is inevitable, you should not grieve.'' However, human relations are not as simple as this advice may sound.
In life we go through so many different experiences that involve relationships of varying degrees of intimacy. The husband and wife relationship is the closest physically, emotionally and spiritually, in a way symbolising the union of male and female as in the unique figure of Shiva depicted as Ardhanarishwara, half-male, half-female.
Recently my wife passed away in the sixtieth year of our marriage. Having married when we were teenagers, we virtually grew up together, becoming an integral part of each other's lives. As i watched my elder son light the funeral pyre, it struck me that fire had defined our relationship when it began and now after 60 years, when it ended. We were married when we circumambulated the sacred fire seven times, it being witness to the union. When it was time to say goodbye, again, it was fire that bore witness to our separation with her departure.
In Vedic tradition, fire has always been held to be sacred. Aurobindo calls his translation of the Vedic verses 'Hymns to the Sacred Fire'. Several Vedic hymns are on Agni, the interlocutor between the human and the divine, and which, through Yagna, conveyed human aspirations to the higher power. In several western cultures also fire has a special place. The brave Prometheus brought down fire from the heavens to humanity, for which the jealous Gods punished him with eternal torment. The Zoroastrians have their fire temples. The discovery of fire by early humans marked a major milestone in human evolution.
With its dual quality of having potential to remain benign as well as to be destructive, fire has been cherished down the ages. A Rig Vedic hymn to Agnideva says: "Virtuous Agni, we set thee, a sage, around us as a fort, thee triumphant in thy colour, day by day, destroyer of the treacherous foe. Through Agni man finds prosperity, nourishment from day to day, glory and greatest pride in heroes. To thee, Agni, dispeller of night, we come with prayer day by day, offering thee our obeisance.''
Shiva as Nataraja carries fire in one of his hands and is often depicted dancing within a fiery nimbus. The Isha Upanishad closes with the verse: ''O Agni, lead us by the fair path that we may reap the good we have sown. Thou knowest all our deeds. Lord, destroy all sin in us. We salute Thee with our words again and again.''
The outer fire is but a symbol of the spiritual flame that burns in our hearts. Fanning the spiritual spark into the blazing fire of divine realisation is the true, deeper purpose of our existence. However, there are lower dimensions of fire also, as in the insatiable desire for worldly possessions, or negative aspects such as emotionally disturbing manifestations of anger and revenge. Robert Frost's poem titled Fire & Ice says it all: "Some say the world will end in fire/ some say in ice./ From what I've tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favour fire./ Though if it had to perish twice/ I think I know enough of hate/ to say that for destruction ice/ is also great and would suffice.
The contours of our inner life will depend on which dimension of fire we choose to embrace.
You Better Slow Down ....
You Better Slow Down
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly,
When you ask 'How are you?', do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow,
and in your haste not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
'cause you never had time to call and say 'hi'?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it's like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race, so take it slower,
hear the music before the song is over.
Author Unknown
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly,
When you ask 'How are you?', do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow,
and in your haste not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
'cause you never had time to call and say 'hi'?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it's like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race, so take it slower,
hear the music before the song is over.
Author Unknown
Hold on tightly . . . Written Kelly D. Caron
Hold on tightly . . .
. . . to what's truly important in your life!
Hold on to faith - it is the source of believing that all things are possible. It is fibre and strength of a confident soul.
Hold on to hope - it banishes doubt and enables attitudes to be positive and cheerful.
Hold on to trust - it is at the core of fruitful relationships that are secure and content.
Hold on to love - it is life's greatest gift of all, for it shares, cares, and gives meaning to life.
Hold on to family and friends - they are the most important people in your life, and they make the world a better place. They are your roots and the beginnings that you grew from; they are the vine that has grown through time to nourish you, help you on your way, and always remain close by.
Hold on to all that you are and all that you have learned, for these things are what make you unique. Don't ignore what you feel and what you believe is right and important; your heart has a way of speaking louder than your mind.
Hold on to your dreams - achieve them diligently and honestly. Never take the easy way or surrender to deceit. Remember others on your way and take time to care for their needs.
Enjoy the beauty around you. Have the courage to see things differently and clearly. Make the world a better place one day at a time and don't let go of the important things that give meaning to your life.
. . . to what's truly important in your life!
Hold on to faith - it is the source of believing that all things are possible. It is fibre and strength of a confident soul.
Hold on to hope - it banishes doubt and enables attitudes to be positive and cheerful.
Hold on to trust - it is at the core of fruitful relationships that are secure and content.
Hold on to love - it is life's greatest gift of all, for it shares, cares, and gives meaning to life.
Hold on to family and friends - they are the most important people in your life, and they make the world a better place. They are your roots and the beginnings that you grew from; they are the vine that has grown through time to nourish you, help you on your way, and always remain close by.
Hold on to all that you are and all that you have learned, for these things are what make you unique. Don't ignore what you feel and what you believe is right and important; your heart has a way of speaking louder than your mind.
Hold on to your dreams - achieve them diligently and honestly. Never take the easy way or surrender to deceit. Remember others on your way and take time to care for their needs.
Enjoy the beauty around you. Have the courage to see things differently and clearly. Make the world a better place one day at a time and don't let go of the important things that give meaning to your life.
A Child's View of Thunderstorms
A little girl walked to and from school every day. Even though the weather one morning was very questionable, and dark clouds were forming, she still headed off to enjoy her day at school.
As the day progressed, the winds whipped up, along with a tremendous thunderstorm.
The little girl's mother felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she feared that the electrical storm might harm, or at least terrify her child.
Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove towards her daughter's school. As she did, she saw her little girl walking along in her own very unique and care-free way. And today there was also an added surprise: At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile.
More lightning than the mother had seen in a while, and with each flash the little girl would look at the flash of light and smile.
When the mother drew up beside her adorable child, she lowered the window and called to her, 'What are you doing sweetheart'? The child answered, 'I'm just looking as pretty as I can because God keeps taking my picture'.
Just have a good day today; and every other day as you face the storms that may come your way.
We all get 'em at times you know! Don't let pride stand in the way of asking friends for help.
As the day progressed, the winds whipped up, along with a tremendous thunderstorm.
The little girl's mother felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school, and she feared that the electrical storm might harm, or at least terrify her child.
Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove towards her daughter's school. As she did, she saw her little girl walking along in her own very unique and care-free way. And today there was also an added surprise: At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile.
More lightning than the mother had seen in a while, and with each flash the little girl would look at the flash of light and smile.
When the mother drew up beside her adorable child, she lowered the window and called to her, 'What are you doing sweetheart'? The child answered, 'I'm just looking as pretty as I can because God keeps taking my picture'.
Just have a good day today; and every other day as you face the storms that may come your way.
We all get 'em at times you know! Don't let pride stand in the way of asking friends for help.
Quotes on Father
Father's Day Quotes
The love and care of a father is as essential as sunlight is in our lives. It is his protection that shelters us, his care that nurtures us, his guidance that leads us and his love that fills us with joy. Father's Day is the day to pay tribute to that wondrous creature called the Father. Great people all over the world have, from time to time, praised their own fathers; pondered over the greatness of fatherhood and commented on what goes on to make ideal fathers. TheHolidaySpot brings to you some of the choicest of such quotes. Scroll down and go over our wonderful assortment of inspiring, funny, enlightening, reflective and truly nice quotes about Fathers that you can use in cards, plaques, gifts or other crafts for Father's Day! If you want to share these with your friends and acquaintances, So join in the Father's Day celebration with us. Loads of wishes to all of you and your Father from all your friends here at TheHolidaySpot. Happy Father's Day!
The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown
Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.
~ Anonymous
A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season.
~ Anonymous
A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
~ Enid Bagnold
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
~ Confucius
If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right.
~ Bill Cosby
You know, fathers just have a way of putting everything together.
~ Erika Cosby
Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young, who loved thee so fondly as he? He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, and joined in thy innocent glee.
~ Margaret Courtney
How true Daddy's words were when he said: "All children must look after their own upbringing." Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.
~ Anne Frank
I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
~ Sigmond Freud
A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.
~ Gabriel García Márquez
It is a wise child that knows his own father.
~ Homer
It is a wise father that knows his own child.
~ William Shakespeare
It is much easier to become a father than to be one.
~ Kent Nerburn
He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father's wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his father's care.
~ William Penn
None of you can ever be proud enough of being the child of such a Father who has not his equal in this world - so great, so good, so faultless. Try, all of you, to follow in his footsteps and don't be discouraged, for to be really in everything like him none of you, I am sure, will ever be. Try, therefore, to be like him in some points, and you will have acquired a great deal.
~ Queen Victoria of England
It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.
~ Anne Sexton
That is the thankless position of the father in the family - the provider for all, and the enemy of all.
~ J. August Strindberg
For thousands of years, father and son have stretched wistful hands across the canyon of time.
~ Alan Valentine
The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
~ Henry Ward Beecher
Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later...that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.
~ Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities
"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong."
~ Charles Wadsworth quotes
"Becoming a father is easy enough, but being one can be very rough"
~ Wilhelm Busch
"It is a wise child that knows its own father, and an unusual one that unreservedly approves of him"
~ Mark Twain
"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family"
~ Anthony Brandt
"To be a successful father there's one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years"
~ Ernest Hemingway
"Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope"
~ John Ciardi
"The place of the father in the modern suburban family is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf."
~ Bertrand Russell
"If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right."
~ Bill Cosby
"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."
~ Clarence B. Kelland
"A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again."
~ Enid Bagnold
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
~ George Herbert
"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass"; "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys";"
~ Harmon Killebrew
"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!"
~ Lydia M. Child
"Fathers are biological necessities, but social accidents."
~ Margaret Mead
"A king, realizing his incompetence, can either delegate or abdicate his duties. A father can do neither. If only sons could see the paradox, they would understand the dilemma."
~ Marlene Dietrich
"My father was very strong. I don't agree with a lot of the ways he brought me up. I don't agree with a lot of his values, but he did have a lot of integrity, and if he told us not to do something, he didn't do it either."
~ Madonna
"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~ Sigmund Freud
"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was."
~ Anne Sexton
"Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance."
~ Ruth E. Renkel
"When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry."
~ William Shakespeare
"That is the thankless position of the father in the family-the provider for all, and the enemy of all."
~ August Strindberg
"When one has not had a good father, one must create one."
~ Aziza Friedrich Nietzsche
"He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father's wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his father's care."
~ William Penn
"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."
~ Mark Twain
He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~ Clarence Budington Kelland
My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."
~ Harmon Killebrew
One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
~ George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
~ Bill Cosby
Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.
~ William Wordsworth
Henry James once defined life as that predicament which precedes death, and certainly nobody owes you a debt of honor or gratitude for getting him into that predicament. But a child does owe his father a debt, if Dad, having gotten him into this peck of trouble, takes off his coat and buckles down to the job of showing his son how best to crash through it.
~ Clarence Budington Kelland
A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
~ Enid Bagnold
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!
~ Lydia M. Child, Philothea: A Romance, 1836
It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.
~Johann Schiller
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
~ Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874
Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown.
~ Author Unknown
There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
~ John Gregory Brown (Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery), 1994
Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
~ Elizabeth Stone
The love and care of a father is as essential as sunlight is in our lives. It is his protection that shelters us, his care that nurtures us, his guidance that leads us and his love that fills us with joy. Father's Day is the day to pay tribute to that wondrous creature called the Father. Great people all over the world have, from time to time, praised their own fathers; pondered over the greatness of fatherhood and commented on what goes on to make ideal fathers. TheHolidaySpot brings to you some of the choicest of such quotes. Scroll down and go over our wonderful assortment of inspiring, funny, enlightening, reflective and truly nice quotes about Fathers that you can use in cards, plaques, gifts or other crafts for Father's Day! If you want to share these with your friends and acquaintances, So join in the Father's Day celebration with us. Loads of wishes to all of you and your Father from all your friends here at TheHolidaySpot. Happy Father's Day!
The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown
Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.
~ Anonymous
A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season.
~ Anonymous
A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
~ Enid Bagnold
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
~ Confucius
If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right.
~ Bill Cosby
You know, fathers just have a way of putting everything together.
~ Erika Cosby
Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young, who loved thee so fondly as he? He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, and joined in thy innocent glee.
~ Margaret Courtney
How true Daddy's words were when he said: "All children must look after their own upbringing." Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.
~ Anne Frank
I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
~ Sigmond Freud
A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.
~ Gabriel García Márquez
It is a wise child that knows his own father.
~ Homer
It is a wise father that knows his own child.
~ William Shakespeare
It is much easier to become a father than to be one.
~ Kent Nerburn
He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father's wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his father's care.
~ William Penn
None of you can ever be proud enough of being the child of such a Father who has not his equal in this world - so great, so good, so faultless. Try, all of you, to follow in his footsteps and don't be discouraged, for to be really in everything like him none of you, I am sure, will ever be. Try, therefore, to be like him in some points, and you will have acquired a great deal.
~ Queen Victoria of England
It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.
~ Anne Sexton
That is the thankless position of the father in the family - the provider for all, and the enemy of all.
~ J. August Strindberg
For thousands of years, father and son have stretched wistful hands across the canyon of time.
~ Alan Valentine
The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
~ Henry Ward Beecher
Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later...that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.
~ Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities
"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong."
~ Charles Wadsworth quotes
"Becoming a father is easy enough, but being one can be very rough"
~ Wilhelm Busch
"It is a wise child that knows its own father, and an unusual one that unreservedly approves of him"
~ Mark Twain
"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family"
~ Anthony Brandt
"To be a successful father there's one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years"
~ Ernest Hemingway
"Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope"
~ John Ciardi
"The place of the father in the modern suburban family is a very small one, particularly if he plays golf."
~ Bertrand Russell
"If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right."
~ Bill Cosby
"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."
~ Clarence B. Kelland
"A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again."
~ Enid Bagnold
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."
~ George Herbert
"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass"; "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys";"
~ Harmon Killebrew
"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!"
~ Lydia M. Child
"Fathers are biological necessities, but social accidents."
~ Margaret Mead
"A king, realizing his incompetence, can either delegate or abdicate his duties. A father can do neither. If only sons could see the paradox, they would understand the dilemma."
~ Marlene Dietrich
"My father was very strong. I don't agree with a lot of the ways he brought me up. I don't agree with a lot of his values, but he did have a lot of integrity, and if he told us not to do something, he didn't do it either."
~ Madonna
"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~ Sigmund Freud
"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was."
~ Anne Sexton
"Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance."
~ Ruth E. Renkel
"When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry."
~ William Shakespeare
"That is the thankless position of the father in the family-the provider for all, and the enemy of all."
~ August Strindberg
"When one has not had a good father, one must create one."
~ Aziza Friedrich Nietzsche
"He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father's wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his father's care."
~ William Penn
"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."
~ Mark Twain
He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~ Clarence Budington Kelland
My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."
~ Harmon Killebrew
One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
~ George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
~ Bill Cosby
Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.
~ William Wordsworth
Henry James once defined life as that predicament which precedes death, and certainly nobody owes you a debt of honor or gratitude for getting him into that predicament. But a child does owe his father a debt, if Dad, having gotten him into this peck of trouble, takes off his coat and buckles down to the job of showing his son how best to crash through it.
~ Clarence Budington Kelland
A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again.
~ Enid Bagnold
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!
~ Lydia M. Child, Philothea: A Romance, 1836
It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.
~Johann Schiller
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
~ Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874
Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown.
~ Author Unknown
There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
~ John Gregory Brown (Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery), 1994
Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
~ Elizabeth Stone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
