Suggested by Sathyam
It is the essentials that make life useful
Suggested by Sathyam
Knowledge and Knowing
20 sentences that can maximise your social intelligence
1. To solve an issue quickly, be soft on the person and hard on the problem.
2. Pretend everyone was sent to teach you something.
3. Pause in speaking + eye contact = confidence.
4. Make people feel important with the SHR Method: Seen, Heard, Remembered.
5. A person’s favorite sound is their name, so remember it (h/t Dale Carnegie).
6. “Praise publicly. Criticize privately.” —Warren Buffett
7. To give feedback, first let the other person know you have their back.
8. “Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.” —Neil Strauss
9. The best networking strategy is a helping others first strategy.
10. Loneliness is a silent pandemic; assume people want to meet you.
Continue readingImagine a world where everyone lives in peace
Imagine what would spring from that global peace—the beautiful flowers of kindness. Imagine a world where society uses its talents, resources, and energy for the good of all. Where the many, many billions of dollars currently spent on defense are used instead to attack disease rather than each other. Where communities and families aren’t fractured by violence and crime but are united, strong, understanding, and caring. Where everyone’s home is safe, comfortable, and welcoming. Where new technologies are designed to serve humankind, helping us prosper. Where there is plentiful food and water, and we happily share what we have with friends, neighbors, and strangers. Where borders are no more than lines on old maps. Where creatures of every shape and size have space to thrive. Where Nature is loved and respected. Where our villages, towns, and cities overflow with gratitude and generosit
Imagine that world….
Photo by Colton Duke on Unsplash
Continue readingWHAT WILL MATTER?
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.
Thought of the Week 13th May 2024(2)
Put Down Those Rocks You’re Carrying
Imagine that as a child you were issued a large backpack to wear at all times. At first you didn’t know what it was for, but then the adults around you started putting rocks in it that you then obediently carried around. After a while you followed their example and began to put rocks in there yourself. Over time, some of the rocks disappeared, but most didn’t, and by now that pack’s really, really heavy.
You often pull out some of the rocks and look at them. They don’t make you happy. In fact they make you miserable. Some at the bottom you never pull out—you might not even remember you have them–but still you carry them. This seems inexplicable. Why would anyone voluntarily bear such a burden?
Unfortunately these rocks are not chunks of shale or granite or sandstone. Those would be easy to get rid of! Instead they are bits of residual resentment, hatred, anger, guilt, and shame from injuries or injustices or mistakes you can’t or won’t or haven’t tried to let go of. The backpack is your mind; the weight of the load burdens not your back but your soul.
What follows are tips for cleaning out that backpack. If the pack’s stuffed full, it’ll take some mental elbow grease to do a good spring cleaning, but trust me, it’s worth it for the sunlight that will pour into your life. After that, there’ll be some ongoing maintenance to keep your pack light and your steps jaunty. Yes, there’ll be surprises. Rocks that you’ll swear you never picked up will somehow get in that backpack, and a few rocks will keep reappearing even after you put them down and down again. Still the effort’s worth it.
So how to get rid of these rocks? The first step is to realize that anger, hatred, resentment, guilt, and shame are not just weight, they’re toxic, poisonous to a healthy life. They cloud your judgement; they sap your attention and energy. They lead to bitterness, depression and despair. If you feed these toxic emotions, the rocks will grow until they’re all you have left. At its most basic, carrying around these rocks is a form of self-harm.
Instead when these emotions arise, acknowledge them, learn from them. Take action if appropriate. And then let them go. This doesn’t mean you should allow people who’ve injured you to do so again. But caution, wisdom, and courage prevent injury better than anger and resentment.
~Karen Lynn Allen
The whole fragment of the book
Simple and Impactful
Photo by Parsa Mahmoudi on Unsplash
This is too good not to share. I asked a friend who has crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes he is feeling in himself? He sent me the following:
1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.
2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.
3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.
4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.
5. I stopped telling the elderly that they’ve already told that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.
6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.
Continue readingHow to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler
Imagine a world where reading isn’t just passing words on a page, but a thrilling puzzle to be cracked, a conversation to be engaged in, and a treasure trove of knowledge to be unearthed.
This is the world promised by Mortimer J. Adler’s seminal work, “How to Read a Book”.
Here are 10 guiding principles of reading from “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler:
Principle One: Active Reading
Imagine reading like a detective, not a spectator. Don’t simply let the words flow past you. Actively engage the text:
What is the author’s main point?
What evidence do they use to support their claims?
Are there any logical fallacies or inconsistencies?
Can I connect this to other things I know?
Take notes on key points, arguments, and questions. Highlight significant passages for later reference.
Principle Two: Purposeful Reading
What drives you to pick up a book? Identify your reason:
Enjoyment: Get lost in a story, laugh, or escape reality.
Information: Learn new facts, gain knowledge on a specific topic.
Understanding: Develop a deeper comprehension of complex ideas or philosophies.
Knowing your purpose guides your reading pace, level of analysis, and whether you annotate or simply absorb the story.
Principle Three: Diversity in Reading
Don’t get stuck in a reading rut! Explore different genres, authors, and topics. Reading a variety of books:
-Expands your knowledge base.
-Challenges your existing perspectives.
-Develops different reading skills for different types of texts.
-Think of it like exercising different muscles to become a well-rounded reader.
Principle Four: Syntopic Reading
Don’t read books in isolation. Look for other books on the same subject and compare and contrast them. This allows you to:
-See different perspectives and interpretations of the topic.
-Identify common themes and arguments across different sources.
-Form a more nuanced and informed understanding of the subject.
-It’s like having a conversation with several experts on the same topic.
Principle Five: Annotation as Memory Enhancement
Treat your books like active learning tools. Underline key passages, write notes in the margins, and even create diagrams to visualize complex ideas. This:
-Reinforces your understanding during and after reading.
-Provides a quick reference point for revisiting key points.
-Creates a personalized study guide for future review.
-Turn your books into active learning resources.
Continue readingBook of the Month – April 2024 : The Power of your Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy
Dr Joseph Murphy spent a good part of his life studying eastern religions and was a scholar of the I Ching, the Chinese book of divination. He was also, for 28 years, minister at the Los Angeles branch of the Church of Divine Science, a New Thought church that promotes a practical spirituality, free of religious creed and dogma. He believed he had found secrets concerning the subconscious that were beyond time and culture. Many people say their lives were not the same after reading this book. The subconscious is powerful and what you get from Murphy is the realisation that unless you try to understand the non-rational mind, your rational desires and plans will be forever sabotaged.
“The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” is a remarkable book that delves deep into the inner workings of the human mind, providing invaluable insights into self-understanding and the art of controlling our thoughts on a daily basis. Authored by Joseph Murphy, this timeless masterpiece has had a profound impact on my understanding of myself and the power I possess within.
From the very beginning, I was drawn into the immense depth of this book. Murphy’s writing style is clear, concise, and accessible, allowing readers of all backgrounds to fully grasp the profound concepts he presents. He explores the intricate workings of the subconscious mind, shedding light on how our beliefs, thoughts, and emotions shape our realities.
What sets “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” apart is its ability to bridge the gap between theory and practical application. Murphy provides a treasure trove of techniques and exercises to harness the immense power of the subconscious mind. From visualization and affirmations to the art of self-suggestion, readers are equipped with a comprehensive toolkit to take control of their thoughts and ultimately their lives.
One of the most significant takeaways from this book is the understanding that our subconscious mind is constantly at work, influencing our thoughts and behaviors. By becoming aware of our subconscious programming, we gain the ability to rewire and reprogram it with positive and empowering beliefs. This realization alone has transformed the way I approach challenges, enabling me to replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones that align with my goals and aspirations……
(Recommended by Mr.Maharaja)
Blueprints of Awakening
“I have no biography. This body has a biography but this is not very important. Why insist on that?
You can give your reflections about how it was when you met me and what you have seen here. That much you can share, but there is no need of describing what kind of dreams I was into, what kind of dreams I carried, now that the person to whom you are talking has no history, has no past and has no future. This person is just living into this moment and this is the expression of life. It is like a beautiful flower. You don’t have to ask anything to a flower. You enjoy the beauty and the fragrance of the flower, and that is enough.
If you ask me, I am a businessman, I go to the factory, I am a husband to my wife, I am a grandfather and father to my children, and that is it, that is all!
ONE TUSK 