MORNING MIRACLE OF GOD

    MORNING MIRACLE OF GOD 

" There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground."-Rumi 

Our Mother Earth is full of  grandeur of God .Each morning we need to reconnect with the wonder around us .Early mornings are private times one can spend with nature and revel in its awesome glory which is at its best in the early morning hours .Our mind is also fresh and so is the morning air .

To walk at dawn when the nights darkness begins to dissolve to give birth to a new day is a way of giving way to new possibilities in  life. The disappearance of the moon  to give way to  the sun reminds me " the moon loves the sun so much that he dies every night just to let the sun breathe " .

 Mother Earth needs our attention and we need her to recognize her not as a surface to walk on but to enjoy the myriad colors and sounds it radiates ,the soulful vibrations it creates in her sacred self nurturing so many life's in her bosom .

Morning walk is  highly beneficial for health. The dust free air enters our lungs. Happy hormones surge  It is a panacea for many diseases and is known to lengthen our life. it is  also spiritually  enriching and a great energizer for the whole day .

I spent my childhood on a farm far far away from the city .After qualifying I lived in a village for  over 35 years out of choice serving in a rural medical  institute ,hence have been blessed to live in the lap of nature ,no wonder I have fallen in love with nature .

I share my morning walk musings here in this poem .Waiting to hear your feelings and experiences of your  morning walks .

MORNING  MIRACLE OF GOD 

Walking at dawn 

The moon had gone 

Sun rays emerged 

Radiated in space 

To bless us all 

With their divine grace 

Sky changed colors 

Grey, orange and red 

mingled like lovers 

Black had fled 

Clouds embraced 

As darkness was replaced 

The birds  tweets 

Chirped to greet 

A glorious new day 

La de da Is on its way 

Cool winds whizzed past

Whispering freshness will last 

Branches swayed 

Merrily up and down 

Singing good morning 

To all creatures around 

Leaves effortlessly danced 

Kissing each other 

With a loving glance 

Buds no longer felt shy 

Bloomed happily with dewy eye 

Morning glory seductively spread 

Their  soft dainty colorful heads 

Butterflies pranced 

In a playful dance

The earth smelt pure

Misty fragrance for sure 

In this miracle of the divine 

My body mind and soul 

Rejoiced  in Gods shine 

HE was here HE was there 

HE was in my heart 

HE was everywhere 

There was love in the air 

it was singing a prayer 

My happiness soared 

More then a million fold

God you are  amazing 

My heart kept on praising :):) 

Pushpa  Chaturvedi 

GROWING UP WITH TIMELESS EVERGREEN SWEET MUSICAL MELODIES UPLIFTS THE SOUL

GROWING UP WITH TIMELESS  EVERGREEN SWEET MUSICAL MELODIES UPLIFTS THE SOUL

My connection with music during my childhood was deep though not extraordinary.While  growing up the only way we could connect with our personnel emotions and  at the same time entertain ourselves was listening to songs on the radio on Vivid Bharti or on Binaca Geet mala or on the old chabi wala gramophone which I was lucky to have in my house .

My father often sang to me " So ja rajkumari  so ja " He loved  the songs of Saigal  .We were brought up listening to songs like " Chanda mama door ke " nanha munna rahi hoon desh ka sipahi hoon" " Aao bacho tume dikhayen jhanki hindustan kee " Every Sunday  Morning  families gathered to  sing bhajans  and pray ,my favorite being "darshan do ghanshyam nath meri ankhiya pyasi "

My grand father was very strict In fact as per his rules it was taboo to even entertain thoughts of listening to movie songs on the radio other than what was expected of ‘good’ children, obey and  respect elders, study hard and  recite verses of Sukhmani daily ( he taught all his grand children the first  five verses by heart and I am thankful,to him for that now ) .We felt lucky then to escape his rules as we visited him only annually during  vacation but my cousins staying with him had difficult times and would switch off the radio when it was time for him to be home.Once by chance he entered when the radio was playing"Mera jalwa jisne dekha  woh mera ho gaya" and oh my God what a hard time we all had ..........

As we grew up we started connecting with romantic melodies of those times.Songs like, “Aap yuhi agar humse milte rahen, dekhiye ek din pyar ho jayega” or “Tumne mujhe dekha ho kar meherban” fuelled many a romantic dream. Classics like " mohaobat aisee  dhadkan hai Jo samjhayee nahi jaate "."  itna na Mujh se too pyar bada kee mai ek badal awara "  filled our young hearts with unseen love .A favorite  teaser in my group was this funny  song picturized on Johny Walker "Jane Kahan mera jigar gaya ji abhi abhi Yaheen tha  keedhar  gaya ji "and Devanands carefree attitude in " har phikar ko duhen me udata chala gaya"

When I got my first  merit scholarship installment in MBBS  I purchased a record player with record changer and enjoyed listening to music in my hostel room and singing along .

Being amidst nature in the mountains and green fields, appreciating the beauty and the life around I still automatically burst out singing “Suhana safar aur yeh mausam haseen” or " Diwani hua badal sawan ki ghata chahi or “Hari hari vasundhara pe neela neela yeh gagan.” What words. Beautiful  poetry.

Looking back, most of our generation  grew up influenced by  emotions expressed in old Hindi film songs because it appealed to the romantic in all of us. Our dream of living in an utopian world full of love made us romantic seekers in a broad sense making  us lovers of humanity and spirituality .....seeking the love of God 

Today my love for getting lost in myself while singing  bhajans has its roots in my love for music from childhood  It seems as if my heart comes flying out through my songs and chants  which nourish my soul .I feel a certain rising and ecstasy in my being  singing " " mera to Girdhar Gopal doosra  na koi " tu pyar ka sagar hai " and many soul lifting melodies .

 Music affects our whole being physically ,emotionally and spiritually in profound and tangible ways  Music is food for the soul .Music possesses the power to awaken us .Music has the energy to unite us ." Music alone can take you to the highest " said  Swami Vivekanand .

This lighthearted  musical blog is an invitation to you all to  come and share your favorite songs and the influence of music in your life ....any songs  just shed your inhibitions and share your musical musings ......there hardly can be a soul in this universe who does not get awakened by music .

BECOME BEAUTIFUL SHED SOME WEIGHT....JUST LET GO ....

BECOME BEAUTIFUL SHED SOME WEIGHT....JUST LET GO  ....

Sitting with friends we were discussing inner beauty . Each shared their own views on ways to enhance the beauty of the soul .New year being just around the corner In 2015  we thought it would  be great if we ring in some reforms in our thoughts and ways of life to live  by refocusing our energy towards positive way of living life to herald in more peace and joy in life and these are the thoughts that emerged .

Tie no weights to your  anklets ,

Don't make your heart heavy 

Your  mind loaded and restless .

LET GO all  vices ,pain and stress 

Become free of negativity 

It enhances your  life longevity 

Unburden and become light 

Keep smiling and spread smiles 

Be loving ,compassionate and kind 

That's how inner beauty is defined 

Inner beauty puts a glow on your face 

You experience abundant Gods grace  

Become beautiful inside 

Experience  happiness and bliss

LET GO BECOME LIGHT BECOME BEAUTIFUL INSIDE 

Let go your anger and irritation 

Let go your bitter confrontations 

Let go your suspicions and doubts 

Let go your tendency to shout 

Let go comparing  and complaining 

Let go  fighting ,condemning and criticizing 

Let go binding yourself to shackles of chains  

Let go  carrying weights of past hurt and pains 

Let go  yesterday's painful tragedies 

Let go burdens of past causalities 

Let go what you can't change today 

Let go and accept what comes your way 

Let go dumb things that break your happiness 

Let go  expectations frustrations and stress 

Let go acting standoffish and unapproachable 

Let go being egoistic and demandable.

Let go  the belief that some people are below you 

Let go your pride and making others subdued 

Let go being lazy and making others do your duty 

Let go intimidating people and showing cruelty .

Let go the  idea that you are a status symbol 

Let go that others are inferior and not fit to mingle 

Let go the thought that you do not have enough 

Let go  stuff you don't need just give it up 

Let go seeking happiness from outside of you 

Let go looking for rewards for good deeds you do 

Let go speaking lies live with honesty and integrity 

Let go living a life of  show off and hypocrisy 

Let go neglecting your health and your needs 

Let go procrastinating your essential deeds 

Let go  fear, impatience and taking failures to heart 

Let go talking negative to self otherwise you will fall apart 

Let go all negative influences of  any weather 

Let go  changing  yourself just to impress others 

Let go needing everyone to like your personality 

Let go  pleasing all by loosing your originality 

Let go hate  live with love and compassion 

Let go being selfish be kind in words and actions 

Let go just surrender and accept what HE wills 

Let go all desires and become happiness and bliss .

Pushpa Chaturvedi 

WHAT GIVES HAPPINESS ?

WHAT GIVES HAPPINESS ? 

1DO THINGS GIVE HAPPINESS ? 

I gifted stuffed teddy bears to both my granddaughters, one was gushing with happiness  as she had got what she liked while the other wasn't happy for she had wanted a doll .So it was not the teddy bear giving happiness  but the thought that she wanted a teddy bear gave her happiness .This is exactly what happens in life to most of us .Our happiness equation keeps on changing depending on getting what we want at that moment in life eg from possessing a cycle to scooter to car as we grow up .

2 BASIC EQUATION OF BEING HAPPY IS FED WRONG

Since childhood we have been equating happiness to possessions and actions .if I get this or if I do this I will feel happy ? I must have money to buy the things I like and do the things I like and then only I will feel happy .Then we find that happiness vanishes fast for wanting something more something better always .Our conscious layer of thought has become numbed by this thinking  since birth . Parents tell children "now I have given you this so be happy now "with the thought that happiness can be bought .

3 CAN WE BUY HAPPINESS ? 

If things give us happiness then we need money to buy things so  does that mean we buy happiness with money ? We do need money to buy comforts in life but  physical comforts are not the same as  emotional comforts of happiness .You may have everything that money can buy but you still may not be happy .How often we see rich people flocking to Gurus looking for peace and happiness within .Acquiring  wealth ,achievements ,latest objects and status symbols cannot be our source of happiness .

4 MONEY AND HAPPINESS 

Somebody said "पैसा खुदा तो नहीं पर खुदा से कम भी नहीं" .The poor can't buy basic amenities of life and are unhappy .Lakshmi puja is done to get wealth .Money is important ,you may have everything that money can buy but still no  happiness. We have been programmed to equate happiness to achievements ,performance ,objects and people. Until we don't come out of this myth we will be running to acquire objects of desire and please people .We will give importance to money as our source of happiness .

5 BEING RICH CANNOT BE EQUATED TO HAPPINESS 

Its good to have money to buy the things that money can buy but at the same time we need to keep on checking that in the bargain of earning money we  have not lost the things which money can't buy .Being rich  is  not bad  but richness cannot be equated to happiness .Money is required in life for material external comforts but it cannot buy us happiness .Happiness is our internal creation and can be created irrespective of external comforts .

6 SUCCESS CANNOT BE EQUATED TO HAPPINESS 

We  assume if we will be successful in life we will be happy We strive for success, putting long hours into our work or studies .Its good to succeed in life .But success is not a reflection of happiness, but rather, the other way around.How happy you are is the ultimate measure of success.If success did lead to happiness, shouldn’t the rich and accomplished be the happiest people ?Unfortunately that's not so as they gave up real chances for happiness on their way to the top.They got the equation all wrong

7 DISTRACTIONS TO CREATE HAPPINESS .

To improve our bad mood we take our mind towards distractions like watching TV ,alcohol ,smoking .these distractions engage our minds for sometime so we forget our stress and unhappiness .Is it a healthy way ? It did not work on our  basic negative thoughts ,it did not heal our unhappy state ,the pain remains inside and becomes deeper .Our mind wants  something else ( positive thoughts to be healed ) and we are trying to distract it with something else.How will such distraction work in the long run?

8 HAPPINESS COMES BY NURTURING YOUR SPIRITUALITY .

Materialism is outside growth.Spirituality Is inner growth .If we nurture only the outside growth and neglect the inner garden of our mind we will never taste bliss. When we face a difficult situation eg loss of wealth ,our spiritual virtues can make us strong to face the problems with calm and confidence and regain our monetary status ,but if we have neglected our spirituality and only paid attention to material growth, this can never nurture our spiritual thoughts resulting in unhappiness and stress .

9 BE CONSCIOUS OF BOTH INNER GROWTH  AND OUTER GROWTH 

SPIRITUAL LAW says where attention goes energy flows and where energy flows things grow .So when we give attention to  both our inner growth our spiritual life  as well as our outer growth our material life then both can flourish simultaneously .Hence it is not  correct to  assume that those who have materialistic life cannot have spiritual fulfillment.Both aspects of life can be strengthened by  sincere hard work and  by imbibing  good virtues .

10 HAPPINESS IS NOT ABOUT EXPECTING HOPING WISHING 

if your happiness depends upon EXPECTING things in life ,HOPING situations to  be as you want them to be ,becoming happy because  your WISH is being fulfilled.When you feel you will  be happy BECAUSE of this and  BECAUSE of that,It  shows you are depending on the outside powers to influence your mind to make you feel happy it shows you have a weak mind .When a situation creates your state of mind the situation is more powerful then your mind .Happiness is being grateful with what you have.

11HAPPINESS IS ALL ABOUT BEING DOING AND BECOMING 

Each situation is a stimulus how we respond to the situation is our choice .Our state of BEING (mind) at that time can choose to  be UPSET or NOT TO BE AFFECTED but be stable  calm comfortable confident to handle the situation.What you choose out of these two will dictate your DOING ,so your BEING becomes your DOING and when the same is done repeatedly it becomes your habit your BECOMING.So make a conscious positive choice of being and doing and Choose becoming happiness .

THIS NEW YEAR RESOLVE TO SHED SOME WEIGHT....JUST LET GO .....

     THIS NEW YEAR RESOLVE TO SHED SOME WEIGHT....JUST LET GO  .....

New  year is just around the corner .Let us ring in some reforms in our ways of life to live with more peace and joy .From this new year  let us resolve to refocus our energy  towards positive way of living life. Tie no weights to our  anklets ,let us not make our heart heavy and our  mind sick .Just LET GO all  vices ,stress ,pain Unburden and become light .Become free of negativity to experience happiness and bliss.

                                                Let go your anger and irritation 

Let go your bitter confrontations 

Let go your suspicions and doubts 

Let go your tendency to shout 

Let go comparing  and complaining 

Let go  fighting ,condemning and criticizing 

Let go binding yourself to shackles of chains  

Let go  carrying weights of past hurt and pains 

Let go  yesterday's painful tragedies 

Let go burdens of past causalities 

Let go what you can't change today 

Let go and accept what comes your way 

                                     Let go dumb things that break your happiness 

Let go  expectations frustrations and stress 

Let go acting standoffish and unapproachable 

Let go being egoistic and demandable.

Let go  the belief that some people are below you 

Let go your pride and making others subdued 

Let go being lazy and making others do your duty 

Let go intimidating people and showing cruelty .

Let go the  idea that you are a status symbol 

Let go that others are inferior and not fit to mingle 

Let go the thought that you do not have enough 

Let go  stuff you don't need just give it up 

Let go seeking happiness from outside of you 

Let go looking for rewards for good deeds you do 

Let go speaking lies live with honesty and integrity 

Let go living a life of  show off and hypocrisy 

Let go neglecting your health and your needs 

Let go procrastinating your essential deeds 

Let go impatience and taking failures to heart 

Let go talking negative to self otherwise you will fall apart 

Let go all negative influences of  any weather 

Let go  changing  yourself just to impress others 

Let go needing everyone to like your personality 

Let go  pleasing all by loosing your originality 

Let go hate  live with love and compassion 

Let go being selfish be kind in words and actions 

Let go just surrender and accept what HE wills 

Let go all desires and become happiness and bliss .

Pushpa Chaturvedi 

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND HAPPINESS

                     CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND HAPPINESS 

Each one of us has  nostalgic memories of childhood  tucked away in the scrapbook of our mind .To think back of all that i loved  which increased my happiness as a child I feel so thankful and blessed . I was too busy as a child in my play and work to notice that ‘happiness’ was camping in my head .Recalling as to why those days  were so enjoyable takes me to my innocent growing up moments full of love all around me.

Lasting impressions from childhood experiences have  certainly moulded  my thoughts and actions as  an adult .

Enjoying spending time  outdoors was my favorite pastime .Once on an evening cycling spree with friends I reached home unexpectedly late as my cycle was punctured ,unfortunately that day my Grand father  ( a visitor to our place, very strict never liked girls to go out with friends)  was leaving and since I could  not reach back home in time to say good bye ,my father was  furious at me ,his anger of that day is still etched in my mind making me realize the importance of balancing my happiness priorities and loving relationships as happiness is not about playing and smiling all the time but putting what's most important first .This also taught me to  that  happiness comes with  being caring ,kind .respectful ,responsible and committed in relationships 

Today as I pause  and think that it is the feeling of being loved by parents ,teachers and so many others that makes the most influential contribution to childhood happiness. Long after my memories of toys, gifts, test scores have faded, the feelings of trust ,comfort ,reassurance and love remain. My project called happiness is  keeping in my mind a gratitude list and a list of happy things ,thoughts and memories 

Happiness also came from my sense of  feeling sacred  and religious from daily folding my hands after a bath and praying 'Thank You God ' , our sunday  morning family  satsangs encouraging us to sing bhajans , our daily school prayers  ...Our father in heaven ( being an English school of  40's ) influenced me to believe God is the same for all only we call him by different names .

When we talk about good old days it's not that the present days are not good ,it's just that our way of looking at them has changed .Living in the moment  and feeling happy with the little we have as we did in childhood  is what gives happiness .Today I tell myself that the mantra to happiness is to live every moment and savor them in the scrapbook of my mind .

SMILING ON REMINISCING MY HAPPY CHILDHOOD DAYS 

Growing up amidst abundant nature around me,

Green grass,shrubs flowers and  many a shady tree,

Away form  the hustle bustle of the city ,

Surrounded by paddy fields,looking so pretty.

Loving the lovely huge lake across  the road,

It's still water serves as the lotuses  abode 

Me and my friends loved to sit on its banks ,

Laughing together and sharing our pranks ,

Life was adventurous when we climbed trees ,

Plucked guavas , mangoes  and  litchis ,

Roamed the thorny shrubs plucking berries 

Wonder how we did all that with such great ease .

The long lonely roads were great cycling tracks ,

Carrying tasty snacks in our back packs,

Feeling of freedom  cycling for many miles 

Greeting  villagers exchanging  wide smiles.

Fighting ,uniting playing cricket ,badminton and seven tiles 

Dodging and  pushing playing Kho kho in great style 

Dancing merrily  outside on arrival of the rains 

Sailing  paper boats  in muddy water puddles in lanes 

Happy growing up memories will never abate 

Life was so joyful simple ,carefree  and  great ,

A world without  TV,  play station and  net ,

Blessed were those days I can never ever forget.

Pushpa Chaturvedi 

BEAUTIFUL SOLITUDE

 BEAUTIFUL SOLITUDE  

Love your solitude 

A very loving attitude 

For solitude is bliss 

Fills your heart with happiness .

Love your solitude 

Walk alone in calming quietude 

Your path is your own 

No place for the unknown 

Love your solitude 

For in it you sing gratitude 

Gratitude to God within 

Love lights up to the brim .

Love your solitude ,

Don't self pity in mute ,

Enjoy your inner  voice .

Its echo needs no noise .

Love your solitude 

Silence speaks multitudes .

It awakens the sleeping soul 

Helps you reach your goal !!!

GOD YOU ARE AWESOME

GOD YOU ARE AWESOME 

God you are awesome 

I know I am trouble some 

I do what I want to do 

Hardly listen to your clue 

Still you carry me in your lap 

When I slip in my created gap .

You love me no end 

Despite my uncanny trend ,

God you are awesome ,

You never forget to come !!!!!!