Monday, June 15, 2009

Two Love Poems

A Special World
A special world for you and me
A special bond one cannot see
It wraps us up in its cocoon
And holds us fiercely in its womb.

Its fingers spread like fine spun gold
Gently nestling us to the fold
Like silken thread it holds us fast
Bonds like this are meant to last.

And though at times a thread may break
A new one forms in its wake
To bind us closer and keep us strongIn
a special world, where we belong.


What I Love About You
I love the way you look at me,
Your eyes so bright and blue.
I love the way you kiss me,
Your lips so soft and smooth.

I love the way you make me so happy,
And the ways you show you care.
I love the way you say, "I Love You,"
And the way you're always there.

I love the way you touch me,
Always sending chills down my spine.
I love that you are with me,
And glad that you are mine.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

3 Step to Build Positive Attitude


The essence of yoga is to be positive in any situation that we find ourselves in.
When we are positive, we find that our interactions with the world and ourselves become brighter, more productive and perpetuate the ‘feel good’ factor. This in turn makes us healthier and more peaceful.
But how do we develop this positivism. The answer can be found in ‘Attitudinal’ Yoga.
According to this concept of yoga, the path to a positive attitude can be found through a 3-step approach, namely,

Awareness
Acceptance; and
Attitude

Let us examine these three components:
Awareness:The first step is to be aware of what and how we are thinking. We must train ourselves to be aware at all times of how our mind is working – the thoughts, thinking patterns and tendencies. Make this a habit. If it is difficult, the meditation technique of antar mouna and Yoga Nidra are methods which help us do this. These techniques help in the withdrawing of our senses to introspect.
Acceptance:Awareness, however, brings about a heightened sensitivity to the issues. We tend to become judgemental and critical of ourselves or of others. This has the danger of sending us into a vicious cycle of negativity UNLESS we learn to accept what we see and understand.
Have an attitude that “it is ok” to think how we are. Just be a witness to this fact and believe that God likes us for what we are. This acceptance leads to a genuine love and compassion, which forms the bedrock of positive thinking.
For example, if you are angry with your partner for not doing something as per your wishes, accept that it is natural for you to face such emotions. Accept that it is because of certain archetypes or ‘samskaras’ that lie embedded in your subconscious. Likewise, accept that it is okay for your partner to behave that way, which is based on his perception and the elements embedded in his subconscious.
With practice, you will find that this helps in surmounting negativity to a large extent.
Attitude:Once we have accepted what lies within our thoughts, we can actually start working upon how we ‘want’ to look at that particular person, situation or thing. Yoga techniques assist us in changing our attitude. The ‘Sankalpa’ or resolve that we set in Yoga Nidra helps in shaping our mind. This resolve in yoga is always in the nature of a positive statement – such as “I am becoming more positive every day”. Such inputs fed into the mind help in shaping our attitude into one of positivism.
Let us look at changing attitude with the following example. Suppose you have a negative attitude toward someone. So much so that he puts you in a bad mood the moment you see him. For a moment, find just one small thing or quality in him that you do like. Now remember that one positive thing whenever you meet or interact with him. Gradually, you will see that your feelings towards him will become more positive and things start looking up.
Following these three guidelines and you will find yourself becoming more positive. Remember that every thought generated in the mind is also experienced by every cell in the body. That is why on a ‘good’ day you feel yourself exercising better with more flexibility, while on a ‘bad’ day you feel stiff and lethargic.
Ultimately, positive thinking affects the body vibrations in a positive manner. This in turn, affects the vibrations around us, which, in turn, affect the situations around us. This helps in relieving our suffering and leading a harmonious life.

10 Tips for Positive Thinking


If you’re down in the dumps for disproportionately long periods of time and you find yourself blaming the rest of the world for your misery, then perhaps a change of attitude is in order. These 10 tips for positive thinking may be able to give your outlook in life its much needed overhaul. So increase your chances for a more constructive perspective with these 10 tips for positive thinking:
1. Recognize negative thoughts as they take shape and bury them before they take root. If you feel your mood darkening again, put a stop to these dangerous musings before you succumb to them. Rule your emotions, don’t let your emotions rule you.
2. Hang out with people who think positive as well. This condition can be quite infectious.
3. Just as contagious is a negative mindset. So avoid people who tend to think negatively on a constant basis. After all, who wants to hang around naysayers all the time?
4. Work out and eat right. If you look good on the outside, it’ll be easier to feel good on the inside, too.
5. De-clutter. Surround yourself only with the things you love and that make you feel good—framed family photos, favorite books, potted plants, works of art, or whatever else that’s meaningful to you.
6. If people tell you you can’t do something, take that as a challenge and prove them wrong. Chances are, they themselves can’t do it or are too afraid to try and are simply bitter about it. If you show them it can be done after all, maybe they’ll even be inspired by your success. You can be a living tip for positive thinking to them.
7. Just when you’re about to blow your top for all the seeming misfortunes that befall you, remind yourself of all your blessings instead. This practice can be very sobering, indeed.
8. Be a volunteer or get involved in charity work. Not only will you realize the sheer number of people who have bigger problems than you do, but there is also such an emotional and even spiritual high to be experienced in helping others.
9. De-stress. You’re more likely to be cranky if you’re perpetually stressed out. So get away from it all and recharge.
10. Keep it up. Getting started is easy. It’s the maintenance that’s tricky. Make a habit out of thinking positively till it becomes an indelible part of who you are.
"Follow these 10 tips for positive thinking and be successful in your search for a happier and healthier frame of mind."