IS YOUR WORKPLACE A TEMPLE?

 

“Find a work, that gives you inner expression,

You will find happiness in it.

Make the world recognize the value of your work,

You will find success through it.

Dedicate the results of your work to your Cosmic Presence,

You will feel closer to the Divine.

Make this work of yours useful to the world,

And, you will find life’s Purpose in that work.”   -mahatria

What is the charm in doing our work monotonously every day? There has to be “josh” in our daily life. We should be able to happily whistle our way to work. I don’t miss out on my high-five with the little ones, or to wish them a happy morning, or to ask them, “How are you?” and wait to hear them say, “Top of the world!”

Students are bubbling with energy. The entire campus is pulsating with their vibrations. How can we be dull or emotionless in such an environment! Unless you are a stoic, you cannot be otherwise.

I am helplessly in love with these children, who bring life to the school, which is otherwise just a concrete jungle. Students wake up our sensitivity and the finer qualities in us. We are more humane because of them.

A teacher-student relationship is a connect. It happens only when we give ourselves to the profession.

How do we see our workplace? As a temple (am I sounding outdated and ancient?!), or as a factory that churns out similar products, or as a place that helps us pay our bills?

How I see my workplace manifests into that very thing in my life. I can talk only about teaching. I consider it very sacred. It cannot be a time pass. Then we will mess up the lives of students.

It should be our life’s Purpose. Then there is something to look forward to, every day. There is joy in transforming someone’s life. We can create a generation that is noble-hearted and able-minded.

There is thrill in living a useful life, where you put the world ahead of you. You don’t have to go in search of divinity. Divinity will come to your doorstep.

I have often heard the story of Samuel from my spiritual guru. "Samuel was busy serving people. One day, an angel appeared before him, and asked him where, Mary, John, and George lived. He said that he had been sent by God to gift people who loved God. Samuel immediately said, “Then my name must be in the list.” The angel ran through the list and said that Samuel’s name wasn’t there, and he disappeared. Samuel was disappointed as he loved God, but it was not in the list sent by God. The next day, once again the angel appeared. This time Samuel was indifferent. He said that he was not ready to act as a guide to show where different people lived. He continued to do his work. The Angel said, “Today I have come with a different list. I have brought the names of those people whom God loves, and your name tops the list.” Samuel was overjoyed.

This is true of a teacher’s life. We just need to get busy with our students, preparing them for life. One day we will realize that when we were busy with our students, God was busy taking care of our needs.

Don’t go in search of abundance. Rest assured that abundance will fill your life. Just be ready to dirty your hands, and the Almighty will shower His blessings on you.

You will live a blessed life when you do everything, without expecting anything in return. When you bring a lot of reverence to what you do. When your work is a prayer unto Him. When you begin to see your workplace as a temple, you will become an altar worthy of worship!

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting
 

GET THIS ONE THING RIGHT

“Love is not love that pampers. Love is love that creates”-mahatria

Pampering is, love me only the way I want to be loved. Pampering weakens you.

Love creates you… the school practices tough love.

When the school enforces discipline, it is seen as intrusion and interference, by students. They resist it.

Till you are mature enough to make choices, you have to put yourself into a choiceless state, and handover the responsibility of your life to a higher intelligence, and also be ready to be guided by them.

Everybody needs freedom. Responsible freedom will be appreciated.

Many a time, you are influenced by your friends. You may not have the maturity to discriminate right from wrong. Your decisions may be based on pain and pleasure.

You may dislike any kind of advice that is given, and see it as pain. In order to avoid the pain, you may start becoming manipulative.

You should take great care in choosing your friends.  Friends at this stage have the power to create you or destroy you. So, to get your life right, you need to get your friends right.

Friends are dearer to you than your parents. You listen to your friends. If you are in the wrong circle, that is when you pick up all the vices. Your friends may urge you to smoke, drink, and also indulge in substance abuse. Develop the courage to walk alone and be right.

Everything first begins as fun. You never know when it will turn into an addiction, and before you realize, you reach a point of no return.

A life which could be glorious otherwise, is in utter shambles.

Life should never be one of regret. Life should be rejoiced and celebrated. If not anything else, the biggest gift you can give yourself is choosing the right group of friends. They are the biggest influence in your life.

“Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.”

Adolescence is a profoundly life- defining period. It is a period of transition into adulthood. Many of them lose track and end up being a mediocre in life. You need to set standards higher than what the world expects of you. Surpass expectations.

How do you choose your friends?

1.Are your friends bringing out the right side of you or the wrong side of you?

2.In the company of your friends are you flourishing or perishing?

3. Are your friends fostering personal growth and a stronger sense of self-worth?

4. Are you developing the right habits and making futuristic plans with your circle of friends?

5. Are your friends contributing to an enriched life?

In the epic, Mahabharata, Sakuni was Duryodhana’s fall back and Krishna was Arjuna’s fall back. Everybody knows who won the war eventually. Who is your fall back in life?

Good friends walk through life side by side, lifting you when you falter, uplifting your mood when you feel low, celebrating your wins, keeping you grounded, not just having fun with you, but telling the truth even if it is hard to hear, and making your life more meaningful.

Surround yourself with the right circle of friends. Get this one thing right.

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting
 

THE MASTER’S PIECE

November 11^th is a very special day, not only for me, but for millions who belong to the fraternity. The Path called infinitheism has enveloped our lives in ways we cannot even explain and is taking us to the higher branches of maturity, day after day.

As I wish to share the joy that I am experiencing, through my transformation, with many others, I make every effort to instill those values in my students. I don’t miss half an opportunity to share the wisdom that I am receiving from the Path, even with teachers.

I know that it can turn around lives, and help them live a beautiful life, if they are given those experiences very early in life.

But how much are we willing to immerse ourselves in these experiences? Being in such an environment itself is a blessing.

As we grow older we become more rigid, and so we are unwilling to change. But, personally, I feel that if  we keep the student in us alive, we will be willing to learn from everywhere.

It is this outlook that helped me to receive the wisdom of the Path without any resistance or reluctance. I am ready to absorb what is good for me.

I am loving the person that I am becoming. That is the truth. Growing in your own eyes is not easy. And when there is someone to help you, don’t miss the opportunity.

The simple things in life are the most difficult to implement. Many people struggle to be punctual to work every day. There are those who cannot consistently exercise or avoid tongue conscious food. Waking up early is difficult for some. To do what is good for you, consistently, is tough for some others.

Anchor yourself to someone who can chisel you and help you discover the beauty within. On your own you may not be able to know what you are capable of.

Even great men like Alexander, had Aristotle, Chandragupta had Chanakya, Socrates had Plato. It only goes to show that even they listened to a teacher.

A great warrior like Arjuna became despondent in the battlefield. Only when he surrendered to Lord Krishna, the Gita unfolded.

Your life will be unfolded to you only when you surrender yourself to a higher intelligence. And that is exactly what I did.

A mere rock can become a masterpiece in the hands of a Master!

What are you waiting for? Just hand yourself over to the one who can mold you, chisel you, groom you, fine tune you, and create you into legendary proportions! 

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting
 

PLEASE STAND UP FOR YOUR CHILD

In order to create noble-hearted and able-minded students, the school takes them through various experiences. At every level, some activity or the other keeps happening every other day. In the midst of all this, learning also happens in the classrooms. Teachers take classes.

Every day goes like a breeze. The days on which students cooperate, the day goes beautifully. But there are days on which the unruly behavior of one child, or a few children, disrupts the flow and thereby the peace in the school environment.

Everything else comes to a standstill. The principal loses her vital productive time conducting an enquiry. Sometimes it goes beyond a day or two. Precious time is lost.

Students don’t realize that their mindless and impulsive behavior disrupts school work.

Violent behavior, mobile addiction, substance abuse, riding a powered two-wheeler or driving a car without license, being active on social media, hanging out with friends, getting into relationships of infatuation, have all become very common these days.

Some of them do not prioritize their character or behavior over all this. Studies also takes a back seat. They have a wrong concept of heroism.

Schools face several behavioural challenges when children are not monitored at home by parents. When the upbringing of children is not given importance, such children become a nuisance to the school and to the society at large, and an unwholesome influence on their fellow-students. Many other students are wrongly influenced by children whose parents don’t have time for parenting.

Many families are affected sometimes because of one child who has not been brought up well. So, parents need to understand that neglecting their child affects many others.

Parents should know what should be their priority. The emotional and mental well-being of children is as important as their physical well-being. Children are exposed to so many things, as they have a mobile with them.

Monitoring their activities, knowing who their friends are, inculcating values in them, providing a harmonious environment at home, sensitizing them to the feelings of others, having conversations with them, listening to them, can help them to grow into fine individuals, who are balanced.

As parents, we have a responsibility towards society. We need to ensure that our children are an asset to society and not a threat. How people see our children depends on the way we have groomed them. We owe it to our children.

The quality of life they will lead will depend on how much we have stood by them in their growing years and guided them.

Children need your attention; nurture them and nourish them with your love and care. Please stand up for your child. If not you, who else will?

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting 

 

WHO IS CREATING THE MESS?

     

When I go for work every day, a particular route that I take, has a traffic bottleneck. A half-an-hour drive takes more than one hour. This is because drivers don’t adhere to lane discipline. They don’t have the patience to wait. They form multiple lanes, and it leads to increased congestion.

 This blocks the vehicles coming on the opposite side. None of us can move forward and remain in the same place for a long time, blaming each other. They keep honking and creating noise pollution.

I keep wondering whether it is so tough to adhere to lane discipline. They just have to form a single lane. We create our own problems and suffer. I am sure many of them reach their destination late.  

Recently the drainage in our street was overflowing and the stench was unbearable. The corporation vehicle that came to clear the blockage found a lot of unwanted stuff that was causing the drainage block.

Will you discard cloth and other household waste into the drainage? Who is suffering the consequences? The ones who created it and the neighbours, for no fault of theirs. Do you create trouble for others through your careless attitude? Such mindless behavior!

Keeping our street clean is our responsibility. Some years back we planted many saplings to beautify our street. One of them uprooted a plant in front of their house, and some were not ready to water the plants. Those of us who took care, have trees in front of our houses.

As a school, we planted 1111 saplings in 2012. Today, they have grown into trees and are lining the streets in our neighbourhood. This is a legacy that we leave behind.

We teach students that “Learning, earning & returning” need not be different phases in life, they can be concurrent. We make social contributions every year by raising funds. Children are told that they can contribute to society in many ways, not just materialistically.

Our students and teachers clean the school campus every Friday, house wise. Each house gets a turn every month. This will teach them to keep their streets clean and thereby the country clean.

Seeing the amount of aggression, perversion, cynicism, apathy, violence, indifference, emotional dysregulation and outbursts, in society, we realize the need for a value-based upbringing. It has become vital to sow the right thoughts and train the minds of the growing children, in the right direction.

Sensitizing them to the needs of others, loving and respecting people, no matter how big or small they are in stature, is so important. Failure to do so will result in a huge mess.

We celebrate the “Bouquet of Thanks” every year when children honour the school support staff.

It is our endeavor to set right what is presently ailing society, through a revolutionary education that we are providing, to get the “being” of the child right, apart from preparing them for the future.

A Movement is slowly and steadily growing and one day the results of such an education will grow in geometric proportion and manifest in a beautiful society, where there is camaraderie, morality, mutual respect, peace and harmony.

Join us in building a world where man does not think against man!

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting 

HAPPY DIWALI!!!

I have always looked forward to Diwali, as it is a festival that brings joy to me. The joy of gifting something that brings a smile on my face. One month in advance the search for sarees begins. Even if it is for the support staff, I will not be satisfied easily. The designs and colours have to appeal to me. Then it is instantly selected.

There is so much joy in seeing their happiness while receiving their Diwali clothes.

Sweets are distributed and festival bonus is credited to the staff.

Diwali hampers are curated and sent to relatives and friends.

Diwali is seen as a festival of bringing joy in the lives of people.

I look back at my childhood when my guardian angel, who took care of me, used to buy us our Diwali clothes. My childhood was mostly spent at their place.

There used to be so many relatives and friends on the eve of Diwali. Everybody was given their clothes. Crackers were bought at such a huge cost. They brought light into the lives of so many people.

Everybody was very happy on that one day, forgetting their daily challenges. On their own, probably they would not have been able to afford the luxury of good clothes, delicious food and crackers to burst. The kind-hearted souls made it a memorable day for them. All my Diwali was spent in their house.

Diwali meant, togetherness, good food, delicious sweets, merry-making, sharing, enjoying, and most importantly, there was someone spearheading the celebration, who had the heart to give, and bring joy in the lives of their friends and relatives. Somebody who worked so hard to have more than enough, someone who was willing to share. In my life, it was my Godfather.

Probably, this had a huge impact on my outlook in life, coupled with the approach of my husband, who loves to give.

As a child, bursting crackers gave me thrill. But, as an adult, happiness is derived more from making others happy.

I wonder how life changes our perspective, and our status quo in life. To be able to give, and having the heart to give, both are a blessing from above.

Diwali is symbolic of good winning over evil. I think, Diwali after Diwali, my being was getting purified. My focus started shifting from self to selflessness.

Life comes to a point when your need to have is overtaken by your need to give, from being consumed by the desire for self-gratification, to the joy of enriching others’ lives.

What we experience in our childhood, and the people who are around us, have an impact on who we become. We learn from what we see.

Was Diwali just wishing each other, “Happy Diwali!” and posting pics in your new clothes on social media, or did you light up somebody’s life and make it a memorable day, just as how my guardian angel did when I was a child?

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting 

UNSHAKEABLE FAITH

A beautiful quality in life I imbibed,

Just watching my mother,

Who personified unshakeable FAITH.

Her unwavering beliefs and prayers,

Were a positive influence on me.

 

Faith opens possibilities,

And assures us that,

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Faith gives us the strength,

To go through the vicissitudes of life.

 

Faith banishes our fear,

Faith instils confidence.

Faith creates miracles,

It is our only savior,

When all hopes are lost.

 

The acrobats leap in faith,

The baby monkey holds on, in faith.

The hands raise in faith,

The eyes close in faith,

One waits endlessly in faith.

 

There is no negotiation in faith,

There is no supposition in faith,

There is no substitute for faith.

All that I know is,

Life validates faith.

 

I am blessed to have faith in life,

I am truly grateful,

For this one quality,

Instilled in me,

That has shaped my life.

 

Faith on something,

Faith in one thing,

Faith in anything,

Faith in everything.

The question is, “Do you have FAITH?”

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting