STUDY THE FACE OF NATURE

Study the face of nature and you will never be bored.

                                        - Ruskin Bond

We easily get bored with the objects and people if the indulgence exceeds a threshold limit. But the same is not the case with Nature. It gives a novelty at every moment.

Health experts advise that we must spend quality time with Nature daily. It stirs you into creativity. A day spent in the lush green patch would give more joy than a day spent in a five-star restaurant as outdoors open your own inner doors of creativity.

Rabindranath Tagore used to spend large chunks of his time in the gardens due to which great writings happened from him. Eminent philosopher of 20th century Jiddu Krishnamurti says that intelligence implies that you see the beauty of the earth, the beauty of the tree, the beauty of the skies, the lovely sunset, the stars, the beauty of subtlety.

The great Indian Writer Khushwant Singh used to spend his mornings and evenings in the park nearby his home. In his much acclaimed book : "Khushwantnama - The Lessons of My Life' he says that "My Nature watching has been mostly restricted to the back garden of my house in Sujan Singh Park, but how much that little garden has taught me !"

Your body is made up of five Primordial Elements and that's why your connection with Nature is eternal. So make it a habit to immerse yourself with Nature on daily basis.

IDEAL DAY

Your routine of the day decides the quality of life you live. If it is not in consonance with nature's cycle, progress in any area of life can't be achieved. This is the pragmatic wisdom and the sooner you realize, the better it would be.

Deepak Chopra, the famous American Indian medical doctor and the champion of health cause on American soil is the right blend of science and philosophy. He suggests that the ideal day should have the following components:

- Sleep Time
- Play Time
- Exercise Time
- Focused Work Time
- Relationship Time
- Down Time - Out of action
- Meditation Time.

Deepak further suggests to draw a Soul Profile by self-questioning the following:

- Who am I?
- What do I want?
- What is my purpose in this life?
- What sort of contribution do I want to make?
- What are my unique skills?
- Who are my heroes?
- What is a meaningful relationship
- What do I expect from one, and what do I give?

These are the questions that take you to the higher level of wisdom in life!

MORNING PRAYER !

Why do you need to pray? The best answer comes from none other than Stephen R. Covey, the famous author of '7 Habits of Highly Effective People'. He says that there are parts to human nature that can not be reached by either legislation or education but require the power of God to deal with. I believe that as human beings, we can not perfect ourselves. To the degree to which we align ourselves with correct principles, divine endowments will be released within our nature in enabling us to fulfill the measure of our creation.

Covey further says that We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.

The following are the best bunch of prayers for a contemplative mind :

May I have the serenity to accept the things I can not change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

                          - American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr

Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers;
Powers that would astonish him,
that he never dreamed of possessing;
forces that would revolutionize his life
if aroused and put into action.

                             - Orison Swett Marden

Learning gives creativity;
Creativity leads to thinking.
Thing provides knowledge
Knowledge makes you great.

                                 - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

WHAT IS WISDOM ?

Wisdom has no fixed meaning. It is the summation of your matured conduct at every moment of life. American educator and writer David Starr Jordan (1851-1931) defines : “Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it.”

Your decision-making ability is directly linked to the wisdom you accumulate in life. Age is not a barometer rather it is your intensity of effort to learn.

Having too much bookish knowledge is of no avail to you. Unless you are pragmatic with your self- knowledge, it will not elevate you. Generally, we judge others constantly, and if such energies are diverted inward,  life exuberates with joy.

Wisdom means feeling blessed all the times both in happy and sorrow moments. Each of us is unique and it is better not to fall into comparison mania especially on material aspects.

Wisdom means standing at a correct vantage point where there is no superior or inferior. It is simply respecting life in whatever form it is.