Concept Of Karma

Subject: Concept Of Karma The self-controlled person, moving among objects, with his senses free from attachment and malevolence and brought under his own control, attains tranquility.~ Bhagavad Gita II.64

 The law of cause and effect forms an integral part of Hindu philosophy. This law is termed as 'karma', which means to 'act'. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English defines it as the "sum of person's actions in one of his successive states of existence, viewed as deciding his fate for the next". In Sanskrit karma means "volitional action that is undertaken deliberately or knowingly". This also dovetails self-determination and a strong will power to abstain from inactivity. Karma is the differentia that characterizes human beings and distinguishes him from other creatures of the world. The Natural LawThe theory of karma harps on the Newtonian principle that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. Every time we think or do something, we create a cause, which in time will bear its corresponding effects. And this cyclical cause and effect generates the concepts of samsara (or the world) and birth and reincarnation. It is the personality of a human being or the jivatman - with its positive and negative actions - that causes karma. Karma could be both the activities of the body or the mind, irrespective of the consideration whether the performance brings fruition immediately or at a later stage. However, the involuntary or the reflex actions of the body cannot be called karma. Your Karma Is Your Own DoingEvery person is responsible for his or her acts and thoughts, so each person's karma is entirely his or her own. Occidentals see the operation of karma as fatalistic. But that is far from true since it is in the hands of an individual to shape his own future by schooling his present. Hindu philosophy, which believes in life after death, holds the doctrine that if the karma of an individual is good enough, the next birth will be rewarding, and if not, the person may actually devolve and degenerate into a lower life form. In order to achieve good karma it is important to live life according to dharma or what is right. Three Kinds of KarmaAccording to the ways of life chosen by a person, his karma can be classified into three kinds. The satvik karma, which is without attachment, selfless and for the benefit of others; the rajasik karma, which is selfish where the focus is on gains for oneself; and the tamasik karma, which is undertaken without heed to consequences, and is supremely selfish and savage. In this context Dr. D N Singh in his A Study of Hinduism, quotes Mahatma Gandhi's lucid differentiation between the three. According to Gandhi, the tamasik works in a mechanic fashion, the rajasik drives too many horses, is restless and always doing something or other, and the satvik works with peace in mind. Swami Sivananda, of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh classifies karma into three kinds on the basis of action and reaction: Prarabdha (so much of past actions as has given rise to the present birth), Sanchita (the balance of past actions that will give rise to future births - the storehouse of accumulated actions), Agami or Kriyamana (acts being done in the present life). The Discipline of Unattached ActionAccording to the scriptures, the discipline of unattached action (Nishkâma Karma) can lead to salvation of the soul. So they recommend that one should remain detached while carrying out his duties in life. As Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita: "To the man thinking about the objects (of the senses) arises attachment towards them; from attachment, arises longing; and from longing arises anger. From anger comes delusion; and from delusion loss of memory; from loss of memory, the ruin of discrimination; and on the ruin of discrimination, he perishes".

Credits: S Das

 Jai Ram Ji Ki
 Pt Vishal

Hindu Dates October 2009

Pradosh 01

Poornima Vrat; Valmiki Jayanti 03

Kartik Snan Begins; Panchak Ends 04

Karak Chaturthi 07

Ahoie Ashtmi 11

Ramaa Ekadashi; Gowatsa Dwadashi 14

Pradosh; Yam Deep; Dhan Teras; Dhanwantari Jayanti 15

Narak Chaturdashi; Deep Daan; Monthly Shiv Raatri; Tula Sankranti 16

Amawasya; Deepawali 17

Goverdhan Puja; Annkoot 18

Bhai Dooj 19

Surya Shashti 23

Akshaya Naumi; Panchak Begins 27

Prabodhini Ekadashi; Tulsi Vivah 29

Pradosh 30

Vaikuntha Chaturdashi 31


NOTE: please consult your Pundit for precise times and other information required.

Somvar (Monday)

God:



Monday is dedicated to Lord Shiva. On this day, he is worshipped along with his consort goddess Parvati. Though, of course, as is the custom, Lord Ganesha is venerated right at the beginning of the worship. Devotees also listen to Shiva Bhajans on this day.

Ritual:


The 'Somvar Vrat' or Monday fast is observed from sunrise till sunset and the devotee partakes of the food only after saying his evening prayer. Fasting on Mondays in the month of Shravan is considered even more auspicious. Hindus believe that observing a fast or 'upvaas' on Mondays will satisfy Lord Shiva who will grant them wisdom and fulfill all their desires. In some places, unmarried girls and spinsters keep fast to be blessed with an ideal husband.


Folklore:


This tradition goes back to Hindu mythology, though the myths vary greatly from region to region. Among the popular ones are: There lived a very poor Brahmin who started devoting his Mondays to fasting and worshipping Lord Shiva. After a period of time, the Lord was satisfied with his devotion and blessed him with wealth. Another lore speaks of a rich merchant who begets a son after a prolonged wait but the child dies. It is only with the grace of Lord Shiva and Parvati that the son is reborn. A third story is describes a game of dice played between Shiva and Parvati that makes Monday important for Shiva.


Color & Gem:


White is the preferred color of the day and Pearl the preferred gem.

Celestial Body:


The Moon (Chandra) rules Monday.

Jai Ram Ji Ki
Pt Vishal

Ganeshji

Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha, but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses.



The Lord of Success

The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.


Significance of the Ganesha Form

Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.



The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.



How Ganesha Got His Head

The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.



However, there's another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to appease Vishnu in order to have a son. When a son was born to her, all the gods and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati's insistence when Shani eyed the baby, the child's head was severed instantly. All the gods started to bemoan, whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby's body, thus reviving it.



Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride

Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief,He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus.

Jai Ram Ji

Pt Vishal

Thank you letter to Shri Ganapati Bhavan

Namaste- My dear friend Pundit Vishal Ji, the wonderful very hard working members and committee of the Shri Ganapati Bhavan. First off, I apologize for our visit to the temple and the yagna for being so short, but I believe that some moments in life are only short because they create sweet memories. My husband and I would like to thank you all for your hospitality during this short time and it was indeed a pleasure meeting you and enjoying the devotional atmosphere that surrounds Shri Ganapati Bhavan.




I have known Vishal Ji while growing up at the BARATARIA VISHNU MANDIR and I speak for myself, my parents, pundit Bimal- Ji and the many faithful members of the Barataria community back home when I say that listening to Vishal Ji on Friday night, was indeed a proud moment for us all. Pundit Ji, you have surely come a long way from those initial days. Listening to your discourse was not only entertaining but also engaging and insightful. We were particularly impressed with your hold on the Sanskrit language (the language of the Gods) and your vocal skill. Keep up the good work.



Shri Ganapati Bhavan surrounds itself with the most enthusiastic and youthful committee I have encountered in a very long time, I commend each one of you for your individual dedication and loyalty towards our sanatan dharma and our religion. It is the vitality of your youth and the innovation of your ideas that will take our dharma from strength to strength.



I would like to share something with all of you and I hope you do not mind. I left my home Trinidad after marriage about 10 years ago, and upon leaving home, I felt as though I lost a little piece of myself. Being in America, temple services are a rarity, celebrations becomes infrequent and as a whole, life and circumstance becomes a bit different. But as I sat a Shri Ganapati Bhavan Inc on Friday night, I found that piece of myself that I lost when I left home, that emptiness got immediately filled as I sat around you wonderful devotees and engrossed myself in the magnificently decorated tent and as bhajans filled my surroundings, I felt as though I was back home, even the smell was that of my fresh Trinidad soil. I humbly thank you the members of the Shri Ganapati Bhavan for inviting us to this yagna, it will indeed be one of the most memorable moments of my life.



My husband and I travelled 4.5 hrs from our home in Boston, but we left without regret. Vishal Ji, you are doing great work in your community and we commend your efforts towards our dharma. You have incorporated technology and communication to bring the youth of your community not as individual fingers of a hand but instead a strong fist of DHARMA. I urge the many friends and family who have the good fortune of living within this praiseworthy community to join the efforts of Shri Ganapati Bhavan and attend a service and experience what I experienced – a night of religious observance, devotion and a discourse filled with enlightenment.



Again, with clasped hands I thank you the members and the committee of Shri Ganapati Bhavan for inviting us to share in your love, your dedication and commitment towards our dharma. I look forward to paying many more visits in the future. May Shri Ganapati’s blessings be showered upon each and every one of you.



Namaste,

Arun & Parveen Eswaran

Boston, MA

09/27/09

Valmiki Jayanti

Maharshi Valmiki, the author of the great Indian epic Ramayana, was a Hindu sage who lived around the beginning of the first millennium B.C. He is referred to as the 'adikavi', the original creator of the Hindu 'sloka' - a verse form in which most of the great epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and other works are composed.

How Valmiki Got His Name
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He was a Brahman by birth belonging to the lineage of Bhrigu. Fate consigned him to a family of robbers which brought him up. Accidental contact with the Saptarsis - the Seven Sages and with the sage Narada changed his life. By the repetition of Ramanama or the name of Ram, he attained the supreme state of a 'maharshi' or great sage. Since a 'valmika' or an anthill had grown over his body during his long period of austerities and poised state of penance, he came to be known as Valmiki.

The Epic Vision
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When the mythical sage Narada came to his hermitage, Valmiki who received him with due honor, posed a question - who was an ideal man? The reply came from Narada in the form of Samkshepa Ramayana which formed the foundation on which the magnificent 24,000 verse edifice was built by Valmiki. Then, immersed deep into this story, Valmiki left for the river Tamasa with his disciple Bharadwaj. The pleasant and placid river reminded the seer of the mature and modest quality of his hero. He visualized a pure and pious man's mind reflected in the deep waters. In the next instant he witnessed a heartless hunter mercilessly killing a male bird that was in love with its mate. The piteous wailing of the distressed female moved the heart of the sage so much that he spontaneously uttered a curse on the hunter. However, this curse came out of his mouth in the form of a 'sloka', a perfectly metrical composition, which surprised the sage himself: "No - You shall not command any respect in society for a long time as you have shot dead an innocent bird engrossed in love". The sage had turned into a poet.
Lord Brahma's Command
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His powerful emotions found equally powerful medium for their manifestation. It was a spontaneous outburst of his inner voice motivated by divine will. When he returned to his hermitage, Brahma (the fourfaced God, the creator), appeared to him and commanded him to compose an epic poem on the story of Ram as he had heard it from the great sage Narada, in his newly discovered metre. He also gave him the boon of the visions of all the incidents and the revelation of all the secrets connected with the story. Accordingly, Valmiki composed the epic, named it The Ramayana - the way or the conduct or the lifestory of Ram - the story of Ram's march in search of truth and righteousness.



A contemporary of the heroes of the Ramayana, Maharshi Valmiki gives very little information about himself since he was a sage who had completely dedicated his life to contemplation on God and service to humanity. History has no account of his life except that he figures briefly and modestly on two occasions in the course of the epic he wrote:
Valmiki's Cameo in Ramayana

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He is one of the first sages whose hermitage Ram visits along with his wife and brother on his way to Chitrakoot after leaving Ayuodhya. Valmiki welcomes them with love, affection and reverence and utters just one word 'asyatam' (be seated). He feels honored when Ram accepts his request and sits a while.


The other occasion is when Ram banishes Sita, it is Valmiki that shelters her and rears up her twin sons Luv and Kush. When they recite the epic poem in his royal court, Ram invites Valmiki and requests him to bring Sita along so she can prove her chastity before the elders and sages. Valmiki is offended yet keeps his composure and says Sita would comply with Ram's wishes for he is her husband. While presenting Sita in the Mandapa (prayer hall) Valmiki utters words that highlight the penance and perseverance which Valmiki practiced his entire life.

In His Own Words
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"I am the tenth son of the sage Prachetas. You belong to the great dynasty of Raghu. I do not remember to have uttered any lie so far in my life. I say that these two boys are your sons. I performed penance for thousands of years. I shall not accept the fruit of all my penance if there is any blemish in Maithili (Sita). I never entertained any ignoble thought, I never wronged any person, and I never spoke any vulgar word - I shall derive the benefit thereof only if Maithili is void of sin."

A True Sage
Valmiki was truly a Maharshi. He was purity, penance, benevolence and meditation personified and the sole object of his dedication and contemplation was Man, a man leaves his selfish existence and lives for others identifying himself with the composite culture of the cosmic creation. The only work available of the great sage-poet, The Ramayana, has established the poet's timeless fame.

Jai Ram ji Ki
Pt Vishal

Lord Brahma

Hinduism perceives the whole creation and its cosmic activity as the work of three fundamental forces symbolized by three gods, which constitutes the Hindu Trinity or ‘Trimurti’: Brahma - the creator, Vishnu - the sustainer, and Shiva - the destroyer.



Brahma, the Creator:

Brahma is the creator of the universe and of all beings, as depicted in the Hindu cosmology. The Vedas, the oldest and the holiest of Hindu scriptures, are attributed to Brahma, and thus Brahma is regarded as the father of dharma. He is not to be confused with Brahman which is a general term for the Supreme Being or Almighty God. Although Brahma is one of the Trinity, his popularity is no match to that of Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is to be found to exist more in scriptures than in homes and temples. In fact it is hard to find a temple dedicated to Brahma. One such temple is located in Pushkar in Rajasthan.



The Birth of Brahma :

According to the Puranas, Brahma is the son of God, and often referred to as Prajapati. The Shatapatha Brahman says that Brahma was born of the Supreme Being Brahman and the female energy known as Maya. Wishing to create the universe, Brahman first created the water, in which he placed his seed. This seed transformed into a golden egg, from which Brahma appeared. For this reason Brahma is also known as ‘Hiranyagarbha’. According to another legend, Brahma is self-born out of a lotus flower which grew from the navel of Vishnu.



In order to help him create the universe, Brahma gave birth to the 11 forefathers of the human race called ‘Prajapatis’ and the seven great sages or the ‘Saptarishi’. These children or mind-sons of Brahma, who were born out of his mind rather than body, are called the ‘Manasputras’.

The Symbolism of Brahma:

In the Hindu pantheon, Brahma is commonly represented as having four heads, four arms, and red skin. Unlike all the other Hindu gods, Brahma carries no weapon in his hands. He holds a water-pot, a spoon, a book of prayers or the Vedas, a rosary and sometimes a lotus. He sits on a lotus in the lotus pose and moves around on a white swan, possessing the magical ability to separate milk from a mixture of water and milk. Brahma is often depicted as having long white beard, with each of his heads reciting the four Vedas.



Brahma, Cosmos, Time & Epoch:

Brahma presides over 'Brahmaloka,' a universe that contains all the splendors of the earth and all other worlds. In Hindu cosmology the universe exists for a single day called the ‘Brahmakalpa’. This day is equivalent to four billion earth years, at the end of which the whole universe gets dissolved. This process is called ‘pralaya’, which repeats for such 100 years, a period that represents Brahma's lifespan. After Brahma's "death", it is necessary that another 100 of his years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew.

Linga Purana, which delineates the clear calculations of the different cycles, indicates that Brahma's life is divided in one thousand cycles or ‘Maha Yugas’.



Brahma in American Literature:

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) wrote a poem called "Brahma" that was published in the Atlantic in 1857, which shows many ideas from Emerson's reading of Hindu scriptures and philosophy. He interpreted Brahma as "unchanging reality" in contrast to Maya, "the changing, illusory world of appearance." Brahma is infinite, serene, invisible, imperishable, immutable, formless, one and eternal, said Arthur Christy (1899 – 1946), the American author and critic.



Jai Ram Ji Ki

Pt Vishal

The importance of Prayer

In this multicultural society - many wonder...what are the true reasons behind prayer ?
I'm sure most are confused about the underlying philosophy of prayer. Some may feel that their prayers are not being answers. Here, I attempt to provide some insights into the success of prayers.

Why We Pray

To begin with we must understand as to why do we pray? There are basically 12 reasons for prayer:

We pray to depend on God for help in distress.
We pray for asking God for enlightenment.
We pray for communion with God through single-minded devotion.
We pray for asking for peace from God when the mind is restless.
We pray for surrendering ourselves to God completely.
We pray to God for giving us the ability to comfort others.
We pray for thanking God for his blessings.
We pray for expecting God to decide what is best for us when we are in a dilemma.
We pray for making friendship with God.
We pray for melting the mind and ego in silence in God.
We pray for requesting God to give strength, peace and pure intellect
We pray for asking God to purify the heart and make us abide in Him forever.

Two Parts of a Prayer
In essence, what the above 12 reasons convey to us is that a prayer has two parts: one is soliciting a favor from the Almighty and the other is surrendering ourselves to His will. While the first part is practiced by most of us on a daily basis, the second part is the real and ultimate goal because it implies dedication. Dedication means feeling the light of God within your heart. If your heart is devoid of divine light, you will not be happy, cheerful and successful in your lives.

Guard Your Selfish Desires
Remember, your success depends on the inward state of your mind. Your mind will create hindrance in your work if it is not in communion with God because He alone is the permanent abode of peace. Yes, I agree that most of us want to have riches, healthy lives, nice children and prosperous future. But if we always approached God with a begging attitude then we are treating Him as our bearer to supply the things required by us at once. This is no devotion to God but devotion to our own selfish desires.

Jai Ram Ji Ki
Pt Vishal

The Power of Mantras

Mananaat traayate iti mantrah"
(That which uplifts by constant repetition is a Mantra.)

Sound Is Power
I firmly believe that the sound of Mantra can lift the believer towards the higher self. These sound elements of Sanskrit language are permanent entities and are of everlasting significance. In the recitation of Sanskrit Mantras the sound is very important, for it can bring transformation in you while leading you to power and strength.

Different sounds have different effects on human psyche. If a soft sound of wind rustling through leaves soothes our nerves, the musical note of running stream enchants our heart, thunders may cause awe and fear.

The sacred utterances or chanting of Sanskrit Mantras provide us with the power to attain our goals and lift ourselves from the ordinary to the higher level of consciousness. They give us the power to cure diseases; ward off evils; gain wealth; acquire supernatural powers; worship a deity for exalted communion and for attaining blissful state and attain liberation.

Origin of Mantras
Mantras are Vedic in origin. The teachings of the Vedas consist of various Mantric chants or hymns cognized by different seers or Rishis from the Cosmic Mind. Since the Vedas are impersonal and eternal, the exact historical date of the origin of Mantra chanting is hard to arrive at. For example, every Mantra in the Vedas, Upanishads and various religious traditions (sampradayas) within Hindu religion begin with Om or Aum - the primordial sound, the sound that is said to have its origins at the time of the creation of the cosmos - also referred to as the 'Big Bang'.

Healing by Mantropathy
The chanting of Om in Transcendental Meditation has now received widespread recognition. Mantras can be used to treat tension and many other difficult diseases that are yet to come. The Brahmvarchas Shodh Sansthan, research center for integration of science and spirituality in Shantikunj, Haridwar, India, is the only place I know of which carries out extensive experiments on 'mantra shakti'. The result of these experiments is used to testify that Mantropathy can be used scientifically for healing and environment cleansing.

How to Chant
There are many schools of thought on the methods of chanting. A Mantra chanted correctly or incorrectly, knowingly or unknowingly, carefully or carelessly, is sure to bear the desired result for physical and mental well being. It is also believed by many that the glory of Mantra chanting cannot be established through reasoning and intellect. It can be experienced or realized only through devotion, faith and constant repetition of the Mantra.

According to some scholars, Mantra chanting is Mantra Yoga. The simple yet powerful Mantra, Om or Aum harmonizes the physical forces with the emotional forces with the intellectual forces. When this happens, you begin to feel like a complete being - mentally and physically. But this process is very slow and requires a lot of patience and unfailing faith.

The Guru-Mantra
In my opinion the healing through chanting can be expedited if the mantra is received from a guru. A guru adds a divine potency to the mantra.

10 Ways to Wake Up Laughing by Swami Beyondananda

1. Laugh Every Day. Seriously ... laughter is good for you. And when things “just aren’t funny” -- that’s the most important time to laugh. Try this at home: Watch Funniest Home Videos with the sound off and Spike Jones playing instead.

2. Don’t Worry, You’re Already Funny. Instead of trying to be funny, learn to see funny. Especially learn to see what’s funny about you. Imagine God watching the Comedy Channel, and you are what’s on.

3. Bring Laughter to the Outernet. Take the best of those jokes you get on the internet and share them on the “outernet.” Practice by telling the same joke to five people. Short jokes are fine. Remember, it’s not the length of the joke that matters, it’s how much pleasure it
gives.

4. Savor and Save Humorous Healing Stories. A good laughsitive cleanses the system and leaves the mind open to receive nourishment. Keep a notebook of jokes that “enlighten as they lighten.” You will find yourself remembering and using them just at the right time.

5. Turn Worry Into Laughter. When you find yourself worrying about something, step back from the worry and see if you can find something in the situation to laugh about. Worrying has no proven benefits. Laughter does. Did you know that one Youngman of laughter -- the mirth contained in the average one-liner -- can release up to a megahurt of emotional pain?

6. Reframe Suffering as Comedy in Disguise. Sing the blues when you are angry, sad or frustrated. If you must complain, complain creatively -- and thoroughly enjoy your complaining. Say, “You know what I love about this ....?” Look for the comedy “hidden in this picture.” (e.g., “I’m not on the verge of bankruptcy. I’m just having a near-debt experience.”)

7. Build Critical “Muscle” By Pumping Ironies. Looking for the inherent contradictions and incongruities in situations helps build a strong body politic 12 ways. Train your inner child to ask, “How come that emperor isn’t wearing any clothes?” When you watch the news or read the papers, be on the lookout for truth disguised as humor.

8. Develop a Comic Alter Ego. A shy, mild-mannered man named Edgar Bergen went “inside” and found a brash, outrageous alter ego which he called Charlie McCarthy -- who would do and say things that would make Edgar blush. Even if your “character” never makes it beyond your bathroom mirror, a comic alter ego is a great way to give voice to daily frustrations and lovingly laugh at your own “shadow.” One of the best ways to break the addiction to your own personality is try some other ones on!

9. Write Your Laugh Story. Spend an afternoon or evening writing your life story as if it were a comedy. Which comic actors could play your family, friends and foes? Who would you get to play your part? Give your story a title. A friend of mine calls his “Don’t Do What I Did!”

10. Play Regularly. Have you ever felt the Creator is toying with you? Well then, follow Swami Beyondananda’s sage advice and become a creative plaything. Bring the childlike quality of play back into your life. Run up the down escalator. Dress for Halloween -- any day the mood hits you. Plant the seeds of harmless fun wherever you go.

Jai Ram Ji Ki