The Optimist's Creed

I  read  the Note below and thought this is something worth sharing.  So here I am.  I hope each of us could do at least one of the things mentioned in the note, each day.  Happy Women's Day!! 

The Optimists Creed - by Christian D. Larson - 1912 from The Secret

I PROMISE MYSELF

To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.

To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything, and make my optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.

To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

 

God IS

I feel reluctant to talk about God
For I have Seen
If I talked of God to the others
There will always be a someone who doesn't believe like I do
My noise about God will make them argumentative
Making us lose the harmony that Envelops ALL.
There will always be someone who believes like I do
My words about God will make them feel the Strength in Numbers
Making them believe that they can get away with anything they do to others.
There will always be someone who doesn't believe in a God
My talk about God will sound like judgement to them
Making them disconnect from who and what we are to each other.
There will always be someone who claims God with a different Name and Meaning
My talk about God will sound like I am bragging and boasting
Making them want to put me in my place.
There will always be someone who worships God differently
My talk about God will sound disrespectful and blasphemous
Making them want to teach me the RIGHT and ONLY way.
There will always be people who don't have the same morals and ethics as I do
My talk about God will seem like I am imposing on them to live like I do
Making them Resist my open-ness and trust.

I hold God like my husband-
In the depths of my heart,
In sickness and in health
In poverty and in wealth
In Love and in Hate
In Kindness and in Unkindness
In All those ambivalent moments.
God is in how I hold Nature
With care enough to let her be
Without arrogance, with reverence.
God is in how I hold my Friends
In the Care, Nurture, Support and Kindness
In the laughter and the tears
God is in how I hold children
In awe, love, joy, being there for them
In the ouches and the giggles
God is in how I hold my elders
In respect, surrender, obedience and reverence
In learning through their wisdom
God is in how I treat strangers
In respect,  trusting and helpful
In listening to their messages.
God is in the Work I do
With dedication, in humbleness and sincerity
In doing my best in all that I can do
From Now that wasn't the Now
To the Then that will soon be Now
From the Place where my body stands
To the Places that my mind can reach
Within the Depths of my Heart
To the expanse of the Universe
God just IS.

P.S.  This is the only time I am making an exception to talk about God…I do this ’cause I felt the need to Vent and be Done.

Symbolism of Ganesh

On Saturday next week, is Ganesh Chaturthi, it is the festival where Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed God of the Hindu Pantheon, is worshipped. It is a festival thats celebrated more rigorously in the States of Maharastra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. He Governs the aspects of Wisdom, Knowledge, working through obstacles and of taking life as it comes. Maybe that's the reason he's my favorite. Those of you who have studied any religion, would know that religion is usually filled with symbolism which have as deep a meaning as the interpreter. Symbolism, is not a SLR camera with the WYSIWYG(what you see is what you get). I had to go hunting for the meanings of the symbolism in Ganesh. Here is what I found.

Legends say that Ganesh was created out of the Sandalwood paste that Parvathi(Shiva's consort) used on her body before taking a bath. She made a model of a Boy with this paste and breathed life into it. She then asked him to guard the door, to not let anyone in while she bathed. When Shiva arrives at the door, he finds that he cant go into his own home because this dutiful son would not allow him in. The Boy then has a confrontation with Shiva's army and with Shiva and beat them in the battle. Annoyed, Shiva severs his head. After her bath, Parvathi discovers her dead son and became inconsolable. The head of the Boy was smashed beyond repair. So Shiva sends his horde asking them to bring the first living being, sleeping with its head to the North(this is probably why most Hindus do not keep their Beds with the Head facing North). They come across an elephant sleeping with this head towards the North. They sever the head and get it back to Shiva who then fits it on to the body of the boy and grants him the boon of being the First to be worshipped on any Occasion… So it has come to be that before the start of any endeavor, prayers and offerings are made to Lord Ganesh.
The Ganesh Sholka:
"Om, Shri Vakratunda Mahaakaaya, Suryakotee Sama Prabha,
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa"
Meaning :
O Lord of Large body, curved trunk, with the brilliance of a million suns, please make all my work free of obstacles, always.
This is said at the beginning of a journey or a start of the day's work . Every Manifestation of God has a Root sound associated with them, the root sound associated with Ganesh is "Gum" .
Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations:
The celebrations start with - A like clay model of Lord Ganesha is made 2-3 months prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The size of this idol may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet. On the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents for people to view and pay their homage. The priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting of mantras. This ritual is the pranapratishhtha, which literally means Instilling Life. After this the shhodashopachara (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 modakas (rice flour preparation), 21 durva (trefoil) blades and red flowers are offered. The idol is anointed with red unguent (rakta chandan). Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi(most hindus follow the Lunar Calendar) to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.
Source : About.com
Here are some recipes that are made specially for the celebrations.
Have A blessed Ganesh Chaturthi!
Peace Always
Mithuna.

Prayers

I rarely argue with people about the existence or non-existence of God, I feel each has to believe according to their needs and temperments.  I am not a very Religious person but I do pray.  Prayer to me isn't about rituals or begging or fearing that which pervades the entire Universe. It is a tool to understand myself or find the answers to the questions "Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I achieve it? Where can I be of use?"

I use prayers to get myself through trying situations and to give thanks for all that I have in terms of tangible and intangible things. Prayer is a way to bring myself to be aware of things as they are and use what I have to be able to deal with them and learn from the event or people around me.  Sometimes (wish I remembered to do that more often) I use prayer instead of complaining or whining or generally get through the "why me?" syndrome. 

Some prayers are my favorite.  I use them at the start of journeys, to remind me of why I pray, to help me stay on some decision I made or to help me gain control over hurt/anger/helplessness/fear at someone or some situation.  Here are some of my favorite ones:

This is a Mantra that is used traditionally as a prayer for Peace.

Sarveshaam Svastir Bhavatu Sarveshaam Shaantir Bhavatu Sarveshaam Purnam Bhavatu Sarveshaam Mangalam Bhavatu Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Sarve Santu Niramayaah Sarve Bhardrani Pashyantu Maa Kadhchit Duhkhabhahg Bhavet

May good befall all, May there be peace for all, May all be fit for perfection, and May all experience that which is auspicious. May all be happy.  May all be healthy. May all experience what is good. Let no one suffer.

This is a prayer I use when I am overwhelmed with the things I do in my life. It helps me focus and makes me acknowledge the things I am; I can be and can do.

I am a Daughter, sister, Friend, Wife and Mother.

I am here to serve.

I care about those who come into my life.

I give to others because I can give.

I have a tender heart so I can lend comfort to those in need.

I believe in a higher power.

I am connected to those around me.

I make my best effort to be there for the ones in my life.

When I  begin to feel misery when I look around at the JONESES and feel, I got the lousiest end of the stick I remind myself of the things I have with this:

 

Thanks for the feeding my hunger,

Thanks for quenching my thirst,

Thanks for a roof over my head,

Thanks for giving me a family I love,

Thanks for letting me have the people I need,

Thanks for letting me have the basics so I could think,

Thanks for the extras that I have so that I could give.

Thanks for the restlessness that pushes me to explore my limits.

Thanks for the anger that helps me seek justice.

Thanks for the awareness that I have what I need.

When I begin a journey, either going to some place physically or starting some discipline mentally I use this one.

As I start this journey,

May everything work out for the Needs.

May I remember that I can only do my best.

May I remember that the fruits are not mine to keep.

May I take the lessons from what happens,

Without losing Hope or faith in my abilities.

May I always remember to do what I do, with the awareness that it affects others.

May it always be in  accordance with peace, happiness and harmony.

Do you pray? If you do, what are your reasons?  Do you have a favorite prayer?