WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? Tell them!

When 2020 was over we rejoiced.. it was the end of the Covid 19 pandemic we thought.. now it's all over and life will get back to normal.. No need for masking.. we can freely hug our favourite people.. and no need to live in fear.. BUT.. as we all know.. THAT definitely didn't happen.. and NOW we have Omicron to deal with! "When will it end? We are sick of it.. We have had ENOUGH of it now.. We want our normal lives back.. We are sick and tired of work from home because it never ends.. etcetera.. " These sentences pop up and seem to have become omnipresent in every conversation we have these days! 

How do we cope and manage to stay afloat inspite of all these challenges? Are the people we care about going to want to meet us if we become "walking-talking complaint boxes" all the time?! Finding fault and complaining are the easiest things in the world to do.. and sometimes it feels like I know people who have a double Ph.D. in them! On the flip side.. I am also blessed to know people who say "It is what it is.. but thankfully we weren't locked down this year.. we got to meet friends.. also started going to office.. the balance sheets improved.. we are sleeping better.. the weddings were small but intimate.. we have understood how to cherish the special people in our lives etcetera.." 

Heroes don't always wear capes uniforms badges and masks like Superman Batman and Captain Marvel.. most of the time they are dressed just like you and me! 

THESE are my heroes.. to name a few.. ALL the frontline workers are jostling for first place at the top of that list as well - doctors.. nurses.. hospital staff.. and equally the BMC guys who work in sanitation and drainage to keep us healthy.. sweepers who clean the roads.. garbage collectors who barely constantly exposed to toxicity.. my staff at home who do everything they possibly can just to keep me happy and comfy.. friends who call just to check up on me since I live alone.. family who checks in to make sure I'm ok.. our soldiers at the borders protecting us from attack.. vendors who are thoughtful and kind enough to call and say "I have the freshest green peas of the season today.. shall I send some across"?

As I was contemplating my last blog of the year.. simultaneously I was thinking of WHAT to write as a new year message.. and Eureka! The thought realization and idea came to me.. let me do a mini analysis of WHAT I admire about the people in my life.. and WHAT is it that makes me want to emulate them at some level.. and WHAT is the genuine compliment I want to pay them that I have perhaps wanted to give them.. but just felt a little awkward about saying in so many words right until now? Let me overcome that little bit of awkwardness and just DO it

and so I started! 

First of all I called an aunt who I don't speak with very often at all.. but I see her posts on Facebook very regularly.. I'm 58 and she's definitely older in chronological years.. but very young at heart! She's now learning ballroom dance and thoroughly enjoying it.. I love the openness to new experiences and that she's having so much fun! I called her up yesterday and told her in so many words and she was super happy! Am blessed to have another aunt who is gorgeous and a great dresser.. especially when she wears traditional Indian wear.. she is the epitome of charm and grace.. and someone I hope to be like perhaps 10 or 15 years from now.. so I called and told HER in so many words as well.. she was utterly delighted and we had a short and sweet chat!

For 2022 Happy New Year wishes.. rather than sending a generic or forwarded message.. let's try reaching out at a one to one level to the people who really matter.. and TELL them why they mean so much to us! Some of you (I know) will immediately think "Oh! I'm not good with words.. can't express.. don't know what to say.. etc" so I'm saying.. There's always a first time for everything.. and when you do it from the heart.. the words just flow! You'll never know what you can do.. until you try!" Reach out and touch someone's life.. put asmile on their face.. say what you FEEL.. and make their new year a joyous one! 

Seeing that this is my last blog for the year.. with tremendous love gratitude and folded hands.. I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading.. commenting.. texting.. appreciating.. and sharing stories of what the blog has done for you.. perhaps it's made you think.. smile.. laugh.. comforted you or started your day off on a good note..  Writing this blog is something I thoroughly enjoy and it's such a wonderful way to remain connected with all of you.. it's been a great channel of self-expression.. and it restores my energies! 

For now.. keep reading.. stay happy and just look ahead to another great year! Wishing you a truly magical 2022 filled with all your favourite things and people! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS - be in abundance!!

It's the 25th of December so of course the obligatory "Merry Christmas" wishes to all of you reading this blog! As I sit and type I wonder what it REALLY takes to make a Christmas merry.. actually we are celebrating the birth of Jesus who is widely worshipped as a saviour! Growing up in the United States and fortunately being born to liberal parents.. plus we rented and LIVED in a house that belonged to the local church.. I've even attended Sunday School classes for the longest time and loved them! Just for the record.. I've also attended Bal Vihar classes run by the Chinmaya Mission and loved those as well.. and this post definitely ISN'T about religion.. Religion and Politics are two topics that the wisdom (?!) of age has taught me NEVER to discuss with friends family or anyone I really care about! 

The word Christmas conjures up vivid images of beautifully decorated Christmas trees.. brightly wrapped presents.. striped candy canes.. sparkling baubles.. turkey dinners.. family meals and most of all.. to me.. abundance! Most of us find ourselves being more caring compassionate and generous around this time of the year.. with our time energy patience and emotions! We are definitely at our kindest and most receptive to whatever the Universe has to offer us during these days.. but the question I'm nudging you with is.. Are we truly grateful? Do we say grace before meals? Do we recognize and acknowledge our numerous blessings? Do we truly have the Christmas spirit?

Christmas is an exceptionally significant day in my life because my maternal grandmother (Nani) was born on this day! Although I was very young when she passed away I know from family stories how she was this extremely gentle loving and caring human being who came from total abundance (even though she hoarded like a magpie out of the sense of "why waste money on a new one.. we might need it someday!) 

Christmas is a "larger than life" experience so let's be MORE today onwards.. MORE aware.. MORE  patient.. MORE tolerant.. MORE open and accepting.. MORE generous.. and most of all.. come from MORE abundance at every level.. physical mental social emotional intellectual and spiritual.. Let's read.. process.. understand.. internalize and practice more wisdom from the great masters.. through whatever paths we choose to walk.. Abundance.. coupled with the joy of giving.. and heartfelt gratitude are what generate the trust Christmas spirit of abundance!

And like they say.. give.. Give...GIVE till it hurts.. and beyond that as well.. so as a Christmas present (to the world.. not to me) please accept my little reminder to be in abundance.. and strive to be MORE at every level.. The only way to do this is of course to have our feet firmly planted on our spiritual path.. whether it is through yoga meditation reading worship or anything else.. all these paths only take us towards inner peace and understanding! 

Let's all overflow with the spirit of abundance so much that it washes away and wipes out all the negativity unhappiness anger and even Covid 19 AND Omicron from our beautiful world! 

Wishing you all a truly MERRY Christmas today!!

COLON THERAPY.. Fear is contagious!!

So here I am.. on my annual three week detox at Pema Wellness in Visakhapatnam.. It's a beautiful place.. serene.. green.. calm.. and has a pond of beautiful koi fish in the lobby! It is an experience I really look forward to.. twenty one days filled with a variety of massages.. scrumptious healthy food.. lots of walking.. interesting talks by the doctors.. and all kinds of therapies for various conditions!

Among these is the BIG C.. Colon therapy or colon cleansing as it is commonly known! Ever since I first came here everyone who talked about Colon therapy made a HUGE thing out of it.. said it was super stressful etc.. Me being me.. I had taken all my prescribed therapies as scheduled and was absolutely fine.. The evening before my first scheduled Colon therapy while I was at dinner.. everyone said things like "Ohmigod! You have Colon therapy?! You poor thing.. it's scary.. you will feel very weak.. your BP will go haywire.. you will feel nauseous.. exhausted.. etcetera.."

It must be confessed that I entered the Colon therapy room with some trepidation.. but.. as it turned out.. nothing could have been smoother! The healer (therapist) who administered it was kindness itself.. explained the procedure step by step and was very reassuring.. she even showed me a short video that illustrated exactly what was going to happen.. Basically, the machine flushes your digestive tract with 32 litres of water (gradually of course) and all your undigested food matter gas and other toxins are flushed out of your body! Yes I DID feel a little tired once it was over but was euphoric at the sheer lightness I felt as well.. most people looked at me as if I was crazy when I said I had actually ENJOYED the therapy!

Perhaps some people are a little more brave than others.. a little more receptive to trying new experiences.. a little less hung up on their sense of dignity (you sacrifice shame when you undergo this therapy for sure!!) But it gets a lot of bad press that it doesn't deserve! If you ask me.. taking an enema is way more stressful and anxiety inducing! Given a choice I opt for the Colon therapy any day - it takes just 40 minutes.. is completely painless.. and who in their right mind would want to walk around and live with multiple toxins in their body when there is such a simple option to get rid of all that and be completely cleansed and fresh?! The gut is the second brain - who wants to be knowingly brain damaged?!

Also.. I realize that a number of psychosomatic disorders start from the gut.. and that's probably because we all carry so much negativity within ourselves.. anger frustration jealousy impatience.. and it festers inside while we are trying to be polite normal (and civilized).. We may have been holding onto and harboring these feelings for a long time.. and finally they manifest in the form of mental and physical illness.. and that's why it's super important to "let go" of things and people who generate stress.. for OUR own wellbeing! Colon therapy helps us indirectly to do that.. negativity gets flushed out along with the waste..

On a larger scale, it strikes me that when we go into a new experience or a new situation.. we should just have faith that it will be good for us and embrace the novelty value and try to enjoy it! Sometimes.. no.. often the unknown is challenging.. fun.. exciting.. and HAS to be experienced with an open mind.. We are all unique with our own minds and intelligence.. WHY do we decide how we are going to react to something.. anything.. based on someone ELSE'S experience? Have seen so much stress and tension on people's faces here before going in for Colon therapy and felt that I absolutely MUST share my take on this whole thing!

Applying this to life in general on a broader and larger scale.. the way to live life is to come from passion.. compassion.. zest.. enthusiasm.. but never ever from fear! Be brave.. be strong.. be adventurous.. be a risk taker.. be impulsive.. be whatever you want.. but please don't be fearful! Do your research.. read up and be informed.. ask an expert if you must.. but (with apologies to Nike).. JUST DO IT!!