- Henry Ward Beecher

The army arrived in a small village and just like in all the other little villages, it was apparently deserted except… there was a little monk just sitting there meditating. When he was found, the General was alerted and was furious. He demanded to see the monk. He looked at the monk and said, “Do you not know who I am? I can cut off your head with this sword without batting an eye”.

The monk replied smiling, “Do you not know who I am, sir,” and paused,” I am the one who can have his head cut off without batting an eye.

Apparently the General was so taken aback and humbled that he bowed and left the monk alone.

Written by Simon Heighwaya

1. Know exactly what you want. It is most important for you to be clear and specific as to what your expect from yourself and others. A lot of people don’t really know what they want in their personal, social or professional life. They have a general idea like they want to be rich, famous and successful but they really don’t know what they are willing to do for the same. You need to not only know your specific goals, dreams and aspirations but also understand that to achieve those you would need to be clear and specific with everyone who is going to help you in your path of success. Noone makes their dreams come true in isolation so you need to learn how to motivate others which is possible only when you know exactly what you want.
2. Differentiate between ego and self respect. Self respect is the core of a high self esteem which is the base of success. However, very often people act out of their ego rather than healthy self respect. What is the difference? Well if you catch yourself reacting to others with the thought ‘how could he/she talk to me like that or do that’ chances are you are about to operate from ego. While if you catch yourself thinking ‘that sure is unpleasant behaviour, how can I work around it’ you are operating from a high self respect. It is important to express your displeasure but at the same time understand that others are free to choose the way they respond to you. Never lose your self respect but at the same time always keep your ego in check.
3. Respond – Don’t React. Reaction is an automatic response to a stimuli. For example, if you touch a hot vessel you’ll jerk your hand off. That is the instant reaction. Response is the choice you make after experiencing the stimuli. In the same example, when you put your hand under cold water you are responding to the burn. In physical emergencies like burns reacting before responding is understandable but in emotional emergencies like disagreements, conflicts, unpleasant life events, etc reacting instantly is not very wise. Try responding. For example, if your friend yells at you, your instant reaction maybe to yell back and defend your stand. Try responding instead by making a statement like ‘I can see you are really upset with me about this. Let me see how I can work it out differently’. Chances are high that your friend will stop screaming and also work towards a solution.
4. ‘NO’ is an option. A large number of people find it difficult to say a simple word like ‘no’. Are you one of them? Usually people don’t like to refuse because they feel if they do they would displease the other person. Most people either consciously or sub-consciously spend their whole life unsuccessfully trying to please others by displeasing themselves. It is important to understand that unless and until you are happy and pleased with yourself you can never please anyone else. You spread what you have… so if you have happiness within you spread happiness and if you have anger within you spread the same. The inability to say ‘no’ builds anger and frustration within. Go out and please yourself. For a while it may seem like you are displeasing a lot of people by doing so, but in the long run the same people will be happier and more proud of you and the relationship.
5. Accept limitations. We all want to be superman/superwoman. But unfortunately, life is not equal to movies. It is not humanly possible to be everywhere and do everything well. So accept that there will be certain things that you cannot do and let that be handled by someone else rather than you struggling to change. Remember, strong-stronger-strongest and weak-weaker-weakest. Whatever you focus on in life goes to the superlative, so if you focus on whats strong in you it would become strongest and if you focus on weak, it would become weakest! Don’t waste your energies over your weaknesses, noone is perfect. Strengthen your strengths to compensate and ignore your limitations. You rather be a master of one than a jack of all!

The way you handle your relationships is the way you will handle your success because the steps to success are made of innumerable relationships. The key to healthy relationships is a high self esteem and an assertive attitude. Think big, be confident, be assertive with yourself and others, sky is your limit!

Saloni Sawnani

The sea agreed to take care of the eggs, and it kept them safe. A few days later the two partridges came back, but they couldn’t find the eggs. They screamed at the sea. The sea wanted to give them the eggs, but it couldn’t find them. The birds cursed the sea; they began taking out a drop of water at a time and throwing it on the land.

“We are going to empty you,” they said to the sea.

Some little birds saw all this and they asked, “What are you doing?”

The partridges replied, “We are punishing the sea because it didn’t keep its promise to look after our eggs.”

The little birds thought it was a noble task and they joined the partridges. After a while some big birds took up their cause. They also started taking out water drop by drop. This went on for weeks.

One day, Garuda (a divine bird who carries the great cosmic god Lord Vishnu) came and asked, “What are you doing?”

The birds said, “Can’t you see? We are emptying the sea. ”

Garuda said, “You fools, how long will this take? You will never be able to do it. The sea is vast, infinite.”

But the birds answered, “No, we have determination and perseverance.”

Garuda was very surprised and said, “Let me show them Compassion. I’ll ask Lord Vishnu to help them. if Vishnu helps, then certainly they will be able to find their eggs. if the eggs are still in good condition, Vishnu will be able to return them. But if they are destroyed, he can do nothing for them.”

He went to Vishnu. “Vishnu, I have never seen fools like these. If you really care for fools, then will you do them a favor?” Garuda then told him the whole story.

Vishnu said, “No, they are not fools. They are showing the spirit of patience and perseverance. This is how human beings must try to empty the ignorance-sea, drop by drop. it is what seekers must and should do. The ignorance-sea is vast. If sincere seekers want to empty it and replace it with knowledge-light, then they must do it the same way, drop by drop. I am very pleased with these birds. I will command the sea to return the eggs.”

Garuda said, “The sea wanted to give them the eggs but it misplaced them and believes they are destroyed.”

Vishnu said, “I will use my psychic power to show the sea where they are.”

He used his psychic power and the sea immediately found the eggs and returned them to the partridges. Then Vishnu said to the birds, “Perseverance, patience and self-giving all are of paramount importance to fulfill one’s divine task. ”

from Garden of the Soul

by Sri Chinmoy

“The gold coin” said Birbal without hesitation.

Akbar was taken aback. “You would prefer a gold coin to justice?” he asked, incredulously.
“Yes” said Birbal

The other courtiers were amazed by Birbal’s display of idiocy. For years,they had been trying to discredit Birbal in the Emperor’s eyes but without success and now the man had gone and done it himself! They could not believe their good fortune.

“I would have been dismayed if even the lowliest of my servants had said this, continued the Emperor. But coming from you it’s…shocking- and sad. I did not know you are so debased”.

Birbal’s Solution “One asks for what one does not have, Your Majesty!” said Birbal quietly. “You have seen to it that in our country justice is available to everybody. So as justice is already available to me and as I am always short of money, I said I would choose the gold coin.”

The Emperor was so pleased with Birbal’s reply that he gave him not one but, a thousand gold coins!

Moral: 1

When faced with a question by those in authority, do not always go for what  seems to be the politically correct response. In all honesty if you feel otherwise,  and have sound reasons to back up your response, have the courage of  conviction to go against the tide. Once the management hears your logic, they will appreciate your unconventional thinking and you will stand out in the crowd.

Moral 2:

Before condemning somebody for his action, first find out why he did it. He may have a sound reason, which you may not be aware of. In all fairness everyone should have a chance to defend himself and his actions.

He was right. They were short weight, and he had the farmer arrested.

At the trial the judge said to the farmer, “I presume you have scales?”

“No, your honor.”

“Then how do you manage to weigh the butter you sell?” inquired the judge.

The farmer replied, “That’s easily explained, your honor. I have balances and for a weight I use a one-pound loaf I buy from the baker.”