Winning the battle in your mind.

Seven Powerful lessons from "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer

1. Your thoughts shape your reality. 

    Meyer emphasizes the idea that your thoughts have a direct impact on your life. Negative thoughts

    can lead to negative outcomes while positive thoughts can create positive experiences. 

2. The power of positive affirmations.

    Affirmations are positive statements that can help reprogram your mind. By repeating positive

    affirmations, you can replace negative thought patterns with more empowering ones.

3. The importance of guarding your mind.

    Meyer encourages readers to be vigilant in guarding their minds from negative influences. This 

    includes limiting exposure to negative media, people and situations.

4. The power of forgiveness.

    Holding on to grudges and resentment can weigh you down emotionally and mentally. Forgiveness

    is essential for healing and moving forward.

5. The role of self-talk.

    The way you talk to yourself can have a significant impact on your self-esteem and overall

    well being. Positive self-talk can boost your confidence and motivation.

6. The importance of prayer.

    Prayer can be a powerful tool for overcoming negative thoughts and seeking guidance from a

    higher power.

7. The benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

    Meditation and mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings,

    allowing you to control your mind better.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work.

Chakki has littered two adorable kittens; their colour matches that of Kittu.

 

Spacex 'catches' rocket booster.

Spacex, yesterday, successfully caught the returning first-stage booster minutes after the launch of its fifth Starship test flight in a historic first!

Catching the booster

The launch tower sported monstrous metal arms that caught the descending booster. It comes after the US regulator granted SpaceX its long-awaited licence to move forward with the fifth test launch of Starship.

How it helps SpaceX

Recycling boosters will help SpaceX speed up the launch rate and save millions in cost.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

A bright and sunny day but by evening, it was raining.

It was a quiet day.

Why do we seek fame?

We want to be famous as a writer, as a poet, as a painter, as a politician, as a singer or what have you? Why? Because we really don't love what we are doing. If you loved to sing or to paint or to write poems - if you really loved it - you would not be concerned with whether you are famous or not.

To want to be famous is tawdry, trivial, stupid, it has no meaning; but because we don't love what we are doing, we want to enrich ourselves with fame. Our present education is rotten because it teaches us to love success and not what we are doing. The result has become more important than the action.

You know, it is good to hide your brilliance under a bushel, to be anonymous, to love what you are doing and not to show off. It is good to be kind without a name.

That does not make you famous, it does not cause your photograph to appear in the newspapers. Politicians do not come to your door. You are just a creative human being, living anonymously and in that there is richness and great beauty.

Courtesy. Jiddu Krishnamurthy in his Book of Life.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

A wet day.

The day meandered by as we went about our work.

Dussehra.

KILL TEN (Dasha Hara) is a Sanskrit word which means removal of ten bad qualities within you...

                  1. Kama/Vaasana (Lust)

                  2. Krodha (Anger)

                  3. Moha (Attachment)

                  4. Lobha (Greed)

                  5. Mada (Over-pride)

                  6. Matsara (Jealousy)

                  7. Swartha (Selfishness)

                  8. Anyaaya (Injustice)

                  9. Amanavta (Cruelty)

                10. Ahankaara (Ego)

Hence, it is also known as Vijayadashami which means Vijaya (Victory) over these ten (Dasha) bad qualities.

There's yet another interpretation about it, which is, "Destruction of the Raavana in you"!

In Kerala, tomorrow is Dussehra.

The PN Panicker Foundation is organising a 'Digital Literacy Morning' at Chengalchoola in Thiruvananthapuram where children will impart the basics of digital literacy to the elders. 

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by 10.

The maid was at work.

A quiet weekend.

 

Adieu TP Madhavan chetta.

Firstly, my apologies for putting across my thoughts about you, so late.

I am reminded of our last meeting at the Gandhi Bhavan at Pathanapuram. It was about three years back and you were very keen to interact with me after knowing that I was PN Panicker's grandson. Your father, NP Pillai sir was a a great friend of my grandfather and together, they'd taken part in many activities, started a host of programs in the Library and Literary movements.

You were like a kid, when you shared a lot many things about life while you held back your personal pain deep within yourselves. Was deeply impressed with your simplicity!

And no, I don't pardon your children for dumping you to yourself in your old age. They haven't done anything spectacular by being there at your funeral....it was their bloody duty!

Adieu chetta! My tears and prayers. Om Shanti! Sadgati.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

Took Lekha to the Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr C Sasikumar for the pain that she has on her right knee which has been lingering on for over a week, the medicines prescribed by Dr (Mrs) Sodhi not withstanding.

A quiet Friday, otherwise.

Adieu Ratan Tata!

Ratan Tata, all of 86 years, passed into the mist of time yesterday. A thorough gentleman and a successful business icon, he believed in ethics and principles without caring a damn for profits!

Here's an incident - in his life - that he often recounted.

When Indian billionaire Ratan Tata was asked by the radio presenter in a telephone interview : "Sir, what do you remember when you got the happiest in life?"

Ratan Tata said :

"I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and I finally understood the meaning of true happiness.

The first stage was to accumulate wealth and resources. But at this stage I didn't get the happiness I wanted. But at this stage, I didn't get the happiness I wanted.

Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realised that the effect of this thing is also temporary and the lustre of precious things does not last long.

Then came the third phase of getting a big project. That was when I had 95% of the diesel supply in India and Africa. But even here I did not get the happiness that I had imagined.

The fourth step was when a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchairs for some disabled children....about 200 children. At the behest of that friend, I bought them.

But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him.

There I gave these children the wheelchair with my own hands. I saw a strange glow of happiness on the faces of the children.  I saw them all sitting in wheelchairs, moving and having fun.

It was as if they had reached a picnic spot, where they were sharing a winning gift.

I felt real happiness inside me.

When I decided to leave, one of the kids grabbed my leg. I tried to slowly release my leg but the child looked at my face and held my leg tight. I leaned over and asked the child : do you need anything else?

The answer the kid gave me not only shocked me but also completely changed my outlook towards life.

The child said" :

"I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I can recognize you and thank you once again". 

My take

Adieu Ratan Tata! Om Shanti!! Sadgati!!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 8.

Sundaran was my sa'arthi and we were off to the Department of Defence Pensions at Chembukaavu, in Thrissur. Mr Asokan was replaced by Ms Rajalekshmi, who was also very helpful.

Got my User ID and had my password inserted. Got the extracts of the two Corrigendum PPOs.

A quiet day, otherwise.

A worrying trend!

The developments in West Asia are impacting Shia pockets across India as Lucknow, Leh, Ladakh, Hyderabad and Delhi have witnessed unusual online traffic depicting the attacks and abuse against America and Israel. Noting that the current trend was never seen in India, sources said the intelligence report indicated collection of funds in the Shia-inhabited pockets.

In its report to the Multi-Agency Centre under the MHA, the report highlighted that there has been a massive increase in traffic on the internet relating to "attack videos and literature", which portray the strikes on Muslims by Israel as "genocide".

It is posing a major challenge for the Indian security establishment, as multi-faceted radicalisation has been on the rise and is leading to "anti-America" and "anti-Israel" sentiments among the gullible youth.

The need of the hour is to manage the narratives that are flying thick and fast, many of which propagate falsehoods and untruths. 

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 9.

The maid was at work.

Washing machinex of bed linen was carried out.