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There is more to life than increasing its speed. ~ Mahatma Gandhi A mind that is fast is sick. A mind that is slow is sound. A mind that is still is divine.” ~ Meher Baba “All negative thoughts – anger, fear, passion,compulsive craving -- tend to be fast. If we could see the mind when it is caught in such thoughts, we would really see it racing. But positive thoughts like love, patience, tenderness, compassion, and understanding are slow - not turbulent, rushing brooks of thinking, so to speak but broad rivers that are calm, clear, and deep.” ~ Eknath Easwaran When we go slower, we are more patient and when we are more patient we have a choice in how we respond. ~ Eknath Easwaran An unhurried mind brings the capacity to make wise choices every day - choices of how we use our time, of where we place our resources and our love. I am not just talking about avoiding the rat race, but about a life full of an artistic beauty - a life that has almost vanished from modern civilization, but is quite within the reach of everyone. ~ Eknath Easwaran “As meditation deepens, compulsions, cravings, and fits of emotions begin to lose their power to dictate our behavior. We see clearly that choices are possible: we can say yes, or we can say no.― Eknath Easwaran

Mod is an excellent administrator but to call him spiritually advanced or enlightened is hyperbole. Under him, India has become the fastest growing major economy in the world, the fourth largest economy and the fourth strongest military power on earth. However , he lacks the statemanship , diplomatic skils and oratory of former prime minister Nehru who were the co-founders of NAM and had attemted to position NAM as a buffer zone between the western and Soviet bloc, so as to prevent the likelihood of a nuclear war that could wipe out both sides in mutually assured destruction. Nehru could have mediated successfully the current crisis of Russia-Ukraine war and ensured that Russia and NATO would be bound to pledges and treaties of non-aggression and non-expansion respectively.

Insightful article on Buddhist perspective on nihilism.. https://buddhaweekly.com/buddhism-has-nothing-to-do-with-nihilism-and-everything-to-do-with-experiencing-why-emptiness-and-nothingness-are-poor-translations-of-shunyata/

This happened in later times when the caste system became regimented and rigid. Drone was partial to his disciple Arjuna and did not want a superior warrior Eklavya in comparison. And yes, Drona was a teacher of martial arts, and is not considered a sage or saint for that matter. He ended up fighting against Krishna and Arjuna in the Mahabharatha war later on. Guru Ravi Das who lived in the sixteenth century was an enlightened sage who belonged to the lower castes and had a spiritual guru in Ramananda who belonged to the Brahmin caste. Ravi das himself had disciples belonging to the upper castes like Mirabai.

Not so. Caste system in India is a feudal system similar to that in Europe, Japan and Korea. (Even now, European aristocrats tend to keep themselves distinct from the commoners and marry among themselves as a rule.) The caste system has no sanction in the Vedas, the original Hindu scriptures which preaches the equality and fraternity of all human beings. Majority of the Vedic sages came from the lower economic groups . The Vedic sage, Satyakama Jabala, who composed portions of the Vedas, was the illegitimate son of a prostitute. He was taken as a disciple by his Guru on account of his character and honesty which the Guru perceived as signs of merit even though he was of illegitimate lineage. The caste system came up later on as a social system in order to preserve, consolidate and develop knowledge systems of each profession. Universities were not wide-spread in ancient times, and it was easier for the father to teach his sons and nephews the technical details of his profession. This enabled a certain specialisation of disciplines. For example, mathematics as in the numeral system, zero and basic mathematics used around the world commonly were developed in India. I am not an advocate of the caste system as it is obviously obsolete in today's world, but it had its relevance in ancient times as a practical system. In todays world however, you can choose any profession, and the best universities in the world teaching that course by virtue of enhanced transportation and logistics.

Ukraine is neither a member of G7 or G20 , and Zhelensky has objected to being ignored in recent G20 summits. However, it can be a member of BRICS and use the opportunity to improve diplomatic relations with Russia to the point of peace and friendship, and also better relatons with the Global South and improve its economy in the process.

The Brazilian government announced that the next BRICS summit will take place in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7, 2025. https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2025/01/03/brazil-takes-over-the-brics-presidency-and-will-host-the-bloc-s-summit-in-rio/ In 2024, the BRICS countries overtook the G7 countries in terms of GDP share and now accounts for over 46 % of the world population.

The scientists of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, India have discovered a new exoplanet, TOI-6038A b, a dense sub-Saturn size with a mass of 78.5 Earth masses and a radius of 6.41 Earth radii in a wide binary system. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/indian-researchers-discover-new-exoplanet-toi-6038a-b-heres-all-about-it/articleshow/118295180.cms?from=mdr

'An unclean environment, if not cleaned, leads to a situation where one starts accepting circumstances. On the contrary, if one cleans up dirt in the surroundings he gets energised and then does not resign himself to existing adverse circumstances.' ~ Mahatma Gandhi This saying by Mahatma Gandhi highlights how the simple act of cleaning or sweeping can be an exercise in increasing the positivity quotient in oneself and reducing negativity and indolent passivity. As per Hinduism and Buddhism, the mind tends towards negativity and unconsciousness, so it takes day to day austerities or exercises to make it positive,strong and anchored in present moment awareness. Krishna also highlights the observance of cleanliness as an austerity in the Bhagavad Gita (BG 17.14). These austerities helps to bring auspiciousness and attract positivity into our lives. We tend to attract what is there within us, so it is important to ensure we are in a state of positivity ourselves by austerities or spiritual exercises to attract positive events and circumstances.

How can we gauge whether we are unaware or unconscious at any moment ? A simple toolkit by Vernon Howard to gauge our state of consciousness at any given point of time, and apply course correction if needed . https://archive.mail-list.com/secretsoflife/message/20021118.064550.be4dbaf9.en.html

A short but insightful article by Vernon Howard on spiritual exercise....

A summarized teaching of Dharma by Phakchok Rinpoche... https://tzal.org/quotes-by-phakchok-rinpoche/

Spiritual teacher Joan Tollifson had similarly spoken on the correlation between capitalim-consumerism and addictive behavior...

Insightful speech by Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje on the necessity of regulating our desires for environmental protection. https://kagyuoffice.org/buddhism-and-the-environment-living-in-harmony-with-the-planet/

An interesting excerpt on nihilism as per Buddhism, that I read recently... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism