7 Habits of highly effective people....

I got an opportunity to attend this training and felt fantastic after 3 days of this training. Previously, I had tried to read the book many times although never succeed to complete. Whenever I tried to read it previously, I found it really good but the only thing was that it was too much theory although there had been instances of experiences in abundance.

http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/solutions/the-7-habits-solutions/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-signature-program

The instructor was expert on behavioral science and started with the Habit 1 : ProActive and went on to Habit 7: Sharpen the saw and in the training kept spell bound many a times. It was good to see that over a period of time, we unknowingly have been following many practices and it was good to correlate them to the theory. I think, the book is a great combination of great messages of vedas, upnishads and also a ton of points from Geeta. At the same time, the presentation of the material is great and respectfully, all credit to Stephen Covey for providing us so great a material.

A good introduction of all the habits are -

Another very good discussion with Stephen Covey -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8LM4C1l70U&NR=1&wl_token=HonqezIF5x1kczE04H1InsJCW7B8MTMwNDE4ODA2NUAxMzA0MTAxNjY1&wl_id=U8LM4C1l70U

Few points gathered from the trainings -

• "One is product of one's own choices over a period of time"
• "Think Win-win while working with relationship, clients, customers...It'll surely help in long run"
• "Seek to understand, then to be understood" A very critical point which emphasize the power of listening. In fact, emphatic listening is the keyword.
• "Work with Important and Urgent matrix". Working always in rush mode i.e. always in Important and Urgent domain will drain one out very easily.
• "Set priorities"
• "Come out of the paradigm of I"

Abida.....great ghazal

Aadami aadami se milata hai,
Dil magar kam kisi se milta hai !

Bhool jata hoon sab sitam usake
wo kuch iss sadagi se milata hai !

Dil magar kam kisi se milta hai !

Aaj kya baat hai ki phoolon ka,
Rang teri hansi se milta hai !

Dil magar kam kisi se milta hai !

Rooh ko bhi maza mohabbat ka 

Dil ki hum sayagi se milata hai !

Dil magar kam kisi se milta hai !

Few links - Information on Stress and it's Management

Previously, it has been too hectic, trips at the end of Dec.'2009.....got stressed out. While searching for some information...found these links which are very informative and one should go through it.....----

http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

What is stress?

Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

The Body’s Stress Response The Body’s Stress ResponseWhen you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

Eye flickering.....

At times, I am not very comfortable....this is that time. What has happened that I had been roaming around...for weekend...went to deliver something to a friend for brother in Singapore (difficult drive to Faridabad....too much traffic going to Vrindavan/Mathura/Agra)..then returned back to Noida at a friends place. He told me that there is a program organized very nearby...on Sain baba jagaran so we all went to visit...Anup Jalota had come down for the event and his live concert was good. He sung almost all the bhajans...and when we reached in the front row towards the end of his concert....it became thouroughly enjoyable. Just before that, we had some prasad as I was feeling hungry. We had a nice darshan of Sain baba...the temple was build like it is in Shirdi...as they claimed.

Overall, a nice evening...although a bit tiring...around 3:00 AM, we came back to home and slept.
In the morning, we woke up around 8:15..not much sleep and then went to have some jalebis/kachauris. Bhabhi was ready with some Idli/sambhar.....K was asking for Biryani..so I proposed for Andhra bhavan...afterall, we started around 1:50 PM..Virendra also joined...we went there...it was too crowded. somehow, we managed to have food...everybody liked it although Biryani was not available anymore. returned back to Noida....left from Noida to Home...reached home around 8:00 PM very very tired....almost sleeping on the roads.

My left eye flickering too much....read some articles on web...seems like I am really tired. I need to sleep for some more time.

..

Recently I returned back to Noida after completing Shri Ram Charit Manas path at my home in Varanasi. It's an event, when everybody has to be present at home and my brother from Singapore also arrived Delhi in the morning so that we can leave for home in the evening by Shiv Ganga Express ( a famous train for Delhi-Varanasi ).

When we reached Varanasi, we were escorted:) with some people of brother's staff and we reached home in half an hour. All the preparations were done and in the afternoon the Ram Charit Manas started. We usually have a set of people who are professional for Ram Charit Manas path and are available for this event for last 5-6 years (without even asking as they know about this event happening every navratra, this time).

We all brothers are really enthusiast for Ram Charit Manas since the childhood and really enjoy singing/reading it. There are n number of different Lay/taal for reading Ram Charit Manas and when with instruments, it sounds great.

Few special lines are -

" Jahi na chahiya kabahu kachu, tum sang sahaj saneh !
Basahu Nirantar taas man, So raur niz gaih !!" (I'll put it in Hindi!)

" Seeya ram main sab jag jani, Karaun pranam jori jug pani !" (This is the one liner which is called "Samput" and has to be set for akhand ramayan.)

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While searching on internet, I found more links for Shri Raam Charit Manas, may be of interest to some -

Complete Ram Charit Manas in e-book - http://ramayan.wordpress.com/2006/07/24/main/

Many more things available - http://sanskritdocuments.org/hindi/

In Kaliyug, "Ram Naam avalmban eku !"......Jai Sri Ram !!

Maha Shivratri.....Gone are the days !

Many years ago...remmbering the days when I[we] used to stay in Lahartara Railway colony. Shivratri used to be a festival which were celebrated to a great extent. There was a small temple near the ralway line, which used to be hub for all the religous activity. [I remember women from colony gathers there for Diwali pooja or other festivals] There was a big enough playground in front of the temple and adjacent to this ground, there were two rows of houses, one on each side. This used to be the place where the Colony committee use to arrange a movie show in the open sky[If you remember, it's something similar to a scene in "Swadesh" where the song "ye taara wo taara" were filmed.

Having introduced to the surrounding, I start the story which I would like to tell today.....

The story is about two kids who were part of a family...quite big family..In the railway colony, I couldn't find a family with less than 4 kids. The biggest family used to be 9-10 ppl. and the smallest one with 5-6 members. So these two young guns were hot shots and were able to

Togetherness....

Together we are...

At the night, when darkness covers the sky
and the moon tries to illuminate the sky,
stars twinkling all over the sky,

I see straight into your eyes...
and feel togetherness, I don't tell a lie
the life is so beautyful...under the sky !!

I suspect the survival is not possible...
if you weren't with me..for all the long days...
and longer nights !!

......