SIMPLE Physical Exercises to Promote a Healthy Life .
You can familiarize yourself with the exercise routine through daily practice over a two week period.
Sound is very important and creates vibrations that affect our moods, motivates us and can create either positive or negative changes in individuals and groups.
There are SEED SOUNDS that were known to ancient Indian sages. They understood and used these seed sounds for Positive Development of students.
Here are some seed sounds which when chanted creates vibrations that removes obstacles prior to starting a task. The sounds can be chanted for 5 to 10 minutes at the start of the day.
OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA
Don't be carried away by music and dance
Kaushika and Meenaka
There once lived a king named Kaushika. Kaushika had given up his kingdom and retreated to the forest to lead a spiritual life. Kaushika's penance was so intense, that he was growing more and more powerful with each day. The Lord of Heaven, Indra was worried that Kaushika would become more powerful than him.
Indra thought, "Kaushika was once a king, if he becomes more powerful than me he will try and overthrow me, seize my throne and become the king of Heaven."
Indra summoned his most beautiful apsara Menaka to meet him.
Indra said, "Menaka, Kaushika is performing intense penance. The fire of his penance has made him very powerful. He may even think of conquering heaven and becoming the king. You are the most talented musician and dancer. I want you to use your beauty, music and dance and destroy Kaushika's penance."
Menaka sighed, she knew Indra was always anxious when any sage performed any serious rituals or austerities. She explained, "As far as I know, Kaushika is interested in gaining greater powers than Sage Vashista, he is not interested in taking your throne."
Indra continued trying to persuade Menaka that she had to disturb Kaushika's penance. Indra was the king of Heaven so Menaka was bound to obey his command. She finally agreed to go to Kaushika and distract him from any further penance and reduce the powers he had already acquired.
Menaka went to the forest where Kaushika was in deep meditation. Menaka seeing his radiant form and remembering his vailant nature, fell in love with Kaushika. She used all her powers to create one of the most beautiful gardens in that jungle. The garden was most fragrant and had a rainbow of flowers of every description.
The garden became filled with music and Menaka started dancing a beautiful dance. Kaushika opened his eyes and saw this lovely sight. He forgot his penance and his desire to be greater than Sage Vashista. He fell in love with Menaka immediately. As she finished dancing he asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Menaka, a maiden in Indra's court. I saw you performing penance and liked you very much so I came down to see you."
Kaushika felt drawn towards Menaka, he looked at her, "I am only a hermit in a forest, not worthy of you but will you marry me?" he hastily asked.
Menaka shyly agreed to marry him. There were married and lived together in the forest. Kaushika was extremely happy to have a loving wife who understood him and he tried to please her in every way. Menaka on the other hand was most distressed at times. She would think, "I am the cause of the destruction of Kaushika's meditation and the powers that he had accumulated over so many years."
However Menaka was also delighted that Kaushika was a thoughtful and loving husband. Soon after marriage the couple had a beautiful daughter. Kaushika loved his daughter very much and was a very good father.
Menaka was continuously distressed thinking of the purpose she had come to Kaushika. One day she decided to tell him the truth.
Menaka spoke falteringly, "Kaushika I told you that I am a maiden in the court of Indra, didn't I? Indra was afraid you would become so powerful with your penance you would conquer Heaven and take over his throne. He sent me here to break your penance. That was why I came here."
Menaka was feeling terribly miserable as she continued, "When I came here and saw you I fell in love with you. I wanted to be with you."
Kaushika closed his eyes in disbelief. He realized that this woman with her beauty, music and dance had bewitched him under the orders of someone.
Menaka said, "Kaushika, I love you."
Kaushika felt the truth of the words and understood the pain in this truth. He shouted, "Menaka, you have betrayed me! You have stripped me of my powers at the behest on Indra! I curse you Menaka! I curse you that you will always be separated from me!"
Menaka looked at him with anguish and disappeared from there immediately. Kaushika knew he had sent away the woman who loved him but he did not care. He had lost all his yogic powers but he was determined to start afresh his meditation and penance and regain his powers.
He took his daughter to Sage Kanva who adopted her. Leaving Sage Kanva with his daughter, Kaushika returned to the forest to focus on his meditation and penance. This time it was more difficult as thoughts of Menaka continuously disturbed his mind. But he started his practice with greater determination to regain his powers.
MORAL :