What comes to your mind, when we think of the word ‘Being’? We, as humans, recognize ourselves with reference to the three pillars of our existence, the mind, the body and the universe. A balance between the mind as well as the body has been known to be the basis of sanity, and our connection with the environment defines our social character and further decides our well-being.  In my previous blog, we discussed how the human body is formed by the five elements, i.e. earth, air, water, fire and space. Their balance, in numerous ways, decides our life condition as well as health. Let me further elaborate on the way each element affects our body, as well as mind and the outcomes of element imbalance.

The ancient traditional Indian medicine system, known as the Ayurveda, focuses on maintaining health through takingcare of your diet, enhancing the power of the mind and controlling stress through practices such as meditation. The roots of the element theory are also believed to lay in the ideas of Hippocrates, the father of medicine.  Natural therapy, or Naturopathy, introduced in its modern form in 1902 by Benjamin Lust, had faded in its charm over time, with the proliferation of modern medicine. However, in the contemporary world, it has regained its admiration, owing to the limits of modern medicine being tested repeatedly. The system of Naturopathy, as well as that of Ayurveda, comprises the sole belief in the removal of toxins from the mind as well as the body, creating a balance between the five elements for seeking a healthy life state.

How does the element imbalance affect our mind and body?

Each element affects us on two levels, physiological as well as psychological.

{The physiological stratum refers to our body, i.e. the physical self. The psychological stratum refers to the functions of our mind.}

1. The Earth Element:

The Earth element, being the element of highest density is connected directly to the entire body mass. Its excess causes obesity and lack cause emaciation. The generalization of the Earth element in itself tells you the psychological aspects of it. ‘To be down to Earth’ is often considered a virtue, unless it is in state of excess. The more the Earth element is imbalanced in your being, the more you feel ‘stuck in your own head’, stuck in emotions and lack self-confidence or on the contrary, you are in a constant state of apathy. Brain Fog is another common condition arising from Earth imbalance. The lack of the Earth element pushes you away from emotions and from the sense of life itself.

Natural Ways to Balance the Earth Element:

• Eat foods which are lighter on the digestive system
• Devise ways to manage your time and energy efficiently;
• Enjoy the smell of the earth, touch nature once in a day; a walk on the grass barefoot is the best way to stay connected with the Earth element
• The Ayurveda recommends the Balneotherapy or the Mud therapy to balance the Earth element in your body
• Sound and Vibration Therapy helps in balancing the Earth element
• Meditation on your Mooladhaar Chakra (the Base Chakra) also helps you to balance your Earth element

2. The Water Element:

With direct nexus with all the significant fluids of the body, the Water element takes cares of your blood circulation and controls the body function effectively. Our bodies are made of 60 to 65% water, and its imbalance creates issues in the proper functioning of the body and mind. The system of natural medicine believes water to possess a sense of memory. It is said to retain energy and affect its carrier accordingly. Health issues such as lethargy and kidney-related disorders are a result of Water imbalance.

Natural Ways to Balance the Water Element:

• Drink water, as pure as possible, free from toxins
• Consumption of alkaline, structured water is the best way to neutralize the acidity in the body and balance the entire system
• Hydrotherapy, i.e. external usage of water in different forms is another recommended technique to balance the Water element
• Taking dips regularly in Sea or river water (which are full of minerals) cleans the water element of the body
• Sound and Vibration Therapy helps in balancing the Water element
• Meditating on the Swadhisthaan chakra (Sex Chakra) helps in balancing the water element

We shall talk about Fire, Air, and Space elements and the impact of their imbalance on our lives in my next blog.

Till then, Enjoy your being’s balance, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free!

"He who is unable to live in a society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god" - Aristotle

To begin our discussion about our relationship with the society, I consider it mandatory to mention the great ancient Greek philosopher and polymath, Aristotle. Those who have never read about Aristotle might wonder how an ancient Greek philosopher is relevant in the modern world of today!

Aristotle is famous for his significant contributions into every aspect of life. He describes a human being as a social creature, i.e. a human being, according to Aristotle, cannot lead a good life in solitude.

Today,I would like to tell you about an incident which gave me a new perspective to my life.

I visited my childhood friend, Nikhil after almost a decade, on his father’s 87^th birthday. Nikhil works as a General Manager for a large corporation in India. For a very long time, he had been trying to tackle certain grave conflicts at his workplace, with his friends as well as within his family. For his father’s birthday, he had decided to host a grand party and was secretly hoping that his initiatives might improve his relationship with his parents.

As I spoke to him in the party, I realized that Nikhil had been struggling on every front; his days and nights were all about complaining, harboring negativity and despondency. Our conversation was filled with negativity. This was when his old-aged father joined us – he sat quietly and heard us through the remainder of our talks.

And then the wise, old man spoke to Nikhil -

“Nikhil, tell me honestly, have you ever considered recognizing yourself apart from the roles you play; of a father, a son, a General Manager, or a friend? Have you ever looked at yourself from a third person’s perspective? Each of those around you reacts to you as per what they see. Have you tried to see what they see? I have been searching for Nikhil for a very long time. I only get to meet the GM. You create your world. The reactions people give you is a reflection of who they see - if they see a humble and warm person they react accordingly and  if they see an arrogant, self-involved person then they react that way.

Look at how you interact with people and I can guarantee things will change...”

Nikhil was taken aback by his father’s words. He went quiet for the next few hours. He called me next day morning and told me his father’s words had really made an impact on him. From that day onwards, Nikhil had started to focus on his behavior, and leading his life differently, for better.

I met him a year later, he was a smiling happy and a very cool guy – someone who looked similar to the Nikhil I had known from my childhood.

What are the recurring questions on this subject in our minds? Let’s find out.

1). How Can the Society Shape My Life?

Our beliefs and opinions are all placed as per the surroundings we have lived in. An ignorant mass of human beings tend to produce an ignorant human being, and an awakened group of people nourishes and often produces an awakened intellectual. Your surroundings & environment play a major role in shaping up your life. A positive environment automatically enhances your creativity, and a negative one pulls you into a pit of inaction and complaint. However, let me call this trait of society not a characteristic but a tendency. It is in your hands whether or not can you maintain a healthy relationship with your environment, take out the good from it and leave the rest.

2) Can I Change my Conditions? How?

• Gratitude and Appreciation: Two Pillars of a Happy Life

Before you begin your day, think back to the things that have contributed to your life. Understanding other’s contribution increases gratitude for everything you have in your life. Colleagues, fellow travelers, juniors, seniors, friends, family, or house-helps, everyone around you shall cherish an appreciative remark once in a while. Make the person next to you smile;good vibes shall comeback to you.

• Align your Mission with your Vision

Your life needs to have a mission as well as a vision. Mission is your personal goal, however, vision refers to a greater good. The universe, i.e. surroundings plays the most important role in your success. All success stories of today have a vision of a greater good, of providing the society with something for its betterment, hence the universe responds in a similar way.

From the endless list of practical and running examples for the same, Tesla stations itself as a global leading automotive firm, with a vision,

Tesla, with its beautiful vision of gifting an absolute pollution-free environment to the society is the core reason for its tremendous success.

• Do Not Let Social Anxiety Get the Better of You

Through my previous blog series on the Law of attraction, I tried to make my readers realize that you control everything in your life. Begin with working on your physical as well as mental health, maintain a diary for daily productivity and gradually break out of your cocoon. The world is ready to accept you the way you are; all you need to do is make the first move!

• Know the Bigger Picture

Pick your battles. Every time you’re about to get into a conflict with anyone, pause for a second and ask yourself, “Will my reaction here help me in future?” If the answer is no, take a deep breath and move on. 

It is important to look at yourself from the perspective of the society to maintain a healthy relationship with the same. Healthy relationships lead to a healthy mind, further leading to realization of personal dreams of success and happiness and your happiness flows through the society you live in.

The More you Give, The More comes back to You – giving momentum to your Vision.

Spread Joy! Stay Healthy and Stress-free! 

Thinking through the title – “How To Bridge the gap in your relationship with your parents” for this blog, it dawned on me – expand the word Family and a meaning emerges – “Father and Mother, I Love You”. The word represents the true spirit of my relationship with my parents!

Before I start, I must tell you that going forward, to add some flavor to my storytelling and in this ages of ‘seasons’, I will be presenting my blogs in 2 part-series. This will not only give you an edge on your time management, but it will also keep the excitement alive over the week for the next part. Let us start:

Over the years, I have realized a vital fact of my existence:

As I move ahead in life, my parents slow down – the essence of our relationship is in the bridge that has grown stronger yet flexible, higher yet reachable, lightweight but wide enough for us to walk side by side and long enough where I can refer to the past and look at the future without letting go of their hands.

I had bought my first house and it was a moment of pride for my parents. They were going around telling everyone how happy they were that their child had achieved this milestone so early in his life. Everyone I met in my large extended family would talk about what my parents were telling them about me! This surprised me. My parents were not the overly expressive kinds and as I was growing up, I had not seen them share much about their personal lives in their circle of friends. So, this was something new for me – a rare display of their emotions. As I watched my emotions in this array, a warmth spread through me – the warmth of love, being wanted, sheltered and the child-like joy.

The ‘wow’ moment for me was the realization that these feelings were the same as what I felt when I was a child – holding their hands with my little fingers trying to learn the ways of life. Every achievement was a pat on the back. Every error or slip was a reassuring hand on my head. The realization struck me – I was still their ‘child’ and I could afford to be child-like in their company. I was living the life of an adult across all my relationships – the two people who gave me the freedom to be a child were my parents.

My father is now in his late 70s while my mother in her early 70s – they are:

1. Retired from the standard busy life and its dynamics
2. Full-time employees of this company called ‘Leisure’
3. Mellowed down on their display of ‘sharp’ emotions
4. Relatively slower – physically and mentally
5. Happy to wait while I sort out my world outside

I remember this instance when I was working almost 14hours a day (including weekends) on a critical project – this meant I would hardly get to see them or talk to them as our active hours would not match. By the time, I would be free from work, it would be too late for them and the mornings would never allow me the time where I could call them or pay them a visit. To top this up, I was traveling on business once a fortnight for a few days. While I so wanted to go and see them, I was too tired in the time left outside office and would hope to recharge myself with activities that I loved doing. My busy life had started to build a gap in my relationship with my parents.

However, in all these extremely busy months, not once did my parents complain. In fact, whenever I would call them up for a quick chat, they would only ask about my health, progress of my work and tell me not to worry about them – and that they were fine. As I spoke to them, I would feel calm and secure but the only feelings I was left with after these calls were gratitude and a sense of loneliness.

1. Gratitude, as my parents were not ‘adding’ to the pressure. They were only helping me calm down – they were like the mobile fast-chargers who would uplift my mood and energy with just a few minutes of conversation.
2. Sense of Loneliness, as the moment I would disconnect the phone, I would crave to stay cocooned in the earlier feeling of calmness and security. The feeling of being a child, whose parents were the umbrella that protected him from the harsh sun and the beating rain.

I was struggling to find that moment when I could make the U-turn and reach out to my parents’ for solace. I had to rebuild this aspect to bridge the gap in my relationship with my parents. And since I was looking desperately, the Universe helped.

Watch out for the second part of this blog to hear my story and get tips that will help you rebuild the bridge…

If you want to mend your relationships and be stress-free, Invest in my one-of-a-kind Stress Masters Program and get invaluable tips and the guide to break free from the Stress-hold – REGISTER NOW!!!

Keep the Child Alive in you. You will feel Blessed, Healthy and Stress-free!!

Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt a profound lack of motivation and joy for the day? Does the very act of waking up and brushing your teeth or getting ready for work drag you down? Do you feel you are doing the same thing over and over again? We all experience these moments from time to time due to stress.

Some of the symptoms of not being able to enjoy life are:

• The simple act of waking up and going through the day feels burdensome
• Feeling of pointlessness
• Inability to look forward to the day ahead
• Personal relationships weighing you down

What if I told you that there is an effective fix for this? And, it is fun! Just the mere thought of it fills you with lots of joy and happiness!

This friend of yours is called EXERCISE!! Exercising is so good that it can change your perspective on life. Working out releases endorphins that make you feel good – secretion of endorphins leads to feelings of euphoria, modulation of appetite, the release of sex hormones and enhancement of the immune response. With high endorphin levels, we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.

Is there a recipe here for the exercise? No – Any form of exercise is good.

• Playing a sport
• Working out in the gym
• Yoga practice in the morning
• A stroll in a park, a run or a walk of 30 – 40 minutes
• Swimming

The above can do wonders.

Let me tell you a story that made me realize the importance of exercise.

I was in a high-pressure job with a bank and I was doing 15 – 16-hour work days. This gifted me a weight gain of 15 kgs, a sense of high stress and life felt like a burden. This is when I met a friend who played squash. His game partner had not turned up and he asked me to come along and try playing with him as a one-off. I grudgingly agreed and dragged myself to the game and was already looking at my watch as I entered the court. As I was 10 minutes into the game, I was already panting, struggling, stumbling and was quite a spectacle. But I surprised myself! I was ENJOYING IT!!

At the end of an hour, I booked myself in for the next game with him and as I reached home, my wife exclaimed: “You look happy!”. I could not believe that just an amateur game of squash had made this difference.

I started playing (and learning) over the next few weeks and to better my game, I started cycling. In about 3 months, I found my strength, stamina and physical well-being improving. This had an all-around effect on my life – I started performing better at work and was more engaging and joyful when I was at home. I thank my friend every single day as I continue my exercise regime – if not for him, I would never have walked through the door! In a year’s time, I had become healthier by 10kgs, my trousers fitted me better and I felt so confident. This “Good-Feeling” from my exercise has also translated into all the other areas of my life and I find myself happy and looking forward to what a new day brings to me.

So, exercising is easy once you get to it – but how do you get yourself to start? I was lucky with my friend – maybe you will too – but what if one of you does not find the friend who needs a squash partner? The challenge one needs to overcome is the INERTIA that prevents us from starting the exercise regime. Your mind will find a thousand reasons to defer exercising but guess what? There are a million reasons that will encourage you to start exercising! All you will need to do is to open this door and walk in. Here are some ideas that can help with breaking that inertia:

• START SMALL: Maybe 15 – 30 minutes per day and then slowly step it up. The goal is to reach about 45mins – 1 hour every day. This is the optimal exercise time.
• PICK A FRIEND or work out with your partner/spouse. This is a great motivator as it allows you to bond and spend that extra time with your near and dear ones.
• PICK A SPORT: Sometimes mundane exercising can be boring for some. Sport is a great alternative. Sports like Squash, Tennis, Swimming, Table Tennis or Football are great options – take your pick! Most cities have these sports facilities – all you have to do is google and enrol! Added benefit? You get to make new friends.

Apart from making you happy, exercising:

• Improves sleep quality, increases energy levels and reduces stress.
• Significantly reduces symptoms of mental illness, including depression and anxiety
• Helps maintain physical fitness and well-being
• Improves self-confidence
• Stimulates chemicals that improve your mood
• Improves memory and concentration by stimulating parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning
• Helps people recover from conditions of stroke and other illnesses

I really believe it is high time we change the popular saying to “Exercise a day keeps the doctor away”

What do you need to do to defeat stress and to enjoy life?

1. Create and follow a schedule that makes time for exercise every day.
2. Follow the schedule with passion, enthusiasm and discipline
3. Ensure you consult your physician before you pick up a form of exercising – this will ensure complete assurance in your mind about safety and well-being
4. Try and make exercise a group event – start with your family. It is just easier and more fun!
5. Listen to your body ALWAYS! Don’t overdo – your body will signal you when you are done for the day. Stay aware.

So, start exercising now and experience how you start enjoying everything that life offers to you.

Till I see you with my next thoughts – Enjoy Life, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free!

These times are considered the most sophisticated and abundant in the history of mankind. Education, technology, innovation, social reach – we cannot complain! Then, why are people so miserable and stressed? Why what we have does not make us happy? Why is it that, the more we have, the more we want? Why is it that, we are not content with what we have? Why is it that, we are not happy in these times?

Have you noticed how ‘taking things for granted’ has become an involuntary mindset? If we start listing all that our current lifestyle has forced us to ‘take for granted’ or ‘not feel aware of’, this blog space will fall short! However, let us start with the fundamental, basic and life-giving element that we hardly take notice of. This is a classic example of the saying “We take notice of our blessings only when it is in short supply or gone”.

You are still wondering what is this? Friends, this is what classifies as ‘living’ – yes, you guessed it right! Our BREATH!

Today I will share a perspective that will strike this item off your ‘taken for granted’ list.

Did you know?

• Most of us do not breathe right. Most people take short, shallow breaths into their chest. Oxygen levels fall and you experience stress. Stress now causes shallower breaths and you feel more anxious and zapped out of energy.
• Shallow breath directly means low intake of Oxygen and left-over Carbon dioxide in your body
• Shallow over-breathing, or hyperventilation, can prolong feelings of anxiety by making the physical symptoms of stress worse.
• Physical manifestations of this poor breathing, in turn, adversely affect your internal organs in the short and long run
• Shallow breathing doesn’t just make stress a response, it makes stress a habit our bodies, and therefore, our minds, are locked into

So, what is the solution, so you stay aware of your breath at all times? Is it a handy solution and easy to implement? Is it Free? Does it give quick results? ABSOLUTELY YES!!!

Before I share the solution, let me share one of my experiences that I am reminded of, as I write this article.

I planned my annual vacation and decided to go to Leh in India. I was very excited about this vacation, as I would now get to experience the highest motorable road in the world – The Khardungla Pass. Leh is 3500m above sea level while the Pass is another 2000m above – a whopping 5400m altitude! I had lived my entire life on the plains, next to the sea – so I had no idea of what awaited me at Khardungla.

As I drove up from Leh to the Khardungla Pass, I sensed how gradually I was finding breathing difficult. The air had started to grow thin, because of which the oxygen levels were fast dropping and I was finding it difficult to breathe as we ascended. Then there came a time when I would just reach out for my portable oxygen cylinder to prevent passing out.

I had started to panic as I had never felt so short of breath – not even when I was actively pursuing track and field sports. I was about 1 hour away from my destination when I saw a monastery and took a detour hoping one of the monks can help me with my problem. I did not want to go back midway – it was my dream vacation after all!

When I discussed my problem with the monks in the monastery, they smiled! Here I was, clutching my breath and hoping the next one comes easier, and the group around me sat there calm and smiling! One of them said, “You need to learn how to breathe and you will be fine.”

I would have done anything and if it meant learning to breathe again and going back to the day I was born, so be it.

After spending 1 hour at the monastery, practising the breathing technique, I felt calmer, composed and in control of my breath. I felt confident and ready to continue my journey to the top. Now my journey suddenly became fun, cheerful and full of energy – the road was the same, but the traveller was different!

I finally reached Khardungla Pass and ticked off this locale from my bucket list of vacations and added a whole bunch of new memories to my album, reliving them with friends and family.

Now, to answer what I started seeking with you – what is the easy way to stay aware of your breath at all times? I got the answers from the monks and a few invaluable lessons for life:

• Lesson 1: Practice taking long, deep breaths always
• Lesson 2: Always Breathe through your nose
• Lesson 3: Replace Chest Breathing with Belly / Diaphragmatic Breathing
  • Inhale / Breathe in such that your stomach inflates (like a balloon)
  • Exhale / Breathe out such that your stomach deflates completely
  • This ensures an optimal intake of oxygen
  • This ensures all carbon dioxide getting eliminated from your body
• Lesson 4: Always be aware of your breath – feel the cool air going in and the warm air coming out
• Lesson 5: When oxygen is less (like at high altitudes), take a long breath and space it out with frequent shorter breaths – always breathing through your belly.

My vacation was the triggering point where I embarked on a whole new journey with a fresh perspective. I continue to breathe right every single moment; every single day and my life is happier and stress-free. I hope this article becomes your turning point too…

So, what do you need to practice?

1. Anytime you feel stressed or low, focus on your breath, breathe right – take deep breaths and you will be amazed how your mind starts to relax and settle down.
2. Close your eyes and follow the breath – how it goes in cool and comes out warm.
3. Start focusing on solutions instead of problems – your breath will give you the much-needed clarity to devise the solution.

Contemplate on the above – YOUR BREATHE is a tool that you always carry with you without being fully aware of its potential!! It does not matter where you are – BREATHE RIGHT!! Take deep breaths all the way to your belly and you will see the difference:

• You will feel calmer and composed
• Any signs of stress will start dissolving – you will feel de-stressed immediately
• Your health will improve
• You will start enjoying life more

See you next week. Till then, Breathe Right, Stay Healthy and Stress-free!!