Are Positive thinking and Spirituality the same thing?

Question: Are positive thinking and spirituality the same thing?

I believe they are co-related but not the same.
Positivity means trying to find something positive even when we don't see it. We have to force our minds to discover it and accept it. Some people may achieve it with constant practice, while others may not. It might help some people for some time, but after a while, they might get frustrated and start to complain again.
Spirituality, on the other hand, is to see and accept reality as it is.
We have heard the analogy of the glass being half empty or half full.
We have been frequently advised to be positive and see the glass half full rather than half empty - that we should focus only on the happy moments - on what we have - and not on what we don't have.

But why can't we accept that the glass is half full and half-empty?
Why do we need to see only half-truth and deny the other half?
For most of us, seeing or trying to find something positive in every situation may not be possible all the time. 
Sometimes we may get frustrated and lose patience. 

Spirituality helps us to see the reality of the world and its true nature -which is impermanent and transient. 
It helps us to know what is real and what is unreal. 
Positive thinking is good. But being realistic is more important. 
Positive thinking can help us forget the sufferings and miseries of life temporarily - but eventually, at some point, one has to face reality. 
Then, why not have a Realistic approach from the very beginning - and see that the glass is half full and half-empty?
                                              ' Rajan Sachdeva '

हज वी कीती जांदेओ लहू वी पीती जांदेओ Hajj Keeti Janday ho, Lahoo vee Peeti Janday ho

हज वी कीती जांदे ओ - ते लहू वी पीती जांदे ओ 

खा के माल यतीमां दा - भज मसीती जांदे ओ  

फट्ट दिलां दे सींदे नहीं - टोपियाँ सीती जांदे ओ  

छुरी न फेरी नफ़्साँ ते - दुम्बे कीती जांदे ओ  

दिल दे पाक पवित्र हुजरे - भरी पलीती जांदे ओ 

फ़र्ज़ भुलाई बैठे ओ - नफ़्लां नीती जांदे ओ    

दस्सो न कुझ हज़रत जी - ऐ की कीती जांदे ओ ?

Hajj vee keeti janday o, tay Lahoo vee peeti janday o

Khaa kay maal yateema da, Bhaj maseety janday o
Phat dillan day seenday nahin, Topiaan seeti janday o
Chhuri na phairi nafsaan tay, Dumbay keeti janday o
Dil day paak pavitar hujray, Bhari paleeti janday o
Farz bhulaai baithay o, Naflaan neeti janday o
Dasso na kujh 'Hazarat' jee, Ae kee keeti jandey o?

छुरी न फेरी नफ़्साँ ते  -  भोग विलास का दमन नहीं किया

Chhuri na phairi nafsaan tay = Did not kill the desire for a luxurious, Sensual & self-indulgent lifestyle.
Dumbay keeti janday o   =   You are sacrificing the goats instead'
दुम्बे   Dumbay               Sacrificail goat (for Eid)

हुजरे    Hujray                 Vessel, Container 

नफ़्लां   Naflaan              Verses from Quraan 

इन्सान की पहचान Insaan ki Pehchaan

कैसे हो पायेगी अब - इन्सान की पहचान
नकली हो गए हैं दोनों - आँसू और मुस्कान

Kaisay ho paayegi ab insaan ki pehchaan
Nakali ho gaye hain Dono - Aansu aur muskaan

ज़रा अदब से उठाना Zaraa adab say uthaana

ज़रा अदब से उठाना इन बुझे दियों को
इन्होंने कल रात सबको रोशनी दी थी

किसी को जला कर खुश होना अलग बात है
इन्होंने ख़ुद को जला कर रोशनी की थी

Zaraa adab say uthaana in bujhay diyon ko
Inhon nay kal raat sabko raushni dee thi

Kisi ko jalaa kar khush hona alag baat hai
Inhon nay khud ko jalaa kar raushni kee thi 
                             (Writer Unknown)

Why do we have brakes in the cars?

Once in a physics class, the teacher asked the students:
"Why do we have brakes in the car?"
Varied answers were received:
To stop
To reduce speed
To avoid collision etc.

But the best answer was:
To enable you to drive faster

Give it a thought:
For a moment, assume you have no brakes in your car, then how fast will you drive your car?
It’s because of the brakes that we dare to accelerate and attempt to drive faster to reach destinations. 
At various points in life - we find our parents, teachers, mentors, & friends questioning our progress - our direction or decision. 
We consider them as irritants or consider such inquiries as 'brakes' to our ongoing work. 
But, remember, it’s because of such questions (periodical brakes) that you have managed to reach where you are today. 
Without these brakes, you could have skid, lost the direction, or met with an unfortunate accident.
I am deeply and sincerely grateful to all my priceless BRAKES.
Appreciate the 'brakes' in your life.
Without them, we wouldn't be 'where' we are today.

Full Vessels cannot ...

Tat Karma yat na bandhaaye

Tat Karma yat na bandhaaye - Saa Vidyaa ya Vimuktaye
Aayaasaaya aparam karma vidyaa anyaa shilpanaipunam.
(Vishnu Puraan)

(True) Action is that which does not bind. True Wisdom is that which liberates.
Other actions are hardship only,
and other knowledge is just mechanical skills.

Only those deeds are the real deeds, which do not bind us into worldly affairs and that knowledge is the true, and useful knowledge, which helps us in attaining 'Moksha' - Liberation from misery and suffering.

तत् कर्म यत् न बन्धाय - सा विद्या या विमुक्तये

तत् कर्म यत् न बन्धाय - सा विद्या या विमुक्तये ।
आयासाय अपरं कर्म - विद्या अन्या शिल्पनैपुणम् ॥
                                                    ~विष्णुपुराण~

कर्म वह है जो बंधन में न डाले - विद्या वह है जो मुक्त कर दे।
अन्य कर्म केवल श्रम मात्र हैं - और अन्य विद्याएँ केवल यांत्रिक निपुणता हैं

अर्थात जिस कर्म से मनुष्य बन्धन में नही बन्धता वही सच्चा कर्म है ।
जो मुक्ति का कारण बनती है वही सच्ची विद्या है ।
शेष कर्म तो बंधन का ही कारण बन जाते हैं जिनके करने से प्राय चिन्ता और कष्ट ही प्राप्त होते हैं |

Let's Try This

Start being more appreciative

Start being more appreciative. 
Learn to focus on the things happening in your life that you may be taking for granted. 

We usually take our family and friends for granted - we do not value their presence in our life until we lose them. 

Appreciate the friends you have - the family - the material items - the food and anything else that you have. 
Appreciate everything.

Be Thankful To Everyone for everything they do or have done for you.
More importantly - Be thankful and mean it.

इस बार दीवाली कुछ ऐसे मनाएँ - Is baar Diwali kuchh Aisay Manayen

इस बार दीवाली कुछ ऐसे मनाएँ 
दिये तो जलायें,पर दिल ना जलाएँ 

नये दिये जलाना भी ठीक है लेकिन  
जो दिये बुझ रहे हैं, उन्हे भी बचायें

अबके दीवाली पर तोहफ़े यूँ छांटें 
मिठाई की जगह हम मिठास बांटें 

Is baar Diwali kuchh aisay manayen 
Diye to jalaayen, par dil na jalayen 

Naye diye jalaana bhee theek hai lekin 
Jo diye bujh rahay hain, unhen bhee bachaayen 

Ab kay Diwali par tohfay yoon chhaanten
Mithaayi ki jagah hum mithaas baanten

                   Happy Diwali to all 

Elephant and the Lion cub

A lioness and her cub were crossing the Savannah desert. The heat was excessive, and the cub was having great difficulty walking. An elephant realized that the lioness could not carry her cub and that the cub would die and carried the cub in his trunk to a pool of water - walking beside the lioness. 
We call them wild animals. But incidences like these show that they do have empathy too.
Do we try to help other fellow-beings who may need some help - especially knowing that they cannot do anything for us in return?  
Bhagavad Geeta says: do your Karma - help others without expecting anything in return. 
Share what you have. May it be money, power, strength, or knowledge. 
Remember: Giving or Sharing is a significant component of the divine path. 

An Exemplary Teacher - An Ideal Guru

Seeing an elderly man sitting on the railway station bench, a young man came running to him 
- touched his feet and said:
Namaskar Guru ji! Do you remember me?"
"Sorry. I don't --- Please remind me?"
"Sir, I was your student thirty years ago - in the seventh grade."
"Son... I can't see very well nowadays - and it has been so many years, so I could not recognize you." 
He asked the young man to sit down beside him and affectionately started patting his back.
"So, What do you do these days?" He asked.
"I have also become a teacher like you." The student replied. 
"Well! That's good, but the teacher's salary is not that great - then why did you decide to become a teacher?"
"With your inspiration, Sir. 
You had such an impact on my young mind as a child that I decided that I would also try to be like you when I grow up."
"How did I inspire you? I was just an ordinary teacher in an ordinary primary school all my life, didn't do anything special that could make an impact on someone's mind. What did you see in me that made you follow me?"
"When I was in seventh grade, an incident happened - and you saved me. That's when I decided to become a teacher." The student replied.
"Really? What happened?"
"One day, a rich boy in our class came wearing an expensive watch on his wrist and started showing it to everyone with great pride. 
All the children were looking at that watch with greedy eyes. I also wished to have a watch like that. During the gym class, when he placed his watch in his bag, I stole it. 
Later, that boy complained to you that someone had stolen his watch from his bag. 
You announced in the class, that whoever has stolen that watch, should return it voluntarily - and he will not be punished. 
But I was scared - so I did not return the watch.
Then you closed the classroom door and told us to stand in a line - with our eyes closed. 
 You said you were going to search everyone's pockets - and anyone who opens his eyes during the search will be expelled from the school. 
We all stood with our closed eyes. One by one, you were going through everyone's pockets. When you came to me, my heart started beating faster. I knew I was going to be caught - and the label of a 'Thief' would be attached to my name for the rest of my life.  My heart was filled with guilt - with remorse. But to my surprise, even after getting the watch from my pocket, you continued to check everyone's pockets till the end of the line. 
Then giving the watch back to the boy, you said, "do not come to school wearing such an expensive watch or jewelry, and whoever had stolen it should not do such a thing again." 
After saying this, you started teaching again as usual.
The young man's eyes were filled with tears as he narrated this story. 
With an emotional, shivering voice, he continued, "That day, you saved me from being embarrassed in front of everyone. Even later, you never let anyone know me being a thief. You never discriminated against me. This thing made such an impact on me that right then and there, I decided that I too would follow your footsteps - try to be a guru like you."

But Guruji, I have not understood one thing till today. You saved me from being embarrassed in front of everyone, but you could have scolded me in private - you could have told me not to do this ever again. But you never even mentioned this thing to me even in private."

There was a smile on Guruji's lips and a slight glow in his eyes. 
Then he said slowly: "Son! I never knew who had committed the theft that day. 
Because, while I was searching your pockets, I had also closed my eyes."

आदर्श गुरु - अनुकरणीय शिक्षक

रेलवे स्टेशन की बैंच पर बैठे हुए एक बुज़ुर्ग को देख कर एक नौजवान दौड़ कर उनके पास आया और उनके पाँव छू कर बोला : 

"नमस्कार गुरु जी ! मुझे पहचाना?"

"कौन?"

"सर, मैं तीस साल पहले आपका स्टूडेंट था - सातवीं कक्षा में "

"ओह! अच्छा। आजकल ठीक से दिखता नही बेटा और फिर इतने साल हो गये इसलिए नही पहचान पाया।"

उन्होंने प्यार से उसे बिठाया और उसकी पीठ पर हाथ फेरते हुए पूछा:

"क्या करते हो आजकल?" 

"सर, मैं भी आपकी ही तरह टीचर बन गया हूँ।"

"वाह! यह तो अच्छी बात है लेकिन टीचर की तनख्वाह तो बहुत कम होती है फिर तुमने टीचर बनने की बात कैसे सोची ?"

"सर। आपकी प्रेरणा से। बचपन में मेरे मन पर आपका इतना प्रभाव पड़ा था कि मैंने उसी समय  ही सोच लिया था कि  मैं भी आगे चल कर आपकी तरह बनने की कोशिश करूंगा।"

"मेरी प्रेरणा से कैसे? मैं तो सारी उम्र एक साधारण प्राइमरी स्कूल में टीचर रहा , कुछ भी ख़ास नहीं किया जो किसी के मन पर प्रभाव छोड़ सके। तुमने ऐसा क्या देखा जो मेरा अनुसरण करने की सोची ?'

"सर ! जब मैं सातवीं कक्षा में था तब एक घटना घटी थी - और आपने मुझे बचाया था। मैंने तभी शिक्षक बनने का निर्णय ले लिया था। 

"अच्छा! क्या हुआ था ?"

"सर, हमारी क्लास में एक बहुत अमीर लड़का पढ़ता था। एक दिन वह बहुत महंगी घड़ी पहनकर आया और बड़ी शान से सबको दिखाने लगा। सब बच्चे उस घड़ी को ललचाई नज़रों से देख रहे थे। मेरा मन भी उस घड़ी पर आ गया और खेल के पीरियड में जब उसने वह घड़ी अपने बैग में रखी तो मैंने मौका देखकर वह घड़ी चुरा ली।   

उस लड़के ने आपके पास घड़ी चोरी होने की शिकायत की। 

आपने कहा कि जिसने भी वह घड़ी चुराई है उसे वापस कर दो। मैं उसे सजा नही दूँगा। लेकिन डर के मारे मेरी हिम्मत ही न हुई घड़ी वापस करने की। फिर आपने कमरे का दरवाजा बंद किया और हम सबको एक लाइन में खड़े होकर ऑंखें बंद करने के लिए कहा और कहा कि आप सबकी जेबें देखेंगे और जब तक  घड़ी मिल नही जाती तब तक कोई भी अपनी आँखें नही खोलेगा वरना उसे स्कूल से निकाल दिया जाएगा।

हम सब आँखें बन्द कर खड़े हो गए। आप एक-एक कर सबकी जेब देख रहे थे। जब आप मेरे पास आये तो मेरी धड़कन तेज होने लगी। मेरी चोरी पकड़ी जानी थी। अब जिंदगी भर के लिए मेरे ऊपर चोर का ठप्पा लगने वाला था। मैं ग्लानि से भर उठा था। लेकिन मेरी जेब में घड़ी मिलने के बाद भी आप लाइन के अंत तक सबकी ज़ेबें देखते रहे। और घड़ी उस लड़के को वापस देते हुए कहा, "अब ऐसी घड़ी पहनकर स्कूल नही आना और जिसने भी यह चोरी की थी वह दोबारा ऐसा काम न करे। इतना कहकर आप फिर हमेशा की तरह पढ़ाने लगे थे।"

कहते कहते उसकी आँख भर आईं ।

वह रुंधे गले से बोला, "आपने मुझे सबके सामने शर्मिंदा होने से बचा लिया। बाद में भी कभी किसी पर आपने मेरा चोर होना ज़ाहिर न होने दिया। आपने कभी भी मेरे साथ भेदभाव नही किया। इस बात ने मुझ पर इतना प्रभाव डाला कि मैंने उसी दिन तय कर लिया था कि मैं भीआपके पदचिन्हों पर चलके - आपके जैसा गुरु बनने की कोशिश करुँगा। "

लेकिन गुरु जी , एक बात मेरी समझ में आज तक नहीं आई। आपने मुझे सबके सामने शर्मिंदा होने से तो बचा लिया लेकिन आप मुझे अकेले में तो डाँट सकते थे - ऐसा करने से रोक सकते थे ? आपने कभी अकेले में भी मुझसे इस बात का ज़िक्र तक नहीं किया। "

गुरु जी के होंठों पर मुस्कुराहट और आँखों में हल्की सी चमक आ गयी। फिर धीरे से बोले:

 "बेटा... मुझे भी कभी इस बात का पता नहीं चला कि वह चोरी किसने की थी 

क्योंकि जब मैं तुम सबकी जेबें देख कर रहा था - तब मैंने भी अपनी आँखें बंद की हुई थीं।"

Priority vs Option

"I will make the time" - Means you are a Priority

"If I have time" - Means you are an Option Find out in which category you place your family, friends, education, and the Supreme Reality called God? Who is your priority, and who is an option?
Some people must have placed you on their list of priorities.
Remember, if you treat them as an option - then you may not stay on their priority list for long.

No one is Pure and Perfect

No one in this world is pure and perfect. 
If you avoid people for their mistakes and push them away -
         then you will be left alone in this world. 
So judge less and love more.
Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. 

हम घर से जब निकले थे Hum ghar say jab niklay thay

हम घर से जब निकले थे तो आईना  सलामत था 
क्या जाने कहाँ टूटा  - राहों के झमेले में 
                                                  
Hum ghar say jab niklay thay to aainaa salaamat thaa
Kya jaanay kahaan toota - raahon kay jhamelay me 
                                                                           "Kaisar"

When I left home, the mirror (of my heart) was intact.
Don't know how and why - on the way - it was broken into pieces
(by the one whom I loved the most) 

The time we have might go by fast

We don't know when our life will be over.
The time we have might go by fast - sooner than we might think. 

So, don't fight with the loved ones.
Don't complain so much -  don't criticize others or yourself. 
Instead of constantly talking, and worrying about the problems, find a solution and try to solve them peacefully. 
Try to enjoy what you have.
Stay away from the people who make you feel miserable - instead, spend time with those who make you happy - who make you feel loved. 
Try to be a good parent, brother, sister, teacher, and a good friend. 
Try to be a better person - Instead of focusing on becoming important, influential, or powerful.
Most importantly, do not hurt anyone - especially those who love you.