Saturday, March 16, 2024

How different are messages of Buddha and Founding Guru Nanak of Sikhs!

How different are messages of Buddha and Founding Guru Nanak of Sikhs!

·        Buddha was not a God.

·        He never claimed to be a God.

·        He never claimed to be messenger of God.

·        He was a man who achieved Nirvana through Human efforts.

·        Guru Nanak claimed the same except he accepted God within us.

  How different are messages of Buddha and Founding Guru Nanak of Sikhs!

Buddha and Nanak Philosophies are not as different as we think. Guru Nanak’s view of God inside is more appealing to traditional prayer-oriented world religions such as Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs; because they believe in God as a higher power to pray. Buddha’s message was appealing to Meditation-oriented religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Taoism, where we seek spiritual wisdom within without using the word God.

Here is an example:

If we see ourselves in others-
Then whom can we hurt?
What harm can we do?
--The Buddha 

Don’t we see similarity of above quote with Gurbani of GGS: Vichhar gai sabh taat prai;  jab te sadh sangat mein pai… There are no strangers since I have company of gurmukhs/god oriented (GGS, M5).

·        Science, Religion & Spiritualityhttp://amzn.to/ga1Bz2   https://goo.gl/acCyws

Friday, March 1, 2024

Is there a relationship between stomach size, food intake, and WEIGHT CONTROL?

Is there a relationship between stomach size, food intake, and WEIGHT CONTROL?

 “Reduce stomach naturally without surgery. You will lose weight and look great.”

 From the studies below, it is safe to assume that whatever can help reduce the stomach size will help control appetite and thus weight reduction. Further proof is the extreme example of surgical procedure to reduce stomach size. One of the major reasons for surgery to promote weight loss is that the operations close off parts of the stomach to make it smaller. Operations that only reduce stomach size are known as "restrictive operations" because they restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold.

 Please note that we are not promoting surgery but suggest reducing stomach naturally without surgery.

 The stomach is a muscular organ - about the size of your hand - that stretches when full and returns to normal when empty. This stretching of the stomach is only temporary. The size of stomach that varies among individuals, affects food intake.

 Although bigger people tend to have bigger appetites, the size of the stomach--and not just the size of the body--appears to affect the feeling of fullness, or satiation, during and after a meal, according to research from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.

 The investigators found that compared with normal-weight adults, those who were overweight or obese took longer to feel satiated at mealtime. Similarly, those whose empty stomachs were larger needed more calories to feel completely full.

  It was not merely a matter of bigger people having bigger stomachs, said the researchers. Instead, the size of a person's empty stomach (called fasting gastric volume) was related to a feeling of fullness independent of body size.

 Their study included 134 healthy volunteers who, after an overnight fast, drank a liquid meal until they reached maximum satiation. Their stomach volume before and after eating was measured through non-invasive imaging. The researchers found that both body mass index (BMI) and fasting gastric volume were independently linked to the time it took participants to become full.

 The study suggests that factors governing stomach volume might predispose people to obesity and could serve as targets for weight-control tactics. These control mechanisms could range from eating patterns, such as whether a person eats small meals throughout the day or tends to binge, to hormones, to the nerves that control stomach contraction and relaxation (Gastroenterology, February 2004).

 Conclusion: Reduced stomach not only improves the appearance but helps control weight. Because, reduced stomach makes you feel full with less food reducing the amount of food eaten and thus the calories consumed. This leads to weight loss. Therefore, you're killing two birds with one-stone, the reduced stomach which results in reduced weight in this simple but effective exercise from “The Power of Breathing.”

The Bottom Line: Reduce stomach naturally without surgery, and you will lose weight and look great. It's that simple. Try Specific breathing exercises such as Kapalbhati that reduces the stomach size..

 Quiz: Who is more likely to die early?

A. An overweight person with a flat stomach.

B. A normal-weight person with a big stomach.

Answer: B.

 Surprisingly, a normal-weight man or woman who has a big stomach is more likely to die early from heart disease than an overweight or even obese man or woman who has a flat stomach.

 That's why "Banish Belly" is an important part of losing weight.

References:A Simple Solution to Americas Weight Problem  http://amzn.to/eRU5S6   https://goo.gl/acCyws

The Power of Breathinghttp://amzn.to/h14DD2   https://goo.gl/acCyws

 _________

Dr. S. Dhillon, Yale educated; Author of Self-help and Spiritual Books.  https://amzn.to/3oCPpQI https://goo.gl/rtTBcH   

Monday, February 19, 2024

Are Ramayana and Mahabharata Fictions?

 Are Ramayana and Mahabharata Fictions?

 The Ramayana and Mahabharata are ancient Indian epics that are considered to be sacred texts in Hinduism. These epics are deeply ingrained in Hindu mythology and have played a significant role in shaping the religious and cultural landscape of India. The question is whether they are real historical accounts or a work of fiction.

Many scholars and historians view the Ramayana and Mahabharata as epics that incorporates mythological elements to convey moral, ethical, and philosophical teachings.

 

While some events and characters in the epics are presented as historical, they are often interpreted as allegorical stories that convey spiritual and moral lessons.

 

Different people may interpret them differently, with some seeing them as historical accounts with a mythical overlay, while others view them primarily as symbolic and allegorical tales. Let us look at some of the facts using logic and science for people of modern age.

Mahabharata and Ramayana though convey powerful messages are fictions. The fossil record shows, for example, no such species as Hanumaan (Flying Monkey) ever existed on this earth. According to the timings of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Ram and Krishna, main characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata existed on this Earth way before, when there were no humans*.

 *Ram appeared in Treta Yuga: 2,165,125 years ago.

*Krishna appeared in Dwapar Yuga: 869,125 years ago.

*Homo sapiens (Wise man) appeared about 200,000 years ago in Africa.

The fact is Hindu philosophy has lot to offer but nothing is close to reality. It is all fiction.

So the reference to these epics such as Ram of Ramayana is used more as an allegory to make a point by other Indian religions. The sacred Gurbani of Sikhs does quite often in many verses.

In conclusion, these are sacred books for many Indians, particularly for Hindus. There are very few people who think that the Mahabharata or the Ramayana are myths. Here we conclude them as myths because their historical facts are made up but in a convincing way by author of Ramayana Valmiki and that of Mahabharata Vyasa. Many people believe that these epics were written before it happened and its historical period is way before humans came into existence as explained earlier.

Dr. S. Dhillon, Yale educated; Author of Self-help and Spiritual Books.  https://amzn.to/3oCPpQI https://goo.gl/rtTBcH 

Friday, February 16, 2024

Allegorical Story about BLIND FAITH.

 Allegorical Story about BLIND FAITH.

A man had a blind faith in the scriptures and prayer to God.  He spent all his life in His devotion.  He was initiated as long back as he can remember.  Never missed a Sunday; always joined the congregation singing his praises.  One time when he was swimming in the ocean, he started drowning. Life guard came to help him, but he refused and said “My God will save me.”  Then a boat came to help him, the man repeated the same thing and said “My God will save me”. After that a helicopter came to rescue him, the man again repeated that “My God will save me”. After that he was drowned.

He reached in the court of God, and complained: “I trusted YOU and worshiped YOU with full faith, but YOU did not come to save me. God said: “I first sent the life guard, you refused. Then, I sent a boat to save you – you refused. In the end I sent a helicopter – you again refused. And above all of these I blessed you with the most intelligent brain.  I don’t help those people who don’t use the most precious gift, the brain. “Use your brain than to have a blind faith and God disappeared.”

“Blind faith in religion without logic can be deadly.

"God does not micromanage our actions. Prayer or faith by providing hope or by accepting laws of nature changes us and we change things.." http://amzn.to/hXsaXR  https://goo.gl/acCyws

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Art of Stress-Free Living

 

The art of stress-free living involves adopting a holistic approach to well-being, incorporating physical, mental, and emotional aspects of life. “Art of Stress-Free Living” gives various strategies that can help you cultivate a more stress-free lifestyle.

This book on Stress Management includes everything one can imagine about stress-free living, and includes both Eastern and Western techniques.  You can pick and choose what suits you.  It’s very easy to follow step by step explanation to various techniques.  My favorite is meditation tied up with breathing, and Power of Now based on Zen Buddhism approach.

"ART OF STRESS-FREE LIVING" http://amzn.to/eeFnOk  https://goo.gl/xQZjWk

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Is Sikh Belief of God Scientific?

Is Sikh Belief of God Scientific?

Sikh Holy Scripture starts with Mool-Mantra or Basic Principle in Jap (SGGS, p 1) that gives attributes of God/universal energy (Ek O). When we accept God as a spirit that exists in each and every person, then it describes attributes of spiritual state of mind/soul/self. That state of mind is without fear (Nirbhau), without enmity (Nirvair), immortal without the fear of death or birth (Ajooni), complete within itself (Saebhang)-- timeless, ageless, and formless (Akal Murat)". A few blessed ones (like Guru Nanak) realize that state of mind (Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akal Murat, Ajuni Saebhang, Gur Parsad! Mool-Mantra or Basic Principle in Jap, SGGS, p 1). Gurbani expects human beings to comprehend and practice these attributes of God in their life so that they could become God-oriented (gurmukh). We know that only physical body ages, spirit is not affected by time or age or birth or death. Sikh scriptures hold that all humans are capable of achieving union with God while still alive by realizing the Divine within. That’s how man can become one with God. “Science, Religion & Spirituality”

 

God concept according to Sikh scripture is very scientific and of practical value, if interpreted correctly. It is not just a blind faith. The very first word of Ek Onkar in Mool- Mantar expresses exactly the same concept which is the foundation of all modern relativistic science: E=mc2. Ek Onkar: The Creator (energy) and the Creation (matter) are ONE! In other words, creator/creation or energy/matter is inter-convertible. But the total energy is one constant universal reality, the god. It is eternal (akaal moorat) and does not take birth (ajooni). For example, mool mantar (basic principle) should be used to describe the attributes of God that resides in each one of us and makes us spiritual, and not the God which resides outside this world. In other words use to describe spiritual state of mind that, for example, is without fear and enmity (nirbhau, nirvair).

 

When we believe God as universal energy; it exists as nirgun, sargun (energy, matter). God according to gurbani is in creation and creation is in God (Khalik khalak, khalak mein khalik). So it is both sirgun and nirgun… Self-creation (saebhang) is another characteristic. Anyone who believes otherwise is either confused or just want to cause confusion

 

Courtesy: IN SEARCH OF GODreviewed and published in prominent Journal “Sikh Review, DEC, 2021 p 75” by Dr. H.S. Virk [http://amzn.to/hXsaXR  https://goo.gl/acCyws (d2d)]