Footprints in the Sand, by Anonymous.

Another well appreciated piece from the www is 'Footprints in the Sand' which originally started out as 'I had a dream' and its authorship is a question of legal wrangling at the moment. However, the message is more important than the messenger, so am taking the liberty to share it with you all.
Here it is.

 

Footprints in the Sand.


 
 
One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

 

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way. You said you'd never leave me.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you


 

You are right. During your saddest and most troubled times there is only one set of footprints. It was then that I carried you.

The Egg. by Andy Weir.

Sometimes I happen to run across a really inspiring piece of work on the web and I feel the innate desire to share it with people I care for. This is one of those pieces. This thought-provoking short story was written by Andy Weir, American writer, who is one of the best authors I have come across. It has been around since a few years now and am sure many of you out there have already come across it. I stumbled across it for the first time a few years ago and then ran into it often, while surfing the web. I read it with relish each time. I just loved the state of mind it would put me into. Personally, I think this short story is spiritually uplifting and it seems to appear at the right time in people's lives. Today, its your turn. Take few moments out of your busy life to read this little story and enjoy the effect it produces on you.
And if you like it, share it with your friends and family.

My salutes to the Andy Weir.



 

The Egg

By: Andy Weir



You were on your way home when you died.

It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. You left behind a wife and two children. It was a painless death. The EMTs tried their best to save you, but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered you were better off, trust me.

And that’s when you met me.

“What… what happened?” You asked. “Where am I?”

“You died,” I said, matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words.

“There was a… a truck and it was skidding…”

“Yup,” I said.

“I… I died?”

“Yup. But don’t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,” I said.

You looked around. There was nothingness. Just you and me. “What is this place?” You asked. “Is this the afterlife?”

“More or less,” I said.

“Are you god?” You asked.

“Yup,” I replied. “I’m God.”

“My kids… my wife,” you said.

“What about them?”

“Will they be all right?”

“That’s what I like to see,” I said. “You just died and your main concern is for your family. That’s good stuff right there.”

You looked at me with fascination. To you, I didn’t look like God. I just looked like some man. Or possibly a woman. Some vague authority figure, maybe. More of a grammar school teacher than the almighty.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “They’ll be fine. Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didn’t have time to grow contempt for you. Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If it’s any consolation, she’ll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.”

“Oh,” you said. “So what happens now? Do I go to heaven or hell or something?”

“Neither,” I said. “You’ll be reincarnated.”

“Ah,” you said. “So the Hindus were right,”

“All religions are right in their own way,” I said. “Walk with me.”

You followed along as we strode through the void. “Where are we going?”

“Nowhere in particular,” I said. “It’s just nice to walk while we talk.”

“So what’s the point, then?” You asked. “When I get reborn, I’ll just be a blank slate, right? A baby. So all my experiences and everything I did in this life won’t matter.”

“Not so!” I said. “You have within you all the knowledge and experiences of all your past lives. You just don’t remember them right now.”

I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. “Your soul is more magnificent, beautiful, and gigantic than you can possibly imagine. A human mind can only contain a tiny fraction of what you are. It’s like sticking your finger in a glass of water to see if it’s hot or cold. You put a tiny part of yourself into the vessel, and when you bring it back out, you’ve gained all the experiences it had.

“You’ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you haven’t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. If we hung out here for long enough, you’d start remembering everything. But there’s no point to doing that between each life.”

“How many times have I been reincarnated, then?”

“Oh lots. Lots and lots. An in to lots of different lives.” I said. “This time around, you’ll be a Chinese peasant girl in 540 AD.”

“Wait, what?” You stammered. “You’re sending me back in time?”

“Well, I guess technically. Time, as you know it, only exists in your universe. Things are different where I come from.”

“Where you come from?” You said.

“Oh sure,” I explained “I come from somewhere. Somewhere else. And there are others like me. I know you’ll want to know what it’s like there, but honestly you wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh,” you said, a little let down. “But wait. If I get reincarnated to other places in time, I could have interacted with myself at some point.”

“Sure. Happens all the time. And with both lives only aware of their own lifespan you don’t even know it’s happening.”

“So what’s the point of it all?”

“Seriously?” I asked. “Seriously? You’re asking me for the meaning of life? Isn’t that a little stereotypical?”

“Well it’s a reasonable question,” you persisted.

I looked you in the eye. “The meaning of life, the reason I made this whole universe, is for you to mature.”

“You mean mankind? You want us to mature?”

“No, just you. I made this whole universe for you. With each new life you grow and mature and become a larger and greater intellect.”

“Just me? What about everyone else?”

“There is no one else,” I said. “In this universe, there’s just you and me.”

You stared blankly at me. “But all the people on earth…”

“All you. Different incarnations of you.”

“Wait. I’m everyone!?”

“Now you’re getting it,” I said, with a congratulatory slap on the back.

“I’m every human being who ever lived?”

“Or who will ever live, yes.”

“I’m Abraham Lincoln?”

“And you’re John Wilkes Booth, too,” I added.

“I’m Hitler?” You said, appalled.

“And you’re the millions he killed.”

“I’m Jesus?”

“And you’re everyone who followed him.”

You fell silent.

“Every time you victimized someone,” I said, “you were victimizing yourself. Every act of kindness you’ve done, you’ve done to yourself. Every happy and sad moment ever experienced by any human was, or will be, experienced by you.”

You thought for a long time.

“Why?” You asked me. “Why do all this?”

“Because someday, you will become like me. Because that’s what you are. You’re one of my kind. You’re my child.”

“Whoa,” you said, incredulous. “You mean I’m a god?”

“No. Not yet. You’re a fetus. You’re still growing. Once you’ve lived every human life throughout all time, you will have grown enough to be born.”

“So the whole universe,” you said, “it’s just…”

“An egg.” I answered. “Now it’s time for you to move on to your next life.”

And I sent you on your way.

BLESS SOMEONE. START A RIPPLE EFFECT.

HELP SOMEONE TODAY. START A RIPPLE EFFECT. MAKE EARTH A BETTER PLACE.




Life is precious and short. It will be gone before we know it. Living a self-centered life may assure material success, it also assures an immense sadness in the evening of our lives, culminating in the feeling, that the crucial part of our role as a human being on this beautiful planet, has been left unfulfilled. It is true what they say, 'we will take back nothing from the earth, nothing except our hard-earned feelings'. It is not in our power to carry back the material wealth we may have accumulated, yet it is definitely given to us to carry the feelings and emotions we have harbored throughout our lives. The nature of these feelings decide, whether we die with a smile, or whether we let go of life with that vacant and lost look that so vividly describes a life unlived. A life lived for oneself is a wasted life, and no amount of worldly success can mitigate the feeling of loss and misery, during the last few moments of our great and marvelous journey upon this planet. In those last few seconds, it becomes so agonizingly clear, that all our cleverness, confidence, expertise and power, were but illusions of a feeble mind, that everything we did amounts to nothing, and that perhaps the only thing we did right, was getting down into that gutter to save that little puppy. The strength of that one gesture alone, has the power to light up your life once more, and bring you a smile in those last moments as life ebbs away.
We started dying the minute we were born, and all of life is but a preparation to die the right way. The only way to die well is by inculcating compassion into your being and into every single act you perform. This may be too much of an effort for most of us, yet perhaps, the only mission of a human being on planet Earth, is to spread compassion and love. The best way to do this is to be of use to someone. I know there are people out there who read this and understand the profound truth behind it, yet are at a loss about how exactly to make a difference. No, I am not asking anyone to donate their lifelong savings to a kids charity or buy a house for the homeless, although you must surely do that if you can. All I am saying is that there are several little things each one of us can do, to bring a smile on someone else's face. This is a very important part of life and should not, in any circumstances, be postponed, because no one knows when their time is going to come. Do something helpful today, right now, because it could be tomorrow that you are breathing your last, this might be the only thing you remember, as doing right. This might be the only thing that allows you to stand upright in front of HIM.
Remember, when you reach HIS presence, He ain't going to ask you what you earned, or what you achieved on earth. But trust me, he will want to know what good you did with the time He allotted you, and you might, just might, want to have something to show. Of course, this is only a figure of speech, but the truth it embodies is humungus and deeply indicative of what you need to do. Do not postpone, for there may be no time left for you, the one who is reading, and for me the one who is writing.



Oh! and there are advantages to this too:- (For the business minded ones who are always stuck at " ama mara su? - whats in it for me? Well, thanks for missing the entire paragraph above)
A gesture of kindness and compassion will make you feel better about your miserable self like no selfie ever can. For a moment at least (if not for life), you will connect to another person, making his life better, however slightly. Your gesture will make this world a better place, one small little step at a time. And most importantly, you will probably start a ripple effect, which will multiply many times over as it spreads out into the world.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
   
So take just a few minutes out of your busy schedule today, and sow a gesture of kindness for someone. It can be something small, or the start of something big, depending on the size of your heart. Ask for nothing in return, only request them to pay it forward. Their smile is enough reward. Remember that smile, for you are going to remember it again at the very end, when the lights start going out and trust me, you are going to be glad you did it.


I genuinely feel it is useless to make a list of things you can do for people, because this is something that must come from your heart and the very depths of your being. Just look around and you will find a million things that you could have bettered, simply by making yourself available. Yet, I understand that in the fast-paced, technology driven world of today, it is easy to forget just who you are, and why you are here. Even the best of us may sometimes overlook the opportunity to be of help to someone who really needs it, someone whose life would have changed towards better, however slightly, simply because you made your gesture of compassion. So here's a list. If it reminds you of something or inspires you to do something, the purpose of writing this article stands fulfilled.
The list is extremely incomplete, as the opportunities are truly limitless and you will come across a thousand more when you get down to it.

1.  Spend time each day thinking about how and what you can ‘give’ to others. These thoughts will add value to you as a human being. Act upon your thoughts, it will enrich your life with true wealth and create that stage for you to depart peacefully when it is time.

2.  Smile and be friendly. A simple little thing like this can warm someone’s heart and make their day a little better. A Smile is contagious and it has the innate ability to lighten any situation and forge bonds of friendship and brotherhood. Moreover, it has the tendency to pass on from one to the other.

3.  Call someone you care about to let them know that you are thinking of them. This does not necessarily have to be someone who is experiencing a tragedy or great success. It could be simply be an old friend you haven't met in sometime, or a relative you thought you could never connect to. Even a short message will change the thought processes of the people who receive it and bring warmth into their hearts.

4.  Pay someone a compliment, preferably face to face with solid eye contact, even if it is to a stranger that you’ve never met before!  Who doesn’t like receiving compliments? Tell someone they look great but don’t overdo it. Make sure you are being authentic and genuine.

5.  Love unconditionally. Find ways to express your feelings to others, whether it be your partner, child, family member, friend, co-worker, or a complete stranger. A hug, spending time together, showing little kindnesses, speaking softly, being friendly, these are things that really matter. Don't wait till the lights start dimming to understand this. Don't wait for it to be too late. This is what you are here for. All else is just crap.

6.  Stop to help. Don;t be in too much of a hurry, you are not going anywhere, but towards the end. And so is everyone else. Take few moments to give directions, pour water for a drying plant, or letting someone into your umbrella in the pouring rain. Sometimes all people need is a push or a pat on the back.

7.  Teach. Take the time to teach someone a skill that you are good at. This could be teaching your neighbor to use email, teaching your child to ride a bike, teaching your co-worker a valuable computer skill, teaching someone in your community to drive or swim. The skill you teach will travel further than you in life. It is your way of reaching places and people, you otherwise cannot.

 

8.  Comfort those in grief. A heartfelt hug, a helpful hand, or just a few kind words, go a long way when someone has suffered a loss or is facing a tragedy.
Tragedies and losses happen to all, it is the way life is built. Tomorrow could be our turn.
9.  Help take action. Often you will come across people who seem to be lost and don’t know what to do. Help them back on track. Help them heal themselves and you will also be healed. Help, so that you may be helped when you need it the most.

10.  Donate food. Clean out your cupboard of canned goods, or buy a couple bags of groceries, and donate them to the ones who need it more than you. Buy food for a homeless person. Offering cash is often a bad idea, as it could end up being used to reinforce the habits that made the person homeless in the first place. Donate the things you don’t use. Drop them off at a charity or to people who can put your clutter to good use. Make a donation, however small. If it is contribution of your hard-earned money, it usually works best when you do it in person to those who really need it.
Do this in utter humility for you ain't helping him as much as you are helping yourself.

 11.  Listen. Lend your ear. Most troubled or suffering people who end up sad, depressed, angry, lonely, or frustrated just need someone who will listen. Venting and talking helps them clear their minds, and brings new perspective to the solutions to their problems.

12.  Always and definitely stop to help someone on the edge. Human existence is such a frail phenomenon and many if us reach the point of contemplating suicide when things have been going the other way for too long. Never ever, give up the chance to help someone who is driven to the edge. The edge is not too far for anyone of us. Your support may be the one thing that could get them back on track. The very fact that existence has brought you in contact with this person signifies that you have a role to play in his life. Your decision to help, or not, is going to affect both, him and you. Be kind to yourself, help him get back to life. It could turn out to be the best thing you ever did. Call a helpline or a doctor if necessary.

13.  Be a blessing to your own family and your neighbors. Do chores. Small, big, it doesn't matter, help cleaning those dishes, or washing the car or help in fitting those curtains. I am learning this myself.

14.  Show your gratitude every chance you get. Send that email saying how much you appreciate the little thing somebody did. Take every opportunity to appreciate the small good things that happen to you. Never pass an opportunity to tell someone, including your kids, or your wife, how proud you are of them. Say 'Thank you' wherever and whenever you can. This one word can never be used enough. If you are saying it less than ten times a day, something is wrong. Don’t rely on special occasions and greeting cards to express thanks. An unexpected “Thank you” is far more powerful and always appreciated. Tell your parents you really appreciate the support they have given you, or tell your domestic help how grateful you are for the work they do.

15.  Show appreciation, publicly. Give positive feedback to someone when in company. Praising someone in front of others stimulates encouragement that is hard to duplicate. It goes a long way in making someone feel better, and is something the person will never forget.

16.  Lend your voice. Very often you will come across people who need someone else to speak up for them. This holds especially true for the elderly, the handicapped, and the otherwise neglected. No, you don't have to take up the cause all by yourself, but you can definitely help in spreading the word and creating the awareness which will eventually bring along the right kind of assistance. Always remember, you are not separate from anyone else. Do, what you would like done unto you. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

 

17.  Call a charity or your Church, Temple, Gurdwara, Mosque, to volunteer. You don’t have to go to a soup kitchen today. Just look up the number, make the call, and make an appointment, to volunteer when they need you. It can be whatever charity you like. Volunteering is one of the most amazingly helpful things you could do.

18.  Redirect gifts. Instead of having people give you birthday or Christmas gifts, direct them to people who you know need it and can use it better.

19.  Donate blood whenever you can. But only if you have a lot of it, as there are plenty others, including children and elderly, who need it urgently in order to survive. There is no charity bigger than this.

20.  Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
Most importantly, try your best to make the above actions a regular habit and part of your routine, rather than on an ad-hoc basis. Watch the magic come alive in your life and in the lives of those around you.



In my rare meanderings through the Bible I found several instances, where the above traits or gestures have been mentioned, and I have taken the effort to mention them here solely for my christian friends, who sometimes tend to forget the true meaning of being a christian.

In Mark 10:45, Jesus says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus taught through His actions that serving and living for others is not just important, but your mandatory duty. He suffered untold agonies to set an example.

Help your family. (Romans 12:10)
When was the last time you cleaned the dishes or made dinner, not because it was your turn, but just because you can? It’s easy to forget that the ones we need to serve the most are often the ones closest to you. How would the attitudes in our homes change if we started each day by asking, “How can I help you today?” then followed through on the response?

Donate.  (Matthew 25:46)
We all have more than we need. Get the family together and clean out the house, gather clothes, toys, books and gadgets to donate. Its only lying there gathering dust, unused. Think of the difference it could make to someone. Donate.
 
Encouragement and Appreciation. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Encouragement is a gift we can give that costs us nothing. Pick a friend, neighbor, or family member, each week and send an email, text or handwritten note telling that person you are proud of them, that you’re praying for them, or that you’re here to help.

Deliver a meal. (Acts 20:35)
When you make dinner, double that recipe and take it to someone who may need a helping hand. A busy mother, a sick friend, or an elderly neighbor would love a night free from worrying about what’s for dinner.

Help other people shine. (Philippians 2:3)
We want people to acknowledge our accomplishments and our successes, but in Philippians, Paul speaks on the importance of considering others better than ourselves. Helping others showcase their gifts and talents is an awesome way to serve.  

Listen. (James 1:19)
Take time to sit with your kids, a friend, your spouse, or a neighbor and just listen to them. Make a point to put your own agenda aside, and focus on what someone else has to say!

Pay it forward. (Proverbs 11:24-25)
Offer to pay for someone whenever you can. The grocery store, The coffee shop, The fast food place, The Tutors, Schools, these are all places where you will find people who will deeply appreciate your help. If you can, pay, with no strings attached. Your generosity will make someone’s day.



 How far that little candle throws his beams!  
 So shines a good deed in a weary world.
  – William Shakespeare                                      
If you manage to do five or ten of the gestures listed the above, you have perhaps understood your true purpose in life already.
If you manage to do more than ten, Call me and tell me how.

This article is dedicated to my mother, who spends her life in prayer, gratitude, strengthened by unconditional love and service. If it wasn't for her, perhaps I would have never taken the time to understand what service is.



May the Light be with you all.

YOUR WORDS. BLESSINGS OR CURSES?

YOUR WORDS. BLESSINGS OR CURSES? 
 

Words have power. Their meaning shapes your perceptions, your beliefs, influence your behavior and inevitably change your life. The words you speak modify your existence and everything else it comes in contact with.
Quantum physics have made it clear that the world we perceive as 'physical' does not actually exist and that all 'matter' is just energy at different levels of vibration. The acclaimed physicist Werner Heisenberg states, “Atoms or elementary particles themselves are not real; they form a world of potentialities or possibilities, rather than one of things or facts.”
Life is more of an energy flow rather than a collection of solid objects and facts and effects of words on this energy flow is profound and deeply radical.
Every word you utter has a positive or negative impact on your immediate environment  and causes respective changes in the energy of all things that happen to 'hear' it. Numerous experiments conducted along these lines leave no doubt about the awesome power that words have over humans, plants, water, wood, metal and everything else. 

When words are combined or backed by intent, the effect is even more sharply pronounced. Think again about the effect a particular song or note of music has on you, how listening to certain tracks make you feel happy, peaceful, or even euphoric, while listening to others induce sadness, melancholy or despair. Numerous experiments have been conducted in labs, hospitals and homes by qualified professionals and common people, which unanimously reinforce this understanding of the power of words.
Try some experiments yourself, the results may encourage a better perception of the world we live in, and how we actively change our surroundings and inevitably our lives. In fact, we are doing that already, day in, day out. Its time to learn how to use words positively to enhance life, rather than suffer the consequences of ignorance.

 

The changes that appear in a bottle of water that has been exposed to different spoken words, have been well documented by Dr Emoto Masaru, and the results have astounded everyone who has come across it. The results are available on the web. You could, should, try it yourself. Take a couple of bottles of water from the same source, keep it undisturbed, while you speak a chosen word or phrase at it for 7 days. Of course, to see the changes in the crystalline structure of its molecules, you would need a high powered microscope. But you can always measure its effects by using the 'charged' water on your potted plants. The effects are clearly noticeable. While the positively charged water seems to boost growth, the negatively charged water seems to encourage rotting of the tips of the leaves and new shoots. Or you could try dropping a few grains of cooked rice into each bottle while you continue the experiment for at least 7 days, for noticeable results. The results will make you pause and think.
 
Down south of India, there are chants and hymns, that are used to treat fevers, aches and even boils. It always works and people seldom opt for medication. Why should they, when words can be used medicatively? What do you think would be the effect of chants and incantations used in 'black magic', that are aimed at specific purposes or people?
Remember, In the beginning there was the word. And out of this world came everything that we know today. Do not let the word 'everything'  be underestimated here. It literally means EVERYTHING.  Each word that comes out of your mouth is either a blessing or a curse, and it effects everything around you, actively modifying your perception of life and changing your future accordingly. Too far-fetched? If you think so, maybe it ain't time for you to understand this just yet. But you will soon, trust me.
 
Everything you utter, other than having an effect on your surroundings, your relationships and your possessions, also has the most profound effect on yourself, as these words tend to hang around you and become part of your static energy, that we call the aura or the 'vibe of a person or thing. This kind of static accumulation is what people try to wash off by bathing in the Ganga, Narmada, Saraswati and other sacred rivers. Putting a bit of oil on yourself before taking a bath seems to ensure greater wash off. The old traditions of our land, which advocate applying oil on yourself before taking a bath,seems to have some kind of validity, don't you think?

  

Simple words and phrases,like 'Thank you' or 'I love you' caused marked difference in the composition and molecular structure of the water. These effects are not confined to water, they apply to all materials and objects around you as well. We are talking only about water here because its effects can be visibly measured in a bottle with ease. Our bodies are composed of 70% water, just like the surface of the earth, and each drop in us responds to the words spoken to, and around it.
 
Try praying over a bottle of water every day before you water your plants with it, and I promise you, you will be amazed with the results it produces. Then try shouting or screaming at the bottle of water, or simply utter the choicest bad words you know in its close vicinity. This water is now detrimental to the progress of all life and will produce deteriorating effect on plants.
The practice of praying over your food finds its roots in this phenomenon.
 
The words you speak, have the power to make or break your life. Consider what happens when angry words are used at home. Life seems to cringe. The more the intent behind the words, the more damaging the 'curse' effect. Consider again when you express thanks or happiness in kind and positive words. Life seems to jump forward and find pathways where none existed. The more the intent behind the words, the more the 'blessed', its effect on life. Of course, the effect of your words are immediately visible on the faces of the rest of your family. What is not immediately visible is its prolonged effect on your physical system and your future potential. Bear in mind that 'Intent' is infinitely more powerful than words, and words are merely vehicles for the application of intent.

Consider the fact that your body is about 70% water and you’ll understand how quickly the vibration from negative words resonates in your cells. Ancient scriptures tell us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. This is not a metaphor.
'Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can change your brain.
I am not a Bible quoter per say, but there are gems of wisdom in it, which should not be ignored. Ephesians 4:29 says: Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear,” and Proverbs 18:21, where King Solomon says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” 

INDIAN ILLUMINATI. THE OLDEST SECRET SOCIETY ON THE PLANET.

Here is a must read

 

Knowledge is a powerful weapon, specialized knowledge, even more so, and since the beginning if mankind there have been secret groups or societies that have endeavored to keep this kind of knowledge a secret from the immature masses. Ancient Egyptians, Tibetan Monks, The Free Masons, The Rosicrucian, The Essene, and The Illuminati are just a few worth mentioning. But the most secretive, the most ancient, and the most important of them all, were perhaps the nine people chosen by Emperor Ashoka, back in 270 BC.
In his book, “Outline of World History,” H.G. Wells wrote: “Among the tens of thousands of names of monarchs accumulated of the files of history, the name Ashoka shines almost alone, like a star.”

Why? Read on.

     
Ashoka was the grandson of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who was the first person to attempt to unify the vast land that was India. Emperor Ashoka was a ruthless man and a conqueror, who waged war on the kingodm of Kalinga, which stretched between what is now Chennai and Bengal. After the war, Ashoka stepped out to survey the land he had conquered, and was utterly appalled with what he saw. The sight of thousands and thousands of corpses and burnt houses, made him sick and he cried the famous quote "What have I done"?
 
 This brutality was the reason he adopted Buddhism, under the sages Manjushri and Radhaswami, and started propagating this relatively new religion, throughout the world, from Malaya, Ceylon, Indonesia, Nepal, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Rome and Egypt. The story goes that he realized the inherent tendency of humans to use scientific and technological knowledge for the purpose of destruction. He vowed to find a way to keep the technological discoveries and knowledge, protected from those who could use it for purposes of annihilation and death.
 
With this end in mind, Ashoka founded what is perhaps the most powerful society on the planet, comprising of 9 well-chosen adepts from various disciplines. These nine men were charged with the responsibility of manipulating the culture of India to present an image of a backwards and mystically-oriented people to effectively conceal the superior scientific knowledge that was being accumulated within. It was during his reign that all natural science, past and present, was vowed to secrecy. Ever since that time all technological advancements, from researches into the structure of matter, to the techniques employed in collective psychology, have been effectively hidden behind the mask of a mystical minded people, commonly believed to be concerned with ecstasy and supernatural phenomena.
 
It is not very hard to imagine the strategic importance of ultra-secret knowledge in the hands of 9 men, who benefited directly from the experiments and results of studies, researches and documents, that accumulated over a period of more than 2,000 years. Each of these men were entrusted a book, which contained all mankind's accumulated knowledge in certain fields. It would be the responsibility of the custodian of each book, to constantly add to, revise and perfect, the knowledge contained in the tomes, and this duty would be passed down to the select chosen throughout the ensuing centuries. Some accounts even go as far as to suggest The Nine have unlocked the secrets of immortality, and retain their position for eternity.
 
There were always nine of them, no more, no,less. and they were to remain obscured from the world at large and to avoid any and all dealings with politics or mainstream science, instead opting to remain hidden in the shadows. In order to conceal their communications, the Nine Unknown Men spoke to each other in a synthetic language created by themselves, which was incomprehensible to anyone else. They would serve as keepers and guardians of this hidden knowledge, contained within the ever expanding books, and to be detached observers of the world around them, witnessing the rise and fall of whole civilizations, yet to never interfere or play an active role in any of it, except perhaps when mankind was in dire need of help.
Although the knowledge of these books is supposedly kept totally secret from mankind, over the centuries there are said to have been leaks, which have been responsible for a number of innovations throughout history. For instance, it is said that the secret of aeronautics and flight, using radiation to sterilize objects as well as produce the atomic bomb, pressure points or techniques used in various martial arts, and numerous medical breakthroughs, among others, were all the result of information from the nine books somehow leaking out, or being released into the outside world. Indeed it has long been believed that the Nine Unknown Men intentionally release tidbits of information from their books on occasion, in order to help mankind in times of great need, such gifts being allegedly the vaccines for cholera and plague. They are also said to sometimes reveal themselves to those who they deem to be wise and worthy in order to share portions of the secrets and information, they have gathered over the centuries.

Though stories of this event and The Nine have circulated the land since that time, the world at large, learned about this extraordinary secret society first through Talbot Mundy, who was a member of the British Police in India in 1923.
In his book, Mundy asserts that Ashoka’s society spoke a synthetic language. Mundy also maintained that each of the nine members possessed a book, that was constantly rewritten, updated, and contained detailed accounts of certain scientific subjects.
 
Read on,
 
The concept of the "Nine Unknown Men" was further popularized by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, in their 1960 book The Morning of the Magicians. They insisted that the society of the Nine was absolutely real and had been founded by the Indian Emperor Ashoka. They also claimed that Pope Silvester II, born in 920, had met them. Pope Sylvester II, who was born as Gerbert d’Aurillac in 920 and was a Benedictine monk, a professor at the University of Rheims, the Archbishop of Ravenna, and Pope by the grace of Otho III. Pope Sylvester II spent some time in Spain before taking a trip to India for unknown reasons. Upon his return, he was said to have brought with him a variety of knowledge that was well ahead of its time and which puzzled those around him.

Jacolliot states categorically that the Society of Nine did actually exist. And, to make it all the more intriguing, he refers in the this connection to certain techniques, unimaginable in 1860, such as, for example, the liberation of energy, sterilization by radiation and psychological warfare. Yersin, one of Pasteur and de Roux's closest collaborators, was entrusted, it seems, with certain biological secrets when he visited Madras in 1890, and following the instructions he received was able to prepare a serum against cholera and the plague.
 
Numerous figures who straddled the line between occultism and science fiction writing, like Louis Jacolliot, Talbot Mundy, and later Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, in their book, Morning of the Magicians, propagated the story of the Nine claiming that the society occasionally revealed itself to wise outsiders such as Pope Sylvester II, who was said to have received, among other things, training in supernatural powers and a robotic talking head from the group. In more recent times, according to this circle, the Nine assisted humanity by revealing the secret of the Cholera vaccine.
"Nine Unknown Men" are referenced in some Indian novels, beginning with The Mahabharata Secret, a 2013 novel written by Christopher C. Doyle, then in the 2015 novel Finders, Keepers.
Some modern Indian scientists such as Jagdish Chandra Bose were said to believe in or even to be members of the Nine although documentation on this issue is scant.

The Books. 
 
The subjects of these nine alleged mysterious books vary wildly, and cover a range of disciplines and knowledge, much of which we still do not possess today and would have been certainly unheard of at the time.
 
1) The first deals with techniques of propaganda and psychological warfare, the science of manipulating mass opinions and sculpting the attitudes of society at large, which has long been thought to be among the most dangerous of sciences.

2) The second deals with the subject of human physiology, an equally dangerous field outlining such things as how to create poisons, kill more efficiently, ways to manipulate pressure points, and indeed how to kill with a mere touch.

3) The third book delves into the area of microbiology, with its vast potential to create and manipulate microbes that could save or wipe out mankind, as well as more beneficial microbes for medicinal purposes or purification. Some legends hold that the Ganges River is purified with microbes designed by The Nine and dispersed into the waters at the base of the Himalayas.

4) The fourth book is on the subject of alchemy, namely the transmutation of metals, a power which is used to explain the sudden influx of gold to some temples around the country from an unknown source in times of need.

5) The fifth book delves into the subject of communication, strangely supposedly including methods for which to communicate with extraterrestrials, which would have been a fairly high concept notion in 237 BC at the least, and would suggest they knew of alien visitations to the planet.

6) The sixth book is all about the secrets of gravity, including the ways in which to make anti-gravity aircraft called Vimana, which are persistent in Indian myth throughout history and are sometimes called ancient UFOs of India.

7) In the seventh book there is said to be a vast, exhaustive amount of information on cosmology and the workings of the universe, including allegedly the secrets of faster than light travel, how to bend space and time, travel between dimensions, and by some accounts even time travel.

8) The eighth book is said to be about the nature of light, including increasing or decreasing its speed, bending it to one’s will, and using it to create weapons such as lasers.

9) The ninth and final book is about sociology, and is said to include the immutable rules of the rise and fall of civilizations, as well as the secrets of how to predict the decline of society, and how to stop it or hasten it.

Though there are those who believe that this is myth, it is a story that each person is entitled to have his own opinion about. There are an overwhelming number of famous figures who staked their credibility in popularizing this story and this clearly indicates their convictions about its existence. Personally, I think there is good chance that the above tale is absolutely true. Remember, truth, is most of the time stranger than fiction. There is lot more to be stated about the Nine, but I think this will do for now.

THE KODINHI PHENOMENON - INDIA UPLUGGED.

India Unplugged.

A diehard fan of mysteries that refuse to yield their juice, I have been an avid reader and a collector of documented, yet unexplained facts, for the last 25 years. I had no idea at the time, that one day I would be writing about it. Indeed, I never even thought i would be interested in writing itself, but here we are. There are many incredible facts out there, with the advent of the phenomenon called internet, but then there are some that are so unbelievable, yet true, that it is guaranteed to give the reader a serious case of mental indigestion. No these are not figments of the imagination, these are actual documented events and people that existed, and some still do today. So after some thought I decided to start with some easy ones, before I lead you along gradually deeper into to the labyrinths of mystery, mysticism and other marvels from the collective subconscious.

The Kodinhi Phenomenon. The Village of twins.                
The setting.
Kodinhi is a quaint little village, close to the town of Tirurangadi, in Malappuram district of Kerala, India. The population of this village is around 2000 families (2008 survey) and most of the people here are Sunni Muslims. Before you read ahead, you need to know that according to statistics, Asian women in general are not physically disposed towards having twins, and as such, have recorded the least number of twin births at 4 per 1000.


Here is where it gets crazy.
This is certainly no secret, though it is possible that there are people who are not aware of this phenomenon.
Sometime in 1949, the first pair of twins were born in this village. And after that the number of twins born here just kept on increasing. At first I am sure, it must have been amusing. But the number of twins born every year showed a slight increase to the previous year and in 2008 there were as many as 250 sets of documented twins in the village, with 79 pairs within the age of 10 years. 250 sets of twins between a population of 2000 families, stretches the imagination a bit. This is only the official number. This being India, you can count on the fact that there are quite a few more out there who are not documented. This brings the average twin birth ratio to a whopping 45 per 1000. People of the village have observed that women who are around 5ft tall have the most chances of bearing twins. They also believe that there is a hereditary factor to twin births - a woman is more likely to bear twins if there has been a history of it in the family - maternally.
The funny thing is that this phenomenon is observed only in the village of Kodinhi. The other villages around Kodinhi have recorded no incidents of twin births.
A number of explanations have been offered, including the possibility of something in the water or in the air, that is responsible for this effect on the physiology of people living there. Diets and habits have been examined without much success. It is now being attributed to hereditary factors, but there is no conclusive proof.
In fact, women from Kodinhi who are married off to far away places, still give birth to twins, giving some credence to the idea of hereditary factors. 
 
 

There are others.
This strange phenomenon is not isolated to Kodinhi. It seems to be happening at 2 other places on the planet. These are, Igbo-Ora, in Nigeria, and within a small isolated community in Candido Godoi, Brazil.

THE 8 MOST EFFECTIVE HOME REMEDIES FOR TIRED, INFLAMMED AND ITCHY EYES.

Let me start with something that has been bothering me since a few days. I developed an irritation around the eyelids which produced a very insistent itch. I had been traveling a lot and suspected that it could be some kind of infection. The right eye swelled up a bit and watered incessantly. The left one was itching too. Rubbing your eyes vigorously only complicates matters, I learned.
 
Arriving home, I did some research and was amazed to find a whole lot of home remedies for itchy eyes in general, that ranged from potato slices to the juice of coriander leaves. Finding most of the things at home, I tried a few methods and was absolutely amazed with the results. Trust me, no medicines or eye drops that come in dainty packs, can ever compete with the natural remedies that are available almost for free, right in your own kitchen. The difference between man-made and God-made is stark, to say the least. One of the remedies I tried, cured my eyes, almost with the first application, prompting this list of 8 most effective home remedies for itchy eyes. 
Unlike the usual style of these lists, I would like to present the effective treatment first and then move on to the more effective ones, ending with the one that I think is the best cure for all kinds of eye ailments, be it itchy red eyes, styes, or any other kind of infection.


 

1. Green Tea
This one is really effective for a lot of people. Its anti-inflammatory properties are excellent for red itchy eyes. I tried this and it provided great relief. The itching stops almost immediately and the redness vanishes in a couple of hours. It is utterly simple to use. Boil and cool two teabags in one cup of distilled water and use this solution to wash your eyes two to three times a day.

2. Saltwater
Remember your body is 79% salt water. Salt dissolved into boiling distilled water, cooled and used as an anti-bacterial eyewash, provides great relief in case of itchiness. This stings slightly at first, but trust me, it lets your eyes rest, by clearing away the stuff that was lodged inside. It is also good for tiredness of the eyes, caused due to over-exposure to TV, Computer screens, travel etc. Wash at least 3 times a day for great results.

3. Rosewater

Pure rosewater is one of the most acclaimed home remedies for tired, inflamed, and itchy eyes. I found that rosewater basically soothes and cools the eyes. It can be used as eye drops or as a wash by dissolving a few drops in water. 

4. Castor Oil
Yeah. This one is a little hard to believe. But dig this, castor oil is the main ingredient in almost all commercial eye drops that you can find. Put a drop in your eye and it feels warm after a slight sting. I am not sure this works even better than saltwater in flushing the eyes of debris. Use a clean dropper. Use pure castor oil. The major feature of castor oil is that it reduces the swelling around the eyes immediately. Do this 4 to 5 times a day for maximum relief.

 5. Fenugreek Seed Paste
  This is a great one. You wont believe the effects until you try it. It gets rid of the itch as soon as it is applied. Make a smooth paste of fenugreek seeds that have been soaked in water for 8 to 10 hours. Apply this magical paste on to your tired eyelids and leave it there for 20 minutes. Wash off with cold water. Do this 3 or 4 times a day to get complete relief from itchy eyes.

6. Cold Compress 

One of the simplest, yet most amazing thing I discovered, was that a cold compress around the eyes, works better that most other remedies. And this one does not even require you to put anything into the eyes. Do not under estimate the relief that this method can provide you. Do this as many times as you like. The effect is always pleasant and immediate
7. Juice of Aloe Vera
Aloe juice is another remedy that simply outweighs the ones that passed before. The insides of the Aloe leaf will yield a couple of drops of juice of the right consistency that    you can mix with honey, to form a very effective eye tonic. This application will completely cure your condition at the earliest. You can also use pure aloe juice.   Yes, it stings a bit, but so does honey. there isn't much to talk about, this is one of the best remedies possible. Apply at least 3 to 4 times a day to completely be over it in two days.

 8. Cold Milk. Cold Milk. Cold Milk.
Alright. This is not a remedy. This is The Remedy, for all ailments of the eyes. It really does not seem to matter what kind of milk as long as it is pure. People have used cow's milk, goat's milk, camel milk with immediate and fantastic results. It seems, nothing works better for the eyes than milk. In the south of India, this is a remedy that is part of common knowledge, unforgotten, and used frequently. The main difference being, that out there people generally use mother's milk. Trust me when I say, that mother's milk is probably thrice as effective as cow's or goat's milk. A drop of this magic in your eye provides immediate and acute relief from, itchiness, swelling and irritation. Milk can be used any number of times and it will always produce the same cooling effect. In my opinion, there is nothing that even comes close to this ultimate remedy. However, please do not get hung up on mother's milk, cow's milk will do just fine. No matter what your eye trouble, cool milk is probably the best medicine you can find. 

Please note: Use pure cow's milk that you get from a proper dairy. Even Buffalo milk will do just fine. Please do not use the 'milk' that is supplied in packets all over. There are no guarantees to that stuff, and I often wonder whether it is milk at all. 
* Some times pure milk can be thick, do use your common sense generously, and add some distilled water. Use it when cool, not cold, do not chill it.

You can put a couple of drops directly into the eyes, or you can apply the same with a rolled cotton ball. You can also soak the cotton in milk and place it over your eyes and under it. Yes, it does make the area sticky, but the relief and well-being you feel in your eyes, far outweighs this little inconvenience. I can go on ranting about this remedy, but let me finish by saying that Milk is what God probably intended you to put in your eyes for your eye troubles. As far as I know, no one has been ever harmed by washing their eyes with cold milk or by putting a few drops. 
Milk is probably the God-intended remedy for tired, inflamed, itchy eyes. Period.

There, I told you I was deeply opinionated. Don't let that stop you from trying the remedies suggested above. All of them work, some more than the others. Nothing works better than milk though.