LEARNING IS LIFE

  Created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) and partnered by UNESCO, the observance of International Dance Day (IDD) is held on April 29 since 1982. The observance is meant to recognise the value of dance as an art form and explore its multiple ramifications. As we celebrate IDD, there is a need to look at dance away from the over-emphasized aspect in terms of its use as entertainment and fun. “Dance can be used to provide spiritual, kinaesthetic-cognitive, therapeutic and spiritual experiences. Some neuro-scientific and psycho-analytical studies suggest that through specifically designed dance forms, different states of consciousness can be felt and accessed including that of soulfulness,” I had blogged earlier. Advocating the importance of spiritual dance, Gabrielle Roth says, 'Dance is the fastest, most direct route to the truth - not some big truth that belongs to everybody, but to get down and personal kind, the’s-happening-in-me-right-now...

  अद्वैत दर्शन : शब्द आलाप पद  आत्मा-है शुद्ध-चेतना , सचिद्दानन्द तत्व  ब्रह्म-ब्रह्मांड-की अंतिम वास्तविकता *** अद्वैतवाद एकत्व दर्शन  आत्मा-और ब्रह्म-की एकता: *** अज्ञान-है नश्वर-जगत-को,   नश्वर-देह-को  भौतिकता-को सत्य मानना  *** आत्मा-की  ब्रह्म-से विलगता  अविद्या-है, मोह-माया-है., घोर-तम -है  :*** आत्मा-है  अविनाशी,-है , शाश्वत -है   आत्म-ज्ञान-है मोक्ष-का माध्यम   *** आत्मा-है   ब्रह्म-का भाग-है,  आत्म-ज्ञान  ब्रह्म-में विलीन-करे    x

  सूक्ष्म बोल अलाप पद 💓💁💔 अविद्या-है   अस्तित्वगत समस्या  भौतिक-जगत-को, मोह-माया-को सत्य-मानना *** ब्रह्म-है  ब्रह्मांड-का परम-कारण आत्मा-है ब्रह्म-का अंश *** ब्रह्म-है   सार्वभौमिक सिद्धांत ब्रह्म-है अद्वैत अहसास *** विद्या-है   अधिभौतिक जगत-को परमात्मा-को, आत्मा-को सत्य-मानना *** विद्या -है   अद्वैत विचार जीवन आत्मा-परमात्मा-का एकत्व-है  **

  सूक्ष्म बोल आलाप   ब्रह्म   - परम सत्य सृष्टि - का , अस्तित्व - का   आधार - है   ब्रह्म - निर्गुण - है , निराकार - है   अनन्त - सत्य - है , अनन्त - चित - है , अनन्त - आनन्द - है।   ब्रह्म शुद्ध - अस्तित्व - है , शुद्ध - चेतना - है जो अपरिवर्तनीय - है , जो - शाश्वत - है , जो - सर्वव्यापी - है।     आत्मा - ब्रह्म - का - ही    एक - अंश जन्म - मरण - से - परे ,   आत्मा     शरीर - बदलती - है .   इहलोक माया - है , भ्रम - है अविद्या - है , मिथ्या - ज्ञान - है , तम - है   ब्रह्मविद्या परम - विज्ञान - है ,   पूर्ण - ज्ञान - है। अंतर्ज्ञान , संपूर्ण - अनुभव जीवन - लक्ष्य - है   मोक्ष माया - से मुक्ति - है , विद्या - प्रकाश - है , ब्रह्म-ज्ञान- है , आत्मा - ब्रह्म-का - मिलन - है  

Today, April 23, is World Book Day which is also known as 'World Book Day and Copyright Day' that is an annual event organized and coordinated by UNESCO to promote enjoyment of reading books.     Every year, as part of the observance, a World Book Capital is selected by UNESCO and international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry – publishers, booksellers and libraries to promote books and reading for all age groups and across all sectors of society, in the host country and beyond. The book capital project is meant to underline how books can bring about social through literacy, education and poverty eradication along with creating sustainable economic benefits.     Urging the world community to celebrate of the power of books, UNESCO states, "Books are like a window onto another world – with each new page, they introduce us to new people, new cultures and new ideas."     UNESCO holds, "Books, in all their forms, allow us ...

 The UN proclaimed World Mother Earth Day 2025 is being observed on April 22 with the theme “Our Power, Our Planet” emphasising the use of renewable energy in a big way and taking decisive action on climate action. According to the UN,  the observance recognizes the Earth and its ecosystems as humanity's common home and the need to protect her to enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity. "Climate change, man-made changes to nature as well as crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can accelerate the speed of destruction of the planet. Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action - a need to shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Protecting the planet is everyone's responsibility," adds the UN on its website. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres,  i...

DEATH HAIKU Pope passes away With last tweet “Christ is risen!" - Lets pray for Pontiff ! *** Death is transition It offers hope for strife's end Through life devoid of sins *** Death results from sins - Be a believer, sin not For eternal life *** Death is false, untrue It's illusion of sinners - Not of believers *** Death of Holy One - It's the Rest-In-Peace vision For those who believe

SHORT NOTE       "Easter, primarily celebrated in Christianity, signifies Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, a key event in Christian theology that is central to the concept of sin redemption. "The death and resurrection of Jesus are believed to have provided atonement for the sins of humanity, offering a path to reconciliation with God," states an AI Overview.        The Bible lists several sins along with a mention of various actions, attitudes, and behaviors that are considered sinful. Keeping this view, screen addiction is being seen as the deadliest behavioural sin of modern times. This behaviour has further intensified the listed 'Seven Deadly Sins' such as pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, wrath, breaking the Ten Commandments.           Some behavioural sins like lying, adultery, murder, and coveting including homosexuality, were commonly mentioned along with the attitudes such as bittern...

  Holy Saturday: Spiritual Haiku to Ponder Over  Be solemn 'n reflect Be somber and meditate - Rid sins to renew! *** Purify yourself For passion of noble deeds - Rise above mundane! *** Rise beyond mean mind - Return good for evils too For peace in death 'n rise *** Confess-n-burry sins For a renewed you to rise - True life! Be like Christ!

  HOLY SATURDAY HAIKU Be not living dead - Resurrect, rise 'n be sacred- Free from all evils *** With solemnity Self-reflect and contemplate To redeem yourself *** Cleanse your soul of sins To be filled with hope, love, bliss - Essence of renewal

  GOOD FRIDAY MESSAGE IN HAIKU   Let go of hatred Rise to live with harmony - Hate is deadly sin! *** Lash out not hate-tongue Let the words of love revive To save humaneness *** Be never hateful Forgive and forget to rise – That’s resurrection!

  Good Friday Haiku Know your vices, sins Which have crucified 'Pure Self' - Resurrect and rise! ~*~ Good Friday is here For spiritual renaissance - No more betrayals! ~*~  Events and rituals - They delude, create erring we - Renounce all externals! ~^~ Denial of spirit - Non-realising soulfulness That's original sin! ~x~

  Unity in diversity haiku Diversity needs Innovative inclusion - Individual plans *** Diagnose difference Design right intervention Coupled with prognosis *** Needs based designing Critical-creative thinking Affect inclusion *** We are humans first Parts of shared humanity Despite difference

       Every year on April 16, the World Semicolon Day is observed to raise awareness about the mental health challenges and issues and bring out the people suffering from depression, addiction and suicidal tendencies to normal life by encouraging such people with care, hope and support to come out of unwanted mental state.      "The semicolon is more than a symbol — it’s resistance. It’s the refusal to give up. It’s a statement that we matter, our pain matters, and our lives are worth fighting for," is the message of the observance.       Thus a semicolon (;) signifies 'mental health awareness, resilience, and the idea that a story or journey isn't over, but continues. It's a symbol of hope and support for those facing mental health struggles.' Haiku Stigmatise never Persons with mental health  Extend better care *** Mental health issues - Cure is in empathy and hope Care, love and support *** Hope, resilience Empathy, therapy...

  Jnana Yoga Precept of the Bhagavad Gita: Haiku   Word jñana connotes To know, perceive, apprehend Realise, codify   Humans've innate gift To search for meaning and wisdom And, know the knower   In jñana yoga Wisdom is sought and derived By knowing True Self   Body-senses-mind - That’s action field of knowing For Knower of Field   Knower must know first - Be aware of mind-n-senses To be educated   Unbiased senses-n-mind Objective-pure witness mind Makes us wise knower   Know first, foremost

     Guru Sri Tegh Bahadur Sahib's Prakash Purab is being observed on April 12 to honour the ninth Sikh Guru's contribution to Sikhism. The Guru gave up his life defending the religious rights of the   Hindus.      Guru Ji was executed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for resisting forced conversions. The revered Guru is also called "Hind ki Chadar" for his extraordinary courage and selflessness.  Teachings of Sikh Guru Sri Tegh Bahadur Sahib  in haiku  Vanquish your ego Deem lord as sole doer of things For your redemption *** Know the Reality - This world is transitory God is eternal *** Pains, pleasures are same Imbibe equanimity Shun lust, greed, anger *** God’s name is real wealth Be engrossed in Lord’s presence Let divine fill you

 SI Haiku  SI’s awareness – Inner drive for meaning, aim| ‘N connect with cosmos *** For spiritual growth Live mindfully now-and-here To know self-n-timeless *** Have faith in Soul-Truth Deem yourself embodied soul Entity past mind *** When devotion – EI – Merges into your SI You live-n-die soulful READ CAREFULLY THE WORD CLOUD ON SI

            Sri Guru Har Krishan Ji Sahib (7 July 1656 – 30 March 1664), also known as Bal Guru, was the eighth Sikh Guru. At the age of five, he succeeded his father, Sri Guru Har Rai Ji Sahib to became the youngest Guru. He also had a short but spiritually rich life.      He contracted smallpox in 1664 while serving other patients among his followers. He died by uttering "Baba Bakale" before reaching his eighth birthday. Thus Sri Guru Har Krishan Ji Shib had the shortest period of 2+ years as a Sikh Guru.      Followers of Sikhism often create schools in his memory with the tradition of teaching children as dormant divine and to revere the childhood spirituality   Here are my haiku inspired by life and selfless service by the 'Bal Guru'.   Children are curious - They've innate sense of wonder, Awe and reverence  Children're innocent Children are dormant divine Nurture their holiness  Give expe...

Three Tanka Verses on Spirituality Inner quest of exploring Meaning, aim, connect To thing grand and beyond The confines of one’s mind *** Personal seeking To know self, life, death, aim of Existence, cosmos - Honing deep self-awareness Through pious self-on-self actions *** Withdraw from the world That is fast fleeting and false Link to pious inner Hone reflection, mindfulness Meditation and soul-feel  

             The Jain religion or Jainsim is one of the oldest independent religions in the world. The tenets of Jainism have propounded and preached by Tirthankaras of Jains - the conquers of body, senses and mind.     The first Tirthankar of Jain religion was Lord Rushabhdev and the last or 24th Tithankar was Lord Mahavira. Over the years, the followers of the religion got divided into two major sects; the Digambara (meaning naked or sky clad) and the Svetambara (meaning white clad). Further, as a religious reform, the Terapantha sub-sect appears both among the Digambara and the Svetambara sects.     The followers of Digambara Terapanth believe in nudity and idol-worship and rituals. On the other hand, the Svetambara Terapanthis are the reformists.     Terapanth sects subscribes for thirteen 13 religious principles consisting of five Mahavratas or great vows; five Samitis  or regulations and three Guptis  or...

TANKA VERSES ON TRUTH   Truth’s multi-sided Truth’s unknown infinite Truth’s non-absolute Humans-n-knowledge’re specks of Truth - Tentative-n-transient falsehood ! *** All that’s known by mind Deem it tentative, part-truth Truth’s ever unknown Truth is complex –n-infinite - Live non-hurtful life and Be! *** Coexist peacefully In awe of infinite Truth Complex pluralistic Truth Just Be and let others Be Be un-hurting, live-n-let-live

Truth in Jainism: Short Note In Jainism, Truth   or Satya   precept is viewed as the one being with multiple perspectives and complex.   The Jain tenets of Anekantavada (Doctrine of Many-Sidedness and pluralism) and Syadvad (Doctrine of Qualified Assertion) are central to Jain philosophy. So, Truth is matter of silent exploration since it is ever-new and prompts to live a life of non-hurt, high order of integrity, ethics and all our efforts for self-purification.  In Jainism, the emphasis is on spiritual growth through contemplation on ‘tattva’ that assumes existence of souls, non-souls, and the cycle of karma as reality.  It is held that Jainism views both Buddhist "nihilism" (non-self precept) and Vedic "eternalism" (immortal soul precept) as correct but incomplete, advocating for the simultaneous acceptance of the soul's eternal purity and its connection to (non-hurt) karma, as indicated by an AI overview.   Haiku  Truth's many-sided Compl...

  The Navkar Mantra   -a key prayer in Jainism -   expresses reverence for the five supreme spiritual beings or divine souls called Panch Parmeshthi).   It is widely believed by the followers that the Mantra can purify common souls and bring auspiciousness in life.   Here's the mantra in English with the meaning in braces: Namo Arihantanam - I bow to the Arihantas (Spiritual beings who have conquered their inner enemies to attain self-realization). Namo Siddhanam - I bow to the Siddhas (Those who have fully liberated their souls). Namo Ayariyanam - I bow to the Acharyas (Those who are the spiritual leaders or preceptors) Namo Uvajjhayanam - I bow to the Upadhyayas (The wise teachers of the scriptures). Namo Loye Savva-Sahunam - I bow to all the monks or sages in the world. Eso Panch Namokaro - These are the five bowing downs to purify me and the world   Here are some of my haiku on Jainism. Extirpate Karma Through deep spiritual knowledge And st...

       A therapeutic procedure is an intervention aimed at mitigate a bad health condition, disorder, or disease.      Besides medicines, therapies should also be used fre better effects.For children pup therapy not merely makes a child happy as is leads to excretion of dopamine, oxytocin and cortisol in their glands. It improves a a child's overall health and well-being.      The therapeutic process is a matter of learning since involves the interactions and communications between the child  and the therapist.      Picking up a pup, requires a proper procedure as follows. Pat the pup on the head or caress its neck. Relax it. Never grab a pup by its neck or tail. Stand or kneel down by the side of the pup and wrap one arm around the chest and under the neck Use the other hand to hold pup's hind legs and bend the knees of the pup Pull the pup close to your body before standing up.       Generally, i...

  गायत्री प्रार्थना  नोट : प्रार्थना शब्द अलाप में गाएं  ॐ   हरि-ॐ   हरि-हरि-ॐ *** भूलोक-में  भवलोक-में ,   इहलोक-में  सर्व-व्याप्त    प्रभु-का    ध्यान-करें *** प्राण-स्वरुप दुःख-भंजक,  पाप-नाशक ऐसे-प्रभु-को  अंतःकरण-में   धारण-करें *** श्रेष्ठ-प्रभु  तेजस्वी-प्रभु ,   देव-स्वरुप-प्रभु मेरी-बुद्धि-को  सन्मार्ग-पर   ले-जाएं *** ॐ   हरि-ॐ   हरि-हरि-ॐ ***~***

Spiritual Death  Haiku   Nothing’s permanent All phenomena’re transient Including one’s death *** Death isn’t end of life It’s just re-birth renewal – Death too is transient *** Death’s inevitable We have borrowed life from death For good use to thrive *** First, die to your mind to know and understand death And die mindfully *** Realise, we die to live We die moment to moment Yet go on to live *** Death is transient A moment for renewed life   Death's new way of life *** Death 'I's – so 'Is' Birth   As an end-to-end cycle Both birth-n-death are life

ललित किशोर के हिंदी हाइकु  ए आई ओवरव्यू  में दर्ज है  हाल ही में गीता ग्रंथ पर लिखे हाइकु निम्नवत हैं  भोग चिंतन बनाता मिथ्याचारी कराता पाप *** वासना, क्रोध मद, मोह, दर्प  हैं नरक द्वार *** आत्मा अजर, अमर, शाश्वत है देह मरे है *** निष्काम कर्म दिव्यता जगाता है मोक्ष दाता है  *** जन्म. मरण  सब विधि के हाथ - भयमुक्त जी 

 पर्युषण पर्व या दस लक्षण धर्म का जैन त्योहार शरीर, इंद्रियों और मन को शुद्ध करने के लिए है ~ब्लॉग लेखक: डॉ ललित किशोर (Speaking Tree)      हर साल जैन त्यौहार पर्युषण पर्व या दस लक्षण धर्म भाद्रपद माह के शुक्ल पक्ष में 8-10 दिनों तक ध्यान, उपवास और प्रार्थना के साथ मनाया जाता है, जिसका समापन संवत्सरी या क्षमावाणी - क्षमा दिवस के साथ होता है। त्यौहार के आखिरी दिन अनुयायी 'मिच्छामि दुक्कड़म!' या "मुझे माफ़ कर दो!" का आदान-प्रदान करते हैं, जिसका अर्थ है कि मेरे सभी गलत कामों को मिटा दिया जाए ताकि एक नई शुरुआत या नवीनीकरण हो सके।  भाद्रपद का पूरा महीना व्रत, पूजा-पाठ और शास्त्र पठन-पाठन में व्यतीत होता है।      ऐसा माना जाता है कि उपवास शरीर और मन को शुद्ध करता है और त्याग और तपस्या पर जोर देता है। कुछ भक्त तो 31 दिनों तक उपवास या 'मास्कमण' भी करते हैं और केवल उबला हुआ पानी पीकर अपना गुजारा करते हैं।      दस लक्षण धर्म के लिए, त्योहार के दौरान निम्नलिखित दस 'पवित्र गुणों' पर विचार किया जाता है और उनका अभ्यास किया जाता है •उत्तम क्षमा या...