For the Group 21 meeting of December, we met at Roopa Thadani place and we sang carols. Most of us are convent educated and the 'carol singing' brought back fond memories. All enthusiastically joined in.
Note Radha Krishna being part of the celebration.
lighting candles or lighting diyas...what difference? they both dispel darkness no?

http://www.dalsabzi.com/books/kids_kahaani/Festivals/Merry_christmas.htm


On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Jesus was born in a stable, in Bethlehem. He grew up in Nazareth. Jesus was baptized by his cousin John. Baptism, is the 'marking' with holy water, of babies. By becoming baptized, it is believed that sins are washed away, and the babies, become members of the Christian community. (Hindus believe that their sins are washed away by bathing in the Ganges River)

Three kings, or the adoring magi came from the east, to pay respect to baby Jesus, and brought for him gifts, from their far off land. The kings had seen a bright star, which foretold, the coming of a divine child! Angels announced Jesus’ birth and shepherds called people to worship him.

You may have heard the carol: Silent night, Holy night…

Maybe it is reminding us that just like the morning comes after the night, so the birth of Jesus will bring to an end, all the fighting in the world.

Jesus stated that unless grown ups become innocent like children, they will not be allowed to enter the kingdom of Heaven.

The prophet Isaiah had foretold that a great light would appear at the birth of the divine child Jesus.

Maybe it meant that people would be cleansed of all bad thoughts and actions and become simple and innocent.

The birth of a child reminds one of a new beginning.

I have read that Christmas is not only a festival that belongs to the Christians and children, but to the child in all the grown-ups.

The message of Christmas is that of hope, cheer, love and Peace!

Shall we spread it, the best way we know how?

With love,

Dadi Ma Nani Ma

Read about the Tulasi, click:
http://dalsabzi.com/Books/hindu_customs/tulasi.htm

and a lovely prayer to Mother Tulasi:
A prayer to Tulsi Mother:
Yan Mule Sarva Tirthaani
Yanaagre Sarva Devataa
yan Madhye Sarva Veda ashcha
Tulsi taam namaa nyaham

Which means:
At your base (feet) lie all the Pilgrimage places
At your top (crown) reside all the Divine Beings
At your centre reside (the knowledge of ) the Vedas
My obeisance to thee

on November 18th was invited for a very interesting session on Graphotherapy. What is that? in simple words 'Writing analysis' conducted by Ms Meherunisa Sutarwala.
Meherunisa believes that if one makes a conscious change in ones handwriting, one can bring positive subconscious changes within oneself. every stroke, curve and dot in ones writing correlates to a personality trait within, which can be modified for ones transformation.
some excerpts:
A line instead of a dot on i means you have a temper.
Avoid dots after you sign a name...you would not want to put a full stop after your name...
Ascending signature is good...optimistic...it is good to rise, is it not?
avoid loops, no need to make things elaborate.

I got so interested in the subject that i looked up the internet...
So some more pointers:
Difference between writing and signature indicates a difference between private and public self.

A large size hand writing indicates a desire to be noticed.

Average spacing indicates 'self confidence' comfortable, at ease...

We write with our subconscious mind, but if we strive to change our hand writing, for the better with our conscious mind then maybe we can modify a personality trait for the better...So believes Meherunisa...

Chapter 6 Lesson 8
To continue with Geeta, little by little:
In chapter 6 verse 11 Lord Krishna states: ' Sit on a spot, neither very high nor very low, free from dirt and other impurities with a kusa grass below, deerskin in the middle and cloth uppermost.
In the verse 13, Lord Krishna continues: Hold the trunk, head and neck straight and steady remaining firm and fix the gaze on the tip of your nose, without looking in other directions.
In verse 15 Lord Krishna says: ‘Thus constantly applying his mind to Me, the yogi of disciplined mind attains the everlasting peace consisting of supreme bliss which abides in Me”


If you would like to read what I have written so far, Click:

http://www.dalsabzi.com/wisdom_script/bhagvad_gita.htm

If you scroll down you will see pictures taken on my trip to Jagannath Puri. The first picture is taken at Ashok's edicts. It is a sad and happy place. Sad because a great carnage took place at the war of Kalinga. happy because King Ashok had a change of heart! The rest of his life was spent spreading Buddhism and the message of peace!
You will see a picture with me outside cottages. Cottages were lovely, and so was the view of the Ocean. When we got to the cottages it was dark and late in the night. To our horror, the bridge was broke. Though the hotel bell boys promised to take our luggage we had to walk over the bridge, a broken road with a deep dip into the ocean!
We had to make a decision. Do we go ahead or do we turn back and look for another hotel? We decided to go ahead and the rest, was just a lovely peaceful experience.
I thought to myself: Is'nt this what life is? You take a decision, move ahead through the fog and hope for the best...and many times life surprises us with abundance of joy!