GREAT TO READ- SESSION 2

A.The definition of shravaNa is the consistent systematic learning of Vedanta from a competent live teacher for a prolonged length of a time.

B.Suppose I am sitting in a pitch dark room and I cannot see anything. I am unaware of the existence of any object, since it is pitch dark. If someone calls me from outside and asks me if I am there in that dark room – what should be my answer? I cannot say ‘I do not see anything here; it is pitch dark. Therefore I do not know if I am here or not’. Should I say ‘I believe I am here’? Or should I say, ‘I can hear you, therefore I must be here somewhere’? How do I know, or what is the means of knowledge (pramANa) for me to know, that I am there and I am conscious? Do I have to see myself (perception) to know myself? Do I have to experience myself to know myself? Is it a belief that I am there because the scriptures say that I am there?

No means of knowledge is required to know that I am there or that I am a conscious entity. I am a self-evident and self-conscious entity, which Vedanta calls aprameya. (prameya is a thing to be known, or an object for a ‘pramANa’; aprameya means I am not an object for any pramANa.) In fact all pramANa-s, including Veda pramANa are validated by me since I am there and I am a conscious entity able to validate them. A Self-existent and self-conscious entity need not be known or experienced.

C.Only through renunciation one can attain liberation says Vedanta (tyAgenaike amRRitatvamaanasuH).

It is not physical renunciation of objects as some wrongly assume (although that does helps), but mental attachments to objects (as ‘I am this’ - ahaMkAra and ‘this is mine’ - mamakAra). I can only negate that which I am not; I cannot negate the true self that I am, since I have to be there even to execute negation. Hence what remains, after all negations are accomplished, is the negator, I, who cannot be negated. I cease to be even a negator, when all the negations are accomplished – I just remain as I am.

D.That which appears to be real but is not really real is what is called mithyA and the power that makes it look like real, even though it is not real, is called mAyA.

E.Next, where is the creator now, after creating the Universe? The creator cannot be inside the creation or outside the creation. He cannot be outside the creation since any outside would also have to be created; then that outside would be inside the creation. Hence there is no outside of the creation. He cannot be inside the creation either. In fact anything inside the creation cannot create this entire universe. In addition, if He were inside, He would be limited by the creation. Hence, he can neither be inside nor outside the creation. The only alternative is that He and the creation cannot be separated. Not only is he the material and intelligent cause, it also follows that he is inseparable from the creation. If the creation is infinite, He has to be infinite too.

F.The intelligent cause can only be a conscious entity while the material cause can only be an inert entity. In the case of the Universe both causes rest in one, just as in the creation of a spider’s web, both the intelligent and the material cause are one: the spider. But in the case of spider, the web becomes separate from the spider. In the case of the Universe, Vedanta says that the creator cannot be separated from the creation, since he is all-pervading, omnipresent or antaryAmin, in-dweller of everything.

Reference & Courtesy: An introduction to Vedanta by Dr.Sadananda

GREAT TO READ - SESSION 1

In this post, I cover some Vedantic topics.

A.Shankara defines the following requirements as ‘The four-fold qualifications’ – collectively called the ‘4-Ds’ for Vedantic study. These are:

1. Discrimination between what is eternal and what is ephemeral;

2. Dispassion to reject that which is ephemeral in order to gain that which is eternal;

3. Discipline of the mind to divert it from trivial or ephemeral pursuits in life in order to conserve the energy to pursue that which is eternal, and finally

4. Desire strong enough to motivate one in that pursuit without getting discouraged by any type of obstacles that arise.

B.Every gain involves a loss; every achievement involves a sacrifice of one thing or another. I thought I was going to be happy when I got married, but with marriage I lost the freedom of my bachelorhood.

We wanted wealth for security but now we are worried about the security of the wealth.

C.‘Any dependence on something other than yourself is slavery, while dependence on only yourself is freedom’.

D.‘That which has a beginning has an end or that which is born has to die and that which dies has to be born again’. If my heavenly abode has a beginning then it should end one day, as per the law. This applies even to liberation. If I am going to be free or liberated one day or at some time then it should end too. Hence freedom or mokSha cannot be of the type of gaining something that I do not have. If that freedom is not intrinsic to my nature, and I have to gain it by some process or by some grace, then it is equally likely that I will lose it.

E.Whatever I see, what ever I have, whatever I transact with are all objects. That includes this body that I claim as my body, my mind and my intellect. Whatever is mine is not me, the subject.

F.Vedanta is not an objective science, but about the subject, about ‘oneself’. Hence it cannot be objectified or quantified or described. In principle, words that are finite fail to describe that which is infinite. However, ‘words’ become proper tools in the hands of a competent teacher who can uplift his student’s mind, which has been properly trained in the contemplative thinking, to leap forward beyond the words in the direction indicated by the words. Thus words are only pointers and pointers are different from that which is pointed to.

H.An appropriate teacher will come when one is ready; just as a flower need not go in search of a bee - all it has to do is to bloom itself to its full glory and a bee shall come wherever the flower is’. The way to bloom is through karma yoga and with constant company of the good so that the mind will slowly bloom to recognize the higher values.

I.For any knowledge to takes place we need a means to know, just as to get an academic degree we need to register and complete its requirements at an accredited University. The means of knowledge is called ‘pramANa’. All perceptual knowledge is direct as long as the senses and the mind behind the senses are in operation.

Reference & courtesy: An introduction to Vedanta by Dr.Sadananda

yogasanas for healthy living

If you see the earlier postings, it would become very clear that if we do the asanas given below on a daily basis we can prevent most of the diseases and live a healthy life. one may do first 10 asanas on day 1 and balance 11 asanas on day 2 and continue in this way. 1 DhanurAsanam     avoided if one has hernia problem             2 Salab Asanam                   3 PachimothAsanam                   4 Hal Asanam                   5 Mayur Asanam                   6 Sarvang Asanam                   7 Macch Asanam     counter for sarvang asanam.             8 Sirs Asanam     avoided if one has high blood pressure.             9 Yoga Mudra                   10 Uddiyana Bundh     avoided if one has hernia problem             11 Sava Asanam                   12 Deep Breathing                   13 Ashwini Mudra     morning,afternoon & at night before meal 10 counts each time             14 PadahasthAsanam                   15 Thrikona Asanam                   16 Bhujang Asanam                 17 Ussert Asanam     initially hands on the floor  for a month ,then only hands on your leg.             18 ArdhaMatseyendra     good for diabetics.             19 Uthkatt Asanam     for flexibility.             20 surya namaskar                   21 Chakra Asanam     counter for pachimothasanam

Asanas for curing various unhealthy conditions

1.Anemia:-
Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam,Halasanam, Mayurasanam,  Ashwini Mudra, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam,Uddiyana Bundh, Shavasanam,  & Deep breathing.

2.Skin Disorder:-
Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam, Halasanam, Dhanurasanam, Salabhasanam, Pachimothasanam, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

3.Jaundice:-

Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam Salabhasanam Machhasanam Sirsasanam Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Ardhamatseyendrasanam Yoga Mudra Shavasanam & Deep breathing. 4. Blood Pressure:- Pachimothasanam, Halasanam, Sarvangasanam Dhanurasanam Macchasanam Shavasanam Deep breathing 5.Hydrocele:- Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam,   Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

Asanas for curing various unhealthy conditions

 1.Rhematism:-
Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam, Ashwini Mudra, Padahasthasanam, Thrikonasanam, Bhujangasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

2.Hernia:-
Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

3.Liver Disorder:-

Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam Machhasanam Sirsasanam Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Padhahasthasanam Thrikonasanam Bhujangasanam Ashwini Mudra Shavasanam & Deep breathing. 4. T.B & Malaria:- Pachimothasanam, Halasanam, Sarvangasanam Salabhasanam Dhanurasanam Macchasanam Deep breathing 5.Eye/myopia:- Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam,   Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam Uddiyana Bundh Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

Asanas for curing various unhealthy conditions

1.Constipation:-
Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam, Salabhasanam, Yoga Mudra, Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Sirsasanam, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

2.Loose Motion:-
Dhanurasanam, Pachimothasanam, Halasanam, Mayurasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Uddiyana Bundh, Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

3.Piles:-

Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam, Salabhasanam, Mayurasanam Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Ashwini Mudra Shavasanam & Deep breathing. 4. Appendicitis:- Pachimothasanam, Halasanam, Sarvangasanam Sirsasanam Deep breathing 5.Diabetes:-Pachimothasanam, Dhanurasanam,  Yoga Mudra, Halasanam, Sarvangasanam, Macchasanam, Ardhamatseyendrasanam Uddiyana Bundh Shavasanam & Deep breathing.

 

HR from Strategic Perspective

To look at HR from the strategic perspective, the HR manager needs to understand the business system, the fundamental business model and the causes of business failure in an organization.

The 3 basic business decisions are:

  - Financing (the process of obtaining CAPITAL for the business).

  - Investment (the process of acquiring ASSETS to operate the business).

  - Operations (using ASSETS to maximize shareholder wealth).

These 3 decision areas are important for making appropriate economic  trade-off.

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THE FUNDAMENTAL BUSINESS MODEL

It comprises of the following steps:

1.  Obtaining capital(cash) for the business from shareholders & lenders.

2.  Acquiring assets out of the capital obtained to operate the business.

3.  Using the assets to create Products & Services.

4.  Selling the products & services.

5.  Generate adequate returns for the shareholders & lenders.

To make a business successful three crucial elements are required:

•       Cash: The money that is used in the cycle described in the fundamental business model. Without sufficient cash it is difficult for any business to start the cycle.

•      Employees: The means of creating the products, providing the service and running the business. The quality of the skills of the people in the business is crucial in achieving success.

•     Customers: A business cannot survive without customers. Attracting customers is where the process begins, but retaining customers by continuing to satisfy their needs is just as important. Existing and satisfied customers not only provide revenue but may also become advocates for the business.

Causes of business failure:

•    1. Insufficient revenue. Producing products or services that customers do not buy in sufficient quantities. This is often caused by entrepreneurs not really understanding the needs of customers. An example, a product that meets no specific need and relies wholly on customers making whimsical purchases.

•     Excess fixed cost. A high cost base in a business that does not enable a profit to be made; or a cost base that is not flexible enough to adapt to changing volumes if sales decline. Many airlines struggle to survive because of the way that demand for air travel can suddenly slump.

•     Poor quality and service. The inability of managers and staff to plan, control and operate the business effectively. This affects the quality and reliability of the business, ultimately leading to a decline in its revenue. Many have experienced examples of this in poorly run restaurants and have left saying “never again”. The word spreads and that business continues its downward spiral.

To attain the strategic goals of the organization, employees must first understand and share the values and objectives of the organization. There is a need for a committed workforce who can work effectively and contribute to the overall performance of the organization.

Human resources if managed effectively can become a competitive advantage. Therefore it is the responsibility of the management to

      recruit

      develop &

      train

employees with appropriate skills. The challenges that organizations generally face in developing people are:

·     Integrating people with the strategic goals of the organization.

·     Managing employees effectively.

Managing Employees effectively:

   An organization that plans to constantly innovate and grow should have a capable leader who can guide it towards strategic goals. Strategic goals can be attained through constant innovation, entrepreneurship and quality improvements. Until and unless a leader is strategically oriented he cannot orient the employees towards these goals. Leaders should also empower employees so that they are free to come out with innovative ideas and practices.

A leader with vision, enthusiasm, passion and consistency is more customer-oriented and believes in innovation and creativity to tackle competitive pressures. He expects quality from employees and for this he trains employees, encourages creativity and involves them in the decision-making process and motivates them. Most of the successful companies deliver quality by involving the entire workforce in the decision-making process.

The role of HR manager has assumed significance as he has to manage people keeping in view the strategic objectives of the organization. He helps to establish the organizational culture where people have the competency, concern and commitment to serve both internal and external customers well. People are thus an important strategic asset and they can create and sustain a competitive advantage through quality training, entrepreneurship and leadership. This aspect of people being an asset is not reflected in many organizations’ Balance-sheets. You see only Land & Buildings, Plant & Machinery, Furniture & Fixtures, Stock etc., as assets in the Balance-sheet and the human resource which manages(mismanages?!) these assets are shown as an expense in the Profit & Loss A/C under the head- Salaries & wages. Now a few companies have started showing human resources as an asset in their Balance-sheet. This is a welcome change!

There are 5 stages in the strategic management process:

1.  Defining vision, mission & value statement.

2.  Analyzing the environment.

3.  Organizational self-assessment.

4.  Establishing goals & objectives.

5.  Formulating & implementing strategies.

The role of HR department in the strategic management has gained greater significance of late for right reasons. In strategic management the focus is PEOPLE because strategy is only sustainable through people. Only people have a foresight(envisioning) capacity. Everybody has the innate capacity for foresight, but in organizational planning process, that capacity is often not tapped & gets buried by busy work. Here HR manager can play a very vital role and the time is RIGHT NOW!