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Friday, 1 March 2013

[www.keralites.net] Story: The wise Farmer of China

Many years ago, in a poor Chinese village, there lived a farmer and his son.
His only material possession, apart from the land and a small hut, was a horse he had inherited from his father.
One day, the horse ran away, leaving the man with no animal with which to work the land.
His neighbours, who respected him for his honesty and diligence, went to his house to say how much they regretted his loss. He thanked them for their visit, but asked:
"How do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?"Someone muttered to a friend: "He obviously doesn't want to face facts, but let him think what he likes, after all, it's better than being sad about it."

And the neighbours went away again, pretending to agree with what he had said.
A week later, the horse returned to its stable, but it was not alone; it brought with it a beautiful mare for company.
The inhabitants of the village were thrilled when they heard the news, for only then did they understand the reply the man had given them, and they went back to the farmer's house to congratulate him on his good fortune.

"Instead of one horse, you've got two. Congratulations!" they said.
"Many thanks for your visit and for your solidarity," replied the farmer. "But how do you know that what happened was a blessing in my life?"
The neighbours were rather put out and decided that the man must be going mad, and, as they left, they said: "Doesn't the man realise that the horse is a gift from God?"
A month later, the farmer's son decided to break the mare in. However, the animal bucked wildly and threw the boy off; the boy fell awkwardly and broke his leg.
The neighbours returned to the farmer's house, bringing presents for the injured boy. The mayor of the village solemnly presented his condolences to the father, saying how sad they all were about what had occurred.

The man thanked them for their visit and for their kindness, but he asked:
"How do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?"
These words left everyone dumbstruck, because they were all quite sure that the son's accident was a real tragedy. As they left the farmer's house, they said to each other: "Now he really has gone mad; his only son could be left permanently crippled, and he's not sure whether the accident was a misfortune or not!"
A few months went by, and Japan declared war on China. The emperor's emissaries scoured the country for healthy young men to be sent to the front.
When they reached the village, they recruited all the young men, except the farmer's son, whose leg had not yet mended.
None of the young men came back alive. The son recovered, and the two horses produced foals that were all sold for a good price.

The farmer went to visit his neighbours to console and to help them, since they had always shown him such solidarity.
Whenever any of them complained, the farmer would say: "How do you know that what happened was a misfortune?"
If someone was overjoyed about something, he would ask: "How do you know that what happened was a blessing?"
And the people of the village came to understand that life has other meanings that go beyond mere appearance.

M Junaid Tahir

www.keralites.net

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[www.keralites.net] SIX FREE DOCTORS

SIX FREE DOCTORS

Ever heard of SIX FREE DOCTORS, whose advice is most crucial to a healthy life style?

but we do not pay any heed to it ? as there are no visiting fees!

Therefore their value is unimportant!

These are :

1. SUNLIGHT:

The sun says, spend a little time with me while reading, exercising, listening to music, meditating, even chatting up with friends - do it with me! Just you and me, cause I am your BEST friend.

Physically and metaphorically Sunlight is beneficial to all. Giving light, its best, to everyone, regardless of caste or creed.

2. WATER:

6-8 glasses of water in a day, replenishes all the liquids of the body. And H2o is oxygen to every cell in the body. Our body thrives on fresh water. It is the greatest detoxifying agent ever produced. And it is FREE!

3. AIR:

Your Prana Shakti - Life breath! Just being aware of your breathing for a little while, invigorates every cell in the body.

PRANAYAM ( deep breathing ) - is a must, to exhale all carbon and take in all oxygen, in a clean and open environment.

It is a luxury today to breathe fresh air. Do not neglect this.

Holding a breath and then releasing it, clears all the diseases in the body.

4. DIET:

After consuming 3 of the 5 natures elements (Ether, Water, Air, Earth & Fire) get to the natures produce.

Vegetables & fruits.

The Lord has provided plenty of choice. No need to be a Vegan, but the amount of cleansing the vegetables and fruit does to the system is amazing!

The enzymes thus produced protect every cell in the body. Proteins are present in lentils and yogurt too.

Too much meat takes away 70% of the energy to digest it. So be moderate. We are basically herbivores and not carnivorous - by nature.

5. EXERCISE:

How can anything be consumed without the corresponding arrangement to digest the same? The body must move. Walking can be a good form of exercise!

But stretching the body is very essential. Starting from bed , when waking up and then being physically vibrant through the day.

Household work is NOT an exercise, it's a chore!

Exercise in a proper state of mind and not under stress or duress. Relaxation is the reason for exercising a healthy state of mind. Exercise alone and not rushing!

6. REST:

Last but not the least the 6th doctor is REST!

None of the above is possible without enough sleep, relaxation and rest from meetings a deadline!

Rest is the most important factor which gives impetus to all other 5!

So do not neglect it. Resting with beautiful, positive and creative thoughts is of course always recommended.

If you have negative thoughts, keep slogging, so you do not have the time to nurture them.

When resting have all the positive thoughts, nourishing thoughts, the foremost being Thanksgiving to the Lord, followed by love

and compassion towards all the relationships you encounter - choicelessness in love.

Moihan K. Ponnath

www.keralites.net

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[www.keralites.net] Russia's Secret Ice Caves

Russia's Secret Ice Caves

In the far east of Russia, on a peninsula called Kamchatka, are stunningly surreal-looking ice caves that are formed under incredibly interesting conditions. Fire and ice are involved, or volcanoes and glaciers. As EPOD states about one, "It was formed by a stream flowing from the hot springs associated with the Mutnovsky volcano. This stream flows beneath glacial ice on the flanks of Mutnovsky. Because glaciers on Kamchatka volcanoes have been melting in recent years, the roof of this cave is now so thin that sunlight penetrates through it, eerily illuminating the icy structures within."

Kamachatka lies at similar latitudes to Great Britain. It experiences extremely cold winters and is covered in snow from October to late May. The peninsula is also known for a chain of active volcanoes that make up the peninsula's spine.

Interestingly, until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kamchatka Peninsula was strictly off-limits to foreigners and most Russians. There was a military base on the southern end of the peninsula, which housed submarines that carried nuclear ballistic missiles. Since that time, it has increasingly becoming a popular spot for adrenaline junkies, especially those looking to experience extreme winter sports in a near pristine environment. Photographers have also been discovering all that the Kamchatka Pensinsula has to offer, as you can see here.

Photo by Denis Budko

Photo by xflo:w