STRESS AND POLITICS: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

The news on TV showing; significant increase in mental illness (STRESS) due to poverty, unemployment and cut throat competition; confirms that; we can never succeed in Total Stress Management; without addressing the socioeconomic, political and other issues influencing our lives.

We may or may not join a particular political party, an organization, or a movement; but we have to firmly assert our conscience. If we don’t, then we will suffer from guilt conscience; in passing on this legacy to the posterity!

For Total Stress Management; the world politics ought to express the cosmic consciousness (converging into global consensus) in the form of the perspective, policy making, plans and programs for individual and global blossoming.

People with such perception, conviction and motivation ought to come together and evolve the pragmatic aspects of actual means and modalities; of policies, plans and programs.

At present also this is happening, but in a rather imperfect, immature, inaccurate, insufficient, inadequate, feeble and slow and ineffective manner.

We can verify; if this can be expedited by empowering common the deep seated urge for self realization and motivation for individual and global blossoming; in billions of living beings; through NAMASMARAN.

STRESS AND TUG OF WAR: DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Some say that if an individual improves then gradually the family, the society and the whole universe would improve. Hence individual purification is most important.

Some others say that if we improve the system, then automatically the whole universe, mankind, society and the individual would improve. Hence the purification of the system is most important.

This is really a tug of war!

The individual can be “purified” if the system improves; because he/she lives within the system and in accordance with the system. Conversely the system has would get “purified”, only if the individuals controlling the system; are “purified”.

Infinite purification or shall we say blossoming; of an individual in spite of the system is theoretically possible but only in exceptional individuals. Conversely; purification of a system irrespective of the individuals; is theoretically possible only if there is an exceptionally rare leadership at the helm of the affairs.

Since these are remote possibilities; today the pursuit of individual blossoming has to be combined with universal blossoming through simultaneous process of individual and systemic purification; or shall we say rectification.

Thus we have to set the goal of immortal bliss for an individual on the one hand; and simultaneously make policies, plans and programs so as to fulfill all the physiological needs of all the age groups, races and religions; throughout the day, seasons and life!

This is called total stress management, total well being, holistic health, superliving or holistic renaissance. This simultaneous process of individual and universal blossoming can be realized by helping ourselves and the others; to orient to the true selves. This is akin to; the focus of all the instrumentalists and vocalists; on the master of orchestra; where soul stirring harmony, melody and rhythm; are produced!

We can help ourselves and the others to such orientation to the true selves; through the practice and propagation of NAMASMARAN. In absence of this; the individual emancipation is bound to remain a self deception; and the universal welfare; an unending mirage!

UNITY AND STRESS: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Uniting, organizing and working together are natural in young age. In fact; they are important steps in stress management! Naturally; like anyone else; I also was keen to be involved in uniting in organizations and being involved in movements.

I used to read that mass movements; based on issues; eventually lead to building of social and political organizations; such as working class unions and political parties. It was said; that these organizations could then serve as instruments to bring about socioeconomic and political revolution.

Gradually it became clear that “the issues” are not simple. Sometimes they are of genuine and immediate pertinence, such as coercive land acquisition or rehabilitation. But I could not conceive a radical or a holistic solution; I was looking for; in these movements and organizations; though they were genuine and had definite role to play.

But quite often; the issues are too complex to permit taking of a side; that would satisfy my conscience e.g. reservation policy. Naturally; I could not be involved in any movements and organizations; in favor; or opposed to reservations.

There have been movements and organizations; for the welfare of a school, village, region, language, caste, religion; or other issues such as memorials, statues and philanthropic or charity activities.

Such activities attracted me for some time; but not for long. I was growing. I felt that; these ideas and activities were palliative and piecemeal solutions; while I was keen on a holistic and radical solution.

Even as hundreds of movements and organizations of different nature continued to work in their own way; a time came; when I realized that my SWADHARMA is to explore and realize the unity of universe, which is already a reality!

This realization; brought a new and fresh rejuvenation in my life! I got withdrawn from forming any new institution or organization; and got absorbed in the study, practice and propagation of Total Stress Management (the core of which is NAMASMARAN).

Eating a Balanced Diet:

• Diet plays a major role in keeping you healthy.
• Avoid eating fatty, fried and high calorie food.
• Carry home cooked food for lunch.
• This helps you in avoiding many illnesses and maintaining optimal weight.

Exercising Daily:

• Fitness tips for men include exercising regularly up to four times in a week for an hour to help improve the overall condition.
• A good fitness regime can prevent the incidence of back injury, and in the longer run lower the risk of osteoporosis.
• Thus resulting in a health living.
• Simple activities like jogging, swimming, bicycling, etc. can all help to improve muscle strength and tone the body.

Stop Smoking and consuming Alcohol:

• It would be best to avoid both alcohol and smoking as they were proved as harmful elements.
• You have to get rid of them if you cannot, then do it in moderation.
• Because smoking increases the risk of cancer, drinking on the other hand could spill out of control and turn you into an alcoholic, and simple ruin your health, professional and personal life

Maintain Personal Hygiene:

• Have bath twice in a day once in morning and then returning from work.
• It helps you stay away from illness and enjoy a healthy life.
• Regularly shave your underarm and pubic hairs.

Have a Healthy Sexual Life:

• Sex is a very good stress buster.
• A healthy sexual life helps you relax and keeps you energized.

Compartmentalize Work and Family Life:

• Do not get work tension at home and vice versa.
• It not only disrupts your life but also life of people around you.
• Mixing up work and family life creates lot of stress and confusion leaving you dissatisfied in both the areas life.

Spend Time with Family:

• Make a point to strengthen ties with your family and friends.
• Volunteer work, religious ties, even pets–anything that keeps you involved with others–reduces stress and enhances health.
• You family needs you more than your work.

Don’t Ignore ill Health and Symptoms:

• Whenever ill immediately meet the doctor making a delay might cost you a high price.
• Precaution is always better than cure.

Sleep:

• Having a sound sleep keeps you healthy, happy and refreshed.
• It gives you energy for a long day.

Limit work stress:

• It’s been proven that chronic stress harms the body.
• Tension elevates the blood pressure and makes the blood thicker.
• Although we don’t want to endorse a lazy lifestyle, too much stress can hurt your body organs like the heart, brain, and stomach.
• Take it easy sometimes.

Get an Annual Health Checkup done:

• This is a must as it helps you in knowing if you are suffering from any illness well in advance so that you can fight it easily.
• Males are more prone to have prostate cancer, high blood pressure, cardiac illness and liver disorders.

AGING: AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT: DR. SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

Aging begins right from conception; but usually refers to the changes; after the age of forty to fifty years. Thus; aging means variable but distinct reduction in physical capacity and performance; and the insecurity, anxiety, worry, tension and depression resulting from the relative handicap.

What Total Stress Management?

Total Stress Management or Holistic health is an ongoing progress in perceptions, feelings and actions; with increasing accuracy, appropriateness, precision; and pleasure, power, prosperity and profundity. Perception, feelings and actions are also expressed by terms Cognition, Affect and Conation (Productivity and Creativity); respectively.
A] Cognition:
In short, cognition means processing [appraisal] of a huge variety of sensations impinging on us. We can appreciate the importance of this faculty if we consider the two important facts viz. 24 hours of the day and twelve months of the year, every one of us gets sensory inputs in the form of physical, instinctual, emotional and intellectual stimuli, which may be painful or pleasurable in the form of a variety of personal, familial, social, national and international events. Cognition involves sensing, interpreting, memorizing, questioning, pattern finding, analyzing, correlating, synthesizing, contemplating, understanding, appreciating and hypothesizing on the basis of this information input.
2] Affect:
Affect means the effect of the variety of stimuli which, may impinge on us. The affect is in a way, “sandwiched” between; cognition or perception of stimuli and the conation or response.

In general it involves the activity of various parts of nervous, endocrine and metabolic changes. The affect is usually experienced as a] confidence, enthusiasm, excitement, pleasure, happiness, love, attraction, patience, comfort etc. or b] sadness, jealousy, hatred, depression, inhibition, diffidence, loneliness, listlessness, impatience, discomfort etc.
3] Conation or action i.e. response (Productivity and creativity):
Conation is the response of an individual. This can be in the form of speaking, writing, singing, painting, dancing, fighting, and other interactions usually referred to as behavior.

In Hindu tradition this response was aimed at fulfillment of life and the precept for the life time activity was called PURUSHARTHA. There were four sequential components; of PURUSHARTHA viz.; DHARMA, ARTHA, KAAMA and MOKSHA.

DHARMA refers to accuracy in perception, affect and conation. This leads to ARTHA i.e. acquisition of material gains, followed by KAAMA i.e. satisfaction of the mundane desires, which are not against the principles of individual and universal blossoming) and MOKASHA i.e. liberation from all sorts of bondages.

In short; Total Stress Management or holistic health; refers to appropriate provision for the physical, instinctual, emotional, intellectual needs; and fulfillment and happiness arising from it.

We can read several books on Total Stress Management available on internet for free download and also read the articles on aging.
But in this article let us know about NAMASMARAN, which the core of Total Stress Management.

Namasmaran means; remembering the name of God, Guru, great souls; such as prophets and holy objects such as planets and stars. It may be remembered silently, loudly, along with music, dance, along with breathing, in group or alone, either with counting by rosary (called SMARANI or JAPAMALA) or without counting. The traditions vary from region to region and from religion to religion.

However the universal principle underlying NAMASMARAN is to reorient your physiological being with your true self. In fact while reorienting with true self you aim to establish and strengthen the bond or connection; between; your physiological being; with your true self. You aim at reunification with yourself!

Since remembering your true self is the pinnacle of or culmination of individual consciousness, and individual consciousness is the culmination of every activity in life, remembering any name of God or Guru (any symbol of your true self) is equivalent to opening the final common pathway for the individual consciousness associated with every possible activity to get funneled into or unified with objective or cosmic consciousness.

Thus NAMASMARAN is in fact the YOGA of YOGA in the sense that it is the culmination of consciousness associated with every possible procedure and technique in the yoga that you are familiar with. It is the YOGA of YOGA because it is the culmination of consciousness associated with all the activities in the universe, which it encompasses as well! It is YOGA of YOGA because everybody in the world irrespective of his/her tradition and the beliefs; would eventually, ultimately and naturally reach it it in the process of liberation. Even so called non believers also would not “miss” the “benefit of remembering the true self through one symbol or another”!

Just as NAMASMARAN is YOGA of YOGA it is meditation of meditation also! It is the natural and ultimate climax of every form of meditation.

These facts however have to be realized with persistent practice of NAMASMARAN and not blindly believed or blindly disbelieved with casual approach!

In short NAMASMARAN is super-bounty of cosmic consciousness for every individual to realize it (cosmic consciousness)! This is truly a super-bounty because a person, who experiences it, rises above mercenary, commercial, professional and charity planes; and manifests super-transactions in his or her life!

These are just few observations to give rough idea about what is NAMASMARAN; it is an ocean of bliss and its true meaning is beyond description!