INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA 

The Indian National anthem, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. It was first sung 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas. The lyrics were rendered into English by Tagore himself.

NATIONAL ANTHEM OF INDIA

Translation of The national anthem- Jana Gana Mana In English

Thou are the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny.

The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujurat and Maratha. Of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal.

It Echoes in the hills of Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.

They pray for your blessing and sing thy praise. The salvation of all peaople is thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.

The Jana Gana Mana was composed by Shri Rabindranath Tagore and first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress on December 27th, 1911. It was adopted as the National Anthem of India on 24th January, 1950 by the Constituent Assembly. The first stanza( out of five stanzas) of the song forms the National Anthem.

THE NATIONAL FLAG OF INDIA is in tricolour of deep saffron(Kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal propotions.The flag is a horizontal tricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is two is to three. In the centre of the white band, there is a wheel in navy blue to indicate the Dharma Chakra, the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion Capital. Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. The saffron stands for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white, for purity and truth; the green for faith and fertility. The design of the National Flag was adopted by India's constituent assembly on 22nd july, 1947. It's use and display are regulated by a code. The Indian flag symbolizes freedom. The late Prime Minister Pandit Nehru called it a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom for all people.

The National emblem is a symbol of contemporary India's reaffirmation of its commitment to world peace and goodwill.

The National Emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh State. The Lion Capital was erected in the 3rd century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Lord Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation..

It is symbolic of India's reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on a abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra).

In the state emblem adopted by the Government of India on 26 January 1950, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the center of the abacus with a bull on the right and a horse on the left and the outlines of the other wheels on extreme right and left. The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted.

The four lions (one hidden from view) - symbolising power, courage and confidence - rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west.The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration. The motto 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means 'truth alone triumphs'

National Animal of India-THE TIGER.

The magnificent Tiger Panthera tigris (linnaeus), the national animal of India, is a rich-colored well-striped animal with a short coat. The combination of grace, strength, power has earned the tiger great respect and high esteem. Indian tigers are famous all over the world and one of the main attractions for the lovers of wild life. They are the crowning glory and the light of the Indian wild life.

Tough, muscular, majestic tigers roam about the Sunderbans of Bengal "burning bright in the darkness of the night." The natives of the forest worship the tiger as the deity that gives them honey and wax. The Sunderbans are their main habitat for their thick forests of Sunder trees. They feed on fish, cattle and sometimes human beings. The man-eaters are the most dreaded of all wild beasts. It is a common belief that a tiger does not harm anyone who has offered prayers to him. Tigers are fast runners, excellent swimmers and their eyesight is strong.

To check the dwindling population of tigers in India, which came down to just 1,827 in 1972, massive conservation program was initiated in April 1973, known as the 'Project Tiger'. This project aims to maintain a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values. Since then, the tiger population has shown a gradual increase and the census of 1989 puts the tiger population of the country at 4,334. So far, 19 tiger reserves have been established in the country under this project, covering over 29, 716 sq. km. forest area

National Bird of India-THE PEACOCK

Peacock is a large and majestic bird. It has got a long and beautiful tail. Both the peacock and the hen have crest. But the crest of hen is smaller in size. The main body of the cock is mottled brown in color. Especially, the metallic green color found on the lower neck is very attractive. Though peacocks are beautiful looking birds their calls are loud and coarse.

They move in-groups and they are normally spotted in the forests, villages and nearby fields. They are shy in nature. It feeds on lizards, snakes, grains and insects. The hen lays a maximum of five eggs, which are in pale cream color.

The significance of peacock is attached to cultures of India, Far East, Ancient Persia, Greek and Christian. In Hinduism, the image of the god of thunder, rains and war, Indra, was depicted in the form of a peacock. In south India, peacock is considered as a 'vahana' or vehilce of lord Muruga. The figure of peacock is painted in various Islamic religious buildings. In Christianity, the peacock was also known as the symbol of the 'Resurrection'.

In India people believe that whenever the cock spread its tails in an ornamental fashion, it indicates that rain is imminent. In a way it is partly true. At the sight of dark clouds the bird outspreads its tail and starts dancing in rhythmic fashion. Most of the folklore including Bharatha Natyam has got special dancing poses for the peacock dance.

National Flower of India- THE LOTUS

Among the various flowers of Indian sub-continent, the flower Lotus is regarded with divinity and grace. Often, Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswathi are associated with the flower lotus. Even Lord Siva, who wanted to escape the wrath of the Lord Saneeswaran, morphed himself into the shape of a bee and took asylum inside a lotus. Buddhists regard this flower as a sacred one.

Lotus symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge and serenity. They are found in white and pink colors in general and they grow in shallow and murky waters. Some blue colored flowers are also sighted. These flowers enjoy a warm sunlight and intolerant to cold weather. Hence they cannot be seen blossoming in the winter. The floating leaves and flowers have long stems, which contains air spaces to maintain buoyancy.

The plant is having various uniqueness attached to it. Though the large leaves of the plant are floating on the surface of the water, even a drop of water is not accommodated on top of the leaves. Perhaps, they are teaching the human beings, to lead a life of non-attachment and avoid the worldly pleasures.

Depending upon the level of water in the tank, the stems will rise. In this fashion, it is guiding the human beings to rise upto the situation leading to a genuine elevation in their lives. As the world famous 'Thirukural' says,

"Vellathanayathu malar neetam manthartham ullath thanyathu ouyarvu"

signifying, in relation with the water level of a tank, the stem will rise. In the same way, depending upon their ambitions and thoughts, human beings can elevate themselves in their life.

In Indian religious epics, references of lotus are made, in relation with eyes and feet of divine persona. For instance "Kamala Kannan" referring Lord Krishna with the contextual meaning, a person having eyes with the color of the pink lotus. Also, it is coupled with the feet of deities. "Kamala Patham" means lotus feet implying the feet of the god. "Charan Kamala Patham" implying, submit oneself in totality, at the lotus feet of the god.

National Tree of India-THE BANYAN TREE.

THE BANYAN TREE-Called the Indian fig tree( Ficus bengalensis) grow over a large area. The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic & longevity, the Banyan tree is considered immortal & sacred and is an integral part of the myths and legends in India. Even today, the banyan tree is the focal point of village life and the village council meetings under the shade of this huge shade-giving tree.

National Fruit of India-THE MANGO

The fruit Mango,of the tree Mangifera indica, is one of the most widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. This juicy, delicious fruit is a rich source of Vitamins A, C and D. In India there are hundreds of varieties of mangoes, in different sizes, shapes and colours etc. Mangoes, have been cultivated in India since time immemorial. The famous Indian poet Kalidasa sang its praises.King Alexander relished its taste, as did the Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang. Akbar, the Moghal emperor planted over 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, known as Lakhi Bagh(India).

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Poison in plastic bottleA Potentially deadly toxin is being absorbed into bottled mineral water from their plastic containers. And the longer the water is stored, the levels of poison increase, research reveals. As the sell-by date on many bottled waters is up to two years, scientists have now called for extensive further studies.

The research by world expert Dr William Shotyk - who has vowed never to drink bottled water again - will be published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal next month. It is sure to revive concerns about the safety of bottled water, the world's fastest-growing drinks industry, worth £1.2billion a year.

The tests found traces of antimony, a chemical used in the making of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, used by most mineral-water sellers.

Small doses of antimony can make you feel ill and depressed. Larger quantities can cause violent vomiting and even death. The study stressed that amounts of antimony were well below official recommended levels. But it also discovered that the levels almost doubled when the bottles were stored for three months.

Professor Shotyk, of Heidelberg University in Germany, said: "I don't want to shock people but here's what I know: Antimony is being continuously released into bottled drinking water. The water in PET bottles is contaminated."

He tested ground water and 15 types of bottled mineral water in his native Canada. The ground water contained two parts per trillion (ppt) of antimony. Bottled water had an average 160 ppt of antimony when opened immediately after bottling. But ground water stored in a PET plastic bottle had 630 ppt of antimony when opened six months later.

Professor Shotyk then tried the experiment in Europe, collecting 48 brands of water in PET bottles and water from its source in the ground at a German bottling plant. The water had four ppt of antimony before being bottled, the contents of a new bottle had 360 ppt and one opened three months later had a staggering 700 ppt.

Antimony finds its way into water by 'leaching' from the plastic in the same way that water absorbs flavour from a teabag. Health authorities said even the higher levels of antimony found are way below official safety guidelines, set at around six parts per billion by international environment agencies.

Elizabeth Griswold, director of the Canadian Bottled Water Association, added: "The levels do not pose a risk to humans. They are simply trace elements."

But David Coggan, a Southampton University-based epidemiologist who works with the Medical Research Council, called for further research into the findings.

He said not enough was known about the effects of antimony and how much had to be consumed before it became dangerous. Last year naphthalene, which can cause liver damage in high doses, was found in two bottles of Volvic mineral water. Bacteria which could leach into bottled water has been cited as a possible reason for rising levels of food poisoning.

The Upanishad teaches the reconciliation, by the perception of essential Unity, of the apparently incompatible opposites, God and the World, Renunciation and Enjoyment, Action and internal Freedom, the One and the Many, Being and its Becomings, the passive divine Impersonality and the active divine Personality, the Knowledge and the Ignorance, the Becoming and the Not-Becoming, life on earth and beyond and the supreme immortality. The world is a dwelling-place for the informing and governing Spirit.

Verse 1: World as habitation of the Lord

īşhāvāasyam idam sarvam yat kincha jagatyām jagat;

tena tyaktena bhunjīthā ma grdhaĥ kasya sviddhanam.

All this is for habitation by the Lord, whatsoever is individual universe of movement in the universal motion.

By that renounced thou shouldst enjoy, lust not after any man's possession.

The universe is a movement of the Spirit. It is a continuous unrolling of the Spirit in myriad forms which are so many currents of the Great Movement. Each form is a front, a shaping of the general stream in an individualized unit. Each one has the Whole behind, sustaining it, and thus constitutes a universe in itself. Wherefore this movement? It is meant, says the Upanishad, for the dwelling of the Spirit who has originated and cast out this extension. All is to provide a fitting abode for the Lord of All. This world is a manifestation of God for his enjoyment. He has created it out of himself in joy and takes up his dwelling in it for a yet fuller joy. And this enjoyment implies, necessarily, enjoyment by all by the many who constitute His manifestation. Yet, joy and happiness are not the normal feature of the world. In fact, the opposite seems to be the rule. Why? It is because the many, the individuals move and act in complete ignorance of their true nature, their identity with the One Spirit informing and basing them, and through It with all the rest. Each looks upon himself as distinct and different from the other and his outlook is governed by this sense of separativity, the ego which gives birth to Desire to affirm himself against others, snatch enjoyment for himself at the cost of others. This effort leads to friction, conflict and suffering. Man is lost in activity in this vain pursuit of happiness. True enjoyment comes naturally with the renunciation of this vitiating desire, the desire for separate self-affirmation and self-aggrandizement. This is followed by an inner recognition and realization of the truth of the identity of oneself with the soul within who is always the Lord and its unity with the Soul of All who is same in each.

Thus, we learn that the world is a movement of God; it has a purpose which is to provide a habitation for God for His enjoyment. The individual is a living term and front of this manifestation and should share in this enjoyment; but his ignorance of his true nature shuts him from this happiness and gives rise to the ego-sense of a separate self-living and its consequent struggle and strife. This principle of Desire should be, put behind if one is to participate in the Lord's enjoyment. The individual must become aware of his soul, the true source of enjoyment and identity himself with this Lord of his individualised universe.

But to realize this identity with the soul within does not mean that he should withdraw from the life without, the activity of the body and mind. On the contrary he must work.

Vāsyam is here rendered in the sense of 'to be inhabited', 'dwelt in'-root vas to dwell. Acharya Shankara explains it to mean 'to be clothed', 'to be enveloped'. “Look not at this unreal world but at the reality of the pure Brahman by which it shall be covered; our sense of the world must disappear into the perception of the enveloping Reality.” While this may suit an adwaitic standpoint, Sri Aurobindo points out, it goes counter to the general spirit of the Upanishad which at every step reconciles the apparent Opposites in manifestation.

Verse 2: Doing work

kurvanneveha karmāņi jijīvishet shatam samāĥ;

evam tvayi na anyatheto asti na karma lipyate nare.

Doing verily, works in this world one should wish to live a hundred years.

Thus it is in thee and not otherwise than this; action cleaves not to a man.

He must, indeed, eva, do works. [The stress of the word eva in kurvanneva gives the force, "doing works, indeed, and not refraining from them."]

No man can desist from activity; even what is called inactivity is a kind of action and has its own results. Even as the Lord has projected this world as the means of a certain fulfillment, the individual too has a self-fulfillment to achieve and he is to participate in this activity to that end. One should live the full span of life, says the text, doing one's part; the previous verse has laid down the right mode of action and life, viz., to renounce desire and participate in this Manifestation which is meant for the enjoyment of the one Lord of All, in All. Thus done, no action can bind the doer with the motivating desire, the executing energies or with the ensuing chain of consequences. That is the true law of living. For those who follow this Law there is joy and felicity.

But for those who in their ignorance and egoism choose to ignore the truth and persist in their own false and ego centred way of life the future is different.

Sri Aurobindo notes how unnatural is the interpretation by Acharya Shankara of the word karmāņi in two different ways in the same verse. In the first line karmāņi is taken to mean sacrifices and other religious acts which are expected to be performed by the ignorant for reaping fruits from good actions and averting the results of the evil; in the second line the word is taken as the opposite, evil deeds. The Acharya says that for those who do not aim at the realisation of ātman and are content with the normal human life, naramātrābhimāni, doing the rituals is the only way of escaping the taint of evil deeds.

Verse 3: Sunless worlds

asūryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvŗtāĥ;

tāmste pretyābhigachchhanti ye ke cha ātmahano janāĥ.

Sunless are those worlds and enveloped in blind gloom whereto all they in their passing hence resort who are slayers of their souls.

There are other worlds besides this material one in which we live. And when the physical body dies, the being of man goes to and through these other worlds of varying substances, of different kinds, obscure and illumined. The kind of world to which one is drawn depends upon the tendencies formed and the equipment wrought during life in body on the earth. They who have risen above the life of the senses, of preoccupation with bodily wants and pleasures, and have strived and achieved a progressive synthesis in themselves of higher knowledge, purity and luminous dynamism and peace - in a word, developed a soul-life - are naturally gravitated to like worlds of light and joy. But those who have refused to listen to the call of the soul and have forced it to slog in the quagmires of inertia and falsehood or hover round and round in the blind circle of desire and passion, pleasure and pain - these, says the Upanishad, have to pass to worlds which are sunless, [Of the two readings asooryā, sunless and asuryā, titanic, undivine, Sri Aurobindo chooses the former in the light of the last four verses of the text. The prayer to the sun in those verses "refers back in thought to the sunless worlds and their blind gloom, which are recalled in the ninth and twelfth verses. The sun and his rays are intimately connected in other Upanishads also with the worlds of Light and their natural opposite is the dark and sunless, not the Titanic worlds." In Rig Veda 5.32.6 Vritra, the enemy of the devās is referred to as thriving in "sunless darkness."] bereft of the light of the Sun of spiritual truth, worlds of Darkness.

If so, is movement, Eternal movement, the sole truth? Is it not rather that the Truth in the final sense lies in Stability, in Immutability? The Upanishad affirms both as truths of the Brahman, the Supreme Reality; both are poises, of IT; each is relative to the other.

Verses 4 and 5: Brahman, Oneness of God and the world

anejad ekam manaso javīyo nainad deva āpnuvan pūrvam arşhat;

tad dhāvato anyānatyeti tişhţhat tasminn apo mātarishvā dadhāti.

One un moving that is swifter than Mind, That the Gods reach not, for it progresses ever in front.

That, standing, passes beyond others as they run. In That the Master of Life establishes the Waters.

tat ejati tannaijati tad dūre tadvantike,

tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyāsya bāhyataĥ.

That moves and That moves not; That is far and the same is near;

That is within all this and That also is outside all this.

Brahman is beyond space, Time and Causality. Movement and quiescence, duration and eternity, action and inaction, are not terms in which It can be described or contained. In itself it is indescribable. But turned towards manifestation, it is poised in the two statuses, the stable and the motional; Space, Time, Causality are terms of its manifestation, its own self-extension. It contains all these as their continent and yet transcends them. Moveless, it contains and holds beyond all movement. The Gods, the Powers it puts forth to work out its self-expression cannot, naturally, surpass it; it is always vaster than its own emanations.

The Brahman extends itself variously, not singly in one form. Its consciousness expresses and forms itself in several gradations, organizes itself around several principles, each active in the forefront on its level. These extensions, Sri Aurobindo points out, are in the ancient system septuple, known by the vyahrtis Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah, Mahas, Jana, Tapas and Satya which in modern language are the principles, and planes based on them, of Matter, Life, Mind, Idea, Bliss, Consciousness and Force, and Existence. Thus does the text say that in His own extension as the Mother of things, - Earth, the physical matter, [see note on the meaning of apas below] He, the Brahman as the Life-Force wakes and spreads Himself, i.e. enlivening all that He enters into and sets aflow the Waters which, in the Vedic system, represent currents of conscious being. "The Waters, otherwise called the seven streams or the seven fostering Cows, are the Vedic symbol for the seven cosmic principles and their activities, three inferior, the physical, vital and mental, four superior, the divine Truth, the divine Bliss, and divine Will and Consciousness, and the divine Being. On this conception also is founded the ancient idea of the seven worlds in each of which the seven principles are separately active by their various harmonies.

Thus it is He that is the origin, the end and the container of the things; creating. He indwells the forms of his manifestation, enjoys variously His thousand abodes. He is the One, the same everywhere. And if each individual formation behaves and acts as if it is a separate entity, different from others, it is because it is clouded in its outer consciousness, it has temporarily lost touch with the unifying knowledge and consciousness at its back—that which sustains it as well as it does all the rest in a common extension. The moment one realises this truth effectively and gets aware of the one Self in all and as the All, gets the right perspective of the union of all in the One Self, the sense of separativity loses its validity and with it goes the need to affirm oneself at the cost of others, the sense of opposition from other forms.

Note on apas in the verse 4:

"Apas, as it is accentuated in the version of the White Yajurveda, can mean only ‘waters’. If this accentuation is disregarded, we may take it as the singular apas, work, action. Shankara however, renders it by the plural, works. The difficulty only arises because the true Vedic sense of the word had been forgotten and it came to be taken as referring to the fourth of the five elemental states of Matter, the liquid. Such a reference would be entirely irrelevant in the context."

Verses 6 and 7: Self realization

yastu sarvāņi bhūtāni ātmani evānupashyati,

sarvabhūteşhu chātmānam tato na vijugupsate.

But he who sees everywhere the Self in all existences and all existences in the Self, shrinks not thereafter from aught.

yasmin sarvāņi bhūtāni ātmaivabhūt vijānataĥ,

tatra ko mohaĥ kaĥ shoka ekatvam anupashyataĥ.

He in whom it is the Self-Being that has become all existences that are Becomings, for he has the perfect knowledge, how shall he be deluded, whence shall he have grief who sees everywhere oneness?

For Such a one [who sees everywhere the self] there is no Conflict and Sorrow for "all grief is born of the shrinking of the ego from the contacts of existence, its sense of fear, weakness, dislike, etc., and this is born from the delusion of separate existence, the sense of being my separate ego exposed to all these contacts of so much that is not myself; Get rid of this, see oneness everywhere, be the One manifesting Himself in all creatures; ego will disappear; desire born of the sense of not being this, not having that, will disappear; the free inalienable delight of the One in His own existence will take the place of desire and its satisfactions and dissatisfactions." (Sri Aurobindo)

That is not all. The truth of Brahman in manifestation is not confined to the subjective projection as the Self of all things. It is not merely an impersonal Being in which the becoming takes place. Brahman is also He, the Person who originates, inhabits and governs the Universe.

Verse 8: The Lord

sa paryagāch chhukram akāyam avraņam asnāviram shuddham apāpaviddham,

kavir manīşhī paribhūĥ swayambhūĥ yāthātathyato arthān vyadadhāch chhashvatībhyaĥ samābhyaĥ.

It is He that has gone abroad—That which is bright, bodiless, without scar of imperfection, without sinews, pure, unpierced by evil.

The Seer, the Thinker, the One who becomes everywhere, the Self-existence has ordered objects perfectly according to their nature from years sempiternal.

In his going abroad, i.e. in his self-extension there are, it should be noted, two aspects: one, I an Infinite Immutability and the other, Mutation, a working out of possibilities in Time, Space and Causality. The Upanishad speaks of the former—the Pure Immutable as the bright, self-luminous without a shadow, bodiless, unlimited by form and division, without scar of imperfection and sinews, flawless, unaffected by the play of clashing circumstances and not subject to the currents and cross currents of diminution and increase, Pure and unpierced by evil, i.e. not contaminated by Ignorance and its issue, the wrong, the crooked as opposed to what is normally right and straight. The same Absolute is spoken of in the other aspect successively, as the Kavi, the Seer, who before he proceeds to manifest sees in his luminous vision the Truth the Principles of things that are to manifest, then, as the Manishi, Thinker, who Conceives and thinks out the processes in the evolution of the possibilities, the Paribhu, He who eventuates becomes everywhere, in Space and Time as impelled by the Manishi. It is all, it must be noted, a one becoming of the Self-existent Purusha who moves into these, three poises, seeing, conceiving and fixing things in accord with the Truth which is being expressed, the eternal Truth which forms and. governs the nature of earth formation as its innate Law.

Thus the Movement has its truth as much as the Stability; multiplicity is as real as unity. Both are twin ends of the one pole of Reality in manifestation and should be comprehended as such. To ignore or deny one and accept and pursue only the other is to shut oneself from the full reality of things. To accept the truth of both in a large vision and seek to realize it in one's own life is the path of wisdom.

Verses 9, 10 and 11: Knowledge and Ignorance (avidya)

andham tamaĥ pravishanti ye avidyām upāsate,

tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u vidyāyān ratāĥ.

Into a blind darkness they enter who follow after the Ignorance, they as if into a greater darkness enter who devote themselves to the Knowledge alone.

anyadevāhur vidyayā anyadāhur avidyaya,

iti shushruma dhīrāņām ye nastadvimchachakşhire.

Other, verily, it is said, is that which comes by the Knowledge, other that which comes by the Ignorance; this is the lore we have received from the wise who revealed That to our understanding.

vidyām cha avidyām yastad vedobhayan saha,

avidyayā mŗthyum tīrtvā vidyayāmŗtamashnute.

He who knows That as both in one, the Knowledge and the Ignorance, by the Ignorance crosses beyond death and by the Knowledge enjoys Immortality.

Knowledge, vidyā Sri Aurobindo explains, is the consciousness, the effective awareness of the Unity of things the Oneness of all. Ignorance, avidyā is the consciousness of multiplicity. Those who are aware of only the multiplicity of forms and not their reconciling oneness and live in line with that understanding are closed to the light of true knowledge and sink into obscurity. But those who look only at the Unity of' things, the sheer oneness alone, denying the fact of the Many, withdraw themselves gradually from the scene of life-activity and merge into a state of non-being, a state of consciousness where everything is, as if, iva, a, blank of still greater darkness. [This sense of iva in verse 9 seems to be left out in the commentary of Shankara; there it is explained as eva, verily. The point is that this state attained by the pursuit of sheer unity alone is so void, that its emptiness resembles—though, be it noted, it is not the same—in its benumbing blankness, the darkness of Ignorance raised to a degree]

"Those who are devoted entirely to the principle of indiscriminate Unity and seek to put away from them the integrality of the Brahman, also put away from them knowledge and completeness and enter as if into a greater darkness. They enter into some special state and accept it for the whole, mistaking exclusion in consciousness for transcendence in consciousness. They ignore by choice of knowledge, as the others are ignorant by compulsion of error. Knowing all to transcend all is the right path of Vidya. Although a higher state than the other, this supreme Night is termed a greater darkness, because the lower is one of chaos from which reconstitution is always possible, the higher is a conception of Void or Asat, an attachment to non-existence of Self from which it is more difficult to return to fulfillment of Self".

But rightly pursued and realized, the results of Knowledge and Ignorance, says the Upanishad, are different. They are both related to each other. Multiplicity is supported and sustained by the underlying Unity and Unity is realized in its full potential, only vis-a-vis the multiplicity. The Many, the manifestation in diversity provides the field for the soul to live and row in the experience of a multitudinous becoming—in all its richness—and arrive progressively at a point where the impact of multiplicity begins to be informed and regulated by the consciousness of the governing Unity—Vidya. When one realizes this Knowledge, not only in the mind but in other parts of the being, specially related to life-activity, the knot of Ignorance, the sense of separativity is lost and the range of one's conscious-ness begins to transcend the barriers of the normal human existence—physical and other,—in a word, it partakes of immortality. This is the truth seen by the ancients, the dhiras who saw 'steadfast in the gaze of their thought' and revealed widely, comprehensively, to the seers of the Upanishad, vichachakşhire.

So also, birth and non-birth, acceptance of manifestation and withdrawal from manifestation, are truths which yield their full value only when taken together and lead to disastrous results if followed exclusively.

Verses 12, 13 and 14: Birth and Non Birth

andham tamaĥ pravishanti ye asambhuutim upāsate,

tato bhūya eva te tamo ya u sambhūtyām ratāĥ.

Into a blind darkness they enter who follow after the Non-Birth, they as if into a greater darkness who devote themselves to the Birth alone.

anya devāhuĥ sambhavād anyadāhur asambhavāt,

iti shushruma dhīrāņām ye nastad vimchachakşhire.

Other, verily, it is said, is that which comes by the birth, other that which comes by the Non-Birth; this is the lore we have received from the wise who revealed That to our understanding.

sambhūtim cha vināsham cha yastad vedobhayan saha,

vināshena mŗthyum tīrtvā sambhūtyā amŗtam ashnute.

He who knows That as both in one, the Birth and the dissolution of Birth, by the dissolution crosses beyond death and by the Birth enjoys Immortality.

Sambhūti and Asambhūti, Birth and Non-Birth, Sri Aurobindo clarifies, are not so much conditions of the body as states of the soul. One who chooses the state of Non-Birth rejects Birth and the line of manifestation and prepares himself to withdraw into a non-being, goes to a Nihil, a Void where all is blank. But he who is content to remain in the Birth alone, in the field of multiplicity and movement, without realizing the saving truth of freedom and transcendence from Birth, goes under in an abysm of darkness. Both Birth and Non-Birth are facts of Existence, and both are to be integrated in oneself.

The lynch-pin that holds together the continually changing movements and experiences in the normal life of the individual is the ego-sense. When that is dissolved the main prop of the life in ignorance is destroyed, vināsha.

It does not mean the, end of the body; the physical frame can very well continue after the death of the ego. The seeker breaks the bonds imposed by the self-limiting ego, the subjection to incapacity, limitation and desire which are the agents of death. And once he realizes this freedom, the seeker after the integral truth of manifestation accepts the Birth: the soul chooses to participate in the general manifestation in order to more fully enjoy its freedom. As Sri Aurobindo says, "it is enjoyed by a free and divine becoming in the universe and not outside the universe; for there it is always possessed, but here in the material it is to be worked out and enjoyed by the divine Inhabitant under circumstances that are in appearance the most opposite to its terms, in the of life the individual and in the multiple life of the universe."

Thus "Through Avidya. the Multiplicity, lies our path out of the transitional egoistic self-expression in which death and suffering predominate; through Vidya consenting with Avidya by the perfect sense of oneness even in that multiplicity, we enjoy integrally the immortality and the beatitude. By attaining to the Unborn beyond all becoming we are liberated from this lower birth and death; by accepting the Becoming freely as the Divine, we invade mortality with the immortal beatitude and become luminous centres of its conscious self-expression in humanity." [Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine, Vol. 1, ch. V].

This is the thought-movement in the Upanishad so far. The opening lines lay it down that this universe of movement is governed by the One inhabiting Spirit. The object of this manifestation is enjoyment and right living consisting in one's full participation in this enjoyment which is truly possible only when there is an inner renunciation of Desire. This done, activity ceases to bind the doer who is one in soul with the Lord of All. Those who do not follow this rightful course of life not only miss enjoyment here on earth, but go to worlds of darkness after death. The multiple Movement and the One Stability, are the same Brahman in different poises. Brahman the Reality is both and beyond both. Man realizes his unity with the rest of his fellow-beings only in proportion as he gains his identity with this cosmic and transcendental Self who is extended as and in all. In this unity are true harmony and happiness achieved displacing the elements of friction, grief, and illusion which are the results of a false sense of separativity born of ego. Life is a manifestation of God. The universe is really an unfoldment of the Spirit; it is the Supreme who has gone abroad and "has unrolled the universe in His three modes as All-Seer of the Truth of things, Thinker-out of their possibilities, Realiser of their actualities. He has determined all things sovereignly in their own nature, development and goal from years sempiternal." Vidya and Avidya, consciousness of the inherent unity and the consciousness of the phenomenal multiplicity, are twin powers of this Manifestation, each complementary—and not contradictory to the other and when a right use is made of both, they carry the individual on their wings towards a supreme fulfillment. So also are Birth and Non-Birth; they are not opposite and irreconcilable; they are two states of the being, each necessary to the completeness of the other and a realization of both the states is indispensable, if the object of Manifestation, Immortality, is to be achieved.

To fulfill this aim, to arrive at this Goal of Beatitude with all the opulence of Knowledge, Power and Joy that go with it, the Upanishad invokes the aid of the Gods, the famed guardians of Immortality. It proceeds to call Surya, the God of Illumination and Agni, the Lord of divine Will and Action.

Verses 15 and 16: The worlds - Surya

hiraņmayena pātreņa satyasyāpihitam mukham,

tat tvam pūşhann apāvŗņu satyadharmāya dŗşhţaye.

The face of Truth is covered with a brilliant golden lid; that do thou remove, O Fosterer, for the law of the Truth, for sight.

pūşhannekarşhe yama sūrya prājāpatya vhyūha rashmīn samūha tejo,

yat te rūpam kalyāņatamam tat te pashyāmi yo asāvasau puruşhaĥ so aham asmi.

O Fosterer, O sole Seer, O Ordainer, O illumining Sun, O power of the Father of creatures, marshal thy rays, draw together thy light; the Lustre which is thy most blessed form of all, that in Thee I behold. The Purusha there and there, He am I 

 “In the inner sense of the Veda, Surya, the Sun-God, represents the divine Illumination of the Kavi which exceeds mind and forms the pure self-luminous Truth of things. His principal power is self-revelatory knowledge, termed in the Veda ‘Sight’. His realm is described as the Truth, the Law, the Vast. He is the Fosterer or Increaser, for he enlarges and opens man’s dark and limited being into a luminous and infinite consciousness. He is the sole Seer, Seer of Oneness and Knower of the Self, and leads him to the highest Sight. He is Yama, Controller or Ordainer, for he governs man’s action and manifested being by the direct Law of the Truth, satyadharma, and therefore by the right principle of our nature, yathatathyatah, a luminous power proceeding from the Father of all existence, he reveals in himself the divine Purusha of whom all beings are the manifestations. His rays are the thoughts that proceed luminously from the Truth, the Vast, but become deflected and distorted, broken up and disordered in the reflecting and dividing principle, Mind. They form there the golden lid which covers the face of the Truth. The Seer prays to Surya to cast them into right order and relation and then draw them together into the unity of relation and draw them together into the unity of revealed truth. The result of this inner process is the perception of the oneness of all beings in the divine Soul of this Universe”. “This is Surya’s goodliest form of all. For it is the supreme Light, the supreme Will, the supreme Delight of existence. This is the Lord, the Purusha, the self-conscient Being. When we have this vision, there is the integral self-knowledge, the Upanishad, so’ham. The Purusha there and there He am I .”

[Sri Aurobindo: Īşha Upanishad, Verse 15 and Section VII. This verse is one of the most typical in the Upanishadic literature bringing out the close relation that exists between the Upanishads and the Veda. As noted earlier, the sages of the Upanishads always quote from the more ancient scripture in support, justification or in clinching a line of thought they develop. The present verse is not only an instance to the point but much more valuable for the transparency with which it enables one to see how the thought development has taken place, how the Upanishads make explicit what was implicit in the Veda. The original Rik reads:

“There is a Truth covered by a Truth where they unyoke the horses of the Sun; the ten hundreds stood together, there was That One; I saw the greatest (best, most glorious) of the embodied gods.”

Compare this with the two verses of the Isha, under discussion. Drawing attention to this, Sir Aurobindo writes: “….mark how the seer of the Upanishad translates this thought or this mystic experience into his own later style, keeping the central symbol of the Sun but without any secrecy in the sense.. The golden lid (of the Upanishad) is meant to be the same as the inferior covering truth, ŗtam, spoken of in the Vedic verse; the ‘best of the bodies of the Gods’ is equivalent to the ‘fairest form of the Sun’, it is the supreme Light which is other and greater than all outer light; the great formula of the Upanishad, ‘He am I’ corresponds to that One, tad ekam, of the Rig Vedic verse; the 'standing together of the ten hundreds’ (the rays of the Sun, says Sayana, and that is evidently the meaning) is reproduced in the prayer to the Sun ‘to marshal and mass his rays’ so that the supreme from may be seen. The Sun in both the passages as constantly in the Veda and frequently in the Upanishad, is the Godhead of the supreme Truth and Knowledge and his rays are the light emanating from that supreme Truth and Knowledge. It is clear from this instance—and there are others—that the seer of the Upanishad had a truer sense of the meaning of the ancient Veda than the mediaeval ritualistic commentator with his gigantic learning, much truer than the modern and very different mind of the European scholars.” (Hymns to the Mystic Fire, Pp. XVIII-XIX)

In his Commentary on the Rig Veda, Sir Kapāli Sāstriar has gone into this interesting parallel in greater detail and has shown how close is the thought of the Upanishad to the spirit of the Vedic mantra. He also points out other instances, e.g., R.V. I.25.3 in the Samhita which contain the seeds of the perception that found its full unveiled expression in this verse of the Īşha Upanishad.

Verses 17 and 18: Action and the Divine Will (Agni)

vāyuranilam amŗtam athedam bhasmāntam sharīram,

om krato smara kŗtam smara krato smara kŗtam smara.

The Breath of things is an immortal Life, but of this body ashes are the end.

OM! O Will, remember, that which was done, remember! O Will, remember, that which was done, remember.

agne naya supathā rāye asmān vishvāni deva vayunāni vidvān,

yuyodhyasmaj juhurāņameno bhūyişhţhām te namauktim vidhema.

O God Agni, knowing all things that are manifested, lead us by the good path to the felicity; remove from us the devious attraction of sin. To thee completest speech of sub-mission we would dispose.

Through the grace and the intervention of Sūrya the mind of man grows into illumination. But Knowledge is not all. There has to be a corresponding upliftment and enlargement of the faculties of action. They too should be liberated from the limitations under which they labour. But the body, the physical frame of man is circumscribed on all sides and subject to the conditions of birth and death over which, he has little control. However, there is, says the seer, a power active in the body, the dynamism of life-energy which is the effective source and executor of all action and that in its true nature—which is revealed in the light of the Surya, the Lord of illumination,—is immortal. To manifest this Life-principle more and more and enable it to speed into its own untrammelled course of conquest and progress, the God of Life, Vāyu (Mātarishwan in an earlier verse) is remembered in prayer.

Normal human activity, however, proceeds under the drive and impulsion of Prakriti, Nature, which is shot through and through with Ignorance and revolves round the fulcrum of the ego. Man is a slave of this activity, he is rushed into it and becomes the creature instead of its master he is meant to be. It is only in proportion as he awakens to the liberating knowledge and releases himself from the hold of the lower ignorant nature that he is in a position to disengage himself from this thralldom and assume his rightful place. He begins to see that behind all action there is a secret Will leading things to a destined goal. Whatever may be the apparent motives and circumstances which govern activities there is at their base a secret Will and Power whose origin is deeper than the surface nature. This is the kratu, the Divine Will which is called Agni in the Veda—the Will which motivates and executes, with its dynamic power, in the universe as well as in the individual. "He is the divine force which manifests first in matter as heat and light and material energy and then, taking different forms in the other principles of man's consciousness, leads him by a progressive manifestation upwards to the Truth and Bliss." One has to realise this truth in one's own being; gain oneness with this secret spring of Movement if one hopes to acquire control and direction over all one's activities. The seer calls upon, this God Agni to come into his own, retain the thread of continuity in the actions put forth in this life-time and before, and relate them in the walking consciousness also in the right sequence, so that the control ensuing from a conscious coordination of doings may perfect itself. This the Agni can do, because being at the fount of manifestation on earth, he knows; he knows the truth of all that is born, jaatavedas, the Intention governing all activities; and knowing, he also sees the direct way in which things lead to their fulfillment.

Amidst the maze of ways and byways with which course of man's life is strewn, he knows which is the straight Path. Caught up in the web of ignorance and false-hood, impelled by the goad of conflicting desires and passions, man turns and deflects, loses sight of the good and the obvious direction. This is pull of sin which man suffers and which keeps him away from the natural, the straight course.

As Sri Aurobindo states: "Sin, in the conception of the Veda, from which this verse is taken bodily, is that which excites and hurries the faculties into deviation from the good path. There is a straight road or road of naturally increasing light and truth, rjuh pantha, rtasya pantha, leading over infinite levels and towards infinite vistas, vitāni, pŗşţhāni, by which the law of our nature should normally take us towards our fulfillment. Sin compels it instead to travel with stumblings amid uneven and limited tracts and along crooked windings duritāni, vŗjināni.

The seer invokes the aid of Agni to pass beyond the range of this sin and to that end offers “completest submission and the self-surrender of all the faculties of the lower egoistic human nature to the divine Will-force, Agni, so that, free from internal opposition, it may lead the soul of man through the truth towards a felicity full of the spiritual riches, rāye." ( Sir Aurobindo)

It hardly needs to be pointed out that these four crowning verses are not the last prayer of a dying man* as taken by some, but powerful invocations from the seeker who has by dint of lifelong effort arrived at a crucial stage when the intervention from the very Gods alone can enable him to surmount the last barriers, uplift him and open still higher vistas of Light and Power leading to the final goal of Immortality while living on earth for a full span of life, for a hundred years, Satam samāĥ.

*Who is preparing, to shed the body to dissolve into the material elements, and to merge the breath in the primary Prāņa, summoning up the accumulated puNya of rituals performed during his life, and with speech-which is all that is left to him at that moment as means of worship—pleads to God Agni to lead him by the bright path—the devayāna—to his destination in the Brahmaloka.

Six Holy Places in India

1. Puri (East)

2. Tirupati (South)

3. Dvaraka (West)

4. Badrinatha (North)

5. Vrindavana

6. Mayapur

Puri (East- India)

Puri is considered one of the holiest places in India by many Hindus. But it is particularly revered by Vaishnavas as the home of Krishna in His form of Jagannatha, Lord of the Universe. The Jagannatha temple itself is nine hundred years old, and the deities are served by six thousand priests. It is strictly forbidden for non-Hindus to enter.

Puri may be most famous for its annual Ratha-yatra (chariot festival), in which the deities of Jagannath, his brother Baladeva and sister Subhadra are paraded through the city by thousands of pilgrims. Replica Ratha-yatras are celebrated throughout the world.

Tirupati (South- India)

Tirupati is the home of Lord Venkateshwara, otherwise known as Balaji. The main temple lies in the seven hills of Tirumala and attracts twenty-five thousand pilgrims daily. Inside resides the majestic “Swayambhu,” or naturally formed image of Lord Venkateswara. He is seen standing on a lotus with his conch and discus in his hands, and images of the goddesses Lakshmi & Padmavati upon his chest.

Dvaraka (West - India)

When Lord Krishna killed the evil king Kamsa and reinstated his grandfather Ugrasena as the king of Mathura, Kamsa’s father-in-law Jarasandha was enraged and attacked Mathura seventeen times. To protect his people, Krishna decided to move the capital from Mathura to Dvaraka, then an island in the sea.

Now a coastal town of thirty-thousand inhabitants named after the original city, Dvaraka is considered one of the holiest places in India. Its major attraction is the Dvarakadish temple, built in the sixteenth century, although the original temple is said to have been built by Krishna’s own grandson Vajranabha.

Bet Dvaraka, an island in the Arabic sea 30 km north of the current town, is said to be the last remaining piece of land from the original city, which sank into the sea after Krishna’s departure. And recent underwater studies conducted off the coast of Dvaraka by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India), revealed evidence of an ancient city dated at 2 million B.C.

Badrinatha (North - India)

Badarinatha, or Badarikasrama, is situated in the Himalayas, 10,248 feet above sea level. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, it is the abode of the great rishis Nara-Narayana, and the place where Narada Muni attained liberation.

The present temple is about four hundred years old and houses the Deity of Lord Badarinatha. This Deity was installed by Sankaracarya, who recovered Him from the nearby Narada-kunda.

The temple is open six months of the year, from May to October. It is closed during the winter months due to harsh weather.

Vrindavana/Mathura

Mathura lies ninety-five miles south of Delhi. It is most famous as the place of Krishna’s birth, which tradition dates to some five thousand years ago. Its main temple is the Keshava Deo Mandir, where Radha and Krishna are worshiped. The entire area, encompassing many holy sites and twelve sacred forests, is called Vraj. Most important is Vrindavan, the village where Krishna lived. It is now a bustling town with some five thousand temples, mostly dedicated to Krishna. Many elderly Vaishnavas retire to this sacred town in the hope of returning at death to the spiritual Vrindavan, where they can engage in eternal lila (pastimes) with their Lord.

Mayapur

Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges River near Navadvip, West Bengal, 130 km north of Kolkata (Calcutta). It is considered a holy place by a number of other traditions within Hinduism, but is of special significance to followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the place where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, regarded as a special incarnation of Krishna and Radha, was born in 1486. It is visited by over a million pilgrims annually.

Since the 1970s, Mayapur has also been the site of the world headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as well as a number of other Vaishnava organizations, such as the Gaudiya Math.

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is a spiritual healing art with its roots in Japanese origin. The word Reiki comes from the Japanese word (Rei) which means “Universal Life” and (Ki) which means “Energy”. Reiki is not affiliated with any particular religion or religious practice. It is not massage nor is it based on belief or suggestion.

Reiki practitioners channel energy in a particular pattern to heal and harmonize. Unlike other healing therapies based on the premise of a human energy field, Reiki seeks to restore order to the body whose vital energy has become unbalanced.

Reiki energy has several basic effects: it brings about deep relaxation, destroys energy blockages, detoxifies the system, provides new vitality in the form of healing universal life energy, and increases the vibrational frequency of the body.

The laying of hands is used in Reiki therapy also as in spiritual healing. There is a difference though. In spiritual healing, a person with a strong energy field places his or her hands above a particular part of the recipient's body in order to release energy into it. So, here the healer is the one who is sending out the energy. In Reiki, however, the healer places the hands above the recipient; however, it is the recipient that draws the energy as needed. Thus, in this case, the individual being healed takes an active part in the healing process as opposed to having a passive part in spiritual healing. The individual takes responsibility for his or her healing. The recipient identifies the needs and cater to them by drawing energy as needed.

Although there are a few positions in which the practitioner is in contact with the patient (such as cradling the head), most Reiki treatments do not involve actual touching. The practitioner holds his or her hands a few inches or farther away from the patient's body and manipulates the energy field from there.

History of Reiki

Reiki is believed to have begun in Tibet several thousand years ago. Seers in the Orient studied energies and developed a system of sounds and symbols for universal healing energies. Various healing systems, which crossed many different cultures, emerged from this single root system. Unfortunately, the original source itself was forgotten.

Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Christian educator in Kyoto, Japan, rediscovered the root system in the mid- to late 1800s. He began an extensive twenty-one-year study of the healing phenomena of history's greatest spiritual leaders. He also studied ancient sutras (Buddhist teachings written in Sanskrit). He discovered ancient sounds and symbols that are linked directly to the human body and nervous system which activate the universal life energy for healing.

Usui then underwent a metaphysical experience and became empowered to use these sounds and symbols to heal. He called this form of healing Reiki and taught it throughout Japan until his death around 1893.

The tradition was passed through several grandmasters of reiki such as Dr. Chujiro Hyashi, Hawayo Takata, and Phyllis Lei Furumoto.

There are many forms of reiki being practiced now. The two principal ones are: "the Usui System of Natural Healing" and "the Radiance Technique."

The Usui System of Natural Healing balances and strengthens the body's energy, promoting its ability to heal itself.

Reiki is useful in treating serious serious illnesses as well as others. Examples are: sports injuries, cuts, burns, internal diseases, emotional disorders, and stress-related illnesses.

Reiki was introduced to the Western world in the mid-1970s. Since then its use has spread dramatically worldwide.

Reiki Energy

Reiki energy is regarded as life energy at its most effective-with the maximum vibration. It is considered to have an almost divine quality and as such includes everything, in a world where problems and disorders are deemed to be due to the feeling of detachment from the world. There is no division of Reiki energy into positive and negative forms but when a person undergoes a session of therapy, they allow the energy to be taken into themselves with beneficial effects. Essentially, those receiving Reiki energy decide subconsciously just how much of the life energy is taken in.

Those who use Reiki regularly often find they are more joyful, lively and their own in-built energy is enhanced-almost as if their batteries had been fully charged! Existing conflicts within the person are broken down and there is a greater vitality, leading to relaxation and a stimulation of the body. As this improvement develops, the natural processes of renewal and removal of toxins are enhanced and rendered more effective, ultimately opening up more of the body to the life energy.

Body organs such as the skin, and protective systems such as the immune system are improved providing the individual is prepared regularly to undertake Reiki and in the first place to undergo an attunement or initiation into Reiki energy. The initiation is merely a means whereby the universal life energy is bestowed through the Reiki master. The master acts as a channel and a link with God to release the healing power.

An initiation is not absolutely essential but it allows the individual access to the universal life energy, which is used rather than their own life energy. Also, an initiation conveys a greater capacity for using Reiki energy, with no associated tiredness and further, it provides a protective mechanism against any negative manifestations.

The Use of Whole-Body Reiki

Since, a disease or disorder in one area will inevitably affect the whole body, the use of Reiki is best applied to the whole-body, to cleanse and revitalize the complete system.

The implementation of Reiki is highly ritualized and ceremonious. Many practitioners undertake a particular routine before commencing a regime of whole-body treatment. The main elements are briefly described below.

Preparing For Whole-Body Reiki

Remove jewelry

Jewelry contains items such as stones (semi-precious or precious), metal rings or chains, leather thongs or a variety of other objects. Many of these will attract energies that may interfere with the life energy of Reiki. Items such as watches create a closed circuit that reduce the flow of life energy. Earrings are especially a problem. The pierced ears interfere with the flow of energy. The ears are very important in many therapies such as acupuncture that utilize meridians and must be kept unencumbered.

Wash hands

There are two reasons for washing hands. First, there is the physical effect of cleaning. It makes the hands pleasant to feel for the recipient of Reiki. Hot, sticky hands should be avoided in Reiki as they are not conducive to the state of relaxation being sought.

The second benefit relates to the aura surrounding the body. This aura may be affected by contact with objects, people, etc over the course of the day and washing removes such influences, which could, in sensitive people, have an adverse effect.

Say a prayer

It is helpful at this stage to recite a short prayer asking for healing and to concentrate upon and acknowledge your aims, self-perception and those of the person upon whom your hands will be placed. The prayer makes you ready to enter into the relaxation process.

Even out the aura

This is a means of gently making contact and starting the therapy. It involves a number of steps.

• Ask the person to lie down.

• Sit beside the person; put your left hand on your sacrum.

• With your right hand held about 6-9 inches(15-25 cm) above the body and palm facing down, move your hand along the length of the body from the head to the toes.

• Return the hand to the starting point using a circular motion along the side of the body.

• Repeat this three or four times

This process can be repeated after the Reiki therapy when your left hand can be placed on the sacrum of the recipient.

Energize

When each Reiki therapy session is complete the whole body may be energized via the root chakra. The hand is held vertically above the body and then quickly moved from the pelvis to the head.

The Practice of Whole-Body Reiki

Before the Whole Body Reiki Treatment

There is great scope for variation in the number and sequence of positions used for whole-body treatment. It will depend greatly upon the practitioner and what is felt to be best for the recipient, but no one sequence can be deemed the best one for all. It is important to be certain that your client/partner is not suffering from any illness or condition that might require the attention of another health professional. Reiki has its particular uses but it is unwise to try to address problems that clearly fall beyond its scope. The client can easily ask advice from their doctor, or other professional, as to whether they should undergo Reiki therapy.

The extent of each session of Reiki will vary depending upon circumstances and the individual receiving treatment. Certain positions may be better left out of the sequence or therapy may be focused on a particular area to help relieve blockages or deal with tension. If the recipient is currently on a regime of medication then a shorter session may be appropriate.

Similarly, if dealing with a small child or an elderly or infirm person, it is probably wise to limit the therapy to a session of 15 to 20 minutes. In all cases the Reiki practitioner should be sensitive to and aware of the condition, needs and well being of the recipient.

Positions In Reiki Therapy

The hands are clearly the 'instruments' of healing in Reiki. The position in which the hands are placed on the recipient is important. However, it may be varied depending on the circumstances. Just placing the hands on the appropriate part of the body is sufficient.

Reiki can be effected through clothing, as the energy will flow the clothing. But many people prefer to have no material obstacles to the therapy.

The Head

The hands are placed either side of the nose, with the palms covering the eyes; the thumbs rest by the bridge of the nose and the fingertips cover the cheeks and reach the upper lip. This arrangement covers the sinuses, eyes, Pituitary gland, and teeth. It is useful for dealing with colds, sinusitis, eye complaints, allergies, fatigue and general discontent.

Another position is to place the hands over the ears, with the fingertips extending down the jaw-line to the neck, encompassing the ears including the semi-circular canals, responsible for balance. The effect also extends to the pharyngeal area. Diseases and problems of these organs such as colds, trouble with balance, hearing loss, etc. are dealt with in this position.

For relieving conditions such as headaches, colds, asthma and circulatory problems, place the hands on the back of the head. It also promotes relaxation.

The Chest And Abdomen

There are many variations for the chest and abdomen; we will only discuss a few here.

The arrangement for the thymus, heart and lungs is as follows: one hand is laid across the thymus and the other at 90 degrees starting just below and between the breasts. The thymus is a bi-lobed gland in the neck. It is an important part of the immune system. This arrangement therefore reinforces the immune system and helps the lymphatics, the heart, lungs and counters any general debility.

Another technique is to place the hands on either side of the navel and slightly to one side. The stomach and digestive organs are the focus of attention here and the conditions/symptoms addressed are the digestion and the metabolism. Specifically, this treatment will combat nausea, heartburn, gastrointestinal diseases and indigestion. Because the presence of such conditions often results in tension and worry, the relief of symptoms will similarly help relieve anxiety and depression.

There are two other positions that are worth exploring: Here, the hands are placed in a position similar to that used to focus on the stomach and digestive organs but further away from the body midline. Approach the body from the right side of the recipient. Place your left hand around the base of the ribcage. In this position, we are dealing with the gall bladder and liver. This position is for diseases and conditions of these important organs and associated problems of a metabolic nature. The liver is a vital organ in the process of removing toxins from the body. Hence this arrangement is very important for healing those ailments.

The position related to this one is essentially a reflection where the hands are placed on the left side of the body to encompass the area of the bowels, spleen and some of the pancreas. Here, diseases of these organs such as indigestion and healthy blood are all dealt with.

Another position involves focusing on the appendix, intestines and urinogenital organs. The hands are placed where the pelvic bones are covered and meet over the pubic area. This is used for the healing of a number of ailments associated with the appendix, intestines and urinogenital organs. It is also useful for the treatment of allergies, general debility, problems of a sexual nature and related to weight. It is believed to reinforce the immune system.

The Back

Here again, there are a number of positions that are used. In one such position, the hands are placed across the shoulder blades at mid to upper point, to influence the intestines, lung, heart and various muscles in the neck and shoulder region. This will help lung and heart diseases, muscular tension, headaches and related conditions.

If the hands are placed lower down the back, around the midriff (on the lower ribs) this position will accommodate the kidneys and adrenal glands. (The adrenal glands are situated one each on the upper surface of each kidney and are important because they manufacture hormones that control a variety of body functions.)

Warning:

Please consult a qualified practitioner before you start with Reiki especially if you are suffering from serious conditions or diseases

The Seven Wonders of the World are the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum, the Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer, Petra, and the Great Wall of China.

 New7Wonders of the World was a campaign started in 2000 to choose Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments. The popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the New7Wonders Foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, with winners announced on 7 July 2007 in Lisbon.

Following 7 candidates have been elected by more than 100 million votes to represent global heritage throughout history. The listing is in random order, as announced at the Declaration Ceremony on 07.07.07. All the New 7 Wonders are equal and are presented as a group without any ranking.

The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India

This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.

Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan

On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.

Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru

In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China

The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.

The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy

This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.

BRAZIL

This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

MEXICO

Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures - the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.