A Lesson to Learn

A lesson to learn. Great logic.

Source: From a book by Jordan Ellenberg. 

'How Not To Be Wrong'

During World War II, numerous fighter planes were getting hit by anti-aircraft guns. 

Air Force officers wanted to add some protective armor/shield to the planes. The question was "where"?

The planes could only support few more kilos of weight. A group of mathematicians and engineers were called for a short consulting project. 

Fighter planes returning from missions were analysed for bullet holes per square foot. They found 1.93 bullet holes/sq. foot near the tail of the planes whereas only 1.11 bullet holes/sq. foot close to the engine.

 

The Air Force officers thought that since the tail portion had the greatest density of bullets, that would be the logical location for putting an anti-bullet shield. 

A mathematician named Abraham Wald said exactly the opposite; more protection is needed where the bullet holes aren't - that is -around the engines.

 

His judgement surprised everyone.  He said ,We are counting the planes that returned from a mission. Planes with lots of bullet holes in the engine did not return at all.

Debrief

 

If you go to the recovery room at the hospital, you’ll see a lot more people with bullet holes in their legs than people with bullet holes in their chests.  That’s not because people don’t get shot in the chest; it’s because the people who get shot in the chest don’t recover.

Remember the words of Einstein -

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted, counts.

Goal Setting

Goal Setting

Nearly all of us aspire to grow, prosper and keep achieving. Goal setting involves generating an action plan which the participant(s) of the project commits to adhere to. The plan motivates, establishes a purpose and provides a perceivable outcome. So, it in a way programmes the life of individual(s) involved to think, act, feel, give their best to accomplish the goal. There is no trying, there is doing. Five important components of goal setting are building synergy(1), listing and providing for resources provisioning - time, material, funding, think tanks, assigning responsibilities - who will do what singly and together with another / others, having standby plan and support systems and what if it doesn't work - it proves to be a non-starter. Gain / reward and purpose also need to be well documented so each person knows what to expect when the goal is achieved / stands achieved.

Personal Goal Setting

The scenario is very different when we are doing personal goal setting. People tend to apply organisational norms to personal goal setting. They may not be misconceived, as yet they may not yield the desired results. Usually on the personal front the goal is born out of a need, want, aspiration, why not or even to cure desperation. I think that such a goal may not become appealing to the psyche though it could throw up a strong hype. 

Here one needs to give time to write out how the goal is going to reward living on the many fronts of life. A mind map helps to have a picture that makes the work of achieving motivating. Here is a sample mind map I have drawn.

Each of the items generate a sense of purpose, gets one to know what to expect, know in advance the degree of achievable-ness, how realistic and how long one will have to be at it. Also one needs to know which individual and professional skills one needs to develop that will help in actualising the goal. The five important components of goal setting need to be incorporated. Doubt is a big killer. So is anticipation and hope. Belief in the strongest element. A belief that I will make it ultimately, come what may. Recitation of one's chosen mantra with a purpose helps to make uncertainties line up to help forge ahead toward goal achievement.

(1) Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. It also means "working together". (Source : Wikipedia at Tap here to see more on 'Synergy'

श्रीमद्भभग्वद्गीता का सार

महाभारत में कहा गया है कि युद्ध के 18 वें दिन लगभग अस्सी फीसदी योद्धाओं की मृत्यु हो चुकी थी। युद्ध समाप्ती पर संजय कुरुक्षेत्र के युद्ध के मैदान में गए। वह वहां खड़े होकर सोचते हैं कि क्या यह युद्ध वास्तव में हुआ था। क्या सच में इतना बड़ा नरसंहार हुआ था? क्या यह वही स्थान है जहाँ शक्तिशाली पांडव और भगवान कृष्ण खड़े थे? क्या यह वही स्थान है जहाँ श्रीमद्भगवत गीता का पाठ सिखाया गया था? क्या यह सब वास्तव में हुआ था, या मुझे ऐसा भ्रम हो रहा है?

"आप इसका सच कभी नहीं जान पाएंगे !" एक शांत बूढ़े आदमी की आवाज़ उसके कान पर पड़ी। जब संजय ने आवाज की दिशा में देखा, तो उसने एक साधु को देखा। साधु ने धीरे से कहा, "मैं जानता हूं कि आप यहां यह देखने आए हैं कि क्या कुरुक्षेत्र की लड़ाई वास्तव में हुई थी। लेकिन आप इस लड़ाई के बारे में सच्चाई कभी नहीं जान पाएंगे, जब तक कि आप यह नहीं जानते हैं कि असली लड़ाई क्या थी।" संजय ने कहा, "क्या मतलब आप के इस कथन का?"

साधू ने कहा, "महाभारत एक महाकाव्य है - एक वास्तविकता है। उससे अधिक यह एक दर्शन है।" और इसके साथ ही वह मुस्कुराने लगा। साधु की मुस्कुराहट देखकर संजय और भी भ्रमित हो गया और याचना करते हुए बोला, "क्या आप मुझे वह दर्शन बता सकते हैं?" साधू कहने लगा।  वास्तव में पांडव हमारी पांच इंद्रियां हैं। आंख, कान, नाक, ज़बान और त्वचा। इनके अपने अपने कार्य हैं। और कौरव सौ  विषय रूपी दुर्गुण हैं जो प्रतिदिन इन पांच पांडवों पर आक्रमण करते रहते हैं। हममें यह क्षमता है जिसे इस्तमाल करके इन पांच पांडवों को इस हमले से बचा सकते हैं। साधु ने आगे कहा, "संजय, क्या आप मुझे बता सकते हैं कि उनकी सुरक्षा कब संभव होगी?"

संजय ने जवाब दिया। "जब अर्जुन  के रथ के सारथी हैं  पांडवों के मित्र भगवान कृष्ण होंगे ना?"। साधु जवाब से बहुत खुश हुआ। उन्होंने कहा, "यह सही है !! कृष्ण हमारी आंतरिक आवाज, हमारी आत्मा, हमारे मार्गदर्शन करने वाला प्रकाश हैं। अगर हम कृष्ण को सुन रहे हैं, तो हमें चिंता करने की कोई जरूरत नहीं है।" संजय को इसका मतलब समझ में आया। उन्होंने तबभी फिर से पूछा, "कौरव दुराचारी और दुर्व्यवहारी होने के बावजूद गुरु द्रोणाचार्य और पितामह भीष्म ने उनकी तरफ से लड़ाई लड़ने की मज़बूरी क्या थी?"

उत्तर में साधू ने बताया : "इसका मतलब है कि जैसे-जैसे आप बड़े होते जाते हैं, आपकी उम्र से बड़े लोगों के प्रति आपका दृष्टिकोण बदलता रहता है। जब आप छोटे होते हैं, तो आप सोचते हैं कि वे सही हैं, लेकिन जैसे-जैसे आप बड़े होते हैं, आपको उनमें खामियां दिखाई देने लगती हैं और एक दिन आपको तय करना पड़ता है। यह आपको तय करना पड़ता है कि आप इन वय से बड़े जनों का कहना सुनेंगे या नहीं और आप अपने स्वयं के निर्णय लेंगे या नही! इस वजह से ऐसी परिस्थितियों में भगवद गीता का उपदेश महत्त्वपूर्ण साबित होता है।" 

संजय को यह सब बातें समझ में आई। उन्होंने फिर भी एक आखिरी सवाल पूछा, "कर्ण तो पांडव हैं फिर उनके खिलाफ क्यों?" "अरे हाँ !! कर्ण हमारी पांच इंद्रियों की तरह है। यह हम में से एक हिस्सा है लेकिन यह उतर सौ दोषों के साथ है !! कर्ण हमारी वासनाओं का प्रतीक है।" वासनाएं हमारी होती हैं पर उनकी दोस्ती सौ दुर्गुणों के साथ होती है। कर्ण को निरंतर पश्चाताप होता है और फिर भी वह दुर्गुणों का साथ देते रहता है और ऐसे करने पर मज़बूर होने के भिन्न कारण बताते रहता है। हमारी वासनाएं भी ऐसी ही होती हैं। हम पश्चाताप करते रहते हैं और वासनाओं के शिकार बनते रहते हैं।

संजय के आंखों से सच जानकर आंसूओं की धारा बहते रहती है। उसे विश्व के सबसे बड़े महाकाव्य सही मायने में समझ में आता है। वह दूर-दूर तक फैला हुआ करुक्षेत्र का निरिक्षण करते खड़ा रहता है। साधु को नमन करने हेतू वह मुड़ता है पर उन्हे उस स्थान पर कोई नहीं दिखता है - साधु गायब हो जाता है, पर एक गहरे दर्शन देकर जाता है।

Universal Reality

There is not but it.
All that moves and moves not, is permeated by 'isha';
Know and understand this and do not be greedy.  Isha Upanisha

Essence of the Bhagwad Geeta

Scene: The battlefield of Kurukshetra.

About 80% of the soldiers died by the 18th day of the Kurukshetra war. Sanjay had come to the battlefield. He wondered if this war had actually taken place. Was there really such a massive massacre? Is this the very place where the Pandavas and Lord Krishna stood and fought? Is this the very place where Krishna taught Arjuna the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita? Is all this true or is it an illusion??

He heard someone say this: "You'll never know the truth of this !!" Sanjay looked in the direction of the voice. He saw a sadhu there. The Sadhu softly uttered. "I know you have come here to see if the battle of Kurukshetra has really taken place. But you will never know the truth about this battle until you know what the real battle was all about."

Sanjay asked, "What do you  mean??"

The Sadhu then spoke with a smile on his face: "The Mahabharata is an epic with a hidden philosophy."  Sanjay got confused on seeing a smile on the Sadhu's face and  begged: "Can you tell me that philosophy?" The Sadhu then began to reveal the philosophy. The Pandavas are our five senses.

Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue and Skin that get us to see, hear, smell, taste and experience touch.

And Kauravas are the many (some hundred) subjects that attack the senses (Pandavas) every day. We can protect our five senses  from this attack. The Sadhu then proceeded to ask and said: "Sanjay, can you tell me  how can we protect them?"

Sanjay wisely answered: "It is when the charioteer, Lord Krishna is the friend of these five Pandavas. Right??". The Sadhu was very happy with Sanjay's answer. He said, "that's right !! Shri Krishna is our inner voice, our soul, our guiding light. If we hear and listen to this inner voice, we need not worry."

Sanjay now came to know the hidden meaning. As yet, he asked again, "Then if Kauravas represent vices, why is it that Guru Dronacharya and Pitamah Bhishma fought on the side of Kauravas??"

"It means that as you get older, your attitude toward people older than you changes. You thought they are perfect when you were young. But as you get older, you start to see the flaws in them and then you have to decide whether you want to listen to these adults or not, and to decide for yourself to resolve the dilemma!!!  Therefore, the teachings of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta are important in such a crisis. "Sanjay came to know everything now. He asked the last question, "Then why did Karna though being a Pandava fight against them??" Karna is like one of our five senses. But it takes sides with the many undesirable pulls!! This Karna is none other than our own tendencies (vasanas). It is our own but takes sides with the tendencies. Karna keeps repenting and so does our better judgement. It keeps giving reasons why it is supporting the undesirable pulls. It is also like our lust, we repent but as yet we fall a prey again and again.!! "

Tears flow down Sanjay's eyes. He understands the essence of the great epic, the Mahabharata. He keeps standing and looking at the distant Kurukshetra. He turns around to look for the Sadhu and sees no one. The Sadhu disappeared but left behind a deep philosophy for Sanjay - that is us.

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What I gained by reading this:

Pandavas represent our five senses. Karna is also a Pandava. He represents our Vasanas. Our uncontrollable urges, drives, impulses and desires. He takes sides with Kauravas and justifies doing so. The Kauravas represent the one hundred different subjects - attractions that challenge our senses. Krishna represents our sane mind and deep seated consciousness. It is the inner voice that keeps telling - be good, do right. Mahabharata is the philosophy of life written by Vyasa in story form. 

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श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतेचा सार

महाभारतात असे म्हंटले आहे की सुमारे ८०% मनुष्यबळ युद्धाच्या अठराव्या दिवशी मृत्युमुखी पडले होते. जेव्हा युद्ध संपले तेव्हा संजय युद्ध झाले तिथे म्हणजेच कुरुक्षेत्राच्या मैदानात आला. त्याच्या मनात शंका आलेली होती की हे युद्ध खरंच झाले आहे का? खरंच एवढा मोठा नरसंहार झालेला आहे का? ती हिच जागा आहे का जिथे सामर्थ्यवान पांडव आणि भगवान श्रीकृष्ण उभे होते? ही तीच जागा आहे का जिथे श्रीमद् भगवत गीता सांगितली गेली? हे सगळे खरंच झाले आहे की मला तसा भ्रम होतोय??

"तुला कधीच ह्याचे सत्य माहित होणार नाही!!", एक शांत वयोवृद्ध आवाज त्याचा कानी पडला. संजयने आवाज आलेल्या दिशेला पाहिले तर त्याला एक साधू तिथे दिसला. साधू हलक्या आवाजात परत म्हणाला, "मला माहित आहे तू इथे कुरुक्षेत्राचे युद्ध खरंच झाले आहे का ते पाहायला आला आहेस. परंतु तुला ह्या युद्धाबद्दल सत्य कधीच समजणार नाही जोपर्यंत तुला खरे युद्ध कसले होते ते कळणार नाही."

संजय म्हणाला, "म्हणजे??"

साधू म्हणाला, "महाभारत हे एक महाकाव्य आहे - एक वास्तविकता आहे परंतु त्यापेक्षा अधिक ते एक तत्वज्ञान आहे." आणि एवढे सांगून तो हसू लागला. साधूचे हसणे पाहून संजय अजून जास्त भ्रमित झाला आणि विनंती करू लागला की, "मला तुम्ही ते तत्त्वज्ञान सांगू शकतात का?"

साधू ते तत्वज्ञान सांगू लागला, पांडव म्हणजे दुसरे तिसरे काही नसून आपले ५ ज्ञानेंद्रिये आहेत. 

डोळे (दृश्य),

कान (आवाज),

नाक (गंध),

जीभ (चव) आणि

त्वचा (स्पर्श).

आणि कौरव म्हणजे १०० दुर्गुण (विषये) आहेत जे दररोज ह्या ५ पांडवांवर आघात करतात. पण आपण ह्या आघातापासून आपल्या ५ पांडवांचे रक्षण करू शकतो. साधू म्हणाला, "संजय, तुला सांगता येईल ह्यांचे रक्षण करणे कधी शक्य होईल?"

"जेव्हा आपल्या रथाचे सारथी - ह्या ५ पांडवांचे मित्र भगवान श्रीकृष्ण असतील तेव्हा????". साधू उत्तर एकून खूप खुश झाला. तो म्हणाला, "अगदी बरोबर!! श्रीकृष्ण म्हणजे आपल्या आतला आवाज, आपला आत्मा, आपला पथदर्शी प्रकाश. जर श्रीकृष्णचे आपण ऐकतोय तर आपल्याला चिंता करायची काहीही आवश्यकता नाही."

संजयला बराच मतितार्थ आता कळला होता. तरी त्याने परत प्रश्न केला, "मग जर कौरव हे दुर्गुणच होते तर त्यांच्या बाजूने गुरु द्रोणाचार्य आणि पितामह भीष्म लढले त्याचा काय अर्थ होतो??"

"त्याचा असा अर्थ होतो की, जसे तुम्ही लहानाचे मोठे होत जातात तुमच्यापेक्षा वयाने मोठ्या लोकांबद्दल असलेला तुमचा दृष्टीकोन बदलत जातो. जेव्हा आपण लहान असतो तेव्हा आपल्याला ते एकदम परिपूर्ण वाटतात परंतु जेव्हा आपण मोठे होऊन जातो तेव्हा आपल्याला त्यांच्यात त्रुट्या दिसायला सुरु होतात आणि एकदिवशी आपल्याला ठरवावे लागते की आपण ह्या मोठ्यांचे ऐकायचे की नाही, ह्यांनी आपले ठरवायचे की आपण स्वतःच स्वतःसाठी निर्णय घ्यायचा!!! म्हणून अशा धर्मसंकटात श्रीमद् भगवत गीतेचे उपदेश महत्वाचे ठरतात."

संजयला आता सगळेच कळले होते. त्याने शेवटचा प्रश्न केला, "मग कर्णहा पांडव असून त्यांच्याच विरोधात का??"

"अरे हा!! कर्ण हा, ५ ज्ञानेंद्रियेसारखाच आपला असतो. तो आपलाच एक भाग असतो परंतु साथ देतो त्या १०० दुर्गुणांची!! हा कर्ण दुसरा तिसरा कोणी नसून आपल्या स्वतःच्या वासना असतात. हे आपल्याच असतात परंतु त्यांची मैत्री १०० दुर्गुणांशी असते. कर्णाला सारखा पश्चात्ताप होत असतो आणि तो दुर्गुणांची साथ का देतोय त्याचे सतत कारणे देत राहतो. आपली वासनापण अशीच असते - पश्चात्ताप करते आणि परत तिथेच जाते.!!"

संजयच्या डोळ्यातून अश्रू येत असतात. त्याला जगातले सगळ्यांत मोठे महाकाव्य "महाभारत" खऱ्या अर्थाने समजलेले असते. तो दूरवर पसरलेल्या कुरुक्षेत्राला पाहत उभा असतो. तो साधूला नमन करण्यासाठी मागे वळतो आणि पाहतो तर त्या जागी कोणीच नसते - तो साधू दिसेनासा होतो परंतु एक गहन तत्वज्ञान तिथे ठेवून जातो.

Changes as we grow

What changes have taken place in you as a person and your ideas of the world as you have grown up from being a child to youth to adult to grown up old person.

I am turning 70. So I think I am entitled to be a candidate to answer. I have lived through seven distinct professional fields with equal ease. The answer may become too long. So I rather mention areas and mention change as yes or no.

Human beings have these aspects:

1. Physical - Y
2. Mental - Y
3. Psychological - Y
4. Emotional - Y
5. Sexuality - Y
6. Relationships -Y
7. Urge Management - Y
8. Impulse Control - Y
9. Drive Management - Y
10. Motivation - Y
11. Energy - Y
12. Self Image - Y
13. Maturity - Y
14. Sanity - Y
15. Patience - Y
16. Perception - Y
17. Attitudinal - Y
18. Commitment - Y
19. Dedication - Y
20. Determination - Y
21. Sense of Purpose - Y
22. Reputation - N
23. Respect - N
24. Admiration - N
25. Talent / Acumen - Y

The N mean it was very high and continues to be high.

Daily Commitments

Commitments

1. I am committed to doing no harm.

2. I am committed to not hurting myself or another.

3. I am committed to not Going Crazy.

4. I am committed to not causing material damage, nor financial losses, nor incurring wasteful expenses.

5. I am committed to being sane, safe, effective and appropriate in dealing with events occurrences happenings incidents (EOHI), people, situations, problems, difficulties, conditions, challenges (SPDCCs).

6. I am committed to being happy and joyful at all times in all conditions and situations of life.

7. Iam committed to quickly returning to state of equanimity.

8. I am committed to pull back when I get victimised by tunnel vision.

9. I am committed to pull back when I implement Procrustes and / or unicorn.

10. I am committed to recast my perceptions, evaluations, assessments, conclusions when they become programmed.

Gaining Self Empowerment

Urges, Drives, Impulses, Desires, Needs.

All these drive us mad many a time. We feel compelled to succumb to fulfill them.

Using this 90 second rule empowers us.

Patiently wait, delay, and postpone for 90 seconds. Have a small bite, drink a glass of water, think about something else. Patiently wait, delay, and postpone for 90 seconds.

This empowers a personality component. 

In time we experience self empowerment.

Easy Steps to Self Liberation

It is stupid of me to think that I am separate.

Only Brahman is. He is all. Permeates all. Encompasses all. Comprises all. 

There is nothing apart from him. 

I commit myself to not let my mind flirt nor flit.

Everything I see, observe and believe to be true are appearances in the ocean of the undifferentiated.

That is one. 

It is an ocean of the undifferentiated.

I may be walking, talking, doing something.

I am always, at every moment only a step away from liberation, emancipation and realisation.

I take a step back.

I take a step back whenever engaged in any thing.

That step back immediately lands me in the universal ocean of undivided being.

There is no effort, no time, no place, no activity for doing this. This step back from engagement in the moment prevailing liberates instantly.

Using the Moment

There is one life. It is this life. I live it well under all conditions challenges and circumstances.

There is one day. It is this day. I live it well under all conditions challenges and circumstances.

There is one moment. It is this moment. I live it well under all conditions challenges and circumstances.

I make every effort to be happy joyful and satisfied under all conditions challenges and circumstances of life.

I experience blessedness of life all the time.

Gaining Peace of Mind

O my mind.

I find that you are presently occupied with this particular thought / overwhelmed by this particular feeling / emotion.

I give you permission to let-go, release and discard this thought disturbing feeling / emotion.

Come on, let-go of it and enjoy peace of mind, happiness in life and joyful living.

I will do the needful in the matter.

Reciting Wonderful

The universe is wonderful.

The cosmos is wonderful.

All celestial bodies are wonderful.

The galaxies are wonderful.

The mikyway is wonderful.

The constellations are wonderful.

The solar system is wonderful.

All its planets and their moons are wonderful.

The earth is wonderful.

The mountains, hills, mounds, plains, valleys and beaches are wonderful.

The oceans, seas, rivers, streams, lakes, tanks and ponds are wonderful.

All plants and animals are wonderful.

We humans are wonderful.

My parents, brothers and sisters are all wonderful.

My in-laws and relatives are wonderful.

Our children are wonderful.

Their spouses are wonderful.

My neighbors are wonderful.

All my friends are wonderful.

People around me are wonderful.

Everyone in my house is wonderful.

My spouse is wonderful.

She / he is kind, loving, caring, sincere, meticulous and attentive to details.

She / he does her / his part well.

I am wonderful.

My body and its related systems are wonderful.

My life is wonderful. 

My life is wonderful. 

My life is wonderful.

Everything falls in place for me.

I live at peace and without stress.

My view of God

My view of God is different from the commonly accepted one. The word God is only a name for the universal principle that represents omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience. Presence (not present) everywhere, all the time, within and simultaneously containing, holding, supporting; a capacity representing force, power and cause in things minute and things big. And knowing of everything not Knower of everything. I take away the personification of capacities that are evident in nature around us : beauty, confounding, order, organisation, precision being some.

Therefore there is occurrence, a causal principle but ‘no doership with intent’ in the entity of God.

Personified entities in my frame can at best be Dieties and Gurus (those whom we worship) not God. The God I know is one, everlasting, neither born nor takes birth, without sexual classification, and universal presence as much within as outside containing. 

A scripture states this: It is that which permeates all that moves and moves not in the universe. Again : This is (not but the) One; This One emerging from that One in no way depletes the 'ONENESS' - fullness, completeness of that One. Know the One and be liberated from both pride and sorrow.

The most elaborated descriptive list of a personified God are the ninety nine beautiful names written inside cover pages of the Quran. The Hindu religion identifies this personified presence as Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer - which I prefer to re-state as creating principle, sustaining principle and destroying principle. The last is the most important because undergoing destruction is part and parcel of creation.

What is Samadhi

What is samadhi?

Samadhi is a state achieved by prescribed practices resulting in:

1. Becoming equipoised.

2. Becoming free of five fetters.

3. Gaining oneness with consciousness itself.

4. Becoming absorbed in God consciousness.

Becoming equipoised: Samadhi - becoming Sama Aadheen (सम आधीन). This is achieved by engaging in practices that result in a Stitha-Pradnyaa (स्थितप्रज्ञा) Awastha (अवस्था). Awastha = condition or state; Stitha-pradnyaa = steady wisdom. You can get more on this from the India Scripture of Bhagwat Geeta and from Vivekananda's Rajayoga.

Becoming free of five fetters (klesha-impurity causing tendencies or givens in human mind): We humans are affected by activation of - Manah = mind; Buddhi = intellect; Ahamkriti = Ego or My-ness or Possessiveness; and Chitta Vrutti = Tendencies sullying content of mind stuff; Of these Ahamkriti and Chitta are the most difficult to resolve. Ahamkriti is resolved by becoming free of ego. It is similar to but beyond the state of dreamless sleep called turiya = the fourth state. Chitta Vruttis are resolved by working on the sullying caused by activation of memories, ignorance, imagining into being of reality, naming and rationalising by offering of proofs.

Gaining oneness with consciousness itself: The universal being (meaning is-ness) and presence is called by name Brahman (ब्रहमन). This is everywhere always - within, without, containing, contained and forming, supporting, creating, destroying et al. Its aspect in parts is called Atman (आतमन/इत्मा) - closest word though not synonymous is soul.

Becoming ‘self’-absorbed and as a result consciousness itself is samadhi.

Becoming absorbed in God-consciousness: In this practice the practitioner becomes absorbed in God being the ultimate goal, doer, done and all by one of many routes - by gaining knowledge - dnyana marga (ज्ञान मार्ग), by engaging in action - karma marga (कर्म मार्ग), bhakti marga (भक्ती मार्ग) and / or dhyana marga -(ध्यान मार्ग) engaging in meditative practices.

Conventionally when one speaks about samadhi in India it means giving up the mortal body by progressively stopping / extinguishing carnal, bodily, psychological, mental needs and finally breath and thereby life as a body. Thus it is the merger of the part with the whole. There is exhaustive literature on nirvikalpa samadhi, savikalpa samadhi and mahasamadhi. A short description of each is given in the screenshot that follows (please tap / click the screenshot to view clearly).

Parenting

On Children 

-by Kahlil Gibran 

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Sourced from : http://www.stjohnsplymouth.org/pdfs/Discerning_Childrens_Formation.pdf