The sun’s role in the spiritual life

The sun’s role in the spiritual life

The search for our own centre

Our sun is the centre of an entire planetary system which it organises, vivifies, and sustains. If the movement of the planets around the sun is considered the very picture of universal harmony, it is because the planets turn around a centre which maintains this marvellous equilibrium. If the sun were to disappear from its place at the centre, there would be chaos. And it is the same for our inner life: as long as we do not have a centre which co-ordinates, balances, and maintains the movements of the periphery, that is to say our thoughts, feelings, and actions, we cannot sustain a life and pursuits which are harmonious and constructive. So, why is it that we go to contemplate the sunrise every morning? We go to engage in a very important exercise: by observing the sun, in striving to identify with it, gradually we will find our own centre.

The sun is the best example of  divine love	The sun shines, and it does not care whether the creatures who receive its rays are intelligent or stupid, good or criminal, deserving of its blessings or not. It sends light to them all without distinction. This is why the sun is said to be the best illustration of divine love. Consider the most extraordinary beings who have lived on earth: all of them have had a few prejudices, a few biases, and even a few animosities. Yes, even the greatest prophets, even the greatest masters have not been able to free themselves completely from resorting to the laws of justice and punishing the wicked, because freeing oneself in this way is extremely difficult. Only the sun regards human beings in the same way God Himself does, knowing that they are divine sparks which will one day return to the bosom of the Eternal. This is why, over thousands of years, he patiently continues to warm them, enlighten them, and vivify them. Surely this example is sufficient to stimulate us?
The sun is the image of perfection	Take as a model the sun, which sheds light, warmth and life. You will say that a scientist, a writer, a philosopher, a hero, a saint can also be a model. Yes, of course, you will probably be influenced by their qualities and virtues; but there will always be something missing. Even if you take the greatest masters of the world as models, you will not get the true image of perfection. The sun is the image of perfection; and if you take it as a model because you wish to enlighten, warm and vivify creatures the same way the sun does, you will be transformed. Obviously, you will never quite obtain the light, warmth and life of the sun, but the sole desire to acquire these attributes will project you to the celestial realms where you will accomplish wonders. It is the desire to give light, warmth and life that will make you more luminous, warmer and more alive.
Human beings need to love God	Like the sun, God gives us all His blessings, but if we close our heart to Him, we cannot receive them. Why open our heart to God? In reality God does not need our love, but He has fashioned human beings in such a way that they need to love Him. That is to say, they need to open themselves so that He may enter them. If they refuse to open themselves or prefer to remain below the clouds, well, that is their free choice, and God allows them to do so. You will say: ‘Yes, He lets them do it, but He becomes angry and punishes them.’ Ah! Do you really think so? God has so many things to do that are far more important than punishing or rewarding human beings. It is they who, by means of their positive or negative attitudes, trigger a state of harmony or disharmony in their own heart and soul. It is this harmony or disharmony that causes them to think either that God smiles at them or that He punishes and abandons them.
To bear fruit	The Creator has sown seeds in the soul, spirit, heart, mind and physical body of every human being, and if we want these seeds to grow and bear fruit we have to come closer to the sun. The day human beings understand this and begin to draw nearer to the spiritual sun, all the seeds lying dormant in him will begin to sprout and produce fruit.

What to do on Akshaya tritiya?

Find out what you should do on Akshaya Tritiya and how that can help you derive spiritual benefits that this day has to offer.

Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated on the third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaishakha (vaisakha Shukla Paksha Tritiya). Akshaya (Sanskrit) means inexhaustible, that which never deteriorates. It is the most auspicious day to start a new venture.

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is considered highly auspicious and is celebrated with much fervour and joy. Akshaya in Sanskrit means ‘never diminishing’ and Tritiya means ‘third’. Celebrated on the third lunar day of the bright fortnight, it is believed to be the day when the sun and the moon become equally bright. There are many legends associated with the day, one such legend is from Mahabharata when the Pandavas were in exile, Lord Krishna gifted Draupadi a bowl called the ‘Akshaya Patram’, which produced infinite food to the Pandavas. Hence it is said that valuable acquired on the day replenish endlessly. While according to another legend, Parashurama is the sixth incarnation of Vishnu and son of Jamadagni and Renuka. After a fight between his parents, his father asked him Parashurama to kill his mother. Obeying his father’s command, he killed his mother. For his task, Jamadagni blessed him with a boon and he asked his mother to bright back her life. It is considered auspicious to buy gold, vehicles or property on this day to bring good fortune and luck. In 2018, Akshaya Tritiya falls on April 18. We bring to you must do’s on Akshaya Tritiya.

Check this out:

Puja: Perform a simple puja within the auspicious mahurat time taken out especially for this day. This simple task performed with the family will bring in all the good energy on this day and help in celebrating with fervour.

Donate Food: Donating food to the homeless people, poor people or animals will create a sense of happiness and accomplishment on this auspicious day. The people who are starving will bless you and thereby create feelings of spreading good vibes.

Buying gold: Gold is considered a symbol of power, wealth and prosperity. Over the years buying gold on Akshaya Tritiya has become a tradition. It is believed that gold bought on the day never diminishes and stays with the family forever.

Buying vehicles: It is believed buying vehicles on Akshaya Tritiya ensure longevity and blesses with safe commutation. Hence, on this many automobile companies offer a huge discount on vehicles. Earlier there was a tradition to buy horses, cows and bullock carts, as those were the modes of transportation then.

Buying new house: Buying a house or any form of property is a profitable asset as real estate provides high returns over a period. Akshaya Tritiya is believed to be an auspicious day to invest in a house or any property. During this period real estate sector come up with several deals to attract customers.

Marriages: The day is said to be full of blessings for people to start a new relationship and tie themselves into the secret bond of marriage. The day is also popular for communal marriages where hundreds of couples get married at the same time and venue.

Starting a new business:  If you have been planning to start a new venture forever, then Akshaya Tritiya is the best time for your own start-up. Since the day is considered auspicious for any new beginnings the business started on the day will for sure flourish and thrive.

Plant trees: Planting a tree on this day is also considered auspicious and this is like giving back to nature that always gives to us unconditionally.

“Akshaya Tritiya is a very important day to develop wealth consciousness. Celebrate the prosperity energy that is coming to us because of the positioning of the Sun and the Moon on this day…the phase of the Moon is Tritiya, which is the third Moon. If you miss this day, you will have to wait for one more year.”

MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT MUTUAL FUNDS IN INDIA

MYTH: Mutual Funds are for experts

Fact: In fact, Mutual funds are meant for of common investors who may lack the knowledge or skill set to invest in securities market. Mutual Funds are professionally managed by expert Fund Managers after extensive market research for the benefit of investors. A mutual fund is an inexpensive way for investors to get a full-time professional fund manager to manage their money.

MYTH: Mutual Fund investments are only for the long term

Fact: Mutual funds can be for the short term or for longer term based on one’s investment horizon and objective.

There are different types of mutual fund schemes – which invest in different types of securities – in equity as well as debt securities that are suitable for different investor needs.

In fact, there are various short-term schemes where you can invest for a few days to a few weeks to a few years e.g., Liquid Funds are low duration funds, with portfolio maturity of less than 91 days, while Ultra Short-Term Bond Funds are low duration funds, with portfolio maturity of less than a year. There are Short-Term Bond Funds which are medium duration funds where the underlying portfolio maturity ranges from one year – three years. Then, there are Long-Term Income Funds which are medium to long duration funds with portfolio maturity between 3 and 10 years.

While Equity Schemes are most suitable for a longer term, debt mutual funds are suitable for investors with short term (less than 5 years) investment horizon.

MYTH: Investing in mutual funds is the same as investing in stock market / Mutual Fund is an equity product 

Fact: Mutual Funds invest in stock market (i.e., equities), bond market (corporate bonds as well as govt. bonds) and Money Market instruments such as Treasury Bills, Commercial Papers, Certificate of Deposit, Collateral Borrowing & Lending Obligation (CBLO) etc. Many of these instruments are not available to retail investors due to large ticket size of minimum order quantity (such as G-Secs) and hence, retail investors could participate in such investments through mutual fund schemes.

MYTH: Mutual Fund scheme with a NAV is ₹10 per Unit better than Mutual Fund scheme whose NAV is ₹25 per unit (Or a mutual fund scheme with lower NAV is better Or Investing in NFOs are preferable than investing in existing schemes).

Fact: This is a common misconception. A mutual fund's NAV represents the market value of all its underlying investments. NAV of a fund is irrelevant, because it represents the market value of the fund’s investments and not the market price. Any capital appreciation will depend on the price movement of its underlying securities. Let us understand this through an illustration.

Suppose, you invest ₹10,000 each in scheme A whose NAV is ₹20 and scheme B (whose NAV is say, ₹100. You will be allotted 500 units of scheme A and 100 units of scheme B. If both schemes have invested their entire corpus in exactly same stocks and in the same proportions, if the underlying stocks collectively appreciate by 10%, the NAV of the two schemes should also rise by 10%, to ₹22 and ₹110, respectively. Thus, in both the scenarios, the value of your investment increases to ₹  11,000.

Thus, the current NAV of a fund does not have any impact on the returns.

MYTH: ONE needs a large amount of money to invest in Mutual Funds

Fact: Incorrect. One could start investing mutual funds with just ₹5000 for a lump-sum / one-time investment with no upper limit and ₹1000 towards subsequent / additional subscription in most of the mutual fund schemes. And for Equity linked Savings Schemes (ELSS), the minimum amount is as low as ₹  500.

In fact, one could invest via Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) with as little as ₹500 per month for as long as one wishes to.

MYTH: One needs to have a Demat account to invest in Mutual Funds

Fact: Holding mutual fund Units in Demat mode is optional, except in respect of Exchange Traded Funds. For all other schemes, including the close-ended listed schemes like Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs), it is entirely up to the investor whether to hold the units in a Demat mode or in conventional physical accountant statement mode.

MYTH: A Scheme with a higher NAV has reached its peak ! 

Fact: This is a very common misconception because of the general association of Mutual Funds with shares. One needs to keep in mind that the NAV of a scheme is nothing but a reflection of the market value of the underlying shares held by the fund on any day. Mutual Funds invest in shares, which may be bought or sold whenever deemed appropriate by the Fund Manager depending on the scheme’s investment strategy (Buy-Hold-Sell). If the Fund Manager feels that a stock has peaked, he can choose to sell it.

A high NAV does not mean the fund is expensive. In fact, high NAV indicates a good performance of the scheme over the years.

MYTH: Buying a top-rated mutual fund scheme ensures better returns.

Fact: Mutual fund ratings are dynamic and based on performance of the scheme over time – which is subject to market fluctuations. So, a Mutual fund scheme that may be on top of the rating chart currently, may not necessarily maintain the same rating month after month or later. However, a top-rated fund is a good first step to short list a scheme to invest in (although past performance does not necessarily guarantee better returns in future). Investment in a mutual fund scheme needs to be tracked with respect to the scheme’s benchmark to evaluate its performance periodically to decide whether to stay invested or to exit.

Obama carries around a Hanuman statue in his pocket

Barack Obama keeps the picture of Hanuman Ji in his pocket. Is it true?

Barack Obama, former US President was raised in Indonesia and then Hawaii where he interacted with Hindus. Obama believes that Hanuman ji is a guardian deity who takes care of all.

Incidentally, Tulsi Gabbard, US representative from Hawaii is a Hindu by choice and some Hanumanji ‘s devotee.

It is known that Barack Obama carries at least a pocket full of different talisman: perhaps one of best known is a “lucky charm” or locket for a Indian Lord Hanuman idol.  Hanuman is known by several names, including the Monkey God – the “redeemer”, and other omnipotent names in the Hindu world.

The Hindu god figures among some other small totems which the U.S. President carries all the time.

A statuette of Lord Hanuman is among few items that U.S. President Barack Obama always carries in his pocket and seeks inspiration from whenever he feels tired or discouraged.

Obama, whose father was a Kenyan and mother a white woman from Kansas, spent initial days of his life in Indonesia where Hinduism is a popular religion.

ALL ABOUT WEALTH

What Is Wealth?

Wealth is a lot of things…

It is much more than just money.

Wealth depends on who you are, what your interests are, and where you’re at in life. It is defined differently by every person, but ultimately, true wealth is freedom. It is the freedom to do what you wish, when you wish, with whomever you wish. It is the freedom that comes with not worrying. It is freedom from your enemies, and mostly from yourself.

Wealth is Freedom: Money freedom. Time freedom. Relationship freedom. Spiritual freedom. Physical freedom. Ultimate freedom = 5 freedoms + ability to pursue your genius.

Growing up, I always thought of wealth as being “rich” and having the fancy car and the huge house. Don’t get me wrong; I am still highly motivated by money itself… But what I’ve realized, is that ‘wealth’ is altogether something different.

Wealth involves a bunch of things, including: money, happiness, time, health, attitude, relationships, lifestyle, peace of mind, and any other thing you desire for what you view as a successful life. 

To be truly wealthy, you must be happy and content in all key aspects of your life. As the Buddhists say, contentment is the greatest wealth.

He is the richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature. – Socrates

Of course, there are challenges to overcome every day, but the wealthy do not worry about these obstacles because they have the ability and the resources to overcome them.

Wealth, although often misrepresented in our world today, is defined well by the following people:

Wealth is several days forward that you can survive without working. Wealth is measured in time, not dollars. – Robert Kiyosaki

Being rich is having money; being wealthy is having time. – Margaret Bonnano

Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it. – Benjamin Franklin

Passive income > expenses. – David Wood

Wealth is the ability to experience life. – Henry David Thoreau

As you can see, wealth involves so many things. It is not a simple answer, and it changes.

James Berman puts it in perspective when he says, “Beyond money for basic needs, wealth remains more a psychological construct than a factor of dollars and cents. And a comparative one at that.”

Remember, our goal each day is survival. Wealth is being able to do this well, and for a long period of time.

With all of that said, money is still a very important part to my personal view of wealth. As a result, it is a big focus for me and for what we do on Yo-pro Wealth. But, it is only a part of the solution, and this is an important thing to discover early in life.

Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. – Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Now, this is only the beginning of the discussion on the definition of wealth. We are all very fortunate, and you are extremely wealthy in so many ways already. 

I’ll end with another of my favorite definitions of wealth.

Wealth is just an abundance of what you really want.

Go out and get what you want.

Path Forward:

·         Think about what is important to you, and what your key aspects of wealth really are (financial, health, spiritual, etc.).

·         How do you fare for each of these areas of wealth? Take inventory of your level of wealth and identify the areas to improve.

It’s tough to figure out how to get to true wealth. Creating a lifestyle that fits you well takes time. But when you achieve true wealth you will live an abundant life while maintaining a nice runaway to continue to grow.

“The rich get richer by continually reinvesting asset profits back into assets.”

You don't have to sell your soul to be rich. Nor do you have to sacrifice your relationships to build wealth. You don' even have to scrimp and save! Sure, you can get wealthy that way - but it's no fun!

Fabulously wealthy people have a much better strategy for having it all: money, harmonious relationships, the right connections, the right opportunities, and more. It's not so much that they do things differently; it's that they have a different psychology.

Now you can get the tools you need so that you can replicate this psychology and achieve wealth beyond your wildest dreams, in the Wealth Magnet: Principles of Wealth Attraction.

This is breakthrough information that's tested and measured - a system that can be applied by anyone. For instance, when Dolf de Roos, a successful real estate investor and author of the Wealth Magnet began teaching his real estate students the foundational beliefs that all rich people share, his student's success rate went from 5 percent to over 80 percent!

Now, in the Wealth Magnet, you can apply this same knowledge to grow rich in any field. For example, you'll learn:

·        Why it's crucial to get rid of destructive beliefs like "Money is the root of all evil," "Money can't buy you happiness," and "Rich people get wealthy at the expense of the poor," and replace them with empowering beliefs like "Money gives me choices," "I will make a ton of money, have fun doing it, and be generous with it."

·       The critical difference between an abundance mentality and a scarcity mentality- and how to develop and apply an abundance mentality right away.

·       Why scrimping and saving is a "defensive" strategy to grow wealth - and why it's much better to expand your opportunities and create wealth in abundance.

·       How your newfound "millionaire mindset" will make every aspect of your life richer - you'll discover more opportunities to create value, to make contributions to others, and to express gratitude for the abundance you already have in your life.

·       The difference between good and bad debt - and how to use debt to your advantage, rather than being a victim of it