The Power of Your Vote

India's problems are complex. And unfortunately these are compounded by vote-bank politics. Instead of uniting the different sections of society, many politicians divide it to keep their vote banks intact. If people are united, politicians won't be able to get votes through divisive politics. In such a situation, the only way for them to win votes would be through good performance.

As citizens, we must protect our country from those who manipulate issues for their personal gains and who lead by playing vote-bank politics. Those with vested interests support insensible decisions and oppose sensible ones. We have to steer clear of such leaders. We must encourage broad-minded politicians and leaders to come forward and take charge, and to educate and uplift the society - spiritually, morally and socially.

We need leaders who are satya-darshi (truthful), sam-darshi (equanimous),priya-darshi (pleasant), paar-darshi (transparent) and door-darshi(visionary). So, before we elect our leaders, we should examine their qualifications.

We must elect leaders who will do away with policies based on caste, creed, religion and region; who will ensure that every child gets a multi-cultural, multi-dimensional education.

We need leadership with a mission and a vision, leadership with a spirit of sacrifice, compassion and commitment. We must choose leaders who have a long-term vision and short-term plans to achieve it. They should have great personal integrity, and place the country before themselves.

Unfortunately, most of our politicians lack a sense of sacrifice and inclusiveness. Irrespective of the party they belong to, people perceive politicians as insincere. Today, people are fed up of them. This is when apathy sets in among people. They dismiss politics as a whole and withdraw from their basic duty of voting.

Our votes are an important tool to bring about a change in the system; they give us an opportunity to raise our voice against injustice. But many of us have developed a chalta hai attitude, because we fail to see the power of our votes. This attitude is dangerous for the country. By not voting we are encouraging the status quo.

Each one of us must not only vote but also encourage others around us to vote. When good, intelligent and well-educated people don't vote, they play into the hands of politicians, who use money and vote bank politics to seize power. People should not lose hope. Good politicians exist. And they must be given a chance to do the best they can for the country, for its people.

We have seen the shortcomings of capitalism, communism and socialism. Now is the time for humanism and spiritualism. Politics without humanism and spiritualism is bound to be dirty. Many people believe that spiritualism is not for this world, that it is not a practical tool to bring about societal transformation. But that's a misconception. Mahatma Gandhi was spiritual. He conducted satsangs every day and played an important role in bringing freedom for our country.

That is why today we need leaders who have a spirit of sacrifice, and who are spiritual in their outlook, to enter politics.

Posted By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian whose mission is to unite the world into a violence-free family. Sri Sri is the founder of The Art of Living Foundation, an international non-profit, education and humanitarian organisation and The International Association of Human Values, a humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances human values in political, economic, industrial and social spheres. While his self-development programmes have popularised traditionally exclusive ancient techniques, Sri Sri’s social initiatives address an array of issues such as conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, youth leadership, women’s empowerment and access to education. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who was born in a village on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, lives and runs The Art of Living from its headquarters in Bangalore.

The Times of Wellness

‘’The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease’’.- Thomas Alva Edison

The Times of Wellness

Revolution!! Revolution!!! Revolution

This revolution of a different kind. I switch on the television channel and I watch a show called as SWEAT which teaches yoga postures, stretches and asanas. A little later I switch to another channel and there is a program called AAHAR. This one is to teach to eat the right foods at the right times and at the right quantities. Its no different than what my grandmother taught me years ago when I was small. She never skipped her breakfast, had lunch on time and the dinner time wouldn’t exceed beyond 7.30 pm or maximum 8.00 p.m. Of course, the hot milk before going to bed would never be skipped. In this time and age where people are busy making money and shaping up their careers, they are forgetting to shape their health and wellness of the present and the future. No wonder medical science is going forward but the healthy life expectancy of people though rising is not in a healthy manner. Life expectancy is more but with a whole lot of physical, mental, emotional worries.

I was talking to one of my friends over the weekend who has been in the business of health & wellness for the last 8 years. He is doing well for himself by marketing some good health food supplements to people around him, giving customer testimonies of wellness by consumption of his product. No doubt his product is the best. Initially when he started off, most of them ridiculed him for his profession, but today he is the king of his field in terms of product knowledge, alternative medicine and alternative healing therapies. The best part is he made himself aware of his health in the entire process and continues to give his testimony of using the product to others. Through word of mouth, he is a king of the product he once consumed

Who is to blame for this revolution ?? Is it the people who are careless about their health & wellbeing ,changing lifestyles, is it the media, is it the doctors, is it the marketers?? But the fact remains that it’s the individual himself who is more of less responsible for his state of well being. Most youngsters these days enroll themselves into the gym either to look good, to burn calories, or under peer pressure. Most of them are unable to even keep up their commitment for their weight reduction or weight management programs. Health – wellness requires a disciplined commitment from every person. It doesn’t come overnight and one has to burn the midnight oil to burn those extra calories or to gain that extra weight. Or else it’s just a big ZERO, not a SIZE Zero.

This revolution is giving a super money spin to all the ayurveda doctors, wellness consultants, spiritual gurus of the modern times. Not to forget the branded apparel clothing endorsed in the process for yoga and the gadgets required for yoga etc. The rate at which the product endorsements are going in this sector in phenomenal with yoga mats, yoga jewellery, spiritual pendant, God pendants, mantra cassettes, copper vessels for water, ayurveda supplements . Very soon we might even have YOGA MINERAL WATER . With more than a crore of deities in the Hindu scriptures, the market is really huge to market any product in this segment. So all those who wish to cash in, please do so at the earliest because the boom has just begun.

But we all forget that a few of these wellness consultants and fitness trainers were very much in our homes and they neither charged us huge consultation fees for their services. They practiced all this in their life and lived it fully. No wonder most of our grandparents lived a healthy and happy lifestyle. It’s just that we never wanted to listen to them, we never gave a patient hearing to what they said because they didn’t have relevant degrees, branded clothing and the right ambience to promote. Now the same programs run on television with a different format with beautiful models wearing branded clothes with well decorated rooms and lighting. All of us watch it and say Wow !! What a wonderful program?? Yes many of us watch it, but yet are still not exercising, not doing. Doing is what matters than just watching and commenting.

That’s where I quote a global guru ‘’Broaden your vision, deepen your roots’’. He is one of my icons and my close spiritual consultant. That’s a Secret. If you want to know please get in touch with your feedback.