The words "die to the past" are indelibly etched in my memory. They were written by the famous author Eckhart Tolle in his best-selling book The Power of Now. To be intensely alive in the present moment, we must rid ourselves of the past.
We are all familiar with the tales of King Vikramaditya and Betaal. Why was the vampire given this particular name 'Betaal'? Well, my interpretation is that it meant 'betaal,' meaning 'one who is out of sync or out of step.' 'Taal,' as we all know, is the metric cycle of rhythm in music. Taal breathes life into the music. Hence, 'Be-taal' is the one without life, the corpse.
We are just like Betaal when we lose touch with the present moment and slip into the past. We are no longer alive because the past is no longer alive. We do not realise how often we die in this manner.
In Betaal Pachisi, Vikram was also tempted into commenting on an incident that was done and dusted in an era of yore. He was compelled to use his intellect to stand in judgment and justify what he stood for. All this made him lose consciousness and the past (Betaal) ran away with his lifeblood. Vikram kept chasing it instead of staying in the present moment.He did this foolishly, twenty-five times over.Lifeblood in this context means the awareness of the present moment.
What was the threat that Betaal used to coerce Vikram into answering? "If you don't answer, your head will roll away from your body." The head represents the intellect. It is your very identity and, hence, your ego. When truly conscious, one no longer takes sides, nor does one lose the present moment. Hence, the ego or the head is bound to roll away. Ego and intellect belong to this world of illusions.
Why, then, are we always so married to our past? Why can't we divorce it and move on with our lives? This is because it comprises two types of thoughts:
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Life Positive.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Life Positive.
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Miracles of Mount Maunganui
A hike to Mount Maunganui in New Zealand filled Rashi Bunny with a sense of awe and wonder equivalent to witnessing the glory of the Divine Himself
Navigating Your 20s: A Simple Guide
By embracing the tumultuous journey through her 20s, Abhilasha Srivastava learnt to triumph over the challenges encountered and carve the path for her future
Inducing Sweet Slumber
As we are well aware, lack of sound sleep can give rise to physical and mental problems. To ensure a good night's rest, you could follow the suggestions given by Jamuna Rangachari in the next few pages
Days for the Divine
Guided by her mentor Megha Bajaj, Meghana Acharya sends positive vibes into the Universe to ensure the well-being and success of others
Voices from the beyond
Near-Death Experiences (NDES) have long fascinated humanity-a glimpse beyond the veil, a sneak peek into the unknown that pulsates with wonders, mysteries and intrigue. Jamuna Rangachari takes us through the narrations of a few who went to the other side and returned to share in great detail what they experienced and how it transformed them
All for the best
An academic disaster turned opportunity led Rajeev Hallur to understand the jigsaw puzzle of life, initially incomprehensible to most of us
Many Lives, One Master
Dr Bijal Maroo probes into the enigmatic charisma of Swami Omkaranandaji to discover the story behind his uncanny healing powers
Modern art with a tribal touch
Gautam Bharati and Avani Jain, based in Dungarpur, Rajasthan saw the incredible ability and passion of tribals for arts and decided to do something about it.
Laugh your way to health
Rupa Bannur, a former IT professional turned holistic health coach from Bangalore began turning to laughter yoga in 2001 after she faced profound loss of precious family members.
Healing Hands
When Rupesh Budh Ahmedabad from was 15 years of age, he learnt meditation from his martial arts (Karate) teacher. His teacher also introduced him to Reiki as a healing modality that can cure with just a touch. He told him that advanced Reiki practitioners can cure even from a distance without touching.
