I lost my father even before I reached my 15th birthday. He had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer just a few months before, though he had been ill with nonspecific symptoms for a year or so. During this period, my mother had tried all kinds of prayers and pujas, including offering a chaadar (cloth sheet) at a dargah (tomb of a Muslim saint) and attending a faith-healing session. Until then, we were a normal religious family observing festivals and lighting a lamp or so on the altar. My father would often take the name of Satyanarayana Swamy. We visited Annavaram and Tirupati. We also had a japamala with some glass beads that became our succour during the exam times, especially before the results!
My father’s life from diagnosis to death was a mere three months. I remember my mother was still sitting near the tulsi plant in my aunt’s house when my father breathed his last. She obviously knew there was no hope as, all along, she had been caring for him in the hospital. She was 41 and he was 46 when this happened.
When she broke down on receiving the news, complaining to God, well-meaning relatives told her it was karma or fate. And she took to that phrase and renounced her faith in God. She said, “If God cannot save me from my fate, I don’t need to pray.” Many people go through this phase on such occasions and then get back to normalcy. But being a strong character, she stuck to this stand till the end of her life some 38 years later. She never spared any opportunity to criticise people who prayed or believed in God and to argue that God did not exist. The first few years after my father’s death, this was more so. Being an impressionable teenager, I lapped up her opinions and argued with everyone around about the non-existence of God. And so it went on for 10 years without any problem.
Tolerating God
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Life Positive.
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Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Life Positive.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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.