Brain stimulation may help treat Alzheimer's disease: Study

A study, published in the journal PLoS One, found that Magnetic stimulation of the brain improves working memory that may lead to a new therapy for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Functional megnetic resonance imaging...

The study found that healthy younger and older adults who received repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy performed better on a memory task than those who received placebo.

Working memory is the process of recalling and then using relevant information while performing a task. It is a key component of day-to-day tasks like driving to a new location, making a recipe, or following instructions.

Lysianne Beynel, a postdoctoral associate at Duke University in the US said the study relies on highly individualised parameters, from the selection of the stimulated target, based on fMRI activation, to the selection of the difficulty, titrated according to subjects' performance.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging or functional MRI (fMRI) measures brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow.Beynel said "since these specific parameters can improve performance in healthy subjects, we will be able to extend it to populations with memory deficits."

Researchers said individuals with Alzheimer's disease, which will more than double by 2050, and other forms of dementia, experience progressive loss of working memory and other forms of cognition. This leads to a greater risk of injury or death and reduces their ability to function without home care, they said.

Twenty-nine young adults and 18 older adults completed the study, which involved trying to remember and then reproduce a series of letters in alphabetical order. Participants of all ages who received rTMS performed better than those who received the rTMS-like placebo.

Simon W Davis from Duke University said, "The brain stimulation applied in our study shows that older adults benefited just as much as the young.

RBI relaxes External Commercial Borrowing norms for corporates, non-banking lenders

The more liquidity easing measures, the Reserve Bank has liberalised the end-use stipulations for the External Commercial Borrowings both for corporates as well as liquidity starved non-banking lenders.

The central bank in a statement yesterday said that liberalisation will be applicable to ECBs taken for working capital, general corporate purpose loans or repayment of rupee loans.

Corporate borrowers will be able to avail of ECBs to repay rupee loans taken for Capital expenditures if they are into manufacturing or infrastructure building and classified as Special Mention Account, SMA-2 or Non-Performing Asset, under any one-time settlement arrangement with lenders.

The RBI also issued a revised circular for bankers capturing the changes.

Consumer Protection Bill, Code of Wages Bill passed in Lok Sabha

Sabha today passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 that aims at protecting the interests of consumers by establishing authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers’ dispute.

It has a provision for Central government to set up a Central Consumer Protection Authority to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.

The authority will have the power to impose a penalty on a manufacturer or an endorser of up to 10 lakh rupees and imprisonment for up to two years for a false or misleading advertisement.

The Bill also has provision to set up Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions at the district, state, and national levels. Moving the Bill, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Raosaheb Patil Danve said the Bill aims to simplify a number of rules.

He said consumers do not get quick redressal of their complaints and with the passage of the Bill, consumers will be able to get speedy justice. He said the government aims to simplify the entire process of redressal of consumer grievances.

Taking part in the discussion, BJP’s Rajendra Agarwal termed the Bill as comprehensive. He said the nature of business has changed and consumers may easily be exploited as it is the age of e-commerce. He said the Bill will provide comprehensive security to consumers. Protima Mondal of Trinamool Congress said the Bill seeks to establish a strong mechanism to shield the consumer.

She said bringing e-commerce under the ambit of the Bill is a big step forward.
Lok Sabha has also passed the Code on Wages Bill, 2019 that seeks to regulate wage and bonus payments in all employments where any industry, trade, business, or manufacture is carried out.

According to the Code, the Central government will fix a floor wage, taking into account the living standards of workers.

Parliament passes Triple Talaq Bill; Prez, PM term it as a victory for gender justice

Parliament has passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 or Triple Talaq bill, with the Rajya Sabha approving it this evening.

99 members voted in favour of the bill while 84 against it. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.

The bill seeks to declare the practice of instant Triple Talaq as void and illegal and makes it a cognizable offence. It also provides allowance to women victims and their dependent children.

The offence is made compoundable with the permission of the Magistrate at the instance of the married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced. 

The Rajya Sabha also rejected the Opposition’s resolution referring the bill to Select Committee for further scrutiny. During the division, 100 members voted against it and 84 in favour.

Parties, including Congress, DMK, TMC, Left and  NCP voted against the bill while JD(U), AIADMK, TDP, TRS and BSP staged a walkout and did not participate in voting.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, it has been brought to protect the rights of Muslim women and not to target any particular community. He said, the offence has been made compoundable and bailable.

He asserted that the bill is for gender justice, dignity and equality.

Mr Prasad said, among the cases related to Triple Talaq which have come to light after the Supreme Court’s judgment, 75 per cent of the victims are from poor families. He questioned the Congress as to why fingers are being raised on the intent of the bill, saying the Congress government, during its rule, made the provisions of imprisonment in Hindu Marriage Act and Dowry Prohibition Act.

Participating in the debate, Leader of the Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government, accusing it of targeting the family set up among Muslims. He said the Triple Talaq Bill does not have provisions for the protection of victim women and their maintenance. He said the government is citing a minority judgment of the Supreme Court to justify the Triple Talaq Bill which is not good. He alleged that the Bill is politically motivated.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have lauded the passing of the bill banning instant triple talaq.

In a series of tweets, the President said it completes Parliament's approval of a ban on the inequitable practice of triple talaq. He said, it is a milestone in the quest for gender justice and a moment of satisfaction for the entire country.

In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed it as a victory of gender justice that will further equality in society. He said, a historic wrong done to Muslim women has been corrected and an archaic and medieval practice has been confined to the dustbin of history.

Saying India rejoices today, the Prime Minister thanked all parties and MPs who supported the passing of the bill in Parliament.

Mr Modi said, it is an occasion to salute the remarkable courage of those Muslim women who have suffered great wrongs due to the practice of triple talaq. He said, the abolition of the practice will contribute to women's empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in society.

Home Minister Amit Shah said the legislation will free Muslim women from the curse of the regressive practice.

In a series of tweets, Mr Shah described the passing of the bill by Parliament as a great day for India's democracy. He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling his commitment and ensuring a law to ban triple talaq.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, in a tweet, said it is a historic day as the bill which was being resisted in Rajya Sabha for long has finally been passed, ensuring justice for Muslim women. He said, there was an impression that the Upper House will block the bill but that myth has collapsed today.

In a tweet, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, it is a glorious day for the constitution, democracy and parliamentary history of the country.

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said the passage of the bill is a victory for millions of Muslim women.

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The inscrutable design that weaves a web of desires

The intense conversation between Sage Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, on the notions of love, desire and possessiveness, and the inexplicable connect one feels sometimes with another, is at the heart of the concept of the Self expounded in the Brihadarayanka Upanishad.  Yajnavalkya is preparing to leave his householder responsibilities towards the close of his middle years and embark on Vanaprastha, the renunciate stage of life and wants to settle all family affairs between his two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani.

Even as Yajnavalkya begins to explain his intent of dividing all of his property equally between the two women, Maitreyi startles him by asking whether this wealth that she will acquire will give to her a permanent state of happiness and joy. Yajnavalkya is taken aback, but Maitreyi persists with her question. Yajnavalkya tells her bluntly that though this wealth will give her material comforts, the satisfaction she will derive from material possessions will be only temporary; the state of happiness which Maitreyi is alluding to is not possible through such possessions. Maitreyi then expresses her disillusionment with this material settlement and requests Yajnavalkya to tell her of the way by which an unbroken state of happiness can be all way.

Yajnavalkya now expands the concept of wealth and explains how a comfortable state of mind operates. The mind derives its comfort through the physical acquisition of wealth or feels satisfied through attaining a particular social status. This conditioning of mind gives rise to our sense of possessiveness with that external object and draws a veil on the temporality of that external object as well as our own temporariness. But this external acquisition does give us happiness  for we still want to own, possess, desire, enjoy and feel this happiness, however temporary or imagined it may be. Why does this happen?

Yajnavalkya points to an inscrutable design working behind desires that grip our mind from time to time and which give us satisfaction and happiness when those desires get fulfilled.

The samvad, dialogue, between husband and wife picks up pace, as Yajnavalkya puts across his exposition of the inscrutable design behind each desire, longing, each possession and behind the need to love and be loved. Behind the mind’s desire for a particular thing or person is the desire to be one, to be united with that external object, however impossible it is in practicality. Yajnavalkya goes deeper behind this peculiar condition of mind to be united with externalities and points to an inner longing to be one with our inner Self, without which we feel restless, unsatiated and incomplete. The mind twists this inner longing to make it seem as if happiness could be achieved through external means.

Similarly, the love expressed between spouses, between man and woman, parents and children, between any two humans, are all part of a search for that love which alone will make us complete and impart to us a permanent state of happiness. The search for love, Yajnavalkya says, is the search for the Self, which alone can satiate us completely. No relationship can be dearer than the one we forge with our inner Self. Having initiated Maitreyi into this inscrutable principle of life, Yajnavalkya walks away into the great forest.

Newton law and new addition

More than 100 years after Albert Einstein published his iconic theory of general relativity, it is beginning to show signs of age. Now, following the most comprehensive test of general relativity yet near the monstrous black hole at the centre of our galaxy, University of California’s Professor Andrea Ghez has announced that Einstein’s theory of general relativity holds up – for now. Professor Ghez said: ”Einstein’s right, at least for now. We can absolutely rule out Newton’s law of gravity. “Our observations are consistent with Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

The inscrutable design that weaves a web of desires

The intense conversation between Sage Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyi, on the notions of love, desire and possessiveness, and the inexplicable connect one feels sometimes with another, is at the heart of the concept of the Self expounded in the Brihadarayanka Upanishad.  Yajnavalkya is preparing to leave his householder responsibilities towards the close of his middle years and embark on Vanaprastha, the renunciate stage of life and wants to settle all family affairs between his two wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani.

Even as Yajnavalkya begins to explain his intent of dividing all of his property equally between the two women, Maitreyi startles him by asking whether this wealth that she will acquire will give to her a permanent state of happiness and joy. Yajnavalkya is taken aback, but Maitreyi persists with her question. Yajnavalkya tells her bluntly that though this wealth will give her material comforts, the satisfaction she will derive from material possessions will be only temporary; the state of happiness which Maitreyi is alluding to is not possible through such possessions. Maitreyi then expresses her disillusionment with this material settlement and requests Yajnavalkya to tell her of the way by which an unbroken state of happiness can be acquired.

Experience the fullness in emptiness

Most of us place great value on being occupied, finding meaning and attaining fulfilment in our everyday existence. We believe that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and we are very concerned about engaging ourselves in something productive at every moment. There is widespread belief that keeping busy and achieving success in life would magically solve all our problems. Interestingly, statistics seem to point in the opposite direction. A study published in the University of Cincinnati Law Review suggests that CEOs are at twice the risk of developing depression as compared to the general population. Another comprehensive review of literature published in the Journal of Affective Disorders elucidates that people living in developed and wealthy countries have a greater risk of suffering from mood disorders than those living in developing nations.

The famous case of fireman Robert O’Donnell who rescued a little girl from an inaccessible underground shaft in Texas, sums it up. The rescue operation became one of the top-rated events in the history of world television. There were several interviews, a valedictory parade, invitations for reality shows, a letter from the President, a meeting with the Vice-President and a movie to acknowledge the brave efforts of the firefighter. No wonder, Robert got addicted to fame and when the cameras moved away, his world collapsed. He found it hard to get back to normal life; he became severely depressed and finally committed suicide. It is time we acknowledge that the existing paradigm of becoming more and more productive and chasing success and fame is making us lonely, fearful and miserable. We need to make a fundamental change in our approach to life.
The ancient Chinese text Tao Te Ching teaches us the value of emptiness – when we look at a pot, we usually pay attention to its shape, colour and design. But there is something more important in the pot that our eyes cannot see, and our hands cannot feel – the emptiness inside the pot. It is this emptiness that makes the pot useful and gives it deeper meaning; else it is nothing more than a mass of clay. Modern science has discovered that our universe consists of not just the observable galaxies, stars and planets but also a huge empty space which is bigger than everything else put together. It is postulated that this empty space possesses a mysterious energy which causes our universe to continue expanding at an accelerated pace. Have we gone wrong in not paying attention to the emptiness in the cosmos and within us?

Buddhism talks about shunyata – a meditative state characterised by emptiness wherein the person is emancipated realising that there is no independently existing form, sensation, impulse, emotion or consciousness. There is neither pain nor pleasure, attainment nor non-attainment, existence nor non-existence. Therefore, the path to wholeness can be easily found in emptiness.

If you wish to discover yourself and be happy, nurture this emptiness and let it guide you. One way to do this is by practising mindfulness meditation. When you meditate, your thoughts slow down and there are moments where one thought passes, but the next thought does not appear, and you experience flashes of the ‘no mind’ state. Going further, you drop all thoughts, emotions and notions and attain the state of pure consciousness and fullness.

Thank you so much for going through my objects.

Let us reconnect to precious water

Water is life. Our bodies are made mostly of water and our survival depends on it. All life forms on planet earth are nurtured by water. Hence, ancient civilisations revered water, acknowledging its role as the driving force of nature. Scriptures of the two oldest religions of the world – Zoroastrianism and Hinduism – venerate water as a deity. While the Zend Avesta reveres Aredvi, the river goddess who nourishes people and lands and grants fertility, healing and wisdom, the Puranas worship Ganga, the river goddess who feeds, purifies and liberates humankind.

With time, the relationship between human beings and water seems to have undergone many changes. The idolisation turned into utilitarianism followed by consumerism and finally has given way to exploitation. Over the last 100 years or so, we have been exhausting water reserves faster than they can be replenished. A recent report by Niti Ayog claims that around 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater and face severe water scarcity by 2020. When we all know how essential water is for survival of many life forms including ours, it is surprising that most of us are either silent spectators or willing participants in the massive wastage and contamination of this precious natural resource.

What could explain such a thoughtless and negligent attitude? Perhaps, the answers can be found in the prevailing psychological makeup in many of us, characterised by alienation, narcissism and greed. Nowadays, many people feel a deep disconnect with themselves, others and their environment. They feel alone, empty and vulnerable and in order to overcome their negative emotions they crave for intense pleasure. This gives rise to compulsive consumerism which makes them believe that once they satiate desires, they can be happy, indiscriminately consuming or wasting whatever they want. The yearning for instant gratification without any concern for the future all they want is to satisfy their greed without looking to its impact. Compulsive consumerism affects their relationship with water as well, and they have no qualms in mindlessly wasting, exploiting and contaminating water.

Despite this compulsive consumerism, most of them continue to feel hollow, meaningless and unhappy. They are ignorant of the fact that happiness can be found not in consuming recklessly but in giving back to nature. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental and Ecological Engineering found that those who care for the environment and who actively participate in conserving and restoring natural resources including water, experience a deep sense of inner peace and happiness. The need of the hour is to rise above greed, cultivate love for other forms of life, display environment-friendly behaviour, feel a connection with water and allow its mystical energy to fill us with joy.

Let us give water its due. Recall any moment when you were feeling hot and thirsty and your throat was parched. Try to recollect how blissful it felt as you finally got to drink some water. Imagine how it would have been if there was no water. Let us do everything possible to make sure that water continues to exist and nourish life on earth.

Find your self through quiet observation

It's began to shower gently and somehow i felt the heavens, along with God, were blessing this earth. More than pleasure, it is the happiness of innocence which is uplifting. The purity of innocence has its own freedom. In that freedom, there is no burden of the experience but the divine song of life. Are we listening to this song or are we lost in the demands of ego? Can the effort to listen to this divine song be our prayer? Prayer, not demanding, but to cultivate the ability to receive the blessings of existence.

Who one is, is an important question. The great saint, Ramana Maharshi, used to always ask, “Who am I?” To anyone coming to him, he used to use this question, “Who am I?” please inquire.

What we think we are, is not what we are. There are many aspects of our self. There is this body, which is the acting self, there is an emotional self, a thinking self, a functional self and also a fundamental self. Therefore, one has to observe one’s self. When one has the discipline to observe then an observing self emerges. This observing self, observes how we work, how we talk to others, how we talk to ourselves and how we feel. Are we harsh to ourselves and to others in feeling and dealing? There are all aspects of us to be under scrutiny without judgment but as a pure observation.

When the observing self is crystallised, then we observe anger and do not get carried away by anger, observe jealousy and not get carried away by jealousy. When one observes, then there is a non-verbal understanding.

You start seeing the anatomy of anger. The hot thought is anger. As you observe you will find, that the hot thought, is a trigger from a mechanical centre. As you observe you realise that anger is not only thought, it is mechanical and it carries some sadness of the past. That sadness is a result of not learning to be happy in the moment. One is not being happy because one is caught in the concept of having a ‘reason to be happy’ and not learnt to be ‘causelessly happy’.

In daily activities of your life, be it work or home or any relationship, ‘impersonally observe’ – then you will learn not to identify with what you observe. It is then that you get an insight and will observe your inner talking and the wrong inner tastes you have built. You will see how thought is addicted to ‘self-liking’ and thus you will see the anatomy of your psychology and how your psychic life creates inner darkness.

When you observe your children, their body language will convey something which needs your care and attention. If you are lost in your ‘inner identifications’ of your dreams and demands, then you will not observe your children and you may not give the required help. Increase the sharpness of your observation and this will help you in family and work. Don’t negate this as philosophical but see it as new light to dispel the inner darkness created by your psychology.

Everybody is on the wrong train

On a coast-bound train, Mieczyslaw was slumped in his seat, and every few moments he sighed and cried, “Ah my! Ah my!” Forbes, sitting nearby, heard him cry but did not butt in, thinking the fellow was troubled by some great personal tragedy.

The next day it was the same cry of, “Ah my! Ah my!” And again the same, the day after.

Finally, Forbes leaned over and whispered, “Anything seriously wrong?”

“Ah my, yes!” said the Polack. “For three days now I have been on the wrong train!”

This is exactly the situation of humanity: everybody, almost everybody, is on the wrong train; hence there is so much misery. Misery simply indicates that you are not where you are supposed to be; that you are not moving towards your own destiny; that you are not flowering into your own potential; that you have been diverted, distracted by others.

Every adult distracts the child from his essential being. Nobody respects the individual. They have already decided what is right and what is wrong, and for all.
Each individual is a unique phenomenon. Hence no law, no morality can be applicable to all. Of course, we have to agree on a few minimums just to exist together, but those minimums have to be the nonessentials.

About the essentials, there should be no compromise at all, with no one, not even with God, because you don’t know anything about God. The priest goes on speaking on behalf of a God which nobody knows. It is the priest, who pretends that his voice is God’s voice.

Religion means one is trying to transcend the mundane; otherwise, religion loses all its meaning. … And this is not only the case with Hindus: this is the case with Buddhists, Jainas, Christians, Jews, with almost all organised religions. They have all gone off-track. I mean they have become entangled with the nonessential.

There cannot be myriad rules about the essential; it is about the very nonessential: while you are walking, how much you should see of the road? – only four feet, not more than that, not even four feet six inches. If you go beyond the limit of four feet, you fall from grace. Now what does it have to do with religion? You have to have only a certain number of clothing, not more, and you have to be very strict about it. You have to beg in a certain way, from certain people, not otherwise. You have to eat only at a certain time; if you are feeling hungry again you cannot eat, you have to remain hungry.

These rules have been propagated in the name of religion, and once something takes the colour of religion, it starts looking important to people.

Character has been very much emphasised; in fact, character is a peripheral phenomenon. The real thing is not character but consciousness, but consciousness happens inside and is not available for others to observe; others can only observe your character. And it is always the others who are deciding for you, hence they decide something that they can observe: they decide about your behaviour. And of course man is capable of conducting himself in a certain way; he can force himself to do all kinds of contortions, but that does not change his consciousness at all.

Everybody is on the wrong train

Each individual is a unique phenomenon. Hence no law, no morality can be applicable to all. Of course, we have to agree on a few minimums just to exist together, but those minimums have to be the nonessentials.

About the essentials, there should be no compromise at all, with no one, not even with God, because you don’t know anything about God. The priest goes on speaking on behalf of a God which nobody knows. It is the priest, who pretends that his voice is God’s voice.

Religion means one is trying to transcend the mundane; otherwise, religion loses all its meaning. … And this is not only the case with Hindus: this is the case with Buddhists, Jainas, Christians, Jews, with almost all organised religions. They have all gone off-track. I mean they have become entangled with the nonessential.

There cannot be myriad rules about the essential; it is about the very nonessential: while you are walking, how much you should see of the road? – only four feet, not more than that, not even four feet six inches. If you go beyond the limit of four feet, you fall from grace. Now what does it have to do with religion? You have to have only a certain number of clothing, not more, and you have to be very strict about it. You have to beg in a certain way, from certain people, not otherwise. You have to eat only at a certain time; if you are feeling hungry again you cannot eat, you have to remain hungry.

These rules have been propagated in the name of religion, and once something takes the colour of religion, it starts looking important to people.

Character has been very much emphasised; in fact, character is a peripheral phenomenon. The real thing is not character but consciousness, but consciousness happens inside and is not available for others to observe; others can only observe your character. And it is always the others who are deciding for you, hence they decide something that they can observe: they decide about your behaviour. And of course man is capable of conducting himself in a certain way; he can force himself to do all kinds of contortions, but that does not change his consciousness at all.

Forgiveness paves the way to stillness

When faced with painful events caused by others, we have a choice. Most give in to anger, hatred and revenge, and it causes further suffering. If we are to maintain a calm mind, we need to cultivate forgiveness. Forgiveness involves forgetting what the person has done to us so we can move on with our life with a clear mind and heart.

When we do not forgive someone, thoughts of anger, bitterness, and revenge rankle in our own minds and hearts, and we are the ones who suffer.

When we are filled with anger and hatred, we cannot concentrate at work. Our productivity and efficiency may drop because we are unable to keep our mind on our work. Instead of paying attention to our job, we are thinking about who has hurt us, how they have hurt us, why they have hurt us, and how we can hurt them back.

Next dedication...This cycle of angry thoughts festers in our mind, and we cannot focus on our work. Thus, we may make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes can cost others their lives. We know that drivers, pilots, train conductors, or bus drivers can be in such a rage that they cause an accident in which others are hurt or killed. A doctor or pharmacist whose mind is not on their work can cause harm to patients.

To avoid disastrous consequences, it is much better to forgive. Medical researchers are finding another benefit to forgiveness. It has a positive effect on our brain. There is increasing scientific evidence of how anger causes stress-related ailments. Brain scans and medical tests show that exposure to the body’s own cortisol and stress hormones can cause a build-up in the brain’s blood vessels and nervous system that may cause a stroke, damage to parts of the brain.

If we know that anger can cause irreparable damage to our brain, then we may want to consider learning the art of forgiveness. Additionally, if we hurt others mentally or emotionally, they may react, causing a negative atmosphere. Before we know it, we have a toxic, poisonous environment in our homes, offices, in communities and the world. We can put a stop to the pollutants of hatred and anger with the balm of forgiveness.

If we do not react to other people’s negativity and instead forgive them, they have no one against whom to react. It puts a stop to the chain reaction. If we remain loving to others, how long will they be negative to us? They will ultimately give up.

Love and forgiveness inspire others to love and to make the world peaceful. Because forgiveness against those who hurt us is the greatest example of godly love in this world. If each of us were forgiving, it would not be long before the world would become more loving and peaceful. If we do so, we will find that our minds are calmer and we are able to still our minds more easily when we sit to meditate, which will bring forth faster results in our spiritual development.

When it comes to meditation, success depends on how easily we can still the mind to focus within. Anger and hatred, are impediments to stilling the mind. The more activity going on in our mind, the longer it takes to become concentrated in our meditations.

Namaste.

Aspiring to live a life of purpose

Ever since human beings started to think rationally, we have been curious about things. This is true at both the relative level, such as wanting to know how organisms have evolved, and the absolute level, like wondering about God and the nature of the universe.

There must be more to life than just growing up, getting a job, taking a few vacations, retiring and dying. Without a clearly defined purpose, we just meander through space and time. A purpose is a master plan for our life. Knowing our purpose helps define our goals. It makes life more enjoyable and effortless. Purpose is not something that others choose for us. We must choose it for ourselves.

Most people just pursue wealth. Their sole mission in life is to earn money. Some go beyond and have a powerful emotional motivator. A few are driven by intellectual goals. Others are in search of happiness. The rare one sets aside worldly concerns and is consumed with matters of the Spirit.

Ultimately you want to live a meaningful life. You want more zest, more fullness, greater happiness. You want to wake up in the morning excited and enthusiastic, jumping out of bed with a thirst for life that you haven’t felt since you were a child. Your purpose is your connection to something larger, something that will allow you to make your mark in the world, to truly make a difference.

To begin with, you need to expand your mind. Read inspiring stories of others who achieved greatness. Read the scriptures. In 2016 a study in England found that among teenagers, those who had a spiritual background had a stronger sense of purpose. Invest your time in helping others. Another’s pain can lead you to awareness of all that you are blessed with. Cultivate a sense of awe and gratitude. When you connect with the divine Power, you are driven to make a positive impact on the world. Fix a higher ideal and work with like- minded people.

Identify your svadharma, your talent, inner calling. The Mozarts of the world have pursued their passion from a young age. Uncover your passion like a sculptor, chipping away the stone to reveal the masterpiece underneath. Your life’s purpose is this masterpiece, lurking beneath the surface, waiting to be released.

Understand your inner personality. Strengthen your intellect. You may be inspired with a larger purpose but a well-fortified intellect is necessary to organise your activities and pursue the goal with consistency. Are your actions selfish and self-centred or are you truly dedicated to a higher ideal? The higher the goal the greater is your energy, creativity and power.

Feel one with a larger circle of people. Then you will feel less insecure and competitive. You will no longer fight imaginary enemies! Finally, understand that the world and all it has to offer is impermanent, passing, and ephemeral. Its inherent value is zero. The Spirit, the only permanent factor in life, adds value to the world. Seek Spirit. The world will come to you unsought. You will achieve effortless success and happiness in the world while you gain Enlightenment.

Don’t waste any more time stumbling through life. Identify your purpose and strive to express it in your work, your play, and your relationships. Living life on purpose will translate to better well-being for you, your family, and your world.

Thank you so much for reading me.

BRICKS summit

The 2018 BRICS summit is the tenth annual BRICS summit, an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, the second time the South Africa has hosted the summit after the 2013 summit..
Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR): It is a programme of partnership among BRICS nation that will focus on Maximising the opportunities arising from the fourth industrial revolution/New Industrial Revolution. It was formed at the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg 11th summit will be held in Brazil for that remaining partners extended full support . 4th to 7th summit at Ufa Russia are related to NDB .
Thanking you for reading me..

ASEAN association of south east Asian Nations.

The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held by the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in relation to economic, political, security, and socio-cultural development of Southeast Asian countries. In addition, it serves as a prominent regional (Asia) and international (worldwide) conference, with world leaders attending its related summits and meetings to discuss various problems and global issues, strengthening cooperation, and making decisions.[1][2] The summit has been praised by world leaders for its success and ability to produce results on a global level.[3]

Jal sakti abhiyan

Inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s impetus on Jal Sanchay, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign. The JSA will run in two Phases: Phase 1 from 1st July to 15th September 2019 for all States and Union Territories; and Phase 2 from 1st October to 30th November for States and UTs receiving the retreating monsoon (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu). During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India will work together with State and district officials in India’s most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management by focusing on accelerated implementation of five target intervention. The JSA aims at making water conservation a jan andolan through asset creation and communication campaign.

Traditional medicine

WHO Africa  Health topics   Traditional Medicine
Traditional Medicine
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Traditional medicine
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Overview
Traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills and practises based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.

Traditional medicine is often termed alternative or complementary medicine in many countries. Herbal treatments are the most popular form of traditional medicine and 70% to 80% of the Region has used a form as primary health care.

One third of the population lacks access to essential medicines and the provision of safe and effective traditional and alternative remedies could become an important way of increasing access to health care services.

Tried and tested methods and products:

Acupuncture has been proven effective in relieving a variety of pain disorders, high blood pressure, depression and morning sickness. It can also alleviate postoperative pain and adverse reactions to chemotherapy.
The Chinese herb Artemisia annua has been found to be effective against resistant malaria and could create a breakthrough in preventing almost 1 million deaths annually.
In South Africa, the plant Sutherlandia microphylla is being studied for use in HIV patients. The plant may increase energy, appetite and body mass in people living with HIV.