Friends: A good Friend ~ Some lessons learnt

We meet a lot of people as we travel through life. Some are family, some friends and some are friends with that extra affection who teaches you something.

Today morning I was thinking about one such person “Debabrata Samanta” whom I met during our stay in Frankfurt, Germany. A simple person, very down to Earth and brotherly. I tried calling him but couldnt reach him, maybe his phone no longer exists. I guess he is somewhere in or around New Delhi right now.

Anyways, the purpose of writing this blog is to let you all know two of his thoughts which I try to follow in my life

He used to say

• Donot think of what others have and what you dont. Your requirements should not be driven by comparing what more others have, but by what you need. Comparing your possesions with others will only add to your sadness. How True !! I wish we all would follow this simple rule.
• He also said that there are lots of important people in your life but try to take some time out for yourself. This would allow you to be more creative and more dedicated to your loved ones. This of course doesnt mean going on a month long vacation yourself, but if possible take a short walk each day alone. Or maybe take 5 mins to write a blog, to summarise your thoughts. Give yourself time, to organize, settle down.

While in Frankfurt we had this awesome found-on-the-street poang chair from Ikea, where Samantada used to sit, sip his tea and we chatted for hours.

How I miss those days !! I hope he is doing good and so is his wife and kid.

Cheers !!

Indian Version Of Chilli Chicken

Indian Version Of Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:
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3lb chicken (cut into small pieces)
2 big onions (cut into very thin layers)
2 medium tomatoes (cut into long and thin pieces)
3 tbsp yogurt(curd/perugu)
2 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp corn flour (mix in some water to form paste with out any lumps)
1 stem curry leaves
6 green chillies (chopped into small pieces)
3 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to your spice if needed)
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves (cut into very small pieces)
2″ ginger (cut into very small pieces)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 flat tsp garam masala powder(optional)
Lemon juice extracted from 1 lime
2 tbsp finnely chopped cilantro
salt as required
Oil for cooking (prefferably 2 tbsp)
Method:
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Rasamadhuri Sharbat – cool down your senses

Rasamadhuri Sharbat – cool down your senses

-Mango juice:1cup,
-Pineapple juice:1cup,
-Orange juice:1/2cup,
-Ice cold milk:1cup
-Sugar :2 tbls
-Lime juice :few drops
-Vanilla essence :few drops

Steps:

Grind 2 tbls of sugar finely.
Blend all the ingredients in a mixer.
Refrigerate.
Decorate the glasses with slices of lemon.
Serve chilled.

A good welcome drink during summer.

So next time I visit you, I expect that you guys would welcome me with this drink

We moved recently and planning a makeover

So we moved to a new apartment begining of this month and as always we both are scratching heads to find the right color etc for the walls. It’s a 2 bedroom so we have lots to think about. Here’s a rendering of the dining room walls ~ Thoughts in process ~ cheers !!

Nada Brahma

nada brahma, shadba brahma: Sanskrit word meaning the continuous, non-stopping aum or amen sound; manifestation of the Absolute in the form of sound.

The other day I was telling Deya about Nada Brahma and how Hindu Mythology said that the world is created from sound and vibrations. Later I got confused with the same because the thought is so profound that you can’t just loosely discuss this and forget. I wanted to support my words by thoughts of experts who have worked on this theory. Though sparse I did find some.

On the same note I would love to read “The World Is Sound: Nada Brahma: Music and the Landscape of Consciousness” by Joachim-Ernst Berendt. So guys before you hit the store in or around Sept 10th consult me on what I need.

Ok so here’s what I found with my little 30 mins research ~ The risk of deciphering is onto you !!

These are excerpts. Check the web links if you want to read more. So long Folks – Shortly I will come up with explanations on Ahata nada and Anahata nada

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My intuition was not only in accord with the Hebrew utterances, but with the Christian Word, and the Hindu mantra of Nada Brahma—which can be translated as “The world is sound…” or, “God, the Creator, is sound…” or again as, “Creation, the cosmos, the world is sound…” In his book Nada Brahma, Joachim-Ernst Berendt also cites Sufism and Taoism and numerous pagan traditions that link sound to the living waters of creation.

This link between sound and matter can be found not only in creation but in the act of restoration, the physical and psychological healing by musical influence. For a case study we have to look no further than the Hebrew Bible:

Whenever the evil spirit of God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play it; Saul would find relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (I Samuel 16:23)

As Berendt writes, “Anything that vibrates reacts to vibrations.” The importance of these vibrations is based on how the body resonates to pitch, tone and meter. Scientists have discovered that listening to Gregorian Chant can boost one’s immune system, that exposure to certain tones re-enforce the body’s psychological strength. If our equilibrium can be thrown off by random and excessive noise why can’t our psyche be made whole through music?

Source: http://thegreatamericanphotoblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-sound-creation-and-first-living-cell.html

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According to Hindu philosophy, the word for pure sound is Nada Brahma. Nada has also been described by some as the energy of Brahma and it is believed that the propitiation of Nada leads to the attainment of Moksha (salvation), which is the ultimate goal of human life. Matanga has described Nada in his Brihaddesi thus “There is no song or music without Nada, there are no musical notes without Nada, there is no dance without Nada and the world is filled with the essence of Nada”. The word Nada refers to the physical, the mystic and the religious or the cosmic sound. The sound that is produced by musical instruments is an object of sensory perception, as it is grasped by the sense of hearing. This is called Ahata Nada. In this context, the human voice is also a musical instrument. As described by Tyagaraja in the composition, Sobhillu Saptaswara, the entire body, including the abdomen (Nabhi), heart (Hrt), neck (Kantha), mouth (Rasana) and nasal passages (Nasa), aids in the production of the sound.

Just as the soul enlivens the human body, what gives life to this audible sound is the natural sound and rhythm of the human body. This is called Anahata Nada (unstruck sound). And as a musical instrument is also made to sing, so to speak, only by the power of conscious activity, it is the Anahata Nada that is behind the sound produced by instruments also. This is the primal divine force present in all living beings, and is a manifestation of Brahman. The same divinity is also the basis of the supreme powers of the universe, called Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. The cultivation or propitiation of the Anahata Nada is called Nada Yoga. This is described in the composition Mokshamu galada, as the combination (samyoga) of breath (Prana) and energy (Anala). As such, the practice of music itself can be a powerful method of Yogic practice. The music of great composers like Tyagaraja and others continues to captivate listeners even today, because it is the result of intense Nada Yoga. It elevates both the musician and the listener to a higher plane of human experience, and brings great joy and peace. Music has an intrinsic power that enables one to explore the inexhaustible depths of Yoga and scale the successive planes of Yogic experience.

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Nada without the brahma

nada: (Sanskrit) “Sound; tone, vibration.”

Metaphysically, the mystic sounds of the Eternal, of which the highest is the transcendent or Soundless Sound, Paranada, the first vibration from which creation emanates. Paranada is so pure and subtle that it cannot be identified to the denser regions of the mind. From Paranada comes Pranava, Aum, and further evolutes of nada. These are experienced by the meditator as the nadanadi shakti, “the energy current of sound,” heard pulsing through the nerve system as a constant high-pitched hum, much like a tambura, an electrical transformer, a swarm of bees or a shruti box.

Listening to the inner sounds is a contemplative practice, called nada upasana, “worship through sound,” nada anusandhana, “cultivation of inner sound,” or nada yoga. The subtle variations of the nadanadi shakti represent the psychic wavelengths of established guru lineages of many Indian religions. Nada also refers to other psychic sounds heard during deep meditation, including those resembling various musical instruments. Most commonly, nada refers to ordinary sound.

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This term, Nada Brahma, is one of the most exciting, the most expansive, concepts that I have come across. The simple meaning: NADA BRAHMA: Nada- a sanskrit word meaning: sound; Brahma- a Hindu name of God. Therefore Nada Brahma means that the Sound is God. Also The Sound of God.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: In the new testament, the words: In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. And from this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word… New Testament, John chapter 1v1. (quoted from Bible for Todays Family, Published by The Bible Society in New Zealand, 1993.

CONTEMPLATE: The scientific research today has come up with the recognition that all creation is energy in movement, vibration, each vibration having it’s own sound, colour, visual pattern. When the vibration is slow enough we recognize it as our material world.

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/nadabrahma/nadabrahma.html

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Read what Peter Ravezolli has to say about Nada Brahma in his book “The dawn of Indian music in the West“

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It’s Spring

Spring has started to spread it’s charm around DC ~

I already feel warmth, color and chi

It’s Cherry blossom fest this weekend. We wont be able to make it but my thoughts will be. Flowers, I will see you in a few days. Festivals are too crowded for you to remember me ~ Take care everybody ~ Hug and smiles.

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