Priyadarshini Somasundar – Page 2

Article by Adi Shankara on Maturity

Forwarded by : Velu Jayaprakash || Source : Unknown

What is maturity? – by Adi Shankara

1. Maturity is when you stop trying to change others, instead focus on changing yourself.

2. Maturity is when you accept people as they are.

3. Maturity is when you understand everyone is right in their own perspective.

4. Maturity is when you learn to “let go”.

5. Maturity is when you are able to drop “expectations” from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.

6. Maturity is when you understand whatever you do, you do for your own peace.

7. Maturity is when you stop proving to the world, how intelligent you are.

8. Maturity is when you don’t seek approval from others.

9. Maturity is when you stop comparing with others.

10. Maturity is when you are at peace with yourself.

11. Maturity is when you are able to differentiate between “need” and “want” and are able to let go of your wants.

Last but most meaningful !

12. You gain Maturity when you stop attaching “happiness” to material things !!

Wishing all a happy matured life.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Priyadarshini is an Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication. She used work for Dell, Later shifted to Chennai after marriage and worked in Ericsson as system analyst. I have always been passionate about our tradition and curious to know about our ancient wisdom and practices, which made me join this group. View all posts by Priyadarshini Somasundar

Foxtail millet/Thinai Pongal

thinai-pongal

Ingredients:

Thinai – 3/4 cup
Moong dal – 1/4 cup
Jaggery – 1/2 cup
Ghee
Cashew Nut and kismis
Elachi powder

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till nice aroma comes out. Set it aside and allow it to cool.
Dry roast the foxtail millet for 5 mins and allow it to cool.
Mix both and wash it for 2 to 3 times.then soak it for 15 mins.
Take a cooker add this mixture and pour 31/2 cup water and cook for 1 whistle.
Simmer it for 10 mins.

Meanwhile take jaggery in a pan add water and melt it. Then strain it.

Open the cooker add the jaggery syrup and little ghee mix everything well.Add elachi powder too.

Heat ghee in a small pan. Add cashew nuts and kismis. Saute till it becomes golden color. Then add it to the cooked pongal and mix well.

Transfer it to a bowl and serve hot.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

What anger can do to you?

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. – PROVERBS 29:11

Forwarded by : Krishnaja || Source : Unknown

As a carpenter went home after shutting down his workshop, a black poisonous cobra entered his workshop.
The cobra was hungry and hoped to find its supper lurking somewhere within. It slithered from one end to another and accidentally bumped into a double-edged metal axe and got very slightly injured.

In anger and seeking revenge, the snake bit the axe with full force. What could a bite do to a metallic axe? Instead the cobra’s mouth started bleeding.

Out of fury and arrogance, the cobra tried its best to strangle and kill the object that was causing it pain by wrapping itself very tightly around the blades.

The next day when the carpenter opened the workshop, he found a seriously cut, dead cobra wrapped around the axe blades.

The cobra died not because of someone else’s fault but faced these consequences merely because of its own anger and wrath.
Sometimes when angry, we try to cause harm to others but as time passes by, we realise that we have caused more harm to ourselves.

For a happy life, it’s best we should learn to ignore and overlook some things, people, incidents, affairs and matters.
It is not necessary that we show a reaction to everything. Step back and ask yourself if the matter is really worth responding or reacting to.
People that show no inclination to change, are best handled with silence and prayer.
This is really good story and could help us take some good decisions.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Aval / Poha Kesari

Ingredients

Aval(Poha) – 1/2 cup Ghee – 3 tbsp
Organic jaggery powder – 1/2 cup
Cashews & Raisins – 1 tsp each
Water – 1/2 cup
Saffron – 1/8 tsp(soaked in a tbsp of warm milk)

Method

Rinse poha well and set aside for sometime to dry.Then coarse grind poha in a mixer.Heat a tsp ghee in a pan – fry cashews and raisins will golden brown,set aside. Then in the same pan add poha and roast it for 3mins until nice aroma comes,Set aside.
Boil water , once it starts boiling add poha and let it turn soft.Then add organic jaggery powder.
The organic jaggery will start melting, once it gets dissolved add ghee and keep stirring until it comes as a hole mass without sticking to the pan.Finally add saffron milk, fried cashew raisins and switch off.

Healthy sweet ready to celebrate any occasions

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Black Rive Aval/Poha Upma

Ingredients:

Black rice aval: 1 cup
Lemon juice : 1/2 cup
Onion : 1/2 cup
Green chillies: 1 or 2
Roasted groundnuts : handful
Cold-pressed groundnutOil : 1spoon
Mustard n urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 leaves
Coriander leaves : to garnish

Method:

Soak the aval for 15-20mins.
Take a pan
Add oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds n urad dal and allow it to splutter.
Add curry leaves, onion, green chillies, roasted groundnuts n stir for few minutes.
Next, add the aval and mix well with the tempered ingredients.
Switch off the flame, add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with cocunut chutney.

Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni)can be substituted with other Millets and flattened rice like Ragi aval, Bajra Aval/Poha , Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Normal Aval or Poha

Note:
Once the aval gets socked, the quantity doubles, just take half of the quantity than what is required.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Words of wisdom : Osho on Parenting

An unexceptional parenting advice by Osho. Live and let live.

Forwarded by : Honey Jones || Source : Osho

You will be gone soon but the children will be here. And nobody can manage anybody else’s life. Though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit even in your dreams. God will take care. It is none of your business to be too concerned. Whatsoever we can do, we do, but one should not hanker about things going the way you want. That is very egoistic.

You have given birth to a child, but once he is out of the womb he is free of you. First he depended for his breath on you when he was in the womb. Then he will take his own breath.

You don’t say,
‘What are you doing? Are you trying to be free of me? Trying to be independent?’

You feel happy that your child is breathing.

First he will take milk from you, then one day he will start eating on his own.

First he will go on clinging to your apron and then one day he will leave it.

You will be happy because the child is growing, becoming mature. Then finally one day he falls in love with a woman.
He has found his woman, so he will go on his own way.

Bless them, and whatsoever happens they have to find their own life and their own meaning to life.

Now you are free.Just try to find your meaning, your life, your goals, and devote the few days that are left to the search of the ultimate.

Don’t be concerned with ordinary things. I have never seen a single parent who is happy about their children. I have heard a Jewish joke..

A Jewish woman died and the first thing she asked when she got to heaven was if she could see Mary. So it was arranged. She went to see Mary and said, ”I have only one question to ask. You must be the happiest woman in the world. Your son is worshipped by millions.” Mary said, ”What! I always wanted him to become a doctor”.

Nobody is ever happy. Even the father of Buddha was not happy. He was very very annoyed because his son turned out to be a beggar. He became a sannyasi and the father was hoping he would become an emperor. He crushed all his father’s hopes.

One thing is certain that the child is not here to fulfill your expectations.
The child is here with his own destiny, and he will unfold his own destiny. You are trying somehow to direct his destiny and that is going to be frustrating. So if the child becomes a thief or a murderer, of course the parents feel bad, and it looks logical.

But even if he becomes a Jesus or a Buddha, then too they feel frustrated
because they have their own ideas and the children try to do their own thing.

Accept it and bless them. They have to find their own ways

Who are we to interfere? And how can we?

Pray for them but leave them on their own. You try to grow yourself.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Hanuman : The true hero

Forwarded by : Rakhi || Source : Unknown

When Valmiki completed his Ramayana, Narada wasn’t impressed. ‘It is good, but Hanuman’s is better’, he said.

‘That monkey has written the Ramayana too!’, Valmiki didn’t like this at all, and wondered whose Ramayana was better. So he set out to find Hanuman.

In Kadali-vana, grove of plantains, he found Ramayana inscribed on seven broad leaves of a banana tree.

He read it and found it to be perfect. The most exquisite choice of grammar and vocabulary, metre and melody. He couldn’t help himself. He started to cry.

‘Is it so bad?’ asked Hanuman
‘No, it is so good’, said Valmiki
‘Then why are you crying?’asked Hanuman.

‘Because after reading your Ramayana no one will read my Ramayana,’ replied Valmiki.

Hearing this Hanuman simply tore up the seven banana leaves stating, ” Now no one will ever read Hanuman’s Ramayana.”

Hanuman said, ‘You need your Ramayana more than I need mine. You wrote your Ramayana so that the world remembers Valmiki; I wrote my Ramayana so that I remember Ram.’

At that moment he realized how he had been consumed by the desire for validation through his work.

He had not used the work to liberate himself from the fear of invalidation. He had not appreciated the essence of Ram’s tale to unknot his mind.
His Ramayana was a product of ambition; but Hanuman’s Ramayana was a product of affection.
That’s why Hanuman’s Ramayana sounded so much better. Valmiki realized that “Greater than Ram….. is the idea of Ram!!!! ”
( राम से बड़ा राम का नाम ).

This story tells us that…. There are people like Hanuman who don’t want to be famous. They just do their jobs and fulfill their purpose.
So lets not be like Valmiki, thinking our ”Ramayana” is the best.

There are many unsung “Hanumans” too…in our life…

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Thinai khichadi/ pongal (Foxtail millet)

Ingredients:

Foxtail millet : 1/4 cup
Moong dal : 2 table spoon
Shallots : 3 nos
Tomato : half ripe
Carrot : few diced pieces
Green peas: few nos
Jeera : half tsp
Pepper : 2 or 3 nos
Garlic : 2 pods
Dry chilli : tiny piece
Desi ghee 1 spoon
Salt as per taste

Method:

Soak moong dal n foxtail millet for half an hour.
Keep onion n tomatoes ready.
Cut the carrot into small dices.You can add any vegetables of your choice.
Add ghee to the cooker, once hot add jeera, pepper n allow it to splutter.
Add onion and fry for a min.
Add tomatoes n garlic fry for a min.
Add carrot n green peas n fry in low flame for a minute.
Finally add the soaked n rinsed millet n dal mixture..
Add water accordingly to the consistency you desire.
For kids, if it is a bit watery it is good else it will turn hard before you complete the task of feeding😬
Close the cooker and allow 5-6 whistles..
Yummy khichadi is ready.

Foxtail millet can be substituted with other Millets.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Ginger massage for Kidney failure

A boon for all kidney failure patients . A miraculous ,simple treatment which will help restore the kidney functions.

Forwarded by : Shwetha SG || Source : Unknown

Ginger Massage best for Kidney failure, dialysis patients.
Thiruvananthapuram: India is gifted with rich sources of traditional medicine which require documentation, conservation and scientific validation.

This ginger therapy was followed from the book, Ayurveda Secrets of healing by Maya Tiwari. This was introduced by S. Pari, a software engineer,for his father G. Shanmugam who suffered from kidney failure. The post on youtube claims that it restored the failed kidney function to the normal level and he stopped dialysis.

Procedure for Ginger Massage

1. Take 125 g of washed ginger and cut them into pieces and grind in a mixie.

2. Put this crushed ginger in a white cloth and tie it.

3. Boil about 3 litres of water. When bubbles come, put the cloth tied ginger into the boiled water. Close the hot pot with a plate.

4. Keep the stove in sim (low flame) for 20-30 minutes.

5. Put off the stove and leave the pot in the closed condition for 5 minutes.

6. Bring the ginger water pot near the patient and ask the patient to lie down on his stomach exposing the back. (Stomach down posture)

7. Soak a small Turkish towel (Bath towel) in the hot ginger water, squeeze it partially and spread the towel over the lower portion of the patient’s back.

8. Remove the towel when it cools (or dried) out to warm stage and squeeze it into another vessel. Again soak it in the hot ginger water and put it on the patient’s back.

Please note every time before putting the towel on patient’s back, close the ginger vessel immediately to avoid loss of heat.

9. Repeat the above steps 7 & 8 till the water becomes warm for about 20-30 minutes.

10. When the massaging is over, wipe the back and gently rub the massaged area with 4 -5 drops of Gingili oil (Sesame Oil).

11. Discard the used ginger and water.

*Advised to monitor Urea,Creatinine, Hemoglobulin level in Blood every month.
*Monitor also the Colour, Odour and Volume of Urine.

Your urine output will increase and clinically you feel energetic too
We will appreciate if you circulate this to others, if found useful.

This is a non-profit service disseminated by Shanmugam Foundation and for further details contact by email at ginger.uses@gmail.com, curetrust@gmail.com.

V.P. Elayapari : 9360009019
Kindly call after 09.00 p.m. Indian Standard time.

Forwarded as Received

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Mixed Millets Health mix

Ingredients:

Finger millet -200gms
Traditional pearl millet -200gms
Kodo rice – 100gms
Little millet rice- 100 gms
Foxtail rice-100gms
Barnyard rice -100gms
White jowar-100gms
Maize -100gms
Greengram- 10gms
Groundnut -10gms
Almonds- 5-6 nos
Cashew -5 -6 nos
Cardamom – 8 or 9

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients separately except cardamom until it turns light brown and till u get a good aroma.
Get it grinded in the mill to get fine powder.
To make the porridge :
Take the required amount of health mix powder and mix it with water without any lumps..in low flame , stir the mix until the desired consistency.. U can add jaggery or palm sugar for sweeter version else it can be had warm with buttermilk n salt.

Recipe courtesy Nachal.