It is very easy to advise others. Only the one who suffers knows the extent of the pain. At the same time there is no difference between one person'spain and another"s, whether that person is rich or poor.

No philosophy, sermon or concept will help relieve that suffering immediately. It is useful, however, to remember that at the core of any pain-causing conflict there is duality. We are part of a cycle that contains both pain and pleasure, creating a split between mind and body, delaying the healing process.

Duality is all-pervasive; it is present in everything around us. Even that oft-quoted line from Shakespeare reflects this: "To be or not to be".

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

In the language of yoga, the purpose or the effect of continuous nada sadhana on the human mind is ananda - extreme bliss.

Nada, or sound, is divided into two parts - aahada and anhada, heard and unheard. Heard means that which is possible for you to hear 'through the physical ears', and unheard means 'felt', which is the condition of nada before it is musically shaped and regularised. Then come the shrutis, then swaras, notes, which from time to time have been explained by the masters.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

In most religious scriptures, Shabd or the Word is referred to as the creator of the universe. It is a current from the ocean of pure consciousness that is characterised by ethereal and sublime sound vibration.

It is the all-pervading manifestation of God, the radiant sound current, and it is the connecting link between God and His creation. All the powers of nature depend on and work through Shabd.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Consciousness is beauty and Creation is an expression of consciousness. Beauty is present in all creation. Eastern philosophy believes beauty is the nature of things, while western thought sees it as perception. Perhaps beauty is both subjective and objective.

The East emphasises subjectivity; it sees beauty as the nature of existence - as Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, an objective phenomenon.

In the West, where objectivity is emphasised, beauty is seen as a subjective phenomenon. But as the old proverb goes, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Beauty bridges the subject-object divide.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The word riyaz has its origins in r iyazat, which implies ibadat, bandagi, bhakti or devotion. If riyaz is performed with a spirit of devotion, the exercise becomes ibadat. But while r iyaz is rather mechanically equated with practice or exercise, the all-important difference is one of spirit. Riyaz is to achieve that which has not been achieved so far. For that, the student has to struggle with faith.

In the initial stages one might be less than sure whether one is correct in what one is doing. But that is the struggle! In the absence of faith, one's riyaz will be filled with doubt. Faith is of great importance in r iyaz . Practice with a doubt-ridden mind will achieve little.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

What do we generally do when we want to get something done, or want to expel something unnecessary, unnatural or repugnant? We take a vow and feel immensely satisfied in the bargain. But we forget that taking a vow is quite an unintelligent act.

When we vow not to do something, it simply means we have not understood certain underlying truths, or are unaware of the workings of our unconscious. It is an act of suppression that can turn into a strange and poisonous repression as well.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

We seem to be free, to do that which we choose and not that which is chosen for us; but possibly, the freedom may be illusory; in fact, it may be bondage.

We may be bound by predestination, the will of a Supreme Intelligent Power, or blind inexorable Nature, or the necessity of our own previous development.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Karmapa comes from the word karma or karmaka, which means activity. The Karmapas are the first to have realised successive reincarnations. This unbroken succession of masters who have preserved and transmitted the instructions of the Karma Kagyu tradition is referred to as the 'Golden Rosary".

Hence in the Kagyu lineage and practice, the oral teachings and the master-disciple relationship are of supreme significance.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Sage Narada had the knack of bringing about social change and spiritual growth wherever he went. Adored and respected by Lord Krishna, Narada employed different ways to bring people nearer to God. He convinced the dacoit Ratnakar to chant "Mara, Mara" - the reverse of "Rama, Rama" - helping him evolve enough to get transformed into a sage (Valmiki).

Narada taught five-year-old Dhruv how to meditate. The result? The Lord manifested Himself before Dhruv. Narada'spointer that all eight children of Devaki could be a threat to King Kansa'slife led to Kansa being killed and liberated at the hands of God. Somehow, Narada brings all to God.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Once upon a time, a musk deer went searching for musk. Round and round the forest she went, month after month, quite unaware that the heady fragrance, so desperately sought by her, lay beneath her own belly button. Many times, we humans, too, behave like the musk deer. We search for self-realisation outside, blissfully unaware that it lies within us, all the while untapped.

To experience this bliss, however, the seeker has to put in a different sort of effort with regularity and devotion. One way lies through the world of forms, through the path of bhakti, where the seeker concentrates on any of the manifest forms of the Ultimate.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

I've nursed a deep desire since childhood to see truth, face-to-face. I knew that truth would remain elusive unless I learnt to recognise the true nature of my own self and the world around me. But bookish knowledge did not take me any closer to this goal. Knowledge derived with the help of the senses is not entirely dependable, for our senses can deceive us.

Restless, I read the biographies of Jesus Christ, the Buddha, Ramakrishna, Mirabai, Mahatma Gandhi and others. Inspired, I tried to acquire qualities that could elevate me to a higher position. But it was not easy; I was young and passions and desires had me in their grip.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The Ramayana, the saga of Rama's life written by Valmiki, is widely acclaimed as among the greatest of all Indian epics. The narrative is regarded as a veritable treatise on social sciences, offering lessons that transcend both time and space. In fact, this famous Grantha carries useful tips on ethics and values, statecraft and politics, and even general and human resources management.

The Ramayana can serve as a useful reference book for those willing to learn. With Rama Rajya as a model for good governance, the Ramayana is a must read for practitioners of statecraft. More so, because much fuss is being made today over Ayodhya being the birthplace of Rama and the controversy over the building of a Ram temple at the Ramjanmabhoomi.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Western writers tend to describe silence in negative terms. We grow up with images of "the eerie silence of the night", "the disturbing silence of the graveyard", "the hollow sounds of loneliness".

In the East, silence is synonymous with bliss. Whether one is visiting an isolated temple on a hilltop, or at the samadhi of a saint, one gets a feeling of peace and harmony. Silence is of two types. The external silence that can be easily created in a sound-proof room. It is the other, the internal silence, which is difficult to achieve.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

A person who lives in his home with his family, going about his daily business with loving detachment is in the world and yet out of it.

Like the boat whose place is in the water and which, floating, does not allow water to enter it, the realised samsari lives in this world not allowing worldly things to enter his mind.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

How many of us fritter away the gift of the present moment by wondering when our lives will finally take off? What do you think will do it for you? A five-bedroom house, the latest model of Mercedes Benz or BMW, a world tour, a diamond ring, winning the lottery or becoming rich and famous beyond your wildest dreams?

"Man is engaged in an eternal quest for that 'something else' he hopes will bring him happiness, complete and unending. For those individual souls who have sought and found God, the search is over: He is that Something Else," said Paramahansa Yogananda.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

It is a truism that we are creatures of habit. Very soon what may have initially been a challenge becomes a routine and predictable affair.

We seem, by and large, to prefer it that way. Every now and then, however, comes a challenge that requires a supreme effort of will to absorb and routinise it - a life-shattering experience is one such instance. You are left with the shards of your life and have the task of rearranging the pieces. Instinctively, you want to recreate the past - but, like Humpty Dumpty, you find that this is an impossible task.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The computer era has popularised the term "solution". All metros now display advertisements and posters that offer a variety of solutions.

The names are equally enterprising: "Ideal Solutions", "Smart Solutions", "Party Solutions", "Curtain Solutions", "Critical Solutions"... the list is long. When the question is of one's well being, a superficial solution will not work.

Non-apprehension of Reality is the cause for all misapprehensions. A deluded mind creates misunderstandings. One who broods over the past mars the present which is what shapes the future.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The future is unpredictable, so the end is unknown to us. This is the mystery of human life. Ancient wisdom had no hesitation in accepting this truth. But today, we find it difficult to accept.

T S Eliot lamented: "Where is the wisdom, we have lost in knowledge;/ Where is the knowledge, we have lost in information".

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Most of us experience anger in some form or other almost every day. Anger is a negative emotion; it can cause violence, it can ruin relationships, it can lead to serious illnesses and it is known to kill. Yet, few make the effort to try and overcome this emotion. So anger continues to affect millions worldwide.

As children, we are taught to contain anger. An angry child is asked to be quiet. This is the conventional approach. As a result, the anger is suppressed.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

One of the most difficult and painful things to do in life is to admit one's mistakes. When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon the first words he meant to say and which he had practised several times were: "That's a small step for a man, but a giant leap for mankind". What he actually uttered was a contradiction: "That's a small step for man but a giant leap for mankind". But no one has acknowledged this error so far.

Most of us hesitate to confess our mistakes. We are equally reluctant to express regret, and it is a rare person who tries to make amends or even simply render a heartfelt apology.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 43.25

Whatever defect I have of eye, of heart, of mind,

or whatever excess there is,

may Brihaspati remedy it.

Gracious to us be the Lord of the world.

Yajur Veda

Carry us across, as by a boat

across the sea, for our good,

Shining bright, drive away our sin.

Rig Veda

Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.

Roberto Assagioli

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge, and dares forgive an injury.

E H Chapin

Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.

Hannah Arendt

It is far easier to forgive an enemy after you"ve got even with him.

Olin Miller

He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.

Thomas Fuller

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)