October 2015 Editorial
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Volume 1| Issue 3|October 2015 A Hindu Cultural Center of Albany Hindu Temple Society’s Newsletter devoted to the Capital District’s Indian-American community particularly its seniors grandparents. Theres is then a honor the anchors of our families Editorial: A NewsLetter for realization that, like their own and recognize the immeasurable Our Community grandparents who continue to live ways they enrich our lives.” By Ram Chugh, Ph.D. through them, they will continue to The Hindu Cultural Center plans to live in the minds of their organize its own “Grandparents Day” Namaste! grandchildren as well. That is the celebration on Sunday, September Grandparents reality of life. 13, 2015. The details of the program constitute an anchor To express gratitude and love to and activities for that day are for our families. They grandparents and what they mean currently being worked out. These will connect us with our to us, the United States observes a be shared with our community when near past and give National Grandparents Day on the finalized. us hope and first Sunday in September following Let us take time to honor our inspiration for our future. They pass on the Labor Day every year. This year grandparents on September to us religious, cultural, moral, and the Grandparents Day falls on 13th. Please see the REQUEST on page social values they learned from their th Sunday, September 13 . Six. own grandparents. In particular, they In his 2014 National Grandparents form special bonds with their This issue contains two pieces written Day Proclamation message, President grandchildren. They share stories of by famous Indians, Tagore and Swami Obama said: “Each year, we pause their lives with them, play games, Vivekananda, and three short essays to salute the grandmothers and read books, laugh and even cry with by young students from our Heritage grandfathers who strengthen our them. While playing, grandparents class, Somida Oruganti, Bhargvy families and shape our Nation. again become children themselves. Ramathan, Shashank Salgam. Other Through decades of hard work, they In the process, they enrich their own contributors include Amar Chandel, have broken down barriers and lives and those of their grandchildren. Jagdish Doshi, Richa Kaushik, Kajal blazed pathways for the generations Lahiri, Jai Misr, and Kishan Putta. They become distant observers of the that followed, and they continue to changing life cycle and the passage provide inspiration and support to We thank them immensely for their of time. They think of their own their children and grandchildren. On contributions to Reflections. childhood and of their own National Grandparents Day, we Vedic Science boosts Modern treatment of depression, anxiety, and disease and Inbetter this overallIssue health. In post traumatic stress disorder which contrast, ‘negative’ emotions like Medical Science will increase wellbeing and quality of anger,Editorial fear, and sadness adversely---- 1 By Ronnie Newman Ed.M., C.A.S life rapidly. It shows that its beneficial affectTagore’s these Poem systems leading---- to 1 effects reach all the way down to the poorer overall health. As a research Time for second opinion ---- 2 scientist in the field molecular level to a person’s DNA. Yet, neither in school nor in the health Aging Gracefully ---- 2 of mind/body How is this possible? The cutting edge care system have tools been offered medicine, I realize medical field of PNI (psycho-neuro- toHinduism handle the in the mind Caribbean and emotions -- 3 that some of the immunology) provides some clues. It systematically.Jainism The Yogic Science---- of3 most effective and explains how people’s health and Breath can fill this need because Indian History ---- 4 easy to adopt health promotion even the very length of their lives emotions and breath are practices derive from the ancient become profoundly affected by their interconnected.Timekeeping People can---- see that4 Vedic tradition. This article focuses mental and emotional states. everyMy Grandparents emotion creates a specific---- 4 the Yogic Science of Breath (YSB), a Chemical messengers called rhythm in breath. When fearful, the 5000 plus year old precise science of neuropeptides are released with breathKids becomes rapid and---- shallow; 5 health promotion which has been every emotion. Generally, ‘positive’ whenVivekananda feeling love, it becomes---- long5 shown in independent research to emotions like joy and enthusiasm andAssocns smooth.. of Thus,Capital rather Region than-- 6 enhance brain, immune, hormone, produce neuropeptides that allowing the emotions to alter the and cardiovascular functioning. influence the brain, endocrine, and breath through skilled use of the Sometimes, it can be superior to immune systems in positive ways, breath, individuals can transform their standard drug therapy in the leading to improved resistance to emotional states and impact whether Reflections Volume 1 | Issue 3| October 2015 life supporting or life damaging to take action regarding their chemical messengers are released. behavior in life. Because the present So, what are some of the results of faces all human beings, they can Yogic breathing practices? Nadi apply their free will and shape it. Hinduism says that people must Shod (Alternate nostril breathing) has been found to calm the ‘fight or dedicate themselves to free will, and flight’ response, reducing heart rate by applying free will in the past, they take on the resulting destiny. and blood pressure, and promote a more relaxed state. It is also an ideal preparation for meditation. The accompanying u Tube link can Shri Krishna states in the Bhagavad instruct people in Nadi Shod if they Gita that nature operates in people are not familiar with it, and 5-10 Karma, Destiny, and Free Will in through the three gunas or energies. minutes once or twice per day is Hinduism He says, “All activities are performed by the three gunas of nature. But the ideal. By Jai N. Misir Ph.D person who becomes deluded by the A breathing practice with the most false identification of the body thinks, comprehensive range of benefits is Karma comes from a ‘I am the doer.’ ” One can observe Sudarshan Kriya, which cannot be Sanskrit word which that people do not carry out the A learnedHindu Culturalvia video, Center but only Newsletter from a devoted to the Indian American Community, particularly to its seniors means “action”. The happenings of the world, but nature qualified instructor. It can reduce the rule states that each does it. This complete system consists stress hormone cortisol by 50% from action has the same of nature or energy which makes up the first session and increase the reaction at present or in the future. the three guṇas: goodness (sattva), wellbeing hormone cortisol by 33%. SK Good actions in agreement with passion (rajas), and ignorance practitioners also enjoy significant righteousness will have good (tamas). As bubbles become a part reductions cholesterol and high reactions, and bad actions in of the water, in the same way, the blood pressure with no change in diet agreement with unrighteousness will body becomes a part of nature from and spend 3 times as much of their have bad reactions. Human beings which it is formed. Therefore, energy sleep time in the deepest stage of reap the fruits of their actions in this becomes the doer of everything. sleep. More importantly, SK life or in a future life. This Under whatever circumstances, to practitioners enjoy greater mental development of rebirth becomes the gain more happiness or to lessen focus, quality of life, wellbeing, continuous cycle of death and rebirth unhappiness, people must use their optimism, and serenity. according to the law of action and free will in the present. Indeed, the more science expands its reaction. At death, the self or atman understanding of mind/body is taken by a subtle body into a new medicine the more it validates the physical body which can be a Hinduism gives human beings freedom health benefits of ancient Vedic human or non-human form. The goal to act but lets them know what is good practices. of Hindus is to free themselves from and bad for them. They cannot run this cycle of action and reaction and Ronnie Newman, Ed.M., C.A.S. is a away from their duties by faulting rebirth. Harvard University trained researcher destiny, for destiny becomes their own and published author in the field of creation. Furthermore, they cannot Mind/Body Medicine. She has hold God responsible since he presented on the subject at the United Hinduism associates free will to distributes the results in line with the Nations, The World Bank, and the karma, rebirth, and awareness of the qualities of their actions. National Institutes of Mental Health. She self. Destiny connects to human is Director of Research and Health beings with the results of their past Promotion for the Art of Living actions. People use free will when *Jai N. Misir, Professor Emeritus/Hindu Foundation (North America). they perform action at the present Priest* He taught at Hudson Valley time, and this present action Community College. becomes destiny or past action. For instance, if humans cause others to suffer, then they will experience suffering. If they love others, they will experience love. According to Hinduism, free will becomes subject Hindu Festival Tihar in Nepal to the control of samskaras, the mental impressions caused by past By Mohan Thapa karmas. Hence, people create their The Nepali ways may own destiny through thought, not be particularly emotion, and deed. Therefore, free familiar to others. I live will and destiny become one, but in the Albany area they vary in the issue of time. As a where about 250 result, nothing like destiny runs Nepali people reside. Many of them people’s lives, but karma drives them come to the Hindu temple.The Hindu 2 | P a g e Reflections Volume 1 | Issue 3| October 2015 traditions and rituals in Nepal are a *Mohan Thapa was born and raised in the accustomed to this surrounding.