Mira Prabhu's Blog, page 64
August 14, 2015
Date A Girl Who Reads
Yes, date a girl who reads…better yet, get down on your knees in the old-fashioned way and propose…chances are you won’t regret it. Read D. Wallace Peach’s post for more on this special breed.
Originally posted on Myths of the Mirror:
I saved this the first time I heard it – a fun piece by Rosemarie Urquico. Enjoy!
Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.
Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.
She’s the girl reading while…
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August 10, 2015
Lend Me Your Ear
“Listen to Understand. Do not Listen to Reply.” Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Wow! How many of us are guilty of the latter? I know I can fall into that egoic pattern quite easily…it takes effort to really listen. As the great sage Milarepa indicated, by putting his hand to his ear in the mudra of listening, everyone can be our teacher.
Originally posted on The Shaming of The Shrew:
“Listen to Understand. Do Not Listen to Reply”
(Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1982)
Think about it.
Reflect upon it.
Act on it.
August 6, 2015
On Being a Bull In A China Shop
America was a fabulous country for me to emigrate to mainly because it gave me the freedom to flower. Growing up in patriarchal and often repressive India, I’d often been punished for being a free spirit—but Manhattan appeared to reward those who dared to be different, and, in turn, I fell madly in love with the city that never sleeps.
Working freelance in Big Apple law firms introduced me to an array of corporate attorneys; over time, I made fast friends with some of them. Although I was a serf, and determinedly so—for I had no desire to compromise my artistic freedom for a few dollars more—they appeared to be far more relaxed with me than with their peers and seniors. I felt this was due to the whip of social and political correctness: these attorneys—who’d slogged for years to reach their exalted (or soon-to-be exalted) positions as senior partners—did not want to risk their ascent up the corporate ladder by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and being publicly crucified for speaking their personal truth. Their caution was perhaps justified because even the most influential attorneys could be raked over the coals for a variety of evils: sexual abuse, racial slurs, verbal violence, et cetera. And so they learned to wear their masks so well that rarely did one get to see the complex human being beneath.
Possibly because I was openly on the eastern spiritual path, and frank about my own unusual views, these same professionals tended to spill their prejudices, likes and dislikes freely into my ear. If I thought their views sucked, I’d let them know; and if I appreciated how they felt, I’d do the same, never hesitating to expand my own consciousness as a result.
What a life! I’d find myself thinking from time to time. Not for all the money, status and privilege in the world would I want to guard my tongue!
Today I see similar attitudes reflected on social media, but for different reasons. As I post my posts, often like a bull in a china shop, I realize how conditioned some are by their responses.
Many are told it is wrong to judge; they are warned against what they call naming and shaming; people must be free even to destroy themselves, some believe. (Note: I make a distinction between the words ‘judging’ and ‘condemnation’: ‘judging ‘for me is to wisely use one’s power of discrimination; ‘condemnation’ is a failure to empathize with why we humans do what we do. So perhaps this is a matter of semantics. While we can never be certain why someone does what s/he does, we should be free to offer a sincere opinion, just so long as we acknowledge that our opinion is not THE TRUTH but a personal view that may change). 
For me, love takes whatever shape it needs to take to get a message across.
As for those who allow themselves to fall prey to political or social correctness mandates at the expense of personal honesty, I feel they never have a chance to mature.
Why? Because when we reveal what we genuinely feel or think, we give others the opportunity to tell us why they agree or disagree, thereby allowing the breeze of fresh knowledge to air the byways of old attitudes and patterns that could be keeping us stagnant. Opening up—no matter how wrong we may be—can lead to wisdom and to richer and more compassionate views.
Photo Credit: Bernd Kalidas Flory
Which stream of thought brings me to Advaita, an ancient philosophy that literally means “Not Two”. According to the great mystics, we are essentially One; just as in a gigantic spider’s web, what one single being in this mind-boggling cosmos we inhabit does affects the entire cosmos—which means we are each important to the health and harmony of the whole.
The basis of spiritual growth is an unflinching honesty about our relative selves; this relative investigation can lead to investigating who we are beyond mind, body, emotions and personal history—and eventually to the gnosis that we are no less than the Self, which is luminous, blissful and immortal.
Greetings on this lovely morning to each and every one of you from sacred Arunachala!
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Of Being a Bull In A China Shop
America was a fabulous country for me to emigrate to mainly because it gave me the freedom to flower. Growing up in patriarchal and often repressive India, I’d often been punished for being a free spirit—but Manhattan appeared to reward those who dared to be different, and, in turn, I fell madly in love with the city that never sleeps.
Working freelance in Big Apple law firms introduced me to an array of corporate attorneys; over time, I made fast friends with some of them. Although I was a serf, and determinedly so—for I had no desire to compromise my artistic freedom for a few dollars more—they appeared to be far more relaxed with me than with their peers and seniors. I felt this was due to the whip of social and political correctness: these attorneys—who’d slogged for years to reach their exalted (or soon-to-be exalted) positions as senior partners—did not want to risk their ascent up the corporate ladder by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and being publicly crucified for speaking their personal truth. Their caution was perhaps justified because even the most influential attorneys could be raked over the coals for a variety of evils: sexual abuse, racial slurs, verbal violence, et cetera. And so they learned to wear their masks so well that rarely did one get to see the complex human being beneath.
Possibly because I was openly on the eastern spiritual path, and frank about my own unusual views, these same professionals tended to spill their prejudices, likes and dislikes freely into my ear. If I thought their views sucked, I’d let them know; and if I appreciated how they felt, I’d do the same, never hesitating to expand my own consciousness as a result.
What a life! I’d find myself thinking from time to time. Not for all the money, status and privilege in the world would I want to guard my tongue!
Today I see similar attitudes reflected on social media, but for different reasons. As I post my posts, often like a bull in a china shop, I realize how conditioned some are by their responses.
Many are told it is wrong to judge; they are warned against what they call naming and shaming; people must be free even to destroy themselves, some believe. (Note: I make a distinction between the words ‘judging’ and ‘condemnation’: ‘judging ‘for me is to wisely use one’s power of discrimination; ‘condemnation’ is a failure to empathize with why we humans do what we do. So perhaps this is a matter of semantics. While we can never be certain why someone does what s/he does, we should be free to offer a sincere opinion, just so long as we acknowledge that our opinion is not THE TRUTH but a personal view that may change). For me, love takes whatever shape it needs to take to get a message across.
As for those who allow themselves to fall prey to political or social correctness mandates at the expense of personal honesty, I feel they never have a chance to mature.
Why? Because when we reveal what we genuinely feel or think, we give others the opportunity to tell us why they agree or disagree, thereby allowing the breeze of fresh knowledge to air the byways of old attitudes and patterns that could be keeping us stagnant. Opening up—no matter how wrong we may be—can lead to wisdom and to richer and more compassionate views.
Photo Credit: Bernd Kalidas Flory
Which stream of thought brings me to Advaita, an ancient philosophy that literally means “Not Two”. According to the great mystics, we are essentially One; just as in a gigantic spider’s web, what one single being in this mind-boggling cosmos we inhabit does affects the entire cosmos—which means we are each important to the health and harmony of the whole.
The basis of spiritual growth is an unflinching honesty about our relative selves; this relative investigation can lead to investigating who we are beyond mind, body, emotions and personal history—and eventually to the gnosis that we are no less than the Self, which is luminous, blissful and immortal.
Greetings on this lovely morning to each and every one of you from sacred Arunachala!
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Click the buttons below to SHARE if you liked this post.
Size Matters – Serialisation of Diary of a Fat Woman.
“…my health issues had reached a point where I was in real danger of not making 45 years old. The doctor was young and down to earth. He laid it all out for me.. Live or Die and the only person who could make that decision was me. So began a long, roller coaster ride to understanding, health, some bumps in the road to where I am today….I hope by sharing the book here on the blog for free that I can share a very simple message as far afield as possible. Obesity will kill you one way or another… If you hand over the responsibility for your diet and health to industrial food manufacturers you will be fat and unhealthy.” Allow Sally Cronin’s excellent and honest post to make a difference in your life…and take advantage of her great offer of the book…thank you, Sally, its been too long!
Originally posted on Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life:
In the introduction earlier in the week I mentioned that my health issues had reached a point where I was in real danger of not making 45 years old. The doctor was young and down to earth. He laid it all out for me.. Live or Die and the only person who could make that decision was me. So began a long, roller coaster ride to understanding, health, some bumps in the road to where I am today.
I hope by sharing the book here on the blog for free that I can share a very simple message as far afield as possible. Obesity will kill you one way or another… If you hand over the responsibility for your diet and health to industrial food manufacturers you will be fat and unhealthy.
Here is chapter one of my story – Size Matters (Especially when you weigh 330lbs.)
LIFE OR DEATH
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July 31, 2015
11 Of The Best Quotes In Literature
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” -Jack Kerouac, On the Road.
Read more of the !! Of The Best Quotes in Literature…
Originally posted on 101 Books:
A great sentence is as refreshing as a cool cup of water.
See what I did there? That was a bad sentence riddled with a horrible cliche. That was the opposite of a good sentence. In fact, I’m probably terrible at writing good sentences–that’s why I love reading other people’s good sentences.
Today, join me as we bask in the brilliance of some of the greatest quotes from literature. I wish I could write like this.
Enjoy.
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Indie Or Traditional, That Is The Question
“I’m still amazed by the number of Indies out there who have convinced themselves that an eye-catching cover is guaranteed to sell their book. It doesn’t! Yes it’s true it will help. But on its own its nothing more than the literary equivalent of eye candy. Ever since the first printed book rolled off a hand operated press hundreds of years ago, what has always sold the book to the reader is its content, never its cover!
Still want to become a published author? If the answer is still yes, good luck. Just remember that you must be prepared for a hell of a lot of hard work, harsh criticism from your fellows, competition, jealousy, envy and heartache.”
Read on for more on making the choice between going Indie or Traditional…and thank you, Jack Eason!
Originally posted on Have We Had Help?:
Ok so you’ve finally decided to pluck up the courage of your convictions to make your passion for writing a fulltime career. Before you even begin, the one question you have to seriously take into consideration is this. Do you become an independent author, or do you try to break into the world of traditional publishing?
If you decide on chancing your arm with the latter, after first avoiding the tempting adverts from vanity press and some of the other fly by night options out there, like the plague, bearing in mind that every one of them is waiting to fleece you while masquerading as legitimate traditional publishers, you will immediately be confronted by what the industry commonly refers to as gate-keepers. What are they? Simply put, they are the publishing houses’ often seemingly impenetrable lines of defence, designed to extract the occasional gem for serious consideration from among the…
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July 30, 2015
blabber
“Words relay images, emotions, vibes. It stands to reason, then, that negative words relay negative images, emotions and vibes, spreading them like a virus. Likewise, positive and constructive words relay positive and constructive images, emotions and vibes. And wasted words are wasted opportunities altogether.” Read Erik’s interesting post on the immense value of words….thanks, Erik!
Originally posted on The Best Advice So Far:
I read a claim today that women talk three times more than men: 20,000 words per day for women compared with 7,000 for the average man. However, more recent and credible research counters this, stating that the average adult of either sex utters about 16,000 words per day.
To get a better grasp of that number, imagine trying to count from 1 to 16,000 in one stretch. Ready? Go! 1 … 2 … 3 … 4 … 5 … 6 … 7 … 8 … 9 … 10 … 11 …
Is it sinking in yet just how large a number 16,000 words really is?
My goal today isn’t to debate who’s talking more. It’s simply to say that we are all talking an awful lot. But what are we actually saying with all those words?
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July 28, 2015
Let Death Touch Your Characters – Writing Grief
“There was a roaring in my ears and I lost track of what they were saying. I believe it was the physical manifestation of unbearable grief.” Barbara Kingsolver. D. Wallace Peach writes a great and moving post about letting death touch your characters.
All my three novels (2 and 3 are works-in-progress) deal in part with the shocking finality of death and what it does to our psyches…no matter who we are and what we believe, death stuns us – I’m talking about “normal” folks here, not the sociopath or psychopath. We can allow it to make us bitter or better. I choose better…..now please do read on…
Originally posted on Myths of the Mirror:
The first book I read that dealt with death was Charlotte’s Web. I cried at the little spider’s demise and reread the book a week later, so I could cry again.
When I grew up, I became a grief counselor and hospice volunteer. I ran grief groups for children and families. The resiliency of children, their ability to find joy in the midst of deep sorrow and uncertainty, led me to a career in early childhood mental health.
I did all this before death balled up a fist and punched me in the face.
On July 3, 2003, my youngest brother, Dan, was shot in the head. Twelve years later, his murder remains officially unsolved.
As you might imagine, my experience has led me to be somewhat discerning about the presence of grief in the books I read. In fact, a psychologically “normal” character’s complete lack of any grief response to the death of…
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July 26, 2015
The Guardian Is Now Available For Purchase
The Guardian by Jack Eason
ISBN-13: 978-1515213611
ISBN-10: 1515213617
BISAC: Fiction / Science Fiction / Adventure
Originally posted on Have We Had Help?:
Click on the cover to go to Amazon.com
Well, here it is folks. The Guardian is now available for purchase in paperback. You can order your copy on any Amazon site as well as on Createspace. If you are one of the minority of people who never buy anything online, (I’m acquainted with one or two of them) but would still like to purchase a copy, simply go to your local bookshop and ask them to do it for you. All you will need to provide is the following information:
The Guardian by Jack Eason
ISBN-13: 978-1515213611
ISBN-10: 1515213617
BISAC: Fiction / Science Fiction / Adventure
~~~
If you buy directly from Createspace or your nearest Amazon outlet it will cost you US$5.38, or your country’s equivalent (£3.45 here in the UK) plus postage and packaging.
You will note that I’ve changed the cover. While I still like the original…
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