Tag: COVID

The Minimalist Fitness Regime

Have you ever seen a fat cat with its stomach bulging or an elephant who is skinny and under nourished? Probably not! Well that’s because animals stick to their regular diet and activity. They have been following it since ages and they mostly remain healthy unless they become dependent. However, whatever situation they might be in, they have not forgotten their basics.  

Humans are crazy creatures. They experiment with everything. Well this curiosity of experimentation has brought us to the phase of what we are now. But one thing which we have failed to understand is ‘sticking to the basics’. This common sense includes having a proper diet and regular exercise regime.

Fitness and diet are the essentials of a healthy life. The benefits of doing regular exercises and having a good diet are well known to every individual. Among all the benefits, not getting contracted with a disease is the biggest advantage. Hope that everyone is engaged in these healthy habits in time of COVID-19. If not, what are you waiting for? It’s never too late unless you are bed ridden. Start now because, exercising does not require ‘sophisticated’ equipments or functional setups or extravagant gym studios. Actually, humans do not need any equipment at all to become fit! We are designed to remain healthy just by engaging in some metabolic activities.

The minimalist way of doing exercise could be practicing ‘Yoga’. This is the ancient technique which has been evolved since last 5000 years and was originated in India. Since last few decades, it is gaining momentum around the world. The yogic philosophy is the description of the ‘way of living’. It is richly described in the literature and is available over the internet. Many books and courses are also available worldwide, if one wishes to learn the yogic philosophy. However restraining to our discussion, the yogic literature consists practice of ‘Yogasanas’ (Yoga postures) as a fitness dose to the human body. The benefits of practicing yoga are innumerable. You can start with simple postures and move on to complex postures by continuous efforts. Practicing these yogasanas is very interesting ritual. Unlike heavy gym training, one does not experience fatigue after performing the yogasanas. There are different asanas for different requirements. If you are troubling to gain weight, the ‘Suryanamaskar’ will help you achieve your goals. Likewise there are different asanas for different problems. The problems such as constipation, IBS, and even paralysis and many such physical deterrents can be cured just by practicing Yoga.

21st June is celebrated as International Yoga Day. It is to promote this simple yet effective practice for benefit of humanity. Try some of the yogasanas and you will love doing them. But remember to perform under expert supervision. The yoga studios are setting up in every city around the globe. There are even online yoga classes. The basic yoga training and material is freely available on most of the leading yoga institutes. Try to reach out these websites. You will be fascinated by the content.   The Government of India has also launched initiatives to promote yoga globally. Reach out for more information and content about the yogic asanas practice; how to become a yoga trainer; the yoga institutes; where to find them; how to approach on this official website of Government of India http://yogacertificationboard.nic.in/leading-yoga-institution/

Micro-plastics, Ecology and Human Intelligence

Anything which has a sustainable impact for a long time is said to be good for life. Plastics are with us since the 1960s. Initially, this product was considered to be revolutionary for the business industry. But ultimately it failed as a sustainable material after just 3 decades since its inception, yet it is being used incessantly in the industry in every possible manner; though we have alternatives to the plastic. Though we know the consequences we are not taking firm steps; we are not changing our outlook. Just to bourgeon a certain business domain, the future of the entire ecosystem bargained at stake.

Plastics take 1000 years to decompose. It has reached everywhere from the highest peaks to the deepest trench. Wherever humans had their footprints, he left his legacy of plastic. We can see contaminated soils; suffering oceans; choked cities; suffocating biodiversity. Yet we are ignoring the fact. When are we going to realize that life matters? Why are we not accepting the peaceful existence of all living beings? Is it that animal and marine life doesn’t matter? Are they such insignificant and we so superior? Is it that humans have lost empathy towards others in the race of making money? How blind we have become that we cannot see animals and birds consuming plastic and dying terribly. Is it not a case of lynching, for which each one of us is responsible. Cruelty is thriving on the seats of ignoring the behavior of humans.

Small things get unnoticed until they become too big. The story of plastic is just like that snowball which now has become an avalanche

Karma now is hitting us back with serious problems waiting ahead. It’s been decades since we are dumping the plastic. The plastic disintegrates due to the effect of sunlight, sea waves, human activities, and natural process. It disintegrates into tiny particles that are of a micro size. Now it is coming back in the form of microparticles. These particles then enter the human body unnoticeably through the consumption of seafood and drinking water. A study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology has found that humans might be consuming 39000 to 52000 micro-plastic particles each year.

We, humans, act too late, we realize the reality but, we ignore the truth and when reality struck back on us we suffer the consequences, often with regret. Time and again we are repeating this same mistake.

 A report from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, predicts that the weight of plastic will surpass the total weight of fish by the year 2050. How will the marine ecology sustain is thus a question to ponder. How the human body will react to this micro phenomenon? Amidst so many diseases already playing their part in intoxicating mankind, micro-plastic is yet another issue of concern. 

Actually, it doesn’t seem to have any fortune in fostering this notorious material. Meticulous planning and collective efforts are required to solve this troubling issue. The COVID 19 pandemic problem will certainly get resolved but more disasters such as ecological degradation, plastic intrusion in the living organisms, etc await.     

It is said that man is the maker of his own destiny, however being lost in illusion for wealth, he has forgotten the principles of existence. Now it is for fate to decide our future, as mankind is yet again ignoring the consequences.

Ultimately nature is so intelligent that it will strive to regain its position where everything is back to square one, as it was before the humans but, in the process, no one will regret the loss of one of the most intelligent beings who ruled, rather unwisely, the planet.

” The fresh breeze along the sea; the exotic scent of the soil; the exhilarating feel of the woods, what a blissful life is! What a beautiful creation of nature is! Hope, our successors experience this phenomenon of life on earth”. 

Work Ethics-How a country can deal with corruption-Part 1

Money- A store of value.
Which differentiates social status.
Which distinguishes humanity.

From independence to present times, the history of India is beautifully described in the book: ‘India after Gandhi’ by Ramachandra Guha.  After going through the book, one can easily comprehend that rampant corruption lies behind the upsetting condition of India. Though we are not the worst affected country post-independence (except peasants, laborers, the poor, the lower middle which constitute almost the other half of our total population whose problems go uncared) as one may feel; though our economy is not submerging; though much development had happened in the country; though people, to some extent, have come above the social stigmas of the past, we had the chance to emerge as a ‘country of eternal values’ post-independence. However, we lost that opportunity while struggling with issues of literacy, integration of states, agrarian crises, defense, internal security, natural calamities, poverty, development, stability, political idiosyncrasies, etc. The next such opportunity has just emerged, after the realization of our social farrago and entangled political as well as social idiocy, amidst the disaster of COVID 19.    

While in power, one should not forget that ‘Nation is People’, where the key purpose of governance includes overall development of the nation; Developing a stable economy; Improving living standards; Uplifting the downtrodden; Development of the country in a sustainable manner; Preparing the nation for long term sustenance which in turn include a strategy for epidemics, pandemics, disasters, uncertainties; etc. Of which neither did happen in India to a permissible extent. The country is struggling miserably (only if one sees it from the eyes of laborers, migrants, and economically weak social classes) with just 2 months of lockdown. Had the democratic ethos being strengthened by administrative and political righteousness, the financial as well as the social situation would be different from what they are today.   

Corruption in a democratic country like India is not taken seriously by the public. They will protest for some petty reservation rights but, not for ethical governance. The result of this is that those who are part of the system gain a lot by doing insignificant work. The administrative and political career thus kick-starts personal ambition for power and money. It also gives impetus to unethical practices in the societal segments.

The common man has accepted the tragedy of the system and submitted himself to the authority sitting in the administrative and political arenas. In the administrative setup, the 2 percent commission is seen happening rampantly in each transaction. The commission is taken for passing the file from table to table and the amount is shared by almost everyone from peon to the chief officer as per their status in the office. It’s like the Hindi phrase ‘Kaddu Katega To Sab Me Batega’. Imagine how much the nation loses due to this ‘administrative and political prostitution’ happening in the system. We are quite acquainted with the phrase “with great powers comes great responsibility”. However, People, in power have lost their responsibility towards the national consensus.  

At work, one must have satisfaction in serving the nation. Here ‘Ethics’ and ‘Values’ are similar to the emotions of ‘Love’ and ‘Affection’. However, to abandon ethics and values for personal ambitions of success, prosperity had gained importance in this corruption-ridden system. It’s like practicing ‘Economic Prostitution’ by an official.

These officials demand money by laying-off ethics and values, to accomplish their own personal desires by conducting an under-the-table transaction in favor of sanctioning the files of fellow countrymen.

Practically the authority needs to sanction the work seamlessly within the stipulated time. To make this happen, the Anti Corruption Bureau has been established as a watchdog for the system. However, In India, a tremendous amount of applicants have their proposals for sanctions in the administrative offices. Amidst fierce competition, one cannot wait for the tedious legal procedures of filing the complaints and wait for results. Thus bribing becomes a safe haven for continuous work-flow which forces him to pay the commission amount to the officer. Lodging a complaint in the ACB thus makes the scenario impractical.

In today’s time the roots of corruption had already gone deep and have gained strength from the allied pillars of the system. While the only job left with the fellow countrymen is to water this giant devil, with hard cash, only to grow deep and decay the soils of liberal democratic ethos on which the nation stood post-independence. A more comprehensive approach is necessary to tackle the issue of corruption.

“In a free country, when ethics and integrity towards the national purpose are lost, the social fabric weakens and everyone starts moving in the vicious cycle of temporary personal gains, in such cases, the nation heads to deterioration either through internal collapse or external attacks or through the confluence of both.”

To tackle the current issue certain stringent measures should be carried out by the top leaders. We should always test innovative methods and apply them to the system to maintain the country’s progress aligned with societal progress   The righteous administrative practice is the wheel of progress. It should not get punctured by dirty practices of corruption. The public should stand strongly against such malpractice. In liberal India, if we cannot demand what is right, then we stand on the page similar to that of pre-independence. The only difference now is our very own politicians and administrators rule the country by ‘Divide and Rule’ policy and subjects of the country have become the victim of ‘independence propaganda’ and are floating on the clouds of delusion created by our own illiberal and parochial mentality. I hope it sparks up.

Unlock-self in Lock-down phase

“Tree: Representing Sophisticated nature, minimal needs and infinite possibilities”

After the COVID crisis, the world will not be the same as it was, predict experts. No one knows when, how, and where this problem will end. Oracles and astrologers are silent on the fate of mankind. However, change is the only constant. This time will over soon. The new age will welcome humanity with resilience and hope. But the time to come back to the new normal is yet not visible. By giving a new chance for survival, nature has once again taught us the law of survival of the fittest. I hope we learn from the constant hints from nature.


In the new world order, we will be losing a lot much freedom. However it is far better than losing our lives, isn’t it? What more will we lose in this catastrophe? Many will lose their dear ones, many will lose their jobs, businesses, relations, lifestyle, and daily routine. However, one thing we should not lose is our sanity. There will be a paradigm shift in our way of working, gathering, traveling. All this is certainly going to impact our self-perception about the world. Even before the corona outbreak, humans once lived their lives with certainty (though life was still uncertain then) are unsure about the future. This uncertainty can be due to insecurity of job, business, relations. This lock-down phase is about reducing the risk of insecurity. The time to prepare for the future. A preparatory leave for revamping our lifestyle. A break to think about our divine connection with mother nature. A holiday to redefine the way we define work. A void to feel the essence of life.


‘Unlocking self’ means thinking ways of self-improvement. Unlocking can be in every aspect of life. This includes personal health and development, spiritual growth, family bonding, working style, friendship and colleague connectivity, financial success, recreational time, and social aspects.


Each of these aspects plays a vital part in our lives. From shaping our personality to molding our behavior, attitude, and beliefs. We need to look into these aspects and indulge in the practice of transformation according to the changing ways of the world. In short, we will have to look for greener solutions in our own vicinity, ‘pro-environment’ lifestyle for better livability, redefine businesses as per the need of an hour. adopt healthy stress-free work options, inculcate Gandhian way of living, and practice minimalism rather than materialism. But why should we do this? because even if the COVID crisis ends (which it’s not gonna happen so easily!), the environmental stress will surely strike us back after some time ahead. Moreover, a healthy way of living will increase our ability to respond to the pandemic, increase our intellectual ability to comprehend the situations ahead, and will create a great business acumen. The way of ‘naturalistic living’ is more exciting than the typical routine lifestyle. Think of the possibilities ahead and start planning for the new routine.


What possibly one could do to unlock self? Find time to explore within; read varied literature; transform your house with creative thinking and using locally available stuff; adopt a healthy lifestyle – practice yoga, meditation; inculcate the habit of learning- a new skill, go back to hobbies, explore space through stargazing, reading interesting interstellar phenomenon; Gardening and planting saplings; find a passive income option which will help in maintaining cash inflows.

Well, there are hell lot of things one could do but, only if one wishes to do. You probably would have gone through your photo albums meanwhile since the lock-down. I hope you embrace who are. Make use of this time in finding self. Because in one way or the other time is going to pass, even if the world has taken a halt, the time hasn’t, after all, you should not regret that you spent this golden time just passing it by getting bored. By unlocking yourself, you will at least have some life exploring opportunities. Experience the world differently and stop being ordinary. A new world is waiting for you. A new world of possibilities, a world of equity. Stay sophisticated, stay minimalist.

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