Raghuraman

I acknowledge with thanks the writer Thich Nhat Hanh for the following inspiring information

There is a practice evolved from Buddhism called “Touching the Earth”. This yogic procedure helps us to realize our wish to generate love, compassion, joy and equanimity. During the practice we touch the earth deeply 6 times. We touch the earth with our forehead, legs and hands. Our mind and body forms a perfect whole. We surrender our pride, notions of fear, resentments and even hopes and enter the world of things as they are. We thereby return to our own source of wisdom and we are no longer separate from the mother Earth.

We join our palms and bow in 10 directions: east, west, south, north, north east, north west, south east, south west, above, below and an eleventh direction- within.

During the 6 earth touching we follow a procedure. In the first we look deeply within. In the second we see the connection between ourselves and other living beings, including those who live around us. By the fifth earth touching we are able to feel true love for the people we have disliked. All hatred and anger will disappear and we only want the person whom we hated to enjoy happiness and peace.

We are able to reach that point because we are able to love ourselves. So touching the earth and involving ourselves in the six meditations generates in us deep love, affection and acceptance. When we are able to love a person who made us miserable we realize what a miracle love is.

The closer you lie against the Earth, melting in to the Earth, the better you become nothing in order to become everything.

After practicing touching the earth for two or three months, you will feel deeply refreshed, strong and healthy. You will love life and be able to smile because the energies of hatred and ill will in you will have greatly diminished to enrich and elevate yourself.

Living in the present moment is the only way to live and live well. It is in the present that we touch base with our inner selves and come to terms with the reality outside. We need to continuously say goodbye to our past situations and circumstances and our reactions to them. It is in the now that we plan and project a future we want to ensure for ourselves.

With the dawn of each new day brings a time of peace, thanksgiving and prayer loaded with positive vibrations in thoughts and speech. As the day progresses we go on to encounter both the good and the bad. We should choose in each moment the good in us to weaken the low and unpalatable. This will act as a bridge going from from one good example to another.

We should live in the now, experiencing the richness of the present moment. By doing this we are extracted and uprooted from the past and the impending future. It is in the now that we make our encounter with the Divine. Nature knows no past or future. It is our human consciousness that relates to reality, as if it were an unfinished event or an inevitable future.

When we remain in the now we are open to enjoying all that is given to us as a gift. We experience to the full joy, sadness, laughter, pain, hope, dismay, beauty, ugliness –all wrapped up as a gift for the present. It is in the now that we rise when we rise, pray when we pray, eat when we eat and live as we live. In such an existence the past is over and future is still a way off .

The now helps us to arrive at our destination in the most effective way possible. So live now to the full, catch the early morning sunrise, enjoy the mist, dew, rain and snow, eat a healthy breakfast and enjoy the work of the day. Enjoy your leisure time, spend enough time exercising, begin each fresh day with a prayer and share your experiences with your near and dear. Above all, enjoy doing all these things!

The “now enjoy” technique never lets you down, because you are responsible for it from your own inner being which will provide the pattern and harmony for a more meaningful, richer life.

Healthy body: focus on more eating wheat products

Healthy skin: use olive oil

Healthy eyes: do eye exercises every day, use lubricating oils/drops once in while

Healthy hair: use approved Ayurvedic oils twice a week

Healthy fruit: apple and papaya

Healthy food: oats, green vegetables, green salad, grains and sprouts

Healthy exercise: yoga, breathing exercises (pranayama), walking,

Healthy drinks: four glasses of water first thing in the morning and apple juice any time

Healthy mind: meditation every day

Healthy beliefs:  kindness, fellow feeling, empathy

While you are traveling, on a holiday or moving to a new location there is a risk that one can run in to some sudden health problems. These can come when least expected and can become a big nuisance. However there are a few tips and ready solutions which can come to the rescue until one is able to reach each a medical centre or doctor.  The following will give much needed preventative measures and first aid help.

Some common medical emergencies are:

- Blood pressure sudden changes

- Tension

- One sided headache

- Cold

- Back pain

- Indigestion

Blood Pressure

Possible causes are excessive salt intake combined with excess weight and tension. The arteries use a particular level of pressure to carry the blood throughout the body, which is 120/80. When the arteries shrink or when there is a block the pressure increases and can become 120-135/80-99. Therefore it is possible that systolic pressure can go to 135 and diastolic pressure to 95. If not attended to, this can lead to paralysis, stroke and kidney function problems

Exercise is a very beneficial in this case. Therefore simple solutions include regular walking (30-45 minutes every day), use steps to climb instead of taking the lift, walk or cycle to the market instead of using a car or motor bike. Also, try doing some physical jobs at home including cleaning house, cooking, polishing etc

Tension

When you have one law for yourself and another law for others you are a likely candidate for mental tension. Another cause is over expectation. When you have tension, the WBC count in the blood can get affected and body resistance will be lowered. The symptoms are frequent headaches, increased blood pressure, frequent urination, forgetfulness, lack of concentration and tired feelings.

Suggested solutions are to think often about your achievements and success. Try not to view everything negatively (remember the cup half full story), do not compare yourself with others and spend more time with family members and friends. Focus on some exercise every day (45 -90 minutes), learn and attempt prayers, yoga and meditation. Think differently and develop self confidence. Read about achievers, take failures as a lesson for success and plan for an orderly day. As we can often invite tension in our daily lives, we have a responsibility to drive it out also.

One-sided headache

When we get a striking pain in one side of the head it can become unbearable if left unattended. Some get it regularly, for some it is only occasionally. Those with sugar problems can also get this if they do not eat properly and in good time. Symptoms are include blurred vision, seeing spots, numbness in legs and arms, and even vomiting.

Remedies include:

- Soak a towel in hot water, wring it out well and use it to massage the shoulder and back

- Drink a cup of tea without milk (you can also take two aspirins)

- Forget any recent incidents from home or work and try to rest in a cool, well ventilated place away from light

- If the pain is very severe doctors recommend use of a Sebilium tablet (check with your doctor)

Cold

For a normal cold Paracetamol tablets can be taken for 3 days. You can also get relief with massages of vapor rub (Vicks). Avoid cold drinks and  expensive cold remedy tablets as they are no better than Paracetamol tablets. One should also increase the intake of vitamin C and A, This can be done by taking plenty of cabbage, soya beans, orange, and carrots with your food. Drink warm soups.

Good food and rest will help a lot to reduce the impact of a cold virus. For further relief, inhale the vapor from a spoon of Vicks in hot water and covering your head with a towe.

Back Pain

There could be many reasons for back pain. Major causes include: continued and prolonged sitting in one sedentary posture (suffered by office workers), sudden lifting of heavy weighing objects, standing for long periods, wearing high heel shoes and being over weight with a high BMI index. Women are more likely to suffer from this when there is no physical activity, during pregnancy when weight increases or during the menopause phase when estrogen secretion increases.

Solutions for this pain include:

- Rest and good rest! Try sleeping on the floor with legs raised onsupports.

- A cold compress with ice cubes inside a folded cloth for 15 minutes, 4 times a day. Do not place ice directly on the skin.

- If pain persist after 48 hours, try hot water baths or keeping a hot water bottle

- Gentle massage over the pain area can be done, but do not press hard over the back bone

- Medicines can be tried including aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or paracetamol (only take one of them)

If the back pain continues for over two weeks you are advised to see a doctor. Pain can often be cured once the cause is identified.

Indigestion

The usual symptoms are a curling pain in the stomach, a burning sensation in the lower chest area, one sided headache, and belching. However, it is possible that these are symptoms could indicate some other complaint so be wary. The causes of indigestion include over-eating, eating foods high in oil content, eating excessively spicy foods, eating uncooked meat and excessive tea, tobacco or alcohol. People with mental tension, fast eaters or those with dental problems are prone to indigestion.

Solutions include:

- The risks are greater when you travel as you are away from home eating a different food, so eat moderately and slowly, chewing the food well

- Avoid eating spicy or masala foods. Avoid chocolates, onion, garlic, lime and tomatoes.

- Avoid over dried, fried foods or cold foods

- Stop eating at least two hours before going to bed

- Do not smoke

- Avoid tight clothes

- Try doing yoga, meditation when you feel tension

- Drink digestive Ayurvedic products: jeera water, ginger water etc

- Take anti-acids (Ranitidin or omipprazol tablets), this will reduce excessive secretion of acids in the stomach

All of these are temporary solutions,  if the problem continues  see a doctor at the earliest opportunity.

Certain events and situations in our daily life can cause tension and stress. This in turn can cause a delay to our progress and leave you wondering what to do next. Many of us will have come across such situations and most of the time will brood about it instead of finding a way to deal with it.

This need not be the case. The sky does not fall because of these happenings and there are some easy and effective tools for you to use. You will be back to be yourself in no time.

- Do not get close to people who have a negative or complaining attitude for very small issues. Avoid them, keep away from such people as they are infectious!

- Keep tapping your thighs  and hum your favourite song or music.

- Call and speak to your close friends or well wishers

- Learn to say no to offers and attractions which your inner mind will not accept. It is such temptations which land us in difficulties. Also do not accept jobs which you can not do even if you are promised exorbitant payment.

- When you are stressed your brain does not work to 100%. Seek help from people who are close to you.

- When you are stressed in your work, look away for ten seconds at things which you like to enjoy. These may be fresh flowers, paintings, trees,  birds or whatever inspires you. A new flush of energy will come to you.

- Write down the reason for your stress then tear it off and throw it away.

- Start doing some physical activity such as cleaning your room,  running, skipping or yoga. Stretch your legs and your feet and your mind will become lighter.

- Prepare a basin of warm water, add some salt and soak your feet for half hour.

- When you happen to do a blunder, recall yourself and laugh it out, then you will not feel so badly when others point it out.

- Pop a couple of sticks of chewing gum in your mouth and enjoy chewing. You will have seen some sportsman doing this all the time!

- Drink a cup of warm milk with some added honey. Retire to a dark room and go in to meditation.

- Try and divert the mind to some thing else. Recall your favourite last holiday, a recent big achievement, a noble worthy act or help rendered to a needy person. It will make you feel better.

- You should be aware that we all have our share of problems, so there is no point in allowing it to affect you. Solve it to the best possible extent and move on. Tomorrow will be a different day.

- Realise that there are limitations to your ability and the resources at your command. You do your share and God will take care of the balance. Have Faith.

- Keep telling yourself that you are a good person and that only good will happen to you. Repeat this ten times and positive vibrations will start happening.

Murphy’s Law says if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Every time we solve one problem a new one springs up. This is a common, normal experience for all of us. Maybe no one can escape this or be free of problems. However, the least we can do is to ensure that we do not fret and worry about them. The pressure of life is so great that any stresses will affect us physically and emotionally.

The solution is not to succumb to our frustrations by fighting back or running away from them. Those reactions can create still more problems for us in our relationships. We therefore need to find an acceptable alternative solution to defuse tensions. Meditation is one way to counter stress, as it is a process by which we can experience higher spiritual realms. Meditation helps by bringing physical relaxation and it also puts us in a state where we are absorbed in an enjoyable, blissful experience and become oblivious to the problems of the outer world.

We select a pose in which we can remain calm and quiet. By focusing our attention on a point between and behind the two eye brows, we withdraw our attention from the outer body. The body then becomes as relaxed as it is in sleep and the mind is free to go in search of realms with in. With this inner support we can then face our problems with a clear mind and find solutions. We are able to make more rational decisions because we see life from a higher angle of vision. We feel less stressed as we remain calm, which in turn relaxes the body, and thus our chances of stress related illness decrease.

It is possible that as you sit in meditation all sorts of turbulent thoughts will come to your mind. This happens because of the deep rooted tendency of the mind to dwell up on worldly objects. To counteract this a point of focus will come to the rescue. The panchakshari Om Namah Shivaya mantra will induce seekers into deep meditation. The five syllables are the bij-aksharas or seed letters of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether of which our body is made. Constant repetition of these holy syllables, either verbally or mentally, generates powerful spiritual vibrations, that will render the mind pure and one pointed. This leads to awakening of the kundalini, the spiritual energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine, the muladar, in each individual.

As you progress in meditation you will come to experience a sublime state, which will lead you to realise your inner most self, the abode of eternal consciousness.

We can meditate at any time of the day. We can begin our day with meditation, also end the day with meditation, during travel, during office lunch breaks, or immediately after returning home from a hard day’s work. We can overcome life’s stresses and strains and discover the key to relaxation and tranquility.

The coming of sixty years denotes the beginning of a very personal, exciting phase of life. It is very challenging and equally thrilling because to make it a success or failure depends greatly on your mental framework and attitude. The positive factor here being your own achievements in the past 60 years, God wants you to live this phase still better and therefore this opportunity has been given to you! An opportunity to catch up with all that you could not do, for whatever reasons, they do not matter now, for what matters is here is the chance, better make good use of it!

In order to make a success of this important activity one needs to shake off and shed a few things. The computer savvy among you will understand if I say erase or delete here! Foremost in this list are words like AGE and RETIREMENT. Age has never been a yardstick to measure one’s personality/attitude/or abilities. Ageing is a part of nature or growing up and has many positives which offer immense benefit. In real life there is nothing called retirement from all. It is a word coined by those escapists who want to hide in their own web or cocoon. Like self pity all these thoughts can trigger negative emotions and they rightly deserve to be tossed in to a dustbin or moved to the delete section! We see many people nearing sixty starting to give over importance to their health problems or ailments and will only talk about this most of the time. This neither helps them, the ailment or the listener! In fact this can be their favorite topic for all occasions which psychologists would term as attention seeking techniques. So why join the band wagon? Be different, live your sickness cheerfully with the support of medicines, Yoga, and meditation. Think of the millions who have much more serious ailments, but who live better than you. In fact they can make others laugh, so where is the problem? It remains well hidden in our mental framework, fuelled by unrealistic and unknown perceptions.

Sixty therefore is not the time to withdraw from life, on the contrary with our background and experiences in life, we can be much sought after persons. This is the time when one is free from routine family obligations, job pressures, and is at peace with one’s self! Double blessed are those who have an understanding spouse with similar perceptions of life. The love, peace, and joy one experiences kindles our imagination. As a result creativity blossoms and spritual awareness is pronounced with deeper insights in to life. We become balanced, content with minimum essential needs and wants. As a result a great spectrum of happiness emanates within you, which you only can experience and enjoy! In this stage and phase the imbalances of daily life will hardly make a dent in you as you learn to forgive and forget.

We are now free to explore all that life has to offer! Be it a new hobby, learning a language, music, writing, travelling to new locations, gardening, cooking new recipies, painting, mountaineering, exploring jungles, learning yoga, meditation, enrolling for voluntary social work, giving a helping hand to orphanages/senior citizens homes….the list is limitless! Sixty is certainly not the time to abandon your desires or interests; rather it is the ideal time to pursue your long cherished dreams, passions and past times. Listen to your voice and out will come a long list of things undone for many reasons and now is the opportunity. Remember most of the Nobel Prize winners in all fields are veterans.

So sixty is not the end! It’s a renewal or a new beginning. Accept the realities, but do not succumb to them. Ageing is inevitable, as is the associated symptoms such as absent mindedness, but this does not affect our creativity, mental acumen, shrewdness or discerning ability. Like our body which needs a dose of physical activity and exercise to stay fit, our mind must also be kept engaged, kept stimulated and rejuvenated with new things which we enjoy doing. Sixty is the right time to reassess our life and plans and act to fill up the gaps to the greatest extent. We have handy tools like the computer, internet, Dish TVs, cell phones and a big range of electronic gadgets which helps us to connect to people far and wide, to such an extent that loneliness will become a forgotten word.

We can become achievers even after sixty, for achievers are not born, they are made! It is not through inheritance, family lineage, connections or support. History tells us such back door entries have never sustained nor celebrated the joy of achievement. This is the time to gain and to give. Senior citizens are much cared and sought after in countries like India, Japan and China for they have so much to give. The paths they have travelled are milestones and directions to the emerging younger generations. This will direct them to achieve a balanced life with a good foundation on spiritual wisdom, build a super structure adapting to current needs and never to sway to temporary swings and attractions. Like a land mark, you will live a life well lived and well remembered.

Have you tried to give a definition for Heart? Try and you will realise how difficult it is, considering its unique nature. Simply put one can say it is a very hard working organ and the only source of energy for our body to function properly, that is for the brain to think, lungs to breathe, muscles to act all done by an organ weighing only 330 grams, a size similar to our wrist, and its activity involves pumping of blood to a distance of one hundred thousand kilometers distance, with a beating rhythm of one hundred thousand times.

All cells of the heart have a unique capacity to beat/vibrate all the time to act like a pump which can move blood and oxygen in one way traffic. How does it function like this? An unanswered question till today! Its functions start three weeks after the fetus is formed, initially as two parallel tubes with inter connections, and in five weeks the compartments gets formed, and in eight weeks its fully formed, and in sixteen weeks it starts functioning – beating and repeating and never stops until…

I had to undergo a CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) to provide an alternate path for the blood flow. They diagnosed that I have three blocks in my heart and the only solution was to go in for an open heart surgery where another vessel and route is created to maintain the normal flow/function of the heart and this tube (vein) is taken from my leg. This is the best way I can describe what I had undergone. This has also stimulated my interest to know all about heart, its functions, likely problems, remedies etc. I have attempted to put all this information in a short form so that it is useful for others like me to understand the issues involved. I also like to state here that the information is my understanding of the subject and should not be taken as a recommendation or guidance. For that the best person is your doctor and nobody else.

Our heart beats all the time (even during a heart attack) and you probably know the two movements, defined as systole and diastole and in the process oxygen is supplied to all parts of the body. Even though it appears to be a continuous function, in reality it is not so. The heart takes a fractional rest in between. It beats seventy times a minute, pumps approximately five liters of blood and functions all 24 hrs of a day, even when you are asleep. Don’t we owe a debt of gratitude and a big thank you to our heart once a day? Whose heart it is anyway? So why hesitate?

We all, well at least most of us have a tendency to take things for granted in many matters, particularly in matters outside our control and we apply the same logic to our heart, little realising that our life styles, attitudes, food habits, undesirable habits and our pedigree have a say or impact on the working of our heart. The poor innocent organ which takes all the punishment for wrongs not done by itself and we think we can get away from it unnoticed till our hyper tension, treadmill test, and finally the angiogram proves otherwise. We will blame everybody else, the easiest escape route available to us all.

Experts in this field would say that there are many reasons why we get a problem with the heart. One is that if there is history of heart problems in the family it is always advisable to underscore the fact you could be a potential victim and guard against it all the time. Overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, irregular and untimely food habits, highly tensioned and reactive life styles, high and regular intake of junk foods and fried, roasted oily foods, excessive smoking, excessive drinking, feelings of anger, hatred, jealously, bolted emotions etc can be some of the factors that can affect the normal functioning of the heart leading to problems like blockages in surface blood vessels of the heart or major blocks in arteries. One or multiple blocks needing a angioplasty or open heart surgery as the case may be. In all such cases it is generally advised that we go for an early correction than to live with it in fear all the time, causing tension to us and to others around us.

The open heart surgery (CABG) done for me involved preparation mentally so that all aspects are understood clearly. It enables oneself to prepare himself better and face the ordeal cheerfully and boldly instead of worrying unnecessarily. That what is being done is for my own good and healthy life, done by experts with experience and long training in this field in a specialised hospital and it is a routine procedure for them. Besides one can recover fast and be back home in 10 days time and through a process of recovery can come back to normal activity in 3-6 months. That the success rate is over 95% in these surgeries and in most cases patients who had undergone this need not go back for further operations of this kind in most of the cases. So there is nothing to lose – the cost benefit ratio is very favorable.

In CABG the bone protecting the heart/chest called the sternum is opened (after the patient is sedated) the heart should not beat to facilitate surgery. For this a solution of pattasin mixed in cold water is used and it stops the heart functions. It’s called cardio plegia-t substitute. The heart pump machine is connected to the heart till the surgery is over which in normal course of time takes 2-3 hrs. After the procedure is done a small current is passed which makes the heart click back to normal operation/or back to life! Said to be a great sight to see!

I was put in a special after care ward for 3 days for close monitoring with regular checks of all parameters by trained team of people/duty doctors and of course by the surgeon who did the surgery. I had to wear a tight chest band, and feeding was by intravenous tubes. Visitors to see only from a glass partitioned door outside as every day more and more patients came in to the ward which had about 20 beds or so I had plenty of company! Days rolled on fast and before I knew it I was back to my room allotted in the hospital, with only one attendee allowed (my son Arjuna stayed with me). Visitors were allowed and my wife Geetha beautifully managed the other end for us, finding time to visit me every other day. Arjuna was a source of moral, mental, helpful support as usual and on the 10th day we packed back home after farewell and thank you to all in the hospital connected with my surgery. My eldest son Vivek and his wife Cathy were in regular touch with Geetha all the time and spoke to me as soon as I reached home. As visitors were not encouraged for a month and I recovered it’s always advisable to seek the support and help of any known paramedics provided by trained institutions for a period of 4 weeks to be available on call or even stay 24 hrs for the first 2 weeks or so, and this helped me to a great extent as a supporting person will be required during this phase for sponge baths, dressing, medications, food administering etc. We are required to report to hospital 10 days after, one month, 3 month and 6 month and one year after for checkups and reviews.

Some of suggestions made during after care and to be adopted in general are the following:

• Walking, preferably in early hours for 30-45 minutes a day at least for 5 days a week. Practice breathing exercises, meditation.
• Eat oil less food, increase fiber content oats/cereals, and take fresh vegetables and fruits, sprouted grains, dry fruits. Avoid all junk foods, fried items and non vegetarian food. Reduce salt in food; avoid sugar as much as possible. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Stop all Aerated drinks.
• Control weight, maintain BMI applicable to you. Never over eat. Eat as far as possible during a fixed time of a day and leave a gap of 2 hours after supper and before you go to sleep.
• Live a relaxed life, read, develop new hobbies, travel, and learn to enjoy company.
• Draw an agenda for each day for special activities.

While these things are done for your care it is equally important to know and learn the first aid techniques to be done in case you are suspecting someone having a cardiac attack. Always keep aspirin at homes as it can come handy during early stages of an attack

The symptoms are severe pain in the chest, sweating excessively, breathlessness. Learn the techniques for mouth to mouth breathing. Take a deep breath and blow through person’s mouth keeping the head slightly raised. Repeat this 15 times every minute. While doing this another person should do the chest/heart massage. Keep the left palm over the right and press the chest. Repeat this seven times a minute. Observe, the patients lungs for onset of breathing. Give them a tablet of aspirin immediately as this will reduce the impact of the attack. Alert the closest hospital with facilities and ask for an ambulance. Alert the person’s doctor/or family physician to reach the hospital (or home if there is time). All of this can save a life but time and presence of mind and quick actions are a must.