Maa Durga has her task cut out for her on this Ashtami 2013. As the devotees gear up for the much anticipated Durga Ashtami Puja - there is apprehension, fear, belief, resignation in the air.
The demon is around the corner. In the shape of a whirling, swirling juggernaut of a tornado that looks ready to uproot everything in its way. This omnipresent Goddess, the embodiment of power, peace and motherhood - the killer of Mahisashura and all the evils that the demon personified - will she be able to vanquish this massive demon?
I can feel the people still hoping that the Goddess will somehow sway the demon. Together with our belief in Lord Jagannath we believe in this Mother Durga towards whose worship we plan and look forward to throughout the year.
Cyclone Phailin is a tangible monster with wind speed currently at 160 mph and around 400 kms away from landfall. It is showing all indications of a Supercyclone. But I still hear questions like - is it truly coming? Why is there no wind or much rain yet? Phailin is a tangible swirling mass of wind and condensation with no possible (or visible) reasons not to strike as predicted. We havent got the wind yet because we have been warned a lot in advance. The wind is coming and fast.
Two Supercyclones in the space of 14 years? Just when the trees have started to grow back and thrive after the massive devastation of 1999? Just when memories of the devastation and the chaos that followed have begun to heal? Not possible. The Maa will somehow thwart it. Hopefully not at the cost of swerving and sending it to other states.
Belief is a strong and strange thing.
Prayer for you Maa
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu Matri rupena samsthita
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu Shakti rupena samsthita
Ya Devi sarva bhutesu Shanti rupena samsthita
Namestasyai Namestasyai Namestasyai Namoh Namah
How to do Suryanamaskar (With Illustration) - Health, Fitness, Meditation and Prayer
How 12 Rounds of Surya Namaskar is all your Body Needs
Surya Namaskar or the salutation to the Sun God has long been accepted by Indian culture to provide a deep aligning of the mind, body and spirit. these asanas passed down from ascetics and refined by yoga Gurus has been practised for centuries early in the morning as a form of salutation to the Sun God Surya.
The modern day or current popularity of Surya Namaskar can be directly attributed to Sr sri Ravi Shankar and his Art of Living good living cell - as the popularity and following of Pranayama by millions can be attributed directly to Baba Ramdev.
How to Do Surya Namaskar
The Surya Namaskar yoga consists of 12 asanas in an inviolable sequence
# 1. Stand with your palms together (Namaskar pose) and your feet together in Pranamasan
# 2 Ardha Chandrasan- Lift the arms up and back in a slow fluid movement so as to stretch the entire body. Keep the arms close to the head and push the pelvis slightly forward to stretch better.
# 3 Bend forward from your waist to touch the mat
# 4 With both palms on the mat, move your right leg backward with knee on the floor. Left foot should be between the palms and head tilted looking up
# 5 Take the left leg back, keep the arms straight, feet on the ground in an inclined plank
# 6 Parvatasana - Raise the hips up while looking down. Palms and feet are on the ground. The position as the name suggests is like a mountain or an inverted "V"
# 7 Lower the knees, chest, chin to the floor. Raise the hips slightly.
# 8 Bhujangasana - Raise your chest and look up like a cobra. Back should be in an arc.
# 9 Repeat Parvatasana - Raise the hips up while looking down. Palms and feet are on the ground.
# 10 Go to position # 4 with the alternate set of feet - right foot at the front and the left leg stretched back.
# 11 Position # 3, ie bending forward from the waist while touching the ground
# 12 Same as position # 2 - Ardha Chandrasan - arms raised up and the body stretched outward.
End with the Namaskar which is the start of the second leg of one cycle in which you move the right leg forward first in Step # 4
Check out the illustration of Surya Namaskar .
Surya Namaskar or the salutation to the Sun God has long been accepted by Indian culture to provide a deep aligning of the mind, body and spirit. these asanas passed down from ascetics and refined by yoga Gurus has been practised for centuries early in the morning as a form of salutation to the Sun God Surya.
The modern day or current popularity of Surya Namaskar can be directly attributed to Sr sri Ravi Shankar and his Art of Living good living cell - as the popularity and following of Pranayama by millions can be attributed directly to Baba Ramdev.
How to Do Surya Namaskar
The Surya Namaskar yoga consists of 12 asanas in an inviolable sequence
# 1. Stand with your palms together (Namaskar pose) and your feet together in Pranamasan
# 2 Ardha Chandrasan- Lift the arms up and back in a slow fluid movement so as to stretch the entire body. Keep the arms close to the head and push the pelvis slightly forward to stretch better.
# 3 Bend forward from your waist to touch the mat
# 4 With both palms on the mat, move your right leg backward with knee on the floor. Left foot should be between the palms and head tilted looking up
# 5 Take the left leg back, keep the arms straight, feet on the ground in an inclined plank
# 6 Parvatasana - Raise the hips up while looking down. Palms and feet are on the ground. The position as the name suggests is like a mountain or an inverted "V"
# 7 Lower the knees, chest, chin to the floor. Raise the hips slightly.
# 8 Bhujangasana - Raise your chest and look up like a cobra. Back should be in an arc.
# 9 Repeat Parvatasana - Raise the hips up while looking down. Palms and feet are on the ground.
# 10 Go to position # 4 with the alternate set of feet - right foot at the front and the left leg stretched back.
# 11 Position # 3, ie bending forward from the waist while touching the ground
# 12 Same as position # 2 - Ardha Chandrasan - arms raised up and the body stretched outward.
End with the Namaskar which is the start of the second leg of one cycle in which you move the right leg forward first in Step # 4
Check out the illustration of Surya Namaskar .
600 Calories on Treadmill - Tum dee dum
I worked out 600 calories on treadmill today. This is by far my BEST EVER effort on a treadmill. I had done 600 calories one roughly 10 months back when I was preparing for the marathon. However then since my concentration was on jogging - I couldnt log much calories even though I worked out longer.
Today's workout log
Calories Burnt - 600 cal
Workout - walking on incline on treadmill
Distance covered - 5 kms
Time - 50 mins
Maximum incline - 13
Maximum intensity - jogging for 1 min at 7 km per hour speed on 13 incline.
Followed this workout with some crunches, leg press and 6 minutes on the Vibration Plate
Feeling - good!
This workout came about after losing around 1.5 kgs this week because of an upset stomach which compelled me to a minimal diet. I feel positively lightweight and timble toed ;-)
Today's workout log
Calories Burnt - 600 cal
Workout - walking on incline on treadmill
Distance covered - 5 kms
Time - 50 mins
Maximum incline - 13
Maximum intensity - jogging for 1 min at 7 km per hour speed on 13 incline.
Followed this workout with some crunches, leg press and 6 minutes on the Vibration Plate
Feeling - good!
This workout came about after losing around 1.5 kgs this week because of an upset stomach which compelled me to a minimal diet. I feel positively lightweight and timble toed ;-)
Sandra Bullock - Gravity and Age Defying Fitness
Bullock was always one my favorite people on screen. With this performance (which I will be sure to watch) my admiration for her has gone up a notch or two. Just one generation back - 50 was considered to be irretrievably old. Male actors have transcended the 50 years barrier with meaty roles for sometime. Women havent been so lucky. Good roles yes - but "gravity" defining roles at 50 - cant remember any!
Bullock's role which must have demanded a load of stamina is a tribute to her fitness. Sandra trained specifically for her "weightlessness" in the movie. She admits she pushed her body to the extreme during training.
Read about how Sandra trained for Gravity here.
Bullock's fitness regime is apparently a combination of dance routines for cardio, yoga and pilates. She revealed on Today Show to Jay Leno recently that she does kick boxing and rides a bike whenever she can and runs when she is in Austin.
Sandra Bullock Workout Regime
Sandra's workout by as prescribed by her trainer Eden Paul includes
Squats
Reverse Lunges
Push ups
Dumbbell Workouts
Scissor Kicks for those killer abs
Side Lunges
Sandra reportedly has been working recently with Simone De La Rue at the Body by Simone Dance Studio on
Yoga, Pilates and Dance Cardio. She apparently puts in one hour every day six days a week with Simone to get her killer looks.
The number 1 in DVD workouts at Amazon
Best of Fitness DVDs
Sandra Bullock Diet
What diet does Sandra follow? Sandra apparently maintain her looks and fitness by a healthy eating habit. She has revealed at times that she doesnt have a specific diet plan as such but avoids junk food. She apparently cheats a day a week.
Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred
Such an example of health and fitness coupled with true beauty and acting skill - deserves a shout.
Keep it up Sandra!
Lalu Prasad Yadav - Birsa Munda Jail Inmate
You can love Lalu, you can hate him - but you cannot ignore him.
For those who don't or cant delve deep into the murky world of Bihar politics, Lalu was a fascinating figure. The ultimate kingmaker.
Many in the nation held an aversion to Lalu during the scam days, his belligerent ways, his "I am above all laws in Bihar" attitude - and similarly many more had more or less replaced those images of him with those of a "successful minister", a kindly outspoken avuncular person, someone who understood the grassroots, family values. Especially when it became known he was not becoming the PM in the near future.
Lalu playing holi in dhoti, Lalu cooking for his family, Lalu in HBR and Lalu spouting truly secular values somehow managed to outweigh in the public's mind the very audacity and volume of the fodder scam. Of course in recent times the audacity of the multi thousand crore mining and 2G scams have somehow dwarfed the few crores Lalu apparently pocketed. But Lalu can be said to be the original Godfather who didnt care about how far and how deep he looted the nation without remorse or shame. A fact which he tried to mute later with a change of image and an able bureaucratic backup.
As the shutters come down on the fifteen year old fodder scam - we the hoi polloi wonder - will we see more justice and get better deliverence from the rabid politicians who rule us? It took a revengeful Deve Gowda who wanted to squash his king maker to ensure CBI registered the scam. So will this very system of unholy democracy ensure the politicians biting each other and giving each other up - to ensure deliverance for the common people? Maybe this venal politics will serve a better purpose than a squib of a jan lokpal bill! Again that means - a different party has to come to power every few years to trip up the corrupt in the previous regime.
Anything...to help us poor countrymen.
Even though Lalu is still the most fascinating and loved of all.
For those who don't or cant delve deep into the murky world of Bihar politics, Lalu was a fascinating figure. The ultimate kingmaker.
Many in the nation held an aversion to Lalu during the scam days, his belligerent ways, his "I am above all laws in Bihar" attitude - and similarly many more had more or less replaced those images of him with those of a "successful minister", a kindly outspoken avuncular person, someone who understood the grassroots, family values. Especially when it became known he was not becoming the PM in the near future.
Lalu playing holi in dhoti, Lalu cooking for his family, Lalu in HBR and Lalu spouting truly secular values somehow managed to outweigh in the public's mind the very audacity and volume of the fodder scam. Of course in recent times the audacity of the multi thousand crore mining and 2G scams have somehow dwarfed the few crores Lalu apparently pocketed. But Lalu can be said to be the original Godfather who didnt care about how far and how deep he looted the nation without remorse or shame. A fact which he tried to mute later with a change of image and an able bureaucratic backup.
As the shutters come down on the fifteen year old fodder scam - we the hoi polloi wonder - will we see more justice and get better deliverence from the rabid politicians who rule us? It took a revengeful Deve Gowda who wanted to squash his king maker to ensure CBI registered the scam. So will this very system of unholy democracy ensure the politicians biting each other and giving each other up - to ensure deliverance for the common people? Maybe this venal politics will serve a better purpose than a squib of a jan lokpal bill! Again that means - a different party has to come to power every few years to trip up the corrupt in the previous regime.
Anything...to help us poor countrymen.
Even though Lalu is still the most fascinating and loved of all.
A Healthy Run - That Was Not Healthy!
A 5 km run is just going to be a stroll in the park, right?
Wrong. If it has been organised by Apollo Hospital, if the runners are made to wait for an hour after the schedule of the run for the numerous guests, chief guests to stroll in, if there is no line marking the starting area - that the DJ co-ordinating the run has to shout herself hoarse, threaten, cajole, plead to get the runners into a supposed starting line which had already been changed twice, if there is absolutely no water along the way, if... the list goes on.
I am talking about the Run for a Healthy heart Run organised by Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar on 29th September to mark a Healthy Heart day. If "organised" is a word that can be used for the event.
The saddest part was there were many young children and older people who had come with such enthusiasm. It was touted as an everyman run. But apparently they forgot to provide water. I completed the near 5 km distance in 35 minutes, my son in 30 minutes - and if as claimed by the organisers the water was finished on the way - was it only provided for the professional athletes? For God's sake - we are not talking about fancy stuff that runners need - just water.
It was okay for me - but what about the 1000 odd casual people who had strolled in for such a run seeing the delightful ads? How can dehydration help a heart? Or did Apollo spend all the money for the event on the ads?
I guess it is a mistake being lured into such events by the general noise.
The only heartening thing about the run was the participation and general discipline and enthusiasm of the runners - despite everything.
And of course it didnt rain!
Wrong. If it has been organised by Apollo Hospital, if the runners are made to wait for an hour after the schedule of the run for the numerous guests, chief guests to stroll in, if there is no line marking the starting area - that the DJ co-ordinating the run has to shout herself hoarse, threaten, cajole, plead to get the runners into a supposed starting line which had already been changed twice, if there is absolutely no water along the way, if... the list goes on.
I am talking about the Run for a Healthy heart Run organised by Apollo Hospital Bhubaneswar on 29th September to mark a Healthy Heart day. If "organised" is a word that can be used for the event.
The saddest part was there were many young children and older people who had come with such enthusiasm. It was touted as an everyman run. But apparently they forgot to provide water. I completed the near 5 km distance in 35 minutes, my son in 30 minutes - and if as claimed by the organisers the water was finished on the way - was it only provided for the professional athletes? For God's sake - we are not talking about fancy stuff that runners need - just water.
It was okay for me - but what about the 1000 odd casual people who had strolled in for such a run seeing the delightful ads? How can dehydration help a heart? Or did Apollo spend all the money for the event on the ads?
I guess it is a mistake being lured into such events by the general noise.
The only heartening thing about the run was the participation and general discipline and enthusiasm of the runners - despite everything.
And of course it didnt rain!
Weight Loss - Working Tricks and Tips - FREE
Let me be clear. Running one marathon doesnt ensure weight loss (other than temporarily). Weight Loss is a function of just one thing...well two actually.
Proper diet could be a 1600 cal diet per day. If one is above 70 kgs and leads a moderately active life, the body expends near about 1800 - 2000 calories. So following a 1600 calories diet per day regularly should ensure that one loses weight.
Another factor that I have discovered that ensures weight loss is consistent exercise. I have discovered (yes it is a discovery because otherwise there wont be so many health fads) that people who regularly walk in the park while chatting are healthy and lose weight eventually. I include chatting because that gives the right impetus to walk. And consistent walking for one hour daily ensures weight loss.
The above is versus people who go on sporadic diets, take on gym membership and go may once a week for some hardcore training and change and follow various fitness fads. Result - for every kg of weight loss they put on weight.
Another thing going for the walk in the park is that it is an activity that can be done daily right onto old age or the eighties. It will be very difficult to walk on the incline or run backwards on a treadmill during the sixties unless one is abysmally fit.
A Simple Diet Plan
WHAT is a proper diet? A proper diet means eating a good breakfast, a regular everyday lunch with colours, less oil with loads of vegetable and a gluten free dinner before 8 in the evening. Simple, right?
A 1600 calorie diet could be divided up into four 400 cals diets in a day. Or it could be measured (1600 * 7) in a week. If you decide to fast on a single day or just take maybe 400-500 one day of the week - you can have a bit of fun other days!
So if you have like me tried all weight loss tricks and your weight goes up and down like a yoyo, you are well into your forties - STOP EXPERIMENTING and just take a stroll in the park.
- Proper diet
- Consistent exercise
Proper diet could be a 1600 cal diet per day. If one is above 70 kgs and leads a moderately active life, the body expends near about 1800 - 2000 calories. So following a 1600 calories diet per day regularly should ensure that one loses weight.
Another factor that I have discovered that ensures weight loss is consistent exercise. I have discovered (yes it is a discovery because otherwise there wont be so many health fads) that people who regularly walk in the park while chatting are healthy and lose weight eventually. I include chatting because that gives the right impetus to walk. And consistent walking for one hour daily ensures weight loss.
The above is versus people who go on sporadic diets, take on gym membership and go may once a week for some hardcore training and change and follow various fitness fads. Result - for every kg of weight loss they put on weight.
Another thing going for the walk in the park is that it is an activity that can be done daily right onto old age or the eighties. It will be very difficult to walk on the incline or run backwards on a treadmill during the sixties unless one is abysmally fit.
A Simple Diet Plan
WHAT is a proper diet? A proper diet means eating a good breakfast, a regular everyday lunch with colours, less oil with loads of vegetable and a gluten free dinner before 8 in the evening. Simple, right?
A 1600 calorie diet could be divided up into four 400 cals diets in a day. Or it could be measured (1600 * 7) in a week. If you decide to fast on a single day or just take maybe 400-500 one day of the week - you can have a bit of fun other days!
So if you have like me tried all weight loss tricks and your weight goes up and down like a yoyo, you are well into your forties - STOP EXPERIMENTING and just take a stroll in the park.
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