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THE WINTER READING

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Reading is a wonderful pastime. It is a hobby that transports the reader to different places. Readers can meet different people in different time zones or eras.

There are few aspects of reading that I follow consistently. I would like to share the same here.

  • Reading outside early morning undisturbed helps – helps one to unwind and start the day in a very relaxed manner.
  • Read books that are not connected to one’s area of specialization. I am an Economics teacher by profession, but I read a lot about History, Literature, Geography and Philosophy.
  • Make sure one does not read more than 10 pages a day. Reading should be followed by reflection too.
  • Read different books each day. If one reads a biography today, read a literature book tomorrow.
  • Read one fiction a month – it be romance, thriller or a murder mystery.
  • Treat vacations as an opportunity to read.

I travel to different locations, find places to rest and read regularly. This winter vacation I read:

  • Agatha Christie: Closed Casket by Sophie Hannah.

This was an unfinished murder mystery by Agatha Christie, which was completed by the Author Sophie Hannah. Unlike the earlier mysteries, this book does not have the thrill nor was it gripping. The twist and the turns were pretty predictable. Hercule Poirot was not characterized as expected. The character seems to talk a lot and hardly uses French during his exclamations. Yet, the English County and their everyday rituals are well described.

  • How To Become CEO. An Amazon.com Top 10 Business Book. The Rules for rising to the top of any organization by Jeffrey J. Fox.

This was a good book to read – short, sweet and crisp. This book is practical and provides tips to handle workplace conflicts. It guides on navigating one’s career using simple but effective strategies. This book is an ideal gift for a BBA or MBA student. The suggestions also help mid-career professionals. This book has to be read once without a break – it’s in fact, a good airport read. Read it once from the first chapter to the last. Then, choose any chapter that resonates with you. Work out the strategies mentioned there.

  • Effective Life Management by Swami Amartyananda

This book was a simple book written in a lucid language. The book was more about disciplining oneself. There are a lot of examples from the life of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. The book does not give out any new ideas; it rehashes the ideas read in different self-help groups. The last section of the book completely focuses on SDM (Satsang, Discipline and Meditation). It explains each aspect in detail. It also describes how this helps in self-discipline. This isn’t an airport. It’s a book you can leaf through while having a morning cup of coffee.

Reading is varied books, expands our mind – this is definitely a different form of meditation.

Adult coloring books

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This is a past time of mine. I do not have any name for it.

I use adult coloring books as a de-stressor. I color the pages and find some relevant detail about the subject I have colored. I then try to do a photo-text (a challenging job, though I have not been really successful).

This I consider is a beautiful and mindful practice—where I combine art, stress relief, and learning into one activity.

My process is:

  1. Color a page from my adult coloring book.
  2. Research some meaningful or relevant detail about the subject I have just colored.
  3. Pair my colored art with that fact or detail.

This is not just for fun. I have attempted to convey a subtle message. Social media can be used as an effective platform for learning. Knowing and knowledge is really fun when it is shared.

I treat this as a personal project with a deeper philosophy. I intend to show, through my posts, that social media can be a space for meaningful learning, not just scrolling. I strongly believe that knowledge can be joyful when paired with creativity, beauty, and sharing.

For people who view my post, this is micro learning experience. Each little post is a knowledge card. Knowledge card = mindfulness + art + knowledge + social good.

The Impact of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ on Mental Health

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My school has an active reading club for teachers. I love institutions that encourage teachers to develop reading habits. These habits allow us to self-grow.

There was a list of books that we read, and I picked one. This book has been very popular. It has sold a million copies – Man’s search for Meaning by Viktor. E. Frankl. Why I picked this book?

I have heard a lot of positive reviews about it. The tag line caught my attention ‘The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust’. I just couldn’t miss the books. So, there I was grabbing a copy.

Adulthood brings with it multiple roles for a woman to play. Finding time to read a book juggling multiple roles was not an easy task. The book is such that once you pick the book up, you can’t put it down. And that’s exactly what happened.

This book is about the story of a holocaust survivor. He takes us through his journey with graphic details of gas chambers and the life lived in those prisons. He has included many profound statements in his book. One such statement is ‘No greater responsibility than the one towards our parents.’

The language used is lucid. The author reminds us that the weak ones are the first to be eliminated in the camps. This is like the world we live in. The weaker you are, you will be the first one to fall. Camps strip people of their identity -clothes and names. Pages 15 to 19 of the book leaves you wondering: Do we really need identities to stay alive? This is definitely a reflective question.

This book is a must read for any literature student. Pages 22 to 26 are especially important. The writing is descriptive. The reader joins the author in his grim world. The state of hopelessness, in which the men live in these camps kills sexual urge. There is only one thought and one battle – the battle is to stay alive. Abstract emotions like memories, imagination, seance, art/music and dreams keep people alive in concentration camps.

This is a must-read book for students studying History and a definite read for Theory Of knowledge (TOK) students. Volunteering is important to keep the fear of death away. Developing a sense of humor helps to limit despair. These are other interesting tools that the author talks about to deal with trauma. This book is highly recommended. It is especially relevant in current times when many deal with mental health issues. And commercial therapists do not always prove helpful.

I have shared a few key areas from the book. This book is a treasure trove. It sends us a very powerful message. In our darkest times, we should help ourselves. No one else will. In concentration camps, when people just hours from death survived by imagining a comeback, we can fight our demons. We can live joyous lives by creating a purpose to live for. A book not to be missed.

SELF-PACED COURSES

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Being a teacher and being a passionate teacher, I love professional development courses. It lets me meet new people in my profession, I learn from them and they from me. I get to network. I get to apply new teaching strategies after these courses. I upskill.

Thought, these courses have a lot of advantages; it has disadvantages too. One of the disadvantage is that I had to travel.

But, technology is a boon. Most of the teachers or organizations support teachers to sign up for these self-paced courses. These courses can be done at our own pace, get our assignments peer-checked and share our views with other teacher participants without disturbing our regular schedule. I love these courses.

the magic of massage

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Hit 40s, early menopause symptoms – back ache, pain in the shoulder, neck pain, knee pain, degeneration of bones – all kinds of medical terms – doctors state. It is true, as well.

Medicines, treatments and injections…… what not to cure ourselves. I prefer Ayurvedic massage and steaming, instead.

A full body massage with warm oil; and steam for a few minutes – allows the oil to enter the opened pores after massage.

Massage and steaming – works. Amazingly ! Try it.

buy lumhaa : the memory jar

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Getting a personalized gift or creating one is a joy in itself.

Lumhaa provides us with an opportunity to create one. What started with an app to store memories, has turned into a beautiful online shop where we can make jigsaw puzzle with ours or our family photos.

The shop also sells cute pack of cards – Family cards , self-reflection cards. These cards have a set of questions – we could ask each other in a family gathering. I would say, it is way better than the boring Antakshri or choreographed family dance.

Try Lumhaa!!

DOG – A GOOD WALKING PARTNER

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Exercise is something, I never liked it. Though Doctors have been insistent that I exercise – especially walking. It never interested me.

An addition to my family – Maggie made all the difference. Walking – once in the morning, twice, thrice and four times in the evening – pushes me to exercise.

The fun part of walking many times a day with a serious walking partner is the area we get to explore – unchartered territories and new insects we get to meet.

Dog is a wonderful walking partner – quiet, focused and adventurous. Get one.

AN EVENING WITH SHRIYA SEKSHARIA

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I had the privilege of spending an evening with Shriya Sekhsaria – the CEO of Lumhaa.

A sweet, sensitive and very clear-headed young entrepreneur. Her vision about her career and her business; the warmth with which she addresses her employees shows a businesswoman who cherishes her dreams and her people.

Do invite her to your organisation or get in touch with her and get to know her and her products @ https://www.shriyasekhsaria.com/

She will definitely leave you with a smile.

the noon nap

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It’s a bliss, I tell you. A must do when you hit the 40s. Heaven compared to the night’s sleep. A lovely rest time till we wake up for a strong cup of evening tea.

The way to nap is what I enjoy the most – find a recliner (bed/cot definitely not recommended), hold on to a news article that you started reading or a book you are reading. Your eye and brain rapidly co=ordinates in the beginning, you manage to read a page or a few paras – one, two, wait two again (last lines appear blurry), you get to three (words disappear) – drowsing slowly descends.

You can fight it for a few minutes – but sleep finally wins. Then just close your eyes, loosen your body and let things fall around – books/newspapers, let out a deep sigh and plunge zzzzzzz.

Have a good nap.