HERE SHE COMES

I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says “There She Goes”!
Gone where? Gone from my sight – that’s all. She is just as large as in mast and hull and spar just as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says “There She Goes”, there are other voices ready to take up the glad shout “Here She Comes”!

LOOKING WITHIN - ENNEAGRAM

Ever wanted to know what makes you think, feel and act the way you do? How your way of perceiving things, your reality, might differ from that of another person’s? Do you ever wonder why you behave the way you do even when know that it would better to change your behaviour.
The ENNEAGRAM, a powerful and dynamic personality system, that describes nine distinct and fundamentally different patterns of thinking, feeling and acting, provides the answers to these questions and much, much more. It tells us what motivates us, what basic coping strategies we adopt to survive and thrive and what causes our relationships to flourish or flounder. In addition, the Enneagram provides a specific path of personal development and enrichment for each of the nine types – ways to discover our highest qualities and purpose in life. The Enneagram is an ancient system. Somewhat similar to astrology’s 12 sun signs, the Enneagram is a human study that places personalities in nine categories.
The word ‘Ennea’ is Greek for nine and ‘gram’ means a figure or something drawn. Hence, the Enneagram is a diagram or star with nine points representing the nine personality patterns. Each of these nine pattern is based on an explicit set of perceptual filters that determine our worldview. Underneath each of the nine patterns is a basic proposition or belief about what you need in life for survival and satisfaction. As you discover your personality type and the underlying basic proposition, you will also discover what motivates you , your coping strategy and keys to personal development.
Because the Enneagram is such a fundamental and powerful way to understand personality, it provides numerous, often immediate, practical applications for personal development in such diverse fields as education, business, intimate relationships and family life.

A NICE TALE

A mother dropped a beautiful orange vase on the floor it splintered into dozens of pieces. She swept them up and threw them into the wastebasket.
An hour later she found her little daughter had collected the pieces and had pasted them on a piece of cardboard. Then using a green crayon, she had drawn stems and leaves on each piece, converting them into a bouquet of lovely flowers.
The mother was moved to tears. Where she had just seen trash, her daughter had seen a treasure.
And we? Do we see “treasures” in those around us? Are we willing to collect the bits and pieces of broken lives and bind them together again? Are we willing to take the trouble to make a lovely bouquet of flowers from the wastebasket of life.

WHAT LIFE IS

WHAT LIFE IS
Life is a work – begin it.
Life is a battle – win it.
Life is a pure heart – shield it.
Life is a spectre – wield it.
Life is God’s lesson – learn it.
Death is His good rest – earn it.
Life be it happy or unhappy, fortunate or unfortunate it is the only good man is born with and he who does not love life is unworthy of life. And if life is worth living it is worth living nobly. Yet men/women do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although it is within the reach of every one of us to live nobly but clearly in no person’s power yet to live as long as one wants.
Life is uncertain and can be compared to a candle in a stormy weather, which may give way anytime. But it is unto us to look upon it instead as a splendid torch which we have got hold of for the moment and it should be our endeavour to make burn as long as possible, before handling it on to the next generation.
How long life should be? The wise person will like to live as long as he ought to, not as long as he can. He will always reflect upon the quality and not the length of his life. Life becomes too long when filled with idleness, too short when packed with business, but too happy to be to be judged in terms time when spent in the service of others – for the good of others. However, it is not possible for every one of us to devote our lifetime in the service of the rest of humanity, nor would it be practicable for all.
If all were good - who would appreciate goodness?
If all were great - how will one differentiate one from the other?
And if all were to take to social service – whom will they serve?
As a matter of fact each one of us in his/her field does serve his/her fellow beings, though this service may be indirect and, naturally, within certain well defined limits and open to conflicting stresses and strains. However unpleasant one’s duty may be one can always do it sincerely and be polite and courteous.
Since trifles make the sum of human beings,
And half our misery from our foibles spring.
Since life’s best joy consists in peace and ease,
And few may save or serve but all may please.
Let the ungentle spirit learn from thence,
A little unkindness is a great offence.
What constituents contribute to good life? Are they ease and facility or effort and difficulty, surely the latter. In this competitive age in all spheres difficulties are encountered and have to be overcome before any decided measure of success is achieved. And mind you success will slip away from you like sand through the fingers, like water through a leaking pail, unless held tight by hard work day by day, night by night, year in and year out!
In practical life and in our country (India), particularly, today when morals are continuously sinking to lower and lower levels, perhaps success is not easily accessible by fair means and for those who have no compunction about the means they employ success appears to be too easily achieved. But is this latter success lasting? Does it give peace of mind? It may be earning riches, it may be giving fame, it may be bringing prosperity, but at what cost – one has to pay in terms of his character. Believe me – Fame is a vapour, Popularity an accident, Riches take wings, only one thing endures – Character. And character is much easier kept than recovered and “that man/woman who from sinister views or littleness of soul lends hand to injure continues a wound it will not be in his power to heal”. This injury may not be direct or visible. A person who indulges in adulteration not only cheats his/her customers but lends public to cast aspersions on those honest manufacturers who may be dealing straight. A vendor who sells in black market not only extracts a higher price from the needy but deprives a bigger and perhaps sufficient distribution to all by hoarding stocks.
DUTY – Duty performed is a moral tonic; if neglected the tone and strength of both mind and heart are weakened and the spiritual health undermined, but, if otherwise, it leads to peace of mind and happiness. And in discharge of your duties don’t be diverted by any idle reflections the silly world may make upon for their censors are not in your power and should not at all be your concern. Always act firmly but rightly – this may gratify only some people but will definitely astonish the rest. Always stand by truth – firmness in adherence to truth and duty is generally more decided when most intelligent and conscientious and is sometimes mistaken for obstinacy by those who do not comprehend its nature and doubt the motives.
CHANCE – What should be place of chance in our daily life? I can do no better than to quote the late Shri Arubindo who said ‘ Chance that vague shadow of an infinite possibility must be banished from the dictionary of our perceptions. For, of Chance we can make nothing. Chance does not at all exist, it is merely a word by which we cover and excuse our ignorance.
ACTION – Act and act instantly, thoughtfully:
In time take time while time doth last’
For time is no time when time is past.
And the action has necessarily to be of our initiative. If, however, you subscribe to the theory “what God wills, will happen” - you may also find another hypothesis to be equally applicable “If man folds his arm God goes to sleep”.
BRAVERY – Strive in Bravery with the bravest, just as you should strive in action with the most active, but please do not compete with the richest in wealth, with the greediest in greed etc., lest misfortune befall you.
MANNERS-What a rare gift is that of manners! How difficult to define and how much more difficult to impart. Better for us to possess them than beauty or talent or riches. They will compensate for all of them.
GENTLENESS – Always be Gentle. It is almost a definition of a gentle person to say that he/she is one who never inflicts pain intentionally. They make light of favours while doing them and seem to be receiving them when in fact conferring them. They observe the maxim of the ancient sage – that we should conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if they were one day to be our friend.
CHANGE – Change is the essence of life. But from cradle to the grave, man, the social animal is a slave to his own convictions. He fashions his life in a particular mould and normally goes on living it in the same mode – failing to recognize the changes in thinking and action that become necessary due to the passage of time. Thinking of the generation changes but not of an individual, thus bringing disappointment. Yes, do resist moral degradation. “Simple living but high thinking” that should be the aim at all times – that will ensure peace of mind.
Life is eternal and so can one’s pen move on endlessly on this theme. But individual’s life invariably gets cut short and so must my writing! But before I conclude the eternal desire to continue compels me to say:
The day returns and brings us the petty round of irritating concerns and duties. Always act the gentleman and perform your duties with laughter and kindness, let cheerfulness abound with industry. Go blithely on with your business and go to the resting beds weary and content and undishonoured and enjoy the gift of sleep. And remember the old maxim:
Kind Hearts are the Gardens,
Good Words are the Roots,
Kind Thoughts are the Flowers,
Good Deeds are the Fruits.

SOLITUDE

Solitude should rank amongst one of the dire necessities of the human spirit, yet surprisingly enough it has failed to obtain adequate recognition in our codes. The reasons are perhaps not far to fathom. On the one hand it is looked upon as a discipline or a penance, and on the other hand it is linked with laziness to which it is very much akin, viewed outwardly. A critical examination would, however, soon spell out the differences and show its merits.
Solitude is mistaken for a discipline or a penance , why? Discipline is a basic instinct in all walks of life and while it may manifest itself in desirable or undesirable form of loyalties to certain causes, its existence is unquestionable. Discipline demands sacrifices and solitude demands not physical but mental discipline - a control over one's thoughts and ideas. A few minutes of reflection will convince that far from being a penance the time spent in solitude can become our most treasured moments of the day! solitude would enable us to view things in their proper perspective away from the turmoils of daily life.
Solitude provides us with an opportunity to have second thoughts on everyday affairs and, as everyone will appreciate, second thoughts are always better on matters of judgement, though they usually are not so in matters of conscience. A fresh appraisal will make us better understand others views.
Practically everyone of us must have, at some moments or other, debated and wondered, as to the purpose of our existence? Are we mere drifters on the sands of time? We begin our life with a stage when we are absolutely dependent on others for our very existence, we have no control over our actions. Slowly and slowly we learn things, learn in the way they are taught to us by others. For sometime whatever is taught to us is right, as far as we are concerned it is the gospel truth. This stage, again,
soon passes away and our intelligence takes a hand. We try to reason out and form and test our ideas. It is somewhere at this stage that the thought referred to above strikes us. The search begins, we start with short term goals and choose and discard and the mystery remains. But in 'deep solitude' one could expect a great moment to come in his life when he could see, however distinct, the ultomate goal of his wandering. The mirage of his imagination would then suddenly become a part of the tangible world. It would not matter how many ranges, rivers, valleys or paching dustways (metaphorically speaking) lie in the path. It would be his now and forever. The goal gets acheived or not is immaterial, the realisation itself is enough. The mystery is solved and peace, real mental peace, would descend.
Laziness is deliberate avoidance of activity for some gainful pursuit. Solitude woukd be voluntary withdrawal, not for avoiding work, but with a view to re-examine, reflect on our day-to-day activities. A self-introspection with a view to make ourselves more agrreable and beautiful. Just as the creator of a statue, which is to be made more realistic, cuts away here and smoothes there, making one lighter and the other purerer, until a lovely face emerges, so can we utilize the time kept apart for solitude daily to examine ways and means to cut away all that is excessive, straighten away all that is crooked, bring light to all that is overcast and labour to make one glow of beauty and never cease chiselling our image in the public mind till there shines out from it the god-like splendour of virtue and perfect goodness is entrenched in all walks of our life! This is within our reach, at no extra cost, if we just make-up our mind to devote a few seconds out of the precious time, at our disposal, in right earnest however busy our routine. Time so expended would surely then have no parallel with laziness.
Modern education, unfortunately, has ignored this human need for solitude. It does not look upon solitude as the indispensable pleasant ingredient it is to our ordinary life. It is from this want of recognition that many of troubles come. Hence, again, a decline in religon, in poetry, in all the other affections of the spirit; a disease to be doing something always, as if one could never sit quietly and let the puppet show unroll itself before one, an inability to lose oneself in mystery and wonder awhile, like a wave lifting us into new seas as the history of the world develops around us.
So irrespective of how busy your schedule, what others may gossip about you, in whatever walk of life you are, find time out for solitude and bathe in thesunshine of absolute bliss and mental peace.

PEACE OF MIND

A human being sets down his inventory of earthly desirables: Health, Love, Beauty, Talent, Power, Riches and Fame together with several minor ingredients of what he considers man's perfect portion. Could a man possess them all he would be as "GOD". And yet in this excellent list has been omitted the most important element of all, with whose lacking each possession becomes a hideous torment and such lists an intolerable burden - "PEACE OF MIND".
This is the gift that God reserves for his special proteges. Talent and Beauty, He gives to many. Wealth is common place, Fame not rare either. But " Peace Of Mind" - that is His final reward of approval, the fondest sign of His love. He bestows it charily. Most men are never blessed with it; others wait all their lives - yes, far into advanced age - for this gift to descend upon them.
I know that sum of all other possessions does not necessarily add upto " Peace Of Mind", yet on the other hand I have seen this inner tranquility flourish without the material support of Property or the buttress of Physical Health. Slowly I have learned that "Peace Of Mind" may transform a cottage into a spacious palace, the want of it can make a regal park into a imprisoning nutshell.
The quest for this unwearied inner peace is costant and universal. Analyze the prayers of troubled, overborne mankind of all creeds, in every age - and their petitions come down to the irreducible common denominators of daily bread and inward peace. When grown men lift up their hearts and voices in this valley of tears they ask for strength and courage and understanding!
Especially today, when the prayers of men ascend, mourning and wailing to the Bestower of gifts, they plead for an inward tranquility that is both a fortress and a sanctuary and with reason. Modern man is treadfing a narrow defile that skirts an inferno of such destruction as Dante could not envision. Striken by psychic anxieties, cloven by emotional conflicts, beset by economic insecurities, assailed by political doubts and cynicisms, the plucked rooster, man,l is a peculiarly vulnearable fowl as he struts along the path of civilisation. He has crowed a good deal in his time, rather bravely at spots. But now he begins to suspect that the axe of destiny is being sharpened for his neck. He trembles, pales, calls for modern music, stronger wine to drown the approaching spectre of his fate. For the fact emerges that the contemporary man is afraid!!!!
In his fears he casts around for devices and techniques of salvation. What he needs is not a set of reassuring answers but an inner equilibrium, a spiritual stability that is proof against confusion and disaster. "Peace Of Mind" must not be identified with ivory-tower escapism from the hurly-burly of life, nor is it "a negative conception of anasthesia". Rather it enables us to accept the pummelings of fate with equanimity - even with a kind of eagerness sprung out of the sure knowledge that such buffeting cannot divert us from our creative life course.

SMILE

Smiling is infectious, you catch it like a flu.
When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile: then I realized its worth!
A single smile just like mine, could travel round the earth.
So if you see a smile begin, don't simply abort it, or leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic deliberately, and get the world infected!
Keep the smile going by, sending this on to a friend;
Everyone needs a smile.
And beleive me you will never be considered,
As fully dressed up, unless you are wearing a SMILE.

RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS

Take equal parts of faith and courage, mix well with a sense of humour, sprinkle with a few tears and add a helping of kindness for others. Bake in a good natured oven and dust with laughter. Scrape away any self-indulgence that is apparent and serve with generous helpings.

"I"

It starts with "I". Well you see my body, but this is a superficial view. In addition to my body there is another component which enables me to feel joy and sorrow. This part of me is "Mind". Moving a little deeper, I find another part of me which enables me to control my Mind - that is "Intellect". Looking further _ when I m awake, I see the "Universe" around me, but what happens when I am asleep? I am umaware of what is happening around me. But in my dream I may feel and see some things! Is the "Dreamer" different from the "Waker". It appears that "I" am in a different world when "I" am awake from the one "I" inhabit during my sleep. The Vedas examine whether there is only one world, which "I" see in my in my waking state or more than one world. It is this "I" to which the name "Awareness" or "Consciousness" is given. The Vedas call it "Atma" or "Soul". In the vast literature on Indian PHilosophy and in the Upanishads, where the nature of Atma is explored, it is described as "Self". A closer look indicates that all existence is the interplay of "Consciousness" , "Action" and "Matter" or else interplay of "Mind" "Matter" and "Motion" or worded slightly differently as the interaction of "Knowledge", "Objects" and "Process".
An Object occupies "Space", whereas Awareness does not. This brings us to the question - like the one that Hen came first or the Egg, whether Awareness or Consciousness came first or Existence? There are three aspects - that of Seeing or Observing, that of being Seen or Observed and that of the One who is Observing the Object which is Seen. It is difficult to decide the sequence of Awareness and Existence, because Awareness of an object is proof of its Existence, but the fact that we are not Aware of a Thing does not mean that it does not Exist. That is where FAITH comes in!

HUMAN BODY

Now match our views about: THE HUMAN BODY

The human body is a self-nourishing, self-regulating, self-repairing, self-starting and self-reproducing machine installed at birth and lasting for good three-quarters of a century, like a good grandfather’s clock, requiring very little attention.
It is a machine. A machine provided with wireless vision, and wireless hearing with a much more complicated system of nerves and lymph’s than the most complicated telephone and telegraph system of the world. It has a system of filing reports, done by a vast complexes of nerves, managed with such efficiency that some files, the less important ones, are kept in the attic and the others are kept in a more convenient desk, but those kept in the attic, which may be more than 30 years old and rarely referred to are nevertheless there and found with lightning speed and efficiency. Perhaps the system is much faster and efficient than the fastest and latest of the present day computers. In computer terminology the memory capacity of the human brain is 10 trillion bytes or 100 times bigger than one gigabyte disc. It functions as a private television and broadcasting station, carrying out its functions transmitting electrical impulses.
It also manages to go about like a motor-car with a perfect knee-action and absolute silence of engines and if the motor car has an accident and breaks its glass or its steering wheel, the car automatically exudes or manufactures a substance to replace the glass and does its best to grow a steering shaft, for we must remember that when one of our kidney gives way, the other swells and increases its functions to ensure the passage of the normal volume of urine. Then it also keeps up a normal temperature within a tenth of a Fahrenheit degree and manufactures its own chemicals for the purpose of transforming food into living tissue.
Above all, it has a sense of rhythm of life and a sense of time, not only of hours and days, but also of decades; the body regulates its own childhood, puberty and maturity, stops growing when it should no longer grow and brings forth a wisdom tooth at a time when no one of us even thought of it. Our conscious wisdom has nothing to do with our wisdom tooth.
It also manufactures specific anti-dotes against poison on the whole with amazing success and it does all those things with absolute silence without the usual racket of a factory, so that our superfine meta-physician may not be disturbed and is free to think about his spirit or essence.
It relies on a very cheap and abundantly available source of material for survival. Ventilation takes place to maintain a constant flow of fresh air, around 16 times a minute. It has a network of pipelines, stretching over 40 miles to transfer oxygen poor blood from all body tissues to a muscular pump, the best in the world, which purifies it and sends oxygen rich blood to all tissues to maintain their strength and vitality. The pump works uninterrupted, between 60 to 80 times a minute, to keep life flowing. The body has around 600 trillion tiny air bags in the lungs. The surface area they provide for oxygen and carbon dioxide is equivalent to that of a tennis court.
It has a defense system that seeks out and engulfs any invading bacteria or viruses or disease causing organisms. It also has a mechanism, which protects it from physical injuries by releasing chemicals, which enable blood to clot and thus prevent blood outflow.
It has storm troopers that carry carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs where it is exuded. It has garbage clearance apparatus, which carry metabolic wastes from its factory to the kidneys, which help to excrete it as urine, and digested food is also transferred to this factory for processing and passing onward to the body cells as nourishment and waste product is routinely thrown out.
Do you know how you are able to distinguish the various smells you come across in everyday life? Well there are about 5 million small receptors located in a patch, about the size of a postage stamp, on the roof of each nasal cavity. When the receptors detect an odour, signals speed along a nerve path to the olfactory bulb, an area of the brain where smell is interpreted. And believe me our sense of smell decreases with advancing age.
Do you know what is UMAMI? It is the fifth and most recently discovered ‘taste sense’. It has been described as ‘savoury’ Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes and some sea
foods all have a distinctive umami taste.
And marvel of marvels, the genetic engineering ensures that all organs and body features are identical in all human beings, except in very rare cases, and yet no two faces or body structure are identical in all respects, irrespective of which part of the world we look for them.

SCIENTISTS MEET

This is how your great Scientists responded to an invitation.

Pierre and Madame Curie were radiating enthusiasm.
Einstein thought it would be relatively easy to participate.
Volta was electrified and Archimedes buoyant at the thought.
Ampere was worried he wasn't up in his current research and may not be able to spare time.
Ohm resisted the idea at first.
Boyle said he was too much under pressure.
Edison thought it would be an illuminating experience.
Watt reckoned it would be a good way to let off steam.
Stephenson reacted saying that the whole idea was loco.
Wilbur Wright accepted with the proviso that he and Orville could get a flight.
Dr. Jekyll declined - he hadn't been feeling himself lately.
Morse's reply? I'll be there on the dot, can't stop now - must dash.
Graham Bell said he is undecided yet, will give a ring later.
Newton was apprehensive that the whole idea will fall down.
Ramanujan from India, said the time of 6 p.m. if converted
into minutes is a very interesting number. 360 is divisible
by 2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,12,15, 18,20,24,30,36,40,45,60,72,90,120 and 180.
Also if 5 is added to 360 we have 10^2+11^2+12^2 = 13^2+14^2 = 365,
which is the number of days in a normal year.
Milton Reynolds reply was illegible, his ball-point pen ink must have dried up.
Mrs. Rice Heart, special invitee, was keen to come provided there was to be a competition,
she was confident of being named the aviation queen.
Werner Heisenberg harped on uncertainty principle associated with all his programmes.
Dr. Alexander Lippisch was sure that even if he is held up at his prior engagement place
he will be able to reach at supersonic speed.
(Notice that the reply clearly gives out the invention for which the scientist was well known.)

THREE TUNES

Three treacherous sisters

There are three treacherous sisters whom I do not
trust as far as I can see them. Their names are FAITH,
HOPE and CHARITY. Faith keeps doubtful company and is
found in houses of iniquity; Hope takes it in herself
to fob men off with promises which have no basis in
reality; and Charity sells cheap salves for sore
consciences.

Three precious things:

I have three precious things, which I hold fast and prize.
The first is gentleness;
the second is frugality; and the third is humility; which keep me from putting myself before others.
Be gentle and you can be bold.
Be frugal and you can be liberal.
Avoid putting yourself before others and you can become leader among men.

Three things that can keep us happy:
There are three things that if a man does not know he
cannot live long happily in this world.
What is too much for him.
What is too little for him.
What isjust right for him!

Finest hours
The finest hours of life are those spent not among
large groups but:
In conversation with just a few people.
In reading great books or listening to melodious music.
Wandering in a forest of giant trees.

Where do we find certain things:
Three things are known only in three places:
Valour – in war.
Wisdom – in anger.
Friendship – in need.

Proper use of time:
It implies learning from the time past.
Implementing the results in the present.
Planning for the future wisely.

Now a look at Evil:
Evil is there in this world because of the emphasis
that is laid on the so-called moral and right behaviour.
It is in-built in the human nature to rebel against
advice tendered – good or bad. How do you react to evil?
Fight it out with all your might ignoring the consequences?
Ignore it leaving the sufferer to his fate?
Suffer it thereby encouraging the perpetrator to further acts of evil?

Now different Types of Suffering:
Boredom is the most deplorable suffering.
The most damnable suffering is to have your faith, in
one you love and admire, slowly killed.
Despondency is the most unprofitable feeling a person
can indulge in – avoidable suffering.

Now for a glance on the Secret of good living:
Live every day happily as if it were to be your last.
Do every job as if your life depends on it.
Treat everyone else as if you are in his/her shoes.

What about Fellowship:
Fellowship is heaven and lack of it is hell.
Fellowship is life and lack of it is death.
And the deeds that you do on this earth – reflect and you will
find that it is for fellowship’s sake that you do them.

Music is a moral tonic:
It gives wings to the mind.
It gives flight to the imagination.
And best of all it gives charm to sadness.

Memory:
It comes in three varieties;
Good.
Bad.
Inconvenient.

Inteeligence in Choice of fellow beings:
I choose my acquaintances for their good looks.
I choose my friends for their good character.
I choose my enemies for their intellect ( A man cannot
be too careful in the choice of his enemies.)

Mother is the love that you can count on all through the years:
Mother’s smile is one that seems to chase your cares away.
Mother’s understanding look is one that tells much more than words can say.
Mother’s word of praise is one that calms your doubt or fears.

Another aspect - Mother is the tree that nurtures everyone in its shadow:
Through personal examples she:
Teaches us the meaning of love.
Makes us realise the meaning of compassion.
Makes us understand the meaning of humility.

Mother looked at yet another way:
We see her through the eyes of beauty.
Feel her through arms of gentleness.
Know her through hearts of love.

MAGIC SQUARES OF SINGLY EVEN ORDERS

Magic Squares – Singly even order – new method. ALSO VISIT http://pranadit.wordpress.com

While it is very easy to construct odd order magic squares (the Hindu Rule is a very easy method for an nxn square where “n” is odd) and doubly even order magic squares, singly even order squares are not that easy. Border square method is the one most commonly used. I have developed a method for construction of (n+4) x (n+4) squares from nxn square where n is 6,10,14,18……to easily give multiple solutions without much effort.
I will illustrate my method by first constructing a 14x14 square assuming that we have a 10x10 square. The 10x10 square will occupy the center place. 14x14 square has numbers from 1 to 196 and 10x10 square numbers from 1 to 100. If we take half the difference between 196 and 100 we get 48 and if we add this to all numbers in our 10x10 square we will have a 10x10 square with numbers from 49 to 148 and total of 505 + 10x48 = 985. The 14x14`square needs to have a total of 1379, this leaves us with a difference of 394. The numbers from 1 to 48 and 149 to 196 can be used to form six 4x4 squares with numbers from i) 1 to 8 & 189 to 196, ii) 9 to 16 and 181 to 188, iii) 17 to 24 and 173 to 180, iv) 25 to 32 and 165 to 172, v) 33 to 40 and 157 to 164, and vi) 41 to 48 and 149 to 156, to give a total of 394 for all the six 4x4 squares. We will label 5 from these 6 squares from 1 to 5 and, the 10x10 square by 0, the sixth square will need to be split into two 4x2 square and has been labeled from A to P to fit our requirements of 14x14 square.

1 1 2 2 3 3 A B 3 3 2 2 1 1
1 1 2 2 3 3 C D 3 3 2 2 1 1
4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
I K 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M O
J L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N P
5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
1 1 2 2 3 3 E F 3 3 2 2 1 1
1 1 2 2 3 3 G H 3 3 2 2 1 1

We can select any one of the six squares by turns for 1 to 5, the remaining sixth 4x4 square has to be formed slightly differently as already explained. We have to ensure that A + B = C + D = E + F = G + H = I + J = K + L = M + N = O + P = 197 and A + C + E + G = B + D + F + H = I + K + M + O = J + L + N + P = 394.
Since the 10x10 square occupies the center place the and that leaves us only two top rows and two bottom rows, and similarly two L.H.S. and R.H.S. columns, the five 4x4 squares have been split into two 4x2 squares and suitably placed in the corners. The 1 square will take care of our Diagonal totals for the 14x14 square, so we don’t have to worry about diagonal totals in rest of the 4x4 squares which means having selected the 4x4 square from the available 712 squares (880 less the squares which have 3 numbers<9 and 1<8, or 3 numbers>8 and 1<9) we can switch its rows and columns giving 4!x4! i.e. 576 solutions for each of the 4 squares. As regards four 2x2 squares we are again free to switch A & B, C & D, E & F, G & H, in pairs and similarly the I & J, K & L, M & N, O & P, thus giving 576 solutions for each of them. In addition we can replace X’s by Y’s, doubling the number of solutions, from the square as it stands. And, of course, selection of 4x4 squares i.e., A,B,….can be done in 6! ways.
(P.S. simplest way to form the 4x4 square, say with numbers from 17 to 24 and 173 to 180, would be to add in an ordinary 4x4 square 16 to all numbers from 1 to 8 and 164 to all numbers from 9 to 16.)
When we go from 14x14 to 18x18 square, the base becomes 14x14 square and to all the numbers we add 1/2(18x18 – 14x14)=64 and the 14x14 square total becomes 2275. The total required for 18x18 square is 2925, this is less by 650 to be filled by the empty cells. We have now numbers from 1 - 64 and 261 - 324 to form 8 4x4 squares with each having a total of 650. Of these one will be required for extreme corners (like 1) and one for splitting into two 4x2 squares. From rest 6 we will have 3 squares for rows and 3 squares for columns, and the number of multiple squares that can be generated from this one 18x18 squares can easily be worked out.
I will now come to the first square that can be formed, i.e. the 6x6 square. I will prepare the ground by using one of the 880 4x4 squares, but for those not fully conversant, I give the basic square using alphabets and where Aa stands for A+a.
Aa Bb Cc Dd
Dc Cd Ba Ab
Bd Ac Db Ca
Cb Da Ad bc

Here A’s can be given one of the values from 1,2,3,4 and a’s can be given one of the values from 0,4,8,12. But each value can be given only once, i.e. if you give 1 to A you can give B only from 2,3,4 and so on. Alternately you can give to A’s from 0,4,8,12 and a’s from 1,2,3,4. After constructing the 4x4 square simply add 10 to all numbers. 10 is 1/2(36-16), this will take the sum in each row, column and diagonal to 74. Numbers now available to us are 1 to 10 and 27 to 36. Next I construct a 2x2 square such that its diagonals total 37.
2 & 35 and 1 & 36.
This enables me to take care of the diagonal totals as I am going to break up the 4x4 square into four 2x2 squares and place them in the corners. For my 4x4 square I give value 1 to a, 2 to b, 3 to c, and 4 to d, 0 to A, 4 to B, 8 to C and 12 to D. So my 6x6 square now looks like this:
11 16 00 00 21 26
25 22 00 00 15 12
00 00 02 36 00 00
00 00 01 35 00 00
18 23 00 00 24 19
20 23 00 00 14 17
(Here 00 stand for values yet to be filled in.)
Next I insert numbers, from those available, in columns 3 and 4 in rows 1,2,5 and 6 such that sum of numbers in each row is 37. Next I place numbers in rows 3 and 4 in columns1, 2, 5 and 6 such that magic sum of that each column total is 37. This ensures that the magic sum of 111 is available for each row, column and 2 main diagonals. My final 6x6 square is:
11 16 34 03 21 26
25 22 33 04 15 12
09 29 02 36 05 30
28 08 01 35 32 07
18 13 10 27 24 19
20 23 31 06 14 17
( 1 has been written as 01, 2 as 02, etc..)

Even if we ignore choices for the central 2x2 square, we can from this one square alone
generate very large number of 6x6 squares. We have choice of 880 for the4x4 squares
and they can be rotated to give 4 times more squares. Next the numbers in columns 3
and 4 in the rows 1, 2, 5 and 6 can be interchanged and so can the numbers in rows 3
and 4 in columns 1, 2, 5, and 6. Also numbers in column 3 and 4 can be interchanged as
also numbers in row 3 with numbers in row 4.
To make my point clear I am replacing numbers in column 3 and 4 in rows 1,2,5 and 6 by
alphabets and also in rows 3 and 4 in columns 1, 2, 5, and 6.
00 00 A1 B1 00 00
00 00 A2 B2 00 00
C1 C2 00 00 C3 C4
D1 D2 00 00 D3 D4
00 00 A3 B3 00 00
00 00 A4 B4 00 00
(Here again 00 have been placed in the empty spaces to suit the format design.)

Here A1+B1=A2+B2=A3+B3=A4+B4=37, and C1+D1= C2+D2=C3+D3=C4+D4= 37
And so are interchangeable. So we have at least 880x4x24x24x2x2x2 squares!
Let us now go to construction of 10x10 square. First we add 32 equal to 1/2(100 –36) to
all numbers in one of the 6x6 square available to me. This will give me a total of
111+32x6=303 for the 6x6 square. Next I construct four 4x4 squares from the numbers
1 to 32 and 69 to 100 available to me by adding i) 0 to all numbers < 9 and 84 to all
numbers >8, ii) 8 to all numbers <9 and 76 to all numbers >8, iii) 16 to all numbers <9
and 68 to all numbers >8 and iv) 24 to all numbers <9 and 60 to all numbers>8, limiting
our choice to 712 4x4 squares, excluding those which may have 3 numbers < 9 and 3
numbers > 8. To go from 10x10 to 14x14, place 10x10 square in the centre increasing all
numbers by 1/2(196 100),i.e.48, to give a total of 985 for the 10x10 square, the 4x4
squares will give 394 making a total of 1,379, as required, for the 14x14 square. The 4x4
squares will number 5 and there will be 2 4x2 squares and placed just as in 10x10 square
when we proceeded from 6x6 square to 10x10square.
Similar procedures will follow from 14x14 to 18x18 etc. as clarified above. Try to form
The 10x10 square and if you have difficulty get in touch with me by email
bdtara@yahoo.com

BACRONYMS

WORD MAGIC
B.D. Bhargava
What is MAGIC? How about "Mystery And Gimmickry In Collusion". This may seem like playing with words, because I have formed a phrase using only the letters appearing in the word MAGIC in their sequential order.

O. K., but what are WORDS? Consider "What Objectively Record Definitive Speech". Words need to be interpretted by us human beings in a specific way. That is where the Dictionary comes in! It "Distinctively, Indiscriminately, Coherently, Tutors Interpreting Overtly Nomenclature, Almost Reassuring You". Well then somebody has to write and EDIT "Efficiently Doctor Idea Transmission". A dictionary needs to have some order. That brings in ALPHABETS "Authentic Language Particles Helping Articulate, Better Express Thoughts Straightaway". But this needs KNOWLEDGE "Key Nest Of Wisdom, Lets Everyone Deftly Get Educated". Naturally - Education, Guidance, Teachers, Guru, Schools and so on come in. The list can go on and on.

BACRONYMS: "Brain-storming Amidst Critical Resemblances Oft-times Neatly Yields Meaningful Sequences". A BACRONYM is "Brilliantly Assembled, Catchy, Rhetorical, Ornamental Nonsense, Yet Meaningful. (Ornamental Nonsense, because very often I get the meaning without requiring all the letters but I have to, perforce, use them!)
I have put together a glossary of BACRONYMS -- and you need PATIENCE! "Perseverance And Tolerance In Extremely Nasty Circumstances Even" to read it. Here's but a small sample:

ACTOR - Astute Character, Taking Orders, Re-enacts.
CHILD - Charming Hostage In Loving Domain.
DRAMA - Deception Realistically And Majestically Acted.
EMBRACE - Excitedly Meet By Reaching Across, Clasping Emotionally.
EQUATION - Essentially Quantifies, Usually Algebraically, Technical Information Operationally Necessary.
FASHION - Features Aberrant Social Habits Inviting Others' Notice.
FRUSTRATION - Feeling Resulting Upon Seeing That Results Are Totally Incongruous Or Negative.
GYMNASTICS - Give Your Muscles Noteworthy Adaptability, Stimulus, Thereby Imparting Co-ordination, Strength.
HISTORIAN - He Imagines Somethings, Twists Others, Records Idiosyncrasies, Assembles Narratives.
JEALOUSY - Just Envy And Lack Of Understanding Smarting (Rankling) You.
LAP - Luxurious Armchair, Perhaps.
MORPHINE - Mainly Opium, Relieves Pain, Helps In Nursing Enormously.
OPTIMIST - Openly Picturises Things In Magnificient, Intricate Settings, Tastefully.
PESSIMIST - Perceives Even Simple Situations In Most Insecure Settings, Timidly.
RAINBOW - Raised Arch, Inimitable Nature's Bouquet, Omnipotent Wonder.
STOMACH - Sensitive, Turbulent Organ, Metabolism Activity Conducted Here.
TEMPTATION - The Ever Mesmeric Ploy That Attempts To Incite Outrageous Notions.
TRUTH - Turbulent, Rumbling Undercurrent That Haunts.
UNIQUE - Undoubetedly Nifty, Ingenious, Quizzical, Unbeatable, Extraordinary.
VOTER - Voices Opinion Through Electoral Route.
WISDOM - What Is Sensible Depends On Mood.
YAWN ... (I take it) You Are Weary Now.
If it has met your approval, please forward it to your friends.
For more on Bacronyms visit http://bhargavavtara.wirdpress.com

Power Of One

POWER OF ONE

One BABY can enliven our homes.
One BELL can start a prayer.
One BIRD can herald spring.
One BLOT on your character can spoil your image.
One CANDLE can light the hall.
One FLOWER can kindle love.
One GUST of wind can rain havoc.
One HANDCLASP can lift a soul.
One HEART can guide us to truth.
One HOLE can empty a tank.
One ray of HOPE can raise our spirits.
One IDEA can make us stand apart from others.
One INCIDENT can change our lives.
One INVENTION can change our lifestyle.
One LAUGH can conquer gloom.
One LOOK can transform the mood.
One PRAYER can lead us to Nirvana.
One SIGN can lead us to our goal.
One SMILE can start a friendship.
One SONG can recall old memories.
One SPARK can start a fire.
One STAR can guide a ship.
One STEP can begin a journey.
One STIGMA can tarnish our character.
One SUNBEAM can lift darkness.
One TEAR can excite emotions.
One THOUGHT can direct us to wisdom.
One TIP can lead us to success.
One TOUCH can heal a wound.
One TREE can start a forest.
One VOICE can brighten our day.
One VOTE can change the fate of a Nation.
One WORD of encouragement can be the key to ambition.
One WRONG can result in our ruin.
Overall One LIFE can make a difference to all it comes in contact with.

Magic Touch

MAGIC - I would like to define it only by using the letters M,A,G,I & C, in that order, but first let us reflect. When we attend a Magic Show we are mystified and wonder how the magician does it? But when somebody explains it to us - well we find it to be gimmickry, nothing else. So let me now phrase it- MAGIC - Mystery And gimmickry In Collusion.
Well I am going to place on this site my collection, but at the same time would like to work with you by incorporating your ideas so please feel free to vent your views and make this site a memorable one and at the same time a pleasant and educative too.

WATCH

Let me now place a Thought for the day:
Watch your thoughts, they become your Mindset.
Watch your mindset, they become your Words.
Watch your words; they will govern your Behaviour.
Watch your behaviour, they become your Actions.
Watch your actions, they will evolve into a Pattern.
Watch these patterns, they will become your Habit.
Watch your habits,they will ultimately reflect your Character.
Watch your character, why?
They lay the path that your destiny will tread upon!!!!

REMEBERANCE
And let me relate what I once came across on REMEMBRANCE.
REMEMBRANCE - It was a Buddhist Philosopher's trick. Rather than asking your mind to search for a solution to a potentially impossible challenge, ask your mind to simply try to remember about it. The presupposition that you once knew the answer creates the mindset that the answer must exist.

TIME

Let me conclude by saying something about TIME, everyone is familiar with the saying:-
In time take time while time doth last, for time is no time when time is past.
All the same time it is a very unreliable thing. When we want it to fly, the hours stick to us like a glue. And what a changeable thing too. Time is the twine to tie our lives into parcels of months and years. Or a rubberband stretched to suit our fancy. Time can be a pretty ribbon in a little girl's hair or the lines in our face, stealing our youthful colourand hairs. But in the end time is a noose around the neck, strangling slowly?
So...........
Devote time for work - it is the price of success.
Take time to think - it is the source of power.
Spare time to play - it is the secret of youth.
Allow time to do selective reading - it is the foundation of wisdom.
Find time to be friendly - it is the road towards happiness.
Take time to dream - it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Keep time for love and to be loved - it is the privilege bestowed by the Divine One.
Be always ready to look around to help - it is too short a day to be selfish.
Grab every available opportunity that time offers to laugh - it is the music of the soul.
And last but not the least take time to share fun - it is what creates harmony.
Now wait for the next instalment.