Positive Chronicles :: XXXXXXI

CNY Inspirations: Don’t panic

This feature is coordinated by The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com and InterFaith Works of CNY. Follow this theme and author posted Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
One can always think of reasons to worry. That is especially easy to do now. This year, political conflict and social wrongs demanding redress have collided with the emotional and financial impacts of this pandemic, not to speak of the horrific loss of life. It would seem that this is a perfect moment to panic.
When Proverbs teaches, “One who is composed (literally, one who governs their own spirit) is better than a conqueror,” (16:32) it recognizes the great strength of will required not to be overcome by our instinctive reactions to life’s dangers and challenges.

Thanksgiving 2020: Quotes, inspiration about gratefulness and thanks

Thanksgiving 2020 looks different than any other before but that doesn’t mean people won’t be taking time to reflect and be grateful.
When President Abraham Lincoln announced the national proclamation establishing Thanksgiving on Oct. 3, 1863, he did so with the idea that people should set aside a day to express thanks for their blessings.
Read more..

Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi On His New Book, Creative Processes, Inspiration And More

His book Loss is a deep account of grief, loss and life
Read more here

ENGINEERING INSPIRATION: HOW NEW RHODES SCHOLAR SIERRA SPARKS BRINGS COMMUNITY TO LIFE

Dalhousie’s 92nd Rhodes Scholar is Oxford-bound to continue her pursuits in biomedical engineering
Read more here …

Meet Brave Acid Attack Survivor Who Became A Model And An Inspiration For Many

Masoumeh Ataei underwent 38 operations and relived the pain to rebuild her skin

Read more here...
Zen Fable : Christian Buddha

One of master Gasan’s monks visited the university in Tokyo. When he returned, he asked the master if he had ever read the Christian Bible. “No,” Gasan replied, “Please read some of it to me.” The monk opened the Bible to the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew, and began reading. After reading Christ’s words about the lilies in the field, he paused. Master Gasan was silent for a long time. “Yes,” he finally said, “Whoever uttered these words is an enlightened being. What you have read to me is the essence of everything I have been trying to teach you here!”

Interpretation
This situation is similar to thinking about different races. People may look different on the outside, but when you look on the inside, everyone is basically the same.

Positive Chronicles – Edition XXXXXIX

Bala Devi’s move to Rangers an inspiration for next generation, says Ashalata

Bala Devi became the first woman player from the country to sign a professional contract with a European club, Rangers Women’s FC.

CNY Inspirations: Don’t spill the wine

One of the hardest things in life to do, if not the hardest, is to change.

8 Easy Steps to Find Your Inspiration

When was the last time you said that? Given what’s going on in the world, no judgment if you haven’t said that in awhile.

New book is a collection of poems exploring love, happiness and emotions

photo-release

HORNSEA, England, Nov. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Debuting author Anran Liken enters the literary limelight with the release of “Head over Heart” (published by Xlibris UK), a book that offers readers a collection of poems exploring love, happiness and emotions in poetic verses and lines.

“It is about my feelings and possibly how others may be or may not have felt without realising at some point in their life,” Liken shares. “Sometimes we are afraid (to) express ourselves emotionally, so I am hoping that when others read my book, they realise that they are not alone. Life is a rollercoaster of emotions.”

This Unique Kerala Village Nurtures 208 Mango Varieties, Bags ‘Heritage’ Tag

A group of Mango lovers, known as Naattumaanjottil, initiated a unique effort to identify different varieties of mangoes in Kannapuram village.

Most Kerala homes might feature one or two Mango trees – usually of a variety that the homeowners prefer. But can you imagine a village with over 200 types of Mango trees? Not 200 trees, mind you. But 200 different kinds of Mangoes, all in one village in Kannur district.

Zen Fable : Socrates

Socrates believed that the wise person would instinctively lead a frugal life. He himself would not even wear shoes; yet he constantly fell under the spell of the marketplace and would go there often to look at all the wares on display. When one of his friends asked why, Socrates said, “I love to go there and discover how many things I am perfectly happy without.”

Interpretation

We need to be content with what we have to always remain happy in the journey of our lives.

Positive Chronicles : Edition XXXXXVIII

Egypt art show looks to Giza pyramids for inspiration

The Giza pyramids will serve as the backdrop for ‘Forever is Now.’

DUBAI: They stand tall and proud, with their pointed tops piercing the sky, seemingly untouched by all that takes place around them.

Positive Chronicles : Edition XXXXXVII

A New Report Series From Rocky Mountain Institute Brings New What went right this week: net-zero Japan, lynx revival and more positive news

Japan pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050, the lynx clawed back territory in Europe and the UK was promised its first renewables-powered railway, plus more positive news

Read more here

Rebel Princess With a Cause

Armed with a degree in Politics and Human Rights from Bard College, working as a consultant with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) non-profit and using her ancestors’ jewel-like palace in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, as a springboard of hospitality and creativity impacting lives of marginalised local communities, 27-year-old Princess Akshita M. Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj is a role model for her generation of erstwhile royals.

Positive Chronicles : Edition XXXXXV

Tendulkar said that despite Dr Kalam’s humble beginnings, he achieved the pinnacle in various fields.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will remain an inspiration for generations to come: Sachin Tendulkar

Pokemon Sword and Shield Inspirations Explored in UK Virtual Tour

The Pokemon YouTube channel is airing a series that takes viewers on a virtual tour to places in the UK that inspired Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Floral Inspirations to give out bouquets Oct. 21

Petal It Forward illustrates benefits of giving and receiving flowers

Mary Kom is Kohli’s inspiration on balancing parenthood, career

Kohli and his actor wife Anushka are expecting their first child in January next year

Zen Fable : On the deathbed

The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, “I love you so much! I don’t want to leave you, and I don’t want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you.” For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn’t sleep at all.

Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. “This is a very clever ghost,” the master said upon hearing the man’s story. “It is!” replied the man. “She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!” The master smiled, “You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it.”That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. “You are such a wise ghost,” the man said, “You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life.” “Ask your question,” the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, “Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand.” At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.

Interpretation :

Thoughts are what empower us and make things happen. All we need to do is keep them in check and we can conquer the world.

Positive Chronicles : Edition XXXXXIII

I tested positive for a hereditary breast cancer gene while pregnant – Here’s why I call it my ‘beautiful defect’

At 5 months pregnant, Lilith Costa learned she had a high risk for developing the deadly disease. Battling fear and mixed emotions, she made the life-altering choice to get a prophylactic double mastectomy.

New book published on the life of inspirational Derry nun Sister Clare Crockett

A new book has been published about an inspirational young Derry nun who many believe will be made a saint.

Sister Clare Crockett from the Brandwell area of the city had been pursuing a career as an actress and TV presenter when she got the calling to devote her life to God.

Gandhi is the inspiration for this cop’s canvas

IPS officer Rajinder Kumar Vij shares that he tries to steal time for his passion of sketching, and how he’s inspired by the Mahatma.

Positive Chronicles : Edition XXXXXII

Ricciardo says he took inspiration from tennis sutar Naomi Osaka for latest face mask design

Ricciardo isn’t the only driver to cite Osaka as an inspiration, Lewis Hamilton saying he’d also been inspired by the three-time Grand Slam winner.

Positive Chronicles :: Edition XXXXXI

CNY Inspirations: Love is not a vaccine against hate

By InterFaith Works of Central New York

This feature is coordinated by The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com and InterFaith Works of CNY. Follow this theme and author posted Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Design Inspiration Coming to You Via “Dream Nursery”!

Sneak peak at the nursery makeover for Mely Cruz

The new web series captures all the magic of a modern nursery makeover, brought to you by the creators of The Stork’s Warehouse.

New book offers a poetic inspiration for those who want to change their lives for the better

effrey B. Hunter announces the release of ‘Sometimes I Feel Like…’

19 Real-Life Tattoo Tales That Will Make You Laugh — and Possibly Cry

English professor draws inspiration from natural world, water for poetry

Linda Russo discovered poetry in her mid 20s; now teaches, writes ecopoetics

Bihar man digs 5-km canal to bring water to his village

A man in Bihar’s Gaya district has carved out a 5-km canal in over 20 years to bring irrigation water to the fields in his village.

Zen Fable : The Man Who Said Yes

A man went to a Buddhist monastery for a silent retreat. After he finished, he felt better, calmer, stronger, but something was missing. The teacher said he could talk to one of the monks before he left.

The man thought for a while, then asked: “How do you find peace?”

The monk said: “I say yes. To everything that happens, I say yes.”

When the man returned home, he was enlightened.

Interpretation

“Most of our pain, most of our suffering comes from resistance to what is. Life is. And when we resist what life is, we suffer. When you can say yes to life, surrender to life and say: “Okay, what should I be now?” That’s where power comes from.”

When the weather is bad, when your crush won’t answer, when the obstacle won’t budge, don’t say no. Don’t dig in your heels and push and shove until your veins pop out in frustration. Say yes. Accept. Breathe. Life is flowing. Always. It’s us trying to swim upstream. Let the current carry you instead.

Positive News : Edition XXXXIX

CNY Inspirations: Remembering love

By InterFaith Works of Central New York

This feature is coordinated by The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com and InterFaith Works of CNY. Follow this theme and author posted Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Love can heal us and our community. Allah’s pervasive qualities of love are attainable through our own breath whether we call out fervently or softly. According to the book “Physicians of the Heart” (Meyer et. al, 2011), Ya Barr, agape love, awakens us to the most intimate love God provides, like a womb, and opens us to understand and be kind to strangers.

I walk with time: Prakash Jha on drawing inspiration from real-life issues

Citing examples of classics like “Do Bigha Zameen” and “Mother India”, the director said films set against a socioeconomic backdrop have often received favourable response from the audience.

Finding inspiration as a cartoonist during COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed the way many people work – from remote working at home, to being furloughed, or even laid off, the pandemic has impacted many people’s jobs.

But for one profession, the coronavirus outbreak has offered inspiration and insight. Cartoonists around the world have been drawing caricatures on the topic for half-a-year now, and it’s given them an abundance of material and ideas to draw from.

For Simone and Max Rocha, Family Has Always Been a Source of Inspiration

Though they work in different fields — she in fashion, he in food — the siblings share a passion for craft and collaboration.

Zen Fable : A Cup Of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Interpretation

The best travelers head out with no preconceptions about the cultures they will visit and the people they will meet. They remember to pack the most important thing: an open mind.

Positive News : Edition XXXXVIII

‘Fatima’ represents a test for a different kind of faith-based movie

(CNN)Every so often a faith-based movie breaks out and makes a lot of money, illustrating the demand for such films, even though most of them aren’t very good. “Fatima” represents a more polished cinematic contemplation of religion, focusing on a century-old event that encompasses World War I and possesses a sobering connection to the Spanish Flu.

Sachin Tendulkar Asks Athletes To Draw Inspiration From Sir Donald Bradman To Get Through The Pandemic

Sachin Tendulkar implored athletes to seek inspiration from Sir Donald Bradman’s career to get through the COVID-19-forced break.

Emefa Cole Shares Her Inspirations

The jeweller shares her broad and beautiful sources of inspiration.

Dwellings and buildings have always been a source of inspiration, from mud huts to igloos to the traditional turf houses of Iceland. My pieces are quite bold structures that stand alone like buildings, rather than being designed to be at one with the body. They use the body as a foundation then build up from there.

Meet Tripat Singh, the 75-year old vegan who is an inspiration to Virat, Anushka

Meet Tripat Singh from Chandigarh who tells us about his diet, the sudden adulation he has been garnering and so much more

Tale : The Man who used to urinate on my head when I was in the Prison

Nelson Mandela: “After I became president, I asked some members of my close protection to stroll with me in the city and have lunch at one of its restaurants. We sat in one of the downtown restaurants and all of us asked for some sort of food.”

“After a while, the waiter brought us our requests and I noticed that there was someone sitting in front of my table waiting for food”.

I then told one of the soldiers: go and ask that person to join us with his food and eat with us. The soldier went and asked the man so. The man brought up his food and sat by my side and began to eat. His hands were trembling constantly until everyone had finished their food and the man went. The soldier said to me: The man was apparently quite sick. His hands trembled as he ate!”

“No, not at all,” said Mandela.

“This man was the guard of the prison where I was jailed.

“Often, after the torture I was subjected to, I used to scream and ask for a little water.

“The very same man used to come every time and urinate on my head instead”.

“So I found him scared, trembling, expecting me to reciprocate now, at least in the same way, either by torturing him or imprisoning him as I am now the president of the state of South Africa.”

“But this is not my character nor part of my ethics”.

“The mentality of retaliation destroys states, while the mentality of tolerance builds nations”.

I say, treat others well because no one knows tomorrow.

#TalesOfAfrica

Interpretation :: As we can see above, we need to treat others no matter what they could have done to us. If one doesn’t do this, the cycle of hate and violence continues.