Today, 2nd October 2019, is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.

So he would have been 150 years old today had he not been assassinated in 1948.

Gandhi may not be around anymore but his legacy and his message of non-violence lives on and he is indeed the light the world needs today.

He has always been one of my heroes from a young age and I remember crying after watching Richard Attenborough’s famous film Gandhi.

We had made a special trip to London and watched the film in Leicester Square just a few days after its release – watching it was a defining moment in my life.

I have watched this remarkable movie about a remarkable man many times since then.

“Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.” – Einstein [Read more…]

How were the Olympic Games for you?

I am still on such a high after the biggest party of my life – I really got involved in the Olympic spirit and attended a few events and watched the main action in London’s high park.

I am so glad that billions of people around the word embraced the London 2012 Olympics.

There were so many life lessons that I would like to share with you that I am not even sure where to begin! Just be prepared for another post soon about striving for excellence.

I experienced many inspirational Olympic moments and I know that so many lives have been impacted in a positive way over the last few weeks. And this is even before we get to see the awesome Para Olympians.

Despite all the doom and gloom before the games started, London pulled it off! This is not just me saying it, even though I am a little biased :-).

Many experts have hailed the London games as the best ever in terms of excitement, crowds, standard of competition and venues. You really had to be here to truly appreciate how great it has been to be in London over the last 2 weeks.

[Read more…]

This week is the 10th anniversary of 9/11, that fateful day when two planes demolished the World Trade Center in New York.

Everyone remembers just where they were when they heard the news. I was working in the City of London at the time and watched the world-changing events unfolding on a screen at a hairdressing salon. There was an eerie silence all around as we watched in shock, hardly comprehending just what was happening.

We had an American colleague working with us at the time, who only a year before had been on a work assignment at the top of one of the towers.

As the Twin Towers came down, it slowly dawned on her that some if not most of her ex-colleagues and friends were likely to have been involved. Shock set in and I found a taxi for her, making sure she got home okay as all the trains were temporarily suspended in fear of a London attack.

On the way home, I joined a small crowd outside a TV shop, looking in awe and shock at the repeated clips of the towers coming down.

I still recall those few hours as if it all happened only yesterday.

That night of 9/11, I sent out a heart felt message of peace, hope and harmony to all my friends and family. Ten years ago, I was just about to start my monthly newsletter, and how I wish I could find that message again.

And today, I am saddened that so much has happened since then and the opportunity for peace, reconciliation and genuine dialogue was not grasped in the years that followed.

[Read more…]

Happy New Year everyone!

As we gently get into the New Year, I wish you all the best for this New Year – may this year bring all you wish and much more.

I wish you all a very peaceful, abundant and blissful New Year. May you have health, wealth and peace in your life.

And of course, as I said in my last post, may this year be when you become the sort of person you always wanted to be.

After a very enjoyable break of 10 days with family and friends, I am now back in full flow and have a number of key articles coming up shortly.

In the last few days, I have read a number of articles about making and keeping New Year resolutions and how to make 2011 a successful and happy year.

I have mixed thoughts about the value of making New Year resolutions. Though I do like the idea of setting goals at this time of the year, I also feel that a lot of people feel pressurised and then get upset when their resolutions soon fizzle out.

Having thought about what I think is really important, I would like to suggest 2 things for you to focus on this year and indeed any year.

[Read more…]

30 years ago today, the world lost John Lennon. But his legacy and thoughts live on through his music and his words.

What better way to remember his legacy and mark his quest for a more peaceful world than to listen once again to possibly his most solo song – Imagine.

(If you are reading this as an email, then please click here)

As you listen to and read these words, reflect on your life and the world today and imagine what it would be like if you were a dreamer too:-

[Read more…]

In years to come, how will you remember 10/10/10?

Today is a very special day – 10th October 2010.

There has been much written about today’s date – 10/10/10.

Various cultures see the number ten as lucky – and today is one of the busiest days for weddings around the world.

Many couples are getting married and tying the knot today expecting this day to bring much love, happiness and prosperity.

Today also sees thousands of events around the world to remind people about the impact of global warming and the importance of doing something about it.

What are you doing today to mark this historic date?

This morning at ten o’clock, I did a special meditation – and 10.10.10 came and went in a state of calmness and bliss. And that’s how I will always remember it.

How will you remember this special day?

[Read more…]

Have you ever been in Nirvana?

If so, wouldn’t it be wonderful to create Nirvana in your life all the time?

Before you let your imagination run riot, let’s be clear that I am not talking here about some drug-infused state of mind.

Nirvana means different things to different people.

For Buddhists, Nirvana is the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflicting states. For Hindus, it is the union with the Supreme Being.

For a lot of Westerners, the word probably just means the musical band.

Nirvana is also not about sitting cross-legged and meditating – though I am told it helps! [Read more…]

How has your life changed since 9/11?

More importantly, what have you done to bring more peace and healing to the world since that day?

As you look around today, the world is not a safer or more peaceful place than it was 9 years ago.

We find ourselves embroiled in a bitter war in Afghanistan and other places, and there seems no end to it all.

At the same time, the world struggles with growing inequality, poverty, recession and global warming challenges.

Today there is more angst in the world than ever before. The world seems to be a more dangerous place and we are all more vulnerable to attack, uncertainty and upheaval.

Even nature is more unforgiving nowadays with a string of natural catastrophes.

The saddest part of it all is that we are no nearer to resolving any of the disputes and grievances that led to the 9/11 attacks in the first place.

However on this anniversary, it is time we all realised that multiculturalism does not lead to disintegration – we need to celebrate our differences, not ridicule them or try to destroy them.

In our hearts, we are all people with the same aspirations, hopes and ambitions. We all strive to better ourselves and create a better and secure future for our children.

Remember that Muslims love their children too, just as much as you and I do.

It really is high time that we saw people as people, rather than through their religious ideology.

[Read more…]

Do you ever get the urge to simply sit around and do nothing?

Are you then able to give in to this urge and just sit around do nothing?

If so, I really envy you – since I usually can’t do so easily.

In my last post I wrote how anyone can be an energising bunny 24 hours a day.

Well if anything, for me the challenge is not about being energised, but more around being able to take some down time and simply do nothing.

Earlier this year, I visited my ancestral home India for 2 weeks and I found it really strange to see so many people just sitting around, apparently doing nothing.

My active mind ran riot with all sorts of scathing judgements and thoughts such as:-

Why are these people just sitting around?

Haven’t they got anything better to do?

India was supposed to be coming up rapidly but how is that possible with so many lazy people?

Is it any wonder there is also so much poverty in India with all these good for nothing layabouts?

[Read more…]

As a very young child, I cherished everything about the holidays that have just ended.

I relished the anticipation of Christmas day, the ritual of lighting candles, the thoughtful gifts, the feeling of community in sharing a banquet, the merrymaking revelry of the young and the no-so-young, and the seemingly endless kindness and generosity from everybody surrounding me.

I loved that it was a special time when everybody got along.  In fact, I fully believed that everybody always got along and that the holidays were a special time when everyone not only got along but also brought gifts, great food and festive cheer to each other’s homes.

Predictably, over the years my views changed.  My thoughts about getting along took sharp turns and veered away from idealistic.

[Read more…]