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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Give more... for the cause you feel


The art of giving

Upanishads say all the donations should be handed over with regret. Why with regret, every one can ask. It says you should feel sorry, and worry why you are not able to give more than this for the cause.

Give more

3 cheers from Savineers
Parasa

Monday, December 25, 2006

Let's do it right

Let's do it right

Swasha ( breath ) carries the actions. For every inhalation there is an exhalation. If the breath stops a person dies. The body is still there after death and we call it corpse and it is useless.true, the body can not carry anything with it.

A flower cannot carry its fragrance. it is the breeze that wafts the scent of the flower and makes its fragrance reach you. Similarly the bad odour is also carried by the breeze.

Official communication delivers right infrormation from the system to the community. good and bad actions are carried to you by the breath and surround the system like a garland. The pattern of growth is then governed by what the garland has, good or bad scent.

That is why the community must understand that every thing it does has a reaction, a reverberation and a reflection. The system should hold reflection meetings to refine the processes and systematize for optimum performance.

It is the community which writes its own progress by its actions. we need to strengthen the system to benefit the community with its fruits. we should learn to appreciate the strong impact the system exerts on the community.


Every system has three components

Human Resources, Material Resources and Communication.

Any imbalance in the blend of Human and Material Resources will be utilized more effectively if the Communication is realistic. We never have the equal blend of human and material resources. Shortage of material resources and underdeveloped human resources can be applied effectively if the communication system can see the environment, its resources, its purpose and the needed behavior pattern realistically.

The problems we have are due to unrealistic perceptions (a form of communication) and lack of knowledge of purpose as well as the resources. If we do not see realistically our natural and human resources or our real purpose then all the skills in the world will not make us efficient. Likewise all the money in the world will not make us efficient.

So effective system would be one that has good communication. It must be realistic. And ideal system is one that manifests the virtues and principles that promote and maintain cooperation, love and unity. In other words one that promotes and maintains harmony between all. to strengthen the system.

Here are the ways to change your current state most effectively and sustained. Ten fold path suggested to improve the efficacy of the system.

1. Have clear purpose and focus. unity of thought/vision and a goal
2. Constantly listen to the community members.
3. Take account - know the facts and keep score. reflect regularly
4. Seek systematic involvement of all the community members.
5. Continuously improve the work process.look for better ways of doing.
6. Invest in the people.
7. Make resources productive.
8. Seek partnerships up and down the chain.
9. Maximize access to knowledge - open the books. Make sure information is communicated on
time.
10. Recognize and appreciate the performance of others.Now for explanation:

1. Have clear purpose and focus.
Many systems and individuals simply want to succeed, but are not focused. Almost everyone who succeeded in effective/sustained growth had selected a focused mission. To serve mankind is not focused. It must be to be the best within a specific field, area, activity, etc. Of course, it can and should be to be of service, but you can't serve everyone doing everything. Those who succeed at improving the system focus their energies to develop their talents and knowledge. We have to look at the identified activities to focus.

Clear purpose and focus become guides to organization's decisions.We like to do many things at a time to present it in eagerness, so as to change the world overnight. Enthusiasm is good and required but we have to focus on core activities . As we move along the path of service , we get opportunities to pursue additional activities, somewhat related to the activities. Some of these opportunities would have been great, interesting, and might have been rewarding. However, we have to make judgements as to whether we could devote the resources, mental energy and time, on the new ideas. The answer was almost always no for the time being.

2. Constantly listen to the community members.
Who do you serve? Of course you serve your community, the principles and Institute. The system to succeed, in my observation, have a genuine desire to understand their community members, communicate with their members, and serve them by providing the best possible information and services.

To serve these community members, the system must be vigilant, constantly listening to their developing needs and preferences.

3. Take account: know the facts and keep score.
Take account of ourselves each day. This may have many different meanings. However, in the pursuit of serving the community, it is essential to maintain accurate records and analyze the information on a regular basis. This includes financial performance, quality performance and growth. Financial information will include cash flow, revenue, expenses, and assets. Quality of courses and information will include member satisfaction, quality variables such as defects, conformance to standards, and variability of performance. Productivity will include input to output ratios that reflect on the efficiency of the process.
This data is best shared with all people, consulted on regularly and plotted on graphs for visual display which is both motivating and helps all analyze and think about causation and solution to problems. Talk about pyramids and growth curves.

4. Seek systematic involvement of all community members.
We know that the process of consultation leads to superior decisions and motivation. Many systems, including very large corporations, are now organized into committees and task forces of five to fifteen members with specific responsibility for community members, work processes, and data variables. These teams, including at the first level (most importantly at the first level) are empowered to make changes in their processes to improve performance. This process is well proven and, as we develop our understanding of consultation, will lead to high commitment, motivation and service to our customers.

5. Continuously improve the work process and ability to serve the community.
The best systems understand that there is no ONE right way to do the work. Rather, the work process is something that can be constantly studied and improved. The attitude of continuous improvement, that problems are normal opportunities for learning, and that change and experimentation are requirements of improvement, lead to higher quality service and performance.

6.Invest in the people.
Ultimately, it is only people, not machinery, who perform. All equipment is subject to the maintenance and control of people. Increasingly the critical work processes are "knowledge- work" processes. The ability to improve is entirely dependent on the knowledge, capacity and commitment of the people. Training is a continual requirement and must be accepted, not as a luxury, but a necessary expense of the system in order to maintain the ability to meet community member requirements and progress.


"Training and encouragement should become the culture of growth of the communities. We will have to look at this aspect of the growth of a culture of constant encouragement and training so that contributing becomes the dominating passion in the life of an individual. When the trainee becomes better than the trainer we should see joy in that."

7. Make resources productive.
One definition of growth is to make resources productive. Resources are people, information, infrastucture. One process may produce X output for Y input. Another process may produce 2X output for the same Y input. This is double the productivity. High productivity improves the ability to serve members by reducing costs through the system. It also reduces the consumption of resources (energy or natural resources, for example) conserving and providing for future needs. Effectiveness is improved by constantly studying the work process and seeking to eliminate waste. Focus on constantly seeking the elimination of waste from the system.

8. Seek partnerships up and down the chain.
Virtually every system is only one or two chains in the development process.
Imagine the system you are serving in is a part of larger network of service. The deliverables which you are providing to the members has an impact on the growth of overall system. The system is a link of a chain. Develop lasting relationships with groups and institutes, links to the left and right, on the chain. The quality of these relationships is a major factor in success.

9. Maximize access to knowledge - open the books.
The Statement on the Prosperity of Humankind speaks of the need for "universal access to knowledge." In traditional models the owners or selected people assumed that information on the functioning of the system was held privately, often secretively, so they could make decisions. They preserved their superior class status by controlling information. In more successful systems today, there is high access to knowledge, including the regular accounts
statement, quality information, community reactions, etc. The more information is shared with the community members, the more empowered and committed they are. Empower community members and it empowers the system.

10. Recognize and appreciate the performance of others.
Almost all work today is accomplished in groups, teams, task forces,
committees. It is the job of the system to recognize and appreciate the performance of others. This reinforcement increases commitment, motivation and success of the whole.


We should start look up the institutes for guidance.

Ask one

Meditation will enhance your inner virtues and inner peace

Mantra meditation: To perform the first type of meditation, one needs only a set of japa beads. Chanting on beads is especially helpful, for it engages the sense of touch in the meditative process and helps you concentrate even more on the sound of the mantra.

Japa: While japa is a form of meditation involving you, your beads, and the Supreme Lord. You may want to chant japa indoors, but you can chant just as comfortably walking along the beach or hiking in the mountains. Just bring your beads along with you. If you chant sitting down, you should assume a comfortable position (preferably not lying down or slouching, for there's always the tendency to fall asleep). You can chant as loudly or as softly as you like, but it's important to pronounce the mantra clearly and loudly enough to hear yourself. The mind may have a tendency to wander off to other matters when you chant, for the mind is flickering and unsteady, always looking for something new and pleasurable to absorb itself in. If your mind wanders (to anything except Krishna and things related to Him), gently bring it back to the transcendental sound vibration. It won't be difficult, because the mind is easily satisfied when absorbed in the divine sound of the Lord's holy names (unlike other meditational practices, where one may be asked to fix his mind on "nothing" or "the void").

One may chant japa at any time, but the Vedic literatures note that certain hours of the day are most auspicious for performing spiritual activities. The early morning hours just before and after sunrise are generally a time of stillness and quietude, excellently suited to contemplative chanting. Many people find it especially helpful to set aside a certain amount of time at the same time each day for chanting. Start with one or two "rounds" a day, and gradually increase the number until you reach sixteen, the recommended minimum for serious chanters.

Kirtan: kirtana, is a form of group meditation, where one sings the mantra, sometimes accompanied by musical instruments.the devotees frequently perform this type of chanting to demonstrate the process and allow as many people as possible to benefit from hearing the holy names.

One may hold a kirtana at home with family or friends, with one person leading the chanting and the others responding. Kirtana is more of a supercharged meditational process, where in addition to hearing oneself chant, one also benefits by hearing the chanting of others. Musical instruments are nice, but not necessary. One may sing the mantra to any melody and clap his hands. If you have children, they can sing along as well and make spiritual advancement. You can get the whole family together every evening for chanting.

The sounds of the material world are boring, hackneyed and monotonous, but chanting is an ever-increasingly refreshing experience. Make a test yourself.