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Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Western Self-Help Books and Their Unseen Hindu Roots
Today a great many self-help books by western authors are in wide circulation working as soup for the soul. Books like ' The Secret ' by Rhonda Byrne, ' The Alchemist ' by Paulo Cehlo, ' You Can Heal Your Life ' by Louise Hay, 'Power of Subconscious Mind' by Joseph Murphy, 'Millionaire's Secret' by Mark Fisher, sold millions of copies and shaped the thoughts and actions of countless people across the globe. Beneath most of these self-help books, beneath the voices of these authors and their words, lies the silent wisdom of Hindu philosophy . For example, at the heart of the book 'The Secret' is something called ' Law of Attraction ,' which means your thoughts and feelings act as a "magnet". People experience and come across circumstances that dominate them. While this may appear something new and fascinating, this idea is inspired from Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 17, Verse 3): "All that we are, arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Serdang: Beautiful New Senior Apartments with Two Bedrooms - Check Them Out! Senior Living Apartments | Search Ads Search Now In this book, Byrne Gautam Budhha is quoted as saying: 'All that we are is the result of what we have thought.' The same idea finds echo in (Dhammapada Verse 1 & 2): A person is made of their faith. Whatever one believes, that they become." In 'The Millionaire's Secret' Mark Fisher a character is in distress because he lost money. Then he started repeating the mantra, 'Be at peace and know that I am God.' Then something strange began to happen.' The idea that a human being is God–"Tat Tvam Asi" (You are That) comes from Chandogya Upanishad (6.8.7)– and this is something alien to the Abrahamic religion. At one place the author Fisher suggests to the character: 'completing each day what they must accomplish not caring about rewards for their actions even though they may apply themselves heart and soul…' This is lifted straight from Bhagavad Gita. Similarly, 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho is sprinkled with Hindu philosophical thought. It says: 'The boy reached through to the Soul of the World, and saw that it was part of the Soul of God. And he saw that the Soul of God was his own soul.' This comes from The Gita (v 10.8): 'I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise, knowing this, worship Me with love and devotion.' In much the same vein, the essence of the message 'You Can Heal Yourself' is aligned with the philosophical ideas of Hinduism. Louise Hay says, 'You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we're not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.' This has been told centuries ago in Ashtanga Hridayam: "The body is a product of the mind. When the mind is disturbed, disease manifests. When the mind is calm and positive, the body remains healthy." Yoga Vasistha (6.1.36) says, "The mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation. A disturbed mind causes illness, while a calm mind brings health and peace." One thought which is now common among the self help-guru is that we all are connected, we are one. This idea appears very strange as to how we are connected and how we harm ourselves when we injure others. Now let us dive into Hindu scriptures. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.4.8) says "He who loves himself should not harm others, for the Self in all is the same." In the book 'The Celestine Prophecy' James Redfield says, 'The universe is energy, energy that responds to our expectations.' We find an exact parallel to this in Yoga Vasistha (2.3.19), "Everything in the universe is vibrating consciousness, appearing as matter." The same book (Yoga Vasistha 5.13.14) says, "The universe is like a mirror, reflecting back the thoughts and expectations of the mind." Thus we turn to self-help books for guidance, unaware that many basic premises have been borrowed from the Hindu scriptures written millennia ago. While these books give us strength to face the challenges of the daily world, if we take time to delve into Hindu philosophical works, we would come across an ocean of wisdom that transcends time. Authored by: Asif Jalal - IPS Officer (Himachal Pradesh Cadre) 'Some people were always intolerant, Hindus are not': Javed Akhtar says Hinduism gave India democracy
Arab News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Mona Ahmad gets candid on life advice, favorites and more
DUBAI: Saudi presenter Mona Ahmad gets candid about her favorite film, fashion hits and misses, and life advice. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Best film you've ever seen? 'Interstellar.' It's one of those timeless films that you need to watch multiple times, and each time you discover something new. The directing is brilliant and so is the soundtrack. It goes beyond traditional cinema and makes you think deeply about space and time, even changing your perspective on life, and on the person you watched it with. Worst film you've ever seen? Hmm, it's 'The Shape of Water.' It was disappointing and weak in terms of story and dialogue. I didn't understand the point, and it didn't compel me to watch it again, despite the high ratings and awards. I just found it to be a very weird movie. Best accessory for a little black dress? Silver or diamond jewelry. It adds elegance and creates a stunning backdrop that lets the dress take center stage. Worst accessory for a little black dress? A red scarf — or a polka-dotted black-and-white one. It just doesn't add any elegance whatsoever. Best fashion trend of 2025? I'm in love with the creamy vanilla-yellow color. I think it's a beautiful, vibrant shade, and it's lovely to have it in our wardrobes this year. Worst fashion trend of 2025? Super-miniskirts. I think they don't suit most people, and there are better and more flattering cuts out there. Best advice you've ever been given? The advice I always follow came from my therapist: 'What you send out comes back to you.' Whatever you give to others, good or bad, eventually returns to you. Worst advice you've ever been given? Any advice I didn't ask for I consider bad and unwelcome advice. Best book you've ever read? 'You Can Heal Your Life' by Louise Hay. It's not something you read once and forget, it's a book that truly transforms the way you think about yourself and the world around you. What's beautiful about it is how it encourages you to reflect on painful memories and your childhood so you can make peace with them and live your present and future with more health and contentment. And the real-life examples make it even more powerful. Worst book you've ever read? There are many I didn't like, but the worst… I don't want to name it for personal reasons, but it's one of the highest-rated books in the world and it's been translated into every language. I simply didn't like it. Best thing to do when you're feeling low? Exercise! During my saddest moments or when I feel drained and unmotivated, any form of exercise makes me feel better. It lifts my mood for the whole day. Worst thing to do when you're feeling good? Going back to bad memories and toxic people, talking about them… ruminating on the past with all its pain and difficulties without appreciating the present. Best holiday destination? The Maldives. It's just the most beautiful place I always choose a cozy, private and peaceful getaway, far from all the noise and life's demands. Worst holiday destination? I think any place that's extremely hot would probably ruin a vacation, but I can't say I've had that experience myself. Best subject at school? I was a genius in biology. I loved it so much and enjoyed it to the point where I didn't even need to study before exams. I always got a perfect score. Worst subject at school? Definitely math. I hate numbers and have a much better relationship with letters. Best thing to do to ensure you have a productive day? Go to sleep early the night before so I can wake up early, go to the gym, have breakfast, and get my tasks done in the morning. That way, I have the rest of the day to handle my appointments and work with ease. Worst thing to do when you're trying to have a productive day? Wake up late with no plan for the day. And waste time on social media.
