A Chess Story
This is a tale about some interesting characters and their playing of that game of life.
This story was initially conceived by Sangeeta as a present for a
friend (who never got around to seeing it), but was written largely by
prad many years ago. Sangeeta will be illustrating it sometime in the
next several decades. If you know your chess or your life, you are
welcome to play it out.
A Way to Rama
The delightful Hindu story of a somewhat creative way to salvation.
There was once a very evil robber who had committed atrocities galore.
He had come to the realization that he was in big trouble with a large
account of bad karma due to his egocentric activities.
Buddha and the Limping Lamb
An eternal story from the life of Buddha the Compassionate One.
There are many stories told about Buddha the Compassionate One. They
carry the eternal message with a simplicity that any child can
understand. Here is one of those gems.
Cup of Tea
A wise lesson poured out of a teacup.
A prominent western philosopher had come to Japan to study with a zen
master through an exchange program. The two of them sat down for a
traditional tea.
Dogs in Heaven
A universal story from Hindu mythology about dharma.
There is a very beautiful story from the Hindu mythology’s Mahabharata
that provides an insight to the meaning of our existence.
Food Combining Simplified
An easy to understand article on the principles of food combining.
This article summarizes some food combining principles from chapter 26
of Shelton’s book The Science and Fine Art of Food and Nutrition.
Shelton advocated strict vegetarianism (also known as dietary vegan) as
well as eating foods in their natural raw state.
For Men Only
An article concerning the difficulties men have after reaching a certain age.
This article will be of no interest to women and children so they
needn’t read any further. This is a masculine issue that we do not
usually wish to discuss openly. It is an awkward matter and appears
unavoidable once we reach a certain age.
Importance of Improvement
Should we help ourselves or should we help others?
People sometimes get into a tizzy about whether to help others or help
themselves. There is no need to see the issue as an either-or.
Jewel in the Dust
A sparkling lesson in distinction.
A man and his wife having lived into their old age chose to leave behind
their worldly possessions and follow the path of spirituality. They
lived in the cleanliness of poverty filling their days with praying
instead of preying.
Kiyreagle
The story of a car who flew again.
The story of our encounter with a 1981 AMC Eagle!
Magnificent 7
Seven words that inspire!
Here are 7 words to contemplate as you travel through your life.
Meditating Simply
A simple easy-to-use approach to meditation.
Meditation is a real chance for you to connect with yourself. Most of us
go through life knowing the person we spend the most time with, the
least.
Narad to Nirvana
A story to learn much from about two yogis and the messenger of heaven.
There is an ancient Hindu story about the messenger Narad who used to
travel between heaven and earth to maintain ‘communications’ so to
speak. On one such trip to heaven, he happened to go past two yogis
practising in an effort to prepare for Nirvana. Each asked Narad to find
out how long he would have to wait.
Natural = Good ?
An examination of whether what is natural is necessarily good.
Some well-intentioned people create arguments by equating the concept of
natural with the concept of good. I say they are well-intentioned
because it is by no means done out of malice or prospects of winning
debate points. However, the equation is not valid. In fact, within
philosophical circles it is known as the ‘appeal to nature’ fallacy.
Not a Spoonful of Sugar
An amusing story about how Gandhi taught himself an important lesson.
Gandhi’s “become the change you wish to see in the world” is
unfortunately one of those horribly misapplied items that is circulated
with wild abandonment by some people who feel they’ve suddenly been
struck with enlightenment. The idea nevertheless is a good one provided
one understands what it really means and where the phrase really has
relevance. Below is one such instance.
P Equals M C Snared
A most lucid account of the important role of physics with due respect to other 'sciences'.
This work came about as a result of having to defend two venomous
onslaughts on the nobility of physics. Unfortunately, certain people
don’t seem to realize the universality of this simple truth - physics is
everything! The word physics means the knowledge of nature and nature is
all encompassing.
Paper Folding for the Practical Person
A photo essay illustrating a particular paper folding technique.
The process of folding paper is a rewarding one since it provides an
opportunity to exercise one’s creativity within strict outcomes.
Furthermore, the finished product of this activity has various
utilitarian applications as will be illustrated in the second part of
this article.
The Battle
A profound moment when Krishna teaches Arjuna on right conduct.
We revisit the famous conversation between a warrior and his charioteer
before the battle of Kurukshetra.
The Loincloth
An amusing story about a wannabe holyman.
There is a delightful story told by Sri Ramakrishna about a man who
chose to become a sadhu (a holy man who relinquishes worldly possessions
and takes a vow of chastity).
The Mahut God
An instructive story from Ramakrishna about devotedly listening to God.
Once there was a holy man who had many disciples. He taught them well
and revealed how God is in all things.
The Rosebush
A model to be effected by oneself ... may be with a little help from some friends.
A rosebush can show the many opportunities one can pursue, if one stays
honest and aware.
Time Management Essentials
Managing your time has a lot to do with figuring out who you are.
“I’m too busy!” “I don’t have time!” “I have too many things to do!”
The Wallet
An amusing story involving my grandfather Prafulla Kumar Basu.
My mother related this story to me about my grandfather. She lived in
his household as was often customary with East Indian families in the
1900s. These extended families were usually quite closely knit and often
mutually supportive. My mother adored her father-in-law and it was
through her that I found out about his character.
The Poor Rich Girl
A little story about the noble devotion.
Buddha asked his disciples to help the poor during a great famine. A
very wealthy man spoke up, “Not all my wealth can feed the hungry -
there are so many!”
Thousandfold
A story of what you receive when you give.
There is a fine story of a poor old lady who was selling some fruit she
had gathered in order to make ends meet.
Understand Me
An education on understanding.
A zen master was teaching a class.
The Stone
An understanding of God.
Nanak was a travelling guru. He visited many places in India, Arabia and
Mesopotamia.
Pradbird
The rescue of an eagle.
We used to live near the water when we moved in 1995 to Duncan, BC on
Khenipsen Road, beside a First Nations area. It was a very nice place,
except for the hunting and fishing that took place there.
Cosmic Soulmates
Engaged in the eternal dance of the universe!
While I tend to be agnostic, there are many aspects of various religions
I admire, a viewpoint which permits one to not hold arrogant
perspectives like ‘my religion is better than yours’.
Digital Dexterity
How to get reasonably good on the internet.
You want to get good on the internet so you can get things done
effectively and efficiently. This article will show you how.
Internet Discussion Strategies
Various strategies to keep in mind when engaging in e-discussions.
The following article (taken from the ESA
website)
provides large number of ideas and insights into animal rights (AR)
discussions on internet forums which are useful for both the beginner as
well as the experienced communicator. While the items here are not
directly related to writing eletters, they may help individuals engaged
in general discussions both on and off the net (and not just in the area
of animal rights).
Fallacy in Animal Rights Discussions
Logical fallacies that appear in animal rights and vegan discussions.
Fallacious argumentations in animal rights and vegan discussions are
identified according to the rules of logic. This guide exposes standard
logical fallacies that repeatedly appear and demonstrates their
invalidity.
Going and Coming Back
A true story about one way to look at life.
This is a story we often tell to those who feel they have suffered a
loss of a loved one of any species.
Hacking the Fireworks Firewall
Ending fireworks frustration requires understanding the game.
Fireworks are a severe problem for many: wildlife, farm animals, pets,
people with PTSD and anxiety. They are seen by some as a traditional
and/or cultural means of celebration. Hence, jurisdictions often allow
such activities which are a blatant abuse of an individual’s basic
rights.
Sidney Island Deer
Investigating the Parks Canada deer slaughter on Sidney Island.
In 2023 Parks Canada decided to slaughter all deer on Sidney Island
British Columbia. This page provides information, resources, and updates
on what is an unethical process on many levels. Sign the petition to
Save the Sidney Island
deer. The page is
still in construction.
Catzenjammer of the Vegan Kind
Stigma associated with feeding cats vegan diets is neither necessary nor appropriate.
(Image generated by Microsoft Designer.)
This article deals with confusion and distress that can materialize for
humans who put cats on vegan diets.
Scuro
The tumultuous story of how a Fiat joined our family!
A long winding adventure that tells the tale of how a 2024 Fiat 500e
became Kyron’s first car.