THE SPEAKING TREE

Reaching For Higher Ground

      What is spirituality or, rabbaniyat, to use the Quranicteam? it is the elevation of the human condition to a plane where the mind is focused on the higher, non material realities of a godly existence. The one who gives all his attention to woridly things and who centres his attention on mere appearnaces is regarded as being material minded. Conversely, one who rises above material things or appearances, who finds his focus of interest in non-material things, is regarded as being spiritual or godly. The latter is one who follows the injunction of the Quran: 'Be devoted servants of God'(3L79). That is, one who lives a 'God-oriented life.

         Spirituality can answer the questions, 'Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? What is the creation plan of the Creator?" A seeker is able to find true spirituality by finding rational answers to such questions. Whereby he receives spirituality at the mind or thinking level. True spirituality is based on contemplation and reflection. It is an intellectual activity. When the seeker discovers the truth, his life enters a new phase - that is, building his personality according to spiritual principles. This intellectual journey is two-fold, one is to solve the riddle of why human beings under go negative experiences in this world and the other is to offer positive solutions. It addresses the paradox of human being having been given the freedom to make their own moral choices, and their frequent misuse of this freedom - a course of action which causes them to repeatedly face situations in which people do each other harm; losses are incurred because of others' injustice; severe provocations are suffered because of untoward experiences. At such times spirituality helps us to covert negativity into positivity.

        Rabbaiyat provides us with the right philosophy of life. It is a guidebook. leading us out of the darkness of ignorance, and ushering us into the light of reality. Spirituality is our helpful companion in times of difficulty. It saves us from succumbing to adversity. It is the art of crisis management, from which we derrive intellectual inspiration when in need. Everyone is in need of spirituality, whether rich or poor, powerful or powerless. Spirituality provides a man with a starting point of life. Anyone who is deprived of spirituality will also be deprived of this starting point.

           The spiritual path enables us to see things that remain invisible to the physical eye. It enables us to learn lessons from the past and see the future in the present. It is the source of huyman progress.

           Repeatedly, we find occasions in life, when we feel helpless. It is when we feel that life has become rudderless and without direction, that a spiritual saviour holds out hope, as a source of courage and convication.

            How is that one who seeks out the divine and who treads the path of enquiry is able to acquire superlative human qualities? The answer is that the ends of a seeder and what he seeks are inseparable from God who is the source of all goodness. God is thus the source of inspiration for everyone.

             Spirituality produces God-oriented thinking in him. His life thus becomes a God-oriented life. This is what makes a spiritual person unassailable. A spiritual person enters into such profound communion with God that he becomes very powerful indeed

      The writer teaches at Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. www.cpsglobal.org. 

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New Film Releasing Today..... Sura

New Film Sura

Director: S P Rajkumar

Cast: Vijay, Tamannaah, Vadivelu

Action: It's celebration for Vijay and his fans as Sura,

the actor's 50th film is all set to hit screens. And he

has Tamannaah -- who has been riding a wave of

success -- for company. As for the film's plot, Vijay

plays a fisherman who as usual fights for the poor

in his own style. Watch out for Vadivelu's comedy

track which is said to be one of the highlights of the

film. The film has some peppy music by Mani 

Sharma and has been directed by S P Rajkumar of 

Azhagar Malai fame. 

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Housefull

Director: Sajid Khan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Deepika Oadukone, Boman
Irani, Riteish Deshmukh, Arjun Rampal, Lara 
Dutta and Jiah Khan

Rom-Com: When Akki is here, can the ladies be far
behind? Aarush (Akshay) believes his life is jinxed,
and that his fortunes will change only when he 
discovers true love. Just when he thinks he's found
his to marry three different women. Sandy (Deepika),
the first, believes in fairytale romance, Heetal (Lara)
truly loves Aarush and Devika (Jiah) thinks love
exists in arranged matches. Now, all the women 
want to live with Aarush in the same house... 
Is that possible?
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Old Dogs

Director: Walt Becker
Cast: John Travolta, Robin Williams

Comedy: Two best friends have to deal with the most
challenging task of their lives. They are asked to take 
care of six-year-old-twins even as they are dealing
with the biggest business venture of their lives.
Can they handle the challenge?
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Chase

Director: Jagmohan Mundhra
Cast: Anuj Saxena, Udita Goswami, Samir Kochar

Thriller: Sohail (Anuj), a photojournalist, accidentally
witnesses a murder and his life turns hell. The cops are
after his life now and he is constantly on the run. But
finally, he decides to fight back. And all this while,
it's Nupur (Udita), a nurse, who helps him.
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Sonam Kapoor - SELF-CONSCIOUS

Sonam hates the mirror

            you may not hear Sonam Kapoor ever ask, 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest of us all?' Reason: Sonam is too self-conscious to look in the mirror. The young, attractive actress explains, "Everyone said my dad, Anil Kapoor would constantly look in the mirror. And because of this, I have become so self conscious that I can barely look at myself in the mirror." Sonam, of course, defends her father saying, "Listen, I don't think papa is self-obsessed. I think even when he is staring at himself in the mirror for hours on end. he is actually quite preoccupied. And he is looking, but not looking... if you know what I mean." That's what you call a loyal daughter, Defending her paa despite the odds.

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Laughter really is the best Medicine

Laughter really is

the best medicine

London: In addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter is the best medicine, for a new study has found that it can be as healthy as exercise.

      

               Scientists have found that laughter affects the body in a similar way to exercise, say a jog around the park-in fact, it lifts the mood, decreases stress hormones, enhances immune activity, lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Dr Lee Berk, from Loma Linda University, California said that emotions and behaviour had a physical impact on the body.

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Grapes can Help and reduce heart disease:

Grapes can help

reduce heart

disease: Study

London: The humble grapes could help inprove heart function and reduce diabetes. American scientists have claimed.

           Researchers at the University of Michigan found that eating the fruit could slow a 'down hill sequence" of high blood pressure and insulin resistance that might lead to a development of those conditions.

            The scientists, after an animal test, discovered that a grape-enriched diet can prevent risk factors for metabolic syndrome -- a condition which is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

            For their study, the researchers fed laboratory rats a blend of green, red and black grapes as part of a high-fat American style diet and compared them with another test group fed with a similar diet full of fat and sugars.

            After three months, they found that the rats that received the grape enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood than rats who received no grape powder. Rats also had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance.

             Heart surgeon Dr Steven Bolling, head of the university's Cardioprotection Research Laboratory, said: "The possible reasoning behind the lessening of metabolic syndrome is that the phytochemicals were active in protecting the heart cells from the damaging effects of metabolic syndrome. In the rats, inflammation of the heart and heart function was maintained far better.

                "Although there's not a particular direct correlation between this study and what humans should do, it's very interesting to postulate that a diet higher in phytochemical-rich fruits, such as grapes, may benefit humans."

             Although, he added those wanting to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes should follow some tried-and-true advice such as eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat.

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1st Time World Remote Control HEart Operation

In  a 1st, surgeon

fixes heart from

outside theatre

London: Doctors at a British hospital have carried out the first heart rhythm operation using a remote-controlled robot and say its success means patients could be treated by doctors in other cities, or even other countries.

         Andre Ng. who performed the procedure on Wednesday from outside the operating theater, said it went very well and the patient's irregular heart rhythm was restored to normal within an hour. "It exceeded our expectations and we achieved what we set out to in very good time, " said Ng, a consultant cardiologist and electro physiologist at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital.

               Robotic surgery is becoming more common in wealthy nations suffering from gynecological cancer, coronary artery disease, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer. Ng said he was the first doctor in the world to carry out this type of remote controlled operation on a human patient using a system called a Remote Catheter Manipulation System.

             The device was developed by the US company Catheter Robotics Inc, which says it hopes remote operation may be carried out on patients in future all over the world.

               The procedute carried out by Ng involved inserting thin wires called catheters into blood vessels at the top of the groin and then threading them up into the chambers of the heart.

                Despite being outside the operating theater during the procedure, Ng said he felt in "compete control" and could see and speak other medical staff who were beside the patient. Ng said he could see the remote-controlled robotic arm being used in more far off situation in the future. 

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