Author Archives: Shashwat Mishra

Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?

My upbringing was done in a remote area where reading and writing English was a challenge. But still I was very interested in learning English. When my primary education was started my mother brought me a word building scrambler puzzle book that changes my life.

One by one we have to write one alphabet at a time and make a word. Number of alphabet in that word will be your score. This used to be such a game in which your vocabulary should be strong only then you can win the game. Due to this I used to search for lots of new words from the dictionary and memorize them everyday.

There was a competition among me and my friends to win the puzzle. When that book was full, we used to draw puzzles in our copy and play it. This had become our daily schedule of our study. This game create lots of interest in learning english.

Today that friend is a professor in a university. This game is a golden page of our childhood memories. We prefer this game instead of playing outdoor game. We often remember this incident because our English improved due to it. So I can say this is my favourite book in childhood.

In today’s fast-paced world, my father practice silence twice in a month, according to Hindu calendar every ‘Ekadashi’. Today I realise this is not a weakness, away from the daily response to outside noise, it’s a powerful tool that he’s practicing.

It is much more powerful than words because it take efforts to keep. Sometimes you feel ignorant but learned to be a observer of human feelings and need. You manage things with gestures, you have to understand everything without saying anything.

It is rare to be able to protect oneself from someone’s condemnation and criticism. It is not necessary that we answer every question, some answers are found automatically with time. Across spiritual traditions, silence is revered as a tool for self-discovery, mindfulness and clarity.

Mahatma Gandhi also saw silence as a powerful spiritual tool. His practice of “noble silence” helped him clear his mind and stay grounded during the complex struggles of the Indian independence movement.

In Buddhism, silence is a path to enlightenment, where the stillness of mind allows the true nature of reality to emerge. Similarly, in Christianity, silence is a means of communing with God, removing distractions to hear divine wisdom.

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

“As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with judgments but rain your kindness equally on all.” 
~Buddha

When this life starts feeling like a burden, when I start getting irritated without any reason, when negativity starts showing its power, when I create a negative narrative about my own worth.

Take a pause from your busy routine and give yourself the gift of silence, alone, somewhere far away. Immerse yourself in an oasis of peace, love, and light.

Plan a vacation only to practise Meditation for self realisation that peel away layers of personality to understand the true self and outside reality. And you will start healing from mental stress.

After that vacation, make it daily practice you feel better from previous situation and a sense of calmness that can be carried into daily activities, promoting harmony and happiness.

You have to choose yourself the path of your life. If you do not have faith in your own intentions and your thoughts are not clear then you will not be able to face the people with full strength and capacity.

Many times people try to dominate you so that they can gain control over you. Then they start using you according to their needs and also keep telling you about their nobility and benefits.

I did not pay any attention to such relationships because I don’t born to be a slave. Due to this, I sacrificed many close relationships because I don’t want to compromise with my dignity.

It taught me to be independent and a dream chaser, letting nothing and nobody stop me from getting what I want. Now I can take decisions with complete freedom and I don’t regret anything. And I can focus more on my targets.

To date, this has been the most profound experience which has taught me the value of taking ownership of my own life, sacrificing the good for the unknown, learning to embrace the darkness and learning to befriend fear.

Do you practice religion?

Sanatana Hindu religion developed around the Himalayan mountain range and the plains of rivers originating from there. Prayagraj is the final conjuncture place where all the rivers originating from the Garhwal Himalayan range meet. That’s why this place is called king of conjuncture(Prayagraj).

According to religious scriptures, Prayagraj is one of the four places where Amrit (nectar) fell during the war between gods and demons. The divine city Prayagraj have very strong cosmic energy during Kumbh Mela. Maha Kumbh of Prayagraj, listed by UNESCO as the largest peaceful religious congregation of pilgrims on earth.

During Kumbh Mela devotees walk miles to take a dip at ‘Sangam’, the convergence of the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Such a devoted crowd of people with lots of faith is not seen anywhere else in the world. Actually this is the holy land from where people see the aura of Sanatan Hindu Dharma.

The fair is visited by Hindu ascetics, saints, ash-smeared Naga Sadhus, skeleton-donning Aghoris and other pilgrims. It is expected to have a footfall of 450 million this year, nearly twice the population of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous State.

People come here with full devotion and do charity as much as possible with their capacity. If you want to understand faith, devotion, dedication, sacrifice and religion then you will not find a better place than this. Here your soul surely feels a union with that supreme soul (God).

Do you remember life before the internet?

We are the last generation who experienced life before internet. That was the time when people recognized each other and paid more attention to each other. Now everyone has power of technology and internet, no one needs that much of anyone.

Life before the internet was more difficult in some ways. You weren’t easily reachable, you’d often get lost and travel wasn’t as easy. But it was filled with rich, engaging, and meaningful activities that involved more humanitarian connection and nature.

I remember in childhood we go to teacher for study , the only source of information is books. By whatever method teacher uses to teaches us, we used to trust him and give proper respect. Now people cross-check it immediately and will take help internet to study. Means that importance of technology becomes superior than humans and humanity.

What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?

‘Having it all’ sound like you are satisfied with the situation you have. That’s the real meaning of happiness but who is happy for so long. Human being always want to upgrade himself that called development.

We are living in the era of technology in which world is changing every day. Wether it is mobile phone or its network, currently we are using 5G network and companies working on 6G network.

The circumstances of our life decide what we should have. When that goal is achieved, our thinking changes. After some time we are again trying to break our limits and start searching new sky of freedom.

Like you are a player, you practice every day. Your first aim is to be a part of the team in some way. And then your aim is to play national games, then world championship and then win a medal in olympics and so on. It’s very hard for me to imagine ‘having it all’.

Come friend, let’s go somewhere, somewhere far away, to some new place, close to nature, a fresh air water and land. A quiet valley between high mountains or to the noisy sea shore.

For many days it has been feeling as if I am tied in some bondage, the burden of responsibilities has been shouldered without any purpose, there seems to be some kind of fatigue as this life is some burden.

Let’s go to such a place friend where there is no work to be done, there is no hidden purpose, there is no situation of helplessness, compulsion, contracts, there is no unfinished goal standing, have no story of struggle.

Place where only you are with me, there are just light talks, jokes, sweet memories. There is such a flow of positive energy that fade away all the darkness. Where all the problems of life vanished and all the hopes remain with me.

How do you feel about cold weather?

Lots of people enjoy winter and everything that comes with it like snow, breathing in cold air, drinking hot chocolate under a warm blanket, making snow angels, ice skating, etc. I can’t feel comfortable with the weather when it gets cold. A most valid reason is life becomes slow due to dew, fog, snow etc.

Short days of winter force you to spend more time indoors. And when you can’t enjoy time outside, you can’t do your favorite activities. Sometimes roads were blocked offices and schools were closed. Somewhere your freedom restricted by this kind of wheather.

You don’t get enough natural light to feel good as compared to other season. You have to take extra weight of winter wears which also effect your usual body movements. You perceive yourself as helpless, frustrated, disappointed. This all turn affects the body’s circadian rhythms and leads to symptoms like depression, tiredness, apathy, etc.