Janmashtmi - Krishna Celebrated At My Home

Janmashtmi – Krishna Celebrated At My Home

by with No Comment festivalsHeritageVoices

As soon as I hear the word Janmashtmi, my lips broaden, the pupil of my eyes narrow down.The thought of the festival reminds me of my lord, Lord Krishna and it seriously gives me immense pleasure to think about him!

Krishna, who is considered to be the most colorful God in Hindu mythology, is really the most favourd one too among the young as well as the adults.

Reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, Krishna has always appealed kids with his unique naughtiness.As kids, we always heard about him teasing his mother Yashoda or Gopis or stealing butter from the houses in the village. Simultaneously, we had also heard about his courage , respectfulness and humility.

All the qualities certainly make him a role model. Also because the existence of both negative as well as positive qualities make him more like us humans. This is something I only realize now as an adult.

I remember going to well lit, decorated temples with my parents on Janmashtmi during my childhood. In spite of huge rush that gathered to have a glimpse of lovely Kanhaiyya, he really looks different on that day, may be like a cute little kid, rejoicing on his birthday.

Those remembrances are now precious memories.

How We Celebrate 

We also do puja (at my in laws) in our house. Since the birth of Krishna happens to be at midnight, people keep fast till that time. After their fast breaks, then only they have their meal. But at our place, we make delicious delicacies like Kuttu Pakori with curd, Coconut Burfi , Potato Chaat, Makhana Kheer, Curd and Charnamrit. My little ones relish Kuttu pakori and Potato chaat).Then after the puja and aarti (the poetic hymns), we have our meal comprising of the above mentioned dishes only.

After the puja, we visit the temples, like my parents,  with my kids. Now, there are beautiful scenaries everywhere depicting unusual stories related to the birth of Lord Krishna.The kids remain excited and exuberant to see the Lord . My daughter wants to pull the thread of the swing in which Krishna sits.I have to pull her back many times but this is childhood. Isn’t it?The festival comes to an end after the visit, but the festive spirit never dies.We to look forward to celebrate next year with more fervor and different decorations.

Cant imagine how I am loving writing this piece about my dear Lord. Seem to write endlessly about Krishna, my diety.But I know the religious feeling can be cherished endlessly with the trust and faith in the Lord.

Jai Shree Krishna!!

  Ruchika Rastogi, an Indian who was born and brought up in Delhi. She loves to explore the unexplored. A mother of two lovely kids, she works as a teacher and her passion for writing has helped her survive during her hard times. Her first non fiction book got published last year with the name-A Mystical Majesty-the woman. As a contributing author, her anthology with the title–Wait Till I Tell You got launched recently. With dreams in her eyes, she believes in living life optimistically.
When The New Baby Never Came Home

When The New Baby Never Came Home

by with 3 Comments ParentingVoices

 

The television commercials and advertisements would have us believe that pregnancy and giving birth is a joyous occasion.  No matter the circumstances, pregnancy and giving birth is typically coupled with high stress.  At the very least, happy couples might begin to ask questions like “Are we ready?” or “Do we have everything we need?”  In other families, the pregnancy was unexpected or unwanted.  In others, the mom or the baby is considered high risk.

[bctt tweet=”On October 15th I share my story of losing my baby sister. ” username=”contactrwc”]

It often takes a great deal of pain and hard work before something is deemed important enough to have a special day on the calendar.  After many losses, grieving and hard work, October 15 was officially named the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day on September 28, 2006.  Today, we honor those families whose lives were forever changed when pregnancy turned into grieving, when the new baby never came home.

A Little Girl Prepares

When I was a little girl, I would prepare for many things.  By the time I was 5, I had experienced several changes which included loss, trauma, abuse and living in a variety of places with people coming in and out of my life.  With a world that was continuously influx, I found myself always preparing for something, on the inside.  Life was often scary and unsettling and I was learning survival skills to master my ever changing life.  My mom became pregnant when I was 5 and I am not sure that I had many thoughts about that.  As I recall, we were living in another state then and I had other things to consider.

My Mom Is “Fat”

On one particular day (maybe my first), I was on my way to Kindergarten.  I remember being embarrassed that my mom was “fat” and I didn’t want her to come in with me.  Such a strange thing for a shy, soft hearted little girl to feel.
I can’t be sure, but that may have been the day that I began to understand that my mom was “fat” because she was going to have a baby.  I remember being sad and upset with myself for thinking my mom was fat and began to get pretty excited about this little baby that was coming.  Every time I would see commercials on television with babies, I would get more excited and began to understand that a baby was coming to live with me!

It’s Time !

The excitement was finally here!  We were going to have a baby!  My mom and dad had taken me to stay with another family that took good care of me and I patiently waited for my mom and the new baby to come home.  It was Christmas time in 1970 and a little 5 year old girl was excited for this new Christmas present!

Sometimes, They Just Don’t Talk About It

My dad came to pick me up and there was no baby, my mom wasn’t there either.  My little sister was born on Christmas Eve that year.  She had problems with her little lungs and she died on that same Christmas Eve.  There were no babies for my mom to hold or bring home, in fact they had a sign on her door saying not to bring babies in the room.

To make matters worse, we were a family without money.  In order to cover the hospital expenses, my family had to donate my sister’s little body for research. When my mom got home from the hospital, everything that belonged to the baby was gone.  It was if the whole pregnancy didn’t exist. In 1970, they didn’t handle things the way they do today.  Sometimes, they just don’t talk about it. If you don’t talk about them, then they didn’t happen was kind of the philosophy of the day.

When The New Baby Never Came Home

I’m not exactly sure when I found out what really happened.  There was no memorial, funeral or burial.  There was nothingness.  My 5 year old heart was devastated when the new baby never came home.

Honoring and Remembering 

My little sister would be 47 years old this year on Christmas Eve.  There is a great deal more to our story, but 24 years after her death we were able to place a marker for her in the Babyland area of the Cemetery.  Knowing that there is now a special day to honor those families who have experienced the loss of their babies, brings tears to my eyes.

In order to write this small story about the amazing little baby who never came home, her big sister had to do what she has done so many times before, prepare on the inside. But I do it so that You may find the strength to do so too. And to know, I am here if you need to talk to me about it. 

When The New Baby Never Came Home - Raising World Children Infant and Pregnancy Loss Remembrance Day

 Tammy Coin is a Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner, Teacher and Speaker. She holds sacred space & helps you locate the unhealed emotions leftover from Childhood Abuse & Trauma that block the door to your authentic self. She then partners with you, using the pieces of her own life, to empower, motivate and inspire you to fully uncover your Soul Purpose. You can find her http://thedoorsofwellness.com
Reach out to a Vilomah Remembering Their Lost Ones

Reach out to a Vilomah Remembering Their Lost Ones

by with 2 Comments ParentingVoices

Children playing enthusiastically in a playground…
Toddlers rushing to meet their parents after a day away at school…
Kids at a restaurant noisily playing with spoons and forks…
A kid throwing a tantrum in the neighborhood mall or grocery store…
Your child making a mess just to prepare a special mothers day card for you…
Your child running up to you and giving you a bear-hug with sticky fingers and hands…

We come across these situations so often that it is easy to visualize and be able to feel the enthusiasm, hear the noise and see the reactions in our minds. These are common everyday occurrences that we at times take for granted. There are many times we want the children to only be seen and not heard or not even be seen at times when we are in the midst of some important work or busy with our virtual world or just want the noise to quieten down.

We forget that there are some of us who long for a hug, a kiss, the noise, the love, the mess, but do not get it. They dream of holding a little one in their arms, or holding their hands, or teaching them something, but they can’t. They would sacrifice everything in a moment just to hear a sweet voice saying ‘Momma’.

But some dreams do not come true or were about to come true but at the last moment. The beautiful dream was shattered and the bubble burst and you are left with nothing but memories, tears, silent houses, deafening thoughts, empty arms, lifeless cradles…

The Loss Of A Grieving Family

Vilomah is a Sanskrit word that is being given to a parent who has lost their child. Losing a child is an excruciating feeling and no matter how much time goes by, the loss and the feeling of loss never goes away. You are forever changed. Continuing your life without your little one is the new normal.

The loss of any loved one is extremely difficult to cope with. But to lose a part of you that you have created and were carrying for so many months while dreaming dreams of forever is all the more difficult, which is something that not many realize.

[bctt tweet=”Vilomah is a Sanskrit word that is being given to a parent who has lost their child.” username=”contactrwc”]

Pregnancy loss or infant loss is not easy to go through just because you never knew the child or spent so little time with them. The special bond that is created between the mother and the child is eternal and the mother, even if her child is no longer with her, is still a mother and still grieves for the child that was perfect in her eyes, that was taken away from her too soon.

She carried them and talked to them and shared all her dreams and fears with them. Her children had identities and characteristics; she knew their sleep patterns in her womb; what she could eat or drink to wake them up; when they would kick; when they would be most active; whose sounds would get them moving; what sounds would get them to calm down.

Fathers and siblings too feel the pain and the grief, even if they don’t express it and handle it differently. The family as a whole had built a dream around the little one and the loss reverberates across each member of the household. It is difficult for the other children to understand and come to terms with why their baby brother or sister is not coming home to them… Why they are not getting their promised playmates… Why their parents and other family members are so sad all the time…

I lost my firstborn twin son on the third day in April 2009. I told my daughter about her twin a few years back and she took it very matter-of-factly. Every now and then, she asks some questions about him or happily tells her friends about her brother in heaven and that she will meet him there.

October 15 – Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Remembrance Day 

I wish more people would be empathetic towards vilomahs or parents who have lost their children and not want them to ‘get over it’ within a specific period. Everyone goes through their own healing process and needs love and support.

Reach out to someone who has gone through such a difficult time, talk to them about their child, about their feelings, show them that you care. Let them give a voice to the sorrow, the pain and the love that they have kept bottled up inside them. You might be surprised to know that they are eager to share about their angel in heaven and that they remember them every day.

It took me eight years before I finally used writing as a cathartic and therapeutic way of healing and wrote my first book. My Angel in Heaven: A Mother’s Journey through Death and Grief to Comfort and Hope (My God Delivers)

Let us remember our little angels this October and find peace in the hope that we will meet our angels in heaven soon.

Reach Out To A Vilomah Remembering Their Lost Ones - Raising World Children Pregnancy and Infant Lost

Rebecca Vijay Raising World ChildrenRebecca Vijay is an author, mommy blogger, freelance editor and designer, with two young children and an angel in heaven. In a career spanning a decade and a half, she has worked in various industries such as advertising, hotels, NGOs, and publishing; and was heading a commissioning team in OUP when she took a break to spend time with her kids and explore ways to make a difference. She is working on her first YA novel and has published her first book – My Angel in Heaven: A Mother’s Journey through Death and Grief to Comfort and Hope (My God Delivers). – in the memory of her firstborn twin son and has contributed to an inspirational book that has been written by over 100 moms from around the world When You’re DONE Expecting: A Collection of Heartfelt Stories from Mothers All across the Globe. You can find her here. –
Overcome These Very Real Diwali Struggles

Overcome These Very Real Diwali Struggles

by with 5 Comments festivalsHeritageVoices

This post contain Affiliate Links. The opinions, thoughts and frustrations are of the author alone.

It’s that time of year again. No, not the time for turkey or Christmas trees as much as I love that time of the year as well. It is the time for Diwali! Time for joy abound. Delicacies sweet and sour. Colorful dresses. Family Traditions and Time With Friends.

But with all it’s joys, it is in truth also that time of the year when –

My Family Gets Nervous As I Start Spring Cleaning

Diwali means getting the house in pristine condition. Before Holi and before Diwali are two times when I ruthlessly de-clutter and spare no object the broom. Of course during this course many much needed but never used objects get tossed or donated.  When I start the battle against clutter, the banshee within me rears her head in exhaustion and my family dreads this phase.

Thanks to my husband, I know better than to do it all in one day or week even. So now I prep for this slowly and steadily and remember to breathe, take breaks and know it’s not the end all!

The Festive Decoration Plays Hide and Seek.

We love our Deepavali decor and can’t wait to put it around the house for that warm festive feeling. Except they decide to play hide and seek with me. Every year I can swear I know where I had put them last year but yet again, I have to go on a treasure hunt to find them.

Last year,  I wrote the location in my phone. Easy peasy.

The Tangled Lights Create Havoc

The tangled Diwali/Christmas lights have to untangled. Sigh! My husband dreads finding those little bulbs that come what may will not light up.

We wrap them around a cardboard cut out and keep a lot of little extra bulbs handy. But this year for Diwali, I’m going to surprise my husband with a light organizer ( yes, it’s a thing ! ) that’s pretty cool.

Rangolis Continue To Be My Nemesis

Who doesn’t love beautiful Rangoli designs to adorn their doorway.  But if you are anything like me, and totally uncoordinated when it comes to making intricate designs, you can feel my frustration.

Thank God for Stencils and Sidewalk chalk. Because, why not ?!

I Fret About What to Wear 

What do I wear? I don’t get to go to India very often. With my family in Kuwait and air fare being sky high for God knows what reason,  it is not easy for me to stay totally updated with fashion trends. Come festive season, I get nerves thinking of what I will wear. Specially when I hear of all the beautiful new fashion that’s come in traditional wear from friends.

Luckily, I don’t worry about being “trendy” for more than a few minutes. I wrap myself into the gorgeous saris I have and have blast enjoying the festivities. I even make up my own trend by going Indo-western, that is mixing western wear with Indian accessories.

The Smoke Detectors Cry 

My smoke detectors wail in agony at the Diyas that I make on Dhanteras smoke up the home. It takes me a hour and half to make those beautiful diyas from flour and the detector rejects them in 10 mins.

To that end, this year I bought prelit candles that are just awesome. These are what I will use along with my precious home made diyas. Take that you, smoke detectors you!

We Miss Celebrating With Crackers

It’s sad every year when the HOA sends a circular to not light up any sparklers or firecrackers of any kind because it’s forbidden by our county. I never had the pleasure of bursting crackers when I was in Kuwait so I don’t miss it much but from having lived in India for a couple of years I know how much fun they are to rejoice with. I so wish my kids could have that joy.

So what we do instead?

  • We collect dry leaves, twigs etc and use these to create a bonfire in your back yard.
  • Fill up balloons with glitter or pieces of colored paper. Burst these in the evening for a vibrant ambiance.
  • Kids could even blow up paper bags and burst giving you the cheerful sound of crackers.
  • Did I mention I make Diyas out of wheat flour? The kids have a blast making them.

The Kids Wonder Yet Again Why We Celebrate Diwali 

When I was young I did not understand and even negated the beauty of the mythology of Ramayan. I could not find respect in my heart for a avataar of God who would exile his wife for no fault of her own. But now, over the years I have understood that it is not just a story to glorify God in the incarnation of Ram. It is a way to teach kids real world values.

So, I encourage my kids to ask questions about the story  and try to explain in the simplest form. It is a story where

  • We should not be so hard on ourselves when we make mistakes.
  • That when you do not pay heed to the warnings of those you love, you suffer.
  • That not respecting women, can lead to the downfall of even Kings.
  • That the happiness one feels when a child comes home is priceless!

But that is of course some of my interpretation. Anyone who reads scriptures or mythology derives their own meanings and using them to grow in their own life!


We Miss Our Family Back Home Terribly

This is the biggest frustration of today’s times and living so far from family. A home is not a home without family and as I mentioned the ridiculous air fares make it extremely hard to celebrate this special time together.

How do we deal with it ? Thank God for the age of Video calling and Instant Messaging . Also, we spend a lot of time making cards, decor, food and cleaning to avoid the insane sadness in the pit of our stomachs. Denial has it’s advantages for we get a LOT done and create tonnes of memories in the process.

Diwali

With all it’s trials and tribulations, Diwali still ends up being one of the most blessed and fun times with friends sharing their time with us. The music, the ambiance of the diyas/candles, the yummy food and the companionship of those we care for more than make up for any woes we need to endure.

Raising World Children Overcome These Very Real Diwali Struggles This Festive Season | Problems | Easy Diwali

  Aditi Wardhan Singh is a mom of two, living it up in Richmond Virginia in USA. Raised in Kuwait, being Indian by birth she has often felt out of place. A computer engineer by profession, she is now a freelance writer and entrepreneur having founded Raising World Children. In her spare time she volunteers for Circle of Peace International and impromptu dance parties with her little one are her ultimate picker upper. She provides tools to open minded parents to empower their children to raise positive, gracious, global thought leaders. She currently writes for the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Richmondmomsblog, Desh Videsh Magazine and is author in the anthology “When You Are Done Expecting “

 

Advantages of Taking Time Out for Self Love

Empower Yourself This World Mental Health Day

by with No Comment ContemporaryEmpowermentVoices

Raising World Children is about celebrating different lifestyles, experiences and cultures.  It is about what we all bring to this vast world table.  Perhaps one thing world cultures share is a hesitation to discuss mental health.  

World Mental Health Day aims to change that.

Raising World Children Mental Health Day

Mental health challenges know no borders.  

In the United States, medical offices began offering questionnaires several years ago with the hope of helping those who didn’t even realize there was an issue.  While this does provide a method of gathering information, it doesn’t go far enough.  Eliminating the stigma surrounding any mental health disorder must come first.  Enter World Mental Health Day.  The overriding goal is to raise awareness of mental health issues, and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.

Established in 1992, this year’s 25th anniversary theme is Mental Health in the Workplace.  Given that many folks spend a third (or more) of their day at work, addressing mental concerns there only makes sense.

Depression doesn’t always manifest with someone feeling sad and lonely. 

It may show up through the back door in the form of a myriad of other ailments.  While symptoms are addressed, the root cause can sometimes slip through the cracks, leading to a medical merry-go-round because we don’t think about the mental aspects of wellness. More than 300 million people worldwide live with depression.  An additional 260 million experience debilitating anxiety.

What can we do?  As a society embracing cultures across the globe, we can extend a hand.  How?
  1. Appreciate each other, and show your gratitude.
  2. Foster a supportive environment.
  3. Watch for early signs of burnout.
  4. Build awareness of mental health issues and reduce the stigma.
  5. Help each other.

What else can you do?

If you’d like to help, one of the best things you can do is to talk about mental health, to make it just like any other health concern that needs to be addressed.  Mental health shouldn’t be spoken about in whispers; it should be given the same level of concern as any other condition that affects your overall health.

Want to know more?

Check out the 2017 World Mental Health Day report, better yet, sign the workplace pledge.   Use #worldmentalhealthday.  Add a banner to a social media profile.  It all comes down to the same thing:  raise awareness.  Mental health issues don’t discriminate, and they don’t abide borders, or economic status.  They hurt everyone equally.  Raising awareness raises the opportunity for treatment.

For my children, and for yours, and for all the ones we’ll never meet, let’s work together to make everyone feel better about asking for the help they need.

And when you ask someone, “How are you?” really listen to the answer.

Raising World Children Mental Health Day

 Deborah FingerlowDeborah Fingerlow is a writer, traveler and explorer seeking adventures both large and small. Parent to one daughter in college and one teenage son in cyber-school. Food allergies play a significant role in day to day life decisions, as does the support network of a small town in south central Pennsylvania. Neighbors are known by their first names and a walking district encourages community engagement. Business to business communications and the development of authentic connections are Deborah Fingerlow’s superpowers. You can find her at the local farmer’s market, therapy dogs in tow, camera in hand.
Making Diwali Special With CultureDabba - Giveaway

Making Diwali Special With CultureDabba – Giveaway

by with 10 Comments festivalsGiveawayVoices

This post is a collaboration of Raising World Children and CultureDabba but the opinions are of the author.

The Festival of Lights is coming! It brightens up our lives with love and hope. Diwali is the time to celebrate the essence of family. Festivals, though, are not only a time to splurge, eat and enjoy. They a special time to nurture values.

Values like –

  • Curiosity – having healthy dialogues about mythological stories of origin of festivals.
  • Empathy – understanding the root of the many flawed characters in the tales mentioned.
  • Being inclusive – taking the time to connect with all our friends and family.
  • Experiencing life with all our senses – food, fireworks, new clothes, gifts.
  • Spending wisely – choosing to create gifts, decor by hand.
  • Being yourself – creatively and in expression.
  • Appreciating talents and art.

and much more.

We can make this Deepavali and any festival a great time for significant connection. And for that one of the outstanding sources I found was the Diwali edition of CultureDabba, a great initiative to make Indian Mythology, Diwali and even India relatable to kids from around the world. How does it do that? 

Raising World Children Giveaway With CultureDabba

Stories – 

The stories behind festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami, Dussehra, and of course Deepavali  or any festival around the world are wondrous examples of teaching kids how there is always good within all that seems bad. Mythology though, is hard to comprehend  by young minds. It is paramount we connect these stories to real world examples to make them easier to understand and digest.

They even have stories long forgotten. Stories that talk about moral values that help kids nurture their own qualities. Akbar Birbal, Panchatantra all were wonderful to share again with my children. Tales which I myself had forgotten long ago.

Encouraging Curiosity –

Stories are just a tip of this colorful iceberg! They go onto talk about the festival and how it is celebrated in vibrant detail. Some customs were new to even me and the kids and I had fun discussing the same with each other. I can foresee some new traditions beginning soon.

Crafts – 

The magazine has DIY crafts for kids to do on their own. In the issue we got, there is a card that you can make and replicate for your family and friends. They even have coloring pages to encourage kids to do their own thing. Creating something helps kids use their imagination and helps them relate better to any occasion/topic.

Laughter and Riddles –

Aunty Bindi tickles the kids’ brains with fun, unique riddles. My kids had a great time guessing what the answers were. They now ask all their friends the same and share the jokes that are there in the joke section.

Stimulating the Mind With Light Exercises –

Crosswords, mazes, find the differences and more were a pleasant surprise to be included. We truly enjoyed together finding the answers and played along.

Explore A City –

CultureDabba truly brings India to the finger tips by sharing special things to do in a city. The one we have is Delhi and even I was surprised to learn unique features about a city in India I have never visited.

The magazine even has codes that you can go online and use to access more fun for your kids.

CultureDabba Giveaway

It was for these reasons and the colorful presentation that Raising World Children is happy bring to you a special Giveway this Diwali, with not one but three winners !

One lucky winner will get a gift set of three different festivals filled with the above and more and two bonus winners will get copies of the Diwali edition to cherish to empower kids understand the essence and celebration of Diwali l

You do not want to miss out on three chances to win this amazingly fun filled magazine bringing kids closer to Indian culture in ways they are so used to these days. Click here !

Making Diwali Special With Culture Dabba and Raising World Children | GIveaway | Free Books | Diwali Books | INdian Mythology

Aditi Wardhan Singh is a mom of two, living it up in Richmond Virginia in USA. Raised in Kuwait, being Indian by birth she has often felt out of place. A computer engineer by profession, she is now a freelance writer and entrepreneur having founded Raising World Children. In her spare time she volunteers for Circle of Peace International and impromptu dance parties with her little one are her ultimate picker upper. She provides tools to open minded parents to empower their children to raise positive, gracious, global thought leaders. She currently writes for the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Richmondmomsblog, Desh Videsh Magazine and is author in an upcoming Anthology 100+MomsOneJourney as well.
How a Modern Me Celebrates Karvachauth

How a Modern Me Celebrates Karvachauth

by with No Comment festivalsHeritageVoices

“Are you going to stay hungry all day long? Why would you in this day and age? “

I get this a lot of times, when I inform people that, ” On this festival women choose to fast without food or water for their husband’s long life and consequently their marriage. ” There is skepticism even from Indians who choose not to celebrate.

What is it ?  

How this festival is celebrated is the women wake up before the sun rises and has a decent breakfast of five different elements before her fasting day starts. These are traditionally provided by the mother in law. The fast ends with the sighting of the bright moon with the ladies praying to their husbands and the moon wishing for a long life for their husband so they can share their loving bond for a very long time. Women apply henna on their hands the night before or the day of and dress up like brides.

Fasting hard is not mandatory. Many women these days sip on their preferred flavored water or have tea and fruit after the “puja” (prayer) is over. The prayer involves all the women fasting sitting in a circle, listening to the telling of the story of Karva which is how this festival began. The celebration is described in detail here on Wikihow with pictures and the traditions more elaborately explained here.

© Aditi W. Singh

Mehendi The Night Before

Many women today love an excuse to apply henna to their hands.  I for one spent many years (when the kids were young) applying Henna to my hands late in the night, waiting for the design to dry, excitedly looking at my hands in the morning. There is something inherently beautiful about that dark color on your hands. The process of getting the design done possibly gives the ladies a convenient reason to get together and have some laughs, dance and be creative together. Many women even prefer to have it done by a professional. The comradery is fun.

Modern Me Celebrating Karvachauth 

I have no real scientific explanation for the celebration of this process. My own husband often times  teases me and offers me ways out of fasting. These days many scoff at this custom but the truth is when you do a simple sacrifice like this for the sake of your relationship, dress up traditionally and in a way celebrate your relationship you feel aglow by the love you share with your husband. These days with many women living far from their immediate families, it is a wonderful way to make the extra effort to make your bond stronger, make yourself and your husband feel special.

 Many celebrations are more a matter of heart than hard logic or tradition. 

© Aditi W. Singh

For many years, I have celebrated this festival with friends who do not fast themselves but respect the fact that I do so and enjoy the simple feeling of love along with me. We have laughed, enjoyed chasing the moon in our cars (most years it has risen earlier far from home) and relished the joy of sharing a meal together after. Celebrating together even when we do not ideally believe in the same concept brings us all together in a special way. Many a times those same people have delayed their dinners to share the joy of breaking my fast with me. That in itself is greatly appreciated.

What Kids See

On this festival, I hope my kids feel the love when they see Dad feeding mom as she has mehendi on her hands, or mom cooking for the family and being happy all day even though she hasn’t eaten or drank a sip of water all day.

I specially love it, when I get all decked up in the traditional (almost bridal) attire, when my either and often both my kids come up and say, ” Mom you look so pretty. “

When I celebrate this festival, I hope my kids are inspired to learn to make sacrifices for their loved ones. To be happy for others, no matter what they are going through themselves. That they feel joy when they see mom and dad all dressed up and doing something that celebrates their love for each other.

How We Spend The Evening Waiting For the Moon

Now what do you couples do, during the many hours after all your chores are done on Karvachauth and you are dressed up and waiting for the pretty white moon to show up and shine upon you? And won’t you know it, it is Always late during Karvachauth.

Here are a set of games I have come up with to pass the time. Let’s face it. Distracted minds think less about rumbling tummies!

Blindfold Bangles

Bangles are a staple on this special day and go wonderfully with the theme. In this game you blind fold both partners and the husband tries to put on as many bangles on the wife’s hand as possible.

Wedding Ring Mix Up

Everyone takes off their wedding rings and adds them to a bowl. Blindfolded partners try to find their or their partners wedding ring. If they do, they win.

Name The Essentials

This is for the husbands. They have to name all the items that are essential on this festival. Whoever gets all or most of the items right, wins.

Laugh Out Loud

This would be a great game for fasting women as they try to keep a straight face, while their respective husbands try to make them laugh.

For more couples games to make any couples’ evening amazing, download the free book of couples games here.

Raising World Children Game Night

© Aditi W. Singh

Aditi Wardhan Singh is a mom of two, living it up in Richmond Virginia in USA. Raised in Kuwait, being Indian by birth she has often felt out of place. A computer engineer by profession, she is now a freelance writer and entrepreneur having founded Raising World Children. In her spare time she volunteers for Circle of Peace International and impromptu dance parties with her little one are her ultimate picker upper. She provides tools to open minded parents to empower their children to raise positive, gracious, global thought leaders. She currently writes for the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Richmondmomsblog, Desh Videsh Magazine and is author in an upcoming Anthology 100+MomsOneJourney as well.

Guide to Meditation & Fasting During Navratri

Guide to Meditation & Fasting During Navratri

by with 10 Comments ContemporaryfestivalsGuidesVoices

Navratri, literally meaning “9 nights” is the beginning of the fall harvest, the change of seasons. When we align our system to Nature, we rest in balance. We feel energized, light in our body, and ease in our movements. We will spend the nine divine days of Navratri honoring the victory of positivism over negativity. The victory is of the absolute reality over the apparent duality of self and consciousness.

Whether in silence or active in the world, spend just a few moments to honor yourself and body during these precious nine nights.

We will detox by taking some disciplinary actions like juice detox, khichidi detox, on fruit diet, one day at a time. Traditionally, these days include chanting of divine mother (Eg; Lalita Sahastra namam, Kadgamala, Devi Kavacham, etc), and fasting.

Today I will share my celebration of Navratri, that include bringing the mind, body and spirit in tune.

 

First Day

Self
Today is among the first three days of self-purification in which goddess Durga is worshiped in her terrifying, destructive and powerful aspect. We pray to the goddess to destroy our imperfections. We pray to make us pure.

Body
See where you can make shifts in your lifestyle habits that allow for your system to rest. Small changes make bigger results. Eat lighter, increase fruits and vegetables, increase water intake, sleep earlier or reduce time in front of the computer or TV. Rest to your digestive, and nervous system, and even eyes can go a long way. Set an intention for these nine days.

Mind
These nine day we will be practicing dissolve the discriminating ego, our judging intellect and our doubting mind into Divine Knowledge that makes us hollow and empty to come into awareness of Who Am I.

Second Day

Self
It is with the power of the above that we pray to destroy the negative tendencies of selfishness, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger, and ego we hold in our heart and mind.

Body
Eating foods that suit our constitution and are gentle to our system along with movement/exercise help to keep the whole body in balance. Proper digestion, and elimination are an important indicator of overall health and well-being.

Mind
Meditation, and journal writing are all effective ways of letting go of thoughts and emotions that do not serve us. Practice surrendering the events, thoughts and emotions to the divine which are not in your circle of influence, will help to see the shift in you.

Third Day

Self
We renew our commitment to acquire triumph over all of our negative tendencies.

Body
What works for one does not always work for another. Tapping into the wisdom of our own body gives us the guidance to know what works for us. Take note of the foods you eat, and how it makes you feel: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take note of sleep habits and your daily energy levels. This simple understanding of our body allows us to function optimally; we feel light and energized.

Mind
We attract prosperity and abundance and protect courageously the Inner Child to enjoy the journey in this body by dropping the cowardice and weakness.

Fourth Day

Self
The next three days, we move from self-purification to self- transformation. Our worship is now devoted to Goddess Lakshmi, the prosperity-bestowing form. Devotees pray for removing obstacles and bringing success in their paths.

Body
By changing bad habits to good ones come from putting attention on what is already working for you than trying to fix what is not.

Mind
Observe the transition of thoughts. Your thought and action affects your cosmos out there. The cosmos around you is what makes your world within you.

Fifth day

Self
Goddess Lakshmi does not merely bestow material prosperity, but also grants qualities which we as spiritual seekers require, namely calmness, peace, equanimity, compassion, and love.

Body
Today we take the opportunity to practice eating with awareness. So often we stuff food into our mouths while distracted, agitated or hurried. This diminishes the pleasure that food gives us and the nutrition it provides for the body. Take notice of the scent, texture, taste of your food while taking slow, gentle breaths. Place your fork down between bites. Eating with awareness is a form of love and compassion towards your body.

Mind
Surrender to the universe that bursts open with Universal Inspiration to create newness with every breath.

Sixth day

Self
Today is the third and final day which honors the Mother Divine as Lakshmi, the energy that manifests as the complete well-being of a person.

Body
In our diets, the more we eat from natural, whole food sources, the less we require in overall food intake. In our lives, the more we engage in activities of service and truth, the less we require in life. Keep food and life simple. Continue with yoga/ Exercise.

Mind
Observe the tendencies of mind clinging to the negativity, angry about the past and anxious about the future. Realize that you can drop them and can move forward.

Seventh Day

Self
We moved from self-purification to self-transformation and now we prepare ourselves to receive self-knowledge. Our prayer is devoted to Goddess Saraswati. She is the one who gives the essence (Saara) of the self (Swa), the one who gives the essence of self. She is the bestower of the true light of knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

Body
Keeping a gentle awareness of our body gives us the understanding of what foods best suit us, how much sleep gives us adequate rest, how much exercise or movement provides energy, and those activities that uplift our spirit. Take this knowledge of yourself as a toolbox for well-being. This toolbox and all the knowledge in it is yours, and it’s the duty of self-knowledge to always be there for you.

Mind
We surrender our doubting mind, judging intellect and Discriminating Ego to dissolve into recognizing and being whole and complete and balanced.

Eighth Day

Self
Today, we continue our worship for Goddess Saraswati. We first have to purify ourselves to get to the path of wisdom. Goddess Saraswati bestows the shakti (energy) to devotees so that they can attain knowledge.

Body
Take a moment in the day or just before going to bed to check in with yourself of physical and mental/emotional symptoms as indicators of what is going on in the body and mind. Physical symptoms are bodily sensations– Imbalance: heaviness, sluggishness, weakness. Balance: energy, stamina, steady breathing. Mental/Emotional symptoms are feelings, thoughts– : tense, restless, agitated. Balance: calm, relaxed, focused

Mind
In order to merge in to our pure self we release our weak self that attracts violence and abuse in any form.

Ninth Day

Self
Today is the  final day which honors Goddess Saraswati. She is often depicted as being seated on a rock. Knowledge, like a rock, is steadfast support. She plays the veena, a musical instrument, which mellifluous notes bring harmony and peace to the mind. Similarly, spiritual knowledge brings relaxation and celebration to ones’ life.

Body
The nine days of Navratri gives us the opportunity to pause, reflect and reset our mind, body and self. With the help of the traditions, masters and powerful goddess energies, we set clear intentions, put forth attention and receive the biggest gift of all: knowledge of the Self. The simplicity of knowing the appropriate foods and exercise for our body and the correct practices for our mind brings assurance and the confidence that no other type of knowledge provides. With renewed energy and knowledge, we are able to move ahead.

Mind
In these nine days we dissolved into the divine by dropping the discriminating ego, judging intellect that separates us from others and conquering the doubting monkey mind. Let’s pray to the DIVINE MOTHER to keep us on this practice though out.

Happy Dussehra

The 9 days lead us to the celebration of Dussehra, the day of victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishaasur. For the spiritual seeker, misery in the mind is the true fight or conflict. We dedicate our life to spiritual practices, service, Satsang (being with likeminded people) and knowledge as the way to overcome this conflict. We become victorious and feel full in celebration of life.

Wanting, Doing and knowing of the self are all manifestations of the same energy that is YOU. At any given time one of these will dominate.

  • When the ‘Wanting’ dominates then we will be experiencing sorrow and sadness.
  • When ‘Doing’ dominates then we will experience the anxiety and attachment to results.
  • When ‘Knowing’ dominates we will experience the awareness and happiness.

Last but not least when our ‘Wanting’ and ‘Doing; are dedicated to the highest good of society and to serve humanity our consciousness automatically elevate and self-knowledge will day.

Guide to Meditation and Fasting during Navratri | Raising World Children | Fasting | Meditation | Navratri | Indian Festivals

 Durgamadhavi Mamidipalli is a certified yoga teacher, Marma therapist, Relationship and Spiritual coach. In 2013, Durga took the leap of faith and founded Be Free Now LLC by leaving her flourishing career in corporate to do what she loves doing the best healing and serving the World. Through her coaching and other modalities she is able to assist others in getting in touch with their innermost being and through a deeper knowing within themselves, eventually feel empowered. The awakening love and joy they experience within themselves will continue to grow through sharing.” You can connect with her at www.befreecoaching.com https://www.facebook.com/befreecoachingandhealing/
Raising World Children Kids Remedies

Child-Friendly Herbs To Use For Sore Throats

by with No Comment ContemporaryVoices

In children aged between 5 and 15 viruses are responsible for approximately 70% of throat infections with the remaining 30% being caused by bacteria. Having a sick child can be as distressing for us as parents as it is for our patients. We often feel helpless, limited in our abilities to aid our children in their time of need. Stress and anxiety sets in and we often, unintentionally, transfer it to our already vulnerable offspring. The only source of assistance we are often able to come up with comes in the form of prescription or over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. While bacterial infections can be addressed through antibiotics, they will be useless against the viral infections.

Natural remedies for sore throats

As a society we have become increasingly aware of the possible side-effects main-stream medicine can have on our children. So what are we as parents to do? We do exactly what our grandparents and the generations before them did – we turn to herbal remedies for holistic healing.  There are a variety of child-friendly herbal remedies available to ease the symptoms associated with sore throats. All you need to do is find the one that best works for your family.

Echinacea

Echinacea is one of the best-researched herbal remedies for colds, viruses and sore throats. It is most effective when taken at the first sign of a cold: the runny-nose and itchy-throat stage. When these symptoms present themselves you can start giving your child an Echinacea remedy three to four times a day (check the product label for specific instructions). Continue with the same dosage until the symptoms subside.

Elecampane

Elecampane is mostly sold in root form which will require you to boil it and disguise its bitter taste with some honey. If your young ones can’t stomach the taste you might want to source the capsules instead. It has an antibacterial effect and will soothe an inflamed throat as well as ease asthma. Although highly effective, elecampane should not be used by those suffering from diabetes.

Oregon grape root

Oregon grape root berberine is a potent bacteria killer, especially when it comes to strep throat. Like elecampane, this remedy is also bitter so capsules or glycerite form is suggested for children.

Lemon Balm

The volatile oils of lemon balm can destroy the bacteria that cause strep throat as well as a host of others causing cold and flu-like symptoms. Luckily this herb is sweet in taste so it can be added to any cup of healing tea for your ill child to drink.

Most sore throats and their associated symptoms will clear after a few days of using anyone or a combination of the above remedies. If you still have a sick child after 7 days or if severe symptoms like a high fever, vomiting or difficulty in breathing present themselves you need to seek urgent professional assistance. While most minor illnesses can be effectively treated at home we might need extra assistance from time to time when caring for our children.

Raising World Children Kid Friendly Herbs for Sore Throats | Kids | Children | Sore Throats | Herbal Remedies

 

Lucy Wyndham is a freelance writer and editor having previously spent over a decade working in the healthcare industry. When not working she loves nothing more than long walks in the country with her pet Labrador

 

Raising World Children Generosity

Imbibing Generosity from My Grandparents

by with One Comment EmpowermentVoices
Raising World Children Giving
Photo by Spenser H on Unsplash

I’m sorry to bother you in your home, but if I don’t get something to eat today, I’ll probably die.” The man with torn clothes says to my cousin through the recently added mesh to the gate. The  mesh is a hopeless attempt to keep the neighborhood cats out.

It’s a mid- summer 2017 in Tijuana, Mexico. The night has already curved into early morning.  If you tilt your ear to the night sky, you can hear the music and the laughter of the city still at play. Our very rowdy children have finally been put to bed, after a day filled with exploring, and playing, and running around.

My cousin and I are outside enjoying some adult time and here is this man, in visible distress asking for food. He apologizes again, for daring to speak to us in our home, but we already know what to do.

My cousin tells the man to sit tight, and we quickly go into grandma’s kitchen. We heat up beans, pork stew and tortillas. There always seems to be enough food to share at grandma’s house. Maybe its because its summer and there are two families spending their summer there, or maybe it is because grandma is so used to sharing her excess.

There are to-go plates, disposable forks, bottled water, and fruit available. We send the man off with a hot meal and a blessing, anything that goes through grandma’s house is automatically blessed. That’s how things work at grandma’s house. The hungry get fed, and everybody gets prayed for.

A Culture of Giving 

For my grandparents, sharing a meal with someone who crosses their path is easy. Community, religion and a life of service form an intricate part of the fiber of their lives. Grandma happily tells stories of the many times she’s had a house full of people.

She laughs as she describes how one day she woke up to a house full of young men. There were so many of them that they were sleeping in the hallways, as well as the couches, the rugs, and every part of floor you can imagine.

Apparently one of my uncles had left his boarding school to visit his mom and brought “some friends” along. His friends mixed with her other children, and their friends, and whoever else was over that weekend. She was happy to have them all there. Her children no longer show up with their friends in troves, but grandma is still a very central part of the community.

Every morning the octogenarian goes to Mass, which she describes as a party happening in her heart. She connects to God on a daily basis and then delivers communion to the sick and Lord-Bound. Her life long companion drives her around all morning and keeps her company as she visits each home.

They eat breakfast together and then they have their day. Sometimes grandma sits with grandpa while he plays solitaire, sometimes he gets her ice cream. Sometimes he watches tv with her as she knits her endless rounds, there’s lots to knit when you have lots of earth angels. This last summer grandma was knitting a cardigan for the youngest of her great-grandchildren. “The youngest for now” she says happily.

I hang out with my grandma for as long as I can, listening to her stories and accepting her love. There is a certain order to the home that has been functioning for over 60 years, an order that no amount of words can help establish, a rhythm and a beat that has a soothing quality about it.

I soak it in and learn the secrets, praying and hoping to one day have a home like that of my own.

Meissa Cota Raising World ChildrenMelissa Cota is a mom of three living on an Island. She often plays under the guise of Metzli writing Daily Intuitive Newsletters, Blog Posts and giving intuitive advice on Keen. Melissa loves reading and writing and sharpening her intuitive skills.