Thursday, December 25, 2008

Anekta Mein Ekta Song & Lyrics

Here is a song I've written as a tribute to the Mumbai victims and for all the people of India, commemorating the solidarity and feeling of unity that emerged after the event. It's a first version that I did start to finish in about 3 days. I know there's plenty of scope for improvement, but I hope at least the feeling is conveyed.

You can listen to the song here on Radio Jiva.

Anekta Mein Ekta (Unity in Diversity)
Lyrics and Music by Steven Rudolph
December 2008
asksteve@jiva.com

So many people on the streets today
Raising their voices, we have something to say
People of every age and every faith were full of rage
But now we’ve finally learned turn the page

This is a brand new day
Satyam eva jayate (truth will prevail)
Ek hi hai (one indeed)
Ek hai hum (we are one)

Anekta mein ekta,
Anekta mein ekta
Ek hi hai
Ek hai hum

A billion pairs of ears have hear the cries so many lives
So many lies we’ve just refused to hear
A billion pairs of eyes look to the skies, we realize
There isn’t any need to fear

This is a brand new day
Satyam eva jayate
Ek hi hai
Ek hai hum

Anekta mein ekta
Anekta mein ekta
Ek hi hai
Ek hai hum

This is our chance to rise
A billion hearts, side by side
This is our moment to break free

Our fathers used to say
That we shall over come someday
And now celebrate that day is here
And now celebrate that day is here

Anekta mein ekta, Anekta mein ekta
Ek hi hai, ek hai hum


Copyright © 2009. All Rights Reserved

Friday, December 19, 2008

Save the Gulf of Mexico: Go Veg!

The Discovery Channel website has an article explaining how America's consumption of meat could eventually turn the Gulf of Mexico into a "dead" sea. Here's a clip from the post:

Gidon Eshel of Bard College at Simon's Rock in Massachusetts and Pamela Martin of the University of Chicago calculate that if Americans kicked their meat habit, it would prevent seven million tons of nitrogen from spilling into the gulf -- a reduction of nearly 90 percent.

"When we did the calculations, it was astonishing," Eshel said. "The main reason is we're feeding so much corn to livestock. It takes 4.5 times more cropland to do that than if you feed people a plant diet, and corn is so nitrogen-intensive."

There are many great reasons to go Veg (or to reducing meat in one's diet)--one being the positive effects on the environment.

You can read the complete article here.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

An Exam Tragedy

People's concerns about exam scores often reach the point of obsession. And often, it is only when we reach tragic extremes that we realize how incompetent we've been as parents, teachers, and administrators in helping our children keep the matter of testing in perspective.

Today I found this short article that I wrote last year about a school where I did a workshop. I never published it, and in fact had completely forgotten about it. As I reread it, I suddenly recalled reading a recent, horrible news story about the school and shuddered. Please read through till the end:
I had an interesting experience today. I did a workshop for 50 teachers in a school in the NCR area. The institute is reputed for its student performance, with many children scoring very high marks on 10th and 12th class board exams. My workshop focused on my “The Laws of Learning”. Everyone was having a great time, especially when I was talking about the need to engage learners’ emotions. I gave examples of how you can use poetry or music the science class to teach the topic of “matter”.

However, one of the teachers stood up, and commented, “We’re not allowed to sing in our classrooms.” I looked at her with utter disbelief. “Really?” I asked. “Is it a rule?” (I thought she was exaggerating.) But other teachers were quick to validate her statement. They claimed, “No, no, our principle won’t allow it.” Though I still remained somewhat baffled, and not wanting to challenge an official order that they had been given, I got them to agree that it was still possible to do a science-related poem.

A short while later, I had them perform a few cooperative activities. They were completely engaged in interacting with each other, but after the activity finished, again came another dismissal. “Mr. Rudolph, I agree that these activities are beneficial for our students, however our principal would never allow it. They make too much noise.” Another teacher added, “Our principal demands pin-drop silence.” Then the complaints came like torrents of rain:

"Our principal wants only that our children get high marks on exams."
" Yes, by hook or by crook."
"He even demands that we beat them."
"The principal should be here in this training."
"Mr. Rudolph, you should make him agree to let us do these types of activities."

I must admit that I was in a bit of an awkward position. However, I encouraged them to do their best, and at least agree that they would give these new ideas a try—which they agreed to.
Many times parents and principals are quick to blame teachers for their lack of interest in teaching. But we need to realize that without the support of parents and principals, even those teachers who are interested to innovate and work with new methods are completely stifled. We have to stop pointing our fingers at each other, and instead, put the children at the center of the educational experience, and figure out what it is that we can all do to create the most creative learning environments for them.
The news item I recalled was from some months back. It reported that a student from this school committed suicide after receiving low exam marks.

When will we realize we've gone too far with our obsession with exams?
There are other aspects to life and lifeskills that are equally--if not more important. Had that girl, her parents, her teachers, and the principal realized so, she would still be alive today.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ayurbaby Update

Six weeks ago I blogged about our Ayurbaby in residence. Here is an update of 3-month old Aditya, who continues his Ayurvedic regimen, and in the photo below is pictured receiving his weekly baby massage.

It's good to be an Ayurbaby.

JIva Newsletter on Ending Terrorism

If you haven't subscribed to the Jiva Newsletter yet, you can do so here. This issue focuses on the Vedic perspective of terrorism. Some really interesting stuff, so make sure you check it out.

The free e-newsletter appears monthly and each issue contains:
  • An Ayurvedic article
  • An Education article
  • A Culture/spirituality article
  • Ayurvedic remedies
  • An Ayurvedic disease in focus
  • A health case study
  • Parenting tips
  • News about Jiva activities
  • and more

Sunday, December 14, 2008

ADD / ADHD Program from Jiva

Many people have been contacting me over the past few months about providing a solution for their children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The stories and case histories I'm reading are shocking as much as they are saddening.

ADD and ADHD cannot just be explained away as natural, biological disorders. They are conditions created by improper diet and unnatural ways of living. People often find solace in the allopathic perspective of these conditions, as it excuses them from poor lifestyle practices and provides a quick-fix solution that pacifies their kids for the short-term. They then unwittingly perpetuate behaviors and consume foods that compound the problem, resulting in further disorders that require stronger doses and that lead to drug dependency and serious, serious side effects. The cycle is indeed vicious.

To address this alarming problem, Dr. Chauhan and I have teamed up to create a natural solution that that draws from Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedic discipline. We're running a pilot right now that appears very promising. It includes holistic lifestyle practices, balancing diets, breathing exercises, meditation, and therapies such as oil massage. Not only will this help parents achieve results naturally, it will save them huge amounts of money. A year's supply of Ritalin for one child can cost $2400 per year!

It's an exciting new program, and I'll keep you up to date on the developments.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Conference on the Textbook Culture in India

Arun Kapur and the Learn Today company organized a conference yesterday on the Textbook Culture in India. Over 100 principals and educators from the NCR area came to hear about a dozen people talk about their perspectives on the textbook and its role in education.

After an elucidating introduction by Arun (hoping to see his talk posted online!), Krishna Kumar, Director of the NCERT spoke about some of the challenges his organization faces not just in creating textbooks, but in inspiring innovation. Following him, MM Pant, Director of Planet Edu India, spoke about the death of the textbook as we know it, especially in a highly networked world--that the textbook can be one tool, but that learning now has to take advantage of the power of technology.

Interestingly, both Krishna Kumar and MM Pant concurred that the main challenge lies not in the creation of new textbooks, but with the teachers who have to implement them. Mr. Kumar expressed his regret that we are no longer attracting good teachers into the field of education, listing sundry reasons why, including poor pay. Mr. Pant agreed with Mr. Kumar to an extent, offering a more optimistic perspective--that indeed teachers might not be up to the mark at present, but that education will soon see a rebirth, where teachers have to become celebrities along the lines of Bollywood heros. For this bit of vision he received a generous round of applause.

As someone who has created over 70 textbooks (which I feel are highly innovative), I can offer dozens of stories of how teachers have, more often than not, been the point of limitation.

What I have come to learn this:

Problem: Not everyone has an Educative Nature. We must do a better job of identifying those that do, and guiding them into the teaching profession. The problem is that to date, there has not been a clear model or tool to help people do this.

And here are my solutions to the problem:

Solution A: My Multiple Natures model (a corollary to Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory), which identifies 9 human tendencies (Protective, Educative, Administrative, Creative, Healing, Entertaining, Providing, Entrepreneurial, and Adventurous). A brief explanation of the theory is here: www.multiplenatures.com. This model can help us more easily differentiate those who have a strong Educative Nature from those who do not.

Solution B:We have created a free online test at www.whatsmynature.com that helps people (especially students) identify their Multiple Natures in just 7 minutes. The site then makes appropriate career suggestions (including many professions in the teaching line).

My belief is that future dynamic teachers already exist. The problem is that they themselves might not realize their potential as educators, or that their parents are unwittingly pushing them into other professions. My hope is that the Multiple Natures model and the What's My Nature test can help us find these potential super-teachers, groom them, and get them into our classrooms for the benefit of the future generation of learners.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Experts back brain boosters for the healthy

Today's Times of India has an article highlighting how certain "experts" are recommending allopathic drugs to boost the memory power in healthy people. (It was likely picked up from related stories on Salon.com and Newsmeat.)

Drugs like Ritalin are being used by college students to help them concentrate while preparing for exams. And some professionals are using these "pep pills" to give them an extra boost at work where concentration is required. A moral angle is being discussed (is it fair if one of three candidates in an interview takes the drug to boost her chances, or if an airline requires a pilot to take it to increase his concentration?). But what seems to be conspicuously absent from this discussion are the damaging effects of such drugs as well as natural alternatives.

The side effects of Ritalin? (from Drugfree.org)
What are its short-term effects?
Short-term effects can include nervousness and insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, headaches, changes in heart rate and blood pressure (usually elevation of both, but occasionally depression), skin rashes and itching, abdominal pain, weight loss, and digestive problems, toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes, drug dependence syndrome, and severe depression upon withdrawal.
What are its long-term effects?
High doses of stimulants produce a predictable set of symptoms that include loss of appetite (may cause serious malnutrition), tremors and muscle twitching, fevers, convulsions, and headaches (may be severe), irregular heartbeat and respirations (may be profound and life threatening), anxiety, restlessness, paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions, excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, and formicaton (sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin).
Meanwhile, Ayurveda has numerous natural remedies to enhance memory and alertness. These include herbs like Brahmi and Shankpushpi that also stimulate the central nervous system, but, which do so with no side effects. The herbs can be taken easily in the form of tablets, powders, and syrups. There are also memory enhancing teas. These herbs are safe and effective for children, as well as for the elderly in treating problems related to mental acuity.

We can't easily control the agenda of pharmaceutical companies who get rich by creating such dangerous designer drugs at the expense of our health. The "drug mafia" and their lobbies are indeed powerful, but they can only succeed as long as the public remains ignorant. It is here that the media can play an important role in creating this awareness. And lest reporters feel it's not newsy enough--take heart. There's also a relevant economic angle: Governments (and common folk as well) are looking to cut costs in various areas--especially in healthcare. Just see how natural remedies like these are a fraction of the cost of their harmful allopathic counterparts--in some cases 20-30 times cheaper! Thus, going green in this department will boost not only people's brain power, but also their savings.

Touching Testimonial

We often get letters of thanks from people who benefit from our services, but this is one of the most touching testimonials ever. It is from a young Indian man who has been watching our TV show Jiva Ki Paatshala, and who has done the What's My Nature test on our site www.whatsmynature.com. (The message was posted to the WMN Discussion Board).

Subject: Appericiation message

Posted By :
Ratnadeep G. on 12/7/2008 2:44:02 PM
Namaste Steve,
Your work is amazing,fantastict,A GIFT TO ALL MAN KIND,for sure.

I lost myself my carrer and 8 consicutive years of my life i.e after 12th i was hardly able to find an exact carrer for myself and also a job,which ultimately left me go in deppression(retarded deppression daigonosed by my psychaiatrist).

Somehow i have managed to get into BCA(Bachleor of computer application)course,by meeting a lot of astrologers to understand my nature my intrest areas and related topics.just because i was unaware of you and your work.

I WANT TO THANK FIRST OF ALL YOU AND CARE WORLD CHANNEL AND OFCOURSE DTH SERVICE PROVIDERS,for takeing this big step, so that there will be no more Ratnadeep present in India atleast.

I really have no words to thank the efforts and hard work of your team
regards,
Ratnadeep.

If you haven't taken the What's My Nature test yet, please be sure to give it a try: www.whatsmynature.com. And don't forget to share it with your friends, family, students, etc. Also, do tune in to Jiva Ki Paathsala daily. Timings are here along with some online episodes.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

HACCP Certification for Jiva

Congratulations to Madhusudan and Rishi Pal Chauhan for securing HACCP certification for the Jiva Pharmacy this week. HACCP is a quality standard for manufacturing, similar to ISO. Jiva now manufactures over 200 medicines and health-related products (which you can check out here), and ships them to over 100 countries worldwide. It's been our goal to keep true to the original formulations in the traditional Ayurvedic literature, and at the same time, ensure they conform to the highest standards possible.

Wikipedia describes HACCP like this:
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and pharmaceutical safety that addresses physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions, known as Critical Control Points (CCP's) can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards being realized. The system is used at all stages of food production and preparation processes including packaging, distribution, etc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) use mandatory juice, seafood, meat and poultry HACCP programs as an effective approach to food safety and protecting public health. Meat and poultry HACCP systems are regulated by the USDA, while seafood and juice are regulated by the FDA. The use of HACCP is currently voluntary in other food industries.
So that's pretty big news. Nice going guys!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Alain Chevillat visits Jiva

We are pleased to have Alain Chevillat here with us at Jiva. Alain is the founder of Terre Du Ciel, an organization based in Bruailles, France, which organizes workshops and conferences related to life-wellness and spirituality. Alan is a remarkable person, who simultaneously radiates energy, intellect, accomplishment, and humility.

Each year thousands of people attend his events which are publicized by only word of mouth. In a country which tends to be cold toward concepts with a spiritual tag, Alain has found a way to bridge the gap between the rational and the metaphysical with his practical, down-to-earth approach. Speakers from all parts of the globe are invited to share their wisdom with groups ranging from a dozen to as large as 1000. All of this takes place at the organization's castle on 40 acres of natural beauty.

The seminar style emphasizes experience over hype. You will not find banners with the organization's logo; speakers do not carry notes; audience members do not clap after presentations. Alain explains the philosophy in a single, simple sentence, "We invite people to come and share what they know."

This past year, Dr. Chauhan and Dr. Satya Narayana Dasa delivered talks there. Alain has invited me to speak there next August on education, and has also invited Neerja to speak as well on education next Nov. in a conference for women. We'll keep you posted on this.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Amritsar Workshops on Careers / Multiple Natures

I just returned from a two-day trip to Amritsar, where I interacted with hundreds of teachers and students to discuss career planning. There were events in 5 schools (Springdales, Senior Study, Holy Heart Presidency, DAV International, and DAV Lawrence Road).

The teachers workshops were dynamic and energized, where I urged them to look beyond grades and the syllabus--to understand the unique personalities of each student, and to get back to the real purpose of education--identifying the natures of children and guiding and helping them achieve their potential in all spheres of life. I demonstrated how to use concepts in Multiple Intelligences (MI) and Multiple Natures (MN) as a basis for doing so.

But even more charged were the student sessions--90 minute programs with eager young guys and gals from Classes X-XII who are in the thick of preparing for board exams and deciding their career paths. I know kids--the last thing they want is to listen to some preachy adult spewing out vague platitudes about life. I walk into the room with a guitar slung over my shoulder, which tips them off that this isn't going to some run-of-the-mill counseling session. I then begin telling them when I was their age, I had a dream--of being a rock star. That I was in a band, and was sure I would be on MTV one day. (By this time, they are giggling like anything and I have their full attention.) I then explain how fate had a different plan for me, because I got a part time job as a teacher to pay the bills, and realized education was my calling. I use the MI/MN model to explain how even though my strongest MI is musical, my strongest nature is educative--which outshines my entertaining nature (but that I do keep a space for music in my educational pusuits).

Within an hour, all students understand the MI/MN model, and how it applies to them individually. They find out about Career Master and about the What's My Nature site, so they can immediately identify their natures and get some extra help from Jiva in the career planning process.

And before leaving, I finish with a few songs on the guitar. In these sessions in Amritsar, I performed "Allah Ke Bande", "No Woman No Cry", and my own rock version of "Sare Jahan Se Acha"(I thought a patriotic tune was important at a time like this)--and the kids really got into it. They asked for a Punjabi song, but I told them I'll have to prepare one for my next visit...

Random House to publish my book

I'm happy to inform you that I've just signed with Random House to publish my book, the Laws of Learning. Designed for parents, it provides guidance on how to help children achieve their potential in academic studies.

I've made a page for the LOL concept -- www.lawsoflearning.com and will post updates there.

The book should be available in the second half of 2009. Stay tuned for more!