The Elderly Population

Embracing the Disinherited



The Elderly Population

            In tribal cultures, the elderly play an important role. They are the keepers of the tribe’s memories and the holders of wisdom. As such, the elderly are honored and respected members of tribes. In many modern cultures, however, this is often not the case. Many elderly people say that they feel ignored, left out, and disrespected.

            This is a sad commentary on modernization, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We can change this situation by taking the time to examine our attitudes about the elderly and taking action.

            Modern societies tend to be obsessed with the ideas of newness, youth, and progress. Scientific studies tell us how to do everything, from the way we should raise our kids to what we need to eat for breakfast. As a result, the wisdom that is passed down from older generations is often disregarded. Of course, grandparents and retired persons have more than information to offer the world. Their maturity and experience allows for a larger perspective of life, and we can learn a lot from talking to elderly people.

            It’s a shame that society doesn’t do more to allow our older population to continue to feel productive for the rest of their lives, but you can help to make change. Perhaps you could help facilitate a mentorship program that would allow children to be tutored by the elderly in retirement homes. The elderly make wonderful storytellers, and creating programs where they could share their real life experiences with others is another way to educate and inspire other genera! tions.

            Take stock of your relationships with the elderly population. Maybe you don’t really listen to them because you hold the belief that their time has passed and they are too old to understand what you are going through. You may even realize that you don’t have any relationships with older people. Try to understand why and how our cultural perception of the elderly influences the way you perceive them.

            Look around you and reach out to someone who is elderly, even if you are just saying hello and making small talk. Resolve to be more aware of the elderly.

They are our mentors, wise folk, and the pioneers
that came before us and paved the way for our future.

K. Sarnac

Loneliness stalks ...

Loneliness stalks urban professionals: The Asian Age -

New Delhi, Feb 21:
How many of us will agree that life in a metro, at times, becomes synonymous with loneliness?

Amidst hectic work schedules and high-pressure jobs, professionals often tend to ignore their social life and end up being depressed and lonely.

Believe it or not, in today’s times, loneliness has been tagged as a silent killer, which is stalking the lives of many working professionals.

Loneliness is spreading like a plague among working professionals in the city. And if you go by a recent research conducted by US-based psychologist John Cacioppo, many would be shocked to know that loneliness is as bad for your body as smoking and obesity.

Meet Mary Khuvung, a 30-year-old professional working for Amnesty International India. Mary came to Delhi 14 years ago, and has been a Delhiite ever since. Initially she didn’t realise it, but her constantly deteriorating health compelled her to visit a physician, and then she came to know that loneliness had taken its toll on her.

"For a couple of years I have been facing problems such as insomnia and high blood pressure, and it was my physician who informed me that more than any medical help, all I need is some friends and a socially active life," she quips.

The research conducted by John made it official that loneliness can make it hard to sleep and even speed up the progression of dementia. He explained the process in his research stating that loneliness raises levels of the hormone cortisol and can push blood pressure up into the danger zone, making the patient vulnerable to heart attacks and strokes. But, at a time when thousands of young professionals are moving everyday to metros in search of jobs, how can one help them from forming a giant pool of loneliness?

Experts opine that the worst part about being lonely is that it breeds depression, which today has become the most popular disease among professionals. "People are not aware of loneliness as a disease. Actually people don’t even think loneliness and depression are disorders. Isolation from friends and peers often leads to sadness, loss of appetite, and if anyone is facing such problems, it is advisable to visit a psychiatrist as soon as possible," opines Samir Parikh, chief of department of mental health, Max Healthcare.

http://www.zeenews.com/newspapers/2009-02-21/509499news.html

What is Zen?

What is Zen?

      Many people are confused because they are unaware that the term "Zen" has a few meanings. Basically, the word "Zen" means meditation. Sometimes it may refer to a transcendental glimpse of cosmic reality, or even the transcendental reality itself. Often Zen is used as a short form for Zen Buddhism.

The following examples illustrate the use of "Zen" in these four meanings:
      1. I sat cross-legged on a hard pillow, closed my eyes gently and practised Zen.
      2. My teacher came in and hit my head to test if I had a Zen experience.
      3. I was shocked when he said he did not hit me, but years later I realized my kind teacher was trying to make me aware that there was no hitting, and no nothing, in Zen.
      4. Lacking a deep understanding, many people may think Zen masters are mad.

Is Zen Japanese?
      No, it is universal, irrespective of which meaning of Zen you refer to. Zen was first transmitted from master to master in India, brought to China by Bodhidharma, and later spread to Japan and the world. But the word "Zen", not its meaning or concept, is Japanese. It is derived from the Chinese word "Chan", which is a short form for "Chana", and which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word "Dhyana", which means meditation.

Is Zen Buddhist?
      If Zen refers to Zen Buddhism, then it is of course Buddhist. But if Zen refers to cosmic reality, or its glimpse, or meditation to seek this glimpse, then it can be Buddhist or non- Buddhist. Yogis in India and Taoists in China had practised Zen long before Zen Buddhism was established. Countless people without any religious affiliations have practised Zen knowingly or unknowingly for various purposes. Whenever you closed your eyes to reflect on what you had done, or what you intended to do, you had, in a way, practised Zen.

Is Zen a religion?
      No, not in the sense the term "religion"" is normally conceptualized in the West. Even Zen Buddhism is not a "religion" in the Western sense, especially in the sense that followers have to accept dogmas and worship God. On the other hand, one can practise Zen, or even Zen Buddhism, without scarifying his religious beliefs. It may sound odd, but from the Zen perspective, many pious Christians and Muslims can be considered pious Zen Buddhists, although the Christians and Muslims themselves would probably consider such a suggestion heretical.

What benefits can we achieve by practising Zen?
      We can look at the benefits from two levels: the mundane and the supramundane. At the mundane level, practising Zen enables us to attain better results in whatever we do! This becomes understandable, when we realize that Zen training improves our mind. At the supramundane level, Zen leads us to the highest attainment we can ever achieve, i.e. enlightenment, or called differently by people of different cultural or religious background as merging into the Great Void, union with the Ultimate, or return to God/dess.

How do I practise Zen?
      There are numerous ways and different approaches. If you wish to approach Zen casually, one way to add a touch of Zen to enrich your daily life is to be aware of whatever you are doing at the moment. When you are reading this line, be aware that you are reading this line, including its meaning and significance. This may not be as straightforward as it appears. Some people, for example, may be thinking of a hundred things other than the meaning of the line they are reading. Another way is to be simple, direct and effective in whatever you say and do. If you want to borrow your friend's tennis racket, for example, ask him politely or in whatever way is appropriate if he can lend you his racket. It will be unZenlike if you start by saying how pleasant the weather is, or how nice his shoes are, and drag on for half an hour before losing track of the tennis racket. If you wish to be more serious in your approach, but not necessarily without much fun, you may spend some time daily for meditation, or learn directly from a Zen master.

What is the sound of clapping with one hand?
      This is a famous example of a Zen question meant to trigger off a Zen awakening, or to test if the listener has attained one. Zen questions are recorded in Zen stories known in Chinese as "gong-ans", or in Japanese as "koans". The factual answer to a Zen question is not important. Different people may give the same answer, but their "same" answer could indicate different levels of attainment. As a rough analogy, let us say an experienced art teacher wants to teach his students drawing, or he wants to assess their attainment. He may ask, "Can you draw an elephant?" He is not interested in answers like "yes", "no", "I can't draw an elephant but I can draw a horse", or whatever the students may say. And it does not matter whether they draw elephants, horses or anything else. As soon as they start drawing, the teacher has initiated his teaching, and he can assess their performance.

How is Zen related to Shaolin Kungfu?
      Many people, including some Zen students, may be unaware of the following two historical facts. One, all schools of Zen today issued from the Shaolin Monastery. Two, Shaolin Kungfu started as a result of Zen. Shaolin Kungfu and Zen, as well as Chi Kung, are intimately connected, although some kungfu instructors today may not know this connection, and therefore teach Shaolin Kungfu as a purely external art, deprived of its internal and spiritual aspects. At its elementary level, every kungfu movement involves energy control and mental awareness. At its advanced level, chi kung and Zen enable kungfu masters to develop abilities which other martial artists may not even dream of.

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