Ravi S. Iyer: Spiritual

Last updated on 3rd May 2019 [To open pic in larger resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.] [Note the above pic has a blue border at the top (part of bleed area) which I will remove later on. This pic was generated from pdf output of Pothi.com Cover Creator which seems to have added some bleed area on some edges.] Key points of improvement over previous version: 1) Avoids black background which a few commented unfavourably on. 2) Uses a Nature pic of soothing if somewhat muted colours, as the background pic for the whole front cover which I think is much classier than any background colour alone. I have some brighter coloured nature pics as well which I could consider using, but I think that raises the risk of the bright colour dominating over title, sub-title and author name text as well as my three pics. Further, I think I am a somewhat muted and low-profile

Last updated on 1st May 2019 My part autobiography book front page cover pic is given below. Initially I will use it for the ebook. But same/similar cover will be used for the paperback later on. Note that I have done this by myself using Pothi.com cover creator facility as well as graphics and other apps. So it is amateur stuff :-). But I think this will do. [To open pic in larger resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.] My Facebook post,  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2475837775966118 , associated with this post, has some comments and modified front covers. I have given below only the text part of the update on the post (the additional pics referenced in it have to be viewed on the above Facebook post): Update: I think I will work on covering up the yellow patches in the 2nd pic on the right. Even if the patchwork may be apparent, I think the yellow st

Readers may want to read my recent post on another blog: NYT article on ideological background and dangerous actions of Sri Lankan radical preacher-mastermind of recent Sri Lanka terror attacks, https://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2019/04/nyt-article-on-ideological-background.html .

Last updated on 3rd May 2019 This question popped up in a recent mail exchange I had. I had toyed with the idea of using Pothi.com's editorial (and other) services, https://pothi.com/author-services/ , for my part autobiography book. There is no doubt in my mind that if I do so, it will make the book much better and much more readable, as my writing style for this book, due to various reasons, has been a hasty one. But I decided against it for the following reasons: 1) I will need to spend time interacting with the editorial services person as they suggest changes and corrections. I am reluctant to spend that time. 2) I have chosen the free/not-for-profit route for this book like in the case of my previous and first book (and perhaps for some other books that I plan to self-publish using my contents of my blogs). So from an economic sense point of view, given my lower middle class Indian retired lifestyle, I felt it would be inappropriate for me to pay for such services

Last updated on 3rd May 2019 Since the previous draft version (dated 15th April 2019), I have added a Table of Contents, added some content, and done one round of checking the book for errors and correcting the errors I spotted. The title continues to be the same: "Autobiography of an Indian Software Techie and Spiritual Aspirant – Part 1" and this current version is dated 23rd April 2019. This is the link for viewing/downloading PDF file of the current draft version of my part autobiography book (5 MB file size, 272 pages of A5 size): [Link deleted. Please visit  https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/p/autobiography-of-indian-software-techie.html  for latest version download link.] . I will be getting on to the work of colour cover page design and then incorporation into book. I also may add a little other content to the book. I have also sent emails today to those of my previous companies for whom I could find contact info, sharing the draft version, and pointing out the s

This post follows up on previous posts of this type related to my efforts to convert a hastily written part autobiography (main work done in 2013) into a self-published ebook and later paperback book, e.g. Some old pics of me (Ravi S. Iyer), https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2018/12/some-old-pics-of-me.html , dated 25th Dec. 2018. Above pic: My mother - Lakshme Parvathi (Rashamma) - born 1930s, died 1999. I think above pic may have been taken in first half of 1970s but I am not sure. The other possibility is second half of 1960s as the above pic is extracted from what seems to be a group pic of Central Railway Officers' Colony lady friends of mother. [To open pic in larger resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.] Above pics: My mother's chanting bead-necklace (which is still with me in April 2019).

I request the kind indulgence of readers for some comments that praise me. I felt that I need to be accurate and share it, in the interests of truth. In a Facebook post in one of my former software company ex-employees group, I had shared the link of the 15th April 2019 draft version of my autobiography part 1 book. On that post, a former colleague from one of my former software companies wrote the following (slightly edited and excludes some unrelated part; he was OK with public sharing): Had a quick glance at the book and also shared the same with my family members. ... I need to go through the pages again on why you moved to spirituality. You were technically very good and also very good communicator. You had excellent analytical skills. You were also part of evolving software industry. I admired you a lot. For the talent you had, you could have been an architect / creator of new technology in Google or a similar organization. I am not talking about the monetary part bu

Last updated on 3rd May 2019 As readers may be aware, I am now working on self-publishing my next book tentatively titled - Autobiography of an Indian Software Techie and Spiritual Aspirant – Part 1. Initially, I would like to self-publish the ebook version (free download) followed by the paperback version (zero/forced-minimum royalty for me). For the paperback version, I plan to use Pothi.com as the self-publishing platform. The draft version of the book in PDF document form can be downloaded from here: [Link deleted. Please visit  https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/p/autobiography-of-indian-software-techie.html for latest version download link]. It is around 7 MB in size and currently has 225 pages (A5 size). Note that the draft version needs a Table of Contents, Cover pages and needs to be checked for errors. I plan to be doing all of that over the next days & weeks. Note that 225 pages paperback book lowest cost is Rs. 219 as per https://publish.pothi.com/tools/price-royal

Last updated on 16th April 2019 Nowadays I don't have that much belief about these Golden Age predictions. Readers may not believe me but prior to Sathya Sai Mahasamadhi (April 2011), I honestly believed that there would be a golden age ***throughout the whole world*** in the lifetime of Sathya Sai Avatar where most people would be happy and content. I was living in my small Prasanthi Nilayam ashram/Puttaparthi focused world and was focused on my individual sadhana including my free service work at the Sai university, quite blissfully ignorant of the big issues that were being faced by the world outside Prasanthi Nilayam/Puttaparthi. The 2007-08 USA and later global financial crisis did stir me out of my protected cocoon a little. But overall I still had a really protected, happy and quite content life as a spiritual aspirant in Prasanthi Nilayam/Puttaparthi under the protective umbrella of my beloved and revered Gurudev, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who I view as the Avatar o

Last updated on 11th April 2019 "Religious faith provided one of the sources of FDR's unflagging optimism. Deep down he possessed serene confidence in the divine purpose of the universe. He was convinced that however bad things might be at the moment, they were bound to come out all right if he remained patient and put his faith in God." Source: FDR by Jean Edward Smith, Page 24 FDR is Franklin D. Roosevelt, USA President from 1933 to 1945. Ravi: I am reminded of one of the main teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba (died in 1918), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_Baba_of_Shirdi , to devotees that they should have Shraddha (faith) and Saburi (patience). I think the implication is that following them would ensure that devotees would have a good life (spiritually and perhaps materially too). From the above wiki page ('He' is Shirdi Sai Baba), "He advised his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, love every living being without any discrimi

Last updated on 9th April 2019 Given below are contents of my recent Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2456400787909817 , and some comments in it: My comment on Facebook posts about Muddenahalli Group's Khargar, Navi Mumbai children's hospital which talk about free medical service at "Sri Sathya Sai hospital" but do not mention anything about Madhusudan Naidu Over the past few days I have been seeing a pic of Muddenahalli Group's Khargar, Navi Mumbai hospital with some accompanying text on Facebook which give the readers an impression that it is a Sathya Sai free children's hospital and does not make any mention of Madhusudan Naidu. I don't want to share the pic here to avoid giving them publicity. But I think it is appropriate to provide some info. about the pic and provide some of the accompanying text. The pic seems to be of the front entrance of the hospital. "LOVE ALL SERVE ALL" caption is prominent in fro

Sadhguru on Fox TV Show Good Day New York, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hs6zpkb9s , around 10 mins, published on 1st April 2019 Around 7 min 24 secs, Sadhguru says, "With inhalation you just remind yourself I am not the body. With exhalation you remind yourself that you are not even the mind." One of the two hosts says, "I am not the body. I am not the mind." The other host says, "So what are you?" ... Sadhguru says (responding to above question), "See the most important thing is, at least you know I do not know. All right? I do not know is a tremendous possibility. The moment you say, I do not know, the longing to know and the possibility to know, .. naturally happens." Ravi: It is really great to see that Sadhguru Vasudev made it to a Fox TV New York program. I think he spoke and conducted himself very well and very positively in this interview. At the beginning of the show, one of the hosts says that New Yorkers tend to be a

Last updated on 4th April 2019 This post follows up on previous posts of this type related to my efforts to convert a hastily written part autobiography (main work done in 2013) into a self-published ebook and later paperback book, e.g. Some old pics of me (Ravi S. Iyer), https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2018/12/some-old-pics-of-me.html , dated 25th Dec. 2018. As I turned towards Bhakti in early 1990s, my first Ishta-Devata (favourite divine being/god) was Krishna. I had started visiting ISKCON Juhu, Mumbai off and on, and found the Bhakti (devotion) experience there to be inspiring and very helpful. I think I got the Krishna blowing conch (before Mahabharata war) framed picture shown below from ISKCON Juhu center but I am not sure. I also think I got this picture while I was living in Andheri, Mumbai (Takshila society) before moving back to Dombivli. I kept this picture on my home work table, prayed to it quite regularly and got inspired by it. [To open pic in higher resolution,

Last updated on 4th April 2019 [To open pic in higher resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.] P. Gopal Naidu, a revered elder of Sathya Sai samithi in Dombivli, Maharashtra, lovingly gave me a copy of his pencil drawing of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba made on 17th March 1966 as can be seen from the writing at the bottom right of the drawing in the above pic. Note that the framed drawing width is around 4.5 inches and height is around 6.5 inches. I was given this copy on or after 29th May 2003 as that date has been added to the framed drawing. But even if it was given after that date I don't think it would have been beyond 2004. By May 2003, I had already shifted base from Dombivli to Puttaparthi and had started my free service (Seva) offering at the Sai university, Prasanthi Nilayam (Puttaparthi) campus as Honorary Staff/Honorary Faculty. If I recall correctly, Go

When author of post or comment is not mentioned, it should be assumed that it is me (Ravi S. Iyer). https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2473895026160393 Fascinating to see this video about ISKCON community in Scotland: Hare Krishna Scotland, vrsabhanu dasa, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zNHvNojKS8 , around 30 mins, published on Aug. 2016 I love the Scottish accent. My first exposure to it was during my stint in Brussels in 1985-86 when I became friends with Liz from Glasgow who too was in Brussels then. Through Liz, I had a short interaction with a couple of other Scottish persons who had come over to Brussels on a visit. There were decent, straight-forward and good folks. Therefore I am very happy to see this ISKCON community in Scotland. I am amazed at the dedication of some of these community members (some of whom are white Scots) towards Krishna and ISKCON. May God bless these folks. A great thing about such a community that has been functioning for decades i