Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has said that the planned International Meditation Centre at the Sita Amman Temple in the central hills, one of the top destinations for Hindu pilgrims in the island nation, will be a symbol of the close ties between Sri Lanka and India.


"I have the fullest confidence that this Centre for Meditation will be a great strength to uplift the human minds not only of the Sri Lankan society but also of the people of India and other nations to instill positive thoughts and ethical values. It will also be a symbol of the close ties between Sri Lanka and India since ancient times," Gunawardena said while laying the foundation stone for the Centre at Sita Amman Temple at Sita Eliya in Nuwara Eliya on Sunday.

Situated in the Nuwara Eliya valley in the central hills of Sri Lanka, the Sita Amman Temple, which also known as Seetha Amman Kovil, has become the number one destination for Hindu pilgrims from India travelling along the Ramayana Trail.

The temple is believed to mark the grove Ashoka Vatika or Ashoka Vana in the Ramayana epic, the place where Sita was held in captivity on the island of Lanka. After Sita had refused to stay in King Ravana's palace, she was brought to this grove where she lived under Ashoka trees.

While thanking the Government of India for the support given to Sri Lanka to fight the unprecedented economic crisis, Gunawardena also expressed gratitude towards India's support to build the meditation centre.

He thanked Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, Delhi Rotary Club and its President Pradeep Jain, Sita Amman Temple Committee President V. Radhakrishnan and philanthropists from India for providing generous assistance to build the proposed meditation centre. "It is not merely the financial assistance, but the thought of helping such a project is highly appreciable," he asserted.

Gunawardena said that the great religions of Asia -- Buddhism and Hinduism -- coexist in Sri Lanka to enhance positive ethical values to the society. "Followers of these religions lived and worked together making our society stronger and progressive."

A special stamp depicting the history of the Sita Amman Temple, together with a commemorative cover was issued to mark the event on Sunday.

Besides Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, Sita Amman Temple Committee President V. Radhakrishnan and President of Delhi Rotary Club Pradeep Jain, a large gathering of foreign and local devotees was also present at the ceremony. IANS

Meditation Centre at Hindu pilgrim site will be symbol of SL-India close ties: PM Gunawardena

New Delhi: All the body functions slow down with age. One can follow the following five aspects to improve the metabolism:
<h2>Physical activity: </h2>
Include yoga, weight training, being active throughout the day, any form of sport, walking, jogging or swimming four-five days a week.

Eating at least 30 to 40 grams of dietary fibre, fermented-rich food (pro, prebiotics) every day.

Drinking two to three litres of water, and herbal tea (including herbs, and spices).

Ensure to have seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.

Expose oneself to the five elements of nature (sunlight, earth, water, space, air)


What are a few lifestyle changes a woman can implement to manage weight?

Being active in the form of any physical activity, can be a simple step too.

Intermittent fasting or fasting once a week with more rest periods

Eating a fibre-rich diet.

Practice mindful eating.

Set a regular sleep schedule, if the sleep cycle is varied, especially in women, it affects the hormonal regulation activity in the body which might increase body weight.

Drinking water. Try to do mouthful drinking, where you leave the water in your mouth for about 30 seconds.

Get into the habit of prioritising themselves.


As bone density in women starts to diminish after a certain age, how to cope with it and avoid the consequences

The main cause of reduced bone density is the lack of ca+2 and vitamin d in the body. As most women don't expose their bodies to direct sunlight the vitamin d in the body is reduced which in turn results in the loss of ca+2 too. The following will help.

Sun exposure for vitamin d with the intake of good fat (avocado, nuts, coconut butter, ghee), vitamin- c, vitamin k, and magnesium-rich food (A diet consisting of more vegetables, and fruits for its vitamins and minerals).

Adding calcium-rich food throughout the day (1000 to 1200 mg per day).

Physical activity which includes stretching and strengthening


As there is a rise in cardiac issues in women, what are a few recommendations to maintain a healthy heart according to naturopathy?

Enough sleep, in quality and quantity

Follow a regular pattern of sleep (7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep) daily.

There should be a gap of a minimum of two hours between dinner and bedtime.

Avoid blue and bright light exposure instead prefer low-lying dim lights of yellow, red and orange colours.

Avoid the usage of electronic gadgets, strong beverages, heavy physical activity and late-night binging before sleeping.

Don't engage in stressful thoughts or plan for the next day while going to sleep.

Try to recollect the happiest moment of the day

Have a warm water bath or a hot foot bath before bedtime.

"Early bird and late night owls"- ensure that 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. is the sleeping window.

Once you get up from the bed expose yourself to natural light.

A nap can be taken in the afternoon post-, for 15-20 minutes.

Manage weight and stress in the form of physical activity and healthy eating

Physical activity:

Being constantly active is more important than being intensively active.

Do what you love doing - select activities based on your personal needs and preferences, and don't follow the crowd.

Try to include different varieties of exercises like walking, swimming, climbing, cycling, sports activity etc.

<h2>Healthy eating:</h2>

Eat fresh rainbow-coloured raw food

Include seasonable fruits and vegetables

Include 50 per cent raw food daily

Once a week - Go completely raw, with thick smoothies, gazpacho, soups (thick and thin), juices, intermittent fasting and fasting.

<h2>What to avoid:</h2>

Processed - When ingredients such as oil, sugar, and salt, are added to food and packed (Eg. simple bread, cheese, tofu, canned tuna)

Refined - Food that has been processed in some way or changed (white bread, rice, noodles, cakes, flavoured yoghurt)

Grilled - A form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food commonly above, below or at the sides.

Fried - Food cooked in a pan that contains hot fat or oil.

Food additives - Substances added to food to preserve or enhance taste, appearance or other sensory qualities.

Food preservatives - Prevent the growth of micro-organisms such as yeast, and slows the oxidation of fat that cause rancidity (packed refrigerated, frozen, canned, dried food).

Junk food - High in calories from sugar, fat, and sodium with little or no dietary fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals (cakes, biscuits, hot chips, burgers, pizzas, sugary drinks, sweetened caffeine drinks. alcoholic drinks, gluten-rich food etc.).

Refined oils - soya bean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, palm oil, rice bran oil

Salty, sugary food, dairy food products.

Intake of saturated fat and animal protein

(Dr Cijith Sreedhar, Chief Medical Officer, Prakrithi Shakti, Naturopathy). IANS

All the body functions slow down with age. How to boost metabolism in women after 40.

How to boost metabolism in women after 40

Los Angeles [US]: Actor Chris Hemsworth is giving full attention to his health. In an interview with Men's Health, Hemsworth revealed that he has made major lifestyle changes after learning about his high risk for getting Alzheimer's disease, Fox News reported.
"Now, I'm incorporating more solitude into my life," Hemsworth, 40, shared. "I've always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately I've really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness," he added. The Thor star is now incorporating more time for "mindfulness work."
"I do a lot of meditation and breath work, mostly during sauna and ice bath routines," he added. "For me, my favorite mindfulness work comes from the immersion in physical actives that allow me to be fully present and force me out of me head and into my body, in particular surfing." In a conversation with longevity physician Dr. Peter Attia, the actor learned that he is eight to 10 times more likely than the average individual to develop Alzheimer's disease. "We've got every blood test one can get," Attia tells Hemsworth in the show. "And you've got two copies of APOE4. A set from your mom and a set from your dad." APOE4 is the gene that has the strongest correlation to the development of Alzheimer's disease; however, not much is known about it. At the time, Attia told the Australian actor, "It's my belief that if we take every step possible, we can reduce your risk to that of anyone else." Since then, Hemsworth has been making his health a top priority.
—ANI

Actor Chris Hemsworth is giving full attention to his health. In an interview with Men's Health, Hemsworth revealed that

Chris Hemsworth makes major lifestyle changes after learning he's high risk for Alzheimer's

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday inaugurated the world's largest meditation centre Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi.
Following the inauguration, he along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a tour of the centre that can seat 20,000 people at a time for meditation.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1736617083293794457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1736617083293794457%7Ctwgr%5Ee3955dd3b859d2770e3369ab9604fe8acf5a94e4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Findia%2Fpm-modi-inaugurates-worlds-largest-meditation-centre-in-varanasi-2815320" target="_self">https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1736617083293794457?</a>
Verses of the Swarveda have been carved upon the walls of the Mahamandir -- a seven-floor superstructure.
—PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday inaugurated the world's largest meditation centre Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi.

PM Modi inaugurates world's largest meditation centre in Varanasi

Lack of words is silence, but the body has its own language, which reflects emotions. Emotions are best expressed only when words are not coming out of the mouth. It is silence that gives birth to the best creation. Deep sadness, sorrow, guilt, ego, anger all come to us from outside and mostly through the use of words, but love, compassion, joy lies in our silence. The deeper the silence, the more clear, peaceful, joyful life will be. will be. Just like speaking is an art Remaining silent is also an art. Human life must remain artistic. Where art is left, disorderliness and indiscipline enter in, which works as a deformity for the society and the country. These distortions together increase the number of jails, hospitals, police stations, courts and increasing their number is a sign of degradation in any civilized society. In this era of lack of time, haste and haste, common people do not know the true purpose of life and in such a situation, our culture leads us to believe that the main purpose of life is happiness., love, compassion. That's why every few days some festival happens at our doorstep which tells us that there is a short pause in life, which makes us aware of our inner personality. Sahaj Samadhi has been mentioned in the scriptures. Some mantras, which were created just for silence and help us access our consciousness, are suitable for spontaneous samadhi. In the state of Samadhi everything becomes conscious. Where there is deep silence and consciousness in its highest state, only then there is an encounter with nature, Guru and Hari. World The purpose of all the words in this is so that we can understand ourselves better. When going through a lot of noise, the mind automatically seeks silence, peace. Silence is therefore linked to salvation. Moksha simply means liberation. Freedom from what? Freedom from whatever is or is happening. Be it life, any work, running around, noise, the ultimate salvation is silence, hence it is the path to salvation. Meditation also because there is silence there and why silence... I tried speaking a lot but did not get what I wanted. I meditated a little and became silent.I felt that the path was clear and the destination was also here. Whenever we get irritated or shout in anger and then calm down, someone from within spontaneously asks, why did you get so angry? Only silence gives meaning to life. Archimedes was also bored with his research and when he sat down quietly, the invention was made. Newton found the theory of gravity while sitting quietly under an apple tree. Many sages used to do penance in quiet places to acquire knowledge from various scriptures and used to live in silence, only then practical knowledge automatically came to them.Came to mind. The development or beginning of creation has happened from silence only. A human being is also born in silence and ultimately merges into silence. Silence comes in the Shri category of divinity while verbosity or noise represents demonism. The answers to many questions are also silent, but when the answers start giving words. Then a huge web of logic, contradiction and fallacy is created, from which it is impossible to get out. Silence often echoes for centuries, whereas words, being dependent on hearing and reading, are short-lived. Words hurt.Whereas silence is detached, non-violent and virtuous. While words reflect the world, silence requires the practice of renunciation, whereas silence is easy. He does not need any support. It is said that when Buddha attained enlightenment, he remained silent for a whole week. He didn't even say a word. Legend says that this frightened all the angels in heaven. He knew that only once in a millennium does someone blossom like Buddha and now he was silent! Then the angels requested him to say somethingDid. Buddha said, 'Those who know, they know even without my saying and those who do not know, they will not know even if I say. There is no point in talking to those who have not tasted the nectar of life and hence I remain silent. How can one even express such an intimate and personal experience? Words cannot express it and as many scriptures have revealed in the past, words end where truth begins.'  
—Vijay Garg Retired Principal Educational Columnist Malout

Discover the profound impact of silence on emotions, life's purpose, and salvation. Explore the art of silence and the transformative journey through meditation.

The body has its own language

Rishikesh (The Hawk): At the 43rd National Medical Organization Conference, medical specialists from across the country convened to discuss medical health and integrated health extensively. It was emphasized that to realize the vision of a healthy society and a healthy India, it is necessary to utilize all methods of treatment.  In the main auditorium of AIIMS, Rishikesh, on Saturday, students from 130 medical colleges across the country along with medical specialists shared their thoughts and experiences on strengthening the health of India through an integrated health system. During the scientific session, medical students shared their views on cervical cancer, artificial intelligence, infectious diseases, and more. During the digital health-based session, Dr. Meenu Singh, Executive Director of AIIMS, Rishikesh, highlighted the benefits of technology-based health services such as e-consultation, telemedicine, etc., emphasizing the importance of digital health in providing healthcare services, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown when telemedicine played a crucial role in providing healthcare consultations to needy patients. She also shared experiences from PGIMER, Chandigarh, emphasizing how tele-education can be conducted collaboratively among faculty members and how GPS systems have benefited patient transport systems in hospitals.  Dr. Sujit Dhar, a member of the team that discovered the COVID vaccine during the orientation session, shed light on the challenges faced by the country during the COVID era and the various phases of vaccine development and success. He mentioned the difficulties faced in conducting village-to-village COVID vaccination campaigns since the first case of COVID infection emerged on January 27, 2020, and highlighted the Lifeline Udan initiative operated by the Indian government from March 24, 2020, to May 31, 2020, to bring back stranded Indians from abroad, besides focusing on preventing COVID infections in the country. In the integrated medicine session, Dr. Vaik Gupta emphasized the need to coordinate all methods of treatment with the aim of healing the patient, stressing the importance of integrating various treatment methods in the present time. He also emphasized the need to be aware that while every medicine brings benefits, it also has some side effects. He advocated for not overlooking traditional treatment methods like yoga and Ayurveda, which encompass thousands of years of knowledge. Cardiologist Prof. Mohit Gupta emphasized the integration of yoga and meditation and suggested that doctors should provide tips for stress-free living along with prescribing medications, as stress is the root cause of many diseases in the present era. He stressed the importance of keeping the mind and brain clean and positive. Sadvi Bhagwati Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan highlighted the necessity of strong immunity to fight diseases, emphasizing that immunity will be strong only when we incorporate yoga and meditation into our lives and maintain cleanliness in our environment. Dr. Ashok Varshney, advisor to the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, stressed the adoption of nature-based routines, giving various examples to explain how adopting a healthy lifestyle through activities like running and avoiding unhealthy food is essential for mental health as well. During the convention, Dr. Ashok Khandelwal, National President of NMO, Dr. M. Srinivas, Director of AIIMS Delhi, Dr. RK Jain, NMO Uttarakhand President, Convention Organizing Chairman Pankaj Sharma, Organizing Secretary Dr. Vinod Kumar Singh, Principal Dr. Ashok Devarani of Himalayan Hospital, Deputy Director Administration Lt. Col. Amit Parasar, Prof. Manoj Gupta, Dr. Meenakshi Dhar, Prof. Brijendra Singh, and others were present.

At the 43rd National Medical Organization Conference, medical specialists from across the country convened

Integrated Health System To Utilize All Methods Of Treatment—43th National Medical Organisation Conference

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was sent to Tihar Jail after a court remanded him in judicial custody in the excise policy case, is spending most of his time meditating, reading books and doing yoga in his cell, sources said on Thursday.
Kejriwal, the first sitting chief minister to be lodged at Asia's largest jail, is placed in a 14x8 feet room located in general ward number 3 of jail number 2 of Tihar.  According to jail sources, for the most part of the day, Kejriwal reads books and does yoga and meditation twice every day.  "He does yoga and meditates for about for about one and a half hours each every morning and evening," an official source said.  Among the books provided to him are the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, and ‘How Prime Ministers Decide’.
"He is often seen reading these books and writing something while sitting on the chair in his cell," the source said.  A jail official said Kejriwal can also read the books available in the library for the inmates. But as of now, he hasn't asked for any other books, he said.  While the chief minister has been provided a TV with 20 channels in his cell, the sources said, he is not very fond of watching it.  A table and a chair along with an electric kettle have been provided to him as directed by the court, the sources said.  He has also been given a broom, a bucket and a piece of cloth -- provided to all inmates as per the jail manual -- for cleaning his cell, they said.  The Tihar officials can keep a watch on him 24 hours with two CCTV cameras installed in the cell. A small space outside his cell, which is called a lobby, is where he can stretch and walk, officials said.
Due to security reasons, Kejriwal is not allowed to meet other inmates. A quick reaction team comprising Central Reserve Police Force and Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel is deployed round the clock outside his ward.  "Whenever he goes to meet his lawyer, which is daily, he is escorted by the QRT personnel," a source said.  Tea and home-cooked food are being provided to him daily, on time, an officer said, adding that "Kejriwal hasn't demanded anything else as of now."
—PTI

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, in Tihar Jail, meditates, reads books, and practices yoga. Follow his routine and jail life updates.

The Hawk

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Meditation Centre at Hindu pilgrim site will be symbol of SL-India close ties: PM Gunawardena

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Meditation Centre at Hindu pilgrim site will be symbol of SL-India close ties: PM Gunawardena

Chirag Kaul

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