What is Consciousness

Consciousness
Wikimedia Commons by me was a bee

In our modern society, the people are out of touch with the native roots and are devoid of traditional wisdom. They consider it fashionable to make fun of the age old traditions as merely the figments of imagination.They have been programmed to believe in what they touch, taste, measure, hear and smell. Their motto is, "Only believe in what you see".

But when the man tries to understand something beyond the scope of material senses; beyond the measuring instruments, and the faculties of mental speculation or ratiocination, then there is only one alternative to approach the higher source of knowledge and wisdom which is metaphysics. 

The psychologists have described the three stages of consciousness. The first is the conscious, then the subconscious, and the unconscious. The first is what we see and do, the second is our memory into which all our actions are stored, while the third is the hidden and the mysterious. The dreams occur due to an interaction between the sub-conscious and the unconscious.

No scientist has successfully explained through laboratory explanations the mystery of consciousness or its destination after the destruction of the material body. The consciousness is an energy separate and distinct but superior to the matter composing the physical body. 

The man has infinite potential and his capabilities, which cannot be evaluated or explained by atoms, molecules and nucleons. Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics too admitted that the consciousness could not be adequately described in terms of the principles of physics in general and the science in particular.

What is the Greenwich Mean Time

Greenwich Observatory. G.M.T. (Zulu)- Officially
Wikimedia Commons by Ron Hann

Greenwich is a metropolitan borough in London, and is situated on ricer Thames. It is famous for its royal observatory, from which the international standard time is taken. Greenwich became a royal borough in 2012.

The Greenwich meridian, that is the 0 degree longitude is taken from it. In other words it is from Greenwich that the degree of longitudes are reckoned with us. 

Since the globe is divided into 360 degrees, longitudes and as the earth goes round its axis in twenty four hours, so 15 degree longitude = one hour. The time is increased or decreased according to the position or longitudes.

How to Save the Electricity

Wikimedia Commons by Sun Ladder

The compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) have many advantages.
They save energy.

They save money on electricity bill.

They last ten times longer than a traditional incandescent light bulb.

They need less replacement, hence reduce the packaging waste and the junk.

They contain some mercury and should not be disposed off in normal trash. 

Start replacing the traditional incandescent light bulbs one by one.Replace them with CFL's or LED's, at the places where the light is lit daily for longer periods.This will result in greatest savings of electricity bills. 

Whenever other incandescent bulbs break or become useless, replace them with with CFL's or LED's. 

It has been estimated that LED light bulbs will improve more as compared to CFLs. 

A new Electron Stimulated Luminescence Technology has been developed which has and no toxic chemicals and gives a better quality of light than CFL's.

How to Store and Preserve Water

Wikimedia Commons by Matthew Bowden

I remember the oft quoted lines of S.T. Coleridge in Rime of Ancient Mariner, 
“ Water water every where,
All the boards did shrink.
Water water every where,
Nor any drop to drink”.

Indeed, water is the most important thing in life and even more important than food. In present times the scarcity of water is increasing throughout the world. The sources of fresh water are depleting and the remaining ones are likely to follow the suit. 
It is better to properly store the water for long term use and it is advisable reduce the use of water to the minimum. 

Normally a person needs at least one gallon of water per day for drinking purpose alone.
Store water in stainless steel or plastic containers, as they do not corrode, or effect the water, or support the growth of bacteria. On the other hand glass though better is fragile and heavy. The metal is generally corrosive and imparts its flavor to the water. Wooden or clay or cement containers are also acceptable.

Always keep the water containers clean, by washing them with soap and water. But properly rinse then after washing to remove the soap contents. Put one tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water to sanitize the containers. 

For the best preservation of water, store it at some cool or dark place, where it may not get contaminated. 

The tap water does not require any treatment except filtering it. But the water from the well or some natural source needs chlorine bleach for treatment. 

Instead a bit of colloidal silver with and the ozonation of is better. Approximately after every 6 months, the big tanks or containers should be emptied and refilled with fresh water.

Water in Exposure of 1/200 seconds
Wikimedia Commons by Li-sung

How to Save Water at Home

The water saving is essential and an easy way to reduce the consumption or the wastage of water. It will result in the saving on expenses incurred on water.

The old taps, faucets, showers and toilets use a lot of water and result in the wastage of water. The inexpensive changes in water fittings reduce the wastage to 60 percent. 

One can save about $90 per year, by reducing the consumption of water in the toilet. 

Because about 27% of household water is used in toilets. Therefore use new cisterns, which consume up to 1.5 gallons of water, instead of 7 gallons per flush in old systems. Besides place a durable plastic block inside the cistern to reduce the volume of water. The pressure would be the same because the height of water does not change.

Another 17% of household water is used in shower. The maximum flow rate of new shower heads is 2.5 gallons per minute, instead 3-7 gallons in old ones. Besides the former increase the aeration of the water, thereby creating a sensation of high water pressure, without any increase in the amount of water flow. To reduce the flow of water, a shower faucet can be connected to the old shower head.


About 16% of water is used in an average kitchen and bathroom sinks. Here again a low flow faucets can be used to reduce the flow of water in a running tap. To avoid the replacement, just add a plastic insert type low flow rate aerator device inside the old faucet. In bathroom sinks use low flow faucet with a flow rate from 0.5 to 1.0 gallons per minute, instead of 2 gallons per minute. 

Gul Mohar

 Rare yellow flowers of Gulmohur 
Wikimedia Commons by Averette

It is a tall deciduous tree growing to a height of about 40 to 50 feet.It has spreading branches and the leaves are fan shaped and feathery, which wave gaily with a slight wind. It is also called Ashanti or noisy tree because its pinions wave constantly.

The British in India named it Gulmohar. The vernacular points to Gul meaning flower and mohr meaning moor or peacock crest due to it resemblance to peacock, or mohr also means coin.

The tree belongs to Delonix Regia or Poinciana regia genre. The name Poinciana was given in honor of M. de Poincy- the Governor of French Antilles. Delonic is a Greek name meaning claw like petals of flowers of gulmohar.

Why People say Hello on Phone?

Wikimedia Commons by Unknown

While making or receiving a telephone call, we often say hello in the very beginning. It has become a tradition throughout the world. But why this word is used. The answer is more surprising, as Hello was the name of some person.

The name of the beloved of the scientist Alexander Graham Bell was Hello. Her complete name was Margret Hello, while Hello was her nick name.

It was Graham Bell who invented the telephone. Whenever he made a call to his beloved he used to say hello. Since then the word became popular.

The people may not know that who invented telephone but the word hello is well known. It was Graham Bell who invented the metal detector too. It is now being used in the world for security purposes.

The Genesis of the Smile

The smile is an exquisite gift of God, and is liked by one and all. The smile induces and inspires others to smile in return. Besides being natural the smile could be artificial too. It is natural, when it springs from the core of the heart and is artificial, when it is just meant as a show off. 

The natural smile does not need any reason for it, as it signifies inner pleasure, while the artificial smile is always deceiving, both for the giver and the receiver.

So the natural smile should be practiced by cultivating an inner pleasure. 

When a person is in sad and in pensive mood, the smile disappears. If somehow a method is found to overcome this state, the life would become joyful. 

For this purpose a person should remember those happy moments of life, the thoughts of which may fill him with joy and effulgence. Remember the friends, the family members, the places, the things or the happier times spent, or the memory of some achievement in life, which may bring smile on your face.

As an another measure, intently look at your face in the mirror, just smile and see the difference. Thirdly, feel the expressions of your face deep in the heart and smile naturally.

Next, seek refuge in nature; go for a bath in a river or a lake; take morning or evening walks; watch the birds, flowers, insects etc ; enjoy the cool breeze and you will find the sadness fading away like a mist. Because nature never becomes sad, and the man is the blessed creation on this pretty earth. 

So do not get confined inside the room or the shell within you; do not get isolated; avoid becoming sad or getting disturbed; as these actions deprive a man from the natural smile and happiness. The value of smile could be judged by feeling the moments.