Thanks for raising awareness about the latest corona virus in your newsletter. I'd like to add that it would also be more important than usual to take precautions to avoid foodborne illnesses, especially by cooking all food (including plant based meals, which cause half of the foodborne illnesses annually, when eaten raw). This is because if one were to encounter both a foodborne illness and the corona virus at the same time, it would be much more difficult to recover from either of them (just as the CDC recommends that people with pre-existing conditions take extra precautions).

Here is the CDC portal about foodborne illnesses: Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases

Personally, I suppose this could explain why some people who are younger than those in high risk age groups and who do not have pre-existing health problems would somehow be unable to recover from the coronavirus (or influenza) at times, as they may also have acute food poisoning and not know it (which can be life threatening to the same groups as those at high risk for coronavirus, or compromise the immune system of anyone with more than one acute illness at a time). My point is that foodborne illnesses occur often with the consumption of any raw foods, including plants, so be careful with that if you are concerned about the coronavirus too.

Life, soul and purpose... Angles of our existence

Be aware of the critical factors at play that make us whole… and then raise our awareness of those… to lead us on to path of His wisdom.

By: Himanshu K. Gandhi

Trigonometry is a study of relationship of angles and their projections as the sides supporting them morph, giving an easy to analyze visual static components … to that which is dynamic and complex.

On the even plain of our character and conduct… introspection is such a science which unravels relationship of factors and forces, that internally shape our existence, and what we project outwardly… which gives us visual cues of what we are about, at a point in time.

If we care to deep dive and understand, then there are primarily five angles at play; Our…

1. Passions; of ego, greed, deceit and anger
2. Sensuous urges; to appease our sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, and mind.
3. Faith in His wisdom; complete acceptance of virtues and principles of righteousness laid out in ones own faith
4. Virtuous fellowship (Satsang) and
5. Concerted self effort (Purushartha).

Greater the angle of each of them... greater is the projection of its power and influence over us... at any point of time.

When we are angled in the corner of our passions and sensuous urges... we are overpowered by believing that which is untrue and ephemeral... circumscribing ourselves in a circle that encompasses corrupting influence (Kusang), passions and sensuous pleasures... and become increasingly unaware of existence and true nature of our soul.

The only way to breakthrough the self imposed submissiveness to harmful elements... is to come in closer proximity and get angled in by those that are virtuous, and gradually build up concerted self efforts/Purushartha.

And as we do that over the course of time... the angle of faith in His wisdom will exert stronger influence on us, greatly aiding that process. And eventually make us break apart completely from the baneful influences.

At which point, we are circumscribed in the virtuous circle... with angles of right faith, Satsang and Purushartha.

As a result of which our outward projections, while we remain in society, will lead us consistently towards acts of common good, driven by selfless motive. And once we renounce society to be an ascetic/Vitragta, drive us deeper towards Self-realization.

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He administers a Facebook group ‘SSS… Solution Starts with Self’, where his effort is to support thoughts that enrich the base ethos of simple, straightforward and honest conduct, to break the pace of greed and vice, everywhere we see. He can be reached at h.gandhi@samved.com.