International Yoga Day along with Father's Day and Music Day

 PC  THOMAS

International Day of Yoga, World Father’s Day and World Music Day come together on June 21.  I think this unison fits absolutely in this time, as we all need to sense about ways to improve our health, family relationship and a life of melody on this very special occasion.

International Yoga Day is celebrated to raise consciousness about the inclusion of Yoga in our daily lives.  On the other hand, World Father’s Day, a day on which children thank their fathers, is celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year for their relentless support and selfless love for them. And the World Music day marks the beginning of summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. It is a great international event that has been ongoing for more than 25 years, in many countries of the world. Read more article PC Thomas

Keeping the Covid-19 outbreak into consideration, now it’s time to focus more on Yoga.  The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi encouraged people to stay active and fit through Yoga during the time of the virus attack. The government has decided to celebrate the International Yoga Day on digital media platforms this year. Joining Yoga Day celebrations virtually at home with family signifies the importance of social distancing and minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

Yoga is a physical and mental exercise which gives us tranquility, confidence and strength through which those who practise the asana become more productive and resistant in life. In the wake of the corona-virus pandemic, yoga is increasingly being exercised by the people to get immunity. The practice of Yoga strengthens our physical body, as well as the microscopic systems that are not able to be seen to the eye. A strong and disease-free body can be easily maintained by adopting a healthy lifestyle and no doubt, with a regular yoga practice, combined with a few minute meditations in this Covid times, can tackle all mental issues of people and reap the immune-boosting results, though it is not a substitute for medical treatment. 

While we also celebrate the Father’s Day along with the Music day, let our family altogether fine-tune Yoga and music for the sake of peace and harmony in life. With social distancing now essential in this Covid times, one can hardly step out for health clubs and gyms or yoga classes,  putting into practice a basic yoga exercise regularly at home could be an excellent way to stay fit. 
Stay updated with the best Blog PC Thomas
Published in Metro Vaartha dated 21.6.20

Faithful wary of reopening of Holy Places

P C  THOMAS

The permission of reopening of Holy Places in the unlock 1.0 has snowballed into a controversy as various faithful have alleged that the government’s decision needs revision.  With reference to my article appeared in Metro Vaartha, June-10, many have expressed their opinion that in the wake of the virus looming on the horizon, it is not at all safety to worship in the shrines, therefore raising green-flag for the opening needs a rethink.

From the Hindu community, the famous blogger Sudesh Kumar DJV, shares – “according to me, religion is a _Lakhmanarekha_ to one and all to prevent oneself from wrong doings. Opening of places of worship at this juncture are prone to invite for troubles.  Fortunately, God can see and even hear our silence. Then why this haste in opening the places of worship now, which help paves another way for community spread leaving the entire country into trouble?” 

From the Muslim community Abdul Farhan Shakoor, Indore, shares, “As all other places are opening with proper guidelines and precautions, places of worship should be open for private prayers at least. At the same time, it is also risky, who knows who the virus carrier is!”

The other excerpts from the Christian faith are:-  Anish Joseph, school teacher, Indore shares -  “This Covid situation can be held indicative of what we are, in fact the whole world is facing. Jerusalem is the place of worship of Jews. Yet, Jesus states a time is coming when you no longer will worship the lord in the temples. I believe we need to hold on to this saying. It’s not the place of worship that matters rather the state of the worship. What good do we intend to do now by thronging to the religious places and becoming the agents of the deadly pestilence?”

Mrs Thomas, School teacher, Indore shares-“During this time of test, it is better to worship God at home.  Every faithful should be aware that the number of patients is terrifyingly high in India, hence it is the obligation of the believers to take necessary precautions in order to contribute to the survival and security of society in which they live”.

Fr. Byju Antony, Kerala priest reflects, “It is obvious that the Covid epidemic has invited every believer to come out of our own established structures and customs, - which we ourselves have bound on us - to Worship and Love God in Spirit and Truth.   It is also a time to show our solidarity with the world in co-operating to re-establish a healthy community and society again”.

To conclude, as restrictions on gatherings lifted around the world, the prime concern for common people is whether this is the right time to reopen temples, churches and mosques – all of which are connected with large crowds – when the country is witnessing a quick rise in Covid-19 case!

How impractical to worship as a Community adhering to Social Distancing!

P C THOMAS

The response of churches to the challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic invites a closer examination during a time of social distancing where every religious institution is permitted now to reopen for worship.

As the country is still under the slavery of Covid-19, human life is now rapidly returning to normalcy with a few important restrictions after almost a three-month long hiatus due to Covid-19 lockdown. The central government has set a number of community guidelines which include that all religious places such as temples, mosques, churches must follow stringent rules, like  no touching of statues, idols, holy books and other things inside the premises of the places of worship, no offerings like prasad or sprinkling of holy water etc.. It is also demanded that the doors of these holy places are to be opened only for a limited period of time and numbers of the faithful to attend the worship will have been vigilantly restricted. For Churches, thermal scanners are to be used at the entrance, allot sitting places with numbers on the pews.  After each Holy Mass, sanitize the church, pews, chairs etc and the Priests carry sanitizers and if need be, use it during the worship.

In my point of view, with the restrictions it is not all conducive and comfortable to worship as a community of the faithful because the Christian worship has both personal and communitarian dimensions. Since the community of the faithful cannot worship together without restrictions it is better to be satisfied with personal worship of God with our minds concentrating on God and in communion with all humans of goodwill in the privacy of our homes for a little while longer until the conditions become favorable for public communitarian worship. There is also no pressing need for the faithful to seek public places of worship for his or her spiritual exercises amid the fast spreading virus.  None would be a ‘lost sleep’ in the lockdown period because he or she is unable to go to church, temple or mosque. In this circumstance, we should ask ourselves whether we would get the mental peace and serenity we seek in a worshiping place when there are many restrictions on getting a darshan or a blessing. How impractical for us to get divine blessings at this point adhering to these stringent social distancing and protocol?

In a way it is good that several states including Madhya Pradesh have now determined to extend the re-opening of religions places, knowing that the virus spreads fast, there is no medicine yet to combat it for certain.  Every believer should be aware that the number of patients is already alarmingly high in the country and it may take some time to fully cope with the situation. Therefore, it is the obligation of the believers to take necessary precautions in order to contribute to the survival and security of society in which they live. Love and worship of God need to be expressed in the love of others. Perhaps, not visiting the places of worship at this time of social distancing due to coronavirus is a better act of worship of God than visiting them and probably causing danger to the lives of others. Only those who are able to experience God in the temple, church and mosque of their hearts will be able to experience God in those temples, churches and mosques made of stone and wood!.

The Author can be reached at askpcthomas@gmail.com

This article was published in Metro Vaartha on 10.6.2020

Elderly deserve serious attention in the Covid times

If the India government tries to follow this method nationally, it will obviously be a blessing for the national old aged ones in their life.

P C  THOMAS

COVID-19 has impacted quite a lot of lives and is steadily increasing its reach in India even in the midst of locking and unlocking. In this juncture, it is the elderly section of people who has become the most vulnerable of the attack. Beyond the threat to life, the endemic is putting the elderly who are above 65  at higher risk level as compared to other group, due to their decreased immunity coupled with  their multiple ailments.

Health experts and governments state that if the Covid-19 attacked the old-age people, the treatment will be complicated for them.  Therefore, they are recommended to stay indoors. They will have to stay home until the covid-19 departed from the world. However, the government of India in its newly economic package, has not mentioned any plan to safeguard the elderly people who are locked at home.

Due to the lockdown situation, in fact, most of the financially distressed elders feel loneliness as they have lost their independence, self-esteem and even dignity to some extent, as they have to depend upon others for their needs. Many have said they were suffering from depression, lack of sleep and appetite, and other associated ailments. As the COVID-19 cases continue to soar in India, and looking the plight of the old-age people, the physical and psycho-social health of them needs urgent attention by the Government.

Since the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government came to power in Kerala, there have been many developments taken place  for the sake of the old age people where one thing  catches more attraction  i.e - every senior citizen having  less than Rs 1 lakh  yearly income gets a pension of Rs.1300. The Finance minister Thomas Isaac has announced that the same amount will be increased to Rs.1500 by next year.

Currently, those who are above 75 years are getting Rs.1600 per month. If the India government tries to follow this method nationally, it will obviously be a blessing for the national old aged ones in their life.

What day is today, Friday or Monday?: A Lockdown Impact!

During this lockdown, I often ask to my wife, what is the day today?  Is it Monday or Tuesday? And she gets irritated with me for raising such a silly question. Have the lockdown days made me so forgetful about ordinary things?  On the one hand she looks at me quizzically but on the other hand, she herself asks even more silly questions to me like “What day is today, Friday or Monday? Or what is the date today, 10 or 20?” 

If you have been confusing what day or date it is, you are not alone.  In this lockdown, everybody’s mental clock is only partially functioning or not at all, as many are struggling with the pandemic.  The Covid-19 virus outbreak has rendered calendars somewhat obsolete. As India settles down into its more than 9th week in lockdown, it seems that many of us, particularly those who are working from home, are beginning to lose the track of time and try to go about with a semblance of normality.

For what reason does the lockdown befuddle our feeling of time?  During normal times, our calendar days or weekends and month-ends are dictated by our work.  That means, in our day to day schedule, what we eat, how we dress, when we go to sleep and when we wake up are totally dictated by our work. By routine, we get started with our work on a Monday and knowing that it would be wound up on a Saturday. But during this lockdown, certainly, many of these characteristics of our routine have been lost.

More than a third of the world's populace is now thought to be under some sort of lockdown in a bid to control the spread of the Covid-19 disease. This is especially true for those working-safely-from-homes and who would normally structure their days around their work and work-schedule.

To those experiencing difficulties remembering the date and the day, it is advisable that they organize their life with a little more discipline than other times. Try to wake up at the same time each day, even if you have no work.  Eat normal food  at a specific time and ensure adequate discipline throughout the day by scheduling time for other activities like meditation and physical exercise of one’s choice, not remaining sitting idle for prolonged periods of time.

What makes the Covid 19-times disorientating is that the physical atmosphere looks very normal but we have lost every social anchor that we would normally use.  Also, setting definite goals, and scheduling time to accomplish them besides our other obligations, can help us to structure our days and feel more productive. This will also provide a sense of achievement, something many of us have been probably lacking in these lockdown days! Monday to Friday and in the week-ends live consciously. Give a boost to your inner spirit!

This article published in Metro Varrtha on 31.5.2020

Corona Crisis and the Coronation of Our Lives!

P C  THOMAS

This Article was published in Metro Vaartha, Bhopal, Indore edition on 29.5.2020

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, every one of us faces difficult times in many aspects of life. The deadly corona virus has spread across the globe and made unprecedented health crisis, bringing along with it uncertainty about future, feeling of helplessness, panic, death and economic upheaval. The world has halted more than ever before and many radical changes have taken place in our lives. All these days of lockdown have made us realize how vulnerable we are and how dependent we are on simple things that we usually take for granted.

When we look around the street, we see no gathering of people. Public spaces are now seen with only by essential workers. The Businesses are ebbed, schools have moved to online platforms and the world has reduced in size equal to our homes and nobody knows when the end of the pandemic will come. 

We have seen that many people are suffering physically and mentally due to the fast spreading virus that has already taken so many lives. However, if we try to look forward to the brighter side of everything when we are in bad situations, something is going to change positively in our lives and good things are sure to happen. 

This one disease, COVID 19 can provide us with such wisdom beyond our comprehension revealing to us of how fragile, interconnected we are and how precious our life is…….It  offers a plethora of lessons on a personal, regional and planetary level showing the urgency to promote necessary transformations of our society to survive in the twenty first century.

We are nine-weeks into the massive time-out forced on us by covid19. Many of us have utilized much of that time trying to get used to the drastic change of living standard the virus has brought. But we are now starting to think about the last part of the crisis, and what the world will look like and what will be our attitude to life after this crisis.

The endemic has resulted in what is productively the largest safe-work-from-home experiment ever performed in human history. People are accessing more educational resources online for their children exploring unconventional ways to connect with colleagues, friends and family. 

As governments make significant interventions in response to the Covid crisis, businesses are promptly adjusting to the changing needs of their people, their clients and suppliers, while steering up the financial and functional challenges. With every industry, operation and logistics affected, the amount of prospective changes to think through can be daunting. 

This crisis also allows us to find additional meaning in our lives. Little things surprisingly become very important.  Also, helping out others, especially in our immediate community and the larger community of those in need, elevates our own mood. 

Although the Covid time affects our emotions, memories, feelings and perspectives, it should help us to transform our vision of life for better and to develop our character. A crisis like this teaches us lessons we would not learn when things are pleasant.

We are the sum of the experiences that we have gathered as we go through life. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have the liberty to respond to it as we think right. Every decision that we make leads us down a different road.

We can also boost our resilience, which is our single best weapon for dealing with stress, by being grateful for things we do have, and not focusing on what we do not. Even if those difficult moments seem to break us, we have an incredible strength that can move us forward. Although there are many unforeseen transformations are brought into our lifestyle, we can use this time more effectively and the crisis can be changed into an opportunity to better the quality of our life!. Indeed an opportunity for private victories! Our personal coronations of life!

Making Fervent appeal ‘to Covid’

P C  THOMAS

Covid-19, you are making your mysterious journey still around the world, and as a result we have an exceptional, historical and critical year and continued to Stay-safe-at-Home with the fourth phase extension of lockdown to keep ourselves from the attack.

You know, in a span of a few months, you have become the media's fancy, the world's biggest celebrity, and fought within the human race drastically in the world. We learn, you posses no specific languages, caste or creed. Being purely secular, you can communicate anybody regardless of gender disparity - the rich, the mighty, the senior, junior, layman. No society is spared whether national or regional or local.

In the modern world, we have doubted whether power is great or money is, but we have learnt now that these are not at all great compared to your devastating effects. We have seen various tsunamis, torrents, floods, droughts, fires and epidemics, but they were constrained to certain places and the rest of the life went on normal. But on the contrary, you now dominate all over the world killing peoples mercilessly!.

With your free entry to the world, without even a passport/visa, the world is now going through a horrible moment with intense health problems, financial crisis and mental imbalance. The normal existence of people has defected horribly and the defect was affected effective way of human life.  The life seems an endless series of problems - Vehicles became airless, petrol dried, ration finished and people became lonely and disconnected.

We know that you have the talent to live like a ghost and can rob life and health of people as there is no definite cure for your infection, no vaccine discovered.  We implore you Corona let us know when you will stop your terrorism?