VAASTU IN YOUR KITCHEN

The kitchen is an extremely important part of your house and must be given due care and respect. Most of us treat the kitchen only as a place where food is cooked and food stocks are stored. However the ancient percepts of vaastu accord very high significance to the kitchen and it’s placement. It is considered a sacred place, vaastu shastra percepts relating to the Kitchen are as follows:
The best location for the Kitchen is the Southeast.
Kitchen located in the North or the East does tend to cause financial troubles.
The women folk should be facing the East while doing their cooking. This is good for health.
There should be abundant use of green in the kitchen. For example green granite for flooring or green pictures. This helps improve the appetite of the family members and also promotes peace and harmony in the house.
If possible, the cooking gas and the washing sink should not be kept very close to each other. The logic being fire and water are not comfortable close to each other.
The cooking stove should not be visible to the naked eyes from the outside. Hence always shield the kitchen from the outsiders.
There should be no leaking taps in the kitchen. This affects the money flow.
Wall Clocks should not be placed on the South and Southwest walls.
Kitchen is the best place to have your daily meals; but never face South while having your meals it creates stomach disorders, indigestion and other related problems.

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PERFECT FAT-BURNER

If you want to drop a dress size, then cycling is one of the best ways you can do it. Biking provides a great overall workout, burning calories and reducing body fat. Plus, it can’t be beaten when it comes to getting great thighs and a perfectly pert bottom.

GETTING STARTED

You don’t have to spend a fortune on a top-of-the-range new bike. Chances are, the one you may have got tucked away at the back of your verandah is just fine. Remember, if your feet fully touch the ground when you’re in the saddle, the bike is either too small or the seat needs raising. Other safety essentials, (which most people do not adhere to) recommended are: a helmet, padlock, bicycle pump, plus lights and reflective gear if you plan to cycle at night.

YOUR BIKING PLAN

Begin with three 30-minute bike rides for the first week, building up to longer sessions each week. Start on flat terrain, then introduce a few hills to challenge yourself. By week three, you should aim for four 35-minute sessions. By week five and six, you should be aiming for four 45-minute bike sessions per week to really see a difference.

SIX MORE REASONS TO GET ON THE SADDLE

1 Cycling keeps your knees and hips flexible. Plus, because you have to rise out of the saddle with any bumps on the road, it also strengthens your lower back and stomach muscles.

2 Regular aerobic exercise such as cycling has been shown to be more effective than some of the pills in beating mild depression, as it releases the ‘feel good’ chemicals in the brain.

3 Studies show that people who regularly cycle have the fitness level and body age of someone about 10 years younger.

4 Cycling is the perfect exercise if you’re overweight because your body weight is carried by the bike, not you, so excess pounds don’t put pressure on your joints.

5 As part of a healthy lifestyle, regular cycling can reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease by around 50 per cent.

6 Cycling is credit-crunch friendly as it requires no gym membership fees, and saves money on petrol or public transport. It’s also pollution-free and better for the environment.

How to walk 10,000 steps a day

To appease your conscience that’s been nagging you to increase your activity level so you can lose a little weight, just keep these simple steps in mind:

Park farthest away at parking spaces. This will force you to walk more and though you might not like it initially, you’ll soon start enjoying the bit of exercise it gives you.

Always use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator at work or shopping. Take 10 minutes off from your lunch break and take a walk. After all, every step helps.

And even otherwise, remember, every step you take throughout your day benefits your health and gets you moving. Start out slowly with little changes. Record your daily steps for a week.

Take the average of the 7 days and decide what little changes you could make to reach up to 10,000 steps a day.

RUDRAKSHA POOJA

The following pooja can also be performed prior to wearing any Rudraksha bead/mala:-
The Rudraksha should be immersed in oil overnight. Then they are washed with Panchamrit(mixture of raw milk(unboiled),honey,curd,desi ghee & ganga jal), while chanting Shiva Mantra
"Om Namah Shivaye"
Then the Rudraksha are washed with pure water(ganga jal) chanting the Sadyojaat Mantra which is as follows:-
"Om Sadyojaatam Prapadyaami Sadyojataajava Namah, Bhave Bhavenaati Bhave Bhavasvamaam Bhavodbhavay Namah"
After this a sandalwood paste, Ashatgandha (mixture of eight fragrances) and kesar (saffron) solution is made & beads r dipped in it for some time..then these beads r taken out chanting the following Vaamdev Mantra:-

• "Om Vamdevaya Namo Jyeshthaay Namah Shreshthay,
  Namo Rudraay Namah Kaalay Namah Kala,
  Vikarannaay Namo Bal Vikaranaay Namo Balaay,
  Namo Bala Pramathanaay Namo Sarva Bhoot,
  Damanaay Namo Manomanaay Namah"

Next the following Aghor Mantra is chanted while offering incense (agarbati/dhoop):-
"Om Aghorebhyo Ghorebhyo Ghor Ghor Tarebhaya,Sarvebhya Sarva Sharvvebhyo Namaste Astu Rudra Roopebhyah"
After this the Rudraksha are smeared with saffron chanting the following Tatpurush Mantra:-
"Om Tatpurushaay Vidmahe Mahadevaay Dheemahi,Tanno Rudrah Prachodayaat"
Next the following Eeshaan Mantra is chanted on each bead:-
"Om Eeshaanah Sarvavidyaanam Eeshwar,
Sarvabhootaanaam Brahmaadipati Brahmanaadhipati Brahma Shivome Astu
Sadaa Shivom"
Then the Specified mantra for each Mukhi Rudraksha is chanted on that bead.
These should be worn on any monday morning after touching with shivlinga.

Om Namah Shivay!

After this Maha Mrityunjaya mantra is chanted nine times
"Om Trayambakam yajamahe Sugandim Pusitivardhanum, Urvakamiv Bandhananmritormukhiya Ma amritat "
After completing the steps described above join both palms in a namaskar mudra and then chant
"Maale Maale Mahaa Maale Sarvashakti Samanvite Chaturvargaa Tvayinyistah Tasmaan Me Siddhidaa Bhav"

Source: devshoppe.com

CARE & PRECAUTION

CARE & PRECAUTION WHILE WEARING RUDRAKSHA
Acquiring an authentic Rudraksha is a challenge in itself. But the hunt doesn't stop there. If the bead has not been purified, sanctified and energized, it is of no use. The Rudrakshas are very rare to find. Obviously, something so rare will come to you at a price. Hundreds of Rudraksha beads grow on the same tree, but only one in hundred is the magical bead that you are looking for. What can make the Rudraksha even more powerful and effective is the power invested in it through prayers, through purification and energisation and through the ongoing process of retaining its sanctity.
Utmost care and certain precautions should be observed in order to get the maximum benefit from it and maintain its sanctity. Before wearing the Rudraksha for the first time, it should be blessed and sanctified by chanting the mantra associated with it and performing the right prayers and rituals.
Rudrakasha should always be kept oiled. It should regularly be cleaned, oiled and bathed with incense especially when you are not using the bead for sometime.
Ideally, keep them off the ground; they can be kept on or wrapped in wool or silk when you're not wearing them. Once a month, they can be cleansed by rubbing them with Sandalwood Oil.
The Rudraksha should not be worn at times when the energy is directed downward, i.e., during bowel movements, during sexual intercourse.
Rudraksha may create in some people a sense of aloofness or separateness from the world, which is one reason they are so wonderful for meditation, but it may depend on your type of work whether you choose to wear them in daily activity.
Rudrakasha beads should always be worn in a cotton thread or a gold or a silver chain. Rudrakasha should never be worn in form of a bracelet.
Always keep your Rudraksha clean. Remove the dust and dirt that settle in the pores of the bead. Clean these as frequently as possible with a soft brush. If the thread becomes dirty or worn out, change it.
After cleaning, wash your Rudraksha with some blessed holy water. This helps in maintaining its sanctity.
Rudraksha should not be worn while visiting a funeral ground or when visiting a newly born baby.
Women must not wear the Rudraksha during their menstrual cycle.