I once again marvel at Swamiji's SKY practices. Reinforced via the online lessons by our masters conducting the Certificate Course. On Wednesday, I learnt my lesson on Massage techniques. I have been regularly following since then. On Thursday, I learnt my lesson on Blessings, especially knowing the power of simple Mahamantra - Vaazhga Valamudan, Vaazhga Vaiyagam - my personal peace improves, family harmony improves. Friday and Saturday, I did some extremely hard work in our backyard, involves scrubbing very deep pockets of mold stuck to the patio stones.

Both days, I was determined to just simply use a normal scrub brush, hot heeding to my wife's advice of engaging a handyman (repair services man), since they would bring equipment which use high pressure hot water to aim at the mold, thereby it gets cleared very fast. Just simple lifestyle. Conserve water, and fuel that is used in plenty by those equipment.Friday's cleaning session (took leave from office that day, I do that some times simply to spend time at home), I must have cleaned maybe about 30 stones, each stone is about 1 ft x 2 ft size. I was constantly taking help from my wife for emptying the dirty water, replace it with fresh water. 

That pause gave me some rest in between. This would have lasted about 2-2.5 hours, and I was totally tired and hence stopped. Saturday, did some other work in the AM, had to resume this cleaning work again, because there were 30 more stones to clean the mold from. The Sky mantra suddenly came to my mind. Rest was magic. The entire stretch of the 30 stones area, I cleaned all by myself, with very minimal help from my wife for water replacement. All through, I was quietly uttering the Mantra myself, somehow the body regained so much energy, to finish the whole work, with much less time than the earlier day. Per common logic, having worked so hard just the previous day, the body was still recovering, it would be impossible to do just as much work. 

As IT people, our stamina is not anywhere within the normal range. On the contrary, uttering the Mantra proved me wrong, and it ensured that I didn't have to stop. Not surprisingly, my body started aching really badly the rest of the evening. Some rest. And then, I accompanied my family on their daily walk, which I had not been joining almost for a month. Thanks to getting into a rhythm of practicing Daily meditation, I resumed that walking routine (all contributing toward enhanced family harmony), to the pleasant surprise of my family actually. They seem to be confused to see that I have been walking much quicker than them, and dragging them into deeper sections of the trails nearby our home. 

On this day too, even though my body was tired from the cleaning work, I was walking the fastest. Even on the walk, I was practicing simple exercises (from JR ayya's Kids Monthly sessions), and I had to tell my son that fingers/hands were hurting very badly (he was getting annoyed of my doing this exercise instead of walking normally), so, needed to regain some strength through the exercise. On the walk, I kept chanting the Mantra also quietly, so I could still follow their conversation, and respond as needed. On Sunday, still more work around the house, outside supermarket trips completed. My aching body is ready to crawl to a stop any minute. Body massage helped me gain strength to bring myself to the dinner table - yes, that is how tired I felt. After dinner, I scratched my head, because I cannot rest since I had to finish so many other things before going to bed. Having run out of all other ideas, I could no longer resist the lethargy that had overtaken me all these years, and I took the time to practice 14-pt acupressure. 

Magic again. I was stunned that after I finished the practice, I could regain almost all of my normal strength back again. Able to walk properly, without any complaint. What a big relief. Because, I didn't want to take on the remaining chores with the nagging pain all over my body. Now, it is almost 2.5 hours since we ate dinner. And I am still going. Feeling a bit sleepy. The aches are not totally gone. But, there is a great respite. Hence I am able to type up this rather lengthy note comfortably as well. 

Thank you, my Guru, and the Almighty, for teaching us such important life skills expecting very little, if any, in return. 

Vaazhga Valamudan 🙏 Vaazhga Vaiyagam 🙏