Spirituality

Friends, I consider myself lucky because I am spiritual. And because i know there is a god above me, I feel I am in a happier space. Using the definition of spirituality as an inner belief system that a person relis on for strength and comfort, it makes perfect sense. 

A University of British Columbia study found that children are happier when they feel that their lives have meaning and value. Numerous other studies, many conducted by agnostics, have also demonstrated a close link between spirituality and happiness. A strong internal life purpose enhances our wellbeing.

I am grateful my mother led me down a loving spiritual path while I was young. Ofcourse in India spirituality and religion are often confused, inter changed and used as per convenience. But over the years I have understood that her taking me to a religous meet was not to force me to choose a path led by religious leaders. It was infact encouraging me to question the world, think for myself, and believe what feels true to me. 

This morning I decided to drive my husband, Kunal to work... a few kilometers down the road is a beautiful Jain temple with a wishing tree. I BELIEVE in wishes, I BELIEVE in asking GOD for everything. We are his children and he will deliver. And so I dropped him off and took a solo trip to Shahapur Derasar. The sun was scorching and my feet were burning from the time I took my shoes off and went into the temple... but inside was bliss. They say when you meditate in a room long enough it is scientifically proven to become cooler than the other rooms !! #TrueStory

#roadtrip #solotraveller #divineintervention #shahapur #wishingtree #makeawish #faith #luckyme

A photo posted by Disha Doshi (@wildernesstheblog) on May 21, 2015 at 1:57am PDT

Does it make me a happier person? I think so. It's this connection to a higher power, something greater than myself, that allows me to feel confident and secure with my place on this earth.

What do you think? Do you consider yourself spiritual? If so, does it positively affect your mindset? If not, in what other ways do you fill that space? Leave your comments below - I'd love to know!

The only answer to our [unhappiness] is a pleasure which comes not from the body but from a place deep within us.

- Philospher: Al-Ghazali

A Lesson for mothers !

Had someone told me that gujrati cooking is the easiest in the whole damn world – i would have started cooking at the tender age of 12 and rocked it by now. Ofcourse, my mother told me a couple of thousand times to start cooking – but for all the wrong reasons.

Wrong reason #1
Your mother-in-law will say your mother didn’t teach you well
( This is how mother-in-law's get a hated image -- when the girl is just all but 3)

Wrong reason #2
The way to the man’s heart is through his stomach
(Who cares what he likes, don't you have a stomach which needs to be pleased too ?)

Wrong reason #3
What is you do not have a cook
(Mum, If I was born to Bill Gates - I would have a pastry chef, an Italian chef, A Mexican Chef, A Chinese Chef ... and a host of other chefs -- and even better I would hire sous chefs and assistants and everyone !!! -- But I live in a real world. I can deal with it !)

Wrong reason #4
This one comes when they are very angry for you spending all that money – What if tomorrow you are poor – god forbid you have this skill and you can start a snacks business of your own.
( If it ever comes down to starting a snack business -- I wouldnt be making khakhras from home !! I would start something more exotic like -- Herbed butter or something more gourmet)

Had she in plain simple words ever told me – Listen Girl – there is Mitthu, Marchu, Haldar, Dhana Jeeru and Salt and Sugar to taste in every bloody vegetable that you cook gujju style – simple and straight in the face – i would work my magic through the years ! but now – at 24 – Marriageable age – that I am learning cooking. I am liking it – but would be loving cooking had these stupid things not come my way... Cant wait to raise a daughter and a son and make them love cooking for the pleasures of cooking !!!

Do what you Love

I used to eat my lunch box in the first quarter of my lunch break in school. Then i would walk into the library and head straight for that shelf where I would have hidden the book my eyes had caught fancy. I had got into the habit of reading some great works thanks to my mother – who still remains an avid reader. The few minutes in this library introduced me at first to the colourful world of Noddy and then the adventurous world of Nancy Drew, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Lewis Caroll and Famous Five. It was later that Rudyard Kipling caught onto to me. Through these times it was the Librarian Parsi aunty who chose my books and guided me through the authors.

Then came a lady who changed my life – My teacher, my friend, my philosopher and my guide... Naina Sanghavi. To most students she was a horror movie – but behind all that spankings and anger was a fine lady who wanted to bring out the craft in us. she taught me some real literature – Maupassant, Oscar Wilde Charles Dickens, Shakespear, . Through her story telling, she encouraged us to write. The topics discussed ranged from writing fiction to autobiographies, to short stories, poems. She literally got me into the habbit of not only reading but also helping me pen my thoughts. Today I owe a lot to her.

And then one by one, every person who recommended a book became my inspiration. For most of you who know me – I’m an all weather reader. I read just about anything. My cooking inspiration is my sister – Dhwani Doshi. Read her on http://dhwanidoshi.blogspot.com My fiction is dedicated to a big list of people. My love stories are from my younger cousin Aneri. I also like a lot of management and self help books for they inspire me to achieve my monetary purpose of life.
Dan Brown, Khalid Hooseni, Paulo cohelo, Leo Tolstoy, Mario Puzo, Eric Sehgal, Mitch Albom, Pinky virani... those whose writings inspire me strive for my creative passion.

But the whole reason I started blogging was because of this terrific blogger – her name is Amisha Gurbani. http://amishas-kitchen.blogspot.com i have never met her, but she has an amazingly cute daughter. She cooks from her heart, and fuels her blogs with some mouth watering receipes. It is from her that i have learnt how to love my blog.

Today, i got featured on www.blogchai.com It is where a list of celebrities are featured ! and to be amongst them is truly an honour. There is nothing more than a bloggist in me wants. And lastly all the followers, the non-follwers who read occasionally and send a message, email, tweet, BB, Facebook, Chance encounters - A Big big thank you to everyone