The lure of the greencard

By Ramesh Chiluwal

A greencard or citizenship? This question has been a very critical one for Nepalese currently residing in the United States. It is a bitter fact of our current reality that, if asked, a majority of Nepalese here will take a moment before answering this question. They will certainly answer it diplomatically depending upon their own situation. After being here for a couple of years, no one will find himself confident what the correct answer should be. When we talk about our own country, no one will complain about the country itself but the system.

If one travels to different states of the US and Canada, one will encounter many Nepalese students, technicians, lawyers and many other professionals who are not sure how long they are going to stay. Most of them think they will return to Nepal once every three or four years for a couple of months to see their parents and families but not to reside there. Some of them plan to retire there and the majority of students plan to stay here and work in the US after completing their degrees.

The current trend shows that if visas for other developed nations could easily be available, more than half percent of the adult population would choose to leave Nepal. There are many Nepalese who intentionally prefer to be temporarily married to an American just for the legal status to permanently reside in the US. The majority of students from European and other Asian countries like Japan, Korea, and Thailand have a tendency of returning to their respective countries after completing their studies. Those who come back to Nepal recommend to their peers not to come back. Those who do not have their close relatives in powerful positions back home, remain pessimistic. Through the Internet, we read many of the Nepalese newspapers that present the deteriorating state of the Nepalese economy.

The periodic economic indicators published by the World Bank, Nepal Rastra Bank, Asian Development Bank and different economic surveys clearly show Nepal as one of the poorest and underdeveloped nations of the world. When asked to comment on the situation of the Nepalese economy, many scholars from America who have been to Nepal point out that Nepal is as an unmanaged nation.

If the policy makers cannot lure back its citizens who can invest for the development of their own nation, how can we say that we have reached the twenty-first century? We are responsible for the nation’s progression. Unless we accept we are the ones who should initiate a campaign toward nation building, the value of our citizenship will never go up. The green-card of other countries will remain dominant.

The thief of time

By Shashi Dhungel

Suddenly my canvas shoe lying at the corner of my room grabbed my eyes. It deserved a clean and I felt sorry for its dirtiness. I also knew that I had to wash it. But the day did not come for it to be washed. I always put it off for the next day.

Yes it’s not only the case with me, just a simple example of procrastination. Everybody puts things off, especially unpleasant or difficult tasks. We think that this habit of procrastination is a small and harmless weakness of human kind. I have seen many guys saying that they will give up the habit of chewing tobacco or smoking. They always keep it for the next day and their next day never comes. So this small harmless human weakness turns out to be a disastrous habit.

Procrastination is just sloppy time management or say a kind of plain laziness. Why do people procrastinate? A simple and sweet answer is he/she doesn’t want to do it. Then why so? One is afraid of encountering the unpleasant and anxious things while doing the job. It’s human nature to avoid unpleasantness so simply one procrastinates.

Another factor affecting procrastination is poor self-esteem. It’s a lack of self-respect and self worth. It leads to the abuse of one’s self and others. Ego takes the driver’s seat. Decisions are taken more to satisfy the ego than to accomplish anything worthwhile. People with low self-esteem are constantly at one with the art of procrastination. People who habitually put things off have a sense of inadequacy that leads to a paralyzing fear of failure. Rather than start a project that they fear, may come off badly, they put it off and put it off.

When people lack purpose and direction, they see no opportunity. If a person has a desire to accomplish something, the direction to know his objective, the dedication to stay focused, and the discipline required to put in hard work, then he is far beyond the realms of procrastination. If one has a garland of such things then for him everything comes easy. But if one doesn’t have them, it doesn’t matter what else he has.

Everyone wishes to get rid of the habit of procrastination. Becoming aware that you procrastinate is half the battle. How to get beyond the realm that separates thinking about doing something and actually doing it.

Becoming sure that when I start I should finish, no matter if the end comes out bad. I should know that the project doesn’t have to be perfect it has just to be done. Giving up small time and trying to do a part of the project helps a lot. Making fractions of the project and taking them one at a time leads towards the completion of the project. It is really easy to start from something rather than starting from zero. Rewarding oneself by scheduling a pleasant task after completion of a boring and unpleasant one helps a lot.

It’s how you play the game

By Seth Kirby

As the number of schools in the Kathmandu Valley has increased so too has the number of sports teams and tournaments. More students are exposed to sports and the values competition can teach. Dedicated coaches have spent endless hours teaching skills and the values of teamwork, discipline and friendly competition. Basketball is arguably the fastest growing sport in Kathmandu. There are more basketball tournaments than for any other sport. These tournaments are a hallmark of cooperation where coaches and players come together to make the tournaments a success.

Growing up I often heard, "It is not whether for win or loose, but it’s how you play the game." Having taught and coached, both in Nepal and America, I have seen countless students grow from the values of cooperation and hardwork, taught honesty through sports. I have been disappointed to see that on more than one occasion winning has taken precedent over "how the game was played."

An example of how dishonesty can diminish the positive lessons in sports was the Wilson Interschool Basketball Tournament held this past March. The tournament included juniors, seniors and staff. During the tournament it was clear that two students were playing in the staff division teams. Lincoln School protested the inclusion of illegal players on the Little Angel’s team. The protest was approved, but rather than disqualifying the offenders, the tournament management decided to have a rematch. However, no notification was given to Lincoln for such a rematch game. The victory was awarded to Little Angels, and as a result, at the conclusion of the Round Robin both Little Angels and Lincoln had the same record going into the play offs. Lincoln, however, had more points. In another example of poor sportsmanship the tournament committee, comprised of coaches from Wilson, Little Angels, and Gyanodaya invented a Little Angel’s victory over Ideal Model School by 50 points - a game that unfortunately was never played. This deception accomplished the desired results. Little Angels had more total points thus knocking Lincoln out of the play offs.

This same Little Angels coach has seen himself in the middle of controversy in the two previous tournaments. During the Nepal Basketball Association semi-finals, one of his players from Ascol physically assaulted a referee for making a call. Neither the coach nor the tournament board disciplined the player who was allowed to play in the finals, helping his team to victory. In the St. Xavier’s tournament, the Little Angels coach entered a 9th grader into the junior division. Responsibly, the management of St. Xavier’s expelled his junior team. These are two examples of a chronic problem in most tournaments.

So, who are the real winners and losers from this dishonesty, and more importantly, how can this dishonesty be stopped? Rather than learning the positive values of sports, students are learning that dishonesty is acceptable and most disturbingly, rewarded. Schools are the first organizations students join in their lives, and as a result, have a profound influence. The values learned in school can stay with students for life. If schools and their coaches speak out against dishonesty, and refuse to tolerate corruption by a few rouge coaches, a powerful message and learning experience will be sent to students. The majority of hardworking teams and coaches deserve to play in a fair environment. When tournaments directors and schools take a stand against dishonest teams and individuals who violate the spirit of the game, only then can players and schools truly claim to be winners from competition.

Keeping a close eye on the TV

By Perina Pathak

In this age of technology, television is the most used and favoured modern gadget. It has become an indespensable device, a part of life, in fact. As such, they manage to do most work- household or official- in front of TV.

Whenever we visit any house or office, we find individuals watching serials and talking about it. We can, therefore, say that no modern person can ignore it or live without it.

As it has been the part of each individual’s life, every family member can be found doing most of their household work in front of the TV. Therefore, in a nutshell we can call this world as the Television-world.

Though television has both bad and good aspects, for children it has been their New World. Each new-born kid is born into this world and they live in this new world with the TV in front of them to amuse and pass their time.

As the cities are enlarging with a new house added everyday, playgrounds are lacking, and this has forced children to pass their playtime inside the house - with the TV or some toys. Playtime should be a magical juncture during which children can feel strong and empowered.

These TV kids (that we can call them) do their daily work in front of the set. The TV is continuing its duty and the children doing their work - without disturbing each other. The visual images and sound do not affect them at all.

With a variety of programmes both good and bad, the children can be affected the most and in many ways. From good programmes children learn a lot. But fictional scenarios played overlap the reality, which children copy the most.

Through these fictional worlds the child tries to enter into the adult world, without realising that the actors are playing parts as characters.

Without understanding the reality the children re-enact the character channeled from the scenes they have seen in the movies and on television.

The contents of television programming especially have their effects on children. What children see they try to imitate. And what they see the most is violence. This early exposure to violence can have a long lasting effect on their behavior.

Most kids glue themselves in font of the television set for hours, watching passively fed information and later use the fertile imaginations and engage themselves in their rich fantasy lives.

Violence in our society is at an all time high and other similar plays have extended the violent activities in our society in which children are active participants. The violent scenes teaches them that wars and killing are perfectly acceptable methods while dealing with conflict, thus, filling our children’s world with increasingly violent images.

Therefore to spare them from conflict and violence, TV should not be taken as an omnipotent value and should not be allowed to control you and your child. Thus the wars and killing should not be taken as an integral part but only as a fantasy.

The shows with sex bias and gender discrimination should be avoided. Programmes that teach children that girls are weak and dependent, constantly in need of assistance should be clarified with examples.

However we describe television, it remains in fact omnipotent and powerful. It has the persuasive capacity to entertain us, inform us, and on how to behave. And it has become the primary tool for mass communications.

With nearly every home equipped with atleast one television set, it has helped us to shape our personalities, attitudes and perceptions of reality.

Therefore to spare them from the coming danger help your children to analyze all of the programmes they watch. Discuss with them how the images and content have form.

Ask them the difference between the real life acts and the violence depicted. Expose them to the facts. Talk to your children about negative effects. Tell them that TV is in business to make money.

Explain biased news, tell them the reality.

Give short answers looking to their age, using simple language and only that much which they asked about. Hold group discussions within your family, which is helpful.

Killing and other forms of violence should be avoided. Tell the children that the fantasy world in which the characters are suffering is not the reality.

Whenever the children are watching television don’t leave them alone and accompany them. But let the children enter into the lives of their favourite shows or characters.

Food for thought

By Uma Koirala

Early childhood is a very good time to promote overall growth of a child, especially 0-3 years. At this time growth is rapid, children are vulnerable to growth faltering due to infections, disease and malnutrition. So proper care, timely supplementation and good nutrition at this age will yield many benefits, including their cognitive development and physical capacity.

Globally, commitments were made for the first time, at the first World Summit for Children to reduce severe and moderate forms of malnutrition among children by the year 2000. The magnitude of the problem is very high, especially in South East Asia.

The malnutrition problem among children is very critical in Nepal. The major cause of increasing malnutrition among children age 6-35 months is due to lack of proper supplementation when breast milk alone is not sufficient for the child.

Most women in Nepal exclusively breast feed their child up to 5 months of age. There is however a trend toward discontinuing breast-feeding (BF) at an increasingly earlier age. Modern health workers support BF in theory but not always in practice.

There are many beliefs about BF in rural areas of Nepal. BF is the accepted way for nourishing the newborn. There are different beliefs about when this should begin. Immediately after delivery, in a few hours or up to four five days later? Even within very traditional societies some have been known to think that human milk is inferior to buffalo milk since it is thinner and slightly blue in color.

BF is hard on the mother. Most women during their first pregnancy are very shy. This causes problems in infant feeding. Some mothers are not given the assistance they need in cases where the nipples are too large for the infant to grasp easily. Water intake, especially in the hot season, is alarmingly low among some lactating mothers. There are some very helpful practices, which are good for the mother and support adequate lactation. For example, soup of "Jwano" is given for up to one month or a year to increase or maintain lactation. Boiled sugar and additional ghee is given in some groups to stimulate lactation. Some ethnic groups fatten chickens so that the new mother can have plenty of meat with a spicy soup and so be able to produce sufficient milk to feed the new born.

The Ministry of Health has been developing training programmes for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) in mother care and infant feeding. Sometimes the practice in hospitals is not as conducive to establishing lactation or for good care of the mother as they would be in a village home with the TBA.

Occasionally breast feeding is delayed. The infant is kept separated from his mother after delivery. This anxiety interferes with lactation. If he cries, or even if he doesn’t cry, glucose water is given by the staff. When the infant is finally brought to the mother he no longer has a normal strong sucking relex because his hunger has been satisfied by the glucose water. Sometimes staff in the hospital do not have or do not take time to assist the mother.

Sometimes special situations arise. The new mother who had a surgical delivery needs a bit more emotional support and assistance with how to comfortably position the infant at the breast. A mother with a premature infant or with engorged breasts may need to be taught how to release the breast milk and feed it with a spoon temporarily. In the unusual case of a mother dying or having no milk, traditionally, the infant would be nursed by another member of the family or would be given animal milk and rice porridge.

Bottle-feeding is increasing in urban and rural areas. Parents do not realize that it cannot match the nutritional and protective benefits of breast-feeding nor do they know how hard it is to prepare the formula in a hygienic way. The economical strain of buying adequate amounts of formula are only realized later, 30-50 percent of the income of some families is needed for this alone. There have been many instances of malnutrition as a result of over-diluted milk or chronic diarrhea. Parents sometimes begin to give rice or corn porridge, biscuits, or commercial cereals in addition to breast-milk before the infant reaches the traditional age of 5-6 months. This practice interferes with lactation. Advertisements also play their part.

Many of the ethnic groups begin weaning a child at the time of the rice feeding ceremony which takes place when a girl is 5 months old and a boy is 6 months old. A very small amount of rice is offered to the infant. If the food is eaten, weaning food such as rice porridge or other cereal-based mushes will be given in small amounts. If the rice is refused, the mother may wait to give solid foods until the infant "asks" for such foods. Delays of more than two months may cause nutritional deficiencies. Another food traditionally given as the supplement to milk is "jaulo". Sometimes a vegetable broth is given with mushes or bread. A combination of cereals and pulses, if very well cooked, is acceptable first foods but they are too bulky to be sufficient as supplementary foods after the ninth month.

A mother is expected to look after the needs of other family members; she finds it difficult to give full attention to the child at mealtimes. In addition, in rural Nepal, the mother in law may or may not allow the daughter-in-law to take the child with her. This has a negative impact on breast-feeding and supplementary feeding. Urban mothers who work outside the home face similar child feeding problems.

There are many beliefs about whether or not to feed a sick child. The child is generally not encouraged to eat. Many mothers believe that it is not the lack of food but witchcraft, which leads to the malnutrition. Meanwhile the child gets worse. Generally, the loss of a child doesn’t seem as great as the loss of a buffalo, which costs between Rs 15000 and 20000.

reiki, the healing touch

By Tek Raj Joshi

In the Japanese language the word Reiki means healing touch. " Rei"(Ray) means Universal and "Ki" means life force energy. Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist monk, born in Kyoto, Japan, rediscovered the long forgotten art of instant healing, practiced both by Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha. After intensive interrogation with Christian leaders and Buddhist monks both in Japan, Europe, U.S.A.and Tibet, Usai met the Zen abbot of Kyoto, who guided him with a formula with some symbols along with a description as to how the Buddha had healed.

But Usui understood that finding a healing formula and symbols are one thing and possessing power to heal is different. So to find this healing power, he decided to meditate and fast on the sacred mountain, Koriyama, seventeen miles north of Kyoto. On the 21st day of the meditation, Dr. Usui saw a very bright light striking his third eye and entering his body. When he was fully awakened from that mysterious incident, he saw Reiki symbols and heard the inner voice, "learn them do not forget them and do not lose them," These are the keys to the healing. Thus "Reiki" was the name Dr. Usui gave to the discovered healing energy. He started teaching Reiki to disciples and giving healing the needy.

Dr.Usui died in 1926, before that he had already empowered 16 Reiki Masters of whom Dr. Chujiro Hayashi was one. Before Dr Usui died, he asked Hayashi to accept the responsibility of preserving and spreading Reiki which he readily accepted. Dr. Hayashi in turn sensed the looming second great war in the Japanese horizon. So he entrusted Mrs. Hawaya Takata from Hawaii, to spread this Reiki all over the U.S.A. It is now practiced throughout the world. There are now an estimated 20000 Reiki Masters with as many as 1,000,000 people practicing Reiki.

Reiki is the Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Wonderful feelings of peace, harmony, and joy can be experienced from this treatment. It is an effective method of gaining balance in our modern lives. Reiki can be used to treat oneself or others and can also be sent at a distance as far as thousands of miles. It also stimulates feelings of love, peace, harmony, and joy. It is also used by healthy people.

Reiki "life energy" is thought to have originated in Tibet thousands of yeas ago and Reiki was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist early in the 20th century.

Reiki is administered by laying hands on the head, shoulders, stomach, legs and feet. A treatment usually takes between 45 min to an hour and half. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind, spirits and other beneficial effects including relaxation and feeling of peace and well being. Many people get miraculous healing. It had been effective in helping virtually every known illness. In conjunction with modern medical care, Reiki relieves side effects of modern medicine and promotes healing.

Reiki is not at all difficult to learn. Once a person receives an attunement from the teacher. It will last one’s whole life. Reiki energy seems to have an intelligence of its own and it flows where it is needed in the client, creating the healing conditions necessary for the individual needs. It cannot be guided by the mind, neither can it be misused as it always creates a healing effect.

If the flow of Ki (non physical energy that is alive including plants animals and humans) is disrupted, the physical organs and tissues will be adversely affected. It is the disruption in the flow of Ki that is the main cause of disease. All negative thoughts or feelings will cause a disruption in the flow of Ki. Even most of the doctors believe that as much as 98% of illnesses is caused directly or indirectly by the imbalance in the mind. Mind exists not only in the brain, but also throughout the body. Also mind extends outside the body in a subtle energy field two or three feet thick called "aura". Luckily Reiki works on the unconscious levels of our mind, body as well and heals these negative thoughts lodged in the unconscious mind/body thus allowing a normal healthy flow of Ki to resume.

Reiki is a spiritual healing technique. It requires discipline, focus, meditative skill and natural ability in order to do well. Reiki does not require years of training to receive healing ability. The ability to do Reiki healing comes immediately to the students upon receiving the attunement. During the attunement, the Higher Power adjusts and heals the students chakras and energy fields and connects the students directly to the source of Reiki. After the attunement, all that is necessary for the students to channel healing energy is to place one’s hand on the client and the healing energy begins flowing automatically.

When one does Reiki healing, the energy is guided by the Higher Power and does not require direction from the healer. Because the Higher Power is guiding the healing process and the healer cannot take the undue reward for the healing result. One has to remember that healing energy is never depleted. In fact the healer always feels better after giving a Reiki treatment, because the healer’s energy levels actually increase after giving Reiki.

In Reiki II attunement, the healer receives the power to send Reiki treatment to others as far as thousands of miles. It is also possible to send Reiki to heal negative situations in the trouble spots of the world. The effectiveness is even more enhanced when whole groups of healers work together to send healing Reiki energy at the same time.

Reiki energy enters the top of the healer’s head after which it flows through the body and out of the hands. Although Reiki energy is spiritual in nature, Reiki is not a religion. Reiki energy flows from the healer’s hand into the patient. The patient can be either lying on a massage table but treatment can also be given while the patient is seated or even standing.

Practical experience of healing in Nepal Reiki was brought to Nepal about 4 years back through the untiring efforts of Dr Yogi Vikasananda. He has trained about 3000 Reiki healers in Nepal. There are at present 21 Reiki healing centres in Nepal. Quite a number of Reiki healers have succeeded in curing various so called incurable diseases. Reiki healers like Dowang Rifjin Lama, Sunira Manandhar, Laxmi Shrestha, Purna Keshari Rankit, Uma Shrestha, and Gopal Prashad Pradhan have cured seemingly tenacious diseases within the span of 3 to 6 weeks. Eventually one can hope that this world in turmoil will get relief from the combined efforts of sincere reiki healers.

confronting art in pokhara

By Prakash Thapa

Over these weeks, Pokhara city appears to have been witnessing steady art exhibitions. Recently, Sunya Satabdi Nepal(Zero Century Nepal), the young and energetic artists from Kathmandu, displayed their paintings at the City Art Gallery, Pokhara covering diverse genres such as landscape, literature, socio-economics, cultural dances, human portraits, street beggars, fish and birds.

With its aims and objectives to preserve Nepali arts and culture of various genres and to support the artistes around the country who are working to highlight the significance of Nepalese culture and tradition, Sunya Satabdi Nepal(SSN), comprising of 19 members has been in effect for some years now. Seemingly dynamic and pragmatic in its vision, SSN aims to keep the overall record of the contemporary art activities taking place in and around the country.

Art, obviously, has not only been the medium of expressing self-realization and individual sentiments, it has also been contributing a lot toward reflecting life, love, beauty and death. Art, therefore, is man’s ultimate quest in life that sublimates his /her feelings.

Surrealistic in undertones, these paintings attempt to violate the conventional modes of artistic organization, following the non-logical and nightmarish experiences and the juxtaposition of bizarre or seemingly unrelated images. Experimenting with new subjects and themes, colours, textures brush stroke, the artists rebel against the conventional modes of paintings.

Confronting the older generation, however, does not always determine the birth of new modes of experiences and set of principles. Yet, they appear to have made their stance halfway between the two opposite extremes viz. the old and the new generation.

Apparently, this marks as one of the unprecedented moves in painting experimentation. The artists happen to call this incident the ‘Trip to Eternal existence’. Avoiding the much crowded and materialistic capital city, they have ventured towards the west thus selecting Pokhara.

With the distorted image of a man in the backdrop, Saroj Bajracharya in ‘Misery Is Here To Stay’, has been highlighting the confrontation between the idealistic world and the materialistic world. Today, man seems to be the victim of his/her own indefinite choices and thus falls prey to the ever-surviving misery. Desire for Saroj is the ultimate cause of all human sufferings. Yet, he believes that the basis of human life is ultimately the quest for the eternal be it through suffering or something else. He further explores, in every man, a kind of instinctual drive that brings forth the degeneration in his/her life. The artificiality of people in society (wearing masks) has been dominating every domain of human life and has resulted in the perpetual crisis of nothingness.

The ‘Tragedy’ of Roshan Pradhan is based on the contemporary theme of girl trafficking. Roshan stands antagonistic towards the exploitation of women. The setting sun, deserted tree, and the nude posture of a woman further reveal the apocalyptic state of a contemporary woman in the world.

Predominantly pessimistic in tone Rajan Kumar Panta in his ‘Untitled’ draws forth the prototype of a man and woman who happen to live their lives in the narrow confinement and harassment. The use of green, brown and the black colours highlight the theme of pessimism.

The semi nude images of the girls in ‘Manasik Bisangati’ of Jupiter Pradhan portray the horrific world of pain and anxieties, which women are undergoing with respect to time. A woman stands in the backdrop raising her arms in revolt holds a resemblance to that of a young boy in the centrality of Spanish artist Francisco Goya’s ‘Execution of Madrilenos’, who raises his voice against the tyrannical forces.

Udaya Karmacharya paints his love in ‘Ghandruk’, one of the most beautiful highland villages of Kaski district. Based on Hindu festivities, Sunil Sigdel’s ‘Dancing’ appears to have been exploring the plurality of woman’s eternal self. Woman, calm and silent by nature amazingly opt for dancing and singing, unarguably the softer way of ventilating their sorrows and grief relatively supersedes the way men express their pains.

Jasmine Rajbhandari, the president of SSN, loves sketching the portrait of ‘Sadhu’. Because of her plural interest in the subject matter, she thus offers a digressive approach in her choice. Her expression of love and beauty of nature in ‘Flower’ is opposite to her attachment towards the alien individual of the society viz-a-vis the ‘sadhu’.

Rita Manandhar’s ‘Kumari’ draws forth the mythological impression. Detached from earth-bound pleasure and attachment the beggars represent the other side of the materialistic world. The ash smeared ‘fakirs’, the spiritual nomads, roaming round the different corners of the cities for Rakesh C. Shrestha are what he finds exclusively the amazing subject for his work.

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