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TOP THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN COMPARING IUI WITH IVF

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As most of us know intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are two different forms of fertility treatments. However, you may lack the clarity on what effect each treatment would give to your individual fertility issues.

Things may seem totally puzzled and overwhelmed when you are looking for the right infertility treatment for you. You don’t want to try such treatment methods that don’t suit you, Right?

In fact, any randomly chosen infertility treatment may not serve your purpose, especially when you are spending too much and looking for the most effective treatment. Knowing the differences between IUI and IVF, you will get better clarity on what is right for you and your baby.

Let’s here breakdown the differences between IVF and IUI for your better understanding of these treatment methods.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

Know more about IUI

IUI clinic in vijayanagar

In IUI treatment, the sperms are collected from the male partner and processed in the laboratory. The collected sperm is then washed to remove seminal fluid so as to avoid severe cramping, which is then concentrated.

In order to enable fertility, the sperms are placed higher on the uterine cavity bypass which shortens the passage to the fallopian tubes. Through IUI, more sperm will meet the egg and thereby higher the chances of pregnancy.

Who Can Benefit from IUI?

When the couples have below health issues, you can opt for IUI:

  •   If a woman is not ovulating properly and not able to conceive even after consuming medicines for ovulation-inducing fertility,
  •   When fertility medication opts for increasing eggs for a woman who ovulates normally.
  •   When ejaculation is problematic for the male partner.
  •   If donor sperm is used for pregnancy.
  •   If the male partner is affected by testicular cancer and frozen sperm has been collected before surgery or treatment.

For issues like unknown infertility, mild endometriosis, mild male infertility, etc, IUI is the most suggested infertility treatment.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Know more about IVF

IVF hospital in Rajajinagar

IVF is a type of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) wherein the male partner’s sperm and eggs of a female is combined in a laboratory dish which takes place outside their physical body. Female ovaries can be stimulated using medications and also develop multiple follicles with eggs.

IVF is a small process wherein sedation is used for trans vaginal ultrasound in order to aspire follicles and get the eggs followed by insemination of sperm on the same day. Through IVF, embryo growth can also be monitored and wait for the optimal day to transfer the embryo.

Who can benefit from IVF?

In vitro fertilization is suitable for the couple who have been unsuccessful in getting pregnant even after continuous trying for one year and also for someone who has increased fertility issues as below:

  •   When fallopian tubes are blocked due to scarring or tubal ligation.
  •   Ovulation is not regular
  •   Low male sperm count or low motility.
  •   Increased endometriosis
  •   If there is the previous vasectomy for the male partner.
  •   When there are less egg vitality and lower egg supply.
  •   IVF surrogacy and/or Egg donation.

IVF is suitable for such couples who have already tried to conceive naturally to a minimum of three unsuccessful IUI cycles.

The healing

Janisthaa IVF centre is a world-class Fertility centre in Bangalore under the Directorship of the most talented and experienced Dr Shwetha. With years of collective reproductive clinic experience diagnosing and treating infertility, Janisthaa is a leading provider of IVF and fertility care. We personify numerous success stories in IUI and IVF treatment with continued innovation and drive to support every infertile couple to achieve a healthy pregnancy in the shortest time frame possible.

We provide unwavering pledge to give comprehensive care and support to fulfil your parenthood dreams, each progression of the way. We believe healthy births to be the most significant aspect of a fertility centre’s actual success. With hundreds of babies conceived, our success rates and experience represent themselves, our innovative and right IVF and IUI infertility treatment can successfully fulfil your dreams to become a parent.

It is critical to ask your specialist or Doctor if you have any enquiries concerning an IUI or IVF. Abstain from using Google as an approach to find solutions in light of the fact that these change on an individual premise. Connect with any of our fertility specialists for help on your journey.

Sigiriya Rock: Conquering the last mile

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Recently, I went on a holiday to Sri Lanka. While planning the getaway, I chose easily accessible, interesting places that even my 12-year-old daughter could enjoy. So it was a very ordinary itinerary that included some sight-seeing, a little shopping and a whole lot of relaxing as it was, after all, a holiday. However, suggestions not to miss the must-see places kept pouring in from those who had visited Sri Lanka. One among them was Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Considered one among the modern wonders of the world, Sigiriya sounded like a place we wouldn’t want to miss. My cousin, who was accompanying us on this trip, added it to the itinerary, as an after-thought.

While at the hotel, I did some research. Sigiriya was a huge rock, 200 metres high, in the shape of a sitting lion and you had to climb to its head to get a bird’s eye-view of the entire island. Although I learned some fascinating things about Sigiriya, my mind was stuck on the rock’s height. Being the unfit, non-athletic person that I am, from that very moment, I decided I wouldn’t be able to scale it to the top.  At best, I’d climb a few steps and then wait somewhere, in case my travel companions wanted to continue the ascent.

We could see the rock from our hotel room and each time I saw it, it looked a little more majestic. But the day before our trek to Sigiriya, my daughter fell sick due to an ill-timed heat stroke. We decided to let her rest at the hotel, while we went to the rock fortress. When I reached the gates of the rock and paid for the tickets, I had no idea what I was going to do there. Suddenly, a man in his 60s, walked up to us asking if we needed a guide. After some hesitation and haggling, we agreed to hire him.

Historically speaking

Before the ascent, Albert, now our guide, sat us down and recounted the captivating history of Sigiriya. Carved into a fortress by the king of Sri Lanka, Kashyapa I around 475 CE, Sigiriya was 1,202 steps to the top of the rock. Our guide gently led the way, enthralling us with interesting stories of kings, family feuds, picturesque gardens, swimming pools, and beautiful women. I didn’t even realise I had already begun climbing the steps, such was the charm of the stories we were listening to. It was only after reaching halfway that I felt a little weary and heavy in my legs. All of a sudden, it struck me that we were climbing the Sigiriya rock. Once this realisation dawned upon me, a surge of confidence rushed through my veins. I decided to go through with the rest of the climb to what seemed like the top of the world.

Climbing the ‘Stairway to Heaven’

Every time I felt tired, I told myself, I couldn’t abandon the uphill climb midway as I didn’t want to miss what lay at the end of the trek. I took inspiration from a Buddhist text I had read about a while ago. It gave out a profound life lesson. If you stopped almost at the finish line, how could you accomplish any goal? We took short breaks to drink water, but by then, I could sense an indomitable power to conquer Sigiriya. I was eager to reach the top. So I left the others behind and set my eyes on the summit, fervently motivating myself under my breath till I reached the penultimate landing. There I saw people fainting, just 10 steps away from the summit. My cousin, who was a regular trekker, was also panting and puffing as she sat down almost on the verge of giving up. But there I was, not feeling any fatigue. Instead, I was full of energy and eagerness to complete the last mile. All I could think was keep moving forward, you can’t give up now.

Perseverance pays

After a short rest, we climbed the remaining few steps and reached what to me seemed like the top of the world. I had done it! The entire 1,202 steps in less than two hours. Words fall short to describe the joy, and the sense of accomplishment I truly experienced. Indeed, there was an adrenalin rush in me to keep moving forward until I reached the summit. All that pep talk to myself along the way helped boost my confidence and encouraged me not to give up mid-way. Once I reached the top, momentarily, I felt I could conquer any obstacle from here on. No challenge seemed insurmountable to me. Albert, our sincere guide, and my cousin came along moments later.

The climb to Sigiriya seamlessly turned into a life lesson, as if glowing like a neon sign. It read: All that you need to achieve an impossible goal is perseverance and self-belief.

CAN A WOMAN IN MENOPAUSE GET PREGNANT BY IVF?

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As the years’ pass and innovation improve, the boundary of pregnancy gets drove more distant and more remote back. It used to be believed that ladies shouldn’t get pregnant beyond 40 years old. Today, 50-something ladies and their doctors wonder in the event that it is safe to push that obstruction significantly more distant.

Menopause is an age-related procedure or a substantial change that happens in women following specific years old and over some undefined time frame. Other than being set apart by the suspension of typical monthly menstrual cycles, it starts with bit by bit increasing symptoms which may keep going for a considerable length of time or years before the finish of the conceptive stage.

Stages of Menopause

  • Peri-Menopause: The Peri-menopausal period is checked principally by the inconsistency of typical menstrual cycles. Other than this, early side effects of menopause like emotional episodes, bone agonies and unreasonable hair development over the face begin showing up during this stage. During this period, the body encounters continuous declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone which are in charge of the arrival of developing eggs from the ovaries and keeping up pregnancy individually. The degrees of both oestrogen and progesterone step by step abatement to a point where the ovaries are never again ready to discharge mature eggs for fertilization. This period may keep going for 1-2 years until which women experience menopausal side effects like irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, distraction, and changes in sexual drive, hardened joints and weight gain.
  • Menopause: A woman is assumed to have come to her menopause when it has been a year since she had her last menstrual cycle. This is the point at which the ovaries totally quit discharging eggs for treatment. This denotes the end of a lady’s conceptive stage, and the lady is currently no longer ready to ovulate and conceive a baby. This typically happens at 45 years old to 50 years.
  • Postmenopause: This is the period after menopause; the body is currently unfit to keep up pregnancy because of hormone levels. Menopausal indications are calmed at this point, yet a reduction in oestrogen makes women helpless to osteoporosis, cardiovascular ailments and obesity.

Can You Get Pregnant during Menopause?

Menopause and pregnancy treatment

During the peri-menopausal stage, the body experiences different changes because of fluctuating hormones; these outcomes in unpredictable menstrual cycles incorporating changes in flow, the term of the cycle and the period between two cycles. At times, there might be the nonappearance of menses for a considerable length of time over and over. During menopause, many women wonder ‘What are the chances of getting pregnant during menopause?’

During when the woman isn’t getting her menses, she is as yet ready to conceive a baby, as she is as yet ovulating, and her ovaries may at present discharge the staying last few mature eggs, and the nearness of sperm will bring about the fertilization of the ovum, prompting pregnancy.

The nonappearance of regular monthly menstrual cycles may frequently prompt confusion among pregnancy and the peri-menopausal stage. It is critical to counsel a gynaecologist once menopause pregnancy indications start to show up, to oversee menopausal symptoms and distinguish any such pregnancies a lot earlier.

Factors and Risks of pregnancy in Menopause

factors and risks of pregnancy in menopause

Pregnancy during menopause happens at an advanced age, which has expanded risks for both, the mother and her baby. The absolute most basic risks of conception at an advanced age are listed beneath:

  • Miscarriages: Chances of having unsuccessful labour are similarly higher during the peri-menopausal stage and it may posture to be a risk to both the baby and mother as the eggs are of crumbled quality, physical changes of the uterus occur with age and fluctuating hormones add to the difficulties of pregnancy. In most pessimistic scenarios, there might be chances of stillbirth also.
  • Pre-Mature Birth: Birth before the 37th week of gestation, is named as premature. Poor egg quality may expand chances of premature birth, low weight births and formative imperfections and disabilities in the baby.
  • Birth Defects: Increased birth deformities are common during peri-menopausal pregnancies as the eggs are old and of more lower quality, Down’s syndrome is one of the most widely recognized birth defects which happens because of the generation of an additional chromosome during cell division
  • Maternal Risks: Due to advancing age and resultant changes in the organs and organ system, the uterus can’t deliver solid contractions, prompting a higher likelihood of a C – session (caesarian session) during labour. There is an increased event of an ectopic pregnancy, wherein the embryo is embedded outside the uterus, which may demonstrate to be a risk to the mother. Advancing age is normally connected with fundamental conditions like hypertension, stroke and diabetes making pregnancy significantly progressively troublesome at such an age.
  • Placenta Previa (Low Lying Placenta): This happens or possibly is found regularly during the most recent couple of long periods of gestation when the placenta covers part or nearly the whole cervix. This is normal in pregnancies that happen after the age of 35 years. Moms may experience bleeding and pain, such moms are typically encouraged to take total bed rest.

THE HEALING

If you are going through mental stress about getting pregnant during menopause, clear all your doubts by consulting the expert IVF Doctor, Dr Shwetha Y Baratikkae at Janisthaa Fertility and IVF centre, Bangalore. With high rates of success and proven track record of successful pregnancy under her guidance, you can avail the best care and innovative treatment facilities at Janisthaa.

Book a free consultation and get the right guidance from her.

Sri Pada: Where faiths unite

May I join you on your vacation to Sri Lanka?” my best friend asked me out of the blue. Since we had travelled together before, I readily allowed her to accompany me. She seemed relieved. I knew that her two-year-old relationship was going through a rough patch—on one hand, she was in love with her boyfriend, and on the other hand, their religious differences seemed irreconcilable. Both were conservative individuals with strong opinions and neither was willing to give in easily. Perhaps, she felt, a holiday would clear her thoughts and do her good. So, we booked her tickets to Sri Lanka and were all set.

Shwedagon pagoda

This vacation together was a tad different from the earlier ones. Even after landing in Colombo, she seemed lost in her own thoughts. She wasn’t her usual cheerful self. So, when a local tour guide suggested a midnight trek to Adam’s peak, I was instantly sold. An adventure, I felt, would cheer her up and help her forget her problems. So, the following day, she and I headed towards the quaint town of Dalhousie, the gateway of Adam’s Peak. We checked into a budget hotel there and geared ourselves up for the midnight trek. Upon arriving at the base of the hillock, we realised it was the pilgrimage season. And, therefore, the entire trail, comprising 5000 plus stairs, was illuminated by a string of lights. Several tea shacks and stalls lined the pathway.

Adams peak Sri Lanka

It should be a piece of cake. How hard can it be to climb a fleet of stairs dotted with eateries and shops? I thought. But little did I know that Adam’s peak would prove me wrong. The first leg of the trek was easy—the ascent was gentle, and the stairs were wide. I could alternate between climbing and walking. We took it easy, interacted with eager hawkers and stopped to admire colourful prayer flags that swayed in the night’s cool breeze. However, the second leg of the trek, after the Peace Pagoda, got intense. The steps gradually became narrower and narrower, and the ascent too became steeper and irregular. We huffed and puffed as we climbed the never-ending stairway.

We stood in awe, mesmerised. The arduous climb was well-worth the view from the top.

While taking a break at a tea stall, I looked over to see my friend engrossed in a conversation with fellow pilgrims. I joined them. One of the pilgrims told us that Adam’s Peak stands at an altitude of 2,243 metres and is in the lap of nature with spectacular waterfalls and wilderness sanctuaries. But, what brings pilgrims of all faiths to the hillock is not its scenic beauty. Instead, it is a curious rock formation at its summit, known as the Sri Pada or the Sacred Footprint. The pilgrim further explained that the Buddhists believe Sri Pada to be an impression made by the Buddha himself when he visited Sri Lanka. The Hindus on the other hand, believe the footprint belongs to Lord Shiva. Interestingly, Sri Pada is also equally significant in the Abrahamic religions. For the Christians and the Muslims, this rock depression is where Adam (the first man) set foot when he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. Therefore, pilgrims from all faiths visit Adam’s peak, and it symbolises the oneness of man despite religious differences.

As if to live out what Adam’s Peak stands for, my friend and I effortlessly bonded with fellow pilgrims overnight while trekking towards the Sri Pada. Our nationalities, faiths, and beliefs took a back seat as we chatted, laughed and exchanged notes. While struggling to climb the last leg, we helped each other out, and even shared our midnight snacks and drinks. We saw each other not as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Buddhist, but only as a fellow human being. At the break of dawn, together we conquered Adam’s Peak as we reached its summit.

Adam's peak sunrise

Sunrise is a must-see whilst on Adam’s peak, we were told. So, we sat ourselves down at a good spot and waited for the sun to rise. Sometime around 6, the golden rays of the early morning sun penetrated the clouds and tore down the thick veil of darkness. Soon after, the sun’s glorious heat dispelled the chilly air of the night. We stood in awe, mesmerised. The arduous climb was well-worth the view from the top.

A little while later, my friend nudged me to accompany her to the Sri Pada. Housed within a tiny temple, the sacred footprint was covered with a huge stone slab. Bells chimed, as the early morning rituals began. Several of our pilgrim pals gathered around and some participated in the rituals, too, irrespective of their individual faiths. Before we parted ways, some of us exchanged numbers to stay in touch as friends. “Perhaps it is possible to overlook religious differences and stay united…,” my best friend commented as we walked towards our hotel. Her face shone with clarity. Smiling at her, I nodded in agreement.

SELF CARE DURING IVF TREATMENT

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When you get to know that you are having an issue with infertility, it can regularly bring stress, tension, and worry alongside it which can make it hard to manage. So, let’s look at some of the most important benefits of self-care during IVF treatment.

Most likely, you need to take care of your physical wellbeing when you feel active while experiencing the treatment as you need to visit the Gynaecologist for different appointments. Similarly, you need to care for your emotional wellbeing too.

The doctors consistently propose that you should take mental breaks since infertility can influence the

relationship. Indeed, numerous things are going on yet you don’t need to lose your quiet and you need to help one another.

Another approach to manage this circumstance is to get counseling.

You should give yourself some time by doing what you like or getting yourself pampered.

It doesn’t make a difference even when you are single or a couple, experiencing infertility issue at once can feel frustrating, overwhelming, and mentally exhausting. Moreover,it is also fundamental that you pick the best infertility doctor and facility to get IVF treatment.

Besides, this thing should not be only during the treatment, you should begin taking care of yourself before the treatment also.

Routinely you should set aside effort for doing things which you like. It tends to be as simple as doing exercise, taking a brisk walk, or sitting in an open place or park as it makes you feel comfortable and positive. You have to concentrate on things which make you feel better.

What to eat during IVF

During an IVF cycle, focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet. Try not to make any major or critical changes during this time, such as going without gluten if you weren’t already.

Research demonstrates that a Mediterranean diet regimen may improve IVF success rate among non-obese ladies who are under 35 years of age. While the examination was little, eating a healthy diet during the weeks paving the way to the cycle positively doesn’t hurt.

Since eating routine additionally impacts sperm health, encourage your partner to also adhere to the

Mediterranean diet with you. Mediterranean diet includes eating fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, whole grains, legumes like beans and lentils and healthy fats like avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds. You need to avoid salt, sugar, red meat and refined grains.

How to work out during IVF

Many women maintain a strategic distance from or quit exercising during their IVF treatment since they fear hitting the mat could hurt the pending pregnancy. Studies show that all women experiencing IVF reduce running too close to 15 miles every week.

Running is more problematic to infertility than some other types of exercise. It can affect the thickening of the lining and move blood away from the uterus to different organs and muscles when the reproductive system needs it most. The most significant aspect is to have proper care during your IVF treatment and to know what to do and what not to do during the care and supervision of an expert IVF doctor.

Such type of personalized care and effective treatment methods has been experienced by many couples at Janisthaa Fertility Center and Hospital located in Basaveshwarnagar, Bengaluru under the guidance of Dr. Shwetha Y Baratikkae. With our comprehensive care and dedicated support by trained staff, Janisthaa only focuses on the good health and well being of our patients. With our numerous success stories over the years, we dedicate ourselves completely at your service and ensure a wonderful smile on the face of everyone who approaches us.

For more information, book for a free consultation today and open the doors of motherhood to experience the joy of parenthood.

The forgotten gods of Norse

Not many have heard of the Norse gods. They are ‘dead’ for several hundred years, with their lore lost in the sands of time. Today, only traces of their legacy is left, spattered across the world of music, literature, cinema, sports, but hidden from the obvious. Thor from the Marvel comics, the ice giants in World of Warcraft, the mask of Loki in The Mask, the elves in The Lord of the Rings—countless creations have Norse blood in their veins. Not just that. Even the days of the week are named after Norse gods. But how many people know about it? Not many.

The forgotten gods of Norse were once the pride of Germanic people—forefathers of present-day Scandinavians. It was the Viking age, when the Norse gods were ‘alive’ in the bedtime stories, prayers, war cries, poems, and festivals. No man lifted a sword without taking Odin’s or Thor’s name, and no woman sang victory songs without mentioning Frigg or Freya in the verses. Children grew up listening to the stories of these mighty gods, and giants, dwarves, elves, dragons and many fascinating creatures from the Norse mythology. It was this richness that inspired poets and historians to write Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, a collection of poems that narrate the birth of Norse gods at the beginning of time—called Völuspá—and their end following the battle of Ragnarök.

Poetic Edda and Prose Edda are the few remaining manuscripts on Norse that were written around 13th century CE. In their pages lies the magical world of Norse gods. Their mythology is not just a read but a flight of imagination that one takes to ‘see’ their world. After all, nothing is as complex yet as enchanting as the cosmos where the Norse mythology unfolds.

It was then Odin realises the ill fate of the world when the spirit tells him: Ragnarök, would bring the end of the immortals and everything they had created.

The enchanting universe of Norse gods

To begin with, Norse’s universe, was made up of two realms—fire and ice. It was the primordial stage before the Norse gods were born. Due to unknown events, the stream of ice collapsed with the fire that gave birth to Ymir, the first creature of the Norse mythology, and Audhumla, a cow. As Ymir drank Audhumla’s milk, each drop he spilled gave birth to other gods such as Odin, Vili, and Ve. These gods laid the foundation of seven other realms and their inhabitants that completed the Norse universe.

According to the mythology, the nine realms in the Norse universe were located on an enormous tree, called Yggdrasil. At the summit of the tree lay Asgard, the abode of the greatest gods, whose king was Odin. A one-eyed god, Odin was considered the father of the entire Norse pantheon, and the fiercest warrior of all time. Vanaheim, also located in the upper branches, was the other clan of the gods that was at war with the Asgard for ages. Midgard, the realm of mortals or humans inhabited the middle part of the tree. Along with Midgard, other realms—Alfheim, the world of the elves; Svartálfheim, home of the dark elves; Nidavellir, the world of the dwarves; and Jotunheim, the world of the giants—were also located near the middle region. Niflheim, known as the underworld or hell, and Muspell, the world of Surt, a fire-breathing monster took the roots as their dwelling place.

From the 21st century perspective, the world of Norse gods seems like a setup of a visually acclaimed, high-budget fantasy-fiction movie. But it is not just the rendition of the Norse universe that is extraordinary. Even their stories are as captivating as any piece of fiction. For instance, the conversation between Odin and a spirit—as described in the Poetic Edda—where the king commands the spirit to reveal the future of Asgard and the cosmos to him. It was then Odin realises the ill fate of the world when the spirit tells him: “Ragnarök, would bring the end of the immortals and everything they had created.”

Ragnarök or the twilight of the gods is the final story of the Norse gods. According to the mythology, the war begins when the dead from Niflheim attack Asgard, Vanaheim, and other realms from all corners. When this happens, Heimdall, the mute guardian of the Asgard blows his horn to alert the pantheon of the imminent attack. The gods, aware of their destiny, bid farewell to their wives and children before mounting their horses and marching towards the battleground. What ensues is a battle so chaotic and vicious that it ends with the destruction of every living being on the planet and in heaven.

For hundreds of years, Vikings fought their wars with the battle cry of the Norse gods, until they were overrun by the enemies that stripped them from their lands and their faith

The Renaissance

Even though the mythology concludes with the war, for Vikings, Ragnarök wasn’t the end of the Norse gods. According to Prose Edda, the Vikings believed that the fall of Norse gods ushered in a new era from the ashes of the old ones— “In that time the earth shall emerge out of the sea, and shall then be green and fair; then shall the fruits of it be brought forth unsown.” This new world was predicted to be more beautiful and peaceful than the realms of Norse, where humans and gods thrive once again and live together in peace. Perhaps, it was the Vikings’ way to say that death was not the end of life.

Just like Norse gods, Vikings were warriors, and war was their destiny too. Like Ragnarök, they fought many great battles, some they won, some they lost. But every defeat and death reminded them of rebirth, a new beginning which they learned from their gods. For hundreds of years, Vikings fought their wars with the battle cry of the Norse gods, until they were overrun by the enemies that stripped them from their lands and their faith.

Today, people rarely sing their songs or tell their stories to children. But looking at the wheel of time, it seems the forgotten gods of Norse are rising again. First, the Icelanders opened a shrine, for the first time since the Viking age, where people can worship the Norse gods. Secondly, they have become a household name, thanks to the Avengers franchise. Elves and dwarves need no introduction either. Thirdly, many artists are reopening the pages of Edda to find inspiration. Given such a keen revival of interest in Norse mythology, perhaps, in the coming years, Norse gods will regain their lost kingdom and reclaim their place in the hearts of humans.

An ode to boredom

The feeling of boredom is quite boring. There is no joy in the moment; no excitement, no enthusiasm, no impulse. Just a vast expanse of nothingness that makes you exclaim “I’m so bored” repeatedly. It is not like you have run out of things to do all of a sudden. You live two lives after all, one real and the other virtual, yet boredom can turn you into a living carcass. Come to think of it, it is quite ironical to feel bored in this digital age, where you are surrounded by things that are designed to make you feel otherwise, but you feel bored anyway as if your life runs on autopilot.

This feeling of boredom could be transitory—like when your phone runs out of charge, leaving you no choice but to stare outside your cab window the entire journey. Or it could last for an eternity—at least that’s how it feels­ like when you are bored to death at a relative’s wedding or while sitting through a never-ending lecture on quantum physics. Either way, you lose your ability to focus as everything starts appearing lifeless and slow. The reasons behind your long yawns could be aplenty, but for everyone, time appears to move slow when they feel bored. Strange, but true. Einstein could have explained this conundrum quite easily, but there too, boredom could have found you—or even the great physician for that matter.

Unlike various emotions humans can feel or choose not to, boredom is something no one can escape from. It is a moment robbed of the colours of life and replaced with shades of grey. The great German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer took his perception of boredom to a new direction by calling it the enemy of human happiness. But the truth is, boredom is anything but an enemy or an unwanted emotion. For starters, it’s a mirror that can show you what you are missing in your life. Boredom is also a spiritual experience that reiterates the need to find joy in your own company—which is all you have when you are bored. As Slavoj Žižek, a Slovenian philosopher says, “boredom is the beginning of every authentic act… Without boredom, (there is) no creativity.”

In short, boredom is the new excitement. It gives an opportunity to add something new and valuable to your daily grind. A 2019 study, published on Academy of Management shows boredom as an experience that can fuel productivity and creativity in people. But you can’t reap the fruit of boredom if you are unaware of its existence. Instead of spending hours on social media, going through stories of random people, let your imagination fly and your dreams soar when you feel bored.

She says when you sit idle, you use knowledge, experience, and memories in a single moment that could lead you to your eureka moment.

Dr Sandi Mann, a professor of psychology at the University of Central Lancashire has seen the brighter side of boredom earlier than others. In an interview, Mann explains about the veil of smartphones and internet that conceal the benefits of boredom from us: “We’re trying to swipe and scroll the boredom away, but in doing that, we’re actually making ourselves more prone to boredom, because every time we get our phone out we’re not allowing our mind to wander and to solve our own boredom problems.”

It doesn’t mean that people who spend less time on smartphones don’t get bored easily. The world is filled with distractions, enough to separate you from yourself. In her book, The Upside of Downtime: Why Boredom Is Good, Mann writes, “When we are busy, occupied and fulfilled, we rarely stop to ponder on our abilities, attitudes, and qualities; it is only when we have the luxury of being bored that we have time for such introspection. Of course, this is assuming such self-reflection is a good thing and leads us to become better people, with better ideas, qualities, and attitudes.” Electronic distractions and responsibilities keep our minds occupied. This is why boredom is important, as it gives your mind time to relax, unwind, and get back to work at its full potential.

History has it that countless people have used boredom to their advantage, to achieve their goals and fulfil their responsibilities. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, two of the most successful people of the modern age often make time to just sit and let their minds wander. Jerome Singer, who has studied Positive-Constructive Daydreaming for years, says mind-wandering helps you access memories and come up with ideas using your unconscious mind. Amy Fries, the author of Daydreams at Work: Wake up your creative powers, drew a similar conclusion from her research. She says when you sit idle, you use knowledge, experience, and memories in a single moment that could lead you to your eureka moment.

The most effective way to deal with boredom is by embracing it—not by eating potato chips the whole day or playing online games to kill time, or worse, by resorting to drugs or alcohol. In such a case, you must seek help, as your boredom has taken an ugly turn. For the most part, however, the feeling of boredom remains what it is, just a boring experience. But it is this lifeless experience that has the potential to bring you your moment of glory. The vault of boredom is deep like an ocean. Tap into this vault, and you will realise, the feeling of boredom is, actually, quite fascinating.

What is love without sacrifice?

Salil froze when he saw the text. That was the one message he hoped he’d never receive ever since he left home as a 19-year-old.

Despite all these years abroad, Salil had always been very connected and attached to his family. He would call his parents diligently every week on Saturday mornings to update them about his life. They would celebrate his achievements over video calls and inspire him to do even better. His parents were a rare breed with no demands for him to return to the country, get married or take family holidays together. They believed once they had given him the wings to fly, he was the master of his own destiny.

And, flown he had, across the seven seas to unravel the mysteries of the human brain. His research and findings were world-renowned and that’s why people from the world over wanted to pick his brains. On one such trip to Iceland, he made his usual video call home and his father answered.

“Where’s ma, Papa?” asked Salil. “She’s frantically looking for her wardrobe keys all over the house. She can’t seem to remember where she kept them,” he said. Both men laughed and pulled her leg a little more when she finally came to say hello. For the first time, she was distracted when speaking to Salil. He noticed but didn’t voice it.

In the following weeks, Salil got very busy and couldn’t call up his parents for almost a month. This was the first time in years he hadn’t spoken to them. He had faith they were both doing well until he got the dreadful text: “We need you back home.” His father hardly ever sent a message, leave alone such an abrupt one.

Salil immediately called his father. The septuagenarian spoke with a quiver in his voice, “It’s the onset of Alzheimer’s, son. She is losing track of things and having trouble remembering names, too.”  Salil felt guilty for the first time for not going back home in the last seven years. He was so engrossed in his own life.

He boarded the first available flight to India. When he reached home, he saw his mother standing with a blank look on the face. Instead of hugging him, she just stared at him with a faraway look. Salil broke internally.

Ironically, there was little he could do even as a neuroscientist, but a whole lot of good as a son. This was his chance to repay his debt of gratitude towards his mother. All this while, he had only received from his parents—their love, understanding, and unconditional support. It was time to give.

Just like that, he wrapped up his life in the US and moved back home to take care of his mother just like she did for her son all these years.

Secrecy: The winning weapon

Think before they think—that is the rule of warfare. Even in the game of chess, every move of the opponent is studied, analysed, and carefully thought upon before making any move. If you are the first one to move, have a plan.

And it is this plan that needs to be protected from prying eyes. It goes without saying that, for this, businessmen should be alert—very alert. While taking up new projects or while executing projects in hand, a high level of secrecy should be maintained.

Kautilya advice: “Others should not know about any work sought to be done by him. Only those who undertake it should know (about it) when it is begun or even when it is actually completed.” (1.15.17)

What you are doing, what you are thinking, and all your moves should not be known to others. One needs to create an aura of secrecy around himself to move ahead, before the rest. In professional and powerful organisations like the army, the Central Bureau of Investigation, etc till the last moment, no one knows what the next order would be. Only a handful of people are there who work on a strictly-enforced ‘need-to-know’ basis and it is these people who, in turn, call up others supposed to execute subsequent orders.

The call is made at the last moment and is quite sudden for those being asked to go into action. Till the moment of passing on the orders, the seniors keep the plan entirely to themselves. A golden rule to remember in business is that there is a big difference between planning and execution. Make your plan perfect, then execute without delay. There is no point in planning when the time has come to execute.

But let’s face it—keeping secrets is a tough thing to do. However, there are some tips that can help one:

The biggest danger in revealing your plans is that you give the opponent an added advantage to think before you.

Postpone

Whenever you feel like disclosing a plan to someone, remember to postpone the same. Give yourself at least a day. Once you have done that, you will improve your self-control. By practicing this, you will slowly but surely get the confidence to keep things to yourself. Also, learn to observe silence at least half an hour every day to help your thought power rule over your talkative nature.

Execute and then speak

Do not speak and then execute. It should be the other way round. The biggest danger in revealing your plans is that you give the opponent an added advantage to think before you.

Think ahead

On achieving success in any endeavor, we feel like talking about the same to others. Rather, we feel like bragging! The best way to avoid this is to start new projects immediately. Always keep yourself busy with newer plans.

Swami Shivananda, a dynamic saint and the founder of Divine Life Society, put it best when he said, “The only way to keep yourself productive is by having at least a month’s work in front of you.”

Follow this advice …!

HOMEOPATHY AND ITS ‘VITAL FORCE’