July 2008/ 012

Editorial
Peter McWilliams has said: “Some people
There is a monkey in your mind! think that meditation takes time away
from physical accomplishment. Taken to
[An article on the benefits of meditation]
extremes, of course, that's true. Most
people, however, find that meditation
We all need inner joy. Some of us believe that it comes through the practice of
creates more time than it takes.”
meditation. However, for most of us, meditation tends to remain a distant dream
and remains an art that exists in books and on the small screen. Let me tell you Each one of us in the corporate
that meditation is the simplest form of ‘unaction’ (it isn’t an activity at all) and is as environment needs to understand the real
easy to practice as it is to understand. benefits of the discipline of meditation.
This issue has an introduction to this
Meditation can help us all… a counselor can have more conversions, a designer worthy art... and it will surely help you
can create more harmony, marketing people communicate better, HR can tame the monkey in your mind!
interact more meaningfully… and so on. For meditation to help, we need to
know some vital features of this science… or is it a discipline? I leave that to you Another aspect that most of us wish we
to decide. could understand is the art of using the
right words for the right impact. This
The Upanishads, illuminating our real nature, say: issue has another article that gives some
“From Delight we came into existence. insights and clues into the creation of
In Delight we grow.
At the end of our journey's close,
headlines.
Into Delight we retire.” Truth is that knowledge and meditation
Our instinctive reaction is to question the basis of these words. Life has its stress
have a common purpose... shaping your
and moments are full of scurrying activities that make the waking hours seem
attitude! Attitude is the way you mentally
less. There are deadlines to be met, chores need attention, relationships need
look at the world around you. It is how
time, and one has to consistently keep building one’s net of material security. Can
you view your environment and your
delight really find itself in this chaos? Are the Upanishads correct in their analysis?
future. It is the focus you develop toward
What do the sages mean when they ask us to ‘peel away our layers of ignorance
life itself.
so we can once more bring to the fore the light of our soul?’ Wishing you all excellence in focus!
The Gurus keep chanting: ‘Quieten your mind!’ Is that easy? Is it easy to detach
yourself from the frenzied mainstream of living? No, it isn’t. We mortals can
never completely STOP the inflow of thoughts. However, by sitting quietly, we
can begin to feel more relaxed, also just focusing on our breathing helps lessen
symptoms of stress.
continued on page 2

“Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit”
Jeremy Taylor

The Learner A small newsletter that reads big!

Th ere is a monkey in your mind!
(continued from Page 1)

I was once talking to Surakshit Goswami, the leading yoga and be as innovatively creative if he just sat down and started writing
meditation expert, and he remarked that relaxation is just one music scores? What no one ever sees is the hours of practice
of the benefits of meditation. He went on to explain that a quiet and riyaaz that goes behind each of his musical creation. The
mind tends to discretely stay away from being judgmental, same is true with all of us. No good ad emerges without
critical, and too analytical. Acceptance becomes an intrinsic part research, browsing, and practice. Similarly, the more you
of such a mind. When this happens, the mind adopts a quiet practice meditation, greater will be the benefits. The mind
stance and decision-making becomes coherent and intuitively behaves like a monkey; flitting from one attraction to
correct. The major benefit of a quiet mind is making intuitively another… it takes patience and practice to evolve this monkey
correct decisions! into a Mahatma! Practice exercises of concentration and
meditation and then our mind will cease to remain a monkey
Thus meditation enables us to go and we will begin to attain greater peace of
beyond the intellectual mind and mind.
enter the spiritual heart. This is
where our inner self resides and it Let me add here that any venture without
is not in its inherent nature to enthusiasm and energy tends to taper and
criticize or separate through fizzle out! Therefore, meditate with zest,
judgments. As meditative abilities zing… and a smile!
evolve, this inner self develops a
protective layer against inane and Years back when I was a cadet at the Indian
aimless thoughts. If there is any Military Academy, my PT instructor said: ‘Ek
other way to ward off such fauji ke liye meditation bahut practical hai!’
thoughts, we will anyway discover We all smiled and thought: ‘Chalo, kuch time
inner peace and inner joy. The ke liye rest karte hain!’ The instructor was
secret here is to promote a stillness seemingly clairvoyant and just said aloud:
of the mind and evolving through ‘When we become more aware of our inner
stillness. This stillness is not source of peace we will also be able to easily
dependant on outer circumstances. detach ourselves from minor irritations and
In simpler terms, if happiness is minor problems. The mind can be tricky and
relying on outer circumstances, the
r m in d! exaggerate small problems into seemingly

n you
mind can only assume that it is large and unconquerable problems. You
k ey i don’t want to see your enemy bigger than it
happy. Once this reliance is done
is a mon actually is? Do you?’ We were convinced.
There
away with, happiness transcends its
‘assumptive stage’ and becomes Inner poise is essential for sane decision-
real! Happiness is thus self- making. In today’s life, it is meditation that
generated. This self generation can will make me market-ready!
be won through meditation. The ultimate goal of meditation is much beyond being market-
“True inner joy is self-created. ready or being able to sight the real enemy and aim better!
It does not depend on outer circumstances. Nirvana is another name given to benefits beyond this… but this
A river is flowing in and through you carrying the message of joy. can happen only when we lose our sense of attachment to the
This divine joy is the sole purpose of life.” individual ego and instead become aware of our real nature
From ‘Wings of Joy’ by Sri Chinmoy which is inseparably one with transcendental consciousness. All
Another vital aspect is the new-age instant expectations that are that I can say now is: Begin before your mind becomes an
so rampant these days. Meditation is not 2-minute fix that you uncontrollable monkey!
take out of a pouch, heat, and serve! Tell me, could A R Rahman An article by Arvind Passey©

“If you want to find God, hang out in the space between your thoughts.”
Alan Cohen

The Learner A small newsletter that reads big!

Do you read a few chapters first before you decide to buy a novel?
No, you probably look at the title, maybe browse the blurb, stare at
the cover graphic… and then let your gut feel do the rest. When it
comes to ads, do you read the full ad first and then look at the
headline? Again, a big NO because you look at the copy only after
you’ve fallen for the headline. So far as ads are concerned, it is
believed that the first 15 words count more than the 15,000 words
that (may) follow! The method that you follow while deciding to buy
a novel tells us something about consumer behavior. Why some ads
The magic of HEADLINES!
Obviously, the surest way of reaching the most hard-hitting lines is
through practice and re-drafts. Words gain maximum effectiveness if
they are redone or rewritten many times over. This is a painful
process and can be time-consuming as well. However, when you
have at least 3 different versions in front of you, the best choice will
be apparent.
There are at least 10 ways to write punchlines. These methods will
also give you a fair idea of extended text writing and the various
ways in which to begin your first paragraph. The examples taken
include some from the punchlines taken for BIFM ads.

1. The direct statement headline.

get noticed and some don’t is again a sequel to this hypothesis. Examples:
a) Choose where you want to be!
Not all of you are going to be writing headlines for ads and probably b) Best happens when you are with the best!
only a handful of you (and that’s a generous estimate!) are ever going 2. The question headline.
Examples:
to even attempt writing a novel. So why must you be reading this
a) Top career chahiye! Kya karoon?
article? Let me give you three good and sound reasons: b) Why do financial companies prefer BIFM students?
1. The net-savvy amongst you will be creating your own 3. The how-to headline.
blogs and these rules will help you make your writings reader- Examples:
friendly. a) How to promote your website for maximum response?
2. The mails and memos that you may be penning are b) Stock market mein Lakhpati kaise banein?
meaningful only if they are read. Remember that those first 4. The command headline.
few words that you start with (your headline/ the first few Examples:
words of your text) are often written in haste. Yet, they count a) We inspire your professional fire. You command wealth!
for 50% of the success of your entire project. b) We teach you HOW you teach the secrets of wealth creation.
3. If your headline or the first few words are good 5. The implicit benefit headline.
Examples:
enough to attract you, they will do the same to readers as
a) Be a daredevil in the stock market!
well. Importantly, you will be encouraging yourself to write b) Financial market mein dhoom machaa do!
more and better! 6. The guarantee headline.
Examples:
The lamentable part in the writing world is that besides those who a) Stand tall in the financial world!
play with words as a profession, it’s hard to spend 90% of your time b) We convert you into a financial genius!
coming up with winning words as a routine. However, it is good to 7. The deep discount headline.
learn the methods of giving a precise connection to the words that Examples:
you wish to use either as a headline or some text. a) Say good-bye to chota profits!
b) Get a career for life in just 18 months!
This article will be giving you all some vital tips on the generation of 8. The personalized headline.
good, catchy, pithy, and attractive headlines. The same rules can be Examples:
a) Make it big with BIFM... before someone else does!
extended and adapted for longer texts as well.
b) Finally, here’s how you, Bob Delano, can become an expert chef
There is a long-held belief that there is no formula for good writing. in 15 days.
9. The “reasons why” headline.
This is absolutely true for the creative souls that may be meandering
Examples:
amongst us, but for most of us a formula does exist and be the right a) How to measure success? Success in the financial world is…
stepping stone to better writing. Begin your writing by creating b) 5 easy steps to becoming a world-class mentor in financial
headlines. Thus formulae exist that you can use to speed up your planning!
headline writing process. But it is entirely up to you to enhance your 10. The short, punchy headline.
skills by writing more and more for only quantum can lead to fine- Examples:
tuning your instincts as well as testing your efforts. a) Why imagine? Follow the leader!
b) Tehelka! Distance Learning Education mein pehli baar!
The most pertinent questions in your mind must be:
How do I write the best headlines? An article by Arvind Passey©
How do I start any text to make it attractive for readers?

Arvind Passey
Corporate Communications
BIFM | 4th Floor, Gulab Bhavan, 6, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002 |
Phone: (011) 23705854/ 855 Extn: 247 | Mobile: 09871139992 | www.blblimited.com, www.bifm.edu.in |
[ Truth needs words just as much as it needs silence ]
[ Communication is the death of distance! ]