An Innovation Challenge

Here's an "innovation challenge" that I believe is very relevant:

To save crops in drought situations, one needs to get water to the affected areas. There are potential solutions to this problem and its perhaps more of a (non)implementation  issue today. So let's put that aside for now.

Consider the converse situation, however: Saving crops when there is excess or untimely rainfall or hailstones coming down. This, I believe, requires a technological innovation.

Can this be done? If so, how? What might be some of the short term options that can be implemented say from next year itself? And long term options that may perhaps take a few years to deploy but are better/more economical.

This might be something cool to work on, get it patented and see it through to deployment. This might also be one heck of a final year project for Civil Engineering students :)!

Note: I don't think the real challenge in the above scenario is deploying roofs/shelter in quick time. One can potentially think of solutions to that part. Rather, the challenge, in my opinion, lies in the following questions:

How would one take away all that water coming down from the skies and do so fast enough? Where would one take it? What would one do with it? Store it? Underground reservoirs? Build new lakes or ponds? Or direct it to already available large fresh water bodies such as rivers or lakes? If so, how?

From what it seems like to me, we are quite possibly talking about the need for a pretty large scale and a very very well thought out solution! Good luck :).

Om

Here's a way to calm your mind that you might want to try out:

Sit in a comfortable position. Cross legged is perhaps preferable as it is really stable. I suppose you could sit in a chair too, but ensure stability of posture. Maybe a chair with arms to keep you from swinging either way.

Ensure that your spine is as straight as possible and you are relaxed overall.

Close your eyes and take a few gentle deep breaths to start. Then take a slow deep breath in and exhale via a long drawn out Om sound (say about 2/3rd on O and 1/3rd on mmmm). Repeat this about 20 times. [A tip on counting Oms is included below.]

Try and do this as mindfully as you can. If your mind tries to prompt you to think about this or that just say "later buddy" and come back to your inbreath and Om.

After about 20 Oms just sit still for about ten to fifteen minutes and calmly observe your body and mind. If thoughts arise, just let them go. The trick is to not engage with them. Instead, just observe them, take a few deep breaths, let go and be silent and still. When you feel nice, peaceful and quietly consolidated, open your eyes, gently get up and take this peace into the rest of your day. See if the quality of your mind improves as your repeat this exercise a few times over a couple of days.

A tip on counting out the 20 Oms: The tip, base and the two lines on the inside of any finger/thumb makes it a count of 4. Just go across these 4 marks for all the five fingers of your hand as you chant out your Oms and you have counted out 20.

Notes:

1) Personally, I like to think of Om as a sound rather than a religious symbol and believe that chanting it harmonizes the body from the torso up to the head. That's the basis of me trying this out and I seem to have derived benefit from it. Hope it brings you some good too.

2) I recommend meditating on a light stomach. Before a meal is best. Or wait for an hour or so after a meal. One usually feels a bit lethargic and somewhat heavy just after eating and that may dampen the quality of meditation.

3) Do exercise a bit everyday and drink enough water to keep yourself hydrated. This in itself keeps the body purer and mind calmer.

4) The above will likely serve to give you a taste of meditation and a peaceful and blissful mind. However, for deeper spiritual realizations you will need to seek a Guru. If you set out on that search, my advice would be to look for perfection of character and manifestation of values such as selflessness, service and compassion first and foremost, then knowledge and spiritual depth. Stuff like gender, whether someone has a small or large following, performs miracles or not, is rich or poor, etc. is hardly relevant in my opinion. Here's a link to an article you might find useful if you seek a spiritual guide: Strike a Pause: A few notes on finding a spiritual guide (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com)

Enjoy :)

[I also invite you to read: Strike a Pause: Science And Spirituality: Is There A Conflict? (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com)]