I wouldn't say its a "must read", nevertheless, the book has in store for us, a new dimension to life and meaning of our existence. Well, it talks of philosophy to a little extent, but largely is presented as a "proof based theory" for the existence of life or lives before and after death. Based on a true story of the author, Dr Brain L Weiss, who is by profession a 'very rational Psychiatrist', (his education and professional background prove to be worthy of considering him so), and his patient Catherine, the book attempts at making the God-believers strengthen their faith in Him, and the atheists to at least ponder over on the possibility of a super nature.

He records and pens down the words of his patient Catherine, whose psychic disorder stems from several displeasing, horrific experiences, covetous acts in her previous births. The doctor ends up uncovering her past life stories when he takes her through a series of hypnosis sessions, a last resort, after all his traditional treatment fails to cure Catherine.

The after-death experience is the highlight of this read. What Catherine revealed was found to be true with many other people who had had a near-death experience. (I guess the Hindu scripture 'Garuda Purana' also has a theory on similar lines).

According to Catherine's revelation of her past lives, one can deduce the following:

1. That people close to us in the current life have some kind of implication in their past. The implication could be as close as being with the same person in the same role as well. (For instance, one's mother in this life would be his/her close relative in their past life)

2. The concept of kharmas being carried from one life time to another 'seems' "real". (Similar to what Hinduism believes in)

3.There are several GODs (or Masters or caretakers) who keep guiding us throughout. (Remember the fairies??)

4. We tend to carry the knowledge and memories of our past lives (reflects as dreams or real incidents) and sometimes even derive the skill sets from them. In Catherine's case, she understood the Roman artifacts very well, though in her current lifetime she never had a "learned" knowledge about it.

5. Every life is a learning and as we learn we gain knowledge and move up the different levels in the "spiritual planes" to become one with the God! (This wasn't convincing enough for me! Sounded complicated than rocket science :) )

The Catherine's recordings are now being used by many researchers who are on exploration of super-nature.

Well, though not completely convincing, its definitely a good starter to explore God!

Finally, what left me wondering was why Catherine always took a human form in all her past lives, and if all that theory held good even for other forms of life on this planet!!

Unlike the usual saturdays, today I had to wake up pretty early around 7am. Generally, I laze on bed to wake up snoozing the alarm atleast ten times on sat and sundays. Today I was to goto the government school in R R Nagar, for aiding the students there to learn better with whatever best I could afford. Me, with 2 other colleagues and a childhood friend of mine reached the venue, bang on 8.

Well, my first impression of the school wasn't as worse as I had imagined it to be... In fact it turned out that, to my surprise, the school comprised of 10 classrooms one for every standard 1st to 10th, each decently spacious with a big black board, chalks, duster and a teacher too :)

Me and my friend chose the 8th class while my 2 colleagues chose the 7th. And there began all the fun!

We introduced ourselves and when it was their turn, they did it so enthusiastically! The classroom was so full of life!! Most of them quoted "drawing" , "singing" and "Designing their names" as their hobbies. I asked them to come to the board and draw something there. Later on they said, they all liked drawing on the "computer" with MS Paint! :))) So, the school was equipped with a computer lab too and they all knew how to power on a computer and paint, draw, design their names using paint brush. :)

To pick the subject and topic to teach them, we asked if they liked to learn English or Computers. Majority wanted to learn English and Computers were the 2nd choice because, they were pretty confident about it being "very easy" compared to English! :)

So, the subject was ready and we chose to read out a story - "Sindbad, the sailor" that was part of their non-detailed English lessons.

The story narrated was v simple -

I must say the kids were tooooo smart and the kind of Qs they asked made us dumbstruck!

Here are some of them -

Student (S) - "ಭಾಗ್ದಾದ್ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಅಕ್ಕ?" (Where is Bhagdad, Akka?)

Me - "ಇರಾಕ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆ ಪುಟ್ಟ" (Its in Iraq)

S - "ಅವನು ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ ಅಲ್ವಾ, ಏರೋಪ್ಲೇನ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾಕೆ ಹೋಗಿಲ್ಲ?" (Why didn't he use an aeroplane, when he was rich??)

Me - "ಆಗಿನ ಕಾಲ್ಡಲ್ಲಿ ಏರೋಪ್ಲೇನ್ ಇದ್ದಿಲ್ಲ ಪುಟ್ಟಿ.." (There were no aeroplanes then)

S - "ಅವನ ಫ್ರೆಂಡ್ಸ್ ಬಿಟ್ಟೋಗ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಶಬ್ದ ಆಗಿದ್ದು ಅವನಿಗೆ ಕೆಳ್ಸಿಲ್ವ? ಹಡಗಿನ ಶಬ್ದ ನು ಕೆಳ್ಸಿಲ್ವ?" (Didn't he hear the footsteps of his companions when they left him? Or the sound of the ship?

Me - "ಅವರು ಚಾಪ್ಳಿ ಹಾಕೊಂಡಿರ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ... ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಶಬ್ದ ಕೆಳ್ಸಿಲ್ಲ... ಹಡಗಿಗೆ ಗೆ ಸೈಲೆನ್‌ಸರ್ ಇತ್ತು, ಗನ್ನಿಗೆ ಇರುತ್ತಲ್ವಾ ಹಾಗೆ..." (They walked barefoot, hence no sound. and their ship had a silencer like a gun has!) - I didn't know what else to tell them.

S - "ಈಗಲೂ ಅಷ್ಟು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಪಕ್ಷಿ ಇಧಿಯ? ಮೈಸೂರ್ ಜ಼ೂ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುತ್ತ?" (Can we get to see that huge bird even now?, If yes, can we see it in mysore zoo?)

Me - "ಮುಂಚೆ ಇತ್ತು ಈಗ ಇಲ್ಲ... ಎಲ್ಲ ಸತ್ತೊಯ್ಥು, ಯಾವ್ ಜ಼ೂ ನಲ್ಲೂ ಕಾನ್ಸೊಲ್ಲ" (Its no more there.. All are dead and you cannot find them in zoos)

S - "ಟರ್ಬನ್ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಏನು ಅಕ್ಕ?" (What do you mean by turban?)

Me - "ಪೇಟ, ತಲೆ ಗೆ ಸೂತ್ಕೊಳ್ತಾರಲ್ಲ .. ಅಧೆ, Harbhajan ಹಾಕೊಳ್ತಾನಲ್ಲ ಅದು.." (Its a cloth used to tie around the head, like how harbhajan does..")

S - "Sixer Siddu ನು ಹಾಕೊಳ್ತಾನೆ.. ಅಕ್ಕ ಅವನು ಸೂಪರ್ ಆಗಿ ಸಿಕ್ಸ್ ಹೊಡಿತಾನೆ ಅಲ್ವಾ ಅಕ್ಕ?" (Even 'sixer' siddu wears that. Akka, he hits super sixes isn't it?"

M - "ಹೊವ್ದಪ್ಪಾ ಅದನ್ನೇ ಟರ್ಬನ್ ಅನ್ನೋದು....." (Yeah that is what is called turban!)

S - "ಅಕ್ಕ, ಸಿಂಡ್‌ಬಡ್, ಆ ಪಕ್ಷಿ ಕಾಲಿಗೆ ಪೇಟ ಕಟ್ಬೆಕಾದ್ರೆ, ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಲ್ವಾ... ಅದು ಇವನನ್ಣ ಸುಮ್ನೇ ಬಿಡ್ತಾ?" (When sidbad ties his turban to the bird's leg, it would have come to know right? Did it keep quiet?)

Me - "ಪಕ್ಷಿ ತುಂಬಾ ದೊಡ್ಡದು ಇತ್ತು... ಈಗ ನಿನ್ ಮೇಲೆ ಇರುವೆ ಕೂತ್ರೆ ನಿಂಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಾ?? ಇಲ್ಲ ತಾನೆ, ಹಾಗೆನೆ..." (No the bird was too big.... Will you come to know if an ant sits on your leg?)

S - "ಹೂನ್, ಮಿಸ್, ಇರುವೆ ಕಚ್ಚಿದರೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತೆ"( If the ant bites, we will come to know)

Me - "ಸಿಂಡ್‌ಬಡ್ ಪಕ್ಷಿ ನ ಕಚ್ಚಿಲ್ಲ" (Sindbad did not bite the bird!)

S -" ಅವನನ್ನ ಎತ್ಕೊಂಡ್ ಹಾರ್ಕೊಂಡ್ ಹೋದ್ರೆ, ಕೆಳಗೆ ಅದರ ನೆರಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಣ್ಸುತ್ತೆ ಅಲ್ವಾ?" (The bird can make out that it is carrying Sindbad by looking at its shadow below right?)

Me - "ದೊಡ್ಡ ಹಕ್ಕಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಕೆಳಗೆ ನೋಡೋಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗ್ತಿರ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ" (That bird was too huge to notice its shadow below!

To know if they have really understood, I planned to ask them few questions -

"Who was sindbad?"

"Sailor and merchant" - - I felt good

"Where was he from?"

"IRAQ" - I felt GREAT!! :)))

It felt so wonderful being in their company.... WOW!! Amazing.... They enjoyed learning as much as we enjoyed teaching.

"These kids under proper guidance can work miracles" - I humbly request to all those who are interested in teaching and can spare a couple of hours for the sake of these kids, please volunteer. It'll be the greatest gift you'd give them!