Raji Lukkoor's Blog

We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.~Native American proverb
What do credit card debt, hoarding and obesity have in common?
They value present consumption over future consumption. They also provide a snapshot of the convenience-riddled modern day lifestyles that we have embraced, with blatant disregard for the consequences. The question that naturally springs up is: Is the current lifestyle sustainable in the long term?
Humans have consumed natural reso...

Humans as a species are obsessed with finding cures or fixes for our problems, but rarely ever address the underlying ills. It’s like taking Tylenol every time you have a headache and ignoring the contributory conditions that set off the headache in the first place. How much Tylenol can you take? How much toxicity can your body process before reaching an impasse? Meanwhile, has Tylenol helped change the underlying condition at all?
Technology is like Tylenol. It’s cheap, convenient and scalabl...

Someone once asked me, "I'm such a good person. Why do bad things happen to me?"

Imagine that you're driving in a shiny new car when you unexpectedly hit a patch of slush on the roadside. The next thing you know, your car begins to hydroplane. Your blood freezes in your heart. The splashing mud and dirt creates abstract art all over your car. Your visibility is hindered and you are in imminent danger of losing control.

What are you going to do? Are you going to obsessively worry about your bran...

This post is a part of #Soldierforwomen in association with BlogAdda.com. 
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As a woman surrounded by a sea of formidable men -- my father "Appa," my brother, husband and two sons -- I never have to go too far for reassurance and motivation. 

Where it's a matter of practicality, there's the husband. When getting a job done is the need of the hour, there's the brother. Following a long, hard...

Growing up in post-colonial India, in an era that prefaced running water, 24/7 electricity, and electronic gadgets and appliances, I quickly learned about food economics. My emerging middle-class family, consisting of my parents, brother and me, had enough to satiate our hunger, sans any frills or excesses. Shopping for seasonal fruits, vegetables and groceries was a daily ritual, picked up on foot from the local markets, in home-sewn cotton bags. My mother – a local school teacher -- miracul...

Read Toltec Agreement 1: Be Impeccable with Your Word 

Read Toltec Agreement 3: Don't Make Assumptions

I'd like to tell you a story.

My family and I went on a 5-day cruise to the Bahamas last year. A dream vacation I'll never forget, the excursion was a tremendous experience, from picturesque Miami and the spectacular Florida Keys to the pristine waterscapes of the Bahamian islands. The room on board was comfortable, the activities fantastic, the staff attentive, and the food options sati...

Read Toltec Agreement 1: Be Impeccable with Your Word
Assumptions have their place in the universe, especially in math and science. For instance, when confronted with a math word problem, a few assumptions in the calculations are in order. Else, the question might be too complex to solve. Without standard assumptions, there'd be no mathematical functions, mapping and operations. Mathematical assumptions allow us to identify patterns that help us better understand our world. For example, the c...

We saw it happen. Tunisia overthrowing its incompetent government. The Egyptian revolution ousting its dictator. Ireland's abortion laws coming around. The US considering congressional action on gun control. It's your turn, India. You hold the power! People power! You can do it too. CHANGE! Here's what I'm talking about:

Brutal crimes against women are occurring in India, the land of goddesses, at an unprecedented rate. The reality of rape, acid throwing, forced prostitution, trafficking of g...

"The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz, released in 1997, has sold and continues to sell millions of copies worldwide. Derived from the wisdom of the Toltecs -- the ancient, native people of southern Mexico -- the four agreements provide a template for enhancing human behavior, interpersonal communication, and relationships. One reason this captivating little book has traveled so far is that these themes resonate so deeply with people at a personal level. 

Not unlike the venerable Thich...

Sign the pledge to educate yourself and your family on being pro-life


Young and vivacious Savita Halappanavar, a dentist by profession, died tragically on Oct 28, 2012 from septicemia, following the denial of a life-saving abortion in Ireland. I don't know why, but this case really struck a chord in me. May be, because, she's a woman, as am I. May be, because, she is Asian Indian, as am I. May be, it highlighted an issue that has forever beleaguered humankind – what constitutes "life" and "li...