Thank You for Your Visit, Have a Nice Day (Wearable Sculpture) by Agata Olek / Art in Odd Places 2009: SIGN, New York City / 20091010.10D.55121.P1.L1 / SML: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML

Author: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg

Standing on the corner of 95th and Broadway, I had a perfect opportunity to observe peoples’ faces. I love the fact that New York provides a glimpse of people from all over the world. I tried counting how many different countries were represented by the people climbing up from the subway, when I noticed that no matter where these people came from, they had assumed the New York Face: no one was smiling. People didn’t look happy.

I stopped counting countries to begin counting smiles. The only people smiling or laughing were children. There were smiles of pure joy. There were smiles of satisfaction. I saw guffaws, belly laughs, giggles, and chuckles. The kids were the only ones who looked human.

Just as I began laughing with joy at the sight, I saw a mirror of my past when two parents were struggling with a screaming child. The children may be the only ones laughing, but they certainly were the only people having tantrums. No wonder so many people choose to stop laughing: Raw emotions come at a price. When we feel free enough to wholeheartedly express our joy, we usually have to deal with raw sadness and anger. To live with the freedom to laugh with such abandon, we must live on the edge, right where all our emotions bubble and pop, laughter and anger, happiness and sadness. I guess most New Yorkers already feel that they live on the edge, and smother their smiles to prevent themselves from venting their fury.

Reuben, the Bechor – First Born – of Jacob and Leah, lived on the edge. The Talmud (Bava Batra 126b) teaches us that a Bechor has special gifts: There was once a certain man who came before Rabbi Chaninah and said to the Sage, “I am convinced regarding this individual that he is the firstborn of his father.” Rabbi Chaninah said to him, “From where do you know this?”

The witness said to him in reply, “Because when people would come to the son’s father with eye ailments, he would tell them: ‘Go to my son Shichas for he is a firstborn son, and his saliva can heal eye ailments.’”

Rabbi Chaninah accepted this proof, and awarded the son in question a double portion of his father’s property.

Firstborns have great power, but they are also susceptible to stealing, hatred and resentment. (Yalkut Shimoni, Vayechi #157)

Reuben lived this conflict: He moved Jacob’s bed to prevent him from fathering more children and further diluting Reuben’s inheritance. (Ramban, Genesis 35:22) He liked money.

Yet, he also was careful not to steal, “he went during the harvest and found mandrakes growing wildly in a field,” he would not take anything from another’s property. He would only collect wild flowers for his mother. The Alshich says that Reuben intended the flowers to help Leah attract her husband and bear more children!

Reuben was impetuous (Genesis 49:3-4), enough for Jacob to fear that if rebuked by his father, he would turn away from Jacob and join Eisav! (Rashi, Deuteronomy 1:3) Reuben impetuously moved his bed directly in front of Bilhah’s tent to make his father uncomfortable (Ha’amek Davar) and yet he planned to repair his sin by saving Joseph.

Reuben lived on the edge of greatness and terrible evil. Yet, he did not assume the New York face; he thrived where he was, learning to derive greatness from his challenge.

How would Reuben look as he came up from the subway? He would either be laughing or screaming, but he would certainly never be neutral.

About the Author:

Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Living On The Edge

Conflict: Rishi S

by Anagarika Eddie Rock

One of the most difficult areas to get past in human relations is the idea that “my” religion or ideal is Truth and yours isn’t. When someone says to you that your beliefs are all wet compared to his or hers, how does that make you feel? Historically, it has made people feel so bad that they have killed each other. This is not good.

If only there was a way where we could sincerely say to those who are not of our faith, “You’re okay, even if you do not believe our way.” Unless we find a way to honestly and openly do that, unless we as a nation find a way to say to other countries that they are okay just as they are developing, (as if we didn’t have our problems as a young nation), then we will be in constant conflict.

If, for a moment, we can leave aside threatening and incendiary remarks, such as, “If you don’t become enlightened, you will be reborn into suffering forever,” “Unless you accept Jesus as your savior, you will go to hell,” and “Allah is the only God, accept him or else,” along with all the other claims of various religions (and the numerous branches of the various religions that separate us further, i.e., Catholic and Baptist in the Christian faith), what is there left to talk about?

If we have nothing left to talk about, then of course religion can justifiably be termed a vehicle of separation; something that has caused violence in the past and continues to be a destructive force in the present.

Some might say that their beliefs and principles are more important than any conflict, and that they are ready and willing to die for them. Okay, passion is an important factor, and if their religion or ideal sanctifies conversion by force, then one would be justified in their mind. I posit, however, that in the deep tentacles of all religions lies a universal love for all mankind, regardless of beliefs, and that conversion by force comes from man‘s ego.

In reality, we usually tolerate beliefs other than our own and generally smile and make nice to people of other faiths. But down deep, if we think that they are misguided and that we should save them, or resent the fact that they can’t see the light and consider them inferior to ourselves, then we are two-faced.

Perhaps better than becoming two-faced is having it out with them; arguing about our religions until we are blue in the face, totally exhausted, and ready to strangle each other. At least we would be honest.

In my articles, I try to promote principles that apply to all religions regardless of beliefs. I do this in order to advance past narrow opinions and toward more universal love and respect for each other. I’m not always successful.

I try to see the end product of what a particular religion produces regarding the type of people that result. Are they only nice in a playacting way, closet bigots, or are they genuinely interested in others well being, regardless of the others beliefs?

I can’t say that one way or the other is right or Truth, but I can say, as I look back at history, that one way promotes peace and the other conflict. Again, if conflict is your cup of tea, then I can’t say that you are wrong, but I can say that conflict will create suffering for yourself and others. Also, I can safely, I believe, say that peace promotes ease and joy for yourself and others. Just look at a family in conflict compared to a family in peace. To playact peace is to pretend to be peaceful around your peers but scream at your kids or husband in Wal-Mart! This is also being two-faced.

What it all boils down to is whether or not strong beliefs are worth conflict. If you say yes, then your life will be in conflict. You can’t have conflict with those outside of your immediate group without eventually having conflict within your group. It’s never an outside influence that brings up conflict, conflict is already planted in your mind just looking for a target, and when the outside targets aren’t there, the sharks eat themselves.

The question is; do you want to change your mind from one of conflict to one of peace? Don’t answer too quickly; many people prefer conflict. Conflict, win or lose, boosts the ego and makes one feel that they are alive. Peace, on the other hand does not increase ego or support the notion of a person separate from everyone else.

In my articles, I mention ego or self all the time, because ego, not religion or ideals per se, is the central reason for our internal and external conflicts. The idea of “me.”

So how can you change your state of mind of conflict? Can you keep your strong beliefs and resolve the conflict in yourself? That would be the best of both worlds.

I believe that we can do that, it‘s just a matter of calming down an ego that we have created and now must constantly shore up. This creates the fundamental conflict within ourselves, and has nothing to do with religion or religious beliefs, but everything to do with how we get along with ourselves, our group, and fellow human beings.

If ever there would be a universal religion, it would work toward resolving this problem of conflict within ourselves. Regardless of what we believe or what books we follow, until we understand ourselves and how we interact with that little person inside our heads, all of our actions and ideas will be skewed.

But once we know ourselves and how we operate, we can then believe as we choose, while at the same time understanding and accepting the rest of humanity regardless of their beliefs, because we will know that we are all fundamentally the same.

Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary www.dhammarocksprings.org and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.

He lived at Wat Pah Nanachat under Ajahn Chah, at Wat Pah Baan Taad under Ajahn Maha Boowa, and at Wat Pah Daan Wi Weg under Ajahn Tui. He had been a postulant at Shasta Abbey, a Zen Buddhist monastery in northern California under Roshi Kennett; and a Theravada Buddhist anagarika at both Amaravati Monastery in the UK and Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand, both under Ajahn Sumedho. The author has meditated with the Korean Master Sueng Sahn Sunim; with Bhante Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia; and with the Tibetan Master Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. He has also practiced at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Zen Center in San Francisco. 

Article Source: Amazines.com

Professor Richard Dawkins - Photo Credit: Alex Folkes/Fishnik Photography, originally uploaded by Liberal Democrats

Author: Michael Austin

My big concern is to look at the foundations of our thinking, because all too often we accept it without thinking! And one of the very interesting things this lets us do is to explore some of the assumptions made about reason itself. This in turn highlights some of the deep dilemmas in Richard Dawkins’ thinking.

I suggest it is fair to say that in The God Delusion Richard Dawkins presents his atheism as a vehement protest against theism. If ‘atheism’ refers to the belief system that denies the existence of the living God of biblical revelation, any reading of his book quickly shows that Dawkins’ atheism is focused. And it is focused on what he most dislikes – biblical Christianity.

Something deep is going on here – Dawkins’ atheism is on the horns of a giant dilemma that he may not readily acknowledge. That when he works to deny theism he assumes the legitimacy of his reason, either without knowing or admitting that it flows directly from the foundational beliefs of biblical theism. A closer look shows that Richard Dawkins’ arguments for atheism – ‘borrow’ is not too strong – their apparent legitimacy from the position it attacks. Dawkins’ atheism defines itself in terms of the theism that it denies.

Atheism is no ordinary sort of belief! It is unable to advance its own independent vision of reality; and instead must always frame its position in terms of the one it denies. Atheism cannot stand-alone, and while it claims to be a final reference point, always sustains itself from its central denial. Atheism must always be the arch-opponent of theism!

You don’t need to be an astute observer of human nature to see that Dawkins’ vitriolic antagonism towards theism is inclined to be obsessive. Perhaps he knows that as an atheist he has no final basis for the validity of his own reason, and ultimately he cannot escape being self-contradictory. Dawkins needs an understandable reality, borrowed from theism in order to deny theism.

When an atheist like Dawkins says that his capacity for reasoned thinking is grounded in chemistry, he jumps way beyond the remit of chemistry in trying to deny theism. Can the microbiology of his brain cells offer evidence to support atheism? Does non-material information just conveniently drop out of whirling molecules? My answer is, ‘No, they don’t’.

There is another very simple explanation for this conundrum. Dawkins is a man in God’s world, who breathes theistic air and who uses the validity of reason that is inherent in his humanity.

But Dawkins knows that if he is going to deny theism, he must reverse all he knows about God and turn it into denials. So, it’s not surprising to see why he gets so passionate about trying to demolish theism. And he must work hard, trying to block out all of the light that shines in God’s wonderful world, including the light in his own mind and conscience.

Atheism is a leaky vessel, and Dawkins has his work cut out in trying man all the pumps and stop up all the fast-leaking holes. But in spite of which, Dawkins still loves life because so much of it is full of the goodness and wisdom of God. Atheists see it everywhere – in their wonder at the marvels of creation, in their joy of friendship and family, and in their strong, one might nearly say, ‘absolute’ preference of honesty, loyalty, to be valued, and understood by others. Atheists breathe God’s air, take the gifts for granted, and somehow learn to survive with the tensions and dark dilemmas.

Deep down, does Dawkins show us a compelling case that atheism is utterly reasonable? Think it through with him and soon most sensible people will cut free from their pernicious nonsense and begin to enjoy the exhilarating air of atheism’s pure reasonableness. Mind you, that’s not his style, and I doubt whether Dawkins is out to convert people to atheism on the basis of its utter reasonableness.

Indeed, from the way Dawkins writes, there is something still deeper going on. He goes for the jugular, and calls the people he hopes to reason with, ‘faith-heads’ and ‘wingnuts’ suffering from ‘a pernicious delusion.’ Is this his last resort at shock treatment before the eminent doctor admits that neo-Darwinian atheism isn’t the wonderful panacea for all the world’s ills that his dreams have cherished?

Dawkins gives away his serious dilemma about the ultimate Identity when he dismisses God as a ‘figment’ and then heaps his invective against Christian theism. Do people usually get so superheated about ‘figments of the imagination’ that don’t fit their worldview?

Besides, does Dawkins offer a plausible reason for such an awesome reality being here in the first place? In the final analysis, Dawkins shows a marked hostility towards the utter realism of the historic Christian position. Do his arguments rationally demolish biblical theism, and sustain atheism, as something you could anchor your thinking upon to make sense of reality? No, they merely tell us he prefers to deny theism, and call it science. Well, which is it to be – science or philosophy? Dawkins is never quite sure.

About the Author:

Michael Austin is a Christian writer, apologist & Gospel worker – he currently holds a Masters Degree in theology & has recently completed a PhD.

Michael Austin is the author of a number of published works in the battle for reason & sound thinking in the wake of postmodernism. His life experience has also covered a variety of other fields – with a background as a Research & development engineer he has a strong regard for science but believes it always demonstrates the greatness of God in creation.

He is also an inventor & mentioned on a number of patents making a contribution to medical science – his work includes improvements & developments in stents – small devices inserted as permanent implants by less invasive surgical techniques – mainly related to a US multi-national Company.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Dawkins’ Dilemmas Deluded or not deluded? — That is the question!

As it Is: brewingluminous / Jeremy

Author: Bhushan Manchanda

The Bhagavad Gita , the “Song of God” is one of the most important Hindu scriptures. It is revered as a sacred scripture of Hinduism, and considered as one of the most important philosophical classics of the world.The Bhagavad Gita comprises 700 verses, and is a part of the Mahabharata The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna Who is revered by Hindus as a manifestation of the Lord Himself,and is referred to within as the Bhagavan—the Divine One. The Bhagavad Gita is commonly referred to as the Gita for short.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War. Responding to Arjuna’s confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Yogic and Vedantiic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu theology and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi describes it as a lighthouse of eternal wisdom that has the ability to inspire any man or woman to supreme accomplishment and enlightenment. During the discourse, Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form.

The basic teachings can be summarized as under:

• Why do you worry without cause? Whom do you fear without reason? Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.
• Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good; whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only. You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present is happening…
• What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed? You did not bring anything – whatever you have, you received from here. Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed. What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow. You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows.
• Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death, is indeed life. In one instance you can be a millionaire, and in the other instance you can be steeped in poverty. Yours and mine, big and small – erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.
• This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether, and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent – so who are you?
• Dedicate your being to God. He is the one to be ultimately relied upon. Those who know of his support are forever free from fear, worry and sorrow.
• Whatever you do, do it as a dedication to God. This will bring you the tremendous experience of joy and life-freedom forever.

Some Quotes from famous personalities across the world on the Bhagavad Gita:

Albert Einstein

“When I read the Bhagavad Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous.”

Aldous Huxley

“The Bhagavad Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day.”

Henry David Thoreau

“In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial.”

Dr. Albert Schweitzer

“The Bhagavad Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions.”

Carl Jung

“The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in by gone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states ‘behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant.’ This correlation can be discerned by what Krishna expresses in chapter 15 the Bhagavad Gita.”

Herman Hesse

“The marvel of the Bhagavad Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life’s wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad Gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us.”

About the Author:

MA,DMM,MBA
(Faculty of Management Studies,University of Delhi,India),
Management Education Consultant.
Over 30 years Industry,Education and Training experience

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Bhagavad Gita:Teachings and Message

Title: Journey Through the World of Spirit / God, Gaia and Guardian Angels
Author: David L. Oakford
Media: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Reality Press
Date: 2007

This review originally appeared at Earthpages.org as a voice-over video on December 28, 2007. When recording I had no notes other than the memory of what I’d just read. As such, there’s a certain live quality to this review that I hoped to preserve in this transcript.

The soundtrack was spontaneously composed and recorded just before I made the review. The book was inspiring and plain text just wasn’t enough.

In editing the transcript some extraneous material (e.g. “ahh” “sort of”) was removed.

So here’s the original voice-over review and its much overdue and slightly edited transcript.

Original Introduction

I had a choice… spend hours trying to get something representative down in writing or have some fun doing a video review. I chose to do a video review.

This is my first video review and it’s been a while since I was a DJ but I think it gets the message across: “This is a great book…”

Transcript

This is a great book! I really enjoyed this book. I read it during the hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas shopping period. And I just found it was a wonderful way to be reminded of things I already believed in. But I think I needed a little refresher course–and this book was it.

It starts off with David’s very honest and frank account of teenage angst and disillusionment. He’s planning on ditching out on his parents at about age 19 to go find himself. He’s going to, I think, live in a tent and travel around and live on the cheap and find a deeper meaning that he couldn’t find in his teenage years.

But before he plans to leave he wants to say farewell to all his friends. So he goes to a party, a farewell party, and one of his buddies comes up to him and gives him some pretty dangerous drugs. The buddy warns David not to take the drugs until he’s instructed on how to use them but David doesn’t listen and proceeds to slip into a coma. At that point he starts to have some pretty interesting experiences.

He starts off by seeing his friends – if I remember right, they’re in a car – but his friends can’t see him. Then he’s back in the house, looking at his motionless body; and he’s still fully awake and alive, moving about the house, sort of hovering like a spirit.

He notes that he can’t move objects. His hand goes through the faucet. And Jim Morrison and the Doors are playing and the music is very irritating to David, which I found interesting because I’ve always liked the Doors — as it deals with otherworldly themes — but it all just sounded like noise when he was in this refined consciousness.

He then proceeds to bigger and better things. A spirit guide comes to help him, one of several otherworldly beings whom David claims to meet in this account. And the spirit guide, whom David calls “Bob” – [laughs] it’s just so much like this book; it’s so unpretentious and straightforward and incredibly well-written, to boot. Anyhow, the spirit guide shows David a scene of the pyramids in Egypt, how they stand today and how they stood around the time of their construction.

One thing I found very interesting about this is that David claims the past and the present interact in some kind of mysterious way, like interacting, overlapping fields.

I think that’s fascinating. To read that in a book… that kind of thing is quite rare. You find it a bit in the Jane Roberts books, the Seth Books, and you find it I believe in Emmanuel’s Books if I remember right (I haven’t looked at those for a few years).

But it’s a fascinating idea that time is interactive, and I found that present in this book. I also found the idea that the heavens are interactive with our Earthly reality. David saw, as a matter of fact (after the Egyptian experience)… his guide took him up to a spiritual city. And this spiritual city apparently interacts with our Earth, and life on Earth, in ways we don’t fully understand.

The bottom line is the spiritual beings (and David outlines quite a few of them)… their basic message is that we should love one another. And I really can’t find any fault with that message whatsoever.

On page 74 David writes:

The unvarnished truth is that I went to heaven, or at least one of them, that is connected to Earth and brought back the simple message to love one another.

You know, I find there’s no conflict here with my Catholic faith. Some of you may know that I, myself, converted to Catholicism in 2001 and some Catholics might not like this book. There are a few swipes at organized religion and I understand that perspective. I used to be like that when I was a kid, actually.

I never went to Church or anything like that. If I didn’t have spiritual experiences within the Catholic Church I wouldn’t go. The whole reason I converted is because I do have spiritual experiences. But for those who don’t have spiritual experiences in the Church I understand how they can just see it as seemingly wooden and formulaic—it’s not, it’s not just that.

And I think this is one point I would disagree on but other than that, I mean… hey, Earthpages is about dialogue so I try to look for the interesting and the good and if I disagree with something I just say so.

I would highly recommend this book. I think it’s incredibly well-written, honest and there’s such a complexity to the account that it really makes one feel that it’s not just a hallucination. Some materialist psychiatrists will say that all near death experiences are just the brain’s way of trying to make you feel good before you die but, I don’t know, I just think that this book… the complexity, detail and duration of the near death experience really tends to make one think there’s something to it.

–MC

Empowerment: Lincolnian (Brian)

Author: Pamela Wells

When life is going smoothly, it is easy to go into automatic pilot. You are fully and gainfully employed, all your bills are paid on time, you can even take vacations, all your primary relationships are happy and you are otherwise enjoying life.

What happens when there is an unexpected loss or inevitable setback? What do you rely on as a source of your strength to sustain you?

We are constantly fed messages that we need something outside of us in these challenging situations. We become accustomed to hearing that we are lacking something and whatever “it” is can be bought or sourced externally.

It is during these times of transition that there could be an opportunity for growth and insight into the source of what empowers you. The invitation is to change your vantage point and see that all the resources for you to navigate your challenges are sourced by plugging into a Universal presence inside of you.

Here are the steps of self-empowerment:

When faced with a challenge, start by honoring yourself. Take the time to pause and just breathe. There is no need to do any deep breathing. Instead, take a comfortable seat or even lay down with one hand on your belly and another on your heart and simply enjoy your breath. Let yourself feel anchored into the chair or into the earth if laying down. By merely bringing consciousness to your breath, you initiate a process of awareness to the presence that supports you. You can enhance this process by gradually softening the layers of resistance, stress, tightness and hardness manifested in your face, jaw, throat, chest, stomach and other areas of your body. By beginning to let go of physical clinging, you further the process of yielding to an inner support. Breath by breath you drop deeper into your every expanding source of that which sustains you.

You reinforce a process of reclaiming the source of your power by reflecting and determining one quality of heart or mind that could enable you to effectively handle the situation you are facing. Take the time as you continue to breathe to reflect on what quality of heart or mind would make a meaningful difference in your life. Perhaps you could cultivate more courage, sensitivity, clarity, more patience or whatever you deem to be appropriate. You then set this seed of intention in your heart and mind and then infuse it with your breath so that there is a unity in your body, mind and heart. You literally call all aspects of yourself into attention as you tap into this wellspring of energy inside of you in service of your intention.

Interestingly, in this process of reflection and then engagement, you will experience inevitable internal shifts. As you draw closer to your heart and what is meaningful, then what you say and do will be aligned with your own wellspring of energy and resources.

If you begin to feel like you are forcing yourself in this process, check to see if are holding your breath or you have been breathing in a shallow way. There are patterns that are both conscious and unconscious that we follow that resist this process. Such patterns may not always be life affirming and may appear as chronic tension in our body and tightness even in our minds. All of this manifests in the breath and blocks us from accessing our source of sustenance.

You may need the assistance of a wise guide to facilitate in accessing your inner resources and optimizing the way you use them. However, ultimately, what enables you to effectively deal with what you are facing is inside of you.

You are completely free to either reinforce old patterns of thought and action or choose to awaken to the realization that the ultimate source of your fulfillment is as close to you as your breath. It is a process of remembering the source of that which sustains you and then taking action to align with it so that you can continue to shift and grow in ways that bring more beauty and love to our shared planet.

About the Author:

Pamela Wells authored and illustrated a Collectors Edition guidebook and card set for women called Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess – Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer. This boxed set is available now at http://www.ArtmagicPublishing.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Steps of Self-Empowerment

The Viking Serpent takes the viewer into the heart of Norway, where Harald S. Boehlke, son of a Norwegian diplomat, presents his case for a radical reinterpretation of the traditional Biblical symbols for evil.

Longstanding tensions between orthodox and Gnostic Christianity are highlighted with Boehlke favoring the Gnostic position.

Boehlke’s unusual and unique pro-Gnostic argument is backed up with on-site evidence, cartographic analysis and historical data.

At the very least, this DVD is thought-provoking and should serve as a launch pad for those interested in following up on Boehlke’s extraordinary and far-reaching claims.

The DVD also contains some truly beautiful footage, with director and host Philip Gardiner facilitating as a kind of guide to Boehlke’s challenging exposition.

The Viking Serpent is recommended for those wanting to learn more about Gnosticism and the Celtic Church while enjoying some breathtaking scenes of the natural and architectural marvels of Norway, surely one of the most aesthetically pleasing countries in the world today.

–MC

Statue: bluemoose / Ian

By Rhoberta Shaler, PhD

Developing an authentic lifestyle–one that truly reflects what is important to you in all areas of life–is a work of art. It is your personal statement to the world. Are you creating your masterpiece with both the intention and attention a great artist gives her creation?
Reflecting on the ideas and manipulating the materials over time, the artist begins to clarify the vision and, as the piece emerges, watches, refining her ideas, adding this, discarding that, reworking, until the materials begin to match the vision. Once the realization of the dream is glimpsed, work accelerates, and joy and passion carry the piece to completion. Isn’t that much like our lives?

Few artists receive their inspiration from attempting to fulfill someone else’s idea of what the clay, paint, rock, notes, words, fabric or wood might become. Imitation in art is only the tool of the student as the techniques are learned. The truly authentic work of art must come from within the artist, through the techniques and media, into reality.

Similarly, you cannot live the dreams of your parents, the desires of your friends or the visions of another with passion and integrity.

Great artists understand that their art is their personal expression, and is, therefore, unique. The artist values the medium for its potential to express the idea. The artist works diligently with it– keeping the vision in view, making small adjustments, learning new techniques, experimenting–until the vision emerges in concrete form and becomes an extension of the artist. It is visible then to all who care to look. The piece bears the artist’s name and influences all who view it.

Sometimes, pieces do not please the artist and they are reworked, painted over, melted down, unraveled. These pieces have great inherent value. The artist’s vision is clarified, the materials better understood. This contributes much to the next project, the next work of art.

Sometimes, pieces become a legacy and influence many by their existence. These are the authentic works, the true expressions of the artist. These are the quality pieces, as Willa A. Foster, says, “Quality is never an accident; it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

You want your life to be of quality, filled with wise choices. Therefore, approach it with high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution.

When creating a work of art, you must be present with it, fully engaged each moment, totally absorbed by the possibility you are actualizing and the potential you are exploring. This intense focus is required if you are not to be distracted by the myriad of seductive, and easy to justify diversions. It is a powerful process uplifting, inspiring, sometimes frustrating, satisfying, and, most of all, creative. When you are making a success of something, it s not work. It‘s a way of life.

Now, if by chance, you are thinking that viewing your life as a work of art, or a lofty contribution to the world, is impractical compared to a factual time-management, goal-oriented, bottom-line approach, please consider this. Every successful business, organization and corporation has two types of leaders, visionaries and administrators. Both are required. You need to be both visionary and administrator in your own life, to live a life of integrity, of wholeness.

After all, would you prefer your life to be a fleeting statistic, or a memorable piece of performance art?

By Rhoberta Shaler, PhD
www.SpiritualLivingNetwork.com

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ – Free Articles Directory

About the Author

Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, has helped thousands to see life differently. Dr. Shaler connects people with their authentic selves, their purpose and values, and provides insights and inspiration to overcome the challenges of personal, family and business life. To learn more, visit: www.Rhoberta.com. and join www.SpiritualLivingNetwork.com It’s free.

psychic reader: vistavision

By Steve Hammons

The new movie The Men Who Stare at Goats is bringing expanded awareness to the general public about unconventional and anomalous topics involving human consciousness and the nature of “reality.”

Another film, this one a documentary, is doing the same.

Dutch filmmaker Renée Scheltema’s film Something Unknown is Doing Something We Don’t Know What, like the “Goats” movie, looks at discoveries in modern physics and psychology, remote viewing, telepathy, precognition, psychokinesis, unconventional healing, therapeutic touch, psychic detective work and related subjects.

Scheltema has a background in Dutch TV and has created other documentaries. After her bachelor’s degree in law, she also earned advanced degrees in journalism and criminology.

INTEGRATIVE RESEARCH

In the film, various scientists and researchers give their views about the possibility or probability that unconventional and unusual forces are at work in the Universe and Nature – or at least they seem unusual to many of us.

Some of the people featured in the film include former Apollo astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell, former Project STAR GATE researcher Dr. Harold (Hal) Puthoff, University of Arizona professor of psychology Dr. Gary Schwartz, University of California professor emeritus of psychology Charles Tart, parapsychologist Dr. Dean Radin and several other prominent scientists and investigators.

Something Unknown explores reports of phenomena and aspects of human consciousness that seem to defy logic and our general understanding of ourselves and our environments.

Yet, much research into topics like near-death experiences, remote viewing, ESP and other subjects seems to indicate that something truly is going on that should be thoroughly investigated. In addition to any understanding of these phenomena that can be attained, the film serves as a vehicle to communicate to and educate us about these discoveries.

As the title of the film seems to indicate, there is “something” in the Universe and Nature, or perhaps many “somethings,” that are behaving in ways that are unique, puzzling and at times, amazing.

Physicists, psychologists, biologists and other investigators are changing their views of how things work around us and within us – and the interesting connections between the two.

Are these unconventional phenomena really “paranormal” or simply normal and natural?

GETTING UP TO SPEED

Different human cultures certainly approach human consciousness, dreams, visions, the afterlife, Nature and other common experiences in different ways. The modern scientific approaches of Western civilization have often created and reflected a different view of how things work and how Nature operates.

In addition, the divide between “science” and “spirituality” seems, at times, to define a separation that may not really be present at all.

The trends and trajectory of our understanding about human consciousness, biological systems, quantum physics and a wide swath of other studies seem to be moving toward a new way of looking at things – at the “something” and what it is doing.

The general public is now being exposed to more kinds of films, TV programs, books and other information that are getting all of us up to speed on the discoveries and developments in these fields that affects each and every one of us.

These communications efforts, like Something Unknown, seem to be part of the process to inform us, deepen our understanding, enhance our consciousness and … well, “we don’t know what.”

Something Unknown will be shown at the Santa Fe Film Festival on Dec. 3 and 5. The film is also available on DVD. For more information and to view the movie trailer, go to SomethingUnknown.com.

Steve Hammons writes on many topics. For more information, visit these websites: Joint Recon Study Group, Transcendent TV & Media and American Chronicle.

like a drunk... in a midnight choir...

Blind Leading the Blind
by Anagarika Eddie Rock

If we become involved in preaching to others or teaching religion before experiencing Ultimate Truth first hand for ourselves, we teach from ego and not true compassion. Only when we personally touch Ultimate Truth with all its subtleties does universal love replace ambition. Then, our only concern is the residue of hatred and competitiveness that still may remain within ourselves, and the suffering of our fellow human beings that is now so clear to us.

One who teaches, yet has not experienced Ultimate Truth, is in effect faking it. They know that they are faking it. They pretend otherwise, however, so that support will be provided by the faithful. This is grand deception at the cruelest level.

The fakers lifestyle usually gives them away. They simply do not have the restraint that an experience of Ultimate Truth imparts upon a teacher, an attitude of humility and humbleness as a result of touching this great, Ultimate Truth. The pretender, alas, still believes that they are the center of the universe. They can’t keep the pretending up for long, however, because their underlying desires will give them away every time.

Touching Ultimate truth does a number on the true teacher. Desires fade away and lifestyles becomes very simplified and ordinary. This is not because of some meaningless austerity, i.e. trying to prove that they are holy or some such nonsense, but because of something much deeper. They simply lose interest in the playthings of the world just as a little girl puts away her dolls or a little boy his toy trucks. They grow up, and their attitudes change.

This restraint is also reflected in the true teacher’s words, which are always truthful and insightful and never straying from the central theme of spirituality by helping people find their own ultimate truth. They might talk about politics or business but only from the viewpoint of politics’ and business’ hypnotic effects that keeps one from ever experiencing Ultimate Truth for themselves.

So the restraint exhibited by a true teacher is not some kind of grandstanding, but a reflection of the peace and gentleness of mind that was instilled by touching Ultimate Truth.

Conversely, the pretender’s speech will consist of second hand information and quotes from other sources other than from their hearts. This is because, not yet having touched Ultimate Truth, their hearts are still caught in the world of forms and excitement. It can even get to the point of losing interest in spirituality all together and jumping into politics or business related discussions in order to attract more supporters. That is a certain give away that the teacher is faking it. Without restraint caused by an authentic religious experience, the true colors eventually come out because pretenders cannot duck their karma forever. They can only pretend for so long.

These kinds of teachers can be quite dangerous. Many people who can’t see through these people blindly follow them. They are usually people not equipped to think for themselves, resulting in a quintessential predicament of the blind leading the blind. This is where the danger comes in because blind people may drink the Cool Aid, or go off the deep end politically. Thus we have the extremist groups of religion and ideology that creates so much hatred and suffering in the world today.

We usually develop our particular religious and idealistic beliefs based upon our heritage, our own experiences, our level of awareness, and on our particular ideas of spirituality based on what we hear and read in church or through the media. As these beliefs become personalized and solidified, we dig in our heels and it becomes increasingly difficult to change our conclusions. If we have formed these conclusions before we have had that consciousness shifting epiphany that changes our perspective from one of ambition to love, then we set out to spread the word as pretenders. This is the basis of the vast majority of teachers and preachers.

The problem is that although proselytizing is effective in uneducated, poverty stricken third-world countries or among the very young, it is not so successful with mature adults in educated, discerning societies. Discerning individuals have enough confidence to think for themselves. Are Christians open to becoming Muslim? Are Buddhists tripping over each other to convert to Catholicism? Not really. We are mostly satisfied and comfortable with our own particular beliefs.

If we are secure within those beliefs and find that loving kindness and virtue result from practicing our religion, we tend to be happy and quietly live our own religion, leaving others alone. We don‘t worry about converting them, confident that they will find their own way depending on their inclinations and level of consciousness. But if we, who quietly practice our own religion without fanfare or notoriety, are disrespected, then there is a backlash.

What we are seeing in the world today is sectarian, fundamentalist aggressiveness in many religions. This is troubling. We are seeing more and more of it; from sects such as the Taliban, to the proponents of a 6,000 year old earth. Religions, per se, which are perceived to be based on gentleness and peace, seem to be moving toward political, aggressive agendas, all fueled by teachers and preachers who are pretenders of the Ultimate Truth.

Please. This is not in any way a disparagement of true spirituality or many religious followers, but simply a reflection, an observation, and a chance for overzealous proponents of various movements to perhaps take a long look at themselves. Not only at themselves, but perhaps at other religions as well from an attitude of respect rather than judgment; a respect for the peaceful and truthful ideals of all religions. Then, maybe we can find a gentler, more respectful, more peaceful way to spread our particular, sectarian doctrines by example instead of causing self-inflicted animosity. Religious beliefs shouldn’t spin out of control into war. War is not love; war reflects fear.

There are good, wholesome, and harmonious qualities in all religions where a common ground can be found. It begins by accepting different beliefs that foster peace and harmony and finding that peace among ourselves instead of competing with each other, even spiritual, idealistic competition which is of the most dangerous kind. This is the beginning of living together in harmony.

Be sure that you can trust your teacher. Look them over carefully; their lifestyle, their attitudes, and especially their compassion. Are they caring and relaxed; or are they restless and ambitious? Choose them as carefully as you would choose a mate, because their influence might affect your every relationship.

And if you are not sure about them, better to strike out on your own.

—

Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary www.dhammarocksprings.org and author of A Year to Enlightenment. His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.

He lived at Wat Pah Nanachat under Ajahn Chah, at Wat Pah Baan Taad under Ajahn Maha Boowa, and at Wat Pah Daan Wi Weg under Ajahn Tui. He had been a postulant at Shasta Abbey, a Zen Buddhist monastery in northern California under Roshi Kennett; and a Theravada Buddhist anagarika at both Amaravati Monastery in the UK and Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand, both under Ajahn Sumedho. The author has meditated with the Korean Master Sueng Sahn Sunim; with Bhante Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia; and with the Tibetan Master Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. He has also practiced at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Zen Center in San Francisco.

Article Source: amazines.com