So is there a place in your life for rituals or prayers or meditation?

There isn’t a particular time I set aside. There are times I will go to a gurudwara and pay my respects. If I am in Rome I may walk into a church. If I am close to a Hindu temple, I will walk in as well. But the place is largely immaterial. What they all do is to give me a space where I can get in touch with my inner self. And what moves me in those places are not the images on the walls, but the faith of the people around. Those vibrations are very powerful, very empowering.

Organized religions have a very important place in society, because it gives people a sense of community, of belonging. Besides, people don’t have to waste too much of their time thinking out the mysteries of the cosmos. A belief system is given to you, you believe in it, you practice it, it’s all fine. 

Also, the rituals of organized religion are so beautiful. The ceremonies of birth, marriage, death. It’s like a beautifully written script perfected over the centuries. It’s moving and touching. If you don’t believe in a religion and you die, what do people do? They have to invent a ceremony. If you get married, you have to invent vows. If you have children you have to find a way to organize a naming ceremony. All this is done for you by religions. There is a great beauty and convenience to that. Not everyone wants the job of wondering about the universe and there is nothing wrong with that.

But for me, it could not work. I really wanted to know. Is there cause and effect, is there rebirth and karma, and so on. So the quest went on.

L’architecte Paolo Portoghesi, qui a dessiné la coupole, a aussi signé la Grande mosquée de Rome

Les porteurs de projet de la Grande mosquée de Strasbourg ont profité de la fête de l’Aïd-al-Adha, célébrée hier, pour inviter « fidèles, partenaires et amis », en particulier les représentants des cultes reconnus, à la pose de la coupole sur l’édifice en construction au Heyritz, rapporte L’Alsace de ce samedi. Et d’ajouter:
“« C’est une étape spectaculaire et tant attendue », s’est félicité Saïd Aalla, président — d’origine marocaine — de la Grande mosquée de Strasbourg, alors qu’un rayon de soleil traversait la coupole malgré la grisaille, et que les fidèles priaient « pour toi Dieu le plus grand ». « L’islam gagne en visibilité. Il est traité ici avec respect, loin des préoccupations sécuritaires », a ajouté Saïd Aalla, en rendant hommage à l’un de ses prédécesseurs, Abdellah Boussouf, qui avait défendu ce projet il y a une dizaine d’années, mais aussi à l’implication de l’adjoint en charge des cultes, Olivier Bitz.” Lire l’article de L’Alsace

Today, I was reminded of a few experiences I had about Jesus.  They were within the last 15 years. 

1)  I was new to USA and had no idea or concept about Good Friday.  I was deep in meditation and I had a very clear and concise vision of Jesus.  Later that day, while driving I heard on the radio, it was Good Friday

2) The love of Jesus is beyond comprehension.  I was deep in Samadhi and saw the first encounter of Jesus with Judas.  What is not known is that even on the day Jesus saw Judas, he knew that Judas would betray him.  However, the love of Jesus was so intense that love became objectified – it was no longer an abstract or emotional feeling but had become a solid reality even in the gross physical world.  I remain immersed in that environment till my Samadhi was broken.  For the following few weeks, any thought of Jesus brought intense tears to my eyes!  I can say with certainty that Jesus was an avatar of Love!

The places where Jesus roams still vibrate with the divine love.  However, it is so amazing that inspite of all the love in those areas, it remains a source of many a violent conflict right now!  One can only imagine how violent a place it would be if Jesus had not roamed those areas and had not left the vibrations of love there.  If only the people living there could turn within and feel that love, all violence in the area would cease. 

Jesus forgave all those who crucified him.  However for Judas, his words were, “It would have been better for mankind if he was never born”  A warning for all those who betray!  It is not a sin that is looked upon lightly by God.  As per Yogananda, Judas finally achieved salvation 800 or so years later.  He was born again in India and was in Orissa near Jagannath Puri.  Even in that birth, Judas continued to have a strong love for money.  It had to be overcome before final salvation came to him.

According to Yogananda, during the missing 15 years (duration?) of his life, Jesus was in India.  There is a picture of him on the walls of Jaggnath Puri.

3) I have in the past mentioned my other encounter about Jesus.  However, I will recapture it here.  I had a fairly long and unbroken experience of his love.  He appeared before me but his feet never touched the ground.  His love and the light on his face and my own unworthiness (more on this later) made it impossible for me to see anything but his feet.  He started telling me a story where he guided a lost girl from danger.  She happened to be a Jewish girl who was lost and in danger.  She prayed ardently to God (her concept of the Jewish God, not Jesus).  Jesus told me how he affectionately guided her and got her out of danger.  I was perplexed a little. 

I asked, “But she did not pray to you!”

His answer, “Did she not pray to God?”  Then he transmitted without words the immense understanding, that no matter how someone prays to God, it makes no difference to him, he will help and answer.  This is very similar to what is said in the Gita, “Oh Arjuna, no matter how someone prays to me, in any form,  I accept his prayer and answer him”

My second question, “Why are there so many sects in Christianity?”

His answer, “Do they not all pray to God?”  Once again, without any exchange of words, he subsequently said, “I permit all faiths to exist because they all lead to me”  Once again, this is very reminiscent of the Gita.

My last question was, “When will I be pure, like you?”  Obviously, the time was not ripe and he disappeared with that question!  The level of purity Jesus had took several births.  As per Yogananda, in his previous birth or life, Jesus had already reached perfection as Elijah! Even in that birth, when it was time to depart, he had taken “akash Samadhi”, his body was seen to rise in the skies in a blaze!

4)I have had other minor visions of Jesus but none as profound as the above. 

This is all I can remember now.  Perhaps, more will come to me in the future.  These are all experiences in the remote past, burried now by many more current experiences.

En France le ramadan ne pose plus vraiment de problème, il est entré dans les mœurs. Mais le foulard ou la prière au bureau continuent à créer des crispations dans les équipes

Des salariées qui portent le voile au bureau, quand d’autres demandent des jours de congés pour Kippour. Depuis trois ou quatre ans la sacro-sainte laïcité à la française est bousculée par la montée de la religion dans l’entreprise, souligne Emilie Denêtre sur Europe1.fr. Car il faut le rappeler en France, la neutralité religieuse c’est pour la fonction publique, dans le privé, aucune loi ne restreint l’exercice de la religion. Donc face à des nouvelles questions qui émergent au bureau, on trouve des managers embarrassés.
Mouna est ingénieur dans une grande entreprise parisienne. Au bureau, elle porte une longue djellaba ainsi qu’un foulard sur ses cheveux et son cou. Cette trentenaire raconte ses entretiens d’embauche parfois difficiles.
Dounia Bouzar est anthropologue du fait religieux. Elle intervient régulièrement dans les entreprises et a publié une enquête à ce sujet : Allah a-t-il sa place dans l’entreprise ? Ce qui ressort de son travail, c’est qu’en France le ramadan ne pose plus vraiment de problème, il est entré dans les mœurs. Mais le foulard ou la prière au bureau continuent à créer des crispations dans les équipes.
Elle conseille aux managers de bannir la question “’que disent les religions ?’ parce qu’ils ne sont pas des théologiens”. Ils doivent “identifier ce qui relève de la liberté religieuse” et ce “qui relève d’un dysfonctionnement” :
Pour orienter les entreprises, La Haute Autorité de lutte contre les discriminations et pour l’égalité (Halde) a émis un avis en mars dernier. En substance : les demandes religieuses peuvent être refusées uniquement lorsqu’elles pénalisent le travail.

]]> http://caminhosdecristal.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/stop-the-wars-2/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:06:15 +0000 marialetratome http://caminhosdecristal.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/stop-the-wars-2/

Let me sing in a very loud voice,
Full of love for all the million ones
Who cannot stand, as me, the noise,
Of the evil fire of assassin guns.
Let me sing a song like a cry,
With all the people who can’t claim
For an answer to their question, why
So many children have to be in pain.

Stop the wars.
They can Kill innocent lives,
Who might go for good,
While the bad survive.
Let us live in peace,
In a world of good laws.
Let the guns cease,
The cruelty they cause.
We are bodies who search,
To find our own way.
Some, look for a church,
Others, curse while we pray.

Let my song open your sleeping minds
Before it’s too late to do the right thing.
I am singing for races of all kinds
Who may wish to see a next Spring.
And if you don’t want to hear me,
Leave us alone, choose your own place.
You might go away, live on a sea,
Where you’ll find yourself, in disgrace.

Stop the wars.
They can Kill innocent lives,
Who might go for good,
While the bad survive.
Let us live in peace,
In a world of good laws.
Let the guns cease,
The cruelty they cause.
We are bodies who search,
To find our own way.
Some, look for a church,
Others, curse while we pray.

Maria Letra
Note: This is a lyric I wote, in the U.K., for a singer

China’s Golden Shield Project has several US corporations such as IBM, General Electric, and Honeywell working closely with the Chinese government to install millions of surveillance cameras throughout the country, along with advanced video analysis and facial recognition software, which will identify and track individuals everywhere they go. They will be connected to a centralised database and monitoring station, which will, upon completion of the project, contain a picture of the face of every person in China – over 1.3 billion people.

Law enforcement and intelligence services in the UK and the US possess technology to remotely activate the microphones in cellphones, by accessing the phone’s diagnostic/maintenance features, in order to listen to conversations that take place nearby the person who holds the phone. Mobile phones are also commonly used to collect location data.

In the US, for instance, under the Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act, all phone calls, VoIP and broadband internet traffic (emails, web traffic, instant messaging, etc) are required to be available for unimpeded real-time monitoring by federal law enforcement agencies. Computers are also a surveillance target because of the personal data stored on them. If someone is able to install software (either physically or remotely), such as the FBI’s “Magic Lantern” and Computer and IP verification (CIPAV), on a computer system, they can easily gain unauthorised access to this data. Another form of computer surveillance, known as TEMPEST, involves reading electromagnetic emanations from computing devices in order to extract data from them at distances of hundreds of meters.

Surveillance cameras are often connected to a recording device, IP network, and/or watched by a security guard/law enforcement officer. In the UK, for instance, there are about 4.2 million surveillance cameras — one camera for every 14 people. (via How other countries fare).

The Red Rage

There is a increasing chorus in India that such a ‘surveillance’ regime is needed in India also. A undermanned police managed a low crime society in India till now. The excuse of terrorism is being used to advance the case for a police state in India also – like the UK, USA, China etc.

Lalgarh has proved one thing – purusharth in India is still alive and well. Moksh मोक्ष is the ultimate aim of all humans – and the meaning of moksh is freedom, emancipation, deliverance. Moksh is one of the four objectives (धर्म अर्थ, काम, मोक्ष)in the Indian ethical code of पुरुषार्थ.

Santhals and the British

In Lalgarh, middle aged Santhal women, armed with spears, axes and knives came out to battle a repressive state which sold out to Big Business. For nearly a 100 years, a 100 years ago, the same Santhals had fought the British Raj earlier. When so many women come out in the open, with bows and arrows, one thing is clear.

There are more where they come from.

The excuse for extending power

So, whether it is Red Rage or Green Jihad, the State just needs an excuse to extend its power – and this ‘surveillance’ raj is one part of it.

(Edit: Just thought of something — has anyone interviewed these kids to see what they think of the ad and its message?)

I like the new ads, myself.

A couple kids jump around looking happy and the sign says “Please don’t label me” so how does a newspaper report on the new ad?

Children who front Richard Dawkins’ atheist ads are evangelicals

No they are not. They are children who happen to have evangelical parents. Parents who are likely telling their children they are evangelical and aren’t going let those kids decide for themselves who or what they will be. Those kids will become evangelical because it’s the only word that’s ever been applied to them and they may never get a chance to look at themselves as something else and become something else.

Their father, Brad Mason, is something of a celebrity within evangelical circles as the drummer for the popular Christian musician Noel Richards. Now a web designer and photographer, Mr Mason has been supplementing his income for years by providing photographs to agencies who sell them on to newspapers and advertising campaigns.

He said: “It is quite funny, because obviously they were searching for images of children that looked happy and free. They happened to choose children who are Christian. It is ironic. The humanists obviously did not know the background of these children.”

I think it’s ironic how the point is getting missed. Don’t label the kids. Raise them as you see fit, but don’t label them. Teach them everything you value about manners and kindness and generosity and Jesus and God if you feel you must, but don’t label them Christian before they can even understand exactly what that means. It’s more than “Jesus loves me, this I know.”

He said that the children’s Christianity had shone through. “Obviously there is something in their faces which is different. So they judged that they were happy and free without knowing that they are Christians. That is quite a compliment. I reckon it shows we have brought up our children in a good way and that they are happy”

That’s so dumb. Obviously they look at the pictures and think some holiness shines through that even atheists subconsciously pick up on and mistake as natural childhood joy. The sign is suggesting we raise kids without stamping a label on their brains while we do it. When we look at kids are we really supposed to be able to see at a glance what religion those kids have been brought up in like it’s some kind of badge of honour to know God and Jesus personally? I just want to see kids having fun, making friends, and getting ahead in school regardless of what faith has been shoved down their throats in the meantime.

Gerald Coates, the leader of the Pioneer network of churches, which Mr Mason and his family used to attend before they moved to Dorset, said: “I think it is hilarious that the happy and liberated children on the atheist poster are in fact Christian.”

And I think it’s hilarious to see the point getting missed again. Stop calling the kids Christians. They are kids first and foremost. Make sure they’re happy, healthy, fit, and eager to be in school. They shouldn’t need to be branded like cattle before they get there.

The British Humanist Association said that it did not matter whether the children were Christians. “That’s one of the points of our campaign,” said Andrew Copson, the association’s education director. “People who criticise us for saying that children raised in religious families won’t be happy, or that no child should have any contact with religion, should take the time to read the adverts.

“The message is that the labelling of children by their parents’ religion fails to respect the rights of the child and their autonomy. We are saying that religions and philosophies — and ‘humanist’ is one of the labels we use on our poster — should not be foisted on or assumed of young children.”

Read more about this at Atheist Bus – the official website.

It is only the soul that can communicate with God directly  not the thoughts…
Thoughts are disorganized and thoughts have a mental impression or fantasy about how God is or maybe
 and we take our thoughts to be very accurate.
 and that is where all religions and sects in Christianity fight They have a certain logical or intellectual concept of God
 Even a slight experience or vision of God creates an immediate intellectual concept of God and the vision is lost.  We live in our concept and keep saying again and again I am righ because i experienced this but still it is an intellectual concept based on a very slight expereince
 Thus there are fights.
So the first step is to silence the intellect completely and then what remains is the pure spirit or soul.
which can commune with God but as a child we cannot even comprehend how can the soul commune with God without the intellect.
 It is like a fish asking humans how can human beings survive without being in water all the time.

Every soul is unique and has something wonderfully special to offer to God.  Forego all thoughts, forego all intelligence and let the uniqueness of the soul shine forth!

So one should meditate, learn to silence the mind.  Like Vivekananda said, Arise, Awake and Stop not till thy goal is reached! Or in the words of mother, Hasten slowly!  Or in the Bible, the harvest is plenty the laborers are few.  The labor being silencing the mind, impulses, fantasies, intellect etc.

The Convento de Santa Teresa de Jesús is one of the 43 monasteries that once existed in Palma de Mallorca. Nowadays, only six or seven of them are still operating as a monastic institution.

Anyway, the Esglèsia de Santa Teresa in Palma’s Rambla had recently a bit of restauration work done to its exterior. In the course of repair work and a thorough clean up, a rather large sundial was discovered on the church façade that was unknown to the authorities. The monochromatic hour pattern had faded away over the ages and the old style had vanished. Only the wet from the rain made the sundial discernable from close up. Ultraviolet lamps were used during the restoration process and the gnomon was replaced. Now this rehabilitated sundial gives us the time of day once again and in replenished style.

The church of Santa Teresa was built in 1634 and it is assumed that the original sundial dates from the same period, or perhaps a little later when the convent was constructed. An astonishing 945 sundials are known in Mallorca, with about 80 of them in the Palma area, if you want to know, and some of them are priceless. The oldest known sundial in Mallorca dates from 1614 and is located in Son Puig.

There is a Google map on the web with 24 positions of sundials in Palma. Not quite accurate but interesting nevertheless.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: November 24th, 2009. The time was 13:17:57. The photo (bottom) was borrowed from the Internet. Thanks are due to arcapatrimoni.blogspot.com.

Moltes gràcies.

«Venir ainsi prendre un mouton sur un site d'abattage officiel, cela ressemble à de la provocation. Et ce n'est pas une bonne image que l'on donne de la fête de l'Aïd»

Le journaliste de TF1 Harry Roselmack s’est fait prendre vendredi à Marseille alors qu’il tentait, en vue de la réalisation d’une émission, de faire sortir dans le coffre d’une voiture un mouton vivant d’un des sites d’abattage ouverts pour l’Aïd el-Kébir.
C’est le surprenant scénario que décrit le site du journal La Provence, confirmé par la mairie de Marseille. Le journaliste préféré des Français, dont l’émission inédite sur les banlieues vient d’être diffusée, prépare un nouveau programme pour TF1 sur le thème des religions et centré sur la ville de Marseille. Pour les besoins de son reportage, Harry Roselmack se trouvait vendredi matin sur le site d’abattage de Saint-Louis, le plus important de ceux mis en place par la mairie pour l’Aïd al-Adha (également appelé Aïd el-Kébir, la Grande fête), à l’occasion de la première journée du sacrifice des moutons. Le journaliste, son équipe et un jeune de confession musulmane ont fait monter un mouton vivant dans le coffre d’une voiture. Objectif : procéder à son sacrifice ailleurs que sur le site officiel d’abattage, ce qui est formellement interdit.
Le jeune homme qui conduisait le véhicule s’est arrêté à hauteur d’un groupe d’élus marseillais, dont Martine Vassal, adjointe au maire de Marseille, et la sénatrice (PS) Samia Ghali. Harry Roselmack aurait alors engagé la conversation et en leur demandant quelle serait leur réaction s’il leur annonçait qu’il avait un mouton vivant dans sa voiture pour l’abattre ailleurs, selon les méthodes traditionnelles. «Nous lui avons répondu que nous ne pouvions le laisser sortir, ce type d’abattage dans les propriétés privées étant désormis interdit», a raconté Mme Vassal à l’AFP. Empêchés de quitter les lieux, le journaliste et les personnes qui l’accompagnaient ont dû libérer le mouton, avant que ne s’engage une discussion animée entre les différents protagonistes. Mme Vassal s’est dite «surprise» par l’attitude du journaliste qu’elle a qualifiée de «pas très professionnelle». «Venir ainsi prendre un mouton sur un site d’abattage officiel, cela ressemble à de la provocation. Et ce n’est pas une bonne image que l’on donne de la fête de l’Aïd», a-t-elle ajouté.