Spirituality and the human
Cosmic Sai Baba has always said that everyone is a God being. So if you think of that – it might be a little hard sometimes because of incumbrances that are still in the body that exist from other teachings or beliefs from other times – or even in this lifetime. They could let all that go. Everyone on this Earth at this time can move forward. And they have all agreed to come, to help one another.
Imagination is the nation of images. Imagination can create books, plays, films. Imagination can be fun! Imagination can be something we use to create our career. And, magination can be a form of prayer. The World of Light is imaged; it is the nation of images.
Sathya Sai Baba says that concentration brings success to any activity engaged upon – that is – when we give our undivided focus, attention and concentration. In this day and age of screens – phones, tablets, laptops, computers, television much has changed for humanity. Messaging applications, Chat apps, Facebook, Facetime, video and streaming services capture attention. What is happening to humanity in this modern connected world with its relentless fracking of our attention?
Vasant Panchami day is dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on Vasant Panchami day. Vasant Panchami is also known as Shri Panchami and Saraswati Panchami.
Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902 C.E.) was a Hindu monk and saint of India. According to the English calendar he was born on 12th January 1863 into an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta. However his birthday is celebrated according to the Hindu calendar and this day is known as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti. Vivekananda was born on Krishna Paksha Saptami after seven days of Paush Purnima. As Jayanti day is decided based on the Hindu (lunar) calendar, it is not fixed on the Gregorian calendar.
NGC 2275 is classified as a flocculent spiral galaxy, located 67 million light-years away in the constellation of Cancer.
Millions of bright, young, blue stars shine in the complex, feather-like spiral arms, interlaced with dark lanes of dust. Complexes of these hot, blue stars are thought to trigger star formation in nearby gas clouds. The overall feather-like spiral patterns of the arms are then formed by shearing of the gas clouds as the galaxy rotates. The spiral nature of flocculents stands in contrast to the grand design spirals, which have prominent, well defined-spiral arms. Maya is strong; the immediate illusion is that there is a star in the centre of this galaxy. Here, we look to Jnatum, Drashtum, Praveshtum – Knowing, Visualising, Entering.
The news bulletins are full of Covid-19 and little else – except, perhaps, the sport results. When many are unable to get tested, feel insecure, and feel the energy of inevitable succumbing to this virus all around them – the Hierarchy comes with a message. Ask for help. Access your higher consciousness and raise your energy-frequency-vibration. Let things flow. Descent into negativity does not help you nor anyone else. Help everyone by accessing your higher consciousness. Let things flow: be in your personal flow of higher energy-frequency-vibration, and so be an aide to all that is.
Jesus is known, worshipped and adored in many lands. Just as nations, culture and spiritual activity is different in many lands, so also, the Source of the All reveals itself in ways that suit the minds in that society, this culture. This is what shapes spirituality. Here, we note some of the different sources about Jesus-Isa, and draw parallels from Pope Francis at Midnight Mass and the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai.
We can stop reinventing the wheel if we are receptive to learning from the past! Have you ever wondered why ancient practices that are tied to well-being – such as yoga and meditation, holistic medicine and holistic healing methods like acupuncture – are part of what’s called New Age in the West? Yoga and meditation are believed to have been born and practiced since the Indus Saraswati Valley civilisation, so many thousands of years ago.
To all of you I say, “Let mountains fall; let the sea overwhelm the land, but do not give up your Sadhana. And, remember, Sadhana is a waste, unless you grow at the same time in virtue and uprightness.” If you give up all and surrender to the Lord, He will guard you and guide you. When you complain, “Oh! He has not guarded me.” I reply, “You have not surrendered.” The Lord has come just for this very task. He is declaring that He will do so; that it is the very task that has brought Him! Of course, you only talk of sharanam, surrender, of placing all at the Feet; but you withhold a great deal. Your minds are wayward like monkeys that skip and jump from bough to branch. Give them to Me; I can make them steady and harmless. When I say, sit, they will sit; when I say stand, they stand. That is what Sankaracharya offered to do; he told Siva that he will hand over the monkey that was his mind to Him so that it might be tamed and used for his Delight. But, it must be a complete handing over; no reservations. -Prasanthi Nilayam 3-2-63
Halloween is an unofficial holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2021 occurs on Sunday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
The Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change for COP 26 – called the Joint Appeal – was signed by over 40 religious leaders of the World’s Religions in the Vatican on October 4, 2021. At this event, Pope Francis gave a short talk wherein he identified our common humanity living on our common home. Pope Francis took up three themes in his address: openness to interdependence and sharing, the dynamism of love and the call to respect.
After reflecting on abortion, it became immediately apparent that contraception is a closely related moral topic. In fact, it is often the case that if contraception fails, abortion is the next form of contraception. The contraceptive pill is one of the most widely used forms of medication in the world. Since the first clinical trials in the 1950’s, nearly 200 million women have taken the contraceptive pill, and today, over 70 million women rely on it for contraception. We look to what Sri Sathya Sai has to say about limiting population and family planning.
For those who live on the surface of life with all its flotsam and jetsam – and marine litter (plastics, mainly) – it would appear that matters are rising to a crescendo. We have global warming, fire-storms, drought, civil war, nations testing nuclear arms as a show of strength and this virus mutation has caused hospitals to be overwhelmed. First responders are becoming exhausted and gripped by compassion fatigue. Where is the still point, the place of being and awareness of our true nature? Where is the still point of this turning world?
Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chavithi, is an auspicious Hindu festival which is celebrated for 10 days every year. The festival is celebrated in the Bhadra month as per the Hindu calendar which generally falls in mid-August to September. It marks the birthday of the beloved elephant-headed Lord Ganesha. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi begins on 10th September, and all the festivities will end on 21st September.
