Spirituality and the human
Hazrat Rabia Basri was the one who first set forth the doctrine of Divine Love known as Ishq-e-Haqeeqi (Divine Love) and is widely considered being the most important of the early renunciants, one mode of piety that would eventually become labeled as Sufism.
Hilma af Klint (October 26, 1862 – October 21, 1944) was a Swedish artist and mystic whose paintings are considered among the first abstract works known in Western art history. She belonged to a group called “The Five”, comprising a circle of women inspired by Theosophy, who shared a belief in the importance of trying to contact the so-called “High Masters” — often by way of séances. Her paintings, which sometimes resemble diagrams, were a visual representation of complex spiritual ideas.
Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian scientist, philosopher and artist who lived from 1861-1925. His interests were not only in education, but also in a wide range of fields such as medicine, agriculture, nutrition, social renewal, the environment. One of his beliefs was that humanity needs to work organically in co-operation with nature, not against it. He sounded warning bells about many issues, such as sustainability and depletion of human and natural resources, which are of wide concern today.
The term Hermetism is often misused today. It comes from the name of Hermes Trismegistros, keeper and revealer of the supreme knowledge. He is presented as an extraordinary amalgam of the Hermes of Greek mythology, the Lord of Science and the Word, and the God Thoth; he was also scribe, magician, and an exemplary figure upon whom Egyptian priests and initiates modelled themselves.
Jakob Böhme was a German philosopher, Christian mystic, and Lutheran Protestant theologian. He was considered an original thinker by many of his contemporaries within the Lutheran tradition, and his first book, commonly known as Aurora, caused a great scandal. After exile from his home, he met with nobility and commenced writing again, and had further mystical experiences.
Daniel Andreev was a Russian poet and religious thinker of the middle of the 20th century. His best known book “Roza Mira” (“The Rose of the World”) which was written mostly in prison during Stalin’s time, is about religion in the modern world. Along with world religions such as Christianity, he also considers mythical revelations of different cultures which together compose the “religion of total”, the Rose of the World. For Daniel Andreev, the Rose of the World is a spiritual flower whose roots are in heaven: each petal is an unique image of the great world religions and cultures, and the whole flower is their joint co-creation with God.
Chandra Khonnokyoong was a Thai Maechi (nun) who founded Wat Phra Dhammakaya (BNuddhist monastery). Her own students call her Khun Yay Achan Mahā-ratana Upasika Chandra Khonnokyoong (Khun Yay Achan, for short), an honorific name meaning “grandmother-master-great-gem devotee”. Although illiterate, she was widely respected for her experience in meditation, which is rare for a maechi. She managed to attract many well-educated students, despite her rural background and illiteracy.
Al-Hallaj was a Persian mystic, poet and teacher of Sufism. He is best known for his saying: “I am the Truth” (Ana’l-Ḥaqq), which many saw as a claim to divinity, while others interpreted it as an instance of annihilation of the ego, allowing God to speak through him. Al-Hallaj gained a wide following as a preacher before he became implicated in power struggles of the Abbasid court and was executed after a long period of confinement on religious and political charges. Although most of his Sufi contemporaries disapproved of his actions, Hallaj later became a major figure in the Sufi tradition.
Srimanta Sankardev was a 15th–16th century Assamese polymath: a saint-scholar, poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, artist social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in the cultural and religious history of Assam, India. This year, the birth anniversary of Srimanta Sankardev is October 15, 2021.
Divine Incarnations (in any religion) may take further incarnations or manifestations. Padmasambhava – who incarnated as a fully enlightened being – was foretold by Buddha Shakyamuni. Padmasambhava is considered the Second Buddha by the Nyingma school, the oldest Buddhist school in Tibet known as “the ancient ones”. Padmasambhava also established the Nyingma School in Bhutan. The purpose of multiple incarnations of a deity is divine revelation: the devotee must be exposed to different dimensions of the divine diamond.
Janabai is one of the early women saints of Maharashtra during the period of the medieval Bhakti movement. She was one of the greatest women Sant in the Vitthal Sampradaya, the tradition of devotion to Vitthal of Panadarpur.
Muhammad Baba as-Samasi of Uzbekistan was born in 1197, and was a Sufi mystic of the Naqsbandi Sufi order. He is the fifteenth Sheikh in the Naqshbandi Golden Chain and at the same time, the sixth Khwaja in the ‘Khwajagan’ – the Masters of Wisdom of Central Asia. He passed in 1257.
2500 years ago, the 24th great teacher of the Jains, Mahavira, attained nirvana (release from the cycle of birth and death). Since then, several enlightened souls have expounded the philosophy of Jainism. One such exalted soul was Shrimad Rajchandra. He is deeply venerated for the great spiritual heights He had attained, his outstanding personality, His remarkable exposition of Mahavira’s teachings and His literary genius.
Baháʼu’lláh was a Persian religious leader, and the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, which advocates universal peace and unity among all races, nations, and religions.
Sant Kabir Jayanti is observed on the Purnima or full moon day in the month of Jyeshta (May – June) as per traditional calendar. In 2020, the date of Sant Kabir Jayanti is June 5. It is believed that Sant Kabir Das was born on this day. The birth anniversary of Sant Kabir is observed in India and around the world. Meetings, satsangs, and recital of Sant Kabir’s poems are held on the day.
