Spirituality and the human
Algazel, better known as al-Ghazali, was born Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafi’i al-Ghazali in 1058 A.D. in Khorasan, Irandad, in the west of what is now called Iran. He was an Islamic theologian, philosopher, and mystic. He is considered one of the greatest theologians in Islam. Al-Ghazali made a significant philosophical contribution at a time which was important for the continuing legitimate existence of the sufi component of Islam.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) is one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century. A Lutheran pastor, he was executed for his resistance on April 9, 1945 at the age of 39 years in a Nazi concentration camp, after a long period of imprisonment. A recognised thinker, he was also a man of commitment. Until the end, out of loyalty and conviction, he became the witness of a love that preceded it.
Anandamayi Ma is a woman-saint of Bengal who lived from 1896 – 1982. Anandamayi Ma defied all conventions, initiated herself and her husband into the sacred state and often gave signs and displays of a divine incarnation. Ma was not attached to her devotees (she had many) and was honoured and venerated as a divine incarnation toward the end of her earthly sojourn. She wrote no books and gave very simple teachings to her devotees. Her name means “Ever-blissful Mother”.
We received an email from an acquaintance who simply sent an “FYI” and a link about Baba Vangelia, the prophetess of Bulgaria, who passed in 1996. There has been a surge of internet articles about the predictions, much of it ominous, and plain sensation seeking. In this article, we take a look at Prophecy, Seers, Clairvoyants and the history of Vangelia Pandeva Dimitrova, known popularly around the world as Baba Vanga. We look to spurious predictions, unsubstantiated predictions and some actual material sourced to Baba Vanga. We then look at how people might use discernment on materials found in the media, be it the newspaper, radio, the evening TV news or the Internet media. The media presents information; it is up to the user to evaluate that information in its context.
Jnanadev (also known as Jnaneshwar or Dnyaneshwar or Dnyandev (1275–1296) was a 13th-century Marathi saint, poet, philosopher and yogi of the Nath tradition whose Jnaneshvari (a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita) and Amrutanubhav are considered to be milestones in Marathi literature. Jnanadeva lived during the rule of King Ramadevarao, immediately prior to the Moghul invasions, for an all too brief 22 years and left a rich body of spiritual writings. He is honoured to this day in Alandi, his place of internment.
Milarepa (Mi-la-ras-pa), Tibet, roughly “Mila who wears the cotton cloth of an ascetic,” 1025- 1135; by far the most famous saint of Tibet. After trials of the utmost difficulty imposed on him by his master, Marpa, he received the complete teachings of the mahamudra and of the Naro chodrug. His diligent and exemplary exertion in the realization of these teachings brought about the founding of the – Kagyupa school. The biography of Milarepa, composed in the 15th century, with all the spiritual songs it contains, is still today one of the greatest sources of inspiration in Tibetan Buddhism.
Kabir was a weaver and mystic poet who lived in Benares for 120 years. He was an important influence on the Hindus and Muslims [then called Mohammedans] of his time and also a profound influence on Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Many poems of Kabir can be found in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scriptures that form the book that is the Guru of Sikhism. Kabir was frequently criticised for simply weaving; there are miracles associated with Kabir which illustrate that when one devotes mind, body and spirit in all actions, the Lord will go and complete what his devotee needs to do. There are very few examples of such actions by the Lord on behalf of his devotee – who lives and breathes and labours – for the Lord only.
Hazrat Sai Roshan Ali Shah was a Sufi mystic who lived in what is now called Pakistan 1862-1932. His devotees were Muslim and Hindu. He believed in all Prophets and Ram of the Hindus as well. He crafted a path of devotion to the Formless Divine, and retained his identity as a Sufi. A Sufi is not any particular religious adherent: anyone who practices and evidences purity of thoughts, words and actions is a true mystic. Such practice is true humanness and reveals the inherent divinity within.
Few saints in the history of the church have had such an immediate and such a lasting success as Francis of Assisi. His first two followers, Bernard of Quintavalle and Peter of Catani, joined him in 1208, yet by 1222, three, if not five, thousand men are said to have assembled together for a Convocation. And in our own time the stream of visitors to Assisi and the flood of books and articles devoted to Francis show that the appeal of il poverello has not diminished. Indeed, the current Pope took the name Francis – for he was told “don’t forget the poor” when he was elected.
Martin Riesenburger was a German Cantor married to a Christian during WWII, and lived in Berlin. During WWII, he was given protected status and was allowed to function as Cantor and Rabbi at Weissensee, the old-age home that had a chapel and a Jewish burial ground attached to it. He survived the war and became Chief Rabbi of East Germany. Some revile Rabbi Riesenberger, some have sympathy for his role and his courage. We present a simple history of Rabbi Martin Riesenberger, the “Last Rabbi in Berlin” as a candidate for Saints of a New Era.
God is the embodiment of wholeness and perfection. Whatever is offered to him should be total and perfect. This was demonstrated by the Italian violin maker Anthony (Stradivarius) who took one year to make one violin, but made it to perfection as an offering to God. Whatever is said, done or given, it should be perfect. To please God, who is perfect, whatever is offered should be perfect. Anthony declared that he was making perfect violins only to please God. (Sathya Sai Baba, 25 Aug 1997)
Israel Ben Eliezer, later known as The Baal Shem Tov (The Master of the Divine Name, var. Master of the Good Name), was born on August 27, 1698 to Rabbi Eliezer and his wife Sarah. They lived in the small village Okup on the Russian-Polish border. Both Rabbi Eliezer and Sarah were already very old when their first child, Israel was born.
Baal Shem means “Possessor or Master of The (Divine) Name”, which contemporaries and subsequent followers conferred upon him. Martin Buber (in Tales of the Hasidim) explained more kindly: ‘One who lives with and for this fellow-men on the foundation of his relationship with the Divine’.
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. In his childhood he was given an extensive religious education which was to profoundly influence his works, particularly where he obtained employment as organist and master of choir in various churches. He once wrote a short note to himself” “Where there is devotional music, God with his grace is present“.
As someone who has spent more than 20 years on the spiritual path, met many Saints and studied numerous New Age, Hindu and Buddhist teachings, I am very happy to be able to say that the ‘Great Freedom’ teachings of Candice O’Denver are the highest, clearest, and most accessible wisdom teachings I’ve ever heard. Several hundred hours of her full-length talks are now available for free download as MP3 audio files on the www.greatfreedom.org website, and I highly recommend them to anyone seeking the ultimate meaning and fulfilment of human life. Although the verbal element of her teachings is convincing and compelling in itself, Candice’s laughter-filled presentation directly conveys the great bliss, peace and freedom she has discovered, and her responses to questioners clearly show her compassion, strength and remarkable open-mindedness. After listening to the downloads, I’m convinced both of the greatness of her teachings and the depth of her attainment.
Following a deeply rooted passion to serve the Divine, Florence Nightingale combined a strong will and intellect with a determination to serve where it was most needed. She went to the Crimea to aid soldiers dying with war wounds and her efforts brought about long-lasting social reform, initiatives in nursing and hospital administration.
