Climate Change


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

Climate Change Ideas

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Some thoughts on Halloween

trick or treatHalloween 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.

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Pope Francis explains the Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change

Pope Francis - the Joint Appeal (Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change)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.

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International Freedom of Religion and Belief Day

International Freedom of Religion and Belief Day

International Freedom of Religion or Belief Day occurs every 27 October and highlights that 83% of the world’s population live in countries where religious freedom is threatened.

International Freedom of Religion or Belief Day (October 27) promotes coexistence and respect between people of different cultures and religions, to foster stable and prosperous societies. It is a cause that has been taken up at the highest levels.

The US has an Ambassador-at-Large for Freedom of Religion and Belief, Sam Brownback. The United Kingdom has the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti.

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Al-Hallaj

Al-HallajAl-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.

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Texas and Abortion

Sathya Sai 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.

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International Day of Nonviolence 2021

MK Gandhi

The International Day of Nonviolence is marked every year on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the prominent faces of the Indian freedom struggle and the pioneer of the nonviolent philosophy and approach. As we mark the International Day of Non-violence, proposed by the United Nations in 2007, we remember the Indian freedom fighter born as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The International Day of Non-Violence honours how Gandhi’s practise and legacy has influenced global, non-violent protests.

Gandhi popularised the renowned Sanskrit adage ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma,’ which loosely translates to ‘non-violence is the highest moral value.’

The International Day of Nonviolence was first commemorated in 2007, when the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution on June 15, 2007, declaring that this day provides an opportunity to “disseminate the message of nonviolence, particularly via education and public awareness.”

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