Spirituality and the human
The Bhagavad Gita never advised that you should renounce everything, go to the forest and do penance. You may think, “Why preach Gita to these youngster?” You are afraid that if these people read Gita, they may give up family life and become renunciates. A small question. There are many elderly people who read and teach Bhagavad Gita regularly. Do they take to renunciation? No. You must get to the inner meaning of the Bhagavad Gita in order to understand human nature.
So does eating supermarket plant-based burgers and other plant-based, ultra-processed foods really put you at greater risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death? Here’s what prompted the research and what the study actually found.
There are many forms of media in this day and age which present abuse to us. Vitriol, invective, revilement, these things are witnessed on radio, television, social media and even the smartphone. Face to face abuse is not uncommon when people have hatred and jealousy. Here is an episode from the life of the Buddha, as told by Sai Baba, about jealousy, hatred and abuse.
Some people are blessed to know – or instinctively / intuitively feel that the spiritual energy meridian in their body is the primary meridian. AND, if such people don’t pay attention in one way or another to “spiritual dimension” in their lives, the rest of their day is out of whack. Kinesiologists bump into this kind of thing – from time to time. So, how do you help people who have to pay attention to the spiritual dimension in their lives – in order to live with peace and satisfaction? We suggest that spiritual direction may be of assistance.
It is hard to imagine a life more intertwined with the rise of mainstream awareness of Buddhism in the United States than Tworkov’s (Zen in America). Her social connections, personal religious explorations, and work as the founding editor of Tricycle magazine have kept her close to the practice of Buddhism in the US since the Vietnam War era. As a piece of American history, her book dazzles, featuring encounters with New York artists, Zen senseis, Tibetan lamas, and literary celebrities.
“What are we even talking about when we talk about love? What is it?” So asks Lamott on the first page of her latest book, and she goes on to answer the question in a similar manner to her many previous books: Love is Jesus, but also each other, and also, sometimes, chocolate. In these varying anecdotes, the author plumbs familiar ground, including family and her church community, the adorable malaprop-prone kids in her Sunday school class, and her unhoused neighbors near her Bay Area home.
Too often, our society appears to be about consumption to the point of excess, even while we know that splurging and bingeing do not offer lasting fulfilment. There is another way, suggests Oakes, in this interesting book. Fasting, the decision to temporarily abstain from eating or radically reduce one’s intake of food, can bring a new appreciation of life, as long as it’s done sensibly.
Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world. They were viewed as messages from God or spiritual forces, inducing emotions ranging from dread to wonder.
Ahead of the total solar eclipse that will follow a long path over North America on Monday, here’s a look at how several of the world’s major religions have responded to such eclipses over the centuries and in modern times.
Debjani Ganguly, Australian Catholic University
In our Guide to the Classics series, experts explain key works of literature.
The life and words of Shirdi Sai Baba could prove to be an inspiration to those seeking to rebuild the bridges between followers of both faiths.
The New Testament records the Transfiguration of Jesus, and he is attended by the Prophets Moses and Elijah. This event is celebrated in the Post-Reformation Churches with prayer and thanksgiving. Was this a vision of the Paramjyothi, that light which is the light of the Formless Absolute? Or was this a vision of that light referred to in the Nicene Creed, Light from Light? In this article, we explore the meaning of the Transfiguration of Jesus.
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries. This event is supported by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners.
In this post, we take a look at an event where the divine self-disclosure occurred in Uravakonda. We look at this story from the point of view of his Mother (Easwaramma) and his brother (Seshama Raju). This story concerns the events in Uravakonda immediately after the young Sathyanarayana Raju threw his books down, sat in the home and did not eat nor drink for three days.
During our many lives, we have lived principally under the control of the ego. Our thoughts, words and deeds have been motivated by our ego to satisfy its desires and its need to control our lives. The ego dominated our consciousness and thus prevented our Higher Consciousness from guiding us on our path through life.
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (formerly Vicky MacKenzie of Cave in the Snow) has written a new book with Teachings on Practical Buddhism.
