under the quandong tree

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This reviewer has had numerous experiences of spiritual energy relating to places of profound spiritual power, which belong to various groups of Australian Aboriginals. In 1988, when I took photographs of a women’s sacred place at Uluru, the negatives came out blank; I developed the negatives myself and recall thinking at that time, well, serves you right!

Back in 2005, I drove a car up to Mt Warning, Sacred Wollumbin, and the car broke down about two thirds of the way up to the lookout. I had to turn around and go back. The same happened the next week when I tried to visit. Hmm, Sacred Wollumbin did not want me there. And so it has also happened in other places associated with Australian Aboriginals, in Wauchope, NSW, and in The Olgas and in several other places.

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International Day of Zero Tolerance Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting

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The United Nations observes a number of days celebrating human rights, children, world habitat, and the widely celebrated World Day of Peace. You may view a list of United Nations Observances.

On the 6th of February each year, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations observes International Day of Zero Tolerance Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting.

Zero tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation means the practice should not be tolerated for any reason, no matter the type, who is doing it and on whom.

Female Genital Mutilation which involves the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia has been recognised as a serious form of violence against women and girls.

The practice should not be allowed to continue under the guise of tradition or religion, leaving many women’s lives miserable. You may read a further description (fact sheet) and international response to female genital mutilation on the World Health Organisation Website.

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Spiritual: Golden Rule – Meditation Exercises

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As the international interfaith movement grows, it is becoming more common to use sacred texts from several religious traditions in both individual and communal prayer. Multi-faith prayer services are one context that frequently features sacred writings from many religions. In addition, the Golden Rule may be used for a variety of meditations. Scarboro Missions have provided just such one resource, free, online.

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Spirituality: 7 Tricks for Ditching Technology During Family Vacations

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Have you ever relied on technology to curb the repeated “are-we-there-yet” question from your kids? Or maybe you’ve entertained yours kids (and even yourself) during long flights or drives with tablets, laptops, and cell phones? If you’re a parent in 2017, I’d be shocked if you answered “no” to those questions.

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Conversations with the Master: Meditation and Love

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Meditation comes in many forms. It has been said that a day without meditation is a day wasted. Medical and scientific research into meditation shows that it significantly reduces ageing, risk of heart attack, occurrence of dementia and is observed to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. (For more information, check the back issues of New Scientist, e.g., May 2017). Here, the Master shares a new meditation which will most definitely lift one into loving closeness with the Beloved.

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Narasimha Jayanthi

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Narasimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is popularly known as ‘man-lion’ or ‘half man – half lion’ incarnation. In 2017, the date of Narasimha Jayanthi is May 9. The main aim of the Narasimha incarnation was to end the tyranny of Hiranyakashipu and restore the path of Dharma, righteousness. Prahlada the young son of Hiranyakashipu and an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu paved the way for the removal of opposition to righteousness, adharma. Here, we bring you both a short narrative and the long narrative of Prahlad, the devotee, and two stotrams to Narasimha, the second composed by Lord Sanischara.

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Dark Emu

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The myth of the indigenous Australian as a hunter-gatherer living off the gleanings of boomerang and spear is alive and well in the 21st Century in Australia. The book Dark Emu presents compelling evidence that Aboriginal people did build houses, did build dams, did sow, irrigate and till the land. The British perceptions of an untamed, untilled land with no husbandry is plainly untrue. So also is the perception that Aboriginals were not farmers.

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Prajapathi Peyarchi: The Transit of Uranus

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On April 7, 2017, Uranus will enter the constellation of Aries. During 2016, Uranus was in Aries until December 29 when it retrograded into Pisces for four months. It is now in Aries until June 2015. In Vedic Astrology, planets have planetary deities, and the deity for Uranus is Prajapathi, the world creator. So we may speak of the transit (peyarchi) of Uranus (Prajapathi) to the sign of Aries.

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ABCD of Mind Management

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Mind management is essential if any is to achieve anything in life. One can only be a child for so long; seeking and grasping the objects of desire to not lead to human flourishing. Scientists and observers of human progress tell that delay of gratification produces personal self discipline and the achievements of the goals of life. Here, we share the writing of one who walks his talk, Sri Narasimhamurthy, formerly Warden of the Brindavan Hostel, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.

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Conversations with the Master: Controversies Surrounding Religions

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Faith is important to many people, and there are those who make faith their path to the Divine, their royal road to God. Religions enter via the mind by way of reason and faith; this is not the path to knowing and experiencing the love of God. Love is the path to Love. Nothing else will reach this path, except, perhaps, selfless service of one’s neighbour. Faith, propositions, theses nailed to cathedral doors do not lead a person to the experience of God’s love, and the mulitiplication of love in the human heart. The heart is the home of Love, the heart is the receptacle of God’s Love.

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2017 Autumnal Equinox

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The Autumnal Equinox occurs on March 20th, 2017 at 21:29 hours in the late evening. If you live below the Equator, this will be the Autumnal Equinox; if you live above the Equator, then you will welcome the Spring Equinox. This equinox comes at a time when there is much energy astir on the Earth. The future of humanity rests in the hands and minds of those would create a future of peace, harmony, co-operation and mutual understanding.

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The Surrender Experiment

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Each and every human is born with a little brain which grows and a mind develops with its likes and dislikes. While we are born with everything we need, there is one thing missing, a user manual for the mind and its chatterbox inner voice. How do we manage this chatterbox inner voice? Read on as Michael Singer tells his story of encounter with the inner voice and how he learned to surrender to the unfolding flow of life before him.

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The Moon and Maha Shivarathri

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Maha Shivaratri, is the most auspicious day dedicated to Lord Shiva and is popularly known as the night of Shiva. Maha Shivaratri date for 2017 is Friday, February 24. In Panchangs and Hindu calendars followed in Australia, United States, United Kingdom (Britain) and Canada, Shivaratri is marked on February 24. This holy night of Shiva is observed on the night before ‘amavasya’ (no moon night) in the Hindu month of Phalguna (February – March) as per traditional Hindu calendar followed in North India. The corresponding period in other regions is the night before Magha Amavasya.

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