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Spirit News Blog - January 2007
Live Your Life
Live your life that the fear of death
can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about his religion.
Respect others in their views
and demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life,
beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long
and of service to your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day
when you go over the great divide.
Despite the continued presence of religious fanaticism and bigotry in the word, the twentieth century has witnessed a significant growth in religious tolerance. The idea that different religions and spiritual traditions have a valid approach is more widespread than at any time. To a large extent up until the 19th Century a defining feature of religion was the idea of the one true religion, and through its adherence you were either saved or damned. There was little if any ecumenical tradition and views of other religions were often clouded in myth, superstition or even contempt.
However the ideal of religious harmony is however increasingly shared by many. A crucial event in shaping a more pluralistic, tolerant view of religions was the inaugural World Parliament of Religions in 1893.
Inspirational Blogs
- Zaadz - many blogs and quotes.
- Ursi's Eso Garden - meditation, spirituality, photos and mysteries
- A Well Lit Path by: Mark Schultz spiritual enquiry and spiritual inspiration
- Richard's Blog - Spiritual category - My blog so I'm a bit biased
- Sri Chinmoy Centre latest blogs from members
- Inspirations and creative thoughts
- Joy Bringer's Blog at Zaadz, quotes, photos and inspirational stories
- Poetseers - Poem of the Day. Not a blog but I try to update poem of the day every couple of days.
I am always looking for more inspirational blogs.
If you know of a very good blog you can let me know mail (at) writespirit.net
Photo courtesy: Unmesh Swanson Sri Chinmoy Centre galleries
Quotes from Swami Atmachaithanya
Start your day with love
Spend your day with love
Love everyone you meet
Show love and compassion to all
Love is the sole purpose of your being
And is the key to the inner vision of God.
God is always with us
But we are not always with God
That is why we suffer.
By: Swami Atmachaithanya
From: Atmachaithanya.org
Via: Inspirations and Creative Thoughts - blog of Sadiq
Photo by Pranlobha Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries
Many spiritual seekers in the past have felt that suffering and spiritual progress are inexorably linked. There are numerous examples of great saints who went through tremendous physical suffering during their life. For example St Teresa of Avila, St Francis of Assisi and many others suffered with painful illnesses throughout their life. In the Mahabharata we come across Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. She used to pray to Lord Krishna that she would always suffer so that she would be inclined to always think of him. When she was happy she said she would forget about Sri Krishna.
It seems a paradox that a God who embodies infinite love, and inner ecstasy should require a seeker to suffer in order to realise him.
The Marriage of the Soul
Descending to the earth, that strange intoxicating beauty of the unseen world
lurks in the elements of nature.
And the soul of man,
who has attained the rightful balance,
becoming aware of this hidden joy,
straightaway is enamored and bewitched.
And from this mystic marriage are born
the poets' songs, inner knowledge,
the language of the heart, virtuous living,
and the fair child Beauty.
And the Great Soul gives to man as dowry
the hidden glory of the world.
By: Mahmud Shabistari
Photo by Phoolanjaya Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries
Video footage of Sri Ramana Maharshi
"Nearly all mankind is more or less unhappy
because nearly all do not know the true Self.
Real happiness abides in Self-knowledge alone.
All else is fleeting.
To know one's Self
is to be blissful always."
"Happiness is your nature.
It is not wrong to desire it.
What is wrong is seeking it outside
when it is inside. "
- Ramana Maharshi
Meditation Silence is a weekly podcast of meditation videos. They offer simple guidance about meditation with spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy
This week is an exercise to try and control the mind. Meditation Silence 7 - The Heart Lotus
"Please try to imagine a lotus inside your heart. Then try to imagine that the lotus is not only inside your heart, but that your heart itself is a lotus. When you look at the lotus or imagine the lotus, try to be deeply absorbed in the beauty of the lotus. It is your own heart-lotus. Then your mind will have no time to roam. "
Watch Meditation video now uses Apple Quicktime
Pilgrimage to Aladja Monastery Varna, Bulgaria by: Dr Vidagdha Bennett.
Aldja monastery
In 1928, just north of Varna, in a vast and hilly tract of forest, a most remarkable discovery was made. There, in a steep rock face that rises parallel to the Black Sea coastline, a series of interconnecting caves and indentations had been scalloped out of the white limestone.
The topmost tier, some forty metres above the ground, held a small, enclosed chapel, its walls and ceiling covered with frescoes of great vibrancy and intensity. The middle tier contained what had clearly been monks’ cells, while traces of a common kitchen and even a burial crypt were on the lowest level.
It was speculated that a small order of Christian monks belonging to the hesychastic tradition, had sought refuge here during the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria in the 13th and 14th centuries, although the caves themselves were thought to have been sculpted as early as the 4th century BC.
Ave Maria is one of the immortal compositions, which seems to come from another ethereal world. Dedicated to the Mother of Mary there have been many versions of Ave Maria. This particular version is not my favourite but the video is also a beautiful presentation of the Virgin Mary depicted through a variety of artistic impressions. There are various versions of the Song an original composition was by Schubert. There is also a version by Bach/Gounod
Gregorian Chant, Il Duomo, Florence, Italy, Sept. 2004
Gregorian Chants embody a very meditative and peaceful music.
These are some selected Gregorian music downloads
In an essay written in 1918 and entitled The Renaissance in India, Sri Aurobindo presents us with a masterly view of India's culture through the ages -- her essential spirit and her characteristic soul, her unique genius and powers which gave her her remarkably long periods of greatness and an unusually prolific creativity -- that which allowed her to survive for so long when other ancient civilisations faded away. He explains the basis of her strength -- that which enabled her to resist so many attempts at crushing her culture.
"Spirituality is the master key of the indian mind. the sense of infinity is native to it
- From videoTagore Song - Amar Raat Pohalo
In this video Rabindranath Tagore is singing in his own unique voice. The sound quality is by no means perfect but it certainly is a treat to here the great poet / musician singing.
The Way to Peace
If anyone speaks ill of you.
Praise him always.
If anyone injures you,
Serve him nicely.
If anyone persecutes you,
Help him in all possible ways.
You will attain immense strength.
You will control anger and pride.
You will enjoy peace, poise and serenity.
You will become divine.
By: Swami Sivananda
Photo by Pranlobha Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries
Sri Krishna
"God is proud of His Divinity in Sri Krishna.
Man is proud of his humanity in Sri Krishna.
Sri Krishna is the beloved Boatman who untiringly plies His Boat of Consciousness
between India's unparalleled history and Her unrivalled spirituality.
The Gita is Sri Krishna's Heart, His Vision-in-Fulfilment.
The Gita is humanity's breath, its journey towards Immortality.
Sri Krishna's Flute stirs the Universal Consciousness.
Sri Krishna's Gita enchants the Transcendental Consciousness.
Sri Krishna plays on His Flute. We hear. We do something more.
We barter our body's dust with His Soul's Plenitude.
Sri Krishna is the shoreless ocean of Bliss.
But as soon as I sincerely dedicate myself to Him,
He presents me with His own Boat and takes me to the boundless Shore,
the Golden All."
A Tribute to Hinduism was started in 1996 by Sushama Londhe, an Indian-American who came to the U.S. and became interested in learning about the religious traditions of Hinduism. Over the past 10 years the site has done a very good job in presenting Hinduism in a good non sectarian light.
Many misconceptions about Hinduism abound. But at the heart of Hinduism are the sacred scriptures of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hinduism has also continually been reinvigorated by a succession of Saints, sages and Avatars.
The site has recently been renamed to Hindusisdom.info
To Change the World
To change the world around you.
Give the World
What you have
And Serve the world
With what you are.
By: Sri Chinmoy
Photo by Pavitrata Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries
Speech by Martin Luther King Jr
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."
Speech from World Parliament of Religions
"It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects..."
Such is a Saint
When the heart burns at the sufferings of others,
That is God's own heart.
When eyes strain to see others happy,
Through them God Himself sees.
When hands toil for others' relief,
These hands move only by God's will.
When the tongue sings His Name,
That voice is the voice of God.
Such is a Saint - God's own image!
By: Swami Ramdas
Photo by Ranjit Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries
Swami Ramdas was born Vittal Rao in a devout Hindu home in Kerala, South India. His father initiated him into the use of a mantra Rama. This repitition of Rama transformed his life into a great God seeker and God lover
The Hour Came
"I believe that everyone who wants to love unconditionally is a mystic. All children are born mystics, and if you were once a child, you were once a mystic. Christian mysticism is following the example of Christ as he followed the Father. And mysticism is not by any means restricted to Christianity: the Bible says, “everyone who loves is begotten of God, and knows God.” (1 Jn. 4.7) God speaks in various ways, in every time and every place to "whosoever will."
From: Christian Mystics
By: William Blake