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#1438 - Friday, May 23, 2003 - Editor: Gloria
To
stay in one place and watch the
seasons come and go is tantamount to
constant travel; one is traveling with the earth.
-- Marguerite Yourcenar quoted in "Unexpected
Miracles" by David Richo.
Reminder:
Our next e-course is "Practicing Spirituality with Nature
Writers."
Read more about it and sign up here:
http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/ecourse/item_5843.html
Above:
Earth and the Moon as seen from Mars on May 8, 2003.
Some special processing was applied to make both Earth and the
much darker Moon visible in the same image. Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/22may_alienearth.htm
Thanks
to Shams Michael on SufiMystic
Carl Karasti SufiMystic
Dear
Shams,
Thanks for your comments and for the links. At the bottom
of the
Setti@home page it says....
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and
character
building experience. There is perhaps no better
demonstration
of the folly of human conceits than this distant
image of our
tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility
to deal
more kindly with one another, and to preserve and
cherish the
pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.
As a toddler, I already had a strong scientific bent and, as I
grew up,
spent a lot of time looking up into the sky ... with just my
eyes,
through binoculars, through telescopes, and through the eyes and
minds
of others I met in the books I studied. I clearly remember
lying on my
back on the soft grass in our yard or up on the high hill across
the
street from our house ... lying there contemplating my relative
position
in the universe. There I was / here I am / a completely
insignificant
nothing of a speck in an unimaginably huge universe and, at the
same
time, an intelligent being capable of viewing all of this and
comprehending it to some extent, and also capable of manifesting
some
significance in my little realm of the universe. (While I
was peering
through telescopes, I was also examining invisible things through
microscopes, and everything else between the two extremes.)
Of course, while I was a little tike, and even bigger, I didn't
really
have the kind of understanding and appreciation for it all that I
do
now, but I now know that at a very early age I developed a strong
sense
of my (and humanity's) simultaneously awesome and humbling
significance
and insignificance. Since a very early age, I have been very
comfortable
with my coexistent powerfulness and powerlessness. And this
came to me
through studying the sacred text of nature through the path of
science.
For whatever reason, something also caused me to include the
inner
nature of myself and others in my observations and
contemplations.
Much later in my life, I have come across various spiritual
teachings
that have helped me explore other dimensions of the reality of
our existence in this world. I have found that what I have
come to
understand through the path of science, while not wrong, was
certainly
limited in some ways. My inner/spiritual work over the past 25
year has
helped me expand beyond many of those limitations or at least
push those
limitations much further out. I find that my path of
science and my
path of mysticism, as different as they are, complement each
other very
well, with understandings from each path helping develop
understandings
of the other.
It seems to me (although I may be wrong) that it is quite common
for
people on the path of science to begin to develop a simultaneous
spiritual path, and less common for people on a spiritual path to
begin
to develop a simultaneous scientific path. If this is true,
I feel it
is very unfortunate because to follow one path without the other
is to
miss out on so much of what is available to us through this human
experience. I feel we should all be both scientists and
mystics.
Linda Ann SpiritualFriends
Equanimity's
strength derives from a combination of
understanding and trust. It is based on understanding
that the conflict and frustration we feel when we can't
control the world doesn't come from our inability to do
so but rather from the fact that we are trying to control
the uncontrollable. We know better than to try to prevent
the seasons from changing or the tide from coming in.
Following autumn, winter comes. We may not prefer it, but
we trust it because we understand and accept its rightful
place in a larger cycle, a bigger picture. Can we apply the
same wise balance to the cycles and tides of
pleasant,
unpleasant, and neutral experiences in our lives?
From: 'Loving Kindness - The Revolutionary Art of Happiness'
by Sharon Salzberg
DC Vision SpiritualFriends
I
remember sitting on the docks one day several summers ago on an
island off the coast of Maine, where my family hails from. I was
busy
watching this crow working at some road kill. I have always loved
crows, and have found their personalities intriguing.
After some time a big seagull comes along and drives this crow
away.
He flies up to the top of a telephone pole, and agitatingly
offers a
long speech about first come, first serve etiquette. Finally he
flew
off, and I resigned myself to watching the seagull.
A few minutes later, the crow returns to the telephone wires
above
the seagull, and begins to pace over top of the other bird,
making
some sort of mathematical equation in its head. When it was
satisfied
with its conclusions, it flies off again. That was peculiar, I
remember thinking.
The crow soon returns with a soda can in its beak, and after some
slight adjustments in its place on the telephone wire, it drops
the
can, which hits the seagull dead on in the head. The seagull
flies
away thinking it is being attacked by the Pepsi corporation. the
crow
leisurely spirals down in a graceful wind spread, lands by the
road
kill, and after a few George jefferson type struts, resumes its
pickings.
To this day, I have never seen a human act in such a cool manner,
and
I acknowledge this crow's very coolness here in this short piece.
What do crows and poets have in common? They both know they are
cool...
~DC Vision~
Bill
Rishel SufiMystic
Vulnerability
Vulnerability, openness, honesty. Each one means
Truth. But vulnerability is the key. The mind
can come to believe it is honest, and the mind
can come to believe it is open. But the mind
cannot help but run from vulnerability. For the
entire edifice of the mind is constructed on the
notion of safety. It is *vulnerability* that the
mind cannot fathom. Only the heart can enter
there.
Hafizullah SufiMystic
Sri
Mataji Nirmala Devi may be a phony. She may be what she
says she is but not your teacher. She may be exactly what
you need right now. The only way for you to find out is to
completely ignore what her devotees say about her, control your
ego's greed for wild experiences and to travel "first
class" ("My teacher is an *avatar*"), and
experience her and her methods yourself with an open mind and
open heart.
The real test of the authenticity of a teacher is not the teacher
but the students, because there are some highly-realized beings
who cannot transmit what they know and only create a crowd of
shakti junkies around them who lose their high when not in the
teacher's presence. If the students are loving, balanced in
their emotions and in their lives, and have the light of God in
their eyes, the teacher is probably genuine.
More important and far more difficult than finding a genuine
teacher is being a genuine student. "Sincerity"
is a condition of the heart, not the strength of your opinions.
Roy
Whenary LivingAdvaita
Dear
K
Sometimes we may ask too many questions - and know too
many answers. There's no way the mind can get a hold
of all this ... which is why I feel that we have to
start to 'feel' things, rather than keep perpetuating
the thought process. If we keep it merely on the level
of the mind we just keep going around and around in
circles. Best teacher in all this is nature. When we
go into nature and listen, feel what is there, it
brings us into the body, it grounds us. Then maybe we
will see the endless game that the mind is always
playing. Understanding comes from the stillness, from
the listening, from the feeling - not from the
thinking process. When we really see this it stops,
and arises only when called to respond to something or
to effect some action in the world of duality.
Regards
Roy
Daily Dharma
"This
obsession with our own inadequacies is one of the biggest
obstacles on the bodhisattva path. If we feel we are inadequate
bodhisattvas, we do not make good bodhisattvas. In fact, that
obsession
with a moralistic, guilt-ridden approach... is an attempt to
confirm
one's ego. The sense of trust in oneself allows the bodhisattva
to work
skillfully with whatever is happening."
~Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
From the book, "The Heart of the Buddha," published by
Shambhala.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0877735921/Angelinc
Joseph Riley Panhala
The
Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
~ Rumi ~ (version by Coleman
Barks)
Web version
Web archive of
Panhala postings
To
subscribe to Panhala, send a blank email to Panhala-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
music link (left button to
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Marcos Lacerda SufiMystic
THE
ALOHA SPIRIT
a.k.a. The Little Pink Booklet of Aloha by Serge Kahili King
copyright by Serge King 2003 You may copy, share and post this
document as
often as you wish on condition that it not be sold. For a free
copy in booklet
form, email your name and postal address to huna@huna.org .
The
Aloha Spirit is a well known reference to the attitude of
friendly acceptance
for which the Hawaiian Islands are so famous. However, it also
refers to a
powerful way to resolve any problem, accomplish any goal, and to
achieve any
state of mind or body that you desire.
In the
Hawaiian language, aloha stands for much more than just
"hello" or
"goodbye" or "love." Its deeper meaning is
"the joyful (oha) sharing (alo) of life
energy (ha) in the present (alo)."
As you
share this energy you become attuned to the Universal Power that
the
Hawaiians call mana. And the loving use of this incredible Power
is the secret
for attaining true health, happiness, prosperity and success.
The
way to tune into this Power and have it work for you is so simple
that you
might be tempted to pass it off as being too easy to be true.
Please don't let
yourself be fooled by appearances. Take the time to try it out.
This
is the most powerful technique in the world, and although it is
extremely
simple it may not prove easy, because you must remember to do it
and you have
to do it a lot. It is a secret which has been given to humanity
over and over
again, and here it is once more in another form. The secret is
this: Bless everyone and
everything that represents what you want!
That's
all there is to it. Anything that simple, however, does need some
explanation. To bless something means to
give recognition or emphasis to a positive quality,
characteristic or condition, with the intent that what is
recognized or
emphasized will increase, endure or come into being.
Blessing
is effective in changing your life or getting what you want for
three
reasons: First of all, the positive focus of your mind stirs up
the positive,
creative force of the Power of the Universe. Secondly, it moves
your own energy
outward, allowing more of the Power to come through you. Thirdly,
when you
bless for the benefit of others instead of directly for yourself,
you tend to bypass
any subconscious fears about what you want for yourself, and also
the very
focus on the blessing acts to increase the same good in your
life. What is so
beautiful about this process is that the blessing you do for
others helps them as
well as you.
Blessing
may be done with imagery or touch, but the most usual and easy
way
to do it is with words. The main kinds of verbal blessing are:
Admiration
- This is the giving of compliments or praise to something good
that
you notice. E.g., "What a beautiful sunset; I like that
flower; you're such a
wonderful person."
Affirmation
- This is a specific statement of blessing for increase or
endurance.
E.g., "I bless the beauty of this tree; blessed be the
health of your body."
Appreciation
- This is an expression of gratitude that something good exists
or
has happened. E.g., "Thank you for helping me; I give thanks
to the rain for
nourishing the land."
Anticipation
- This is blessing for the future. E.g., "We're going to
have a great
picnic; I bless your increased income; Thank you for my perfect
mate; I wish
you a happy journey; May the wind be always at your back."
In
order to gain the most benefit from blessing, you will have to
give up or cut
way down on the one thing that negates it: cursing. This doesn't
mean swearing
or saying "bad" words. It refers to the opposite of
blessing, namely criticizing
instead of admiring; doubting instead of affirming; blaming
instead of
appreciating; and worrying instead of anticipating with trust.
Whenever any of
these are done they tend to cancel out some of the effects of
blessing. So the
more you curse the harder it will be and the longer it will take
to get the good
from a blessing. On the other hand, the more you bless the less
harm any
cursing will do.
Here,
then, are some ideas for blessing various needs and desires.
Apply them
as often as you like, as much as you want.
Health
- Bless healthy people, animals, and even plants; everything
which is
well made or well constructed; and everything that expresses
abundant energy.
Happiness
- Bless all that is good, or the good that is in all people and
all things;
all the signs of happiness that you see, hear or feel in people
or animals; and all
potentials for happiness that you notice around you.
Prosperity
- Bless all the signs of prosperity in your environment,
including
everything that money helped to make or do; all the money that
you have in any
form; and all the money that circulates in the world.
Success
- Bless all signs of achievement and completion (such as
buildings,
bridges, and sports events); all arrivals at destinations (of
ships, planes, trains,
cars and people); all signs of forward movement or persistence;
and all signs of
enjoyment or fun.
Confidence
- Bless all signs of confidence in people and animals; all signs
of
strength in people, animals and objects (including steel and
concrete); all signs
of stability (like mountains and tall trees); and all signs of
purposeful power
(including big machines, power lines).
Love
and Friendship - Bless all signs of caring and nurturing,
compassion and
support; all harmonious relationships in nature and architecture;
everything
that is connected to or gently touching something else; all signs
of cooperation,
as in games or work; and all signs of laughter and fun.
Inner
Peace - Bless all signs of quietness, calmness, tranquility, and
serenity
(such as quiet water or still air); all distant views (horizons,
stars, the moon); all
signs of beauty of sight, sound or touch; clear colors and
shapes; the details of
natural or made objects.
Spiritual
Growth - Bless all signs of growth, development and change in
Nature;
the transitions of dawn and twilight; the movement of sun,moon,
planets and
stars; the flight of birds in the sky; and the movement of wind
and sea.
The
previous ideas are for guidance if you are not used to blessing,
but don't be
limited by them. Remember that any quality, characteristic or
condition can be
blessed (e.g., you can bless slender poles and slim animals to
encourage weight
loss), whether it has existed, presently exists, or exists so far
in your
imagination alone.
Personally
I have used the power of blessing to heal my body, increase my
income, develop many skills, create a deeply loving relationship
with my wife
and children, and to establish a worldwide network of peacemakers
working
with the aloha spirit. It's because it has worked so well for me
that I want to
share it with you. Please share it with as many others as you
can.
How to Enhance Your Power to Bless
There
is a technique practiced in Hawaii which enhances your power to
bless
by increasing your personal energy. It is a simple way of
breathing that is also
used for grounding, centering, meditation and healing. It
requires no special
place or posture, and may be done while moving or still, busy or
resting, with
eyes open or closed. In Hawaiian the technique is called pikopiko
because piko
means both the crown of the head and the navel.
The Technique
1.
Become aware of your natural breathing (it might change on
its own just because of your awareness, but that's okay).
2. Locate the crown of your head and your navel by awareness and/or touch.
3.
Now, as you inhale put your attention on the crown of your head;
and as you
exhale put your attention on your navel. Keep breathing this way
for as long as
you like.
4.
When you feel relaxed, centered, and/or energized, begin
imagining that you
are surrounded with an invisible cloud of light or an
electro-magnetic field, and
that your breathing increases the energy of this cloud or field.
5. As
you bless, imagine that the object of your blessing is surrounded
with
some of the same energy that surrounds you.
ALOHA WORKS - WORLDWIDE
The
Aloha Project of Aloha International provides booklets like this
free of
charge to individuals, groups, organizations and institutions
around the world
through the generous contributions of donors who believe that the
world can be
a better place by providing information that helps people to help
themselves.
To
make a contribution to the Project, to recommend a recipient
group or
organization, or for more information contact:
The
Aloha Project PO Box 223009 Princeville HI 96722 USA (808)
827-8383
www.alohainternational.org, huna@huna.org