• Inspiration, Volume 2-Issue 7

    The march to freedom

    KAMLESH PATEL takes us on a journey – the ultimate journey to freedom. In the process he explains why freedom is of such importance to humans worldwide. THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY Evolution of Consciousness Series If we study history, we realize that there are some fundamental principles and values that the peoples of all cultures, backgrounds and walks of life have considered important. We can call them universal principles. One of the most highly valued is freedom. In the words of Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, “The natural yearning of the soul is to be free from bondage.” This yearning or craving for freedom is the core of our human purpose. You could say, in fact, that the march to freedom is our true human purpose. But what freedom is Ram Chandra talking about in this statement? Is it the license to do whatever we want on this earth for our own happiness, at the expense of other people, other species and our environment? The ancient Greek philosopher Plato said “No”, and argued that with freedom comes a responsibility to align our choices with goodness. In the 17th century, John Milton said the same thing. In the teachings of all religions, philosophies and spiritual traditions, we find the idea of choosing what is right over what is pleasurable. The Buddha’s noble eightfold path is based on the same premise, as are the ethical precepts of Yoga – yama and niyama – and the Ten Commandments of the Judeo-Christian tradition. So let’s explore further Ram Chandra’s statement, “The natural yearning of the soul is to be free from bondage.” What bondage? What is the bondage  of the soul? All throughout this series on the evolution of consciousness we have been very close to this theme. The evolution of consciousness is the expansion…

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  • Relationships, Volume 2-Issue 7

    Watering what you want to grow

    LIVING WITH THE NEW CHILDREN TERRAN DAILY shares more of her professional wisdom as a pediatric occupational therapist on how to encourage and support the best behavior possible from your children. “Stop whining!” “How many times do I have to tell you not to grab things from your sister?” “Don’t tell me you forgot your school bag again!” “Why can’t you just do your homework without me having to nag you about it?” Life in most families with children is peppered with a certain amount of scolding, but when scolding becomes the most frequent way of communicating and the child’s behaviors are getting worse rather than better, something needs to change. Think of family life as a garden for a moment, with children’s various behaviors as plants and the attention you give each behavior as water. What plants do you want to grow? I’m guessing you want behaviors that are harmonious, responsible, respectful and happy to grow, right? So the trick is to shower attention on positive behaviors, helping them to grow, while at the same time paying as little attention as possible to the negative behaviors until they wither and finally die out. It makes sense, right? But is it easy? No, at least not at first. In last month’s article, we talked about clearly defining behavior goals and ‘watering’ desired behaviors with incentives that we have agreed upon with the children. But there are also a lot of other ways to water positive behavior. Here are a few strategies. BE CLEAR WHAT YOU WANT Before we can water any behaviors we want to grow, we have to be clear what they are. And unfortunately, it’s often much easier to know what we don’t want than what we do want. One way to gain some clarity is to write down…

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  • Nature, Volume 2-Issue 7

    Some amazing medicinal plants: the lotus

    In this series, we present medicinal plants from all the continents on Earth, this time featuring the Lotus. Archaefructus sinensis or ‘ancient fruit from China’ is the name given to the fossilized remains of what may be the earliest known flowering plants. They were discovered in a slab of stone in northeastern China. The fossils date back at least 130 million years and represent a plant growing in shallow pools and flowering over the water surface. Known as “the mother of all flowering plants”, and owing to its appearance and habitat, scientists believe it to be an ancient relative of the water lily and lotus. botanical name: Genus: Nelumbo. Species: Nelumbo nucifera. common names: Lotus, Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, Egyptian bean. The lotus is the national flower of India and Vietnam. habitat: An aquatic perennial, it thrives in a warm temperate to tropical climate. It is native to South Asia and Northeast Australia, and is commonly cultivated in water gardens in India, China, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia. mythology: The lotus flower is associated with the creation myths of Hindu and Egyptian mythology. According to the Puranas, Brahma emerged out of a magnificent lotus that sprung from the navel of Lord Vishnu who was resting on the endless coils of a giant cobra on the surface of a vast ocean that existed before space and time. Upon Lord Vishnu’s command, Brahma created the world. Similarly, Egyptian legend says that a giant lotus called Seshen emerged from the primordial waters of Nun, which in turn brought forth the Sun God who created life. While several Hindu and Egyptian gods and goddesses and Gautama the Buddha are associated with the lotus flower, the flower also has a deeper mystical symbolism. The petals of the flower close…

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  • Vitality, Volume 2-Issue 7

    Conquering asthma through meditation

    DR RAJA AMARNATH and CHITRA RAJAN talk about the science of relaxation and meditation and how they help asthma patients to regain a quality of life that supports a normal lifestyle. Emotions influence breathing. Balance your emotions…. you will breathe better. – Anonymous The beginning and end of life is breath. We die if we cannot breathe even for a few minutes. Breathing is vital for maintaining life by giving oxygen and removing toxins from the blood. Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that restricts air flow in the airways of lungs, is an age-old disease. In ancient times the Egyptians recorded the use of inhalers to treat restricted breathing. The use of the herb ephedra to treat asthma-like symptoms is prevalent in traditional Chinese medicine. Asthma comes from the Greek verb aazien, which means to pant, to exhale with an open mouth, to have sharp breath. ASTHMA & ALLERGIES Asthma is generally triggered by allergens in the environment, physical exertion, infection and changes in weather, temperature or mental stress. Not all people are prone to this disease. It so happens that among a group of people, one person who is allergic may have coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, etc., and the next person is less affected by these things while breathing the same air. EMOTIONAL STRESS WORSENS ASTHMA Emotional stress is the main contributor to the worsening of asthma symptoms for most people. Constriction of air passages is made worse by panic or anxiety attacks. Scientists have documented a range of stressful events that have been associated with asthma symptoms. These include school exams, public speaking, family conflict, public disasters, and exposure to violence. Work pressure, anxiety due to impending layoff, high stake job interviews and deals, and financial worries are also some of the common asthma triggers. The…

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  • Inspiration, Volume 2-Issue 7

    Cryptik – art essay

    The Cryptik Movement is dedicated to helping humanity evolve towards greater awareness and understanding through public art. The purpose of the Movement is to facilitate the development of a deeper, more meaningful philosophy of life; one that encompasses many ideologies, philosophies, and belief systems in order to help us better understand our connection to one another, the planet and the universe. Cryptik’s Mantradalas are an exploration of how art can be used as a tool for meditation, introspection and trance induction, each one adorned with sacred mantras and prayers in hopes of bringing blessings and positive karma to all who view it. These Mantradalas are cosmic diagrams that remind us of our relation to the infinite and serve as a gateway to a world that extends beyond our material reality. Inspired by the sacred science of the ancient Egyptians, as well as the practice and creation of Tibetan sand mandalas, this collection reflects the long forgotten wisdom of our ancestors. “The mandala is an archetypal image whose occurrence is attested throughout the ages. It signifies the wholeness of the Self. This circular image represents the wholeness of the psychic ground or, to put it in mythic terms, the divinity incarnate in man.” – Carl Jung “Cryptik creates from a palette of wonder, where all science, math, and true art spring from equal mystery. His is a clear-eyed art practice of more questions asked than answered. The Southern Californian creative’s intricate, almost trance-inducing works – be they on mammoth walls, slap stickers, or hanging in galleries – find voice in images of spiritual universality. By his hand, Eastern philosophical thought and mantras hypnotically merge with the black letter bombing of cholo writing. The ancient and the sacred marry in a modern quest – through art – for conscious awakening and awareness.”…

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THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Self
Relationships

The principle of many

in Relationships, Volume 2-Issue 7

GAYATHRI PRAKASH speaks about the changes she has gone through after marriage – leaving her own family and living with her husband’s family, who have different traditions. Confronting her prejudices...

Work
Inspiration
Vitality
Nature

Chickweed – part 2

in Nature, Volume 2-Issue 7

LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN ALANDA GREENE continues with her experiences of weeding her garden and her inner garden of tendencies and character traits, and shares how the resulting inner reflection promotes...

Children
Quotes

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THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY

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COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2016