Many Lives ..Many Masters

My sister recommended a book to me "Many Lives Many masters" by Dr Brian Weiss . I feel that being a physician herself I guess she is partial to physician writers ..

The subject of the book is "Reincarnation", a controversial topic ... but I enjoy reading on a variety of topics ..I got the book from library yesterday..could not put it down till late last night .. almost done reading it..

In his first book, Many Lives, Many Masters, Dr Weiss vividly describes the insights of a young patient named Catherine. She came to important realizations (under hyponetic therapy by the Author) about the circumstances of her life today and the intricate thread of previous beings within her experience.

Some excerpts from the book:

"I know that there is a reason for everything, Perhaps at the moment that an event occurs we have neither the insight nor the foresight to comprehend the reason, but with time and patience it will come to light"

Our task is to learn, to become God-like through knowledge. We know so little. By knowledge we approach God, and then we can rest.

“I have been to different planes at different times. Each one is a level of higher consciousness. What plane we go to depends on how far we’ve progressed…"

That we must share our knowledge with other people. That we all have abilities far beyond what we use. Some of us find this out sooner than others. That you should check your vices before you come to this point. If you do not, you carry them over with you to another life.

Only we can rid ourselves of the bad habits that we accumulate when we are in physical state. The Masters cannot do that for us. If you choose to fight and not rid yourself, then you will carry them over into another life. And only when you decide that you are strong enough to master the external problems, then you will no longer have them in your next life.

We are given intuitive powers we should follow and not try to resist. Those who resist will meet with danger. We are not sent back from each plane with equal powers. Some of us possess powers greater than others, because they have been accrued from other times. Thus people are not all created equal, But eventually we will reach a point where we will all be equal.

In case you want to read the first chapter of the book ..Please click here..

The subject broaches the topic of "Collective Unconsciousness" , a term coined by Carl Jung

Also a parallel concept that i found intresting was on "Akashik Records"

I also did find out intresting , conflicting viewpoints about the subject of reincarnation on the net

http://www.thewaytotruth.org/resurrection/reincarnation.html

http://www.geocities.com/richard_holmes/reincarnation/faq.htm

Happy Reading :-) !!!

Friendship

It was Kahlil Gibran's Birth Anniversary a couple of days back.. I always enjoy reading his writings ... Following are his thoughts about friendship... Each and every word is a beautiful and priceless pearl...

And a youth said, 'Speak to us of Friendship.'

Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

And he is your board and your fireside.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the 'nay' in your own mind, nor do you withhold the 'ay.'

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?

Seek him always with hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

[Kahlil Gibran ]

Heaven and Hell

A very simple but thoughtful message for all of us ..I read this story in a fwded email and felt like sharing with all friends..

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man ' s mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, ' You have seen Hell. '

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man ' s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here

the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, ' I don ' t understand. '

' It is simple, ' said the Lord.

'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves. '

PhysicalWorld

If anybody can understand and read transliterated Urdu , I would recommend the following blog ..Posts are a little longer and infrequent , but the analysis , choice of words and the way the posts are written are wonderful...Blog posts uses Khaalis Urdu zabaan but to me that is what makes these posts all the more appealing ..

http://physicalworld-physicalworld.blogspot.com/

Hope you all will enjoy and benefit from this blog too...

Baba Fareed aur Namaaz ka Qissa

Kehate hain ke Baba Fareed jab ek chhote bachche they to Khel kood mein mashgool rehate thae.. MaaN ko laga ab baRe ho rahe hain to Khuda kii taraf dil judna chaahiye ... namaaz paRhni chaahiye unhe bhi .. Baba Fareed ko kaha ko samjhaaya ke din mein kam az kam do waqt ki namaaz paRhna shuru karien ... Fajr kii aur Isha Kii ..

Saat baras kii nanhi umar ..Bachpan ke bholepan mein Baba Fareed MaaN se poochhtey hain ke 'MaaN mein namaaz to paRh loon par badle mein Khuda mujhe kya dega .." MaaN ne bhi saadigi se jawaab de diya ke Khuda khush hokar KhajoorieN dega.. Mithaayi dega .. GuR(Jaggery) dega..

Sun kar chhote se Fareed khuch ho gaye .. namaaZ paRhne ka waqt aaya .. maaN ne namaaz ke pehale hii jai-namaaZ(mussallah) ke neeche khajoor rakh dien .. Fareed jii ne namaaz paRh kar musallah uthaaya to dekhte hain ke neeche KhajoorieN paRi hai.. bohot khush huye ke ye to naqad saudaa hai .. idher namaaz paRhi ..udher khajoorien(dates) mil gayien ..

Ab roz ka kaam ho gaya .. idher namaaz paRhne ka waqt hota udher maaN Fareed Ji ke musalle ke neeche kabhi mithaayi .. kabhi GuR .. kabhi khajoorien rakh detieN .. Fareed ji namaaz parhte ..musallah uthate aur koi na koi meethi saugaat unhe mil jaati .. din ba din unkaa khuda par aietbaar badtaa gaya ...

Ek din honi ko kuchh aur hii manzoor tha .. maaN Ghar ke kaamoN mein masroof Fareed Ji ke musalle ke neeche saugaat rakhna bhool gayi .. magar woh din alag hii tha.. uskii saugaat bhi alag hii thi...Fareed Ji ne namaaz khatam kii ... magar aaj unkii namaaz mein ras kuchh aur hi tha .. aaj unka dil us Allah se bandh gaya tha .. roz namaaz parhte they ... magar aaj Allah se milaap ka jo sukh unhe mila tha.. jo shiriniyat mili thi woh pehale kabhi nahi... Fareed Ji ka dil bhar aaya .. aankhon se aansoo behane lage ... ke itna sukh .. itni khushi .. jaane is chhotii sii umar mein Allah ne unhe kitni baRi saugaat se nawaaza tha ....

MaaN ko achanak khayaal aaya ke aaj to Fareed ke musaalle ke neeche mithaayi khujoor kuchh nahi rakhi .. daudi daudi aayien to dekha Fareed ji ki aankhon se paani beh raha hai ... unhe laga pata nahi ab Fareeda namaaz parhe ya na parhe .. kahiN iska aietbaar to nahi toot gaya .. jaldi jaldi rasoiighar(kitchen) ja kar ek tashtari(plate) mein mithaayi khajoor le aayien..aur Fareed ji ko behlaane lagien ke aaj Allah jaldi mein they .. to mujhe keh gaye they ke mein tumhe aaj kii saugaat de doon ...

Khushi kii aah nikaal gayi Fareed Ji ke mooNh se... ashkbaar aankhon se maaN ko kehate hain ke maaN aaj hii to Allah ne khud apne aap saugaat di hai mujhe.. aaj tak to woh tumhaare haathOn mithaayi kii saugaat bhejte they mujhe .. magar aaj to apne aap apne milan ke ras se nawaaza hai .. apni mohabbat kii saugaat di hai mujhe ...

-------------
Maskeen Ji ne ye qissa itni khoobsurati is bayaan kiya hai sun kar dil bhar aata hai..aankhien bhar aatien hain ..dua hai ke har insaan ko khuda is saugaat se nawaaze....

[Courtsey: Audio recording by Giani Sant Singh Maskeen]

Why do you roam the jungles?

Why do you roam the jungles?
Says Farid,
Why do you roam the jungles with thorns pricking your feet?
Your Lord dwells in your heart.
And you wander about in search of Him ....

[Baba Sheikh Fareed]

Baba Sheikh Farid ((1173 - 1266) was a Sufi saint who is considered by many to be the first major poet of the Punjabi language. He was born in the Multan district of what is today Pakistan.
Later, when the Sikh holy book the Adi Granth Sahib was compiled, many of Baba Sheikh Farid's poems and couplets were included, alongside the poetry of Kabir and Ravidas.

courtsey:http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com

ON FEAR

We live in fear, in fear of losing things which we think we own; our health, our youth, our life, our wife, children, money, job, etc. And indeed, most of our time and efforts are spent to secure these things. We take our bankers’ advice, our lawyers’ advice, our doctors’ advice. We economize, we are jealous of our legal rights, we diet, we take our pills. To somewhat appease our fears of losing our material well-being, we buy insurance, open savings accounts, have medical check-ups, swallow vitamins, jog in the streets. And to have people’s esteem, we appear not as we are, but the way they wish us to be.

Some also fear losing their good reputation, honor, respect, and love. of others. Fewer still are afraid of losing their minds, their faith, their hope for salvation in the hereafter and their religion. The very few who are afraid to lose their faith and their place in Paradise squeeze in a few minutes of prayer a day, a few days of fasting a year, and cheat on the alms which they pay, while they wouldn’t dare to cheat the IRS.

We complain of fatigue, stress, injustice, lack of good luck and of the tyranny of the government, society, economy, bosses, employees, neighbors, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands, our children; just about everything and everybody, and we rarely find fault with ourselves. In spite of all this effort, we cannot eliminate our fears. In fact, the more we try and fail, the corse we feel, and our fears increase. This is the state of the whole world.

The solution which the rulers of this world (the politicians, the media, Wall Street) have found is to offer "circus and wine": amusement and fun. Their remedy is not to seek strength to face this situation, but to forget, to be. distracted. It does not work! The drunkard wakes up with a hangover after a momentary craze; he returns to his problems accompanied by a splitting headache!

In reality there is nothing to fear except ourselves, our ego and its insatiable appetite, which will always want more than it has, even if it had the whole world. What is one supposed to do to stop this insanity. How do we live this life in peace and with sanity? Indeed there is no comfort in this world. It is a hard test which lasts seventy to eighty years, through which we must pass to meet our Lord. It is a test which very few pass because they choose the world and the worldly as their teacher.

[Courtsey : http://www.jerrahi.org/writings_english/onfear.htm]

Words of Wisdom

The aspect of human beings that sets us off from all other creatures is that of imaginative wisdom. Animals see things as they are, but we see them as they can be. We have been given the Divine ability to transform. Nothing gives a person more energy as he or she is working to bring a vision into reality. People forsake their sleep, food, and comfort for the sake of a project that they love. There is something holy about a human being dedicated to a purpose, something more precious than I can attempt to put into words. It is the miracle of creation.

It is exactly this miracle which enables us to transcend circumstances. Any circumstance is a good starting point for God. The alchemical power to activate Divinity is always speaking to us, if we are but willing to listen and do. It is none other than the Voice of God, beckoning to us to acknowledge the Divine Spark and to draw it into expression, that it may be shared by all.

[Cohen, The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore]
Courtsey : http://lessonsoftheday.blogspot.com/

Kindness

"Be kind to people whether they deserve your kindness or not. If your kindness reaches the deserving, good for you; if your kindness reaches the undeserving, take joy in your compassion."

[Hadiths of Prophet Mohammed]

Sparkling Quotes

"I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God".
Sufi Proverb

Outer calmness is the reflection of inner awareness.
Nader Angha

A man's behavior is the index of the man, and his speech is the index of his understanding. Ali ibn Abu Talib (raa)

Yetzer hara....

Excerpt from : Who is God to judge ?
http://www.aish.com/spirituality/philosophy/Who_is_God_to_Judge$_.asp
A wonderful article indeed ...jewish concept of yetzer hara seems to be same as concept of nafs in islam....

Does God have a yetzer hara, the force within that encourages us to do negative and destructive things, that He has to fight everyday? Does God live in this seedy world, where people will do the unthinkable to make money .."

No, God does not have a yetzer hara. It is only we who have to battle this powerful inner foe.

The yetzer hara is a profound Jewish concept. We all have an inner adversary that tries to keep us from doing the right thing. What's so conniving about this evil inclination is that we think it is really our true selves talking.

Take dieting, for example. When most of us decide to start a diet, we hear a little voice that says, "Eat it, eat it -- just this one bite!" It certainly happens to me. And when I try to start a morning exercise regimen, that same voice says, "This morning you need to rest in order to exercise better tomorrow." Can you relate?

As soon as we decide to do something positive, the little voice tries to get us to do exactly the opposite of what we really want to do......

Courtsey:
http://www.aish.com/spirituality/philosophy/Who_is_God_to_Judge$_.asp

DEVOTIONAL ROOTS

Understanding the origin of a word can deepen our experience of its meaning. We begin our first issue by looking at the roots of the word 'devotion'.

Devotion comes from the Latin 'devovere' which contains the two Latin roots 'de' meaning down and 'votum' meaning vow. So 'devotion' means to lay down a vow and promise something. Someone who is devoted is said to be 'devout'.

'Votum' is the root of the word 'vote' meaning to make a conscious choice from a group of options. When you vote you are promising your support to the choice you made. Votum is also the root of 'votary' which is a term applied to someone who takes a vow to live a religious life of worship or service.

Therefore, when you are 'devoted' you consciously choose to promise your time, energy, thoughts and love to a person, a group, or a cause.

'Peace comes with ease when in true devotion the mind is dyed deep in the color of the Lord's Love.'
-Guru Amar Das, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 36

'By devotion one truly understands what and who I am in essence. Having known Me in essence, one immediately merges with Me.'
- Sri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 55

'Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.'
- 1 Chronicles 22:19

Reference: www.etymonline.com, www.worldwidewords.com, http://dictionary.cambridge.org

Courtsey:http://yogaunlimited.com/newsletters/august_2006/august_2006.htm

Love

Love ...A four letter word that encompasses so much ...So many meaning ..so many emotions .. so many relationships..so many viewpoints..so many perspectives ...so much depth associated to a single word ...The way I think about it is that it is the most powerful 'medicine' in the world ..a cure for all the problems and all the hurt in the world ...

I had heard a beautiful quote when I was in college .... and had really liked it ...

"One who deserves to be loved the least, needs to be loved the most ..."

People who get unconditional love and support as kids grow up to be most confident and emotionally healthy adults ...

Talking about love ,reminded me of a wonderful excerpt that I had read long back ... I had just started college . It was Bsc First year ..there was a debate competetion . I am not much of a speaker . And had not voluntered to participate , but somehow one of the participants was sick on the day of debate and i found that i was "voluntered" to participate just 5 minute before round-one started . I dont even remember what the topic was .. the only thing i remember that i was tongue tied for most of the time ..... Apparently the other participants on my team were pretty good so we made it to second round ...It was scheduled for the next day .. We were given the topic at the end of the day so that participants could prepare overnight .. Again I dont remember the exact topic ... but it was somehow related to love ...

I still remember the beautiful excerpt that I had read in a "Readers Digest" special publication "How to live life"... -- the excerpt that got us the first prize in the debate ...

LOVE
by Emmet Fox

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer,
no disease that enough love will not heal,
no door that enough love will not bridge,
no wall that enough love will not throw down,
no sin that enough love will not redeem...

It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble,
how hopeless the outlook,
how muddled the tangle,
how great the mistake...

A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.
If only you could love enough, you could be the happiest and most powerful being in the world...

Thoughts and Actions

Read a beautiful quotes from Veda Upnishads today ...I would like to take time out and read more ..Sometimes I feel there is so much beauty so much wisdom ..so much to learn in this world..and so little time .. The more you read the more you realize that how less you know ...

This quotes tells why it is so important to be aware of your each thought and each action ..why it is important to stop judging others and start judging our own actions ...

“As one acts and conducts himself, so does he become. The doer of good becomes good. The doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action.”
[Veda Upnishads]

The secret of happiness

The key to happiness is to appreciate what you have. Sounds simple. So why are so many people unhappy?

"Happiness is not a happening. Happiness is a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy."

"Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has." (Talmud - Pirkei Avot 4:1)

[Courtsey :http://www.aish.com/spirituality/foundations/The_Secret_of_Happiness.asp)
This website has many inspirational stories and articles...

Hunger

I ran into a wonderful blog today .. http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/...
Read a beautiful thought there by Rumi. Felt like sharing here as it specially is so relevant because Ramzan is here ...

Two men see a loaf of bread. One hasn't eaten anything for ten days. The other has eaten five times a day, every day.

First sees the shape of the loaf.

The other man with his urgent need sees inside into the taste, and into the nourishment the bread could give.

Be that hungry, to see within all beings the Friend.

- JALALUDDIN RUMI
translated by Coleman Barks with A.J. Arberry

Beautiful character...

Somebody had sent this wonderful article and I had saved it on my computer .. while cleaning some old files, I found it again .. Following is a beautiful excerpt from that article ......defining what is a beautiful character.. seerah...

The essential idea of good moral character ( or tahazeebi akhlaaq )is to bring our natural faculties in a state of balance. The three basic faculties are anger, desires, and intelligence.

Anger: When in equilibrium it results in valor, forbearance, steadfastness, the ability to restrain anger, and dignity. Excess will result in rashness, boastfulness, pride, inability to restrain anger, and vanity. A deficiency will result in cowardice, disgrace, and feeling of inferiority.

Desires: Equilibrium here results in chastity, generosity, haya (decency), patience, and contentment. Its excess leads to greed and lust. The other extreme results in narrow-mindedness, and impotence, etc.

Intelligence: Equilibrium here makes man wise, sharp-witted and one with great insights. Excess here makes one deceptive, fraudulent and imposture. Its lack results in ignorance and stupidity with the consequence that such a person is quickly misled.

A person will be considered as having a beautiful seerah (character) only when these faculties are in the state of balance and equilibrium

Love of God...

A friend sent me this quote couple of days back ...

"God gives and forgives ... Man gets and forgets .."

I really liked the quote but somehow I kept thinking about how simple the words are and how deep is the meaning of the saying ...

Reminded me of a beautiful analogy that I have heard somewhere in past .. It is said that the love of God is like the love of your mother ..

As a spoiled kid we play in the mud of sins .. sometimes small mistakes ..little sins..sometimes big... a bad thought ...a little greed ... a harsh word .. speckles of dust when we start playing with the mud ... not knowing that this can take us down if dont constantly strive to cleanse ourselves...

And even if child is drenched with the mud of sins ...and when the child realizes he is all dirty ... One pleading look .. One true Ah! from the heart! and realization of mistakes ... And God comes and hugs you .. pardoning you of all your sins...like a mother who forgets the dirty muddy clothes of the beloved child and takes him into arms on a single plead.....So is the love of God ......

The Inner Consciousness

The inner consciousness

Of the saint

Is the true mosque

Where all should worship,

God lives there.


["Rumi Wisdom – Daily Teachings from the Great Sufi Master” by Timothy Freke; http://www.poetseers.org]

Destination

Ek bohot khoobsurat baat suni....that i would like to share ...

Ek din Prophet Mohammed ne zameen par apni lakdi se ek seedhi line banaayi aur kaha ke ye seedha raasta hai jo Khuda talak jaata hai... aur phir aarhi tirchi lakeerien iss line ko cross karti huvi banayien, aur kaha ke ye 'subul' (raastey hain) jo insaan ko mukhtalif simtoon (directions) mein le jaatey hain... aur iss mein se har raah par insaan ka shaitaani nafs khada hai, aur wo seedha raasta chalne waalon ko bhatka kar dosray raaston par daal deta hai...

jab ham car drive kar rahey hotay hain to bohot chaukanna (alert) aur hoshiyaar rehte hain ke kahin takkar na lag jaye, kahin kisi dosri vehicle se crash na ho jaye.. raaste ke poles, meridiens, waigerah se bach bach kar... aur apni manzil ki taraf barhte rehte hain... aisey hi aadmi apni zindagi raaste ke traps se, aur dangers se bachtey bachtey guzarta rehta hai.. yahi ravish (driving attitude) 'taqwa' kehlaati hai....a constant awareness of your actions .. and conciousness of God...

ek aur cute baat suni thi.. wo ye ke jo shakhs raaste mein hai aur usko apni manzil kii ..apne destination kii khabar nahin, he will eventually be lost? No, the fact is, he is already lost!....