Why Hinduism is not becoming popular in the West?

 image by axinia

The British colonizers discredited Hinduism as being merely backward superstitions, and even today, whereas Buddhism is very much in fashion with American and European intellectuals, Hinduism is largely ignored.

Given that all the essential premises of Buddhism are already contained in Hinduism, including how and why it is helpful to be able to control the senses, it is a shame that so few Westerners are interested in what it has to say…

Sell your cleverness

 image by axinia

says Rumi.

LOVE, axinia

What not to tell your friends or the gossip-killer that always works

 image by axinia

This is a well-known Socrates story, but I keep meeting people who never heard of that. I love the wisdom here, because it is so simple and obvious. In fact, I also live it and every time someone comes to me, I just ask the same questions after Sokrates -Amazing, how embarassing it is then for the gossiper…

—————-

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high
esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and
said,

“Socrates, do you know what I just heard about your best friend?”

“Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied. “Before telling me anything
I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”

“Triple filter?”

“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about
my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter
what you’re going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you
made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”

Italy is a great place for meditation

Basically one can meditate everywhere, but there are some places where a good mediation can happen easier. My personal favourite has always been - of course! - India. I am in meditative state in India all the time (probably due to the long spiritual traditions of India and vibrations left after the huge number of sages and yogis thoughout the history).

Another country where I can enjoy powerful meditations is Italy. Despite its easy-going and superficial image worldwide, the country has one very important quality that leads to a good mediation: the joy, the heart-opening. How does it work?

The Victory Day or the forgiving power of Russians

 Фото AFP (© АФП

On May 9 Russia marks the victory over Nazi Germany and the end of World War II with a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square and celebration events all over the country. Victory Day is one of the biggest national holidays and Russians commemorate the 27(!) million victims the Soviet Union suffered in the deadliest conflict in history. Interstingly, most of the Western world is normally not aware of these numbers  - simply because Russian make no fuss about it. The history is the history.
The point I want to make here is that despite the horrible sufferings and the truly huge number of victims, presently Russia and Germany are probably the best friends internationally seen. Apart from the personal friendship beween H.Kohl and B.Eltzin, G.Schröder and V.Putin, the trade turnover figures achieved between Russia and Germany last year were 33 billion dollars, according to Russian estimates. Are there many examples of other countries who had been in such a deadly fight before getting close friends? Unfortunately this is a rare example in the human history if we look at the war map of today… In the international friendship survey 2000 over 60% of Russians speak of their “friendly” attitude to Germans, although almost every family has lost its beloved members in the war. And many of the war generation (like my grandmother) are still there. How could they forget so fast?

A blogging tag about some favourite things

 image by axinia

 Nita got me! Normally I don’t follow these tagging games, most of the questions are either too silly or too ego-pumpering. But this bloggin tag seem to be OK. And although there is pretty much of my personal stuff here in my blog, it might be still interesting for some of you to peep deeper into my soul

I am happy to tag some bloggers who I think might like it: Arlene, Solveig , Radha, Bala, Steve  , Leela, and Edword. 

And here are my answers to the tag questions:

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?
I think it was The Golden Compass, and it was 5 months ago

2. What book are you reading?
None. No books any more.

3. Favorite board game?
None. Not my cup of tea.

4. Favorite magazine?
ZEIT WISSEN(in German), I love this beautifully done and captivating scientific report magazine!

My second secret weapon: forgiving

 photo by axinia

I wrote about my first powerful weapon several times, for example here and here. It is the power of innocence. The power of a child in a person. This power lays in the base of a human being as a “childness”, manifested through innocence, wisdom, spontaneity and living in the present. In a daily life full of competition and performance pressure I naturally use this quality to act according to my own principles and - actually - for the benevolence of everyone around. That makes my life very easy and enjoyable in every moment. But there is another trick that makes my life even more comfortable and colourful. In my way I would call it my second secret weapon - the power of forgiving.

Since the message of forgiving was given by Jesus Christ two millennia ago, not much has happened in the human awareness in that direction. Luckily recently the word “forgiving ” is getting some shape in the modern human minds. After 2000 years! Better later than never, indeed.

Amazingly, people find it extremely difficult to forgive. I remember one Christian (!) lady proudly told me ” there are things in life one CAN NOT forgive!” - interesting, isn´t it?  Let`s see how it works and why forgiving is actually a very easy thing.

The door to nowhere

 

photo by axinia

There are the doors

leading to nowhere

teasing us with the new ways…

 Shall I dare to go?

Shall I go with the flow?

Or

Shall I stay and enjoy

that mysterious look

on an open door?..

poem by axinia

No more lonely yogis! - the benefits of the collective spiritual evolution.

paint by Vitalia Stupak

Normally I prefer colourful photos for my blogs, as my readers know But to pass by this absolutely amazing painting was above my preferences and blogging style…

This wonderful paint by Vitalia Stupak (Ukraine) shows that the personal ascent is in fact depends on much loving support of the others… The times of a lonely ascetic yogi meditating in Himalayas have passed. Now, when the mankind has discovered the common spirituality as a way of living, it has become much easier to ascent and  - what is the most important! -to enjoy this ascent in a company

Do you see it same way? Any experiences?

LOVE, axinia

7 ways to open your heart or how to feel love

 photo by axinia

 

Following the love-flow of my last posts, I want to share with you some things one can help to feel love if you don`t. Why? You don`t believe it works?

The human heart gets closed every now and then. How often do we really feel our heart open, filled with love and joy? I believe that if it is not the case, we should try some ”tricks” out. For the open heart is the source of joy and never-ending energy, good will and good mood.

These are things that open my heart, always. I wonder it works with you same way or may be you want to share your tricks?

 

1.Express your tenderness – at least to your relatives and close friends. Hugs and gentle touches not only feel like a balsam for the other, but also make you heart melt with gentleness and love.

 

2.“I LOVE” - is the most powerful mantra! It is not common in every culture and may sound rather bold at times, but it works! Obviously the message of this word is so magically strong, that it can dissolve a lot. Say it! I use this word often for telling about things/people I love. Or saying it to people I love. I can even say it to my boss, if I feel so.

 

3.Listen to the “happy” music. Normally I prefer Classical Music (Indian and Western), but sometimes I really feel like listening to some very simple “happy” music like ABBA or Al Bano & Romina Power (this stuff makes my heart leap with joy!) – may be because this music was created and sung by the couples in love?