One more interesting prophecy of the upcoming golden age April 27, 2010

Several decades from now, the ever-increasing rate of economic growth will reach a level we will be fully justified in calling global prosperity. Living standards now enjoyed by citizens of the economically advanced nations will be established in the remotest corners of the globe.

The rechanneling of the massive sums that are now spent on weapons into peaceful uses will impart almost unimaginable acceleration to economic growth. Universal elementary education will likely be achieved even before that. Eventually, even universal secondary education will be felt to be insufficient. The borders of the intelligentsia will encompass all of humanity.

The development of newer and newer means of communication, along with their accessibility and practicability, will virtually eliminate the distance between nations and cultures. As the working day shrinks, new reserves of time will be freed up. Physiological science will devise technology that will enable the human brain to memorize input quicker and indelibly. Leisure time will increase.

And those matters that now occupy the majority of people—the economy, politics, product improvement, technology, the further upgrading of material comforts—will lose their interest. It is entirely realistic to think that the generations of those times will find it baffling and strange that their ancestors could have been so engrossed by and emotional about decisions relating to such boring and trivial matters. Their energy will be channeled into the creation of riches of a higher order, since the economic base, being firmly grounded and global, will not be subject to any sharp fluctuations.
Issues connected with technology and economics will cease to engage people’s overriding attention. They will be dealt with in their respective committees and will be subject to public scrutiny, just as issues of restaurant hygiene or sewage are now.

The positive impact of 2012 end-of-the world mood April 23, 2010

We live in a highly interesting time. Another doomsday mood is increasing  and people all over the world are responding in a very special way: many start seeking something beyond their mundane life!

In the last couple of years I am observing a powerful shift in a  mindset of “down-to Earth” people I meet. More and more practical, either simple-minded working class or highly intelligent atheists start asking themselves: What if??

The  2010 series of nature-disasters and the Polish flight drama have well contributed to this mood. We all have just realized that our sophisticated machines are NOTHING agains the Nature if the Mother Earth raises its voice.

So what is the cure? How can we protect our lives from the possible uproar of Nature?

And here, as a lost child, the humanity turns its head into the opposite to the technical direction – namely, to Spirituality. For a person with spiritual powers can talk to Nature, the rest (scientists, politicians, artists)- cannot.

Do you also observe this tendency? Do you see what I see?

Loads of love, axinia (image by me)

All humans to me are god-like Gods! April 21, 2010

All humans to me are god-like Gods!
My eyes no longer see
vice or fault.

Life on this suffering earth
is now endless delight;
the heart at rest, full,
overflowing.

In the mirror, the face and its reflection —
they watch each other;
different, but one.

And, when the stream pours into the ocean…
no more stream!

poem by Indian Saint Tukaram ((1608 – c. 1650)

 

image by me.

The phenomenon of Russian spirituality and Seraphim of Sarov April 19, 2010

Russians are proud to be spiritual people, spirituality is a popular word in there and is being often misused even by politicians. After the communism-era, which I believe itself was in a way very spiritual (because people were motivated by high ideals), the traditional Russian values are back with even more power. Spirituality has been obviously a mass phenomenon in Russia unlike in many other parts of the world. 

Despite this fact, I find it highly interesting that Russia is not famous for its spiritual leaders, the more so there has been not a single world-famous spiritual leader in Russia (let’s say of a great caliber of Zarathustra, Lao Tse, Moses, Mohammad). Apparently there have been several quite powerful saints, but none of them had a nation-wide impact. I wonder where od the roots of Russian spirituality are emerging from? What makes people so desperately seeking for the highest, go beyond materialism, being ready to sacrifice a lot for the truth?… 

Whatever the reason is, Russia gave birth to quite a number of saints that are not well known but yet have been an enlightening example of spirituality. One of the most famous and loved one is Seraphim of Sarov. 

 

 Saint Seraphim of Sarov (Russian: Серафим Саровский) (1759 – 1833),  is one of the most renowned Russian monks and mystics in the Orthodox Church. He is generally considered the greatest of the 19th century startsy (elders) and, arguably, the first. He is remembered for extending the monastic teachings of contemplation, theoria and self-denial to the layperson, and taught that the purpose of the Christian life was to acquire the Holy Spirit.  

Seraphim (born Moshnin) was born in 1759 to a merchant family in Kursk. At the age of 10, he became seriously ill. During the course of his illness, he saw the Mother of God in his sleep, who promised to heal him. Several days later there was a religious procession in Kursk with the locally revered miracle-working icon of the Mother of God. Due to bad weather, the procession took an abbreviated route past the house of the Moshnin family. After his mother put Seraphim up to the miracle-working image, he recovered rapidly. While at a young age, he needed to help his parents with their shop, but business had little appeal for him. Young Seraphim loved to read the lives of the saints, to attend church and to withdraw into seclusion for prayer.

At the age of 18, Seraphim firmly decided to become a monk. His mother blessed him with a large copper crucifix, which he wore over his clothing all his life. After this, he entered the Sarov monastery as a novice. From day one in the monastery, exceptional abstinence from food and slumber were the distinguishing features of his life. He ate once a day, and little. On Wednesdays and Fridays he ate nothing. After asking the blessing of his starets (i.e., a spiritual elder), he began to withdraw often into the forest for prayer and religious contemplation. He became severely ill again soon after, and was forced to spend most of the course of the next three years lying down.

St. Seraphim was once again healed by the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Who appeared to him accompanied by several saints. Pointing to the venerable Seraphim, The Holy Virgin said to the apostle John the Theologian: “He is of our lineage.” Then, by touching his side with Her staff, She healed him. 

I am Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and atheist – all at once April 15, 2010

We are becoming “multi-religious”, at least what has been observed in Europe. Disappointed in Christianity, people try to create their “own” religion, a mix of all existing religions. For instance, about 30 percent of the Austrians may be classified as “religious composers”: They put together their world-view of various elements such as Christian positions, humanistic, naturalistic, and Far Eastern thought. This is how “Kathpress” reports out in the new long-term study of religion in the lives of Austrians 1970-2000 “. Interesting, isn’t it?

The idea of mixing religions is not unusual to me, the more so I see it absolutely natural, since I could never understand how one can accept only one religion, because they all have such beautiful and deep messages!.. However I am fascinated by the fact how rapidly the society is also growing in its world understanding and  ultimately – in spiritual development.

As for me, being a realised person, I not only know that all religions are one and the same, but I actually feel it and “use” all of them in my daily life. Let me give you several simple examples (of cause it is all more complex and inter-connected, but it would take pages and pages to explain):

– If I happened to have a headache, I say the Christ Lord’ s prayer (“Our Father..”) and the headache is gone.

– If I address Ganesha (Hindu Deity with an elephant head and child’s body), I can easily manage children, and even all the adults around me start acting more innocently, it seems like a child gets awakened within them (since Ganesha is very powerful archetype of childhood and innocence).

¡unɟ ɹoɟ ʇsnɾ sı sıɥʇ April 12, 2010

  ˙ʇı ɹǝʌo ʇǝƃ ןן,noʎ˙˙˙ɥƃnoɹɥʇ ƃuıoƃ ǝɹ,noʎ ǝsɐɥd ɐ ʇsnɾ sı ǝɟıן

¡ǝʇonb pooƃ ɐ ǝɹɐɥs ןןıʍ :ƃuıʇsǝɹʇuı ǝɹoɯ ʇıq ɐ ʇı ǝʞɐɯ uɐɔ ı ǝq ʎɐɯ˙˙ɥƃnoɥʇןɐ
˙˙˙˙ssǝןƃuıuɐǝɯ ǝʇınb ‘unɟ ɹoɟ ʇsnɾ sı ʇsod sıɥʇ
 ‘spuǝıɹɟ ɹɐǝp

What is beauty? April 7, 2010

When I was 15, I was working on a philosophical tract “On the nature of Beauty”. The questions of what actually beauty is, how do we percept it, what is its source and true impact  – all that was puzzling my young and seeking mind at that time. I remember reading the Russian philosopher N. Chernyshevsky who stated that we find beautiful everything that in a way reselmbles ..ourselves. What a simple truth!

Years passed….I am still a beauty philosopher, however  I am not asking questions any more. I know what beauty is. And where it comes from.

And even though, I am always pleased to read something on this topic. Something like that:

“As the ocean cannot be emptied into a vessel made by human hands, so beauty cannot be captured within the limits of human definitions. There is the beauty of the pine tree, a beauty of straightness and uprightness; and again there is the beauty of the sweeping branches of the willow. Or again a curve added to the beauty of steadiness of form sometimes doubles that loveliness. What can explain this diversity? Beauty of movement, of gesture, of feature, of expression, of voice, all escape explanation, which is indeed but a limited thing.

An Amazing speech by a female Aboriginal elder April 6, 2010

It is a beautiful  speech by a female Aboriginal elder by the name of Bilawara Lee, about the powers of women, their place in society and the changes that are happening in the world today.  The speech was made in Darwin (Australia), march this year.  It is very insightful, and worth a read.

“Today we are facing a new Era.  The ancient Mayan culture speaks of this change, the ending of their old calendar in 2012, and the beginning of a new age.  They, along with many other Indigenous cultures, also speak that these times as one of a more feminine nature, based in the heart and unconditional love.

But women in our modern world have a problem.  We have begun to become financially and professionally empowered.  Yet the most important need, for spiritual empowerment, is often neglected or ignored. 

Our world is already in the time of transition and it will be a difficult time until the new era blossoms into an age of peace and understanding.  If our world is to survive, spiritually empowered women must take their place in helping.  It’s time for us to step up and step out.  The time of hiding is over.  

Most “aware” people know that it is necessary to heal our Mother Earth if we are to survive.  However, it is equally as imperative to also heal ourselves and each other through unconditional love, compassion and respect.   Moreover, women also need to help our men and boys develop their own feminine aspects of gentleness and sensitivity, compassion, nurturing, and kindness.  We need to help our male counterparts learn to work from the heart.

It won’t be easy but if we don’t do all of this, we can’t help our planet and humanity risks extinction.

Women you are powerful – truly powerful, with unique gifts that are far-reaching.  That is why we are considered a threat by so many male-dominated modern cultures and religious hierarchies.  Women are especially tuned to walk in both the spiritual world and the everyday world.  I have been taught that we are born spiritual; men have to strive hard to attain that state.

We are particularly adept at creating energy and change.  Our great capacity for bonding has made us especially empathic and gifted at understanding and seeing past surface levels.  Ultimately, our roles as caretakers and nurturers have opened our hearts and awareness to many levels of the universe.  Our spiritual gifts are profound.

Unfortunately, women today have begun to lose that understanding of their gifts as they have grappled to survive in the callous male dominated societies of today.  Many live tentative, cold, and fragmented lives as victims of violence, victims of unspeakable offenses against honour.  Too often, their hearts and spirit have become uncertain and lost, awash in grief and fear.  They have forgotten who they are.  They have forgotten their original instructions as human beings and as women.