Some days ago I came across the site dotsub.com, where you can add sub-titles to videos. I found there a beautiful animated film, “L’homme qui plantait des arbres” (The man who planted trees), based on the short story of Jean Giono from 1953 and produced by the Société Radio Canada in 1987. It is now a public-domain film and short story. The film is in French with sub-titles in many languages, also in English.

It is the story about a shepherd who planted over many years, between World War 1 and 2 trees in a remote region of France and thus transformed the whole area. I read it about 20 years ago and like it very much. Though it is a fictional story, the message had a great impact. and there are many who feel inspired by it, like the UNEP Campaign to plant a billion trees.

In the evening of August 1st there was a firework on the meadow just in front of our house. I took a series of photos which captured some fiery flowers. The beautiful forms created an uplifting inspiration and reminded me of the sparks of the fiery worlds which the Agni Yoga Series describe. So you read in the book on Infinity, Vol 2/184:

“The cosmic energies are strained into blending by the driving Fire. Each life pulsation carries in itself sparks of Fire. Each striving life pulsation is marked by the Cosmic Magnet. So also, thought is strained into pulsation by Fire. So many errant thoughts fill the space! Space vibrates with thoughts.”

Enjoy the dance of the Devas of Fire.

I just got an e-mail from a Canadian friend with the following poem of Brian Piergrossi, called “The New Religion of the 21st Century”. The poem is from the book “The Big Glow“. There is a 2-part interview with him (in the Red Rocks) on Youtube (part 1, part 2), and quite some things on Google:

On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark
But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground
An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light
It is a silent revolution
From the inside out
From the ground up

We are now recruiting
Perhaps you will join us
Or already have….
All are welcome…
The door is open.

-Brian Piergrossi
(From the book ‘The Big Glow’)

A friend from the States sent me links to a number of sites related with spirituality – feminine, ecological, indigenous, some about film projects. I had a glance through them, some of the topics might be of interest for you.

In March 08 there had been a summit in Jaipur, India, entitled: “Making Way for the Feminine – For the Benefit of the World Community. A Global Reflection with Leaders from Religion, Government, and Civil Society”. Their goal was to explore six themes as avenues for vital, life-giving transformation to create a balance honoring the feminine energy: Visionary Leadership (leadership that can help shift thought and behavior), Oneness (the force that unifies all creation), Ahimsa & Satyagraha (Sanskrit words for “nonviolence” and “holding to Truth”), Self-Evolution, or Education of the Complete Person (to develop in young people more than material and intellectual skills), Creating an Economy of Care (Redefining Progress and Development), and Listening to the Earth (Honoring Earth’s Life Systems to understand the life force that sustains our planet and its inhabitants).

The site “Wiser Earth” wants to serve the people who are transforming the world. The site is a community directory and networking forum that maps and connects non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals addressing the central issues of our day: climate change, poverty, the environment, peace, water, hunger, social justice, conservation, human rights and more. Content is created and edited by the users. There is a database about more than 100,000 organizations.

“Time of the Sixth Sun” is a film in the making, about the shift in global awareness and transformation of consciousness, which many expect for the year 2012. They write: “From the Americas to Africa, from Tibet to Australasia, these times are seen as pivotal in the evolution of mankind. Ancient prophecies speak of massive earth changes and of a huge shift in Planetary Consciousness. According to the Mayan Long Count Calendar, the last date recorded is the winter solstice – 21st December 2012. They call this the time of the Sixth Sun – each sun marking the evolutionary steps of human consciousness. They also refer to this time as the “end days” or the end of time – as we know it. There is a trailer from the film and a call for generous donations needed to fund fund the complete filming / editing.

Another film project is also about 2012: “The Shift of the Ages – The Call of Our Ancestors“, a “look through the indigenous lens to focus on what is transpiring in the world today. It is a shamanic rite of passage and grassroots effort to raise awareness for Mother Earth in her time of need.” You find some short trailers under the link above.

A third film with the same focus is already finished: “The White Road. Visions of the Indigenous People of the Americas“. They write: “For the first time people from other cultures were invited to the reunion of elders, indigenous priests and shamans from North and South America. The film is a documentation of this gathering that took place in Merida on the Mexican pensinsula of Yucatán in spring of 2003. In this film we immerse into the Mayan world with their fascinating temple grounds, their unique calendar system und their mysterious crystal skulls. Together with the indigenous people we follow the White Road, the spiritual path of the Mayas, in ceremonies and rituals such as the unification of the condor and the eagle in Mayapan, and the ceremony of the equinox in Chichen Itza.
The documentary shows the messages and wisdom of the ancient precolumbian cultures. In contrast to Western philosophy of life that draws ego limits, these cultures have the gift of confiding in themselves and in the entire creation. They greet each other with „In lak’ech, a lak’en“ meaning „I am in you, and you are in me.“

Iguazu, Brazil, May 08

Some days ago an American friend sent me a beautiful powerpoint presentation about India. It contains a deluge of overwhelming facts about ancient India being the cradle of knowledge and wisdom. The presentation also shows similarities between Greek and Biblical myths, pictures of different landscapes and of the deities of India, basics of Indian (Vedic) spirituality and more. I have transformed it into a PDF for an easy view – though it doesn’t contain neither the beautiful music nor the animation of the powerpoint.

Today I also came across a YouTube site of a Dr. Ramkumar with a number of videos about Shiva, Vishnu or Krishna, mantrams (like Purusha Suktam), illustrated with pictures of deities, with music, or a film about a visit to a sacred cave in the Himalayas. Enjoy.

A statue of Siva Nataraja near Sri Sailam, India, January 07

During our holidays in Spain we also stayed for two days with friends in their house near Barcelona. Sighseeing was not our prime interest, but exchange. And this was a very good occasion: A number of other friends from the WTT-Spain group joined us, so we had some interesting talks.

The friend where we stayed is a doctor and a homoeopath. He is the responsible person for the Spanish version of the Paracelsus magazine of the WTT and very open to innovative research in alternative medicine. In his practice he showed us a very modern apparatus for diagnostics and treatments from Russia called Oberon, based on a spectrum analysis of rotating magnetic fields of living organisms. He gave me a diagnostic and a treatment for my chronic ear disease. It was fascinating to observe the process on a flatscreen. The treatment showed certain immediate results, however, they were not long lasting (the treatment would have to go on for a while).

Afterwards we visited the new centre of WTT-Spain in Sabadell which the group had inaugurated about a year ago. It is located in the middle of the city, in the first floor of an old house. The group had renovated the rooms themselves, and they do regular meditation, study and exchange meetings there. It has a serene ambiance, where it is certainly inspiring to do group work.

We also had a tour through Barcelona seeing some touristic spots. The city was bathed in a warm, soft light and there was a certain ease in the air. Here are some impressions, where you feel the city’s striving into space, vertically and horizontally, maybe also inwardly.

View of Barcelona from the Montjuic – a sea of houses.

The Palau Nacional, now a national gallery.

Containers waiting in the harbour

The vastness of the place in front of the Olympic Stadium is intensified through the rows of pillars.

Reaching for the sun – Calatrava’s Olympic telecommunication tower

Or reaching for the divine – Antonio Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, full of catholic fantasies.

After the evening pizza we went to a beautiful spot overlooking the cliffs of the Costa Brava where an old lighthouse is shedding its beacon over the country. I had been at the spot a day before at noon time, so you see some impressions from day and from night. The lighthouse is a beautiful symbol for the light of the soul, or the divine light, which is guiding our path when we submit ourselves to its direction.

The lighthouse is a most beautiful place, and Cancer full moon enchanted the entire atmosphere.

Steep cliffs go down some 50 meters to the sea

The cliffs and a boat in the blue Mediterranean

The beacon is like the jewel in the lotus of the soul, a multi-faceted diamond of light

The beacon in the dusk

View from the lighthouse to the city of La Calella – it seems that the light is more guiding the cars than the ships

The beacon and the full moon

Cancer full moon reflecting on the waters of the Mediterranean

The beacon

In the evening of Cancer Full moon we wanted to have a pizza in some village not far from the camping. We came to Pals. Though we didn’t find any pizzeria there (later in another village…), but the place turned out to be a beautiful medieval town. Here are some evening impressions.

Small passages leading up to the church

Tower of the fortress

The bell tower of the church

A lamp in front of the church waiting to be lit

View from the churchyard over the countryside

Tourists shopping

Tintin waiting for the start of his rocket

Angel dreaming in a shop window

Not far from our camping in Tamariú, near Palafrugell, Spain, there is a botanic garden on the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, and in its middle there is an ancient castle. The entrance and the inner court reminded me very much of the way into the inner temple you experience on the spiritual path. The pictures show the passage from the outer to the inner, to the fountain of life and light.

A friend sent me an e-mail with photos from Dubai about the architectural gigantomania. I found them also on the web. I saw a bit of it from the plane at two stop-overs on the way to India in January 08. Have a look at the pictures, it is really impressive what they do with investing all the petro-dollars – in view of the high gas prices (see the very interesting statistics from CNN), or with some illustrations, as I got it via e-mail.

Inside Dubai Airport, January 08