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The grandeur of the universe inspires in us the feeling of the unlimitedness of consciousness and the grandeur of the soul. An Indian friend sent me this morning the link to this exceptionally beautiful video from the American Museum of Natural History: “The Known Universe” takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang and back to earth. Enjoy the journey.
This morning an Indian friend forwarded me an e-mail with the following text. Very interesting…
Read the questions before looking at the responses.
Question 1:
If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?
Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three candidates:
Which of these candidates would be our choice? Decide first without peeping below… then see the responses.
Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.
And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question: If you said YES, you just killed Beethoven.
Makes a person think before judging someone.
Remember:
Amateurs … Built the ark.
Professionals … Built the Titanic
Dawn over the Godhavari River, India, January 2009
Yesterday evening I had a talk with my wife about subtle communication. I felt a bit empty or even irritated after having sent an e-mail to a friend, where I wasn’t sure if the thoughts would be received well. I also had re-written a letter in order to express thoughts more clearly, leaving away certain thoughts of the first letter.
My wife said that thoughts often get cleared through discussion, through talks, like we often have: “With certain people you can utter without problems your half-baked thoughts, while with others you don’t know what the other person can take. When writing a text, like for the Lunar Messenger, you enter into a dialog with the material and work out the thoughts, like with a heap of clay or a square block of a sculptor. You start forming it until it gets the right shape. It is similar when you play a song on the piano or work with an orchestra, where some instruments have to come to the fore and others have to stay back. What is important is the work with the from.
In relation with your friend you enter into a dialog in a chamber or your self which only you two have together, and this chamber up to now is still unknown, unfamiliar, new ground. There are things which you really have to explore. I know these situations where I know that there is something, but don’t know yet what it is. For your friend it is also difficult to orient in your chamber and to capture it, and it needs orientation like with you.
It takes you a lot of work to shape the texts of the Lunar Messenger, to work out the pearls. This is an artistic process, not just a working away of a heap, but a process of shaping. It is a very beautiful work, but it is also a work which attacks the nerves. This is how I feel it. There is the burning pulse of life. A friend of mine says: “You are leaving the comfort zone”, you aren’t at home, cannot relax, have to find it, bring it into life. It draws on your nerves. But this is also the sphere which takes you further. You are working on shifting a threshold, a border, in order to break open the Saturnian ring. This draws on your nerves, but also gives joy. Normally you only can afford it when the work is embedded in a stable context of life. You have to rest in yourself to be able to afford it. Otherwise it sweeps you off, even though it might be very beautiful.”
The response I got from my friend was full of a friendly understanding, and I felt that I also can share there thoughts in the process of clearing.
P.S.: A friend answered me about this post:
“I always carry with me the Mandra Scripture (An Aquarian Rendering of the Bhagavad Geeta, by Master EK). Today, I was re-reading Book XVIII – The Book of Liberation, from the Scripture. ‘And the Lord said, the need of Mendicancy and sacrifice if we want to be free. Mendicancy is giving up of actions that produce desires, and Sacrifice is the giving up of the results of all that we do.’
This I think relates to your nerves, because you still look for results in what you do, and this draws on your nerves. The one who relinquishes the results of his work, is the one who has really given up. This book, also gives the five causes of a deed. ( page 262) Because the fifth cause is the activity of the whole creation and it is an impersonal cause, the whole thing is only instrumental. Let not any cause start from you as motive an end in you as the ultimate result. Then the whole burden of work is placed upon something we call God. Now you are only a worker, and not a doer. Do no be the owner, but be a steward of all your activities.”
I answered her: “I have read with the head many times about release from the results of doing, read the Mandra scripture a number of times but haven’t yet achieved it. I feel it is also a question of ripening… I stopped trying to ‘play’ a spiritual concept, like I did for many years, when I realise the gap between myself (My Self) and the concept, even a spiritual one.”
And when talking with my wife, she added: In a creative process there is full focus, and out of this tension might arise. Even Masters, when fully concentrating on a task ahead, go through a process of utmost tension. This doesn’t have to be accompanied by looking for the results, but ignoring this is like ignoring the great bow of a creative manifestation in a work of art.
“Mogul emperor, Akbar, frequently summoned the court jester whenever he felt himself tense. Blessed are those who have a cheerful companion.” (Vaisakh Newsletter Capricorn 09)
Structure of the roof of a room in a friend’s house
Yesterday night the first snow transformed the surrounding nature into an enchanted scenery, covered with the pristine purity of the fresh winter. It’s like an outer reflection of the purity of the soul.
I was passing the day on the Gurten, the “house-mountain” of Berne, for a strategy workshop of our department, where I will be, from January onward, member of the management of the department. I took advantage of the occasion to take some shots.
Early morning in our garden: the street light has become a magical lamp, shining through the hedge.
On the way, passing by the seat of the South Korean embassy: snow shovelling
Over the Schönau-bridge, where in summer people are jumping into the Aare river for a swim
Inside the funicular uphill to the Gurten
The Gurten restaurant with an old ski-jump – like a fairytale castle
The restaurant terrace overlooking Berne
View from the balcony: Not just the time for a café
View into the valley. Somewhere right in front of the multi-storey-buildings you see our apartment building 🙂
Last autumn gold
A work of art, amplified by a snow-cap
A beautiful look-out, like the vertebral column with the kundalini
Inside the Gurten restaurant building: A beautiful Art-nouveau staircase, leading to higher realms of unfoldment
This morning there was an extremely beautiful sunrise, so I took a few photos from inside and outside of our flat.
Sunrise-view from the little garden in front of our apartment through the hedge now void of leaves
A little pentagram-sun with bells, on the terrace
The old castle of Muri in the background
Sunrise reflection in the living room windows…
and on the terrace
Two last roses in the autumn sky
Rose-hips in front of the fassade
The balcony of our neighbours above our flat, who enjoy our roses climbing up the fassade to their flat
Sunrise behind a leave…
and through the living room window
Inside the living room with an ironing board left from yesterday night’s work of my wife
Elephants on the piano, gifts from our teacher, Sri K. Parvathi Kumar
Yesterday there was an extremely intense day with a strong, pulsating flow, and I would like to share its main facets.
The day started around 4.40. After getting up, starting the computer, I went into the garden to sing 10 times Om Namah Sivaya, standing in the position of a five-pointed star. I follow this little ritual since several years and I like it very much. It was a bit below zero degrees in the dark. Back into the house, I had a look through the e-mails and answered some which had come during the night. Then taking a shower, preparing the kitchen and breakfast, yoga asanas. Before meditation I re-read a letter I received two days ago and which had deeply touched me. I felt like a door being opened in me. After 19 years of no more painting there was suddenly an impulse and images coming for future picture. Details of techniques I could use, colours, impressions. I decided to buy painting utensils during the day.
After meditation I wrote a little card of thanks to the author of the letter. Then breakfast, a quick look through the newspaper, getting my bicycle and setting off to work. I like the small path along a little forest, then along the autobahn, through roads where the traffic gets dense. Dropping the card, going on. When I crossed the bridge to the centre of Berne, I took a pedestrians walk under the arcades of the Swiss Federal Office building, where it isn’t allowed to go there by bike, but there were just a few walkers. I wanted to take some pictures of the sunrise and a little statue standing there – it was a beautiful view over the city, with the Alps in the background.
A statue of a woman in front of the Federal Office Building
Sitting in the autumn morning light
View over the city, with the historical museum and the Alps
Arriving at the office I took some pictures of my working place, from outside and inside.
My office room seen from the outside, with a little statue in front of the window
And seen from the inside.
A short chat with my colleague from the web-team, then going through the mails, preparing and publishing a news from the Samaritans about pandemia preparation home care courses on the web, Facebook, intranet, checking other news to be published. Then a meeting about an analysis of the needs of document management with a consultant from an agency and a staff member from another department. Afterwards a meeting with a colleague to evaluate his further vocational training application. Mails, phone calls, fixing appointments for the next week. Friday I’m having off in the afternoon.
So at noon time I went to my naturopath / homeopath, where I wanted to finish a 2-years treatment. We had a very good conversation. I like his in-depth reflections, he has a tremendous knowledge and an unconventional style. Both of us felt it the right time to end the treatment: Though there was no healing with my ear problem, the situation is stable and can be left like that. I asked him about Swine flue prevention and told him about the discussions which had been going on, mentioning the proposal of a friend for homoeopathic vaccinations. He said he is neither in favour of vaccination nor of homeopathic vaccinations: For him the time of taking a medicine is when the disease shows up, and not to interfere with a healthy system. He proposed the same two medicines my friend had indicated (though in other potencies and with different accents in treatment), these being classical homeopathic preparations in case of flu and swine flu – and of course support in case of any complications. He gave me the globuli with some instructions when to take them.
Leaving his practice I took my bike and went to an artist colours shop. A beautiful shop with many colours, pencils, brushes, papers. I selected a number of pens, colours and papers. On the way home it was raining, but I felt in a symphony of colours.
After a quick lunch and a short chat with my wife I already had to leave again, to bring the BMW of my mother-in-law (who is at the hospital at the moment) to the garage in another town for a tyre change. I hadn’t been there before, but googled the website of the garage. Getting the car keys from her apartment, highway, finding the garage. While the service took charge of the car, I sat in a café corner of the garage, surrounding by big BMWs, drinking a cup of tea and studying papers for the next Lunar Messenger on Saturn. It was a funny feeling.
The BMW cafeteria
Three quarters of an hour later the mechanic brought back the keys. Riding through some side ways to another part of Berne, to a big Red Cross hospital where my mother-in-law is at the moment. A long way through underground passages, elevators, floors. Then an intense talk for half an hour.
Hospital beds in the underground passage
Back through the hospital floors to the parking, evening traffic via the autobahn, to her home, changing cars.
At home a short nap and some minutes evening meditation, before getting off again: Yesterday evening there was the annual Red Cross office party in the logistic centre in a suburb of Berne. The rain had become heavier, so I took my motor cycle with rainwear and went through side-ways, over a pedestrians bridge to the logistic centre, where the ground floor had been prepared for the party.
I had a lot of good talks. First with a young lady from the youth section, doing a maternity replacement for 6 months. She’s still a student of Islamic sciences / comparative and Arabic studies. I also had studied, among others, comparative religions and told her that, while I was head of a psycho-social counseling centre for 7 years I had been publishing, together with a colleague from Iran, a series on information about culture and backgrounds of middle eastern refugees, and inter-cultural conflict analyses. A very lively talk which was interrupted by a visitor from Swaziland, who for a week is here for an exchange. He is doing Aids prevention activities. Then several other short “hello’s” and the fondue dinner started. I sat together with people from the marketing section and had some small-talk.
I like these office parties, giving a good possibility for exchanges with people I normally don’t see or talk to during the year. So I had a short, intense exchange with the head of an asylum seekers centre in the centre of Switzerland, whom I know since 19 years. He is a humorous guy from Iraqi Kurdistan. Later a talk with the human resources section which I also know since many years. Another talk with members of the health and integration department, the former migration department, where I had worked for 11 years. While waiting in the queue for the dessert buffet I had another talk with the head of the International cooperation department who just had returned from an International Red Cross conference in Nairobi, he is another long-time acquaintance. Further short exchanges, and then a beautiful final talk with my office room-mate who just has left the office to start as a full-time yoga teacher and professional writer. Though we had been working together for two years, we had consciously kept the private worlds apart. But now I came to know that he is also meditating and gave him a short insight into my colourful “spiritual carreer”. While the others slowly went to the dance floor I decided to return home.
Riding through the rain, back over the pedestrian bridge and along side ways through a forest and nightly quarters of the city I returned home. A final intense talk with my wife and then the day slipped away into sleep.
Last Wednesday morning it was quite misty around the house shedding a magical light, and so I took some photos from out of the entrance:
A Christmas star the caretaker has fixed in the entrance
Misty lights like a scene from some subtle worlds
In the evening on the way back home: Magical ambiance over the old city of Berne surrounded by the Aare river, with a violet sunset
At the motorbike garage, where the mechanic had to repair my motor-cycle
A gear mandala at the wall
I sometimes get e-mails from different people with texts about the state of the world or about some atrocities, often containing some appeals for action. I feel them written out of an indignation about the way things are going on, wanting to denounce abuses or deplorable situations, to stir the conscience, to stimulate to action or at least to create an awareness.
They speak out of a dismay and concernment. Often I feel like there is a wound in the writers or, with some, a missionary zeal. It reminds me of mine which I had for years.
For a long time I got myself infected from these calls of indignation. I either did some mini-steps into these direction or at least got a guilty conscience, out of solidarity or co-indignation.
I feel that this has faded away in me, it hardly lingers on. It’s true that I feel some of the waves, but there is nearly no more echo in me. For a while I asked myself if I have become indifferent. I know that’s not the case. I perceive what good and less good things are going on in the surrounding, in the world, through observation and the media. But some kind of a discrimination has developed which makes me focus my forces on where I can contribute something in a constructive direction, for strengthening, at least wanting to be something like a rock in turbulent waters, for a more human life.
Where I feel that indignation gets me nowhere, I don’t invest anymore energy except a loving thought like: “May pain bring due reward of light and love…”
I have become more calm, also more composed and focused. I welcome these mails, mostly not because of the content, but as a sign of a communication flow, an expression from heart to heart. This can be felt between or under the lines. About this I’m happy.
Blind-folded Fortune on the turning wheel, relief at a house in the centre of Brussels
Yesterday in my office I went through an online questionnaire concerning customer satisfaction with an agency and a Microsoft related product. I had to evaluate the quality of the cooperation and the introduction of the product.
When some minutes later, in a pause, I looked up my private e-mails, I saw an e-mail of an old friend who sent me the link to an online questionnaire: She is going to a workshop on personal effectiveness, where colleagues/collaborators should give a personality assessment with some 60 questions or so. I went through the questions. It was strange for me doing this profiling, an abstract form of evaluating my friend, not only about the chocolate sides, but also on more difficult personality traits in cooperation and organisation.
Two days before, at home, I had seen the assessment which the military had done about my son who at the moment is going through a lieutenant formation, and the profile showed his strengths and weaknesses in leadership qualities, very similar to our perception, giving recommendations where he should focus on… Somehow I felt strange reading this assessment without further reflecting on it.
My wife mentioned a talk with our homeopath yesterday, who said that the qualities of homeopathic remedies, when used to qualify an individual, are somehow simplifying and reducing the complexity of the individual. A plant or a mineral is much less complex than a human being, and so the way to find a remedy is an approximation to the problem of the person.
When we meet a person, we perceive him or her in his/her totality, in a split second (the so-called “first impression”). When we focus on specific aspects, we tend to narrow the individual down with our categories to see his/her aptness as per our expectations or needs. It is important to keep the broader perspective of the whole, to feel the other as a seed, his potential development through time instead of just the present form.
My wife and I spoke at noon about a young friend. Seeing in her the profound potential, which will unfold through time spurs the unfoldment. It is fascinating to feel this dormant power. My wife said, she had missed this view of her deeper potential in her youth, and that it is a great encouragement, knowing that someone sees the beautiful tree in the seed and believes in it, and also expresses his/her trust in the vision. This is much deeper than any personality assessment.
A work of art in Girona, Spain, symbolising stages of unfoldment
A friend sent a YouTube link to sublime songs of Loreena McKennitt – a Canadian singer, composer, harpist and pianist of Irish and Scottish descent. She is famous for writing, recording and performing world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern themes. Have a look at these beautiful videos:
Here are some more songs:
This is the text of “Dante’s Prayer” (an excellent video):
When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say
there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone
I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in
the light of the stars
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and fire
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars
Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We’ll rise above these earthly cares
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Please remember me
You find more songs of Loreena McKennitt on YouTube.