Seeking Approval for a Holiday (and Extra Parking Spaces)

[Guest guest]

Here's a cute story about the political side of angling for a bigger

Diwali/Deepavali celebration in New York City, from yesterday's New

York Times:

 

Seeking Approval for a Holiday, and a Few Extra Parking Spaces

By Seth Kugal

 

January 18, 2004 - New York is a place where the temporal and the

spiritual intersect in improbable locations, like a typical city

street. For example, if a group of Indian business owners in Queens

has its way, the city will soon recognize the Hindu celebration of

Diwali as it does the Muslim holiday of Id al-Fitr, the end of

Ramadan: by suspending alternate-side street cleaning rules.

 

Diwali is a five-day festival honoring Lakshmi, the goddess of

wealth. It is sometimes called the Festival of Lights (the word means

row of lamps), and it signifies the end of the Hindu year. According

to the 2000 census, there are 171,000 Indians in New York, mostly

Hindus. The city also has Hindus from other places, especially Guyana

and the Caribbean.

 

Last month, the Jackson Heights Merchants Association wrote to Mayor

Bloomberg urging that the city recognize the first day as a holiday.

Shiv Dass, the group's president, originally thought such a move

would let Hindu city employees and public school students take the

day off, although Silvia Alvarez, a mayoral spokeswoman, noted that

workers and students can take days off for any religious

celebrations.

 

Changes in parking rules changes must go through the City Council,

which Mr. Dass said he plans to contact.

 

"They have the sacred holiday for Muslims on Id - why not for Hindus

on Diwali?" Mr. Dass said. "The Indians' contribution is not less

valuable to this country."

 

The city's car owners might agree. If parking rules were suspended

for Diwali, drivers could celebrate a five-day parking festival in

mid-November 2004: Veterans Day on the 11th, Diwali on the 12th and

Id al-Fitr from the 13th to the 15th.

 

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/18/nyregion/thecity/18diwa.html

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

In my city, "no parking" rules are suspended on many streets near

churches for Sundays only.

 

I've always wanted to have the laws and signs changed so that the "no

parking" rules were suspended near Pagan gathering places for Full

Moon days.

 

Not only would it be very cool and affirming but it would make the

population get back in touch with the cycles of the moon. They would

have to in order to figure out the parking. And the law enforcement

officers would have to know in order to figure out if they should

give out tickets. I think that the fact that most citizens take no

notice of the lunar and other natural cycles is a shame and leads us

into numbness.

 

I find it particularly irksome to watch the weather on my local news

channel and see night time always symbolized by a half or cresent

moon, regardless of the current phase. Of all the people in the

corporate media, you'd think that the weather person would know the

phase of the moon!

 

Blessings and peace,

 

prainbow

 

, "Devi Bhakta"

<devi_bhakta> wrote:

> Here's a cute story about the political side of angling for a

bigger

> Diwali/Deepavali celebration in New York City, from yesterday's New

> York Times:

>

> Seeking Approval for a Holiday, and a Few Extra Parking Spaces

> By Seth Kugal

>

> January 18, 2004 - New York is a place where the temporal and the

> spiritual intersect in improbable locations, like a typical city

> street. For example, if a group of Indian business owners in Queens

> has its way, the city will soon recognize the Hindu celebration of

> Diwali as it does the Muslim holiday of Id al-Fitr, the end of

> Ramadan: by suspending alternate-side street cleaning rules.

>

> Diwali is a five-day festival honoring Lakshmi, the goddess of

> wealth. It is sometimes called the Festival of Lights (the word

means

> row of lamps), and it signifies the end of the Hindu year.

According

> to the 2000 census, there are 171,000 Indians in New York, mostly

> Hindus. The city also has Hindus from other places, especially

Guyana

> and the Caribbean.

>

> Last month, the Jackson Heights Merchants Association wrote to

Mayor

> Bloomberg urging that the city recognize the first day as a

holiday.

> Shiv Dass, the group's president, originally thought such a move

> would let Hindu city employees and public school students take the

> day off, although Silvia Alvarez, a mayoral spokeswoman, noted that

> workers and students can take days off for any religious

> celebrations.

>

> Changes in parking rules changes must go through the City Council,

> which Mr. Dass said he plans to contact.

>

> "They have the sacred holiday for Muslims on Id - why not for

Hindus

> on Diwali?" Mr. Dass said. "The Indians' contribution is not less

> valuable to this country."

>

> The city's car owners might agree. If parking rules were suspended

> for Diwali, drivers could celebrate a five-day parking festival in

> mid-November 2004: Veterans Day on the 11th, Diwali on the 12th and

> Id al-Fitr from the 13th to the 15th.

>

> URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/18/nyregion/thecity/18diwa.html

[Guest guest]

Paulie, where do you live that you have "Pagan gathering places"?

 

My coven's gathering places are my living-room, or a nearby park. Nobody

parks cars in either location.

 

And why are you neglecting the Solstices and Equinoxes?

 

-- Len/ Kalipadma

 

 

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 20:14:42 -0000 "prainbow61" <paulie-rainbow

writes:

>

> I've always wanted to have the laws and signs changed so that the

> "no

> parking" rules were suspended near Pagan gathering places for Full

> Moon days.

>

> Not only would it be very cool and affirming but it would make the

> population get back in touch with the cycles of the moon.

> >

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Negecting?! Nonsense. The sun gets my greeting on all of Her days. I

stand in my doorway at dawn and wave a censer of perfumed smoke. I

offer my prayers and perform other interesting rituals.

 

The neighbors are quite amused. On Lammas, when I was bent over my

side walk drawing out designs in corn meal, they sent over their

English speaking granddaughter to find out what I was up to.

 

I live in the Denver area, luckily enough we have several "occult"

stores that host drummings and full moon gatherings. Even the local

Unitarian churches host Pagan events. And, since these churches are

nominally Christian, there are parking signs nearby that indicate

that street parking is allowed on Sundays.

 

I just thought it should be allowed on Full Moon nights as well.

 

Oh, we also have a Krishna temple and another Hindu temple that I

have yet to visit. We have a number of Indian grocery stores and it

was through them that I located the annual Navaratri festivals.

 

It's not a very big city (yet) but it does have those urban amenities

of diversity.

 

And, also, I have worshipped in various livingrooms and fenced or

hedged yards across town. Most of the Pagans I know have a

temple/meditation room if they can afford it. Many have tried to own

land outside of town or in the mountains where they can create sacred

space for themselves, or for others to share. Some friends of mine

have a fairly large tract and on the top of a beautiful hill they've

laid out a large labrynth.

 

One of the things I really enjoyed about India was how many spots

were blessed. I was walking through the mountains and there was a

rock, marked with some sacred design and wet with recent food

offerings...to what deity I don't know. But I really liked the way

that any and all things were recognized as sacred, sometimes in

seemingly whimsical or random ways.

 

Blessings,

 

prainbow

 

, kalipadma@j... wrote:

>

> Paulie, where do you live that you have "Pagan gathering places"?

>

> My coven's gathering places are my living-room, or a nearby park.

Nobody

> parks cars in either location.

>

> And why are you neglecting the Solstices and Equinoxes?

>

> -- Len/ Kalipadma

>

>

> On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 20:14:42 -0000 "prainbow61" <paulie-

rainbow@u...>

> writes:

> >

> > I've always wanted to have the laws and signs changed so that the

> > "no

> > parking" rules were suspended near Pagan gathering places for

Full

> > Moon days.

> >

> > Not only would it be very cool and affirming but it would make

the

> > population get back in touch with the cycles of the moon.

> > >

>

>

> ______________

> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!

> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!

> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

[Guest guest]

> Even the local

> Unitarian churches host Pagan events. And, since these churches are

> nominally Christian, there are parking signs nearby that indicate

> that street parking is allowed on Sundays.

 

I have visited three or four Unitarian churches and discussed

theology with the ministers. I have been told that 50 years ago, the

chruches were Christian, but they have changed so that the majority

of Unitarians today do not describe themselves as Christians. One

minister I talked to openly described himself as Buddhist, another as

Wiccan. Some church members call themselves Christian, others Jewish,

others Hindu, many atheist. One church had a immigrant couple from

India practicing Zoroastrianism. A Unitarian church is a mixture of

people of different people of different beliefs held together by an

agreement to support and tolerate each other.

 

Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

Sister Usha Devi,

 

I appreciate your desire to clarify in the name of faiths other than

your own. However, I do feel that the Universalists that I have known

are feisty enough to speak for themselves.

 

Here in Denver the Universalist tradition, while it varies from

congregation to congregation and encompasses an admirable diversity

is in fact strongly Christian. And since I was speaking only for my

experience of my own community and not trying, on the Shakti Sadhana

list, as a Pagan, to speak about Unitarian Universalism I don't think

that correcting me was necessary.

 

If you wish to personally explore further the tradition of UU in

Denver, I invite you to visit their website. In particular one of our

UU congregations posts the texts of their sermons. You may find the

text from the last Autumnal Equinox interesting. It says:

 

"If you look at the second part of our principles which lists the

sources of our religious tradition you will find these words: "Jewish

and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by

loving our neighbors as ourselves."

 

The sermon itself is on the importance of their Christian roots.

 

You will find the sermon here:

http://www.firstuniversalist.org/SermonsSeptB.htm#September%2021,%

202003

 

I find myself wishing that you would contribute more from your

interesting Hindu background, particularly as it relates to Devi. In

this regard I find your experience unique and very compelling and I

would love to hear more about it.

 

Bright blessings,

 

prainbow

 

, "Sister Usha Devi"

<sisterusha> wrote:

> > Even the local

> > Unitarian churches host Pagan events. And, since these churches

are

> > nominally Christian, there are parking signs nearby that indicate

> > that street parking is allowed on Sundays.

>

> I have visited three or four Unitarian churches and discussed

> theology with the ministers. I have been told that 50 years ago,

the

> chruches were Christian, but they have changed so that the majority

> of Unitarians today do not describe themselves as Christians. One

> minister I talked to openly described himself as Buddhist, another

as

> Wiccan. Some church members call themselves Christian, others

Jewish,

> others Hindu, many atheist. One church had a immigrant couple from

> India practicing Zoroastrianism. A Unitarian church is a mixture of

> people of different people of different beliefs held together by an

> agreement to support and tolerate each other.

>

> Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

OM Prainbow

 

The Unitarian Universalist experience in Denver may be founded

on Judeo/Christian roots but that is not the experience of all UU

Congregations, especially the one where I live. That particular

congregation has a strong anti-Christian bias, although the

minister is obliged to give some Christian oriented sermons

throughout the year to give the appearance of fairness. These

sermons usually involve the "Jesus Project" or trying to

authenticate what Jesus actually said. Naturally, its findings are

open to wide interpretation.

 

In my experience, what is common to those who are members of

a UU congregation is a strong ego ('feistiness' as another

member has characterized it). From this flows the other

commonality, that of having a mandate for 'social justice' or, as

others such as myself would call it 'imposing one's own will on

others'.

 

Omprem

 

 

, "prainbow61"

<paulie-rainbow@u...> wrote:

> Sister Usha Devi,

>

> I appreciate your desire to clarify in the name of faiths other

than

> your own. However, I do feel that the Universalists that I have

known

> are feisty enough to speak for themselves.

>

> Here in Denver the Universalist tradition, while it varies from

> congregation to congregation and encompasses an admirable

diversity

> is in fact strongly Christian. And since I was speaking only for

my

> experience of my own community and not trying, on the Shakti

Sadhana

> list, as a Pagan, to speak about Unitarian Universalism I don't

think

> that correcting me was necessary.

>

> If you wish to personally explore further the tradition of UU in

> Denver, I invite you to visit their website. In particular one of our

> UU congregations posts the texts of their sermons. You may

find the

> text from the last Autumnal Equinox interesting. It says:

>

> "If you look at the second part of our principles which lists the

> sources of our religious tradition you will find these words:

"Jewish

> and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love

by

> loving our neighbors as ourselves."

>

> The sermon itself is on the importance of their Christian roots.

>

> You will find the sermon here:

>

http://www.firstuniversalist.org/SermonsSeptB.htm#September%

2021,%

> 202003

>

> I find myself wishing that you would contribute more from your

> interesting Hindu background, particularly as it relates to Devi.

In

> this regard I find your experience unique and very compelling

and I

> would love to hear more about it.

>

> Bright blessings,

>

> prainbow

>

> , "Sister Usha Devi"

> <sisterusha> wrote:

> > > Even the local

> > > Unitarian churches host Pagan events. And, since these

churches

> are

> > > nominally Christian, there are parking signs nearby that

indicate

> > > that street parking is allowed on Sundays.

> >

> > I have visited three or four Unitarian churches and discussed

> > theology with the ministers. I have been told that 50 years

ago,

> the

> > chruches were Christian, but they have changed so that the

majority

> > of Unitarians today do not describe themselves as

Christians. One

> > minister I talked to openly described himself as Buddhist,

another

> as

> > Wiccan. Some church members call themselves Christian,

others

> Jewish,

> > others Hindu, many atheist. One church had a immigrant

couple from

> > India practicing Zoroastrianism. A Unitarian church is a

mixture of

> > people of different people of different beliefs held together by

an

> > agreement to support and tolerate each other.

> >

> > Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

My dearest friend Prainbow

I do wish to avoid anoth4er pointless and off-topic argument here.

My intent in my comments was not to criticize nor to correct you, but

simply to add more information on what you said. And my statements

were correct. The Unitarians have a Christian history and some

members still consider themselves Christian, but the group as a whole

has moved away from that and no longer calls itself Christian. That

information comes from the Unitarian ministers that I talked to, and

I assume that they know their own group.

I wish to add that the largest Pagan organization in the USA is

CUUPS, the Coven of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. This is inside the

Unitarian group, members of the Unitarian churchs who are openly

pagan. Some Unitarian ministers belong to this.

 

Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

Sister Usha and Omprem,

 

It was I who characterized them as feisty. And also, yes I am trying

to avoid and prevent further pointless and off-topic arguments here.

 

In fact, I am amazed at how my responses are picked apart. I was not

talking about the UU organization and mentioned them only in passing

as an example of churches in the Denver area who get special Sunday

parking privileges, because they, like the other churhes in the

Denver area, have Sunday sermons.

 

Furthermore, as I mentioned, they come easily to mind, because they

host, as separate events, Pagan Open Full moon rituals. These events

have been occuring for many years here in Denver and they are

conducted not by the UU folks, but by a rotating committee of other

Pagan organizations.

 

I have been alive, awake and a Pagan here in Denver for many many

many years.

 

I know about CUUPS, thank you very much.

 

I know about the greater reputation and august history of the

Unitarian Universalists. Again, thank you very much.

 

I further know my own experience and it is from that which I speak.

 

Again, I have seen absolutely no value in this thread, purported to

be educating me about the Unitarian Universalists, on the Shakti

Sadhana list.

 

If I want to know about the Unitarian Universalists, I'll go and talk

to them or visit their website, or talk to the member of my family

who is in a UU congregation, or call the latest leader of the local

CUUPS group. I do not lack for information and resources about the

UU's.

 

Now, again, Sister Usha, I invite you to speak of your personal

experience with Devi, which is indeed something to which I can only

have access through you.

 

Bright Blessings,

 

prainbow

 

, "Sister Usha Devi"

<sisterusha> wrote:

> My dearest friend Prainbow

> I do wish to avoid anoth4er pointless and off-topic argument

here.

> My intent in my comments was not to criticize nor to correct you,

but

> simply to add more information on what you said. And my statements

> were correct. The Unitarians have a Christian history and some

> members still consider themselves Christian, but the group as a

whole

> has moved away from that and no longer calls itself Christian. That

> information comes from the Unitarian ministers that I talked to,

and

> I assume that they know their own group.

> I wish to add that the largest Pagan organization in the USA is

> CUUPS, the Coven of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. This is inside

the

> Unitarian group, members of the Unitarian churchs who are openly

> pagan. Some Unitarian ministers belong to this.

>

> Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

My dearest friend Prainbow,

We appear to be arguing without disagreeing about anything. I am

unsure how this came about, but I assure you that no offense was

intended. Please let us be friends and discuss something worthwhile.

 

Sister Usha