Guest guest Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Where I live there are no lotus flowers, but this single rose is blooming outside the Lord Shiva Temple at Kedar... http://www.omshaantih.com/Happy%20Diwali.htm Hari OM, Joyce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 advaitin, "Lady Joyce" <shaantih@c...> wrote: > Where I live there are no lotus flowers, but this single rose is blooming outside the Lord Shiva Temple at Kedar... > > http://www.omshaantih.com/Happy%20Diwali.htm Namaste, Thank you for the beautiful sight of the Rose chanting the prayer of Unity. The link to Pandurang Shastri Athavale's discourse on Deepavali was indeed a Divine coincidence, for yesterday he merged the flame that sparked his social revolution, Swadhyaya movement, into the Eternal Flame he so adored. [ http://www.omshaantih.com/diwali_the_festival_of_lights.htm ] For a brief account of his life and work : http://www.lifepositive.com/Spirit/new-age- catalysts/athavale/athavale-shastri.asp The Templeton Prize was awarded him a couple of years ago: http://www.templeton.org/JTF_Capabilities/laureates.htm "Pandurang Shastri Athavale His life's mission began in 1954 in the villages around Bombay. Nineteen of Athavale's most dedicated co-workers, primarily professionals, began bhaktiferi — devotional visits to the villages to spread the message of love for God and others. Through bhaktiferi, Athavale and his co-workers developed the practice of swadhyaya, a form of self-study that inspires each individual to recognize an inner God, cultivate an increased self-respect, and abandon immoral behavior. By believing that God also dwells within others, those who pursue self-study can develop a loving relationship with all persons, resulting in a reduction of crime, the removal of social barriers, and an alleviation of poverty, hunger and homelessness. The result has been a complete transformation— spiritually and economically—of approximately 100,000 villages and 20 million people. The United Nations has named the movement one of the most significant developments in the world, noting that the swadhyaya communities, "are indeed more wholesome, better developed economically, cleaner and more efficient." Swadhyaya's political thrust is neither communist nor capitalist. Apart from Athavale serving as the spiritual leader, it has no office holders. Athavale neither seeks nor accepts financial help from governments or philanthropic agencies any of his swadhyaya experiments. When he received the prestigious Mahatma Ghandhi Prize in 1988, Athavale matched the cash award and returned it to the donors to be used at their discretion. Among the world's largest worshipping denominations, this seems to be the first ever which gives no titles to anyone, pays no salaries to anyone, builds no buildings and refuses to accept donations, claims no authority, and requires no rituals." May his work inspire us all with his vision of the Divine in all! Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 Namaste Shri Sunderji: You wrote... The link to Pandurang Shastri Athavale's discourse on Deepavali was indeed a Divine coincidence, for yesterday he merged the flame that sparked his social revolution, Swadhyaya movement, into the Eternal Flame he so adored. [ http://www.omshaantih.com/diwali_the_festival_of_lights.htm ] For a brief account of his life and work : http://www.lifepositive.com/Spirit/new-age- catalysts/athavale/athavale-shastri.asp The Templeton Prize was awarded him a couple of years ago: http://www.templeton.org/JTF_Capabilities/laureates.htm May his work inspire us all with his vision of the Divine in all! -------------------------------- I am humbled that the message of Pandurang Shastri Athavale's mission should be connected to my simple Diwali message, especially on so auspicious a day for him. The credit for the message in the link belongs to a member of a small group to which I belong as a result of my attendance at the Global Dharma Conference earlier this year. Its purpose is to educate others as to the Indic traditions. The gentleman who posted it noted that he sends it each year in honor of Diwali to help educate his colleagues in the Indic traditions. I had just taken the text and added it quickly to my page. I need to find out his full name and properly give him credit :-) I added the link to the webpage a few minutes after I sent the post to this list. I had chosen 3 links to add, one of which was posted to this list by Kvashishtji earlier that day. I had really posted them there for myself as a place to go for my own education in the Indic traditions!!! In other words, that page is not complete, as it is, in its own way, a new beginning... Do I have your permission to share your post with the group where I first found the Diwali discourse? I am sure the man who sent us the greeting would be pleased to know that it reached your heart. Hari OM, Joyce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2003 Report Share Posted October 26, 2003 advaitin, "Lady Joyce" <shaantih@c...> wrote: > Namaste Shri Sunderji: > > Do I have your permission to share your post with the group > where I first found the Diwali discourse? I am sure the man > who sent us the greeting would be pleased to know that it > reached your heart. Namaste Joyce-ji, You have full 'permission' to share the joy of my post with your group! Thanks again for sharing your inspirations! Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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