Friday, November 14, 2008

Thursday, November 13, 2008

A Sahaja Yoga practitioner shares her vision of the country, with reference to the specific problem of unemployment on http://www.change.gov/


(cc licensed picture from gadl on flickr)




"I wanted to share my vision on how to solve/ease the problem of unemployment.Many people in US nowdays are required to work overtime and cannot take vacation days which they have. This means that the companies don't want to create new workplaces and hire more people. This also violates human rights. Previously we had 8 hour day and 40 hour week, no more. However in the last 9-10 years I noticed a change that companies require people to work overtime. Many people work 50-80 hours week, especially in IT. Also people cannot take vacation days that are accumulated as employer doesn't give leave. People cannot defend their right of working just 40 hours. They fear to lose the workplace. As a result of that some people work more hours and some people don't have employment at all because complanies don't create new work places. Also this creates disbalance in the society,people cannot do their family duties, children are neglected without enough of parents attention.So I suggest to change working policies - the government needs to control how many hours people work and they need to take their vacation days.The companies need to create new workplaces. The people working 80 hours - means 2 workplaces working 40 hours instead of one.Also in Europe vacation time is 45 days/year and there is nothing wrong with that. Balance between work and family time is good for everyone in the society and more work places will be created, more people will be employed. For ladies - many would like to work part time - 20 hours or so.We need this time for families and children. But employers are not creating part time work opportunities. For people with BS and MS very hard to find part time jobs in their field. So always we, ladies, have to either sacrifice a career or family commitments. It would be nice if government enforces companies to hold part-time job opportunities for every field of work.This will mean that more people will be employed and balance of family life will be maintained. The future generation will thank the government for that. And rate of unemployment will reduce dramatically."

-- A.L.

A Prince & A Promise


The Crown Prince wrote this beautiful letter to the people of America:

"I am writing to congratulate Senator Barack Obama for his histoiric election as the 44th President of the United States. He is a dynamic and unifying leader who will reach across geographic and political divides and forge new partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
I also want to congratulate the people of the USA - one of the world's oldest democracies - for participating in this election in unprecedented numbers, for making their voices heard and for truly "being the change they want to see in the world".
History will record this election as having enormous long-term positive consequences for America's most valuable export: democracy.The 2008 Election will hold a place
alongside the election of 1796 when George Washington's decision not to run for a third term assured American democracy; the election of 1828 when Andrew Jackson's victory led to greater public participation in the country's democratic process; Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 leading to the emancipation of African-americans; and the 1960's election of John F. Kennedy, which cast a backlight on America's religious tolerance. Each and everyone of these elcetions sent a message to the world.
The 2008 election of Barack Obama makes clear that America embraces diversity as its greatest strength and that its people are committed to elcting the best person capable of leading the country and the world forward and upward by, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, appealing "to the better angels of our nature."In light of its historical importance, the 2008 election results are a mandate for change - not
just for the United States but for our entire global community.For this very reason, the election was followed closely around the world - from London to Lima, from Manila to Mexico City, from Nairobi to New Delhi, from Ryadh to Ras al Khaimah, my homeland. Ras Al Khaimah, a member of the UAE, strategically
located along the Straits of Hormuz, a small emirate with big plans for the future. We have long supported the UAE's effort to promote a strong relationship with the United States in the spirit of peace and prosperity to the benefit of all.
In the coming weeks, I will be proposing to the people of Ras Al Khaimah A Pledge For Progress that calls for 1) Building an economy that serves the people and not just the powerful, 2) Pursuing clean and renewable energy indepenence, 3) Preserving our soverignty as a proud member of the UAE, 4) Increasing educational opportunities for the next generations, 5) Promotong the rule of law, including respect for intellectual property and 6) Encouraging greater participation in government. I look forward to working with President-elect Obama, just as I worked with President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush, to the mutual benefit of the people of the USA and Ras Al Khaimah."

Windsor Enlightened

Free Meditation Classes featuring Sahaja method of meditation are now being offered at the Windsor, ON College Ave. Community Center. Citizens of Windsor who attended the meetings have expressed great satisfaction at the content of the classes and enjoyed the collective learning, which features stress management, learning about the subtle being (chakras & channels) and balancing techniques.

For meeting directions, click here.

Udrang: The All Pervading, Living Force

There is a subtle power which is described as the all-pervading Power of God’s love, as Paramachaitanya, as Udrang, as, so many other words have been used for this power, which does all the living work. Like we see the flowers so beautiful as they are but we take them for granted. We don’t see how they have come from a little seed, how they are blossoming in these different colors. All this living work we take for granted. We have also taken our evolution for granted and everything that autonomous nervous system does we have taken for granted, it’s a good thing in a way because it’s too much of a worry and botheration if you start thinking why of everything. But there is a power, which does all these things.

-- Shri Mataji, Miami, 1990

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

On Forgiveness "It just doesn't matter"

Dave, a Sahaja Yoga practitioner shares views on forgiveness and its aspects in this beautiful message:
In my experience, there is always a good reason why people do (bad) things. If someone hurts you deliberately, try looking for why they did it. If you dig deep enough, you'll find there is always a good reason. It is the necessary action for them. If you were in their exact place (including their spiritual development), you would do the same thing.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't protect yourself. Or that it is OK for them to hurt you. They will incur their own Karma, which they will have to work off in full. You can feel free to prosecute them legally, or other naturally occurring consequences for their actions. But this must be done, not at all out of revenge, but because this is a nature consequence.


Occasionally, someone wronged me strongly. I took my best judgement of appropiate action. But I recognized that the anger I felt inside was MY problem. It took time for me to let go of this anger (in one case, two years -- now I have a better method with bandhans), but I did not put the anger on them. Actually, I felt sorry for them, that they did such a foolish action.

Finally, it may be that what seems hurtful to you may end up being for your benifit (if only learning to let go of the anger). I believe we are not qualified to judge others, or ourself. "Let he who is without sin...". But also, we are just not in a position to determine what is bad, simply because we don't like it.

It just doesn't matter.
Dave


One

Poetry on Forgiveness by Walter L., USA

One

I am one
One with myself
One with the child inside of me
One with joy bubbling in my heart
One with the spirit of eternity

I am one
One with the Mother in my heart
One with the Mother nurturing me from the earth
One with the Mother in the space of the universe
One with the Mother silently protecting me

I am one
One with the here and now