31 October, 2012

A PRAYER FOR OPENNESS


Aarti Flame
Spiritual Seekers have a variety of Practices ( Sanskrit word is SADHANA). Being open and aware  are vital qualities for all of us as we journey back to the Source.
  We need to regularly take time to shine the Inner Light of Awareness onto our relationship with the Mystery that is the Source of all life.

In Hinduism, the ceremony of the Aariti Flame is meant to remind devotees of their relationship with this Inner Light or Source.


The following is a simple Prayer or Mindful Experience that is designed to focus us of the present and being Present to the Presence.



SEEKING TO BE OPEN TO THE SPIRIT

A prayer of intercession

Touch your fingertips to the forehead

‘O Lord, open my mind to remember your presence’

Touch your fingertips to the lips


O Lord, open my mouth to speak your wisdom’


Touch your fingertips to the heart


‘O Lord, open my mouth to speak your wisdom’


Touch your fingertips to the lips


‘O Lord, open my heart to extend your love’


Open both hands palms up and extend them out


‘O Lord, open ermy hands  to serve  you  generously’


Open arms wide

‘ O Lord. Open my whole being to you’

‘May my mind, my body, my heart my all be yours’

Amen


Further examples of Satsang Spirituality can be accessed by linking to our local website    www.satsang-companionship.org.uk




26 October, 2012

The Story of the Universe


The Big Bang
 OUR UNIVERSE

The Continuing Story of Creation

Our Universe is part of the unfolding and ever-accelerating Cosmos. It came out of what many Cosmologists refer to as 'The Big Bang' It has existing almost 15 billion years and around about 4.7 billion years ago a Star , we call our Sun was born.

From this beginning our Solar System developed and from this developed our wonderful Blue Planet - often referred to as Mother Earth. For countless generations people have gazed at the stars and wondered and pondered about them. Philosophers, physicists, prose writers and poets, all have contributed to this wonderful story. In this week designated as ONE WORLD WEEK, it seems appropriate to share from the writings of a great Environmentalist and Ecologists, +Thomas Berry. Below is an excerpt from his writings


The Story of the Universe

The Universe story is the quintessence of reality.

We perceive the story.
We put it in our language,
the birds put it in theirs,
and the trees put it in theirs.

We can read the story of the Universe in the trees.
Everything tells the story of the Universe.
The winds tell the story,
literally, not just imaginatively.

The story has its imprint everywhere,
and that is why it is so important to know the story.

If you do not know the story,
in a sense you do not know yourself;
you do not know anything."
Thomas Berry

Further examples of Satsang Spirituality can be accessed by linking to our local website    www.satsang-companionship.org.uk




22 October, 2012

One World Week

ONE WORLD WEEK
21-28th October 2012

The one that sees the diversity but does not  recognise the underlying unity , 
wanders on from death to death'     Hindu Upanishads

This week is set aside as ONE WORLD WEEK. We are all members of a common species , all part of the growing human family. Every branch of human learning, every science, every spirituality every piece of research is increasingly confirming our shared oneness.  The great American Psychologist  William James put it succinctly more than 100 years ago, when he wrote :

' We are all like islands , connected at the deep'

Increasingly, we live in a world 'village'  Modern technology, the great advances in communication and our ability to quickly travel great distances, mean that we are much more aware of what is happening around the world. Consequently, we can no longer escape from our responsibility as a member of our human family. In short, ignorance is no longer an easy excuse for inactivity. What happens to one part of our human family impacts on all.

However, One World Week has an even higher remit. As a species we have four levels of spiritual awareness. These are outlined below.

1.  EGOCENTRED      The first level that we enter is that of being EGO-CENTRED. At this level we relate everything to a personal, intrinsic and egocentric view. At its worse this can lead to a total focus on the ME.   Ultimately, at its worse this Me-ness  leads to Meanness .

2. GROUP CENTRED    Our next level is that of our ethnicity,culture,family,religion etc. We are born into a culture, tribe and family and this heavily influences our personality, views, opinions and actions. Here again, at its worst, it can lead to a divisive  'Them and Us'  mentality. Where the 'other' becomes an 'It'   This mentality ultimately leads to wars, oppression and even Ethnic Cleansing.

3. WORLD CENTRED   Part of growing in awareness involves transcending the self and our group and recognising our inter-connectedness. We become more  aware that we are part of the wonderful diversity of our world. We are a related species living on and in a beautiful planet. Failure to do so has led, and will increasingly lead, to the exploitation of each other and of the resources of our planet.

4. Cosmic Centred   The fourth level of awareness involves cosmic awareness. We are part of a vast expanding and evolving creation . This is a creation that has existed for  14 Billion years . Our tiny Blue Planet, on which we live is floating in the vast oceans of our Cosmos, with its Universes and Multi-Verses. Whether or not we believe that there is a  Mystery, which many call God, lying at the heart of this evolving and expanding Cosmos is not the most crucial point. After all, our belief is based of faith which can be proven or dis-proven. Therefore our only response the the wonder of the Cosmos is one of AWE and WONDERMENT.

The ethos and values of One World Week are similar to those of the International Satsang Association  whose website can be accessed by following the link. Further information about our local Satsang can be accessed on our local website Satsang UK Midlands & North


Our challenge as a human family is to recognise our oneness with our world and each other. I want to end this short reflection with a challenge and quotation from the World Charter.

' Can we co-operate to move towards a global society , which adapts to change while :

    *        balancing the needs of nature,economy and society

    *        respecting universal human rights and economic justice

     *      building a culture of peace ?

Do we ( each) accept that only by working together to meet these challenges can we share equitably the legacy we have received with our descendants?

Perhaps each of us could take some time to reflect on the importance of One World.





12 October, 2012

Ecology & Spirituality - Day of Reflection




 ‘Ecology & Spirituality’


How do they touch your life?

“Human use, population, and technology have reached that
certain stage where mother Earth no longer accepts
our presence with silence.”      Dalai Lama

A Day of Reflection & Experience

Saturday 10th November 2012     (10.30 – 4.30 )

FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE
Summerfield Road, Wolverhampton


We live in a world that faces many challenges. It is a world where change is occurring at an unprecedented rate.  Many of these changes are adversely impacting on the Ecology of our Blue Planet. We face urgent choices and our response to the urgency is critical. These challenges and choices can inform and/or  effect our view on Spirituality, Religion, Science, Social Awareness and all areas of life.

Our day will be informed by some input from DVD clips, Scripture and other sources. We will have times for Personal and Shared Reflection and in the afternoon some shared group responses to the theme.

Further information about this event and the UK Midlands & North Satsang Group  can be found by following the link in blue to our local Website www.satsang-companionship.org.uk

OPEN EVENT   ALL ARE WELCOME

COST: To cover the cost of hiring the Hall and drinks there is a charge of £5 /person
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN PACKED LUNCH

09 October, 2012

Seeking Meaning Rather than Sense

'Seek Meaning rather than sense.
Seeking sense  can often lead to Non-Sense'
  
The words above are adapted from the work of + Viktor Frankl a famous Austrian Psychologist and survivor of the Nazi Concentration camps. As a Spiritual Seeker and Member of the International Satsang Association, I find these words , powerful, meaningful and very helpful.

The purpose and meaning of the International Satsang Association is outlined in its Logo

Seeking Together - Helping to Create - A Planetary Vision and a Universal Heart of Compassion.

As a Satsang Member, I share a common goal with many others, including Satsang Members and all Spiritual Seekers. As Seekers, we accept our responsibility to try our very best to seek Truth  in every aspect of, and encounter with, life.To assist us in this serious and important endevour we regularly gather together in Satsang to share with and support each other,This helps us to strengthen our resolve to gain the wisdom to see and the strength to respond to the ' Signs of our Times'

We particularly strive to recognise our common humanity and our unity in diversity. In doing so we try to play our part in breaking down the barriers of difference , in all its aspects, that separate and divide our human family and to strive to build up relationships of compassion.