Letter # 11: "Refuge Under The Shadow Of Wings"

A person, with whom I was doing psychotherapy, came to see me one day in deep distress over a personal matter and sobbed loudly, “Doctor, why do I have to suffer this? I’m a kind person!”
“What religion were you born into?” I asked quietly. “Muslim,” replied the person. “Think of and say a number between 10 and 200,” I said. “63,” replied the person. Then I took a copy of the Koran off my bookshelf and turned to the top of page 63.
This is what it said: “If good befalls them, they say: ‘This is from God,’ but if evil befalls them they say: “This is from you.’” Say, (O Our Prophet Muhammed): ‘All is from God’ But what has happened to these people that they make practically no effort to understand anything they are told?”.
On hearing this quotation, the person calmed down immediately and broke into smile.
[The quotation given is from “The Koran” Translated by S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali (US Library of Congress catalogue number 2004099418].
The Scientific Research: “Several large studies suggest that people with an active religious life tend to stay healthier, live longer, and be happier. For example, a review article published in 2000 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society cited an international study of nearly 170,000 men and women from 14 countries that found religious affiliation and attendance at services significantly increased the likelihood of happiness and satisfaction. Twelve years of data from 2,800 older adults enrolled in the Yale Health and Aging Study, reported in 1997 in the Journals of Gerontology, showed members of religious congregations had a slower onset of physical disability. Other studies on how religion affects health have noted less hostility and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and better quality of life among people with strong beliefs.”
See http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=896ea383-5547-4e9b-b33b-5485f6757489&p=6

Psalm 57:1 “… I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.” Bhagavad Gita 2.65: “For one thus satisfied [in Krishna consciousness], the three fold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such satisfied consciousness, one’s intelligence is soon well established.” (Translation by Srila Prabhupada). In the ultimate analysis, all emanates from the original creative principle of the universe, whatever name you want to give it. For simplicity's sake let's call it God. Take refuge in the shadow of God's wings.


God Bless; Allah Hu Akbar; May The Forces Of The Universe Bring You Harmony; Hare Krishna; Radha-Swami; and Nanak Naam Chardi Kala Tere Bhane Sarbat Dha Bhalla.

I wish to express my gratitude for your comments, which inspire me to carry on writing. Please forgive my fallibilities in presenting this material. Also, feel free to send this message on to someone that you might think would like to receive it. If you do send it on, my only request of you is that you send it as it is, in its entirety, and to not alter or modify any of the text, references or authorship information. Thus you will help to give credit or liability to where they are properly due.

Jas Bhopal
Copyright© 2007
“Practicing goodwill makes for a good life."
Tel: 604 273 6641 (also for fax on request)

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References: "The Holy Bible" Online version; "The Koran" as translated by SV Mir Ahmed Ali 2005 ISBN 0-9761870-0-0); "The Bhagavad Gita As it Is" as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN 0-89213-268-X; The Srimad Bhagavatum as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN0-89213-259-0; "I Am That. Talks With Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj” ISBN 0-89386-022-0; The Dhammapada ISBN-10:1-84483-344-5; The Sacred Sukhmani ISBN 81-7205-098-4; Wikipedia.