Letter # 24: "Friday"

It's Friday. If we count Friday as the fifth day of the week, then this is what happened on the "fifth day" in the Biblical account:Genesis 20-25: 20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Gladness swells up in me when I read the words "And God saw that it was good". You see, everything that was created was good. So think positively: click on this web-link to read six tips on reducing stress: http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=2f93a35a-191e-4cfd-8fef-ad8b9e7e36b1&p=6&utm_source=nl_emohealth Now let me return to "Friday". The name comes from the old English frigedæg "Frigga's day," the. goddess of married love and fertiltiy, and is shown in the picture. She's the equivalent of Roman Venus. The Latin dies Veneris, is the day (of the planet) Venus." Friday is Vendredi in French, venerdì in Italian, viernes in Spanish, and vineri in Romanian. In Hindi, Friday is Shukravar, after shukra, the Sanskrit name of the planet Venus. The heavenly bodies are indeed awe inspiring. They're given utmost respect in all writings: "I swear by the receding planets ... verily it (Koran) is the word of a most honoured messenger". says the Koran in Ch 81:15-19 Corinthians states: 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another. 41The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour. Click here to see that splendour: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/NewsandOpinions/Articles/Spitzer In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna states: "Aham (I) sarvasya (of all) prabhav (the source of generation..." The full verse is rendered as "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship me with all their hearts." In western and Vedic literature, Venus is associated with femininity, beauty, pleasure, reproduction, and wealth. In terms of reproduction, wonderful reproduction took place on the day corresponding to Friday, as described in Genesis. And if Friday is your payday, as it is for many, enjoy and put to good use whatever wealth the Great Provider brings to you.


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© 2008"
“Practicing goodwill makes for a good life."
Tel: 604 273 6641 (also for fax on request)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 23: "Thursday"

It's Thursday.
If Monday is the first day of the week, then Thursday is the fourth. This is what happened on the "fourth day" in the Biblical account:Genesis 14-19: "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.' And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good." Again, in my opinion, the key words here are "it was good".The scientifically inclined might rightfully ask how could vegetation, which was created on the "day" before, precede the creation of the Sun. They might say that the Biblical scripture seems illogical. The answer to this question of "irregularity" is given in the Srimad Bhagavatum, which states:"Any literature or narration in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka, is described and glorified is certainly great, pure, glorious, auspicious and all good." C8:1:32. The purpose of spiritual scripture is to help realize the Supreme, and not necessarily to have all the ideas presented in the right order. Which begs the questions: "Does science always presents it's theories correctly? Does science have it's own "leaps of faith"? Indeed it does. Click on this link to read this recent editorial in the New York Times, sent to me by a friend: Op-Ed Contributor: Taking Science on Faith Now let me return to "Thursday". The name comes from Thor, the Norse god of Thunder. Thunder signifies power. "I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice of thunder: Come !" says the Bible in Rev 6:1. "Thunder glorifies him with praise", states the Koran 13:13. Krishna says, "Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the Surabhi". Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa (Cupid) the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki". Here Krishna is speaking about the qualities of power (thunder), gentleness (cow), love (Kandarpa), and cunning (serpent). All are necessary for survival. It's Thursday, Stay gentle and loving, and use your wit (cunning) to survive but don't forget your thunder.


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© 2008"
“Practicing goodwill makes for a good life."
Tel: 604 273 6641 (also for fax on request)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 22: "Wednesday"

It's Wednesday.
If Monday is the first day of the week, then Wednesday is the third. This is what happened on the "third day" in the Biblical account:Genesis 9-13: "And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day." You will note that, life, beginning with vegetation, was created on the third day. This parallels the theory of evolution, in which plants evolve before animals do.
"He it is who sends down water from heaven, then we bring forth with it buds of all plants." says the Koran (6.99). In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, "I am the seed of all existences ... there is no end to My divine manifestation ... Know that all opulent, beautiful, and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendour." (10:39-42)
Now let me return to "Wednesday". The name Wednesday comes from Woden, a God of the Norse pantheon. Woden related to Odr, meaning "fury", "excitation", "mind" or "poetry". He is the God of wit, magic, prophesy and poetry. Thus Wednesday is a day of exciting creativity. Keep that in mind. Stay positive and things will turn for the better.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 21: "Tuesday"

It's Tuesday. The second day of the week.

This is what happened on the "second day" in the Biblical account:Genesis 6-10 "And God said, 'Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water' ... God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' ... God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good." The key phrase for me in this verse is "that it was good". You will read in Genesis that everything that was created was good. Then why do we, as "little creators". persist in creating negative thoughts in our minds? You can get out of this bad habit, if you want to. To read some tips on positive affirmations click the following linkhttp://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=896ea383-5547-4e9b-b33b-5485f6757489&p=5&utm_source=nl_emohealth Now let's get back to Tuesday. Tuesday comes from the words Tiwes, the Norse God of the sky and war, and dæg, which means day. That a day is named to honour the God of war is a shocking thought. Yet war is around and about us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Wars are and have been fought over land, economy, women, and religion. Most of us yearn for peace, but war is often necessary for self-defence.The Koran says: "...if they incline to peace, you, too, incline to it, and trust in God..." 8:61The Bhagavad Gita was spoken on the battlefield by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, a prince who was facing a war. Krishna acted as Arjuna's charioteer in the war (the metaphor here is that we need to have Krishna or God or Allah as our charioteer in our day-to-day, strife-ridden lives). It being a a civil war, Arjuna could see his relatives, mentors and friends on the other side. Arjuna laments: "My dear Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up." Bh G. 1:28. The ensuing dialogue is intriguing, uplifting and affirmative. Amongst other things, Krishna says, "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." Bh G. 2.20. It's heavy and sad stuff. Remembrance Day comes once a year and is very sad. Tuesday could be thought of as a weekly Remembrance Day. If you want some peace of mind, practice your positive affirmations and prayers.

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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 20: "Monday"

It's Monday. The first day of the week.
In the Biblical account this is what happened on the first "day" :Genesis1:3-5 "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." The key phrase for me in this verse is "the light was good". Everything else created on the other days was also "good". Then why do we despair? Why are people driven to suicide? Click the link for some answers: suicide.
Now let's get back Monday. In Genesis1.16 it says that God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. The "lesser light" is the moon. Monday is named after the the moon [O.E. monandæg "day of the moon," from mona (gen. monan) + dæg (day)]. The crescent of the moon is incorporated into Islamic symbolism: "When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said, 'This is my Lord, this is the greatest.'" Holy Koran 6:77 p95 (Translation by SV Mir Ahmed Ali). In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, "I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables." [Chapter 15 "Yoga of the Supreme Person" Text 13] I find it awe inspiring that the rays of the moon, shining down in the summer and fall, enhance the juiciness of vegetables. Yes. It's Monday, "moon day", the First Day, and it was "good", and let's make it good now, for ourselves and for those that are in despair.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 19: "Sunday"

It's Sunday.
Sundays were different when I was growing up. Sunday was a quiet day of rest, with closed stores and empty roads. Back then, even washing a car on a Sunday was considered to be "work". Of-course, that philosophy was based on the Biblical stanza: "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work." Genesis 2:2 (New International Version).Do Biblical precepts have any relevance in this, our scientific, age? I say, "Yes." You see, another busy week has flown by. We and our children live a schedule that is jam-packed with activities. We have little time to contemplate. Such busy-ness can take a toll. See this links for tips on how to make it easier on our children: help your child.
But how do we make it easier on ourselves? Psalm 23 gives direction: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul"What is "soul"? Krishna says, "Na (never) jayate (takes birth) mriyate (dies) ..." Translated by Srila Prabhupada as: "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn eternal, ever existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." Bh. Gita 2.20. This verse means that the soul is never changing. The Vedas explain that the body is subject to six kinds of transformation over time, but not the soul. The six kinds of transformation are: birth, development, growth, production of actions and effects, dwindling, and vanishing. The soul does not undergo these changes. Krishna says that there are two souls - the individual soul, which has limited consciousness and is prone to forgetfulness, and the Supreme Soul which is all-knowing of the past present and future. Because the individual soul is unchanging, even an aged person feels himself or herself to be the same spirit as when younger. That is why the "I" remains the same "I", even as years fly by. So, contemplate your soul and its Creator, the Supreme Soul. If you don't already do so, make Sunday a day for rest and contemplation.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 18: "Are we One?"

A new reader of this letter, born and brought up in a completely western culture, wrote to me and ended her statement with "We are one". Let's pause to reflect on this crucially important idea.
Hazrat Inayat Khan, of the Sufi tradition, in his book Sufi Teachings (1994 ISBN:81-208-0684-0) writes on P216:"When we look at racial distinctions, we see that the hatred of one race for another has always increased with civilisation. Colour prejudice, class distinction, differences between East and West, and the dominion of one sex over the other are not yet out of sight; rather they are on the increase ." Then he infuses a positive note: "The races in the coming era will mix more and more every day, developing finally into a world-wide race."Is the Sufi tradition alive today? I say yes. In Vancouver, the most prominent evidence of it is in the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak, 1469-1539 CE, put down the foundations of Sikhism (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak). He was brought up in a Vedic environment, where respect for all was taught in the scriptures e.g.:"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge , see with equal vision a leaned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater" [Bhagavad Gita 5:18 Translation by Srila Prabhupada].Guru Nanak saw that the practices of the people were not always in accordance with the true intent of scriptures. In his endeavours to explain the true spiritual intent of the scriptures, he traveled far and wide. One of his companions was Muslim. Guru Nanak saturated his spiritual poetry with Sufi philosophy. It is said that no-one surpassed him in spiritual discourse. He was loved by all who came into contact with him. Love for him is still being expressed. This weekend, in all the Gurdwaras (Sikh Temples), millions devotees are celebrating his birthday. You might have notice that I end these letters with "Nanak Naam Chardi Kala tere Bhane Sarbat Dha Bhalla." Let me translate that for those who don't know Punjabi:"Nanak (Nanak, the author, says), Naam (the name of the Supreme) Chardi Kala (hallowed let it be) Tere (By Your) Bhane (Will) Sarbat (all living creatures, including me and you) Dha Bhalla (wellbeing)." The verse's message is like that in Matthew 6.9 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ...your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." So let me render the whole of Guru Nanak's spiritual stanza into English:Nanak says, "Hallowed be Your Name, and by Your Will all creatures enjoy wellbeing." He prays for all. I agree with my reader,"We are ONE."


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 17: Watermelons - Good & Bad"

My daughter, Nishi, wrote to me, "I have been reading your spiritual newsletters with interest. What a rich world of philosophies there is to explore!" My student in psychiatry, Dr. Khokhar, tells me that he relishes these letters over a cup of coffee each morning, and when he doesn't have time, he'll come and read them later. One person said that they're worth a million dollars to her. Thank you all for giving me inspiration. Others want to opt out of receiving them, and I respect that decision.
I’ve tried, and am always trying, to live the message of Guru Nanak – work, share with community, and meditate on God’s name. For me sharing is not only that of material things but also of spiritual ideas. I love that kind of sharing. In the last few months I’ve had the exciting pleasure of spending time with Maharaj Tarlochan Das Ji and his companions. An extraordinarily dynamic young man with a deep love for spirituality and humanity, Maharaj-Ji has given time from his busy schedule to give spiritual discourses to my family and friends. This is true sharing on his part. We discuss the wonders of God, talk of all kinds of topics, laugh, and enjoy vegetarian food. You might be interested to know that food is also linked to spirituality. Vyasa, the ancient spiritual sage of India, mentions in his compilation of the Bhagavad Gita, a spiritual discourse, that Lord Krishna gave the following advice about food: “Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasant to the heart.” (Bhagavad Gita 17.8 as translated by Srila Prabhupada).
I love juicy food. Keeping this in mind, I thought we would share some nice juicy fruits with Maharaj Ji and his entourage. I went into a country farm market in Richmond BC, where I live, and carefully selected the best looking watermelon. Heavy and with no blemishes, it glowed a nice shiny green. You know, I try do that to myself also – keep clean and shiny, be well dressed, and look nice. We are usually attracted by physical appearances. Let’s get back to the watermelon. After a heavy day and evening of spiritual discourses with many people at four different houses in the Vancouver area of BC, Maharaj Ji and his companions arrived back home exhausted at around 12.30 am. Standing in our kitchen, he saw the watermelon and asked a devotee, who’s a chef, to carve up the fruit for all to enjoy. The chef saying his prayers to make the food holy (“prasad”) sliced it open, effortlessly, chef style. I'm amused over his name also having the word Prasad in it – Das Ajudhya Prasad. He diced up a few pieces. As soon as Maharaj Ji saw the cut fruit, he recognized it’s true nature. The colour of the flesh was dullish, not shiny. This makes me wonder about looking inside myself, at the substance of my soul. If I cut my conscience open is it pure, is it fresh? After tasting a piece or two of the watermelon Maharaj Ji condemned the fruit. Likewise, I think that God would condemn me for the rot in my soul. To continue the story, I tasted a few watermelon pieces. I noticed that some pieces were fresh and some stale. That’s a bit like us humans, isn’t it? We have good and bad in us, all at the same time. That night, some of the company ate of the untrustworthy watermelon whereas others didn’t. And so it is with me, some like my company and some don’t. But most of the watermelon was dumped into the garbage. My question to myself is, “What can I do to stop myself from being dumped by humanity and by God?” How can I be a good human watermelon? Which brings me back to the message of Guru Nanak: work, share with community, and meditate on God’s name. That’s what I can do. That’s what you can do. That’s what we can all do. Such conduct would be indeed be “wholesome and pleasing to the heart”.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 16: "Gur Prasad"

When children are traumatized teachers and school administrators can play a major role in the healing process. Click the link below for more information: http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/index.aspx?puid=2f93a35a-191e-4cfd-8fef-ad8b9e7e36b1&p=5

But where do you, the helping adult, get your help? You can get help from family, friends, self-help groups, counsellors, therapists, and ministers. Well-meaning persons often say to me, "God bless you" and nervously qualify it " ... in the God of your choice." I reply, God is one but the choices of Name are infinite. But people's intentions are good and true. Seeking a connection with the Supreme is something that one can do to get peace. But where is that Supreme? 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?" Job 35.10. The Koran says that we can see His signs. "Whatever is in the heavens and earth hallows the glory of God; His is the Kingdom, and to him all praise is due, and He (alone) has the power over all things." Ch65:1. The Srimad Bhagavatum says: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning, no end, and no middle. Nor does He belong to a particular person or nation. He has no inside our outside. The dualities found within this material world, such as beginning and end, mine and theirs, are all absent from the personality of the Supreme Lord. The universe, which emanates from Him, is another feature of the Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the ultimate truth, and He is complete in greatness." C8:1:12. Guru Nanak sings that connection with the Supreme is attainable only through a Guru or Teacher : "Gur (teacher) prasad (blessing)".So, just as a teacher can help a traumatized child, so we adults must have a a support system to navigate us through the trials and tribulations of life. Or if we are truly blessed we might have a Guru or Teacher.

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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 15: "The Shadow and the Light"

Recently, a friend told me of his fascination with TV shows on murder. After watching many of them, he realized that under certain circumstances that anyone is capable of murderous rage and of committing the atrocious crimes as shown on the TV shows. Indeed, civility is a veneer that we need to keep in constant repair for the Shadow (Carl Jung) that lurks in our minds. How to repair and maintain that veneer, and how to control the urges from the Id, (Sigmund Freud), the "seething cauldron of desire"?These questions are not new. They come up in all the religious texts. The lives of kings are often used as examples. I was shocked when I first read the book of Kings in the Bible. How could the Bible contain such disgusting reading matter? I thought naively. Now I know the Bible is a reflection of life and an answer to its problems.More ancient scriptures from other cultures give similar answers for the human condition is the same no matter where and when you are born. Maharaj Pariksit, who lived about 5,000 years ago, was a saintly saintly king of Bharat (ancient India). He received a warning that he would die within a week. Never mind a week, I'm thinking, I could die at any time, considering what happened on October 19, 2007 when an aeroplane crashed into the office building where I work. Anyway, Maharaj Pariksit being anxious about his impending death went to a great saint of the day and in the presence of a large assembly of saints (in modern terminology a "convention") said, "You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, especially for one who is about to day. Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me." The great saint's answer to this question, and numerous other questions posed by the king, concerning everything from the nature of the self to the origin of the universe held the assembled sages in rapt attention continuously for seven days leading up to the king's death." [Srila Prabhupada's translation of Srimad Bhagavatum C1 Pxxv]]. The saint answered the king's questions to the king's satisfaction by reciting the entire Srimad Bhagavatum over seven days. What is the Srimad Bhagavatum? It's a spiritual scripture. It contains its own definition in Canto 1.3.43:"This Bhagavatum Purana (Srimad Bhagavatum) is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana." Srila Prabhupada's translation of Srimad Bhagavatum].Just as the king did, each of us has to search for the Light. Only such a Light can help us overcome the Shadow and the Id within.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 14: "One-minute Lesson"

I have the privilege of hearing many personal stories as I go about doing my work, which includes doing cognitive therapy. It's a wonderful and proven technique for alleviating negative emotions. So get rid of negative thoughts. Constant negative thinking may lead to depression and anxiety. See Cognitive restructuring.
Our past experiences have much to do with our present state. I know one person who is now in his late 50's, and one of 15 children. Yes 15. The person came from a poor family. It reminds me of the children's rhyme of the old woman who lived in a shoe.
There was an old woman,who lived in a shoe;
She had so many children, she didn't know what to do;
She gave them some broth, without any bread;
Then whipped them all soundly, and sent them to bed.
Now, that kind of life as a child will definitely have its effects decades later. The person asked me, "Why is that the twenties and thirties were fine but an emotional breakdown came later, in the forties?" I replied that if the foundations of a building were weak, then as you build taller and taller on that fragile foundation, the increasing weight would bring on problems. In other words, the mounting problems of life weigh a person down and if the emotional foundations were weak, a breakdown can occur. I did months of cognitive therapy, which helped the person. "You can't learn this in one minute," joked my patient. I replied seriously, "You want a one-minute lesson? Then here it is: Read Psalm 29:11 "God himself will bless his people with peace." Replace the "his people" with the names of each of the 19 siblings, the mother, the father, all others and your own. Keep saying: "God himself will bless (name here) with peace."
I had the person do it right in my office with the result that the pain of old in the person's chest evaporated immediately.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 13: "The Power of Personalized Prayer"

Not just with prayer, but in any reading of a spiritual text try inserting your name or someone's name in the text for a more powerful effect: For: "Jehovah himself will bless his people with peace." Psalm 29.11Try: "Jehovah himself will bless (name here) with peace." Be specific. Make a list of names if you need to. Personalize your prayer or meditations and feel the difference.




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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 12: “Serve, And Be Served."

The darkness was dense at 6 PM, as I drove through the drizzle of a November evening. When I reached it, the parking lot was half-full at the Sikh Gurdwara (temple), named Nanaksar. The enticing aroma of cooking dal and vegetables warmed me as I approached the main entrance of the domed, ornate, white building. It’s a veritable piece of India on the farmlands of Richmond BC.
A happy din and warm air assaulted my senses as I walked through the main doors. People milled about with the children running around playing. I covered my head with a kerchief and removed my shoes, as is customary. I entered the main hall to pay my obeisances, and to catch a few spiritual gems. Devotees, some with eyes closed, sat on the thick carpet listening to continuous recitation of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. The recitation was of the whole scripture, over 1400 pages, non-stop, beginning on the Friday and ending 48 hours later. For those unfamiliar with Sikhism, here is some brief history: Nanaksar Gurdwara is named after Guru Nanak, (1469-1539), the founder of Sikhism. See Wikipedia "Guru Nanak".
Guru Nanak gave three simple instructions:
1. Work honest ly, in order to earn.
2. Share with others.
3. Recite the Name of God.
I could see plainly that Instruction 2 was being observed, as 14 families were hosting the event. People were bustling about sharing their energy and effort, and most were donating money. By the latter, it was plain to see that Instruction 1 was being honoured, for how can you donate money unless you do something to earn it. Even those who have little can donate a little. I’m reminded of Mark 12:42 (New International Version) “… a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny…” Here, at Nanaksar, I saw so many people donating money. I even had to wait in line to make a cash donation! Others were donating in different ways - cleaning the tables and floors, cooking in the large kitchen, and serving food to hungry devotees. The mind can’t take in spiritual food when a hungry stomach pesters it. My stomach was grumbling. I went into the dining hall to eat. At the line-up at the food counter, devotees heaped my tray with excessively generous helpings of vegetarian fare, flatbread called rotis, salad, rice pudding and more. Meanwhile, Instruction 3 was being honoured through continuous recitation of the scriptures. My nephew Happy, happy by nickname and by nature, was serving rotis. After I finished eating, I asked him if there was any item I could serve. He replied, “Uncle, you can serve water. Serving water is the best service!” You can learn a lot from those younger than you, if you want to. Hmm: Serving water is the best service. “God has created every animal of water…” states the Holy Koran 24:45 (Translated by S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali (US Library of Congress catalogue number 2004099418]. I took a jug and began serving water. A thirsty seven-year old boy was disappointed when I came around with the water jug. He had no cup. I had to move on but I came back to him two minutes later with a steel glass full of water for him. You should have seen the smile on his face! Serve and be served. Do it, and you could win a smile - it's better odds than the lottery.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 10: "Expecto Patronus"

"Expecto Patronus" is a phrase that you might not be familiar with but millions of children are. Despite the protests of some fundamentalists, I remain in awe of JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels. With her deep knowledge of languages, cultures, literature and mythology, she has caught the imagination of many by her credible creation of a world of wizards, who live in a dimension parallel to us ordinary folks, who are called "muggles" in her novels. Harry Potter is the hero - a boy wizard who has low self-esteem, having been battered by life and losses and evil forces. He slowly discovers his powers, the greatest of which is an ability to summon a protective force by uttering the magic spell "Expecto Patronus". He learns this power through practice. When he utters the words a silver stag appears out of his magic wand to protect him. However, his powers occasionally fail him, especially when he's wearing a chain around his neck which harbours a piece of the evil soul of Voldemort, the personified epitomy of evil. We "muggles" are often weighed down by the "evil chains" of the daily struggle. Can we learn to summon a "Patronus"? Do we muggles have the ability to use such a magic spell? I propose that we can. I often ponder Maharaj-ji Tarlochan Das's message that we must do naam simran. What is that you might ask? Naam is the name of God or the Word (John 1.1) Simran is the constant mental repetiition of that name. For Buddhists this could take the form of meditating on the concept "Not this Not that", which helps to find the Soul by analysis, as first described in Srimad Bhagavatum Canto 7, Text 23, written more than 5,000 years ago. For Christians this could take the form of the Lord's prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..." Matthew 6.8. Notice how name or Naam also comes up in this Biblical verse. For lovers of the Vedas: in Bhagavad Gita 9.17, Lord Krishna says: "Pitaham (the father) asya (I am) jagato (of the world) ..." The whole verse is translated by Srila Prabhupada as: "I am the father of the universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable om. I am also the Rg, Sama and the Yajur Vedas" Now let me analyse this positive "magical incantation" of Harry Potter - Expecto Patronus:"Expecto" is from the Latin expectare: "await, hope," "Patronus" is from L. patronus "defender, protector, advocate. Go work the magic.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 9: "Listen to the Silence"

There's rejoicing in Judges 5.3: "...I sing to the Lord, I will sing ..."

While I was visiting the town of my birth, Moga in India, some years back, the annoying blare of speakers would wake me up every morning at around 3 am. The Sikh priests meant well. They were singing verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture. Unwanted sound is stressful, no matter how well meant. You can reduce the level of your stress hormones by taking some silent time for yourself. Turn off the radio, the stereo, the TV and cherish some quiet minutes. Sit and listen to the silence. There you will hear the "hum" or the "om" sound (linguists will appreciate the similarity of these two words). The word om also appears in Ek Omkar, which means the One Creator. Lord Krishna says, "I am the transcendental om..." Bhagavad Gita 10.25.

Here's my poem : "Listen to the Silence" (2001)

LISTEN TO THE SILENCE


I close my eyes
Let black descend
Listen around
To quiet sound

Raucous caws of crows
Chirping sparrows
Distant drone of airplane
Roar draws near
Sound fills my ears

Air of blowing fan
Breathing yoga prana
Reverberating hums
Maya’s heartbeat drums
Eternal energy

Just listen around
Om abounds
Merge in the surround
With eyes closed

Calm your soul
Jas, pray for all
Healing the whole.

Healing the whole.

Listening to music might help even better. Here's a research paper published this year: A study of fifty-six college students showed that listening to self-select or classical music, after exposure to a stressor, reduced negative emotional states and physiological arousal compared to listening to heavy metal music or sitting in silence. (PMID: 17965934 PubMed).

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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 8: "A Rose Bush"

Solomon 2:1: "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys."
I enjoy roses and planted some in my garden last week. The late fall, early winter is a good time to plant them. The local garden shop had a sale on, and I bought all seven of the last rose bushes they had. I stood back and watched the sturdy plants proudly sporting their rose hips and sharp, healthy thorns. You wouldn't want to get pricked with one of those thorns. I've handled roses since I was 14 years old, when I first became enamoured with them. I've seldom got pricked, even though I've used my bare hands. You see, you have to have good hand-eye co-ordination, and watch carefully as you hold the rose bush. Hold near the base where there are fewer thorn, and gently balance with the other hand. I've been pricked more by life than by rose bushes. Life is like a rose bush. Life offers wonderful experiences akin to the flowers on a rose bush, as well as misery, akin to the thorns. But just as you would step back to enjoy the whole rose bush, flowers, thorns and all, so step back from life and observe it in its entirety. Take some time out, go for a walk, meditate or pray. Local Vancouver poet, Ryan Daniels, of the Sufi tradition and devotee of Baha Ullah, wrote on the "Divinity of a Rose" (Trafford Publishing). Let's appreciate that divinity. For the divinity is in everything, not just the pleasures - the flowers, but also in the whole bush of life, including the leaves and the thorns - the pain. Heaven is in that divinity. Contemplate.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 7: "The Frog King"

Our civilisation depends on communication. Once, when having the usual philosophical banter with my younger brother, also a doctor, and I'm proud to say a very prominent professor of public health in Britain, he asked me, "Jas, do you know what really separates us from the animals?" I think, "Here we go again with Raj's wonderful tidbits." My curiosity pestered me. I asked, "What". "The hyoid bone", he said. "Humans have one but animals don't." The hyoid bone is the Adam's apple. It enables speech. Animals don't have one, so their ability to vocalize is less. Of course, my mind immediately goes to spiritual concepts - Adam's apple - Adam - human - the Bible.

So here we are in the computer age, where our speech is converted to the babble of bits and bytes and we communicate over cyberspace, God bless the computer scientists by whose efforts we can communicate so effortlessly and with so many people all over the world in literally seconds. This brings me to junk mail. I get so much, and some of you might consider my mailings junk. No offence. Just let me know and I'll take you off my mailing list. You see, we don't need hundreds or thousands of people to enjoy the spiritual together. We only need two or three - Matthew 18: 20 "... For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

And now the Frog King:

I often reflect on the statements in the ancient yet still relevant spiritual writings of India, the Vedas, that from the time we are born until we die, that we and all other life forms are always busy sleeping, eating, maintaining our bodies, and surviving. The Vedas also say that we all experience birth, disease, aging and death. These are inescapable. This is true for everyone, and for all living forms. And during this life we are all subject to the passions and darkness of material existence, with fleeting moments of goodness. Indeed material existence is a struggle. “Everyone is suffering”, said Guru Nanak, and he sang that the cure is spiritual. But I try to overcome this suffering by trying to indulge in gratifying my senses and tastes, and trying to “enjoy” life, and it’s fleeting. An amazing fact is that I as a human being am given a huge brain with a huge capacity to think, feel, and direct my actions. But how much attention do I really pay to getting true freedom from the entanglement of my daily struggle? And an essential question is, “How do I go about freeing myself?”
Let me tell you about Shrek-3, a movie that I watched earlier this year. In one of the scenes, the dying frog king is gasping his last breaths as he appoints Shrek, the ogre hero, to be the new king. With his life ebbing away fast, the frog king gasps a laboured breath to tell his queen to remember to pay the gardener the monies owed. Indeed, our chores are not finished even on our deathbeds, even while we’re contending with the final miseries of the body. Then the frog king dies. A fly lands and crawls on his glazed right eye. This tells me that nature will have its way. Our bodies will begin to decompose and to be eaten immediately on death. People will back off and flies and worms approach to enjoy the dead body. To get back to the movie: the fly flies off the dead frog’s eye. But lo, the frog king is suddenly wide-awake. Deftly, he puts out his long sticky tongue and catches the fly in mid air. Then the frog dies. He knew he was dying. He died only after putting the fly in his stomach. What use will the fly be to him after death? I am still amazed by this scene. Hats off to the writers of the scene. It tells me that my greed, or lobh, will not go away even up until my last breath.
Let’s get back to Guru Nanak’s suggested cure for getting free of all this material entanglement (maya)? Firstly, can our large and complex brains help us to figure out the answer by ourselves? Perhaps yes, and if we ponder over the matter for years on end, or meditate and study. Or, if we’re lucky, we could avail ourselves of a transformative teacher, a guru, who might by his grace point us to the right path. Interestingly, the word guru is made up of two syllables - gu which means light and ru which means soul. Guru means the enlightener of the soul. I believe that enlightenment, or transcendence is approachable through diligent personal spiritual practice, and more so if guided by a living teacher. Yes, I have learned a lot from books and films and songs, and still do, but I continue to learn from those that I converse with.
I am blessed that Maharaj Tarlochan Das is delighted to have such conversations with me, and with anyone else who is interested in spiritual matters. I am blessed by his sharing of his spirituality. After he leaves from his visits to Vancouver, I usually go back to being like the frog king - busy sleeping, eating, maintaining my bodies, and trying to survive. But I hope that I will think more about the true purpose of life, even as I greedily swallow what might be my last morsel of food. Wish me luck that the last morsel is not a fly!


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 6: "Water"

The Sanskrit verse "'Santustah va rajanna vartetapi varina..." of the Srimad Bhagavatum C7, Ch15, Text 18 means: "My dear King, a self-satisfied person can be happy even with drinking only water..." [Translation by Srila Prabhupada] C7;15:829 .
It's November in Vancouver, BC, Canada. I look out my window at the rain coming down. Raindrops: water, which is essential to life. Science shows that water is composed of two gases: hydrogen and oxygen. Science shows that the universe is mostly space and gas. Water seems to be scarce in outer space but is abundant on earth.
Water is important. The Bible mentions water in it's second paragraph: Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." The Bible provides a synoptic account of creation. The First thing was the "Word": John 1.1: "In the beginning the Word was, and the word was with God, and the Word was a god...All things came into existence through him..." (From the New World Translation of The Holy Scriptures 1981).
The Vedic description of creation is very detailed. You can read it in the Srimad Bhagavatum in Canto 3, Ch 26 "Fundamental Principles of Material Nature" [Translated by Srila Prabhupada]. The Vedas state that water comes about after the creation of the elements that precede it. First there is the Supreme Soul, which has no beginning or end. The Supreme Soul is self-effulgent (has its own limitless energy) and is transcendental to material nature.
The Supreme Soul's pastime is to create the material, when it is His Will. His first "glance" brings forth the three qualities that will imbue all of material nature, Prakrti, that is to come, The three qualities are called the Triguna - goodness, passion and ignorance.
Then is created the False Ego or Ahankara, the master of which is called Rudra or Shiva. The False Ego will be penetrating the other material elements that are to follow. When it does it, becomes so engrossed in the material that it forgets where it came from.
The material elements are all produced simultaneously, and include all of the following: the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, ten senses, contaminated consciousness, the mind (source of desire), intelligence, and false ego. - 24 in all. The mixing element is time, the 25th element. It is the latter that causes the fear of death in the deluded soul.
Let's get back to the gross material elements, as I want to return to the subject of water. Space is created from the Sound or Shabad, akin to John's "Word". All else is formed by a combination of the other elements. So from the "Shabad, space comes about. From the mixing of space and the quality of touch, air (gas) is created; from the mixing of air and touch is created fire (think of lightning); the gas and lightning interact with the quality of taste to produce water (remember you basic science - hydrogen, oxygen, energy and lo: water!); all these elemnts combine with olfaction to condense into earth. And so forth and so forth, the details are too numerous to mention here. Suffice to say that all these universal reactions are present in each of our bodies. Our bodies are thus little duplicates of the universe!
Water: It's needed for life, for sure. And you might know that it's wet out here in BC. We live in a rainforest. I look out of my window and see ythat it's raining water droplets. It's not raining droplets of whisky, nor droplets of cocal cola nor wine nor Red Bull. It's raining refreshing water. Let's not pollute it. Let's enjoy water as it is.
Remember today's message: "... a self-satisfied person can be happy even with drinking only water..." Let us turn water into a spiritual wine. As we drink it, let's remember its source. Lord Krishna says: "Rasa aham apsu ...: O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water..." Bhagavad gita 7:8 (Translation by srila Prabhupada] And let us appreciate the holy water or Jal that is dispensed to us with love from our Spiritual Teacher.

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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 5: "Food"

The verse 'Dravya-yajnair yaksyamana ..." of the Srimad Bhagavatum [C7, Ch15, Text 11] means: 'Upon seeing the person engaged in performing the sacrifice, animals meant to be sacrifice are extremely afraid, thinking, "This merciless performer of sacrifices, being ignorant of the purpose of sacrifice and being most satisfied by killing others, will surely kill us"' [Translation by Srila Prabhupada] C7;15:829
I kept goats and sheep as a hobby about 6 years ago. It was for fun. But I knew nothing about animal husbandry. I had a Muslim friend who helped me look after the animals. It started with two she-goats. The animals flourished and we brought in a billy goat from a local farm. The herd multiplied. From time to time, my friend would sell and animal or two. His customers would ask him to prepare the meat. My experience of butchery was weak and my curiosity strong. So I watched him once. First he prayed. Then he killed the creature swiftly: skinned, gutted and quartered it without one drop of blood falling to the ground. You see, he was an expert butcher, having been trained at it from the age of six by his grandfather. I remember the animal that was being butchered. I was looking into its eyes as the deed was being done. There was fear and a pleading in that goat's eyes.
Meat eating is common and increasing. Huge volumes of meat are supplied by numerous slaughterhouses. Most of us just see the meat at the end stage of sale - packaged, displayed neatly and decorated with sprigs of parsley on cool, bright shelves in the supermarkets. Yes, the meat eating habit is strong and continues even tough we know from scientific research that it is the vegetariian diet that is healthy.
Buddha was shocked to see the ritual sacrifice of animals in his day. About 500 years later, when Jesus was 12 years old, he was also shocked to see the ritual sacrifice of birds and animals in the synagogues. Perhaps the commandment of the Old Testament "Thou Shalt Not Kill" has wider applications than what we commonly suppose.
Srila Prabupadha writes: "Unless one is merciless, one cannot sacrifice animals, in the name of religion or food". C7;15:829
Lord Krishna says: "Dyu sattva bala arogya..." which means: "Foods dear to those in the modes of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and saitisfaction. Such foods are juicy, faty, wholesome and pleasing to the heart." Bhag. Gita 17:8


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 4: "Beyond Goodness, Passion and Ignorance"

The Sanskrit verse 'Yatra yatra harer arca..." of the Srimad Bhagavatum C7, Ch14, Text 29 means 'Auspicious indeed are the places where there is a temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead...'
Auspicious means 'promising a good outcome'. We all appreciate goodness. We also that 'the good suffer'. So where is peace? Is it beyond 'goodness'?
According to the Vedic creation story, the creative force is spirit and is all bliss. It cannot be appreciated with our ordinary senses - it is hidden or 'Gupta'. It is personified as Lord Krishna. His place of residence is all pervading, and is called Vaikuntha. Since spirit is eternal, it needs no creation. Only the material requires creation. Krishna was in a transcendent meditation mode with eyes half open and half closed when He began creation. The first things to be created were the qualities that the material creation would have. These qualities are called the 'three modes' of nature - of goodness, passion and ignorance. Then was created the False Ego (Ahankara). The False Ego and all the living entities and the rest of the material elements that were to follow were to be subject to the three modes. Only God knows why - it his his prerogative, his 'Lila', or pastime. Since the Vaikuntha is all pervading, and Krishna lives in Vaikuntha, He is all pervasive. He pervades all matter and life forms through the Supersoul (Parmatma). That is why we would want to respect all life forms, for they all are endowed with the Parmatma or Supersoul quality. Not being visible, Parmatma is only appreciated through the eyes of devotion.
In Vedic terms, the forest is in the mode of goodness. Those of you who like walks in the forest or nature can appreciate the soothing effects of that goodness. The cities and villages are in the mode of passion. Here we are busy working, producing passionately, and generally benefitting from the work. Often, we need to get away from all the hard work. Brothels, opium dens and casinos are examples of the places in the mode of ignorance for they are destructive to harmony in the family and community. However, the place of worship of the Supreme - e.g. the temples, no matter how big or tiny, or meditational states 'Samadhi', are all pockets of Vaikuntha. When one is in these places one is in Vaikuntha. Those are states that are beyond (transcendent to) the three modes of nature. That is where 'non-suffering' is. That is the place of Vaikuntha or bliss.
For those of Judeo-Christian backgrounds see Deuteronomy 4:29: ' ...seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.'
Think about it.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

Letter # 3: "Headlong Into Chaos."

The following messages are essentially adapted from the Vedas - the ancient yet timeless spiritual scriptures of India, documented about 5 to 6,000 years ago by the sage Vyasa.
The Sanskrit verse "Krte yad dhyayato visnum..." Srimad Bhagavatum 12.3.52 indicates that the aim of civilisation based on Vedic principles is to forge a strong connection with the Supreme. In the Vedic scheme of time, there are four great cycles of time (yugas). Each yuga has its own best mode of connecting with the Supreme.
We are living in the final cycle - Kali (pronounced kull as in skull) Yuga. It ends in annihilation. Connection with the Supreme, in this the darkest of the yugas, requires "sankirtana yajna" or "congregational spiritual activities, in the form of group prayer or chanting. All educated and well-off persons must use their talents to promote such spiritual activities. Money and education must go towards supporting spiritual activities. If this is not done then the valuable resources of money and education drift towards "maya" - the material, which is called mammon in the Bible. Our current education, science, technology, philosophy, economy and literature are all geared towards serving maya. And the service of maya creates a chaotic condition in the world. Read the newspapers papers or watch the news for proof of this!
Jesus taught: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon".
Therefore, well-off and the educated must devote their knowledge and opulence towards spiritual activities. Only then will we be able to prevent ourselves from hurtling headlong into further chaos.
Think about it.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.

(Specific source: Srimad Bhagavatum's translation and purports by Srila Prabhupada. Canto 7. Page 786)

Letter # 2: "Wealth"

This message is about wealth; and it's an ancient one from the Vedas -the spiritual scriptures of India, documented by the sage Vyasa., perhaps 5,000 years ago. The message is still relevant today.
This startling Sanskrit verse 16:13 "Idam adya maya labdham ..." of the Bhagavad Gita means: "So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more." [cf Srila Prabhupada's translation of the Srimad Bhagavatum C7 p774).
What's the value of such gains? Are you working like an ass? Like many do, do you also get up early, commute for miles, work hard, come home tired, and go to bed. Are you unhappy or lonely and seek stimulation in drinking, gambling or unrestricted sex. Are you really happy with this? Is this the purpose of your life? Wouldn't you rather have some higher purpose? Are your higher goals becoming lost in the daily grind of activities?
In order to change, the first to thing is to think about it. Then go read sspiritual texts. Which one, you might ask? Krishna says that He will come in the form that you want him to. Indeed, spirituality will come to you in the form that best suits you. Your job is to seek it. Then associate with those who have realized the importance of this. Hearing about spirituality, thinking about it meditating on it, and chanting with like minded people is a good beginninng to finding true meaning in life. (by the way I invite you to some spiritual chanting at my home this Diwali/Remembrance day November 11, 2007 Sunday at 5,30 PM).
If you don't watch out, the only thing waiting for you after all the hard work and accumulation of material things is death. Then all that you accumulated will be left behind , and others will scramble and fight over it - the government with it's taxes, relatives and children.
The Vedas, and all spiritual texts, teach: Satisfy your spirtuality for a satisfying life. The Great Spirit is content. Stay in under the protection of the Great Spirit and you will be content also. This should be the principle for your life, my life, everyone's life.

(Specific source: Srimad Bhagavatum's translation and purports by Srila Prabhupada. Canto 7. Page 765)

Letter # 1: "If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me"

Recently, a friend told me two sayings that have stuck with me:
"If it is to be it is up to me."
"It is as it is".
Note that all the words in both of the above statements are extremely short, being composed of two letters only.
So here it is - the first of my "spiritual letters". The messages herein are adapted from the Vedas -the ancient spiritual scriptures of India, documented by the sage Vyasa, perhaps 5,000 years ago.
Everyone is attempting to be happy in this material life. But material life poses sources of misery, which is classified as having a three fold nature:
1. From body and mind.
2. From relationships.
3. From natural disaster - flood, storms, earthquakes, and accidents etc.
So how do we find happiness? Perhaps, we should think of ourselves differently - think of ourselves as being spirit souls. You see, there is no question of misery for a spiritual soul. The Ultimate Spirit which created the universe, call it God, Jehovah, Allah, Krishna, Waheguru, or by whatever "brand name" name you wish, is always happy. If we were to see ourselves as spirit souls, as part of that Great Spirit, then we would naturally take on the happiness of that Great spirit.
But by being in the material world we forget our relationship with that Great Spirit. We have forgotten who we are. We think of ourselves as our bodies and minds. We think that our bodies are ourselves. This mode of thinkling is causes us to suffer the pains of life - of being born, aging, becoming ill and dying. Also, we know by experience that any material happiness is temporary and illusionary. Therefore, for lasting happiness, we must rectify our ways of thinking our misconception that we are only material beings. We must kindle or rekindle our original relationship with the Great Spirit, and realize who we really are - spirit souls. Then we make ourselves open to true happiness.


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)

http://jasbhopal.com/

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.
(This message was inspired by: Srimad Bhagavatum's translation by Srila Prabhupada. Canto 7. Page 731)