#discussions would be appreciated. sources and scholars you listen to would be appreciated

[tragicomedys]

i really do wonder how lgbt muslims do it.

[the-sympathetic-villain]

You Belong With Me - Chapter 4

AO3 | First | Previous | Next | Masterpost

Description: Much to his surprise, after being released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Logan has been appointed as a the prince’s new advisor. 

Word Count: 4941

Chapter Warnings: None (Let me know if I missed anything!)

Roman seemed to know that Logan wasn't feeling up to talking and was filling the silence as they walked. He spun grandiose stories about the history of the castle and the kingdom. Logan’s thoughts drifted. He appreciated Roman’s attempt to distract him with his stories, but he could feel anxiety beginning to take root in the pit of his stomach as it started to sink in how little he knew about their country’s history. Any history Logan had learned had come from the jaded old men of the small town where he’d grown up and by his own admittance, they were hardly reliable or extensive sources of information. Not many people spent time studying history when they were struggling just to make it to the next day. Roman’s stories were more fanciful than the stories he knew. He spoke of old wars and great rebellions. He recounted the stories of heroes and the fall of empires.  Logan smiled as he watched Roman light up telling stories of heroes and villains and their conquests and adventures.

Roman led him through the various rooms, talking as he weaved through the crowds. Logan glanced around the crowds as he followed Roman around yet another corner. Business around the castle moved about as usual. People bustled about through the halls of the tower going about their normal routines. Logan swallowed. The sheer magnitude of his new position threatened to overwhelm him as he realized that he’d eventually be responsible for welfare of the people moving about around them.

 How can I be an advisor of any value when I know so little about my country and the people within it?

Roman noticed that Logan seemed distracted. “What are you thinking about?”

Logan looked over at him cautiously. “Are you sure you thought this through?”

“Thought what through?”

“Appointing me to be your advisor.”

Roman slowed his pace, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at Logan. “What makes you think I haven't?”

“My knowledge of the kingdom is rudimentary. The little information I did have access to doesn’t even come from particularly credible sources. It’s just stories I heard or read when I was younger. I barely know the basics of how the politics here work, let alone the intricacies of the system.” Logan paused. “How can you trust my advice to make decisions that are going to affect thousands of people?”

Roman shrugged. “You'll learn.”

“Perhaps, but why choose an advisor of my knowledge level when you have your choice of any of the top scholars in the country.  You have access to people who have devoted their entire lives to understanding this kingdom and it's intricacies. Their education far exceeds my own knowledge.”

“I've had scholars at my table. I've worked with people who have spent their whole lives dedicated to the study of political practice and theory. I couldn’t stand it. It's all theory to them. They sit in their cushy studies, reading away their lives while servants bring them their food and wash their clothes. They can't possibly grasp the true consequences of the decisions I make every day.”

“So, you were looking for someone who knew what it's like to be at the bottom of the barrel.”

Roman stopped in his tracks. “No! That's not—"

Logan waved off his concern. “It's perfectly fine, Roman. I’m not offended. I appreciate that perspective from you as a leader. Not many people with authority have that capacity for empathy.”

“I suppose.” Roman ran his fingers through his hair, unsure of how to handle Logan’s praise. “I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I do prefer my advisors to have real world experience but it’s more than that. That is only a part of my reasoning for appointing you. You've proven yourself to be intelligent, resourceful and you clearly have a passion for learning. I have no doubt you'll be quick-witted enough to keep up. Given time, I don't doubt you will surpass many of our scholars.”

Logan looked down at the stone floor, pondering Roman's assumptions. “Your intuition for my tendencies is impressive. Given access to the resources, I imagine the problem will be pulling me away from studying to do my job.” Logan smiled at Roman.

“I figured that may be the case, which is why we’re here.” Roman smiled, turning to face an enormous set of oaken double doors. He grasped the brass handle and pulled the heavy door open, gesturing for Logan to lead the way.

Logan walked through to door and had to stop for moment to let his eyes adjust. The room was filled with bright light, pouring in from tall windows on the north and west walls. After a moment, his vision cleared, leaving Logan speechless. They stood at the entrance of a massive library. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling in bookshelves. The shelves towered above them at such a height that the higher shelves required long ladders to reach. Logan slowly walked into the room, barely managing to keep his jaw from hanging agape. Resting between the bookshelves sat ornately carved desks with delicate gilded flower designs. He let his hand drift over the smooth, polished woods as he wandered along the edge of the room. He inhaled, taking in the smell of the old books and it was beautifully, wonderfully quiet. Logan was speechless, in awe of the room around him.

Roman smirked as he watched Logan’s reaction. He leaned smugly on the doorframe behind him. “I figured you would like it here. A few hundred titles should keep you busy for a while.”

Logan nodded, still struggling to form words.

“It's not the only library in the castle, and honestly, it's not even the largest.” Roman laughed softly. “But it's quiet and a good place to focus.”

“It's amazing.” Logan said breathlessly as he wandered through the rows of shelves. “This is more books than I imagined I would see in my lifetime.”

Roman raised an eyebrow as he idly followed Logan. “I suppose you didn't have access to many books where you lived before.”

“I'd be lucky to track down two or three books a year and I'd read them until the spines fell apart.” Logan stopped at one of the shelves, reaching out to feel the spines of the books as he perused the titles.

“Honestly, I’m impressed you even learned to read. It's unfortunately not a common skill most places. Not many have the opportunity, let alone a decent teacher. Unless you grow up with enough privilege to afford a decent education.”

Logan shrugged. “I was fortunate. I didn't have much family around growing up, but my grandmother taught me the basics. Since then, I've read everything I could get my hands on.”

Roman was quiet as Logan walked along walls of books, deep in focus, pulling out a few titles and taking mental notes of the locations of books he wanted to read later. Roman nodded and stepped back, leaning back on the bookshelves as he watched Logan browse. He watched as Logan’s focus leave their conversation, narrowing in to the books in front of him. Roman saw the tension melt from Logan’s body as he lost track of the world around him.

Roman smiled. His heart warmed as he watched Logan relax for the first time since they’d met. He whispered to himself sadly, too quietly for Logan to hear. “Oh, Logan. I definitely made the right choice.”

Half and hour had passed when the chime of the distant bell tower jolted Roman away from watching Logan, lost in his own thoughts. He listened closely, counting the bell chimes. Roman frowned. He hesitated, reluctant to interrupt Logan. He cleared his throat and Logan looked up at him. “Unfortunately, we can't stay longer. I’m expected upstairs for some military planning shortly.”

“What would you like me to do in the meantime?”

“You’ll join me.” Roman said idly, eyeing Logan’s reaction. “I'm serious about you not being alone. You'll be free to do what you like tomorrow. Today though, I don't want you out of my sight.”

“Yes, sir.” Logan said dryly, as he stood to follow Roman.

Roman frowned. “Don't be like that, Logan. You’re welcome to come back whenever you like. This place isn't going anywhere, and you have full access now. It's one of the perks of your new position.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Roman.” His voice trailed off to a whisper. He glanced over at Roman cautiously. Roman frowned as he watched a tense, nervousness return to Logan’s demeanor.

“What’s concerning you, Logan?”

Logan was quiet but he glanced up at Roman. Words hung at the tip of his tongue.

Roman moved closer to him. “Please, I want you to speak freely with me.”

Logan hesitated but he couldn't help but give in to Roman’s pleading look. “I don’t want to give you reason to doubt my capabilities but I feel ill-equipped to engage in a discussion about a subject I know so little about. I know it’s my job but I don’t know that I’m ready to be a participant in a meeting like this.”

Roman relaxed, smiling at him playfully. “Is that all?”

Logan crossed his arms and nodded nervously.

“You know that you’ll need to be at all of these meetings, eventually.”

Logan looked down at the ground, gritting his teeth. “I am aware. I just didn’t expect my participation to be so immediate. I haven't even had a full day in my new position.” Logan looked away, trying to hide the anxiety burning in his chest.

Roman moved toward him, resting his hand on Logan’s shoulder. He waited for Logan to look up at him. “Neither did I, Logan. When I offered you the job, I told you would be given time to adjust before I held you responsible for your position and I fully intend on following through on that promise. I’m asking you to join me today solely as an observer. I’m not asking you to participate. Unless you choose to, I don't expect you to engage in our discussion. Just listen and observe. Okay?”

Logan relaxed significantly, dropping his arms to his sides. He smiled appreciatively at Roman. “Very well, Roman. I believe that’s within my capabilities.”

Logan trailed closely behind Roman as he turned into the meeting room near the top of the tower. Red tapestries hung from the ceiling along the walls of the room. The room opened wide. No natural light entered the windowless room. Ornate wall sconces lined the room lit, casting the room in an soft amber light. A round table covered in maps occupied the center of the room. Individual markers were placed strategically across the table, indicators of placements of troops throughout the country.

Logan’s gaze followed Roman. He watched curiously as Roman’s demeanor changed. His normally carefree jaunt became confident and focused. He moved aside the maps and cleared space on the table. He pulled a roll of parchment from a small pile off to the left of the main map and began to make some precursory notes.

Logan followed with less confidence. Shifting nervously in the doorway, he was unsure of what to do, but unwilling to disrupt the prince’s focus. He hesitated for a moment before following Roman to the far side of the room. He quietly leaned against the wall behind Roman, watching him work. Curiosity welled in Logan’s chest as he watched the prince move about the room. Roman’s soft demeanor that Logan had come to know disappeared under an air of authority. It was a strange experience to watch this new side of Roman.

Logan stood up off the wall, occasionally glancing at the door. He anxiously awaited the beginning of the meeting.

A few minutes passed before the other attendees began to filter into their seats. Logan watched as they took their seats. Most didn't give Logan a second glance, though he caught a few flashing him suspicious looks. Fortunately, they didn’t seem to be willing to question his presence in front of Roman. The seats around the table filled quickly and they spoke among themselves in hushed tones. Logan breathed deeply, watching the dynamics of the people around him.

Lost in thought, he almost missed the last person entering the room, but a familiar laugh jarred him from his thoughts. He looked up and instinctively bit his bottom lip as Remus walked in, followed closely by one of the same minions who had assaulted Logan earlier that day.

Logan’s muscles tensed. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. He clenched his jaw, keeping his face neutral, determined not to let his discomfort show.

Logan’s knees went weak when Remus finally noticed him. Remus gaze narrowed in on Logan. The amber light cast from sconces on the wall flickered, intensifying the menacing smile stretching across Remus' face. Panic welled up in Logan’s chest. He crossed his arms to hide his shaking hand and pushed the anxiety down, determined not to let Remus influence him.

Remus dropped into the seat directly across the table from Roman. He crossed one leg over the other and slouched in his chair, flashing a dangerous smile up at Logan. A sudden chill surged through Logan’s body as Remus stared at him. The room quieted as Remus took his seat.

“Is everyone prepared to begin?” Roman asked, looking up from his notes.

Everyone mumbled their agreement, except Remus who merely raised his eyebrow.

“Very well. We'll begin by recounting the events from the previous meeting.” He gestured to the man sat beside him. “Please, will you do us the honor of recounting the last meeting?”

“Yes, your hi-" he began.

“Forgive my interruption,” Remus said, unapologetically sneering at Logan. “Are we just going to ignore the elephant in the room?”

“To what exactly are you referring, Remus?” Roman asked, his voice neutral.

“I'm sure I'm not alone in my distrust of the stranger in our midst.” He gestured to Logan. Logan held Remus’ gaze, ignoring the others as the turned to focus on him.

“Logan has been appointed as my personal advisor. He has a place here. Unless you have a legitimate concern, I insist we move on.” Roman's voice was stern as he stared at Remus.

Remus seemed unconcerned. “He was to be executed for treason less than a fortnight ago. He’s been out of prison for little over a day. Is it really wise to allow him to hear our country’s most privileged and confidential information? Is this not a legitimate cause for concern?”

Some of the others murmured in agreement.

“Logan was pronounced innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt. On top of that, his actions saved my life, and in doing so, he saved the kingdom from considerable strife. These are not the actions of a traitor.” Roman stated dryly. “I’ll say again, if anyone has a legitimate concern, I would be happy to hear you out.”

“Surely, he can speak for himself.” Remus raised an eyebrow at Logan, barely concealing a smile as Logan shifted uncomfortably.

“I—" Logan began.

“No, Logan.” Roman interrupted, staring sternly at Remus. “You do not have to dignify that comment with a response. Let me be perfectly clear. Any problem with Logan is a problem with me. You either trust my judgment or you don’t.”

Silence filled the room. Roman met the gaze of each person at the table and one by one, they looked away. Finally, he settled on Remus but unlike the others, he did not look away.

“Alright… alright. I meant no offense, my dear Roman. I only thought we should talk about it since it was clearly on everyone’s mind." He conceded, sounding bored, apparently unconcerned about the disturbance he'd caused. "Curiosity has a way of derailing even the most diligent of souls.”

Roman ignored him and proceeded to start the meeting. He led the discussion of the strategic placement of troops throughout the outer regions and spoke on the political relationships developing with neighboring countries. Logan watched as Remus leaned back in his chair, uncharacteristically quiet as the meeting moved on. Logan focused in on Roman's words, analyzing what Roman was saying and following as they moved the markers around the map. The meeting continued in this manner for well over an hour before it seemed that the meeting was slowing. Logan sensed that the end of the meeting was drawing near. Only one final matter remained at hand. Logan leaned over Roman’s shoulder as he discussed changing relations with a neighboring country to the north that had begun to show signs of aggression on the border. Their armies seemed to be growing their presence at vital points along the border. As the conversation progressed, Logan noted that Remus was starting to show interest.  He no longer slouched in his chair. His gaze was focused as he leaned forward in his seat.

Remus interrupted Roman's discussion. “Perhaps, if we send our closest troops through the northern pass, an increased presence will deter further pressure on the border. No one likes to feel threatened.” Remus wiggled his eyebrows up at Logan while everyone turned their gaze to Roman for a response.

Logan looked back at map as bile rose in his throat from Remus’ taunting. He analyzed the map as he listened vaguely as they discussed Remus' suggestion. He follow where Remus had suggested they moved the troops. A gasp escaped his throat, which he immediately regretted, attempting to cover his mistake with a cough. all eyes in the room turned towards him, except Roman who was continuing to take notes on his piece of parchment. His cough hadn’t been enough to disguise his surprise.

“Do you have something to say to me, kid?” Remus said slyly, almost encouraging Logan to step out of line.

Logan stood a bit taller, pulling his shoulders back and standing his ground against Remus' dangerous taunts. “I am not a child. Do not refer to me as such. I was merely surprised you would make such an obviously fallacious suggestion.”

“Oh, please. Tell me more.” Remus invited, smiling sarcastically.

“That pass is dangerously precipitous due to the amount of snow and ice that occur at that high altitude, especially during this time in the season. Not to mention that the troops closest to the pass are basically new recruits. Your suggestion would likely only weaken our hold on the northern border by causing the needless deaths of our own troops.”

Roman finally looked up from his notes at Remus, smiling at Remus. “He’s right, Remus.”

Remus clapped his hands slowly, unfazed by Roman's satisfied grin. "Very good, kid."

“Remus…” Roman warned.

Remus ignored him, smiling up at Logan. “Perhaps, I haven't given you enough credit, Logan.”

Logan’s skin crawled when Remus said his name, but he held his ground at Remus' stare.

“You're very amusing.” Remus paused, smiling innocently at Logan. “Of course. I had considered that scenario. I merely wished to see Roman's brilliant new advisor in action.”

Logan maintained eye contact but remained silent.

“Of course. Our best course of action would be to send those same troops to the east to meet up with more experienced troops. Then, they can head north, circumventing the pass altogether and securing the border. Wouldn’t you agree, Logan?”

Logan hated hearing Remus say his name. Disgust and rage boiled in his stomach but all the same he couldn't argue with the logic of Remus’ second suggestion. “That suggestion seems satisfactory.”

Logan couldn’t see it but Roman smiled. “I think that was the final matter at hand. We have determined our course of action. I expect orders will be sent to the proper authorities in the north. If there are no objections, I move that we end this meeting."

The room was silent.

“Very well. This meeting has been adjourned. We will reconvene in a week's time to reevaluate our positions. Good night to you all.” Roman stood, rolling up his parchment full of notes. He gestured for Logan to follow him and led him out of the chamber.

They walked a few minutes in silence, putting distance between them and the military chamber. Logan could feel his hands shaking as the adrenaline coursed through his veins.

“You did well today, my friend.” Roman said, placing his hand on Logan's shoulder. The contact pulled Logan out of head.

“Thank you, Roman. It wasn’t much really.” He replied absently. His heart was still racing.

“Of course, it was.” Roman said encouragingly. “You pointed out a fatal flaw in our military planning. In your first meeting, no less.”

“I suppose I did.” A small glimmer of pride fluttered in Logan's chest.

“And on top of all that, you stood your ground against my brother.”

Logan’s heart dropped. The hair on his arms raised as another chill swept through his body. Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat. “Your brother?”

“Admittedly, we aren't much alike except in looks.” He said, mistaking Logan's discomfort for confusion. “He's rarely as antagonistic as he was today. Hopefully, you'll meet him on one of his better days soon.”

“I get the impression that he isn't fond of me.” He said, trying to get a gauge on Roman's perception of Remus' reaction to him. He tried to focus on Roman but thoughts of Remus in the dark corridor and the pain in his stomach from his assault kept interrupting his thoughts.  The memories replayed back in his head and Logan was unable to force the thoughts from his mind.

“I wouldn’t concern yourself too greatly with that. Honestly, all things considered with recent events, I think we we're lucky that's all the resistance we faced today.”

“Yeah.” He said, dejected.

Roman reached out, gently turning Logan towards him. He stopped, resting his hand on Logan’s shoulder. Logan looked up to Roman’s serious expression.

“Don't let yourself despair. Winning their approval will be an uphill battle but today was a win for you. You did extraordinarily well today.”

“Thank you, Roman.” Logan blushed.

“No need to thank me, Logan." Roman smiled. "I'm only stating the truth.”

“Still, it helps to hear it.” Logan admitted.

“Then, I’m glad to help.” Roman smiled sweetly. He turned to continue down the hallway and Logan followed close behind. They walked in silence for a few seconds before they reached Logan's door.

“Wait here.” Roman left Logan at the door to his chambers and disappeared around a corner. Logan waited patiently until Roman returned. Two guards followed shortly behind him. They dispersed to the far ends of the hall as Roman approached Logan’s side once more.

Roman looked over at him with a tired smile. “I think it's time for us to part ways for tonight, unfortunately. I've instructed the guards to keep a close eye on your room tonight. They will be stationed at each end of this hall.” He gestured to the ends of the hall, where the two guard stood, fully armed.

Logan nodded, looking between the guards. “I should be okay for the night.”

“Keep your door locked all the same. I don't anticipate anything happening but I don't want you to take any risks tonight. Your personal guard will meet you in the morning and we will be able to let our worry rest.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your concern.” Logan spoke shyly.

“My pleasure.” Roman took Logan’s hand and gave a short, dramatic bow. “Until tomorrow, my friend.”

Logan smiled. His face flushed bright red with embarrassment. “Until tomorrow, Roman.”

Roman returned his smile, turning to leave. Logan watched him for a brief second before turning back to his door, slipping inside and locking the door behind him. He sighed deeply, leaning on his doorframe, taking in the strange day. He finally worked up his energy to began his new nightly routine.  A new pitcher of water had been delivered to his room and everything in his room had been freshly cleaned. He smiled. Admittedly, he could get used to some of the perks of his new position.

After he'd changed, he lay down in his freshly washed blankets, thinking about his day. His racing thoughts began to slow and, eventually, he drifted off to sleep, wondering what tomorrow had in store for him.

Roman finally approached his own room, feet dragging on the stone floor. His body was ready to collapse into his bed the second he entered his personal chambers. He knew he couldn’t, though. Not yet. He had one more meeting to take.

He let himself into his room, locking the door behind him. He hung his cloak on the rack and walked down into his main chamber.

A fire was already roaring in the fireplace and a figure in dark clothing lay on his couch. He sighed and took a seat in the large chair opposite the couch.

“You’re here early tonight.”

“Got bored.”

"Not much going on in the castle tonight?"

"Nothing worthy of reporting."

“You know. Anyone else would be in prison, if they broke into my chambers.”

“Good thing I’m not just anyone then.” The figure said, sitting up straight on the couch. Brown hair hung over his eyes, disheveled from lying on the couch. He wore a dark, black cloak that had deep maroon accent that was nearly purple in the light. As the figure's face came into view, Roman could see the dark shadows under his eyes.

Roman leaned in close. “Virgil, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“You usually do, princey.” Virgil leaned against the back of the couch.

Roman rolled his eyes. Virgil was the only person in the kingdom that Roman allowed to speak to him in such a manner. “You've heard of the man who recently became my advisor?”

“Of course. He’s all anyone is talking about right now. Our own local traitor-turned-hero.” Virgil looked over at Roman lazily.

“That would be the one.”

“What about him?”

“He was attacked today. They grabbed him in an empty corridor and assaulted him.” Roman paused. “Fortunately, all his wounds will heal. Physically, at least, but it could have been much worse.”

“So, what? You want me to track down his attackers?” Virgil raised an eyebrow at him, draping his arm over the arm of the couch.

"No. He wouldn’t say anything about who attacked him, but I have my suspicions on who was responsible.”

“Then what do you want, princey? Out with it.”

“I need someone to protect him.” Roman looked at him sternly.

“No.” Virgil said defiantly. “I'm not a babysitter.”

“Please, Virgil.” Roman pleaded. “He can't be with me all the time. I need someone I can trust to protect him.”

“Have one of the guards follow him around.”

“I can't, Virge. Recent events have proven not all of them are on my side.”

“They wouldn’t openly defy you by hurting him.”

“Virgil, he was just released from the dungeons.  Would you be comfortable if you had a guard following you around after that? I don't want him to feel like he's still a prisoner here.”

Virgil sighed. His expression softened. “That doesn’t mean he’ll be any more comfortable around me.”

“He’s been through so much already. The guards are trained to engage in combat. I don’t want him caught in the middle of that and your training is much better suited for evading trouble before it starts." Roman paused. "Virgil, I’m pleading with you. Do this for me.”

Virgil sighed. “Why does this matter so much to you, princey? A short while ago you didn’t even know this guy existed.”

“I'm not sure, Virge. I just have a feeling. Power is shifting in the kingdom. Things are changing and my gut is telling me that he has a part to play in what's coming our way."

“Listen, I know you can't walk away from someone in need,” Virgil sighed, defeated. “But this isn't what I signed on for, princey. I’m not good with people. I work best alone. I don't know if I can handle this kind of responsibility.”

“I think you’ll find he's not as hard to handle as you may assume, Virge.” Roman paused, looking over at Virgil. “Do you trust me?”

Virgil sat up, rubbing his temples. “Come on, princey. That's not in question. You know I’d follow you anywhere.”

“You'll do it then?” Roman's voice was hopeful.

Virgil rolled his eyes. He threw his head back, dramatically. “Fine.”

“Thanks, Virge. I'd like you to start as soon as possible. His room is—"

“I know where he is.” Roman looked at him in surprise. Virgil shrugged and leaned into the corner of the couch. “I've been keeping an eye on things around the castle and he’s all anyone's been talking about.”

“Very well then. You're dismissed. I'll expect to hear a report from you tomorrow afternoon when I relieve you.” Roman paused, considering his words. “Just fair warning, I suspect he's being tailed. I wasn't able to confirm it but there’s no way that they just happened to get lucky and grab him the moment he was alone.”

Virgil looked over at him, surprised. “Okay, princey. I'll figure out what's going on.”

“Good. And, Virgil?”

“Yeah?”

“Try not to scare him.”

“No promises, princey.” He laughed and pulled up his hood. Before Roman could say anything, he was gone through the door.

Yawning, Roman walked to his bedroom, rolling his eyes at Virgil’s ambivalence. His body ached for sleep, ready to collapse into his bed. He managed to change his clothes and crawl under the blankets. He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

You Belong With Me Taglist: @cas-is-a-hunter @insert-cool-blogname @ironwoman359 @i-know-im-smart

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

A History Of God – The 4,000-year quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

“I say that religion isn’t about believing things. It’s ethical alchemy. It’s about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness.” — Karen Armstrong on Powells.com

book by Karen Armstrong (2004)

The idea of a single divine being – God, Yahweh, Allah – has existed for over 4,000 years. But the history of God is also the history of human struggle. While Judaism, Islam and Christianity proclaim the goodness of God, organised religion has too often been the catalyst for violence and ineradicable prejudice. In this fascinating, extensive and original account of the evolution of belief, Karen Armstrong examines Western society’s unerring fidelity to this idea of One God and the many conflicting convictions it engenders. A controversial, extraordinary story of worship and war, A History of God confronts the most fundamental fact – or fiction – of our lives.

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Review: Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time – the search for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertains us with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel a greater appreciation for the present because we better understand our past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers’ practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions. – Gail Hudson

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The Introduction to A History of God:

As a child, I had a number of strong religious beliefs but little faith in God. There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a faith which enables us to put our trust in them. I believed implicitly in the existence of God; I also believed in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the efficacy of the sacraments, the prospect of eternal damnation and the objective reality of Purgatory. I cannot say, however, that my belief in these religious opinions about the nature of ultimate reality gave me much confidence that life here on earth was good or beneficent. The Roman Catholicism of my childhood was a rather frightening creed. James Joyce got it right in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: I listened to my share of hell-fire sermons. In fact Hell seemed a more potent reality than God, because it was something that I could grasp imaginatively. God, on the other hand, was a somewhat shadowy figure, defined in intellectual abstractions rather than images. When I was about eight years old, I had to memorise this catechism answer to the question, ‘What is God?’: ‘God is the Supreme Spirit, Who alone exists of Himself and is infinite in all perfections.’ Not surprisingly, it meant little to me and I am bound to say that it still leaves me cold. It has always seemed a singularly arid, pompous and arrogant definition. Since writing this book, however, I have come to believe that it is also incorrect.

As I grew up, I realised that there was more to religion than fear. I read the lives of the saints, the metaphysical poets, T. S. Eliot and some of the simpler writings of the mystics. I began to be moved by the beauty of the liturgy and, though God remained distant, I felt that it was possible to break through to him and that the vision would transfigure the whole of created reality. To do this I entered a religious order and, as a novice and a young nun, I learned a good deal more about the faith. I applied myself to apologetics, scripture, theology and church history. I delved into the history of the monastic life and embarked on a minute discussion of the Rule of my own order, which we had to learn by heart. Strangely enough, God figured very little in any of this. Attention seemed focused on secondary details and the more peripheral aspects of religion. I wrestled with myself in prayer, trying to force my mind to encounter God but he remained a stern taskmaster, who observed my every infringement of the Rule, or tantalisingly absent. The more I read about the raptures of the saints, the more of a failure I felt. I was unhappily aware that what little religious experience I had, had somehow been manufactured by myself as I worked upon my own feelings and imagination. Sometimes a sense of devotion was an aesthetic response to the beauty of the Gregorian chant and the liturgy. But nothing had actually happened to me from a source beyond myself. I never glimpsed the God described by the prophets and mystics. Jesus Christ, about whom we talked far more than about ‘God’, seemed a purely historical figure, inextricably embedded in late antiquity. I also began to have grave doubts about some of the doctrines of the Church. How could anybody possibly know for certain that the man Jesus had been God incarnate and what did such a belief mean? Did the New Testament really teach the elaborate – and highly contradictory – doctrine of the Trinity or was this, like so many other articles of the faith, a fabrication by theologians centuries after the death of Christ in Jerusalem?

Eventually, with regret, I left the religious life and once freed of the burden of failure and inadequacy, I felt my belief in God slip quietly away. He had never really impinged upon my life, though I had done my best to enable him to do so. Now that I no longer felt so guilty and anxious about him, he became too remote to be a reality. My interest in religion continued, however, and I made a number of television programmes about the early history of Christianity and the nature of the religious experience. The more I learned about the history of religion, the more my earlier misgivings were justified. The doctrines that I had accepted without question as a child were indeed man-made, constructed over a long period of time. Science seemed to have disposed of the Creator God and biblical scholars had proved that Jesus had never claimed to be divine. As an epileptic, I had flashes of vision that I knew to be a mere neurological defect: had the visions and raptures of the saints also been a mere mental quirk? Increasingly, God seemed an aberration, something that the human race had outgrown.

Despite my years as a nun, I do not believe that my experience of God is unusual. My ideas about God were formed in childhood and did not keep abreast of my growing knowledge in other disciplines. I had revised simplistic childhood views of Father Christmas; I had come to a more mature understanding of the complexities of the human predicament than had been possible in the kindergarten. Yet my early, confused ideas about God had not been modified or developed. People without my peculiarly religious background may also find that their notion of God was formed in infancy. Since those days, we have put away childish things and have discarded the God of our first years.

Yet my study of the history of religion has revealed that human beings are spiritual animals. Indeed, there is a case for arguing that Homo sapiens is also Homo religiosus. Men and women started to worship gods as soon as they became recognisably human; they created religions at the same time as they created works of art. This was not simply because they wanted to propitiate powerful forces but these early faiths expressed the wonder and mystery that seems always to have been an essential component of the human experience of this beautiful yet terrifying world. Like art, religion has been an attempt to find meaning and value in life, despite the suffering that flesh is heir to. Like any other human activity, religion can be abused but it seems to have been something that we have always done. It was not tacked on to a primordially secular nature by manipulative kings and priests but was natural to humanity. Indeed, our current secularism is an entirely new experiment, unprecedented in human history. We have yet to see how it will work. It is also true to say that our Western liberal humanism is not something that comes naturally to us; like an appreciation of art or poetry, it has to be cultivated. Humanism is itself a religion without God – not all religions, of course, are theistic. Our ethical secular ideal has its own disciplines of mind and heart and gives people the means of finding faith in the ultimate meaning of human life that were once provided by the more conventional religions.

When I began to research this history of the idea and experience of God in the three related monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, I expected to find that God had simply been a projection of human needs and desires. I thought that ‘he’ would mirror the fears and yearnings of society at each stage of its development. My predictions were not entirely unjustified but I have been extremely surprised by some of my findings and I wish that I had learned all this thirty years ago, when I was starting out in the religious life. It would have saved me a great deal of anxiety to hear – from eminent monotheists in all three faiths – that instead of waiting for God to descend from on high, I should deliberately create a sense of him for myself. Other Rabbis, priests and Sufis would have taken me to task for assuming that God was – in any sense – a reality ‘out there’; they would have warned me not to expect to experience him as an objective fact that could be discovered by the ordinary rational process. They would have told me that in an important sense God was a product of the creative imagination, like the poetry and music that I found so inspiring. A few highly respected monotheists would have told me quietly and firmly that God did not really exist – and yet that ‘he’ was the most important reality in the world.

This book will not be a history of the ineffable reality of God itself, which is beyond time and change, but a history of the way men and women have perceived him from Abraham to the present day. The human idea of God has a history, since it has always meant something slightly different to each group of people who have used it at various points of time. The idea of God formed in one generation by one set of human beings could be meaningless in another. Indeed, the statement: ‘I believe in God’ has no objective meaning, as such, but like any other statement it only means something in context, when proclaimed by a particular community. Consequently there is not one unchanging idea contained in the word ‘God’ but the word contains a whole spectrum of meanings, some of which are contradictory or even mutually exclusive. Had the notion of God not had this flexibility, it would not have survived to become one of the great human ideas. When one conception of God has ceased to have meaning or relevance, it has been quietly discarded and replaced by a new theology. A fundamentalist would deny this, since fundamentalism is anti-historical: it believes that Abraham, Moses and the later prophets all experienced their God in exactly the same way as people do today. Yet if we look at our three religions, it becomes clear that there is no objective view of ‘God’: each generation has to create the image of God that works for them. The same is true of atheism. The statement ‘I do not believe in God’ has always meant something slightly different at each period of history. The people who have been dubbed ‘atheists’ over the years have always been denied a particular conception of the divine. Is the ‘God’ who is rejected by atheists today, the God of the patriarchs, the God of the prophets, the God of the philosophers, the God of the mystics or the God of the eighteenth-century deists? All these deities have been venerated as the God of the Bible and the Koran by Jews, Christians and Muslims at various points of their history. We shall see that they are very different from one another. Atheism has often been a transitional state: thus Jews, Christians and Muslims were all called ‘atheists’ by their pagan contemporaries because they had adopted a revolutionary notion of divinity and transcendence. Is modern atheism a similar denial of a God’ which is no longer adequate to the problems of our time?

Despite its other-worldliness, religion is highly pragmatic. We hall see that it is far more important for a particular idea of God to work than for it to be logically or scientifically sound. As soon as it ceases to be effective it will be changed – sometimes for something radically different. This did not disturb most monotheists before our own day because they were quite clear that their ideas about God were not sacrosanct but could only be provisional. They were man-made – they could be nothing else – and quite separate from the indescribable Reality they symbolised. Some developed quite audacious ways of emphasising this essential distinction. One medieval mystic went so far as to say that this ultimate Reality – mistakenly called ‘God’ – was not even mentioned in the Bible. Throughout history, men and women have experienced a dimension of the spirit that seems to transcend the mundane world. Indeed, it is an arresting characteristic of the human mind to be able to conceive concepts that go beyond it in this way. However we choose to interpret it, this human experience of transcendence has been a fact of life. Not everybody would regard it as divine: Buddhists, as we shall see, would deny that their visions and insights are derived from a supernatural source; they see them as natural to humanity. All the major religions, however, would agree that it is impossible to describe this transcendence in normal conceptual language. Monotheists have called this transcendence ‘God’ but they have hedged this around with important provisos. Jews, for example, are forbidden to pronounce the sacred Name of God and Muslims must not attempt to depict the divine in visual imagery. The discipline is a reminder that the reality that we call ‘God’ exceeds all human expression.

This will not be a history in the usual sense, since the idea of God has not evolved from one point and progressed in a linear fashion to a final conception. Scientific notions work like that but the ideas of art and religion do not. Just as there are only a given number of themes in love poetry, so too people have kept saying the same things about God over and over again. Indeed, we shall find a striking similarity in Jewish, Christian and Muslim ideas of the divine. Even though Jews and Muslims both find the Christian doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation almost blasphemous, they have produced their own versions of these controversial theologies. Each expression of these universal themes is slightly different, however, showing the ingenuity and inventiveness of the human imagination as it struggles to express its sense of ‘God’.

Because this is such a big subject, I have deliberately confined myself to the One God worshipped by Jews, Christians and Muslims, though I have occasionally considered pagan, Hindu and Buddhist conceptions of ultimate reality to make a monotheistic point clearer. It seems that the idea of God is remarkably close to ideas in religions that developed quite independently. Whatever conclusions we reach about the reality of God, the history of this idea must tell us something important about the human mind and the nature of our aspiration. Despite the secular tenor of much Western society, the idea of God still affects the lives of millions of people. Recent surveys have shown that ninety-nine per cent of Americans say that they believe in God: the question is which ‘God’ of the many on offer do they subscribe to?

Theology often comes across as dull and abstract but the history of God has been passionate and intense. Unlike some other conceptions of the ultimate, it was originally attended by agonising struggle and stress. The prophets of Israel experienced their God as a physical pain that wrenched their every limb and filled them with rage and elation. The reality that they called God was often experienced by monotheists in a state of extremity: we shall read of mountain tops, darkness, desolation, crucifixion and terror. The Western experience of God seemed particularly traumatic. What was the reason for this inherent strain? Other monotheists spoke of light and transfiguration. They used very daring imagery to express the complexity of the reality they experienced, which went far beyond the orthodox theology. There has recently been a revived interest in mythology, which may indicate a widespread desire for a more imaginative expression of religious truth. The work of the late American scholar Joseph Campbell has become extremely popular: he has explored the perennial mythology of mankind, linking ancient myths with those still current in traditional societies, is often assumed that the three God-religions are devoid of mythology and poetic symbolism. Yet, although monotheists originally rejected the myths of their pagan neighbours, these often crept back into the faith at a later date. Mystics have seen God incarnated a woman, for example. Others reverently speak of God’s sexuality and have introduced a female element into the divine.

This brings me to a difficult point. Because this God began as a specifically male deity, monotheists have usually referred to it as ‘he’. In recent years, feminists have understandably objected to this. Since I shall be recording the thoughts and insights of people who called God ‘he’, I have used the conventional masculine terminology, except when ‘it’ has been more appropriate. Yet it is perhaps worth mentioning that the masculine tenor of God-talk is particularly problematic in English. In Hebrew, Arabic and French, however, grammatical gender gives theological discourse a sort of sexual counterpoint and dialectic, which provides a balance that is often lacking in English. Thus in Arabic al-Lah (the supreme name for God) is grammatically masculine, but the word for the divine and inscrutable essence of God – al-Dhat – is feminine.

All talk about God staggers under impossible difficulties. Yet monotheists have all been very positive about language at the same time as they have denied its capacity to express the transcendent reality. The God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is a God who – in some sense – speaks. His Word is crucial in all three faiths. The Word of God has shaped the history of our culture. We have to decide whether the word ‘God’ has any meaning for us today.

____________________________________

Biography Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous other books on religious affairs –including A History of God, The Battle for God, Holy War, Islam, Buddha, and The Great Transformation – and two memoirs, Through the Narrow Gate and The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into forty-five languages. She has addressed members of the U.S. Congress on three occasions; lectured to policy makers at the U.S. State Department; participated in the World Economic Forum in New York, Jordan, and Davos; addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington and New York; is increasingly invited to speak in Muslim countries; and is now an ambassador for the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In February 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize and is currently working with TED on a major international project to launch and propagate a Charter for Compassion, created online by the general public and crafted by leading thinkers in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, to be signed in the fall of 2009 by a thousand religious and secular leaders. She lives in London.

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From Publishers Weekly This searching, profound comparative history of the three major monotheistic faiths fearlessly illuminates the sociopolitical ground in which religious ideas take root, blossom and mutate. Armstrong, a British broadcaster, commentator on religious affairs.., argues that Judaism, Christianity and Islam each developed the idea of a personal God, which has helped believers to mature as full human beings. Yet Armstrong also acknowledges that the idea of a personal God can be dangerous, encouraging us to judge, condemn and marginalize others. Recognizing this, each of the three monotheisms, in their different ways, developed a mystical tradition grounded in a realization that our human idea of God is merely a symbol of an ineffable reality. To Armstrong, modern, aggressively righteous fundamentalists of all three faiths represent “a retreat from God.” She views as inevitable a move away from the idea of a personal God who behaves like a larger version of ourselves, and welcomes the grouping of believers toward a notion of God that “works for us in the empirical age.”

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My wish: The Charter for Compassion – Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong TED Talk given in 2008

What God is, or isn’t, will continue to morph indefinitely unless…

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Richard Barlow:

‘The whole thing about the messiah is a human construct’

The Divine Principle: Questions to consider about Old Testament figures

How “God’s Day” was established on January 1, 1968

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Divine Principle – Parallels of History

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“… Many Koreans therefore have difficulty understanding and accepting religions that have only one god and emphasize an uncertain and unknowable afterlife rather than the here and now. In the Korean context of things, such religions are anti-life and do not really make sense…”  LINK

[wisdomrays]

THE GUIDE FOR THE YOUTH: The Twenty-Third Word.Part11

They are teaching us the value of the time. They prevent us from wasting our times in idle games or on the streets instead of working on work-hours. They teach us that we should schedule our jobs. And even they instill us that we should work when we can rest.

It is not possible to explain exactly the value of the Risale-i Nur. The readers’ hearts will be filled with the appreciation of their value and there are such devoted persons that even if all the humans try to make them abandon Risale-i Nur, yet they cannot succeed.

I would like to become the servant of the TEACHER who was charged with composing the Risale-i Nur and It is an honour for me to become the servant of His servant. This loyalty is not exaggerated at all. When we read a valuable book we feel some kind of devotion for its author. For example, people feel a certain admiration for the works of Molliere, Shakespeare and Victor Hugo.

I wonder what should be the level of devotion for the person who is the Interpreter of the HOLY QUR’AN which is the Guide of the Religion of ISLAM?

If the works of Famous Goethe are printed on paper, the works of Bediuzzaman, idest, the TREATISES OF LIGHT (Risale-i Nur) are worthy to emboss on the golden and silver tablets. If it is normal to study the works of Socrates – the teacher of Plato – and Aristoteles until midnights, it is not an exaggeration to spend some sleepless nights for the sake of reading the works of Bediuzzaman. If one spends five Dollars for the book of a World–famous author, one can spend a whole wealth for such a sacred work like Risale-i Nur which deserve the greatest fames and highest ranks in both Worlds, and one should.If our devotion to Truthful Books is graded as ten, our connection to a MIRACLE OF THE QUR’AN like RISALE-I NUR which guide us in this World and in the Hereafter, must be infinitely strong.Therefore, Brothers, Let us embrace them, to get illuminated by their Lights. Let us turn our faces and eyes at the Library of Risale-i Nur which are the spiritual miracles of the HOLY QUR’AN. Let us make them the source of Point of View. And let us repeat the sacred words of the Holy Qur’an with all our Power and Strength.The Risale-i Nur which are Genuine Interpretation of the Holy Quran, are our Souls, Our Hearts, and our Lives. We accept them as the Goal of our Lives and the Capital of our Life-times.Yes, my Brothers, the features inside the Risale-i Nur, are not existing in any book composed until now. You can ask me how I know this? Some genuine scholars who dedicated their lives to reading hundreds of volumes have announced this Truth after reading the Treatises of Light. And these people have come to the conclusion that these contemporary humans however great knowledge they might have, they are in need of studying the Treatises of Light.

The Learned, the virtuous and the intellectuals who are afraid of becoming addicted to diseases such as vanity, haughtiness and selfishness have been embracing the Risale-i Nur immediately. Some of them have been trying to become students for The Light even if they are 60 – 70 years old.

The author of the Risale-i Nur mentioned one of the most important features of his works as follows:

“Any book will be read and will give some information. But the Risale-i Nur will give a spiritual pleasant lesson to the intellect and the heart and the soul as well.”

This feature of the Risale-i Nur can be observed on the readers visually. The Turkish Muslim Youth want to become scientists and scholars with belief and enlightenment, not with dark thoughts. The university students at the departments of Law, Medicine and Science can achieve to obtain the essential truths of various social, scientific and spiritual branches of knowledge through the Risale-i Nur.

Those who want to learn the facts of the Religion are reading the Risale-I Nur. Those who are searching the Truth are reading the Risale-i Nur. Those with the nature of struggling and striving are reading the Risale-i Nur. Those who want to reach the summit of heroism and bravery are reading the Risale-i Nur.

Nation-lovers are reading the Risale-i Nur. The scholars of Art and Scientists are reading the Risale-i Nur. The Sufis are reading the Risale-i Nur. The fans of Literature, too, are reading the Treatises of Light (Risale-i Nur). Their capacity of oratory and poetry has been increasing ten-folds after studying the Risale-i Nur. Thus every segment of human society feel the great need in their souls for the Risale-i Nur.

Those who study the Risale-i Nur (Treatises of Light) certainly come out victorious from the scholarly discussions and debates, and they express the Truth with ultimate clarity. The judges who study the Risale-i Nur with full acceptance do not decree wrongfully.

The source and the foundation of the true civilization and high social principles and humanitarian laws is the QURAN.

You will find what you were looking for inside the Risale-i Nur which are genuine and blessed commentaries and interpretations of the HOLY QURAN, and you will become eager to read them again and again with feelings of admiration.

There is a great benefit in studying the Risale-i Nur completely before starting a University Degree. Otherwise it is strongly probable to fall into terrible disasters.

The style of the Risale-i Nur is unique all by itself and is not comparable to any other style.

This fluent and attractive style stirs up the ardour of reading regularly. Then this ardour turns into desire to read the Collection of the Light completely as soon as possible due to the enjoyment given by the sweet and different style of this unmatched original work.

The Holy Quran has a spiritual effect on its readers even if they don’t understand the meanings. The Risale-i Nur has also spiritual influence for it is a spiritual miracle of the Holy Quran, even if you cannot understand some of the Arabic words in it.

Yes, an appreciative intellectual who reads a little bit from the Risale-i Nur, arrives at the opinion that Risale-i Nur is a masterpiece. Risale-i Nur has such an unmatched explanatory style that just like all, learned-scholarly people understand its truths, all readers and listeners - even if they are uneducated - can understand and relate its truths too.

Risale-i Nur is the treasure of epigrams and aphorisms. If we can learn by heart some of the aphorism and sentences in the Risale-i Nur, we will notice that they will come out of our hearts and tongues like precious stones and jewellery.

Bediuzzaman is giving a goodnews at the last section of the Treatise of Sincerety. We believe no other author has been granted to give the goodnews of such a wonderful facility. Our Great master says in that Treatise :

“The person who reads these Treatises in understanding and acceptance for one year, can become a Genuine Scholar of this era.”

A scholar is a person who owns the power of Knowledge and Science. Young or old age does not matter. The Risale-i Nur turn those Young man and Young women who read them with dedication for a year into Scholars. Would a Youngman with sound mind and heart waist his five minutes even, when he hears the existence of such a Knowledge which can be obtained so easily and quickly as a merciful favour of our Allah Almighty to the contemporary humans ? No, Certainly he would not !

The youth of this country and this nation have been awakening. This awakening youth have an aptitude for serving the nation to reach true Progress and Happiness through the Risale-i Nur. However, they need the spiritual help and the protection of the Community of the Risale-i Nur in order to obtain extraordinary accomplishment within the narrow circle of friends and family and large circle of social life as well.

And to this end, it is necessary to get connected in a serious and sincere way to the spiritual community of the Risale-i Nur (Treatises of Light).

My dear brothers ! I am sure that you’ll work hard with diligence in order to read such precious books as soon as possible.

[pope-francis-quotes]

25th August >> (@zenitenglish) #Popefrancis #Pope Pope Francis’  Address to Irish Authorities, Diplomatic Corps.

‘With regard to the most vulnerable, I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education’

Below is the Vatican provided text of Pope Francis’ address to Irish authorities and the diplomatic corps this morning in Dublin:

***

Taoiseach, Members of Government and of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the beginning of my visit to Ireland, I am grateful for the invitation to address this distinguished assembly representing the civil, cultural and religious life of the country, together with the members of the diplomatic corps and guests. I appreciate the friendly welcome I have received from the President of Ireland, which reflects the tradition of cordial hospitality for which the Irish are known throughout the world. I likewise appreciate the presence of a delegation from Northern Ireland.

As you know, the reason for my visit is to take part in the World Meeting of Families, held this year in Dublin. The Church is, in a real way, a family among families, and senses the need to support families in their efforts to respond faithfully and joyfully to their God-given vocation in society. The Meeting is not only an opportunity for families to reaffirm their commitment to loving fidelity, mutual assistance and reverence for God’s gift of life in all its forms, but also to testify to the unique role played by the family in the education of its members and the development of a sound and flourishing social fabric.

I would like to see the World Meeting of Families as a prophetic witness to the rich patrimony of ethical and spiritual values that it is the duty of every generation to cherish and protect. One need not be a prophet to perceive the difficulties faced by our families in today’s rapidly evolving society, or to be troubled by the effects that breakdown in marriage and family life will necessarily entail for the future of our communities at every level. Families are the glue of society; their welfare cannot be taken for granted, but must be promoted and protected by every appropriate means.

It was in the family that each of us took his or her first steps in life. There we learned to live together in harmony, to master our selfish instincts and reconcile our differences, and above all to discern and seek those values that give authentic meaning and fulfilment to our lives. If we speak of our entire world as a single family, it is because we rightly acknowledge the bonds of our common humanity and we sense our call to unity and solidarity, especially with the weakest of our brothers and sisters. Yet all too often, we feel impotent before the persistent evils of racial and ethnic hatred, intractable conflicts and violence, contempt for human dignity and for fundamental human rights, and the growing divide between rich and poor. How much we need to recover, in every instance of political and social life, the sense of being a true family of peoples! And never to lose hope or the courage to persevere in the moral imperative to be peacemakers, reconcilers and guardians of one another.

Here in Ireland, this challenge has a special resonance, in light of the long conflict that separated brothers and sisters of a single family. Twenty years ago, the international community followed attentively the events in Northern Ireland that led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The Irish government, in union with the political, religious and civil leaders of Northern Ireland and the British government, and with the support of other world leaders, created a dynamic context for the peaceful settlement of a conflict that had caused untold pain on both sides. We can give thanks for the two decades of peace that followed this historic agreement, while expressing firm hope that the peace process will overcome every remaining obstacle and help give birth to a future of harmony, reconciliation and mutual trust.

The Gospel reminds us that true peace is ultimately God’s gift; it flows from a healed and reconciled heart and branches out to embrace the entire world. Yet it also requires constant conversion on our part, as the source of those spiritual resources needed to build a society of authentic solidarity, justice and service of the common good. Without that spiritual foundation, our ideal of a global family of nations risks becoming no more than another empty platitude. Can we say that the goal of creating economic prosperity leads of itself to a more just and equitable social order? Or could it be that the growth of a materialistic “throwaway culture” has in fact made us increasingly indifferent to the poor and to the most defenceless members of our human family, including the unborn, deprived of the very right to life? Perhaps the most disturbing challenges to our consciences in these days is the massive refugee crisis, which will not go away, and whose solution calls for a wisdom, a breadth of vision and a humanitarian concern that go far beyond short-term political decisions.

I am very conscious of the circumstances of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters – I think especially of those women who in the past have endured particularly difficult situations. With regard to the most vulnerable, I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education. The failure of ecclesiastical authorities – bishops, religious superiors, priests and others – adequately to address these repellent crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. I myself share those sentiments. My predecessor, Pope Benedict, spared no words in recognizing both the gravity of the situation and in demanding that “truly evangelical, just and effective” measures be taken in response to this betrayal of trust (cf. Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, 10). His frank and decisive intervention continues to serve as an incentive for the efforts of the Church’s leadership both to remedy past mistakes and to adopt stringent norms meant to ensure that they do not happen again.

Each child is in fact a precious gift of God, to be cherished, encouraged to develop his or her gifts, and guided to spiritual maturity and human flourishing. The Church in Ireland, past and present, has played a role in promoting the welfare of children that cannot be obscured. It is my hope that the gravity of the abuse scandals, which have cast light on the failings of many, will serve to emphasize the importance of the protection of minors and vulnerable adults on the part of society as a whole. In this regard, all of us are aware of how urgent it is to provide our young people with wise guidance and sound values on their journey to maturity.

Dear friends,

Almost ninety years ago, the Holy See was among the first international institutions to recognize the Irish Free State. That initiative signalled the beginning of many years of dynamic cooperation and harmony, with only an occasional cloud on the horizon. Recently intensive endeavour and goodwill on both sides have contributed significantly to a promising renewal of those friendly relations for the mutual benefit of all.

The threads of that history reach back to over a millennium and a half ago, when the Christian message, preached by Palladius and Patrick, found a home in Ireland and became an integral part of Irish life and culture. Many “saints and scholars” were inspired to leave these shores and bring their newfound faith to other lands. To this day, the names of Columba, Columbanus, Brigid, Gall, Killian, Brendan and so many others are still revered throughout Europe and beyond. On this island monasticism, as a source of civilization and artistic creativity, wrote a splendid page in Irish and universal history.

Today as in the past, the men and women who live in this country strive to enrich the life of the nation with the wisdom born of their faith. Even in Ireland’s darkest hours, they found in that faith a source of the courage and commitment needed to forge a future of freedom and dignity, justice and solidarity. The Christian message has been an integral part of that experience, and has shaped the language, thought and culture of people on this island.

It is my prayer that Ireland, in listening to the polyphony of contemporary political and social discussion, will not be forgetful of the powerful strains of the Christian message that have sustained it in the past, and can continue to do so in the future.

With these thoughts, I cordially invoke upon you, and upon all the beloved Irish people, God’s blessings of wisdom, joy and peace. Thank you.

[Vatican-provided text of Pope’s prepared speech]© Libreria Editrice VaticanaAUGUST 25, 2018 14:32

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Cheapest Essay Writer This will assist you to get the story straight and make it extra convincing. Here’s tips on how to write a story essay so as not simply to help you get a great rating, but additionally to impress and encourage your readers. You would have to have the ability to tie the facts into an immersive storyline. When you are not interested in your writing and don't want to share your knowledge with others, this wouldn’t be an excellent narrative essay. We have given some tips by which students will be able to do nursing assignments nicely. Giving tips for nursing students is important so that they'll make their best assignments and score acceptable marks in their class. At this level, we are going to tell that each student ought to know his way of reading in order that he can keep in mind quickly. If the student is aware of his type or method of reading, he will be capable of research so that he can simply make his nursing assignment. The essential technique of giving ideas for nursing students is that students can make their assignments nicely. In this, we now have advised that whereas making nursing assignments, we must always not solely assist our textbooks but in addition take the support of extra sources. Students should research and collect info from all the places related to the subject discovered by the trainer. By doing this, your nursing project can rating essentially the most points. Therefore, we now have given some tips to assist the students by following which the scholars understand how the nursing task might be made. In this blog, we'll tell you about some ideas for nursing college students to keep away from the problems that students face while making nursing assignments. Creating all kinds of assignments is a challenge for college kids. Each student has his or her unique means of learning. Some students research by listening, some college students perceive by watching, some students do their studies only after studying, then some such other ways may be studied. To turn into a nurse, one has to be patient as he has to face many forms of sufferers in hospitals. To turn out to be a nurse, one has to be totally skilled and educated by some nursing courses. Today we are going to inform some such things to nursing students that they won't have to face any drawback in making nursing assignments. We will inform suggestions for some nursing college students with the help of which college students will be able to make their nursing assignments easily and in a great way. It is very important to not solely examine for nursing but in addition to coach with it. It is certainly not essential to make use of fancy phrases or vocabulary when writing a scholarship essay. Appreciate their idea of providing the scholarship. Below are ideas that can help individuals when writing a scholarship essay for themselves or others. There is very high competition in terms of scholarship, tons of students apply for it when choosing a university or college. In this weblog, we have described tips on how to keep away from the difficulties that college students face while making nursing assignments. Students should make their assignments by amassing books and all data with the assistance of the internet. It is our importance to give tips for nursing students so that students can get most marks. In this, we aren't only speaking about nursing but are discussing almost all topics. By reading collectively, everyone can even solve issues whereas reading one another’s subjects. Some students are not even excited about studying alone, so they like to learn-only in groups. If the nursing college students make a nursing task by climbing into the group, then they will also get an excellent opportunity to make a very good nursing project. So we have additionally made group task assignments as suggestions for nursing college students. To make a nursing task, students should totally perceive the research going down of their class. If students take full care of their class and understand each matter, they will not face any bother whereas making nursing assignments. To make a nursing assignment, college students should read somewhat awareness about nursing so that they know their topic. Therefore, we've positioned this tip within the first place among the many nursing students’ tips so that students continue to learn it. Women who deal with patients in hospitals are called nurses.

[sjrresearch]

Why the GRANT Miniseries is Worth Watching

Although Ulysses S. Grant was immensely popular in his day to the level of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, or Franklin Delano Roosevelt, we don’t know very much about him today. There’s a good chance that all you know is that he’s the president on the $50 bill and that he served during the Civil War.

But you don’t have to live in ignorance any longer. The GRANT miniseries, which debuted on the HISTORY channel on May 25, 2020, will tell you many things that you never knew about U.S. Grant in less than five hours. On the whole, the miniseries is beautifully done. There are archival photos, readings from Grant’s memoirs and letters, dramatic reenactments, interactive maps, and plenty of scholars throughout the miniseries. This nice mixture of a variety of different elements helps to keep you engaged and attentive, making it feel more like an informative and educational movie rather than a boring high school history class.

We loved the interesting tidbits that are thrown in throughout the miniseries. For example, you learn that Shiloh means place of peace, which is exactly the opposite of what happens during the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. Similarly, Ulysses S. Grant was actually born H. Ulysses Grant, but a mix-up at West Point Military Academy had him listed as Ulysses S. Grant and that’s what he became known as.

The miniseries also did a great job at bringing in the actual words and language of Grant and his contemporaries into the documentary, which made it feel more authentic. The producers captivated the viewer near the beginning of Episode 1 by starting with an image of the first page of Grant’s memoirs being read in Grant’s voice (or rather, the actor playing Grant), so you always knew what words were coming from him.

As a viewer, you can start to listen for that voice and know that those words are coming from the direct source of Grant’s mouth. For example, Grant stated after one particularly bloody battle that you couldn’t walk across the field without stepping on bodies. It’s one thing to hear a scholar say that; it’s another to hear Grant say it. Hearing that in his own words made it particularly powerful.

The reenactments added an element to the miniseries that made learning about history more interactive. You could picture yourself really being there. We appreciated when Grant’s own words explained the scene of a reenactment because then we knew that it really happened and that it wasn’t something that a Hollywood producer dreamed up to be more dramatic. Grant’s own words were used more frequently in the second and third episodes rather than in the first one, so we appreciated the reenactments in those episodes more. It was particularly powerful when you saw Union soldiers giving bread to their enemy on the reenactment and heard Grant’s words saying that was what really happened.

Similarly, the producers did a really good job of making sure that Grant’s clothing was authentic. During the reenactment scene where Grant was writing his memoirs during the last years of his life, the actor was wearing a beanie, which didn’t seem authentic. However, just several minutes later, viewers saw an archival image of Ulysses S. Grant wearing a beanie and writing on his porch. He was dressed exactly the same for the reenactment as in the archival photo. This helped to establish credibility and the truthfulness of what the miniseries was saying.

The miniseries also did a good job at highlighting the complexity of Grant. He came from an abolitionist family but married into a slave-holding family. He worked alongside enslaved people, but he owned a slave for a period of time until he freed him. He drank regularly while he was stationed away from Julia when they were first married, but he wasn’t a flaming drunk like some remember. Not being afraid to discuss these complexities made Grant seem like a real man with flaws as well as strengths just like all of us.

The one complaint that we had was that the miniseries had a huge focus on Grant during the Civil War. Although that was only five years during Grant’s life that lasted 63 years, it took up part of all three episodes. We think that it would have been better to devote Episode 1 exclusively to his early life and the Mexican-American War, which was discussed only briefly, Episode 2 exclusively to the Civil War, and Episode 3 to his presidency. Although Grant served two terms, his presidency was barely covered in comparison to the Civil War.

Obviously, the Civil War is what interests many people, so that’s why the focus was on the Civil War. However, the title of the miniseries was therefore a bit misleading. It should have been GRANT: America’s General During the Civil War since the majority of the time was devoted to these five years.

We also think that it would have also been nice to have learned more information about Grant’s family. He was very close with his wife, and you do get to hear some of his letters to his wife during the Civil War, but the viewer learns very little about their relationship.

That being said, we highly recommend the miniseries to anyone who’s interested in learning more about the Civil War, how Grant became the leading general, and why he was such a successful military leader as well as various interesting facts about his early life and time as president. You can get through all three episodes over the weekend and become that much more enriched about our 18th U.S. president and one of the leading generals during the Civil War.

At SJR Research, we specialize in telling the story of your family. If you want to learn more about your family history and see if you have any Civil War veterans who might have served alongside General Grant, you can browse SJR Research’s service on your site at  SJR Research.

[mistralrunner]

Running Reads Oathbringer: Part II.IV

I decided to turn my "let's run over 5 miles to a park with the largest book I can find and climb a tree to read it and then run back" stunt a couple years back with Words of Radiance into a tradition. Despite the fact that when I read Words of Radiance it was summer and thus a reasonable time to sit outside, unlike the approaching winter of the present. Managed to read nearly two chapters of Oathbringer and then it started raining despite the forecast not saying it would rain until a few hours later. Well, journey before destination!

Spoilers for pages 481-528 ahead. Also Mistborn thoughts again cause I have a problem.

The sea? As in an actual or metaphorical sea.

I'm amused at the irony that this dreaded work placement is not as bad as what fellow humans forced Moash to do

It's still slavery. It's still awful. But it is interesting how humans acted more odiously toward their slaves. The Voidbringers are efficient and focused rather than wantonly destructive.

But Moash you're falling into apathy here. People can be better

It's ironic that Moash was the one Kaladin appreciated for not revering him and now Moash is putting him on a pedestal

The Voidbringers still have Parshmen slaves? Are you kidding me? I really shouldn't be surprised but still.

I am surprised they're treated worse than the humans. Did they try to rebel? Were they the Listeners or Kaladin's people (please not the latter it would hurt Kaladin)

And they're almost taking the place of Bridge Four as the ones who are treated the worst so even if you're in a bad spot at least you aren't them

Oh no

They are the ones Kaladin helped

Noooooo

What about the children?

This hurts

The horrible irony that these people ended up worse off for being helped. That is evil.

Kaladin save them please

Or Moash. That would be ironic.

Yes you go Moash!

Twenty three years ago so Adolin's around now?

Oh no Dalinar not you too with the firemoss

Yikes Dalinar re the bar fight

Honestly “yikes Dalinar” is a good summary of these chapters

Wow born unto light that is a name

Now I want to know all the name meanings

What happened with Jasnah all those years ago and her "lunacy"?

(Around this time while reading eerie pattering started around me and I realized rain was approaching and packed up. My book is unharmed)

Gavilar, Alethela was great in part cause they recognized fighting as a necessary evil not because they saw fighting as what made them great and in charge

It's good Dalinar is at least aware he has a problem. That is a first step.

I am concerned about whatever Gavilar is thinking might help with Dalinar's problems

Huh he's not going to the Rift? At least not yet cause I'm pretty sure whatever he forgot there hasn't been shown yet.

Heh that's a nice echo of Gavilar's last words to his brother "if only I knew the right ones to say" "you must find the most important words a man can say"

WHAT IS GOING ON

Obrodai?

Shards conquering worlds?

Is this what Sazed is facing in era II?

I am really fixated on that problem since Sanderson confirmed the red-eyed kandra in The Bands of Mourning aren't of Odium but are related to something similar happening across the Cosmere

They can make avatars of themselves?

As in they invest a person and bring them under as their god or something else?

I am so confused

Just let me spend ten minutes staring at the epigraph and ignoring the actual chapter

Dalinar's flying?

Dalinar and Navani are flying?

YES TEN SQUIRES AT LEAST ARE FLYING I’M SO PROUD

That really does speed up warcamp travel time

Ten weeks huh-I should try making a timeline

Yes it was Rushu who came along

I have so many favorite minor characters

Yesss Navani doing engineering and Dalinar being happy for her

Yes Queen Fen!

So we're sending Kaladin to unlock the Oathgate? That's the only person we can really send.

In which Dalinar faces the greatest adversary of DnD: the door

And like a typical DnD player he doesn’t think to look/ask for the key first  

I love the Windrunner express

So does this mean Hoid is going to be missing this book because he's facing the dreaded water level of a video game in order to seek help for Roshar from some arrogant Shard?

I want this story now.

Okay the artificial stone wards are pretty cool

Heh, stonewards

The presence of crem in general is interesting.

It really is interesting that these beings of Odium aren't doing a slash and burn

And that this is the book where we're getting backstory on Gavilar and Dalinar's campaign for the contrast of conquest methods

Also I wonder how much of that Fused being impressed with the orchards is due to the fact that during the last Desolation and thus the last time the Fused were active human society was in tatters and probably didn't have anything like that

Moash, just casually admitting he killed a Voidbringer XP

Sah has to deal with a second member of Bridge Four

What happened to Sah's daughter I'm still worried can we save her

You know if any of the Voidbringers can acquire and use an Honorblade, we're in trouble once more Oathgates get unlocked

Huh that is a clever design, keeping suburbs far from the city so you can't siege from immediately outside

Wow

That is just

The sheer amount of dramatic irony there

Hysterical laughing really is the reasonable response

Laddermen doesn't have the same ring to it as Bridgemen though

Sorry Ishnah, the Ghostbloods aren't impressed with you

I am really concerned about how dangerous a position Shallan is re the Ghostbloods

And also the fact that Mraize's statement at the end of WoR about Shallan vs Veil is coming true cause Shallan really is fading

I'm concerned that the reason for this Lightweaving discovery was skipping more meetings that she really should be attending but that is a very useful skill

Okay Shallan that is a good idea I'm impressed. And a nice presentation.

Give everyone a hat-I mean sphere-of disguise

Also glad Elhokar's taking a bit more command

My DnD instincts are too strong though and I keep thinking what if someone has Truesight? Which still could be valid here you never know. Or one of those Stormlight draining creatures like Nale had.

The irony if Gaz is brought along

Eighteen and a half years? How old is Renarin again. How much did the Kholin brothers see of their father in early childhood?

Okay at least being responsible for tactics is a step forward for Dalinar

The Thrill addiction really is disturbing. Such a good underhanded weapon of Odium.

You haven't even read all her letters...

Team Evi deserves better

Really Dalinar you were there for Adolin's birth but not Renarin's? He was the looked over son since birth?

And he ignored the spanreed for the naming of Renarin while delightedly naming Adolin

Dalinar, Evi tried and is at least taking effort to listen and learn tradition

"Like one who was born unto himself" kind of fits Renarin unconventional cryptic but ties to family names, like and unlike

Dalinar you were so elated over Adolin and now Renarin doesn't get that love how dare you

I love Evi

At least Dalinar realizes she deserves better.

Aaaa little Kholin brothers

Evil flying chulls pfft

...as cute as the little kid salute is it is really disconcerting that Adolin doesn't see enough of his father that that is the greeting that happens

D'aww baby Renarin

Okay I am indignant that Renarin isn't getting the same love

Ooo glyph info

The idea of infiltrating the Calligraphers Guild is hilarious

Purity's Eye? I feel like I should be able to place that reference.

Okay this is so cool I love this

Glyph explanations!

Linguistics!

So the general person isn't aware of these procedures? Otherwise I feel like the Stormwardens could have just adopted the phonemes rather than combining glyphs phonetically

Really tempted to attempt to make glyphs now

Yay Jasnah

Wait is this another letter

Hmm does that mean that earlier part was actually multiple letters

That would explain why I got confused

Hoid is sending a lot of letters

Ooh Veristitalian stuff?

Okay that is messed up NanKhet

The fact that Navani turned that area into a scholarly institute is so delightful

Huh that must have been frustrating, wanting to discuss scholarship with people when all they care about talking about is your atheism when you've established that you'd rather not be defined by something that you don't believe

But science and scholarship everywhere!

Hey Jasnah Renarin can float between worlds if he wants it's called balance and being well-rounded

Especially cause if I was in Roshar I definitely be doing the same thing cause Bridge Four but also scholarship

I want to believe you're not so limited

I really respect Jasnah's dedication and effort to quietly protecting her family

And yeah really why are royal families often so messed up

I do not want stormwardens near Renarin albeit for different reasons than Jasnah. I don't trust them.

Tashikk's system is so cool

If the Voidbringers target it....

Fantasy chat room!

Jochi and Ethid I love them already 

I'm glad Jasnah has Veristitalian colleagues/friends 

See Jochi is well rounded and in two worlds, a philosopher and running a pastry shop

Ooh Ethid’s a scion I was curious about those

Oh right Ethid could have been there when Nale/Darkness/Inspector Javert tried to kill Lift in the Azish palace

Is this how Szeth is going to return to the narrative? Jasnah hunting Heralds?

Jochi spotted Axies the Collector? He's known of in certain circles?

Heh they're discussing Lift

I need to reread Edgedancer to see if Ethid showed up at all

Is Dalinar's vision the unexpected source of the images of the Heralds or something else

Yeah Ethid it really does feel like Radiants are popping up everywhere

I'm just really happy Jasnah has scholar buddies

Wait Navani and Shallan are already discussing wedding Adolin this feels too soon and like something will go wrong probably learning Adolin killed Sadeas

I mean I figured something was off with Renarin given we know what the Truthwatcher spren should look like from that interlude with he poor cobbler and his foresight hasn't been confirmed as a Truthwatcher ability but now I'm really getting scared

*Hisses at Amaram*

I love how two of the characters I despised can technically be referred to by the same name now

OHHH

OHHHHHH

BURN

okay I take it back Amaram's presence was acceptable just so I could see him get burned

"Remind me to find whoever told you and have them hanged"

I LOVE YOU JASNAH

Also bonus points for glowing while you say that

Destroy him Jasnah

Tear him apart

Ugh I actually hate Amaram even more now, dude not listening when a woman says no, physically grabbing her

Oh man this is just delightful

Also I have never seen Jasnah this...vitriolic?

Shame Kaladin isn't watching

Team Amaram haters unite!

This is so beautiful

What does Jasnah know about him though

Heh yeah my reaction is pretty close to Shallan's

Jasnah's just oh no I was a poor example

And to be fair insulting ones female relative isn't a great route but I was just so delighted to see Amaram verbally attacked

Ah Shallan skipping over the part where it was your idea not Elhokar's

Ooh what did Renarin find

What on Roshar? Just sounds a tad jarring even if it fits

Oh that is awesome

Glowing musical gem language to preserve knowledge aaaa

[rabbiaharon]

Do you think regular people can have discussions and get answers from G-d? And if so, what kind of form should we be looking for those answers in? How do we go about listening and interpreting properly? I don't want to be arrogant or presumptuous or put words in His mouth, but I don't want to ignore genuine communication either, and I'm still learning to trust my intuition. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts you have on this and freeform prayer more generally.

The general answer is yes. But how clear those answers are may depend on 2 things.

1) the natural level of someone’s soul: This is something that a person cannot control. Some people have souls which are sourced from higher worlds, and some from lower worlds. Now, there’s advantages and disadvantages to each. If a person’s soul is from a higher world, they will be able to nullify a decree much more easily, or converse with G-d much more directly. However, this comes with a major disadvantage. The lack of practical service - avodah - and dealing with the evil inclination and refining the body, means that they are removed from physicality, and cannot easily have a tangible and permanent effect on physicality. If a person has a soul from a lower spiritual world, they may (usually, but not always) have less tangible perception of G-d in the world, and they have to do lots of hard work to refine the body and the evil inclination. In the process of that, they are able to refine the physical world, and reveal G-d’s light which permeates physicality, something that many higher souls cannot do. A practical difference is that someone with a lower-sourced soul who has reached their zenith, and their ultimate level of refinement may be able to ascend to the Heavenly Court and the school with their body, rather than leaving their body in the physical world. There have been several examples of that (Eliyahu, Eliezer the servant of Avraham, Serach the daughter of Asher, Rebbi Yehoshuah Ben Levi) - but the bodies of higher souls will always require burial and cannot ascend above (as we speak regarding Moshe, Miriam, Aharon, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov - even though they passed from this world in the ultimate perfect, sweetest way - a kiss from G-d-, they still had to leave their bodies behind).

2) The amount of work a person has done. If someone has put in years of service, and meditation, learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos, all for the right reasons, no matter what level their soul is from, they'll have far greater of a G-dly revelation in this world than someone who has done little to no spiritual "hard work".

Prayer, obviously, is one way to have a conversation with G-d - but as you know (and as other religions will tell you too) sometimes the answer to a question or request can be no. However! Judaism tells us that it doesn’t mean it should STAY “no”. For “higher” souls, the way to upend a decree is often to continue to pray. For “lower” souls, the way to upend a decree is to do physical action. Increase in learning, increase in Tzedakah, increase in acts of loving kindness, take on an extra stringency - keep kosher if you don’t before, keep chalav yisroel if you didn’t before, etc. And encourage others around you to help you with their actions. Since none of us really know the level our soul is holding at (a soul of the highest levels can be within a simple farmer, or a lower soul born into a Torah scholar) it is best to cover all your bases - continue praying, and start doing physical action!

Now let’s talk about answers. There’s a variety of ways you can get an answer. The most common way is through Hashgacha Pratis (it’s usually translated as “divine providence”, but I prefer the literal translation “personal attention” - it seems more apt). Judaism doesn’t believe in coincidence, serendipity or the like. Every single action that happens in the world, everything down to the way that a leaf falls from a tree in the autumn, and how the wind passes through a blade of grass in the summer, happens according to the divine will. Carefully observing your surroundings and the world around you can yield tremendous answers, either from the actions of people, or forces of nature. Sometimes those answers are indirect, but sometimes they are very direct.

There’s a story that happened a few years ago, during chanukah. One of the biggest ideas of Chanukah is publicizing the miracle to the world. I - with several other yeshiva students, - had rented an RV and turned it into a mobile shul. We were parked in Columbus Circle (59th Street in Manhattan), where there was some sort of artists’ market. There was probably around 30-50 booths, underneath an overhang, and occupied by a few hundred people who were milling around or window shopping. We were parked 30 feet away, but nobody could really get to us, because it was 40 degrees, pouring rain, and very windy. At the end of our rope, we almost turned around and went home, until a friend of mine said “Wait, I want to try something!”. So he said “Ribono Shel Olam (Master of the World)! You want us to publicize the miracle of Chanukah, but because of the rain and wind, we are unable to do it in the best manner! If you make the rain and wind stop, and the clouds part, we will set up a table, with sufganiot, dreidels, and menorahs to give out, and we’ll do a public lighting for all to see”. 5 minutes passed by, and the rain and wind stopped, and the clouds cleared… And we did just as we said we would do.

Sometimes the answers are clear, sometimes the answers are murky, but stay aware of your surroundings, and you’ll be able to pick up those answers, and G-d willing, you will truly learn to have an open dialogue, a 2-way relationship with Hashem.

Kesiva V'chasima tovah, everyone! You should be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year. –Aharon Ephraim

[ancient-rome-au]

Hey so that post you made with, like, what eurasian horde are you, I just thought I'd bring up that it espouses the Khazar theory which is wildly antisemitic and kind of shocking to see posted uncritically on your blog

Oh, gosh! I was completely unaware that there was any controversy over the theory that some portion of the Khazar population, or at least some of the ruling class, converted to Judaism. In the spirit of honesty, full disclosure, and self-reflection, let me offer an explanation of how that line (“Khazars….  convert to Judaism”) ended up in my post:

I first became aware of the theory about a decade ago when I read a work of historical fiction set in 10th-century Khazaria, titled Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon. The theory was presented as historical fact in that work. Obviously, historical fiction is not a valid source. But I generally assume authors of historical fiction are trying their best and tend towards the consensus views of professional historians. I mention this work for two reasons:

It predisposed me to accept Wikipedia’s summary of the historical evidence on this matter (more on this below) without further scrutiny, since the characterization of religious affairs in Khazaria by the book and by Wikipedia broadly agree.

I find it eminently curious that the author would espouse an antisemitic theory of the religious history of Khazars since he is himself a Jew. Michael Chabon has written numerous works on Jewish identity and history (and even one of alternate history). He was recognized by the Jewish Book Council with their “Modern Jewish Literary Achievement Award” for the year 2016. I’m not Jewish, so I’m not qualified to assess who counts as self-hating Jew, but I suppose it’s a possibility in this case.

To be honest, it’s not at all clear to me how the theory that Khazars converted to Judaism is antisemitic. I am absolutely willing to entertain the proposition that the theory is wrong. Our understanding of history is constantly being revised in big ways and small ways. However, I just can’t see how belief in this theory implies anything derogatory about Jews or Judaism. If anything, it’s evidence that Judaism is a fine enough religion that a group of Turkic peoples found it worthy of converting to it! But, like I said, I’m not Jewish, so I invite you to educate me as to how this theory demeans Jews or Judaism. Please accept my apologies in advance.

Regarding the empirical basis for the theory, I reviewed the evidence  and analysis of professional historians as summarized by Wikipedia well before posting. Full disclosure: I am not a historian and I do not have formal academic training in history. I am merely a history fan. The last class on history I took was a college course on economic history prior to the Industrial Revolution. For recreation, I read a lot of history books and listen to a lot history podcasts. That’s about it. In running this blog, I generally do not have the time to conduct extensive research on most topics except those of the greatest interest to me personally. Khazaria is not one of those topics. Therefore, in a case such as this, I tend to rely on summaries. I will freely admit to my fallibility and appreciate feedback from my more knowledgeable followers.

Clearly, despite its extensive sourcing and discussion of the academic literature on this topic, Wikipedia has strayed into error. I am quite surprised to discover that there is no mention of this on the talk page, and Wiki editors seems content to let the statement stand that this theory is the consensus view of professional historians, with only uncertainty over the extent to which Judaism was adopted among the populace. There are only two scholars mentioned who dissent to the theory entirely.

In closing, I appreciate your feedback, profoundly regret the offense caused, and eagerly await more information from you or others about this matter.

[garywonghc]

Bliss and Emptiness in the Gelug Tradition

by Lati Rinpoche

I would like to thank you for coming here to listen to the teachings and I am sure there are many other things to do but you have placed them aside and made the point that it is important to attend the teachings. I very much appreciate this.

As we all know our purpose in gathering here is to discuss the Dharma. There are various spiritual traditions in this world and I feel that each spiritual tradition has its own qualities and all have made contributions for the welfare of humanity. I feel it is important for us to cultivate respect for each other’s spiritual traditions and cultivate a pure perception, appreciating the good qualities of other’s traditions.

As followers of various spiritual traditions, if we properly appreciate each other and work with each other, creating harmony between us, this would contribute to world peace and stability. Instead of appreciating the good points of each other’s traditions, if we go on criticising one another, bringing out the weak points here and there, this will create disharmony and we will not make positive contributions to the world.

As follower of various spiritual traditions we have a responsibility to be kind and caring towards others, otherwise nonbelievers who do not follow any form of religion will feel that we are unnecessarily creating divisions among ourselves. Due to this we say our tradition is the best and cling to it, criticising other’s traditions and create unnecessary divisions. When we do this the religion we adopt instead of helping us calm and settle our minds, it fuels attachment and hatred. So be careful with your spiritual tradition and don’t give this kind of impression to nonbelievers.

Creating unnecessary divisions has nothing to do with the spiritual traditions themselves; this is a weakness of us the followers of the traditions. We are placing our weaknesses onto our spiritual traditions so we need to be careful with what we do. The Dalai Lama has said that we should cultivate respect and pure perception towards all forms of life, especially the followers of different spiritual traditions. If we make a point to put this into practice, there will certainly be harmony between followers of the different traditions and with this harmony and cooperation, we could make a great contribution to world peace and happiness.

Of the various spiritual traditions, I am here to speak about Lord Buddha’s teaching. As you know Lord Buddha’s teaching has different vehicles or yanas such as the Lower Vehicle or Hinayana and the Mahayana or Greater Vehicle. Of these two vehicles I am here to speak more about the Mahayana or Greater Vehicle of Buddhism.

Perhaps one could say that Mahayana Buddhism or Greater Vehicle Buddhism flourished incomparably in Tibet. Over time it developed into different schools or traditions of what is called Tibetan Buddhism. All the teachings that the followers of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism are the teachings of the same teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha gave the teachings and all of the followers of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism are practicing this.

All four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism have flourished well but sometimes one does hear some unfortunate things, which I feel are unnecessary conflicts among the various traditions. This is misinformation, which has been given that has nothing to do with the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. All four traditions can trace their teachings back to Lord Buddha’s teachings, which originated in India. Over the centuries Tibet sent a number of brilliant scholars to India to study and reproduce a number of greatly realised scholars as well as lotsawas, the translators many of whom were emanations. So one can trace back all of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism back to the teachings of Lord Buddha.

Of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, I am here to present the teachings of the Gelugpa tradition which is also called the Wholesome Tradition or the Virtuous Tradition. I am going to touch on different points of what is the philosophical view, what is the meditation in this tradition and what is called the contact or the behavioural aspect of this tradition. Actually it would be ideal to tell you of the lineage masters of the Gelugpa tradition and when one tells the life stories of great masters; this facilitates one gaining respect, confidence and conviction in those great masters. Due to the time factor and the fact that I am incapable of relating the greatness of those past masters, I will skip this.

But I must mention a little bit about Manjusri, Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa tradition. At a very young age when he was three he received a layperson’s ordination or upasaka vows from Karmapa Rolpay Dorje. Later he received novice monk and full ordination from Choye Dondrup Rinchen. From the age of three until sixteen years of age, Lama Tsongkhapa studied at the feet of those two great masters and received innumerable tantric initiations, commentaries, transmissions and pith instructions. When he was sixteen years old he went to central Tibet.

In central Tibet he continued his extensive studies and practice with many great masters such as Lama Umapa, Nyapon Kunga Pel, Lama Rendawa and so forth. A full list of his teachers would be very long so I mentioned just a few. He also studied with Potam Gyaltsen, Tonjup Sangbo and other great masters receiving innumerable transmissions of scriptures. Lama Tsongkhapa was never satisfied with partial study so he studied with many great masters and the treatises or shastras of many great masters such as Maitreya, the Six Ornaments and the Two Supreme Ones. He completed a profound study of all those treatises.

Studying with great masters he learned a great deal of the scriptures so he became the holder of the treasure of scriptural teachings. He also implemented the teachings and particularly he performed retreats and practiced intensively developing high realisations. He developed the realisations of the three principal aspects of the path, which include the altruistic intention to become enlightened or bodhicitta and the wisdom that understands emptiness.

Having accomplished his intensive study of the great treatises and having actualised profound realisations, Lama Tsongkhapa did critical study of the teachings of Buddhism existent in Tibet at that time. He also composed many profound treatises and later mainly following the tradition of the great Atisha; he founded the Gelugpa tradition called the New Kadampa Tradition. This is how he made a tremendous contribution for the restoration of Buddhism in Tibet.

The point that I am making is that Lama Tsongkhapa did not found a tradition just out of his own mind without any kind of base. He studied the teachings of Buddhism present at that time in Tibet and accomplished realisations. Later he founded this new tradition. Before Lama Tsongkhapa there were three different traditions of Kadampas such as the Textual Kadampa who followed the scriptural texts, the followers of the Pith Instruction or the Quintessential Instructions and the Lam-rim tradition or the Stages of the Path tradition. But Lama Tsongkhapa received all of these traditions from great masters and integrated the three traditions.

As for the highest tantric teachings Lama Tsongkhapa received teachings on the Guhyasamaja Tantra many according to the tradition of the great translator Marpa Lotsawa. He received the teachings on Chakrasamvara according to the tradition of the Sakya masters. He received teachings on Yamantaka according to the tradition on the translator Ralosawa. Of course it is not possible for me at this point to tell everything about the teachings, transmissions and everything Lama Tsongkhapa received. I have just given you a glimpse into the teachings of Sutra and Tantra that he received.

To experience the profundity and authenticity of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings, if you were to study the eighteen treatises that Lama Tsongkhapa wrote which contain innumerable quotations from sutras and from the profound treatises, shastras, of the Indian masters as well as Tibetan masters who preceded him one would gain confidence in his teaching. You would see its authenticity and based on various authentic sources.

As for the philosophical or profound view, Lama Tsongkhapa relied heavily upon the works of the great Nagarjuna, Aryadeva and other great masters who followed them. Lama Tsongkhapa studied the works of Nagarjuna and Aryadeva on emptiness or the profound view and he gained a precise insight into the way in which all phenomena actually exist, that is the ultimate nature of all phenomena. He was very pleased with this realisation and I quote from his text, which says, “I have been able to transcend the artificial view”. Where some people might think that he found an artificial, incomplete view but he transcended those extremes he gained a precise insight into the profound, ultimate nature of phenomena. This ultimate reality of phenomena is the same for every kind of phenomena from form to the omniscient state of mind.

Perhaps the most extraordinary characteristic of his realisation and his work is how dependent arising and emptiness complement each other. As one studies dependent arising and develops confidence in it, one’s understanding of emptiness and confidence in that profound view also increases. In other words what I am telling you here is that Lama Tsongkhapa explained precisely how things conventionally exist and yet they are empty of intrinsic existence or existing in and of themselves. He wrote a number of commentaries such as his commentary to the Fundamental Wisdom and he wrote about the special insight as one finds in the Lam-rim texts. He wrote great texts like Unraveling Thought and others texts that deal with the profound view of emptiness.

In his works on profound emptiness he explains precisely how understanding the conventional appearance of phenomena helps to eliminate the extreme of nihilism and how the understanding of emptiness eliminates the extreme of eternalism. This was a unique contribution that Lama Tsongkhapa made.

As for meditational practice in his works Lama Tsongkhapa presented the conducive factors for developing shamatha or calm-abiding and the conducive factors for developing penetrative insight or vipasyana. He also taught a great deal about the different objects of meditation and the criteria for judging whether or not one has attained calm-abiding or special insight. He also taught how to identify the obstacles in one’s way from performing meditation such as laxity and excitement as well as how to counteract them, eliminating all faults and obstacles. In fact he mentioned about both stabilised meditation or contemplative meditation and analytical meditation. He presented where one needs more analytical meditation and when to perform single-pointed meditation or stabilised meditation. Sometimes one needs to alternate those two types of meditation and he was very clear on this point also. While dealing with these subjects he relied heavily upon the Five Treatises of Maitreya and the works of Asanga such as the Bodhisattva Levels and The Stages of Meditation by Acharya Kamalashila.

In short Lama Tsongkhapa said that if one wants to cultivate calm-abiding or shamatha then one should primarily do single-pointed meditation or stabilised meditation. If one wants to gain insight into the profound nature of phenomena then one should be primarily doing analytical meditation especially right from the beginning. If one is interested in cultivating special insight then one should alternate between analytical meditation and stabilised meditation. Also he said that if one is to meditate on outlines such as cultivating one’s relationship with the spiritual master and to gain insight into the precious nature of one’s human life, how one’s life is endowed with leisure and freedom and how one’s life is transient then at first one should do analytical meditation. At the end of each analytical meditation one should perform single-pointed meditation. He was very clear on how to meditate on each and every point and as I have already mentioned he taught about meditation practice based on the authentic works of Maitreya, Asanga and Kamalashila.

As Lama Kuntangsang said that as for the behavioural pattern one should adopt, it should be in accordance with the principles of Buddha’s teaching. Lama Tsongkhapa was also particularly concerned with the Vinaya or the behavioral aspect of the teachings. Whatever one finds in the Vinaya or the texts dealing with monk’s, nun’s or lay practitioner’s ethics or ethical discipline, one should be following them accordingly.

According to Lama Tsongkhapa if one can the best thing is to follow even the minor precepts or ethical behaviour that is mentioned in the Vinaya. But if one is unable to do this because of the predominance of defilements in one’s mind or one is ignorant of them or due to one’s lack of understanding of the precepts or carelessness or lack of conscientiousness, if one does break one’s minor vows then in accordance with the Vinaya text one’s should perform purification and restore one’s vows. One should not let one’s broken vows remain as they are, one needs to purify and restore them in accordance with Lord Buddha’s teaching.

In short one should study the Vinaya or other texts dealing with ethical disciplines and learn what one can do and what one shouldn’t be doing. Supposing one breaks a vow how does one restore one’s vows? In the Vinaya one finds that even at the cost of one’s life, one should observe one’s precepts or ethical discipline.

This was an introduction. Today the main subject is as announced is the nature of mind and the union of bliss and voidness or emptiness. First I would like to speak about the nature of mind and I will do this in the context of the basis, path and the result. I will do my best to be brief, lucid and concise.

I must say that what I am going to speak about is within the framework of Lord Buddha’s teaching. I cannot speak about other than what Buddha taught and you have already listened to great masters here. Sometimes you may hear the same kind of teaching but as the bodhisattva Shantideva said, “I have nothing new to say to you”. What I shall be doing is to talk about those things within the Gelugpa tradition; how Gelugpa masters have understood this and how they practiced this.

Bodhisattva Shantideva also said that all of the problems one experiences and all one’s fears and frustrations as well as happiness, all arise from one’s mind. Mind is the basis for all of them. To continue Shantideva’s quote, he also said, “The mind is the forerunner of everything”. In order for one to accomplish peace and happiness while ridding oneself of problems and suffering, it is essential for one to know the workings of the mind, how the mind works. Otherwise one won’t be able to accomplish happiness and get rid of one’s problems. For this reason, one should study the mind and one should safeguard one’s mind. One should protect it and cherish it.

Lama Tsongkhapa had said the same thing that the mind is the basis for both good and bad. As far as actions are concerned there are the three doors of body, speech and mind but body and speech are very much influenced by the mind. The mind is the primary basis; mind dictates or influences one’s physical and verbal actions. All of the great masters such as Nagarjuna, Aryadeva and Asanga have unanimously stated that the mind is the basis for both liberation and enlightenment and cyclic existence.

What is mind? What are the types of mind? According to the Prasangika-Madhyamika School, the highest school of thought there are six consciousnesses or six types of consciousness; the five sense consciousnesses which are eye, ear, nose, tongue and body consciousnesses along with the mental consciousness. So these are the six consciousnesses asserted in the Prasangika-Madhyamika School.

How does the eye consciousness or the visual consciousness arise? It arises based on certain conditions with the fundamental condition being the eye sense organ along with a visible form. Through the interaction of these factors the visual consciousness or eye consciousness arises.

It is the same with the other consciousnesses as say the ear consciousness relies on the ear sense organ and different types of sound. Only then can the ear consciousness arise. The nose consciousness relies on the nose sense organ and different types of smell and the taste consciousness relies on the tongue sense organ and taste. So depending on different factors different consciousnesses arise. The first five consciousnesses are the sense consciousnesses and they are considered as coarse as they rely on the physical organs. Those who do research on them feel that this is true. They are coarse consciousnesses.

When talks about mind as the basis for both cyclic existence and enlightenment or liberation, one is in fact talking about the six mental consciousnesses, not the sense consciousnesses. These mental consciousnesses also rely on certain conditions such as the mental organ and phenomena as its object. The mental consciousness again is not just one consciousness, it has different forms. There is the coarse form of mental consciousness, the subtle form and the subtlest form of mental consciousness. To give an example when one meditates on emptiness or for developing calm-abiding, one’s mind becomes subtler. When one is in a meditative state one’s mind has become to a certain extent subtle.

Also in the case of attachment and anger, normally when one experiences them, they arises quickly so they are coarse. One can also talk of the subtle forms of attachment and anger. There are the eighty conceptions, which are relatively speaking, are subtler.

In the context of tantra when one talks of the mind of three appearances which are radiant appearance or white appearance, radiant red appearance and black near attainment. These are subtle forms of mental consciousness but the subtlest of all is the primordial clear light mind. This is the subtlest state of mind. Towards the end I will briefly speak about the primordial clear light mind which is the subtlest mind in the context of tantra because our topic is the union of bliss and emptiness.

I have a restriction as I feel there are people here who haven’t received any initiation or empowerment so to truly talk of the union of bliss and emptiness is very difficult. Both masters and disciples would be breaking their commitments and vows to go into detail and create the conditions for going to hell. Without an empowerment even if one listens to teachings on tantra and practice it, one may achieve some minor attainment but this won’t help much as one will find oneself in one of the unfortunate states of rebirth. Just as one cannot expect oil to come from squeezing sand so one can’t expect great wonders to happen through tantric practice without the proper initiation.

At this point, not in the context of tantra, I will explain how the mind forms the basis for the cycle of compulsive rebirth or samsara and nirvana, liberation or enlightenment. To talk about how the mind is the basis for cyclic existence one cannot help but speak about how one comes into cyclic existence, how one enters into this cycle of compulsive rebirth. I need to be very brief on this.

Acharya Chandrakirti has said that all the diversity one finds among sentient beings and their environment is the result of karmic actions that sentient beings create. Sentient being in the sense of those beings capable of feeling and thinking. Historically speaking Shakyamuni Buddha after he became completely enlightened, the first teaching he gave in the Deer Park in Varanasi was on the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths contain nothing but how the process of coming into cyclic existence works, how to break this process and go out of cyclic existence.

There are different approaches one can follow to talk about the process of entering cyclic existence and of going out of cyclic existence. One can do this speaking about the Four Noble Truths in general or in particular one can speak about the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination which explain how one has come into cyclic existence and how one can go out of cyclic existence.

The great Nagarjuna said, “So long as there is grasping at the physical and mental aggregates, there will be grasping at a self or I. Due to this there will be activity or action and due to all of them one will be in the compulsive cycle of rebirth”. What Nagarjuna is saying is that so long as one has grasping for both a self and phenomena, one will grasp at a notion of a person, which is called the view of the transitory collection. Due to these graspings one will continually create karmic actions, a chain of karmic actions and these karmic actions bind one to the cycle of compulsive rebirth.

In saying that one grasps at the self of a person, one feels that as a person in and of oneself, existing in one’s own right, and because of this grasping one cherishes oneself too much. Due to this grasping or self-cherishing attitude, many other inappropriate states of mind or conceptions take place in one’s mind. Due to this one experiences delusions such as attachment or anger and under their influence one creates karmic actions. These karmic actions keep one within cyclic existence. As one creates karmic actions, they deposit imprints or latencies in one’s mindstream or mental continuum.

At the time of death what happens is that the dependent links of craving and grasping, the eighth and ninth links activate one’s karmic actions. Following these, the dependent link of existence or becoming arises. By this process when one karmic actions intensify and after one leaves this world, one has to take rebirth. So one is born through four different ways, mostly from the womb of one’s mother. The other ways are to be born from eggs, born from heat and moisture and lastly to be born miraculously or spontaneously. These are the four different ways of taking birth.

At the time of death if a positive karmic action is activated by dependent links of craving and grasping, then one is able to have a fortunate rebirth. But at the time of death if a negative karmic action is activated by those factors then one will achieve an unfortunate rebirth. Suppose one is born in an unfortunate state. Until one’s karma that precipitated one to be born there is exhausted, it make take eons, hundreds of years of human lifetime, for one to experience that unfortunate state of tremendous suffering.

If a positive karmic action gets activated at the time of death by the two dependent links then one achieves a fortunate rebirth either as a human being or as a celestial being, deva. Even if one is born as a human being, which is relatively speaking a fortunate rebirth, but one has to experience human problems. One cannot escape problems. Also if one is born as a god or celestial being in the Desire Realm, relatively speaking that is a very happy situation. But still one has to experience the problems that the gods of the Desire Realm experience and the same with the demigods.

Suppose one is born in the Formless Realm or Form Realm in which there isn’t the suffering of suffering but wherever one is born in cyclic existence one does experience the pervasive suffering of conditioning. Wherever one is born in cyclic existence the way one has been currently reborn, one is always under the influence of contaminated karmic actions and afflictive emotions or delusions. This is why one always runs into difficulties and problems. Wherever one finds oneself in cyclic existence there are problems.

The great Nagarjuna said, ”From the three arises the two. From the two, seven and from the seven arises three”. The explanation given is in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination. Within the twelve links of dependent origination there are three links that are afflictive emotions or delusions come the two links that are karmic actions, karmic formation and becoming. From these karmic actions arise the succeeding seven links such as name and form, contact, feelings and etc. From these seven arise the last three dependent links. This is how when one is caught up in these twelve dependent links one continually experiences one or another form of problems. There doesn’t appear to be a gap, just incessantly and continually experience forms of problems.

According to Buddhism no one has dumped one into this cyclic existence. Under the influence of karmic actions and delusions, one has been born into this problematic creation. When one’s mind is conjoined with delusion or afflictive emotions, one runs into all kinds of difficulties and problems. If one is to posit a creator of everything then it is one’s mind. One’s mind is the creator of everything. Sometimes one hears that contaminated karmic actions and delusions are the creator of the life one is experiencing. One could also say that one’s mind is the creator. One’s mind has always been joined with contaminated karmic actions and delusions.

If one goes deeper into this matter, it is one’s karmic actions which have brought one into cyclic existence and if one traces further one finds that the underlying causes are the delusions and afflictive emotions. Of the different forms of afflictive emotions or delusion, at the very root there is the ignorant perception of grasping at a self. This is the root cause of all of one’s problems and one’s life in cyclic existence. Just because this grasping has always accompanied one’s mind, so one can say that one’s mind is the basis for life in cyclic existence. It is the creator of one’s life in cyclic existence.

As one looks into one’s present situation, one is controlled by one’s mind, one’s way of thinking. One’s mind has been dominated by or controlled by the defilements or afflictive emotions such as attachment and anger. This is why one encounters many difficulties and problems. Because one’s mind is not under one’s control, one is captivated by the mind and one’s mind is captivated by defilements. This is how one encounters all difficulties. This is like a child as a child who is very nice but spoiled. The defilements and afflictive emotions have spoiled one’s mind so to speak. When children find themselves in bad company they learn bad manners and when we see those children we think how sad the way they behave.

In a sense the defilements and delusions have made one just like those spoiled children. One’s mind has very much been spoiled by them and this is why one hears of people committing suicide. When one pauses to reflect on why someone would do that, one has no answer. This seems inconceivable to us. The fact of the matter is that one has no control over one’s mind and one’s mind has been ruling one. The mind in turn is dominated by the negative emotions and this is how one can go to such an extreme.

When the defilement dominate one’s mind, one fins oneself doing many improper actions and somehow when a particular delusion arises in one’s mind, at that moment it is as though one has gone crazy. One does not look like one’s normal self and one does actions that one should not be doing. One should be ashamed to do such actions but one becomes a shameless person. The delusion is dictating one’s behaviour. One picks up so much courage to do certain things, one becomes very fearless and does actions one should not be doing. This is how the defilements dictate one’s actions and force one to do that which one really should not do.

When delusion arises in one’s mind and it dictates one’s behaviour, all of one’s actions become negative. One cannot expect positive actions to be created under the influence of delusions. As the great Nagarjuna has said that actions which arise from attachment, anger and obscuration are negative actions. Actions that arise from non-attachment, non-anger and non-obscuration are positive actions. By what Nagarjuna is telling us if one acts under the command of delusions, one cannot expect to create peace and happiness. Peace and happiness do not come from actions created under the influence of the delusions. If one really wants genuine peace and happiness and for one’s life to go smoothly, one needs to discipline one’s mind, one should subdue one’s mind. As one subdues one’s mind life becomes much better and one experiences peace and happiness.

As we know there are people who do not believe in rebirth or life before and after the present one. But then there are people who believe in previous and future lives and among those are those who feel that Tibetans when they die will be reborn as Tibetans and so forth. This is their way of thinking and I have nothing to say about this.

As a believer in rebirth if one accepts this as fact that one’s good and bad karmic actions decide the type of rebirth that one will achieve, then one cannot remain satisfied by the fact that one has enough food, clothing and shelter. One needs to examine; one needs to look within oneself and find out when one dies where will one end up. What kind of rebirth will one achieve? It is very important for one to question oneself and find the answer to this question.

In a sense the existence of previous lives has become a problem for many people and they find it hard to believe in this idea. In Buddhism, in the profound treatises and texts there are presentations of different reasonings to establish previous lives as well as future ones. In discussing these reasonings like the substantial cause of mental consciousness, the preceding moment of experience or in terms of familiarisation or intimacy one has had in the past, in order to understand how these reasons establish the theory of rebirth, one needs to have acquaintance with Buddhist logic and metaphysics. Otherwise one might not grasp the idea.

I will not go into those reasonings but I want to take the opportunity to mention that there is a clear indication that there have been previous lifetimes. For instance among people of the same nationality there are some who look handsome or beautiful and those with much lesser qualities. These differences must have causes and conditions; it can not just happen without cause. So when one traces back this physical body, back to one’s mother’s womb. One cannot create good or bad karmic actions in that state so one cannot say that actions in the mother’s womb were the cause. This indicates a previous existence and helps support the idea that there have been past lives.

One also finds differences among us such as in business some are very successful, flourishing while others are struggling. They are the same businesses with the same effort and similar factories but still big differences in success. One finds similar differences in children in the same family; some are very successful and handsome while others are less handsome and less successful. So all these differences one finds must have causes and conditions as their basis. In this life, one can place the same amount of effort in the same endeavour but there are huge differences in success. As one looks into this one finds support for past lives, what one did in the past.

One can also talk about how children educated in the same way, the same school, studying under the same teacher, with the same facilities yet there is a big difference between the students. Some learn quickly while others hardly seem to learn at all. Why is there this big difference? As far as the facilities are concerned and all the things that can be done in this lifetime are concerned, they all have the same opportunity but why is there such a large difference in the students? I think this has something to do with what one did in the past.

One does find people who such personalities that they are very influential. Just by their presence they are much influence on other people. This does not seem to be an acquired quality but an inborn quality that they have and I think that this quality can be traced back to previous lifetimes. Then of course in our world we find children who can remember their past lives vividly. This also suggests that previous lives do exist, if they did not exist what are these people remembering? If there are past lives that they have remembered then it is clear that there will be future lives.

Thinking along these lines as one develops certain belief in past and future lives then the theory of karmic action makes more sense. Then one knows that one must be careful with all of one’s actions otherwise one will have to experience the ripening results of all of one’s actions. Lord Buddha said that one will experience different situations in accordance with one’s own actions. This means that one cannot neglect one’s future rebirth in future lives, one has to be careful now so that one does not suffer in one’s future lives.

Of course we all cherish ourselves and want to fulfill our own interests and wishes. As one develops concern about one’s future, what one wants for their future it helps to be concerned about future lifetimes. What do we want for our future lives? If one wants to have happiness in the future, in one’s future lives especially what is pertinent for one to do is to train one’s mind, discipline one’s mind or subdue one’s mind. This is the best way. To accomplish the kind of peace and happiness that one wants, material development is good but it will not insure genuine peace and happiness. The more material progress one makes, the more scattered becomes one’s mind as one’s mind wanders to different material things. Temptations and all those other things happen.

The only way to bring true peace and happiness to oneself is to make inner development, inner transformation, which can only come about through spiritual practice. I don’t speak English so I don’t know how much the word religion carries the meaning of the Tibetan word cho, the Dharma. The Tibetan word cho tells one that one needs to make change or transformation. When talks of practicing cho or Dharma one is implying that one is going to make change, transforming oneself into better beings.

If one wants to make the greatest accomplishment and do the best through spiritual practice then one has to follow the gradual spiritual path. First one must study and practice the three principal aspects of the path which are renunciation or aversion to cyclic existence, bodhicitta or the altruistic intention to become enlightened and the profound view or the insight into emptiness. Having cultivated these three principal aspects of the path then one enters into tantric practice performing Highest Yoga Tantra practice. In this way one can attain enlightenment in one lifetime. If one is able to follow this process that is the best and one will make great the greatest accomplishment.

As there are different spiritual paths within Buddhism that one can follow, if one doesn’t mind to take a long time to reach enlightenment, one has this kind of determination, one cultivates the enlightened attitude of the altruistic intention to become enlightened. After this it may take three great, countless eons to accumulate the merit and wisdom needed and during this process one is tremendously benefiting sentient beings, working for them. One is working for enlightenment to benefit sentient beings the most. So this is one way, the follows the way of Bodhisattvas and how they benefit sentient beings.

Then one can also follow the path of Solitary Realisers or Pratyekabuddhas. One can follow the stages of this path and attain Arhatship or the state of liberation of a Solitary Realiser. If this doesn’t suit one then one can follow the stages of the path of a Hearer or Sravaka, which leads to their state of liberation. These are the different paths; one has many choices before one. One makes one’s choice and follows the path to its destination.

Later I will speak very briefly about those different paths, how one can attain enlightenment in just this one lifetime. I will also speak on how to attain the realization of Solitary Realisers and how to attain the liberation of Hearers or Sravakas. I shall touch briefly on all of them. Also another important point here is how can one integrate spiritual practice into one’s daily life. As one goes on in life, how can one practice the Dharma at the same time? I will also speak briefly about this.

The way one integrates spiritual practice into one’s daily life is within the context of what is called the five paths. Of the five paths the first one is called the power of setting forth the thought which is the power of motivation. Be it spiritual practice or a worldly activity, as one knows it is important to reflect on what one wants to do first and then make a good plan. Done this way things go much better. In terms of spiritual practice when one gets up in the morning one needs to set one’s motivation that one will place much effort into the practice of Dharma in this life, this year, this month and particularly this day. One will not waste one’s life just for the sake of accumulating food, clothing, shelter, being satisfied merely with those. One will work for achieving enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, which is the highest type of motivation. This is called the power of motivation.

When one gets up in the morning one should make a point to generate the proper motivation to make one’s daily activities meaningful in a spiritual sense. The second path is power of the white seed, which means the purification of negativities and the accumulation of positive energy. Those who are committed to do certain main practices have preliminary practices to perform first such as ngondro. Engaging in ngondro practice consists of this power of the white seed. Even if one is not aiming for such main practices they can still perform preliminary practices such as prostrations, circumambulation, making offerings and so forth. This constitutes the power of the white seed. The seven limb practice constitutes purification of unwholesome actions and the accumulation of positive energy. One can practice the seven limb and do purification and the accumulation of merit.

The third power is called the power of familiarisation or intimacy. This means that if one takes renunciation as one’s key practice, one does one’s practice and afterwards one develops more intimacy with renunciation. This is the power of familiarisation. If one wants to cultivate the altruistic intention to become enlightened or bodhicitta, as one performs the practice one develops more intimacy with the enlightened attitude. Or one could be meditating on deity yoga and through this meditation one develops more and more intimacy with the deity. This applies to any other kind of practice.

The fourth power is the power of applying the counteractive measures or antidotes. If one’s main aim is to challenge the self-cherishing attitude or self-centeredness, as it arises in one’s mind one should counteract it; one needs to challenge it. As any form of delusion like anger or attachment arises in one’s mind, one does not let it be there unchallenged but face it and confront it. This is called the power of applying the antidotes.

Of course the best method is to see that any form of delusion does not arise within one’s mind. This is to say that prevention is better than cure. Once the delusion has arisen in one’s mind it is difficult to bring it under control. Just before attachment or anger arises in one’s mind if one is mindful and notice that it might arise, just stop it and prevent it from arising in one’s mind.

In case one is not able to prevent the delusions from arising within one’s mind because one is being exposed to different situations and different objects, one way to as a temporary measure is to keep the objects of delusion at a distance and avoid them. So one of the methods that is practiced is to go into seclusion isolating oneself from the objects of delusion. This can be helpful temporarily. So long as one has delusions if one encounters the objects of those delusions it is difficult not to experience the delusions. So in this case try to avoid the objects of delusion.

The fifth power is the power of aspirational prayer and here one can say any kind of prayer. May I be able to direct my mind into spiritual practice. May my spiritual practice become a spiritual path. May this spiritual path be brought to the completion stage. These are all wonderful prayers. One can also pray that the Dharma, the source of benefit and happiness for all sentient beings, flourish all over the world. May all sincere practitioners and the upholders of the Dharma enjoy long lives and good health. However the best kind of prayer is, “May I never be separated from the altruistic mind of enlightenment of bodhicitta in this life and in all future lives.“ This is the best kind of aspirational prayer that one can make. This is the power of aspirational prayer.

In short the way one can integrate spiritual practice or those five powers that constitute spiritual practice into one’s daily life is when one first gets up, set the power of motivation. In the context of Greater Vehicle Buddhism one should set the motivation that at least today one will not be selfish, one will not let selfishness dictate one. In other words this is to say that one will develop concern for others, being kind and caring for others. One then should perform the purification of negativities and the accumulation of positive energy in different ways. If one is committed to do certain spiritual practices, one should do this with a sense of delight and enthusiasm not that it is a burden placed upon one.

In fact selfishness is the main obstacle in the context of Greater Vehicle Buddhism to practice. At the end one does aspirational prayers and dedication. One can pray for a long and healthy life but that is just an ordinary prayer. One instead should pray for the peace, happiness and prosperity of all sentient beings and that one may engender this enlightened attitude in all of one’s future lives. If one does this in one’s daily life then one’s life will be very well integrated with spiritual practice.

Lord Buddha’s teachings consists of are called the 84,000 bundles or sections. These 84,000 bundles of teaching are contained within the twelve scriptural divisions or the nine scriptural divisions, which are different ways of classifying his teachings placing them into different baskets. One could also say that Buddha’s teachings are all included within the Three Baskets or Tripitaka, Sutra, Abhidharma and Vinaya. The subject matter of these three baskets are brought together or summarised in their essence by the great Atisha in his The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment.

Even ordinary things can be learned by observing what others are doing. One cannot learn each and every thing unless one goes to study with professional teachers. If this is true for ordinary things it is especially true of the spiritual journey one wants to undertake. It is like going to an unknown land or destination but with an inner transformation there is nothing to see or hear with one’s ears. Here it is very important for one to cultivate a relationship with a qualified spiritual guide. At this time one has achieved such a precious human rebirth free of the main obstacles to the practice of the Dharma and also possesses the enriching factors to accomplish realisation. If one is to make the best use of one’s life and accomplish not only temporary purposes for this life but also reach the ultimate spiritual goal; one cannot be lazy and use this life properly. One has the potential to accomplish one’s goals.

As for this precious human life it is very hard to attain, as the causes needed to attain this kind of life are hard to create. At this time one does have this precious human life but this life will not remain forever. It has a transient nature so it is very unstable. If one does not make the best use of it now, the time will come when one must leave this life and go empty-handed. So when the time comes for one to leave this world and one reflects on what one has accomplished during one’s life, all the worldly activities one thought were so meaningful, do not make much sense at the time of death. If only one had created positive energy and practiced the Dharma then that would stand with one at the crucial time of death. Otherwise one will be helpless in the face of death; only the Dharma can help one at that time. One should reflect and meditate on all of these important points.

As one meditates on those points serially, first one performs analytical meditation where one brings up all the reasons to establish each point and ascertain each point. At the end of each analytical meditation one switches to single-pointed or stabilised meditation on each point. The purpose of meditating on the points I mentioned is for one to be able to eliminate clinging to this life. One is so attached to this life and the things associated with this life which firmly binds one to samsara. One has to get rid of this clinging to just this lifetime and meditating on those points will help one with this.

If one continues to cling to this life one can do practice but one’s Dharma practice will not be that effective. One may have the feeling that one has been practicing for a long time without much benefit. This is telling one that one has not been practicing the Dharma properly in its pure form. Doing the practice just for this life is not a Dharma practice. One is only confusing oneself and will not be able to achieve one’s higher goals, spiritual goals. So this is why the first thing one should try to do is to work on getting rid of clinging to this life. Otherwise one will not be able to get rid of clinging to material prosperity and the like all this and future lives.

One should also meditate on different aspects of the law of karma or karmic action. Its major characteristics or aspects are the certainty of karmic action. This means if one creates a positive karmic action that it will definitely bring a positive result. There is no way that it will bring about problems or difficulties. If one creates a negative karmic action it will bring a negative result. This is a law of nature. So this is the certainty of karmic action.

The second point is the increasing nature of karma. This means that one could create a small positive action and with the passage of time it can intensify and bring a great result. The same is with a slight negative action; with the passage of time it intensifies and can bring great problems to one.

The third characteristic of karma is whatever karmic action one has not created or accumulated one will not experience the results. One is only responsible for one’s own actions and of the actions one creates, one experiences the results. Actions one has never created one does not need to worry about, one will not experience those results.

The fourth characteristic of karma is that whatever karmic action one has created, good or bad, provided they are not destroyed by certain factors, they never are wasted. It may take eons and eons but one’s karmic actions will definitely bring their respective results. For instance if one creates a positive karmic action and it is never destroyed by one’s anger, it may take many eons to bring its result but it will definitely bring its result. Similarly one could perform a negative karmic action and if one does not apply the Four Antidotes to purify those karmic actions with the passage of time given the proper conditions it will ripen into its negative result. So this is how karmic actions work.

By meditating on these different aspects of karma one develops confidence in the infallible workings of karmic action. One also needs to contemplate of the different aspects of the suffering in cyclic existence, the general sufferings of cyclic existence and the particular sufferings of cyclic existence. The purpose of meditating on the different forms of suffering along with the working of karmic action is to help one cut off clinging to material prosperity and the ordinary pleasures of life in cyclic existence.

What one needs to be like a sick person, who is nauseated at the sight of food, in that one should have a similar aversion to the sufferings of cyclic existence. At the present as soon as one sees prosperity as someone who owns a magnificent house, one becomes attached to it wishing to have the same type house. Or one sees the automobiles of others so one desires one for oneself. There is nothing wrong with appreciating a beautiful thing but when one develops attachment that is a different matter. One needs to work with one’s own mind and the attachments towards material things in cyclic existence. If one is able to generate the same kind of attitude that a prisoner develops whom really wants out of the prison, who is tired of spending one more day in prison. If one starts to generate that kind of aversion and renunciation towards life in cyclic existence then one is starting to develop the proper aversion towards cyclic existence which is a very important spiritual quality.

It is the same for all three types of practitioners. First one must develop an aversion to life in cyclic existence. One should not get attached even to the best of material prosperity or things of cyclic existence. Once one has developed renunciation then if one decides to follow the path of the sravaka or Hearers then one needs to develop the genuine aspiration seeking the liberation of sravakas. As one develops that genuine aspiration, one is already on the path of accumulation of a sravaka and the main practice consists of the Three High Trainings, training in higher ethical discipline, higher concentration and higher wisdom.

By performing the Three Higher Trainings one progresses on the stages of the path such as the paths of preparation, seeing, meditation and no more learning. As one attains the path of no more learning one achieves the liberation of the Hearers.

Having generated renunciation if one is interested in following the path leading to liberation of the pratyekabuddhas or Solitary Realisers first one needs to cultivate a genuine aspiration seeking that liberation. As one experiences that aspiration genuinely one is already on the path of accumulation of the Solitary Realiser’s Vehicle. Again the practice is the same, the practice of the Three Higher Trainings. Through this practice one progresses on the remaining paths such as the paths of preparation, seeing, meditation and no more learning. The major difference between Solitary Realisers and Hearers is that the Solitary Realisers have to accumulate much more positive energy or merit. This they accomplish mostly on the path of accumulation.

Generally speaking all sentient beings have the great potentiality to become a completely enlightened person eventually which is called the Buddhanature. But one does speak of those who are temporarily inclined towards the Hearer’s Path or inclined towards the Solitary Realiser’s. What they need to do first is according to their inclinations they need to follow the respective paths leading to their respective states of liberation. Having attained those states of liberation then they move on to the path of the Greater Vehicle working for supreme enlightenment.

To substantiate this point that all of us have the Buddhanature, as Rinpoche has quoted the nature of the mind is clear light and it has never been defiled. The defilements are just temporarily in one’s mind; they are just adventitious. They have not contaminated the pure nature of one’s mind so this is why one has the great potentiality to grow.

Each of us, in fact all sentient beings have the Buddhanature which is of two types, the naturally-abiding Buddhanature which is the main cause for one to attain the Truth Body or Dharmakaya and the developmental Buddhanature that is the main cause for one to attain the Rupakaya or the Form Body. As Maitreya has stated that if one makes effort consistently one will be able to experience one’s Buddhanature and attain one’s spiritual goals. Even if an insect were to do this positive development that insect would attain supreme enlightenment. This means we all share in this Buddhanature.

As we have Buddhanature, this is why all of us can become Buddhas provided we make consistent efforts. Another reason for one to be able to become a Buddha eventually is as I have already quoted that the nature of the mind is clear light, pure and never defiled. The defilements that one has in one’s mind do not form the nature of the mind. They have not contaminated the purity of one’s mind so to speak. The naturally-abiding Buddhanature, which is the emptiness of one’s mind, the ultimate nature of one’s mind has remained pure right from the beginning and has never been contaminated. So all of the delusions and defilements that one has in one’s mind are just temporary and if one makes a point to apply the antidotes to them, they are removable. They can be eliminated, can be gotten rid of.

Just as the nature of fire is heat and burning so is the clarity and stillness is the nature of the mind. So the clarity and calmative power of the mind has never been defiled by the delusions. The defilements, as I already have said are just temporary. By temporary I mean that they can be separated from the mind. One can eliminate the defilements for one’s mind and experience the purity of one’s mind. Because one can do this, this is the great possibility for us to become an enlightened person.

In the case of a Mahayana practitioner, having generated renunciation, if one is of sharp faculties one should straight away meditate on emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena. Having gained insight into emptiness one then cultivates the conventional mind of enlightenment, which is bodhicitta. In the case of a Mahayana practitioner of lower faculties having generated renunciation, one first cultivates the altruistic mind of enlightenment or bodhicitta. One then studies emptiness and develops insight into the ultimate nature of things.

As for the cultivation of the altruistic mind of enlightenment there are two different techniques or lineages. One is called the Six Causes and the One Result Quintessential Instructions for Developing the Mind of Enlightenment and the practitioners of lower faculties normally start with this practice. Practitioners of sharp faculties develop the altruistic mind of enlightenment by practicing the other lineage; the instructions called Equalising and Exchanging Self with Others.

It doesn’t matter which of the two lineages of instructions one practices. With either one is able to experience the altruistic intention to become enlightened. As soon as one experiences genuinely the mind of enlightenment or bodhicitta, one finds oneself on the path of accumulation of Greater Vehicle Buddhism. This is the entryway into Mahayana Buddhism and as it has been said that for someone wishing to become a completely enlightened person, they must cultivate the mind of enlightenment, which is the source of enlightenment. It should be stabilised and made firm as Mount Meru, the King of Mountains.

Without cultivating the mind of enlightenment there is no other way to reach enlightenment. If one wants to attain enlightenment one has to cultivate the altruistic mind of enlightenment or bodhicitta. With the mind of enlightenment, whatever one does especially if practicing generosity, morality or ethical discipline, patience or tolerance and so on, all of one’s actions will become the deeds of a bodhisattva and one’s practice becomes perfections.

As soon as one generates meditative stabilisation integrating calm-abiding with special insight, one finds oneself on the path of preparation of Greater Vehicle Buddhism. Then as one continues one’s practice and cultivates greater intimacy with these insights, one progresses on the remaining paths. When one develops direct insight and experience emptiness, one is then on the path of seeing of Greater Vehicle Buddhism. As one develop even greater intimacy with this direct insight along with skillful means, one progresses on the path of meditation and the path of no-more learning.

This is all within the context of Sutrayana or the Greater Vehicle of Buddhism. This is to say that one must accumulate merit for three countless eons. On the paths of accumulation and preparation one is able to accumulate the merit for one countless eon. The seven spiritual grounds from the first, Joyous to the seventh ground account for one countless eon of the accumulation of merit or positive energy. On the last three spiritual grounds, the eighth through tenth bhumis account for the final countless eon of the accumulation of merit then becoming a fully enlightened being. This finishes my discussion of the Three Vehicles having created the context to speak a little bit about tantric practice.

There are two entrances into the Tantric Vehicle or Path. One can enter from the path of accumulation of the Greater Vehicle Buddhism or one can enter the Tantric Path from the tenth bhumi. Actually the formal entryways are those two ways from which one can enter the Tantric Path. We are an exception as we enter into tantra from all kinds of entrances. The reason why one enters from either the path of accumulation of the Mahayana or the tenth bhumi is because to perform tantric practice one has to first do the common practices, one must first cultivate the common path which are the Three Principal Aspects of the Path, renunciation, bodhicitta and the wisdom realising emptiness. Having cultivated those paths first then one can enter into the tantric practice and one is qualified to engage in tantric practices.

One then seeks a qualified Vajra master, receives the standard empowerments and then enters into the tantric practices. The tantric path is considered a very profound and swift, it can take one to the final destination the most quickly. But its profundity and swiftness also depends upon the Lam-rim or the Stages of the Path, especially the Three Principal Aspects of the Path as I already mentioned. There is a saying in Tibetan that the reason why butter cheesecake is so delicious is because of the butter; without the butter it is just a dry cheese ball. So the profundity and swiftness of the tantra is due to the Lam-rim, the common path. Without the common path tantra is just full of ritual noises (hum hum and phat phat).

If one wants to be a qualified practitioner of tantra then one has to cultivate the altruistic mind of enlightenment or bodhicitta. When bodhicitta is genuinely present within one’s mindstream, one is already on the path of accumulation of Greater Vehicle Buddhism. One then can enter into tantric practice. In this context it is not enough to only cultivate relative bodhicitta, one has to cultivate the extraordinary altruistic mind of enlightenment. This extraordinary mind of enlightenment gives one a push so that when one sees others suffering one is unable to tolerate it. One cannot sit idly by but must do everything possible. This kind of push, this kind of inside drive is needed.

Having cultivated this extraordinary altruistic mind of enlightenment, if one wants to practice the three lower tantras one needs to receive the standard initiations into the mandalas of the respective tantras from a qualified Vajra master. One must also receive the commentary on the tantra. If one wants to practice Highest Yoga Tantra, Mahanuttarayoga Tantra it is the same. One needs to find a qualified Vajra master and receive all four of the initiations. One then can engage in tantric practice. In fact it is said that abhisheka or empowerment is the door to enter into tantra.

Suppose one wishes to practice the Guhyasamaja Tantra which is a Buddhist Highest Yoga Tantra. In fact the Guhyasamaja Tantra has two traditions. One could receive the initiation according to the Jñanapada tradition or according to the Arya Nagarjuna tradition. According to the Arya Nagarjuna tradition one must receive the Guhyasamaja empowerment called Akshobhya Vajra Empowerment receiving these four empowerments. Having received them then one can practice the two stages, the generation stage and the completion stage. For a beginner one has to follow this order, there is no other way. Without practicing the generation stage one cannot practice the completion stage because it is said that these two stages are like rungs in a ladder, one must go step-by-step. In a special case like someone who already generated an understanding of the generation stage in a previous lifetime, that practitioner can straightaway practice the completion stage. This is an exceptional case.

Having received the proper initiation or empowerment one then has to practice first the generation stage. According to the Jnanapada tradition of Guhyasamaja one has to practice what are called the Four Drops or bindu for the completion stage. According to the extensive mandala of Vajrapani one has to practice the four types of blessing. According to Yamantaka practice one has to do the Four Yogas which constitute the completion stage practice. According to the Ghantapa tradition one has to practice five levels and these five levels are the completion stage but are not the same five levels as the completion stage practice of the Guhyasamaja Tantra. According to the Kalachakra Tantra one has to practice the Six Preparatory Yogas. What is common to all of these completion stage practices is the Six Yogas of Naropa.

So those are the different classifications and there are eight of them, which are referred to as the eight great commentaries according to the tradition of Lower Tantric College.

To give you a little more insight into the five levels of the completion stage of Guhyasamaja, according to the Arya Nagarjuna tradition the five levels are the Isolated Body level and Isolated Speech level as one level, Isolated Mind level, the Illusory Body level, the Clear Light level and the Level of Unification. Sometimes one talks of six levels of the completion stage of Guhyasamaja, sometimes five but it is just a matter of classification, there is no conflict.

Now we are getting to the main topic the union of bliss and voidness. The Isolated Body practice where a practitioner who has completed both the coarse and subtle yogas of the generation stage and is meditating on the subtle drop at the lower end of the central channel or secret space, is able to bring all of the winds into the central channel. There are the three phases of entering, abiding and the dissolution of the winds in the central channel or nadi. Just before this happens with the two levels of the generation stage up to this level where a certain exalted wisdom is generated is called the Isolated Body level.

On the Isolated Body level of the completion stage of The Guhyasamaja according to the Arya Nagarjuna tradition, in the state of meditative equipoise one is meditating on the wisdom of non-dual bliss and voidness or emptiness. This is the primary experience at this level of practice. As one comes out of that meditative state in the post-meditational period one tries to see every appearance of whatever object one experiences as the nature of non-dual bliss and voidness. Also during the post-meditational period on this level one experiences this non-dual union of bliss and voidness in the form of deities.

What does the Isolated Body mean? The body of course refers to one’s body, which is composed of different constituents like the Five Psychophysical aggregates. These constitute the basis of isolation and it is the ordinary appearance along with the ordinary clinging attitude from which the practitioner’s body is isolated from ordinary appearance and the ordinary cling attitude. This is done through deity yoga practice so one arises in the form of a deity or deities and sees oneself as the deity, not as an ordinary being. This is the etymological explanation of the term isolated body.

Next is the Isolated Speech level and at the practitioner’s heart one visualises the mantra drop or circle trying to bring the winds of the upper and lower body into the central channel. There one realises the wisdom of appearance. When one experiences this wisdom and when one is able to dissolve the winds into the indestructible drop within one’s heart, up to this point is the boundary of the Isolated Speech level.

The etymological explanation of the term isolated speech, from what is speech isolated, is in fact the ordinary perception and clinging to speech. On this level the arising, abiding and flow of the breath is not perceived as the ordinary flow but in the sound of the Three Syllables [OM AH HUM]. The flow of the breath or speech is not just seen as ordinary but as if it resounds naturally as the Three Syllables. The main practice here is the Vajra Recitation also the two ways of dissolving the winds into the central channel. There is the gradual dissolution and the spontaneous dissolution. One can also rely on external concert.

Through these techniques or methods one brings the winds into the central channel at the heart and they dissolve into the indestructible drop where one experiences the wisdom of non-dual bliss and voidness. From this point on to where one attains the Impure Illusory Body this whole level is of Isolated Speech.

In order to experience the exemplary Clear Light of the Isolated Mind level one has to bring all of the wind energies into the indestructible drop. For this one has needs to rely on a qualified consort. By qualified consort it is meant is a consort who has also received the standard tantric empowerments and who has also cultivated the three aspects of the common path. Through relying on the consort’s help one brings the totality of the winds into the indestructible drop and experiences the exemplary Clear Light of the Isolated Mind.

If both practitioners who are helping each other in this way are not qualified then the result is ordinary sexual activity, nothing Dharmic will happen. The exemplary Clear Light will not arise so both practitioners need to be qualified. If one practices in the way I have just described and through one of the two ways of dissolving the wind energies of the body, one goes through all of the stages of the dissolution processes that occurs at the time of death. One also sees eight different indicative signs of the dissolution of the elements, constituents and so forth.

As these happen, this is the internal practice, one also experiences four types of joy due to the flow of the drop at the crown of the head down to the tip of the secret organ. When the drop reaches the tip of the secret organ, one experiences spontaneous bliss and this blissful mind is used to penetrate and experience emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena. This is how one experiences the non-dual bliss and voidness. As the drop comes to the tip of the secret organ one needs to retain it there and this is an important point of the practice.

At the end of that dissolution one experiences the Clear Light mind which is the primordial, subtle Clear Light mind. This blissful Clear Light mind is used to penetrate and experience emptiness. This Clear light mind is also called the Exemplary Clear Light mind of the Isolated Mind Level. As one continues on with the practice one experiences emptiness directly, the primordial, subtle Clear Light mind experiences emptiness directly and at that point the Clear Light becomes the Meaning Clear Light.

In the case of ordinary people it is at the time of death that there is a chance for one to experience the primordial, subtle Clear Light mind as it manifests at death. But in the case of yogis or meditators through the power of their yoga or meditations are able to experience the primordial Clear Light mind, which is an exceptional case. So through the practices I just mentioned when one experiences the Exemplary Clear Light mind of the Isolated Mind Level, at that point one is still not experiencing emptiness directly or nakedly, still there is what is called the image of emptiness, a generic image. Through a combination of the practice where that generic image is removed and one has a direct experience, this experience is called the spontaneous wisdom experiencing emptiness directly or the Meaning Clear Light.

Having reached this state, the Exemplary Clear Light Mind of the Isolated Mind, one is still is still in a meditative state. As one rises from that meditation one attains the Impure Illusory Body. As one continues one’s practice and re-enters the meditative state when one is able to gain a direct experience of emptiness, the subtle primordial Clear Light Mind, experiencing emptiness directly, one achieves the Meaning Clear Light. When one arises from that meditative state one achieves the Pure Illusory Body. So the unification of the Impure Illusory Body with the primordial Clear Light mind in union with the Pure Illusory Body with the Meaning Clear Light mind is called the unification of mind and body or the Extraordinary Thing, the ugonnata.

[ionecoffman]

Why Doctors Should Read Fiction

The annals of literature are packed with writers who also practiced medicine: Anton Chekhov, Arthur Conan Doyle, William Carlos Williams, John Keats, William Somerset Maugham, and on and on. As doctors, they saw patients at their most vulnerable, and their medical training gave them a keen eye for observing people and what makes them tick.

But if studying medicine is good training for literature, could studying literature also be good training for medicine? A new paper in Literature and Medicine, “Showing that Medical Ethics Cases Can Miss the Point,” argues yes. In particular, it proposes that certain literary exercises, like rewriting short stories that involve ethical dilemmas, can expand doctors’ worldviews and make them more attuned to the dilemmas real patients face.

The paper dissects ethical case studies, which students in nursing and medical school often encounter in classes. Typically, these studies—most based on actual medical cases—summarize a conflict about a course of treatment or another aspect of someone’s care. The students have to decide what the doctor or nurse should do next, or determine what the doctor or nurse did wrong. The idea is to get students thinking about problems they might face in the future, before they actually confront these issues in a pressure-filled clinical situation.

The paper’s author, Woods Nash, a medical-humanities scholar at the University of Houston, points out that ethical case studies have a distinct literary style—or lack thereof. They emphasize action over characterization, and provide a bare minimum of atmosphere. They’re also short—usually a few hundred words—which cuts out most of the nuance and motivation for characters’ behavior. The brevity and lack of nuance aren’t just literary faults, but actually limit the usefulness of case studies, Nash argues.

To demonstrate these shortcomings, he turns to fiction. In new his paper, he distills a typical ethics case study from a short story called “Fetishes” by the physician-writer Richard Selzer. In the story, a middle-aged woman named Audrey faces a hysterectomy. On the eve of the surgery, her anesthesiologist informs her, rather bluntly, that she’ll have to remove her dentures beforehand. Audrey doesn’t want to, because her husband—an anthropologist who regularly travels for months at a time—was out of the country when she got them and still doesn’t know she has them, even decades later.

Audrey argues that letting her husband see her without them will shatter her “dignity.” The anesthesiologist pooh-poohs her concerns and orders her to remove them for her own safety. Audrey eventually confesses her dilemma to a younger resident with a physical handicap (a limp), who establishes a much better rapport with her. He agrees to slip them back in during her recovery, before her husband can see.

In his paper, Nash reduces this 10-page story to a stark 215-word summary, then analyzes it using a typical ethical framework in medicine known as principalist ethics. He notes that many bioethicists would criticize the anesthesiologist for not respecting Audrey’s autonomy and dismissing her concerns about the dentures. But the analysis would also be blind to the subtler dynamics that make the story resonate, he argues. It’s not a story about lack of autonomy as much as about a woman whose male doctors (including the dentist who pressured her into getting dentures in the first place) condescend to her. The short summary also overlooks how the younger resident connected with Audrey—by establishing a human bond first, instead of simply walking in and dictating treatment.

“[Audrey] perceives [the doctors] as behaving smugly, belittling her because she is a woman, and relishing the power they wield over her,” Nash writes. “Until these underlying issues are resolved, recommendations to communicate more openly, respect patient autonomy, and reduce risks would remain insufficient.” Such recommendations, he adds, “do not penetrate to the problem’s roots.”

So how can students penetrate to the roots? Nash proposes a simple exercise, one he’s employed in his classes for three years. He has each student read a story like “Fetishes” and reduce it to a case study. Then the students read their classmates’ summaries of the same story, and examine how they differ—in the underlying assumptions, or the details emphasized or omitted. Among other lessons, Nash says the exercise teaches students that “the style of a case is not ethically neutral” and that “there can be no definitive statement of a case.”

Short stories aren’t perfect, either. Like doctors, fiction writers have their own biases and limitations, and the traditional Western canon represents a rather narrow (and mostly white and male) perspective. But unlike the pseudo-objective tone of case studies, stories like “Fetishes” at least attempt to promote overlooked points of view. And instructors certainly could seek out stories by authors of diverse backgrounds.

Overall, Nash says he’d prefer to “jettison” medical-ethics case studies entirely. He writes in an email, “The real world is messy, of course, and ethics cases often teach us (implicitly) to clean up that mess by oversimplifying it.” Furthermore, case studies “are themselves a byproduct and reflection of clinical practice’s overemphasis on efficiency. Not just in primary care, but in many areas of medicine, doctors spend far too little time really listening to patients and trying to appreciate the depths of their patients’ problems.”

Other scholars agree that medical-ethics case studies have limitations. Leslie McNolty and Matthew Pjecha, program associates at the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City, praised Nash’s paper overall, especially the idea of rewriting short stories to help teach inexperienced medical and nursing students.

But they caution against too sweeping a condemnation of case studies. “In nearly every discussion of real ethical issues, you’ll hear someone say [things like], I wish I knew more about her husband, or why she’s so afraid of dementia,” says McNolty. When presented with case summaries, in other words, people often do ask questions and seek out more information.

Along those same lines, Pjecha notes that “people actually using [case studies] in ethics committees in hospitals”—as opposed to students in classes—“are aware of how austere and truncated they are.” Often, someone who treated the patient on which the case is based will be present to answer more questions. Overall, Pjecha says, ethics committees see case studies “as an important first step, but then you unpack it further, and it spins into a story.”

Still, Nash stands behind the idea of eliminating case studies. “Good short stories are far more effective means of teaching students and health-care professionals to wrestle with the mess, to pay attention to narrative perspective and detail, and to become more comfortable with ambiguity,” he says.

They’re also, Nash points out, much better reads. “Why continue to use ethics cases if short stories are better at inviting realistic reflection and more enjoyable to read and discuss?” It’s a sentiment that Chekov and Maugham and others who wrestled with such issues in both their lives and work would appreciate.

Article source here:The Atlantic

[benrleeusa]

[Eugene Volokh] University of Miami Demands $7500 for Security for Free Speech Debate Involving Charles Murray

The Federalist Society at the University of Miami School of Law is trying to put on a debate on free speech between political scientist Charles Murray and Miami law professor Mary Anne Franks, who has written extensively about First Amendment law. Murray, of course, is controversial because he coauthored The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life, a book that suggested (among other things) that there may be some biological differences in intelligence between various racial groups. But perhaps because of recent attempts to suppress his speech -- including a notorious violent attack at Middlebury College, in which Middlebury professor Allison Stanger was injured -- he has also started talking about academic freedom (see, e.g., here). This particular event promised to be a serious, substantive discussion between two serious, substantive scholars.

But the University of Miami has been demanding over $7500 in security fees to allow the event to proceed; their quote called for 21 police officers plus 10 security guards, as well as a "team of bag checkers and wanders." Naturally, that amount is prohibitive for a small student group.

Now I recognize that security costs money, and that universities would understandably prefer to spend their funds on other things. And Miami is a private university, so they are not bound by any First Amendment constraints that would govern a public university.

But the university can't be blind to the practical consequences that such decisions lead to:

[1.] If people know that violence (or even just threats of violence) against speakers will lead universities to demand such security fees, and thus prevent the speakers from coming in the future, the result will be more such violence and threats. Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated -- if exremists learn that such tactics work, we'll see more such tactics.

And these tactics will of course not just come from extremists of the Left. People who are willing to use threats to silence anti-Israel speech have already learned the lesson. Expect the same from some people who want to silence speech by positive biographers of Kemal Ataturk, and who knows who else. The Ataturk incident I referred to involved shouting down the speaker (a leading academic scholar of Turkish history), not threats of violence as such. But it shows that the appetite for suppressing such speech exists; if violence or threats become the key to such suppression, expect more of them.

[2.] Of course right now, the bulk of the suppression attempts on university campuses have come from extremists of the Left. If the universities effectively accede to that, rather than stand firm against it, the ideological monoculture at many academic institutions will just become more and more severe. That too can't be lost on the University of Miami administrators.

[3.] Finally, creating incentives to engage in violence doesn't just undermine free speech: It undermines the rule of law. What culture are we building if we teach people that thuggery pays?

This is why the Supreme Court has rightly rejected such heightened security fee policies for parades and demonstrations in traditional public fora (see Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement (1992)). True, protecting speakers against violence means more costs for police departments, which are ultimately borne by the taxpayers -- but it's a wise investment in preserving free speech and the rule of law. I hope the University of Miami reaches the same conclusion, and reverses its decision.

I called the law school dean's office to ask whether they had a statement on this, but they said they didn't. I should say, though, that I much appreciate Prof. Franks' willingness to participate in the debate -- she deserves a good deal of credit for that.

Here is the letter the Federalist Society sent to the law school dean; I'll of course be glad to report on any response if one is offered:

We have just received the proposed security cost estimate from the UM Police Department. We are surprised and genuinely concerned about the implications that this request has for this event, the Federalist Society, and the law school. We ask that you quickly clarify (by March 6th) that no such fee will be required. Otherwise you will be censoring free speech—more precisely a debate on free speech.

The total cost listed for security is a minimum of $7,646, guaranteed to increase with the hiring of additional wanders and bag checkers. This is unprecedented and obviously unaffordable for any student group.

Just as one example, last year, the co-founder of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Alicia Garza, gave multiple stand-alone lectures at our University at the invitation of Osamudia James, a professor at Miami Law. At the time, the BLM movement was developing into one of the most powerful and controversial interest groups our nation has seen in decades. Their activities received national attention on a daily basis by virtually every major news source. By that time, the group had been responsible for numerous high profile demonstrations that inflamed passions across the nation and on both sides of the political aisle.

This all goes to say that the co-founder of the BLM Movement was—at the time—a highly controversial figure in American politics. Her controversial nature is simply not debatable. Nonetheless, we are not aware of any security costs that were charged for her individual speaking events. That event was sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Division of Student Affairs, Student Life, Multicultural Student Affairs, and Housing and Residential Life. If security cost were in fact imposed, we would be very interested to find out the amount charged and who ultimately paid those fees.

This situation boils down to the following: The Miami Law Federalist Society is the only student organization on campus that has been required to furnish security fees prior to an event, and it is the most prominent libertarian/conservative organization on campus. The imposition of these security fees is sure to have a chilling effect on the Federalist Society's operations at UM.

Dr. Murray is an Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a renowned political scientist, author, and public speaker. His groundbreaking scholarship was the catalyst that led to the comprehensive (and bipartisan) Welfare Reform Act signed into law by Democratic President Bill Clinton. Dr. Murray was a Peace Corps Volunteer, worked with US-AID in Thailand. He received his B.A. from Harvard and his Ph.D. from MIT. He is a decorated scholar, having been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Rhodes College and Universidad Francisco Marroquín. He has also been a recipient of the Irving Kristol Award, the Kistler Prize, and the Edmund Burke Award. He has published over 18 books and hundreds of academic articles. He is not a danger to the welfare of University students; he is not a speaker that warrants almost $8,000 in security costs. He is an elderly academic that poses no risk to the University's operations. The only risk he poses is upsetting the established norms of academic thought and behavior at the University of Miami. That alone does not justify levying these impossible costs on the Miami Law Federalist Society. These security fees are only setting a bad precedent at Miami Law that conservative/libertarian leaning organizations will have to pay to play whereas other organizations are entitled to explore ideas free of charge, indeed with support from the school.

This event is a debate on free speech and academic freedom. If it cannot be held at one of Florida's most prestigious law schools, where can it be held? By assessing unnecessary security fees against the inviting student organization in response to threats of disruption, you are effectively giving those who threaten the safety of campus a Heckler's Veto over any topic, speaker, or discussion that they are not comfortable with.

Rather than protecting your students, you are doing them a grave disservice by sheltering them from ideas that they have neither heard nor taken the time to fully understand. As future legal practitioners, students at Miami Law would behoove themselves to learn how to deal with unfamiliar and challenging ideas in a civil manner. We should not be encouraging our students to embrace emotional and intellectual frailty. Instead, we should be encouraging students to develop and exhibit mature adult traits, including the ability to listen and disagree courteously, or to simply exercise the choice not to attend events that may offend them.

If for any reason you cannot eliminate this fee, please let us know what the reason is for the fee and how this event differs from other events where no fee was charged.

[takenews-blog1]

The Most Memorable Movie star Weddings All through The Years

New Post has been published on https://takenews.net/the-most-memorable-movie-star-weddings-all-through-the-years/

The Most Memorable Movie star Weddings All through The Years

Each time high-profile get married, it’s all of the media ever talks about for weeks. Generally the marriage is so big, it will get dubbed the superstar wedding ceremony of the 12 months. This isn’t a brand new pattern although and the identical can positively be mentioned concerning the celebrities of yesteryear. We’re right here to remind you about a number of the most memorable — and a few forgotten! — nuptials within the final half-century. Keep in mind which marriage ended due to the spouse’s affair… with one other girl?!

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The marriage of Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy was maybe the primary highly-publicized superstar wedding ceremony of the 20th century. Bouvier and Kennedy frequented the socialite pages in these days, changing into superstars by the point JFK popped the query. Greater than eight hundred esteemed politicians and socialites attended the nuptials in Newport, Rhode Island on September 12, 1953. The high-profile wedding ceremony was such an occasion that folks in attendance in contrast it to a coronation, in line with LIFE. Virtually 2,000 followers even lined up outdoors St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church to have a good time the brand new Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy.

Archive Images/Getty Pictures

In 1960, Marlon Brando’s sudden marriage to Movita Castaneda was the discuss of Hollywood. In reality, individuals weren’t even conscious that Brando had married his second spouse till he was requested about it in courtroom in line with the Instances. Castaneda was a Mexican actress who starred in Mutiny on the Bounty in 1935 reverse Clark Gable. Coincidentally, Brando would find yourself starring within the 1962 remake, however sadly, that is when his marriage with Castaneda got here to a detailed. Over their two years collectively, they’d a son, Miko, and a daughter, Rebecca.

Time & Life Footage/Getty Pictures through Each day Mail

Martha Kostyra was modeling to pay her approach by means of Barnard School when she married Yale Legislation scholar Andrew Stewart in 1961, giving her the legendary identify she is thought by at present. In true Martha style, she wore a marriage gown that she designed along with her mom. The couple had one daughter, Alexis, born 4 years later, however sadly, the wedding didn’t final. They separated within the late ’80s and had been formally divorced by 1990. In line with Stewart’s personal daughter and different sources, the homemaking knowledgeable is definitely a tough particular person to work and dwell with.

In one other marriage you didn’t anticipate to examine, you’ll be taught concerning the scandalous affair that led to a different couple’s divorce.

Night Commonplace/Getty Pictures

When artwork scholar Cynthia Powell found she was pregnant with then-boyfriend John Lennon’s child, he mentioned, “There’s just one factor for it Cyn, we’ll need to get married.” With only a few individuals in attendance, the marriage is claimed to have been a farce, as a jackhammer was going off on the time the nuptials had been mentioned, amongst different mishaps. Supervisor Brian Epstein insisted that they maintain the wedding and being pregnant a secret in order to not hurt the band’s budding reputation. After the start of their son Julian, Lennon wouldn’t show to be an awesome household man, ultimately leaving mom and son by 1968.

Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Pictures

Barbra Streisand was an up-and-coming actress auditioning for I Can Get It for You Wholesale, a musical by which esteemed actor Elliott Gould was the lead. Though they tried to cover their relationship at first, the remainder of the corporate was on to them and shortly, they had been residing collectively in a small Manhattan condo above a seafood restaurant. They acquired married in Carson Metropolis, Nevada in 1963 and by then, Streisand’s profession was on the rise. Sadly, the identical couldn’t be mentioned for Gould, who Streisand reportedly considered as a “stabilizing affect.” The couple had one son, Jason, earlier than their break up in 1971.

Charlie Ley/Each day Mirror/Mirrorpix/Getty Pictures

Feminine tennis celebrity Billie Jean met Larry King in school, the place he inspired her to pursue tennis as a profession. King himself had thought up the concept of an expert girls’s tennis tour and would ultimately go on to be one of many founders of World Group Tennis. Billie Jean fell in love with King and the 2 went on to marry on September 5, 1965. Nonetheless, nicely into her tennis profession, Billie Jean realized her attraction to girls and pursued an extramarital affair along with her feminine secretary, Marilyn Barnett, who would later sue in a palimony lawsuit. King stayed along with his first spouse by means of this, however they ultimately break up however remained shut.

Arising, a musician and mannequin remained mates… even after he gave her his blessing to marry his shut good friend!

Bettmann/Getty Pictures

Mia Farrow was solely 19 when she met actor and singer extraordinaire, Frank Sinatra, who was 48. Sinatra was taken by Farrow and the sensation was mutual. Regardless of public criticism, the pair wed at The Sands Lodge in Las Vegas on July 19, 1966. The ceremony was solely 15 minutes and Farrow sported a easy white gown and a newly shorn pixie lower (which was allegedly solely completed to spite Sinatra). When Sinatra ordered Farrow to give up appearing, she refused and went on to star in Rosemary’s Child regardless of her husband’s protest. It was on the set of that film that he despatched her divorce papers after solely a 12 months of marriage.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Pictures

In 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla in a small personal ceremony in a collection on the Aladdin in Las Vegas. Organized by Elvis’s supervisor Colonel Tom Parker, every part was shrouded in secrecy to maintain the occasion as intimate as doable. In the course of the evening, Elvis and his social gathering snuck out of his yard and took a non-public jet loaned by Frank Sinatra to get to Vegas. Relating to her wedding ceremony day, Priscilla has mentioned, “My wedding ceremony was very uncommon. It was the individuals closest to us, and personal, and that’s how we needed it. We didn’t desire a fan membership. We didn’t desire a circus.”

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage through Getty Pictures

Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett had been on the peak of fame once they tied the knot in 1973. The 12 months of their marriage, Majors was solid as Colonel Steve Austin in Six Million Greenback Man and Fawcett would go on to play Jill Munroe in Charlie’s Angels in 1976. Their high-profile marriage would finish by 1979, nonetheless, and their divorce could be finalized by 1982. The couple had no youngsters collectively and it’s suspected that the wedding ended when Fawcett turned concerned with actor Ryan O’Neal after Majors requested him to take care of Fawcett when he went to Canada to shoot a film.

Maintain studying to see which musicians acquired into an odd love triangle by which the woman married each males!

Wellesley School/Sygma through Getty Pictures

Invoice Clinton met Hillary Rodham on the library after she so boldly launched herself to him when he wouldn’t cease her. In line with The Knot, Invoice proposed to Hillary on quite a few events, however she stored saying no as a result of uncertainty of her future following school. After seeing a home on the market and listening to Hillary point out that she appreciated it, Invoice purchased the home and informed her, “Do you keep in mind that home you appreciated? Nicely, I purchased it, so now you’d higher marry me as a result of I can’t dwell in it on my own.” Invoice and Hillary married in the lounge of their new residence on October 11, 1975.

Ron Galella/WireImage through Getty Pictures

In 1977, “The Donald” acquired married for the primary time to Ivana Zelníčková, a Czech mannequin and supposed snowboarding alternate for the 1972 Czechoslovakia Olympic ski crew. Trump’s first wedding ceremony was a lavish affair on the Marble Collegiate Church and was officiated by famed minister Norman Vincent Peale. The Trumps went on to change into distinguished social figures within the ’80s and Ivana even reportedly mentioned, “in 50 years Donald and I shall be thought-about previous cash just like the Vanderbilts.” Nicely, their marriage didn’t precisely pan out how Ivana might need hoped and ended after Donald’s scandalous affair with mannequin Marla Maples.

Graham Wiltshire/Redferns through Getty Pictures

Eric Clapton turned mates with The Beatles member George Harrison within the late ’60s, which is when Clapton met and have become infatuated with mannequin Pattie Boyd. She at first denied his advances and went on to marry Harrison, which despatched Clapton right into a downward spiral of alcohol and substance abuse. Simply as he was recovering, Boyd and Harrison had been breaking apart and with Harrison’s blessing, Boyd and Clapton tied the knot in 1979. Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr had been all in attendance on the intimate nuptials in Clapton’s backyard. Sadly, Clapton’s alcoholism and infidelity led to their eventual divorce within the ’80s.

Maintain studying to see who acquired married in a shirt coated in their very own blood!

Ron Galella/WireImage through Getty Pictures

Actress Carrie Fisher met musician Paul Simon on the set of Star Wars and “[once] they noticed one another, nobody else mattered to both of them,” writes Peter Carlin, writer of Homeward Certain: The Lifetime of Paul Simon. The 2 went on up to now by means of the late ’70s and early ’80s earlier than marrying in 1983 in Simon’s condo. The wedding lasted slightly below a 12 months earlier than they divorced, though Fisher and Simon would choose proper again up after they began relationship once more. They’re mentioned to have shared a relationship that was, at instances, tumultuous between Fisher’s substance habit and the couple’s respective temper problems.

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Pictures

Janet Jackson’s 1994 marriage to R&B singer James DeBarge would solely final 121 days. Jackson and DeBarge had been childhood mates they usually truly eloped after Jackson’s proposal. They acquired married on September 7, 1984, however the marriage was annulled by 1985. “I used to be a younger boy who liked a woman tremendously and issues occurred how they did. Janet and I had been actual shut, however I suppose not as shut as I believed,” DeBarge mentioned. In 2012, he made headlines with the stunning claims that he and Jackson had a child and that he believes she remains to be on the market.

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Pictures

Musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet met in 1985 at a New Version live performance and have become shut mates. After transferring in collectively in 1987, the couple eloped in Las Vegas on Bonet’s 20th birthday on November 16th of that 12 months. The next 12 months, their daughter Zoë was born, however the marriage would solely final till 1993. After an amicable divorce, the 2 remained shut and Kravitz has even mentioned on Oprah’s Grasp Class in 2013, “We had been very younger… I see now what it was all about: It was actually all about bringing this stunning youngster to the planet. Zoë’s mother and I now are finest mates.”

This superstar marriage didn’t final as a result of they had been too younger, very like one other couple you’ll quickly examine…

Rock legend David Bowie married supermodel Iman on April 24, 1992 in a civil ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland. Solely two witnesses and an interpreter had been current through the nuptials. Their connection was instantaneous and plain, even supposing Iman didn’t even take into consideration marrying him at first. “I used to be not prepared for a relationship. Undoubtedly, I didn’t wish to get right into a relationship with any person like him.” Nonetheless, after tying the knot in 1992, they might stay married for over twenty years till Bowie’s demise in 2016. The 2 had a daughter collectively in 2000 named Alexandria.

Kim Kulish/Sygma through Getty Pictures

In 1994, the legendary Michael Jackson and daughter of the late Elvis, Lisa Marie Presley, married in a secret wedding ceremony within the Dominican Republic. Whereas on trip there, the couple drove to the home of a neighborhood choose and paid a small price to be married in holy matrimony on Might 26, 1994. When the choose requested if he would take Presley to be his spouse, Jackson reportedly mentioned, “Why not?” Though they tried to be so secretive that they didn’t even inform their mother and father, a Dominican newspaper leaked the story and the wedding turned a nationwide scandal, particularly since Presley had divorced her first husband simply 20 days prior!

Gregory Tempo/FilmMagic through Getty Pictures

Actors Johnny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie met on the set of the 1995 movie Hackers and by March of 1996, the couple tied the knot. Jolie, identified to be fairly a wild card in her early profession, confirmed as much as her wedding ceremony in black rubber pants and a T-shirt that had Miller’s full identify written on it with Jolie’s personal blood. The New York Instances reported Jolie as saying, “It’s your husband. You’re about to marry him. You’ll be able to sacrifice a little bit to make it actually particular.” The younger couple, after all, separated the next 12 months and had been formally divorced by 1999.

Barry King/WireImage through Getty Pictures

After happening a blind date arrange by their brokers in 1998, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt turned Hollywood’s golden couple, relationship for simply over two years earlier than getting engaged. On July 29, 2000, Brad and Jen tied the knot in a $1 million wedding ceremony at a Malibu mansion. America’s favourite couple basked within the glow of Hollywood success for about 4 years earlier than issues began going south. By 2005, Aniston publicly introduced their separation they usually had been formally divorced a pair months later. Many speculate Pitt started an affair with Angelina Jolie, his co-star in Mr. and Mrs. Smith in direction of the top of the wedding.

PIERRE TEYSSOT/AFP/Getty Pictures

George and Amal Clooney’s high-profile wedding ceremony is likely one of the most memorable of the present instances. The Italian nuptials had been a very star-studded affair with visitors starting from Anna Wintour and Cindy Crawford to Bono and Invoice Murray. Amal donned an Oscar de la Renta-designed wedding ceremony gown on the ceremony within the Aman Canal Grande Lodge in Venice. The social gathering didn’t finish there because the Clooney’s then headed off for a civil marriage service to seal the deal. The social gathering reportedly went on till 5 within the morning, earlier than they headed to their honeymoon in London, the place the bride’s household threw one other social gathering.

[iaincblog]

Explore musical meaning

Currently there is renewed interest in the implications of the way we find music meaningful. Music is more available than ever before but there are few signs yet that demand for it is reaching saturation. This might be a reaction to the human strains of ever more intrusive neo-liberalism in peoples' lives but it would be hasty to jump to this conclusion.

The nineteenth century saw some philosophers such as Schelling seek in the human experience of music some core of value outside the ever increasing scientific vision of the cosmos and our place in it. I have yet to be persuaded they cracked it. After about 1850 the formalist school developed in a manner which aped mathematical rigour.The other parallel development involved Wagner and Nietzsche who eventually fell out. N changed his approach but scholars haven't yet agreed on where he ended up.

At the end of the nineteenth century there were different national interpretations of musical romanticism - Elgar, Grieg and Sibelius for example. This was possibly an echo of Kant's suggestion that there is a link between aesthetics and solidarity. The Nazi use of broadcast music, especially Bruckner and Wagner posed serious questions about all of this. Incidentally the Allies listening to Nazi broadcast didn't know that tape recorded music was being used. They were puzzled for example by elite orchestras apparently playing live in the middle of the night.

Arguably after WW2 the pendulum swung back  in the other direction with an extreme formal modernistic approach being adopted by composers who wanted to reflect the times and this lasted for about twenty years. Strange to say one of the last outposts of post WW2 High Modernism has been identified in the UK  - the development of a European free improvisation movement. Here a community based approach replaces formalism.

From the point of view of formalistic modernism both jazz and pop were examples of the masses being spoon fed dross to stop them appreciation their exploitation. This simple model fell apart in all sorts of ways. Left-wing musicologists researched the richness of folk and blues. In Britain the exuberance of New Orleans music provided a much needed release in the aftermath of WW2 following the maturation of seeds sown by the Left. The idea that audiences passively let music as product dull their senses was defeated by the discovery that music based subcultures were actively created by participants outside both the middle class enthusiasm for pre 20C c!assical and mass pop.

But music as a business also evolved on a variety of lines. The Rolling Stones in the 70s became a debauched exiled aristocracy and built a vast fortune on the spectacle of themselves via global touring. Madonna forged a template of fashion personality led dance-pop that is proving remarkably enduring. The basis of authenticity in these approaches is questionable. Arguably Miles Davis adapted this model to suit his own circumstance in his last decade while keeping a firmer hold on his musical values. After his death his bass player replaced Bill Wyman in the Stones.

One could see neo-liberalism as all consuming. It sweeps up figures like Nick Drake and Sylvia Plath to console those it damages. It tolerates the avant-garde at the margin to do its research and development for free. It allows locations like the Ballearics to provide consoling respite via a temporary physically based sense of rhythmic solidarity. 

 In his book on Underground Music Stephen Graham reviews the substantial body of theory and practice surrounding the idea of noise particularly as some kind of oppositional category. Black Metal strikes me as just another genre with fairly strict conventions. Fairly frequently it provides scandalous excess for example in benign Nordic societies.

Plenty of recent philosophy sees noise as being much more radical than that,readingly standing in a dialectical relationship to musical structure and there is quite a lot on the dialectics of musical structure. I have been reading Scmalfeldt's book, In the Process of Becoming about the changing processes in 19c music. A lot of the book  is debate with recent academics, for example about the two themes in Beethoven's piano sonata no 17 and their introduction in the exposition of the first movement. Failing to establish a concensus she concludes that the second theme might vary depending how any one interpretor plays the piece in performance. My attention has also been caught by an aspect of Schelling's philosophy who was developing his concepts while these composers were active .He tries to account for the development of the material world from a chaotic start with formal structures gradually developing via eddy type motions.     

Silence Chaos and Noise all come at the margin of music and can provoke intense debate which can become serious  aesthetics. Gann s book on the Cage silent work is a good way to enter the tangle. Here s an online comment from a discussion on chaos:

--If you refer to "deterministic chaos" then this means that you have well defined equations of motion, no random terms per se. Then you can look at the time evolution of "trajectories" with similar (small distance in phase space) initial conditions. The so-called Ljapunov exponent(s) describe this time evolution of nearby solutions. If e.g. they diverge exponentially, then deliberately small differences in initial conditions may lead to qualitatively different behavior (-> e.g. bifurcations). This seemingly erratic evolution still is deterministic, though.Typical examples include periodically driven nonlinear systems (e.g. coupled pendula or nonlinear electric circuits). Here on can look at the (Fourier) spectrum of the resultant motion and there are ways to distinguish the "chaotic noise" from "random noise".--

This could be over technical n terms of getting the main issues . Random is well defined in technology as process throwing out a series of numbers. There are  quite a few ways of taking a series of random numbers and converting it into sound. Chaos also has a theoretical approach. You can build chaotic systems with a quadratic equation and iteration. Iteration usually has one of two outcomes - escalating progress to infinity or convergence on a certain value. The interesting cases are a third category which appears to give a random series. Is chaos another way of getting to randomness? My inclination is to say there is a difference ...... one which would take a lot of explanation.

Using this formal mathematical approach, however , in each case leads to the challenge of converting numbers into sound. An Oxford PhD came up with a great book about this - Infinite Music - by Adam Harper. His idea is that there is no limit to the dimensions of sound which might be quantified in some way or another. Some there a lot of possibilities in terms of taking a random or chaotic number sequence into the world of sound. In the early 1950s the post WW2 formalists briefly thought they could cover every dimension of music but this idea got abandoned pretty quickly.

John Cage also made pieces in ways which sought to source randomness. He started this around the time he came up with the silent piece which happened to be about the time the European formalists were trying to cover all the dimensions.

In his Cage obituary Kyle Gann's states that Cage's music is enduring but his philosophy is dated. He summarizes the philosophy as being pre WW2 materialism. He mistrusted symbolism and thought communication models were mistaken. He thought sounds were part of nature and he wanted audiences to hear them as such. He used very painstaking means to achieve something he called randomness but the point was getting the audience to focus attention on sound.

To summarise it looks as if using randomness involves lots of compositional choice about how to source randomness and once its sourced how to bring it into the sound world. Most of these choices would still be there when chaos is linked to sounds.  We probably couldn't tell the difference between random sourced sound and chaos sourced sound. In either case noise might happen, sometimes, all the time or not at all.

An audience might reasonably ask why it is being exposed to noise and of course any number of answers might be given by a composer or performer.

[lordcornwall86-blog]

Why America should demand a Constitutional Convention

Hello Everyone, I apologize for the long post. I truly appreciate your time and hope you will read everything I have written here, and then judge what I have said in your own mind. My name is Michael. I am a disabled citizen with PTSD, and I have been through a lot.  However, I am a trained speaker, and so I shall type here the words that I wish I could personally speak to every American citizen. I am a devout Christian, and because of my faith, I believe that the influence of money in our politics breeds nothing but greed, secret deals, payoffs, and corruption.  The Bible says: "...they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of Money is the root of all evil..."  (1 Timothy 6:9-10) I would argue that, whether you yourself are a Christian or not, that statement would still hold to be true. Money corrupts everything it touches, whether physically, digitally, or otherwise. People who love money above all else corrupt everything they come into contact with just the same. When you hold a $1 bill in your hand, you are holding the one true source of most of the strife, suffering, and conflict around the world. Think to yourself about all the money that corporations and other wealthy entities spend to buy lobbyists, amendments, bills, laws, and our very representatives themselves. Yet, despite trillions upon trillions of dollars being exchanged every day, we cant seem to find the money to ensure that all of our people have fair employment, a source of fire, good water, healthy food, ample shelter, worthy clothing, excellent education, the medicine and treatment we need, a good chance at living a healthy life, freedom from unfair competition and monopolies, freedom from old age, sickness, accident, unemployment, and enough free time to pursue leisure, the arts & sciences, and philosophy. Do you have the right to have these things? What about your spouse? Your children? Your parents? Your descendants? Other Family? Friends? Allies? Co-workers? Neighbors? What about your Enemies? What about Criminals? What about the Poor? The Rich? The Sick? The Injured? Those who are suffering? What about foreigners? Immigrants? People you are afraid of? People you look down on? The answer is D) All of the Above. Every American deserves the rights I outlined above, and more. All of humanity deserves these rights, and more. That should be our standard. -------- I believe that most people that work in the American government and military are fundamentally good people.  They want to protect our land, honor our rights, and defend our freedoms. The vast majority of our politicians, however, do not serve the people of the United States. One need only to look at their actions, statements, and voting record to see it.  It is evident that, no matter their motivation, they serve the people that give them the most money.   Who would YOU listen to more?  The person who freely gives you $10 to help you out, or the person you gives you thousands more? Or millions? What if that person gives you a LOT of money over, and over, and over, and over, and over...

I support the organization WolfPAC’s goal of invoking Article V of the US Constitution.  Their petition is one sentence:

“I support a Constitutional amendment saying that corporations are not people and they do not have the right to spend money to buy our politicians.”

We, as citizens, have the right and honor of defending our Republic and our democratic rights from anything that threatens our values.  I am no Constitutional lawyer or scholar. However, I would prefer to take the legal argument even further. While there have been calls for an "Article V Convention" based on a single issue such as the balanced budget amendment, it is not clear whether a convention summoned in this way would be legally bound to limit discussion to a single issue; law professor Michael Stokes Paulsen has suggested that such a convention would have the "power to propose anything it sees fit." There are other legal scholars, of course, who argue the opposite opinion. I say that the superior argument is that the Article V Convention (aka Amendments Convention) should be an open forum for the People of the United States to submit the best, most worthy, just, and honorable ideas to be ratified by the States. There is no limit to American ingenuity, bravery, craftsmanship, labor, and philosophy. The possibilities are endless. What we do in the coming days, weeks, months will ultimately decide our future way of life. I hope and pray that we can learn to think about others just as much as we think about ourselves.