#unity and diversity

[compassionmattersmost]

Neti Neti #17: Embracing the Paradox of “Not One, Not Two”

Question: The Zen saying “Not one, not two” seems to encapsulate the paradox of non-duality I’ve been exploring. How does this saying relate to the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and the idea that Atman is Brahman? Dear friend, The Zen saying “Not one, not two” offers us a window into the paradoxical nature of reality, a reality that resists all attempts to confine it within the boundaries of…

[sreehari28]

This Video explores the enduring spirit of unity and coexistence that exists between Hindus and Muslims. Despite the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, both communities have coexisted for centuries, fostering a unique bond that transcends religious divides. The article delves into the rich history of mutual respect and tolerance, highlighting instances of shared traditions, festivals, and even places of worship. It sheds light on the countless stories of individuals and communities coming together during times of celebration and adversity, showcasing the essence of India's pluralistic society. By emphasizing this harmonious coexistence, the article aims to dispel misconceptions and showcase the resilience of the Indian ethos, which thrives on the principles of unity and inclusivity. It serves as a reminder that, despite occasional challenges, the Hindu-Muslim bond continues to be a shining example of interfaith harmony and cooperation in the diverse tapestry of India's cultural fabric.

[ms-boogie-man]

Angie/Maddie🦇❥✝︎🇺🇸

[thepersonalwords]

In reality, we live in everyone. I live in you. You live in me. There is no gap, no distance. We all are eternally one.

Amit Ray

[shisasan]

Embrace a spectrum of views, think about the world through myriad perspectives, and seek a union between them.

[lenievi]

Spock to Chapel about McCoy:

"Yes, he is a sensitive man. He's also a remarkable doctor, and the Enterprise is fortunate to have him. However, he needs occasional correction. More than that, though, I believe he derives great pleasure from insulting me and having me insult him in return. That is the only way he will allow himself to express affection to a being as alien as I."

(The Trellisane Confrontation - David Dvorkin)

very talkative aren't you, Spock?

[tmarshconnors]

50 African proverbs.

"A bird that flies off the earth and lands on an anthill is still on the ground."

"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

"The lion does not turn around when a small dog barks."

"When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers."

"The wise create bridges, the foolish build barriers."

"He who learns, teaches."

"Unity is strength, division is weakness."

"Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped."

"Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors."

"A tree is known by its fruits."

"The one who loves an unsightly person is the one who makes him beautiful."

"The strength of a crocodile is in the water."

"The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth."

"A wise person will always find a way."

"Where you will sit when you are old shows where you stood in youth."

"Do not be a spectator before life; participate!"

"The rain beats the leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots."

"No matter how full the river, it still wants to grow."

"Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it."

"When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby."

"The goat says, 'Where there is blood, there is plenty of food.'"

"By the time the fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed."

"He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it."

"The chameleon changes color to match the earth; the earth doesn’t change colors to match the chameleon."

"The heart of the wise man lies quiet like limpid water."

"If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents."

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."

"A wise person learns more from his enemies than a fool from his friends."

"You cannot climb to the mountain top without crushing some weeds with your feet."

"A roaring lion kills no game."

"Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand."

"Where there is love, there is no darkness."

"The strength of a nation lies in its homes."

"The best way to eat an elephant in your path is to cut him up into little pieces."

"He who refuses to obey cannot command."

"It is the calm and silent water that drowns a man."

"Patience is the mother of a beautiful child."

"A good deed is something one returns."

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends."

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

"When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion."

"No matter how tall a tree grows, the leaves always fall to the ground."

"When the moon is not full, the stars shine more brightly."

"A leopard cannot change its spots."

"A village without elders is like a well without water."

"The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them."

"The eye never forgets what the heart has seen."

"A dog with a bone in its mouth cannot bite."

"The axe forgets, but the tree remembers."

[hebrewbyinbal]

This year, Hanukkah Eve (first candle lighting) falls on Christmas Day, and I can’t help but feel like it’s a sign — a reminder to come together and push back against the darkness that’s spread globally more than ever.

And how do we do it?

With light, compassion, and shared celebration.

As an Israeli Jewish woman, I’ve always believed that celebrating other cultures is not only a path toward peace but also an incredible opportunity for self-growth.

That is why I always loved traveling, meeting people from different cultures, learning about different customs, and being part of a truly global experience.

Now, being married to a Christian who is just as devoted to Israel and to celebrating and defending my heritage as I am, I feel this truth more deeply than ever.

I’m also honored to have a community here made up of Jewish and Christian friends, alongside Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and people of so many other faiths and cultures.

Teaching Hebrew in this space and celebrating as many traditions as I can is one of the greatest gifts of my life.

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing a feast of learning posts to mark this unique season — a time where Hanukkah and Christmas come together, and we can embrace the shared themes of hope, light, and renewal.

Growing up in Israel, I saw firsthand what it means to honor and respect others' cultures, religions, and backgrounds.

It’s in our backbones.

That’s why the newest form of allegations about Israel are not only dangerous but also completely at odds with the reality I've experienced first hand for almost 40 years of my life.

This time of year, Israel sparkles with lights — Hanukkah menorahs glowing in windows, Christmas trees shining in homes, and even Druze and Muslim friends finding their ways to celebrate alongside their neighbors.

This picture captures what Israel looks like around this season.

It’s not just about the decorations or the traditions; it’s about the shared sense of light and togetherness that transcends any one belief.

So, let’s honor and celebrate all peaceful cultures, all traditions that bring light into the world.

[eugenedebs1920]

Opulence of Kindness

There’s a sense of nostalgia for a time not long ago. Reminiscences of civility and tradition. When the chaos and corruption, while still existing, wasn’t the predominant order. A period when the potential of a coup d’etat, which ends were the transformation of American society in to a theocracy, or autocracy, or a nationalistic state, an oligarchy, or a kleptocracy. When that didn’t seem imminent. A time not much more than a decade prior to now.

Our nation has become increasingly polarized. An atmosphere of hostility lingers densely between the people. An us versus them dialogue is a commonplace perspective. Pinned against one another, portrayed as adversaries, not as fellow citizens in a united country.

There has never been a greater need to unite as a nation than the present. We stand upon a precipice in this land. A cliffs edge befalling the demise of our once proud democracy. A democracy that has stood the test of time. A peoples whom have overcome immense hardship and turmoil.

For we are not enemies. We are not rivals. We are not adversaries. We are friends. We are fellow citizens of a great and successful experiment in freedom. A freedom that was hard fought, but well worth the struggle and sacrifice. A freedom that didn’t encompass all at the start. Yet with the proper course corrections, a freedom would ring loudly across the land.

We cannot allow those who would seek to divide us to rein victorious in their ends. Those who seek power. Those who seek wealth. Those whose personal agendas outweigh the trajectory of society. Those who entitlement and arrogance would stifle progress to bend to their will.

No. We will not be told that triumph over the forces of old and evil is unobtainable. We will not sit in complacency while liberty is threatened. We will not let the hatred from others affect our mission.

Our mission is one, that through our success, will leave the baggage of the past behind. A goal to make this world one where equality and unity is the measurement of power. An agenda of dispersing that which is good, which is moral, which is ethical.

We will not forget that which we left behind. For history gives us insight into our future. A future that is the blank canvas, pure and untarnished, yet clad in the boundless potential we possess.

For our existence is not one of domination. We hold no value in oppression, in aggression, in possession of that which was not ours to take. We will not suppress others to enrich ourselves.

Let our moral fortunes be the currency of tomorrow. May our wealth be one of peace and happiness. May we define opulence in the kindness we project.

Though this may seem an unimaginable dream. A fantasy of an ideology. Let it be known that the fruition of this achievement is not as far fetched as it seems.

The idea that we can show civility towards one another. The notion that no one is superior to another, no one is lesser than ourselves. The concept of a unified front for good. A platoon proposing peace. A nation united in the acquisition of acceptance. Standing in solidarity against the forces of division, of subjugation, of intolerance.

That! Is us. That! Is the United States of America.

[sefaradweb]

Tiffany Haddish en el evento “Stand Together” en apoyo a Israel

🇪🇸 El 12 de noviembre de 2024, Tiffany Haddish participó en el evento "Stand Together" en Washington, D.C., donde miles de personas se reunieron para mostrar su solidaridad con Israel. Durante su emotivo discurso, Tiffany reflexionó sobre su propio descubrimiento de raíces judías, expresando su apoyo en un momento marcado por el dolor y la unidad de la comunidad judía. Mencionó las luchas actuales, como los 101 rehenes en Gaza, el aumento del antisemitismo, y el odio enfrentado en algunos campus universitarios. Haddish resaltó que la unidad no se basa en estar de acuerdo en todo, sino en apoyarse mutuamente en los momentos críticos. Con su mensaje inclusivo, destacó la diversidad en la comunidad judía y la importancia de la solidaridad ante las dificultades actuales.

🇺🇸 On November 12, 2024, Tiffany Haddish attended the "Stand Together" event in Washington, D.C., where thousands gathered to express their solidarity with Israel. In her heartfelt speech, Tiffany reflected on discovering her own Jewish heritage and voiced support during a time of grief and unity within the Jewish community. She spoke of current struggles, such as the 101 hostages in Gaza, rising anti-Semitism, and hatred encountered on college campuses. Haddish emphasized that unity is not about agreeing on everything but standing together in critical times. With her inclusive message, she celebrated the diversity within the Jewish community and stressed the importance of solidarity in the face of today’s challenges.

[wodealto]

If you don’t understand that fantasy is about overcoming the barriers of tradition (social issues/diversity) to unite under a common banner (unity) in order to overcome impossible odds (world politics) and seek rejuvenation of the world (climate change), you’re probably just not that into fantasy.

[queka-store]

The Mosquito's Sting: A Tale of Boundaries Challenged

Once upon a time, in an enchanted kingdom, there was a mosquito that carried West Nile fever. This mosquito bit a wealthy man and a poor one, a Jew and an Arab, a white person and a black person, women and men, heterosexual cisgender and LGBTQ+ individuals. The story tells how people created protective barriers and divisions between themselves, but nature, in the form of the mosquito, pierced through these barriers and showed how easily something from each of them could seep into the other, revealing how arbitrary and temporary all these defenses and boundaries truly were.

The king of the kingdom ordered the mosquito to be locked in a golden cage and asked the wisest person in the kingdom, a little girl who understood the language of all animals, to talk to the mosquito. The girl listened to the mosquito's story and told the king the moral lesson that the mosquito had taught. Instead of punishing the mosquito, they made it an important minister in the kingdom. The royal physician healed the mosquito, and the kingdom's scientists transformed it into a beautiful prince.

The prince married the girl when she became old enough. She was the only one who saw the wisdom in the simple mosquito that had only come to sting. To everyone's surprise, as they did not know enough about science, it turned out that the mosquito was actually female. So, the wise girl ended up marrying a mosquito princess who loved to wear princes' clothes. The two of them lived happily ever after, a bit distanced from all other humans who were unwilling to give up the barriers and divisions that separated them.

When the people discovered that the mosquito was female and had married a woman, they wanted to punish her. However, the girl, who was once a wise child, ran away with the mosquito princess to the mountains. There, they lived happily, far from people's eyes and the fears that drove society. They listened to animals, studied life principles with them, trying to deeply understand their languages. Over the years, they published scientific papers that were meant to bring human society closer to their compassionate worldview, which looked broadly at life as one intertwined woven fabric.

[black-fist-order]

Unity and the Ideals That Define a Nation

[palatinewolfsblog]

"Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization." Mahatma Gandhi.

[wallpapersmonster]

🎉🇺🇸 Celebrate the spirit of unity and patriotism with our latest wallpaper: Unity and Patriotism on Independence Day! This vibrant scene captures the essence of an Independence Day celebration, where a diverse crowd comes together, waving flags and cheering with pride. 🌟

The colors are absolutely stunning, and the energy is infectious! It’s a perfect reminder of what this day stands for – freedom, unity, and the joy of coming together as one nation. 🥳 Whether you’re looking to spruce up your desktop or just want to feel that patriotic vibe, this wallpaper is sure to bring a smile to your face every time you see it!

Want to bring this colorful celebration to your screen? You can easily add this wallpaper to your collection by clicking here: Unity and Patriotism on Independence Day.

Let’s keep the spirit of Independence Day alive all year round! 🗽💖

Enjoy the festivities and let this wallpaper remind you of the joy and pride that comes with celebrating our nation. Happy Independence Day! 🎆

[nothingexistsnever]

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