Showing posts with label Hindu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hindu. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

"Karma," a supernatural thriller (movie)


CLICK TO WATCH IT NOW (in English, no subtitles)

BOLLYWOOD, India - "Karma" is an off-beat, supernatural thriller set in the United States telling a story woven around Hindu mythology.

Padma (Jade Tailor) is an Indian American kid whose dad is killed in front of the temple by the temple priest when he questions the holy man about misusing temple donations for drug peddling.


Trailer (in Hindi)

Padma's mother (Bhanu Yanamandra) takes Padma away to settle in the remote city of Shamrock. While in her 20s, Padma loses her mother too.

Her friend Raj (Sher Ali) expresses his love for her, but she doesn't reciprocate. He nevertheless remains a friend she can turn to in her hour of need.



Dev and Sumati visit Padma, because Sumati was a very close friend of Padma's mother.

But how did they know that Padma's mother passed away? Padma lives in isolation, and no one relayed the news. That is only the first question that surprises Padma.

Dev simply says he just "knows" certain things before they happen. Padma is strangely drawn towards Dev. And as Dev and Padma get closer, Padma learns more and more... Why did Dev really come? Does he really have supernatural powers? Can Raj win over Padma?

O, karma is a convoluted thing!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Ramadan, War, and the Mythology of Saturn

Wisdom Quarterly
If people love each other, why can't leaders get along? (avsastesi.com)

Muslims in America and Ramadan 2011
(TWS, August 3, 2011)
Misunderstanding Islam continues. For Muslims in America, Ramadan 2011 brings an opportunity to reach out to fellow Americans. Muslims across the world started the holy month of Ramadan on August 1 with fasting. American Muslims are no different. But Keith Ellison, a member of the House of Representatives from Minnesota, claims that Islam is still much misunderstood in the country. More

On a much deeper level, what are Mecca and the Black Cube at its center really about?

Mecca is the center of the Islamic world. But the treatment of the central edifice is an ancient Vedic ritual, more characteristic of Hinduism, honoring Saturn a planet or an anthropomorphic representation of that heavenly body (or, more likely, a visitor therefrom). Who is the god of this world? Judging by our behavior for millenia.

The powers that be (Pentagon, CIA, banking elites, and similar movers and shakers) want a Holy War. The sides? The "good" Judeo-Christian US wages endless war against "evil" Islam (Persian post-Zoroastrian asura-worship). It may be mythology and a fundamentalist interpretation of the Christian Bible, but it is motivating very serious decisions to destroy people on the basis of religion. The military-industrial complex operates as if it is true, growing rich while impoverishing everyone else.

How and Why the World worships Saturn
Theforceiswithinyou.com
[We may] not know it, but the entire world has been worshiping Saturn for thousands of years. The cult has never stopped, and its rites are still present to this day. Saturn, dubbed the “Lord of the Rings,” is the reason why we exchange rings at weddings or put halos on the heads of godly people.

Semitic civilizations referred to the god Saturn as “El.” The supreme deity was represented by a black cube. We can find instances of the cube across the world.

The gods of ELohim are angELs, the messengers of god.

When witches cast a speEL, they put the “Hex” (6) on someone, and when chefs deep fry something, they “Deep 6” it. It is the ELites who run the world today. Elite comes from the “IsraElites” which came from the Egyptian worship of the Moon (Isis), the Sun, (Ra), and Saturn (Elohim), hence IsRaEl.

Jews and Muslims alike worship a huge black cube/box called Kabba at Mecca. Their god YHWH is known as the “Tetragramaton” meaning their 4 letter (4 sided?) God. The “Kabballah” of Jewish mysticism/Masonry comes from KabbaAllah or “CubeGod” around which people gather and ceremonially walk in circles. More (see cube photos and video)


Connection older than Hinduism and Judaism
Walking in circles, called circumambulation, is an appeasing mark of respect. It is explicitly called for in Hindu and pre-Hindu ceremonies. ("Hinduism" only began when Adi Shankara systematized disparate views and schools of thought prevalent in India around 800 CE). Interestingly, as part of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca, pilgrims throw stones at the Devil as if to keep bad luck away.

Hindus are under fear of evil and ill-effect from his planet Saturn. In Vedic astrology, the planetary position at the time of birth determines the future of a person. So Hindus accord immense importance to the planets, and Saturn or "Shani" is one such planet.

The "return of Saturn" as Gwen Stefani sang about might be something to fear more than to celebrate. Of course, making the best of it is always best. There's no bad that cannot lead to some good as well.
What does worldwide Mythology teach us?
The Nine Realms of Nordic mythology -- as one learns in the movie "Thor" or from deep study of Viking lore -- are space worlds corresponding to the nine planets of our solar system. (There is or was a tenth "planet," Nirbiru, but that's another matter). The "gods" (devas) hailing from these worlds came to Earth to help or conquer, pillage or lift up. This left Earthlings with very different feeling about various deities, their days, and their "stars" (planets).
Thor (Sakka, Indra) got Thursday, Saturn Saturday, and so on. This is the collective spiritual inheritance of the world, but it only remains in mythological form. We are pressed to believe it is only fantastic or symbolic. It was once very literal, and as ELenin approaches (see video below) and the "gods" (powerful extraterrestrials revered like gods) return, all will be revealed. Meanwhile, the harmful titans (called asuras in Buddhism) and reptilians (nagas) have been here a long time preparing to resist. [It's not clear where an ape-like race of forest dwellers stand.] Humans are caught in the middle, with many taking the wrong side.

Why is it called ELenin?

Saturday, July 30, 2011

God's Approval Ratings Are Down (video)

WARNING: Potentially offensive or humorous depiction of how the Great Creator (Maha Brahma) in theistic faiths might have produced the universe, subsequent evolution, and the Church's alternative theory ("Family Guy").

God's Approval Rating Barely Breaks 50 percent
Jack Jenkins (Religion News Service)
WASHINGTON (RNS) - More than half of U.S. voters approve of God’s job performance, according to a new poll, making God more popular than all members of Congress.The poll -- which was conducted by the Democratic research firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) -- surveyed 928 people and found that 52 percent of Americans approved of God’s overall dealings [they particularly liked "its" creation of the universe], while only 9 percent disapproved.


Questions about God were asked as part of a larger survey assessing American opinions of congressional leaders in the midst of the ongoing debt ceiling debate in Washington.

God’s approval rating exceeded that of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, as well as both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, with each party receiving only a 33 percent approval rating.

God also polled significantly higher than the scandal-ridden media baron Rupert Murdoch: only 12 percent of those polled viewed him favorably, compared to 49 percent who viewed him unfavorably.

“Though not the most popular figure PPP has polled, if God exists, voters are prepared to give it (sic) good marks,” PPP said in a July 21 press release.



The poll also gauged God’s handling of specific “issues.” When asked to rate God on the creation of the universe, 71 percent of voters approved and only 5 percent disapproved. Respondents were also generally appreciative of God’s governance of the “animal kingdom,” with 56 percent approving and 11 percent disapproving.

Younger respondents were more critical of God’s handling of natural disasters, with those ages 18-29 expressing a 26 percent disapproval rating, compared to 12 percent disapproval among those 65 and older.

The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Hippies: "Sommer in Orange" (film)

Majestic Film's "Summer in Orange" (German translated by Wisdom Quarterly)
(MajesticFilm/Flickr.com)

Enlightenment comes to Talbichl. Followers of Bhagwan Amrita ("Blessed Nectar") move from Berlin to the green Bavarian province with children in tow. They are going to create a special "treatment center." Primal scream therapy, whole grain meals...are all that stand between them and the normal family little Lili dreams of.

Lili [Lisa?], sitting in a tree like a homesick deva, feels all alone in her Scandinavian family

But the balancing act between "Om" and "Amen" cannot go well for long. "Summer in Orange" is a culture-clash comedy about the days when self-awareness, self-expression, and the mainstream Bavarian "soul" all coexisted.


Bavarian vimana or castle (naerairtravels.com)

VIMANA: a Sanskrit word with several meanings ranging from celestial mansion, platform, palace, or temple to mythological flying machines described in the Indian epics; an akasha-deva vehicle or "chariot of the gods" is capable of traveling through the air. While Indian mythology speaks of the devas as possessing rapid self-moving chariots or vehicles with which they traverse space, deva or devi was often used as an honorific by ancient Indians for their highly intellectual, extremely scientific forefathers of now forgotten antiquity. So vimanas as those thought to have been used by Atlanteans are spoken of as being self-moving and carrying their occupants through the air (cf SD 2:427-8). In the Ramayana, aerial vehicles are also mentioned as being used by the rakshasas (asuras or "anti-devas") of Sri Lanka; Ravana's vimana was called Pushpaka.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Amma Sri Karunamayi 2011 Tour


Santa Clara, CAFridayJuly 1 TANA Conference

(408) 252-1607

SaturdayJuly 21:30 pm - 2 pmTANA Conference - Spiritual Discourse
SundayJuly 38:30 am - 11am

TANA Conference - Lalita Sahasranama Puja

~ Register here to perform the puja


Ojai/Ventura, CATuesdayJuly 57 pmSpiritual Discourse/Darshan
(805) 633-0108WednesdayJuly 610am - 1:30pmIndividual Blessings/Saraswati Diksha*
Ventura@Karunamayi.org

Los Angeles, CAThursdayJuly 77 pmSpiritual Discourse/Darshan
(213) 457-4364 FridayJuly 810am - 1:30pmIndividual Blessings/Saraswati Diksha*
LosAngeles@Karunamayi.org
SaturdayJuly 98 am - 6 pmOne Day Meditation Retreat
SundayJuly 109 am - 1 pmHoma - Sacred Fire Ceremony

San Francisco - Guru Purnima Retreat and CelebrationFridayJuly 158am - 4:30pmGuru Purnima Retreat
(408) 252-1607
(510) 565-4486
(510) 209-8697
FridayJuly 156 pmGuru Purnima Celebration
GuruPurnima@Karunamayi.org

SaturdayJuly 166 am - 6 pm
Guru Purnima Retreat

Sunday

July 17

6 am - 10 am

10 am - 1 pm

Guru Purnima Retreat

Guru Purnima Retreat Homa


Seattle, WA

ThursdayJuly 217:00 pmSpiritual Discourse/Darshan
(425) 337-2940FridayJuly 2210am - 1:30pmIndividual Blessings/Saraswati Diksha*
Seattle@Karunamayi.org
SaturdayJuly 238 am - 6 pmOne Day Meditation Retreat
SundayJuly 249 am - 1 pmHoma - Sacred Fire Ceremony

* Due to the large number of people attending these programs, individuals arriving after 1:30 pm are not guaranteed an Individual Blessing with Amma. During these programs, Sri Karunamayi will be offering Sri Saraswati Mantra Diksha (initiation) to students ages 4 to 24. For more information, please click here.

Tour schedule is subject to change.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Introduction: How to Meditate (video)



Why Meditate?
Wisdom Quarterly
How does one meditate? It is the easiest thing to learn yet one of the hardest to practice. Ven. Yuttadhammo explains how in the first video in his series. But why meditate?

There are profound benefits, but that meditation eventually becomes extraordinarily pleasurable and self-healing is reason enough. "There is no way to happiness because happiness is the way!" Even enlightenment is attainable in no long time. But before freedom, there is calm and natural happiness emerging from within.

It's easy to learn, so the question is, Why should it be so hard to do? The answer is easy: It's simply because it goes against the grain of our mental habits.

Physically, we do not want to sit still without sleeping. Mentally, we are restless or lustful, angry or fearful, bored and confused. So a practice that brings clarity, energizes us, and somehow brings relaxation and serenity? The mind will say, "Impossible! I can do it better" as it thinks us into a tizzy or a dead end.

The breath is the way to the present moment, and it also allows us to peer into the mind emotional states. (How we are breathing directly mirrors our state of mind/heart).

Mindfulness frees us from discursive thinking, worry, and confusion: "Be here now!" And if the mind slips away, that's perfectly okay as long as it is brought back. Bare attention (dispassionate observation) -- detached from states of greed/craving, hate/resentment, and delusion/inattentiveness -- frees the heart/mind.

Learning Buddhist Meditation
() This video discusses a simple technique of sitting meditation. Second (of six) in a series of videos on how to practice meditation free of religious dogma and spiritual mumbo-jumbo.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

"Karma to Nirvana" premiers at NY filmfest



Karma: The New Revolution
A new film titled Karma: The New Revolution explains the role of Karma in golfer Tiger Woods’ apology. It explains the role karma played in the death of entertainment icon Michael Jackson and highlights how Karma Yoga has helped individuals overcome the credit crunch, cancer, and crime. Filmed in over a dozen countries, it is presented by Acharya Zen, who was reportedly quoted as saying: Karma and redemption go hand in hand and in Verse 173 of The Dhammapada, the Buddha states that "a person who makes amends for mistakes can light up the world like the Moon emerging from clouds." This suggests that Tiger Woods can redeem himself by following the Buddha’s last words "Be lamps unto yourselves" (Appo deepo bhava) or, as the film's tagline runs, “Take Charge of your Destiny!”

SETI will survive, claims astronomer

Monday, April 25, 2011

Sathya Sai Baba dies on Easter

Hindu.com
(Namaha)

Satya Sai Baba's Life and Legacy

Sri Sathya Sai Baba passed away at the age of 84 [long before he predicted he would die] in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, India, on April 24, 2011. In a country that has never been short of self-proclaimed godmen peddling spiritual succor with commercial motives, he stands out as a rare phenomenon:

He was a spiritual leader whose mass following transcended linguistic, national, and religious boundaries. He channeled the fervor and quest of millions of devotees into giving and sharing. He steered clear of divisive political and communal activities all his life.

In the complex spiritual spectrum of modern-day India, Sai Baba may not have been associated with a metaphysical and transcendent philosophy like Sri Aurobindo, or the fervent devotion to the divine that often sent Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa into a trance, or the self-enquiry and non-dualism that made Sri Ramana Maharishi a silent yet eloquent preceptor. But Sai Baba's simple message of love and harmony -- mostly soaked in the language of Hindu philosophy, often in a universal strain -- was enough to draw the masses towards him....

His early reputation was built on a series of miracles such as producing holy ash (vibhuthi) or rings or miniature Shiva lingas [transferring them somewhere seemingly] out of thin air. This invited disdain from rationalists who saw these as nothing more than sleight of hand [as is clear from some YouTube videos]. But there were other controversies as well [alleged pederasty and sexual abuse]. His ardent devotees, on the other hand, saw the miracles as mere expressions of his divine powers, and his teachings and the manner in which he touched their lives as far more important. More