rastaa...

The corporeal self is very aware of its limits...
the spirit within knows none..
which is why it sometimes pushes the former
into unknown realms where it can realize more
of its strength..
the spirit prepares the finite self to extend its boundaries..
so someday it can come face to face with the infinite...
such instances are rare and initially faced with
tight resistances..by the corporeal..
but once endured, boasts of an experience profound..
in this realm..and uses that energy to enhance the journey further!

Shuruaat...!

A commencement...of a different kind..
A journey into another realm..
what does it mean in this reality?
is something that should be thought upon..
i stand between the finite that pulls me down
to this reality like gravity...
and another realm that floats just above the surface..
of my existence...
will i tread and never look back..
or will i stay back and wait for some sign?
being open to the infinite unpredictable possibilities..
is the key...i hear..feel..sense.
and wait for the portal to open!

Warrant Balaw - Law made simple!

We are governed by laws but we do not know what law is; we do not know about our privileges and duties and so we are made to live with suffering, not knowing how to live peacefully.Pleading in courts of law is as easy as having discussion with members of the family says WARRANT BALA a simple, honest human being who has been helping the common man for the past 10 years and making him aware of the legal system through his knowledge (from his own experience) and books NETHIYAI THEDI series. You can read about his efforts from his blog...
http://warrantbala.blogspot.com/

The Story of Stuff !!

HEALTH CARE INTENSIVE - BALTIMORE

Hey all...Do you dream of a world which is built out of love and care only and everything was free???
Well, for starters, there is a group of loving people who are struggling to redesign Health care and make it a care system...for all!!
We recently went to a Health care Intensive conducted by Dr. Patch Adams and the School for Designing a Society in Baltimore, Maryland for four days.
There were so many activities, lectures and presentations made by loving doctors who are creating waves of love in the society here.
I want to connect you to their blog so you can read all about it...
please visit http://patchadams.org/blog/84

It can be YOU - interconnectedness!

Where the Hell is Matt? - A lovely connection!

FAST LOVE - something to think about!

Benares AKA Varanasi

Varanasi वाराणसी Vārāṇasī, also commonly known as Benares or Banaras (Hindi: बनारस, Urdu: بنارس, Banāras and Kashi (Hindi: काशी Kāśī, is a city situated on the banks of the river Ganga (Ganges) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, regarded holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, and one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the river Ganges and the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in northern India for several thousand years. A particular style of classical Hindustani music developed in Varanasi centuries ago, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravi Das, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote his Ramcharitmanas there, and Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath near Kashi. Ayurveda is said to have originated at Varanasi.

Varanasi is the home of Banaras Hindu University. Residents mainly speak Kashika Bhojpuri, which is closely related to the Hindi language. People often refer to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", "the city of learning" and the "culture capital of India".
Video Courtesy vladamikulec on Youtube.

DHARMA THE CAT - David Lourie

The theme of the cartoon collection is "Havoc and mayhem on the rocky road to nirvana, with a Buddhist cat, a novice monk and a mouse that is hell-bent on cheese."

“Dharma The Cat” has three characters. There is a novice monk named Bodhi, who is stumbling earnestly along the Buddha’s Noble Path. The Cat’s name is Dharma, and he is a wise being who looks down from a great height on those who have taken birth in human form. And there is Siam, the house Mouse, who is concerned only with cheese.

The main character’s progress along his rocky path to Nirvana reflects our own delusions and obstacles, and enables us to digest the spiritual message in a compassionate and humorous way -- contrary to portraying the road to enlightenment as a friendless, unemotional journey. Practitioners do not have to be so brave, patient, or wise, else they will fail, and they might give up unless they lighten up, so to speak, and have a great sense of humour.

for more: visit the website http://www.dharmathecatcartoons.com/15blog/

An Interpretation to the Struggle of Life...

A lot of times we keep wondering why we face so much difficulty in life...obstacle over obstacle...struggling to overcome them. Trying to figure out why...why does it all have to be so hard. Why can't and don't we have an easy life? We keep searching for answers as to what we actually want to do, never ever resting in that quest. As inquisitive souls we seek answers and are desperate to find them. The moment we find an answer to one, there's another question, another struggle that we have to deal with. What is the reason for this struggle? This eternal struggle of life?
There's an answer, an interpretation, which seemingly is plausible enough to realize our purpose.
Our soul, our self, our spirit or whatever you wish to call your 'Being', is INFINITE in nature - meaning, we are free, boundless, beyond space or time, there's no beginning to our selves and no end. We are infinity itself in its purest form, that is, without the body. And our body, an accumulation of matter and substance, is FINITE, meaning, it only serves as a tangible medium for our shapeless soul, our formless self, the true 'Being' within.
So think about this for a second. What will happen when something so powerful, so vast, so vast as infinity, that is, our SOUL is put into something as small, as finite as our body? Yes, there's a conflict...not just a conflict, a struggle that starts right from the moment when the soul enters the germ cell in the womb all the way to when the body dies. So it is a struggle much bigger than anything we see tangibly, because this kind of struggle is invisible, unseen, unrealized by our conscious selves. So when we feel like doing something OUT OF THE WORLD, we feel confined, trapped and are bursting with emotion to do it. The ones among us, that realize that we can DO IT, actually get closer to doing it or even succeed. We keep trying, struggling to become our EXPANDED SELF, that is, our TRUE SELF, which leads to infinity.
We are born to be free, liberated from our minds or bodies that trap us although the body is that which gives us a finite shape. So what is the lesson here? Just be yourself, just try and be whatever you imagine yourself to be, because that is the truth. Reach out, become your Expanded Self, don't confine your thinking to what you think only your body can do. Never compromise on what you can achieve...because inside your finite body, is your infinite self, the true you.
This is not something that I just concocted out of the blue, but rather my interpretation from the teachings of Swami Ramakrishnananda in his booklet, The Universe and Man, a beautifully compiled thought process.

CROSS CULTURAL SOLUTIONS

Ever thought about volunteering across the globe?? Well, here is your chance!

Cross-Cultural Solutions is widely known as the leading organization in the field of international volunteering.

Our volunteer programs are unique in every way. Our global infrastructure supports over 4,000 international volunteers each year and over 250 sustainable community initiatives. More than 250 CCS in-country-staff members are working year-round, ensuring that you are volunteering with a project that interests you and contributing directly to the goals of each community. No other short-term international volunteer program has such a global presence and community-centered approach toward volunteering abroad.

For more details please visit the site at http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/

Do you express yourself enough??

I find myself at some points in life...
where i have to this urge to release my thoughts....
in some way or the other...
otherwise the thoughts rush by themselves,
to jump off the cliff of my mouth...
out into the world...
and in that hurry, most of them vaporize into the ether...
some of them just lie within waiting for the right time...
and eventually get swallowed by the ever thirsty physical being that lies in me...
the hunger for thoughts never dies..
what an irony that we hardly express whatever we feel...
either for the fear of crossing limits...
or for the good of the other...
or to find a way to stop ourselves into getting into unknown spaces...
or thinking we are independent of the rest...
or to prioritize our responsibilities...
or judge everything by over analysing...
well....i could go on and on...
but the question is...
ARE YOU EXPRESSING YOURSELF ENOUGH?
to people you love...
to people you admire...
to people you are angry with...
to people who need you..
to people who seek help..
to people who might help you...
to people...and nature...and everything around?
since language was formed because the connectedness was pushed to obscurity...
we have to seriously think of communication...and EXPRESSION!
i love you all...

Latest in Technology!

http://www.softpedia.com/
for the latest in technology...i came across this website which might be useful to anyone who is seeking some new information!

GLOBAL YOUTH ACTION NETWORK

The Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) is 501c3, not-for-profit organization, launched in 1996 and registered in the state of New York, USA. GYAN has regional teams in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Durban, South Africa, Beirut, Lebanon, and Manila, Philippines. Natonal Chapters are registered in Mexico City, Accra, Ghana, Paris, France, and a growing number of other countries. GYAN is affiliated to the United Nations Department of Public Information and holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC).

GYAN is a youth-led organization that unites the efforts of young people working to improve our world. The Network connects many thousands of organizations in over 190 countries and a growing membership is now helping to shape the future direction of GYAN..

This is your world!

A video that might drive you to do something for the World!

http://www.youthlink.org/thisisyourworld.swf

CHAT THE PLANET.COM

Chat the Planet is a global dialogue company. We connect young people from around the world to talk about everything from politics, prejudices and war to sex, music and life in general.

Chat the Planet is uncensored, unscripted and unlike anything else in the mainstream media.

Hey people.. check this raw reality..wouldn't it be more interesting if we all came together and spoke about issues from different parts of world? It is such a nice attempt to bring the truth out to the world and letting in some possibility of love to flow in...Since we are so connected..we suffer the pain that is felt with the uncertainty of these war-torn places..which is a part of us..aren't we responsible for spreading some love to all our fellow humans who are going through this uncertainty?

CHAT THE PLANET

In 2008, we are launching an innovative internet platform that will transform the way people engage globally. It will transcend both cultural differences and long distances.
Founded by celebrated media executives Laurie Meadoff and Kate Hillis in 2001, Chat the Planet has produced award-winning video, internet, and radio programming that continues to reach millions of people around the world.
Hometown Baghdad is an online web series about life in Baghdad. It tells the stories of three young Iraqis struggling to survive during the war.
The series premiered on March 19th 2007 and the final episode went live on June 17. All episodes are viewable here.
Hometown Baghdad was produced by global youth dialogue company, Chat the Planet.Check this link for press release and the blog of Hometown Baghdad.

you can check all the videos of the entire series from this link...videos of Hometown Baghdad

Wings Of Evolution Screening at Scarsdale Public library, New York

We had a screening of Wings of Evolution yesterday at the Scarsdale Public Library,New York, at 1pm. The screening was arranged by Susan Grosz, a friend we made from the South Asian International Film Festival in October 2007. We did not have to do anything except show up for the screening at the library because Susan had taken care of everything that was needed; right from the publicity to the arrangement of the venue including all the formalities involved. Jeff took care of the technical part of things and arranged for a projector for the screenings. We have wonderful people to help us in this journey and they volunteer their time and effort for this cause.
Susan introduced us to the audience and said that amidst all the chaos in the world and news every single day, Wings Of Evolution was there to give hope. What an introduction!
We were inspired by just those words!
A group of around 40 people showed up for the screening even with the weather being so cold outside. The after-session of the screening was very interesting with people asking us questions about a lot of things.
Firstly, the overall response was amazing and the audience said that indeed they agreed to Susan's introductory comment that there was hope in the film. There were around 6-7 school teachers who were very interested to know about the details of the syllabus at the School. They were interested in the fact that the children at the Siragu School were allowed to take any classes they preferred whether it was the reading corner or writing or math or science or anything they chose to attend. Some of them voiced out their concern about the public schools in India and how the attendance worked there. They were impressed at the kids' openness to the learning process in spite of being first generation learners and also appreciated the kids for teaching their parents English when they went home.
Some of them voiced out their concern for the exam patterns in schools in the world and how competitive children have forced to become.
Well, they were also keen on the World Wide Postcard Sharing project and said they would ask their kids to participate in it.
So, the overall response was very positive yesterday.
We also introduced our non-profit organization POSITIVE PEOPLE TODAY to the audience and requested them to take a look at the cause. We are trying to raise funds for the Siragu School through Positive People Today. Please go to the following link to take a look at the fund raising page of Siragu School.
We reminded the people that remaining positive about things changing for the better in the world was very important and PPT was one such attempt to spread Positivity!

TIBET- Please send your love, light, Positive Energy!

Please fill out the comment form to send a message to the Tibetan Marchers and we will make sure they get them on the road.

http://tibetanuprising.org/2008/03/12/send-a-message-to-the-marchers/#comment-700

Calling all fellow HUMANS positively!!!

POSITIVE PEOPLE TODAY IS HERE FOR ALL!!
TO SPREAD THE POSITIVITY IN THE WORLD..AROUND YOU!!!
Well, here are the details of the much awaited website for the non-profit we have started..
this is a very good venue for us in our journey..PPT(positive people today) as we call it..is an official non-profit organization from october 2007..and we have started this to spread positivity in the minds of people..!!
But, we are initially trying to spread the word around..
we are also going to use PPT as a platform for the world children's forum..
so, please register at the site and start adding articles..also any friends of yours could join this, add articles and positive energy to this..we will soon form a positive people's network where all of us will get together and spread love in the world..also upload your pictures/ art work /photographic skills to the gallery....
so go to PPT here from the link below..
www.positivepeopletoday.org
please do the registration and go through the whole website..pls also give us a review and tell me if the site is user friendly...
..pls spread the word..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!