finding purpose in infinite reality
By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff
If a small child stumbled
Fell and cut her knee,
Would you not bend over and try to help?
Helping the fallen
Is part of the basic requirement
Of being a human being.
Then why do you run away
From all the broken ones
Who call out for our help?
Are we not broken ourselves?
-SB (more…)
Recently I listened to a well-known politician advocate for healthcare reform on a television program where he was discussing his work in pushing legislation that would require health insurance companies to treat mental illness as a legitimate treatable disease so that people who suffer from various psychological dysfunctions and disorders can be covered for treatment. His contention is that most mental problems are due to physiological causes in the brain (which then delineates the condition “medicalâ€) and that if the brain is treated through various drugs and other medical treatments, the patient can get better.
Though I agree that health insurance companies should view mental illnesses as legitimate medical conditions that need to be treated, we need to go even further in how we, as a total society, perceive illness and the treatment of it. When we citizens of a culture can change our mindsets about causes of disease and healing, then the systems within our society will change to fit that consciousness. Thus the economic, political, medical, educational, and other institutions of mainstream culture will cooperate with the expanded consciousness of the population to create more effective and efficient healthcare systems that provide for all of its citizens regardless of financial or social status. (more…)
Many scientists in physics and in other areas of science are finding out that everything is connected. The micro/macro connection is from the smallest atom to the largest star. Great writers throughout history have written about this universal connection, such as Walt Whitman, who said when a leaf drops stars feel it. Since everything is energy, broken circuitry from the source of energy affects everything.
For example, there is a small, battery-operated device that shows the significance of connection. It is a tiny globe of the earth with two points that need contact by human touch in order to give off a musical tone. As long as both points are touched by connected humans, it will chime. Two or one hundred people holding hands will cause music from this device, but if there is any broken place within the human chain of touching hands, the music will stop. I guess you could say that as long as there is a connectedness among humans, the earth sings, but whenever there is a break in human inter-relatedness and unity, the earth cannot sing as fully as it is meant to. Simply put, we humans are conductors of the Creator’s energy, physically as well as by thought. (more…)
by Jeannette Schneider
The author of the internationally popular pamphlet Indignez-vous! (translated as Time For Outrage), Stephane Hessel spent his life warning of the dangers of "the unbearable dominance of market forces".
Stéphane Hessel, the grand old man of 'the call for social outrage' died on 23 February 2013 at the age of 95. His pamphlet Indignez-vous! (the English title is: "Time for Outrage") was published in 2010 and originally aimed at the French, especially the youth. To his delight and surprise, within a short time, 2 million copies were sold in his own country. By now 4.5 million copies have been sold in 35 countries. In Spain 'Los Indignados' took their name from the title of Hessel's book, and the Occupy movement was inspired by it. Later Hessel published an additional three books all about the need for social and political change. (more…)
By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff
“O my Lord, if I worship Thee for fear of hell, burn me in hell; and if I worship Thee for hope of Paradise, exclude me thence; but if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, with hold not from me Thine eternal beauty.â€
 -RabiaÂ
For the spiritual traveler, in order to unlock what lies beyond everyday consciousness, a period of preparation is required. For a time everyday thought patterns must be suspended so the traveler can experience what lies beyond ordinary awareness. In order for a society or organization to flourish, people are conditioned into believing specific ideas and much of the day is filled with these thoughts.  Because of the emotions attached to these ‘sacred’ ideas/beliefs, often the traveler is blocked by their external noise from going deeper and experiencing the inner, spiritual reality. (more…)
Interview with Marion Spielmann
by Andrea Bistrich
Marion Spielmann, founder of The School of Life in the Austrian provence of Steiermark, discusses a new model for education based on the heart's natural connection with nature. This new approach fosters Aquarian qualities in character development, ecological sustainability, and honest relationships within communities. May 2013Â
Marion Spielmann founded the 'School of Life' in 1990 in the Austrian province of Steiermark, also known as Styria, which campaigns for a new culture of thinking and a spirituality in harmony with the laws of nature. Along with the School of Life she is involved in many further projects; amongst others she instigated the idea of a World Future Day, on 21 December. For the last seven years Marion Spielmann has been an ambassador for 'Peace through Culture' and is engaged in the development of national, international and inter disciplinary co-operation between different scientific and cultural groups. Marion Spielmann was interviewed by Andrea Bistrich for Share International. (more…)
Humans have a historically complex relationship with animals. On the one hand we use (abuse?) them as a food source, for experimentation in pursuit of knowledge (etc), and even as sport/amusement. On the other hand domesticated pets in many cases enjoy better lives than many people and we value them as our closest companions, eg "man's best friend" is his dog!
How we use animals is a subset of the humongous issue of morality, ie what is right/wrong and whether such ideals even objectively exist. It is doubtful that it is possible to give an absolute definition of morality since the concept differs widely between societies, individuals, and even within a single society or individual as time passes (as witnessed by the continual process of passing/amending legislation - the closest we have to a formal description of morality). The very asking of the question pre-supposes that humans possess free will, otherwise it would be pointless to consider. Given these qualifications I attempt to present a personal view of the matter. (more…)
by Gabriel of Urantia
I am glad that so many Occupiers all over the country have been taking my advice and trying to start communities and grow organic food. But sustainable living is not just a physical thing that you do and goals of things to accomplish. Long-lasting and continually evolving sustainable living is a shift in consciousness, a state of being. It is a total lifestyle and a way of thinking and doing that is not done in part.
You can’t bring the city to your new country home. This is what Americans have done for decades, in trying to move away from the city to the suburbs, thinking that was going to change the quality of their lives, but all they did was make the new suburbs extensions of the cities. Even in the cities, you can begin to live more sustainably by composting and recycling and trying to conserve on gasoline by using mass transit, walking, bicycling, and using smaller, more compact vehicles, even electric vehicles and other hybrid cars. (more…)
by Benjamin Creme
A tribute to this "simple man who became a national hero."Â April 2013
Hugo Chavez was a simple man who became a national hero, much loved by the majority of the poorer people of Venezuela. He is said by Western media commentators to have been 'controversial', suggesting some failures or outlandish behaviour on his part. He was a nationalist who thought in global terms. He was a simple man from simple beginnings, who took upon himself, through love of his country and people, the role of benefactor. He was a man of great ideals who sought to reverse the terrible poverty of millions of his fellow countrymen, to stand up for them and their right to life.
Chavez used, as is well known, the profits of the huge oil resources of Venezuela to overcome the poverty that roused the ardour of his compassion. For this he was loved by his people and loathed by those greedy forces whose hatred of 'socialism' retards the transformation for the better of this world. He was a hero and a democrat, who sought power only for the benefit of his brothers and sisters.
He is accused by his enemies of leaving his country, potentially rich, with enormous debts. But these accusations come from countries like the US and Britain and others who themselves have enormous debts. Britain owes billions and US debts are measured in trillions. Other countries have their poor, but they do not have a Chavez to support them.
Benjamin Creme, source: © Share International
Interview with Ross Ashcroft
by Gill Fry
Ashcroft, an independent film maker in the UK, answers questions about making his landmark film, Four Horsemen. He discusses the basic fallacies and injustices inherent in the neo-classical economic system that has generated the current economic crisis. Reproduced courtesy Share International magazine March 2013.
Four Horsemen is an independent UK documentary, released in 2012, that questions the global economic system and suggests ways that we can reform it. The film includes a mix of powerful footage, animations and interviews with 23 leading thinkers including Noam Chomsky, Joseph Stiglitz, author John Perkins, children's campaigner Camilla Batmanghelidjh and former Wall Street trader and journalist Max Keiser.
On the Four Horsemen website the filmmakers state: "If more people can equip themselves with a better understanding of how the world really works, then the systems and structures that condemn billions to poverty or chronic insecurity can at last be overturned. Solutions to the multiple crises facing humanity have never been more urgent, but equally, the conditions for change have never been more favourable." (more…)
