OMTimes Magazine May A 2020 Edition by OMTimes Media

May A Issue

MIRABAI STARR

Wild Mercy

Wisdom of the Women Mystics

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CONTENTS OMLIVING

76 IS CLEANLINESS NEXT TO GODLINESS? 82

ANGER: THE ENEMY ON EARTH

CONSCIOUS PARENTING 92

CAN ASTROLOGY INFLUENCE A CHILD'S PERSONALITY

PERSONAL GROWTH

SPOTLIGHT MIRABAI STARR

WILD MERCY

WISDOM OF THE WOMEN MYSTICS

114 RESPONSIBILITY- OH NOT THAT!

ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE 102

108

ARE BIRTHMARKS SIGNS OF A PAST LIFE?

HEALTH & HEALING

MEMORY IS THE KEY TO DEATH AND LIFE

WE NEED TO GET FOOD SMART!

ANIMAL SPIRITUALITY

CATS IN THE BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE & ZEN STORIES

JUST LIFE 70

WHAT IF CINDERELLA HAD SWOLLEN FEET?

WORLD VISION

120

THE AGE OF SELF-PROMOTION CONNECTING THROUGH COLLABORATION

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WILD MERCY MIRABAI STARR INTERVIEW BY SANDRA SEDGBEER

Wisdom of the Women Mystics We live in a world that has suffered the abuses of an unbalanced, masculine rule for thousands of years. Still, everything we’re hearing and reading right now suggests that the feminine is rising. According to Mirabai Starr, seeds of feminine wisdom that have been quietly germinating underground are now breaking through the surface. Women everywhere are rising to the collective call to step up and repair our broken earth. We are activating a paradigm shift, such as the world has never seen.

Mirabai Starr has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of the Mystics, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich and is the awardwinning author of God of Love – A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and Caravan of No Despair – A Memoir of Loss and Transformation. A writer of non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature, she taught philosophy and world religions for 20 years, and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialogue. OMTIMES |MAY A

OMTIMES MAGAZINE

“So many of the religious traditions and teachings that I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in are conspicuously missing the voice of the feminine, and I couldn’t ignore that anymore. ”

Sandie Sedgbeer: Mirabai, you’ve been described as a daughter of the counterculture, you were born in New York in the early ’60s to secular Jewish parents who challenged institutionalized religion and were active in the anti-war protest movement of the Vietnam era. When you were 11, your family moved to Taos, New Mexico, where they embraced an alternative, backto-the-land lifestyle in a communal effort to live simply and sustainably. Tell us about your early life and how that shaped you.

MAY 2020

Mirabai Starr: My parents were not only non-religious Jews from New York, but they were also actually antireligion. They felt that religion was not only irrelevant but dangerous and responsible for a lot of suffering in the world. So, I grew up with no sense of adherence to any particular faith tradition. They were nominally Jewish under their cultural identity but, I, on the other hand, from a very young age, was drawn to every single religious tradition that I encountered. When I started becoming interested in spirituality and religion, they were very suspicious of what was going on. Over the years, I think they realized that I wasn’t joining any particular institutionalized religious tradition; I simply was temperamentally oriented to respond to the presence of the mystery, of the sacred, of the ineffable in the form in all these different spaces. I was also temperamentally unsuited to pick one tradition to the exclusion of the others. I just would get deeply connected to a spiritual tradition, whether it was Sufism or Buddhism.

SANDIE SEDGBEER: As a young teenager, you lived at the Lama Foundation, an intentional spiritual community in New Mexico founded in 1968. What were the most important things you learned there? MIRABAI STARR: I believe that my interspiritual orientation was formed in many ways at the Lama Foundation because Lama is the place where Ram Dass wrote Be Here Now and created the Here Now Community there and where Murshid Samuel Lewis created the Dances of Universal Peace, and Father Thomas Keating, gave his first centering prayer retreat. Many Roshis, Lamas, Swamis, and Rabbis have done ground-breaking work in that little community up in the mountains of northern New Mexico where we lived. Lama is a place that has always been about what Murshid Samuel called the Meeting of the Ways. Even Ram Dass, who recently left this world and was my life-long beloved teacher, was very much an inter-spiritual teacher. However, he had a Hindu guru and was writing about the so-called Eastern traditions. He was one of those beings who just naturally drew on the wisdom wells of all spiritual paths. So I was raised in that counter-culture world of Taos and the Lama Foundation, where I was exposed as a young girl of 11, 12, 13 years old, to multiple spiritual traditions, all of which were presented as being equally valid and true. And I thought that was true for everybody in the world; that anyone with an open heart would recognize that all these religions were singing the same song of unity and love in deliciously different ways.

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But as I grew up, I discovered that was far from true. Although I do think that interspiritual exposure prepared me for the world weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re entering now where a lot of the existing structures are collapsing, including and maybe especially the organized religious structures. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need the ability to stand in that fire of not knowing and not throw the baby of spirituality out with the bathwater of institutionalized religion.

There’s still such a deep hunger for spiritual connection and spiritual experience that draws on all the great world’s wisdom ways but is no longer separated into these little boxes that exclude the other the way that they have been historical. SANDIE SEDGBEER: I’m sure you appreciated it, but perhaps didn’t fully appreciate until much later how being at the Lama Foundation was so valuable to who you’ve become and what you do in the world. MIRABAI STARR: Yes, it’s so true. I really do recognize now what a blessed experience that was to come of age in that kind of milieu, and how much it informs everything I do every day of my life now. All those teachers who have been change-makers in the world, many of whom are dead now, and I got to just be with them at such a young age and didn’t realize how significant that would be. Except insofar as sitting with them and having many powerful experiences that I did recognize at the time. Wow! They shattered my foundation over and over again. They remade me every time I would have a new spiritual experience in the presence of these great beings. SANDIE SEDGBEER: How and when did you first develop a connection with the great Christian mystics? MIRABAI STARR: At Lama Foundation, where I encountered Sufism in various different forms - the Mevlevi Sufi Order of Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi Rumi, the great Persian Poet, and the contemporary western Sufi movement that’s now known as the Ruhaniat, and other Sufi traditions. Sufism is kind of rooted in the Lover/Beloved metaphor which really resonated with me and still does. So, when I was 20, I decided to do a semester abroad in Spain and Seville. I had a dual major in Anthropology and Spanish, and I thought living with a family and studying Spanish literature would be a great way to become fluent. And, indeed, it was. Studying Spanish literature, I encountered San Juan de La Cruz, Saint John of the Cross, who’s known, of course, for his mystical masterpiece Dark Night of the Soul into English, which opened the floodgates to the Christian mystics for me.I had studied them in graduate school, Teresa of Avila, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, and many others. But something about this intensity and intimacy of translating John of the Cross just melded any barriers I had in my heart to Christianity.

The wisdom of the Christian mystics just came pouring in, and not only did I fall in love with them, but through them developed this intimate relationship and love for Christ himself.You have to understand that growing up in an anti-religious, Jewish household and studying and practicing all of the Eastern traditions, having met Ram Dass very young, I became a devotee of the great Indian Saint, Neem Karoli Baba, who is still my guru, I developed a very disciplined Buddhist meditation practice at a young age, which I always do. There was Sufism. There are the Native American traditions of my beloved hometown of Taos, New Mexico. Many different traditions. Basically, all of them, except for Christianity, which I had this kind of cellular aversion to. I think it’s ancestral trauma. Whatever it is, it was a definite block in my heart to Christianity. Still, through the Christian mystics, who speak in such a universal language of love, I was able to connect to them. And suddenly, I was being asked to translate and write about various Christian mystics, and so found myself inhabiting this space of speaking to and about Christian mysticism as a Jewish, Sufi, Hindu, Buddhist pagan. SANDIE SEDGBEER: You’ve written so many critically acclaimed books about the medieval mystics. What elements moved in your personal inner scape to bring about the birth of your latest book Wild Mercy – Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics?

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MIRABAI STARR: So many of the religious traditions and teachings that I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in are conspicuously missing the voice of the feminine, and I couldn’t ignore that anymore. Every time I was exploring and lifting up these mystical traditions, it was the voices of men I was sharing, even the beliefs and practices that I cherish the most. Most of my own teachers were masculine voices. Instead of looking for the voice of the feminine, the wisdom of women, outside of myself, and my own work, I realized that it was my turn to excavate and share those jewels myself because it wasn’t happening elsewhere. I mean, there were lots of women in their own spiritual traditions bringing out the voices of women. Still, there was no one doing that across the spiritual traditions, which is my kind of area of interest, interspirituality. So, I began to look for those wisdom teachings of women in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, indigenous traditions, and I quickly realized that it was difficult to find them because it was intentionally made that way.

OMTIMES |MAY A

The voice of the feminine was intentionally buried, marginalized, and side-lined by the patriarchy, basically because feminine wisdom is subversive. It threatens the status quo and the existing structure of institutionalized religion and always has. And now is the time to fearlessly shake it up with these feminine voices of wild wisdom. The reason I titled my new book Wild Mercy is because, for me, the feminine embodies that paradox – actually a whole range of paradoxes – from loving kindness and unconditional forgiveness to ferocity, “subversiveness”, resistance, and wild, spontaneous creativity. All qualities that can be quite threatening when you’re trying to keep people in line with particular belief systems and ritual containers that leave no room for the actual living voice of the holy spirit to direct what’s unfolding in the landscape of the soul. SANDIE SEDGBEER: Do you find great irony in the timing of that? I mean, you write in Wild Mercy that you were writing the proposal just before Trump was elected. Then you put it aside, telling yourself that the time of the feminine rising was clearly not now. What happened? MIRABAI STARR: I realized that the voice of the feminine is needed now more than ever. I know that I was right to rise up out of my own cynicism and allow myself to be, as so many people are all over the world, a conduit for this rising feminine energy, because look now how urgently the qualities and attributes of feminine wisdom and heart are directly relevant to the changes that are upon us.

The masculine structured, exclusive, perfection-oriented, pure oriented, kind of spiritual culture is not going to be relevant or useful in these times of creative chaos and the death of the structures that we have known. Still, the feminine will, and it is holding the space for the end and the birth that is happening in our midst. SANDIE SEDGBEER: What is your definition of a mystic, and how would you characterize the path of the feminine mystic? MIRABAI STARR: The classic academic definition of a mystic is one who has direct experience of the divine that is unmediated through established religious channels like religious authorities, clergy people, or prescribed prayers and rituals. A mystic has direct experience of God, or of the sacred, usually in the form of love, of boundless love, and a mystical experience bypasses the established, accepted forms and belief systems. Even that the mystic, herself, might have come from.For instance, Teresa of Avila, my beloved Teresa of Avila, whose masterworks I’ve had the excellent, good fortune of translating, was squarely rooted in Christianity. However, she was only a first-generation Christian because she came from a Converso family, a family of Jews who was forced to convert by the Inquisition. She lived in the early 16th century in Spain at the height of the Inquisition. So, she was Jewish and Christian, although she had to deny her Jewish roots.

When she had her experience of union with the one, she called “Beloved,” it was undifferentiated. It was an experience of intimate merging into the source of all love and the dissolution of any individual identity or subject/object experience or relationship.When she returned to her socalled ordinary state of consciousness, she translated that experience through the filter of her Christianity, and it became the experience of a Christian mystic. So a mystic is someone who has that direct experience. You wanted me to reflect on the feminine version of that, in some ways, I feel the mystical experience is itself feminine because it’s an experience that defies or transcends the existing dogma, order, ideas about what spiritual means, and it invites us in to fully inhabit the realm of the heart. This is the space of the feminine. So now is the perfect time to say that when I speak about feminine and masculine, I am speaking about an energetic reality. I’m speaking about attributes and qualities that exist and abide in all of us, in women, in men, in people of all genders.

People who do not identify with a particular gender at all, and yet all of us, I feel, right now, are yearning for the gift of feminine wisdom, the voice of female wisdom, and the heart space into which the feminine invites us because this is her domain.I know plenty of women in the spiritual arena who lead with masculine qualities, who are as patriarchal as any priest, or rabbi, or imam, or shaman, or yogi, or Roshi or lama. The male kind of hierarchical definitions of what it means to be spiritual is a trap that women also fall into. Then they end up leading with very masculine qualities or perpetuating the male paradigm that has historically oppressed us.I know many men who are voluntarily abdicating their privilege and power, even many clergy people across the spiritual traditions, who are stepping back, shutting up, and inviting women and people who sing the song of the feminine, who speak in the voice of the feminine, to take the stage, to have space to now bring this vitally needed elixir of feminine wisdom and heart into the human community. So, I’m talking about the feminine in all of us, and she’s alive and well in people of all genders just as the masculine is still doing its patriarchal thing in the form of certain women leaders.

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SANDIE SEDGBEER: As we all are becoming aware of the feminine rising, how are the tapestries, the stories of lives and examples from the mystic women that you write about, across all the spiritual traditions and time frames, useful to us now?

Hildegard, as a young girl, was having all these prophetic kinds of experiences, often accompanied by blinding headaches, and then the voice of what she called “the living light” would speak to her. She kept trying to suppress it because the people around her seemed suspicious of her visionary experiences. So, it wasn’t safe for her to share them. So she did everything she could to repress them until “the voice of the living light” was so powerful that it almost killed her to try and keep a lid on it.

It was shattering her container. Finally, she just surrendered and said, ‘OK, I accept this prophetic calling. I will be a vessel for your wisdom and your love in this world.’ Then out of that surrender came pouring through the most extraordinary wisdom. She was indeed a Polymath. She was a musician; she was a composer. Hildegard’s music resounds through the centuries. She was an artist who created these illuminations. She was an architect. She was a social critic. She was a healer with herbs, tinctures, stones and minerals and crystals. There were so many ways that Hildegard’s mastery manifested and comes down to us through the thousand years since she lived that is relevant right now in this time of crisis, confusion, and separation, and the call to unity that is at the heart of the deconstruction that’s unfolding right now.

OMTIMES |MAY A

MIRABAI STARR: I’m so glad you asked that question because I feel like a story is vitally important in these times. Story and personal, specific experiences of the human condition are what are going to lift us all up and remind us about the web of inter-being to which we belong. So that my very particular human story becomes a reflection of everybody’s story, and when you hear details of my experience walking this world, it will awaken you and welcome you home to your own experience. So, when I tell the stories of all of these different women, mystics across the religious landscape, backward in time and currently, people resonate, and we see ourselves in these wisdom beings. Just the other day I was thinking of Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century Rhineland visionary Christian mystic, which celebrated nature and the natural world as the very dwelling place of the divine feminine in the form of Sophia, and Mother Mary, and earth Herself, she blended it all together.

SANDIE SEDGBEER: Do you think that their experiences are available to all of us? These mystic women were beings of wisdom. Would you say that it was their abilities to see and think about the world from a different perspective that inspired them to the spiritual and mystical practices, or was it the other way around? That it was their devotional aspect that brought them to the path of self-realization. MIRABAI STARR: I think it’s both. For as long as we can remember, many of us have had this sense of the numinous and this deep attraction to the great mystery that has enabled us to cultivate a very broad perspective so that we can perceive the presence of the sacred in so many different spaces. Yes, it is something that many of us came into this life with. Still, I also think that the path of love, the path of mystical devotion, can enable us at any point in our lives to cultivate that deep seeing, that contemplative way of looking through the eyes of the heart. And that it is our birthright to all be mystics, that is to all be beings in love with love and able and totally worthy of having a numinous experience. SANDIE SEDGBEER: Tragedy and trauma are common themes in the lives of the mystics you write about. John of the Cross was imprisoned for his attempts to reform the church.

Saint Francis of Assisi was a prisoner of war. Saint Teresa of Avila suffered illness, hardship, and persecution by the Inquisition, and Julian of Norwich received her visions during significant illness, believing she was on her death bed. Tragedy and trauma are such powerful triggers for transformation – but why is that? Why do we have to plumb the depths before our eyes can truly open? MIRABAI STARR: I have no idea. I think the question underlying that is, what do we do with it? It has always been affirmed that a human condition is a place that involves great suffering and challenge and that how we respond is the test of our true humanity. For me, it was the loss of a child when my first book, the translation of Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross, came out. I was 40, and the very day that book came into the world, my 14-year-old daughter Jenny was killed in a car accident. And I entered into the heart of that fire that I had been studying about and practicing and encountering through spiritual methodologies for decades. At that moment, in which Jenny’s death coincided with the release into the world of these teachings on the transformational power of great darkness and suffering, I had to fully surrender any ideas I had on what spirituality was. What mystical union was? What God was. What my life as a human being, as a woman, as a mother was supposed to be about, and that transfiguration of my soul was not

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some sudden enlightenment experience where I used to be a shmuck. Now I was this great wisdom generator. It was a very messy flow, a gradual process of fully inhabiting my own humanity, and in doing so, taking my rightful place in the web of inter-being to which I suddenly realized I belong. In that surrender, that gradual, somewhat chaotic, up and down process of coming home to my human heart, the world of the soul became bigger and more accessible.

So they’re grateful, and they’re involved in this process, and they’re delighted to find out about all these women mystics; that they have other places to find their own feminine heart in this world besides the exclusive boy’s club that has characterized most of the religious institutions, including the ones that many of us consider being alternatives because they’re Eastern. Hinduism and Buddhism are supposed to be exempt from that kind of misogyny and patriarchy, but they’re not.

SANDIE SEDGBEER: Before we close, I want to quickly touch on the part of your book where you say, ‘So where do I find the divine masculine?’ And, of course, you found it in your husband. So often, we are looking beyond the men we know. We’re looking at all of their masculine differences and the things that mark them out as not us, and we don’t see the divine masculine within them. Was that a surprise to you when you came back to that and saw the divine masculine in your husband?

SANDIE SEDGBEER: There is such a big conversation here; I would really love to continue it at some point. But I’m going to have to close with this thought: You write that Julian of Norwich has a message for today’s readers in that ‘she reveals the feminine face of the divine and reminds us to see God there. That all our failings are an opportunity to learn and grow. That they should be honored, but not dwelled upon. That God’s love has nothing to do with love and retribution and everything to do with love and compassion and, most of all, despite all appearances, all is well.’ As you look upon the world as it is right now, in the middle of this incredible situation that we’ve never experienced before, is all well?

MIRABAI STARR: No, not all. I’ve seen the divine masculine in him from the day I met him. And there are so many men in my life, and other gendered people as well, who are just luminaries for me of the antidote to the toxic masculinity that I am resisting in my work right now. That I’m calling out. So, it’s not that I am condemning all men as being the source of the problem, far from it. I feel that I have so many allies in men and other gendered people right now who are just as interested in unlocking the door to the feminine heart that has also imprisoned men.

MIRABAI STARR: All is well, and that includes that which is not well, and we need to be in our courageous feminine hearts and make space for all of it. To not check out of it and bypass it for spiritual method, but to allow our hearts to break open in response to the pain of the world. www.mirabaistarr.com

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WE NEED TO GET FOOD SMART! OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

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OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

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OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

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I'm in Brazil or Hawaii! In Portugal and

• Spinach • Sprouts and baby greens (if available, such as sunflower, green and pea greens)

European countries, I choose local berries, apples, and pears. Choose seasonal and local fruits.

• Green beans (all varieties)

• Avocado

• Sweet potatoes

• Apples

• Swiss chard

• Bananas

• Kale

• Berries

• Kohlrabi

• Grapes

• Turnips

• Kiwi fruits

• Watercress

• Lemons OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

• Tomatoes

• Pumpkin Seeds

• Green

• Sesame Seeds • Sunflower seeds • Tahini (Sesame seed paste)

Fermented Foods (Choose raw, naturally fermented and unpasteurized options) sauerkraut organic miso

• Walnuts Flour I like to grind my own flour with a

• Kimchi

high-speed blender

Natural Sweeteners

Buckwheat flour

• Maple Syrup

• Millet Flour

• Dates (Medjool)

• Quinoa Flour

• Coconut Sugar

• Oat Flour

• Raisins

• Potato Flour

• Organic Raw Honey • Dried Cranberries

Beans and Legumes

• Stevia Leaf • Molasses

For sprouting and cooking. If you're just beginning all of this, feel free

Nuts and Seeds

to buy a few glass-jarred beans and

Buy raw and fresh and in bulk, and store in your fridge or freezer! • Almonds • Almond Butter • Chia Seeds • Flaxseeds • Hazelnuts • Hemp seeds • Pecans • Pine Nuts

chickpeas to facilitate the process at first. However, buy the dried versions too so you can get sprouting! • Mung Black • Adzuki Pinto • Lentils (all colors) • Lima • Chickpeas • Fenugreek seeds for white sprouting!

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Fresh Herbs and Dried Seasonings • Basil • Black Pepper • Chives • Coriander Seeds • Dill • Himalayan Salt or Fleur de paprika • Lemongrass • Lime Leaves • Mint • Mustard Seeds • Parsley • Coriander • Ginger • Sel dried Thyme • Tarragon • Thyme • Turmeric • Rosemary Danah Mor is a certified Health Practitioner who discovered she was going blind at age 13. She trained in Ayurvedic Medicine at the Medical University of Manipal and is certified by Hippocrates Health Institute and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. For more about Danah go to danahmor.com In this excerpt from her book, Shine Brighter Every Day: Nourish Your Body, Feed Your Spirit, Balance Your Life (Watkins May 2020), Danah Mor explains how to get food smarter, especially when it comes to shopping… OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Simply Spiritual To perceive reality from a different perspective is to open oneself to the wonders and unlimited wealth of creation. Simply Spiritual offers the opportunity to visit new places, new methods, and different ways to perceive the vast human knowledge of our Universe.

Cats in the Buddhist Perspective & Zen Stories I have lived with several Zen masters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all of them cats. Eckhart Tolle

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

ats are important animals

Cats and Buddhism

in the Buddhist doctrine. For Buddhism, cats

It is important to clarify beforehand

represent spirituality.

that Buddhism is a very flexible

According to the Buddhist Order of

philosophy in its approaches, although

Fo Guang Shan, cats are enlightened

religious authority is based on sacred

beings that convey to us their sense

texts. Buddhism is not organized in

of calm and harmony. Since these

a vertical hierarchy like many other

animals are very much associated

faiths, and their religious authority

with positive feelings and high

rests on their sacred texts, but there is

consciousness, especially in Asia, it is

great flexibility in its own approaches

very common to see them in shrines,

and interpretations.

temples, and sacred places, even resting in statues dedicated to the

The catâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lore we are going to show

Buddha.

you have their roots in a specific

Healing Power of Cats

school: in Theravada Buddhism, or in the ancestral lineage, the oldest Buddhist school from Tibet.

The deep and genuine connection we can make with cats had inspired many Buddhist monks to share knowledge

Cats as Unique Sentient Beings

about the healing power of this animal. It is difficult to obtain the friendship They are frequently associated with

of a cat. It is a philosophical animal...

wisdom and the pursuit of self-

one that does not place its affections

Knowledge. Hence, it is often said that

thoughtlessly. Theophile Gautier

those who do not relate well to their unconscious will never fully connect

Cats are said to be like little

with a cat, nor will they understand its

meditative monks who can bring

mysteries.

harmony to a home. The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order, for example,

The truth is that no one is surprised to

they are like people who have already

learn that the figure of these animals is

attained enlightenment. Cats are

closely linked to Buddhism.

free beings. They drink when they

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

are thirsty, eat when they are hungry,

to feel man from far away in time;

sleep when they feel drowsy, and do

however, people have not yet learned

what must be done at every moment,

to feel the cat at present. They are loyal,

without the need to please anyone.

faithful and affectionate. But their displays of affection are intimate and

Cats do not get carried away by the

subtle yet tremendously deep. Only

ego. And something special about

those who know how to deepen their

these animals, according to this branch

interior with respect and dedication will

of Buddhism, is that they have learned

enjoy their unbreakable love. People

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

who are uneven or who often raise their

the teacher died, the cat continued

voices to scream will never be pleased.

to be tied up during the meditation session. And when the cat eventually

In Thailand, there is a beautiful legend

died, another cat was brought to the

that transcended the sands of time

monastery and tied up. Centuries later,

and that converted cats into beings

the learned descendants of the spiritual

of peace and intimate unity in many

teacher wrote scholarly treatises about

temples of Asian countries.

the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice. (*)

That's why it's so common to see cats dozing in shrines, curled up in the

What is Buddha? The cat is

lap of the multiple Buddha figures

climbing up the post.

surrounding the gardens, and templesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

~ Zen Master Pa-Chaio Hui-Châ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ing

sacred grounds.

A Ritual Cat in Zen Monastery

In the book "Poems of the Cat" or "Tamra Maew," In his old papyri, a charming story could be read telling us that when a person who had reached

When they are among us, cats are

the highest levels of spirituality died,

angels. George Sand

their soul would join the body of a cat. In this way, people's souls knew that

In one of the many Buddhist stories

in the end, they would enter a more

about cats, there is this one about a

enlightened plane of existence. The

Zen cat, and how its presence was vital

Tamra Maew was preserved today in

to the meditational practice on the

the National Library of Bangkok as a

Monastery.

treasure.

When the spiritual teacher and

Motivated by this belief, the Thai people

his disciples began their evening

of that time had another tradition,

meditation, the cat who lived in the

burying their deceased relatives in a

monastery made such noise that

crypt next to a living cat. The tomb had

it distracted them. So, the teacher

a kind of "hole" through which the cat

ordered that the cat be tied up during

could exit. When the cat finally did,

the evening practice. Years later, when

people believed that their loved one's

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

soul was already connected to the

themselves to deepen with respect

animal and was being prepared for a

and dedication can enjoy their

spiritual ascent.

unconditional display of love.

They believed that because these

We don't need many reasons to love

animals are completely free, do what

our cats, this feeling builds naturally,

they want when they feel like it and

they become great friends and mates.

don't bother to please anyone but

They often refer us to great kings, as

themselves. They are not dominated

the Buddhist legends show us, and we

by feelings of ego either; They are very

rejoice in being able to live with such

loyal or companions.

evolved and wise animals.

As much as they don't show their

Cats and Spirituality

feelings in such open ways as the dogs do, catsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feelings are incredibly

Like those great sphinxes lounging

profound. Only people who allow

through eternity in noble attitudes

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

upon the desert sand, they gaze

Ancient Egypt, it is something we

incuriously at nothing, calm and wise.

proudly allow them to do.

Charles Baudelaire “Time spent with cats is never a waste To conclude, we know that there is

of time.” -Sigmund Freud-

no need to resort to Buddhist texts to understand how cats are extraordinary

Moments with our cats are

beings. Their presence transports us to

unforgettable and will always be

introspective universes, their strange

present in our hearts, regardless of the

postures invite us to practice yoga,

path’s life leads us.

they are an example of elegance and balance…

Adapted from the original article written at La Mente es Maravillosa

We love and even worship them, and

The Zen Ritual cat story was originally

although they create authentic gods,

found users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/

perhaps remembering their days in

ritualcat.html

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

OMTimes Magazine Relax… Let your worries drift away into the moment… OMTimes is a free publication and can be delivered right to your inbox… Subscribe at: Free OMTimes Subscription Visit our website at: www.omtimes.com

OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle

What If Cinderella had swollen feet? By Lisa Berry

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

e all know that the

exact life that you’d been dreaming of

glass slipper fit. We all

and were trying to create.

know that Cinderella lived happily ever

Imagine if your life was swollen with

after. BUT what if on the extraordinary

doubts, lack of clarity and direction,

day when the ministers came by the

and support and didn’t fit into your

house for the girls to try on the glass

life’s magical glass slipper, your vision?

slipper Cinderella’s feet were swollen? What if she stuffed her emotions down

I remember when the word “success”

with food and hid from all her feelings

was defined to me. When I heard it,

of low self-worth, not fitting in, feeling

everything just clicked?

depressed with her living conditions, never getting ahead in life? What if

“Success is when preparation meets

bags of potatoes chips, muffins, pasta,

opportunity.”

and cookies were her answers. What if chocolate-covered avoidance was her

What does a successful life look like to

go-to response?

you? What is your personal vision?

I’ll share with you what would have

What is your fairy tale life?

happened. The glass slipper would never have fit, and Cinderella would

Are you prepared to slide into it like a

have been left sitting there in the

glass slipper when it shows up?

beautiful embroidered Victorian chair with her big old swollen water retention

When the opportunity presents itself

foot and no prince and no happily ever

to you?

after. Do you have the mindset that will Imagine just for a moment that your

motivate you into taking actions that

lifelong dream, a once in a lifetime

propel you into your success?

opportunity, literally came to YOU, right to your door, and you weren’t prepared?

Are you aware of the power and

What if the decisions you were making,

control you have in your very own

the actions you were taking were

life that puts you in the driver seat

ruining your chance for success?

to choose what foods you eat, what

Holding you back from fitting in the

activities you participate in, what

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

attitude you possess, which people

That’s why they say… “Be careful of

you surround yourself with, and what

what you wish for.” It’s the same as

language, chosen words, you speak?

when I say to myself,

Do you realize that it is you who

”Lisa, be careful of what you choose,

chooses the people in your life? Are

cause that’s what you’ll get.”

you allowing wicked step-sisters and mothers to dictate your daily activities,

So how does one make choices that

negative and hurtful emotions?

will get them to their fairy tale life?

The choice is like a fairy godmother.

How does one prepare so that when

The choices you make are like granted

they meet opportunity, they will have

wishes.

success and create that vision? OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

I'm sure the night that Cinderella

congruent...that are in alignment with

ran home with only one glass slipper

what you're trying to create and what

and no prince that she opened a few

your heart sees.

kitchen cupboards looking for comfort food. I'm sure she had the phone in

THE 5 MUST-KNOW BEFORE WRITING

her hand, wanting to order a pizza.

YOUR LIFESTYLE LOVE STORY

I bet she even had a secret stash of gummies hiding beside her bed for

1. What menu are you choosing

some sugary satisfaction. BUT in the

from? Who are you listening to?

end, I believe that Cinderella had carefully thought about her decisions

The people you look up to, are inspired

beforehand. She had questioned

by, who delight you, who are saying

which actions would give her the

things that open up your imagination

results she desired, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty sure

and inspire creativity and instill a feeling

she hung onto her dream for a better

of love for yourself and others are the

life, a free life, and a confident life.

ones you want to be listening to.

She was aware that having the power to make her own choices, her own

2. Who are you preparing a delicious

wishes, that she would create the life

dish for? Who is listening to you?

she wanted. The people who offer support, the So instead of eating any of those

people who are interested in what

harmful and smothering foods and

you are sharing, those who see that

waking up with swollen feet that

what you are saying has value and are

night, she closed her eyes and laid her

open to the possibility of co-creating.

head on the pillow and held on tight

The people who see the connection

to her dream of living happily ever

between your words and your heart

after.

and smile at your success. Those who want to sooth and help you through

It is all about being prepared for the

your moments of resistance. These

day when your golden opportunity

are the ones you want to be talking to

comes up...being the perfect fit

and with.

when your life's dreams materializeâ&#x20AC;Ś It's all about having the mindset

3. Have straight and clear rows in

and making the decisions that are

your fields to grow your food. To

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

RECEIVE the sunlight, your plants

Whether you have soup and salad

need to have space.

or a full entrée, if you've got the first 4 tips down, you’re going to have a

Things that grow need space, and

fulfilling experience. Know that you

they need to be in alignment so

have an appetite ( your vision), trust

the energy can flow. They can’t be

that you’ll nourish yourself and soul

cramped or overcrowded. Overwhelm,

in a respectful exciting way, and trust

doubt, fear, and mind chatter are all

that the restaurant you choose (i.e.,

weeds. To receive what you need to

your world) has everything in it to

support you having your happily ever

grant your wishes.

after, you have to be aligned with your recipe for receiving. Give yourself

This is YOUR fairy tale come true.

space, clear the weeds and create an environment that is ready to receive all the energy it needs.

About Lisa: As a successful and experienced International

4. Recognize the ingredients. Your

Show Host and International

heart loves natural foods.

Best-Selling Author herself, Lisa Berry holds space for conscious

Your Lifestyle Love Story will be

conversations that are globally

written in a language that has a high

broadcasted, creating holistic

vibration and includes the most

happiness and connection

high-end quality of ingredients. Your

worldwide while also coaching

language is your grocery list. Have

other show hosts how to deliver

your soul salivating as it reads words

exceptional experiences to their

like Understanding, Joy, Acceptance,

audiences. She now offers private

Forgiveness, Compassion, Love,

coaching for the development and

Courage, Willingness, and go to the

production of new shows under

markets that offer these to fill your

her Podcast Prosperity Mentorship

grocery bag.

Program and has made CoHosting opportunities available to

5. Can’t decide on what to have?

strengthen the podcaster’s skills

Alternate Lifestyle Story Endings are

and comfort level.

always fun! OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Is Cleanliness Next to Godliness? by Kartar Diamond from the Tao of Organizing Series OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

his old phrase, “Cleanliness

it affects me on a very visceral level.

is next to Godliness,” was

I work with a family member who

spoken by theologian John

doesn’t bathe regularly, and it shocks

Wesley in the 1700s. The

me regularly.

notion is that after worshipping the Creator, keeping yourself clean is one of

And yet I know that there is a very

the most important manifestations of

primal region of the brain where

showing love or respect for the Creator.

this activity is just not seen as really necessary. Perhaps we are even over-

Each of us can take something from

washing ourselves these days, as

this saying or interpret it in our own

studies have shown that by removing

way. For me, it just acknowledges

all the body oils from our skin with

that the body is a temple. It houses

daily bathing, we can’t even absorb

our soul. And in gratitude for having

vitamin D from the Sun as effectively.

this human experience with a body,

Maybe all the dry skin and hair

that the least we can do is honor it by

problems can be partially traced to

keeping it clean. And as an extension

washing too much!

of that, we can feel godly keeping our homes and workspaces clean as well.

I think there is another saying that “Your rights end where my nose

By showing respect for our

begins.” Perhaps the only real litmus

worldly possessions and personal

test is whether or not we have

environment, we are honoring how

offended another person by our

each thing we own was made, the

appearance or smell.

toil, the creativity, and the prosperity which allowed us to have things

The subject of cleanliness comes up

around us and to serve us.

in the course of an Organizing session because dusty, dirty environments are

Now, does that mean that a messy

often cluttered as well. These are all

person is somehow less evolved? Is

just signs of neglect and not making

the person who decides to bathe only

cleaning a priority.

once a week somehow less godly or conscious? I would never want to be

I like to think of house cleaning as the

the judge and jury on this issue, but

“unintended work-out.” I sometimes

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

embarrass myself to find how sore

One thing we don’t want to waste vital

my muscles are the next day after just

life force energy on is being uptight

cleaning my house! How badly out of

and stressed out that our personal

shape am I? As a Feng Shui consultant,

environment may not be absolutely

clients often apologize for their home

clean all the time. From an organizing

is messy, but there is often a really

standpoint and from a Feng Shui

good reason why. Creative people, busy

standpoint, we don’t want to strike fear

people, and sometimes un-organized

in the heart of the average person, that

people will just not make cleaning a

they cannot enjoy health, happiness and

priority. For some, it is just drudgery

prosperity unless their personal space

and they would be happier having

is clean and orderly beyond practicality.

someone else do the cleaning for them.

Studies have also revealed that children

Wouldn’t we all? I would also like to

who grow up around more germs, pets

have a private chef create perfectly,

and dirt end up having stronger immune

nutritionally balanced meals for me.

systems! Standards of cleanliness can

But I digress.

also vary from culture to culture. OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Anger: The Enemy on Earth by Barbara Briggs OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

"Arjuna said:

The only way to free oneself

What is it that compels a man to

completely from anger is to gain

Commit sin, even involuntarily,

permanent union with the Self,

As if driven by force, O Varshneya?”

the source of perfect balance and infinite bliss, then nothing in the

The Blessed Lord said:

outer environment, either pleasant or

It is desire; it is anger, born of

adverse, can throw us off balance, and

Rajo-guna, all-consuming, and most evil.

cause us to act in a manner which we

Know this to be the enemy here on earth."

regret later.

Bhagavad Gita, Ch.3, v. 36,37 (transl. by Anger over-excites the mind. When

Maharishi)

one succumbs to anger, one is nger is an enemy because

thwarting the very purpose of creation

it disturbs, confuses, and

which is the expansion of happiness.

destroys one’s mental

Anger obscures the true nature of the

equilibrium and causes

Self. There is an expression: “blind with

one to commit sin, involuntarily,

rage.” This shows that anger is a state

against one’s will. It veils the true

of mind in which the dense darkness

nature of the Self, which is eternal

of ignorance prevails. One can no

bliss consciousness and makes one

longer see what ought to be done or

lose one’s proper sense of values

said and what ought not to be done

and act against one’s normal code of

or said. In the darkness, one inevitably

behavior. Anger is like a wildfire that

stumbles and falls into still deeper

burns everything in its path, or like a

darkness. When in darkness, the only

whirlpool which drags the mind down

solution is to bring in the light, the

toward a lower state of awareness.

light of pure knowledge. Knowledge

In Chap 16 of the Gita, Lord Krishna

is a great purifier. One should first

describes to Arjuna the nature of

understand the nature of the enemy,

the asuras, the demon-like negative

its origin and effects on one’s life, and

forces which oppose righteousness.

how to overcome it. Furthermore, one

“Ostentation, arrogance and self-

should enliven the direct experience

conceit, anger as also harshness and

of its opposite, the bliss of pure

ignorance, belong to one who is born,

consciousness, the light of the Self-

O Partha, for an Asurika state.”

shining in one’s own heart.

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Anger flares up when the means to

successful action and spontaneous

fulfill oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire is blocked. When

achievement and fulfillment.

the flow of desire is obstructed, anger erupts at the point of collision.

How do we conquer the desires which

So rather than blame desire, it is

lead to anger? The doctrine of Karma

the inability to fulfill the desire that

Yoga teaches that the only way to

stands accused. Anger is the result

subdue the desires is to turn the

and display of weakness, the inability

mind to Being. To modify the nature

to live in harmony with those natural

of the intellect, mind and senses,

laws which lead to the support of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

one must go to the level which lies

evolutionary desires in life. When the

beyond them. The subtlest level of

mind is strong, then nature upholds

subjective life is the Atman, the level

the upward march of life towards

of pure Being, the Self. Maharishi

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Mahesh Yogi says: “The science of

of others. The results of one’s actions

action advocates transcending desire

inevitably lead to an increase of sorrow

as a technique of subduing desires

in one’s own life. Uncontrolled anger is

and also bringing fulfillment to them;

a major risk factor for coronary artery

useless desires will be subdued while

disease. After losing one’s temper,

useful ones will find fulfillment.”

one may apologize for one’s mistake, but even an apology may not be able

Anger damages the internal organs

to entirely remove the wound in the

of one’s body and the harmonious

heart of the other person. We may

flow of life in one’s environment.

even risk losing a precious friendship.

When one gets angry, one loses one’s power of discrimination. One says and

There is a story that a person lost his

does things that injure the feelings

temper in the ashram of a saint. After

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

he had left, the saint said that in five

the truth. Give whatever you can.

minutes of anger, that person wasted

Never be angry. These three steps

many years of his austerities.

will lead you into the presence of the gods. The wise harm no one.

In the Dhammapada, Lord Buddha

They are masters of their bodies.

says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let go of anger. Let go of pride.

And they go to the boundless

When you are bound by nothing,

country. They go beyond sorrow.

you go beyond sorrow. Anger is like

Beware of the anger of the body.

a chariot careering wildly. He who

Master the body. Let it serve truth.

curbs his anger is the true charioteer.

Beware of the anger of the mouth.

Others merely hold the reins. With

Master your words. Let them serve

gentleness, overcome anger. Speak

the truth. Beware of the anger of

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

the mind. Master your thoughts. Let

dual state of pure Being, the ship

them serve the truth. The wise have

of life can sail safely on the ocean

mastered body, word and mind. They

of samsara, neither agitating nor

are the true masters.â&#x20AC;?

becoming agitated by the waves.

The only way to conquer anger

From my own experience, I can

completely is for the mind to become

say that I used to be quite short-

established in the Self, the source of

tempered, but after many years of

eternal bliss. When the heart is full of

meditating, the anger, if it comes, is

love and bliss, there will be no chance

very short-lived.

for any emotional disturbance. In the case of an enlightened person, the

When one is permanently

permanent state of restful alertness of

established in the Self, everything

the body which corresponds to pure

in life is experienced, but the

awareness of the Self, prevents the

experiencer is not overshadowed

stir of desire and anger in the nervous

by the experience. A full heart and

system.

a peaceful mind can only overflow and radiate bliss and peace into

The inner silence of pure

the environment. This is the quality

consciousness acts as a shock

of a saint. The internal enemies

absorber on the mental level and

have been vanquished completely.

the restful alertness of the nervous

The enlightened live in the eternal

system acts as a shock absorber on

freedom of divine consciousness. If

the physical level. An unshakable

anger flares up, now is the time to

state of inner bliss consciousness

resolve to conquer it and begin the

exists when the mind is established in

journey to Self-realization.

the wholeness of the Self. Maharishi explains that â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolute bliss is always there, the experience of happiness depends upon the degree of steadiness of the mind. If the mind is more collected, more peaceful, it experiences more happiness.â&#x20AC;? When the mind is established in the non-

Barbara Briggs is a teacher of Transcendental Meditation and the author of Pilgrimage on the Path of Love, a novel of visionary fiction available on Amazon. Her website is: barbaraannbriggs.com

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Astrology & Numerology

Can Astrology have an Influence over A Child Personality? By OMTimes Astrology

strology believes that the

of great help when we apply these

stars touch the human

concepts to the understanding of our

personality according to

children.

their birth chart, and that

belief always arouses general interest.

Providing the correct stimuli to a child

However, not many are aware that

following their birth chart can shape a

the way the stars influence us can be

much more fertile environment for her

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

natural talents, as well as working very

activities but may tend to behave a

well to correct possible vulnerabilities.

little selfishly and impatiently towards his peers, being somewhat aggressive

ASTROLOGY APPLIED TO CHILDREN'S GUIDANCE

at times. That is why it is important to orient this child very well in these aspects, without taking away its

With the help of an astrological

incentives for independence and self-

chart or astral map, it is possible

reliance.

to understand much better the functioning of the child's vision

TAURUS

concerning their world and his parents, especially if we consider that

The child of Taurus needs to be

during their childhood the lunar sign

involved in activities that encourage

has a much more present influence

their artistic gifts, manual abilities,

than their solar sign; however, this is

and creative skills. The Child should

not usually very common or known by

be monitored for excesses in food

parents and tutors.

and should learn how to take care of her own body. Another vulnerability

We should learn a little more about

would be her psychological tendencies

the needs of the children of each

regarding attachment to material

sign, taking into account both the

goods and jealousy.

solar and lunar signs. We must also add that these requirements are only

GEMINI

for general guidance and that the most advisable is to ask a responsible

These children tend to be more

astrology professional to make the

scattered and anxious about their

personal astrological chart of your little

own decisions than any other in the

one, to provide a more complete vision

Zodiac, and their parents should

and guidance.

be responsible for the proper guidance in this regard, stimulating

ARIES

mental capacities, encouraging communication, inspiring reading,

The Child of Aries is full of initiative and

and offering the child access and

usually leads the games and physical

contact with different environments.

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Maintaining a proper dialogue is as

VIRGO

important as respecting the child's rhythm of development.

The inner longing to be at service to others and feel useful to society

CANCER

should be encouraged in early childhood. The child must feel proud

Ruled by the sign of the crab, these

of her achievements but should be

children would present a natural

learning from the beginning to deal

innate sensitivity, so the Parents

with feelings such as perfectionism,

must be careful and avoid very

a sense of guilt, or inferiority.

overprotective attitudes. These

Developing respect and self-care for

children need the freedom to

their own bodies would be important

experience their own emotions, and

steps for them in helping their self-

they must learn how to deal with

esteem.

affectivity, emotional sensitivity, and family harmony. They tend

LIBRA

to have potential artistic gifts and high imaginative capacity, and it

The Libra child should be encouraged

is important to encourage such

to socialize, to grow in their

characteristics to develop their self-

relationships, and to improve their

esteem and self-reliance.

sense of justice. They may show problems in making the decision

LEO

and to be impartial when necessary. They must also be introduced in

They are children prone to leadership.

environments that promote their

They are very enthusiastic, full of

artistic gifts and learn to value people

brightness, and much charisma.

and the world for values â&#x20AC;&#x2039;â&#x20AC;&#x2039;beyond their

Stimulating these characteristics

immediate appearance.

should provide great growth for the little ones, also improving their

SCORPION

spontaneity and creative spirit. Parents should only be wary of their vulnerable

They are children that tend to have

traits, such as authoritarianism, self-

more intense emotional reactions

regard, pride, selfishness, and vanity.

and passionate responses. They may

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

show traits of possessiveness and

to deprive the child of moments of

even vindictive feelings; they can hold

leisure and play and compromising

resentments about disagreements.

their childhood.

Stimulating your natural interest in Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mysteries, Universe, energy and

AQUARIUS

healing, along with some Meditation techniques, can provide a more

Aquarium children usually have a lot

peaceful heart. It is also necessary

of affinity with everything that has an

to educate and promote a good

innovative and creative character, as

understanding of issues such as

well as new technologies; stimulating

sexuality and death.

creative ability and your original personality will bring many benefits

SAGITTARIUS

to the future adult. They are also children who like to have the freedom

Interdisciplinary Studies, reading,

to have ideas of a â&#x20AC;&#x2039;â&#x20AC;&#x2039; world free from

travel, sports, and everything that

prejudice. They are friendly children,

is a mental stimulus and allows to

as they tend to make friends with

expand the horizons of knowledge

some ease. The parents of these

should be encouraged in this child.

children should be aware of these

Small Sagittarian may require a little

characteristics; it is necessary to work

space, but it should not be offered

on learning about individuality and

deliberately, and parents should step

cooperation, as well as the concept of

up surveillance more closely and

children's rebellion.

convey a clear understanding of limits, especially in regard to food.

CAPRICORN

PISCES The Piscean child needs to be reassured with the feeling of safety

They tend to have a greater desire

and security, an environment that is

to participate actively in adulthood

conducive to her emotional capacity,

and to interact with adults, and they

her finely tuned sensitivity, and her

accept stimuli for more significant

spiritual gifts. Situations that may

responsibilities as well as discipline.

cause guilt, emotional insecurity, and

Care must be taken not to reach

victimization should be avoided. They

levels of an exaggeration, so as not

tend to be highly sensitive persons.

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Metaphysics

Are Birthmarks Signs of a Past Life? By Humanity Healing

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Some people believe that we go on

Dr. Jim Tucker, a scholar at the

living in another body after death,

University of Virginia, went on to

that we lived before. They call it

investigate the case and provided

reincarnation. That we all lived

some evidence about the fact

before on the earth thousands of

involving the boy. Another researcher

years ago or on some other planet.

who also investigated such marks

They say we have forgotten it. Some

was the late Dr. Ian Stevenson,

say they remember their past lives.

who studied more than 210 cases

James Joyce

worldwide, of people born with these birthmarks or defects that could be

A new study shows a probable link between the birthmarks on our body and violent events in past lives, which may have caused our "death."

related to memories and events in their past lives. Between 1966 and 1971, Dr. Stevenson traveled to several countries, interviewing children between two and four years old.

he birthmarks are usually

His studies were conducted with

small skin occurrences,

young children to offer better results,

and indicators spread

as they are less likely to lie about the

throughout our body and

subject matter since they hardly know

maybe spots and moles [1] that have been present on our skin since our birth. However, there is a belief that these

about the topic.

Some cases show the link between birthmarks and past lives

signs can tell accidents suffered in our past lives and even how the death

In some instances, the accuracy of

of the person in question occurred.

past-life memories can be objectively verified, sometimes with remarkable

Surely, you have heard the story

detail. Stanislav Grof

of the boy Sam, who would have offered convincing evidence that

A curious case about reincarnation

he really was his grandfather's

was revealed during one of the

reincarnation.

researches done by Dr. Tucker. In OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

After a few years, the child started to claim everything that belonged to his great grandmother, as if everything would have belonged to her in the past. This is just one of the cases investigated by the scholar, revealing that birthmarks can have a secure connection with the marks of another life. Another case analyzed by the scholar was that of an indigenous child who did not have his fingers on his right hand. During the study, the child reported remembering that, in his one of his studies, he researched the

other life, he was a boy who had his

case of an elderly woman who died in

fingers amputated after having an

Thailand, but in life, she would have

accident with a meat grinder.

revealed her desire to reincarnate as a child.

ALL ABOUT CURIOSITIES

Her granddaughter, willing to fulfill

In some cultures, it is very common

her grandmother's last wish, made

to mark the body of dead with

a mark on the back of her neck with

soot, to recognize it if they are

a “white paste.” After some time the

reincarnated in another body.

elderly woman passed away, and her granddaughter gave birth to a child,

During his studies, Dr. Tucker says

but the most impressive thing is that

it is difficult to understand why

her son was born with a white mark

these marks appear in some places

on the back of his neck, similar to the

on the skin, but the truth is that

“white paste” that his grandmother also

approximately 35% of children who

carried in the same part of the body.

carry this on their skin say they

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

remember their past lives. Therefore, it

The nature of the Samskaras is

was clear that some past traumas can

fascinating as some believe that

affect the present, presenting some

they are part of a Karmic equation,

deformations, phobias, birthmarks,

as a holographic impression that can

among other manifestations.

present itself as a mark, like memory or even as recurrent events.

Some experts continue to dedicate themselves to the subject and believe

Sometimes it is just a physical mark

devotedly in this connection; others

of the current incarnation, or it may

already consider the birthmarks to be

indicate a wound from the past life,

normal, stating that all the statements

for example.

made above are without a solid Assigning a physical blemish or

foundation.

mark to past lives could be just an Some people believe that our current

assumption. It may be a simple

incarnations are loaded with physical,

birthmark or a scar from a childhood

psychological, and intellectual traits

injury. In the case of being a mark of

from past lives. It is even believed that

previous lives, you will only discover

some souls have connections and

this through reputable Past life

are destined to find themselves in all

regression therapy, in which you will

incarnations.

take an out-of-body journey into

Birthmarks as Samskaras

your past. In this experience, it is possible

In this regard, the frequent question

to understand what brought the

persists: do birthmarks come from past

brand to today's life. It can be both

lives? We can say that this is likely, but

a wound and a pain, including a

it is not a rule. A birthmark may or may

mark on the soul, so deep that it

not be linked to previous existences;

can continue to be expressed in the

it may be what the ancient called a

present body.

samskara, an impression left on the astral body like a blemish, that can present itself in the course of many existences.

[1] Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Esoteric Knowledge

Memory is the Key to Death and Life by Arthur Telling

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

irth and death are mere

sustains our world. We continually

doors we walk through,

gain new memories and lose

shedding memory of a

memory no longer useful to us. It

past life and gaining new

happens throughout this life and

memories of a life to be. We shed and

later on a grander scale when we

gain memories quite automatically

leave this world as our memory is

while alive in this world now. This

replaced with new memories of

moment and death are much alike

whatever next world we embrace.

in this respect, only the degree of

Memory defines our world, past,

which shows a notable difference. In

and present, and projection of such

understanding this, there is little reason

memory is our expected future.

for fearing death.

In this respect, past, present, and future operating contiguously as

Birth and Death a Continuing Process

memory, we construct and maintain

Birth and death are intertwined. Birth

The Origin of Memories

in a new world comes simultaneously

a living area.

with death in the former world, birth

The mind, retaining memories of

and death each supporting the

our present experiences, is also

other elements of the same process.

the source of those memories,

This involves and includes moving

the sole source. All that we see

between our “physical” world and

and hear and feel comes from the

the less “physical” spirit and formless

mind, communally and individually.

worlds, and then returning in the

We are the grand creators of our

cyclic incarnational wheel, but the

experiences, within a framework of

elementary process is the same as we

a greater mind giving us a platform,

pass through each separate door. And

the actors’ stage, for creating that

the key to this process is memory. Loss

which instantly becomes a memory

of memory gives an appearance of

for all who are in observance.

death. But it is not death, it is a change.

This greater mind of which our understanding is limited, we call

Memory, the obtaining of it and loss

God. And God is thus everything,

of it, is the element that creates and

and without God, there is nothing,

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

memories. Without cognizance, there

as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve so defined.

Memory the Required Tool for Cognizance The present moment alone, without

is chaos, having no structural stability.

Making Practical Use of Memory

retention of memory, can be only

The life and death experience will

an incoherent progression of the

not seem so overwhelming when we

jumble. No logic can develop but for

come to see that we essentially daily

retention of the symbols and forms

experience birth and death as we

and feelings entering our minds

live our lives normally and typically

through the physical senses. The mind

in this world now, as we take in new

thus builds upon what is a natural

memories while past ones fade and

progression of experiences, the grand

disappear from our experiences. You

play among all peoples and beings in

may remember what you had for

our reality developing outwardly from

lunch yesterday, but what you ate for

inward processing of experiences and

lunch a month ago or even last week

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

will have faded from memory except

continual living experience that will

if there were some significant events

last through all eternity.

associated with it. An important birthday celebration lunch may be remembered for life. In this way, the mind makes use of memory, keeping what is useful and discarding what is not or is no longer so, and bringing in fresh new memories as we change and grow.

Arthur Telling has written numerous stories and articles on religion, philosophy, and metaphysics. His article, “A Different Jesus Message,” appeared in the Nov. 2011 AMORC Rosicrucian Digest. Telling is author of eight books, including

If we think of physical death in such way, that we are gaining and losing memory as we progress through life, we can take comfort in this eternal scheme placing birth in our past and death in our future, framing a

his newest release: “And the Cock Crows: How Rome Buried the Jesus Message,” a historical novel uncovering the lost Jesus message in the Pauline letters. www.arthurtelling.com

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Personal Growth & Development We grow as individuals as we face challenges and overcome lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obstacles. This section is dedicated to helping you chart your course.

Responsibility Oh Not That! Well Then, A New Perspective by Darity Wesley

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

know, responsibility, right? Who

we pay our taxes, we take care of our

needs it? Or do we? On the road to

pets, we take care of our children. This is

spiritual and emotional maturity, it

what responsibility is all about, right?

is an important practice. Well, sure.

Responsibility is really a part of living in the New Reality. It is part and parcel

Yet, it is only partially right. It is right in

of being the change you want to see

the Duality sense. In the old world, the

in the world and being responsible is

old reality, a responsible person was

being emotionally mature.

someone who minded their manners, respected their elders, controlled any

Well, what does that mean?

kind of emotional outburst, and pretty must put on a mask of pretension. That

It means that we have the ability

was a responsible person.

to understand and manage our emotions. Being emotionally mature

Now that certainly is still true, but

means, we think before we act on

I think those of us on the path of

our emotions or before we choose to

exploring who we are, looking ever

subdue them. Our choice!

deeper within ourselves, are learning that being responsible is way more than

When I talk about responsibility,

that.

I’m really talking about taking responsibility for ourselves.

In the new world, the New Reality, I would ask that we contemplate that

Oh, say it isn’t so! Yep, that’s what I’m

responsibility is really about the ability

talking about.

to respond.

I think we all have a concept of what

Think about this, the ability to respond

responsibility is, right? However, it

is separate from the wisdom that needs

may mean different things to different

to be attached to that response. They

people.

are two different things – yet both are important. Responding is a thoughtful,

Most of us think we are responsible

conscious activity. If we are not

people. We go to work, we pay our bills,

responding, we are reacting.

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

Most reactions come from our

consideration of what is playing out in

monkey mind, from fear, anxiety,

front of us.

panic, conditioning, habit or from our concern about what someone will

So, as we contemplate our level of

think.

understanding of how or even if we are responsible people, that ability to

Generally, reactions come from

respond practice becomes part of our

something other than thoughtful

process. It is about staying conscious

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

about our level of responsibility as we

action has a real effect throughout

walk our path.

the Universe.

Are we being it? Are we practicing

I know that may sound crazy, yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

responding rather than reacting?

like the pebble thrown in the pond. The ripples move and merge with one

There is drama, drama, drama

another and create new ones along

everywhere. That gives us our best

the way. Everything is inextricably

opportunity to practice, practice,

interconnected.

practice being responsible by being a force for change with all the drama

With this comes the realization

going on in the world.

that we are, in fact, responsible for everything we say, everything we do,

Part of being responsible is knowing, at

everything we think.

the deepest level of our being, that we are responsible for everything in our

Be emotionally mature. Step into

lives!

being responsible all along the way! Darity Wesley is an award-

Whaaat???

winning, best-selling author,

Yep! There is real learning, growth, and practice when we step into that understanding.

a lawyer, a speaker, a Death Diva and a Modern Day Oracle. She has travelled the spiritual, metaphysical and personal

I know that sounds off the charts but, if we think about it, Eastern traditions have taught for millennia that true spirituality is being aware and conscious that we are interconnected with everything and everyone else.

development paths for many decades. An extraordinary and powerful resource for those awakening to their evolving consciousness! Her Love f rom the Lotus World messages go out monthly to her international community, for f ree.

We are One Being.

Even our smallest thought, word and

www.DarityWesley.com.

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

When you look at the view of Earth from space, you are immediately in awe of what you do see: the incredible beauty of Creation. It is not until you look closer that you realize what you do not see. You do not see lines partitioning countries. You do not see separation between races. You do not see division between religions. You do not see the walls people build to isolate themselves from each other. There is only One Planet. There is only One Humanity. This section is dedicated to introducing thoughts and ideas to foster a greater understanding of Humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interdependence.

World Vision

The Age of SelfPromotion - Connecting through Collaboration by Jennifer Ott OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

We live in an age of selfpromotion. While everyone is trying to be seen and increase followers, caught in the algorithm game, we run the risk of losing connection

ocial media can make

to others. Building genuine connections of collaboration and support not only helps us but encourage others. It is being mindful we all have gifts to share and all are worthy.

The Algorithm Game

anyone and everyone a star. We see it all the

Imagine a world where genuine

time. Someone hits with a

human connection is replaced

YouTube video and becomes famous,

with computerized sorting. Wow.

or at least has their fifteen minutes of

It sounds like something dreamed

fame. Social media has become more

up in 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s science fiction movie,

than a means of social connection but

but then here we are. We live in a

self-promotion.

world where the people who win this computerized sorting are seen

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to fault people, all of whom

and heard. This speaks nothing of

just want to share their gifts and their

the heart, the mind, and the spirit,

passions with the world. What could be

but of pragmatic computer logistics.

the downside of people sharing with

What could this do to the evolution

the world? Why is this a bad thing?

of humanity?

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

In the realm of social media, this is seen

When we play this game, it is a

as following people to gain followers

subtle shout out to the universe;

and then unfollow people once we have

we are better than others, in which

them hooked. Using an algorithm is

we disregard others simply for our

a good means of selling and gaining

own personal and profitable gain.

visibility for a product or a service,

While that may not be our intention

and yet it is an extremely poor way to

or even our thoughts, this is the

connect with others, especially in the

energy we are putting out there.

spiritual community, where human

Yes, our goal is to connect with

connection is key.

potential contacts and customers, OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

What this world needs now more than anything is unity and especially unity through human connections. A competition that was once a factor in the 20th Century has now been displaced with cooperation and collaboration. It is great to show off our products and passions, but in a way to encourage others to do likewise and that is in the way of support.

Support Others Everyone living today has a gift to share, and everyone has a passion. Everyone. There are no exceptions. True human connection is supporting all with a passion. It doesn’t cost us anything to support others. It doesn’t take away from our own ambitions and goals. To achieve a more unified culture, we may create a network of care for ourselves and it starts by supporting our humanity is lost in such tactics.

others – encouraging those just starting out, giving praise to those who have gained success and most

Connect with Others

of all supporting those rising with

Social media’s main intent is to connect with others, not sell to them. If we become so committed to selling ourselves, we run the risk of

us, realizing they are not a threat but people to share the experience.

We are all Worthy

disconnecting with others and ultimately

Encouraging others, following others,

limit our own growth in the process.

supporting others doesn’t take away

OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

from our own skills and success. It

against it when exchange can be

isn’t a detriment to our own rise. In

our most valued gifts. This is the

fact, it suggests the opposite. Those

lesson we can learn from our ancient

who easily share, and support others

ancestors – Relish in each other’s

know their value, while those most

talents.

insecure live in a world of “me.” It is as we have something to prove to

Imagine a world of artists and

the world.

tradesmen, artists collaborating with

Collaborate, Connect, Create

writers, musicians with poets and the sharing of spiritual wisdom. Imagine how we can empower not just the success of the individual, but the

There is no shortage of talent on

success of the world if we can soften

social media. We all come across it

the self-promotion and engage in

daily. How great and how unifying

community promotion.

would it be that instead of finding people to sell to, we find people to

In today’s world, the human

create with. We share our talents

connection seems to be missing. We

and passions with others.

regard support as also caring.

This does not only help to promote passions in a unifying way, but we

Jennifer Ott is the author of several fiction and nonfiction

expand beyond our own horizons

titles. Her latest WIP, Arise, My

and even our limitation while

Tribe, tells the story of a past life

learning and working with others.

Celtic Healer weaver her tale

Unifying through our own Passions.

through the life of a modern-day woman in an existential crisis.

Those of ancient tribes succeeded

Throughout the past twenty years,

through the hard work of others.

Jennifer studied various types

The ironsmith traded with the

of meditations and shamanism,

weaver of cloths, who traded with

f rom nada yoga, mindfulness

the cheesemaker and the farmers.

meditation and pagan religious

With all the talents in the world,

ceremonies.

it doesn’t have to feel we are one OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020

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