My family calls me Pancho some of you might think that I don't know you but I'd like you to know that I love you all.
I was very happy to be back at the Kindness Temple. Not that I ever left but to be physically present means a lot to me for it recharges the soul at so many levels. It has been 3 weeks in a raw since I've been attending magic Wednesdays and this time the co-creation of "aha moments" was a little bit more powerful/controversial than usual: it contained the "G" word! As hermano Rahul later pointed out: "People have altars and giant TVs side by side but the temple is were we put our attention". I have chosen long ago to put my attention on Kind Wednesdays and these were the 3 points I shared:
1. Spiritual Translations to Connect at the SOULlular level.
2. Reality as it is.
3. Sister Varsha: an Evidence of the Universal Love.
1. Spiritual Translations to Connect at the SOULlular level.
I notice that the passage was a bit unkind on some of the humans who have chosen to have a secular perspective but who have not seen the whole picture yet. I grew in a secular/scientist environment and I can tell how some people could react when they hear the word "God" used in such a strong way. As a secularist, I personally have no problem with the passage, I just think there are better ways to connect with people who might have different perspectives.
Recently, I spend some time in jail in very dehumanizing environments and I personally, as a secularist, have no problem to spend time in solitary confinement dressed with "sheriff's property" signs. Does it mean that all the inmates (and system kidnapped parents) are prepared to find another opportunity to be calm in receptive silence regardless of the constant psychological, emotional and physical abuses?
I don't think so. In the same way that took me a while to be ok with my spirit regardless of the physical conditions, it took me a while to find spiritual translations to have a productive communication with fellow human beings who have a different perspective than mine.
That said, while we don't need to learn our respective languages because we all speak the language of the heart, I encourage you all to find your own spiritual translations as I did. These are the ones that have been working for me:
When people say “Faith” = I hear “Positive Thinking“
“Prayer” = ”Contemplation“ or “Meditation” -> (the DNA of the Kindness Revolution)
“God or Creator“ = “The Cosmos” “The Unknown“ AND “The True-Self“ (the best human beings we can be). [Given that from the secular perspective these concepts are not the same, when I talk to religious siblings I found very useful to discern between "The Cosmos + Unknown" and "True-Self". Then suddenly we are talking the same language.]
Now every time I hear the words God, Dios, Krishna, Great Spirit, Feminine Divine & Masculine Divine, Pachamama, Creator, Rama, Yahweh... I made an insternal spiritual translation and think about the Universal Love meaning kindness, generosity, happiness, joy, courage, challenge, compassion, wisdom, the sense of responsibility the sense of harmony that brings happiness not only to me but also to the people around me. Because the wonder of the Cosmos transcends everything that divides us.
2. Reality as it is.
Many people on the Planet have chosen to be secular because of the monstrosities committed in the name of one or another religion. Today we still see how many structures of institutionalized religions keep supporting the exploitation and oppression of human beings.
Even Gandhi (a fervent Hindu) and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (a fervent Muslim) were deeply saddened during the "Independence" day for they could not conceive a divided people: Hindus Vs. non-Hindus. Gandhi and Khan dedicated their lives so that we all can understand that we are all the Grand Human Family regardless our conception of the world. The friendship between the two men was an inspiring example of finding spiritual translations between different believes.
3. A Living Evidence of the Universal Love.
Sister Varsha traveled from the East Coast to start finding a job related closely related with environmental justice. She is seriously exploring the possibility to move to the Bay Area. She volunteered the whole day at the Free Farm and at the end of the day, right before we carpooled to Wednesdays, she shared with us a powerful story:
Her dad's family were in the middle of the independence movement back in the 40's in the part of the Planet we call India and Pakistan. They were living in a province that was about to become part of Pakistan and being a non-Muslim family they have to migrate. As a result of an ill conceived division, millions of families had to move from India to Pakistan and from Pakistan to India because of the fear to be killed in a hostile environment.
Where is the beauty of this story? While Varsha dad's family had to leave their home land, they were hosted by a Muslim family in India. Because this act of unconditional love and courage from both the host and guest families to stay in India with nothing but love, sister Varsha is here with us today. She is a living evidence of the Universal Love.
May all become compassionate, courageous and wise.
your fervent secularist, Pancho
On Sep 5, 2010 Pancho wrote :
My family calls me Pancho some of you might think that I don't know you but I'd like you to know that I love you all.
I was very happy to be back at the Kindness Temple. Not that I ever left but to be physically present means a lot to me for it recharges the soul at so many levels. It has been 3 weeks in a raw since I've been attending magic Wednesdays and this time the co-creation of "aha moments" was a little bit more powerful/controversial than usual: it contained the "G" word! As hermano Rahul later pointed out: "People have altars and giant TVs side by side but the temple is were we put our attention". I have chosen long ago to put my attention on Kind Wednesdays and these were the 3 points I shared:
1. Spiritual Translations to Connect at the SOULlular level.
2. Reality as it is.
3. Sister Varsha: an Evidence of the Universal Love.
1. Spiritual Translations to Connect at the SOULlular level.
I notice that the passage was a bit unkind on some of the humans who have chosen to have a secular perspective but who have not seen the whole picture yet. I grew in a secular/scientist environment and I can tell how some people could react when they hear the word "God" used in such a strong way. As a secularist, I personally have no problem with the passage, I just think there are better ways to connect with people who might have different perspectives.
Recently, I spend some time in jail in very dehumanizing environments and I personally, as a secularist, have no problem to spend time in solitary confinement dressed with "sheriff's property" signs. Does it mean that all the inmates (and system kidnapped parents) are prepared to find another opportunity to be calm in receptive silence regardless of the constant psychological, emotional and physical abuses?
I don't think so. In the same way that took me a while to be ok with my spirit regardless of the physical conditions, it took me a while to find spiritual translations to have a productive communication with fellow human beings who have a different perspective than mine.
That said, while we don't need to learn our respective languages because we all speak the language of the heart, I encourage you all to find your own spiritual translations as I did. These are the ones that have been working for me:
When people say “Faith” = I hear “Positive Thinking“
“Prayer” = ”Contemplation“ or “Meditation” -> (the DNA of the Kindness Revolution)
“Spirituality” = “Kindness, Forgiveness, Generosity, Creativity, Happiness, Courage, Respect“
“God or Creator“ = “The Cosmos” “The Unknown“ AND “The True-Self“ (the best human beings we can be). [Given that from the secular perspective these concepts are not the same, when I talk to religious siblings I found very useful to discern between "The Cosmos + Unknown" and "True-Self". Then suddenly we are talking the same language.]
Now every time I hear the words God, Dios, Krishna, Great Spirit, Feminine Divine & Masculine Divine, Pachamama, Creator, Rama, Yahweh... I made an insternal spiritual translation and think about the Universal Love meaning kindness, generosity, happiness, joy, courage, challenge, compassion, wisdom, the sense of responsibility the sense of harmony that brings happiness not only to me but also to the people around me. Because the wonder of the Cosmos transcends everything that divides us.
2. Reality as it is.
Many people on the Planet have chosen to be secular because of the monstrosities committed in the name of one or another religion. Today we still see how many structures of institutionalized religions keep supporting the exploitation and oppression of human beings.
Even Gandhi (a fervent Hindu) and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (a fervent Muslim) were deeply saddened during the "Independence" day for they could not conceive a divided people: Hindus Vs. non-Hindus. Gandhi and Khan dedicated their lives so that we all can understand that we are all the Grand Human Family regardless our conception of the world. The friendship between the two men was an inspiring example of finding spiritual translations between different believes.
3. A Living Evidence of the Universal Love.
Sister Varsha traveled from the East Coast to start finding a job related closely related with environmental justice. She is seriously exploring the possibility to move to the Bay Area. She volunteered the whole day at the Free Farm and at the end of the day, right before we carpooled to Wednesdays, she shared with us a powerful story:
Her dad's family were in the middle of the independence movement back in the 40's in the part of the Planet we call India and Pakistan. They were living in a province that was about to become part of Pakistan and being a non-Muslim family they have to migrate. As a result of an ill conceived division, millions of families had to move from India to Pakistan and from Pakistan to India because of the fear to be killed in a hostile environment.
Where is the beauty of this story? While Varsha dad's family had to leave their home land, they were hosted by a Muslim family in India. Because this act of unconditional love and courage from both the host and guest families to stay in India with nothing but love, sister Varsha is here with us today. She is a living evidence of the Universal Love.
May all become compassionate, courageous and wise.
your fervent secularist, Pancho