tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14855780895481746572024-02-18T21:39:49.971-08:00Tony deMello my BrotherBillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-50930923343399895452015-10-27T23:34:00.000-07:002015-10-27T23:34:09.581-07:00Please re-visit <a href="http://www.tonydemello.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.tonydemello.com</a><br /> I have posted another two meditations from Call to Love, recorded by Tony.<br /> Bill.Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-54780388072164702852015-10-02T14:10:00.001-07:002015-10-02T14:10:17.308-07:00Here is a gift from my brother:<br /> Step 1: Log in to <a href="http://www.tonydemello.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.tonydemello.com</a><br /> Step 2: Go to Audio & Video and scroll down to Cassette Tape Audio and enjoy the recordings.<br /> Browse the website and share with your friends!Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-63256209667699456482015-02-13T22:25:00.001-08:002015-02-13T22:25:39.438-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dear friends and followers of my brother Tony,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I apologise for
this somewhat lengthy post. There is something important I wish to share with
you, an important discovery; so please bear with me. And after you have read
this piece, I would be more than happy to hear your comments. And if there are
none-that will be fine too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A recent event brought home a truth I had been ignoring. It was blatantly obvious but invisible to me
because I was asleep. My ego had taken over the event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The event I refer to is the removal of video coverage from
Tony’s website <a href="http://www.tonydemello.com/">www.tonydemello.com</a> by
an organisation representing Tony’s work. It appears they have the copyright to
these videos and have, in their wisdom, blocked them. Tony’s website (which I
manage) offers two books for sale. Proceeds after tax will be donated to
charity in Tony’s name. Of course, the videos were an encouragement for people
to engage with the website and subsequently purchase the book/s thus
contributing to a cause dear to me. (Notice<b>
the “Me”?)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The videos I uploaded are freely available all over the
internet and so, I did not imagine I had to seek permission to upload material
from the very man (Tony) who gave us these videos in the first place. It
appears I was misguided in my judgement.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My initial reaction- I was outraged! I thought, “How dare
these people remove video recordings from the man who recorded them? These are <b>his</b> videos, <b>his</b> production “Then after a couple of days of silent reflection, I
realised that this reaction was coming from my ego. Sure, I will work toward
keeping Tony’s words and wisdom going for as long as I live. But in so doing,
if I adopt a pedantic approach to how the website performs, then I am fanning
my ego and ignoring everything Tony stood for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tony never asked me to do this work. In fact nobody has
ever requested me to do this. I undertook to do this work myself. It would appear no one has been affected by
the removal of these videos from Tony’s website, besides me; because I have not
received any objections about their removal from anyone to date. But still, I
was planning ways and means of getting them re-posted. And I was determined at first, that I (again, here’s
my ego) would have it no other way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then this morning I meditated on what has happened in the
last few days and I remembered a story which I included in Tony’s biography,
The Happy Wanderer. This story said it all! It was as if a light got turned on in my head
and a voice was saying to me, “Bill, so what if those videos have been banned
on Tony’s website? They are available all over the internet aren’t they? So why
are you, Bill, claiming credit for so diligently posting them on Tony’s
website? So very true!! That was all I
needed, to come down to earth and be grateful for what I have. Coupled with
this story, I would also like to include a quote from Jiddu Krishnamurti. A
correspondent sent it to me without any specific intent: “This is my secret—I
don't mind what happens”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After contemplating on the above quote and the story to
follow, I am no longer outraged. <b>I am at
peace.</b> <b>All shall indeed be well….and
I really don’t mind what happens!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Excerpt
from The Final Word - Anthony deMello, The Happy Wanderer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
story you are about to read was one of Tony’s favourites, (the last page of his
book, Sadhana ,Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, India) along with a sentence which he
took so much consolation from. I had read this story many years ago but only
recently, have I come to realise the full impact of its meaning. <u>I want to
share it with you, my readers and hope it registers as well with you as it has
with me: <o:p></o:p></u></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Footnote: Re: the underlined sentence above, I asked
myself, “How could I have so easily forgotten what I professed only three years
ago”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There
is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his
fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer’s
neighbours sympathised with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied,
‘Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?’ A week later the horse returned with a herd
of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbours congratulated the
farmer on his good luck. His reply was, ‘Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?’ Then,
when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell
off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this was very bad luck. Not
the farmer, whose only reaction was, ‘Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?’ Some
weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every
able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his
broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Everything
that seems on the surface to be an evil may be a good in disguise. And
everything that seems good on the surface may really be an evil. So we are wise
when we leave it to God to decide what is good luck and what bad, and thank him
that all things turn out for good with those who love him. Then we shall see
something of that marvellous mystical vision of Juliana of Norwich who uttered
what for me is the loveliest and most consoling sentence I have ever read: ‘And
all thing shall be well; and all thing shall be well; and all manner of thing
shall be well!’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anthony
deMello SJ. The Happy Wanderer.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">September
4th 1931 – June 1st 1987.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-28295297609393887382015-01-03T15:55:00.002-08:002015-01-03T15:55:36.224-08:00<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">This is what religion is all about….. A joke I received recently.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">Out of curiosity, I decided to go to a
local Mosque for the first time. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;"> I knelt down on a prayer mat and
followed the lead of others and touched my head to my mat; the Imam came up to
me, laid his hands on me and said, “By the will of Allah and the Prophet,
Mohammed, you will walk today.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I told the Imam, “I am not </span><span style="font-size: 21px;">paralysed</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">After the prayers were completed, I
stepped outside to a beautiful sunny day and, lo and behold.....my bike had
been stolen!!!!</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">You think this is
funny?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">Before you have a
good laugh at the expense of Islam…. substitute Mosque with Church, Temple, Synagogue
or any other place of worship- the ‘Imam’ with the respective authoritative
figures in these places of worship- add the respective Gods - and you have the
basics of conditioning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16pt;">It brings to mind
a story from one of my brother’s books, Prayer of the Frog Volume One-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An elderly woman who was an
enthusiastic gardener declared that she had no faith whatsoever in predictions
that someday scientists would learn to control the weather. According to her
all that was needed to control the weather was prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then one summer, while she was away
on a foreign trip, a drought hit the land and wiped out her entire garden. She
was so upset when she got back that she changed her religion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0.0001pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She should have changed her silly
beliefs.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-68375590692822251512014-12-23T10:54:00.001-08:002014-12-23T10:54:38.163-08:00<h3>
I thought this meditation on the eve of Christmas was appropriate:</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Advent</span></span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The events of history were controlled for my coming to this world<br /> no less than for the coming of the Saviour.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The time had to be ripe, the place just right, the circumstances ready, before I could be born.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God chose the parents of his Son and endowed them with the personality<br /> they needed for the child that would be born.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I speak to God about the man and woman that he chose to be my parents<br /> until I see that they had to be the kind of human beings they were<br /> if I was to become what God meant me to be.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Christ child comes, like every other child, to give the world a message.<br /> What message have I come to give?<br /> I seek guidance from the Lord to express it in a word or image.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christ comes into this world to walk a certain path, fulfil a certain destiny.<br /> He consciously fulfilled what had been "written" for him.<br /> As I look back I see in wonder what was "written" and has thus far been fulfilled in my on life,<br /> and for each part of that script, however small, I say, "Thanks" to make it holy with my gratitude.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I look with expectation and surrender at all that is to come and, like the Christ,<br /> I say, "Yes. Let it be done."</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally I recall the song the angels sang when Christ was born.<br /> They sang of the peace and joy that give God glory.<br /> Have I ever heard the song the angels sang when I was born?</span></span></span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I see with joy what has been done through me to make the world a better place,<br /> and I join those angels in the song they sang to celebrate my birth.</span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anthony deMello-Wellsprings. Gujarat Sahitya Prakash. booksgsp@gmail.com</span></span></span></i></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-73396478398501219302014-12-15T22:35:00.002-08:002014-12-15T22:35:15.332-08:00<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">The recent siege in Sydney, Australia prompts
me to share my two cents worth. I contemplated keeping my mouth shut…However,
when I thought about it, I felt that if others shared the same sentiments me
and passed them on maybe- just maybe we could all change attitudes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">I notice that someone came up with the
brilliant idea of- “I’ll ride with you tag”. Great! This indicates that we support
one another and don’t dump everyone into the ‘rotten apple’ basket along with
the other rotten apples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Now, here are my thoughts- If we think like
Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, or Agnostics we are bound to
offend. </span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">I am NONE of the above. In fact there is no religion I wish to follow
or subscribe to. I AM A HUMAN BEING. Everything else- religion, caste,
nationality, status, wealth, whatever- doesn't matter one iota! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">I realise not everyone can subscribe to this and
yet, I accept you just as you are...without reservations. Will you now accept me
with no strings attached?</span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Considering that I do not belong to or follow any of
the above mentioned categories... would you ride with me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">And if you don’t- I’ll still ride with you if
you want me to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">If you agree, share with others!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="ecxmsonormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Peace……… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-17932912977607515682014-12-03T13:03:00.003-08:002014-12-03T13:03:52.889-08:00<span style="font-size: large;">Another Swansong review. Only available at www.tonydemello.com</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Swansong. Anthony deMello's Last Seminar.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I can see that you have done an excellent job, Bill, of transcribing the participants' notes from Tony's </span><span style="font-size: large;">last retreat in India. I thank you for doing so. To me Swansong is a distillation of Tony's most poignant </span><span style="font-size: large;">and powerful teachings. The book is jam-packed with Tony's wonderful wisdom, warmth and humour.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">To me Swansong demonstrates how Tony was the best at succinctly arriving at the essence of the </span><span style="font-size: large;">world's great spiritual teachings, especially those of Jesus and Buddha.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You convey in Swansong how Tony clearly practised what he preached, speaking with courage and </span><span style="font-size: large;">conviction. I especially appreciate how you captured at the end of the retreat Tony putting forth the </span><span style="font-size: large;">concepts of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness (suffering), and not-self, the three characteristics of all </span><span style="font-size: large;">existence, how understanding these leads to insight and seeing clearly, in Tony's words: “In the one </span><span style="font-size: large;">who sees – there is only love. And in that love there is great beauty. And you will find God.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For the lucky reader Swansong brings forth the culmination of Tony's journey into and through the </span><span style="font-size: large;">world's great spiritual truths. It contains the heart of Tony's wise and compassionate teachings, such a </span><span style="font-size: large;">feast for those who know Tony's work, as well as for the newcomer to Tony wanting to know what this </span><span style="font-size: large;">modern day mystic was all about.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A final note: the book title is perfect for Tony. It harkens back to his early story meditation books, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Song of the Bird and Taking Flight, as well as to the wonderful compilation on Tony by Aurel Brys and </span><span style="font-size: large;">Joseph Pulickal, We Heard the Bird Sing. I am sure Tony glides above smiling down at you and your </span><span style="font-size: large;">wonderful accomplishment.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you so much, Bill, for your painstaking effort, your labour of love, in bringing forth Tony's last </span><span style="font-size: large;">retreat in India for the world to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Richard Hennessey.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Hawaii.</span><br />
<br />
<br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-46889699198074418082014-11-19T22:41:00.002-08:002014-11-19T22:41:51.098-08:00<br />
This post from Silent Entry says it all.<br />
<br />
http://silententry.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/if-you-like-eckhart-tolle-part-ii-more-about-the-happy-wanderer-anthony-demello/#respondBillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-7257610734762403672014-11-07T13:26:00.000-08:002014-11-07T13:27:20.152-08:00
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Swansong-
Another review.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I was more
than delighted to receive Swansong. Quite evidently, Bill transcribed the
seminar on which the book is based with the love and attention that only a
brother can lavish.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Fr Tony’s
last seminar may have been his swan song but what he says is a mighty clarion
call to us all to open our eyes and wake up. As a true master, Fr Anthony De
Mello shows us “where to look” but never tells us “what to see”.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">An oriental
sage once said : “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">If a blind man walks a thousand miles to ask of another
man where light is, he will tell him: </span><span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">‘</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">If you had eyes, light was there also where
you came from. Without eyes, light will not be, no matter where you go’. Light
is wherever eyes are - else there is nothing but darkness”.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">But it is
inherent in the human conditon, in this matrix we live in, that most of us are
blind. We need a master to point us in the right direction. We then choose
whether to follow the path to peace that passes all understanding or continue
to exist within the confines of our conditioning.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">As a human
(mechanical) being I’d say that Anthony De Mello was taken away from us far too
soon but deep in my heart I know that he sang all of his song and he sang it
beautifully. Could he have given us further insights, untrammelled by rigid,
doctrinal, lifeless formalisms had he lived longer? Perhaps. But what does it
matter, his joyful voice still rings clear. Swansong exudes his humour and his
love for humanity – the beauty of his being is still with us.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Barry Long
said, “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The living
master never returns. He teaches the truth, he is in his own body, his own
time. When that is finished, all that he had to say and do is said and done. </span><span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">f it weren't,
he would not die. The body is the precise time allotted. There can be no return
of J. Krishnamurti, Meher Baba, Ramana Maharshi or any living master of his
time. The master never needs more time.</span><span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">”</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Fr Tony’s
teachings live on in his stories, books and the few, alas, videos we have of
him dancing his dance. He was a floodlight of wisdom and divine inspiration for
this world. He touched the hardest hearts, the confused, the dogmatic, the
seeker. He continues to do so.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">So I can only
offer a big THANK YOU to his dear brother Bill (and his generous correspondents)
for gifting us, in Swansong , with the authentic words of a rare mystic.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="MT" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: MT; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Franco.</span><br />
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-28947827119327020772014-11-05T12:10:00.000-08:002014-11-05T12:10:41.357-08:00
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Swansong, Anthony deMello’s
Last Seminar has been available through Tony's website <a href="http://www.tonydemello.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.tonydemello.com</span></a> for some months. I
have yet to receive a negative review of this seminar. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This review is no
exception; but it is in many ways special. Because the man who wrote <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was a novice in the Jesuit seminary when
Tony was Rector of the house (see Anthony deMello SJ, The Happy Wanderer)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">He gives me great credit for transcribing this last seminar but I humbly
claim none. Unless pre-arranged and agreed to by Tony, his seminars were never
taped or filmed. Therefore his last seminar, delivered in May 1987, in Pune,
India, would be but a blissful memory for those who attended it, never to be
accessed by the wider community</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">. </span><span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I attribute all credit to the sister (who still wishes to remain anonymous)
and Fr. Joaquim Tellis, who shared their notes on this seminar which they
attended, with me. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The review:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><em>Bill,</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><em>Towards the end of last month I completed 3/4
century, aided by not regretting the past and not being bothered about
the future. </em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em> </em></span></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><em>And
you know what?! On my birthday, I gave out presents: A copy each,
in fancy wrapping, of SWANSONG. with a sticker, signed by me, on the first
page, saying: " This is to share with you, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thoughts expressed by my guru, that keep
me enlightened, and to admit I am able to keep sane because of
the questionable company I keep. Like in the case of Jesus—see Mk
2:15f and also Lk 7:33."</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "New Times Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><em>You certainly did a great job transcribing the seminar and I will not be
the only one to say that. Tony followers all over will be highly
indebted, for they will have Tony's final thoughts and feelings about what
really matters in life. You must have taken great pains over the
transcriptions and you certainly edited them expertly for when I read SWANSONG
I felt as if I was hearing Tony himself, just as I remember him. The flow
of words, the aptness of the illustrations and jokes, the depth of mystical
understanding, the forthrightness of speech, and
the simplicity and clarity of everything---all that is associated
with Tony---came out strongly through what you gifted all of us.
You have our undying gratitude. </em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><em>A million, trillion thanks for
SWANSONG!</em></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em> </em></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Albert
SJ</span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-66815172809671671692014-11-04T12:32:00.002-08:002014-11-04T12:33:13.904-08:00
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked Tony
whether it was absolutely necessary that I enter a church to communicate with
God. I asked him why it was necessary to spend so much money on structures when
there were millions around the world who had no food or shelter.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His answer: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once upon a
time there was a forest where the birds sang by day and the insects by night.
Trees flourished, flowers bloomed and all manner of creatures roamed about in
freedom.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And all who
entered there were led to Solitude which is the home of God who dwells in
Nature’s silence and Nature’s beauty.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then the
Age of Unconsciousness arrived when it became possible for people to construct
buildings a thousand feet high and to destroy rivers and forests and mountains
in a month. So houses of worship were built from the wood of the forest trees
and from the stone under the forest soil. Pinnacle, spire and minaret pointed
towards the sky; the air was filled with the sound of bells, with prayer and
chant and exhortation.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 4.3pt 0cm 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And God was
suddenly without a home.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God hides <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">things by putting them before our eyes! </span></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anthony deMello-Prayer of
the Frog Volume I.</span></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-33182586445214860142014-10-31T13:51:00.000-07:002014-10-31T13:51:53.938-07:00<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
untethered mind.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The transformation of the world is brought about by the
transformation of oneself,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">because the self is the product and a part of the total
process of human existence. To</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">transform oneself, self-knowledge is essential; without
knowing what you are, there is no</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">basis for right thought, and without knowing yourself there
cannot be transformation.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One must know oneself as one is, not as one wishes to be,
which is merely an ideal and</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">therefore fictitious, unreal; it is only that which is that
can be transformed, not that which</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">you wish to be. To know oneself as one is, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>requires an extraordinary alertness of mind,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">because what is, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is
constantly undergoing transformation, change; and to follow it swiftly</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">the mind must not be tethered to any particular dogma or
belief, to any particular pattern</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">of action. If you would follow anything, it is no good being
tethered. To know yourself,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">there must be the awareness, the alertness of mind in which
there is freedom from all</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">beliefs, from all idealization, because beliefs and ideals
only give you a colour, perverting</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">true perception. If you want to know what you are, you
cannot imagine or have belief in</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">something which you are not. If I am greedy, envious,
violent, merely having an ideal of</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">nonviolence, of non-greed, is of little value....The
understanding of what you are,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">whatever it be—ugly or beautiful, wicked or mischievous—the
understanding of what</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">you are, without distortion, is the beginning of virtue.
Virtue is essential, for it gives</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">freedom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Jiddu Krishnamurti-The Book of Life.</span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-50061113969059536082014-10-29T14:16:00.001-07:002014-10-29T14:17:21.317-07:00A friend sent me this very interesting interview. I like this guy's style. There are a couple of corrections I would make to Tony's background as depicted by him but they are negligible and unimportant in the context of the interview. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did:<br />
<div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even" property="dc:title">
<h1 class="page-title">
Michael McCullough’s Interview Series: An interview with Anthony de Mello on the 24th anniversary of his death</h1>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded">
<em>The following is a fictional interview between the author and Anthony de Mello, inspired by A Course in Miracles, and is intended for informational or communicative purposes only. All references to Anthony de Mello, other than direct quotations, are purely fictional and the creation of the author. </em><br />
<br /> Anthony de Mello was a Jesuit priest from India who gained international acclaim in the 1980’s for his teachings on spirituality. His lectures and writings continue to be an inspiration to many people around the globe.<br />
<br /> Q: Is there anything you would like to say to the world?<br />
A: Yes, quite a bit in fact! It delights me to see people all over the world studying my teachings and also to see the Sadhana Institute still operating in India. My life on earth was dedicated to spiritual awakening and, really, it was the face-to-face contact that I enjoyed the most. I liked to speak to people; to see them question and ponder—that’s the way human beings learn best. You have to get your hands dirty while building your life on earth. You see, most people are trained not to think about why they have so many problems in their lives and why they cannot escape the same old thinking that put them in that position. I liked to challenge that paradigm because this is the true meaning of the Gospels. Jesus did not do all the work for mankind once and for all; he was a way-shower. He gave us a diagram of how to think about the world and our place in it—all we have to do is read what he said! This is why human beings have free will and self-determination. I found that most people need a wake-up call before they can appreciate any spiritual teaching. This usually comes in the form of sickness or despair, but it could simply be the experience of unhappiness or irritation about life in general. It’s rare to find a person who doesn’t get to this place at some point. Some people hide it well and you would never know, but it always comes out.<br />
Q: Most of your writings and lectures were very practical—how to deal with the “here and now”—and didn’t focus much on the soul. Why was that?<br />
A: Well, I would have to disagree with you on that point. The concept of the soul is usually understood in the Catholic Church as the innermost and spiritual principle in man which is created immediately by God. The physical body is then animated by the activities of the "mind," which is responsible for the conscious state, and the "soul" which is responsible for both the conscious and unconscious states. The belief in an animating principle in some sense distinct from the body is an almost inevitable inference from the observed facts of life.If the soul is the spiritual principle in man then the most important question you need to ask yourself is this: what is spirit? People say that they are “spiritual,” but what does this really mean? Many people believe that spirit is some force in the universe that has no interaction with the physical world. In essence, it is some sense of “other-worldliness” that guides them but is not a part of them. This is not the understanding of spirit in the teachings of Jesus. As I said before, Jesus was a way-shower, much like the Buddha. He showed us a path to enlightenment based upon how we think about our purpose in this world and them by living it. Most people forget about the second part. Theories and platitudes are easy to come by, but action is much more difficult to find in the world. Jesus was a man of action. If spirit is anything then it is a force in your mind that can guide you in the right direction—spirit is your true identity. The impulse that keeps you stuck in this world with a sense of despair and fear is your “programming.” I used the word “programming” in the 1980’s to describe this phenomenon because it was the early days of computers and everyone was new to the idea of “programmed” language. The more precise scientific term would be the Freudian concept of the “ego,” but Freud’s idea of the ego was so filled with pejoratives that it was impractical to use, but this is the impulse I was referring to in my work. It’s a harbinger of fear and anger and resentment.It is true that I didn’t focus my teachings much on the concept of evil because the concept puts the emphasis on forces outside of your control. Your programming or ego, whichever you prefer, is outside of your control whenever you are not conscious of its influence on your thinking. However, once you become conscious that your programming is the source of your fear then you have power over it. Isn’t it amazing how it works! Life then becomes a conscious choice between fear and love. The true nature of the human mind is love. Love is what brings you the greatest experience of joy in the world. This is the experience of God in the physical world—it’s heaven. When you are fearful and don’t know how to get out of this feeling, then your only choice is to turn to the Holy Spirit who guides you towards God’s love. Now, the difficult part for most people is that your ego has its own definition of love that competes with God’s love. The ego’s interpretation of love is attachment and dependence. It’s a watered-down concept of love based upon worldly desires. It’s just another one of the ego’s tools. True love has no attachment and is applied universally to everyone and everything. And it must be applied this way. The only way to reach God in this world is through your interactions with your brothers and sisters. As long as you are fearful of another person, as long as you judge him or condemn her, you are separating yourself from God. “He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”<br />
Q: You mentioned both Jesus and Buddha as if they were equals. Did you believe in the exclusivity of Christian doctrine?<br />
A: The teachings of Jesus are universal teachings; they don’t have special significance to any one church or group. There are many ways to reach the peace and love of God. The Christian teachings were the ones that I grew up with but others cultures have their own teachings. If you look only at the words spoken by Jesus in his lifetime, then you will have no problem finding support for this view. The Sermon on the Mount is the Christian manifesto and it’s all right there in that one sermon. For years I studied the bible and preached the Gospels as if they were exclusive teachings, but the words did not penetrate me. It’s as if I was sleeping my whole life and then suddenly I woke up! And I did. At its core, Christianity is a religion of love and peace. Jesus showed us the way to experience this love here and now by practicing forgiveness. Forgiveness is the understanding that everyone is suffering from the same programming that blinds them from accepting the peace and love of God which is the natural state of being.<br />
Q: How is it you became aware of your own ignorance of the Christian message?<br />
A: In 1961, I was ordained a Catholic priest in India. I had joined the seminary in Bombay in 1947 when I was 16 years old. This was a time of great turbulence in Indian society due to the end of the Second World War and the dissolution of the British Raj. My father was a railway worker and I was the older of two sons. It would have been a great help to my family if I would have taken a job with the railway, after I completing my studies, and earned an income for the family. This was not my calling. I had a spiritual yearning that led me to the seminary and I was very headstrong about it—a trait that did not always endear me to my elders throughout my life, but this was my constitution. I studied in Bombay then went to Spain and then came back to Poona, India. Thereafter, I became a parish priest in Bombay and taught the Gospels as I understood them. Then, one day I was having lunch with a friend of mine who was a Sufi scholar. Sufism is still practiced in India, as it is in the Middle East. My Sufi friend asked me why the Catholic Church seemed so controlling of the minds of its followers and made such great claims of exclusivity. I had to think about it for a minute and I could not come up with a legitimate answer. He then asked me if the teachings of the Catholic Church were construed to perpetuate this control. I had never thought about this before. He rightly pointed out that salvation in the Church could only be found in the teachings of the Church and not in the mind of man. This seemed so contrary to Jesus’s teachings and it really woke me up! So I started to read the Gospels again, and, there it was right there on the pages! It was hidden behind all the dogma! It was a great liberation for me. St. Paul said, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”<br />
Q: Then what is the relationship between the spirit and the physical body?<br />
A: There is none, in the sense that the spirit exists independent of the body. Spirit is the part of your mind that accepts only peace and love; it transcends the body and is the eternal aspect of every person. This is what makes the spirit so strong compared to the weakness of the body. Jesus said, “If the flesh exists because of the spirit, it is a miracle but if the spirit exists because of the body it is a miracle of miracles. I marvel at how such great wealth established itself amid this poverty.” It’s so true! The only trick the body has is to convince the mind that it is subservient to the body and not the other way around. This is the result of programming by society. The world of bodies will program your ego to accept that your body and other bodies are the only things that matters. This is the trick. Once you buy into this view of life, then all of the spiritual teachings in the world will not help you escape unless you are willing to look at the spirit. You need to be woken up to the spirit. This is what Jesus did. Isn’t it amazing?<br />
Q: Then how do you find peace in a world of chaos and disorder?<br />
A: By just accepting it! Peace is always with you every moment of every day, and all you have to do is accept it. Most people spend their days finding ways to reject peace through judgment and through fear. By not judging other people, by not condemning them, you can see things for what they are. We don’t have to accept injustice but we don’t have to give up our own peace to get there. Why should you sacrifice your own peace and happiness because of the actions of other people or because of circumstances in the world? You can change the world or deal with injustice as long as you don’t disturb your own peace. What good is there in getting angry? Has it ever helped anyone in any situation? Does it make your actions more justified or even more effective by displaying anger or irritation? I can assure you it does not. You never have to accept injustice but you should never let it disturb your peace either.<br />
Q: But, doesn’t that just make us happy victims?<br />
A: No, it does not. You are not a victim unless you think of yourself that way. In reality, you should never “do” anything in the world because you feel the need to justify or validate your fear or anger. If you are peaceful and loving, then it does not matter whether you take action or not—most of the time you will probably not take any action. For example, if somebody speaks badly about you behind your back, then you can choose to confront the person or not. But, if you are a peaceful person, and you don’t find the need to confront the person, then how does it matter if you do or do not? It simply becomes a choice, but nothing compels you other than your own reason.<br />
Q: Then what is the world? Why would God create a world when we have to struggle against injustice and cruelty?<br />
A: There are too many assumptions in your question to even offer a useful answer. First, start by realizing that nobody knows what God is. Hence, you cannot decide to take any action in the world because you believe it is what God desires. The only meaningful experience you can have in the world is what is experienced in your own mind. The mind is the repository of your experiences; of love or fear, of peace or uneasiness, of heaven or hell. Heaven and hell are a state of mind. Heaven is the experience of complete peacefulness and is the natural state of the mind. Hell is the relinquishment of this peace which is the result of conditioning by society; it’s the obstacle that stands in the way of experiencing the peace and love of God. In the world, you experience these obstacles as distractions—the “I have to” experiences, such as “I have to get a job,” “I have to make a lot of money,” or “I have to get married.” This is all rubbish. The only thing you have to do in the world is to realize your true nature—this is heaven. Everything else is a choice, but don’t let those choices distract you from reality. The shift from the unconscious desires of the world to the conscious desire for truth is the resurrection of the sprit. “When will the kingdom come?” they asked Jesus. He replied, “It will not come when it is expected. They will say, ‘Look here,’ or ‘Look there.’ Rather the kingdom of the father is spread out on the earth and people do not see it.”You must do things that bring peace and love into your life. Peace and love give you the most happiness in your life and also bring you greater clarity of thought. Did you ever notice that peaceful and happy people don’t hurt each other or create problems in the world? Peace and love just work in the world because they give you the greatest experience of the world around you. So, why would anyone choose anything else? Only because you are programmed to think that choosing fear and anger are in your best interests. It’s insane, isn’t it? But this is what you are taught by the world. It’s your conditioning by society, by your parents, by your teachers. And it not their fault because this is what the world taught them. It takes a miracle to break this cycle, but that’s just the miracle that Jesus is offering you.<br />
Q: Do you think that the world of pain and suffering is real? Some people would say that the physical world is an illusion.<br />
A: I don’t think it is necessary to go that far. Nobody knows what the physical world is and why it is the way it is. Could it be an illusion? Sure. Is it necessary to look at the world in this way? No. You can get along fine in the world by choosing peace and love even if you think what the world is offering is real. Regardless of what the world is, your only choice is how to react to it. This you can control, and must control. Otherwise, your conditioned mind will control you. It’s the choice between heaven and hell. Heaven is the choice for peace and love; hell is the choice for fear and anger. That’s all there is! It’s quite simple.<br />
Q: What is the biggest obstacle to dropping our belief in fear and anger?<br />
A: Unfortunately, religion itself is the biggest obstacle for most people because religion becomes part of the social programming that keeps you rooted in the world. When religion loses its mystical quality then watch out! Remember, it’s always the religious and pious people in any society who commit the gravest acts of hatred. How do you know when religion has gone bad? The answer is when it cares more about institutions than the spiritual message. The teachings of Jesus are about the individual experience of the peace and love of God here and now! Not sometime in the future or in the next life. Salvation is no longer attainable through a religion when the institutions become more important than the souls of the people. Jesus said, “He who knows all but fails to know himself lacks everything.” Education, worldliness, prestige, and honor are all meaningless. An uneducated peasant with a little bit of common sense and some intelligence knows more than the wisest scholar about happiness. You must know yourself. This means you must know what controls the thoughts in your mind. Is it your ego? Then your life will be a mess. Is it your spirit? Well, then you will do very well indeed. Forget about your attachments to the world. “Become passersby.”</div>
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<a datatype="" href="http://www.crsny.org/tags/acim-course-miracles-interview-john-lennon-michael-mccullough" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" typeof="skos:Concept">ACIM A Course in MIracles interview John Lennon Michael McCullough</a></div>
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Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-70352995211516765342014-10-21T13:19:00.001-07:002014-10-21T13:19:23.987-07:00Simple, Easy Spiritual Health: Anthony de Mello's One Minute Wisdom<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j4QsBP_RH-s" width="480"></iframe><br />Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-68137433195051692732014-10-09T17:57:00.002-07:002014-10-09T17:59:27.600-07:00<span style="font-size: small;">I have already made it very clear that I do not belong to any church or follow a religion invented by man. The Vedas(whoever wrote them) Buddha, Jesus, followed by Mohamed and a host of other holy men, prophets of their time, were very clear about one thing-Love one another as I have loved you. Of course, they had a lot of other wise things to pass on but I think the common factor they all preached was Love.</span><br />
I received an interesting article today and feel compelled to post it on my blog; not to gloat that it was posted by a Catholic priest but to make the point I have made before- organised religion excludes those who don't belong to 'The Club'.<br />
So dear friends, take some time to read not only the article but also the comments.<br />
Here is the link:<br />
<a href="http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=2459#comment-18428"><span style="font-size: small;">http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=2459#comment-18428</span></a>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-20169224259086138642014-09-25T15:56:00.002-07:002014-09-25T15:56:23.311-07:00<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Hello Franco,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">It is MY pleasure to be corresponding with YOU! My goodness, I am but a mere mortal. Please don't put me on a pedestal.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Thank you for your very prompt reply. Rather than being bored by your email, I was delighted to read of yet another Tony disciple who appreciates his work.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You will have read in the Happy Wanderer, that I was a very late starter with his work. Once I got started however, I devoured all I could get. So I was delighted to receive notes that were taken at his last seminar, by two attendees. Thereafter I worked toward transcribing the notes and producing a book(Swansong) which you have no doubt found either on Facebook or the website(Link below this email) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Franco, if your shell is hard to crack, mine is made of granite! I experience occasional spasms of joy but not Anand. What I experience are thrills, as Tony would call them. Anand is reserved for Mystics like my brother, who are totally carefree and devoid of all need to possess anything; to those beings who live life without judging others. I am unfortunately only too human. I'm working on it though, in my 70th year! :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Rest assured Franco, I will continue to share Tony's wisdom as best I can. It is indeed a very troubled world. I wish some of those madmen in troubled areas of the world could just sit and think how stupid it is to claim the world and lose their souls!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Thank you again, for writing and I hope we can continue corresponding.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">With love to you and yours,</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Bill.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br id="ecxFontBreak" /></span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-59324291292249256172014-09-25T15:46:00.001-07:002014-09-25T15:46:49.993-07:00I am always delighted to receive mail from people who appreciate my brother's work<br />
More than 27 years after he died, I see Tony reaching out to so many people.<br />
Thank you Franco for your very kind words and continuing interest.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dear Bill,<br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Thank you so much for your personal e-mail confirming my purchase. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">What an honour it is for me to be writing directly to Fr Tony’s brother!! And what joy it is to see your efforts to keep his work alive and spread new material, hence my interest in Swansong.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I have bought all known published works by and about your brother and they are my most prized books (I even bought the same books twice because they had different titles for the US and the rest of the world, silly me).</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I also enjoyed immensely your very well written biography <i>Happy Wanderer</i>. Thank you.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do not wish to bore you with too long an e-mail but I’d like to tell you that I came across your brother’s life work through a reference in one of Wayne Dyer’s works. Wayne Dyer being impressed by a Jesuit? This I had to explore. I saw Fr Tony for the first time on YouTube and I was hooked for life. This man was special. He spoke in a way I had never heard before, and believe me here in Malta we are full of Catholic priests and churches </span><span><span style="font-family: Symbol;">-</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I myself was brought up in Catholic schools and come from a Catholic family. But no one spoke about religion, spirituality and the human condition like Fr Tony. He was a true mystic. He truly understood things that ordinary mortals find hard to grasp.</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">On a personal note, despite my years of listening to him, watching him on video (Awareness CDs, Rediscovery of Life, A Way to God for Today and Wake Up) and reading his works, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, continually finding new insights in what he says, I still haven’t tasted the <i>Anand</i> that special persons like your brother derive from the <i>unknowable.</i> Perhaps my shell is particularly hard to crack or, as he says in one of his humorous asides, I like living in a cesspool, just don’t make waves please.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Please do continue shedding Fr Tony’s light on this troubled world with any new material you encounter.</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">With utmost respect and love to you and your family,</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Franco,</span></span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-36795332964761146332014-07-07T13:29:00.000-07:002014-07-07T13:29:28.956-07:00<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed">
My brother delivered a seminar in Poona, India, in May 1987, just a few days before he departed India to conduct a satellite seminar in the USA, where he died before that seminar began.<br /> The India retreat would have been lost forever, were i<span class="text_exposed_show">t not for a couple of disciples who took meticulous notes of this seminar. I received these notes from them some months ago and I have transcribed this seminar. It is now available by writing to Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Tony's official publisher in India. booksgsp@gmail.com <br /> I hope that you, followers and friends of Tony, will avail yourselves of this book. <br /> I will continue to do my best to post on this page( Anthony deMello-Call to Love Facebook page) as often as I can, in the hope that all who visit here, enjoy snippets of my brother's Wisdom.<br /> My thanks to all who visit and send me messages of encouragement.</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show"><img alt="Photo: My brother delivered a seminar in Poona, India, in May 1987, just a few days before he departed India to conduct a satellite seminar in the USA, where he died before that seminar began.
The India retreat would have been lost forever, were it not for a couple of disciples who took meticulous notes of this seminar. I received these notes from them some months ago and I have transcribed this seminar. It is now available by writing to Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, Tony's official publisher in India. booksgsp@gmail.com
I hope that you, followers and friends of Tony, will avail yourselves of this book.
I will continue to do my best to post on this page as often as I can, in the hope that all who visit here, enjoy snippets of my brother's Wisdom.
My thanks to all who visit and send me messages of encouragement.
I love you all,
Bill deMello." class="img" height="370" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/s640x640/10492254_709665489071227_8188260302620000827_n.jpg" style="left: 0px;" width="504" /></span></div>
</span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-35282325095115224572014-06-20T14:19:00.003-07:002014-06-20T14:19:30.800-07:00In case you did not notice, I'm posting another article by Michael Barnes SJ. The Jesuits in Britain have devoted each month of this year to a prominent Jesuit who is no longer with us. <br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/anthony-de-mello-sj">http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/anthony-de-mello-sj</a>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-64304482194032211222014-06-20T13:50:00.001-07:002014-06-20T13:50:08.495-07:00Twenty seven years after he died, Tony is still revered and talked about by scores of people.<br />
The following article is very interesting:<br />
<a href="http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/anthony-de-mello-fire">http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/anthony-de-mello-fire</a>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-66024263634300389602014-05-13T17:44:00.000-07:002014-05-13T17:44:14.143-07:00I didn't watch Joe Hockey deliver his budget last night; but from what I am reading today, It appears it's going to hurt a lot of people.<br />
Maybe someone who reads this blog could pass this post on to Hockey. It would show him millions of dollars of savings in Medicare. Instead of slugging people for a visit to the GP, Medicare could reap millions more if the guidelines on referrals were revised and adapted.<br />
Recent health problems I have experience and the number of visits to my GP to obtain referrals to specialists, prompted me to think and share my concerns with a few people about this system which can and should be changed. Instead of targeting those who can least afford it( Pensioners, the unemployed, struggling families and a number of other Australians) I wonder if Hockey knows he is sitting on a gold mine. Do a bit of digging Joe. Who knows, you may discover a diamond mine as well!<br />
Please do spend a bit of time to read and listen to the short clip on the link below:<br />
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-13/annual-specialist-referrals-wasting-millions-say-gps/5447822">http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-13/annual-specialist-referrals-wasting-millions-say-gps/5447822</a><br />
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-61621743040270415222014-05-01T15:29:00.002-07:002014-05-01T15:29:12.004-07:00
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Does Friendship replace Love?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Friedrich Nietzsche.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I read this quote a few days ago and have since been
thinking about the truth in this statement. Mr Nietzsche makes a good point;
but I believe the same applies to families in general, not only married couples.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I have also read somewhere that friendship comes at a
cost. But why does it have to? Suppose us humans left everyone free - to be
themselves. Do you know what that would produce? It produces free people with
no fear of reprisals and it produces another thing-Friendship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Within a family, one tends to become possessive, even
aggressive at times and to demand that the other comply with our views and
likes and dislikes, thus taking away the freedom of thought, speech and action
from another. I plead guilty to all of the above! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This attitude produces conflict and
unhappiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I have thought long and hard about the wisdom in words
written by my brother Anthony (Tony) deMello, in a posthumously published book
titled, Call to Love. Gujarat Sahitya Prakash (</span><a href="mailto:booksgsp@gamil.com"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">booksgsp@gamil.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">). The
book contains 31 meditations on daily living-In Freedom! Nietzsche I think
would agree with Tony. Particularly with the meditation I quote: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">MEDITATION 6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CLINGING IS DYING<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of
man has nowhere to lay his head.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">M t. 8, 20<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Here is a mistake that most people make in their relationships with
others. They try to build a steady nesting place in the ever moving stream of life.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Think of someone whose love you desire. Do you want to be important
to this person, to be especial and make a difference to his/her life?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you want this person to care for you and be concerned about you
in a special way? If you do, open your eyes and see that you are foolishly
inviting others to reserve you for themselves, to restrict your freedom for
their benefit, to control your behaviour, your growth and development so that
it will suit their interest.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is as if the other person said to you, “If you want to be
especial to me then you must meet my conditions. Because the moment you cease
to live up to my expectations, you will cease to be especial.” You wanted to be
especial to someone, didn’t you? So you must pay a price in lost freedom. You must
dance to the other person’s tune just as you demand that other persons dance to
yours if they want to be especial to you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pause now to ask yourself if it is worth paying so much for so
little.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Imagine you say to this person whose special love you want, “Leave
me free to be myself, to think my thoughts, to indulge my taste, to follow my
inclination, to behave in ways that I decide are to my liking.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The moment you say those words you will understand that you are
asking for the impossible. To ask to be especial to someone means essentially
to be bound to the task of making yourself pleasing to this person. And
therefore to lose your freedom. Take all the time you need to realize this.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May be now you are ready to say, “I’d rather have my freedom than
your love.” If you could either have company in prison or walk the earth in
freedom all alone, which would you choose?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now say to this person, “I leave you free to be yourself, to think
your thoughts, to indulge your taste, follow your inclinations, and behave in
any way that you decide is to your liking.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The moment you say that you will observe one of two things:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Either your heart will resist those words and you will be exposed
for the clinger and exploiter that you are (so now is the time to examine your
false belief that without this person you cannot live or cannot be happy);<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Or your heart will pronounce the words sincerely and in that very
instant all control, manipulation, exploitation, possessiveness, jealousy will
drop. “I leave you free to be yourself: to think your thoughts, indulge your
tastes, follow your inclinations, and behave in ways that you decide are to
your liking.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And you will notice something else:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The person automatically ceases to be especial and important to you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And he/she becomes important the way a sunset or a symphony is
lovely in itself, the way a tree is especial in itself and not for the fruit or
the shade that it can offer you. Your beloved will then belong not to you but
to everyone or to no one like the sunrise and the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Test it by saying those words again: “I leave you free to be
yourself... “<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In saying those words you have set yourself free. You are now ready
to love. For when you cling, what you offer the other is not love but a chain
by which both you and your beloved are bound. Love can only exist in freedom.
The true lover seeks the good of his beloved which requires especially the
liberation of the beloved from the lover.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Need I say more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-30673027750079402232014-04-27T01:11:00.001-07:002014-04-27T01:11:25.292-07:00I know...........I have been absent from this blog for ages. Health issues and other matters left me somewhat drained and uninterested.<br />
But I'm back and I hope I can engage you to participate too. Here's a new post for 2014! Long live Liberty- of speech, or anything and of course(something no one can control-THOUGHT!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Onward Christian Soldier?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t normally buy a national newspaper; I’m content to
browse the pages of my ‘Free’ local paper, The Manly Daily. Yesterday, I
happened to be the recipient of The Sydney Morning Herald, courtesy of our
ex-neighbour. She has moved on to another home in the area and sent me a text
message to say I was welcome to take possession of her copy of the Sydney
Morning Herald, which I did. I then proceeded to ‘browse’ the pages of the
publication.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For those who are unfamiliar with the political scene and
goings on in Sydney Australia- A little over a week ago, Sydney siders were
shocked to learn that our ‘squeaky clean’ ex-Premier Barrie O’Farrell had
resigned from the premiership having been ‘caught out’ over a bottle of very
expensive wine. Turns out, a lobbyist had ‘gifted’ him a bottle of Grange worth
AUD 3000/- no doubt expecting favours in return. It so happened that Barrie did
no such thing (good on him) and I am led to believe that the lobbyist then
dobbed poor Barrie in to the ICAC. That’s Independent Commission against
Corruption (for those who don’t know). When asked about it, he said he could
not recall having ever received it. Mind you, the lobbyist paid attention to
detail, in that the Grange in question was bottled on O’Farrell’s birthday-
1959 and on the exact day of Barrie’s birth-I forget now, which date that was
but who cares anyway. It’s sad really; to lose a position of such importance
and responsibility over a bottle of wine; no matter how expensive the drop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyway, enter Mike Barid, the new Premier. He is my local(Manly)
member of parliament and from all outward appearances, a nice enough fellow. I
pass him by often when I am on my early morning walk along the sea front and he
has on occasion, returned my smile and nod of G’day. I often saw Bruce Baird (Mike’s
father) walking his dog along the said sea front, even after he had moved from
NSW state politics to the Federal arena. The tradition it seems, continues in
the family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Back to the issue of the SMH 26<sup>th</sup> April 2014
and page three with a picture of Mike Baird and the caption, “Onward Christian
soldier- a premier’s faith”. The article goes on to describe Barid junior as a
family man with religious Christian beliefs. In fact it reports that he even
considered becoming an Anglican minister before entering politics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For those interested, please access the article with the
following link:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/onward-christian-soldier-a-premiers-faith-20140425-379pp.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No harm in this religious fervour. I sincerely hope
though, that young Mike has considered that every religion believes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“their God”</b> created the Universe and
controls all forms of life-and for that matter death and the afterlife too. So
hopefully Mike Baird will be astute and compassionate enough as Premier, to
recognise that we are human beings first and foremost-nothing else matters. I
hope he is sincere when he says he will govern the state of New South Wales for
everyone. That he will not personally discriminate or be influenced to by his
team of reportedly fervent Christians, against people of other faiths and that
includes people of NO religious faith too!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I read with interest, comments reportedly made by Mike’s
chief of staff, Bay Warburton, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">''I've
served Jesus in a number of different jobs and now I'm serving Jesus as a chief
of staff,'' Mr Warburton said. ''And Mike, who's the Treasurer - he believes
he's serving Jesus as the Treasurer of the state. He believes that he has a
great opportunity to help people by making responsible decisions about the
money from this state.''</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He
said he prayed for guidance before taking a job to make ''wise choices''. ''And
how do you do that? Well, you read your Bible … and you understand what God's
plan for your life is and how he wants us to make choices and what sort of
criteria we should use to make those choices.''</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr
Warburton told the students they were privileged to learn about <span style="background: yellow; color: red; mso-highlight: yellow;">''the Lord of the
universe who put stars in the sky, who created the world, who created every
single part of what we live in, who created each and every one of us''.</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d like to remind Mr Warburton, that people of other
religious inclinations believe (as mentioned earlier) that “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Their Lord</b>, is the Lord of the Universe”.
Try convincing them otherwise. I hope you are not going to impose ‘<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">your Lord’</b> on all these people of other
religious faiths, Mr Warburton. And what about those who simply don’t believe
in any <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Lord of the universe”?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reverend Freddy Nile would be pleased by all this
Christian spirit in the upper echelons of the NSW parliament. Consider what the
article further reports:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr
Warburton is not the only like-minded colleague in Mr Baird's inner circle. A
notable addition to cabinet is his close friend Rob Stokes, the new environment
minister, who holds a diploma in Bible studies. During Wednesday's swearing-in
ceremony Mr Stokes omitted the words ''under God''.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He
later said the decision was guided by Matthew's gospel in which Jesus frowned
upon the swearing of oaths.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus frowned on many things. Barrie learnt a bitter
lesson when he misled ICAC on that very expensive bottle of Grange. And Jesus
would have frowned on that no doubt! But unlike ICAC, Jesus would have also
forgiven Barrie. The ICAC didn’t- that’s only human! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The article reveals even more of what’s to come into the parliament
of NSW:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">New
finance minister Dominic Perrottet - a former protégé of one-time ''religious
right'' faction leader David Clarke - attended Redfield College in Dural, a
school run by the conservative Catholic order Opus Dei.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr
Clarke, whose wife Maria-Louise is an Opus Dei member, remains parliamentary
secretary for justice.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Throw
into the mix the deputy Premier and Nationals leader Andrew Stoner - who
attends the evangelical C3 church - and the Baird/Stoner government is shaping
as the most devout in living memory.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike, the good citizens of NSW don’t need devout leaders.
What they need are honest men and women to act in the interests of ALL citizens
no matter what their race, colour or religious persuasions; if any.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Let me be fair in also transcribing (from Sean Nicholls’
article) what Mike said about his (Mike Baird’s) religious convictions and
faith:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But
Mr Baird rejected the notion his government would be influenced by the strength
of religious belief in his office or his cabinet. ''I'm not going to hide who I
am and what's important to me, but I govern for everyone,'' he said.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He
said faith ''is a matter for the individual''. ''My position has been clear in
the Parliament,'' Mr Baird said.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">''I
don't go into Parliament and seek to legislate that. I'll respond on the basis
of conscience.''</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s nice to know this fact Mike. But is the next little
tit bit true?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr
Baird is on the record as opposing same sex marriage, embryonic stem cell
research and same sex adoption. However, he committed to allowing Liberal MPs a
free vote on such matters, as did Mr O'Farrell.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I wonder if Jesus would have frowned on Gays, Lesbians or
same sex marriage. Jesus is reported to have said to a blood thirsty mob of
self-righteous (so called) stalwarts of the law, “Let he who is free of sin,
cast the first stone!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike, please consider our Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist,
agnostic, gay, lesbian brothers, sisters and people of all walks of life,
living in NSW and the world, when you make decisions concerning their welfare.
You have been entrusted with a very important job. I sincerely hope your
religious beliefs (Faith and belief are not the same thing, Mike) do not
interfere with the general welfare of the people of NSW on religious grounds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Religion
and Politics don’t mix. Remember Mike, Jesus is also reported to have said,
“Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God, what is God’s”!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bless you </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-67509146071266329022014-01-31T23:23:00.002-08:002014-01-31T23:23:41.060-08:00<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_52ec9f5a775973f86538253">
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Both major political parties in Australia have invested so much energy and resources in the past, present and planning for the future to "TURN BACK THE BOATS" coming from Indonesia, with a human cargo of desperate people, fleeing their war torn or religiously bigoted countries, seeking refuge and safe haven on our shores. The following article suggests that instead of cold heartedly turning these <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">desperate people away, we in Australia would be better served to welcome them and enrich ourselves in the bargain. Those in government as well as the others who strongly oppose the boats should consider that they are migrants as well. Most migrants came here by choice(self included)-the ancestors of some of our politicians came here in chains........on what? Convict BOATS! Please do read on:<br /><br /> UK without Immigrants for just 24 hours: What would happen?<br /> Mehdi Hasan<br /> I have a modest proposal for the likes of Ukip, MigrationWatch, the Home Secretary, David Goodhart, Paul Dacre and, of course, the BNP. Why not call for "A Day Without Immigrants?" Wouldn't that demonstrate, once and for all, that neither our economy nor our society needs migrants? That they are a burden, rather than a blessing?<br /> "A Day Without Immigrants" was the name given to a rather innovative series of protests in the US in 2006, which brought more than a million Latinos on to the streets of 50 cities, from New York to Los Angeles. They boycotted shops, schools and their places of work to try to highlight the plight of undocumented migrant workers.<br /> But here's how I'd implement a similar boycott here: anyone in the UK born abroad or with a parent born abroad would stay at home for 24 hours. Any business or organisation founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant would close for the day.<br /> Britain would be transformed - but, regrettably for the immigration-bashers, in a wholly negative way. In fact, I suspect it would be a pretty awful 24 hours for most Britons, dark and dystopian, even. Think Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later - but without migrants, rather than with zombies.<br /> Let's start with the trivial stuff. Who would serve you in restaurants or coffee shops? Who would make your sandwiches and wraps at lunchtime? What would be the point of going out to eat in the evening if there were no longer any Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Indian, Japanese, Turkish, Lebanese, Persian, Italian, Spanish and, yes, French restaurants open?<br /> How about your health? Who'd patch you up and prescribe your medicines? Ministers and their outriders in the right-wing press like to scaremonger about the spiralling costs of so-called health tourism (which amounts to a shocking 0.01% of the £109billion NHS budget) and exaggerate the numbers of migrant families that turn up expecting free treatment in our overstretched A&E departments. The reality, as the chair of the council of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, has pointed out, is that "you are much more likely to have an immigrant caring for you than sitting up in front of the emergency department". About 30 per cent of the doctors and 40 per cent of the nurses working in the health service were born abroad. Put simply, the NHS could not survive 24 hours without its migrant workforce.<br /> The same applies to the social-care sector. If you have a sick parent living in a care home, you might have to take the day off to look after them. In 2009 a fifth of all care assistants and home carers - 135,000 people in total - were foreign-born; in London, 60 per cent of care workers were migrants. Speaking of taking the day off, neither the Deputy Prime Minister nor the leader of the opposition would have to turn up to Westminster for PMQs - Nick Clegg is the son of a Dutch mother and half-Russian father; Ed Miliband is the child of Polish refugees.<br /> Meanwhile, the Chancellor would have to go to the Commons to warn that "A Day Without Immigrants" would, if extended over a year, force him to introduce a further £7billion of spending cuts and/or tax rises. Why? Migrants boost the British economy by £7billion a year, according to an OECD study published in June. That's the equivalent of an extra 2p on the basic rate of income tax.<br /> Sticking with the economy, we'd have to board up iconic British stores such as Marks & Spencer (co-founder: Michael Marks of Belarus), Selfridges (founder: the American Harry Gordon Selfridge) and Tesco (founder: Jacob Kohen, son of Avram, a Polish migrant). UK holidaymakers would have to cancel their cheap flights on easyJet (founder: the Greekborn Stelios Haji-Ioannou).<br /> Our universities, a multibillion-pound export industry, would take a hit, too, if foreign students stayed away. One in ten students in British universities comes from outside the EU and the fees that students from other countries pay are a bigger source of income for most universities than research grants.<br /> What about sport? Imagine going to watch a Premier League game midweek as a Liverpool fan. Luis Suárez wouldn't be playing. If you're a Man United fan, you'd miss out on the ball skills of Robin van Persie; if you're a Man City fan, it'd be Yaya Touré on strike. Chelsea fans? Say goodbye to Juan Mata and Eden Hazard.<br /> Incidentally, if you were planning on using the Tube to go to watch Chelsea play, you'd find it in a pretty filthy state, the train platforms tagged with graffiti and strewn with rubbish: 95% of London Underground cleaning staff are foreign-born. It wouldn't just be the District Line that was dirty, it would also be your place of work: 89% of office cleaners in the capital are migrants.<br /> But the countryside would be fine, right? Wrong. Imagine all those unpicked crops and the effect: the rise in food prices, supermarkets opting for (cheaper) foreign over domestic produce, fruit farmers on their knees. The truth is that "native" Brits have not been interested in fruit-picking for years and, as the Home Office's own Migration Advisory Committee warned in May, many of the UK's fruit-picking businesses could close without new migrant workers from outside the EU.<br /> On immigration, we hear constantly that voters don't trust the official statistics or studies (a recent Ipsos MORI poll found that the public thinks that immigrants make up 31% of the population -when the official figure is 13%).<br /> So this may be the only way to win hearts and minds. A great boycott. A one-day strike by immigrants and their children across the UK, coupled with a ban on the use of immigrant-founded businesses by the "indigenous" population.<br /> For a mere 24 hours. Let's do it. And if it doesn't transform public opinion, well, at least I'll have had the day off work.<br /><br /> Mehdi Hasan is the political director of the Huffington Post UK and a contributing writer for the New Statesman.</span></span></div>
Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485578089548174657.post-14814713640518718822014-01-28T11:57:00.000-08:002014-01-28T11:57:11.473-08:00
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">TRUST</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Master would frequently assert that holiness
was less a matter of what one did than of what one <i>allowed </i>to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">To a group of disciples who had difficulty
understanding that, he told the following story:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There was once a one-legged dragon who said to
the centipede. “How do you manage all those legs? It is all I can do to manage
one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“To tell you the truth.” said the centipede. “I
do not manage them at all.” <span style="color: red;">Anthony deMello-One Minute Wisdom.</span></span>Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12657660406723687456noreply@blogger.com0