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Ben (compassionately): “Hey… Don’t be like that. (grabs Elliot under his arm into a proper bear hug) You’re a bit emotional, I get it. And I’m not saying you’re like the queer kinda guy… I mean, like Del. That’s just your nature. It’s alright to feel emotional when you’ve just succeeded in it after a long break. I bet you can’t believe it was real. But it was, wasn’t it? And it’s gonna work out again. If you could do it once, you can do it again. Hey?”
Elliot (miserably): “But I’m gonna let her down again… I’ve given her false hope, and now she thinks everything is fine again, but it’s NOT! I hate myself…” (gets his eyes misty)
Ben (pats Elliot’s shoulder while holding him): “It’s gonna be alright, dude. I’m sure Sybil knows not to ask too much of you. She knows how much you’ve been through… I mean all that mental stuff, and then there are the rough rehearsals and the tour. It’s all bound to wear you out to some extent, and that's why you can't always perform... uh, to her.”
Elliot (sniffles): “You don’t understand… She wants something I can’t give her… She wants a baby…” (sobs and wets Ben’s pants with his tears)
Ben (confused): “Wow… Really? A baby? Right now? A baby?!”
Elliot: “You know what that is…”
Ben: “But we’re busy touring. She can’t ask something like that of you right now, can she?”
Elliot (bitterly): “Well, she says she’s alright waiting, but… She wants it now. I can see it every single time she looks at me, and I can hear it every time she speaks to me. It feels like a knife in my chest that twists and turns every time she hints to it, and she doesn’t know how much it hurts me… I so wanted to tell her this morning that we could… you know, leave the rubber off… I so wanted to tell her, ‘Okay, let’s make a baby’… That would have made her soooo happy… I just wanna make her happy so badly…”
Ben: “Well, I understand that, I do. But you can’t just do it for her. You would need to want it, too. You don’t want kids yet, right? Or at all?”
A bodhisattva is a compassionate being who postpones his own enlightenment in order to help others along the path. Generally, bodhisattvas wear monastic robes as well as earthly accessories such as necklaces and crowns to distinguish them from enlightened beings. A combination of ascetic and prince, the bodhisattva is distinguished only by the attributes he holds, which are often lost over time.
Bodhisattva imagery was incredibly popular in Nepal, reflecting the importance of Mahayana Buddhism, which encourages its practitioners to emulate and become bodhisattvas.
Nepal, 13th century
Gilt copper alloy with semiprecious stones
Norton Simon Museum (F.1983.28.S)
This photo was taken using the 50mm prime lens. It does nothing different from my kit lens that I can tell. There is no depth of field in this subject to use the 1.8 f/stop on. Perhaps under different conditions, it would show its strengths as a prime lens.
Namgyal monks from Dharamsala constructed this temporary masterpiece in Harlem at the Union Theological Seminary from Sept 18-22, 2007. They are on the Compassionate Mandala Tour until November to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama's receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. Joining them is Tibetan nomadic singer, Tenzin Choegyal. This is highly recommended (and free). Please check www.compassionatemandala.org to see if this gorgeous tour is coming to your area.
Patrick: "I'm in the shelter for medical reasons because I broke both of my legs."
Me: "How did that happen?"
Patrick: "I got into a dispute with my son and he broke them with a bat.. I never really knew my son because I was locked up for thirty years. I had to learn to control my anger because my councilor told me that you can't just hurt people you are angry at. This was something I didn't understand at first.
He tells me he is angry at the homeless shelter and the worker mistreats him. I begin to enlighten him with the truths of life and about gratitude.
Me: "Whenever you feel that negativity inside, just let it go. Let love and happiness guide you and just be grateful for your life everyday. Be grateful one of your leg healed and the other one is recovering. Be grateful you have another chance to live outside jail.
Patrick: "This is the best Sunday I've ever had, thank you man"
I shake his hand and walked back for a hug and this picture.
Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, Australia...
This evening was opening night for Driving Miss Daisy at the Theatre Royal in King Street, Sydney.
A timeless American play, which inspired the beloved Academy Award®- winning film, Driving Miss Daisy tells the affecting story of the decades-long relationship between an elderly Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her compassionate African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. Their iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship has warmed the hearts of millions worldwide.
Promo...
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
The stage will light up, with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
Limited season from 1 - 31 March
The Theatre Royal stage will light up with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. Also starring four-time Tony Award® winner BOYD GAINES, David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Reviews...
Stage Whispers - 10/02/13
“...a trilogy of perfection”
Aussie Theatre – 11/02/13
“...a once in a life-time opportunity to see two of the worlds’ greatest theatre legends on stage in Australia”
Theatre People – 11/02/13
“...nothing less than the most superb piece of acting”
“...timeless star quality, attentiveness, awe-inspiring craftsmanship” “...warm, honestly funny, sincere, composed, poised and utterly astounding”
The Australian – 11/02/13
“...every person in the theatre was on their feet, some with tears in their eyes”
Courier Mail – 12/02/13
“This production of Driving Miss Daisy is a theatrical masterpiece that those who are fortunate enough to see will never forget.” “A spine-tingling piece of theatre”
“They take what is already a warm, funny, engaging and compelling piece of theatre and turn it into something truly magnificent.”
Special Guests: The Member for Wentworth and Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband Malcolm Turnbull (Angela Lansbury’s cousin) with Lucy Turnbull and their daughter Daisy; Bronwyn Bishop MP; ABC TV’s Margaret Pomeranz; Kerri-Anne Kennerley; Channel 7 newsreaders Chris Bath, Mark Ferguson and Anne Sanders; Channel 9 newsreader Deborah Knight; actors Tom Burlinson, Mitchell Butel, Gigi Edgley, David Harris, Amanda Harrison, Nancye Hayes, Erika Heynatz, Jay Laga'aia, Steve Le Marquand, Todd McKenney, Sharon Millerchip, Ben Mingay, Tara Morice, Amanda Muggleton, Lola Nixon, Peter Phelps and Ian Stenlake; choreographer Kelley Abbey; radio announcers Stuart Bocking, Tony Delroy, Rob Duckworth, Brendan “Jonesy” Jones, Dominic Knight, Simon Marnie and Jason Morrison; theatre producer James Thane; along with Driving Miss Daisy playwright Alfred Uhry, Broadway producer Adam Zotovich and Australian producer John Frost, amongst others.
Websites
Driving Miss Daisy - Daisy On Stage (Australia)
Daisy On Broadway
Theatre Royal
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
Psalms 112:4
The greatest irony of the greatest love: a soul strays; a father lights a light, showing the way home; the child on his knees with soul layed bear, rises and walks towards the light; heavenly sing a welcoming chorus.
The call from the heart of a "Prodigal's son" or a wayward daughter:
"Find Me in the River", Delirious www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OmV3B414sU
"You'll Come", Hillsong:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RmZFaruXhs
Surely as the sun will rise
You will come to us...
Spirit rain
Flood into our thirsty hearts again.
"In front of National Museum of Korea. Set: www.flickr.com/photos/karl_wolfgang/sets/7215762524587279...
Spiritual set: www.flickr.com/photos/karl_wolfgang/sets/72157623105280096/
De Colores
Flowers through the seasons at: www.flickr.com/photos/karl_wolfgang/sets/72157627233682863/
Regardless of how or if you voted yesterday or what country you call home, try to be a better, kinder, more compassionate, more selfless, more honest, more fair, more understanding person today than you were yesterday. Love people. Be kind to everyone. Take time to breathe and to think. Attempt to understand those with different views. Be responsible for your actions. Care for who and what you hold dear. We're all in this thing we call life together.
On my trip into Devil's Postpile National Monument, I decided to only bring black and white film, because the basalt formations and pines reminded me of Yosemite National Park and the work of Ansel Adams, and I knew this place would play well with the strengths of that medium. This place is defined by stark contrasts, rich textures, and harsh light, so I knew that Fuji Neopan Acros 100 would be a great film for the job with its silky whites, inky blacks, and beautiful tonal gradations. The image you see here is a tiny downsampling of a small 135-megapixel crop from a 180-megapixel scan from 4x5" film.
I uploaded a 135 MP file to Flickr. Yes, I'm that crazy! Be sure to use the zoom feature to get in close and pan around the image to take in all the juicy details!
The Intrepid Camera Co. 4x5 Field Camera
Schneider-Kreuznach Super-Angulon 90mm f/8
Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 4x5" large format black & white sheet film
Sam
--------------------------------------------------------
Way better on black (much better quality than the "L" option)
then you can hit "F" if you like it and "C" if you wish to comment.
Copyright 2013 © All rights reserved.
If you would like to use any of my images, please ask for permission first!
Larger size available on demand
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
[1 Peter 3:8-17 NLT]
5 MORE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
1. Like it or not, we are ALL sinners: As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:10-12 NLT)
2. The punishment for sin is death: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT)
3. Jesus is our only hope: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NLT)
4. SALVATION is by GRACE through FAITH in JESUS: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)
5. Accept Jesus and receive eternal life: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NLT) But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NLT) And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. (1 John 5:11-12 NLT)
Read the Bible for yourself. Allow the Lord to speak to you through his Word. YOUR ETERNITY IS AT STAKE!
FRIENDSHIP
Is friendship the weaving of the red strings of two hearts?
Is it the blending of two minds into a spacious one-mind?
Is it the spouting of love founts together—
To strengthen the rush of love on droughty souls?
Is it the one rose grown 'twixt twin mind-branchlets
Of one compassionate stem?
Is it the one thinking in two bodies?
Or, is it like two strong stallions,
Disparate in color and mien,
Pulling the chariot of life together
To the single goal with one mind sight?
Is friendship founded on equalities or inequalities?
Is it built on diverse stones of differences?
Is friendship the unthinkingly agreeing,
The hand in hand, blind walking of two souls,
Foolishly rejoicing in their united folly,
Falling at last into pits of disillusionment?
Friendship is noble, fruitful, holy—
When two separate souls march in difference
Yet in harmony, agreeing and disagreeing,
Glowingly improving diversely,
With one common longing to find solace in true pleasure.
When ne'er the lover seeks
Self-comfort at cost of the one beloved,
Then, in that garden of selflessness
Fragrant friendship perfectly flowers.
For friendship is a hybrid, born of two souls,
The blended fragrance of two unlike flowers
Blown together in love's caressing breeze.
Friendship is born from the very core
Of secret, inexplicable likings.
Friendship is the fountain of true feelings.
Friendship grows in both likeness and difference.
Friendship sleeps or dies in familiarity,
And decays in lusts of narrow-eyed selves.
Friendship grows tall and sturdy
In the soil of oneness in body, mind, and soul.
Demands, deceptions, sordid sense of possession,
Courtesy's lack, narrow self-love, suspicion,
These are cankers which eat at the heart of friendship.
Ah, friendship! Flowering, heaven-born plant!
Nurtured art thou in the soil of measureless love,
In the seeking of soul-progress together
By two who would smooth the way each for the other.
And thou art watered by attentions of affection
And the tender dews of inner and outer sweetness
Of the inmost, selfless heart's devotion.
Ah, friendship! Where thy soul-born flowers fall—
There, on that sacred shrine of fragrance,
The Friend of all friends craves to come and remain!
Paramhansa Yogananda
Thank you all my dears Flickr friends for your favs and visits! I do appreciate them very, very much
In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure
Se encuentra situado en una colina, y a sus pies pasa el río Matarraña. Rodeado de altas montañas y de pinares. Una de estas elevaciones es Peña Aznar o La Caixa, con forma de mesa (1014 m.). De entre los elementos que definen el paisaje de Valderrobres, pocos son tan característicos como esta roca con forma de antigua caja de caudales, visible desde casi cualquier punto del territorio. La historia asociada a ella es asombrosamente antigua. Restos encontrados en la cima, nos dicen que ya era conocida en tiempos de los iberos, pero su importancia como elemento definitorio empieza en tiempos de la dominación musulmana, cuando algunas fuentes empiezan a asociarla con el Conde Aznar Galindo, fundador del condado de Aragón. según parece, él mismo, o más posiblemente alguno de sus continuadores toma “la caixa” como punto estratégico desde el que dirigir sus ataques a las posiciones musulmanas. Desde entonces será conocida como peña de Aznar Lagaya, siendo este último termino una deformación del vocablo medieval que definía precisamente una caja. Acabada la reconquista, Alfonso II en su documento de donación al arzobispado de Zaragoza, llama al valle en el que hoy se asienta Valderrobres “Valle de la peña Aznar lagaia” definiendo con ella todo el territorio. En los siglos posteriores, La Caixa ha ido acumulando leyendas e historias a su alrededor y ha sido desde refugio de pastores hasta objeto de culto pagano, llegando hasta el presente y siendo el mejor testimonio de las raíces más antiguas de Valderrobres y también de Beceite, municipio vecino, que comparte la mitad de la peña con el municipio valderrobrense.
Se entra al casco antiguo por un puente gótico sobre el Matarraña, Difícilmente podría Valderrobres tener una entrada más espectacular que la que le brinda el impresionante puente medieval y el portal de San Roque. Pieza fundamental de su arquitectura e imagen perfectamente reconocible allí donde se mencione el pueblo. La construcción del puente parece estar asociada a la de sus murallas, así que podríamos fechar el inicio de las obras para construir el mismo en torno a 1390, con la petición que el arzobispo Garcia fernandez de Heredia hace ante Juan I para construir dichas fortificaciones. Mucho más difícil seria afirmar con seguridad la fecha de su conclusión, seguramente a principios del siglo XV y estando Valderrobres bajo la prelatura de Dalmao de Mur responsable también de las plantas más altas de nuestro castillo. Se trata de un puente completamente medieval, de cuatro agujeros, extremadamente sólido y provisto de tajamares en forma de cuña pensados para protegerlo de fuertes riadas y evitar la acumulación de troncos. En el siglo XVI se asienta sobre su último tramo el ayuntamiento, modificando por tanto el aspecto del puente en su tramo final al conectar con la plaza. El puente atraviesa la antigua puerta principal de acceso al recinto amurallado. A finales del siglo XVI este portal fue consagrado a San Roque, protector ante las epidemias y Patrón de la población, quedando hoy en día como uno de los portales mejor conservados de todo el conjunto.
A lot of people are down on their luck in the streets of S.F. I was moved by this compassionate sidewalk.
“If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given.
It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.”
(Eve Arnold - American photojournalist,1912 – 2012)
These children were playing in the holy waters of the Ganges at Raj ghat almost under Malviya Bridge which allows to come to Varanasi (Benaras).
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The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
Date: March 2024
Medium: Digital Photomontage
Locations: Los Angeles & Santa Cruz, CA
Dimensions: 15” x 30”
© 2024 Tony DeVarco
Credit: Unknown maker, American, daguerreotypist “Portrait of a Seated Well-dressed, Elegantly-looking Young Woman” (detail), about 1850. Daguerreotype Image: 18.3 × 18.3 cm (7 3/16 × 7 3/16 in.), Mat: 21.6 × 16.5 cm (8 1/2 × 6 1/2 in.)The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 84.XT.269.19. Downloaded from the Getty Open Content portal: www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/106QAX
Beginning with the 2nd century B.C., and continuing into the 6th century A.D., the paintings and sculptures in the caves of Ajanta and Ellora, inspired by Buddhism and its compassionate ethos, unleashed a surge of artistic excellence unmatched in human history. These Buddhist and Jain caves are ornately carved, yet seem quiet and meditative and exude a divine energy and power.
About 107 km from the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, are the rock-out caves of Ajanta nestled in a panoramic gorge, in the form of a gigantic horseshoe. A set of 29 caves, Ajanta is among the finest examples of some of the earliest Buddhist architecture, cave paintings and sculptures. These caves comprise Chaitya halls or shrines, dedicated to Lord Buddha and Viharas or monasteries, used by Buddhist monks for meditation and the study of Buddhist teachings. The paintings that adorn the walls and ceilings of the caves depict incidents from the life of lord Buddha and various Buddhist divinities. Among the most interesting paintings are the Jataka tales, illustrating diverse stories relating to the previous incarnations of the Buddha as Bodhisattava, a saintly being who is destined to become the Buddha. These elaborate sculptures and paintings stand in impressive grandeur in spite of withstanding the ravages of time. Amid the beautiful images and paintings are sculptures of Buddha, calm and serene in contemplation.
The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 km north of Aurangabad. Sculptors, inspired by Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, created elaborate rock carvings. Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas or halls of worship, Viharas or monasteries and Hindu and Jain temples. Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and 11th century A.D., the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (Cave 29). The most imposing excavation is, without doubt, that of the magnificent Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) which is the largest monolithic structure in the world. Known as Verul in ancient times, it has continuously attracted pilgrims through the centuries to the present day.
Declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1983, the paintings and sculptures of Ajanta and Ellora, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a great influence in the development of art in India. The creative use of colour and freedom of expression used in depicting human and animal forms makes the cave paintings at Ajanta one of the high watermarks of artistic creativity. The Ellora preserved as an artistic legacy that will continue to inspire and enrich the lives of generations to come. Not only is this cave complex a unique artistic creation and an excellent example of technological exploit but also, with its sanctuaries devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, it illustrates the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India.
I think you can still remember me. When I first came to this beautiful island, there was no aircrafts or vehicles to travel. In fact, we did not require such means of transportation. We are Buddhist monks and have powers well beyond normal human beings. These powers include walk in the sky, walk on water, swim in the earth, pass through any hard materials, go invisible, and so on. Using such powers, we flew here from the great Stupa Compound at Udeni city in India. The moment we reached the rock near Ambasthala Stupa, I felt tranquil by the calm and breathtaking natural beauty of the land. I met your ruler, the King Devana Patis, on that day while he was on a hunting ceremony to celebrate a festival of asterism. In order to get him isolated and after discussing with the deities, it was me who sent a young god disguised as a deer in front of the king. When your king was following that deer with a bow and an arrow on his hands, I addressed him with his first name “Tissa”. When he heard someone calling him with his first name, he was surprised and got startled for a moment since he was the king.
Though, he felt happy after I told him that “we are the disciples of the Supreme Buddha,” and that we came bearing the message of the Buddhism. With a compassionate heart, we came to share the teachings of the Gautama Buddha with you all. After introducing ourselves to the king, I asked him the famous question regarding the mango tree/fruit to check his capability of understanding a profound teaching like the Buddhism. It was really amazing how he answered those questions correctly. In fact, we also saw how wise the rest of the people related to the royal family. After we met them and taught them our great teacher’s discourses, I felt happy about the wisdom they inherited.
I still feel a great joy when I think of how the King Devana Patis and his loyal ministers became determined Buddhists by realizing the true meaning of one of the Buddha’s teachings where the foot of an elephant was used as an example. It is unforgettable how your ancestors’ interest on the teachings of the Lord Buddha was. When I taught them the Buddha’s discourses one by one, they listened to it happily and tried to correlate the Dhamma into their lives. I can also remember how the delicate ladies of the palace gathered to listen to those discourses sat behind the elephants without any hesitation. They were so humble towards the Dhamma and also wise and talented and attained Magaphala (entering the noble eight-fold path in four different steps towards the Nibbana (magga) or the attainment of the Four Noble Truths at the four different stages, fruitions (phala)) with no sweat at all. Next, it was the time to sermonize the general public. Since there was a large number of people gathered, inside the stable of elephants were prepared for this occasion. When they were taught about the presence of Divya Vimana (divine abodes) using Vimanavatthu and the presence of Preta Vimana (abodes of beings like demons) using Pretavatthu, they were frightened about not knowing the Noble Truths and the journey ahead of them in the dangerous Samsara. However, the words of the Buddha gave them the hope and most of all the wisdom helping them to realize the Noble Truths. They started rapidly to step into states of Magaphala by thousands.
My father, King Dharmashoka, loved this pleasant island of yours very much. He was delighted when my sister Arahant Saghamit Bhikkhuni brought a sapling of Maha Bōdhi Tree, which provided with shade to the Siddhartha Gautama in his attainment of the Buddhahood, to Sri Lanka in a procession with great respect. Since when he first heard about prophecy of the Buddha on the establishment of the Buddhism in this attractive island located in south of India, he started to extend his great affection to this pretty island. On that day of bringing the Maha Bōdhi Tree sapling to the seaport of Dabhakola in a procession under the worship of many deities including Dēva, Nā, and Brahma, King Devana Patis received it with immense respect and love. The thrilled king worshiped the Maha Bōdhi Tree sapling with the greatest gift a king can afford; he bestowed his kingdom in the name of the Gautama Buddha. Not even the earth could bear the happiness. It shook three times as to greet the worship (Sadu Sadu Sadu). While this is being done, the road from Dabhakola port to the compound in Anuradhapura where the Bōdhi Tree was to be planted was decorated with white, soft sand and with colorful orange trees and vases along the sideways of the road. The procession was taken place under a pouring rain of different types of beautiful flowers on a Vesak Poya day. It was a distinct moment for everyone who gathered to participate this special occasion. Once again, the earth felt this devout moment. When the Bōdhi Tree was planted on the Maha Bōdhi compound, the mother earth paid another respect by making the sound of adoration (Sadu) three more times.
According to my father’s guidance, the Maha Bōdhi Tree sapling was respected and worshiped with coronation in India prior to its journey to Sri Lanka. When the tree was settled in the compound in Anuradhapura in your island, the sapling was respected by a similar coronation ceremony in Sri Lanka by the royal family. The Bōdhi Tree was decorated elegantly and worshipped with the royal ornaments and the crown. The Maha Bōdhi Tree sapling was planted and treated with the water brought from the Lake Anawatap by Kshattriya virgins. Maha Bōdhi Tree sapling became the “Bōdhi Raja” of this island since the coronation ceremony performed by the King Devana Patis. Another remarkable incident happened on that day: the King Devana Patis protected the Bōdhi Tree sapling by disguising as a security guard until the homage to the great sapling was completed. Afterwards, the king wore the royal ornaments and the crown, and he came forward and offered his kingdom to the miraculous sapling of Maha Bōdhi Tree admirably. Even at that time, the mother earth trembled performing the reverence for another time.
My dear children, the youth of your esteemed clan were wonderful. Preceded by the young Arittha, a lot of young people joined the Kingdom of the Gautama Buddha in a count of hundreds and thousands. These young people were extraordinarily fortunate to attain the Arahantship (attainment of Nibbana) and became the disciples (sons) who were born in the defilement-free pure heart of the Gautama Buddha. They were also fortunate to convoke the Discipline part of the Buddha’s teachings at a later time period of your history. This convocation was carried out in the compound of the Thūparama Stūpa. At the time when this great convocation was taking place, the mother earth paid another respect. Even though I bore the Dhamma in Magadhi or Pāli language, I delivered it to you in your own language. Then, I taught the young Buddhist pupils the Buddha’s teachings in Pāli exactly as I learnt them without any alteration. They bore it enthusiastically in their hearts like a bunch of thirsty deer drinking cool water to quench their thirst. Their heartfelt respect towards the Dhamma was tremendous. When I explained the meanings of the Dhamma discourses in Sinhala, they bore it in their hearts without any doubt. They tried hard to protect the Buddhism for the wellbeing of humans and deities. I taught them the untainted teachings of the Gautama Buddha. Those teachings did not include any of the corrupted current versions such as Mahayana of wishing the Buddha-hood nor the worshiping of the Bōdhisatta. These current ways are not the true teachings of the Buddha, and they are diverted from the true path towards ending the suffering of being born in the Samsara. What I taught was the untainted teachings of the Gautama Buddha. The only expectation of those teachings was to show the disciples the way to be protected by been born only within Sugati (good) worlds (deities and humans), and finally to put an end to the Samsara. That is the true Buddhism…
My dear sons and daughters, the potential of your past young generation was not inferior to that of the fortunate people of India at that time. That was the reason why I never left this island until the day I passed away. It was also the same reason to why my father, King Dharmashoka, was reborn here as Kudutis Maha Thero and further developed the existence of the Buddhism in this country. This attractive island became rich in every way when the government and the general public lived according to the Dhamma by suppressing the evil deeds. It was prosperous with food and became famous as the ‘the pearl of the Indian ocean.’ Most of all, it became more venerated than India where the Gautama Buddha’s Maha Bodhi Tree was located. Sri Lanka was also known as “the Island of Dhamma” in that great era.
Dear children, this island was abundant with gold, silver, pearls, and gems at those times. One greedy Chōla king from the Sothern part of India wanted this treasure to him and invaded the country like a bunch of demons that possessed a precious lake with various rare flowers. At the end, however, there was nothing else even for them to do other than becoming disciples of the Buddha. My sole intention though was to make a Sri Lankan generation of Buddhist disciples capable of protecting and spreading the great teacher’s Dhamma around the world. If Chōla clan needed the Buddhism to be established in their country, then they could also take the Dhamma from Sri Lanka to brighten Chōla’s land. In fact, that was what happened. At that time period, the Sothern India was flourished with the Dhamma and brightened by countless Arahants (disciples who attained the Nibbana).
My dear children, sustaining the teachings of our great teacher, the utmost leader of the world (Lōka Natha), in its pure form became difficult because of some sinful monks who were born within the Buddha Sasana (the Kingdom of the Buddha). Every Buddhist monk asks for monkhood at the beginning with an intention of attaining Nibbana: “please ordain me in following the path to eradicate all my defilements and witness the attainment of the great Nibbana.” Unfortunately some of them forget the sole purpose of becoming Buddhist monks as the time passes by. Their priorities change. They turned into a menace to the existence of the Buddhism in its true form. This was when one of the great disciples of the Buddha, Mahākashapa Arahant Thero, saw this unfortunate event of contaminating the Buddha’s words by these monks. Upon Mahākashapa Arahant Thero’s interceding, the first great convocation was performed to establish Buddha’s words in its correct form again. However, my dear children, it was not long before the sinful monks rose again and started contaminating the discipline taught by the Buddha within the next hundred years. This was why our great meritorious monks had to perform the second convocation to purify the Buddha’s word once again by protecting it from dishonorable monks born within the Sasana.
Merited children, the monks in the Gautama Buddha Sasana can be divided into several parts. One part of monks practiced Dhamma and brightened it by realizing the Four Noble Truths. Another part of monks did not practice Dhamma, but fed from it. Another part of monks, even being fed from it, started manipulating the true words of the Buddha by including their own thoughts without any fear or respect to the great teacher. Then, there was another part of monks who defaced the words of the Buddha completely by posing suspicious points of the path to the Nibbana. Thus, the third great convocation was taken place rejecting those worthless viewpoints to protect the chance of joining the Buddha Sasana for the future generations. This was done under the supervision of my mentor, Venerable Moggaleeputtatissa Thero, and my father (King Ashoka).
Children, I used to closely associate the monk in Chētiyagiriya when I was the heir to the throne in the city of Udeni. This association helped me to understand the danger of this Samsara and to relinquish the desire in becoming a king. Since I heard about some former kings ruling for a short time of period and became victims of suffering in evil births like in hell, my mind gave up the desire to be a king and surrendered to the Buddha Sasana. This was when my father summoned me to Palalup city and asked if I like to become a monk: “dear son, are you interested on attaining Magaphala by becoming a disciple of our great teacher?” I felt extremely happy the moment he asked me that question. “How fascinating the ways of a monk… What a freedom a monk is experiencing… When can I become one of them and go for collecting alms…?” Before my father asked me that question, I used to dream about the time I enter the monkhood and rejoice the pleasure of becoming a monk. I lived in that thought with an extreme happiness beholding the sight of the calm and ascetic monk who lives a charm live just with three robes and a bowl. I wanted to become a monk with that tranquil mind, which cannot be achieved by enjoying the drinks and women in the royal palace… As soon as my father asked me about becoming a monk, I bent on my knees in front of him. “Oh! My lord King, I really like it. The pleasure one will gain by becoming a king is inferior to even one-twelfth of the tremendous happiness that I will get from the Buddha’s teachings.” My father started to shed tears and hugged me saying “my loving son, it is indeed a great fortune. Go become a disciple of the Buddha. Learn the great Dhamma and see it through your life. Bring it closer to your heart. Realize the true meaning of it and attain the great Nibbana. Become a great disciple and live a great life for the wellbeing of humans and deities.”
My dear children, thus, I became a disciple of the Gautama Buddha. I could finish studying and remembering the complete collection of discourses of the Buddha after three years from my ordination at Ashōkarama in Palalup city. I could also memorize the stories behind those discourses. Then, I came to your island bearing the pure Buddhism I learnt. When the generation of monks who I made tried to protect the true ways of the Buddhist monkhood after becoming pupils of the Buddha, the other part of the monks who used to practice the Buddhism in their own stubborn ways and who were thrown away from the third great convocation rose up again and gave a catastrophic blow to the Buddhism. The plan of these shortsighted monks was to throw away the wholesome disciple monks. For this purpose, they translated the Dhamma into Sanskrit. They rejected the true teachings of the Buddha by condemning the main goal, attaining the Magaphala, of the true Buddhism. They started the Bodhisatta worship making the attainment of the Buddha-hood as their primary aim. The names of their false Budhisattas were countless.
At the time of this disaster happened, only the Brahmins’ Veda was written in Veda and Sanskrit languages. Brahmins never thought of other religions as a threat to their own since Veda was the only religious script written in Sanskrit. However, they were frightened after the translation of the corrupted version of the Dhamma (Mahayana) based on the worship of Bodhisatta into Sanskrit by the falsified monks who were thrown away from Buddha Sasana. After reading this translation, Brahmins started to argue pointing out its content. In an effort of defeating these Brahmins, monks of the Mahayana built large universities like Nalanda aiming to learn Veda. These dishonest monks tried not just to become equal with the Brahmins, but also to make their beliefs famous. The main language that used to learn Veda and Mahayana in these universities was Sanskrit. Furthermore, these false pupils started witchcraft to match miracles that the Brahmins performed by practicing different types of severe ascetic ways. They also invented various theories suitable to make a stand against arguments of the opposite side. They rejected the Buddha’s word indicated in the Alagaddūpama Sutta, which states that “if anyone tries to learn my teachings to argue with others, then he will be destroyed like the man who destroyed himself by trying to catch a snake from its tail.”
When these falsified monks won those arguments, they enjoyed making the Brahmins their servants in Nalanda University. These arguments were taken place in extreme manner and resulted even in killing the monks when Brahmins won their arguments. Mahayana monks further argued and condemned the concepts of the true Buddhism, and they made sure of the disappearance of the true teachings of the Buddha from face of the India. Mahayana was spread throughout the India like a large bunch of crows covering a huge tree. These monks pretended to be Bodhisatta, but their actions devastated the existence of the untainted Buddhism leaving the Indian people nothing but some falsified concepts that they built by themselves. On the other hand, the Brahmins were angry at these monks because of the change that they have made to the Brahmin society. They were also despiteful on these monks’ spiritual capabilities. Then, it was not long when an extremist Sothern Indian Brahmin called Sankarāchārya rose up and destroyed their power. By the time a theism called Musālman, which was seen for over several hundred years, was in its climax and was trying to invade India, the Brahmins supported them to first destroy Buddhism, or at least what was left of it: “Hey Musālmans, you need to first destroy the dangerous force of monks with yellow robes if you are to invade this country. You need to wipe out places like Nalanda University where they learn various philosophies and witchcrafts.” When these extremists heard these words, they became hectic with their concept of theism. With the help of the forces of Mara, these men became fiercely agitated and swept out the entire legion of false monks from India. This was how the Buddhism completely vanished from India. However, Brahmins did not overcome their fear towards the Buddhism. They saw a pearl in the Indian Ocean where Buddhism was being brightened in its pure form. They saw this as a future threat to their Veda and thought to destroy this island as well. As a result of their evil intention, the devotees of god Siva made up a fiction known as Ramayana. The Sothern Indian Brahmins converted all Buddhist monks in India keenly and slowly and also converted the temples into premises for Siva devotees with the help of this fiction. Ramayana was frequently recited in these places. Even the rulers of India were influenced by the story in Ramayana. They believed the story about a Sri Lankan king known as Ravana who kidnapped the wife (Seeta) of their god Rama. It also included a fake story about how their god Rama killed king Ravana. This story further prompted the Indian kings to show their evil power by invading Sri Lanka. They wanted be like their god Rama. They made a false impression about Sri Lanka making their rulers to believe that this Dharmadweepa (Island of Dhamma) as an island full of evils. Kālingamāgha, who believed these false accusations about Sri Lanka, destroyed most of temples and Stūpas by firing them. With a combination of worshiping of Siva, which was gifted from Persia, and a part of worldly worships of a sect of Mahamayana, Indian people started to worship the gender organ of Siva.
However, my dear children, a spirited king named First Vijayabāhu who was born in South part of Sri Lanka saved the island with great effort by making the words (the prophecy) of the Buddha become true. Also, the King Parakramabāhu reformed the Buddha Sasana, which was tormented by Kālingamāgha’s attack. Though, it was too late to permanently cure the people who inherited a blood line from Shakyan clan from Palalup City of India. By that time, both the Buddha Sasana and people around it were becoming weak gradually. Dear children, the theistic Musālmans demolished the entire Buddhist community including the monks from your neighboring country, Maldives, and established their religion in these countries. In this pleasant country (Sri Lanka), your ancestors became the victims of theism of the western extremists before that of the Musālmans’. There were incidents in which some monks were disappeared without even knowing what happened to them. Moreover, the pure Buddhist concepts were mangled since the intrusion of Mahayana ideas into the Buddhism from time to time. These distorted ideas weakened a disciple’s fear to be in the Samsara. The people have become credulous towards other believes and feeble as the power of the country’s government and the Dhamma became weak. I felt heartbroken when I saw this dissipation of the Buddha Sasana’s great generation that I made with a great effort to protect and brighten the teachings of the Buddha.
When a world full of lunacy of sensuous lust and deception was created based on science nurtured by theism, the Dhamma was beaten and moved aside by prohibiting the young people to practice it. The large rip between the truth and deception in such a world was incomprehensible to the general population. As a result, practicing the Dhamma was misconceived as a shy and sinful action. It was not even allowed to think about it. After building a stern background powered by these false views, they spread the message of love like a tsunami victimizing everyone who comes in between it and the lunacy of sensuous lust. The self-esteem and virtue gained from the Buddha Sasana was slipped away from young people. Dear children, please look at the advices that are in this Akālika (suitable for any period of time) Dhamma. Do you remember the four evil extremes that the Lord Buddha taught to the Sighālaka children? The Buddha taught us not to become victims of those four items: the conformity towards defilements (Chanda), hatred, fear, and lack of the realization of the Four Noble Truths (Mōha). Please do not degrade yourself by accepting these evil extremes.
Also, there are six things that will bring you great suffering if you allow them to accompany you. Those six things are: use of alcoholic substances, go out at night (and involve in sinful acts), waste your money on lustful entertainments, participate in gambling, make evil friendships, and spend time lazily. Dear children, our great teacher asked us not to dwell in these bad habits since they bring suffering to your life.
Dear children, please be a true friend who would not deceit his friend to get something from him by becoming an evil friend (Agngnadatthuhara). A true friend does not waste his friend’s time by talking rubbish (a Vacheeparama friend). A true friend is not someone (Anuppiyabhānhi) who supports his friend in participating doing bad deeds or good deeds just to save his friendship, and who speaks his friend’s qualities in front of him and defame his character when he is not present. A true friend becomes happy when he sees his friend be reborn in Sugati worlds and not in bad worlds like in hell or among animals. Therefore, a true friend is not someone (Apāya Sahayaka) who puts his friend in a state of promoting bad deeds just to take advantage from the moment and prompting him performing bad Karma that will ultimately cause him to be born in evil worlds.
Dear children, be a good friend (Kalanha Mittra) who always protects his friend from any misguided actions. He makes him build a good character full of virtue. He frees his friend from the danger and prevents him from immoral deeds. He will also try making his fiend listen to the Dhamma that he never heard before. Thus, he will put him to the track that leads to Sugati worlds. The true friend does not enjoy his friend’s dissipation, instead he enjoys when his friend develops his moral qualities. He will not allow others to insult his friend. He will show them his good qualities.
Dear children, the six directions (east, south, west, north, up, and down) have their own meanings for a virtuous child. The east, south, west, and north directions represent his parents, teachers, family, and friends, respectively. The down and up directions represent his servants and the noble monks, respectively.
Dear children, please do not ever become a traitor to your teachers who help you enter the path of the Dhamma and tries to discipline you in it. They introduced you to esteemed people and to the community. Therefore, practice to stand up and respect your teachers when they are around. Help and treat them when they are in need of help. Learn what they teach you well and be polite and respectful towards them.
Dear children, the Supreme Buddha helped you not only to attain Nibbana, but also to ease your suffering in this journey of the cruel Samsara by showing you the correct path to be born in Sugati worlds. He showed us the path to Nibbana and to get reborn in these good worlds because He held the most compassionate heart, and He was the only true teacher who saw the world in its exact form. Dear children, do not get trapped in today’s irrelevant things such as becoming victims of the bogus worldly lunacy of Valentine. Become a disciple of the Gautama Buddha and embrace Him as your great teacher from your whole heart. Realization of the world’s truth using the mirror of Dhamma is a tremendous legacy of everyone who likes the truth. I am writing this because I spent my whole life in comforting your ancestry by introducing the Gautama Buddha’s teachings to this pleasant island. I wish you the best in opening your mind to the truth and in realizing the true path beyond the deceiving sights of the modern world…
This is Mihindu Thero addressing you from Nivan Pura…!
By Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero
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أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطٰانِ الرَّجِيْمِ
I seek refuge in Allah from Shaitaan, Al Mudill, the one who misleads with his whispers, Al Maghwi, who seduces with his deception.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِیمِ
In the Name of Allah,
The First without a first before Him, The Last without a last behind Him,
The Entirely Merciful, The Especiall Merciful
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ
all kinds of praise and appreciation,
encompassing all types of the characteristics of all kinds of those utterings of praise in words, in deeds, in states and dialogues,
are only and only for Allah Worthy in His Own Essence and His Attributes,
who is The Lord of all the worlds,
ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ
The One whose Essence is All Encompassing of all things in existence with Grace Ever- Expansive and according to the Vastness of His Mercy and the Abundance of His Lutf, Affection and His Ra’fat, Gentleness.
ٱلرَّحِیمِ
The One who raises compassionately,
who nourishes according to the expansiveness of His Limitless Mercy based on the nature of Tauheed
and makes one reach towards the Abode of the One-ness of His Essence
after one lifts the preoccupations (and concerns) that created hurdles from the focus on His One-ness
and after one rejects the connections that prevent steadfastness in His One-ness and absorbing the adornment in it.
مَـٰلِكِ یَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ
The Master of the Day of Resurrection which is prepared for reward or punishment,
إِیَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ
You Alone we worship without the idols of hopes and expectations of others in our hearts
وَإِیَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِینُ
and You Alone we ask for help without which there is no power to endure.
ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِیمَ
Guide us to the Straight Path which brings us to Your One-ness,
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ
the path of those You have bestowed (Your) Favors upon
from the Prophets and the truthful one and the martyrs and the ones who rise to battle with their desires and the ones who ready their nafs, selves, to reform and make up for the deficiencies of their previous state,
غَیۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَیۡهِمۡ
not of those who earned Your Wrath upon themselves
وَلَا ٱلضَّاۤلِّینَ
and not of those who refuse to accept guidance.
آمين
May Allah make us of those whose burdens are light and whose wishes are few by His Special Favour and His Special Bounty, Ameen!
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ
And certainly We created man and We know what his self whispers to him
Surah Qaf, Verse 16
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And overall…
Laqad khalaqna al insaana: indeed we created Man and We made him appear from the hidden-ness of nothingness.
Wa: And We…
Na’alamu: We know him from that point…
Ma tuwaswisu: (as to) what whispers and makes up a rambling story…
Bihi nafsohu: from his own self and sways his heart (from that point) until now from those kinds of delusions and false imaginings and those things that descend upon him as animalistic desires and those thoughts that are imprisoned by the chains of rituals and shackles of inherent habits that are inherited as a result of useless ponderings which are mixed with unthinking paranoia.
Contents
Preface 13 Begin! 17 The Push and the Pull 19 Shaitaan and Me 23 The Nafs Mutma’inna 27 The Ones who know their Lord 33 The First Jolt 37 The Diseases of the Heart 41 The Nature of Blessings and Trials 47 Shaan 53 The Belly of the Whale 65 The Façade of my Obedience 69 The Shirrk in my Heart 75 The Fire of Possibilities 81 My Master’s Wrath and Mercy 89 The Necessity of Fear 103 Patience is Beautiful 121 What is a Dua 131 They Feel no Fear or Grief 143 The Layering of Generosity 151 Akhlaq and Imam Ghazali 161 The Seed of Tauba 169 Forgiveness 183
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى:
ابْنَ آدَمَ،
اطْلُبْنِي تَجدني، فَإِنْ وَجَدْتَنِي وجَدْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ،
وَإِنْ فُتُّكَ فَاتَكَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ،
وَأَنَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
Says Allah Ta’ala:
“O Children of Adam (as)!
Seek me and you will find me.
So if you find Me, you will find everything.
And if you miss this seeking, you will lose everything.
And I should be most beloved to you of all things.”
Preface
فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِیمِ
So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from the Shaitaan, the accursed.
Surah An Nahl, Verse 98
Exegesis of all verses from the Tafseer e Jilani by the Master of all Masters, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra):
And overall good deeds give fruit to a life beautiful and meaningful. In fact the most superb of these deeds is the recitation of the Quran, full of of Ma’arif, Divine Recognitions and Haqaiq, Divine Realities and Mukashafaat, Divine Unveilings and Mushahadaat, Divine Witnessing, resulting from the traveling on the Path of Tauheed, the One-ness of Allah and Irfaan, knowing His Essence.
Fa ida qara’at al Quran: So when you read the Quran i.e. you made the intention of reading it, O Qari, O reciter, seeker of the unveiling of the depth of its secrets and its ambiguous signs…
Fasta’id: then seek refuge and invoke, first of all…
Billahi: Allah, Al Mutajalli, The One who unveils, by the attribute of speech, which makes others helpless before it, Al Hafeed, The Protector of His Sincere Servants from everything in useless sins and disobedience…
Min: (which occur) due to doubts and paranoia…
Ash Shaitaan ar rajeem: from Shaitaan the accursed one, Al Matrood, the one expelled and the one made distant from the court of the Presence of Allah Azzo Jal with the stoning of the effects of the attributes of Allah’s Wrath and (seek refuge) from his misconceptions and rationalizations which are the armies of desire and forgetfulness and false imaginings and hallucinations thrilling which persuade different kinds of hopes and lust.
A Question of Truth
I’ve been thinking about this piece in starts and stops for months. To escape the coldest month in Lahore I headed to Karachi to give it readable form at the end of December. I was writing it to mark the month of Rajab in which Maula Ali (as) is born, which would begin on the 23rd of January if the new moon appeared.
I included this section, a preface, for the first time to make a single suggestion to my reader. To answer a question that Ghaus Pak (ra) continually asks his readers in his magnificent exegesis of the Quran, the Tafseer e Jilani. Although most scholars yield that it is but a translation.
For an exegesis by him, if it were to include all Divine Secrets that have been unveiled for him, might take up all the pages of all the trees only in describing what just the first Surah, Al Fateha, contains, which, incidentally, is also a preface. For the Quran.
The question being; Where do you lie in this? For truth is not on a spectrum, he says. It is absolute. We, however, as infallible beings exist in shades of darkness and pendulum between it and falsehood. Whether a single line or thought or image is retained or everything is entirely forgotten, the intention of the read must be singular, fulfilled with a simple question: Where do I lie in this?
For the time, the Quran attests, in this world that seems so absolute is not only short. It isn’t even an hour!
فَٱصۡبِرۡ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡعَزۡمِ مِنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسۡتَعۡجِل لَّهُمۡۚ
كَأَنَّهُمۡ یَوۡمَ یَرَوۡنَ مَا یُوعَدُونَ لَمۡ یَلۡبَثُوۤا۟ إِلَّا سَاعَةࣰ مِّن نَّهَارِۭۚ
So be patient, as had patience those of determination of the Messengers, and (do) not seek to hasten for them punishment.
On the Day when they see what they are promised, it will seem they remained not except an hour of a day (in the world).
Surah Ahqaf, Verse 35
Tafseer e Jilani
And after that you heard O Akmal Ar Rusul, O Messenger who perfects Messenger-hood (salutations and greetings upon you who is entrusted with The Revelation by your Lord and Master), the outcome of the state of denial of truth by the ones who are insistent upon their insolence and stubborn-ness…
Fasbir: then be patient, O Akmal Ar Rusul (salutations and greetings upon you and your family by your Lord who makes you His Nur), upon bearing the charge of the message and the exhaustion of preaching and the sufferings from the people, strayed and the misguided…
Kama sabara: the way they were patient upon these types of hurdles…
Ulol azmi mir Rasool: the Messengers, with unwavering determination, Al Azimeena, the ones resolute upon these things and upon the preaching of the Message with steadfastness, sincere and with solid firmness, so that they make clear for the people the Path of Tauheed, Allah’s One-ness and instruct towards the way of steadfastness and guidance.
Wa la tasta’jil lahum: And do not hasten to seek the torment for these deniers i.e. the stubborn ones from the Quresh, with the coming of punishment which is promised to them. For indeed, it will come upon them certainly in its own time…
Ka annahum youma yarouna ma yu’adoona: on the Day they will see in the Hereafter which they are being promised of, this punishment from the heights of intensity and scariness and the extreme-ness of its duration so they will recall…
Lab yalbathu: they didn’t stay in the world…
Illa sa’atan: for more than an hour…
Min naharin: of a day meaning that they will think of the time they stayed in this world as less and they will imagine that compared to the length of the Day of Judgement, it was only an hour or even less than that.
The question I ask now is not if I am a Mo’min, a believer or a Kafir, a denier of truth or ungrateful but when?
When do I remember my Lord and His Beloved (salutations and greetings upon him who is distinguished among creatures by His Lord) and become a zakir and when am I ghafil, the one who forgets them completely? And most importantly, why?
Begin!
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَسِرِينَ
Both of them, Hazrat Adam (as) and Amma Hawwa (as)) said,
"Our Lord we have wronged ourselves, and if not You forgive [for] us and have mercy (on) us, surely, we will be among the losers."
Surah Al Araaf, Verse 23
Tafseer e Jilani
Qalaa: They both invoked, beseeching in humility, admitting that lapse from them…
Rabbana: O One who raised us upon grace according to Your Fazl, Bounty and Jood, Generosity…
Dallamnaa anfusana: we transgressed upon our own selves by following the enemy (Shaitaan)…
Wa illam taghfir lana: and if You do not forgive us and the excesses from us…
Wa: and do not…
Tarhamna: have mercy upon us by Your Fazl, Favour…
Lanaku nanna min al khasireen: we will become amongst the losers, the ones in the greatest loss.
Woe upon you!
You claim to have knowledge and (yet) find happiness the way the ignorant find happiness and are angry like they are angry.
Your happiness with the world and your inclination towards Creation will make you forget wisdom and harden your heart.
The Mo’min is only happy with Allah and nobody except Him.
Ghaus Pak (ra) in Al Fath Ar Rabbani
Al Mulhim – The Only One who inspires!
Recently in my reading of the Tafseer e Jilani I came across new Asma al Husna, the Beautiful Names of Allah Subhanahu from Ghaus Pak (ra). I was swayed by the effect of the sound itself. Mulhim.
Allah Al Haqq, The Only Truth, inspires and His Beloved (O my Lord who raises only kindly, send blessings and salutations upon him and his family) is the Mulham, the one upon whose heart came the inspiration of the Quran. Then as Al Qasim, he distributed them and he distributes them even today.
The Push and the Pull
أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Prayed the Prophet Ayub (as);
“Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
Surah Al Anbiya, Verse 83
Tafseer e Jilani
Anni massani ad durru: Indeed adversity has touched me, O Lord, far away have gone those close to me and my relatives and all the ones who were affectionate with me…
Wa anta: and You are The One remaining who is still for me Merciful and Affectionate for indeed You are…
Arham ar Rahimeen: the Most Merciful of the merciful so come to me suddenly with Your Lutf, Kindness because I have no strength and no patience after this and surely his suffering had reached its heights.
In my most recent trip to Damascus I had not been reading any of my books on Tasawuff, Islamic Spirituality. Only New Yorkers. That was a first. Whenever I had gone to Medina Sharif or Iraq or India for ziaraat, I had taken books with me specifically to read there in particular places. Here my state was swoon-like. I had brought the books but I never opened them. In the first few days of my being in Sham an experience began to stand out.
Each day I would have breakfast on the balcony outside my room. It was quiet and after I ate, I went to the roof-top terrace to lie or sit on a couch that was also a swing. Mostly I would listen to music and stare at the sky. The colours had captivated my heart the first time and it clearly remained besotted.
One thing was always the same; the shade would be darkest above me, the blues in their range from powder to midnight, getting lighter and lighter, until my eyes came upon Qasiyoun. It was like only one mountain existed in the world. The one where 123,000 Prophets were buried. I would climb to no-go areas of the hotel to capture it from new vantage points. In the end I just started closing my eyes mid-stare, making them my camera. Everything about Damascus felt intense for me.
After the third day, I had started doing something that initially seemed like it was inadvertent. A specific memory would pop into my head and then I would replay it. It was recent, not remarkable but not insignificant either. Like a Youtube or Tiktok video, I would watch the memory in my head at almost exactly the same time.
Then for the rest of the day I forgot it along with my entire existence, becoming only a visitor in Paradise. Damascus has been titled such originally by Nabi Kareem (salutations and greetings upon his every utterance that comes only through His Lord God). Therefore it does not allow for lost moments. It’s Paradise! There was no before or after. I was only present.
On the 6th or 7th day I was made to realize something. It was as if someone asked me, “Why do you think this exact same thing every morning?”
I thought about it. The replay didn’t evoke any emotion in me. There was no sadness which normally the past carries. There was no joy attached to it in the future. Certainly no anxiety. I had just created a habit for no reason. In a matter of a week that habit was like a shackle in that the new found ritual had its grip on me.
At first I thought the awareness of my act came to me because for no reason I was losing the moment. Albeit willingly. But it turned out to be more than that.
A month later in Lahore, I would read a paragraph and Ghaus Pak (ra) would explain to me what was happening in Sham. The push and the pull that a human being creates:
“The Sahib e Imaan, the person of faith, and iqaan, certainty, and ma’rifat, recognition of the Divine, is in unity with people in their qalb, the station of that Divine Recognition in the heart and in their batin, the inner being, Allah’s Secret within Man.
He reaches a state (through that unity) such that he cannot push away any harm from his being and he cannot pull any benefit towards it. He lies before Allah such that he is powerless with no strength. When this state is made correct for him, then everything becomes goodness as it comes towards Him (no matter what it is).”
The words were not applicable to me and perhaps never would be in that I was the furthest thing away from being a Sahib e Imaan. Still, they shed light for me on what I had been doing in Damascus. I was pulling in a memory myself. The only reason I had even able to come to that conclusion was that no emotion had been attached to it.
If there were, the emotion would have formed the usual trap of justification for the thought to exist, for my being allowed it. For me to dwell in it, repeat it. I would have felt entitled to think about it. But there wasn’t a feeling that it evoked. There wasn’t a feeling that was its root. Or its consequence for that matter. It was simply a pull into my present from my world. My own pull!
Obviously then I was forced to consider the inverse. I must also be pushing out what naturally was in my present. If I didn’t like it, if it made me feel badly, then I pushed emotions and people attached to those emotions attached to my heart away. It was always and only at the insistence of the nafs, the base self, the ego, which in its haste for fulfillment of desire never knew what the correct desire for it was.
وَيَدْعُ ٱلْإِنسَنُ بِٱلشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهُۥ بِٱلْخَيْرِ ۖ
وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَنُ عَجُولًۭا
And human beings pray for things that are wrong (as often) as they pray for things that (they think) are good. And human beings are ever hasty.
Surah Al Isra’a, Verse 17
Tafseer e Jilani:
Wa: And overall, amongst the behaviour that is disliked, worldly and ugly…
Yad ul insaana: Man prays, being hasty (in his inner and outer being)…
Bi sharre: for that which is not good for him, so comes along, with that (prayer), that which he does not know about its evilness and its harmful consequences.
Dua’ahu bilkhair: (while he is) liking that which he is asking for as if it is good for him, due to his hastiness.
Wa kanal insaano: In Man’s nature is created haste (for himself) and he demands haste from others about that which he is inclined towards, even though it is detrimental for him.
What I did do in Damascus every time I went to the hallowed shrines of Bibi Ruqayya (as) or Sheikh ul Akbar (ra) or to the section in the Ommayyad Mosque where the Ras Mubarik of Imam Hassan (as) was placed, was to open the Quran to a random page and read the two that faced me, side by side. I don’t know when I starting doing that. I had never done it anywhere else before. Translating the Tafseer e Jilani for two years now had created a nisbat, an association, for me with the Divine Book. If I didn’t read it I missed it.
I would take a picture of the pages for safe-keeping. Before I opened the Quran, I would also recite a prayer. It was the prayer I had learnt for when one did an istakhara, asking a question from the Quran for guidance in a state of confusion. The prayer was the same but I didn’t move to the 7th page and the 7th verse to seek any answer. Still each time it felt like I was being told something. When nine times out of 10, one similarity started to appear in the text I was taken aback.
Shaitaan and Me
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Said the Messenger of Allah (salutations and greetings upon made the Imam of mercy by His Lord),
“The world is a prison for the believer.”
Al Fath Ar Rabbani: “The world is a prison for the Mo’min. Thus when he will forget that prison, only then will he gain freedom for it.”
The common denominator had become a reference to Shaitaan. To him not bowing, to him refusing Allah’s Command, to him being the only one going against His Order to prostrate before the Prophet Adam (as) when all the angels submitted to it. I had heard in a lecture once that Hazrat Gibrael (as) who was chosen as the Arch Angel and the one who brought the revelations to all the Messengers, that was his jaza, reward, for having been the first one to fulfill that Divine Command.
The text reappearing was along these lines and therefore naturally disturbing:
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَیۡرࣱ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِی مِن نَّارࣲ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِینࣲ
Allah said, "What prevented you that you didn’t prostrate when I commanded you?"
Shaitaan said, "I am better than him.
You created me from fire and You created him from clay."
Surah Al Araaf, Verse 12
I ended up calling Qari Sahib from there. He sent me the tafseer of Ghaus Pak (ra) and we read it. On my return to Lahore, it was the first verse we translated.
Tafseer e Jilani
Qala: Allah Subhanahu said, revealing what was always true in His Knowledge and which was being hidden by Iblis, his wicked nature…
Ma mana’ka: what prevented you O Iblis…
Alla tasjuda: that you didn’t prostrate before My Khalifa, Vice-Regent…
Id amartuka: when I commanded you with your companions (the angels)?
Qala: Iblis replied in his answer in accordance with his false essence and corrupt desires…
Ana khairun minhu: I am better than him and superior.
Khalaqtani min naar: You created me from fire, lit…
Wa khalaqtahu min teen: and you created him from clay, dark, dirty. And it is not good to humiliate the superior before the one made worthy (just a little while ago).
The same notion had appeared in another verse as well. The meaning, as I discovered, had an entirely different implication. Hence it made me realize something I had never thought as a possibility for myself. Even though it’s the trap that most of us, supposedly seeking to better ourselves, fall in.
A trap entered precisely because of “goodness.”
قَالَ یَـٰۤإِبۡلِیسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِیَدَیَّۖ
أَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَالِی
He said, "O Iblis! What prevented you from prostrating before the one whom I created with My Hands?
Are you too arrogant or are you of the exalted ones?"
He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and You created him from clay."
Surah Sad, Verse 76
Tafseer e Jilani
Then when at the time Iblis refused his, the Prophet Adam’s (as) obedience and his honouring, even though the Command came from Allah and was compulsory…
Qala: He, Subhanahu, said, with anger at him, calling out to him, asking him the reason for his refusal…
Ya Iblis: O Iblis, Al Mustakbir, the one whose desire for pride overcame the Command, the one who turned away from Our Order…
Ma manaka an tasjud: what prevented you for prostrating i.e. what was the thing that stopped you from the prostration of honouring…
Lama khalaqtu bi yadihi: the one who I created by My Hand and to whom I gave form by My Authority in accordance with My Form and with the perfection of My Strength and Control so he could be My Mirror and be able for My Friendship and My Vice-regency?
Astakbarta: Did you desire to become arrogant against the obedience of Our Command and following Our Order…
Am kunta: or you considered yourself…
Min A’lieen: of the exalted ones, Al Mutafawwaqeena, the ones made higher than you, so much so that your nafs, egoistic self, has made you such that you cannot surrender before Allah and be obedient to Him?
Here Qari Sahib paused to point out two things. One, understanding the verb astakbara. Form 7. It wasn’t just pride. It was a false sense of pride that didn’t even exist in reality. It was a farce and a façade. It was in fact a delusion of pride. The arrogant person thought they were better than others and it was a false belief. For indeed in every case, they weren’t better.
Two, the question was being posed in multiple choice. Are you in an assumed state of arrogance? Or do you think you belong to the ones that I, Subhanahu, have chosen as the exalted? The difference was tremendous and I feared Iblis’ answer.
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَیۡرࣱ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِی مِن نَّارࣲ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِینࣲ
He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and You created him from clay."
Surah Sad, Verse 76
Tafseer e Jilani
And after the accursed one heard this from Subhanahu, such an address, consisting of all kinds of wrath…
Qala: he said, the accursed one, after choosing the second option for the refusal…
Ana khairun minhu: I am better than him in form and physical element because…
Khalaqtani: You created me by the Perfection of Your Authority…
Min naar: from fire and it is the better particle and it is higher in value and place…
Wa khalaqtahu min teen: and You created him from clay and it is the lower particle and it is not valuable and it is of a lower place. And the command of prostration for the higher and better before the lower and worthless is not suitable and not according to Your Solid Wisdom.
In Damascus I couldn’t wholly ignore the repeat appearances of the mention of Shaitaan but I did forget about them. Once back home I was forced to consider the nightmarish possibility; Could Iblis and I have something in common? I always thought he was the misguider, I the misguided. He was the perpetrator, I was the victim. How could we be the same?
The answer started to come slowly. In Sham I was all alone.
Life was blissful. When I reached Lahore, I had to start meeting others. The humans! This time though I became acutely aware of the push and the pull and what was governing them. Feelings of affection for them caused me to reach out and search for them. The pull. If I found them to be absent, my disappointment turned into heartache leaving me wishing I would never see them again. The push!
In neither scenario did I even say or do anything outright in terms of expressing myself to the other. The whole thing was happening in my head but unlike Damascus, the feelings invoked were not neutral. They were undeniably sharp.
I had started re-reading Ghaus Pak’s (ra) sermons. He explained where my hypocrisy lay thus bringing the matter away from the “other” and squarely back upon my own self.
The Nafs Mutma’inna
رَبَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَآ ۖ
إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
"Our Lord Perfect for us our light and grant forgiveness to us.
Indeed, You are over every thing All-Powerful."
Surah At Tahreem , Verse 8
Tafseer e Jilani
Then when the people of faith who have different kind of noor, light, according to what is clear and what is hidden depending upon their deeds and their natural capabilities…
Yaquloona: they say, calling out in prayer…
Rabbana: O Our Lord who raised us upon guidance and consciousness!
Atmim lana noorana: Perfect for us our light by gracing us and by bestowing additional favour upon us…
Waghfir lana: and forgive us our sins i.e. hide our selves from the flaws that our eyes will see (of our own selves so we don’t see them).
Innaka: Indeed, you, according to Your Generosity…
Ala kulle shay’an Qadeer: over everything, which enters in the encompassing of Your Great Knowledge and Your Will…
The words in Al Fath Ar Rabbani applied to me in the context of my living life alone, cut off from the world in a mainstream sense. Hours of each day passed with two teachers. One for study, the other for play. I went to see my Aunt in the afternoon. My day started around 8am and ended close to 4pm. That was it. I hardly saw anyone else.
Hence I was under the illusion that my hermit-like life was rendering me zuhd, spiritual detachment, from the world. I was about to find out that it was not.
Al Fath Ar Rabbani:
“Your seclusion is not correct because seclusion has to be empty of everything as far as the qalb, the heart within the heart, is concerned. The batin, the inner self, Allah’s Secret within you, has to be empty so that it can be free, without the world and the Hereafter and nothing except Allah Al Haqq Azzo Jal.
And this has been the only way for the Prophets and Messengers and the Auliya, the Friends of God and the Saliheen, the ones who try to reform themselves, from before. Persuading towards good deeds and stopping people from what is forbidden is better than a thousand worshippers in seclusion.
Lower the gaze of the eyes of your nafs, the base self, control it and make it return so this eye does not become the reason for its destruction. Until the time that the nafs becomes obedient to the qalb, the station of Divine Recognition and the batin, surrendering in unity to the two, not disobeying their instructions and agreeing with them and there should not be any difference between it and them.
The nafs should command what they command and forbid what they both forbid and choose what they chose. So at that point then, the nafs becomes Mutmainna, contented, and in agreement upon a single requirement and a single goal. When the nafs reaches this state, then it becomes deserving of some relief from its striving.
So don’t find fault with Allah about what He decides…”
I read each word carefully and I read the paragraphs again and again. My self-proclaimed zuhd was a lie. I got that. But it was another line that captivated me. My Master had revealed what would allow for “relief in the striving” for the nafs. It would come from an alignment with the qalb and the batin. The cherry on the cake that he had thrown on so casually was in fact an extraordinary revelation:
An ordinary person, could in moments, in this world, and not just in the Hereafter or on the Day of Judgement, but in this world, feel what it is like for the nafs to be Mutma’inna. The third and most exalted state of the nafs, one that I had learnt only the Prophets and the Friends of God were in. My revolting nafs could also be Mutma’inna!
That is when I realized why Damascus was in reality Paradise. Why I felt a state of elation there that never subsided. Not for a split second. I never felt tired, there was no exhaustion. In that land called Sham, my nafs would naturally and effortlessly become perfectly aligned with my qalb and batin. Hence, I didn’t read. There was no need. The reading was a seeking. I had already arrived! I barely prayed. There is no sala’t in Paradise. I just walked in streets all day long, listening to house pounding in my head, feeding the hungry.
At the shrines I would just look at people and stare at the walls and ceilings, reading the ahadith and verses written on them. I gave money to whoever I could. It was the exact opposite experience of ritualistic worship that occupied me in any other place I visited. No wonder I couldn’t get enough of it. Barely would I be checking out of the hotel that I would be planning my return.
It was no coincidence that dome after venerate dome had the verse inscribed in them that attested to my state.
یَـٰۤأَیَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفۡسُ ٱلۡمُطۡمَىِٕنَّةُ
"O soul! who is satisfied,
ٱرۡجِعِیۤ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِیَةࣰ مَّرۡضِیَّةࣰ
Return to your Lord well pleased, and pleasing.
Surah Al Fajr, Verse 89-90
Tafseer e Jilani
Then pointed Subhanahu towards the beautiful states of the people of bestowing and blessings on the Day i.e. the Mo’mineen, the believers who are the Mu’qineen, those who possess inner certainty, who collect the provisions from this world for the Hereafter and are attributed with taqwa, the mindfulness of Allah.
And they did not go against the Command of their Lord their whole lives and did not follow their desires and they remained steadfast and they purified their nafs, selves, by what happened to them from the Commands of the Divine.
And overall they were never restless in happiness or in adversity and they did not care about difficulty or ease so then on that Day it will be said to them:
Ya ayyatuhan nafsu mutmainna: O contented self, which is set upon, steadfast on the station of Raza, the Pleasure of Allah and tasleem, surrender to Him…
Irja’i ila Rabbik: return to your Lord and ascend upon the way which you came down from…
Radiyatan: contented, being characterized by pleasure the way you were pleased upon Allah’s Commands in the life in this world…
Mardiyatan: well pleased, accepted, most honoured in the sight of Allah.
And after that you returned to this mentioned way…
Fadkhuli fi: then enter in the group…
I’badi: of My Servants who reached towards the Kunf Jawari, My Enclosure and Protection and were able to attain the Maqad Sidqin, the Seat of Special Nearness to the Sovereign Lord of Truth. And overall:
Udkhuli Jannati: Enter My Heaven i.e. the Paradise of My One-ness and rest in the seclusion of the Lahoot, the Realm of Nur, Divine Light.
Prayer by Ghaus Pak (ra): May Allah make us of the ones addressed by this address, this address which is pure. Indeed, He is Al Mulhim, the One who is the Only Inspirer, towards good and He has the Best Abode.
Al Mulhim!
A month later, the Quran itself attested to Damascus being the place where the possibility of that nafs existed and was promised. For it was where Allah Subhanahu sent His Khaleel, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) when he was exiled from his family, his clan, his country. When he was all alone, the only believer on Earth.
The verse was a personal favourite. I had loved reciting it in Mecca when I walked from the hotel to the haram. I looked it up recently only because I was curious about what the tafseer of yahdeeni, My Lord, He will guide me, was. The last thing I expected was what it revealed.
وَقَالَ إِنِّی ذَاهِبٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّی سَیَهۡدِینِ
And he said, "Indeed, I am going to my Lord, He will guide me.
Surah As Saffat, Verse 99
Tafseer e Jilani
And after he left, His Close Friend, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) (the blessings of Ar Rahman upon him and His Salam), when he chose exile and exit from them by the Inspiration and Revelation of Allah upon him…
Wa: so that is why…
Qala: he declared when he left…
Inni dahibun illa Rabbi: indeed, I am going to my Lord and towards His Kunf, Guardianship, His Protection and His Jawar, Safeguarding and his Expansive Mercy…
Sayahdini: so He guides me by His Lutf, Kindness, towards the place that makes it possible for me to focus on Him in it and where my heart will feel contentment so he went to Sham by the inspiration of Allah to him and he made his home in that place Al Muqadissa, pure.
When I was translating the tafseer of the verse and the word Sham appeared, I had looked up at Qari Sahib with astonishment unprecedented. Then I had gotten up from my chair and gone down in sajda on the floor. Damascus was where the heart felt contentment and where Allah Subhanahu inspired His Beloved Servant to go and that is where he was promised focus on Him. Effortlessly!
Subhan Allah times a billion doesn’t cut it in terms of how the verse makes me feel in terms of boundless joy!
It is what made me start paying close attention to what my nafs was doing in Lahore. I discovered that it listened to the qalb and batin at least, thank Heavens. Probably just staring at them. Previously it would sprint in the other direction before they could get a word out. Maybe it was deaf and didn’t even hear their call. Maybe it was blind so it didn’t even see them.
For eons before that, I’m certain it forgot they even existed.
But I knew one thing with certainty. I was no longer turning my back to them. If I didn’t move towards them, I didn’t move away either. Lucky for me they possessed the Attributes of the Divine. They were Sabir, patient and Lateef, subtle, Barr, kind and Haleem, extremely sensitive and understanding of the state of the other, not hasty to punish.
And yet for most of my life, my nafs had turned its back to them!
The Ones who know their Lord
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ
Said the Messenger of Allah (salutations and greetings upon him and his family who are the key to blessings from their Lord),
“The world is a prison for the believer.”
“The world is a prison for the Mo’min. Thus when he will forget that prison, only then will he gain freedom for it.”
Those who attain to faith are in that prison (of the world) while those who gain Ma’rifa, Recognition of Allah Subhanahu, are in a state of intoxication.
Therefore they are entirely unaware of that prison because indeed, their Lord has made them sip the Drink of His Love for Him, and the Drink of His Affection for Him, and the Drink of His Desire for Him and the Drink of obliviousness from Creation and they are only mindful of Him so they became detached from the prison and its inmates.”
Ghaus Pak (ra)
The qalb and the batin, they were like the Arif, the one who knows his Lord. He is different from the Mo’min. He only believes in Him.
Al Fath Ar Rabbani:
“It is narrated by some Friends of Allah who say, ‘No one laughs at the Fasiq, the defiantly disobedient, except the Arif.’
Yes it is true, the Arif enjoins towards goodness and forbids evil and bears his pain and no one has power to do this except the Arifoon of Allah Azzo Jal, where as the Zahid, the ones detached from the world and its occupants and Ubaad, the worshippers and Muridoon, the followers, cannot do this – (they cannot) enjoin towards goodness, forbid the evil and (they cannot) bear the pain of the Fasiq, the one who sins openly.”
I paused. The Zahid and Abid and Mureed were all highly evolved states. But in any given point, they could lose their patience and temper with the Fasiq. They could be judgemental and vengeful. I was about to be told why. It was related to deficiency in akhlaq!
“And why would they not have mercy on the disobedient when they are in actual, upon the place of rahma, mercy and the station of tauba, repentance and uzr, pardon (so they are able to accept that repentance and pardon them).
The Arif, his akhlaq, manners, are the Ettiquettes of Allah Azzo Jal so the Arif strives in freeing the neck of the sinner from the grip of Satan and his nafs and desires. When one of you sees their child imprisoned in the hand of the kafir, the denier of truth, does he not struggle to free him? Such is the Arif.
All of Creation is like a family of children. The Arif addresses them by a tongue full of wisdom…”
Then Ghaus Pak (ra) quoted the following verse and I translated his tafseer of it:
ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ
Call to the Way of your Lord with the wisdom and the instruction that is beautiful.
Surah An Nahl, Verse 125
Tafseer e Jilani
Then pointed Allah Subhanahu towards the perfecting of honouring His Beloved (salutations of peace be upon the one given the highest station by his Lord) and the majesty of his rank and the discipline of his etiquette and completing his wisdom and Messengerhood and and making for everyone his kindness and his mercy as the gathering of kindness for all and sufficient for all Creation because he is sent in totality as mercy, Rahma, and he is the seal of the Prophethood and Messengerhood and the completer of the matter of religion and its perfection because the reason behind making the religion and the descent of the Books of Revelation and sending the Messengers, it is only to manifest his rank and his station, which is the inviting to the Essence of Tauheed, Tauheed Az Zaati.
And when this becomes clear, the Essence of One-ness, Tauheed e Zaati, is completed and perfected, so that’s why He revealed the verse in his honour, ٱلۡیَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِینَكُمۡ, Today I have perfected your religion for you, Surah Al Maidah - Verse 3 and this is almost the last verse revealed in the Quran and Nabi Kareem (peace be upon him and his family) said: بُعِثْتُ لِاُتَمِّمَ مَکَارِمَ الْاَخْلَاق “I have been sent to perfect good character.”
So Subhanahu said addressing him giving him a special rank close to Him and honouring him:
Udu’: Call, Ya Akmal Ar Rusul, O Messenger who perfects the Messengers (salutations and greetings upon your ranks and the ranks bestowed upon your blessed family by your Lord)…
Ila sabeeli Rabbika: to the Way of your Lord i.e. towards the Way of the Tauheed, the One-ness of your Lord, who instructed you to the ascension of His Blessings and guided you to the perfection of His Dignity, (call) all Creation and all worshippers…
Bil hikmati: with wisdom, utmost which is for their hearts which are hard from following, (the following) which is inherited and unchanging for them from their previous generations,
1.(it is a wisdom) which cleanses their selves from the conceited stubbornness of egoism of ignorance lodged in them,
2.which (that wisdom) will empty them from the idea of fully controlling (others) and overpowering them,
3. (it will remove) the ignorance which invokes in them different kinds of symptoms of the nafs, ego, layered in them from their being human,
4.(this wisdom) removes all kinds of doubts and imaginations that arise from the (everyday) sources of our routines,
5. (a wisdom) convincing and suitable for the real nature which Mankind has been set upon the hope that they will consider and become aware of the demands of their foundation and nature…
Wal mauwadatil hasana: and (call all Creation and all worshippers) with a refined exaltation which they have inherited to awaken them from the nodding off of heedlessness and the sleep of forgetfulness.
The outcome for them (from this wisdom and refined exaltation) is love and bliss towards their Lord who gave them origin and created them.
1.It propels them towards the tastes of spirituality everlasting and forever, continuing eternally without disappearance and disconnect,
2.making them feel repelled from that which is upon them as disability
3.and (repelled from) the shackles of incapacity which have the taste of paranoia, vanishing and ending, resulting in different kinds of sufferings and sadness and regret.
Al Fath Ar Rabbani (cont’d):
… All of Creation is like a family of children. The Arif addresses them by a tongue full of wisdom, then has mercy upon them because they are informed of certain knowledge so he sees the work of Allah Al Haqq Azzol Jal in them. He sees through the door of wisdom and knowledge, how destiny and fate are unfolding, but he keeps it hidden.
The Arif talks to them, Creation, with wisdom which is what is either commanded (by Allah Azzo Jal) and (what is) forbidden. He does not mention the knowledge because it is a secret.”
I had never before read the qualities of the Arif. My heart ached with the envy that they possessed softness and mercy at all times for all people, regardless of why they were and what they did. 24/7 – only kindness emerged from them.
The reasons were two: One, their manners and character were perfect, perfected for them by their Lord, for they were set upon His Own Akhlaq. That standard was first bestowed to His Beloved (salutations and greetings upon his blessed being and his family by The One who gives them the highest rank in Creation). Two, they could see the destiny of the person, where they were going to crash and why they were going to burn.
Subhan Allah!
All I felt was ill-will in the false imaginings that were the root of possibilities. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
Continued on: www.flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/52652388955/in/datepos...
Hello to my new friends!! I'm Alanna Jane from Alberta, Canada. I signed up to our new year-long journey late and really just started getting my selfies going yesterday. Hopefully I get the chance to catch up on most of the prompts this weekend ;))
Just a placeholder pic so I can post some words
So fits Show But Tell series perfectly.
If you stumbled upon these words you may want to swim downstream to yesterday's post first to see what it is all about.
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Sorry seems to be the hardest word
This Elton/Bernie classic hits the nail on the head. Elton and Berny may just as well be Russian. Let me explain.
There is no way of saying "I am sorry" in Russian. I am talking about apologetic I-stuffed-up sorry, I am talking about compassionate I-am-sorry-your-beloved-pet-died sorry.
Before you go all "don't be silly, there surely must be a way ... " on me hear me out. I am well qualified to make such a bold statement.
I have an acute sense of my mother tongue as well as a pretty good grasp of English. Both languages happily cohabitate in my brain splitting the rent bill.
I have had my fair share of arguments and fights resulting in me having to say " I am sorry". The argument may well start in Russian and ramble along in Russian just fine for a bit but would inevitably get infused with English words, more and more so as I keep arguing. Russian gives up when I need simple words describing actual feelings, words naming feelings that don't sound pompous or out of place in an actual argument with your actual sparring partner.
"Russian language lacking words describing feelings?!" you exclaim.
"How about all this famed Russian literature with its famed (infamous?) passions and emotions?!" you exclaim.
Yes, sure, Russian is rich in the literary sense. It is a poet's dream, I imagine. I can only guess not being a poet myself. It churns out metaphors with ease but if you want to fight with your better half in metaphors good luck to you. But that is a bigger conversation for another day, let's just zoom in on being sorry.
So, we have an apologetic "I am sorry" first. You stuffed up and you know it. You've admitted as much. You feel bad that you let yourself down and caused other person emotional or physical (or both) discomfort or distress. You want to tell them just that: I experience feeling of regret for my action that made you feel bad and I want you to know that. You are not (or may not be) asking for forgiveness. You are simply admitting the state of affairs, stating the fact of being the cause of other person's emotional or physical discomfort or distress and feeling bad about it.
In the case of a compassionate "I am sorry" we move to a less contentious, but no less traumatic for the recipient of our "sorry", case of a beloved pet being dead. Let's make it a parrot to lighten things up. Then again apologies to all parrot owners, no attempt meant to demean the fine bird.
In this case, obviously, there is no blame to apportion, no guilt to admit. It is a pure case of "I see that you find yourself in a circumstance that causes you emotional or physical discomfort or distress and I wish to express to you that I wish you were not in such a state and I feel bad for you feeling bad". That is to say - "I am sorry".
Now, take my word for it, there is no way of expressing either of these "Iamsorries" " in Russian.
Here's the list of options Russians have to play with in the situations of "I screwed up and I regret having done that" and "I feel for you because your beloved pet parrot is dead". A few more variations on the listed options are available but they don't add anything new.
прости(те) меня = forgive me; admission of guilt, it is an imperative same as the offered English translations
извини(те) = excuse me, forgive me; same as the first one with a lighter touch, less dramatic, stuff up is not as monumental as the first one suggests, "sorry I stepped on your foot" rather than "sorry I betrayed your trust" type of sorry
прошу прощения = I apologize / literally "I am asking for your forgiveness"
я сожалею, что ... = I regret, that ...
мне жаль = the only (?) , the closest (?) match to dead parrot "I am sorry", BUT I can't see myself using it in actual dead parrot dialog. It just is not right. Maybe in a bad movie dialog not in real life. It is just too pompous for real life. When it comes down to actual real people speaking it is NO good.
All these Russian Iamsorries are dislocated English equivalents. They depict a different mental map. People saying what seems to be "I am sorry" in Russian are not saying what English "I am sorry" means. Not exactly.
English apologetic "I am sorry" is self-sufficient, or it can be. It may hope for a sign of forgiveness in response but it doesn't rely upon it and may not be expecting it.
Russian apology is either asking for forgiveness in return or simply stating the admission of guilt forgetting minor detail of feeling bad about what you've done. Russian apologetic "sorry" is about settling a score, determining a guilty party, getting out of a conflict.
English apologetic "I am sorry" is confessional, Russian "I am sorry" is driven by self-interest be it self-interest in disguise.
English compassionate "I am sorry" can and often is directed to the person you feel sorry for, it is a direct, first-person "I am sorry" as much as indirect, the third-person one.
- My beloved parrot is dead!
- Oh I am so sorry, dear!
or
- You heard about Jim's parrot? The poor thing is dead!
- Oh I am so sorry! Jim loved his parrot so much!
Russian compassionate "I am sorry" can't escape third-person limits without becoming useless.
" I am so sorry to hear his beloved parrot is dead!" produces passable "Мне очень жаль, что его любимый попугай умер!"
But the minute you are face to face with the bereaved parrotless friend:
"Mate! My beloved parrot is dead! " - you have no repost to this one without sliding into pompous, "noby-would-ever-say-this-in-real-life" sorry lookalike.
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If you think all this sound a bit weird how about inability to translate
"Are you excited about Christmas?" into Russian?
Compassionate Leaders project student participants from School District 79 (Cowichan Valley) mark Youth Action Day on April 22 at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre in Duncan. The skill-building project received a $42,000 grant from provincial civil forfeiture proceeds.
Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, Australia...
This evening was opening night for Driving Miss Daisy at the Theatre Royal in King Street, Sydney.
A timeless American play, which inspired the beloved Academy Award®- winning film, Driving Miss Daisy tells the affecting story of the decades-long relationship between an elderly Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her compassionate African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. Their iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship has warmed the hearts of millions worldwide.
Promo...
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
The stage will light up, with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
Limited season from 1 - 31 March
The Theatre Royal stage will light up with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. Also starring four-time Tony Award® winner BOYD GAINES, David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Reviews...
Stage Whispers - 10/02/13
“...a trilogy of perfection”
Aussie Theatre – 11/02/13
“...a once in a life-time opportunity to see two of the worlds’ greatest theatre legends on stage in Australia”
Theatre People – 11/02/13
“...nothing less than the most superb piece of acting”
“...timeless star quality, attentiveness, awe-inspiring craftsmanship” “...warm, honestly funny, sincere, composed, poised and utterly astounding”
The Australian – 11/02/13
“...every person in the theatre was on their feet, some with tears in their eyes”
Courier Mail – 12/02/13
“This production of Driving Miss Daisy is a theatrical masterpiece that those who are fortunate enough to see will never forget.” “A spine-tingling piece of theatre”
“They take what is already a warm, funny, engaging and compelling piece of theatre and turn it into something truly magnificent.”
Special Guests: The Member for Wentworth and Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband Malcolm Turnbull (Angela Lansbury’s cousin) with Lucy Turnbull and their daughter Daisy; Bronwyn Bishop MP; ABC TV’s Margaret Pomeranz; Kerri-Anne Kennerley; Channel 7 newsreaders Chris Bath, Mark Ferguson and Anne Sanders; Channel 9 newsreader Deborah Knight; actors Tom Burlinson, Mitchell Butel, Gigi Edgley, David Harris, Amanda Harrison, Nancye Hayes, Erika Heynatz, Jay Laga'aia, Steve Le Marquand, Todd McKenney, Sharon Millerchip, Ben Mingay, Tara Morice, Amanda Muggleton, Lola Nixon, Peter Phelps and Ian Stenlake; choreographer Kelley Abbey; radio announcers Stuart Bocking, Tony Delroy, Rob Duckworth, Brendan “Jonesy” Jones, Dominic Knight, Simon Marnie and Jason Morrison; theatre producer James Thane; along with Driving Miss Daisy playwright Alfred Uhry, Broadway producer Adam Zotovich and Australian producer John Frost, amongst others.
Websites
Driving Miss Daisy - Daisy On Stage (Australia)
Daisy On Broadway
Theatre Royal
LAgo brand, USA | INDISPENSABLE (Art by the oz.)
Opens: May 26, 2012 | 8-11pm
On view: May 26 - June 9, 2012
Known Gallery
441 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@knowngallery.com
LEGOLIZE IT!
LOS ANGELES, CA. May 10, 2012. In compassionate compliance with CA Proposition 215, the LAgo brand, in a landmark partnership with The Seventh Letter and Known Gallery Worldwide, is stoked to announce the Grand Opening of the inaugural LAgo brand Collective - "INDISPENSABLE: Art by the ounce." (Compassionate Care Clinic and Fine Art Dispensary). (cough.)
In the wake of increasing raids on Medical Marijuana dispensaries by local, state and federal drug enforcement agencies, the LAgo brand's brand-new, flagship storefront is set to open on May 26, 2012 at Known Gallery located at 441 North Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. The LAgo brand, as a perpetual "harvest" of healing power, has been especially commodified to meet the addictions of anyone who has ever wanted to experience the transaction of purchasing medical marijuana - or fine art - at a legal business organization.
Synthetic starter-plants, seedlings, clones, and a totally huge selection of intoxicating, fake plastic buds- all built with LEGO bricks to resemble some of the finest strains of medicinal marijuana ever grown will be on display and available for limited purchase. (cough.)
NO "SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION" NECESSARY! THERE'S NOT A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE! NO MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID CARD? NO PROBLEM, MON!
*WARNING: ART NOT FOR ACTUAL SMOKING...CHOKING HAZARD UNDER 3 YEARS OF AGE* (cough..)
“This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life” ―David Foster Wallace, 2009
“Because here's something else that's weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship--be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles--is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.
Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they're evil or sinful, it's that they're unconscious. They are default settings.
They're the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that's what you're doing.”
compassionate smile give one's unlimited power.
(It's a Spring Festival customs to paste the spring word reverse on the walls or doors in Taiwan.)
註：這張祝福卡是春節時製作的，沒想到獲得不少人的好評…
尤其是小沙彌娃娃兩手合十祝福的模樣…
這讓我有了信心與動力繼續做其他的小沙彌娃娃祝福卡…
A truly thoughtful, compassionate, loving, creative, intelligent, funny woman. Doctor - both alopathic and homeopathic - mother, daughter, wife, friend, humanitarian, artist, crafter, Janine brings the light wherever she goes. She truly is one of life's light-bringers and one of the most special women I know. There are many stories to tell about Janine but the one that still sums her up the best for me is this one: my mother was dying in the hospice and the sister in charge thought it might be good to have Janine look at her. It was a Sunday late afternoon and I was reluctant to phone. However Janine came immediately, took one look at Tom and me and said "tea?". Then went off to make it for us.
House of Commons, Feb 3rd, 2022 Ottawa Canada - Trudeau and Singh quickly take sides, make judgements, and immediately express personal opinions in Question Period as they label the truckers freedom protest as hate ? Being that both Government Leaders are proclaiming this Protest to be hate,, then if Bill C-63 had been enacted at this time then all participants in this protest could be subject to a maximum criminal sentence of life in prison ..
It had been the very first weekend of the new Truckers' freedom protest now forming on Parliament Hill. But this time it's different ? This civil protest brings an immediate reaction from the 2 Leaders in Parliament ? Such a quick reaction and immediate taking of sides is unlike those taken in previous protests like the BLM rioting, the string of Christian Church burnings, the lawless vandalism of historic artifacts and statues, and the First nation pipeline and railway blockades ? There was no such judgement given nor any such condemnation voiced nor any taking of sides, nor was there even any official statements issued for weeks ?
Feb 3rd, 2022 Ottawa Canada - While the trucks, the truckers and Ottawa citizens were gathering on Parliament Hill to begin the freedom convoy protest,, And after the violence, the damage to public property, and the criminal acts perpetrated last Spring and Summer during the BLM protests, and after arsonists had burned, or damaged over 100 historic Canadian Christian Churches in hate and arson crimes committed in and around the time of 2021 Canada Day celebrations, And after violent mobs tore down and mutilated historic statues in Cities all across Canada, And also after the intense and volatile confrontations with First Nations over both past and present issues that saw the throwing of fire at moving trains, rumor's of on-site military-style assault weapons, and the lengthy occupation and blockade of pipelines, roads and railways, and then after Trudeau and Singh had waited weeks before commenting on these violent protests and then when finally making a statement, doing so in a delicate, careful, diplomatic and conciliatory tone while never taking sides, this time both the NDP leader and the Liberal leader are eager to quickly jump right in and immediately take sides before voicing harsh personal judgments ?
House of Commons Question Period - Feb 3rd, 2022 - After Trudeau and Singh waited for a relatively lengthy period of time before even commenting or issuing official statements on the violence and property damage that took place during the many lawless protests last year, and when finally officially recognizing and then when issuing their comments doing so in a diplomatic, soft, understanding, compassionate and keep-the-peace conciliatory way using terms such as : 'meaningful negotiations are needed" or " we must continue working to move forward', or, 'we must all work together', or, 'this behavior is inappropriate ', or ' this is unacceptable but understandable when considering past treatment', or, 'we're all in this together', or 'we must focus on inclusion reconciliation and diversity', and then after a horrific racial incident that took place down in the United States, to bend and go down on knees to publicly show respect and support for the BLM protesters, and to then show further support by granting hundreds of millions in business loans in Toronto to support the black Canadian community, and then also, after refusing to celebrate Canada Day as historic Christian Churches were being burnt to the ground by arson, it seems that Trudeau and Singh don't hesitate this time to instantly condemn the truckers on the very first days of the protest ? And this time both leaders are quick to express their personal opinions using strong negative descriptions such as : 'hate', "occupation', 'terrorism', 'vandalism', 'stealing food from a food bank', 'desecrating historic statues', 'dishonoring Terry Fox and the war heroes', 'flying hate flags', 'spreading hate ' etc etc, , ( and this is just the first few days of the protest )
10 days later,,
Feb 13 th 2022 - the Ambassador Bridge, Windsor Ontario - Police successfully clear the Ambassador bridge to traffic,, this week-long protest and sometimes total blockage is over. The Canada Border Services Agency says the Ambassador Bridge border crossing between Windsor, Ont. and Detroit reopened late Sunday Feb 13th.
Feb 14th, 2022 - Coutts Alberta - Arrests are made and Protesters are dispersed without incident on Feb. 14, and traffic is moving again. That same day, the federal government also invoked the Emergencies Act but Coutts Mayor Willett said it didn’t have much impact, saying he believed local police action was responsible for dissipating the blockade.
Feb 14, 2022 (Valentine's Day) - THE EMERGENCY MEASURES ACT - Although Trudeau's closest security advisors Jody Thomas National Security and Intelligence, Minister of Safety Marco Mendicino, and Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair , are all fully aware that the bridges have been cleared without incident by local forces , Trudeau invokes the never before used last hope nuclear option Emergency Measures Act for the first time ever in Canada .
Feb 19, 2022, Saturday - The truckers (and everyone else) are cleared off the property by a large Police riot squad and a massive heavily-armed military force. Thankfully no one was injured. It's the End of the Truckers Protest .. The peaceful sociable love in, the speakers corner and the nightly music dancing street party atmosphere on the Hill are also over.. Everyone has left and gone home - goodbye and good luck to all.
Feb 21st, 2002 House of Commons ,, Ottawa Ontario
" Yawn,, It's been a long protest and the MP's are feeling a bit tired tonight,, why not just take a quick vote,, end Canada's democracy, make the P.M. a supreme ruler., and then we can all go home ? "
Feb 21st, 2002 - The Ambassador bridge and Coutts border crossing are clear and open to traffic once again Both were actually already cleared even before Trudeau initiated the start of The wartime Emergency Measures Act ? Two days ago a rather large contingent of extra heavily-armed riot police and a well equipped military force that had vastly outnumbered the few remaining civilian pedestrian protesters had little trouble in persuading them all that the time had come to exit the Hill and to just go back home, NOW ! And so everyone had left this past week-end without incident. A few of the remaining incapacitated trucks had to be towed but those able just voluntarily packed up and left peacefully on their own accord. The 3 week trucker's freedom protest was over and the nightly Parliamentary Hill love-in, hot dog roast, dance party and guest speeches on the Hill are no more. However, although the drastic wartime Emergency Measures Act may never have been necessary in the first place and is definitely no longer needed now, for some reason the Liberals and the NDP don't want to let it go ? Following the weekend conclusion of the Truckers Protest, for some reason when Parliament resumes on the following week the Liberals make strong claims that there still exists a clear and present danger to the Nation so heinous, extreme, and powerful that it still requires all of the antidemocratic, freedom removing and one-sided extreme policing powers that were allowed under the Emergency Measures Act to remain active, alive and fully enforced upon 36 million Canadian coast to coast to coast ? s-s-s Singh and the NDP argue that the Truckers are racists and internal terrorists full of hate for Canada and willing to use violent means to overthrow the Government, (but they offer no proof or evidence of such a claim ),, and in a convincing speech Kody bull sh@t Blois, MP Kings Hants, says the Truckers have seized and occupy many major Canadian Airports, (but he also offers no proof or evidence of the allegation) ? Trudeau's closest and most trusted security advisors including Marco master manipulator Mendicino Public Safety, Jody the juggler Thomas National Security and Intelligence, and Bill the bullet Blair Emergency Preparedness, who all get their daily briefings and receive more intel than anyone else must be fully aware the bridges were cleared without resistance by the local police and that traffic is once again moving normally ? And surely they must be fully aware by now, that as of now the truckers have all packed up on the weekend and left peacefully, and surely they would also have witnessed the peaceful, amicable, polite and respectful social atmosphere each night across from Parliament while police officers stood around chatting with nothing to do ? But they do not testify to this in Parliament, but instead the 3 most trusted of security advisors to the P.M. continue to encourage and promote an alarming picture of an unparalleled extreme danger to the nation that is so threatening and perilous that it cannot be handled in the normal ways by Canadian law enforcement ? All 3 advisors insist that the entire nation must remain bound under the Emergency Measures Act, however, all 3 offer no proof or evidence of any such danger ? Trudeau himself makes a lengthy, passionate and convincing speech in Parliament voicing his own sincere personal belief of the existence of extreme peril and imminent National danger at the borders, on the bridges, in the cities, on the highways, in the banking system, and at the Airports, (but he also offers no proof or evidence of any of this) ? And so, late in the evening of Feb 21, 2022, 2 days after the end of the protest and after the last protestors were cleared from the Hill this past Saturday, Trudeau, Singh and each and every loyal job-securing NDP Liberal MP's use the Canadian Parliament to end Canada's currently installed democracy and replace it with a totally non-democratic system that is ruled under the dark conditions of the Emergency Measures Act ? This loss of democracy will be imposed on 36 million Canadian citizens for at least a 30-day time period ? And there was only 1 man on the planet that can stop this ?
This had all been accomplished by a handful of civil servants in Ottawa without any consultation, permission, discussion, referendum or vote ever offered to the affected 36 million Canadian citizens ?
You have to wonder how such a monumental decision that means the loss of Canada's currently installed and duly elected democratic system and the loss of rights and freedoms for 36 million Canadians could ever be conducted and decided in such a hasty, careless, confused, frivolous, disrespectful, matter-of-fact and patronizing way, ending with a quick vote based on unproven, hypothetical, exaggerated and one-sided gossip like opinions given in one late night session of Parliament ? And now that the vote to maintain the Emergency Measures Act is passed for 30 days, once this imposition period ends, then this exact same process could quite easily be done all over again by those in power for another 30, and then for another 30, and then another and another, all the way to the next Federal election. Does this not seem to be about as close as you can get to a form of coup d'é·tat ?
Oh my God ! We've just lost our Democracy !
Oh my God ! We just lost Democracy,
And so what started out to be a perfectly legal protest held by the truckers has now escalated into an extremely precarious situation for about 36 million innocent Canadians who have nothing to do with it ? And it looks to them like a handful of nervous people who work across the street from the protest site have been allowed to selfishly snatch a duly elected and installed cherished democratic system away from Canadians, and now 36 million people have been brought under the same dark Governing powers and loss of civil liberties and the special rule of law enforcement and added extreme police powers that can be legally used against the very worst feared and dangerous national security, terrorist, or military threats ? We are none of these ?
How can it be that a few salaried civil servants in Ottawa can take democracy away from 36 million innocent Canadian citizens without even bothering to ask them first ? '
Feb 23, 2022, 08:02 - * International News Update* State of Emergency - the Russia Army has invaded the Ukraine - For a perfectly VALID reason, the Ukraine security council has called for a 30-day nationwide State of Emergency to be invoked after it was invaded by the most powerful military country in the World and were now at War.
What many see as an extremely dangerous and precarious situation is now debated in the Canadian Senate :
Feb 23, 2022 3 P.M. The Senate is now well into day 3 of a heated debate with all Liberal, NDP and independent Senators speaking highly in favor of the recent passing of a 30-day cessation to Canada's normal democratic rule. Suddenly these deliberations are interrupted right in the middle of Senator Plett's speech and everyone present is caught totally off guard and absolutely stunned by the unexpected announcement that the PM has announced over his CBC that he is going to revoke the Act rather than continue to impose this new form of Governance recently enacted in Parliament ?
And so, what some Canadians viewed as the kidnapping of a Country and the holding of that Country hostage until such time as the kidnapper chose to release his kidnapped Country back to its rightful owners, appears to be over ? And one of the darkest periods in our history, where all normal democratic rule in Canada was lost after a single hasty late night debate that appeared based mainly on gossip, false hypothetical, imaginary and made-up scenarios with no evidence offered, social media hype, presentations of the 'what if' or 'what might be possible' scenarios, along with some personal paranoia after some voting members may have felt the influence of posturing or coercion ?
Many accusations were made against the truckers that included : Conducting a siege and takeover, occupation of the city of Ottawa, internal terrorism, promoting terrorism, displaying Nazi and Rebel hate flags, hate and the spreading of hate, foreign espionage, international smuggling, possession of contraband including firearms hidden in trucks, sponsoring a white only protest, stealing from a food bank, the illegal occupation of first nations territory, desecrating honorary historic Canadian statues, dishonoring wartime veterans, disrespecting Terry Fox when placing LBGQT flags on his statue, the seizing, takeover and occupation of Canadian Airports, blocking bridges and border crossings, threatening international trade, lowering the GDP, heavy losses on the stock market, forcing many Ottawa businesses into financial ruin, internal and external money laundering, conspiracy to plan and to execute a violent attack on a sitting Parliament similar to the recent Jan 6th Trump attack on the USA Congress, planning to take over Government, islamaphobia, smoking in public, illegal parking, racism gender-ism and sexism, harassment, violating a local noise ordinance, breaking City fire prevention bylaws, and there was even one unsubstantiated rumor that the Truckers may be in possession of a dirty bomb with plans to incinerate the entire nation of Canada coast to coast to coast ?
whew, that was a close one,, (for now ).
( O Canada, We will always stand on guard for thee..)
.
Feb 28th, Mar 1st 2022 Question Period - As Parliament reconvenes the following week, Liberal members dodge and refuse direct answers to the Opposition questions on this issue,
Apr 25th, 2002 A public inquiry is required by Law to explain the event and the reasoning behind the extreme and drastic measure of enacting a twin brother to the War Measures Act and never ever before-used Emergency Measures Act. This must be done within 60 days of the revocation that took place back on Feb 23, 2002 ? The Government waited until the very last minute to finally do so on April 25th, 2002.
.
relevant news clippings,,
Debate on the Emergencies Act (February 21st, 2022)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzDWQ2a3SEs&t=114s
Emergencies Act regulations ban protests except for Indigenous or refugees .
torontosun.com/news/national/emergencies-act-regulations-....
Jan thru March 2020 , The First Nation cross Canada railway blockades - VIA Rail cancels all service across Canada on Feb 14th, 2020 , CN shuts down network east of Toronto
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpGi4sknSRE&t=50s
Feb 2022 - the Truckers Strike - Singh calls hate and internal terrorism while every sitting NDP member votes to install the Emergency measures Act . www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51864639114/
May 10,2022 - RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki testifies to the Commission that the RCMP had never asked for the Emergencies Act to be invoked,
nationalpost.com/news/politics/rcmp-didnt-ask-for-emergen...
Chrystia Freeland acting PM refuses to answer questions at the inquiry,,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-PFtYb2fDI
Jun 8, 2023, Ottawa Parliament Hill - the LGBTQ2 community flag takes center stage and raised higher than the Canadian red maple leaf flag at an official ceremony led by Marci Ien the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and P.M. Justin Trudeau , www.youtube.com/watch?v=16u4HWY6BWw
Russia-Ukraine crisis: Ukraine security council calls for nationwide state of emergency after invaded by a Superpower :
economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-new...
Trudeau finally announces the Emergencies Measures Act inquiry :
calgaryherald.com/news/canada/trudeau-announces-emergenci...
Ottawa Canada - So many police just standing around every night with nothing to do ? Everyone is friendly sociable and respectful A happy party like atmosphere .. See for yourself on Ottawawalks, war campaign, walkers Reality TV UTube unedited nightly live broadcasts directly from the Parliament hill protest site :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQEjhLX-4n0&list=RDCMUC6hoYJj...
What powers can the Emergencies Act give Trudeau :
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60381096
Trudeau knew about convoy talks but wanted an “emergency” anyway
twitter.com/AndrewLawton/status/1558475567007252481?cxt=H...
Cabinet was told of a possible 'breakthrough' with protesters on the night before but Trudeau refused to listen and he still invoked the Emergencies Act,,
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-cabinet-justin-trudeau-fr...
Ottawa police officer charged for allegedly donating $50 to Freedom Convoy:
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-freedom-convo...
RCMP head told Federal Government that police had not used 'all available tools' hours before the Emergencies Act was invoked :www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lucki-email-emergencies-act-not-...
Canada loses its democracy when an Emergencies Measures Act extension passes in Parliament despite protests fro opposition :
www.foxnews.com/world/canadian-mp-two-canadas-trucking-pr...
"the Emergencies Measures Act order specifically exempts Indians, refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers and ‘protected temporary residents and Ethnic minorities in its ban on protests ’."
yournews.com/2022/02/18/2301822/trudeaus-prohibition-on-p...
Ambassador Bridge reopens after police clear protesters without incident,
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-ambassador-bridge-...
" Let Me Be Clear " Chrystia Freeland non answer to questions pertaining to CBC reporting misinformation on the Protest ?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOfDsN49EXs
Trudeau gives hundreds of millions to the BLM protesters but puts Truckers freedom protesters in jail ? Toronto, Sept 9, 2020 - Participants in a violent BLM protest are rewarded ? Trudeau announces a new Canadian multi-million dollar Liberal Government program specifically aimed for Black Canadians following the American George Floyd racial incident that took place in a different country, "We've heard very clearly from the Black community" ,,
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-black-entrepreneurs-1.57...
Was it Justin Trudeau who picked a fight with the Truckists ?
www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/terry-glavin-it-was-justin-...
Hold The Line: My story from the heart of the Freedom Convoywww.amazon.ca/Hold-Line-story-Freedom-Convoy/dp/199058303...
Chrystia Freeland says Financial institutions have started freezing protesters’ bank accounts based on RCMP information,
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-financial-instit...
Emergencies Measures Act directs financial institutions to cut ties with some people ! What new powers do the banks have under the Emergencies Act ?
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/emergencies-act-banks-ottawa-pro...?
Freeland said at a news conference that without obtaining a court order or fear of being sued Banks are now temporarily allowed to freeze personal and business bank accounts suspected of being used to further the blockades , These measures will also allow police, the Liberal Government agencies and the banks to share “relevant information ?
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-emergencies-act-...
Is Marco Mendicino Canada's master manipulator and minister of misinformation or is he just plain Stupid ? nationalpost.com/opinion/marco-mendicino-canadas-minister...
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Tammy Peterson, and Tamara Lich break down the events leading up to, during, and after the internationally recognized Canadian Freedom Convoy,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm7lLihEKvQ&t=5587s
Church burnings - Justin Trudeau says anger towards the Catholic Church is understandable:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxKMNTMPhhs&t=0s
Sep 04, 2023 Judge-alone trial for Tamara Lich, Chris Barber should last at least 16 days,, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/convoy-leaders-trial-will-s...
On being a White Christian male in Canada ? A Lawyer wonders if heavier sentences are now being imposed on certain Canadian citizens because of their race religion and gender ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4S2H3L-vjU&t=41s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH_Bx_U8odk&t=334s
Caste system Convention ? 2023 NDP National Convention - Can this really be Canada ? NDP appear to be using a caste system, (like the one they have in India) where attendees are given yellow or white tags ? National convention M.C. instructs those who declare themselves as being white and male gender to go to the back of the line ?
'White tags are distributed to anyone identifying themselves as white Christian male and these select individuals are given less priority and must go to the back of the line ? Those identifying as others are given yellow tags, and allowed to go to the front of the line and speak first ?
www.reddit.com/r/CanadianConservative/comments/17a0qh2/ho...
Nov 11, 2023 - Veterans insulted after Canada's Military is ordered by the Liberal Government not to use or recite Christian prayers like the Lords Prayer in Remembrance Day ceremonies ?
www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/gunter-we-will-always-pray-f...
" no end to the Wokeism " "Extremely disrespectful to all Canadians": O' Canada in Punjabi at Jets vs Avalanche leaves NHL fans in awe ? www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/wokeism-has-no-end-extremely...
Freedom Convoy protesters struggling to get seized items back from police :
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/freedom-convoy-protesters-s...
Jan 23, 2024 - Federal court rules that the Emergencie Measures Act invocation was 'not justified' ? Freeland will appeal ?
www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-court-rules-emergencies-a...
Jan 23, 2024 - Federal Court finds Emergencies Measures Act violated the Charter,, globalnews.ca/news/10244673/emergencies-act-convoy-federa...
Aug 3, 2024 - A jury has found the remaining two defendants of the Coutts Four, Tony Olienick and Chris Carbert, not guilty. The men were charged with conspiracy to murder charges as a result of their participation in the non-violent Truckers Freedom Convoy in February 2022, and held in custody ever since and denied bail in spite of no history of violence or criminal records.www.newsweek.com/political-trial-unfolds-canada-coutts-fo...
Sept 5th, 2024 - Trudeau may be stacking the Senate with radical anti-Christian and LGBT activists,
thebridgehead.ca/2024/09/05/trudeau-is-stacking-the-senat...
The 2024 Paris Olympics - For the first time ever, CBC includes gambling in their coverage of Olympic Games ?
It seems that CBC has partnered with Ontario based online Casino BetRivers and running sports parlor betting ads during Olympic events ? Is the inclusion of a Casino or a Sports betting parlor and the running of betting ads appropriate to the principles and high moral standards traditionally exemplified by the Olympic Games ?
frontofficesports.com/ins-and-outs-of-betting-on-paris-ol...
Nov 17th, 2024 - once again CBC snubs the nation binding Grey Cup ?
www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54147303159/in/datepos...
Sept 19, 2007 - The residential Schools full settlement,, The Steven Harper Government apology, agreement and settlement with First Nations over Indian Residential Schools.
www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576/1571581687074
Residential schools. After three years of searching for bodies, at the cost to taxpayers of $216.5 million, not a single set of human remains have been found.
thecatholicherald.com/article/failure-to-find-bodies-ends...
Lost in Space________Episode # 1_______Death to Deniers !
Danger - Will Robinson, Danger !
No one is denying the existence of residential schools. And so why are people like Leah Gazan (NDP) , Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP), Nahanni Fontaine (NDP) and Kimberley Murray (Liberal Government investigator) still so unsatisfied and why are they all arrogantly trying to force personal viewpoints on everyone else ? Why do they want you to think the same way that they think, believe in the same way that they believe, and be forced to accept their ego-driven self motivated, self-centered and self-serving narrative (that they all get paid for) on others as being Gods' truth or else you will be called a hater or a denier and could be sent to jail for up to life in prison ?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZU7NEzs3Gk
Nov 22, 2024 - following a lengthy trial costing millions, accused convoy leader Pat King has been found guilty of 5 charges for his role 3 years ago in the Freedom Convoy Truckers protest ? Nothing yet on the BLM rioters and vigilantes that destroyed and vandalized civic property and historic artifacts, nor, on any of the arsonists that terrorized 20 million Christians when they burned down a total of 40 different historic Churches across Canada, nor, on any of the blockade perpetrators who held the Country hostage for over a Month when they shut down the Nation's Railway ?
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/pat-king-freedom-convoy-202...
www.msn.com/en-ca/video/news/freedom-convoy-organizer-pat...
Jan 06, 2025 - Trudeau resigns as prime minister,, Prorogues Parliament until March 24 2025,,
www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-news-conference-1.7423680
Apr 03, 2025 - Chris Barber, Tamara Lich not guilty on most charges for roles in 2022 convoy protests.. All told, Barber was found guilty of two charges, not guilty of four and had a seventh stayed. Lich was found guilty of one, not guilty of four and had a sixth stayed. both found guilty of counseling others to commit mischief
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tamara-lich-chris-barber-fr...
Apr 16th 2025 Montreal - Scrum following the French-language leaders' debate - NDP leader Jagmeet Singh refuses to address questions on Christian church arson in Canada ? He dismisses this particular subject as misinformation and disinformation, and the person asking such an outrageous question as being a right wing extremist ? He refuses to answer the question ?
nowtoronto.com/news/canadians-react-to-ndp-leader-jagmeet...
Election 2025 - Jack may be rolling over in his grave after his NDP was annihilated - NDP now not even an official Canadian party ? After crashing the NDP , Singh takes a lifetime pension and runs ? winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-singh-crashes-ndp-party-and-...
No more freedom of speach allowed in Canadian Universities ? Dec 3rd 2025, University of Victoria B.C. - Asking questions that might challenge the status quo or oferring your own opinion is not allowed in a B.C. University and can get the Police called in to arrest you and take you to jail ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53G5WBpVmc
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you; and from one who takes away your goods, do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
– Luke 6:27-30, which is part of today's Gospel.
Painting from a cycle of stories from the life of St Francis, in the National Gallery in London.
Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, Australia...
This evening was opening night for Driving Miss Daisy at the Theatre Royal in King Street, Sydney.
A timeless American play, which inspired the beloved Academy Award®- winning film, Driving Miss Daisy tells the affecting story of the decades-long relationship between an elderly Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her compassionate African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. Their iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship has warmed the hearts of millions worldwide.
Promo...
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
The stage will light up, with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
Limited season from 1 - 31 March
The Theatre Royal stage will light up with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. Also starring four-time Tony Award® winner BOYD GAINES, David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Reviews...
Stage Whispers - 10/02/13
“...a trilogy of perfection”
Aussie Theatre – 11/02/13
“...a once in a life-time opportunity to see two of the worlds’ greatest theatre legends on stage in Australia”
Theatre People – 11/02/13
“...nothing less than the most superb piece of acting”
“...timeless star quality, attentiveness, awe-inspiring craftsmanship” “...warm, honestly funny, sincere, composed, poised and utterly astounding”
The Australian – 11/02/13
“...every person in the theatre was on their feet, some with tears in their eyes”
Courier Mail – 12/02/13
“This production of Driving Miss Daisy is a theatrical masterpiece that those who are fortunate enough to see will never forget.” “A spine-tingling piece of theatre”
“They take what is already a warm, funny, engaging and compelling piece of theatre and turn it into something truly magnificent.”
Special Guests: The Member for Wentworth and Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband Malcolm Turnbull (Angela Lansbury’s cousin) with Lucy Turnbull and their daughter Daisy; Bronwyn Bishop MP; ABC TV’s Margaret Pomeranz; Kerri-Anne Kennerley; Channel 7 newsreaders Chris Bath, Mark Ferguson and Anne Sanders; Channel 9 newsreader Deborah Knight; actors Tom Burlinson, Mitchell Butel, Gigi Edgley, David Harris, Amanda Harrison, Nancye Hayes, Erika Heynatz, Jay Laga'aia, Steve Le Marquand, Todd McKenney, Sharon Millerchip, Ben Mingay, Tara Morice, Amanda Muggleton, Lola Nixon, Peter Phelps and Ian Stenlake; choreographer Kelley Abbey; radio announcers Stuart Bocking, Tony Delroy, Rob Duckworth, Brendan “Jonesy” Jones, Dominic Knight, Simon Marnie and Jason Morrison; theatre producer James Thane; along with Driving Miss Daisy playwright Alfred Uhry, Broadway producer Adam Zotovich and Australian producer John Frost, amongst others.
Websites
Driving Miss Daisy - Daisy On Stage (Australia)
Daisy On Broadway
Theatre Royal
Eva Rinaldi Photography
Driving Miss Daisy at Theatre Royal, Sydney, Australia...
This evening was opening night for Driving Miss Daisy at the Theatre Royal in King Street, Sydney.
A timeless American play, which inspired the beloved Academy Award®- winning film, Driving Miss Daisy tells the affecting story of the decades-long relationship between an elderly Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her compassionate African-American chauffeur, Hoke Colburn. Their iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship has warmed the hearts of millions worldwide.
Promo...
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
The stage will light up, with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Don't miss 2013's hottest ticket as two of the world's greatest living actors arrive in Australia to perform Alfred Uhry's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Driving Miss Daisy.
Limited season from 1 - 31 March
The Theatre Royal stage will light up with the extraordinary talents of the legendary five-time Tony Award® winner and three-time Academy Award® nominee ANGELA LANSBURY and two-time Tony Award® winner and Honorary Academy Award® recipient JAMES EARL JONES. Also starring four-time Tony Award® winner BOYD GAINES, David Esbjornson's acclaimed, smash-hit production has dazzled audiences and critics alike on Broadway and the West End.
Inspiration for the much-loved Oscar winning movie, Driving Miss Daisy is the charming, poignant and utterly compelling tale of the unlikely, long-lasting friendship that blossoms between a prickly, elderly Southern matriarch and her kind-hearted chauffeur, Hoke. As the wheels turn and the decades roll by against a backdrop of prejudice, inequality and civil unrest, the pair slowly transcend their differences and ultimately grow to rely on each other far more than either of them ever expected.
Sparklingly funny, irresistibly heart-warming and with an unmissable stellar cast, Driving Miss Daisy is the must-see show for 2013.
Reviews...
Stage Whispers - 10/02/13
“...a trilogy of perfection”
Aussie Theatre – 11/02/13
“...a once in a life-time opportunity to see two of the worlds’ greatest theatre legends on stage in Australia”
Theatre People – 11/02/13
“...nothing less than the most superb piece of acting”
“...timeless star quality, attentiveness, awe-inspiring craftsmanship” “...warm, honestly funny, sincere, composed, poised and utterly astounding”
The Australian – 11/02/13
“...every person in the theatre was on their feet, some with tears in their eyes”
Courier Mail – 12/02/13
“This production of Driving Miss Daisy is a theatrical masterpiece that those who are fortunate enough to see will never forget.” “A spine-tingling piece of theatre”
“They take what is already a warm, funny, engaging and compelling piece of theatre and turn it into something truly magnificent.”
Special Guests: The Member for Wentworth and Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband Malcolm Turnbull (Angela Lansbury’s cousin) with Lucy Turnbull and their daughter Daisy; Bronwyn Bishop MP; ABC TV’s Margaret Pomeranz; Kerri-Anne Kennerley; Channel 7 newsreaders Chris Bath, Mark Ferguson and Anne Sanders; Channel 9 newsreader Deborah Knight; actors Tom Burlinson, Mitchell Butel, Gigi Edgley, David Harris, Amanda Harrison, Nancye Hayes, Erika Heynatz, Jay Laga'aia, Steve Le Marquand, Todd McKenney, Sharon Millerchip, Ben Mingay, Tara Morice, Amanda Muggleton, Lola Nixon, Peter Phelps and Ian Stenlake; choreographer Kelley Abbey; radio announcers Stuart Bocking, Tony Delroy, Rob Duckworth, Brendan “Jonesy” Jones, Dominic Knight, Simon Marnie and Jason Morrison; theatre producer James Thane; along with Driving Miss Daisy playwright Alfred Uhry, Broadway producer Adam Zotovich and Australian producer John Frost, amongst others.
Websites
Driving Miss Daisy - Daisy On Stage (Australia)
Daisy On Broadway
Theatre Royal
China and India
english
Renuka or Yellamma (Marathi: श्री रेणुका/ येल्लुआई , Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಎಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ ರೇಣುಕಾ, Telugu: శ్రీ రేణుక/ యెల్లమ్మ) is worshiped as the Goddess (devi) of the fallen, in the Hindu pantheon. Yellamma is a patron goddess of rural folk of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Her devotees have revered her as the "Mother of the Universe" or Jagadamba. Legends say that Yellamma is the incarnation of Kali, who on one hand symbolizes the death of ego, and on the other hand is the mother who is compassionate about her children.
Yellamma is worshipped mostly in South India, including Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra, where the deity is known by many names: Mahankali, Jogamma, Somalamma, Gundamma, Pochamma, Mysamma, Jagadambika, Holiyamma, Renukamata, Yellu aai, and Renuka Devi.
In ancient ages, the Yellamma temples were cared for by women known as "devadasis" (which means the servants of gods), who dwelt in the temples and were educated as courtesans or artists. To this day, girls are being dedicated as devadasis to Yellamma, even though the practice is now illegal—the women lead a life as sex workers.
Origin story
The legends of Renuka are contained in the Mahabharata, the Harivamsa and in the Bhagavata Purana.
Early life
Renuka raja (father of Renuka) performed an yajna — a ritual performed to maintain peace and good health. He was blessed with a daughter, who originated from the fire of this yajna. Renuka was a bright and active child and became the most beloved child of her parents.
When she was eight, Agastya, who was the guru of the Renuka Raja, advised him to have his daughter married to Jamadagni when she reached maturity. Jamadagni was the son of Ruchik Muni and Satyavathi and had obtained the blessings of the gods by performing severe penance. Renuka and Jamdagni Muni lived in the Ramshrung mountains, near the present day Savadatti area of Belgaum district. Renuka helped the Jamdagni Muni in all of his tasks of performing various rituals and puja. Gradually she became close and dear to Jamdagni.
Renuka would wake up early in the morning to bathe in the Malaprabha River with complete concentration and devotion. Her devotion was so powerful that she was able to create a pot to hold water made only of sand, one fresh pot every day. She would fill this pot, on the bank of the river and would use a snake which was nearby, turning it into a rope-like convolution and placing it on her head, so that it supported the pot. Thus, she brought the water to Jamdagni for his rituals of oblation. ("Renuka" is derived from the Sanskrit for "fine grain of sand".) The Renuka temple is situated at near Zamania, Ghazipur
Later life
Renuka gave birth to five sons: Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Rambhadra. Rambhadra was the youngest and most beloved, gaining the favour of Lord Shiva and Parvati and hence called Parashurama (the sixth incarnation of Vishnu).
One day when Renuka went to the river, she saw Gandharva spirits playing. These were young couples carelessly frolicking in the water with abandon. For a moment, she lost her concentration and devotion and fantasized about playing in the river with her husband. She wished she and her husband had such fun sometimes too, living so close to such a beautiful place. After some time, Renuka came to her senses and cursed herself for her indiscretion. She hurriedly bathed, as she had lost precious time, and tried to create the pot, but was unable to as she had lost her concentration. She even tried to catch the snake but it disappeared. Disappointed by this, she returned to the ashram in shame. Seeing Renuka returning empty-handed, Jamadagni became furious and angrily ordered her to go away.
After being cursed by her husband, Renuka went east and sat in the forest to meditate. In her penance, she met with the saints Eknath[citation needed] and Joginath; she prayed to them and asked to gain the mercy of her husband. They first consoled her, then instructed her to follow their advice exactly as told. They told her to purify herself, first bathing in a nearby lake, and then to worship a Shivalinga, which they had given to her. Next, she should go to the nearby town and beg for rice from the houses (this ritual, called "Joga Bedodu", is still carried out by women during a particular month in Karnataka). After collecting the rice, she was to give half to the saints and cook the remaining half, adding jaggery, partaking of the cooked rice with full devotion. They said that if she performed this ritual for three days, she would be able to visit her husband on the fourth day.
Knowing the anger of Jamadagni, they warned her that she may not be fully pardoned by him, and that she would have to experience the most difficult time of her life for a few minutes. "After that," they said, “you will be eternally revered and will be blessed with your husband. You will be worshiped by all the people henceforth." After blessing her this way, they disappeared. Renuka followed their instructions with devotion and worshipped the Shivalinga with full care and reverence. On the fourth day, she went to see her husband.
Punishment and resurrection
Jamadagni was still furiously angry with Renuka and ordered his sons to punish their mother. One by one, four of them refused flatly. Jamadagni, who possessed the power to burn anyone to ashes with his one look, was so angry that he went berserk and turned four of his sons into four piles of ashes. Parashurama, who was not there when this happened, found his mother weeping by the piles of ashes when he arrived and his father was still raging mad. Jamadagni told him what happened and ordered him to behead his mother for her infidelity. Parushurama had to think quickly. Knowing his father's powers and the extent of his anger, Parashurama immediately obeyed his father, using his axe.
His father then offered a boon to Parushurama, who asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. To everybody's astonishment, Renuka's spirit multiplied and moved to different regions. Renuka was back as a whole too. This miracle inspired her sons and others to become her followers, and worship her.
Renuka vs. Yellamma
In many traditions, Renuka and Yellamma are taken to be two names for the same goddess. However there is also an oral tradition that distinguishes between the two. According to these tales, Renuka fled to a low-caste community when her son Parushurama was coming to kill her. He found and beheaded her, along with a low-caste woman who had tried to protect her. When he later brought them back to life, he mistakenly attached the woman's head to Renuka's body, and vice versa. Jamadagni accepted the former as his wife Renuka, while the latter remained to be worshipped by the lower castes as Yellamma, the mother of all. Matangi, Renuka, and Yellamma are all names of the Goddess of the lower castes.
Temples and related places
Every year, there is a gathering of as many as 200,000 of her devotees at the Yellamma Gudi temple (Yallamma Temple in Google Earth) in Saundatti. Another temple Renukambe [Yellamma] is atop a hill in Chandragutti, Soraba Taluk in Shimoga. This temple is an example of ancient architecture and dates back to the Kadamba period. Another temple is in Mahur, Maharashtra, the supposed birth place of the goddess, which finds mention in Devi Gita, the final chapter of Devi Bhagawatam as, "Matripura in the Sahyadri mountain; here the Devi Renuka dwells...".[4] Another temple becoming famous is Nalgonda,AndhraPradesh where Tuesday is main auspicious day.
Renuka Lake in the Renuka Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is named after the goddess. According to one legend, King Sahasrarjuna (Kartavirya Arjuna) wanted the Kamdhenu cow from Jamadagni and Renuka. So for this he killed Jamadagni, and Renuka became sati along with Jamadagni at Mahurgadh, Maharashtra. In Tamil Nadu, Renugambal Amman Temple is situated in Padavedu, Thiruvannamalai District and it is one of the most important Sakthi Sthalas.
In Sri Lanka
In ancient Sri Lanka, "Renuka" was the name of a minor goddess of wanton death and destruction, although at certain times was also a symbol of creativity and vibrancy.
Quan Yin... the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy
Quan Yin is one of the most universally beloved of deities in the Buddhist tradition. Also known as Kuan Yin, Quan'Am (Vietnam), Kannon (Japan), and Kanin (Bali), She is the embodiment of compassionate loving kindness. As the Bodhisattva of Compassion, She hears the cries of all beings. Quan Yin enjoys a strong resonance with the Christian Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Tibetan goddess Tara.
In many images she is shown carrying the pearls of illumination. Often Quan Yin is shown pouring a stream of healing water, the "Water of Life," from a small vase. With this water devotees and all living things are blessed with physical and spiritual peace. She holds a sheaf of ripe rice or a bowl of rice seed as a metaphor for fertility and sustenance. The dragon, an ancient symbol for high spirituality, wisdom, strength, and divine powers of transformation, is a common motif found in combination with the Goddess of Mercy.
Sometimes Kuan Yin is represented as a many armed figure, with each hand either containing a different cosmic symbol or expressing a specific ritual position, or mudra. This characterizes the Goddess as the source and sustenance of all things. Her cupped hands often form the Yoni Mudra, symbolizing the womb as the door for entry to this world through the universal female principle.
Quan Yin, as a true Enlightened One, or Bodhisattva, vowed to remain in the earthly realms and not enter the heavenly worlds until all other living things have completed their own enlightenment and thus become liberated from the pain-filled cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
There are numerous legends that recount the miracles which Quan Yin performs to help those who call on Her. Like Artemis, She is a virgin Goddess who protects women, offers them a religious life as an alternative to marriage, and grants children to those who desire them.
The Goddess of Mercy is unique among the heavenly hierarchy in that She is so utterly free from pride or vengefulness that She remains reluctant to punish even those to whom a severe lesson might be appropriate. Individuals who could be sentenced to dreadful penance in other systems can attain rebirth and renewal by simply calling upon Her graces with utter and absolute sincerity. It is said that, even for one kneeling beneath the executioner's sword already raised to strike, a single heartfelt cry to Bodhisattva Quan Yin will cause the blade to fall shattered to the ground.
The many stories and anecdotes featuring this Goddess serve to convey the idea of an enlightened being who embodies the attributes of an all pervasive, all consuming, unwavering loving compassion and who is accessible to everyone. Quan Yin counsels us by Her actions to cultivate within ourselves those particular refined qualities that all beings are said to naturally possess in some vestigial form.
Contemplating the Goddess of Mercy involves little dogma or ritual. The simplicity of this gentle being and Her standards tends to lead Her devotees towards becoming more compassionate and loving themselves. A deep sense of service to all fellow beings naturally follows any devotion to the Goddess.
Guanyin (Chinese: 觀音; pinyin: Guānyīn; Wade-Giles: kuan-yin, Japanese: Kannon, Korean: Gwan-eum, Vietnamese: Quan Âm) is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin (觀世音, pinyin: Guānshìyīn, Wade-Giles: kuan-shih yin) which means (hola estudiantes de la oxford)buddha god of mercy (not the game) "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World". Source: Bethleen Cole
It is generally accepted (in the Chinese community) that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर), which is her male form. Commonly known in English as the Goddess of Mercy. Guanyin is also revered by Chinese Daoists (Taoists) as an Immortal.
Living in a Jungle
Caring and compassionate. She was just a beautiful white dove. The kind that fly down from heaven. And that's how we bonded. While l was going through radiation. We some how fell in love. We two souls opposite in many ways. And then tragedy. Her Mother died. And she became the Mourning dove. Always thinking about her most precious love lost.
If you can't bring yourself to support this concept on compassionate grounds, consider this: Every dollar spent on education, saves money down the road. Estimates vary: $3-17 saved for every education dollar -- depending on what is considered. One thing is certain, though education that gives job skills is a large determinant in avoiding a life of crime. Dean supports this concept. Our current DA does not.
It was my fortune to be able to have audiences with great teachers and to meet with compassionate dharma friends.
New #YVR mayor seeks to solve city problems investing in police, which NEVER solves social or 💰 issues
Vancouver must instead compassionately invest in people, housing, #BasicIncome & #MentalHealth
Existing over-investment in Vancouver policing merely criminalizes more citizens ...leaving no positive effects on social ills nor crime levels.
Drug dealing exists openly; my daughter & I were offered all drug types as we walked the #DTES
________ ________ ________ ________
"The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods, and the historic heart of the city.
The DTES has many assets, especially for its low-income residents... the Downtown Eastside has struggled with many complex challenges including drug use, crime, homelessness, housing issues, unemployment, and loss of businesses in the community." (City of Vancouver)
"Around the beginning of the 20th century, the DTES was the political, cultural and retail centre of Vancouver. Over several decades, the city centre gradually shifted westwards and the DTES became a poor,[1] although relatively stable, neighbourhood. In the 1980s, the area began a rapid decline due to several factors including an influx of hard drugs, policies that pushed sex work and drug-related activity out of nearby areas, and the cessation of federal funding for social housing. By 1997, an epidemic of HIV infection and drug overdoses in the DTES led to the declaration of a public health emergency. As of 2018, critical issues include opioid overdoses, especially those involving the drug fentanyl; decrepit and squalid housing; a shortage of low-cost rental housing; and mental illness, which often co-occurs with addiction."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside
Founded in 1978, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre is one of the few safe spaces within the Downtown Eastside exclusively for self-identified women and their children. High levels of violence, homelessness, addictions and poverty characterize the Downtown Eastside community. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, injustice and injury." dewc.ca/about
Sacred to the memory of the right honourable WILLIAM WINDHAM of Felbrigge in this County.
Born the 14th of May, O.S. 1750. Died the 4th of June , N.S. 1810.
He was the only son of William Windham, Esqre, by Sarah, Relict of Robert Lukin, Esqre.
He married in 1798, Cecilia, Third Daughter of the Late Commodore Forrest:
Who erects this monument in grateful and tender remembrance of him,
During a period of twenty-six years.
He distinguished himself in Parliament by his eloquence and talents;
And was repeatedly called to the highest offices of the state.
His views and councils
Were directed more to raising the glory than increasing the wealth of his Country.
He was above all things anxious to preserve untainted the national character,
And even those national manners which long habit had associated with that character
As a statesman.
He laboured to exalt the courage, to improve the comforts, and ennoble the profession of a soldier
As an individual, he exhibited a model of those qualities
Which denote the most accomplished and enlightened mind.
Frank, generous, unassuming, intrepid, compassionate, and pious.
He was so highly respected, even by those from whom he most differed in opinion
that, tho much of his life had passed in political conention, he was accompanied to the grave
by the sincere and unqualified regret of his sovereign and his country.
William Windham , statesman, came of an old Norfolk family settled at Felbrigg, near Cromer, since the fifteenth century, whose name was the same originally as that of the town of Wymondham.
His father, Colonel William Windham (1717-1761), [was the] son of William Windham, M.P. for Sudbury 1722-7 and for Aldeburgh 1727 until his death in 1730, possessed distinguished military talent. Disputes with his father had caused him to live much on the continent.
The statesman's father married Sarah Hicks, widow of Robert Lukin of Dunmow, Essex, and died of consumption on 30 October 1761 at the age of forty-four.
William, the only son, was born on 3 May (O. S.) 1750 at No. 6 Golden Square, Soho. From 1762 to 1766 he was at Eton, where he was a contemporary of Fox, and was then placed with Dr. Anderson, professor of natural philosophy in the university of Glasgow. He attended the lectures of Robert Simson, professor of mathematics, and pursued the study in later life, even composing three mathematical treatises, which, however, he never published. On 10 September 1767 he entered University College, Oxford, as a gentleman commoner, and became a pupil of Robert Chambers. He was created M.A. on 7 October 1782, and on 3 July 1793 he became an honorary D.C.L. Both at school and at college he was quick and industrious, but as a young man he was completely indifferent to public affairs, though distinguished both as a scholar and a man of fashion. Accordingly he refused Lord Townshend's offer of the secretaryship to the lord-lieutenant of Ireland, made while he was still at college, and left Oxford in 1771.
Two years later he started with Commodore Constantine John Phipps (afterwards second baron Mulgrave) upon a voyage of polar exploration, but was compelled by sea-sickness to land in Norway and make his way home. He afterwards spent some time with the Norfolk militia, in which he attained the rank of major, and passed a couple of years abroad, chiefly in Switzerland and Italy. He also became known to Johnson and Burke. He was Johnson's favoured friend, attended him assiduously in his last days, and was a pall-bearer at his funeral. His attachment to Burke was such that he became his political pupil. He joined the Literary Club and attended its meetings almost till he died, and was also a member of the Essex Head Club.
Meantime he was gradually drawing towards a public career. He made his first public speech on 28 January 1778 at a public meeting called to raise a subscription towards the cost of the American war, and opposed the project. He won some local repute by personal courage and promptitude in quelling a mutiny at Norwich, when the Norfolk militia refused to march into Suffolk, and in September 1780 he unsuccessfully contested Norwich. In 1781 he was a member of the Westminster committee, and came very near standing for Westminster in 1782. He, however, gradually drifted away from his earlier reforming opinions into a fixed antipathy to any constitutional change. In 1783 he became chief secretary to Northington, lord lieutenant of Ireland in the Portland administration, but resigned the post in August, nominally owing to ill-health, but in reality because he desired to give Irish posts to Irishmen, a policy not in favour with his superiors.
After the dissolution in March 1784 he was one of the few coalition candidates who were successful, and was elected at Norwich on 5 April. For some time he acted steadily with the opposition, and Burke chose him in June to second his motion on the state of the nation. He spoke in 1785 on the shop tax and the Westminster scrutiny; he strongly supported the right of the Prince of Wales to be regent without restrictions in 1788, and in 1790 killed Flood's reform bill by the happy phrase that ‘no one would select the hurricane season in which to begin repairing his house.’ He was also one of the members charged with the impeachment of Warren Hastings, and undertook that part of the case which dealt with the breach of the treaty of 1774 with Faizulla Khan.
He was re-elected at Norwich in 1790, and in February 1791 supported Mitford's catholic relief bill for England. Following Burke, by whom he continued to be largely guided, he took alarm at the French revolution, and in 1792 and 1793 was one of the most ardent supporters of the government's repressive legislation. He supported the proclamation against seditious meetings and the aliens bill, had a plan for raising a troop of cavalry in Norfolk, and on 11 July 1794, on Burke's advice, he somewhat reluctantly consented to take office under Pitt, with the Duke of Portland, Lord Fitzwilliam, and Lord Spencer. A secretaryship of state was at first suggested for him, but eventually he became secretary at war, with a seat in the cabinet. This was the first time that the cabinet was opened to the holder of the secretaryship at war. His change of front was somewhat resented at Norwich, but he secured re-election, and from August to October was with the Duke of York's army in Flanders. He held that the royalists in the west of France deserved assistance, and was the person most responsible for the Quiberon expedition in July 1795.
Vigorously supporting the continuance of war, and steadily opposing projects of reform, he only after a sharp fight saved his seat at Norwich, 25 May 1796. He held office till February 1801, when he resigned with Pitt. To the Irish union he had been at first opposed altogether, but consented to it in consideration of the promise that catholic disabilities should be removed. He had by no means always approved of Pitt's war policy, and had held that, as the war was fought for the restoration of the Bourbons, more efforts should have been made to assist the royalists in France. Much was done under his administration to increase the comfort of the troops. Their pay was raised, pensions were established, and the Royal Military Asylum was founded.
Windham's chance in opposition soon came. He had a rooted distrust of Napoleon, and strongly opposed the peace of 1802. He assisted Cobbett, whom he greatly admired, to found the ‘Political Register,’ and thoroughly agreed with its attacks on Addington. He spoke against the peace preliminaries on 4 November 1801, and moved an address to the crown against the peace on 13 May 1802. As the peace was popular in the country, this attitude cost him his seat at Norwich in June 1802. He declined to contest the county, and accepted from the Grenville family the borough of St. Mawes in Cornwall, where he was elected on 7 July. This seat he held till November 1806, when he was elected for New Romney, and later in the same month for the county of Norfolk. This latter election was afterwards declared void, upon a petition alleging breaches of the Treating Act. Windham being thus ineligible for re-election for the same seat. Throughout these proceedings he retained his seat for New Romney till the dissolution of parliament 29 April 1807. At the general election in May he was returned for Higham Ferrers, and held that seat till his death.
Windham welcomed the renewal of hostilities with France. He had never supported a policy of fortifications or of large land forces, and when in office had considered the erection of martello towers a sufficient defence for the coast, his chief reliance being upon the fleet. He doubted too the value of volunteers, and made somewhat savage attacks upon them, but took part in the general movement in 1803, and raised a volunteer force at Felbrigg, and became its colonel. He now became leader of the Grenville party in the House of Commons, and engaged in the attack on Addington, but declined to join Pitt again in May 1804, owing to the king's objection to the admission of Fox to the ministry. He then found himself once more acting with Fox and opposing Pitt, and at the time of Pitt's death he incurred some hostility in consequence.
He accepted the war and colonial office in Lord Grenville's administration, and on 3 April 1806 introduced a plan for improving the condition of the military forces, and making the army an attractive profession. With this object he passed bills for reducing the term of service and for increasing the soldiers' pay. He had begun the arrangements for the South American expedition when, with the rest of the ministry, he was dismissed in March 1807. In the previous year he had refused the offer of a peerage, preferring a career in the House of Commons, and he continued to devote himself to the conduct of the war and to criticism of the policy of his successor Castlereagh. On general policy, however, he held aloof from debate, and, from growing dislike of London, lived much in the country. His only conspicuous speeches in the later years of his life on civil topics were (14 May 1805) in favour of the Roman catholic claims, to which subject he returned in 1810, and on Curwen's bill for preventing the sale of seats in May 1809. As Castlereagh's proposals with regard to the militia ran counter to his own plan of 1806, he opposed the local militia bill in 1808, and, as he was adverse to a policy of scattered and, as he thought, aimless expeditions, he spoke against the Copenhagen expedition in 1807, and the Scheldt expedition in January 1810. On the other hand, he was a very warm supporter of the Spanish cause, and even began to learn Spanish with a view to a personal visit to Spain. In his view, however, the objective of the English force should have been the passes of the Pyrenees, and not Portugal, so as to cut off the French from Spain, and he thought that Moore ought to have been sent with a much larger force to the north of Spain, and there could and should have held his ground.
The Peninsular war, once begun, was to be pressed with vigour, and such an expedition as that to Antwerp did not seem to Windham consistent with the successful prosecution of the Spanish war. He continued to express these views energetically, but, by supporting a proposal made early in 1810 for the exclusion of reporters from the House of Commons, he provoked the hostility of the press, which for some time refused to report his speeches.
Windham's last speech was made on 11 May 1810. In July of the previous year he had injured his hip by his efforts in removing the books of his friend the Hon. Frederick North (afterwards fifth Earl of Guilford) out of reach of a fire. On 17 May 1810 Cline operated upon him for the removal of a tumour, but he never recovered from the shock, and died at his house in Pall Mall on 4 June, and was buried at Felbrigg. He married, on 10 July 1798, Cecilia, third daughter of Commodore Arthur Forrest, but had no children.
Windham's personal advantages were many. He was rich, and had an income of £6,000 a year. He was tall and well built, graceful and dignified in manner, a thorough sportsman, and in his youth, like his father, was very athletic and a practised pugilist. He had a good memory, and was widely and well informed; he was an ardent Greek and Latin scholar, and fluent in French and Italian. Though his voice was defective and shrill, he was, when at his best, a most eloquent orator, and was always a clear speaker and a keen debater; but his speeches were marred by occasional indiscretions of temper and want of reticence. He was pious, chivalrous, and disinterested, and his brilliant social qualities made him one of the finest gentlemen as well as one of the soundest sportsmen of his time. His diary, published in 1866, shows him to have been vacillating and hypochondriacal in private, but he seems to have relieved his feelings by this habit of private confession; and in public, though somewhat changeable, he was not irresolute.
In an age of great men his character stood high, and although his conduct on two occasions in his political life led to charges of inconsistency, and earned for him the nickname of ‘Weathercock Windham,’ his personal integrity was unimpugned. The army undoubtedly owed much to his labours in improving its efficiency and condition. Panegyrics were pronounced upon him in the House of Lords by Lord Grey on 6 June 1810, and in the House of Commons by Lord Milton the following day, and Brougham paints him in laudatory terms in his ‘Historical Sketches of British Statesmen’.
www.historyhome.co.uk/people/windham.htm
The church of St Margarets is set in the grounds of Felbrigg Hall.
For more on the church see
Poet, philosopher, legendary wrestler, and extraordinarily compassionate man - it is no wonder that Pahlavan Mahmud became Khiva’s patron saint. Mahmud was known for his empathetic generosity, he worked to help the poor and the oppressed with his actions and donations. He died in the 1320s, but the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum was built as a memorial in the 1700s, centuries after his death to celebrate his great life and actions after he was patronized. More than a simple Mausoleum, the site is an architectural gem, where turquoise shining tiles decorate the walls of the largest dome of Khiva.
The Persian-style building, with its turquoise dome and stunning courtyard, is a sight to behold. These stunning features make the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum one of the most beautiful sites you can visit in Khiva.
Ichon Qala (Ichan Kala) is a mediaeval walled town that has been beautifully preserved. It's definitely a must-see when you visit Khiva. You could spend a whole day wandering its streets, but even just a few hours can give you a good feel for what the town has to offer. Here you will find mosques, madrasas, mausoleums, and lots of little museums. The walls are an impressive 10m high and there are over 50 ancient monumental structures.
Deb and I had the pleasure of meeting some of the key democratic candidates for office for, and within our state (Montana.) Each spoke for a few minutes about their aspirations, and spent some time "working the room"; I bent a couple of ears, as anyone who knows me might expect, and got some fairly good answers, actually.
I don't normally jump on a soapbox, politically, but this year... here we go.
I think of myself as an independent with constitutional preferences and compassionate leanings. Normally, I try to sort out the issues and pick the candidates that best represent my key positions; this year, sadly, the republicans had no one, nationally or for my state, whom I could even begin to feel I could vote for. I don't know where these republican candidates are getting their agendas from (well, their leadership, obviously, but I mean, beyond that), I hardly recognize them as republicans at all. And I am outright ashamed of the republican behavior in the US congress.
I feel like I have been forced into a corner where the only sane option is voting democrat.
And for a fellow who mostly wants to see the constitution obeyed as if it were written in English, that's a very strange place to find myself.
Oh, I can usually find a democrat to vote for... I think one role of government is to ensure that no one slips through the cracks such that they have no education, or no home, or no medical care. So that gives me an open door, democratically speaking.
But on the other hand, I see no reason for us to be butting in around the world, playing policeman for others, spending huge amounts of money telling people what drugs they can put in their bodies, what kind of sex they can or can't have, who they can marry, and so forth.
Liberty is something that is very important to me, yet I have a strong sense of community and my heart goes out to those who have either slipped through the cracks as I mentioned above, or who society has handed an impossible deal: the growing underclass of those with convictions, for instance, who have absolutely no chance at rehabilitation.
Why do I say that? Because today, a felony conviction is forever. We have millions of people in jails all across this country that cannot, under any circumstances, rehabilitate because they are considered unemployable. Society is telling these people "Once a criminal, always a criminal, and also, get stuffed." At which point, they have one obvious option left to earn money, and it's not the option we'd prefer they take, socially speaking.
I think we're digging ourselves a huge social hole here, and we're going to find the consequences are extremely difficult to deal with before much longer.
Romney, aside from giving me chills when he spews out such gems as "you're entitled to the best education you can afford", has left me absolutely uncertain of what his real agenda is. One day, he's for something, the next, he's against it — or vice versa. He think corporations should be people (I envision a "corporate person" as the guy with the knife in "Psycho"), he thinks it's ok to roof-rack his dog, he wants to get rid of FEMA (!) and... and... he wants to kill big bird. Good grief.
Then there are those horrifying clips from his dinner in Boca Raton where he clearly says that 47% of the country are of no concern to him, and worse. His latest foreign policy as of the most recent debate is a mirror of Obama's, while his earlier remarks cast the Russians (!) as our "main enemy", which demonstrates a level of foreign policy cluelessness I haven't seen since that Pizza Executive was asked about Libya. And you'll recall he thinks Iran needs to get through Syria to get to the sea; here the middle east is a huge hotspot, and he lacks even the most basic geographical knowledge... and this man wants to "lead" us. Oh. My. Goodness.
Do I think Obama is perfect? Oh, no no no. I think he's been an idiot and a puppet in and on the trillion-dollar waste of the drug war; I think the ACA is but a shadow of what we deserve, which is a true single-payer system, rather than the sop to the insurance companies they put together (yet it's a step forward, and I'll still take that rather than the republican's "right to life until you're born, then right to death because you're poor.)
Within my state, Dennis Rehberg is running as the republican candidate for US senator from Montana. This guy... he's like Romney, only smaller minded, colder-hearted, and even more willing to lie. I wouldn't vote for him if they told me it would gain me ten extra years of lifespan. The man would set women back fifty years, destroy our educational infrastructure, and remove the hope the ACA offers to 30+ million Americans who the insurance company actuaries had previously worked right out of their happy little rigged numbers game. As a colorful Kansas adage has it, "I wouldn't cross the street to piss on him if he was on fire."
I've always acknowledged that my political positions provide something to upset just about anyone, and I've been comfortable with that. The most surprised person in the room, though, right now, is me. I voted straight Democrat. You know what that tells me? It tells me we really, finally do need a third party.
The republicans have jumped the shark, left it behind and relabeled it a manatee, and are trying to convince everyone they saw a mermaid. I listened to them this year — I really did! — and I was left with the overall impression that if they weren't lying, they were nuts.
The libertarians... meh. Personal liberty, sure, we need that, but not at the expense of a healthy, well educated society (and no, wealth should *never* be a gateway to education: intelligence and therefore opportunity for our nation's growth is not indexed by wealth. We need to educate everyone as close to their potential as we can get them.) And while I agree 100% with the libertarians that religion has absolutely no appropriate place in government, I can't stand with them on that basis alone.
The democrats... normally, I'm very wary of "mommy laws" that tell us what we can and can't do, particularly between, or as, consenting, informed persons; and I think lines in the sand drawn by age are simply stupid.
But these are minor sins compared to the republicans championing the abandoning of our elderly, degrading our public education system, and kicking the military industrial complex into yet higher gear when we're already over-powered, over-deployed, and in no way in need of more of the same.
And so, this is how I ended up "all the way over here", cornered in the left, though not by them, something I wouldn't have credited even two elections ago.
Your comments are welcome. Issues, ideas and commentary; no obscenities, no outright trolls. I know feelings are running high, just keep it to the issues and your reactions to them, please. You're also welcome not to comment. Please be aware that if you *do* comment, I will assume you have opened the floor for me to answer you.
--Ben
The pomegranate (/ˈpɒmᵻɡrænᵻt/), botanical name Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between 5 and 8 m tall.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically in season from September to February, and in the Southern Hemisphere from March to May. As intact arils or juice, pomegranates are used in cooking, baking, meal garnishes, juice blends, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails and wine.
The pomegranate originated in the region of modern-day Iran and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region and northern India. It was introduced into America (Spanish America) in the late 16th century and California by Spanish settlers in 1769.
Today, it is widely cultivated throughout the Middle East and Caucasus region, north Africa and tropical Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, the drier parts of southeast Asia, and parts of the Mediterranean Basin. It is also cultivated in parts of California and Arizona. In recent years, it has become more common in the commercial markets of Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
ETYMOLOGY
The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum "apple" and grānātum "seeded". Perhaps stemming from the old French word for the fruit, pomme-grenade, the pomegranate was known in early English as "apple of Grenada" - a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons. This is a folk etymology, confusing Latin granatus with the name of the Spanish city of Granada, which derives from Arabic.
Garnet derives from Old French grenat by metathesis, from Medieval Latin granatum as used in a different meaning "of a dark red color". This derivation may have originated from pomum granatum describing the color of pomegranate pulp or from granum referring to "red dye, cochineal".
The French term for pomegranate, grenade, has given its name to the military grenade.
DESCRIPTION
A shrub or small tree growing 6 to 10 m high, the pomegranate has multiple spiny branches, and is extremely long-lived, with some specimens in France surviving for 200 years. P. granatum leaves are opposite or subopposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red and 3 cm in diameter, with three to seven petals. Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone.
The edible fruit is a berry, intermediate in size between a lemon and a grapefruit, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded shape and thick, reddish skin. The number of seeds in a pomegranate can vary from 200 to about 1400. Each seed has a surrounding water-laden pulp — the edible sarcotesta that forms from the seed coat — ranging in color from white to deep red or purple. The seeds are "exarillate", i.e., unlike some other species in the order, Myrtales, no aril is present. The sarcotesta of pomegranate seeds consists of epidermis cells derived from the integument. The seeds are embedded in a white, spongy, astringent membrane.
CULTIVATION
P. granatum is grown for its fruit crop, and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. Mature specimens can develop sculptural twisted-bark multiple trunks and a distinctive overall form. Pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they can be prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They can be tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −12 °C.
Insect pests of the pomegranate can include the pomegranate butterfly Virachola isocrates and the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus, and fruit flies and ants are attracted to unharvested ripe fruit. Pomegranate grows easily from seed, but is commonly propagated from 25– to 50-cm hardwood cuttings to avoid the genetic variation of seedlings. Air layering is also an option for propagation, but grafting fails.
VARIETIES
P. granatum var. nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly planted as an ornamental plant in gardens and larger containers, and used as a bonsai specimen tree. It could well be a wild form with a distinct origin. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate (P. protopunica), which is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit.
CULTIVARS
P. granatum has more than 500 named cultivars, but evidently has considerable synonymy in which the same genotype is named differently across regions of the world.[15]
Several characteristics between pomegranate genotypes vary for identification, consumer preference, preferred use, and marketing, the most important of which are fruit size, exocarp color (ranging from yellow to purple, with pink and red most common), seed-coat color (ranging from white to red), hardness of seed, maturity, juice content and its acidity, sweetness, and astringency.
CULTURAL HISTORY
Pomegranate is native to a region from Iran to northern India. Pomegranates have been cultivated throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and Mediterranean region for several millennia, and also thrive in the drier climates of California and Arizona.
Carbonized exocarp of the fruit has been identified in early Bronze Age levels of Jericho in the West Bank, as well as late Bronze Age levels of Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus and Tiryns.[citation needed] A large, dry pomegranate was found in the tomb of Djehuty, the butler of Queen Hatshepsut in Egypt; Mesopotamian cuneiform records mention pomegranates from the mid-third millennium BC onwards.
It is also extensively grown in South China and in Southeast Asia, whether originally spread along the route of the Silk Road or brought by sea traders. Kandahar is famous in Afghanistan for its high-quality pomegranates.
Although not native to Korea or Japan, the pomegranate is widely grown there and many cultivars have been developed. It is widely used for bonsai because of its flowers and for the unusual twisted bark the older specimens can attain. The term "balaustine" (Latin: balaustinus) is also used for a pomegranate-red color.
The ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period and today the province of Granada uses pomegranate as a charge in heraldry for its canting arms.
Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and America (Spanish America), but in the English colonies, it was less at home: "Don't use the pomegranate inhospitably, a stranger that has come so far to pay his respects to thee," the English Quaker Peter Collinson wrote to the botanizing John Bartram in Philadelphia, 1762. "Plant it against the side of thy house, nail it close to the wall. In this manner it thrives wonderfully with us, and flowers beautifully, and bears fruit this hot year. I have twenty-four on one tree... Doctor Fothergill says, of all trees this is most salutiferous to mankind."
The pomegranate had been introduced as an exotic to England the previous century, by John Tradescant the elder, but the disappointment that it did not set fruit there led to its repeated introduction to the American colonies, even New England. It succeeded in the South: Bartram received a barrel of pomegranates and oranges from a correspondent in Charleston, South Carolina, 1764. John Bartram partook of "delitious" pomegranates with Noble Jones at Wormsloe Plantation, near Savannah, Georgia, in September 1765. Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at Monticello in 1771: he had them from George Wythe of Williamsburg.
CULINARY USE
After the pomegranate is opened by scoring it with a knife and breaking it open, the seeds are separated from the peel and internal white pulp membranes. Separating the seeds is easier in a bowl of water because the seeds sink and the inedible pulp floats. Freezing the entire fruit also makes it easier to separate. Another effective way of quickly harvesting the seeds is to cut the pomegranate in half, score each half of the exterior rind four to six times, hold the pomegranate half over a bowl, and smack the rind with a large spoon. The seeds should eject from the pomegranate directly into the bowl, leaving only a dozen or more deeply embedded seeds to remove. The entire seed is consumed raw, though the watery, tasty sarcotesta is the desired part. The taste differs depending on the variety or cultivar of pomegranate and its ripeness.
Pomegranate juice can be sweet or sour, but most fruits are moderate in taste, with sour notes from the acidic tannins contained in the juice. Pomegranate juice has long been a popular drink in Europe, the Middle East and is now widely distributed in the United States and Canada.
Grenadine syrup long ago consisted of thickened and sweetened pomegranate juice, now is usually a sales name for a syrup based on various berries, citric acid, and food coloring, mainly used in cocktail mixing. In Europe, Bols still manufactures grenadine syrup with pomegranate. Before tomatoes, a New World fruit, arrived in the Middle East, pomegranate juice, molasses, and vinegar were widely used in many Iranian foods, and are still found in traditional recipes such as fesenjān, a thick sauce made from pomegranate juice and ground walnuts, usually spooned over duck or other poultry and rice, and in ash-e anar (pomegranate soup).
Pomegranate seeds are used as a spice known as anardana (from Persian: anar + dana, pomegranate + seed), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian subcontinent markets. These seeds are separated from the flesh, dried for 10–15 days, and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry preparation. Ground anardana is also used, which results in a deeper flavoring in dishes and prevents the seeds from getting stuck in teeth. Seeds of the wild pomegranate variety known as daru from the Himalayas are regarded as quality sources for this spice.
Dried pomegranate seeds, found in some natural specialty food markets, still contain some residual water, maintaining a natural sweet and tart flavor. Dried seeds can be used in several culinary applications, such as trail mix, granola bars, or as a topping for salad, yogurt, or ice cream.
In the Caucasus, pomegranate is used mainly for juice. In Azerbaijan, a sauce from pomegranate juice narsharab, (from Persian: (a)nar + sharab, lit. "pomegranate wine") is usually served with fish or tika kabab. In Turkey, pomegranate sauce (Turkish: nar ekşisi) is used as a salad dressing, to marinate meat, or simply to drink straight. Pomegranate seeds are also used in salads and sometimes as garnish for desserts such as güllaç. Pomegranate syrup or molasses is used in muhammara, a roasted red pepper, walnut, and garlic spread popular in Syria and Turkey.
In Greece, pomegranate (Greek: ρόδι, rodi) is used in many recipes, including kollivozoumi, a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegranates, and raisins, legume salad with wheat and pomegranate, traditional Middle Eastern lamb kebabs with pomegranate glaze, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado-pomegranate dip. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur, and as a popular fruit confectionery used as ice cream topping, mixed with yogurt, or spread as jam on toast. In Cyprus and Greece, and among the Greek Orthodox Diaspora, ρόδι (Greek for pomegranate) is used to make koliva, a mixture of wheat, pomegranate seeds, sugar, almonds, and other seeds served at memorial services.
In Mexico, they are commonly used to adorn the traditional dish chiles en nogada, representing the red of the Mexican flag in the dish which evokes the green (poblano pepper), white (nogada sauce) and red (pomegranate seeds) tricolor.
IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
In the Indian subcontinent's ancient Ayurveda system of traditional medicine, the pomegranate is frequently described as an ingredient in remedies.
In folk medicine pomegranate has been thought a contraceptive and abortifacient when the seeds or rind are eaten, or when as a vaginal suppository.
NUTRITION
A 100-g serving of pomegranate seeds provides 12% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C, 16% DV for vitamin K and 10% DV for folate (table).
Pomegranate seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber (20% DV) which is entirely contained in the edible seeds. People who choose to discard the seeds forfeit nutritional benefits conveyed by the seed fiber and micronutrients.
Pomegranate seed oil contains punicic acid (65.3%), palmitic acid (4.8%), stearic acid (2.3%), oleic acid (6.3%), and linoleic acid (6.6%).
RESEARCH
JUICE
The most abundant phytochemicals in pomegranate juice are polyphenols, including the hydrolyzable tannins called ellagitannins formed when ellagic acid and/or gallic acid binds with a carbohydrate to form pomegranate ellagitannins, also known as punicalagins.
The red color of juice can be attributed to anthocyanins, such as delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin glycosides. Generally, an increase in juice pigmentation occurs during fruit ripening.
The phenolic content of pomegranate juice is adversely affected by processing and pasteurization techniques.
PEEL
Compared to the pulp, the inedible pomegranate peel contains as much as three times the total amount of polyphenols, including condensed tannins, catechins, gallocatechins and prodelphinidins.
The higher phenolic content of the peel yields extracts for use in dietary supplements and food preservatives.
Health claims
Despite limited research data, manufacturers and marketers of pomegranate juice have liberally used evolving research results for product promotion. In February 2010, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to one such manufacturer, POM Wonderful, for using published literature to make illegal claims of unproven anti-disease benefits.
SYMBOLISM
ANCIENT EGYPT
Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. According to the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical writings from around 1500 BC, Egyptians used the pomegranate for treatment of tapeworm and other infections.
ANCIENT GREECE
The Greeks were familiar with the fruit far before it was introduced to Rome via Carthage. In Ancient Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the "fruit of the dead", and believed to have sprung from the blood of Adonis.
The myth of Persephone, the goddess of the underworld, prominently features the pomegranate. In one version of Greek mythology, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and taken off to live in the underworld as his wife. Her mother, Demeter (goddess of the Harvest), went into mourning for her lost daughter, thus all green things ceased to grow. Zeus, the highest-ranking of the Greek gods, could not allow the Earth to die, so he commanded Hades to return Persephone. It was the rule of the Fates that anyone who consumed food or drink in the underworld was doomed to spend eternity there. Persephone had no food, but Hades tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds while she was still his prisoner, so she was condemned to spend six months in the underworld every year. During these six months, while Persephone sits on the throne of the underworld beside her husband Hades, her mother Demeter mourns and no longer gives fertility to the earth. This was an ancient Greek explanation for the seasons. Dante Gabriel Rossetti's painting Persephona depicts Persephone holding the fatal fruit. The number of seeds Persephone ate varies, depending on which version of the story is told. The number ranges from three to seven, which accounts for just one barren season if it is just three or four seeds, or two barren seasons (half the year) if she ate six or seven seeds.
The pomegranate also evoked the presence of the Aegean Triple Goddess who evolved into the Olympian Hera, who is sometimes represented offering the pomegranate, as in the Polykleitos' cult image of the Argive Heraion (see below). According to Carl A. P. Ruck and Danny Staples, the chambered pomegranate is also a surrogate for the poppy's narcotic capsule, with its comparable shape and chambered interior. On a Mycenaean seal illustrated in Joseph Campbell's Occidental Mythology 1964, figure 19, the seated Goddess of the double-headed axe (the labrys) offers three poppy pods in her right hand and supports her breast with her left. She embodies both aspects of the dual goddess, life-giving and death-dealing at once. The Titan Orion was represented as "marrying" Side, a name that in Boeotia means "pomegranate", thus consecrating the primal hunter to the Goddess. Other Greek dialects call the pomegranate rhoa; its possible connection with the name of the earth goddess Rhea, inexplicable in Greek, proved suggestive for the mythographer Karl Kerenyi, who suggested the consonance might ultimately derive from a deeper, pre-Indo-European language layer.
In the 5th century BC, Polycleitus took ivory and gold to sculpt the seated Argive Hera in her temple. She held a scepter in one hand and offered a pomegranate, like a 'royal orb', in the other. "About the pomegranate I must say nothing," whispered the traveller Pausanias in the 2nd century, "for its story is somewhat of a holy mystery." In the Orion story, Hera cast pomegranate-Side (an ancient city in Antalya) into dim Erebus — "for daring to rival Hera's beauty", which forms the probable point of connection with the older Osiris/Isis story.[citation needed] Since the ancient Egyptians identified the Orion constellation in the sky as Sah the "soul of Osiris", the identification of this section of the myth seems relatively complete. Hera wears, not a wreath nor a tiara nor a diadem, but clearly the calyx of the pomegranate that has become her serrated crown.[citation needed] The pomegranate has a calyx shaped like a crown. In Jewish tradition, it has been seen as the original "design" for the proper crown. In some artistic depictions, the pomegranate is found in the hand of Mary, mother of Jesus.
A pomegranate is displayed on coins from the ancient city of Side, Pamphylia.
Within the Heraion at the mouth of the Sele, near Paestum, Magna Graecia, is a chapel devoted to the Madonna del Granato, "Our Lady of the Pomegranate", "who by virtue of her epithet and the attribute of a pomegranate must be the Christian successor of the ancient Greek goddess Hera", observes the excavator of the Heraion of Samos, Helmut Kyrieleis.
In modern times, the pomegranate still holds strong symbolic meanings for the Greeks. On important days in the Greek Orthodox calendar, such as the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and on Christmas Day, it is traditional to have at the dinner table polysporia, also known by their ancient name panspermia, in some regions of Greece. In ancient times, they were offered to Demeter[citation needed] and to the other gods for fertile land, for the spirits of the dead and in honor of compassionate Dionysus.[citation needed] When one buys a new home, it is conventional for a house guest to bring as a first gift a pomegranate, which is placed under/near the ikonostasi (home altar) of the house, as a symbol of abundance, fertility, and good luck. Pomegranates are also prominent at Greek weddings and funerals.[citation needed] When Greeks commemorate their dead, they make kollyva as offerings, which consist of boiled wheat, mixed with sugar and decorated with pomegranate. It is also traditional in Greece to break a pomegranate on the ground at weddings and on New Years. Pomegranate decorations for the home are very common in Greece and sold in most home goods stores.
ANCIENT ISRAEL AND JUDAISM
Pomegranates were known in Ancient Israel as the fruits which the scouts brought to Moses to demonstrate the fertility of the "promised land". The Book of Exodus describes the me'il ("robe of the ephod") worn by the Hebrew high priest as having pomegranates embroidered on the hem alternating with golden bells which could be heard as the high priest entered and left the Holy of Holies. According to the Books of Kings, the capitals of the two pillars (Jachin and Boaz) that stood in front of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem were engraved with pomegranates. Solomon is said to have designed his coronet based on the pomegranate's "crown" (calyx).
It is traditional to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because, with its numerous seeds, it symbolizes fruitfulness. Also, it is said to have 613 seeds, which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah.[61] This particular tradition is referred to in the opening pages of Ursula Dubosarsky's novel Theodora's Gift.
The pomegranate appeared on the ancient coins of Judea. When not in use, the handles of Torah scrolls are sometimes covered with decorative silver globes similar in shape to "pomegranates" (rimmonim). Some Jewish scholars believe the pomegranate was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.[60] Pomegranates are one of the Seven Species (Hebrew: שבעת המינים, Shiv'at Ha-Minim) of fruits and grains enumerated in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 8:8) as being special products of the Land of Israel. The pomegranate is mentioned in the Bible many times, including this quote from the Songs of Solomon, "Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks." (Song of Solomon 4:3). Pomegranates also symbolize the mystical experience in the Jewish mystical tradition, or kabbalah, with the typical reference being to entering the "garden of pomegranates" or pardes rimonim; this is also the title of a book by the 16th-century mystic Moses ben Jacob Cordovero.
IN EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN MOTIFS
In the earliest incontrovertible appearance of Christ in a mosaic, a 4th-century floor mosaic from Hinton St Mary, Dorset, now in the British Museum, the bust of Christ and the chi rho are flanked by pomegranates. Pomegranates continue to be a motif often found in Christian religious decoration. They are often woven into the fabric of vestments and liturgical hangings or wrought in metalwork. Pomegranates figure in many religious paintings by the likes of Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, often in the hands of the Virgin Mary or the infant Jesus. The fruit, broken or bursting open, is a symbol of the fullness of Jesus' suffering and resurrection.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, pomegranate seeds may be used in kolyva, a dish prepared for memorial services, as a symbol of the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom.
IN THE QUR´AN
According to the Qur'an, pomegranates grow in the gardens of paradise (55:68). The Qur'an also mentions pomegranates three times.(6:99, 6:141, 55:68)
AFGHANISTAN
Pomegranate, a favorite fall and winter fruit in Afghanistan, has mainly two varieties: one that is sweet and dark red with hard seeds growing in and around Kandhar province, and the other that has soft seeds with variable color growing in the central/northern region. The largest market for Afghan pomegranates is India followed by Pakistan, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Europe.
ARMENIA
The pomegranate is one of the main fruits in Armenian culture (the others being apricot and grapes). Its juice is famous with Armenians in food and heritage. The pomegranate is the symbol of Armenia and represents fertility, abundance and marriage. For example, the fruit played an integral role in a wedding custom widely practiced in ancient Armenia: a bride was given a pomegranate fruit, which she threw against a wall, breaking it into pieces. Scattered pomegranate seeds ensured the bride future children. In Karabakh, it was customary to put fruits next to the bridal couple during the first night of marriage, among them the pomegranate, which was said to ensure happiness. It is likely that newlyweds also enjoyed pomegranate wine. The symbolism of the pomegranate is that it protected a woman from infertility and protected a man's virility. Both homemade and commercial wine is made from pomegranate in Armenia. The Color of Pomegranates (1969) is a movie directed by Sergei Parajanov. It is a biography of the Armenian ashug Sayat-Nova (King of Song) which attempts to reveal the poet's life visually and poetically rather than literally.
AZERBAIJAN
Pomegranate is considered one of the symbols of Azerbaijan. Annually in October, a cultural festival is held in Goychay, Azerbaijan known as the Goychay Pomegranate Festival. The festival features Azerbaijani fruit-cuisine mainly the pomegranates from Goychay, which is famous for its pomegranate growing industry. At the festival, a parade is held with traditional Azerbaijani dances and Azerbaijani music. Pomegranate was depicted on the official logo of the 2015 European Games held in Azerbaijan. Nar the Pomegranate was one of the two mascots of these games. Pomegranates also featured on the jackets worn by Azerbaijani male athletes at the games' opening ceremony.
IRAN AND ANCIENT PERSIA
Pomegranate was the symbol of fertility in ancient Persian culture.[citation needed] In Persian mythology, Isfandiyar eats a pomegranate and becomes invincible. In the Greco-Persian Wars, Herodotus mentions golden pomegranates adorning the spears of warriors in the phalanx. Even in today's Iran, pomegranate may imply love and fertility.
Iran produces pomegranates as a common crop.[citation needed] Its juice and paste have a role in some Iranian cuisines, e.g. chicken, ghormas and refreshment bars. Pomegranate skins may be used to stain wool and silk in the carpet industry.
Pomegranate Festival is an annual cultural and artistic festival held during October in Tehran[citation needed] to exhibit and sell pomegranates, food products and handicrafts.
PAKISTAN
The pomegranate (known as "anār" in Urdu) is a popular fruit in Pakistan. It is grown in Pakistan and is also imported from Afghanistan.
INDIA
In some Hindu traditions, the pomegranate (Hindi: anār) symbolizes prosperity and fertility, and is associated with both Bhoomidevi (the earth goddess) and Lord Ganesha (the one fond of the many-seeded fruit). The Tamil name maadulampazham is a metaphor for a woman's mind. It is derived from, maadhu=woman, ullam=mind, which means as the seeds are hidden, it is not easy to decipher a woman's mind.
CHINA
Introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the pomegranate (Chinese: 石榴; pinyin: shíliu) in olden times was considered an emblem of fertility and numerous progeny. This symbolism is a pun on the Chinese character 子 (zǐ) which, as well as meaning seed, also means "offspring" thus a fruit containing so many seeds is a sign of fecundity. Pictures of the ripe fruit with the seeds bursting forth were often hung in homes to bestow fertility and bless the dwelling with numerous offspring, an important facet of traditional Chinese culture.
WIKIPEDIA
New #YVR mayor seeks to solve city problems investing in police, which NEVER solves social or 💰 issues
Vancouver must instead compassionately invest in people, housing, #BasicIncome & #MentalHealth
Existing over-investment in Vancouver policing merely criminalizes more citizens ...leaving no positive effects on social ills nor crime levels.
Drug dealing exists openly; my daughter & I were offered all drug types as we walked the #DTES
________ ________ ________ ________
"The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods, and the historic heart of the city.
The DTES has many assets, especially for its low-income residents... the Downtown Eastside has struggled with many complex challenges including drug use, crime, homelessness, housing issues, unemployment, and loss of businesses in the community." (City of Vancouver)
"Around the beginning of the 20th century, the DTES was the political, cultural and retail centre of Vancouver. Over several decades, the city centre gradually shifted westwards and the DTES became a poor,[1] although relatively stable, neighbourhood. In the 1980s, the area began a rapid decline due to several factors including an influx of hard drugs, policies that pushed sex work and drug-related activity out of nearby areas, and the cessation of federal funding for social housing. By 1997, an epidemic of HIV infection and drug overdoses in the DTES led to the declaration of a public health emergency. As of 2018, critical issues include opioid overdoses, especially those involving the drug fentanyl; decrepit and squalid housing; a shortage of low-cost rental housing; and mental illness, which often co-occurs with addiction."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside
Founded in 1978, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre is one of the few safe spaces within the Downtown Eastside exclusively for self-identified women and their children. High levels of violence, homelessness, addictions and poverty characterize the Downtown Eastside community. Women and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, injustice and injury." dewc.ca/about
“The British are among the worst idlers in the world. We work among the lowest hours, we retire early and our productivity is poor. Whereas Indian children aspire to be doctors or businessmen, the British are more interested in football and pop music”
That's according to compassionate conservatives Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss (2012) in their book en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia_Unchained
But are the British really the worst idlers in the world? Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s early characterisation of the UK workforce does not entirely stand up to scrutiny argues Sarah O'Connor twitter.com/sarahoconnor_/status/1572149750606233601
Open Government Licensed (OGL) portrait of Kwasi Kwarteng MP by UK Government via Wikimedia Commons w.wiki/5k78