View allAll Photos Tagged Intellect
Located on the opposite side of the Red Planet, Orion Station is a hub for interplanetary meetings among Martians. Three portal structures connect to this command meeting station, floating over a surprisingly lush understory, at least for the Martian wasteland anyway. Colonies of Martians such as the Antares, the Centarui, and the Vega meet at this hub to hold council with the intelligence of Reigel and his aid, Arcturus.
A homage to the 2001 Life on Mars Lego theme, inspired the color Sand Purple. A fun theme that explored the peaceful interaction between human and alien life on Mars' surface. If any LEGO space theme were to make a return, I hope it carries heavy influence from the peaceful line.
Not only does Orion Station feature a communal hub for Martian life, it sits atop a site of ancient necessity visited frequently by the patrons. Here a sect of the Vega clan enjoy the fascinations of their ancient world. Not being known for their intellect, this sect solely ponders why this rock head is so big.
The Martian colony of the Centarui are best known for the bravery through protection of the other groups. A simple and respectable group, they choose to care for others over their themselves in a form of protection while showing no aggression to new comers unless absolutely necessary.
Each solstice a communal celebration is held at Orion Station. Martians share different cultures and ideas from each of their sects, and enjoy the beautiful, even though largely barren, landscape beneath the hub.
Princess Cassiopeia is surprised by Hoodlum Altair! Rascally Altair is up to no good as usual...
(I really don't know anything about the Life on Mars story or lore if there even was any, its been fun making up stuff though. The lime green guy named Altair just has a goofy hair pattern, never was a fun of that head as much as the others. And the other old purple Martian, Cassiopeia, is fantastic in that color.)
Local Mizar colonists point and laugh as an Earthling rover studies rocks! Silly rover, that rock is the same as the other ones.
Among the sources of Western esotericism, the Hermetica is the most prominent. It is a collection of writings on cosmology, astrology, alchemy, and magic, and it has its origins in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Hermetica is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and magic, is a significant figure in the Hermetica. Greeks in Egypt came to identify Thoth with their god Hermes.
Hermetism, in its ancient context, is closely related to pagan Neoplatonism. Neo-Platonists practiced Theurgy, a form of pagan mystical practice and magical ritual. The concept of theurgy came from the Chaldean Oracles, which describe the physical world as a prison from which the higher human soul must escape.
Gnosticism is a heresy from the early Christian era. The word Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge” or “insight,” and it pertains to hidden or secret spiritual knowledge. Gnostics believe that their souls are trapped in an imperfect world and that through esoteric knowledge they can be freed from the prison of this material world.
During the Italian Renaissance, a priest named Marsilio Ficino taught new spiritual concepts of Platonism and the Hermetica. This caused a revival of Neoplatonism and Hermetism. During this time, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola blended Kabbalah with Hermeticism. Then came figures such as Johannes Reuchlin, Johann Trithemius, and Henry Cornelius Agrippa, who mixed forms of Hermeticism with Neoplatonism, Neopythagoreanism, magic, astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. After came John Dee, who was an advisor to Elizabeth I. He immersed himself in astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. John Dee and Edward Kelley collaborated in angel magic for several years. And an influential figure in medicine named Paracelsus, combined alchemy with Hermetic and Neoplatonic ideas to form his medical theories. The Emerald Tablet, one of the oldest alchemical writings, played a major role in Renaissance esotericism. The saying, “as above, so below,” comes from the Emerald Tablet.
Christian theosophy emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in reaction to the strict orthodoxy of the Lutheran Reformation. Jacob Boehme was the figure behind the start of this movement. His ideas influenced intellectual movements such as Romanticism and Idealism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Platonism and Hermeticism are an essential part of theosophy. Rosicrucianism also arose in the seventeenth century. “From its obscure origins, the Rosicrucian myth would inspire literature, eighteenth-century Masonic adaptations, the rituals of the Golden Dawn, the leading magical order of the modern occult revival, and still exerts a powerful mystique today.”
Many secret societies formed in the eighteenth century, with their different esoteric beliefs. Many of these societies had relationships with the various Masonic lodges. Continental Freemasonry latched onto many of the esoteric ideas of these societies. The higher degrees of Freemasonry usually incorporated themes of theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and alchemy. Therefore, in the eighteenth century, Freemasonry was a major conduit for the spread of Western esotericism.
Emanuel Swedenborg had a great influence on eighteenth-century theosophy and was a major player in the development of modern esotericism. The Enlightenment influenced esoteric ideas, and they were accepted by many eighteenth-century illuminists. Then came Franz Anton Mesmer, who developed the theory of animal magnetism. His legacy can be traced to the early beginnings of modern Spiritualism. Animal magnetism was rooted in esoteric traditions. A key figure in animal magnetism was Justinus Kerner. His work became well-known throughout Europe. Another key figure was Baron Jules Dupotet de Sennevoy, who used animal magnetism to “unlock the secrets of magic.” His ideas influenced modern occultism. Helena Blavatsky, one of the founders of modern Theosophy, was a big fan of Dupotet. She also linked animal magnetism to magic. A man named James Braid coined the term “hypnotism” to describe animal magnetism. Hypnosis played a major role in the development of modern psychology. (Though they stripped the occult “ideas” from animal magnetism (hypnotism), I consider hypnotism to be an occult “practice.” Both Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung experimented with hypnosis.
In the mid-nineteenth century, occultism was introduced to America, predominantly through forms of animal magnetism, Swedenborgianism, and Freemasonry. Animal magnetism was introduced to America by Charles de Poyen. It quickly spread among occultists and spiritualists and was often combined with Swedenborgian ideas. Then came Andrew Jackson Davis, who communicated with a spirit he later identified as Swedenborg. He wrote a book called The Principles of Nature, which utilized Swedenborg’s ideas. His book sold many copies and became one of the founding texts of modern Spiritualism. Out of animal magnetism came the movements of New Thought and Christian Science, which integrated traditional Christian ideas with nineteenth-century metaphysical traditions. Next came modern Spiritualism, with its entertaining showmanship (self-moving furniture, self-playing musical instruments, and body levitation). Although the concepts of Swedenborg and animal magnetism were part of modern Spiritualism, the movement emerged independently of these influences.
The modern occult revival of the nineteenth century was complex. Romanticism sparked interest in the mysterious and unknown, thus creating an interest in animal magnetism, Spiritualism, and magic. A man named Eliphas Lévi became a pioneering figure in this Western occult revival. Lévi mixed ideas of animal magnetism with his philosophy of magic. Lévi used the Kabbalah and the Tarot as a source of magical symbolism. Much of modern occultism recognizes the Tarot as a root of mystical symbolism and imagery. Aleister Crowley believed himself to be a reincarnation of Lévi. Helena Blavatsky was also a fan of Lévi. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a Freemasonry order called the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia was founded. In turn, some of its members founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn produced various offshoots, impacting Western esoteric traditions during the twentieth century.
Arthur Edward Waite came out of the Golden Dawn. He was a poet, scholar, mystic, and occultist. He was a prolific writer on esoteric matters. He was also a co-creator of the Rider-Waite TAROT card deck, which is one of the most popular Tarot decks. Aleister Crowley also came out of the Golden Dawn. Crowley wrote “The Book of the Law,” which stated, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!” Crowley used sex magick as a major tool for his magical system. Crowley referred to himself as the Great Beast 666. “Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern witchcraft, introduced Crowleyan magick into the neopagan Wiccan movement.” Dion Fortune, who had a great impact on modern Western esotericism, also came out of the Golden Dawn. She was one of the most influential twentieth-century occultists and ceremonial magicians. She had a significant influence on both later ceremonial magic and Wicca. “She was perhaps one of the first occult writers to approach magic and hermetic concepts from the psychology of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.”
The Theosophical Society was founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky combined elements of Neoplatonism, Renaissance magic, Kabbalah, Freemasonry, ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman mythology and religion, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta into her religious system. Her new religious movement played a major role in the spread of esoteric traditions in the modern era, and it was likely the biggest Influence behind the modern occult revival. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Theosophy gained a large international following. Her work prepared the foundation for what is now known as the New Age movement.
Alice A. Bailey authored many books on Theosophy. She was one of the first writers to use the term New Age, and her works have significantly influenced the New Age movement. Alice and Foster Bailey founded the Lucifer Publishing Company, which was later named the Lucis Publishing Company. (The Theosophical Society had also used the name “Lucifer” for its early magazine.) World Goodwill, which is part of Alice Bailey’s Lucis Trust, is an accredited Nongovernmental Organization with the Department of Public Information at the United Nations. The Lucis Trust is also on the Roster of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist, had a profound impact on the world of psychology and spirituality. Esoteric traditions profoundly shaped Jung’s understanding of the human psyche. Gnosticism deeply resonated with Jung’s theories. His ideas have had a significant influence on the New Age movement. Western esotericism gained renewed momentum from Jung’s implied spiritualization of the psyche.
“Ever since Plato’s separation of the body and the soul, Western esotericism has traced a path in which the soul has been granted some share in divinity.” Hermetism, Neoplatonism, and modern-day Western esotericism provide people with a vision of the cosmos in which their soul has divine purpose. With the popularity of New Age and neopagan philosophies in the West today, esoteric traditions will continue to evolve and lay claim to some sort of enlightened gnosis.
I think that modern esotericism will lead down the road to Alice Bailey’s vision of a world religion—the fusion of faiths. This concept has been around for a long time. Here is the concept: a one-world government is needed to unite mankind in order to create a world of peace and prosperity (political Gnosticism). To accomplish a one-world government, all religions must unite under one umbrella (spiritual Gnosticism). Many groups have been working towards this goal, such as the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the International Association for Religious Freedom, the World Congress of Faiths, Nostra Aetate, and Religions for Peace.
Nietzsche’s murder of God is an element of parousiastic Gnosticism, which seeks to destroy everything that is perceived as unjust (imperfect), and to replace it with a just (perfect) order through the power of human means and intellect. Therefore, the Christian God of the West has to go, and so does Western democracy. Just like the murder of God, Nietzsche’s transformation of man into the superman is an attempt to murder man. “Historically, the murder of God is not followed by the superman, but by the murder of man.” The Marxists must destroy capitalism and instate communism, thus killing off bourgeois society. They are trapped in this world of capitalism; thus, their world is a prison. The Marxists are trapped in a system of private property and must transcend private property, abolishing it forever. Marxists must transcend the evils of this capitalist world and evolve into the “socialist man”/“communist man.” They must destroy the current system to gain their utopia. Indeed, “socialism is man’s positive self-consciousness,” his gnosis.
“Communism is the riddle of history solved, and it knows itself to be this solution. The entire movement of history, just as its actual act of genesis—the birth act of its empirical existence—is, therefore, for its thinking consciousness the comprehended and known process of its becoming.” – Karl Marx
“The positive transcendence of private property as the appropriation of human life, is therefore the positive transcendence of all estrangement—that is to say, the return of man from religion, family, state, etc., to his human, i.e., social, existence.” – Karl Marx
Political Gnosticism is seen in communism and National Socialism. Political Gnosticism is alive and well today, with affluent people and organizations who want to transform our world into their utopian dream. The United Nations, with its Sustainable Development Goals, is the chief example. The World Economic Forum is another. Through their gnosis, they can bring peace and prosperity to the world.
“Queer theory brings knowing and being into the education of young children.” In queer theory, people are born (trapped) in the wrong body; their bodies are prisons. “Young people are absorbing the idea that the physical body is not part of the authentic self—that the authentic self is only the autonomous choosing self. This is ancient Gnosticism in new garb.”
Transhumanists want mankind to transcend into the superman. Man is trapped in this mortal body, but the goal is to someday attain immortality. They will use technology and super intelligence to solve man’s problems, to bring about a perfect world of peace and prosperity.
The Bible warns about the forming of a future one-world religion—the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. It warns of a one-world cashless currency system, which will be connected to the Mark of the Beast. Without this one-world digital ID Mark, which will be located on the right hand or forehead, a person will not be able to buy or sell. The man who implements this system will be the Antichrist. His Mark will plunge mankind into the first stages of transhumanism. Those who refuse this transformation into the superman will be put to death—the murder of man. The Western religion of Christianity will be replaced with the worship of Caesar (the Beast). Western democracy will be replaced with totalitarianism.
The gnosis: if you eat the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God.
“God is working to raise your intellect and will to the highest perfection of supernatural activity in Union with His Holy Spirit. By pouring His Wisdom into your soul, He is accomplishing the greatest work of His love, forming the perfect likeness of Christ , His incarnate Word, in you, and perfecting His church through everything that you allow Him to perform by the agency of your free will transformed and elevated in Him. Praise and glorify God, you have tasted the first fruits of this marvelous grace, and pray to Him to continue His great work in your soul. Withdraw yourself from all care; trust not in yourself but in Him; do not be anxious or solicitous to perform great works for Him until He leads you Himself, by obedience and love and the events which His providence directs, to undertake the works He has planned for you and by which He will use you to communicate the fire of His love to other men.” - Thomas Merton from The Inner Experience (p. 103)
Nothing expected, free of anticipation some things just fit together. Pictures of the view from the window turned into exposures of the light available from inside and out and then my old worn and loved Tarot box went to centre stage and took a bow. Some how some thing happened all at once and together in unison.
The Tarot cards within the box are two versions of, “The Smith–Waite,” or, “Rider–Waite–Smith,” or, “Waite–Smith Deck.” Originally and for decades Artist Pamela Colman Smith was not mentioned in the name of the deck, but the publishing company Rider was often mentioned when it was sold as the, “Rider Waite Deck,” and Rider continued to be a part of the name for the book and cards long after Rider were not publishing them. This box is for, “The, Original Rider Waite,” is no longer in production. The other deck, along with, “The Original Smith–Waite,” still in the box, is, “The Universal Waite,” that should be titled, “The Universal Smith-Waite,” and is recoloured by Mary Hanson-Roberts.
Underneath the top coat of green paint the original lettering and the image of the Major Arcana card numbered XIV that of Temperance, particularly the folds in the Angel’s robes can be seen. The 30 years age of this box is nothing in long historic roots of Tarot. It carries memories for me holds two decks with two artists showing the figures of European Tarot in a form modernised and expanded with a newly devised pictorial Minor Arcana. In 1909 the publisher Rider released, “The Key to the Tarot,” and in 1910 a revised version was retitled as, “The Pictorial Key to the Tarot,” by A.E. Waite. The name, “Rider Waite,” was used to describe the 78 cards and the books and various booklets both to accompany the cards and also sold separately. To acknowledge the artist who recast several of the Major Arcana and made 56 original versions of the Minor Arcana the publishing phenomenon with over 100 million copies is often now referred to as, “The Smith-Waite Deck.”
© PHH Sykes 2023
phhsykes@gmail.com
“Today, more than 100 million copies of the Rider-Waite-Smith Deck are in circulation in over 20 countries, making it the most popular Tarot deck ever made. As we set forth to recover lost histories and systematic erasures of women’s intellect and labor, this exhibition provides an essential piece of the puzzle.”
Ray, Sharmistha, Hyperallergic, 23 March 2019, “Reviving a Forgotten Artist of the Occult.”.
hyperallergic.com/490918/pamela-colman-smith-pratt-instit...
Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world today.
Baum’s Strong Women
For the past 104 years, people saw what they wanted to in the Wizard of Oz. In the fifties, conservatives in the government pointed an accusing finger at L. Frank Baum, its author, insisting that Oz is a communistic society lacking money, where all comrades work for the common good. At times religious groups saw the book as demonic, pointing out that Baum pictured witches as nothing more than smart women: some good, some bad. Economists saw the story as a march to the gold standard with “oz” standing for ounces of gold, the green of Oz as the color of money, and the brick road as an “obvious” reference to the yellow metal. Others insisted that the story was a political tract with the lion representing England. In fact, the emerald green of Oz may be a reference to Baum’s ancestral home of Ireland. Yellow brick was a common building material in 1900. The name “oz,” according to one of Baum’s sons, was inspired by a filing cabinet in Baum’s office. The files were listed alphabetically with the last one labeled, “O - Z”
Frank Baum insists in the introduction to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, that “old time fairy tales” contain a “fearsome moral to each tale.” He would have nothing to do with placing a moral in his stories. Baum insists the story “was written solely to pleasure children of today.”
With that said, and in spite of what the author insists, there is a wealth of metaphor and meaning in his works. Perhaps the most consistent theme that runs through most of his many books is the message that girls may strive to be strong women. In ten of his fourteen books, the hero is a girl or woman. True power in Oz, both good and evil resides in woman. Dorothy, a little girl in the original story, leads (practically drags) her three adult male friends through a life’s journey, helping them find themselves. They discover that they always had the courage, kindness, and intellect that they mistakenly thought they lacked. Oz himself is a fraud.
Baum was an ardent advocate of woman’s rights. As a newspaper correspondent, he wrote numerous articles on the topic. He campaigned vigorously with his wife, mother-in-law, and Susan B. Anthony to win the vote for women in the new state of South Dakota. The vote was lost but his strong feelings for the equality of women continued to be expressed in his stories and papers.
- Dr. Len Radin
It’s said yellow is the color of the mind and the intellect, and the third chakra in the solar plexus, representing power and spark.
Of particular note in gnome society, male or female, are hats. For one reason or another, gnomes have a deep love for headgear of any variety, even going so far as to refer to helmets as “war hats” and other such affectations. All gnomes own between three and several dozen hats, and hats are often seen as a social status symbol. They favor hats of all styles, colors, fabrics and sizes. Fedoras, beanies, fezzes, bomber hats, bowlers and top hats are the most popular, though any style will do. Gnomes believe a hat can say a lot about the person wearing it. This saying is not just an aphorism, however; it is something taken from their own culture.
In gnome villages and cities, all gnomes possess a single, pointed hat. The color, fabric and size of the hat are indicative of their relative social rank, intellect and criminal record. Red hats are for common folk; blue hats are for officials; yellow hats are for leaders (such as a mayor), brown hats are for criminals and white hats are for Dunces.
theathaschronicle.fandom.com/wiki/Gnomes_(Race)
At We’re Here! the host group for the day is Colors of Christmas.
SOOC
Il sapere umano appartiene al mondo. La condivisione e la fiducia sono alla base della conoscenza, del progresso culturale e scientifico; la mercificazione delle opere di intelletto, espressa attraverso l'imposizione del copyright, è un crimine. Musica, scritture, software, foto, pellicole. Se il prezzo non è quantificabile, il valore è inestimabile. Lucrare sui prodotti intellettuali significa considerare la propria mente alla pari con un qualsiasi bene commerciale. "Tutelare" le proprie opere significa arrestare la divulgazione del sapere; uccidere la conoscenza.
In questa sede: non applico il copyright alle mie foto perchè considero tale pratica una mortificazione, per me e per gli altri. Le Creative Commons ci sono per essere usate.
Non sfregio le mie foto con loghi personali, e se lo facessi renderei disponibili altrove le foto originali.
Metto a disposizione gli Exif per chiunque possa essere interessato alle informazioni tecniche sui miei scatti. Grazie a Exif altrui sono riuscito a migliorare conoscenze e tecnica fotografica.
Non critico chi si comporta diversamente. Penso solo che da qualche parte si dovrà pure iniziare a ignorare la diffidenza verso il prossimo.
Il sapere è come il sesso: meglio se libero.
***
Human knowledge belongs to the world. Sharing and trust are the base of knowledge, of cultural and scientific progress; the commoditization of intellectual works, expressed through copyright, is a crime. Music, writings, software, photos, films. If the price isn't quantifiable, value is inestimable. To gain from mind products means to consider our mind equal to any consumer goods. To "safeguard" our works means to stop the intellection; to kill the knowledge.
In this session: I don't apply the copyright to my photos because I consider such custom an abasement, for the others and for me. Creative Commons licenses exist in order to be used.
I don't slash my photos with personal logos, and if I do it I'll make my original photos somewhere else aviable.
I share Exif files with anyone interested about technical informations on my shots. Thanks to other people's Exif I improve my knowledge and my photographic tecnique.
It's not a critical note against who's getting a different behaviour. I just think somewhere we shoud start ignoring distrust.
Knowledge is like sex: better when free.
Every man should use his intellect, not as he uses his lamp in the study, only for his own seeing, but as the lighthouse uses its lamps, that those afar off on the seas may see the shining, and learn their way.
#HenryWardBeecher
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Cyans World
Pick up where Myst left off, and plunge into a deceptively beautiful world cursed by bewildering defects and a powerful overseer. Every shadow hides a secret, and appearances might not be what they seem. Atrus needs you once again – to untangle the truth about Riven and help him free his beloved wife Catherine. You must search, explore, and draw on your intellect and intuition to discover the truth about this troubled land and its inhabitants.
Der nächste Winter wird kommen .
“Concerning matter, we have been all wrong. What we have called matter is energy, whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses. Matter is spirit reduced to point of visibility. There is no matter.”
"Time and space are not conditions in which we live, but modes by which we think.
Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, determined by the external world."
“Time does not exist – we invented it. Time is what the clock says. The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
“I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me."
"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why.”
"A human being experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
"Our separation from each other is an optical illusion."
“When something vibrates, the electrons of the entire universe resonate with it. Everything is connected. The greatest tragedy of human existence is the illusion of separateness.”
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
“We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music.”
“When you examine the lives of the most influential people who have ever walked among us, you discover one thread that winds through them all. They have been aligned first with their spiritual nature and only then with their physical selves.”
“The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self.”
“The ancients knew something, which we seem to have forgotten.”
“The more I learn of physics, the more I am drawn to metaphysics.”
“One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike. We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us. It is entirely possible that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we are unaware.”
“I’m not an atheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books.”
"The common idea that I am an atheist is based on a big mistake. Anyone who interprets my scientific theories this way, did not understand them."
"Everything is determined, every beginning and ending, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper."
“The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It will transcend a personal God and avoid dogma and theology.”
“Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.”
“Everything is energy and that is all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you can not help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”
"I am happy because I want nothing from anyone. I do not care about money. Decorations, titles or distinctions mean nothing to me. I do not crave praise. I claim credit for nothing. A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.
-Albert Einstein
"A prophet doesn't have to have any brains. They are good to have, of course, for the ordinary exigencies of life, but they are no use in professional work. It is the restfulest vocation there is. When the spirit of prophecy comes upon you, you merely take your intellect and lay it off somewhere in a cool place for a rest, and unship your jaw and leave it alone; it will work itself. The result is prophecy."
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
The End (of my 366 Day Project) is Near!!!!!!!!!
10 Year Project
Each month I take a favourite photo from ten years back, and re-edit it, using current tools and knowledge.
This was called "Vision Impaired", and I don't know what I was thinking, so maybe "Intellect Impaired would have been better.
I must have been looking for some sort of mood... This was in a cemetery after all...
Anyway, removed the colour cast, and all the colour! Straightened it, inevitably, and... well, made it a bit gritty.
Their challenger was the enigmatic Monsieur LeClerc, a gentleman known for his inventive prowess and his love for elaborate mechanical contraptions. Monsieur LeClerc was a master of automatons, and his latest creation was a marvel that could play the violin with such soulful perfection it was said to bring the listener to tears.
The duel was to be held in the grand hall of the gentleman's club, a fitting arena where intellect and innovation were the swords with which one battled. The terms were elegantly simple: the invention that most captivated the assembly would be deemed the victor.
For the Clockwork Sibyls, this was more than just a contest; it was an opportunity to shift the paradigm of their time. They walked down the street, each step a silent but steadfast claim on the future they envisioned—a world where science and art danced in harmonious symphony, and where the work of a woman's mind was heralded as a masterpiece of the modern age.
As Lady Abigail and Lady Beatrice approached the stately doors of the gentleman's club, a murmur of anticipation rippled through the crowd. The contest was not merely a display of scientific prowess; it was a spectacle that had the entire city holding its breath.
Inside the grand hall, the air was thick with the scents of polished wood and the faintest hint of machine oil—a perfume for the inventors' soirée. Monsieur LeClerc took the stage first, unveiling his automaton with a flourish. The figure, dressed in the finery of a concert violinist, lifted its bow. As it played, the room fell into a reverent hush, the music weaving through the air like a tangible spell. The automaton's performance was flawless, soulful yet hauntingly mechanical.
(Part 4 flic.kr/p/2pFEHab)
(Part 1 flic.kr/p/2pFFzbK)
Image created in DALL-E
Story co-created by Grace and ChatGPT
"... Grâce à leur intelligence vive et leur grande fidélité à l'orthodoxie, les théologiens dominicains ont gagné le titre de Domini Canes (Chiens de garde du Seigneur). "
www.monasteries.com/fr-FR/order/dominicans
"...With their keen intellect and strong fidelity to orthodoxy, the Dominican theologians earned the title Domini Canes (Watchdogs of the Lord). "
I've been on a path, and it has been full of interesting intellects and furry beasties. One of the dears I met along the way was this burro and his pony pal.
By contemplating the created order, and by contemplating and ordering the moral structure of one’s own life, one would be led to the pure theoria of the fountainhead of all existence, ho on, ‘the existing one’, ‘He Who is’, this being the name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Historical revelation in this light becomes God’s method of spelling out truth in the terms of the world: an arrangement of clues which, rightly seen, leads to illumination. However, this is not really comparable to the enlightenment of the gnostic: there is no ‘technology’ here, no suggestion of control over the laws of the Spirit. The end is simply contemplation, the enjoying of God for his sake alone; and Philo shares the biblical repugnance for any suggestion that God can be brought into human control. God can never be contained in human concepts. Moses ascends into a cloud and darkness beyond the scope of intellect, where God offers himself directly to the vision, without the intervention of any form or idea. Here, then, the pilgrimage of the understanding is seen not (as for the gnostic) in terms of acquisition but in terms of stripping away, the stripping of multiple and diffuse kinds of apprehension to the simplicity of a single-hearted vision –in Platonic terms, the return from the Many to the primal One.
- The Wound of Knowledge Christian Spirituality from the New Testament to St John of the Cross, ROWAN WILLIAMS
(Fascinator by Chop Zuey)
As seen in Avalon's Divine Dream Art Exhibition at Visionaire Photography Institute in SL.
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Olympus%20Lightning/68/91/36
Sailing to Byzantium
By William Butler Yeats
THAT is no country for old men. The young
In one another's arms, birds in the trees
- Those dying generations - at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.
O sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.
Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.
Grand Canyon : A personal feeling
Grand Canyon was created on this planet long before human races had evolved. In his early days the supreme creator might have been frustrated in spite of creating all his splendors, for the reason, there was no such species like humans to appreciate all the beauties and truths on this earth. He set his final evolutionary goal. The most intelligent species came into being. They looked at these beauties, stood rapt in awe to feel them by their hearts and reason them by their brain. Thus beauties and truths were revealed on this earth. This was my feeling as I saw Grand Canyon for the first time.
Grand Canyon seemed to me, like a child prodigy sleeping peacefully in his mother’s lap waiting to be woken up by a magic touch. He will share all his mysteries, beauties and truths since his first inception in the mother’s womb. He will never grow old. He will never finish his story ever.
I soon understood that, through its endless showcase of variety, the Canyon magically connects an observer’s mind, to almost all the literal subjects, humans have ever created. It has an immense power to train our body, mind and soul to interrelate different faculties of human intellect in search of a holistic truth.
I wondered, how the supreme sculptor had used his magic chisel to slash a land in endless ravines, so deeply and mysteriously, to create infinite dimensions. The colors of the bare faces of the rocks across different layers, illuminated by daylight, reflect finest pastel colors, delicately applied in an impressionistic mode, as if, by an artist’s invisible spatula. But these are its physical realities only. Grand Canyon is something more than that…
To the best of my experience, this is a place where all human senses intermingle and lose their identity, as one turns quiet and silent for a considerable period of time. From an overview, it seemed to me, as if, a huge number of artists in a group orchestra rearing their heads up in the sky from a mysterious platform. All are spiritual sages, deeply engrossed in creating a symphony. River Colorado glides in-between like the baton of an invisible composer. But with the passage of time, all these physical realities vanished, except one, and only one thing I experienced…
An experience of seeing, hearing, feeling, touching and smelling an inherent beauty of unchained melody, what Grand Canyon is all about.
So many emotions at one time...
I started writing something a while ago... and I never finished it... This is what I have so far:
***There's a little box we all keep in our heads. It's all the way in the back, doing nothing until you need it. Some are stubborn when it comes to dealing with emotions. They realize they are there, but they do nothing about them. They only put the emotions into that box and tuck it away again, until they need to bury something else. And that box is like a ticking time bomb. When it is full to the brim it will explode, but nobody wants to be around when that happens. Nobody wants to know what will happen.
For some, it's sadness, for others it's anger. For most, it's any kind of emotion. Joy, grief, anger... But what makes us do this? Maybe it's our family environment. The way we see our parents deal with their emotions impacts us. The way a single mother deals with her emotions effects the children to do the same. Or it could maybe even be the people we hang around. The jokes that are made when dealing with something difficult. A simple phrase like, "walk it off" or "get over it" can have an impact....***
Yeah, that's it. >.< I was so angry with myself today I was so close to throwing my camera and giving up on this project. I'm not kidding. I don't know if I'm cut out to be a photo journalist or anything.
The karate promotional was today. Well, one of three. It was from 10 until about 12.30. With only five rounds of sparring. At the black belt promotional, it's 15. I got some nice tags on kids. By "tags" I mean shots at them. They didn't block. Not my fault. I even sparred this one kid named Aiden. He's pretty cool, very polite. Apparently he was there when he was - OH MY GOD! I REMEMBER HIM FROM YEARS AGO! Wow, he grew up... It's cool seeing people grow up.
Anyway, my day wasn't so great. Yeah, I talked to "Eric" and "Dan". I'm not elaborating. Nothing bad, or good, happened. "Eric" did say he would email me Monday though, so that's something to look forward to.
I don't know why, but I've just felt so.... angry lately. At myself, at people... Who knows what it could be.
I thought it was kind of funny that when Shihan was thanking everyone for helping out with the karate school and stuff, he thanked the parents and "Eric" and his brother for helping at the Greenville school... Never thanked me. I don't care. It's just kinda good to have other people know your efforts, you know? Like how I'm there everyday to take class and weapons,teach and take photos. I'd do anything for Shihan and Sensei. I really would. They've given me so much.
"All I ever wanted
Was to see you smiling
All I ever wanted
Was to make you mine
I know that I love you
Oh baby why don't you see
That All I ever wanted
Was you and me
I'm so alone
Here on my own
And I'm waiting for you to come
I want to be a part of you
Think of all the things we could do
And everyday
You're in my head
I want to have you in my bed
You are the world
You win my eyes
For you're all I want in my life
All I ever wanted
Was to see you smiling
All I ever wanted
Was to make you mine
I know that I love you
Oh baby why don't you see
That All I ever wanted
Was you and me."
("All I Ever Wanted" by Basshunter) I love Basshunter. "DotA" is pretty sweet too. It's weird... I started to cry.... I don't know why... I was just so upset, I started crying.... Weird...
I met him on Bandra Hill Road liked his look , his turban , his peaceful attitude and shot a few frames.
He belongs to the Sikh religion.
about Sikhism
Sikhism,[1] founded in fifteenth century Punjab on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus (the last one being the sacred text Guru Granth Sahib), is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world.[2] This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the counsel of the gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or śikṣa meaning "instruction".[3][4]
The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in waheguru—represented using the sacred symbol of ik ōaṅkār, the Universal God. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. A key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent that one can interpret God as the Universe itself. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture entitled the Gurū Granth Sāhib, which, along with the writings of six of the ten Sikh Gurus, includes selected works of many devotees from diverse socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctively associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. Most Sikhs live in Punjab in India and, until India's partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now Pakistani Punjab.[5]
The origins of Sikhism lie in the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. The essence of Sikh teaching is summed up by Nanak in these words: "Realisation of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still is truthful living".[6] Sikhism believes in equality of all humans and rejects discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, and gender. Sikhism also does not attach any importance to asceticism as a means to attain salvation, but stresses on the need of leading life as a householder.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion.[7][8] In Sikhism, God—termed Vāhigurū—is shapeless, timeless, and sightless: niraṅkār, akāl, and alakh. The beginning of the first composition of Sikh scripture is the figure "1"—signifying the universality of God. It states that God is omnipresent and infinite, and is signified by the term ēk ōaṅkār.[9] Sikhs believe that before creation, all that existed was God and Its hukam (will or order).[10] When God willed, the entire cosmos was created. From these beginnings, God nurtured "enticement and attachment" to māyā, or the human perception of reality.[11]
While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings,[9] Nanak described God as not wholly unknowable. God is omnipresent (sarav viāpak) in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually awakened. Nanak stressed that God must be seen from "the inward eye", or the "heart", of a human being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Guru Nanak Dev emphasized the revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits the existence of communication between God and human beings.[9] God has no gender in Sikhism, (though translations may incorrectly present a male God); indeed Sikhism teaches that God is "Nirankar" [Niran meaning "without" and kar meaning "form", hence "without form"]. In addition, Nanak wrote that there are many worlds on which God has created life.[12]
[edit] Pursuing salvation and khalsa
A Sikh man at the Harimandir Sahib
Nanak's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on a spiritual union with God which results in salvation.[13] The chief obstacles to the attainment of salvation are social conflicts and an attachment to worldly pursuits, which commit men and women to an endless cycle of birth—a concept known as reincarnation.
Māyā—defined as illusion or "unreality"—is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and salvation: people are distracted from devotion by worldly attractions which give only illusive satisfaction. However, Nanak emphasised māyā as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Sikhism, the influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust—known as the Five Evils—are believed to be particularly pernicious. The fate of people vulnerable to the Five Evils is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion.[14]
Nanak described God's revelation—the path to salvation—with terms such as nām (the divine Name) and śabad (the divine Word) to emphasise the totality of the revelation. Nanak designated the word guru (meaning teacher) as the voice of God and the source and guide for knowledge and salvation.[15] Salvation can be reached only through rigorous and disciplined devotion to God. Nanak distinctly emphasised the irrelevance of outward observations such as rites, pilgrimages, or asceticism. He stressed that devotion must take place through the heart, with the spirit and the soul.
A key practice to be pursued is nām: remembrance of the divine Name. The verbal repetition of the name of God or a sacred syllable is an established practice in religious traditions in India, but Nanak's interpretation emphasized inward, personal observance. Nanak's ideal is the total exposure of one's being to the divine Name and a total conforming to Dharma or the "Divine Order". Nanak described the result of the disciplined application of nām simraṇ as a "growing towards and into God" through a gradual process of five stages. The last of these is sac khaṇḍ (The Realm of Truth)—the final union of the spirit with God.[15]
Nanak stressed now kirat karō: that a Sikh should balance work, worship, and charity, and should defend the rights of all creatures, and in particular, fellow human beings. They are encouraged to have a chaṛdī kalā, or optimistic, view of life. Sikh teachings also stress the concept of sharing—vaṇḍ chakkō—through the distribution of free food at Sikh gurdwaras (laṅgar), giving charitable donations, and working for the good of the community and others (sēvā).
[edit] The ten gurus and religious authority
Main article: Sikh Gurus
A rare Tanjore-style painting from the late 19th century depicting the ten Sikh Gurus with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana.
The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gurū, meaning teacher, guide, or mentor. The traditions and philosophy of Sikhism were established by ten specific gurus from 1499 to 1708. Each guru added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting in the creation of the Sikh religion. Nanak was the first guru and appointed a disciple as successor. Gobind Singh was the final guru in human form. Before his death, Gobind Singh decreed that the Gurū Granth Sāhib would be the final and perpetual guru of the Sikhs.[16] The Sikhs believe that the spirit of Nanak was passed from one guru to the next, " just as the light of one lamp, which lights another and does not diminish ",[17] and is also mentioned in their holy book.
After Nanak's passing, the most important phase in the development of Sikhism came with the third successor, Amar Das. Nanak's teachings emphasised the pursuit of salvation; Amar Das began building a cohesive community of followers with initiatives such as sanctioning distinctive ceremonies for birth, marriage, and death. Amar Das also established the manji (comparable to a diocese) system of clerical supervision.[15]
The interior of the Akal Takht
Amar Das's successor and son-in-law Ram Das founded the city of Amritsar, which is home of the Harimandir Sahib and regarded widely as the holiest city for all Sikhs. When Ram Das's youngest son Arjan succeeded him, the line of male gurus from the Sodhi Khatri family was established: all succeeding gurus were direct descendants of this line. Arjun Mathur was responsible for compiling the Sikh scriptures. Guru Arjan Sahib was captured by Mughal authorities who were suspicious and hostile to the religious order he was developing.[18] His persecution and death inspired his successors to promote a military and political organization of Sikh communities to defend themselves against the attacks of Mughal forces.
The Sikh gurus established a mechanism which allowed the Sikh religion to react as a community to changing circumstances. The sixth guru, Har Gobind, was responsible for the creation of the concept of Akal Takht (throne of the timeless one), which serves as the supreme decision-making centre of Sikhdom and sits opposite the Darbar Sahib. The Sarbat Ḵẖālsā (a representative portion of the Khalsa Panth) historically gathers at the Akal Takht on special festivals such as Vaisakhi or Diwali and when there is a need to discuss matters that affect the entire Sikh nation. A gurmatā (literally, guru's intention) is an order passed by the Sarbat Ḵẖālsā in the presence of the Gurū Granth Sāhib. A gurmatā may only be passed on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion; it is binding upon all Sikhs.[19] The term hukamnāmā (literally, edict or royal order) is often used interchangeably with the term gurmatā. However, a hukamnāmā formally refers to a hymn from the Gurū Granth Sāhib which is given as an order to Sikhs.
[edit] History
Main article: History of Sikhism
Nanak (1469–1538), the founder of Sikhism, was born in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talwandī, now called Nankana Sahib (in present-day Pakistan).[20] His father, Mehta Kalu was a Patwari, an accountant of land revenue in the employment of Rai Bular Bhatti, the area landlord. Nanak's mother was Tripta Devi and he had one older sister, Nanaki. His parents were Khatri Hindus of the Bedi clan. As a boy, Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to leave home and take missionary journeys.
In his early teens, Nanak caught the attention of the local landlord Rai Bular Bhatti, who was moved by his intellect and divine qualities. Rai Bular was witness to many incidents in which Nanak enchanted him and as a result Rai Bular and Nanak's sister Bibi Nanki, became the first persons to recognise the divine qualities in Nanak. Both of them then encouraged and supported Nanak to study and travel. Sikh tradition states that at the age of thirty, Nanak went missing and was presumed to have drowned after going for one of his morning baths to a local stream called the Kali Bein. One day, he declared: "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim" (in Punjabi, "nā kōi hindū nā kōi musalmān"). It was from this moment that Nanak would begin to spread the teachings of what was then the beginning of Sikhism.[21] Although the exact account of his itinerary is disputed, he is widely acknowledged to have made four major journeys, spanning thousands of kilometres, the first tour being east towards Bengal and Assam, the second south towards Tamil Nadu, the third north towards Kashmir, Ladakh, and Tibet, and the final tour west towards Baghdad and Mecca.[22]
Nanak was married to Sulakhni, the daughter of Moolchand Chona, a rice trader from the town of Bakala. They had two sons. The elder son, Sri Chand, was an ascetic, and he came to have a considerable following of his own, known as the Udasis. The younger son, Lakshmi Das, on the other hand, was totally immersed in worldly life. To Nanak, who believed in the ideal of rāj maiṁ jōg (detachment in civic life), both his sons were unfit to carry on the Guruship.
[edit] Growth of the Sikh community
In 1538, Nanak chose his disciple Lahiṇā, a Khatri of the Trehan clan, as a successor to the guruship rather than either of his sons. Lahiṇā was named Angad Dev and became the second guru of the Sikhs.[23] Nanak conferred his choice at the town of Kartarpur on the banks of the river Ravi, where Nanak had finally settled down after his travels. Though Sri Chand was not an ambitious man, the Udasis believed that the Guruship should have gone to him, since he was a man of pious habits in addition to being Nanak's son. They refused to accept Angad's succession. On Nanak's advice, Angad shifted from Kartarpur to Khadur, where his wife Khivi and children were living, until he was able to bridge the divide between his followers and the Udasis. Angad continued the work started by Nanak and is widely credited for standardising the Gurmukhī script as used in the sacred scripture of the Sikhs.
Amar Das, a Khatri of the Bhalla clan, became the third Sikh guru in 1552 at the age of 73. Goindval became an important centre for Sikhism during the guruship of Amar Das. He preached the principle of equality for women by prohibiting purdah and sati. Amar Das also encouraged the practice of langar and made all those who visited him attend laṅgar before they could speak to him.[24] In 1567, Emperor Akbar sat with the ordinary and poor people of Punjab to have laṅgar. Amar Das also trained 146 apostles of which 52 were women, to manage the rapid expansion of the religion.[25] Before he died in 1574 aged 95, he appointed his son-in-law Jēṭhā, a Khatri of the Sodhi clan, as the fourth Sikh guru.
Jēṭhā became Ram Das and vigorously undertook his duties as the new guru. He is responsible for the establishment of the city of Ramdaspur later to be named Amritsar. Before Ramdaspur, Amritsar was known as Guru Da Chakk. In 1581, Arjan Dev—youngest son of the fourth guru—became the fifth guru of the Sikhs. In addition to being responsible for building the Darbar/Harimandir Sahib (called the Golden Temple), he prepared the Sikh sacred text known as the Ādi Granth (literally the first book) and included the writings of the first five gurus. In 1606, for refusing to make changes to the Granth and for supporting an unsuccessful contender to the throne, he was tortured and killed by the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir.[26]
[edit] Political advancement
Hargobind, became the sixth guru of the Sikhs. He carried two swords—one for spiritual and the other for temporal reasons (known as mīrī and pīrī in Sikhism).[27] Sikhs grew as an organized community and under the 10th Guru the Sikhs developed a trained fighting force to defend their independence. In 1644, Har Rai became guru followed by Harkrishan, the boy guru, in 1661. No hymns composed by these three gurus are included in the Sikh holy book.[28]
Tegh Bahadur became guru in 1665 and led the Sikhs until 1675. Teg Bahadur was executed by Aurangzeb for helping to protect Hindus, after a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits came to him for help when the Emperor condemned them to death for failing to convert to Islam.[29] He was succeeded by his son, Gobind Rai who was just nine years old at the time of his father's death. Gobind Rai further militarised his followers, and was baptised by the Pañj Piārē when he formed the Khalsa on 13 April 1699. From here on in he was known as Gobind Singh.
From the time of Nanak, when it was a loose collection of followers who focused entirely on the attainment of salvation and God, the Sikh community had significantly transformed. Even though the core Sikh religious philosophy was never affected, the followers now began to develop a political identity. Conflict with Mughal authorities escalated during the lifetime of Teg Bahadur and Gobind Singh. The latter founded the Khalsa in 1699. The Khalsa is a disciplined community that combines its religious purpose and goals with political and military duties.[30] After Aurangzeb killed four of his sons, Gobind Singh sent Aurangzeb the Zafarnamah (Notification/Epistle of Victory).
Shortly before his death, Gobind Singh ordered that the Gurū Granth Sāhib (the Sikh Holy Scripture), would be the ultimate spiritual authority for the Sikhs and temporal authority would be vested in the Khalsa Panth—the Sikh Nation/Community.[16] The first scripture was compiled and edited by the fifth guru, Arjan Dev, in 1604.
A former ascetic was charged by Gobind Singh with the duty of punishing those who had persecuted the Sikhs. After the guru's death, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur became the leader of the Sikh army and was responsible for several attacks on the Mughal empire. He was executed by the emperor Jahandar Shah after refusing the offer of a pardon if he converted to Islam.[31]
The Sikh community's embrace of military and political organisation made it a considerable regional force in medieval India and it continued to evolve after the demise of the gurus. After the death of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a Sikh Confederacy of Sikh warrior bands known as misls formed. With the decline of the Mughal empire, a Sikh Empire arose in the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, with its capital in Lahore and limits reaching the Khyber Pass and the borders of China. The order, traditions and discipline developed over centuries culminated at the time of Ranjit Singh to give rise to the common religious and social identity that the term "Sikhism" describes.[32]
After the death of Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire fell into disorder and was eventually annexed by the United Kingdom after the hard-fought Anglo-Sikh Wars. This brought the Punjab under the British Raj. Sikhs formed the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal to preserve Sikhs' religious and political organization a quarter of a century later. With the partition of India in 1947, thousands of Sikhs were killed in violence and millions were forced to leave their ancestral homes in West Punjab.[33] Sikhs faced initial opposition from the Government in forming a linguistic state that other states in India were afforded. The Akali Dal started a non-violence movement for Sikh and Punjabi rights. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale emerged as a leader of the Bhindran-Mehta Jatha—which assumed the name of Damdami Taksal in 1977 to promote a peaceful solution of the problem. In June 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian army to launch Operation Blue Star to remove Bhindranwale and his followers from the Darbar Sahib. Bhindranwale, and a large number of innocent pilgrims were killed during the army's operations. In October, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards. The assassination was followed by the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots massacre[34] and Hindu-Sikh conflicts in Punjab, as a reaction to the assassination and Operation Blue Star.
[edit] Scripture
There are two primary sources of scripture for the Sikhs: the Gurū Granth Sāhib and the Dasam Granth. The Gurū Granth Sāhib may be referred to as the Ādi Granth—literally, The First Volume—and the two terms are often used synonymously. Here, however, the Ādi Granth refers to the version of the scripture created by Arjan Dev in 1604. The Gurū Granth Sāhib refers to the final version of the scripture created by Gobind Singh.
[edit] Adi Granth
Main article: Ādi Granth
The Ādi Granth was compiled primarily by Bhai Gurdas under the supervision of Arjan Dev between the years 1603 and 1604.[35] It is written in the Gurmukhī script, which is a descendant of the Laṇḍā script used in the Punjab at that time.[36] The Gurmukhī script was standardised by Angad Dev, the second guru of the Sikhs, for use in the Sikh scriptures and is thought to have been influenced by the Śāradā and Devanāgarī scripts. An authoritative scripture was created to protect the integrity of hymns and teachings of the Sikh gurus and selected bhagats. At the time, Arjan Sahib tried to prevent undue influence from the followers of Prithi Chand, the guru's older brother and rival.[37]
The original version of the Ādi Granth is known as the kartārpur bīṛ and is claimed to be held by the Sodhi family of Kartarpur.[citation needed] (In fact the original volume was burned by Ahmad Shah Durrani's army in 1757 when they burned the whole town of Kartarpur.)[citation needed]
[edit] Guru Granth Sahib
Gurū Granth Sāhib folio with Mūl Mantra
Main article: Gurū Granth Sāhib
The final version of the Gurū Granth Sāhib was compiled by Gobind Singh in 1678. It consists of the original Ādi Granth with the addition of Teg Bahadur's hymns. It was decreed by Gobind Singh that the Granth was to be considered the eternal guru of all Sikhs; however, this tradition is not mentioned either in 'Guru Granth Sahib' or in 'Dasam Granth'.
Punjabi: ਸੱਬ ਸਿੱਖਣ ਕੋ ਹੁਕਮ ਹੈ ਗੁਰੂ ਮਾਨਯੋ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ।
Transliteration: Sabb sikkhaṇ kō hukam hai gurū mānyō granth.
English: All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth as Guru.
It contains compositions by the first five gurus, Teg Bahadur and just one śalōk (couplet) from Gobind Singh.[38] It also contains the traditions and teachings of sants (saints) such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, and Sheikh Farid along with several others.[32]
The bulk of the scripture is classified into rāgs, with each rāg subdivided according to length and author. There are 31 main rāgs within the Gurū Granth Sāhib. In addition to the rāgs, there are clear references to the folk music of Punjab. The main language used in the scripture is known as Sant Bhāṣā, a language related to both Punjabi and Hindi and used extensively across medieval northern India by proponents of popular devotional religion.[30] The text further comprises over 5000 śabads, or hymns, which are poetically constructed and set to classical form of music rendition, can be set to predetermined musical tāl, or rhythmic beats.
A group of Sikh musicians at the Golden Temple complex
The Granth begins with the Mūl Mantra, an iconic verse created by Nanak:
Punjabi: ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ISO 15919 transliteration: Ika ōaṅkāra sati nāmu karatā purakhu nirabha'u niravairu akāla mūrati ajūnī saibhaṅ gura prasādi.
Simplified transliteration: Ik ōaṅkār sat nām kartā purkh nirbha'u nirvair akāl mūrat ajūnī saibhaṅ gur prasād.
English: One Universal Creator God, The Name Is Truth, Creative Being Personified, No Fear, No Hatred, Image Of The Timeless One, Beyond Birth, Self Existent, By Guru's Grace.
All text within the Granth is known as gurbānī. Gurbānī, according to Nanak, was revealed by God directly, and the authors wrote it down for the followers. The status accorded to the scripture is defined by the evolving interpretation of the concept of gurū. In the Sant tradition of Nanak, the guru was literally the word of God. The Sikh community soon transferred the role to a line of men who gave authoritative and practical expression to religious teachings and traditions, in addition to taking socio-political leadership of Sikh adherents. Gobind Singh declared an end of the line of human gurus, and now the Gurū Granth Sāhib serves as the eternal guru, with its interpretation vested with the community.[30]
[edit] Dasam Granth
Main article: Dasam Granth
A frontispiece to the Dasam Granth
The Dasam Granth (formally dasvēṁ pātśāh kī granth or The Book of the Tenth Master) is an eighteenth-century collection of poems by Gobind Singh. It was compiled in the shape of a book (granth) by Bhai Mani Singh some 13 to 26 years after Guru Gobind Singh Ji left this world for his heavenly abode.
From 1895 to 1897, different scholars and theologians assembled at the Akal Takht, Amritsar, to study the 32 printed Dasam Granths and prepare the authoritative version. They met at the Akal Takhat at Amritsar, and held formal discussions in a series of meetings between 13 June 1895 and 16 February 1896. A preliminary report entitled Report Sodhak (revision) Committee Dasam Patshah de Granth Sahib Di was sent to Sikh scholars and institutions, inviting their opinion. A second document, Report Dasam Granth di Sudhai Di was brought out on 11 February 1898. Basing its conclusions on a study of the old handwritten copies of the Dasam Granth preserved at Sri Takht Sahib at Patna and in other Sikh gurudwaras, this report affirmed that the Holy Volume was compiled at Anandpur Sahib in 1698[3] . Further re-examinations and reviews took place in 1931, under the aegis of the Darbar Sahib Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee. They, too, vindicated the earlier conclusion (agreeing that it was indeed the work of the Guru) and its findings have since been published.
[edit] Janamsakhis
Main article: Janamsākhīs
The Janamsākhīs (literally birth stories), are writings which profess to be biographies of Nanak. Although not scripture in the strictest sense, they provide an interesting look at Nanak's life and the early start of Sikhism. There are several—often contradictory and sometimes unreliable—Janamsākhīs and they are not held in the same regard as other sources of scriptural knowledge.
[edit] Observances
Observant Sikhs adhere to long-standing practices and traditions to strengthen and express their faith. The daily recitation from memory of specific passages from the Gurū Granth Sāhib, especially the Japu (or Japjī, literally chant) hymns is recommended immediately after rising and bathing. Family customs include both reading passages from the scripture and attending the gurdwara (also gurduārā, meaning the doorway to God; sometimes transliterated as gurudwara). There are many gurdwaras prominently constructed and maintained across India, as well as in almost every nation where Sikhs reside. Gurdwaras are open to all, regardless of religion, background, caste, or race.
Worship in a gurdwara consists chiefly of singing of passages from the scripture. Sikhs will commonly enter the temple, touch the ground before the holy scripture with their foreheads, and make an offering. The recitation of the eighteenth century ardās is also customary for attending Sikhs. The ardās recalls past sufferings and glories of the community, invoking divine grace for all humanity.[39]
The most sacred shrine is the Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, famously known as the Golden Temple. Groups of Sikhs regularly visit and congregate at the Harimandir Sahib. On specific occasions, groups of Sikhs are permitted to undertake a pilgrimage to Sikh shrines in the province of Punjab in Pakistan, especially at Nankana Sahib and other Gurdwaras. Other places of interest to Sikhism in Pakistan includes the samādhī (place of cremation) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore.
[edit] Sikh festivals
Festivals in Sikhism mostly centre around the lives of the Gurus and Sikh martyrs. The SGPC, the Sikh organisation in charge of upkeep of the gurdwaras, organises celebrations based on the new Nanakshahi calendar. This calendar is highly controversial among Sikhs and is not universally accepted. Several festivals (Hola Mohalla, Diwali, and Nanak's birthday) continue to be celebrated using the Hindu calendar. Sikh festivals include the following:
* Gurpurabs are celebrations or commemorations based on the lives of the Sikh gurus. They tend to be either birthdays or celebrations of Sikh martyrdom. All ten Gurus have Gurpurabs on the Nanakshahi calendar, but it is Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh who have a gurpurab that is widely celebrated in Gurdwaras and Sikh homes. The martyrdoms are also known as a shaheedi Gurpurab, which mark the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
* Vaisakhi or Baisakhi normally occurs on 13 April and marks the beginning of the new spring year and the end of the harvest. Sikhs celebrate it because on Vaisakhi in 1699, the tenth guru, Gobind Singh, laid down the Foundation of the Khalsa an Independent Sikh Identity.
* Bandi Chhor Divas or Diwali celebrates Hargobind's release from the Gwalior Fort, with several innocent Hindu kings who were also imprisoned by Jahangir, on 26 October, 1619.
* Hola Mohalla occurs the day after Holi and is when the Khalsa Panth gather at Anandpur and display their warrior skills, including fighting and riding.
[edit] Ceremonies and customs
The anand kāraj (Sikh marriage) ceremony
Nanak taught that rituals, religious ceremonies, or idol worship is of little use and Sikhs are discouraged from fasting or going on pilgrimages.[40] However, during the period of the later gurus, and owing to increased institutionalisation of the religion, some ceremonies and rites did arise. Sikhism is not a proselytizing religion and most Sikhs do not make active attempts to gain converts. However, converts to Sikhism are welcomed, although there is no formal conversion ceremony. The morning and evening prayers take about two hours a day, starting in the very early morning hours. The first morning prayer is Guru Nanak's Jap Ji. Jap, meaning "recitation", refers to the use of sound, as the best way of approaching the divine. Like combing hair, hearing and reciting the sacred word is used as a way to comb all negative thoughts out of the mind. The second morning prayer is Guru Gobind Singh's universal Jaap Sahib. The Guru addresses God as having no form, no country, and no religion but as the seed of seeds, sun of suns, and the song of songs. The Jaap Sahib asserts that God is the cause of conflict as well as peace, and of destruction as well as creation. Devotees learn that there is nothing outside of God's presence, nothing outside of God's control. Devout Sikhs are encouraged to begin the day with private meditations on the name of God.
Upon a child's birth, the Guru Granth Sāhib is opened at a random point and the child is named using the first letter on the top left-hand corner of the left page. All boys are given the middle name or surname Singh, and all girls are given the middle name or surname Kaur.[41] Sikhs are joined in wedlock through the anand kāraj ceremony. Sikhs are required to marry when they are of a sufficient age (child marriage is taboo), and without regard for the future spouse's caste or descent. The marriage ceremony is performed in the company of the Guru Granth Sāhib; around which the couple circles four times. After the ceremony is complete, the husband and wife are considered "a single soul in two bodies."[42]
According to Sikh religious rites, neither husband nor wife is permitted to divorce. A Sikh couple that wishes to divorce may be able to do so in a civil court—but this is not condoned.[43] Upon death, the body of a Sikh is usually cremated. If this is not possible, any means of disposing the body may be employed. The kīrtan sōhilā and ardās prayers are performed during the funeral ceremony (known as antim sanskār).[44]
[edit] Baptism and the Khalsa
A kaṛā, kaṅghā and kirpān.
Khalsa (meaning pure) is the name given by Gobind Singh to all Sikhs who have been baptised or initiated by taking ammrit in a ceremony called ammrit sañcār. The first time that this ceremony took place was on Vaisakhi, which fell on 29 March 1698/1699 at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. It was on that occasion that Gobind Singh baptised the Pañj Piārē who in turn baptised Gobind Singh himself.
Baptised Sikhs are bound to wear the Five Ks (in Punjabi known as pañj kakkē or pañj kakār), or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own and to others' spirituality. The 5 items are: kēs (uncut hair), kaṅghā (small comb), kaṛā (circular iron bracelet), kirpān (dagger), and kacchā (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.[45]
[edit] Sikh people
Main article: Sikh
Further information: Sikhism by country
Punjabi Sikh family from Punjab, India
Worldwide, there are 25.8 million Sikhs and approximately 75% of Sikhs live in the Indian state of Punjab, where they constitute about 60% of the state's population. Even though there are a large number of Sikhs in the world, certain countries have not recognised Sikhism as a major religion and Sikhism has no relation to Hinduism. Large communities of Sikhs live in the neighboring states, and large communities of Sikhs can be found across India. However, Sikhs only make up about 2% of the Indian population.
In addition to social divisions, there is a misperception that there are a number of Sikh sectarian groups[clarification needed], such as Namdharis and Nirankaris. Nihangs tend to have little difference in practice and are considered the army of Sikhism. There is also a sect known as Udasi, founded by Sri Chand who were initially part of Sikhism but later developed into a monastic order.
Sikh Migration beginning from the 19th century led to the creation of significant communities in Canada (predominantly in Brampton, along with Malton in Ontario and Surrey in British Columbia), East Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom and more recently, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Western Europe. Smaller populations of Sikhs are found in Mauritius, Malaysia, Fiji, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Afganistan, Iraq and many other countries
Adult & PG Versions Available
A rich oak Captain’s Desk commands the wood-paneled room with timeless elegance. Topped with a world globe, pen, inkwell, and aged parchment, it evokes authority and refinement. Brass-accented drawers hint at secrets within. A must-have centerpiece for any discerning individual who values legacy, intellect, and enduring craftsmanship.
Where To Find:
Marketplace Item:
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marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Desk/270373051
PG Version
marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Desk/27037306
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Yellow Baboons are renowned for their intellect and have a particular love of algebra and ripe figs!
Cleaned and framed by a friend.
A dry lake somewhere in Nevada.
When you walk at this place and look around you feel as if you were walking on a conveyer belt or on one of these fitness-walking machines where you hold on to some kind of handle and just go through the motions of walking without really progressing. The ground is so homogenous and featureless that there is really nothing there, around you, that would change or move while you are walking and that could give you an impression of your own motion. The mountains, toward which motion could be perceived, are too far away. It feels like walking to the body, but you don’t get any sensual feedback of progress, the mind misses the expected visual confirmation of things around changing, that you actually cover ground. Nothing changes, not even slowly, you can walk for 15 minutes and everything looks exactly the same. It’s like in a dream when you try so hard to run but don’t move.
Once reason forces the mind to accept that there must be motion, it actually comes up with the sensation that the ground is moving instead, backwards, and I’m completely still, just my legs paddling and pushing the ground backwards. Not bad! What’s the difference? So I walk and make the world turn under me. Wouldn’t make much difference, would it? How do I know that this is not what’s really going on?
Ah, yes, that’s where my discriminating intellect comes in, the “experience processor” that saves us so often from getting undone or – what we so often forget – prevents us from seeing the truth!
At night a new moon illuminates the scene, just enough to see the mountains. But now, when I walk, I really get dizzy, the deceiving sensation of walking without moving is chillingly convincing. The wind stops at night, no sounds; it is so quiet that again the mind protests. It comes up with all kinds of objections, aversions, and fears. I hear my heart pounding, blood rushing, monstrous, strange sounds. “How can all this work without my control?” says mind and is confused. And then I even hear things that clearly are unreal: scary ringing gongs, piercing beeps and roaring surf. I need to stay with the irritation for a long time until I gradually manage to let it all be whatever it is without interpreting it. Have I ever experienced such enormous cosmic silence of open space? Even the concept of sound becomes uncertain, somehow, and dissolves. A completely new experience arises: not the lack of hearing something, but the sensation of hearing silence. It takes a long time before the mind gives up its expectations and objections and starts to believe this emptiness.
Much later, when the moon is gone and a thick overcast has developed that holds back even the starlight, I walk away from the motor home into the complete darkness. Now there is absolutely nothing to see anymore – it doesn’t matter if my eyes are open or closed – nothing to hear, nothing to touch, nothing to react on, nothing to work with, nothing to change. Awesome! – Nothing to find awesome. I feel a sensation of panic arise.
Imagine such a place: the ultimate model for the unobstructed freedom to go nowhere – you step out of your camper, spin around a few times, and start walking in an arbitrary direction. And you keep walking, for 20 minutes if you like, because – you have seen, it’s obvious – you can be absolutely certain that you cannot bump into anything wherever you go (unless you run into the van after two steps). It’s amazing how the mind gets alarmed and doesn’t quite believe it, in spite of the indisputable knowledge of no danger, how you stumble and how drastically you actually deviate from a strait line soon. You don’t walk blindly, your eyes are wide open, but there is nothing to see. You want feedback, you crave for news, you insist on information, but there is absolutely nothing happening outside.
High intellect and an intriguing level of curiosity keep these sea dwellers popular with the diving community.
Aureus 37-38, 7.73 g. C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT Bare head of Gaius r. Rev. DIVVS AVG PATER PATRIAE Radiate head of Augustus r. RIC 15. BMC 16. C 1. CBN 19. Vagi 310. Calicó 332 (this coin).
Few of Rome’s emperors enjoy as foul a reputation as Gaius, who is generally known by the nickname Caligula, meaning ‘bootikin’ or ‘little boots’, which he received from his father’s soldiers while he was still an amiable child. He grew to despise the nickname almost as much as everyone grew to despise him. There is little need to revisit the list of his debaucheries, incests and acts of depravity – we need only note that his behaviour was a special blend of intellect and insanity, and that he has few peers beyond Nero, Commodus and Elagabalus. On the bright side, Caligula was dutiful when it came to his well-produced coinage. Caligula honoured his great-grandfather Augustus, very likely Tiberius, his murdered parents, Germanicus and Agrippina Senior, and his murdered brothers, Nero Caesar and Drusus Caesar. Among the living he honoured his three sisters – in whom he had more than a casual interest – and, on provincial coinage, his final wife Caesonia and their daughter Drusilla Minor, both of whom were murdered within an hour of Caligula.
Please think about viewing large on black
I like the degree of clarity and uncertainty in this shot, brought about by the shallow dof - and the bokeh, of course!
Another shot of the model of diamond currently on display in the courtyard of Burlington Place, Piccadilly. The last one had the camera's white balance set to tungsten to give the blue effect.
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the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion, and empathy :-)
― Dean Koontz
HBW!!
dahlia , j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, Raleigh, north carolina
Nasty Deeds.
Символістський естетик різні вірші виразні конструкції нові причини віддалені слова величезні трюки напружені емоції дидактична алегорія,
intellect points adressant des actes spontanés décrivant des métaphores écrivant des affinités impulsion arts plastiques décadents sourires plaisirs systèmes mystérieux mouvements évoquant émotions émotions évocations structures tournant contrastes voile explications minuscules œuvres formes étonnantes effets invisibles,
Línte allabhrach béim Bizarre naisc mhóra siombailí soiléire ingearach caol doirse inslithe comhthéacs tírdhreacha samhailfhadú,
مسافات لا يمكن تحديدها ، الشعر الديناميكي ، اكتشاف القيم ، الاتجاهات التكميلية ، الصور اللاخطية لنظرية اللاوعي ، التي تتأرجح في التعاملات,
喚起的な反論長いステートメントオリジナルのマニフェストリバティプレイ染み込まれたスタイルビジュアルアプリケーション内接批評家痛烈な結果エッチング歴史的変化むち打ち敵誇り高きステートメント燃やす!
Steve.D.Hammond.
Sculpture called "Bodhi" by Fredrik Wretman (born 1953), inaugurated in 2004. The model is the sculptor himself. The English term enlightenment is the western translation of the abstract noun "bodhi" in Sanskrit, the knowledge or wisdom, or awakened intellect, of a Buddha.
sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredrik_Wretman (website in Swedish)
Seeing, in the finest and broadest sense, means using your senses, you intellect, and your emotions. It means encountering your subject matter with your whole being. It means looking beyond the labels of things and discovering the remarkable world around you.
- Freeman Patterson
Todavia no sabe leer y ya siente una curiosa atraccion por los libros.
She still can not read and you feel a strange attraction to books.
1. TQ Challenge 1: Red Outtake, 2. 365 toys, day 2, 3. TQ Challenge 1 - Red, 4. 25/365 Pika-surf!, 5. skydiving, 6. The Sleepy Dragonfly, 7. in the red, 8. Thistle Whistle <3 Baby Ribbon, 9. i miss him* 03, 10. Rokin'-it!, 11. P5041469, 12. 365 Toy Project - Day 24, 13. 21/365 toy project: micro converse shoes, 14. HECK YES!, 15. 22/365 : Potato & Kano :: 11.11.2007, 16. 21/365 : Potato :: 11.10.2007, 17. 365 Toy Project - Day 23, 18. intellect, 19. Learning to Fly, 20. 365 Toy Project - Day 21, 21. 바닐라_VaniLLa, 22. Scion tC model : 02.14.2006, 23. Perdida en lo que queda de Bosque, 24. The girls and the Lunby picnic table, 25. 345/365--Toy Project, 26. 365 Toy Project - Day 22, 27. 17/365 : Robo :: 11.06.2007, 28. Pullip Portraits :: Aries, 29. Kiki - out of the Kitty outfit! - I, 30. Friendly visitor, 31. Baby Unicorn Line-Up, 32. 16/365 toy project: lucky voodoo-dark boy, 33. EL YETI del Patio, 34. Asian Traditions Calendar - September, 35. 365 Toy Project - Day 17, 36. Baby Gloomy : 10.23.2005
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
(18/52 - Theme: Feathers)
Why are we our greatest obstacle? We are given intellect, creativity, and reason. We posses astounding abilities yet we still harbor fear and an unwillingness to take risks which are bred from our own insecurities. We have wings, if only we could fly.
Probably the most time I have spent working on a photo, even though this appears relatively simple.
Many thanks to my friends for their feedback on this photo!
As a university where expression is an integral part of intellect, passions ignite pursuits in the classroom that often continue on to the boardroom. “Why” is replaced by “why not,” as Vanderbilt students discover the world of possibilities that is theirs for the asking.
Yellow: Freshness, positivity, happiness, clarity, energy, optimism, enlightenment, remembrance, intellect, honor, loyalty and joy.
Just as iron rusts from disuse... even so does inaction spoil the intellect.
Leonardo da Vinci
Clamps
2021 03 20_2203.jpgr.jpgrt
Zosia
Up close and personal. I am fascinated with eyes and given the opportunity will get close to reveal some of their personality. Vulnerability, intellect, trust and drive all at once.
Poznan, Poland
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