J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, gives a wonderful speech and perspective. Like you will probably be, as I was, surprised at her speech and her presence. Wonderful.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

Tags: Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, speech

Thanks to Leila for the great inspiration to this post.
Namaste means, in one Southern preacher's unique way of explaining:


This reminded me that: In Sanskrit and modern Indo-Aryan languages, mitra means "friend." And I recalled that during our yoga classes, we do Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Namaskara (as it's alternately spelled) is the Hindi translation of Namaste, which is Sanskrit.

In the more advanced classes, we will use the Sanskrit mantras associated with the 12 parts of the Sun Salutation. Wikipedia has a good description of these movements and their history, although the technique shown in the photos is not nearly as precise as I would teach it.

The first step is to place the hands together and say:
1) Om Mitraya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, our friend)
2) Om Ravaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the source of activity)
3) Om Suryaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who shines)
4) Om Bhavane Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who illuminates)- PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
5) Om Khagaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who flies high like a bird)
6) Om Pooshne Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who raises us all)
7) Om Hiranyagarbaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the creator)- PLEASE ignore lack of toe pointing & hips too high in hand-drawn pose on link
8) Om Marichaye Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the beautiful or symbol of beauty)
9) Om Adityaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the son of Aditi- mythologically, the mother of all the 9 planets) PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
10) Om Savitre Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is both mother and father)
11) Om Arkaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is praiseworthy)
12) Om Bhaskaraya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, him who gives Enlightenment)

When we say "Namaste", we also place the palms together at the heart. As our friend the pastor above said- "the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you." Keeping this in mind- our inherent One-ness when we meet is important for our planet as a whole, and how we treat each other. There are too many other ways to get off track.

Symbolically, this means two becoming one- me and my friend, were two, and now we have met, and become one. I am certain that the word 'meet' itself has it's etymology in 'mitra'.

Tags: namaste, Hello, surya namaskar, sun salutation, Asanas

I love this video on Youtube. Our friend Ranza Clark alerted this to us on Facebook. Thanks Ranza!



I love hugging the police parts! hahaha

REEG!

Tags: fear, love

Drawing by Nick O'Sullivan

Aged 90, in November 1985, he revisted the places he had grown up in India, holding a last set of talks between then and January 1986, in farewell. The final talks were on fundamental principles of belief and lessons. Krishnamurti commented that he did not wish to invite Death, but was not sure how long his body would last, he had already lost some 6 kg (13 lb) and once he could no longer talk or teach, he would have no further purpose. He said a formal farewell to all four points of the compass, the so-called 'elephant's turn', on the Adayar shore where he had long ago come to the attention of others. His final talk, on January 4, 1986, invited his co-participants to examine with him the nature of inquiry, the nature of life, and the nature of creation. It ended:

"So we are inquiring what makes a bird. What is creation behind all this? Are you waiting for me to describe it, to go into it? ... Why? Why do you ask [what creation is]? Because I asked? No description can ever describe the origin. The origin is nameless; the origin is absolutely quiet, it's not whirring about making noise. Creation is something that is most holy, that's the most sacred thing in life, and if you have made a mess of your life, change it. Change it today, not tomorrow. If you are uncertain, find out why and be certain. If your thinking is not straight, think straight, logically. Unless all that is prepared, all that is settled, you can't enter into this world, into the world of creation."
"It ends." (these two words are hardly audible, breathed rather than spoken)

"This is the last talk. Do you want to sit together quietly for a while? All right, sirs, let us sit quietly for a while."

Tags: krishnamurti