Monday, August 11, 2008
short
my stomach is rumbling and i realize i ought to keep my posts short and simple. so that is it for today. :)
Thursday, August 7, 2008
peace - a choice and a responsibility
recently i recieved this email
"
Subject: Taken off most Internet sites because of threats
about muslims -- very scary be sure to watch (in capitals)
This is the film that has the EU and the Muslim world in a tizzy right now. Most web sites have removed it, including You Tube. All bowing to threats. Google still has it posted as of today but, will probably bow to pressure soon. Can be tough to watch in spots. But this is really what we are up against.
http://video.Google.com/videoplay?docid=3369102968312745410 <~~~Click here for the video
Video: Fitna the Movie: Geert Wilders' film about the Quran (English)
Send this to your home computer to watch---it's 16 min...but is very scary about what is going on around the world with Islam & the Muslims. The credits are at the end. We must be aware of what's going on, to protect democracy for our kids, AND ourselves. More people need to see this.................
Have heard about this film & now understand what the uproar is about. Stick with it to hear the imams preaching and the Iranian president.
If you are not aware of it, this is the film by Geert Wilders. He's a Dutch writer who is now under protection from the Islamists in the Netherlands.
"
and this was my response
"
hello XYZ
What can I say? This is a complex problem and the film is just presenting one aspect of it and generating more fear. Some statements in the film are taken out of context and put in another context to sound threatening, example the statements by Iranian president. Most iranians i know are gentle, warm and loving people. The worst part is that Islam is made out to be the enemy.
I think that the Bush regime did a lot of harm to tarnish Islam and generate fear among Americans. It made all followers of Islam into ‘the bad guys’, ‘the hateful other’. America has done unspeakable damage in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it seems Iran is being made the next target of American wrath. Thousands, nay millions, nay many more innocents have suffered because of American bombings and other attacks. And what was the justification in Afghanistan? To weed out one Osama-bin-laden, and a few followers, hundreds of entire villages were wiped out. See the film “earth and ashes” if you ever get the chance. It does not make America into an enemy, but you get some idea of the damage that was done there.
In Iraq mythical weapons of mass destruction were chased only to come up with nothing, but causing widespread havoc and destruction in the process. The Americans who are fighting there and losing their lives are suffering too, aren’t they? and over what? If I believe Michael Moore and in part I do, it is over the oil interests of a few powerfully rich Americans and their millions. I do not deny that there are many Muslims out there, who are reacting in a violent and gruesome manner. In part it is a reaction of indignation, in part it is stubbornness and an unwillingness to change. But where and when does it stop? Where and when does it end? To brand the entire community as terrorists, to look on a part of the picture and consider it the whole is unfair, to say the least.
I have several Muslim friends and many have been victims in the hindu-muslim divide and that too is unfortunate. Anytime we set up someone else as ‘the other’ and become intolerant we are heading for trouble. I am also concerned about what is happening in Netherlands. I recently read Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s book “Infidel” and got some insight into the problem they are facing. It is a very complex problem, if you take in thousands of muslims and do you allow them to practise their faith even when it goes against the cultural values of your own country, in a spirit of tolerance; or do you impose your own cultural values on them and make it a condition of their stay in the country. where does one draw the line? where are the boundaries that are healthy and respectful?
I repeat it is a complex problem, but I believe there is a solution and it can be found, if we all stay calm and focused on finding the solution. If we buy into the fear psychology often the reaction is ‘shoot first and talk later’. So let us refrain from activating one’s fears, look at all the facts out there, not just the fear-generating ones but all our expereinces of these 'other' communities and use our heads and hearts to find a way.
Deeply concerned,
meenal
"
terrorism cannot win if we do not give into terror. a trifle trite no doubt, but i go on. aggression is the mask over fear. do not succumb to terror and fear nor resort to aggresion. think out of the box and find a way that transcends the problem.
easier said than done? sure, but then we have to evolve to a higher consciousness, don't we? or do we want to fight and indulge in war-mongering for the rest of our lives? inner peace leads to outer peace. it is a choice. make it now and know that you are responsible for whatever choice you make. and you can hold on to that choice of inner peace even when you face the so-called "enemy". the next choice then is to take up arms (a la bhagavad gita) or to practise gandhian non-violence. either way if you are unattached within, unafraid, if you are at peace inside yourself, then you are evolving to the newer, higher consciousness.
"
Subject: Taken off most Internet sites because of threats
about muslims -- very scary be sure to watch (in capitals)
This is the film that has the EU and the Muslim world in a tizzy right now. Most web sites have removed it, including You Tube. All bowing to threats. Google still has it posted as of today but, will probably bow to pressure soon. Can be tough to watch in spots. But this is really what we are up against.
http://video.Google.com/videoplay?docid=3369102968312745410 <~~~Click here for the video
Video: Fitna the Movie: Geert Wilders' film about the Quran (English)
Send this to your home computer to watch---it's 16 min...but is very scary about what is going on around the world with Islam & the Muslims. The credits are at the end. We must be aware of what's going on, to protect democracy for our kids, AND ourselves. More people need to see this.................
Have heard about this film & now understand what the uproar is about. Stick with it to hear the imams preaching and the Iranian president.
If you are not aware of it, this is the film by Geert Wilders. He's a Dutch writer who is now under protection from the Islamists in the Netherlands.
"
and this was my response
"
hello XYZ
What can I say? This is a complex problem and the film is just presenting one aspect of it and generating more fear. Some statements in the film are taken out of context and put in another context to sound threatening, example the statements by Iranian president. Most iranians i know are gentle, warm and loving people. The worst part is that Islam is made out to be the enemy.
I think that the Bush regime did a lot of harm to tarnish Islam and generate fear among Americans. It made all followers of Islam into ‘the bad guys’, ‘the hateful other’. America has done unspeakable damage in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it seems Iran is being made the next target of American wrath. Thousands, nay millions, nay many more innocents have suffered because of American bombings and other attacks. And what was the justification in Afghanistan? To weed out one Osama-bin-laden, and a few followers, hundreds of entire villages were wiped out. See the film “earth and ashes” if you ever get the chance. It does not make America into an enemy, but you get some idea of the damage that was done there.
In Iraq mythical weapons of mass destruction were chased only to come up with nothing, but causing widespread havoc and destruction in the process. The Americans who are fighting there and losing their lives are suffering too, aren’t they? and over what? If I believe Michael Moore and in part I do, it is over the oil interests of a few powerfully rich Americans and their millions. I do not deny that there are many Muslims out there, who are reacting in a violent and gruesome manner. In part it is a reaction of indignation, in part it is stubbornness and an unwillingness to change. But where and when does it stop? Where and when does it end? To brand the entire community as terrorists, to look on a part of the picture and consider it the whole is unfair, to say the least.
I have several Muslim friends and many have been victims in the hindu-muslim divide and that too is unfortunate. Anytime we set up someone else as ‘the other’ and become intolerant we are heading for trouble. I am also concerned about what is happening in Netherlands. I recently read Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s book “Infidel” and got some insight into the problem they are facing. It is a very complex problem, if you take in thousands of muslims and do you allow them to practise their faith even when it goes against the cultural values of your own country, in a spirit of tolerance; or do you impose your own cultural values on them and make it a condition of their stay in the country. where does one draw the line? where are the boundaries that are healthy and respectful?
I repeat it is a complex problem, but I believe there is a solution and it can be found, if we all stay calm and focused on finding the solution. If we buy into the fear psychology often the reaction is ‘shoot first and talk later’. So let us refrain from activating one’s fears, look at all the facts out there, not just the fear-generating ones but all our expereinces of these 'other' communities and use our heads and hearts to find a way.
Deeply concerned,
meenal
"
terrorism cannot win if we do not give into terror. a trifle trite no doubt, but i go on. aggression is the mask over fear. do not succumb to terror and fear nor resort to aggresion. think out of the box and find a way that transcends the problem.
easier said than done? sure, but then we have to evolve to a higher consciousness, don't we? or do we want to fight and indulge in war-mongering for the rest of our lives? inner peace leads to outer peace. it is a choice. make it now and know that you are responsible for whatever choice you make. and you can hold on to that choice of inner peace even when you face the so-called "enemy". the next choice then is to take up arms (a la bhagavad gita) or to practise gandhian non-violence. either way if you are unattached within, unafraid, if you are at peace inside yourself, then you are evolving to the newer, higher consciousness.
Monday, August 4, 2008
road trip and camping
http://picasaweb.google.com/meenal18/SequoiaParkTrip
'A' and I went on a road trip last week end. We went to the sequoia national park in CA, which is about 4 hours from where we stay. But we had many adventures and so it took considerably longer. Firstly we had to pick up some friends from Berkeley, so we took a detour and then we landed up in San Francisco because we could not quite follow the GPS. Anyhow we made it to Berkeley and picked up this couple (D, S’s brother and his wife) and their 4 year old daughter. Then we headed towards sequoia park. The original plan had been to go to Yosemite, but because of the fire the air there is rather unclean at the moment, so we switched destination to kings canyon national park and sequoia. Meanwhile our friends from San Diego, (S & C and another friend of theirs), who were to meet us there were having major adventures of their own. Somehow things were not going right and they had to wait 7 hours to get a van. D and co. were going back with them to san diego, hence they needed a large vehicle to accomodate all the people and the camping gear and food they were carrying.
We arrived at lemon grove, which was rather dry and not very attractive, near sequoia and the lemon grove camping ground around five pm. Since most of the camping gear was with S and co. we decided to go into the park and see some giant old sequoias till they arrived. The park is rather large and on mountainous terrain so it took us another couple of hours of driving to reach the sequoias. I was doing all the driving as I was the only licensed driver in that company. Meanwhile we also found out that there was place available at the some camping grounds inside the park and near the forest. So there was some back and forth communicating with S to decide where to stay. To complicate matters we were also meant to catch up with N, S’s cousin, and her hubby and bro, who had arrived there the day before and stayed in a motel. But they were to camp with us and they were waiting for us at some parking lot in the park near one of the ‘sight seeing spots’. They had been told we would be reaching latest around four or so and it was around seven by the time we arrived at this place. We had not managed to communicate with each other, since there are no mobile signals in the higher reaches of the park !
Luckily N and co. were there and we spotted them and they us and all was well on that front. We also met the sequoias there (General Sherman is considred the largest living tree in the world. It is neither the tallest, nor the broadest, and not even the oldest. but it qualifies as the largest since the density of the wood in the tree is the greatest. so folks it is the substance that counts!). The Sequoias are very beautiful although part of the redwood clan they are quite different in terms of texture and even feel. The bark feels rather soft and non-solidish to touch, like soft board. they can be very tall and very broad too.
Now we needed to decide where to put up for the night. So we went up to the camp site, which was another 1 and ½ hours away from where we were then. Boy did I get my fill of driving that day! After some back and forth-ing there in terms of booking a camp site, we found two spots and set up the tents that we had. Most of the serious food was with S and co. so we waited for our dinners too. Anyhow finally around 10.30 pm or so, they made it to the camp sites and we were all reunited and happy and the party started. :)
The next day we got into our respective cars and did some sight seeing (general grant the national christmas tree and moro rock) around the park, had a latish lunch and departed. 'N and co' and 'A and I' left for our respective homes, while S and D and co stayed on for another night of camping. The trip back was yet another adventure, which I will relate in another post or perhaps i had better continue.
We started at 3 pm and reached home at 11 pm, though officially it should have taken us 4 hrs and 15 mins. Even with a few breaks we ought to have made it by 8 to 8.30. But in between we managed to lock ourselves out of the car! Luckily it happened in a town and we were able to ask people for help and make calls to the locksmiths from a store. It being post office hours on a Sunday, we struck it rich on the fourth or fifth call. The guy who came to help us kept shaking his head as though the problem were unsolvable, while he tried this, that and the other way of trying to break in! Finally he did manage though and we shelled out the $75 gratefully and only a trifle reluctantly.
The rest of the drive was a test of patience and will and resolve, since by this time I was dead tired and rather sleepy. A night in a tent is not where I get any reasonably good sleep. i had had a couple of hours of sleep at best. We did consider putting up at a motel and driving the rest of the way in the morning, but having just paid 75 dollars over a mistake we were reluctant to shell out more dough. Anyhow I managed, though by the end of it I was testy and sulky and snappish. Just for a moment towards the end, my eyes closed involuntarily and I woke up with a start. That kept me awake and alert for some time and also roused A out of his mental musings and wanderings to be present with me. However, latent resentment soon seeped in, and I was back to struggling with the situation.
But we did make it back and all in one piece and can live to tell the tale. And some day will be able to laugh over it all!
I was all the more appreciative of how smooth and easy my trip with my cousin Medha had been after this experience. I am amazed by how the energies between people reflect in the experiences they have and in how they percieve these experiences. With A my relationship is rather tense, fraught with conflict, power games and ego battles. He reflects to me my shadow self and all my inner struggles get played out with him. When we pretend to have a good time, they soon make their way out into the wider world and we are confronted by situations that test us and bring us back to our inner stories. It is a causal relationship and learning the lesson that this relationship offers will liberate me through and through. perhaps the lesson is forgiveness.
"What we give to others, we give to ourselves. What we withhold from others, we withhold from ourselves. In any moment when we choose fear instead of love, we deny ourselves the experience of freedom. To the extent that we abandon love, to that extent we will feel it has abandoned us." from http://www.acim.org/
'A' and I went on a road trip last week end. We went to the sequoia national park in CA, which is about 4 hours from where we stay. But we had many adventures and so it took considerably longer. Firstly we had to pick up some friends from Berkeley, so we took a detour and then we landed up in San Francisco because we could not quite follow the GPS. Anyhow we made it to Berkeley and picked up this couple (D, S’s brother and his wife) and their 4 year old daughter. Then we headed towards sequoia park. The original plan had been to go to Yosemite, but because of the fire the air there is rather unclean at the moment, so we switched destination to kings canyon national park and sequoia. Meanwhile our friends from San Diego, (S & C and another friend of theirs), who were to meet us there were having major adventures of their own. Somehow things were not going right and they had to wait 7 hours to get a van. D and co. were going back with them to san diego, hence they needed a large vehicle to accomodate all the people and the camping gear and food they were carrying.
We arrived at lemon grove, which was rather dry and not very attractive, near sequoia and the lemon grove camping ground around five pm. Since most of the camping gear was with S and co. we decided to go into the park and see some giant old sequoias till they arrived. The park is rather large and on mountainous terrain so it took us another couple of hours of driving to reach the sequoias. I was doing all the driving as I was the only licensed driver in that company. Meanwhile we also found out that there was place available at the some camping grounds inside the park and near the forest. So there was some back and forth communicating with S to decide where to stay. To complicate matters we were also meant to catch up with N, S’s cousin, and her hubby and bro, who had arrived there the day before and stayed in a motel. But they were to camp with us and they were waiting for us at some parking lot in the park near one of the ‘sight seeing spots’. They had been told we would be reaching latest around four or so and it was around seven by the time we arrived at this place. We had not managed to communicate with each other, since there are no mobile signals in the higher reaches of the park !
Luckily N and co. were there and we spotted them and they us and all was well on that front. We also met the sequoias there (General Sherman is considred the largest living tree in the world. It is neither the tallest, nor the broadest, and not even the oldest. but it qualifies as the largest since the density of the wood in the tree is the greatest. so folks it is the substance that counts!). The Sequoias are very beautiful although part of the redwood clan they are quite different in terms of texture and even feel. The bark feels rather soft and non-solidish to touch, like soft board. they can be very tall and very broad too.
Now we needed to decide where to put up for the night. So we went up to the camp site, which was another 1 and ½ hours away from where we were then. Boy did I get my fill of driving that day! After some back and forth-ing there in terms of booking a camp site, we found two spots and set up the tents that we had. Most of the serious food was with S and co. so we waited for our dinners too. Anyhow finally around 10.30 pm or so, they made it to the camp sites and we were all reunited and happy and the party started. :)
The next day we got into our respective cars and did some sight seeing (general grant the national christmas tree and moro rock) around the park, had a latish lunch and departed. 'N and co' and 'A and I' left for our respective homes, while S and D and co stayed on for another night of camping. The trip back was yet another adventure, which I will relate in another post or perhaps i had better continue.
We started at 3 pm and reached home at 11 pm, though officially it should have taken us 4 hrs and 15 mins. Even with a few breaks we ought to have made it by 8 to 8.30. But in between we managed to lock ourselves out of the car! Luckily it happened in a town and we were able to ask people for help and make calls to the locksmiths from a store. It being post office hours on a Sunday, we struck it rich on the fourth or fifth call. The guy who came to help us kept shaking his head as though the problem were unsolvable, while he tried this, that and the other way of trying to break in! Finally he did manage though and we shelled out the $75 gratefully and only a trifle reluctantly.
The rest of the drive was a test of patience and will and resolve, since by this time I was dead tired and rather sleepy. A night in a tent is not where I get any reasonably good sleep. i had had a couple of hours of sleep at best. We did consider putting up at a motel and driving the rest of the way in the morning, but having just paid 75 dollars over a mistake we were reluctant to shell out more dough. Anyhow I managed, though by the end of it I was testy and sulky and snappish. Just for a moment towards the end, my eyes closed involuntarily and I woke up with a start. That kept me awake and alert for some time and also roused A out of his mental musings and wanderings to be present with me. However, latent resentment soon seeped in, and I was back to struggling with the situation.
But we did make it back and all in one piece and can live to tell the tale. And some day will be able to laugh over it all!
I was all the more appreciative of how smooth and easy my trip with my cousin Medha had been after this experience. I am amazed by how the energies between people reflect in the experiences they have and in how they percieve these experiences. With A my relationship is rather tense, fraught with conflict, power games and ego battles. He reflects to me my shadow self and all my inner struggles get played out with him. When we pretend to have a good time, they soon make their way out into the wider world and we are confronted by situations that test us and bring us back to our inner stories. It is a causal relationship and learning the lesson that this relationship offers will liberate me through and through. perhaps the lesson is forgiveness.
"What we give to others, we give to ourselves. What we withhold from others, we withhold from ourselves. In any moment when we choose fear instead of love, we deny ourselves the experience of freedom. To the extent that we abandon love, to that extent we will feel it has abandoned us." from http://www.acim.org/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
