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Technology for Peace

Man's amazing intellect has really produced amazing things. So many wonderful things can be done today with our mastery with technology. but it is essential that we use technology with the question in our hearts ? What is the impact of this on the greater creation and our mother planet earth. How can we use this as a tool for bringing more happiness, peace and health to the people around me and myself ?

The Internet is a beautiful example as Google each day allows people around the world to learn and expand their spheres of wisdom and insight into any subject under the sun and more.

This year 2007 is a year of Conscious Software at Vedic Society. This is the year we are working to establish global online and application projects that heal and help the world in many a way.

Please watch this space...

10 WAYS TO BRING WORLD PEACE - START TODAY!

Dear Friends

All around me I see people talking so much about issues in this beautiful but troubled planet we are presently experiencing as our home. I am not proud when I tell people of the dangers of living in South Africa that one can not leave a child to walk safely in the streets. I am not proud when I see the pollution of the environment in India where I presently live, a country that has given the world so many great teachers of non-violence and teachings has blindly caused affliction upon the planet. I am not proud when I see so many suffering through poverty, war and starvation, a reality that those of us who are without these three things can not deny as it afflicts the majority of the planet in some way of the other.

It seems that it's a dismal and darkened storm that has come upon us all. What is it's message, what is it's teaching, is there a way out ?

YES!

1. Learn to silence your mind and open your heart

A silent mind and open heart means the universal intelligence that we call the soul can flower and blossom through you and your life. Our world today is run on intellect and decisions are made that impact and harm the planet, it's inhabitants and environment deeply because the heart is not being voiced. The heart has one wish only, to love and give that is all. The first step to opening the heart is to silence the mind. But how ? Easier said than done ? There are many ways to go, one can reach the ocean in many ways, as a drop of rain or as a river so here are a few that have worked through the ages.

Meditation - Transcending thought

Learn to take some time as Dada Vaswani calls it, your daily appointment with God. Take some time for yourself where you sit quietly, turn off any distractions, lock the door and sit quietly. And then ? Then find a special word, a sacred word of peace for you. So Hum is a Sanskrit word that is the resonance of our natural inhalation and exhalation breathing. This is a natural word to repeat and let it follow the breath. After a while you will loose yourself and there will be no more thoughts. Otherwise find a Divine name in any language be it Krishna, Allah, Hasheem, Buddha, repeat this silently, mentally whenever thoughts come. Let your mind be one pointed on this sound vibration. After some time thoughts as we know them will gently cease. Sometimes lots of thoughts will come, don't worry, just observe them, watch them on the screen of your mind. Go deeper and take a course in meditation. TM has been well researched and millions of people do it, teachers are available world wide. SRF teach So-Hum meditation beautifully and they have centers around the world. Art of Living teach Sahaj Samadhi. Find a center and teacher and bring this into your daily routine. When the mind is silenced, the heart will speak.

Pranayama - Mastering breath

Breath is our vital connection with Prana, the life force. No breath and no life. If breath is not balanced, the entire body and mind are unsettled, all bodily functions are dependent on a well harmonized breath. Become conscious of breath through pranayama. Start each day with 5 minutes of Nadi-shodana breathing means alternate nostril breathing. In through the right, out though the left, in through the left, out through the right. Go gently at a pace that feels natural. This brings harmony to the mind and the breath. Become conscious of how breath changes in different situations, anger, surprise, grief, frustration, notice how they lead the breath to a different rhythm. Bring your awareness back to the breath, breath slowly, deeply so that the belly-button rises each time and the lungs fill with fresh vital Prana. Make a conscious effort to be conscious of your breathing from this moment on. Keep reminding yourself, it will be soon become a habit and you will master the breath. When in a challenging or difficult situation, bring the awareness back to this, when the vital force is well cared for, you can manage any difficult situation with ease.

Mantra - Pure Vibration

Our days are filled with sounds from all over. Rarely in modern life do we have much time for the sounds of nature. The sound of rain, thunder, the wind in the trees, countless birdsong, the moo of a baby calf or a mother cow, somehow we've lost these natural sounds. These are the first mantras, this is the Divinity in nature speaking and singing to us each with a different song. Muuuu says the cow Mmmm Uuuu. What does this mean ? Nothing but it carries a quality and a feeling, it is the quality of the eternal innocent mother and her love or the eternal innocent child and it's love. Nature is filled with mantras and the sages of ancient observed these sounds and also through deep mental peace the sounds within. All sounds have a different resonance in a different part of the body. Our ears just hear the sound component and then we analyze and try to understand it but our entire physiology experiences the pure vibration of sound. Hidden in sound are many inaudible sounds like ultra-sound. Re cent research shows concentrated ultrasound can heal bone tissue ? How does this work ? Dolphins and whales produce much ultrasound too in their speaking and many people can admit to the healing and calming effect of their presence.

So mantra is conscious sound formed for a particular resonance and effect. Each pattern of sound Aum for example carries a different resonance

Find a sound that brings light and peace to you. Don't worry about it's meaning. Take a universal sound like Aum which has become Au men and Shalom and is found hidden in so many other prayers. Take this and verbally chant or sing it. If you're musical sing these sounds. Bathe in these harmonious sound patterns.

There are seed mantras which I've found personally very healing and they are universal too and are sounds that resonate and activate certain parts of our Divine human system to awaken and nurture it's connection with the eternal.

Raam, Aum

Try repeat Raam for 20 minutes just chant it, make it a habit and see the effect. You will feel a peace and calm that is quite unequaled.

Service of the needy

Okay so it really does not matter where you live, what you do or who you are. Just get into a mindset that everyone and everything around you is a child of One Creator, One Divine Presence. It all has a Mother and Father. Even the smallest ant or insect has a Mother and a Father. And we all share the same cosmic Divine Mother and Father, we call this G-d or by so many names in so many languages but this word is always used to describe that infinite, eternal presence that is permeating every part of the known and unknown, visible and invisible, heard and silent.

So from today adopt the very simple mindset that all this creation is your own child and take it upon yourself to attend to the very needs of each and every thing that is in need. Feed the hungry, give healing to the sick. We are all doctors, we all have hands and lips. We can all give loving words to those in need. Even if with your very thoughts you visualize the place you live, picture it and imagine the Love of the Creator shining upon it so that this light and love will permeate every corner.

It works I tell you! I did this many times, through prayer and will I saw transformation great and small with the power of visualization, prayer and a directed open heart.

So open your heart to the world. It does not mean you have to stop what you are doing at all, but in every little interaction, try to serve, help and love all you meet, not just your family or those in your circle but those that stand under the same great Sun that shines upon this earth.

Control of Diet

It's a simple fact. What you place into your mouth, becomes yourself, it is transformed through the immensely intelligent intelligence of your body and it's metabolic process and becomes you. Food is composed of all five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space), with each food having a different elemental makeup and each item has the hidden element or resonance of love or otherwise that is imbued by how it was grown, how far it traveled to reach you, who prepared it, what they were thinking, was it business and profit, or I want another job or was it love and care. All these subtle and gross ingredients should be perfected in your daily diet. This means become conscious of the quality first of all of what you eat. Who has grown it, was it grown in a loving community with care and respect for the greater nature or was it grown by a big industrial farm that was thinking just of squeezing more profit ? The real profit is a society that is intelligent and well nurtured, this is so obvious to see but our business people in the food business sadly take the very elemental make up of our existence and deplete and devitalize it in the name of "profit". Very odd indeed.

So break this cycle now, find in your area conscious farmers doing conscious agriculture. Definitely organic, definitely caring for the greater nature. Find a co-operative scheme where you can become a partner and be part of this beautiful process of nourishment.

If you live in such an area where this does not yet exist, read books on natural farming and start a kitchen garden or if you have time then a home garden, feed yourself and your neighbors. In a week you can have spinach on your table, fresh and vital filled with loving waves of your own efforts.

Inspire your friends and family to go organic and natural too, the soil is the life force of our planet, it is her skin too. It must be restored and purified as so much was contaminated by modern agricultural methods which effect our body and mind in so many ways adversely.

So number one go organic, natural, join a local box delivery scheme, support the farmers who are doing this with the highest ideal.

Then take time to learn how to eat a balanced and natural diet.

2. Go Veg

If there's one shift you make in your life towards a more peaceful life then consider to stop taking all flesh, fish, fowl and even eggs. These foods are not healthy and they are taken at the great unnecessary expense of the suffering of another sentient being. Animals are spiritually our younger brothers and sisters, they should be loved, protected and cared for. They express the wonders of all Mother nature in all her endless dance. By seeing them as flesh and food we block ourself from a peace that can only come once we make this step. Not only will it help your consciousness but it is by far a healthier way to live.

Ayurveda gives a clear guideline for how to become vegetarian and how to eat healthily being a vegetarian. If you follow these guidelines you will experience better concentration, memory, longevity, vitality, enthusiasm and health.

Think now of the suffering of any animal that must be killed for us to eat flesh ? Does it make sense at all in any way of looking at it ?

Start today. Stop first with all red meat. Then after a little while when you feel ready stop white meat. Then when you feel ready, stop fish. Finally stop eggs. It's easy, Ayurveda suggests a gradual transition over a few months and let your body adjust to the new diet.

Next you have to learn how to eat a healthy balanced vegetarian Ayurvedic diet.

3. Care and love for all living beings

Every creature in this creation has it's place, it's home and it's own divine spark. Each action we make both directly and indirectly should be done in a way that we help and protect all forms of life. This means absolutely preserving the life of all the creatures from the smallest ant to the largest whale and elephant. Each life form belongs here on earth, has it's place in the the magic of existence and is part of a beautiful synergy between all life. Take extra care not to harm even an insect, there is no need. Animals are sensitive to us, if we relate to them in fear and domination, they do not evolve but if we relate to them with an open heart of gratitude, and loving care, they will evolve along with us and the planet too. Each one belong here, we should not harm them ever. If mosquitoes are in your room, take extra care to sleep with a mosquito net and put on a natural mosquito repellent.

Even through your shopping decisions you impact so many little creatures. For example eating organically and locally grown saves so much pollution and also by avoiding pesticides so many millions and billions of insect lives can be saved. And the birds that co-exist with the insects and the frogs and all the other beautiful visible and invisible forms of life.

Start today to recognize that ever creature living and moving is part of one universal song. They all are here to share in this beautiful creation. They evolve through our love and nurturing. Take special care every day not to harm any life.

Start first with what you eat and make sure that no suffering comes to any living being by your daily nourishment. Then look at the products you purchase. Are they chemical? Are they necessary? Are there natural alternatives. Become conscious of this link between nature and us. It's easy to forget when in a city but it can not be denied. We are born upon the soil of this earth as with all the plants, animals and all other forms of living beings. Take care of them as you would your own living family.

4. Honor and Respect all Women

We all enter this world through the body of a women, it is the source of human existence and the Mother of our humanity. In so many places today women are degraded and not equal to men. They are maltreated, given lesser rights and receive discrimination in many fields.

We need to become conscious of our own Mother, wherever she may be. This is our first teacher, our first source of food, nourishment and care. No matter where she is take a moment to honour and love your mother, even if you have not spoken for some years, find time each day to write to her, to call her, to mentally send caring and loving thoughts. Each of us are a son or daughter of a mother. No matter how your childhood was or how you feel emotionally, realize that this Mother is a Divine being who allowed you to enter this world through her body.

Once we all honour our individual mother, please take some time to honour the collective mothers, all women in this whole planet. Please give them your love, respect and prayers.

No where should a woman be made to feel less or inferior. This thinking will keep all of us, both women, men and the whole family locked in a war that is the root of so many other problems.

Start today to honour all the women and mothers you see. They are Divine beings who can give birth to human life. They have the treasure to carry life inside their bodies. It is they who surrender themselves to the care of children.

Work wherever you are to uplift the rights and situation of women. In many places today they are the forgotten Goddesses of humanity.

Let us worship women wherever they are, let us know that they are the source of our existence. Let us honour their beauty, their peace, their nurturing, their love and their Divine existence.

6. Give, give, give...

Never stop to give, give constantly where and how you can. Serve every one in every way you can. We are here to give, by giving we truly live that is as simple as life is. This planet gives us everything, the air and water that sustain our existence, the soil that provides our nourishment, the sun and moon that are crucial for all living beings.

Give to everyone, it can be a smile, try to help each person you meet, see what they need in their life, something as simple as carrying their parcels on the way home or something more intricate but give what and where you can. Make your awareness central to saying what can I do for my fellow person, animal, creature.

A beetle is trapped in the sink, give it the blessing of life continued, don't just turn on the tap.

The more you give, the more you will be alive in this world we are here to give it is that simple. God gives us everything, our existence, our life our heart. Use everything you have, each talent, each resource to non-stop give to others. Of course care for yourself but see in each person and creature is a Divine spark that is part of one creation. If someone is hungry then so are you too, if they are sick, so are you, if someone is angry then this is your anger. Give calm words, peace, give food, give whatever is needed whatever you can.

Especially give to those that treat you poorly, those who fling you harsh words. Take special care to give them more. They need more, love, care, kindness.

Give in every way you can. This is a special key to world peace.

Coming soon...the final four points. Once you have all 10 that is it, the key is there for world peace. First your world will become peace and then the entire world will be at peace if we can all share these simple facts.