From India Corespondent Divyaa Kummar…

What does the grandiose sounding concept of self-empowerment really mean? Like all universal truths, it can be understood at many levels, and peeled endlessly like a cosmic onion! To start with, self-empowerment is usually linked with a claiming of your Creatorhood- a state of being wherein you realize that you shape your reality, moment-to-moment, through your recurring thoughts and feelings. At deeper levels we understand that this power of manifestation is only it’s by-product, much like producing alcohol while manufacturing sugar!

True self-empowerment thus lays deeper, in the acknowledgment that your life plans, what you perhaps call karma or destiny, are willfully chosen by you for your highest good and growth. Towards certain experiences or learning, towards expansion of self and disempowerment of the limiting aspects within that self. No matter how challenging these may appear, it is indeed by your true free will that you choose your so-called destiny! However at its deepest level, complete self-empowerment means complete self-responsibility! Where you comprehend that everything outside of you, which you view as your life or world is but a reflection of the inner you; there is nothing in your exterior without it being in your interior; you are the cause and the outer is only its effect!

Thus true self-empowerment leads to the profound understanding that there is no other! There is no one other than you! And yes, most certainly this eureka has many ramifications in your day-to-day life! At first you go through a certain sense of consternation because there is no one to blame- no person, event or thing, nor fate, nor God that you can hold responsible for your life events, because everything comes back full circle to you. But it soon dawns on you that if you are wholly responsible for creating your life then you are completely empowered to enhance it too. You are not hostage to situations, people, and things outside your self; the point of power is within you and in the now! Blame, judgment, non-forgiveness, fluctuations between feeling the aggressor or victim all start to recede rapidly as you begin to view self as the source of everything outside you. You even understand what Christ meant when he said ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’ because with true self-empowerment there is no need for the false power of controlling the ‘outside’!

Which brings us to another layer of that cosmic onion and the realization that Self Empowerment is claiming you creator hood yes, but at tripartite levels- your personal realties (relationships, careers) the environment (country, political, educational systems) and your world! Thus to change, enhance or even understand any thing in your life, be it difficult mother in laws, betraying society, unclean politics or world terrorism, it is within you that you must look! Mahatma Gandhi’s words: “Be the change you want to see in the world” come alive in this context and are to be taken literally!

It is the single most effective way to change the world! A line of reasoning that works best in any such self endeavor is what we have coined as “Why why why till you reach the I”, which makes you look within as the source or cause of the effect outside! This also becomes a 24/7 meditation, because you are constantly brought back within, to self, and to the creator that you are!

The concept of Mirrors is a beautiful visual analogy towards the above understanding, and asks you to view your life and world as your reflection in the mirror! If you are joyous and loving it will reflect back; if you are filled with doubt and anger it is what you will meet in the mirror! And just like you cannot manipulate the relfection in the mirror, you cannot change your world from the outside. This helps you reinforce that all patterns and recurring situations need to be addressed within; otherwise the future is only a mishmash of the past, which you present to self in different ways so that you may handle the cause within.

At this point you may well be wondering how exactly do you manifest the people, events, things (or lack thereof) in your day-to-day life? You may even wonder where is this creator within you? And the answer of course is that the creator within you is in your belief system, because it is through your recurring thoughts and feelings and focus that you manifest physical life! You live in what is called a vibrational universe and everything you see (stone, plant, animal, human) and don’t see (space, thoughts, feelings) is energy vibrating at different frequencies. Thus visualize that the field of pure energy surrounding you is your raw material with your beliefs impinging on it moment to moment; and as critical mass is reached these beliefs become the physical tangibles you call your life or world! Energy is completely neutral and does not judge between positive or negative attention, and thus you create your limiting (doubts and lack) and positive beliefs.

With this understanding you can wholly claim your creator hood, and choose to think in ways that you wish to see outside you! Expand your beliefs and you will enhance your day-to-day life! How? Start by Knowing Thyself, what energy signatures do you emit moment-to-moment? Have you taken responsibility for your life and world? If you still blame the outside it is what you will further create. Know that you create moment-to-moment through your feelings, at tripartite levels, and thus there is no one other than you! Your life and world is your mirror.

You can find Divyaa on her blog and Facebook

*originally published in The Times of India

The day before yesterday marked the beginning of the holiest time of year for Christian’s worldwide. But Christmas, isn’t that in December? Yes, Christmas is in December, and with all the snow the U.S. received these past few weeks it might have felt like December.  In actuality, however, the holiest holiday for Christians is Easter. Easter is the focal point of Christianity, based on the belief Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, was crucified on the cross (Good Friday), and on the third day rose again (Easter). Easter is on Sunday, so what happened the day before yesterday? Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which marked the beginning of Lent.

Lent is a forty day period during which Christians fast in what is considered to be the preparation of the believer. Historically, observing lent meant all animal products were forbidden and even went as far as to require only bread was to be eaten. With that said, as civilization evolved so did Christianity. Present day Irish Catholics like myself are required to abstain from the consumption of meat on Ash Wednesday and on each Friday during the holy period. The forty day fast is meant to signify the forty days Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the Devil. 

Catholic credence aside, religion, regardless what the belief system it may represent, is on the outs with the younger generation; and not just here in the United States, but the world over. Increasing fanaticism within all of the prominent religions has overshadowed the positive place religion has in our cultures. The Catholic Church has been marred by numerous counts of child molestation, the Jews are frowned upon for their abhorrent treatment of Arabs in Gaza and Palestine, and Islam is viewed with negativity and even fear throughout the world for the horrific actions of only a few. Today, more than ever, it’s clear being religious not only carries a stigma, but requires one to constantly defend their beliefs.

It is hard to get the whole picture when we constantly see only one side. Being Irish Catholic, this week was another wake-up call, as the Pope meet with Irish bishops about a widespread cover-up over abuse reports. Perhaps if we were to take a look at Religion from another view point, it would change your perspective.

I often hear the argument that religion is outdated and that modern constitutions and laws have taken its place. However, in looking at the pillars of modern law it is hard to find anything that hasn’t been influenced by religious text. Far before formal governments, religion guided one’s life. Religion is a vessel that offers interpretations and explanations for many of life’s greatest questions. 

Religious texts offer us a guide by which to live our lives. Many of the lessons we teach our children, “Turn the other cheek,” or “Do onto others as you wish done onto you,” are rooted in religious texts. Religious texts are rich with lessons to help guide one’s life and manage interactions with others.

Religion has a very constructive place in our society, but the modern media chooses to ignore positive stories and impact of religion to do good in the world. With its constant trumpeting all that is wrong with religion, the media has played a large part in turning many Americans against religiosity as a whole. Gone are the days of a quality Christian education bringing together mind, body, and spirit – at least in the United States. Even Christian soup kitchens and homeless shelters have come under fire.

Older people often have a tendency to believe that to be religious one must strictly adhere to all that a religion requires, whatever that religion may be; but I’m not so sure.

So many times I’ve heard people say I was raised Christian, Muslim, or Jewish, but I’m not anymore. That being the case, they still continue to hold on to the core values and beliefs found within their Holy Scripture. When we’re young, religion provides the black and white structure needed to give our lives a moral compass. When we grow older, religion evolves with us as well - regardless if we choose to accept this. Some of us might not agree with the organized faction of a religion, or the path upon which a religion choose to relay its message.  With that said, so much of what is good within us is derived from faith and religiosity.

And for those of you who think we would eventually learn the moral essence of humanity within a secular vacuum free of religion, I ask you to consider Thomas Hobbes.  The politcial philosopher believed people were in fact inherently evil, and if given the opportunity, would act devilishly in the name of hedonistic self-preservation.

So the next time you’re walking around and happen to see someone wearing a cross, don’t assume they support priest abuse, are abortion fanatics, or gay bashers. If you see someone wearing a yarmulke, don’t think they’re an Arab hating Zionist. And if someone is wearing a hijab or a kandora, don’t assume they’re going to blow something up. Why not ask about their beliefs and what their religion means to them. Because if you just walk by blindly, and continue to believe in the preconceived notions you hear in the news, you are no-less of a fanatic than the people you criticize.

Your fanaticism lies in your prejudice. 

From Gibbs Burke…

Writer’s Note: In the spirit of Lent, I would like to wish everyone good health, love, and prosperity. I know that I am not without sin, so I am sorry to all those whom I’ve offended.