Hello. It's been a difficult week especially with the news of the bombing in Mumbai. My heart goes out to all those innocent people who got hurt and are hurting.
It is at times like this, that some people would say...Is there a God? Where does spirituality and good vibes get us, if in a moment terror can strike? Will our planet ever experience universal peace and unity?
I for sure can not give up feeling that the our essence is love and by believing in love, it does reduce the level of hate that could exist in the world. I am not alone in my thoughts. On our site Essence Of Life, www.eolife.org, we have writers from all over the world sharing their conviction in the power of love.
Zainab Salbi is a woman who is well known for the help she gives to women in war torn countries and reading about her is inspiring. Writer and therapist Bala Jaison suggests ways for conflict resolution and believes that there need not be only one winner in a conflict. And we also have words written by HRH the Dalai Lama about the value of love, compassion and tolerance. Recently I read that the Dalai Lama is the most popular world leader. So there's hope. For he is a man who despite losing his homeland, refuses to be aggressive or violent in any way but rather extends compassion and loving kindness to all people.
Writer Kent Keith suggests facing the worst in the world with the best in ourselves. And in this wonderful article provided by New World Library he asks why we cannot be deeply happy?
All human beings have virtues and we are all God's children with a divine spark. Let us forgive those who trespass against us and never give up the hope that we may all find the peace within that is the first step to world peace.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
We Are All One
At our site Essence Of Life, www.eolife.org, we believe in unity. That all of us are separate individuals and we have our own unique identity and role on this planet, but we are all part of a greater whole.
Through unity we can bring about the healing that our world needs. To reflect this belief in unity, our articles span so many different cultures, religions, voices and generations. For example we have Zen and Jewish stories, Hindi myths, Sufi fables, writers who are young, old, male, female, single, married...and from every continent!
Recently we went with Buddhist monk Geshela to Jerusalem for the day and we made a movie in which he speaks about Buddhist ideas like serving others and finding peace through love for all humanity http://www.eolife.org/videos.php
We also have some great written articles from Rabbi Ohad Ezrahi who was recently in a Rainbow Gathering in Turkey getting to know his Iranian brothers and sisters http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=fe1f199e833290b9b038a8c25626e5a1.
And here's a link to one of my favourite Hindi stories about Shiva and Parvati, http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=4b7913fc1a796d2eed65e0fd762ce1ad and a link to a Sufi fable about a woman searching for a needle. The idea being that we need to go within ourselves in order to find ourselves. http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=67ef2479ee990efcfbad0f709fe3b055
No matter somebody's belief system, we are all human beings, striving for the same goals of happiness and well being. And right now whether the sun is shining or you are facing wind and rain, whether you are preparing for Christmas, Hanukah or Eid Al Haba, we can all find the peace within that will bring us closer to peace in the world.
Onwards and Upwards as they say at New World Library (who also have many articles on our site...)
Through unity we can bring about the healing that our world needs. To reflect this belief in unity, our articles span so many different cultures, religions, voices and generations. For example we have Zen and Jewish stories, Hindi myths, Sufi fables, writers who are young, old, male, female, single, married...and from every continent!
Recently we went with Buddhist monk Geshela to Jerusalem for the day and we made a movie in which he speaks about Buddhist ideas like serving others and finding peace through love for all humanity http://www.eolife.org/videos.php
We also have some great written articles from Rabbi Ohad Ezrahi who was recently in a Rainbow Gathering in Turkey getting to know his Iranian brothers and sisters http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=fe1f199e833290b9b038a8c25626e5a1.
And here's a link to one of my favourite Hindi stories about Shiva and Parvati, http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=4b7913fc1a796d2eed65e0fd762ce1ad and a link to a Sufi fable about a woman searching for a needle. The idea being that we need to go within ourselves in order to find ourselves. http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=67ef2479ee990efcfbad0f709fe3b055
No matter somebody's belief system, we are all human beings, striving for the same goals of happiness and well being. And right now whether the sun is shining or you are facing wind and rain, whether you are preparing for Christmas, Hanukah or Eid Al Haba, we can all find the peace within that will bring us closer to peace in the world.
Onwards and Upwards as they say at New World Library (who also have many articles on our site...)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Clean, Green and Serene
Every week on our English site, Essence Of Life, we publish on the homepage positive news about what's going on in the world. Sure there is alot of disturbing and unpleasant news happening all the time - especially in the damage being done to our environment - but we hope the good news may inspire us to remember that we are all responsible for strengthening the relationship between individuals and the community and nature.
And there is plenty of good news like eco aware companies turning waste into green energy, the World Bank increasing funding for green energy, power plants discovering that they can run on chicken manure, and the UK setting the goal for carbon neutral housing by 2016.
At our site, www.eolife.org, we have a category called Ecological which features articles about how we can be in harmony with our environment and how by caring for the land, sea, air, natural resources and animal world we can improve the quality of our lives.
Guerilla Gardening is an inspiring article about an underground movement happening all over the world to bring nature to disused urban spaces http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=f302d7229270a472996e1d9b33518904
Dancing With The Moon reminds how nature can have a positive effect in our lives if we open to her: http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=622b3f65622fff90ddc673a36147378c
Cleaning Up Your Trash is just one of many articles about being responsible for our waste, recycling and generally taking care of our precious planet: http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=9fe236c63c3877866c80293455ddedac
Would love to have your feedback on these articles or any others at our site.
Until soon,
Blessings from Nicola
And there is plenty of good news like eco aware companies turning waste into green energy, the World Bank increasing funding for green energy, power plants discovering that they can run on chicken manure, and the UK setting the goal for carbon neutral housing by 2016.
At our site, www.eolife.org, we have a category called Ecological which features articles about how we can be in harmony with our environment and how by caring for the land, sea, air, natural resources and animal world we can improve the quality of our lives.
Guerilla Gardening is an inspiring article about an underground movement happening all over the world to bring nature to disused urban spaces http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=f302d7229270a472996e1d9b33518904
Dancing With The Moon reminds how nature can have a positive effect in our lives if we open to her: http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=622b3f65622fff90ddc673a36147378c
Cleaning Up Your Trash is just one of many articles about being responsible for our waste, recycling and generally taking care of our precious planet: http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=9fe236c63c3877866c80293455ddedac
Would love to have your feedback on these articles or any others at our site.
Until soon,
Blessings from Nicola
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Acceptance Of What Is
Elections in USA are coming up and it's got me thinking about new beginnings. In my own life, I find myself on the brink of a new chapter - personally, having just broken up with my long distance boyfriend, and at work, I am busy building a new English Essence Of Life site (it will be ready by 2009.) And above all else, a new month and a new season begins. Here in Israel, I am experiencing the first days of Autumn - first rains, socks in the night, and a very cold sea.
Whether we mourn what has gone or get excited about the new to come, I remember that life is constantly changing...day and night, birth and death. And I try to remain detached from the highs and lows of life because life's events are like a wave - one moment sadness, the next happiness.
Here's an article from our site www.eolife.org that is based around a lovely Jewish story which reminds us not to label experiences as good or bad but simply to accept what is. http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=5a529fb7b76ebb788ae38607f709bdd6
And also a Zen story about not reacting to life's events because what may seem like bad luck may actually turn out to be good fortune http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=69971be41a5f486cf785ac4d9554b0db
So whether the man you vote for becomes president or not, whether you're experiencing the beginning or the end of a relationship and whether you welcome or don't welcome the new season, the best we can do is to accept what is and with a smile. Here's a quote that I would like to share with you:
A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment. but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
Whether we mourn what has gone or get excited about the new to come, I remember that life is constantly changing...day and night, birth and death. And I try to remain detached from the highs and lows of life because life's events are like a wave - one moment sadness, the next happiness.
Here's an article from our site www.eolife.org that is based around a lovely Jewish story which reminds us not to label experiences as good or bad but simply to accept what is. http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=5a529fb7b76ebb788ae38607f709bdd6
And also a Zen story about not reacting to life's events because what may seem like bad luck may actually turn out to be good fortune http://www.eolife.org/article.php?aid=69971be41a5f486cf785ac4d9554b0db
So whether the man you vote for becomes president or not, whether you're experiencing the beginning or the end of a relationship and whether you welcome or don't welcome the new season, the best we can do is to accept what is and with a smile. Here's a quote that I would like to share with you:
A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment. but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)