What’s the Spiritual Season this week? Lent, Holi, Hola Mohalla, a Japanese festival with dolls—and much more

February 27, 2010 by


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(You’ll also find weekly news in our “ReadTheSpirit Planner.” See a sample & learn how to get this free Email newsletter.)  HERE IS …

 

What’s the Spiritual Season?
(March 1 to 7, 2010)
By Stephanie Fenton

 

 

 

  THIS WEEK, Lent continues for Christians, many of whom are fasting regularly—and Baha’is begin their Nineteen Day Fast this week, too. Monday, Hindus revel in colorful fun for Holi (the photo above is of a group covered in Holi powders);
Sikhs practice martial arts during Hola Mohalla; and Jews in Jerusalem
and Shushan observe Shushan Purim. Also this week, Shintos honor girls
during Hinamatsuri, an ancient doll festival, while Shi’a Muslims
observe Mawlid an-Nabi and women around the globe mark a day of prayer. Read all about these events and observances below …

ALL WEEK, Lent continues for 2 billion Christians around the world. We’re publishing a FREE daily Lenten series, called “Our Lent: Things We Carry,” for the 40 days leading to Easter.
    ALSO, we’re expanding our Lenten Resources Page—with suggestions readers are Emailing us at [email protected].

MONDAY, make sure to wear clothes you won’t mind getting ruined—if you’re near anyone who is celebrating Holi! (Find everything for Holi from the Society for the Confluence of Holidays in India.)
Today, Hindus celebrate this Festival of Colors by throwing colored
powder and colored water at one another, listening to loud music,
dancing in the streets and allowing themselves to immerse in the
merriment of spring. In some places, the Holi season’s events can last
two weeks or more! The official season lasts a few days.
   
According to Hindu tradition, Holi is marked by the Holika Dahan, a
bonfire that is lit in commemoration of the miraculous escape of Bhakta
Prahlad when he was carried into a bonfire by the Demoness Holika. (More is at Wikipedia.) Although Holika was burnt in the fire, Prahlad escaped unscathed because of his steadfast devotion to Lord Vishnu.
   
During this unique time of year, generation gaps crumble as children,
adults and the elderly all release their inhibitions and throw colored
powder. (This article from NPR details the happy nature of Holi.)
For many years, the colored powders were produced from the flowers of
trees that blossomed in spring, although many of these trees in urban
areas have since died. To replace the flower powders, synthetic powders
have been used in urban areas in recent years—although not without a
price. Numerous studies have found the synthetic powders to contain
toxic chemicals. (Click here to find information about the toxic chemical dangers, as well as recipes for safer powders.)
Some commercial companies have since begun to produce herbal dyes that,
although expensive, are much safer than their synthetic counterparts. (From the Times of India, here is an article on protecting skin and hair during Holi.) Studies and experimentation for cheap, inexpensive Holi powders continue.
   
While Hindus honor the triumph of good over evil, colored powders fill
the sky, devotees laugh and sing and everyone indulges in feasts of
sweet foods.

Also on MONDAY, Sikhs hold the Hola Mohalla (or Hola Mahalla) festival, a time to demonstrate and watch martial arts skills in mock battles. (Read the Sikh Encyclopedia’s explanation of Hola here.)
When the festival was established in 1701 by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind
Singh, Sikhs were defending themselves against attacks by the imperial
powers of the Mughal empire and hill kings. To aid in their
preparedness, the Guru established this “mock fight” festival. (Of
importance to note is that the festival focuses on defensive fighting,
and not offensive fighting.)
    While the original festival was
held at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, smaller celebrations are now held at
Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) around the globe. (Find out more at Sikhnet.)
Hola Mohalla has evolved into a three-day festival of exhibitions,
weapons displays, music, poetry competitions and dangerous feats that
include bareback horse riding and standing on two speeding horses. In
many places, kirtan and religious lectures are also a part of Hola
Mohalla festivities.
    Still, an enormous festival at Anandpur draws tens of thousands of devotees each year. (SikhiWiki offers plenty of details.)
Community kitchens often provide food and drink to pilgrims who dine
while sitting in rows on the ground. Typically, the voluntary kitchens
are staffed by women who cook food that was donated by local villagers.
Other volunteers clean utensils and provide similar services.
   
This year, around 20,000 pilgrims are expected at Anandpur during the
time of this year’s festival, which began Feb. 24 and ends today.

MONDAY is Shushan Purim for Jews who live in Jerusalem, who are related to Shushan, Iran—and any city that was walled at the time of Joshua. (The photo at left is of the Jewish quarters in Jerusalem.) It’s in these cities that Jews celebrate the festivities of Purim at a later date than other Jews. (Find more on Aish.com, the largest Jewish-content site. OR, read all of the details about Purim on our Seasons page from last week.)
   
According to the Book of Esther, Jews in unwalled cities of ancient
Persia fought their enemies for only one day, on the 13th day of the
Jewish month of Adar. (Details are at Chabad.org.) Jews in the Persian capital city, Shushan, spent two days in battle and rested one day later than the others.
   
To ensure that a Persian city was not honored more than Jerusalem—the
focus of Jewish life—sages declared that Jerusalem should celebrate
Shushan Purim, too. (Read more at Wikipedia.)
Jerusalem is the only city known to be walled during the time of
Joshua, but it’s speculated that several other Israeli cities were as
well. (Despite this speculation, no other Israeli cities celebrate Shushan Purim.) Sages declared that cities walled during
the time of Joshua be permitted to celebrate Shushan Purim since Joshua
was the historical figure who first waged war against Amalek, an
ancestor of Haman.
    You may wonder whether any Jews are left in Iran, these days, given the extreme policies of the country’s leadership. In fact, thousands of Jews still live in Iran. However, thousands of the Shushan Jewish descendants relocated over the years to southern California, where there is a significant community that still considers itself to be descendants of Queen Esther.

TUESDAY, Baha’is begin the Nineteen Day Fast, a time of spiritual reflection. (An article on the fast is at Bahai.us.)
On March 2 each year, Baha’is around the world begin the fast that
prepares them for Naw Ruz, the Baha’i and Iranian New Year. For 19
days, most Baha’is age 15 to 70 wake before sunrise, pray and then
refrain from food and drink until sunset. (The BBC has more.)
According to Baha’u’llah, founder of the Baha’i faith, “Praised by
Thou, O my God, that Thou has ordained Naw Ruz as a festival unto those
who have observed the fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that
is abhorrent to Thee.”
    The Baha’i calendar, known as the Badi Calendar and instituted by the Bab, consists of 19 months of 19 days each. (Find out details at Wikipedia’s page.)
According to this calendar, spring—and the New Year—begins on March 21.
The Bab declared this, the last month of the Baha’i calendar, to be one
of fasting.
    The Nineteen Day Fast requires devotees to release
human desires and focus on God—much like fasts of other religions. The
Baha’i fast has a deeply spiritual nature, but is flexible: The Bab stated that those who are sick, for example, should
not only skip the fast but are forbidden from observing the fast. The
Baha’i faith focuses on a fast whose devotees spend more time
reflecting on God than worrying about the fast’s details. (A writer focuses on “Dilemmas of the Fast” in an article on Planet Baha’i.)
    According to a recent press release from the Religion Newswriters Association,
this year’s Nineteen Day Fast will have many observers. The Baha’i
faith is the youngest of the world’s independent monotheistic religions
and is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States.

WEDNESDAY,
Shintos honor girls during the Japanese Doll Festival, or Hinamatsuri
(spellings vary). Long ago, the Japanese believed that dolls
possessed the power to contain bad spirits. In an ancient custom known
as hina-nagashi, Japanese straw hina dolls would be placed in boats and
floated down a river to the sea, believed to carry bad spirits with
them. Hinamatsuri derived from this ancient custom. (Hey, kids! Make and color your own paper dolls, courtesy of Crayola.)
   
Since the Edo period (1603-1867), Japanese have covered
multiple-tier platforms with a red carpet, decorating them with
ornamental dolls that represent the Emperor, Empress, attendants and
musicians in traditional court clothing of the Heian period (794-1185).
Elaborate accessories for the doll displays vary by household and
region, but can include miniature gilded folding screens, hearths, food
trays and more! (This neat article from the Kyoto National Museum details the differences of Hinamatsuri displays by region.)
   
While celebrating the festival and praying for the health and
well-being of girls, Shintos often drink a sake made from fermented
rice, eat rice cakes or crackers and partake in foods containing clams.
(Some food is usually offered to the dolls, too. Find details at Wikipedia.)
   
Hinamatsuri has recently been featured in a number of anime series,
including Pokemon, and this year, a doll resembling Japan’s Olympic
figure skater Mao Asada was released.

Also on WEDNESDAY, Shi’a Muslims commemorate Mawlid an-Nabi, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
    (Last Thursday and Friday, some Sunni Muslims observed Mawlid an-Nabi; click here to read all of the details on last week’s Seasons page. The photo at right is of a Muslim man using prayer beads, or tasbih.)
    Particularly for Shi’a Muslims, this day also marks the time when
the Prophet Muhammad chose Hazrat Ali as his successor at Gadhir-e-Khumm. Succession from the Prophet’s leadership is a central concern in Shi’a history.

FRIDAY, Christian women around the globe observe the World Day of Prayer.
This movement was initiated by women and made official in 1927, and it
is marked by millions of women in more than 170 countries annually.
   
A different country is the focus of each year’s Day of Prayer, and this
year’s featured country is Cameroon, in Africa. The women of Cameroon
chose the theme of “Let Everything That Has Breath Praise God.” (Check out their page here.)
In essence, the women of Cameroon state that we renew the gift of life
with every breath and, for this, God should be praised. The African
women say that with breath comes hope, and so even in hard times,
breath is a sign of hope.
    According to the World Day of Prayer
mission, women are called to become aware of the world (and not live in
isolation), to educate and enrich themselves by learning about
Christian traditions in other countries and cultures and to pray for
others. (The World Day of Prayer USA has worship themes, resource materials and more.)
While women come together on World Day of Prayer, they are encouraged
also to learn about the women in the year’s featured country. This
year, women are asked to learn about and take action against spousal abuse
in Cameroon, because women in this region are often pressured to remain
silent.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

 

    This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.

    We welcome your notes!
Email [email protected]. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

623 Meet a pioneer in religious diversity, now sharing his own spiritual story

February 17, 2010 by


Suddenly, there were “vast depths of ideas and thoughts that I began to discover in Judaism and Christianity, depths that are still hidden from many people who are, as I was, unable to see beneath the surface of our culture’s religious symbols and doctrines. Even now … I see again and again, time after time, that what I have taken to be the deeper meaning of the Judaic and Christian idea of God is only another ‘surface’—however deep, relatively, it may lie—behind or beneath which, or within which, the real mystery of the meaning of God still remains hidden in all its unformed and unmanifested power.”

    You may recognize Jacob Needleman from PBS’ Bill Moyers specials. If you’re a follower of religious movements, you may have Needleman’s landmark 1970 book, “The New Religions,” on your shelf already. That book, which introduced many Americans to the seemingly exotic Eastern religions arriving on our West Coast at that time, remains so significant that the book was republished last year in a Tarcher Cornerstone Edition.
    Now, Tarcher/Penguin adds “What Is God?”—a brand new 250-page memoir-and-plea from Needleman for all of us to keep searching for God, even as that journey becomes more urgent and challenging.
    When Needleman set out to write this new book about the nature of God, he quickly decided that the most fitting format for this subject matter would be—memoir. The best way to convey the human experience of the Divine, he found, is to write honestly about the often-surprising and sometimes-frustrating human pursuit of God. Finally, he wound up telling the story of his own life-long search. In this book, you will encounter many famous names, but the nature of God in each generation ultimately depends on individual encounters, he tells us.
    That’s why it’s such a compelling book.
    All you have to do is read the first chapter, “My Father’s God,” describing his boyhood experience of sitting on the front porch late one night in Philadelphia with his father, to discover that you simply can’t put down the book. In addition to the wonderment little Jacob finds in the starry night sky, he soon begins to sift through unresolved childhood memories from the death of an aunt—and we find ourselves completely wrapped up in his spiritual journey.
    Because, of course, it is our journey, too.
    How many of us were curious children? How many of us had puzzlingly distant relatives? How many of us looked at stars? How many of us wondered about Heaven? About God?
    As a young man who migrates to California, Needleman takes us into the heart of his academic work as a fledgling college instructor. At first, he considers himself a religious skeptic but he must prepare to teach his first comparative-religion classes. At first, he has an actual revulsion toward some of the historic religious texts he is preparing to “teach” in his class.
    However, like the night on the front porch, the cosmos seem to open in unexpected ways. The italic quote above, today, is from that portion of Needleman’s memoir when these sacred texts surprise him with their timeless power. These texts, some of which he once rejected, take him farther and deeper than he ever expects.
    His book ends with a plea for the future of faith and humanity that will leave you nodding as you close the book.
    Click Here to order a copy of “What is God?” by Jacob Needleman now from Amazon.

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CONVERSATION
WITH JACOB NEEDLEMAN on “WHAT IS GOD?”

    DAVID: You’re 75 and still teaching.
   
JACOB: Yes, that’s correct.
   
DAVID: Tell us a bit about where you live and what you’re teaching these days.
   
JACOB: I live in the San Francisco Bay area, but now I live in Oakland, across the bay from where I lived for about 40 years. I just became “emeritus” at San Francisco State University, but I am still teaching as Professor of Philosophy.
   
DAVID: It’s important to explain to readers, I think, that you’re not a researcher isolated from students. Your new book talks about how important preparing for these classes—and interacting with students—has been in your own spiritual awakening.
   
JACOB: Yes, for almost 50 years I’ve been in the classroom. I usually teach three courses. Now, I’ve cut back a little bit and I teach one course this term. I’ve taught History of Philosophy, looking at philosophers and philosophical issues. And I teach Comparative Religion, looking at questions in religions. So, those are my two areas: philosophy and religion. I don’t teach Philosophy of Religion, which usually implies an outside stance about religion that suggests you don’t take it that seriously on its own terms.
   
I try to teach about religion as religion understands itself.
   
DAVID: This is important background, because this new book is mainly a memoir. You answer the question “What Is God?” and a whole series of other questions, as well, by telling the moving story of how religion seemed to surface—to break through almost unexpectedly—at various points in your life.
   
This is a memoir of a life unexpectedly encountering the timeless power of religion to awaken new insights. Am I describing that correctly?
   
JACOB: I’m absolutely delighted that’s the way you see this book. That’s absolutely what I hoped—that the narrative would be the strongest way to convey what I’m writing about here. That’s the reason I chose this particular form for this book.
   
This is my narrative of how I encountered these ideas. I started teaching in the field of religious studies almost reluctantly, but the more I taught, the more I came to see how deeply I did not understand the religious traditions of my own culture and also of the East.
   
As I taught for many years in this area, I got more and more interested in religious thought. As my interest grew, I saw a dynamic convergence in the teachings of all the great traditions. There was a common, universal vision of the central questions, such as: What is humanity? And: What should we be doing with our lives?
   
When new religious movements began entering into the San Francisco area in the 1960s, I decided I wanted to write not so much for the academic specialists but for the general public. I wanted to see how this convergence of humanity in the light of the world might provide answers for the problems we all face.
   
In working on this new book, it was very clear to me that the question, “What Is God?” is a burning question—and also a very necessary question—in our time. So, I rolled up my sleeves and tackled this impossible question: “What Is God?” I found myself from the very first line of the book almost jerked by the back of my neck telling me: This is going to be personal.

    DAVID: Let’s step back for a moment to one of your most famous books—and it’s a book now available in a brand-new paperback edition: “The New Religions,” first published in 1970.
   
I remember that book when it was new. I was one of those readers who was amazed to flip through the pages and read about these “exotic” religions now blossoming on our own American soil. I wanted to know more. But you didn’t reveal much, in writing that book, about what was going on in your own life.
   
Now, in this new book, we learn that “The New Religions” was written in this very era when you were undergoing a personal transformation in your approach to the subject of religion. You didn’t disclose that in your 1970 book, I’m assuming because it was such a fresh part of your life.
   
But that 1970 book, on its own, I think really has stood the test of time. I just pulled it off the shelf and read most of it again. In that era, it was this startling new book about these “new” religions from Asia that were making a strong foothold on the West Coast.
   
JACOB: When you write a book, then many years later you decide to look back into what you wrote—you often want to sit down with a strong drink next to you because you expect to wince as you read it.
   
But, as I re-read that book recently, I actually didn’t wince when I read it. It turned out to be better, after all those years, than I expected.
   
The stance it took is exactly what you say: The main aim of that book was not so much to make a philosophically sophisticated report, but a means of opening up ideas and deepening questions for general readers.

    DAVID: One of my favorite sections in that 1970 book is titled, “What Is California?” You play with the question of why California attracted so many seemingly strange innovations in that era.
   
Is California still so different in this regard? What would you say?
   
JACOB: (chuckles) Yes, it’s still different. It’s still Californialand. What started here, however, has spread all over, not only all over the coasts—but all across the country and around the world. It’s worldwide at least in the Western world, these new religious movements, this emphasis on spirituality, fragments of religious traditions reshaping themselves into whole new religions, the psychological use of religion. Things that were weird and odd that first came through California are now everywhere. These ideas show up now from perfumes to business logos.
   
DAVID: From herbal teas to yoga gear in Target stores.
   
JACOB: Right. In many of these forms, the ideas are cheapened and reduced—but you see this evidence everywhere.
   
And California still is probably the place where these things appear first, for better or worse. People still seem to arrive in California, throw off their overcoats and try to find themselves here. What we called the New Age is now a negative phrase—in many ways justifiably and some things are bad and weird about it—but all of this does reflect a real and deep yearning in the culture for something meaningful in life. This is especially true among young people.

    DAVID: What I find so moving in this new book is that it starts with this childhood scene of you and your father on the porch—then you go through a top-notch education and you wind up with no use for religion at all. You’re essentially an atheist at that point.
   
Then you land this job teaching about religion in San Francisco. And, while encountering these ancient texts—some powerful doors open up.
   
JACOB: Just as you’ve said, I was well educated in some of the best universities in the country. But, when I had to teach in this area, I had to roll up my sleeves and start reading all of this material about religion. I didn’t think I’d find it very congenial.
I began reading about Jewish mysticism and reading the actual text of what most people call the Old Testament, which is something I had only encountered in bits and pieces in my background growing up.
   
I was stunned by the depths and the metaphysics and the questions within this tradition. It touched me in a way I had not expected.
   
Of course, I was always searching. I was interested very much in Zen Buddhism in my senior year in college. I regarded the idea that there was an inner life as a sophisticated science of inner awakening. I found this in the Zen writings I read in my own college studies.
   
When I saw that Judaism had very much a similar system of practices, I began to follow that further and began to understand the allegorical and symbolical meanings of scripture—and in works like Maimonides.
   
Next, I had to read Christianity, which I not only didn’t really understand but also feared. In my family, Christianity was like an enemy because of all the anti-Semitism we had experienced. Then, I found Augustine deeply fascinating. The early Christian theologians were so interesting!
   
Reading about the early Christian fathers in the deserts of Africa and their depth in what we might call Eastern traditions, I was blown away.
   
I discovered I’d had a false picture growing up of the depth and complexity of these religions.

    DAVID: Today, you’re continuing to call on readers to engage in their own quests—and, in this new book, you argue that it may wind up being religion that helps humanity save the planet.
   
If we rediscover the unifying depths of religion, the deeper values that can bring people together, then we might possibly survive the monumental crises we’re facing.
   
JACOB: I’m optimistic without being gullible or foolish. I’m optimistic when I see that people are breaking through of the crust into yearning—and are thinking about the changes we need to make. I’m not entirely optimistic that we can make all the changes we really need, now.
   
DAVID: You write that you feel the world’s time is short. Here’s a brief passage near the end of your book. You plead with readers to enable “doors to be open to those who are touched by the great wish that leads to the personal search for God, whether that search takes place in the hidden heart of our own ancient teachings; or in the still living practical mysticism of Eastern teachings; or in the rediscovered path leading to the awakening of Conscious Atttention; or in ways still, for all we know, hidden and waiting to be ‘switched on’ in our civilization.
   
“Both in our Earth and in our personal lives—we are perhaps at an unimaginably critical juncture in the life of man on Earth.
   
“We cannot wait for very long. The time remaining is very short, is it not?”

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

    This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.

    Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

604: Strong leadership begins in the humility of prayer and meditation

January 20, 2010 by


“If you have a spirit, lose it,
loose it to return where with one word,
we came from.
Now, thousands of words,
and we refuse to leave.“
RUMI

Our headline today is timeless spiritual wisdom and—after our provocative portrait of mega-best-selling preacher Rick Warren yesterday—we want to return for a day to this timeless inspirational power that most of our readers share in some form.
    You may call it meditation. Prayer. Reflection. Centering.
    In the traditions of India, including Hinduism and Buddhism, a string of 108 beads called “mala” is a widespread practice for centering meditation. (To read more, here’s Wikipedia on these strings of beads and there also are instructive Web sites like this one that focus more on Buddhist practice.)
    Catholic and Muslim readers will instantly recognize the spiritual value of this concept from their own traditions of using beads in prayer. Protestants are less likely to have tried beads, although a small-and-growing number of creative evangelists are touching on this idea.
    In a moment, we’re going to tell you about a great new book that provides 108 mala reflections in a single small volume. It’s callled, “Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems.” The Rumi poem in blue, above, is the first prayer in this new book from the New World Library.
    ReadTheSpirit offers this same kind of daily discipline of reflective reading. Right now, for example, you might find your mind, heart and spirit recharged by reading Dr. Wayne Baker’s reflections on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—or, if your mind is on Haiti this week, take a look at Rodney Curtis’ moving story of his own journey to Haiti for National Geographic some years ago.

    CLICK HERE to order “Mala of the Heart: 108 Sacred Poems” from Amazon now.

    I love small prayer books like this. It’s a pleasant volume to hold with its soft, matte dust cover and creamy pages. The book is comprised mainly of 108 prayer-poems—or perhaps we might call them “moments of meditation” penned by more than 30 poets. The number of pieces chosen by the editors matches a string of mala beads, a practice familiar to Hindus and Buddhists—and a first cousin to Catholic and Muslim prayer beads.
    The editors of this volume teach Hindu practices ranging from Vedic studies to Yoga. The foreword is from Buddhist scholar Jack Kornfield. But the poets in the volume form the actual community of teachers here and they stem from a broad array of traditions.
    You’ll find the extremely popular Rumi here along with the universally celebrated St. Francis of Assisi and William Blake. But you’ll also find Navajo wisdom. And, you’ll hear from Dante Alighieri (of “The Divine Comedy”) and the Sufi poet Hafiz and the legendary Kabir, who mingled Indian traditions (and who we profiled in “Interfaith Heroes”).
    If you’re like me, you’ve got a shelf (or perhaps shelves) somewhere in your home with well-thumbed prayer books you pull down occasionally and integrate into your life for a season. This new collection will carry you well through a day, a month, a season. You may have read some of these lines before in other collections—but these beads are arranged in a beautiful and spirit-provoking new way.
    Enjoy.

    NEXT WEEK, we plan to continue our series of interviews with men and women from our “10 Spiritual Sages to Watch in 2010.” We will bring you a special “Conversation With Barbara Brown Taylor.” Her book, “An Altar in the World,” is about to be released in a new paperback edition
and also celebrates spiritual disciplines.
    Finally, here’s one more sampling from “Mala” to help enlighten your journey through this week.

From St. Francis of Assisi:
“I think God might be a little prejudiced.
For once He asked me to join Him
on a walk through this world,
and we gazed into every heart on this earth,
and I noticed He lingered a bit longer
before any face that was weeping,
and before any eyes that were laughing.
And sometimes when we passed
a soul in worship
God too would kneel down.
I have come to learn:
God adores His creation.”

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

    This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.

    Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

595: Wisdom for a new year from the Parliament of the World’s Religions

January 6, 2010 by


The Parliament of the World’s Religions has been knitting together the globe’s spiritual traditions for more than 100 years. The 1893 Parliament in Chicago marks the formal debut of Hinduism in the United States. The centennial of the Parliament in 1993 welcomed the broadest array of religious groups ever assembled in one location, until that time. (Here’s Wikipedia’s “backgrounder” on these Parliaments.)
    Since 1993, various “Parliament” conferences have popped up around the world, attempting to carry on this rich tradition. One was held in Australia in December and a ReadTheSpirit contributing writer, Gail Katz, attended portions of the December 3-9 conference. (Here’s the official Web site for that conference.)


    Given our readers’ focus on holidays in December, we saved Gail’s 2-part overview to kick off 2010, a more appropriate time to take fresh action on some of these inspiring ideas.

HERE IS Gail Katz’s …

Reflection on the 2009 Parliament, Part 1:


How does one describe what it was like to be in the same space with just about every faith tradition and just about every cultural dress and headdress? This interfaith conference drew 8,000 people from 150 countries of the world—producing an incredible diversity of saris, robes, kipot, turbans, hijabs and shaved heads, along with every shade of skin on this earth.
   
How beautiful the religious communities of the world were as men and women from the far corners of the Earth gathered!

   
There were Sikhs talking with Jews and Christian monks conversing with Hindus. No matter where you went within the Melbourne Exhibition Center, everyone was polite and anxious to find out who you were and where you were from. A Tibetan monk made a sand painting of vibrant colors, right next to the shrine of the Dalai Lama, who was scheduled to be the closing keynote speaker on the last day of the conference.

   

In the midst of these earnest people coming together to share ideas, increase respect, and work together on interfaith initiatives—protesters showed up and proclaimed their slogans outside of the Melbourne center.
   
Atheists shouted: “Human Rights, not Religious Rites!”
   
Fundamentalist Christians flew banners crying: “There’s only one path to God—Jesus!”
   
Their presence reminded us that Religion and Controversy struggle with each other all around the world. Whatever the hateful or fearful messages protesters brought into the streets outside, thousands of us gathered each day inside the magnificent Exhibition Center—and we all came to listen and learn from each other.
   
We shared goals of saving Mother Earth, ending poverty and empowering women.
I loved seeing a group of Sikh students stop Rabbi Brad Hirschfield to ask: “What does it mean to be Jewish?” Together, they spent an hour learning about each others’ religions.

   

I attended a session on Hindu-Jewish Dialogue, bringing together leaders from two of the world’s oldest religions. Rabbi David Rosen (Director of the American Jewish Committee’s Department of Interreligious Affairs), Swami Avdeshananda Giri, Swami Parmamananda Saraswati and Bawa Jain (Secretary General of the World Council of Religious Leaders) were the speakers at this session.
   
I was intrigued to hear about a large number of Israelis who travel to India, many of them estranged from their own religion as the head to the East. In the process, though, many rediscover their Jewish roots, the speakers said.
   
As if to underline what we might share as people from different traditions, a speaker pointed out that there are very small distinguishing traits among the DNA of human beings. Similarly, our religions have much in common, including values of family, work and faith.

   

I am a retired teacher of English as a Second Language and I am the former coordinator of the Religious Diversity Journeys for Seventh Graders through the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion. So, I was quite intrigued with a session called “Innovative Approaches to Interfaith and Multicultural Educational in Schools.” This workshop explored different approaches to multicultural and interfaith education.
   
We heard about a broad range of educational approaches encouraging respect for the “other” through steps such as storytelling, respectful listening and even the use of gardens and nature in children’s education.
   
Simon Oats, an Australian teacher, illustrated his methods of working with youth through the sharing of personal stories—an approach that gives young people time for reflection on the negative experiences of bullying, fear and injustice. I was so taken with Simon’s presentation that I gave him a copy of “Interfaith Heroes” (Volume 2), written by Daniel Buttry, and told him how I had used these stories when I worked with my seventh graders and encouraged them to become diversity heroes!
   
Simon promised to keep in touch with me when his storytelling book is published next year.

   

During the Question and Answer period, I stood up and highlighted WISDOM and the Religious Diversity Journeys for Seventh Graders going on in metro-Detroit.
   
One of the other people at this session was quite taken with Detroit’s interfaith efforts and, after the session was over, he presented me with a DVD for the youth that I work with, entitled “Animating the Golden Rule.” This DVD illustrates how self-directed explorations in art, music, rap and drama can be used to help teenagers explore ways of embodying the core values of “The Golden Rule” shared by virtually all of the world’s great religions. How appropriate this was, as WISDOM’s very first event with youth also focused on the core values of “The Golden Rule” in world religions.

   

I also was impressed with a session led by four renowned rabbis addressing, “Who Do We Want to Be: Exploring the Mission of the Jewish People in the 21st Century.” I was personally interested in this session as a member of the Jewish faith, but it was fascinating to observe that three fourths of the people in the audience were not Jewish (as was evident by a show of hands when the question was asked).
   
Contemporary Judaism, whether as expressed in Israel itself or in the Jewish Diaspora, faces many challenges as it moves further away in time from the identification with the Holocaust and the foundation of Israel. This esteemed panel of rabbis discussed these challenges and the evolving nature of Judaism today.
   
Along with Rabbi David Rosen and Rabbi Brad Hirschfield was Rabbi David Saperstein, designated in Newsweek’s 2009 list as the most influential rabbi in the United States. Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence, the chief rabbi of the Great Synagogue of Sydney, Australia, was also on the panel.
   
Some of the major conclusions they drew included:
   
Peace in the Middle East is imperative as it is the center of global conflict and the cutting edge of interactions of civilizations. We must break out of the cycle of violence.
   
Jewish teaching affirms that we all are made in the image of God, and we need to work toward making a better world.
   
We are a Noah Generation: facing a world that is cursed with a lack of resources, poverty and the potential destruction of the Earth.
   
We need to embrace the Jewish teaching of “Tikkun Olam,” repairing the world. It is not enough to study our sacred texts. We must live out the commandments we find there.
   
Our central question should not be: Is the world big enough for us?
   
Instead, we should be asking: Are we big enough to embrace the world?

Come back tomorrow for Part 2 of this journey to the Parliament!

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

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    Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
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    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

What’s the Spiritual Season this week? Thanksgiving, Columbus Day, World Food Day, Diwali and a New Year, too!

October 11, 2009 by

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(You’ll also find weekly news in our “ReadTheSpirit Planner.” See a sample & learn how to get this free Email newsletter.) HERE IS …

What’s the Spiritual Season?
(October 12 to 18, 2009)
By Stephanie Fenton

 

 

 

THIS WEEK

is marked with surprising readjustments if you’re used to the American calendar—starting with TODAY, MONDAY October 12, which is Thanksgiving! (You’ll also learn, in our final item this week, that Sunday is New Year’s Day—if you live in the right corner of the world, that is.)

It’s not Thanksgiving in the U.S., but it is to the north of us. Canadians share some roots of Thanksgiving history with others across the Americas. Here’s a History Channel page on general Thanksgiving history. One example of the intriguing details on that page: You might assume that British colonists served mild foods—but this article says the first Thanksgiving menus most likely were spicy. “People tend to think of English food as bland, but, in fact, the pilgrims used many spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper and dried fruit in sauces for meats,” the article says.

Canadian Thanksgiving history does diverge from American tradition—including the date of this harvest festival on the first Monday of October each year. Check out Wikipedia’s article to learn more. For instance, Canada’s first Thanksgiving was way back in 1578—about 40 years before Americans can claim a “first” Thanksgiving in what’s now the U.S.

MONDAY

also is Columbus Day—speaking of “firsts.”
We’ve chosen a somewhat somber image of the explorer’s face (at right) because Columbus’ reputation certainly has evolved in recent years. That’s especially true since 1992, when 500-year events, books, films and news coverage alerted Americans to many of the tragic effects of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. That impact included devastating disease, which Columbus and his European followers couldn’t help. There also was a hugely important exchange of crops and animals. For example, American Indians didn’t have horses until Europeans brought them across the Atlantic Ocean.

Some regions in the U.S. have taken official action in light of Columbus’ treatment of Indians. In South Dakota, the day is now Native American Day, instead. Some island communities also have changed the day—so, for example, there’s now a “Puerto Rican-Virgin Islands Friendship Day” instead of a day honoring the explorer.

We aren’t drawing a judgment on Columbus’ legacy in this brief Spiritual Season column, but we do know that some groups—including Italian-American immigrants—still consider this son of Genoa to be a heroic explorer. Here’s an in-depth overview of Columbus, including links to lots of other aspects of his life story. And, here’s a look at the history of Columbus Day, including some regional adaptations.
Oh, and for our Scandinavian readers? Yes, indeed, last week we did include Leif Erikson Day in our Spiritual Season column!

On FRIDAY, World Food Day asks us to: “Imagine achieving food security in time of crisis.” That is this year’s theme for this thought-provoking observance, focused on the world’s hungry—and the world’s food producers. The best way to describe the focus of this special day is to share a brief excerpt from this year’s Web site:

“At a time when the global economic crisis dominates the news, the world needs to be reminded that not everyone works in offices and factories. The crisis is stalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent of the world’s hungry live and work.

“With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger. …

“On the occasion of World Food Week and World Food Day 2009, let us reflect on those numbers and the human suffering behind them. Crisis or no crisis, we have the know-how to do something about hunger. We also have the ability to find money to solve problems when we consider them important. Let us work together to make sure hunger is recognized as a critical problem, and solve it.”

S

ATURDAY, Diwali—“The Festival of Lights”—is a major holiday across India, marked by Hindus and also Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. It’s a beautiful, festive time of the year for Indian families and the spiritual theme at the heart of Diwali is reminding ourselves of the triumphant power of the inner light within each of us.

On that level, this is an easy observance to appreciate for Christians, since light is a major Christian symbol for letting one’s life shine as an example to the whole community.
In India, there are many inspiring stories retold by devotees on Dewali. The general Wikipedia entry (the link above) outlines some of those stories.

Jains, for example, recall Lord Mahavira on Diwali. This ancient figure, who lived about six centuries before the birth of Jesus, is credited with gathering together the sacred teachings that form Jainism. That’s a painting of Mahavira at right (the top photo today shows Diwali lamps). You’ll notice that he’s depicted in the circular image without clothing. Mahavira modeled such a deep compassion for the world’s creatures that he did not want to harm any living thing—and renounced most normal human desires, including the desire for his own home, personal possessions and clothing.

That’s just one faith’s special emphasis during this festive time of year. Hindu families focus on beautiful displays of lights and flowers—often crafting multi-colored lanterns for the festival. But, it’s not all peace and quiet! Firecrackers are a popular tradition—and well-scrubbed children in new clothes for the holiday may wind up jolting older people with their noise throughout the day!

This is a harvest-time festival in India, so it carries all the thankfulness of another hard growing season coming to an end. In some areas, communities produce plays and other stage productions to enjoy beloved stories together.

Given this emphasis on socializing and hospitality, this is an auspicious time for the creation of Rangoli—or traditional Indian sand paintings. Women might wake up early on Diwali and go just outside their homes to create a colorful pattern to greet neighbors and visitors. Courtesy of The Holiday Spot, here’s a great page about making Rangoli, including examples of traditional imagery and detailed descriptions of how the brightly hued powders are used to sketch the elaborate designs. (There’s a particularly elaborate Rangoli image at left that resembles folk-art patterns one might find in American quilts.)

To our Indian readers: Enjoy the lights, festivities and hospitality! Or, as one popular Diwali greeting card puts it: We’re wishing you a glittering Diwali!

SUNDAY

is a New Year! Most Westerners will be surprised to hear that, but it’s true for some Indians and Nepalese. Think of it this way: Are you afraid of the mystical conspiracy theories buzzing around the media, these days, about all the disasters coming in the year 2012? Well, the world has quite a few different calendars and, on Sunday, many people in India will celebrate the start of the year 2066!

This system of recording time is called the Vikram (or Bikram) Samwat, a calendar created by the legendary ruler Vikramaditya during his legendary reign in the ancient city of Ujjain in central-western India. This great ruler tried to “reset” the world’s timekeeping after a major victory over his enemies in what was then 56 BCE. Since that time, the lunar calendar he established is now about 56-to-57 years “ahead” of the Gregorian calendar.
The photo at right shows how the king was portrayed in one of the Indian movies that retell his epic tale.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.

Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
  (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

What’s the Spiritual Season this week? Yom Kippur, festive celebrations in Inda, Sukkot is coming and much more

September 27, 2009 by

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(You’ll also find weekly news in our “ReadTheSpirit Planner.” See a sample & learn how to get this free Email newsletter.) HERE IS …

What’s the Spiritual Season?
(September 28 to October 4, 2009)
By Stephanie Fenton


THIS WEEK BEGINS with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar and a day when millions of Jews—even those who sometimes don’t keep the weekly Sabbath—undertake the arduous 25-hour fast that accompanies soul searching and communal worship. In most communities today, the scenes in temples and synagogues don’t look quite like the 19th-Century painting at right that so famously depicts Yom Kippur. Men, women and young people today, for the most part, wear contemporary clothes. But many follow long-standing traditions by avoiding leather garments, even belts and shoes, on this sacred day—and many favor white garb.
    For a classic folk tale about Yom Kippur, visit ReadTheSpirit’s “top story,” called “Yom Kippur in Hebron and Hard Times.” You’ll see this painting with that story, because it captures the solemnity of the day in the people’s faces.
    For a good outline of the holiday’s significance and customs, here’s the Wikipedia overview of Yom Kippur. But, for a more contemporary look at the holiday—especially in Israel—take a look at Michael Weiss’ article in Slate. Michael writes, in part: “Jews in the Diaspora spend most of Yom Kippur at home or in synagogue, where the absence of electricity hardly affects the greater gentile grids. But in Israel, which effectively shuts down for Yom Kippur, the contradiction between ancient religious tradition and modernity is brought into stark relief once a year, creating either a brief trance of neo-Luddite serenity or a sliver of Dark Age privation.“

MONDAY is a day of festivities across India and Nepal. The name of the festival varies—often called Dussehra or Dasara, although it’s also called Vijayadashami as well. In traditional Indian accounts of the gods, this day marks Rama’s great victory over the demon Ravana and his powerful companions—and “Vijay” means “victory” in that form of the festival’s name.
    Throughout Hindu communities, a host of localized traditions arose through the centuries—and various emphases on themes within the larger story. The Wikpedia overview does a pretty good job of describing some of the regional differences.
    Probably the most common imagery you’ll find associated with the holiday, though, are giant festive figures of Ravana and his companions, which are rigged to explode with fireworks and burn to celebrate the great victory. It’s a happy day for families and often people attend fairs and dances.

TUESDAY is Michaelmas—a fixed date on the calendar honoring the archangel St. Michael. Traditionally, St. Michael was seen as a defender of Israel and the leader of God’s forces in defeating Lucifer.
    His appeal is widespread and longstanding. While saints often are associated with the Catholic church in popular culture, Lutherans also have a high regard for Michael. He’s also mentioned in the Quran and Muslims regard Michael as an important angel poised close to God.
    Despite all of this powerful, warlike imagery, Michael is strongly associated with healing—and ancient miracles of providing healing waters and security for the sick. It’s this kind of strong, protective imagery that’s associated with Michael in a vision of Daniel, who describes the angel as a “great prince” and “the protector of your people.”
    Down through the years, Michael has become a patron saint of paramedics, police officers and paratroopers.
    There are lots of references to Michael on the Web, most of them posted by Catholic groups. But, for a different approach to Michael’s ancient story, check out this in-depth article on Michael in the Jewish Encyclopedia online.

FRIDAY is Gandhi Jayanti—the birthday of the “Father of the Nation” on October 2, 1869, or 140 years ago. Mohandas Gandhi, later known as “Mahatma” as a sign of great respect, was born in what is now Gujarat, India. He was influenced, from an early age, by Hindu and Jain traditions. And, if you’re reading this news item, you probably know the rest of the story. His birthday is a holiday in India—and the United Nations General Assembly hoped to encourage Gandhi’s followers by declaring October 2 the “International Day of Non-Violence.” Reporting on the UN declaration in 2007, the UPI wire service wrote: The U.N. General Assembly “desiring to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence,” Friday invited states, U.N. bodies, regional and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate non-violence on Oct. 2 date through education and public awareness.

FRIDAY night through sundown on Sunday are the first two full days of one of Judaism’s most hospitable festivals—Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Ingathering! (The festival runs for a week but the first two days are the most important.)
    If you don’t live near a Jewish community, you may have never noticed the little “booths” or “huts” or “temporary shelters” that blossom in back yards (and sometimes near the main entrances to Jewish schools and other institutions). If you’re not Jewish, you also may not realize how deeply rooted this festival is in Judaism. It’s commanded in the Torah. (Christians will find it in Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16.)
 
    Jews sometimes explain this festival to their neighbors as one of the world’s oldest Thanksgiving customs—and that’s true. It’s an ancient harvest festival.
    But there are many layers in the stories and symbols within Sukkot. Plus, Jewish families often welcome friends, co-workers and neighbors for a meal inside their temporary shelters. While the structures sometimes look a little rickety—that’s part of the intentional charm and symbolism, right down to the greenery spread across the “roof” so that the stars are visible through the thatching on clear nights.
    Among the symbols you might want to ask your Jewish friends to explain are the Etrog, which is the world’s most valuable fruit because of the great care lavished on growing and caring for these rare yellow fruits, and also the Lulav, a combination of traditional branches. (The photo above shows a “sukkah,” a “booth,” in Tel Aviv; the next photo shows a market stall selling Lulav and Etrog for the holiday.)

SUNDAY is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who died in early October 1226.
    St. Francis is one of the world’s most beloved saints in the third Millennium. Robert Kennedy Jr. wrote a popular children’s book about Francis’ love of animals, but Francis’ bravery in crossing religious and cultural barriers also has won over strong supporters, today.
    So, here are some additional resources on Francis you might enjoy exploring. First, he was featured in 2008 as one of the first “Interfaith Heroes” honored by ReadTheSpirit. The original “Heroes” story about St. Francis is still online. In our online magazine, we’ve also found many contemporary writers mentioning St. Francis as an inspiration to “creation care” today. Here’s an interview with best-selling evangelical author Tony Campolo that mentions St. Francis’ message—among others—on care of animals.
     The Humane Society of the United States now includes a section of “Francis Files” on the group’s Web site, encouraging pet owners to send in stories about spiritual connections with animals. To encourage those efforts by pet owners, the Humane Society actually publishes one of the best, inspiring overviews of Francis’ life online.

SUNDAY also is World Communion Sunday, an effort started before World War II that caught on later through the American ecumenical movement and has spread around the world—encouraging all Christian churches to celebrate communion on the first Sunday of October. The idea is not that churches will join for community-wide services, but that everyone in every church—or as many churches as possible—will celebrate communion on the same day. Of course, the world’s biggest denomination, the Catholic church, celebrates the sacrament every Sunday—so the idea is to have Christians forming a virtual unity in worship, even if their denominations remain separate in organization.
    Here’s a little history of World Communion Sunday as well as some popular resources from the National Council of Churches USA.
    Of course, there’s a whole lot more than that online—and here’s a sampling of other things that might interest you:
    First, here’s a bilingual English/Spanish “Great Thanksgiving” prayer created for World Communion Sunday using English and Spanish worship resources from the United Methodist Church.
    The Reformed Church in America offers a whole page of materials and links from a Reformed perspective in approaching World Communion.
    From the United Church of Christ, here’s a PDF download of “Come, the Meal is Ready,” a liturgy for this special day. (Clicking the link should start the PDF downloading for you.)
    And from the Mennonite Church of Canada, here’s a page that includes a PDF download link (the link on the page is orange) that offers a model for a whole service on this theme, including prayers.
    In other words—a lot of creative people in many different branches of Christendom plan for this special day each year. If you’re doing something special in your congregation that’s really inspiring you this year, please Email and tell us about it.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU THINK:

    This is a good time to sign up for our Monday-morning ReadTheSpirit Planner by Email—it’s
free and you can cancel it any time you’d like to do so. The Planner
goes out each week to readers who want more of an “inside track” on
what we’re seeing on the horizon, plus it’s got a popular “holidays”
section.

    Not only do we welcome your notes—but our readers enjoy them as well. You can do this
anytime by clicking on the “Comment” links at the end of each story.
You also can Email ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm. We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube and other social-networking sites as well.
    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)

What’s the Spiritual Season this week? Zoroastrian All-Souls, the Master of Suspense, a Krishna feast and Oz

August 9, 2009 by


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What’s the Spiritual Season?
(August 10 to 16, 2009)
By Stephanie Fenton

“OH, MY!” It’s the 70th anniversary of the premiere of the iconic American film “The Wizard of Oz.” Viewed by record-breaking audiences in 1939, this film employed marketing concepts that revved up American anticipation of the event. Blue-and-white gingham dresses and other Oz accessories lined store racks. For a glimpse into the atmosphere that “The Wizard of Oz” created in 1939, read this article in the UK’s “The Telegraph.”
    L. Frank Baum originally penned the children’s novel that inspired the movie, entitled “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The book was published in 1900, and quickly became a stage play two years later. It wasn’t until the film release, however, that “The Wizard of Oz” garnered such widespread fame. With such success in his first novel, Baum went on to write 13 more books in his Oz series.
    In honor of this anniversary year, “The Wizard of Oz” will be touring the country in October, November and December of this year. Check the touring company’s Web site to see if the Wizard is coming to your city. If the theater isn’t your style, fashion may be; a Ruby Slipper exhibit is also touring the globe at present, and a myriad of anniversary events are happening.
    For its time, “The Wizard of Oz” featured mesmerizing special effects such as a witch flying on a broomstick, a huge crystal ball that could summon visions and, of course, the famous tornado that took Dorothy to the land of Oz. Warner Brothers will be blending that technology with modern techniques when it launches “The Wizard of Oz” in Blu-Ray at the end of this year. This neat WB site lets visitors listen to songs from the movie, learn the story’s journey through the past century and much more.
    Through the years, “The Wizard of Oz” has been interpreted by scholars to have political and religious undertones, although the speculation continues about many of Baum’s references throughout the Oz novels. According to various books, Baum’s characters were on a Christian search for redemption, a Buddhist quest for Enlightenment, a New Age spiritual pilgrimage and, on the opposing side, were taking a stab at organized religion. What is your take?

FRIDAY, Hindus celebrate the festive Krishna Janmashtami,
or the honoring of Lord Krishna’s birth. Lord Krishna was born more
than 5,000 years ago, and Hindus hold high regard for the 10th
incarnated figure of Lord Vishnu. Many of Lord Krishna’s teachings
remain central to the Hindu faith.
    Most commonly, Krishna Janmashtami jubilees occur at midnight, as this is when many believe Lord Krishna came to Earth. According to Hindu tradition, Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell,
but he made a divine appearance when he was delivered with lotus-like
eyes and palms bearing lotus and discus signs. Many describe this
specific time and date in history as the chosen time for Lord Krishna’s
birth by Brahma, the creator of the universe. It’s said that Brahma
aligned the planets in the perfect order for Lord Krishna’s birth.
    During Janmashtami, many customs vary by region, although some are common to all—fasting,
chanting and ancient dances are some of the common rituals. Believers
fast for the entirety of Janmashtami, and after midnight, indulgences
are made in milk and dairy products (milk and butter were two favorite
foods of Lord Krishna—and for some tips on cooking with buttermilk, try this site).
During the fast, the faithful chant mantras. In many temples, it’s
customary to chant 108 names of Lord Krishna and to place flowers on
his idol. After midnight, feasts are typically accompanied by songs,
dances and plays, many of which describe Lord Krishna’s life.
    In
southern India, this festival is often referred to as Srijayanthi, and
along with the more common rituals, devotees spend a great deal of time
making sweets to offer Lord Krishna. In other areas, games are a
prominent feature. A popular game of this festival involves a handi, a
clay pot filled with buttermilk, hung in a high location. To reach this
pot, participants must work together by building a human pyramid, and
the person atop the pyramid attempts to reach and break the pot. When
the handi breaks, buttermilk pours on all of the participants and
symbolizes their unity. Many of these games involve prize monies for
the winning pyramid-builders.

SATURDAY,
both Eastern and Western Christians enjoy the major feast marking the
miraculous end of the Virgin Mary’s life on Earth. Although called by
two different names—the Dormition of the Theotokos and the Assumption
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, respectively—both recognize the same event.
    In Eastern Christian tradition, the Dormition of the Theotokos
(falling asleep of the Mother of God) is preceded by a two-week fast.
During this fast, Orthodox Christians reflect upon Mary’s death, and
Christ’s reception of her soul upon this day. Three days later, it’s
believed that Mary’s body was taken up into Heaven, mirroring events in
Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here’s a Greek Orthodox site that explores the traditional teachings.
    Western Christian tradition, on the other hand, calls this the Assumption of Mary.
Western Christian churches vary in their understanding of Mary’s death.
According to a biblical verse, Jesus told his disciples during the Last
Supper that “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.”
Some Christians believe Mary fulfilled these words, while others argue
that Jesus was referring to events surrounding his coming crucifixion
and remission of sins for all. Some Christians believe that Mary died
prior to the Assumption; others believe she entered into Heaven prior
to death. Here’s an intriguing Catholic overview of the variety of belief even within Catholic tradition. Protestants have a broader range of views about Mary.

Also on SATURDAY, it’s Napoleon Bonaparte‘s
240th birthday! He was born in Ajaccio, the capitol of Corsica. In
life, Napoleon I was a powerful political and military leader of France
who shaped politics across Europe during his lifetime. In light of his
forceful means and immense power, Napoleon said his actions helped him
to believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ.
    Born to a family of 10, Napoleon was a subject of the French King Louis XV,
and his family had claim to nobility. After being educated in France
with his siblings, Napoleon entered a Brienne military school, where he
worked hard and quickly rose in ranks. In 1804, Napoleon crowned
himself the Emperor of France, and during this time, he waged war against every major European power.
Through his success, Napoleon held much of Europe under French rule. It
wasn’t until the French invasion of Russia in 1812 that Napoleon’s
successes began to falter, and in 1814, he was forced off the throne
and exiled to Elba. While Napoleon’s conquests weren’t performed
ethically, he continues to be a central subject of study at military
academies. Napoleon also formed the Napoleonic Code, thus creating the foundations for administrative and judicial structures in Western Europe.
    Having been quoted as saying that “Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet,” Napoleon had an obvious distaste for organized religion, despite his strong belief in God. However, he was known as respectful of religious leaders—certainly
more respectful than the leaders of the French Revolution had been. In
some notable instances, Napoleon treated Islamic sites with respect
during his time in Muslim lands.
    A few years before his death,
Napoleon conversed with Count Montholon on St. Helena, asking the Count
if he knew who Jesus Christ was. When the Count didn’t respond,
Napoleon said,
“Well then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar,
Charlemagne and myself have founded great empires; but upon what did
these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded
His Empire upon love, and to this day, millions will die for Him. … I
think I understand something of human nature; and I tell you, all these
were men, and I am a man; none else is like Him; Jesus Christ was more
than a man. … All who sincerely believe in Him, experience that
remarkable, supernatural love toward Him. This phenomenon is
unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man’s creative
powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this
sacred flame. … This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the
divinity of Jesus Christ.”

PREVIOUSLY THIS WEEK:

MONDAY, Parsi Zoroastrians remember their ancestors during Fravardeghan Days, or Muktad.
Although spelled a variety of ways in English, this 10-day observance
leads up to the Nowruz (New Year) for all Zoroastrians who follow the
Shenshai calendar. (There are three Zoroastrian calendars.) In
preparation for the New Year, these Zoroastrians venerate the spsirits
of their ancestors. This feast is often compared to an All-Souls Day.
   
“Fravardeghan,” which translates into “to choose,” describes a soul
that chooses to leave his or her mortal life behind after death. The
corresponding “faravahar” image (at left), a symbol of divine kinship derived from Egypt,
is often believed to represent the part of the human soul that is
immortal. During Muktad, faravahars are invited to join the goings-on,
and it’s common practice to offer food to the spirits.
    The last day before the New Year is Pateti, a day reserved for both repentance for past deeds and excitement for the Nowruz.

THURSDAY,
make room for the “Master of Suspense;” on this date 110 years ago,
Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born. On August 13, 1899, this British
filmmaker and producer was born to a London family. Courtesy of PBS, here’s the story of David O. Selznick’s role in bringing Hitchcock to Hollywood.
    Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock made more than 50 films
during his lifetime, including “Psycho,” “The Birds” and “The
Thirty-Nine Steps,” and many critics regard him as a pioneer in the
genres of suspense and psychological thriller. Hitchcock continues to
ride high in popular culture. His films are frequently rereleased on
DVD—and his first hit film, “The Lodger,” recently was remade with
Alfred Molina and Hope Davis as the mysterious lodger and his landlady.
   
Interestingly, Hitchcock attributed some of his creative ideas to his
strict Catholic upbringing and he remained a practicing Catholic into
adulthood. (Here’s a Web site where you can read more about his life and work.)
Heavy undertones of guilt drove many Hitchcock characters. Patterns of
human weakness—with the hope of redemption—were also front-and-center.
His main characters often were men or women wrongly accused of a crime
or somehow duped into criminal behavior, desperately trying to reclaim
innocence.
    In an online movie feature for “Christianity Today,”
an article describes Hitchcock as a “cranky Catholic.” In interviews,
Hitchcock denied a direct influence from his Catholicism, but he
admitted that a person’s past does affect his future. Hitchcock himself
embodied one of the most prominent features in his characters: an evil,
or weak, side. According to “Christianity Today,” when Hitchcock was
presented with the opportunity to meet with the Pope, he declined,
saying, “What would I do if the Holy Father said that in this world, where there is so much sex and violence, I ought to lay off?”
As sex and violence were such vital parts of his films, Hitchcock said
he just couldn’t be faced with such a request. In his personal life, he
also was infamous for playing practical jokes that sometimes had a
cruel streak to them.
    Hitchcock died in 1980, but his image is
present today in his old movie cameos and in reruns and DVD copies of
his TV series, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” Hollywood continues to
emulate him. In 2011, a remake of “The Birds” will be released. Click here for a sampling of clips from a few Hitchcock films.

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    (Originally published at https://readthespirit.com/)