Monday, 12 June 2017 | Aakriti Narang

Nelofar Currimbhoy shares with us her inspirations, hopes and future plans for her second novel titled Eyes of the Healer. By Aakriti Narang

Being the daughter of a woman, who has been the pioneer in the herbal cosmetic industry and has been a subject of business studies at Harvard, people expected Nelofar Currimbhoy to follow her inheritance. Daughter of Shahnaz Husain, she has added more products to her international portfolio, but apart from excavating ancient Ayurvedic formulations to be marketed to the world, she is also a writer. And as with all writers, she drew from her own reservoir of immediate memories for her debut, which was a biography on Shahnaz Hussain. She has now released her second novel titled Eyes of the Healer.

Talking about her new book, she says, Its hard to judge your own piece of work. I get so deeply involved with my writing that its hard to trust my own perspective. This book is for readers who are experimental in their reading habits. It portrays the spiritual journey of Govinda, a young man who aspires to reach a higher level of consciousness and after his tapasya receives the gift of healing. Yet, when he is at the epitome of godliness, he is struck by the love of a woman and loses his powers. So, this is also an intense love story that redefines the fruition of the man-woman relationship. It shows the struggle between passion and commitment.

In response to well-known writer Ashwin Sanghis comment about Eyes of the Healer as being woven like fine tapestry, Currimbhoy feels it is the best compliment her work can get. Speaking of what inspired her to write the novel, Currimbhoy tells us, We all speak of inspirational writing, Eyes of the Healer is truly an inspired piece of work for me. I did not write it with the idea of publishing it so it has both purity and innocence. Nothing held me back and there were no considerations other than that of my own creative fulfilment. I have been inspired by the Buddhist philosophy of peace and harmony. Perhaps my close association with The Dalai Lamas sister Jetsun Pema and my work with the Tibetan community could have been an influence.

Identification with the characters portrayed in any narrative is one way in which readers connect to the storyline. Whatever technique the author chooses to employ, some literary device should be used. Otherwise the readers interest will not be maintained. Likewise, Currimbhoy believes that a contemporary audience will be able to relate to Govinda, the protagonists internal struggle. She says, Human emotions are eternal and so are human situations. There was love when Omar Khayyam wrote the Rubaiyat poems and there is love today. We were seeking then and we are still searching for answers today. Is there a God? Is there an energy that we can reach? I believe that todays audience is less religious and more spiritual than ever. The meditative quality and purity of a work like my book with its ability to explore the possibilities of the conscious mind and its gamut of human emotions will connect with anyone who has lived through lifes challenges. Govinda is a rebellious young man who leaves his home to find a greater purpose to life. Any young man choosing his bliss could relate to him.

How many of us find time to reflect upon the actions we did and the words we said on a particular day? Are we even able to complete all that is required of us in the time that is available? Its tough. Imagine what it must be like to seclude yourself for writing despite running renowned companies. On balancing writing with work, Nelofar admits Its very limiting and detrimental to any company for its leaders to seclude themselves in the limited work of running their business. My view of business is that it has to be crafted like a piece of art. The wider my vision, the more I will achieve for my company. As for schedules and appointments, I feel that when you are passionate about something, you will make it happen. I do give up a lot of socialising and dashing around town after work for the sake of writing. Having a book published can be compared to a little atom that soon enough appears at a book shelf in a library somewhere and the sense of achievement this thought brings with it allows me to give up all the glitterati events in the world.

There is a marked difference between writing a biography and a fictional work. Currimbhoy doesnt feel the same way. Flame (Husains biography) was a very personal experience; it flowed freely without the burden of creating a structure or storyline. The story was pre-written by my mother and somewhere the story of her life merged with mine. I saw her in wonder as a child and then worked with her through every process of the evolution of the company. I remember filling the first jars of creams and sticking labels on them. So Flame was not just what I saw but what I experienced too. One of my favourite lines from the book is Let me walk you through the first salon, while the paint still smelt fresh. Honestly, I was deeply passionate about both works. So I do see a similarity in the way I approached them; they both evolved freely and with very little effort and with a lot of commitment and passion for the writing.

All this writing was done with the backdrop of Currimbhoys passion for beauty. Rather than her becoming interested in beauty, I think beauty became interested in me. Indeed my mother involved me in her work from the time I was still in faded jeans. I got married at 19 and lived four houses away from the first salon for many years. It was indeed my mothers destiny which was so strong and enigmatic that it flowed through my life too. So now I hold and protect the future with all my heart and work long hours at the company. What would I want my epitaph to say is She came and she stayed in her living words, shares Currimbhoy.

As for the future, she is looking forward to staging the narrative as a play. The book launch in May had Kabir Bedi reading some of his favourite lines and Currimbhoy used the opportunity to create a dance sequence with two chapters read out with music. Currimbhoy says she would love to take it to an international audience. At present, it is being read by a theatre producer of a show in New York and I am hoping it finds a path that will take it to a larger audience.

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Search for spirituality - Daily Pioneer

We are all living in a fast paced world where most things we practice run around the clock. Our everyday life is almost slotted and scheduled according to perfect time tables. The most precious possession today beyond money is TIME. Struggling to keep pace, we have all got accustomed to a unique concept called Instants. From noodles to pizzas, from messaging to online results and deliveries, we want everything instantly.

So most people I meet expect the same from their Spiritual practices INSTANT RESULTS.They want to get as much as possible, as quickly as possible, from as little commitment as possible.I have had some interesting episodes during my workshops when people walk up to me trying to comprehend why meditation does not work for them. Surprisingly when I ask how long they have been practicing mediation, the answers do not move beyond a few days to maybe a month. Common concerns are also regarding whether they have got their mediation practices right because meditation seems to be yielding no RESULTS.

Well, let me clarify here that even the most progressed masters have not been able to invent an instant technique that can make spirituality work for you. There are various methodologies, techniques and even extremely less time consuming methods to reach your spiritual goals, provided there is patience and persistence.By experience, I can say that each of us can surely pull time out between our busy schedules to focus on inner happenings, provided you have the intent. However, be rest assured that therewill be no instant results.

Think about it. Does nature follow shortcuts? There is clearly a season for all things. Every plant blossoms and bears fruit when the time is right and not one instant before. The same concept applies to us humans, especially when it comes to a phenomenon like Spirituality. All of us can become finer human beings and achieve greater success if we havepatience, dedication and faith.

With our professional lives being performance driven, we all feel a need to accomplish something. Were always trying to reach the finish line so that we can feel a sense of completion and move onto something else. However, meditation and spirituality are never quite like that. Spirituality is a process, not an event. It involves long-term changes in your thinking, your perspectives and your lifestyle. It is important that if you want to change it has to be in slow degrees. You cannot change habits and lifestyles overnight so move at a relaxed and steady pace.

At this stage I would also want to reiterate that unlike common notion, Spirituality does not necessarily involve a lot of ritualistic dealings androutines or schedules, though a common practice for increasing focus, concentrating on the inner self and calming the mind can surely help. Again the options are open. One can take up meditation in any form, take up regular chanting, do a bit of yoga, or just sit peacefully for a few minutes at the end of day, focusing attention on the happenings of the day and let thoughts flow freely. There are no set formulas for deciding your spiritual practice. Anything that works for you and helps you increase focus and reduce mental disturbance is good.

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No instant results in spirituality - Free Press Journal

Q: Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, God is spirit (John 4.24). Does Judaism agree that God is spirit/breath? How would you describe spirit? I know what spirit is not: physical, material, visible, etc. After years of pondering, I still am trying to learn more about what spirit is, and by spirit I do not mean the Holy Spirit. For years I have looked forward to reading your column, and I respect your wisdom and insight into some complex issues. I am a resting Presbyterian elder, so you can guess that reconciliation is a subject of great interest to me. I believe that you promote the cause of reconciliation for anyone who thoughtfully reads your column. May your readership ever increase.

Very truly yours, H

A: Thank you, dear H, for your deep question and kind words. To answer it properly we must first remember that the Hebrew Bible came before Aristotle figured out how philosophy actually describes the nature of what is real. This contact between the Bible and Greek philosophy happened when Alexander the Great conquered Judea in 331 BCE and brought with him his tutor Aristotle.

Aristotle had a fruitful dialogue with Pharisees who would later evolve into rabbis. This group would take one big idea from Aristotle and weave it into the fabric of Judaism, and through Judaism it would become a part of Christianity and Islam. That big idea was that everything in the universe is made up of matter and form. Matter is the principle of potentiality and form is the principle of actuality. Matter is like clay in the hands of a sculptor. Form is like the idea in the mind of the sculptor of how to shape the clay.

The religious translation of matter and form is easy to see. Matter is our body. Form is our soul. God is pure form. Spirit is form. God is immaterial because Gods perfection never requires that God change. This is what John meant by, God is spirit. God is not made up of stuff like every other thing in the world. The pre-philosophical biblical take on this in the first chapter of Genesis is that God is like a hovering spirit, And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. Though there is no notion of soul in the Hebrew Bible, there is an idea that God is like a breath of life, which is what God breathed into Adam to make him a living being.

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Of course Christianity emerged after Greek philosophy bequeathed matter/form into Judaisms body/soul duality, and Christianity had to try to accommodate the contradiction that God is immaterial with the belief that God had become incarnate in the material body of Jesus. The belief in the mystery of the Trinity was the Christian solution to the Aristotles assertion that God is thought thinking itself. The commitment to an invisible, immaterial God is the theological courage of Judaism and Islam. The commitment to a God/man who came to earth to die for our sins is the theological courage of Christianity. So that is spirit. Spirit is the idea of goodness and love and hope and faith and all the other religious virtues that cannot be touched by our fingers but can be touched by our souls.

A word about spirituality, which absorbs and transforms the word spirit. Today you hear many folks say, I am not religious but I am spiritual. What they mean is not always clear, but I think what they are saying is that organized religion turns them off but the idea that there is a higher power in the universe that is not material makes sense to them. I get that and support every spiritual seeker in his or her journey to the truth of God and goodness. However, I also think that organized religion has taken a bad rap. Try to teach your kids about God, or get baptized, or organize a church soup kitchen, or bury your mother, or get married, or study or pray regularly if you are just spiritual and alone. We can find a spiritual feeling alone on the beach at sunset, but we cannot make spiritual communities that will last through the generations and preserve ancient wisdom and scriptures for our children unless we come together to find God while we are also finding each other. Organized religion has taken the world out of darkness to hope. Yes organized religion can be perverted and that is abominable, but spirituality can also become just an empty word for people making their way alone through a broken world. There is wise old Maasai saying, Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. Sticks alone can be broken by a child.

May the Spirit of God help us all to bundle.

Send ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including Religion for Dummies, co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman.

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GOD SQUAD: What 'spirit' and 'spirituality' mean to me - New Haven Register

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To many people, Pope Francis is a symbol of religions growing involvement with climate change and other environmental issues.

But to theologians such as the Rev. James J. Bacik, he represents a return to the fundamental principles that emerged for Catholics during the Second Vatican Council, the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church that took place from 1962 to 1965.

Strange as it sounds to look back more than 50 years for guidance to the future, Father Bacik said the Second Vatican Council announced by Pope John XXIII on Jan. 25, 1959 promoted the concept of getting Catholics more in sync with changing lifestyles and to engage more in a dialogue with the modern world.

The church must always be reforming itself, Father Bacik said of the councils message, one which he supports. The church must change and adapt to the modern world.

That pace of adaptation, he said, is at the root of controversy surrounding Pope Francis and those who oppose him within the Catholic Church, most notably conservative American Cardinal Raymond Burke.

Father Bacik plans to address that issue at his next monthly lecture, titled Pope Francis and His Critics. It is from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday inside Lourdes Universitys Franciscan Center. Cost is $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Go to sylvaniafranciscanvillage.org/Bacik.aspx.

It is one of two public lectures Father Bacik one of northwest Ohios most distinguished faith leaders is giving next week.

On Sunday, he will give the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohios inaugural Woody Trautman Lecture, the first in a new lecture series in recognition of the late Woody Trautman, the Multifaith Council founder. His legacy was steeped in a greater understanding of the worlds religions.

Father Bacik plans to speak on the challenges of interfaith spirituality during the modern era of globalization. That speech, which is free, is from 3 to 5 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Toledo, 3205 Glendale Ave.

While Cardinal Burke claims the Catholic Church has become a ship without a rudder under Pope Francis, Father Bacik argues the opposite is true.

He said Pope Francis is controversial simply because he is trying to navigate Catholics back to the forward-thinking vision of the Second Vatican Council.

Efforts to bring the church more in sync with modern lifestyles were stalled for years by conservative popes, such as Pope John Paul II and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, who advocated a continuity of age-old church beliefs and customs.

Pope Francis clearly has embraced change and promotes the servant leadership style of Jesus, down to the symbolic gesture of washing feet, Father Bacik said.

The current Pope believes in a simple lifestyle, one in which he is willing to walk with the people who are different, [those] who are marginalized in society, he said.

The tension that exists on issues such as divorce and remarriage come down to how strongly Catholics should embrace the Second Vatican Council, Father Bacik said.

It seems as though he lives the gospel. Vatican II was an attempt to get back to the fundamental teachings of the gospel. I think its that part Francis represents, he said.

He said hes glad to have lived during the respective times that Pope Francis and Pope John XXIII have been at the helm of the Catholic Church, calling them two popes who have touched us in deep ways.

Pope John XXIIIs 1959 plan to create the Second Vatican Council was a major worldwide announcement because there hadn't been an ecumenical council an assembly of Roman Catholic religious leaders meant to settle doctrinal issues in nearly 100 years.

Father Bacik said he is planning a second lecture about Pope Francis and his critics, one that will look at how the Catholic Church sees gender issues.

He said those who refuse to accept the science of climate change do so for political reasons.

But one of the Catholic Churchs most high-profile deniers, Cardinal George Pell of Australia, works for the Vatican as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy. Father Bacik said he believes Pope Francis wanted a climate denier in his administration for a little perspective.

When Pope Francis gave President Trump a copy of his landmark encyclical, Laudato Si, it was apparently a last-ditch attempt to keep Mr. Trump from withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement signed by 195 countries in 2015, the worlds most comprehensive effort to address climate change. Mr. Trump withdrew the United States the following week.

For Pope Francis, though, Laudato Siis a message of peace, not a political statement, the theologian noted. It shows how the brunt of climate change falls disproportionately on the poor and inflicts more human suffering among the underprivileged.

Thats a very contemporary point, Father Bacik said. Theres no bigger question now than saving the globe, saving the Earth.

Ordained in 1962, Father Bacik was educated at the University of Oxford and, for years, was pastor of the Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo.

Richard P. McBrien, a Notre Dame University theology professor, once called him one of Americas finest, most insightful theologians, with a remarkable capacity for clear writing and effective teaching.

For his Sunday speech at First Unitarian, Father Bacik said he will address challenges of interfaith spirituality by talking about how surprisingly difficult it can be for people to become open with their thoughts.

He said he draws some of his views from Vaclav Havel, a former Czech Republic president and playwright who was a leader of that countrys human rights movement.

The world is globalized, Father Bacik said. But the danger is [if] we lose the uniqueness of individual cultures.

He said he wonders if President Trumps America first slogan might become a denial of responsibility for the rest of the world.

Father Bacik also said he has been impressed by a book called The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart. In it, author Bill Bishop explores how people gravitate to groups that share their cultural and political beliefs.

We sort ourselves out into tribes, into smaller groupings, Father Bacik said. Thats really impeding us.

Contact Tom Henry at: thenry@theblade.com, 419-724-6079, or via Twitter @ecowriterohio.

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Bacik to address spirituality in global community - Toledo Blade

People who have questioned where God is in the events of their lives or what their purpose and desires truly are are invited to a attend a nine-month retreat at the Franciscan Spirituality Center, 920 Market St.

Finding God in All Things uses the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola to explore various prayer practices and discern the fingerprints of God in everyday life. The group will explore the spiritual practices of prayer, meditation, contemplative dialogue, divine reading, Gospel contemplation, the Examen and discernment through monthly gatherings for reflection and discussion, daily emails and regular meetings with a spiritual director.

This program is open to people of all faith backgrounds.

The cost is $450, which includes the nine-month program and lunch each session, plus additional fees for spiritual direction. The opening session is Sept. 16. A complete schedule of the subsequent monthly sessions is at http://www.fscenter.org. For more information, call 608-791-5295.

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Spirituality Center to offer nine-month program - La Crosse Tribune

The Mississippi Valley Conservancy will offer a Pathway to Spirituality hike at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 17. This hike is part of Mississippi Valley Conservancys 2017 Linked to the Land series of outdoor experiences sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse.

The hike is on the Hass Tract, which is 118 acres of scenic Mississippi River Blufflands that is adjacent to and above south La Crosse with a seven-acre steep-bluff prairie. This property was permanently protected by Mississippi Valley Conservancy and is now owned and maintained by the city of La Crosse. The hike will lead you up an old logging road to a breathtaking vista.

Hike leaders will take you through a series of mediation type exercises. Participants can take in the sounds and views of the area. We will walk in silence for a few minutes, ask you to think about how you feel connected to the Earth, think back to when you might have had a breathtaking experience while in nature and meditate at the top of the overlook.

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Pathway to Spirituality Hike is June 17 - La Crosse Tribune

ByPeter Majak Garang

I was as young as seven years old when the 2nd and the longest Civil war broke out in the Sudan 1983. The effects of the war were felt by all people without sparing children. The environment was not allowing normal running of social activities such as schools, hospitals, churches to mention few of which some became a target of air and ground attacks. As a result, they were forcefully closed down: making teachers, health workers, farmers etc to vacating or deserting their posts or professions and joined the struggle or the movement for independent (SPLA/SPLM), which was based in Ethiopia (1983-1991). Few years later, I left my village after the living condition as well as security situation in my village deteriorated, making it hard for everybody including children to survive. The journey took me thousands of miles/km, trekking from Sudan to Ethiopia and then to Sudan and finally to Kenya, hoping to get safe environments which would guarantee security and access to basic needs. Formal education was not dropped from the needs but was a last priority. I was not a Christian and I knew nothing about Christianity. Spirituality was not a vocabulary. However, during the Xmas of 1988, I came to understand Christianity as a religion because on that day, I saw Christians marching on the streets of Fugnido Refugee Camp singing and praising God. I got admired and followed them until they reached a big tree, which they called a church. The Christians finally stopped under the tree and worshiped for an hour before they dispersed homes. I was moved by the songs, and the worshiping. And on the following Sunday, I was baptized with the name Peter. From that day, I became a devoted Christian and had been attending church services on every Sunday. My regular Sunday services are important and usually remind me about the spirituality. During the war, spirituality helped and guided me in understanding what was right and wrong in my life during the toughest times when father and mother were not there with me. Making decision was not easy but because of spirituality, I always prayed and asked God to guide me in decisions making. I remember one accusation, I made a risk decision of crossing River Gilo by swimming when forces from Ethiopia attacked our camp; forcing us to leave Ethiopia. Before I jumped into the river, believe to be full of crocodiles, I prayed to God, asking HIM to send me HIS angels & spirit to guide me while crossing the river. In few minutes, I was on the other side of River Gilo safely.

Peter Majak Garang, A member of Lost Boys Groups, Bor, South Sudan

Comments, feedback etc can be forwarded or sent to: majakgarang@gmail.com

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Spirituality in War Time - Borglobe

This Ramadan, seven-year-old Zara Aaliyah Nazrudin is taking a big step in her spiritual journey. For the first time, she is participating in her full fast, from dawn to dusk. Zara has looked forward to fasting during the holy month as it is an important rite of passage for her.

Daddy wakes me up at 5am for sahur. During fasting month, I sleep by 8.30pm so I can wake up in time for sahur. Sahur is fun because I get to eat some of my favourite breakfast treats like smoothies, fruits and pastries. I feel like an adult as I get to eat with my parents, says Zara, the eldest of three siblings.

Zara has been doing partial fasts since she was four years old. She first started out with half day fasts, lasting from sahur till noon. Last year, she fasted till 3pm. Its been over a week since she started doing a full fast, and so far she has done well.

Its not as difficult as it seems. The trick is to eat well and drink lots of water during sahur and when you break fast. Mummy has reduced my sports activities as she doesnt want me to get too exhausted during puasa month, says the friendly child.

Her mother, entrepreneur Sheahnee Iman Lee, 38, says it was Zaras decision to complete a full days fast for the entire month.

I gave her strict guidelines on when to stop, such as if she gets dizzy or dehydrated. But amazingly, she has managed to pull through. My husband and I are very proud of her, says the former Ntv7 news presenter, who embraced Islam after marrying fellow TV host Nazrudin Habibur Rahman, 39.

This Ramadan, Sheahnee and Nazrudin have encouraged their second child, five-year-old Zakry Aiman, to fast for half a day, from dawn till 1pm. Both children have coped well without any complaints.

Thankfully, they have been fasting pretty well. Although they are often lethargic by mid-afternoon, they are in good spirits and go about their usual activities without much hassle, says Nazrudin, adding that fasting isnt merely about depriving oneself of food and water but also cleansing the mind and soul from negative thoughts and emotions.

Sheahnee believes Zaras positive and driven attitude has helped her fast.

When she sets her mind on something, she really strives hard to achieve it. We were initially concerned if she could do a full days fast. But we noted her positive attitude and decided to give her our fullest encouragement, says Sheahnee, who also sends Zakry and Zara for Quran classes to deepen their understanding of Islam.

Sheahnee and Nazrudin have also given Zara and Zakry a Ramadan journal so they can keep track of their fasting experience. Besides anecdotes and prayers, the book contains activities to motivate children while they fast.

There are pages with smiley faces which children can colour if they have achieved certain goals throughout the day.

Something as simple as smiling is considered a charitable act in Islam and it is rewarded with a smiley face in the journal.

We also have a treasure jar where the children are encouraged to save money to donate to the less fortunate, says Nazrudin, who reads stories on Muslim prophets and Islam during the fasting month to his children.

Sheahnee hopes the Ramadan journal will help Zara and Zakry reflect on the spirit and meaning of fasting, rather than on goals like breaking fast feasts or Hari Raya festivities.

Fauziah Ismail (right) and her family members having light snacks, comprising bread, cereal and porridge, for sahur. Photo: The Star/Raja Faisal Hishan

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five obligations that every Muslim must fulfil. During the holy month, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and they are expected to refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual acts.

Those exempted from fasting are prepubescent children, the mentally unsound and the elderly. There are also those who can postpone their fasting, such as acutely ill patients, and women who are menstruating or pregnant.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysias Ustaz Dr Sayyid Al Kazimi says Muslim children are encouraged to fast from a young age to ensure they grow up steadfast in their faith.

If a seven-year-old child can fast continuously for three days without any difficulties, the child is considered able to fast voluntarily. At 10 years old, parents can compel their children to fast. If they find it difficult, leave them be till they reach puberty, explains Dr Sayyid.

During Ramadan, Muslim parents are encouraged to teach their children how to read the Quran. Children are also encouraged to participate in Ramadan programmes and alms giving.

Muslim children are urged to participate in terawih prayers and celebrate iftar with their Muslim and non-Muslim friends. They are also taught to partake in righteous activities such as ziarah (visiting relatives and friends), says Dr Sayyid.

Mother-of-four Fauziah Ismail makes it a point to include her children in religious activities during the holy month.

After breaking fast, Fauziah and husband Ameer Alphonso, 45, take their children Aleeya Andrianna, 13, Aleesha Areanna, 10, Aleena Adreanna, seven, and Ayden Aaqeel, five for prayers at their neighbourhood mosque, Madrasahtur Rahmaniyah, in Kampung Medan, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Fauziah says praying in a congregation helps her children strengthen their faith and deepen their understanding of the religion.

At the mosque, they can listen to the khutbah (talks) and mingle with other children who are also there to learn more about the religion, says the 40-year-old management trainer.

Fauziah also helps to organise potluck gatherings to break fast, sadaqah sessions (the act of giving charity to the poor, single mothers and the disabled) and even muruku competitions.

Her children are actively involved in terawih prayers and Malam Tujuh Likur (a Malay custom in which oil lamps are lit), as well as praying until the early hours of morning on the last 10 nights hoping to witness Lailatul Qadr (the night when the Quran was revealed and when the angels descended).

My children are involved in charitable acts such as giving out food and donations to the poor. Through these activities, they understand their religious duties and the importance of acts of kindness during the holy month.

Their mother has taught Aleeya and Aleesha well about the the importance of charity. During Ramadan, the girls go the extra mile to help Fauziah with household chores and food preparation.

For sahur, Aleesha helps to set the table while Aleeya wakes up her younger siblings. We usually eat a light meal, with bread, cereals, eggs and porridge. Dates, a healthy energy source, is another must have during sahur and iftar, she says, adding her three eldest daughters are doing full fasts this Ramadan.

During Ramadan, it is important for children to have a balanced diet with sufficient calories, vitamins and minerals.

They also must have lots of fluids, especially water, to prevent muscle breakdown, support physical activity and health and avoid dehydration.

Sugary foods or drinks may increase cravings and cause fatigue while high consumption of salty foods such as processed meats, fast food and junk food may increase thirst, says Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospitals dietitian Major Razni Shauna Abdul Razak.

She advises training children to eat smaller meals, prior to the fasting month, and aim for balanced meals with protein, fibre, healthy fats and water.

Make complex carbohydrates the major source of carbohydrate in the diet. Whole grains should make up at least half of grain intake because they are more nutritious and slow digestion, says Major Razni.

Eating fibre during sahur keeps children full. The best source of fibre are beans, whole grains and brown rice. Eat sufficient portions of fruit and vegetables (five to 10 servings daily or half the serving plate). Protein delays hunger and provides energy. Include proteins such as fish, white meat, legumes and nuts, and seeds, recommends Major Razni.

Healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, nut butter and olives keep children full longer. Avoid excessive fat intake, solid fats, and food containing trans fatty acids. Include low-fat dairy products in the diet. Avoid unhealthy fats or fried food as much as possible as it may promote fatigue and lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Major Razni says it may be difficult for children to wake up early for sahur.

Get them to sahur at 6.30am instead of 5.30am. Encourage them to fast for a few hours, then gradually extend the fasting period. Distract children with activities such as drawing, writing journals and reading the Quran. If they manage to fast for a full day, reward them with books.

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Nurturing children's spirituality - Star2.com

By Jud Weiksnar SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

On Sept. 22, 2016, the Public Religion Research Institute released a comprehensive study titled, Exodus: Why Americans Are Leaving Religion and Why Theyre Unlikely to Come Back. It explains with charts, graphs and statistics the rapid growth of a group it calls the Unaffiliated, and cites several factors behind that trend. The exodus has certainly taken place in Buffalo, at least in Christian circles.

While Americans may be checking out of institutional religion, there has been a huge surge in the number of people bicycling. On Aug. 1, 2014, the Slow Roll bike ride was introduced to Buffalo. Since that first ride, thousands of people have participated, many of them returning consistently on a weekly basis. While Slow Roll is certainly a wonderful form of physical exercise, and a good excuse for an after party, there is an underlying spirituality to bicycling that may be just as significant in attracting riders as getting a good workout or enjoying a beer with friends.

Though Ive been riding a bike since I was a kid (the same bike since ninth grade!) and have continued to ride for recreation and as a mode of transportation, until recently I never thought of there being a spiritual dimension to bicycling. This reflection attempts to explore that spirituality, drawing mostly from my experience with Slow Roll Buffalo.

Many articles and books have been written about the spirituality of bicycling. These accounts usually treat cycling as an individual exercise. When bicycling by myself in nonresidential, noncommercial settings such as the Outer Harbor, I can experience a feeling of transcendence. Call it the ET phenomenon. Fresh air, wind in your face, freedom! There is a letting go, a connectedness with nature and a sense flat tires excluded that all is right in the world.

Recently, urban bicyclists have weighed in on their experiences. The dynamics of city cycling are different in that awareness of traffic and road hazards is a must. The sense of freedom is more of a liberation, the realization that you are passing cars stuck in traffic, and are freed from the grid.

Whether cycling on country roads, bike trails or city streets, whether for exercise, training, errands or commuting, the endorphins released while biking produce a spiritual feeling similar to runners high. Even the exercise of spinning on a stationary bike releases endorphins.

Yet the inner stirrings from Slow Roll seem to go beyond what is produced by the physical exercise. This reflection is an attempt to articulate the spiritual dimension of group riding.

Now one of Americas most famous group rides, the Slow Roll originated in Detroit as a way for friends to gather on a regular basis, ride through that citys wide boulevards, explore new neighborhoods and enjoy a cold beverage afterward. As Slow Roll grew in popularity, it spread to other cities, including Buffalo, where depending on the weather between a few hundred and a few thousand bicyclists ride each Monday between May and October, and even on a few winter Snow Rolls.

Slow Roll Buffalo is well organized, with over 100 volunteer squad members engaging in various tasks during the off season, as well as the week before the ride, and before, during and after the ride itself. Buffalo Police provide traffic assistance, and the ride includes two stops along the route and an after party.

Shortly after my return to the region in the summer of 2014, I saw an advertisement for Buffalos first Slow Roll. Though I knew of nobody else going, I joined in both the inaugural ride and the next. Then I chose to ride in the third and final ride of the year, despite the fact that it fell on the same night as an annual Franciscan religious feast I usually attend. Being an active and deeply committed member of a religious community, I wondered what prompted me to make that decision. It became evident that although it had no formal connection to any specific faith tradition, there was a deeply important, even spiritual, dimension of Slow Roll emerging for me.

What are the spiritual aspects? First, there is a sense of inclusiveness. As the bicyclists gather before the ride, it reminds me of a song found in most Catholic hymnals, All Are Welcome. Unlike the group rides of some riding clubs, where all the riders are in spandex on expensive racing bikes, Slow Roll embodies diversity. You see people, and bikes, of all ages, shapes and sizes. The only exclusionary rules are behavior-based: dont show off, dont litter and play music respectfully. Slow Roll Buffalo includes blind riders and their guides, deaf riders and the very young, though for safety reasons riders must be able to complete the ride without training wheels. Riders vary in age from 4 to 93, with toddlers, infants and dogs included in special carriers or trailers. Riders represent different races, nationalities and ethnicities.

However, unlike events that attract a diverse crowd such as a Bills game or outdoor concert, another aspect of Slow Roll is full and active participation. While top-level bicycle racing qualifies as a spectator sport, Slow Roll is anything but. Unless youre an infant (or pet) being pulled in a bike trailer or carried in a basket, youre pedaling. A similar phenomenon can be felt running in a road race, but in Slow Roll the goal is not the finish line, but the ride itself. The slow pace encourages conversation.

The spirituality of Slow Roll extends beyond Mondays through community involvement. What began as Slow Rolls preride sweeping up glass along the route on Monday afternoons has evolved into a Neighborhood and Streets Committee, with monthly cleanups of the most distressed neighborhoods. On practice rides the week before, Slow Rollers take an even slower pace through the community, advising neighbors what time the ride will come down their street, and inviting them to join in. Many people along the routes have asked if were riding to support a charity, but while Slow Roll has sponsored clothing drives for refugee resettlement agencies, and pop-up libraries, were really riding to support a community.

A few critics on social media have complained that Slow Roll is a bunch of privileged riders gawking as they go through distressed neighborhoods. My experience is that the ride encourages people to explore parts of the city that they may have never seen, or not been to in years or even decades. At the two rest stops, known as mass-ups, ride organizers give a megaphone literally and figuratively to block club leaders, neighborhood activists or anyone else with an important story to tell. Slow Rollers thus learn about the neighborhoods they are bicycling through, and the social and environmental issues affecting them.

An important aspect of Slow Roll is hard to capture in a single word, but could be described as a combination of solidarity, camaraderie and support. The dynamics of Slow Roll, especially for the more involved squad members, has brought about a sense of brother-and-sisterhood. It encourages social capital, the networks of relationships among people that enable a society to function effectively. On a personal level, Slow Roll has helped individuals deal with weight issues, depression, personal loss, injury and illness. On a societal level, while a simple ride through a neighborhood will not heal racial, economic or environmental woes, Slow Roll brings a street-level diversity and hopefulness that is in stark contrast to the vision that many people still carry of the City of Buffalo. The African Heritage Food Co-op now partners with Slow Roll and has youth sell healthy snacks at the two rest stops.

The ride itself is a counter-cultural statement, doing its part to reverse trends that encouraged people to flee the city, and that prioritized automobile traffic at the expense of neighborhoods, pedestrians and bicyclists. The best example of this was Slow Rolls first ride of the 2016 season, which included parts of the Scajaquada and Kensington Expressways, highways that ripped through the heart of Frederick Law Olmsteds Delaware Park and Humboldt Parkway, and devastated neighborhoods in the process. Many riders were overcome with emotion as they bicycled for the first time on a path that they had likely traveled hundreds of times by automobile.

Joy is also a key part of the spirituality of Slow Roll. Pictures are worth a thousand words, and the smiles on the faces of Slow Rollers, and neighbors who cheer along the route, are displayed on social media immediately after the ride. Squad members and other Slow Rollers post that they cant wait for Mondays ride.

However, the most profound dimension of riding with Slow Roll is the sense of being part of a mystical body, a concept central to Christian spirituality, though certainly present in other faith traditions. To feel oneself part of the mystical body of Christ is perhaps the most powerful spiritual experience a Christian can have. Whether through an adult being baptized at the Easter vigil, an act of solidarity or celebration of the Eucharist, a Christian knows he or she is part of something greater than oneself.

Slow Roll is not a religion. In fact, a great number of Slow Rollers are among those inactive, disengaged or disinterested in organized religion. Yet during a Slow Roll you cannot ignore the sense that you are part of a body that moves as one, that has a purpose, that strives for the common good, and that knows how to celebrate.

While Slow Roll is not for everyone its too slow, its too crowded, its too long for many riders, myself included, it serves a deep spiritual purpose, which can serve as a substitute for, or in my case a complement to, an institutional religious experience.

The Rev. Jud Weiksnar, ofm, is a Franciscan friar and chaplain at Hilbert College. In September, he will become pastor at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church in Buffalo.

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Viewpoints: Sense of spirituality permeates Slow Roll - Buffalo News

The heart of Celtic spirituality is hospitality. Indeed, from even before the coming of Christianity, the Celts recognized hospitality as a core value of their civilization.

This post is one of a series on Celtic spirituality. (Photo credit: Shutterstock)

The reigns of mythic kings were judged on their hospitality (or lack thereof). Once, when Bres, a warrior of the Fomorian people the bad guys of Celtic myth became king of the Tuatha D Danann, he quickly became renowned for his parsimony. Bards complained that visitors to his house could count on leaving with no smell of beer on their breath! Finally, a bard named Cairbre was fed up enough to write a satire about the ungenerous kingthe first satire ever composed in Ireland. Its effect was blisteringliterallyas it caused sores to burst forth on Bres face, blemishing him and making him unfit to rule.

I dont think the message here is about taking revenge on those we encounter who lack hospitality. For like charity, hospitality begins at home, and so the story of Bres is a reminder that if we want to live in a world of hospitality, we begin by opening our own doors (and hearts).

Severalyears back I attended a workshop featuring the Celtic author Caitln Matthews. At one point during the workshop, the question of religious tolerance came up. Caitln spoke for a minute or two about the many different kinds of people who attend her workshops, ranging from Christians to Pagans. She said Im willing to speak anywhere where a spirituality of hospitality is practiced. Those words gave me a clear sense of how Celtic wisdom transcends religious boundaries.

Hospitality does not erase religious (or any other) differences. But within the gracious gesture of hospitality, our tribal identities cease to become the defining factor of who we are. If I am focusing on how you and I are so different from one another, community becomes strained if not impossible. But when we choose to place our attention instead on our kinship and on what we share with open hearts, then our differences are reduced to the simple ways in which we embody diversity and distinctivenesslovely qualities, after all, for they have their roots in nature.

Celtic myth suggests that to refuse anothers hospitality is itself a breach of hospitality. A sacred vow or geas bound Cchulainn, the great hero of Ulster, never to refuse hospitality. Many such heroes had one or more geasa imposed on them, prohibiting them from certain acts lest tragedy ensue if the geas were broken. Alas for Cchulainn, he had another geas, never to eat the meat of a dog. The moment of truth came when he encountered an impoverished old woman who offered him a bowl of stew. The gruel contained hound meat. Faced with an impossible dilemma, Cchulainn finally accepted the food and ate the meat, even though this act set into motion the events that would claim his life.

Disregarding for a moment the larger themes of tragedy in that story, consider how Cchulainn, knowing that he would break his vow no matter what he did, chose to preserve his commitment to hospitality before he maintained his dietary taboo. Im not trying to suggest that a diabetic should eat a candy bar just because someone offers it; but simply that the Celtic path regards hospitality with such honor that even a warrior as mighty as Cchulainn couldnt bear to refuse it.

Celtic hospitality is not just a matter of folklore and legend. One time I was in Banbridge, Co. Down, and couldnt find lodging; I mentioned this to the owner of a pub and he spent the next half hour driving me around until I found a room for the night. An even better tale comes from a former student of mine, who had a flat tire once while traveling in rural Ireland. Stopping in front of a farmhouse and hoping to use the phone, he met the farmer who insisted on fixing the tire himselfand then the farmers wife invited my student and his family in for dinner. And of course, talk of payment was quickly squelched. No need for that, the farmer said simply.

Maybe in some parts of the world these stories would be unremarkable. But to an American used to living in a rapid-paced urban environment where too few people really reach out to others, such stories of hospitality are inspiring, precisely because they are sadly unfamiliar. May the wisdom of the Celts help all of us to reclaim a more welcoming way of life.

True hospitality can only be given freely, and it extends far beyond material generosity. A corporation will give away tremendous resources in its promotional campaigns, but its always done with an eye to future sales and profits. Meanwhile, true hospitality can be found in a moment of attention or a simple glass of water on a sweltering day.

Perhaps the single most important quality in hospitality is freedom. If I give in order to receive later, its not a free gift, and I remain indentured to my own need for self-protection. Only when I am truly liberated am I in a position to open my life to receive the stranger and support those who come to me with a need. Thats when hospitality happens.

How can we practice hospitality today? Perhaps two principles apply here: letting things be imperfect, and letting miracles unfold slowly. In other words, be hospitable toward yourself as you seek ways to cultivate hospitality in your world. None of us has to go from being Bres the Fomorian to becoming Mother Teresa overnightbut we all can find small ways to offer grace to others. Drive a little less aggressively. Invite the neighbors over for dinner. Take time to comfort an upset coworker. Visit your great aunt in the nursing home, and take her to church. And of course, be available to host guests in your homeif not total strangers, then at least out of town friends when theyre passing through. Remember, hospitality doesnt demand that your house feels like a five-star hotel. It just needs to be warm, clean, and most of all, loving.

Hospitality can only exist when we also maintain appropriate boundaries, not to mention common sense. Cchulainn hardly showed hospitality when an army invaded Ulster. Theres no point in becoming imprisoned by the role of host. The minute we feel obligated to be generous, what we are doing is something different from hospitality. Maybe its saving face, or keeping up appearances, or trying to please mom or God or someone. Such behavior may not be badbut its not true hospitality. So dont check your brain at the door. Youre only free to say yes when you are equally free to say no.

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The Heart of Celtic Spirituality is Hospitality - Patheos (blog)

Some may consider it mere conjecture to favour the view that longevity of the lands people in the distant past also meant healthy living. The reality in our times, however, is the all-too-familiar and all-too-clear scenario of a great number of people in the senior citizen category being bugged by a multitude of health issues, euphemistically described by the medical practitioners as age-related problems. The diverse features of aged people of the past enjoying healthy living on one side and their counterparts of nowadays suffering from you-name-it-they-have-it disorders/diseases/disabilities on the other side also go hand-in-hand with two other concomitant features namely a) a land with no hospitals/ trained doctors/allopathic drugs in distant past and b) surfeit of super-speciality hospitals/ high-profile doctors/drugs for remedying any and every disease and disorder nowadays. The culture of faith in divinity and trust in the power of praying to be free form suffering must have served people of past generations well in total contrast to people of our times, urbanites in particular, marked by faith in doctors and trust in the curative power of modern drugs, unmindful of their often deadly side-effects, giving rise to the idiom If there are no side effects, there are no main effects too.

One is at a loss to make out any meaning considering the conflicting points of longevity alongside very low life expectancy of people belonging to past generations and shortened life span alongside high life expectancy of people in our times. Maybe, the principle of survival of the fit-test among the former and hitech medicare at the disposal of the latter may be of some help in resolving the conflict.

READ ALSO Enduring subject, expanding matter

The parameters reckoned in determining life expectancy of given population and the method used in its estimation may both be flawed, given the accepted reality of those relatively small number of people who survived pestilence in the days gone by did live upto old age while a significant number of people nowadays live to wear senior citizen badge, thanks to easy access to medicare, never mind the cost. One is on strong grounds to argue that society of the past was marked by a mindset of relying on divinity for overall well-being to a much greater extent than society of our times. That took the former to places of worship to be mentally poised instead of being poisoned by medicines, particularly prescribed by medical practitioners with pedestrian knowledge.

Present generation has unwittingly got itself into the whirl of increased pace of life marked by fast foods, fast automobiles, fast communication and fast everything else leaving limited, if not zero, scope for pursuit of spirituality, adding to modern handicaps of polluted air, adulterated foods and lifes stresses. In short, the healthy elderly of the past were well served by their own choice of uncomplicated life and spirituality, both acting as a synergy as per finding of a recent study. Also, the government of our times tom-toming about the harmful consequences of smoking and consuming alcoholic drinks while playing into the hands of lobbies of tobacco and liquor is sham. The society is worse off for it.

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Spirituality for longevity - Star of Mysore

Q: Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "God is spirit." (John 4.24) Does Judaism agree that God is spirit/breath? How would you describe spirit? I know what spirit is not: physical, material, visible, etc. After years of pondering, I still am trying to learn more about what spirit is, and by "spirit" I do not mean the Holy Spirit.

For years I have looked forward to reading your column, and I respect your wisdom and insight into some complex issues. I am a "resting" Presbyterian elder, so you can guess that "reconciliation" is a subject of great interest to me. I believe that you promote the cause of reconciliation for anyone who thoughtfully reads your column. May your readership ever increase. Very truly yours, H

A: Thank you, dear H, for your deep question and kind words. To answer it properly we must first remember that the Hebrew Bible came before Aristotle figured out how philosophy actually describes the nature of what is real. This contact between the Bible and Greek philosophy happened when Alexander the Great conquered Judea in 331 BCE and brought with him his tutor Aristotle.

Aristotle had a fruitful dialogue with Pharisees who would later evolve into rabbis. This group would take one big idea from Aristotle and weave it into the fabric of Judaism, and through Judaism it would become a part of Christianity and Islam. That big idea was that everything in the universe is made up of matter and form. Matter is the principle of potentiality, and form is the principle of actuality. Matter is like clay in the hands of a sculptor. Form is like the idea in the mind of the sculptor of how to shape the clay.

The religious translation of matter and form is easy to see. Matter is our body. Form is our soul. God is pure form. Spirit is form. God is immaterial because God's perfection never requires that God change. This is what John meant by, "God is spirit." God is not made up of stuff like every other thing in the world. The pre-philosophical biblical take on this in the first chapter of Genesis is that God is like a hovering spirit, "And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters." Though there is no notion of soul in the Hebrew Bible, there is an idea that God is like a breath of life, which is what God breathed into Adam to make him a living being.

Of course Christianity emerged after Greek philosophy bequeathed matter/form into Judaism's body/soul duality, and Christianity had to try to accommodate the contradiction that God is immaterial with the belief that God had become incarnate in the material body of Jesus. The belief in the mystery of the Trinity was the Christian solution to the Aristotle's assertion that God is "thought thinking itself."

The commitment to an invisible, immaterial God is the theological courage of Judaism and Islam. The commitment to a God/man who came to Earth to die for our sins is the theological courage of Christianity. So that is spirit. Spirit is the idea of goodness and love and hope and faith and all the other religious virtues that cannot be touched by our fingers but can be touched by our souls.

A word about spirituality, which absorbs and transforms the word spirit: Today you hear many folks say, "I am not religious but I am spiritual." What they mean is not always clear, but I think what they are saying is that organized religion turns them off, but the idea that there is a higher power in the universe that is not material makes sense to them. I get that and support every spiritual seeker in his or her journey to the truth of God and goodness.

However, I also think that organized religion has taken a bad rap. Try to teach your kids about God, or get baptized, or organize a church soup kitchen, or bury your mother, or get married, or study or pray regularly if you are just spiritual and alone. We can find a spiritual feeling alone on the beach at sunset, but we cannot make spiritual communities that will last through the generations and preserve ancient wisdom and scriptures for our children unless we come together to find God while we are also finding each other.

Organized religion has taken the world out of darkness to hope. Yes organized religion can be perverted, and that is abominable, but spirituality can also become just an empty word for people making their way alone through a broken world. There is wise old Maasai saying, "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. Sticks alone can be broken by a child."

May the spirit of God help us all to bundle.

Send all questions and comments to the God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com.

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What 'spirit' and 'spirituality' mean to me - Plattsburgh Press Republican

Over the past several years Ive encountered so many men and women who have turned to abstinence and celibacy. Theyve become sick and tired of being sick and tired in their romantic lives or they are interested in nurturing their spiritual relationship with God. Ive recently adopted the concept and it is causing me to reflect on the decisions Ive made in past partnerships, ultimately determining best practices for moving forward when it comes to love. To gain more insight on this transition and the journey of celibacy from an outsiders perspective, I spoke with sex educator and pleasure expert Tyomi Morgan.

Tyomi formed Glamerotica, a sex education site for those looking to learn anything from tips in the bedroom to sexual health. Tyomi was extremely helpful in revealing how celibacy encourages personal growth and how masturbation during that time captures your sexual essence. She shared with me how her recent experience required a mindset shift, discovering a divine connection and self-empowerment unlike anything else.

Abstinence, not to be confused with chastity and sexual purism, is the act or practice of restraining yourself from an indulgence. This could be food, alcohol, impulsive shopping, anything that should be reined in because of your excessive participation or involvement in it. Statistic Brain pulled together data from several abstinence-related sources showing 42percent religious reasons to observing an abstinent lifestyle; however, that decision may not have as much depth or purpose associated with it as we believe.

Celibacy, for the sake of this article, is defined as the state of being voluntarily sexually abstinent for religious reasons. Practicing celibacy removes sexual activity from your lifestyle for a larger purpose, and Tyomi details why celibacy is more purposeful than abstinence.

When you are practicing celibacy, it is a personal journey and youre abstaining from sex for a purpose. The reason why the average person is so frustrated when theyre practicing abstinence is because it is forced on them. They are not having sex because they are not in a relationship, or they havent found someone theyre interested in, or whatever other reason they just decided not to have sex. Theyre frustrated because they are not practicing purposefully.

We have all hit a point in our lives where we decide enough is enough. After a terrible relationship experience left her at rock bottom, Tyomi decided that her approach to love had to change. With that change came an in-depth reflection on her romantic life and she was celibate for 16 months. The self-reflection that comes with celibacy is a b*tch! Tyomi exclaimed. I had to be honest with myself and I was the common denominator in all of these relationships that failed so let me work on me and figure it out.

There is constant conversation and controversy about masturbation during the celibacy period. During her time of celibacy, Tyomi had no question that masturbation was an option for releasing that sexual energy. There is no direct verse in the Bible that links the act of masturbation to sin. The act of masturbation when associated with lust is where sin comes in and there are strong recommendations that you do not do it before marriage.

Everyones journey is different and Tyomi views masturbation as a tool that can be used for a much greater purpose than lustful sexual release starting with believing it isnt a sin. Release the idea of sin in general when associated with masturbation. There is nothing sinful about connecting to your body and tapping into your essence, ultimately expressing that in the form of self-pleasure. Thinking of masturbation as sin does not serve your higher self.

Tyomi further recommends embracing the mindset required to shift thoughts surrounding masturbation from sin to self-love; transforming your sexual energy into victorious action that manifests your dreams.

Ive used masturbation as a way to manifest things into my life, Tyomi confirms.

Youre using your sexual energy, which is creative energy, to propel whatever thoughts and goals are within your mind. The goals that you spell out with your mouth or you write down in words. Youre using that energy to propel those things forward to manifest! Ive been consistently winning! You can call it magic or whatever, but were practicing magic everyday when we have faith.

And Tyomi is not the first one to teach this. A writer at sex education site Omooni recently posted the ways women can manifest through the womb. It is a thing.

Pushing out your negative thoughts surrounding masturbation and self-love is just the beginning in order for you to get to the next level in your celibacy journey. This period of waiting is a sure moment for personal growth, respecting yourself, and learning to love yourself first to the highest degree. Tyomi has learned her own lessons and continues to ensure her experiences with love are healing and good for her.

At first I was saying that I wanted to wait until marriage but I observed that idea was rooted in fear, which is not healthy. What if you go back to having sex and fall into the same patterns you were in? That was my ego speaking to me but Ive gathered that Im not the same person I was before this journey so Im not going to do that.

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Celibacy And The Spirituality Of Masturbation - HuffPost

An emblem of the Central Bank of Yemen is seen on the bank's gate in Sanaa REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Riyadh Houthi militias have replaced a number of clergy and orators in several mosques with others who are affiliated with them and banned the Taraweeh prayers in most of Sanaa mosques which ruined Ramadans spirituality for Yemenis.

Thousands of those in Yemen suffering under Houthi and Salehs militias were forced to leave towns to villages, rural areas and abroad.

Minister of Endowment and Guidance, Ahmed Attiyah has warned the coup militias of the consequences of continuing to impose ideas on the Yemeni society that are not accepted by its people. He called mosques to avoid being involved in sectarian and partisan conflicts.

Attiyah stressed that militias changed the message of the mosques and linked them with Iranian references to impose them on Yemenis.

Militias prevented worshipers from performing Taraweeh prayers in mosques, according to the minister, and later assaulted the worshipers while they removed them from mosque by force of arms.

The militias also kidnapped several worshipers in a clear violation of the sanctity of mosques and a disruption of the social fabrics and coexistence of Yemenis.

A citizen from Sanaa, Abdallah Abdul Bari stated that Houthis have prevented citizens from performing Taraweeh prayer, which ruined the spirituality of Ramadan and the rituals Yemenis were used to do every year during the Holy month.

I am used to going out with my friends to visit many places in Old Sanaa and see some of my relatives. This year however, each one has their own problems and many of our coworkers and friends are in prisons. Ramadan this year is totally different, he said.

Abdul Bari also stated that usually, citizens would buy their Ramadan essentials before the month begins, but they werent able to do so this year because Yemeni employees didnt receive their salaries.

Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed had presented an initiative to find practical ways to ensure the resumption of salaries to all Yemeni civil servants nationwide. But his attempts were faced with rejection from Houthi and Saleh militias.

According to the U.N. statement, Ould Cheikh Ahmed discussed ways to ensure the resumption of salaries to Yemeni civil servants who complain that salaries have not been paid on time since Hadi ordered, last year, the move of the central bank from Sanaa to the southern port city of Aden.

The initiative stated that Houthi and Saleh militias will send state revenues from Sanaa and other areas under their control like Hodeidah port, taxes and oil revenues to an independent fund that is impartial and ensures public servants salaries are paid. The government will also transfer its revenues from Aden and other areas to the fund.

Observers believe that the initiative aims to organize the withdrawal of militias from Hodeidah governorate and the formation of the committee of financial and economic experts to help the government reach the suitable and swift mechanism to pay the salaries.

Yemeni sources reported that the suggestion resulted from great efforts of experts during their meeting with the UN delegation, ambassadors of permanent members of the UN, and EU officials. It states that the port should be handled by officials who are currently managing the port under the supervision of UN.

Port incomes are deposited in the Central Bank, Hodeidah branch.

At the end of his visit, the Special Envoy expressed his deep concern regarding the attack on his convoy while traveling from the airport to the UN compound on May 22.

The Special Envoy reminded the parties that it is the responsibility of the local authorities to ensure the safety of all U.N. personnel in the country and urged them to investigate the incident, hold those responsible to account, and prevent any such incidents in the future.

Ould Chiekh indicated that the incident increased his determination to continue with his efforts to find a negotiated political settlement that serves the best interests of the Yemeni people.

Sources confirmed that Houthis and Saleh militias are continuously trying to prolong war and destruction in the country while getting rich on the expense of Yemenis.

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Malik al-Mekhlafi reiterated that insurgents must redirect the incomes and revenues of official institutions to the Central Bank in Aden and other governorates to salary payments. He pointed out that the insurgents use institutions incomes to finance their war.

In related news, dozens of Yemeni civil servants are protesting daily calling for the payment of the salaries.

Demonstrators protested before the Minister of Interior under militias control calling for the departure of the insurgents and release of wages.

Protests announced theyd continue until their rightful requests have been met.

Yemeni sources reported that the demonstrators are being attacked by Houthi supporters.

There are about 1.2 million civil servant in Yemen, with one million in Sanaa and other areas under Houthi control.

They have no received wages for eight consecutive months. Whereas employees in the legitimacy areas are no more than 200 thousand and have been receiving their salaries on regular basis.

Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978, Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs, offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials, as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.

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Houthis Ruin Ramadan Spirituality among Yemenis - Asharq Al-awsat English

Wisconsin Public Radio News

The Spirituality Of Cycling Wisconsin Public Radio News Many turn to the bicycle as a simple way to get around, but for our guest, getting on to two wheels lead to something deeper. She describes her conversion to urban cycling, how it brought her closer to the city she called home, and how one can ...

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The Spirituality Of Cycling - Wisconsin Public Radio News

Windsor Star

Workshops to explore healthy aging and spirituality Windsor Star Assumption University, in partnership with Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, will host a day of workshops exploring the role of spirituality in the journey of healthy aging on June 14. Called Living Your Best Life, the workshops will be held at the Fogolar ...

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Workshops to explore healthy aging and spirituality - Windsor Star

Dr William Bloom is a leading pioneer in spirituality

Dr William Bloom is well spoken, and somehow manages to be both calming and disarming all at once, so direct is his manner.

He insists on being called William rather than Doctor Bloom, and his passion for his area of expertise is obvious.

But William is no ordinary doctor, and he is ready and waiting for the cynicism and disbelief which surrounds his field.

For William is a leading pioneer in spirituality and is launching the first nationally accredited diploma course for Spirituality & Wellness at Findhorn College, near Forres, in the autumn.

Admissions are now open, and William hopes to pass on knowledge which can ultimately enable people to lead healthier and happier lives.

Now 68, he has spent decades studying spirituality but also has some less traditionally calming hobbies.

With two children and three stepchildren, he lives in Glastonbury with his wife, Sabrina.

My main hobby is actually motorcycles which you might not expect, and I think thats what surprises people about spirituality, he said.

Its not about crystals, its about connecting with life.

In an age of ever advancing medicine, William believes spirituality has found its rightful place and is gradually being recognised by the medical profession.

The course qualifies as a level three diploma in the health and social care sector.

But what exactly is spirituality, and can it really be of any benefit in comparison to standard health care?

William certainly believes this to be the case, but admits he will only feel pride once the cause has really lifted off the ground and all 35 places are filled.

When people ask me about spirituality, thats exactly what I want them to do, he said.

Its a brilliant question and underpins the entire course.

I understand the cynicism but there has been a major culture shift when it comes to spirituality.

It was once seen as a bit wacky and some people probably still view it that way, but its not flaky or evangelical at all.

Theres now much greater acceptance that spirituality can help both mentally and physically.

My mother was a cynical journalist whilst my dad was a cynical psychiatrist, and it made me suspicious too.

But I always had this feeling that there was something magical about life, there had to be something more.

Ive been working towards this course for my entire career. Ive been a meditator since my early twenties and I find it a really useful tool.

What I hope this course will do is give people a good grounding the bottom line is that there are aspects of spirituality which can help people live longer.

William believes that people have needed and turned to spirituality for thousands of years.

If you think back to the Middle Ages when people were facing the plague, and you fast forward to the modern day, when there is perhaps more pressure than ever before, I think spirituality is very important, he said.

The course will consist of 90 hours of classroom teaching time, and during that process we hope to enable people to make the most of a spiritual connection.

Spirituality is everyones natural instinct to connect with the wonder and energy of life and to explore its meaning.

Today there are innumerable ways to make this connection to god, spirit, our joie de vivre or whatever we want to call it from yoga, meditation, prayer and caring for others, to dancing, walking, singing and sport.

Ive spoken to people in the religious sector such as vicars you might imagine that the time they feel at their most spiritual is when theyre preaching a sermon.

One vicar once said he actually felt most connected when he was walking through the countryside and thats what this is all about.

Were now in a digital world where were never truly switched off from crisis. I think the key thing to understand is that spirituality is about self-management.

Its about being able to stand in a long supermarket queue where everyone else is feeling the stress, but youre completely calm.

Its about putting your body completely at ease, which gives you both mental and physical benefits its hugely rewarding.

William believes that many of the people who apply for the course will be in a care situation, whether theyre caring for people professionally or caring for family members.

Being more at ease with life benefits the body because it translates through the central nervous system, he said.

This lessens the risk of a stroke, pain, illness and also improves resilience.

I dont think Im yet at a stage where I can feel really proud about the course. Im cautious.

There is so much potential and well just have to see what happens. I just hope it will help people thats the ultimate goal.

For more information on the course, visit http://www.spiritualcompanions.org/courses

STRESS RELIEF

The most important elements of spirituality belief, community, lifestyle, caring all reduce existential anxiety. This then works through neural networks and the endocrine system to calm people physically and psychologically

LESSENS THE RISK OF A HEART ATTACK

Yoga breathing exercises enable our heart rate variability (HRV) to become integrated and harmonious, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

COMBATS LONELINESS

Having friends and a community are good for peoples general health. A spiritual lifestyle also encompasses finding a sense of community and connection with the natural world.

REDUCES RISK OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Belief in a spiritual aspect to life brings comfort, reassurance and a sense of meaning.

This reduces the risk of mental illness and supports recovery.

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Dr William Bloom: How to find your spirituality - Press and Journal

Spirituality is the quality of being concerned with the human spirit. Its a concept based on love. Christ Church Day School, which opened its doors in 1957, was founded on the love of God and the love of our fellow human beings. This unconditional love applies to all children, no matter what their religion.

Parents interested in placing their children at this exceptional institution may have questions about how religion and spirituality fit into the school environment as well as how their familys religion will be accepted into the school.

First, parents should know that they are not required to be members of the church to attend the school. Not only will no child be turned away due to their familys religion, but CCDS also prides themselves on the diversity theyve fostered within the school due to this open arms policy.

The mission of CCDS is to provide academic excellence while nurturing children to become lifelong learners who embody the values the school has instilled in them. Character education is a big part of who they are and the message that is woven through all aspects of learning as well as chapel services and other community building activities.

Students start each morning hearing a prayer over the intercom led by the sixth graders. They also say a blessing in their classroom before heading out to lunch. Chaplain Charlette Preslar, an alumnus of CCDS, teaches a spiritual nurture class to every grade at the school. This once a week class lasts thirty minutes and incorporates relevant curriculum.

Though students do go to chapel twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), theology is not taught in the classroom. Instead, academics are guided by a value-based program called Spiritual Nurture. Each month focuses on a different virtue such as kindness, respect, fairness, or compassion. The selected virtue can be incorporated into classroom lessons or activities and highlighted in a school-wide service project. As the children get older, the responsibility to serve shifts into their hands as they are given required community service hours to perform.

During chapel services, a bible story is read that is related in some way to the virtue children are learning about and practicing for that month. In this thirty-minute, child-centered service led by Preslar, there are readings, songs with the choir, a homily, and communion. Also, individual prayers can be given to class chaplains so that they may be read in church.

Parents are always encouraged to attend the chapel services, and the school welcomes the opportunity to incorporate activities related to other religions so students can learn about them and experience something different from their own life. An example of one such opportunity was during Christmas time when a rabbi came and talked about the menorah. Its important for the children not only to be aware of other religions but to learn acceptance as CCDS models.

Since Christ Church Day School is an elementary school, religion is a topic a bit too complicated for most of these young children to understand. But you are never too young to learn love and kindness. These students are learning there are lots of children different from them and that there are even children less fortunate than them who need help and kindness. Schoolwide projects such as Operation Christmas Child is just one example of how students reach out to those in need. Guided by CCDSs example, these students are learning that loving their fellow human beings is the most important lesson of all.

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How Does Spirituality Fit Into My Child's Day? - Coronado Eagle and Journal

Sylvia Bartley

Add author to the already impressive list of accomplishments for Dr. Sylvia Bartley, global director at Medtronic Philanthropy.

In Turning the Tide: Neuroscience, Spirituality and My Path Toward Emotional Health, Bartley, who holds a doctorate in neurophysiology, shares how she manages her emotional health with non-traditional mindful practices. Equal parts personal memoir, science writing and spiritual exploration, the book links the brain to the soul, inspiring readers to change the world with that knowledge.

Recognizing her spiritual side and emotional health are intertwined and yet opposites; Bartley takes the fields of spirituality and science and blends them together in a pursuit of truth and wellbeing. She explains, My scientific curiosity has helped my spiritual life evolve drastically, and in turn my spiritual life has been my foundation during the most rigorous moments of my scientific career.

Bartley describes pushing through forces working against her as a young girl and student. These early experiences shaped her spiritually and emotionally; her study of the brain taught her about meditation and how careful attention to her inner self has helped her manage her emotional health.

My central belief is simple neuroscience and spirituality are not opposites, and can instead be used to feed and further each other, said Bartley. Individually, this union can have tremendous effects on our emotional health.

Bartley will have a book launch next Wednesday (June 14) from 5 p.m. 8 p.m. at the Womans Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis. Her book will also be available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The scientist and author will be a guest on Conversations with Al McFarlane this coming Tuesday (June 6) on KFAI 90.3 FM (www.kfai.org).

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Author reveals her path to discovering link between neuroscience, spirituality and emotional health: Dr. Sylvia ... - Insight News

Ayurveda Therapist Training Course. Swan River Yoga Mandir, 2940 Canal St., (504) 301-3134; http://www.swanriver- yoga.com Michelle Baker and Meghan Hayes offer Module 1 of Ayurveda training to become a certified Ayurveda therapist or to promote natural healing. (Module 2 is in October.) Visit the website for details and registration. July 7 through 9.

Energy Clearing Class. Swan River Yoga Mandir, 2940 Canal St., (504) 301-3134; http://www.swanriveryoga.com Reiki master Michelle Baker leads two classes on self-Reiki with mantra and meditation. No experience necessary. Registration $20. 4:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. June 18 and July 9.

Japanese Reiki Seminar. East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie, (504) 838-1190; http://www.jefferson.lib.la.us Stephen Swartz gives a talk on "The Beauty of Japanese Reiki." Free admission. 7 p.m. June 15.

Morning Meditation. Unity of New Orleans Spiritual Center, 3722 St. Charles Ave., (504) 899-3390; http://www.unity- templeneworleans.com Mike Wittenbrink leads a weekly group meditation. 9 a.m. Weekly on Sundays.

Practices in Self Care. Wild Lotus Yoga, 4842 Perrier St., (504) 899-0047; http://www.wild- lotusyoga.com The five-week course is designed to teach busy people simple and quick self-care techniques. Registration $90 by June 15, $108 after. 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. Starts June 22.

Prayer and Healing Meditation. Unity of New Orleans Spiritual Center, 3722 St. Charles Ave., (504) 899-3390; http://www.unitytempleneworleans.com Harriet Stafford leads a weekly prayer and healing service with guided meditation, readings and affirmations. 11 a.m. to noon. Weekly on Wednesdays.

Realigning Your Energy. Madisonville Library, 1123 Main St., Madisonville, (985) 845-4819; http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us Wellness coach Alice Landry leads a workshop on tools and techniques to realign energy to better cope with life's challenges. Registration recommended; call (985) 845-4819. Free admission. 10 a.m. to noon. June 10.

Shamanic Meditation. Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center, 4300 S. Broad St., (504) 596-2660; http://www.nola- library.org Matthew Ancira leads meditation and Barbara Dupart offers a yoga class the first Saturday of every month. Free admission. 10 a.m. July 1 and Aug. 5.

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Gambit's summer 2017 Health book listings: Meditation, self-care and spirituality - bestofneworleans.com