By Rachel Woodward, March 9 2017

From March 1317, the Faith & Spirituality Centre (FSC) will celebrate Pluralism & Diversity Week. One of these events the What I Be Project intends to capture what University of Calgary students are insecure about and turn it into art.

The What I Be Project has a worldwide presence and has included celebrities like Jackie Cruz from Orange is the New Black. The project will take place over the course of the week at the U of C. Photographer Steve Rosenfield will spend 45 minutes with individual students to get to know them and discuss their insecurities. At the end of each session, the subject will write their insecurity on their body for a picture.

The process is cathartic and universally empowering, FSC program coordinator Jessica Burke says. Each portrait is immortalized for the entire world to see. Subjects are putting their insecurities out in the open and exposing a side of themselves that nobody has seen before. By stating I am not my ___, you are claiming that you do struggle with this issue but it does not define who you are as a person. They are not denying their insecurity, they are owning it.

The photos will show on screens in the Taylor Family Digital Library and the FSC. Burke says it was important for the FSC to provide students with something they can take away from the project after it ends.

We will be the pluralism hub during the week. People can stop by all week long for food, snacks, [and] information, she says.

Burke says the event highlights the FSCs mandate.

We work under the vice provost specifically the student life portfolio, she says. So [its about] creating an interculturally competent campus, destigmatizing the idea of religion and spirituality on campus most people dont feel comfortable being a person of faith or religion on campus as well as the Campus Mental Health Strategy in general.

Burke acknowledges that opening up to a large audience about insecurities is not easy. She says that the FSC will provide access to student advisors throughout the week to support those involved. She says that they are hoping for a positive outcome for the subjects.

If even one person leaves feeling empowered, if they feel more supported by the university in general, if they have networked, if they have made a connection, if they feel a sense of support and community and intercultural competency, I will consider that a huge success, Burke says. Students can apply online to have their photo taken up and there will be a waiting list if spots fill up. Burke says the event is filling up quickly.

For more information, visit http://www.ucalgary.ca/fsc

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Faith and Spirituality Centre brings What I Be Project to campus - Gauntlet

Many will remember Jubilant Sykes booming voice from his role as Celebrant in the 2015 Louisville Orchestra production of Bernsteins Mass. Now, the Grammy award-winning baritone is back to sing with the orchestra again for Sacred and Profane, a classics concert that compares and contrasts the music of composers in sacred traditions, as well as those of a decidedly secular focus.

In this case, Sykes represents the sacred, with his renditions of American spirituals like Ride on King Jesus, Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child, and Were You There?

I talked with Sykes about how he personally identifies with the spirituality of both Mass and Sacred and Profane, his relationship with Teddy Abrams, and his unexpected turn as an actor in the historical musical 1776. Listen to our conversation in the player above.

On how he identified with the music from last years Mass:

I think with all of us there is the sacred and the profane, which is the title of the (upcoming) concert. But I think that even atheists would say to some degree that we are spiritual beings, however they would relate that to there being a God or no God.

But I think, things like music, things like art, things like beauty, things like love those are things that we can sort of, to some degree, analyze, but when it really stabs you in the heart, that transcends intellect. It transcends even emotion. It hit a core that is profoundly deep, that words and even music alone cannot articulate.

On identifying with the American spirituals from Sacred and Profane:

Foremost they are from slavery. They are, of course, African-American. But I think they transcend culture and race. They are messages of love. They are messages of suffering. I think mans calling out to God to hear him, to see him, and Gods answer in that, I am here, in spite of what it may look like. So yes, they are very personal to me.

On his relationship with Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams:

First of all, he is what is it they say? The cats meow. Teddy is amazing. I dont know him personally-personally, but when you collaborate and work with someone musically, unlike other businesses, in music and the arts there is a personal revealing, an inner thing that happens. But he is just an incredible conductor. He is just an gem. That is rare. Ive had wonderful opportunities to work with really world-class, fabulous conductors and I say that humbly, but truthfully Teddy is right up there.

On how he became involved in a production of 1776 and his thoughts on acting:

A lot of my life its the phone call. The phone rings. I love acting, and I think that if I am very candid my wife is probably the only one who really knows this I consider myself more of an actor than a singer. But the singing door is what has opened up for me. I got a phone call, they were looking for me to do it. I live in California, this was in New York and my agent said, Listen, theres this show 1776, they want you to play this part in it.

I had a fabulous cast. These were actors personified, so for someone who has been a closeted actor, to see these men step into this role, I was humbled, I learned a lot. I learned that acting is not just passion and talent, there is of course craft. But when all those things come together, man it is it sounds cliche but it is magical.

More:

Baritone Jubilant Sykes On Spirituality, Teddy Abrams And '1776' - 89.3 WFPL

83-year old artist and musician, Yoko Ono, shares with us her Words of Wisdom, including childhood fables, ephemeral success and why it's important to get outside.

Who are your heroes? That's easy my husband, John Lennon. He was the only person who put up with me. It's difficult for a guy to understand what women are thinking. Most guys don't even listen. He was very forward-thinking in that sense. He really jumped into feminism, no argument. He would ask me, "Could you find feminist groups for me?" Even now, I don't think men get together and say, "Let's be feminists."

Do you have a favourite city? I love every city I've been to, but Liverpool is great. John and I would pass through and say hello to relatives. People there are really strong in spirit, especially the women. I wouldn't say they're working-class I don't think they'd like for me to label them that way but they have a working-class mentality, a strength and wisdom.

What music still moves you? Indian music is incredible. Gypsy music is fantastic. All the Middle Eastern music is very strong. John and I loved folk songs from different countries the rhythm and the harmonies are very, very different. I can't say, you know, "Be-Bop-a-Lula".

What do you think John would have made of social media? John felt that something like social media would come out. He was doing that anyway. When somebody said something he didn't like, he would send a letter: "It's not true!" He would never ignore those communications.

Do you have a fitness regimen? I walk around. Walking is such a great way to relax. I know it might be dangerous, but that's only in the corner of my mind. Maybe I'm the only one now. Very few famous people are walking around now. They disappeared. It's that kind of world. It's sad, isn't it?

What's the best advice you've gotten? I don't take advice. My background is very different, so it's very difficult for a person to advise me. My parents were very liberal and cherished that I had my own opinions. Other people's thinking is theirs, and my thinking is mine. There's no point in listening. And, so far, it's gone well.

Did you get advice about how to make records a certain way? I make records my certain way.

What was your favourite book growing up? There were two, and both are Chinese. One, Sangokushi, tells you how to battle very carefully and logically. The other, Saiyuki, has more to do with spiritual travelling. One monk decides how to solve a situation, not in a battle. One guy is very cocky. He says, "I know everything, and I can fly to the end of the world in 10 seconds." The monk says, "Show me how you do it." The guy goes zoom, zoom to the end of the world, and at the end are five huge poles. He says, "I'll put my name on that." He writes his name and goes back to the monk and says, "I just went to the end of the world." And he says, "Oh, really?" The monk opens up his hand and says, "Are these the poles?" Meaning the guy never went anywhere. He never went outside of the monk's five fingers.

What's your favourite memory of your friend David Bowie? He was one of the very few people who liked my work. I think he said something about my music in [the 1992 compilation] Onobox that was very nice. At the time, nobody cared about it, and he was courageous to say something.

What books are you reading right now? I usually read three books at once. One right now is The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success [by Deepak Chopra]. It pretends to be about success so people will say, "I want to read that!" But actually, he's making a very good statement about how you can be spiritually successful. I love actual printed books. I can't get out of that yet.

Have you thought about writing a memoir? No. That would be a very tricky thing to do. I care about writing something that would make some people feel bad, even though they maybe were bad. I think about their children and wives, and I don't want to hurt anybody. So the book would be rather...boring [laughs].

What's the best part of success? Well, I don't know, because I'm not successful yet. We're not getting world peace.

Is that your gauge for success? Well, I wouldn't say, "Until then", but it's one of the big things for me.

What do you do to relax? Relax? I don't relax too much. I'm always thinking about the next project.

Last November marked the 50th anniversary of you meeting John for the first time, when he attended your gallery show in London. You had a spyglass he looked into that said, "Yes". What does that work mean to you now? At the time I had a very difficult life. I said, "Well, I want to change it", and this was a sign that said "yes" instead of "no". It saved me.

Go here to see the original:

Rolling Stone Australia - Yoko Ono on John, Bowie and Spirituality - Rolling Stone Australia

NEW DELHI: Hailing spirituality as India's strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lamented that some people tend to link it to religion and asserted that the two are very different.

Addressing a function here to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS), he said Yoga is the first step towards the journey of spirituality.

Modi said the world compares India on the basis of its population, GDP or employment rate, but it has neither known nor recognised India for its spirituality.

"India's spirituality is its strength. But, it is unfortunate that some people link spirituality to religion. But both spirituality and religion are very different," he said.

The prime minister also hailed Yogi Paramahansa who left the shores of India to spread his message but remained connected to the country all the time.

Even for a second the Yogi was not away from his motherland, which he kept remembering even in his last words, the PM said.

Back from campaign trail in his Varanasi constituency, Modi recalled how the Yogi is still remembered in Kashi and his teachings, "which are as pure as Maa Ganga", continue to flow within many in the holy city where he spent his childhood.

Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a raging debate over attempts by political parties to polarise society on the lines of religion, especially during elections.

The Yogoda Satsanga Society was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917.

A special postage stamp on Yogoda Satsanga Society was also released by Modi to commemorate the occasion.

Recalling the words of former President APJ Abdul Kalam who felt that India's spiritualness is its strength and this process should continue, he said that the spirituality of the country has been strengthened by India's sages and saints.

Talking about Yoga, he said it is simple an entry gate to the spiritual world.

"Yoga is the entry point to spirituality. Yoga is the entrance point to one's spiritual journey. One should not consider it as the last point, as it is simply the entry gate to the spiritual world," he said.

"Once an individual develops an interest in Yoga and starts diligently practicing it, it will always remain a part of his or her life," he added.

The prime minister also recalled that the path shown by the Yogi was not about "mukti" (salvation) but "antaryatra" (quest within).

Go here to read the rest:

Unfortunate to link spirituality with religion: PM Modi - Times of India

BUILDING THE HUMAN CITY: WILLIAM F. LYNCH'S IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY FOR PUBLIC LIFE By John F. Kane Published by Pickwick Publications, 292 pages, $35

Fr. William Lynch has to be one of the most unjustly neglected of 20th-century American Jesuit scholars, but John Kane has spent a goodly portion of his life preparing to change that. The result is a remarkable book that should have the eminently desirable effect of bringing renewed attention to Lynch's work.

Lynch, longtime editor of Fordham University's flagship journal, Thought, is known for several fairly short books, especially Christ and Apollo: The Dimensions of the Literary Imagination, Images of Hope: Imagination as Healer of the Hopeless and Christ and Prometheus: A New Image of the Secular. Ranging across philosophy, psychology, theology and classical studies, Lynch was widely recognized in his day but never widely read. His books are not easy and few scholars have the same range Lynch had. Of course, by the same token, few readers could finish any one of the books without having learned something new.

Since his death in 1987, Lynch has been pretty much in eclipse. What is so immediately striking about Kane's presentation inBuilding The Human City is the extraordinary timeliness of Lynch's insights for public life today.

For example, Kane's introductory chapter stresses Lynch's concern to overcome polarizations, to combat the "totalizing sensibility" that he thought affected church and world in his own times. This determination to address the problem of demonizing the adversary runs through all Lynch's work and, as Kane points out, "has recently been seconded by a now more famous Jesuit," Pope Francis himself. If you re-read Francis' address to the U.S. Congress with some knowledge of Lynch's convictions, you may wonder if the current pope is one of those few who have read Lynch's work.

Begin the Year of Grace with a free booklet of formation and feature articles on migration from Celebration Publications.

One of Lynch's less well-known works, the 1962 collection of essays The Integrating Mind, explores in depth the dangers of totalizing and, without using the word much if at all, the importance of employing an analogical approach. This extends beyond mere disagreements to more fundamental but illusory separations between art and life or transcendence and immanence or, in some ways, what Lynch considers to be the most serious of separations, between society's intellectual and cultural elites and the great mass of ordinary people.

All such dichotomizing misses the vital importance of connection to real life, to virtues and even hopes and fears that are first and last embodied. Even God is encountered in the secular, as Lynch makes clear in Christ and Prometheus, and Kane is extraordinarily good on exploring the incarnational roots of Ignatian spirituality and sensibility that lie within Lynch's thought. "Finding God in all things" is, of course, finding God in the world.

Lynch's other great theme is the role of imagination, but here again it is a grounded and embodied, not a purely romantic imagination, that he values. The imagination at work in the arts, especially the dramatic arts, is vital to restoring "confidence in the fundamental power of the finite."

The separation Lynch laments between elites and "ordinary people" is not so much a critique of the masses as it is of the failure of the arts to connect to real life. The arts need to conspire with faith and theology, summarizes Kane, in "a new movement towards the definite."

All of this in the end is an argument for the ubiquity of divine grace. God and grace are not absent from the secular or to be injected in it, but to be found there. Finding God in all things implies for Lynch that in exploring and encountering the meaning of all things, their intrinsic and indeed secular meaning, we find God and grace in them. The grace of God is revealed in the beauty of the secular, in all its secular integrity.

Kane's synthetic presentation of Lynch's work makes it clear how important a thinker he was and remains. Of course, Kane's success in this book in a way impedes his objective in writing it. It is so clear and compelling that I wonder how many of his readers will do what Kane hopes they will do, go back to Lynch himself to explore the ideas in greater detail.

In fact, though there is much rich discussion of classical literature that cannot be summarized in Kane's treatment, I am quite positive that the overall intent of Lynch's corpus of writings had to wait for Kane to come along and explain it. Even those of us who have read Lynch at any length will benefit enormously from Kane's explanation of why he remains so important.

[Paul Lakeland is the director of the Center for Catholic Studies at Fairfield University. His latest book, The Wounded Angel: Fiction and the Religious Imagination, will be published by Liturgical Press in the spring of 2017.]

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Kane explores Lynch's timely Ignatian spirituality - National Catholic Reporter

Sit down.

The Buddha said there are four ways to meditate. Sitting, standing, lying down, and walking. So, by sitting down, what Im saying is marking out a time and a place and give your body as well as your mind that space and that period of time dedicated to exploring the wisdom of your body, heart, and mind.

Shut up.

Meditation is one of those words that has too many definitions, basically it only means doing something with your mind. That doing something may be useful, and it may not. Among those kinds of meditation that can be called useful as far as finding our hearts goal is concerned, the range of possibilities remains large. However, they share some commonalities. Learning to be quiet is the most important thing. Although theres a critical point in understanding what quiet means. There are those who say being quiet is stopping the mind. And, yes, there is a sense in which this is true. That phrase, at is truest, is a pointing to something about our consciousness, how we can meet our thoughts and feelings. But its an invitation into something, not an assertion to step away from something. Too many people hear these words, sometimes even say them to others meaning physically stopping the movement of the mind. That is a mistake. The invitation is to see the thoughts arise, and not follow them.

Pay attention.

Bringing ones whole body consciousness to the matter is the heart of the practice. This is a difficult thing. The mind wanders. We are filled with regrets and longings. We plan. We fret. We scheme. So, heres the secret ingredient. Our invitation is into the heart of curiosity. The practice is to notice whats going on, whether it is regret or longing while adding nothing to the fire. Just notice. And. Be curious without entanglements in the content of the thought. Thoughts rise. You dont have to follow them. But, notice. Be curious. That curiosity can be a burning coal in our gut. It can be diluted and simply hanging a hint in the air in an open minded, mind like the sky, sort of way. Just notice/be curious. Is that one? Is that two? Pay attention.

Notice the connections.

Doing this you will learn much about yourself. Sometimes our thoughts are filled with desire. Sometimes our thoughts are overtaken by resentment, anger, hatred. Sometimes we obsess with an idea, seeing how it has put everything into place. And then as we watch we see how these thoughts are themselves insubstantial, they rise, they try to take us with them, but if we let them go as they rise, we open doors. The invitation is to not stop here or there. Bring your curiosity to the rising and falling of your mind. And then the next iteration of your mind. And the next. Hold on to nothing. Just notice. Just be curious. Perhaps you will at some point notice how vague and permeable the boundaries of your mind and life are. Keep looking. Where is the solid line? Keep looking. When do you and another in fact separate? Notice how cause and effect relate. Be curious. How are these two things different? How are these two things one? Be curious. Is there another way, as well?

Get up and do something.

Ive noticed how often this step is missed by spiritual practitioners. One of my favorite stories about the Buddha is how after achieving his great insights into the nature of things, resolving his pain, and finding the wise heart, Mara the incarnation of chaos whispered in his ear, you have won liberation. Go, now, and retire to a cave and enjoy the bliss of the cosmos for the rest of your natural days and then with your last breath pass into the great empty. You can call this the Buddhas last temptation. Now, this can be missed because he had been a renunciant, and he continued as a monk after his awakening. But at the heart of the matter, what he did was return to the world with his saving message. He spent the next forty years of that natural life guiding, giving counsel, pointing to the deeper matters, and the larger possibilities.

We sit for half an hour, an hour, whatever. Perhaps we engage in intensive periods of training. A week. Three months. A decade. We walk with a guide and we explore the fundamental matters of mind and heart. If we are just a little lucky we discover our hearts longing. The great way becomes no different than our own.

And, and this is critical at some point the fullness of our opened heart and mind contains within it an invitation to return to the world in one felicitous phrasing, with bliss bestowing hands.How we do this is going to be different at different times in our lives and within different lives. There is no judgment here. The simple call is to open our hearts and minds and to respond as is appropriate. Life a box and its lid.

As natural as natural can be.

Everyday spirituality

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Zen Lessons for All of Us: Everyday Spirituality - Patheos (blog)

The pathway between conscious life and the subconscious world leads over a bridge. Its name is Nicky Kumar.

She is a Prince George artist harnessing the shades of darkness and light that propel our minds into meditative states, if we look upon the lines and curves of consciousness. There are many paths to enlightenment, but she has focused on seven: the primary chakras of ancient eastern spirituality.

These chakras are energy centres within the body. They each have their own realm of influence on the physical and mental state we are in, and they each have their own symbol like a letter or numeral. Kumar is treated to meditation as she works through the elaborate detail of each chakra symbol, and she is treated to meditation as she looks upon each completed symbol. It is a circle of health and wellness.

These seven exquisite works of art will go on public display this week at the Community Arts Council feature gallery where the general public can share in these portals to the mind, body and soul.

"The Community Arts Council has been excited for a long time about Nicky's work," said Lisa Redpath, manager of events and projects. "I know I'm a huge fan. It's so beautiful, exacting, and really holds your attention. It has a unique power. She's a really gifted artist and we are lucky to have her in Prince George."

The chakra symbols are a departure of sorts from Kumar's usual work. She is a seasoned professional at a related form of drawing: mandalas. These patterns are also ancient spiritual symbols that are often breathtakingly detailed but also rooted in free-form expression.

"Mandalas are circular drawings with origins in Buddhism and Hinduism," Kumar said. "Creating them is spiritual. There is a belief that in the creation of a mandala is the expression of what is going on inside you. It is a pure representation of the universe through you, so it's a way of communicating between your own personal self's power and the higher power of the infinite universe. Monks will often do mandalas, sometimes drawn in sand and when they are finished they will sweep it away and start again, to symbolize the constant motion of existence. Even just looking at mandalas brings a sense of calm. There is something about the circular shapes and repetitive patterns that can centre the mind and help clear the mental clutter."

After years of internationally acclaimed mandala art, she felt moved to try other forms of drawing that were related but down new paths of creative thought.

The chakra symbols emerged from that newfound confidence and exploration.

"My agent knew me well, knew I'd be open to the chakra symbols, so when we were discussing my art, that was suggested," said Kumar who works as a contract creator for American company Art Licensing International.

"When my agent asked me to make Zen art I was ecstatic. Because it gave me an excuse to take a break from commissions and work on something that I was very passionate about and wanting to learn more about."

She has fallen somewhat behind in her busy schedule of filling commissioned artwork orders.

The seven chakras were consuming endeavours, but she can now return to that stream of creative consciousness.

The exhibition opens on Thursday with a 7 p.m. reception open to all at 2880 15th Avenue. The exhibition will be on display until April 3 and also incorporates the smells of incense, sounds of soft eastern spiritual music, Himalayan salt rock lamps courtesy of Three Sisters Rock'n Gem Store.

View original post here:

Art show taps Eastern spirituality - Prince George Citizen

In the 1980s, Lia Lee, a child born to Hmong parents in the Northern California city of Merced, had her first seizure at three months old. She was brought to a community medical center, but there were no Hmong translators to communicate with her parents and explain how to administer her medication properly. And the hospital staff didnt understand the Hmong spiritual remedies the Lees wanted for their daughter; Hmong shamans were not allowed to perform their rituals in the hospital. Meanwhile, Lias condition persisted: By the time she was four-and-a-half years old, shed been admitted to the hospital 17 times.

The story of cross-cultural communication breakdown in the Merced medical system is the subject of Anne Fadimans widely acclaimed 1997 book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. The hospital where Lia was treated is now called the Mercy Medical Center, and since the publication of Fadimans work, much has changed. Bob McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the hospital, tells Co.Exist that Mercy Medical Center recently invited Fadiman back for a visit. "She told us, I wrote this book because I knew it was an important story; I had no idea that 20 years later, people here would be using it as a textbook."

Fadimans work was the basis for a novel policy that Mercy Medical Center has introduced to allow Hmong shamans to come into the hospital and perform traditional ceremonies for patients that request them. The shamans, over the course of a six-week training, learn hospital protocols; Mercy Medical doctors and staff are also educated in the Hmong ceremonies.

Hmong families fleeing the Vietnam War first settled in Merced in 1976. With a population of over 7,000, Merceds Hmong community is the third largest in California, after Sacramento and Fresno.

The Hmong Shaman Visitation Policyto McLaughlins knowledge, the only one of its kind in play at a hospitaloutlines nine ceremonies that Hmong shamans are allowed to perform at the patients bedside, ranging from a 10-minute chant that's designed promote healing after loss of blood to a ritual involving tying a red string around the patients neck, which is supposed to encourage the body to mend. Sometimes, a shaman will recommend a longer or more involved ceremony, perhaps involving animals or fire; for those rituals, the shaman can negotiate on a case-by-case basis with hospital staff for approval. Janice Wilkerson, who directs the Mission Integration team for Mercy Medical Center, tells Co.Exist that she recalls some more elaborate ceremonies taking place in the hospitals parking lot.

Integrating the Hmong rituals with the mainstream hospital care at Mercy Medical began, almost by chance, in 1998. A Hmong patient in the hospital was slowly dying; his body was shutting down, and the physicians had done everything they could, Wilkerson says. Marilyn Mochel, a registered nurse at the hospital, and Palee Moua, the wife of a Hmong clan leader, approached the hospital administration to ask, on behalf of the family, if a shaman could be brought on the premises to perform a ceremony for the patient. It would be a fairly protracted ritual, involving long knives, but there was a wing of the hospital that was under construction at the time and mostly empty; the Mercy Medical staff agreed to move the patient there for the ceremony, and bring the shaman in. After the ceremony, the patients health turned around. He made a full recovery, and is still active in the Merced Hmong community.

"Physicians experience these miracles from time to time," McLaughlin says, "but this case really illustrated to them the power of these ceremonies. Healing isnt just about medicine, its about people."

Mochel and Moua worked with a nonprofit to develop and formalize a training program to facilitate more Hmong shaman hospital visits; the nonprofit began educating shamans in 2000. When funding for the nonprofit began to slip in 2012, McLaughlin and Wilkerson stepped up to fund the program directly through Mercy Medical. To date, almost 140 shamans have gone through the six-week course, and "graduates" of the program reconvene once a month to stay in touch and share learnings.

"Shamans used to be very secretive about their ceremonies; they felt that their culture was not understood," Wilkerson says. "Now, they come into the hospital with an official badge; they feel they are very much respected and know that we understand that their work is important."

In turn, the program has strengthened the Hmong communitys trust in mainstream medicine: Shamans are able to communicate with patients who may otherwise be skeptical of hospital procedures. "We see this all the time," McLaughlin says. "A doctor might want to do a CT scan, but the patient will say, Im not doing that until the shaman says its okay. But because the shamans are informed about the equipment and procedures through the course, theyre able to tell the patient that its okaythe doctors are trying to help them," McLaughlin says. Since the policy and program were introduced, Mercy Medical has seen members of the Hmong community coming to the hospital for help right away, as opposed to only when an illness reached crisis point.

Though McLaughlin and Wilkerson say theyve heard from other medical institutions looking to implement the program, or similar policies with other spiritual practices, they havent seen any other initiative really take hold in the same way as the Hmong shaman program. McLaughlin credits the programs success to the hospitals mission of treating people with dignity and prioritizing humanity. Every time a new employee starts at Mercy Medical, McLaughlin walks them through the policy, and always says the same thing. "What we do here is take care of people: If its the right thing for the patient its the right thing for us to do."

[All Images: via Upworthy]

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This Hospital Bridges Traditional Medicine With Hmong SpiritualityAnd Gets Results - Co.Exist

Low-cost, local events happening this week. To be included, your event must be family friendly, cost less than $25 per person and take place in Cecil County as well as adjoining areas within a 20-minute drive. Please submit the event title, time, address to accent@cecilwhig.com. Once approved by an editor, the event will be listed until its completion date. It will run in the print edition as space allows. You can also submit to a separate online calendar at cecildaily.com.

YOGA, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Painted Turtle Arts Studio, 13 N. Main St., North East. Ongoing $15 drop-in. Multi-level for everyone. Call instructor Laura Hannan at 1-540-421-0296.

CLUTTERERS ANONYMOUS, 6 to 7 p.m. at Janes United Methodist Church, 213 N. Walnut St., Rising Sun. Clutterers Anonymous is a 12-step program to help people solve their problems with clutter/hoarding. There are no dues or fees. Contact Martha H. 443-350-1483.

YOGA, 7 p.m. weekly classes at Cecil County Arts Council, 135 E. Main St., Elkton. Intro class is free. Then pay $10 per class or buy five classes for $45. Classes are designed for new and experienced yogis. Contact class instructor Sarah Mester at smester@comcast.net.

IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH, 7 p.m. at 229 E. Main St., Elkton. Panic, fear, anxiety, depression. Attend a free weekly meeting with Recovery International.

FREE LUNCH, 12 to 1 p.m. every Friday at Elkton Presbyterian Church, 209 E. Main St. provided by Elkton Community Kitchen. All are welcome. For more information contact elktoncommunitykitchen@gmail.com.

YOGA, 9 a.m. every Saturday at Gracies, 213 North St., Elkton. $5 per class. Community Yoga Class. For more info call 443-257-0743.

SMART RECOVERY, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Janes UMC in Rising Sun. This meeting is for those recovering from the disease of addiction. This is an open support group that meets every Saturday.

CABIN FEVER, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore's Chapel UMC, 392 Blake Rd., Elkton. Dozens of outdoors-minded nonprofits will attend, including Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program, Plumpton Park Zoo and Cecil County 4H (there are many, many more). The chapel's youth group will be selling lunch and refreshments to support their summer mission trip to South Dakota. For more information, contact Jane Bellmyer at 443-553-8420. Non-recurring.

SATURDAY EVENING SERVICE, 5 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 105 N. Bridge St., Elkton. Will recur every week at this time.

GOSPEL SINGING, 6 to 8 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church on Singerly Road in Elkton.

COFFE & CONVERSATION, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Elkton. A special program of videos will be shown on Lenthen Sundays that features "An Introduction to Lent," "Lenten Christian Pilgrimages" and "The Stations of the Cross," with unique contemporary art. Recurs weekly until the end of Lent.

BALDWIN UMC, 9:15 a.m. service and Sunday school at Singerly Fire Hall in Elkton. Each Sunday until further notice.

PARISH SUNDAY SCHOOL, 9:45 a.m. at Zion UMC in Cecilton. Recurs weekly.

LOVE YOUR LIFE WORKSHOP, 10:30 a.m. at Gracies 213 North St., Elkton. Free. Every Sunday. An alternative to traditional Sunday morning churches, an open honest discussion of life and faith. Come to listen or participate and share your story. facebook.com/theloveyourlifeworkshop or 443-257-0743.

DEEPER LIFE CRUSADE 2017, starting at North East United Methodist Church with a potluck supper at 6 p.m., then a praise, worship and message at 7 p.m. With Revs. John Hobbs and Kenny Davis. The church is located at 308 S. Main St., North East. Call 410-287-2220 or office@northeastumc.org for more. Non-recurring after Wednesday.

DEEPER LIFE CRUSADE 2017, starting at North East United Methodist Church with a feedback session at 9:30 a.m., then a praise, worship and message at 7 p.m. With Revs. John Hobbs and Kenny Davis. The church is located at 308 S. Main St., North East. Call 410-287-2220 or office@northeastumc.org for more. Non-recurring after Wednesday.

DEBTORS ANONYMOUS, 6 to 7 p.m. at Janes United Methodist Church, 213 N. Walnut St., Rising Sun. Debtors Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who help each other solve their problems with debt. DA is a 12-step program. There are no dues or fees. Contact Martha H. 443-350-1483.

NARANON MEETING, 7 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, North East. Hope and Peace every Monday. Contact Lorri: 443-250-0909.

WOMENS NA MEETING, 7 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, North East.

YOGA 4 SENIORS, 9 to 10 a.m. at Painted Turtle Arts Studio, 13 N. Main St., North East. Pre-registration is required. Call instructor Laura Hannan at 1-540-421-0296. $12 per class if all six are pre-paid or $15 drop-in.

DEEPER LIFE CRUSADE 2017, starting at North East United Methodist Church with a feedback session at 9:30 a.m., then a praise, worship and message at 7 p.m. With Revs. John Hobbs and Kenny Davis. The church is located at 308 S. Main St., North East. Call 410-287-2220 or office@northeastumc.org for more. Non-recurring after Wednesday.

SENIOR MEETING, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Stephens Church in Earleville. Anyone 50 or older is invited to attend. No registration or member fee. Lunch is served for $5. Come for the fellowship, speaker, see what events we are planning. Questions call 443-207-2011.

MENS YOGA CLASS, 11 a.m. at Painted Turtle Arts Studio, 13 N. Main St., North East. Pre-registration is required. Call instructor Laura Hannan at 1-540-421-0296. $12 per class if all six are pre-paid or $15 drop-in.

COMMUNITY ARTS AND CRAFTS, 1 p.m. free instruction at St. Stephens Church, 10 Glebe Road, Earleville. Ongoing drawing and painting classes for beginner or serious artists. bspelled123@gmail.com. http://www.communityartandcrafts.com. Call Jerry at 410-275-2945.

TOPS, 5:30 p.m. at Rosebank UMC, Rising Sun. Nonprofit weight-loss support group, meets weekly. $6 monthly fee. First meeting free. topsrosebank@gmail.com.

NARANON, 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Church of God, 1121 Singerly Road, Elkton. A Nar-Anon adult support meeting for those with addicts in the family.

MEDITATION, 7 p.m. every Tuesday with Three Roots Wellness at Painted Turtle Arts Studio, 13 N. Main St., North East. Learn basics of meditation practices and how to make it useful in your everyday life. Donation based. Registration is required email to angela@threerootswellness.com.

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Religion and Spirituality Events: 3/8 - Cecil Whig

NEW DELHI: India's spirituality is its strength but unfortunately some people link it to religion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

Addressing a function here to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS), he said Yoga is the first step towards the journey of spirituality.

Modi said the world compares India on the basis of its population, GDP or employment rate, but the world has neither known nor recognised India for its spirituality.

"India's spirituality is its strength. But, it is unfortunate that some people link spirituality to religion. But both spirituality and religion are different," he said.

The prime minister also hailed Yogi Paramahansa who left the shores of India to spread his message but remained connected to India all the time.

The YSS was founded in 1917 by Paramahansa.

A special postage stamp to commemorate the occasion was also released by Modi.

Recalling the words of former President APJ Abdul Kalam who felt that India's spiritualness is its strength and this process should continue, he said that the spirituality of the country has been strengthened by India's sages and saints.

Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a debate over the attempts by political parties to polarise society on the lines of religion especially during elections.

Talking about Yoga, he said it is the simple entry point to a spiritual world.

"Yoga is the entry point to spirituality. Yoga is the entrance point to one's spiritual journey. One should not consider it as the last point, as it is simply the entry gate to the spiritual world," he said.

"Once an individual develops an interest in Yoga and starts diligently practicing it, it will always remain a part of his or her life," he added.

The prime minister also recalled that the path shown by "Yogi ji" was not about "Mukti" (salvation) but "Antaryatra" (quest within).

He said the 'Kriya Yoga' practised by Paramahansa revitalises the subtle currents of life energy in the body.

Remembering the last words of Paramahansa, the prime minister said his teachings are so humane and full of compassion towards all.

Modi was later given a memento with the Yogi's last words inscribed on it, which speak about the strength of spirituality of his motherland.

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Spirituality is India's strength: PM Narendra Modi - Economic Times

Assessing Nurses' Knowledge of Spiritual Care Practices Before and After an Educational Workshop Healio The purpose of this pretestposttest study was to determine whether a spiritual care educational workshop would increase nurses' knowledge, self-awareness, and abilities regarding spiritual care practices. The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating ...

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Assessing Nurses' Knowledge of Spiritual Care Practices Before and After an Educational Workshop - Healio

Airman Kristian Cadalin, 97th Force Support Squadron services apprentice, floats in the air at an indoor skydiving facility Feb. 10 in Edmond. The goal of the outreach event was to give the opportunity for single airmen to reignite their spirituality while providing a fun community experience.

Courtesy photo | Airman 1st Class Cody Dowell

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE Airmen from the base soared through the air, even though they still had a roof above their heads.

The base chapel hosted an indoor skydiving trip Feb. 10 in Edmond. The goal of the outreach event was to give the opportunity to reignite the faith of single airmen while providing a fun community experience.

The motto of this trip is to relaunch your faith, said Air Force Capt. Quanika Bynum, 97th Air Mobility Wing Chapel chaplain. It is about obtaining goals and dreams with the start of the new year, doing things that we have been afraid of. When you think about flying, you think about letting go and we are comparing it to spirituality. Letting go of the past because of fears and doubts so you can move forward. The main focus is spirituality, but the things we will be talking about here can be applied to everyday life.

The chapel staff is using resources to reach out to the airmen, planning events throughout the year for the betterment of the members on base.

The chapel plans on having outreach events quarterly for single airmen along with smaller events biweekly, Bynum said. We are trying to pull people out of their room, with the goal of building a community that is involved with one another.

The target audience for these outreach events is single airmen, but that doesnt make it exclusive to dorm residents.

There are a lot of single people on base other than just first-term airmen, but we are targeting them because we feel they need the most support on base, Bynum said. That said, younger airmen are our foundation and do most of the work on base. So I hope, with this trip, we can give some stability to their lives.

This trip and other events hosted by the chapel are free to attend and seek to better the welfare of the airmen on base.

Offering opportunities like this allows airmen to refresh their mind, Bynum said. Feeling mentally refreshed, could possibly change their perspective on how they view their job and allow them to more efficiently accomplish the mission.

This trip was a great time, Im glad that the base offers this because I wouldnt have done this on my own, said Airman 1st Class Tyler Coonce, 97th Communications Squadron radio frequency transmissions apprentice. I feel that this is a great deal because it was an opportunity to do something fun off base. I wish more people would take advantage of opportunities like this. This was my first trip that Ive been that the base has provided, but I would definitely do it again.

The chapel staff organizes trips like this to help airmen promote healthy social behavior and to be mentally ready to accomplish the mission.

The only thing the Chapel gets out of this is to see airmen grow, connect with one another and create a foundation for their lives, Bynum said. We get joy from knowing airmen are being taken care of and its not because of a job or a paycheck, its something beyond that. We would want to see that airmen are receiving care and support on a consistent level, no matter the time or location.

The base chapel successfully planned and implemented a trip to improve the morale of single airmen, allowing them to have the opportunity to reignite their faith while providing a fun community experience.for more information about upcoming events or what services the chapel provides call 580-481-7485.

Airman Kristian Cadalin, 97th Force Support Squadron services apprentice, floats in the air at an indoor skydiving facility Feb. 10 in Edmond. The goal of the outreach event was to give the opportunity for single airmen to reignite their spirituality while providing a fun community experience.

http://altustimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_Military-skydiving-RGB.jpgAirman Kristian Cadalin, 97th Force Support Squadron services apprentice, floats in the air at an indoor skydiving facility Feb. 10 in Edmond. The goal of the outreach event was to give the opportunity for single airmen to reignite their spirituality while providing a fun community experience. Courtesy photo | Airman 1st Class Cody Dowell

Skydiving enhances personal spirituality

Reach Airman 1st Class Cody Dowell at 580-481-7700.

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Skydiving enhances spirituality - Altus Times

JUDY WOODRUFF: Finally, as the worlds Christians begin Lent, a six-week period of introspection in preparation for Easter, reflections from Casper ter Kuile, a researcher at Harvard University, who shares his humble opinion on the soul survival happening outside Americas churches.

CASPER TER KUILE, Harvard University: I grew up never going to church.

And as a 30-year-old married man, I still dont, not because I dont value reflection, community, even the experience of the divine. I do. But traditional religious congregations dont appeal to me. And Im not alone.

Millennials are turning away from religion faster than any other age group. And according to the Pew Research Center, more than a third of Americans between 18 and 35 are now unaffiliated, meaning, when asked on a survey what religious identity they hold, they answer none of the above.

But whats really interesting is that the overwhelming majority of us nones arent necessarily atheists. Two-thirds believe in God or a universal spirit, and one in five even pray every day.

We arent young people who hate religion. Its a growing group that feel like they have been left behind by religious institutions.

In a move that confused a lot of my friends and family, I have found countless examples of other millennials creating new forms of community that often fulfill the same functions that a traditional religious group would have.

And they come in all shapes and sizes. It might be a regular meal with strangers to share honestly ones experience after losing a loved one, like the organization The Dinner Party. Within a few years, The Dinner Party has spread to 116 cities across the U.S. hosted by volunteers who create sacred spaces for their guests.

It might be lifting weights and climbing ropes five mornings a week like at CrossFit. And if you have a friend involved in a CrossFit, you will know how evangelical that community is.

Or it might be experiencing healing and forgiveness through movement and meditation at Afro Flow Yoga.

Each of these communities and others like them shape participants world views, ethics and behaviors. And in a culture where many are hungry for connection, these communities offer the experience of being part of something bigger than themselves, what some theologians might describe as experiencing the divine.

Now, you may dismiss these communities as simple entertainment, but were convinced that this is the new face of religious life in America. Just as you would expect in a religious congregation, people in these communities build friendships and drive one another to the hospital when they need a ride.

They help each other raise money to fight cancer. And some are even getting involved in struggles for more affordable housing. While a few thousand churches close every year, many fewer open. So, as you drive through your town and notice an empty house of worship, pay attention next time you see a community workspace, a climbing gym or a micro-brewery.

They may just be the new center of soulful community that you have been looking for.

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Millennials haven't forgotten spirituality, they're just looking for new venues - PBS NewsHour

Tim Ferriss is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, as well as the new book Tools of Titans. Hes also the host of The Tim Ferriss Show, which is one of my favorite podcasts.

Tim is a relentless optimizer, and on his program he interviews fascinating people to discover how they work, think, and get things done. Its a show about the secrets of high performers.

Here, I ask Tim about basically the reverse of that. How does he think about the parts of his life that, though crucial, are harder to optimize and systematize? We discuss friendship, love, psychedelics, spirituality, death, health, and whether its possible to get too addicted to productivity hacks (spoiler: it is). This is a discussion, in other words, about much of what makes life worth living, and it left me with a lot to think about.

You can listen to our conversation by subscribing to my podcast, The Ezra Klein Show, on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your fine audio programming. Or you can stream it off SoundCloud.

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Tim Ferriss on suffering, psychedelics, and spirituality - Vox

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The road to recovery can feel long and lonely, particularly as you set out to find your new path on this journey through life. Generally, when faced with overcoming addiction, quality of life is low, stress levels are high and your social circle may need to be redrawn (due either to bad influences or the relationship damage caused by the struggles that accompany addiction). At the time you need people the most, they may be the hardest to find and connect with, especially as your habits change.

Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) provide a good starting point, both socially and philosophically, but many potential participants feel alienated by the religious-focused parts of the program. Spirituality doesnt need to be defined as religious, however, and there are many non-12 step programs that offer holistic approaches as essential components of the healing process.

According to Dr. George Cave of Malibu Hills and Prominence Treatment Centers, two non 12- step rehab facilities in California, There are some who assume spirituality is the same as belief in God as expressed by traditional religious institutions. This is NOT the case. When understood as a power greater than self, spirituality can be thought of as an existing sober community or as an individually defined sense of connectedness or wellness that contributes to ongoing recovery, health and happiness.

The spiritual experience of connectedness comes in all shapes and sizes for some it is in fellowship with others, others experience it in the solitude of nature, still others experience spirituality when participating in acts of service.

So, if spirituality doesnt look like Bible study on a Sunday, what could it look like instead? The true intention of spirituality on a macro level is really to focus on the nourishment of your soul and spirit. Still pretty abstract, right? But at a time when youre looking to build a new foundation for life, perhaps abstract is just what the doctor ordered your prescription is to seek out healthy habits that make you happy and recognize that happiness with a certain sacred gratitude.

Theres a sense of fellowship in spirituality, whether youre sitting in the same cathedral or carrying out the same rituals alone but with a sense of belonging to something bigger. Find your own congregation is it at an AA meeting? A yoga class? A Meetup group for film aficionados? An organization volunteering to change the world? What would you feel better for having done? Seek out people to do that with, and form a common bond thats stronger than the tenuous connections formed from bad habits. The companionship and mentorship from others is incredibly important to living well.

"The companionship and mentorship from others is incredibly important to living well."

Human beings are biologically hardwired to be socially engaged, says Dr. Cave. The sense of connection and healthy interdependence are hallmarks of mental health. Spirituality can be thought of as an expression of these profound human needs, promote sobriety, global health and well-being.

Sounds great in theory, right? But its all too easy to lose sight of the urgency and importance of incorporating spirituality into your recovery when you feel overwhelmed with new emotions, circumstances and realizations it may even feel self-indulgent to dedicate time to seek out pleasure when doing so through addiction has consumed your life. A complete absence of joy isnt likely to lead to lasting contentment or peace either, however, so replace your negative patterns with positive influences.

Spirituality offers people the opportunity to deepen into the wonder and awe of everyday living in ways that may be difficult to put into words but are nonetheless apparent when experienced, says Dr. Cave.

Here are some of Dr. Caves observations on the lesser-known advantages of living a more spiritual life: Sober people who engage in daily spiritual practice, consistently over time, often report a variety of enhanced experiences colors seem more vivid, emotions resonate more deeply, people, places or things they never appreciated or took for granted in the past now seem to suddenly take on new significance and vibrancy.

According to the book How God Changes Your Brain, recent breakthroughs in neuroscience confirm that people who engage in daily spiritual practice (with or without a belief in God) appear to strengthen centers in the brain responsible for contentment, emotional resilience, improved mood, better and longer global health, and relationships proving a biological benefit to connecting with your sense of spirituality. Even something as simple as a daily meditation practice could be a good starting point and isnt difficult or costly to start with the plethora of meditation apps and videos available for free.

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Redefining Spirituality on the Road to Recovery - Beliefnet

From such passages, one can find remarkable similarities between Vivekanandas thoughts and those of modern philosopher-cosmologists such as John Wheeler and Martin Rees, especially the concept of the big crunch and the idea of a multiverse. One cannot overemphasise that Vivekananda expressed these thoughts in 1895, 10 years before the much-celebrated set of papers of Albert Einstein was published, heralding a new age in Physics.

VIVEKANANDA AND TESLA

A tangible link between such ideas and the real world of science was the engineer-inventor Nikola Tesla. Years before Vivekanandas visit to the US, the Hungarian-born Tesla had already made several path-breaking discoveries. For instance, arc lighting (1886), alternating current power generation, motors, and transmission systems (1888), and the Tesla coil transformer (1891). In January and February 1896, he most likely attended Vivekanandas lectures in Hard-man Hall or Madison Square Garden, New York, as Vivekananda later mentioned in an address at Kumbakonam:

I have myself been told by some of the best scientific minds of the day how wonder-fully rational the conclusions of Vedanta are. I know one of them personally, who scarcely has time to eat his meal or go out of his laboratory, but who yet would stand by the hour to attend my lectures on the Vedanta; for, as he expresses it, they are so scientific, they so exactly harmonise with the aspirations of the age and with the conclusions to which modern science is coming at the present time.

Tesla was practically living in his Houston Street Laboratory in New York at that time, and fits Vivekanandas description of the scientist mentioned above. They did meet at the Corbins house (a mansion on Fifth Avenue, New York City) for dinner on February 5, 1896, and Vivekananda almost certainly ex-plained Snkhy cosmology to Tesla and asked him questions, for we know of the letter from Tesla to Vivekananda dated February 8, 1896:

As it would be difficult to answer your questions by letter and as I wish to have the pleasure of meeting you again I would suggest a visit to my laboratory 45 East Houston Street any day next week you find convenient.

They agreed to meet, as Vivekananda wrote in a letter to E.T. Sturdy dated 13 February 1896, recollecting the manner of their earlier encounter, following a performance of Isiel by the famous French artiste, Madame Sarah Bernhardt:

Madame spying me in the audience wanted to have an interview with me. A swell family of my acquaintance arranged the affair. There were besides Madame, M. Morrel, the celebrated singer, also the great electrician Tesla. Madame is a very scholarly lady and has studied up the metaphysics a good deal. M. Morrel was being interested, but Mr Tesla was charmed to hear about the Vedantic Prna and ksha and the Kalpas, which according to him are the only theories modern science can entertain.

In the same letter, Vivekananda proceeds to sketch his ambitious plan to ensure that Vedantic cosmology will be placed on the surest of foundations:

Now both ksha and Prna again are produced from the cosmic Mahat, the Universal Mind, the Brahm or Ishvara. Mr Tesla thinks he can demonstrate mathematically that force and matter are reducible to potential energy. I am to go and see him next week, to get this new mathematical demonstration. I am work-ing a good deal now upon the cosmology and eschatology of Vedanta. I clearly see their perfect unison with modern science, and the elucidation of the one will be followed by that of the other. I intend to write a book later on in the form of questions and answers. The first chapter will be on cosmology, showing the harmony between Vedantic theories and modern science.

This is followed by an extraordinary diagrammatic representation (reproduced on the previous page).

Vivekananda wanted to work all this out carefully, explaining each step of the process of manifestation, from the highest levels of Brahman or the Absolute, to the lowest regions of matter.

Unfortunately, there is no record of this meeting between Vivekananda and Tesla; possibly it never took place. Nor did Vivekananda go on to write his book reconciling Advaita Vedanta with modern science. Vivekanandas disappointment at the failure of this marriage between Vedantic cosmology and modern science (modern in the 1890s) is clear in his lecture in Lahore:

There is the unity of force, Prna; there is the unity of matter, called ksha. Is there any unity to be found among them again? Can they be melted into one? Our modern science is mute here; it has not yet found its way out.

Einsteins landmark papers were published in 1905, three years after the death of Vivekananda. For the first time the interchangeability of matter and energy was considered possible. It is interest-ing to note that even as late as the 1930s, Tesla did not quite agree. When he was finally convinced of the famous Einstein equation E = mc2, he wrote a letter that remained unpublished in his lifetime, and was first brought to public knowledge by his biographer John J. ONeill:

Long ago he (man) recognised that all perceptible matter comes from a primary substance, or a tenuity beyond conception, filling all space, the ksha or luminiferous ether, which is acted upon by the life-giving Prna or creative force, calling into existence, in never-ending cycles, all things and phenomena. The primary substance, thrown into infinitesimal whirls of prodigious velocity, be-comes gross matter; the force subsiding, the motion ceases and matter disappears, reverting to the primary substance.

It is amazing that 40 years after his meeting the Swami, Tesla remembered the Sanskrit terms ksha and Prna, which Vivekananda had used so extensively in his expositions of the unity between science and spirituality.

UNFINISHED TASK

Modern Physics is busy grappling with the issues of expansion of this universe (the cosmological constant), the funda-mental particles that arose right after the Big Bang explosion, the Unified Field Theory, and so on. But the question alluded to indirectly by Vivekananda, namely, what gives rise to ksha and Prna, is even today considered meta-physics rather than physics. Moreover, the moment of quantum mysticism has also passed. Appropriated by New Age faddists, attempts to connect physics with Eastern philosophy have come to be regarded by most practicing scientists as pseudoscience or quackery. Despite brave attempts by the likes of Amit Goswami (The Self-aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World. New York: Putnams Sons, 1993), the desire to offer a Vedantic picture of the universe that also satisfies the truth-conditions and methodological demands of contemporary physics may be said to have largely failed.

Nevertheless, what we notice are interesting parallels in the manner in which the two sides conceptualise or imagine reality.

These parallels or resemblances are mostly metaphorical; they create the effect of narrative likeness. However, the two languages, that of science and spirituality, are distinct, with no possibility of overlap, at least at present.

The language of science, no matter how closely it may seem similar to that of spirituality, is actually mathematics, with precise sounding equations and fixity of meaning. The proof is through experimental verification; the theory must fit the data. The language of spirituality, on the other hand, is poetic, reveling in figurative language, open to a hundred different interpretations. It is impossible, therefore, to collapse the one into the other.

Vivekananda, in that sense, could not have anticipated the unity that the physicists were after in their pursuit of the theory of everything. But his speculations and assertions sound similar to the latters ideas and conceptualisations. That is the difficulty with those who make scientific claims on behalf of spirituality. Such claims are not sustain-able precisely because they fail the truth standards and demarcation protocols of science. At best, spiritual constructions of the universe sound similar to those of some scientists at times, but such similarities cannot be considered sufficient proof that spirituality is somehow scientific.

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Vedanta & Modern Physics: Why The Marriage Of Spirituality And Science Is Difficult - Swarajya

March is for hockey. High school hockey.

This was my religion from 1975 to 1978, and if I were honest with myself, for decades later. I take a week off every March to watch the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament because it brings me back to the important things of my past.

I was a high school hockey player during those years. A goalie. We were raised by she-wolf-like women who ran St. Paul city playgrounds. There was a playground director by the name of Kathy Hare, a speed skating competitor who gave us skating lessons and taught us how to push off and extend the leg. We spent hours at night and on weekends on these playgrounds with the outdoor ice that ran through our veins.

We were dedicated to its existence with late nights pulling on long firehoses, flooding the rink for the next day's skaters who dreamed to be heroes and champions.

All kinds of kids hung out at the playgrounds. Rich, poor, black, white, Irish and Romanians. And yes, Vikings fans and Packer fans. Neighborhoods were not as defined as they are now. The business owner lived next to the tradesman. Their kids were on the same teams. So, sports united us more than class.

The St. Paul city leaders knew something the sociologists had to study: Communities need a meeting place and an activity, a sport, where race and class and status can be equalized and communitized. They knew that kids could stay out of trouble in a relative way if they had a place of their own.

Religion in St. Paul tended Catholic. Hockey blended with religion and that was good for religion.

The dozen or so Catholic grade schools had hockey teams. I switched to St. Andrews in 6th grade hoping to make one of their five grade school hockey teams. They had an A, B and three C teams. I didn't make any of them. The coach told me I just wasn't experienced enough.

In 7th grade, I switched back to the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and tried out for their one hockey team. But the Blessed Virgin did not look favorably on me or my goaltending skills.

There was a guy named Thomas Raiche who beat me out for goalie. The only thing he ever said to me was he liked to "eat pizza and sleep." So I was not a stellar player to get beat by Raiche.

I tried out for the North End regional hockey pee wee team. Got cut.

So, it was back to the Front Street playground team, another switch. Catching cold pucks in outdoor hockey tends to hurt more than getting cut. But, like others in these neighborhoods, I endured because hockey was what you did in the winter.

Then one day my parents got a call. Seems the North End regional team wanted to take another look at me. The two goalies they chose were not doing that well. We're talking pee wees here and it's like the NHL draft. I went to practice. They apparently liked what they saw.

I was the starter in their next game the dreaded and hated Harding area team that beat us 8-0 in the first game. At some point in life, kids are tested, sometimes when they are not yet 13. It's not ideal.

Parents are ready to cry before their kids at disappointment in sports. It's a black and white thing. Win or lose. They worry that their kids are not yet ready to understand the gray areas of life.

My parents didn't have to worry. We won 2-0. My first shutout. Ever. I was blocking pucks with body parts I didn't know I had. There are no words that could describe my feelings as a 12-year-old kid coming to this hockey redemption. When I think of it today, I get goosebumps.

I was in. Accepted. Self confidence skyrocketed.

This early success led to later achievements, an idea that I think about often. I eventually became the starting goalie as a sophomore on my high school hockey team, the Washington Prexies.

While we did not make the state tournament like Johnson and Harding, we had moments in my senior year. I recorded two shutouts, both against Central, the worst team in the league. We upset St. Thomas in the first round of the playoffs but lost to St. Paul Academy.

Today I consider others who had an impact on my glory days. My accomplishment was not achieved without the tireless work of volunteer coaches, blue collar guys who had full-time jobs, and who were not hesitant to advise us about premarital sex in blue-collar terms effective for their clarity.

Sponsors were the unsung heroes of youth sports.

The Iron Workers local union sponsored us, as did the VFW on Rice Street. Unions and organizations had an incredible commitment to youth that seems to have faded away. I'm not sure why, but I suspect it has something to with poverty and crime and the loss of union jobs.

The North End, Rice Street, was recently described as the poorest neighborhood in St. Paul. Youth hockey is all but gone. But I've got a 40-year-old puck in a 40-year-old Riedell goalie skate box to remember it by. Some things are worth remembering as long as we can carry them forward.

Confidence of youth, community well-being. These are serious subjects we must consider, always.

We often underestimate the confidence-building power of athletics. But sports is not the only place we can find this confidence. We can gain them in academics, robotics, speech, debate, band, choir and the arts. And we should pursue and support them whenever we can, as much as we can.

Young people matter. Let's remember our own experiences and help them win with confidence, endurance and the mental stamina required for understanding that it's how you play the game any and every game that matters.

Winning with regard to this idea isn't everything. It's the only thing.

Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6382 or jspear@mankatofreepress.com. Follow on Twitter @jfspear.

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The spirituality of hockey ... and other things that matter - Mankato Free Press

The Rev. Cal Lord For The Bulletin

A couple of weeks ago my friend, John, dropped by for a visit.He came bearing a gift.He said he immediately thought of me when he bought it.He told me he had it for a couple of years but it took him a while to make the delivery.

I almost cried when I opened the package.It was a beautiful Hallmark figurine depicting the Peanuts' character, Linus, holding his shepherd's crook. Written on the base is the phrase, "That's what Christmas is all about..." It was precious.

John and I worked together in the play, "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" several years ago. We met and hit it off right away. He's funny and very creative. He played Snoopy and I was Linus. It was so much fun to work with him.

Yet the two of us had another link. It was our common faith in Jesus Christ. John is a Roman Catholic. I am a Baptist pastor. We often had opportunities to talk about our faith when we were back stage. It helped form a bond that I cherish.

Most people know that Charles Schulz, Peanuts creator, was a devout Christian. Schulz added a new dimension to the funny pages by using the strips to subtly raise questions aboutthe nature of God,the Bible and even the power of prayer. By mixing the antics of Charlie Brown and the gang with questions of spirituality he made his readers laugh while inviting them to explore a depth of conversation that was unusual in the comics. It was his way of sharing his faith.

That's when it hit me: Why couldn't we do the same thing with the opportunities that God gives us?You've heard the quote from Francis of Assisi: "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." Schulz used his comics.

Like Linus, in the scene from the famous Christmas pageant, let's use our moment in the spotlight to tell the world what faith is all about. You never know whose life you will touch and the friends you will make.

P.S. Thank you, John.

God bless. See you in church.

The Rev. Cal Lord, of Norwich, is the pastor of Central Baptist Church of Westerly. Reach him at calstigers@gmail.com.

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SPIRITUALITY: Christians are urged to preach the Gospel at all times - Norwich Bulletin

By Keith Louthan StarNews Correspondent

Come on Amy...Finish!! The call? An urgent whisper. Encouragement to continue. Exhortation to endure. The command to finish rather than quit. We should relate. Who has not heard the bellowing voice of Bela Karolyi urging 1996 Olympian Kerri Strug as she stared down the runway with a broken leg and Americas gymnastic hopes riding on her last vault, You caan doooo eeet! You caaan dooo eeet!? Through pain and tears and memories of past failures, Strug stuck her landing, vaulting into Olympic fame.

But what if the eyes of the world are not watching? No world class coach urging you on? What if the necessary heroic effort will not make you a hero? What if the payoff for all your hours, and all your exhausting training is merely the possibility of maintaining a grip on daily activities most adults consider mindless and easy?

This is the daily regimen for my wife and other brain cancer survivors. The grind is exhausting. The gains miniscule compared to the effort required. The dis voices -- discouragement, disillusionment, disappointment -- shout with greater clarity than the quiet, privately urgent calling to continue the treadmill, barre, yoga, visual training, and core work necessary to combat the cumulative effects of brain cancer, surgery and the radiation to kill any remaining vestige. But radiation kills more than just cancer. The brain stem and cerebellum are agonizingly slow to heal.

When Karolyi called to Strug, his words carried the encouragement of possibility, but also the urgency of obligation. He called to an Olympian, the last remaining competitor in the last team event. Strug did what an Olympian should do. When my wife exhorts herself, her voice carries the same encouragement and obligation, voiced through weary breaths. Amy ought to continue. She wants to walk unaided. She has an active family. She wants to teach and speak. With no medal to strive for, she should finish. And she does. Every day.

It is not just Olympians and survivors who get called. Everyone needs both momentary and life defining calls. Everyone wrestles to understand their calling. We sense there is something we should be doing, some purpose for which to strive and live, uniquely prepared for each of us. Doctors and carpenters. Landscapers and homemakers. Teachers and designers. Artists and athletes. Uniquely equipped. Uniquely talented. Uniquely called by a voice which both encourages and obligates.

But there is a crisis of calling in our day. Forbes says that 53 percent of the American workforce feels out of place in their careers. Parade indicates that only 38 percent feel that they are doing what they were meant to do. And Business Insider says that a shocking 80 percent actually hate their jobs. What call do these hear? What voice encourages their efforts? What words reinforce their obligation? The next column will deal more specifically with these numbers, but for now, lets deal only with the discouragement evidenced there.

Kerri Strug responded to the call with a broken leg, on which she would have to land in order to fulfill her purpose as an Olympic athlete and teammate. Amy responds in the loneliness of our home, her private brokenness no less an obstacle as she fights for daily normalcy. The called must inevitably respond through the brokenness of life. The statistics indicate a broken workforce, but the response seems saturated in bitterness, not resolve. Amy never urges Come on...FINISH! at the beginning of a rehab session. The call always comes near exhaustion, at the point of decision. Finish or quit.

Consider YOUR calling, brothers the Bible urges. The words of Paul echo through history as his letter to the Corinthians is read. This calling is uniquely suited for and ultimately answered by YOU. 1 Corinthians continues, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world...and because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'

God chose...God chose...God chose. The essence of calling thrice repeated. God calls. Encouragement and responsibility issue from the same cross. Not reserved for the talented, but rather to each, individually. Our response invited. Our brokenness seen and shared. Our endurance supported. Come on! You can! He calls, FINISH! Dont quit.

Keith Louthan is a husband (to Amy), a father (to Austin, Hunter and Ellison), a former high school math teacher and coach, and most recently, a pastor. Send your thoughts and questions to him at Keith.Louthan@StarNewsOnline.com.

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Spirituality: Consider your unique calling - StarNewsOnline.com

NEW YORK Moments before the bell rings, Keith Thurman sits in the dressing room, and serenity envelops him.

He meditates, and visualizes the fight before him: all the hardships he might endure; the cracking fists his opponent is sure to taste.

The next time he reaches that moment of clarity, it will be Saturday at Brooklyns Barclays Center, minutes before a career-defining fight: a welterweight title unification meeting with fellow undefeated boxer Danny Garcia (9 p.m. ET, CBS).

Thurman, with his long, brown ponytail and scraggly beard, is a spiritual being, and he exercises his brain in many ways during camp. The 28-year-old currently is reading The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture that details a warrior (Arjuna) readying for battle to establish Dharma.

Before the battle occurs, he goes through this emotional mood swing of pretty much almost not wanting to enter into this war, Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) told USA TODAY Sports during a sit-down at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott on Wednesday, and God just strengthens his heart and says this is what needs to be done right now.

The Gita is one of those books that lets you know this battle is destined and it needs to happen.

Thurman says his highly anticipated battle with Garcia, too, must happen, and that he holds no fear of losing the precious 0 at the end of his ledger. After 20-plus years of fighting, One Time says he knows how to handle his emotions both before and during battle.

The Clearwater, Fla., native also draws inspiration from the many musical instruments he plays, like the Indian flute recorder, guitar and piano well, hes still working on the intricacies of the keys.

I call myself the worlds best faker, said Thurman. It was hard to get piano lessons, it was hard to dedicate myself into reading the music, but it doesnt stop me from touching the keys. It allows me to play it like Im a kid in the sandbox.

The recorder, though, is where he really hits his note. Thurman says rather than playing popular tunes, he creates his own melodies and plays for himself.

Theres also Thurmans travels to the east (he calls the American passport a Willy Wonka golden ticket). He trekked to Japan following a June victory against Shawn Porter, the biggest win of his career. Thurman spent most of his two-week stay in Tokyo, but also visited some of the 260-plus temples and shrines in Kyoto.

There he met a 101-year-old woman who inspired him to carry on with good health and longevity into the future.

Right now, though, Thurman is solely focused on the present. Garcia will be a stern challenge as the more experienced fighter, and a fellow boxer who packs power in both hands.

So moments before his music hits Saturday, Thurman will sit in his red, white and blue trunks, meditate and reflect on what the eight-week training camp was like. Hell visualize the fight at hand, and says hell have a plan in mind for any calamity he might encounter.

Yes, this guys going to throw punches at you, but when you land those punches, hes going to have to take those punches that you were landing on that heavy bag. And those are big, heavy punches, Thurman said of his visualization plan.

His first spoken word was ball, and Thurman believes he created very good hand-eye coordination at a young age. The soft-spoken fighter says he was able to shoot pool, play chess and ice skate, all at age 4, three years before his first boxing lesson.

Thurman says that brought him three important attributes he would use on his way to becoming one of the sports elite fighters decades later: understanding of angles, cognitive thinking and balance.

Were going to be wearing 8-ounce gloves, he continues with his pre-fight visualization. You are the stronger man. I believe that today I still am the strongest welterweight and I plan on proving that come Saturday night.

Now, Thurman becomes more animated as the SUV pulls up to Gleasons Gym for his workout.

He clearly was going through the motions of his upcoming encounter like the time he survived a crushing body shot from Luis Collazo? Thurman credits it to visualization. Hes imagining all the challenges Garcia will present as he delves further into his pre-fight routine.

Soon, there will be no more reflecting. No brainstroming. It will simply be a step, a right hand, and the thud of leather on skin before 10,000-plus screaming fans and millions more watching on TV.

Thurman wont have to imagine because hell be in the moment.

(Photo of Thurman duringa media workout Wednesday by Ed Diller, DiBella Entertainment)

Excerpt from:

Keith Thurman's spirituality lets him visualize how unification bout against Danny Garcia will play out - USA TODAY