Feb-March-Apr 2017 Vol 27 - No.14

Raadhika Dosa D'Cruz1st May 2017

It is after a long gap that we bring you a brand new issue of The Mustard Seed. This year has been eventful, to say the least! The world seems to have shrunk, connected by common cause: a lack of tolerance.

Everywhere people too busy, too angry, too bored or too miserable to care about anything or anyone. We are all intolerant, driven by our ingrained prejudices and ignorance. It is how we are built, our human nature

Let us all pray for a kinder, gentler world. Let us make the effort and consciously strive to be a bit more patient, a bit more compassionate, a bit more tolerant of the world we live in. Submission is not a sign of defeat, rather an acceptance of the world with Grace. Sadly, Grace has been sorely missing, along with kindness and a forgiving heart. Love and gratitude have almost vanished. Are we still human?

We are all the good Lord's creation, all of us born together on this earth. Why then do we choose to live in anger and impatience, with a sense of entitlement and superiority as human beings over other creatures? Are we truly, genuinely people of God or are our prayers mere words, our values hollow lessons of the Divine? What good are our prayers if we do not mean the Spirit that guides them?

Practise compassion and forgiveness. Practise tolerance. There are problems and there are inconveniences. We must learn to differentiate between them. We must learn to be more forgiving of others and of ourselves.

How have you practised tolerance today??

PS: We have been unable to print the last issues due to lack of funds, but we have Faith that

everything will be fine again! Your generosity keeps us in Ink and stamps !!

TOLERANCE

My dear Raadhika,This is to wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year. May God guard, guide and direct you every moment of the year to carry on the wonderful work you are doing so well. You have my daily prayers.

Sr. Victorine

You start dying slowlyif you do not travel,if you do not read,If you do not listen to the sounds of life,If you do not appreciate yourself.You start dying slowlyWhen you kill your self-esteem;When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowlyIf you become a slave of your habits,Walking everyday on the same paths…If you do not change your routine,If you do not wear different coloursOr you do not speak to those you don't know.

You start dying slowlyIf you avoid to feel passionAnd their turbulent emotions;Those which make your eyes glistenAnd your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowlyIf you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,If you do not go after a dream,If you do not allow yourself,At least once in your lifetime,To run away from sensible advice…

- Pablo NerudaSpanish poet won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971

Raadhika,

I must say 'Mustard Seed' is a good instrument doing so much good to those who read it. May it reach many more people. I pray for God's blessings on your efforts which will be funded by God's own power.

Sr. Magdalen

Dear Raadhika,

My friend Dorothy introduced me to The Mustard Seed, Feb-Apr 2016. On reading this journal, I was so impressed that I had a great insight and transformation from the words of wisdom contained there in.

I would be grateful if you would mail me hard copies of TMS.

Walter Mascarenhas

Dear Raadhika,

Lovely articles! Your article on Mother was wonderful! Keep up the good work.

Karen Vaswani

step over ants

put worms back in the grass

rescue baby caterpillars

release spiders back

into your garden

open windows for bees to fly home

they are all little souls

that deserve a life too.

I am amazed with how we can learn Life's lessons from anywhere, at anytime and from anyone. Are we open to seeing them and learn?I was long due to visit the dentist for a routine. As I entered the clinic I was pleasantly greeted by the dentist's little daughter... She couldn't be older than 5 but she was a talker. Soon she regaled me with stories about a vacation, little bugs on the beach, school and homework (the teacher was rather demanding - too much coloring), stories about a party she attended and I was entertained. Soon I was called in and I had to, rather reluctantly, say goodbye. So I sought some parting advice and I asked her, "Should I be frightened of the dentist?" She looked at me and very seriously replied, "No! He is my father."

I was stumped and speechless. From the mouth of a babe came a reply so honest and true; a profound truth and one that exuded a feeling of immense security, evoking abundant confidence. That is a faith we need to get us through life and it's many hurdles.

FAITH ~

That sometimes doubts and if we can trust mere mortals how much more should be our faith in the divine.

The world is certainly a classroom!

- Jen Mathew

THE GOD HONEST TRUTH

YOU START DYING SLOWLY

Jack Kornfield

Kites in the skyThey circled the sky as I watered theplants this evening.Claws clenched, eyes looking for preyParched soil, thirsty for water,I hurried back and forth to fill thepitcher againWhile at a distance the azzanannounce the sunset andthe orange sky slowly turned to grey

- Revati Malati

If you can sit quietly after difficultnews, if in financial downturnsyou remain perfectly calm, if youcan see your neighbors travel to fantastic places without a twingeof jealousy, if you can happily eatwhatever is put on your plate, andfall asleep after a day of runningaround without a drink or a pill ...if you can always findcontentment just where you are,you are probably a dog.

My dear Raadhika,This is to wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year. May God guard, guide and direct you every moment of the year to carry on the wonderful work you are doing so well. You have my daily prayers.

Sr. Victorine

You start dying slowlyif you do not travel,if you do not read,If you do not listen to the sounds of life,If you do not appreciate yourself.You start dying slowlyWhen you kill your self-esteem;When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowlyIf you become a slave of your habits,Walking everyday on the same paths…If you do not change your routine,If you do not wear different coloursOr you do not speak to those you don't know.

You start dying slowlyIf you avoid to feel passionAnd their turbulent emotions;Those which make your eyes glistenAnd your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowlyIf you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,If you do not go after a dream,If you do not allow yourself,At least once in your lifetime,To run away from sensible advice…

- Pablo NerudaSpanish poet won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971

Raadhika,

I must say 'Mustard Seed' is a good instrument doing so much good to those who read it. May it reach many more people. I pray for God's blessings on your efforts which will be funded by God's own power.

Sr. Magdalen

Dear Raadhika,

My friend Dorothy introduced me to The Mustard Seed, Feb-Apr 2016. On reading this journal, I was so impressed that I had a great insight and transformation from the words of wisdom contained there in.

I would be grateful if you would mail me hard copies of TMS.

Walter Mascarenhas

Dear Raadhika,

Lovely articles! Your article on Mother was wonderful! Keep up the good work.

Karen Vaswani

step over ants

put worms back in the grass

rescue baby caterpillars

release spiders back

into your garden

open windows for bees to fly home

they are all little souls

that deserve a life too.

I am amazed with how we can learn Life's lessons from anywhere, at anytime and from anyone. Are we open to seeing them and learn?I was long due to visit the dentist for a routine. As I entered the clinic I was pleasantly greeted by the dentist's little daughter... She couldn't be older than 5 but she was a talker. Soon she regaled me with stories about a vacation, little bugs on the beach, school and homework (the teacher was rather demanding - too much coloring), stories about a party she attended and I was entertained. Soon I was called in and I had to, rather reluctantly, say goodbye. So I sought some parting advice and I asked her, "Should I be frightened of the dentist?" She looked at me and very seriously replied, "No! He is my father."

I was stumped and speechless. From the mouth of a babe came a reply so honest and true; a profound truth and one that exuded a feeling of immense security, evoking abundant confidence. That is a faith we need to get us through life and it's many hurdles.

FAITH ~

That sometimes doubts and if we can trust mere mortals how much more should be our faith in the divine.

The world is certainly a classroom!

- Jen Mathew

THE GOD HONEST TRUTH

YOU START DYING SLOWLY

Jack Kornfield

Kites in the skyThey circled the sky as I watered theplants this evening.Claws clenched, eyes looking for preyParched soil, thirsty for water,I hurried back and forth to fill thepitcher againWhile at a distance the azzanannounce the sunset andthe orange sky slowly turned to grey

- Revati Malati

If you can sit quietly after difficultnews, if in financial downturnsyou remain perfectly calm, if youcan see your neighbors travel to fantastic places without a twingeof jealousy, if you can happily eatwhatever is put on your plate, andfall asleep after a day of runningaround without a drink or a pill ...if you can always findcontentment just where you are,you are probably a dog.

ONE LIFE TOO MANY

4

As dusk fell she saved the situation by reading from a book she was carrying with her. I became interested. Quoting from the book called 'Raja Yoga', by Swami Sivananda, from a place called Rishikesh, she held an hour-long discourse on the cause of our happiness and our sadness. She maintained both were false but appear to be real because we are deluded and in ignorance and unable to see the Truth as it really is.“I will not comment, but simply read the text as it is,” she said, 'if you want me to stop, just hold your hand up. Patanjali's yoga sutra has many commentators. But Swami Sivananda's is the simplest I think and easiest to understand”.We put everyth ing away and concentrated on what she was going to read. “What are afflictions?”“The afflictions (kleshas) are ignorance (avidya), egoism (asmita), attachment (raga), hatred (dwesha), and clinging to life (abhinivesha) (II – 3).”“These disorders of the mind cause physical malady and are impediments in the path of meditation. By their very nature, they bring about thought–waves which cause the rise of other thought-waves which then support each other for their continuation in the mind. Thus, if one removes one, the associated thought-waves will also die. For example, if we remove our clinging to life (abhinivesha), then along with it, both the currents of raga (attachment) and dislikes/hatred (dwesha) will die too. In a sense therefore, even removing raga (attachment) and hatred/dislike, can result in the death of ‘clinging to life’. Thus, it is clear, that to remove one thought-wave, one needs to work on the eradication of other associated thought–waves. The same can be said about egoism. If you remove egoism

(asmita) the two currents of like and dislike will also vanish.”“The root for egoism, likes and dislikes, clinging to life, is ignorance (avidya). If ignorance is destroyed by getting Knowledge of Atman, through samadhi, the other four (egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life) will die by themselves.”“Our actions are supported by afflictions of the mind. In turn, the afflictions support the actions taken. There is a mutual give and take, and one without the other cannot exist. This cycle can be compared to a seed and a tree, one gives birth to the other. Within the seed is the tree and the tree bears fruit and seed."“It is these five ties of egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life and ignorance which bind a man to the wheel of life and death. Ignorance is the base on which the other four stand, together causing the life and death cycle. In fact, the four- egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life- are only a modification of the fifth: ignorance. Even Sin and its associate Pain are modifications of ignorance and manifest in those who have forgotten their true nature: an all- pure, all- blissful and Eternal Atmaan.”She stopped there. We were all a little confused. “But what is this ignorance, he is talking about? And what is knowledge?” I ventured.The pravjajika smiled. “The knowledge you are talking about is not the Knowledge Patanjali speaks of. His Knowledge is that of knowing the Truth, the supreme truth, that we are all a part of the Whole, which is Parmatma.”“Then, what is the meaning of worship?” I asked, bewildered. “If we are god himself, then who is it we must worship?”

DO YOU PRAY?

5

“We worship as long as we are ignorant of ourselves, of who we really are,” she replied.“Once we realize the truth, we cease to worship in the same manner because what we seek in worship and who we are is the same.”None of us could understand clearly. The more we talked the thicker the wall of not understanding grew. Opaque as it was, we fumbled with thoughts and words to clarify the meaning, but indeed it only got worse. “This is because of avidya, the thick wall that keeps us from understanding our reality. The more we talk about our true nature, the more we become confused.”We laughed nervously.She continued with a smile, “This is why self-realization is more a practice that a discourse, Patanjali says.”“And what might be the practice?” asked the newly wedded bride.“For now, it is better to enjoy your marriage and live it fully. It is one of the practices called karma, action, doing one's actions, although, as Patanjali says, it must be done without any hope for fruits or result of that action.”“Very difficult!” the bride's mother exclaimed, 'Very difficult! It is easier said than done!”“I absolutely agree,” the pravrajika agreed, “which is why, we do what we

have to do, without bothering about what the consequences might be. Although it is good to know that there is another path which leads us, out of human suffering and that is the path of yoga, as a spiritual practice.”I continued to be interested, but the rest had switched off. The pravrajika, went back to her book while we engaged in worldly talks. For a while, the rapt silence in the compartment and the sound of the running wheels of the train were in stark comparison with each other. It was like the clash of the inner and the outer world, the very thoughts read out this moment of how to rise above the ordinariness of life. To me the reading was like taking a holy dip in the river Ganga, to many others it affected in other ways. “Actually, our lives are so different in the world, we have no time to think of the other-worldly things. Thank god, we are traveling with you; we too have tasted the nectar, which for you is your daily practice and purity of thought and action,” said the lady with her daughter.The pravrajika smiled. “Not at all, I would say. I have my own afflictions, which may differ from yours, but they are there as well!”

- Julia Dutta

Please read Julia’s book ‘One Life Too Many’

I loved this interpretation of Prayer. What is prayer? Prayer doesn’t just happen when we kneel or put our hands together and focus and expect things from God. Thinking positive and wishing good for others is a prayer. When you hug a friend, that’s a prayer. When you cook something to nourish friends and family, that’s a prayer. When we send of our dear ones and say, ‘drive safely’ or ‘be safe’, that’s a prayer. When you are helping someone in need by giving your time and energy, you are praying. When you forgive someone in your heart, that is prayer. Prayer is vibration, a feeling, a thought. Prayer is the voice of love, friendship, genuine relationships. Prayer is an expression of your silent being. Keep praying always.

ONE LIFE TOO MANY

4

As dusk fell she saved the situation by reading from a book she was carrying with her. I became interested. Quoting from the book called 'Raja Yoga', by Swami Sivananda, from a place called Rishikesh, she held an hour-long discourse on the cause of our happiness and our sadness. She maintained both were false but appear to be real because we are deluded and in ignorance and unable to see the Truth as it really is.“I will not comment, but simply read the text as it is,” she said, 'if you want me to stop, just hold your hand up. Patanjali's yoga sutra has many commentators. But Swami Sivananda's is the simplest I think and easiest to understand”.We put everyth ing away and concentrated on what she was going to read. “What are afflictions?”“The afflictions (kleshas) are ignorance (avidya), egoism (asmita), attachment (raga), hatred (dwesha), and clinging to life (abhinivesha) (II – 3).”“These disorders of the mind cause physical malady and are impediments in the path of meditation. By their very nature, they bring about thought–waves which cause the rise of other thought-waves which then support each other for their continuation in the mind. Thus, if one removes one, the associated thought-waves will also die. For example, if we remove our clinging to life (abhinivesha), then along with it, both the currents of raga (attachment) and dislikes/hatred (dwesha) will die too. In a sense therefore, even removing raga (attachment) and hatred/dislike, can result in the death of ‘clinging to life’. Thus, it is clear, that to remove one thought-wave, one needs to work on the eradication of other associated thought–waves. The same can be said about egoism. If you remove egoism

(asmita) the two currents of like and dislike will also vanish.”“The root for egoism, likes and dislikes, clinging to life, is ignorance (avidya). If ignorance is destroyed by getting Knowledge of Atman, through samadhi, the other four (egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life) will die by themselves.”“Our actions are supported by afflictions of the mind. In turn, the afflictions support the actions taken. There is a mutual give and take, and one without the other cannot exist. This cycle can be compared to a seed and a tree, one gives birth to the other. Within the seed is the tree and the tree bears fruit and seed."“It is these five ties of egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life and ignorance which bind a man to the wheel of life and death. Ignorance is the base on which the other four stand, together causing the life and death cycle. In fact, the four- egoism, attachment, hatred, clinging to life- are only a modification of the fifth: ignorance. Even Sin and its associate Pain are modifications of ignorance and manifest in those who have forgotten their true nature: an all- pure, all- blissful and Eternal Atmaan.”She stopped there. We were all a little confused. “But what is this ignorance, he is talking about? And what is knowledge?” I ventured.The pravjajika smiled. “The knowledge you are talking about is not the Knowledge Patanjali speaks of. His Knowledge is that of knowing the Truth, the supreme truth, that we are all a part of the Whole, which is Parmatma.”“Then, what is the meaning of worship?” I asked, bewildered. “If we are god himself, then who is it we must worship?”

DO YOU PRAY?

5

“We worship as long as we are ignorant of ourselves, of who we really are,” she replied.“Once we realize the truth, we cease to worship in the same manner because what we seek in worship and who we are is the same.”None of us could understand clearly. The more we talked the thicker the wall of not understanding grew. Opaque as it was, we fumbled with thoughts and words to clarify the meaning, but indeed it only got worse. “This is because of avidya, the thick wall that keeps us from understanding our reality. The more we talk about our true nature, the more we become confused.”We laughed nervously.She continued with a smile, “This is why self-realization is more a practice that a discourse, Patanjali says.”“And what might be the practice?” asked the newly wedded bride.“For now, it is better to enjoy your marriage and live it fully. It is one of the practices called karma, action, doing one's actions, although, as Patanjali says, it must be done without any hope for fruits or result of that action.”“Very difficult!” the bride's mother exclaimed, 'Very difficult! It is easier said than done!”“I absolutely agree,” the pravrajika agreed, “which is why, we do what we

have to do, without bothering about what the consequences might be. Although it is good to know that there is another path which leads us, out of human suffering and that is the path of yoga, as a spiritual practice.”I continued to be interested, but the rest had switched off. The pravrajika, went back to her book while we engaged in worldly talks. For a while, the rapt silence in the compartment and the sound of the running wheels of the train were in stark comparison with each other. It was like the clash of the inner and the outer world, the very thoughts read out this moment of how to rise above the ordinariness of life. To me the reading was like taking a holy dip in the river Ganga, to many others it affected in other ways. “Actually, our lives are so different in the world, we have no time to think of the other-worldly things. Thank god, we are traveling with you; we too have tasted the nectar, which for you is your daily practice and purity of thought and action,” said the lady with her daughter.The pravrajika smiled. “Not at all, I would say. I have my own afflictions, which may differ from yours, but they are there as well!”

- Julia Dutta

Please read Julia’s book ‘One Life Too Many’

I loved this interpretation of Prayer. What is prayer? Prayer doesn’t just happen when we kneel or put our hands together and focus and expect things from God. Thinking positive and wishing good for others is a prayer. When you hug a friend, that’s a prayer. When you cook something to nourish friends and family, that’s a prayer. When we send of our dear ones and say, ‘drive safely’ or ‘be safe’, that’s a prayer. When you are helping someone in need by giving your time and energy, you are praying. When you forgive someone in your heart, that is prayer. Prayer is vibration, a feeling, a thought. Prayer is the voice of love, friendship, genuine relationships. Prayer is an expression of your silent being. Keep praying always.

Happiness is not what you have, it's what you Feel. From the time I was a child, my Grand-mother and Mother have embodied, taught and lived that ideal that experiences and equations are what makes Life a Joy. Sometimes a thing or a piece of chocolate can too, but it should never become our raison de etre! Memories are made of people, places, events and memories they evoke. Childhood comfort and experiences lead to adult security and spirit. What am I doing to make my life and my space better? Happier? Safer? Fairer? Can I be kinder? Would it dissolve someone's grief or hunger if I shared? Or spoke a softer word? Then that is what must prevail.Money is paper if not put to good use. How are you going to take it after you pass this world? Where? After meeting your needs, why hoard? Why allow a generation to be complacent and arrogant because they have the fruit of your hard labour to plump them up! We all have a destiny to fulfill. Long after we're gone, no one will remember the jewellery I wore or the sofa I sat on. But hopefully, they will remember how my words and my actions altered their perception of the World and made their days just a little bit better. Fear seems to be of paramount impetus, propelling our professions and careers. I have always found that appalling. Yes, we need to sustain and survive, but if we choose what drives our passion and being, harnessing it into a career, it would be magnificent! Irrespective of how much money we made, the outcome would be Joy and Gratitude. Having the good fortune of knowing what my bliss was and embodying that as my profession, I do know it is the only life worth living!

Surround yourself with what you enjoy, with what pleases you. Don't wait for tomorrow. Dream of it, await it, but don't not deny today for it. Every single day is precious, every single relationship that you cherish is worth it. And laughter, how we forget this magical emotion and relegate it to the back burner! Laugh. Out. Loud. And don't forget to laugh at yourself first. We take everything so seriously! Especially ourselves and of course all the other myriad plugs and trappings of society: Religion, morality, sexuality and social status. Defy them, surprise yourself. It will change your Life and the calm that follows is transforming. Believe only that which your soul tells you too, not what the prying mob does. Human civilization has always been in the throes of crisis. so much hatred, such aggression. I'll tell you a secret, love an animal, any animal. It will harness your anger and teach you to understand the soul of another living being. And their love is unconditional, totally exempt from malice or connivance. If the human race would treat other species and our environment with respect and love, it would wipe out all anger, all war. If we ill-treat our Home, how can we tolerate one another? Simple principle to contemplate.So, awake tomorrow….... pray, stretch, deep breathe, salute the Sun. Make yourself a fantastic mug of coffee and drink blissfully whilst hearing the birds herald a new day. Call your parents and tell them you love them. Discard that ego and gift someone your smile. Hope and believe that this will be the best day ever !

- Divya Seth ShahBorn Actor

EPIPHANY

6 7

WARM HEARTS

In Crown Heights, there was a Jewish man named Yankel, who owned a bakery. He survived the concentration camps, and always said, You know why it is that I'm alive today?I was a kid, just a teenager at the time. We were on the train being taken to Auschwitz. Night came and it was deathly cold in that boxcar. The Germans would leave the cars on the side of the tracks overnight, sometimes for days on end without any food, and no blankets to keep us warm. Sitting next to me was this beloved elderly Jewish man from my hometown. He was shivering from head to toe, and looked terrible. So I wrapped my arms around him to warm him up. I rubbed his arms, his legs, his face, his neck. I begged him to hang on. All night long, I kept the man warm this way. I was tired, and freezing cold myself. My fingers were numb, but I didn't stop

rubbing heat into that old man's body. Hours and hours went by until finally, morning came and the sun began to shine. When there was some light in the boxcar, I looked around to see the other people. To my horror, all I could see were frozen bodies. All I could hear was deathly silence.Nobody else in that cabin made it through the night. They died from the cold. Only two people survived: the old man and me. The old man survived because somebody kep t h im warm...and I survived because I was warming him.Can I tell you the secret to survival in this world? When you warm other people's hearts, you remain warm yourself. When you seek to support, encourage and inspire others, then you discover support, encouragement and inspiration in your own life as well. That, my friends, is the secret to life.

- Dr. Eliezer Gonzalez

My grandson sitting on sofa Looked through the window On the tree outside crows flying Merrily from branch to branch.

On one branch clearly we could seeTwo crows happily cawing and playing... Dadi two two crows I want to give them biscuits...

His cute smiling face looks Epitome of happiness as He repeats Two Two crows. I fondly looked at his face

And I thought.. Adults with two crores in hand Will be craving for the third croreNot enjoying the two in hand.

Time indeed to learn from Innocence of a toddler.

- Urmilla Ramrakhiani

Two Crows

Happiness is not what you have, it's what you Feel. From the time I was a child, my Grand-mother and Mother have embodied, taught and lived that ideal that experiences and equations are what makes Life a Joy. Sometimes a thing or a piece of chocolate can too, but it should never become our raison de etre! Memories are made of people, places, events and memories they evoke. Childhood comfort and experiences lead to adult security and spirit. What am I doing to make my life and my space better? Happier? Safer? Fairer? Can I be kinder? Would it dissolve someone's grief or hunger if I shared? Or spoke a softer word? Then that is what must prevail.Money is paper if not put to good use. How are you going to take it after you pass this world? Where? After meeting your needs, why hoard? Why allow a generation to be complacent and arrogant because they have the fruit of your hard labour to plump them up! We all have a destiny to fulfill. Long after we're gone, no one will remember the jewellery I wore or the sofa I sat on. But hopefully, they will remember how my words and my actions altered their perception of the World and made their days just a little bit better. Fear seems to be of paramount impetus, propelling our professions and careers. I have always found that appalling. Yes, we need to sustain and survive, but if we choose what drives our passion and being, harnessing it into a career, it would be magnificent! Irrespective of how much money we made, the outcome would be Joy and Gratitude. Having the good fortune of knowing what my bliss was and embodying that as my profession, I do know it is the only life worth living!

Surround yourself with what you enjoy, with what pleases you. Don't wait for tomorrow. Dream of it, await it, but don't not deny today for it. Every single day is precious, every single relationship that you cherish is worth it. And laughter, how we forget this magical emotion and relegate it to the back burner! Laugh. Out. Loud. And don't forget to laugh at yourself first. We take everything so seriously! Especially ourselves and of course all the other myriad plugs and trappings of society: Religion, morality, sexuality and social status. Defy them, surprise yourself. It will change your Life and the calm that follows is transforming. Believe only that which your soul tells you too, not what the prying mob does. Human civilization has always been in the throes of crisis. so much hatred, such aggression. I'll tell you a secret, love an animal, any animal. It will harness your anger and teach you to understand the soul of another living being. And their love is unconditional, totally exempt from malice or connivance. If the human race would treat other species and our environment with respect and love, it would wipe out all anger, all war. If we ill-treat our Home, how can we tolerate one another? Simple principle to contemplate.So, awake tomorrow….... pray, stretch, deep breathe, salute the Sun. Make yourself a fantastic mug of coffee and drink blissfully whilst hearing the birds herald a new day. Call your parents and tell them you love them. Discard that ego and gift someone your smile. Hope and believe that this will be the best day ever !

- Divya Seth ShahBorn Actor

EPIPHANY

6 7

WARM HEARTS

In Crown Heights, there was a Jewish man named Yankel, who owned a bakery. He survived the concentration camps, and always said, You know why it is that I'm alive today?I was a kid, just a teenager at the time. We were on the train being taken to Auschwitz. Night came and it was deathly cold in that boxcar. The Germans would leave the cars on the side of the tracks overnight, sometimes for days on end without any food, and no blankets to keep us warm. Sitting next to me was this beloved elderly Jewish man from my hometown. He was shivering from head to toe, and looked terrible. So I wrapped my arms around him to warm him up. I rubbed his arms, his legs, his face, his neck. I begged him to hang on. All night long, I kept the man warm this way. I was tired, and freezing cold myself. My fingers were numb, but I didn't stop

rubbing heat into that old man's body. Hours and hours went by until finally, morning came and the sun began to shine. When there was some light in the boxcar, I looked around to see the other people. To my horror, all I could see were frozen bodies. All I could hear was deathly silence.Nobody else in that cabin made it through the night. They died from the cold. Only two people survived: the old man and me. The old man survived because somebody kep t h im warm...and I survived because I was warming him.Can I tell you the secret to survival in this world? When you warm other people's hearts, you remain warm yourself. When you seek to support, encourage and inspire others, then you discover support, encouragement and inspiration in your own life as well. That, my friends, is the secret to life.

- Dr. Eliezer Gonzalez

My grandson sitting on sofa Looked through the window On the tree outside crows flying Merrily from branch to branch.

On one branch clearly we could seeTwo crows happily cawing and playing... Dadi two two crows I want to give them biscuits...

His cute smiling face looks Epitome of happiness as He repeats Two Two crows. I fondly looked at his face

And I thought.. Adults with two crores in hand Will be craving for the third croreNot enjoying the two in hand.

Time indeed to learn from Innocence of a toddler.

- Urmilla Ramrakhiani

Two Crows

WHEN RELIGION BECOMES AN IDOL

In recent conversations with a few friends at work, to whom I was offering some mangoes that my mother had thoughtfully sent me, I realized something shocking: My love for Alphonso mangoes was not universal. There are other mangoes that are good, even better, I was told. Alphonsos are over-priced, and over-hyped. (Cue to an image of my jaw dropping down and hitting the floor.)This honestly and truly did shock me. Here my friends were, talking as if they're just some other fruit – some… commodity to be evaluated and assessed, I thought. What is wrong with them? More importantly, was it me that was missing something? What's in a mango, after all? After some very enjoyable soul-searching, here's my answer.On the surface of it, the Alphonso's reputation precedes it. I'm not the one who calls it 'The King of All Fruit', after all. It's juicy, succulent, extremely sweet, decadent… and only available for a few months a year (and no, drinking Slice is not a worthy substitute). It's easy to make a purely gastronomical case for why it's a fabulous fruit.But what I realized was that for me, it's not that. There are lots of things in the world that taste fabulous, but none of them mean as much to me as this does. Why?Because it takes me back to the best time in my - and likely any kid's - childhood : Summer holidays. Summer holidays! It conjures up an image of my grandmother's tiny flat in Bombay, where I would escape to as soon as it became too warm for schools in Delhi to be open anymore. Where we would talk, play dress up, play cards, and then very occasionally, sitting on the

balcony outside and watching the crows in the big banyan tree opposite, we would eat a precious Alphonso mango. That's the word – there was the preciousness to the experience. Those were days when buying a dozen was inconceivable, so two or three would be purchased in honour of my visit. There was the theatre of cutting it open and seeing that beautiful bright orange flesh, and learning how to eat the gutli (with your hands, sucking every drop you can out of it). There was the heartache of having to share it. (I loved my grandmother deeply, but I was so greedy when it came to mangoes!) And the heartfelt promises not to touch ANYTHING, including my clothes, after I was done, but to go straight to the basin and wash my hands, because mango stains never go!And so even now, when my mother generously couriered a box to me in Gurgaon from Bombay, it was almost too good to be true. These weren't just fruit – they were droplets of heaven, rare to find and so delectable and sought after! As I opened up the carton and unpacked each beautiful golden fruit from the straw, I stopped and smelled them. That smell that takes me back to the Bombay heat. To endless weeks of no school, with a chance to play with the building kids downstairs and befriend the cats downstairs and see my cousins soon. And feast, in the middle of all of it, on the King of Fruit. And smell my fingers long after it was finished to remember how yummy it had been. How fortunate I was, not just to have experienced such a beautiful childhood, but to be able to evoke it every time I smell a beautiful Alphonso mango :)

- Shahine Ardeshir Baul

This must have been a little short of forty years ago, maybe when I had just about entered my teens. Sijo, our home-help, was dusting my writing-table when he accidently caused an object that I considered 'holy' to fall on the ground. And do you know what I did? I slapped him! And do you know what happened then? Right there and then, Sijo began to cry!Yes, I slapped a man much older than me and I made him cry all because he had let an object I considered 'holy' to fall on the ground! Can you imagine? How much more disgusting can one get?I can't remember now - although I wish I could - if I immediately realised what a terrible thing I had done and apologized to Sijo. I can only hope that this is what I did.As I type out these lines, forty years or so later, Sijo, who is now almost 60, is swabbing the floor in front of me while I replay the events of that day in my mind. What a faithful man Sijo is - kind, cheerful, compassionate, helpful and honest. I wish I could fall at his feet and ask him to forgive me. But I hold myself back. It might be just too embarrassing for him, I think. In my mind, though, I bend down and touch his feet, and in my heart I say to him, “Sijo-ba, I want to tell you something. Remember that day, many, many years ago, how cruel I was to you? I hit you, and you started crying. Yes, I, who think of myself as very compassionate and kind, had the nerve to slap you—somebody almost old enough to be my father and such a loving and caring person - just because of something minor that you had done, and that too by mistake. I had the cheek to do that only because you were what they call a 'servant', who, for that reason alone, could never retaliate or even complain about anything. I wouldn't have dared to do that to anyone else. I beg you to

forgive me.” I can imagine Sijo saying, “No, No, Baba! I don't know what you are talking about! Nothing of the sort happened. You didn't do such a thing. You keep imagining all sorts of silly things all the time!” Or, he might say, “Oh ho Baba! Such things keep happening in life, and I've long since forgotten it. Why do you remember such things and make yourself unhappy? Forget it, and now tell me, what do you want for lunch?”

***That incident is a lasting reminder to me that I am not as compassionate and kind, especially to the economically-poor, as I sometimes love to imagine I am. It also continues to remind me of how vulnerable domestic servants are to abuse by their employers and their families and how powerless they are to speak out when their rights are violated. There is more to it than that, though. The fact that I had got so worked up over an object I considered 'holy' being allegedly profaned that I was willing to violate a fellow human being's very dignity with such impunity should forever remain a compelling reminder to me of how easy it is for us to make an idol of our religious beliefs and practices, so much so that we are sometimes willing to completely dehumanize others, and ourselves, too, for their sake. The memory of that awful incident forces me to remain aware that if in our devotion to beliefs, ideas, prejudices, practices, dogmas and objects that we have fashioned ourselves (and that we install in that place in our hearts that God alone should occupy) we demean, degrade, detest and despise our fellow human beings with no compunction whatsoever, we can be sure that religion has become for us a mere idol and that we have strayed far, far away from God.

- A. Kasvari

MANGOES AND MEMORIES

WHEN RELIGION BECOMES AN IDOL

In recent conversations with a few friends at work, to whom I was offering some mangoes that my mother had thoughtfully sent me, I realized something shocking: My love for Alphonso mangoes was not universal. There are other mangoes that are good, even better, I was told. Alphonsos are over-priced, and over-hyped. (Cue to an image of my jaw dropping down and hitting the floor.)This honestly and truly did shock me. Here my friends were, talking as if they're just some other fruit – some… commodity to be evaluated and assessed, I thought. What is wrong with them? More importantly, was it me that was missing something? What's in a mango, after all? After some very enjoyable soul-searching, here's my answer.On the surface of it, the Alphonso's reputation precedes it. I'm not the one who calls it 'The King of All Fruit', after all. It's juicy, succulent, extremely sweet, decadent… and only available for a few months a year (and no, drinking Slice is not a worthy substitute). It's easy to make a purely gastronomical case for why it's a fabulous fruit.But what I realized was that for me, it's not that. There are lots of things in the world that taste fabulous, but none of them mean as much to me as this does. Why?Because it takes me back to the best time in my - and likely any kid's - childhood : Summer holidays. Summer holidays! It conjures up an image of my grandmother's tiny flat in Bombay, where I would escape to as soon as it became too warm for schools in Delhi to be open anymore. Where we would talk, play dress up, play cards, and then very occasionally, sitting on the

balcony outside and watching the crows in the big banyan tree opposite, we would eat a precious Alphonso mango. That's the word – there was the preciousness to the experience. Those were days when buying a dozen was inconceivable, so two or three would be purchased in honour of my visit. There was the theatre of cutting it open and seeing that beautiful bright orange flesh, and learning how to eat the gutli (with your hands, sucking every drop you can out of it). There was the heartache of having to share it. (I loved my grandmother deeply, but I was so greedy when it came to mangoes!) And the heartfelt promises not to touch ANYTHING, including my clothes, after I was done, but to go straight to the basin and wash my hands, because mango stains never go!And so even now, when my mother generously couriered a box to me in Gurgaon from Bombay, it was almost too good to be true. These weren't just fruit – they were droplets of heaven, rare to find and so delectable and sought after! As I opened up the carton and unpacked each beautiful golden fruit from the straw, I stopped and smelled them. That smell that takes me back to the Bombay heat. To endless weeks of no school, with a chance to play with the building kids downstairs and befriend the cats downstairs and see my cousins soon. And feast, in the middle of all of it, on the King of Fruit. And smell my fingers long after it was finished to remember how yummy it had been. How fortunate I was, not just to have experienced such a beautiful childhood, but to be able to evoke it every time I smell a beautiful Alphonso mango :)

- Shahine Ardeshir Baul

This must have been a little short of forty years ago, maybe when I had just about entered my teens. Sijo, our home-help, was dusting my writing-table when he accidently caused an object that I considered 'holy' to fall on the ground. And do you know what I did? I slapped him! And do you know what happened then? Right there and then, Sijo began to cry!Yes, I slapped a man much older than me and I made him cry all because he had let an object I considered 'holy' to fall on the ground! Can you imagine? How much more disgusting can one get?I can't remember now - although I wish I could - if I immediately realised what a terrible thing I had done and apologized to Sijo. I can only hope that this is what I did.As I type out these lines, forty years or so later, Sijo, who is now almost 60, is swabbing the floor in front of me while I replay the events of that day in my mind. What a faithful man Sijo is - kind, cheerful, compassionate, helpful and honest. I wish I could fall at his feet and ask him to forgive me. But I hold myself back. It might be just too embarrassing for him, I think. In my mind, though, I bend down and touch his feet, and in my heart I say to him, “Sijo-ba, I want to tell you something. Remember that day, many, many years ago, how cruel I was to you? I hit you, and you started crying. Yes, I, who think of myself as very compassionate and kind, had the nerve to slap you—somebody almost old enough to be my father and such a loving and caring person - just because of something minor that you had done, and that too by mistake. I had the cheek to do that only because you were what they call a 'servant', who, for that reason alone, could never retaliate or even complain about anything. I wouldn't have dared to do that to anyone else. I beg you to

forgive me.” I can imagine Sijo saying, “No, No, Baba! I don't know what you are talking about! Nothing of the sort happened. You didn't do such a thing. You keep imagining all sorts of silly things all the time!” Or, he might say, “Oh ho Baba! Such things keep happening in life, and I've long since forgotten it. Why do you remember such things and make yourself unhappy? Forget it, and now tell me, what do you want for lunch?”

***That incident is a lasting reminder to me that I am not as compassionate and kind, especially to the economically-poor, as I sometimes love to imagine I am. It also continues to remind me of how vulnerable domestic servants are to abuse by their employers and their families and how powerless they are to speak out when their rights are violated. There is more to it than that, though. The fact that I had got so worked up over an object I considered 'holy' being allegedly profaned that I was willing to violate a fellow human being's very dignity with such impunity should forever remain a compelling reminder to me of how easy it is for us to make an idol of our religious beliefs and practices, so much so that we are sometimes willing to completely dehumanize others, and ourselves, too, for their sake. The memory of that awful incident forces me to remain aware that if in our devotion to beliefs, ideas, prejudices, practices, dogmas and objects that we have fashioned ourselves (and that we install in that place in our hearts that God alone should occupy) we demean, degrade, detest and despise our fellow human beings with no compunction whatsoever, we can be sure that religion has become for us a mere idol and that we have strayed far, far away from God.

- A. Kasvari

MANGOES AND MEMORIES

10 11

I have a young woman friend who has encouraged me to speak my mind. And so I will. There are volumes inside of me. Here is what's on my mind tonight:

Life is not governed by the way we feel but it is the stuff that provides never-ending opportunity for self-mastery. We must learn to quietly change the anger into love or we will be limited by our circumstances over and over again. Life is governed by the law of cause and effect so the most important thing is to develop ourselves into people of such conviction that we can continue on our chosen path no matter what happens...polishing our lives so we can make causes for our lives based on conviction instead of doubt.

We must determine that everybody wins in every situation that causes pain & heartache so we can advance together towards the light. I have to keep hope that if I practice enough to be like the sun, I will eventually understand that the sun and I are inseparable and we always were. If I fall down and get back up enough

times, eventually my strength and wisdom will become so developed that I will just remain standing because that's what happens when we practice diligently. It's a natural result and I can relax into the process, never giving up.

The tough stuff is a beautiful opportunity, It's the ground from which we plant seeds in our heart's & minds for the upcoming harvest, it provides rich & dark soil with the most potential for growth. We become stronger not ridding ourselves of weakness , bu t by us ing our weaknesses to propel us ever forward in the direction of self-improvement.

We should not close our eyes and empty ourselves of our human desires; Rather, we should summon the courage and the strength to overcome the negativity so we can change from the inside...so we can always respond with joy!!!!!

There is so much more inside of me...I hope this is encouraging stuff to read.

- From the Internet

TOUGH STUFF

DESPONDENCY

How is 'sadness' a thought that blocks the work of the Holy Spirit in us? Isn't it just a normal emotion? Isn't it healthy to be sad when sad things happen? What could the desert fathers mean by characterizing it as a moral problem?

We have to distinguish the simple emotion of sadness from the thought of sadness. Still more do we have to strongly state that the disease of clinical depression is something quite other than those. The desert fathers knew all about depression, although of course they didn't have the name for it. They speak of a causeless sorrow that engulfs the human person, against his or her will, and which they are powerless to overcome. They are quite clear in their writings that this is not the thought of despondency.

Nor is the simple emotion that thought, either. Emotions come and go and we have little immediate control over them—they are not in themselves morally significant. The thought of despondency is something quite different. It is, essentially, the fixed conviction that I cannot be happy unless I have things my own way. When I don't get what I want (which, not being God, happens to me fairly often), I will be sad. And I will be miserable, and make everyone else miserable, until I get it. Such is the driving force of the despondent soul.

What I want will only coincidentally be what you want, and quite often be quite different. Only one of us can be happy at any given moment, if the above notion of happiness prevails.

Despondency thus links arms with anger and life becomes a pitched battle for dominance, and nobody ends up especially happy.

There are people whose lives are r u i n e d b y t h e t h o u g h t o f despondency—people who end up so bitter over the hand they were dealt, constantly complaining, never satisfied, always finding something wrong in any day, any situation, and focusing on that with laser precision. And we all know other people who, in spite of fairly serious afflictions and tragedies in their lives, come through to a place of joy and peace, hard-won perhaps, but all the more real for that.

Most of us fall somewhere in between, with little flashes of despondency, large or small veins of self-centredness and childish self-will lacing through our person. But the truth all of us need to return to is that happiness has nothing—nothing at all!—with getting one's own way. Happiness lies in coming to love God's way, in growing to see that our life, our real life, is to live in a communion of love with God in which 'what we want' is more and more purified and simplified to wanting what God wants.

And the great surprise twist ending of not just our life, but the life of the whole cosmos, is that what God wants is, in fact, to fulfill every desire of our hearts in the right way, a true and good way, and that the path He sets for us of obedience and surrender, trust and abandonment, is in fact the path to perfect self-fulfillment, to having everything just the way (uh huh uh

huh) we like it, forever.

As the Bible ends 'every tear will be wiped away' (Rev 21:4) – sadness ultimately is done away with in the kingdom, but the path to that

kingdom is to forget about ourselves and our own ideas and follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Rev 14:4).

- Fr. Denis Lemieux

Of sunrises and sunsetsdays gone by and a life livedloves lost and love attained

dead ends and new beginnings - Revati Malati

10 11

I have a young woman friend who has encouraged me to speak my mind. And so I will. There are volumes inside of me. Here is what's on my mind tonight:

Life is not governed by the way we feel but it is the stuff that provides never-ending opportunity for self-mastery. We must learn to quietly change the anger into love or we will be limited by our circumstances over and over again. Life is governed by the law of cause and effect so the most important thing is to develop ourselves into people of such conviction that we can continue on our chosen path no matter what happens...polishing our lives so we can make causes for our lives based on conviction instead of doubt.

We must determine that everybody wins in every situation that causes pain & heartache so we can advance together towards the light. I have to keep hope that if I practice enough to be like the sun, I will eventually understand that the sun and I are inseparable and we always were. If I fall down and get back up enough

times, eventually my strength and wisdom will become so developed that I will just remain standing because that's what happens when we practice diligently. It's a natural result and I can relax into the process, never giving up.

The tough stuff is a beautiful opportunity, It's the ground from which we plant seeds in our heart's & minds for the upcoming harvest, it provides rich & dark soil with the most potential for growth. We become stronger not ridding ourselves of weakness , bu t by us ing our weaknesses to propel us ever forward in the direction of self-improvement.

We should not close our eyes and empty ourselves of our human desires; Rather, we should summon the courage and the strength to overcome the negativity so we can change from the inside...so we can always respond with joy!!!!!

There is so much more inside of me...I hope this is encouraging stuff to read.

- From the Internet

TOUGH STUFF

DESPONDENCY

How is 'sadness' a thought that blocks the work of the Holy Spirit in us? Isn't it just a normal emotion? Isn't it healthy to be sad when sad things happen? What could the desert fathers mean by characterizing it as a moral problem?

We have to distinguish the simple emotion of sadness from the thought of sadness. Still more do we have to strongly state that the disease of clinical depression is something quite other than those. The desert fathers knew all about depression, although of course they didn't have the name for it. They speak of a causeless sorrow that engulfs the human person, against his or her will, and which they are powerless to overcome. They are quite clear in their writings that this is not the thought of despondency.

Nor is the simple emotion that thought, either. Emotions come and go and we have little immediate control over them—they are not in themselves morally significant. The thought of despondency is something quite different. It is, essentially, the fixed conviction that I cannot be happy unless I have things my own way. When I don't get what I want (which, not being God, happens to me fairly often), I will be sad. And I will be miserable, and make everyone else miserable, until I get it. Such is the driving force of the despondent soul.

What I want will only coincidentally be what you want, and quite often be quite different. Only one of us can be happy at any given moment, if the above notion of happiness prevails.

Despondency thus links arms with anger and life becomes a pitched battle for dominance, and nobody ends up especially happy.

There are people whose lives are r u i n e d b y t h e t h o u g h t o f despondency—people who end up so bitter over the hand they were dealt, constantly complaining, never satisfied, always finding something wrong in any day, any situation, and focusing on that with laser precision. And we all know other people who, in spite of fairly serious afflictions and tragedies in their lives, come through to a place of joy and peace, hard-won perhaps, but all the more real for that.

Most of us fall somewhere in between, with little flashes of despondency, large or small veins of self-centredness and childish self-will lacing through our person. But the truth all of us need to return to is that happiness has nothing—nothing at all!—with getting one's own way. Happiness lies in coming to love God's way, in growing to see that our life, our real life, is to live in a communion of love with God in which 'what we want' is more and more purified and simplified to wanting what God wants.

And the great surprise twist ending of not just our life, but the life of the whole cosmos, is that what God wants is, in fact, to fulfill every desire of our hearts in the right way, a true and good way, and that the path He sets for us of obedience and surrender, trust and abandonment, is in fact the path to perfect self-fulfillment, to having everything just the way (uh huh uh

huh) we like it, forever.

As the Bible ends 'every tear will be wiped away' (Rev 21:4) – sadness ultimately is done away with in the kingdom, but the path to that

kingdom is to forget about ourselves and our own ideas and follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Rev 14:4).

- Fr. Denis Lemieux

Of sunrises and sunsetsdays gone by and a life livedloves lost and love attained

dead ends and new beginnings - Revati Malati

1. Jesus said so. Happy are you poor. If you wish to be perfect, sell your belongings, give to the poor and come follow me. Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. All that stuff. Thomas Dubay talks about it in Happy are You Poor. Jesus knows what we need, and He knows we need poverty. Not destitution, but less stuff. A simpler life. Less for me and more for you. If He is really about giving us fullness of life and joy, then we have to trust that He isn't trying to deprive us, but pry our fingers off our play money so He can give us real gold.2. Less to carry. Yes, on your backs but also in your hearts. You have less to worry about, less to protect, less to insure. One tends to think about the things weighing you down and holding you back when you are lugging around all your earthly belongings, and you kinda wish you hadn't thought that you needed ALL those books. You'll know what I mean when you give something away. Yes, joy from giving it away, and also joy and freedom from the attachment to it, the weight of it on your shoulders. 3. More to give away. It's surprising, but when you have less, you have more to give away. How does that work? Well, you are in a constant state of receiving and giving, without much holding on in between. People give you stuff, and you give away stuff. You are used to having less, so you don't store away and gloat over each thing you receive. Hey, thanks for the cute top. Oh wait, maybe I should give away this other cute top that I like but don't really need, because I have

enough, and I know someone who doesn't. (Almost) everything you own is ready to be given away. It's yours, but it's not yours until death do you part.4. More spiritual openness and fruit. Sometimes I wonder why full-time Catholic volunteers often get to see such dramatic changes and fruit in their lives and in the lives of the people they work with. I think it's because there is more room in our hearts for God to work, when we get rid some of the non-essential junk taking up space in our hearts and lives. When your mind and heart are focussed on stuff (even non-bad stuff), there's not so much place for an 'undivided heart'.5. An authentic witness . “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warm and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” So says Saint James. Guess what? That 'if' isn't really an 'if'. Brothers and sisters are in lack of daily food all over the place. Just because we don't yet know those brothers and sisters by name, doesn't make their suffering any less real. Any when I DO know their name (which I do), then my selfishness is all the more culpable. If my faith is real, then for sure I can't justify the luxuries that could be feeding the hungry. When I'm tempted to minimize the suffering of the poor, I just need to fast for one morning. Works every time. Love is the center of our faith. If we're not loving, we're not Christians. And contrariwise, they WILL know you are Christians by your love. You know what Gandhiji said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.”

EIGHT REASONS WHY GOSPEL POVERTY IS THE WAY TO GO 6. Solidarity with the poor. I found when I was serving in the Philippines that when you make real friends with the poor, it's also easier to live more simply. What kind of 'friends' would we be if we couldn't identify with ANY of their concerns? But we could commiserate with each other over taking cold showers on cold days, because they didn't have water heaters, and neither did we. One day, I was really tired, and I found I had no change in my pocket for a motorella so I had to walk home from town. I bumped into one of our friends from the slum. She didn't have the money to spare either, so we walked home together. The same day I was with another two friends. We pooled all our change and still didn't have enough money for all three of us to go home by motorella. So we all walked together. We sometimes ran out of money because we'd given away too much. But we never had to go hungry. We still had more than they, even when we were living simply, but it was hugely different to the kind of relationship we would have had if we lived in luxury while they starved.7. Better health. You eat simpler food and less junk food. You don't take second helpings because there isn't enough. You walk more because you want to save the eight pesos you would spend on a motorella. Who needs an expensive gym membership?8. More space to receive gifts and surprises from the Lord. What do you give the person who has everything? Sometimes you don't even feel like bothering. But we get gifts and surprises from the Lord all the time. Once, we were low on funds and with not a lot of food in the house. Fr. Gil, a good friend of ours, turned up at the door with bananas, mangoes, oranges,

a pineapple and eggs from a mass he had celebrated. An hour later our house was filled with our friends from a neighbouring slum and their babies who had been on doctor visits with some of our volunteers. We set before them fruits and egg rice, a feast provided by the Lord. Every volunteer I know has multiple stories like this. We get to see our God as a Provider, because we don't try to provide ourselves with every single thing that we need and want. Our own comfort is not the first priority. But every now and again, just when we need it, the Lord romances us with a thoughtful gift.Disclaimers: When I talk about poverty, like Father Dubay, I do not mean destitution. Instead I refer to a life of simplicity, what he calls a 'sparing-sharing' lifestyle. Also I know that one man's necessity is another man's luxury, so no one can really define exactly what simplicity is. And you'll probably always have more than SOMEONE, no matter how simply you try to live. That doesn't mean that it an unachievable goal, so why bother. The point is to start asking the Lord, “What is a necessity and what is a luxury? What would you like me to give away? What changes would you like me to make in my life?” Also, I am not suggesting that every Christian should leave their well-paying jobs and become itinerant volunteers (unless God calls them to). Not at all ! Keep earning that money, just give away more of it, and don't keep trying to upgrade your life. I know people who are doing this and they are a beau t i fu l wi tness . Also , b ig disclaimer: this message is as much for me as for you. I am not suggesting I've got this whole 'gospel poverty' thing down. Okay, done disclaiming.

- Susanna D

1. Jesus said so. Happy are you poor. If you wish to be perfect, sell your belongings, give to the poor and come follow me. Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. All that stuff. Thomas Dubay talks about it in Happy are You Poor. Jesus knows what we need, and He knows we need poverty. Not destitution, but less stuff. A simpler life. Less for me and more for you. If He is really about giving us fullness of life and joy, then we have to trust that He isn't trying to deprive us, but pry our fingers off our play money so He can give us real gold.2. Less to carry. Yes, on your backs but also in your hearts. You have less to worry about, less to protect, less to insure. One tends to think about the things weighing you down and holding you back when you are lugging around all your earthly belongings, and you kinda wish you hadn't thought that you needed ALL those books. You'll know what I mean when you give something away. Yes, joy from giving it away, and also joy and freedom from the attachment to it, the weight of it on your shoulders. 3. More to give away. It's surprising, but when you have less, you have more to give away. How does that work? Well, you are in a constant state of receiving and giving, without much holding on in between. People give you stuff, and you give away stuff. You are used to having less, so you don't store away and gloat over each thing you receive. Hey, thanks for the cute top. Oh wait, maybe I should give away this other cute top that I like but don't really need, because I have

enough, and I know someone who doesn't. (Almost) everything you own is ready to be given away. It's yours, but it's not yours until death do you part.4. More spiritual openness and fruit. Sometimes I wonder why full-time Catholic volunteers often get to see such dramatic changes and fruit in their lives and in the lives of the people they work with. I think it's because there is more room in our hearts for God to work, when we get rid some of the non-essential junk taking up space in our hearts and lives. When your mind and heart are focussed on stuff (even non-bad stuff), there's not so much place for an 'undivided heart'.5. An authentic witness . “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warm and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” So says Saint James. Guess what? That 'if' isn't really an 'if'. Brothers and sisters are in lack of daily food all over the place. Just because we don't yet know those brothers and sisters by name, doesn't make their suffering any less real. Any when I DO know their name (which I do), then my selfishness is all the more culpable. If my faith is real, then for sure I can't justify the luxuries that could be feeding the hungry. When I'm tempted to minimize the suffering of the poor, I just need to fast for one morning. Works every time. Love is the center of our faith. If we're not loving, we're not Christians. And contrariwise, they WILL know you are Christians by your love. You know what Gandhiji said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.”

EIGHT REASONS WHY GOSPEL POVERTY IS THE WAY TO GO 6. Solidarity with the poor. I found when I was serving in the Philippines that when you make real friends with the poor, it's also easier to live more simply. What kind of 'friends' would we be if we couldn't identify with ANY of their concerns? But we could commiserate with each other over taking cold showers on cold days, because they didn't have water heaters, and neither did we. One day, I was really tired, and I found I had no change in my pocket for a motorella so I had to walk home from town. I bumped into one of our friends from the slum. She didn't have the money to spare either, so we walked home together. The same day I was with another two friends. We pooled all our change and still didn't have enough money for all three of us to go home by motorella. So we all walked together. We sometimes ran out of money because we'd given away too much. But we never had to go hungry. We still had more than they, even when we were living simply, but it was hugely different to the kind of relationship we would have had if we lived in luxury while they starved.7. Better health. You eat simpler food and less junk food. You don't take second helpings because there isn't enough. You walk more because you want to save the eight pesos you would spend on a motorella. Who needs an expensive gym membership?8. More space to receive gifts and surprises from the Lord. What do you give the person who has everything? Sometimes you don't even feel like bothering. But we get gifts and surprises from the Lord all the time. Once, we were low on funds and with not a lot of food in the house. Fr. Gil, a good friend of ours, turned up at the door with bananas, mangoes, oranges,

a pineapple and eggs from a mass he had celebrated. An hour later our house was filled with our friends from a neighbouring slum and their babies who had been on doctor visits with some of our volunteers. We set before them fruits and egg rice, a feast provided by the Lord. Every volunteer I know has multiple stories like this. We get to see our God as a Provider, because we don't try to provide ourselves with every single thing that we need and want. Our own comfort is not the first priority. But every now and again, just when we need it, the Lord romances us with a thoughtful gift.Disclaimers: When I talk about poverty, like Father Dubay, I do not mean destitution. Instead I refer to a life of simplicity, what he calls a 'sparing-sharing' lifestyle. Also I know that one man's necessity is another man's luxury, so no one can really define exactly what simplicity is. And you'll probably always have more than SOMEONE, no matter how simply you try to live. That doesn't mean that it an unachievable goal, so why bother. The point is to start asking the Lord, “What is a necessity and what is a luxury? What would you like me to give away? What changes would you like me to make in my life?” Also, I am not suggesting that every Christian should leave their well-paying jobs and become itinerant volunteers (unless God calls them to). Not at all ! Keep earning that money, just give away more of it, and don't keep trying to upgrade your life. I know people who are doing this and they are a beau t i fu l wi tness . Also , b ig disclaimer: this message is as much for me as for you. I am not suggesting I've got this whole 'gospel poverty' thing down. Okay, done disclaiming.

- Susanna D

14

Clinical StoryI was at my clinic the other day a d d r e s s i n g a c l i e n t t h r o u g h consultation.A Young Mother, who herself was raised in the consciousness as a elder child seemed to carry a lot of anguish and mental turmoil within her.Upon our conversation, got to know that she did face a lot of conflicts with female relationships and was finding it hard and difficult to control her emotions when it came for her own child. To the impending doom and the fear of losing herself in rage and so also losing herself in the relationships that she nurtured everything surfaced up as nightmarish dreams now. She was depressed, under confident, angry, violent and so too not feeling herself in the body and eventually the mental picture showed a lot of hopelessness about the immediate future.An inner reflect therapy reflected repeated ignorances and abuse that she went through at the various stages of life as a child and thus the deep need of healing within.The cumulative effect of a tumultuous childhood, abuses and inner escape of a reality that was altering towards different perception had diagnosed her with the clinical condition of Borderline Personality Disorder. The Erupt of LifeA seed is in a constant state of eruption! Mind is one such seed that is a gift to the mankind which is in a constant state of awakening!Towards the wake of life, to regain the flow, to rise above the earlier state, to dissolve and perish and return to the

source known to the Truth from where it came from! This Seed is You!The seed has life flowing through it in every way, through thoughts, Flow - of energy, through body, it’s inner awareness, higher consciousness rise, the spirit embodiment which is coming from a connect of the Source, which we call as the God, the Truth, the Creative Intelligence or anything else.So why do the Souls take the form through a body, where a mind is so relevant to hold to the consciousness that needs to undergo healing, attain experiences, letting go, forgive and ultimately surrender, before it joins the Truth of Source?This is the science the modern man is in a quest with today, which is a path towards Self-Exploration. One may want to know why only some are chosen for this and the rest pursue themselves on a normal path?Spirituality is an inward Path, where a being in existence is lost to find Self, experiencing the fear as a sensation to break away from the inner pattern of turmoil and attain Self-Liberation that connects one with the most naturalistic state of Peace!The Inner Awareness shares the understanding that only the chosen ones have to undergo this, who are courageous to face the Truth Source, who is now in a state of Awakening, Enlightenment and so too erupting with the Spirit of Life which gifts one with ultimate liberation from the cycles of all of the processes, existing in the timelines of earth reality.Healing comes as a natural gift from the Spirituality.The seed of Life is the truth towards

IN PURSUIT OF LIFE THROUGH SPIRITUALITY

Letter to all our readers:

I thank you for all your support for TMS. Thank you for writing in, for sending wishes and prayers and letters and articles and poems and stories! Please don't stop! We love to include original work from our readers. Hearing from you makes my day. The Mustard Seed is a community and communities should communicate!

We have a blog on <tmsthemustardseed.wordpress.com> Log on and join us online!

Our digital PDF edition is available to all, email me for your online copy. Please do share it generously.

I have been wading through a high pile of returned copies every issue. I am sad to say many addresses are out-dated or wrong. Many of you haven't received your copies although we have checked the addresses and I have posted them personally. Please write in to confirm your address with the pin code and correct spellings. If you, or someone you know, haven't received your copy, let me know! Email me or send me a regular post card. Share this with friends and family who receive TMS.

As always, I humbly request you to donate generously to our near- empty coffers. Printing and postage costs are huge and we do not accept advertisements, sponsors or ask for annual subscriptions.

The Mustard Seed may be slow, late or lost in transit but my commitment to you is from the bottom of my heart!

Onward in Faith!

- Raadhika

Spirituality and in it’s awareness mind is free to explore, grow, evolve and infinitely attain eternal freedom in the Truth of Source!Every binding, all limitations that are chained within that would have resulted in any limitations or conditions in Mind, Body or Life are l iberated and healed through Spirituality. It’s a journey by itself and A Huge One!Liberation towards Life!The classic case discussed above of inner conflict could heal through any modality, be it scientific or alternative science, but what is aiding in the modality of healing is the shift in the inner consciousness.

Spirituality is the gift for inner consciousness. Gaining connect with spirituality, however, is a inner journey. This journey helps you find your purpose, thus helping and aiding in your inner liberation. You are the guide for self towards this awakening, which gifts you the freedom to live Life towards it’s highest potential not explored, yet known to Inner Self!About the writer of this article-- Ms Prameela Sreemangalam - TOI Speaking Tree - Good Karma Award Winner, Young Women Achievers 2017, Author, Psychotherapist, Life Coach.

14

Clinical StoryI was at my clinic the other day a d d r e s s i n g a c l i e n t t h r o u g h consultation.A Young Mother, who herself was raised in the consciousness as a elder child seemed to carry a lot of anguish and mental turmoil within her.Upon our conversation, got to know that she did face a lot of conflicts with female relationships and was finding it hard and difficult to control her emotions when it came for her own child. To the impending doom and the fear of losing herself in rage and so also losing herself in the relationships that she nurtured everything surfaced up as nightmarish dreams now. She was depressed, under confident, angry, violent and so too not feeling herself in the body and eventually the mental picture showed a lot of hopelessness about the immediate future.An inner reflect therapy reflected repeated ignorances and abuse that she went through at the various stages of life as a child and thus the deep need of healing within.The cumulative effect of a tumultuous childhood, abuses and inner escape of a reality that was altering towards different perception had diagnosed her with the clinical condition of Borderline Personality Disorder. The Erupt of LifeA seed is in a constant state of eruption! Mind is one such seed that is a gift to the mankind which is in a constant state of awakening!Towards the wake of life, to regain the flow, to rise above the earlier state, to dissolve and perish and return to the

source known to the Truth from where it came from! This Seed is You!The seed has life flowing through it in every way, through thoughts, Flow - of energy, through body, it’s inner awareness, higher consciousness rise, the spirit embodiment which is coming from a connect of the Source, which we call as the God, the Truth, the Creative Intelligence or anything else.So why do the Souls take the form through a body, where a mind is so relevant to hold to the consciousness that needs to undergo healing, attain experiences, letting go, forgive and ultimately surrender, before it joins the Truth of Source?This is the science the modern man is in a quest with today, which is a path towards Self-Exploration. One may want to know why only some are chosen for this and the rest pursue themselves on a normal path?Spirituality is an inward Path, where a being in existence is lost to find Self, experiencing the fear as a sensation to break away from the inner pattern of turmoil and attain Self-Liberation that connects one with the most naturalistic state of Peace!The Inner Awareness shares the understanding that only the chosen ones have to undergo this, who are courageous to face the Truth Source, who is now in a state of Awakening, Enlightenment and so too erupting with the Spirit of Life which gifts one with ultimate liberation from the cycles of all of the processes, existing in the timelines of earth reality.Healing comes as a natural gift from the Spirituality.The seed of Life is the truth towards

IN PURSUIT OF LIFE THROUGH SPIRITUALITY

Letter to all our readers:

I thank you for all your support for TMS. Thank you for writing in, for sending wishes and prayers and letters and articles and poems and stories! Please don't stop! We love to include original work from our readers. Hearing from you makes my day. The Mustard Seed is a community and communities should communicate!

We have a blog on <tmsthemustardseed.wordpress.com> Log on and join us online!

Our digital PDF edition is available to all, email me for your online copy. Please do share it generously.

I have been wading through a high pile of returned copies every issue. I am sad to say many addresses are out-dated or wrong. Many of you haven't received your copies although we have checked the addresses and I have posted them personally. Please write in to confirm your address with the pin code and correct spellings. If you, or someone you know, haven't received your copy, let me know! Email me or send me a regular post card. Share this with friends and family who receive TMS.

As always, I humbly request you to donate generously to our near- empty coffers. Printing and postage costs are huge and we do not accept advertisements, sponsors or ask for annual subscriptions.

The Mustard Seed may be slow, late or lost in transit but my commitment to you is from the bottom of my heart!

Onward in Faith!

- Raadhika

Spirituality and in it’s awareness mind is free to explore, grow, evolve and infinitely attain eternal freedom in the Truth of Source!Every binding, all limitations that are chained within that would have resulted in any limitations or conditions in Mind, Body or Life are l iberated and healed through Spirituality. It’s a journey by itself and A Huge One!Liberation towards Life!The classic case discussed above of inner conflict could heal through any modality, be it scientific or alternative science, but what is aiding in the modality of healing is the shift in the inner consciousness.

Spirituality is the gift for inner consciousness. Gaining connect with spirituality, however, is a inner journey. This journey helps you find your purpose, thus helping and aiding in your inner liberation. You are the guide for self towards this awakening, which gifts you the freedom to live Life towards it’s highest potential not explored, yet known to Inner Self!About the writer of this article-- Ms Prameela Sreemangalam - TOI Speaking Tree - Good Karma Award Winner, Young Women Achievers 2017, Author, Psychotherapist, Life Coach.

There is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.

- John Anderson Holmes

Everyone thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.

- Leo Tolstoy

I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know; The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.

- Albert Schweitzer

Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; all things pass. God never changes. Patience attains all things that it strives for. He who has God finds that he lacks nothings; God alone suffices.

- St Teresa of Avila

It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.

- Henry Ward Beecher

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