Thoughts Become Things

So many people I know say they hate reading. What they seem not to get is that a book is an alternate universe, where you can go anywhere, or choose to just set the book down and leave that universe alone. -Zeke Willey

First, we visualize. Then, we summon up our talents, charm and virtues and act on our dreams. We become as powerful as the protagonists in our favorite stories and defeat the obstacles along the way. Finally, we live our dreams. In every step of the way, reading helps.

Making dreams come true: Stories can bring us to wonderlands that we have yet to imagine prior to reading a book. Through stories, our dreams are either created or expanded into our own reality.

Here are some characters we meet in fairytales:
1. Snow White represents the danger in being an object of envy.
2. Little Red Riding Hood is an ordinary girl who has great devotion to her grandmother and the big bad wolf is literally and figuratively a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing.
3. The Ugly Duckling, before its swan hood stage had to cope with issues concerning rejection and poor self esteem.
4. Cinderella is the epitome of a person whose transformation from a dirty ash girl to a lovely bride happened because of hard work and charm-attributes which can help us succeed in life.

Friendship and Culture

Love is a life-long willing entanglement of hearts. It is a natural concern for other beings. It may be a genuine concern of a mother for her child, a lover for his love, a friend for his friend and a leader for the mankind. Friendship is a particular name for the relationship between man and man, woman and woman, man and woman and so on. It is a chosen entanglement on agreeable terms among like minded persons. It is considered to be another form of love. The deep friendship is what we call as intimacy. Of course, lastly, if two persons are known to each other, they are considered to be acquaintances. So, these are the relationships we come across in our life.

Along with the themes like love, ambition, jealousy and so on, the great genius Shakespeare has dealt with friendship also giving due importance to it in his plays like Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Charles Dickens has also given a prominent place for it in his novels like The Pickwick Papers, The Great Expectations and Our Mutual Friend. The list of such authors on friendship grows endlessly. Because of friendship many authors have earned name and fame such as Addison and Steele, Swift and Pope, Coleridge and Wordsworth and T.S. Eliot and Pound. Friendship has brought immortal fame for them and generation after generation people’s esteem for these authors is scarcely diminishing in the world.

Not only English literature but all the language literatures of the world have given an esteemed place for friendship, because its benefit is invaluable to mankind. In the great Hindu Epic, Mahabharata, the divine poet, Vyasa has depicted a wonderful picture on friendship not only between man and man (Karna and Duryodhana) but also between God and Man (Lord Krishna and Arjuna). The love and respect of the people for God has increased more mainly due to this aspect of life in this single epic than in any other religious literatures of the world. This is the highest place any literature can give to friendship.

Italy "TheRoman Empire"

Italy has been the home of many European cultures, such as the Etruscans and the Romans, and later was the birthplace of the universities and of the movement of the Renaissance, that began in Tuscany and spread all over Europe. Italy's capital Rome was for centuries the center of Western civilization, it also spawned the Baroque movement and seats the Catholic Church. Italy possessed a colonial empire from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.

Today, Italy is a democratic republic and a developed country with the 8th-highest Quality-of-life index rating in the world.[7] It is a founding member of what is now the European Union (having signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957), and a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is a member of the G8 (having the world's 7th largest nominal GDP), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Trade Organization (WTO), the Council of Europe, the Western European Union, the Central European Initiative, and a Schengen state. It has the world's 7th largest defence budget and shares NATO's nuclear weapons. On 1 January 2007, Italy began a two year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Excavations throughout Italy reveal a modern human presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period some 200,000 years ago.[11] In the 8th and 7th centuries BC Greek colonies were established all along Sicily and the southern part of the Italian Peninsula. Subsequently Romans refereed to this area as Magna Graecia as it was so densely inhabited by Greeks.[12][13][14] Ancient Rome, at first a small agricultural community founded circa 8th century BC, grew the next centuries into a colossal empire encompassing the whole Mediterranean Sea, in which Ancient Greek and Roman cultures merged into one civilization, so influential that parts of it survive in modern law, administration, philosophy and arts forming the ground where Western civilization is based upon. In its twelve-century existence, it transformed from a republic to monarchy and finally to autocracy. In steady decline since 2nd century AD, the empire finally broke into two parts in 285 AD, a western and an eastern. The western part under the pressure of Goths finally dissolved leaving the Italian peninsula divided into small independent kingdoms and feuding city states for the next 14 centuries, and the eastern part as the sole heir to Roman legacy.

Rusian Architecture

Russian architecture was influenced predominantly by the Byzantine architecture until the Fall of Constantinople. Aristotle Fioravanti and other Italian architects introduced Renaissance trends. The reigns of Ivan the Terrible and Boris Godunov saw the development of tent-like churches culminating in Saint Basil's Cathedral, as shown to the right. In the 17th century, the "fiery style" of ornamentation flourished in Moscow and Yaroslavl, gradually paving the way for the Naryshkin baroque of the 1690s.

The 18th-century taste for rococo architecture led to the splendid works of Bartolomeo Rastrelli and his followers. During the reign of Catherine the Great and her grandson Alexander I, the city of Saint Petersburg was transformed into an outdoor museum of Neoclassical architecture; the 19th century was dominated by the Byzantine and Russian Revival. Prevalent styles of the 20th century were the Art Nouveau (Fyodor Shekhtel), Constructivism (Aleksey Shchusev and Konstantin Melnikov), and the Stalinist Empire style (Boris Iofan).

Some notable Russian buildings include:

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod | Golden Gate (Vladimir) | Cathedral of Christ the Saviour | Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir | Cathedral of the Annunciation | Cathedral of the Archangel | Cathedral of the Dormition | Church of the Savior on Blood | Saint Basil's Cathedral | Kazan Kremlin | Saint Isaac's Cathedral | Kazan Cathedral | Peter and Paul Cathedral | Sukharev Tower | Menshikov Tower | Moscow Manege | Narva Triumphal Gate | Kolomenskoye | Peterhof | Gatchina | Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra | Solovetsky Monastery | Kunstkamera | Russian Museum | Catherine Palace | Grand Kremlin Palace | Winter Palace | Simonov Monastery | Novodevichy Convent | Lenin's Mausoleum | Tatlin's Tower | Palace of the Soviets | Seven Sisters (Moscow) | All-Soviet Exhibition Centre | Ostankino Tower | Triumph-Palace | White House of Russia/

Culture of Turkey

The culture of Turkey is diverse, combining elements derived from Ottoman, Europe'an and Middle East traditions.

The nation was modernized primarily by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. As he transformed a religion-driven former Ottoman Empire into a modern nation-state with strong separation of state and religion, a corresponding increase in the methods of artistic expression arose. During the first years of the republic, the government invested a large amount of resources into fine arts such as paintings, sculpture and architecture. This was done as both a process of modernisation and of creating a cultural identity.

Because of the different historical factors defining the Turkish identity, the culture of Turkey combines clear efforts to be "modern" and Western, with a desire to maintain traditional religious and historical values.

The question "Who are the Turks?" does not have an easy answer. At the turn of the 20th century the Ottoman Empire was a multinational state extending over three continents. This page limits its discussion to the borders of the Republic of Turkey (founded in 1923). The location of the pictures are given with the name of the city or as a region, in case the source does not mention it.

Turkish culture has undergone profound changes over the last century. Today, Turkey may be the only country that contains every extreme of Eastern and Western culture (along with many compromises and fusions between the two). The Ottoman system was a multi-ethnic state that enabled people within it not to mix with each other and thereby retain separate ethnic and religious identities within the empire (albeit with a dominant Turkish and Southern European ruling class). Upon the fall of the empire after World War I the Turkish Republic adapted a unitary approach, which forced all the different cultures within its borders to mix with each other with the aim of producing "Turkish" national and cultural identity. This mixing, instead of producing cultural homogenization, instead resulted in many shades of grey as the traditional Muslim cultures of Anatolia collided with (or had imposed upon them) the cosmopolitan modernity of Istanbul and the wider West. Thus, Turkish culture in many ways represents a continuum that bridges past and present, East and West.

Life Style Of Marina Iceland

Within an hours travel from The Marina Hindmarsh Island is an exceptional range of recreational activities. Here is a taste of the options at hand:

Cruises: Try the Spirit of the Coorong for a magical taste of the Coorong, or investigate the Murray on one of the historic riverboats like the RS Baker.

Boating: Definitely some the best inland sailing in Australia! Charter a boat from us and have a go!

Whale Watching: Great lookouts and viewing platforms along the coastline to view these majestic mammals during the winter season.

Horse Riding: Horse riding for young and old.

Farms visits: try strawberry farms, trout farms, deer parks, floral farms, beef cattle station or olive groves for a start.

National Parks and Reserves: A number nearby in which to hike, picnic or camp. These include the Coorong National Park, Deep Creek Conservation Park and Newland Head Conservation Park.

Or visit nearby coastal towns - Middleton, Port Elliot, Victor Harbor and Goolwa

Dining Whether for lunch or dinner and at any level of formality, the options are countless. Try Rankine's Landing on Hindmarsh Island, the Whistlestop Café, Hectors on the Wharf, The Corio Hotel, Cafelicious, the Flying Fish Café or Blues to tantalise your tastebuds.

Bird Watching: An on-going event - the region is an important breeding ground for a variety of native birds and migratory birds which can be viewed at different times of the year.

Adventure parks: Greenhills Adventure Park is great for families.

Adventure Sports: Skirmish, parasailing, parachuting & hang gliding: For the young at heart

Culture of French Food

French cuisine is extremely diverse, with only the Chinese having similar variety in their food. This variety is supported by the French passion for good food in all its forms, France's extraordinary range of different geographies and climates which support the local production of all types of ingredients, and France's long and varied history. In many ways, an understanding of the culture of french food is an understanding of France itself.

Meals range from the very basic, such as the traditional baguette plus cheese plus inexpensive wine, to very elaborate affairs than can involve a dozen courses and different wines consumed over several hours. Obviously, the latter type of dining is exceptional for most people. However, it is this more sophisticated dining which is typically found in "French restaurants" outside France, giving many foreigners the mistaken impression that French food is heavy and complicated. In fact, much of the French cuisine is fairly simple, relying on high quality fresh ingredients and loving preparation rather than complex recipes.

It is common in much of France to take a two hour break for lunch, with many working parents (particularly in villages and smaller towns) returning home for lunch. In some areas, mainly in the south of France, even longer lunch breaks are taken. Due to the long lunch break, businesses which close for this period typically reopen around 2PM or so and then stay open until about 7PM.

Almost all the famous French dishes are regional specialities, some of which have become popular throughout France (such as Coq au Vin and Foie Gras) while others are mainly enjoyed in the regions in which they originate. Although regional specialities are often offered throughout France, the quality of ingredients and preparation is often superior in their region of origin.

How Does Religion And Spirituality Affect The Teenage Population

Over 85 percent of teenagers are affiliated with an organized religion. In addition, it is estimated that 80 percent of these individuals pray and 40 percent pray daily. More than half of this population attends religious services at least monthly.

If I were to ask high school seniors how important religion is to them, the majority would most likely report some type of religious belief or belief in a higher power is an important part of their lives.

The National Institute of Health was named as the participating organization. The NIH would like to learn whether and how these beliefs influence early sexual behaviors, alcohol or other drug use that may facilitate the transmission of HIV in children and adolescents. The focus is on positive and negative effects of religiosity and spirituality.

The realization that so many teenagers are interested in religion and incorporate religion into their lives in some way or another prompts our government agencies and others to take a closer look at how this affects the teenage population, their behaviors and our society.

I hope more and more human service agencies learn how to intertwine religion, spirituality and scientific research into their programs of care. I feel scientific methods of treating social, mental and emotional problems are not enough for anyone.

God And Love

When it comes to God And love, God’s love toward us is that of a father toward his children. “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” He spares nothing that is for our good, no matter what the price is. God gave His only - begotten Son, Jesus Christ who died for our sins that we may be saved. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This was an exercise of the Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself.

Jesus commanded: “Love your enemies.” God Himself established the principle, as the apostle Paul states: “God recommends His own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us… For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life“. A wonderful instance of God and love is God’s dealing with Saul of Tarsus who became the apostle Paul. Loving our enemies, therefore, should be governed by the principle established by God and be exercised in obedience to His commandments, whether or not such love is accompanied by any warmth or affection.

As to God and Love we can be sure that love is of God. The apostle Paul writes: “God is love.” says: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” He also has other attributes, among them justice, power and wisdom. says: He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. says: “Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him?” says “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

As for God and love, God also has the capacity to hate, a quality the very opposite of love. His love of righteousness requires his hatred of wickedness. says: “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.” says: “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him.”

How to love God is the ability to come to know God as oneself. Love can come only by seeking and following God’s spirit and the knowledge that comes from His Word. Love must be first to God, above all others. Otherwise, it will become misdirected. Knowing God’s purposes is essential, because one knows then what is best for his own welfare and that of others and will know how to express love in the proper way. This love to God is described in the Bible as loving Him with one’s whole heart, mind, soul and strength.’.

Love is primarily a quality of the heart. says: “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” We must know God and his qualities, and his purposes, and how he expresses them. says: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

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Islam

The idea of Islam being spread by the sword is one of the most common misconceptions among both the Muslims and non-Muslims. Many non-Muslims have written untold volumes of anti-Islamic literature propagating the fallacy of Muslims holding swords above the heads of Christians and forcing them to convert to Islam. This is total nonsense. On the other hand we have some Muslim apologists who, in their great fervor to defend Islam and portray it as the peaceful religion it is, seem reluctant to admit that Muslims did indeed fight wars to expand their territories. So what is the truth of the situation? I would like to begin our quest for the truth on this matter by quoting the Qur’an, the literal word of God and the primary source for Islam: “Say the truth from your Lord, then let whomsoever wills believe and let whomsoever wills reject.” 18:29

Let’s start with the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and look at his example. He did preach Islam peacefully in Mecca for 13 years without once raising a finger against his enemies even though he and his followers were harshly persecuted, tortured, mocked and sometimes murdered. The first wars with Mecca did not occur until after the hijra to Medina, and those battles were defensive against Abu Sufyan and his amassed troops. After the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, the peace treaty between the Muslims and the Meccans, was unilaterally broken by the Meccans, the Muslims conquered Mecca without any bloodshed. Tribal customs would dictate that the Meccans should then be slaughtered for their transgressions against the victorious Muslims, and indeed the Meccans anticipated this, but Muhammad (PBUH) granted them amnesty on the condition that they cease fighting the Muslims. This was a beautiful act of mercy which led to the majority of Meccans choosing to convert to Islam, though no person was ever forced to do so.

What is conversion to Islam? Converting to Islam is something that has to be done by choice, it is something that you believe in your heart, that there is only one God and that Muhammad is His prophet and messenger. Words without belief are meaningless. Of course God alone knows what is in each and every person’s heart, so you won’t be able to fool God by meaningless lip service to Islam, and religion is solely for God and the benefit of the individual. So, forced conversion is impossible. The Qur’an attests to this fact in 2:256 where it states: “There is no compulsion in religion.”

So how did Islam spread so rapidly across North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula and east across India and Central Asia all the way to Southeast Asia? Primarily it spread by trade. Very often while Muslim merchants were traveling abroad they would impress the people they did business with by their honesty and integrity, so much so that those people would ask questions, learn about Islam, and eventually choose to convert.

Fasting Without Prayer is Not Vailid

True biblical fasting requires prayer. You can pray without fasting but you can’t fast -God’s way prayer. If you’ve decided to fast, here are a couple things to keep in mind:

1. Numerous times in the New Testament, Jesus talked about fasting. He always said “when,” not “if” you fast. It is something Jesus expects from Christians. Although fasting should come from your heart’s desire, at first it may seem like a chore. That’s okay. Tithing isn’t always easy, either. But your obedience means more to God than your sacrifice. Like anything else, the more you do it, the easier it will become.

Fasting is not manipulation. You may be fasting to hear God more clearly or to receive an answer to a specific prayer, but you cannot fast God into doing something for you. God is always concerned about the condition of our hearts more than He is about giving us what we want.

Unless you hear differently from God on this issue, don’t think you need to be on your knees for the full fasting period. God understands that you have a family, a job and daily activities. Fasting and prayer can be done around these things. Again, it is an issue of the heart.

Twenty-Four Hour Fast – This is the most normal and convenient fast today. It takes place from sun-down to sun-set the following evening. Jewish tradition was to eat a full meal in the late afternoon and then fast until dinnertime the next day. You may want to eat a large early dinner and spend an hour with God after dinner, asking Him to bless your fasting time. Waking up the next morning knowing you will be able to eat that evening makes dealing with the hunger pains a little easier to bear.

Vedic Math Ancient Sutras - Basic Mental Math

The latest research in Vedic Math suggests that there are sixteen ancient Vedic Sutras which have been expanded upon by an additional thirteen sub-Sutras or math corollaries.

A brief discussion on each of these is in order.

The 16 Vedic Math Sutras as applicable to mathematics:

1. "Ekadhikena Purvena" (By one more than the previous one) The working of the Sutra is quite simple. In the case of the vulgar fraction 1/19 whose denominator ends with 9, in the normal method 18 steps are required. But with this Sutra it can be accomplished in only one step. The actual calculations and steps are beyond the scope of this writing. This is just to show the ease with which we can apply Vedic mathematics to everyday calculations as well as for solving complex equations.

2. "Nikhilam Navatascaramam Dasatah" (All from 9 and the last from 10) This is a cryptic Sutra for multiplying numbers. According to Vedic Math multiplication tables are not required beyond the 5 multiplied by 5. It is claimed that with this sutra multiplication becomes a Childs play.

3. "The Urdhva Tiryaghyam Sutra" (Vertically and crosswise multiplications) This is another short Sutra for multiplication

4. "Paravartya Yojayet" (Transpose and apply) This Sutra is used to solve simple equations

5. "Sunyam Samyasamuccaye" i.e. If the Samuccaya is the same (on both sides of the equation, then) that Samuccaya is (equal to) zero This Sutra is used to solve special type of equations. "Samuccaya" is a technical term which has several meanings in different contexts. In fact, a single word taking on different meanings is the beauty of Sanskrit text. At the same time it is also confusing and confounding to those who have not mastered the language. If looked at it from different angles, Sanskrit is a boon as well as a bane. Misunderstanding and misinterpreting is quite common among scholars. In as much as the scriptures are concerned, the meaning of words becomes all the more important.

6. "(Anurupye ) Sunyamanyat" ( If one is in ratio the other one is zero) There are some simultaneous equations which may involve large numbers and may therefore seem hard to solve, but owing to certain ratios between the coefficients can be readily and easily solved using this Sutra.

7. "Sankalana-vyavakalanabhyam"

8. "Puranapuranabhyam"

9. "Calana-kalanabhyam"

The above three Sutras are used in solving different types of quadratic equations.

10. "Yavadunam" This Sutra is used for squaring and cubing.

11. "Vyastisamastih"

12. "Sesanyankena Caramena"

13. "Sopantyadvayamantyam"

14. "Ekanyunena Purvena"

15. "Gunitasamuccayah"

16. "Gunakasamuccayah"

Spiritual Logic

Atheists point to these events to indicate how religion does not work in fairness to the very people it claims to serve. Yet, religionists look upon the same events to expose the blasphemies of those who were removed from the ranks of the believers. The same event produces radically opposing interpretations. One is the unfairness of the institutions.

The other is the unfairness of the dissidents. At this juncture is where the true religious moderates are needed to bridge the gap between the war holler to destroy religious institutions, and the equally abrasive shriek of religious fundamentalists with their "Our way or the high-way" banner raised up from on high. Religious Moderation is not a code for apathy, extreme relativism, new-age, or anything of the sort. It simply refers to people of all religious and spiritually based systems who don't throw away their convictions every time they are tempted by their egos, and likewise it indicates those who don't shun the rest of the world because they practice the wrong religion.

Skeptics may say, "This is all very well in theory, but fundamentalists learn this attitude from their own books and scriptures. They don't get this from thin-air." They are correct in saying that, without a doubt. All of the religious scriptures of the world contain attitudes of extremism, intolerance, absolutist, and everything under the sun that religious fundamentalists cling to. There is also evidence to the contrary in those self-same books.

This is the point of contention among religionists with non-believers, and with each other as well. Each "group" is selecting choice passages and phrases that bolsters their own point of view, and they begin throwing these at each other to see who wins the competition. It reminds one of a theological snowball fight. One could say that even religious moderates are guilty of this, and they would be correct. Thus, the human experience exposes its imperfection for eternity.

Saying Goodbye To The Past

It often happens in the course of a life, and especially when inner movement causes the heart to seek new horizons or relationships in order to further its own growth, that the past must be let go of. Sometimes this involves a physical change of circumstance and a physical separation from what one has formerly loved. Sometimes, the separation is only inner. However it occurs, what is needed in order that forward movement take place, is a saying goodbye to what has been so that a chapter in life can be closed out and a new one begun.

Where letting go appears to be relatively simple, in that a circumstance or relationship is no longer as valued as it once was, while another appears to offer great promise, even then, it is rarely as simple as one might think to say goodbye. For where love has been involved previously, the part of the heart that has loved – whether a person, place, activity, or goal in life – has invested a part of itself and its identity in that thing.

It has reached out with its inner being and given of itself so that to whatever degree, what has been loved is now part of oneself. For this reason, detaching from what has been is rarely as simple as it appears or as one might thinks it ought to be. The part of the self that has lived and grown in the company of a particular person or situation exists in a timeless way. For love itself is timeless, and so at the moment of departure, all that has been is still real to the heart, even if it does not exist as a present desire to remain. As a result, each soul needs to be both gentle and respectful of the process of saying goodbye to something that was once cared for, not out of fear of letting go or out of guilt about moving on, but out of a sense of respect for truth which, emerging from the heart, lets one know that a chapter in life that has contained 'life' is closing so that a new one can begin. Often, a process that is explicit which allows one to formally take leave of something can be helpful so that the heart feels a sense of closure and can know that everything that is possible to feel in the present has been felt, and what has needed to be said has been said.

Where this is not possible due to circumstance, taking leave in one's mind and heart with a sense of prayerfulness and gratitude for what has been will serve equally well, especially when God's love is called upon to assist with the process. Those who are afraid of sadness in saying goodbye and who choose denial or avoidance instead, will miss something valuable by avoiding the process of deliberate closure and deliberate letting go. What will be missed will be the sense of fully choosing the future with one's whole self, including the part that feels pain or sadness or doubt. This integrity of choice and of consciousness is one benefit to be gained by the process of saying goodbye. Another is that sadness about leaving something often simultaneously evoke the presence of love for what has been, and this, too, can be a blessing. For in life, wherever love is, there, too, gratitude may be for the gifts that have been given to the life of the heart. And no matter what limitations or restrictions may have been placed around that love due to one's own choices or those of others, the small portion that existed beyond the restrictions needs to be honored for what it was. The lifeblood of the heart flows from season to season, sometimes changing external circumstances in the process, sometimes changing only the inner landscape of hopes, wishes, and dreams to conform to the process of inner growth. Where one is already embarked upon a conscious spiritual path, these changes will happen with greater awareness, for they are part of the richness of having an inner life that has acquired depth. At the same time, feelings involved in letting go will also be felt more deeply, for in the presence of greater inner clarity, all that exists as emotion becomes more fully revealed.

The Most Powerful Person In The Universe

This is the story of a young boy who had a dream to serve the most powerful person in the world. He lived in a small village and so one day he went to the head of the village and said " Sir, from today, i am going to serve you for the rest of my life. My dream is to serve the most powerful person and you are the greatest....." One year passed by and the young boy deligintly carried out all his duties. One fine day the head of the village told the young boy " Today the Governor(head of the state) is coming to visit us. Serve him properly..." The Governor arrived to a pompous reception. The head of the village did everything to please him and took great care of the Governor. The young boy was watching everything. He said to himself " How stupid of me ! I thought that the head of the village is the most powerful person. But this Governor is more powerful than him..." Later during the day he went to the Governor and told him of his dream to serve the most powerful person in the universe and the young body said to the Governor " From today i am going to serve you for the rest of my life....." So the young boy went away with the Governor..... Six months passed by and the young boy was happy to serve the Governor.... " Today I am going to meet the king to discuss certain issues of the state" said the Governor . " If you wish you can come along with me" . The young boy had nothing much to do that day and so he accompanied the Governor to the king's palace. When the young boy entered the palace he was ecstatic . He couldn't believe his own eyes...The majestic elephants outside the palace, the rich clothes the king's men were wearing , the silver plates on which the food was served, the royal gold throne, the chandeliers, the artistically carved pillars.... The young boy was thrilled.... The Governor walked up to the king's throne and saluted him and bowed before him.... The young boy was watching all this..... Later during the day he went to the king and told him of his dream to serve most powerful person in the universe and the young boy said to the king " From today. i am going to serve you for the rest of my life....." So the young boy stayed at the king's palace..... Two years passed by and the young boy noticed something peculiar about the king. Every day at 6.30 pm in the evening the king used to go alone for a long walk.... That day the young boy followed the king.... The king entered a small hut in the nearby forest . A great yogi was sitting inside the hut in deep meditation. The king bowed before the great yogi and prostrated before him.... The young boy was watching all this..... After the king left the young boy entered the small hut and told the yogi of his dream to serve most powerful person in the universe and the young body said to the great yogi " From today. i am going to serve you for the rest of my life....." So the young boy stayed at the small hut..... The yogi was a very disciplined and strict person. He was always in deep meditation and never ventured out of his hut. However, on the seventh day of every month at 3.30 am in the morning the yogi used to step out of his hut and came back only after an hour. The young boy was curious to know the movements of his master. But he was afraid of venturing out in the dark in the deep forest. However, that day mustering sufficient courage he followed his master... The yogi walked briskly for twenty minutes chanting a prayer silently till he entered a small but beautiful Krishna temple located deep in the forest. With tears in his eyes the great yogi calling out for Lord Krishna prostrated before the magnificent idol of Lord Krishna.... The young boy was watching all this..... After the yogi left the young boy entered the temple and prostrated before the Lord. " Where were you my child. I was all along waiting for you" echoed a powerful voice from within the temple. The young boy looked at all directions but he could not find anyone. The powerful voice echoed again... " Where were you my child. I was all along waiting for you.." This time, the young boy listened more intensely to the voice.. He did not look at all directions. He closed his eyes and said " Lord i have a dream to serve most powerful person in the universe...." The powerful voice came again" I have a plan for you my dear child. I will reveal it to you as we meet more often..." The young boy smiled. He had never experienced the tenderness,sweetness and the love he got in those few moments in the temple. The hero within him had taken him to the right place. He lived there happily for the rest of his life and became the most powerful person in the universe.......

Spirituality or Religion?

The folks on Pagan Space. net are in the midst of a spirited discussion on the question of whether Paganism or "The Craft," is spirituality, faith, or religion. As you might guess, there a numerous posts on the entomology and definitions of spirituality, faith, and religion. There are contributions that point out that Wicca is the only "official" Pagan religion in the United States and and ardent protests against Paganism ever becoming a church or religion . Many contributors work very hard not to call their Pagan or Wiccan practices a faith or religion; spirituality is about as far as they will go.

Why so do many Pagans and Wiccans dance around the topics of faith and religion? Their reactions give the impression that calling Paganism a religion would water it down or turn it into just another pallid mainstream religion. Perhaps some object on the grounds that turning Paganism into a religion would erase our reputation as the "bad boy" of faith practices. Some folks do enjoy the shock value of calling themselves Wiccan or Pagan. I'd rather lose that stigma.

My reply, as always, went against the prevailing opinions. I posted: "I am a Pagan and Paganism is my spirituality, my faith, my religion, and my lifestyle.(I will leave the definitions and meaning qualifications to others. ) I have always been a spiritual person and was once a devout Catholic. After leaving that faith background behind, my seeking lead me to the Pagan path, and here I have found my home."