World Peace and Prayer Day June 18-21, 2011: March 2011

One From Two

by Diane Buccheri, Publisher, OCEAN Magazine March 2011

Still. Calm.

Is there any life?

The sea, the sky's mirror

bled its life into the air,

giving its life to the airy living.

I am Water

by Jacqueline Haessly Global Spirituality Seminar -The Nature Place, Colorado
June 13, 1992

I am water.

I come forth as a trickle from the headwaters of the earth,
bubbling, springing forth, clear, crystal, life-giving.

From New Zealand

A letter written to WPPD leadership from our dear brother Isaac in New Zealand (3/2/2011):

"You probably haven't heard but New Zealand suffered a terrible earthquake one week ago - many people have died and many more devastated by the earthquake which happened in one city called Christchurch. I live in the capital Wellington, and Creator be thanked that we were not affected...

Fire

Grandmother Mona Polacca
Hopi -Tewa/ HavasupaiSee Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island

There was once a time as indigenous people when we didn't have any maps or road signs, yet we were able to make our way. We were able to journey," Grandmother Mona explained. "We had the sacred fire so that when there was a moment when we felt we lost our sense of direction, when we were lost and disoriented, not knowing which direction to go, we would sit down before this Grandpa Fire. In poor health physically, mentally, spiritually, we would sit down before Grandpa Fire and say our prayers. In that way we would be shown the direction we needed to go, the things we needed to do. We would be given the signs through Grandfather Fire. Our hearts would be filled with warmth love, and compassion. That's the way this Grandfather Fire is. Always respect it, always look to it, let it be there to help you."

Fire and Water

By Swami Nityamuktananda, 2011

When the wisdom teachers from across the globe talk Fire and Water, they do not mean just the flame of the campfire or the water that runs out of your tap; although they talk about that too.

Fire and water, just like earth, air and space (ether) are energies. We know from mystics from around the globe, just as much as from most modern science, that the entire universe, in all its diversity and forms, from a galaxy to the features of earth, to our own body and mind- all are ultimately energy.

The Importance of Silence

By Swami Nityamuktananda, 2011

The more complex our life becomes, the more noisy it becomes. We call it progress, but is it?

Most living environments are more noisy now than ever, with TV, Video Games, Radio, Traffic noise etc. and worth we plug our ears to hear even clearer… the noise, the waves, the vibrations that batter our brains through personal stereos, i-pods and so on. There is noise everywhere, even close to our eardrums!

Research shows that more and more young people suffer from loss of hearing because from a young age they are exposed to loud noise. Noise is vibration is constant attack on our ears; and moreover every noise is a “bite” of information that has to be digested by our brain. Research has shown that the average person today needs one more hour of sleep for the brain to digest all the stuff we put into it.

Visions of Peace: Within the Within

By Seneca Hawk Elder, Edna Gordon

Life is like a Garden to nourish, to blossom and to reap the fruits of life

Listen to the inner voice, the eternal mystery within for self awareness and self esteem

Peace, the illumination within for inner security is a basic need to grow and to nourish within

Seven Steps Toward Golden Silence

How to quell the mind's clack and clatter and enjoy the natural divine peace of your soul
By Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
Silence is very important. It is food for the soul. If we can make our mind absolutely silent, our body absolutely silent and our emotions absolutely silent, just for a few minutes, we can quiet down. We then begin to draw divine energies from the central core of the universe itself. The noise of the mind, the noise of the emotions and the noise of the physical body often block these divine energies. Or, as they are "oozing out" from the central core of the universe, they get quickly used up in all the commotion we cause in ourselves and in others. Therefore, we have the practice of mauna, silence--just sitting and being quiet.