Tag Archives: compassion

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The Reason for Peace


Children deserve to live in a world where they are cherished, educated, loved and live in peace. We have the responsibility to give that world to them.

We have a world where some children will never even walk into a school. We have a world where some children will die of hunger in their Mother’s arms. We have a world where some children have no shoes or clothes. We have a world where some children die of smallpox, whooping cough, and malaria. They die because there is no medicine for them.

We live in a world where they live and die and no one knows or cares.

We live in a world where some kids go to posh prep schools, and some kids are bullied for being dressed differently. We live in a world where many bright kids can’t go to college.   We live in a world where no one really cares. 

We live in a world where we look for peace to protect our children and grandchildren. I look for a world where a grown angry man full of hate, with an automatic gun is his hand, isn’t the last thing that a child sees. I look for a world where we love the poor and hungry and homeless as much as we love our comfortable neighbors.

I pray for a world full of peace, not greed for money,oil, land, power and a world where people don’t die because they believe in a God/Goddess that is different than someone else’s.

I pray for a world where we put our arms around children and tell them how good and precious they are. I pray for a world where is doesn’t matter what color their skin is. I pray for a world where they will know only kindness and compassion. I pray for a world where we give love without restraint because we know we can never run out of love and it will only come back to us. I pray for a world where we can all hold hands and it is important that everyone on our planet has food and clean water. And that we will work to find solutions to make that possible. I pray for a world where everyone cares.

Beach 4; Presque Isle, Pa.;Photo by Barbara Mattio

Power of Peace in the World

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We Are the World


Hurricane Sandy has now come, destroyed and gone. We, as citizens of our country need to come together regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or economic status and turn around and see the millions of people who are injured, scared, in pain, overwhelmed and homeless.

Yes, FEMA will help, and the states will help, but people need more. They need each other. They need the rest of the country to care and to pull together with donations and volunteers. People are still in shelters. Children have lost their favorite stuffed toy. Some people have not one material thing left in this world. Nothing left to show that they were ever there or ever cared about anything.

Material things are not the most important things, but warm clothes, a roof over your children’s heads, and food and water are necessary to maintain life. So please donate to the American Red Cross tell them your donation is for Hurricane Sandy. Take time out to be grateful for what you have and share with the millions who have had their lives devastated.

For those who live in communities not as hard hit as New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Rhode Island and elsewhere you can help on a more personal level. If neighbors are without power, invite them to have a warm shower and a meal. Help to put up tarps on roofs and perhaps drive children to school. Share a hug and let someone know you care that they are suffering and feeling alone and helpless. Take them to church, temple, or mosque so they may have relief and support there also.

This is the time for the 99% to show that we are strong and love our fellow Americans. We have open hearts and will lovingly and compassionately reach out and help those in need. We are Americans and will help each other and anyone who is in need. So, to the food banks, to your churches, to your local shelters give what you can and give it with love.

Satelite picture of America after Hurricane Sandy

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What Really is Right


The political season is upon us and there is much mud slinging going on. Everyone is forming opinions and hopefully will vote. I have been thinking about “What is Right?”

We have the standard laws given to Moses by G-d. The Ten Commandments are certainly a good foundation for human behavior. The problem is that you can obey the Commandments and still not live an ethical life.

Even if you live according to the ethical standards for your faith, there are areas we don’t think of as being ethical or not ethical.

Let me explain. you go to your church, temple, or mosque at the prescribed times. You tithe as you are supposed to. You give to the charity food drive and buy Girl Scout cookies when the girls come to your door. You are a good friend and you get along pretty well with your in-laws. So you have it all sewn up. Right? The after-life awaits you.

There are other things that matter but we usually gloss over them. For instance, hating someone who is a different color. We are angered and share mean-spirited jokes about those whose sexual preference is different.
We look at people who are not as well dressed as we are and smugly turn away. We are capable of walking by a homeless person on the street with averted eyes and a closed heart. Grace is said at our tables at night for the bounty of our food but we do not worry about the elderly person down the street who gets by with Meals on Wheels.

My point is just to show us that we don’t always do all we could do in our lives to live in the spirit of any of the sacred writings.

Today, across the world, there are starving children, children who will never live to be 10. There are women who can’t nurse their babies because they don’t make enough milk because they are literally starving.

People are living in refugee camps and wearing rags to cover their bodies. Here in America, more people own guns than ever and we are killing each other with abandon. Children are killing themselves because of bullying. They are being picked on supposedly because they are ‘different’, but really because it gives the bully the feeling of power and control and makes them feel superior.

I think if each of us look at the way we treat all other people, and respond to them the way any of the prophets, teachers, and gurus would, we could begin to heal our lives and our world with love. Love is the great equalizer because you begin to see others as Divinity does. Connected and part of each other.

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The Path to The One


Creation Picture from The Gathas of Zarathushtra

The Zorathushtra is the Prophet of the Zoroastrian religion. Zarathushtra is believed to be the first in human history to have founded a religion based on the ethical values of Truth and Justice. He taught that there was one God and his name was Ahura Mazda, Lord of Life and Wisdom. It is considered to be the most ancient of the revealed religions.

It is not known exactly when Zarathushtra lived or when the Gathas were composed. The Greeks considered him a very ancient prophet and placed him around 6000 BC.

The language the Gathas were written in is called Gathic or Old Avestan to distinguish them from the later tests, such as the Rig-Vida.

Zarathusthra describes himself as a Zaotar. He identified with oppressed peoples, the poor and downtrodden. His disciples defended the herders and the marginalized.

Even though many declare that there are many differences between religions or spiritual paths; there really are so many similarities. It is as if we could take all the similarities of God/Goddess/Divine Energy and put them all together as if it were a puzzle. I think if we put them together we would have a truer and more accurate picture of The One. I do want to stress that Zarthushtra was the first prophet to proclaim that there is one God. And God demands humans to choose The Truth and live by it. Mankind must also take responsibility for their actions.

In his position as prophet he prayed for himself because he knew that he would suffer much in his efforts to do what was best for mankind. He chose to live in truth and to teach how Ahura Mazda reaches out to all mankind with his blessings.

This is from the Gathas. It is Yasna 43. I think it is very beautiful.

“May that man of innate nobility
progress from good to greater good.
May he instruct us
concerning the straight paths of salvation in this
bodily life and that of the mind.
There are the paths
where Ahura Mazda Himself dwells.
And so your ardent devotee
becomes one like you, O Mazda,
resplendent in Wisdom.”

” Ahura Mazda’s First Thought
blazed into myriads of sparks of light
and filled the entire heavens.
He Himself, in His Wisdom,
is the Creator of Truth which
upholds His Supreme Mind.

When I held You in my mind’s eye,
then I realized You, O Mazda,
as the First and the Last for all of Eternity,
as the Father of Good Mind,
the true Creator of Truth,
and Lord over the actions of life.”

These translations are by Piloo Nanavutty.

I am so amazed and moved at how the different paths take us to The One and that ultimately we have hated without reason, fought wars for no reason, and failed to love others because they were different from us. This is not what humans are supposed to be doing. We are supposed to be living with compassion and love and caring for others. We can choose to change this. It will work to change one person at a time. If each of us live with compassion, love and caring we can make progress on the path to living the way The Eternal wants us to.

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Mellow yellow Monday with Light


 

“Seek refuge in the True Illumination! For the light of His Wisdom in infinite. Seek refuge in That which is beyond understanding.”
Take refuge in the ultimate Strength, for His pure radiance is above all things. He who perceiveth this Light is set free.”

—Wisdom of the East Buddhist Psalms

In this writings, Buddha did not ever refer to himself as God. He also never mentioned miracles. He showed no interest in being revered . He saw himself as a person who is awake. He did spend his life trying to awaken other people.
He is quoted as saying, ” Whoever sees me sees the teaching, and whoever sees the teaching sees me.”

He was mortal as we are, yet he attained enlightenment and was raised to the rank of an immortal. Today, Buddhism teaches that we can overcome challenges or problems with a positive or peaceful mind. Buddha taught that the mind has the power to create all positive and negative objects in our lives.

Buddhism is the practice of Buddha’s teachings. These are also called Dharma which means protection. Buddha gave human beings eighty-four thousand teachings and Buddhism developed from these teachings. This is the path of compassion and wisdom.

Photo by Barbara Mattio

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Olympic Hopes


Last night, like many millions of people in the world, I watched the Opening Olympic ceremonies. They were beautiful and magical. Country after country marching represented by their best athletes. Their faces shining and happy smiles for all. The traditional clothes were so colorful and beautiful and each person walking in those ceremonies was lit with beauty from within. I also remembered past Olympic tragedies. I realized that we, the human beings on this planet have kept the spirit of the games alive since the Greek empire. Every 4 years, the torch is lit with pride and accomplishment. This is what human life should be, the colorful parade of shining faces and the millions who watch by television, now-a-days. The pride to be human in this world and the pride for country, and the pride and good wishes for the athletes who are competing from other countries. Life is meant to be this exilharating and peaceful experience.

Why can’t it last? What happens to us after the closing ceremonies? Do we lose our love for our fellow human beings? Why do we go into the rut of every one out for themselves?

During the Olympics, we put aside differences and while still competing against each other, it is all about being the best we can be. Why do we stop that? I believe that if the Olympics can continue to inspire the world and so many millions of people, then we are capable of carrying these experiences on into the lives of all people in every country. Little, big, rich, poor, we are capable of loving and helping each other We are capable of compassion and turning aside from what does not compliment these ideals. To me the Olympics demonstrate that we are capable of living together in peace, harmony, love and compassion. So I still have hope for us. I still believe that despite what we hear all the time on the news, we can be better people. In the news, “it leads if it bleeds.” Well, peace doesn’t bleed and we don’t hear enough about the wonderful people who live, struggle and love others more than they love themselves. So my heart and mind are with the athletes from every fantastic country on this fantastic planet. We can make peace work.

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No Greater Love


One of my heroines is Mother Teresa. This soul is what I always wanted to be. I didn’t succeed, but I am continuing to help the world however I can. I am committed to do this for the rest of my life. Life requires commitment to ideals, commitment to love and acceptance. Life requires that we love and accept others without limitation. Now, I know there are some that would say, she has never seen the rough parts of life. But I have, in person and close up. The world isn’t beautiful. You have to look for the beauty in people and all around you. God is everywhere and that includes within us. So follow the creative voice within and create the beauty you need to thrive in this experience. This plane of existence.

“Love each other as God loves each one of you, with an intense and particular love. Be kind to each other; it is better to commit faults with gentleness than to work miracles with unkindness.”
—-Mother Tesesa

Rumi talks about the ecstatic love of God. He speaks of the interconnectedness of all sentient beings.

“One part of the Whole is not separate from the other parts. The beauty of all flowers is part of the rose’s beauty. The coo of the turtledove is part of the nightingale’s song.”  —–Rumi

Our works of love and charity come from our overflow of our love of God from within. Charity is like a living flame. The drier the fuel, the livelier the flame. Showing gratitude for everything in your life, whether a little thing or an abundance, needs to be done with joy. A heart burning with love produces a joyful heart. Joy is strength. Joy is always hard and it isn’t just temperament. We need to work to acquire it and make it grow in our hearts. We may not always have a lot to give but we can always give the joy that springs from a heart which is in love with God. We need to love without getting tired. A lamp burns with the continuous flow of drops within the lamp. Compassion and a loving heart are the most important things we can cultivate and we will never run out. We were chosen for this incarnation for a purpose, we aren’t just a number. So explore life, embrace it with passion and find what God has for you.

Photo by Barbara Mattio, Livingston, TX.