An elegant design...

A conversation last weekend with AJ was thought-provoking, as ever. We pondered, briefly (and I will attempt to summarize my questions and some preliminary conclusions about them soon on another post) about a broad difference in attitude and approach to life: one of withholding belief, active questioning, reasoning, testing and finally accepting, versus, one of accepting first, suspending disbelief, cultivating patience, then retroactively understanding, iteratively tweaking the basis for that acceptance and then building further paradigms for questioning, reasoning and so forth. (Acceptance can be thought of as a tolerance of the various superficial differences we see in individuals as well as the tiny leaps of faith we make in following a certain path). As you can see the two roads cross the same broad milestones, and start off on an imaginary circle but at different points. But those starting points can be very crucial on our perspective in life on the whole; our willingness to question dogma, accept change, propel that change as well when required, and sometimes accept what cannot be changed, cultivating compassion, tolerance and a desire to seek truth all at once.
All this talk made me wonder...
Let us suppose we were to build a spiritual being from first principles; is there any specific order in which we would fill at being up with virtues? For example, would developing acceptance and patience better position an individual for learning and thereby acquiring other qualities? (By making them grateful for that which is given and loving it wholeheartedly first, being tolerant of the limitations of oneself and others, and thereby being better able to appreciate increments and improvements made in knowledge and spiritual growth...you get the drift.)
Or would one take an equimolar ratio of all virtues and allow the individual to harness it to its potential over time, and hope they will all reach the maximum capacity at some stage?...
At any rate, I suppose, the current model the good Lord has chosen is some combination of the above, wherein each individual possesses the ability to develop all virtues to the fullest extent, but only has some in a mature form. This possibly positions them to learn actively from those around them when they encounter a limitation in their own selves/stage of maturity, while also being able to lend a hand to others lacking for what they may have realized in their own lives...
More musings to come! Happy Diwali!

'Light signifies the presence of God. And in His light, we see light.'

Dear God,

Please illumine our minds
With truth and knowledge,
Enliven our spirits
With strength and courage.
Set our hearts aglow
With love and compassion,
Be our leading light
In thought, word and every action.
Instill in us that purpose,
By which we may align,
Every fiber of our beings,
With your purpose, divine.

-- Amen.

Thought for the day

"Im ein ani li, mi li? U'ch'she'ani l'atzmi moh ani? V'im lo achshav eimatai?"- Rabbi Hillel.

It roughly translates to:
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" (Avoth 1:14).

हम को मन की शक्ति देना, मन विजय करें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

भेद भाव अपने दिल से साफ़ कर सकें
दोस्तों से भूल हो तो माफ़ कर सकें
झूठ से बचे रहें, सच का दम भरें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

हम को...

मुश्किलें पड़ें तो हम पे इतना कर्म कर
साथ दें तो धर्म का, चलेंगे धर्म पर
ख़ुद पे हौसला रहे, बदी से न डरें
दूसरों की जय से पहले, ख़ुद को जय करें

हम को मन की शक्ति देना, मन विजय करें
दूसरों की जय से पहले ख़ुद को जय करें

An endearing song, and a beautiful prayer, to help us persevere on the path of truth and righteousness...

Make me a channel of Your peace

A most gentle and soothing gem from the Saint of Assisi, a hymn very special and close to my heart. Thanks for reminding me C :)...

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love;
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord;
And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Refrain:

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light;
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
In giving to all men that we receive;
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Refrain

A recent post by a friend on peace and how peace and unity must truly begin with each of us reminded me of a very beautiful hymn I love to sing:

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth.

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father,

Children all are we.

Let us walk with each other,

In perfect harmony.

Let there be peace on earth,

Let this be the moment now.

Let there be peace on earth,

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment,

And live each moment,

In peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin...

With me.

Let there also be peace and calm in the areas ravaged by hurricane Ike, and may there be peace and hope in the homes that have to be rebuilt, and may there be peace and harmony in the aftermath of this catastrophe.
Amen.

O Lord! In this Most Great Dispensation...

O Lord! In this Most Great Dispensation Thou dost accept the intercession of children in behalf of their parents. This is one of the special infinite bestowals of this Dispensation. Therefore, O Thou kind Lord, accept the request of this Thy servant at the threshold of Thy singleness and submerge his father in the ocean of Thy grace, because this son hath arisen to render Thee service and is exerting effort at all times in the pathway of Thy love. Verily, Thou art the Giver, the Forgiver and the Kind!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá