Hi Friends !
Welcome to the current issue of 'The Meditation Weekly' - newsletter
from Meditation
is easy.com.
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In this issue
:
1. Quote
of the week
2.
Amusing fact of the Week.
3. My
latest journey to Kolkata
4. How much does a prayer weigh ?
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Quote of the Week:
"If you are
going to die soon an had only one phone call you could make, who
would you call and what would you say ? and why are you
waiting ? Just say it !
- Stephen
Levine.
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Amusing facts of
the Week.
Isaac
Newton's only recorded utterance while he was a member of Parliament
was a request to open the window !
Here is another
one :
Oxford
University was founded because a king quarreled with a saint. Henry
II fending with Archbishop Thomas Becket and incensed with king of
France for defending Becket, ordered English students home from the
University of Paris. Most of the returnees settled at Oxford and
started a University of their own !
**********
My recent visit to
Kolkata
Recently I visited Kolkata - the eastern city of India.
Kolkata is known as the cultural capital of India (just like the
cities of New Delhi and Mumbai are known as political and
financial capital of India respectively). If you spend some time in
Kolkata, you will realize that 'cultural capital' is a
very appropriate description of this city. People here are highly
religious and they celebrate all religious festival with a great
zeal. As compare to other big cities of India, people are more
humane, courteous and very helpful. You will be surprised to know
that this highly spiritual city is being governed by a communist
Government for the last 30 years !
Well my reason for telling you about Kolkata is to
tell you about an enlighten soul who lived in Kolkata in the 19th
Century. He was Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans - the spiritual guru of
Swami Vivekananda.
Ramakrishna Paramhans was the priest of a temple (Dakshineswar
Temple of Goddess Durga) in Kolkata . It i said about him that in
his life time, he achieved such great spiritual heights that
he could take anybody into deepest possible meditation just with
a touch of his hand.
Ramakrishna is no longer present in his physical form. He
died long ago. However, the vibration of his presence can
still be felt in the Dakshineswar Temple of Kolkata. I visited
the Dakshineswar temple situated at the coast of river Ganga. In
this temple that room, where Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans used to
live, is still there . It's an extremely peaceful place where strict
silence is maintained. speaking (or even whispering) is not allowed
in the room. If one sit in this room and meditate for some time, he
can easily recognize the spiritual vibrations present in the room. Meditating
in such place is a rare experience.
Apart from the Dakshineswar temple, there is another temple - 'Belur
Math' which is also the international headquarter of 'Ram
Krishna' Mission - a social and spiritual organization established
by the disciples of Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans. Here also a big
hall for meditation is available where hundreds of people
mediate daily.
If you happen to visit India for a spiritual journey, I'll
strongly recommend you to visit Kolkata and the Dakshineswar temple.
It can prove to be a great learning experience for you.
**********
How much does a prayer weigh ?
Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store.
Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."
John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"
Louise replied, "Yes sir"
"O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.
The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer which said:
"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, "It was worth every penny of it."
It was sometime later that the grocer discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.
~Author Unknown~
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I hope you'll
thoroughly enjoy this issue. Happy Weekend !
Regards
Eklavya
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