Humility is the basic stepping stone so very much essential here before we even try to decode our religion which is full of Rumz or written in riddles. We are wrong in our surmise when we think that human intelligence is the only necessary criteria required for understanding our religion. The under mentioned book has something worth taking a note of, and then let us ponder on it:-
"Spiritual Intelligence the Ultimate Intelligence" By Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall.
Very briefly the book says that as psychologists discovered ways and means to measure intelligence, Aristotle’s definition of man as a rational animal developed into an obsession with IQ. To be more specific the author says that there are three kind of thinking and three kind of intelligence (IQ) attached with it. They are 1) IQ - or Intellectual or Rational Intelligence 2) EQ- Emotional Intelligence 3) SQ- Spiritual Intelligence.
The theory went before that the higher a person's IQ the higher the intelligence, because by disciplined thinking he is exercising his brain to function more effectively and efficiently. With IQ the Intellect is used by rationally trying to reason with our intelligence only that which is visible with our eyes, and heard with our ears and by making use of our five senses. But by mid 1990 Daniel Goleman popularized research that EQ or Emotional Intelligence is of equal importance. EQ gives us awareness of our own and other people's feelings. It gives us empathy, compassion, motivation, and the ability to respond appropriately to pain and pleasure. As Goleman pointed out that EQ is basic requirement for effective use of IQ. If the Brain area with which we feel is damaged, we think less effectively. A very good example is when we are very angry we cease to think momentarily that is why it is called as blind rage. What does not change is the spiritual Intelligence known as SQ for it remains ineffective of the emotional storms which our mind so often plunges into it whether voluntarily or involuntarily. One needn't be high on IQ or SQ to be high in EQ. One could be high in IQ but low in both EQ and SQ, and so on.
Three Psychological Process:-
The whole of Western Psychology rest on two processes- IQ, and EQ. The SQ is the third process calling for expansion of psychology as a science. Sigmund Freud initially defines the two process as primary and secondary. Primary process is associated with the body, its id, the emotion, instinct, The secondary process is associated with the EGO with the big "I" which is on the whole logical, rational, and linear.
As shown by the author and which can be seen from scientific structure of brain that he has explained he adds further that there is third process or third kind of thinking- the unitive all encompassing thinking, to be known as Tertiary process. These three processes can be linked to three kind of thinking of the brain which can be represented by three concentric circles of the human mind.
The outer layer of concentric circle is the secondary process - the rational - the Logical - EGO - IQ
The middle layer of concentric circle is the primary process- Associated with body - its id - Emotion - EQ
The core centre layer of concentric circle -is the third tertiary process- Integrative - Higher self - Coherent - SQ
If we let go our EGO, than all our emotions dissolve and merge into the higher self and that is called as spiritual intelligence known in our Zoroastrian religion and in avesta/Pazand as Asneh Kherad or Hosh.
We do not require worldly academic intelligence or Engineering Degree but divine intelligence known as Asneh Kherad to know the sublime truths so cleverly camoflaged in mere external meanings of our scriptures.
Testing for SQ (as shown by the author)
The indications of highly developed SQ - Spiritual Intelligence include :-
1) The capacity to be flexible
2) A higher degree of self awareness.
3) A capacity to face and use suffering.
4) A capacity to face and transcend pain.
5)The quality of being inspired by vision and values.
6) Reluctance to cause unnecessary harm.
7) The tendency to see the connections between diverse things (being Holistic).
8)A marked tendency to ask "Why" or 'what if " questions and to seek "Fundamental Truth" answers, and not merely to ask question for the sake of asking or to show off and brag.
9) A servant leader for bringing higher vision and value to others.
Firdosh K Sukhia
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Grief as Blessing Part 1
I saw grief drinking a cup of sorrow and called out, " It tastes sweet, does it not ?" You've caught me," grief answered, " and you have ruined my business, how can i sell sorrow when you know it's a blessing?" ...........................Jalaluddin Rumi ( 1207-1273)
Persian mystical poet and Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi writes about pure love we can achieve, beyond ego, in the soul’s divine longing and ecstasy of union with God.
Oh how we love to grieve, how we love to read romantic tragedies of breaking of our hearts, We even read books about how important the grieving process is to our recovery, and then we go to identify grief as a necessary stage of sorrow that we experience to overcome our losses and regain our sanity. Jalaluddin Rumi, a thirteenth-century Persian mystical poet, sends a message from the middle Ages. He suggests that grief is a blessing, rather than something to tolerate as a necessary evil on the way to recovery. It is not sorrowful at all, but instead it is an opportunity to drink nectar that is available in the dark moments of our lives.For most of us, grieving is how we react to a loss or a tragic event , and it seems to be a natural way of reacting to the experiment in our lives. But if we knew the wisdom of Rumi's words, we might be able to shift right in the middle of this grieving and turn our sorrow into something sweet-tasting.
One of the Universal teachings of life can also be found in the Kabbalah, a mystical text of Judaism that goes back many centuries as do Rumi's teachings. The simple lesson for us is “The falls of our life provide us with the energy to propel ourselves to a higher level." You have to ponder and ponder on this ancient wisdom to understand its deep import properly. As we allow to soothe the sharp anguish of life's painful moments, one begins to incorporate this wisdom during the sadness and grief. We than discover the truth of this idea that every fall provides us the opportunity to generate the necessary energy to move to higher consciousness. Every sinking into despair has within it an energy to move us higher. How many times in our life have dark times of despair, such as some kind of an accident, an illness, a financial disaster, a breakup in a relationship, a fire or flood, a loss of property or a death propelled us into the stages of anguish, anger, denial, and then grief ? Like most of us, you sink into sorrow and feel the need to tell everyone about your misfortune. Ultimately, after a Iong period of time you begin to rise above it and reach the state of acceptance.
Now suppose you knew that what had taken place in your life which you termed a loss or a fall was exactly what was supposed to happen? Suppose you knew instantly that you had to experience the event that triggered your grief and sorrow? Then suppose you could choose to act in accordance with this new awareness? Undoubtedly this "supposing" conflicts with all you have been taught about how you're supposed to react to catastrophe and death. I am not suggesting you not to respect genuine feelings. I am suggesting that the truth of Rumi’s observations offer you another way of responding to these kind of circumstances. I am encouraging you to open to gift or sweetness that is also in the sorrow.
This is an highly holistic intelligent system that we are all an inseparable part of and there are no accidents. There is something to learn right here, right now in the middle of sorrow. You can take this lesson and taste the sweet certainty in the mystery. You do not have to pretend to like the tragedy, only to vow to use it to generate the energy to move to a higher place in your life. You could call out to your sorrow just as Rumi did over eight hundred years ago and say to yourself, "It tastes sweet, does it not ?” That is there is something to learn right here, right now in the middle of this sweet sorrow, and I am going to drink it in this manner, and ruin the business of the grief peddlers.
In what we refer to as primitive societies death is an occasion for celebration. There is a basic knowing even in the times of grief and mourning , that does not question the divine timing of each one’s arrival here on earth, or the divine timing of one's departure either. It is all in order! Perhaps the comfort is the sweetness of seeing that it is all part of the perfection of our universe, which has an invisible organizing intelligence flowing through every cell of creation, including the many painful experiences over a lifetime -- then celebrating it all.
If you happen to watch Athletes on TV during Olympics their high jump in slow motion, you observe that first they set the bar on the stands, take a position thirty to fifty feet back, sprint fast towards the bar, and get down as low as possible to generate the added energy to propel their entire body over the bar. By getting down low we receive the necessary whiplash Fulcrum for ascending higher. This slow motion image of Act of high jump is analogous with the message of Rumi, and Kaballa. It is a common physical law of gravity, which holds good for us spiritually too.
" It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: 'And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction! " .................. Abraham Lincoln
Change means Nisti, Permanency or immortality means Hasti, when Nisti will merge with Hasti that will be Farshokereti a very far off event which is destined to occur, for which this divine stage of this mortal world is erected. The origin of evil will be known to us at Farsho Kereti, when each and every one of us has utilized to their maximum capacity their divine potentiality which was lying dormant within and have become a realized souls. There is no point in arguing endlessly now at this stage the Origin of evil, when we are supposed to concentrate on Keshash now.
Hoshbam Prayers:-
"Kshato Manao" as mentioned in our Hoshbam prayers is a spiritual stage we should all strive to acheive for, which literally means a happy contended mind, free from any worries or hassels, keeping faith in God knowing fully well that whatever happens whether good or bad is ultimately in our interest only for there is a lesson to be learnt in every incident that happens to us, and there is no accident as God does not play dice with us. "Az anay Khorsand Hom" also means same thing - Thy will (and not mine) will be done.
Are all Religions same ? :-
I am aware that not many are comfortable when i make references from holy books of other religion like Bible, Kaballah as they feel that whilst i quote from these books i am only digressing their attention from main teachings propounded in Zoroastrianism. But my dear friends you fail to realize the important fact that "Truth is one only", and so it is but natural that whether you look at Gita, Bible, Kaballah, Koran, Sufism or Khordeh Avesta we will find same truths reflected in all these revealed books of the great religions of the world. But then what is it that differentiates one religion from other and why is there any need for different Religions to co exist side by side when we can do away with various Religions and have only one Universal Religion in the world, since truth is one only. This is because of another important truth existing in nature which Shakespeare with his highly developed spiritual sense and command over language was able to pinpoint to us in his two plays :-
An honest soul, i'faith sir, by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but god is to be worshipped All Man are not alike, - alas, good neighbour !
...............Much ado about nothing. Act 3, Scene 5, Line 38
Arviragus [ To Imogen] :- Brother stay here; Are we not Brothers ?
Imogen:- So man and man should be; But clay and clay differs in dignity, whose dust is both alike.
........Cymbeline Act 4, Scene 2, Line 4.
When even brothers are not alike how do we expect the whole race of humanity to be similar in outlook, in disposition and character, when there is is multipilcity, variety of human nature every where, and there are even exceptions to this multiplicity. In nature there are fish that can fly and birds that can swim. Let it be very clear to us that all Religions are not man made at all, but all religions lead to one divine truth because there is difference in humans its followers and not in the primeaval truth of the religion which always works in unision in Hamoi to each other. Now what is the Perenial truth ? That we are incomplete, ignorant and the degree of ignorance varies from one individual to other individual. Just like in a radio having different wave length of short wave, medium wave, FM,AM, we can tune in to several stations on one wave length, similarly there are five different wave lengths represented by 5 great religions of the world. Each wave length having multitudes of stations or its followers. That is the crux and real purpose of all the religions, that we understand that all religion are good in its own place and there is no conversion in nature. Conversion has to come from within, from evil to good. Since religion is not manmade and is made by God, it is not within our human capacity to choose whatever religion we fancy. One has to be born in that religion to practice it.
........... to be concluded in Part II
Regards,
Firdosh
Persian mystical poet and Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi writes about pure love we can achieve, beyond ego, in the soul’s divine longing and ecstasy of union with God.
Oh how we love to grieve, how we love to read romantic tragedies of breaking of our hearts, We even read books about how important the grieving process is to our recovery, and then we go to identify grief as a necessary stage of sorrow that we experience to overcome our losses and regain our sanity. Jalaluddin Rumi, a thirteenth-century Persian mystical poet, sends a message from the middle Ages. He suggests that grief is a blessing, rather than something to tolerate as a necessary evil on the way to recovery. It is not sorrowful at all, but instead it is an opportunity to drink nectar that is available in the dark moments of our lives.For most of us, grieving is how we react to a loss or a tragic event , and it seems to be a natural way of reacting to the experiment in our lives. But if we knew the wisdom of Rumi's words, we might be able to shift right in the middle of this grieving and turn our sorrow into something sweet-tasting.
One of the Universal teachings of life can also be found in the Kabbalah, a mystical text of Judaism that goes back many centuries as do Rumi's teachings. The simple lesson for us is “The falls of our life provide us with the energy to propel ourselves to a higher level." You have to ponder and ponder on this ancient wisdom to understand its deep import properly. As we allow to soothe the sharp anguish of life's painful moments, one begins to incorporate this wisdom during the sadness and grief. We than discover the truth of this idea that every fall provides us the opportunity to generate the necessary energy to move to higher consciousness. Every sinking into despair has within it an energy to move us higher. How many times in our life have dark times of despair, such as some kind of an accident, an illness, a financial disaster, a breakup in a relationship, a fire or flood, a loss of property or a death propelled us into the stages of anguish, anger, denial, and then grief ? Like most of us, you sink into sorrow and feel the need to tell everyone about your misfortune. Ultimately, after a Iong period of time you begin to rise above it and reach the state of acceptance.
Now suppose you knew that what had taken place in your life which you termed a loss or a fall was exactly what was supposed to happen? Suppose you knew instantly that you had to experience the event that triggered your grief and sorrow? Then suppose you could choose to act in accordance with this new awareness? Undoubtedly this "supposing" conflicts with all you have been taught about how you're supposed to react to catastrophe and death. I am not suggesting you not to respect genuine feelings. I am suggesting that the truth of Rumi’s observations offer you another way of responding to these kind of circumstances. I am encouraging you to open to gift or sweetness that is also in the sorrow.
This is an highly holistic intelligent system that we are all an inseparable part of and there are no accidents. There is something to learn right here, right now in the middle of sorrow. You can take this lesson and taste the sweet certainty in the mystery. You do not have to pretend to like the tragedy, only to vow to use it to generate the energy to move to a higher place in your life. You could call out to your sorrow just as Rumi did over eight hundred years ago and say to yourself, "It tastes sweet, does it not ?” That is there is something to learn right here, right now in the middle of this sweet sorrow, and I am going to drink it in this manner, and ruin the business of the grief peddlers.
In what we refer to as primitive societies death is an occasion for celebration. There is a basic knowing even in the times of grief and mourning , that does not question the divine timing of each one’s arrival here on earth, or the divine timing of one's departure either. It is all in order! Perhaps the comfort is the sweetness of seeing that it is all part of the perfection of our universe, which has an invisible organizing intelligence flowing through every cell of creation, including the many painful experiences over a lifetime -- then celebrating it all.
If you happen to watch Athletes on TV during Olympics their high jump in slow motion, you observe that first they set the bar on the stands, take a position thirty to fifty feet back, sprint fast towards the bar, and get down as low as possible to generate the added energy to propel their entire body over the bar. By getting down low we receive the necessary whiplash Fulcrum for ascending higher. This slow motion image of Act of high jump is analogous with the message of Rumi, and Kaballa. It is a common physical law of gravity, which holds good for us spiritually too.
" It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: 'And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction! " .................. Abraham Lincoln
Change means Nisti, Permanency or immortality means Hasti, when Nisti will merge with Hasti that will be Farshokereti a very far off event which is destined to occur, for which this divine stage of this mortal world is erected. The origin of evil will be known to us at Farsho Kereti, when each and every one of us has utilized to their maximum capacity their divine potentiality which was lying dormant within and have become a realized souls. There is no point in arguing endlessly now at this stage the Origin of evil, when we are supposed to concentrate on Keshash now.
Hoshbam Prayers:-
"Kshato Manao" as mentioned in our Hoshbam prayers is a spiritual stage we should all strive to acheive for, which literally means a happy contended mind, free from any worries or hassels, keeping faith in God knowing fully well that whatever happens whether good or bad is ultimately in our interest only for there is a lesson to be learnt in every incident that happens to us, and there is no accident as God does not play dice with us. "Az anay Khorsand Hom" also means same thing - Thy will (and not mine) will be done.
Are all Religions same ? :-
I am aware that not many are comfortable when i make references from holy books of other religion like Bible, Kaballah as they feel that whilst i quote from these books i am only digressing their attention from main teachings propounded in Zoroastrianism. But my dear friends you fail to realize the important fact that "Truth is one only", and so it is but natural that whether you look at Gita, Bible, Kaballah, Koran, Sufism or Khordeh Avesta we will find same truths reflected in all these revealed books of the great religions of the world. But then what is it that differentiates one religion from other and why is there any need for different Religions to co exist side by side when we can do away with various Religions and have only one Universal Religion in the world, since truth is one only. This is because of another important truth existing in nature which Shakespeare with his highly developed spiritual sense and command over language was able to pinpoint to us in his two plays :-
An honest soul, i'faith sir, by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but god is to be worshipped All Man are not alike, - alas, good neighbour !
...............Much ado about nothing. Act 3, Scene 5, Line 38
Arviragus [ To Imogen] :- Brother stay here; Are we not Brothers ?
Imogen:- So man and man should be; But clay and clay differs in dignity, whose dust is both alike.
........Cymbeline Act 4, Scene 2, Line 4.
When even brothers are not alike how do we expect the whole race of humanity to be similar in outlook, in disposition and character, when there is is multipilcity, variety of human nature every where, and there are even exceptions to this multiplicity. In nature there are fish that can fly and birds that can swim. Let it be very clear to us that all Religions are not man made at all, but all religions lead to one divine truth because there is difference in humans its followers and not in the primeaval truth of the religion which always works in unision in Hamoi to each other. Now what is the Perenial truth ? That we are incomplete, ignorant and the degree of ignorance varies from one individual to other individual. Just like in a radio having different wave length of short wave, medium wave, FM,AM, we can tune in to several stations on one wave length, similarly there are five different wave lengths represented by 5 great religions of the world. Each wave length having multitudes of stations or its followers. That is the crux and real purpose of all the religions, that we understand that all religion are good in its own place and there is no conversion in nature. Conversion has to come from within, from evil to good. Since religion is not manmade and is made by God, it is not within our human capacity to choose whatever religion we fancy. One has to be born in that religion to practice it.
........... to be concluded in Part II
Regards,
Firdosh