Forgotten objectives of Eid al-Adha
By Farida Khanam Also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha is one of Islam’s most spiritually profound celebrations. On the day of Eid, two outward acts are performed: the congregational Eid...
View ArticleKabir spun Indic syncretism through his dohas
Kamlesh Tripathi Imagine a wandering poet in 15th century India, reciting verses that touched both kings and commoners alike. That was Kabir Das, a weaver who spun not just threads, but wove verses...
View ArticleTazkiyat al-Nafs, and the search for Sakinah
“Sufism is to sit without cares with Allah,” said Sufi master Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Shibli (861–946), an important Sufi of Persian descent and one of the pioneers of Islamic mysticism. We all desire a...
View ArticleLed by ‘my vs your religions,’ West believes we’re born equal & will end up...
The “Indian” Vs the “Western” worldview on ‘Are men born equal or unequal and why’? When we think about human society, it reveals only the violence of powerful men and the oppression of...
View ArticleYog is beginning of the end
By KV Raghupathi Every story has a beginning and an ending. Beginnings can be exhilarating or paralysing, exciting or anxiety-producing, filled with anticipation or dread. Similarly, endings carry...
View ArticleAhwal va Awqat – God asks us to go beyond
For the seeker, can the spiritual journey always be a steady, constant metric? No. Like all other pursuits, the spiritual journey is marked by life’s dynamics. There are highs and lows. There are...
View ArticleYog prevents misery before it arrives
By Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar We are often told, “Live in the present moment.” But what if the present moment is unpleasant? How does one survive it then? Thousands of years ago, Maharishi Patanjali,...
View ArticleRemembering the saint who brought inner essence of Yoga to the West
On International Day of Yoga, the world pauses—not just to stretch and breathe—but to remember that yoga is far more than a physical regimen. It is a timeless spiritual science, a profound inner path...
View ArticleMy journey to Everest Base Camp & setting of a ‘World Record’
The first story of my life that I heard from my father was the story of Kailash Mansarovar. How people walked there for days carrying food and water. How mesmerising the Kailash Mountain is. How...
View ArticleHow to maintain cordial international relations
By Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar The guiding principle for international relations, or rather any relationship, should be cooperation and trust. Our broken relationships with others can never be resumed...
View ArticleWestern culture begins with Socrates & Religion ‘we know nothing & believe in...
Socrates (c 470 – 399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens, credited as the founder of Western philosophy and one of the first moral philosophers. His method of inquiry, known as the Socratic...
View ArticleUnabashedly romancing the monsoon
By Narayani Ganesh The monsoon brings with it the promise of flirtations and romance, creative imagination, poetry and music, musings and reflection. The pitter-patter of falling rain and cool,...
View ArticleTrue art takes us beyond the medium
By Swami Tejomayananda Shastras mention 64 art forms, including dance, music, painting, sculpture, and others. But what is the deeper purpose behind these diverse expressions? The Sanskrit word for art...
View ArticleNafas al-Mahabbah, Nafas al-Zikir…breath pathways to the divine
In the last few years, there has been much emphasis on watching the breath. All meditation practices, all new-age gurus talk of breath regulation. The science of mindful breathing goes back centuries....
View ArticleJordan: A sacred journey through ancient lands
Every year, World Pranic Healing, the spiritual school that I follow, holds two spiritual–Arhatic Yoga retreats in India and abroad. I joined one of the retreats, held at Jordan, at the last minute....
View ArticleDesire never dies: The Tale of almighty Shiva and Kaamdeva
In the Satyuga, a time of divine rule, a powerful Asura named Tarakasura rose to dominance. While the Devas and Asuras constantly clashed for control of the three realms, Lord Shiva had withdrawn from...
View ArticleYog offers much more than physical fitness
By Rajyogi B K Brijmohan Yog is a comprehensive spiritual and philosophical system that deals with the body, mind, and spirit. The Bhagwad Gita describes yog as a transformative path that leads to...
View ArticleAre dialogues, dialectics true sources of wisdom?
By Ashok Vohra The term ‘dialogue’, as used in the ordinary sense, means conversation, discussion, and exchange or interchange of ideas. ‘Dialectic’ refers to a formal method of discovering what is...
View ArticleLet us be ‘Free’: Imam Hussain’s timeless call in Karbala
“If you neither believe in any religion nor fear the hereafter, then at least be free from tyranny and arrogance.” — Imam Hussain ibn Ali. In the 7th century (680 AD), on the plains of...
View ArticleMonk who makes you laugh & think, too
By Narayani Ganesh Who can get away with tugging at a yoga guru’s beard, asking, “Is your beard real?” then throwing back his head and laughing – before a large audience at a 2017 meeting...
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