May A Issue
MIRABAI STARR
Wild Mercy
Wisdom of the Women Mystics
Log On Our Website and Learn more in how to Live a Conscious Lifestyle: OMTimes.com
CONTENTS OMLIVING
76 IS CLEANLINESS NEXT TO GODLINESS? 82
ANGER: THE ENEMY ON EARTH
CONSCIOUS PARENTING 92
CAN ASTROLOGY INFLUENCE A CHILD'S PERSONALITY
PERSONAL GROWTH
SPOTLIGHT MIRABAI STARR
WILD MERCY
WISDOM OF THE WOMEN MYSTICS
114 RESPONSIBILITY- OH NOT THAT!
ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE 102
108
ARE BIRTHMARKS SIGNS OF A PAST LIFE?
HEALTH & HEALING
MEMORY IS THE KEY TO DEATH AND LIFE
WE NEED TO GET FOOD SMART!
ANIMAL SPIRITUALITY
60
CATS IN THE BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE & ZEN STORIES
JUST LIFE 70
WHAT IF CINDERELLA HAD SWOLLEN FEET?
WORLD VISION
120
THE AGE OF SELF-PROMOTION CONNECTING THROUGH COLLABORATION
WWW.OMTIMES.COM
WILD MERCY MIRABAI STARR INTERVIEW BY SANDRA SEDGBEER
Wisdom of the Women Mystics We live in a world that has suffered the abuses of an unbalanced, masculine rule for thousands of years. Still, everything we’re hearing and reading right now suggests that the feminine is rising. According to Mirabai Starr, seeds of feminine wisdom that have been quietly germinating underground are now breaking through the surface. Women everywhere are rising to the collective call to step up and repair our broken earth. We are activating a paradigm shift, such as the world has never seen.
Mirabai Starr has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of the Mystics, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich and is the awardwinning author of God of Love – A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and Caravan of No Despair – A Memoir of Loss and Transformation. A writer of non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature, she taught philosophy and world religions for 20 years, and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialogue. OMTIMES |MAY A
OMTIMES MAGAZINE
“So many of the religious traditions and teachings that I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in are conspicuously missing the voice of the feminine, and I couldn’t ignore that anymore. ”
Sandie Sedgbeer: Mirabai, you’ve been described as a daughter of the counterculture, you were born in New York in the early ’60s to secular Jewish parents who challenged institutionalized religion and were active in the anti-war protest movement of the Vietnam era. When you were 11, your family moved to Taos, New Mexico, where they embraced an alternative, backto-the-land lifestyle in a communal effort to live simply and sustainably. Tell us about your early life and how that shaped you.
MAY 2020
Mirabai Starr: My parents were not only non-religious Jews from New York, but they were also actually antireligion. They felt that religion was not only irrelevant but dangerous and responsible for a lot of suffering in the world. So, I grew up with no sense of adherence to any particular faith tradition. They were nominally Jewish under their cultural identity but, I, on the other hand, from a very young age, was drawn to every single religious tradition that I encountered. When I started becoming interested in spirituality and religion, they were very suspicious of what was going on. Over the years, I think they realized that I wasn’t joining any particular institutionalized religious tradition; I simply was temperamentally oriented to respond to the presence of the mystery, of the sacred, of the ineffable in the form in all these different spaces. I was also temperamentally unsuited to pick one tradition to the exclusion of the others. I just would get deeply connected to a spiritual tradition, whether it was Sufism or Buddhism.
WE NEED TO GET FOOD SMART! OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
T
he real food dilemma for our
This saves you time and money – bulk
generation is how to become
is always a better bargain. If possible,
a real food wizard. We need to
order them online and organic.
get to the bottom of our food
industry and be more conscious of our
FOOD CHOICES
food choices so that we're making smarter choices for our bodies, minds, and the
Remember that we send messages
planet!
with every euro, dollar or pound we spend. When we buy real natural
SUPERMARKET
foods, we are voting for more of that. When we buy processed products
Shop at local farmers' markets where
with toxic effects on our body and the
there is less or no food seduction. Support
planet, we are sending out a message
your local farmers and ask them how they
that we don't care. Vote and be heard
protect their crops from insects. Farmers
with what you choose to spend your
are great to speak to, and supporting them
energy and money on.
is fun and better for the planet.
MONTHLY DELIVERY
Kitchen Organization Organize your fridge and pantry in a
I avoid supermarkets altogether. Order
friendly manner so that it suits your
your staples like grains, beans, nuts, oils,
new dietary choices. For example:
toilet paper, and detergents monthly and have them delivered to your home. It saves
1. Create a grains cupboard with all
you time, money, and energy! If you go
your grains stored in airtight glass
to the supermarket, avoid the aisles you
containers, so it's easy for you to
now know are 100 percent pure seduction
recognize them!
– with all that colorful packaging lighting up your brain chemistry. Head straight for
2. Create a snack drawer with trail
the real food – the fresh vegetables and
mixes, almond butter, coconut oil,
fruits. Fill your basket and then head to
maple syrup, and wheat-free crackers.
the grains. Now breathe and do not go near the bakery, confectionery, or cereal
3. Create a healthy snack section in the
aisles. Buy dry grains and beans in bulk.
fridge with hummus, pesto, carrots,
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Cats in the Buddhist Perspective & Zen Stories I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats. Eckhart Tolle
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
C
ats are important animals
Cats and Buddhism
in the Buddhist doctrine. For Buddhism, cats
It is important to clarify beforehand
represent spirituality.
that Buddhism is a very flexible
According to the Buddhist Order of
philosophy in its approaches, although
Fo Guang Shan, cats are enlightened
religious authority is based on sacred
beings that convey to us their sense
texts. Buddhism is not organized in
of calm and harmony. Since these
a vertical hierarchy like many other
animals are very much associated
faiths, and their religious authority
with positive feelings and high
rests on their sacred texts, but there is
consciousness, especially in Asia, it is
great flexibility in its own approaches
very common to see them in shrines,
and interpretations.
temples, and sacred places, even resting in statues dedicated to the
The cat’s lore we are going to show
Buddha.
you have their roots in a specific
Healing Power of Cats
school: in Theravada Buddhism, or in the ancestral lineage, the oldest Buddhist school from Tibet.
The deep and genuine connection we can make with cats had inspired many Buddhist monks to share knowledge
Cats as Unique Sentient Beings
about the healing power of this animal. It is difficult to obtain the friendship They are frequently associated with
of a cat. It is a philosophical animal...
wisdom and the pursuit of self-
one that does not place its affections
Knowledge. Hence, it is often said that
thoughtlessly. Theophile Gautier
those who do not relate well to their unconscious will never fully connect
Cats are said to be like little
with a cat, nor will they understand its
meditative monks who can bring
mysteries.
harmony to a home. The Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order, for example,
The truth is that no one is surprised to
they are like people who have already
learn that the figure of these animals is
attained enlightenment. Cats are
closely linked to Buddhism.
free beings. They drink when they
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
What If Cinderella had swollen feet? By Lisa Berry
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
W
e all know that the
exact life that you’d been dreaming of
glass slipper fit. We all
and were trying to create.
know that Cinderella lived happily ever
Imagine if your life was swollen with
after. BUT what if on the extraordinary
doubts, lack of clarity and direction,
day when the ministers came by the
and support and didn’t fit into your
house for the girls to try on the glass
life’s magical glass slipper, your vision?
slipper Cinderella’s feet were swollen? What if she stuffed her emotions down
I remember when the word “success”
with food and hid from all her feelings
was defined to me. When I heard it,
of low self-worth, not fitting in, feeling
everything just clicked?
depressed with her living conditions, never getting ahead in life? What if
“Success is when preparation meets
bags of potatoes chips, muffins, pasta,
opportunity.”
and cookies were her answers. What if chocolate-covered avoidance was her
What does a successful life look like to
go-to response?
you? What is your personal vision?
I’ll share with you what would have
What is your fairy tale life?
happened. The glass slipper would never have fit, and Cinderella would
Are you prepared to slide into it like a
have been left sitting there in the
glass slipper when it shows up?
beautiful embroidered Victorian chair with her big old swollen water retention
When the opportunity presents itself
foot and no prince and no happily ever
to you?
after. Do you have the mindset that will Imagine just for a moment that your
motivate you into taking actions that
lifelong dream, a once in a lifetime
propel you into your success?
opportunity, literally came to YOU, right to your door, and you weren’t prepared?
Are you aware of the power and
What if the decisions you were making,
control you have in your very own
the actions you were taking were
life that puts you in the driver seat
ruining your chance for success?
to choose what foods you eat, what
Holding you back from fitting in the
activities you participate in, what
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Is Cleanliness Next to Godliness? by Kartar Diamond from the Tao of Organizing Series OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
T
his old phrase, “Cleanliness
it affects me on a very visceral level.
is next to Godliness,” was
I work with a family member who
spoken by theologian John
doesn’t bathe regularly, and it shocks
Wesley in the 1700s. The
me regularly.
notion is that after worshipping the Creator, keeping yourself clean is one of
And yet I know that there is a very
the most important manifestations of
primal region of the brain where
showing love or respect for the Creator.
this activity is just not seen as really necessary. Perhaps we are even over-
Each of us can take something from
washing ourselves these days, as
this saying or interpret it in our own
studies have shown that by removing
way. For me, it just acknowledges
all the body oils from our skin with
that the body is a temple. It houses
daily bathing, we can’t even absorb
our soul. And in gratitude for having
vitamin D from the Sun as effectively.
this human experience with a body,
Maybe all the dry skin and hair
that the least we can do is honor it by
problems can be partially traced to
keeping it clean. And as an extension
washing too much!
of that, we can feel godly keeping our homes and workspaces clean as well.
I think there is another saying that “Your rights end where my nose
By showing respect for our
begins.” Perhaps the only real litmus
worldly possessions and personal
test is whether or not we have
environment, we are honoring how
offended another person by our
each thing we own was made, the
appearance or smell.
toil, the creativity, and the prosperity which allowed us to have things
The subject of cleanliness comes up
around us and to serve us.
in the course of an Organizing session because dusty, dirty environments are
Now, does that mean that a messy
often cluttered as well. These are all
person is somehow less evolved? Is
just signs of neglect and not making
the person who decides to bathe only
cleaning a priority.
once a week somehow less godly or conscious? I would never want to be
I like to think of house cleaning as the
the judge and jury on this issue, but
“unintended work-out.” I sometimes
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Anger: The Enemy on Earth by Barbara Briggs OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
"Arjuna said:
The only way to free oneself
What is it that compels a man to
completely from anger is to gain
Commit sin, even involuntarily,
permanent union with the Self,
As if driven by force, O Varshneya?”
the source of perfect balance and infinite bliss, then nothing in the
The Blessed Lord said:
outer environment, either pleasant or
It is desire; it is anger, born of
adverse, can throw us off balance, and
Rajo-guna, all-consuming, and most evil.
cause us to act in a manner which we
Know this to be the enemy here on earth."
regret later.
Bhagavad Gita, Ch.3, v. 36,37 (transl. by Anger over-excites the mind. When
Maharishi)
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one succumbs to anger, one is nger is an enemy because
thwarting the very purpose of creation
it disturbs, confuses, and
which is the expansion of happiness.
destroys one’s mental
Anger obscures the true nature of the
equilibrium and causes
Self. There is an expression: “blind with
one to commit sin, involuntarily,
rage.” This shows that anger is a state
against one’s will. It veils the true
of mind in which the dense darkness
nature of the Self, which is eternal
of ignorance prevails. One can no
bliss consciousness and makes one
longer see what ought to be done or
lose one’s proper sense of values
said and what ought not to be done
and act against one’s normal code of
or said. In the darkness, one inevitably
behavior. Anger is like a wildfire that
stumbles and falls into still deeper
burns everything in its path, or like a
darkness. When in darkness, the only
whirlpool which drags the mind down
solution is to bring in the light, the
toward a lower state of awareness.
light of pure knowledge. Knowledge
In Chap 16 of the Gita, Lord Krishna
is a great purifier. One should first
describes to Arjuna the nature of
understand the nature of the enemy,
the asuras, the demon-like negative
its origin and effects on one’s life, and
forces which oppose righteousness.
how to overcome it. Furthermore, one
“Ostentation, arrogance and self-
should enliven the direct experience
conceit, anger as also harshness and
of its opposite, the bliss of pure
ignorance, belong to one who is born,
consciousness, the light of the Self-
O Partha, for an Asurika state.”
shining in one’s own heart.
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Can Astrology have an Influence over A Child Personality? By OMTimes Astrology
A
strology believes that the
of great help when we apply these
stars touch the human
concepts to the understanding of our
personality according to
children.
their birth chart, and that
belief always arouses general interest.
Providing the correct stimuli to a child
However, not many are aware that
following their birth chart can shape a
the way the stars influence us can be
much more fertile environment for her
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
natural talents, as well as working very
activities but may tend to behave a
well to correct possible vulnerabilities.
little selfishly and impatiently towards his peers, being somewhat aggressive
ASTROLOGY APPLIED TO CHILDREN'S GUIDANCE
at times. That is why it is important to orient this child very well in these aspects, without taking away its
With the help of an astrological
incentives for independence and self-
chart or astral map, it is possible
reliance.
to understand much better the functioning of the child's vision
TAURUS
concerning their world and his parents, especially if we consider that
The child of Taurus needs to be
during their childhood the lunar sign
involved in activities that encourage
has a much more present influence
their artistic gifts, manual abilities,
than their solar sign; however, this is
and creative skills. The Child should
not usually very common or known by
be monitored for excesses in food
parents and tutors.
and should learn how to take care of her own body. Another vulnerability
We should learn a little more about
would be her psychological tendencies
the needs of the children of each
regarding attachment to material
sign, taking into account both the
goods and jealousy.
solar and lunar signs. We must also add that these requirements are only
GEMINI
for general guidance and that the most advisable is to ask a responsible
These children tend to be more
astrology professional to make the
scattered and anxious about their
personal astrological chart of your little
own decisions than any other in the
one, to provide a more complete vision
Zodiac, and their parents should
and guidance.
be responsible for the proper guidance in this regard, stimulating
ARIES
mental capacities, encouraging communication, inspiring reading,
The Child of Aries is full of initiative and
and offering the child access and
usually leads the games and physical
contact with different environments.
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Are Birthmarks Signs of a Past Life? By Humanity Healing
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Some people believe that we go on
Dr. Jim Tucker, a scholar at the
living in another body after death,
University of Virginia, went on to
that we lived before. They call it
investigate the case and provided
reincarnation. That we all lived
some evidence about the fact
before on the earth thousands of
involving the boy. Another researcher
years ago or on some other planet.
who also investigated such marks
They say we have forgotten it. Some
was the late Dr. Ian Stevenson,
say they remember their past lives.
who studied more than 210 cases
James Joyce
worldwide, of people born with these birthmarks or defects that could be
A new study shows a probable link between the birthmarks on our body and violent events in past lives, which may have caused our "death."
T
related to memories and events in their past lives. Between 1966 and 1971, Dr. Stevenson traveled to several countries, interviewing children between two and four years old.
he birthmarks are usually
His studies were conducted with
small skin occurrences,
young children to offer better results,
and indicators spread
as they are less likely to lie about the
throughout our body and
subject matter since they hardly know
maybe spots and moles [1] that have been present on our skin since our birth. However, there is a belief that these
about the topic.
Some cases show the link between birthmarks and past lives
signs can tell accidents suffered in our past lives and even how the death
In some instances, the accuracy of
of the person in question occurred.
past-life memories can be objectively verified, sometimes with remarkable
Surely, you have heard the story
detail. Stanislav Grof
of the boy Sam, who would have offered convincing evidence that
A curious case about reincarnation
he really was his grandfather's
was revealed during one of the
reincarnation.
researches done by Dr. Tucker. In OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Memory is the Key to Death and Life by Arthur Telling
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
B
irth and death are mere
sustains our world. We continually
doors we walk through,
gain new memories and lose
shedding memory of a
memory no longer useful to us. It
past life and gaining new
happens throughout this life and
memories of a life to be. We shed and
later on a grander scale when we
gain memories quite automatically
leave this world as our memory is
while alive in this world now. This
replaced with new memories of
moment and death are much alike
whatever next world we embrace.
in this respect, only the degree of
Memory defines our world, past,
which shows a notable difference. In
and present, and projection of such
understanding this, there is little reason
memory is our expected future.
for fearing death.
In this respect, past, present, and future operating contiguously as
Birth and Death a Continuing Process
memory, we construct and maintain
Birth and death are intertwined. Birth
The Origin of Memories
in a new world comes simultaneously
a living area.
with death in the former world, birth
The mind, retaining memories of
and death each supporting the
our present experiences, is also
other elements of the same process.
the source of those memories,
This involves and includes moving
the sole source. All that we see
between our “physical” world and
and hear and feel comes from the
the less “physical” spirit and formless
mind, communally and individually.
worlds, and then returning in the
We are the grand creators of our
cyclic incarnational wheel, but the
experiences, within a framework of
elementary process is the same as we
a greater mind giving us a platform,
pass through each separate door. And
the actors’ stage, for creating that
the key to this process is memory. Loss
which instantly becomes a memory
of memory gives an appearance of
for all who are in observance.
death. But it is not death, it is a change.
This greater mind of which our understanding is limited, we call
Memory, the obtaining of it and loss
God. And God is thus everything,
of it, is the element that creates and
and without God, there is nothing,
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
Responsibility Oh Not That! Well Then, A New Perspective by Darity Wesley
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
I
know, responsibility, right? Who
we pay our taxes, we take care of our
needs it? Or do we? On the road to
pets, we take care of our children. This is
spiritual and emotional maturity, it
what responsibility is all about, right?
is an important practice. Well, sure.
Responsibility is really a part of living in the New Reality. It is part and parcel
Yet, it is only partially right. It is right in
of being the change you want to see
the Duality sense. In the old world, the
in the world and being responsible is
old reality, a responsible person was
being emotionally mature.
someone who minded their manners, respected their elders, controlled any
Well, what does that mean?
kind of emotional outburst, and pretty must put on a mask of pretension. That
It means that we have the ability
was a responsible person.
to understand and manage our emotions. Being emotionally mature
Now that certainly is still true, but
means, we think before we act on
I think those of us on the path of
our emotions or before we choose to
exploring who we are, looking ever
subdue them. Our choice!
deeper within ourselves, are learning that being responsible is way more than
When I talk about responsibility,
that.
I’m really talking about taking responsibility for ourselves.
In the new world, the New Reality, I would ask that we contemplate that
Oh, say it isn’t so! Yep, that’s what I’m
responsibility is really about the ability
talking about.
to respond.
I think we all have a concept of what
Think about this, the ability to respond
responsibility is, right? However, it
is separate from the wisdom that needs
may mean different things to different
to be attached to that response. They
people.
are two different things – yet both are important. Responding is a thoughtful,
Most of us think we are responsible
conscious activity. If we are not
people. We go to work, we pay our bills,
responding, we are reacting.
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
The Age of SelfPromotion - Connecting through Collaboration by Jennifer Ott OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
We live in an age of selfpromotion. While everyone is trying to be seen and increase followers, caught in the algorithm game, we run the risk of losing connection
S
ocial media can make
to others. Building genuine connections of collaboration and support not only helps us but encourage others. It is being mindful we all have gifts to share and all are worthy.
The Algorithm Game
anyone and everyone a star. We see it all the
Imagine a world where genuine
time. Someone hits with a
human connection is replaced
YouTube video and becomes famous,
with computerized sorting. Wow.
or at least has their fifteen minutes of
It sounds like something dreamed
fame. Social media has become more
up in 1950’s science fiction movie,
than a means of social connection but
but then here we are. We live in a
self-promotion.
world where the people who win this computerized sorting are seen
It’s hard to fault people, all of whom
and heard. This speaks nothing of
just want to share their gifts and their
the heart, the mind, and the spirit,
passions with the world. What could be
but of pragmatic computer logistics.
the downside of people sharing with
What could this do to the evolution
the world? Why is this a bad thing?
of humanity?
OM TIMES | May A Edition 2020
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