Are GMO’s sentient + 2 more

Baba

Are GMO’s sentient

Namaskar,

One of the most dangerous and disturbing elements in today’s food chain is the presence of GMO’s, or genetically modified organisms.

Researchers report: "Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of Bt genes in corn and other crops. Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. Bt crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer." (Dept of Plant and Soil Sciences, OSU)

Why are companies so interested in using genes in this way? Because by this process, they can make those crops resistant to herbicides and pesticides – and easily increase profits.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


How this affects Ananda Margiis

What does the presence of GMO’s in food mean for Ananda Margiis? It means that certain foods we consider to be “sentient” may in fact be tamasik. Here are more concerns in bulleted format:

* This GMO approach is still quite new and has not been well-researched nor tested. There remains many unknowns along with the possibility of public health issues.

* Vegetarian foods made from transferring the genes of one plant to a separate plant's gene pool should be avoided because those products may be a health hazard (carcinogenic etc) for the short and long term, and they may be tamasik.

* Foods and GMO crops made from a plant gene pool that contains threads from an animal gene pool(s) are outrightly tamasik, plus they may have other health hazards.

* For meat-eating communities all this may not be concern; for Ananda Margiis, this is a huge issue: If vegetable or grain crops have been formed from animal genes. So every margii should know about this.

Irrespective of which part of the globe you live, you must be critically aware about this hot issue. If the food you buy does not specifically say “Non-GMO”, or if you are not 100% sure about the origin of your grain and vegetable seeds, then it is possible that your food has been genetically affected. This is especially true with name-brand, “natural”, company food products.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Conclusion

Here is a clear-cut warning from Baba.

Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Where scientific progress supersedes civilization, there civilization meets its Waterloo.” (A Few Problems Solved Part 6, Civilization, Science and Spiritual Progress)

Today, with the use of GMO’s, we see the terrible misuse of science in our fruit, vegetable and grain food supply. Genetically modified crops are spreading around the globe in order to heighten corporate profits. Big food companies are eager to keep this fact hidden. They want to use science at the cost of human health and our overall well-being. We should all be aware and help force companies and the agro-business industry to openly state if they use GMO’s or not.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Namaskar,
Shiva Kumar

Rundown of nations with GMO prohibitions:

~ Courtesy of GMO FAQ - geneticliteracyproject ~

• Algeria: Cultivation banned. 
• Austria: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Azerbaijan: Cultivation banned.
• Belize: Cultivation banned. 
• Bhutan: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Cultivation banned. 
• Bulgaria: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Croatia: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Cyprus: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Denmark: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Ecuador: Cultivation banned. 
• France: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Germany: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Greece: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Hungary: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Italy: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Kyrgyzstan: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Latvia: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Lithuania: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Luxembourg: Cultivation prohibited. .
• Madagascar: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Malta: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Moldova: Cultivation banned. 
• Netherlands: Cultivation prohibited.
• Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales (United Kingdom) : Cultivation prohibited. 
• Norway: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Peru: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Poland: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Russia: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Saudi Arabia: Cultivation banned. 
• Serbia: Cultivation banned. 
• Slovenia: Cultivation prohibited. 
• Switzerland: Cultivation banned. 
• Turkey: Cultivation banned.
• Ukraine: Cultivation banned .
• Venezuela: Cultivation banned. Imports banned.
• Wallonian Region (Belgium): Cultivation prohibited. 

(Courtesy of GMO FAQ - geneticliteracyproject)

*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section 2: Important Teaching ==

How to reduce the gap with Parama Purusa

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Kevalá bhakti: When one is identified with the goal there remains only one entity. This is called kevalá bhakti. This category of devotion is not attainable by one’s individual effort. One can attain it by the grace of great personalities or Parama Puruśa. This is the highest stage of devotion. In this devotion the sádhaka remains oblivious of the differences and distinctions. This is called mahimna jiṋána. As long as the sense of differentiation will exist, the sádhaka will hesitate to be one with Brahma.” (1)

Note: There are various types and grades of bhakti. In the lowest category of bhakti, the bhakta thinks that, “God is great and I am lowly.” But when one’s prema towards God increases, then the feelings of one’s own lowliness and God’s greatness slowly, slowly reduces, and in the end fades away and both come on equal footing.

Consider this mundane example. Suppose one lady is the governor and has a high status and prestige, but that high status is meaningless to her child. The child just thinks that, “This is my mother.” The child does not think that, “I am a small infant and illiterate, and she is qualified so then how can I go close.”  These types barriers are meaningless for the child. Due to affection, the child thinks its status and the mother’s status are the same. Both are on common ground. That is why the child goes and sits on mother’s lap. The child does not think that, “I am inferior.” This is due to the child’s extreme affection for mother.

Same is that case with the bhakta. Due to intense prema and bhakti, the sadhaka thinks, “There is no difference between me and Parama Purusa. Neither He is high nor am I low. He is my very intimate.”


Conclusion

In lower bhakti, people think that, “Between me and Parama Purusa there is a vast gap and greatness. I am lowly and He is the grand controller of the universe. So how can I go close to Him.” But when bhakti grows then that gap reduces and they come on equal footing. The sadhaka thinks that. “He is my Dearest.” The bhakta does not think of the infinite attributions of Parama Purusa. Rather the sadhaka’s mind is focused on intimacy. That is keval bhakti. Without this feeling, nobody can merge in Parama Purusa.

Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell - 4, Bhakti and Krpá

== Section 3: Links ==

Dadhicii Divas - March 5

• Upcoming commemoration

• Ideological fight in life

Recent postings

• Mechanical kiirtana
  

• Poking hole in own umbrella
  

• Gout & fasting
  

• Bribe in AMPS

Other topics of interest

• Never salute humans?

• Embezzlement of funds: AMPS

More important letters

• Pranavatmakananda spread false things in book

• Why abortion is sinful in AM

• Coward avadhuta don't prefix or capitalize

• Trick to get top post

Legal Notice: ©2018 Ananda Marga Universal Forum. All rights reserved. Ananda Marga Universal Forum content is the intellectual property of Ananda Marga Universal Forum or its third party content providers. Ananda Marga Universal Forum shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Any copying, republication or redistribution, part or full, of Ananda Marga Universal Forum content, including by framing or similar means, is against the court of law and expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Ananda Marga Universal Forum.

Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

This email contains three sections:
1. Posting: Are GMO’s sentient
2. IT: How to reduce the gap with Parama Purusa
3. Links

Mechanical kiirtana + 2 more

Baba

Mechanical kiirtana

Note: Without patience this point will be unclear.

Namaskar,

At a recent satsaunga gathering, when kiirtan finished I came across my old friend Devi. I asked her, “Could you serve & please PP in your kiirtana?” She said, “No, it was very difficult and tiring for me today.” I asked what happened.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


New trick ruined Devi’s kiirtana

Devi replied, “All my energy was spent holding the hands fixed at one place. I followed those new suggestions that were announced before kiirtan to keep the hands in namaskar mudra at the anahata cakra. And I did not want to bring down as it would have been terrible. So the entire time in kiirtan I suffered in pain and still I feel sore.”

I said that, “You have been doing kiirtana for years and years. Does this problem happen every time?” She replied, “No, never. This is the first time. It was announced to do like this. And I purchased one book today and there I read the same thing.”

I asked, “Whose book?” And she told, “It was some Dada’s book. And what was written in that book ruined my kiirtan.” She was so sad about it.

Then I told her, “Now you got the lesson. Do not read Dada’s books read only Baba’s books.”

One jinani wrote in his book, “Start with the namaskara gesture... If the arms become tired, again do the namaskara gesture, and keep the hands in the namaskara position at the anahata cakra. (If out of feeling one is prompted to clap the hands, one may do so) Finish kiirtana also by doing namaskara.” (Taraka, 2003 Edn, p. 206-07)


Everyone has their own limitations

In lalita marmika, i.e. when dancing kiirtan, Baba's guideline is that the hands should be above the shoulders. That is the ideal way. However, Baba did not say what to do when one is tired and cannot keep the hands at that height. It is obvious that when one can no longer do the standard, ideal process of dancing kiirtan, then the aspirant should do what they can. Everyone has their own limitations. So there is no need to forcibly guide others about what they should do when they can no longer maintain the ideal method. It depends on the individual. They should try their best to be as close to the perfect posture as possible - but that will vary from person to person. There is no need for someone to issue an edict or back-up protocol. People will do what they can do.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Jinani is poking his nose

It is just like how the standard procedure for sadhana is to sit in padmasana. If one starts sadhana in padmasana and after sometime it becomes painful, then one may do whatever is necessary to ease the pain. Caryacarya does not prescribe what should be done when a person can no longer maintain the ideal posture. It is not written as it varies from individual to individual.

Tragically, now a similar thing has happened with regards to kiirtan. Baba has told that the ideal position of the hands is above 90 degrees. But one jinani is poking his nose. This jinani has ordered that if the hands get tired then one should hold them at the ajina cakra or anahata cakra and keep them there, and not allow them to come down. But making such an edict creates another karmakand - i.e. the same type of dogmatic ritual that Baba mocks Hindus for doing.

Sadguru Baba notes how certain religions do various postures in their rituals and then those ritualistic postures become the dominant aspect and those religious seekers forget about the main thing - i.e. worshiping the Supreme Entity. And in this instance, when the sadhaka is doing kiirtan and some jinani is ordering them to keep their hands fixed at the anahata or ajina cakras, then they spend their whole energy keeping the hands fixed in place - worried that if they don’t then some terrible thing is going to happen.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


T. added ‘Karmakanda’ to kiirtana process

So Baba has given one simple rule that the hands should be above 90 degrees. And that everyone tries to do. But then Mr. Jinani added seven more rules:
(a) arms should be held high with the palms open
(b) elbows should not go below the shoulders
(c) start with the namaskara gesture
(d) if the arms become tired, again do the namaskara gesture
(e) keep the hands in the namaskara position at the anahata cakra
(f) if out of feeling one is prompted to clap the hands, one may do so
(g) finish kiirtana also by doing namaskara

Baba has given one guideline which is very simple but this jinani made kiirtan parallel to Hindu Karmakand - i.e. dogmatic ritual like Semitic religious dogma which Baba mocked in His teachings. So in any situation when so-called jinanis poke their nose then it becomes sour and ruins the things. It is akin to a rat jumping into a huge pot of curry that was prepared for a grand feast; then the whole thing is ruined. Here a similar thing happened with Mr. Jinani’s set of rituals for kiirtana.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/


Conclusion

The purpose of kiirtan is to concentrate the mind on Parama Purusa. If anything comes on the way and disturbs your mental flow then that defeats the purpose. So bhaktas are always very alert not to get bogged down by extraneous do’s and don’ts and external rituals. They keep their mind fully focused on their object of ideation, Parama Purusa Baba. The aim of kiirtan is to concentrate the mind on Ista. If anything distracts you from this endeavour, that defeats the whole purpose of doing kiirtana. So, as far as possible one should keep the hands above 90 degrees when doing kiirtana; thereafter one may keep their hands wherever they like, but the mind should always be fixed on Ista.

In Him,
Paara’gati

Heavy wooden log and sadhana

One day I saw Ratan came to attend akhanda kiirtan at the district headquarters. He made quite a long multi-hour journey. When he reached the jagrti I was surprised to see he was holding a heavy wooden log. Out of curiosity I asked him what he was doing with this. He told me that this log helps him in sadhana. I was wonderstruck how a log could help him in sadhana. I asked him from where he was bringing this. He told he carried it from his village - and that he traveled 5 miles on foot and then took a 2hr bus ride. And he carried this heavy wooden piece all along. With more discussion, I found out that one acarya told Ratan to do this and he took it very, very seriously. Since then wherever Ratan goes he carries a wooden log with him even to Ananda Nagar. After seeing the situation I understood that this is the way dogma starts.
http://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/

Baba has given the procedure how to properly sit in padmasana and one acarya made a rule for Ratan to take help from firewood by putting it underneath his knee to relieve pain. Now a lot of Ratan’s energy is invested in carrying this firewood with him wherever he goes. What penance. Similarly, Taraka’s fictitious rule about kiirtan enlisted above harms innocent sadhakas. Their mind is more worried about keeping their hands on anahata cakra than thinking about Parama Purusa Baba. I wish I were wrong.


~ In-depth study ~

Baba’s teachings

The truth is proven again and again: Never read Dada’s books otherwise you will fall in one ditch. If you are fortunate then you will come out only to fall in another ditch - from which you may never escape. That is exactly what has happened here.

Baba has given a simple guideline for doing ideal kiirtan and now one jinani has infused his own set of guidelines to keep the hands at the anahata cakra or ajina cakra. Yet, Sadguru Baba never told to do that. Just He has graciously instructed us that in kiirtan the hands should be at the height of the shoulder or higher. And if a person gets tired or cannot do this then it is up to them to decide what is suitable. One should forget about this edict given by this jinani that one must touch the anahata or ajina cakra. That is a trap given by a misguided intellectual - avoid it at all cost.

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Religions always prescribe various ritualistic observances like lighting lamps in a particular way, holding candles in a specified manner, sitting one way or standing another way, counting beads a certain number of times, etc. Only approved people are supposed to worship particular deities, fixed sacerdotal fees are to be charged...altars are to be built in a particular way, and so on. While following such rituals, the mind is engrossed in religious rites and material objects, so how can it move in an ideational flow to a devotional goal? Those who follow a particular religion are supposed to kneel down and stand up a specific number of times, so naturally they are always counting their movements, consequently their minds cannot be withdrawn from physical movements and external activities.” (1)

Ananda Marga philosophy states, “In psycho-spiritual approach, this angle must be more than 90 degrees. This shows that your hands are now at the mercy of Parama Puruśa. Your hands are in this position [up], not by your psychic power, but because of the mercy of Parama Puruśa your hands are in this position. So, in Lalita Mármika, hand must be more than 90 degrees.” (2)

References
1. Prout in a Nutshell - 21, How to Unite Human Society
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Kiirtana and Dance / The Psychic Order

*        *        *

The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stands on their own as points of interest.

*        *        *

== Section 2: Important Teaching ==

Utility of world government

Prout philosophy states, "With advances in technology, the mastery of human beings over space and time will continue slowly to increase, so the necessity of a world government, also, will be profoundly felt. Gradually the people in one region of the world will have to interact more with the people in various other regions, and in the course of this interaction they will have to try to understand one another better." (1)

Here Baba is teaching how in a gradual and natural course the world government will be established on this earth. And in a mundane way things are already moving in this direction. For example, there are millions of international and global organisations. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of corporations have a global administration. And in many families, their relations are working and living in multiple continents. And that is growing every moment. On a daily basis, tens of millions of people are crossing borders and traveling across the planet for various reasons. By this way individuals, corporations, and NGO’s are already global. And the political level will take place very soon. Not only that there is hardly any country that is not connected with another country. So there is a need. The European Union is an example of uniting various countries together. This is a step in its own way on this issue. And we have already a dysfunctional United Nations organisation and the formation of the world government will be the next step.

Reference
1. Problems of the Day, point #20

== Section 3: Links ==

Dadhicii Divas - March 5

• Upcoming commemoration

• Ideological fight in life

Recent postings

• Gout & fasting
  

• Bribe in AMPS

• Ills of capitalism: illegal immigrants
  

• Fake Wt: faking too much
  

Other topics of interest

• Never salute humans?

• Embezzlement of funds: AMPS

More important letters

• Pranavatmakananda spread false things in book

• Why abortion is sinful in AM

• Coward avadhuta don't prefix or capitalize

• Trick to get top post

Legal Notice: ©2018 Ananda Marga Universal Forum. All rights reserved. Ananda Marga Universal Forum content is the intellectual property of Ananda Marga Universal Forum or its third party content providers. Ananda Marga Universal Forum shall not be liable for any errors or delays in content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Any copying, republication or redistribution, part or full, of Ananda Marga Universal Forum content, including by framing or similar means, is against the court of law and expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Ananda Marga Universal Forum.

Reply to: anandamargauniversal1@yogasamsthanam.net

This email contains three sections:
1. Posting: Mechanical kiirtana
2. IT: Utility of world government
3. Links