There is a beautiful story about a caterpillar that lived much of its life believing that it had come into being only to eat and sleep and do what the rest of the caterpillars did. However it was unhappy. Somehow it sensed that its life had another dimension not yet experienced. One day, driven by a strange longing, it decided to become still and silent. It hung from the branch of a tree, weaving a cocoon around itself. Inside the cocoon, although constrained and uncomfortable, it waited, sensing and aware. Its patience bore fruit, for when the cocoon burst open, it was no longer the lowly worm that went in, but a beautiful, resplendent, winged butterfly which dazzled the sky. It soared and flew, no longer limited to its worm-like existence, but free and unbounded. The caterpillar had been transformed into a thing of air and lightness, magic and beauty. Once the transformation had taken place, it was impossible for the butterfly to return to being a worm. In the cocoon, the caterpillar had become one with its inner being and in this union it reached its ultimate nature. What happened in the cocoon can be described as yoga. Yoga is the path towards being boundless. Yoga transforms and liberates human beings so that they can reach this unbounded state. Humans, unlike animals, are not merely existing. They are becoming. To evolve as a human being is to become aware of one's limitations; to strive, with intense passion, towards the transcendence for which we all have the potential. ISHA FOUNDATION http://www.ishafoundation.org/InnerTransformation

The coming fusion of science and religion, so deeply related to the sacred purpose of the human species, can also be understood in terms of the spirit of the gift. For if science is to seek the fulfillment of our role within a greater whole, then how are we to understand that fulfillment except according to the question, "What have we to give to the world?" Ecology is itself a gift network, in which each organism and each species contributes far more to the environment than the limited Darwinian calculus of "fitness" would permit.more ...

Both light and shadow are the dance of Love. Love has no cause; it is the astrolabe of God

No matter what part of the world we come from, we are all basically the same human beings. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. We have the same basic human needs and concerns. All of us human beings want freedom and the right to determine our own destiny as individuals and as peoples. That is human nature. The great changes that are taking place everywhere in the world, from Eastern Europe to Africa are a clear indication of this. more ...

Life and religion are one. All that you do to maintain your life, your
everyday work and play, all your attempts to earn a living, should be
done with sincerity, love and devotion, with a firm conviction that
true living means virtually perfecting one's spiritual existence in
tune with the universe. To bring about this synthesis, religious
culture should be made as natural and easy as taking our food and
drink when we are hungry and thirsty. With earnestness, love and
goodwill carry out life's everyday duties and try to elevate yourself
step by step. In all human activities let there be a live contact with
the Divine and you will not have to leave off anything. Your work will
then be done well and you will be on the right track to find the
Master. Just as a mother nourishes her child with all possible care
and affection and makes him grow up into a healthy boy and a handsome
youth, so you will find the subtle touches of the Divine Mother
shaping your inner life and making you reach your full height and
stature. Whatever work you have to do, do it with a singleness of
purpose, with all the simplicity, contentment and joy you are capable
of. Thus only will you be able to reap the best fruit of work. In
fullness of time, the dry leaves of life will naturally drop off and
new ones shoot forth.

Message from Anandamayi Ma (Spiritual teacher and Guru from Bengal)

I was not aware of the moment when I first crossed the threshold of this life.
What was the power that made me open out into this vast mystery like a bud in the forest at midnight!
When in the morning I looked upon the light I felt in a moment that I was no stranger in this world, that the inscrutable without name and form had taken me in its arms in the form of my own mother.
Even so, in death the same unknown will appear as ever known to me. And because I love this life, I know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out when from the right breast the mother takes it away, in the very next moment to find in the left one its consolation.

From "Gitanjali" by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Many of us worry about the situation of the world ... We feel that we are on the edge of time. As individuals, we feel helpless, despairing. The situation is to dangerous, injustice is so widespread, the danger is so close. In this kind of situation, if we panic, things will only become worse. We need to remain calm, to see clearly. Meditation is a means to be aware, and to try to help.

Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it.more ...

When we encounter the paradox of life, the mind gets confused. There
is no trust and fear arises. We see pain and suffering, and the
tremendous beauty of life, collapse and rebirth, barbarism and
enlightment, fear and love. Naturally the mind is not at ease when
presented with this vision of reality. Here we need to make choices
between god and evil, and the choice always leaves us with more
choice. In the end, we can only follow one path in which there is no
choice.  When we trust and we are centered in the heart.more ...

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
Can you avoid separation?
Attending fully and becoming supple,
Can you be as a newborn babe?
Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
Can you be without stain?
Loving all and ruling the country,
Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
Can you play the role of woman?
Understanding and being open to all things,
Are you able to do nothing?
Giving birth and nourishing,
Bearing yet not possessing,
Working yet not taking credit,
Leading yet not dominating,
This is the Primal Virtue.

From Tao Te Ching ~ Lao Tsu

The essence of an ecosystem is that all things are interconnected. Understanding ecosystems, therefore leads us to understanding relationships. Understanding relationships is not easy for us, because it runs counter to the traditional scientific enterprise in Western culture. In science, we have been taught to measure and weigh things. But relationships cannot be measured and weighed; they need to be mapped. Adopting ecology rather than physics as the central model of scientific enquiry leads to a different view of the world. Instead of breaking things down to examine their most minute parts, we can study how these parts work together as a whole. In fact the principles of ecology can be seen as the principles of community. Fritjof Capra