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jijaji

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  1. thank you...also thank gHari for all his incredible postings and updates on George's passing! jijaji
  2. quote: -- There is a report, however, that Yuz Asaf was actually buried not at the noted tomb site in Srinagar's old town, but on a hillside not far away. This comes from the UFO contactee Eduard Meier, the co-discoverer and editor of the Talmud of Jmmanuel, who in turn received the information from one of his contacting extraterrestirals. Those who have studied this document and realize its genuineness may wish to treat this report seriously. jijaji: pretty funny ..just to let you know this guy is not the only source for Jesus's Tomb in Kashmir! There is a whole tradition in Kashmir sorrounding The Tomb with nothing to do with UFO's. silly boy....
  3. Here's a few.....hoolio! no geocities! Jesus within Islam. Certain Islamic historians felt no need to suppress these traditions, since to them Jesus was only a mortal prophet, albeit a very important one. Moreover, Islam in general doesn't even believe that Jesus underwent the crucifixion, but that someone substituted for him on the cross. The Persian historian Mir Kawand names a site close to Damascus called Maqam-Isa or Mayuam-i-isa, which means "the place where Jesus lived," according to independent scholar Holger Kersten.20 Kersten traveled through western Asia in 1973-74 visiting various libraries and researching these traditions. The Talmud of Jmmanuel confirms this by indicating that Jmmanuel (alias Jesus) went to Damascus following his final meeting with his disciples, and lived there incognito for two years.21 This included the time when Saul (Paul) had his conversion experience on the road to Damascus southwest of the city.22 Three of these historians wrote of Jesus, Mary and Thomas (Judas-Thomas, presumably) having traveled to Nisibis (Nasibain) near Edessa, now Urfa in southeast Turkey just north of Syria, where Jesus preached to the king. Mir Muhammad bin Khawand Shah Ibn-i-Muhammad, also known as Mir Khawand bin Badshah, in 1417 wrote of the journey of Jesus away from the Jerusalem area to Nisibis. In the former, Jesus and Mary first go to Syria; in the latter, they and Thomas have some confrontations with the king of Nisibis.23 Faqir Muhammad, around 1830, wrote, among other things, that on these journeys Jesus and Mary traveled on foot, and that Jesus preached to the king of Nisibis. 24 According to Holger Kersten, the story is prefixed by this king having been ill and having requested Jesus to come and cure him; Jesus sent Thomas on ahead, and Thomas cured the king by the time Jesus and the rest of his party arrived. 25 Iman Abu Jaffar Muhammad bin Jarir at-Tabri in 1880 wrote of the tradition that Jesus and party had to depart quickly from Nisibis because of hostility that had arisen against them there. 26 In most of the Muslim writings Jesus is referred to as Yuz Asaf. The meaning and derivation of the name is uncertain. "Yuz" is thought by some to mean either "Jesus" or "leader," and "Asaf" to refer to those he cured of leprosy. Thus one interpretation is that Yuz Asaf means "leader of those he cured of leprosy."27 An alternate interpretation will be supplied later. It is understandable that in his travels after the crucifixion Jesus would have remained incognito, especially for the first few years and in Anatolia, and when necessary have supplied a name for himself other than what he had been known by in Palestine. However, ample descriptions are supplied that leave no doubt that the man known as Yuz Asaf is to be identified with Jesus -- his close association with his mother Mary and with Thomas is one of these. In Iranian traditions recounted by Agha Mustafai, it is said that Yuz Asaf came there from the west and preached, causing many to believe in him.28 His teachings are said to have been similar to those of Jesus. However, if he had taught reincarnation, 29 one would not expect that his surmised teachings on that subject would have been carried along by Muslim writers any more than by Christian writers, since Islam also does not embrace the concept of reincarnation. Within northwest Afghanistan, centered in the city of Herat, an explorer of Sufism, O. M. Burke, came across a sect of some 1000 people who are devotees of Yuz Asaf, whom they also knew as Isa, son of Maryam.30 Their tradition includes Isa, the prophet from Israel, having escaped the cross, traveled to India and settled in Kashmir. He was (again) regarded as possessing the power to perform miracles. The sect's leader at that time (1976), Abba Yahiyya (Father John), could recite the names of the succession of their leaders and teachers back through nearly 60 generations to Yuz Asaf himself, when he had stopped off there along the Silk Road. Although Burke referred to this sect as Christians, since they revere Isa as the Son of God, they cannot of course be considered Christian in any orthodox sense. Within the Holy Quran there are many verses discussing Jesus, and often Mary also, but these either deal with the Nativity or his Palestinian ministry, or contain no definite geographical and temporal context. A possible exception, however, is Surah 23:50, a translation of which reads: And We made the son of Marium [Mary] and his mother a sign, and We gave them a shelter on a lofty ground having meadows and springs. Since Israel is not noted for having lofty ground with meadows and springs, this verse suggests a different location, and if shelter was needed, it indicates they were traveling. In eastern Pakistan, next to Kashmir, there is further support for these traditions. There one may find the tomb of Mary on a hilltop just outside a small town called Murree or Mari. The grave is called Mai Mari da Asthan, which means "the final resting place of Mother Mary."31 Her tomb faces east-west, as in Jewish custom, rather than north-south as in Islamic custom. Thus some evidence does exist to indicate that Mary made it at least this far in their travels and had traversed with Jesus over much beautiful high country of Afghanistan and Pakistan, in support of the Quran verse that hints at this. Farther east, in Kashmir near Srinagar, there is a monument in stone: the Throne of Solomon, bearing four inscriptions, the last two of which are most interesting though they were mutilated following the conquest of Kashmir by the Sikhs in 1819. However, they were described by the early Muslim historian of Kashmir, Mulla Nadiri, in 1413. An English translation of his Persian script is: At this time Yuz Asaf proclaimed his prophethood. Year fifty and four [in the reign of King Gopadatta]. and He is Jesus, prophet of the Children of Israel.32 The correct dating and significance of the year 54 is not clear. The year has been placed within the reign of King Gopadatta at 107 C.E. by Kersten, and at 78 C.E. by Professor Fida Hassnain, director of archives and antiquities in Kashmir.33 Some written and oral tradition assert that after death Yuz Asaf was entombed in the old section of Srinagar, in Anzimar in the Khanjar (or Khaniyar) quarter.34 Tradition has it that the tomb, about which a small building was long ago constructed, has been under constant watch by a succession of guardians ever since Yuz Asaf's supposed burial there. On the floor next to his grave it was noted by Hassnain that much candle-wax had accumulated, and upon carefully scraping it away at one corner of the tombstone, he discovered a crucifix and a rosary that had long been embedded. In addition, he found two footprints carved into the stone underneath the candle wax and mud with the marking of a crucifixion scar etched into each print.35 This is further indication that Yuz Asaf was known to have been Jesus Christ. Each year hundreds of Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists visit the tomb (known as Rozabal, or the "sacred tomb") to pay homage -- a nearly unique example of a unity within world religions. There is a report, however, that Yuz Asaf was actually buried not at the noted tomb site in Srinagar's old town, but on a hillside not far away. This comes from the UFO contactee Eduard Meier, the co-discoverer and editor of the Talmud of Jmmanuel, who in turn received the information from one of his contacting extraterrestirals. Those who have studied this document and realize its genuineness may wish to treat this report seriously. Within the ruins of the Indian city of Fatehpur Sikri, located some 15 miles west of Agra, there is an interesting inscription on a wall. It was emplaced on the portal of a mosque around 1601 by the emperor Akbar the Great, a Muslim convert of sorts, and reads, So said Jesus on whom be peace! The world is a bridge; pass over it but build no house upon it.36 The meaning seems to be to keep in mind that the permanent home of the human spirit is not of this world, but with the Universal Consciousness, or God. Since the saying is not in the Gospels, it is consistent with having been uttered by Yuz Asaf. Its spiritual nature is fully consistent with the content of the previously mentioned Talmud of Jmmanuel. Possibly, verse 42 of the Gospel of Thomas is based upon this saying, for it reads, "Become passers-by" or "Become, as you pass by." It may be speculated that one of those who accompanied Yuz Asaf alias Jesus on his travels was a disciple-writer who continued to document Jesus' experiences and ministry until his own death, after which the writings ceased or were taken over by another until Jesus' death. If so, Jesus may have made provision for someone to carry a copy of the writings back on the Silk Road to the Palestinian area soon after his death, where it eventually came into the custody of the compiler of the Gospel of Matthew.37 This then would have been the source that Bishop Papias had learned about and referred to as the Logia, and the reason for the Gospels having come into existence relatively late.38 A supportive legend behind this speculation comes from the mention by Eusebius that the well known Alexandrian, Pantaenus (late second century), reported that during his trip to India he had learned that one of the twelve apostles had earlier preached there to the Indians from a Hebraic writing identified as the Gospel of Matthew. 39 Since the Gospels as they became known by mid-2nd century had not yet been created while any apostles were still alive, this suggests that the preaching Pantaenus reported had come from a pre-Matthean source written in India -- the Logia. The early parts of these Logia would have resembled the Gospel of Matthew. 40 The first Muslim writer known to have included the tradition of Jesus having traveled to India in his youth with the tradition that he, as Yuz Asaf, had traveled in southwest Asia in the latter half of the first century, was the 10th-century historian, Shaikh Al-Said
  4. I meant that there was good evidence to support Jesus was in India from many sources not just that page coolio! jijaji
  5. INDEED...he is just a max mueller AIT type, who has reached his conclusions being influenced by scholars who had a political agenda, and who didn't know as much as the acedemic world today thinks. Because such scholars were blinded by Christian history when they came to India they were NOT OBJECTIVE IN THEIR RESERCH. jijaji
  6. Your full of shit..... To say that because Sai Baba is a fraud, everyone else is, is just plain STUPID! For one thing most people here on this forum don't accept Sai Baba as a nothing more than a fraud! You think your the big ol heavy weight here, but it is obvious your interested in just bothering people. your convictions are just as much BELIEF as any theistic persons, so don't pretend you KNOW it all....your just as small as the rest of us! I have noticed your last couple of postings since you got back and I must say that they were not thought out responses at all. Just some negative crap meant to disturb. STOP LISTENING TO YOUR HEAD AND OPEN UP YOUR HEART. GROW UP .... jijaji
  7. REMEMBERING GEORGE HARRISON: FULL OF LOVE AND FUN by Ravi Shankar COLUMN SIXTY-SEVEN, JANUARY 1, 2002 ( 2002 Al Aronowitz) [We found the following, from the Associated Press, in a newspaper and couldn't resist stealing it. We hope that neither the Associated Press nor Ravi will mind its appearance here. The Indian sitar virtuoso, whom we consider an old friend, is completing his last full-scale concert tour.] ENCINITAS, Calif. -- I feel I have been cheated by George. Why did he have to go so soon at such a young age when I really wanted to go first? In moments like this, it is so hard to express the feeling of emptiness and sadness within. Like a film flashing by, everything comes to my mind since I met him more than 30 years ago. His childlike quality, his shy but naughty little smile, his passion for all the music he loved and the serious quest for religion, particularly the old Vedic Hindu tradition, always amazed me as well as attracted me. The down-to-earth quality in George was something I could relate to with such joy. He would crack up when I told him all my jokes; we had such fun! We always competed with each other in punning. When I told him that I was known as a "pundit" because of my punning, he said something hilarious, connecting the old Hindu scriptures of the four Vedas (Rigveda, Samveda, Atharvaveda and Yajurveda). He said: "Do you know the four Wether brothers? They are Ric, Sam, Arthur and George Wethers." The only solid lessons on sitar he had from me were in the summer and autumn of 1966, which he couldn't pursue as much as we both wanted. He was very talented and would have become a great sitar player if only he could have given some time. His love, knowledge and understanding of Indian music developed immensely over the years. I gave him a copy of the book "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Swami Yogananda, and my brother, Rajendra, gave him a book by Swami Vivekananda. He had such thirst for the knowledge and wisdom of Indian traditions. In many ways he was more Indian than many Indians. Though I had been performing all over the world since 1954, my association with George attracted a whole young generation to sitar and to me from the mid-1960s. Even though I didn't make any records jamming with him or any other pop or rock star, I was treated like a superstar, being the Beatle George's guru. Then came Monterey, Woodstock and finally the big Bangladesh concert, which he totally handled in producing. Because of George we had Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell and other eminent musicians. After a year or so, when he spent time with me in Varanasi at my house, he suggested we make a couple of records and perhaps tour the United States. We did the first recording in the A&M Studios for his Dark Horse label. It was then that he met dear Olivia (whom he married in 1978). In the summer of 1974 the second album was recorded ("Festival of India") at his own studio. I'll never forget those couple of months when we worked on this album. I did all the compositions on the M4 while traveling from London to his home in Henley. George created such an atmosphere with such love and regard. We would start rehearsals in a beautiful large hall with a view to his lovely garden. We would have Indian food and snack between rehearsals. The recording was finished with simultaneous editing, which George was doing himself, always asking me to hear when he was satisfied. After this period of creative joy we went to tour the United States, giving more than 30 performances. George had a special 737 Boeing jetliner completely refurbished for us to travel in. What touched me so much was his worry about my health and well being. He would tell me always not to travel and exert myself so much. Then from the role of disciple and friend he became more of a son to me, especially after my own son Shubho died in 1992. He would fly and be with me whenever I was in the hospital or not well with my heart problems. His love and concern touched me deeply. I'll never forget how much love, care and time he gave to another project he did for me while staying in our house here in Encinitas. He went through all the details, right from choosing all the artwork, to writing the notes, to producing the four-CD boxed set "In Celebration," selections from my 40 years of sitar performances and compositions. The last wonderful musical experience I had with him was when we made the CD "Chants of India." We did some songs in Madras and the major part at his own studio in his mansion at Henley. His nearness and attention in producing the record always inspired me so. Even the complex compositions came out of me so spontaneously. Another one of many funny incidents was when George, Olivia and their son, Dhani, came to India in 1995 and spent a few weeks. We went to Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. In Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta people recognized George and created a stampede, which George hated. But we had no such problem in Rajasthan and he enjoyed it so much. On our last stop, Udaipur, while we were walking in the busy main streets shopping ornaments of silver, colourful materials, dresses, turbans, having tea and snacks all of a sudden there was a big crowd which surrounded us. I was terrified thinking they had recognized George, but it was actually me they were after. Then the funniest thing happened. George, realizing the situation, immediately became my bodyguard. "Move, move. No, no. Don't bother Panditji." And cordoning me with both his hands, he brought me to our waiting car and saved me from those autograph hunters. The others were already seated, and when the car started, we burst out laughing. My daughter Anoushka and my wife, Sukanya, also were so attached to him. He had a beautiful and loving wife in Olivia and a wonderful son in Dhani. He had a magnanimous heart and always cared so much. He was a fearless and beautiful soul always conscious of God. I loved him dearly. Though he is gone physically, he will always be alive and vibrant in my heart. [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 12-29-2001).]
  8. Taj Mahal covered to protect it from possible Pakistani air attack India's Taj Mahal is being covered with dark cloth to protect it from possible raids by Pakistani aircraft. The Aaj Kal newspaper says officials at the Archaeological Survey of India are currently in Agra to supervise the covering. Ladders and ropes are being mounted in an operation to camouflage the dome and its minarets. The monument was last camouflaged during India's 1971 war with Pakistan. "It is ironic that a monument of love has to be protected from hatred but we can't be too sure. After the attack on the parliament, anything can happen. Since tensions are high at the border, we have instructions to take every possible precaution," a senior official told the newspaper. Story filed: 17:51 Friday 28th December 2001
  9. I wonder if they were just fallen Naga-babas turned criminal.... Bad seed types in every group ya know! ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 12-27-2001).]
  10. Cool doings my friend.... It Is He...... Jai Sri Krishna jijaji
  11. Update (12/27/01) The Henley Standard, George's hometown paper, reports that the town will plant a circle of trees in Gillott's Field as a memorial to George. Any thoughts of doing something more, though, seemed to be diverted by local politicians. Cllr. Ken Arlett, said “There is a big enough memorial in Liverpool to him. Chairman Cllr. John Howard added: “He was a recluse and never let anyone have access to the gardens of Friar Park which used to be open to the public. We don’t really want to sting the people of Henley further. The ring of trees with a memorial in the centre will be enough.”
  12. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU ..! ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 12-25-2001).]
  13. Nice Tribute to George from Gretsch with a cool photo of his Guitar! http://www.gretsch.com/newsletter/gtr/g0111c.html Jaya Sriman George Harrison jijaji
  14. See the COVER to the New Release of 'My Sweet Lord'....on the top of the page.. http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/news/709georgenewcancer.html jijaji
  15. karthik_v..... I find you to be a very interesting fellow. I have enjoyed reading some of your postings lately.... Merry Christmas. jijaji
  16. oh yeah.... http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/InspNewsL/fortysix.htm
  17. Great discussion.... ------------------ ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
  18. I call you the Village Idiot... may I suggest a Lobotomy perhaps...? jijaji
  19. Wednesday December 19 09:00 PM EST Report: George Died at Paul's House There's a new report that might finally put an end to the intrigue of where George Harrison spent his final days. Los Angeles's UPN13 is reporting the legendary guitarist actually passed away in a secluded Beverly Hills residence owned by fellow Beatle Paul McCartney. Citing unnamed sources, the TV station says McCartney met with Harrison about two weeks before his death. During his visit, McCartney reportedly agreed to let Harrison use the home, which is only minutes from UCLA Medical Center, where Harrison sought cancer treatment. McCartney had purchased the Hollywood Hills spread from rocker Courtney Love in March, according to the Los Angeles Times. The report sheds some light on the mystery surrounding Harrison's death certificate, which claimed he died of "metastatic non-small lung cancer" on November 29 at 1:20 p.m. at 1971 Coldwater Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills--an address listed to Harrison's wife, Olivia. But that address doesn't exist. Harrison was believed to have died at the home of family friend and noted celebrity security expert Gavin De Becker, the person who broke the news of the death. But De Becker doesn't own any property on Coldwater Canyon. The fake address may have been floated to keep the death site from becoming another stop on Hollywood's ghoulish celebrity death tours. Because falsifying public documents is a misdemeanor offense under California law, celebrity attorney Gloria Allred filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County District Attorney, saying that no one, not even the rich and famous, should be above the law. But the complaint has been put on the backburner, according to District Attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison. "An investigation could take up to year and with the holidays coming, it's just not a priority," says Robison. While the address doesn't match the death certificate, the McCartney property is on Coldwater Canyon. He purchased the 4,200-square foot, four-bedroom French Country-style manor for $4 million from Courtney Love to use as an L.A. retreat when he was in town. The house was originally built in 1938 and attracted such celebs as Ellen DeGeneres, Love, McCartney--and apparently Harrison--because its stone walls, mature trees and gated entrance keep away gawkers. This is the second time Paul's name has been linked to a Beatles death mystery. When his wife, Linda, died of breast cancer in 1998, she was originally said to have passed away in Santa Barbara, California. It later turned out that the family had fibbed for the purpose of privacy and that she likely died at McCartney's ranch in Arizona.
  20. Upasana in the Vedic Period It is possible that even during the early Vedic period there were independent thinkers and groups of people who practiced meditation as their chief spiritual discipline. That was perhaps how the Samkhya and Yoga systems developed independently of the Vedas. In Vedic literature upasana first appears as a part of rituals in the Brahmanas (the part of the Veda which deals with rituals). The emphasis then was on sacrificial rites (yajna). In the Brahmanas we find a few meditations prescribed along with these rites. The sacrifice was regarded as most important and sufficient in itself to produce the desired results. The meditation that was practiced along with it was only an auxiliary part of it and had no independent existence. The purpose of such meditations was to gain some additional merit and their omission in no way affected the sacrifices. This kind of upasana was called angavabaddha meaning "connected to parts (of the sacrifice)." Gradually, upasana became separated from the rituals. In the Aranyakas we find meditations replacing actual sacrifices. But the meditations still resembled the sacrifices. They were mostly symbolic representations of external rituals. The whole external rite was, as it were, transferred to the mind. These upasanas may therefore be called "substitution-meditations." A well-known example is found in the very beginning of the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad which is an Aranyaka as well as an Upanisad. Here the sacrificial horse is to be meditated upon as identified with the Cosmic Being (Virat or Prajapati), the horse’s head standing for the dawn, its eye for the sun, its prana for the air and so on. The next stage in the evolution of upasana is found in the Upanisads. Here meditations are in no way connected to rituals nor even symbolically resemble them. They directly deal with Brahman, the ultimate Reality. But Brahman is a transcendent principle which cannot be known through the ordinary senses and mind. So the great sages of the Upanisads used various familiar objects of the phenomenal universe like the sun, akasa (space), vayu (air), water, prana (the vital energy), manas (mind), words, etc. to represent Brahman. However, what the sages attempted was not mere concentration of mind on one of these symbols. In that case it would have become only a form of the yogic exercise known as dharana. What they actually did was to connect each symbol to a certain framework of meaning—a spiritual formula. Upasana in the Upanisads are meditations on these spiritual formulas. These formulas are devices to guide the mind from the symbol to Reality. When a mind which is sufficiently purified meditates on such a formula, its true meaning—the ultimate Reality—will be revealed to it. These meditation formulas were called vidyas. So then, angavabaddhas (in the Brahmanas), substitution-meditations (in the Aranyakas) and vidyas (in the Upanisads): these were the three stages in the evolution of upasana during the Vedic period. Sri Sankara says that lower upasanas do not deserve to be called vidyas. Therefore, vidyas represent the highest forms of upasana. The entire knowledge of the Upanisads came out of the meditations of the great rishis on these vidyas. It was through these meditations that they discovered the great truths that underlie the phenomenal universe. A scientist tries to understand the ultimate truth through a series of steps, meticulously analyzing each step. But in ancient India the sages went straight to the Reality with the help of certain mental paradigms. Says Deussen: "That India more than any other country is the land of symbols is owing to the nature of Indian thought, which applied itself to the most abstruse problems before it was even remotely in a position to treat them intelligently." Vidyas are paradigms of Brahman. In ancient India each teacher developed his or her own concept model of Brahman and taught it as a meditation technique to his or her disciples. That was how so many vidyas came into existence. Some of the Upanisads, especially the Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya and Taittiriya, are a rich storehouse of these vidyas. The importance attached to the vidyas was so great that the Brahma-Sutra has a whole section dealing exclusively with them. The vidyas really hold the key to the Upanisads, and no one can properly understand the Upanisads without understanding the vidyas. The vidyas are said to be thirty-two in number, but many more must have been known to the ancient sages. Among these gayatri-vidya, antaraditya-vidya, madhu-vidya, sandilya-vidya and dahara-vidya are well known. It is beyond the scope of the present article to deal with these vidyas in detail. They are to be learnt directly from competent teachers who have attained illumination through them. But long before the beginning of the Christian era the lineage of Vedic rishis had ended. And in the absence of a living tradition, the vidyas ceased to be practiced and their true inner meaning was soon forgotten. One major cause for the neglect of the vidyas was the rise of Buddhism and its influence on Hindu thought. A second reason was the crystallization of Hindu philosophy into six schools or darsanas and the triumph of the Advaita system. Nondual experience was originally sought through a gradual expansion of consciousness attained by the practice of vidyas. But gradually the goal became more important than the means. Vedanta neglected its mystical roots, became more speculative and polemical, and thus moved farther away from life and experience. A third reason for the neglect of the vidyas was the popularity of Yoga and, later on, of the Tantras. Under the influence of Yoga and Tantra new techniques of meditation were developed during the Middle Ages which survive to this day. Meditation techniques in modern times are strongly influenced by Yoga and Tantra. We are now witnessing a great revival of mysticism, and ancient methods are being adjusted to suit the needs of modern aspirants. Some enterprising people are experimenting with new techniques of meditation. from Vedanta.org
  21. Deepak is a renegade disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He left thr TM movement and started his own 'Primordial Sound Meditation' based on Vedic mathemathics and sounds that were in nature at the time of your birth and used as mantra, much the same way TM mantras are used. He also was one of the first western trained doctors to implement ayurveda into his practice and promote meditation as beneficial for a healthy lifestyle. As far as 'New Religion' it seems the traditional role of Eternal Sad-Guru is being replaced here with 'Meditation Teacher' no worship just a respectful recognition. it has it's place I believe... jijaji [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 12-17-2001).]
  22. Deepak Chopra on his Friend George Harrison According to his friend, 'the quiet Beatle' had a personal relationship not only with Eastern religion but with Jesus Christ. Interviewed by Steve Waldman from Beliefnet Q:Could you describe what you know of George Harrison's spiritual practice most recently? Chopra: About four years ago I spent a week with him in Hawaii completely in silence where we would practice almost four hours of meditation, and even recently he would practice two to three hours of meditation in the mornings and another half an hour in the evenings and the rest of the time he was either writing, working in his studio, or gardening. So he was living a very simple kind of lifestyle. When he would engage in conversation it was all about spirituality. He was a very, very avid reader and not just an avid reader of Eastern spirituality, but a very avid reader of the Gnostic gospels, the other versions of the historical Christ, the Gospel of Thomas. When he signed a letter he would always put an eastern symbol and also put a cross. He very much had a relationship with Christ as well. Q:That's interesting. Was that true consistently for the last thirty years? Chopra: All along. He had a very personal relationship with Christ. When he signed off to his personal friends he would always put a symbol. Q:Early on he was most closely associated with transcendental meditation… Chopra: Right, actually I took him to meet Maharishi in 1993. He hadn't seen Maharishi for 30 years. He wanted to pay his respects once again to Maharishi and they had a very wonderful meeting. George was very eclectic. He was associated with Mararishi, but he also at one time was very involved with the Hare Krishnas, he also studied Yogananda, he was very very interested in the more Eastern versions of Christianity--as I mentioned the Gospel of Thomas--and he was very well read, very well read. Q: Did he ever write anything that reflected his interest in Eastern interpretations of Christianity? Chopra: No, but we would talk about it all the time. If you went to his house in England we would have long conversations. He had all kinds of pictures and artwork. Q:How would you assess his influence on the spiritual landscape? Chopra: The world would not have known Ravi Shankar if it hadn't been for George Harrison. He brought the sitar to the West, and along with that he brought Indian music to the West, he brought Ravi Shankar to the West, and he brought Indian spirituality to the West. So I would say that whether he was responsible for that or he was part of the tidal wave he was just part of the whole movement of consciousness that was occurring in the sixties--it's all kind of neither here or there. He was both a part of the movement, he was also an initiator of the movement. And he got the rest of the Beatles interested. They weren't really interested in these things. He told me that the first time he decided to go to India in the sixties he was going to do it all by himself. He just happened to mention it to John--and John said I'm coming also, and then Paul said I'm coming also, and Ringo said, well I can't be left out. He was always the one taking the initiative. And ultimately they all did get interested. In some way or another, they're all very spiritual. Q:What was the reaction to the Beatles embracing the Maharishi or Eastern spirituality? Chopra: It made news. It made huge news at the time when they first came to India… and they left in a hurry because of some altercation John had with Maharishi. George didn't want to leave but they did leave. And then 30 years later he actually went with me to meet with Maharishi just to kind of say, we were young, so I hope you forgive us… There's a little bit of a legend—whether it's true or not I don't know--when they came to the United States for the first time, the Beatles, they were on the Ed Sullivan Show--their first show in America. According to George—I don't know if this is a fact or not but it's an often repeated story by George and by Maharishi as well—the one hour they were on the Ed Sullivan Show there was no crime committed in America. So Maharishi when he heard that he said that these four boys are angels in disguise and that's how he used to refer to them. How did he react when George said I hope you can forgive us? He said there's nothing to forgive--you're angels in disguise and he brought up that story. He said I could never be upset with angels. Q:Was George conscious of the impact he was having? Chopra: He was in a very humble kind of way. We traveled in India frequently and I remember once people gathered outside the hotel because they found out that George was there and he didn't like that attention, he liked to kind of be anonymous and mix with people and just hang out with people and musicians and poets in India. But he was aware and he had a very personal relationship with Ravi Shankar and lots of other musicians from India. He had a great sensitivity and knowledge about the origins and traditions of spirituality and music. In India there's a lot of attention given to music as a means to go into expanded states of awareness and he was very very familiar with that--more so than many Indians. Q:Was there an effect on Hinduism as practiced in India? Chopra: No, I would not say that. George was a realist, he was also quite cynical. He was cynical about Indians who were not familiar with their traditions and he would make fun of them. He was always very sober about it--he never exaggerated anything so he would never glorify Indian rituals or practices. In fact he would make fun of them if they didn't seem appropriate to him, so he was very selective in what he would take out. Q:You can look around the American spiritual landscape now and you can't go to a health club that doesn’t have yoga and churches are now teaching meditation… If Harrison and the Beatles hadn't done what they did, would that have happened? Chopra: No it would not. I'm being very honest with you, it would not have happened. What they did was overnight, they made the world aware of Indian spirituality--overnight. I remember I was in medical school when they came to India and it was in every newspaper all over the world--it was really an overnight awareness that people didn't have before. Q: And when did you meet him? Chopra: I met him in 1986 or 87 and we've been friends since. When my book "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind" came out he actually collaborated with me on doing the audio version of that where I read from the book and he sang lyrics that he had never published before. Q:And you stayed in touch… Chopra: Right, I was with him at the Mayo Clinic when he had his treatment, I went to visit him in England a few months ago. They were very private people—Olivia, George, and Danny. Q:And you said that he seemed to be approaching death… Chopra: He had totally accepted his death, and was at peace with it, and unafraid of it. ...He was very aware of mortality and of death at a very young age, he was totally comfortable with that. He always would say that when I die I want to be fully conscious of God, I want to be totally at peace, and I don't want to have any fear of death. And believe me, being close to him, I know that he died very conscious of God and in peace and not afraid of death. Q:I've read that he believed in reincarnation, I'm not sure if that's accurate. Chopra: No, it's true. Q: Did you ever talk to him about what he expected or hoped his next life would be? Chopra: No, we talked more in trying to figure out scientifically whether there is any validity in the concept and how would he explain the survival of consciousness after death. [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 12-16-2001).]
  23. Friday December 14 07:04 PM EST George's Death Controversy Continues All things might not pass if celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred has anything to say about it. Just days after it was learned that George Harrison's death certificate was peppered with misinformation, the camera-friendly Allred has thrown herself into the fray to, she says, make a point (and if she also winds up on TV, we're guessing that's just a happy coincidence). The Los Angeles-based attorney--who has been involved in high-profile litigation with Tommy Lee, Courtney Love, Charlie Sheen and Aaron Spelling--has filed a formal complaint with Los Angeles officials over the handling of the Harrison death certificate. Falsifying public records is a misdemeanor crime in California, but someone must make a formal complaint before the Los Angeles County District Attorney can investigate and decide whether to file charges. That's why Allred stepped in. "All this must pass, but not this," the sound-bite perfect attorney told reporters at a press conference Thursday, adding the "integrity of public records is at stake." According to his death certificate, the 58-year-old Harrison passed away from "metastatic non-small lung cancer" on November 29 at 1:20 p.m. at 1971 Coldwater Canyon in Beverly Hills--an address listed as the residence of Harrison's wife, Olivia. (Olivia's family resides in the L.A. area, but she and Harrison spent most of their time at homes in Europe and Hawaii.) But that address doesn't exist. Harrison was believed to have died at the home of family friend and noted celebrity security expert Gavin de Becker, the person who broke the news of the death. But de Becker doesn't own any property on Coldwater Canyon. (Sources say Harrison died at a rented home on Laurel Canyon Boulevard in nearby Studio City--a property that de Becker does own). Dr. Lee S. Rosen, the UCLA oncologist who signed the death certificate, says he was not present when Harrison died and couldn't confirm the site of Harrison's passing. As is common in most cases, Rosen signed the certificate after it was submitted to him by the mortuary charged with cremating Harrison's body shortly after he died. So why the lie? The main reason most likely has to do with the family's desire to thwart the inevitable pilgrimages from Beatlemaniacs eager to glimpse the place where the rocker died and prevent it from being another stop on Hollywood's ghoulish celebrity death tours. Olivia Harrison and son Dhani have managed to lay low since the ex-Beatle's death. They've also managed to keep the site of Harrison's ashes a secret--it was reported they would be scattered on the Ganges River in India, but the family never showed. While Allred says she understands the desire for privacy, she doesn't think messing with public records is the way to go. "Celebrities and/or their supporters are not above the law, even if they are acting with good intention, for example, to protect the privacy of loved ones," said Allred. No immediate word on whether charges will be filed. A spokesperson for the D.A.'s office says, "Whenever someone files a complaint, we look into it. The matter is under review." Of course, this is not the first mystery involving death in the Beatles family. Paul McCartney's wife Linda, who died in 1998 of breast cancer at the age of 56, was originally said to have passed away in Santa Barbara, California. It later turned out that the family had fibbed for the purpose of privacy and that she likely died at McCartney's ranch in Arizona.
  24. Paul calls for George tribute Dec 14 2001 By Paul Kennedy, Liverpool Echo SIR Paul McCartney says the best way to remember his friend George Harrison is to create a meditation centre. The former Beatle said George would not have wanted any fuss - but if there was to be a memorial it should be somewhere "calm, quiet and away from the hurly-burly". Council chiefs in Liverpool want to honour George by creating a permanent memorial to the musician. But according to Sir Paul, it should be built in the form of a meditation centre or garden area. Speaking in an interview on BBC North West Tonight, yesterday, Sir Paul spoke of the last time he saw George, who died two weeks ago in America after a long fight with cancer. He told how for two hours he held the hand of his lifelong friend since their boyhood days in Liverpool. Sir Paul said: "All the time I'd known him I'd never held his hand - it's not the sort of thing you do when you're in a group." Council leader Mike Storey said one possible site is at the orchid collection in Harthill, Allerton. The council is looking to bring the collection back on public display after more than 10 years. The meditation garden could be incorporated into the scheme.
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