Showing 646 articles
Rumi: The Mystic
Author: Bhavna RoyJanuary 30, 2015
Eight centuries ago a culture of mystical Islam suffused the lands extending from modern day Turkey (Anatolia) to modern day Afghanistan and Iran (Khorasan); it was called Sufi Islam. Etymologically, the word ‘Sufi’ is derived from the Arabic word safa, meaning purity. Mystics of the order created a path towards attaining self-knowledge and god-realisation in [...]
City of Purification – Elephanta
Author: Harianto MehtaJanuary 29, 2015
Just a few kilometers off the Mumbai Harbor, nestled on an island, amidst basalt rock mounds, lay a mysterious complex of exquisite cave temples that whisper a silent homage to the region’s spiritual past. It’s tune inaudible to the nearby metropolis teeming with ambitious commerce, and ceaseless traffic, here the temple walls echo a stark [...]
Design of Thought & Movement
Author: Manjula NanavatiJanuary 29, 2015
An interview with Miti Desai. First publish in THE ACROPOLITAN Magazine (TA) Miti Desai is the founder and creative head of Miti Design Lab. A designer and classical dancer, Miti teaches as a visiting faculty at the Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology (Bengaluru, India) and at Sophia Polytechnic (Mumbai), and has personally created [...]
Ankor, the last prince of Atlantis – Book Review
Author: Manjula NanavatiJanuary 29, 2015
ANKOR, THE LAST PRINCE OF ATLANTIS BY Prof. Jorge Angel Livraga Rizzi Many ancient traditions tell a story of an immense flood that destroyed a civilization that existed thousands of years ago; one that was perhaps far more technologically and spiritually advanced than we are today. Amongst them, Plato speaks of a vast continent called [...]
Shakespeare: heaven and hell within us
Author: Zahi GlickJanuary 28, 2015
When we speak about Shakespeare we can refer to him as the Philosopher-Artist. An artist who succeeds, in his work, in investigating the depth of the human existence and his relationship with the gods and the universe. Shakespeare, a wizard of words, is a symbol of an artist whose work lives forever because it touches [...]
The dark side of freedom
Author: Sabine LeitnerJanuary 27, 2015
Freedom is one of those words that are usually perceived as 100% positive. Who does not want to be free? Free from any form of outer coercion or restraint, free to do whatever we want. But is the concept of freedom really so simple? What if we don’t use our freedom wisely? Imagine a fridge [...]
Do We Need Tradition?
Author: Gilad SommerDecember 3, 2014
The word ‘tradition’ comes from the Latin trans + dare: deliver, give across. It refers to the transmission of experience which lies at the base of every established civilization. Today, however, tradition has become a synonym of something which is old-fashioned and obsolete, nothing more than an interesting relic of the past to be put [...]
Two Ways of Beating a Drum
Author: AnonymousNovember 21, 2014
Once upon a time there was a drummer living in a small country village. He heard there was going to be a fair in the city of Benares. So he decided to go there and earn some money by playing his drums. He took his son along to accompany him when playing music written for [...]
Androcles
Author: AesopNovember 21, 2014
A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled to the forest. As he was wandering about there he came upon a Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first he turned to flee, but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, he turned back and went up to him. As he [...]
A Traditional Tale of India
Author: AnonymousNovember 21, 2014
Once a greengrocer and a potter jointly hired a camel and each filled one side of the pannier with his goods. The camel as he went along the road took a mouthful every now and then, as he had a chance, from the greengrocer’s bag of vegetables. This provoked a laugh from the potter, who [...]
The Wounded Swan
Author: AnonymousOctober 21, 2014
One day when Prince Siddhartha and his cousin Devadatta were walking in the woods, they saw a swan. Quickly, Devadatta drew his bow and shot the swan down. Siddhartha rushed to the wounded swan and pulled out the arrow. He held the bird in his arms and caressed it. Devadatta angrily shouted at Prince Siddhartha, [...]
Proposals for a Better World
Author: Georgios Alvarado PlanasOctober 4, 2014
No one can ignore the fact that we are living in a world in crisis, a world of great changes on the ecological, social, economic and even cosmic levels. On the ecological level, this can be seen in the excessive, irrational and selfish exploitation of the natural resources of our planet Earth. Some of the [...]