Showing 428 articles
An Opera in Stone: Hampi
Author: Manjula NanavatiAugust 4, 2014
Libretto Hampi’s history melds so seamlessly into legend that it is difficult to establish where one ends and the other begins. This tiny hamlet lay nestled within the area known as Kishkinda which, according to the Hindu epic Ramayana, was the realm of the Monkey Gods. Following Ravan’s abduction of Sita, Ram and Lakshman arrived [...]
How to solve the economic crisis: Initiatives inspired by the teachings of Plato and Confucius
Author: James H LeeAugust 4, 2014
The modern liberal economic system has proven incapable of solving the economic and financial crises in the world,using traditional solutions. Initiatives undertaken by brave men and women whose creativity and determination inspired by timeless teachings of Plato and Confucius are showing the way. The term “State” initiated by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 (1) [...]
The Symbolism of the Ring
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJuly 22, 2014
The ring is above all the symbol of a bond, an alliance or a vow. The hole in the middle of the ring channels the celestial influence, the breath of God that seals the pact. The hole is the receptacle for the energy that makes the wheel of destiny turn. The ring is the symbol [...]
The Symbolism of the Ankh
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJuly 22, 2014
The Ankh is a cross. The symbol of the cross is extremely complex and has manifold meanings. We find it in all religions and cultures as the representation of Man, at the point of convergence of Earth and Heaven. The Ankh is the ansate cross of ancient Egyptians. It is the key of life and [...]
The Birth of Sri Krishna
Author: AnonymousJuly 21, 2014
Mother Earth, unable to bear the burden of sins committed by evil kings and rulers, appealed to Brahma, the Creator for help. Brahma prayed to the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who assured him that he would soon be born on earth to annihilate tyrannical forces. One such evil force was Kamsa, the ruler of Mathura (in [...]
Samsara
Author: AnonymousJuly 1, 2014
Director: Pan Nalin Cast: Shawn Ku, Christy Chung, Neelesha BaVora, Lhakpa Tsering, Tenzin Tashi Duration: 145 min “What is more important: satisfying one thousand desires or conquering just one?” What is “Samsara”? For the Buddhists, Samsara is the wheel of rebirths. More specifically, it means rotation and change. Its rotation comes from the force of [...]Life Of Pi – Insight
Author: Rahil MehtaJune 26, 2014
This book by Yann Martel published in 2001, subsequently inspired a movie of the same name in 2012 (By Director Ang Lee). The book has won a series of awards including the UK man booker prize. The story is about a 16-year old boy who suffers a shipwreck in which his family dies, and is [...]
The Symbolism of the Emerald
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezJune 22, 2014
The emerald is the stone of green light, which endows it simultaneously with an esoteric significance and with regenerative powers. In Central America, the stone was associated with rain and blood and all the symbols of the lunar cycle. It was regarded as a token of fertility. The Aztecs associated the emerald with the bird [...]
The Symbolism of the Eagle
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 27, 2014
The eagle is one of the most ancient symbols of humanity. The Greeks and the Persians consecrated it to the sun, as a symbol of elevation and of spirit associated with the supreme sky-god, representing the spiritual principle. For the Greeks, the Eagle was the emblem of Zeus. The Druids regarded it as the symbol [...]
The Symbolism of the Raven
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 22, 2014
The black of its feathers and its mournful cry make the raven, which feeds on carrions, a bird of ill omen. This reputation is also to be found in China even though the Chinese see the raven as symbol of filial gratitude, considering the fact that it feeds its parents. In Japan as well the [...]
The Symbolism of the Giants
Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. FernándezMay 22, 2014
Gaia, the Earth, gave birth to the Giants in order to avenge the Titans whom Zeus imprisoned in Tartarus. They are chthonian beings, symbolizing, by their gigantic physical mass and their spiritual poverty, the predominance of forces arising from the Earth. Giants represent magnified commonplaceness and the image of unrestrained physical and brutal instincts. They [...]
The Birth of Buddha
Author: AnonymousMay 21, 2014
Twenty-five centuries ago, King Suddhodana ruled a land near the Himalaya Mountains. One day during a midsummer festival, his wife Queen Maya retired to her quarters to rest, and she fell asleep and dreamed a vivid dream. Four angels carried her high into white mountain peaks and clothed her in flowers. A magnificent white bull [...]