Whole Foods-Whole Inspiration-Whole LanguageWhole Foods Arrives in Ann Arbor, September 1993Whole Foods opened its Store in Ann Arbor on September 16, 1993. Whole Foods, Whole People and Whole Planet inspire Whole Dude to invent Whole Phrases: Whole Linguistics – Whole Language. The concept of Whole Cookie and Whole Love. Whole Dude uses the phrase Whole Linguistics to describe three entities; 1. Language User, 2. Language Interpreter and 3. Language Creator. Image Credit: Agenda Publications, Ann Arbor District Library, Issue Dates, September 1993, December 1997 and February 1998.
Musings on Whole Bondage of Free Will on October 31, 2025
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own. To the onlookers it may seem that Whole Dude is making choices and choosing his own actions. Whole Dude makes those choices and chooses those actions for God knows his mind and predetermines the external circumstances that compel him to perform actions.
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.
Whole Dude’s human effort to seek recognition for his Identity that he describes as Whole Dude is predestined long before he coined that phrase.
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.
MARTIN LUTHER POSTS 95 THESES – OCT 31, 1517
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.
On this day in 1517, the priest and scholar Martin Luther approaches the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nails a piece of paper to it containing the 95 revolutionary opinions that would begin the Protestant Reformation.
In his theses, Luther condemned the excesses and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, especially the papal practice of asking payment—called “indulgences”—for the forgiveness of sins. At the time, a Dominican priest named Johann Tetzel, commissioned by the Archbishop of Mainz and Pope Leo X, was in the midst of a major fundraising campaign in Germany to finance the renovation of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Though Prince Frederick III the Wise had banned the sale of indulgences in Wittenberg, many church members traveled to purchase them. When they returned, they showed the pardons they had bought to Luther, claiming they no longer had to repent for their sins.
Luther’s frustration with this practice led him to write the 95 Theses, which were quickly snapped up, translated from Latin into German and distributed widely. A copy made its way to Rome, and efforts began to convince Luther to change his tune. He refused to keep silent, however, and in 1521 Pope Leo X formally excommunicated Luther from the Catholic Church. That same year, Luther again refused to recant his writings before the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Germany, who issued the famous Edict of Worms declaring Luther an outlaw and a heretic and giving permission for anyone to kill him without consequence. Protected by Prince Frederick, Luther began working on a German translation of the Bible, a task that took 10 years to complete.
The term “Protestant” first appeared in 1529, when Charles V revoked a provision that allowed the ruler of each German state to choose whether they would enforce the Edict of Worms. A number of princes and other supporters of Luther issued a protest, declaring that their allegiance to God trumped their allegiance to the emperor. They became known to their opponents as Protestants; gradually this name came to apply to all who believed the Church should be reformed, even those outside Germany. By the time Luther died, of natural causes, in 1546, his revolutionary beliefs had formed the basis for the Protestant Reformation, which would over the next three centuries revolutionize Western civilization.
As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.As a worker who is bound by the Law of At-Will Employment, On Friday, October 31, 2025 Whole Dude acknowledges ‘The Bondage of the Will’ and all of his actions are predestined for he has no ability or freedom to act on his own.
Monday, September 01, 2025.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
Monday, September 01, 2025. Labor Day Musings. The Clinton Curse Defines the American Workplace. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
In the United States, Labor activists, and Labor Unions made great progress to defend the rights of Working Class. Unfortunately, President Bill Clinton undermined this progress by approving legislation that took away the dignity of unskilled, hourly wage earners who legally work in the US paying taxes. President Clinton on August 22, 1996, signed into Law, Public Law 104-193, ‘The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act’ (PRWORA) which places restrictions on the payments of monthly retirement income benefits to workers in the US under Title II of the Social Security Act. Refer to Section 401(b) (2) of PRWORA.
Monday, September 01, 2025. Labor Day Musings. The Clinton Curse Defines the American Workplace.
For many unskilled, hourly wage earners performing labor in the US, American Workplace is defined as Work until Death for they have no Retirement option. In other words, those who have no Retirement option, American Workplace is defined by the Book of Genesis, Chapter 3, verses 17 to 19.
Monday, September 01, 2025. Labor Day Musings. The Clinton Curse Defines the American Workplace. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
Monday, September 01, 2025. Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the Ground Where the man is denied the Monthly Retirement Income Benefit
Monday, September 01, 2025. Labor Day Musings. The Clinton Curse Defines the American Workplace.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.Monday, September 01, 2025.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
I ask my readers to reflect upon the awful consequences of President Clinton’s actions on this Labor Day. Apart from the alien workers, the ground gets cursed with consequences to all its denizens. The Clinton Curse compels Americans to live and work paying off their foreign debt. This nation runs its government on money borrowed from other nations.
I ask my readers to reflect upon the awful consequences of President Clinton’s actions on this Labor Day. Apart from the alien workers, the ground gets cursed with consequences to all its denizens. The Clinton Curse compels Americans to live and work paying off their foreign debt. This nation runs its government on money borrowed from other nations.I ask my readers to reflect upon the awful consequences of President Clinton’s actions on this Labor Day. Apart from the alien workers, the ground gets cursed with consequences to all its denizens. The Clinton Curse compels Americans to live and work paying off their foreign debt. This nation runs its government on money borrowed from other nations.I ask my readers to reflect upon the awful consequences of President Clinton’s actions on this Labor Day. Apart from the alien workers, the ground gets cursed with consequences to all its denizens. The Clinton Curse compels Americans to live and work paying off their foreign debt. This nation runs its government on money borrowed from other nations.I ask my readers to reflect upon the awful consequences of President Clinton’s actions on this Labor Day. Apart from the alien workers, the ground gets cursed with consequences to all its denizens. The Clinton Curse compels Americans to live and work paying off their foreign debt. This nation runs its government on money borrowed from other nations.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.Monday, September 01, 2025.Labor Day Musings. Cursed is the ground where the man with no old age retirement income has to work until his death.
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
I claim that I am a ‘Refugee’ for I host ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’ in my Consciousness. Living Tibetan Spirits represent the young Tibetan Soldiers who gave their precious lives during the Bangladesh Ops of 1971-72. They live in the hope of securing Freedom in Occupied Tibet.
Refugee is a person who is not entitled to the benefits of the Citizenship status in the country that hosts the Refugee. Very often, the Refugee Status may impose several conditions or terms under which it is approved. A Refugee can be deemed to be a ‘Slave’ if the Refugee has only the permission to live in bondage performing labor to earn his living. For example, the Refugee or Slave or Serf or Servant is not entitled to receive monetary benefits paid to citizens if they get old or disabled.
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave on in Bondage in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
Rudra Narasimham Rebbapragada
Special Frontier Force-Establishment 22-Vikas Regiment
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
Give up: The Dalai Lama has been asked to ‘relinquish all attachment to life’ and ‘live among Tibetans even though it may seem humbling. In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of bondage in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
JAYADEVA RANADE President, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy
In the midst of mounting pressure from the US and steadily growing dissatisfaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping inside China, Beijing appears to be making a strategic overture to the exiled 84-year-old spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama. This coincides with the increasing apprehension in the higher echelons of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that the US and the West plan to resume support to the Tibetans and stir up trouble in China’s Tibetan-majority border province. It coincides, too, with the persistent rumor that has been circulating for months in Beijing that the Dalai Lama is rather unwell.
The first indicator of renewed thinking about reaching out to the Dalai Lama was an article authored by Zhu Weiqun and published on June 9 in the Global Times, a subsidiary of the official CCP mouthpiece, People’s Daily. Zhu is a senior recently retired Chinese Communist cadre who has stayed in close touch with Tibetan affairs and is well regarded in Beijing for his knowledge of Tibet-related affairs. The article assumes added significance as Zhu is a former executive vice-minister of the CCP Central Committee’s (CC) united front work department and till last year held a national-level post as chairman of the ethnic and religious affairs committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He has participated in all 10 rounds of the ‘negotiations’ between the Dalai Lama’s representatives and the Chinese communist authorities between 2002 and 2010, when they were suspended, and has intimate knowledge of the CCP’s position on the Dalai Lama. Zhu seldom writes in the Chinese media.
Quite unusually, he stated in his article that he was responding to the US ambassador’s recent remark after a visit to Tibet, urging resumption of talks with the Dalai Lama and accused him of ‘interference in China’s internal affairs’. He also asserted that the CC ‘has not closed its door of contacts and negotiation with the Dalai Lama’. With this, he indirectly confirms that while contacts have been maintained with the Dalai Lama, negotiations of the type held earlier could now possibly be contemplated. He also reiterated China’s consistent position that it doesn’t recognize the ‘Tibetan government-in-exile’ or ‘Central Tibetan Administration’ and that the talks that have been held are neither ‘Tibetan-Han talks’ or ‘Tibetan-China talks’. He clarified that ‘the Dalai Lama must accept Tibet as an integral part of China, abandon all attempts about so-called Tibet independence, stop all separatist and destructive activities, and recognize Taiwan as an integral part of China’. Stating that the above issues ‘underline that there is no so-called Tibet issue’, he underscored it is ‘just the problem of the Dalai Lama’. These points reflected China’s position during the negotiations nine years ago between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and the united front work department that they were only discussing the Dalai Lama’s return to China!
Zhu’s article was followed by a more direct and blunt communication. This was the 680-word letter, published by the Korea Times on June 22, and addressed to the Dalai Lama by the Venerable Dongbong, head monk of the ninth-ranked Daegaksa Temple of the Jogye Order of Buddhism of South Korea. The Jogye Order, incidentally, has thus far not joined other Buddhist sects in requesting permission for the Dalai Lama’s visit to South Korea because of its sensitivity to China. In the unprecedented letter, which is being studied in the Dalai Lama’s office, Dongbong advised him to ‘go back to your Tibetan homeland so your body may be interred there’. Adding that ‘at the age of 83, Your Holiness has lived longer than the Buddha’, it asked him to ‘relinquish all attachment to life as the Buddha taught’ and ‘to live among Tibetans is the way you should walk to the end of your life, even though it may seem humbling to you’. During an interview with Korea Times, he said: ‘Time is running against’ the Dalai Lama. ‘If he dies outside his old Tibet home, not being able to reach his people and hold their hands, his death will be the death of a great religious leader and nothing more. It will not bring any difference in Tibetan independence history.’
In the months leading up to these overtures to the Dalai Lama, the Chinese communist authorities have stepped up security measures in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and adjoining Tibetan areas. The annual budget of the TAR’s public security apparatus was enhanced by the National People’s Congress in March 2019 by 8.3 per cent. Party surveillance has been expanded with a party cadre presently deployed in each of the 5,453 villages and a distinct focus on ‘political education’ and propaganda, especially among monks and nuns in monasteries. The concerns of the senior party echelons were articulated late last year by Wu Sikang, director of the policy research office of Shenzhen municipal government, in an ‘internal’ document. He warned that the US had increased financial aid to Tibetans from this year to $17 million and that the amount allocated for Tibet-related activities in India and Nepal have been doubled. Beijing has long apprehended that Nepal would be used by ‘hostile foreign powers’ as a launch pad for anti-China activities.
A positive response to these overtures by the Dalai Lama would bring some relief for Jinping from the pressure being exerted by the US, troubles in Hong Kong and spreading domestic dissatisfaction. Tibet has long been portrayed as one of China’s ‘core issues’ and Jinping would be able to claim a degree of success in achieving the ‘reunification of the great Chinese nation’ projected in the China Dream. The question is, what can the Dalai Lama hope to get if he returns?
In my analysis, the ‘Invitation’ asking this Refugee to return to China simply represents an Agreement to accept imprisonment rather than living the life of a Slave in the host nation. It is like choosing between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
A pilgrim in search of a free nation. I am a refugee and who is my refuge?
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Buddha Purnima, is an auspicious day that marks the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It is believed that this was also the day he attained enlightenment. Buddha Purnima falls on a full moon night, usually between April and May. This year it will be observed on Monday, May 12. Also known as Buddha Jayanti or Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Buddha Purnima is based on the Asian lunisolar calendar. It is celebrated with great fervour in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and numerous other South East Asian countries including Thailand, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia and Indonesia.
What is the difference between refuge and refugee?
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
As nouns the difference between refuge and refugee is that refuge being a state of safety, protection or shelter while refugee is a person seeking refuge in a foreign country out of fear of political persecution or the prospect of such persecution in his home country, i.e., a person seeking a political asylum. Some persons who need safety, protection or shelter may live in a foreign country without applying for political asylum.
My Musings on Buddha Purnima. I am a Refugee. Who is my Refuge?On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On May 24, 1956, I was in Mylapore, Madras, Chennai, India. I went to the Indian Posts & Telegraphs Office on Kutchery Street to buy the First Day Cover issued in celebration of 2500th Buddha Jayanti.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On that Day, I was not aware that I would fail to see the brightness of the Full Moon on Monday, May 12, 2025. I see darkness. I see gloom. I learned the art of controlling my mind. I learned the art of self-discipline. Yet, I do not experience freedom while living in a free country.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
My Life’s Journey began in Mylapore, Madras, Chennai, India. Amongst other places, my Service in the Indian Army Medical Corps took me to Establishment-22 at Chakrata, Dehradun District, Uttarakhand on September 22, 1971. After successful execution of a military operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during October 1971 to January 1972, I was posted Delta Sector of Vikas Regiment. I performed this Journey in a transport plane shared by the US and landed in a US built airfield in Doom Dooma, Tinsukia District, Assam, India during February 1972 prior to the US President Richard M Nixon’s visit to Peking. While I was serving in D Sector, Establishment-22 in Doom Dooma, I got married in January 1973. I served in Vikas Regiment during the presidency of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Eventually, I arrived in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1986 without knowing that the US President Gerald Ford lived in Ann Arbor as a student. It’s not the end of the story. It’s the beginning of my journey as a slave in a free country.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
I find myself living and surviving inside the belly of a Big Fish or a Great Whale. Prophet Jonah survived his ordeal just for three days and three nights. The Son of Man remained in the heart of the earth just for three days, and three nights. For me the end is not in sight for I am living under a very dark shadow, inside the belly of a Big Fish or a Great Whale without the hope of seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
In my analysis, I am a person in need of Refuge, Shelter, or Protection. I performed my Life Journey under shadow, the darkness of secrecy seeking a false sense of security. I need to break the shackles of secrecy to declare that I am a Refugee. As I am trapped, I can’t go to the Buddha for refuge, I can’t go the Dhamma for refuge, and I can’t go the Sangha for refuge. Who is my Refuge? To Whom, I should address my Petition? If I have no refuge, I ask God to take this cup of agony from me.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. If I have no refuge, I ask God to take this cup away from me.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Buddha Purnima: Significance of Buddha’s Teachings
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Buddha Purnima : Significance of Buddha’s Teachings
Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm among the Buddhist community as it is one of their most important and sacred festivals. The festival also known as Vesak as it is observed on a full moon in the month Vaisakha, marks the birth of Buddha, the day of his enlightenment as well as the day he entered nirvana and left his human body form.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
This year, Buddha Purnima falls on May 12, which is a Monday.
However, it should be noted that different Buddhist communities may celebrate Buddha Purnima on different dates provided there are two full moons in the month of May.
The significance of this day can be understood by the events it upholds. Legend has it that Buddha’s wife Yashodhara, his first disciple Ananda and the Bodhi tree, the holy place under which Buddha attained enlightenment were all born or created on this very day. It is also believed that on this day Gautam Buddha chose to preach his first sermon in Varanasi or Banaras in India.
By the evidence found in history, Gautam Buddha was born between sixth and fourth century BCE.
Buddha was a firm believer of Karuna (meaning compassion) and Ahimsa (meaning non-violence). He spent his life searching for peace and truth. He believed that the material pleasures held little significance in life, and dedicated his life to spirituality and religion.
Since Buddha was born in a Hindu family, the festival holds a lot of significance for the Hindu community. In Hinduism, Lord Buddha is believed to be the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Buddha Purnima is an auspicious day for devotees of Lord Vishnu and is observed with full fervor in India.
Buddha Purnima has a lot of astrological significance as well. Buddha was born with Cancer Ascendant and Moon in Libra, and with the Sun positioned in the mighty Mars. In His Horoscope, the Moon is also aspected by five planets-Sun, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn, and these made Him mentally strong.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
In Buddhism, it is believed that for you to be able to enjoy good health, bring happiness to your family, and enjoy peace in life, you must first master control over your mind. In Hinduism, devotees of Lord Ganesh practice a similar belief; that by gaining control over one’s mind, one can find the way to enlightenment. Astrologers believe that to gain control of your mind, you should strengthen the Moon in your horoscope.
How to Celebrate Buddha Purnima
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
If you want to achieve mental peace and bliss this Vesak, you should follow Buddha’s “Eightfold path”. It is the only true way to celebrate the festival.
According to Buddha, the Eightfold path included-
Having the Right View or Understanding, by knowing the truth,
Having the Right Intention, by freeing your mind of bad thoughts,
Having the Right Speech, which does not hurt others,
Having the Right Action, by working for the good of others,
Having the Right Livelihood, by maintaining an ethical standard in life,
Having the Right Effort, by resisting evil,
Having the Right Mindfulness, by practicing meditation,
Having the Right Concentration, by controlling your thoughts.
It is believed that by following this path, you can be free from your sufferings, bring harmony and peace, and even bring in more positivity and optimism in your life.
For those who may be suffering from malefic effects of Planet Saturn, following the Eightfold Path can help you release mental pressure and also boost confidence in your life.
Devotees celebrate the festival by serving others and feeding the hungry while they themselves keep a fast and do charitable work.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Lanterns are also a special part of the celebrations. Mostly seen in Sri Lanka and South Korea, people light colorful electric lanterns, which signifies happiness and enlightenment. Happiness is believed to be the result of the individual becoming more mindful in their life.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. If I have no refuge, I ask God to take this cup away from me.
On Monday, May 12, 2025, I am searching for possibilities within, not contrary to God’s Will. For I give shelter to the Living Tibetan Spirits in my consciousness, I exist as a slave in a free country. I consciously experience the problem of occupation, the lack of independent existence.
Learn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burdenThe Rudi-Grant ConnectionLiving the Long Journey of Life Lifting the Burden of the CrossLiving the Long Journey of Life Lifting the Burden of the CrossLearn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden
In 1965, while I was a student of Human Anatomy at Kurnool Medical College, I had the opportunity to know about Dr. J. C. B. Grant (1886-1973), the author of Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy. The 5th Edition of his Atlas was published in 1962 and was available in India in our Medical College Library.
Living the Long Journey of Life Lifting the Burden of the Cross
Born in Loanhead (south of Edinburgh) in 1886, Grant studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School and graduated with an M.B., Ch.B. degree in 1908. While at Edinburgh, he worked under the renowned anatomist Daniel John Cunningham. Grant became a decorated serviceman of the Royal Army Medical Corps during the First World War before moving to Canada. He established himself as an ‘anatomist extraordinary’ at the University of Toronto, publishing three textbooks that form the basis of Grant’s Anatomy. The textbooks are still used in anatomy classes today, and made unforgettable memories for those who found themselves in his classes nearly a century ago. One of Grant’s many accomplishments was establishing a division of histology within the department.
Learn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden
As a medical student, I used Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy, the seminal work of Scottish-born Dr. John Charles Boileau Grant, who would become the chair of Anatomy at the University of Toronto in 1930 and retired in 1965.
Students continue to use Grant’s textbooks today, and for the more artistic anatomist there’s even a Grant’s Anatomy Coloring Book, published in 2018.
Learn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden
At the University of Toronto, Dr.McMurrich, Chair of Anatomy was succeeded as chairman in 1930 by Dr. John Charles Boileau Grant. Dr. Grant wrote three text books, of which “An Atlas of Anatomy” (published in 1943) rapidly gained international prominence and is still, one of the most widely used anatomical atlases in the world. It is now known as “Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy” and is in its tenth edition. The atlas was based on a series of elegant dissections done either by Grant or by others under his supervision. Many of these dissections are currently housed in Grant’s Museum at the University of Toronto.
The Rudi-Grant Connection is about knowing the man, the building blocks and the structural units and organization of the human body. To defend the human existence, the Rudi-Grant Connection lays the emphasis on knowing the person who is at risk apart from knowing the agent posing the risk.
THE IDENTITY OF MULTICELLULAR HUMAN ORGANISM:
Learn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden. Cunningham’s Manuals of Practical Anatomy provide me the learning tools to know and understand Man’s External and Internal Reality and its Identity as described by Cells, Tissues, Organs,and Organ Systems
Daniel John Cunningham was born on 15 April 1850 in Scotland. After his initial schooling at his home town, Crieff, he took up the study of medicine at the University of Edinburgh and passed with honours. He is best known for the excellent series of dissection manuals, namely Cunningham’s Dissection Manuals. Cunningham’s Manual of Practical Anatomy has provided me the learning tools to know and understand Man’s External and Internal Reality and its Identity as described by Cells, Tissues, Organs,and Organ Systems.
Learn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden. Cunningham’s Manuals of Practical Anatomy provide me the learning tools to know and understand Man’s External and Internal Reality and its Identity as described by Cells, Tissues, Organs,and Organ SystemsLearn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden. Cunningham’s Manuals of Practical Anatomy provide me the learning tools to know and understand Man’s External and Internal Reality and its Identity as described by Cells, Tissues, Organs,and Organ SystemsLearn human anatomy to live the long journey of life with a heavy burden. Cunningham’s Manuals of Practical Anatomy provide me the learning tools to know and understand Man’s External and Internal Reality and its Identity as described by Cells, Tissues, Organs,and Organ Systems
I learned the truths about the living human body and about Life while dissecting the dead human bodies in a systematic manner. The Manual of Practical Anatomy which guides us through this entire process was published in England. The author Dr. Daniel John Cunningham prepared the Manual while dissecting cadavers of British or Irish citizens. He had never encountered cadavers of Indian citizens. At Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India, where I was a student, the Department of Anatomy obtains dead bodies from Government General Hospital Kurnool and most of the deceased are the poor, illiterate, and uneducated people of that region. None of the deceased had the chance to know this man called Cunningham and Cunningham had no knowledge about the existence of these people who arrive on our dissection tables. But, as the dissection of the human body proceeds, inch, by inch, we recognize the anatomical parts as described by Cunningham. The manual also lists some anatomical variations and we very often exchange information between various dissection tables and recognize the variations mentioned. The dissections also involve slicing the organs and studying them, both macroscopically, and microscopically. We did not miss any part of the human body.
To know the burdens of Life, I ask my readers to know the reality of man and the nature of his existence.
So what is the Identity of this Human person or Human subject who experiences his life using the Sensory Experience such as taste? How does the living Human organism maintain its Identity and Individuality? Apart from the Cultural Traditions of India, several Schools of Religious Thought claim that the Human Individuality and true or real Identity is represented by Human Soul. Where does this soul exist in the human body? What is the location if the soul is present in the living person? Does man have a soul?How does the human organism acquires Knowledge about its own structures and the functions they perform?To know the burdens of Life, I ask my readers to know the reality of man and the nature of his existence.
A Force of Compassion to lift the heavy burden of life’s long journey
Krupa (Krupa) – A force to preserve the human existence. Alpha Orionis, Betelgeuse, a massive Red Supergiant Star is evaporating.
THE PHENOMENON OF EXTINCTION:
Krupa (Krupa) – a force to preserve the human existence. The dimming of Betelgeuse, Orion Constellation.
Alpha Orionis, or Betelgeuse is the largest and brightest Star visible to the naked eye near the Constellation of Orion. This mammoth star is slowly evaporating. This massive star is shedding weight and is near end of its life. This red Supergiant star is about 430 light years distant. If this star is now placed at the center of our Solar system, its plume would extend past the orbit of planet Jupiter. Sun towards the end of its life would also evaporate and its expanding plume would totally wipeout all living entities on planet Earth. When we speak about human existence, we need to understand man as a biological species. Like all other living creatures of this planet Earth, man is a mortal being. Whosoever had arrived on this planet, must also depart. Extinction is not merely a past geological event. The reign of Dinosaurs upon Earth ended 65 million years ago and it is marked as Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction Event or K-T Event. Apart from Cosmic Radiation, and Massive Collision events involving asteroids, comets, or other heavenly bodies, there are biological factors involved in the phenomenon of Extinction. Man’s existence depends upon an orderly functioning of the universe. The existence of the Individual (microcosm) is linked to the existence of Cosmos (macrocosm).
IS MAN BORN FREE?
Krupa (Kripa) – a force to preserve the human existence.
In the Sanskrit literature, the word ‘Daivam’ describes ‘Fate’. It conveys the sense of belief in God as the ‘Prime Cause’. If God is in control, man is not free to act as he pleases even in his own defense. We may not be able to conduct experiments and scientifically establish the fact that God is in control. What we clearly understand is that the man cannot govern or rule the cells that constitute his body and define his physical existence.
Krupa (Kripa) – a force for preservation of the human existence. Man cannot directly rule or govern or regulate the cellular functions of his own body.
Man is not an independent living entity. Man’s dependence upon external sources of energy, and the biological phenomenon of ‘cellular autonomy’ would not permit man to act as he pleases. Man is not in control of his existence. Man’s capacity to defend his own existence is limited and he continuously faces challenges to his existence from several different directions. If man is truly free, the Universe, the World, and the Society can place no constraints on him. Man is tied down, he is born in shackles without Freedom.
The Four Fundamental Forces:
Krupa (Kripa) – a force to preserve the human existence.
The orderly functioning of the universe demands the synchronization of the Fundamental Forces that operate the Universal Order. If there is no ‘ORDER’, the resulting ‘CHAOS’ , or extreme disorder would destroy all living entities. In Physical Science, the Four Fundamental Forces that operate in Nature are described; 1. The Strong Nuclear Force, 2. The Weak Nuclear Force, 3. The Electromagnetic Force, and 4. The Gravitational Force. While these Forces operate all reactions with matter in Nature, we need a Creative Force or Creative Energy to bring into existence each individual living entity which enables the entity to exist in nature as an ‘Individual’ and to live by exploiting other forms of Energy provided by the material Nature known as Prakriti. In the Sanskrit language this Creative Force or Energy is named as ‘Maya’ and hence the phenomenal Universe is a manifestation of ‘Maya’. However, the living entities and all other created entities have no ability of their own to fully defend their state of existence. In the Sanskrit language the word ‘Krupa’ describes the great and powerful Force of ‘Daya’, ‘Karuna’ or Compassion, Mercy, Grace, and Kindness that sustains, protects and preserves existence of life. ‘Krupa’ is a great and magnificent Force which enables man to overcome difficulties, get over obstacles and face huge challenges. The Controller of ‘KRUPA’ exists in a state of complete, and perfect ‘Bliss’ called ‘Ananda’. The thought of ‘Krupa’ delights human mind and is associated with a sensation of Sweetness and it visually brings the Joy of Spring Season described as ‘Vasant’ or ‘Basant’which symbolizes creation and rejuvenation. Krupa being Sweet like nectar and honey; when we seek Mercy and Grace; when we ask for Compassion, and Kindness; it not only provides peace and a sense of tranquility, but also it imparts a sense of pure joy.
MADHAVA is the Consort of Madhavi or Lakshmi who personifies the force of compassion or Krupa (Kripa).
A HYMN TO SEEK ‘KRUPA’ – A FORCE TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT HUMAN EXISTENCE:
Krupa (Kripa) – a force to preserve human existence
Muukam karoti Vachaalam, pangum langhayate girim,
Yat Krupaa ta Maham Vande Paramaananda Madhavam.
THE LORD OF SPRING SEASON – LORD MADHAVA WITH GODDESS MADHAVI: In the Divine Song called Bhagavad Gita, Chapter X, ‘The Infinite Glories of the Ultimate Truth’-‘VIBHUTI VISTARA YOGA’ that describes the LORD God Creator’s Infinite Divine Attributes, in verse # 35, Lord Krishna describes Himself as The Lord of Spring Season – The Flowery Season: “Rtunam Kusumakarah.”
I pay obeisance (Vande) to Eternally Blissful (Paramaananda) Madhava whose Compassion or Krupa is boundless (Maham) and with His Mercy a mute person (Muukam) can be transformed into an eloquent speaker (Vachaalam) and a physically challenged person (Pangum) can easily cross over (langhayate) the mountains (girim). This hymn beautifully connects the problems of human condition, the physical limitations imposed upon our fragile state of existence, with a limitless source of energy known as Krupa which is the manifestation of Madhava who brings the Joy of Spring Season and symbolizes sweetness, sugar, honey, or ‘Madhu’, and is constantly accompanied by this energy or Shakti which assumes the form of Radha or Madhavi or Lakshmi.
SEEK THE EXPERIENCE OF ‘MADHURYA’:
Krupa (Kripa) – a force to preserve the human existence. The Butterfly lives by gathering Nectar.
We need to constantly remind ourselves about the transient, ephemeral, and fleeting nature of human existence. In our life’s journey, we tend to follow an easy course and tend to avoid facing obstacles. Very often, we behave like a physically challenged person and act as if physically incapacitated due to fear, doubt, and a lack of resolve or indecisiveness. Sometimes, difficulties arise without any prior warning and overwhelm our existence. Many of us remain mute or cannot speak up bacause of a sense of fear or because of sheer ignorance. We may not be simply aware of the dangers that may threaten our existence. We should seek the Force of Krupa that brings a sense of Joy and imparts the taste of Sweetness known as ‘Madhurya’.
Krupa – a force to preserve the human existence.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
Yes Indeed, Life is Complicated. The complexity of Life involves the conditioned or the dependent nature of the human existence. The man has no existence if he is not connected to an external source of energy. The external source of energy which supports the existence of Life is often described as the Divine Providence, the original source of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion.
2022 Radha Ashtami
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
Radha Ashtami is a well-known Hindu festival to commemorate the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, Shri Radha Rani, the consort of Lord Krishna. It falls on Ashtami Tithi, the eighth day. Of the Waxing Phase of the Moon, during Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
According to the Hindu beliefs, Goddess Radha is the incarnation or avatar of Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, the Lord God Protector of the Hindu Trinity.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
The occasion of Radha Ashtami falls 15 days after the festival of Janmashtami, or Krishna Ashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. It usually takes place in the month of August or September according to the Gregorian calendar.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
Devotees keep fast on Radha Ashtami day. Goddess Radha is worshipped during Madhyahna Kala which is noon time according to Hindu division of the day.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and Compassion
Radha Ashtami is also known as Radhashtami and Radha Jayanti.In the Indian tradition, the LORD God Creator is the Controller of Power/Force/Energy that operates all interactions of the natural world, and the universe. The LORD God Creator separates Himself from the Power/Force/Energy that He Controls, Regulates, Sustains, and Operates. In the Indian tradition, the Power/Force/Energy or Shakti is personified as the consort of LORD God Creator. As the manifestations of Power/Force/Energy are varied, each attribute acquires a personality of its own and the man easily recognizes the nature of the blessings he receives from his benefactor. In the Indian tradition, Goddess Radha is the personification of Love that symbolizes the Spiritual Unity between the Original Source of Love and the physical manifestation of the Force called Love.
The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThe Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionLORD KRISHNA is the Companion of RADHA, the Shakti, Power/Force/Energy that is Controlled by Lord Krishna. The Divine Function/Action with which this Shakti or Force of Love and Compassion uplifts a person is known by the Experience of Madhurya or Sweetness.The Rudi Connection at Whole Foods celebrates the birth anniversary of Goddess Radha, the Goddess of Love, Mercy, Grace, and CompassionThis post is presented by the Rudi-Grant Connection
REMEMBERING AUGUST 08, 1974 – NIXON RESIGNS. I AM A REFUGEE. A SLAVE IN FREE NATION.
On August 08, 1974, I was stationed at Military Hospital Wing, Headquarters Establishment Number. 22, C/O 56 APO, of Special Frontier Force. Because of my lifetime regimental affiliation to Special Frontier Force, Nixon/Kissinger lives in my memory for his actions providing aid and comfort to Enemy while we dedicated our lives to secure Democracy, Freedom, Peace, and Justice in Occupied Tibet.
REMEMBERING AUGUST 08, 1974 – NIXON RESIGNS. I AM A REFUGEE. A SLAVE IN FREE NATION.
In my analysis, Nixon-Kissinger Vietnam Treason predetermined my Refugee Status, the Status of a Slave living in a Free Nation.
Remembering August 08, 1974 – Nixon Resigns.I am a Refugee.A SLAVE IN FREE NATION.
On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. “By taking this action,” he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, “I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America.”
In an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. “By taking this action,” he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, “I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America.”
Just before noon the next day, Nixon officially ended his term as the 37th president of the United States. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a victory or peace salute. The helicopter door was then closed, and the Nixon family began their journey home to San Clemente, California. Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the nation in a television address, declaring, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” He later pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office, explaining that he wanted to end the national divisions created by the Watergate scandal.
On June 17, 1972, five men, including a salaried security coordinator for President Nixon’s reelection committee, were arrested for breaking into and illegally wiretapping the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Washington, D.C., Watergate complex. Soon after, two other former White House aides were implicated in the break-in, but the Nixon administration denied any involvement. Later that year, reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward of The Washington Post discovered a higher-echelon conspiracy surrounding the incident, and a political scandal of unprecedented magnitude erupted.
In May 1973, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, headed by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, began televised proceedings on the rapidly escalating Watergate affair. One week later, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was sworn in as special Watergate prosecutor. During the Senate hearings, former White House legal counsel John Dean testified that the Watergate break-in had been approved by former Attorney General John Mitchell with the knowledge of White House advisers John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman and that President Nixon had been aware of the cover-up. Meanwhile, Watergate prosecutor Cox and his staff began to uncover widespread evidence of political espionage by the Nixon reelection committee, illegal wiretapping of thousands of citizens by the administration, and contributions to the Republican Party in return for political favors.
In July, the existence of what was to be called the Watergate tapes–official recordings of White House conversations between Nixon and his staff–was revealed during the Senate hearings. Cox subpoenaed these tapes, and after three months of delay President Nixon agreed to send summaries of the recordings. Cox rejected the summaries, and Nixon fired him. His successor as special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, leveled indictments against several high-ranking administration officials, including Mitchell and Dean, who were duly convicted.
Public confidence in the president rapidly waned, and by the end of July 1974, the House Judiciary Committee had adopted three articles of impeachment against President Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers, and hindrance of the impeachment process. On July 30, under coercion from the Supreme Court, Nixon finally released the Watergate tapes. On August 5, transcripts of the recordings were released, including a segment in which the president was heard instructing Haldeman to order the FBI to halt the Watergate investigation. Three days later, Nixon announced his resignation.
At the Republican National Convention in Miami, Richard M. Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew are chosen as the presidential and vice-presidential nominees for the upcoming election. In his speech accepting the nomination, Nixon promised to “bring an honorable end to the war in Vietnam.”
1973 Vice President Agnew under attack Vice President Agnew branded reports that he took kickbacks from government contracts in Maryland as “damned lies.” Agnew had taken a lot of heat in the media when he assumed a leadership position as Nixon’s point man on Vietnam. He frequently attacked the student protest movement.
Remembering August 08, 1974. Nixon Resigns. I am a Refugee. A Slave in Free Nation.
I AM A REFUGEE WITH NO REFUGE ON WORLD REFUGEE DAY
I host ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’ in my Consciousness. I am a Refugee and I have no Refuge on World Refugee Day.
I host ‘The Living Tibetan Spirits’ in my Consciousness. On Thursday, June 20, 2019, I observe the World Refugee Day with the feelings of hopelessness for I am a Refugee and I have no Refuge.
Each June 20, the globe comes together to honor World Refugee Day. The United Nations General Assembly launched the holiday in 2000, and since then, the worldwide community has spent the day focused on ways to improve the lives of refugees. Most of us know that refugees are forced to leave their homes due to war, terror, or other crises—but fleeing their home country is often just the beginning of a difficult journey. Many refugees find themselves living in camps until they are resettled—some of which are dangerous or not well-equipped for long term living. Refugees don’t always have a say in which country they are ultimately relocated to, and the bureaucratic process involved in finding their new home can take years. Worldwide refugee crises have taken center stage in the news in recent years, so it’s more important than ever to share support and to celebrate World Refugee Day.
How to Observe World Refugee Day
Attend a United Nations event
The UN plans to host live digital events on World Refugee Day discussing the world refugee crisis, future goals surrounding the topic, and how to make a difference. Be on the lookout for summaries of the events’ happenings or see if you can attend for yourself.
Be a friend to refugees in your community
Reach out to refugees in your area. Consider inviting them into your home for dinner, or to spend a few nights in your guest room if they’re in need of somewhere to stay. Introduce them to your local community so they’ll have an easier time getting to know their new neighborhood. Simply being a friend can make a major positive impact in someone’s life and serving as a guide to the community can be incredibly helpful.
Use your job to make a difference
No matter what you do for a living, there’s a good chance that your professional skills can be used to improve the lives of others. Volunteer your work-related talents to local refugee organizations. Last year, the UN shared a goal that someday soon, every refugee would have the opportunity for an education, a safe place to live, and ways to work and contribute to their communities. Chances are, you’ve got a skill or talent that can help in working toward one of those goals. If you own a business or are a hiring manager, you may also consider employing local refugees who need work.
Why World Refugee Day is Important
It builds empathy and raises awareness
The vastness of the world refugee crisis can be hard to grasp but raising awareness can help make it easier for others to understand the extent of what refugees around the world are going through. It also builds a sense of empathy and compassion that brings people together from all walks of life, and that’s always a positive thing
It provides an incentive to create a more peaceful world
In a more peaceful world, fewer people would be forced to flee their homes due to violence and unrest. Naturally, this would make for a significant decrease in suffering around the world. While working towards greater peace isn’t something that can happen overnight, it’s an important goal, and World Refugee Day reminds us of just how vital it is.
It encourages us to be better friends, neighbors, and citizens
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of such a massive worldwide crisis but taking small steps can help make a difference. World Refugee Day encourages all of us to think creatively about what we can do to help. It also motivates everyone celebrating the holiday to be better neighbors to refugees living in their communities and to be more compassionate world citizens in general.
LIFE UNDER SHADOW: LONELY PLANET AND IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTY OF TIBET
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet.
My Life is Under Shadow. It means that I am a Prisoner of the Circumstances. I live as a Slave in Free Country. I am not “FREE” and so, the Beauty of Tibet remains Impossible.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE
Lonely Planet: Impossible beauty of Tibet | Stuff.co.NZ
Tibet offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude walks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains and one of the most likable cultures you will ever encounter.
A Higher Plain
For many visitors, the highlights of Tibet will be of a spiritual nature: magnificent monasteries, prayer halls of chanting monks, and remote cliffside meditation retreats. Tibet’s pilgrims – from local grandmothers murmuring mantras in temples heavy with the aromas of juniper incense and yak butter to hard-core professionals walking or prostrating themselves around Mt Kailash – are an essential part of this experience. Tibetans have a level of devotion and faith that seems to belong to an earlier, almost medieval age. It is fascinating, inspiring and endlessly photogenic.
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet. Restrictions require foreign travelers to pre-arrange a tour with a guide and transport for their time in Tibet, making independent travel impossible.
Restrictions require foreign travelers to pre-arrange a tour with a guide and transport for their time in Tibet, making independent travel impossible.
The Roof of the World
Tibet’s other big draw is the elemental beauty of the highest plateau on earth. The geography here is on a humbling scale and every view is illuminated with spectacular mountain light. Your trip will take you past glittering turquoise lakes, across huge plains dotted with yaks and nomads’ tents, and over high passes draped with colorful prayer flags. Hike past the ruins of remote hermitages, stare open-mouthed at the north face of Everest or make an epic overland trip along some of the world’s wildest roads. The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.
Politics & Permits
There’s no getting away from politics here. Whether you see Tibet as an oppressed, occupied nation or an underdeveloped province of China, the normal rules of Chinese travel simply don’t apply. Restrictions require foreign travelers to pre-arrange a tour with a guide and transport for their time in Tibet, making independent travel impossible. On the plus side, new airports, boutique hotels, and paved roads offer a level of comfort unheard of just a few years ago, so if the rigors of Tibetan travel have deterred you in the past, now might be the time to reconsider.
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet.
The Roof of the World.
The Tibetan People
Whatever your interests, your lasting memories of Tibet are likely to be off the bottle of Lhasa Beer you shared in a teahouse, the yak-butter tea offered by a monk in a remote monastery or the picnic enjoyed with a herding family on the shores of a remote lake. Always ready with a disarming smile, and with great tolerance and openness of heart despite decades of political turmoil and hardship, the people truly make traveling in Tibet a profound joy. Make sure you budget time away from your pre-planned tour itinerary to take advantage of these chance encounters.
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet.
This is an edited extract from the first edition of the 10th edition of Lonely Planet’s Tibet guidebook
Tibet’s Top Five
Mt Kailash, Ngari
Worshipped by more than a billion Buddhists and Hindus, Asia’s most sacred mountain rises from the Barkha plain like a giant four-sided 6714m chörten (Buddhist stupa). Throw in the stunning nearby Lake Manasarovar and a basin that forms the source of four of Asia’s greatest rivers, and who’s to say this place really isn’t the center of the world? Travel here to one of the world’s most beautiful and remote corners brings an added bonus: the three-day pilgrim path around the mountain erases the sins of a lifetime.
Barkhor Circuit, Lhasa
You never know quite what you’re going to find when you join the centrifugal tide of Tibetans circling the Jokhang Temple on the Barkhor Circuit. Pilgrims and prostrators from across Tibet, stalls selling prayer wheels and turquoise, Muslim traders, Khampa nomads in shaggy cloaks, women from Amdo sporting 108 braids, thangka (religious painting) artists and Chinese military patrols are all par for the course. It’s a fascinating microcosm of Tibet and a place you’ll come back to again and again.
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet.
A valid Chinese visa is required to travel to Tibet.
Potala Palace, Lhasa
There are moments in travel that will long stay with you, and your first view of Lhasa’s iconic Potala Palace is one such moment. A visit to the former home of the Dalai Lamas is a spiraling descent past gold-tombed chapels, opulent reception rooms, and huge prayer halls into the bowels of a medieval castle. It’s nothing less than the concentrated spiritual and material wealth of a nation. Finish by joining the pilgrims on a walking kora (pilgrim circuit) of the entire grounds.
Jokhang Temple, Lhasa
The atmosphere of hushed awe is what hits you first as you inch through the dark, medieval passageways of the Jokhang, Lhasa’s most sacred temple. Queues of wide-eyed pilgrims shuffle up and down the stairways, past medieval doorways and millennium-old murals, pausing briefly to stare in awe at golden buddhas or to top up the hundreds of butter lamps that flicker in the gloom. It’s the beating spiritual heart of Tibet, despite some damage caused by a fire in 2018. Welcome to the 14th century.
Views of Mt Everest
Don’t tell the Nepal Tourism Board, but Tibet has easily the best views of the world’s most famous mountain from its northern base camp. While two-week trekking routes on the Nepal side offer only fleeting glimpses of the peak, in Tibet you can drive on a paved road right up to unobstructed views of Mt Everest’s incredible north face framed in the prayer flags of Rongphu Monastery. Bring a sleeping bag, some headache tablets and a prayer for clear skies.
Life Under Shadow. Lonely Planet. Impossible Beauty of Tibet.
The scope for adventure is limited only by your ability to get permits.
When to Go
High Season: (May–mid-Oct)
The warmest weather makes travel, trekking and transport easiest. Prices are at their highest, peaking in July and August. Book ahead during the 1 May and 1 October national holidays.
Shoulder: (Apr & mid-Oct–Nov)
The slightly colder weather means fewer travelers and a better range of vehicles. Prices are 20 percent cheaper than during the high season.
Low Season: (Dec–Feb)
Very few people visit Tibet in winter, so you’ll have key attractions largely to yourself. Hotel prices and many entry tickets are discounted by up to 50 percent, but some restaurants close. Tibet is closed to foreign tourists in March.
Currency: Rénmínbì, or yuán (¥)
Language: Tibetan, Mandarin Chinese
Visas: A valid Chinese visa is required. A Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit is also required to enter Tibet.
Money: ATMs are available in Lhasa, Shigatse and a couple of other towns. Credit cards can be used in Lhasa. Otherwise, bring cash US dollars and euros.
Mobile Phones: Buy an inexpensive local pay-as-you-go SIM or data card for cheap local calls, but get it before arriving in Tibet. Buying a mobile phone in China is cheap and easy.
Daily Costs
Midrange Budget: US$75–150
A one-way flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu: US$280–400
A one-way flight to Lhasa from Chéngdū: US$180–260
My Life’s Struggle in the Shadows of Tibet’s Struggle.My Life’s Struggle in the Shadows of Tibet’s Struggle.
The iconic Potala Palace in Tibet’s regional capital of Lhasa (AFP Photo/JOHANNES EISELE)
Sixty years after the Dalai Lama fled into permanent Indian exile, the cause of Tibetan freedom that earned him a Nobel prize and a celebrity-studded international following has lost much of its momentum — neutralized, analysts say, by the passage of time and China’s rising global power.
Inside Tibet, Beijing has effectively wiped out any organized opposition to its iron-clad rule, while outside, the once-vocal support of sympathetic governments and world leaders has dwindled to near-silence in recent years despite the 14th Dalai Lama’s enduring personal popularity.
“The fate of Tibet is in the hands of the Chinese state… Tibetans outside the region are not very relevant to the fate of Tibet, and this includes the Dalai Lama”, said Nathan Hill, convener of Tibetan studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.
In 2007, the Buddhist spiritual leader said his homeland was facing its “darkest period in 2,000 years”. The following year, with the world’s eyes on China in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics, protests unfurled across Tibet, sparking a furious response from Beijing.
“You don’t see protests like that anymore,” said Kate Saunders of the US-based International Campaign for Tibet, attributing the shift in part to Tibetans abiding by the Dalai Lama’s message of non-violence and to massive Chinese state surveillance.
Although the Dalai Lama’s campaign largely focused on autonomy rather than independence, negotiations with China stalled in 2010, amid suspicion that Beijing was intentionally dragging on pointless talks, hoping international pressure would ease with his eventual death.
The 83-year-old has sought to pre-empt any attempt by Beijing to name his reincarnated successor, even announcing in 2011 that he may be the last in the lineage.
The officially atheist Communist Party has already shown it will intervene in the reincarnation of important figures in Tibetan Buddhism, such as the Panchen Lama who traditionally plays a significant role in choosing the Dalai Lama’s successor.
The boy chosen by the Dalai Lama to serve as the Panchen Lama was detained by Chinese authorities at the age of six and has not been seen since, with Beijing appointing its own candidate in 1995.
Although the exiled leader remains a hugely popular speaker, he has cut back on his global engagements and has not met a world leader since 2016 — while governments have been wary of extending invitations to him for fear of angering Beijing.
“The craze for Tibet among Westerners in the 1980s and the following decades has decreased significantly”, said Katia Buffetrille, a Tibetologist at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris.
Even India, which offered asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959 when he made a daring escape across the Himalayas dressed as a soldier, has turned its back, with the government reportedly warning officials against attending events featuring him, citing diplomatic sensitivities.
– Buying freedom –
As the exile-led movement loses momentum, Tibetans at home are struggling to keep their traditions alive.
“Tibetans live in a totalitarian police state — if they challenge restrictions, they face the consequences,” said Gray Tuttle, a professor of modern Tibetan studies at Columbia University.
“Previous protests from the 1980s on… have yielded no tangible benefits, rather they have generated a worse political outcome and further clampdown.”
At least 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in protest against Beijing, most of whom have died from their injuries. But the frequency of self-immolations has lessened.
China’s investment in the region includes a huge outlay on security to build a surveillance state that makes it harder to organize protests. Rights groups say that a government campaign targeting the family and friends of protesters has also helped suppress dissent.
Beijing insists that Tibetans enjoy extensive freedoms and argues it has brought economic growth to the mountainous region.
The oppression of Uighurs in Xinjiang has also overtaken Tibet as the focus of China’s human rights critics.
When Germany’s top human rights official Barbel Kofler asked to visit Xinjiang last year, she was taken instead to Tibet — an indication of how much Beijing feels secure about the situation there, even though foreign journalists are still barred from reporting independently in the region.
Many locals accuse Beijing of repressing their religion and diluting their culture, but nonetheless the economic growth — boosted by government subsidies — has even seen Tibetan exiles return to the region.
Tibetologist Francoise Robin, who visits the region every year, told AFP that Beijing had effectively sidelined any talk of freedom by pumping money into Tibet.
“This is what is paradoxical in the case of Tibet, compared to other similar situations, because China is a country… that is on the rise. Often, in order for a rebellion, for a mass movement to rise, you need economic despair.”
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My Life’s Struggle in the Shadows of Tibet’s Struggle.
In my Theory of Man, I describe the Seven Dimensions of Man, the Physical, the Mental, the Social, the Moral, the Spiritual, the Rational, and the Creative that constitute the Singularity that is recognized as Man. For the he Man’s Existence can only be accounted as a creative event, the problem of Despair can be outweighed by placing the Trust in the LORD God Creator.
Wisdom to Guide in 2019. Trust vs Despair.
In my rational analysis, the Subjective and the Objective Reality of the Man’s Existence in the Physical World can only be accounted by the Unity between Man and his Creator. The Man-God Connection, Relationship, Partnership, Association, Coming Together, Bonding, and Yoking is the fundamental basis of Human Existence at any stage of existence, at any given time, and any given place.
Wisdom to Guide in 2019. Trust vs Despair.
I acknowledge the problems of extreme hardship confronting me from various directions and yet they cannot totally crush my Spirit. I am perplexed but not destroyed.
Whole Dude - Whole Concept 