Myka 9 andHand Solo Records artists, Mickey OBrienand Ultra Magnus, along with local support fromConika, will perform at The Loft in the Algoma Conservatory of Music this week.

Myka 9gained popularity in the underground rap scene of 1990s LA. He has a fast-paced and melodic lyrical style influenced byjazz. He is also a memberHaiku D'etat and The Freestyle Fellowship.

Mickey OBrien, a rapperfrom Sudburyhas lyrically rich and multi-genre tracks, focusing on mental health, relationships, and workers empowerment.

Ultra Magnus is a rapper who has been touring around Canada for the last few years as part of the duo of Ultra Magnus and DJ Slam!

Conika is ahip-hop MC andpoet from Garden River whose songsfocus onemotion and personal experience.

Their performance will kick offon July 10at 7 p.m.

For more information, read the news release below:

Dryer Fire, in collaboration with The Algoma Conservatory of Music and with the generous support of Village Media, presents underground hip hop legend Myka 9 on tour with Hand Solo Records artists, Mickey OBrien (Sudbury) and Ultra Magnus (Toronto), along with local support from Conika. They will perform on Sunday, July 10, at 7 p.m. at The Loft at The Algoma Conservatory of Music, 75 Huron St.

Myka 9 has been referred to as your favourite rappers favourite rapper. Known initially as Microphone Mike, the artist made a name for himself in the underground rap scene of 1990s LA. His lyrical style is fast-paced and melodic, drawing heavily on jazz influences. Hes a member of influential groups Haiku D'etat and The Freestyle Fellowship.

Mickey OBrien is a rapper hailing from Copper Cliff, just outside of Sudbury. His tracks are lyrically rich and multi-genre, touching on themes of mental health, relationships, and workers empowerment, reflecting his reality as a working-class Northern Ontario artist.

Ultra Magnus grew up in a highly isolated part of Canada, but thanks to the advent of the internet, he discovered hip hop decades ago and obsessed over it. He has been touring Canada for the last few years as part of the duo of Ultra Magnus & DJ Slam!.

Conika is a skilled hip-hop MC and spoken word poet from Garden River who explores emotion and personal experience through her rhymes.

This will be the first hip-hop show presented at The Loft. The space, located on the third floor of The Algoma Conservatory of Music, is a gorgeous venue with incredible acoustics. This is sure to be a show not to be missed!

This is an all-ages event. Tickets are $25 and are available through The Algoma Conservatory of Music website and the Dryer Fire website.

Facebook event link can be found here.

For more information, contact Nicole Dyble at dryerfiressm@gmail.com.

Visit link:
Myka 9 and guests play The Loft this week - SooToday

Assertiveness remains an essential tool for a successful career in nursing. Although this quality is rooted in communication skills, possession of good communication skills does not guarantee assertiveness.

Many literature sources have highlighted the importance of assertiveness in care delivery, expression of needs, affirming self-values and building interpersonal relationships.

There is also evidence of non-assertiveness, predominant among overseas nurses, and its correlation to human factors, unfair treatments, and conflicts in workplaces.

We may observe that people from varying ethnic backgrounds assert themselves differently from the way we are used to

Ordinarily, certain factors affect assertiveness but there are factors peculiar to overseas nurses, which cause their assertiveness to wane over time.

This is an issue that deserves urgent attention to ameliorate the associated mental stress, under-representation, bullying, dissatisfaction, and poor retention.

Therefore, this piece is aimed at understanding how assertiveness may regress instead of improving timely for overseas nurses and useful tips for self-help and supporting them.

Communication is a means of exchange. By this, we can send different messages through both verbal and nonverbal means.

While we may be fluent in a language largely representing the verbal aspect, the non-verbal means which constitute an immense part of the communication piece remain greatly influenced by culture and learning; so is assertiveness.

Eye contact, tone, posture, hand gestures, and when and how they are used accord some cultural essence to our communication.

Therefore, there is no one way of being assertive. Under normal circumstances, everyone understands their individual needs and can express them in unique ways without being confrontational and that is assertiveness.

In other words, we may observe that people from varying ethnic backgrounds assert themselves differently from the way we are used to.

When we assert ourselves, we intend to transmit an honest, clear, and understandable message. In return, we expect an understanding, positive action, information, and a good experience.

However, many overseas nurses often find themselves in a different situation where their messages are often misunderstood, misinterpreted, denigrated, or blanked, producing a negative experience.

Nurses have reported being perceived as mean or aggressive, or unsure of themselves due to their hand gestures or tone of voice.

Also, the discouraging responses they received when they assert themselves are widespread. Typical examples include, and are not limited to:

Consequently, a once firm voice begins to waver. Eye contact becomes effortful, and an accumulated feeling of disrespect and being judged naturally put them on the defence.

At this point, it is pertinent to mention that nurses in a new environment may experience diminished self-reliance due to unfamiliarity; they are not surefooted and would be asking a lot of questions.

Invariably, they will assert their needs how best they know and should be understood and valued. Bear in mind that assertiveness requires some mental energy, and can be given up when constantly challenged with negative responses.

To buttress, even people who are developed in assertiveness may not always be mentally prepared to be assertive.

Nurses should accommodate and treat each other with utmost respect irrespective of background

So, without appropriate support, overtime, overseas nurses may begin to conceal their true feelings resulting in low self-esteem, compromised patient care, and a lack of courage to escalate concerns, or even venture for higher positions.

Therefore, there should be an empathic connection to their needs to lend them that mental empowerment to be assertive.

Nurses should accommodate and treat each other with utmost respect irrespective of background. An understanding that colleagues can do things slightly differently will create more room to sincerely connect to their needs.

It is also this understanding that will help you appreciate their normal behaviour. This is not synonymous with saying that overseas nurses do not have their weaknesses, just like every other human.

Instead, this is an awakening for nurses to be culturally aware of others to avoid picking the wrong message.

Just as the overseas nurses strive to understand and imbibe the culture in the UK, other colleagues should make a reciprocate attempt to understand them.

Evidence indicates that a positive work ethic facilitates the adjustment of overseas nurses to their new workplace environments.

On the other hand, overseas nurses should refrain from building their personal experiences around that of others.

Ward managers and other staff should support international nurses to be at their best

While there is evidence of unpleasant experiences among overseas nurses, nurses should learn from those experiences rather than personalise them. Rid yourself of biases and embrace your unique journey.

In addition, overseas nurses should normalise reflective practice. Reflections allow you to learn and improve from your experiences. Again, clarity of message cannot be over-emphasised.

Focus on making your message as clear as possible. Consider talking at a slower pace and steady pace to limit the number of aye, aye that you get each time you talk, as a feeling of not being understood can thug at your confidence.

Some are keen on achieving a near British accent at the detriment of clarity. While acquiring an accent can give you a sense of belonging, it should not be a primary focus. Importantly, negotiate with colleagues and consider a compromise where possible.

In conclusion, the international nurses in the UK are among the best in their nations. Therefore, ward managers and other staff should support them to be at their best.

We can collaboratively promote a culture that builds a trusting relationship and supports assertiveness among overseas nurses.

Chinenye Ubah is lecturer, adult nursing, Anglia Ruskin University

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'Easing the strain on overseas nurses' assertiveness' - Nursing Times

Marines and Navy sailors from the USS Bataan stand on the flight deck during their arrival for Fleet Week 2022 in New York. In the wake of the Supreme Court's historic term, some service members and veterans are speaking out. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images hide caption

Marines and Navy sailors from the USS Bataan stand on the flight deck during their arrival for Fleet Week 2022 in New York. In the wake of the Supreme Court's historic term, some service members and veterans are speaking out.

For the first time in her life, Marine Corps Capt. Meleah Martin is refusing to wear American flag attire this Independence Day. Instead, she told her family that she will only wear pride colors and apparel. Not because she's unpatriotic she's spent approximately 16 months deployed overseas as an F-18 pilot. But because she believes her constitutional rights are under attack.

Martin said it's been disheartening to witness liberties such as the right to protest or to cast a ballot come under attack in recent years. Those frustrations turned to devastation for her with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, stripping away the constitutional right to an abortion. Martin hopes to someday start a family, but as someone who identifies as a lesbian, she's scared her right to marry and have children may also be in danger.

As a result of these fears and frustrations, she said she doesn't look at the American flag the way she used to.

"We swear an oath, 'To support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic' ... Well, it's time to start worrying about the domestic, because clearly we have more of a problem here than we do anywhere else," Martin said, noting that her views are her own, and not a reflection of her unit or the Marine Corps. "It's really disappointing when something like this happens, because, like, how do I defend that?"

And she's not alone.

The American military and its more than 1 million active-duty troops is traditionally seen as apolitical. But in the wake of a historic Supreme Court term that has shifted the nation to the right on everything from the Second Amendment and abortion, to the separation of church and state, service members and veterans on both sides of the political divide are finding it increasingly difficult to remain quiet.

For some, the shifts brought on by the court are cause for celebration. For others, their sentiments amount to a loss of trust and confidence in political leaders, and growing frustration with the country they are sworn to defend.

Victor LaGroon is a chairman for the Black Veterans Empowerment Council, which works to better the lives of Black veterans across the country. He's worked with veterans and their communities to help protect their right to vote. Victor LaGroon/Victor LaGroon hide caption

Victor LaGroon is a chairman for the Black Veterans Empowerment Council, which works to better the lives of Black veterans across the country. He's worked with veterans and their communities to help protect their right to vote.

Before serving as a chairman for the Black Veterans Empowerment Council, Victor LaGroon served as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army. His job at the time was to help gather information so that commanders could make methodical choices on the battlefield.

He uses the skills he acquired in the Army to better work with politicians in hopes of achieving equal access to benefits and protecting the rights of Black veterans. One of the campaigns he's passionate about is ensuring that Black veterans, as well as their families and communities, have the right to vote. He feels his work is more important than ever, given the growing number of states that have moved to restrict voter access since the 2020 election.

Victor LaGroon, left, chairman of the Black Veterans Empowerment Council, moderates a panel discussion with U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, right, last week in Washington, D.C. Michael McCoy/Michael McCoy hide caption

Victor LaGroon, left, chairman of the Black Veterans Empowerment Council, moderates a panel discussion with U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, right, last week in Washington, D.C.

"To have lost soldiers and sailors and Marines and airmen securing other people's right to vote, and then to come home and have your own government obstruct your right to vote is beyond repulsive. It is shameful. It's hateful, it should be illegal," LaGroon said. "We should not allow anyone American who wants to vote, who's qualified to vote, to not be voting. It is a part of the core of who we are."

LaGroon spoke about his grandfather, who was given one piece of advice after returning from World War II: "Don't get caught in that uniform in the South, because they'll hang you." Historically speaking, LaGroon said, Black service members have time and again been willing to sacrifice their lives in defense of a nation that doesn't care about them.

"If we're a nation of freedoms, why is it some freedoms are more valuable than others? That's the question," LaGroon said. "I'm saddened by what we've become. Because I know we're capable of being better."

Meleah Martin, left, her girlfriend, Katelyn Carbajal, right, and Carbajal's daughter Harper, center, in Washington, D.C. Meleah Martin/Meleah Martin hide caption

Meleah Martin, left, her girlfriend, Katelyn Carbajal, right, and Carbajal's daughter Harper, center, in Washington, D.C.

Martin has never been one to draw attention to herself. As an active duty member of the military, she's always been careful about sharing her political beliefs with the public in order to maintain her image as an officer. However, she said the Supreme Court's decision to do away with federal abortion protections was the tipping point for her, and compelled her to speak out.

Over the years many people have asked her what it's like to be a woman in military aviation, a profession historically dominated by men. But that's never bothered her, because she's always seen her fellow pilots as family.

But in the wake of the court's abortion ruling last month, she said can't shake the feeling that she is on uneven ground.

"I've truly felt extremely equal to my peers and I've had a wonderful time in the military, but now, you know, I do I have one less right," Martin said. "And it is a right that has to do directly with my personal body."

Marine Capt. Meleah Martin performing preflight inspections on her F-18 aircraft. Martin is concerned not just about her right to get an abortion, but the threat of not being able to marry the woman she loves one day. Gregory Oh/Gregory Oh hide caption

Marine Capt. Meleah Martin performing preflight inspections on her F-18 aircraft. Martin is concerned not just about her right to get an abortion, but the threat of not being able to marry the woman she loves one day.

When it comes to talk of the future, she and her girlfriend often discuss marriage and raising children. And though her partner already has a daughter, the two talk about artificial insemination and who would carry their child. But now she's concerned about what that could look like should a pregnancy put her or her partner's life at risk.

Martin is scared she may find herself at a duty station in a state where abortion is outlawed. If she and her partner needed to travel to have an abortion, Martin would need to have a leave request approved by her commanding officer, who might have differing views on the issue.

"I'm not saying that commanders don't have the interests of their sailors and Marines and soldiers in mind. But on, say the worst-case scenario, right, that commander has a very strong belief and is very much against abortion and knows what you're trying to do to take leave, they can just deny your leave without repercussion," she said. "I understand that that is like a very, very severe estimate, right? Or like, that is the worst-case scenario. But it's not necessarily out of the cards."

An additional fear that weighs on Martin is whether she and her partner will be able to get married in the not-too-distant future.

In a concurring opinion to the Supreme Court's abortion ruling, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the court's legal rationale in overturning Roe could also be applied to overturn other major cases, including the court's decision to legalize gay marriage.

His words shook members of the LGBTQ+ community, including Martin, who now worry that the conservative majority on the high court could strike down their right to marry.

"We thought The Handmaid's Tale was, you know, just an entertaining show, but we're honestly headed back towards that direction, you know what I mean?" Martin said. "It's just sad to see. It's crazy."

Natalia Ketcham and her husband, Dallas Ketcham. She has always been against abortion and was glad to see the Supreme Court's decision last month. Although the conversations surrounding abortion are polarizing, she hopes people can come together to talk about it and other important issues. Natalia Ketcham/Natalia Ketcham hide caption

Natalia Ketcham and her husband, Dallas Ketcham. She has always been against abortion and was glad to see the Supreme Court's decision last month. Although the conversations surrounding abortion are polarizing, she hopes people can come together to talk about it and other important issues.

Twenty-three-year-old Natalia Ketcham has two months left on her enlistment with the Coast Guard, after which she plans to attend school to become a dental hygienist. She's originally from Miami, but is stationed outside of San Francisco. Like Martin and LaGroon, she too is concerned about the state of things, albeit for different reasons.

Ketcham has been against abortion since she was a pre-teen. Her stance doesn't stem from her Roman Catholic beliefs, she explained, but from her love of life itself.

"I firmly believe that abortion is not a constitutional right, we all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, first and foremost, life," she said.

When the justices voted to return abortion laws to individual states, she was elated. However, as a staunch anti-abortion advocate, she believes there's more work to be done.

"I think that this is a great first step in advancing our generations, our future generations, and I think that's great. But we are nowhere near done," Ketcham said. "So as happy as I am, I am not complacent with where we are at. And I think that's important for pro-lifers to really understand, is that our struggle is not done."

Ketcham said she stands against abortion across the board, including in cases of rape or incest. Her belief that abortions should be illegal stems from what she sees as an unborn child's right to life, which in her opinion, supersedes the right to an abortion.

She's also against the argument that abortion should be legal in instances where the mother may be forced to choose between her life and that of the unborn child.

"If I were put in ... that situation or scenario, I would proudly give up my life for that [of] my child," Ketcham said.

Instead of funding clinics where abortions are performed, she said she wishes the funds would be redirected towards women's health care, adoption services and child support initiatives.

The conversations surrounding abortion are polarizing to say the least, Ketcham admitted, but she also believes they're important conversations to have. She hopes people can come together to talk about issues that are dividing the country to try and bridge a nation divided.

Members of the Oath Keepers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in military-style attire. One-in-five of those charged during the attack on the Capitol were veterans, which leaves some veterans worried about how that will affect how the public views them. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP hide caption

Members of the Oath Keepers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in military-style attire. One-in-five of those charged during the attack on the Capitol were veterans, which leaves some veterans worried about how that will affect how the public views them.

Investigations into the January 6 attacks revealed that approximately 1-in-5 defendants charged for the siege of the Capitol were veterans, NPR previously reported. LaGroon said the news troubled him because he worried those individuals could be seen by some to be a representation of the veteran population.

The thought of veterans across the country joining extremist groups or supporting white supremacy hurts all veterans, LaGroon said, which is why it's important that those who served stand up and speak out.

"If we're not giving people an alternative perspective of who we are, people aren't going to want to hire veterans, they're not going to want us as neighbors, they're not going to want us to marry into their families, they're not going to want to be our classmates in school, because, you know, why? Someone has hijacked our image," he said. "Now we're kind of stuck trying to convey and convince people, 'Oh, no, we're actually better than that.' Are we? Because we got to show it."

Service members and veterans can be found on both sides of the political spectrum, LaGroon said. But most veterans, he believes, find themselves in the middle, often playing peacekeeper between veterans with strong views on the left and the right.

And though it's easier to sit back and remain disheartened about what's taking place across the nation than speak up and risk ridicule, LaGroon said, there's too much at stake to let that happen.

"I think that we have to recognize that we're in the fight, and we have to get in the fight, right? And look, a lot of us are tired, man. You know what I mean?" LaGroon said. "We wore the uniform, we came home, we're acclimated we got it together somehow and we're just trying to enjoy life. And time and time again, thing after thing, we keep seeing our nation needs us more today than it did when we were in uniform."

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Veterans worry about the erosion of their constitutional rights - NPR

When the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted life in early 2020, several big publishers and printers faced a crisis as readers increasingly shifted online to read books and access study materials, preferring their e-readers over hardback editions and paperbacks.

While many publishers strategised how to adjust to this change that the pandemic had speeded up, a hundred-year-old publishing house based in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, recorded a surge in sales after the first wave of the pandemic. Even as other publishers, struggling with financial losses, were struggling to send their books to stores, Gita Presss publications reached book stalls in newer areas and its footprint expanded. The publisher claims to have sold books worth more than Rs 77 crore in the 2021-22 financial year, up from around Rs 52 crore the year before.

This year, Gita Press is in its centenary year and the celebrations will conclude on May 3, 2023. On June 4, President Ram Nath Kovind, Governor Anandiben Patel, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended an event marking the occasion. Kovind acknowledged the publishers role in taking the spiritual and cultural knowledge of India to the masses. Apart from the Bhagavad Gita, Kovind said, Gita Press publishes the Ramayana, the Puranas, the Upanishads, the Bhakt Charitra, and other religious books. It has the distinction of being the worlds largest publisher of Hindu religious books.

The founder of Gita Press was Marwari businessman Jayadayal Goyandka from Churu in Rajasthan who was based in Bankura, Bengal, and used to trade in cotton, kerosene oil, textiles, and utensils. An avid reader of the Bhagavad Gita, he formed groups of friends in the towns where he used to travel for business and these men joined him in religious congregations, called satsangs, to discuss the book. This network of Gita discussion groups expanded but all of the satsangis realised that they did not have an authentic, error-free translation of the Gita along with a faithful commentary. In 1922, Goyandka got the Gita published by Vanik Press in Kolkata but errors prevailed. When Goyandka raised the matter with the press owner, he got told off. The press owner told him to set up his own press if he wished to see an error-free translation of the book. Thus began the journey of Gita Press.

One of Goyandkas businessmen friends from Gorakhpur proposed that the press be operated from the town in Uttar Pradesh. Ghanshyamdas Jalan also offered to run it. With this, Gita Press came into being in 1923. While, at present, books are published using India-made wave offset machines and other machines from Germany, Japan, and Italy, the first books were published using a treadle machine brought from Boston in the United States.

He (Goyandka) believed that it (the Gita) was a message of god and he should set up the press, said Gita Presss current manager Lalmani Tiwari. He discussed it with the participants of satangs. Ghanshyamdas Jalan of Gorakhpur was a regular participant in the satsangs. He offered that if a press is established in Gorakhpur, he will take care of it. Then it was decided to look for a space in Gorakhpur for the press.

A small building was rented for Rs 10 per month and using the machine from Boston the group started printing the Gita on April 29, 1923. In July 1926, another building, where the existing campus of Gita press is located, was purchased for Rs 10,000. The existing campus is spread over two lakh square feet. Since its establishment, the publication house claims to have printed more than 90 crore books. Its flagship monthly magazine Kalyan has been in circulation for the last 95 years and so far 16.74 crore copies have been printed. Mahatma Gandhi was among the contributors to the first issue of Kalyan.

We started with the Bhagavad Gita. Presently, we are publishing 1,800 titles of books in 15 languages. On average, we are supplying 60,000 books daily. But still, we are not able to meet the demand, said Tiwari. The Press focuses on the translation of the Gita, the Ramayana, the Puranas, the Mahabharata and other books in different languages. It also publishes storybooks for kids.

Though it publishes books on the Sanatana Hindu dharma (the eternal religion), Gita Press claims to have no association with any political outfit. Asked about the publication houses links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Tiwari said Gita Press was associated with everyone in society but had no connection to Hindutva politics.

But, author Akshaya Mukul has written of the publishing house in his book Gita Press and the making of Hindu India, It was a crucial cog in the wheel of Hindu nationalism that struck up alliances with everyone: mendicants, liberals, politicians, philanthropists, scholars, sectarian organizations like the RSS, Hindu Mahasabha, Jana Sangh and VHP, and conservative elements within the Congress.

In the book, Mukul cites scholar Paul Arney who has called Gita Press the leading purveyor of print Hinduism in the twentieth century. Mukul says Arney, in his work, cites a special issue of Hindu Chetna, a VHP publication, which came out in 1992 in honour of Poddar. The Poddar Arney talks about is Kalyans founding editor Hanuman Prasad Poddar.

Mukul goes on to write, The issue carried a 1964 interview of Poddar by Shivram Shankar Apte, earlier with the RSS and later loaned to the VHP. Poddar, who was among the founders of the VHP, told Apte that it was Gita Press that sowed the tolerant ideals that have now blossomed into the plant of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Asked why Gita Press does not publish books of other religions, its current manager Tiwari deflected by saying, There is already so much work in books of Sanatana Dharma that we are not able to supply as per the demand. We have yet to publish the Vedas and Smriti.

Kovind is not the first president to visit the Gita Press office. Dr Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the main entrance of the publishing house and an art gallery called Lila Chitra Mandir at its premises in 1955. The gallery depicts the Lilas of Hindu deities Ram and Krishna in 684 paintings arranged sequentially from birth to the end of each. The complete Gita is inscribed on marble blocks on the walls, as are about 700 couplets and verses of exalted saints. Over the years, notable names, including High Court judges, governors and chief ministers of different states have visited the Press.

Gita Press functions under a non-profit trust called Gobind Bhavan it is named after the building in Kolkatas Bara Bazar area where the publishing house took shape that does not also accept donations. Gita Press now has 430 employees, 20 sales depots, and almost 2,500 booksellers who purchase its works. At the press, the religious books once printed are not left on the ground and are placed on pallets.

The Trust is also not hereditary. There is no one in the Trust from the family of the founder. Also, members of the Trust are not elected. They are selected and assigned responsibilities, Tiwari said.

Asked about reports that Gita Press was about to shut down a few years ago, Tiwari claimed that was fake news. In 2015, fake news was circulated that Gita Press was in a financial crisis. By circulating such reports, some people wanted to collect money as donations in the name of Gita Press, said Tiwari. So many people offered donations. But we did not accept. We even had to close our bank account for a few days so that no one could transfer money. Also, at the time, some employees got confused about their salaries and staged a strike for a few days. But that issue was also resolved.

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A century old, how Gita Press came to be 'leading purveyor of print Hinduism' - The Indian Express

The word Bhakti means devotion. Originally, the Bhakti Yoga approach was based on human emotions, which is why it is also calledthe yoga of love. Bhakti Yoga encourages the practice of devotion directed towards a higher power. Practitioners recite prayers, meditate and devote their lives to God as they understand God.

As you can see, the line between religion and yoga is blurred in this yogic approach. Still, Bhakti Yoga focuses on personal practice and devotion. In contrast, organized religion has other purposes and is often involved in political conflicts and other practices that can hardly pass for spiritual practice.

Even though it originated in Hinduism, Bhakti Yoga makes no distinction between religions. It doesnt matter how practitioners define their higher power, as long as they cultivate a relationship through prayer and meditation.

This kind of religious tolerance is relevant today.

For reference, I want to share a short speech Swami Vivekananda made at the world parliament of religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893.

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with unspeakable joy to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, sources in different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Even though progress has been made since Vivekananda made this speech, it could just as easily have delivered been yesterday. There is still much work to be done if we want to reach the ideal that Vivekananda describes.

Concepts of God are human attempts to understand the universe and our role in it. Wrapping our heads around the galactic universe is near impossible; trying to understand the maker and sustainer of creation is even harder.

Lets take a look at how yogic philosophy approached this impossible task.

In yoga, the concept of a higher power has two major distinctions.

One is the concept of Brahman, the one without a second, which rhymes very well with the modern understanding of physics; a connective field of consciousness that underlies the energy field of atoms.

According to yoga philosophy, nothing exists but Brahman.

Everything is Brahman.

The other concept has a closer link to modern religious definitions. Because Brahman has all qualities, it has no distinctive qualities. From that lack of distinction, the concept of Ishwara was born.

Ishwara is divinity with qualities.This means that as soon as people ascribe any qualitiessay that their divinity, he/she/it, is good, bad, the creator, full of love or anything else for that matterthen they are referring to Ishwara, not Brahman.

Ishwara exists within Brahman.

For further distinction, Ishwara was divided into three parts related to birth, life and death. These three qualities or distinctions appear in mythology as three separate Gods, the creator Brahma (not to be confused with Brahman), the sustainer Vishnu and the destroyer or transformer Shiva, sometimes called Mahesh.

When Ishwara (divinity with qualities) sends messengers to the people of Earth, they are called Avatars (Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, etc.).You see how far removed the concept of Avatar has become in our society today through movies and video games, which is one more example of how the overuse of a specific term taken out of context can dilute its meaning.

Because of these distinctions, many people think that both yoga and Hinduism preach polytheism. But the concept of Brahman is at the core, so the approaches are monotheistic.

Understanding Bhakti Yoga in this way, everyone should be able to find a devotional aspect that fits their upbringing and personality. Prayers can be directed towards an undefined higher power, God, Jesus, Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Buddha, Allah or any other version of Ishwara. In Bhakti Yoga, the emphasis is on strengthening ones relationship with a higher power through various devotional methods, creating a personal relationship with an Avatar or divinity with qualities.

Because of the Hindu connection, many prayers and mantras within Bhakti Yoga are directed towards Hindu deities, reflecting Brahman. Some Western practitioners of yoga welcome these new distinctions, while others conservatively hold on to their current definitions of God. Both work equally well.

As an example of choosing one path, Gandhi made an effort to practice various religious pathways before settling into his devotion to Rama, using the Bhagavad-Gita as his vehicle for spiritual inspiration.

As an example of choosing many paths, Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekanandas teacher, invested many years of practice in each of the major religions and is said to have reached the state of enlightenment in all of them.

What then is true worship?

From the standpoint of Brahman, it is seeing the spark of the divine in everything, experiencing the interconnectedness of the universe and experiencing the love that binds it all together.

The spark of Brahman, Atman (soul, self, spirit), is within all of us, no matter what we call it. It is in people of all races, nationalities and religions. The yoga practitioners who engage in the practice of Bhakti Yoga become sources of love and compassion because they see the divine in everything.

Practitioners must continuously elevate their emotions towards love and compassion through prayer and meditation before the loving state becomes permanently available. Even then, they must work on maintaining it. While progressing towards this state, loving emotions can rise and subside.

A Tibetan monk described it this way. One moment he experiences himself as a source of love and feels the interconnectedness of all life; the next moment, he doesnt understand how anyone can love the limited and often irritating human beings surrounding him.

Many Western yoga students raised within Christianity ask how it is possible to practice Bhakti Yoga and remain devoted to Jesus. There is no contradiction between the two. According to yoga philosophy, true worship of Jesus would consist of following his teachings and directing all prayers and rituals toward the father, son, and holy spirit (the trinity connection is another interspiritual thread that I may pull on at a later date).

Bhakti Yoga is a path of love. It is the easiest of the four major pathsRaja, Karma, Bhakti, and Gnanabecause it focuses on elevating human emotions. All the practices within Bhakti Yoga focus on raising vibrations from basic animal instincts to divine love and compassion.

With that in mind, even atheists could adhere to some of these principles. They would not have to believe in God or an architect of the universe, but could instead cultivate kindness, gratitude, tolerance and ethical behavior.

That is what the practice of Bhakti Yoga produces.

Gudjon BergmannAuthor, Coach, and Columnistwww.gudjonbergmann.com

p.s. I have taught yoga since 19998, studied with Yogi Shanti Desai and Sri Yogi Hari, and am registered at the highest level with Yoga Alliance. This article was curated from my book titled Know Thyself: Yoga Philosophy Made Accessible.

Continued here:

The Essence of Bhakti Yoga | Gudjon Bergmann - Patheos

Today is as good day as any to brush one's memory of the Bhagavad Gita. The much misquoted and appropriated Hindu scripture that allegedly teaches you how to wage a war and feel good about its righteousness.

The author(s) of the Bhagavad Gita, however, anticipated this tendency to appropriate.

ymim puhpit vcha pravadanty-avipahchita

veda-vda-rat prtha nnyad astti vdina

kmtmna swarga-par janma-karma-phala-pradm

kriy-viheha-bahul bhogaihwarya-gati prati

These shlokas from the scripture can be loosely translated as:

"The undiscerning get attracted to the flowery words of the Vedas and glorify only those parts of the Vedas that please their senses. They indulge in acts and rituals that promise opulence, sensual gratification, and heaven."

These two verses from the Bhagavad Gita enunciate the tendency and dangers of appropriating religious/spiritual wisdom.

The irony, explicated even in the Bhagavad Gita, is that the righteous feel that their actions have the divine sanction.

The reality, however, couldnt be further from the truth: most actionsand their foundationshave sentiments and not principles at their core.

See the article here:

In India's Battle Between Sentiments And Principles, Peace is An Orphan - The Quint

By Sukant Deepak

New Delhi, Jul 3 (IANS): He feels that the process of partition is ongoing and in a constant, dynamic state. While the original two-part Pakistan partitioned into Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Khalistan movement was and is an attempt to partition India yet again along religious lines.

"Much of Dravidian politics in South India fantasizes about a severance. Partition is not a thing of the past. It may well be a feature of India's future, de-facto if not de jure," says US author Amit Majmudar, whose latest novel 'The Map and the Scissors' (HarperCollins India) recently hit the stands.

The novel by Majmudar, a poet and diagnostic radiologist specialising in nuclear medicine, is about the epic origin story of modern South Asia, brought to life by two London-educated lawyers -- Gandhi and Jinnah, mirror-image rivals who dreamt the same dream of freedom-in catastrophically incompatible ways.

Majmudar named the first Poet Laureate of Ohio in 2015, who had written about the human fallout for ordinary people in his book 'Partitions' (2011), felt that he had not explored, in full detail, the political process that led up to the event and had shied away from portraying the main political players of the time.

While investigating the time period, he found an interview in which Lord Mountbatten, a quarter of a century later that spoke of how Jinnah had largely been forgotten even though he was the main reason the partition happened at all.

"This led me to research Jinnah, and in doing so, I realised that Gandhi, whom I already knew much more about, was a perfect foil for him. And so the dramatic structure of the book was conceived: The duel between these two figures."

Even as major publishing houses have brought out several titles on the partition in the past two years, he feels that the events of 1947 were definitional for the subcontinent -- both cartographically, and when it comes to identity.

With four poetry collections to his name and the same number of novels, Majmudar smiles that he is the same person when he writes prose and verse.

"However, I sequence words by emphasizing different principles when doing either. With verse, I emphasize patterning. With prose, storytelling or logical argument."

Despite contemporary times when people just need an excuse to get offended, Majmudar whose work 'Godsong', which is a translation of the Bhagavad Gita, says that he was not apprehensive while working on it.

"I do not create my art in prose or verse to offend anyone -- that is too trivial a motivation for writing a poem or a novel. Neither do I insult people or groups even when I tweet, and insults are 95 per cent of what Twitter is. None of my work is polemical."

A diagnostic nuclear radiologist and a writer -- with the former paying the bills and "freeing me up to write esoteric rhymes or translate Sanskrit if it pleases me," the pandemic allowed him to isolate himself and write extensively.

"One product of that is 'The Mahabharata Trilogy', a massive prose retelling of the epic, with a full-scale recreation of the Gita embedded in it, that is forthcoming in India in 2023. Keep an eye out for it -- it's my pandemic epic," he concludes.

Go here to see the original:

Partition is not a thing of the past: Author Amit Majmudar - Daijiworld.com

Disrespect is an unfortunate human trait and particularly when it is expressed towards the gods and faiths of fellow human beings. Recent months have seen a tumultuous rise in this phenomenon. Nupur Sharmas offensive response to Tasleem Rehmanis hurtful words about Lord Shiva on an Indian TV news channel was directed at the most revered Prophet of Islam. It was a competitive verbal diatribe: I am hurt, so I will hurt. It led to protests, violence and cases being registered across the spectrum.

Ancient Indian traditions of vada encourage mutual respect as an essential element of debate, while allowing for gentle and polite questioning: If we dont question, how do we grow or resolve or reform? This spirit of respectful probing also extended to the religions and gods of all people within Indic cultures. It is proving difficult in the debating square today. Why?

Nobel-prize-winning mathematician John Nashs game theory comes to mind. Remember the movie A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe? It was based on Nashs extraordinary life. Nash essentially laid out how rational decisions are made in strategic interactions. The key insight: People calculate the cost-benefit accruals of their decisions, but not in isolation. They also keep in mind the cost-benefit returns to others playing with them.

India is currently facing this knotty issue of competitive insults to religions. Or gods. Or prophets. Game theory will hold that if the gods/prophets/scriptures of one religion are treated with respect and those of another are treated with noxious disrespect, it will create a state of disequilibrium. Equilibrium the Nash Equilibrium in game theory will be re-established either if the gods/ prophets/scriptures of all religions are treated with equal respect, or if they are treated with equal disrespect.

This is not the prevalent situation in India. Indeed, it is not so in much of the free world. In the West, one can see the untrammelled disrespect of the radical woke Marxists (who sometimes self-identify as left-liberals) for Christianity. It offends me, and Im not Christian. At the same time, these radical woke Marxists treat with extreme respect religions that they either favour or fear wokeism and Islam. In India, the situation is similar: Radical woke Marxists routinely criticise Hinduism. Recently, lewd remarks were made on the sacred Shivling by journalists (from leftist and Twitter-based fact-checking websites) and politicians (mainly from West Bengal and Maharashtra). Such noxious comments have pained and offended innumerable Hindus. At the same time, these same people called for the head of Sharma for her noxious words on the Prophet of Islam.

The common theme is that the religion of the majority in the land Christianity in the West and Hinduism in India is attacked. It is easier to gain traction when hitting out against the dominant majority group from an appropriated position of self-victimisation. But this rule does not apply in Islamic majority nations/states (think Pakistan or Turkey) or woke majority nations/states (think California).

Going forward, this situation can move in two directions: Either the radical woke Marxists and radical Islamists treat all religions with equal disrespect/respect or believing Hindus in India and believing Christians in the West (and even developing countries like Nigeria) eventually begin using the same tactics against those who insult their revered figures, such as police cases in India under Section 153A. The world will then be staring at a spiralling cancel culture, destruction of careers, police complaints, court cases, and sometimes even violence. On all sides of the debate. Not just one side. Shockingly, the tragic blasphemy killings of Kamlesh Tiwari in Lucknow (2019) and Kishan Bharwad in Ahmedabad (2022) are freely used as examples by radical Islamists to spread fear, even as their radical woke Marxist Indian allies airbrush these from mainstream media. You, dear reader, may not even be aware of these two killings. And now we have Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur.

The Nash equilibrium will be achieved in one of these two directions. However, as a follower of Dharmic traditions, I am unhappy with both these equilibriums. Respectfully questioning human pursuits, including religions, must be enabled, indeed nurtured. But in doing the latter, why insult the gods, prophets or rishis? Why not practice civility and politeness?

There are some among all religious groups, including Muslims and woke Marxists, who present an alternative model. They protest if their religious/revered figures or scriptures/doctrines are disrespected. But their demand for respect is not a one-way street. Even Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations, T S Tirumurti, has been making a case for treating phobias against all religions equally.

This model can bring peace and is certainly preferable to senseless and diabolical violence (and even situations akin to civil war). But even this alternative model is not ideal. For peace may prevail but modernity and a scientific temper would be difficult to build. The latter begs a rational, inquiring spirit.

All religions can be treated with respect and also questioned and reformed with gentle nudges, as propounded by Richard Thaler. Casteism in modern Hinduism can be quizzed using the sterling words of the Bhagavad Gita; misogyny in modern Islam can be questioned using the inspiring example of Lady Khadija, and child abuse in the Church can be interrogated using the true message of Jesus Christ. This is not impossible to achieve. Let us confidently push back against radical woke Marxism and radical Islam.

Let us take conscious charge of the movement towards a healthy equilibrium. Something our dharmic ancestors taught us.

Roy is a writer and has most recently co-authored Dharma with Amish

More:

There is only one solution to the problem of competitive insults to religions - The Indian Express

The fitness industry can be a challenge for anyone, whether it's gym-barrasment or not quite hitting a personal best, its easy to look negatively upon a workout from time to time. But experts have reassured that there is no such thing as a "bad workout".

Sweatband personal trainer Ruth Stone, explained: "Simply showing up and getting any safe workout done whatever the effort level, duration, or variety has incredible benefits for both personal fitness and mental wellness.

"From the perspective of mental health, completing a workout can alleviate stress, increase the brains sensitivity to serotonin and produce endorphins which are well established as positive mood enhancers."

She continued: "Physically speaking, completing your allotted training session will do wonders for long-term goals ranging from weight loss, muscle gain, bone health, and overall energy levels.

"There is no such thing as a bad workout just bad practices and bad perceptions."

Sweatband's fitness experts listed the unsung benefactors of exercise, no matter a person's experience level.

READ MORE:Diet: Expert warns against common mistake

Exercise of virtually any kind will do wonders for stress management and elimination.

The experts explained: "Endorphins are the brains "feel good" neurotransmitters and are boosted into overdrive during exercise helping to improve mood and turn your frown upside down after a heavy day at work.

"Aside from the endorphin high, you also benefit greatly from stress management specifically."

It does this by using physical exercise to imitate the bodys fight or flight response, helping the body perfect its unified response to external stress factors.

This leads to amazing benefits for the digestive, cardiovascular and immune system against adverse stress responses.

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The experts identified a "common theme" with the unseen benefits of exercise is the intrinsic value to mental faculties across the board, both long term and short term.

Numerous studies cite that regular exercise can even protect against adverse neurological conditions in later life, namely dementia.

This is due to exercise acting as a catalyst for brain cell growth and survival aerobic exercise in particular.

Even three moderate sessions of 20 minutes a week can do wonders for brain cell cultivation.

"From a less medical position, there is little better at improving mental resilience than adhering to a training schedule and pushing your limits," the experts added.

"The physical stress of exercise and the bodys mental response to handling this enables transferable resilience to be built up and applied to other aspects of our lives.

"Stressful day? You can get through it. A hard deadline fast approaching? Youve got this."

READ MORE:Fitness: How to 'increase fat burning' in a heatwave - expert advice

Exercise forces the body to work harder than usual, which in turn increases the demand on the heart to pump the oxygenated blood throughout our body at higher frequencies (an increased heart rate).

The experts said: "Our heart, after all, is a muscle like any other in our body, and with any muscle in the human body, the more you train it, the more efficient it becomes.

"Therefore, the fitter you become the lower your heart rate will become under exercise conditions, and the heart becomes sufficiently trained and primed for any future stressors."

They explained: "The cardiovascular benefits from just showing up and training are immense".

"From lowering blood pressure to improving blood flow and lowering cholesterol to improving your workout efficiency overall."

Ruth also encouraged people to "forget the negative nay-saying and focus on the fact that exercise of any kind will produce net benefits to you on levels beyond what you see listed on Instagram and TikTok".

Read this article:
Fitness: Why theres no such thing as a bad workout - will do wonders - Express

With the cost of living increasing, new research has found that Britons are cutting down on health and fitness costs to make their money go further. Findings from a new study by supplement brand Nutrimuscle, stated that gym memberships have been the first to go as almost one in five people have cancelled them, with nearly half (49 percent) stating that it was "too expensive".

It comes after research of 2,013 adults found that Britons are expected to spend an average of 23.9billion annually on health and fitness and a further 6.3billion on supplements.

Thirty-six percent of people who took the survey agreed that health and fitness was a priority for them at the start of 2022, but at this halfway point in the year, a third are now unsure if it still is.

When asked if they have found the right balance of a healthy diet and exercise to achieve fitness goals, 30 percent stated that they hadnt, while just less than a fifth (18 percent) stated that they have found the right balance.

Richard Mortimer at Nutrimuscle, which commissioned the survey for its inaugural UK fitness report, said: "While the cost of living crisis is at the front and centre of peoples minds right now, its easy to forget that working out and staying healthy doesnt need to be expensive.

READ MORE:Diet: Expert warns against common mistake

With this in mind, clinical nutritionist Suzie Sawyer from Alive! shared some fitness tips that won't break the bank, allowing people to enjoy their exercise without added stress.

Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories, and make your heart healthier.

"You do not have to walk for hours, a brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise," Suzie said.

"Its also a great way to top up your vitamin D levels."

While exercise burns calories, Suzie warned the reality is "slightly more complex".

She continued: Metabolic syndrome is a term which includes risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

"At its root is generally high blood sugar and insulin caused by being overweight.

"Research suggests that these markers can be mitigated by aerobic exercise such as running, brisk walking and cycling."

Walking or doing some other form of exercise 30 minutes after a meal regulates blood glucose, reducing the insulin spike and the likelihood of fat storage.

Suzie added: "Exercise, even at low intensity is great for your metabolic health. Like walking, running is another way to get fit on the cheap."

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Fitness: 'Alternative solutions' to keep fit without breaking the bank - 'key motivator' - Express