Medley

A speech by Yrjö Kallinen in Helsinki on the 18th of May 1935.

Yrjö Kallinen (1886–1976) was a Theosophist, a staunch advocate of peace and non-violence and Finland's only pacifist Minister of Defense from 1946 to 1948. Despite his pacifism and non-partisanship, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death in the Finnish Civil War in 1918. However, he made such a powerful and moving speech before the firing squad that he was pardoned on the spot. His words of compassion from nearly a century ago will hopefully shed some light on the darkness of the present.

Kenneth Small – USA

Gradually discover how to harmoniously release our inner hostages of latent harmful emotions

Modes of Inner Peace: Aphorisms, Insights and a Story

Introduction

During our daily activity how aware are we in our mundane communications and interactions of being truly present? Driving the roadways, shopping at the grocery store, riding the transit, at a restaurant, with family and friends… how truly present are we or how often are we habituated with our attention distracted and somewhere else? How often do we fill in the ‘gap of preoccupied distractions’ with fear, self-loathing, anxiety, prejudice or anger…? How often do we justify these emotions when a convenient target or trigger to hang them on comes by? … whether personal, family or group based. How may we engage in filling in this gap with wonderment, compassion and (as the popular saying goes) genuine ‘random acts of kindness’? And… the nitty gritty, how may we discover genuine inner peace and tranquility, which may even gradually, when skillfully and harmoniously harnessed, release our inner hostages of latent harmful emotions that feed collective violence and war?

Ralph Waldo Emerson – USA

The author, May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882

And so I think that the last lesson of life, the choral song which rises from all elements and all angels, is a voluntary obedience, a necessitated freedom. Man is made of the same atoms as the world is, he shares the same impressions, predispositions and destiny. When his mind is illuminated, when his heart is kind, he throws himself joyfully into the sublime order and does, with knowledge, what the stones do by structure.

Gale crater

NASA's Curiosity rover, currently exploring Gale crater on Mars, is providing new details about how the ancient Martian climate went from potentially suitable for life -- with evidence for widespread liquid water on the surface -- to a surface that is inhospitable to terrestrial life as we know it.

Kenneth Small – USA

YOU are the eyes of the world

Longchenpa

Deep Silence, the Angry Yak and YOU: The Tibetan Monk’s retreat, cutting Through our Fear, Anxiety, Anger and Delusion

Tim Wyatt - England 

The author near the village church of Rudston, East Yorkshire which has the UK's tallest megalith standing 27 feet tall

For many decades we’ve found ourselves swerving on a steep upward curve of ever-increasing complexity fuelled by the relentless ascent of Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and other assorted bits of technology in what I suggest is fast becoming digital tyranny. This complexity has spawned the deeply flawed belief that simplicity is somehow primitive, uncivilized and therefore undesirable, something which doesn’t belong in the modern age. Some feel it should be consigned to the past.

Life is difficult and throws challenges. But even in the darkest times there is hope. Joy is present at all times, we just have to recognize it. “Finding joy in the little things can be a game-changer. A smile from a stranger, a beautiful sunrise, the laughter of children, and scores of other little things bring joy to life,” write Jaya Row. We miss out on these joys because either we are too busy chasing after external objects, or preoccupied with worry and anxiety. Our mind tends to focus on something that we do not have. When our mind is focused on a future achievement, we miss enjoying what we already have. As soon as we get what we wanted, our mind shifts to something else. This goes on endlessly. As a result, we find ourselves always unhappy, miserable and agitated.