From the Value Based Spiritual Education (VBSE) curriculum, Class X (10), Chapter X(10). This is the last Chapter of the last Class of the curriculum. See the complete Class 10 at link above. This curriculum was developed by Sahaj Marg(tm) and is in place at their school in India: Lalaji Memorial Omega Internation School (LMOIS). Do they practice what they teach (preach)??
Notice there is no mention of Spiritualism, "standards of spiritualism", mediums, messages from the dead (beyond the grave), egregores, etc.!! Also no mention of the ethics and morality of re-registering SRCM in San Luis Obispo, California, USA, when Chari was denied the Presidency of SRCM(Shahjahanpur-1945) by its Board of Directors. Oops! We don't mention that!!
There is also a chapter about "honesty". Oops! Who pulled down the pants of the teacher? ;-)) They also want the students to site an example of how religions divide humanity. (see below)
Can we raise our hands and YELL, united and in UNISON: Sahaj Marg(tm) !!
Nota Bene (NB):
Words and Statements highlighted in color are by the author of the Blog:
-Words in GREEN = Grammar, syntax or spelling error
-Words, phrases and sentences in PURPLE = Questionable and/or inaccurate statement (theology, philosophy, ethics, morality, scientific)
-Statements in BLUE = Statements that SRCM (California-1997) does not seem to practice
CHAPTER X - THE CREATOR
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
Objectives
* To understand the source of religion and its effect on humanity
* To learn the differences between religion and spirituality
Thoughts for Life
* The foundation of spiritual association with God is Love.
* Where religion ends, spirituality begins.
* Spirituality is defined as a system, which makes us exist.
* Religions divide, spirituality unites.
* It is good to be born in a religion, but not to die in it.
Lesson Illustrated
* Religion: It should be considered as a kindergarten school of spiritual life. It is where we learn some basic ideas of God – What God is? What divinity is? – things like that. Religion enforces an externalization of the mind in man’s search for God. Religion requires belief and faith. Religion speaks of seeing God, speaking with God, hearing God’s voice etc. The purpose of religion is to put a developing child into an environment where ethics, moral living, truth – all these things are taught and where in addition some idea of God is given.
Eg. Take different shaped bowls and fill them with water. Now pose the question to the class as to which bowl would they choose to quench their thirst. They will not hesitate to choose any bowl, because they are concerned only with the water and not lured by the external appearances of the bowls. This analogy reveals that the nature of different religions, their tenets, their mode of practice and religious leaders may differ, but the one essence or aim is to realize God. The word religion is derived from the Latin expression re-ligare, which means to unite or to bind or "to go back to the source" or "to reconnect us with God."
Bowls – Religions
Water – Divinity or God within
There are five very important reasons, why we should get away from religious bondage –
a. It creates division among people.
b. Every religion talks of "one God" but states that only their God is the best.
c. It promotes disharmony, violence and wars.
d. The real meaning of the tenets is forgotten and only the rituals are adhered to.
e. Religions put fear and temptations into the hearts of the people.
All religions in the world say the same thing i.e. "seek within". But do they? The answer is NO. Then what is the way? Transcend religion and move towards spirituality.
* Spirituality: The word spirituality has its birth in the word ‘Spirit’ which refers to the soul or the life force. The process of realizing this soul is spirituality.
Spirituality is not a progress or a search or travel in time. It is a travel in and into eternity. Spirituality gives us Love – Love of God, to become one with Him.
Spirituality is supposed to concern itself with the soul, just as education is with the mind, physical exercise with the body and achievement with the ego. So the whole idea in Spiritual practice / Spiritual life is to progressively refine ourselves. Spiritual practice is the only possible way of changing the heart in such a way that there is a lasting change in human character. There can be no spirituality without morality.
Do you really feel there is any difference between Religion and Spirituality? Here you are!
Religion ....................................Spirituality
Nursery Level...................................University Level
Emphasises external cleanliness ......Insists on internal Cleanliness
Searching Out .................................Searching within
It is gross ........................................It is subtle
Rituals ............................................Raja Yoga
Introduces the idea of God ................Makes us realize God
Idol Worship (Stops with means) .......Meditation (leads to the end)
Divides ............................................Unites
Based on fear and temptation ............Love and Universal Brotherhood
To sum up,
1. Religion appears to divide man from man, while spirituality “Unites all”.
2. Spirituality shapes a person to perfection and brings out the best in him.
3. Spirituality leads one towards Divinity and finally helps to merge with the Ultimate.
This is the purpose of life.
Activities
* However high a man may have reached in spirituality, if he is immoral, spirituality becomes null and void – Discuss.
* List out the tenets of any two major religions of the world and elaborate on it.
* “Religions divide humanity” – Site an example (see introduction for blog owner's example)
Mind and the Machine
Mind of a man is like a machine of a van
It needs knowledge like the oil for the machine
Mind without knowledge will blabber and shout
Like the machine without oil will squeak and creak
Men with good knowledge are quite calm and cool
Like machine with good oil works silent and smooth
So oil your mind with real knowledge it needs
And stop all the blabber it otherwise emits
See also:
VBSE at LMOIS of SRCM (California-1997)
VBSE
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