Hi

It's Tony here from the Aikido & Health Centre with your Harmony Ezine packed with unique tips and insights on aikido, health and well-being.

In this issue... Leading Spiritual Teachers - details below. Next issue we turn the spotlight on the Real Causes of Illness... stay tuned!

Leading Spiritual Teachers

Do you follow a particular religion or spiritual movement?

Maybe you believe in a universal power or divine essence?

Or are you an atheist, and are only convinced by scientific facts?

Either way, YOU should accept that we are all surrounded by a power that is far greater than we are!

A Prophet or a Guru is someone who is important in a Religion, Faith or Spiritual Movement. They are said to speak through Divine inspiration and get messages from a higher place.

They may be able to prophesy, see future events, heal, help and inspire people. Prophets often have many followers and gone on to found a religion or system of faith. Gurus usually offer spiritual guidance to a smaller number of disciples, and may not be linked to a particular religion.

The Far Country is a vast world lying beyond the Earth plane of existence, that has not been explored by scientists or politicians for material glory.

It is a fantastic series of spiritual universes where soul goes following the disposal of the physical body in the phenomena called death. Some Spiritual Adepts have been known to travel these inner worlds, whilst still living on the earthly plane.

The great spiritual leaders brought positive energy vibrations for the benefit of the Human race and offered us a pathway to the Divine Spirit.

The Far Country has many names. The Greeks called it the 'Elysian Fields', the Scandinavians gave it 'Valhalla', the Native Americans knew it as the 'Happy Hunting Ground', the Hebrews as the 'Promised Land', the Buddhists called it 'Nirvana' and the Christians 'Paradise' or 'Heaven'.

YOU can gain spiritual energy by dedicating some time to contemplative exercises and build up spiritual stamina if you REALLY want to. How can we make a simple plan that is easy to follow on a daily basis? We must ask the experts how to build and achieve our spiritual goals.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS

MOHAMMED was leader of the Islam Religion. While sitting in a cave on Mount Hirae, he received messages from an Angel. He was told to tell the people that there was One God, who became known to Muslims as Allah.

GURU NANAK was the first teacher of Sikhism, and believed that all people were united in God's eyes. He gave this message to the Hindu's and Muslims who lived in what is now Pakistan.

SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA later known as the Buddha, was an Indian prince brought up in great wealth. However, when he saw the suffering of his people, he gave up his riches and went on a journey around India, and eventually founded Buddhism, a philosophy based on 'The Truth'.

JESUS was born to the virgin Mary. He and his disciples travelled around healing, performing miracles, and telling parables. Christianity was founded on the teachings of Jesus.

MOSES helped the Jewish people to escape fron Egyptian slavery. He parted the waters of the Red Sea so that they could walk to freedom. People of the Jewish faith regard Moses with some awe, as he was the prophet that God knew face to face. It is said that God handed over the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, on tablets of stone.

DALAI LAMA is an important part of the faith of Tibetan Buddhists, and a living example for others to follow. The name 'Dalai' means 'Ocean of Wisdom'. He usually earns his position during childhood, through remembering past lives.

The Wisdom of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatsu inspires people all over the world and across all cultures. He was born in 1935, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and since the Chinese invasion of Tibet lives in exile in the Himalayas.

MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI was an Indian monk who introduced a popular method of meditation, known as Transcendental Meditation. People who use this aim to reach an altered state of consciousness. Words of power or 'Mantras' are used to calm the mind.

BHAGWAN SHREE RAJNEESH set up an Ashram, Retreat, and centre for religious meditation in India. He believed that meditation was the answer to everything. Unfortunately he was accused of enjoying wealth etc.

MORIHEI UESHIBA founded Aikido - The Way of Spiritual Harmony in 1925 after twenty three years of studying martial arts, religion and philosophy. He was regarded as the most religious man in Japan as he would spend his time in study, prayer, meditation and farming.

Aikido is a dicipline of co-ordination and self-defence. There is an emphasis of centralisation of thought and action and the extension of mental energy. There are millions of followers on the path.

This is just an overview of many of the founders of religions, faiths and spiritual movements and is in no way intended to be complete.

There are many inspirational teachers and it is your individual choice of which path to choose. The best way to decide on your path is to ask Yourself "What am I drawn to"? There your answers will be found !

LEADERS IN PHILOSOPHY

The word philosophy means 'love of wisdom' and to find wisdom we need to ask questions, such as: Why are we here? Where do we come from? What happens to us when we die?

Our early ancestors had to struggle just to survive and didn't have time to pose these questions. In today's world, most of us don't have to protect ourselves from dangerous wild animals or worry about where the next meal is coming from. This allows us the luxury of asking questions about life.

This is why philosophy is seen as part of a civilised society. We are all born philosophers ... children use the word 'Why' over and over again. It is when we take this attitude into adult life that we can continue our search for answers to our most important questions.

PYTHAGORUS was one of the first Greek philosophers. He believed that there was a harmony in the Universe and everything related to numbers.

CONFUCIUS believed that knowledge was found in people, not in something mystical. He was in favour of education and an orderly society.

ARISTOTLE believed that we should strive for good in life, and happiness for all people, but he realised that different things made different people happy.

SOCRATES thought that all truth is within our souls and strongly encouraged his pupils to think for themselves.

PLATO believed that evil was really a lack of knowledge, and that finding out how to live a good life was like solving a math problem.

LAO-TZU was a Chinese philosopher who felt we should follow the Tao, or way of life, and live in harmony with the Universe.

JALAL AL-DIN RUMI was a sufi mystic and poet famous for his lyrics and for his Spiritual Couplets, which widely influenced mystical thought and literature throughout the Muslim world.

FREUD was an Austrian physician who believed that we are all driven by unconscious needs and desires, which our conscious mind can't control.

JUNG was a Swiss psychiatrist who invented the idea of a "collective unconscious", which suggests that the same ideas and mythical events are found in the unconscious minds of everyone in the Universe.

SARTRE a French philosopher who believed that existence is the only important thing, there is no higher meaning, and we are responsible for our own lives.

GURDJIEFF spent 20 years travelling Central Asia and the Middle East in search of answers to his questions about existence. He was a significant force in contempory philosophy and was oriented in Islamic Sufi Tradition. He had personal power and magnetism and gathered many students.

There are many ideas on how we should live our lives and a variety of philosophical ideas we may use on our individual path to truth and reality.

Philosophy is of the mind and based on developing intelligence to lead us to wisdom. There are many factors involved in learning how to use our minds efficiently and we need to be in optimum health, relaxed, at ease.

You can FOCUS your life force energy, gain vitality and power to revitalise your body, mind and spirit... Experience Optimum Health

MODERN SPIRITUAL TEACHERS

ECKHART TOLLE is best known for his book 'The Power of Now', that offers a wonderful perspective about the the ego mind. He says that all problems stem from the mind, and until we can go beyond the ego mind to the seat of consciousness that we can find peace, love, and joy.

ALLAN WATTS became a controversial spiritual teacher and somewhat of a cult leader in the west. He was a renowned philosopher who popularized Zen Buddhism in the West, creating an entry into the deepest levels of knowing. He said that Zen is the liberation of the mind.

WAYNE DYER was known as the father of motivation focusing on self-empowerment. He centers on positive thinking as a means of creating the life you desire. He is also a prolific writer with over 30 books.

NEVILLE GODDARD teaches us to discipline our minds by focusing on our desires. Somewhat pragmatically, he provides imagination techniques that we can follow to manifest our dreams or longings. He was also a prolific author, with blockbusters such as The Power of Awareness.

WIM HOF offers a way to keep your body and mind in its optimal natural state. For most of history, a merciless natural environment automatically did this for us: freezing temperatures, howling winds and hungry animals kept our muscles supple, and our minds sharp and clear. As a result of modern life, those natural defenses are no longer on high alert. We fall ill more easily, stress out, lose sleep, and wake without focus or energy.

PREM RAWAT has shared his lasting message of peace with people all over the world for over 50 years... regardless of their nationality, religion, or lifestyle. A message that inner peace is not only possible, but a human birthright. With great commitment, wisdom and wit, he has reached hundreds of millions of people in more than 100 countries.

There are so many different paths to personal power, that it becomes very difficult to make a definite choice as to the individual path for us. One of the most useful tools YOU can use is to ask yourself

" What am I drawn to? " The answer will certainly aid your progress.

Prepare your body and mind for ... Focused Spiritual Practise

That's it... next month we discuss the Real Causes of Illness.