Universal Quest Newsletter
Issue #11 - Monday 19 February 2001

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"Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars."
~ Gustav Flaubert

"Life is always moving into the unknown, and you are afraid. You want life to go according to your mind, according to the known, but life cannot follow you. It always moves into the unknown. That is why we are afraid of life, and whenever we get any chance we try to fix it because with the fixed, prediction is possible."
~ Osho, Bhagwan Rajneesh

Dear fellow Questors,

Welcome to the first edition of Universal Quest in 2001.

Last year, we started a little experiment, a tiny mustard seed of an idea, and now we are beginning to see the first glimpses of a mustard tree start to blossom. We have published 11 newsletters since April 2000 and have nearly 800 readers all over the world. We were all uncertain as to what form it would take, but we were certain that it was important to initiate conversation, to begin debates, to share information and to inspire thought. We are publishing perennial ideas here and yet we are trying to bring a new perspective to them, perhaps one from the point of view of a modern mystic. Mysticism, by definition, means a belief that we are a part of something greater than our perceptions allow us to see, that inside each of us is an element or a microcosm of that universal idea, a light or a soul perhaps, and that we as human beings have been given the fundamental tools required to connect with or tune into that music that chimes throughout the universe. Listen, and you will hear it sing. Even with our new languages of science, mathematics, computers or psychology, the eternal song is still playing away, all we have to do is become silent and listen.

This year, Universal Quest, like you, will take on many new adventures and experiments, and we hope that you will stay with us for the course and that you will tell all of your friends about us as well.

Enjoy the quest.

Raja Choudhury
Founder
Raja@universalquest.com

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For those of you who celebrated Valentine's day on the 14th, you may have been tempted to believe that the whole thing was a recent invention of the card publishing, jewelery and chocolate industries. Well, put your minds at rest. Valentine's day has been dedicated to lovers since ancient antiquity.

The Lover's day celebrated in antiquity was actually the 15^th of February, and the Romans celebrated it as Lupercalia, the festive day of the gods Lupercus and Faunus, both responsible for the fertility of flocks, fields and people. On Lupercalia, goats and dogs were sacrificed on Palatine Hill in Rome and then young men would race on to the streets beneath the hill wielding goatskin thongs called Februa (same root as February). They would lash women gathered in the streets with their thongs. Februa lashing supposedly ensured fertility and easy child delivery.

The celebration of Lupercalia transformed and became more civilized as the Roman Empire expanded. When Rome conquered Gaul, a new tradition was developed of exchanging the first Valentine-like cards. Apparently, a container in which women had placed their names (possibly accompanied by love notes) was used in a lottery. Men drawing a women’s name would either seek or were guaranteed (this detail seems obscured by time) a woman’s "favors" whatever those might be.

The legendary naming of St. Valentine Day stems from real-life Christian martyrs of the Roman Empire known as Valentines. One of these is believed to have been a Roman priest and physician who was killed in the third century, during the persecutions of the Emperor Claudius II Gothicus - the Goth. A second Saint Valentine candidate was believed to be the bishop of Teni and was executed in Rome at around the same time. Their status as saints was assured through legends of harboring Christians from persecution, curing the blindness of a cell keeper’s daughter and for conducting marriages while they were forbidden during times of war. It is most likely that this last legend and the traditions of Lupercalia ensured that St.Valentine became known as the patron saint of lovers.
RC

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Universal Festival Calendar

Carnival 21 - 27 February This one-week festival offers Christian believers the last chance to feast and party - Carne Vale literally means goodbye, meat - before the penitential season of Lent begins the prelude to the Easter season. The festival culminates on Shrove Tuesday, the famous Mardi Gras, when in the old days it was customary to prepare and eat pancakes filled with sacred and medicinal herbs. The cakes were said to protect the believer against shortages of food and money during the coming year, provided they were eaten before 8:00pm. It is said that the cakes were often washed down with beer, or wine, or both.

Concordia
22 February
In the Roman calendar, festival of the goddess Concordia. On this day good will and forgiveness were celebrated, especially in ritual meals at which all disputes were resolved and all ill will purged, on the premise that the bounty of the coming spring depended in great measure on the energies living within the hearts of the country's people good will was said to promote good growth and a bountiful harvest.

Losar
23 February
Losar, The Tibetan Buddhist New Year, is celebrated now with joyous performances of light, song and dance, and with butter towers and other ritual sculptures designed to drive out evil and clear the way for abundance and blessing in the coming year. This feast coincides with Monlam Chemno, the prayer festival commemorating the miracles and teachings of the Buddha. Note that this year, the Tibetan calendar is not synchronous with the Chinese calendar. The Chinese New Year began on 1/24; the Tibetan on 2/23.

Dhu al-Hijjah
24 February - 25 March
The Muslim month of Dhu al-Hijjah, commemorating Mohammed's pilgrimage to worship at the Ka'aba in Mecca, and considered especially holy ever since for pilgrims making the journey to Mecca. Note that these dates are approximate, as the dates of holy days in the Islamic calendar are reckoned by the actual sighting of the New Moon, not by its predicted appearance.

Ash Wednesday 28 February In the Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day penitential season of Lent, in preparation for the solemn holy days culminating in Easter. This was a Christian adaptation of an earlier festival: the Adonia, a time of mourning for the Syrian demigod Tammuz, whose rites were observed all over the eastern Mediterranean, especially at Byblos and the other major cities of Syria.

©Copyright 2001 Dan Furst.
Direct replies or comments please send to Dan Furst <hermes3@lava.net>

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Scientists discover an Umbilical Chord linking the Earth to the Sun

To find out more visit NASA at http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/GSFC/SpaceSci/sunearth/imagescience.htm and see IMAGE pictures at http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/press_release/image_pr_20010125

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KA: Stories of the Mind and Gods of India
By Roberto Calasso, translated by Tim Parks
($27.50 hardcover, 464 pages, Knopf; ISBN: 0679451315)

Review by Tad Mann.

In KA, Roberto Calasso narrates the formation of the universal mind through the evolution of the gods and goddesses of India. He recreates the magical world of the great myths and epics through stories and the customs and observances that emanate from them, by making the characters so real you can not only identify with them, but also touch them just as they touch you. His is an experiential world rather than a recited one and in the end you feel like you are participating in the magic. Initially it is difficult, if not impossible, to identify whom KA really is: a great eagle, a spirit or the invisible essence of the world. This principle holds true for all the characters: their lives and actions are often totally illogical but maintain a strange beauty and carry a profound wisdom. The stories don’t begin and end like traditional ones, but rather transmute and transform one into another all the way up to the lifetime of the Buddha. Instead of an incoherent jumble of disconnected myths, it begins to dawn on one that they are eddies and flows that add up to a grand recreation of our spiritual path. The stories cover the great legends of ancient India, of the Devas, Brahma, Siva and Visnu and the interminable battles of the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, with their heroes and gods. By the end of the book you will want to start all over again at the beginning.

Roberto Calasso is a poet, translator and author and lives in Milan. His previous work was the "Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony."

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Sayings of Jesus from The Gospel of Thomas

20. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what Heaven's kingdom is like." He said to them, "It's like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."

37. His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?" Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and you take your clothes and put them under your feet like little children and trample then, then [you] will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid."

77. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

- Gospel of Thomas, verses [20, 37, 77], Nag Hammadi Library

The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth and is now accepted by theologians and historians as a true part of the early Christian Church and as one of the most significant manuscripts ever found about Jesus and the history of the Church. Portions of three Greek copies of the Gospel of Thomas were found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt about one hundred years ago. They are known as Oxyrhynchus Papyrus and were probably written during the early part of the 3^rd Century, A complete version in Coptic, the native Egyptian language written in an alphabet derived from the Greek alphabet, was found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945. That version can be dated to about 340 AD. The Coptic version is a translation of the Greek version. Most scholars believe that the Gospel of Thomas was originally written in Syria in Greek. This Gospel was excluded from the original New Testament after the Conference of Nicea because it puts forward a version of Jesus' teachings that were contrary to ideas popular in the Roman Empire at that time and the later Roman Catholic Church. The heretic idea it professed was that the Kingdom of God is spread out upon the earth now, if people can just come to see it; and that there is divine light within all people, a light that can enable them to see the Kingdom of God upon the earth. This meant that every one of us has the ability to experience God. This philosophy of direct knowledge became known as Gnosticism.
RC

You can read the entire manuscript at http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html and find out more about the history of the Gospel of Thomas at http://home.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html

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Like all cultures across the world, the ancient people of West Africa have also posed questions and put forward philosophies to solve the mysteries of creation, existence and death since the earliest of times. The Yoruba people of Western Nigeria developed, and practiced a unique, universal, and timeless approach to these mystical questions in the form of Ifa. The Yoruba recognized and worshiped a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses called The Orisa, all overseen by an omniscient and omnipresent God of the Universe. Humans are governed by a universal set of truths or laws and they express their understanding through complex rituals which are still practiced today by millions of Nigerians, descendants of African slavesin South America and others today. Ifa was spread globally through the horrific practice of Slavery by Spanish, French and Portuguese slave merchants who shipped millions of West Africans to South America to work on plantations as labor. The Slaves liberated themselves spiritually, by practicing the master religion Catholicism in public and Ifa in private, thereby keeping a link to their ancestors and maintaining a sense of identity which still remains strong today. Ifa today, draws from both cultures and has become richer in the process.

In his book "The Way of the Orisa", Philip Niemark demonstrates that the Yoruba people and Ifa as a religion maintains sixteen basic universal truths:

• There is a Single God.
• There is no Devil.
• Except for the day you are born and the day you are supposed to die, there is no single event in your life that cannot be forecast, and when necessary changed.
• It is your birthright to be happy, successful, and fulfilled.
• You should grow and obtain wisdom during the process.
• You are reborn through your blood relatives.
• Heaven is "home" and Earth "the marketplace" we are in constant passage between the two.
• You are a part of the universe in a literal and figurative way.
• You must never initiate harm to another human being.
• You must never harm the universe of which you are part.
• Your temporal and spiritual capacities must work together.
• You are born with a specific path. It is your goal to travel it. Divination provides the road map.
• Our ancestors exist and must be honored.
• Sacrifice guarantees success.
• The Orisa live within us.
• You need have no fear.

Ifa is the basis of Santeria, Candomble and other Caribbean and South American mystical traditions.

To find out more visit this informative Ifa Web site at http://www.anet.net/~ifa/ and read the book "The Way of the Orisa" by Philip Niemark.

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"WHAT IF"
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

"WHAT IF it doesn't matter what you do but how you do whatever you do?

HOW WOULD this change what you choose to do with your life?

WHAT IF you could be more fully present and open-hearted working as a cashier in the corner store - able to really see and be with the people who come into the store - than you are when you are striving to do what you hope or think will make a more important contribution to the world and the lives of those you love?

HOW WOULD this change how you want to spend your precious time on this earth?

WHAT IF your contribution to the world and the fulfillment of your own happiness is not dependent upon discovering a better method of prayer or technique of meditation, not dependent upon reading the right book or attending the right seminar, but upon really seeing and deeply appreciating yourself and the world as they are right now?

HOW WOULD this effect your search for spiritual development?

WHAT IF there is no need to change, no need to try and transform yourself into someone who is more compassionate, more present, more loving or wise?

HOW WOULD this effect all the places in your life where you are endlessly trying to be better?

WHAT IF the task is simply to unfold, to become who you already are in your essential nature- gentle, compassionate and capable of living fully and passionately present?

HOW WOULD this effect how you feel when you wake up in the morning?

WHAT IF who you essentially are right now is all that you are ever going to be?

HOW WOULD this effect how you feel about your future?

WHAT IF the essence of who you are and always have been is enough?

HOW WOULD this effect how you see and feel about your past?

WHAT IF the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am?

HOW WOULD this change what you think you have to learn?

WHAT IF becoming who and what we truly are happens not through striving and trying but by recognizing and receiving the people and places and practices that offer us the warmth of encouragement we need to unfold?

HOW WOULD this shape your choices about how to spend today?"

By Oriah Mountain Dreamer, author of THE INVITATION and THE DANCE (HarperSanFrancisco, Sept/01). Copyright Mountain Dreaming Productions INC., 300 Coxwell Ave., Box 22546, Toronto, ON M4L 2A0, Canada. All rights reserved.

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THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE

SONG OF THE SILVER SNAKE
©Copyright 2001 by M. Kelley Hunter

The Chinese New Year of the Snake begins on January 24. The Asian year begins on the New Moon in Aquarius, which is rather enlightened, I think. Unlike our arbitrary date which is not connected to any cosmic event, the new year coordinated with a new moon emphasizes the feeling of new beginnings, of new seeds being planted.

2001 is the Year of the Silver Snake. Snakes come in silver, gold, blue, gray and purple. The Silver Snake lives in a cauldron that contains all things. What pours out from the cauldron depends on how Snake directs her will power and intensity. The slimy, slippery snake is a negative symbol in Western culture, associated with evil. Remember the snake in the Garden of Eden? But in the East, the Snake or Serpent, represents wisdom and transformation. If Eve hadn’t taken the advice of the Serpent, where would we be today? Some say it was Lilith, the first wife of Adam, who offered her the apple. Lilith comes from Sumerian myth, where she lived in the Tree of Life with the serpent and the thunderbird.

Buddha found enlightenment while sitting under such a tree. While he was absorbed in cosmic bliss, a great storm began to brew. King Cobra Muchalinda came forth from deep beneath the tree. He wound around and opened the expanse of his great snake-hood over the Buddha to protect him as the hurricane raged for seven days. Sculptured serpents are often seen guarding gateways to Asian temples, fixed in devotion to the deity within.

In Hindu mythology nagas are serpent kings and queens who personify and direct all the life-giving waters of Earth–the lakes, rivers and seas. Ananta was the cosmic serpent floating on the invisible sea in the dark night before creation began. Vishnu, the first of the gods, rested on the

coils of this great serpent, dreaming of the universe he would create. As his wife, the goddess Padma, begins to rub his feet, an exquisite lotus rises from his navel. This lotus is the goddess herself, which unfolds world upon world.

Serpents are often feminine figures, like the Chinese Serpent goddess Nu Kua, who created the first humans from clay. Other serpent goddesses help with childbirth and gift children with special talents. Serpentine princesses have charmed many a wise man and enriched his learning. Like mermaids, they live in underwater paradises in pearl palaces, guarding the

riches of the sea. They each carry a precious jewel inside their heads which resonates with the cosmic tides. Sea stars gather at the call of their conch shell.

This New Moon of the Silver Serpent is especially tuned to the mystical tides as it conjuncts the planet Neptune, god of the sea, and the Black Moon. The Black Moon is the second center of the Moon’s orbit around Earth. Since the Moon’s orbit traces an ellipse rather than a perfect circle, there is not one orbital center, but two. The Earth is one center; the invisible point of the second center is called the Black Moon. It is also called Lilith*, who was mentioned above as a mysterious, seductive figure that tempts us to eat the fruit of knowledge. Let’s take a bite and see what we find out. "Be ye wise as serpents," advises the Bible.

The year of the Serpent is a time of introspection and planning, it is said. Seek new options and consider them well before acting. Serpent wisdom bodes well for discoveries in science and technology. The Serpent is elegant and has high aesthetics, which will be reflected in fashion trends and the arts. Snake guards its wealth carefully, tending its cauldron of plenty. It is not a good year for financial risks. Snake goes deep into secret, dark places. Expect political extremes and major power plays, we are told, as well as scandals and secrets exposed.

There is an image that goes with each of the 360 degrees of the zodiac circle. The image for this New Moon is "A world-leader is seen guided by his ancestors’ spirits." Let’s keep that in mind as the new administration moves forward and call on the rich heritage of own ancestral spirits as well.

Listen for the conch shell ring of the Silver Serpent, the call of the soul’s true mystery to come forth from the darkness into the light.

HAPPY NEW YEAR–again!

Internationally-known astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, US Virgin Islands, where she leads star gazing nights and is studying for her Ph.D. in world cosmologies. To contact her write to kellhunter@earthlink.net.

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Raja Choudhury : Founder
A T Mann : Cofounder/Contributing Editor
Contributors: Dan Furst , Kelley Hunter, Tyra Andrews and Oriah Mountain Dreamer.

Visit our Web Site at http://www.universalquest.com

We would love your contributions, articles, thoughts, comments, suggestions and ideas. Please do write to us at news@universalquest.com

All rights reserved ©copyright February 2001 Raja Choudhury Universal Quest

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