Saturday, November 10, 2012

NEED MAGICK? IT/S UNDER YOUR SKIN

Last year, hairdresser Hesti (not her real name) went to see Ki Gedhe Solo, a dukun, or spiritual healer, practicing in Solo, Central Java Province. She wanted help solving a problem at work. The 18-year-old was having a hard time dealing with her clients, mostly women.

“Some were very fussy and not nice to me,” Hesti said. “I sought help from Ki Gedhe so those clients would treat me better.”

Ki Gedhe implanted a susuk , or magical charm, underneath Hesti’s skin on her forehead and chin. In Malay cultures, a susuk inserted in soft body tissue is believed to possess magical power that can bring the bearer benefits, usually related to work matters, business dealings or romance.

After receiving her susuk, Hesti says, the attitude of those “fussy women” toward her changed. “I had a lot more clients in the salon.”

Although about 90 percent of Indonesians are Muslim, many still believe in witchcraft and mix a strong dose of animism and mysticism with their formal religious beliefs. Many of them turn to dukun and their charms.

The most common susuk are gold needles about eight millimeters long. The thin needles are said to have pengasihan, or the power to make the bearer loved.

“But the love given doesn’t necessarily involve anything sexual,” Ki Gedhe said. “It can be the kind of love between a mother and her child, or an uncle and his nephew or niece.”

But blessed with a different prayer, he said, a susuk needle can give the bearer pemikat, or a magical power of sexual attraction.

“I have two boyfriends now,” said Hesti, who also asked the dukun to bless her susuk with pemikat. “They don’t know about each other or the fact that I have two susuks implanted.”

Other forms of susuk include expensive tiger’s whiskers, diamonds, white pearls and white gold. The wings of an insect named samber lilin — dried and shaped into tiny needles — are also used. They are all believed to have their own magical powers after being blessed by a dukun.

Ki Gedhe’s clients come from all types of social and economic classes.

“From junior high school students to TV presenters,” he said. “Mostly they are Indonesian, but I also have had a few foreign clients, although they only wanted to know about their futures.”

Before a patient has a susuk implanted, Ki Gedhe said, their mind should be clear and they must be completely relaxed. “There should be nothing in their mind but a ‘contact’ between me and my patient.”

A susuk is implanted “under the skin and above the muscle.” Ki Gedhe said the charm usually starts to work in about three days. There is no physical change in the user, he added, but the wearer’s aura becomes much brighter.

Ten years ago Mudji (not his real name) went to Ki Gedhe wanting better luck at work. He was working as a co-driver in a company and wanted to improve his life.

“I had a susuk implanted in my lips,” the 38-year old said. “After that people started to listen to what I said, including my boss.”

He was later promoted to a sales position in the company.

Sometime, though, susuks do not work as expected. A male customer who longed for a girlfriend complained to Ki Gedhe when the susuk he purchased failed to work.

“When this happens I ask my patient to return and evaluate with me what might have gone wrong,” Ki Gedhe said. “It turned out that he was being passive — he just waited for a girl to come to him.”

A susuk, Ki Gedhe said, cannot work alone but needs help from the person using it.

“Just like when you go hunting. You have the gun and you see that there’s a bird. You won’t get it unless you aim your gun and shoot,” he said.

To help the charm, the wearer has to follow the directions given by the dukun. A person with a susuk implanted should also improve themselves both physically and mentally, Ki Gedhe said. This includes their personalities, the way they think and their appearance.

“They should be more patient with others, smile more often and be more sociable,” he said. “When they are angry or sad, it’s the angry or sad aura that surrounds them [and this can weaken the aura from the susuk.]”

Ki Gedhe’s patient Hesty still breaks this rule sometimes.

“Everytime I feel upset or angry or sad, I’m so ugly,” she said. “But when I feel happy, I look even more attractive.”

This may seem like sound advice for anyone, even if they don’t believe in witchcraft, let alone have a charm implanted in their body, but “there is a difference,” Ki Gedhe said. “A susuk speeds up the process of reaching your goals.”

Ayu (not her real name), another believer who happens to be Hesti’s employer, believes having a susuk inserted has helped her a lot, both as an entrepreneur and a wife. Four years ago, the 36-year-old mother of two went to Ki Gedhe because her marriage had started to feel “bland,” she said.

Ki Gedhe inserted white-gold needles in four areas on Ayu’s face — two by each eyebrow, one in her forehead and one in her chin.

“It was to increase my self confidence and make me look attractive,” she said.

She believes the charms worked.

“I have more customers coming to my hair salon,” she said. “What is more important, my husband is more passionate, and we have become more intimate.”

Ayu now plans to have Ki Gedhe implant more charms.

“I don’t know, I just believe in the [magical] power,” she said. “Maybe I’m addicted to it.” 


source jakartaglobe

cybershamanskarmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 (
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Tinerete fara batrinete [filme Romanesti]



cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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MOR ACTORII

Mor Actorii 

(de Adrian Paunescu ):


"Câinii mortii reîncep sa latre,
Cinici, pofticiosi, nerabdatori,
Se tot sting luminile în teatre,
Noapte buna, domnilor actori !
Ce se-ntâmpla seamana teribil
Unui zbor cu foarte multe goluri:
În aceasta tara mor actorii
Regretati de propriile roluri.
Tineri si batrâni, la garderoba
Vin sa-si lase cea din urma haina,
Programati sa intre în spitale
Ca sa poata sa se stinga-n taina.
Nu mai vor aplauze si bisuri,
Nu mai vor sufleori, lumini si farduri,
Ar mai zabovi doar ca sa-si rupa
Propriile afise de pe garduri.
Mor actorii parasiti de public,
Teatrul însusi este o fantoma
si la catafalc le stau de garda
Rolurile care intra-n coma.
Ne-au facut sa plângem si sa râdem,
În momente bune sau mizere,
Astazi, cu privirea zavorâta,
Ei îsi joaca ultima tacere.
Ce ciudat, acum, când mor actorii,
Tragedia ce-au jucat-o moar
Pentru a afla ca fara dânsii
Tragedia noastra e mai mare."




UN FILM MAi PUTIN CUNOSCUT CU IURA.."CALEA VICTORIEI SAU CHEIA VISURILOR":    ENJOY!



 cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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SULEYMAN MAGNIFICUL


ULTIMELE EPISOADE
 17 SI 18


RESTUL AICI



cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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Magical Egypt - The Temple in Man



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Thursday, November 8, 2012

How do archangels help true believers?



"Jibrîl or Jibrîl-i Amin is an archangel of God. He is also known by the names of rûhu'l-qudus (the Holy Spirit) and ruhû'l-amin (the Trustworthy Spirit) in the Qur'an. Jibrîl is a Hebrew word which means the servant of God. 


One wonderful attribute of Jibrîl is that he is the most affectionate and the kindest of all the archangels. To cite an example of his affection and kindness: when a true mu'min (believer) walks on the path of spirituality, then first of all it is he who accompanies that mu'min, then Mikâ'il, then Isrâfil and finally 'Izrâ'il. These four archangels, using their miraculous powers, become engaged in making the mu'min reach the ascent of certitude (mi'râj-i yaqin) with ease.

In this process, Jibrîl uses the power of teaching, Mikâ'il uses the power of ta'wil (i.e., teaching wisdom or inner meaning), Isrâfil causes effacement (of self) through miraculous music (a flavor of this is the experience when a person sings ginans and Qasidas with ardent love), and 'Izrâ'il, uses the means of annihilation, centers the soul in the forehead. 


Thus the true mu'min, according to the guidance of the Prophet and the living and present Imam, continues to pass through the stages of spirituality towards the ascent (mi'raj), in the footsteps of pirs and dais.

In this journey, first of all is 'Izrâ'il who remains behind, then Isrâfil, then Mikâ'il and finally Jibrîl. Jibrîl accompanies him till the world of Divine glory (Jabarût) and helps him with extreme kindness and affection. 


But when he advances towards the world of divinity (lâhût) then even Jibrîl stays behind. This is the story of the a mu'mins first ascent only, and it is possible for him to have several such ascents." (Source: Pir Nasir-i Khusraw and Spirituality, pages 26-27)



The status of night is great (because it contains a luminous hour).
The entire creation attains rest during the night.
Pirs, Prophets, Friends and Saints,
attained a lofty status through luminous prayers (bandagi).
 


The Messenger also attained Merâj (ascension) at night
and the lover attains union with the Beloved (through luminous prayer).
If you are a true lover (of Soul and Light),
then do not miss the night's luminous prayer (bandagi)


source salmanspiritual.com

 cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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ABOUT ANGELS...

Angels in Islam
 
 
Islam's angels.  On left - they are standing (top) and bowing while performing salat.  On Right - Angels shown on the cover page of The Quintet - a collection of Persian poems
  Inheriting concepts of angelology from Judaism and Christianity, Islam also developed a hierarchy of angels.  

In a descending order of importance are: 

-the four throne bearers of Allah (hamalat al-'arsh), symbolized by a man, a bull, an eagle, and a lion in Islamic legend (which drew from the imagery of the Revelation to John in the New Testament); 

-the cherubim (karubiyun), who praise Allah; 

-four archangels: Jibril, or Gabriel, the revealer; Mikal, or Michael, the provider; 'Izra'il, the angel of death; and Israfil, the angel of the Last Judgment); 

-and lesser angels, such as the hafazah or hafza, or guardian angels.
 
Hierarchies of celestial or spiritual beings also were developed among various religions that arose out of the major Western religions, such as the Druzes, and among syncretistic religions, such as Gnosticism, which combined elements of Jewish, Greek, and Christian traditions, and Manichaeism, a dualistic religion that was founded by the 3rd-century-AD Persian reformer Mani.  

Such religions usually incorporated into their hierarchical concepts aspects of emanation theories, such as aeons or Archons, or of astrology, such as the signs of the zodiac.

Jibril
 
Jibrail or Jibril descending from heaven to meet Muhammad
Also spelled Jabra'il in Islam, the archangel who acts as intermediary between God and man and as bearer of revelation to the prophets, most notably, to Muhammad.  In biblical literature Gabriel is the counterpart to Jibril.

Muhammad himself could not at first identify the spirit that possessed him, and the Qur'an mentions him by name only three times.  Jibril, however, became Muhammad's constant helper.  
 
He and the archangel Mikal purified Muhammad's heart in preparation for the Prophet's ascension to heaven (mi'raj), and then Jibril guided him through the various levels until they reached the throne of God.  
 
When Muhammad recited a supposed revelation acknowledging the pagan goddesses al-Lat, al-'Uzza, and Manat, Jibril chastised him (Muhammad) for presenting as divine a message inspired by the devil.  
 
Jibril also helped Muhammad in times of political crises, coming to his aid at the Battle of Badr (624) with thousands of angels, then telling him to attack the Jewish tribes of Banu Qaynuqa' and Banu Qurayzah.
 
On the night of Ishra Jibril and Mikhail cleansed Muhammad before the night trip to heaven.  As angels watch, Jibril is cleansing the Prophet (on the right)
 
Muhammad generally only heard the voice of his inspiration, but, according to 'A'ishah, his wife, he saw Jibril twice “in the shape that he was created” and on other occasions as a man resembling Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi, an extraordinarily handsome disciple of Muhammad.  

Others have described the archangel as having 600 wings, each pair so enormous that they crowd the space between East and West.  Jibril has also been depicted as sitting on a chair suspended between heaven and earth. The popular image of Jibril is of an ordinary, turbaned man, dressed in two green garments, astride a horse or a mule.
 
Muslim traditions concerning Jibril largely concur with biblical accounts of Gabriel, but his special relationship with Muhammad has inspired a mass of mythical detail.  Jibril is said to have appeared at Adam's side after his expulsion from paradise and shown him how to write and work iron and raise wheat.   

Jibril later appeared in Egypt to help Moses and to deceive the Egyptians into entering the Red Sea in pursuit of the Jews.  The name of Jibril figures in the preparations of charms and appears with the names of the other archangels on the sides of magic squares.
(Ref: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. On-line 2002)

Mikal
 
Four angels in heaven.  Mika'l is at the bottom right
Also spelled Mika'il, in Islam, the archangel who was so shocked at the sight of hell when it was created that he never laughed again.  In biblical literature Michael is the counterpart of Mikal.  

In Muslim legend, Mikal and Jibril were the first angels to obey God's order to worship Adam.  The two are further credited with purifying Muhammad's heart before his night journey (isra') from Mecca to Jerusalem and subsequent ascension (mi'raj) to heaven.  

He also is remembered as aiding the Muslims to their first significant military victory in Arabia in 624.
The single allusion to Mikal in the Qur'an (2:98) states: “Whoever is an enemy of God or his angels or his apostles or Jibril or Mikal, verily God is an enemy of the unbelievers.”  

This has generated several explanatory legends that revolve around the Jews, who hold Michael in particular esteem as “the lord of Israel.”  In one story Muhammad is questioned by Jews about his prophetic mission and answers them quite satisfactorily.  

But when he says that Jibril is the bearer of his revelations, the Jews attack the archangel as the spirit of destruction and the foe of Michael, the angel of fertility.  On another occasion the caliph 'Umar is reported to have asked the Jews of the synagogue of Medina how Mikal and Jibril were regarded by God.  

The Jews replied that Michael sat at God's left and Gabriel at his right but that the two were enemies.  Whereupon 'Umar revealed the falseness of their position and said that an enemy of either angel was immediately an enemy of God.
(Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. On-line 2002)
 
The following additional information on Mik'ail shows that this archangel was already invented by the Jews and Christians long before Muhammad's time.
 
MICHAEL-Also St. Michael the Archangel and, in Arabic, Mika'il, perhaps the greatest of all the angels, whose name likely means "Who is like God?"  He is captain of the hosts of the Lord and the most beloved of all residents of the heavenly host (with the possible exceptionof the archangel Gabriel).  

The figure of Michael probably originated in Chaldaea as a protective god or spirit.  Accepted by the Jews, he emerged as so major an angel in Jewish lore that he was honored as the patron angel of the nations (out of seventy) who did not fall from grace, his bias entirely understood since it favored God's Chosen People.
 
Michael appears twice in the Old Testament and is noted, with Gabriel (and Raphael in the book Tobit), as one of the few angels actually mentioned in the Bible: in Daniel (10:13), he is called "Michael, one of the chief princes," and later (12:1) is a "great prince."  

Besides from these specific references, he is declared the ruling prince of the archangels, chief of the choir of virtues, the prince of the presence, and an angel of mercy and repentance.  

He is also credited with being the angel who spoke to Moses in the burning bush (an honor often bestowed upon Zagzagel); the messenger who stayed the hand of Abraham before he sacrificed his sin; and the angel responsible for massacring the Assyrian army of Sennacherib, a deed normally attributed to an otherwise unnamed angel of destruction but perhaps accomplished by Uriel, Gabriel, or others. 

 He is accepted in lore as well as being the special patron of Adam.  Supposedly, he was the first angel in all of the heavens to bow down before humanity.  Michael than kept an eye on the first family, remaining vigilant even after the fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.  

In the apocryphal Book of Adam and Eve, Michael taught Adam how to farm.  The archangel later brought Adam to heaven in a fiery chariot, giving him a tour of the blessed realm.  After Adam's death, Michael helped convince the Lord to permit Adam's soul to be brought to heaven and cleansed of its great sin.  

Jewish legend also states Michael to be one of the three "men" who visited Abraham and one of the five angels, with Uriel, Metatron, Raphael, and Gabriel, who buried Moses.  Apparently, Michael had to fight with Satan for the body of the Lawgiver, an event mentioned in the New Testament Letter of Jude.  

Finally, in the Dead Sea Scrolls is the story "The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness," in which Michael is described as the prince of light, leading forces of good against the darkness of evil.
 
Michael was embraced enthusiastically by Christianity and honored as the leader of the angels whose very name was used as a war chant by the holy angels during the war in heaven.  

As commander of the heavenly host, he led the good angels in their successful conflict against Satan and the fallen angels. He is named in the book of Revelation, fighting against Satan, and at the end of the world will command the hosts of the Lord in final conflict.
 
The Catholic Church honors Michael with four main titles or offices.  He is the Christian angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven, where they are weighed in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales).  At the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the devil and his 
minions.   

Michael is the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament and is guardian of the Church; it was thus not unusual for the angel to be revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages.  Last, he is the supreme enemy of Satan and the fallen angels.
 
Michael has been the object of considerable examination on the part of theologians, especially regarding the apparent inconsistency of having an archangel-a member of the eighth and second-lowest choir of angels-lead the hosts of the Lord. 

Some, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, declare him to be the chief of the order of archangels.  His high post is presumably explained by the fact that archangels are in the forefront of the fight in the world against evil, so Michael, as their chief, assumes the command of the angels by virtue of his experience.  

Others, most notably the Greek fathers such as St. Basil the Great, wrote that Michael was superior to all the angels; others appointed him the ruling prince of the seraphim, which would place him in the highest position in heaven.
 
Michael has been venerated by the Church from early time.  His elevated position is made clear by his title of saint, by the number of churches dedicated to him, and by his many appearances in history. 

 He supposedly visited Emperor Constantine the Great (d.337) at Constantinople, intervened in assorted battles, and appeared, sword in hand, over the mausoleum of Hadrian, in apparent answer to the prayers of Pope St. Gregory I the Great (r.590-604) that a plague in Rome should cease. 

In honor of the occasion, the pope took to calling the mausoleum the Castel Sant'Angelo (Castle of the Holy angel), the name by which it is still known.
 
The last visit certified one major aspect involving Michael, namely his role as an angel of healing.  This title was bestowed at Phrygia, in Asia Minor, which also propagated the cult of angels and became a leading center for their veneration. 

 Michael is reputed to have caused a healing spring to flow in the first century at Colossae, and his churches were frequently visited by the sick and lame.  

The angel is invoked additionally as the patron of sailors in Normandy (the famous monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel on the north coast of France is named after him) and is especially remembered in France as the spirit who gave Joan of Arc the courage to save her country from the English during the Hundred Years' War) 1337-1455). 

Perhaps his most singular honor was given to him in 1950 when Pope Pius XIII (r. 1939-1958) named him patron of policemen. 

 Michael is also said to have announced to the Virgin Mary her impending death, declaring himself to be "Great and Wonderful."
 
Among the Muslims, Michael is one of the four archangels (with Azrael, Isfrafel, and Gabriel), and one of the two angels, with Gabriel, named in Qur'an.  He resides in the seventh heaven and is popularly believed to have wings of emerald green.
 
A favorite angelic subject in art, matched only by Gabriel, Michael is most often depicted as a proud, handsome angel in white or magnificent armor and wielding a sword, shield, or lance.  

In some paintings he is shown with a banner or holding scales.  Quite often he is seen, like St. George or some Madonnas, in conflict with a dragon or standing upon a vanquished devil. Of him was declared in Milton's Paradise Lost (Book VI).

Azrail or Izrael
 
A sad-faced Azrail came to take Muhammad's soul to heaven
In Islam, the angel of death who separates souls from their bodies; he is one of the four archangels (with Jibril, Mikal, and Israfil).  

'Izra'il is of cosmic size: with his 4,000 wings and a body formed by as many eyes and tongues as there are living human beings, he stands with one foot in the fourth (or seventh) heaven, the other on the razor-sharp bridge that divides paradise and hell.
 
Before the creation of man, 'Izra'il proved to be the only angel brave enough to go down to Earth and face the hordes of Iblis, the devil, in order to bring God the materials needed to make man.  For this service he was made the angel of death and given a register of all mankind.  

While 'Izra'il can recognize the name of the blessed (circled in light) and the damned (circled in darkness), he does not know when anyone will die until the tree beneath God's throne drops a leaf bearing the man's name.  He must then separate the body and soul after 40 days.
 
Man has several means for forestalling death.  By reciting a dhikr (ritual prayer), he prevents the angel of death from entering the throat to take his spirit.  When he is distributing sadaqah (alms), the angel cannot take him by the hand. 

But when, after all protests, the angel returns with an apple from paradise inscribed with the bismillah (the invocation “In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate”) or writes God's name in his palm, the spirit must leave.  

The souls of believers are then gently drawn out and carried to the seventh heaven, but the souls of unbelievers are ripped out of their bodies and hurled down to Earth before they can reach the gates of heaven.
(Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. On-line 2002)

Israfil
 
In Islam, the archangel who will blow the trumpet from a holy rock in Jerusalem to announce the Day of Resurrection (Qiamah or Qiamat).  The trumpet is constantly poised at his lips, ready to be blown when God so orders.  In Judeo-Christian biblical literature, Raphael is the counterpart of Israfil.
 
Israfil is usually conceived as having a huge, hairy body that is covered with mouths and tongues and that reaches from the seventh heaven to the throne of God.  One wing protects his body, another shields him from God, while the other two extend east and west.  He is overcome by sorrow and tears three times every day and every night at the sight of hell. 

 It is said that Israfil tutored Muhammad for three years in the duties of a prophet before he could receive the Qur'an.
(Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.  On-line 2002)

Ash-Shaytan
Iblis (Devil)
 
A scene from heaven.  A nude Adam sleeps while all angels except Ash-Shaytan bows following Allah's command.  A turbaned Shaytan is shown as a human form sitting on the prayer rug
 
The Devil (from Greek diabolos, “slanderer,” or “accuser”), the spirit or power of evil, personifies As-Shaitan, the Islamic devil. Though sometimes used for minor demonic spirits, the word devil generally refers to the prince of evil spirits and as such takes various forms in the religions of the world.
  In the monotheistic Western religions, the devil is viewed as a fallen angel who in pride has tried to usurp the position of the one and only God.  In Judaism, and later Christianity, the devil was known as Satan.  In the Old Testament, Satan is viewed as the prosecutor of Yahweh's court, as in Job, chapters 1 and 2, but he is not regarded as an adversary of God. 

In postbiblical Judaism and in Christianity, however, Satan became known as the “prince of devils” and assumed various names: Beelzebub (“Lord of Flies”) in Matthew 12:24–27, often cited as Beelzebul (“Lord of Dung”), and Lucifer (the fallen angel of Light).
 
In Christian theology, the devil's main task is that of tempting man to reject the way of life and redemption and to accept the way of death and destruction.  The leader of the angels who have fallen from heaven because of pride, Satan has as his main adversary in Christian thought, legend, and iconography the archangel Michael, leader of God's heavenly hosts.
 
Islamic theology is rich in references to Iblis, the personal name of the devil, who is also known as ash-Shaytan (“The Demon”) and 'aduw Allah (“Enemy of God”).  In the Qur'an, Iblis first appears in the story of the creation of the world.  He alone of the angels refuses God's order to bow before Adam, the first man. 

 He is then cursed by God; his punishment is to come on the Day of Judgment, but until then he is empowered to tempt the unfaithful (but not true believers).  Iblis next appears as the tempter of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 

 In Islamic theology, Iblis is described as an angel, a jinn (spiritual creature capable of good or evil), or an angel who was the leader of the jinni.  The questions of his sins of pride and disobedience are especially important in the Sufi traditions, in which he is sometimes presented as a true monotheist who would bow only to God.

SOURCE 
cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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Dam Mast Qalandar Mast Mast


Dama Dam Mast Qalandar | Translation of Sufi Qawwali


O laal meri pat rakhio bala jhoole laalan, Sindri da Sehvan da, sakhi Shabaaz kalandar, Dama dam mast Qalandar, Ali dam dam de andar.

O the red robed, may I always have your benign protection, Jhulelal (as he was affectionately called). O master, friend and Sire of Sindh and Sehwan (or Serwan), The red robed God-intoxicated Qalandar, The Lord in every breath of mine, glory be to you.


Chaar charaag tere baran hamesha, Panjwa mein baaran aayi bala jhoole laalan
O panjwa mein baaran, O panjwa mein baaran aayi bala jhoole laalan, Sindri da Sehvan da, sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar, Dama dam mast Qalandar, Ali dam dam de andar.

Your shrine is always lighted with four lamps, And here I come to light a fifth lamp in your honor. Here I come with fifth O master, friend and Sire of Sindh and Sehwan (or Serwan), The red robed God-intoxicated Qalandar, The Lord in every breath of mine, glory be to you.


Hind Sind (some also sing Ghanan ghanan) peera teri naubat vaaje, Naal vaje ghadiyaal bala jhoole laalan, O naal vaje, O naal vaje ghadiyaal bala jhoole laalan.


Let your heroic name ring out in Hind & Sindh (or lets the gongs bell loud), Let the gong ring loud for your glory day and night by the people (ghadiyaal - watchman, symbolism of night).


Har dam peera teri khair hove, Naam-e-ali beda paar laga jhoole laalan, O naam-e-ali, O naam-e-ali beda paar laga jhoole laalan, Sindri da sehvan da sakhi Shabaaz Qalandar, Dama dam mast Qalandar, Ali dam dam de andar.


O Lord, may you prevail everytime, everywhere, I pray of your well being, In the name of Ali, I pray to you to help my boat cross in safety (in the river of life).

This song, one of the most famous qawwali, is written and sung in the honor of Sufi mystic saint 'Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar' (Usman Marvandhi) - may God sanctify his station. 
 
Every word of his name used in the qawwali has a meaning - he was known as Hazrat (holiness), Lal (he wore red robes, also mothers fondly call their kids as Lal in Punjab and nearby region), Shahbaz (Shah - King and Baz - Falcon, king of falcons and in Iranian mythology represent godly figure who led them to victory, divine spirit), and finally Qalandar (a qalandari - a sufi saint, poet, mystic, noble man). 
 
He settled in Serwan (Sindh, now in Pakistan) and tried bringing peace between Hindus and Muslims. Hindus regard him as divine reincarnate, avatar as well. Still today many Punjabi singers, singing in his praise. He is also fondly called as Jhulelal.

+ Some picture of his holy shrine located in Sindh, Pakistan can be viewed via flickr.

[>] Audio:
Listen to the Music via Imeem.

+ lyrics and text credit via
the inner voice blog
+ related post: Qalandar - the Wandering Sufis
 
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ISLAMIC VIEW OF ANGELS

 
Angels (Arabic: ملائكةmalāʾikah; singular: ملاك malāk) are heavenly beings mentioned many times in the Quran and hadith. Unlike humans or jinn, they have no free will and therefore can do only what God orders them to do. 

An example of a task they carry out is that of testing of individuals by granting them abundant wealth and curing their illness.[2] Believing in angels is one of the six Just as humans are made of clay, and jinn are made of smokeless fire, angels are made of light.[3] 

However, it is clear that there is a set order or hierarchy that exists between angels, defined by the assigned jobs and various tasks to which angels are commanded by God. 

Some scholars suggest that Islamic angels can be grouped into fourteen categories as follows, of which numbers two-five are considered archangels

 Not all angels are known by Muslims however, the Quran and hadith only mentions a few by name. Due to varied methods of translation from Arabic and the fact that these angels also exist in Christian contexts and the Bible, several of their Christian and phonetic transliteral names are listed:
  • Jibrail/Jibril (Judeo-Christian, Gabriel), the angel of revelation, who is said to be the greatest of the angels. Jibrail is the archangel responsible for revealing the Quran to Muhammad, verse by verse. Jibrail is widely known as the angel who communicates with (all of) the prophets and also for coming down with God's blessings during the night of Laylat al-Qadr ("The Night of Power").
  • Israfil/Israafiyl (Judeo-Christian, Raphael), who will blow the trumpet twice at the end of time. According to the hadith, Israafiyl is the angel responsible for signaling the coming of QiyamahJudgment Day) by blowing a horn. The blowing of the trumpet is described in many places in the Quran. It is said that the first blow will bring all to attention. The second will end all life,[4] while the third blow will bring all human beings back to life again to meet their Lord for their final judgement.[5] (
  • Mikail (Judeo-Christian, Michael),[6] who provides nourishments for bodies and souls. Mikail is often depicted as the archangel of mercy who is responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth. He is also responsible for the rewards doled out to good persons in this life.
  • 'Azrael/'Azraaiyl a.k.a. Malak al-maut (Judeo-Christian, Azrael), the angel of death. He is responsible for parting the soul from the body. He is only referred as malak al-maut, meaning angel of death, in the Quran.[7]

  Characteristics

Islam is clear on the nature of angels. The functions that the angels perform vary, one of the most prominent of these functions is their function as messengers. 

The angel Jibraaiyl (Gabriel) is the most important (prominent) messenger angel, as in Islam, he delivers the message of God (Allah) to the Islamic prophets

Angels cannot be seen as they are heavenly beings but that can take on different forms, including human.[8] One well known example is when God sent the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) to Maryam (Mary) in the form of a man, as God says in the Quran:
...then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.
—Quran, sura 19 (Maryam), ayat 17[9]
Similarly, angels also came to Abraham (ʾIbrāhīm) in human form, and he was not aware that they were angels until they told him so. Lot (Lūṭ) also had angels come to him to warn him of the impending doom of his people. All angels praise and glorify God and they never become tired of doing this.
They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.
—Quran, sura 21 (Al-Anbiya), ayah 20[10]
...for in the presence of thy Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never flag (nor feel themselves above it).
—Quran, sura 41 (Fussilat), ayah 38[11]
There are angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads. Abu Dharr al-Ghifari is quoted as saying:
"The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: 'I see what you do not see and hear what you do not hear.

The heaven makes a noise like groaning, and it has the right to (or it is no surprise), for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, placing his forehead in sujood (prostration) to Allaah.

By Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much, you would not enjoy your relationships with women and you would go out in the street praying to Allaah.'"
No angel is able to disobey God due to the way God created angels. For this reason, Islam does not teach that Iblīs or Shayṭan (the Devil or Satan) was a fallen angel, rather he was one of the jinn.
O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.
—Quran, sura 66 (At-Tahrim), ayah 6[12]

Angel with  Job 

The Quran also mentions that angels have qualities that may be typified by the word wings:
Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, messengers with wings,- two, or three, or four (pairs):...
—Quran, sura 35 (Fatir) ayah 1[13]
The preceding sentence does not imply that all angels have two to four wings. Most notably, archangels (namely Gabriel and Michael) are described as having thousands of wings. 

However, according to hadith collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari, Muhammad said that Gabriel had 600 wings;
Narrated Abu Ishaq-Ash-Shaibani:

I asked Zir bin Hubaish regarding the Statement of Allah: "And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey The Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he (Gabriel) Conveyed (that to Muhammad). (53.9-10)[14] On that, Zir said, "Ibn Mas'ud informed us that the Prophet had seen Gabriel having 600 wings."

—Muhammad al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 455[15]
The angels also accompanied Muhammad up to Jannah (Heaven) when he received commands from God. Instead of riding on an angel, Muhammad rode a creature called a Buraq whose stride spans from horizon to horizon.

Angels are not equal in status and consequently they have been delegated different tasks to perform. The names and roles of some angels have been mentioned to us:
  • The angels of the Seven Heavens.
  • Hafaza, (The Guardian Angel):
    • Kiraman Katibin (Honourable Recorders),[16] two of whom are charged to every human being; one writes down good deeds called Raqib, and the another one called Atid writes down evil deeds.
    • Mu'aqqibat (The Protectors)[17] who keep people from death until its decreed time and who bring down blessings.
  • Jundullah, those who help Muhammad in the battlefield
  • The angels who violently pull out the souls of the wicked,[18]
  • Those who gently draw out the souls of the blessed,[19]
  • Those angels who distribute (provisions, rain, and other blessings) by (God's) Command.[20]
  • Those angels who drive the clouds.[21]
  • Hamalat al-'Arsh, those who carry the 'Arsh (Throne of God)[22], comparable to the Christian Seraph
  • Arham, those that give the spirit to the foetus in the womb and are charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy.[23]

Safavid Mi'raj, 1539-43
  • The Angel of the Mountains[24]
  • Munkar and Nakir, who question the dead in their graves.[25]
  • Darda'il (The Journeyers), who travel in the earth searching out assemblies where people remember God's name.[26]
  • The angels charged with each existent thing, maintaining order and warding off corruption. Their number is known only to God.[27]
  • Ridwan is the angel who is responsible for Jannah (Paradise)
  • Maalik is the chief of the angels who govern Jahannam (Hell)
  • Zabaniah are 19 angels who torment sinful persons in hell
These angels take no pity on punishing them as they do what the Lord has commanded them to precisely and perfectly. A verse stipulates this:
O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.
—Quran, sura 66 (At-Tahrim), ayah 6[12]
The following is a Quranic verse that mentions the meeting of an angel with Mary, mother of Jesus (ʿĪsā):
Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;
—Quran, sura 3 (Ali-Imran), ayah 45[28]
Muhammad, speaking of the magnitude of the angel Gabriel, has said that his wings spanned from the eastern to the western horizon.
Narrated Aisha:
Whoever claimed that (the Prophet) Muhammad saw his Lord, is committing a great fault, for he only saw Gabriel in his genuine shape in which he was created covering the whole horizon.
—Muhammad al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 457[29]

  Verses in the Quran that directly name angels


Muhammad receiving revelation from Gabriel. This illustration is from the book Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, published in 1307 AD. 
Gabriel (Jibreel) and Michael (Mikaa'eel) are mentioned early on the Quran in sura Al-Baqarah:
Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,

Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, to Gabriel and Michael,- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.
—Quran, sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayat 97-98[30]
Another angel, Maalik is defined in the Quran as a being who is the warden of Hell. However Maalik is not an evil angel, nor a fallen one, a notion Islam rejects, rather Maalik is merely doing what he is commanded to do by God.

 In Islam, Iblīs or Shayṭan (the Devil or Satan) is considered by many to be a jinn rather than a fallen angel, since he questioned God when He ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, an act that suggested he possesses free will. 

An alternative view holds that rather than "defying" God, Iblis was acting in a manner predetermined by God.
They will cry: "O Malik! would that thy Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Nay, but ye shall abide!"
—Quran, sura 43 (Az-Zukhruf ) ayah 77[31]
Two other angels are also mentioned directly in the Quran: Haaroot and Maaroot (Harut and Marut):
...and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut.

—Quran, sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayah 102[32]
Several angels such as Azrael, Israfil, Munkar and Nakir are not mentioned directly in the Quran but are explained further in the hadiths of Muhammad.
source wikipedia

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Going beyond the intellect | a jewish story from the Great Maggid


It is said that the Great Maggid would convene his inner circle every night to teach (the disciples) the sacred texts. All of his greatest students would gather. When the Maggid would begin to speak, "And God said..", Reb Zushya would leap up, overwhelmed with ecstasy. He would yell out, "And God said! God said!"

He would spin around and around like a leaf in the wind, and then faint, unconscious for the rest of the teaching. Every night it was the same thing.

The other disciples would tease him, saying, "Zushya, you're missing all the holy teachings!" The teasing went on for days and days until finally the master said, "Leave him alone; he's the only one who gets it."

- Story from The Great Maggid, may God be well pleased with him, the successor to the founder of Hasidism -the mystical branch of Judaism
# Related: Divine Madness/TECHNOLOGY OF THE HEART
 
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RUGACIUNEA LUI EMINESCU

Mihai Eminescu a scris o Rugaciune, care a fost recitata in limba romana de catre Papa Paul al II-lea la Vatican.

Rugaciune
de Mihai Eminescu
 
 
Noi ce din mila Sfântului
Facem umbrã pãmântului,
Rugãmu-ne'ndurãrilor,
Luceafãrului mãrilor.
Ascultã-a nostre plângeri,
Reginã peste îngeri;
Din neguri te aratã,
Luminã dulce, clarã,
O, Maicã Preacuratã
Si pururea Fecioarã,
Marie!
Crãiasã alegându-te,
Îngenunchem rugându-te
Înaltã-ne, ne mântuie
Din valul ce ne bântuie.
Fii scut de întãrire
Si zid de mântuire.
Privirea-ti adoratã
Asuprã-ne coboarã,
O, Maicã Preacuratã
Si pururea fecioarã,
Marie!
 
 
 
cybershamans (karmapolice) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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