Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Holi Holi Happy Holi! Om Shanti!
Holi Holi Happy Holi to all!
Holi is the Hindu celebration of Color! Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land.
Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. On this day, people hug and wish each other 'Happy Holi'. People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each others' faces and cheer up saying, "bura na maano Holi hai". Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones wrapped in a special Holi gift. "Don't Mind, It's Holi!"
"During Holi, practices, which at other times could be offensive, are allowed. Squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on bhaang and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable. In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, "Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Hindi = Bura na mano, Holi hai.)" http://hinduism.about.com/od/holifestivalofcolors/a/holybasics.htm
"During Holi, practices, which at other times could be offensive, are allowed. Squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on bhaang and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable. In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, "Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Hindi = Bura na mano, Holi hai.)" http://hinduism.about.com/od/holifestivalofcolors/a/holybasics.htm
There are a few stories that signify the celebration of Holi: "This story is about Kamadeva, a god of love. Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his meditation and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and spiritual state of love rather than physical lust.
The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of this event. Holi is a festival of radiance (Teja) in the universe. During this festival, different waves of radiance traverse the universe, thereby creating various colours that nourish and complement the function of respective elements in the atmosphere. "
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi
So how ever you choose to celebrate this day...let it be filled with color and a childlike sense of play that exudes the radiance and sensual beauty of living on this earth! Om Shanti! Happy Purim 2010
It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.
"It is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.
The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.
Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.
The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck." -http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday9.htm
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Nomad
Nomad
-thank you Elliott Eli Jackson
Driving the winding road of life.
Roaming across time and space.
To get away from it all, to escape
reality, morality, finality.
Small town folk welcome me, they
give me smiles and comfort. They
dish out food in ghost town diners,
to line the belly. I am dispatched
to county fairs and one-ring circuses.
I perform, and then collect the scraps
left for my edification. I, Nomad,
wander attempting to find my hamlet,
my home. The faces change, but all
remains the same. I continue my
journey each sunrise, never planting
root. Yet, still the collections of
faces and places give me certain
pleasures when self and I lay down
to rest at night.
-thank you Elliott Eli Jackson
Driving the winding road of life.
Roaming across time and space.
To get away from it all, to escape
reality, morality, finality.
Small town folk welcome me, they
give me smiles and comfort. They
dish out food in ghost town diners,
to line the belly. I am dispatched
to county fairs and one-ring circuses.
I perform, and then collect the scraps
left for my edification. I, Nomad,
wander attempting to find my hamlet,
my home. The faces change, but all
remains the same. I continue my
journey each sunrise, never planting
root. Yet, still the collections of
faces and places give me certain
pleasures when self and I lay down
to rest at night.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Vietnam in The City
Vietnam Through the Ages: Asia Society’s Arts of Ancient Vietnam: From River Plain to Open Sea"
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-by contributing Gypsy writer: Kelsey Schaeffer
If you’re in the mood for some Asian immersion take a trip to the Asia Society Museum for a brief trip through thousands of years of Vietnam culture, courtesy of their newest exhibit: "Arts of Ancient Vietnam: From River Plain to Open Sea." In hopes of bringing more attention to Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage the exhibit has brought about 115 pieces from several of the country’s best museums to now be displayed here. The collection breaks the pieces up by the regions they come from as well as time period so as viewers you are not only walking through time, but through the country itself and the various influences of surrounding countries and their cultures; this exhibit is not just about Vietnam, rather it shows how Vietnam can be a lens in which to view the products of other countries, and exemplifies the intricacies of intertwining cultures. The pieces range from pottery and jewelry to enormous metal drums and religious statues – some without the protective shield of plastic, enabling optimal viewing. Though the exhibit itself is relatively small, the artifacts are beautifully arranged, displayed and explained. The time and effort put in are clear and paid off. Be sure to bring your cell phone with you if you are interested in using the audio guide option since you dial in with your phone.
Asia Society and Museum
Address: 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street)
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, Fridays until 9:00 pm.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Quick Phrases in Italian
GREETINGS | |
| Hello | Salve |
| Good morning | Buongiorno |
| Good evening | Buonasera |
| Good night | Buonanotte |
| Hi | Ciao |
| Good bye | Arrivederci |
| See you soon | A presto |
| Yes | Si |
| No | No |
| That depends | Questo dipende |
| I don't know | Io non lo so |
| I don't think so | Io non penso |
| I suppose so | Io suppongo di sì |
| I think so | Io penso di sì |
| It doesn't matter | Non importa |
| I don't mind | Mi è indifferente |
| Of course | Ovviamente |
| True | É vero |
| With pleasure | Con piacere |
| Where? | Dove? |
| When? | Quando? |
| Why? | Perchè? |
| What? | Che cosa? |
| Who? | Chi? |
| Which? | Quale? |
| How? | Come? |
| How much? | Quanto? |
| How many? | Quanti? |
| Is there? | C'è? |
| Are there? | Ci sono? |
| Congratulations! | Congratulazioni! / Felicitazioni! |
| Happy Birthday! | Buon compleanno! |
| Merry Christmas! | Buon Natale! |
| Happy New Year! | Felice Anno Nuovo! |
| Happy Easter! | Buona Pasqua! |
| Good Luck! | Buona fortuna! |
| Enjoy the meal! | Buon appetito! |
| Have a safe journey! | Buon viaggio! |
| Have a good holiday! | Buone vacanze! |
| Take Care! | Stai (stia) attento |
| Have a nice day! | Buona giornata! |
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Four Fools in the Cave
The Four Fools in the Cave
By Osho
Four persons decided to go into silence. They moved into a cave; they wanted to live in silence for three months, because they had heard so much about it -- they had become so much intrigued. They were so ambitious to gain something out of it. It was not understanding that had brought them to the cave. It was greed, it was desire, ambition.
By Osho
Four persons decided to go into silence. They moved into a cave; they wanted to live in silence for three months, because they had heard so much about it -- they had become so much intrigued. They were so ambitious to gain something out of it. It was not understanding that had brought them to the cave. It was greed, it was desire, ambition.
Hence within minutes everything was exposed. Just within minutes the first man said, "I wonder whether I have put the candle out or not? It will be a sheer wastage, there is nobody in the house."
The second one said, "You fool! You have spoken! And we have taken the vow of silence."
The third one laughed and said, "You are a greater fool! If he had spoken, what was the need for you to speak?"
The second one said, "You fool! You have spoken! And we have taken the vow of silence."
The third one laughed and said, "You are a greater fool! If he had spoken, what was the need for you to speak?"
And the fourth one said, "Thank God, I am the only one who has not spoken yet."
Just by being silent nothing changes, you remain the same. Transformation comes through awareness. Awareness brings a silence of its own, very alive, throbbing with eternity, full of a song. It is not sad and not serious because it is not dead, it has a dance to it. It is tremendously beautiful, it is positive, existential. It does not make you just a hollow thing. It makes you so full that you start overflowing with joy. You become so fulfilled that you cannot contain your contentment within yourself, you have to share it. You become a cloud full of rainwater. You have to shower it. ~Osho
Just by being silent nothing changes, you remain the same. Transformation comes through awareness. Awareness brings a silence of its own, very alive, throbbing with eternity, full of a song. It is not sad and not serious because it is not dead, it has a dance to it. It is tremendously beautiful, it is positive, existential. It does not make you just a hollow thing. It makes you so full that you start overflowing with joy. You become so fulfilled that you cannot contain your contentment within yourself, you have to share it. You become a cloud full of rainwater. You have to shower it. ~Osho
Brooklyn Museum of Art
There’s never a shortage of things to do in the city - unless you’re on a budget. If you do find yourself strapped for cash, looking for some quality entertainment, keep your calendars marked for Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum. The first Saturday of each month the museum is open from 11 am to 11 pm, and the best part? It’s free after 5 pm – no one even pushes for donations.
Coming out of the subway exit the grand glass entrance of the museum beckons from just a short dash away. Immediately inside music is the first thing you hear – set up right in the entrance – we were treated with a hip-hop jazz fusion – and the list of free events are posted and on fliers ranging from talks, screenings, tours and performance. This past Saturday featured hands-on art where participants got to create their own “wearable art,” two documentary screenings (one featuring Haitian music in honor of the recent catastrophe), a curator talk, youth activists presenting their own theater, dance and poetry and much more. Many of these scheduled events require tickets, that though free, do run out – so be sure to check what time the tickets become available so you can snag one or a couple.
If you’re running late or you don’t plan on arriving early, no need to worry – there’s no entertainment shortage. Most of the five floors of exhibition rooms are free for perusal. Take your time mingling with the crowd and pick up some snacks or a drink at the cash bars set up especially for the event. Take a trip around Asia on the second floor; up again to immerse yourself in Ancient Egypt and survey some European Paintings. Continue on up for Judy Chicago’s popular The Dinner Party (triangular table with 39 place settings which represent important women throughout history who are particularly important to her) as well as Decorative artwork and Period rooms that shouldn’t be missed. The final floor, mostly taken up with American Identities, adds the final flourish.
There is something for everyone at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The only danger comes from being overwhelmed by the massive collection (and at times a little too eclectic organization – Period rooms interspersed with Contemporary art and 19th or 20th Century Decorative Arts). Just take it slow and save some for next month. Better yet, dance it off with the final event: a two-hour dance party on the second floor in the Beaux-Arts Court.
For Directions and more information (and to check out next month’s events) go to:
-contributing blogger: Kelsey Shaeffer
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