July 15 Insight: Holy Smoke: How and Why Incense is Used in Religion and Spirituality

https://vimeo.com/100796699

According to the adoremus.org web site, “The word ‘incense’ is derived from the Latin incendere, which means “to burn.” Incense is commonly used as a noun to describe aromatic matter that releases fragrant smoke when ignited, to describe the smoke itself, and as a verb to describe the process of distributing the smoke.

The burning of incense is used in a variety of religions (and also in secular settings) as a symbolic sacrificial offering to a deity, as a form of prayer, and as a way of invoking emotions and attitudes. Incense is sometimes called the “Food of the gods,” reflecting the idea that it was a gift from the gods in primordial times, and that lighting incense is a way of not only honoring the holy ones but also of nourishing them.

Moreover, in recent decades the use of incense has spread beyond strictly religious contexts and into spiritual and even non-spiritual settings where, according to S. Brent Plate, it is used for “purification, protection, healing, memory, the marking of time and even the visual creation of space.’

The reason why incense holds such a powerful place in our spiritual lives may relate to the way our sense of smell connects to our brain and thus our consciousness. According to Plate in his book, A History of Religion in 5 ½ Objects, our olfactory (smelling) system is plugged directly into the place in our brains where memories are stored and emotions are processed. He adds, “Smell touches our species’ deep desires and fears.”

The use of incense in a religious context dates back to the third millennium BCE. Religious folks in China and other parts of the Far East began using incense at about the same time.

These days incense is used in religious rituals by Hindus, Buddhists, Native Americans and especially Christians in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican (Episcopal in the US) faiths. It is not typically used by mainstream Protestant or Evangelical Christian denominations. Nor is it typically used in worship by Jews or Muslims.

The way incense is used in Western Catholic and Eastern Christian traditions can provide a powerful model for the symbolic use of fragrant smoke. First, in these traditions incense is used to represent the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. Second, according to adoremus.org, “Incense is a sacramental [something that is designed to enhance devotion] used to venerate, bless, and sanctify. [Third], its smoke conveys a sense of mystery and awe.”

In Roman Catholic practice, incense can be used at the beginning of Mass or another important ritual as a method of purifying and honoring items and persons involved in the spiritual activity. In this “censing” process, incense is placed in a special burner called a “thurible” and then lit. The thurible typically hangs at the end of a chain and the person performing the ritual (or a religious deputy) swings the thurible sending aromatic smoke toward the altar, the congregation, and religious leaders.

July 8 Insight: How does the Dalai Lama get to be the "Dalai Lama?"

https://vimeo.com/100231150

The answer to that question is complicated, since the current Dalai Lama (born Tenzin Gyatso) has hinted that the process for selecting his successor may depart from the traditional process. First, some background.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhist people. The position was established in the 14^th Century, and there have been 14 Dalai Lamas to date.

"Dalai Lama" is the combination of the Mongolic word, dalai, meaning "ocean" and the Tibetan word, bla-ma, meaning teacher or mentor. The Dalai Lama is sometimes referred to as the "Ocean of Wisdom."

Whoever holds the title is traditionally thought to be the current rebirth in a line oftulkus (religious leaders thought to be enlightened beings) who are manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion.  Bodhisattvas are people who commit themselves to the way of life of a Buddha with the goal of bringing peace and enlightenment to all beings.

For periods of time between the 17^th and 20^th Centuries, the Dalai Lama served as both the religious and political leader of Tibet. In 2011, the current holder of the position retired as head of state for the Tibetan government. He retains religious leadership of Tibetan Buddhists throughout the world.

[Note: due to military pressure from China, the current Dalai Lama and many of his followers were forced to flee their homeland in 1959. The seat of the Tibetan government in exile is the city of Dharamsala in northern India.]

So, how does someone become Dalai Lama? Historically, when an "Ocean of Wisdom" dies, Tibetan spiritual and government leaders spend two or three years trying to find a young child who will next hold the position. The technique for identifying the youngster has traditionally been mystical.

Tibetan spiritual leaders may consult an oracle, and sometimes visit a lake in central Tibet where they ask the lake itself for a sign as to who will be the next Dalai Lama. This was the initial step in finding Tenzin Gyatso. In 1935, the temporary leader who guided the Tibetans after the death of the 13^th Dalai Lama also had a vision that led him to the home where Tenzin resided as a small child.

When the religious leaders believe they have found the child (as with Tenzin) who is the rebirth of the Ocean of Wisdom, the boy undergoes a series of tests. In one of these, the child is presented with a number of objects only some of which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama. The boy is asked to select the items that belong to him. If he chooses the items that belonged to the recently departed Dalai Lama, (and passes other tests) he is confirmed as the new leader.

And, what will the next Dalai Lama be like? His Holiness, the 14^th Dalai Lama, has hinted that his successor may be found outside Tibet and just might be a woman! He has also suggested that the position of Dalai Lama may be abolished in the future.

June 24 Insight: What's the deal with "Patron Saints?"

(June 24th 3-minute Weekly Insight from Spirituality U. at IPP)

First, a word about Saints in general.

The word "Saint" means "Holy." In the New Testament, the word Saint referred to anyone who believed in Jesus and followed his teachings. Very early in Christianity the meaning of the word changed dramatically.

Christian communities began to notice that some men and women lived lives of heroic virtue and felt that these individuals should be singled out as examples to be revered. They called these individuals Saints. These Holy people lived out the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. Eventually, the Church created a process called "canonization" through which such extraordinary people could be recognized and honored by Catholics everywhere.

The idea of formal Sainthood is shared by Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican (Episcopal) Churches, but many Protestant denominations do not accept the concept.

A "Patron Saint" is regarded as a "heavenly advocate" for a hemisphere, continent, nation, city (or place), group, craft, cure for an illness, job or avocation.
The reason why certain Saints are Patrons for places or jobs or groups is sometimes easy to recognize. For example, St. Francis of Assisi, who loved animals, is universally recognized as the Patron Saint for critters. The role of his spiritual partner, St. Clare, may be harder to understand. She is the Patron Saint of television (really, I'm not joking).  Why? Because she had the ability to bi-locate (to be in two places at the same time).

When the process of photography arose in the 19th century, St. Veronica became its Patron because her veil miraculously captured the image of the face of Jesus after she wiped the sweat and blood from his brow. Franciscan Joseph of Cupertino is Patron of airline pilots and astronauts because he had the gift of levitation.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron of the Americas, Joan of Arc of Paris, Bridget of Europe. Thomas More is Patron of attorneys, Ambrose of bee keepers, and Gabriel of broadcasters.

Here are some other interesting Patron Saints:

Athletes: St. Sebastian
Barbers: St. Louis of France
Bodily ills: Our Lady of Lourdes
Booksellers: St. John of God
Brides (and grooms): St. Nicholas
Businessmen: St. Homobonus
Businesswomen: St. Margaret Clitherow
Charities: St. Vincent de Paul
Colleges: St. Thomas Aquinas
Comedians: St. Vitus
Computers (and the internet): St. Isidore of Seville
Desperate causes: St. Jude
Difficult marriages: St. Rita of Cascia
Disasters: St. Genevieve
Dogs: St. Roch
Ecology: St. Francis of Assisi
Food servers: St. Martha
Grandparents: Sts. Ann and Joachim
Greetings: St. Valentine
Headaches: St. Teresa of Avila
The Homeless: St. Benedict Joseph Labre
Immigrants: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Juvenile delinquents: St. Dominic Savio
Kidney disease: St. Benedict
Librarians: St. Jerome
Lost items: St. Anthony of Padua
Motorists: St. Frances of Rome
Mystics: St. John of the Cross
Orphans & abandoned children: St. Jerome Emillani
Police: St. Michael
Politicians and government workers: St. Thomas More
Race relations: St. Martin de Porres
Reconciliation: St. Vincent Ferrer
Social Justice: St. Joseph, Husband of Mary
Teachers: St. Gregory the Great
Writers: St. Francis de Sales


Here's a link to more information about Patron Saints:
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/patrons.aspx

May 21 Insight: Can you name 4 1/2 Key Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue?

Before we talk about guidelines for interfaith dialogue, let's take a moment to talk about the meaning of the word "dialogue" itself.

Dialogue isn't a conversation (which tends to be shallow in its content). And it certainly isn't a debate. It is a pathway for two people to engage in a deep exchange of information and opinions; its goal is to increase understanding in both participants.  And interfaith dialogue involves individuals from different religions, Christian denominations, or spiritual traditions.

Here are my four-and-a-half suggested guidelines for interfaith dialogue.

1. Easy does it. Don't dive into the deep end of the interfaith pool too quickly. It is probably not productive to begin your dialogue by confronting controversial or explosive issues such as caste systems, suicide bombings, or the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. Start with a less painful, less anger-producing topic or two and work your way up to more difficult and important dialogue topics. Remember, you aren't limited to one dialogue. Plan a series of interfaith encounters.
   
   And pick a time and location for your initial dialogue that is comfortable and private, with minimal distractions. A faith-neutral space (library, coffee shop, park) is probably best. 
   
2. Listen. REALLY listen. Frequently, when we talk with someone, we aren't paying attention to he or she is saying. Instead, we are mentally preparing what we are going to say next. In interfaith dialogue, it is extremely important that we pay extremely careful attention to not only WHAT is being said, but HOW it is being said. Watch for significant body language. And, if you don't understand or aren't clear about what your dialogue partner is saying, respectfully ask that person for clarification.   
   
3. Don't hold back. Share openly and fully about your beliefs and practices. There is a tendency in dialogue to water things down to a meaningless common denominator that is sweet but not very honest. It is important that we celebrate what we have in common but also what makes each religion different and distinctive. We don't have to agree about everything. In fact it may be healthier for us to live with the tension of knowing and disagreeing with another.   
   
4. Strive to understand rather than convince. If you begin with the idea that your partner is wrong and needs to be straightened out, your dialogue will likely be a failure. Remember, a dialogue is not a debate. The purpose of this communication is to increase your understanding (and that of your partner) of ideas and practices that hold significance to each of you.

Oh, and let's not forget the "half" guideline. Know your own religious orspiritual tradition before you begin. The person with whom you are dialoguing is probably hungry for information about your basic beliefs and practices. If nothing else, 'Google" the name of your religious group or spirituality (including atheism and agnosticism) and see what turns up.  You might be surprised to discover some things you didn't know! Make notes. Memorize a few key points to share in your dialogue.    

For more information about dialogue visit:    

http://www.viewpointlearning.com/about-us/what-is-dialogue/

May 14 Insight: Find out why some South Asian women wear a dot between their eyebrows

That dot, about ¼ inch in diameter and often red in color, is called a bindi(pronounced bin-dee) and is worn for a number of reasons. The bindi is a facial adornment adopted by women around the world, though most particularly by Hindus (and sometimes by women of other religions) in India and other nearby countries.

It can be worn simply as a fashion statement, but this is not as common. It can also be adopted by Hindu women in parts of India as a sign that they are married. But the most significant use of the bindi is as a manifestation of spiritual practice.

The location of the bindi, above the nose and between the eyebrows, has significance for a couple of reasons. First, for practitioners in a variety of mystical religious traditions, the bindi is placed at the location of one of the seven chakras(pronounced Shah-kruhs). Chakras are seen as energy centers at key nerve locations in the body. Many who embrace the idea of chakras believe that if one of the seven becomes blocked, illness can follow. Thus, it is important to keep energy flowing through these nerve centers in order to keep us healthy.

The spot where the bindi is placed serves as the location of the sixth Chakra. The sixth is often referred to as the "Third Eye" chakra (more about the Third Eye in a moment). This chakra concerns issues related to intuition, imagination, wisdom, and the ability to make decisions.

But it is the idea of the "Third Eye" that may hold the most significance for Hindus. One of the primary concerns of Hinduism is finding a way to make a direct connection with the transcendent (as opposed to the concern with good and evil that is central to many Western religions). Hindus believe that there are many paths to follow  in making a strong connection with God. One such path is the pursuit of wisdom.

And the place between the eyebrows where the bindi is placed has been recognized by Hindus as the seat of concealed wisdom. It is a focal point where all of our experience is gathered in total concentration.

According to one web site about Hinduism, the red mark on the forehead is said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. Some see this spot as the central point of creation itself-symbolizing auspiciousness and good fortune. The spot is often associated with the sacred utterance, "Om." Activation of the seat of wisdom can lead the person wearing the bindi to overcome egotism and the idea of the self as a separate entity in the universe.

The color red signifies honor, love, and prosperity. In creating a bindi, the wearer dips a fingertip in vermilion powder and, with skillful application, makes a nearly perfect red circle. And, even though the bindi is usually made of red powder, bindi's can be created using faux jewels (or real precious stones) affixed to the forehead.

For more information about Bindis, visit:

http://hinduism.about.com/od/bindis/a/bindi.htm

May 7 Insight: What is the fastest growing religious group in the U.S.? (You might be Surprised!)

What is the fastest growing religious group in the U.S.? (You might be Surprised!)

(The 3-Minute Weekly Insight from Spirituality U.)

What is the fastest growing group? The Pentecostals? No. The Southern Baptists? No, (but good guess). Actually the fastest growing religious group is the “Nones;” (not “Nuns” but “Nones,”people who are not affiliated with any religion.

A Pew Research report issued in the fall of 2012 showed that in the previous five years the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated had grown from 15% of the US population to just under 20%.  That increase reflects the dramatic speeding up of a trend that began in the 1970’s when church membership peaked and the number of people who don’t have a formal religion began to rise.

The 46 million Nones now include 13 million self-described atheists and agnostics and 33 million people who have no formal religion at all. And the rise in the Nones has been accompanied by a drop in membership at most mainstream Christian denominations. In the 70’s and 80’s more than 60% of Americans reported that they were Protestants. The Protestant share of the population began sinking in the 1990’s. By 2000 that number had sunk to 54%, and today—for the first time ever—less than half of the US population is Protestant. Membership in the Roman Catholic Church has held steady, perhaps because of the immigration of large numbers of Catholics from Latin America.

But the drop in memberships and affiliation isn’t limited to Christians. Most major religions in the US are experiencing similar downward trends.

Why are people leaving religion? According to the Pew report the unaffiliated aren’t searching for a religion that would be right for them. “Overwhelmingly, they think that religious organizations are too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules and too involved in politics.”

Two aspects of the Nones are particularly interesting: their racial makeup, and the age of the unaffiliated population.

The drop in membership and affiliation is not happening in religions associated with people of color, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. Their participation in religion has held steady.

Regarding age, the Pew report states that the rise of the Nones is driven largely by what it refers to as “generational replacement, the gradual supplanting of older generations by newer ones.” One-third of adults under the age of 30 have no religious affiliation, compared to just nine percent of those over 65.

Still, for supporters of religious membership, there is good news to accompany the bad.  Many of the unaffiliated still see themselves as religious or spiritual in some way. Two-thirds believe in God; more than half feel a deep connection with the earth and nature; twenty percent even say they pray every day. Not surprisingly, one third of the Nones describe themselves as spiritual but not religious.  Moreover, the number of people who say that religion is a very important part of their lives has remained unchanged at 58%! And, oddly, even though they are moving away from organized religion, the majority of Nones believe that churches and other religious organizations strengthen community bonds and help the poor.

For more information about "The Nones" visit:

http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise/

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April 29 Tip: Find Out How “Liberation Theology” is Shifting the Focus of Religion

Find Out How “Liberation Theology” is Shifting the Focus of Religion

(The 3-Minute Weekly Insight from Spirituality U.)

Liberation Theology is a spiritual movement that is shifting the focus of religious work from the hereafter to the “here and now.” It is a political/spiritual movement that began in the Catholic Church in Latin America in the 1950s and 1960s. It now plays an important role in a variety of religious endeavors related to human rights.

Although Liberation Theology began within Roman Catholicism, it quickly spread to Protestant denominations, and was adopted by activists in other parts of the world and in other religions, notably in Northern Ireland and the Palestinian Territories of the Holy Land.

The term Liberation Theology was coined by the Peruvian Catholic priest Gustavo Gutierrez, a leading figure in the movement who also wrote one of its most influential books: A Theology of Liberation.

According to Theopedia, Liberation Theology is a school of thought that explores the relationship between Christian teaching and political activism, especially in relation to such problems as poverty, social injustice, and human rights abuse. The birth of this movement marked a radical departure from religious practice that focused more on individual piety and the need to make sure that souls were going to heaven rather than hell.

Liberation Theology began in South and Central America in the context of grinding poverty and oppression that appeared to be fostered by a combination of business, military, and governmental structures. These structures had arisen after centuries of colonialism that enabled the rise of small but extremely powerful upper and upper-middle class societies in many nations in the Americas.

The key Liberation thinkers believed that the Church was either ignoring or, in fact, supporting structures and activities that were devastatin to the most vulnerable in Latin society.

Liberation Theologians suggested that the Church respond to this situation by adopting what Gutierrez termed, “a preferential option for the poor.” They saw this as a return to the original focus of the Church.

In practice, adopting the preferential option meant that priests and other church officials should live simple lifestyles and work to feed the hungry, take political action to ensure human rights, and speak out from the pulpit to oppose actions by governments which were turning a blind eye to the needs of the helpless and hopeless.

As grassroots organizations empowered under the banner of Liberation Theology began to grow and spread, there was violent pushback from governments and their militaries. Thousands of activists (including a number of priests) were disappeared, tortured and murdered. One of the most sensational crimes perpetrated during the pushback occurred in El Salvador in March of 1980 when Archbishop Oscar Romero was murdered at the altar while he was celebrating Mass.  Romero had begun his Church leadership as a theological conservative but underwent a conversion to Liberation Theology after witnessing murderous violence directed at his parishioners and the priests who served them.

Today, the roots of Liberation Theology can be observed at work in religion-based social justice movements in places as far away as Burma, Tibet and the Mediterranean area.

For more information about Liberation Theology visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology

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