Summary: The Delhi High Court on Saturday directed a private school located in south Delhi to maintain status quo with regard to the admission of a seven-year-old girl belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) category.The petition, filed on behalf of the girl, contends that she had applied and was alloted the private south Delhi school by DoE through draw of lots.Subsequently, the school told the girl's parents that her admission to class I was liable to be cancelled in view of the DoE circular fixing the upper age limit for the entry level classes.The court issued the interim direction to maintain status quo as the girl's parents apprehended that her admission may be cancelled by Mother's International School run by the Sri Aurobindo Education Society, which also has been arrayed as a party in the matter.The court sought reply of the Directorate of Education (DoE) before the next date of hearing on September 20.

The Delhi High Court on Saturday directed a private school located in south Delhi to maintain status quo with regard to the admission of a seven-year-old girl belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) category.Justice Indermeet Kaur issued the direction while issuing notice to the Delhi government and the school on the girl's plea to protect her admission as well as seeking correct implementation of the education department's order fixing upper age for entry into class I for EWS category. The court sought reply of the Directorate of Education (DoE) before the next date of hearing on September 20.The court issued the interim direction to maintain status quo as the girl's parents apprehended that her admission may be cancelled by Mother's International School run by the Sri Aurobindo Education Society, which also has been arrayed as a party in the matter.The petition, filed on behalf of the girl, contends that she had applied and was alloted the private south Delhi school by DoE through draw of lots. It was also contended, in the plea, that the DoE had undertaken the exercise without laying down the upper age limit for entry level classes.It has said that after several petitions were moved in the high court on behalf of EWS students, who were denied admission by private schools on the ground of being over-age, the DoE had come out with a circular laying down the upper age for preschool, pre-primary and class I.Subsequently, the school told the girl's parents that her admission to class I was liable to be cancelled in view of the DoE circular fixing the upper age limit for the entry level classes.As per the circular, the upper ages for admission in preschool, pre-primary and class I for EWS category students in private schools was fixed at 3-5 years, 4-6 years and 5-7 years, as on March 31, 2017, respectively.THE CIRCULAR , As Reported By DNAIndia.

According to the Newspaper,. . .

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-maintain-status-quo-on-girl-s-admission-says-hc-2540969

Continue reading here:
Maintain status quo on girl's admission, says HC | Delhi NYOOOZ - NYOOOZ

HDFC Bank Ltd., today launched Zero Investment Innovations for Education Initiatives (ZIIEI) to transform education in government schools across India. As part of this initiative, the bank will train 15 lakh school teachers across 12 states and union territories of India to improve the quality of education in 6.2 lakh government schools, thereby benefitting 8.3 crore students.

In Rajasthan, HDFC Bank will train 2 lakh teachers in over 70,000 government schools that will benefit more than 81 lakh school students.

At a function organized in the city, the initiative was launched by chief guest Shri VasudevDevnani, Minister of State for Education (Primary and Secondary), Govt. of Rajasthan, in the presence of Ms. NusratPathan, Head Corporate Social Responsibility, HDFC Bank; Ms. Smita Bhagat, Branch Banking Head North, HDFC Bank; Mr. Sambhrant, Director Education, Sri Aurobindo Society;Mr. Satyen Modi, Zonal Head Rajasthan, HDFC Bank; Mr. Mayank Agarwal, Head Operations, Sri Aurobindo Society; and other senior officials of the bank and Sri Aurobindo Society.

According to a report, some of the problems facing school education in India are poorly qualified teachers, very high student-teacher ratio, inadequate teaching materials, and out-moded teaching methods, leading to students lacking even rudimentary reading and writing skills.

As a socially responsible corporate citizen, HDFC Bank has started a movement to transform the quality of education in 12 states. We want to make education accessible, effective and bring it in tune with changing times. Who better than the teachers to bring about such a change in the temples of learning? This one-of-its-kind initiative is a part of the Banks sustained endeavour to create a positive impact in the lives of the local populace through its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, said Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head Corporate Social Responsibility, HDFC Bank.

"If the Indian education system really wants to gear up its students for the global economy in the coming years, the only way forward is to find innovation at the grassroots and scale them up to improve the quality of education. ZIIEI is an answer to this call for action and its heroes are those teachers in every corner of the country who have come up with brilliant ideas solely thorough their individual efforts. This initiative is to recognise them, to bring their best practices alive in thousands of other schools, and create an ecosystem that facilitates sharing of knowledge and skills within the education fraternity," said Mr. Sambhrant Sharma, Director Education, Sri Aurobindo Society.

In the pilot phase of the project last year, HDFC Bank trained 5 lakh teachers in 1.75 lakh government schools in Uttar Pradesh, thereby improving quality of education for over 2 crore school students in the state.

Related: Whiz juniors 2017 discovers India's top 15 tech genius

Continued here:
HDFC Bank to train 15 lakh government school teachers in 12 states across India - Franchiseindia.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to visit Auroville in February in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of the universal township, founded five decades ago by Mirra Alfassa, or The Mother, to her legion of followers from across the world.

It is reliably learnt that the Prime Ministers Office has accorded in-principle to an invitation by Karan Singh, chairman of the Auroville Foundation, requesting the Prime Minister to associate with the golden jubilee event.

Auroville Foundation, which is an autonomous unit, has communicated this to its oversight body, the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

We have tentatively proposed February 24 and 25 as the likely dates for the Prime Minister to join us, said an Aurovilian. The weekend was preferred as the dates were likely to coincide with the Budget session of Parliament, he added.

Auroville, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of its founding in February 28, 1968, sees the occasion as presenting an unprecedented opportunity to honour the birth and vision of Auroville, to increase the recognition of its relevance for India and the world, to attract people of all ages from India and abroad to visit Auroville and participate in the events, and to document and share its journey of 50 years.

This four-fold purpose underpins the series of golden jubilee events which include diverse celebrations, conferences and outreach events that seek to engage the community.

According to a programme proposal submitted to the MHRD, the Auroville Foundation expects the line-up of golden jubilee events to reiterate the universal townships core commitment to the spiritual vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, and the raison detre of the creation of Auroville, serve an occasion to express gratitude to India, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and UNESCO for constant support and fortify collaboration with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, The Mothers centres in India and the Auroville International Centres around the world.

The proposed programmes feature a symbolic ceremony at the amphitheatre, Matrimandir, on the lines of the one held on inauguration day in 1968, involving the youth representing different states of India and countries abroad as well as pioneers from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry and Auroville.

Celebrations in Paris

Parallel celebrations are also planned at UNESCOs headquarters in Paris, which includes a round table conference, a cultural event and an exhibition.

Also on the anvil are an international conference on the theme, The relevance of Auroville India and the World, cultural events as well as afforestation projects.

The opening of a new building of the Auroville Sustainable Livelihood Institute, an ongoing collaboration between the Government of Tamil Nadu and Auroville, with a foresters seminar, week-long youth event, an Auroville fair and public art installations are also on the agenda.

Stamp, coin release

A postal stamp and commemorative coin is also part of the proposals.

In essence, the golden jubilee programmes seek to strengthen relationship with Aurovilles neighbouring villages and evolve a better understanding for common growth, document the evolutionary journey of 50 years, including challenges and successes, and establish a clearer projection of Aurovilles relevance to India and the world.

The golden jubilee celebration of Auroville is also intended to focus on youth, education, afforestation, waste management, and village empowerment.

Original post:
Modi may join Auroville's golden jubilee fete - The Hindu

The title sequence of the FX animated series Archer creates the artful illusion of a serious spy-related program. Designed as a direct homage to the Saul Bass cut-out style prevalent in the 1960s, the sequence focuses on a bouncing white dot, fired from main character Sterling Archers gun in the first title card. The cast is introduced one by one in a series of connected vignettes that relay character information while propelling the action forward.

Judy Greers heartbreaker secretary Cheryl Tunt is shown with a heart-shaped locket, Amber Nash as Pam Poovey is operating a dolphin puppet, demonstrating her characters commitment to anarchic references, Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell) fiddles impotently with his cell phone, and Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler), Archers super-spy sometimes love interest, shoots her gun right at Archer himself. Arms raised and against the wall, the projectile prompts Archer to jump straight into his mother Mallorys drink. He emerges cleansed, striking a James Bond-esque stance and regarding silhouettes of women arranged in provocative poses. The sequence ends with both Archer and the women hes objectifying literally falling from their positions, as if the ground beneath their feet has given way.

Sterling Archer: The Spy Who Loved Himself

This title sequence tells us that Archer is, among other things, a deadly accurate takedown of entitled white American masculinity. Its satirical target is not so much an individual (or an individual nation), but the swaggering, narcissistic underbelly of white male privilege. His first pose emits quiet authority, but by the end of the sequence hes literally running for his life, away from the woman he claims to love and towards the most important woman in his life: his rapacious and abusive mother. Its only through the cleansing rinse of alcohol and maternal neglect that he can emerge at the sequences finale, a parody of a real man.

The original Archer title sequence (described above) opened the show for its first four seasons. Since then it has evolved along with the show to accommodate changes in theme, setting, and even casting, but the essential style and metaphors have remained. The sequence, in an original and daring way, sums up the tone of the show serious surroundings with deeply unserious characters and its most compelling theme: entitled white masculinity. As for Archer himself, his swaggering arrogance provides a perfect satirical target, and the opening sequence drives the point home with admirable visual storytelling economy.

A discussion with Producer/Art Director NEAL HOLMAN and Lead Motion Designer MARK PATERSON.

What was the original concept for the Archer opening title sequence?

Neal: My plan from the very start was to do an opening using silhouettes in some form or fashion. Saul Bass and some later Bass-esque opens, like Catch Me If You Can and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, were pretty heavy influences even the end sequence of The Incredibles. Anything that had that sort of deft blend of fun and action went into the pot.

I saw the mock Saul Bass Star Wars open around the time when we were working on our previous series, The Xtacles, and I loved it. Just the playfulness of it. It was simple, but really fun, so that prompted a lot of research into that style and who had done it before.

So once you had the Basss influence as the jumping off point, what were the next steps?

Neal: Originally, I had this idea that the silhouettes would be made of fire, moving over top of a burned or textured background. I loved the end titles of 300 the depth they achieved by zooming past elements to reveal the next scene in the sequence. The grungy textures in the back would be separated into various elements, so we could move past them or pan off of them, creating a 3D effect. We'd created mock-ups to test that look.

Image set: "Duchess" look test mock-ups

Neal: The mock-ups werent perfect, but the idea was there. At this time we were all starting to tire of grunge logos and effects, so ultimately we decided not to go that route. Another approach was to go for a more clean halftone effect. I liked it as a still frame, but it wasnt translating in motion.

Though it might be hard to tell, the last mock-up was the start of the opening sequence as we know it. Once Id found the typeface, the rest followed suit. Every time I finished another bit of the sequence, I would show it to the others there were only nine of us total and get feedback. Each of them, Archer creator Adam Reed especially, had an important hand in shaping the direction of the sequence.

The challenge was to do this entire opening sequence with as few new drawings as possible. By using silhouettes as our main character pieces, I could reuse every element we created for the pilot. I felt like simple shapes could be doable and effective given the incredibly short time frame we had. Also note that the show was titled Duchess up until around the last day or so of animating the sequence.

How long was production on first version of the opening?

Neal: I animated this sequence in about four days, just as we were wrapping production on the pilot. We added some bells and whistles once the series got the green light, just to finesse some of the background animations and improve some small timing issues. Overall, Im still pretty happy with it.

Image set: OriginalArcher title sequence element breakdown

So Mark, Archers now been on for seven seasons and the opening titles have evolved with the show. What's been the process for modifying the sequence for recent seasons?

Mark: After we returned to the original titles for season six, following the Archer: Vice switch up, Im sure only the most eagle-eyed viewer noticed that they werent the original titles at all, but a meticulous remake.

So why did we do that? The original title sequence was only intended to be a placeholder for the pilot episode, hastily constructed by Neal in a grueling week long After Effects session just in time for FXs submission deadline. After the show was picked up, Neal never found the time to go back and fix what he calls his sloppy mistakes, so it stayed untouched for four seasons.

Since early in the series Ive been tasked with creating the shows motion graphics. When Adam Reed decided that Archer: Vice, the shows fifth season, would have an 1980s slant, the task to re-skin the title sequence fell into my lap.

Archer's season one opening (top) versus the season six opening (bottom).

So did you start completely from scratch?

Mark: Rather than go back and patch up the existing sequence, I felt the most prudent path would be a complete do-over, before we even began the Vice treatment. My reasoning was to have something future proof, laying a solid foundation for re-skins and further modifications in the future. We had no idea how long Vice would run for, but I was wagering at some point the show would return to its origins and need the original titles again which it did for season six.

Neal and the producers were on board, leaping at the opportunity to address a laundry list of small notes wed all gathered over the years and tackle some bigger ones too such as replacing all the artwork and redoing the character animation with the latest body rigs. It was no small task.

How involved was Neal in all of this?

Mark: The Archer titles are Neals baby, so I was a little anxious about working under his direction to create a brand new, polished up interpretation of his original vision. So with a little trepidation and a deep breath in my lungs, I fired up After Effects and began the reconstruction work from the ground up. Far from being the backseat driver, he was very cool about it and pretty much just let me get on with it. No egos were harmed in the (re)making of this title sequence.

Neal: I'm a hack animator. I can do it, but I'm not Mark. Turning the titles over to he and the After Effects department was the easiest decision in the world. All I had to do was sit back and watch and maybe suggest a colour change here or there.

So structurally the sequence remained the same, but many of the details changed, like the new title card for the Archer: Vice season. Walk us through updating the sequence.

Mark: Once we had solid ground to work on, it became almost trivial to re-skin it year in and year out. The first re-skin was for Archer: Vice, which introduced a more pastel palette. The blocks of colour featured new background schematics, their edges take on a more hand cut feel, and a layer of real airbrush added a texture. Of course, the highlight of the Vice re-skin was the title card blowing away in a puff of cocaine, an inspired suggestion from Chad Hurd.

Archer: Vice (2014) title sequence

Mark: I tried to create the cocaine digitally, but it was too synthetic and just didnt look right. The only way to achieve the look we wanted was to shoot it as a real life practical effect. We got a stencil made, and after some experimentation I settled on double zero pizza flour and an electric air pump from an inflatable bed. Ideally youd do something that messy outdoors, but Atlantas humidity affected the flour. I volunteered to do it in my bathroom at home, and thirty takes later I had a thin coating of flour throughout my entire apartment. Im pretty sure thats how you get ants.

Shooting the title card stencil with fake cocaine

Mark: Back in the digital realm, I recoloured the word "Vice", which was shot separately, and went to work on making the practical effects integrate with the digital as seamlessly as possible. All the footage was hidden over the top of the digital artwork, retaining its clean lines until the last possible moment when the air blows across and breaks it apart.

So weve talked about seasons five and six, whats changed in the latest version of the sequence?

Mark: Season seven has seen another re-skin as the series moves to Los Angeles and into the private eye game.

Archer season seven (2016) title sequence

Mark: The blocks of colour shift to hotter LA-inspired hues, and the background schematics are replaced with appropriate P.I. imagery. For the first time we see a textured background, and the whole piece has the feel of a letterpress printed poster. LA landmarks replace New York skyscrapers, and I made use of the decorative Chinese Theater to hide two puzzle pieces for the ongoing Archer Scavenger Hunt. They go by so fast it took fans five episodes before they noticed them!

Is there a particular element of the sequence either past or present that you're most happy with?

Mark: Im really happy with how the Vice cocaine shoot turned out. The beauty of the unexpected is exponentially better than CGI. No matter how much you practice, you have very little say in how real world physics will react. From the way the powder breaks apart in clumps, to the organic motion as it blows away, to the vortex of air that whips it back into shot for a brief moment before we fade to black theres nothing like the real thing.

Neal: I love the Archer: Vice titles, with the cocaine blowing away at the end. Chad threw that idea out as a joke, but all of us instantly jumped on it. The new LA titles are just perfect. Really, I'm truly just happy to see the sequence evolve, much like the show has gotten bigger and more cinematic as the seasons have progressed. It still has the same heart, but there is a lot more to the sequence now and I believe it's the better for it.

What are some of your favourite title sequences, either classic or contemporary?

Neal: There are so, so many and most are on your site! My newest love is the title sequence for The Night Manager. It's just gorgeous and perfect.

By Any Means has a title sequence I adore, even though I've not actually seen the series. Simple as they are, I really love the titles for Samurai Champloo. And I know it was 80s schlock, but I have an undying love for the M.A.S.K. title sequence.

M.A.S.K. (1985) title sequence

Neal:Almost every work by Saul Bass was a heavy influence on Archer. Many people have pointed to the similarities to Cowboy Bebop, but honestly, that was more sub-conscious than conscious.

Mark: I was turned on to Bass in art school, and hes been an inspiration ever since. He was a true original whose style really defined an era. In Psycho, he set the unsettling tone of the movie using only text and simple lines. Amazing. North by Northwests transition from his grid lines into live action windows is right up there with Stanley Kubricks famous match cut from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Incredible stuff. The Archer titles are obviously influenced by Bass, and his style continues to endure.

SUPPLEMENTARY: Archer season seven (2016)teaser trailer

Art Director CHAD HURD details the creation of the Archer season seven teaser trailer.

What was the genesis of the Magnum, P.I.promo created for theseventh season?

Chad: The Magnum, P.I. promo was a joy to work on Every year we want to tease our fans with a fun promo to get them excited for the new season. The year before last it was the shot-for-shot remake of the Top Gun music video. This year we wanted to do something similar, but tease some elements we knew would reflect the upcoming season.

Adam Reed wanted to switch things up by moving the gang to Los Angeles where they would open a detective agency. Old cop shows like Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, and Magnum, P.I. were all referenced. In fact, Adam was such a fan of Magnum, P.I. he planned for Archer to have the same Ferrari. Once we knew the premise of season seven and that Archer would be driving Magnum's Ferrari, the decision to recreate the Magnum P.I. opening was easy, but the process was not.

What kind of challenges does making a shot-for-shot remake of a classic title sequence pose?

Chad: As I'm sure you've seen, the original Magnum, P.I. opening is filled with lots of action and movement, something we normally limit to just a few scenes in Archer. But in order for our Magnum, P.I. trailer to be a true homage it needed to precisely match the movement of the actors. Thankfully our talented animation directors Marcus Rosentrater and Megan Johnson were up to the challenge.

Magnum, P.I. (1980) title sequence

Chad:The animation and illustration teams studied the opening credits frontwards and backwards so we could get our version as close to the original as possible. Our EP's Matt Thompson and Casey Willis guided us towards which of our characters would be funniest replacing the Magnum actors. But really, the humour came from how closely we stayed true to the original title sequence. I'm extremely proud of the work our team put into recreating the opening. Not only does it look gorgeous, but it encapsulates the spirit of Archer season seven and adds a humorous twist to a classic television series.

Do have a favourite moment or shot from the teaser?

Chad: Pam dressed as the rodeo clown makes me laugh every time I see it. It's a great bit of design work and animation.

Was there a particular shot or scene that caused headaches for the team?

Chad: The shots of the helicopter riding along the cliffs was a very tricky thing to get right.Those shots took a lot of trial and error to get the depth we needed. We originally tried to create this totally in 3D, but it didn't look right. We finally settled on a combination of cliffs painted in Photoshop parallaxing with water animated in After Effects and a 3D animated helicopter. It was a challenging scene to create the same motion as the Magnum title sequence and keep it looking like it belonged in the Archer universe.

View the credits for this sequence

Seasons 1-4Art Director and Title Designer :Neal HolmanCharacter Animation: Mack Williams

Season 5Art Director: Neal HolmanAssociate Art Director: Chad HurdLead Motion Designer: Mark PatersonCharacter Animation: Bryan Fordney, Mark Paterson

Season 6Art Director: Neal HolmanAssociate Art Director: Chad HurdLead Motion Designer: Mark PatersonCharacter Animation: Bryan Fordney, Mark Paterson

Season 7Art Director: Chad HurdAssociate Art Director: Adam ToewsLead Motion Designer: Mark PatersonCharacter Animation: Bryan Fordney, Mark Paterson

Music:Scott Sims

See the original post:
Archer (2009) Art of the Title

With all that working against you, a simultaneous orgasm may seem more myth than fact. But there are ways you can pump up the pleasure for both of you. Here are five ways to help you try to get a fabulous his and hers.

In a newstudypublished in the journalEmotion, a team of researchers made the case that happiness is hogging more than its fair share of the attention as the emotion most strongly connected to a healthier body. Rather, the study authors found, the ability to feel a wide range of positive emotions what they termed emotional diversity, or emodiversity may be the link to better health.

Non-attachment isnt dimming your fire or passion. It isnt denying how you feel. It is merely taking the steps necessary to discipline yourself to not stay IN one emotion, because were not meant to. Our natural state is neutral (no coincidence they are such similar words) and to remain balanced; and practicing non-attachment allows us to live a more balanced life.

The #1 thing people forget when healing their chakras is to first do an assessment of health of your chakras before working on boosting your weak chakras and possibly balancing your over-active chakras. Here are some key tips

Are you getting the vitamin D you need to avoid cancer? And why isnt vitamin D promoted by the government as a cancer prevention? Dr. Mercola looks at these questions and more

Even the great spiritual leaders of our time have spoken of this joining together of science and spirituality which if you ask me holds the essence of one of the highest spiritual virtues behind it: unity. gRegardless of your spiritual beliefs, one thing that the worlds of science and spirituality can agree on is that they are getting closer the more each expands, and there is such beauty in that especially when we apply that on a personal level as well.

Non-attachment isnt dimming your fire or passion. It isnt denying how you feel. It is merely taking the steps necessary to discipline yourself to not stay IN one emotion, because were not meant to. Our natural state is neutral (no coincidence they are such similar words) and to remain balanced; and practicing non-attachment allows us to live a more balanced life.

Continue Reading

Consciousness is medium through and by which we live and experience ourselves and the surrounding world. Since we swim in it, we are unable to recognize it. Sensations, emotions and thoughts keep streaming into our Consciousness, and as we focus on these contents, we ignore the space itself, which is the container of the contents. This conscious space is our ultimate Self.

Continue Reading

In a newstudypublished in the journalEmotion, a team of researchers made the case that happiness is hogging more than its fair share of the attention as the emotion most strongly connected to a healthier body. Rather, the study authors found, the ability to feel a wide range of positive emotions what they termed emotional diversity, or emodiversity may be the link to better health.

Continue Reading

Bill Price, senior Appalachia organizing representative for Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal campaign, called it infuriating that Trump would halt this study on the health effects of mountaintop removal coal mining, research that people in Appalachia have been demanding for years. Trump has once again shown the people of Appalachia that we mean nothing to him. From his proposed budget cuts to the Appalachian Regional Commission, to pushing to take away healthcare from thousands of Appalachian people, to now stripping doctors and scientists of the ability to warn us about the health effects of mountaintop coal removal, Trumps showing that hes only been pretending to care about our communities.

Continue Reading

A renowned spinal surgeon Xiao Jianru at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital made the ground-breaking decision to remove cancer affected vertebrae and replace them with artificial ones. The doctors said that treating the cancer with conventional methods, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, would prove ineffective with this type of cancer and leave the young woman at risk of a relapse. Given the debilitating nature of her illness, they decided to act hard and fast.

Continue Reading

Even the great spiritual leaders of our time have spoken of this joining together of science and spirituality which if you ask me holds the essence of one of the highest spiritual virtues behind it: unity. gRegardless of your spiritual beliefs, one thing that the worlds of science and spirituality can agree on is that they are getting closer the more each expands, and there is such beauty in that especially when we apply that on a personal level as well.

Continue Reading

Likely those of you who are reading these words are what the Urantia Book calls, the Faith Sons of God who are Agondontersthose spiritually guided and truth-centric beings who, despite the hardships of spiritual isolation, have forged an evolving soul of amazing determination and strength. Those who are at the forefront of the spiritual revolution taking place at this moment, are regarded in the Urantia Book cosmology, as being some of the most gifted and spiritually stalwart beings in the whole of creation.

Continue Reading

No matter what you turn, it seems the world is burning and chaos reigns supreme. War, threats of war, racism, violence, hatred, and division populate the news cycle and leave us few options but to hang our heads in hopelessness, despair, and increasingly, rage. However, things are not as bad as the mainstream media makes it out to be. Here are both some recent and long-term developments to remind you there is still hope for the human race.

Continue Reading

On the same day millions of Americans were thrilled to witness and equally distracted by a total solar eclipse, Donald Trump decided it was time to announce a dramatically different foreign policy plan for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. Just how different is Trumps new plan? In reality, the new plan is simply more of the same failed policy of the past, one Trump promised to put an end to numerous times over the years prior to moving into the White House.

Continue Reading

If we truly want to challenge racism, oppression, and inequality, we should turn our attention away from the few hundred marchers in Charlottesville and towards the real sources and enforcers of our unjust global order. They are not hard to find.

Continue Reading

Declassified files are useful in a world where truthtellers and open-minded investigators are shut down, censored and accused of being conspiracy theorists. The handy thing about declassified docs is that they are genuine pieces of evidence that prove governmental criminality. Its hard for naysayers and censors to deny the authenticity of governmental declassified files which show that our history is full of conspiracy fact, not conspiracy theory.

Continue Reading

The powers that be, those demons of the deep state, those orchestrators of fear, famine, debt and war, cannot achieve their plan for a New World Order without leading the masses into confusion and disarray, for only then will the masses demand an end to their own freedoms and privacy. And sadly, it appears their army of minions is growing in strength and audacity.

Continue Reading

Quantum Economics provides quantum hints for new business leadership: a viable science of manifestation, how to revitalize the business arena, how to transform the energy of money, how to deal with globalization and keep the free market free, how to achieve an economy of sustainability and prevent economic meltdowns, and how to eliminate, once and for all, poverty and hunger.

Continue Reading

Overwhelm is not just limited to your working life, although thats where you tend to feel it the most. You can feel overwhelmed in every aspect of your life, especially when youre juggling the demands of work, home, and family, not to mention trying to fit in some time for YOU! Learn 5 steps to beat it and prevent it.

Continue Reading

The Empowerment word pops up all over the place these days and is used in all sorts of different contexts.Ill explain my definition ofconsciousempowermentand show you how you can enjoy happiness and fulfillment, make a difference and change the world by living an empowered life.

Continue Reading

One of the perks of being an online English teacher is having the opportunity to talk to people in far reaching places that I would have never otherwise have met. I get the chance to ask people about their countrys culture, language, tradition and politics which, to me, the coolest thing in the world is []

Continue Reading

Do you remember in vivid detail the events of your first birthday? What about a dream you had at nine years of age? Most people would respond no to these questions, but Rebecca Sharrock is one of the few individuals on this planet who would boldly declare yes. That is because the 27-year-old has a unique condition called Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) she remembers EVERYTHING.

Continue Reading

Monthly Archives August 2017 (359) July 2017 (398) June 2017 (394) May 2017 (390) April 2017 (373) March 2017 (372) February 2017 (330) January 2017 (365) December 2016 (353) November 2016 (331) October 2016 (347) September 2016 (312) August 2016 (246) July 2016 (294) June 2016 (305) May 2016 (323) April 2016 (297) March 2016 (319) February 2016 (301) January 2016 (308) December 2015 (326) November 2015 (302) October 2015 (315) September 2015 (309) August 2015 (297) July 2015 (255) June 2015 (278) May 2015 (276) April 2015 (277) March 2015 (284) February 2015 (263) January 2015 (295) December 2014 (324) November 2014 (284) October 2014 (249) September 2014 (285) August 2014 (277) July 2014 (273) June 2014 (334) May 2014 (286) April 2014 (291) March 2014 (274) February 2014 (263) January 2014 (307) December 2013 (305) November 2013 (295) October 2013 (310) September 2013 (303) August 2013 (267) July 2013 (261) June 2013 (264) May 2013 (284) April 2013 (211) March 2013 (220) February 2013 (193) January 2013 (209) December 2012 (255) November 2012 (223) October 2012 (266) September 2012 (168) August 2012 (226) July 2012 (231) June 2012 (145) May 2012 (113) April 2012 (95) March 2012 (84) February 2012 (66) January 2012 (55) December 2011 (14) November 2011 (10) October 2011 (18) September 2011 (9) August 2011 (9) July 2011 (13) June 2011 (10) May 2011 (18) April 2011 (18) March 2011 (29) February 2011 (30) January 2011 (24) December 2010 (41) November 2010 (48) October 2010 (18) September 2010 (1) August 2010 (4) July 2010 (2) June 2010 (1) Category ArchivesConscious Living(5,556)Activism(282)Animals and Pets(102)Conscious Evolution(2,677)Conscious Parenting(146)Happiness & Humor(1,175)Inspirational(1,722)Meditation(352)Peace & Human Rights(271)Relationships & Sex(1,043)Thrive(1,584)Economy(853)Conscious Business(134)Tiny Homes & Frugal Living(88)Environment(1,610)Climate Change(126)Eco-Friendly(452)Environmental Hazards(492)Farming(135)Preparedness(32)Wildlife(180)Government(2,752)Agencies & Systems(455)Bankers & Wall St.(212)Censorship(121)Corruption(709)Internet Control(172)Military(455)Policies(347)Politics(1,053)Spying and Surveillance(356)Whistleblower(198)Health(3,704)Alternative Health Care(478)Big Pharma, CDC & FDA(265)Diet, Weight Loss, Obesity(339)Exercise and Fitness(314)Food, Drink & Nutrition(1,408)Hazards, Issues & Diseases(1,034)Healing & Natural Remedies(889)Herbs, Seeds & Spices(208)Human Energy Systems(227)Longevity & Life Extension(277)Mind-Body Connection(310)Prevention(716)Horoscopes(657)Astrology Overview(74)Daily(492)Monthly(19)Weekly(71)Media & Arts(760)Alternative Media(53)Books(25)Conscious Art and Music(135)Corporate Controlled Media(252)Entertainment(163)Films & TV(101)Internet(106)Social Media(60)News Flash(1)Realitys Edge(2,022)Afterlife & Reincarnation(73)Ascension(80)Astrology & Numerology(303)Channeling & Readings(100)Dreams, ESP & Remote Viewing(96)Dying, NDE, & OBE(62)ETs, UFOs & Crop Circles(314)Manifestation / LOA(675)Mysteries(152)Predictions & Prophecies(43)Quantum Physics(150)Reality Shift(139)Religion(70)Spirits(68)Sci-Tech(2,779)Archaeology(109)Earth & Space(1,341)Futurism & Inspiring Inventions(121)Medical Advances(49)Nature(106)Psychology-Psychiatry(128)Science(842)Technology(585)Travel(7)Uncategorized(62)World(50)

Go here to see the original:
Conscious Life News | News and Articles About Conscious ...

Big Machine Records/Instagram

Taylor Swift's new single, "Look What You Made Me Do," is a dark departure for the singerpretty much everyone seems to agree on that. Old Taylor might be dead, but she's died before (as Swift self-awarely alludes to in the song's lyrics); on each album, we've met a New Taylor. The new New Taylor just happens to be the starkest change we've seen so far.

Here's a look at how Taylor's sound has changed over the years and yet how, as an artist, she's definitively stayed the same.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

It's fitting that Taylor's debut album was self-titled because, more than anything else she released after, it conveyed a sense of authenticity. Taylor is a songwriter and a storyteller first and foremost, so it's not surprising that she gravitated to country music. And, considering she was 17 when the album was released, it's also not surprising that listening to it feels like reading someone's diary.

"Teardrops on My Guitar" established Taylor's willingness to not just draw from her life in songs, but to put in real details (like not changing names to protect the not-so-innocent).

In 2008, Taylor made her first big steps toward the pop world. Fearless was still considered a country album, but the big singles, "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me," were infused with pop. Here, we get a more cheerful Taylor. Whereas 2006 Taylor was a girl who felt like an outsider and who let sadness seep into her sound, 2008 Taylor was reborn as a, well, more fearless version of herself.

In 2006, a crush not liking her back meant teardrops on her guitar; in 2008, it was a chance to confidently declare that he was making the wrong decision if he wasn't with her.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

For 2010's Speak Now, Taylor made the conscious decision to write the entire album herself. The result is her most uniform album, sonically. Speak Now is folkier than Taylor's other albums and the songs are, musically, much more straightforward, which puts the lyrics (the heart and soul of all Swift songs) front and center.

A highlight of the album was "Back to December," which is unique in Taylor's catalogue in that it's a breakup ballad, but also an apology song. Writing a whole album solo seemed to lead Swift toward some very deep introspection.

Taylor might not have *officially* gone pop until 2014, but 2012's Red towed that line as much as it possibly could without totally stepping over it. Singles like "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble" felt like beta tests for the Taylor that was to come, while tracks like "All Too Well" were firmly old school Swift.

What's notable about Red, aside from the sonic dissonance, is that it really served as an almost perfectly chronological record of the two years between Speak Now and its release. At this point, Taylor's private life was largely on the public record, and rather than fight against that, she used it as a framing device for the album.

View original post here:
The Fascinating Evolution of Taylor Swift's Sound, from 2006 to Now - MarieClaire.com

A definition of spiritual enlightenment or spiritual awakening is hard to pin down. This is, in part, because "spiritual enlightenment" and "spiritual awakening" have been used in so many ways to describe so many things, similar to the way in which "love" is used to describe everything from a preference for ice cream to a merging with everything. And it is also because spiritual enlightenment and spiritual awakening are such rich and complex experiences that they are innately hard to define.

Some definitions are very specific and narrow. One such definition for spiritual enlightenment is the complete dissolution of one's identity as a separate self with no trace of the egoic mind remaining. This sets the bar very high and means that very few people qualify as enlightened.

The opposite approach is to say that everyone is enlightened, that there is only awake consciousness. In this view, it's only a question of whether this natural awakeness has been recognized or not. Of course, when a word describes everything or everyone, it loses some of its usefulness. If everyone is enlightened, then why even talk about it?

Perhaps there's a definition that includes both of these perspectives, which recognizes that consciousness is always awake and enlightened, but the amount of awakeness, or aware consciousness, that is present in any moment can vary. This definition acknowledges that there's a difference in the amount of awakeness, or enlightened consciousness, that different people experience or that one person experiences at different times but still suggests that the potential for full awareness or becoming enlightened is the same for everybody. If every apparent individual consciousness is infinite in its potential, then each can also be infinite both in its capacity to expand or awaken and in its capacity to contract or identify with a narrow or limited experience.

If all consciousness is made of the same essential awareness and light, and if everyone has an equal potential for enlightenment, then all expressions of consciousness are equally valid and valuable. Everyone truly is a Buddha or enlightened being, at least in potential. So defining enlightenment in many ways now makes sense, depending on what is being pointed to. One may use the word enlightenment to point to the state of self-realization beyond the ego or to point to the innate potential for this realization in all of us.

As for differentiating between the words enlightenment and awakening, "enlightenment" implies a more finished and constant state of realization, while "awakening" has more of the active quality of a verb and therefore suggests a movement or shift in consciousness. An awakening may be defined as a sudden increase in the overall amount of consciousness an individual is experiencing. There can be small awakenings and bigger awakenings. Not only does consciousness have unlimited potential for the amount of awakeness, but it also has an unlimited potential to shift in any way, at any moment. Consciousness can and sometimes does shift from contracted states of fear, anger, or hurt to expanded states of peace and joy in an instant. Unfortunately, it can also shift in the other direction. Consciousness has no fixed state.

As it is being defined here, a spiritual awakening is a sudden expansion or shift in consciousness, especially a more dramatic one (we don't usually refer to a minor realization as a spiritual awakening). Enlightenment, on the other hand can be used to mark a particular level of realization or awakeness, even if the exact definition varies depending on who is using the word, as it does with every word.

What really matters is what your awareness is doing right now. How is your consciousness appearing or shifting in this moment? Are you realizing more of your experience and Essence right now? Or are you contracting and limiting your awareness with thoughts and identification? Is any shifting happening from reading these words?

Enlightenment or awakening is a profound mystery, and the best definition may be found in the actual experience of your own shifts in consciousness. Just as it's more nourishing to eat an apple than read about one, so it can be more rewarding to explore the movements of your own awareness than to try to understand these things mentally. While definitions of such things can be helpful, it can also be beneficial to not have too many concepts, which could interfere with your actual experience. It's a good thing that language isn't so fixed or defined when it comes to spiritual unfoldment. Maybe the best definition of enlightenment is no definition. Then there is only what is found in your own direct experience of awareness.

(The above is from the free ebook: That Is That: Essays About True Nature available here.)

What are the causes of spiritual awakening or enlightenment?

Consider the miracle of a flower. What is it that causes a plant to flower? Does sunshine cause a plant to flower? Does lots of water? Or is it good soil? Maybe all of these together? Or is there really something more subtle in the nature of the flower itself that causes it to flower? Is it something in the DNA of the plant? Does that mean the whole process of evolution over eons of time is involved? What other factors might cause the flowering? Does gravity play a part? The season and the temperature? The quality of the light? (Some plants will not flower under glass or artificial light.) What about animals that eat the fruit and spread the plant? Or the birds or bees that pollinate the flower? Do they cause the subsequent flowering of the newly established plants? Are there even subtler influences? What about presence and love? The intention and attention of a gardener? And is the existence of the world of form itself necessary for a plant to flower? And what about consciousness? Is there an ultimate force that directs the creation and unfolding of all expressions of form that is behind the appearance of a rose or a daisy?

What if it is a combination of all of the things mentioned? And also what if they have to all be in the right proportion? Is that proportion different for every species of plant? Some plants need lots of water or light to flower. Others will die with too much water or light. There is a unique formula that is involved with the appearance of the simplest apple blossom and the most complex orchid.

When you consider all of these influences and even more that were not mentioned or can't even be known or imagined, then it truly is a miracle when a flower happens. It is impossible to say what causes it to happen with any certainty or completeness. Yet, it's an act of incredible grace whenever all of these diverse, subtle, and gross influences come together in just the right way for an iris or a bird of paradise to open its unique petals to the sky. Ultimately, if you trace all the factors back to all their causes, you find that everything that exists is somehow intimately connected to the cactus flower or dandelion in your front yard. We need a vague and powerful word like "grace" to name this amazing interplay of forces and intelligence. Obviously, to reduce it to a formula doesn't come close to capturing or describing the vast richness of variables and forces at play. There is no formula complex enough to capture the whole mystery of a magnolia blossom...

Spiritual awakening is a kind of flowering of consciousness. When consciousness expands and opens into a new expression, we call that a spiritual awakening. And while there are as many kinds of awakenings as there are flowers, they are all equally mysterious. What is it that causes a child to start to awaken to the nature of words and language? What causes the awakening of sexuality in a teenager? How does one suddenly know they are falling in love? Or even more profoundly, how does one explain the birth of unconditional or divine love?

Finally, what are the causes of the most profound spiritual awakenings, where consciousness suddenly recognizes its ultimate true nature? Why does that type of flowering appear in one consciousness today and another one tomorrow? If the formula for a simple petunia is a vastly complex interplay of earthly, human, and even cosmic forces, then imagine how complex the formula is for the unfolding of a human consciousness into full spiritual enlightenment as one's true nature. The good news is that we cannot and do not need to know the totality of the formula involved to grow some petunias, and we cannot and do not need to know the formula for spiritual enlightenment. Yet, we can be curious about all of the factors involved and even play with them to see what effects, if any, they may have in our individual experience of consciousness unfolding.

Sometimes the mysteriousness and unpredictability of the whole process of awakening leads us to shrug our shoulders and say it is all up to grace or to God. And, of course, that is true; and yet, does that mean there's no place in this unfolding for our own actions? Is there a place for spiritual practice? What about meditation, self-inquiry, or study of spiritual texts? And how about devotional practices or the transmission of presence from being with a great teacher or master? We can easily become disillusioned with any or all of these activities because the results they produce are so unpredictable and varied, and it can seem simpler to avoid the question of their role altogether. Ask any gardener if it works every time to water and weed and fertilize a plant? Or does a plant sometimes fail to flower no matter how well it is cared for? But does that mean you never water or fertilize your plants?

At other times we can be overly convinced that our practice or inquiry will lead to the desired results, often because it seemed to work at least once for us, or for someone we know. The only problem with spiritual practices is that they occasionally work! Then we think that we have the formula and that every time we sit down to meditate or ask, "Who am I?" we will have that same experience of expansion or awakening again. That is like thinking you will always have a bumper crop of marigolds every time you plant them.

There is a middle way between denying the importance or role of spiritual practice and having unrealistic expectations that self-inquiry, meditation, or devotional practice is going to, by itself, cause an awakening. We can experiment and play with these processes, just as a gardener will experiment with different fertilizers or watering patterns to see what happens. It ultimately is all up to grace, and yet, what if grace works through us as well as on us? What if spiritual practice is as much a part of the mystery of existence as anything else?

Maybe we can hold the question of what role inquiry, devotion, effort, surrender, transmission, meditation, gratitude, intention, silencing the mind, study of spiritual books, involvement with a teacher or master, ripeness of the student, karma, grace, and luck play in our enlightenment with an openness and curiosity, instead of a need to define their roles once and for all. The flowering of consciousness in your own existence is as unique as every flower, and ultimately we are all here to discover how it is going to happen uniquely this time around. What is your consciousness like right now? How open is the flower of your awareness? Is it still budding or has it blossomed? Just as every flower fades and another comes along, what about now? And now? What happens this time when you meditate? What happens now when you inquire "Who am I?" How does it feel right now to open your heart with gratitude even if nothing much is happening? What impact does reading this article or any other piece of writing have on you? Every stage of a plant's existence is valuable and even necessary for its flowering. Your experience is always adding to the richness of the unfolding of consciousness in this moment. May you enjoy the garden of your true nature, including when spiritual awakenings are blooming, and when spiritual enlightenment seems far away.

(From the free ebook: That Is That: Essays About True Nature available here.)

About Nirmala:

Advaita spiritual teacher, Nirmala has been offering satsang and spiritual mentoring in the U.S. and internationally since 1998. Nirmala offers a unique vision and a gentle, compassionate approach, which adds to the rich tradition of inquiry into our true nature. He is the author of several books, including Nothing Personal: Seeing Beyond the Illusion of a Separate Self and Living from the Heart. In his books and mentoring sessions, Nirmala points to the wisdom within each of us, and fosters the individuals own potential for spiritual awakening. Free ebook downloads of several of Nirmalas books are available here.

Read the original:
What Is Spiritual Enlightenment or Spiritual Awakening?

Robert Wright didnt think of himself as a candidate for enlightenment. He had turned to mindfulness meditation, in part, to combat lifelong ADDto focus his thoughts, give him a sense of control. So when his meditation teacher told him he could either focus on enlightenment or write a book about mediation, he was taken aback that enlightenment was even on the table.

He wrote the book, yet he hasnt given up on liberation. Wright recounts this episode in Why Buddhism is True, which is part memoir and deep exploration of mindfulness meditation. The Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist realized that if he was going to start a regular meditation practice hed have to dive in. So he began his earnest quest with a ten-day silent retreat, known as Vipassana.

Once enlightenment was mentioned Wright stepped back to contemplate what that word even means. The term has a bit of ambiguity, given all of the contexts in which its employed. In his book, he writes that the specific sense, the meaning of nirvana, is to rid yourself of the twin illusions many people suffer from: illusions inside of your mind and those occurring in the world.

The illusions are the result of dukkha, a Pali word often translated as suffering, though more precisely implies unsatisfactory. In the Buddhist tradition humans suffer because they dont see the world, or their mind, clearly. They put too much emphasis on personal desires rather than objective thinking. We get too caught up in what we crave rather than what is. Enlightenment is freedom from such thinking. As Wright told me,

As a practical manner, I think of enlightenment as an ongoing process where you try to become more and more aware of the things that are influencing your behavior. By understanding them, to the extent that you want, you try to liberate yourself from them.

A great example of this process can be heard on the NY Times podcast, The Daily. Derek Black grew up in one of the most prominent white nationalist families in America. He believed whites are genetically superior. Relationships he forged while in college taught him otherwise. Two years after attending his first Shabbat dinner he recognized his familys overt reliance on eugenics didnt hold water. More importantly he came to understand that members of other races and belief systems arent inferior. He liberated himself from his narrow thinking.

All humans learn in a similar manner. We have genetic predispositions, but our environment, family, and peers shape our worldview. As we age we apply that worldview to our experiences, suffering when conflicting opinions arise. The Buddha realized thoughts are the problem. Enlightenment is the process of decluttering, or expanding, our worldvieweven, at a point, not having a worldview at all.

Thats a tall order for most, however. As Wright puts it,

Part of what can happen with meditation is you rearrange your narratives. If you want to get into the deepest aspects of Buddhist philosophy, youre trying to get rid of narratives altogether. But I think most of us could do with just dropping the more unfortunate narratives.

Which is what Black did, and what Wright practices. An important step in this process is understanding the difference between situation and disposition. We see a man yelling at the barista one morning. Our first thought: Hes a jerk. Maybe. Or maybe his father died last evening. The supposed jerk is really the victim of an unfortunate situation.

Yet we dont view ourselves this way. Since we are aware of our situation, we normally dont apply jerk-ness to our own experiences, even as we readily affix it to others. This is due to a belief in essentialism: the notion that we have an inner essence that defines us. This longstanding idea has played a role in our cognitive framework for thousands of years, at least. Problem is, its not true. None of us have a singular essence.

We are different people in different situations. All life is situational. Were sweet to this person, but that person really ticks us off, for no reason we can pinpoint. Our reactions are completely different, dependent upon situation. This has real-world consequences.

Incredible research shows that inmates up for parole have a 90 percent chance of receiving it if they appear in front of a judge first thing in the morning. If theyre one of the last cases of the morning session their chances drop to 10 percent. First up in the afternoon? Back to 90 percent. Why? Because the judge has eaten. Hes no longer hungry. Situation matters.

Same with students. Children and undergrads learn better later in the day. Yet for many the hardest classes are first thing in the morning. Is the child stupid for failing? Not necessarily. The science is in on this one. Yet still, as school kicks in this month, there are seven and eight am classes, because thats how weve done it.

Which gets to the heart of the enlightenment question. How Ive done it does not equate to this is best for me. When we confuse the two we dont feel satisfied. Instead of treating liberation as a life-shaking, earth-quaking event, as many interpretations of the Buddhas enlightenment have it, we can best understand liberation as a shifting of perceptions, a different way of being in the world. One in which we dont become so invested in things going our way, but rather seeing the way things go and adapting to the flow.

This is not to say that we don't have a say. We do. According to Wright, that means a daily meditation practice. As he says, the more time you put in, the better the results.

The more you invest, the more it translates into everyday life. If Im meditating regularly I find it easier to catch myself before doing something that Im better off not doing, whether thats sending off some angry email or saying something snide to somebody. You feel the impulse welling up and youre more aware of it. I also think youre just more appreciative of the beauty in the world.

The heavens might not open, but perhaps you can breathe a little more easily. Maybe you smile a bit more. Enlightenment is a process and a discipline. Theres no final state to achieve. Rather, its a state to always aspire to in all situations. A tall order, certainly, but one that puts us in control of our emotions throughout the day.

We do have means for achieving this. It just takes a bit of work to reign in the grasping nature of our mind.

--

Derek is the author ofWhole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health. Based in Los Angeles he is working on a new book about spiritual consumerism. Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter.

Read more:
How To Achieve Enlightenment | Big Think - Big Think

At the start of his bands concert, Herbie Hancock noted that he feels like a refugee from Mars, loves science fiction, and contemplates moving to another area. This simple quote was a harbinger of the idiosyncratic Sunday night that followed at Red Butte Garden on August 20, 2017. After stating his feelings, Hancock then declared that my wife is here and she would kill me for talking too much tonight! True to his laconic words, the two hour set engendered a triumphantly transcendental feeling.

The moving music included soothe saxophone solos, gutting guitar, peaceful piano progressions, and deafening drums. Drawing on a myriad of genres that encompassed jazz, funk, electronic, and classical, the eclectic instrumentation was marked by abrupt changes in volume and tempo. The music was occasionally sprinkled with chanting, a nod to Hancocks spiritual practice of reciting the Mahayana Buddhist chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every day.

The aforementioned chant, from the Lotus Sutra, emphasizes that all individuals are capable of Buddhahood. The concoction created by Hancock on Sunday night undoubtedly inspired a feeling that everyone is capable of enlightenment. In nod to their unique spirit, the band ended with a jazz funk encore that got the jovial crowd dancing even in nirvana.

Herbie Hancock At Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City

The rest is here:
Enlightenment with Herbie Hancock - Daily Utah Chronicle

Photo Viewers cheered and howled as they took in the total eclipse in downtown Jackson, Wyo. Credit Celia Talbot Tobin for The New York Times

To the Editor:

Re The Moon Cloaks the Sun, and a Nation Gapes in Awe (news article, Aug. 22): Although I live in a reliably blue state that is home to Bernie Sanders, the national political divide is all too present here, too. Mondays solar eclipse, though, seemed to have no deniers.

Hurrying to court in Rutland, Vt., to represent a client, I came upon a group of 20-somethings outside our library, as I put my quarter in the parking meter. The sky had turned an eerie gray, from a morning of sunshine, and I realized that they just might be there for the eclipse.

Yeah!, one replied, smiling. Theyre handing out glasses in the library; go get one. I made my excuses and hurried off, only to come upon two members of the court staff on the front steps, offering a look through their glasses.

Stunning! And I had nearly missed it because of life.

It seemed as if our whole planet was spellbound, together, for a day. May that feeling of togetherness spread.

Excerpt from:
Seeing Unity and Enlightenment in Solar Show - New York Times