M.J. Rose

“One must be aware that one is continually being tested in what one wishes most in order to make clear whether one’s heart is on earth or in heaven.” – Ustad Vilayat Khan

What do you feel is your great test in this lifetime? What is it that you wish for most? Please share your thoughts in the comments section of this post. We want to hear from you!

I have always been very interested in accounts of Jesus’ life in the East. So many of these stories ring true for me. What is your sense about this mystery?

Pilgrim’s Progress, by Mandakini Gahlot

A small Buddhist town perched on the steep cliffs of the Himalayas celebrates history

In his controversial 1894 account of Jesus’s lost years La vie inconnue de Jesus Chris (The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ), Russian journalist Nicolas Notovitch claimed that it was in Hemis, a tiny town about 40 km from Leh, that a previously unknown Gospel, “Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men,” originated. The gospel is said to be an account of Jesus’s travels in India and east Asia. While the town’s links to Christianity have never been proved, over the last 400 years, it has become one of the most important centres for Mahayana Buddhism in the world.

At an altitude of 12,000 feet, the journey to Hemis is not recommended for the faint-hearted. About two kilometres before the monastery, all traces of a motorable road disappeared. Our driver informed us that from thereon it would have to be on foot. For those fond of trekking, the climb up to the monastery is exhilarating. For others, the steep slopes and pebbled paths can prove to be exhausting.
Over the years, Hemis has become synonymous with the monastery. Most of its local population choose to reside in Leh and the surrounding villages located at a lower altitude of 11,000 feet. The only inhabitants are 350 monks who live and train here in austere simplicity. There is little by way of comfort, and the temperatures border on the extreme…

For the rest, click here.

What are the Karma and reincarnation views according to Vedanta – one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest? Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. Vedanta is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism; but while Hinduism includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious backgrounds.

Click here to learn more about it. There are many beautiful words and interesting philosophies on this website that I know you will enjoy exploring.