A New Form of Birth?

As we go deeper into the age of Dwapara Yuga (the age of energy) we will see science advance in many ways.  In so doing, mankind may begin to feel “all-powerful.” But, for the perceptive mind, there will always remain the journey of the soul. This will remain essentially the same – though outer circumstances will change – such as technology around birth and death and much more. And the laws of karma always remain, i.e.,  what you put out  – you get back. It may be on time delay – but it will happen.

Anyway – my thoughts ran in this direction after reading this article yesterday:

No men OR women needed: Scientists create sperm and eggs from stem cells

Which opens with this:

Human eggs and sperm have been grown in the laboratory in research which could change the face of parenthood.

It paves the way for a cure for infertility and could help those left sterile by cancer treatment to have children who are biologically their own.

But it raises a number of moral and ethical concerns. These include the possibility of children being born through entirely artificial means, and men and women being sidelined from the process of making babies.

I was relieved to know that the author thought there might be ethical concerns.   At this point the researchers think they have created preliminary sperm cells and egg cells – which is pretty amazing.  My hat is off to them on a purely scientific level, even if I have misgivings about the direction of the whole deal.

The sperm had heads and short tails and are thought to have been mature enough to fertilise an egg.

The eggs were at a much earlier stage but were still much more developed than any created so far by other scientists…

…The American team used stem cells taken from embryos in the first days of life but
hope to repeat the process with slivers of skin…

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1223617/No-men-OR-women-needed-artificial-sperm-eggs-created-time.html#ixzz0VMRYBHPV

However, there are many ways that the greed aspect of human nature could exploit this science.  At this point, my gut reaction is that some things are better left alone.  However, that is unlikely. Science will continue to evolve. What is needed is for “spiritual  science” to evolve right along with it,  or even more ideally, ahead of it.

In any age – the spiritual truth remains, “Love they neighbor as thyself” and, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This can help in most ethical questions – especially if you also consider the soul nature of all those involved.

In the article “When does the soul enter the body?” I present the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda on the entering at conception.

When the sperm and ovum unite, at the moment of conception, there is a flash of light in the astral world. Souls there that are ready to be reborn, if their vibration matches that of the flash of light, rush to get in…Paramhansa Yogananda

Spiritual Stem Cell Research In his lessons on healing, Yogananda also teaches how a deeply skilled meditator can transform his own stubborn body cells back to the more pliable stem cell state, and then command them to recreate a limb! I have read of a few cases in which this has worked.  I offer it here as an example of “spiritual science” being way ahead of the medical science at this point – not in the normal population certainly – but rather in a few extraordinary human beings.

However, from the teachings of Yogananda, an avatar for this age,  we can at least take some hints toward medical ethics.  For instance, in his above instructions, a person is using his own body cells and spiritually transforming them back to the stem cell state. So, of course – no life is taken in the process. No embryonic cells are needed to create the stems cells.  The material plane corollary is the ever-developing science of converting skin cells into stems cells.

And, of course, in his teachings above, regarding life starting at conception, one can infer compassion for the tiny fetus, and even more especially when that soul has been conceived by spiritual parents.  Even if society becomes more and more jaded regarding the presence of life and the soul in tiny baby – it doesn’t mean that we should all so become hardened in that way.  I mention this because the “norms” of society do have some effect on us, especially to younger people. If something is legal – there is a tendency to think it may also be moral or “okay.”

However, most women do seem to feel, in their heart of hearts, that abortion is wrong – once they have experienced it. They may feel that in the less-than-ideal circumstances it was still their best choice – but they may wish they had done more to avoid the predicament.  Sometimes that is easier said than done.  But – since this is primarily a blog about family life – you can discuss this with your sons and daughters to not take this subject lightly in their own lives.  Again – because something is “legal” – it may feel “okay”  – until they are faced with it.  So – hopefully they will make good choices that lead to a happy outcome.

And – in spite of our best efforts as parents – “life happens.” No matter what challenges you face in your family, lead with love.  Consider all that I have written here simply as helpful commentary for discussions that may arise in a home with teens and ‘tweens.

God bless you all.

Mary Kretzmann

PS – Click below for a wonderfully fun and inspiring Thanksgiving letter written by Yogananda in 1934.

November Healing Newsletter  – printable version:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21773932/Nov-309-Newsletter

Good Parenting, By Paramhansa Yogananda

I was just leading a friend around my website, and I realized that I did not yet have a direct link to this article by Paramhansa Yoganananda. It is offered here in i-paper format.  It provides some wonderful insights into the balance of helping your child develop free will as well as self-discipline and other good charater traits.

(I also put a link to this at the bottom of my page called “Family Book”)

Do’s and Dont’s of Good Parenting, By Paramhansa Yogananda

View this document on Scribd

Satsang with Swamiji

We had a beautiful weekend in Los Angeles for the book launch of The New Path, By Swami Kriyananda.  Sunday morning at the Chapel is wonderfully described here by Barbara Bingham. I recommend that you check out those links for a more complete reference.

Swamiji told many stories and answered many questions. Free Videos and audio are available at this link.  I thought to highlight one special personal insight here, that may also be of help to others, also because it augments the many references I have made to the teachings of Christ on this website.

Swamiji related the story of a monk in SRF, and the turning point that moved him to dedicate his life toward seeking God alone.  This man, before becoming a monk, had been in a boating accident which had turned nearly tragic. He was about to drown, and he saw his life pass before his eyes.  In that moment, he realized that the things which he had thought were important in his life, now seemed very trivial. And some seemingly small events he now realized were very important on a soul level. As Swamiji spoke, I was struck with a very deep, prayerful concern of, “I need to know now what is very important at the moment of death! I don’t want to find out when it is too late! I don’t want to find out at my life review as my life pass before my eyes.”

I can only describe this as a deep call for reassurance, because I had read of these things in books regarding near death experiences. I already “knew” what was important…but this was a soul call for clarity. I continued to pray intensely  as Swamiji spoke…and then I felt an inner grace and strength. Clear as a bell the words came to me, in deep calmness and peace:

“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12: 30-1

These brief yet powerful words, encapsulate everything we need to live in accordance with what is divinely important in life and in death.

Swami Kriyananda, at Forest Lawn Chapel (photo by B. Bingham)

Light-keeper for your home:K-9 Web Protection

Updated version of what I wrote in Teens (I’ve since updated that post, too.)

…There are some specifics that will help any family. It is crucial to monitor computer access appropriate to the age level of your child. There are several items available to help you with this.  One is called K-9 Web Protection and it is free.  You can adjust it to fit your concerns. We’ve been happy with it so far, and I find it easy to customize it.

It also does more than simply protect family morals. It probably saved my computer the other day.  My son wanted to download some music – but it was blocked by K-9 because the site had spy-ware on it.  I did a search for a review of the bad website, and the complaints said some people had to have their computers rebuilt.  I’ve since told him to get his music from more reputable websites! But, to his credit, he thought it was okay because McAfee hadn’t warned against it.

There is no way you can keep track of what your kids are doing online just by glancing over their shoulders now and then. K-9 also has a log of internet activity that cannot be erased without the password. (Hint: if you look at history on your computer and it is blank=bad sign. That means some one is covering his or her tracks.) K-9 would also be a big help in any families troubled by online porn. (Unfortunately – good families can be sorely tested by this. Give the wife/mother the password and block porn: very effective.)  I read of one man who asked for this because he was so sick of wasting his time with porn – but he couldn’t break the habit on his own.  So – K-9 can help keep Light in families  on many levels. And as I said – you can customize your settings for your family’s needs…

Teens

Tim and I led a family weekend retreat recently at the Ananda Community in Portland, Oregon.  (I also taught a healing class, as well.)  It was wonderful to see the level of spiritual support and cooperation between the families. This also helps to create a sense of positive peer influence between the kids. Nonetheless, as some children are now entering middle school, they will face situations and temptations that they did not encounter while attending the wonderful Living Wisdom School, a private school that stresses character development along with an excellent, well rounded education.

Tim told some great stories around the campfire on Friday night, including one about a walking fish, which was a great hit, as you can imagine.  He also told a beautiful story at Sunday service. Something that tickled us was that at the end of his story, one little girl,  age 6, whispered something to Tim before leaving with all of the other kids for Sunday school. Tim had just finished his inspiring story about a man feeling God’s profound answer to his prayer… and she got him to lean over, and then whispered to him, “I liked the story about the fish…”

That made us laugh. Oh well – you never know what will sink in… (but  a walking fish is a pretty good bet.)

Teens and tweens

As we parents look at our sweet children approaching the teen years – it is sometimes hard  to fathom the temptations they may face at school, or on the school bus.  Sometimes this leads to a fair amount of wool that can be pulled over the parents eyes! Tim and I are on teen #3, and are thus somewhat prepared, but we can’t let that lull us to go on “auto-pilot.”  We need to stay aware. Each child is individual and brings fresh concerns, so the most important rule of thumb is to stay involved.

However, that being said, there are some specifics that will help any family. One is to monitor computer access appropriate to the age level of your child. There are several items available to help you with this.  One is called K-9 Web Protection and it is free.  You can adjust it to fit your concerns. We’ve been happy with it so far, and I find it easy to customize it.  And, as an added bonus, it probably saved my computer the other day.  My son wanted to download some music – but it was blocked by K-9 because the site had spy-ware on it.  I did a search for a review and the complaints listed said that some people had to have their computers rebuilt… I’ve since told him to get his music from reputable websites!

There is no way you can keep track of what your kids are doing online just by glancing over their shoulders now and then. K-9 also has a log of internet activity that cannot be erased without the password. (Hint: if you look at history on your computer and it is blank=bad sign. That means some one is covering his or her tracks.) K-9 would also be a big help in any families troubled by online porn. (Unfortunately – good families can be sorely tested by this. Give the wife/mother the password and block porn: very effective.  I read of one man who asked for this because he was so sick of wasting his time with porn – but he couldn’t break the habit on his own.  So – I see K-9 as something to help keep Light in families  on many levels. And as I said -you can customize your settings for your family’s needs.

Another very good resource is Parents: The Anti-Drug. Long story short is that they know best what teens are facing right now in this department.  So, it is best to be informed.  And know that your love , clear guidance, and concern is an enormous influence on your child and teen.  Read through the website a little bit each day…

And then – build positive energy in your family. Apply the positive things that you are already inclined to do, and possibly add in some ideas from my free e-book, Finding God in Your Family.  And – pray for your kids…they’ll feel your love and care. Every bit of love and light helps them immensely.

More later…

Take care and God bless…and please feel free to leave helpful comments, or questions…

More on teens can be found here and here.

St. Bernadette

I just found this beautiful, short video of St. Bernadette.  Paramhansa Yogananda was very inspired by a long movie about her that came out in the 1930’s. This one has many lovely photos of St. Bernadette, and depicts her inner strength and devotion. It ends by saying she is the patron saint of families, and the sick, and those in poverty.

Tiny Preemie Baby Wakes Before His Funeral

This is a remarkable story of survival of a tiny infant, just a little over a pound. I’m posting it (below) simply to help keep our hearts open to the humanity of these tiny ones.  This size of baby is still legally aborted…because they are considered less than human – and not worthy of life and protection, if the mother deems that to be so.

Thus, the [Judiciary] Committee observes that no significant legal barriers of any kind whatsoever exist today in the United States for a woman to obtain an abortion for any reason during any stage of her pregnancy.1

May our hearts soften in love and compassion, and may women revere the power of life within them. And may we find more options for women who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances.

There is so much polarity these days about abortion, and in the arguments there are intelligent people who argue the baby is not quite human and is not to be legally protected.  That is where our society stands right now. Oh dear… but there is a natural goodness in women, when they see the humanity of their babies.  I read that when women see a sonogram of their baby before an abortion, over 75% decide not to have the abortion.

So – that means another solution was found, once the reality of the baby was seen. In some ways, the biggest question on this may not really be “legal/illegal” –but rather, are our eyes open or closed? And what about our hearts?  For the will of the people flows through their deepest feelings. And right now, the will of the people says this: “If the mother does not want the baby within her, then she is free to kill it. Even if the father should want his child, she is still free to kill it.  The woman’s body, and her feelings,  are ‘god’ in this matter.”

Some people say they want “god” and religion out of the abortion question – but they have simply substituted this new “god.” In ancient days, the power of woman, for the ability to bring life, was “worshiped.” And even in more recent times, the woman was at least respected and revered, for this same power. But now it appears that feminine power is more worshiped in protecting her right to end that life. In fact, pleas for compassion on the  life of unborn babies are often seen as an assault on “feminism.”

I don’t see an easy way out – because if most people feel it is okay to kill unborn babies, simply because the mother wants it – then our hearts are hard indeed.  And the more our culture supports it, the harder our hearts must become, of necessity, or else we would be  tormented by conscience. There is plenty of evidence of the humanity of unborn babies…but people must blind their eyes, so as not to see it.  If our hearts and scientific minds are truly opened, then it begs another answer.

I applaud any move in the direction away from such hardness of hearts.  It may come piecemeal.  I imagine it will take time. For now, my greatest hope is in helping families pass on this respect of life.  The question of abortion has always existed. Why else would Hippocrates have said, in his oath for all physicians, 

“…I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art…” Hippocrates

Since the legalization of abortion in many Western countries, the anti-abortion sentence of the Hippocratic oath has sometimes been dropped from the text. That is indeed a pity, for it would suggest we are becoming less civilized, rather than more so. Let us hope it is temporary.

Indeed, the much more recent The Declaration of Geneva (1948) in response to the heavy use of abortion and sterilization by the Nazi regime against eastern peoples, states:

“I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life, from the time of conception; even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity.” The Declaration of Geneva

So, I simply place here my plea for humanity. No more, no less.

“…But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment…” Mark 10:5

‘Dead’ baby wakes before funeral

A premature baby declared dead by doctors at a hospital in Paraguay was found to be alive hours later when he was taken home for a funeral wake.

According to medical records, the baby weighed only17.6 oz (500 g). The smallest on record was an American baby who weighed just 10 oz, born at less than 22 weeks.

A doctor who works at the hospital’s maternity unit said staff had tried to revive the baby for an hour before declaring him dead. “His pulse was so low that it was undetectable,” Aida Notario said.

Jose Alvarenga said he had discovered his son was alive after he heard crying from the box in which he was placed. The baby is now back at the same hospital’s intensive care unit and reported to be in a stable condition… “This is a very unusual case,” Ernesto Weber told the AFP news agency, adding that an investigation into the incident would be carried out.

Original BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8191023.stm

More on pre-term births:

James Elgin Gill (born on 20 May 1987 in Ottawa, Canada) was the earliest premature baby in the world. He was 128 days premature (21 weeks and 5 days gestation) and weighed 1 pound 6 ounces (624 g). He survived and is quite healthy.

The world’s smallest premature boy to survive was born in June 2004 at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. Tyler Martin was born at 23 weeks with weight of 320 grams (11 ounces).

Historical figures who were born prematurely include Johannes Kepler (born in 1571 at 7 months gestation), Isaac Newton (born in 1643, small enough to fit into a quart mug, according to his mother), Winston Churchill (born in 1874 at 7 months gestation), and Anna Pavlova (born in 1885 at 7 months gestation).

The Soul Enters at Conception, testimonies

I’ve received some great comments after I posted my article on When Does the Soul Enter the Body? in which I mention:

Some sensitive, intuitive parents do report feeling the soul being born to their family in that moment, and that it feels like a fully conscious presence that then becomes the baby. Some parents say they can sense something of the soul’s strengths and challenges, and how to best guide that soul, once he or she is born and ready for the School of Life.

I love hearing soul affirming wisdom straight from the lips of women who knew from the first moment that new life was within them…I received this note from a friend after she read my original article.*  Her daughter is now grown and has children of her own.

“Dear Mary,
This is so beautiful. Thank you so much. When my dear daughter came to me, I felt her fully formed, not by any biology, but by her own nature. I saw her personality fully present. She was smart and observant. She thought way before she could speak. It was such a joy to have her with me.
Joy to you, Mary,
Sheila”

And it is really great to hear from the dads, too! This one is from a devotee in Canada. He and his wife live surrounded by forest, and I feel that this natural peace, plus meditation of course, has deepened their intuition to a high degree.

One of his stories, below, gives testimony to the truth of Yogananda’s words: “At the moment of conception…when the sperm and ovum unite, there is a flash of light in the astral world….”

“I would like to briefly share my own private experience with you:

“At the point of my son’s conception, my wife and I had a mystical experience that will stay with us for our lives.  Both of us heard a pronounced, almost electrical PING” sound, and simultaneously saw a subtle inner flash, as we rested in the midst of our loving embrace.  We both exclaimed – “Did you hear that?!”—and yes, we both did hear it, and also both saw an almost electrical energy like charge take place in a subtler realm, distant yet somehow very close to us.  We knew at that moment that our pure expression of love had opened the way for a wonderful soul to come to us. My son, 26 years old now, remains a source of great joy in our family.

We have also been blessed with other experiences such as an unwavering inner knowledge, not provable to others, but without a doubt for us, that our daughter is my dear grandmother,  who previously loved my wife and I so much.  To see a soul you knew very well in one life, and who sang lullaby’s to me as a child, come into this world a clean slate in their own new conscious mind,  and travel a new journey with you in a new form as your daughter, is an amazing gift that deepens ones spiritual ardor.  To this day, my daughter (she’s 22 now) carries many of her strong willed and goodness tendencies from her past life, but remembers nothing of her past in this incarnation.

We usually avoid speaking of these things as they have been greeted with rolling eyes and unspoken skepticism, but my experiences have proved to me, truly, souls do congregate and are attracted to each other, coming into this Matrix of a physical world.”

These stories give testimony to experiences these parents had well before ever reading Yogananda’s teachings on the topic. Soul teachings are eternal, and we discover them for ourselves when we live more and more in the Divine Light.

****************************************************************

Swami Kriyananda was often present when Paramhansa Yogananda spoke privately with disciples, received visitors, or discussed his writings. These conversations are recorded in his book, Conversations with Yogananda. This question of life is addressed in entry #177:

It is a common belief these days that until a child is actually born, it is not yet a consciously developing human being. This belief is fallacious.

“When does the soul enter the body?” someone asked the Master.

“At the moment of conception,” he replied. “When the sperm and ovum unite, there is a flash of light in the astral world. Souls there that are ready to be reborn, if their vibration matches that of the flash of light, rush to get in. Sometimes two or more get in at the same time, and the woman has twins, triplets, or even – well!

“It is important, therefore, to come together physically with an uplifted consciousness. That flash generated in the astral world reflects the couple’s state of consciousness, especially as they felt during the moment of physical union.”

Conversations with Yogananda: RECORDED, WITH REFLECTIONS, BY HIS DISCIPLE SWAMI KRIYANANDA

*Read the full article in an easy to forward format:

When Does the Soul Enter the Body? by Mary Kretzmann

When Does the Soul Enter the Body?

I just learned that an early version of this chapter was used in a Congressional Workshop on “Personhood Defined as Beginning at Conception?” – only 21 documents were used. Nice to know that Paramhansa Yogananda was represented. His insights on the matter are so clear.

When Does the Soul Enter the Body? by Mary Kretzmann

(scribd.com document – very nice format – easy to print and forward.)

Excerpt:

Paramhansa Yogananda addressed the point of when the soul enters the body in numerous writings. Most of them go way beyond what you need to tell to child, no matter what the age. Those deeper writings are for married couples desiring to pray in a special way at the point of conception, in order to invite a spiritual child to their family. (Of course, the love, goodness, and spiritual devotion of a couple also serve as a divine magnet, helping to draw a more spiritually receptive child.) The story below carries the essence of this deep truth, and frames it in a simple manner that can be broken down and used appropriately, depending on the age of the child.

Swami Kriyananda was often present when Paramhansa Yogananda spoke privately with disciples, received visitors, or discussed his writings. These conversations are recorded in a wonderful book, Conversations with Yogananda. This basic question of life is addressed in entry #177:

It is a common belief these days that until a child is actually born, it is not yet a consciously developing human being. This belief is fallacious.

“When does the soul enter the body?” someone asked the Master.

“At the moment of conception,” he replied. “When the sperm and ovum unite, there is a flash of light in the astral world. Souls there that are ready to be reborn, if their vibration matches that of the flash of light, rush to get in. Sometimes two or more get in at the same time, and the woman has twins, triplets, or even – well!

“It is important, therefore, to come together physically with an uplifted consciousness. That flash generated in the astral world reflects the couple’s state of consciousness, especially as they felt during the moment of physical union.”

Conversations with Yogananda: Entry ~ 177 ~
RECORDED, WITH REFLECTIONS, BY HIS DISCIPLE SWAMI KRIYANANDA

Some sensitive, intuitive parents report feeling the soul being born to their family in that moment; and that the soul feels like a fully conscious, mature presence that then becomes the baby. Some parents say they can sense something of the soul’s strengths and challenges, and how to best guide that soul, once he or she is born, and ready for the School of Life. It is by no means every devotee parent who feels these things – but it does happen, and it helps shine some light on this topic.

Interestingly, in his teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, Paramhansa Yogananda said that the moment the sperm and ovum unite is when soul is “born” to this plane, and, therefore that is the ideal moment from which to draw an astrological chart. However, since that is highly impractical, using the moment of the baby’s first breath is the second best option, and is considered only to be approximate. (For this reason, and others, he said only a true God realized Master can do an astrological chart with complete accuracy.)

Some of these things can be given to a child in small doses whenever the “birds and the bees” questions come up. They appreciate this image of a flash of light that calls the child’s soul to the parents. You know your child, and you will know if and when to share any of these things. It is comforting for the child to know that we are always the soul – but sometimes we have a physical body, and sometimes (such as after death, and before life) we have an astral body, made of energy and light. I have seen these ideas help many children, young and old.

Paramhansa Yogananda also taught that when the flash occurs, from the sperm and ovum uniting, the new body starts to create the medulla oblongata, the seat of the “ego” in the body. He sometimes referred to the ego as the “soul identified with the body.” Interestingly, I first heard about some of the metaphysical aspects of the medulla in a pre-med Anatomy and Physiology class at University of New Hampshire, in the 1970’s. The professor, in front of 500 students, said the medulla is the most metaphysical point in the body, and that it is also called the “mouth of God,” and it is where life force enters the body. I later heard these same things when I came on this spiritual path less than a year later, and I have since wondered if he had read Yogananda’s teachings!…

Read more at scribd article, above

or here in an earlier website post on “When Does the Soul Enter the Body?”

Come to me as Moses, by Yogananda

Children’s Bible Stories – Moses

I just found this simple little online story about Moses. It is complete without being scary.  Suitable for young kids. You could either read it online or print it out.  If it’s too long – just read a little bit each day. I am writing about Pentecost for older kids, and I came across this for back ground information about the 10 commandments (and why there were so many foreign people in Jerusalem for the Pentecost).  And yes – I know I am late for this year. I am in the process of creating ongoing resources.

online picture story about Moses

I will also be adding in this prayer-poem about Moses from Yogananda:

Come to me as Moses

O Moses, thou blossom of prophets! Thy wisdom’s power has led many out of the desert of sorrow to the smiling lands of joy.

The lips of thy life have whispered the secret way to set ablaze the bushes of soul-darkness with wisdom’s fire, and in its glow to behold God’s mercy-face.

In the “burning-bush” of love, He saw thee, wet with trickling tears of kindness to all, and behold, He said:

“Let My ten angels of heaven escort thee to earth, to blow in silence through the trumpets of all times, My Ten Commandments, declaring the march of Mine invisible army of divine qualities to fight the Satan of human darkness and his allies of sin, error, untruth, and their gloom-drunk soldiers.”

O Moses, thou torch-bearer of salvation, many soldier-souls are seeking to join thee in thy ceaseless march through the dark night of time, to fight the forces of gloom.

O God-loving Moses, teach us to fight weakness with power, and to worship supremely the God of Gods reigning on the throne of all hearts—and no other God!

---

By Paramhansa Yogananda, in Whispers from Eternity,