By Vivekjivandas Swami BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha A guru’s greatest gift is wisdom – words that come from both experience and enlightenment. His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj had traveled the world, meeting people from various backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Add to the wealth of his experiences in human interactions the fact that he practiced what he preached,...
By John Di Leonardo The life of a wildlife rehabilitator is not for the faint of heart. Often days are filled with frustration due to people's unwillingness to coexist with wild animals. It seems that many in our society prefer a "sterile" environment, one that is free from geese and their excrement, nesting birds...
By Gnanpurushdas Swami BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha In August 1979, the Machhu Dam burst in the town of Morbi, Gujarat, causing a massive disaster. The widespread flooding left everyone in turmoil. Many lost their lives, and the survivors lost their livelihood. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, in Amdavad at the time, was deeply moved on hearing the news of...
By John Di Leonardo This past week, my friend Karenlynn and I drove a piglet to his new forever home at Safe Haven Farm Sanctuary in Poughquag, New York ( 40 miles from New York City). Karenlynn had helped rescue him from New York City’s Gateway National Park in Howard Beach ( part of New...
By Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj In many places around the world, parents read to their children a famous fairy tale, the story of ‘Sleeping Beauty.’ In this story, a princess is cast under a spell and sleeps for a hundred years. Only the kiss of a true prince can awaken her. While the story is...
By Juliana Di Leonardo Lately, it feels as though we are traveling back in time. People now have the right to carry concealed weapons and women are losing rights to their own bodies. Sometimes we may fantasize about a simpler world, one that resembles the past but certain things were left behind for a reason....
By Gnanpurushdas Swami BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha “The greatest discovery of any generation is that humans can alter their life by altering their attitude,” said William James. Attitude is the way in which we relate, respond, and react to the events and environment around us. But the important thing is that our attitude is self-programmable, so we...
By John Di Leonardo Gambling is one of the 7 addictions, or Sapta Vyasan, recognized and prohibited by Jainism. This vice has devastated the lives of many persons and their families, however, when it comes to horse racing, it devastates the lives of animals as well. Since 2009, more than 1,600 horses have died at...
By Gnanpurushdas Swami BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha “Hatred is self-punishment,” said Hosea Ballou, an American theological writer. It is a powerful force often linked with a feeling of frustration, powerlessness, and the desire for revenge. But hate is a choice, just like love. Anyone can hate. However, it takes a lot more effort to love. In 1987,...
