Book :
A 1945 classic, Animal Farm was a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution. Led by the pigs, the Animals on Mr Jones's farm revolt against their masters. After their victory they decide to run the farm themselves on egalitarian principles. Inspired by the example of Boxer, the hard-working horse, the cooperation prosper. The pigs become corrupted by power and a new tyranny is established. "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Snowball, the idealist, is driven out. The final betrayal is made when the pigs engineer a rapproachement with the Farmer.
After moving into the farmer's house, learning to walk on two legs and wear human clothes, the pigs use a number of yuktis to get the animals to work for them including; the Sugarcandy Mountain, Ribbons & Sugar and Milk. The
Sugarcandy Mountain to symbolize the concept of a Heaven to come that inspires the animals to work using lies and manipulation. A land where clover and sugar is unmeasured and free to everyone.
Ribbons & Sugar symbolizes the luxuries of life enjoyed by the old middle class under the old government. Mollie, the capitalist, is particularly fond of ribbons and sugar so much so that she leaves the farm for them. Lastly, Orwell uses
Milk to represent the care and love that mothers give to their children. When the pigs take the milk for themselves they are in essence, stealing the very life of the other animals turning the other farm animals into tools of the state. No longer is the power in the family, the cornerstone of civilization, but in the totalitarian New World government. As salient a read as when it was written and a warning to us all of how be become those we rebel against.
Boxer the horse, is a tragic avatar of the working class or proletariat; loyal, dedicated, and strong. His major flaw, however, is his blind trust of the leaders and his inability to see corruption. I suggest that he could easily represent the 100,000s of poor bharatwasi BKs hearded down at Abu Road.
Book :
Woven around the premise of a visit by the Devil to the fervently atheistic Soviet Union. The is one of the greatest Russian satires, directed against an otherwise immobile social order. A mysterious and psychically gifted gentleman "magician" of uncertain origin, arrives with a strange retinue, targets the elite and wreaks havoc amongst corrupt social-climbers, women, bureaucrats and profiteers.
In one of the major episodes where you will see my metaphor clearly, Satan holds a magic show at the Variety Theatre. Originally satirising vanity, greed and gullibility of the new rich, it has the self-proclaimed elite duped into believing that they are dressed in the most wonderous finer, everything is well and that the Magician is able to money fall from the ceiling. But when they walk out and wake up later, they find they are naked, the money just paper and everything is asa it was before.
As a spiritual counter point, there is also an interesting account of the meeting Pontius Pilate's meeting with Jesus, his recognition of an affinity with and spiritual need for the Messiah whilst also realising his role in his death. Witch-like flying figures a lot.
Book :
Lao Tzu wrote:Better stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.
As soon as the Silver Age is over, I am off to Yunnan to hang out with Lao Tzu and his mates. None of those Monkey gods, Elephant boys or caste system for me. One of the most popular translations of the Taoist classic illustrated by simple B&W photographs. A religion without religion and grounded common sense wisdom. A peaceful meditation without a god encroaching on your inner space. Universal stuff that the BKs have not laid claim to. Yet. 25 years old translation but timeless. [On a serious note, one thing I wish the BKs would wake up to and advertise is that the native Copper Aged religion was not Hindu and only Indian but widespread and universal. You would think that India had the trademark on enlightenment the way they go on, largely in their nationalistic way.]
Book :
The Chasm of Fire, A Women's Experience of Liberation through the Teachings of a Sufi Master by Irina Tweedie.
Irina Tweedie,
http://www.goldensufi.org/A-ChasmofFireInterview.html was a British woman who went to live and study in northwest India with a Naqshbandi Sufi teacher. Her book is written in the form of a spiritual diary - the sort of diary Brahma and Saraswati must have written but we do not see. She was the first Western woman to be trained in her yogic lineage.
During her training, her teacher did not give her any specific spiritual practice as he believed that while men required this kind of discipline, such things were not necessary for women to develop spiritually. The few years she spent near him consisted largely of sitting in his courtyard or house, observing his interaction with other disciples and family, with occasional terse conversations with him. The stress resulting from a combination of the heat, noise, smells, physical illness, and emotional deprivation seemed to cause a progressive emptying of her personality.
Her teacher described his method of instruction in the following way: "... we do not teach but quicken. I am stronger than you so your currents adjust themselves to mine" thus causing "the stronger magnetic field to affect, quicken the weaker". This combination of suffering so that she would "lose herself in every way", and the teacher's continued presence and influence resulted in different spiritual experiences.
It is an interesting and honest account of the sometimes harsh process and breakdowns one can experience on a true spiritual path. Not the pretty New Age - do it at the weekend - face.