A Humata Parsee Anjumaan Publication Simply in D Vol. 5 January 2017 Are Sudreh & Kushti Mere An ALAT is a material object, in which certain higher levels of energy have Symbols of our Religion? been awakened. This generates certain A Periodical on wavelengths and vibrations within the Zarathushtrian If the Sudreh and Kushti are merely object and it then becomes attuned with Philosophy, Life, symbolic of being a Zarathushti, then similar waves and vibrations flowing why are they supposed to be made in in nature outside it. A circuit is thus Customs, Current such a specific way? Is there some formed which enables the object [now Issues and Challenges. reference in the Khordeh an Alat] to receive and absorb that indicates a deeper meaning and Mazda’s divine light and then transmit purpose? Indeed there is! In the Meher it all around. Nyaish we pray “Zarenumantem Surem Yazamaide” .... I attune to the Golden Just like the sacred Atash Padshah Inside This Issue Tools [or weapons against evil]. Sahebs in our Agiaries and Atash Behrams. Sudreh and Kushti are Alats The Sudreh and Kushti are spiritual that perform the above mentioned • Are Sudreh & Kushti Mere tools or spiritual equipment. When function of absorption and emission of Symbols of our Religion? we consider our own internal conflict divine energies.” between good and evil, these tools [courtesy: Ervad K.N.Dastoor] are indeed golden spiritual weapons • B4 My & [Zarenumantem Surem], that help us As I Grow: with our inner battle. The spiritual Explaining ! equipment of Sudreh Kushti invoke Part 4 - How do i know He and awaken the energies of our 16 cares? Chakhras. The material, shape, size, form and constitution of the Sudreh as a garment and Kushti as a thick thread, • What Is: The Battle are designed for the invocation of Between Good and Evil? spiritual energy within.

“Zarathushtrian Science teaches us • Individual Spiritual that Sudreh and Kushti work together Alchemy - Developing as an ALAT. Every piece of matter, the Virtues of Shehrevar whether a stone, a flame, a butterfly or a As Alats, the Sudreh and Kushti play a human, has in its deep interior, a spark major role in the process of individual Ameshaspand of God’s Divine Light. Zarathushtrian spiritual alchemy. If we keep referring Science teaches us that there are levels to the Sudreh and Kushti as mere www.humata.org of subtle energies reaching the divine. symbols of our religion and ethnicity, These are dormant and hidden in the we downgrade this lofty spiritual [email protected] deep interior of everything, but can be institution and tool, and destroy our invoked, awakened and enlightened own confidence in its spiritual function. by certain Manthras and religious ceremonies. Havove Tarapore our life so that we develop our remember... B4 My Navjote &

spiritual side as well. Logic cannot answer questions in He wants us to learn how to care about God and love – It’s faith

D for someone even though they that carries us to the heavens Explaining may have hurt us. above. So, think of Ahura Mazda in all Ahura Mazda. He wants us to learn how to love you do and say. Pray to Him each imply someone even though they may morning and talk to Him all day.

S dislike us. You will get to know Him in this simple way. You’ll feel He’s always He wants us to learn how to give with you, in every moment and of ourselves, without expecting every day. anything in return.

So, when we face difficulties, it’s The above is an excerpt from Part 4 of 4 the best opportunity for us to the i Zarathushti series How do i know He practise developing these “God- on Learning Fundamentals. like” or “saintly” qualities. Of cares? course, we will fail so many times. But, we must keep on trying and We know Ahura Mazda seize every opportunity we get to loves us and cares for practise! us in the same way we recognize love from Be thankful for every opportunity other people. We can He gives us to practise being a bit recognize love in the more like Him. So... way people interact with us. That means the way Instead of asking or expecting we show each other Ahura Mazda to remove all kindness, concern and obstacles in our lives, we should consideration. We feel try praying for help and guidance it in our longing to be to: together as one. And, we • overcome obstacles without know it in the happy and compromising what is right. To order your carefree feeling we have • overcome struggles by being when we are together strong enough to resist doing copy with the ones we love anything wrong in order to get email us at: and the ones who love us. through. • overcome difficulties with [email protected] Our parents love us by wisdom and inner strength to giving us good direction. carry on. You can also get a copy from an They expect us to be Agiary or near you good individuals. They When you pray for these sorts push us to study, to of things, suddenly, you will find a until supplies last. The Dadar work hard, and to be surge of Divine Help. You’ll find Madressa and Cusrow Baug active and fit people. courage, strength and wisdom Agiary still have them in stock. Our parents’ love and that you never thought you had. direction helps us grow That’s when you will recognize the into good, healthy human flow of love pouring into your life Limkigraphics beings. from the heavens above. Designers & Printers

January 2017 In the same way, Ahura When trying to understand or 24149863 * 9821136114 Mazda’s love directs explain Ahura Mazda, always 2 forgiving, kind and concerned good forces of light are helping us

What is: about the betterment of the other. achieve... as we battle against evil.

in “The Battle” Between Good and Evil The forces of darkness operate by The battle between good and D slowly creeping into our minds and evil is the struggle within us as hearts through all sorts of negative well as outside of us, towards the temptations. These temptations conversion of the forces of darkness attack us through our 5 senses into the forces of light. imply until we become enslaved to them.

S Finally, our entire lives become The evil forces have no justification focused on pleasing our senses. for their battle. They are fuelled Our minds and hearts become only by greed, and self-centredness. completely occupied with thoughts They create only disorder and of attaining more and more. Soon destruction. The good forces have the entire army of the dark forces is divine purpose....they create order upon us....greed, selfishness, lust, from the disorder of evil. They are ego, materialism, untruth, jealousy, virtuous and re-establish harmony Of the two opposing forces anger, hatred, deception, lies and from disharmony, love from hate, in nature, there are the finally, a reckless and wanton peace from war...they create light Good Forces of the “light” disregard for all of nature. from darkness. side of nature and the evil forces of the “dark” side. In this way, when we allow the Such is the nature of the battle Both are tugging at us forces of darkness to control our between good and evil. endlessly. minds and hearts, they not only lead to self destruction, but also The Colour Me Zarathushti Series is excellent for cultivating faith and lead to the destruction of our planet. Just like any war, the evil knowledge for Pre-Navjote ages. Order forces of darkness are In turn, that affects all of Ahura by emailing us at: [email protected] always trying to gain more Mazda’s creation and increases the ground, occupy more burden on all humanity. As the territory, and control more dark forces of evil gain strength, cities in a place we know our own struggles intensify. Our as “body-mind-and-soul”. lives are soon filled with heart ache, disease, impurities, and losses of all On the other hand, the good kinds. forces of light are always trying to contain the dark Light, on the other hand, instantly forces, limit them to one disintegrates and destroys tiny area, surround them darkness. The forces of light are with the forces of light and constantly guiding us and teaching slowly, kindly, lovingly us how to destroy the dark forces of convert them through the evil not only inside us but all around enforcement of Divine us. For example, when a candle Laws. That means through is lit in a dark room, the darkness the practise of divine has not moved or relocated....it is obedience, the practise of simply no more...it is destroyed, it purity and the education is conquered. of divine knowledge and divine truth. Since the dark forces of evil use our 5 senses to affect our minds In this way we can see that and corrupt our thoughts, we must the good and evil forces in learn to develop pure and virtuous nature are truly opposing – thoughts that shine just like a January 2017 one is self centered and the candle and forever convert the other is completely loving, darkness into light. That is what the 3 Individual Spiritual good and bad that enters our lives with trained and fit for the task ahead of us.

humility and patience. Developing No one is exempt from this preparation. Alchemy perseverance not only to overcome, but Even the mightiest soldier will fall if he in also convert our negative experiences does not maintain his strength, power,

D Developing the into advantages towards a greater good. skill and equipment. Virtues of Shehrevar Developing all these qualities however, This is true even for an Atash Padshah Ameshaspand requires a certain strength. After all who has been spiritually raised to

imply each of these qualities can only arise the level of a ! He requires

S after an inner battle is won! A battle physical and spiritual purity to be to overcome our negative thoughts constantly maintained. He requires Our effort to understand and desires with virtuous ones! the boi ceremony to be performed the Divine Virtues of the Here, we need the help of Shehrevar 5 times a day. We can compare the Amesha Spentas and then Ameshaspand and imbibe His Divine boi ceremony of an Atash Padshah to try to incorporate the similar qualities into our own character. our own Kushti ritual. Each time the human virtues into our own boi is performed, the Padshah’s aipi character continues. If we refer back to the chart in Vol. 3 or atmosphere is cleansed of spiritual page 3, we will find that Shehrevar or contamination! That includes such In our last issue we looked Khshathra-Vairya Ameshaspand is in things as the subtle vibration of our own at the earth and how it charge of Metals, Matter and Subtle thoughts emanating from our personal manifests the qualities of Energies. He possesses the Divine atmosphere our aipi. When the mobed Spenta Armaity. The Earth Virtues of Divine Power, Divine strikes the bell, the sound waves that is tirelessly refreshing and Kingdom and Desirable Sovereignty. move through the air “sweep” the entire renewing itself in spite of To develop our own spiritual power and atmosphere of the subtle vibrations of all our utter abuse to the attain sovereignty for our soul, we must imperfect or negative thoughts. So, environment. We saw how learn to develop the human virtues of even though He is a Yazata, a Divine She tirelessly and selflessly having the mental strength, alertness and Sovereign entity, He too requires works to compress and digest and tenacity to resist evil thoughts, the right tools and exercises to maintain trash. Through Her own words and deeds. This means that one His lofty Spiritual Powers of fighting gravitational force (from tiny battle at a time, we must learn to druj or evil. spinning), even coal becomes overcome our negative thoughts and diamonds and other minerals desires with good ones. Similarly, for us to develop and become precious stones. She maintain the human virtues of Spenta does this selfless service for Here we can see that our human bodies Armaity such as humility, acceptance of Ahura Mazda to further the are the battlefields on which the war whatever comes our way, perseverance goal of final frashogard or between good and evil is taking place. to work towards our purpose, liberation. She accepts all In each moment of our lives, a battle is convert hate into love by our selfless the trash and abuse we as either won or lost. devotion and so forth.... it requires humans subject Her to, due the development of an inner spiritual to Her Perfect Humility to When our thoughts become entangled strength, courage, resilience and Ahura! By attuning to her into the desires and emotions fortitude. It requires a certain amount qualities through our bandagi stemming from darker origins, like of spiritual exercises like the practice (consisting of manthra, self-centeredness, materialism and the of ashoi and bandagi. It requires mithra and ), we try to desires of our 5 senses ... a battle is lost. certain spiritual tools like manthra develop the human virtues When our thoughts are overcome by and Sudreh Kushti (Zarenumantem of humility, rejection of ego, devotion towards God, selflessness, Surem). No one is exempt from it. Not forgiveness, being able to see kindness, courage and charity towards even an Atash Padshah! The next time the good/god in everything God’s purpose... then a battle has been you perform the kushti ritual, think and everyone, and learn to won. of it as performing a boi ceremony alchemize hatred into love. for your own personal atmosphere. But more importantly, the Whenever we fight any type of battle, Use the spiritual tools and develop the quality of working tirelessly whether it be on the battlefield or inner spiritual strength and mental towards the purpose of our court room, in society or internal... we tenacity to resist negative thoughts, January 2017 own existence (alchemy). require some sort of equipment, tools words and deeds. Win one tiny And also, accepting all the and a master plan. We need to be well battle at a time. Liberation awaits! 4