continuing blog. The first two files include photos of the kitties. The on on 25th also includes some reflections on the meaning and significance of birthdays. 30th is about presentation skill training and my workshop next week. 1st has some sheets for next weeks workshop.the scanned texts (which come from the Interfaith video/slide-show) are loaded separately + original slide-Show they go with. - see http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Reflections-On-Life-part-2-InterFaith-with-music-6079804/ for original plus music

I try to share the things that are interesting, things that make me think about life - not just the outer details of my days. Because I do have an active spiritual life and practise meditation daily, this may bring a slightly different and more interesting perspective to things. But I also share some of my weaknesses and the battles I fight. I have been encouraged to continue my blog by some very kind and sincere teachers. I think we have little that we can offer to the world other than who we are - so this is a bit of me. Happy Christmas to everyone.

More articles and information will be added. Please give me a pm with suggestions. more articles here - thanks for suggestions and please continue to keep them coming - also comment on how you may use these in class. I hope to continue to add to and update this resource Thanks - DurgaMata

1) an article relating to racism and religious intolerance. 2) about the Royal Christening/Baptism a compilation of articles and comments about them. 3) about spirituality being on the rise despite a decline in religious practice. 4) doing Church without God. A new atheist/secular movement bases its meetings on traditional church services. 5) Mo Ansar and Tommy of the EDL + documentary-link. I would appreciate any suggestions which you may find - to make this resource stronger and more useful.

this is a resource in process, but because it will be good if more people work on it than me - and because, inspired by some videos which my friends brought to my attention I would like to meet people who would be interested in creating some great interfaith discussion videos - I am making it available here at this early stage. True this is not a worksheet or power-point but different articles on an important RE topic, selected over a period of more than a week, is a very useful start. Love and Peace DurgaMata

celebrates the relationship between a Spiritual Teacher / students or disciples, a time when Hindus re-dedicate themselves to their spiritual life. There are parallels here Islam during Ramadan and Judaism in celebrating the Sabbath. a summary of Wikki on this, as a separate file, with questions is in process. If anyone uses this and would like to share lesson plan and feedback, that would be great. I aim to create some activities around this information. Happy Guru Purnima.

Here are poems and quotations about sport and the spiritual life from the Sri Chinmoy Library site. These cover topics such as the World Harmony Run (also called the Peace Run) the Six and Ten Day endurance ultramarathon races - and then as many good and relevant quotes as I could gather in about three hours of researching. These form a great resource to dip into if you are asked to do cross-curricular work on sport and religion.

This is a collection of links to other resources including inspiring quotes by Einstein, Native American Quotes, Christian texts and quotes, The Bhagavad Gita with highlighted texts, some ppt Slide Shows with inspiring and interfaith texts etc. It will save people who want good quotes from having to trawl through a lot of other resources to find good quotes. Listed both as a guide and for posters or displays as there is material to use for both here.

This story arises from an art exercise in preparation for some animation work. The brief gave three 'random-generated&' words (Party, Aeroplane and Waiting) and asked for &';a scary story.' This story was inspired by my concern for all who are suffering from political upheaval around the world, especially in Syria, Chechenia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and so many other parts of the world. Use as a starter or stimulus for a unit of work on refugees and asylum seekers, war and peace or even aspects of Islam in today&'s world. I&';d love some feedback.

in haste, I just answered a question about miracles in relation of GCSE RE. My answer (here) may be helpful but I will improve on it soon. I want to add the model and examples of miracles with the Bible Refs on. plus a suggested questionnaire and how to analyse results (cross curricular maths.) but no time for that tonight.

Christmas is the time of year when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus - but we do not know when Jesus was actually born. Why did Christians take mid-winter as the time for their celebration? How do Jews and Muslims feel about living in a society which is traditionally Christian? How is the current fashion for atheism affecting the way we celebrate Christmas? Can you trust a text which is attributed to someone well known and respected. The Ben Stein article is not all it seems. This resource includes a range of articles to get our pupils thinking.

The main document comes from a thread on Save RE, responding to a website which calls for the subject Religious Education to be renamed. I disagree and set out my views here. I answer others who comment on this. Alongside this I include some articles. In the first document - three articles from the BBC website. 1) from July 2013 when Mr Gove admitted how his policies harm RE. 2) Ofsteds report, criticising the quality of RE. 3) refers to the current report by the Religious Education Council - on a suggested Curriculum content for RE.

A selection of readings from different cultures and religions. The ego is limited. To achieve spiritual progress we need to feel the whole world as our own and all people as members of our family. This requires the limited ego (which separates and divides us from others) to be transformed into the 'divine ego&' which feels that the entire world is part of our own existence...

responding to a great video about an Indian who is caring for the destitute - https://www.facebook.com/groups/212329012138235/permalink/598115910226208/#!/photo.php?v=754295981250483&set=vb.326280940802638étype=2étheater and responding to his mention that some Brahmins criticise him.

A ppt slide show of 21 images of Jesus from a European perspective. It is in process as many images are not the right shape for a ppt slide so I will have to adjust them in Adobe. But it does give a great idea of the way that Christians everywhere think of Jesus as their Brother, as their Friend, His divine aspect is beyond the confines of one time or place, one nation or race. They can and they do, wherever they live, whatever their race or culture, claim Jesus as their own.

The first of these readings is from my June 27th 2013 blog, reflecting on the pregnancy of my cat I plan to add other inspiring or insightful readings related to pregnancy, abortion, sex and family life. I may also add the group-work / role-play notes I have used with success when exploring this topic with GCSE classes

An overview of Quakers and some of the important issues that they take a stand on - Peace, Simplicity, The Environment etc. A great denomination to use to highlight the diversity that exists within one religion. Quakers also don't have the outer sacraments as they take the view that all of life is sacramental and the outer sacraments invite hypocrisy.

This is a series of anecdotes and reflections from a book I am writing called 'Sunlight and Shadow, Spirituality at Work in School.&' Uploaded as a resource in response to a teacher asking about anti-Semitism, it begins with reflections on a class visit to a synagogue and then explores the question of &';Why are there so many religions? Sri Ramakrishna's models of God and other models which explore the concept of oneness and diversity in religion are also included.

Sir John Tavener - Spiritual Composer - readings from the Guardian Obit... 'his universalist focus continued to result in wonderful works, such as the mass Sollemnitas in Conceptione Immaculata Beatae Mariae Virginis and the Requiem... Drawing its texts from Sufi poetry, the Catholic Mass, the Koran and Hindu words from the Upanishad, Tavener explained that 'the essence of the Requiem is contained in the words &'Our glory lies where we cease to exist&';'... a story about a 'journey' and becoming 'one with God'.

2 Dec (1) - Nov 28 (2) - 29th (Ma's birthday.) Both with photos 13 - 16 Dec our Nelson Mandela prog, 17 - 21st bit from Deepak Chopra and Christmas Day Radio 26- 28th - daughter in India + Chopra insights on relationships. Jan 7th, update, family, Chrisn/Muslm orgs working with ex-gang-Members 14th work + half-milliion mark 15 - 19 Jan inc sponsors for son? and &'tummy trouble.&'; 9th Feb hospital and poems. 13th - 20th Feb inc photos 23rd a long blog inc resource on Sala/God interfaith events + photos + poems. March 14-18 includes bits from Liverpool RE Confrnc 18 - 21 new job?