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

This is also good for Post 16\n\nPart 1 = overview of Christianity\nPart 2 = three 'Christnn perspectives&' to aid understanding of what Christians are really like.\nThe Poster-information-sheets in bothPublisher and PDF \nChristian beliefs - Part 1 + 2 of a series by Emma Newby, adapted to give more insight into the diversity of Christian interpretation and belief.\nFiles of Bible References.\nThree files on interpretation of The Book of Revelation - extension work / Post 16\nPPt Slide-show on Parable of Sheep and Goats includes interfaith reflections.

the latest in the series.\n\nthe one on 2nd and 5th describes the workshop I gave at the 12th International Conference on Children's Spirituality - and some observations that my friend has seen when taking children around the St Julian of Norwich Shrine and at Walsingham. This would be useful when exploring Spiritual Experience and religion in today's world.\n\nmore later

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

A selection of articles and reflections on the subject of Anatta. I include several sources which explore Anatta and some exercises including an essay outline. Pupils and students can also use silent reflection to explore self and change, just watching their thoughts. Afterwards write notes of what they remember thinking about + colour code these notes, to show which thoughts related to past, present, future or the world of imagination. Then discuss observations re Anatta and Anicca.

1) an article relating to racism and religious intolerance. \n2) about the Royal Christening/Baptism a compilation of articles and comments about them.\n3) about spirituality being on the rise despite a decline in religious practice. \n4) doing Church without God. A new atheist/secular movement bases its meetings on traditional church services.\n5) Mo Ansar and Tommy of the EDL + documentary-link.\nI would appreciate any suggestions which you may find - to make this resource stronger and more useful.

This is a collection of articles and an interview about this important topic that is affecting more and more people in our nation. \n\nThe recession is supposed to be over but Red Cross surveys show that in Europe many more people are trapped in poverty and a recent survey revealed that in the UK the use of Food Banks has tripled since April, caused in a large part by changes to the Benefits System and the introduction of the Bedroom Tax.

1 kittens, Joy Weekend\n2 Ipswich weekend inc photos Indian Independence Day.\nThird = Facing History Seminar (re Holocaust) \nBlogs from 20th August to 4th September - the Spiritual Festival in New York. a bit unusual.\n6th Sep - back home kittens celibacy and God Realisation. 7th (with pics) of my spiritual Teacher.\n9th - reflections on wealth and oneness.\n11th Birmingham Expedition and chocolate. \n13th house-share tensions. Posters for the Concert\n25th catch up on postering news and an interview\n2nd Oct. Postering + people in Birmingham\n11th Oct (from 4th) preparing for the concert

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.\n30th is about presentation skill training and my workshop next week.\n1st 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

starting a new 'chapter&' with May - hope you find this month interesting even though a bit disjointed. \n\nMore disjointing came when Mum fell in May.- a very tough month emotionally in work and in the family. But that makes it interesting spiritually too. Slowly trying to get back up to date.\nAugust now. still a week behind. Much time going into a resource for Peace and Conflict, looking at Gaza - my thoughts and prayers are with all affected by war in this troubled time. Aug 5th part 1 good for RE - reflecting on Peace Concert pilgrimage in 1985

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. \nTrue 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. \n\na 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.\n\nHappy Guru Purnima.

Here are poems and quotations about sport and the spiritual life from the Sri Chinmoy Library site. \nThese 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. \n\nThese 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. \n\nIt will save people who want good quotes from having to trawl through a lot of other resources to find good quotes.\n\nListed both as a guide and for posters or displays as there is material to use for both here.

An excellent article about the so called charity 'Operation Christmas Child&' and the way it is actually a cover for the most right-wing American Evangelism. \n\nMarketed to schools all over the UK, the gifts provided by schools for needy children around the world are sent with evangelical material and these leaflets are regarded as the &';real gift' by the organisation - which celebrates those who are converted to Christianity as a result.\n\nAn article warning schools about the project but also a good one to use with older classes when exploring prejudice and Fundamentalism.

Several ways of exploring this question in a dynamic and interactive way - which engages with pupil's own views as well as enabling them to explore a range of beliefs including atheism.\n\nThe main approaches featured are group discussion and presentation - and poetry.\n\nA great collection of diverse perspectives and responses to The God Question is included and I will continue to add to this. All suggestions of texts / images / music to include would be most welcome.

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.' \nThis 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.\n\nI&';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.\nWhy did Christians take mid-winter as the time for their celebration?\nHow 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?\nCan you trust a text which is attributed to someone well known and respected. The Ben Stein article is not all it seems.\nThis resource includes a range of articles to get our pupils thinking.

The latest of my slide-shows which asks 'What is Religion? using beautiful images, inspiring quotations, thought provoking text and interactive activities.\nThe slides are timed to progress and some animation is used but the activities progress with a mouse-click and can be timed to suit. \nThis resource is great to start year 7 RE work. It takes viewers through two models of religion - the jigsaw and the garden and introduces the great Eternal Questions, exploring identity - body, vital, heart, mind and soul.\ncomments and feedback welcome.