Category: Leadership - PRISCILLA CL RAJ

Can Science Become Enlightened?

2/1/2016

Deepak Chopra
https://www.deepakchopra.com

'Science goes where reality leads it, but what happens when reality itself comes under question? Since the quantum revolution over a century ago, the solid, tangible nature of reality has been undermined. Scientists were faced with three linked mysteries that are only now being seen as inseparably linked:
What is the nature of the universe?
What is the nature of consciousness?
What is the origin of both the universe and consciousness?

The era has ended when consciousness and the universe could be treated as separate and unrelated. Once accepted as independent, material reality depends on observation – the “measurement problem” in quantum mechanics. At the same time, mind/consciousness/awareness can no longer be considered epiphenomenal, a complex product of brain processes having no bearing on reality.

On the way to making the case for “consciousness first,” the following issues will be considered:

Can exploring consciousness through spiritual methodologies lead to some of the same insights as science?

Can the conscious observer and ‘self’ be understood through introspection - self awareness, self reflection, transcendence, and conscious choice making and intentional self - observation?

Is there a difference between perceptual experience and fundamental reality?

Where do consciousness and conscious experience occur?

In Vedanta, reality changes as consciousness expands. What brain states in neuroscience correlate with different states of consciousness?

Enlightenment or nondual awareness also referred to as liberation (moksha), has been the ultimate goal of life in Vedanta. How does this state of unity bear upon modern science?'

http://www.scienceandnonduality.com/

Sunday Indian Brunch

11/9/2015

At Willow Creek, there is a sub section "Compassion and Justice" working to fight local and global poverty and injustice. Our small group volunteering with "Compassion and Justice" started a project to deliver warm clothing to refugee children and families from Mynamar in Chicago. We had a session of brainstorming, task delegating, and sharing and overly enjoying the amazing food of Shanti.

Diana did some cake shopping and had our cake decorated with this lovely blessing!

Lovely Shoji and I

The Incredible New York Blessing

9/13/2015

Pope Francis

Sitting in mass today at St Mary's Church, our pastor made an announcement that might just be the best one of the year. I felt my heart beat a bit faster and a wave of joy run through my spirit as he spoke the words. "Pope Francis will be visiting the East coast in ten days," I sat there with my hand covering my mouth and counting the days down with my fingers.

The thought is rushing through my head, "Where in the East Coast? New York? Boston?

The phone stays off in church, but I had to feed my curiosity- New York City September 24. This lifted up my below average mood and I couldn't believe it.
It just so happens that my cousin is getting married that weekend and I(Priscilla Raj) is flying into New York LGA on September 24! What a blessing!

What is amazing is that when I flew into the Philippines I had just missed him by 8 days. This news was so disappointing, I could barely look at the posters throughout the city!
Immediately after church, I started looking for tickets with the procession ones going through lottery alone and some random tickets on Craigslist. Not by any surprise, people were selling free tickets for astronomical prices. Absolutely ridiculous and disrespectful on so many levels, but that's the unfortunate truth of those broken.

His schedule:
Thursday- 6:30pm at St Patrick's Cathedral Mass with the clergy
Friday- Central Park procession 3:30 General Public Lottery tickets
Saturday- Mass 12:30 to 5:30 General Public tickets
Sunday- Mass Unknown Time General Public tickets

While I am so happy that my cousin is getting married, I am having a spiritual conflict because I adore Pope Francis. Religious leaders usually take priority over everyone as it's important to connect with their spirit and just be in their presence. It contributes to my spiritual journey and a deeper connecting for being. This may not even be the case for other believers as it may not hold such importance, but.....it does for Priscilla.

Wedding comes first and Central Park procession is going to be missed-upsetting.
But I am going to work hard to get tickets to the mass Saturday and Sunday.
God works his miracles behind the scenes and I hope this can be one of them.
It's an opportunity that I can't and won't miss! One of these events is going to happen as I'm not going to miss him this time!

I

Pastor Reinhard Bonnke

6/28/2015

Thousands of "Great Lakes Region" and Chicago People to come together for a Reinhard Bonnke Gospel CrusadeChicago and the Great Lakes Region (June 26th, and 27th 2015)—Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke and his ministry, Christ for All Nations (CfaN), are readying to receive thousands of Chicago and the Great Lakes guests at the upcoming Gospel Crusade. The live event will be held in Chicago, at the ALLSTATE ARENA, located at 6920N Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, IL, 60018 on Friday, June 26th at 7 PM and beginning at 6 PM Saturday the 27th.  Chicago is the fifth host city for the U.S. Gospel Crusade tour. The Christian event is free to attend and is open to persons of all denominations on a first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is encouraged but not mandatory.

The Chicago Crusade will follow on the heels of the Houston, TX Crusade where more than 27,000 gathered over two nights.  Christ for all Nations is expecting the Allstate Arena to be packed to capacity with people from all walks of life. CfaN has had teams on the ground in the Great Lakes Region for a few months now and have had a tremendous response from the churches coming together to see this event be a success.

Many denominations of churches make up the 400 churches in Chicago and Great Lakes Region that have joined the fast-growing roster of churches registered to participate in the Gospel Crusade.

In more than 50 years in ministry, Evangelist Bonnke is best known for Great Gospel Crusades across the continent of Africa. Born in Germany, God placed upon his heart to minister throughout Africa. He dedicated his life to hold open-air Gospel campaigns across the Continent with as many as 1.6 million people in attendance at a single meeting.  In 40 years of ministry, CfaN has recorded more than 73 million documented decisions to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Explaining the reason to bring the Gospel Crusade to the United States, Bonnke stated, “America needs the Gospel like never before. Despite years of sharing God’s saving message abroad, I believe God is now calling me to turn my ministry inward to help America find renewal and revival.” Bonnke recently became a U.S. citizen. “My work in Africa was paid for mostly by American Christians, and I am so thankful for their giving hearts,” said Bonnke. “But God spoke to me and said, ‘I did not send you to America for the country to just be the offering plate for Africa. I sent you to America for the sake of Americans.” “We are winning millions to Christ, one soul at a time” says Bonnke “Every single, solitary soul is precious.”

CfaN will not receive an offering at the Chicago Gospel Crusade and all new persons who receive Christ at the Gospel Crusades are plugged into a local participating church so they can be discipled and grow in their walk with the Lord.

Attendees can anticipate two days of powerful messages leading up to the transformative Gospel by Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, as well as praise and worship, healing and thousands making salvation decisions. The Gospel Crusade features performances by top Christian worship band Planetshakers and worship leader Ingrid Rosario.

FROM THE WEBSITE- https://gospelcrusade.org/chicago

Do You Believe In Miracles?

6/28/2015

When I was in the Philippines, I would sing inspirational English songs with my patients as many sat in their wheel chairs or listened from their beds nearby. One of the songs I would sing was Mariah Carey, "There can be miracles when you believe. Though hope is frail it's hard to kill. Who knows what miracles you can achieve when you believe...."

How much believing creates a miracle?
How far does our faith take us?
Do we believe they can happen to us or are they just a distant act of God?

While I sang that song to them, I did believe. I do believe that my beautiful people are watched over by the Lord. They are living and breathing after extreme adversity and difficult life assignments by the Lord. They experience mini-miracles, blessings, love, support, and prayer to keep them going.

Although, how is a miracle defined, how many are given, based off our faith, our love, our morality? Are miracles requested, earned or neither? Does the holy spirit do all the work and healing? If so, is it spontaneous or are people chosen? People say miracles allow Jesus to do all the work through another being and they are God placing his hand on you. A human hand working with the holy spirit palm and two fingers over the head. The touch, the electricity, the feeling, the experience, a release, a new day.

In the Christian Gospel Crusade, all these miracles were happening so fast all around me that it was overwhelming me I had so many thoughts, questions, concerns...

The first night I had pure disbelief for what was happening in front of me. It was surreal and it didn't fit my bubble of faith and realism. Although, miracles are called "miracles" for a reason. Our minds our fighting against our hearts to believe. as this just was not my type of ministry. I had to dig deep into my belief that God can make anything possible. The holy spirit is the most powerful of all and can move mountains. He was moving mountains in that stadium with one after another feeling "healed."

Are we ever "healed" one hundred percent? It was my clinical perspective and experience that kept me skeptical blocking my mind and heart. Just observing one after one share their moment of healing. I thought, "Why is it so easy for her at this moment when my patient was dying in front of me and we prayed and prayed, but we didn't save him?

Pastor Daniel taught everyone this way of healing with the palm and the forehead and said, "Anyone can do this you don't have to be a Pastor." I thought to myself "Really? I don't think so." I do believe in miracles. The boy that will never walk again and he is able to walk. The man declared dead and he comes back to life. The woman diagnosed with cancer and it simply disappears from her body. I believe in those individual cases you hear about, but groups of people in person is a whole lot to process mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Although, we are all believers or non-believers that have a mind of our own and have their own personal experience that may draw them to a certain conclusion. There is always room to question, analyze, wonder, ask, or comment. The Who, What, How, Where, Why can always be mysterious and take time to figure out. A simple answer from an Evangelist would be "You don't need to know anything, just believe. Empty your mind and find logic." Yes, I agree with that partially, but everyone takes their own time to learn and adjust to new experiences.

The second night was a confirmation of miracles. It challenged my beliefs as a Christian it was a reminder they are alive and well and an awakening in my own self. Mental Illness can vanish, Diabetes can vanish, physical pain, emotional pain can vanish. There can be always be the medical fight, the self-improvement, finding ways to hold on a bit longer each day, learning how to cope, deal with crisis, live with it, and find a purpose in why this was given by the Lord. This is just the bubble that I live in, but I opened myself up to new possibilities with Pastor Reinhart and Pastor Daniel. Perhaps that new found miracle is going to promote you to the next level in life to give back and be the best person you can be for God. It is all possible when you believe.

For instance-people, like my friend, they may take it all in one dose and swallow it. For myself and others I know, we take it in small doses or maybe we just don't want it at all. Some people may read this and think it's ridiculous or not believe in any kind of miracle or just not on this spectrum. That is perfectly fine and it's not expected of anyone as this topic can be debated, misunderstood, and questioned extensively- not everyone welcomes such a controversial subject of life and healing.

But remember When your eyes view things you could never imagine...expose your eyes to greater wonder each time PCR

What are your beliefs on Miracles?

Run for Jesus

6/20/2015

On Saturday morning, blessed minds and kind hearts met together in the unity of our Lord and Savior. It was a planning meeting for the event Run for Jesus on August 22, 2015. This meeting consisted of a Panel of seven incredible Pastors and Priscilla. Each pastor had a powerful message addressing how to refocus youth on to Christ. A couple of their main points were that youth are the leaders of the future and they have a responsibility to commit to Christ. As for Priscilla, I focused on how to keep youth accountable and responsible for their behavior, how to be active members of community, sharing their own individual story/being treated as individuals, learning positive coping skills to deal with their environment-family/friendship/education/and technology and to respect them and "meet them where they truly are in life."
The best part was having the youth come up to read scripture, sing, share their experiences, and reasons why "Run for Jesus"

While youth were the focus, there are both children and youth being served in the ministry of Dr. Regi Paul, Indo American Christian Children Of Chicago. The Run for Jesus and The Passion play for children and youth have been going on for years. The Passion Play has been quiet a success and children have shared their own passion for it. Read More...

It was my first time meeting these youth and they were so kind and welcoming. I had mentioned that working with many youth, I never know what to expect when I first walk in the door, but these children were lovely, kind, polite, and clearly...there was a dedication to Christ. There is a difference between a youth is lost and troubled and youth who is challenged but they have a strong love and faith in Christ.

Our meeting did not have a break and it's often you see kids become restless. Of course, they were kids and had a few laughs and jokes, but they were incredibly patient. They closed their eyes with intention and focus. They spoke boldly, honestly, and from their heart. It did not sound rehearsed, as those moments where kids stand up with their eyes rolling waiting racing through to the last word. These few children and mainly youth(15 in attendance and over 200 total) were present, patient, and proud. I couldn't help, but wonder. "Are all the kids like this?" Clearly, I know the answer to that question as every child is their own person. But Dr. Regi Paul is providing these children with the right environment. The environment that contributes towards positive growth and leadership. These children have potential sitting in the palm of their hand and it is up to them to utilize it.

It is the children and youth who have to face some of the most difficult decisions to move in a positive direction. To stay in their own lane rather than focus on negativity that surrounds them. A country that I would question even bringing a child into with the amounts of environmental barriers and negativity. The media, the declining education, and the rise of technology. From a psychology perspective, the majority of people do not understand how all this connects and how it impacts a child's behavior.

Dr. Regi Paul has targeted exactly what these children need. He has given them three of the most important components: consistency, support, and love. Also, all his time, resource, and dedication make children feel they are important. They need to refocus on Christ, minimize negative behaviors catering to the norms of this country, build community, take responsibility, and train to become leaders. Dr. Regi Paul and his wife Rita are selfless human beings who have been serving the Lord for over twenty years with this ministry. They have full belief that these Indian Christian children have potential to lead lives of leadership, service, and integrity.

It's with great pleasure that I accept the new position as
the Board of Advisor for Indo-American Christian Children of Chicago.

Global Leadership Summit

6/8/2015

Global Leadership Summit

On Saturday morning in Park Ridge, IL some beautiful minds gathered to discuss the Global Leadership Summit. How to get the Indian population attending church and training Pastors to become better leaders. It was a privilege to be around men with such passion, purpose, commitment, and years of thirty to fifty years of experience. Some I had previously met and I was aware of their extensive ministry work in Chicago and India.

t, therefore, I knew about their excellence. Most were Pastors and leading
their own ministry-running over one hundred ministries, starting numerous programs, traveling all over India to serve and preach. These are moments that I live for-to be able to learn from the older, male(preference) adult who has a significant amount of knowledge through experience to share.
As we collaborated on how leadership can be improved-it was clear that I still had a bit to learn about leadership myself. Leadership takes persistence, an interpersonal approach to connecting and providing information with compassion. A Pastor has a busy schedule and is accustomed to doing things the way they know. Coming into a church and trying to make changes requires treading lightly and praising for accomplishments of ministry. People need to connect on that Interpersonal level especially those of the Indian community at Willow. They just need a little bit of true connection and caring to get them showing up three times a month rather than once every two months.
To hear the wisdom of these men made me proud to be in their presence. These meetings will continue this summer and the......

WILLOW CREEK GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

AUGUST 6-AUGUST 7
ww.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/

VIDEO
http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/popup/2015_gls_short.asp

   190,000 LEADERS REPRESENTING
                                   15, 000 CHURCHES
                                                                      108 COUNTRIES

Believe in Spirit

5/29/2015

After returning from my trip in April, the beauty of the ones I cared for had seen better days. When I come back from a mission trip, I usually think of a special person I want to share my trip with-the spiritual moments, the human moments, and moments of pure joy. This was a friendship with someone truly supportive and a friend who was always cheering me on from close and afar. She was a great mother, a wonderful sister, and a good friend to everyone that needed one. Those days abroad I missed her and couldn’t wait for us to reunite.

When I returned, I called her phone a few times and I kept getting a busy signal. When we know something could potentially be wrong, our defense mechanism of denial comes standing tall. It was a week later that I called a mutual friend of ours and received the news that she was….gone. She passed away in January and I never even got the chance to say “Goodbye” and I her death was never disclosed. She was just gone out of my life and taken away all the good she was doing. When we don’t have closure-that puts us in between a rock and a hard place. While I would normally see her before leaving, it was Christmas times and our schedules just couldn’t work it out.

As if this was not hard enough, the shocking news of a great friend from Chicago passed away. It’s a common statement that “She was too young.” Everyone is too young to die, but when someone the same age as you leaves-its sadness and introspection at the same time.

“How could this happen to her? This could have been me. This really did not happen to her? She’s the coolest, nicest, and most caring person?”

A person can rationalize it with the “if’s, ands, or buts” the “shoulds” “woulds” or “coulds,” but none of it will bring that person back to you. You never think that your last phone call would be the last conversation. Even though you can’t meet up, you have time. It’s not the case for the real world. Another person and another lost goodbye just being left with vivid memories that feel like it was just yesterday. When you have some of the best times with someone, it makes it easier to keep the spirit living on. Dancing the night away, having long conversations about our 20s life and loves, passions confessed and fulfilled overtime. She brought such joy to the lives of others with a selfless manner. When anyone was having a problem, she was the first one to be there. While we were all a big family of friends, she had a motherly instinct that clearly had potential to blossom into her own real family. A caring heart, a loving heart, and a heart that smiles from the inside. As my Mom always said, “She’s a doll” with her beautiful hair, her charm, and stunning blue eyes. It’s hard to forget someone beautiful from the inside and the out. She was cherished and adored by family, friends, her significant other, her co-workers, and now she is being cherished up above.

Both these friends stay with me in prayer, in spirit, and they will never be forgotten yet remembered for the incredible women who had a special place destined within my life. We can’t dismiss people because there physical presence is gone because the spirit still exists. We can’t physically reach out and touch them, but memories and moments bring the spirit back alive. It is spirit that can keep a person’s memory alive. It is a positive memory that can save us from misery. It is a belief in something greater than ourselves. It’s a reasoning that can’t be questioned and analyzed rather it just needs acceptance. Acceptance brings us closer to spirit and gives a chance at holding on to our friendship.

These women are “gone” in a physical sense, but they are not “gone” from the hearts of others. As the saying goes, “There is a power in numbers. There is a power in the number of people who keep them in memory, in spirit, and in heart. The sky may be full of clouds for a while, but eventually the sun will shine bright. The sun that is shining down are the rays of light that are coming from the death of beauty. A time for prayer, a time of acknowledgement, and an acceptance of the devastating loss. It’s unfair, unjust, cruel, unusual, and unkind, but we can still remember. Remember their contribution to this world and the mark they left in it.

They are staring down asking you to smile with them because that spiritual exchange is the hopeful thing that is left.