In silence darkness brings rest
till the master speaks
I behold the star rising
The Primal Source of All

Thoughts I dedicated
to be pure and creative
Words I dedicated
to be instructive and edifying

Deeds I dedicated
for harmony and balance
Thought, word and deed
dedicated to radiate the light

Flame of FA
rune of primordial fire
purifies and burns within

Thoughts of UR
rune of the original cause
healer of roots, released

Actions of THORN
rune of projection of power
cycles of existence, awakened

Words of OS
rune of wisdom and manifestation
free from karmic ties,expressed

Palms, outstretched, lifted above
Receptive vessels receiving grace
Humble acknowledgement of ego sacrificed
In minds eye reflects pure white light

All Under Momentum
All Upper Movement
All Uniform Manifestation
The vibration of sound

The presence of being affirmed
by trumpets blown with joyful chant
releases quiet contemplation
of the central flame that remains.

10-11

On 19 September 2013, Parliament of South Africa was
announced as the winner, at the iCMG Enterprise
Architecture Excellence Awards 2013 in Bangalore,
India, in the category “Enterprise (Business and IT ):
Transformation and Planning”

iCMG represents a community of over 70,000 enterprise architects and operates in 32 countries. The award is a global validation by peers and industry leaders, on an international platform, for enterprise architecture excellence achieved. The award is the highest recognition that can be received in the field of enterprise architecture.

Enterprise Architecture ensures alignment between Parliament’s Business and ICT strategies, Parliament’s operating model, ICT design principles, and the software development projects and service delivery. By taking an enterprise-wide, perspective across all the Parliament’s business services, business processes, information, applications and technology, Enterprise Architecture ensures the enterprise goals and objectives are addressed in a holistic way across all ICT projects and their deployment in the following manner:
- A collective and unified understanding of Parliaments Business and ICT requirements
- An alignment of ICT expenditure with the strategic objectives in Parliaments Strategy
- Tangible measurement of business benefits
- Monitored and managed ICT risks

ICT is an important, pervasive, enabler to realise the mission, of Parliament, which is to represent and act as the voice of the people, in fulfilling its constitutional functions of passing laws and overseeing executive action. The Parliament of South Africa’s nomination was a finalist in three categories: 1) Enterprise Architecture 2) Best Enterprise & IT architecture in Govt/Defence/Public Sector, and 3) Transformation and Planning. Parliament won the category “Planning and Transformation” for applying enterprise architecture principles and methodologies to improve effectiveness and efficiency through information and communication technology.

The nomination was based on how enterprise architecture was applied during the development of the 2009-2014 ICT strategy of Parliament. The approach was used to identify and consolidate business requirements and to translate business requirements into strategic initiatives for implementation.

The award is not just recognition of a past accomplishment but it is also a promise of the continued capability in Parliament to leverage value from ICT.

PROMISE YOURSELF – by Christian D. Larson (1912)

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear; and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

In darkness a prisoner sat
Defiant mind in sweet revolt
Beg strength to flow from misery

The trials begin, a descend into the abyss
In darkness lost, the paths fixed ahead
four open doors, star leading through the white

Traverse the ocean, the shore recede
Dont trust royal seaman’s outstretched arm
He will sink and the ship along

Lit the sacred fire that will not burn
Release the fears that binds the soul
Strike the snakeof of illusion with a blow

Lift up high to tumble throught the air
Your guide delivers with swift embrace
Smell the fragrance adrift in the cloud

Behold the vision that brings hope
Accept gracefully gifts fot the journey ahead
The trials done but the journey incomplete

Purify self in a vessel crystal clear
Absorb the active liquid to sanctify within
for the transformation has begun.

The crowned lion adrift with vine
above the brazier self-sustained
let salt be rubbed into the flesh

In death the transformation completes
The cadaver rots slowly away
before life can return a new breath

He steps from the tomb with spear in hand
Reaching for the crown of victory
the lunar flow where body and soul met

In cold tower, the fleeting must be bound
the strong overcomes with chains the weak
Solar energy regenerates, spirit ascends

The sun burst into dust a thousand fold
Each particle a new sun to behold
The work is complete, imortality the reward.