16 Qualities to strive towards

Wisdom

On the path of inner unfoldment there are sixteen qualities/virtues to acquire:

1. Patience – A victory is the conquest of one self through patience.
2. Kindness – Treat everyone kindly and courteously and always be ready to help.
3. Generosity – Spend your benevolence and good will with impartiality.
4. Humility – Give credit to others and everything will be accomplish in due time.
5. Industriousness – Do what is needed but let modesty be in proportion to your gifts and talents.
6. Temperance – Act in harmony with cosmic law.
7. Balance – Seeks the delicate balance between your own needs and the needs of others.
8. Calmness – Don't let disturbances disturb your mind.
9. Discernment – Until your judgement is cut off, remain inclined towards a favorable opinion.
10. Righteousness – Let nobility of character lifts you high above absurdities.
11. Honesty – Never seek any other source of light except the light of truth.
12. Silent – Keep your wisdom locked in your heart for in Silence lies true power.
13. Knowledgeable – Maintain an unshakeable confidence in the Divine principle of truth.
14. Conviction – In everything, no matter of what evil appearance, there is within a good seed that can overcome evil.
15. Consistency – Hold fast to your spiritual possessions.
16. Loyalty – Truth remains unaltered so remain loyal to truth.

Parliament’s ICT striving towards excellence.

Work

In May 2013, Parliament of South Africa passed Round 1 of the iCMG Enterprise Architecture Excellence Awards in three categories. 

Parliament of South Africa used an enterprise architecture approach in developing its 2009-2014 ICT strategy. Enterprise architecture is the means through which an enterprise plans and implements its Information and Communication Technology strategy by ensuring that business needs are addressed. Parliament use enterprise architecture to focus on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the institution. The enterprise architecture approach followed was entered into the international competition, which draws submissions from organisations across the world.

The entry of Parliament was submitted in three categories:

• Transformation and planning
• Best Enterprise & IT architecture in Govt / Defence /Public Sector
• Enterprise architecture

The winners are selected through a three round process. In the first round the submission is reviewed by a core committee of independent experts that evaluated the quality of the submissions and adherence to quality criteria. In the second round the submissions will be reviewed independently by jury members. Their scores will determine the finalists in each category. The final round of judging will be done by all the jury members, collectively. Their combined scores will determine the Winners in Each category.  Through each round of competition, the judges are assigned to assess submissions in the area of their individual interest and expertise so that it is evaluated by people that understand the type of architecture work and its context.

The results of second round will be made available on 17 May 2013, the finalist on 3 June 2013 and the winners will be announced on 25 July 2013.

In terms of the categories Parliament entered the following are the number of entries that passed the first round:

• Transformation and planning - 16 entries
• Best Enterprise & IT architecture in Govt / Defense /Public Sector -15 entries
• Enterprise architecture  - 23 entries

Having passed through the 1^st round is testimony of the quality of work done at Parliament. Passing the first round can be equated to an athlete being chosen to represent its country at the Olympic Games.  The election into the 2^nd round of evaluation shows that the Parliament of South Africa’s implementation of Enterprise architecture principles is comparable with the best deployments of Enterprise architecture in the world.

Irrespective of whether Parliament of South Africa moves through to the list of finalist or ultimately the winners, having passed through first round is a huge achievement.   

For more information see: http://www.icmgworld.com/corp/ArchitectureAwards/2013/architecture_nominations.asp

The Nordic goddess Skadi

Mythology

Mighty giantess and fearless warrior
Death of the father woke your slumber
Revenge called your name, hear gods tremble
when you stood before them assembled
desperate to make peace rather than war.

But Odin's cunning spun illusion
Marriage promised but not without trick
Which god has the most beautiful feet?
That question led to your defeat.
The sea god so different took you to bed.

The wedlock was doomed from the start
the deal struck did not work on either side
but you never fell in despair
With firmness independence raised
You greeted as winter set your way.

There finally you wed the winter god
behind the archer's bow, the hunt did flow
Once again the wild untamed nature freed
walked across the snowy mountains high.
Justice you demand with fearless resound.

The trickster claimed you as his own
with confidence and boasting appeal
but was met with venomous blessing
dripping from your hand upon his head.
Defiant you still stand on your own.

The Egyptian goddess Isis

Mythology

Isis spreads her wings of protection
seeker of the affirmative, scattered
lament the loss, release the grief
a new God for the underworld born

Nurture the war child as eagle
chaos must reside, to mothers hand
pierced by an all seeing eye, order retained
sparked by a vision that sees beyond

With cunning you sought the name
a snake you add to your game
a king almighty beg with fear
poison extract the name unknown

Cycles of life in ebb and flow
from limbless death life is born
to bring healing in desert land
called by ten thousand names

Your memory persist for long
your name whispered in Philae's temple
burn frankincense fills the air
in your hand dangles the ankh of life

Poetry

A poem

A flashlight to lit up the dark
not words like a dog's bark
but an answer to heart's search
beyond consciousness its reach
bringing images unforgettable

The structure of rhyme and rhythm
to spin a spider's web to span the schism
describing beauty to man's soul
confronting man's consciousness as a whole
a reflecting mirror of fate and destiny

Rule and reason defeats the mission
emotion and memory circle in confusion
meaning sparks beneath the surface
Writer''s battle not to be superfluous
Reader's flame of wonder and action

Undefinable search for expression
reaching out to eager ear of perception
the right word slots in the key hole
unlocks deeper meaning for the soul
a moment within which time is standing still

Death of a Warrior

Life

This is in memory of a Adhikara Prama. A friend from Indonesia whom I have never met in person, yet know so well. He was the second person to join my clan in the online game Age of Legends. We played the game for longer than a year together and through this interaction of have gleamed some glimpses of the Warrior I only knew as Machaya which was his characters name. As a clan we war together and due to his time zone he would get up in the morning at 3:00 am to join the clan. Whenever somebody needed something he was there to help and assist. As a consequence of our game play we often had a chat over BlackBerry. He recently became the proud father of a new son. We shared in that enthusiasm of his and he shared his dreams for his boy. We shared his holiday away through the photo's he took next to the see of him lying in a hammock.  He inspired me with his sense of loyalty and commitment and his enthusiasm for life was contagious.

I am sad about his death but can think how he would react with a quip like: "That is life!". In his own way he has imparted values we shared deeper into my life. I think today of his young wife and boy who will no longer have the privilege of  his presence. I know that he love them very much and that they were central to his life. I know that he worshiped Allah and was devoted to his faith.

For us life is continuing...we continue to war as a clan...his position will soon be filled with another player. Life goes on. But I would like to remember this man for the quality he brought in my life even if it was only through an online friendship.

May Adhikara Prama, the Warrior Machaya from the clan Wizard-Warriors rest in peace and forever know that he inspired us with his approach towards life. May peace profound surround him and his family.

Eight Pieces Brocade

Health

1)      Pressing the heaven : Air ---,---,---

2)      Drawing the bow: Wind  ---,---,- -

3)      Separating heaven and earth: Earth - -,- -,- -

4)      Wise Owl gaze:  Water - -,---,- -

5)      Big bear turns: Mountain ---,- -,- -

6)      Punching with angry Gaze: Fire ---,- -, ---

7)      Touching toes and bending backwards: Lake - -,---,---

8)      Shaking the body: Thunder - -,- -,---

Death: The birth of a new beginning

Family

My father is critically ill in hospital for the last week or two. My sister sent me the attached picture. He has been battling cancer in his thought and kidney for a while now and he is receiving chemo treatment. Although we are still hoping that he will pull through the situation is dire. Ultimately when we are long enough on Xanga we have to write about sickness and death. Seeing my father suffering is heart breaking. He was an independent individual his whole life and it is the first time I see him as weak and unable to look after himself. I always had the greatest of respect for my father. Despite my father being ill this photo say much about my mother's care for my father. I don't just see my dad lying still in bed but I see the pain and concern in my Mother's eyes.  In a sense my father is lucky to still have my mother with him to care and hold his hands. There are many in similar situations who do not have the companionship of another.  Having such companionship must be a blessing from God to him. It must be a thousand times more dreadful to face such a battle on your own and alone.

Looking at my father, I have to face again the reality of death. The reality of old age that we might all be facing one day where our youthful life vitality will no longer be there to keep us the healthy self sufficient individuals that we are. My belief in reincarnation and my assertion that life continues beyond the death of the body gives me a different perspective. I can see now that death is not the end but the birth into a new life. For some this might come very quick and for some it is long and painful. I can look back at my father's life and see how he grew as a person. I can value is never ending willingness and eagerness to work. I have not met anybody in my life that has my father's work ethic. I can look at the essence he accumulated in the one life to carry forward into the next. My hope is not just the hope that he might pull through with this illness and add a few years into his life but my hope is in the eternal justice that life never seize but continue to evolve.  He might be at the birth of a new life on the spiritual plane of being.

Even though I am far from him in his moment of need I could link into the cosmic and connect with him and bring within him a greater sense of harmony and a sense of peacefulness. It is invisible but a tangible manner of being there. However the time has come for me to travel back to my house and be there in physical reality.

A Review of the BlackBerry Z10

Technology

I have used the BlackBerry Z10 since the beginning of the month. I bought it despite reading that people say that other smart phones like the iPhone and Samsung are better. Even the guy at the counter when I went to buy it tried to convince me that the other phones are better. I had a good experience from my previous BlackBerry relative to other phones and decided to stay with the brand.

In the bottom line I am extremely happy with my Z10. The phone is firstly a communication tool The hub that they rave about is very convenient for both my work mail other mail and all the different contact points I have with a multitude of people. I have many contacts and need quick access to my communication channels. The gestures the phone use with its touch screen too a day or two to get use to... but once mastered it is a breeze to use. One criticism is some inconsistency of how applications open and close. The interface is intuitive enough but there is an inconsistency in how different apps behave when they need to be closed.

The keyboard with its advanced predictive typing is awesome but took several days of concerted effort to master. Sometimes the flipping action select another word which slows down the typing rather than increasing the speed. I can imagine it being especially difficult for people with thick fingers.  However not having to type every word is cool and its suggestions for next words is often spot on. The flick requires finger dexterity that must be mastered before the phone come to its own right. Relative to other touch pad phones I had this one is a pleasure to use.

Its phone is not its primary feature. Getting to open the phone as a utility is sometimes difficult and it is best to keep the phone app open. Setting up quick dails are easy and convenient. Facebook, BBM and Whatsapp works like a charm. Unfortunately Whatsapp jumps up as a notification in the hub and is not as neatly synchronized. It was easy to sync my work e-mail with the phone but I had a problem synchronizing my contact data and calendar.

An annoying point of the phone is the position of the power cable. Since I often type left handed the power cable point of entry is too low and restricts typing on the screen. I would have preferred the cable input to be a bit higher.

The browser is fast and convenient. The reader that strips off all the unnecessary web components to render the main body text is excellent and make  it easily readable is a bonus and makes it easy to scroll through websites.  Facebook works perfectly and I can manage my groups, pages and personal site with ease.

The camera works well. It took me a bit of time to get used to how it zoom using two fingers but I like it that you can point the camera on what to focus. The delay photo that allows you to chose where you want the final focus works well. My success rate taking pictures of children and animals more than tripled. The video camera works well.

Not being Amarican or British the voice control is not really giving me any benefit. It does not understand my pronunciation when I dictate and it does not have a facility to learn to know my voice.

The video is clear and the sound is clear. The speakerphone of the camera works well while I am traveling in my car. I do not need to use any additional equipment to use the phone in my car.

I have not seen any games that excite me and the Blackberry world might have million of apps but there are few that truly made me excited. I love the Kindle reader app that allows me to buy kindle e-books and read it with my Z10. The Kindle reader works well and I can read all content easily. The standard pdf reader that comes with the Z10 is pathetic. It does not give the text in a nice column view and I had to download a better app.  I am not a big game player so the gaming did not really put me off the Z10. My favorite game is Age of Legends and I was disappointed that the game is not yet available on the Z10.

The GPS on the Blackberry works perfectly well. The audible voice direct one well from your current position to its destination.

Overall I am happy. The Blackberry Z10 delivered what I needed and made my smart phone experience much better and improved my productivity as a business man. I will buy the Blackberry Z10 again if I am given the choice.

The esoteric aspect of group affiliation

Mystical contemplations

A mystic is free to follow the path he/she sees fit through the journey of life. However the mystic will naturally seek the most efficient path for his/her nature to follow. The correct path differs from person to person. A basic principle is that the path for each individual will be unique and personal for each experience consciousness of God in a different manner. The lone practitioner working on his own can achieve much, like a falcon in the air he might fly a bit higher than others and be stronger because he has no one else to rely on. However the falcon does not migrate and keep watch over a vast area. Birds that migrate knows that the distance they want to cover fast can not be done alone they need to fly in formation each using the slipstream of the bird in front.  If one of the flock decides to go on his own, he will soon discover that the resistance of the air works against him and no matter how strong he is he will fall behind. In this case there are efficiency in the group that can not be attained by the individual bird. Using this image as a reference point I pondered if mystical development works in a similar manner.

How does the mystical life of a mystic functioning in a group compare with that of the mystic that work as hard as a solitary practitioner? From a Bennett perspective this is a dyad where neither the one or the other is the answer but once again it is the movement between the two states. The mystic that wants to fully benefit must resonate between group work and individual work. Constant focus on either extreme will be detrimental. The lone flyer will become strong but bound while the flock flyer will cover great distance but can easily fall prey to the weakness of always flying at the back.

Choice of group is a critical choice for the mystic for not every group is the same. Each group has a unique rhythm and where there is not central rhythm the group offers very little to the individual. A group of individuals offer no more value than a lone flyer. In fact cooperation of the lone flyer within a group that is scattered and undisciplined will work to the disadvantage of the lone flyer. When one joins a group it is important that one can fully integrate with the ethos and base nature of the group. Whatever one does in a personal capacity must be put aside for a while to become fully cognizant of the group. The group rhythm will ultimately have an impact on the individual. A mystic must look for a group where the rhythm is strong, steady and exemplary. Only such a group can lead to a harmony and balance that can be felt on the physical, emotional and mental planes. If the individual experience disharmony either the individual must adjust or the group might not be the right type of group for that specific individual. Groups of esoteric awareness however is a factor less in number than the individual that makes up the group. Often the change has to come from the individual to adjust to the group rhythm to benefit from group association.

In the esoteric group focused on mysticism, knowledge of self is of equal importance to knowledge of  those with whom they work with in a group. The group can not impose that the individual sacrifice integrity. The individual is at all times responsible to live in accordance to the sensitivities of his/her conscience for if you do not live in accordance to your conscience the group can not add value. But where the conscience is not challenged the individual must align his/her own consciousness to that of the group. This is how group and individual forces are balanced both within the group and within the individual. Within the group however all the individuals must make some adjustment towards the central group rhythm for united action within the group.

It is needless to say that for each individual it will be a personal challenge to make the required adjustment. As the group is made up of individuals, each adjustment made by the individual implies and adjustment by the group as a whole. The guideline to the individual is to honor own conscience while being conscious of the group and for the group to apply the collective consciousness to accomplish that which the collective conscience calls for. Both consciousness and conscience is amplified through group participation. A member must prepare himself through all the resources available to him in his individual circumstance to develop the inner balance that will assist him/her to bring balance to the group itself. 

When a balanced and strong rhythm is gained within and it is amplified by group rhythm new depths of mystical experience is available to the individual through the group. The individual attracted to such a group will already have accumulated maturity through patience and a life deeply lived and by cultivating an awareness of what it means to strive to life fully. As a group member the individual gains access to a collective experience beyond the limitations of the individual self for such a group rhythm ensures the manifestation of cosmic forces on a different scale.

Unity in diversity brings rhythm and amplitude inflating both conscience sensitivity and conscious awareness.