Modern Moron Book Review, of the Late George Harrison

 

George Harrison journeyed to god through rock ‘n’ roll, LSD and mystic India. Topple your own greed, anger and illusions if you want to fix yourself, and don’t try and repair others. (Ancient Hindu text)

Each soul is potentially divine and our job is to manifest it. (Vivekanda) Empowered beings and mystical powers fascinated Harrison. The eastern spheres of religion and Hindu philosophy was an interictal part of the late George Harrison’s life. Do some people feel spiritual energy flow up through the roots to nourish plants and flowers to attain comic energy? Despite the massive success Harrison achieved in his short life, he was never fully satisfied.

By the time Harrison was 17-years-old he lived sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. As one the guitarist, singers and song writers of the iconic Beatles, Harrison had amassed a fortune by the time he was 23-years-old. Before the Beatles came to America, Harrison tripled his father’s weekly salary as a bus driver, so he could retire, which his father indeed did. When Harrison was in his 20s, he began his study of Hindu religion, which he kept until his death in 2001 when he was 58-years-old. While in his 20s, Harrison said he wanted to do as well as he could in what he attempts and to die with a peaceful mind.

“The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison Here Comes the Sun” by Joshua M. Greene should be read by any fan of George Harrison or the Beatles. Harrison was no saint, and certainly not a devote Hindu, but the vastness and wisdom of Hinduism played a major role in his life and music. Music is the highest form of education states Rig-Veda, text from ancient Hinduism.

Ravi Shankara, a close friend and mentor to Harrison said making God in sound or trying to is the goal in music. The highest aim of our music is to reveal the essence of the universe it reflects, Shankar said.  

The Friar Park estate located in England was built in 1896 for Sir Frankie Crisp. The 35-acre estate had an array of homilies carved throughout the property. Homilies are clever sayings that Crisp had posted throughout the property. On Friar Park which was restored in the 1970s and purchased by Harrison, these homilies were sayings about the devil, friendship and life. Crisp was a bit like the creator of “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland,” Lewis Carroll said Joshua M. Greene, the writer of this book.  Harrison liked to garden in his newly acquired estate and enjoyed the more then 100-year-old Homilies laden throughout his property.  

In August 1997, Harrison was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The first two reactions, or most common ones for people receiving this frightening news about themselves is denial and anger. For George, it was chanting and planting. In this age, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of god. There is no other way. (Brhannaradiya Purana 38.126) thousands of years before the Bible.

When George was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, doctors gave him six months to live, and George said bollocks! George died on November 30, 2001.

“He wasn’t attached to this world in the way most people would be. My dad had no fear of dying whatsoever. I can’t stress that enough really,” Dhani Harrison said.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Another Modern Moron Book Review

The mythological lore of Hinduism inspires the quest for knowledge supreme, the ultimate truth. At last, I no longer want to fit in or belong to a society that wants nothing to do with me.

The cosmic ocean of creation is a mystery to the gods themselves. Time and the universe came first, then the gods, hence, no one knows how humans evolved. Hinduism has a bizarre barrage about the origins of humankind, yet doesn’t stake their claims as facts, nor disputes what other religions say about human beginnings.  

Hinduism, unlike the other top five religions has many founders, and far too many books to count. A different book on Hinduism would fill an entire public library shelf in every library in the U.S., where as Christianity has two books, the Bible, and "The Book of Mormon".

I’m not a Hindu, and certainly not a saint, but Hinduism has literally saved my life. I was suicidal for much longer then I will never admit too, but that’s all in the past now. Hindu books are extremely poetic, and even though I’m convinced I’m all alone in this world, I have the written words of fact and fantasy on the infinite pages of Eastern philosophy to fuel my fantasy’s and realistic goals.

Believe in one god or many gods, or don’t believe in god at all, but strive to be a good person are words from the Hindu scriptures. As soon as I read this, I was immediately fascinated by Hinduism. Books about Hindu gods and goddess have also seized my imagination. Of all the books I’ve read about the Hindu gods, I have yet to read that I’m going to hell because I believe in the wrong god, or don’t believe in god at all. Know peace, practice peace, it’s a simple philosophy from ancient Hindu scriptures from thousands of years ago.  

Multiple forms of gods and goddess allow human beings to seek personal and spiritual fulfillment through a variety of different paths. (Krishna Dharma; “Beauty, Power, & Grace, The Book of Hindu Goddesses.”)

Brahma, Bumba, The Great Spirit, Buddha, Allah, Muhammad, Ganesha or God is the source and the seed of all that is. 

Maybe the entire universe, and all that dwell within it were formed over billions of years via gravity pulling various elements together, and the dust of the stars merged from the heavens to form human life as we know it today. The timeless question: which came first? The chicken or the egg? Me, like Stephen Hawking doesn’t believe in god, but Hawking made a good argument for god when he said, if we started out as infants, we would not be here. (“The Grand Design,”)

Immortality can be achieved through the conquest of delusion. Hinduism classifies humans into three basic categories. The truly saintly live once and go straight to Heaven when they die. Hindu Heaven is complete with lush foliage, waterfalls, wine and has no leaders or followers, or so it is written. 

The purely evil souls live only once and go straight to hell upon their death. I’ve never read about Hindu Hell, but if the goddess Kali administers the punishment, I sincerely hope I never have to endure Kali’s wrath. Kali can destroy all that we love and like to possess, and it’s been said she uses the blood of her slain victims to mop her dance floor. Kali, like the Christian god is extremely wrathful, yet loving and all powerful. Kali is the goddess of time and truth and can remedy all disease if it pleases her. In short, she is the power of god in all his aspects. (“Hindu Gods and Goddesses” by Swami Harshananda.)  

The last category for we the living is reincarnation. Hindu religion claims most humans are in this realm of life, we’re not gods prized creations, yet, we’re also not the definition of sheer evil. If you’re not worthy of an eternity of endless love and laughter, and you’re also not a sadistic psycho, you keep getting reborn and thrust into this chaotic cocktail known as life on Earth until the end of time itself. 

One of these days, the Earth Maker is going to look you straight in the heart, and you better know what it is you’re doing. (“U Turn,” the 1997 movie starring Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez.)

The alphabets, grammar, and the wings of speech, may have all started from the Hindu’s. Hinduism is certainly one of the oldest known languages known to humankind.

The delicious dreams of dancing in Dyaus, the heavens. To have mahavidya, knowledge supreme. Sip amrita, the nectar of immortality and to experience the touch of kamesvari, the mistress of desire, this is my ultimate quest!  I yearn for a world where everyone is safe, and the currency is love and laughter.

Mark Izzy Schurr

“George and the Unbreakable Code” by Lucy and Stephen Hawking is the 4^th intriguing story featuring the fictional children George and Annie.

In “… The Unbreakable Code,” George and Annie, both 11-years-old must thwart the evil plans of Alioth Merak. Merak is a man on the verge of ruling the entire world, and while he is building a quantum computer that will enable him to seize control of the entire planet Earth, George and Annie are the only two who know what Merak’s malicious plans are. George and Annie have the knowledge of how to stop Merak from taking over the world.

Merak is so consumed in his insane quest to take over the world, he attempts to kill Annie and George by hurling them into outer space without spacesuits, so the two children will explode.

This book, like the three previous tales involving Annie and George is geared for grammar school aged children, yet fun, entertaining, and even informative for adult readers who enjoy learning about Earth, the planets, and the entire solar system.

“George and the Unbreakable Code,” like the other books involving Annie and George is much more then a children’s adventure. Lucy and Stephen Hawking veer off the main story and give us readers fascinating facts about the planets and their moons. In this book for example, I learned that the planet Saturn is so light in weight, that it would float in water.

This book also has two pages on internet safety for children, and how they can deal with cyber bullying. The two pages also detail how children can detect internet fraud and the importance that children should communicate with their parents / guardians about what they do on the internet.

Like the three previous books about Annie and George, these two children are able to travel into outer space and walk amid any planet they so desire, thanks to Annie’s quantum computer which is named Cosmos.

George likes Annie because she is fun, clever, cool, and brave. Nothing is beyond Annie, no adventure shunned, no theory untested, and no assumption to stay untested George says about Annie in this book.

Merak kidnaps Annie’s father Eric, and George and Annie have no choice but to go to the unknown origins of outer space and walk into the massive unknown darkness. Just before George and Annie enter into the portals of the unknown, George leaves a note that reads as follows:

If not returned by morning, please send out a space rescue mission using coordinates held by Cosmos.

Annie and George

Good note, Annie says to George. 

The unbreakable code for Annie and George is friendship. “George’s Secret Key to the Universe” is the first installment of this series of books about the adventures of Annie and George written by the late Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy. “George and the Unbreakable Code” is a solid three and a half star read for fans of children’s stories and those fascinated by the science of space and the planets.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Government

Liquid lunacy fills the goblet of greed and wets

the lips of the unethical which bleeds across the

world. Harbingers of havoc, apprentices of apathy,

creators of chaos, and distributors of destruction.

Soul destroyers and mindless material builders.

Thrust into there lies and bred to consume.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Bhukti

Mukti, the spiritual liberation of choice. Thou my life is almost over, the only thing I fear is the emotions of hate in my heart.
A positive force in cosmic stability has cured my hatred for religion. Saravati is another goddess I adore, for she is the awakener of happy and noble thoughts.
Mark Izzy Schurr
The above picture was Schurr Shot last year at Palomarin beach in Marin county.

Children

 Innocent eyes breed love and laughter. They harness wisdom and dispense imagination. Youths unfiltered emotions dwell in the adams of eternity,

Mark Izzy Schurr

Hindu Haven

The divine sword of justice lies amidst the far reaches of the cosmos. Durga’s sacred weapon of wonder lies hidden in the cosmic regions of destiny. True law and order have yet to be born, hence all the chaos and divide amongst us all.

Innumerable forms and an infinite variety of beliefs will one day breath live into wisdom and unite the kindly souls. Durga, the warrior goddess will annihilate devious demons and abolish all the emotions of greed and narcissism.  

Mark Izzy Schurr

“Beauty, Power & Grace; The Book of Hindu Goddesses” by Krishna Dharma and David Kinsley’s book, “Hindu Goddesses; Visions the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition” have unraveled an infinite array of word combinations that has sparked my imagination.

I no longer care no one understands me, nor that I have no real friends. I have no one to talk to and to share my emotions. Without the written word, I’d be completely lost and have no way of venting my joys and sorrows.

I have only acquaintances, some close, most just distance laughs and smiles. When someone wants to be around me, its’s always a surprise to me these days, and when people tell me things, or make plans, I tend to ignore them, because the last couple of years, when people make plans with me, they always cancel, so I understand, I am all alone.   

My great acting skills produce the façade of happiness, yet Hindu philosophy instills in me, there is no time for self-pity, so I embrace my creativity with photography and writing the occasional blog.

Mark Izzy Schurr