Edward Viljoen

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

By: Edward Viljoen on Wednesday, April 07, 2021

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Today is the last day of Passover and Easter Sunday. Jews celebrate Passover to remember their freedom from when they were enslaved. They also look forward to a time when all humanity will be saved from the suffering of every kind: poverty, violence, climate instability, social inequities, discrimination, corruption, injustice, and other troubles that imprison us. Indeed, in Jewish homes, on the first night of the holiday, the Passover Seder dinner is also a recognition, an affirmation of having escaped, of being free.

In our tradition, it would be like affirming and accepting in consciousness – we are free in consciousness, and we have work to do. We are free in Spirit, and the journey continues. Let us use our spiritual freedom to pass over and pass through, limiting social constructs that keep people from thriving, and let us not rest until every person is free.

Whether it is Easter, Passover, Spring, or just another Sunday celebration, people of faith are called to open their‌ ‌hearts‌ ‌to‌ ‌those‌ ‌who‌ ‌suffer.

We are encouraged not to forget those who are imprisoned, who are shelterless, those who are marginalized, or who are suffering in ways that we know not of so that we do not forget the many times that somebody else reached out to us in a time of difficulty, made a sacrifice on our behalf, in a way that gave us hope and courage to rise again.

To view this week's video on YouTube click here.

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Bhagavad-Gita For Beginners

The Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God Retold in Simplified English is the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library. This unique edition of the timeless epic is designed to be accessible for readers without any prior experience of Hinduism. Not merely a translation of the original, Viljoen has simplified and restated the Gita’s complex ideas, so that a first-time reader can fully appreciate the scope and beauty of this magnificent Indian classic. Written in concise, modern language, the retelling vividly captures the power and depth of the original work.

Reviews

“While goodness, kindness, compassion, and faith might seem like ordinary concepts, when it comes to actually living them in the face of life’s daily challenges, it’s easy to get stuck. Edward Viljoen has given us a gentle, illuminating, compassionate guidebook to living from the goodness that lies at the heart of who we really are.”
—Alan Seale, founder of the Center for Transformational Presence, and author of Create A World That Works and Intuitive Living

“Ordinary Goodness reminds me I can see goodness and kindness every day. Edward reminds all of us, that despite our failings, we really can be both good and kind. Brew a cup of tea and curl up with this insightful and achingly beautiful account of the mystery, paradox, and wonder of your life. You’ll be glad you did!”
—Petra Weldes, author of Joyous Living Journal

“If kindness were a country, Ordinary Goodness would be its travel guide. In this book, Edward Viljoen delves into a perfectly ordinary yet arguably neglected virtue—kindness—and reveals its source, its rewards, and a well-defined approach for integrating kindness into your very bones. Combining his personal history with his decades of experience as a minister, Viljoen is eminently qualified to teach us that the ordinariness of kindness may actually be the most dazzling quality we might possess.”
—Randall Friesen, publisher of Newt List Books

Edward Viljoen was a recent guest to my radio show, "In The Spirit." I had read his book, "Ordinary Goodness" and was happy to talk with him about it. I like the way he inserts stories from his own life to illustrate various points. In this cynical age, this book is a tonic a guide to live a good life by being good to others. We cannot be truly happy until we do. Thank you, Edward for bringing a much needed topic to our attention.

—Gary Goldberg, host of In The Spirit

The Power of Meditation

“Edward Viljoen’s new book, The Power of Meditation, is a gift. It serves as a practical guidebook for those who are new at spiritual practice, as well as a beautiful reminder of simplicity and essence for those who have been engaged in spiritual practice for a lifetime. Edward helps us find the strength we need to be present with whatever life brings. He takes the reader by the hand, dispels the mysteries, and makes this elusive thing called meditation very real and doable.” —Alan Seal, author of Create a World That Works