The idea is conceived and the description is composed by M.D. Thomas.
The flying bird, first and foremost, is a symbol of 'being fully alive'. Flying signifies a thorough roving to broader horizons, in the endless space of life. It denotes rising to wider extents and higher altitudes in life, more and more.
The flying bird implies 'freedom' from all sorts of cages, fetters and crutches. Abiding steps forward towards larger prospects, without a doubt, are assured of intellectual, emotional, ethical, aesthetic and spiritual accomplishments.
The flying bird, through its extended wings, put on view 'half open hands' that warmly welcome one and all. It also stands for the spirit of inclusiveness, in thoughts, words and deeds, which is the mark of growing up to larger proportions.
The flying bird points towards the 'spirit of the divine' that guides and leads me on in life, always and in all respects. It nourishes me in the mission of being a 'channel of harmony and peace', among individuals and communities of all affiliations.
The flying bird represents me, who has taken off from humble beginnings and has been in the tough and ceaseless process of learning the art of living, loving, giving and whatever degree and dimension endowed, empowered and accepted by the divine.
The idea is conceived and the description is composed by M.D. Thomas.
'Rainbow above IHPS' or 'IHPS within Rainbow' is the logo of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi. It stands for 'inclusive thinking and harmonious living', which is the motto of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies. IHPS imbibes the spirit of the rainbow and is avowed to reflect the same spirit in the society of the humans, in special.
Rainbow comprises of all the seven colours and their diverse shades. The colours in it cannot be separated from one another. Their individual domain also cannot be marked in a foolproof manner. They overlap each other, making a singular blend of colours. Together they radiate a beauty that is without equal. They are united, one with the other, and cannot exist unconnected to each other.
Rainbow means 'a collective existence'. It also implies unity in diversity. It connotes beauty in multiplicity, too. It signifies a continuous process of active interaction, harmony and celebration of peace with the 'other'. It refers to staying in relation to the other. It stands for a spirit of togetherness. It awakens a consciousness of being 'us' and not otherwise. It establishes 'we-feeling' as the supreme ethos of human life in special. The result of the shared way of being proclaims a life that is enriched by one another.
Besides, the above logo displays the dynamics between 'one and many', which is the core character of life and the creation. While from one angle, the rainbow displays many paths, it looks just one path in unison, from the other angle. They are two perspectives, not one against the other, but complementary to each other. Harmonizing the seemingly opposite perceptions is the way towards a human life that is worth its name. The way that leads one beyond space and time is this same reality, too. That is the mystery and marvel of life, which ushers one to divine and human altitudes, two in one, as well.
The idea is conceived and the description is composed by M.D. Thomas.
'The Tree-based emblem of religions put together' elaborates the spirit of harmony of faiths – tree narrates being branches of the same tree as well as the shared rootedness of all religious, and for that matter, even non-religious traditions, on the mother earth and the Creator – the rays stand for the divine-human dynamics – the random placing of the religious symbols maintains the spirit of being on equal footing – on the whole it highlights the spirit of celebrating diversities as children of the same heavenly Father -- it is published in Fellowship (half-yearly, muli-faith and bi-ligual journal) of Commission for Religious Harmony, CBCI, New Delhi, Volume 17, No 1, January 2009, Back page.
HARMONY OF FAITHS
Tree – The tree symbolizes the entire reality of life on earth, in all its dimensions. Its roots that run deep into the heart of the mother earth, both vertically and horizontally, speak of its ‘being rooted in the divine’. Its trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits stand for the immense diversities of life in the ethnic, social, cultural and religious spheres of human life. It refers to its natural inclination to reach out to all directions for ‘being related to the other’. Its centrally basic position in the emblem emphasizes its comprehensive meaning and implications for life.
Symbols of Religions – Diverse Religious Symbols with different shapes and colours affirm the ‘identity and singular character’ of each religious tradition. Their being placed randomly in the logo rules out any consideration in terms of superior and inferior positions in life. They belong to each other. They live with each other. The beauty of the diversities is in its ‘spirit of togetherness’. The ‘celebration of communion’ among them explains the vision and mission of the organization.
White-Blue Background and White Glow at the Centre -- The sky blue background represents the colourful universe around us. The space outside refers to the ‘infinite’ beyond us and to the vastness of the unknown wisdom yet to be sought. The white glow depicted at the centre stands for the depth of the divine wisdom to be fathomed by all faith traditions, irrespective and in spite of their own special provisions forspiritual attainments.
The Rays Emanating To and Fro – The rays emanating to and fro refer to the dynamism of yearning for enlightenment as well as of the quest for wisdom that lie beyond the ordinary perceptions of all faith traditions. They refer to the ‘spiritual dynamics of interaction and mutuality’ as well as to the ever-emerging divine energy, in the ‘inter-human’, the ‘inter-faith’ and the ‘human-divine’ dimensions.
Harmony of Faiths – Harmony of Religions, Faiths, Ideologies and Perspectives is the sublime goal and common purpose of human life. A ‘dialogical process’ is its means. Willingness to unlearn and go beyond the already known is the sure way to learn the yet to be known. A ‘culture of cross-cultural relations’ and ‘walking together in life’ is the way forward for the humans. Commitment to newer insights, deeper experiences and broader implications is the spiritual path towards further heights in celebrating the oneness of humanity in the diversities of communities.
कबीर एक celebrant है । जीवन के सभी रंग, इसे पूरे इंद्रधनुष - वह सब मनाता है। क्या वह आप के लिए कहा जा रहा है दर्शन है लेकिन शुद्ध कविता नहीं है । यह धर्म नहीं है, लेकिन एक हाथ एक दरवाजा आधा खोला , इंगित , एक दर्पण साफ । यह पीठ एक तरह से घर वापस प्रकृति के लिए एक रास्ता है ।