Saturday, January 3, 2015
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 03/01/2015
“Para evoluirmos enquanto humanidade precisamos aperfeiçoar nossa
capacidade de nos relacionar, ou seja, precisamos aprender a nos
relacionar com o outro sem machucar. Esse é o nosso maior desafio. Nesse
“outro” está inclusa a natureza, a nossa casa. Precisamos aprender a
conviver em harmonia, preservando, não destruindo. Destruir é muito
fácil. Cortar o tronco de uma árvore é simples, mas não é possível
colocá-lo de volta. Estamos agora
colhendo os frutos do que plantamos, ou melhor, do que não plantamos
(destruímos). Estamos sendo convidados a rever nossas ações, nossos
hábitos e condicionamentos, pois a forma como vivemos até agora não tem
funcionado.”
“Para
evolucionar como humanidad necesitamos perfeccionar nuestra capacidad de
relacionarnos, es decir, precisamos aprender a relacionarnos con el
otro sin lastimar. Este es nuestro mayor desafío. En este "otro" está
incluida la naturaleza, nuestra casa. Precisamos aprender a convivir en
armonía, preservando, no destruyendo. Destruir es muy fácil. Cortar el
tronco de un árbol es simple, pero no es posible colocarlo de vuelta.
Ahora estamos cosechando los frutos de lo que plantamos, o mejor dicho,
de lo que no plantamos (destruimos). Estamos siendo invitados a revisar
nuestras acciones, nuestros hábitos y condicionamientos, pues la forma
como vivimos hasta ahora no viene funcionando.”
“In order for humanity to evolve, we need to improve our capacity to relate to others. We need to learn how to relate to others without hurting anyone. This is our greatest challenge. This ‘other’ also includes nature, which is our home. We need to learn to live with one another in harmony, by preserving and not destroying. It is very easy to destroy something: it’s simple to cut a tree trunk, but impossible to put it back together. We are now harvesting the fruit of what we planted - or rather of what we did not plant, but destroyed. We are being invited to reflect on our actions, our habits and conditioning, because the way we’ve been living until now hasn’t been working.”
“In order for humanity to evolve, we need to improve our capacity to relate to others. We need to learn how to relate to others without hurting anyone. This is our greatest challenge. This ‘other’ also includes nature, which is our home. We need to learn to live with one another in harmony, by preserving and not destroying. It is very easy to destroy something: it’s simple to cut a tree trunk, but impossible to put it back together. We are now harvesting the fruit of what we planted - or rather of what we did not plant, but destroyed. We are being invited to reflect on our actions, our habits and conditioning, because the way we’ve been living until now hasn’t been working.”
Via Daily Dharma
Help Buddhism Evolve | January 3, 2015
Buddhist practice is a wonderful, very important expression of
people's interest in something that goes beyond their own self-interest.
It is a profound practice, a lineage practice. We actually have the
capacity, and, in a sense, each of us has the responsibility—whether we
know it or not or like it or not—to understand it. Study it. Practice
it. Make it available to others. And in that way, this lineage can
continue to be sustained and evolve and develop and be helpful.
- Myogen Steve Stücky, "To the Last Moment"
- Myogen Steve Stücky, "To the Last Moment"
Friday, January 2, 2015
Via Daily Dharma
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Our Ability to Forgive | January 2, 2015
Our ability to forgive allows us to make space for our ability to
meet suffering—our suffering as well as the suffering of others—with a
kind heart.
- Gina Sharpe, "The Power of Forgiveness" |
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 01/01/2015
“Awaken Love é um movimento que busca ancorar a consciência amorosa em todos os setores da sociedade através de seis valores: Honestidade - romper com a mentira em todas as suas manifestações; Autorresponsabilidade - ter coragem de assumir que você está onde se coloca, e dar fim ao jogo de acusações; Gentileza - sinônimo de não-violência, ou seja, não ferir o outro de maneira alguma. Dedicação - sinônimo de foco e direcionamento da força de vontade; renovar, renascer e recomeçar e cada instante; Serviço - colocar seus dons e talentos a serviço do bem comum; Beleza – uma expressão da essência amorosa que nos habita; ao manifestar esses valores você se torna belo, e passa a ser uma fonte de inspiração e reconexão para os outros.”
“Awaken Love es un movimiento que busca anclar la conciencia amorosa en
todos los sectores de la sociedad a través de seis valores: Honestidad -
romper con la mentira en todas sus manifestaciones;
Auto-responsabilidad - tener el coraje de asumir que estás donde te
colocas y poner fin al juego de acusaciones; Gentileza - sinónimo de no
violencia, es decir, no herir al otro en ninguna forma; Dedicación -
sinónimo de foco y dirección de la fuerza de voluntad; renovar, renacer y
recomenzar a cada instante; Servicio - poner tus dones y talentos al
servicio del bien común; Belleza - una expresión de la esencia amorosa
que habita en nosotros; al manifestar estos valores te vuelves bello y
pasas a ser una fuente de inspiración y reconexión para los demás.”
“Authentic spiritual orientation is like a compass that helps you navigate “Awaken Love is a movement that aims to anchor a loving consciousness in all sectors of society through six values. Honesty means putting an end to all kinds of lies. Self-responsibility is having the courage to accept that you are where you put yourself and to end the blaming game. Kindness is synonymous with non-violence, and avoiding to hurt others in any way. Dedication requires focus and directing your willpower; it means constantly renewing yourself, being reborn and starting over. Service implies placing your gifts and talents at the service of the common good. Beauty is an expression of the loving essence within us. When you manifest these values, you become a beautiful source of inspiration and reconnection for others.”
“Authentic spiritual orientation is like a compass that helps you navigate “Awaken Love is a movement that aims to anchor a loving consciousness in all sectors of society through six values. Honesty means putting an end to all kinds of lies. Self-responsibility is having the courage to accept that you are where you put yourself and to end the blaming game. Kindness is synonymous with non-violence, and avoiding to hurt others in any way. Dedication requires focus and directing your willpower; it means constantly renewing yourself, being reborn and starting over. Service implies placing your gifts and talents at the service of the common good. Beauty is an expression of the loving essence within us. When you manifest these values, you become a beautiful source of inspiration and reconnection for others.”
- Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
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Out with the Old, In with the New | January 1st, 2015
The real purpose of Buddhist practice is to cut down your addictions
and to correct your habitual patterns and this can be achieved as a
layperson or as a monk or nun. That brings us to the question of
Buddhist ethics—changing habitual patterns and getting rid of the old
addictions, such as attachments, and replacing them with love,
compassion, generosity, and patience.
- Gelek Rinpoche, "A Lama for All Seasons"
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Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Via Daily Kos: It's Finally Official - Pope Francis Demotes Highest-Ranking US Cardinal Over LGBT Issues
attribution: None Specified
It's been in the news. Now it has been confirmed. As of this past weekend, Raymond Leo Burke,
America's highest-ranking cardinal at the Vatican, was officially
removed from the Vatican's Supreme Court, and demoted to chaplain of the
Knights of Malta, where he will reign with much less responsibility.
The ultra-Conservative and anti-gay cardinal, continuously challenges
the jurisdiction of Pope Francis, and the Catholic Church's new
receptive stance on homosexuality.
How ironic it is to find the demoted cardinal is from the United
States. What does that say about America - that even the Catholic Church
and a pope are ahead of so many anti-LGBT lawmakers and extremists in
this country.
Weeks after taking office in 2013, Pope Francis asked, 'Who am I to judge?' speaking of the LGBT community. Since then, he has had great support for his progressive views, and of course, great opposition. Raymond Burke is one of the pope's strongest opponents. The 66 year-old Burke believes homosexuality is, 'always and everywhere wrong [and] evil,' and continuously questioned the authority of Pope Francis, now 77. Burke told Buzzfeed in October:
Weeks after taking office in 2013, Pope Francis asked, 'Who am I to judge?' speaking of the LGBT community. Since then, he has had great support for his progressive views, and of course, great opposition. Raymond Burke is one of the pope's strongest opponents. The 66 year-old Burke believes homosexuality is, 'always and everywhere wrong [and] evil,' and continuously questioned the authority of Pope Francis, now 77. Burke told Buzzfeed in October:
“The pope is not free to change the church’s teachings with regard to the immorality of homosexual acts or the insolubility of marriage or any other doctrine of the faith.”Apparently the Pope is free, at minimum, to encourage change. This is one more reason why so many free-thinkers in America, and in other countries love Pope Francis.
Raymond Burke is also staunchly outspoken with his anti-choice views. He once protested well-known pro-choice advocate, Sheryl Crow, for performing at a benefit concert. Burke stated:
h/t Karen Hartjen
"A Catholic institution featuring a performer who promotes moral evil gives the impression that the church is somehow inconsistent in its teaching."Many of us love these new Catholic Church 'inconsistencies,' Burke denounces. They represent the over-due distancing of archaic religious dogma that drove many people away from the church. As a pro-choice Liberal woman, I cannot end this diary, in good conscience, without conveying my hope that Pope Francis will vocally extend his progressive efforts to defend the reproductive rights of women, as well as women's position in the church. One step at a time. Meanwhile, here's to a great pope and a great man, who continues to be a breath of fresh air for many, many people around the world.
h/t Karen Hartjen
Originally posted to Leslie Salzillo on Mon Nov 10, 2014 at 09:23 AM PST.
Also republished by Street Prophets , LGBT Kos Community, and Anglican Kossacks.
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Via Daily Dharma
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Willingness to Investigate | December 31, 2014
When we are willing to investigate, with loving
attention, the difficult feelings that come up in relationship to
others, our happiness or unhappiness is less conditioned by how others
behave.
- Narayan Liebenson Grady, "Questioning the Question"
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Via Robert Reich / FB:
The
Republican’s problem isn’t just Representative Michael Grimm resigning
Congress after pleading guilty for tax evasion, or Steve Scalise, the
3rd-ranking House Republican, giving a
speech at a White Nationalist hate group. It runs deeper. The radical
right that now dominates the Republican Party disdains government and
has no respect for equal rights. So it’s no surprise that some of the
people it recruits won’t pay the taxes they owe or will give speeches at
such forums. Grimm and Scalise aren’t just two rotten apples. I fear
congressional Republicans have a barrel of them.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Via JMG: STUDY: Gays Less Likely To Divorce
Via Pink News:
Same-sex couples are more likely to have stable, long-lasting relationships than straight couples, according to a new study. Statistical research conducted by the Williams Institute at the University of California looked at data on the break-up of same-sex marriages and partnerships in New Hampshire, Vermont, California, DC, New Jersey, Washington and Wisconsin. The data showed that in New Hampshire and Vermont, 5.4% and 3.6% of marriages were terminated across the first four years of marriage equality. While these numbers seems high, it corresponds to an annual relationship termination rate of 1.1% – which is just over half the comparable mixed-sex divorce rate of 2%.The study notes that in states that had already legalized same-sex marriage, the rate of gay nuptials increased after the demise of DOMA.
UPDATE: JMG reader Chris notes that the Washington Post has an issue with the study's methodology.
Via JMG: FLORIDA: City Of Fort Lauderdale Plans Beach Wedding For 100 Gay Couples
Via the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau plans to invite at least 100 couples from around the country and around the world to marry oceanside in a common ceremony sometime this winter, said Nicki Grossman, president of the Broward County tourism group in an interview. The 100 number also will honor Broward's 100th birthday celebration now underway. "We're going to pull out all the stops, just like a proud father does when their child marries," said Grossman, calling gay travelers "a very loyal and important part of our destination." The wedding extravaganza is just the first of many gay-marriage activities planned in Broward, a pioneer in promoting gay tourism. In 2013, more than 1.3 million LGBT travelers visited Broward and spent about $1.5 billion, accounting for about 10 percent of tourism in the county, Grossman said. And that counts only those who came on LGBT tours, attended gay events, responded to gay ads or in some way, self-identified as LGBT. "We believe that there are considerably more LGBT travelers than that" in Broward, Grossman said.A date for the event has not yet been announced.
Baha'i A Field Guide to the Faith by MrDonut
And some day I am bitter:
Product Details
- Paperback: 134 pages
- Publisher: Blurb.com; 1st edition (November 15, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 160725526X
- ISBN-13: 978-1607255260
- Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
- Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
- Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,699,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Editorial Reviews
Review
Nancy Ellen Walker's first novel manuscript was 'inadvertently
destroyed" some decades back by a Baha'i reviewer who condemned it for
saying the Baha'i Faith's founder was "awesome." It started her thinking
about the poet-god Baha'u'llah and the metaphor he created for his
life: a prisoner and an exile. Today, that metaphor is strong in the
Baha'i community, and Baha'i administration itself has taken on the role
of pash and sultan. It drives its members into corridors of fear and
submission to denial of conscience while presenting front populated by
Ph.D.s and professionals who woo government and media for
respectability. Emerging from the Baha'i organization was like
getting a very slow divorce. It was challenged by Baha'i administrators
who employed tactics of secrecy, silence, and slander to remove her from
the community. Ultimately, Ms.Walker sees g Baha'i world administration
(which begins in your neighborhood) as an attempt by Western Baha'is to
imitate Sharia law - even though Islam regards the Baha'i Faith as a
poseur religion. The opportunities for slavish worship and for
unquestioned control of the worshipper's conscience thrive in this
'religion' that forbids its members to read material of its many
"enemies" - those who stand for the right to read their own history, and
worship as their conscience dictates. The Baha'i Faith has evolved
in less than 200 years from the musings of a a disgruntled
poet-aristocrat to an organization that is ready to claim kinship and
supremacy over all other world religions. Ms.Walker finds its mighty
claims and aims are the result of a long Perisan family feud that has
squandered its resources to build a garden park on Mount Carmel and
attempt control of the writings of its central and peripheral figures.
The gravity and solemnity demanded by the Baha'is towards almost
anything 'Baha'i' is the target of this book. Ms.Walker exposes with
wit, satire, essay and images the futility of a few people to organize
mankind into a collective. Thanks to the Internet she has explored
the big empty spaces in Baha'i history. She tackled the 'forbidden'
texts and sorted out the history Baha'is are forbidden to examine on
pain of excommunication. What she found was real men and women who,
whatever they thought of God, had very human needs, fears, and desires,
and made very human choices to achieve their ends. Ms.Walker shows
that the Baha'is have never refused to dress their heroes in something
more than a human can bear, and it is the raiment they end up
worshipping. The real founder, the man Husayn Ali, his sons, his family -
are quite forgotten. This book brings them down from Mt.Carmel so we
can see them as people just like us. One of the Baha'i catch phrases
is "We Are One." Well, we ARE one, when we see each others' humanity and
divinity without distinction. At such times it is impossible to mount
character attacks and excommunication proceedings against anyone. We are
one. This is the message of " Baha'i - A Field Guide to the Faith" by
MrDonut. And why MrDonut? MrDonut is a companion cat who lends his
name to the author in the same way Baha'is lend titles to real people:
for distance, for removal of ego, for affection. --MrDonut
About the Author
A late-blooming Bennington girl. Believes in pounding a guitar , blowing harmonicas, and looking for new keys with the local acoustic players. Always book-crazy. Looked deeply into many places for that Self and found it while committed to making her parents' last years some of their best. Now settling comfortably into Tao, sometimes called a state of grace. Her first published book 'Bahai A Field Guide to the Faith' is big medicine for a drooping soul. Her first novel manuscript was 'inadvertently destroyed" some decades back by a Baha'i reviewerwho objected to associating the word "awesome" with "Baha'u'llah", even though Mr.Baha'u'llah referred to himself in terms not unlike it. The Zen of it started her thinking about the poet-god Baha'u'llah and the metaphor he created for his life: a prisoner and an exile. Emerging from the Baha'i organization was like getting a very slow divorce, made easier by the fact that she was both officially shunned and unofficially excommunicated. Finally she was free to read the forbidden Things! She sees the vast and far-reaching Baha'i world administration (which begins in your neighborhood) ultimately as an attempt by Western Baha'is to imitate Sharia law - even though Islam regards the Baha'i Faith as a poseur religion. She sees the Baha'i Faith as an article of genuine human evolution, from a disgruntled aristocrat's musings to an organization that is ready to claim kinship and supremacy over all other world religions. She finds its mighty claims and aims are the result of a long Perisan family feud that has squandered its resources to build a garden park on Mount Carmel and attempt to bring under its control the lovers of the writings of its central and peripheral figures.
Found on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/160725526X/ref=kinw_rke_tl_1
Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 30/12/2014
“Nos dias atuais a espiritualidade precisa ser prática. Isso significa
aprender a se relacionar sem machucar a si mesmo e ao outro. Essa é a
principal prática espiritual, o principal desafio para o ser humano
nessa fase da jornada evolutiva. A espiritualidade prática também é
sustentável, ou seja, ela integra e equilibra a vida espiritual com a
vida material. Mosteiros, templos e ashrams continuam sendo centros
sustentação da luz, mas a
espiritualidade deve ser cultivada em todos os lugares, em todos os
setores: ciência, saúde, educação, economia, politica, artes... Em
tudo.”
Acesse o satsang completo: http://www.sriprembaba.org/pt-br/satsang/221014
“Hoy en día la espiritualidad necesita ser práctica. Esto significa
aprender a relacionarse sin herirse a uno mismo ni al otro. Esta es la
principal práctica espiritual, el principal desafío para los seres
humanos en esta fase del camino evolutivo. La espiritualidad práctica
también es sustentable, es decir, ella integra y equilibra la vida
espiritual con la vida material. Monasterios, templos y ashrams siguen
siendo centros que sustentan la luz, pero la espiritualidad debe ser
cultivada en todos los lugares, en todos los sectores: ciencia, salud,
educación, economía, política, artes... En todo.”
“Nowadays, spirituality needs to be practical. This means learning how to relate to others without hurting them and without hurting yourself. This is the main spiritual practice and the main challenge for humans in this phase of the evolutionary journey. Spiritual practice is also meant to be sustainable – that is, it integrates spiritual and material life and creates balance between the two. Monasteries, temples and ashrams continue to be centers that sustain light, but spirituality must be cultivated in all places, and in all sectors: from science, health and education, to economics, politics and the arts. It's in everything.”
- Sri Prem Baba
“Nowadays, spirituality needs to be practical. This means learning how to relate to others without hurting them and without hurting yourself. This is the main spiritual practice and the main challenge for humans in this phase of the evolutionary journey. Spiritual practice is also meant to be sustainable – that is, it integrates spiritual and material life and creates balance between the two. Monasteries, temples and ashrams continue to be centers that sustain light, but spirituality must be cultivated in all places, and in all sectors: from science, health and education, to economics, politics and the arts. It's in everything.”
- Sri Prem Baba
Via Daily Dharma
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No More Worry | December 30, 2014
One in All
All in One— If only this is realized, No more worry about your not being perfect!
- Sosan Ganchi Zenji, "Shin Jin Mei"
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