Sunday, July 31, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 31, 2016: Balance and Acceptance

Equanimity is not insensitivity, indifference, or apathy. It is simply nonpreferential. Under its influence, one does not push aside the things one dislikes or grasp at the things one prefers. The mind rests in an attitude of balance and acceptance of things as they are.

—Sayadaw U Pandita, "A Perfect Balance"

Friday, July 29, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 29, 2016: On Equanimity

Equanimity takes interest in whatever is occurring simply because it is occurring. Equanimity does not include aversive states of indifference, boredom, coldness, or hesitation. It is an expression of calm, radiant balance that takes whatever comes in stride.

—Shaila Catherine, "Equanimity in Every Bite"

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 28/07/2016

“Se você já está podendo ser honesto a ponto de admitir suas mentiras, significa que o processo de transformação e cura que te tira do círculo vicioso do sofrimento já iniciou. Esse é o início da transcendência. E estando nesse estágio, você não suporta ficar na mentira por muito tempo. Muitas vezes, você não consegue dormir porque já viu que, em algum momento, você terá que dar um salto. Existe um buraco no meio do seu caminho e você precisa ter coragem de pular. Então, o que tira o seu sono é o medo.”

“Si ya estas pudiendo ser honesto al punto de admitir tus mentiras, significa que el proceso de transformación y cura que te saca del círculo vicioso del sufrimiento ya se inició. Ese es el inicio de la transcendencia. Y estando en este estadio, no soportas quedarte en la mentira por mucho tiempo. Muchas veces, no consigues dormir porque ya viste que en algún momento tendrás que dar un salto. Existe un agujero en el medio de tu camino y necesitas tener coraje para saltar. Entonces lo que te quita el sueño es el miedo.”

“If we are able to be honest enough to admitour lies, the process of transformation and healing that will allow us to exit the vicious cycle of suffering has already begun. This is the beginning of transcendence. While we are in this stage, we can no longer tolerate lying for very long. Many times, we can’t even sleep because we have already seen that, at one point, we will have to jump. We know that there is a pothole on our path and we will have to have the courage to jump. So, what robs us of our sleep is fear.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 28, 2016: Embodied Practice

In meditating with the body as our guide, we come to feel that, perhaps for the first time in our lives, we are in the presence of a being, our own body, that is wise, loving, flawlessly reliable, and, strange to say, worthy of our deepest devotion.

—Reggie Ray, "Touching Enlightenment"

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 27/07/2016

“Algumas pessoas correm atrás da riqueza para fugir da pobreza. Chegam a construir impérios, mas não podem desfrutar de nada pois são atormentadas pelo medo da perda. Esse tipo de riqueza, em algum momento, precisará cair, pois somente assim a pessoa poderá olhar de frente para o medo da escassez. Esta é uma lei psíquica: tudo que é construído a partir da máscara um dia deverá cair; todas as capas temporárias criadas para fugir de alguma coisa, um dia serão rasgadas.”

“Algunas personas corren atrás de la riqueza para huir de la pobreza. Llegan a construir imperios, pero no pueden disfrutar de nada porque son atormentadas por el miedo de la pérdida. Ese tipo de riqueza, en algún momento, necesitará caer, porque solamente así la persona podrá mirar de frente al miedo a la escasez. Esta es una ley psíquica: todo lo que es construido a partir de la máscara un día deberá caer, todas las capas temporales creadas para huir de alguna cosa, un día serán rasgadas.”

“Some people run after wealth to escape the feeling of poverty. Some even build empires, but don’t get to enjoy any of it because they are tormented by their fear to lose it all. At some point, this kind of wealth will have to fall because it is only when it falls away that a person will have to face their fear of scarcity. This is a psychic law. Everything that is built from a mask or a pretense will have to, one day, fall. All the temporary layers built out of trying to hide from something will be torn to shreds.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 27, 2016: Peace Naturally Arises

When we turn diligence into an intellectual process, we end up feeling exhausted by the intensity of the obligation. But if we respond the way the eyelid responds to a dry eye, then the work of peace naturally arises out of our innate wisdom and compassion.

—Bonnie Myotai Treace, "Rising to the Challenge: Filling the Well with Snow"

Via Ram Dass

July 27, 2016

In the Quaker tradition, the intuitive voice is called “The still, small voice within,” because the sensing and thinking mind are always blaring, and they have something to say about everything. To hear that little voice is a very delicate tuning, and that’s part of what meditation is about, learning about and how to read tracks that resonate with that place inside. And so you listen the best you can, and then you act from the best the deepest place that you can hear.

Via JMG: Democrats Ratify Most Pro-LGBT Platform In History


fudge


Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade:
Democrats ratified a party platform late Monday called the most LGBT-inclusive in history and a unifying document after a bitter primary. As convention chair Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) presided, delegates at the Democratic National Convention approved the platform by voice vote. Although loud “nays” were heard, the overwhelming “yays” in favor of the platform carried the day.
The 55-page document has a specific LGBT plank titled “Guaranteeing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights” and includes LGBT references in planks throughout the document.
The LGBT plank endorses LGBT comprehensive non-discrimination legislation (although it doesn’t explicitly address the Equality Act by name), condemns violence against transgender people, endorses the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage and repudiates state laws seeking to undermine LGBT rights.
“Democrats applaud last year’s decision by the Supreme Court that recognized that LGBT people — like other Americans — have the right to marry the person they love,” the platform says. “But there is still much work to be done. LGBT kids continue to be bullied at school, restaurants can refuse to serve transgender people, and same-sex couples are at risk of being evicted from their homes. That is unacceptable and must change.”
See the full platform here.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 26, 2016: Religion and Truth

The relationship of religion to truth is like that of a menu to a meal. The menu describes the meal as best it can. It points to something beyond itself. As long as we use the menu as a guide we do it honor. When we mistake the menu for the meal, we do it and ourselves a grave injustice.

—Rabbi Rami Shapiro, "Buddhism Meets Hasidism"

Monday, July 25, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 25/07/2016

“Muitos sofrem por não saberem quais são seus dons e talentos. E muitos já sabem mas, mesmo assim, sentem-se vazios e isolados; ainda não encontram uma razão para acordar de manhã. O que realmente propicia o sentimento de completude é a consciência do propósito da alma. Tendo essa consciência, você utiliza seus dons e talentos para fazer o que precisa ser feito. Quando você reconhece o seu propósito, suas habilidades se multiplicam e transformam para que você possa realizar a meta da sua alma.” 

“Muchos sufren por no saber cuáles son sus dones y talentos. Y muchos ya lo saben, pero igualmente se sienten vacíos y aislados, aún no encuentran una razón para despertar a la mañana. Lo que realmente propicia el sentimiento de plenitud es la consciencia del propósito del alma. Teniendo esa consciencia, utilizas tus dones y talentos para hacer lo que necesita ser hecho. Cuando reconoces tu propósito, tus habilidades se multiplican y se transforman para que puedas realizar la meta de tu alma.”

“Many suffer because they don’t know what their gifts and talents are. There are many that already recognize their gifts and talents yet still feel empty and isolated. They have not yet found the purpose for which they wake up in the morning. What really allows for the feeling of fulfillment is the awareness of our soul’s purpose. When we have this awareness, we use our gifts and talents to do what needs to be done. When we recognize our purpose, our capabilities multiply and transform in order for us to fulfill our soul’s objective.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 25, 2016: Remember the Basics

In my room, the world is beyond my understanding; But when I walk I see that it consists of three or four hills and a cloud.

—Wallace Stevens, "Remembering How to Walk"

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 24/07/2016

“A reclamação é um sintoma que nasce da ingratidão. E a ingratidão atrai muitos desequilíbrios e infortúnios para a nossa vida, incluindo doenças. Mas nem sempre é possível constatar que determinada doença está relacionada à ingratidão. O seu trabalho enquanto explorador da consciência é identificar o que está por trás dos sintomas, pois eles são portais para o inconsciente.” 

“Reclamar es un síntoma que nace de la ingratitud. Y la ingratitud atrae muchos desequilibrios e infortunios para nuestra vida, incluyendo enfermedades. Pero no siempre es posible constatar que determinada enfermedad está relacionada a la ingratitud. Tu trabajo como explorador de la conciencia es identificar lo que está por detrás de los síntomas, pues estos son portales para el inconsciente.”

“Complaining is a symptom born from ingratitude. The lack of gratitude attracts many imbalances and misfortunes to our lives, including illnesses. However, it is not always possible to see that a particular disease is related to ingratitude. Our work, as explorers of consciousness, is to identify what is behind these symptoms, because they are portals to the unconscious.”

Via Ram Dass

July 24, 2016

The ultimate act of service is to acknowledge and honor the integrity of another being as they, like us, pass through the beauty and the pain of a human birth.

Via Daily Dharma / July 24, 2016: Humble Awareness, Mindful Engagement

When we are awakened to simplicity and humility and aware of the suffering engendered by greed, hatred, and ignorance, our consciousness is restructured. We become mindful about ourselves and others, and naturally try to restructure society.

—Hozan Alan Senauke, "An Inconvenient Buddhist"

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 22, 2016: Wise Laughter

Wisdom sees the joke in everything. Wisdom is never upset. When you see the truth, it’s easy to laugh. You can be going through something really difficult, but when you really understand, you can laugh.

—Sayadaw U Tejaniya, "The Wise Investigator"

Via Sri Prem Baba / Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 23/07/2016

“Um mestre autêntico é uma presença, e essa presença acorda a presença em você. Por mais importantes e significativas que sejam as palavras, elas não são o mais importante. O mais importante é a presença; um olhar que pode te transformar. O Mestre é uma porta de acesso aos reinos superiores. Tudo o que a entidade humana em desenvolvimento pode fazer é chegar até essa porta. E quando a graça do mestre te toca, significa que a sua emancipação está próxima.”
 
“Un maestro autentico es una presencia, y esta presencia despierta la presencia en ti. Por más importantes y significativas que sean las palabras, ellasno son lo más importante. Lo más importante es la presencia; una mirada que te puede transformar. El Maestro es una puerta de acceso a los reinos superiores. Todo lo que la entidad humana en evolución puede hacer es llegar hasta esa puerta. Y cuando la gracia del maestro te toca, significa que tu emancipación está próxima.”

“An authentic master is presence, and his presence awakens the presence in us. Even though his words carry significance and are meaningful, they are not the most important aspect of his work. The deeper aspect of his work is his presence. Just one look is enough to transform us. The spiritual master is a doorway to access the higher realms. Everything the human entity in evolution does is to arrive at this doorway. When the grace of the master touches you, it means that your emancipation is close at hand.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 23, 2016: Meditation, An End in Itself

The only way one really gets any of the most important benefits of meditation practice is by giving up on the notion that there are any benefits to meditation practice.
  — Brad Warner, "Goalless Practice"

Via FB:


"In a time of destruction, create something: a poem, a parade, a community, a school, a vow, a moral principle; one peaceful moment."


Thursday, July 21, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 21/07/2016

“Tenho dito que o primeiro passo para a sanidade é a consciência da insanidad. E nossa insanidade se manifesta de diversas formas: quando consumimos sem nenhuma necessidade, apenas movidos pelo vício e pela inconsciência coletiva; quando produzimos lixo e mais lixo sem pensar nas consequências disso; quando promovemos a matança animal através dos nossos hábitos alimentares; quando colocamos mais e mais crianças neste mundo sem ao menos questionar porque estamos fazendo isso; quando agimos em interesse próprio, mesmo que essa atitude prejudique muitas outras pessoas.Isso é insano.”

“Dije que el primer paso para la sanidad es la conciencia de la insania. Y nuestra insania se manifiesta de diversas formas: cuando consumimos sin ninguna necesidad,apenas impulsados por el vicio y por la inconsciencia colectiva; cuando producimos basura y más basura sin pensar en las consecuencias de ello; cuando promovemos la matanza animal a través de nuestros hábitos alimenticios; cuando traemos más y más niños a este mundo sin siquiera cuestionar por qué lo estamos haciendo; cuando actuamosen interés propio, aunque esta actitud perjudique a muchas otras personas. Eso es insano.”

“The first step towards sanity is becoming aware of our insanity. Our insanity manifests in different forms, for example when we consume unnecessarily, moved only by our addiction and the unconscious collective. Insanity is producing more and more waste without thinking of its consequences. It is also when we promote animal slaughter through our eating habits or when we put even more children in this world without at least questioning why we are having them. When we act only out of our own self-interest even if this attitude is harmful to others, this is insanity.

Via Daily Dharma / July 21, 2016: Cultivate Right Speech

Whenever we find fault with others, whether through anger, contemptuousness, self-righteousness, or gossip, it is often based in fear. We may not be aware of our fears, but when we look deeply, we may discover the fear of rejection, loss of control, of unworthiness, or the fear of disconnection.

—Ezra Bayda, "Gossip"

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Via LGBT INCLUSIVE / FB:


Via FB:


If you have self-hatred, it will define the quality of your love - or lack of love - and it will ultimately manifest in your love for another. You may protest upon hearing this teaching that although you struggle with self-hatred, your love for your spouse is mostly pure, and that certainly your love of your children is pure. I do not doubt the truth of your protestations, but experience has shown me that in the end there is only one love. Love is by its very nature unity, and if you have feelings of self-loathing, those feelings inevitably become part of your relationship with the loved one. 


Via Ram Dass

July 20, 2016

Love is abundant because you are love. As you become love, you get to the point where you walk down the street and someone comes, and it is the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen. You look and look and appreciate and love, your eyes meet, you both recognize the love, and you don’t have to do anything about it.

It’s nothing special to be in love, it’s very ordinary. How alien that is in this culture, to think that being in love with the Universe is ordinary.


Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 20/07/2016

“Você se move em direção da liberdade através do amor e da compreensão.Essas são virtudes da alma que desabrocham aos poucos. Para ajudar nesse processo você, ego consciente, precisa querer. Você precisa conscientemente dar alguns passos nessa direção. E o primeiro passo é tomar consciência e olhar de frente para as suas insatisfações, angústias e repetições negativas. Porque só é possível mudar aquilo que você reconhece que existe.”

“Te mueves en dirección a la libertad a través del amor y de la comprensión. Estas son virtudes del alma queflorecenpoco a poco. Para ayudarte en este proceso tú, ego consciente, debes querer. Debes dar conscientemente algunos pasos en esta dirección. Y el primer paso es tomar conciencia y mirar de frente tus insatisfacciones, angustias y repeticiones negativas. Porque sólo es posible cambiar aquello que reconoces que existe.”

“We move in the direction of freedom through love and understanding. These are virtues of the soul that blossom gradually. In order to facilitate this process, we, as the conscious ego, must truly want freedom. We need to consciously take steps in the direction of love and understanding. The first step is to become aware of our dissatisfactions and face them, as well as our anxieties and negative repetitions. It is only possible to change that which we recognize needs to shift.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 20, 2016: Unlimited Buddha-mind

Our hearts and minds change from moment to moment, just as clouds shift in the evening sky as the sun goes down. Who are we to think we have grasped the true nature of our souls? The Buddha-mind within us will not be constrained by the limits of language.

—Abbess Fushimi, "Shedding Light"

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Via JMG: How Laid-Off Gay Journalist Jarrett Hill Realized That Melania Had Plagiarized The First Lady [VIDEO]


JarrettHill

 


Adding extra deliciousness to an already entertaining plagiarism scandal is that journalist Jarrett Hill, who first picked up on it, belongs to two of the GOP’s most-reviled minorities. Via the New York Times:
Mr. Hill, a television journalist who was recently laid off, said in an interview that one of Ms. Trump’s lines — the words “strength of your dreams” — caught his attention as he was watching on his computer from a Starbucks in Los Angeles, juggling Facebook chats and browsing Twitter.
“It kind of made me pause for a minute,” Mr. Hill said. “I remembered that line from Michelle Obama’s speech.”
Mr. Hill, 31, found the clip of Mrs. Obama’s speech online and noticed that parts of the two speeches sounded the same. He then realized that a larger portion appeared to have been borrowed as he continued to examine both.
“I thought, ‘That’s legit plagiarism,’ ” said Mr. Hill, who described himself as a supporter of President Obama. “‘Someone took this piece and plugged in their own information.’”
Hill appeared on CNN this afternoon to defend himself from wingnut claims that he’s a “paid plant from the Clinton campaign.”

Make the jump here to read the full article and see the video and more at JMG

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 19/07/2016

“Às vezes, o que te impede de manifestar os seus dons e talentos para a realização do seu propósito é o medo da grandeza da sua alma. Muitas vezes, o maior medo não é o de sentir dor, mas simde ir além dela e se deparar com algo que está além dos domínios do ego e da mente, além das suas referências. Você tem medo de se mover em direção ao desconhecido, à algo que você não domina. Embora isso seja tudo o que você quer; embora seja extremamente prazeroso crescer, expandir e desenvolver sua força, você tem medo. Você tem medo de ser livre. Mas a realização do propósito da alma está intrinsicamente relacionada à liberdade.”

“A veces, lo que te impide manifestar tus dones y talentos para la realización de tu propósito es el miedo a la grandeza de tu alma. Muchas veces, el mayor miedo no es el de sentir dolor, sino atravesarla y encontrarse con algo que está más allá de los dominios del ego y de la mente, más allá de tus referencias. Tienes miedo de moverte en dirección a lo desconocido, hacia algo que no dominas. Aunque esto sea todo lo que quieras; aunque sea extremadamente placentero crecer, expandirse y desarrollar tu fuerza, tienes miedo. Tienes miedo de ser libre. Pero la realización del propósito del alma está intrínsecamente relacionada con la libertad.”

“Sometimes, what prevents us from manifesting our gifts and talents to help accomplish our higher purpose is the fear of embracing the greatness ofour soul. Often times, the biggest fear is not of feeling pain, but rather to go past it and to encounter something beyond the dominion of the ego and the mind, surpassing all of our reference points. We are afraid to move in the direction of the unknown, towards something that we have not yet mastered. Even if it is everything we desire. Even though it is extremely pleasurable to grow, to expand and develop our strength, we still fear this. We are afraid of being free. However, fulfilling the purpose of the soul is intrinsically related to freedom.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 19, 2016: Beauty of the Nameless

Taking a walk
I saw
a wildflower.

Not knowing its name
I saw
its beauty only.


—Ok-Koo Kang Grosjean, "Like a Leaping Carp"

What's Next for Gay Men?


Monday, July 18, 2016

I posted this on FB: N E V E R ever… N U N C A!

Because of republican / evangelical opposition to the GLBTq community, I left my own country to stay with my husband. 

>> I will pause here to let that sink in <<

Luckily he is Brazilian and in 2010, Brasil allowed spouses of GLBTq Brazilians to immigrate. In fact, because of our PHD's they wanted us! 

Over 12 years, it cost us well over $30,000.00 for my husband to stay in the USA legally, and it just became too expensive, and to be honest we were tired of being treated as less than 2nd class citizens. So we decided to sell everything (in the process we lost our home - a 22 year investment down the tube - in a short sale because the BUSH government destroyed the economy) and immigrated to a country that, with all its problems, respects marriage equality. 

Thank you / Obrigado Brasil!

As someone who has been traveling and living off and on in Latin America since 1980, and who has lived overseas now for almost 6 years, and has been voting by mail-in ballot... all I can say is shame on the USA for even thinking of this Trump regime! And shame on anyone who enables it! 

Trump-Pence will be the final and complete end to any form of democracy left in the USA. Astonishing how some former Berners and republicans will gladly throw their GLBTQ family, colleagues, neighbors, acquaintances under the bus for this extremist right wing tea party evangelical FoxTV Nazi party! 

As someone who has lived in numerous countries in Latin America, the USA has created shit storm after shit storm here… (creating even more illegal immigration!). The last one being Iran-Contra in Nicaragua and Guatemala, where over a million people died in THAT forgotten republican intervention, and where the instability left from it still lingers. 

I could not, will not, cannot EVER vote for ANY republican… because of their egregious foreign policy - IRAQ being the last time we made this mistake - and because of their homophobia. 

N E V E R ever… N U N C A!

Via Faith in America



Faith In America Supporters,

I want to update you with the work Faith In America accomplished this last week.

California’s SB 1146:

In the last two years, over 70+ Christian Universities and Colleges have submitted for Title IX exemptions. These Title IX exemption requests are in direct response to the Department of Education’s inclusion of transgender students in 2014. This new bill would require three things:

1. Schools must disclose their request for a Title IX exemption to prospective and current students, faculty members, and employees.

2. All schools requesting the Title IX exemption are required to submit all the documents to the Student Aid Commission which will in turn list the schools on their website.

3.  LGBT students at any of these Christian schools would be eligible to file a civil suit for discrimination.

For NBC, I wrote on why these Christian institutions cannot claim their right to discriminate while also attempting to maintain federal funding.

“These schools should have to be transparent with their students and constituency,” I wrote. “If these institutions feel comfortable requesting a right to discriminate then they should also feel comfortable defending their decision publicly. Just as the schools have their legal right to discriminate so should the students have the right to private legal action when discriminated against. This may lead to Christian institutions losing federal funding. That’s a good thing. No private institution should be able to receive government assistance while breaking its nondiscrimination laws.”

You should also read this stunning essay from a Bisexual student on his experience navigating intimate partner violence and his schools Title IX exemption.

GOP’s Platform & Gov. Mike Pence VP Pick:

The GOP continues to push a violate anti-LGBT agenda. First, noted anti-LGBT Tony Perkins influenced the GOP to include conversion therapy in their platform. This adoption of this outdated and explicitly condemned practice should be seen as an act of violence towards LGBT people, especially LGBT youth.

Faith In America told ABC News the following: "The addition of conversion therapy in the GOP’s platform shows they’re far from finished fighting against the LGBT community," Faith in America executive director Eliel Cruz said in a statement. "Conversion therapy has been denounced by all leading medical organizations. The practice stems from a religious-based archaic understanding of sexuality that believes homosexuality is a choice and is sinful."

Next, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump selected Governor Mike Pence as his Vice President running mate. This selection proves what many LGBT advocates have been saying for a while: Donald Trump is just as dangerous for LGBT people as any of the other Republican candidates.

In the Advocate, Faith In America was quoted condemning the decision:

“Governor Mike Pence has an atrocious anti-LGBT record,” said Eliel Cruz, executive director for Faith in America, which fights religious-based bigotry. “His bigoted anti-LGBT law cost the state millions of dollars while allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBT citizens. In choosing him as a VP, Trump is proving what we’ve known all along: He’s no friend to the LGBT community.”

United Methodist Church LGBT Clergy Inclusion:

For some good news! The United Methodist Church made history in electing the first openly gay bishop. Reverend Karen Oliveto was elected by the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church last Friday evening. This nomination goes in direct conflict with the decision made at the General Conference of the world Church in which the United Methodists voted against allowing openly LGBT clergy to serve.

Faith In America praised the election in LGBTQ Nation:

"The United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Last night, they became the largest Protestant denomination with an openly gay Bishop. In electing Rev. Karen Oliveto, the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church performed civil disobedience against the world church. This is historic. It’s also an act of spiritual protest against a homophobic policy that denies openly LGBT clergy from ministry. This election shows the UMC is changing and that the Holy Spirit is moving the church towards justice."

That’s some Holy Trouble!

Sincerely,
Eliel Cruz
Executive Director

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 18/07/2016

“Ao identificar um padrão de comportamento negativo que gera conflito através de uma teimosia, de um vício em brigar para defender pontos de vista e da necessidade de sempre ter a última palavra, talvez exista um pacto de vingança inconsciente. Talvez você esteja projetando o seu passado na pessoa com quem está se relacionando; tentando forçar os seus pais a te ouvirem, a te aceitarem – a te amarem. Então, ao observar o sofrimento e a angústia que isso gera na sua vida e na vida dos outros a sua volta, você começa a querer mudar. Aos poucos, antes de brigar, você morde a língua - você escolhe deixar de atuar no padrão.”

“Al identificar un patrón de comportamiento negativo que genera conflicto a través de una terquedad, de un vicio enpelear para defender puntos de vista y de la necesidad de tener siempre la última palabra, tal vez exista unpacto de venganza inconsciente. Tal vez estés proyectandotu pasado en la persona con quien te estás relacionando; intentando forzar a tus padres a que te escuchen, a que te acepten,a que te amen. Entonces,al observar el sufrimiento y la angustia que esto genera en tu vida y en la vida de los demás a tu alrededor, empiezas a querer cambiar. De a poco, antes de pelear, te muerdes la lengua - eliges dejar de actuar en el patrón.”

“When we identify a pattern of negative behavior that creates conflict through stubbornness, an addiction to fighting, defending points of views, and the need to always have the last word, we might see that underlying all of this, exists an unconscious pact of revenge. Perhaps we are projecting our past on the person we are in relationship with, as though trying to force our parents to listen to us, to accept us, to love us. As we observe the suffering and the distress this causes in our life and in the lives of those around us, we begin to want to change. Gradually, before we accept the invitation to war, we hold our tongues and we choose to stop acting out of this pattern.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 18, 2016: Equality of Self and Other

To understand that others are so much like oneself creates a different perspective, a startlingly changed worldview. When this is internalized, you are not confronting another divide, but meeting someone with whom you have so much in common. You feel you know the person.

—Jeffrey Hopkins, "Equality"

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Via JMG: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Denies Support For Ex-Gay Torture Appears In GOP Platform (It Does)


 


 Reince


Yesterday RNC chairman Reince Priebus flatly denied that ex-gay torture is part of the 2016 GOP platform even though it was preliminarily approved last week thanks to Tony Perkins. From the Associated Press:
Priebus denied that language inserted into a draft of the party platform encourages “conversion therapy,” which religious conservatives believe can stop gay people from being gay. The new language, which has yet to be adopted by the full convention, reads, “We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children.”
Asked whether the Republican Party supports “conversion therapy,” Priebus charged, “It’s not in the platform.” GOP officials are eager to shift the focus of next week’s event away from divisive social issues. Such issues, while popular with conservatives who wield outsize influence in Republican primary contests, are less popular among the more moderate voters and independents who typically decide general elections.
Last week TIME Magazine reported:
An amendment offered by the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins in the subcommittee on healthcare, education, and crime offered support for the controversial practice of “conversion therapy” for children who identify as LGBT.
“We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children,” the amendment said. Perkins originally drafted a more explicit embrace of the practice, but amended the text after consultations with top RNC officials.
Last week CNN reported:
Perkins also won a bid to add the word “therapy” to the platform, making it read “we support the right of parents to determine the proper medical treatment or therapy for their minor children.” That was read as a move to allow conversion therapy, a controversial practice that attempts to convert youths away from being gay, that has been banned by some state and local governments.
Make the jump here to read the orginal and more at JMG
“It’s what it says, it’s whatever therapy that a parent wants to get for a minor child,” Perkins said when asked about the change. “There’s states that are trying to restrict what parents can do for loving their children. Parents have a better idea I think than legislators or government bureaucrats.”
From Snopes:
The cited language is ambiguous and does not expressly identify conversion by name, but many onlookers nonetheless believe there is no other reasonable interpretation of Perkins’ proposal. The draft faces at least two more tests before officially becoming part the party’s platform, and thus far its myriad issues remained unapproved.

Via JMG: Dan Savage Vs The “Lying, Delusional, Self-Hating Shitbags” That Are The Log Cabin Republicans

DanSavagePhotoByJoeJervis

February 11, 2016 2016 Election, Homocons

“Every four years gay Republicans slime out from under their rocks to remind us that the Democratic candidate wasn’t always perfect on LGBT issues. They then implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) pivot to this nonsensical argument: Since your guy/gal wasn’t always perfect on LGBT issues, the LGBT community should vote for the Republican who was terrible on LGBT issues then, is terrible on LGBT issues now, and who has pledged, if elected, to remain terrible on LGBT issues forever.
“Lying, delusional, self-hating shitbags can’t open their mouths without lying and attempting to delude.

“Every four years we’re subjected to the same insipid news stories about the efforts of the Log Cabin Republicans. Credulous reporters, some too young to realize what they’re being asked to re-regurgitate, tell us gay Republicans are hopeful! This could be the year! This could be the the year their nominee doesn’t return their checks! This could be the year their nominee doesn’t refuse to meet with them! This could be the year their nominee doesn’t deny the existence of their families! Gay Republicans are praised for trying to ‘change their party from within’ and then…

“Nothing changes. Their party never changes. All the GOP candidates for president take the same old bigoted positions. It never gets any better. But no one who writes up the efforts of Log Cabin Republicans to change their party ever thinks to examine the results. There’s never an accountability moment for the cocksucking wing of the ‘party of personal responsibility’.”Dan Savage, writing for The Stranger.

Read the original and more on JMG here

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 17/07/2016

“Por conta dos traumas de humilhação, exclusão e rejeição, a entidade humana desenvolve mecanismos de proteção. Esses mecanismos geram uma corrente negativa de energia que costumo simplesmente chamar de não. No mais profundo, os nãos são pactos de vingançacontra aqueles que nos machucaram. São uma forma de fazer justiça, mas uma forma estúpida, porque acabamos criando uma série de situações que geram sofrimento para nós mesmos. Nós achamos que, dessa forma vamos mudar o passado, porém o passado não muda; ele só pode ser compreendido e ressignificado através do autoconhecimento.”

“Debido a los traumas de humillación, exclusión y rechazo, la entidad humana desarrolla mecanismos de protección. Estos mecanismos generan una corriente negativa de energía que suelo llamarde no. En lo más profundo, los noes son pactos de venganza en contra de aquellos que nos lastimaron. Son una forma de hacer justicia, pero una forma estúpida, porque terminamos creando una serie de situaciones que generan sufrimiento a nosotros mismos. Creemos que de esta formavamos a cambiar el pasado, pero el pasado no cambia; solo puede ser comprendido y resignificado a través del auto-conocimiento.”

“Due to traumas of humiliation, exclusion, and rejection, the human entity develops self-defense mechanisms. These mechanisms create a negative energetic current that we often refer to as the ‘no’ current. At the core, these ‘no’s’ are pacts of revenge against those who have hurt us. They are a foolish way of getting even because these pacts of revenge wind up creating a series of situations that lead us to suffering. We believe that by taking revenge we can change the past. However, the past doesn’t change. It can only be understood and given new meaning through our own self-knowledge.”

Via ॐ Blue Buddha Quote Collective / FB:


Via Ram Dass:

July 17, 2016

I think in relationships, you create an environment with your own work on yourself, which you offer to another human being to use to grow in the way they need to grow. Parents are environments for their children, lovers are an environment for their partners.

You keep working – you become the soil – moist and soft and receptive so the person can grow the way they need to grow, because how do you know how they should grow?


Via Mary Stroube / FB: TRUMP – PENCE Will Eliminate Legal and Social Gains for LGBT Citizens

Today I heard a news commentator say that Trump has a “more moderate” view towards gay rights. Perhaps in relation to Mike Pence, that is true, but Trump is no friend to the LBBT community, nor is the Republican Party. I share this so you have accurate information.

The Republication party has concluded its platform with two extreme anti-gay planks: 

1) Marriage should only be between a man and a woman and encouraging overturning the Supreme Court case legalizing same-sex marriage


2) Based on the lead by the Family Research Council, "conversion" or "reparative therapy," which purports to "cure" homosexual inclinations through analysis and, frequently, prayer has been endorsed. With that, parents are given the right to decide the proper treatment for their children in this regard. These concepts have been consistently discredited, and typically criticized. by established mental health professions


Trump has claimed that he knows many gays and lesbians and “likes the gays and lesbians.” Of course he has said the same about just about every other group, for example, “the poorly educated” and disabled. And there’s his one African American man at a recent rally. While he may like gays and lesbians, he has always opposed same-sex marriage. Briefly in 2013 he said civil unions would be acceptable, but he then retreated to opposition to any same sex unions.


In an interview with Chris Wallace this year, Trump said he would appoint people to the Supreme Court who would overturn the court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Although it would be an unusual circumstance that would even allow the issue to be reconsidered, it is Trumps beliefs that are concern.


Mike Pence’s record is much more extremely anti-gay/lesbian. Pence believes that the prominence of gay couples signals inevitable societal collapse. He actively opposes same-sex marriage. He also opposes legislation that prohibits workplace discrimination against LGBT people saying it wages war against freedom and religion in the workplace.” He also objected to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”


I’m not an one-issue voter, and the Republicans have given me a lot to not like, not the least of which is the tenuous mental health of their Presidential candidate, but I’m not going to vote against myself or risk returning to unacceptable, outmoded and even dangerous beliefs. I’m voting for Hillary.

Via Daily Dharma / July 17, 2016: At Peace in Quiet, Empty Space

The quiet, empty space of zazen reveals the mind’s addiction to imagining the future and reminiscing about the past.

—Les Kaye, "The Time is Now"

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 16, 2016: Harmful Habits

If someone insults us, we usually dwell on it, asking ourselves, “Why did he say that to me?” and on and on. It’s as if someone shoots an arrow at us, but it falls short. Focusing on the problem is like picking up the arrow and repeatedly stabbing ourselves with it, saying, “He hurt me so much. I can’t believe he did that.”

—Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, "Putting Down the Arrow"

Friday, July 15, 2016

Via Sri Prem Baba Flor do dia - Flor día- Flower of the day - 16/07/2016

“Tenho fé de que a verdade libertará o nosso país, mas talvez isso ocorra somente numa próxima encarnação. Porque, a verdade é que não adianta só prender políticos corruptos; é preciso mudar hábitos e condicionamentos mentais; precisamos de uma reforma profunda em toda a base do nosso sistema, uma reforma cultural. Assim como cada um de nós pode ter o sistema tomado por determinadas matrizes psicológicas, um país também. E, nesse momento, o Brasil está tomado pelo egoísmo e pela vaidade.”
 
“Tengo fe que la verdad liberará nuestro país, pero tal vez eso solamenteocurra en una próxima encarnación. Porque la verdad es que no sirve solo arrestar políticos corruptos; es necesario cambiar hábitos y condicionamientos mentales; necesitamosde una reforma profunda en toda la base de nuestro sistema, una reforma cultural. Del mismo modo que cada uno de nosotros puede tener el sistema atrapado por determinadas matrices psicológicas, un país también. Y en este momento, Brasil está atrapado por el egoísmo y por la vanidad.”

“I have faith that the truth will set Brazil free, but this may only happen in the next incarnation. In truth, it’s not enough to simply blame corrupt politicians. We need to change our own habits and mental conditioning. There is a need for a thorough reform at the foundation of our entire system, including a cultural reform. In the same way each of us can be overtaken by certain psychological matrices, this can also happen to a country. In this moment, Brazil has beenoverwhelmed by selfishness and vanity.”

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 15/07/2016

“Chega um momento em que é preciso simplesmente relaxar e não gerar expectativa em relação a nada. Chega um momento em que até mesmo o desejo pela iluminação precisa cair, porque esse desejo começa a ser o seu obstáculo. Quem deseja a iluminação é um eu psicológico viciado em controlar a vida. Trata-se de um eu idealizado que traçou um plano de como as coisas devem ser. Mas, quando você realmente puder silenciar para viver essa experiência, esse eu não estará lá para isso, porque o silêncio só é possível na ausência dele.”

“Llega un momento, en que simplemente, es necesario relajarse y no generar expectativa en relación a nada. Llega un momento en que hasta el deseo por la iluminación necesita caer, porque ese deseo comienza a ser tu obstáculo. Quien desea la iluminación es un yo psicológico adicto en controlar la vida. Se trata de un yo idealizado que trazó un plan de como tienen que ser las cosas. Pero cuando realmente te puedes silenciar para vivir esa experiencia, ese yo no estará ahí para eso, porque el silencio solo es posible en la ausencia de él.”

“There comes a moment when it is necessary to simply relax and not have any expectations in relationship to anything. There comes a moment when even the desire for enlightenment needs to drop, because even this very desire becomes an obstacle for us. The part in us that desires enlightenment is a psychological self that is addicted to controlling life. It is an idealized self that has outlined a plan of how things should be. However, when we can really be silent enough to live this experience, this psychological self will not be there, because silence is only possible in the absence of this self.”

Via Daily Dharma / July 15, 2016: Echoes of an Endless Past

The wind blows hard among the pines
Toward the beginning
Of an endless past.
Listen: you’ve heard everything.


—Shinkichi Takahashi, "Triumph of the Sparrow"

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Via Daily Dharma / July 14, 2016: A Warning for Your Meditation Practice

Without an understanding of nontheism and the motivation to benefit others, meditation practice can degenerate into self-absorption and escapism.

—Judy Lief, "Is Meditation Enough?"

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Antropólogo afirma que evangélicos espalham “ódio, fobia e vingança” na sociedade brasileira



O professor de antropologia Ronaldo Almeida, da Unicamp, afirmou que o comportamento social dos evangélicos é permeado por ódio, fobia e vingança, e que isso explica casos como o da agressão à menina candomblecista (atribuída, sem provas, a pentecostais) e o apoio à redução da maioridade penal.

Segundo Almeida, os dois exemplos acima são manifestações de conservadorismo que refletem um cenário geral da sociedade brasileira.

Ele pontuou em entrevista ao IG que o ódio pode ser notado na reprovação dos evangélicos à homossexualidade e outras religiões; a fobia pode ser percebida no apoio que muitos brasileiros dão à legislação mais permissiva em relação ao porte de armas; e por último, a vingança, que seria o motivo pelo desejo da redução da maioridade penal.

“No Brasil, o que se consolida é o pluralismo no interior do cristianismo, cujo movimento principal são católicos se tornando evangélicos. Esse aumento do contingente vai além dos templos, se reflete no âmbito da política, da economia, da mídia”, teoriza o professor, sugerindo que essa mudança de pensamento da sociedade é um reflexo direto do crescimento dos evangélicos.

Segundo Almeida, erros políticos teriam funcionado como combustível para o crescimento da representatividade dos evangélicos na política. O professor também criticou a gestão do pastor Marco Feliciano (PSC-SP) à frente da Comissão de Direitos Humanos e Minorias (CDHM).

“Em 2010, o José Serra [candidato à presidência do PSDB] colocou o pastor Silas Malafaia para atacar a Dilma [à época candidata do PT] sobre o tema do aborto. Foi o início. Depois, com Dilma já no poder, o PT fez aquela besteira de entregar a Comissão de Direitos Humanos para o PSC. O presidente, como todos sabem, foi o deputado Marco Feliciano. Na comissão de Direitos Humanos, esses religiosos acharam um espaço para lidar com temas morais. E essa comissão, que antes cuidava das minorias, como a causa indígena, começou a ter uma pauta moralista, a travar uma disputa pela moralidade pública, a replicar aqui temas do fundamentalismo norte-americano, como o ensino religioso e o criacionismo”, criticou.

Em outro trecho da entrevista, Almeida diz que as lideranças evangélicas fazem apologia à violência de forma indireta, como forma de estabelecer seus próprios paradigmas: “Na questão religiosa, os fundamentalistas acabam por fomentar a ação violenta. 

O que não é novidade: basta lembra que o episódio do pastor da Igreja Universal que chutou uma imagem foi em 1995. É a cultura de demonizar o outro, de vilipendiar as outras religiões. Tem uma coisa cínica no Malafaia: na prática, ele diz: ‘o Estado laico tem de garantir que eu posso demonizar o outro’. É o oposto da noção clássica do protestantismo: de liberdade individual. Mas, no fundo, o que a bancada evangélica mostra são expressões de coisas mais profundas da sociedade: conservadora, violenta, hierárquica e desigual”, resumiu.

Make the jump here to read the original and more

Via CBS News: "Star Trek" creator's son weighs in on gay Sulu


Actor John Cho poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "Star Trek Beyond" in London, Tuesday, July 12, 2016.
LOS ANGELES -- The son of late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry says his father would have been on board with an Enterprise crew member being portrayed as gay, but he's unsure if it should have been helmsman Hikaru Sulu.

Rod Roddenberry said his father would have been supportive of a gay "Trek" character and commended the "Star Trek Beyond" filmmakers for featuring an LGBT character. Roddenberry died in 1991.

Make the jump here to read the full story and much more
 

Via Teanderthal Party: King James


 
King James was affectionately called "Queen James" by his friends. Being gay himself, he would know if the Hebrew and Greek condemned homosexuality.

http://www.libchrist.com/other/homosexual/kingjames.html

Via Faith In America: RNC’s Conversion Therapy Support Is Dangerous

Dear Faith In America Supporters,

The GOP has solidified their stance against LGBT people at their convention supporting the condemned practice of conversion therapy. This pseudo science practice is both spiritual and medical malpractice and actively harms LGBT individuals, especially LGBT youth. Faith In America thoroughly condemns the adoption of this practice into the GOP platform.

Below is the press release we sent to media on this issue.

Sincerely,
Eliel Cruz
Executive Director
Support our work? Make a contribution today.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RNC’s Conversion Therapy Support Is Dangerous

New York, New York, July 14, 2016 – The Republican National Convention is being used as a tool to further a bigoted anti-LGBT agenda. Anti-LGBT pundit Tony Perkins used his influence as an RNC delegate to include dangerous, pseudo-science “conversion therapy” into the GOP platform.

“The addition of conversion therapy in the GOP’s platform shows they’re far from finished fighting against the LGBT community,” said Eliel Cruz, Executive Director of Faith In America. “Conversion therapy has been denounced by all leading medical organizations. The practice stems from a religious-based archaic understanding of sexuality that believes homosexuality is a choice and is sinful. Today, we know that being LGBT is natural and not something to be ‘cured’ of. The Republican Party has proven itself once more that it’s the party of religious based bigotry.”

The language included in the platform does not specifically mention the words “conversion therapy.” It mentions that parents should be allowed to seek whatever treatment or therapy they deem fit for their children. This language extends to “physical and emotional” therapy as well.

“The state intervenes when parents are abusing their children,” Eliel Cruz said. “Conversion therapy is nothing short of child abuse. There is ample evidence that shows attempting to change someone’s innate sexual orientation leads to depression, anxiety, and suicide. Parents who are willing to put their children at risk to undergo conversion therapy are abusing their children.”

Faith In America condemns the RNC’s decision to include conversion therapy in their GOP platform. Faith In America supports a national ban on conversion therapy.


For more information go to faithinamerica.org and follow on Twitter.

About Faith In America: Established in 2006, Faith In America is a non-profit organization whose ultimate goal is to end decades and centuries of using religious teachings to justify marginalizing and discriminating against others.  We are dedicated to influencing media and faith community narratives on religion and sexuality. Our goal is to move the needle forward on LGBTQ equality in the pews and in our legislation. Our Mission is to educate the public about the ongoing harm caused to LGBTQ persons, especially youth, by religious-based prejudice. Our dream is to change the hearts and minds of religious communities on the “sinful” nature of homosexuality. To remove it permanently from “the sin list.”