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Via Ram Dass...

August 31, 2016

Here in the West, we treat personality as absolutely real, we really think it’s real. Who you think you are is really real. For example, you were battered as a child and that seems very real, because it’s a strong mental structure in your head and it permeates you and you are carrying your history with you on your shoulders.

At some point you will start to see that each person is presenting who they think they are. It’s like they’re putting on a huge mind net, “This is who I am, this is who I am, this is who I am…” You can start to see it in the way they walk, talk, dress, present themselves; always presenting who they think they are, which has a historical thread running through it.

When you have started to awaken and see that there are other planes of reality that are equally valid to the one which presently exists, you learn how to live more or less with more and more planes simultaneously, which is what freedom is about. It’s not totally standing in one plane, it’s not standing anywhere at all.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 31/08/2016

“O ódio da mãe, no decorrer dos milênios, tem se manifestado das mais diversas maneiras através do abuso do feminino. E o abuso sexual é uma das expressões mais agudas desse ódio. No cerne dessa problemática está a carência afetiva; e por trás dela está a repressão sexual. O sadismo, a promiscuidade, a perversão e a pornografia são filhos da repressão sexual. Isso quer dizer que, embora nossa sociedade tenha no mínimo dez mil anos de história, nós ainda não aprendemos a lidar com a sexualidade. Ela ainda é um grande tabu. E para que possamos mudar esse cenário, a sexualidade precisa fazer parte da educação, tanto dentro de casa como nas escolas. Mas, para isso, pais e educadores precisam estar preparados através do autoconhecimento.”

“El odio a la madre, a través de los milenios, se ha manifestado de las más diversas formas a través del abuso del femenino. Y el abuso sexual es una de las expresiones más agudas de este odio. En el centro de esta problemática está la carencia afectiva; y detrás de ella está la represión sexual. El sadismo, la promiscuidad, la perversión y la pornografía son hijos de la represión sexual. Esto significa que, aunque nuestra sociedad tenga por lo menos diez mil años de historia, todavía no hemos aprendido a lidiar con la sexualidad. Sigue siendo un gran tabú. Y para que podamos cambiar este escenario, la sexualidad precisa ser parte de la educación, tanto dentro de casa commo en las escuelas. Pero, para ello, padres y educadores precisan estar preparados a través del autoconocimiento.”

“Hatred of the mother, over the millennia, has manifested in various forms of female abuse. Sexual abuse is one of the most severe expressions of this hatred. At the heart of this problem, lies the need for affection, and behind this, sexual repression. Sadism, promiscuity, perversion and pornography are the results of sexual repression. Even though our society has at least ten thousand years of history, we still haven’t learned to deal with sexuality. It is still a great taboo. In order for us to change this scenario, sexuality needs to become part of our educational system, both at home and at our schools. Parents and teachers need to be prepared for this role through the process of self-knowledge.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 31, 2016: Enlightened Desire

The Buddha teaches that there are many wholesome desires: the desire to serve, the desire to give, the desire to be free, the desire to cultivate qualities of heart that ennoble our lives and lead us to connect with others. It’s desire that causes us to seek depth and understanding. It is desire that brings about wholesome social change and justice.

—Christina Feldman, "Doing, Being, and the Great In-Between"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 30/08/2016

“A solução para o problema da violência sexual não é fortalecer o sistema carcerário ou punir mais severamente os criminosos envolvidos. A solução para essa questão está no desenvolvimento da consciência amorosa. Mas, essa consciência só poderá despertar na sociedade através da educação. Precisamos refletir sobre o que estamos ensinando para as nossas crianças. Precisamos assumir responsabilidade e entender onde estamos falhando. O fato é que nós estamos criando estupradores e mulheres vulneráveis ao estupro. E não basta enclausurar o estuprador, sem oferecer a ele nenhuma possibilidade de transformação. Isso não resolve e só nos distrai da percepção sobre o causa real do problema.” 

“La solución al problema de la violencia sexual no es fortalecer el sistema penitenciario o castigar más severamente a los criminales implicados. La solución a este problema está en el desarrollo de la conciencia amorosa. Pero esta conciencia sólo podrá despertar en la sociedad a través de la educación. Necesitamos reflexionar sobre lo que estamos enseñando a nuestros niños. Precisamos asumir la responsabilidad y entender dónde estamos fallando. El hecho es que estamos criando violadores y mujeres vulnerables a la violación. Y no basta con encerrar al violador, sin ofrecerle ninguna posibilidad de transformación. Esto no resuelve y sólo nos distrae de la percepción de la causa real del problema.”

“The solution to the problem of sexual violence is not to strengthen our prison system or to punish more severely the criminals involved. The solution to this is the development of a more loving consciousness. This consciousness can only develop in society through education. We need to examine what we are teaching our children. We need to assume responsibility and understand where we are failing. The fact is that we are creating rapists and vulnerable women to be raped. It’s not enough to only incarcerate the rapist without offering any possibility of transformation. This will resolve nothing and only distracts us from understanding the real cause of the problem.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 30, 2016: How to Savor

Since each moment’s meeting of a person or even a flower is precious and fleeting, it is to be savored completely, perhaps best in silence.

—Patricia Donegan, "Silence: Stillness"

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 29/08/2016

“A gula é uma matriz psicológica que se manifesta como voracidade. A pessoa gulosa tenta preencher a carência e o vazio existencial através de compulsões, sendo que a mais básica é a compulsão alimentar. São muitos os tipos de compulsões (por falar, por sexo, pornografia, compras, jogos...), mas todas tem relação com a sexualidade. A gula é um sintoma; ela indica que algo precisa ser curado. Existe um conteúdo relacionado a sexualidade que ainda não foi compreendido e aceito.”

“La gula es una matriz psicológica que se manifiesta como voracidad. La persona golosa intenta llenar la carencia y el vacío existencial a través de compulsiones, siendo que la más básica es la compulsión alimentaria. Son muchos los tipos de compulsiones (por hablar, por sexo, pornografía, compras, juegos de azar...), pero todas tienen que ver con la sexualidad. La gula es un síntoma; indica que algo precisa ser sanado. Hay un contenido relacionado con la sexualidad que todavía no fuecomprendido y aceptado.”

“Gluttony is the psychological matrix that manifests as voracity. A gluttonous person tries to fill neediness and existential emptiness through compulsions, of which the most basic is the compulsion to eat. There are many types of compulsions, the compulsion to speak, to have sex, to watch pornography, shopping, games, and so on. All of them are related to sexuality. Gluttony is only a symptom. It indicates that something needs to be healed. It means that there is some content in relationship to sexuality that still hasn’t been comprehended and accepted.”

Via DailyDharma / August 29, 2016: We Belong to Each Other

After hundreds of thousands of millions of years, every particle of clay has passed through every kind of vessel. Every body has particles that have “belonged” to every other body. The vessel-bodies are so tightly packed that there is no distance between them, one shape curving into the next, a valley in one is a hill in another.

—Jan Chozen Bays, "Embodiment"

Via Ram Dass

August 28, 2016

It’s quite apparent that as you work on yourself, on your consciousness, you continue to do whatever dance you’re doing, the dance evolves. You begin to see how the acts you perform can become more and more optimum to the conditions. For instance, when you’re about to change a law in a country you stand back, and you begin to understand the way the whole system works, and you see what the optimum act you can do is, and you perform it totally, without emotional attachment to that act, and instead an awareness of how that act works in the whole system.

In other words, it’s the ability to sometimes have delay of gratification, the ability to stand back to do what is the more optimum response.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 28/08/2016

“A purificação é a fase da jornada na qual trabalhamos para nos libertar da falsa identidade, e é nessa fase que surgem os maiores desafios, justamente porque nos apegamos a ela. Existem momentos em que a jornada se torna desértica e passamos muito tempo sem ter um gole de água para beber - nossa fé é testada ao máximo. Essa fase requer paciência e boa vontade, pois é isso que nos dá força para continuar batendo na porta da Verdade. Então nós batemos até que, em algum momento, a porta se abre e a Verdade se revela.” 

“La purificación es la fase del camino en el que trabajamos para liberarnos de la falsa identidad, y es en esta fase donde surgen los mayores desafíos, justamente porque nos apegamos a ella. Hay momentos en que el camino se hace desértico y pasamos mucho tiempo sin tener un sorbo de agua para beber - nuestra fe es probada al máximo. Esta fase requiere paciencia y buena voluntad, porque eso es lo que nos da fuerza para continuar golpeando la puerta de la Verdad. Entonces golpeamos hasta que, en algún momento, la puerta se abre y la Verdad se revela.” 

“Purification is the phase of the journey in which we work to liberate ourselves from false identity. This is where our greatest challenges arise precisely because we are attached to this identity. There are times when the journey becomes a desert and we spend a long time without even a drop of water to drink and our faith is severely tested. This phase requires patience and strong willpower that gives us the force necessary to keep knocking on the door of truth. Then we knock on the door of truth, until at some point, the door opens and the truth is revealed.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 28, 2016: The Myth of the Negative Emotion

There isn’t any such thing as a negative emotion. There are negative things that we do with our emotions, but our emotions themselves are neither negative nor positive. They simply are.

—Robert Augustus Masters, "From Spiritual Bypassing"

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Via Boyfactor: 8 Openly Homophobic Companies To Avoid

If CEOs these days were smart, they would realize that over half of America supports marriage equality. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, Google, and many more have famously “gone gay” and come out in support of LGBT rights through monetary donations, employee protection, and publicly promoting equality. It seems like publicly opposing equality would be PR suicide these days, doesn’t it? Surprisingly, this isn’t the case. The Human Rights Campaign conducts an annual Corporate Equality Index and consistently hands out failing grades to companies for either being un-inclusive, or downright homophobic. Some of the following companies might be familiar to you, but you might be surprised by who else made the list.

Chick-Fil-A

Before you “Chow Down at Chick-Fil-A ala Willam Belli, you might want to know that they are famed for their disdain of everything gay.

CEO Dan Cathy believes firmly in the “traditional definition of marriage” to the point that he has donated to Christian Organizations which support the murder of gay individuals in Africa. You know that “Kill the Gays” bill in Uganda? That came thanks to organizations that have gotten substantial donation from this fast food chain.

Chick-Fil-A: Serving up nuggets with a side of homophobia.

Purina

For a company that’s devoted to feeding animals, Purina does a good job at being discriminatory to a large group of humans. The pet-chow company offers zero benefits for same-sex partners, and has no anti-discrimination policy in place. They also famously pulled ads from Saturday Night Live because it was “immoral” and promoted an “unclean lifestyle.” Lofty words from a company whose claim to fame is Beggin’ Strips and Sausages.

The Salvation Army

 

Next time you see a friendly bell-ringer at your local grocery store, be advised that your donated money is actually going to a company that wishes death on gay and transgender individuals. According to one higher-up in the corporation, they take the word of the Bible literally and seriously, meaning gay and trans individuals are hell-bound and deserve death. There has also been issues with trans and gay folks being denied access to Salvation Army operated shelters because of their “lifestyle choices.” With opinions like that, it might be time to change the company’s name to the “Selective Salvation Army.”

Dominos

Even pizza companies are getting political these days. Dominos has a founder who is notoriously sexist and homophobic and has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to conservative causes to undercut equality. Evidently Dominos is just too highbrow and classy to allow us queers access to the pizza cutter. Their loss: We’re pros at working with sausage.

Urban Outfitters

This one is a bit more surprising to some people considering Urban has achieved a sort of reverance in the gay community for the clothing it sells. Despite the CEO being an openly gay man, the founder of Urban Outfitters has donated money to the campaigns of politicans such as Rick “can’t hear you over my Bible audiobook” Santorum.

Additionally, Urban has removed Pro-Gay clothing from its shelves in the past while keeping clothing with transphobic, sexist, and racist language out for sale. Keep that in mind next time you’re shooting for Hipster-Chic and Urban comes up as an option.

Cracker Barrel

Color me shocked to hear a restaurant chain famed for Southern influences is homophobic. Cracker Barrel not only does not protect the LGBT individuals from being fired or mistreated, it actively does not hire these individuals because their “lifestyle” is incongruent with Cracker Barrel’s values as well as the values of “the majority of our clientele.” If you find yourself hankering for some chicken and waffles, consider finding a place that doesn’t cater to folks who enjoy good old-fashioned queer-beatings and down-home transphobia.

Wal-Mart

 

Famous for rollback prices and for being a terrible place to work if you want competitive wages, Wal-Mart also has an anti-LGBT streak in it.  Though it is the country’s largest seller of books, Wal-Mart does not have any LGBT-themed pieces of literature for sale in its stores. One book that was famously vended by the retail giant promoted the idea that gay people can overcome their sin and become straight, because if there is one place qualified to offer conversion therapy, it’s Wal-Mart.

Exxon

Here’s the big one. The granddady of homophobic companies. Far and away the record-holder for lowest score on the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. Exxon Oil come on down, claim your prize! With a Corporate Equity Index score of negative 25 out of 100 Exxon is far and away the worst place to work if you are LGBT.

As is common with the rest of these companies, Exxon refuses to provide benefits for LGBT workers and their partners. However, Exxon enjoys the distinction of having actually revoked these benefits which were present in the past. In addition to just kind of being dicks with regards to the environment, Exxon actively pursues legislation which is designed to keep LGBT folks from receiving equality. Exxon execs firmly opposed ENDA and are adamantly refusing the become the final Fortune 10 company to protect LGBT individuals from unfair workplace treatment. Exxon is the most profitable company in the world, but also holds the title of “Least LGBT Friendly Company.” Just because Exxon is responsible for turning dead dinosaurs into fuel doesn’t mean they need to have prehistoric mindset when it comes to equality.

These are only a few of the unfortunately large list of companies that oppose LGBT equality. Knowing where your money goes when you spend it is important lest it go toward murdering gay people in Uganda as in the case of Chick-Fil-A. The good news is that these companies are offset by an ever-growing number of companies who actively support LGBT rights. For every Wal-Mart there is a Costco, and for every Cracker-Barrel there is a Starbucks which combat the various phobias these companies perpetuate. With the holiday season coming up and shopping about to get hella busy, consider checking out the HRC’s full list of Corporate Equality Index scores so you can spend your money somewhere that doesn’t want you dead.

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 27/08/2016

Estamos trabalhando para que haja um despertar da consciência humana. Despertar, nesse contexto, significa ampliar a percepção de forma que possamos ver aquilo que não vemos; significa remover as lentes que distorcem a realidade para que possamos ter acesso a ela. Tais lentes representam os sistemas de crenças que nos fazem interpretar a realidade a partir das nossas feridas infantis. Isso nos impede de evoluir e desenvolver nossos potenciais latentes porque ficamos presos ao passado. Porém, a natureza da vida é movimento e expansão e inevitavelmente chega um momento em que as nossas crenças são questionadas e passamos a perceber a vida de outra maneira. Esse é o início do despertar.”

“Estamos trabajando para que haya un despertar de la conciencia humana. Despertar, en este contexto, significa ampliar la percepción de modo que podamos ver aquello que no vemos; significa remover los lentesque distorsionan la realidad para que podamos tener acceso a ella. Tales lentes representan los sistemas de creencias que nos hacen interpretar la realidad desde nuestras heridas infantiles. Esto nos impide evolucionar y desarrollar nuestros potenciales latentes porque estamos atados al pasado. Sin embargo, la naturaleza de la vida es movimiento y expansión e inevitablemente llega un momento en que nuestras creencias son cuestionadas y pasamos a percibir la vida de otra manera. Este es el inicio del despertar.”

“We are working to awaken human consciousness. ‘To awaken’ in this context means to increase our perception to such a degree that we are able to see that which we were formally unable to. It means to remove the lenses that distort reality so that we are able to access it. These ‘lenses’ are the systems of beliefs that were a result of our childhood wounds that make us interpret reality as we do. This is what prevents us from evolving and developing our hidden talents because we are trapped in the past. However, the nature of life is movement and expansion and inevitably there comes a moment when our beliefs are questioned and we begin to perceive life in another way. This is the beginning of awakening.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 27, 2016: All That Stillness Holds

Being fully in the stillness was not about self-isolation or self-help but about standing in radical relationship with all that stillness holds—all the grief, all the loss, all the loneliness—and standing with it, rather than rushing to reason it away, arrest it, or lock it in a box.

—Jasmine Syedullah, "Radicalizing Dharma Dreams"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 26/08/2016

“Cada ser humano traz consigo uma visão, um programa a ser realizado. Esse programa é o propósito da alma; é o que ela veio fazer aqui. A criança nasce tendo a clareza do propósito mas, com o tempo, ela acaba se esquecendo, especialmente se os adultos responsáveis por ela não alimentam essa visão por não acreditarem nela ou por projetam na criança as suas próprias inseguranças, bloqueios e frustrações. Dessa forma, a criança vai sendo condicionada àquilo que a sociedade determina que é melhor para ela. Ela é desviada do seu caminho natural e essa é a maior desgraça do ser humano.”

“Cada ser humano trae consigo una visión, un programa a ser realizado. Este programa es el propósito del alma; es lo queella vino a hacer aquí. El niño nace con el propósito claro pero, con el tiempo, termina por olvidarlo, especialmente si los adultos responsables de élno alimentan estavisión, por no creer en él o por proyectar en el niño sus propias inseguridades, bloqueos y frustraciones. De esta forma, el niño va siendo condicionado a lo que la sociedad determina que es mejor para él. Es desviado de su camino natural y esta es la mayor desgracia del ser humano.”

“Every human being brings with them a vision, a program to be realized. This program is the purpose of the soul; it is what we have come here to do. As a child, we are born with clarity of purpose, but over time, we wind up forgetting it. This happens especially when the adults responsible for raising a child don’t nourish this vision and don’t believe in him or her. This disconnect continues when parents or caretakers project onto a child their own insecurity, blocks and frustrations. In this way, a child becomes conditioned with what society determines to be best for it. The child is deviated from his or her natural path and this is the greatest disgrace for the human being.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 26, 2016: Falling Out of Habit

There is something sacred about the moment when we fall out of the habit-realm. So often it is precisely such a gap, a sense of wonder or questioning at what we take for granted, that brings us to the path in the first place.

—Noelle Oxenhandler, "Twirling a Flower"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 25/08/2016

“Se existe medo da intimidade, existe vergonha. A vergonha é um aspecto do orgulho que pode ser usado como um portal de acesso ao inconsciente. Ao identificar a vergonha, estabeleça um diálogo com ela. Mas se ainda não foi possível identificar a vergonha, dialogue então com o medo. Converse com essas partes da sua personalidade que estão gerando o isolamento. Pergunta a si mesmo: Do que eu tenho medo? O que eu considero tão feio em mim que preciso esconder? O que em mim eu não consigo aceitar? Essa é uma forma de acessar os porões do inconsciente.”

“Si existe miedo a la intimidad, existe vergüenza. La vergüenza es un aspecto del orgullo que puede ser usado como un portal de acceso al inconsciente. Al identificar la vergüenza, establece un diálogo con ella. Pero si todavía no fue posible identificar la vergüenza, entonces dialoga con el miedo. Habla con esas partes de su personalidad que están generando aislamiento. Pregúntate a ti mismo: ¿De qué tengo miedo? ¿Qué es lo que considero tan feo en mí que necesito esconderlo? ¿Qué en mí no consigo aceptar? Esta es una forma de acceder a los sótanos del inconsciente.”

“If there is fear of intimacy, there exists shame. Shame is an aspect of pride that can be used as a doorway to the unconscious. As you identify shame acting in you, develop a dialogue with it. If you have not yet been able to identify shame, have a conversation with your fear. Converse with these parts of your personality that are creating isolation. Ask yourself, ‘What do I fear? What is so ugly in me that I need to hide? What don’t I accept about myself?’ This is a way to access the dungeons of the unconscious.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 25, 2016: The Buddhist Art of Debate

The Buddha said, “My words are not to be simply accepted; they are to be tested.” Debating trains you to be clear and gives you an analytical mind. When you study Buddhism you can analyze what really makes sense rather than simply memorizing.

—Rinchen Khando Choegyal, "Standing as Equals"

Via Ram Dass

August 24, 2016

Water, when it flows downstream, doesn’t have a model of what it’s doing. It’s just being water, and water floats downstream, because that’s how water works. The thing that is extraordinarily hard for any of us to truly realize and to have sufficient faith to accept, is that if you stop having views, having models, planning, desiring, organizing, and structuring, it’s all right.

You don’t stop your desires as long as you stay in a human body. You break the identification with them. That's all that's required.

It isn’t necessary to give up a thing. It’s necessary to give up attachment to the thing. That’s all that’s required.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 24/08/2016

“A necessidade compulsiva de trocar de parceiro sexual é um desdobramento da gula; é um mecanismo de defesa que serve para amortecer a consciência. Por trás dessa compulsão existe um profundo medo da intimidade. Você tem medo de aprofundar na relação por que teme se revelar para o outro. O que faz com que você perca o interesse sexual pelo outro é o medo que ele veja algo em você que você não aceita. Você tem medo de entrar em contato com algo que não quer ver. No mais profundo, ao fugir do outro, você está fugindo de si mesmo.” 

“La necesidad compulsiva de cambiar de pareja sexual es undesdoblamiento de la gula; es un mecanismo de defensa que sirve para adormecer la conciencia. Por detrás de esta compulsión existe un profundo miedo a la intimidad. Tienes miedo de profundizar en la relación porquetemes revelarte al otro. Lo que te hace perder el interés sexual por el otro, es el miedo de que él vea algo en ti que no aceptas. Tienes miedo de entrar en contacto con algo que no quieres ver. En lo más profundo, alhuir del otro, estás huyendo de ti mismo.”

“The compulsive need to change our sexual partners is an unfolding of gluttony. It is a defense mechanism that serves to numb our consciousness. Behind this compulsion lies a deep-rooted fear of intimacy. We fear deepening into a relationship because we are afraid to reveal ourselves to the other. What makes us lose our sexual interest in our partner is that we fear they are seeing something in us that we don’t accept about ourselves. We dread coming into contact with something that we don’t want to see. At the deepest level, when we try to escape the other, we are attempting to run and hide from ourselves.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 24, 2016: The Everyday Buddhist

Buddhism after patriarchy calls for a radical reassessment of the relationship between spirituality and so-called “everyday life” . . . Now maintaining one’s livelihood and taking care of one’s environment and family need to be accepted as an alternative that is not inferior to monasticism.

—Rita M. Gross, "After Patriarchy"

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Via Lion's Roas: I’m interested in going to a Buddhist center in my city for the first time. Any advice?

by Lion's Roar Staff| August 17, 2016

Illustration by Nolan Pelletier.

It sounds like you’re a little nervous and unsure what to expect. That’s okay—Buddhists talk about the value of “not-knowing,” after all. But we do have some tips.

First: do some googling to see what your options are. And you’ll find a helpful directory of Buddhist centers right in the back of Lion’s Roar magazine or Buddhadharma. Visit centers’ websites and social media to get a sense of the tradition and teachings they represent. Which ones reflect what’s drawn you to Buddhism? Look for special beginner-friendly and drop-in events.

Here are some things to keep in mind for your visit to a center:

1. You’re under no obligation to do anything you don’t want to—and you’re free to leave if you don’t like the feel of the place.
2. That said, Buddhist practice is often about letting go, so try your best to have a spirit of playful experimentation. Bowing or chanting may be outside of your experience, but you’re there to try something new. Don’t worry about getting things wrong, because that’s expected.
3. Centers often rely on generosity to function. You are free to make a donation but not obligated.
4. Different communities have different feels—some are mostly silent, some are talkier, and so on. Keep looking and soon you’ll find one where you feel at home.

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Via LGBTQ Nation / FB: Trump’s new campaign chiefs have a long and sordid anti-gay past

In this Aug. 10, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a coal mining roundtable at Fitzgerald Peterbilt in Glade Spring, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Donald Trump seems to have discovered some change you can believe in, and has just shuffled around the leadership of his campaign (again). Out goes Paul Manafort, who may or may not have been illegally accepting money from foreign powers, and in comes Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon and conservative pollster Kellyanne Conway.

Wait, who?

Well, you’ll be delighted (and no doubt shocked) to learn that Trump’s new best friends have a long history of homophobia. Surprise!

Bannon, for example, went nuts over Target’s inclusive bathroom policy, accusing the store of “trying to exclude people who are decent, hard-working people who don’t want their four-year-old daughter to have to go into a bathroom with a guy with a beard in a dress.” Good one!

Conway called homosexuality “corrupting” and said that people “don’t want their kids looking at a cartoon with a bunch of lesbian mothers.” She did a bunch of polling for the National Organization for Marriage, which unbelievably still exists. (In fact, just last week, NOM sent out a fundraising email in which they inadvertently called their own members “pathetic.” Truer words were never spoken!)

Conway also spoke at the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit, and said that opposing homosexuality is not “right versus left, but right versus wrong.”

Trump likes to pretend that he’s a friend to the gays, but a quick look over at the company he keeps proves that’s simply not true. And of course, running mate Mike Pence is even worse.

Under Bannon’s leadership, Breitbart has run headlines like “The Trouble with Trannies” and pushed a conspiracy theory that Matthew Shepard’s murder wasn’t a hate crime. The site has also claimed that being gay is a mental illness.

Read the original and much more here

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 23/08/2016

“O ego humano encontra-se adoecido, completamente obcecado pelo poder. O egoísmo chegou no seu grau máximo. E para que possamos nos curar dessa doença, precisamos primeiro reconhecê-la através dos seus sintomas (ansiedade, angústia, tristeza, depressão, desconexão...). Porém, não basta somente tratar os sintomas, precisamos tratar e eliminar a causa, a raiz dessa doença. No mais profundo, a raiz do egoísmo humano está na desconexão com a sua verdadeira identidade e com realidade espiritual da vida.” 

“El ego humano se encuentra enfermo, completamente obsesionado con el poder. El egoísmo ha alcanzado su grado máximo. Y para que podamos curarnos de esta enfermedad, primero necesitamos reconocerla a través de sus síntomas (ansiedad, angustia, tristeza, depresión, desconexión...). Pero no basta solamente con tratar los síntomas, necesitamos tratar y eliminar la causa, la raíz de esta enfermedad. En lo más profundo, la raíz del egoísmo humano está en la desconexión con su verdadera identidad y con la realidad espiritual de la vida.” 

“The human ego is sick, completely obsessed with power. Selfishness has increased to its maximum degree. In order for us to heal ourselves from this disease, we first need to recognize its symptoms such as, anxiety, anguish, sadness, depression and disconnection. However, it is not enough to only treat the symptoms. We need to treat and eliminate the cause, and address the roots of this illness. At the deepest level, the roots of human selfishness lie in the disconnection from our true identity and the spiritual reality of life.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 23, 2016: Our Temporary Niche

As human beings we agonize about death, and about our lack of freedom. We have the greatest difficulty in acknowledging our impermanence and our dependence. Once we truly accept our temporary niche in the interdependence of all things, then, as the Buddha taught, we can be free of dukkha.

—Robert Aitken, "The Rectification of Names"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 22/08/2016

“Para ancorar a presença é preciso fechar as contas com o passado, o que significa poder olhar para trás e agradecer à cada pessoa que passou na sua vida. Onde existe ingratidão existe acusação; onde existe acusação, existe um coração fechado. Em outras palavras, existe uma ferida a ser tratada. Pois é essa ferida que te mantém preso ao passado. Com isso, eu lhe convido a fazer uma reflexão: se, nesse momento, a vida lhe convidasse a deixar o corpo, você estaria pronto? Se a resposta é não, procure identificar porquê. O que você estaria deixando para trás inacabado? Quais são as contas abertas que você estaria deixando? Somente quando puder fechar essas contas do passado, você poderá viver plenamente o presente.” 

“Para anclar la presencia es necesario cerrar las cuentas con el pasado, lo que significa poder mirar hacia atrás y agradecer a cada persona que pasó por tu vida. Donde hay ingratitud hay acusación; donde hay acusación, hay un corazón cerrado. En otras palabras, existe una herida a tratarse. Pues esesta herida la que te mantiene atado al pasado. Con eso, yo te invito a hacer una reflexión: si, en ese momento, la vida te invitara a dejar el cuerpo, ¿estarías listo? Si la respuesta es no, trata de identificar por qué. ¿Qué estarías dejando atrás sin terminar? ¿Cuáles son las cuentas abiertas que estarías dejando? Solamente cuando puedas cerrar estas cuentas del pasado, podrás vivir plenamente el presente.” 

“In order to anchor presence, it is necessary to close the open accounts from our past. We need to be able to look back and thank each and every person from our past. Where there is ingratitude, there exists an accusation. Where there are accusations, there is also a closed heart. In other words, there is a wound that needs to be treated. It is this wound that keeps us stuck in the past. With this knowledge, I invite you to do a reflection exercise: if, in this exact moment, life were to invite you to leave your body, would you be ready? If your answer is no, try to identify why this is. What would you be leaving behind that is still unfinished? What are the open accounts that would be left unfinished? Only when we are able to close these accounts of the past will we be able to live fully in the present.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 22, 2016: Giving Up Fear

A quick summation of Buddhist logic: the source of my anxiety is not the succession of objects to which it attaches itself but that volatile heap of memory and habit I have come to call “myself.” Give it up and you give up your fear; cling to it, and fear will haunt you always.

—Lawrence Shainberg, "Ambivalent Zen"

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Via Ram Dass

August 17, 2016

Because when you push against somebody (even the subtlest model in your head they should be different than they are), it awakens in them at a very in unconscious level, pushing back. A resistance, a subtle paranoia. And I have noticed in my human relationships that as I want less and less of each individual, there is much less paranoia of them at a deep level, and they are much more available immediately.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 21/08/2016

“Quando desenvolve a habilidade da auto-observação e da atenção plena, a sua memória desperta e você começa a lembrar de situações e imagens; você abre os porões do inconsciente e inicia uma limpeza. Limpar os porões significa liberar sentimentos guardados, fechar contas abertas (mágoas e ressentimentos) e se harmonizar com o passado, para finalmente poder sustentar a presença. Pois o que te tira da presença é o passado.” 

“Cuando desarrollas la habilidad de la auto-observación y de la atención plena, tu memoria despierta y comienzas a recordar situaciones e imágenes; abres los sótanos del inconsciente y comienzas una limpieza. Limpiar los sótanos significa liberar sentimientos guardados, cerrar cuentas abiertas (heridas y resentimientos) y armonizarse con el pasado, para finalmente poder sustentar la presencia. Porque lo que te saca de la presencia es el pasado.” 

“When we develop the abilities for self-observation and mindfulness, our memories awaken and we begin to remember situations and images from our past. We open the dungeons of our unconscious and begin a deep cleansing. We cleanse these areas of darkness by liberating our suppressed feelings, closing our open accounts of hurts and resentments, and by coming into harmony with our past. We do all of this so that we may finally be able to sustain presence. It is the past that robs us of our presence.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 21, 2016: The God of Silent Music

Zen and Catholicism meet deep inside me . . . There is nothing to contradict and nothing to harmonize. They don’t say the same thing, because they don’t say anything. They don’t address the one God expressed in different languages, because the only God there is, is the God of silent music.

—Thomas Moore, "Zen Catholic"

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 20/08/2016

“Algumas pessoas tentam fugir dos relacionamentos com a desculpa de precisarem se dedicar à espiritualidade. Elas acreditam que, ao se mudarem para uma comunidade espiritual, terão seus problemas resolvidos. Mas, a realidade é que, onde quer que estejam (quer seja trabalhando no escritório de uma grande empresa ou rezando em um templo), elas precisarão encarar seus fantasmas internos, o que significa lidar com seus medos e sentimentos negados. Não importa onde estejam, será necessário aprender a se relacionar de forma saudável, pois o fantasma não é o outro, é você mesmo.”

“Algunas personas intentan huir de las relaciones con la excusa de que necesitan dedicarse a la espiritualidad. Creen que al mudarse a una comunidad espiritual, tendrán sus problemas resueltos. Pero la realidad es que, dondequiera que estén (ya sea trabajando en la oficina de una gran empresa o rezando en un templo), tendrán que encarar sus fantasmas internos, lo que significa lidiar con sus miedos y sentimientos negados. No importa donde estén, será necesario aprender a relacionarse de forma saludable, porque el fantasma no es el otro, eres tú mismo.”

“Some people avoid being in relationships with the excuse of needing to dedicate themselves to spirituality. They believe that by moving to a spiritual community, their problems will be resolved. The reality is that, no matter where we are, whether working in the office of a big company, or praying in a temple, we will have to face our inner ghosts. We have to deal with our fears and denied feelings. Regardless of where we are, we have to learn how to relate in a healthy way, because the other is not the ghost: we are the ghost.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 20, 2016: The Buddha’s Mindfulness

Mindfulness supports the moment-to-moment intention to not cause harm, to be kind, and to renounce those thoughts and actions that lead to heedlessness. Without wise intention and wise understanding, mindfulness is aimless, and therefore not the Buddha’s mindfulness.

—Phillip Moffitt, "The Mindfulness of the Buddha"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 19/08/2016

“Tudo está aqui - aquilo que não está aqui, não está em lugar algum. O corpo é um portal interdimensional através do qual acessamos diferentes universos. Cada singular pontinho de acupuntura abre novos caminhos de acesso a novas dimensões. Às vezes, é possível aliviar uma perturbação mental apenas pressionando um desses pontos. Tudo que se manifesta no corpo físico tem origem no corpo sutil. Essa é uma relação que merece ser estudada.” 

“Todo está aquí – aquello que no está aquí, no está en ninguna parte. El cuerpoes un portal inter-dimensional a través del cual accedemos a diferentes universos. Cada singular puntito de acupuntura abre nuevos caminos de acceso a nuevas dimensiones. A veces es posible aliviar un trastorno mental con sólo presionar uno de estos puntos. Todo lo que se manifiesta en el cuerpo físico se origina en el cuerpo sutil. Esta es una relación que merece ser estudiada.”

“Everything is here - what is not here is nowhere. The body is an inter-dimensional portal through which we access different universes. Every single acupuncture point opens up new paths to access new dimensions. Sometimes it is possible to alleviate a mental disorder just by pressing one of these points. Everything that manifests in the physical body originates in the subtle body. This is a relationship that needs to be studied more.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 19, 2016: Asking a Different Question

When Jesus cries out to his Father, Why have you forsaken me? he has come to an edge. Is he going to curse or embrace? At a certain point the question becomes not: Why did this happen? but: How do I work with it?

—Lynn Crawford, "Broken Gold"

Via Sri Prem Baba Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 18/08/2016

“Errar é humano. Reconhecer os seus erros e se abrir para a transformação é divino. Ter a honestidade de reconhecer os próprios defeitos é o primeiro passo para a perfeição. Todo ser humano, de alguma maneira, pratica pequenos ou grandes delitos todos os dias; até mesmo o ser humano considerado normal carrega dentro de si um grau de perturbação, de loucura ou maldade. Alguns casos se tornam patológicos, mas todos, de alguma maneira, têm um lado doentio. Essa insanidade nos impede de manifestar nossos dons e nossos talentos e nossa inteligência. E, para curarmos essa insanidade, precisamos, em primeiro lugar, reconhecê-la.”

“Equivocarse es humano. Reconocer tus errores y abrirte a la transformación es divino. Tener la honestidad de reconocer los propios defectos es el primer paso hacia la perfección. Todo ser humano, de alguna manera, ejerce pequeños o grandes delitos todos los días; incluso el ser humano considerado normal carga en su interior un grado de perturbación, de locura o maldad. Algunos casos se vuelven patológicos, pero todos, de alguna manera, tienen un lado enfermo. Esta insania nos impide manifestar nuestros dones y nuestros talentos y nuestra inteligencia. Y para curarnos esta insania necesitamos, en primer lugar, reconocerla.”

To err is human. Recognizing our mistakes and opening up to transformation is divine. Having the honesty to recognize our faults is the first step towards perfection. In some way, everyone commits big or small offenses every day. Even human beings who are considered to be ‘normal’ carry within themselves a certain level of disturbance known as madness or evil. Some cases it becomes pathological, but in one way or another, all of us have a sick side. This insanity prevents us from manifesting our gifts, our talents and our intelligence. In order to heal this insanity, we must first recognize it.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 18, 2016: We Are Responsible for the Mind

The mind is not yours, but you are responsible for it . . . Don’t feel disturbed by the thinking mind. You are not practicing to prevent thinking, but rather to recognize and acknowledge thinking whenever it arises.

—Sayadaw U Tejaniya, "Got Attitude?"

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Via Ram Dass / Be Here Now Network

August 17, 2016

We’re all just walking each other home.

The new BeHereNowNetwork.com and it’s upcoming smartphone app are dedicated to gathering and transmitting the teachings of many of today’s spiritual masters and thought leaders, while keeping time with a rapidly expanding new generation of spiritual seekers.

Click Here to Explore

Via Sri Prem Baba:Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 17/08/2016

“Tenho visto que muitos buscadores, em momentos de crise, sentem vontade de tornar-se terapeutas ou professores de yoga. Eles visualizam uma vida mais tranquila e acreditam que isso resolverá todos os seus problemas. Isso até pode acontecer mas, na maioria dos casos, esse desejo é a expressão de uma profunda angústia em relação ao propósito da vida, e mudar de atividade seria apenas transferir o problema. Você pode vir a ser um professor de yoga, mas é importante não alimentar falsas esperanças para evitar frustrações. Em momentos como esse, é importante não deixar-se limitar por expectativas. Mantenha-se aberto e trabalhe para ampliar a percepção. A sua alma está em busca de algo; ela busca uma visão. E essa visão indicará o caminho.”

“He visto que muchos buscadores, en momentos de crisis, sienten ganas de convertirse en terapeutas o profesores de yoga. Ellos visualizan una vida más tranquila y creen que esto va a resolver todos sus problemas. Puede que esto suceda pero, en la mayoría de los casos, este deseo es la expresión de una profunda angustia al propósito de vida, y cambiar de actividad sería solamente transferir el problema. Puedes llegar a ser un profesor de yoga, pero es importante no alimentar falsas esperanzas para evitar frustraciones. En momentos como este, es importante no dejarse limitar por expectativas. Permanece abierto y trabaja para ampliar la percepción. Tu alma está en la búsqueda de algo; ella busca una visión. Y esta visión señalará el camino.”

“In moments of crisis, I have seen many seekers wanting to become therapists, or yoga teachers. They imagine this to be a more peaceful way of life and believe it will solve all their problems. Even though this may actually occur, in the majority of cases, this desire to change is the expression of a deep anxiety in relationship to life’s greater purpose. To believe a new job or profession will make a difference is just escaping the problem. You may become a yoga teacher, but it is important not to limit yourself by creating expectations. Keep yourself open and work to increase your perception. Your soul is in search of something; it is seeking a vision. This vision will show you the path.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 17, 2016: Abandoning What Arises

Unwholesome states have already arisen and the work is to abandon them now, rather than to regret that they have arisen at all. To acknowledge deeply held beliefs, passing fantasies, unwholesome thoughts—and to abandon them.

—Leora Fridman, "Notes on Abandon"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 16/08/2016

“Quem sou eu? Por que estou aqui? Sidarta Gautama, o Buda, dedicou toda sua vida à busca das respostas para essas questões. Ele não poupou esforços; fez tudo que o seu coração determinou que fizesse. Se, ao ouvir os comandos do seu coração, você chegou onde está, esse é o lugar certo, pois somente o coração sabe o caminho. O coração nos leva a diferentes lugares e experiências para nos purificar, até que estejamos prontos para revelar o Buda que nos habita. Ele nos leva à Verdade de quem somos. Mas, para podermos lembrar de quem verdadeiramente somos, precisamos remover as capas que constituem a falsa identidade.”

“¿Quién soy yo? ¿Por qué estoy aquí? Sidarta Gautama, o Buda, dedicó toda su vida a la búsqueda de respuestas a estas cuestiones. No escatimó esfuerzos; hizo todo lo que su corazón determinó que hiciera. Si, al oír a los comandos de tu corazón, llegaste donde estás, este es el lugar correcto, porque solamente el corazón sabe el camino. El corazón nos lleva a diferentes lugares y experiencias para purificarnos, hasta que estemos listos para revelar al Buda que nos habita. Él nos lleva a la Verdad de quienes somos. Pero para poder recordar lo que verdaderamente somos, necesitamos remover las capas que constituyen la falsa identidad.”

“Who am I? Why am I here? Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha,dedicated his entire life to searching for the answers to these questions. He spared no effort and performed everything his heart commanded him to do. If you have arrived to the point where you are in your life by listening to the commands of your heart, then rest assured it is exactly where you need to be because only the heart knows the way. The heart takes us to different places and experiences so that we may purify ourselves until we are ready to reveal the Buddha that inhabits us. The Buddha within leads us to the truth of who we are. In order to remember who we truly are,we need to remove the layers that make up our false identity.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 16, 2016: No Meditation Without Aspiration

Without prayers of aspiration, expressing one’s noble wishes, our meditation lacks something important, a certain vital richness. Your aspirations must be inspired by the altruistic spirit of bodhicitta, awakened heart-mind.

—Tsoknyi Rinpoche, "Noble Wishes"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 15/08/2016

“Sempre digo que a última prova da universidade dos relacionamentos é poder amar, mesmo quando o outro não te ama. O sol te ilumina, independentemente do que você pensa sobre ele. A água sacia a sua sede, independentemente do que você pensa sobre ela. Em algum momento, o ser humano desenvolve essa qualidade e se torna o amor, pois esse é o seu destino. Tornar-se o amor significa ter essa qualidade do sol e da água - significa amar desinteressadamente.”

“Siempre digo que la última prueba de la universidad de las relaciones es poder amar, incluso cuando el otro no te ama. El sol te ilumina, independientemente de lo que piensas sobre él. El agua sacia tu sed, independientemente de lo que piensas sobre ella. En algún momento, el ser humano desarrolla esa cualidad y se vuelve el amor, porque ese es tu destino. Volverte el amor significa tener esa cualidad del sol y del agua – significa amar desinteresadamente.”

“The last exam in the University of Relationships is to be able to love, even when the other does not love you in return. The sun shines on everyone, regardless of what they think about it. Similarly, water quenches everyone’s thirst, independently of what they think about it. At a certain moment, the human being develops this quality and becomes love itself, because love is our destiny. To become love means to have the same qualities of the sun and water- it means to love selflessly.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 15, 2016: Happiness Is the Path

Happiness means feeling you are on the right path every moment. You don’t need to arrive at the end of the path in order to be happy.

—Thich Nhat Hanh, "The Heart of the Matter"

Via Ram Dass

August 14, 2016

The way we deal with grief has a lot to do with whether or not the grief heals and strengthens us, or ends up depriving and starving us. We’ve learned a lot of things about grief over the years, like that strong “grin and bear it,” stiff upper lip response to grief which involves denial, and is not an optimum strategy for dealing with a mourning period.

My own reaction to people that are grieving is to really give them a lot of support in grieving, and letting the process run its course. That means not just the grief of the loss of the person, but the grief of the loss of any dream in life, of anything that you’ve invested that was lost. There is a reaction to a loss that is a grieving process, and if you don’t deal with the grieving in a way that is true to your being, it’s untrue. It’s just as untrue to grieve when you’re not feeling it, as to not grieve when you’re feeling it.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 14/08/2016

“Espiritualidade significa desapegar dos pensamentos e perceber a natureza do Ser. Quando a mente silencia, o Ser brilha. Quando isso acontece, nos percebemos como fragmentos de luz. E essa luz que somos, se divide em diferentes raios, que são expressões dela mesma. Entre eles, costumo salientar o perdão, a gratidão e amor desinteressado. Essa é a verdadeira natureza do Ser.”

“Espiritualidad significa desapegarse de los pensamientos y percibir la naturaleza del Ser. Cuando la mente se silencia, el Ser brilla. Cuando eso sucede, nos percibimos como fragmentos de luz. Y esa luz que somos, se divide en diferentes rayos, que son expresiones de ella misma. Entre ellos, acostumbro resaltar el perdón, la gratitud y el amor desinteresado. Esa es la verdadera naturaleza del Ser.”

“Spirituality means to detach from thoughts so that we may perceive the nature of the being. When the mind silences, the being shines. As this occurs, we see ourselves as fragments of light. This light that we are divides into different rays that are expressions of the self. Within these rays, we naturally find the essence of forgiveness, gratitude and selfless love. This is the true nature of the self.”

Via Daily Dharma / August 14, 2016: Ask with Your Bones

In Zen they say that you have to ask with the pores of your skin and the marrow of your bones. A Zen saying points out: Great questioning, great awakening; little questioning, little awakening; no questioning, no awakening.

—Martine Batchelor, "What is This?"

Via JMG: Obama Names Gay US Army Secretary Eric Fanning To Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony Delegation

August 12, 2016 LGBT News, Sports

Via White House press release:

President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the Closing Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Federative Republic of Brazil. The Closing Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Federative Republic of Brazil will be held on August 21, 2016.

The delegation will attend athletic events, meet with U.S. athletes, and attend the Closing Ceremony. The Honorable Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, will lead the delegation.

Members of the Presidential Delegation

The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, U.S. Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Department of State

The Honorable Eric Fanning, Secretary of the Army, Department of Defense

Ms. Bess Evans, Senior Associate Director and Senior Policy Advisor, White House Office of Public Engagement and Domestic Policy Council

Ms. Lauren Kelly, Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary, Office of the First Lady

Mr. Jason Collins, Retired NBA Player and Member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition

Ms. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, three-time Olympic gold medalist, one-time Olympic silver medalist, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, women’s heptathlon and long-jump, and Founder of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation

You’ll note that openly gay former NBA player Jason Collins is also a member of the delegation. Billie Jean King was named a delegation member for the 2014 Olympics, which were held in the far less gay-friendly Sochi, Russia. King’s selection was considered a message to Putin about LGBT rights.

Make the jump here to read the original and more on JMG