A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
However the seed is
planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing
good deeds, bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the
purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too bodily
action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61)
When you are doing an action with the body, reflect upon that same
bodily action thus: "Does this action I am doing with the body lead to
the affliction of another?" If, upon reflection, you know that it does,
then stop doing it; if you know that it does not, then continue. (MN 61)
Reflection
Mindfulness
practice involves being fully aware of what we are doing while it is
being done. It has to do with the mind being in the present moment
rather than recalling what has just happened or anticipating what will
happen next. It also includes being attentive to the ethical quality of
our actions. It is important to be aware of whether we are causing harm
or contributing to the good and to adjust our actions accordingly.
Daily Practice
This is a day
to reflect upon your actions as you are doing them. Be aware of the
unfolding of cause and effect as you go through the day. Notice the look
on people’s faces as you are interacting with them; notice whether
people are benefitted or hurt by what you are doing. Make the extra
effort to be conscious as you act in the world, rather than just doing
things automatically.
Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
Awakening
means a fundamental shift takes place. It is a shift from looking for
ourselves outside in the ten thousand things to recognizing that our
true nature is beyond definition.
THE VERNAL EQUINOX
-- also known as The March equinox – marks the beginning of the spring
season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern
Hemisphere. The March 2023 equinox arrived yesterday, March 20 at 10:37
UTC or 5:37 a.m. Central Daylight Time.
On the dates of
the equinox, the sun rises due east and sets due west as it crosses the
celestial equator. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, start
watching the sun this month, and watch every night as the sun sets just a
bit farther north on the horizon each evening until the summer
solstice.
In the Northern
Hemisphere, the March equinox will bring earlier sunrises, later
sunsets, softer winds, sprouting plants. Meanwhile, you’ll find the
opposite season – later sunrises, earlier sunsets, chillier winds, dry
and falling leaves – south of the equator.
The equinoxes and
solstices are caused by Earth’s tilt on its axis and ceaseless motion
in orbit. You can think of an equinox as happening on the imaginary dome
of our sky, or as an event that happens in Earth’s orbit around the
sun.
Owing to the
pandemic, and in the interests of public health, there was no Spring
Equinox gathering at Stonehenge lin 2022. People wanting to watch the
sunrise to mark the first day of spring were told not to travel to
Stonehenge. English Heritage maintains it cannot host the usual
celebrations at the prehistoric monument due to safety concerns.
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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute
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