Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - August 31, 2025 💠

 

It's the expectations of your mind that create your hell. When you get frustrated because something isn't the way you thought it would be, examine how you thought, not just the thing that frustrates you. You'll see that a lot of your emotional suffering is created by your models of how you think the universe should be and your inability to allow it to be as it is.

Via White Crane Institute \\ "A SPIRITUAL CONFERENCE OF RADICAL FAERIES,

 

Noteworthy Mud Hug at the First Faerie Gathering (Photo credit: Mark Thompson) 1979 - The first day of the first Faerie Gathering that called itself "A SPIRITUAL CONFERENCE OF RADICAL FAERIES," was on this date, held in Benson Arizona, on Labor Day Weekend, 1979. Harry Hay, the "father of the gay rights movement" began the Mattachine society in 1950. In 1970, Hay moved to New Mexico in a quest to find a living berdache (a Native American Gay male spirit guide). In 1978, Hay, along with life partner John Burnside, and Don Kilhefner, and Mitch Walker, issued a Call to a group devoted to ecology, spiritual truth and Gay-centeredness. In 1979, the first gathering of Radical Faeries took place in the Arizona desert with over 200 gay men in attendance. Kilhefner continues to make slanderous statements about John Burnside's participation in a vainglorious attempt to claim for himself the title of "Founder of the Radical Faeries". But anyone claiming to have "founded" the Radical Faeries simply doesn't understand the core beliefs of the group. The Radical Faeries was the product of nothing less than a zeitgeist moment in the Gay men's liberation movement. The ideas that are core to the movement had been circulating widely in San Francisco, the Midwest, Los Angeles and no doubt elsewhere for a long time.  There had been earlier usage of the term "radical faerie" employed in San Francisco by author ("Witchcraft & The Gay Counterculture") and Gay philosopher, Arthur Evans, which a group of men who met regularly including Murray Edelman.  The desert Gathering seemed to create the "tipping point" for the movement which is now spread internationally, with Radical Faerie groups and sanctuaries in Europe, South America, India and Australia. The text of The Call for the first gathering: THE FIRST CALL: To share new insights about ourselves; To dance in the moonlight; To renew our oath against patriarchy/corporations/racism; To hold, protect, nurture and caress one another; To talk about the politics of Gay enspiritment/the enspiritment of Gay politics; To find the healing space inside our hearts; To become Inspirer/Listener as we share new breakthroughs in how we perceive Gay consciousness; To soar like an eagle; To re-discover/re-invent our myths; To talk about Gay living/loving alternatives; To experience the groundedness of the calamus root; To share out Gay visions;To sing, sing, sing; TO EVOKE A GREAT FAERIE CIRCLE Today's Gay Wisdom L to R: Edward Carpenter and George Merrill 2017 - Farewell Message Left By Edward Carpenter To Be Read Over His Grave I SHOULD like these few words to be read over the grave when my body is placed in the earth; for though it is possible I may be present and conscious of what is going on, I shall not be able to communicate. Too much, perhaps, is made of Death by us little mortals; and I think sometimes that we grieve too hardly over those that are gone. Of course, the parting from the daily sight and touch of dear friends is hard, very hard-but I doubt it after all this parting is so complete as we sometimes think. Who is there who has not felt the presence of one who has departed-a presence remaining still near him for weeks, months, and even years, and touching him so nearly that almost the voice could be heard and the form seen? Who is there who has not been conscious of strange intimations thus coming to him as from another world? Does it not seem, after all, that the friend is there, only speaking to our hearts more deeply, more intimately, more tenderly than in the ordinary life? Nor need we be afraid of death, either for ourselves or for our friends, as if it were an evil or a harmful thing, lying ever in wait for us. On the contrary, it is surely a perfectly natural event, and part of the wholesome order of the world, as we see every day of our lives. Birth does not seem to us an evil thing, but rather a strange and wonderful passage from some other state of being into this present existence; and so death-which in many ways is the counterpart of birth-would seem to be just such a wonderful passage out of this world again; one perhaps out of many, many such passages which the far-journeying soul of man must make, under the wing of the ever-abiding Presence. Nor would one perhaps—even if the chance were offered—wish to escape dying. That would hardly be desirable. For since everyone has to die-and such countless millions have made that passage into the unknown—there would seem to be something mean and unfriendly in trying to avoid the common lot. Better to share it frankly with others, whatever it may be. Probably indeed the escaping of this change would turn out in the end to be a considerable loss instead of a great gain. Fancy anyone being condemned to live, as now, for ever-and to wear out all his old clothes, and his old body, and all his old ambitions and passions, and to go on repeating the same old jokes and stories till even his old friends were worn out as well! What a Fate! But from such an end kindly Death does indeed deliver us. And whatever the region to which we pass, Love saves us there, as it does here. It creates a world in which the soul can live and expand in freedom. The ties which bind us together here are not going to be snapt so easily as some of you may think. For indeed, I believe that those who truly love are already joined together in a world far beyond and behind the visible;—and in that world they are safe-and their love is safe-from the storms of time and misadventure. Therefore do not think too much of the dead husk of your friend, or mourn too much over it; but send your thoughts out towards the real soul or self which has escaped-to reach it. For so, surely you will cast a light of gladness upon his onward journey, and contribute your part towards the building of that kingdom of love which links our earth to heaven. E.C. December 30, 1910

|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8| Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute "With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989! www.whitecraneinstitute.org |8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|

Via Daily Dharma: Falling Awake

 

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Falling Awake Buddhism is about waking up—not falling asleep—but it might be more accurate in this case to speak of falling awake, since Buddhist awakening is the paradigm of total, unreserved, and artless self-surrender. C. W. Huntington Jr., “A Pathless Land” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Fragments of a Dharma Bum By Randy Rosenthal Collected works from Jack Kerouac’s Buddhist years show a writer seeking clarity in chaos.  Read more » Learning to Live Fully with Serious Illness Susan Bauer-Wu in conversation with James Shaheen and Sharon Salzberg In this episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg sit down with mindfulness teacher and clinical researcher Susan Bauer-Wu to discuss how the quality of each moment can determine the quality of our lives. Listen now »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects A person goes to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place and sits down. Having crossed the legs, one sets the body erect. One establishes the presence of mindfulness. (MN 10) One is aware: “Ardent, fully aware, mindful, I am content.” (SN 47.10)   When the awakening factor of tranquility is internally present, one is aware: “Tranquility is present for me.” When tranquility is not present, one is aware: “Tranquility is not present for me.” When the arising of unarisen tranquility occurs, one is aware of that. And when the development and fulfillment of the arisen awakening factor of tranquility occurs, one is aware of that . . . One is just aware, just mindful: “There is a mental object.” And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection Sometimes the mind is tranquil, and sometimes it is not. One way to practice mindfulness of mental objects is simply to notice when the mental factor of tranquility is present and when it is not. It is okay to be aware of the times the mind is restless or bored or confused. These states are transient, like all others, and they will pass, to be replaced by moments of tranquility from time to time. Simply take note of all this. Daily Practice The next time you feel tranquil, attend carefully to what it feels like. This way you will know what to contrast it to when the mental factor of tranquility is gone, which will happen often enough. Observe the interplay of tranquility and lack of tranquility as they come and go. Eventually you will learn how to encourage tranquility to arise and how to sustain it when it has arisen. This is how your mindfulness skills develop.  RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Fourth Phase of Absorption (4th Jhāna) With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, one enters upon and abides in the fourth phase of absorption, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. The concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability. (MN 4) One practices: “I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment.” One practices: “I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment.” This is how concentration by mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated       so that it is of great fruit and great benefit. (A 54.8) Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: Finding Consolation

 

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Finding Consolation Spiritual life is about finding consolation. It’s about finding that steady place where we can be soothed and where we feel like we’re accepted in order to go forth and do the things we need to do in the world and face the things we need to face.  Satya Robyn, “On Wanting to Sound Good” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Come and See By Bhante Henepola Gunaratana A Sri Lankan Theravada monk invokes a core Buddhist principle in a teaching on impermanence. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

 

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RIGHT EFFORT Maintaining Arisen Healthy States Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders healthy states, one has abandoned unhealthy states to cultivate healthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to healthy states. (MN 19) Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts the mind, and strives to maintain arisen healthy mental states. One maintains the arisen awakening factor of joy. (MN 141)

Reflection Maintaining healthy mental and emotional states that have arisen in experience sometimes takes effort. It is worthwhile effort, because the mind will incline in the future toward whatever states are most often manifesting in the present. By sustaining healthy states as often as you can for as long as possible, you are not only blocking unhealthy states but creating the conditions for a healthier mind in the future. Daily Practice When you are joyful in a healthy way, find ways to sustain that joy. One way to do that, when the joy comes from noticing the good fortune of another, is to remind yourself of it continuously. Repeating to yourself phrases like “May they be happy” and “May their good fortune continue” is a simple way to reinforce the basis upon which the joy is established. Remember, it is good for you to feel joy, so cultivate it as much as you can.  Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Tricycle is a nonprofit and relies on your support to keep its wheels turning. Donate »

© 2025 Tricycle Foundation 89 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003