Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma April 9, 2012

Polishing Our Buddhanature

Selfless service brings balance to your practice. Since it engages the body, it balances the tendency we have to think and theorize rather than act. By channeling your energy into acts of service, you transform the ideal into the real. So cleaning the inside of a temple, or picking up trash at a public park, not only cleans the space used by others (this is where the selfless part comes in); it figuratively polishes your buddhanature. It’s palpable in the joy and satisfaction you feel.

- Shinso Ito, “Unconditional Service”
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma April 8, 2012

Taming the Monkey Mind

The biggest hindrance to our meditation is constant intrusive thoughts. This is normal for everyone and from the beginning you should expect it. The nature of our mind is to think, and it is childish to imagine that we can simply turn that process off when we wish to. Our minds have been almost completely out of control for most of our life. Recognizing this can help us to be practical and patient—it may take us some time and a lot of skillful practice to tame the crazy ‘monkey mind.’

- Bob Sharples, “Do The Thoughts Ever Stop?”
Read the entire article in the Tricycle Wisdom Collection

JMG Quote Of The Day - Anne Rice

"Happy Easter, Gay People of the World: you have indeed risen in the last few decades from centuries of persecution and oppression. May this be a great holiday for you all wherever you are. You are winning the battle for equal rights. And your victory over discrimination and hate is a victory for all oppressed persons. Happy Easter!" - Anne Rice, posting to her Facebook page. (Tipped by JMG reader Fritz)

Labels: Easter, LGBT rights, writers

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Majority of Latinos say homosexuality should be accepted.

A new PEW study, via HuffPo: 

A study released by the Pew Hispanic Center on Wednesday found that 59 percent of U.S. Latinos say homosexuality should be accepted by society. Second generation Hispanics go further, with 68 percent of those surveyed saying the same. 

The study comes just a week after internal documents from the National Organization of Marriage were made public which revealed NOM's strategy of pitting Latinos against gay equality in order to pass a ban on gay marriage in Maine.

HuffPo is referring to the secret memo that revealed NOM wants to create a race war in America between blacks, Latinos and gays.

Via facebook:

Via ॐ Blue Buddha Quote Collective

The Serenity Prayer within the framework of the Four Noble Truths and their underlying understandings really resonates with me and I hope you all find it useful as well.

**Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change: the Four Noble Truths, impermanence, dependent origination, not-self, and past karma.

The courage to change the things I can: by being mindful in the present moment so that my thoughts, speech, and actions will not harm myself or others now or in the future.

And the wisdom to know the difference: between doing what is skillful and what is unskillful.**

When we see things as they really are, the difference between the things we can change and the things we can not, become clear. It is this clarity that can bring us serenity, peace, and equanimity.

~Namaste~

Via JMG: Zach Wahls: The Outspoken Generation

A new video series from the Family Equality Council:Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler said the program was borne out of conversations with LGBT families over the last year. However, she said the need for the initiative became increasingly clear following recent news that the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) considered a strategy of recruiting the children of LGBT parents to criticize their own families. It’s clear that NOM will stop at nothing in their efforts to demonize LGBT parents, and their malicious attempts to spread misinformation about these families will not go unanswered.

“We are now seeing the first generation of children, who were lovingly raised by LGBT parents, coming into young adulthood,” said Chrisler. “We know, from our conversations with these young people and from our experience with them, that they are terrific kids who are thriving and succeeding in life by any measure you choose to use. Many of them are now telling us that they are eager to tell the truth about their families. Who better to refute the myths and lies of hate groups like NOM than our grown up children?”

Labels: gay families, gay parenting, LGBT rights, NOM

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG: British Prime Minister Thanked For Gay Marriage Stance While Obama Listens

This happened during at a White House state dinner last month but we're just now hearing about it.

“Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for all that you’re doing for marriage equality in Great Britain,” the guest said to Cameron, who was standing to Obama’s right, literally and figuratively. With a gesture towards the president, Cameron replied, “It takes a conservative to convince a liberal about gay marriage.” [snip] If actions speak louder than words, then there should be no doubt where Obama stands on marriage equality. But for many, until the words of the president of the United States match his actions, he’ll remain on the wrong side of history and to the right of Cameron.

Labels: Barack Obama, Britain, marriage equality, White House

reposted from Joe

In Uganda, Gays Face Growing Social, Legal Hostility

Via JMG: Bully Has Been Re-Rated PG-13

While some theaters have agreed to run the film without a rating, yesterday word came that Bully has been re-rated PG-13, a move made without cutting what some consider the film's most crucial scene. The film studio exults via press release:

This decision by the MPAA is a huge victory for the parents, educators, lawmakers, and most importantly, children, everywhere who have been fighting for months for the appropriate PG-13 rating without cutting some of the most sensitive moments. Three uses of the 'F word' were removed from other scenes, which ultimately persuaded the MPAA to lower the rating. Hirsch made the documentary with the intent to give an uncensored, real-life portrayal of what 13 million children suffer through every year.

The re-rating came after hundreds of thousands signed an internet petition to the MPAA.

Labels: bullying, education, LGBT youth, movies

Reposted from Joe