As
Buddhists, we work to accept the impermanence and inevitable decay of
the physical body. But it’s not enough to accept it as a fact; we can
believe in this and still not want it in plain sight. Nagarjuna said,
‘Change makes all things possible.’ It is only because of change that
suffering can end—and it is because of change that our bodies fall
apart, like all compounded things. We cannot have one without the other,
but we try.
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It
is essential that you cultivate together and in harmony these twin
elements of concentration and inquiry. Concentration will bring
stability, stillness, and spaciousness; inquiry will bring alertness,
vividness, brightness, and clarity. Combined, they will help you to
develop creative awareness, an ability to bring a meditative mind to all
aspects of your daily life. In this way, meditation becomes both a
refuge and a training: a refuge into being, and a training into doing.
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The video is the newest fundraising tactic by the Russia Freedom Fund, which aims to raise a million dollars by the end of the Olympics to support LGBT Russian activists. The video was produced by the Fair Games Project, an Indiegogo campaign launched by filmmaker Michael Rohrbaugh. The Fair Games Project also produced a powerful gun violence PSA that received significant attention last year. Athlete Ally is one of the producing partners on the video as well. Other fundraising tactics for the Russia Freedom Fund include a new national initiative called Uprising of Love: Pride House 2014, where restaurants, bars, and clubs will donate $1 of every drink sold from 9 p.m. to midnight to the fund. It takes place during tomorrow's Opening Ceremonies. In addition, Melissa Etheridge released a new single last week and will donate 100% of the profits to the fund. The significance of the Russia Freedom Fund is that it's the only way Americans can directly support LGBT Russian activists.Wow.
Google has nailed its colours to the mast over Russia's gay rights record in a new Google doodle, which is dedicated to the Olympic charter. The internet company's logo was presented in the colours of the rainbow flag and also featured images of Winter Games events. The build-up to the Sochi Games, the opening ceremony of which takes place on Friday, has been disrupted by a debate over the apparent conflict between the central principles of the Games and anti-gay laws in Russia. The doodle linked to search results for "Olympic charter" and quoted from it: "The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play."The message is currently appearing worldwide. Thank you, Google! (Tipped by many JMG readers)
"Google has once again proven itself to be a true corporate leader for equality,” said Griffin. “Alongside Olympic sponsors like AT&T, Google has made a clear and unequivocal statement that Russia’s anti-LGBT discrimination is indefensible. Now it’s time for each and every remaining Olympic sponsor to follow their lead. The clock is ticking, and the world is watching.”
Dear President Museveni, I am writing to implore you, respectfully, to veto Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill that was recently passed by the Ugandan Parliament. As a rabbi, I honor the inherent dignity of each and every person. Jewish theology, tradition and history compel me to uphold the values of kavod habriyot, respect for all of creation, and btzelem elohim, the notion that all people--including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people--are created in the Divine image. Tragically, I know from our history that the stripping away of human rights from specific minorities is often a precursor to targeted destruction. If this bill is signed into law, it would be a grave violation of human rights and would be one of the most abhorrent manifestations of discrimination against LGBT people worldwide.Read the full petition. (Tipped by JMG reader David)
Some marketers are seeking to respond to the protesters without agreeing to their demand to condemn the Russian law. During the opening ceremony coverage, Coca-Cola plans to run a 90-second version of “America Is Beautiful,” its 60-second Super Bowl commercial by Wieden & Kennedy that salutes diversity, and generated complaints from some viewers who expressed outrage that “America the Beautiful” was sung in multiple languages along with English. Also during that coverage, Chevrolet plans a commercial for its Traverse minivan with diverse families — including two same-sex couples — to illustrate a theme, “The New Us.” The spot was created by the Commonwealth unit of the McCann Worldgroup.You likely are already familiar with the now-famous Coke ad. I haven't found the Chevy ad yet.
We
all enter the spiritual path as ego-based beings, and as such we have
ego-based hopes and fears. Practice is virtually never what we expect.
We feel like we’ve got it all wrong, thinking, 'The more I meditate, the
worse I become.' My teacher, Gendun Rinpoche, always responded to this
by saying, 'When you see your own shortcomings, it’s the dawn of
qualities. If you only see your qualities, there’s a problem.'
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