Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Via Daily Dharma
Hearing Silence | March 25, 2014
Silence does not disappear when it is
broken; for those who are not distracted, silence limns language as the
necessary condition that exposes both its richness and its fragility.
Silence is not just in the gaps and spaces that punctuate sentences but
also within words as the lack that renders them fully articulate. To
know what a person says, we must hear what remains unsaid. If we cannot
hear silence, we do not know how to listen.
—Mark C. Taylor, “Hearing Silence”
Monday, March 24, 2014
Via JMG: NYT On The Decline Of "H" Word
The New York Times yesterday explored the vanishing use of the word "homosexual" by almost everybody except anti-gay groups.
Consider the following phrases: homosexual community, homosexual activist, homosexual marriage. Substitute the word “gay” in any of those cases, and the terms suddenly become far less loaded, so that the ring of disapproval and judgment evaporates. Some gay rights advocates have declared the term off limits. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or Glaad, has put “homosexual” on its list of offensive terms and in 2006 persuaded The Associated Press, whose stylebook is the widely used by many news organizations, to restrict use of the word.Back in the 90s when some of our people began to reclaim "queer," I understood so many others in our community objected. The visceral unease that some experience when hearing or seeing the word "queer" - even in a benign, supportive or celebratory context - may never fade for those of us whose most vivid playground memories are the vicious-by-design games of "smear the queer." Still, I relished the fuck-you-ness of taking "queer" back and I defiantly wore my Queer Nation t-shirt until it disintegrated into gay-friendly cotton molecules.
George P. Lakoff, a professor of cognitive science and linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, has looked at the way the term is used by those who try to portray gays and lesbians as deviant. What is most telling about substituting it for gay or lesbian are the images that homosexual tends to activate in the brain, he said. “Gay doesn’t use the word sex,” he said. “Lesbian doesn’t use the word sex. Homosexual does.” “It also contains ‘homo,’ which is an old derogatory,” he added. “They want to have that idea there. They want to say this is not normal sex, this is not normal family, it’s going against God.”
Similarly, I do get why many consider "homosexual" to be cold, clinical, and reductive. But so too is "heterosexual" - and straight people certainly don't instinctively flinch at the term. For many people, the 20th century (ish) reappropriation of "gay" continues to carry an inherent, even subliminal, subtext of happiness - of a carefree life unburdened by shame or guilt or regret. And that's both wonderful and exactly why our enemies impotently flail against its usage. I don't disagree with those who complain that "homosexual" can be, often deliberately, a crude reduction of all-that-we-are to to merely who-puts-what-where.
But it cannot be denied that the epiphany that led us all here to take our first tentative steps on the yellow brick road was based in our acceptance that society's who-puts-what-where edict doesn't work for us. "Homosexual" may feel like a linguistic anachronism, but to my mind that word is merely the foundation upon which we build our culture. It's our starting point. I don't like giving the haters the satisfaction of watching us try to bury "homosexual." I wish we wouldn't do it.
Via Utne: Free Your Mind: Practice Vipassana Meditation
Free Your Mind: Practice Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana meditation is a widely used relaxation practice that can be done easily by beginners, with great results!
After
years of heavy addiction, Chris Grosso found himself literally on his
knees, utterly lost and broken. Grasping for life, he needed to find a
new path, one that went beyond conventional religious or spiritual
doctrine—one free of bullshit. Indie Spiritualist
(Beyond Words Publishing, 2014) empowers readers to accept themselves
as they are, in all their humanity and imperfect perfection. In this
excerpt learn the basics of vipassana meditation, a simple relaxation
practice that can be done by anyone and in any setting.
While I personally practice many different types of meditation—never feeling like I have to stay within the confines of only one tradition—I typically respond with vipassana, as I’ve found it to be the most universally applicable form of meditation around. Any form of meditation that resonates with you—whether guided, mantra, movement, and so forth—will definitely be of benefit.
I adore meditation because there are countless ways to meditate, with no particular style being any better than another. It’s all about what resonates with you. You can find many free guided meditations online by searching Google or YouTube, as well as by visiting your local library. Most meditation practices are to spirituality what Bob Ross was to painting—very laid back and go with the flow. And while your practice may not provide you with happy little trees, it will over time create a greater sense of peace, clarity, and serenity in your life, and that’s sorta like happy little trees, right?
Through years of drug addiction, I did considerable damage to myself, resulting in heavy bouts of depression and anxiety. For years, I relied on antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications to keep me in a somewhat balanced state, but after cultivating a dedicated meditation practice I eventually found myself at a place where, under doctor supervision, I was able to taper off the medication and no longer needed it.
Let me make it perfectly clear, however, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking prescribed medication for conditions like anxiety, depression, and so forth. I recognize that they were very necessary in my life at that time, as I was very chemically off-balance. There is nothing unspiritual about taking prescribed medication when needed, because our own mental and emotional well-being must come first before we can truly help others.
Whether we are on medication or not, meditation practices will certainly help us to not only cultivate more calm in our lives, but also to handle things like stress, anxiety, and depression in gentler ways. For the benefit of those who are new to meditation, I’m providing these simple guided instructions for the practice of vipassana.
Vipassana Meditation
Besides being asked, “What’s an Indie Spiritualist?” the second most common question I’m typically asked is “What type of meditation do you practice?”While I personally practice many different types of meditation—never feeling like I have to stay within the confines of only one tradition—I typically respond with vipassana, as I’ve found it to be the most universally applicable form of meditation around. Any form of meditation that resonates with you—whether guided, mantra, movement, and so forth—will definitely be of benefit.
I adore meditation because there are countless ways to meditate, with no particular style being any better than another. It’s all about what resonates with you. You can find many free guided meditations online by searching Google or YouTube, as well as by visiting your local library. Most meditation practices are to spirituality what Bob Ross was to painting—very laid back and go with the flow. And while your practice may not provide you with happy little trees, it will over time create a greater sense of peace, clarity, and serenity in your life, and that’s sorta like happy little trees, right?
Through years of drug addiction, I did considerable damage to myself, resulting in heavy bouts of depression and anxiety. For years, I relied on antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications to keep me in a somewhat balanced state, but after cultivating a dedicated meditation practice I eventually found myself at a place where, under doctor supervision, I was able to taper off the medication and no longer needed it.
Let me make it perfectly clear, however, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking prescribed medication for conditions like anxiety, depression, and so forth. I recognize that they were very necessary in my life at that time, as I was very chemically off-balance. There is nothing unspiritual about taking prescribed medication when needed, because our own mental and emotional well-being must come first before we can truly help others.
Whether we are on medication or not, meditation practices will certainly help us to not only cultivate more calm in our lives, but also to handle things like stress, anxiety, and depression in gentler ways. For the benefit of those who are new to meditation, I’m providing these simple guided instructions for the practice of vipassana.
Via Daily Dharma
Real Intimacy | March 24, 2014
There is no such thing as two
people—whether baby and mother, two lovers, or teacher and student—being
perfectly in sync with each other’s needs and wishes. Real intimacy
arises from an ongoing process of connection that at some point is
disrupted and then, ideally, repaired.
—Pilar Jennings, “Looking into the Eyes of a Master”
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Via Daily Dharma
Good News | March 23, 2014
To be able to suffer with is good news
because it means you can share power with, share joy with, exchange love
with. Let your pain tell you that you are not alone. What we thought
might have been sealing us off can become connective tissue.
—Joanna Macy, “Schooling Our Intention”
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Via Daily Dharma
Two Different Ways Of Experiencing | March 22, 2014
Nirvana is not another realm or
dimension but rather the clarity and peace that arise when our mental
turmoil ends, because the objects with which we have been identifying
are realized to be shunya [empty]. Things have no reality of
their own that we can cling to, since they arise and pass away according
to conditions. Nor can we cling to this truth.
—David Loy, “The Second Buddha”
Friday, March 21, 2014
Via JMG: BREAKING: Michigan Judge Strikes Down Marriage Ban, It Is Unconstitutional
Michigan's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a federal judge said Friday as he struck down a law that was widely embraced by voters a decade ago - the latest in a recent series of decisions overturning similar laws across the country. U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman announced his ruling after a rare two-week trial that mostly focused on the impact of same-sex parenting on children.UPDATE: Read the ruling here.
There was no indication that the judge was suspending his decision. Attorney General Bill Schuette said he was immediately filing a request with a federal appeals court to suspend Friedman's decision and prevent same-sex couples from immediately marrying. The decision was released shortly after 5 p.m., when most county clerk offices in Michigan were closed. Clerks issue marriage licenses.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia issue licenses for same-sex marriage. Since December, bans on gay marriage have been overturned in Texas, Utah, Oklahoma and Virginia, but appeals have put those cases on hold.
Rising to the Challenge | March 21, 2014
People are afraid that if they let go
of their anger and righteousness and wrath, and look at their own
feelings—and even see the good in a bad person—they're going to lose the
energy they need to do something about the problem. But actually you
get more strength and energy by operating from a place of love and
concern. You can be just as tough, but more effectively tough.
—Robert Thurman, "Rising to the Challenge"
The Yogyakarta Principles
In 2006, in response to well-documented patterns of abuse, a distinguished group of international human rights experts met in Yogyakarta, Indonesia to outline a set of international principles relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. The result was the Yogyakarta Principles: a universal guide to human rights which affirm binding international legal standards with which all States must comply. They promise a different future where all people born free and equal in dignity and rights can fulfil that precious birthright.
The Principles are presented here in all six United Nations languages.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Via JMG: Judy Shepard On Death Of Fred Phelps
Via JMG: Westboro Founder Fred Phelps Has Died
Kansas television station KSN reports that Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps has died.
The Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., who founded a Kansas church widely known for its protests at military funerals and anti-gay sentiments, has died according to his son Tim Phelps. Phelps, 84, was being cared for in a Shawnee County facility, Westboro Baptist Church spokesman Steve Drain said Sunday. Members of the Westboro church, based in Topeka, frequently protest at funerals of soldiers with signs containing messages such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and “Thank God for 9/11,” claiming the deaths are God’s punishment for American immorality and tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.Updates to follow shortly. (Tipped by JMG reader TJ)
Via Daily Dharma
Bursting the Bubble of Fear | March 20, 2014
To willingly reside in our distress, no
longer resisting what is, is the real key to transformation. As painful
as it may be to face our deepest fears, we do reach the point where
it's more painful not to face them. This is a pivotal point in the
practice life.
—Ezra Bayda, “Bursting the Bubble of Fear”
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Via JMG: Oregon AG Files Brief: Ban Serves No Rational Purpose And Harms Citizens
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum tonight filed a response brief
in the same-sex marriage case, declaring, "The state defendants in this
case recognize that the ban on same-sex marriage serves no rational
purpose and harms Oregon citizens. This case presents that rare case in
which there simply is no legal argument to be made in support of a state
law." Last month Rosenblum announced that she would not defend the lawsuit.
Oregon United For Marriage reacts via press release: "We are literally counting down the days until all loving and committed couples in Oregon have the freedom to marry, and we are thrilled that the attorney general is on the right side of history. No one should be told it is illegal to marry the person they love. Freedom means freedom for everyone."
Later in the brief, Rosenblum says this: "Other state attorneys general and governors have reached similar conclusions about the defensibility of state laws, and responded by simply declining to appear in defense or withdrawing and joining forces with those challenging the laws. The Oregon state defendants believe it is more appropriate to remain as parties to this litigation to ensure that this Court has the benefit of the careful legal analysis that the state defendants have undertaken."
The lawsuit was filed in October 2013 by local attorneys on behalf of one unmarried Oregon couple and another couple who married in Canada. The suit is separate from the petition drive to place a repeal of the marriage ban on the ballot. That campaign has been put on hold pending the ruling in the lawsuit. Oral arguments in the lawsuit are scheduled for April 23rd.
Read today's brief in full at my Scribd account.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Oregon United For Marriage reacts via press release: "We are literally counting down the days until all loving and committed couples in Oregon have the freedom to marry, and we are thrilled that the attorney general is on the right side of history. No one should be told it is illegal to marry the person they love. Freedom means freedom for everyone."
Later in the brief, Rosenblum says this: "Other state attorneys general and governors have reached similar conclusions about the defensibility of state laws, and responded by simply declining to appear in defense or withdrawing and joining forces with those challenging the laws. The Oregon state defendants believe it is more appropriate to remain as parties to this litigation to ensure that this Court has the benefit of the careful legal analysis that the state defendants have undertaken."
The lawsuit was filed in October 2013 by local attorneys on behalf of one unmarried Oregon couple and another couple who married in Canada. The suit is separate from the petition drive to place a repeal of the marriage ban on the ballot. That campaign has been put on hold pending the ruling in the lawsuit. Oral arguments in the lawsuit are scheduled for April 23rd.
Read today's brief in full at my Scribd account.
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