Flower of the Day: 11/30/14

“Whenever you are being squeezed by life and you feel like you are suffering, stop for a moment and get in touch with that suffering. Try asking what this suffering is trying to tell you: ‘Why am I suffering so much?’ If you are truly willing to see the truth, you will immediately receive an answer.”

Sri Prem Baba

Strain Out Whatever's Inessential | November 30, 2014 Zazen [meditation] and poetry are both studies of the mind. I find the internal pressure exerted by emotion and by a koan to be similar in surprising and unpredictable ways. Zen is a wonderful sieve through which to pour a poem. It strains out whatever’s inessential. - Chase Twichell, "The Ghost of Eden"

Flower of the Day: 11/29/14

“All events that occur in life happen due to the law of karma; they act under the law of cause and effect. Still, not everything that happens to you is related to an image from your past. You can tell whether or not a particular event is actually related to a past frozen image by looking at the nature of the repetition and noticing whether it causes any internal division. If your conscious will is heading towards a particular direction, but life's experiences bring you to the exact opposite direction, then there is still an image from the past that needs to be dissolved. In order to dissolve an image that attracts negative situations, one needs to illuminate the value of acceptance.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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Being No One | November 29, 2014

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Allow yourself to be no one; allow your mind to be empty of thought, unfurnished, until the identities gradually filter back in. Notice the space between your identities and the awareness of them. Notice if a similar gap appears at other times during the day, an empty space that you may have ignored before but can now lean into and prolong. Continue to open to the openness.

- Stephan Bodian, "Being No One"

Flower of the Day: 11/28/14

“The experience of jumping into the abyss of denied feelings can only happen once you have understood the importance of this experience. If you have not yet understood this, you won't be able to jump because you will be terrified. At this moment, you become aware of your false faith. Without true faith, you could remain paralyzed on the edge of the abyss unable to jump for a long time, perhaps for many life times. Such skepticism is actually an elevated state of consciousness since it acts as a bridge that leads from false faith to true faith. In order to go beyond skepticism, it’s necessary to understand the importance of re-experiencing one’s denied feelings.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Dialy Dharma

Grief Bringing Us Home | November 28, 2014 It is our grief / heavy, relentless, / trudging / us, however resistant, / to the decaying and / rotten / bottom of things: / our grief bringing / us home. - Alice Walker, "Turning Madness into Flowers"

Via Zeit online: Wie eine Perversion menschlicher Natur

Wie eine Perversion menschlicher Natur

Ich bin schwul und Anhänger der Bahai-Religion. Ein Dilemma, denn die Bahai erlauben keine Homosexualität. Ein Leserartikel von Lukas Jung

A very free google translation into English follows:

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 A few years ago I resigned from the church and converted to the Baha'i faith. Baha'is believe that the Divine for humans is not clear but is revealed through spiritual personalities in different cultures and eras. These figures include not only Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Baha'i faith, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, and the founders of other religions.

The aim of the Baha'i Revelation is the unity of mankind in diversity. Bahai not proselytize why. They recognize the other religions unconditionally and enter into a dialogue with them. You want to build a peaceful and united society of people in all their diversity.
These views and the lived spirituality in the form of simple devotions, prayers, meditations and the service of the people told me too much. In a pretty young church I learned to better understand the scriptures, to broaden my horizons to develop myself spiritual, human and intellectual further. Soon I also took over functions in the community. I became a member of spiritual councils, even once chairman of such Council. It was a wonderful time.

But I could never resolve a conflict: I'm gay - gay Bahais but may not live their sexuality. I should seek therapeutic help me and take steps towards heterosexuality, I was advised. They gave me writings of religious figures from the 1950s to read, where homosexuality is described as a disease as a disorder, as a perversion of human nature.

However, the Baha'is believe that religion and science are to enter into a harmonious relationship. If the religious teachings contain something that is contrary to science, it must be revised. This is a fundamental principle of the Baha'i faith. And while it is being applied in other areas, it is ignored when it comes to homosexuality.

Due to some failed relationships with men I took the writings on homosexuality unfortunately very much to heart. I began to think that the problems in the gay community had its basis in homosexuality. I began to see myself as a perversion of human nature. For two years I denied myself and tried to develop feelings that I had not. Every time I saw an attractive man, I told myself that it was wrong to feel that way. I hated myself.

Fortunately, I finally met capable therapists who advised me, myself, so assume I am. So I began again more open with my homosexuality. I also told them some Bahai and only learned tolerant to very positive reactions. However, some of the religious leaders advised me not to serve within the community. Above all, I should not conduct children's classes and youth groups. The highest national body, the National Council, called on me in a letter not to participate in activities for children.

I was shocked and hurt. Was that the much-vaunted unity in diversity? The abolition of prejudice? The harmony of science and religion?

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I sought contact with other lesbian and gay Bahai. I found them online. Tucked away. Injured. Excluded. The website gaybahai.net lists some of their stories. There are stories of pain, suffering and self-hatred - fueled by a religion that is committed to the aim of reducing prejudice and to create unity in diversity.

At the moment I consider myself as an agnostic rather than a believer. Much of the Bahai I see now critical. Even my connection to spirituality, religion and belief, I have lost, weakened to God. I guess I should leave the Bahai, on the other hand I love and appreciate my community.

I still believe that the Baha'i religion has great potential to contribute good in the world. But first she must be self-critical and its principles match with their dogmas. You must finally the issue of homosexuality the same openness have placed such other topics as well.

The author writes under a pseudonym. His real name is known to the editors.

This post is part of our series who believes it.  

The original is here

Via George Takei / FB:

A Native American thanksgiving day song

Flower of the Day: 11/27/14

“Free will is a great mystery. It’s true that it does exist, for it is a law of this realm – the question is, ‘Who in you uses this power of choice?’ The human being does have a free will, but until one learns how to use this power of choice, there are many ups and downs, many mistakes and successes. All of this is absolutely necessary because only by making these mistakes does one learn.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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We Receive This Food in Gratitude | November 27, 2014

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We receive this food in gratitude
From all beings who helped to bring it to our table,
And vow to respond in turn to those in need
With wisdom and compassion.

- Zen Mountains and Rivers Order, "A Vegetarian Thanksgiving"

Via Daily Dharma

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Strain Out Whatever's Inessential | November 30, 2014

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Zazen [meditation] and poetry are both studies of the mind. I find the internal pressure exerted by emotion and by a koan to be similar in surprising and unpredictable ways. Zen is a wonderful sieve through which to pour a poem. It strains out whatever’s inessential.

- Chase Twichell, "The Ghost of Eden"

Via JMG: FLORIDA: Lawmakers Introduce Sweeping LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Via Equality Florida:

Earlier today, Representative Holly Raschein (R- Key Largo) and Democratic Whip Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D- Boynton Beach) filed legislation in the Florida House and Senate respectively that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) in employment, housing and public accommodations. Known as the Florida Competitive Workforce Act (FCWA), the legislation would amend Chapter 760 of the Florida State Statutes that currently prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or marital status to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The bill would add protections for more than 536,000 LGBT adults living in Florida. Despite overwhelming public support and the passage of local equal rights ordinances throughout the state, there is no statewide law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida.

The map above shows the states that presently provide employment and housing protections. The darker-shaded states include gender identity as well as sexual orientation. For a slightly different map that depicts public accommodation protections, click here.

Labels: employment, Equality Florida, Florida, housing, LGBT rights, public accommodations, transgender issues

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via STOP-Homophobia.com / FB:

Via DailyKos:

Via justabahai: Bahais are not united in being against same sex marriage!

Bahais are not united in being against same sex marriage! by justabahai A friend wrote: "Yesterday during the celebration of the Day of the Covenant, the issue of homosexuality popped up during a talk citing how America is legalizing marriage for gays, state by state. The person giving the talk said this is wrong and that what keeps the Baha'is united from these negative forces is the […] Read more of this post justabahai | November 26, 2014 at 19:17 | Tags: Homosexuality, human nature | Categories: gay, gays, Holy Day, homoseksualiteit, Homosexuality, Justice, Quotations by Baha’u'llah, responsibility | URL: http://wp.me/pDbdq-Ey Comment    See all comments    Like

We Are from the Future — Next Stage: Revolution of Love

Flower of the Day: 11/26/14

“Every change has three phases: a death or deconstruction (an ending), a neutral zone (a waiting period where nothing happens), and a rebirth (the emergence of something new). Usually, the greatest difficulty lies in this first phase because we have been conditioned to believe that all deconstruction is negative – but this is not true. At the deepest level, all deconstruction is positive, but it is always painful. This is because human beings cling to everything, from relationships, to work, to their house, to their children. The change may only occur internally, such as a pattern that is being dissolved, and if one is attached to this pattern, one will suffer.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via JMG: Mississippi Joins The Cerulean States

Labels: Florida, LGBT rights, marriage equality, Mississippi

Reposted from Joe Jervis