Via JMG: Tim Cook Gives Big To HRC

The Human Rights Campaign today announced that Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a large donation to help fund LGBT advocacy in southern states including his native Alabama.

The amount of Cook's contribution to the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign wasn't disclosed, but the advocacy organization called it "substantial." Organizers said it would help fund a three-year, $8.5 million campaign launched in April in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. Called Project One America, the goal of the public relations effort is to build acceptance for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in the states. The campaign includes advertising on TV and elsewhere, direct-mail fliers and staff members hired in each state. "We hope Tim Cook's substantial personal investment inspires others to support this vital and historic project," Jason Rahlan, a spokesman for Human Rights Campaign, said in an email.

Cook formally came out in October, spawning widespread condemnation by anti-gay groups but no organized campaign to boycott Apple has yet developed.

Labels: Apple, HRC, LGBT rights, Tim Cook

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JustaBahai: How is the following statement by the N.S.A. of Guyana not about human rights?

“The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Guyana asks that your Government ensure that any legislation enacted safeguards the rights of all, but only insofar as the limits of morality may not be transgressed. It would not be acceptable for example, if the Constitution implicitly allows same sex persons to demand the right to be married. We do not believe this may have been the intention of the Amendment, but it should be sufficiently carefully constructed that such a situation does not automatically follow.”

Found at:  http://justabahai.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/mainly-about-homosexuality/#paederasty

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 18/12/2014

“A jornada da alma nesse planeta é um movimento em direção à união; essa é a essência do jogo. Mas, como é difícil para o ser humano ser realmente amigo - de si mesmo e do outro. Se a grande meta é criar união porque a humanidade segue criando desunião? Por que você se machuca? Por que cria situações difíceis? Por que não consegue interromper o fluxo do mal através de você? A resposta está na compreensão do casamento da sua energia vital com o sofrimento. Isso quer dizer que você tem prazer na maldade, e é esse prazer que faz com que ela continue existindo.”

“El camino del alma en este planeta es un movimiento en dirección a la unión, esa es la esencia del juego. Pero cómo le es difícil al ser humano ser realmente amigo – de sí mismo y de otro. Si la gran meta es crear unión, ¿por qué la humanidad sigue creando desunión? ¿Por qué te lastimas? ¿Por qué creas situaciones difíciles? ¿Por qué no logras interrumpir el flujo del mal a través de ti? La respuesta está en la comprensión del casamiento de tu energía vital con el sufrimiento. Eso quiere decir que tienes placer en la maldad, y es ese placer que hace que ella continúe existiendo.”

“The journey of the soul on this planet is a movement towards oneness. Union is the essential nature of the game, but still, it is incredibly difficult for human beings to really be there for each other. If the greater goal is to create unity, why does humanity continue to create disharmony? Why do we hurt ourselves? Why do we create difficult situations? Why can’t we stop evil from flowing through us? The answer lies in understanding just how our vital energy has become intrinsically connected to suffering. We take pleasure in evil, and it is this pleasure that keeps it alive.”

- Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Reversing Our Priorities | December 18, 2014 If we are serious about combating selfishness and promoting compassion in the world, then is it not vital that we develop the tools of intellectual self-defense to deal with these assaults on our minds and hearts? The solution must lie in reversing the priorities, in subordinating dead things—money, capital, profits—to life: people, animals, the planet. - David Edwards, "Life or Death"

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 17/12/2014

“Quando falo do processo identificação e transformação do eu inferior, me refiro a um processo de cura que às vezes chamo de “ABC da espiritualidade”. Esse é o nome de um dos instrumentos do método Caminho do Coração, mas também é um estágio do processo evolutivo da alma, no qual precisamos lidar com os aspectos sombrios da personalidade: mágoas, vergonhas, sentimentos negados... Sem tomar consciência desses aspectos, não é possível realizar a alquimia do sofrimento para alegria, pois estando relegados ao plano da sombra, eles geram impulsos que agem a revelia da nossa vontade consciente, causando destrutividade.”

“Cuando hablo del proceso de identificación y transformación del yo inferior, me refiero a un proceso de cura que a veces llamo “ABC de la espiritualidad”. Este es el nombre de uno de los instrumentos del método Camino del Corazón, pero también es un estadio del proceso evolutivo del alma, en el cual necesitamos lidiar con los aspectos sombríos de la personalidad: heridas, vergüenzas, sentimientos negados... Sin tomar consciencia de esos aspectos, no es posible realizar la alquimia del sufrimiento a la alegría, porque estando relegados al plano de la sombra, ellos generan impulsos que actúan más allá de nuestra voluntad consciente, causando destructividad.”

“When I speak of the process of identifying and transforming the lower self, I am referring to the healing process known as the ‘ABC of Spirituality’. This is one of the tools of the Path of the Heart method, but it is also a stage in the soul’s evolutionary process. At this stage we deal with the shadowy aspects of our personality, such as grudges, shame, and all sorts of denied feelings. Unless we become aware of these aspects we can't alchemize suffering into joy. When these aspects are relegated to the realm of the shadow they generate reactions which bypass our conscious will, causing destruction.”

Aprendizado

Post by José Gentil.

Via JMG: Ferguson Protesters Wed

Via Buzzfeed:

Alexis Templeton and Brittany Ferrell first met while demonstrating in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of unarmed Michael Brown and a grand jury’s subsequent decision to not indict the police officer who shot him. The two activists were married Tuesday at St. Louis City Hall — months after meeting while demonstrating in Ferguson. Both Templeton and Ferrell are prominently involved in Millenial Activists United, a youth-led organization that focuses on “educating and empowering” communities.

Labels: Ferguson, gay weddings, Missouri, St. Louis

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

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Freedom from Dukkha | December 17, 2014

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Freedom from dukkha doesn't mean eternal youth, or that we are never going to have a headache, never going to feel irritation, or loss, or get betrayed and hurt by others. Freedom from dukkha is not abdication from the human race, but a deeper acceptance of how we are, an acceptance that brings both equanimity, and also a clearer response.

- Thanissara, "The Grit That Becomes a Pearl"

Via Codeblack Life / FB:

Via FB:

Flower of the Day: 12/16/14

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 16/12/2014

“Para haver um intimidador é preciso haver um intimidado. Para que haja alguém que abusa do poder, deve haver alguém permitindo que esse abuso aconteça. A distorção do poder na forma da agressividade e da violência tem o mesmo peso que a distorção do amor, que é a submissão e o vitimismo. A distorção do poder é distorção do masculino; a distorção do amor é a distorção do feminino - uma depende da outra para existir.”

“Para que haya un intimidador es necesario que haya un intimidado. Para que haya alguien que abusa del poder, debe haber alguien permitiendo que ese abuso suceda. La distorsión del poder en la forma de agresividad y de violencia tiene el mismo peso que la distorsión del amor, que es la sumisión y el victimismo. La distorsión del poder es la distorsión de lo masculino; la distorsión del amor es la distorsión del femenino – una depende de la otra para existir.”

“There can’t be someone intimidating without there being someone intimidated in turn. In order for someone to abuse power there has to be someone allowing the abuse to occur. The distortion of power happens when the masculine principle is turned into aggression and violence. The distortion of love occurs when the feminine principle gets twisted into submission and victimhood. Each are equally destructive, and depend on the other in order to exist.”

- Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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Immeasurable Light | December 16, 2014

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The historical Buddha, like you and me, had physical form, was born, and was destined to die. But the content of his being did not die and continues to live. And that is immeasurable life. And not only life. Because it brings us to awakening, it is also immeasurable light.

- Taitetsu Unno, "Even Dewdrops Fall"

Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy (1988) HD

SAÚDE DE THICH NHAT HANH - 13/12/14

"A eternidade pode ser tocado no momento presente, e do cosmos na palma da sua mão."Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay)

Com confiança e amor, Os monges e monjas de Plum Village

Budismo Engajado

SAÚDE DE THICH NHAT HANH - 13/12/14
Comunicado oficial do Mosteiro de Plum Village
 
Thay continua a surpreender os médicos com seus fortes sinais vitais e estável, pacífica respiração. Eles ainda estão surpresos que Thay tem sido capaz de sobreviver e até mesmo para mostrar pequenos sinais de progresso.
 
Há poucos dias, um dos médicos compartilhou que "Thay é um enigma", e outro disse que eles foram "testemunhas de um milagre." Quando um neurocirurgião top dos EUA o visitou na semana passada, ele estava profundamente impressionado com o empenho da equipe médica para dar a Thay todas as chances possíveis de recuperação.
 
Nos últimos dias Thay foi mostrando algumas indicações de vigília, mas ele continua a permanecer em coma profundo. Houve momentos em que Thay teve os olhos abertos por mais de
duas horas, e é sensível, mas ele ainda não está mostrando sinais claros de comunicação. o médicos lembram-nos que pode ser semanas ou meses antes que possamos entender o dano
causada por hemorragia e descobrir a extensão de cura que pode ser possível.
 
A equipe médica começou a estimular Thay estar mais em vigília. Todos os dias o enfermeiros ajudam Thay sentar em uma cadeira, e, além de acupuntura e massagem dos assistentes, fisioterapeutas vêm para ativar o corpo de Thay. Cantamos a Thay, e nós também ouvimos os cânticos Sangha e belos sons da natureza.

Queridos e amigos. Encontrar tempo para estar com a natureza, para apreciar as estrelas, e as nuvens brancas e para realmente voltar para casa e estar em casa dentro de nós mesmos, como Thay sempre nos incentiva a fazer. Você pode gostar de escrever cartas de amor, em vez de gastar dinheiro e consumindo mais. O Ano Novo é uma ótima oportunidade para começar de novo com nós mesmos e deixar ir de ressentimentos e pesar.

Vamos publicar outra atualização sobre a saúde de Thay no Ano Novo. Até então, você e sua família podem tocar a verdadeira paz e felicidade. Que você seja capaz de desfrutar de seu verdadeiro lar.
"A eternidade pode ser tocado no momento presente,
e do cosmos na palma da sua mão."Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay)

Com confiança e amor,
Os monges e monjas de Plum Village

Via Daily Dharma

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Our Path | December 15, 2014

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Repetition and ritual and their good results come in many forms: changing the oil filter, wiping noses, going to meetings, picking up around the house, washing dishes, checking the dipstick . . . such a round of chores is not a set of difficulties we hope to escape from so that we may do our practice, which will put us on the path. It is our path.

- Gil Fronsdal, "Evaluate Your Meditation"

Via Daily Dharma

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Difficult at the Beginning, Easy at the End | December 14, 2014

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Worldly life is easy at the beginning and difficult at the end. A spiritual life is difficult at the beginning and easy at the end.

- Ani Chudrun, "Unusual Choices"

Flower of the Day: 12/13/14

"During a certain phase of the journey, we are not open to understanding the parts of ourselves that play against our own happiness. We are not really willing to get to know ourselves – we just want to get rid of our symptoms that bring suffering. In this phase, prayer and devotion are like a bargain that we use because they meet our needs. It is natural to start off like this, but at some point we must let go of this bargaining in order to continue along the path of love. Devotion is not meant as an occasional practice; only when it is firm and steady can it lead us to the experience of oneness. What builds this steadiness is self-awareness."

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

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The First Step | December 13, 2014

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For white America, [the] systematic undoing of centuries of racial indoctrination, [the] letting go of the 'conceptual paint' it has uncritically absorbed about black Americans, is the necessary first step toward the epistemological humility and egoless listening we are morally obliged to bring to our encounters with all Others. Another name for such selfless, healing listening is love.

- Charles Johnson, "Every 28 Hours"

Flower of the Day: 12/12/14

"Many people ask for enlightenment, but are not yet ready to abandon their identification with the body, becoming empty vessels. We want to be free, but we still need to be someone special and maintain the idea of ‘me’. We are still attached to the past. As you observe yourself desiring enlightenment, ask yourself, ‘Am I really ready to give up my story? Am I ready to leave the past behind?’ This can happen right now, or it can be in many incarnations from now: the choice is yours."

Sri Prem Baba