Via Daily Dharma

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The Second Arrow | December 22, 2014

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Our minds are habituated to relate to suffering by resisting it through blame, bitterness, anger, resentment. That resistance is what the Buddha called 'the second arrow,' which follows the first arrow, the direct experience of pain. So much additional suffering comes from believing that 'things shouldn’t be this way'—when in fact they are that way.

- Ronna Kabatznick, "Sea of Sorrow"

Via MISS 103 / FB:

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 21/12/2014

“Se déssemos mais atenção para a educação das nossas criança e adolescentes, o tão extenso, profundo e desafiador processo de cura do eu inferior seria minimizado. Dar atenção significa perceber e compreender o que aquela alma precisa para expandir. Essa compreensão é possível quando você pode ir além de si mesmo, ou seja, ir além do papel de mãe, pai, ou educador, e simplesmente se colocar a disposição para sentir, ouvir e captar o que aquela alma está querendo dizer, por que ela está constantemente te dando sinais. Mas, estando identificado com esses papeis e com a sua ferida infantil, você se irrita e age a partir da sua própria dor. Então, a tendência é repetir a cena do passado.”

Si diéramos más atención a la educación de nuestros niños y adolescentes, el tan extenso, profundo y desafiante proceso de cura del yo inferior sería minimizado. Dar atención significa percibir y comprender lo que aquella alma necesita para expandirse. Esa comprensión es posible cuando puedes ir más allá de ti mismo, o sea, ir más allá del papel de madre, padre o educador, y simplemente colocarte a disposición para sentir, oír y captar lo que aquella alma está queriendo decir, porque ella está constantemente dándote señales. Pero estando identificado con esos papeles y con tu herida infantil, te irritas y actúas a partir de tu propio dolor. Entonces la tendencia es repetir la escena del pasado.”

“If we paid more attention to how we raise our children and teenagers, the extensive, deep and challenging healing process of the lower self would be minimized. Paying attention means noticing and understanding what that soul needs in order to grow. This understanding is possible when you are able to see beyond your self, going beyond your role as mother, father or educator. Be available to feel, hear and recognize what that soul is trying to express, as it is constantly giving you signs. As long as we are still identified with these roles and with our own wounded child, we get irritated and act out of our own pain. Then we continue to endlessly repeat scenes from the past.”

-Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Gift-giving | December 21, 2014 Gift-giving is a basic lesson in detachment as well as an exercise in metta—lovingkindness. Irrespective of the gift, the act of giving expresses good will. - Joan Duncan Oliver, "Gifts That Keep Giving"

The Warwick Rowers Holiday Sing-A-Long

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/12/2014

“Como curar a relação com seus pais? Olhando de frente e com honestidade para eles. Tendo coragem de admitir aquilo que você ainda não conseguiu superar e perdoar; e expressando seus sentimentos até que possa curar as feridas emocionais, e finalmente renunciar a vítima e seus pactos de vingança. Só você pode fazer isso; só você tem esse poder.”

“¿Cómo curar la relación con tus padres? Mirando de frente y con honestidad hacia ellos. Teniendo coraje de admitir aquello que aún no lograste superar y perdonar, y expresando tus sentimientos hasta que puedas curar las heridas emocionales y finalmente renunciar a la víctima y sus pactos de venganza. Solo tú puedes hacer esto, solo tú tienes ese poder.”

“How can you heal your relationship with your parents? Start by looking directly and honestly at them. Have the courage to admit whatever you have still not overcome and forgiven, and continue expressing your feelings until your emotional wounds are healed. Finally, renounce the victim entirely, along with any pacts of revenge. You alone can do this. You alone have this power.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Motivation is Vital | December 20, 2014 If we don’t have motivation, of course we’re going to sit there feeling bored, irritated, and in pain. With motivation, we can dedicate our lives: 'I am here, fully present, and I vow to wake up fully so that all beings may be released from suffering.' It’s that simple. - Roko Sherry Chayat, "Nirvana: Three Takes"

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 19/12/2014

“É preciso haver transparência na relação com as crianças, pois através da transparência, do respeito e do exemplo poderemos ensiná-las sobre os valores da honestidade e da autorresponsabilidade. Você precisa ter coragem de admitir suas falhas e imperfeições quando elas surgem, procurando evitar que a criança se sinta errada, ou inferior, mas sem alimentar a ideia de que ela é uma vítima, pois isso aciona a ingratidão e os pactos de vingança. Ensinar autorresponsabilidade sem cair no jogo de acusações, ou seja, sem fazer a criança sentir-se culpada, é uma grande arte que pais e educadores precisam aprender.”

“Es necesario que haya transparencia en la relación con los niños, porque a través de la transparencia, del respeto y del ejemplo podremos enseñarles sobre los valores de la honestidad y de la autorresponsabilidad. Necesitas tener coraje para admitir tus fallas e imperfecciones cuando éstas surgen, buscando evitar que el niño se sienta equivocado o inferior, pero sin alimentar la idea de que es una víctima, porque eso acciona la ingratitud y los pactos de venganza. Enseñar autorresponsabilidad sin caer en el juego de acusaciones es decir, sin hacer al niño sentirse culpable, es un gran arte que padres y educadores necesitan aprender.”

“Transparency is necessary when relating to children. By being transparent and respectful, and by truly walking our talk, we can teach them about honesty and about taking responsibility for oneself. Some courage is needed to admit our own faults and imperfections as they emerge. Children should not be made to feel wrong or inferior, and any ideas of victimhood should be avoided, as this activates ungratefulness, along with various pacts of revenge. Teaching about taking responsibility for one’s own actions, without falling into blaming games or guilt, is an art that parents and educators need to learn.”

Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Challenges Unite Us | December 19, 2014 The world is facing unprecedented challenges—environmental, economic, social, and moral—and to successfully rise to meet these challenges we must draw on the wisdom of the East and the West, of the ancient and the modern. The same challenges that imperil our very existence may help us unite in ways never before witnessed in human history. - B. Alan Wallace, "Six Questions for B. Alan Wallace"

Via Hay House Daily Meditations / FB:

Via JMG: TURKEY: US Diplomat Charles Hunter To Marry Local Musician Boyfriend

Charles Hunter, US Consul General to Turkey, has confirmed to the local press that he will marry his Turkish boyfriend with the ceremony to take place in Wisconsin.

Hunter was at an event at the Dutch consulate the previous day where he sang at an a capella choir. He responded to reporters' questions afterward. Naturally, almost all questions were about his affair with Turkish artist Ramadan Çaysever, and Hunter spoke about the affair for the first time. He said he "confirmed" all the reports in the press about his affair and planned marriage, but avoided elaborating on the matter. Çaysever, who frequently accompanies the Consul General at events, was absent at Tuesday night's event. Meanwhile, rumors made the rounds in the media about the top diplomat's affair. Some media outlets claimed Çaysever converted to Christianity for his partner. Milliyet, a Turkish daily, claimed Hunter asked for assignment of a bodyguard for Çaysever who has moved in with him, but has not been assigned one yet.

Hunter reportedly met Çaysever at one of his concerts. His music sounds quite like 80s Italo.

Labels: diplomacy, gay weddings, State Department, Turkey

Reposted from Joe Jervis

PEOPLE ARE AWESOME 2014

"The strangest things happen on the London Underground!"

Sesame Street: Ian McKellen Teaches Cookie Monster to Resist

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.”