Via Lama Surya Das / FB:

The Middle Way is the way of balance, sanity, inner strength, purity and restraint, steadfastness, and moderation.

Jon Stewart Weighs In On Indiana, Anti-LGBT Businesses

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 07/04/2015

“Alguns acreditam que a meditação ocorre através de um esforço pessoal, outros entendem a meditação como ausência de esforço. Existem diferentes técnicas e propósitos. Quando uso a palavra meditação, me refiro a um processo de absorção: o praticante é tomado pelo Divino. Ele entra num estado onde se percebe como satchitananda - existência, consciência e bem-aventurança - e se torna uma testemunha passiva. Ele entra nesse estado quando sua mente está completamente serena, assim como um lago calmo que reflete perfeitamente a luz do sol. Somente uma mente serena pode refletir a perfeição do Eu divino.”

“Algunos creen que la meditación se produce a través de un esfuerzo personal, otros entienden la meditación como la ausencia de esfuerzo. Existen diferentes técnicas y propósitos. Cuando uso la palabra meditación, me refiero a un proceso de absorción: el practicante es tomado por lo Divino. Entra en un estado donde se percibe como satchitananda - existencia, consciencia y bienaventuranza - y se convierte en un testigo pasivo. Él entra en este estado cuando su mente está completamente serena, así como un lago calmo refleja perfectamente la luz del sol. Solamente una mente serena puede reflejar la perfección del Yo divino.”

"Some people believe that meditation occurs through a personal effort, others understand meditation as effortlessness. There are different techniques and purposes. When I use the word ‘meditation,’ I refer to a process of absorption: the practitioner is taken over by the Divine. She enters a state that is perceived as satchitananda, existence, consciousness and bliss, and becomes a passive witness. One enters this state when the mind is completely serene, like a calm lake perfectly reflecting the light of the sun. Only a quiet mind can reflect the perfection of the divine self."

Sesame Street: Game of Chairs (Game of Thrones Parody)

Via Daily Dharma

The Self as Process | April 7, 2015 The Buddha’s teaching is highly radical in its break with essentialist thinking, which usually conceives of the 'real' as that which does not change. The Buddha’s view was that absolutely everything was changing and therefore the self was not exempt. As a result, Buddhist thinking conceives of the self as process rather than as a fixed and immutable essence. - John Peacocke, "Investigating the Buddha's World" Read More →

Via Spirit Science

The Impact of Meeting Harvey Milk.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 05/04/2015

“O seva ou serviço desinteressado é um instrumento de purificação do ego. Por isso, em algum momento nos deparamos com os desafios do processo de purificação interior, e precisamos usar instrumentos que nos ajudem nessa travessia. Tenho dito que a meta principal é despertar o amor, e se relacionar sem machucar a si e aos outros. Porque se puder amar e ser um canal de bênçãos, você estará avançando na iniciação espiritual. Nesse caso, a libertação da mente desejosa e a conquista da morte está próxima. Se você desperta esse amor, você está no caminho, e tudo que precisa chegará por acréscimo.”

“El seva o servicio desinteresado es un instrumento de purificación del ego. Por eso, en algún momento nos enfrentamos a los retos del proceso de purificación interior, y necesitamos utilizar instrumentos que nos ayuden en esta travesía. Vengo diciendo que la principal meta es despertar el amor, y relacionarse sin herirse a uno mismo y a los otros. Porque si puedes amar y ser un canal de bendiciones, estarás avanzando en la iniciación espiritual. En ese caso, la liberación de la mente deseosa y la conquista de la muerte están cerca. Si despiertas este amor, estás en el camino, y todo lo que necesitas llegará por añadidura.”

"Seva or selfless service is a tool for purifying the ego. At some point, we face the challenges of the process of inner purification, and we need to use tools that can help us in this journey. The main goal is to awaken love, and to relate to others without hurting them or ourselves. If we can love and become a channel of blessings, we will be advancing in our spiritual initiation. After taking this step, the release of our mind’s desires and the conquest of death are near. When we can awaken this love, we'll be on our way, and everything we need will come as a result."

Via Daily Dharma

How Clinging Works | April 5, 2015 The most important insight is to understand how clinging works—the nature of grasping and clinging in all its gross and subtle forms. All of Buddhism will open up for you if you understand the nature of clinging, what you cling to, and how to let go. - Gil Fronsdal, "Evaluate Your Meditation" Read More →

Via Wheneftalks: Dear American Christians

April 3, 2015

 

Dear American Christians,

You need to get a grip, and I am tired of speaking to you politely. You are not being persecuted by being required to serve all customers in your store. If you serve all people in your store, you are simply being American.

As a fellow Christian, I can assure you, your faith will not be compromised, and God will not be displeased with you, if you make a cake or a pizza for gay people.



What many of you do not seem to realize is that this move for the “religious freedom” laws is designed to appeal to your basest fears. These bills are designed to do one thing, and one thing only: to make you feel offended and afraid that your faith is at stake. But your faith is not at stake. And if you think it is, then your faith is far, far too weak.

I’m all worked up about this, because of analogies made by State Representative Matt Krause of Fort Worth. Rep. Krause is a sponsor of one of these so-called “religious freedom” bills in Texas.
Among other things, Rep Krause said the following:

“Should a Jewish bakery have to bake a cake for the neo-Nazi convention coming into town? Nobody would say that. Nor would anybody say a gay florist couple has to give flowers to a Westboro Baptist protest at funerals..”

At a time when everyone understands these bills as a reaction to increasing LGBT rights, Krause’s hypotheticals are ludicrous and offensive. It’s ludicrous and offensive to analogize situations where LGBT persons are cast in the place of neo-Nazis or Westboro Baptist.

In fact, this last comparison is head-exploding, given the fact that Westboro is most known for vile protests against LGBT people. To offer hypothetical analogies that casts LGBT citizens in the role of the actual people who actually engage in vile protests against them is ludicrous and offensive, even in the abstract.

Krause, then, attempts hypothetical examples that are completely implausible in the real world to defend a bill that would then become real-world law. And if you’re reading Krause’s comments and thinking, “Well, that COULD happen…” Then you are a part of the problem.

No. It couldn’t. And the fact that you think it can points to the fact that you have fallen victim to the lie that American Christians are victims of widespread and systematic persecution.

A Christian Business owner today, serving the LGBT community,  is not being persecuted for their faith, anymore than Southern Christian business owners were being persecuted when society called them to open their lunch counter.

Oh yeah. And there’s no “War on Christmas” either. (Or Easter).

We Christians are absolutely as free to exercise our faith as we ever have been. We can go to church without fear of being hunted down for doing that. We can pray with our families. Our churches can create clinics, and schools, and non-profits that serve God and the world. And nobody is going to impinge that right in any real way.

So, stop with the being offended. You have no right to be offended if an LGBT person walks into your place of business. Even if you haven’t come to terms with the fact that people can be gay and also be Christian(1), you’ve at least got to remember that Jesus said that little thing about the “wheat” and the “tares.”

I can’t speak for Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, or any other kind of shop-keeper. But I do know, as Christians it’s not our job to separate out from society. Jesus said that.

You want to know what persecution really is? It’s 147 Christians being shot in Kenya. That’s persecution.

Your so-called “offense” at being required to serve LGBT people is an insult to their sacrifice.

And on Good Friday, I will say as a minister of the Gospel that it’s an insult to Jesus’ sacrifice too.

Grow up. Get a life. Be a real Christian. And a real American.

Via UCubed:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 04/04/2015

“Apesar dos relacionamentos serem o principal material de escola, o caminho espiritual é solitário, e é preciso aprender a discernir com quem você está podendo interagir. Porque chega um momento em que você fica muito sensível e vulnerável às distorções energéticas que te cercam. Porém, alguns encontros são inevitáveis, e é possível que eles derrubem sua energia. Nesse caso, é bom se recolher e ficar quieto para poder digerir o veneno. Esse é o trabalho de um karma yogi. Por onde passa, ele puxa para si as distorções energéticas, transmuta e limpa o ambiente.”

” A pesar de que las relaciones son el principal material de escuela, el camino espiritual es solitario, y hay que aprender a discernir con quien estas pudiendo interactuar. Porque llega un momento en que te vuelves muy sensible y vulnerable a las distorsiones energéticas que te rodean. Sin embargo, algunos encuentros son inevitables, y es posible que ellos derrumben tu energía. En este caso, es bueno recogerse y guardar silencio para poder digerir el veneno. Este es el trabajo de un karmayogi. Donde quiera que vaya, él toma para sí mismo las distorsiones energéticas, transmuta y limpia el ambiente.”

"Despite relationships being our main school material, the spiritual path is a solitary one, and we must learn to discern who we will interact with. There comes a time when we become very sensitive and vulnerable to the distortions of energy that surround us. However, some encounters are inevitable, and they might bring our energy down. If this happens, it’s good to keep to yourself and remain quiet in order to digest the ‘poison’. This is the work of a karma yogi. Wherever she goes, she pulls the energetic distortions towards herself, transmutes them, and cleanses the environment."

Via Daily Dharma

A Trustworthy Friend | April 4, 2015 If you really want to become skillful in your thoughts, words, and deeds, you need a trustworthy friend to point out your blind spots. And because those spots are blindest around your unskillful habits, the primary duty of a trustworthy friend is to point out your faults—for only when you see your faults can you correct them; only when you correct them are you benefiting from your friend’s compassion in pointing them out. - Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "The Power of Judgment" Read More →

Wicked LMAO :: ‘Straight Only’ Christian Indiana Shopping Channel with James Van Der Beek

Indiana Home Shopping with James Van Der Beek and Anna Camp from Funny Or Die

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 03/04/2015

“O karma sempre nos pega de surpresa, pois não temos como saber quando a colheita do que plantamos será realizada. Mas é possível, através do autoconhecimento, tomar consciência do que você tem plantado, e isso é feito através da consciência do que você tem colhido. Colhemos aquilo que plantamos. Essa é uma lei mecânica deste plano. E é esse processo de plantio e colheita que permite a expansão da consciência.”

“El karma siempre nos toma por sorpresa, porque no podemos saber cuándo se llevará a cabo la cosecha de lo que plantamos. Pero es posible, a través del autoconocimiento, tomar conciencia de lo que has plantado, y esto se hace a través de la conciencia de lo que has cosechando. Cosechamos aquello que plantamos. Esta es una ley mecánica de este plano. Y es este proceso de siembra y cosecha lo que permite la expansión de la conciencia.”

"Karma always catches us by surprise – we can’t predict when we will reap the harvest of what we have planted. Through self-knowledge, sometimes the harvest reveals to us what we have planted. We reap what we sow. This is a mechanical law of this realm. This process of planting and harvesting is what allows our consciousness to expand."

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 02/04/2015

“Gosto de olhar a vida, a jornada da alma, através da metáfora do jogo. O jogo começa com o nascimento e termina com a iluminação, o mahasamadhi. Nos movemos dentro de um tabuleiro com muitas casas, e cada uma delas representa um aprendizado a ser absorvido. Ao absorver o aprendizado, você tem acesso à próxima casa. Se tem dificuldade de absorver um ensinamento, e dependendo das suas reações (pensamentos, palavras e atitudes), às vezes você precisa voltar e rever algumas lições. É de grande valia saber em que casa você se encontra, ou seja, qual é o aprendizado que a vida está te oferecendo nesse momento, pois essa consciência te ajuda a se mover mais facilmente no tabuleiro.”

“Me gusta ver la vida, el camino del alma, a través de la metáfora del juego. El juego comienza con el nacimiento y termina con la iluminación, el mahasamadhi. Nos movemos dentro de un tablero con muchas casas, y cada una de ellas representa un aprendizaje a ser absorbido. Al absorber el aprendizaje, tienes acceso a la siguiente casa. Si tienes dificultad para absorber una enseñanza, y dependiendo de tus reacciones (pensamientos, palabras y actitudes), a veces necesitas volver atrás y revisar algunas lecciones. Es de gran valor saber en qué casa te encuentras, es decir, cuál es el aprendizaje que la vida te está ofreciendo en este momento, porque esta conciencia te ayuda a moverte más fácilmente en el tablero.”

"I like to look at life and the soul's journey through the metaphor of a game. The game begins at birth and ends with enlightenment, mahasamadhi. You move within a board game that has many houses, each representing a lesson to be integrated. By taking in the learning, you gain access to the next house. Sometimes you need to go back and review some lessons depending on how you react with your thoughts, words and actions. You may also do this review if you have trouble absorbing a teaching. It’s important to know what house you are in, or what lesson life is offering you at that moment. This awareness helps you move more easily through the board game."

Via Daily Dharma

Show It to Me | April 3, 2015 You are telling me thought is limited. Show it to me! Not by talking of memory, experience, or knowledge; I understand that, but I don’t capture the feeling that it is limited, because I see the beauty of the earth, I see the beauty of a building, of a person, of nature. I see all that, but when you say thought is limited, I don’t feel it. It is just a lot of words which you have said to me. Intellectually I understand. But I have no feeling for it. There is no perfume in it. - Jiddu Krishnamurti, "Show It to Me" Read More →

Via Daily Dharma

Concentration and Mindfulness | April 2, 2015 Off the cushion, hours can pass as we sit rapt by movies, cat videos, Angry Birds, and the Kardashians. Every once in a while, these lazy afternoons happen to the best of us. But by bringing together concentration and mindfulness, we’re less likely to indulge in such passive activities and more likely to remain alert when taking part in active ones. - Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, "Don't Just Sit There" Read More →

My Poem: On the Train to Aalborg

   And now one can safely say
That
   There is no sangha,
That
   There is no refuge there.
So if you can give permission for the natural need in humans to hate
to condemn
   to judge
   to exclude
And yet pretend to be compassionate
and open
  I chose to keep moving.
You see
It seems that it is OK to ignore “Those people”.
Who over time were
   Tortured
   Burned at the stake
   Sent to ovens
   Castrated
   Shocked and lobotomized.
Because you decided that your god decreed it.
And so once again, they want to create yet another culture
That allows for this.
   So I thank you
For setting me free from this delusional mirage
Where because of who the traveler is
or
Heaven forbid
Because of who he loves
  Shall be shut out
  Shunned by you.
You say “begone with you”
I say “ begone with you”
   and I am free.
And now I walk on with the knowledge
that
   I am welcome at
   the next station
   the next refuge
   the next sangha.
Elsewhere.

Aahus, Denmark, 2015