Caught Up in Thoughts
The thoughts are not the problem. Thoughts are the nature of the mind. The problem is that we identify with them.
- Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, "No Excuses"
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 26/05/2015
“Às vezes é necessário realizar a prática de uma austeridade
inteligente, que é quando fazemos um esforço, um exercício, para
redirecionar os vetores da nossa vontade. Tenho incentivado e sugerido
cada vez mais a prática do silêncio, porque ele é a fundação que
sustenta o templo da consciência.”
“A veces es necesario realizar la práctica de una austeridad inteligente, que es cuando hacemos un esfuerzo, un ejercicio, para redireccionar los vectores de nuestra voluntad. Vengo incentivado y sugiriendo cada vez más la práctica del silencio, porque éste es la base que sustenta el templo de la consciencia.”
“A veces es necesario realizar la práctica de una austeridad inteligente, que es cuando hacemos un esfuerzo, un ejercicio, para redireccionar los vectores de nuestra voluntad. Vengo incentivado y sugiriendo cada vez más la práctica del silencio, porque éste es la base que sustenta el templo de la consciencia.”
“Sometimes we need to practice an intelligent austerity, which means
putting our energy towards an activity that redirects our willpower.
More and more, I have been encouraging and suggesting the practice of
cultivating silence. Silence is the foundation on which the temple of
awareness rests.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Respect Between Sects.
Respect Between Sects
Whoever
honors his own sect and disparages another man’s, whether from blind
loyalty or with the intention of showing his own sect in a favorable
light, does his own sect the greatest possible harm. Concord is best,
with each hearing and respecting the other’s teachings.
- Ashoka, "Ashoka, Beloved of the Gods"
Via JMG: Greenland Approves Same-Sex Marriage
Google Translate has a bit of difficulty with Danish, but our resident
international expert, JMG reader Luis, advises us that Greenland's
Parliament has just voted unanimously
to adopt Danish laws legalizing same-sex marriage and gay adoption.
Greenland is an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark and is
not a member of the United Nations. More than three times the size of Texas, Greenland has a population of about 57,000.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Vi JMG: TEXAS: Lawmaker Vows To Kill His Own Bill Rather Than Allow Anti-Gay "Defy SCOTUS" Marriage Amendment
From the Houston Chronicle:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
A Democratic state senator has dredged up anti-gay marriage legislation that advocates thought was dead this session, attaching the language to an uncontroversial county affairs bill under the noses of his fellow Democrats. While gay rights advocates decried the move, the bill's original sponsor in the House said he would never let his legislation pass with the anti-same-sex marriage language in-tact. "I'm the author of the bill. I will resolve the bill," said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D- Houston, a staunch gay marriage advocate.BOOM. (Tipped by JMG reader American Putz)
House Bill 2977, as Coleman originally filed it, was an uncontroversial county affairs placeholder bill, meant to act as a vehicle for lawmakers to ensure important local issues can be passed late in the session. As the bill was headed to the Senate committee for approval this week, however, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. attached a number of other bills to Coleman's legislation, including one that would seek to block a Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage.
If the bill passes in the GOP-dominated Senate, which Coleman expects it to, it would need to return to the House, where the lower chamber's members would have to concur with the changes. Coleman said if he can't strip the anti-gay marriage off his legislation, then he would withdraw it completely. "If I can't get it off, then the bill goes to bill heaven," Coleman said. "I don't support that legislation or that language."
Labels: Cecil Bell, crackpots, Eddie Lucio, Garnet Coleman, LGBT rights, marriage equality, religion, SCOTUS, Texas
Monday, May 25, 2015
VIa JMG: IRELAND: Marriages By September
Via the Irish Times:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Work will begin this week to give effect to the referendum decision to amend the Constitution with the first same-sex marriages likely to take place as early as September. Tánaiste Joan Burton said legislation would be brought before the Seanad and Dáil as early as possible, with the aim of getting it passed before the summer recess. “That would mean that we would be in a position to have same-sex marriage celebrations, civil ceremonies by, probably, September,” she told reporters at the Africa Day celebrations in the Phoenix Park. The Constitution will be formally amended in the coming days when President Michael D Higgins signs the Marriage Equality Bill into law, and a new sentence will be added to article 41 stating: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” To give effect to the amendment, the Oireachtas will enact the Marriage Bill 2015, which will state in law the principle that being of the same sex is no longer an impediment to marriage. It will also make clear that religious solemnisers will not be obliged to solemnise the marriage of a same-sex couple, and that the same prohibited degrees of relationship will apply to same-sex marriages.RELATED: In the above map from Freedom To Marry, Finland is shaded red although their law doesn't go into effect until March 2017. Slovenia is shaded light green because although their legislature approved same-sex marriage in March 2015, their bill has not yet been signed into law due to a continuing battle to place the issue to a public referendum.
Via The Guardian: LGBT veterans to get their first federally approved monument
Via Deep South Daily: “I am the mother of a gay son and I’ve taken enough from you good people”
Read one of the most heartfelt letters a newspaper has ever published.
It seems that a century’s worth of progress has been made for gay rights since the dawn of the millennium fifteen years ago. Back then, not a single U.S. state had marriage equality. The term “marriage equality” was not even a part of the social zeitgeist. But today, marriage equality is the law of the land in all but a handful of states. It looks likely that the Supreme Court will soon rule on a right to marriage for all. And just yesterday, Ireland — traditionally a very conservative, Catholic country — became the first nation to pass (and overwhelmingly so) marriage equality by national referendum.Even more importantly than marriage, a social revolution has made being an LGBT person more socially accepted — at times even celebrated — than the kids of the year 2000 could’ve ever dreamed. Still, there are constant reminders of the work that remains to be done.
We still see the forces of discrimination and bigotry hard at work to stave off the tide of freedom and acceptance that LGBT people are now experiencing. Evangelicals rally around viciously anti-gay reality show stars — like the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty or the Duggars of 19 Kids and Counting. And that’s why it’s important to remember that, for all these gains, there is still work to be done.
In April 2000, a mother named Sharon Underwood from White River Junction, Vermont wrote one of the most heartfelt and pointed letters to the editor that the Valley News has probably ever received. In the letter, she expressed her righteous anger at the local do-gooders whose moralism had for years inflicted pain and torment on her young gay son. That letter is still prescient today. Even now, it tells the story of thousands of LGBT youth trapped in communities where they still aren’t welcome.
Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 25/05/2015
“O mal atrai o mal. O mal em você sente atração pelo mal lá fora. Isso
ocorre porque a maldade precisa ser ativada para ser purificada e
transformada. E conforme a purificação vai acontecendo, você começa a
ver que tudo está absolutamente certo, mesmo quando está errado. Os
erros, na verdade, são oportunidades de aprendizado, cura e libertação.”
“El mal atrae el mal. El mal en ti siente atracción por el mal ahí afuera. Esto ocurre porque la maldad necesita ser activada para ser purificada y transformada. Y conforme la purificación va sucediendo, comienzas a ver que todo está absolutamente bien, hasta cuando está equivocado. Las equivocaciones, en verdad, son oportunidades de aprendizaje, cura y liberación.”
“El mal atrae el mal. El mal en ti siente atracción por el mal ahí afuera. Esto ocurre porque la maldad necesita ser activada para ser purificada y transformada. Y conforme la purificación va sucediendo, comienzas a ver que todo está absolutamente bien, hasta cuando está equivocado. Las equivocaciones, en verdad, son oportunidades de aprendizaje, cura y liberación.”
“Evil
attracts evil. The malevolence in us feels attracted to the malevolence
outside. Evil needs to be activated in order to be purified and
transformed. As this purification takes place, we start to see that
everything is absolutely right, even when it is ‘wrong.’ Mistakes are in
fact an opportunity for learning, healing, and liberation.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Undistorted Experience
Undistorted Experience
When
mindfulness is quick enough, the student will experience the moment of
consciousness itself. He will see one mind-moment arising and vanishing
in clear detail. This is to witness the truth of experience, undistorted
by delusion. It is a glimpse of ultimate reality.
- Cynthia Thatcher, "How Long Is a Moment" |
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Via Mindbodygreen.com: 8 Things Happy People Do Every Morning
For many of us, mornings begin in a rushed panic. We allow our alarm
clocks to buzz at least a dozen times before we decide we have to get
out of bed. We then rush around our homes half-awake trying to get ready
for our day. In a hurry, we stub our toe on the bedpost, forget to put
on deodorant, and don't pack a lunch because we simply do not have time.
It's no wonder that so many folks despise the thought of being awake before 9 am!
So it may not surprise you to know that happy individuals tend to actually enjoy their mornings. They appear to thrive on waking up with the sun and look forward to a new day or possibilities. These happy people have humble morning rituals that increase their own sense of well-being and give their day purpose.
Happy people tend to share many of the following morning habits:
1. They wake up with a sense of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude is associated with a sense of overall gladness. They start the day with love. This means that they're truly appreciative of their life and all of its little treasures. They practice small acts of gratitude in the morning by expressing thankfulness to their partner each morning before they rise from bed. They may also write about their gratefulness for five minutes each morning in a journal that they keep bedside.
2. They begin anew each and every morning.
They know that it's a brand-new day to start over and do something different. Yesterday may have been a complete failure for them, but today is a new day for success and adventure. Individuals who aren't ruined by one bad day are resilient creatures. Resiliency is a telltale sign of having purpose and happiness.
3. They take part in prayer, affirmation, or meditation.
Many of the happiest folks alive are spiritual. Prayer is a way of connecting and giving thanks for our creator. Meditation helps keep our mind focused, calms our nerves and supports inner peace.
Happy people even use affirmations to declare how their day will go. Steve Jobs' morning routine used to start by looking in the mirror and asking himself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And Benjamin Franklin asked himself each morning, "What good shall I do today?"
4. They read.
Some happy people read a bit of scripture each morning, while others read inspiring stories to get their day started. Either way, they make it a ritual to read self-improvement literature to stretch and grow their insight and knowledge. It's starts their day off on a positive note with new ideas to guide their day's journey.
5. They keep things simple and don't rush out the door.
Complex morning routines are difficult to stick to and set us up for failure. Happy individuals' routines are simple for them because they prepared the night before. They picked out their work attire, prepared their lunch, set their coffee to brew — all the night before. A simple routine limits any multitasking that most people do in the morning to ensure that they make it to work on time. Multitasking may create stress and anxiety and steal your peace during your first waking hours.
6. They exercise.
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression. Exercise is a big enough priority that happy folks tend to do it first thing in the morning so that they don't have to try to make time later in the day for it. They recognize that willpower is strongest in the morning.
Morning exercise gets the blood flowing and gives them more energy throughout the day. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology discovered that working out improved how people felt about their physical bodies — even if they didn't lose weight or gain any noticeable improvements in their physique.
7. They get some fresh air.
Morning walks are beneficial for all creatures. Walking is also proven to stimulate creativity in the brain, which isn't a bad way to start the day either.
If they have a dog, they walk it. Walking the dog a mile or two in the morning is a form of much needed exercise for humans and dogs alike. When happy individuals walk their dog outside, they breath in the crisp morning air, which promotes a sense of vitality.
8. They savor the beauty of their surroundings and practice being present in the moment.
Whether they go on a morning walk with their dog or sit in their favorite chair by the window, taking the time to appreciate their environment can be invigorating and gets folks excited about their day. Being present connects and grounds them to what is really important in the moment. There is a certain kind of wisdom that comes with being a witness to your own life.
How many of these habits do you perform each morning? Are there some that you would like to see on the list?
It's no wonder that so many folks despise the thought of being awake before 9 am!
So it may not surprise you to know that happy individuals tend to actually enjoy their mornings. They appear to thrive on waking up with the sun and look forward to a new day or possibilities. These happy people have humble morning rituals that increase their own sense of well-being and give their day purpose.
Happy people tend to share many of the following morning habits:
1. They wake up with a sense of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude is associated with a sense of overall gladness. They start the day with love. This means that they're truly appreciative of their life and all of its little treasures. They practice small acts of gratitude in the morning by expressing thankfulness to their partner each morning before they rise from bed. They may also write about their gratefulness for five minutes each morning in a journal that they keep bedside.
2. They begin anew each and every morning.
They know that it's a brand-new day to start over and do something different. Yesterday may have been a complete failure for them, but today is a new day for success and adventure. Individuals who aren't ruined by one bad day are resilient creatures. Resiliency is a telltale sign of having purpose and happiness.
3. They take part in prayer, affirmation, or meditation.
Many of the happiest folks alive are spiritual. Prayer is a way of connecting and giving thanks for our creator. Meditation helps keep our mind focused, calms our nerves and supports inner peace.
Happy people even use affirmations to declare how their day will go. Steve Jobs' morning routine used to start by looking in the mirror and asking himself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And Benjamin Franklin asked himself each morning, "What good shall I do today?"
4. They read.
Some happy people read a bit of scripture each morning, while others read inspiring stories to get their day started. Either way, they make it a ritual to read self-improvement literature to stretch and grow their insight and knowledge. It's starts their day off on a positive note with new ideas to guide their day's journey.
5. They keep things simple and don't rush out the door.
Complex morning routines are difficult to stick to and set us up for failure. Happy individuals' routines are simple for them because they prepared the night before. They picked out their work attire, prepared their lunch, set their coffee to brew — all the night before. A simple routine limits any multitasking that most people do in the morning to ensure that they make it to work on time. Multitasking may create stress and anxiety and steal your peace during your first waking hours.
6. They exercise.
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some symptoms of depression. Exercise is a big enough priority that happy folks tend to do it first thing in the morning so that they don't have to try to make time later in the day for it. They recognize that willpower is strongest in the morning.
Morning exercise gets the blood flowing and gives them more energy throughout the day. One study published in the Journal of Health Psychology discovered that working out improved how people felt about their physical bodies — even if they didn't lose weight or gain any noticeable improvements in their physique.
7. They get some fresh air.
Morning walks are beneficial for all creatures. Walking is also proven to stimulate creativity in the brain, which isn't a bad way to start the day either.
If they have a dog, they walk it. Walking the dog a mile or two in the morning is a form of much needed exercise for humans and dogs alike. When happy individuals walk their dog outside, they breath in the crisp morning air, which promotes a sense of vitality.
8. They savor the beauty of their surroundings and practice being present in the moment.
Whether they go on a morning walk with their dog or sit in their favorite chair by the window, taking the time to appreciate their environment can be invigorating and gets folks excited about their day. Being present connects and grounds them to what is really important in the moment. There is a certain kind of wisdom that comes with being a witness to your own life.
How many of these habits do you perform each morning? Are there some that you would like to see on the list?
JMG Editorial Of The Day
From the editorial board of the New York Times:
In a statement conceding defeat, the Iona Institute, the main opposition group, said it would continue to affirm “the importance of biological ties and of motherhood and fatherhood.” The absurdity of that statement speaks for itself. As soon as the referendum is ratified by Parliament, Ireland will join 19 nations that have legalized same-sex marriage — an honor roll that does not include the United States.
The Irish path to legalizing same-sex marriage was remarkable because advocates have long seen courts and legislative initiatives as easier paths to prevail on an issue that continues to trouble many people on moral and religious grounds. Lawmakers in the United Kingdom approved same-sex marriage in 2013. In the United States, the expanding recognition of marriage rights in 36 states and the District of Columbia has been achieved through lawsuits and legislatures. The Supreme Court is expected to rule next month on a case that could establish a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
The outcome in Ireland sends an unmistakable signal to politicians and religious leaders around the world who continue to harbor intolerant views against gays and lesbians. It also should offer hope to sexual minorities in Russia, the Arab world and many African nations where intolerance and discriminatory laws remain widespread. The tide is shifting quickly. Even in unlikely places, love and justice will continue to prevail.
Today's Daily Dharma: A Good Look Around.
A Good Look Around
There's
a lovely freedom in momentarily stepping back into the privilege freely
taken by children, finding the gap in the cyclone wire fence and
sauntering along in that heightened state of casual alertness, just
having a good look around.
- Susan Murphy, "The Secret Life of the Street" |
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Saturday, May 23, 2015
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