Thursday, June 11, 2015
Via JMG: LIST: America's Most Well-Read Cities
Amazon.com today announced its fifth annual list of the Most Well-Read Cities in America – just in time for summer reading season. The ranking was determined by compiling sales data of all book, magazine and newspaper sales in both print and Kindle format from April 2014 to April 2015, on a per capita basis in cities with more than 500,000 residents. Seattle, Wash., the home of Amazon headquarters, not only purchased the most books overall but also purchased the most Kindle books, magazines, and newspapers. Washington, D.C. residents, ranked #5 overall on the list, prefer the print book, outranking Seattle as the city with the most purchases of print books. California is for readers with three cities making the top 20 list this year: San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose.The most-purchased book in seven of the above cities was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
Via JMG: POLL: 65% Expect Supreme Court To Rule In Favor Of Same-Sex Marriage
Via the Associated Press:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Nearly two-thirds of Americans expect the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide when it rules on the issue within the next few weeks, according to a new poll. Only 25 percent expect the high court to leave existing state bans on gay marriage intact, while 65 percent expect the bans to be overturned, according to the poll conducted by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute. Its nationwide survey of 1,009 adults was conducted from June 3 to June 7. Mirroring the findings of several other recent national polls, the new survey found 55 percent of Americans in favor of allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, and 37 percent opposed.See more about the poll here.
The survey found sharp divisions over same-sex marriage along religious lines. Majorities of religiously unaffiliated Americans (79 percent), white mainline Protestants (60 percent) and Catholics (58 percent) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. But gay marriage was supported by only 29 percent of white evangelical Protestants and 35 percent of nonwhite Protestants. The survey also asked about perceptions of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Three-quarters of Democrats, 61 percent of independents and 50 percent of Republicans said there is a lot of discrimination against transgender people.
Via JMG: Australian Headline Of The Day
From an Australian version of The Onion:
"In response to threats from a Canberra couple to divorce were equal
marriage laws to pass, a local couple in a committed same-sex
relationship have in turn threatened to absolutely not give the
slightest shit were that to happen. Local couple Brett and Harry have
said that while they are not heterophobic and do their best to be open
to all different kinds of views if this divorce does go ahead they will
have no choice but to go on with their lives completely unaffected by
such a dumb stunt." (Tipped by JMG reader John)
RELATED: See my post about the Canberra couple.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
RELATED: See my post about the Canberra couple.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 11/06/2015
“A vontade é talvez o maior poder da alma. E esse poder é desenvolvido
através da persistência e da disciplina. Por isso sempre incentivo a
prática da austeridade inteligente, aquela que nasce da compreensão.
Quando você faz a relação de causa e efeito e compreende a origem de
determinados hábitos negativos que sabotam sua felicidade, você tem
condições de reverter essa situação através dessa prática. Então,
reflita sobre qual seria a austeridade
que te ajudaria a fortalecer a vontade? Qual seria a prática que te
ajudaria nesse momento da sua jornada?”
“La voluntad es tal vez el mayor poder del alma. Y este poder es
desarrollado a través de la persistencia y de la disciplina. Por eso
siempre incentivo la práctica de la austeridad inteligente, aquella que
nace de la comprensión. Cuando haces la relación de causa y efecto y
comprendes el origen de determinados hábitos negativos que sabotean tu
felicidad, tienes condiciones de revertir esa situación a través de esta
práctica. Entonces reflexiona sobre ¿cuál sería la austeridad que te
ayudaría a fortalecer la voluntad? ¿Cuál sería la práctica que te
ayudaría en este momento del camino?”
“The will is perhaps the greatest power of the soul. This power is developed through the persistence of discipline. This is why I always encourage you to practice an intelligent austerity, one that is born out of comprehension. When you make the link between cause and effect and can understand the origin of certain negative habits that sabotage your happiness, you have the potential to revert the situation through this practice of an intelligent austerity. Take a moment to reflect on what kind of austerity would help you to strengthen your willpower. Which particular practice would help you most at this point of your journey?”
“The will is perhaps the greatest power of the soul. This power is developed through the persistence of discipline. This is why I always encourage you to practice an intelligent austerity, one that is born out of comprehension. When you make the link between cause and effect and can understand the origin of certain negative habits that sabotage your happiness, you have the potential to revert the situation through this practice of an intelligent austerity. Take a moment to reflect on what kind of austerity would help you to strengthen your willpower. Which particular practice would help you most at this point of your journey?”
Today's Daily Dharma: Replacing Addiction with Compassion
Image: Courtesy Don Farber
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Replacing Addiction with Compassion
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The
real purpose of Buddhist practice is to cut down your addictions and to
correct your habitual patterns and this can be achieved as a layperson
or as a monk or nun. That brings us to the question of Buddhist
ethics?changing habitual patterns and getting rid of the old addictions,
such as attachments, and replacing them with love, compassion,
generosity, and patience.
- Gelek Rinpoche, "A Lama for All Seasons" |
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Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Via FB: Jesus Cures Homophobia!
Na
Parada LGBT da maior cidade brasileira, evangélicos se unem para
mostrar que a intolerância não pode ter lugar na nossa sociedade.
#JesusCuraaHomofobia #MaisAmor #ParadaLGBTdeSP
#JesusCuraaHomofobia #MaisAmor #ParadaLGBTdeSP
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 10/06/2015
“As técnicas e práticas espirituais estão a serviço de propiciar
serenidade mental. Mas uma coisa é a técnica meditativa, outra coisa é a
meditação. Qualquer um pode praticar técnicas, mas nem todos podem
entrar em estado de meditação. Esse é um fenômeno que não se domina,
pois não está sob a jurisdição do ego. A técnica é uma escolha do ego
consciente, mas o fenômeno de ser arrebatado pelo Divino está além dele.
Você pode plantar sementes, mas não pode determinar quando elas brotarão.”
“Las técnicas y prácticas espirituales están al servicio de propiciar
serenidad mental. Pero una cosa es la técnica meditativa, y otra cosa es
la meditación. Cualquiera puede practicar técnicas, pero no todos
pueden entrar en estado de meditación. Este es un fenómeno que no se
domina, porque no está bajo la jurisdicción del ego. La técnica es una
elección del ego consciente, pero el fenómeno de ser arrebatado por lo
Divino está más allá de él. Puedes plantar semillas, pero no puedes
determinar cuando ellas brotarán.”
“Spiritual techniques and practices serve to make mental serenity possible. A meditative technique is different from meditation itself. Anyone can practice techniques, but not everyone can enter a state of meditation. This is a phenomenon that cannot be controlled, because it’s not under the jurisdiction of the ego. The technique is chosen by the conscious ego, but the phenomenon of being overtaken by the Divine happens beyond the ego. You can plant the seeds, but you cannot determine when they will sprout.”
“Spiritual techniques and practices serve to make mental serenity possible. A meditative technique is different from meditation itself. Anyone can practice techniques, but not everyone can enter a state of meditation. This is a phenomenon that cannot be controlled, because it’s not under the jurisdiction of the ego. The technique is chosen by the conscious ego, but the phenomenon of being overtaken by the Divine happens beyond the ego. You can plant the seeds, but you cannot determine when they will sprout.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Mindfulness from Beginning to End
Mindfulness from Beginning to End
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To know the truth of what is there . . . is the beginning and end of mindfulness.
- Joan Duncan Oliver, "Do I Mind?" |
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 09/06/2015
“A criança nasce amando, mas logo aprende a odiar, porque entra em
contato com a inconsciência coletiva. Muito cedo ela aprende a sentir
ciúme e a usar máscaras para receber o que deseja. Isso aciona um
círculo vicioso que faz com que o fluxo natural do amor seja
interrompido.”
“El niño nace amando, pero luego aprende a odiar, porque entra en contacto con la inconsciencia colectiva. Muy temprano aprende a sentir celos y a usar máscaras para recibir lo que desea. Esto acciona un círculo vicioso que hace que el flujo natural del amor sea interrumpido.”
“El niño nace amando, pero luego aprende a odiar, porque entra en contacto con la inconsciencia colectiva. Muy temprano aprende a sentir celos y a usar máscaras para recibir lo que desea. Esto acciona un círculo vicioso que hace que el flujo natural del amor sea interrumpido.”
"When children are born, they are loving. But soon after they learn to
hate, because they come into contact with the collective unconscious.
From very early on they learn to feel jealousy and to use masks to get
what they want. This sets off a vicious circle that interrupts the
natural flow of love.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Less Ambition, Less Disturbance
Photograph by Iva Peele
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Less Ambition, Less Disturbance
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The
beautiful thing about having less obsessions and ambitions, and just
sitting straight and watching the breathing, is that nothing will disturb
us. Things only disturb us when we have an aim. When we have an aim, we
become obsessed. Say our aim is to go somewhere, but somebody parks
right in front of our car, blocking us. If something gets in the way of
our aim, it becomes a terrible thing. If we don?t have an aim, though,
it doesn't matter.
- Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, "Do Nothing" |
Monday, June 8, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 08/06/2015
“Você pode responder às situações da vida de duas maneiras: agindo ou
reagindo. A ação é uma resposta que nasce da presença, e jamais gera
sofrimento. Ela é inofensiva. A reação é o contrário. Ela sempre gera
uma cadeia de consequências negativas. Por exemplo, se você come porque
sente fome, apenas para suprir uma necessidade natural do seu corpo,
essa resposta é positiva. Mas, quando come sem sentir fome, para aliviar
uma ansiedade, você sobrecarrega o seu metabolismo, gerando consequências danosas para todo o seu sistema.”
“Puedes responder a las situaciones de la vida de dos maneras:
actuando o reaccionando. La acción es una respuesta que nace de la
presencia, y jamás genera sufrimiento. Es inofensiva. La reacción es lo
contrario. Siempre genera una cadena de consecuencias negativas. Por
ejemplo, si comes porque sientes hambre, solo para suplir una necesidad
natural de tu cuerpo, esa respuesta es positiva. Pero cuando comes sin
sentir hambre, para aliviar una ansiedad, sobrecargas tu metabolismo,
generando consecuencias dañinas para todo tu sistema.”
“You can respond to life situations in two ways: by acting or reacting. An action is a response that is born of the present moment and it never generates suffering nor causes harm. A reaction is the opposite of this: it always sparks a chain of negative consequences. For example, if you eat because you are hungry, simply to fulfill a natural need of your body, this is a positive response. But if you eat when you are not hungry, to alleviate some anxiety, then you overload your metabolism, generating harmful consequences for your whole body.”
“You can respond to life situations in two ways: by acting or reacting. An action is a response that is born of the present moment and it never generates suffering nor causes harm. A reaction is the opposite of this: it always sparks a chain of negative consequences. For example, if you eat because you are hungry, simply to fulfill a natural need of your body, this is a positive response. But if you eat when you are not hungry, to alleviate some anxiety, then you overload your metabolism, generating harmful consequences for your whole body.”
Today's Daily Dharma: The Music of the Mind
Photograph by Mian61/Dreamstime.com
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The Music of the Mind
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The practice of meditation involves listening closely to the music of your mind. We are not concerned in the moment about how things get to be the way they are, only that they are so very much exactly what they are.
- Andrew Olendzki, "The Music of the Mind" |
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Sunday, June 7, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 07/06/2015
“Um ditado popular no Brasil diz: “Quanto mais eu rezo, mais
assombração me aparece”. Essa sensação é normal no início da jornada
evolutiva, porque o primeiro vislumbre da Verdade geralmente é uma
grande escuridão. Quando você começa a desamortecer, ou seja, quando
começa a retirar as máscaras, os monstros que estavam escondidos atrás
delas começam a aparecer, e isso pode ser bastante assustador.”
“Un dicho popular en Brasil dice: "Cuanto más rezo, más fantasmas me aparecen". Esta sensación es normal en el inicio del camino evolutivo, porque el primer vislumbre de la Verdad generalmente es una gran oscuridad. Cuando empiezas a salir de la anestesia, es decir, cuando empiezas a retirar las máscaras, los monstruos que estaban escondidos detrás de ellas comienzan a aparecer, y esto puede ser bastante aterrador.”
“Un dicho popular en Brasil dice: "Cuanto más rezo, más fantasmas me aparecen". Esta sensación es normal en el inicio del camino evolutivo, porque el primer vislumbre de la Verdad generalmente es una gran oscuridad. Cuando empiezas a salir de la anestesia, es decir, cuando empiezas a retirar las máscaras, los monstruos que estaban escondidos detrás de ellas comienzan a aparecer, y esto puede ser bastante aterrador.”
“There is a popular saying in Brazil that goes like this: ‘The more I
pray, the more ghosts appear.’ This sensation is quite normal at the
outset of the evolutionary journey, because the first glimpse of the
truth is usually a great darkness. When you start to de-numb yourself by
removing the masks, the monsters that were hiding behind them start to
appear, and this can be pretty scary.”
Today's Daily Dharma: What Will Carry You
What Will Carry You
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Just
as oil rises to the top of a pot submerged in water, your virtue, your
goodness, your faith, or generosity will rise to the top, and that is
what will carry you to your next destination.
- The Buddha, "The Best Possible Habit" |
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Via Justabahai: Homosexuality – a false dichotomy?
” … I feel I can no longer
associate with a religion that does not perceive LGBT rights as a true
social value,” Rayshel said, adding, “I, as a gay man, find it offensive
that my same-sex attraction is primarily summed up to a sex act or a
perceived notion that I over-emphasize my sexuality which is seen as
destructive and self-indulgent.”
Sean Rayshel in The Bay Area Reporter, 4 June 2015.
Is the Bahai Faith “a religion that does not perceive LGBT rights as a true social value?” At the practical level, that is true except where a Bahai makes it clear that they do not discriminate and that their communities do not discriminate. For the present at least, the Bahai community has something to prove in this respect.
Because of the dominance of the perception of discrimination within the Bahai community, I have to constantly state first that I am for equality for gays and lesbians and only then state that I am a Bahai. Otherwise the person I am speaking to is put off from the beginning. I have so many stories, so many encounters, in which people do a double-take and tell me, “but Bahais don’t like gays” or “Bahais discriminate.” In the Philippines, in the U.K., in New Zealand, in the U.S., in the Netherlands … people have said things such as: “Oh what is the Bahai Faith about, because when I read that you didn’t accept gays, I stopped reading” or “So tell me more – I thought the Bahai Faith was conservative” and “When I read about homosexuality being forbidden I thought it was a fundamentalist church.”
I explain that I am as much a Bahai as the person who told them that gays cannot join the Bahai Faith. Then they learn that the discrimination is not embedded in our teachings. For me it is not so much whether or not a seeker is put off but two bigger issues: that our gay children are not tormented by impossible demands, and that our community practises the essential Bahai principles of justice and equality.
Sean Rayshel in The Bay Area Reporter, 4 June 2015.
Is the Bahai Faith “a religion that does not perceive LGBT rights as a true social value?” At the practical level, that is true except where a Bahai makes it clear that they do not discriminate and that their communities do not discriminate. For the present at least, the Bahai community has something to prove in this respect.
Because of the dominance of the perception of discrimination within the Bahai community, I have to constantly state first that I am for equality for gays and lesbians and only then state that I am a Bahai. Otherwise the person I am speaking to is put off from the beginning. I have so many stories, so many encounters, in which people do a double-take and tell me, “but Bahais don’t like gays” or “Bahais discriminate.” In the Philippines, in the U.K., in New Zealand, in the U.S., in the Netherlands … people have said things such as: “Oh what is the Bahai Faith about, because when I read that you didn’t accept gays, I stopped reading” or “So tell me more – I thought the Bahai Faith was conservative” and “When I read about homosexuality being forbidden I thought it was a fundamentalist church.”
I explain that I am as much a Bahai as the person who told them that gays cannot join the Bahai Faith. Then they learn that the discrimination is not embedded in our teachings. For me it is not so much whether or not a seeker is put off but two bigger issues: that our gay children are not tormented by impossible demands, and that our community practises the essential Bahai principles of justice and equality.
Friday, June 5, 2015
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