A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 27/08/2015
“Em determinado momento da jornada evolutiva a entidade humana passa
por uma cisão. Ela rompe com a própria essência. Ela perde a
espontaneidade e a inocência ela passa a usar uma máscara que serve para
agradar aos outros, para ser aceita e para receber o que quer: amor.”
“At a certain moment along the evolutionary journey, we human beings experience a split from our own essence. We lose our spontaneity and innocence and begin to use a mask that serves to please others. We use these masks in order to be accepted and to receive what we want, which is love.”
“At a certain moment along the evolutionary journey, we human beings experience a split from our own essence. We lose our spontaneity and innocence and begin to use a mask that serves to please others. We use these masks in order to be accepted and to receive what we want, which is love.”
“En un determinado momento del camino evolutivo, la entidad humana
pasa por una ruptura. Ella rompe con la propia esencia. Pierde la
espontaneidad y la inocencia y pasa a usar una máscara que sirve para
agradar a los otros, para ser aceptada y para recibir lo que quiere:
amor.”
Today's Daily Dharma: A Single Handful
A Single Handful
Compared
to all the myriad things in the world, the root principles to be
practiced for the complete extinction of dukkha [suffering] amount to a
single handful.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Via WGB: ISIS throws nine gay men from building
The Jihadist group have branded LGBTI people the ‘worst of creatures’ and claim responsibility for at least 30 other executions for ‘sodomy.’
They have not yet published photos of the latest killings as they have done previously.
‘Gunmen belonging to ISIS threw on Sunday nine civilians from the top of a high building in the city of Mosul after being accused of homosexuality,’ a source, who wished to remain anonymous, told IraqNews.com.
‘ISIS militants rounded up a number of citizens in the city to see the implementation of the judgment of the so-called Sharia judge.’ Full story here!
JMG KENTUCKY: State Faces $2.3M In Marriage Battle Legal Fees
Attorneys for the good guys have handed Kentucky a demand for $2.3M in legal fees. The Lexington Herald-Leader has more: Gov. Steve Beshear hired lawyers to defend the state of Kentucky’s ban on gay marriage for two years in the federal courts, arguing that Kentuckians deserved “finality and understanding of what the law is.” Understanding can be expensive. Two months...
Read More here »
JMG AUSTRALIA: Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard Reverses Position, Now Says She Supports Same-Sex Marriage
August 26, 2015
Marriage Equality
After voting against a 2012 same-sex marriage bill while Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard now says she’s changed her mind. Via the Sydney Morning Herald:
“Given the 1970s feminist in me saw much to be concerned with from a gender perspective with traditional marriage, I thought the better approach was not to change the old but to create something new,” she said during The Michael Kirby Lecture at Victoria University. “In my time post-politics, as key countries have moved to embrace same-sex marriage, I have identified that my preferred reform direction was most assuredly not winning hearts and minds.” Ms Gillard said she assumed at the time the Coalition would have eventually allowed a conscience vote on the issue and marriage equality would have became law. “My position would have been overtaken by history, something which would have caused me no heartburn,” she said. “Now, given the discussion of a plebiscite or a referendum, I find myself in a world where these assumptions have been upended.” Ms Gillard called for a conscience vote on the issue soon after the next election, and said she would vote in favour of same-sex marriage if she was still in parliament.Australia’s first female prime minister, Gillard held office from 2010 to 2013. She is a self-described atheist, which is virtually unheard of for a major head of government.
Read More »
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 26/08/2015
“Conheça a ti mesmo e conhecerás o universo. Aquilo que não está aqui
não está em lugar algum. Por isso precisamos nos tornar exploradores da
consciência. Essa é uma tarefa bastante desafiadora porque dentro de nós
existem recantos escuros, cheios de dor, sentimentos aterrorizantes e
mortificantes. Mas isso faz parte da vida de um explorador de si mesmo. O
seu trabalho é desenvolver o testemunhar, ou seja, é aprender a observar
o que é transitório sem se identificar. Você observa e deixa passar. E,
aos poucos, você vai conhecendo quem é você de verdade. Você é aquilo
que permanece.”
Ouça o Satsang completo: http://bit.ly/1zxmPQV
Ouça o Satsang completo: http://bit.ly/1zxmPQV
“Conócete a ti mismo y conocerás el universo. Aquello que no está aquí
no está en ningún lugar. Por eso necesitamos volvernos exploradores de
la consciencia. Esta es una tarea bastante desafiante porque dentro de
nosotros existen rincones oscuros, llenos de dolor, sentimientos
aterrorizantes y mortificantes. Pero eso es parte de la vida de un
explorador de sí mismo. Tu trabajo es desarrollar el observador, es
decir, es aprender a observar lo que es transitorio sin identificarte.
Observas y dejas pasar. Y de a poco, vas conociendo quien eres tú en
verdad. Eres aquello que permanece.”
“To understand ourselves is to understand the universe. That which is not here is nowhere. This is why we strive to become explorers of consciousness. This is an extremely challenging task because there are dark corners within us that are full of pain as well as terrifying and mortifying feelings. This is all a part of the life of a self-explorer. Our work is to develop the witness and to learn how to observe what is transitory without becoming identified with it. We just observe and let it all pass. Slowly, we get to know who we truly are, for we are what remains.”
“To understand ourselves is to understand the universe. That which is not here is nowhere. This is why we strive to become explorers of consciousness. This is an extremely challenging task because there are dark corners within us that are full of pain as well as terrifying and mortifying feelings. This is all a part of the life of a self-explorer. Our work is to develop the witness and to learn how to observe what is transitory without becoming identified with it. We just observe and let it all pass. Slowly, we get to know who we truly are, for we are what remains.”
Today's Daily Dharma: The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
We
have created our problems, and only we can solve them. That becomes
something of a bottom line for Buddhists. We need to train our minds to
be less attached, less mistaken, less shortsighted, and, most of all,
less self-centered.
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Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 25/08/2015
“Estar no caminho espiritual significa se tornar um explorador da
consciência; é desvendar a de si mesmo. Todo o universo está aqui,
dentro de nós, portanto há muito o que desvendar, e é natural que você
se depare com lugares desconhecidos, que acordam sentimentos que você
não compreende. Aos poucos, na medida da sua vontade de se conhecer,
você recebe a luz da compreensão. Mas esse é um processo que requer
muita paciência e persistência, pois serão muitos os lugares sombrios que você vai atravessar.”
“Estar en el camino espiritual significa volverse un explorador de la
consciencia, es develar la de uno mismo. Todo el universo está aquí,
dentro de nosotros por lo tanto hay mucho que develar y es natural que
te depares con lugares desconocidos que despiertan sentimientos que no
comprendes. De a poco, en la medida de tu voluntad de conocerte, recibes
la luz de la comprensión. Pero este es un proceso que requiere de mucha
paciencia y persistencia, porque serán muchos los lugares sombríos que
vas a atravesar.”
“To be on the spiritual path means to become an explorer of consciousness, to unveil who we are. The whole universe exists here, inside of us, and there is much to unveil. It is natural that we encounter unknown places that awaken feelings we do not understand. Slowly, as our willingness to get to know ourselves increases, we receive the light of comprehension. This is a process that requires a lot of patience and persistence, as there are many shadowy places that we will pass through.”
“To be on the spiritual path means to become an explorer of consciousness, to unveil who we are. The whole universe exists here, inside of us, and there is much to unveil. It is natural that we encounter unknown places that awaken feelings we do not understand. Slowly, as our willingness to get to know ourselves increases, we receive the light of comprehension. This is a process that requires a lot of patience and persistence, as there are many shadowy places that we will pass through.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Pragmatic Buddhism
Pragmatic Buddhism
I
became enamored of [Buddhism] when I realized its basic tenet began by
saying, essentially, 'Life sucks and then you die, so what’s that all
about?' This was the religion for me. This was a framework I could use
to examine my actual experience. Far from the promise of
pie-in-a-big-sky afterlife, this was about dealing with the fear that
comes when you realize nothing is going to save your ass.
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Monday, August 24, 2015
Via LGBT Worldwide / FB: MORE REPUBLICAN BILLS THAT DO NOTHING BUT PROMOTE SEGREGATION AND HATE
The Republicans recently introduced a bill into the House of Representatives called the First Amendment Defense Act.
In a nutshell, it’s a bill that allows discrimination. Period.
In a nutshell, it’s a bill that allows discrimination. Period.
Go ahead and spin it any way you want. Put an addendum on it. At the
end of the day, it’s still a bill that allows and even encourages
discrimination against same-sex marriage, including such telling phrases
as:
(1) Leading legal scholars concur that conflicts between same-sex marriage and religious liberty are real and should be legislatively addressed…
(a) IN GENERAL.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.
There’s more – if you’re interested, you can read the rest here. But be prepared for a lot of Republican balderdash.
Follow this story and more at Colgay Pride. Become a Fan Today.
https://www.facebook.com/COLGAYPRIDE
(1) Leading legal scholars concur that conflicts between same-sex marriage and religious liberty are real and should be legislatively addressed…
(a) IN GENERAL.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.
There’s more – if you’re interested, you can read the rest here. But be prepared for a lot of Republican balderdash.
Follow this story and more at Colgay Pride. Become a Fan Today.
https://www.facebook.com/COLGAYPRIDE
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 24/08/2015
“Tenho tentado dar passagem para o conhecimento de uma forma simples,
procurando mostrar caminhos para uma espiritualidade prática. Nesse
intento, estou trabalhando para ressignificar o conceito de “iluminação
espiritual”. Tenho dito que estamos aqui única e exclusivamente para
acordar o Amor desinteressado, pois esse Amor desperto é sinônimo de
iluminação espiritual.”
"I have been trying to find a way to convey wisdom simply, building a path of practical spirituality. With this purpose, I am working to reframe the concept of spiritual enlightenment. We are here solely to awaken selfless love, as this awakened love is synonymous with spiritual enlightenment. "
"I have been trying to find a way to convey wisdom simply, building a path of practical spirituality. With this purpose, I am working to reframe the concept of spiritual enlightenment. We are here solely to awaken selfless love, as this awakened love is synonymous with spiritual enlightenment. "
Today's Daily Dharma: Die Happily
Die Happily
There
are three types of practitioners: practitioners of small capacity, who
die without fear; practitioners of middle capacity, who die without
regrets; and practitioners of the utmost capacity, who die happily.
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Sunday, August 23, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 23/08/2015
“A vida está em constante movimento de expansão e contração. Ora nos
sentimentos conectados, próximos, amorosos, com o coração aberto – ora
nos sentimos desconectados, fechados, distantes, navegando em um mar de
incertezas e medos. Costumo chamar esses momentos de desconexão de
“turbulências” - turbulências que precisamos atravessar, pois fazem
parte do karma. Trata-se de uma colheita de desafios que muitas vezes
são vistos como desagradáveis, mas que,
na realidade, são presentes, pois contém as sementes, as oportunidade de
aprendizado e crescimento que precisamos.”
“La vida está en constante movimiento de expansión y contracción. A
veces nos sentimos conectados, próximos, amorosos, con el corazón
abierto – a veces nos sentimos desconectados, cerrados, distantes,
navegando en un mar de incertidumbres y miedos. Suelo llamar a estos
momentos de desconexión de "turbulencias" - turbulencias que precisamos
atravesar, pues son parte del karma. Se trata de una cosecha de desafíos
que muchas veces son vistos como desagradables, pero que, en realidad,
son regalos, pues contienen las semillas, las oportunidades de
aprendizaje y crecimiento que necesitamos.”
“Life is constantly moving from expansion to contraction. One minute we feel connected, close to others, and loving with our hearts open. The next minute we feel disconnected, closed, and distant while navigating a sea of uncertainty and fear. I have been calling these moments of disconnection ‘turbulence.’ We need to pass through this turbulence as it is part of our karma. We 'harvest' these challenges that are often seen as unpleasant, but in reality are a gift. Challenges are the seeds of opportunities for learning and the growth that we need to go through.”
“Life is constantly moving from expansion to contraction. One minute we feel connected, close to others, and loving with our hearts open. The next minute we feel disconnected, closed, and distant while navigating a sea of uncertainty and fear. I have been calling these moments of disconnection ‘turbulence.’ We need to pass through this turbulence as it is part of our karma. We 'harvest' these challenges that are often seen as unpleasant, but in reality are a gift. Challenges are the seeds of opportunities for learning and the growth that we need to go through.”
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