Via Daily Dharma / March 31, 2016: Zen Therapy

Some People think of Zen practice as a kind of therapy. That’s not completely mistaken, of course. Yamada Koun Roshi used to say that the practice of Zen is to forget the self in the act of uniting with something—Mu, or breath counting, or the song of a thrush. That is wonderful therapy. Concern about me and mine disappears.

—Robert Aitken, "Zen Shorts"

Via United Nations Human Rights / FB:

United Nations Human Rights

 

We are concerned about the increasingly politicised and heated debate that has engulfed ‪#‎Brazil‬ over the past few days and weeks. We urge the Government, as well as politicians from other parties, to cooperate fully with the judicial authorities in their investigations into allegations of high-level corruption, and to avoid any actions that could be construed as a means of obstructing justice. At the same time, we urge the judicial authorities to act scrupulously within the confines of international and domestic law, and to avoid taking partisan political positions. We are concerned that a vicious circle may be developing that risks discrediting both the executive and the judiciary, thereby doing serious long-term damage to the State, and to the democratic achievements made in the past 20 years during which Brazil has been governed under a Constitution which provides strong human rights guarantees. http://ow.ly/ZQE9X

Via Ram Dass:

March 30, 2016

If you go out in the woods and look at trees, and some trees are gnarled and some are straight. Some are flowering and some are barren, you just look with appreciation at the differences. You neither judge nor react. You don’t necessarily hate that tree and love that tree. But the minute you get around people it’s all different. So I would suggest you treat people like trees.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 30/03/2016

“O nosso trabalho aqui na Terra é a elevação da consciência, mas essa não é uma tarefa fácil. Como abrir espaço para a verdade dentro de um oceano de mentiras? Como abrir espaço para a confiança dentro de um mar de medo? Alguns têm a sensação de estar numa batalha. E é verdade! Nós somos guerreiros da Luz abrindo fendas na escuridão. E nessa longa guerra você pode ficar cansado e ter a armadura machucada, então, num instante de vacilo, você pode ser contaminado pelo medo que te chama para responder ao mal com um mal ainda maior. Mas eu estou aqui para te lembrar que a sua espada é o perdão e o seu escudo é a gratidão. Somente com essas expressões do amor poderemos vencer essa guerra.”

“Nuestro trabajo aquí en la Tierra es la elevación de la consciencia, pero ésta no es una tarea fácil. ¿Cómo abrir espacio para la verdad dentro de un océano de mentiras? ¿Cómo abrir espacio para la confianza dentro de un mar de miedo? Algunos tienen la sensación de estar en una batalla. ¡Y es verdad! Nosotros somos guerreros de la Luz abriendo grietas en la oscuridad. Y en esta larga guerra puedes estar cansado de tener la armadura dañada, entonces, en un instante de duda, puedes ser contaminado por el miedo que te llama para responder al mal con un mal aún mayor. Pero yo estoy aquí para recordarte que tu espada es el perdón y que tu escudo es la gratitud. Solamente con estas expresiones del amor podremos vencer esta guerra.”

“Our work here on Earth is to elevate consciousness, but this is no easy task. How do we create space for truth and trust within an ocean of lies and fear? Some people feel like they’re in a battle, and it is indeed true. We are the light warriors slicing through the darkness. Within this long battle, we may get tired or damage our armor, and in the blink of an eye we can get contaminated by a fear that lures us to respond to evil with an even greater evil. However, I am here to remind us that our sword is forgiveness and our shield is gratitude. Only with these expressions of love can we win this battle.”

Via Daily Dharma / March 30, 2016: Intention Before Speech

When people are aware of their intention and express their thoughts and feelings truthfully and with kindness, they are likely to achieve their aim and increase compassionate understanding.

—Mudita Nisker, "Right Speech"

Via Clouds In My Coffee / FB:

Via FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 29/03/2016

“Aquilo que normalmente entendemos como problemas, na verdade, são oportunidades de crescimento. As crises e situações difíceis da vida são como portas de acesso para o inconsciente, onde estão as chaves para a nossa transformação. Através dessas situações, podemos ter acesso a partes da nossa personalidade que, no passado, foram trancadas em negação e ainda hoje exercem influência sobre nossas vidas, sabotando nossa felicidade.”

“Aquello que normalmente entendemos como problemas, en verdad son oportunidades de crecimiento. Las crisis y situaciones difíciles de la vida son como puertas de acceso al inconsciente, donde están las llaves para nuestra transformación. A través de estas situaciones, podremos tener acceso a partes de nuestra personalidad que, en el pasado, fueron trabadas en negación y todavía hoy ejercen influencia sobre nuestras vidas, saboteando nuestra felicidad.”

“The things we usually perceive as problems are, in truth, opportunities for growth. Crises and difficult situations in life are like doorways to the unconscious: they are the keys to our transformation. Through these situations, we may have access to parts of our personality that were locked away in denial in the past. To this day, these parts of ourselves continue to exert their influence over our lives and sabotage our own happiness.”

Via Daily Dharma / March 29, 2016: Emptiness: Digesting Rice

To eat and digest food is natural to us, as we are always changing. This organic process is called “emptiness.” The reason we call it emptiness is that it has no special form. It has some form, but that form is not permanent. While it is changing, it carries on our life energy.

—Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, "Brown Rice Is Just Right"

Via JMG: LGBT Religious Group Faith In America Denounces North Carolina Law: It’s Transphobia, Plain And Simple

March 29, 2016 Civil Rights, LGBT News, Religion

The LGBT religious group Faith In America gets to the core of North Carolina’s hate bill:

Yet again, the religious right has hijacked religious narratives to justify their anti-LGBT bigotry. Ill-informed and misguided religious beliefs are being used against the transgender community in North Carolina.

“North Carolina revoked a basic human right for their transgender community — to use public restrooms,” Eliel Cruz, Executive Director of Faith In America said. “Forcing transgender Americans to find the rare single person gender neutral bathrooms or hold it until they’re home takes away their dignity. Waiting longer to use the restroom then when feels natural also can have serious health risks. All around, this piece of legislation is not only absurd but also dangerous.”
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, North Carolina’s Republicans bought and sold a “bathroom sexual predator” narrative that vilified the transgender community. This bathroom predator myth has been debunked again and again with not a single documented time it occurred. In reality, transgender people are more likely to be victims of crimes then the perpetrators. 

Furthermore, this law affects more than the LGBT community. This legislation eliminates recourse from anyone fired from their job based on race, religion, age, or handicap.

“This is not about religious freedom as many have claimed. There is no Christian doctrine that requires binary gendered bathrooms as part of religious practices,’” Cruz said. “As a Christian, I’m ashamed that others are using their religious beliefs as a vehicle to legislate hate. North Carolina’s bill is fueled by transphobia plain and simple.”

Faith In America was founded in 2006 by activist and businessman Mitchell Gold. NOT incidentally, Gold is also the co-founder of the North Carolina-based furniture design and manufacturing company Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, which has retail showrooms in many states.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: In 2014 Faith In America teamed up with NYC’s Ali Forney Center to publish a full-page ad in the New York Times calling on Pope Francis to stop condemning LGBT people.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 28/03/2016

“Pais e educadores precisam tomar consciência da grande responsabilidade que lhes foi dada: interromper o ciclo da ignorância neste planeta. Porque através da educação das crianças podemos quebrar o ciclo vicioso da destruição e realmente mudar o mundo. Para isso, precisamos fazer nossa parte que é ajudar as crianças a encontrarem seus dons e talentos, e se alinharem com a sua verdadeira missão. Não basta largar a criança na escola, é preciso se responsabilizar e se comprometer com o despertar do amor desse Ser.”

Campanha Escolas em Paz

“Padres y educadores necesitan tomar consciencia de la gran responsabilidad que les fue dada: interrumpir el ciclo de ignorancia en este planeta. Porque a través de la educación de los niños podemos quebrar el ciclo vicioso de la destrucción y realmente cambiar el mundo. Para eso, necesitamos hacer nuestra parte, que es ayudar a los niños a que encuentren sus dones y talentos y se alineen con su verdadera misión. No alcanza con dejar al niño en la escuela, es necesario responsabilizarse y comprometerse con el despertar del amor de ese Ser.”
Campaña Escuelas en Paz

“Parents and educators need to become aware of the great responsibility they have been given: to interrupt the cycle of ignorance on this planet. Through our children’s education we can break the vicious circle of destruction and create a change in the world. We need to do our part in order for this to happen. We must help our children to discover their gifts and talents, and to live in alignment with their true purpose. It is not enough to put your child in a school system – you have to be responsible and committed to awakening the love within this human being.”

Via Daily Dharma / March 28, 2016: Simply Witness

This is maybe the greatest gift we can give another human being—our undivided attention. To listen without judgment or agendas. The great psychologist Carl Rogers once described empathy as “looking with fresh and unfrightened eyes.”

—Frank Ostaseski, "On What to Do When the Going Gets Rough"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 27/03/2016

“Esse novo ciclo do tempo nos convida a colocar Deus em primeiro lugar nas nossas vidas. Ele nos convida a nos alinharmos com a espiritualidade para lembrarmos quem de fato somos. Quem sou eu? Quem está nesse corpo vivendo essa aventura na Terra? Trata-se de um profundo ajuste interno mas, como o externo é reflexo do interno, as consequências desse ajuste serão vistas no mundo externo. Isso ocorrerá ao longo do tempo, mas se estiver atento, você poderá ver que esse processo já começou.”

“Este nuevo ciclo del tiempo nos invita a colocar a Dios en primer lugar en nuestras vidas. Nos invita a alinearnos con la espiritualidad para recordarnos quién somos verdaderamente. ¿Quién soy yo? ¿Quién está en este cuerpo viviendo esta aventura en la Tierra? Se trata de un profundo ajuste interno pero como lo externo es reflejo de lo interno, las consecuencias de este ajuste se verán en el mundo externo. Esto ocurrirá a lo largo del tiempo, pero si estás atento, podrás ver que este proceso ya comenzó.”

“This new cycle of time invites us to place God at the forefront of our lives. It invites us to become aligned with spirituality in order to remember who we really are and ask ourselves, ‘Who am I? Who is in this body living this adventure on Earth?’ This is a profound inner adjustment, and since the external is a reflection of the internal, the consequences of this adjustment will be seen in the outer world. This adjustment will take place over time, and if we are attentive enough, we can see that the process has already begun.”

Via Daily Dharma / March 27, 2016: The Self and the Sky

What is the true self? It's brilliantly transparent like the deep blue sky, and there's no gap between it and all living beings.

—Kodo Sawaki Roshi, "The True Self"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 26/03/2016

“Estamos nos aproximando de um novo ciclo no qual haverá uma grande revolução, uma revolução espiritual. Estamos sendo constantemente chamados para a lembrança de que somos seres espirituais, mas a maioria ainda encontra-se muito distraída e adormecida para poder ouvir. Alguns procuram soluções materiais para a crise generalizada pela qual estamos passando, mas ignoram que, na essência, a crise é espiritual. Novas leis e regras são importantes, mas é preciso compreender que somente isso não resolverá o problema, pois estamos tratando os sintomas e não a causa.”

“Estamos aproximándonos a un nuevo ciclo en el cual habrá una gran revolución, una revolución espiritual. Estamos siendo constantemente llamados a recordar que somos seres espirituales, pero la mayoría aún se encuentra muy distraída y adormecida para poder escuchar. Algunos buscan soluciones materiales para la crisis generalizada por la cual estamos pasando, pero ignoran que, en esencia, la crisis es espiritual. Nuevas leyes y reglas son importantes, pero es necesario comprender que esto solamente no resolverá el problema, porque estamos tratando los síntomas y no la causa.”

“We are entering a new cycle in which there will be a great revolution: a spiritual revolution. We are constantly being reminded that we are spiritual beings, but most people are still too distracted and living in a sleeping state to be able to hear these reminders. Some people search for material solutions to the widespread crisis we are going through, yet they ignore that, in essence, this is a spiritual crisis. Creating new laws and rules are important, but it is also important to understand that this will not solve the problem: this will only serve to treat the symptoms, but not the cause.”

Via Daily Dharma / March 26, 2016: Parenting Your Practice

These days, meditation for me is like brushing my teeth. Remember how it was when you were young? Your parents had to force you to brush your teeth. But now you do it every morning and night without being asked.

—Brad Warner, "A Minty Fresh Mind"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 25/03/2016

“Quero propor um acordo: não acredite em nada que eu digo, apenas ouça e procure colocar em prática. Se você fizer isso e não encontrar nada, tudo bem, esqueça o que estou dizendo e siga o seu caminho. Compreenda que não estou brincando de espiritualidade - eu sei o que estou dizendo. Eu falo pela minha própria experiência. E o que mais desejo é que você possa ter a mesma experiência. O conhecimento só pode transformar-se em sabedoria através da prática. Caso contrário, você tem apenas um acúmulo de informações.”

“Quiero proponerte un acuerdo: no creas en nada de lo que yo digo, solo escucha e intenta ponerlo en práctica. Si haces esto y no encuentras nada, todo bien, olvida lo que estoy diciendo y continúa tu camino. Comprende que no estoy jugando a la espiritualidad, sé lo que estoy diciendo. Hablo por mi propia experiencia. Y lo que más deseo es que puedas tener la misma experiencia. El conocimiento solo puede transformarse en sabiduría a través de la práctica. De lo contrario, solo tienes un cúmulo de informaciones.”

“I would like to propose an experiment: do not believe anything I say, simply listen to my words and try to put them into practice. If you do this and do not discover anything, that’s alright: then you can forget what I said and continue on your path. Understand that I am not playing with spirituality. I am speaking from my own experience, and my deepest wish is for you to have the same experience. Knowledge can only transform into wisdom through practice. Otherwise, you will only have accumulated information.”

Via Daily Dharma: Nothing Arises Alone

“Everything that comes into being depends on everything else. Nothing arises by itself.

—Master Guojun, "The Calligrapher’s Apprentice"

Via PEACE and Grace: Spirituality in a Broken World / FB: TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL