Via Daily Dharma / September 12, 2016: A Useful Reminder

While the practice of dharma may (and often does) bring some comfort, enjoyment, and even happiness in this life, the seeking of these states has always been the very definition of what is not dharma practice. We seek these naturally, no practice required.

—Linda Heuman, "What’s at Stake as the Dharma Goes Modern?"

Via Ram Dass: September 11, 2016

September 11, 2016

It's only when caterpillarness is done that one becomes a butterfly. That again is part of this paradox. You cannot rip away caterpillarness. The whole trip occurs in an unfolding process of which we have no control.

Via Daily Dharma / September 11, 2016: Why Practice?

 This is what we’ve been practicing for: the situations where the practice doesn’t come easily. When the winds of change reach hurricane force, our inner refuge of mindfulness, concentration, and discernment is the only thing that will keep us from getting blown away.

—Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "What We've Been Practicing For"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 11/09/2016

“Ao acreditar que um objeto externo trará felicidade, você se torna dependente dele para ser feliz. Essa crença é uma ilusão que serve apenas para alimentar o desejar compulsivo e a ideia de que a felicidade vem da matéria. Nossa ciência tem sido conduzida por essa falsa crença há séculos. Tanto tempo e dinheiro, tanta energia já foi desperdiçada na tentativa de dominar a matéria por conta disso. Mas agora nós chegamos num ponto de colapso e precisamos fazer uma curva radical: precisamos dedicar toda nossa energia na conquista do mundo interior. E, para isso, a ciência precisa se unir à espiritualidade.”

“Al creer que un objeto externo traerá felicidad, te vuelves totalmente dependiente de él para ser feliz. Esa creencia es una ilusión que apenas sirve para alimentar el desear compulsivo y a la idea de que la felicidad viene de lomaterial. Nuestra ciencia ha sido conducida por esa falsa creencia por siglos. Tanto tiempo y dinero, tanta energía ya fue desperdiciada en la tentativa de dominar la materia por cuenta de eso. Pero ahora llegamos a un punto de colapso y necesitamos hacer una curva radical: necesitamos dedicar toda nuestra energía en la conquista del mundo interior. Y para eso, la ciencia necesita unirse con la espiritualidad.”

“To believe that an external object will bring happiness creates a dependency within us. This belief is an illusion that only serves to feed compulsive desire and the idea that happiness comes from the world of matter. Our science has been led by this false belief for centuries. Due to this belief, great amounts of money, time and energy have been wasted to try and dominate the material world. Now we have gotten to the breaking point and we need to make a radical turn; we need to dedicate all our energy to the conquest of the internal world. Thus, science must be united with spirituality.”

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 11/09/2016

“Ao acreditar que um objeto externo trará felicidade, você se torna dependente dele para ser feliz. Essa crença é uma ilusão que serve apenas para alimentar o desejar compulsivo e a ideia de que a felicidade vem da matéria. Nossa ciência tem sido conduzida por essa falsa crença há séculos. Tanto tempo e dinheiro, tanta energia já foi desperdiçada na tentativa de dominar a matéria por conta disso. Mas agora nós chegamos num ponto de colapso e precisamos fazer uma curva radical: precisamos dedicar toda nossa energia na conquista do mundo interior. E, para isso, a ciência precisa se unir à espiritualidade.”

“Al creer que un objeto externo traerá felicidad, te vuelves totalmente dependiente de él para ser feliz. Esa creencia es una ilusión que apenas sirve para alimentar el desear compulsivo y a la idea de que la felicidad viene de lomaterial. Nuestra ciencia ha sido conducida por esa falsa creencia por siglos. Tanto tiempo y dinero, tanta energía ya fue desperdiciada en la tentativa de dominar la materia por cuenta de eso. Pero ahora llegamos a un punto de colapso y necesitamos hacer una curva radical: necesitamos dedicar toda nuestra energía en la conquista del mundo interior. Y para eso, la ciencia necesita unirse con la espiritualidad.”

“To believe that an external object will bring happiness creates a dependency within us. This belief is an illusion that only serves to feed compulsive desire and the idea that happiness comes from the world of matter. Our science has been led by this false belief for centuries. Due to this belief, great amounts of money, time and energy have been wasted to try and dominate the material world. Now we have gotten to the breaking point and we need to make a radical turn; we need to dedicate all our energy to the conquest of the internal world. Thus, science must be united with spirituality.”

Via Bipartisan Report & LATimes: Bernie Sanders Publishes Stunning OpEd In LA Times, Makes Major Announcement

The LA Times published a beautifully written opinion article by former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. He felt the need to explain to his millions of loyal fans that letting Donald Trump win the Presidency was just not an option. Below is the letter.

The conventions are over and the general election has officially begun. In the primaries, I received 1,846 pledged delegates, 46% of the total. Hillary Clinton received 2,205 pledged delegates, 54%. She received 602 superdelegates. I received 48 superdelegates. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee and I will vigorously support her.

Donald Trump would be a disaster and an embarrassment for our country if he were elected president. His campaign is not based on anything of substance — improving the economy, our education system, healthcare or the environment. It is based on bigotry. He is attempting to win this election by fomenting hatred against Mexicans and Muslims. He has crudely insulted women. And as a leader of the “birther movement,” he tried to undermine the legitimacy of our first African American president. 
That is not just my point of view. That’s the perspective of a number of conservative Republicans.

In these difficult times, we need a president who will bring our nation together, not someone who will divide us by race or religion, not someone who lacks an understanding of what our Constitution is about.

On virtually every major issue facing this country and the needs of working families, Clinton’s positions are far superior to Trump’s. Our campaigns worked together to produce the most progressive platform in the history of American politics. Trump’s campaign wrote one of the most reactionary documents.

Clinton understands that Citizens United has undermined our democracy. She will nominate justices who are prepared to overturn that Supreme Court decision, which made it possible for billionaires to buy elections. Her court appointees also would protect a woman’s right to choose, workers’ rights, the rights of the LGBT community, the needs of minorities and immigrants and the government’s ability to protect the environment.

Trump, on the other hand, has made it clear that his Supreme Court appointees would preserve the court’s right-wing majority.

Clinton understands that in a competitive global economy we need the best-educated workforce in the world. She and I worked together on a proposal that will revolutionize higher education in America. 

It will guarantee that the children of any family in this country with an annual income of $125,000 a year or less – 83% of our population – will be able to go to a public college or university tuition free. This proposal also substantially reduces student debt.

Trump, on the other hand, has barely said a word about higher education.

Clinton understands that at a time of massive income and wealth inequality, it is absurd to provide huge tax breaks to the very rich.

Trump, on the other hand, wants billionaire families like his to enjoy hundreds of billions of dollars in new tax breaks.

Clinton understands that climate change is real, is caused by human activity and is one of the great environmental crises facing our planet. She knows that we must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and move aggressively to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

Trump, on the other hand, like most Republicans, rejects science and the conclusions of almost all major researchers in the field. He believes that climate change is a “hoax,” and that there’s no need to address it.

Clinton understands that this country must move toward universal healthcare. She wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their healthcare exchange, that anyone 55 or older should be able to opt in to Medicare, and that we must greatly improve primary healthcare through a major expansion of community health centers. She also wants to lower the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs.

And what is Donald Trump’s position on healthcare? He wants to abolish the Affordable Care Act, throw 20 million people off the health insurance they currently have and cut Medicaid for lower-income Americans.

During the primaries, my supporters and I began a political revolution to transform America. That revolution continues as Hillary Clinton seeks the White House. It will continue after the election. It will continue until we create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principle of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

I understand that many of my supporters are disappointed by the final results of the nominating process, but being despondent and inactive is not going to improve anything. Going forward and continuing the struggle is what matters. And, in that struggle, the most immediate task we face is to defeat Donald Trump.

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Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 10/09/2016

“A crença de que a felicidade depende do outro está por trás de todos os problemas de relacionamento. Essa é a raiz do sofrimento nas relações humanas. Por isso, se puder voltar-se para dentro e finalmente buscar a felicidade no lugar certo (em si mesmo), você estará contribuindo não somente para a sua própria evolução, mas para a evolução do ser humano como espécie.”

“La creencia de que la felicidad depende del otro está por detrás de todos los problemas de las relaciones. Esa es la raíz del sufrimiento en las relaciones humanas. Por eso, si pudieras ir para adentro y finalmente buscar la felicidad en el lugar exacto (en ti mismo), estarás contribuyendo no solamente a tu propia evolución, sino para la evolución del ser humano como especie.”

“The belief that happiness depends on the other is behind all relationship problems. It is the root of suffering in human relations. So, if we could turn inwards and finally pursue happiness in the right place, within ourselves, we would be contributing not only to our own evolution but to the evolution of the human species.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 10, 2016: Nothing to Fear

As long as we think we shouldn’t feel something, as long as we are afraid of feeling vulnerable, our defenses kick in to try to get life under control, to manipulate ourselves or other people. But instead of either controlling or sequestering our feelings, we can learn to both contain and feel them fully.

—Barry Magid, "No Gain"

Via Walter Kirn / FB: The story from Standing Rock

Walter Kirn

Listen. This is important. It will affect you, though you may not know it yet. Tonight on North Dakota's Cannon Ball River, near its convergence with the Missouri, on a wide, grassy meadow ringed by sloping hills and lit by scores of smoky orange campfires, hundreds or maybe thousands of Native people who have not come together in this way for well over a century have gathered, along with supporters from many backgrounds, to sing and drum and pray for the protection of the earth and water. It is not a romantic or fanciful event but an earnest and passionate spiritual intervention by people for whom spirit and matter are not separate categories at all but a living, interpenetrating unity. 

Their immediate concern is with a pipeline capable of fouling the local waters with toxic oil from the nearby fracking fields. Their larger concern is with a mad philosophy that pits human beings against their natural home for vain and temporary benefits. Against this pipeline and this philosophy they have arrayed the powers of tradition, family, community, magic, music, prophecy, and simple human courage. 

Will they prevail? They will, they must, and they are certain of it, though in what fashion or on what schedule they don't yet fully know. You are with them even if you don't think so because they are battling for life itself.

Does that sound lofty? Let me bring it down some. The camp is electric tonight. A stream of vehicles with yellow headlights clogs the entry road. Smoke is everywhere, creating a spectral geometry of softened angles and misty silhouettes. Down the hill from me, half a mile to my right, an amplified rapper is exhorting a crowd to stand strong in its convictions. In front of me, at the same distance, a drummer is beating a steady, insistent rhythm accompanied by a rising and falling chant. The stars are crackling in the cold black sky. I have been many places as a reporter, to great political conventions, important congresses of leaders, championship sports events, and somber public memorials, but never have I felt such power, such energy. I am not even sure what year it is right now. 

Tomorrow a judge will rule in the pipeline matter, giving the people massed around these fires a victory or a defeat or some muddy combination of the two. Their leaders have urged them in the sternest tones not to be enraged if disappointed. Violence will not be tolerated. And despair will not be tolerated. That is because however the ruling goes, something abiding has been accomplished here: The unification of a hundred nations in a refreshed sense of relevance and purpose. They were divided, these people, and then conquered. Sickness and hunger and material poverty were some of the results. They might never have recovered, never have regained their footing, never have reasserted their common vitality. But they did, they prevailed. Their family is intact. 

Spirituality. In the culture I'm from it's something you slot in to a busy, hectic, willful life. You go to church. You take a yoga class. You climb into bed with an inspiring book. These people approach the spirit differently. They live inside it all day long, and then in their dreams, and then when they wake up. It is how they say hello and how they eat and how they walk across a road. There is nothing else but spirit for them. It has made them more than a little out of step with us. It hasn't added to their bank accounts. It wasn't a route to success as we define it. It didn't make them famous on TV.
It has only made them indomitable, I've noticed.

And that is the news. The story from Standing Rock.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 09/09/2016

“Muitos confundem egoísmo com amor. Uma coisa é você estar com alguém porque é bom estar próximo, porque existe uma sinergia, uma afinidade, e a energia de ambos cresce nesse encontro. Outra coisa é estar com alguém porque você acredita que será feliz através dessa pessoa; porque espera receber dela alguma coisa. Nesse caso, você não quer alguém para amar, você quer é alguém para atender às suas necessidades e expectativas. Isso chama-se egoísmo.”

“Muchos confunden egoísmo con amor. Una cosa es que estés con alguien porque es bueno estar cerca, porque existe una sinergia, una afinidad, y la energía de ambos crece en ese encuentro. Otra cosa es estar con alguien porque crees que serás feliz a través de esa persona; porque esperas recibir alguna cosa de ella. En ese caso, no quieres alguien para amar, quieres alguien para atender tus necesidades y expectativas. Eso se llama egoísmo.”

“Many confuse selfishness with love. It’s one thing to be with someone because it is good to be together, because there is a synergistic affinity, and a positive energy grows for both in this union. It’s another thing to be with someone because you believe you will find happiness through this person, because you think you will get something from him or her in return. In this case, you don’t want someone to love. You want someone to attend to your needs and expectations. This is what is known as selfishness.”

Via BuzzFeed : Australia’s Second Biggest Church Says It’s OK To Vote “Yes” On Marriage Equality

Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier has released a letter he wrote to Australia’s Anglican bishops, saying the church “must accept” same-sex marriage as part of the landscape if a national plebiscite is carried.

Joe Castro / AAPIMAGE

In the letter, Freier differentiates between types of marriage, saying that if civil marriage is amended to include same-sex couples, the church can still reserve its definition of marriage as between a man and a women.

“We can still stand for and offer holy matrimony between a man and a woman as a sacred ordinance given by God, while accepting that the state has endorsed a wider view of marriage,” he wrote.
In the 2011 census, 17% of Australians identified themselves as Anglicans – second to 25% who are Catholic.

Freier also noted that Anglicans are not uniform in their positions on same-sex marriage, and gave the green light for people to land on either side of the debate.

“Individual Anglicans have adopted a variety of positions taken in good conscience based on their Christian understanding of the principles and issues, and this is right and proper,” he wrote.

Freier said he personally welcomed the plebiscite, but feared a divisive debate, and called for more pastoral sensitivity towards LGBT people in the church.

“I am very concerned that the discussion does not become harsh or vilifying – on either side, for it is not only Christians who have sometimes failed on this score,” he said.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

The president of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA), Stuart McMillan, told BuzzFeed News the church would not take part in the plebiscite campaign as it has been engaged in an internal discussion on marriage theology since 2012.

The Uniting Church is Australia’s third largest, encompassing 5% of the population, and currently defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

“As we are engaged in our own discernment process, we will not be formally involved with other groups lobbying on the marriage issue,” McMillan said.

Instead, the church’s involvement will consist of “resources for respectful conversations on marriage” available on the UCA website.

“Uniting Church ministers and members are free to express personal opinions or take part in campaigns in the course of the national debate, so as long as they are clear that they are expressing personal views and not speaking on behalf of the Uniting Church,” McMillan added.

McMillan published a blog on Friday urging church members to remain graceful throughout the marriage debate.

“It is easy to harm each other with careless words. So we should all choose ours carefully,” he said.

“We are committed to being an inclusive Church that embraces LGBTIQ people as full members and to culturally appropriate discussion about relationships and marriage across our diversity.”

 

Lane Sainty is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Sydney, Australia.

Contact Lane Sainty at lane.sainty@buzzfeed.com.

Via Daily Dharma / September 9, 2016: The Power of Madness

The people who have been through the harshest conditions—and survived—have the greatest potential to transform the madness of their lives. . . . if they can take that madness, claim it, and stand on top of its incredible energy, they can transform it into power. —Vinny Ferraro, "The Heartful Dodger"

An Orlando Shooting Survivor's Inspiring Story – EXTENDED

Via LGBT INCLUSIVE / FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 08/09/2016

“A mente condicionada faz você acreditar que só poderá ser feliz se o outro olhar para você de uma determinada maneira. O outro precisa agir do jeito que você imagina para você poder ser feliz, então você vive tentando fazer com que essa pessoa faça desse jeito, pois somente assim você se sente amado; somente assim você pode ser feliz. Essa felicidade que depende da forma que o outro age é uma mentira. A verdadeira felicidade independe de fatores externos, ela vem de dentro de você - ela nasce da liberdade.”

“La mente condicionada te hace creer que solo podrás ser feliz si el otro te mira de una maneradeterminada. El otronecesitaactuar de la formaque tú imaginas para poder ser feliz, entonces vivesintentando lograr que estapersona actúede esa forma, porque solamente así te sientes amado; solamenteasí puedes ser feliz. Esta felicidad que depende de la forma queel otro actúa es una mentira. La verdadera felicidad es independiente de factores externos, viene de adentro tuyo - nace de la libertad.”

“The conditioned mind makes us believe that we can only be happy if the other looks at us the way we want to be seen.We believe the other has to act in a certain way for us to be happy. So, we live our lives trying to make the other act according to our own standards because this is the only way we think we will feel loved or be able to experience happiness. But happiness that depends on how others act is not real. True happiness exists independently of external factors as it comes from within. Happiness is born out of freedom.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 8, 2016: The Sacred and the Ordinary

At last a tongue-tip taste of the
dharma comes home to the heart.
Not chasing after imaginary things,
the ordinary is sacred after all.
Wellsprings of gratitude surface.

—Edward Espe Brown, "The Vision Cow"

Via Ram Dass

September 7, 2016

From the soul’s point of view, you come to appreciate that each one of us is living out his or her own karma. We interact together, and those interactions are the grist for each other’s mill of awakening. From a personality point of view, you develop judgment, but from the soul’s point of view, you develop appreciation. This shift from judging to appreciating — to appreciating yourself and what your karmic predicament is, and who other beings are with their own karma — brings everything into a simple loving awareness.

To be free means to open your heart and your being into the fullness of who you are, because only when you are resting in the place of unity can you truly honor and appreciate others and the incredible diversity of the universe.

Via Sri Prem Baba

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 07/09/2016

“O Brasil nesse momento está na UTI, podemos dizer que já em estado de coma. E o que está morrendo? A possibilidade da realização do dharma, o propósito maior. Isso ocorre quando a injustiça cresce para além de toda e qualquer possibilidade de transformação através da escolha e da vontade consciente. Então, se faz necessário entrar num redemoinho energético de transformação, que é praticamente impossível saber onde vai dar.”

“Brasil en este momento está en la UTI,podemos decir que ya en estado de coma. ¿Qué eslo que está muriendo? La posibilidad de realización del dharma, el propósitomayor. Esto ocurre cuando la injusticia crece más allá de toda y cualquier posibilidad de transformación a través de la elección y de la voluntad consciente. Entonces, se hacenecesario entrar en un remolino energético de transformación, y es prácticamente imposible saber hacia dónde va.”

“We could make the analogy that Brazil is currently in ‘urgent care’ experiencing a ‘coma’. But what is dying is the possibility for Brazil to fulfill its dharma, or it’s greater purpose. This happens when injustice outweighs all chances of transformation to occurthrough the use of choice and conscious will. Thus, an energetic whirlpool of transformation begins to form, whose outcome is practically impossible to determine.”