Via Daily Dharma: Undoing Judgment

 The same mind that can create harsh judgments is capable of undoing them through the power of awareness and attention.

—Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, “The Aim of Attention”

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Via Waging Non Violence: 10 things you need to know to stop a coup

While keeping people focused on a strong, robust election process is a must, we also need to prepare for a coup.

We have a president who has openly said he might not respect the outcome of our election. We have to be ready if he claims victory before votes are counted, tries to stop counting, or refuses to accept a loss.

Some days I feel confident it will happen. A poll showed over 75 percent of Democrats think this is possible — and a shocking 30 percent of Republicans do too!

Other days I feel confident this is tough talk from a president not good at planning ahead. Still, he is good at the kind of misdirection that can keep us complacent and reactionary — which could lead us to stop doing the important groundwork of getting out the vote, protecting the post office and fighting voter suppression.

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Via the Tricycle Community

 Inside the Translator’s Workbook
By Ken McLeod

What makes a good translation? It may be less about literal accuracy and more to do with experiential impact—how the language moves the reader.

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Via Daily Dharma: Be A True Friend to Yourself

 The ability to be a true friend to oneself, to love and respect oneself, to offer heartfelt wishes for one’s own safety, health, happiness and peace, will determine the authenticity and ease with which we offer [lovingkindness] to others. 

—Beth Roth, “Family Dharma: A Bedtime Ritual”

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Via Lion’s Roar // The Beauty of Imperfection

by Sandra Hannebohm| September 15, 2020

Lion’s Roar AV Producer Sandra Hannebohm looks at wabi-sabi and the perfection of imperfection.

Photo by Todd Cravens.

For several years, the furniture in my house has been picked up for free at curbside giveaways. There’s a special pride that comes with my “cheap” décor. Pride in the story. In the uniqueness. And in my resourcefulness.

There’s also shame in the fact that this “look” — this shoddy, worn-down furniture — is the result of not being able to afford something “better.”

All my lamp shades are crooked. You can tell this bookshelf is the wooden base of a construction sign, leant against the wall. That other bookshelf is an old bed frame with shelves added to it. There’s a beautiful tea table with a design that keeps chipping away.

Today wabi-sabi is known in the West as a popular trend in style and interior design, yet it originally drew on Chinese Confucianism and Japanese Taoism as a defiant response to elite materialism.

Wabi-sabi is now known as a design trend akin to hygge or minimalism. But the essence of its appeal lies in what cannot be bought or mass produced.

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JOIN US FOR THE 2020 BUDDHIST ACTION TO FEED THE HUNGRY

 

https://www.buddhistglobalrelief.org/buddhist-action-2020/

Via Daily Dharma: Anchor to the Present Moment

 The breath reminds us that we are here and alive: let it be your anchor to the present moment.

—Elana Rosenbaum, “Guided Meditation: Awareness of Breathing”

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - September 23, 2020 💌

 

Every moment a thought enters your mind, right at that moment, before the seed takes fruit, offer it. You can offer it to Kali Ma, to Christ, to me, it doesn’t matter. Offer it to God, like you have been full of opening, full of God, full of the Living Spirit.

-Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Uncover What You Are

 Underneath all the confusion of conceptual thinking and emotional reaction, underneath all the ideas you have about who and what you are, there is nothing—no self, not a vestige—but there is a clear empty knowing. There! This is what you are.

—Ken McLeod, “Inside the Translator’s Workbook”

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RBG

 

Meditation without bodhicitta ~ Lama Yeshe

 

Meditation without bodhicitta ~ Lama Yeshe https://justdharma.com/s/p4ut8  

Why is bodhicitta necessary for success in meditation? Because of selfish grasping. If you have a good meditation but don't have bodhicitta, you will grasp at any little experience of bliss: 'Me, me; I want more, I want more.' Then the good experience disappears completely. Grasping is the greatest distraction to experiencing single-pointed intensive awareness in meditation. And with it, we are always dedicated to our own happiness: 'Me, me I'm miserable, I want to be happy. Therefore I'll meditate.' It doesn't work that way. For some reason good meditation and its results — peacefulness, satisfaction and bliss — just don't come.  

– Lama Yeshe  from the book "Buddhist Wisdom: The Path to Enlightenment" ISBN: 978-1906787141  -  https://amzn.to/1sRyZRc  Lama Yeshe on the web: http://www.lamayeshe.com/  Lama Yeshe biography: http://fpmt.org/teachers/yeshe/jointbio/

Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - September 20, 2020 💌

 

One part of getting free, free into the soul or into the witness, is the ability to stand back a little bit, because now you are identified with being the witness rather than being the player, and thus you can see the play more clearly. 

- Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Act for the Benefit of Yourself and Others

 Before acting, one should reflect, “Is this for the benefit of myself and others?” In the middle of an action, one should reflect, “Is what I am doing for the benefit of myself
and others?” And after any action, “Is what I just did for the benefit of myself and others?”

—Sylvia Boorstein, “Dear Abbey Dharma Fall 2011”

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Via Daily Dharma: The Meaning of Effort

 Effort is more important than so-called success because effort is a real thing. What we call “success” is just the manifestation of our mind’s ability to categorize things.

—Brad Warner, “Think Not Thinking” 

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Via Daily Dharma: Planting Seeds for a Good Future

 When we focus less on dodging imaginary punishments and more on planting seeds for the future with our beneficial thoughts and actions, we are on the right track.

—Mindy Newman and Kaia Fischer, “One Hundred Karmas”

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Via Tricycle

 Give & Take with Musician Sonny Rollins
Interview by Gabriel Lefferts

Reflecting back on his 50-year career, a jazz legend shares his views on music, morality, and the spiritual path.

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Via Daily Dharma: Create a Life of Freedom

 By pausing many times throughout the day and bringing an interest and presence to your habitual ways of reacting, your life will become increasingly spontaneous and free.

—Tara Brach, “Finding True Refuge” 

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Via White Crane Institute // ELLIS B. HAIZLIP aka "Mr. Soul"

Ellis "Mr. Soul" Haizlip

1929 -

ELLIS B. HAIZLIP aka "Mr. Soul", born on this date (d: 1991) was a leading producer of black cultural events and mentor of black artists, 

Ellis Haizlip was born in Washington, DC. Details of his early life are elusive, but rumors have persisted that his father was a diplomat who once served as the ambassador to the Court of St. James from Antigua (other accounts claimed Trinidad) and he may have spent many of his formative years in London. He told friends that he grew up in segregated Washington DC, and had had witnessed contralto Marian Anderson’s legendary 1939 concert on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial. We do know that he attended Howard University and graduated from there in 1954.

Mr. Haizlip helped further the careers of many black artists, including the singers Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Roberta Flack and Novella Nelson and the actress Anna Horsford.

He was the executive producer of the television program "Soul," which became a showcase for young black artists, among them the poet Nikki Giovanni. The program was broadcast on Channel 13 from 1967 to 1973.

Mr. Haizlip began his career at Howard University, where he was a producer with the Howard Players during a summer season. After graduating in 1954, he left for New York City, where he began producing plays with Vinnette Carroll at the Harlem Y.M.C.A. One of their productions was "Dark of the Moon," with Cicely Tyson, Clarence Williams 3d, Isabel Sanford, Calvin Lockhart, James Earl Jones and the Alvin Ailey Dancers. Produced Dietrich Concert.

Haizlip was an out gay man at a time when that was dangerous. He spoke out about LGBT rights at every opportunity he was given, even confronting Louis Farrakhan.

He died of lung cancer in 1991.. His niece Melissa Haizlip has produced a documentary about her uncle called "Mr. Soul" More about that here: https://www.mrsoulmovie.com/

 

 

Via Tumblr // Oregon