April 4th, 2022 LGBTQ Baha'i Experience Project Update

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Harsh Speech

 

RIGHT SPEECH
Refraining from Harsh Speech

Harsh speech is unhealthy. Refraining from harsh speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning harsh speech, one refrains from harsh speech. One speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and affectionate, words that go to the heart, are courteous, and are agreeable to many. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak harshly, but I shall abstain from harsh speech.” (MN 8) When one says, “All those disengaged from the pursuit of self-mortification have entered upon the right way,” one thus extols some. But when one says instead, “The disengagement from the pursuit of self-mortification is a state without suffering, and it is the right way,” then one is not extolling anyone but simply stating the truth. (MN 139)

Reflection

The principle we reviewed earlier about criticizing the negative actions of people rather than criticizing them as people also applies in the positive direction. It is better to extol, to praise, positive words and deeds than to extol the person. While the negative comments lead to protective defensive behaviors, the positive comments could result in an increase of pride and conceit.

Daily Practice

Praising someone for being a great person boosts their sense of self, and while this may be a good thing in the case of the developing egos of youngsters, it is not something encouraged for Buddhist practitioners. By all means extol the value and benefit of benevolent words and deeds, for example, but practice the habit of not feeding people’s view of self, lest you contribute to their self-aggrandizement. Help people be humble.

Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Mental Action
One week from today: Refraining from Frivolous Speech

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Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Daily Dharma: Analyze Your Data

The role of awareness is the gathering of data. . . . When we have enough data for the problem at hand, the solution will always come.

Sayadaw U Tejaniya, “Dissecting Anger in the Dharma Hall”

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Via White Crane Institute // On this day: he late great playwright TERRENCE MCNALLY wed Tom Kirdahy

 

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L to R: Terrence McNally, Mayor de Blasio and Tom Kirdahy

2010 -

The late great playwright TERRENCE MCNALLY wed Tom Kirdahy in Washington D.C. ceremony. During a small ceremony under a tree blooming with white flowers, Kirdahy read from a scene in McNally's play "Corpus Christi," in which a Gay, Christ-like figure named Joshua marries two apostles:

"It is good when two men love as James and Bartholomew do and we recognize their union," Kirdahy read. "Love each other in sickness and in health."

Kirdahy, a lawyer and Broadway producer, choked up as he recalled seeing the play before meeting the playwright. Actress Tyne Daly, who was then starring in McNally's "Master Class" at the Kennedy Center festival, served as a witness at the sunlit wedding and read Shakespeare's Sonnet 116. Actors John Glover and Malcolm Gets, both starring in "The Lisbon Traviata," also looked on. 

The Rev. George Walker of the People's Congregational United Church of Christ presented them as husbands and signed their marriage certificate.

In 2015, in celebration of the Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality, the couple renewed their vows at a ceremony officiated by Kirdahy's former college roommate, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio.

McNally's most recent play, Mothers and Sons opened on Broadway in March, 2014. Kirdahy was the lead producer of the runaway hit It's Only A Play on Broadway and the five-time Tony Nominated Broadway premiere of The Visit; he most recently presented The Inheritance.

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989!
www.whitecraneinstitute.org

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - April 6, 2022 💌

 
 

We can see death as a gift - we don’t usually see it this way, but an awareness of death changes our lives. Fundamentally, it helps us know how to love. 

- Ram Dass - 

Via Lion’s Roar // In Times of Crisis, Draw Upon the Strength of Peace

 

Via Daily Dharma: We Are the Earth

 Nature, earth, the world—whatever you call it—is not simply something I am on but something I am. It is not outside of me: it is me, and I am it.

Paul Kingsnorth, “The Witness”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Appreciative Joy

 

RIGHT INTENTION
Cultivating Appreciative Joy

Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on appreciative joy, for when you develop meditation on appreciative joy, any discontent will be abandoned. (MN 62)  The proximate cause of appreciative joy is seeing the success of other beings. (Vm 9.95)

Reflection

It comes naturally to us, for the most part, to feel good about good things happening to us. But this does not necessarily happen all the time. What if we could feel good twice as often or more? Why not experience that same emotion of appreciative joy when other people meet with success or good fortune? Instead of feeling jealousy or resentment, we can develop the skill of sharing in the good fortune of others.

Daily Practice

Look around you for examples of good things happening to other people. It can seem hard to find because of the negative bias of our news sources, but if you search a little you can find good news. When you do, allow yourself to feel gladness and joy for the good fortune of those people. Share in the appreciation and gratitude. You can only feel appreciative joy when you see or think about the success of others, so look for it.

Tomorrow: Refraining from Harsh Speech
One week from today: Cultivating Equanimity

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#DhammaWheel

Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

GAY! - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right View: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

 

RIGHT VIEW
Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

What is the cessation of suffering? It is the remainderless fading away and ceasing, the giving up, relinquishing, letting go, and rejecting of craving. (MN 9) When one knows and sees bodily sensations as they actually are, then one is not attached to bodily sensations. When one abides unattached, one is not infatuated, and one’s craving is abandoned. One’s bodily and mental troubles are abandoned, and one experiences bodily and mental well being. (MN 149)

Reflection

Since craving is the cause of suffering, the ending of craving will bring about the end of suffering. This is both a general principle and a dynamic that happens in every moment of lived experience. We are aware of something different every moment, and when we either hold on to that object or push it away, we feel discontent. Observing it with equanimity takes away the affliction, and everything simply becomes interesting.

Daily Practice

Sensations flow through your body in a constant stream. Some you like, some you don’t like. It is natural to feel attached to the ones that feel good and to resist and resent the ones that don’t, but this itself is the cause of suffering—attachment and aversion. Practice just observing each sensation without attachment, without infatuation, and see for yourself how mindful equanimity results in bodily and mental well being.

Tomorrow: Cultivating Appreciative Joy
One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering

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#DhammaWheel

Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Daily Dharma: Saying Yes Wholeheartedly

 Recognize the distinction between what intuitively and spontaneously arises, and what ego manipulates. When you recognize the difference, you will wholeheartedly say Yes!

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, “Follow the Trail of ‘Yes’”

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Via LGBTQ Nation // Teachers have the best reaction to Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law

 Bias Watch

Teachers have the best reaction to Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law & conservatives are outraged

A far-right group is enraged that some teachers are refusing to discuss gender or sexuality in school. At all.

By Alex Bollinger Monday, April 4, 2022     

 Make the jump here

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and the Second Jhāna

RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling

A person goes to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place and sits down. Having crossed the legs, one sets the body erect. One establishes the presence of mindfulness. (MN 10) One is aware: “Ardent, fully aware, mindful, I am content.” (SN 47.10)   When feeling a painful bodily feeling, one is aware: “Feeling a painful bodily feeling" … one is just aware, just mindful “there is feeling.” And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection

Painful bodily feeling is the most apparent aspect of our experience and is thus the easiest sensation with which to practice. Pain is not an elusive feeling tone. While it can be chronic and excruciating, most of the pain we feel is mild and fleeting. Both pleasure and pain are inevitable aspects of the human condition, and Buddhist practice does not encourage the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain.

Daily Practice

As part of the practice of mindfulness, you are invited to simply be aware of pain when it is present. This practice has nothing to do with the natural response of disliking the pain or wishing it were not there but involves simply being aware of the sensation with equanimity. Turn toward the painful sensation, take an interest in its texture, and hold it in mind without pushing it away. Fully aware of the pain, you can still be content.

RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Second Phase of Absorption (2nd Jhāna)

With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, one enters upon and abides in the second phase of absorption, which has inner clarity and singleness of mind, without applied thought and sustained thought, with joy and the pleasure born of concentration. (MN 4)

Reflection

The teachings around right concentration have to do with four phases of absorption, also known as jhānas. When the mind rests steadily on a single object of attention—which is quite difficult to do at first—it gradually disentangles itself from the various hindrances and becomes unified, peaceful, and stable. With this comes inner clarity and the dropping away of the internal use of language.

Daily Practice

You will know when you have entered into absorption of the jhānas because the state is accompanied at first with a great deal of physical and mental pleasure. The physical pleasure is described as being fundamentally different from any sensual gratification, and the mental pleasure comes naturally when the mind is free of the hindrances (phase one) and when it becomes concentrated or one-pointed (phase two).

Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
One week from today:  Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and Abiding in the Third Jhāna

Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media
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Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

 

Via The Tricycle Community

 

For the Moment: Acknowledge, Feel, Soften
With Gil Fronsdal

 

This seven-minute guided practice from Insight Meditation teacher Gil Fronsdal can help you make peace with your felt experience.

Listen now »

Via Daily Dharma: Experiencing the Inner Self

 Depend on yourself. Your own experience of your inner self is what this is about.

Maurine Stuart, “Our One and Only Commandment”

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Via them \\ Will this year’s Grammys be the queerest ever?

 

 

Lil Nas X Raised Almost Half a Million Dollars for HIV Prevention

The rapper’s “baby registry” money from “Montero” will help fund Southern HIV initiatives.

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - April 3, 2022 💌

 

It’s one thing to be generous, it’s another to receive generosity. It’s an exchange of love.

- Ram Dass -