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.
It's a hard time to be a human in this world. Every quote is like a lamp of hope and a guidepost.
—Daily Dharma reader
Dear DANIEL,
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Actor
and zen practitioner Michael O'Keefe reflects on his journey from
losing a robe to reevaluating priesthood and how to best embody
spiritual status.
RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Intoxication
Intoxication is unhealthy.
Refraining from intoxication is healthy. (MN 9) What are the
imperfections that defile the mind? Negligence is an imperfection that
defiles the mind. Knowing that negligence is an imperfection that
defiles the mind, a person abandons it. (MN 7) One practices thus:
“Others may become negligent by intoxication, but I will abstain from
the negligence of intoxication.” (MN 8)
One of the dangers attached to addiction to intoxicants is weakening of the intellect. (DN 31)
Reflection
Right living
means understanding the things that cause us harm and directing our
lives away from these things toward those that bring out our best and
contribute to our well-being. Just as certain foods strengthen the body
and others weaken it, so too certain things strengthen the mind and
others weaken it. Negligence, for example, weakens the mind, while its
opposite, diligence, strengthens it. Understanding this is important.
Daily Practice
See if you can
identify the toxins in your life that weaken the mind, and then work
toward reducing their influence. Many things can be toxic and
intoxicating, including substances, activities, relationships, views,
and emotional habits. Take an honest inventory of what you intuitively
know to be harmful and helpful, and take steps to abandon the things
that are toxic and cultivate those that are wholesome.
Tomorrow: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings, beginning early with MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD’s Institute for Sexual Research (Institut für Sexualwissenschaft)in
Berlin. By the time of the book burning, Hirschfeld had long since left
Germany for a speaking tour that took him around the world; he never
returned to Germany.
The last of Hirschfeld's books published during his lifetime, L'Ame et l'amour, psychologie sexologique [The Human Spirit and Love: Sexological Psychology]
(Paris: Gallimard, 1935), was published in French in late April 1935;
it was his only book that was never published in a German-language
edition.
In the preface,
he described his hopes for his new life in France: “In search of
sanctuary, I have found my way to that country, the nobility of whose
traditions, and whose ever-present charm, have already been as balm to
my soul. I shall be glad and grateful if I can spend some few years of
peace and repose in France and Paris, and still more grateful to be
enabled to repay the hospitality accorded to me, by making available
those abundant stores of knowledge acquired throughout my career.”
The German Rainbow Flag
2021 -
On this date in Germanymore than 100 Roman Catholicparishes
offered blessings to gay couples in defiance of chirch teaching and
their own bishops. The call for nationwide blessins came in response to a
decree issued by the Vatican on March 15, 2021, reinforcing the
church's prohibition of priests asking for god's benevolence for gay
couples, stating that god "does not and cannot bless sin."
A group of
sixteen priests and volunteers organized a petition that within days
collected more than 2,000 signatures. Encouraged by the response, they
decided to take their action one step further and declare May 10 --
chosen because of its association with Noah, who in the Bible is
recognized by god with a rainbow symbol that has been adopted by the
LGBTQ community -- as a day to hold blessing ceremonies for any and all
couples, but especially those in same-sex unions.
"In view of the
refusal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to bless
homosexual partnerships, we raise our voices and say: We will continue
to accompany people who enter into a binding partnership in the future
and bless their relationship," the group said in a statement. "We will
not refuse a blessing ceremony."
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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
However the seed is
planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing
good deeds, bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the
purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too social
action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61)
One reflects thus: “Others may think in unhealthy ways; I shall refrain
from thinking in unhealthy ways.” (MN 8) One lives with companions in
concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk
and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes. One practices thus: “I
maintain mental acts of lovingkindness toward my companions both openly
and privately.” (MN 31)
Reflection
The mental
state of actively caring about someone and wishing them well is not to
be taken for granted but is something to remind yourself of and practice
doing often. The more seeds of kindness you plant, even with your
thoughts alone, the more healthy fruit of goodwill and love you will
reap. When these thoughts spill over into words and deeds expressing
lovingkindness, all the better.
Daily Practice
Take on the
task of consciously forming thoughts of lovingkindness toward your
friends, family, and associates. Don’t just assume, “Of course I care
for them,” but form an intention of goodwill toward them regularly and
deliberately. This is the difference between your lovingkindness being
just an idea and being an emotion that actively expresses itself in your
heart on a consistent basis.
Tomorrow: Abstaining from Intoxication One week from today: Reflecting upon Bodily Action
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
Being
human is an experiment and always has been. The Buddha’s teachings show
us how we might live that experiment in the clearest and most
compassionate way.
