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.
A
brand new Dharma Talk is available now! Join teacher Bradley Donaldson
to discuss the principles of living with courage and compassion through
the lens of the Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikaya 131).
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 bodily
action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61)
When you wish to do an action with the body, reflect upon that same
bodily action thus: “Would this action I wish to do with the body lead
to both my own affliction and the affliction of another?” If, upon
reflection, you know that it would, then do not do it; if you know that
it would not, then proceed. (MN 61)
Reflection
Not only is it
wise to think before you speak, it is also important to think before you
act. Another way of putting this is to act consciously instead of
automatically, from habit. Conscious action is mindful action, and there
is no activity that can't be done mindfully rather than mindlessly.
Every action is accompanied by an intention, and this practice trains us
to pay attention to this aspect of experience.
Daily Practice
Try going
through your day as if you are holding a mirror up to yourself in your
mind and you are able to see what you're thinking and reflect what
you're about to do. Take that extra moment to be aware of yourself,
aware of your actions, and aware of their impact on the world around
you. This practice involves bringing mindful awareness to intention—to
the impulse to act—in the moment before you follow through into action.
Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action
Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel
On this date a Gay couple in Malawi were sentenced to fourteen years of hard labor in prison. STEVEN MONJENZA, 26, and TIWONGE CHIMBALANGA,
20, conducted a traditional engagement ceremony in late December in
Chirimba, near Blantyre. After news reports surfaced of the same-sex
engagement, they were rounded up by Malawi's police and charged under
colonial-era sodomy laws.
The arrest
received some popular support in the conservative southern African
nation, but sparked outrage among Malawian and international Gay Rights
campaigners. The presiding judge refused bail for the men, who are being
held in Chichiru Prison in Blantyre. "It is quite outrageous," said
Peter Tatchell, the Gay rights activist from Britain who is supporting
the pair. "In Malawi, people facing much more serious felony charges for
serious crimes usually get bail." Amnesty International and Human
Rights Watch have called for the release of the young men. The Malawi
Law Society said the case has been driven by prejudice and not
jurisprudence.
Chimbalanga sent
British human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell this defiant message
from jail: "If people or the world cannot give me the chance and freedom
to continue living with him as my lover, then I am better off to die
here in prison. Freedom without him is useless and meaningless."
Subsequent to the
sentencing, Malawian president, Bingu wa Mutharika, released the pair,
citing humanitarian grounds, after international pressure and the
eventual visit of UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon to the southern
African country.
Peter Tatchel
told media in Malawi that they were liasing with Steve and Tiwongwe
about whether they want to seek asylum abroad. "If they want then we can
help them stay in Britain,'' said Tatchel.
The asylum offer came after Malawi’s Minister of Gender and
Children Patricia Kaliati said if the couple continues to stay together
they will be re-arrested.
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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
The act of taking refuge is the first step that sets us on the Buddhist path.
To formally become a Buddhist, a practitioner “takes refuge” in the
three jewels: the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. We pledge to find
home in the Buddha’s example, in his teachings, and in the community of
fellow spiritual practitioners as we move along the spiritual path.
Taking refuge in the three jewels provides a basic sense of safety and
belonging that becomes the foundation of all of our spiritual work.
Whenever challenges arise, this is the place that we return to.
While taking refuge is a formal process and a religious ritual, it’s
also a deeply personal act. The act of taking refuge can change us on
the deepest level, with the potential to completely alter the way we
engage with the world. Beyond words or formalities, the act of taking
refuge reminds us that there is a home that we can always return to—no
matter how turbulent or uncertain our lives become.
What does refuge look like in our lives? Perhaps the best way to
discover the true meaning of refuge is to hear from Buddhist
practitioners on how taking refuge has impacted them.
In this week’s Three Teachings, Buddhist teachers and practitioners reflect on what refuge means to them.
Join us for Aging as a Spiritual Practice,
our most popular course featuring Zen teacher and author Lewis
Richmond. The course offers teachings and guided practices for embracing
the opportunities for spiritual transformation within the aging
process.
For Tricycle
founder, Helen Tworkov, practicing the dharma is a way to connect to
the deepest part of her—a place that is untouched by the difficulties of
life. In conversation with editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, she
discusses her new book Lotus Girl and her path to the dharma.
During
the pandemic, writer Daisy Hernández spent a lot of time thinking about
refuge—a concept which, at the time, became more important than ever to
many people. In this episode of Life As It Is, she shares how writing and spiritual practice offer places of sanctuary in her life.
According
to Tuere Sala, a co-guiding teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation
Society and retired prosecutor, taking refuge helps us develop trust
during difficult times. In this video, she explains how being in
community and sharing our experiences with others offers a deep courage
and confidence to guide us on the path.