Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 22/02/2015

“O que tira a mente do momento presente é o desejar compulsivo. O desejo está intimamente relacionado com a sua história: com o seu passado e com as marcas do seu corpo emocional, que agem como buracos que você tenta preencher através de coisas. Você deseja uma coisa - consegue essa coisa – e se sente preenchido. Porém, esse preenchimento dura muito pouco, porque você tenta preencher um buraco interno com algo de fora. Isso não é possível. O máximo que você consegue é viver a ilusão, por um curto espaço de tempo, de que o seu buraco foi preenchido. Esse buraco só pode ser preenchido de dentro para fora, ou seja, somente quando você se harmoniza com o seu passado.”

“Lo que saca a la mente del momento presente es el desear compulsivo. El deseo está íntimamente relacionado con tu historia: con tu pasado y con las marcas de tu cuerpo emocional, que actúan como agujeros que intentas llenar a través de cosas. Deseas una cosa - consigues esta cosa - y te sientes satisfecho. Sin embargo, este relleno dura muy poco, porque intentas llenar un agujero interno con algo de afuera. Esto no es posible. Lo máximo que consigues es vivir la ilusión, por un corto espacio de tiempo, que tu agujero se llenó. Este agujero sólo puede ser rellenado desde adentro hacia afuera, es decir, sólo cuando te armonizas con tu pasado.”

"What takes the mind away from the present moment is compulsive desire. Desires are closely related to our history, our past, and the imprints on our emotional bodies, which are like holes that we try to fill up with things. We desire something, we get it, and we feel satisfied. However, this satisfaction doesn’t last very long, because we’re trying to fill an internal hole with something external. This is not possible. The most we can achieve is to live in this illusion for a short time, believing that the hole was filled. This hole can only be filled from the inside-out. In other words, it will only be filled when we can be in harmony with our past."

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 21/02/2015

“Shalom, shanti, piece, paz... Conscientes ou não, todos estamos em busca disso, mesmo quando acreditamos estar em busca de realizações materiais, afetivas, sexuais e espirituais. A paz é a mais elevada das virtudes; é o fruto maduro da árvore da consciência. Mas, para realizar a paz se faz necessário chegar a um acordo com o desejo. O desejo é o gerador do apego e do tumulto interno.”

“Shalom, shanti, peace, paz... Conscientes o no, todos estamos en busca de eso, incluso cuando creemos estar en busca de realizaciones materiales, afectivas, sexuales y espirituales. La paz es la más elevada de las virtudes; es el fruto maduro del árbol de la conciencia. Pero para realizar la paz es necesario llegar a un acuerdo con el deseo. El deseo es el generador del apego y del tumulto interno.”

"Shalom, shanti, paz, peace... Whether we’re aware of it or not, we are all in search of peace – even when we believe we’re in search of material, romantic, sexual or spiritual experiences. Peace is the highest virtue: it is the ripe fruit of the tree of consciousness. In order to achieve peace, we must come to an agreement with desire. Desire generates attachments and inner turmoil."

Via Daily Dharma

The Force of Gratitude | February 22, 2015 Gratitude is a way of undercutting your ego—that is, it is a way of being Buddhist. There is an awareness that we get now and then about what we owe to others, and Shinran [the founder of Shin Buddhism] feels that that should become the moving force of one’s life. That awakening, that awareness, transforms your way of dealing with life, with people, and with all things. - Rev. Dr. Alfred Bloom, "Beyond Religion" Read More →

Guy Winch: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid

Gay Marriage, WHAT?!

Review: A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith

Books that simultaneously address family history and religious studies appeal to both of my literary obsessions, and hence tend to be among my favorite reading material. Several years ago Prophet’s Daughter by Erin Prophet told the story of the rise and fall of the Church Universal and Triumphant in a way no one else ever could; the author being the ultimate insider yet also a complete outsider. 

An insider in that she was a participant in all the events she describes, but an outsider in that she entirely rejects the belief system constructed by her parents. The finest book in the literature about Edgar Cayce, in my opinion, is Sidney Kirkpatrick’s biography Edgar Cayce: An American Prophet, because it goes into greater depth about the extended family of Edgar and Gertrude, their parents, siblings, children,and cousins, than any before or since.

It is not unusual for the descendants of a movement founder to find themselves at odds with the authorities who gain control of a religion’s governance. The entire family of Elizabeth Clare Prophet is now in such a position, but far more extensive are the descendants of Joseph Smith, Jr. Although the Utah Mormon church accounts for about 98% of LDS membership worldwide, most of the prophet’s descendants ended up in the Reorganized LDS church, which in 2001 became the Community of Christ. It is far more theologically liberal than the Utah church, for example having ordained women since the 1980s. According to certain traditions, the family of Jesus found themselves alienated from the authorities of the early Christian church. Although the Gospels name four brothers of Jesus and mention unnamed sisters, by the fourth century church authorities decided that he could not possibly have any siblings because Mary was a perpetual virgin, and this remains official church doctrine among Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some Protestant groups. Although earlier historical records indicate that people had been recognized as blood relatives of Jesus in the first century, they were ultimately defined out of existence because they conflicted with a dogma based on metaphysics rather than history. But no case of a split between a prophet’s family and the religious authority structure of a faith community is as extreme and antagonistic as the example of the Baha’is. Eric Stetson has brought to light what he aptly entitles A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith, predominantly the unpublished writings of Shua Ullah Behai, grandson of the Baha’I founder Baha’u’llah. The collection includes the works of a dozen other individuals, almost all descendants of Baha’u’llah who have been not just alienated from, but demonized by the religious authorities who govern the contemporary Baha’i community.

The highest current authority is the Universal House of Justice, an all-male governing body that was first elected in 1963, six years after the death of the only Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi. The office of Guardian was ordained by the Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, oldest son of Baha’u'llah and grandfather of Shoghi Effendi, to last in perpetuity. But the Guardian was supposed to be a lineal descendant of Baha’u’llah, appointed by his predecessor; and Shoghi Effendi died without leaving a will and after excommunicating all his relatives, including his parents and siblings. Hence the Guardianship was declared abrogated. In this context as with the previous generation of leadership, excommunication is combined with shunning, and those shunned are called “covenant-breakers” and described as having a contagious spiritual disease. There are now several competing sects based on various claims by non-descendants to inherit the mantle of the Guardianship, but none of these have been supported by any of the Baha’I descendants. The new book now available is the work of an earlier category of “covenant-breakers,” those excommunicated by Abdu’l Baha, including two of his brothers and all their families—one of whom, a nephew, is the primary author of the book.

Stetson’s excellent introduction and conclusion are scholarly rather than polemical in tone, but the notes and comments in the body of the book show his admiration and sympathy for these excommunicated relatives. The surviving descendants who cooperated with Stetson and encouraged publication of the book have a positive message of inclusion and reconciliation. But like the great-great-great-nephews and nieces of Jesus, their very existence is an “inconvenient truth” to the belief system as it evolved under ecclesiastical authority over time.

The forthcoming volume of correspondence of Thomas Moore Johnson reveals a hitherto unsuspected connection between early American Baha’is and the HBofL. The phrase “Religion of the Stars” appeared as a catch-phrase of the astro-Masonic late 19^th century group the Oriental Order othe Magi. The OOM, as it turns out, involved both Ibrahim Kheiralla, the first Baha’I missionary in the US, and some correspondents of Mr. Johnson. Mr. Kheiralla, who died in 1929, is one of the many “covenant-breaker” dissidents whose writings are included in A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith.

Make the jump here to read the original post

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/02/2015

“O nosso trabalho transita entre a esfera da ativação da consciência maior e a esfera da purificação dos porões do inconsciente. A ativação da consciência maior é quando você tem acesso à lembrança de quem é você; é quando você de alguma maneira entra em contato com expressões do Real, e experimenta fragrâncias da bem aventurança (amor, paz e liberdade). Mas essa experiência só é possível quando você já purificou em algum grau as marcas do passado do seu sistema, pois é justamente isso que te impede de sustentar o êxtase. Esse é o trabalho de cura e transformação do eu inferior, que tenho chamado de “ABC da Espiritualidade”. Essas duas esferas de trabalho precisam ser contempladas simultaneamente.”

“Nuestro trabajo se mueve entre la esfera de la activación de la conciencia mayor y la esfera de la purificación de los sótanos del inconsciente. La activación de la conciencia mayor es cuando tienes acceso a la memoria de quién eres; es cuando de alguna manera entras en contacto con expresiones de lo Real, y experimentas fragancias de la bienaventuranza (amor, paz y libertad). Pero esta experiencia sólo es posible cuando ya purificaste en algún grado las marcas del pasado de tu sistema, porque eso es precisamente lo que te impide sustentar el éxtasis. Este es el trabajo de cura y transformación del yo inferior, que vengo llamando "ABC de la Espiritualidad". Estas dos esferas de trabajo precisan ser contempladas simultáneamente.”

"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."

Via Daily Dharma

Our Real Home | February 21, 2015 Anyone can build a house of wood and bricks, but the Buddha taught that that is not our real home. Our real home is inner peace. - Ajahn Chah Subatto, "Our Real Home" Read More →

Via BNR LGBT / FB:

Via Qwerty: Two Nice Jewish Boys Post Pic Of Their Unicorn Wedding Entrance, Internet Goes Wild

As far as wedding themes go, unicorns have to rank somewhere at the top of the list after drag and before Sir Ian McKellen officiating.

For one gay Jewish couple, the choice was obvious — ride in on a unicorn, blow everyone’s minds. So that’s what they did (which might be a Modern Family reference), and this photo surfaced shortly thereafter:

Just look at that woman’s face on the right. Pure joy. Like all her girlhood dreams all just came true.

But as is almost always the case, the internet took the photo and ran (galloped?), and we’d be remiss if we didn’t give some top-notch captions a proper shoutout.

Here are our favorites:

• Looks like they have a… stable relationship.
• In the least derogatory way possible, that is as gay as it gets.
• Now I want to see a gay Hindu wedding where they ride in on an elephant dressed like a wooly mammoth.
• “Tonight, we ride.”
• Did no one else get the Friends reference here? The old lady’s gone! She’s no longer haunting Phobe! She’s seen it all!
• … so unicorn is kosher?
• Jewnicorn… anyone? Ok I’ll go…
• Those are some good looking Jews.
• Hmm. Kinda thought they would ride bareback….
• How brokeback mountain should of ended.
• 50 shades of neigh
• FAKE! Everyone knows unicorns aren’t Jewish!
• Is that unicorn horn circumcised?

VIA FB: Did you know that Baha'u'llah uses a "subject of boys" metaphor to describe himself?

Did you know that Baha'u'llah uses a "subject of boys" metaphor to describe himself?

The “beloved” (q.v.) in Persian lyrics is, as a rule, not a female, but a young male, often a pubescent or adolescent youth, or a young boy. // (Encyclopaedia Iranica)

http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/homosexuality-iii

\\ For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence. //
(Baha'u'llah)

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-151.html#gr2

Some more background information here:
https://books.google.co.nz/books…

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 20/02/2015

“O nosso trabalho transita entre a esfera da ativação da consciência maior e a esfera da purificação dos porões do inconsciente. A ativação da consciência maior é quando você tem acesso à lembrança de quem é você; é quando você de alguma maneira entra em contato com expressões do Real, e experimenta fragrâncias da bem aventurança (amor, paz e liberdade). Mas essa experiência só é possível quando você já purificou em algum grau as marcas do passado do seu sistema, pois é justamente isso que te impede de sustentar o êxtase. Esse é o trabalho de cura e transformação do eu inferior, que tenho chamado de “ABC da Espiritualidade”. Essas duas esferas de trabalho precisam ser contempladas simultaneamente.”

“Nuestro trabajo se mueve entre la esfera de la activación de la conciencia mayor y la esfera de la purificación de los sótanos del inconsciente. La activación de la conciencia mayor es cuando tienes acceso a la memoria de quién eres; es cuando de alguna manera entras en contacto con expresiones de lo Real, y experimentas fragancias de la bienaventuranza (amor, paz y libertad). Pero esta experiencia sólo es posible cuando ya purificaste en algún grado las marcas del pasado de tu sistema, porque eso es precisamente lo que te impide sustentar el éxtasis. Este es el trabajo de cura y transformación del yo inferior, que vengo llamando "ABC de la Espiritualidad". Estas dos esferas de trabajo precisan ser contempladas simultáneamente.”

"Our work transitions between the spheres of activating our higher consciousness and purifying the dungeons of the unconscious. When you activate your higher consciousness, you can access the remembrance of who you are. When, in some way, you come into contact with the expressions of what is real, it allows you to experience the bliss of the fragrance of love, peace and freedom. But this experience is only possible when you have purified the marks of the past in your system to some degree, because that is precisely what prevents you from sustaining ecstasy. This is the work of healing and transforming the lower self, which I call the ‘ABC of Spirituality.’ These two spheres of work need to be addressed simultaneously."

Via Daily Dharma

Make the Mind Light | February 20, 2015 Our goal is to make the mind light, to make our life light. After all, we are seeking to attain en-light-enment, aren’t we? - Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "The Seal of Sila" Read More →

Coming Home - Celebrating Chinese New Year

JMG FLORIDA: Gay Man Refuses Jury Duty While Courthouse Refuses Gay Weddings

Jacksonville resident Chuck Chapman, 63, appeared  for jury duty this week but told the judge that he will refuse to serve as long as Duval County officials refuse to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies at the courthouse.

After a federal court ruled Florida’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, Duval County Clerk of Court Ronnie Fussell said his office would comply with the law and issue marriage licenses. But he said his staff felt uncomfortable performing weddings for same-sex couples, so the clerk’s office wouldn’t host ceremonies for either straight or gay couples. “If they feel uncomfortable performing the weddings in the courthouse, then as an openly gay man I feel uncomfortable being here [at the courthouse],” Chapman said Tuesday. Chapman is 63, and he’s lived in the city since he was 2. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School, then the University of North Florida. He’s owned a hair salon for 22 years on the Southside. “It’s my town, and I happen to be a gay man,” he said. “Don’t make it any more difficult than it has been. It’s my town, too."

Chapman said that he was willing to be held in contempt, but the judge dismissed him from the jury pool without giving a reason.

Labels: civil disobedience, Florida, Jacksonville

Reposted from Joe Jervis
 

JMG VIRGINIA: Gay Man Fires Back At Ex-Gay Crackpots With Billboard Of His Own

 

Remember the PFOX billboard in Virginia? Remember their humiliation when it turned out that the model on their billboard, Kyle Roux, not only isn't a twin but is proudly gay? It gets even better:

Roux thinks that PFOX, which has since taken down the billboard, purchased the photos of him from a stock photography site. Legally, he said, there’s not much he can do. But this week, he’s striking back in his own way. On Wednesday, Planting Peace, a nonprofit organization based in Topeka, Kansas, erected a new billboard down the road from where the PFOX billboard once stood. The new sign, designed in the same color and style as the PFOX billboard and featuring new photographs of Roux, reads: “Dear PFOX: Identical twins? I’m not. I’m gay. Regardless of what you believe I was born gay. And I’m proud of who I am.” Aaron Jackson, the president of Planting Peace, reached out to Roux after media reports surfaced that he was openly gay. Jackson was concerned about young gays and lesbians who might see the billboard.

(Tipped by JMG reader David)

Labels: advertising, brainwashing, crackpots, ex-gay, LGBT youth, Ooh SNAP, PFOX, religion, torture, Virginia

Reposted from Joe Jervis

The People's Brief with Robbie Kaplan and Edie Windsor

Via JMG: BREAKING: First Texas Same-Sex Marriage License Issued By Travis County Clerk, Couple Marries Immediately UPDATE: Judge's Order Only Applies To Them

Via the Austin Statesman:

Two Austin women were legally married Thursday morning after a Travis County judge ordered the county clerk to issue a marriage license. Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant, together almost 31 years, said their vows before Rabbi Kerry Baker while standing in front of the Travis County Clerk’s Office sign on Airport Boulevard. The couple was denied a license in the same office building eight years ago. On Wednesday morning, state District Judge David Wahlberg, petitioned by a lawyer for Goodfriend and Bryant, ordered Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir to grant the couple a marriage license. The ceremony was a mix of personal – with friends and their teenage daughters, Dawn and Ting, standing nearby – and public statement, with photos of their vows in front of the county sign.

More from Burnt Orange Report:

With careful consultation by County Attorney David Escamilla the legal grounds for DeBeauvoir to issue the first of its kind marriage license was set. The ceremony was conducted just outside Travis County’s main office on Airport Blvd. just after 9 a.m. It was crucial that a plan be worked out in such a way that the marriage could be validated before anyone in opposition could react or be tipped off. There is no legal way for the state to invalidate a marriage other than with the consent of individuals or by death, so this will further put the burden on the state to find a compelling interest for denying marriage, not to mention the horrible optics that come with trying to void a consensual marriage.

It appears that the judge's order may only apply to this one couple.

UPDATE: Yup, just this one couple.

UPDATE II: Freedom To Marry reacts.

This is a historic day for fairness and equality in Texas. The family that Suzanne and Sarah have built together over more than three decades of commitment to each other mirrors the love between so many same-sex couples in Texas, all of whom deserve the freedom to marry. The 5th Circuit should quickly affirm Texas’ lower court ruling and ensure the freedom to marry across the Lone Star State.

Labels: LGBT rights, marriage equality, Texas, Travis County

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: CNN POLL: 63% Say Same-Sex Couples Have The Constitutional Right To Marry

 

From the poll: "63% of Americans say that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry and have their marriages recognized by the law as valid. That's up from 49% in August 2010. Over that time, the share who see marriage as a constitutional right has climbed 15 points among Republicans to 42% and 19 points among Democrats to 75%."

Labels: CNN, marriage equality, polls

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Huffington Post: Unearthed Letter From Freud Reveals His Thoughts On Gay People

In 1935, Sigmund Freud penned a response to a mother who had asked him for help with her gay son. Despite the broader perceptions of homosexuality at the time, Freud took a different approach, telling the woman it's "nothing to be ashamed of." 

"I gather from your letter that your son is a homosexual. I am most impressed by the fact that you do not mention this term for yourself in your information about him. May I question you why you avoid it?" he wrote. "Homosexuality is assuredly no advantage, but it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation; it cannot be classified as an illness; we consider it to be a variation of the sexual function, produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them." 

While the this correspondence sheds light on his personal communications, it has long been known that Freud did not view homosexuality as a pathology. He believed everyone was born bisexual and later became either straight or gay because of the relationships with those around them. In the letter, Freud does suggest "treatment" for homosexuality may be possible, but says the result "cannot be predicted." 

The letter currently appears on display in London as part of an exhibition at Wellcome Collection called "The Institute of Sexology."

(Make the jump for full article and transcription.)

Via Movimento Endireita Brasil / FB:

Via Daily Dharma

Completely Grounded | February 19, 2015 We need to realize the ultimate truth [of nonduality], but as Nagarjuna, one of the great Indian ancestors, says, 'in order to realize the ultimate truth you must be completely grounded in the conventional truth,' which means the precepts of ethical conduct, and so on. If we neglect how we are taking care of ourselves and other people, then it is actually impossible to realize the ultimate truth. - Kokyo Henkel, "Tripping with the Buddha" Read More →

Via Viva! Mais

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 18/02/2015

“A desconstrução do falso eu não é fácil devido ao apego que desenvolvemos por aquilo que foi construído. Quanto maior o apego, maior o sofrimento. Quando você está consciente do processo da desconstrução, e do quanto ela é positiva e necessária, a travessia se torna um pouco mais fácil. Mas, não estando consciente, você acha que está simplesmente perdendo tudo o que construiu, e sente isso como algo muito negativo. Assim o processo pode ser bastante desafiador, pois a desconstrução é permeada pelo medo: da escassez, de ficar sozinho, de não conseguir completar a travessia, de morrer, de não ver nada no lugar daquilo que está indo embora... Medo de tudo. E o medo abre portas para todos os tipos de ‘demônios’. Por isso, a compreensão a respeito desse processo é de grande valia.”

“La deconstrucción del falso yo no es fácil debido al apego que desarrollamos por aquello que fue construido. Cuanto mayor es el apego, mayor es el sufrimiento. Cuando estás consciente del proceso de deconstrucción, y de cuán positivo y necesario es, la travesía se vuelve un poco más fácil. Pero no estando consciente, crees que estás simplemente perdiendo todo lo que construiste, y sientes esto como algo muy negativo. Así el proceso puede ser bastante desafiante, porque la deconstrucción es permeada por el miedo: a la escasez, a quedarse solo, a no conseguir completar la travesía, a morir, a no ver nada en el lugar de aquello que se está yendo... Miedo de todo. Y el miedo abre las puertas a todo tipo de "demonios". Por eso, la comprensión acerca de este proceso es de gran valor.”

"Deconstructing the false self is difficult due to the attachment we develop to what this false self has created. The greater the attachment, the greater we suffer. When we are aware of the deconstruction process and that it is both positive and necessary, this passage becomes a little easier. However, when we are not aware of this process, and we think we’re simply losing everything we have built, this feels like something very negative. Consequently, the process can be quite challenging because the deconstruction is permeated by fear: the fear of scarcity, of being alone, of not completing the journey, of death, of nothing coming to replace what is going away... There is the fear of everything. This fear opens the door to all types of ‘demons.’ Therefore, comprehending this process is of great value."

Via Daily Dharma

A Feast of Dharma | February 18, 2015 All the teachings, all the words, all the sutras, are skillful means for liberating the mind, rather than statements of absolute truth. When we take words to be statements of ultimate truth, then differences of opinion will inevitably result in conflict. This is where ideological wars come from, and we see in the history of the world an endless amount of suffering because of it. But if we see the words and the teachings as different skillful means for liberating the mind, then they all become part of a great dharma feast. - Joseph Goldstein, "One Dharma" Read More →

Via Baha'i Inspired Clinical Counselling Services: Short Prayer for Decision

The prayer is to be recited 19 times, followed by (1) meditation on the problem, (2) the formulation of a solution, and (3) the implementation of the conceived solution:

"O my God! Thou seest me detached from everything save Thee and clinging to Thee.

Guide me then, in my doings, in a manner which profiteth me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the state of Thy servants."

~ Baha'u'llah

"The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice has advised that the prayer... was revealed by Bahá’u’lláh to Jináb-i-Samandar [Shaykh Kázim Samandar], the father of the Hand of the Cause of God, Tarázu’lláh Samandarí, to assist him in making a difficult decision." ~ From a letter dated August 21, 2001 from the Department of the Secretariat

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 17/02/2015

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

“Estamos aqui chamando pelo senhor Shiva. Quando chamamos com o coração, ele se manifesta; e quando ele se manifesta, precisamos dar conta. Porque Shiva é a consciência cósmica, mas também é o poder de transformação. Antes que a consciência cósmica possa se manifestar, é preciso transformar o que precisa ser transformado. Isso implica em um processo de desconstrução do sistema de condicionamentos e crenças, e de todas as estruturas criadas pelo falso eu - inclusive ele próprio.” 

20.01.15

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA
“Estamos aquí llamando al señor Shiva. Cuando llamamos con el corazón, él se manifiesta; y cuando él se manifiesta, precisamos percibirlo. Porque Shiva es la conciencia cósmica, pero también es el poder de transformación. Antes de que la conciencia cósmica pueda manifestarse, es necesario transformar lo que precisa ser transformado. Esto implica un proceso de deconstrucción del sistema de condicionamientos y creencias, y de todas las estructuras creadas por el falso yo - incluido él mismo.”
20.01.15

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA
“We are here calling for Lord Shiva. When we call him with our hearts, he manifests himself, and we must take account when he does so. Not only is Shiva the symbol of cosmic consciousness, but he is also the power of transformation. Before cosmic consciousness can manifest, it’s necessary to transform that which needs to be transformed. This implies a process of deconstructing our conditionings and belief systems, and all the structures created by the false ‘I’ – including the false ‘I’ itself.”

Via Daily Dharma

What Our World Needs | February 17, 2015 The path of personal transformation and the path of social transformation are not really separate from each other. We must reclaim the concept of awakening from an exclusively individualistic therapeutic model and focus on how individual liberation also requires social transformation. Engagement in the world is how our personal awakening blossoms. - David Loy, "Awakening in the Age of Climate Change" Read More →

Via Believe Out Loud / FB:

WOOHOO! GAY COUPLE MAKES HISTORY WITH NAVY'S FIRST MAN-ON-MAN HOMECOMING KISS!!

"After a seven-month WestPac deployment, the USS San Francisco (SSN 711) submarine warship returned home to Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego yesterday. With every return comes the ceremonial "first kiss" of sailors disembarking from the vessel, and Monday's kiss was particularly notable as it was the first time ever a male same-sex couple was chosen" smile emoticon heart emoticon

Read more: http://ow.ly/J2dhk

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 15/02/2015

“Em ambientes de crueldade, onde as forças contrárias ao Amor atuam livremente, é muito difícil sustentar a conexão. Sustentar a conexão, em outras palavras, significa sustentar a presença do amor. E o que te faz sentir-se bem é justamente o amor fluindo do seu coração. Mas, o amor não pode se expressar em um ambiente de crueldade, pois essas forças restringem sua capacidade de amar - elas fecham seu coração. Isso acontece quase como uma proteção, para a sua sobrevivência. Porque ao manter-se aberto a crueldade entra e você começa a se machucar.”

Acesse ao Satsang Completo: bit.ly/16rNZe0

“En ambientes de crueldad, donde las fuerzas contrarias al Amor actúan libremente, es muy difícil sustentar la conexión. Sustentar la conexión, en otras palabras, significa sustentar la presencia del amor. Y lo que te hace sentir bien es justamente el amor fluyendo de tu corazón. Pero el amor no puede expresarse en un ambiente de crueldad, porque esas fuerzas restringen tu capacidad de amar – ellas cierran tu corazón. Eso sucede casi como una protección para tu supervivencia. Porque al mantenerte abierto, la crueldad entra y tú comienzas a lastimarte.”

"In cruel environments where the forces opposing love reign freely, it’s very difficult to maintain our connection by sustaining the presence of love. What makes us feel good is feeling love flowing from our heart. However, love cannot express itself in a cruel environment because these forces restrict our ability to love, and they close our heart. This happens almost like a protection mechanism for our own survival. If we remain open, the cruelty enters and we begin to get hurt.”

- Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

The Buddha's Footprint | February 16, 2015 Buddhism is generally conceived as the environmental religion par excellence. Yet, as scholars have shown over the past 20 years, the development of eco-Buddhism is a modern one. In many ways it is also an inversion of the classic orientalist paradigm whereby the West is male, active, and practical while the East is feminine, passive, and intuitive. And while this binary opposition was often utilized to explain and justify Western domination in both practice and theory, it was also the case that the dynamic of the framework could be flipped. - Johan Elverskog, "The Buddha's Footprint" Read More → Share

Via BNR LGBT / FB:

 

If you haven't already, sign for LGBT marriage equality! 38 down, 12 more states to go: http://actionsprout.io/C345D4

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 15/02/2015

“Em ambientes de crueldade, onde as forças contrárias ao Amor atuam livremente, é muito difícil sustentar a conexão. Sustentar a conexão, em outras palavras, significa sustentar a presença do amor. E o que te faz sentir-se bem é justamente o amor fluindo do seu coração. Mas, o amor não pode se expressar em um ambiente de crueldade, pois essas forças restringem sua capacidade de amar - elas fecham seu coração. Isso acontece quase como uma proteção, para a sua sobrevivência. Porque ao manter-se aberto a crueldade entra e você começa a se machucar.”

Acesse ao Satsang Completo: bit.ly/16rNZe0

“En ambientes de crueldad, donde las fuerzas contrarias al Amor actúan libremente, es muy difícil sustentar la conexión. Sustentar la conexión, en otras palabras, significa sustentar la presencia del amor. Y lo que te hace sentir bien es justamente el amor fluyendo de tu corazón. Pero el amor no puede expresarse en un ambiente de crueldad, porque esas fuerzas restringen tu capacidad de amar – ellas cierran tu corazón. Eso sucede casi como una protección para tu supervivencia. Porque al mantenerte abierto, la crueldad entra y tú comienzas a lastimarte.”

"In cruel environments where the forces opposing love reign freely, it’s very difficult to maintain our connection by sustaining the presence of love. What makes us feel good is feeling love flowing from our heart. However, love cannot express itself in a cruel environment because these forces restrict our ability to love, and they close our heart. This happens almost like a protection mechanism for our own survival. If we remain open, the cruelty enters and we begin to get hurt.”

- Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Meditative Thinking | February 15, 2015 The work of meditative thinking is a collaboration between these two natures—the seer that remembers and the seen that always forgets. As in rowing, if you pull more on one oar than the other, you go round in circles, and, as in rowing, all I can see is what I have passed as I press forward toward a point that is hidden behind me. - Carl Lehmann-Haupt, "The Path of Writing" Read More →

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 14/02/2015

“Quando o buscador chega, inicio um trabalho de cura para tratar das suas feridas emocionais e purificar seu coração das mazelas do passado. Esse trabalho continua até que ele possa se harmonizar com seu passado e se libertar dele, ou seja, até que ele possa olhar para trás e verdadeiramente agradecer por absolutamente tudo que aconteceu na sua vida. Nesse momento, ele estará pronto para renascer no espírito. Na verdade, é nesse ponto que a jornada espiritual realmente inicia. Porque até então era um trabalho psicoespiritual de cura e transformação da natureza inferior.”

“Cuando el buscador llega, inicio un trabajo de cura para tratar sus heridas emocionales y purificar su corazón de los males del pasado. Ese trabajo continúa hasta que pueda armonizarse con su pasado y se libere de él, o sea, hasta que pueda mirar para atrás y verdaderamente agradecer por absolutamente todo lo que sucedió en su vida. En ese momento, estará listo para renacer en el espíritu. En verdad, es en ese punto que el camino espiritual realmente inicia. Porque hasta entonces era un trabajo psicoespiritual de cura y transformación de la naturaleza inferior.”

"When the seeker arrives, a healing work begins to address one’s emotional wounds and to purify the heart’s ailments from the past. This work continues until one can be in harmony with one’s past and be liberated from it; until one can look back and truly be thankful for absolutely everything that has happened in one’s life. At this moment, one is ready to be reborn in spirit. In fact, this is when the spiritual journey actually begins. Everything up until this point was merely a psychospiritual work of healing and transforming one’s lower nature."

- Sri Prem Baba

Via JMG: From Alabama's Largest Newspaper

 

The Birmingham News has been absolutely relentless in their supportive coverage of Alabama's marriage battle and one of the stars of that coverage has been cartoonist JD Crowe. Hit the link for a slideshow of Crowe's work about Judge Roy Moore.

Labels: Alabama, JD Crowe, marriage equality, Roy Moore

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: Antonin Scalia: Don't Paint Me As Anti-Gay

 

"The issue of gay rights, on abortion, on many of the issues in which Ruth’s opinions and mine differ does not pertain to the substance. It doesn’t pertain to whether gay people ought to have those rights or whether there ought to be a constitutional right or a right to an abortion. That isn’t the issue. The issue is who decides. That’s all. I don’t have any public views on any of those things. The point is who decides? Should these decisions be made by the Supreme Court without any text in the Constitution or any history in the Constitution to support imposing on the whole country or is it a matter left to the people? But don’t paint me as anti-gay or anti-abortion or anything else. All I’m doing on the Supreme Court is opining about who should decide."  

 

- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, speaking last night at the George Washington University event where Ruth Bader Ginsburg made her "not 100% sober" comment.

Labels: Antonin Scalia, marriage equality, SCOTUS

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: March Issue Of Texas Monthly

Labels: gay families, marriage equality, Texas

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via JMG: OREGON: Democratic Gov. John Kizhaber Resigns In Scandal Over His Fiance, Successor Kate Brown Is Openly Bisexual

 

Via Bloomberg:

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber’s almost four-decade political career fell apart Friday, as he heeded calls from fellow Democrats to resign after a scandal involving his fiancee’s use of his office to generate business for her energy-consulting firm. Kitzhaber, a 67-year-old re-elected to a fourth term in November, announced his departure in a news release. Secretary of State Kate Brown, also a Democrat, will assume the office until 2016.

Oregon's now governor-to-be Kate Brown is married to a man and is openly bisexual, which will make her the first openly LGBT governor in American history. Unless you count former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevy, which you shouldn't.

Labels: Democrats, Kate Brown, Oregon, scandal

Reposted from Joe Jervis

Via Daily Dharma

Dharma Dating | February 14, 2015 As human beings, we’re hardwired for connection. Of course, our practice helps us dissolve the illusion of a separate self and know that we are supported in every breath by the whole universe. But at the same time, it’s also good to feel supported by a real live person who actually cares that we had a bad day, that the kids were brats, that the boss was a tyrant, that the computer kept crashing, that we failed to solve our koan. - Anne Cushman, "Fifteen Weeks of Dharma Dating" Read More →

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day - 13/02/2015

“Ao praticar técnicas sexuais com várias pessoas diferentes você acaba criando situações perigosas. Isso porque você amplia seu poder e magnetismo, o que deixa seu ego mais robusto e astuto. E o principal poder que você desenvolve é o poder de manipulação. Mas porque você quer ter esse poder? Você quer manipular o outro para ter domínio sobre ele e para fugir de si mesmo. Ter domínio sobre uma pessoa não é diferente de ter um carro novo ou de ter bastante dinheiro na conta bancária – tudo agrega valor à falsa ideia de quem é você. No mais profundo, você está em busca de uma identidade; está tentando suprir uma carência.” 

Acesse ao Satsang Completo: bit.ly/prembaba01

“Al practicar técnicas sexuales con varias personas diferentes terminas creando situaciones peligrosas. Porque amplías tu poder y magnetismo, lo que deja a tu ego más robusto y astuto. Y el principal poder que desarrollas es el poder de manipulación. ¿Pero porqué quieres tener ese poder? Quieres manipular al otro para tener dominio sobre él y para huir de ti mismo. Tener dominio sobre una persona no es distinto de tener un auto nuevo o de tener bastante dinero en la cuenta bancaria – todo agrega valor a la falsa idea de quien eres tú. En lo más profundo, estás en búsqueda de una identidad, estás intentando suplir una carencia.”

"Practicing sexual techniques with many different people can end up creating dangerous situations. One may increase one’s power and allure, which makes the ego more robust and cunning, but the main power that develops is manipulation. Why would one want to have this power? In order to manipulate the other and dominate them, while avoiding looking at oneself. Having dominion over the other is no different than having a new car, or having a lot of money in one’s bank account. Everything adds value to the false idea of who we are. On a deeper level, one is seeking an identity, and this is an attempt to compensate for a neediness."

- Sri Prem Baba

Via Daily Dharma

Tasting Buddhanature | February 13, 2015 Being told about buddhanature but never really making it our personal experience will not help anything. It's like staying hungry. Once we put the food in our mouth, we discover what the food tastes like. - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, "As the Clouds Vanish" Read More →

Flor do Dia - Flor del Día - Flower of the Day -12/02/2015

“Muitas vezes damos passagem para determinados impulsos que não gostamos e não aceitamos, e que gostaríamos que fossem diferentes. O que faz uma pessoa refém do ciúme e da inveja? Refém da insegurança e da vingança? Refém do medo? É a ignorância a respeito da natureza desse impulso. Isso porque tudo o que é negado e relegado ao plano da sombra acaba ganhando força justamente por ficar no inconsciente.”
Acesse ao Satsang Completo: bit.ly/25012015

“Muchas veces damos pasaje a determinados impulsos que no nos gustan y no aceptamos, y que gustaríamos que fuesen diferentes. ¿Qué hace a una persona rehén de los celos, de la envidia? ¿Rehén de la inseguridad y de la venganza? ¿Rehén del miedo? Es la ignorancia al respecto de la naturaleza de ese impulso. Eso porque todo lo que es negado y relegado al plano de la sombra acaba ganando fuerza justamente por estar en el inconsciente.”

"Oftentimes we give way to certain impulses that we do not like nor accept, and that we wish would be different. What makes a person hostage to jealousy and envy? What makes one hostage to insecurity, revenge and fear? It is the ignorance about the nature of this impulse. Everything that is denied and banished to the realms of the shadow ends up gaining strength simply by remaining unconscious."

- Sri Prem Baba