In Defense of Desire
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Friday, September 25, 2015
Today's Daily Dharma: In Defense of Desire
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Today's Daily Dharma: Practice from Strength
Practice from Strength
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Via Sri Prem Baba Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 24/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
16.PAZ E JUSTIÇA
“O segredo da paz é estarmos unidos e felizes, independentemente das nossas diferenças. Porque não é possível globalizar (unificar) a cultura, as etnias e a religião. Tentar fazer isso apenas estimula a violência. Você não pode obrigar o outro a pensar como você. Por isso, a única maneira de vivermos em paz e harmonia é ajudando uns aos outros e respeitando as diferenças.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
16. PAZ Y JUSTICIA
“El secreto de la paz es estar unidos y felices, independientemente de nuestras diferencias. Porque no es posible globalizar (unificar) la cultura, las etnias y la religión. Intentar hacer esto, solo estimula la violencia. No puedes obligar al otro a pensar como tú. Por eso, la única manera de que vivamos en paz y armonía es ayudándonos los unos a los otros y respetando las diferencias.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
16. PEACE AND JUSTICE
"The secret to peace is to be united and happy, regardless of our differences. We cannot globalize or unify culture, ethnicity and religion. Trying to do this only encourages violence. We cannot force the other to think like us. The only way to live in peace and harmony is by helping each other and respecting one another’s differences."
16.PAZ E JUSTIÇA
“O segredo da paz é estarmos unidos e felizes, independentemente das nossas diferenças. Porque não é possível globalizar (unificar) a cultura, as etnias e a religião. Tentar fazer isso apenas estimula a violência. Você não pode obrigar o outro a pensar como você. Por isso, a única maneira de vivermos em paz e harmonia é ajudando uns aos outros e respeitando as diferenças.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
16. PAZ Y JUSTICIA
“El secreto de la paz es estar unidos y felices, independientemente de nuestras diferencias. Porque no es posible globalizar (unificar) la cultura, las etnias y la religión. Intentar hacer esto, solo estimula la violencia. No puedes obligar al otro a pensar como tú. Por eso, la única manera de que vivamos en paz y armonía es ayudándonos los unos a los otros y respetando las diferencias.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
16. PEACE AND JUSTICE
"The secret to peace is to be united and happy, regardless of our differences. We cannot globalize or unify culture, ethnicity and religion. Trying to do this only encourages violence. We cannot force the other to think like us. The only way to live in peace and harmony is by helping each other and respecting one another’s differences."
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Today's Daily Dharma: Death Is a Part of Living
Death Is a Part of Living
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Via Huffington: Marriage Equality Opponents Need to Admit Actual Reason for Their Loss
It is well beyond time that the lgbt community recognize and call out
this ridiculous Kim Davis drama for what it is - merely a sideshow to
cover up the fact that the overall case against marriage equality was
nothing more than a pitiful delusion. It was a sad pursuit run by people
who had more money and influence than common sense; more gall than
love; and more ways to get their message out, but absolutely no way to
make it more palpable or more flavorable than the bland, watery
indigestible stew of discrimination that it was.
In the early days of the fight, marriage equality opponents were on an incredible streak via their ability to get state after state to pass anti-marriage equality laws. They, led mostly by the National Organization for Marriage, were riding high in their glory. It didn't matter that their talking points about "marriage uniting the two halves of humanity" was basic balderdash repeated by one spokesperson (NOM president Brian Brown) who spoke out of the side of his mouth in a monotone worthy of a character from an Ed Wood movie. It didn't matter that their other spokesperson (Maggie Gallagher) practically oozed false sincerity and brazenly lied about her anti-gay animus even when confronted with evidence of it.
And it certainly didn't matter that while they whined about falsely being labeled as bigots, they simultaneously ran ads and commercials implying that gays were attempting to corrupt children, even while entities such as Politifact and one of their own supporters called them out on it.
All that mattered were the wins because, as Gallagher once put it, "winning is fun."
But they were so blinded by their wins, they got just a little too overconfident and weren't prepared when the argument shifted away from public votes and into the courtrooms.
I consistently remain amazed about how they were mortified when the courts stepped in. After all, it was the next step. Isn't that how it's done in this country? Laws are passed and if some feel that the laws are unjust, they challenge them in our courts.
It was when gays challenged marriage equality laws via the courts that the masks of false superiority came off and we began to see the true faces of marriage equality foes. They made so many crucial errors and missteps Allow me to address these errors and missteps (and in doing so, I want to speak directly to Brown, Gallagher, other leaders of the anti-marriage equality camp, and possibly anyone else still upset at our victory):
Make the jump here to read the full article
In the early days of the fight, marriage equality opponents were on an incredible streak via their ability to get state after state to pass anti-marriage equality laws. They, led mostly by the National Organization for Marriage, were riding high in their glory. It didn't matter that their talking points about "marriage uniting the two halves of humanity" was basic balderdash repeated by one spokesperson (NOM president Brian Brown) who spoke out of the side of his mouth in a monotone worthy of a character from an Ed Wood movie. It didn't matter that their other spokesperson (Maggie Gallagher) practically oozed false sincerity and brazenly lied about her anti-gay animus even when confronted with evidence of it.
And it certainly didn't matter that while they whined about falsely being labeled as bigots, they simultaneously ran ads and commercials implying that gays were attempting to corrupt children, even while entities such as Politifact and one of their own supporters called them out on it.
All that mattered were the wins because, as Gallagher once put it, "winning is fun."
But they were so blinded by their wins, they got just a little too overconfident and weren't prepared when the argument shifted away from public votes and into the courtrooms.
I consistently remain amazed about how they were mortified when the courts stepped in. After all, it was the next step. Isn't that how it's done in this country? Laws are passed and if some feel that the laws are unjust, they challenge them in our courts.
It was when gays challenged marriage equality laws via the courts that the masks of false superiority came off and we began to see the true faces of marriage equality foes. They made so many crucial errors and missteps Allow me to address these errors and missteps (and in doing so, I want to speak directly to Brown, Gallagher, other leaders of the anti-marriage equality camp, and possibly anyone else still upset at our victory):
Make the jump here to read the full article
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 22/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
14.CONSERVAÇÃO DA VIDA MARINHA
“Sabemos que cada forma de vida tem sua função no ecossistema. Tudo que existe se relaciona de forma interdependente, inclusive o que está dentro de nós. O externo é um reflexo do interno. Portanto, a conservação da vida marinha é essencial para preservar o equilíbrio do ciclo maior da vida.”
14.CONSERVAÇÃO DA VIDA MARINHA
“Sabemos que cada forma de vida tem sua função no ecossistema. Tudo que existe se relaciona de forma interdependente, inclusive o que está dentro de nós. O externo é um reflexo do interno. Portanto, a conservação da vida marinha é essencial para preservar o equilíbrio do ciclo maior da vida.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
14. FLORA Y FAUNA ACUÁTICAS
“Sabemos que cada forma de vida tiene su función en el ecosistema. Todo lo que existe se relaciona de forma interdependiente, incluso lo que está dentro de nosotros. Lo externo es un reflejo de lo interno. Por lo tanto, la conservación de la vida marina es esencial para preservar el equilibrio del mayor ciclo de la vida.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
14.LIFE BELOW WATER
"We know that every life form has its role in the ecosystem. Everything that exists is interdependent, including in our inner world. The external is but a reflection of the internal. The conservation of marine life is essential to preserving balance in the larger cycle of life."
14. FLORA Y FAUNA ACUÁTICAS
“Sabemos que cada forma de vida tiene su función en el ecosistema. Todo lo que existe se relaciona de forma interdependiente, incluso lo que está dentro de nosotros. Lo externo es un reflejo de lo interno. Por lo tanto, la conservación de la vida marina es esencial para preservar el equilibrio del mayor ciclo de la vida.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
14.LIFE BELOW WATER
"We know that every life form has its role in the ecosystem. Everything that exists is interdependent, including in our inner world. The external is but a reflection of the internal. The conservation of marine life is essential to preserving balance in the larger cycle of life."
Today's Daily Dharma: With Your Own Eyes
With Your Own Eyes
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Monday, September 21, 2015
Via PinkNews: Prince William condemns homophobia in surprising Royal first
Current Affairs
Prince William condemns homophobia in surprising Royal first
The future King visited Hammersmith Academy today, to take part in a session with pupils to provide practical tips to prevent anti-LGBT bullying, and cyber bullying.
Make the jump here to red the full story
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 21/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
13.AÇÃO PELO CLIMA
"Um dos maiores desafios para a o homem moderno é minimizar o impacto causado pelas mudanças climáticas, cujo sintoma principal é o desequilíbrio do sistema hídrico. As águas estão tentando nos ensinar alguma coisa. Precisamos ouvir e compreender sua mensagem, caso contrário, essa será a maior crise da história humana.”
13.AÇÃO PELO CLIMA
"Um dos maiores desafios para a o homem moderno é minimizar o impacto causado pelas mudanças climáticas, cujo sintoma principal é o desequilíbrio do sistema hídrico. As águas estão tentando nos ensinar alguma coisa. Precisamos ouvir e compreender sua mensagem, caso contrário, essa será a maior crise da história humana.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
13. LUCHA CONTRA EL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO
“Uno de los mayores desafíos para el hombre moderno es minimizar el impacto causado por los cambios climáticos, cuyo síntoma principal es el desequilibrio del sistema hídrico. Las aguas están intentando enseñarnos algo. Necesitamos escuchar y comprender su mensaje, de lo contrario esta será la mayor crisis de la historia humana.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
13.CLIMATE ACTION
"One of the biggest challenges for modern civilization is how to minimize our impact on climate change, whose main symptom is an imbalance in the water cycle. The waters are trying to teach us something. We need to listen and understand the message, otherwise, this will be the greatest crisis in human history."
13. LUCHA CONTRA EL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO
“Uno de los mayores desafíos para el hombre moderno es minimizar el impacto causado por los cambios climáticos, cuyo síntoma principal es el desequilibrio del sistema hídrico. Las aguas están intentando enseñarnos algo. Necesitamos escuchar y comprender su mensaje, de lo contrario esta será la mayor crisis de la historia humana.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
13.CLIMATE ACTION
"One of the biggest challenges for modern civilization is how to minimize our impact on climate change, whose main symptom is an imbalance in the water cycle. The waters are trying to teach us something. We need to listen and understand the message, otherwise, this will be the greatest crisis in human history."
Today's Daily Dharma: Always Interdependent with Nature
Always Interdependent with Nature
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Sunday, September 20, 2015
Via WGB: Vatican Reportedly Irked by LGBT Guest List at Pope’s White House Ceremony
"Several guests invited to the White House for the welcoming ceremony
for Pope Francis are reportedly troubling the Vatican including openly
gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, Mateo Williamson, is a former
co-leader of Dignity USA Transgender Caucus, and Sister Simone Campbell,
the pro-choice nun who is executive director of NETWORK, a 44-year-old
national social justice lobbying group. Williamson is the guest of
Vivian Taylor, a trans woman who formerly served as executive director
of Integrity USA, an Episcopal LBGT advocacy group.The WSJ reports:
According to a senior Vatican official, the Holy See worries that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House welcoming ceremony next Wednesday could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities.
The tension exemplifies concerns among conservative Catholics, including many bishops, that the White House will use the pope’s visit to play down its differences with church leaders on such contentious issues as same-sex marriage and the contraception mandate in the health care law." Full story here via Towleroad!
WGB :: Yet another reason (reason #3,871) why I love the Obama Whitehouse!
Via Sri Prem BabaFlor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 20/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
12.CONSUMO RESPONSÁVEL
“Para que possamos salvar o planeta, o consumo compulsivo precisa dar lugar ao consumo responsável. E isso só é possível se o ser humano se libertar da carência afetiva que cria a necessidade de agregar valor à falsa ideia de eu. A carência é a maior doença do ser humano. Ela nos faz acreditar que, através do acúmulo de bens materiais, seremos felizes.”
12.CONSUMO RESPONSÁVEL
“Para que possamos salvar o planeta, o consumo compulsivo precisa dar lugar ao consumo responsável. E isso só é possível se o ser humano se libertar da carência afetiva que cria a necessidade de agregar valor à falsa ideia de eu. A carência é a maior doença do ser humano. Ela nos faz acreditar que, através do acúmulo de bens materiais, seremos felizes.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
12. CONSUMO RESPONSABLE
“Para que podamos salvar el planeta, el consumo compulsivo necesita dar lugar al consumo responsable. Y esto solo es posible si el ser humano se libera de la carencia afectiva que crea la necesidad de agregar valor a la falsa idea de yo. La carencia es la mayor enfermedad del ser humano. Nos hace creer que, a través de la acumulación de bienes materiales, seremos felices.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
12.RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
“In order to save the planet, compulsive consumption must give way to responsible consumption. This will only be possible if human beings can become free of the emotional neediness that makes us strive to add value to the false idea of self. Neediness is the greatest disease of mankind, and makes us believe that we can only be happy by accumulating material goods."
12. CONSUMO RESPONSABLE
“Para que podamos salvar el planeta, el consumo compulsivo necesita dar lugar al consumo responsable. Y esto solo es posible si el ser humano se libera de la carencia afectiva que crea la necesidad de agregar valor a la falsa idea de yo. La carencia es la mayor enfermedad del ser humano. Nos hace creer que, a través de la acumulación de bienes materiales, seremos felices.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
12.RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
“In order to save the planet, compulsive consumption must give way to responsible consumption. This will only be possible if human beings can become free of the emotional neediness that makes us strive to add value to the false idea of self. Neediness is the greatest disease of mankind, and makes us believe that we can only be happy by accumulating material goods."
Today's Daily Dharma: Awakening from Without.
Awakening from Without
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Saturday, September 19, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 19/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
11.CIDADES E COMUNIDADES SUSTENTÁVEIS
"A vida nas grandes cidades se tornou insustentável. A poluição, a violência, o excesso de pessoas por metro quadrado, a desconexão com a natureza... Tudo isso tem gerado uma tremenda perturbação em nossos corpos e mentes. Por isso, a vida em ecovilas têm apontado boas soluções. Mas, o ponto de equilíbrio só virá quando pudermos unir matéria e espírito, e quando tivermos coragem de olhar com seriedade para o tema do controle da natalidade".
11.CIDADES E COMUNIDADES SUSTENTÁVEIS
"A vida nas grandes cidades se tornou insustentável. A poluição, a violência, o excesso de pessoas por metro quadrado, a desconexão com a natureza... Tudo isso tem gerado uma tremenda perturbação em nossos corpos e mentes. Por isso, a vida em ecovilas têm apontado boas soluções. Mas, o ponto de equilíbrio só virá quando pudermos unir matéria e espírito, e quando tivermos coragem de olhar com seriedade para o tema do controle da natalidade".
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
11. CIUDADES Y COMUNIDADES SOSTENIBLES
“La vida en las grandes ciudades se volvió insustentable. La polución, la violencia, el exceso de personas por metro cuadrado, la desconexión con la naturaleza…Todo esto ha generado una tremenda perturbación en nuestros cuerpos y mentes. Por eso, la vida en eco-villas viene registrando buenas soluciones. Pero el punto de equilibrio solo vendrá cuando podamos unir materia y espíritu, y cuando tengamos coraje para ver con seriedad el tema del control en la natalidad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
11. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
"Life in big cities has become unsustainable. The pollution, violence, overcrowding, and disconnection with nature have generated tremendous agitation in our bodies and minds. Life in ecovillages shows us good solutions, but the turning point will only come about when we can unite matter and spirit. With such a huge global population, it is also essential that we have the courage to look seriously at the issue of birth control."
11. CIUDADES Y COMUNIDADES SOSTENIBLES
“La vida en las grandes ciudades se volvió insustentable. La polución, la violencia, el exceso de personas por metro cuadrado, la desconexión con la naturaleza…Todo esto ha generado una tremenda perturbación en nuestros cuerpos y mentes. Por eso, la vida en eco-villas viene registrando buenas soluciones. Pero el punto de equilibrio solo vendrá cuando podamos unir materia y espíritu, y cuando tengamos coraje para ver con seriedad el tema del control en la natalidad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
11. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
"Life in big cities has become unsustainable. The pollution, violence, overcrowding, and disconnection with nature have generated tremendous agitation in our bodies and minds. Life in ecovillages shows us good solutions, but the turning point will only come about when we can unite matter and spirit. With such a huge global population, it is also essential that we have the courage to look seriously at the issue of birth control."
Today's Daily Dharma: See Yourself Clearly
See Yourself Clearly
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Friday, September 18, 2015
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 18/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
10.REDUÇÃO DE DESIGUALDADES
“Não é possível haver igualdade sem caridade e sem humildade. A igualdade é a mãe da caridade e filha da humildade."
10.REDUÇÃO DE DESIGUALDADES
“Não é possível haver igualdade sem caridade e sem humildade. A igualdade é a mãe da caridade e filha da humildade."
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
10.REDUCCIÓN DE LA DESIGUALDAD
“No es posible que haya igualdad sin caridad y sin humildad. La igualdad es la madre de la caridad y la hija de la humildad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES
“There can be no equality bereft of charity and humility. Equality is the mother of charity, and the daughter of humility."
10.REDUCCIÓN DE LA DESIGUALDAD
“No es posible que haya igualdad sin caridad y sin humildad. La igualdad es la madre de la caridad y la hija de la humildad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES
“There can be no equality bereft of charity and humility. Equality is the mother of charity, and the daughter of humility."
Today's Daily Dharma: The Aspiration Is What Counts
The Aspiration Is What Counts
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Thursday, September 17, 2015
Via WP: How to communicate like a Buddhist — mindfully and without judgment
There’s a lot that used to frustrate me about communicating. Well, if I’m honest, it was that I didn’t know how to do it. I knew how to speak and string words together, but no one ever sat me down and taught me the purpose of communication or how to effectively express myself so I was heard and how to listen so I could understand. A lot of times it seemed that because I knew how to talk, that automatically meant I should know how to communicate.
Let’s be honest, communicating effectively is hard to do, especially in heated situations. It’s difficult because rarely do we stop to pay attention to what we’re saying or the purpose of our communication.
What I’ve found to help guide me on my quest is the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, specifically mindful communication.
Read the full article here
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 17/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
9.INOVAÇÃO E INFRAESTRUTURA
"Intuição e razão precisam se unir para encontrar criativas e inovadoras soluções para as necessidades de infraestrutura e urbanismo. Por mais que a mente possa engendrar soluções geniais, somente a sabedoria interna, que nasce do coração, pode indicar a melhor direção a seguir. "
9.INOVAÇÃO E INFRAESTRUTURA
"Intuição e razão precisam se unir para encontrar criativas e inovadoras soluções para as necessidades de infraestrutura e urbanismo. Por mais que a mente possa engendrar soluções geniais, somente a sabedoria interna, que nasce do coração, pode indicar a melhor direção a seguir. "
Project Everyone - Global Goals
9. INDUSTRY, INNOVATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
"Intuition and reason need to come together to find creative and innovative solutions for the demands of infrastructure and urban planning. As much as the mind can devise ingenious solutions, only inner wisdom that comes from the heart can indicate the best path to follow."
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
9. INDUSTRIA, INNOVACIÓN E INFRAESTRUCTURA
"Intuición y razón precisan unirse para encontrar creativas e innovadoras soluciones para las necesidades de infraestructura y urbanismo. Por más que la mente pueda concebir soluciones geniales, solamente la sabiduría interna, que nace del corazón, puede indicar la mejor dirección a seguir."
9. INDUSTRY, INNOVATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
"Intuition and reason need to come together to find creative and innovative solutions for the demands of infrastructure and urban planning. As much as the mind can devise ingenious solutions, only inner wisdom that comes from the heart can indicate the best path to follow."
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
9. INDUSTRIA, INNOVACIÓN E INFRAESTRUCTURA
"Intuición y razón precisan unirse para encontrar creativas e innovadoras soluciones para las necesidades de infraestructura y urbanismo. Por más que la mente pueda concebir soluciones geniales, solamente la sabiduría interna, que nace del corazón, puede indicar la mejor dirección a seguir."
Today's Daily Dharma: The Testing Ground for Practice
The Testing Ground for Practice
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Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Via Advocate: Why Mr. Leather Went to Uganda
When Mr. Los Angeles Leather 2015, Patrick Smith, gave his 90-second speech at the International Mr. Leather contest in Chicago this year, he spoke on something he cared deeply about.
"The speech celebrated the progress we have made in the Western world, but it also called attention to the fact that things are very difficult for LGBT people in many other areas," Smith tells The Advocate.
The 90-second speech comes on the final day of the contest, which has taken place every year since 1979. At 91 seconds, the microphone shuts off. The speech is followed by a physique show where contestants strut onstage in leather jockstraps and harnesses.
When Smith won, he knew he had to do something important with the platform the title offers. "I wanted to actually walk the walk and not just pay lip service to these issues," he says. "Uganda was a natural choice given all of the attention it's been getting for its recent legislative actions against LGBT people."
Uganda has a dark history regarding its LGBT citizens. In early 2014, antigay President Yoweri Museveni signed into law the infamous Anti-Homosexuality Act, dubbed the "jail the gays" bill, which was struck down six months later by the nation's high court (because of a procedural issue, not its content). But homophobia still runs rampant in the east African nation. A glaring example of the animus came when Ugandan newspaper Rolling Stone published the names of Ugandan LGBT activists with the headline, "Hang Them." Homosexuality remains criminalized in Uganda.
In many ways, Uganda is the antithesis of Smith's leather culture, which celebrates sexuality in open, public ways. "I was actually encouraged not to go [to Uganda] by a good number of people," Smith says. "They were concerned for my safety, which is understandable, but I felt this was something very important for me to do."
Smith, who financed his own trip, met with some of Uganda's most prominent activists to learn about the daily lives of LGBT people there and figure out what more could be done to help. He interviewed Frank Mugisha, who won the JFK Human Rights Award in 2011.
"He's very warm, open, and candid," Smith says. Mugisha told him about his experience with a suicidal boy who reached out to him. Risking a possible entrapment situation, Mugisha counseled the child.
"This boy had been told by his friends, in church, and in the media that same-sex attraction was wrong and sinful, and felt he had no other choice than to take his life," Smith says. "Dr. Mugisha talked with him for hours, and over the next several days and weeks, and he didn't kill himself."
Smith also met Rev. Mark Kiyimba, a Ugandan LGBT activist who leads the Unitarian Universalist Church in the capital city of Kampala. Kiyimba preaches that homosexuality is compatible with Christianity — a bold campaign in a country like Uganda. As The New York Times and others have reported, the fierce wave of antigay sentiment and legislation in Uganda is partly due to the work of American Christian right activists. Some of them spoke at a 2009 Kampala conference that, according to Stephen Langa, the Ugandan organizer of the event, was about "the gay agenda — that whole hidden and dark agenda."
While Smith's interviews and meetings were impactful, what affected him the most was seeing Uganda's antigay laws carried out. "The day I was leaving, news broke that Ugandan football manager Chris Mubiru was convicted under the country's sodomy law, which carries with it an 18-year prison sentence. Actually being there in that country when the story broke felt much different than reading it from afar."
According to Ugandan newspaper The Observer, the state prosecutor asked the court to give Mubiru a sentence of life imprisonment because his actions were "against the cultural norms." Smith says, "It really hit home that this is the reality for thousands of LGBT people in Africa, and it could happen to any one of them."
Smith isn't the first Mr. L.A. Leather to use the platform for good. One of Smith's best friends, Eric Paul Leue, won Mr. L.A. Leather 2014. Leue has spent the past year educating gay and bi men across the United States and Europe on pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
Leue is the director of sexual health and advocacy at Kink.com, a leather, fetish, and BDSM porn studio based in San Francisco. Leue estimates that he has been to over 70 cities and held more than 55 PrEP panels so far.
"Fighting HIV and AIDS has always come naturally to us, because when you're into stuff like bondage, flogging, extended bondage, S&M, fisting, you have to be comfortable talking about the body and about your limits," Leue says. "So talking about HIV even in the early days of the epidemic came naturally to us."
Smith agrees, saying the title of International Mr. Leather has "been a service-oriented title for quite some time now. In the beginning — 37 years ago — it was mostly about sex appeal. But once the AIDS crisis hit, you saw a new wave of titleholders who were more dedicated to community service."
But Marlon Morales, chair of Los Angeles Leather Pride, said the focus on community service is not a feature of the organizations that choose the winners. "We [the L.A. Leather Coalition] never ask the winners to do anything specific," Morales says. "To win, you just have to be approachable, charistmatic, and sexy — we don't shy away from that, we're a very sex-positive community." Morales says that the trend of titleholders giving back is because "that's the people that win. If you go back and see past winners, both of Mr. L.A. Leather and International Mr. Leather, a lot of them come from backgrounds of activism. Some of the greatest activists have come out of the leather and fetish communities."
Now that he's back in the States, Smith will continue to use his title as International Mr. Leather to raise awareness about the situation of LGBT people in Africa. "I really think we need to become more internationally focused," he says. "While there is always still work to do at home, we have it pretty good in the U.S., and it's time to help the sexual minorities overseas who are really struggling."
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 16/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
8.BOM TRABALHO E CRESCIMENTO ECONÔMICO
“Ao colocar seus dons e talentos a serviço do bem maior, você se torna um elo na corrente da felicidade. A alegria, a prosperidade e o amor passam por você para chegar ao outro. Você começa a se sentir guiado e levado por algo maior do que você. Mas, enquanto estiver isolado, querendo fazer tudo do seu jeito, isso não é possível. É preciso se colocar na corrente. E você faz isso quando pergunta: “Como posso servir?”. Assim você se torna um canal da felicidade.”
8.BOM TRABALHO E CRESCIMENTO ECONÔMICO
“Ao colocar seus dons e talentos a serviço do bem maior, você se torna um elo na corrente da felicidade. A alegria, a prosperidade e o amor passam por você para chegar ao outro. Você começa a se sentir guiado e levado por algo maior do que você. Mas, enquanto estiver isolado, querendo fazer tudo do seu jeito, isso não é possível. É preciso se colocar na corrente. E você faz isso quando pergunta: “Como posso servir?”. Assim você se torna um canal da felicidade.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
8.EMPLEO DIGNO Y CRECIMIENTO ECONÓMICO
“Al colocar tus dones y talentos al servicio del bien mayor, te conviertes en un eslabón en la cadena de la felicidad. La alegría, la prosperidad y el amor pasan por ti para llegar al otro. Comienzas a sentirte guiado y llevado por algo más grande que tú. Pero mientras estés aislado, queriendo hacer todo a tu manera, esto no es posible. Es preciso colocarse en la corriente. Y haces esto cuando preguntas: "¿Cómo puedo servir?". Así, te conviertes en un canal de la felicidad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
8.DECENT WORK & ECONOMIC GROWTH
"By placing your gifts and talents at service of the greater good, you become a link in the chain of happiness. Joy, prosperity and love pass through you to reach the other. You begin to feel guided and led by something greater than you. But that’s not possible if you remain isolated, wanting to do everything your way. You have to make yourself into a link in the chain, which you do by asking: ‘How can I serve?’ That’s how you become a channel of happiness."
#FlordoDia #GlobalGoals #MetasdoMilênio #SriPremBaba
8.EMPLEO DIGNO Y CRECIMIENTO ECONÓMICO
“Al colocar tus dones y talentos al servicio del bien mayor, te conviertes en un eslabón en la cadena de la felicidad. La alegría, la prosperidad y el amor pasan por ti para llegar al otro. Comienzas a sentirte guiado y llevado por algo más grande que tú. Pero mientras estés aislado, queriendo hacer todo a tu manera, esto no es posible. Es preciso colocarse en la corriente. Y haces esto cuando preguntas: "¿Cómo puedo servir?". Así, te conviertes en un canal de la felicidad.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
8.DECENT WORK & ECONOMIC GROWTH
"By placing your gifts and talents at service of the greater good, you become a link in the chain of happiness. Joy, prosperity and love pass through you to reach the other. You begin to feel guided and led by something greater than you. But that’s not possible if you remain isolated, wanting to do everything your way. You have to make yourself into a link in the chain, which you do by asking: ‘How can I serve?’ That’s how you become a channel of happiness."
#FlordoDia #GlobalGoals #MetasdoMilênio #SriPremBaba
Today's Daily Dharma: Sticking with Fear
“When
I walk into my fear, practice there, sit upright in the middle of it,
completely open to the experience, with no expectation of the outcome,
anything is possible.”
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Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Thich Nhat Hanh speaks first words after Stroke
The monks and nuns of Thich Nhat Hanh‘s Plum Village community have issued a new statement regarding the Vietnamese Zen master’s ongoing post-stroke therapy. As reported here, Nhat Hanh recently arrived in California’s Bay Area for
various forms of treatment. In their letter, the monks and nuns
highlight different aspects of said treatment and how Thay, as Nhat Hanh
is affectionately called, is responding. He’s even spoken his first
post-stroke words, thanks to speech therapy. From the letter:
Read the complete posting here
Read the whole letter here.
It has been two months now since Thay arrived in America, with the hope of getting more intensive treatment to recover from his stroke. Thanks to the incredible support of our Beloved Community we have been able to obtain the very best doctors and therapists for Thay, across all treatment modalities. We are happy to be able to share that Thay is benefitting from the best of Western, Eastern, conventional, and alternative medical approaches. Thay is receiving acupuncture every day, as well as physical therapy, speech therapy, osteopathy, and neurofeedback, with the support and oversight of a phenomenal team of doctors at UCSF.
With Thay’s advanced age, the severity of the hemorrhage, as well as various complex health issues, recovery is extremely challenging. When Thay first started physical therapy, Thay was very engaged and enthusiastic with his therapists and the program that they had created for him. Preparing for Thay’s sessions of physical therapy, we could all feel the joyful determination in his body language. We would tell him, “Thay, let’s get ready for physical therapy” and Thay would raise his fist in the air and smile, as if to say “Let’s go!”
However, the level of fatigue and physical discomfort that Thay was experiencing when we first arrived in the US limited his ability to participate in the sessions. With the help of the whole team of doctors and therapists we have been able create an integrated program of treatment which allows Thay to have restful sleep, and more alertness, ease and peace in his body, enabling him to more fully participate in the sessions of therapy.
A recent breakthrough has been that whilst using a partial weight support walking frame, Thay’s right leg has started to make small movements, initiating the stepping motion.
Thay has received training from three different speech therapists over the last two months, one of whom was able to help Thay speak his first words since the stroke. It was a legendary day. We are happy to be able to share his very first words:
In, out (several times)
Happy (several times)
Thank you (several times)
and “Vui quá” (meaning, “So happy,” in Vietnamese)
It was like a guided meditation. Everyone was crying and laughing at the same time, including Thay.
Unfortunately, as the speech therapist who helped him to achieve this breakthrough lives far from San Francisco, she had to go back home after three days and Thay lost some momentum. We have tried a number of other speech therapists but have not been able to maintain Thay’s initial rapid progress. We are still looking for a local speech therapist, ideally fluent in Vietnamese, who would be able to work with Thay several times per week.The letter goes on to tell more about Nhat Hanh’s time in the Bay Area, as well as the community’s plans for the fall, which include a tour by the monks and nuns.
Read the complete posting here
Read the whole letter here.
Via Acariya Mahā Boowa
"Instead
of trying to rely on ourselves we always put our hopes in other things,
other people. We can't stand on own two feet. This is because the heart
isn't wise enough to check whether the objects it grasps hold of are
right or wrong, good or bad. It doesn't know how to care for itself, how
to help itself, because there's no one to teach it. There's nobody to
advise on how to know which things are
dangerous and which are beneficial, which things should be held on to
and which things shouldn't. The heart therefore continues
indiscriminately to grasp hold of anything, whether good or bad, as long
as it likes the look of it. Even if it isn't gratifying, the heart's
characteristic trait is still to keep on grasping and clinging. Why
should it be like this?"
-'To the Last Breath Dhamma Talks on Living and Dying'
-'To the Last Breath Dhamma Talks on Living and Dying'
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 15/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
7. ENERGIA RENOVÁVEL
"A raça humana tem uma única chance de permanecer existindo: encontrando meios de fazer com a energia renovável se torne sua principal fonte de energia".
7. ENERGIA RENOVÁVEL
"A raça humana tem uma única chance de permanecer existindo: encontrando meios de fazer com a energia renovável se torne sua principal fonte de energia".
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
7.ENERGÍAS RENOVABLES
"La raza humana tiene una única oportunidad de permanecer existiendo: encontrando medios para hacer que la energía renovable se convierta en su principal fuente de energía."
Project Everyone - Global Goals
7. AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
"The human race has one way of remaining alive: to figure out how to make renewable energy into our main energy source."
#FlordoDia #GlobalGoals #MetasdoMilênio #SriPremBaba
7.ENERGÍAS RENOVABLES
"La raza humana tiene una única oportunidad de permanecer existiendo: encontrando medios para hacer que la energía renovable se convierta en su principal fuente de energía."
Project Everyone - Global Goals
7. AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
"The human race has one way of remaining alive: to figure out how to make renewable energy into our main energy source."
#FlordoDia #GlobalGoals #MetasdoMilênio #SriPremBaba
Today's Daily Dharma: Present for All of It
“No
one really knows what will happen from one moment to the next: who will
we be, what will we face, and how will we respond to what we encounter?
We don’t know, but there’s a good chance we will encounter some rough,
unwanted experiences, some surprises beyond our imaginings, and some
expected things, too. And we can decide to stay present for all of it.”
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Monday, September 14, 2015
Today's Daily Dharma: Don't Cling to Passing Moods
“Lust and hate arise but leave no trace, like birds in flight; don't cling to passing moods.”
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New at Tricycle: On What Is Most Important
On What Is Most Important
Contemplative
traditions are in steep decline—or so we're told. Nobody meditates
anymore. They're too busy playing Candy Crush or writing screeds in the
comments section below YouTube videos. As Tricycle readers, you know
better. This week we look at how Buddhist teachings and rituals remain
vibrant in our time.
Before
we examine the teachings that thrive today, however, we must get a
sense of the ones from the past that are worth holding onto. We offer a
perfect example in our latest magazine piece, "On What Is Most Important,"
in which the Tibetan master Kenchen Thrangu elaborates on eight
classical Indian verses from the yogi Padampa Sangye. Together they
emphasize practicing the dharma in every moment, no matter the
circumstance. Then, and only then, they say, can we make the most of our
lives.
In "A Quiet Subversion,"
we hear from a modern-day Buddhist trying to do just that. By
romanticizing the cave-dwelling recluse, says writer Leath Tonino, we
perceive his lifestyle as an exotic one far different from our own. In
this humorous yet insightful piece, Tonino erases that divide by showing
us how a solitary spiritual life is possible even for a young
city-dweller with a job, a girlfriend, and an obsession with Seinfeld.
Both of those magazine articles are available to everyone this week, but join as a Supporting or Sustaining member
to read the entirety of our latest issue. In it, find out how to escape
from jealousy's clutches, feel good about what you've got, and actually
celebrate your friends' success with the issue's special section on jealousy and envy. It features a Zen teacher who cops to those green feelings, a writer who says they don't deserve such a bad rap, and a Tibetan Buddhist who offers five steps to free yourself from them for good.
As
the Buddhists know, nothing lasts forever. That makes our choices about
which teachings to hold onto and which to leave behind all the more
important. In a provocative blog interview with longtime Vajryana
teacher and practitioner Sangye Khandro, "No Adaptation Required," she speaks candidly about this tension between tradition and renewal.
Every
generation—every person—resolves that tension differently. There's no
easy answer. But by virtue of our mere rumination, perhaps we invent the
teachings anew.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Via Instinct Magazine: Did They Just Find That Homophobia Is A Disease?
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día - Flower of the Day 13/09/201
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
5.IGUALDADE ENTRE OS SEXOS
“Embora a diferença entre homem e mulher seja algo bem definido, no que tange a interação entre eles, os contrastes se equilibram na balança. Tanto o homem como a mulher carregam dentro de si um masculino e um feminino positivo e um masculino e um feminino negativo ou distorcido. A facilidade ou dificuldade se dá na interação: se o meu masculino ou feminino distorcido se relaciona com o masculino ou feminino distorcido de outra pessoa é sempre difícil, independentemente do gênero.”
5.IGUALDADE ENTRE OS SEXOS
“Embora a diferença entre homem e mulher seja algo bem definido, no que tange a interação entre eles, os contrastes se equilibram na balança. Tanto o homem como a mulher carregam dentro de si um masculino e um feminino positivo e um masculino e um feminino negativo ou distorcido. A facilidade ou dificuldade se dá na interação: se o meu masculino ou feminino distorcido se relaciona com o masculino ou feminino distorcido de outra pessoa é sempre difícil, independentemente do gênero.”
Project Everyone - Metas Globais
5. IGUALDAD DE GÉNERO
“Aunque la diferencia entre hombre y mujer sea algo bien definido, con respecto a la interacción entre ellos, los contrastes se equilibran en la balanza. Tanto el hombre como la mujer llevan dentro de sí un masculino y un femenino positivo y un masculino y un femenino negativo o distorsionado. La facilidad o dificultad se da en la interacción: si mí masculino o femenino distorsionado se relaciona con el masculino o femenino distorsionado de otra persona es siempre difícil, independientemente del género.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
5. GENDER EQUALITY
“Although it seems like men and women are very different, in taking a closer look at their interactions, it becomes clear their qualities counter-balance each other. Just as both men and women carry distorted masculine and distorted feminine qualities, they both carry the positive qualities as well. Human interactions can be more or less challenging based on how one person’s distorted masculine and feminine qualities relate with another’s, regardless of gender.”
5. IGUALDAD DE GÉNERO
“Aunque la diferencia entre hombre y mujer sea algo bien definido, con respecto a la interacción entre ellos, los contrastes se equilibran en la balanza. Tanto el hombre como la mujer llevan dentro de sí un masculino y un femenino positivo y un masculino y un femenino negativo o distorsionado. La facilidad o dificultad se da en la interacción: si mí masculino o femenino distorsionado se relaciona con el masculino o femenino distorsionado de otra persona es siempre difícil, independientemente del género.”
Project Everyone - Global Goals
5. GENDER EQUALITY
“Although it seems like men and women are very different, in taking a closer look at their interactions, it becomes clear their qualities counter-balance each other. Just as both men and women carry distorted masculine and distorted feminine qualities, they both carry the positive qualities as well. Human interactions can be more or less challenging based on how one person’s distorted masculine and feminine qualities relate with another’s, regardless of gender.”
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