The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The Threads of Union Translation by BonGiovanni

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The Threads of Union
Translation by BonGiovanni

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1. on Contemplations
2. on Spiritual Disciplines
3. on Divine Powers
4. on Realizations

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Before beginning any spiritual text it is customary to clear the mind of all distracting thoughts, to calm the breath and to purify the heart. 

1.1 Now, instruction in Union.
1.2. Union is restraining the thought-streams natural to the mind.
1.3. Then the seer dwells in his own nature.
1.4. Otherwise he is of the same form as the thought-streams.
1.5. The thought-streams are five-fold, painful and not painful.
1.6. Right knowledge, wrong knowledge, fancy, sleep and memory.
1.7. Right knowledge is inference, tradition and genuine cognition.
1.8. Wrong knowledge is false, illusory, erroneous beliefs or notions.
1.9. Fancy is following after word-knowledge empty of substance.
1.10. Deep sleep is the modification of the mind which has for its substratum nothingness.
1.11. Memory is not allowing mental impressions to escape.
1.12. These thought-streams are controlled by practice and non-attachment.
1.13. Practice is the effort to secure steadiness.
1.14. This practice becomes well-grounded when continued with reverent devotion and without interruption over a long period of time.
1.15. Desirelessness towards the seen and the unseen gives the consciousness of mastery.
1.16. This is signified by an indifference to the three attributes, due to knowledge of the Indweller.
1.17. Cognitive meditation is accompanied by reasoning, discrimination, bliss and the sense of 'I am.'
1.18. There is another meditation which is attained by the practice of alert mental suspension until only subtle impressions remain.
1.19. For those beings who are formless and for those beings who are merged in unitive consciousness, the world is the cause.
1.20. For others, clarity is preceded by faith, energy, memory and equalminded contemplation.
1.21. Equalminded contemplation is nearest to those whose desire is most ardent.
1.22. There is further distinction on account of the mild, moderate or intense means employed.
1.23. Or by surrender to God.
1.24. God is a particular yet universal indweller, untouched by afflictions, actions, impressions and their results.
1.25. In God, the seed of omniscience is unsurpassed.
1.26. Not being conditioned by time, God is the teacher of even the ancients.
1.27. God's voice is Om.
1.28. The repetition of Om should be made with an understanding of its meaning.
1.29. From that is gained introspection and also the disappearance of obstacles.
1.30. Disease, inertia, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, laziness, sensuality, mind-wandering, missing the point, instability- these distractions of the mind are the obstacles.
1.31. Pain, despair, nervousness, and disordered inspiration and expiration are co-existent with these obstacles.
1.32. For the prevention of the obstacles, one truth should be practiced constantly.
1.33. By cultivating friendliness towards happiness and compassion towards misery, gladness towards virtue and indifference towards vice, the mind becomes pure.
1.34. Optionally, mental equanimity may be gained by the even expulsion and retention of energy.
1.35. Or activity of the higher senses causes mental steadiness.
1.36. Or the state of sorrowless Light.
1.37. Or the mind taking as an object of concentration those who are freed of compulsion.
1.38. Or depending on the knowledge of dreams and sleep.
1.39. Or by meditation as desired.
1.40. The mastery of one in Union extends from the finest atomic particle to the greatest infinity.
1.41. When the agitations of the mind are under control, the mind becomes like a transparent crystal and has the power of becoming whatever form is presented. knower, act of knowing, or what is known.
1.42. The argumentative condition is the confused mixing of the word, its right meaning, and knowledge.
1.43. When the memory is purified and the mind shines forth as the object alone, it is called non-argumentative.
1.44. In this way the meditative and the ultra-meditative having the subtle for their objects are also described.
1.45. The province of the subtle terminates with pure matter that has no pattern or distinguishing mark.
1.46. These constitute seeded contemplations.
1.47. On attaining the purity of the ultra-meditative state there is the pure flow of spiritual consciousness.
1.48. Therein is the faculty of supreme wisdom.
1.49. The wisdom obtained in the higher states of consciousness is different from that obtained by inference and testimony as it refers to particulars.
1.50. The habitual pattern of thought stands in the way of other impressions.
1.51. With the suppression of even that through the suspension of all modifications of the mind, contemplation without seed is attained.
End Part One.

Part Two
on Spiritual Disciplines

2.1 Austerity, the study of sacred texts, and the dedication of action to God constitute the discipline of Mystic Union.
2.2 This discipline is practised for the purpose of acquiring fixity of mind on the Lord, free from all impurities and agitations, or on One's Own Reality, and for attenuating the afflictions.
2.3 The five afflictions are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the desire to cling to life.
2.4 Ignorance is the breeding place for all the others whether they are dormant or attenuated, partially overcome or fully operative.
2.5 Ignorance is taking the non-eternal for the eternal, the impure for the pure, evil for good and non-self as self.
2.6 Egoism is the identification of the power that knows with the instruments of knowing.
2.7 Attachment is that magnetic pattern which clusters in pleasure and pulls one towards such experience.
2.8 Aversion is the magnetic pattern which clusters in misery and pushes one from such experience.
2.9 Flowing by its own energy, established even in the wise and in the foolish, is the unending desire for life.
2.10 These patterns when subtle may be removed by developing their contraries.
2.11 Their active afflictions are to be destroyed by meditation.
2.12 The impressions of works have their roots in afflictions and arise as experience in the present and the future births.
2.13 When the root exists, its fruition is birth, life and experience.
2.14 They have pleasure or pain as their fruit, according as their cause be virtue or vice.
2.15 All is misery to the wise because of the pains of change, anxiety, and purificatory acts.
2.16 The grief which has not yet come may be avoided.
2.17 The cause of the avoidable is the superimposition of the external world onto the unseen world.
2.18 The experienced world consists of the elements and the senses in play. It is of the nature of cognition, activity and rest, and is for the purpose of experience and realization.
2.19 The stages of the attributes effecting the experienced world are the specialized and the unspecialized, the differentiated and the undifferentiated.
2.20 The indweller is pure consciousness only, which though pure, sees through the mind and is identified by ego as being only the mind.
2.21 The very existence of the seen is for the sake of the seer.
2.22 Although Creation is discerned as not real for the one who has achieved the goal, it is yet real in that Creation remains the common experience to others.
2.23 The association of the seer with Creation is for the distinct recognition of the objective world, as well as for the recognition of the distinct nature of the seer.
2.24 The cause of the association is ignorance.
2.25 Liberation of the seer is the result of the dissassociation of the seer and the seen, with the disappearance of ignorance.
2.26 The continuous practice of discrimination is the means of attaining liberation.
2.27 Steady wisdom manifests in seven stages.
2.28 On the destruction of impurity by the sustained practice of the limbs of Union, the light of knowledge reveals the faculty of discrimination.
2.29 The eight limbs of Union are self-restraint in actions, fixed observance, posture, regulation of energy, mind-control in sense engagements, concentration, meditation, and realization.
2.30 Self-restraint in actions includes abstention from violence, from falsehoods, from stealing, from sexual engagements, and from acceptance of gifts.
2.31 These five willing abstentions are not limited by rank, place, time or circumstance and constitute the Great Vow.
2.32 The fixed observances are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study and persevering devotion to God.
2.33 When improper thoughts disturb the mind, there should be constant pondering over the opposites.
2.34 Improper thoughts and emotions such as those of violence- whether done, caused to be done, or even approved of- indeed, any thought originating in desire, anger or delusion, whether mild medium or intense- do all result in endless pain and misery. Overcome such distractions by pondering on the opposites.
2.35 When one is confirmed in non-violence, hostility ceases in his presence.
2.36 When one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him.
2.37 All jewels approach him who is confirmed in honesty.
2.38 When one is confirmed in celibacy, spiritual vigor is gained.
2.39 When one is confirmed in non-possessiveness, the knowledge of the why and how of existence is attained.
2.40 From purity follows a withdrawal from enchantment over one's own body as well as a cessation of desire for physical contact with others.
2.41 As a result of contentment there is purity of mind, one-pointedness, control of the senses, and fitness for the vision of the self.
2.42 Supreme happiness is gained via contentment.
2.43 Through sanctification and the removal of impurities, there arise special powers in the body and senses.
2.44 By study comes communion with the Lord in the Form most admired.
2.45 Realization is experienced by making the Lord the motive of all actions.
2.46 The posture should be steady and comfortable.
2.47 In effortless relaxation, dwell mentally on the Endless with utter attention.
2.48 From that there is no disturbance from the dualities.
2.49 When that exists, control of incoming and outgoing energies is next.
2.50 It may be external, internal, or midway, regulated by time, place, or number, and of brief or long duration.
2.51 Energy-control which goes beyond the sphere of external and internal is the fourth level- the vital.
2.52 In this way, that which covers the light is destroyed.
2.53 Thus the mind becomes fit for concentration.
2.54 When the mind maintains awareness, yet does not mingle with the senses, nor the senses with sense impressions, then self-awareness blossoms.
2.55 In this way comes mastery over the senses. 

End Part Two

Part Three
on Divine Powers

3.1 One-pointedness is steadfastness of the mind.
3.2 Unbroken continuation of that mental ability is meditation.
3.3 That same meditation when there is only consciousness of the object of meditation and not of the mind is realization.
3.4 The three appearing together are self-control.
3.5 By mastery comes wisdom.
3.6 The application of mastery is by stages.
3.7 The three are more efficacious than the restraints.
3.8 Even that is external to the seedless realization.
3.9 The significant aspect is the union of the mind with the moment of absorption, when the outgoing thought disappears and the absorptive experience appears.
3.10 From sublimation of this union comes the peaceful flow of unbroken unitive cognition.
3.11 The contemplative transformation of this is equalmindedness, witnessing the rise and destruction of distraction as well as one-pointedness itself.
3.12 The mind becomes one-pointed when the subsiding and rising thought-waves are exactly similar.
3.13 In this state, it passes beyond the changes of inherent characteristics, properties and the conditional modifications of object or sensory recognition.
3.14 The object is that which preserves the latent characteristic, the rising characteristic or the yet-to-be-named characteristic that establishes one entity as specific.
3.15 The succession of these changes in that entity is the cause of its modification.
3.16 By self-control over these three-fold changes (of property, character and condition), knowledge of the past and the future arises.
3.17 The sound of a word, the idea behind the word, and the object the idea signfies are often taken as being one thing and may be mistaken for one another. By self-control over their distinctions, understanding of all languages of all creatures arises.
3.18 By self-control on the perception of mental impressions, knowledge of previous lives arises.
3.19 By self-control on any mark of a body, the wisdom of the mind activating that body arises.
3.20 By self-control on the form of a body, by suspending perceptibility and separating effulgence therefrom, there arises invisibility and inaudibilty.
3.21 Action is of two kinds, dormant and fruitful. By self-control on such action, one portends the time of death.
3.22 By performing self-control on friendliness, the strength to grant joy arises.
3.23 By self-control over any kind of strength, such as that of the elephant, that very strength arises.
3.24 By self-control on the primal activator comes knowledge of the hidden, the subtle, and the distant.
3.25 By self-control on the Sun comes knowledge of spatial specificities.
3.26 By self-control on the Moon comes knowledge of the heavens.
3.27 By self-control on the Polestar arises knowledge of orbits.
3.28 By self-control on the navel arises knowledge of the constitution of the body.
3.29 By self-control on the pit of the throat one subdues hunger and thirst.
3.30 By self-control on the tube within the chest one acquires absolute steadiness.
3.31 By self-control on the light in the head one envisions perfected beings.
3.32 There is knowledge of everything from intuition.
3.33 Self-control on the heart brings knowledge of the mental entity.
3.34 Experience arises due to the inability of discerning the attributes of vitality from the indweller, even though they are indeed distinct from one another. Self-control brings true knowledge of the indweller by itself.
3.35 This spontaneous enlightenment results in intuitional perception of hearing, touching, seeing and smelling.
3.36 To the outward turned mind, the sensory organs are perfections, but are obstacles to realization.
3.37 When the bonds of the mind caused by action have been loosened, one may enter the body of another by knowledge of how the nerve-currents function.
3.38 By self-control of the nerve-currents utilising the lifebreath, one may levitate, walk on water, swamps, thorns, or the like.
3.39 By self-control over the maintenance of breath, one may radiate light.
3.40 By self-control on the relation of the ear to the ether one gains distant hearing.
3.41 By self-control over the relation of the body to the ether, and maintaining at the same time the thought of the lightness of cotton, one is able to pass through space.
3.42 By self-control on the mind when it is separated from the body- the state known as the Great Transcorporeal- all coverings are removed from the Light.
3.43 Mastery over the elements arises when their gross and subtle forms,as well as their essential characteristics, and the inherent attributes and experiences they produce, is examined in self-control.
3.44 Thereby one may become as tiny as an atom as well as having many other abilities, such as perfection of the body, and non-resistence to duty.
3.45 Perfection of the body consists in beauty, grace, strength and adamantine hardness.
3.46 By self-control on the changes that the sense-organs endure when contacting objects, and on the power of the sense of identity, and of the influence of the attributes, and the experience all these produce- one masters the senses.
3.47 From that come swiftness of mind, independence of perception, and mastery over primoridal matter.
3.48 To one who recognizes the distinctive relation between vitality and indweller comes omnipotence and omniscience.
3.49 Even for the destruction of the seed of bondage by desirelessness there comes absolute independence.
3.50 When invited by invisible beings one should be neither flattered nor satisfied, for there is yet a possibility of ignorance rising up.
3.51 By self-control over single moments and their succession there is wisdom born of discrimination.
3.52 From that there is recognition of two similars when that difference cannot be distinguished by class, characteristic or position.
3.53 Intuition, which is the entire discriminative knowledge, relates to all objects at all times, and is without succession.
3.54 Liberation is attained when there is equal purity between vitality and the indweller. 

End Part Three

Part Four
on Realizations

4.1 Psychic powers arise by birth, drugs, incantations, purificatory acts or concentrated insight.
4.2 Transformation into another state is by the directed flow of creative nature.
4.3 Creative nature is not moved into action by any incidental cause, but by the removal of obstacles, as in the case of a farmer clearing his field of stones for irrigation.
4.4 Created minds arise from egoism alone.
4.5 There being difference of interest, one mind is the director of many minds.
4.6 Of these, the mind born of concentrated insight is free from the impressions.
4.7 The impressions of unitive cognition are neither good nor bad. In the case of the others, there are three kinds of impressions.
4.8 From them proceed the development of the tendencies which bring about the fruition of actions.
4.9 Because of the magnetic qualities of habitual mental patterns and memory, a relationship of cause and effect clings even though there may be a change of embodiment by class, space and time.
4.10 The desire to live is eternal, and the thought-clusters prompting a sense of identity are beginningless.
4.11 Being held together by cause and effect, substratum and object- the tendencies themselves disappear on the dissolution of these bases.
4.12 The past and the future exist in the object itself as form and expression, there being difference in the conditions of the properties.
4.13 Whether manifested or unmanifested they are of the nature of the attributes.
4.14 Things assume reality because of the unity maintained within that modification.
4.15 Even though the external object is the same, there is a difference of cognition in regard to the object because of the difference in mentality.
4.16 And if an object known only to a single mind were not cognized by that mind, would it then exist?
4.17 An object is known or not known by the mind, depending on whether or not the mind is colored by the object.
4.18 The mutations of awareness are always known on account of the changelessness of its Lord, the indweller.
4.19 Nor is the mind self-luminous, as it can be known.
4.20 It is not possible for the mind to be both the perceived and the perceiver simultaneously.
4.21 In the case of cognition of one mind by another, we would have to assume cognition of cognition, and there would be confusion of memories.
4.22 Consciousness appears to the mind itself as intellect when in that form in which it does not pass from place to place.
4.23 The mind is said to perceive when it reflects both the indweller (the knower) and the objects of perception (the known).
4.24 Though variegated by innumerable tendencies, the mind acts not for itself but for another, for the mind is of compound substance.
4.25 For one who sees the distinction, there is no further confusing of the mind with the self.
4.26 Then the awareness begins to discriminate, and gravitates towards liberation.
4.27 Distractions arise from habitual thought patterns when practice is intermittent.
4.28 The removal of the habitual thought patterns is similar to that of the afflictions already described.
4.29 To one who remains undistracted in even the highest intellection there comes the equalminded realization known as The Cloud of Virtue. This is a result of discriminative discernment.
4.30 From this there follows freedom from cause and effect and afflictions.
4.31 The infinity of knowledge available to such a mind freed of all obscuration and property makes the universe of sensory perception seem small.
4.32 Then the sequence of change in the three attributes comes to an end, for they have fulfilled their function.
4.33 The sequence of mutation occurs in every second, yet is comprehensible only at the end of a series.
4.34 When the attributes cease mutative association with awarenessness, they resolve into dormancy in Nature, and the indweller shines forth as pure consciousness. This is absolute freedom. 

End Part Four
The end of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Found here with gratitude

Via Upworthy: When he saw his son kiss a boy, I thought he'd be mad. He completely surprised me.

You know those moments that just seem like something out of a movie?

You know the ones — when you're expecting an uplifting song to start playing right at the climax of a tearjerking scene, which you happen to be seeing live before your eyes? Well, I just witnessed an Oscar-worthy performance.

This weekend as I sat in Starbucks, writing — I know, it doesn't get much more cliché than that — I noticed a man and his son walk into the coffee shop. My gaydar immediately informed me that I was in the presence of my own kind. 
'

The boy was very handsome: With a Gaga shirt and rolled-up jeans, he looked to be around 16. A man who appeared to be his father — who could only be described as a man's man — accompanied him. Large and intimidating in stature, his father wore a camouflaged shirt and some rather dirty jeans.

A moment later, another young boy about the same age came into the shop. He walked over to the first boy and gave him a loving hug.

The father sternly nodded his head at the boy in a rather macho display of a greeting. 

"Uh oh," I thought. This didn't look to be the kind of guy that would be incredibly happy about having an openly gay son. 

The boys walked up to the counter to order their overpriced lattes, and the father stepped in to pay.

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To my surprise, the father's reaction was that of a beaming smile. His son was in love, and it didn't matter that it happened to be with a boy.

 Read the full and original article here

 

Via Tricycle Wisdom: H.H. Karmapa: Vegetarianism, Online Education and Nuns’ Ordination

For our debut episode, Daniel travels to Dharamsala, India, to interview His Holiness the Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

His Holiness talks about the efficacy of listening to Dharma classes, receiving empowerments, and taking ordination vows online, touching on the differences between Tibetan and traditional Western education and how each benefits from dialogue with the other.

He further shares some thoughts on how Western Dharma centers could be improved; he talks about vegetarianism, including anecdotes from his own and his previous emanations’ experiences with vegetarianism; and he discusses his recent involvement planning to re-establish the tradition of full ordination for Tibetan Buddhist nuns.

Make the jump here to listen

Via Tricycle: The Wisdom Podcast

The Wisdom Podcast is a Buddhist podcast that features interviews with leading thinkers from the Buddhist world. Each episode takes you on a fascinating exploration of Buddhism and meditation as our guests share stories and discuss life-changing practices, timeless philosophies, and new ways to think and live. Recent episodes have featured guests like His Holiness the Karmapa, Bhikkhu Bodhi, and Jeffrey Hopkins. 

Make the jump here to register and listen

Via Tricycle: Meditation Month Is Coming Soon!

Are you hoping to start a regular meditation practice? Looking to pick up where you left off? Could your current practice use a dash of invigoration and guidance? If so, you’re in luck, because Meditation Month is one week away! Commit to sit with us every day of the month—we’ll be here to lend you a hand along the way.

Beginning next Monday, February 29, we’ll be kicking off Meditation Month with the first of five guided meditations led by Vipassana teacher Spring Washam. Sign up for Meditation Month here, and you’ll be able to ask Spring questions about your practice. If you're a Tricycle subscriber, you can also look forward to the release of our third volume of Tricycle Teachings: Meditation, a selection of the clearest and most helpful meditation instructions from Pema Chödrön, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and many others. The guidance of these master meditators will help you commit to a full month of “sit.”

When it’s time to get off your seat and back on the track, court, field, or yoga mat, consider the words of Tricycle contributor (and elementary school gym teacher) Alex Tzelnic: “Practice, both the athletic and the spiritual kind, is not a manifestation of perfection but an acceptance of imperfection.” Read more about the link between athletics and compassionate action in the latest installment of his web-column, “(Meta)Physical Education.”

Finally, if you haven’t watched this month’s Film Club selection, Siddharth, now’s your last chance. This film, about one father’s quest to find his missing 12-year-old, won Best Film and Best Director at the South Asian International Film Festival. It’ll be gone by March, so tune in before Meditation Month takes the place of movie night. 

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 23/02/2016

“Ao perceber-se visitado pelo medo, lembre-se de ocupar o corpo. Volte para o momento presente e coloque-se total na ação. No momento presente não existe medo, pois o medo está relacionado a uma fantasia a respeito do futuro, que é construída a partir de experiências do passado. O medo é um excesso de controle. No aqui/agora não existe necessidade de controlar, você simplesmente se move de acordo com o fluxo - a existência te leva. Mas, para isso, é preciso confiar, e a confiança é uma fragrância da presença.”

“Al percibirte siendo visitado por el miedo, recuerda ocupar tu cuerpo. Vuelve al momento presente y colócate total en la acción. En el momento presente no existe miedo, pues el miedo está relacionado a una fantasía respecto al futuro, que es construida a partir de experiencias del pasado. El miedo es un exceso de control. En el aquí/ahora no existe necesidad de controlar, simplemente te mueves de acuerdo con el flujo, la existencia te lleva. Pero para eso, es necesario confiar, y la confianza es una fragancia de la presencia.”

"When you realize that fear is paying you a visit, remember to occupy your body. Return to the present moment and be whole in your actions. There is no fear in the present, because fear is related to a fantasy about the future, which is built on past experiences. Fear turns us into control freaks; in the here and now, there is no need to control – you simply move with the flow and allow Existence to lead you. In order to reach this point, you have to first trust – and trust is a fragrance of presence.”

Via Daily Dharma: Developing Our Skillfulness

Because each of us is trapped in the system of interconnectedness by our own actions, only we, as individuals, can break out by acting in increasingly skillful ways. The Buddha and members of the noble sangha can show us the way, but actual skillfulness is something we have to develop on our own.

—Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "We Are Not One"

 

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For Everyman Lyrics by Jackson Browne:

Everybody I talk to is ready to leave
With the light of the morning
They've seen the end coming down
Long enough to believe
That they've heard their last warning
Standing alone
Each has his own ticket in his hand
And as the evening descends
I sit thinking 'bout Everyman
Seems like I've always been
Looking for some other place
To get it together
Where with a few of my friends
I could give up the race
And maybe find something better
But all my fine dreams
Well though out schemes
To gain the motherland
Have all eventually come down
Yo waiting for Everyman
Waiting here for Everyman
Make it on your own if you think you can
If you see somewhere to go I understand
Waiting here for Everyman
Don't ask me if he'll show -- baby I don't know
Make it on your own if you think you can
Somewhere later on you'll have to take a stand
Then you're going to need a hand
Everybody's just waiting to hear from the one
Who can give them the answers
And lead them back to that place
In the warmth of the sun
Where sweet childhood still dances
Who'll come along
And hold out that strong
And gentle father's hand?
Long ago I heard someone say
Something 'bout Everyman
Waiting here for Everyman
Make it on your own if you think you can
If you see somewhere to go I understand
I'm not trying to tell you
That I've seen the plan
Turn and walk away if you think I am
But don't think too badly
Of one who's left holding sand
He's just another dreamer,
Dreaming 'bout Everyman

Writer(s): JACKSON BROWNE

Copyright: Lyrics © Jackson Browne/Swallow Turn Music/Night Kitchen Music/Open Window Music

Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Everyman

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 22/02/2016

“O medo é a antítese do amor; ele está sempre ligado ao ódio. Outros aspectos do eu inferior, como o orgulho e a obstinação, se conectam a ele, mas saber disso não vai te ajudar muito. O que pode te ajudar é olhar de frente para o medo e ver o que está por trás dele. O medo é um guardião que está a serviço de proteger apegos; é o sintoma de um desencaixe interno, uma insatisfação. E você evita entrar em contato com isso porque talvez seja necessário mudar alguma coisa na sua vida. Mas, como um buscador da Verdade, você precisa ter coragem de olhar e se perguntar: Quem é esse que vê a vida como uma ameaça? O que esse medo está escondendo? Assim você desarma o guardião e se torna um explorador da consciência.”

“El miedo es la antítesis del amor, siempre está conectado al odio. Otros aspectos del yo inferior como el orgullo y la obstinación se conectan a él, pero saber esto no te va a ayudar mucho. Lo que te puede ayudar es mirar de frenteal miedo y ver qué está por detrás de él. El miedo es un guardián que está al servicio de proteger apegos, es el síntoma de un desencaje interno, una insatisfacción. Y evitas entrar en contacto con esto porque tal vez sea necesario cambiar algo en tu vida. Pero como un buscador de la Verdad, necesitas tener coraje para mirar y preguntarte: ¿Quién es este que ve la vida como una amenaza? ¿Qué es lo que este miedo está escondiendo? Así desarmas al guardián y te vuelves un explorador de la conciencia.”

"Fear is the antithesis of love; it is always linked with hatred. Other aspects of the lower self such as pride and stubbornness are also connected to fear, but knowing all this will not help us much. What can help us is to face the fear straight on and look to see what lies behind it. Fear is the Guard who protects the doorway to attachments; it is the symptom of dissatisfaction, where something just isn’t sitting right internally. We avoid getting in touch with this because it means we may need to change something in our lives. However, as a seeker of the truth, we must have the courage to take a look at ourselves and ask: ‘Who is the one that sees life as a threat? What is this fear hiding?’ By doing so, we can disarm our inner Guard and become an explorer of consciousness.”

Via Daily Dharma: The Small Self and the True Self

Our small self is the “I, my, me” that feels like a separate person. Our true self has no idea of being separate, because it is before all ideas and thinking.

—Jane Dobisz, "Up and Down"

 

Read More 

Via LGBT INCLUSIVE / FB:

 

 

Someone you know is gay. Maybe even someone you love. Think before you speak hate. It is all about equality.

Via Mountain Stream Meditation Center / FB:

Via FB: The Ideals of Bernie Sanders

Via Ram Dass:

February 21, 2016

In relationships, when the other person doesn’t fit into your model of how heaven would be, you don’t have to play God. You just have to love individual differences and appreciate the way they are. Because as Maharaj-Ji said to me, “Love is the most powerful medicine.”

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 21/02/2016

“Quando não ocupa o seu corpo e se deixa ser conduzido por impulsos inconscientes, você perde o domínio sobre a rota da jornada evolutiva. Esses impulsos se utilizam dos seus pensamentos, palavras e ações para conduzi-lo ao fracasso. Isso ocorre porque eles são oriundos daquilo que conhecemos como ‘sombra’; um ‘lugar’ na consciência (inconsciência) onde escondemos tudo o que julgamos como maldade. E sendo conduzido por tais impulsos, você se sente indefeso e fragilizado - uma vítima do destino. Mas isso que você chama de ‘destino’ é apenas um produto da falta de presença. Lembre-se de que você mesmo está se colocando nessa situação e trate de ocupar o seu veículo.”

“Cuando no ocupas tu cuerpo y te dejas llevar por impulsos inconscientes, pierdes el dominio sobre la ruta del camino evolutivo. Estos impulsos se sirven de tus pensamientos, palabras y acciones para conducirte al fracaso. Esto ocurre porque son oriundos de aquello que conocemos como `sombra´, un `lugar´ en la conciencia (inconsciencia) donde escondemos todo lo que juzgamos como maldad. Y siendo conducido por tales impulsos, te sientes indefenso y frágil, una víctima del destino. Pero esto que llamas `destino´ es solo un producto de la falta de presencia. Recuerda que tú mismo te estás colocando en esta situación y trata de ocupar tu vehículo.”

"When we don’t occupy our bodies and we allow ourselves to be driven by unconscious impulses, we lose our grip on directing our evolutionary journey. These impulses use our thoughts, words and actions to steer us towards failure. This is because they come from what we know as 'shadow,' a 'place' in our unconsciousness where we hid everything we judge as evil. And being led by such impulses, we feel like helpless and frail victims of fate. But what we often call 'destiny' is actually just a product of the lack of presence. Remember that you are the one putting yourself in this situation; go back to occupying your vehicle.”

Via Daily Dharma: The Most Important Thing in the World

No matter how humble the activity—whether it be walking, sitting, eating, or washing the dishes—one approaches it with mindfulness, acting, and listening egolessly as if it might be the most important thing in the world, for indeed all that is, has been, and will be is contained in the present moment.

—Charles Johnson, "A Sangha by Another Name"

 

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Via JMG: PORTUGAL: President Signs Gay Adoption Bill

He doesn’t like it but he had no choice. The Perchy Bird reports: Portugal was once the only country with gay marriage but no adoption rights for couples. That changed today when news emerged that out-going President, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, signed the same-sex adoption bill ushered in by a new Left-leaning Parliamentary majority. 

Make the jump here to read the original and more at JMG

Via um amigo...

Via um amigo...

Via Buddhism in a Nutshell: The Metta Sutta Translated by Thich Nhat Hanh

Buddhism in a Nutshell The Metta Sutta
Translated by Thich Nhat Hanh
He or She who wants to attain peace should practice being upright, humble, and capable of using loving speech. He or she will know how to live simply and happily, with senses calmed, without being covetous and carried away by the emotions of the majority. Let him or her not do anything that will be disapproved of by the wise ones. (And this is what he or she contemplates): 

‘May everyone be happy and safe, and may their hearts be filled with joy. 

‘May all living beings live in security and peace, beings who are frail or strong, tall or short, big or small, visible or not visible, near or far away, already born or yet to be born. May all of them dwell in perfect tranquility. 

‘Let no one do harm to anyone. Let no one put the life of anyone in danger. Let no one, out of anger or ill will, wish anyone any harm. 

‘Just as a mother loves and protects her only child at the risk of her own life, we should cultivate boundless love to offer to all living beings in the entire cosmos. Let our boundless love pervade the whole universe, above, below, and across. Our love will know no obstacles, our heart will be absolutely free from hatred and enmity. Whether standing or walking, sitting or lying, as long as we are awake, we should maintain this mindfulness of love in our own heart. This is the noblest way of living. 

‘Free from wrong views, greed, and sensual desires, living in beauty and realizing perfect understanding, those who practise boundless love will certainly transcend birth and death.’

---

Mindfulness is the energy that allows us to look deeply at our body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness and see clearly what our real needs are, so we will not drown in the sea of suffering. Eventually love fills our mind and our will (Pali: cetana) and all our actions from that time on manifest love. Speech and actions are the fruits of will, so when our will is permeated by love, our speech and actions are also suffused with love. We speak only loving and constructive words and act only in ways that bring happiness and relieve suffering. 

*** 

Practise looking deeply all day long – during sitting meditation, walking meditation, at work, and at home. When you do, you will discover the true nature of the five skandhas – form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. You will see the conditions that have caused you to be the way you are, and this makes it easy to accept yourself – your suffering and your happiness at the same time. To love is first of all to accept yourself as you actually are. ‘Knowing thyself’ is the first practice of love.

*** 

May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love. May he/she learn to look at him/herself with the eyes of understanding and love. May they learn to look at themselves with the eyes of understanding and love. 

May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself. May he/she be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in him/herself. May they be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in themselves. 

May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself. May he/she learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving and delusion in him/herself. May they learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving and delusion in themselves. 

http://slbuddhists.org/inanutshell/mettasutta.html
 

3. METTA SUTTA

3. METTA SUTTA ( Metta=Love; Affection; benevolence; eros; agape amour; Loving-kindness. ) Discourse on Love
Introduction
46.	Due to the glorious power of this discourse on Love, spirits dare not disclose the frighful sights.    One who devotes to himself this doctrine day and night diligently.
47.	sleeps soundly and does not see any nightmare when asleep.    Oh thou! Let us recite this doctrine endowed with such and other merits.
48.	He who is clever in the benefaction and who has anticipated in the attainment of the state of Perfect Tranquility    must work to be efficient, right, upright, discussable, gentle, and humble,
49.	Contented, well-bred, less responsible, of fugal livelihood, serene in faculties, prudent, modest, not hanker after the families.
50.	He must not commit even the slightest sin for which the wise men might censure.    He must contemplate thus:- may all sentient beings be cheerful and be endowed with happy secured life.
51.	Whatever breathing beings there may be the frail ones or the firm creatures, with no exception tall or stout, short or meduim-sized, thin or fat,
52.	Those which are seen or those unseen those who are dwelling far or near those who are already born or those still seeking to become yet.    May all these beings be endowed with happy-life.
53.	Let not one be angry with another, let him not despise anyone in any place    By means of physical and verbal provocation or by frustrated enmity,    Let one not wish another's suffering.
54.	Just like a mother would protect her baby, the only child, even so towards with her lifeall beings    Let one cultivate the (Agape) boundless spirit of love.
55.	Let him radiate the boundless of love rays towards the entire world, to the above, below, and across unhindered, without malice and enmity.
56.	While standing, walking, or reclining, as long awake without sloth, sitting, as he be    Let him devote himself to this mindfulness.     This is called in this religion as "Noble Living" (Holy life).
57.	If the meditator, without falling into wrong view (egoism), be virtuous, and endowed with perfect insight, has expelled passion in sensual desires,    he will surely come never again to be born in any womb. The end of Metta-sutta
	The End of Metta Sutta http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/sound/metta.htm

Metta Sutta: Discourse on Loving-kindness by U Nandiya

Once the Bhagava ( Lord Buddha) was staying at the Jetavana
monastery in the pleasance of Anathapindika at Savatthi. A group
of monks received permission from the Lord to meditate in a
distant forest during the period of Buddhist Lent. Each of the
monks took shelter under a big tree as a temporary residence and
an engaged themselves intensively in the practice of meditation.

On account of the spiritual power of their meditation, the tree
deities could not stay in their trees-abodes above the monks, so
they had to come down to the ground. Realizing that the monks
would spend the whole rainy season there, the deities were much
annoyed. So they tried to scare the monks away during the night by
harassing them in various ways.

After living under such impossible conditions for sometime, the
monks could not bear it any longer and rushed back to the Buddha
and informed him about their difficulties. So the Buddha advised
them to recite the text of loving kindness (Metta Sutta) and to
radiate the spirit of love to all beings. On the full-moon day of
Wagaung, the Buddha taught the monks the Metta Sutta. From that
day till now, the full-moon day of Wagaung has been called as the
'Great or Grand Occasion of Metta.

Encouraged by this discourse, the monks returned to their
respective places. They practiced in accordance with the
instructions given them to permeate the entire atmosphere with
radiant thoughts of love, The tree-deities were much pleased to be
affected by the power of love, and so let the monks (meditators)
stay without any further disturbances.

Metta

Metta is the highest need of the world today, indeed it is more
needed than ever before. Because in this new world, there are
sufficient materials, money and brilliant wise men and scientists.
In spite of these, there is no peace and happiness. It shows that
something is lacking, That is Metta.

What is the Buddhist idea of Metta? The Pali word "Metta" means
"loving kindness", not the ordinary, sensual, emotional,
sentimental kind of love. Metta has been translated by modem
translators into English as generous, mindful loving, loving
kindness, sending out thoughts of love towards others" but
according to the words of Buddha, Metta has a far wider
significance, and a much more extensive implication than this. It
means a great deal more than loving kindness harmlessness,
sympathy.

What is love? Love is also defined in the Oxford Dictionary.
According to it, love means warm affection, attachment,
affectionate devotion, etc. These are synonymous terms for love
and they all refer to sentimental worldly love. So, Metta has no
full English equivalent. For this Metta is much more than ordinary
affection or warm feelings. The Pali word Metta literally means
"friendliness", but also means love without a desire to possess
but with desire to help, to sacrifice self-interest for the
welfare and well being of humanity. Metta is with out any
selection or exclusion. If you select a few good friends and
exclude a bad person, then you have not got a perfect grasp of
Metta. Indeed Metta is not only benevolent thought, but also
performing charitable deeds, an active ministry for the good of
one and all.

In the "Metta Sutta" the Buddha has chosen the love of a mother
for her child as an example. Imagine a mother's love when her
child is hungry; she watches carefully to feed her child even be
fore it asks her for food. When the child is in danger, she will
risk her own life. So the Buddha taught us to love all beings as a
mother loves her only child. If we can do this even to a small
extent, the world will become happier and more peaceful place. In
the Dighanikaya, it is said by the Buddha that almost every virtue
such as unselfishness, loving sympathy and loving kindness is
included in this "Metta".

Though we talked much about Metta and repeat the formula "Sabbe
satta avera hontu, abyapajjha hontu etc;. "( May all sentient
beings be free from danger; may they be free from oppression
etc.), without Metta how can it be effective? This passage is not
to be merely recited. The Buddha does not ask us to learn any of
his teachings for recitation only. So the recitation of the "Metta
Sutta" is good, but the Buddha did not mean it to be merely
recited. He exhorted us to follow and practice the instructions in
it so that we might realize Metta as the best state of heart in
the world.

Therefore do not be satisfied with the mere recitation of the
"Metta Sutta" but strive to know its meaning with a view to
practicing it and to make it suffuse your being. That is the most
essential fact. Meditation does not mean merely to think about it,
but to practice it in your daily life.

Discourse of loving kindness

This discourse of loving kindness serves as a mark of protection
and as a subject of meditation. In the first part of the discourse
are found virtues that should be practiced by anyone who desires
his own welfare, and in the latter part the method of practicing
Metta or good will is explained in de tail. The Buddha taught us
to follow and practice the following principles:

He who is skilled in doing welfare, who wishes to attain
the state of calm, (Perfect tranquility) must work to be
efficient, upright, perfectly upright, easy to speak to,
gentle and humble.

Contended, easily supportable, having few duties, simple
in livelihood, controlled in sense prudent, modest and
not greedily attached to families, he must not commit
even the slightest sin for which other wise men might
censure him.

He must contemplate so: May all beings be happy, may all
beings be secure, may all beings be happy. He must
radiate the measureless thoughts of loving kindness to
whatever living beings there may be; feeble or strong,
tall, medium or short, small, medium or large, thin,
medium or stout, seen or unseen, those dwelling far or
near, those who are born and those who are to be born-
may all beings, without exception, be happy.

Let none be angry with another, let him not despise
anyone in any place. By means of physical and verbal
provocation or by frustrated enmity, in anger or
ill-will let him not wish another's suffering.

Just as a mother would protect at the risk of her own
life the life of her only son, even so let him spread
boundless loving kindness to every corner of the world;
above, below and across, unhindered without any
obstruction, without any hatred, without any enmity.

While standing, walking, sitting or lying down, as long
as he awake, without sloth (laziness) he should devote
himself to this mindfulness of love. This, they say, is
the "Highest Conduct" and this is called the "Noble
living" (Holy life).

If the meditator, not falling into wrong-view (egoism),
be virtuous and endowed with perfect insight, and expel
his passion for sensual pleasure, then, of a truth, he
will never be conceived in any womb again.

In the Dhammapada the Buddha said, "A beautiful word or thought
which is not accompanied by corresponding acts is like a bright
flower which bears no fruit. It would not produce any effect." So,
it is action, not speculation, it is practice, not theory that
matters. According to the Dhammapada, "will" if it is not followed
by corresponding action does not count. Therefore, practice of the
"Noble Principles of the Metta Sutta" is the essence of Buddhism.

In this connexion this "Metta" or Universal Love (Loving kindness)
is generally taken to exist in connexion with other people, but in
reality love for self comes first. It is not a selfish love, but
love for self, pure love that comes first. By having pure love or
"Metta" as we defined it for self; selfish tendencies, hatred,
anger, will be diminished. Therefore, unless we ourselves possess
"Metta" within, we can not share, radiate, send "Metta" to others.
So meditation on love "Metta" is to be started within ourselves.
According to Buddhism self-love comes first. By helping ourselves,
we can help others effectively. The Buddha pointed out, "If a
person cannot help himself well, he cannot help others well".

In the Dhammapada it says, "One should first establish oneself in
what is proper then only he should advise another; such a wise-man
will not be reproached!". If one cannot find happiness in himself,
he cannot find happiness anywhere else. It is also said that
people who cannot control themselves cannot find happiness.

According to the Buddhist method, training oneself comes first.
Individual perfection must be first, so that the organic whole may
be perfect. The state of the outer world is a reflection of our
innerselves. The world is like a great mirror, and if you look at
the mirror with a smiling face, you will see your own beautiful
smiling face. If you look at it with a shrinking face, you will
see your own ugly face. It means that "Every action must have
equal and opposite reaction."

So if you treat the world properly, kindly, the world will treat
you kindly. We should not expect other persons to treat us kindly
first, we should start by ourselves treating them kindly,

This is the essence of Buddhist "Metta" Loving Kindness.

"May all beings be happy, may all beings be secure, may all beings be happy minded and  may their hearts be wholesome."

 

Source: The Buddhists' Three Jewels, http://www.buddhism.ndirect.co.uk/

The Metta Prayer

In order that I may be skilled in discerning what is good, in order that I may understand the path to peace,
Let me be able, upright, and straightforward, of good speech, gentle, and free from pride;
Let me be contented, easily satisfied, having few duties, living simply, of controlled senses, prudent, without pride and without attachment to nation, race, or other groups.
Let me not do the slightest thing for which the wise might rebuke me. Instead let me think:

“May all beings be well and safe, may they be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be, whether moving or standing still, without exception, whether large, great, middling, or small, whether tiny or substantial,
Whether seen or unseen, whether living near or far,
Born or unborn; may all beings be happy.
Let none deceive or despise another anywhere. Let none wish harm to another, in anger or in hate.”

Just as a mother would guard her child, her only child, with her own life, even so let me cultivate a boundless mind for all beings in the world.
Let me cultivate a boundless love for all beings in the world, above, below, and across, unhindered, without ill will or enmity.
Standing, walking, seated, or lying down, free from torpor, let me as far as possible fix my attention on this recollection. This, they say, is the divine life right here.

Translated and adapted by Bodhipaksa from the Pali Metta Sutta.

http://www.wildmind.org/metta/introduction/metta-prayer

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 20/02/2016

“A fase zero no processo do despertar da consciência é colocar-se total na ação. É estar plenamente atento a cada movimento. A atenção plena é o que permite que você ocupe o seu veículo, que é seu corpo. Sem ocupar o seu veículo, você não pode conduzi-lo; e sem poder conduzi-lo, ele será levado por impulsos inconscientes. Tais impulsos normalmente te levam na direção oposta àquela que a sua vontade consciente determina. Você é levado ao que chamo de ‘repetições negativas’: fracassos, conflitos, brigas e perturbações de diversos tipos.”

“La fase cero en el proceso del despertar de la consciencia es colocarse total en la acción. Es estar plenamente atento a cada movimiento. La atención plena es lo que permite que ocupes tu vehículo, que es tu cuerpo. Sin ocupar tu cuerpo no puedes conducirlo, y sin poder conducirlo, será llevado por impulsos inconscientes. Tales impulsos normalmente te llevan en la dirección opuesta a aquella que tu voluntad consciente determina. Eres llevado a lo que llamo “repeticiones negativas”: fracasos, conflictos, peleas y perturbaciones de diversos tipos.”

"Phase zero in the process of awakening consciousness is to be whole in our actions; to be fully aware of every move we make. Mindfulness is what allows us to occupy our vehicles, our bodies. Without occupying our vehicles, we cannot drive them, and without a driver, the vehicle will be directed by unconscious impulses. These impulses usually take us in the opposite direction from what our conscious will determines. We are led to create negative repetitions in our own lives such as failures, conflicts, fights and various kinds of disturbances."

Via Daily Dharma: Getting Started

Putting the Buddha’s discovery into practice is no quick fix. It can take years. The most important qualification at the beginning is a strong desire to change your life by adopting new habits and learning to see the world anew.

—Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Getting Started"

 

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Via Bernie Sanders:

 

América torna-se uma nação melhor quando juntos dizemos não ao racismo, ao ódio e à intolerância. #AmericaTogether

Thylacine | Full Gay Short Film

Via FB

Metta...

Via Ram Das: Weekly Article: I Am Loving Awareness

Download this Article (PDF)

When talking about awareness, most of us identify with our awareness through the ego, through the mind and senses. But the true self is in the middle of our chest, in our spiritual heart.

So, to get from ego to the true self I say, “I am loving awareness.” Loving awareness is the soul. “I am loving awareness.” I am aware of everything, I’m aware of my body and my senses and my mind, I’m aware of all of it, but I notice that I’m loving all of it. I’m loving all of the world.
The self that I identify with emanates from the ocean of love. The self that is the ego is the ocean of fear. When I am loving awareness, I’m aware of everything outside, but pulling into the heart, the spiritual heart, brings me to loving awareness. I’m aware of my thoughts, but loving awareness is simply witnessing them. Loving awareness is in this moment.
I have thoughts about the past and future, but those are not helpful, so I dive deep into the presence and in this present moment we will find loving awareness. Only this moment is real, this moment of loving awareness. The past and the future are all just thoughts.
In this spiritual heart there is peace, there is contentment, and there is compassion. There is also joy and wisdom, all inside of your spiritual heart and mine. So when you say, “I want a peaceful world” you don’t look outside, you go inside where peace exists. In Hinduism the spiritual heart is called the Atman, it’s the God within.
In Hinduism there is a story about a horse drawn carriage. The horseman who is on top of the carriage represents the ego, and the spiritual heart or the soul is in the carriage. The horses represent your motivation, and anytime the soul decides that the horse is going the wrong way, the soul takes his stick and taps on the window and tells the horseman to go in a different direction. So most of us identify with the horseman, because you are an incarnation that includes the ego.
The soul has come from many previous incarnations, it’s been through many births and deaths and it has no fear. The ego is afraid that when this incarnation is ended, it’s all going to end. The soul knows that he or she goes through incarnation after incarnation. Your incarnation includes your parents, your body, your friends, your culture.

I am in this body – this body, my personality, are all in time and space, but I am not in time or space. I am infinite. I am loving awareness.

– Ram Dass

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 19/02/2016

“A impaciência é uma derivação da ansiedade. Muitos buscadores espirituais iniciam o caminho por causa do sofrimento que a ansiedade gera, mas acabam transferindo essa ansiedade para o caminho espiritual. Antes você tinha ansiedade em relação à realização material, agora você se torna impaciente e ansioso em relação à realização espiritual. Portanto, tenha calma. Através do conhecimento e das práticas, nós estamos plantando sementes, mas não podemos saber quando elas germinarão. O nosso trabalho é cuidar das sementes, sem determinar quando elas irão brotar e dar flores ou frutos.”

“La impaciencia es una derivación de la ansiedad. Muchos buscadores espirituales inician el camino debido al sufrimiento que la ansiedad genera, pero terminan transfiriendo esta ansiedad al camino espiritual. Antes tenías ansiedad en relación a la realización material, ahora te volviste impaciente y ansioso en relación a la realización espiritual. Por lo tanto, ten calma. A través del conocimiento y de las prácticas, estamos plantando semillas, pero no podemos saber cuándo van a germinar. Nuestro trabajo es cuidar las semillas, sin determinar cuándo van a brotar y dar flores o frutos.”

"Impatience is a result of anxiety. Many spiritual seekers begin on this path due to the suffering that anxiety generates, but they end up transferring this anxiety onto the spiritual path. Initially, one may have had anxiety about material achievement, but one may now be impatient and anxious about spiritual realization. So, stay calm. Through knowledge and practice, we are planting seeds, but we cannot predict when they will sprout. Our job is to take care of these seeds, without determining when they will sprout or bear flowers and fruit.”

Via Daily Dharma: Focused Attention

An ordinary person’s attention strays according to any movement of mind. Suddenly there is the confusion of believing in self and other, subject and object, and this situation goes on and on repeating itself endlessly.

— Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, "Taking Your Future Into Your Own Hands"

 

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Via FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 18/02/2016

“A paciência é um grande poder, é uma expressão da força. Ao perder a paciência, você perde sua força e se torna vulnerável. Alguns fingem ter paciência, e dessa forma acabam se prejudicando. Por fora você não demonstra, mas por dentro está pegando fogo. A falsa paciência é geradora de muitas doenças. Ela causa alterações no sistema nervoso e, consequentemente, no sistema endócrino, o que se manifesta em diferentes partes do corpo de acordo com as suas heranças kármicas. Já a autêntica paciência é fonte de saúde, pois estabelece equanimidade mental.”

“La paciencia es un gran poder, es una expresión de fuerza. Al perder la paciencia, pierdes tu fuerza y te vuelves vulnerable. Algunos fingen tener paciencia, y de esta forma terminan perjudicándose. Por afuera no lo demuestras, pero por dentro estás prendiéndote fuego. La falsa paciencia genera muchas enfermedades. Causa alteraciones en el sistema nervioso y consecuentemente en el sistema endocrino, lo que se manifiesta en diferentes partes del cuerpo de acuerdo con tus herencias kármicas. La auténtica paciencia es fuente de salud, ya que establece ecuanimidad mental.”

"Patience is a great power – it is an expression of strength. When we lose patience, we lose our strength and become vulnerable. Some people merely pretend to be patient, but end up harming themselves, for behind their outward cool they are on fire. This false patience generates many illnesses. It causes changes in the nervous system and, consequently, in the endocrine system. The symptoms then show up in different parts of the body according to our own karmic baggage. Authentic patience on the other hand, is a source of health as it establishes mental equanimity.”

Via Daily Dharma: Experiential Wisdom

Contemplative inquiry is in effect a dialogue between the “I” of the mind and the “me” of the body that attunes us to the body’s deeper knowing, its genuine experiential wisdom. Unlike discursive mind, the body has no way of being anything other than genuine.

—David Rome, "Focusing and Meditating"

 

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Via JMG: CALIFORNIA: Assemblyman Evan Low Proposes Ban On State-Funded Travel To States With Anti-LGBT Laws

February 17, 2016 Civil Rights, LGBT News

From the Bay Area Reporter:

A gay California lawmaker wants to ban state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBT laws. Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell) has introduced AB 1887, which would end state-funded travel to any state with a law in effect that sanctions or requires discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The announcement by Low’s office this morning (Wednesday, February 17) comes as a number of Republican-controlled state legislatures in the Midwest and the South have moved to adopt a range of anti-LGBT legislation.

While measures in Indiana, Washington, and Virginia have been defeated in recent weeks, several pieces of legislation that discriminate against transgender students have been advancing in South Dakota. And a bill in Tennessee giving counselors the right to not see patients based on their religious beliefs is now before that state’s Senate.

The American Civil Liberties Union and LGBT rights groups are also tracking anti-LGBT bills in the state legislatures in Georgia, Florida, West Virginia and elsewhere.

RELATED: Low, now 32, became mayor of Campbell, California (population 40,000) in 2009 at the age of 26, making him the youngest openly gay Asian-American mayor in US history.

Read the original and more from JMG here

Via JMG: FINLAND: Marriage Equality Law Finalized

February 17, 2016 LGBT News, Marriage Equality

Finland’s parliament today finalized the details of the marriage equality law which goes into effect in March 2017:

Parliament has approved legal changes that will allow same-sex couples in registered partnerships to convert their legal status to ‘married’ by notifying the authorities. MPs voted in favour of the legislation by 106 votes to 42.

The move also eliminates registered partnerships for couples seeking to get hitched—they will now only have the option to get married. Transgender people will no longer be required to be single—not in a marriage or registered partnership—when their gender switch is recognised.

The changes approved on Wednesday were a follow-up to the already-approved law on same-sex marriage, which made legislation covering marriage gender-neutral. The changes will come into force in Match 2017.

(Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

Read the original and more at JMG here

Via JMG: COLOMBIA: Marriage Equality Ruling Due Tomorrow

February 17, 2016 LGBT News, Marriage Equality

Tomorrow Colombia may join Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay and become the fourth South American nation to legalize same-sex marriage. From our very own Perchy Bird:

Originally, the [Supreme] Court’s website wrote that the debate on the issue of whether gay couples can marry and if existing marriages performed by civil court judges should be annulled was planned on February 4th, but it was ultimately delayed.

Yesterday, the website once again mentioned the lawsuit in their Order of the Day and has now scheduled a debate on the 18th of this month. If the media predictions are correct, the majority of the 9 Justices will rule in favor of gay couples and make Colombia the next South American country with same-sex marriage.

The Perchy Bird is the work of longtime JMG commenter Luis De La Cruz and focuses on international developments in LGBT rights. Hit the link and bookmark it!

RELATED: In May 2014, Colombian President Juan Santos had this to say: “Marriage between homosexuals to me is perfectly acceptable and what’s more I am defending unions that exist between two people of the same sex with the rights and all of the same privileges that this union should receive. If these unions are called marriage or not is secondary to me. For me it is important that they have their rights.”

Read the JMG original and more here