Via The Advocate

 

Via Daily Dharma: Discovering Wisdom in Discomfort

 Sitting with modest discomfort teaches the mind to be less frightened. Experiencing the disappearance of discomfort soothes the mind, makes it confident, and allows for the insight of impermanence: Everything passes.

Sylvia Boorstein, “The Wisdom of Discomfort”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States

RIGHT EFFORT Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders unhealthy states, one has abandoned healthy states to cultivate unhealthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to unhealthy states. (MN 19) Abandoning all five arisen hindrances, one abides having abandoned all five arisen hindrances. (MN 51)

Reflection If you are often restless, you are practicing restlessness and training yourself to become more restless. The same goes for the other hindrances of sluggishness, sense desire, ill will, and doubt. These mental factors will all arise from time to time; when they do you have the option to indulge them and thereby strengthen them or to abandon them and weaken them. Gradually diminish these unhealthy states by letting go when they arise. Daily Practice When the mind is temporarily free of the influence of the hindrances, it naturally becomes calm, unified, and clear, and thus more capable of seeing with insight. Pay attention to the quality of your inner life, and when one of these hindrances arises simply notice it and let it go. All things that arise in the mind will pass away if you do not “stick” to them by either welcoming them or rejecting them. Just let them pass through.  Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and Abiding in the Second Jhāna One week from today: Developing Unarisen Healthy States Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given

 

RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Taking What is Not Given Taking what is not given is unhealthy. Refraining from taking what is not given is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning the taking of what is not given, one abstains from taking what is not given; one does not take by way of theft the wealth and property of others. (MN 41) One practices thus: “Others may take what is not given, but I will abstain from taking what is not given.” (MN 8) On thinking a mental object with the mind, one does not grasp at its signs and features. Since if one left the mind faculty unguarded, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might intrude, one practices the way of restraint and guards the mind faculty in that way. (MN 51)

Reflection Are you using your mind as a tool to think thoughts, or does it feel like your mind is driving the thoughts you think and you have little control over the process? Mindfulness is a way of re-establishing a sense of empowerment in the midst of our thinking processes. It is not a matter of suppressing thoughts but of influencing how much you grasp onto or resist the processes of your mind. Non-grasping is a form of protection.  Daily Practice Practice watching what arises and passes away in your mind as a kind of parade that marches by, without getting stuck on the content of each thought. Watch it approach, but then let it recede. Each thought is different, each is interesting, but there is no reason to grab hold of any thought and try to hang onto it or prevent it from leaving. Take what is given, but refrain from making more of what is happening by holding on. Tomorrow: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: Discarding Identity

 Freedom from identity is what allows and enables us to be truly human—to be an ongoing response to the challenges, demands, and needs of life. 

Ken McLeod, “Forget About Being a Buddhist. Be a Human.”

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Via White Crane Institute // THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS MARCH ON WASHINGTON

 

Noteworthy

1979 -

THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS MARCH ON WASHINGTON D.C. demands "an end to all social, economic, judicial, and legal oppression of Lesbian and Gay people." Marking the tenth anniversary of the Stonewall riots and coming in the wake of the lenient jail sentence given to Dan White for the assassination of openly gay San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk, the First National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on October 14, 1979 was an historic event that drew more than 200,000 people from across the United States and ten other countries.

In the wake of the Milk/Moscone assassinations, the Anita Bryant campaign to roll back protections extended to sexual orientation, and years of community building around the nation, the support for a massive demonstration in the nation's capital grew. There were strong reservations on the part of those who worried that anything less than massive numbers would negate the demonstration and undermine political activism. However, by the late summer of 1979 it was clear that the March would be a large media event. Locally, the National Coalition of Black Gays and the DC Coalition of Black Gays supported the March from the beginning.

Both groups were also involved in planning and holding the first Third World Conference, held at Harambee House on Georgia Avenue. The Third World Conference concluded with a march by persons of color down Georgia Avenue to the Mall where they joined the March on Washington. This walk down Georgia Avenue was the first public demonstration by Lesbians and Gays in the heart of the African-American areas of the city.

The plans for the 1979 March were determinedly more inclusive of persons of color and the transgendered. The souvenir booklet for the March includes an article by Jim Kepner summarizing GLBT activism leading to the March and an article by Brandy Moore detailing the preparations for the March. Speakers included Richard Ashworth and Adele Starr (PFLAG) Marion Berry (then D.C. mayor), S.F. Councilman Harry Britt, Lesbian feminist theorist, Charlotte Bunch, poet Alan Ginsberg, activists Flo Kennedy, Morris Kight, poet and activist Audrey Lorde, musicians, Robin Tyler and Tom Robinson, Leonard Matlovich, Arthur McCombs (Gay Atheist League), feminist theorist, Kate Millett, Rev. Troy Perry (listed as a “cameo” appearance”!), Juanita Ramos (Comite Homosexual Latinamericano), Betty Santoro (NY Spokeswoman for Lesbian Feminist Liberation), Eleanor Smeal (N.O.W.) and labor activist, Howard Wallace. Recordings of speeches, including Audre Lorde’s keynote address to the masses on the Washington Mall, and Alan Ginsberg reading his poetry and warning Congress can be heard here: 

https://youtu.be/bQK8yawGQXE  

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989!
www.whitecraneinstitute.org

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Verbal Action

RIGHT ACTION Reflecting Upon Verbal Action However the seed is planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing good deeds; bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too verbal action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you have done an action with speech, reflect on that same verbal action thus: “Was this action I have done with speech an unhealthy bodily action with painful consequences and painful results?” If, on reflection, you know that it was, then tell someone you trust about it and undertake a commitment not to do it again. If you know it was not, then be content and feel happy about it. (MN 61)

Reflection Speech is such an important form of action, especially in our modern world of constant communication. It helps to think of speaking words as a form of planting seeds— something we want to do with care and with the hope of good fruits arising in the future. It is helpful to reflect on what seeds you have sown, and it is a blessing to be able to look back on what you have said to someone and feel content and happy about it. Daily Practice Reflect on what you have said to others from time to time, especially soon after saying it, and check in on whether your communication has been harmful or helpful. If you feel that something is “off” in some way, do not hesitate to share your concerns with a trusted friend and look for ways to repair the damage. Taking care of our healthy relationships is a form of right action, and attending to our speech is a way of doing this. Tomorrow: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given One week from today: Reflecting upon Mental Action Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: What is Not-Knowing?

 Not-knowing means being open and playful. Not-knowing means engaging without an expected outcome and being willing to be wrong so that you can ultimately get it right.

Alex Tzelnic, “Being Wrong Until You Get It Right”

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A quem o MatematiQueer incomoda tanto?

Pedagogia Queer e Educação Matemática

Via MatematiQueer

https://www.youtube.com/matematiqueer

https://www.instagram.com/matematiqueer/

 

Mr. Deity Episode 2: Mr. Deity and the Really Big Favor

Via NPR // Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you

 

https://native-land.ca/

Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Malicious Speech

 

RIGHT SPEECH
Refraining from Malicious Speech

Malicious speech is unhealthy. Refraining from malicious speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning malicious speech, one refrains from malicious speech. One does not repeat there what one has heard here to the detriment of these, or repeat here what he has heard there to the detriment of those. One unites those who are divided, is a promoter of friendships, and speaks words that promote concord. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak maliciously, but I shall abstain from malicious speech.” (MN 8) If anyone should speak in praise of something, you should not on that account be pleased, happy, or elated. To be pleased, happy, or elated would only be an impediment to you. If others speak in praise of something, you should acknowledge the truth of what is true. (DN 1)

Reflection

This passage warns us of the dangers of praise and blame, and the importance of equanimity as a safeguard against them. Blaming people is one form malicious speech can take, but praising in certain ways can have the same effect. If you allow yourself to be angered by blame or flattered by praise, you lose your ability to see clearly and appraise objectively what is being said. Better to greet both with equanimity.

Daily Practice

Notice when you hear people speaking in praise of something and see if you can discern any hidden motive for doing so. If what they are saying is true, then you can acknowledge the truth of it. But if the praise is part of an underlying agenda of manipulating opinion in some way, then it is appropriate to be more careful. Practice maintaining equanimity and beware the influence of praise and blame.

Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Verbal Action
One week from today: Refraining from Harsh Speech

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#DhammaWheel

Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Daily Dharma: Living Generously

 To not be stingy with my life, with myself, is to fully express myself at every moment—fully express everything that I am.

Roshi Nancy Mujo Baker, “On Not Being Stingy”

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - October 12, 2022 💌

 
 

"From the soul’s point of view, you come to appreciate that each one of us is living out his or her own karma. We interact together, and those interactions are the grist for each other’s mill of awakening. From a personality point of view, you develop judgment, but from the soul’s point of view, you develop appreciation. This shift from judging to appreciating — to appreciating yourself and what your karmic predicament is, and who other beings are with their own karma — brings everything into a simple loving awareness.

To be free means to open your heart and your being to the fullness of who you are because only when you are resting in the place of unity can you truly honor and appreciate others and the incredible diversity of the universe."

- Ram Dass -


Excerpt from Polishing the Mirror: How to Live From Your Spiritual Heart