Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia / Flor del dia / Flower of the Day – 17/04/2016

“Estamos trabalhando para acordar a nossa habilidade de criar união. O vício na desunião está tão arraigado que é preciso rever muitas vezes o mesmo conhecimento até que ele possa ser compreendido, ou seja, até que ele se transforme em sabedoria. Se faz necessário aprofundar no conhecimento, mas também na prática. E prática significa mergulhar em si mesmo a fim de encontrar aquilo que joga contra a união e a felicidade, para finalmente ter a coragem de renunciar isso; coragem para entregar as armas e abrir mão da guerra. Mas, para isso, é preciso abrir mão da ideia de que você tem inimigos e de que é uma vítima. É preciso renunciar as crenças,até que aquilo que está além delas possa se manifestar.”

“Estamos trabajando para despertar nuestra habilidad de crear union. El vicio en la desunión está tan arraigado que es necesario revisar muchas veces el mismo conocimiento hasta que pueda ser comprendido, es decir, hasta que se transforme en sabiduría. Se hace necesario profundizar en el conocimiento, pero también en la práctica. Y práctica significa sumergirse en uno mismo para encontrar aquello que juegaen contra de la unión y de la felicidad, para finalmente tener el coraje de renunciar a ello; coraje para entregar las armas y renunciar a la guerra. Pero para eso, es necesario renunciar a la idea de que tienes enemigos y de que eres una víctima. Es necesario renunciar a las creencias, hasta que aquello que está más allá de ellas,se pueda manifestar.”

“We are working in order to awaken our capacity to create union. The addiction to separation is so ingrained that we need to review it over and over again, and continue to observe it so that it may be understood, until it finally transforms into wisdom. It is necessary to deepen our understanding, but it is also necessary to put our knowledge into practice. By practice, I mean to take a look deep within ourselves until we find the part of ourselves that acts contrary to union and happiness, and to finally have the courage to renounce this part of ourselves. We need to have the courage to put down our weapons, and to let go of conflicts. In order to do this, we need to let go of the idea that we have enemies and that we are a victim. It is necessary to renounce our beliefs, until we are able to manifest that which exists beyond separation and beliefs.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 17, 2016: Reacquainting the Mind and Body

Each activity you perform is an opportunity to observe the ways mind and body can work together and how they can sometimes conflict. The mind can spend hours worrying about a simple task that will take the body only minutes to perform. Although the music may be long, the dance itself is short.

—Gary Thorp, "The Dust Beyond the Cushion"

VIa Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia / Flor del dia / Flower of the Day – 16/04/2016

Às vezes eu chamo o nosso trabalho de “movimento em direção à amizade”, pois compreendo que o maior desafio do ser humano na Terra é criar união. Tudo o que precisamos é nos tornar amigos uns dos outros.”

“A veces llamo nuestro trabajo de "movimiento en dirección a la amistad" porque comprendo que el mayor desafío del ser humano en la Tierra es crearunión. Todo lo que precisamos es volvernos amigos unos de los otros.”

“Sometimes I refer to our work as a 'movement towards friendship’, because I understand that our greatest challenge as human beings here on earth is to create union. This is only possible when we truly become friends with one another.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 16, 2016: Try a New Way of Being

The Buddhists say there are 121 states of consciousness. Of these, only three involve misery or suffering. Most of us spend our time moving back and forth between these three.

—Jenny Offill, "Bits of Poetry That Stick Like Burrs"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 15/04/2016

“A prática constante da auto-observação permite que você identifique padrões de pensamento que se repetem na sua mente, às vezes por horas ou dias; e às vezes por meses ou anos. Esses padrões mentais nascem da sua identificação com o passado e se manifestam na sua vida no presente, causando situações de sofrimento. Mas, ao identificá-los, você tem a chance de fazer a relação de causa e efeito para compreender qual situação do passado está gerando determinada situação negativa no presente.”

“La práctica constante de la auto-observación permite que identifiques patrones de pensamiento que se repiten en tu mente, a veces por horas o días, y a veces por meses o años. Estos patrones mentales nacen de tu identificación con el pasado y se manifiestan en tu vida en el presente, causando situaciones de sufrimiento. Pero al identificarlos, tienes la chance de hacer la relación de causa y efecto para comprender cual situación del pasado está generando determinada situación negativa en el presente.”

“The constant practice of self-observation allows us to identify the thought patterns that are repeating in our minds, which sometimes last hours, days, months or even years. These mental patterns arise from our identification with the past and consequently materialize in our present lives, causing many painful situations. When we are able to identify these patterns, we can seek out their cause and effect relationship to better understand which story from our past is creating a current negative situation in our lives.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 15, 2016: The Energy of Awareness

As I enter into my body, I not only see more clearly the force of my automatic judgments but also become more aware of my seeing and the freedom it brings. There is a kind of emptiness and fluidity in this awareness; that which is seen is transformed, revealing an energetic quality.

—Stuart Smithers, "Losing our Bodies, Losing Our Minds"

Via JMG: John Kasich: Let’s Move On From Gay Marriage [VIDEO]

April 15, 2016 2016 Election, Marriage Equality

Last night John Kasich reaffirmed his earlier statements that same-sex marriage is a settled issue.

“There could be an effort to pass a Constitutional Amendment. I’m not for doing it. I’m for moving on,” the Republican presidential hopeful said Thursday in a town hall airing on MSNBC. “Exactly where it is now, I’m fine with it,” he said when asked if there are any laws that should be changed to address the issue.

In a landmark decision last year, the Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Many in the once crowded Republican presidential field opposed the ruling, and while Kasich affirmed he believes marriage should remain between a man and woman, he told Matthews that everyone should be “a bit more tolerant.”

The Ohio governor often talks about how he recently attended a friend’s same-sex marriage ceremony. “I don’t think it’s right and the wedding that I went to, they know that I don’t agree with them,” Kasich said. Asked by Matthews what gay couples who love each other should do, Kasich said: “They should love one another. That’s the end of it.”

Make the jump here to read this and more at JMG

Via JMG: TEXAS: Centers For Disease Control Identifies First Case Of Male-To-Male Sexually Transmitted Zika Virus

April 14, 2016 LGBT News, Science

STAT News reports:

Men can contract Zika through unprotected sex with other men who are infected with the virus, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, a finding that adds to experts’ understanding of how Zika can be transmitted.

The CDC said a case of sexual transmission that occurred in Dallas in January — and was reported in the mainstream media in early February — involved two men. It was only the second reported case of sexual transmission of Zika ever, and the first in which sexual spread was observed between two men.

While gay men who want to avoid Zika infection should take note, the lesson here applies to both men and women: Zika infection can be contracted through unprotected anal sex.

The Dallas case involved a man who had been infected with the virus while traveling in Venezuela. Two days after he returned home, his symptoms developed. A week after his return, his longtime partner, who had not traveled outside the country, became ill.

The investigators tried to rule out the possibility that the second man might have been infected locally by a mosquito. Mosquito traps set up around the couple’s home collected some Culex mosquitoes, but no Aedes moquitoes, the type believed to be the main culprit in spread of Zika virus.

Wired has details about zika infection:

The effects and symptoms of Zika virus can vary widely from person to person. In most people, the virus causes a mild disease lasting between two and seven days, with key symptoms including fever, rash, aches, conjunctivitis and eye pain.

However, in a minority of people, Zika has been found to cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, an auto-immune disease which makes the immune system attack the body’s nerve cells, resulting in weakness of the muscles and even paralysis. The effects typically last between a few weeks and a few months, but are sometimes permanent. Other neurological and autoimmune diseases, including acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, have also been linked to Zika.

The most notorious effect of the virus is its now-confirmed ability to cause foetal abnormalities if a pregnant woman contracts it. Following a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, Dr Tom Frieden, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that “it is now clear that the virus causes microcephaly.”

(Tipped by JMG reader Michael)

Via Daily Dharma / April 14, 2016: Spiritual Activism

Mahatma Gandhi said that mute prayer was his greatest weapon and that we must ourselves embody the changes we want to see in the world. To me, that means we can work from the inside out to make a better world. I call this spiritual activism.

—Lama Surya Das, "Why Sit?"

More Thoughts On Pie Fights and Politics

Brazilian footballer Gérson

More than a few years ago, a film I dearly love "Moon over Parador" was filmed mostly here in Ouro Preto. It is one of those very silly-everyone-is-in-it over the top films with a message - mostly how the CIA messed up much of Latin America by supporting some very nasty dictatorships. For those of us who have lived and worked in Latin America it is a very poignant parody of the 80’s.

I recently wrote a posting here about the current pie fights and shenanigans in politics  and how I am morphing, spiritually speaking. The political stress here has been giving me not a few nightmares about things that I saw and experienced living under martial law in Guatemala.

Yesterday on our way home from work, M & I stopped off at the farmácia, and with out thinking, stepped into a lively discussion re: the impeachment proceedings going on. One guy in line told me “You know the CIA is behind it.” 

And I thought, with a big sigh, oh no, here we go again... 

Steady as she goes, gringo.

Milton immediately, and very, very calmly began to talk to him… tactfully showing him that he was off by quite a few meters. I finally entered into it, and said, 

"Look, its 2016, not 1980… and unfortunately no one in the States really gives a damn about Brasil… most people I know haven’t even bothered to ask me at all what is going on down here. And most estadounidenses are preoccupied by basketball, ISIS and spring…”

Everyone laughed. And I think it all ended well…

I shared this incident with a colleague and he reminded me of the Lei de Gérson (Gérson's law) which is, and I quote Wikipedia,

In Brazilian culture, Gérson's Law (Portuguese: Lei de Gérson) is an adage which reflects the way Brazilians behave towards themselves, immortalizing concepts such as jeitinho and malandragem. In short, Gérson's Law is taking advantage of every thing and every one and having no concern for ethics. This expression came into use since a TV commercial for the cigarette brand Vila Rica, starring Brazilian footballer Gérson, was aired around 1970. While he is a very well known football player in Brazil and worldwide, Gérson had always been a source for controversy. In the commercial, that particular cigarette brand was portrayed as advantageous for being better and cheaper in comparison to other brands, and at the end of the commercial, Gérson says "I like to get an advantage in everything". Later, the player resented having his image connected to the ad, since all kinds of unethical behaviors were linked to his name with reference to the law. (obrigado Charles for the remind!)

The Vila Rica brand uses the old name for Ouro Preto, btw.

To those of my two deeply beloved and dedicated readers, the Lei de Gérson is a big and very obvious part of Brazilian culture, but to be honest, it applies just about anywhere. But we here have made it a true art form... all the way to the current political scandals happening in Brasília at the moment. Rarely do we want to take responsibility for any of own actions, it is far easier to blame the other… it applies in many of the diverse places I have lived, but I digress.

Yesterday's farmácia incident reminded me as well of living in Guatemala or "Parador" in the 80’s. And how I was often approached by locals in a café or market and was asked something like,

“What do you think of our problem?”

Since it was early 80's Guatemala and we were smack dab in the middle of a very, very violent and often scarry US supported military dictatorship, one never really knew who you were talking to. I soon learned to avert disaster with a,

“You know you don’t really need a foreigner’s opinion about the situation. Guatemalans are clearly able to solve this problem. If you came to my house and told me to move the furniture and paint the room a different color, I’d be offended. This is the same thing.”

I always, I mean always got an offer of a free beer or drink or coffee after this. And I used the  opportunity to  tone up my español around lighter subjects related to art, music or futebol.

So maybe, just maybe its time to dust off that old pre Powerpoint presentation, translate it from español to the world’s most beautiful language aka “português mineiro”… uai!

So I leave you dear ones, with the the Paradorian National Anthem here sung by Sammy Davis Jr. with the over the top ending filmed in our Praça Tiradentes of  "Luar sobre Parador":

Via Ram Dass:

April 13, 2016

Which reality do you dwell in? If you stand anywhere, you’re missing part of the show. Don’t stand anywhere. I have no idea who you are or who I am. Then I am free. The minute I get trapped in a label, I have just imprisoned myself. No matter how well I furnish the prison, it’s still a prison.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 13/04/2016

“Quando, através da auto-observação, conseguimos apenas testemunhar o fluxo compulsivo de pensamentos, podemos interromper o mecanismo de projeção, através do qual reagimos a tudo com base nas nossas experiências do passado. Assim como reagimos aos pensamentos que passam por nós, da mesma maneira reagimos diante das situações da vida. Ao aprofundarmos nessa prática, percebemos que a maioria das nossas ações é, na verdade, o resultado de uma projeção.”

“Cuando a través de la auto-observación conseguimos tan solo atestiguar el flujo compulsivo de pensamientos, podemos interrumpir el mecanismo de proyección, a través del cual reaccionamos a todo con base en nuestras experiencias del pasado. Así como reaccionamos a los pensamientos que pasan por nosotros, de la misma manera reaccionamos delante a situaciones de la vida. Al profundizar en esta práctica, percibimos que la mayoría de nuestras acciones son, en verdad, el resultado de una proyección.” 

“When we are able to simply witness our compulsive flow of thoughts by using self-observation, we can put an end to our projection mechanisms. Our projections cause us to react to everything based upon the past experiences we have had. Just as we react to our own thoughts that pass through us, we also react to the situations we encounter in life. As we deepen in this practice of self-observation, we begin to perceive that the majority of our actions are, in truth, the result of a projection.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 13, 2016: Transforming Obstacles into Objects

Learning to transform obstacles into objects of meditation provides a much needed bridge between the stillness of the concentrated mind and the movement of real life.

—Mark Epstein, "Stopping the Wind"

Via Equality House / FB:

Via Daily Dharma / April 12, 2016: Looking Inward, Holding Forth

Meditation looks inward, poetry holds forth. One is private, the other is out in the world. One enters the moment, the other shares it. But in practice it is never entirely clear which is doing which.

—Gary Snyder, "Just One Breath"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 11/04/2016

“Precisamos focar na educação das crianças. O autoconhecimento precisa tornar-se política pública, ou seja, ele tem que chegar em larga escala para a população. Essa é a única chance que temos de trazer uma nova consciência para esse planeta, caso contrário seguiremos assim: um ou outro desperta do sonho ruim. Porém, para promovermos uma mudança de eixo na consciência planetária, precisaremos trabalhar em larga escala com as crianças. Isso não é trabalho para um homem só - é trabalho para todos nós. A mudança só acontecerá se unirmos nossos dons e talentos em prol dessa meta.”

“We need to focus on our children’s education. Self-knowledge needs to become public policy; it needs to reach a large-scale audience. This is the only way we can bring a new consciousness to the planet. Otherwise, there may only be a small number of people who awaken from this bad dream. In order to create a real shift in the axis of our planet’s consciousness, we need to work on a large scale with the children. This is not one person’s job; rather, this is a task for each one of us. This change can only happen if we unite all our gifts and talents in order to achieve this goal.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 11, 2016: Our Dangerous Romance with Anger

As a culture we swing from being afraid of anger to romanticizing it. I try to see anger for what it is, in myself, and neither fear it nor idealize it.

—Sharon Salzberg, "The Deluding Force"

How Will NC 'Bathroom Law' Be Enforced?

Via Ram Dass:

April 10, 2016

There’s no clinging to that which dies. For who we are, was, is and will be, these are just processes of transformation. Just like it’s hard for a pre-pubescent to understand that a time will come when his baseball cards aren’t that relevant; so the time will come when even our mortal coil is not that relevant.

Via The Christian Left / FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 10/04/2016

“Precisamos nos harmonizar com a natureza e resgatar a nossa naturalidade. Porque, em algum momento, nós perdemos a naturalidade e nos tornamos artificiais. Isso ocorreu porque fomos contaminados pelo medo e deixamos de confiar na vida. Então desenvolvemos máscaras através das quais nos protegemos e fingimos ser algo que não somos para agradar alguém; para conseguirmos alguma coisa em troca. E o que nós queremos em troca é amor. Este é o grande medo: o de não sermos amados.” 

“Necesitamos armonizarnos con la naturaleza y rescatar nuestra naturalidad. Porque en algún momento, perdimos la naturalidad y nos volvimos artificiales. Esto ocurrió porque fuimos contaminados por el miedo y dejamos de confiar en la vida. Entonces desarrollamos máscaras a través de las cuales nos protegemos y fingimos ser algo que no somos para agradarle a alguien, para conseguir algo a cambio. Y lo que nosotros queremos a cambio es amor. Este es el gran miedo: el de no ser amados.” 

“We need to become more in harmony with nature and rescue our own naturalness. At some point in time, we lost our naturalness and we became more artificial. This happened because we were contaminated by fear and lost our trust in life. Consequently, we developed masks to protect ourselves and pretended to be something that we aren’t in order to please the other and to get something in return. What we want in return is love. Our greatest fear is not to be loved.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 10, 2016: Let Go of Your Ego

Liberation does not come when you conquer your ego, silence it, or through repression and denial get it to behave “properly.” Liberation comes when we release our attachment to the habitual conditioned nature and structure of our temporary egos.

—Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, "Liberation"

Via FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 09/04/2016

“Com as brutais mudanças a que já estão ocorrendo no planeta, talvez até mesmo algumas das nossas tradições sociais e culturais precisem ser revisadas, porque elas deixarão de fazer sentido. Se a natureza passa a funcionar de outra maneira, isso vai gerar um descompasso ainda maior entre os nossos hábitos e os fenômenos naturais. E isso é uma das consequências da nossa total desconexão com a natureza. É a nossa falta de naturalidade se manifestando nela.”

“Con los brutales cambios que están sucediendo en el planeta, tal vez hasta algunas de nuestras tradiciones sociales y culturales necesiten ser revisadas, porque dejarán de tener sentido. Si la naturaleza pasa a funcionar de otra manera, esto va a generar un desajuste aún mayor entre nuestros hábitos y los fenómenos naturales. Y esto es una de las consecuencias de nuestra total desconexión con la naturaleza. Es nuestra falta de naturalidad manifestándose en ella.”

“In lieu of the brutal changes that are already taking place on our planet, it may be time to revise some of our social and cultural traditions as they no longer make sense in this era. Nature is acting in totally unprecedented patterns, due to our habits that treat the environment as something entirely disconnected from ourselves. We disregard our inner nature, and that gets reflected all too clearly in Mother Nature herself.

Via Daily Dharma / April 9, 2016: One Thing, Then Another

You may say, "I must do something this afternoon," but actually there is no "this afternoon." We do things one after the other. That is all.

—Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, "Breathing"

Via Thich Nhat Hanh - Pema Chödrön - Dalai Lama / FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 08/04/2016

“Estando perturbado, você atrai mais perturbação; e isso vai se transformando numa bola de neve. Ação gera reação e as consequências podem ser infinitas. A única maneira de parar esse processo é identificando onde a sua mente ficou presa. Isso é feito através da auto-observação e da presença. Sente-se, alinhe o corpo, feche os olhos e permita-se observar os pensamentos e emoções. Aos poucos você verá que existe uma canção psicológica, um fluxo de pensamentos repetitivos. Isso significa que você está identificado com esses pensamentos pois eles te dão um senso de identidade. Mas, ao observar-se a identificação começa a perder força, pois você se dissocia dos pensamentos.”

“Estando perturbado, atraes más perturbación; y esto se va transformando en una bola de nieve. Acción genera reacción y las consecuencias pueden ser infinitas. La única manera de detener este proceso es identificando dónde quedó atrapada tu mente. Esto se hace a través de la auto-observación y de la presencia. Siéntate, alinea el cuerpo, cierra los ojos y permítete observar los pensamientos y emociones. Poco a poco verás que existe una canción psicológica, un flujo de pensamientos repetitivos. Esto significa que estás identificado con estos pensamientos porque te dan un sentido de identidad. Sin embargo, al observarse la identificación comienza a perder fuerza, pues te disocias de los pensamientos.”

“When we are disturbed, we attract even more disturbances, and so the snowball effect continues. One action generates a reaction, and the consequences can be infinite. The only way to halt this process is to identify where our minds got trapped. This is done through self-observation and presence. We can sit down, align our bodies, close our eyes and allow ourselves to observe our thoughts and emotions. Slowly, we will see that there is a psychological soundtrack, a flux of repetitive thoughts, playing in our minds. This means that we are identified with these thoughts because they give us a sense of identity. But, as we continue to observe, the identification begins to lose its strength and we can begin to disassociate from these thoughts.

A Statement from Bruce Springsteen on North Carolina

 Friday, April 8, 2016

 

As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s Sunday April 10th show is canceled. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.

 

brucespringsteen.net

Via Daily Dharma / April 8, 2016: Building Helpful Habits

Karma is basically habit. It’s the momentum of repeated actions that become habitual. It’s in our best interest to develop as many positive habits as we can.

—Andrew Holecek, "The Best Possible Habit"

Via EQUALITY FOR THE WORLD / FB:

Via facebook.com/celebratepride

Created with facebook.com/celebratepride

Via FB:

Just some thoughts: On Pie Fights and Politics

I have to be really honest here, since coming into contact with Bahá’í in the mid-70-s; I have never really understood, or bought for that matter, the whole disconnectedness from politics vibe. I remember being so excited by conversations about Central America (having returned from pioneering in Guatemala during the civil nightmare) in the 80’s, and how dismayed I was when the dialogue was shut down by Bahá'í Adminstration. 

So like a few other rules, I just ignored it. OK, confession is a no no as well in the Bahá’í Faith, but what the hell, I have had my rights removed for marrying the one I love, (marriage rules are one more weird Bahá’í mystery to me as well) and there is no way they will ever ask us to return to the Faith anyway. So, as I watch the political system in both my countries enter a very, very, very scary melt down, I am actually coming to see the wisdom of not engaging in this whole clown-party-pie-fighting partisan politics thing. I can hear the gasps, and the visualize the clutching of pearls by both of my dedicated readers of this blog…

OK, so I don’t really understand this allegiance to a particular party, its like a sports team thing (GO Giants!) though I confess that I can never ever be a republican, after they went after and continue to go after the GLBTQ community. I lean towards a very, very, very socialist democrat paradigm… and I do have a very hard time keeping civil around my Fox TV tea party evangelical bible thump’n family of mine. This is where my Buddhist work really came in handy recently, and where Bahá’í just didn’t… my last two trips went pretty well, and I didn’t throw one pie, even ducking a few hurled at me by my Fox Media-lov’n relatives. 

Ommmm... breathe in, breathe out...

Here in Brasil, while watching the impeachment proceedings (about as dignified as a Three Stooges episode) and watching and listening to those around me blame the media or the politicians for the problem, and not asking if just possibly our leaders could take a modicum of responsibility for their actions. At the same time, watching from afar the terrifying fascist-Cruz/Trump phenomenon ramp-up in the states… I am beginning to see the wisdom in it. Perhaps.

I confess a fascination of, and support for Sanders, and an outright fear of and disgust for Trump. But that being said, I have moved to an “independent” status USA-wise, and will probably change to it after this next round of primaries is over – I still vote as an ex-pat here in Brasil. I am not yet a Brazilian citizen, and as permanent resident – because of marriage, I am exempt here from voting, which is obligatory. Once I become a citizen, I’ll have to vote. And that’s a good thing.

My husband and most of his family detest the obligation part. Brazilians, don't like being required to do anything, as one easily sees in their driving habits.  I rather think obligatory voting is good. You must vote here if you are a public servant (we are federal employees), or if you want to travel abroad, obtain a passport, get the (not so good but free) healthcare, when they leave the country, immigration checks to see if they have voted, in the last 5 elections, if not you are fined. Simply put it forces most people to pay attention, something not required of in the States. 

Elections are pretty straightforward here… 100% electronic (when 90% of the population who can vote 16 to 18 if you want, 18 to 65 obligatory, and then it has to be on a Sunday and electronic). The bars are closed from around sunset Saturday to Sunday evenings, after the polls close (that to me is really why people hate the obligatory aspect, but I digress). You know who won the election an hour after the polls close, there are maybe 70 political parties and one national primary and a month later those candidates that didn’t get a 51% majority have a run off.  Every night during voting season there is an hour of free ads, I think they are interesting as does my husband… some very well made and very professional… others very home made “vote for me… I like horses!”  The ridiculously long, painful and horrifyingly expensive process of primaries in the USA that in the end only go to make people angry and cynical to just get delegates to a convention and the whole electoral college stuff is just backwards, and Brazilians ask me over and over to explain it. I can’t very well.

So on that one: obligatory, electronic and quick and fast… Brasil is a model.

Where it is not a model, except if you regard perhaps winning at corruption, is the overall attitude of the “rules don’t apply to me”. It is why they are terrible drivers, but again I digress. This has led us to the current crisis here, that threatens to run us like a party of hungry lemmings or a buffalo stampede, over a cliff (hmm... there are no lemmings or buffalo to my mind in South America, imagine a flock of hysterical and panicked emus). The corruption here is oh so spectacular! As I said somewhere else I cannot to my mind understand how anyone can move from point A to point B in this country and not acknowledge the suffering.  But, to be fair, there is corruption in the States, and in fact part of the reason for the impeachment hearings here are because the President is being accused of using funds taken from PETROBRAS (the state owned energy company) for her re-election. The party mud slinging here, has caused the government to grind to a halt, just when we have a major outbreak of deadly mosquito born diseases, the Olympics and an economic meltdown to attend to. The sense that we are all going to get zika and dengue and the world will laugh at our inability to hold an Olympics is palpable and well, warranted.

Years ago, when I was doing house repair work for Helen Bishop, she used to make a great tea and tell scary WWII/Nazi stories. I asked her, what were people supposed to do when the Nazis took over, she shared many thoughts and tales, but I remember that she personally traveled around and took all the Bahá’í books and randomly put them on the shelves of the libraries, completely out of order – the Reich loving order so much that they never really noticed books out of order in their uber-libraries.  She had dozens of creative things the Baha’i’s who were eventually completely obliterated did. Some were very brave and scary to me. She was the ambassador to the League of Nations for the Bahá’í Community so with her great beauty, intellect, her big hat and a pair of annoying Pekinese dogs, she traveled around Nazi territory and visited with both sides and the Baha’i’s.

That being said, and so I wonder if, Baha’i’s might not be a little more aggressive, a little bit more creative, a little bit more engaged in the outward community, in encouraging a positive focus on the data, on the problem, on the solution. In the end we might all be vaporized, but at least we will be for doing something! Just being passive, disconnected, uninformed, anti-politic, or not participating at all, to me is part of the problem, and offers no solution, and will eventually get you vaporized as well anyway. That is what I saw when I lived in Guatemala.

Some Persian pioneers who worked with a Highland Maya Bahá’í community hours from the capital when I lived there shared a story of how in that region the guerillas would wipe out villages aligned with the right-wing US supported dictatorship, and the government would wipe out communities of those supporting the guerillas. One particular community, survived, as an island of tranquility in a stormy chaotic sea. The Baha’i’s built a modest Bahá’í center. When the Catholics and Evangelicals saw this they wanted one too, so, the Baha’i’s let them use it! One day the community council observed that after the earthquake a good 10 years before, the government hadn’t repaired their water system, so they elected a young man to go to the capital to learn how to build one. Lesson learned for me, focus on the problem, focus on the data, find a way to solve the problem and you don’t owe any one any favors. As far as I know, the village managed to survive the war, and got its own water system.

So what do I suggest?

On the large stage, I suggest we focus on the data (I am a pie loving math professor after all) and the problem, a part from often dramatic and manipulative personalities and parties. Doing the right thing, being task oriented – not easy in this often very dramatic and charmingly chaotic environment even when things are going well here. Focusing on the data, asking our leaders what they will do about the “data” and/or the problem… seems one thing I can and will do. Doing so as kindly as possible, not being angry or arrogant, and with manners (breathe Orey, you can do this!) or as I am known for saying “with sensible shoes” seems entirely possible.

Trying to understand the other side (take a deep breath and try, Prof Orey, try and understand why they are doing xyz… is my mantra) and I see that it’s about fear. And do something to help allay the fear… last trip to the States, my Dad & I went for burgers and beers at a new brewpub downtown in our little town in S. Oregon. He began lamenting about how the whole world was going to hell in hand basket, and I stopped him, and said, “Dad look, things are serious, but its not the end of anything… look at the cool stuff… my gawd, I am here having an amazing beer or two with my dad and a amazing buffalo-emu –goat burger, and there are trains going by (when I was a kid they stopped running) and we are served by a beautiful Afro-American lesbian”. Just then, she walked by and said “thank you!” and we laughed…  and then he told me that, that all of this trendy new development is because of pot money you know… again we laughed.

This fear, is what is common to both sides… “I am afraid that my community is being engulfed by uncreative corrupt crazy people and drug running gangs”, I hear it a lot when I go back to the States, OK… Some form of positive action is needed, as I submit much of the anxiety around me here in Brasil is linked to a sense of helplessness, and fear of what might happen as well.

Many of the people around me are used to having someone take care of things for them (gads that makes me sound like a tea partier) but when I show by example, how I deal with it by simple acts of kindness, I noticed people react positively:  giving up a seat on the bus, smiling, greeting everyone, picking up a little bit of litter, etc.… the little things, that I still have control over. It seems naïve, I know, and I admit, I live in a lovely small town high in the mountains of Minas Gerais, and morning walks are every bit as charming as the opening of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, you know: "Good morning baker! Good morning smiling flower lady! Good morning Professor Orey!" It's true!

My mentor and Brazilian ethnomathematics guru Ubiratan D’Ambrosio talks about “glocalization” – very much like "think globally and act locally". Being kind, by gracefully raising awareness in our students and neighbors and colleagues about the seriousness and the moral consequences of our actions.

Its all we really can do anyway, now isn’t it? 

Odd, I have a strange desire for pie… alas I live in country that only throws them metaphorically, and does not make them. Just my luck.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 07/04/2016

A gratidão é uma manifestação da luz. Se está podendo agradecer é porque encontrou luz dentro de você. Quem agradece é o seu coração. Se você pode agradecer é porque o seu coração está aberto. Um coração aberto é sinônimo de presença; e a presença é uma fragrância da divindade que te habita - um vislumbre do Eterno.”

“La gratitud es una manifestación de la luz. Si estas pudiendo agradecer es porque encontraste luz dentro de ti. Quien agradece es tu corazón. Si puedes agradecer es porque tu corazón está abierto. Un corazón abierto es sinónimo de presencia; y la presencia es una fragancia de la divinidad que te habita, un vislumbre de lo Eterno.”

“Gratitude is a manifestation of light. If we are able to give thanks, it is because we have encountered the light inside of us. The aspect within us that is capable of gratitude is our heart. We can only give thanks with an open heart, which is synonymous with being present. Presence is the fragrance of the divinity that inhabits us and it gives us a glimpse of the Eternal.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 7, 2016: Your Original Nature

Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words and following after speech, and learn the backward step that turns your light inwardly to illuminate your self. Body and mind of themselves will drop away, and your original face will be manifest.

—Zen Master Dogen, "The Principles of Zazen"

Final Destination” Creator Directs Chilling New Music Video for Musician BP Major Tackling Gay Conversion Therapy and Teen Suicide in a Story Based on True Events

Make the jump here to read more

Via Raging Rhetoric / FB:

Via Ram Dass

April 6, 2016

Your anger and your inspiration are all inside you. They are just being who they are. Your reaction is your reaction. It is showing you your attachments and aversions.

Via Good Men Project: 5 Ways to Reconcile With an Unreconcilable Someone

Reconciliation is a team effort.

—

I recently attended a conference for dads and, in one session, a man described a bitter divorce, resulting in him losing all contact with his young daughter, now 26-years-old. He expressed the pain and powerlessness of not being able to reconcile with her and of his daughter’s refusal to connect with him in any way. Others in the session found this difficult to comprehend and suggested he try again to reconcile with her.
I understood some of the pain and powerlessness this man described.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible. What do you do then?
- See more at: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/5-ways-reconcile-unreconcilable-someone-bbab/#sthash.uAb80Uyc.dpuf

Reconciliation is a team effort.

—

I recently attended a conference for dads and, in one session, a man described a bitter divorce, resulting in him losing all contact with his young daughter, now 26-years-old. He expressed the pain and powerlessness of not being able to reconcile with her and of his daughter’s refusal to connect with him in any way. Others in the session found this difficult to comprehend and suggested he try again to reconcile with her.
I understood some of the pain and powerlessness this man described.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible. What do you do then?

◊♦◊

In a previous post I shared some details surrounding my divorce and a few of the lessons I learned in the years after. I briefly mentioned that my ex-wife made the decision to end all contact with me. This was very painful. She’d been my best friend since I was a teen and now she was cut completely from my life.

However, one must also come to accept the situation for what it is and realize what you are unable to change.

The loss of my best friend was difficult enough to deal with but as the years passed, I began to understand myself more and to understand some of the dynamics of our relationship and what contributed to the end of our marriage. I regretted my failure to be a better husband.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible.
I wanted to come to some kind of reconciliation with her but this was made impossible by her refusal to speak with me.
Over the years, I gradually came to understand that I could still reconcile the relationship within myself.

◊♦◊

If you are dealing with an irreconcilable someone or situation you might find some peace by implementing the following five practices:

1. Recognize and accept how you feel. There is nothing wrong with feeling angry or upset about a situation. These feelings are normal and appropriate. However, one must also come to accept the situation for what it is and realize what you are unable to change. You can change your response to the situation. Choose to focus on what you can control.

2. Change how you think about the other person. If something triggers a negative thought do your best to quickly replace it with a positive thought and memory.  This will help with the next point.

3. Speak positively. Do your best to avoid saying negative things about the other person if they come up in conversation.

4. Recognize and appreciate the other person’s positive qualities and strengths. There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.

5. Offer up prayers or peaceful thoughts & wishes for the other person. When you think about the person you are unable to reconcile with say a brief prayer for him or her or express a wish for happiness.

Offering up well-wishes for the other person will also improve your mood and prevent you from dwelling on frustrating and painful memories.
There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.
Even if the other person refuses to participate in reconciliation you can still come to some place of peace and reconciliation within yourself.
Previously published on STAND-Magazine
By Dwayne D. Hayes, Managing Editor
- See more at: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/5-ways-reconcile-unreconcilable-someone-bbab/#sthash.uAb80Uyc.dpuf

If you are dealing with an irreconcilable someone or situation you might find some peace by implementing the following five practices:

1. Recognize and accept how you feel. There is nothing wrong with feeling angry or upset about a situation. These feelings are normal and appropriate. However, one must also come to accept the situation for what it is and realize what you are unable to change. You can change your response to the situation. Choose to focus on what you can control.

2. Change how you think about the other person. If something triggers a negative thought do your best to quickly replace it with a positive thought and memory.  This will help with the next point.

3. Speak positively. Do your best to avoid saying negative things about the other person if they come up in conversation.

4. Recognize and appreciate the other person’s positive qualities and strengths. There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.

5. Offer up prayers or peaceful thoughts & wishes for the other person. 

When you think about the person you are unable to reconcile with say a brief prayer for him or her or express a wish for happiness.Offering up well-wishes for the other person will also improve your mood and prevent you from dwelling on frustrating and painful memories.

There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.

Even if the other person refuses to participate in reconciliation you can still come to some place of peace and reconciliation within yourself.

Previously published on STAND-Magazine

By Dwayne D. Hayes, Managing Editor

- See more at: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/5-ways-reconcile-unreconcilable-someone-bbab/#sthash.uAb80Uyc.dpuf

Reconciliation is a team effort.

—

I recently attended a conference for dads and, in one session, a man described a bitter divorce, resulting in him losing all contact with his young daughter, now 26-years-old. He expressed the pain and powerlessness of not being able to reconcile with her and of his daughter’s refusal to connect with him in any way. Others in the session found this difficult to comprehend and suggested he try again to reconcile with her.
I understood some of the pain and powerlessness this man described.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible. What do you do then?

◊♦◊

In a previous post I shared some details surrounding my divorce and a few of the lessons I learned in the years after. I briefly mentioned that my ex-wife made the decision to end all contact with me. This was very painful. She’d been my best friend since I was a teen and now she was cut completely from my life.

However, one must also come to accept the situation for what it is and realize what you are unable to change.

The loss of my best friend was difficult enough to deal with but as the years passed, I began to understand myself more and to understand some of the dynamics of our relationship and what contributed to the end of our marriage. I regretted my failure to be a better husband.
Sometimes reconciliation is not possible.
I wanted to come to some kind of reconciliation with her but this was made impossible by her refusal to speak with me.
Over the years, I gradually came to understand that I could still reconcile the relationship within myself.

◊♦◊

If you are dealing with an irreconcilable someone or situation you might find some peace by implementing the following five practices:

1. Recognize and accept how you feel. There is nothing wrong with feeling angry or upset about a situation. These feelings are normal and appropriate. However, one must also come to accept the situation for what it is and realize what you are unable to change. You can change your response to the situation. Choose to focus on what you can control.

2. Change how you think about the other person. If something triggers a negative thought do your best to quickly replace it with a positive thought and memory.  This will help with the next point.

3. Speak positively. Do your best to avoid saying negative things about the other person if they come up in conversation.

4. Recognize and appreciate the other person’s positive qualities and strengths. There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.

5. Offer up prayers or peaceful thoughts & wishes for the other person. When you think about the person you are unable to reconcile with say a brief prayer for him or her or express a wish for happiness.

Offering up well-wishes for the other person will also improve your mood and prevent you from dwelling on frustrating and painful memories.
There are, in most cases, traits we can appreciate in another person and it’s always best, regardless of the situation, to concentrate on these.
Even if the other person refuses to participate in reconciliation you can still come to some place of peace and reconciliation within yourself.
Previously published on STAND-Magazine
By Dwayne D. Hayes, Managing Editor
- See more at: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/5-ways-reconcile-unreconcilable-someone-bbab/#sthash.uAb80Uyc.dpuf

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day 06/04/2016

“O despertar espiritual é um processo de lembrança de si mesmo que envolve a desconstrução do ego. Ego é uma palavra que tem diferentes definições. Quando me refiro a um ego, estou falando de um falso centro, uma falsa ideia de eu. Trata-se de uma falsa identidade construída a partir de informações externas: você recebe um nome e uma educação; adquire conhecimento e conquista coisas... Em outras palavras, você constrói uma história sobre quem é você e passa a acreditar que é essa história. Mas, para lembrar quem é você, a falsa identidade precisará ser desconstruída. Esse é um grande desafio.”

“El despertar espiritual es un proceso de recordarse a si mismo que implica la deconstrucción del ego. Ego es una palabra que tiene diferentes definiciones. Cuando me refiero a un ego, estoy hablando de un falso centro, una falsa idea de yo. Se trata de una falsa identidad construida a partir de informaciones externas: recibes un nombre y una educación; adquieres conocimiento y conquistas cosas... En otras palabras, construyes una historia acerca de quien eres y pasas a creer que eres esta historia. Pero para recordarte quién eres, la falsa identidad necesitará ser deconstruida. Este es un gran desafío.”

“A spiritual awakening is a process of remembering one’s self and deconstructing the ego. Ego is a word with many different definitions. When I speak about the ego, I am referring to a false center, a false idea of ‘I’. It is a false identity built on external information such as the name we receive, our education, our knowledge and achievements. We construct a story about who we are and we begin to believe this story. In order to remember who we are, the false identity needs to be deconstructed. This is a great challenge.”

Via Daily Dharma / April 6, 2016: Don’t Try So Hard

Trying to find a Buddha or enlightenment is like trying to grab space. Space has a name but no form. It's not something you can pick up or put down. And you certainly can't grab it.

—Jisho Cary Warner, "The Snaggletoothed Barbarian"

Via NPR: Better Late Than Never: Olympic Champion Greg Louganis Gets His Wheaties Box

Greg Louganis in an inward dive pike on the front of the Wheaties box. The "legends" series boxes will be on shelves starting in May.

Courtesy Of General Mills 

 

In his competitive diving career, four-time Olympic diving gold medalist and five-time world champion Greg Louganis has been all over the world. Now he'll be in one place that's eluded him for years: your kitchen table.

Wheaties announced that Louganis — who is openly gay and HIV-positive — along with two other former Olympians, hurdler Edwin Moses and swimmer Janet Evans, will be featured on the cereal boxes as part of the revamped "legends" series.

In a 2015 HBO documentary called Back on Board: Greg Louganis, the diver said he understood that he wasn't featured on the Wheaties box during the prime of his career in the 1980s because he didn't fit the company's requirement of a "wholesome image" as he was rumored to be gay. He came out publicly about his sexual identity and HIV-positive status in 1995.

Louganis says he's glad to finally be getting the recognition.

i

Janet Evans is one of the greatest women's distance swimmers in U.S. history..

Courtesy Of General Mills 

 

"[It's] so incredible to be honored with the likes of Edwin Moses — we were in our first Olympic games in 1976 together," Louganis told NPR's All Things Considered. "Janet Evans — we trained at Mission Viejo together — I watched her grow up."

Louganis became the only man to sweep the Olympic diving events in back-to-back games when he won gold medals in both springboard and platform diving in the '84 and '88 Olympics. He's now a role model for other athletes including British Olympic diver Tom Daley, who came out as gay when he was around 20 years old.

i

Edwin Moses was a three-time world champion in the 400-meter hurdles.

Courtesy Of General Mills 

 

"I would have always wanted someone like him as a role model on the front of a cereal box," Daley told NPR's Ari Shapiro. "He's a great model and forever will be the greatest diver to walk this earth."
General Mills spokesman Mike Siemienas told NPR he couldn't provide an answer as to why Louganis wasn't on the box previously because no one who was involved in those decisions still worked at the company. Siemienas said a committee is responsible for determining which athletes are on the boxes.

Wheaties unveiled the "legends" cereal boxes after the documentary detailing Louganis' athletic career and experiences as a gay man sparked a petition on Change.org to get the diver on the iconic Wheaties cereal box. Created by Julie Sondgerath, who had never met Louganis, the petition garnered nearly 45,000 signatures.

Wheaties told NPR that the petition did not factor into their decision to put Louganis on a Wheaties box.

"We were aware of the petition, as we see this all the time from fans wanting their favorite athlete on the box," Siemienas said. "But appearing on a Wheaties box is not a popularity contest. Wheaties chooses athletes based on their achievements on and off their field of play."

As for Louganis, he says that he appreciates the honor more now than he would have in the 1980s.
"Back in '95, I wasn't expected to live very long because we thought of HIV-AIDS as a death sentence, so to be here today, now 56, the box means so much more to me than it would have then because I feel like I'm being embraced as a whole person, not just for my athletic achievements."

Make the jump here to listen to the orginal and more at NPR

Via United Nations Free & Equal / FB: No one should have to choose between God and their sexual orientation!

 

Vicky Beeching: no one should have to choose between God and their sexual orientation!

#GayVsGod?