Via FB:

Via Livre-Mente: Conscientização e Direitos Humanos / FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 23/09/16

“Carl Jung chamou a natureza inferior do ser humano de ‘sombra’. A sombra representa aquilo que encontra-se no plano inconsciente, o que também é conhecido como ‘maldade’. Os aspectos inconscientes exercem um grande poder sobre nós, pois geram impulsos que agem à revelia da nossa vontade consciente, o que causa frustração e decepção. Muitas vezes, você é tomado pela inveja ou pelo desejo de vingança e não consegue controlar tais impulsos. Alguns nem mesmo chegam a ter consciência disso e acabam machucando aos outros e a si mesmo. Outros até têm consciência e sentem raiva de si mesmos por isso, mas não conseguem fazer diferente. Quanto mais inconsciente a respeito dos aspectos inconscientes, mais escura é a sombra. O que ilumina a sombra é a consciência.”

“Carl Jung llamó a la naturaleza inferior del ser humano 'sombra'. La sombra representa aquello que se encuentra en el plano inconsciente, o que también se conoce como ‘maldad’. Los aspectos inconscientes ejercen un gran poder sobre nosotros, ya que generan impulsos que actúan en contra de nuestra voluntad consciente, lo que causa frustración y decepción. Muchas veces, eres tomado por la envidia o por el deseo de venganza y no consigues controlar tales impulsos. Algunos ni siquiera llegan a ser conscientes de eso y terminan lastimando a los demás ya sí mismos. Otros hasta son conscientes y por esos ienten rabia de sí mismos, pero no consiguen actuar diferente. Cuanto más inconsciente respecto de los aspectos inconscientes, más oscura es la sombra. Lo que ilumina la sombra es la conciencia.”

“Carl Jung referred to the lower nature of the human being as the ‘shadow’. The shadow represents what we find in the unconscious, and has also been referred to as ‘evil’. These unconscious aspects exert a great power over us and generate impulses that act against our conscious will that causes frustration and disillusionment. Often, we are taken by jealousy or the desire for revenge and we are unable to control these impulses. Some may become aware of this yet continue to hurt others and themselves. Others may be conscious of this and feel angry with them selves because they are unable to act differently. The more hidden these unconscious aspects, the darker the shadow is. What illuminates the shadow is awareness.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 23, 2016: The Judgment of Others

When you internalize the gaze of others, you’re a prisoner of what, in reality, you’re reading into their gaze—an uncertain process at best.

—Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "Under Your Skin"

Via Huffington QUEER VOICES : If You’re Gay And Support Trump, You Don’t Care About The Rest Of Us It’s that simple.

Sara D. Davis via Getty Images

Dumb and dumber. 

While gay conservatives have been around for decades, the number of self-identified gay men who have recently come out in support of Trump is, at the very least, unsettling.

It’s time we have a candid conversation with one another: if you identify as gay, you are part of a community of marginalized people whose rights and very survival are threatened by the prospect of a Trump presidency.

And while Trump may have thrown around the acronym “LGBTQ” as a loose statement of unsubstantiated queer empathy, he certainly is not pro-LGBT. But beyond this, part of being queer means aligning our struggles with all minority groups and understanding that our oppression is intersectional and, for many of us, not easily compartmentalized. This includes caring about and fighting for the rights of people of color, women, disabled people, people of other nationalities and people of different classes, in addition to sexual and gender minorities, just to name a few.

So, if you’re a white, cis gay man who is privileged in every way ― except for who you go to bed with at night ― the message that your statement of support for Trump sends to all other minority groups is that you don’t give a shit about them.

Let’s take a look at Trump’s and Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence’s track record, shall we?

ASSOCIATED PRESS

People of Color: Not only has discrimination against black people been a pattern in Trump’s career, but he has actively refused to condemn the white supremacists supporting his campaign. Here is a timeline of what Vox calls his “long history of racism, from the 1970s to 2016, explained.”

Women: I literally don’t even know where to begin with this one. Just take a look at this list of horribly offensive things Trump has said about women.

Disabled People: In the past, Trump openly mocked a reporter with a disability. He has a sordid history of this type of behavior.

Classism: Trump’s “working class support” is inherently mythological and his policies have the potential to trigger what many experts think could be the longest recession since the great depression. 

Xenophobia: Trump loves to refer to groups of people monolithically by their nationality or religious affiliation. He has famously pledged to build a wall between America and Mexico and vowed to ban all Muslims ― 1.6 billion members of an entire religion ― from entering the U.S.

Transgender People: Trump agreed with North Carolina’s decision to enact anti-trans House Bill 2 and has actively misgendered high-profile transgender people like Caitlyn Jenner.

Gay People: Trump has also said he would “strongly consider” appointing judges that would overturn SCOTUS’ same-sex marriage ruling. In June, he had a private meeting with over 400 of the most homophobic, bigoted and powerful anti-LGBT leaders in the country and has been a champion of “religious freedom” rhetoric used to discriminate against LGBT people. In addition, Pence has a long history of LGBT intolerance, including opposing foreign governments’ efforts to decriminalize homosexuality, opposing repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and leading a crusade against LGBT rights as governor of Indiana.

Trump is not a presidential candidate who cares about marginalized groups, or people who have to navigate this world on a very different, more difficult path than the one he has walked. And it’s time that we as queer people ― especially white, gay-identifying men with access to capital ― care about the most vulnerable members of our community enough to let their voices and experiences shape our actions, ideologies and policies.

If you want to do the daily mental gymnastics it must take to justify supporting Trump, by all means! No one is saying that you don’t have the right to do that, or that you have to embody a certain set of ideals because of your sexuality.

But at least admit that you literally couldn’t care less about what happens to the most vulnerable members of your community.

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims ― 1.6 billion members of an entire religion ― from entering the U.S. 

Make the jump here to read the original and more

'American Male' Short Film | Look Different | MTV

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 22/09/16

“As doenças têm sua origem no nível da alma. Quando a matriz corpórea (que envolve os corpos energético, emocional e mental) está muito danificada, presa em condicionamentos e marcada por traumas e feridas, a alma se torna cética em relação à possibilidade da cura, então ela começa a programar a sua partida. A alma começa a se desligar do corpo através da ativação de conexões genéticas e programações karmicas que possibilitam e aceleram a morte. Esse é o mistério que está por trás das doenças incuráveis e das mortes súbitas.”

“Las enfermedades tienen su origen en el nivel del alma. Cuando la matriz corpórea (que involucra a los cuerpos energético, emocional y mental) está muy dañada, presa en condicionamientos y marcada por traumas y heridas, el alma se vuelve escéptica sobre la posibilidad de la cura, entonces comienza a programar su partida. El alma comienza a desligarse del cuerpo mediante la activación de conexiones genéticas y programaciones karmicas que posibilitan y aceleran la muerte. Este es el misterio por detrás de las enfermedades incurables y de las muertes súbitas.”

"Disease begins at the level of the soul. When the matrix of the corporal body that includes the emotional and mental bodies, are very damaged, locked in conditioning and marred by traumas and wounds, the soul turns skeptical. It doesn't believe in the possibility of being healed. The soul begins to program its departure. The soul starts to disconnect from the body through the activation of genetics and karmic programming that allow and accelerate the process of death. This is the mystery that lies behind incurable diseases and sudden deaths."

Via Dialy Dharma / September 22, 2016: Removing our Blinders

Craving creates tunnel vision: we see only what we yearn for. Mindfulness allows us to see that and much more, giving us the choice not to act on our desires.

—Joan Duncan Oliver, "Drink and a Man"

Via PinkNews: The US has had openly gay soldiers for five years, world hasn’t ended yet

World still not ended.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of openly gay soldiers being allowed in the US military, after the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994 as part of a compromise deal with conservatives, banning military authorities from carrying out gay ‘witch hunts’ while maintaining a ban on gay soldiers. 

For nearly two decades under the policy, gay people were dismissed for speaking about any their sexuality while serving in the United States armed forces, while officials were prohibited from ‘investigating’ service members they suspected of homosexuality. 

The policy came to an end on September 20, 2011, after Barack Obama signed a law repealing the instruction – allowing gay, bisexual and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military for the first time.

Transgender soldiers followed earlier this year, when the armed forces amended its medical code to remove ‘transgenderism’ as a disqualifying condition.

At the time, evangelicals and senior Republicans claimed that allowing gay people into the military would lead to the destruction of US armed forces. 

Former Presidential hopeful Rick Perry famously played off it in 2012, releasing a TV ad complaining there’s “something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas”. 

Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential pick, also bitterly opposed reform on the issue. Pence fumed at the time: “Homosexuality is incompatible with military service because the presence of homosexuals in the ranks weakens unit cohesion.”

The Democratic National Committee’s LGBT Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes hailed the anniversary. He said: “In the five years since Congress repealed the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, we’ve made great strides in expanding and protecting the rights of the LGBT community in the United States, but we still have further to go.

“More than 13,000 service members were discharged under DADT, denying those men and women the opportunity to serve our nation, and diminishing the strength of our armed forces in the process. “By repealing the policy, we no longer treat members of the LGBT community as second-class citizens in our armed forces, and we are a stronger nation for it – both militarily and morally.

“Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine want to build on that progress. They believe in standing up for the LGBT community, ending discrimination, and fighting for our full rights. Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, would only drag us backwards on LGBT rights.

“They both support North Carolina’s discriminatory HB2 ‘bathroom bill,’ and as governor, Pence signed a so-called ‘religious freedom’ bill into law, which threatened to allow businesses to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

“We need to elect a president and vice president who will treat members of the LGBT community as full citizens, and who will fight to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”

Read the original and more here

Via Ram Dass / September 21, 2016:

We’re all just walking each other home.

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 21/09/16

“É dando que se recebe”. Essa é uma lei básica neste plano, que é muito simples de entender, mas muito difícil de viver. Nós estamos aqui justamente para ativar ou despertar nossa capacidade natural de doar, pois ela se encontra adormecida. Todo o ser humano tem essa capacidade, pois o Amor é a nossa essência; é a fragrância do Ser que nos habita. Ele está e sempre esteve dentro de cada um de nós, mas encontra-se encoberto por camadas de medo e ódio. Portanto, precisamos trabalhar para remover essas camadas, até que possamos desvendar o Amor.”

 

“Es dando que se recibe'. Esta es una ley básica en este plano, que es muy simple de entender, pero muy difícil de vivir. Nosotros estamos acá justamente para activar o despertar nuestra capacidad natural dedar,pues se encuentra dormida. Todo ser humano tiene esta capacidad, porque el Amor es nuestra esencia; es la fragancia del Ser que nos habita. Él está y siempre estuvo adentro de cada uno de nosotros, pero se halla encubierto por capas de miedo y odio. Por lo tanto, necesitamostrabajar para remover esas capas, hasta que podamos desvendar el amor.”

“It is in giving that we receive. This is a basic law on this plane that is very simple to understand but very difficult to live. We are here precisely to activate or awaken our natural capacity to give which is lying dormant within us. Every human being has this capacity, because love is our essence. It is the fragrance of the being that inhabits us. It is, and has always been, in each and every one of us, only it remains covered by layers of fear and hate. We must, therefore, work to remove these layers until we area able to unveil love.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 21, 2016: On Generosity

If we keep our own light selfishly hidden, it will only provide a limited amount of illumination. But when we share our light with others, we do not diminish our own light. Rather, we increase the amount of light available to all.

—Master Sheng-Yen, "Rich Generosity"

Via The ManKind Project / FB:

Via Sri Prem Baba / Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 20/09/16

“Em algum momento nós, seres humanos, nos desconectamos da nossa própria essência e nos esquecemos que o amor que tanto buscamos no mundo lá fora, está dentro de nós. Essa desconexão fez com que acreditássemos ser carentes daquilo que, na verdade, temos em abundância. E, com isso, passamos a usar toda nossa energia e inteligência para forçar o outro a nos reconhecer e considerar, ou seja, a nos amar. Mas, em algum momento amadurecemos e percebemos que, somente quando reconhecemos somos reconhecidos; somente quando consideramos somos considerados - somente quando amamos, somos amados.”

“En algún momento nosotros, los seres humanos, nos desconectamos de nuestra propia esencia y nos olvidamos que el amor que tanto buscamos en el mundo allá afuera, está dentro nuestro. Esta desconexión hizo que creyéramos ser carentes de aquello que,realmente, tenemos en abundancia. Y con esto, pasamos a utilizar toda nuestra energía e inteligencia enforzar el otro a reconocernos y considerarnos, es decir, aamarnos. Pero en algún momento maduramos y percibimos que, solamente cuando reconocemos somos reconocidos; solamentecuando consideramos somos considerado;solamente cuando amamos, somos amados.”

“At some point in time, we humans have become disconnected from our own essence and have forgotten that the love we seek so much from the outside world, is actually within us. This disconnection caused us to believe we were needy for that which, in truth, we have in abundance. Thus, we began to spend our time using all our energy and intelligence to force the other to recognize and consider us, or ‘love’ us. Eventually, we mature and realize that it is only by recognizing that we are recognized; it is only through considering that we are considered; and it is only when we love thatwe are loved.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 20, 2016: At Ease in Goodness

A noble person does not do good because of willpower. She does it through a combination of, on the one hand, modesty about self, and, on the other hand, faith in a higher purpose, a higher meaning, in powers more potent than self-will. Such a person is not moral through gritted teeth. She is at ease in goodness.

—David Brazier, "Other Power"

Via The ManKind Project / FB:

Via Ram Dass / September 18, 2016:

This love is actually part of you; it is always flowing through you. It’s like the subatomic texture of the universe, the dark matter that connects everything. When you tune into that flow, you will feel it in your own heart—not your physical heart or your emotional heart, but your spiritual heart, the place you point to in your chest when you say, "I am."

Rainbow Buddha

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 18/09/16

“Antigamente, as práticas de yoga eram apenas para aqueles que estavam em processo de desligamento do mundo, vivendo em monastérios ou em cavernas. Hoje em dia, elas estão acessíveis e podem ser praticadas por todos, mesmo por aqueles que vivem nos grandes centros urbanos. Não é preciso deixar o trabalho e a família para ser uma pessoa espiritual. Você pode, em algum momento, fazer um retiro, mas a sua prática deve ser sustentar a presença enquanto se relaciona com o outro e manter a equanimidade mental diante dos desafios do relacionamento.”

“Antiguamente, las prácticas de yoga eran solo para los que estaban en proceso de desconectarse del mundo, viviendo en monasterios o en cuevas. Hoy en día, son accesibles y pueden ser practicadas por todos, incluso por aquellos que viven en los grandes centros urbanos. No hacefalta dejar el trabajo y la familia para ser una persona espiritual. En algún momento, puedes hacer un retiro, pero tu práctica debe ser sostener la presencia mientras te relacionas con el otro y mantener la ecuanimidad mental ante los desafíos del relacionarse.”

“In the past, yoga practices were only for those who were in the process of disconnecting from the world, living in monasteries and caves. Today, yoga is more accessible and can be practiced by all, even those living in large urban cities. It isn’t necessary to quit our jobs or leave our families in order to follow a spiritual path. Perhaps, at some point, we may decide to participate in a retreat. However, our practice should allow us to sustain presence and mental equanimity while facing the challenges of relationship.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 18, 2016: A Life of Awareness

Many things help you with concentration, like chanting or bowing, so they can be useful parts of practice. But finally, there is no substitute for insightful seeing or for understanding how you create suffering for yourself; and in the process—in seeing into and through it—how to let go of it. It’s a life of awareness.

—Larry Rosenberg, "The Art of Doing Nothing"

Via JMG: Math Quiz: If 70% Of Men Are Married To A Woman As God Intended, What Are The Odds Teacher’s A Jerk?

Britain’s Bucks Free Press reports:

A grammar school has been accused of handing out ‘homophobic’ work after a maths question sparked fury amongst parents and students. The shocking question, handed out by a school volunteer to a group of students at the all-boys Royal Grammar School, in High Wycombe, suggests only men and woman should get married “as God intended”.

The questions reads: “If in a town 70 per cent of the men are married to 90 per cent of the women (and each marriage is between one man and woman, as God intended when he made humans male and female) what percentage of the adult population are married?”

The optional math test “posers” could have been picked up by all the school’s 1,300 students, including children as young as 11. One parent, who did not want to be named, slammed the homework as being “homophobic” and having an “anti-LGBT bias”.

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press this morning, headmaster Philip Wayne said: “I’m sorry on behalf of the whole school community of governors, staff and boys for any offence this has caused.” LGBT rights charity Stonewall has highlighted the importance of tackling discrimination within school, while praising RGS for dealing with concerns quickly.

What’s the correct answer, anyway? I hated these questions. (Via Christian Nightmares)

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

Shields and Brooks on Trump’s ‘birther’ lie, Clinton’s ‘deplorables’ effect

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día - Flower of the day - 17/09/16

“A meditação envolve diversos estágios ou estados de consciência. Às vezes, você tem acesso a lugares de dor onde entra em contato com sentimentos difíceis como medo, raiva e insegurança. São infernos internos que precisam ser atravessados, pois ali tem algum aprendizado para você. Às vezes, você entra em uma zona neutra, na qual não sente raiva nem medo, mas também não sente amor - você não sente nada. E, às vezes, você vai para o céu e experimenta um amor infinito; uma alegria sem causa; paz e unidade. Você expande e contrai até que, em algum momento, aprende a sustentar o coração aberto e a comunhão com o Divino.”

“La meditación involucra varias etapas o estados de consciencia. A veces, tienes acceso a lugares de dolor, donde entras en contacto con sentimientos difíciles como miedo, rabia e inseguridad. Son infiernos internos que necesitanser atravesados, porque hay ahíalgún aprendizaje para ti. Otras veces, entras en una zona neutra, en la cual no sientesrabiani miedo, pero tampoco sientes amor,no sientes nada. Y, a veces, vas al cielo y experimentas un amor infinito; una alegría sin causa; paz y unidad. Expandes y contraes hasta que, en algún momento, aprendes a sostener el corazón abierto y la comunión con lo Divino.”

“Meditation involves different stages or states of consciousness. Sometimes, we access places of pain and we come into contact with difficult feelings like fear, anger and insecurity. They are like an internal hell that needs to be crossed, because through this passage, there lies a lesson for us. Sometimes, we enter into a neutral zone in which we don’t feel anger or fear, but we don’t feel love either. We feel nothing. Other times, we soar to the heavens and experience an infinite love, a joy without reason, peace and unity. We expand and contract until the moment comes when we learn to sustain an open heart and communion with the divine.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 17, 2016: Speaking Truth

No separation between speaker, speaking, and the reality spoken about. This is the precept of non-lying.

—Roshi Nancy Mujo Baker, "Non-lying"

Via Daily Dharma / September 16, 2016: A Tulku’s Take on Nirvana

The essence of our consciousness is already love and wisdom. Karma, concepts, and emotional patterns are only temporarily preventing our consciousness from unfolding its enlightened nature.

—Tulku Thubten Rinpoche, "Nirvana: Three Takes"

Haikus On Hotties 2017 Calendar Kickstarter Video

The Pass - Trailer

Via The Huffingtonpost and Mormons for Equality / FB: LGBT Mormons Boldly Claim Both Their Orientation And Their Faith

More and more LGBT Mormons are stepping up to claim both their religious heritage and their identity--no longer buying into the false choice that they have to choose one over the other, and recognizing that they are exactly who we are supposed to be.

"I’m proud to walk with my LGBT Mormon brothers and sisters on this journey — as some have called it, a Hero’s Journey. And as we continue our journey, we welcome our Latter-day Saint fellows to walk by our side — gay, straight, and everywhere in between. For those who cannot yet do so, we will hold a space for you. But we will no longer believe that we are broken, suffering, or unworthy of Christ’s love and full inclusion."

----

Artist Melinda Hannah finalizing portraits of LGBT Mormons. Photo courtesy of Melinda Hannah.

“You can be gay, or you can be Mormon. But you can’t be both.”

I grew up hearing that a lot as a gay Mormon kid in Idaho. I guess in some ways it was no surprise to hear that from my Mormon friends, family and leadership since by and large, most of them didn’t understand what it actually meant to be LGBT. But as I grew up, I heard it from some of my friends in the LGBT community as well — and for a time, I actually allowed myself to believe it. 

It was a painful place to be. I felt tossed back and forth between two communities, neither of them wanting to claim me as a whole, integrated person. One the one hand, I had no choice over whether or not I was gay — I’m a firm believer I was this way before I came to this life and I’ll be this way when I get to the next. And on the other, being Mormon is much more complicated than just an activity I practiced for a few hours on Sunday; it is a culture deeply steeped into my identity, and it’s not something I could turn my back on without leaving behind a core part of who I am (not to mention my family, friends, and faith practice). 

My world was full of people who weren’t shy about telling me how to live my life — and on any given day, I couldn’t be Mormon enough for my Latter-day Saint family and friends, and I couldn’t be gay enough for my LGBT community. I felt like a man with a foot in two worlds, but I didn’t fully belong in either. No matter which one I chose, I still lost part of myself.

But today that’s different. Today, when someone tells me, “You can’t be both gay and Mormon,” I gently reply, “Watch me. I do it every day.” 

And I am not alone. 

Today, there are thousands — perhaps tens of thousands — of LGBT Mormons like me throughout the world, and we claim both our religious roots and our orientation without apology. We don’t view ourselves as “broken and suffering,” the way many inside Mormonism see us. Instead, we have come to realize that the only thing “broken” about us is the way we were taught to understand ourselves in relation to God and our fellow humans; and any “suffering” we have experienced has come largely at the hands of our brothers and sisters inside the Mormon church — including our leadership. 

Health, wholeness, and happiness for us comes not from choosing one side of ourselves at the expense of the other — but instead, from integrating them and forging our path through life as LGBT Mormons. And while it may once have felt like we were people with a foot in two worlds that didn’t seem to intersect, we’ve come to understand that those two worlds do indeed intersect — and that we are that intersection point. 

An art show opening in Provo, Utah later this month features portraits of some of these LGBT Mormons — many of them alongside their partners and spouses of the same gender. The show runs from September 22-25 with a special reception on Friday, September 23 at 5:30 P.M., at Writ and Vision Rare Books and Fine Art in downtown Provo. 

The exhibit is officially named “The Hero’s Journey of the LGBT Mormon,” after the book by prominent Latter-day Saint author and LGBT ally Carol Lynn Pearson. The exhibit coincides with the annual conference of Affirmation, an organization run by and for LGBT Mormons. 

Melinda Hannah is the artist and brainchild behind the event. 

“I’ve long held that art can be a unique and powerful way to capture the beauty that is found inside authenticity, and the LGBT Mormons I’ve had the honor to work with in this show have a genuine spirit of authenticity and wholeness that I wanted to bring to life—and bring to others,” said Hannah, who is based in Seattle. 

Hannah has prior experience with communities who’ve suffered trauma yet emerged whole and healthy. Her art show in 2014 focused on women survivors of cancer and it’s her passion for ‘healing through art’ that inspired her again here. 

In November of last year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enacted a worldwide policy that mandates church discipline (the process that leads to excommunication) for LGBT Mormons who choose to live authentic lives and marry someone of their same gender and bars children with LGBT parents from being baptized into the faith until those children turn 18 — and only then if they openly disavow the relationship of their parents.
“When the November policy was announced in church, I sat with a gay Mormon friend of mine for several hours one Sunday. I saw her pain, her fear, and I held her as she cried. I recognized that there is healing to be done here — and I feel called to help,” added Hannah. 

She continued: “Not every LGBT Mormon is in the same place spiritually and emotionally as the ones depicted in the show — it is my hope that their portraits will inspire others to begin to view themselves as whole and loved by God. Even if the Mormon Church itself is unable to welcome and love its LGBT members right now, I have a firm testimony that God certainly does. He always has.”

The LGBT Mormons featured in the show agree with Hannah. A few of my fellow LGBT Latter-day Saints featured in the exhibit shared their thoughts with me here. 

“I have always believed that there could be a place for everyone in the Mormon Church, and that happiness and love could be a real part for everyone in this life, too. As a lesbian Mormon, I felt called to boldly be in the pews; to be tolerant while creating tolerance, and hold space to help stop so much unnecessary grief and pain. Like many that held this space before me and those that will follow, I feel a deep honor that I have had a chance to run my lap; to carry the baton for the team and pass it to the next gay Mormon advocate, until I am called to run another leg for change.”

-A. Celeste Carolin, Seattle, WA

“I’m gay and very proud of it. I suspect I’m the first gay rights activist to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the November policy. I was baptized Dec. 5, 2015. I’m reclaiming the place I had in our pre-mortal family council, where all of God’s LGBT children had an honored place. If we LGBTs didn’t have an honorable place, we wouldn’t have a body right now. We were loved and nurtured before the world began. My Heavenly Father manages this universe. He would not send me here only to forget about me. God is arranging all things gloriously for his LGBT children. We only have to watch it unfold.”

-Derek Knox, Boston, MA

“Mormonism is my home — it is my religion and the religion of my family—and through it I have developed a firm testimony of the Gospel of Christ. It is through Christ’s Gospel that I found the courage to come out, to be honest about who I am as a gay man. A tenet of living the Gospel of Christ is living an authentic life. And because I am now living an authentic life as a follower of Christ, I have an abundance of peace and joy that I never had while I was denying my orientation. For me, living my truth is part of living the gospel—I cannot be a true follower of my Savior and be dishonest about who I am.”

-Roger Sanchez, Roseburg, OR

Each of the LGBT Mormons in the art show have written similar statements about their journey as LGBT Mormons, and you can learn more about the show on the Facebook event page. 

I’m proud to walk with my LGBT Mormon brothers and sisters on this journey — as some have called it, a Hero’s Journey. And as we continue our journey, we welcome our Latter-day Saint fellows to walk by our side — gay, straight, and everywhere in between. For those who cannot yet do so, we will hold a space for you. But we will no longer believe that we are broken, suffering, or unworthy of Christ’s love and full inclusion. 

When you are ready, we will take your hand as equals in our family of humanity, and together we will build a better Zion.

Follow Mitch Mayne on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mitchmaynecom

See the orginla nd more here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitch-mayne/refusing-to-choose-lgbt-mormons_b_12011380.html 

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 15/09/2016

“O que te impede de assumir compromisso e responsabilidade? Sendo o compromisso e a responsabilidade aspectos do movimento natural da vida, assim como o rio que se move em direção ao oceano, qual é a pedra que te impede de fluir nesse movimento natural? Quais são as crenças e imagens congeladas no seu sistema que te fazem crer que assumir compromisso e responsabilidade é ruim? A pedra representa algum aspecto do passado te impedindo de manifestar a presença. A presença é a unidade com o Ser; é de onde flui a espontaneidade.O Ser assume compromisso e responsabilidade, pois esses são aspectos do amor, e o amor é a essência do Ser.”

“¿Qué es lo que te impide asumir compromiso y responsabilidad? Siendo el compromiso y la responsabilidad aspectos del movimiento natural de la vida, así como el río que se mueve en dirección al océano, ¿cuál es la piedra que te impide fluir en ese movimiento natural? ¿Cuáles son las creencias e imágenes congeladas en tu sistema que te hacen creer que asumir compromiso y responsabilidad es malo? La piedra representa algún aspecto del pasado que te está impidiendo manifestar la presencia. La presencia es la unidad con el Ser, es de donde fluye la espontaneidad.El Ser asume compromiso y responsabilidad puesestos son aspectos del amor, y el amor es la esencia del Ser.”

“What prevents us from making commitments and assuming responsibility? Commitments and responsibility are like natural movement in life, just like a river that moves in the direction of the ocean. What is the rock that prevents the flow of this natural movement? What are the beliefs and frozen images in our system that makes us believe commitments and responsibility are bad? The rock represents something from the past that robs us of presence. Presence is unity with the being. From presence flows spontaneity. The being assumes responsibility and commitment, because these are aspects of love, and love is the essence of the being.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 15, 2016: At The End

Within the silence that follows the final breath of a dying person is the certainty that something is occurring. In the nonmoving movement of air in the room one senses a deep, deep loneliness and at the same time the connectedness of everything.

—Robert Chodo Campbell, "Death Is Not an Emergency"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 14/09/2016

“Só é possível haver crescimento real se houver comprometimento com a verdade. Mas, muitas vezes, é difícil distinguir entre a mentira e a verdade, entre o falso e o real. Por isso, tenho transmitido instrumentos que possibilitam mensurar até que ponto estamos alinhados ou não com a verdade. Um deles é muito simples:observe suas insatisfações e identifique as situações negativas que se repetem na sua vida; situações que você tenta mudar através da vontade consciente, mas não consegue. Isso indica a existência de uma máscara, uma camada de falsidade encobrindo a verdade. Em algum ponto você está sendo desonesto consigo mesmo; você está fugindo de alguma coisa. A disposição para se ver é a base para o real crescimento.”

“Solo es posible que haya crecimiento real si hay compromiso con la verdad. Pero muchas veces es difícil distinguir entre la mentira y la verdad, entre lo falso y lo real. Por eso hetrasmitido instrumentos que posibilitan medir hasta qué punto estamos alineados o no con la verdad. Uno de ellos es muy simple: observa tus insatisfacciones e identifica las situaciones negativas que se repiten en tu vida; situaciones que intentas cambiar a través de la voluntad consciente, pero no lo consigues. Eso indica la existencia de una máscara, una capa de falsedad encubriendo la verdad. En algún punto estas siendo deshonesto contigo mismo;estás huyendo de alguna cosa. La disposición para mirarte es la base para el real crecimiento.”

“We can only have real growth when there is commitment to truth. Many times, it is difficult to distinguish between lies and truth, between the false and the real. For this reason, I have given many instruments to determine the extent to which we are aligned with truth or not. One of the more simple tools is to observe our dissatisfactions and identify repetitive negative situations in our lives. These are the situations that we try to change through our conscious will, but are unable to shift. This shows us that there is a mask, acting in us, that there is a layer of falseness covering the truth. Somewhere we are being dishonest with ourselves; we are hiding from something. Having the willingness to see ourselves is what is needed for real growth.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 14, 2016: What Giving Is

Generosity takes many forms—we may give our time, our energy, our material possessions, our love. All are expressions of caring, of compassion, of connection, and of renunciation—the ability to let go.

—Joseph Goldstein, "The Evolution of Happiness"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 13/09/2016

“Sem honestidade só é possível crescer no mundo material(se é que podemos chamar isso de crescimento). Alguns chegam a construir impérios com base na mentira, mas tudo o que é construído sobre fundações de mentira - fundações irreais - está fadado a, em algum momento, desmoronar. Tudo que nasce da mentira é ilusório e temporário; tudo que nasce da verdade é real e eterno.”

“Sin honestidad solo es posible crecer en el mundo material (si es que podemos llamar a eso crecimiento). Algunos llegan a construir imperios en base a la mentira, pero todo lo que es construido sobre cimientos de mentira – cimientos irreales – está destinado a desmoronarse en algún momento. Todo lo que nace de la mentira es ilusorio y temporario; todo lo que nace de la verdad es real y eterno.”

“Without honesty it is only possible to grow in the material world, if we can actually call this growth. Some even build empires with foundations based on lies, but everything built on falsehood with unreal foundations, sooner or later, is bound to fall. Everything that is born from deceit is illusory and temporary. Everything that is born from truth is real and eternal.”

Via DailyDharma / September 13, 2016: Natural Creativity

When we trust our creative energy, we encounter a supreme kind of enjoyment—an amazement at the natural unfolding of life beyond our ordinary way of looking at things. When we talk about creating art—or more importantly, the art of living a sane life—it means trusting our basic nature and its natural creativity.

—Dzigar Kongtrul, "Free Expression"

Via Daily Dharma / September 12, 2016: A Useful Reminder

While the practice of dharma may (and often does) bring some comfort, enjoyment, and even happiness in this life, the seeking of these states has always been the very definition of what is not dharma practice. We seek these naturally, no practice required.

—Linda Heuman, "What’s at Stake as the Dharma Goes Modern?"

Via Ram Dass: September 11, 2016

September 11, 2016

It's only when caterpillarness is done that one becomes a butterfly. That again is part of this paradox. You cannot rip away caterpillarness. The whole trip occurs in an unfolding process of which we have no control.

Via Daily Dharma / September 11, 2016: Why Practice?

 This is what we’ve been practicing for: the situations where the practice doesn’t come easily. When the winds of change reach hurricane force, our inner refuge of mindfulness, concentration, and discernment is the only thing that will keep us from getting blown away.

—Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "What We've Been Practicing For"

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 11/09/2016

“Ao acreditar que um objeto externo trará felicidade, você se torna dependente dele para ser feliz. Essa crença é uma ilusão que serve apenas para alimentar o desejar compulsivo e a ideia de que a felicidade vem da matéria. Nossa ciência tem sido conduzida por essa falsa crença há séculos. Tanto tempo e dinheiro, tanta energia já foi desperdiçada na tentativa de dominar a matéria por conta disso. Mas agora nós chegamos num ponto de colapso e precisamos fazer uma curva radical: precisamos dedicar toda nossa energia na conquista do mundo interior. E, para isso, a ciência precisa se unir à espiritualidade.”

“Al creer que un objeto externo traerá felicidad, te vuelves totalmente dependiente de él para ser feliz. Esa creencia es una ilusión que apenas sirve para alimentar el desear compulsivo y a la idea de que la felicidad viene de lomaterial. Nuestra ciencia ha sido conducida por esa falsa creencia por siglos. Tanto tiempo y dinero, tanta energía ya fue desperdiciada en la tentativa de dominar la materia por cuenta de eso. Pero ahora llegamos a un punto de colapso y necesitamos hacer una curva radical: necesitamos dedicar toda nuestra energía en la conquista del mundo interior. Y para eso, la ciencia necesita unirse con la espiritualidad.”

“To believe that an external object will bring happiness creates a dependency within us. This belief is an illusion that only serves to feed compulsive desire and the idea that happiness comes from the world of matter. Our science has been led by this false belief for centuries. Due to this belief, great amounts of money, time and energy have been wasted to try and dominate the material world. Now we have gotten to the breaking point and we need to make a radical turn; we need to dedicate all our energy to the conquest of the internal world. Thus, science must be united with spirituality.”

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 11/09/2016

“Ao acreditar que um objeto externo trará felicidade, você se torna dependente dele para ser feliz. Essa crença é uma ilusão que serve apenas para alimentar o desejar compulsivo e a ideia de que a felicidade vem da matéria. Nossa ciência tem sido conduzida por essa falsa crença há séculos. Tanto tempo e dinheiro, tanta energia já foi desperdiçada na tentativa de dominar a matéria por conta disso. Mas agora nós chegamos num ponto de colapso e precisamos fazer uma curva radical: precisamos dedicar toda nossa energia na conquista do mundo interior. E, para isso, a ciência precisa se unir à espiritualidade.”

“Al creer que un objeto externo traerá felicidad, te vuelves totalmente dependiente de él para ser feliz. Esa creencia es una ilusión que apenas sirve para alimentar el desear compulsivo y a la idea de que la felicidad viene de lomaterial. Nuestra ciencia ha sido conducida por esa falsa creencia por siglos. Tanto tiempo y dinero, tanta energía ya fue desperdiciada en la tentativa de dominar la materia por cuenta de eso. Pero ahora llegamos a un punto de colapso y necesitamos hacer una curva radical: necesitamos dedicar toda nuestra energía en la conquista del mundo interior. Y para eso, la ciencia necesita unirse con la espiritualidad.”

“To believe that an external object will bring happiness creates a dependency within us. This belief is an illusion that only serves to feed compulsive desire and the idea that happiness comes from the world of matter. Our science has been led by this false belief for centuries. Due to this belief, great amounts of money, time and energy have been wasted to try and dominate the material world. Now we have gotten to the breaking point and we need to make a radical turn; we need to dedicate all our energy to the conquest of the internal world. Thus, science must be united with spirituality.”

Via Bipartisan Report & LATimes: Bernie Sanders Publishes Stunning OpEd In LA Times, Makes Major Announcement

The LA Times published a beautifully written opinion article by former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. He felt the need to explain to his millions of loyal fans that letting Donald Trump win the Presidency was just not an option. Below is the letter.

The conventions are over and the general election has officially begun. In the primaries, I received 1,846 pledged delegates, 46% of the total. Hillary Clinton received 2,205 pledged delegates, 54%. She received 602 superdelegates. I received 48 superdelegates. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee and I will vigorously support her.

Donald Trump would be a disaster and an embarrassment for our country if he were elected president. His campaign is not based on anything of substance — improving the economy, our education system, healthcare or the environment. It is based on bigotry. He is attempting to win this election by fomenting hatred against Mexicans and Muslims. He has crudely insulted women. And as a leader of the “birther movement,” he tried to undermine the legitimacy of our first African American president. 
That is not just my point of view. That’s the perspective of a number of conservative Republicans.

In these difficult times, we need a president who will bring our nation together, not someone who will divide us by race or religion, not someone who lacks an understanding of what our Constitution is about.

On virtually every major issue facing this country and the needs of working families, Clinton’s positions are far superior to Trump’s. Our campaigns worked together to produce the most progressive platform in the history of American politics. Trump’s campaign wrote one of the most reactionary documents.

Clinton understands that Citizens United has undermined our democracy. She will nominate justices who are prepared to overturn that Supreme Court decision, which made it possible for billionaires to buy elections. Her court appointees also would protect a woman’s right to choose, workers’ rights, the rights of the LGBT community, the needs of minorities and immigrants and the government’s ability to protect the environment.

Trump, on the other hand, has made it clear that his Supreme Court appointees would preserve the court’s right-wing majority.

Clinton understands that in a competitive global economy we need the best-educated workforce in the world. She and I worked together on a proposal that will revolutionize higher education in America. 

It will guarantee that the children of any family in this country with an annual income of $125,000 a year or less – 83% of our population – will be able to go to a public college or university tuition free. This proposal also substantially reduces student debt.

Trump, on the other hand, has barely said a word about higher education.

Clinton understands that at a time of massive income and wealth inequality, it is absurd to provide huge tax breaks to the very rich.

Trump, on the other hand, wants billionaire families like his to enjoy hundreds of billions of dollars in new tax breaks.

Clinton understands that climate change is real, is caused by human activity and is one of the great environmental crises facing our planet. She knows that we must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and move aggressively to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

Trump, on the other hand, like most Republicans, rejects science and the conclusions of almost all major researchers in the field. He believes that climate change is a “hoax,” and that there’s no need to address it.

Clinton understands that this country must move toward universal healthcare. She wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their healthcare exchange, that anyone 55 or older should be able to opt in to Medicare, and that we must greatly improve primary healthcare through a major expansion of community health centers. She also wants to lower the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs.

And what is Donald Trump’s position on healthcare? He wants to abolish the Affordable Care Act, throw 20 million people off the health insurance they currently have and cut Medicaid for lower-income Americans.

During the primaries, my supporters and I began a political revolution to transform America. That revolution continues as Hillary Clinton seeks the White House. It will continue after the election. It will continue until we create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principle of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

I understand that many of my supporters are disappointed by the final results of the nominating process, but being despondent and inactive is not going to improve anything. Going forward and continuing the struggle is what matters. And, in that struggle, the most immediate task we face is to defeat Donald Trump.

Make the jump here to read the original and more

Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do dia - Flor del día- Flower of the day - 10/09/2016

“A crença de que a felicidade depende do outro está por trás de todos os problemas de relacionamento. Essa é a raiz do sofrimento nas relações humanas. Por isso, se puder voltar-se para dentro e finalmente buscar a felicidade no lugar certo (em si mesmo), você estará contribuindo não somente para a sua própria evolução, mas para a evolução do ser humano como espécie.”

“La creencia de que la felicidad depende del otro está por detrás de todos los problemas de las relaciones. Esa es la raíz del sufrimiento en las relaciones humanas. Por eso, si pudieras ir para adentro y finalmente buscar la felicidad en el lugar exacto (en ti mismo), estarás contribuyendo no solamente a tu propia evolución, sino para la evolución del ser humano como especie.”

“The belief that happiness depends on the other is behind all relationship problems. It is the root of suffering in human relations. So, if we could turn inwards and finally pursue happiness in the right place, within ourselves, we would be contributing not only to our own evolution but to the evolution of the human species.”

Via Daily Dharma / September 10, 2016: Nothing to Fear

As long as we think we shouldn’t feel something, as long as we are afraid of feeling vulnerable, our defenses kick in to try to get life under control, to manipulate ourselves or other people. But instead of either controlling or sequestering our feelings, we can learn to both contain and feel them fully.

—Barry Magid, "No Gain"

Via Walter Kirn / FB: The story from Standing Rock

Walter Kirn

Listen. This is important. It will affect you, though you may not know it yet. Tonight on North Dakota's Cannon Ball River, near its convergence with the Missouri, on a wide, grassy meadow ringed by sloping hills and lit by scores of smoky orange campfires, hundreds or maybe thousands of Native people who have not come together in this way for well over a century have gathered, along with supporters from many backgrounds, to sing and drum and pray for the protection of the earth and water. It is not a romantic or fanciful event but an earnest and passionate spiritual intervention by people for whom spirit and matter are not separate categories at all but a living, interpenetrating unity. 

Their immediate concern is with a pipeline capable of fouling the local waters with toxic oil from the nearby fracking fields. Their larger concern is with a mad philosophy that pits human beings against their natural home for vain and temporary benefits. Against this pipeline and this philosophy they have arrayed the powers of tradition, family, community, magic, music, prophecy, and simple human courage. 

Will they prevail? They will, they must, and they are certain of it, though in what fashion or on what schedule they don't yet fully know. You are with them even if you don't think so because they are battling for life itself.

Does that sound lofty? Let me bring it down some. The camp is electric tonight. A stream of vehicles with yellow headlights clogs the entry road. Smoke is everywhere, creating a spectral geometry of softened angles and misty silhouettes. Down the hill from me, half a mile to my right, an amplified rapper is exhorting a crowd to stand strong in its convictions. In front of me, at the same distance, a drummer is beating a steady, insistent rhythm accompanied by a rising and falling chant. The stars are crackling in the cold black sky. I have been many places as a reporter, to great political conventions, important congresses of leaders, championship sports events, and somber public memorials, but never have I felt such power, such energy. I am not even sure what year it is right now. 

Tomorrow a judge will rule in the pipeline matter, giving the people massed around these fires a victory or a defeat or some muddy combination of the two. Their leaders have urged them in the sternest tones not to be enraged if disappointed. Violence will not be tolerated. And despair will not be tolerated. That is because however the ruling goes, something abiding has been accomplished here: The unification of a hundred nations in a refreshed sense of relevance and purpose. They were divided, these people, and then conquered. Sickness and hunger and material poverty were some of the results. They might never have recovered, never have regained their footing, never have reasserted their common vitality. But they did, they prevailed. Their family is intact. 

Spirituality. In the culture I'm from it's something you slot in to a busy, hectic, willful life. You go to church. You take a yoga class. You climb into bed with an inspiring book. These people approach the spirit differently. They live inside it all day long, and then in their dreams, and then when they wake up. It is how they say hello and how they eat and how they walk across a road. There is nothing else but spirit for them. It has made them more than a little out of step with us. It hasn't added to their bank accounts. It wasn't a route to success as we define it. It didn't make them famous on TV.
It has only made them indomitable, I've noticed.

And that is the news. The story from Standing Rock.