| Somehow it never makes the pain grow less or fade or disappear. |
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| Rely on Nothing |
[November 16, 2009 @ 3:45pm] |
The true seeker
Subdues all waywardness.
He has submitted his nature to quietness.
He is a true seeker
Not because he begs
But because he follows the Lawful Way,
Holding back nothing, holding to nothing,
Beyond good and beyond evil,
Beyond the body and beyond the mind.
Silence cannot make a master out of a fool.
But he who weighs only purity in his scales,
Who sees the nature of the two worlds,
He is a master.
He harms no living thing.
And yet it is not good conduct
That helps you upon the way,
Nor ritual, nor book learning,
Nor withdrawal into the self,
Nor deep meditation.
None of these confers mastery or joy.
O seeker!
Rely on nothing
Until you want nothing.
-Dhammapada
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| philcon schedule and out of town authors |
[November 16, 2009 @ 9:19am] |
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wolfsheim: i find your gun |
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Here's my Philcon schedule for this weekend:
Sat 10:00 AM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
THE VALUE OF ART: TRADITIONAL VS. DIGITAL MEDIA (119)
[Panelists: Ray Ridenour (mod), Kyle Cassidy, Luke Stelmaszek, Alan
Beck, Thomas Nackid]
How does an artist set prices for their art? Should a one of a kind
oil painting cost more than a digital piece that took the same
amount of time to make? Do buyers understand the value of art
Sat 12:00 PM in Plaza V (Five) (1 hour)
STEAMPUNK ART: WHO'S DOING IT AND WHY WE LIKE IT. (121)
[Panelists: Kyle Cassidy (mod), D.E. Christman, Thomas Nackid]
A discussion of steampunk artists
Sat 4:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Two (1 hour)
KYLE CASSIDY SLIDE SHOW (254)
[Panelists: Kyle Cassidy (mod)]
Photographer Kyle Cassidy shows his work
Sun 11:00 AM in Plaza V (Five) (1 hour)
DRAWN TO THE DARK: THE APPEAL OF HORROR ART (113)
[Panelists: D.E. Christman (mod), Mark E. Rogers, Kyle Cassidy,
Thomas Nackid, Hartstein Onezumi]
What draws artists to do horror art? What draws fans to love these
images of gore and creepiness
Sun 2:00 PM in Plaza IV (Four) (1 hour)
WHAT MY CAT HAD FOR BREAKFAST. (218)
[Panelists: Orenthal Hawkins (mod), Kyle Cassidy, Alyce Wilson,
Terri Osborne, KT Pinto]
Just because everyone can have a blog does that mean everyone
should? Panelists discuss what kind of personal responsibility
comes with putting your thoughts out there for the world to read
I have to really applaud the programing people because of all the panels available, these are probably, mostly, the ones I'm competent to be on. I was imagining I'd end up on some panel like "The early untranslated fiction of M. Blatherskythe Blimpzesken: an examination of minor characters in Babylon 5 in comparison with the second transurnal blendstream movement (1977/1987) - Kyle Cassidy (mod)"
I'd particularly recommend "what my cat had for breakfast" cause, you know, it'll probably have ROSWELL CONTENT.
Also, if there are any out of town authors who don't have a place to stay or were thinking of driving back to NYC, the Rock Star Hotel is vacant that weekend, drop us a line.
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| Faith |
[November 15, 2009 @ 11:40pm] |
Faith is the seed, practice the rain,
And wisdom is my yoke and plough.
Modesty's the pole, mind the strap,
Mindfulness my ploughshare and goad.
-Samyutta Nikaya
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| Brahmavihāras: Your Own Personal Pure Realm |
[November 15, 2009 @ 2:28pm] |
I know that most of you are disappointed that you either aren't a member of a Pure Land Buddhist school/transmission, or that you can't be due to other factors. The Pure Land Buddhists are taken to the Western Paradise after death by the power of Amitabha Buddha's compassion, where, after an indeterminate amount of "time", living in paradisal conditions and learning Dharma, they gain enlightenment. Taking a rebirth in the Pure Land or the Western Paradise is, then, the second-to-last step to full liberation. It is the best possible rebirth after a human rebirth in a Dharma-rich environment.
Fortunately for all of you poor souls, you have an alternative. Your "Pure Land Kit" comprises of two components that you will have to put in place before your rebirth reservations are complete:
1. The Three Characteristics of the Five Aggregates
2. The Brahmavihāras themselves
The Three Characteristics of the Five Aggregates are Suffering, Impermanence, and Non-self. All compounded phenomenon (that's all phenomenon, by the way) are marked by these three Characteristics. All phenomenon are unreliable and will lead to dis-satisfaction if you attach yourself to them or read a bunch of malarkey into them (which we all do); all phenomenon are temporary, and all phenomenon lack any trace of an eternal, "stand-alone" self, apart from everything else. Simple as pie. Look at everything you experience in this way, and you won't be building many attachments.
Once you have that, you only need the practices of the Brahmavihāras.
"The four Brahmavihāras are a series of virtues and Buddhist meditation practices designed to cultivate those virtues. Brahmavihāra is a term in Pāli and Sanskrit meaning “Brahma abidings”, or "Sublime attitudes." They are also known as the Four Immeasurables (Sanskrit: apramana).
THEY ARE:
1. Metta/Maitri: loving-kindness towards all; the hope that a person will be well; loving kindness is "the wish that all sentient beings, without any exception, be happy."
2. Karuna: compassion; the hope that a person's sufferings will diminish; compassion is the "wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering."
3. Mudita: altruistic joy in the accomplishments of a person, oneself or other; sympathetic joy, "is the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the happiness and virtues of all sentient beings."
4. Upekkha/Upeksha: equanimity, or learning to accept both loss and gain, praise and blame, success and failure with detachment, equally, for oneself and for others; equanimity means "not to distinguish between friend, enemy or stranger, but regard every sentient being as equal. It is a clear-minded tranquil state of mind - not being overpowered by delusions, mental dullness or agitation."
Now, Buddha gives you the piece of operative, practical advice to turn these two things into your own Pure Realm. Ready?
In the two "Metta Suttas" of the Anguttara Nikaya (AN 4.125, AN 4.126), the Buddha states that one who practices radiating the brahmaviharas in this life is destined for rebirth in a heavenly realm in their next life. In addition, if such a person is a Buddhist disciple (Pali: sāvaka) and thus realizes the three characteristics of the five aggregates, then after his heavenly life, this disciple will reach nibbana. However, if one is not a disciple, then after the heavenly life, they may still be reborn in a hell realm or as an animal or as a hungry ghost.
There you go. Enjoy the rest of your lives, and enjoy your Pure Land. And enjoy Nirvana, even though "enjoyment" really can't be used to perfectly or accurately describe that state.
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| recovering |
[November 15, 2009 @ 2:24pm] |
I finally feel like myself today after having fallen prey to the horrific cold bug that's been making the rounds. But this, only after sleeping all afternoon on Thursday, all day Friday and all day yesterday. Kyle took good care of me by making things that sounded particularly good, in great abundance, like chili and vegetable soup. And then, today I woke up feeling like a human being again.
It certainly made performing an interesting experience, but we've gotten good responses from everyone who's seen "The Weir" and we've even added a final matinee performance next Saturday at three for people who have been turned away at the door!
I'd also planned to be far more social this weekend. I missed "That 1 Guy" at the World Cafe last night, and then he was gone this morning before I got up, so I didn't even get to meet him! Hopefully, he'll be through Philadelphia again before long.... I hope.
Now off to low-energy endeavors like knitting and cuddling the cats!
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| What to do when totally annoyed? |
[November 14, 2009 @ 9:23pm] |
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I've been reading a lot about Buddhism over the past year or so.
I've grown up reading bits and pieces about it and I try with all my might
to live the right way, trying not to harm living beings.
I've been a vegetarian for the past 7 years and I concentrate on the good in people.
But for this moment at hand, I'm completely annoyed.
It involves someone that I've known for quite some time, yet not well.
We are passing acquaintances, she used to be a co-worker of mine.
From the beginning, she has always grated on my nerves, though I really couldn't say why.
And I find myself now, since I even more strongly feel that she and I were
likely adversaries in a previous life, that my feelings are somehow...justified?
So tonight, I was on Facebook, and though I have not seen or heard anything about her
for soooo many years, I see her name and I'm annoyed like I can't believe.
I don't know how to deal with the annoyance.
Meditation when I feel this way I know won't help.
Venting this out this way I know will.
I guess my question to you all is, is it wrong to just think that my past bad dealings
with someone makes inwardly loathing someone okay?
I know it doesn't, maybe I just am not sure how to deal with it.
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| It's That 1 Guy! |
[November 14, 2009 @ 8:45pm] |
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Were here were having fun. Show starts in am hour. Sent from mah iPhone. Fingers crossed ljapp..... Posted via LiveJournal.app.
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[November 14, 2009 @ 7:06pm] |
So, I've made a video based on the film Milk (obviously) and I thought I'd share it here.
Watch, enjoy, rate, comment, whatever :D
p.s If this is not allowed then my baadddd haha.
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| Tonight at Casa Del Milla |
[November 14, 2009 @ 1:04pm] |
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That One Guy: Moustaches |
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That One Guy is in town tonight, playing at the World Cafe Live and crashing at Casa Del Milla's New and Enhanced Rock Star accomodations. If you're not coming out to the show, I highly recommend at least watching this ... crazy, amazing video.
Photo shoot tomorrow most likely.
Weir sold out tonight and most of next week too. Still some tickets for Thursday. They're looking to possibly extend the show.
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| Mantras and breathing |
[November 13, 2009 @ 7:12pm] |
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Can anyone recommend a resource on chanting mantras properly? I'm just starting and I haven't been able to get a good rhythm between the chants and my breathing. I'm left feeling rushed or breathless if I attempt to emulate the low, continuous stream that I've heard monks doing.
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| The Nature of Mental States |
[November 13, 2009 @ 4:31am] |
What is the relationship between the brain and the mind? Can chemicals in the brain give rise to varying mental states? Are our habits of mind somehow encoded in our dna, or passed down from our parents? Or is the mind something non-physical and therefore independent of physical causes? I know the Buddhist viewpoints on this, but this community isn't really a Buddhist community anymore, is it? It's much more open to varying ideas, but the one thing we all have in common is the quest for truth, so this community can still be useful if we can come together and help each other in our learning. Then it doesn't matter if we call ourself a Buddhist or not, for what's important is the truth and the way to peace.
So I'm interested in any logical or experiential viewpoints on this, and I hope we can try to learn together rather than fight each other. Usually we have the motivation to drive our point across, but isn't it better to have the motivation to learn from each other instead? I am as guilty as anyone else here; I'm an addictive debater, I confess. And please try to limit the links you post, and answer from your own mind. People don't tend to bother reading the massive text from links anyway.
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[November 12, 2009 @ 3:33pm] |
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How do people deal with depression? I don't know how anymore, it seems.
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| Buddhism and In-Laws ?? |
[November 12, 2009 @ 12:15pm] |
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Hello everyone !! I am relatively new to this group and have been interested in Buddhism for many years. There are many aspects of it that appeal to me in terms of self-responsibility and how that relates to change. I am also interested in the "past and future lives" aspect of Buddhism and how things we may have said or done before impact our relationships now.
The biggest hurdle that I am working on at this time involves my in-laws. My sister in law and her husband brother in law and his wife and my father and mother in law are all wealthy. That in and of itself does nothing for me. I have no interest in wealth materially. I would like most of us like to be financially comfortable and am working to that end by going back to college at 38 and at some point would like to pursue my Bachelor's degree.
My husband and I are what are considered to be "the poor relations". We have both struggled at times with unemployment and underemployment. I have been unemployed now for 14 months and am very actively pursing job leads as I go to school. I am realistic enough to know I will need to do both. We are constantly reminded of his past mistakes regarding his education including a runup student loan which he is now paying back. Sometimes I really wish they understood what the economy and unemployment is REALLY like in the real world we live in and not their golden bubble.
Conincidentally, we get emails all the time from his sister talking about their life they live in London and her husband just got promoted and while she has recently been unemployed, she was out of work for all of a week and ended up with a four month severence to pocket for her trouble. I feel at least metaphorically this is a slap in the face and while I realize she is proud of him and I have no envy of his high position, I am envious because he HAS a job.
I have been chanting for awhle and reading up on what the Buddha has to say about anger and peace of mind. I am human after all however and I want to overcome this hurdle.
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| DC Update |
[November 12, 2009 @ 7:20am] |
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cars driving through the rain |
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I had this book about the Beatles when I was a kid and there was a photo in it of Paul standing around outside the Magical Mystery Tour bus and the caption said "Paul, waiting for the magic to begin." I don't know why that sticks with me, but it's one of those things embedded in my head. Waiting for the magic to begin. The truth, a lot of times, I've discovered, while making parenthetical asides so I can use more commas, is that while you thought you were waiting for the magic to begin, the magic was already happening.
So ... Tuesday I went to Washington DC to photograph three Supreme Court Justices, it was basically 12 hours of prep and setup for 30 seconds of actual shutter button pushing. I did get to listen to Justices Breyer, O'Connor and Kennedy talk for an hour and a half or so beforehand about Thurgood Marshall, cases they'd agreed on, cases they hadn't, all of which was pretty nice. I've photographed all of them before on several occasions, so the initial awkwardness that's sometimes there was gone but Justice O'Connor's husband, ill with Alzheimer's for twenty years, had taken a turn for the worse and she left quickly to get on a plane and go to the hospital to see him. I'm left powerfully impressed with her ability to deal with his illness for so long and with such strength -- with her ability to function in the face of such adversity, to talk with colleagues and have your photo taken and simply move from one place to another. She watched her husband of half a century slowly forget who she was and then watched him fall in love with another woman in the same assisted living center, and then watched him fade completely. John O'Connor died the following afternoon at the age of 79.
Flags were at half staff to honor the victims of Ft. Hood, but I'm now reminded that people go through powerful and tragic losses every day, and some of them deal with it with incredible grace and determination. I wish I had a flag for them.
I spent most of Tuesday taking photos with my iPhone waiting for the magic to begin, but really, it was already there.
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