Buddhism Today - Brian Vaugh

'Jesus Would Support Palestinian Statehood'

2011-09-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Jesus Would Support Palestinian Statehood

Editor's Note: Carl Medearis is an international expert in Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations and is author of the book Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism.

By Carl Medearis, Special to CNN

This week at the United Nations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has promised to ask for recognition of a Palestinian state. If he does, the United States will veto. Why?

Largely because of something we'll call Christian Zionism, an American theological movement that preaches a Christian obligation to help Jews reclaim the biblical Promised Land.

I travel constantly, speaking about the Middle East to evangelical Christians across America and Europe. I lived in Lebanon for 12 years and churches invite me to talk about how to love their Muslim neighbors.

Often before I get invited to speak at churches and Christian conferences, I go through an awkward period of questioning, an interview that feels more like an interrogation.

Pastors and conference leaders want to size me up to make sure I’m “safe” for Christian audiences. The interrogation usually goes something like this:

“Carl, we love your books and your message. You have a lot of insight on how Christians can be more Jesus-like to our Middle Eastern neighbors. We hope you’ll talk a lot about that!”

Translation: Please, for the love of God, don’t say anything controversial about Israel or the Palestinians.

Though they are too polite to ask, what those pastors and conference leaders want to know is what is my position on Israel. For them, the modern Jewish state is a direct fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the catalyst for a series of events that will culminate in the return of Jesus.

As the Palestinians press ahead in their bid for statehood, prepare to hear from this crowd. These Christians number in the tens of millions and they go into a state of frenzy every time a politician so much as winks at the idea of Israel giving up a few settlements or withdrawing to pre-1967 borders.

They’ll tell you their concern has nothing to do with their particular interpretation of the Bible and everything to do with America and Israel’s national security interests.

Don’t believe a word of it.

When it comes to U.S. policy on Israel and the Middle East, Christian Zionism is the elephant in the room.

Christian Zionists believe that when God told Abraham 4,000 years ago, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” he was making a promise that extends to the modern state of Israel. Any nation that “curses” Israel will face God’s judgment.

Not all evangelical Christians believe this, but the ones that do are the loudest voices in the media, and they lead huge organizations.

Television evangelists like Pat Robertson and John Hagee mobilize millions of Christians every year to write to their congressmen demanding that Israel be allowed to expand settlements indefinitely. They seem to oppose every peace deal that comes to the table.

There’s a reason for this. In their minds, the modern Israeli state is not only a fulfillment of biblical prophesy. In a bizarre twist that leaves most outsiders dumbfounded, Christian Zionists say the Bible predicts that Jews and Palestinians will forever be at war until Jesus returns.

They say the only person that will bring peace before the end of the age is—wait for it—the devil, in the form of the anti-Christ.

When you hear some Christian politicians say, “The land belongs to Israel”, what they’re really saying is if America blesses Israel – that is, if it gives uncritical support to the Jewish state - God will bless America. If America curses Israel, God will curse America.

When it comes to Israel and her neighbors, many Christian Zionists believe that peacemaking is the devil’s work.

They may forget that it was Jesus who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers."

One of the reasons Jesus was crucified was because of his refusal to embrace a nationalist agenda. But Christian Zionism blesses military action by the modern state of Israel, under the banner of "national security," including the demolition of Palestinian homes to pave the way for new settlements.

So how would Jesus vote this week if he had a seat at the U.N.?

Surely love, compassion, justice and peace-making would top his lists of concerns for all involved. Maybe he would give a new parable - the Parable of the Good Palestinian - offending all who would hear.

Rather than allowing obscure Old Testament promises to dictate our foreign policy, what if we stuck to the clear commands of God - love your neighbor, your enemy and the foreigner in your midst - which appear in Exodus, Leviticus and three of the four gospels.

Many Christians in America think of Jews and Christians as “us” and anything that sounds Muslim or Arab as “the other.” But the call of Jesus is to be more loving towards the “other” than towards the people we think of as “us.”

This command works both ways. When I’ve had audiences with leaders in the Hezbollah or Hamas, I tell them the same thing: That Jesus said to love your enemies. Who are your enemies? Israel.

It’s true that there are elements of Palestinian society that do not want peace, no matter the price. They need to be isolated and dealt with.

The same goes for elements of Israeli society that don’t want peace. The good news is that extremists are a minority on both sides of the conflict.

People ask me all the time what I think about Israel and end-times theology, and how the Palestinians factor into that.

Here’s my answer: If your end-times theology trumps the clear commands in Scripture to love neighbors and enemies, then its time to rethink your theology.

Meditation Group Notes: September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Click here for ticket information for the Paul Winter Consort's Winter Solstice concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Harlem, New York.

The meditation group is reading The Tao of Pooh.

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.

A Meditation on Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

February 14 Meditation: Sharing Our Thoughts on Death

2011-02-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

Retrreat Photos

2011-01-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

Click here for Sandy's reflections on our retreat.

Talkin' Junk

2010-07-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR SEPTEMBER RETREAT

2010-07-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR SEPTEMBER RETREAT

2010-07-28T16:53:00.001-07:00

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SPEW NEGATIVITY?

2010-07-28T16:26:00.001-07:00

T'ai Chi Classes in New Haven

2010-07-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

Click on image to enlarge.

NEW MEDITATION CLASS - NAUGATUCK

2010-03-07T15:45:00.002-08:00

We have started a new Meditation group in NAUGATUCK.
.
Every Sunday at 10:AM at the BOND SCHOOL OF SELF DEFENSE, 671 Rubber Ave., Naugatuck.

All are welcome - no experience necessary.

2010-03-07T15:45:00.001-08:00

2010-02-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hi I'm Brian and this is my 7th year of the AngelRide it is difficult for me to tell you all the reasons why I ride every year. If you choose not to ride with me here are some face saving reasons you can use.
The 10 reasons why you shouldn't ride this year.
1.You probably like going to your sister-in-laws house, as you do every year, for that potato salad that has been cooking in the sun all day.
2. You enjoy diving home on the evening of the 'drinkinest' weekend of the year for the challange of makeing it home with no dents in your car.
3. You make such a big difference in the world that you deserve a break.
4. You dont want to spoil this weekend by thinking there are some less fortunite that you.
5. This is about kids and 'Children and their problems should be seen and not heard:"
6. If it rains my bike will get wet.
7. Spandex makes my butt look fat.
8. All those riders are so filled with alacrity they make me sick.
9. I dont want show those amatures up,
10..Beer is better for you than Gatgor Aid.
11. If I do it just once ill probably want to do it again.
12. I would'nt be caught dead in one of those Jonny-on-the-spots.!!
13. There might be places on the route where there is no cell coverage.
14. I would have to tell my friends what I'm doing this weekend and ask them to support me and they probably wouldn't like me any more.
15. I might finish last,.
16. I might come in first.
17. If I do well I might be asked to ride in the Tour de France
18. Helmet hair, sun burn,.
19. Possible years of theropy at the Betty Ford clinic afterdeveloping an addiction to butt balm.
20. Mild Taretts Syndrom from uncontroble yellling "on your left".
21 Because i will have to train 3 miles for every mile of the ride by time the ride is over i will have lost enough pounds that i will have to buy some new clothes and tha will cost me a bunch and a half of money.

Don't Believe a Word of It

2010-02-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

Retreat February 6th

2010-01-26T13:30:00.000-08:00

Our TAO group will be having a retreat on February 6th. It will be held at Bill and Carol's home in Plymouth.

The retreat will be mostly in silence. We will have a simple vegatarian lunch around noon. We will start at 9 AM and end at 5 PM. Eat breakfast before you come. If you have any special food considerations bring your own. We still have room for a few more people.

Any questions or to register call me at 203 558 3641.

Talking with Troy about Becoming a Buddhist

2009-10-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

The Other Side-A Dream...

2009-07-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing a lot about Michael Jackson lately. He has gone over to the Other Side. I guess I wonder every now and then about the Other Side. Last nite I had a dream about the Other Side.

In the dream I was on the boat going over to the other side. In this boat on the second floor there was a bar.

The boat was a Mississippi river boat. And a Buddha was the captain. It was the fat Buddha one sees in Chinese restaurants- HoToi.,He was dressed like Mark Twain in a white suit, white shoes, white bow tie and he talked with a southern accent. And he was definitely in charge. There is a quote from Mark Twain that goes something like this. "I do very much believe in a Creator God. And I believe I was made in His image. But not so much so that anyone would every get one confused with the other."

Jesus was there- he was sitting down and playing the piano. And with a cigarette in his mouth and a drink in his hand, resembling a young Frank Sinatra he was singing 'My Way'.

Michael Jackson was doing the Moon Walk on the bar. Back and forth he went. Non stop. Playful and at peace he was the center of attention.

Elvis was there-he was waiting tables. He wore a shirt that said "Michael Jackson died for our sins."

I think this dream came from a koan or question I have been pondering - What is the Other Side like ???

I do hope the other side is like this dream. I would like to meet these guys and chill with them for a while after their job here is finished and before they start their next one - if there is a next one.

THE FACTS OF LIFE: EGOLESSNESS

2009-01-28T05:29:00.000-08:00

Egolessness means that the fixed idea that we had about ourselves as solid and separate from each other is painfully limiting. That we take ourselves so seriously, that we are so absurdly important in our own minds, is a problem. Self-importance is like a prison for us, limiting us to the world of our likes and dislikes. We end up bored to death with ourselves and our world. We end up very dissatisfied.

We have two alternatives: either we take everything to be sure and real, or we don't. Either we accept our fixed versions of reality or we begin to challenge them. In Buddha's opinion, to train in stain open and curious--to train in dissolving the barriers that we erect between ourselves and the world--is the best use of our human lives. (From Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chodron)

JOURNEY OF THE WARRIOR-BODHISATTVA

2009-01-12T02:08:00.000-08:00

On the journey of the warrior-bodhisattva, the path goes down, not up, as if the mountain pointed toward the earth instead of the sky. Instead of transcending the suffering of all creatures, we move toward turbulence and doubt however we can. We explore the reality and unpredictability of insecurity and pain, and we try not to push it away. If it takes years, if it takes lifetimes, we let it be as it is. At our own pace, without speed or aggression, we move down and down and down. With us move millions of others, our companions in awakening from fear. At the bottom, we discover water, the healing water of bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is our heart--our wounded, softened heart. Right down there in the thick of things, we discover the love that will not die. This love is bodhichitta. It is gentle and warm, it is clear and sharp, it is open and spacious. The awakened heart of bodhichitta is the basic goodness of all beings. (From Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chodron)

"THEODORE"--A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

2008-12-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

"GOD BLESS AMERICA" MEANS WHAT, AGAIN?

2008-09-13T12:57:00.001-07:00

These are my thoughts on the words "God Bless America." What do they mean to you? How do you feel when you hear them over and over again during a political campaign? What could they mean?

WHY DON'T WE SAY PLEASE?

2008-08-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

WHY DO BUDDHISTS CARE ABOUT CELL PHONES?

2008-08-12T14:26:00.001-07:00

I hope you'll watch these brief videos and let me know what you think about people who drive with cell phones. In the first one, I offer my thoughts.

In this one, Paul asks me a few questions about why I see things this way. (We had a little background noise when we made this one, so you might want to turn your speakers up for this one.)

Now, what do you think? Please leave your thoughts in a comment.

BATMAN THE BODHISATTVA

2008-07-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

MEETING DEATH: YOU'RE INVITED

2008-07-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

From October 31 to November 2, I will be at Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut to participate in the program "Meeting Death" sponsored by The Casagrande Institute for Interfaith Conversation. We will explore the spiritual support offered to people by American Indian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim as well as Buddhist traditions at this juncture in life. Perhaps you'll join us. Click here to view the brochure.

Photo: Stock Exchange

MAY I...

2008-07-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

May I be peaceful, happy, and well.
May I be free from harm and grief.
May I be free from hatred and greed.
May I be free from jealousy and envy.
May I have courage, understanding, and determination.
May I resolve my problems.
May I overcome my failures.
May I be successful.

Photo: Stock Exchange

WHO IS THE KARMAPA LAMA?

2008-07-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Karmapa Lama is Tibetan Buddhism's second highest ranking spiritual leader. Called "a reincarnation of the living Buddha," the 23-year-old is considered by many to be the Dalai Lama's spiritual heir and the next international voice of Buddhism. The term karmapa literally means "the embodiment of all the activities of the Buddhas." For the last nearly 1000 years, a karmapa lama has led the Kagyu tradition within Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhists believe enlightened spiritual masters can choose to be reincarnated in order to come back and help others to achieve enlightenment.

In an exclusive U.S. television interview, the Karmapa Lama talks with Kim Lawton about his increasing public role and how he can help the modern world better understand the teachings and main purpose of Buddhism. "It does seem to be the case that I am receiving more and more recognition in the world," notes the Karmapa. "And my main aspiration is that I use this recognition for a beneficial purpose. The essential points of Buddhism are beyond culture and beyond traditions." (Click here for the interview.)

Photo: The Dalai Lama (left) with the Karmapa Lama

GEORGE CARLIN HAD THE GIFT OF A KEEN EYE

2008-06-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

Comedian George Carlin, who died Sunday, June 22, had a keen eye for the humorous in the ordinary. His genius lay in his ability to articulate the humorous and the absurd in the ordinary of our lives. Here is a link to a Beliefnet reflection on Carlin's life and here is an obituary in the Baltimore Sun. The Sun link will take you to video clips and a photo gallery as well as other links.

THE GIFT OF MINDFULNESS TO COMPASSION

2008-06-12T10:03:00.001-07:00

As we learn to open and come close to the suffering in our own lives, we find we have greater strength and courage and insight to be with the suffering of others. This is the great gift of mindfulness to compassion. (from One Dharma, The Emerging Western Buddhism by Joseph Goldstein)

J.K. ROWLING'S COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT HARVARD

2008-06-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Internationally acclaimed author of the Harry Potter series of books J.K. Rowling delivered an address at Harvard University's 375 commencement. The text is well worth reading, and the following excerpts from it are especially worth our consideration:

Failure
So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default. . . .

Imagination
Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s minds, imagine themselves into other people’s places.

Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

The complete text and a video are available here.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces can lead to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.

What is more, those who choose not to empathise may enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

LEAVING THINGS UNDONE

2008-06-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.
(Lin Yutang)

BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY: PICTURES FROM THE NEW HARTFORD TEMPLE

2008-05-18T04:06:00.001-07:00

These pictures were taken at the Dae Yen Sa International Temple and Meditation Center in New Hartford, Connecticut, on May 11, 2008.

NURTURING THE BABY BUDDHA

2008-05-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Please watch my video about nurturing the baby Buddha inside of me, you, and the next guy. Click here. And here's a video about the birth of the Buddha.

WHY CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS, ANYWAY?

2008-04-25T07:30:00.001-07:00

I will be giving a presentation entitled "Why do we Celebrate Birthdays, Anyway?" on Sunday, May 11, at 1 p.m. at the Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center at 19 Kinsey Road in New Hartford. The event is free and open to the public. A light Korean lunch will follow the presentation.

This is the day Buddhists celebrate the birth of the Buddha, so I want to talk about celebrating the Buddha's being born in our hearts every day and what that means in terms of doing good in the world," said Vaugh, who is vice abbot of the temple. "I hope families will come and that children will enjoy a story about the Buddha maybe for the first time and that we can all stop and consider what we can do for others.

EMPTY YOUR CUP!

2008-04-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Zen master Nan-in received a visit from a university professor and offered him tea. When the tea reached the top of the cup,Nan-in just kept on pouring so that it spilled all over the table.

"Stop! Stop!" cried the professor. "It's too full!"

"And you," said Nan-in, "are too full of your own opinions. How can you learn Zen like that? Empty your cup!"

MEDITATION CHANTS

2008-03-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

Because some of the folks who attend my twice-monthly meditations asked for some, there are now three meditation chants in my podcast. (These are large files, so give them a moment to stream.) The podcast player is in the tool bar all the time. This is what it looks like:

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THE LAST LECTURE: DR. RANDY PAUSCH

2008-03-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Randy Pausch knows he is dying, and he presents his "last lecture" on Oprah. Click here to watch it. This video will leave you thinking when it's over, so please take 10 minutes of your time to watch it. In the video, Pausch says, "This is about more than how to achieve childhood dreams. It's about how to live your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself; the dreams will come to you. If you live properly, the dreams will come to you."

Click here to visit Pausch's site, where you'll find links to a transcript, a PowerPoint slide show, the full lecture, and much, much more.

THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH

2008-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

No one really cares when soldiers get killed. Most of us are OK with that as long as we are comfortable here in the Home Land. But I draw your attention to the suffering of those who have put in disability claims--a quarter of a million. That suffering will go on for ever. So what is a follower of the Buddha to do?

~*~

Please join me at this event sponsored by Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice. Please send me an email so we can arrange some carpooling.

LAMENTATION and PROTEST
Remember the Dead ♦ Count the Cost ♦ End the War
Wednesday, March 19 at Noon
HARTFORD
Interfaith Prayer Service
Center Church
Corner of Gold Street and Main Street
(diagonally across from the Wadsworth Atheneum)
followed by a silent procession, ending with a
Public Witness to the Destruction of War
Federal Building
450 Main Street

Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice, a statewide interfaith network of religious leaders and people of faith, will mark this 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by bearing witness to the horrifying costs of war (human, economic, and moral) and to the complicity of silence (by individuals, institutions and corporations).

A brief interfaith prayer service on the steps of Center Church (featuring AFSC’s “Cost of War” banners and boots representing CT’s soldiers who have died) will be followed by a procession to the Federal Building, stopping in front of United Technologies headquarters along the way.

Participants are encouraged to wear black and to bring one or more stones to add to a pile, making visible the destruction and human cost of the war. On each stone, please inscribe the name of an Iraqi civilian who has died in the war (one list is available at www.iraqbodycount.org/database/individuals/). Stones should be large enough to write on with a permanent marker but small enough to carry five blocks. Clergy are asked to wear visible signs of their office.

VISUALIZATION

2008-02-26T07:32:00.000-08:00

We tried a visualization meditation last night that involved touching each of the four fingers to the thumb with each new thought and being aware of your breathing between each thought. Try this:

1. Touching your index finger to your thumb, remember a time when you were in a very beautiful place.....Breathe....
2. Touching your middle finger to your thumb, remember a time when someone gave you a compliment....Breathe....
3. Touching your ring finger to your thumb, remember a time when you heard and felt the words, "I love you."...Breathe....
4. Touching your pinky to your thumb, remember a time when you were exhausted from a healthy physical activity....Breathe....

CENTERING PRAYER

2008-02-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight we tried centering prayer as our method of meditation. Here's a way to approach centering prayer:
1. Choose a word that is sacred or meaningful to you.
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce this word.
3. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. (Click here for more on how-to.)

Here's what Thomas Keating says about Centering Prayer in Open Mind, Open Heart. (He talks about it from a Christian perspective, but you can bring this approach to any form of meditation and substitute words wherever you feel comfortable.):

"The root of prayer is interior silence. We may think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words. But this is only one expression. Deep prayer is the laying aside of thoughts. It is the opening of mind and heart, body and feelings--our whole being--to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond words, thoughts, and emotions. We do not resist them or suppress them. We accept them as they are and go beyond them, not by effort, but by letting them all go by. We open our awareness to the Ultimate Mystery whom we know by faith is within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than choosing--closer than consciousness itself. The Ultimate Mystery is the ground in which our being is rooted, the Source from whom our life emerges at every moment."

THE TEA CEREMONY

2008-02-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

Beliefnet has some interesting thoughts on "the healing power of tea." Like this one:

Green tea is considered a "pure" tea, meaning it doesn't undergo an oxidation process. Most green teas are grown in Japan or China. Its health benefits are manifold. Although green tea naturally contains caffeine, one mug's worth contains less than a fourth as much as the average cup of coffee. For people trying to cut their caffeine consumption, switching from coffee to green tea is a very healthy alternative. Scientists have shown a correlation between green tea consumption and reduced cancer risk, weight loss, and improved heart health. Green tea also possesses a small amount of natural fluoride, an element which strengthens bones. And anyone who has ever had a sore throat can definitely attest to the soothing power of green tea with honey in it.

Here's what Thich Nhat Hanh says about tea meditation:

Tea meditation is a practice. It is a practice to help us be free. If you are still bound and haunted by the past, if you are still afraid of the future, if you are carried away by your projects, your fear, you anxiety, and your anger, you are not a free person. You are not fully present in the here and the now, so life is not really available to you…In order to be really alive, in order to touch life deeply, you have to become a free person. Cultivating mindfulness can help you to be free…When you drink tea in mindfulness, your body and your mind are perfectly united. You are real, and the tea you drink also becomes real…..This is genuine tea drinking.”

WHAT KIND OF WELL IS IT?

2008-01-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

A man dug a well by the side of a road. For years afterward, grateful travelers talked of the Wonderful Well. But one night a man fell into it and drowned. After that, people avoided the Dreadful Well. Later it was discovered that the victim was a drunken thief who had left the road to avoid being captured by the night patrol--only to fall into the Justice-Dispensing Well. (a Chinese story found in Benjamin Hoff's The Te of Piglet)

ANGEL RIDE BRINGS JOY TO SICK CHILDREN

2008-01-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

Starting in the New Year, I will donate any offerings or honorariums I receive for weddings, joinings, funerals, and pet memorials to the Angel Ride. Angel Ride is a cycling even held every year to raise funds for The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps.

I have done this in the past, but this year I will be more open to doing a few more speaking engagements and retreats so that I can raise consciousness of and support for this organization

The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps encompasses the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions. To date, more than 114,000 children with serious illnesses from all 50 states and 32 countries have attended these camps free of charge.

The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps is a not-for-profit organization totally supported by charitable contributions. Hole in the Wall Camps are the dream of actor Paul Newman, who started the first camp in 1988, and has been the driving force ever since.

Please click her e if you would like to make a direct contribution.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6: TEA AND ORIGAMI

2008-01-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

Join me Sunday, January 6, at 2 p.m. at the Woodbury (Connecticut) public library for a tea meditation that I will lead followed by origami instruction with Sandy Carlson. This is billed as a family event, so all are welcome. There is no charge. Click here for directions to the library.

A NEW YEAR'S BLESSING

2008-01-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to get to meet so many people who "have faith in themselves."

May all beings in the New Year find faith and happiness in who they know they are and throw off superstitions of the past.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE END OF LIFE

2007-12-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

Every day I have conversations with folks about end of life. Some are concerned about loved ones or pets, some about themselves. I feel it such an honor to be part of such discussions. I think there will be an upcoming retreat about this subject in the New Year.

WITH A FEW FRIENDS AT HANUKKAH

2007-12-07T06:47:00.000-08:00

SCOOTER HAS BUDDHISM IN HAND

2007-11-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

Today Annie Carroll and her friends came to Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple to film a video for children that will teach them about Buddhism. The guest of honor was a sock puppet named Scooter, who came from Outer Space via his film buddies in New York. The video will be broadcast on the Internet in February. It was a great day with some great friends, and I'll be back to tell you when and where you can see how much fun we had! Meanwhile, though, there are three video clips of me and Scooter at work at the temple in the YouTube player at the top of this page.

COURSE ON SPIRITUALITY & MEDITATION STARTS OCTOBER 22

2007-10-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

Starting Monday, October 22, and on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, Brian Vaugh will lead an evening program of Spiritual Inquiry. We will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. John's Parish on the Green in Waterbury. Along with a period of sitting meditation, each week we will look deeply into how we can lead a life in spiritual harmony with all of God's creation. The twice monthly group will use Wayne Dyer's latest book, Change Your Thoughts-Change Your Life as a guide. Do you have thoughts about this? Please drop me a line in the comment box to the right!

CELEBRATING ST. JOHN'S 275TH ANNIVERSARY

2007-10-15T08:07:00.001-07:00

St. John's Parish on the Green in Waterbury, Connecticut , celebrated its 275th year of mission and ministry to the people of the Greater Waterbury Area on Sunday, October 14. The day began with a procession in Waterbury with stops at the Congregational and Roman Catholic churches, which are near St. John's.

STARTING A NEW SPIRITUAL AWARENESS GROUP IN WATERBURY

2007-09-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

We'll be starting up a new spiritual awareness group on the second and fourth Mondays of every month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting October 22. We'll meet for in the library of St. John's Parish, 16 Church Street, Waterbury, Connecticut. All are welcome, so please feel free to stop by. We'll have tea, and there's plenty of parking in the church lot.

DAE YEN SA TEMPLE, SEPTEMBER 2007

2007-09-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

ON SPEAKING TERMS WITH EVERYTHING

2007-09-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass speak to me. The summit of the mountain the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea speak to me. The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning dewdrop on the flower speak to me. The strength of fire...the trail of the sun, and the life that never goes away, they speak to me, and my heart soars....

You can walk the forest and do exactly the same thing. It may seem odd at first, but you get on speaking terms with everything. You do that with animals, and you do that with little bugs, and you do that with everything. It simply means you are aware, you are opening, you are noticing, you are standing with something. It is relationship. Community. (Fritz Hull, founder of the Whidbey Institute, from Issue 35 of Heron Dance)

DEATHLY HALLOWS: A LOVE STORY

2007-08-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

MEDITATION: WAKING UP TO REALITY

2007-08-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

"Meditation is not about creating any particular feeling. Meditation is about awareness, about waking up to Reality. Some people try to use meditation like a drug, as a way to escape from life or distract themselves from Reality. But anything that draws us away from Reality is deception." (Steve Hagen)

THE SPIRIT, NOT THE WORDS, OF THE BUDDHA

2007-08-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

THE MIND AND BODY WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD HEALTH

2007-08-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

For years now around the world there has been a growing understanding of the correlation of mind and body, and of the link between ill health and the way we cope with stress and our emotions. Just as distressing states of mind can cause disorders, so positive, uplifting states can promote good health: states such as peace of mind, optimism, confidence, humor, companionship, joy, love, kindness, compassion, and devotion. (The Spirit of Buddhism The Future of Dharma in the West by Sogyal Rinpoche)

AT CHUANG YEN MONASTERY

2007-06-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

Click here for another video from Chuang Yen Monastery.
Check out my photo album on the right for even more images.

MEDITATION

2007-06-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Generally we waste our lives, distracted from our true selves, in endless activity; meditation, on the other hand, is the way to bring us back to ourselves, where we can really experience and taste our full being, beyond all habitual patterns. Our lives are lived in intense and anxious struggle, in a swirl of speed and aggression, in competing, grasping, possessing, and achieving, forever burdening ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations. Meditation is the exact opposite. (Sogyal Rinpoche, Meditation)

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

2007-05-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

To lose yourself in another's arms, or in another's company, or in suffering for all men who suffer, including the ones who inflict suffering upon you--to lose yourself in such ways is to find yourself. Is what it's all about. Is what love is. (Frederick Buechner)

THE THANK YOU BUDDHA

2007-05-18T20:20:00.001-07:00

FROM AN ANGEL RIDER

2007-05-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nancy for sending along this poem. She says the Angel Ride made her think of this poem by Marge Piercy.

To be of use

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who stand in the line and haul in their places,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

SPEAKING OF FAITH: 'THE NEW MONASTICS'

2007-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

I encourage you to tune into this Sunday's NPR program Speaking of Faith about a growing movement of people called the new monastics. These are ordinary people who nurture virtues like simplicity and imagination and who are engaging the great contradictions of our time— beginning with the gap between the churches they were raised in, the needs of the poor, and the "loneliness" they find in our culture's vision of adulthood. The program will feature author Shane Claiborne, who says on his website:

Each of us is created for community, and in the image of community. And yet everything in the world tried to rob us of this Divine gift. The life of the simple way is the story of that struggle to love and to be loved. The most radical thing we do is choose to love each other... again and again. If you are a seeker of the Way, may our story feed you hope... or at least keep you from making all the same mistakes.

Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett is public radio's conversation about religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas. Each week, Tippett probes the myriad ways in which religious impulses inform every aspect of life and culture, nationally and globally. Speaking of Faith fills an important and neglected need in American media by addressing the intellectual and spiritual content of religion head-on, illuminating the ideas and practices that form the headlines from the inside

Click here to find a channel near you.

MORE ABOUT ANGEL RIDE--PLEASE SUPPORT ME

2007-05-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Click here to sponsor me on the ride.

PLEASE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO ANGEL RIDE

2007-05-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

May 26 and 27 are the dates of the annual Angel Ride. This is a ride across Connecticut to raise money for kids with life threatening illnesses.

I have done alot of charity rides, and this is the most challenging of them all. Eighty-five miles the first day, all up hill. Please click here and learn more about it. On this site, you'll see pictures and a video of last year's ride.

We are looking for donations and bike riders.

Thanks, from me and all the kids, Brian.

GENEROSITY

2007-04-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

Generosity, once you start, becomes its own habit. Ethics is the same. In my experience, the more generous and ethical we are, the more of both we become. These two ingredients lead us to the third one: tolerance. (The Chocolate Cake Sutra, Ingredients for a Sweet Life by Geri Larkin)

LOVINGKINDNESS

2007-04-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.
(The Buddha )

LOVIN' THOSE DIXIE CHICKS

2007-03-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

DELICIOUS!

2007-03-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

A man was out walking when he came face to face with a tiger. In terror, he started to run away only to find that he was racing toward a precipice. Having no alternative, he climbed over the edge and, as luck would have it, caught hold of the root of a vine. Then he heard growling and, looking down, he saw another tiger below waiting for him to fall. His troubles were still not over. Two mice, one white and one black, started to gnaw through the vine from which he hung. Just at that moment, he spotted a wild strawberry growing out of the side of the cliff. With one hand he grabbed it and put it in his mouth. It was delicious! (attributed to Buddha)

WHAT DOES A BUDDHIST HAVE TO SAY ABOUT LENT? THIS....

2007-03-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

REMEMBER TO ENJOY LIVING

2007-03-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

Richard Jeni, who recently committed suicide, was a stand-up comic. On a profound level, he "got life" and turned the pain of experience into humor for the rest of us. Laughter can help us keep things in perspective or get things back into perspective. Here are a few laughs for you today:

"I think I know how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, 'Gee, I'm enjoying the crime and the poverty, but it just isn't cold enough. Let's go West.'"

On religion: "You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend."

"The way I see it, we're all on the Hindenberg. Why fight over the window seats?"

"It is a sad fact that 50 percent of marriages in this country end in divorce. But hey, the other half end in death. You could be one of the lucky ones."

"I always look for a woman with a tattoo. I see a woman with a tattoo, and I'm thinking, OK, here' a gal who's capable of making a decision she'll regret in the future."

BUDDHISM, AMERICAN STYLE

2007-03-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, a visitor to this blog asked me about Buddhism. So I told her everything I know:

The first thing to remember is I am from America and might see Buddhism a bit differently from people from Asia.

The second thing thing to remember is that it is easy. I have a video on my blog talking about how religion should be EASY. Check out the Standing under the Sky Videos link in the toolbar on the right.

Third: everything in the world changes. Nothing stays the same. People get older; the weather changes; no matter how much we eat today, we get hungry again tomorrow....

So now what follows is 'ALL' I know about Buddhism:
A. Do good;
B. When you can't do good, at least don't do evil; and
C. Be kind to every person, place, and thing.

WALK THE WALK WHEN YOU WALK THE WALK

2007-03-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

I came across this article in an Episcopalian newspaper and found it to be a helpful look at walking meditations. I hope you enjoy it.

Honestly, I didn’t mean for it to become a "spiritual" experience. I needed to vary my aerobic workout routine, so I began an arm-swinging, leg-strutting, high-speed walk in our housing tract. But my teenage daughter was embarrassed to have Mom turning nearby corners in workout shorts, so I took to a lonely canyon road, cluttered with garbage and swathes of mud.

Perhaps because practicing the presence of God has been my favorite spiritual discipline, God showed up in everything around me. The roadside tumbleweeds represented the stumbling blocks of my life—annoyances with those I loved, reluctance to do difficult things, yearnings for a problem-free life. So I scooped up those tumbleweeds and hurled them off the clifflike side of the road into the creek below.

Over the years, the mountains in the distance have become massive symbols of God’s presence. I’ve named the peaks for Bible phrases or life lessons God has taught me. During a painful church split, the sharply pointed peak became "Don’t forget to love" (the point of the gospel).

I’ve never thought very hard about these truths because I’ve been too busy panting, chugging water, and heading into the wind. I’ve simply gazed as I’ve walked, and days later I’ve found myself loving those I’ve disagreed with.

Much to my surprise, these minute-by-minute snatches have fed many other spiritual disciplines. They’ve brewed within me a desire to have long stretches of solitude with God. Connecting with God in leisurely Bible reading, prayer, and journaling are nothing like my rigid "quiet times" of old. I understand better how to bare my soul, asking God, "What do I need to know about my anger? What do I need to know, O God, about how to love the world you so love?"

A Sense of Majesty
Because I walk in sync with the worship music on a cassette tape, my sense of God’s majesty is expanding. During certain songs—please don’t laugh—I do a few twirls in the road, watching out for gravel trucks. Also while I’m practicing God’s presence, God reminds me of folks to love and people to pay more attention to. As a result, my service to Christ has become more a part of who I am rather than special moments of being super-Christian.

The walk doesn’t look like prayer, but it is. God speaks to me, giving me creative methods for dealing with my teenagers, new ideas for my work, and just the right words to say to my discouraged husband or friends. Because my job causes me to "live in my head" all day, I need this walk to force me "out of my head" into a rugged, physical effort that clears my circuits. Freed from my own clever ideas and agendas, I can more easily hear God’s unexpectedly practical ideas.

Many times, especially in the earliest years of this walking regimen, I discovered a "committee in my head" that wanted to take over for minutes at a time. One committee member, Ms. Anger, focused on someone I was mad at and what I’d tell him or her if I ever got the chance. Then I’d feel guilty that I’d stolen time from my God-filled reverie.

One day, I stopped, stomped my foot in disgust, and crossed my arms. I demanded that God jettison these negative thoughts from my mind.

Clinging to God
If you’ve ever put God on the spot this way, you know what happened. Nothing. A boulder didn’t fall from the nearby cliff. A lizard with a sign on his back didn’t cross the road in front of me. As I began to shuffle along, I wanted to kick myself.

I looked up at the cliff beside me and thought of my son, who taught rappelling. He could have shimmied up and down that cliff with skill, but I would have been stuck on a ledge somewhere, clinging for life and breath. The word clinging stuck in my head. I thought of that psalm: "My soul clings to you" (Psalm 63:8).

Suddenly the point of my canyon road walks (the aim of my life, even) became clear—to cling to God. Striving to do a spiritual discipline perfectly or even to live life perfectly was about me. I needed only to cling to God with everything I had. As I connected to God through disciplines such as Bible study, prayer, and service, God would change me. I invented my own little saying: "As I do the connecting, God does the perfecting."

Armed with this insight from God, I’ve learned to usher other committee members (Ms. Victim, Ms. Rescuer, Ms. Perfect Christian) to the door of my mind gently whenever they appear. Getting frustrated with them doesn’t help—it just gives the enemy more airplay.

The more I’ve practiced God’s presence, the more I’ve seen God "show up" in all kinds of settings—in the classic novels I read or in the brief remarks of my teenage son’s friend. This surprises me because the idea of "finding God in the mundane" sounds like it should happen on a sunny afternoon while watching geese swim in an idyllic pond. Sometimes it does, but I’ve had to remind myself that God often shows up in unexpected, gritty situations when I’m feeling edgy and sweaty.

Mundane Moments
Others have verified this by telling me of their close-to-the-bone conversations with God while mowing the lawn, shooting hoops, or creating a compost heap. Why does it surprise us that God’s presence becomes obvious in such vigorous and tactile situations?

If you’re a shepherd, God might show up in a bush that burns too long. If you’re a hardworking, water-toting Palestinian woman, God might show up as a thirsty out-of-towner at your well. If you’re a swindler and manipulator, God might show up as a wrestler who makes sure your hip socket is never the same. The lives of Moses, the Samaritan woman, and Jacob demonstrate to me how God appears in mundane moments and unexpected places, and that God wants me to respond.

Moses had to ponder the bush and walk over to it. The Samaritan woman had to keep herself from smarting off to the Jew who didn’t belong in her neighborhood but requested her help anyway. Jacob, desperately stuck between a rock (Laban) and a hard-hearted brother (Esau), had to wrestle his way into a blessing along the River Jabbok. God wants me to respond by participating in conversation with him.

Sometimes I worry that this approach is too outlandish—not concrete and rational enough. So I’m relieved that even the intellectual C. S. Lewis said that God "walks everywhere incognito."1 Lewis advised his readers to "remain awake" to God. That’s what I do when I walk.

Staying alert this way makes life much more exciting. I keep my eyes open for this incognito constant companion, anticipating his next move, looking for his invisible kingdom. God’s companionship becomes the most pervasive thing in life.

(Jan Johnson is the author of Enjoying the Presence of God and When the Soul Listens. Her Web site is www.janjohnson.org.)

TALK TO ME!

2007-03-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

Down there on the right, in my navigation tool bar, is a comment box. It would be great if you would offer your feedback to the podcast so we can have a conversation among ourselves.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

2007-03-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we will have a short commemoration service for Steve Rogers (Captian America). By now we all know of his demise. With his passing we mourn not only for him but for a part of each one of us. During this period of Lent it seems appropriate to start a discussion of reincarnation.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

2007-03-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

We will be meeting on this Sunday the 11th for tea and meditation. We will also meet on March 18 and 25. We hope to have a Day Long Meditation Retreat toward the end of April on a Saturday. Let Brian know if you are interested in the Saturday retreat.

HOW TO "CHILL" THE BUDDHIST WAY

2007-02-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

In our fast-paced society, where there is so much pressure to perform and succeed, spending time each day meditating or "chilling" can be extremely important. The mind is amazingly powerful, but when it gets overwhelmed, it can do very little. Meditation helps us to relax and focus the mind. These qualities of relaxation and focus can help you in sports, in studying, and in dealing with your parents.

In meditation practice, we can access the great powers inside each of us. We need less to build or create these powers than discover them by looking inside our own mind, bodies, and hearts. No special experience or knowledge is needed to meditate, only the curiosity and willingness to look within.

Here are a few pointers to follow if you'd like to give meditation a try.

ONE-DAY RETREAT IN WATERBURY ON FEBRUARY 25

2007-02-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

"Entering the River of Life"
One-day Retreat
Sunday, February 25 at
Hale House, Grandview Street, Waterbury, Connecticut

We will hold our regular meditation from 9:30 to 11 a.m. (Those who wish to participate in the morning meditation but cannot stay for the full retreat are welcome to come.)

Then we will break for a simple lunch followed by dharma talks, more meditations, and then a time time during which we will together process our day. We will finish around 4:30 p.m.

Let me know if you can make it!

BRIAN'S WEEKLY THOUGHTS ON BUDDHISM, LIFE, AND OTHER CATASTROPHES

2007-02-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

I'll be updating my podcast every week. Stay tuned for my thoughts on Buddhism, life, and other catastrophes!

DON'T BE AFRAID THAT YOUR LIFE WILL END

2007-02-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

My friend Ric Browne sent me this, and I thought I'd pass it along.

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end,
be afraid that it will never begin.

BRIAN'S DHARMA TALK ON JACK BAUER

2007-01-23T14:59:00.000-08:00

MEDITATION GROUP TO MEET JANUARY 28

2007-01-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

We'll meet again at Hale House this Sunday, January 28, and next Sunday, February 4, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or so. Please feel free to come early. These items are listed on the calendar, which you can reach by clicking on the link in the navigation toolbar on the right. Please also feel free to sign the guestbook and to sign up for regular updates by adding your email address to the Blogarithm box.

Please also comment on any of the posts here. Simply click on the word Comments below the post and add your two cents. If you're not a blogger, sign in as anyonymous and the click publish when you're done. You can always add your name to your message.

SUNDAY DHARMA TALK -- "PREVIOUSLY ON 24 -- JACK BAUER IS BODHISATTVA JIZO"

2007-01-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

This Sunday, January 21, we will talk about the series '24' and how Jack Bauer lives the life of a Bodhisattva.

NEW BLOG AND NEW MEDITATION GROUP

2007-01-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of creating a 'pretty good' blog. Please bear with us if it changes often. Thank you for checking out this page.

We welcome any comments or suggestions. And it looks like we have a 'pretty good' group of Meditators interested in being a part of it. Waterbury is ready for a really good Sunday Morning Meditation Center.

Join us Sunday, 21 January 07, at 9:30 AM. We are on Hale Street . Call if you need directions. 203 558 3641.

BRIAN AND MORE FRIENDS

2007-01-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

RETREAT IN THE WORKS

2007-01-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

We are planning a one day retreat for February. More information soon.

Our first day back at the Hale House for a Sunday Morning meditation will be the 21st of January.

We will meet at 9:30 and have meditation and do planning for a Sunday Retreat in February.

The retreat will be less that a full day and will be held at Hale House.

Please continue to check in on this blog. Also sign in for automatic up dates to this page.

.

ON BUDDHISM

2007-01-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

The Buddha is a man who found peace. He found the 'secret' to living in difficult, confusing, contradicting times by maintaining his equilibrium. We live in such times and Buddha’s ’secret’ is still relevant and available to us today: Be good. Don’t do evil, and always be kind. Buddha gave us a formula to do this - The 5 Precepts. The time for spiritual health is now. The Buddha way is making harmony out of chaos now. Now is the only time we have.

MEDITATION

2007-01-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Many books are writtten on the subject. Jokes are made about sitting in the Lotus position. Even TV adds poke fun at Buddhist monks who are meditating. But what is meditation?

There are more than 10,000 definitions of meditation. We don't have space for all of them here. So, I will give you a short definition of my own:

Meditation is paying attention.

At the Meditation Center, we don’t talk about meditation too much. We try to practice it. We provide a space for people to practice what they have read about. To test the theories. To see if it really works.

Our principal practice is Zazen, but we practice other types and modalities, too. Zazen is a formal kind of meditation; sometimes it is called just sitting. Part of Zazen is Walking Meditation; we sometimes call this just walking.

For most other types of meditation:
There is no right or wrong way to meditate
Just be present
And Breathe
Be willing to watch what happens:
without judgement
without trying to change what is happening

YOU DON’T MEDITATE TO GET ENLIGHTENED –YOU MEDITATE BECAUSE YOU ARE ENLIGHTENED.

Brian Talks Some Basic Zen with Earle

2007-01-01T07:50:00.000-08:00

ZEN BUDDHISM RETREAT, DECEMBER 8-10, 2006

2006-12-31T18:43:00.000-08:00

Thirteen men and women from around Connecticut participated in a three-day retreat at Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut. Retreatants spent much of their time in silence but also experienced guided meditations, walking in the labyrinth, Buddhist music, and brief presentations on Zen Buddhism.

Listen up: Brian, Earle, the Hospital Air Conditioner, and Some Pretty Good Ideas

2006-12-30T07:54:00.000-08:00

Does the Spirit Need an Umbrella?

Spirituality the Easy Way

We are Made in the Image of God