this is really exciting – our first buddhist carnival!
the plan is for this carnival to feature first and foremost articles that directly and specifically talk about buddhist practice, reflection and ideas. however, there will also be room for posts that may not explicitly mention buddhism but touch on concepts intrinsic to it.
as adam genkaku fisher, one of my favourite buddhist writers, says in his book answer your love letters
“buddhist” is what other people say. buddhism is what you do.
buddhism does not exist in order to enlarge or improve or adorn some fantasy called “buddhism.” it is just a human world and as such has its successes and flops. but there is one thing remains constant and throughout – your own unlimited, and peaceful life.
so let’s see what buddhists do …
zen and the art of mindful consumerism at the zen housewife
perhaps we can apply the same mindfulness to our consumerism that buddhists apply to eating and other aspects of their lives. in choosing to buy a product, we could make the choice to be acutely aware and conscious of what we are consuming, considering the resources and energy required to make the product, and the people who worked to bring it to us. instead of thinking that taking time out from shopping may harm the economy, let’s review what our needs are, and consider how our purchases may harm those who are making the cheap goods that we so readily consume.
the dalai lama’s smile at mckay today carole reflects on glenn beck, a radio commentator, who seemed to feel that the dalai lama with his eternal smile was being ineffective:
i have never been in the presence of the dalai lama, nor do i know if mr. beck has. but i have been in the presence of a buddhist master. his very presence and countenance so affected me that for days following that meeting i not only felt calmer, more centered and closer to the concept of world unity, but those around me visibly noticed and commented on my own changed behavior.i have also been in the presence of countless politicians, local and national. i have never felt calmer, more centered or more united with humanity as a result nor have those meetings ever had any lasting positive effect upon me.
mr. beck’s implication is that a smile and joyous inner sense of peace will not help the world situation in any significant way. but aggression and war, the modus operandi of the politicians and people in power, have never helped the world in any significant way either and they’ve had their crack at it for at least 2000+ years now. so, before we are so quick to write off the smiling monk, perhaps we should give joyfulness and love of humanity a try.
parenting as practice at socially sustainable
though most parents do not likely have a lot of time to devote to a meditation practice, most of us can make an effort to be more mindful in our family lives. and what a feat it is if we can do just that.
love, sorrow, and attachment at the urban monk
gautama buddha once said: ” i teach one thing and one only: that is, suffering and the end of suffering.” and what causes this suffering? he answers this question in his four noble truths: “the origin of suffering is attachment.” how do we overcome attachment, then? with the strangest thing of all – the one thing that we think causes attachment.
zen meditation technique – free guided meditation book for daily practice – ch 1 at mastery of meditation, zen & kundalini yoga. this is an article detailing zen meditation (zazen) technique.
joy at all times at loving awareness
we tend to think of joy as somehow mutually exclusive to other experiences. if we’re feeling sad, then of course it’s impossible to have joy. likewise if we’re having a fight or our business is having a downturn. this article points out how they’re not exclusive, and helps the invitation of joy into your life, by surrendering to the present moment. (you might also be interested in another article matthew submitted, that childlike state, and love).
trust, freedom and resentment at trust matters
sometimes, perhaps all the time, happiness is letting go of things you can’t control.
the dilemma of desire at tupelo kenyon
what is desire? where does it come from? why do we have it? does it serve us in a positive way, or does it distract us and keep us perpetually in discontent? this article sheds some light on these important questions so that each of us can find our own answers. (enjoy some music as you read plus songs with lyrics related to each article – all free.)
additional submissions include
- loneliness – the beginning of romance
- zarganar
- why can’t christians, muslims, buddhists and others coexist peacefully?
i’d like to thank everyone for their submissions – you made this first carnival possible!
let’s try this again next month, shall we? look for the 2nd edition of a buddhist carnival here at change therapy on december 15, 2007.
have an article you think we should see? go here to submit it.
in gassho.
(image courtesy of photonoob)
(this post appears in debra morehead’s carnival of healing)