Sparks and Drops
Sparks and Drops. Perfect lesson for the day.
Dr. Sally Ride broke a huge barrier in 1983, when she became the first American woman in space. After a second trip into space a year later, she embarked on a long and distinguished career in physics and education, directing the California Space Institute, writing six science books for children, and later setting up her own company “to make science and engineering cool again.” Her special joy was reaching out to young girls with dreams of doing what girls weren’t supposed to do.
And now she is pushing against one more barrier, even after her death. Newspapers and blogs were full of the news of her passing, and most of them incorporated the official obituary released by her company, Sally Ride Science. Very few of them took any notice of the last sentence of the obituary, which quietly acknowledged that Dr. Ride was gay.
In addition to Tam O’Shaughnessy, her…
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Inner Buddha meditation
Another simple and short meditation I was taught a few months ago is practical and can be done literally anywhere when you see a reflection of yourself in glass, mirrors or even water – anything with a reflective surface. And this is something I would like to share with you.
So if you’ve read the title and the above paragraph, you’ve probably added the two together to get the general answer and method to this very short and very effective meditation. As Buddhists know, everyone has a Buddha nature within them. In fact, every sentient being has a Buddha nature within them, though humans have the potential to become Buddhas in this life time – every single one of them. In order to achieve Buddhahood, you need to practise the eightfold path and meditation, basically training your mind.
With the notion of inner Buddhas in mind, it is wise to…
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Personal Note
I just realized that I haven’t published much of a personal nature here and, although that is generally my nature, I’m trying to change. So here I am, taking my first faltering step.
A little over a month ago, I lost a dear friend. 
In the interest of full disclosure, that friend was feline. He came to live with us when I was ill; he was rescued by my partner from living in a plastic drawer in someone’s garage. He was recovering from an unfortunate vet experience, and we recuperated together. He didn’t leave my side very much in those days. Gradually we both got better. I guess he never forgot our “experience”, because if I left the house, even to go into the yard, he would cry at whichever door I left through. Sometimes until I came back. Eventually he left my side, but still came looking for me periodically. He didn’t have to be right with me, but he wanted the option. Loudly.
But he remained a constant companion, and we took care of each other, in our own ways. He spent the day out (somewhere not at home) on December 25, 2011 (I can only assume he sneaked out the door unseen at some point), but showed back up around 24 hours later. The day went from being our worst Christmas to one of the best. But it did point out that I had real work to do as far as attachment, impermanence…you probably know the drill.
That small taste of loss, that mere glimpse of my attachment to him, was more than a little frightening. But with that in the back of my mind, I foolishly hoped it would be a long time before really I had to deal with such things. And we all continued with our lives, boundlessly grateful that he was home, but with the wordless acknowledgement that we would never be the same.
Then, less than six months later, Seamus scrambled into the room where I was at top speed and began having a seizure; within a few minutes, he died in my arms (I’m ashamed to add, “with me sobbing and begging him not to go”). I wanted to think I would allow a fellow creature a peaceful passing, but when the fear of losing him turned into the reality, something snapped. My consolation is the blind hope that he wasn’t aware of my outburst.
Now, it’s been more than a month since he died. And allow me to fill you in: I just went in the other room and cried for 45 minutes. The tears just seem to build up if I don’t go ahead and let them out.
And I should clarify—I don’t ever want to forget him, or even stop missing him, for that matter. For me, missing someone we have lost is natural, and a testament to how much they meant to us, affected us, were part of our lives. What I am trying to do is be honest with myself: yes, I have a lot of growth to do (a LOT); yes, I know that many people won’t understand my pain, or will think I’m overreacting (in a big way) (and no, I don’t really care); yes, I have many, many steps ahead of me on the path—steps of letting go, of seeing the truth of things, steps I can’t even begin to imagine yet.
But life does, indeed, go on. Each day is a little easier. And the kitten that we adopted a few days before Seamus died has suddenly developed several extremely Seamus-like habits.
Words that live on, by Dalai Lama
Just Say “So!”
Whenever you feel annoyed, whenever your mind goes bad, just say, “So!” When you feel better, just say, “So!” If you love someone just say, “So!” When you feel you’re getting angy, just say, “So!” Do you understand? You don’t have to go looking into the scriptures. Just “So!” Whatever arises, just tell it, “So!” It saves a lot of time.
Ajahn Chah in Food for the Heart
Relaxing with the present moment, relaxing with hopelessness, relaxing with death, not resisting the fact that things end, that things pass, that things have no lasting substance, that everything is changing all the time–that is the basic message.
~Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart
Forgiveness
Ran across a wonderful post on forgiveness at wildmind.org. Actually, I’m still reading it as I post this, but wanted to link to it before I saw something shiny–perhaps you know how that goes?
The article addresses one of the issues I seem to keep encountering in myself: holding on to a perceived injury because “it’s just not right to let him/her/it get away with that” or “if I forgive this indiscretion, I’ll be a doormat”. So I keep dragging these things along behind me, some of them by big, heavy chains, while the person I’m withholding forgiveness from doesn’t know or care that I am. Yeah, that’ll show ’em.
At any rate, the linked article is insightful, helpful, and, for me, particularly timely.
Mantrayana, the vehicle of mantra
Wonderful! I feel especially drawn to mantra, and find it helps me in many ways in many situations. This is a beautiful and helpful overview/encapsulation. I’ll be referring to this post a lot.
When we lack certainty, and when our understanding of the Dharma is inadequate, we require complex and difficult practices. However, since all that we do has as its objective to separate the mind from cognitive and affective stains, why not do so directly?
With mantra, we can protect (trayati) the mind (manas) at all times. Since the mind is naturally pure, clear, and peaceful, Buddha Nature spontaneously manifests. We can recite:
Refuge mantras upon waking and whenever we feel alone
- namo gurave namo buddhaya namo dharmaya namo sanghaya
Purification mantras while bathing, washing, cleaning, eliminating, and before sleep
- om vajrasattva hum
- om vajrasattva samayam anupalaya…(100 syllable mantra)
Healing mantras when we take care of the body, and whenever we drink water, apply therapies, or take remedies
- om ah hum amideva ayu-siddhi hum
- tayatha om bhekandze bhekandze maha-bhekandze radza samudgate so’ha
Rebirth mantras before meals, and whenever…
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Out of Nowhere 