Field Museum Tibetan Area Photos

I'm thankful.

I am thankful Vajramati came to New York City and taught me meditation, that he remains here to build the sangha here in NYC. I'm thankful to Dhammarati for coming across the pond for GFR retreat. I'm thankful to all the other order members who support the ordination process in the USA. I'm thankful for the order existing, so that I can seek ordination into it. I am thankful to Sangharakshita for founding the order, and all that went into that.

I am thanksful for the teachings, which have been passed on. I am thankful for the sangha which allows me to support others, and supports me in my efforts to close the distance between myself and the Buddha (still a long distance, but getting shorter).

I am thankful for my wife who has not tried to block my spiritual development. Though she dislikes me leaving the family for whatever reason, she negotiates within her level of comfort, and that allows me to go on week long retreats. At times I have not gone on retreat, done things with the sangha. But there is a balance and I am confident that we can continue to negotiate this balance. Of course my wife is more to me than the freedom and sensitivity around the issue of this spiritual path. She is much more to me than that, and for that I am also grateful.

I am thankful to my boys for their spiritual challenges, the way they have exposed areas for growth.

From William's Wonder Years

I am thankful to my family, past, present and future. I am thankful to those who have supported me, allowed me to have the strength to be at the level I am. I am thankful to the level of support I get from the family today, in so many ways. I am thankful for what I expect will be further support, and my being able to support others, in the future. I could go on about specifics, but I won't. It takes more than a village to raise a child, but one village has been my family. I am truly grateful for them, including my in-laws, the family I married into.

I am thankful to all my academic teachers. Teachers in schools are a gift. I thank them all past and present. I am thankful to the government and country which created these fine schools, and sustain them. I am thankful for the school my son's go to, and all the excellent teachers and staff there.

I am thankful to all the medical personnel who have sustained my health.

I am thankful to all my friends throughout my life. I treasure past and present friendships.

I'm thankful for all the people that support my existence. The people who built the co-op I live in, the people who grow, harvest and transport and store my food. The people who sustain the wonderful subway, built roads, all for swift transport. I'm thankful for the amazing technology that allows me to learn more and communicate.

I am grateful for my abilities, including the one to be thankful now.

A Thanksgiving Message

To be honest I haven't really followed what is going on in Burma. But watching this video, I feel the passion for the worthy cause, as Danny Fisher updates us on the situation there. He is thankful for his liberty, which is not a given in Burma. Watch this important message.

Update

Sorry to be linking it up so much lately, not so much original content. I'm mostly focused on getting ready for the all night meditation.

I'm reading Pema Chodron's No Time To Lose, because of Nagabodhi's talk a few weeks ago.

I'm going to read Cittipala's book after that, at his excellent spot for some excellent writing.

I found an interesting link by Danny Fisher about 5 books he recommends on emptiness.

Aryaloka in the news

I found an article about some art work at Aryaloka!

Buddhism and psychotherapy

Paper on Buddhist approach to psychotherapy.

It's more about group, but it provides some interesting history.

support me in a meditation marathon

You can now donate by pay pal in dollars for the all night meditation.

This is a registered USA charity and thus tax deductable.

Links

Bodhipaksa is coming out with a new CD set on Sounds True.

He already has many find CDs available.

You can also get them through Wildmind.

Buddhist inspired furniture.

Mindfulness test.

More on the Buddha Boy.

There's another Dharma Burger on Worst Horse.

Bodhipaksa also has a post about parenting and happiness.

whoop!

Wow, e-mail, blogging and I've raised some money! If the donations quit now, I would have brought in the most money. I think that's healthy competition. I don't think I'll win, I hope others raise more money. Go and donate.

And Danny Fisher is providing blogging support to get the word out.

Buddhist youth - boys

Buddhist youth - boys
Originally uploaded by FWBO photos

Donate money for NYC-FWBO all night meditation. The cause supports Buddhist youths.


Here's the letter I sent out to family, friends and peers:

Dear family,

I will be meditating for 12 hours (all night) beginning December 12th to raise money for youth in India. Please support me and the youth of India.

The ex-untouchable movement, lead by Ambedkar over 50 years ago, is a more than worthy cause. This hero Ambedkar, when he was a kid, had to sit outside the school and look through the window because he was "untouchable". Imagine that. He ended getting 2 Ph.Ds and helped to write India's constitution, which outlawed caste prejudice. And yet caste prejudice and abuse still thrive in India for the ex-untouchables. People are frequently murdered. There are many grizzly details that are shocking and horrible. Caste prejudice is an abomination.

To combine spiritual individualism and spiritual altruism, we've created an event to test ourselves, and raise money for a worthy cause, like getting sponsors for a running marathon. But this is a meditation marathon.

To support me and the worthy youth in India, please follow the link and donate:

http://www.justgiving.com/fullmoonmeditation

Unfortunately you can only donate in pounds. The exchange rate is about 2-1, though the dollar seems to be strengthening, so I donated 5 pounds, which is about $10-11. About one dollar for every hour I meditate.

Thank you for your attention,
steve

Intigration

Dayamati at his blog New City of Friends shares his integration of FWBO and Quaker experience.

I first became aware of it through his posts on a Yahoo FWBO mailing list.

Reincarnated Buddha?

I've been following him in the news, but I thought this video with footage of him was interesting. Here's an article from The Buddhist Channel. His name is Ram Bahadur Bamjan.

Here's another article.

Some interesting articles

An interesting link on how to teach children to meditate.

Glimpses of Awakening by Judy Lief.

Matthieu Ricard

Matthieu Ricard has a Ted Talk.

Great writing sites by FWBO

I've blogged about free talk and other great sites. Here are my favorite sits of writings.

First is Free Buddhist Audio's transcripts of seminars and other writings.

Then there is Wildmind. It's does not emphasize the FWBO, is more about meditation, but it does branch out from there. Many wonderful book reviews and essays.

Cittapala has a wonderful site with some excellent writing. I've read The Bodhisattva's Reply, and other writings, on vegetarianism, on the 6 Element Practice.

Another good site for writing is writing by Vishvapani.

He also has a lot of good article on the FWBO Discussion page, which is incidentally another good area for writings by FWBO people.


No list of FWBO writings is complete without two leading writers: Vessantara & Kamalashila.

Don't forget the seminal writings of Bante on his site, where he gives away free books.

Finally, a list of all the FWBO blogs is here. From Jayarava to Svarnaprabha.

There are many other wonderful sites, if I've forgotten something please add it in the comments.

best of

The best of Pema Chodron at Shambhala Sun.

Right effort questions

Ayya Khema in her book Be An Island, asks questions, to question oneself if they are giving right effort: "Have I really tried today? Have I extended myself to my personal limit, or did I take it as easy as I could today? Did I try to increase my self-discipline a little more than yesterday? Did I try to get up five minutes earlier? Did I try to remember two more lines of the teaching? Did I try to sit longer in one position or concentrate a little longer? Did I have fewer negative thoughts today?" (p. 73).

What would my questions be to test my right effort? What are yours? Would you write different questions? Perhaps memorizing text isn't as important to you, but maybe being kinder is, so how would you ask that? Shoot me a comment to let me know if you have different right effort questions for yourself.