Lessons from Water

My friend Dina sent this from a newsletter she gets, the Daily Om. I thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy!

March 24, 2009
A Great Teacher
Living Like Water

The journey of water as it flows upon the earth can be a mirror of our own paths through life. Water begins its residence on earth as it falls from the sky or melts from ice and streams down a mountain into a tributary or stream. In the same way, we come into the world and begin our lives on earth. Like a river that flows within the confines of its banks, we are born with certain defining characteristics that govern our identity. We are born in a specific time and place, within a specific family, and with certain gifts and challenges. Within these parameters, we move through life, encountering many twists, turns, and obstacles along the way just as a river flows.

Water is a great teacher that shows us how to move through the world with grace, ease, determination, and humility. When a river breaks at a waterfall, it gains energy and moves on, as we encounter our own waterfalls, we may fall hard but we always keep moving on. Water can inspire us to not become rigid with fear or cling to what’s familiar. Water is brave and does not waste time clinging to its past, but flows onward without looking back. At the same time, when there is a hole to be filled, water does not run away from it in fear of the dark; instead, water humbly and bravely fills the empty space. In the same way, we can face the dark moments of our life rather than run away from them.

Eventually, a river will empty into the sea. Water does not hold back from joining with a larger body, nor does it fear a loss of identity or control. It gracefully and humbly tumbles into the vastness by contributing its energy and merging without resistance. Each time we move beyond our individual egos to become part of something bigger, we can try our best to follow the lead of the river.

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Bayh vs. Obama

I love the fact that our President is really willing to be with the people. He hosted another townhall meeting today and took unscreened questions, answered (to the chagrin of Republican critics) without a teleprompter! Gasp! The President continues to prove he is not only brilliant, but brave too. 

Seriously, I really am glad to see him out there, mixing and mingling and getting the story from the mouths of those living the life. He said he wanted to stay connected and he genuinely seems to be making a go of it.

On the flip side, what's up with Evan Bayh? I mean, wasn't he on the short list to be the Vice President? And here he is, trying to rebrand himself and oppose the President at every turn. I'm all for healthy debate and critique of the status quo, but I just find the whole thing interesting. One has to wonder if he would be so "courageous" and willing to "challenge" the President if he weren't up for re-election soon? 

Excerpts from the today's townhall...

Evan's announcement:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Kiss My Fat Ass!

Bravo Meghan McCain! 

Although I'm a little disappointed she canceled her interview with CNN today, Meghan's been holding her own against the onslaught from the right. Admittedly, she brought it on, taking a jab at Ann Coulter:  

Everything about her is extreme: her voice, her interview tactics, and especially the public statements she makes about liberals. Maybe her popularity stems from the fact that watching her is sometimes like watching a train wreck.

But Meghan's a moderate Republican, and she's calling for the party to rebuild and reconsider some of its extreme positioning. Apparently, her calls aren't falling so much on deaf ears as pissed off ears. Laura Ingraham, taking up for her "tight girl" Ann, responds by teasing Meghan about her weight and calling her a "useful idiot."

Meghan who has recently been on Rachel Maddow and the View has responded by channeling her inner Tyra Banks:  Kiss my fat ass!

Check her out on Rachel's show...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Power of Money vs. Human Revolution - No Contest!

Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International, recently encouraged members regarding the economic crisis. He said the key is to focus on human revolution.

Excerpt from...

Let’s Strive Together for a Year of Victory!
February 20, 2009 WT – Seize the Day p. E

We are in the midst of what is being called a “once-in-a-century” financial crisis. What is most important at this troubled time? Of course, wise and decisive measures need to be taken in the political, economic and international arenas. But there is something else that we must not forget.

On New Year’s Day 1946, as Japan was still suffering from the aftermath of its defeat in World War II, Shigeru Nambara, president of Tokyo University (present-day University of Tokyo), gave a radio address in which he said, “An even more urgent priority than institutional and structural reform is an inner revolution, a revolution in people’s hearts and minds.” Nambara saw this as “human revolution.”

At that time, Mr. Toda had already embarked on his struggle for kosen-rufu, based on his conviction that awakening people to the Buddhahood inherent in their lives was key to freeing them from suffering and helping them on a fundamental level. People are the focus and heart of everything. Unless people themselves change at the innermost level, any reform or improvement will be lacking a vital element.

Nambara concluded his radio address as follows: “Sacred Mount Fuji illuminated by the morning sunlight of New Year’s Day seems to me a symbol of a new future. With fresh hope and courage, let us press straight ahead on the road that lies before us, no matter how filled with adversity and difficulty it may be.”

***

The idea of human revolution was also emphasized by (French author Andre’) Maurois: “The most profound revolutions are spiritual. They transform people who, in turn, transform the world.” He discerned the fact that the human revolution of a single individual is the true starting point of all change, writing, “A single individual, whether hero or saint, can set an example for the multitudes, the emulation of which can dramatically transform the world.”

We must see to it that the 21st century is a century of human revolution. Humanity as a whole must now turn its focus to this fundamental path.

But what about drill baby drill?

From the NYT:

The great American drilling boom is over.

The number of oil and gas rigs deployed to tap new energy supplies across the country has plunged to less than 1,200 from 2,400 last summer, and energy executives say the drop is accelerating further.

And yet all we heard last fall were the gimmicky chants of drill baby, drill! Even Sarah Palin deigned to "correct" future VP Biden in her one and only shot at coming across as a serious candidate.

Read more here...
As Oil and Gas Prices Plunge, a Frenzy of Drilling Ends

Cramer vs. Stewart

Everything you need all in one place. Let's start at the very beginning....a very good place to start:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

And then, the rebuttal:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

In Cramer We Trust

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The next round, leading to the final smack down:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Basic Cable Personality Clash Skirmish '09

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The face off (in 3 parts). Part One:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Part Two:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Part Three:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Wow. It was a lot really. And while the face off wasn't funny, Jon Stewart showed his intellectual prowess (which is what makes him such a brilliant comedian in the first place).

Several articles have appeared about the various aspects of the skirmish. Read a couple:

Why is Jim Cramer Shouting at Me? From Salon.com

Cramer vs. Stewart Coverage Largely Misses From Columbia Journalism Review

Creativity

I love creative stuff. This video was on one of my favorite blogs so I'm sharing it with you. I realized that I do most of my blogging (if you can call it that) on Facebook. So the things I deem worthy to share there, I'll share here. And one day, I'll have something really important to share. In the meantime, enjoy!

Healthy Living

So this is my new place for recording my health progress. Have had many many great days and lots of okay days. BP is stable when I exercise regularly, so I guess that's my new medicine. Let's keep a record and see.

Today so far:
-Walked 1 mile/ jogged 1 mile (small strides, no stopping)
-Ate organic cereal, drank a protein mix, ate yogurt with granola, took my vitamins.
-BP: 120/91 Pulse 69 (1:30 p.m.)

i am from

i am from nappy hair being straightened in the kitchen
i am from the middle class
i am from weekly visits to the library, and summers in savannah
i am from running through the water sprinkler and laughing with cousins

i am from heart break - parents who loved me, loved cards, and loved a good joke

i am from grandfathers who went to college
i am from high expectations

i am from all black schools with all black teachers
i am from scrabble and monopoly, the cosby show and a different world
i am from opinionated family members

i am from shyness and introspection
i am from listening and observing
i am from writing

i am from loud music on saturday mornings - the temptations, the four tops, and studio 54
i am from track, spanish, band, cheerleading, and dance after school

i am from marshmallows in the fireplace and blinking lights on christmas trees

i am from tenacity
i am from stability

i am from love

bobby

Bobby is 74 and proud of it. Sometimes he calls himself “old man” but if you didn’t know he was born in 1933 you’d have put him in his early 60s. Once a professional drummer, he still wears his Hawaiian style shirts with the top two buttons undone – revealing a curly patch of whitening chest hair. Wants the ladies to know he’s still got it, despite the bald patch claiming 70 percent of his head.

He likes to get his money’s worth (including senior discounts), but has no problem letting you know his pockets are full. He drives a sleek black Cadillac and woe unto thee if you look like you might damage it with reckless driving or sloppy parking.

He’s kinda gruff and surly from time to time – though he doesn’t mean it (at least not always). He’s a street-wise grown man and doesn’t appreciate comments that insinuate he’s not as smart as you are (whether or not it’s true). A little sensitive in the fair treatment category, he demands you treat him just like every other customer. Any slight on your part (real or imagined) and he’s likely to cause a scene. He has been escorted out of more than one restaurant in recent years.

He tries to reserve his soft spot for his family. He accidentally hurts his wife’s feelings pretty regularly, but apologizes in his own “manly” way once he realizes what’s he’s done. Being married for over 30 years, it only takes him about half an hour now to figure out she’s mad at him. Bobby loves his wife deeply, no matter who still thinks he wasn’t good enough to marry her.

casey

Casey is a 30-something beauty. Once a gifted high school sprinter, she's gotten a little soft over the years. Though quick-witted and physically attractive, she lacks the self-confidence a tenure-track professor should have. Her deepest desire is to meet her prince charming and live happily ever after. Her greatest fear is that she's too late.

Casey grew up a quiet, shy, only child. Doted on by her father, much the jealousy of her mother, she was undoubtedly a daddy's girl. It's this undying affection for Daddy that spurs her search of the perfect man. Casey's shyness is masked at times, yet down right debilitating at others. She still carries vivid memories of being too scared to respond during competitions in grade school (losing contests and the respect of some classmates as a result). Even as an adult, she will rarely try new places alone for fear of the unknown. When able to control all aspects of a situation, she is poised, elegant, in a word, brilliant. Spontaneity and grace under pressure? Forget it.

Casey's parents are Christians – her mom actually attends church, but her dad attends Sunday snooze services in bed. Not into "organized religion" but more a "spiritual" person, Casey is seeking a philosophy she can embrace. Maybe the right philosophy will help her find the right man. But then again, maybe she's just in the wrong city. Or maybe it's her hair. Whatever it is, Casey has to find it and fix it and meet him. Soon.

Casey has a couple of close friends (Gene and Lynette from college), but is generally not too social. She certainly finds it much easier (and pleasurable) to interact with men than women, and doesn't believe "girlfriends" are necessary. She spends most of her free time doing things that challenge her mind (learning Japanese, reading, doing research for work), and one can easily find her at home on a Saturday night (the perfect place, of course, to meet Mr. Right).

In an effort to reclaim her softening body, and investigate Gene's new-found love of running, she decides to join a local runner's club. Made up of mostly teen and low-twenty-something, competitive females, Casey is not welcome. She's "old" and "slow" and she's "certainly ain't in no shape to help us win no races."

Casey's challenge: discover and embrace the limitless beauty inherent in her own life, and support these young women who need her just as much as she needs them.

making moves

so i've moved an inch. maybe a foot this time. i have submitted two short articles to the world tribune. i've also (and this it the important part) joined an online writer's group/class. while i find myself a tad stuck for this week's assignment, i find myself unstuck on at least character creation.

i've shared my idea for my novel - runner's mark. i now have another idea though - a short story idea i had last year (based on a true story). my compromise, at least for today, is to write the bio for thanksgiving thief.

where am i stuck - now i have two choices and an assignment due based on one of them. :-). i have to plot my plot. in other words, figure out some of the high and low points of the story. much easier to do with a short story. and the good news is, i have a chance of having the whole thing written by the end of class. but if i get help with plotting a novel, that's something i can carry with me to other novels.

i guess the question is, which is to my advantage at this time? it's a win-win situation, but which win do i want most?

grad school

so i now have 4 blogs. well i administer 4 of them. can't say i contribute much to any of them. at any rate, i almost created a 5th one but realized how silly it would be.

i am more than halfway through my first semester as a doctoral student. it was pretty rough going the first few weeks. mainly because i traveled 6 weeks in a row - including one trip that lasted over a week. it was very challenging to say the least.

when i returned, i then had to struggle with a couple of challenging assignments that had me up late at night, tired, and thinking DANG! did i make the right choice? do i really want to be a graduate student? when will i have time for my life?

once i got past that, i realized, hey, this is my life. :-). that was a major turning point. also around that time, my advisor, janette, really helped me reframe a class that was outside of my interests. those two events/realizations made all the difference. suddenly, grad school was perfect and i was glad to be here.

this was about a month ago. where am i now? still glad to be here, though also still a little frustrated with one of my classes. we only have a month left though, so sometime after the next four weeks, it won't really matter! a bad attitude, since ideally each semester builds on the previous one toward dissertation, but it's all gravy. holla at a playa!

never be defeated

"Never be defeated means never be defeated in your heart."

Mr. Saito, SGI North America Bureau Chief, shared this guidance during a youth training course in Japan last month. Daily life is a series of battles – sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. However, we constantly hear guidance that "Buddhism is win or lose" and that we must win. How do we make sense of the seeming disparity? The answer lies in the quote above.

"Though one may fail or lose once or twice, there's no reason for regret. Just look forward and press onward" (President Ikeda, 9/7/2007 WT). It's true, there may be days when we really struggle or we seem not to be advancing as we'd hope. We may get bad news, a bad grade, or fail to follow through on something we promised (again) we'd get done. Our boss may treat us unkindly, the car may break down, or our bank account might be overdrawn for the second time this month.

These are not reasons to belittle yourself or slander your own life. As long as we refresh ourselves, renew our determination and decide to keep looking forward, our hearts are not defeated. And as Nichiren Daishonin says, " It is the heart that is important" (WND-1 p. 1000).

The good news is, all of life is a manifestation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This means that even seemingly negative things have the ability to function positively in our lives. This is true even when things don't go as planned. President Ikeda reminds us, "A person who has known defeat becomes stronger…Every all-out struggle we wage is a cause for becoming an unbeatable champion" (9/7/2007 WT).

We win when we decide to try again. We are victorious when we decide to chant more daimoku. We triumph, when in our hearts, we decide "I am a Buddha of limitless potential and I am determined to show actual proof!"

Buddhism really is win or lose. No matter what, keep your conviction and determination strong, and with that ichinen and heart, win every day!

greetings

i am back on the map. it's been ages but here i am. the good news is, life has slowed down. the bad news is, no i'm still not writing - at least not fiction. i have plenty of opportunities to write nonfiction. i'm looking for classes to audit - being a full time doctoral student and all i have copious amounts of free time (yeah right). at any rate, it would be nice to have some structure and guidance on writing.

one of my tasks (someone before the year is out) is to contact pearl cleage - one of my heroes. apparently she is very "reachable" and will respond to emails and such.

i have helped to start another blog (same background) for the myohosisters group. we will enact it tomorrow. hopefully people will actually go and respond.

anyway, just wanted to start back writing something other than ideas for research. i am happy by the way. and glad to feel it. it's been a long time comin'.

ndc

back on top

yesterday was one of the best days i've had in a while! i finished my 2 hours of daimoku, my homework, had a chance to contribute (though not a lot) to sensei's gift, went to a district meeting and slept until i woke up this morning (almost). (my alarm was accidentally still set, so i cut it off and went back to sleep).

things are definitely looking up! have a lot to do this morning, but i'm not overwhelmed. the main thing, i'm done with the branch book and done my stats for today. i still have lots of work to do, but things are so much better!

oh! all my travel is straight, and to make all those changes only cost me the $25 buddy pass from shaun! even the $65 i paid will be reimbursed. so i went from looking at $468 for one of two changes to $25 for both!

daimoku works!
ndc

better already

my life is much better. still not where i'd like, but definitely i am more resistant to the externals. including the new thing i need to insert:

but if you nurse an unreasonable grudge against United Airlines...

lol.

as it stands now, i will have to just not use the return ticket. to actually change my ticket to a one way ticket increases the fare by 300 bucks. that is soooo outrageous!

i am waiting on the travel agency to call me back. she is telling me it will also be problematic to rebook my ticket to a one way from LAX back to ATL. i may have to just buddy up with shaun and cancel the whole thing for domestic travel. i hate to ask him, but we'll see.

more daimoku. one hour down, one more to go today. winning in the morning is the key!

the 8 winds

as soon as it gets better it gets worse. my life condition was on the decline while still in new orleans, but by monday, it was really the pits. i was beyond overwhelmed, irritated 100% with j, and still trying to fit the obnoxious amounts of reading into my day. literally mapping it all out i still had 8 hours of work to do after my class ended at 4:30! that did not include eating, and barely included the daimoku.

i chanted to do as much as i could, stayed up as late as i could and chanted more while working. finally, finishing my daimoku in front of the gohonzon, a gosho quote floated to me. i knew it was perfect, but i waited until i sounded the bell one last time before racing off to find it:

Worthy persons deserve to be called so because
they are not carried away by the eight winds:
prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor,
praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure.
They are neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline.

The heavenly gods will surely protect one
who is unbending before the eight winds.
But if you nurse an unreasonable grudge…,
they will not protect you, not for all your prayers.
WND-1 p. 794

immediately i knew it the right thing for my life. i went to sleep seeing a breakthrough on the horizon.

this morning i chanted while working a little, then did a resounding gongyo and more daimoku in front of gohonzon. i concentrated on the 8 winds, on sensei's poem to the YWD (my life, indomitable, like mt. fuji) and on my stamp (glory of kosen rufu). i reminded myself: my life is NMRK, my professors are NMRK, j is NMRK, my irritation and anger is NRMK, my sadness is NRMK, I am NMRK, and everything functions in life as NMRK. i still felt a little sadness, but i was determined and i was clear.

i printed out extra copies of the 8 winds passage, substituting irritations: "but if you nurse an unreasonable grudge against (your professors, SGI members, your benefits, your obstacles, your man, your opportunity to expand). it made me laugh but it was so true.

i also chanted again about j. i had all but shut him out yesterday due to my low life condition. but like linda johnson says, no BCJ. whatever transpired only impacted me. i was pissed off, not him. i realized after another interaction last night that perhaps communication is my challenge right now and he just reflects it in a major way. so i at least need to challenge it back before giving up or cutting things off. his heart is in the right place. he just doesn't understand my inner turmoil. maybe he never will, but i at least have to try.

i'm sleepy. with miles to go before i sleep. just getting started!

double or nothing

so i've been chanting two hours a day. my life just laughs at it. it's like i doubled the daimoku and it had an inverse effect. instead of happier and joyful, i feel sad, confused, frustrated. earlier today in the 60-90 minute time frame, i started to get emotional, so i stopped and let the tears come. i had a teleconference to log into so i couldn't carry on long.

as i told b, it's weird b/c as much as i've been chanting this earth-shaking, joyful, fusing daimoku, and as much as i can't tell it on the inside, on the outside people smile at me more, talk to me, etc. and i find myself much more likely to engage strangers in conversation, smile back, and just generally be more joyful on the outside. it's the strangest thing.

at the same time i get the opportunity to battle my own prejudice with j. we had a great conversation today wherein i explained my point of view on our developing "relationship." he paraphrased and mirrored back to me what i said. it was very powerful and affirming. i found more boundaries slipping away. it's deep.

he challenges my sense of ...i don't know exactly. but he makes me reconsider lots of things, most especially dating someone of a different faith. he believes things so parallel to what i believe - i dunno. he even said he doesn't think like a typical christian. i think that's interesting. i keep chanting for him to manifest his true nature. it usually takes 2 weeks or less to see the truth - that once again i'm attracted to the wrong man. the last couple of times it took less than a week. it's only been a few days. i'll report again on that in september. maybe this is his true nature. maybe i've met a good one.

in the meantime i'm praying for him to close on a big deal on august 31st. there is no closing date yet that i'm aware of, but i'm praying to show actual proof of my prayer and to be constantly in rhythm with the law. i need to add t's prayer which is "if you are my kosen-rufu partner, manifest yourself as such right now. if not, disappear from my life for good." that's deep. that's a lot.

i'm so tired. but engaged and now missing him. i told him i couldn't get too much closer to him while he was still officially unavailable. the SAME day, he got a court date. and when is it? my mother's birthday. too much.

so at any rate, we'll see. it's past my bedtime, i still have hours of work to do, i'm sleepy and i still have 30 minutes left to chant!

daimoku

so i have already increased my daimoku. not a lot, but an increase nonetheless. however we had our first teleconference last night. we have a new challenge - to chant a "minimum of two a day" to get ready. wow. i wasn't ready for that one. i immediately felt bitter. well, bitter is strong, but certainly resistance. that really just means adding another 30 minutes or so, but it seems impossible. well, impossible is strong too. but challenging. a MINIMUM. at LEAST two hours. wow is all i can say.