Buddhist spiritual head launches green march


Calcutta News.Net
Saturday 10th December, 2011 (IANS)
Buddhist spiritual leader Gyalwang Drukpa Saturday launched a march from Mumbai to Bhopal to spread the message of peace, harmony and love for the environment, his spokesperson said.
The Drukpa is the religious head of the 10-centuries-old Drukpa lineage and the march includes nearly 500 Buddhist monks and nuns, celebrities, corporate personalities, followers of Buddhism and commoners.
'The march was launched today in south Mumbai and will proceed to the thousands of years old Kanheri Caves in north Mumbai tomorrow. En route the entire padayatra, the participants will clean the path and dispose of garbage,' said a spokesperson for the Drukpa, who has founded a unique school in Ladakh for imparting vocational education to the children.
From Mumbai and Kanheri Caves, the padayatra will pass through the Elephanta Caves island off the Mumbai coast, the Kondana Caves near Karjat in Raigad district of Maharashtra, the Rajmachi, Karla, Bhaja and then to the world famous Ajanta-Ellora Caves in Aurangabad district before proceeding to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh by Jan 6, 2012.
'This padayatra symbolises the journey from 'self to selflessness'. On the personal side, this is an effort to come closer to nature and enjoy its bounty and simultaneously raise awareness about the environment, and ensuring that there is widespread education on the various facets that focus on environment and sustainability subjects,' said Gyalwang Drukpa at the start of the march.
This is the fifth such padayatra and first from Mumbai, led by the Drukpa in the past five years - earlier he led thousands of people on foot in Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh from where he hails, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Sikkim.
At each such initiative, the marchers picked up over a tonne of garbage and disposed it of in an eco-friendly manner.
The Drukpa leads a sect of Buddhists similar to the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
A recipient of the UN Millennium Development Goals Awar! d and In dia's Green Hero Award, the Drukpa also led Ladakh last year in creating a Guinness World Record for planting maximum trees in the region.
An academician and philanthropist, he has founded a unique school in Ladakh which became famous after the shooting of Aamir Khan's film '3 Idiots' there.
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The Message of the Tibetans 1.- Buddhism (1966-1994, Buddhism, Arnaud Desjardins, English


The English black and white version of the classic French documentary jampasmandala.wordpress.com
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST
The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
Saturday, Dec 10, 2011
Indian railway representatives introduced the country's railway tourism to the Indonesian market on Thursday, promoting in particular its spiritual Buddhist tour on the Mahaparinirvan Express.
"The Mahaparinirvan Express train goes on a seven-night-and-eight-day package tour, which covers traditional Buddhist places. It provides an exclusive, safe and comfortable tourism service," Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTR) joint general manager for tourism Arun Srivastava said on Thursday.
Speaking at a presentation of the tourism service at the Indian Embassy, Srivastava explained that the Mahaparinirvan Express was a fully air-conditioned train tour.
The tour covers many important places of Buddhist interest such as Lumbini where Buddhist founder Siddhartha Gautama was born; Bodhgaya, the place Buddha attained enlightenment; Sravasti, the city that sheltered Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetyana Gardens; and Kushinagar where Buddha died and attained Parinirvana (Final Nirvana).
The train also made stops at other Indian tourism destinations such as Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal is located.
The tour package, he said, included all train journeys, hotel accommodations, road transports, tour guide services, meals, travel insurance, security and monument admission fees.
The train's cabins are divided into three air-conditioned classes: first class, second tier and third tier. The first class cabins, boasting two berths and a sliding door, cost US$ 160 per person per night.
Tier two and three, which have more berths and a curtain in place of a door cost $ 130 and $ 105, respectively.
Srivastava said that the facilities and services would be worth the price, as the trip would be a unique, exclusive and comfortable train experience.
"This is not a public train where people at stations can just jump on board. Only passengers who have bought the package are allowed to board the train. This is an exclusive train," he said.
The tour period, which starts in October, provides 14 trips in a year. Last year, the tour attracted around a total of 2,000 tourists, from 35 countries all over the world including the US, Canada, China and Singapore, he said.
Manadimetta Michael, an Indonesian who has taken the tour, said that the Mahaparinirvan Express did have its drawbacks, such as lack of privacy in the small cabins, as well as limited meal choices. However, he hailed the trip as the best he had ever been on.
"Whether you find it pleasant or unpleasant, India is definitely the most enjoyable place to visit," he said.
While the religion was founded in India, currently only 0.8 percent of India's population of about 1.2 billion is registered as Buddhist.
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Change your Mind Change your Brain: The Inner Conditions...


Google Tech Talks March 15, 2007 ABSTRACT If happiness is an inner state, influenced by external conditions but not dependent on them, how can we achieve it? Ricard will examine the inner and outer factors that increase or diminish our sense of well-being, dissect the underlying mechanisms of happiness, and lead us to a way of looking at the mind itself based on his book, Happiness: A Guide to Life's Most Important Skill and from the research in neuroscience on the effect of mind-training on the brain. Speaker Bio: Matthieu Ricard, a gifted scientist turned Buddhist monk, is a best selling author, translator, and photographer. He has lived and studied in the Himalayas for the last 35 years...
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST

by Sage Schaff, CWRU Observer, December 9, 2011

New York, USA -- One need only turn on the radio or watch a few commercials to see that Christmas season is now in full swing. However, for the millions of Buddhists in America and hundreds of millions around the world, yesterday was an important day to the history of their faith.
In general, Buddhism embraces the idea that suffering arises from confused states of mind and attachment to the notion that things are permanent. Happiness can be achieved by practicing virtue and performing positive actions, which are said to be repaid through karma.
Dec. 8 is Bodhi Day, which marks the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama and his transition to the Buddha. According to tradition, he abandoned ascetic practices and resolved to meditate until he discovered the root of suffering.
It is said that in the first stage of Siddhartha's meditation, he accessed all of his past thoughts and deeds. This reflection led to the establishment of the cycle of rebirth, as he realized that he had been and would continue to be reincarnated many times.

Later in the evening, Siddhartha realized the existence of karma. He felt that his life was inextricably connected to the lives of all other sentient beings. This is the belief that underlies the concept of karma, which dictates that destiny is the product of the consequences of every single action one takes. Finally, after further contemplating cause and effect, Siddhartha created the Four Noble Truths. This concept revolves around the idea that suffering can be ended by ridding oneself of all attachment to desires.
After this third revelation, Siddhartha's enlightenment was complete and he achieved nirvana. This idea is the main cause for celebration of the holiday, as it is a central concept. Services and traditions vary among Buddhist sects, but many adherents observe the day's significance with additional meditation, studying the Dharma, and performing kind acts for others.

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BUDDHISM... IN 8 MINUTES!


My friends and I film and edit this Buddhism Project for school. We do skits explaining the Eightfold Path, Five Precepts, Four Noble Truths, and two other aspects of Buddhism. Hope you like it!
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:40 AM PST
DHARMSALA, India — The political leader of the exiled Tibetan community accused China of violating human rights and leading Tibetans to commit "desperate" acts in demanding freedom, as he marked the 22nd anniversary Saturday of the Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize.
At least 12 Tibetan monks, nuns and former monks have set themselves on fire this year — most in Tibetan areas of China's Sichuan province — in what are seen as acts of desperation in the face of tightening Chinese controls over Tibetan life and culture.
"The human rights situation in Tibet has deteriorated so significantly that Tibetans are resorting to desperate and unprecedented acts," Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay said in Dharmsala, India, where the exiled Tibetan community is based.
Hundreds attended the speech at Tsuglakhang Temple in the community's annual Dec. 10 commemoration of the 1989 Nobel award given to the Dalai Lama, their spiritual leader, for his commitment to peaceful means in resolving the Tibetan issue.
The Dalai Lama himself was visiting Prague on Saturday on an invitation from former Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel.
"To the government of China, we want to say that the only way to bring about real peace and stability in Tibet is by respecting the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people," Sangay told his audience, which included bagpipe-playing Tibetan artists.
China says Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries. Today, they call for the return of the Dalai Lama, who fled to India during an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
Though he remains the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama formally stepped down in May as head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, giving up the political power that he and his predecessors had wielded over Tibetans for hundreds of years.
Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetan claims of repression, although they have confirmed some self-immolations and accused supporters of the Dalai Lama of encouraging such acts.
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Buddhism and "A Course in Miracles" -- Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh


Join me as I drive to work while philosophizing about "A Course In Miracles" and Buddhism. "A Course in Miracles" student kenneth Wapnick themes metaphor ego forgiveness ACIM Foundation spirituality metaphysics Jesus Nonprofit Temecula oman shanti facim acim portland oregon new renaissance...
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:41 AM PST
Beijing, Dec 10: A former Tibetan Buddhist monk is reported to have died after setting himself ablaze in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet.
Tenzin Phuntsog succumbed to injuries at the Chamdo Hospital in the Tibetan Autonomous Region on December 6, India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.
According to rights groups, Phuntsog had set himself on fire near the Karma Monastery after scattering pamphlets criticising Beijing and shouting anti-China slogans on December 1.
Chinese police reportedly had tried to douse the flames on his body.
The website Phayul, which is run by Tibetans based in India, also reported his death.
Chinese officials in Tibet, have not confirmed his death, the BBC reports.
Activists estimate that twelve former and serving Buddhist monks and nuns have immolated themselves this year, but all have not been reported since access to information in the Tibetan Autonomous Region is difficult.
China has denounced the self-immolation acts since they are against Buddhist and blamed Tibetan exiles for encouraging them.
Tibetan rights groups said the acts convey a reaction to the severe Chinese repression in Tibet.
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The Story of Seon( Korean Zen Buddhist )1/4


Light chaser's journey to Korean Zen Buddhist
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 03:04 AM PST

By Holly Deal, MLive.com, December 9, 2011

Kalamazoo, Michigan (USA) -- Growing up in Mattawan, Sean Jones was known for his hockey skills and playing electric guitar in an alternative rock band. Today, he's a Buddhist lama in a Chicago suburb.
<< Sean Jones is now a Buddhist monk in Cicero, Ill.
The transition from Mattawan lad to Cicero lama started in 1994, when the Dalai Lama visited the University of Michigan, where Jones was a college freshman majoring in anthropology and religion.
Jones was struck by the Dalai Lama's charisma and compassion, as well as the tenets of Buddism.
"(The Dalai Lama) inspired me to search for wisdom within myself rather than looking outwardly," said Jones, who graduated from Mattawan High School in 1993. "He made me think about the importance of compassion and listening to my heart instead of focusing on material success."
Jones realized, he said, that Buddhism "wasn't just a bunch of things to believe in. The Buddha himself said to test it out for yourself (rather than believe everything he said)."

He joined a Buddhist center in Ann Arbor and continued to practice the lifestyle after moving to Chicago in 2000. Then nearly 10 years after seeing the Dalai Lama, Jones quit his job as in hospital administration and spent three years in virtual isolation at the Buddhist retreat center in upstate New York.
In 2009, Jones became a Tibetan Buddhist lama and is now director of a Buddhist center in Cicero.
"(Being the director) is a responsibility and people can usually handle it for two or three years at a time — and I was nominated," Jones said.
He described being the director of the temple as the business aspect of running a spiritual center, and being the lama as the spiritual aspect. The lama takes care of the programming and the curriculum at the Buddhist center, including meditation instruction.
"I'd hope not to have to be the director (for too long)," Jones said. He said he would rather take care of the spiritual side of running the temple, helping people learn Buddhist teachings, rather than paying the bills.
Center Attendant Mickey Johnson has known Jones since 2000.
"With Sean, there's no ploy for power; he's just very humble," Johnson said. "He tries to facilitate practices at the center, but he'd never consider himself a teacher.
"I doubt you'd find anyone with anything negative to say about him. He's a real likable guy," Johnson said.
Mattawan childhood
Growing up, Sean Jones was a smart, curious child, says his father, Clarence Jones.
Sean Jones said he played hockey from kindergarten through his senior year of high school. He said he stopped playing when he started college because he didn't want to play on the men's league in Ann Arbor.
He also played an electric guitar in an alternative rock band called Leather Elephant in high school. They used to play shows in the Kalamazoo area, including Harvey's on the Mall and all-ages shows at the former Whole Arts Theatre.
But there also was a hint that Jones was not a typical teenager.
"When Sean was in the 11th grade, we (my wife and I) bought him all new clothes for Christmas. He took them all back and bought used clothes at Goodwill," Clarence Jones said, laughing at the memory.
After graduating from Michigan, Jones moved to Chicago and found a job as an administrative assistant in the anesthesiology department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
But he left that job for a three-year stay at the Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, N.Y.
"I never really thought I would actually do the retreat," Jones said.
But, he added, "When you make a commitment to something, especially something you believe in strongly, no matter how difficult it is, it is important to see it through."
His father, Clarence, said he was surprised when his son told him that he was going to spend three years at the retreat.
"I couldn't understand why (he chose to go to the Buddhist retreat), because I know nothing about Buddhism," Clarence Jones said. "I was shocked."
Jones' 32-year-old brother Matt said his sibling is very dedicated to his spiritual growth.
"I couldn't do it. You have to be really dedicated (in order to make it through the retreat)," Matt said.
Return to Chicago
Jones started the retreat process by enrolling in a two-month program to help him and 10 other Buddhist students adjust daily schedules to resemble the one they'd have to follow for the next three years.
They had to wake up earlier and get less sleep than they were used to in order to prepare to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at 10 every night at the retreat, he said.
"You definitely feel confined," Jones said. "The moment they closed the gate, it started to snow and you would definitely feel like you weren't going anywhere."
During his 1,000-day stay, Jones had only 10 other Buddhist students and teachers for company. They had no access to telephones or the Internet to keep in contact with friends and family; the only method of communication allowed was writing letters back and forth to people outside the retreat.
"(Visiting my son at the temple) was scary," Clarence said, describing the building as being surrounded by 20-foot-tall walls, "so, it's like he's locked in."
Jones came back to Chicago soon after leaving the retreat in 2008 and was able to get his job back. His family said the retreat didn't change him.
"It's weird; I had a feeling that when he came back form the retreat, he would be the same," Matt said.
After he returned to Chicago, he became the lama and director of the Karma Thegsum Choling Buddhist temple in Cicero, Ill.
His teacher from the retreat asked him to join the center after their resident lamas left for other states.
"He wanted me to share what I had the opportunity to learn and put into practice. I hope I am able to do that in some small way," Jones said.
Although a lama is usually considered a teacher in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Jones said he doesn't consider himself to be one.
"Connecting people who are interested with the great masters of this lineage (the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyu Lineage) is important to me. I never portray myself as a teacher or anything special. I'm just trying to share the wonderful gifts that Buddhism and this lineage has given to me," Jones said. "I'm a professional student forever because I'm always learning."
The Kagyu Lineage is one of four Tibetan Buddhist lineages. The others are the Nyingma Lineage, the Sakya Lineage and the Gelug Lineage.
Jones spends time with new members at the Buddhist center to help them learn about the teachings and rituals.
He also remains open to other faith traditions. Proving that, he was recently married — in a Catholic wedding. They've already gotten a Buddhist blessing.
Even though his son has been a Buddhist for many years now, the traditions still seem confusing to Clarence Jones, although he recognizes that his son has achieved a distinguished position.
"They bow down and kiss his hand," Clarence said about the Buddhists at the Cicero temple. "Whatever his position is, they look at it as something great."

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Understanding Western Buddhism


Understanding Western Buddhism a dialog between Jeffrey S. Brooks and Stuart B. Skadden at the GWV Fall Retreat 2011 in the Gila Box Wilderness
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 02:00 AM PST

By Monte Whaley and Kieran Nicholson, The Denver Post, Dec 6, 2011

WESTMINSTER, CO (USA) -- Brutal cold mixed with cold reality for members of the burned-out Lao Buddhist Temple of Colorado on Monday as they mourned the potential loss of artifacts saved by generations of worshippers.
<< Enduring bitter cold Monday morning, a Westminster firefighter battles a blaze at the Lao Buddhist Temple. The building was a total loss. (Steve Nehf, The Denver Post)
"It's not good, it's not good at all," said an exhausted Tom Pong as dusk fell over the remnants of the temple. "There is lots of history, over 100 years of it, and it could be lost forever."
Pieces charred or melted by the fire — which started just before 6 a.m. — included several Buddha figures. Worries about asbestos prevented Pong and other members of the temple from going inside to assess the damage.

The temple is part of an older building that the congregation bought in the early 1980s
Photos: Westminster temple destroyed by fire and then expanded on a 6-acre parcel at 10685 Dover St. The older section has asbestos, and the members have to take a crash course in hazardous-materials handling before they can be allowed in, Pong said. "Hopefully, we can get in there sometime next week," he said.
At the end of the Vietnam War, monks from Laos brought over artifacts to the temple for worship, Pong said. Three monks were staying at the temple when it burned, including 77-year-old Ounkham Vennasack, who is recovering from smoke inhalation and minor burns.
Vennasack was taken to a hospital but was so worried about the fate of the temple, he refused to stay, Pong said.
Westminster Fire Department spokeswoman Diana M. Allen said the building is a total loss.
Unstable parts of the building were pulled down earlier in the day so that temple members could tend to the Buddha figures inside.
"Firefighters made an extra effort to respect the religious nature of the building," the department said Monday afternoon.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. As is standard procedure, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has joined the investigation.
"At this time, there is no reason to suspect the fire was intentionally set, but the fire is being fully investigated and is only in the preliminary stages," Westminster Fire said in an afternoon update.
Pong said about five monks are typically assigned to the temple, which serves from 300 to 400 families throughout the Denver metro area.
The temple passed a safety inspection last summer, but Westminster Fire said the building had no sprinklers or other modern fire-suppression systems.
Lynda Sipanya, who has ties to the temple, said members will provide shelter to the monks who had been staying there, while other Buddhist temples in the area were offering support to worshippers.
"We'll do what we can to provide help," Sipanya said. "We have a very tight community, and I can see already the response has been overwhelming."
She said temple members will try to salvage what artifacts they can.
"Some of the stuff can be replaced, others cannot," Sipanya said. "Some of it has been passed down from generation to generation. It's not just something you can find anywhere."

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Song of Repentance 懺悔歌(Buddhism)


Song of Repentance 懺悔歌
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 01:00 AM PST

THE NATION December 8, 2011

Bangkok, Thailand -- Occupying more than 2,500 rai of land, the park is seen as an icon of Thai Buddhism and attracts thousands of worshippers on holy days for candle-lit processions around the Giant Buddha Statue.
<< Officials and volunteers from various organisations yesterday turned out in impressive numbers to begin cleaning up the flood-ravaged Bhuddhamonthon Buddhist Park in Nakhon Pathom.
"We are responding to the initiative of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Srirasmi who wish to see the park restored as a centre of religious and traditional activities," said Nakhon Pathom deputy governor Nimit Jantarawimon.
More than 200 soldiers and volunteers yesterday began cleaning the area around the Giant Buddha Statue after flood waters receded. However, most parts of the park remain inundated, with underground electric cables and large trees suffering serious damage. Officials estimate a recovery bill of well over Bt500 million, while efforts to salvage the park must begin immediately if its trees are to survive.

"The government and the private sector will join hands for efforts to pump flood water out of the park," Nimit said. He said the water would be drained into canals so as to prevent impacting local communities.
"We expect the operation to be completed before year-end."
National Office of Buddhism director Nopparat Benjewattananan said relevant authorities were asked to quickly drain flood water out of local communities into the Tha Chin River first.
"Then we can pump water out of Bhuddhamonthon Buddhist Park without affecting local residents," he said.
As of yesterday, flood water on the nearby Bhuddha Monthon IV Road was still between 40 and 50 centimetres deep. The beautiful road in front of the park was also flooded and remained impassable to small vehicles.
Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok were among several provinces ravaged by the worst flooding in decades this year.
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency director Anond Snidvongs said yesterday that the volume of run-off water into Bangkok's western zone had reached a historic high this year.
"We will need to plan long-term solutions for the future," he said.
Anond assured everyone that the worst of the flood crisis had passed.
Today sees the launch of an exhibition on the courage and compassion shown by Thais during the crisis. Organised by the Culture Ministry, "Water+Empathy 2011" at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre comprises 213 photographs that depict both the severity of the disaster and the flow of help for victims in response.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the opening ceremony of the exhibition at 5pm today.

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Buddhist chants - Buddhist meditation - Hanshan temple



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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 12:00 AM PST

IANS, Nov 29, 2011

New Delhi, India -- Twenty-nine-year-old Gagan Kaur's life fell apart when her 14-year-old relationship ended last year. A Buddhist monk found her sinking in a private clinic in the capital after an abortive suicide bid.
<< Buddhism: Moving beyond faith to heal lifestyle blues (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images
A year later, Gagan is in control of her life after rigorous vipassana, a Buddhist mindful meditation. She is part of a Japanese Buddhist community which chants every weekend at a retreat in south Delhi. "Most of the congregation members are young professionals," Gagan said.
In the 21st century, Buddhism, a religion and a philosophy that was born in India and then spread to the east and has millions of followers worldwide, is expanding in scope to move beyond the realm of an eight-fold regimen to the attainment of nirvana. It is being increasingly used as a cure by therapists in India and around the world to address lifestyle-related psychological problems like alienation, anxiety and stress.

Priyanka Khera (name withheld), a 24-year-old student of business management, battles the stress of a tangled love relationship and her alienation from her homeland Jammu and Kashmir with Buddhist chants and meditation. "This year I broke up with my boyfriend with whom I stayed for a year in Chandigarh. Moreover, I had a troubled childhood since my parents moved from Srinagar when I was barely one. I am tormented by nightmares - and have drifted away from my parents over the years. At times, I want to go back to Srinagar. I hate this city...," Priyanka, who lives with "friends" in east Delhi, said.
Her psychiatrist is a Buddhist counsellor in her neighbourhood who is teaching her the "importance of equanimity" to calm her stormy inner self.
Buddhism in the last decade has become a viable lifestyle and spiritual option for tens of thousands of youngsters in cities to cope with stress in schools, colleges, workplaces and among peers.
It is also being used as intervention to rehabilitate criminals. Researches conducted by the University of Washington in Indian prisons show that "vipassana" can effectively reduce psycho-pathological symptoms and aggression among inmates.
"Buddhism becomes a healing science when you drop all the religious terms and replace them with psychological terms - like 'mistake' for 'sin' and unwholesome for 'evil'. We don't need so much of religion as loving kindness to each other ... there is no need to elevate it to another god," doctor Maurits G.T. Kwee, a clinical psychologist and honorary professor of University of Flores in Argentina, said.
Kwee, the editor of a new anthology, "New Horizons in Buddhist Psychology (Tao Institute)", said, he had helped himself with grief therapy when his wife passed away 14 weeks ago of lung cancer.
"I try grief therapy with my clients too," said the doctor, who is in India for a World Buddhist Congregation Nov 27-30. More than 900 Buddhist scholars, leaders and practitioners from 46 countries are deliberating on the relevance of Gautama Buddha's teachings at the meet.
There is a principle in Mahayana Buddhism - "Upaya-kausalya" - a concept which means application of skillful means, the doctor explained.

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Buddhism I


National Archives - Buddhism I - National Security Council. Central Intelligence Agency. (09/18/1947 - 12/04/1981). - This film discusses the philosophy and historical background of Buddhism and reformation. - DVD Copied by IASL Scanner Justin Grimes. - 1958 - ARC 649663 / LI 263.1827
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:41 AM PST

DHARAMSHALA, INDIA : A former Tibetan monk who set himself on fire last week in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet has died, a rights group reported on Friday.
Former monk Tenzin Phuntsog set himself on fire on December 1 in the town of Chamdo in the eastern Tibet Autonomous Region of China. He died on Thursday after succumbing to his injuries, Free Tibet said in a statement.
Phuntsog, 46, is believed to have formerly been a monk at Karma Monastery in Chamdo. The monastery is reported to have been under severe restrictions following reports of a bomb going off in a municipal building in Karma Township on October 27, the rights group said.
"Viewed in the context of other recent significant protests, the self-immolations underline that the current crisis in Tibet represents a fundamental rejection of China's occupation," Free Tibet said in its statement.
Phuntsog is the latest in a series of Tibetans who have self-immolated this year, but the first known to have taken place in the Tibet Autonomous Region itself. Since March, eleven current and former monks and two nuns have set themselves on fire in China, most of them in Ngaba Town in Sichuan province, nearly 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Chamdo.
The first incident happened on March 16 when 21-year-old Phuntsog from Kirti Monastery set himself on fire in Ngaba. It happened on the third anniversary of protests in Ngaba during which at least 13 people were shot dead by Chinese security forces. Phuntsog later died.
At least seven of those who set themselves on fire were killed, but the conditions of the others remain unknown. Chinese media, which is strictly controlled by the government, has not reported on the controversial incidents.
In October, Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay expressed his concern about the incidents. "The incidents are a clear indication of the genuine grievances of the Tibetans and their sense of deep resentment and despair over the prevailing conditions in Tibet," he said. "It is therefore of the utmost urgency that every possible effort be made to address the underlying root causes of Tibetan grievances and resentment."
Th e Dalai Lama has resided in the Indian city of Dharamsala, which is now the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, since 1960 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule of Tibet. Dharamsala is also referred to as 'Little Lhasa', referring to the capital of Tibet.

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Introduction to Nagarjuna's Middle View of Buddhist


Nagarjuna is generally recognized as the founding father of Mahajuna Buddhist. Based on his work "Mulamadhyamika Karika," the discussion will focus on the original contribution of the Buddha, and Nagarjuna's elaboration of the middle way, and the relationship between Pratityasmautpada (inter-relatedness of everything) and Sunyata (emptiness).
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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:42 AM PST

December 9, 2011

BEIJING, China -- A former Buddhist monk in Tibet has died from burns after he set himself on fire about a week ago, a Tibetan rights group said Friday.
<< Rights groups have long criticised China's treatment of Tibetan monks
The India-based Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy said Tenzin Phuntsog, 46, died on Tuesday in a hospital in Tibet's Chamdo region, known in Chinese as Changdu. The group cited sources whom it did not identify by name.
The former monk reportedly set himself on fire near the Karma monastery there on Dec. 1. The rights group says he had distributed leaflets criticizing Chinese rule before he did so.
It was the latest self-immolation protest by Tibetans against Chinese rule. Most of the protesters who have set themselves on fire are calling for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India during an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
At least 12 monks, nuns and former monks are believed to have now set themselves on fire this year in what are seen as acts of desperation in the face of tightening Chinese controls over Tibetan life and culture. All but the latest occurred in Tibetan areas of China's Sichuan province.
Calls to the county hospital rang unanswered while an official at the Changdu government office, who declined to give his name, said he was not aware of any self-immolations in the region.
China says Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries.
Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetan claims of repression, although they have confirmed some self-immolations and accused supporters of the Dalai Lama of encouraging such acts. The Dalai Lama and representatives of the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile in India say they oppose all violence.
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The Roots of Buddhist Psychology - Grasping - Part 02


Jack Kornfield - 01 - Grasping. An inspiring session of talks about Meditation and Psychology. by Jack Kornfield Ph.D. in clinical psychology and trained Buddhist monk. www.spiritrock.org
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:00 PM PST

by Rajani Shrestha, Review Nepal, Dec 9, 2011

Mandela, Nepal -- Hundreds of Buddhists demonstrated in Nepal's capital to protest the appointment of Maoist party chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal to head a project to develop the area where Buddha was believed born in southern Nepal.
<< Nepalese Buddhist monks and nuns take out a protest in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011. Hundreds of Buddhists demonstrated in Nepal's capital to protest the appointment of Maoist party chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal to head a project to develop the area where Buddha was believed born in southern Nepal. The protestors demanded that there should not be any political involvement in the project to develop Lumbini, located 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Katmandu. Photo: Niranjan Shrestha / AP
The 500 demonstrators included monks and nuns holding banners saying there should not be any political involvement in the project to develop Lumbini, located 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Katmandu.

Lhakpa Sherpa of the Buddhism Preservation Stakeholders Committee said politicians were breaching the sanctity of a religious place like Lumbini by transforming it into a tourism destination. The committee was formed by the government to develop Lumbini, 240 kilometres southwewest of Kathmandu, as a world Buddhist tourism destination.
Demonstrators held placards demanding Dahal be removed from the position of director of the Lumbini Development Committee. They have demanded a follower of Buddhism should be appointed to the post.
Dahal, who is coordinator of the development committee, lead the decade-long Maoist insurgency in Nepal, which ended in 2006 after the signing of a peace deal with the government. 16,000 people were killed in the conflict.
Some of the monasteries had informed the committee that they were unable to attend due to the strict reprimand of Free Tibet charges. Earlier, there were policing of the Sehchen gompa and White gompa in Bouddha.
Most monasteries are under the strict surveillance of the Government of Nepal's One China policy. Speaking to Coordinator of the Council for Buddhist concerns, Shakun Sherchand replied that "Lumbini is an encroachment by non Buddhists while Free-Tibet is a repressive tool manipulated against our historical, religious and cultural rights based on our identity".
"This peaceful rally expresses the rightful demands of the indigenous Buddhists in a secular state and we will not tolerate any longer the unlawful as well as unconstitutional process of representing Buddhist issues by non Buddhist representatives".
The protestors put forward five demands as follows:
1. Lumbini development area must be declared as an autonomous peace zone.
2. Marauding of Buddhist cultural heritage, historical sites and archeological treasures by unlawful acts must be deemed as crime against cultural heritage and must be stopped immediately.
3. Lumbini, Bouddha, Swayambu, Namabuddha and other important Buddhist religious sites must be declared as "peace zone".
4. A separate Ministry for the development of Buddhist concerns in relation to religion, culture and its resources must be established under the representation of Buddhists only.
5. All Buddhist organizations, committees and functions under the Government of Nepal for Buddhist concerns which is affiliated with party politics without our consent will not be honored by its stake holders.

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Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:43 AM PST
Tibetan Buddhists have been burning themselves alive in China as an act of political protest
parshley dec9 p2.jpg
A woman throws a white scarf over Tibetan Buddhist nun Palden Choetso as she burns on the street in Daofu, or Tawu in Tibetan, in this still image taken from video / Reuters
In what Time Magazine calls the most "under-reported story of the year," Tibetan Buddhists are burning themselves alive in China as a plea for freedom. So far, Time reports 8 cases this year alone; the Washington Post says there have been 12 since March.
On November 23rd, Palden Choetso, a 35 year old nun, walked an hour down the twisting mountain road from the Ganden Jangchup Choeling Nunnery into the nearby town of Daofu (or Tawu, in Tibetan), where she drank several kilograms of gasoline, settled onto a public road, and set herself on fire. As she burned, she shouted, "I want the Dalai Lama to return to China, I want freedom for Tibet!" Only after the protest group Students for a Free Tibet smuggled this footage of Choetso's death out of Tibet did news of her death reach the outside world.
The other ten self-immolaters this year, called "terrorists" by China's Foreign Ministry, all spoke out for the return of the Dalai Lama -- who was exiled by the Chinese to India in 1959 -- and freedom for Tibet. The Dalai Lama has not supported the burnings, but he has said that China's rigid political control of Tibet has forced conditions of "cultural genocide" onto his country, and he emphasized that these actions need to be understood in light of what Tibetans have gone through.
Public burnings in China have happened before, for example in protests by another banned spiritual group, Falun Gong, whose five followers lit themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square in 2001. But the Tibetan immolations are different. Nicholas Bequelin, a researcher in China with Huma! n Rights Watch, told Reuters that his interviews with Tibetan monastics suggest that racial and cultural tensions are even worse now than in 2008, when riots killed hundreds across the Tibetan region before the Beijing Olympics.
Tibetan monastics have traditionally led Tibet's resistance to Chinese rule over the past decades, and although there were no overt signs of a crackdown in Daofu after Palden Choetso's burning, all foreign journalists were ordered to "leave immediately" and were followed out of the town for about 200 kilometers. Subsequently, six buses of troops and paramilitary forces were seen in Daofu.
Woeser, a Tibetan writer based in Beijing, told a Reuters reporter that when Tibetans are jailed for simply shouting slogans, "Under these circumstances, you can only choose self-immolation to express your intentions."
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Future of American Meditation | NYC Rebel Buddha Panel Discussion


Includes Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara of the NYC Village Zendo, Nalandabodhi's Mitra Mark Power and moderator Shastri Ethan Nichtern of the Interdependence Project. Clip from a panel discussion organized as part of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche's book launch tour for "Rebel Buddha: On the Road to Freedom." Held at Cooper Union's Great Hall in New York City on November 14th, 2010.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:00 PM PST
BEIJING (AP) — A former Buddhist monk in Tibet has died from burns after he set himself on fire about a week ago, a Tibetan rights group said Friday.
The India-based Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy said Tenzin Phuntsog, 46, died on Tuesday in a hospital in Tibet's Chamdo region, known in Chinese as Changdu. The group cited sources whom it did not identify by name.
The former monk reportedly set himself on fire near the Karma monastery there on Dec. 1. The rights group says he had distributed leaflets criticizing Chinese rule before he did so.
It was the latest self-immolation protest by Tibetans against Chinese rule. Most of the protesters who have set themselves on fire are calling for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India during an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
At least 12 monks, nuns and former monks are believed to have now set themselves on fire this year in what are seen as acts of desperation in the face of tightening Chinese controls over Tibetan life and culture. All but the latest occurred in Tibetan areas of China's Sichuan province.
Calls to the county hospital rang unanswered while an official at the Changdu government office, who declined to give his name, said he was not aware of any self-immolations in the region.
China says Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries.
Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetan claims of repression, although they have confirmed some self-immolations and accused supporters of the Dalai Lama of encouraging such acts. The Dalai Lama and representatives of the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile in India say they oppose all violence.
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What is Buddhism -4


A Dhamma talk by Dr. Punnaji Maha Thero. Venerable Punnaji was a medical practioner in the government service in Sri Lanka, before he ordained as a Buddhist monk over 10 years ago.he has devoted over 50 years in the study and reasearch of Buddhism and adopts a more philosophical and psychological approach to Buddha Dhamma (teachings of Buddha). he has been teaching Dhamma and meditation in North America for over 35 years. his studies in science and medicine has enable him to use modern Terminology more intelligble to the Westerner. Thero explain how Buddhist view agree with the Theory of Evolution, and explain how the idea of SELF/Soul come into ones mind. in reality there is no soul/self / I/ Ego or any other hidden Agent. This is one main point in buddhist view, which is called ANATTA (No-self).Venerable Punnaji Explains further that reality what we perceive is relative to five senses of our body and is realy a Dream or delusion of existence. Nothing exist in absolute terms. the evolution of mind to a perfect pure state would make one to experience true nature of reality as it is.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST
December 9, 2011 10:56 pm
Bhopal : Tibetan Sweater Sellers Association of Bhopal is going to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize conferred to His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet in year 1989 and 63rd Universal Human Right Day at Gandhi Bhavan, Bhopal on 10th of December at 10.30 am. Mr Babulal Gaur Honourable Urban Administration Minister will be chief guest, Mr Laxmikant Sharma, Honourable Culture Minister, will be guest of honour, Venerable Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok member of Tibetan parliament in exile, Dharamsala will be the special guest of honour, Mr Chanderbodhi Patil National president of Buddhist Society of India, Mr Dr Mohan Lal Patil National general secretary of Republican Party of India, Mr Dr Mahesh Yadev well known Social Activist, great supporter of Tibet will address the gathering, there will be Indo-Tibetan cultural show on the occasion. All Tibetan Market will remain closed on 10th December and all are invited.
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Buddhist Monks create Sand Mandala in Sioux City


News coverage of the Gaden Shartse Buddhist Monks creating a Tara Sand Mandala at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST

See more about the restoration of this painting in the video below.
If you'd like to see a Korean Buddhist reenactment of the Buddha's delivery of the Lotus Sutra at Vulture's Peak, head over to the Los Angeles Times Central Court this Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM. At this free event, Korean monks of Kuyangsa Temple in Incheon, South Korea will be performing a ceremony combining chants, dance, and music. Also included will be an exhibition of a recently restored important Korean Buddhist painting, Buddha Seokamoni (Shakyamuni) Preaching to the Assembly on Vulture Peak.
Watch a fascination video about the painting and its restoration, and read more about this weekend's ceremony, below.

According to Unesco, the ceremony is largely maintained today by the Korean Buddhist Taego Order. Unesco also reports that "Yeongsanjae is held in temples throughout the Republic of Korea to help all beings enter the world of truth by worshipping and admiring the Buddha and his laws and monks. The ceremony serves as an important space for transmission of values and art forms and for meditation, training and enlightenment."

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Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - Ancient Chants, Blissful Grooves


From their album, 'Universal Mother' by IndiaJiva, this is Buddhist Chant, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo thanks to www.sarvodaya.org for some photos
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST

PHOTO CREDIT: Buddha sitting under the Bodhi tree gazing upon the morning star. Image provided by the American Public Broadcasting Service, which was used in their documentary titled, "The Buddha."

Today marks the day that Buddha found his way out of the maze of suffering. Otherwise known as his "enlightenment." Countless Buddhists, worldwide, mark this day each year with personal reflection, meditation, and gratitude. For me, while the actual moment of enlightenment is to be honored, the essence of my celebration on Bodhi Day is that Buddha determined to share his discoveries in the first place!! Upon breaking free of the prison of the mind, he questioned sharing this information.

He wasn't sure if he could be an effective teacher. Remember, he was just emerging from the life of a hermit aesthetic who had given up on society and organized spirituality. Throughout his laborious practice, he had studied under many spiritual teachers, only to realize that true liberation comes from within. No amount of teaching can replace personal insight and awareness achieved through meditative reflection. Given this reality, he wondered if sharing the particulars of his discovery would even make sense or gain interest in a society that was so immensely ingrained in the pursuit of worldly desires.

Why would they listen to some barely clothed hermit who just wandered out of the forest talking about achieving spiritual freedom from just sitting still? Why wouldn't they ignore someone who would not only tell them th! at the w ay they'd been living for eons would never make them truly happy, but that even worse, it was causing them deep suffering!! Would he simply be wasting his and their time? But, luckily for us, the profound and unrelenting compassion that comes with the liberation of enlightenment compelled Buddha to share his discoveries. His compassion for those trapped in the suffering of materialism won out.

One of his realizations during his final night of searching was that he was interconnected to all beings. He couldn't have achieved his liberation had it not been for the aid given to him by others who came before him. Thus, given his understanding, it would be like the brain not sharing life-saving information with the rest of the body for him to not offer his wisdom to those would seek him out. It was up to the individual to decide what to do with the information once learned.

I believe that Buddha would be the first one to say that celebrating him on this day is kind but that the center of our focus on this day should be the Dharma itself. Perhaps he would politely remind us of its timelessness and that it is not something be created, but discovered. I think he would not want to be worshiped, because the Dharma belongs to no one and everyone at the same time. It is like oxygen or thermal heat -- universal and timeless. It is not something to own, or sell, or claim as solely yours. That would be like saying you own a patent on the sun. So, the Dharma itself is what I celebrate on Bodhi Day. For Buddha's part, I feel gratitude that he chose to sacrifice the rest of his life to share the discoveries he realized that night, under the Bodhi tree (the scientific name of a Bodhi tree is a banyan fig tree).

Thus, instead of a having a Christmas tree during this month of December, we get into the American, holiday season by decorating a traditional "Christmas" pine tree with Buddhist themed ornaments. Including, a star at! the top of the tree that I made from local pine twigs, which signifies the morning star that Buddha saw during the last minutes of the night before his first day as a Buddha. And, at the base of the tree, we place a Buddha statue to signify Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree. I hope you had a peaceful and renewing Bodhi Day (Rohatsu)!!

~I bow to the Buddha within all beings~
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What is Buddhism?


This is the Notes on Jodo Shinshu Pure Land Buddhism videocast, episode 1 - What is Buddhism? In this video, I am to answer these questions: What is Buddhism? Who was Sakyamuni Buddha? What are the Sects of Buddhism? What is Pure Land Buddhism? How to Practice Daily Buddhism? Feel free to check out my Notes on Jodo Shinshu Pure Land Buddhism study blog @ jdssnotes.wordpress.com
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST
Prof. W. I. SIRIWEERA
Buddhism in its initial phase accommodated and synthesized certain pre-Buddhistic beliefs. Thus, the pre-Buddhistic tree worship as well as the veneration of the mounds in which the corporal remains of important personalities were deposited were absorbed into Buddhist culture. In fact a new meaning was attached to pre-Buddhistic symbols and the Stupa and the Bodhi Tree represented symbols of acculturation.
The Asvatta tree under which the ascetic Siddhartha attained enlightenment, was considered as sacred in the Harappan civilization as well as in Vedic India. In the Upanishads and the Mahabharata it is referred to as the cosmic tree of life. From the time of the ascetic Siddhartha's enlightenment it came to be known as the Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa).
The Sri Maha Bodhi
The Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Samanthapasadika and several other texts refer to the dispatch of the Southern sapling of the Bodhi tree at Gaya by the emperor Asoka through theri Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa (250-210 B. C. ). Asoka having performed rituals at Bodh-Gaya, sent the sapling placed in a golden vase through Sanghamitta and eleven other bhikkhunis accompanied by several groups of artisans. The group embarked at Tamralipti in Eastern India and arrived in Sri Lanka at Jambukolapattana (modern Sambiliturai).

Great procession

This event is portrayed in two bas-reliefs on the Eastern Gateway at Sanchi carved not long after the event. In the middle of one of the architraves is the Bodhi tree at Gaya with a large and solemn procession winding round it. A person in royal garb, presumably Asoka, is descending from his elephant. The middle relief on another architrave shows a small Bodhi plant, again with another great procession. The right side of the relief shows a noble personage kneeling before the foot prints representing the Buddha. The decorations on either side include peacocks and lions, the symbols of the Mauryas and the Sinhalese respectively.
King Devanampiya Tissa, thera Mahinda and the retinue that had come to Jambukolapattana from Anuradhapura received the sacred object with great honour. The Mahavamsa repeatedly emphasizes the fact that from this time onwards Devanampiya Tissa worshipped the sapling of the Bodhi tree by bestowing upon it his kingdom and kingship. This statement illustrates the symbiosis between the monarch and the Buddhist Order and between the monarch and the people. The monarch symbolizes his own recognition of the state's purpose and bestowing the kingdom on the Bodhi Tree acknowledges that royal authority is both delegated and responsible.
The chronicles provide information on the constructions and restorations at the Bodhi Shrine by different monarchs at different periods starting from the third century B.C. up to the 11th century A.D. It was the most important object of religious ritual and the symbol of royal authority in the initial stages of the spread of Buddhist. However, this importance was shared by the Tooth Relic when the latter was brought into the island during the reign of Srimegha Vanna (301-328).

Rituals

From the very beginning, an elaborate system of rituals had developed in the Srimahabodhi complex. Of these, watering the tree was considered as one of the most important rituals. Among others, the Kalinga Bodhi Jataka enumerates, the offering of flowers, lighting lamps, hanging garlands, hoisting flags and banners, burning incense, placing vases of plenty or Punnaghata, sprinkling the compound with sand, playing ritual music and circumambulation.
As long as the Bhikkhuni Order prevailed, the key figures involved in the ritual of watering were the bhikkhunis. The Mahakalattava inscription datable to the reign of Kassapa IV (899-914) records a decree of amnesty granted to a village called Gitelgamu(va) which had been set apart for the supply of four-fold requisites to the nuns of the Nalarama nunnery who daily watered the great Bodhi Tree of the Mahavihara.
When the centre of political authority shifted to Polonnaruwa, the sacred centres at Anuradhapura did not receive the same degree of attention and patronage they had received earlier. For instance, the Mahavamsa states that before Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) started restorations at Anuradhapura; the Ratnavaluka, Jetavana, Abhayagiri and Mariccaveti Thupas were overgrown with large trees and bears and panthers were found in the surroundings and that the ground of the jungle scarcely offered a foothold due to the piling up of bricks and earth.
Nevertheless, the Bodhi tree was not completely neglected. Vijayabahu I (1070-1111) who reestablished the Sinhala Buddhist Sovereignty by defeating the Cholas restored among others; the temple of the Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura and granted land for its maintenance. The Rajaratnakaraya states that when Parakramabahu I restored the former capital of Anuradhapura, he renovated the ritual complex at the Bodhi tree. Later on, during the reign of Queen Kalyanawathie (1202-1208), the Sri Maha Bodhi is mentioned as one of the three important sacred centres at Anuradhapura, the other two being the Thuparama and the Ruvanveli Chetiya.

Maintenance

When Rajarata civilization began to wither away from the middle of the 13th century, the Vanni chieftains who assumed authority over the isolated pockets of settlements there, were entrusted with the task of maintaining the sacred centres at Anuradhapura. Whether their human and material resources were sufficient for the task is doubtful. Most likely a small number of dedicated monks living in monasteries at Anuradhapura continued to maintain sacred precincts such as the Sri Maha Bodhi as well as they could even without royal patronage or the patronage of the Vanni Chieftains.
During the period of the Kandyan Kings, the most important centres of ritual were the Temple of the Tooth, Mahiyangana Thupa and the Sumanakuta. Nevertheless, Anuradhapura had not completely lost its importance. In the beginning of the 19th century, Major Forbes stated that the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhin Vahanse was the principal object of veneration to the numerous pilgrims who visited Anurahapura. James Emerson Tennent writing in 1859 stated that the branches of the Bodhi trees which had rambled at their will far beyond the outline of its enclosure, the pillars of masonry that supported them, the retaining walls, the time worn steps by which the place was approached and the stone carvings all indicated that the Bodhi tree had been watched over with abiding solicitude from extreme antiquity.

Sacred precincts

The rituals at the Bodhi precincts continued during this time as well and tremendous importance was attached to the protection of the tree. The Service Tenure Registers of 1870/71 throw some light on the assignment of land for services rendered at the sacred precincts of the Bodhi tree by performing rituals and protecting it in the 19th century. Even those who chased away crows from the tree had been allocated land. Obviously these allocations were done by the Kandyan Kings earlier.
Along with the colonization programmes in the Dry Zone in the first part of the 20th century, the precincts of the Bodhi tree received greater attention than in the 19th century. Once independence had been gained, there was more interest both among the Buddhist clergy and the political leaders in the improvement of the sacred precincts.
Thus the sacred Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura has stood the test of time and has survived for more than 2,200 years. Although the building complex of the Bodhi tree has been renovated and improved time and again without leaving any trace of its original structure, the religious rituals in the complex have continued throughout history.
The vicissitudes in the political trends have not seriously affected them. Perhaps the nature of the rituals as well as the services rendered by different social groups have changed from time to time, more so in quite recent times.
The history of the Bodhi tree and its ritual complex, particularly from the time of the collapse of the Rajarata civilization in the middle of the 13th century until the end of the 19th century, also suggests that irrespective of the depopulation of the Dry Zone during this period, dedicated monks and lay disciples living in isolated pockets of settlements at Anuradhapura have been able to preserve the sacred precincts.
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The Life of Dalai Lama Buddhist - The Last (About Buddhist)


The Life of Dalai Lama - The Last. What is Buddhist?
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST
Yesterday I broke a mug by accident while washing it. The handle touched against a tap and click it detached from the body of the mug. Sad thing really. I'd taken to the mug and mostly always used that one. It was a Queens Coronation memorial mug. Pleasing shape and well yes, a tiny bit kitch and enjoyed in a tongue in cheek kinda way. All the better for the smile. And all former cherished mugs, and their inevitable deaths, ran through my mind as I retrieved the severed part. Now, determined to keep on using it though in the end the lack of handle will mean I won't.
Years ago in the kitchen at Shasta, and I remember it like yesterday, I said cheerily to one of our European monks Home is where your mug is. Acknowledging the mug culture within the monastery. At community tea we would all collect our respective mugs, fill with a hot beverage and sip and talk and enjoy. (note: I was in the US and they say beverage. I never use the term normally) Anyway the monk, puzzled, asked What is this mug-is? Well he might ask! Mug-is is as close as one gets to home while living communally. At least true in the early years of monastic training.
Attachments and the cutting of attachments is a much misunderstood teaching in Buddhism. As is the sister or twin of attachment, craving. Pali Tanha - which translates as thirst. If I really thought my home, being comfort and security, resided in my current pet mug I'd be in serious trouble spiritually. And yet, and yet the passing away of the Queen mug is not nothing. There is loss. There is feeling just as when anything or anybody we are attached to, goes away. Effectively dies. So what are we actually saying when we talk about cutting attachments, or that maddening phrase let go! Well, here is good article from BuddhaNet Three Kinds of Desire (thirsting) which certainly sheds light on the breadth of the term tanha. And in the closing paragraph of the above mentioned article comes this:
But we need not continue to suffer. We are not just hopeless victims of desire. We can allow desire to be the way it is and so begin to let go of it. Desire has power over us and deludes us only as long as we grasp it, believe in it and react to it.
This is a subject well worth looking into some more and in the mean time I'll fill up my metal thermal mug with a hot drink! What on earth I'll do with myself when that goes west/gets lost I don't know. It has traveled with me, world wide, for well over a year.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:58 PM PST

Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST
Happiness interview: Kelly Corrigan.
Kelly Corrigan is a writer well-known for her books, The Middle Place and Lift, and also from her YouTube video, Transcending, which has been viewed more than 4.75 million times.
She writes a lot about the challenges of life, small and large—from ordinary, day-to-day issues to major challenges such as her fight with cancer. I was very interested to hear her thoughts on happiness.
Gretchen: What's a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?
Kelly: Walking outside, preferably with my dog, ideally with the dog and a friend.
What's something you know now about happiness that you didn't know when you were 18 years old?
It comes, it goes, it comes back.
Is there anything you find yourself doing repeatedly that gets in the way of your happiness?
Eating and drinking too much. Short term highs vs. long term satisfaction—still tricky for me. Is there a happiness mantra or motto that you've found very helpful? (e.g., I remind myself to "Be Gretchen.")
Things happen when you leave the house.
If you're feeling blue, how do you give yourself a happiness boost?
Reading with the girls. I always know that's time well spent and a lot of my anxiety is around wasting time.
Is there anything that you see people around you doing or saying that adds a lot to their happiness, or detracts a lot from their happiness?
Catalogs. Don't look at 'em. Big time suck. Wish lists take up brain space better used on something more promising.
Have you always felt about the same level of happiness, or have you been through a period when you felt exceptionally happy or unhappy—if so, why? If you were unhappy, how did you become happier?
Was really down one summer before I met Edward. Panic attacks, lifeless, etc. I went to see a great therapist named Priscilla Marquis in San Francisco. Helped a lot. Also read a book I liked called The Feeling Good Handbook.
Do you work on being happier? If so, how?
Keeping track of moods—what's driving them—how to recreate them.
* Join the Facebook Page—lots of interesting discussion there.
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Buddhist chants - Stress Reduction meditation - Hanshan temple


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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST
Article by Laura Whitelaw
Since the beginning of time, humans have had deal with stress as part of their daily life. Stress can be a positive influence at times however. It can motivate you to achieve your goals and complete projects. If however, the influence of stress is negative, you can begin to feel depressed and it can affect your health in a bad way. You may develop serious illnesses such as heart disease or cancer or you may suffer minor health concerns such as insomnia or headaches. Some people even become stressed in reaction to happy occasions such as getting married, having a child or getting a promotion at work.
You don't need to get rid of stress, you just need to learn how to manage it so that it doesn't become too overwhelming. A little bit of stress can help you with job performance, competing in sports and accomplishing your goals. To safeguard against too much stress, why not give meditation a try. The benefits are often immediate and life changing. Begin by sitting in a comfortable position with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in your lap.
Meditation in Six Simple Steps
1. The first step is to follow your breathing. Simply take a few slow deep breaths and follow your breathing as it enters and exits your body.
2. The second step is to focus on your posture. Relax your shoulders and straighten your back. When people are stressed they often slouch.
3. The third step is to let go of any stressful thoughts. Imagine a peaceful scene in nature. You can imagine that you are lying on a beach or in a meadow.
4. The fourth step is to acknowledge that you are stressed and that you have the capacity to deal with it with grace and calm.
5. The fifth step is to allow this knowledge to penetrate your subconscious mind. Know that you are capable and deserving of all the love, peace and joy the universe has to offer.
6. The final step is to ask your higher self to help you with your problem and provide a solution which will be good for all involved. Then relax ! and let go.
Often, you will find that a new perspective on the source of your stress comes to you within minutes or hours of your meditation practice that allows you to deal with the problem more effectively. Once you see that your higher self can be accessed during meditation and that life challenges can be more easily managed, you will relax more knowing that you can handle anything that comes your way.
About the Author
Are pain and illness a problem for you? Meditation can help. Learn how to use your chakra system for healing at http://www.squidoo.com/meditation-for-healing Laura Whitelaw is a Certified ZPoint Practitioner and Tapping Coach at The Way To Bliss Now. Download a free prosperity audio at http://thewaytoblissnow.com and experience more bliss!

STRESS REDUCTION


The audio-guidance process known as Hemi-Sync aids in the personal exploration and evolution of human consciousness. One of the side benefits is the enhanced stress reduction resulting from the deep meditative states of human consciouness.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST
Article by Paul Wells
Getting To Know Hatha Yoga
Yoga has it beginnings in ancient India but this discipline has invaded the whole world due to the benefits it offers to people who take up yoga. A survey shows that there are more than sixteen million people who practice yoga in the United States alone.
There are various types of yoga and each type has its own methods and purposes. One type of yoga is the Hatha Yoga which literally means sun and moon, coming from two Sanskrit words Ha which means sun and Tha which means moon.
Hatha Yoga, which was first introduced in the 15th century by Yogi Swatmarama, was meant to help yoga practitioners start off with purifying their bodies before proceeding to a higher level of meditation. It is said that Hatha Yoga is similar to Raja Yoga which follows the principle of yama which refers to moral self discipline or control. However, there are sectors who believe that Hatha Yoga has its origins as early as the 10th century.
American yoga followers usually practice the Hatha Yoga to improve their physical and mental health. Most of the Western practitioners of the Hatha Yoga focus on the asanas or yoga poses and exercises but it is really a unified yoga discipline veering not only on the physical but also in Pranayama which consists of breathing and meditation techniques.
Both Hatha Yoga and Raja Yogi are known as Ashtanga Yoga because it follows the eight limbs which include the asana or the poses including the Lotus pose, easy pose, pelvic pose and easy pose. Some sectors however do not consider Hatha Yoga as Ashtanga Yoga since they believe it follows the six limbs.
The literal meaning of Hatha Yoga refers to the use of opposite forces or energies much like the sun and moon or the more familiar concept of yin and yang. This yoga discipline aims to achieve a balance between the physical and the mental powers of a person to achieve a higher level of existence. The body and mind is prepared for a higher level through the execution of the asanas.
Ha tha Yoga makes use of Yama or moral control, the Asanas or the poses, Pranayama, Niyama, specific exercises known as Mudra which aims to improve the breathing technique and Nadanusandhana. All the six limbs work together to help the practitioner achieve a higher level of Kundalini or concentration and meditation.
Most Yoga practitioners strive to follow moral discipline or yama to live a virtuous life. According to the yoga discipline, a person can live a virtuous life by following the ten moral restraints primarily the ahimsa or veering away from causing harm to all living creations.
The other yamas include Satya or the ability to stick to the truth, Asteya which prohibits a person from stealing or incurring debt, Brachmacharya which requires celibacy for singles and faithfulness for those who are married, Kshma which refers to the virtue of patience, Dhriti or the principle of commitment, Daya which prohibits cruelty to all beings, Arjava or the promotion of honesty, Mitahara or keeping a moderate food intake and Shaucha or purity in thoughts and words.
Yoga has been referred to as physical yoga because of the use of poses or exercises to achieve unity in body and mind. Some people equate yoga with Hinduism maybe because it started in ancient India but it should not really be identified or attached to any religion because it is a universal science that aims to achieve spiritual balance.
Hatha yoga is a very significant discipline that helps a yoga practitioner to achieve unity of body and mind in order for him to be elevated to spiritual perfection. While different yoga pose can also develop muscles and body form, they are however primarily aimed to achieve a balance in the body systems and internal organs.
Some people take up Hatha yoga to heal their physical and emotional illnesses. With constant execution of the asanas, the human body ultimately develops into a stable and enduring vessel for the human spirit.
Yoga disciples continue to execute the asanas not on! ly to ga in physical but also mental balance. The discipline one can gain from yoga will go a long way in helping the person lead a disciplined, happy and peaceful life.http://www.books4knowledge.co.uk/yoga-at-home-4256-p.asp
About the Author
http://www.books4knowledge.co.uk/yoga-at-home-4256-p.asp

Yoga for Inflexible People 3 DVD Set (50 Routines)

This amazing and effective 3 DVD set delivers over 50 routines and unparalleled expert instruction to help you become more flexible, gain strength and reduce stress.
Yoga Journal has declared Yoga for Inflexible People "One of the most intelligent and useful presentations served up in a long time,..for all beginning students whether they are inflexible or flexible - rated as one of the Top Yoga DVDs ever produced."
DISC 1
Yoga for Inflexible People
Yoga For Inflexible People has over 35 routines is for anyone who considers themselves inflexible. The yoga postures developed 5,000 years ago were not created for people who are already flexible, but rather to help inflexible people become more flexible. A wide range of poses are taught and modified in the Iyengar style to help both beginning and intermediate students experience the benefits of yoga. The modifications includes suggestions for the use of props, which can be either actual yoga props or items you have around the home, such as a belt or books, to assist you when you feel you need additional assistance. Customized workouts allow you to progress at your own pace.
- over 35 routines
- Modified poses for less flexible people
- Improve strength & range of motion
- Increase energy levels
- Reduce stress
- For beginner and intermediate students
DISC 2
Essential Yoga for Inflexible People
This DVD builds on fundamentals found in Yoga for Inflexible People and teaches over 10 flow yoga routines. Essential Yoga for Inflexible People helps anyone, no matter how inflexible, experience all of the amazing physical and mental benefits of yoga.
These proven & effective routines will help anyone increase flexibility and strength while developing a calm, serene mind. Proper form is emphasized through these slower paced, flowing routines.
This stunning and beautiful DVD was shot at one of the m! ost maje stic, tranquil beaches in the world, Half-Moon Bay, Antigua!
- Over 10 'flow yoga' routines
- Modified for less flexible people
- A wide range of routines to increase strength, flexibility and relaxation - For beginner and intermediate students
DISC 3
Gentle Yoga for Every Body
This gentle yoga DVD has 12 customized routines that make all the physical and mental benefits of yoga available to everyone. This DVD is designed for people to do in a variety of positions and places, such as standing, seated and lying down to help anyone do yoga in whatever way works best for them
Routines include:
- Over 12 gentle yoga routines
- Modified routines to meet a wide variety of needs, including seated in a chair, lying down and standing positions.
- Specific issues, such as Neck and shoulders, etc
- Relaxation and stress reducing routines
- Breathing exercises
30 MINUTE BONUS FEATURE: Discussion with the Dalai Lama
List Price: $ 39.99 Price: $ 14.99



Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST
Article by The Silva Method
Adrenaline is a stress hormone which can surely cause some serious consequences for you if you are not going to improvise superb relaxation techniques. There are few other stress hormones as well which can take your mind to a negative state and it might be a possibility that you will be going to a deeper negative state where the ability to think in a positive manner diminishes. You need to make sure that you are going to get proper control on Adrenaline and other stress hormones so that there will be no complications for you. It is only possible if you are well aware of relaxation methods and you know how they should be implemented. There are many relaxation ways which can actually help you to get complete rid of stress.
You will be able to feel very good and this good feeling will stay there in your life forever if you are going to improvise these particular relaxation ways from not more than 20 minutes in a day. Reliability and dependency is another major aspect of these techniques and you need to be well aware of them. All you have to do is to look at the most suitable and reliable techniques of relaxation. You need to make sure that you are not going to let stress be a regular part of your life because then your life can go worse. A few individuals believe that they can get rid of stress by watching television or hanging up with some music though this concept is not perfectly alight.
It might be a possibility that you will be getting rid of stress for a little span of time but there will be no massive reduction of stress hormones. You have to improvise a proper method which is reliable and dependent as well. Therefore, it has been highly recommended that you should get these methods from some of the best professionals and experts working in this particular field. They are the ones who can tell you the best methods and techniques to get proper rid of these severe mind hormones. Fractional relaxation is considered to be one of the finest relaxation techniques available these days a! s it wil l allow you to attain top notch control over your complete body.
This is a special way to get relaxed and results are guaranteed. This is very easy and even if you are a beginner then there will be no complications for you as well. You have to make sure that you are using this technique effectively as suggested by your expert so that you can surely attain results according to your perceptions and expectations. The need of a professional or expert can not be neglected as well because they are the ones who will teach you and guide you the proper way of relaxation. Therefore, you need to look for a reliable expert in order to make sure that everything is perfect.
About the Author
You can surely attain more knowledge from relaxation techniques and get relaxed.
Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST
Article by adrianna smith
Stress can be caused due to many factors, such as excessive workload, long working hours, friction with colleagues or disagreements with senior managers. These results stress in a series of problems, including insomnia, anxiety, extreme anger, family conflict and physical ailments such as migraines, heart disease and back problems. This stress can also lead to social isolation, alcoholism and substance abuse.
Stress can lead to physical problems such as migraines, heart problems or back stiffness, emotional can end up in social withdrawal, anger and acute drug use. It is therefore extremely important, in fact, working on the factors causing stress in your workplace to mitigate risks to their welfare in general. Time management as a bad example, is a leading cause of stress. The fight against the problem, you should maintain a balanced daily schedule, as agreed by his day job of the day. Finding a balance of work and family life, enabling it to complete its work in a friendly way, leaving you time to relax or to other social activities. Do not try to do much in twenty-four hours and a plan of regular breathing to sit and relax in. In addition, they arrive at work at least every 10-15 days early to allow yourself time to settle in the job scheduling work.
Improper is another reason that the stress induced conditions occur. Avoid scheduling tasks to the last day. Prioritize your work based on the degree of importance and strategies so that you can easily break a large task into several smaller ones. If you have any information for you, involving people in task. Develop a positive attitude to stress at work. Giving negative mental traits, such as fear, anger and vengeful attitude will help you reduce workplace stress. Furthermore, one should recognize and manage emotions and behavior and try to adapt to change circumstances.
Keep away from gossip, complaining, slander and office politics. You should also inspire, influence and connecting with other people and manage conflicts. Be op! en to ad mit their mistakes, no ego hassles. Furthermore, the ability to understand and respond positively to emotions is very important. Having a wrong diet is another reason that folk suffer stress at work. You should really watch your diet. Avoid things like soft drinks, snacks loaded with calories and things with too much sugar. If you are taking tablets of stimulants and stress to contact a doctor to take a shot them. Community service activities and self-development can go a long way to combat work stress related. They bring peace of mind that you would otherwise be difficult to find. You should consider taking on a new hobby or something that. One should upgrade to the new powers, if necessary, acquire new skills and exploring new academic opportunities to the demands of career. Workplace will always be loaded with lots of jobs, but it manages the jobs intelligently.
About the Author
Read more on mental health stress remedies and Relieve Stress. Also visit Natural Stress Reliever.

Soothing relaxation stress relief harp music


Download 2 of the tracks from the On Wings of a Dove - Harp Music to Soothe the Soul CD at: www.cdbaby.com and the CD including this track, Water Spirit, from www.peacecalm.com Be Present, Slow down and allow this pure relaxing harp music to renew and calm you. Eckhart Tolle reminds us to "make the present moment your friend." Find the stunning hand of God (or peace dove) in the icicle beside the icicle butterfly. This gentle creek is just recovering from the demands of flood waters, as we also have the capacity to cope and re-direct challenges that face our world. Click on Full screen, sit back a ways from your monitor, and drink in the peaceful harp music. Produced by Global Messenger Productions. Therapeutic harpist, Christine Magnussen of HarpSpirit plays the opening track, Water Spirit, from her album, On Wings of a Dove - Harp Music to Soothe the Soul. Hear more selections and order the CD and lap harps at peacecalm.com where you can view her personable and fun teaching style.
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST
Almost ever summer over the last ten years, I've been teaching low income teens how to use their minds more effectively so that they can be more successful students, but also so that they can be more successful, happier, less stressed individuals.
We cover a lot of ground in my six-week course, but a core element is the practice of meditation. I was hesitant to do this. I wondered whether these restless teens would be able to sit still even for five to ten minutes. And what if they thought it was lame?
As it turned out, the most common comment in the end-of-term evaluation reports was "The best part was the meditation. I wish we could have done more!"
So this summer I promised my students that I'd make a CD based on the meditations I'd done with them. We'd covered body scanning (focusing on bodily sensations in order to calm the mind), using looking and listening in an open and receptive way as a means to bring about inner peace, meditation on the breath, a little lovingkindness meditation, and even some creative visualization.
I'm pleased to announce that the CD — Mindfulness Meditations for Teens — is now available on Wildmind's online store. This album is also available as an audio download. It's on the way to Amazon, although they're saying it's currently unavailable.
Christmas is coming up. Why not treat the teens in your life to some inner calm? If you get them meditating it'll probably bring a bit more calm into your life, too!
Related posts:
  1. Monks teach meditation to incarcerated teens Melissa Russo: Some of New York City's angriest teens are...
  2. A little calmness can go a long way I just read a news story about an 18-year-old woman...
  3. Relax, kids: Meditation touted as stress buster for children Tralee Pearce: I haven't studied enough. I'm going to fail...
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST
Article by Paul Wells

Introduction to Bikram Yoga


Find out more about Bikram Yoga and what to expect in your first class. www.bikramyoga.co.uk
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Womens Cotton Spandex Fitness Yoga Pant - Deep Heather 810 S


  • 87/13 Cotton/Spandex
  • Made for womens curves
  • Slightly flared leg, two piece elastic waistband
  • Various colors
  • Sized for Juniors
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List Price: $ 17.39 Price: $ 17.39




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST

"Crying with the wise is better than laughing with the fool."

~Buddhist Quote
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Technorati Tags: Buddha Buddhist Buddhism Meditation Dharma
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Buddhist Sayings and Parables


Buddhism is a belief system which is tolerant of all other beliefs or religions. Buddhism agrees with the moral teachings of other religions but Buddhism goes further by providing a long term purpose within our existence, through wisdom and true understanding. Real Buddhism is very tolerant and not concerned with labels like 'Christian', 'Moslem', 'Hindu' or 'Buddhist'; that is why there have never been any wars fought in the name of Buddhism. That is why Meditations do not preach and try to convert, only explain if an explanation is sought.
Video Rating: 4 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST
Article by Ricky Dean
The modern world has reduced the human race into a species that is so stressed out they are liable to get burned out soon. Stress levels increase as worries increase. Presently, the worldwide economic crisis is in the forefront of causes for stressed out individuals and there have been incidents of tragedy. Stress is also the main cause of depression and anxiety attacks for a lot of individuals and the main worry is how to decrease the stress levels.Psychoanalysts agree that relaxation is the antonym of stress. Relaxation can be achieved in many ways yet people are finding it hard to get into that mode. Here are some ways to achieve what others had been wondering about.Exercising is one way to release tension from the physical body. With the sweat pumping and the muscles contracting, the mind could find a different focus other than nasty thoughts. When exercising, people can actually think of something else or if they can't get away from their worries, they could actually find solutions faster, that is because there is more oxygen pumped into the brain cells and this stimulates the synapses. Result: you think better.For some people though, exercising is not an option they can readily enjoy. There are other ways to relax. Try some aromatherapy. There are essential oils that when used in scented candles or taken in tea can make the body relaxed and the mind to relax as well. Try a cup or two and even light several of the scented candles when taking that tea, pretty soon you'll seek your bed and sleep a good sleep which is usually neglected when full of worries.There are also some foods that can help you relax. For women, it is chocolate. When stressed out or in emotional turmoil, chocolates help relax the mind and body because chocolate has a chemical in it that can mimic the hormone for the production of endorphins - the 'happy' hormone.For men, it is quite different. Alcohol has no business in nutrition so that is not the way to relax properly. Men have a different response to seeking relaxation,! they in dulge in good food, or simply put, they go on a 'SEE FOOD' diet - whatever they see they eat.However, be it chocolate or 'see food,' both men and women relax best when they laugh. That laughter is still the best medicine is not surprising so it would also be safe to assume that playing can be a form of relaxation as well.Run around with friends, watch a movie, and take time out from a stressful life. When you don't have to think about worries, then you can get more relaxed. Thinking can lead to over thinking and it can lead to overcompensation and in the end, bad decision making. Give your mind and brain a break and you will find that after a while, when the brain cells have recharged, it can think faster and find better ways to combat stress.Stress is an epidemic that is slowly destroying man. Try out some relaxation techniques that will make you a healthier individual and give you time for overcoming stress.
About the Author
Ricky Dean is a professional article writer for Dinosauric.com. To learn more about relaxation and massage techniques, visit Dinosauric Writers Community. Note: This article may be reprinted in your ezine, blog, or website as long as the credits remain intact and hyperlinks remain active.

Detoxification The Natural Way- Stress Reduction!


No time to relax and too much work to do? Have a seat and turn off your phone; let's take a quick break together. Use this time while you read today to breathe slow and smooth through your nostrils only. Push your tongue to the roof of your mouth and relax in a quiet space. The parasympathetic nervous system has a bulk of afferent nerve endings around your cilia through the nasal passages. Activation of this system will temporarily down-regulate your sympathetic functions and create physiological and emotional peace. Basically, the more you deep breathe in and out of your nose, the more you will ultimately relax and change your state. In as little as 5 minutes you will lower your blood pressure, shift alkaline, change your blood pH and enhance your mood. Try it and reap the rewards; it feels good to feel good. Go. Are you done yet? Perfect, you should feel great now and have added hours to your life. The rat race we are all in and the fast pace of life reminds us how rejuvenating it feels to stop and just breathe. This month, we have two very talented and passionate guest bloggers featured on the WF website to share their secrets about the balance of relaxation, meditation, variety and fresh air for achieving optimal wellness. In an industry where most health gurus are preaching the "work hard and play hard" mentality, these ladies are going against the grain. First up is... Read the entire article here! @ bit.ly Sign up for the WF Newsletter here! bit.ly Visit the WF ...
Video Rating: 5 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST
Article by Nelson Berry

Mindfulness Meditation (Part 1 of 2) Acceptance of Thoughts and Feelings


Clinical Psychologist guided mindfulness meditation exercise titled "Acceptance of Thoughts and Feelings".
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST
Article by Amelia Sherman
Yoga has spread across the world and has not remained confined to India. Yoga has undergone several changes to match the demands of globalization. Yoga has caught the imagination of America and other countries and that has led to its commercialization in the form of profitable business ventures..
Conventional yoga failed to make use of yoga accessories.Conventional yoga didn't use with desire to make yoga more appealing. And manifestly, these yoga accessories were introduced with intent to make yoga more appealing. And unnecessary to practice of yoga. Yoga accessories have well served the purpose of glamorizing the age old practice of yoga. Yoga accessories have been accepted very well. Yoga is something that came to note only in the recent times. Since folks about yoga, they presumes these accessories point of yoga.
While the purpose of these accessories may have been to make yoga more commercial and viable, they certainly have helped making the practice of yoga a lot simpler and easier. Several yoga asana are now much easier to perform, all thanks to these yoga accessories. It is for this reason that several professional yoga practitioners are now recommending these accessories. Several yoga accessories including yoga mat, yoga blanket and various others have proved to be of great value in a yoga session. These days, various yoga outfits have also been introduced in order to avoid any hindrance of movement.
The prime motive o any yoga accessory is to make your yoga session more cosy and simpler. Yet one more addition yoga accessories are yoga videos. These videos instruct you step by step as to how you to go about performing an asana.
Wearable accessories for Yoga include shorts and soft Yoga shoes. Such cotton shorts provide comfort and don't interrupt body movements whilst performing asanas. Soft Yoga shoes are typically selected by ladies.
Another really favored yoga accessory is the yoga mat. This mat offers you support when you are performing assorted asana.! It also helps maintain balance. Since these mats are quite resistant, they ensure that you do not slip while exercising.
If you are looking for yoga videos then you might select from newbie's video or the more complicated videos a. K. A tantric video. Depending upon you needs, you can select any one of these.
And last but not the least, a must accessory occurs to be a bottle of water. You badly need to drink water amid numerous yoga poses as you sweat profusely.
In outline, it may be said that a number of yoga accesories are available to the practitioners of Yoga though their significance has been overstated by Yogis to make Yoga a lucrative business.
About the Author
To know more about Yoga Accessories and Yoga Equipment visit http://www.yoga-trainer.com
Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:00 AM PST
Article by Jonsonmak

RELAX: Meditation and Sleep Music with HD Video (READ DESCRIPTION!)


**Don't Worry! There are no surprises/scary things that jump out at you.** If you don't have 30 minutes, please check out this Miami sunrise instead!: www.youtube.com If you're anything like me, sometimes you just don't know how to relax. I wanted to make a video that would help relieve some stress. So if you have any unwanted stress in your life that you want to get rid of, follow these directions! Directions: 1. Sit or lie down comfortably and press play. 2. Breathe deeply. 3. Try to clear your mind. 4. RELAX. This video can also be used as a sleep aid if you have trouble falling asleep. It's a good drug-free alternative! **Save this to favorites so you can come back the next time you need it! :)** Music is "Fluidscape" by Kevin McLeod of incompetech.com Video is from my trip to Colorado. Sometimes you need to slow down to take everything in, and let some things go. ---------- Subscribe to my main channel! www.youtube.com Shirts www.districtlines.com Facebook www.facebook.com Twitter www.twitter.com MySpace www.myspace.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:00 AM PST
As audacious as it may seem to contradict venerable figures such as John Stuart Mill, Flaubert, or Sartre, I disagree with some of their views about the nature of happiness.
Flaubert: "To be stupid, and selfish, and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness; though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless." I argue that this is Happiness Myth No. 1: Happy people are annoying and stupid.
Vauvenargues: "There are men who are happy without knowing it." Heartily disagree. My Fourth Splendid Truth is "I'm not happy unless I think I'm happy." Or as Eugene Delacroix wrote, "He was like a man owning a piece of ground in which, unknown to himself, a treasure lay buried. You would not call such a man rich, neither would I call happy the man who is so without realizing it."
Eric Hoffer: "The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness."
Sartre: "Hell is other people." [Actually, hell is other people, but heaven is other people, too.]
Willa Cather: "One cannot divine nor forecast the conditions that will make happiness; one only stumbles upon them…"
Alexander Smith: "We are never happy; we can only remember that we were so once." My Eighth Splendid Truth is "Now is now"; it means many things, but among other things, it reminds to remember the happiness that is here and now.
John Stuart Mill: "Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so." [I reject this statement, but I would agree "Ask yourself whether you are happy on a scale from 1 to 5, and you cease to be so." For me, at least, trying to make those kinds of tricky judgments diminishes happiness—I find it very difficult to answer a question like that—while the simple question, "Am I happy?" contributes to happiness.]
How about you? Do you agree or disagree with these theories?
* I found a lot of great material on Greatist.
* The holidays are coming. For your consideration: The Happiness Project (#1 New York Times bestseller). Buy early and often! Order your copy.
Read sample chapters.
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Japan Buddhist Temple After Dark


Visiting a Buddhist temple during a late night hike in the mountains of central Japan.
Video Rating: 5 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:00 AM PST
Article by Laurie Desjardins
Everybody has wants. We want that iced green tea soy latte from Starbucks in the morning, or that slice of strawberry cheesecake for dessert. We want to get that new book, see that new movie, buy that new Blu-ray player, or go to Cancun for a vacation.
For some people, though, those wants get out of control. There's a reason that Americans are collectively .3 billion in debt. Unable to maintain a balance between immediate wants and long-term goals, people get caught in a vicious financial cycle. And though they seek outside for answers - from yet another financial adviser or debt consolidation firm - they're missing the one place where they could get those answers: from inside themselves.
The link between meditation and finances
It's no real secret that your state of mind affects the entire rhythm of your life. Why is it any surprise that it affects the financial part of your life as well?
If you studiously avoid looking inward, you could be ignoring the true root of your financial problems. Regular meditation with your Zen Stick meditation tool can help you find balance and bring both your immediate wants and long-term goals into perspective. By finding the heart of your behavior, rather than seeking outside ways to treat the symptoms of it, you'll become better at managing your money and your life.
On-the-go meditation
Every decision we make has some wanting aspect to it. The question is whether it's something you're able to ride out. No matter how many times you give in to those wants, you'll never be satisfied. Meditation can help you ride out the initial wave of "I must have that NOW." That way, you can gain perspective and decide if that's something you truly want in the grand scheme of things.
One of the benefits of your Zen Stick meditation tool is that it's portable, so you can engage in meditation techniques wherever you are. When your wants first rise, take a quick moment to toss your Zen Stick and achieve instant focus. It wil! l make i t easier for you to think outside of your "wanting mind," as Buddhism calls it.
Whenever you find yourself agonizing over wants that seem incredibly important, use your Zen Stick to regain your balance and perspective. Think of sources of joy in your life and appreciate what you already have.
Strengthen your meditation habit
Find a time every day that you can have 10 or 20 uninterrupted minutes for your chosen meditation techniques. It may be difficult at first, but a sticking to a strict daily schedule can help make it a habit and make it easier to reach a meditative state.
You also need to create a place of peace where you can truly tune in to your inner self. Let go of the thousands of other voices and ideas in your mind and really relax. That will make it much easier for you to achieve the focus and peace of mind needed for the most beneficial meditation.
First, know thyself
Don't be a slave to your behaviors, following them unthinkingly. Healthy finances come from a healthy life. Use daily meditation to get to the heart of the problem and start solving your financial issues from the inside out.
About the Author
Laurie Desjardins is a meditation expert and creator of the Zen Stick relaxation tool. If you want to truly align your mind, body and spirit, consider adding the Zen Stick to your relaxation repertoire. For more information about meditation techniques and Zen Sticks, visit http://www.sleepingtiger.org.

Zen Buddhism: 1st vs. 2nd Nature


A compilation of photos featuring the Zen Buddhist belief of our first and second nature
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:00 AM PST
2011 Happiness Challenge: For those of you following the 2011 Happiness Project Challenge, to make 2011 a happier year -- and even if you haven't officially signed up for the challenge -- welcome! Last month's theme was Gratitude, and last week's resolution was to Remember the dog that doesn't bark. Did you try that resolution? Did it boost your happiness?
For the last month of this year, instead of tackling a theme, I'm going to discuss a question: What is the key to happiness? That's a question that can be answered in different ways, depending on what framework you use to address the issue of happiness. The resolution for each week will reflect that week's answer.
This week's answer to the question, "What is the key to happiness?" is: Strong relationships.
Build Strong Relationships(1)
If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…
8 tips for maintaining friendships.
Bob Dylan helps me recognize a paradox of happiness.
8 tips for making friends.
Be happier: kiss more, hug more, touch more.
How about you? Do you agree that strong relationships are the key to happiness? What steps do you take to build or strengthen your ties to other people?
If you're new, here's information on the 2011 Happiness Challenge. It's never too late to start! You're not behind, jump in right now, sign up here. For the Challenge, each week I'll post a video suggesting a resolution for you to consider. For more ideas for resolutions to try, check out the archives of videos here.
* I always love to visit Dan Pink's blog. He is unfailingly interesting.
* My whole family loves Page-a-Day calendars, so it was a real thrill for me to do The Happiness Project Page-a-Day Calendar. Check it out!
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Second Life: Becoming Meditation


An afternoon session on Second Life ( www.secondlife.com ) at the Buddha Center ( http ) talking about becoming Meditation I teach in Second Life on Sundays at 3 PM and Wednesdays at 9 AM.
Video Rating: 4 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 02:00 AM PST
Article by Andi Jackson
You may feel a bit like you have jumped in at the deep end. There are a lot of technical words in Yoga, many of which originate from Sanskrit so it can be difficult to understand and follow instructions as a beginner. This is a quick but detailed explanation of some of the more common Yoga terminologies to help you getting started.
AsanasNo doubt you will hear and read this word many times when researching Yoga or attending Yoga sessions. Asana means pose or posture and is the name given to all Yoga postures. This is why all of the yoga postures you will encounter end in asana. For example, Tadasana means Mountain Pose. When someone refers to a Yoga Asana, they are really just saying Yoga Pose. Yoga texts mention around 840,000 Yoga postures and up until recently only around 20-30 of these used in daily practice. Now over 200 Yoga postures are being used by Yoga students across the globe.
PatanjaliPatanjali is the legendary founder of Yoga teachings. Patanjali is said to have to lower body of a serpant and be the bringer of philosophy, language and medicine to India. Although mythological in appearance it is accepted that Patanjali was in fact a historical figure and it is estimated he lived around 220 BC. Patanjali developed the Yoga Sutras.
Yoga SutrasThe Yoga Sutras (otherwise known as the Yoga Aphorisms), is an authoritative work developed by Patanjali in which Yoga is said to consist of eight limbs. These eight aspects are all equally important and inter-related with each other.
1. Yama - Five Universal Commandments of not harming anyone, truth, non-stealing, godly, chaste life, greedless. 2. Niyama - Five Personal Disciplines of cleanliness, contentedness, self discipline, study, study of the scriptures and dedication to God.3. Asana - Devoted practice of the Yoga Postures.4. Pranayama - Practice of breathing control.5. Pratyahara - Detachment of worldly activities.6. Dharana - Concentration.7. Dhyana - Meditation.8. Samadhi - Trance or state of bliss.
Iyegna! rAlthoug h you may hear Iyegnar Yoga mentioned a lot with regards to Yoga, Iyegnar is not a terminology. B.K.S. Iyegnar was a revolutionary pioneer of Yoga who developed a series of Yoga techniques based on the traditional works of Patanjali with the added bonus of accessibility for people of all levels of Yoga. Iyegnar Yoga refers to Yoga postures that have been influenced or taken directly from Iyegnar's works and are generally an indication that they are beginner friendly or have beginner friendly variations.
PranayamaPranayama is the advanced stages of Yoga mastery where Yoga postures are practices to control breathing. Pranayama is not to be attempted without first mastering the Yoga postures and many insist that it should only be carried out under expert supervision. Pranayama incorporates breathing techniques and exercises into your Yoga regime.
Yoga ToolsNo, you don't need a spanner before you start to learn Yoga. Yoga tools are certain household props that may be required to help you complete certain postures. Thanks to the work of Iyegnar, many Yoga postures were developed with variations that use tools to help beginners complete the posture.
About the Author
Yoga can be integral part of the healing process. Make the decision to learn more about how you can do to improve your health and wellbeing today.

AMAZING NEW YOGA POSES!


LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS! What should the last two poses be called? DELETED Scene: rhettandlink.ning.com See who else is participating at: youtube.com ----------------- Don'tforget to SUBSCRIBE! We do this for you, and we want to make sure you see our new videos. Plus, we give virtual side-hugs to all new subscribers. ------------------- Background music is from RoyaltyFreeMusicLibrary.com. They have an awesome collection of tracks to fit just about any situation. Get an account at ‪www.royaltyfreemusiclibrary.com ----------------------------------------------------- Check out our other Youtube channel, where we upload random videos from our phones: youtube.com ------------------ FOLLOW us on TWITTER! Rhett: twitter.com Link: twitter.com Video Updates: twitter.com ------------------- FAN us on FACEBOOK! facebook.com ------------------- DAILYBOOTH dailybooth.com dailybooth.com ------------------- Become a MYTHICAL BEAST for exclusive video, creative projects, etc. rhettandlinkommunity.com -- Distributed by Tubemogul.
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(Price/piece)GOGO™ 32 inch Yoga Mat Harness Strap, Yoga Mat Carrying Strap (Just Strap, Not Mat!)


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  • Extra durable, easy grasp.
Price is for piece.

Just Harness Strap, Not Including the Mat!

Model: 2TAIT-U2

Size: 32 inch (81.28cm) long

Material: Nylon

Color: Available in Black

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**High quality, reinforced and durable strap for long life.
**Lightweight and packable, simple to use.
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**Excellent carrying strap, Great for travel!

Featuring high-quality snap fasteners, this fully adjustable harness strap allows you to carry your mat easily and comfortably over your shoulder or by hand, like a briefcase. The sling has two quick release buckles, each on an adjustable loop that wraps around your mat. An excellent carrying strap!
List Price: $ 9.01 Price: $ 4.25




This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Posted: 09 Dec 2011 02:00 AM PST
To: FASHION AND STATE EDITORS
Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness of Edina, MN has been honored with a recognition by Mpls. St. Paul Magazine in its selection of "88 Great Salons & Spas."
EDINA, Minn., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Announcing a special recognition appearing in the May, 2010 issue of Mpls. St. Paul Magazine published by MSP Communications. Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness was selected for the following honor:
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111208/DC19602)
"88 Great Salons & Spas"
A spokesperson from Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness commented on the recognition: "This is quite an honor for us. The fact that Mpls. St. Paul Magazine included Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness in its selection of "88 Great Salons & Spas," signals that our constant efforts towards business excellence are paying off. We are proud to be included in this recognition."
About Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness: a short profile by and about the honoree:
Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness offers a regenerating pause from the pressures of everyday life while taking into consideration your budget and busy schedule. We consider massage & relaxation as a necessity in today's hectic world.
Following the publication of Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness's selection for Mpls. St. Paul Magazine's 88 Great Salons & Spas list, American Registry seconded the honor and added Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness to the "Registry of Business Excellence(TM)". An exclusive recognition plaque, shown here, has been designed to commemorate this honor.
For more information on Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness, located in Edina, MN please call 952-922-3600, or visit www.zenexperiencespa.com.
This press release was written by American Registry, LLC with contributions from Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness on behalf of Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness and was distributed by PR Newswire, a subsidiary of United Business Media.
American Registry, LLC, recognizes excellence in top businesses and professionals. The Registry(TM) includes over 2 million significant business and professional recognitions, including all those included in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine's 88 Great Salons & Spas list. For more information, search The Registry at http://www.americanregistry.com.
Contact Info:
Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness Phone: 952-922-3600Email Address: info@zenexperiencespa.com
SOURCE Zen Experience-Massage & Wellness
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Kalu Rinpoche 5 on Compasion with Wisdom (Buddhist Master)


Tibetan Buddhist Spirituality Master, Yangsi Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche is head of the Shangpa Kagyu Lineage, Yangsi (rebirth) Kalu Rinpoche is dedicated to sharing the wisdom teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. His approach and enthusiasm for practice is well suited for those living a modern life, yet seeking a spiritual path. Rinpoche is also a poet, songwriter, and performer who is in touch with the new generation of the 21st century. Meeting and connecting with the youth is something that he is particularly fond of. Rinpoche has spent most of his formative years studying in Darjeeling, India. He completed the traditional three-year retreat in September, 2008. Just 18 months after his birth in 1990, Yangsi Kalu Rinpoche was recognized as the rebirth of His Eminence the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche (Maui Dharma Center Founder). video-2011-08-17-20-06-13.3gp
Video Rating: 5 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:00 AM PST
Article by Sue Becker, CPO-CD, ADD Specialist

Aetna Viniyoga Stress Reduction Program


Gary Kraftsow developed Viniyoga Stress Reduction Program, a 12-week Viniyoga-based program pilot for Aetna employees. www.viniyoga.com
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Meditation and Autogenics (Relaxation & Stress Reduction)


The Meditation and Autogenics audio program of basic meditation techniques is designed to help you achieve total relaxation in only a few short weeks of listening and practice. Learn clinically proven autogenic methods that will help you lower your pulse, breathe more slowly, and increase circulation to every area of your body. As you continue your practice, you will develop the power to incorporate moments of total calm and absolute relaxation into your daily routine.
Based on the exercises and techniques in The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, the go-to guide for stress reduction and total relaxation.
74 minutes
List Price: $ 13.95 Price: $ 11.32




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:00 AM PST
THE issue of housemanship seems to be getting more media attention than, say, the training of junior lawyers, engineers or architects. This is probably due to the fact that medical services are a basic necessity.
At the one end you have senior doctors exhorting and berating junior doctors who at their end put up a vigorous and spirited defence of themselves and, further, demanding more modern working conditions.
My sympathies lie with the junior doctors. Some senior doctors tirelessly and endlessly labour under the impression that during their time they were "better" than the current crop.
The junior doctors of today are biologically no different from those who graduated 40 to 50 years ago – it is too short a time span for significant evolutionary changes to have taken place.
What has probably happened is that the skills of the senior doctors have improved with time (after making mistakes along the way). Furthermore, it is well known that one's memory of events from the distant past can be unreliable.
However, this does not mean that all is well with the system. Young people today have to accept as "education" a system that shortchanges them by focusing on easily taught, tested and quantifiable competencies and downplaying the importance of the qualitative ones.
Many primary schools seem to have given up the pretence of doing anything else but teach-to-the-test. Short shrift is given to the development of important life and personality skills and traits.
On prize giving day teachers give out awards to the little boy or girl who gets the highest marks in Maths, Science or language. Where are the prizes for the kind, honest, punctual, polite or neat child? What message does this send to other little children?
Furthermore, achieving strong literacy and numeracy skills is a very complex process. It is, at the minimum, an interplay between book learning and the child using and developing the knowledge so gained in day-to-day life.
But there is little incentive or opportunity for this, as all efforts are geared towards obtaining the 5As on paper.
Entry into university (especially for the professional courses) is in the main, almost solely based on marks obtained in Form Six. This is usually a standardised written and practical exam. (These exams may be cheap to administer but are well known to have serious deficiencies.)
Many secondary school students respond to this by spending all their time studying-to-the-test. Whatever co-curricular activities they take up are tailored to fit in with the education system. They are little rewarded for cultivating other important hallmarks of a well educated adult, such as a sense of responsibility, dedication, dependability, impartiality, etc.
All the cues and signals come from adults, and most young people have no choice but to simply respond as best as they can.
Hence, if you want better housemen, change the entry requirements, selection process and training programme so that only responsible and well educated young people are allowed to enter and graduate from medical school.
Of course it will involve a lot of extra work on the part of university administrators who have for long relied on quantifiable criteria for ease of adminstraton.
Dr M. NAICKER,
Puchong, Selangor.
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Living With Non-Buddhists


Ajahn Brahm talks about living with non-Buddhists
Video Rating: 5 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:02 AM PST
Article by Tannu
Most people are curious about a child's ability to meditate. Many adults can't seem to find the time nor have the patience, so people wonder how could a child sit still long enough to meditate? Remarkably, children love to meditate. Meditation allows children to use their creative imagination without limitation.
Meditation has proven effective with helping children become more attentive, which begins with a child's ability to focus on himself. Meditation is a time for children to explore their inner world. Children are fascinated with clouds in the sky and stories on television; however, they are often most captivated by their own thoughts.
There are several meditation techniques borrowed from various cultures that help children thrive in today's world. Some of these techniques involve comfortable relaxing concentration. Others are journeys through time and space within ones mind. Many adults have trouble opening their inner mind to see, feel and hear the element of their meditation. Children, on the other hand, are by nature open and imaginative.
The facilitator of the child's experience determines the success his meditation. Anyone can become a dynamic child meditation facilitator, whether they are a parent, teacher or therapist. The facilitator should be familiar with the most important benefits a child attains through meditation, practice and awareness. When a child meditates, he practices something in his head so later it is easier for him to carry out the particular action or feeling. Meditation also brings into consciousness thoughts the child is unaware of during normal consciousness.
Practice: something we do so we feel better later
When we practice a process in our minds, we are able to successfully repeat this process in the real world. Simply stated, we do something in our heads so we feel better later. This is similar to working out our body at the gym. We strengthen our biceps so we are able to lift a heavy box later that week. Likewise, during med! itation, seven-year-old Ashley practices how to feel and the let go of her anger during a grounding meditation. Because she has practiced this during meditation it is easier for her to process her anger later.
shreevedic tarot reading
The most ideal practice meditations bring calmness and focus to a child. These meditations are quite grounding, that is they bring a child into balance with the natural rhythms of the earth, which results in physical stability and emotional ease. A child can practice these meditations absolutely anywhere, even in her classroom when she begins to feel distracted or frustrated.
The Sleepy Cloud meditation is another excellent example of a practice meditation. This exercise helps a restless child bring sleepy thoughts into her inner mind, allowing her to fall asleep more easily.
Awareness: Seeing thoughts hidden deep down inside our minds
Meditation is also useful for bringing into consciousness a subconscious thought. For example, Keith practices a release meditation with his father during which a picture of a frightening movie scene appears in his mind. When he shares this, his father learns that this scene may be causing the anxiety he has been expressing recently. This awareness prompts a conversation about the scene, and coupled with more meditation, Keith finds peace.
An effective awareness meditation is the Happy Tree meditation, during which the child sees a tree with happy and sad fruit. This is a metaphorical journey for the child. In many ways the sad fruit and the tree represent her sadness and the happy fruit represent her happiness. During the meditation, the child nurtures her sad fruit in a special way. Since this is a metaphorical journey, the parent and child can become aware that ways in which she nurtures her sad fruit can also help her understand how she can nurture herself.
About the Author
Tannu is a freelance writer and immense interest in Vedic science & like to share knowledge on Vedic Sciences. For more related Articles kindly visit http://www.shreevedic.com

Lightworkers Meditation (Self Hypnosis)


thegic.org To help remember we are all beings of light.
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:00 AM PST
Leading Integrative Medical Center Draws on Physician's Extensive Expertise in Women's Health and Holistic Gynecology
New York, NY (PRWEB) December 08, 2011
Patients Medical, a leading integrative medical center in New York, announced L. Deanna Howard, MD as its newest holistic gynecologist and expert resource in feminine wellness. Dr. Howard provides an extensive knowledge of women's health, gynecology, homeopathy, nutrition and bioidentical hormones to the center.
"Dr. Howard's unique approach combines the best of modern technology and science with holistic medicine," said Rashmi Gulati, MD, Medical Director of Patients Medical. "Her expertise was a perfect fit for the integrative team at Patients Medical."
"Like Patients Medical, I am committed to practicing patient-centered medicine," said Dr. Howard. "It's the only way to establish real dialogue, determine the actual source of the ailment, and help patients achieve meaningful and lasting wellness."
Dr. Howard has been practicing in New York and New Jersey for over 15 years, offering her patients a wealth of knowledge using traditional and alternative medicine. She provides her patients with a plan to gain control of chronic conditions, including symptoms of hormonal imbalance, using lifestyle recommendations, homeopathy and healing food as a central part of each treatment plan. She works with patients to balance gynecological issues, but also helps women explore healing themselves by making lifestyle changes to benefit their overall health.
Dr. Howard is an in-network provider for most major medical insurance companies.
Dr. Howard graduated with a degree in Biology from NYU and went on to attain her MD from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. She is certified as a Health Counselor through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the Teacher's College at Columbia University. Dr. Howard continues to expand her education beyond traditional medical training with studies in meditation, aromatherapy, Reiki, Chi Gong, and Clinical Homeopathy. Dr. Howard is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and has hospital privileges at Beth Israel in Newark.
About Patients Medical

Patients Medical (http://www.patientsmedical.com) is an integrative medical center in New York that combines the best of traditional and holistic medicine with modern technology to provide comprehensive care. Established in 1974, the center employs a multi-disciplinary staff including Board Certified Internists, Family Practice Physicians, Gynecologists, Osteopaths, Nutritionists and many other holistic practitioners. The practice specializes in diagnosing the root cause of an ailment using the most advanced technology, then healing the whole person with customized protocols that draw upon both Eastern and Western medicine.
# # #
Megan Franzen
Patients Medical
212-679-9667 111
Email Information
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How to use a mala (Buddhist or Hindu rosary - Japa mala)


Visit destinationom.com to get your custom mala made one of a kind as you wish. You can also go straight to destinationom.com and fill in the required information to design your own mala. Now on Twitter @ DestinationOM & Facebook - DestinationOM.com - Custom Malas
Video Rating: 4 / 5




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Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:00 PM PST
Zen Buddhism
by araki
Article by Mike Selvon
Millions of people follow Buddhist studies but there are still many people in the Western culture that are unfamiliar with Buddhism. It is a religion that dates back thousands of years and has helped many people overcome their suffering and has taught countless others how to help end the suffering of their fellow man. This religion can seem difficult to understand when you first begin but if you take the time to learn the basic tenants, then you can find your own happiness and sense of self-fulfillment that many miss in life.
There are two main schools of Buddhism. There is the Mahayana and the Theravada. Each of these facets of Buddhist teachings is different but they have many of the same similarities. Perhaps the biggest difference is in how bodhi or enlightenment is reached and what is required to aspire to the level of the Dali Lama.
The Buddhist religion and philosophy is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. There are four main beliefs that the Mahayana and Theravada believe in. These are: the Middle Way, Dependent Origination, the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The journey to Buddhahood is the highest attainment that anyone following the religion Buddhism can attain.
Many people associate the Buddhist religion with meditation practice, a Buddha statue and Buddhist practice. These are all true for this belief. Meditation is a huge part of attaining enlightenment. It requires the person to enter into a Zen like state in which they search for the meanings of life.
Many people who practice this religion will have a Buddha statue as a reminder of the trials and tribulations that Gautama Buddha went through on his journey to enlightenment. No one is asking you to fast and remain still for forty-nine days, as the Buddha did, but it does require some discipline.
One of the main tenants of this philosophy and religion is that you should not cause harm to others. The religion and spirituality Buddhism teaches is that the way to spiritual enlighte! nment is through letting transgressions go.
Yes, there will be pain and suffering in life but each person should hold nothing against others for their wrongdoings. To hold transgressions and hatred close to the heart only stops the person from growing spiritually.
Buddhism is experiencing an awakening in the West as more people are turning to aspects of this philosophy and applying them to their lives. They are finding that the Buddhist practice of meditation is actually a huge stress reliever.
There are even classes, such as in Yoga, which offer some of the Buddhists practices into a way that Westerners can utilize in their lives. If you are suffering from stress and a feeling of emptiness, then perhaps you should give the Buddhist philosophy a try.
About the Author
Learn more about buddhism at Mike Selvon portal. While you are there leave us a comment at our teachings of buddhism blog, and receive your FREE gift.

Coming Home to Compassion - Upaya Zen Center


Enjoy a richly-layered and meditative visual exploration of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Upaya, founded by Buddhist teacher, social activist, author and anthropologist Roshi Joan Halifax, is a Zen Buddhist practice and educational center dedicated to fostering the relationship between traditional Buddhism and compassionate action. Renown for its innovation and beauty, Upaya welcomes practitioners and guests from all over the world, and hosts the finest teachers from East and West. Visit Upaya online at www.upaya.org or in New Mexico.
Video Rating: 4 / 5



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Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:00 PM PST
This video response to Rick Perry's religious homophobia is much more to my liking. Hey, the guy makes a lot of sense.
He observes that gay and atheist presidents didn't get us into wars or financial crises. No, "It took some God-fearing vagina penetrators to pull that off." The solution: "Leave the governing to sodomites and infidels."
Sounds good to me.
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Posted: 08 Dec 2011 10:00 PM PST
Article by Jonsonmak

Kelly Howell - Healing Meditation {Guided}


Kelly Howell - Guided Healing Meditation....... www.brainsync.com put on your headphones and close your eyes.........
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program

Thousands of years prove it, and Western science backs it: Meditation sharpens focus. Meditation lowers blood pressure, relieves chronic pain, reduces stress. Meditation helps us experience greater calm. Meditation connects us to our inner-most feelings and challenges our habits of self-judgment. Meditation helps protect the brain against aging and improves our capacity for learning new things. Meditation opens the door to real and accessible happiness.

There is no better person to show a beginner how to harness the power of meditation than Sharon Salzberg, one of the world's foremost meditation teachers and spiritual authors. Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, author of Lovingkindness, Faith, and other books, Ms. Salzberg distills 30 years of teaching meditation into a 28-day program that will change lives. It is not about Buddhism, it's not esoteric—it is closer to an exercise, like running or riding a bike. From the basics of posture, breathing, and the daily schedule to the finer points of calming the mind, distraction, dealing with specific problem areas (pain in the legs? falling asleep?) to the larger issues of compassion and awareness, Real Happiness is a complete guide. It explains how meditation works; why a daily meditation practice results in more resiliency, creativity, peace, clarity, and balance; and gives twelve meditation practices, including mindfulness meditation and walking meditation. An extensive selection of her students' FAQs cover the most frequent concerns of beginners who meditate—"Is meditation selfish?" "How do I know if I'm doing it right?" "Can I use meditation to manage weight?"
List Price: $ 14.95 Price: $ 5.75




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Posted: 08 Dec 2011 10:00 PM PST

I wanted to make sure you knew about a world-class resource for mindfulness, compassion, empathy, parenting, and positive psychology: the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at the University of California, Berkeley.
The GGSC has a phenomenal website chock-full of useful information. It also puts on regular workshops, brings out vital books, supports first-rate research, and has a fantastic newsletter. I'm on its Advisory Council and can tell you from direct experience that it has a great and unique combination of academic prowess, heart, and service.
Their work stems from these core beliefs:
  • Compassion is a fundamental trait with deep evolutionary roots, and studying it teaches us how to nurture this positive side of human nature.
  • Science can promote individual and social well-being by examining how people overcome difficult circumstances and develop positive relationships. Findings can be applied in schools, homes, offices, and playgrounds.
  • Happiness is influenced by genes, but it's also the result of skills and mental habits that can be learned and strengthened.
  • Happiness and altruism feed each other. For example, doing good will make you happy.
So I hope you make use of the GGSC's great resources, and connect with others who seek a more compassionate and resilient society. Visit greatergood.berkeley.edu to enjoy their feature articles, podcasts, tips, and quizzes. Sign up for their free e-newsletter and be the first to hear about new research findings. Join the conversation on Facebook or follow the GGSC on Twitter (@GreaterGoodSC).
Additionally, you may like to join me in supporting the Greater Good Science Center directly. As a non-profit organization, they rely on the help of their volunteers and donors. For example, you could become a member, or gift a membership to someone close to you. Anything you could offer will help.
As you know, our world faces many challenges – and in my view, many of these are rooted in breakdowns in empathy, compassion, and understanding of our common interests. The GGSC is a vital source of resources for these issues – and for realistic steps toward a world truly based on the greater good.
Warm wishes to you,
Rick
Related posts:
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  2. Catherine Kerr on the Science of Meditation Alex Knapp, Forbes: Dr. Kerr received her BA in American...
  3. The science of lovingkindness Right at the very beginning of my meditation practice I...



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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST
Saurabh Das / AP
Saurabh Das / AP
The 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje sits during a session of the Global Buddhist Congregation to commemorate the 2,600th year of Sambodhiprapti, or the enlightenment of Buddha, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Nov. 28, 2011.
The waiting room in the Tibetan Buddhist monastery in northern India is unremarkable, save for the small signs pasted on the wall: "Kindly do not make any offerings in foreign currency." Many of the pilgrims who have come to pay homage to the Karmapa—the third-most senior cleric in Tibetan Buddhist cosmology who is believed to be the 17th incarnation of a 900-year-old holy spirit—are Chinese travelers, who stuff thick bundles of Indian rupees into envelopes. There is not a Chinese yuan in sight.
The signs are a consequence of a kerfuffle earlier this year that erupted in Dharamsala, the Indian hill station where the Tibetan exile community has coalesced. On Dec. 8, Indian police announced that they had officially charged the Karmapa with conspiracy nearly a year after the authorities found more than $ 1 million in various foreign currency at the monastery where he lives. The charge sheet was filed at a district court in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, where Dharamsala is located, even though earlier this year the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi indicated the Karmapa, whose full name is Ogyen Trinley Dorje, had been absolved of wrongdoing. The senior Tibetan monk's aides say that the money, much of it Chinese yuan, was from his devotees and that he is not involved in any of his order's financial dealings. Since then, the waiting-room signs have gone up, they say, to avoid further controversy.
After fleeing Tibet in 1999 in a dramatic voyage that echoed the snow-bound escape of the Dalai Lama four decades before, the Karmapa has resided in India. But his flight to freedom has not brought him full liberty. After he arrived as a 14-year-old in Dharamsala, whispers circulated among excitable members of the Indian media circles that the Karmapa might be a Chinese spy. How else could he have escaped Beijing's watchful eye, they wondered—even though he and his supporters dismiss such allegations. Then as India's relations with China have warmed and the surviving Tibetan community in northern India views this geopolitical development with wariness, the Karmapa's movements have been carefully circumscribed by the Indian government. He cannot travel freely in India without prior government approval. Until 2008, the Karmapa was not even allowed documents to go overseas.
Furthermore, because of a rift within the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyu sect in which some adepts believe a rival Indian monk is the true Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje does not live in the 16th Karmapa's monastic seat in Sikkim, northern India. Instead, he has taken refuge in the Gyuto monastery near Dharamsala, which adheres to the Dalai Lama's Gelugpa sect, not the Kagyu order. The Karmapa's supporters say they are now gathering funds to build him his own house of worship. Hence the piles of cash.
When I visited the Karmapa in August, stern-faced Indian authorities subjected each visitor to a careful baggage check and pat-down far more rigorous than those required for meetings with some world leaders. He may have been granted refuge by India after fleeing a homeland where his spiritual belief was twisted to the diktat of the state, but the Karmapa, in some ways, still seemed a young man imprisoned. Unlike the Dalai Lama, who maintains a jovial global presence, the Karmapa in public appears serious and cautious. Nevertheless, Tibet-watchers say his theology is impressive, and I saw his handsome young face on posters across Dharamsala next to that of the smiling Dalai Lama.
The Karmapa is a singular international figure. First, his selection was agreed upon by both Chinese authorities and the exiled Dalai Lama, who Beijing accuses of secretly plotting for Tibetan independence—a charge the Tibetan spiritual leader denies. (In the 1990s, the Dalai Lama and the Chinese picked different boys as the new Panchen Lama, the second-highest Tibetan Buddhist figure, and the Dalai Lama's choice has not been seen in public since he was a small child.) Second, even though he imbibed patriotic propaganda during his childhood in Tibet, the Karmapa still made the momentous decision to flee to India where he could express his spiritual devotion and love for the Dalai Lama fully. Nevertheless, the Chinese have shied away from publicly criticizing him, like they do the Dalai Lama. Instead, Beijing sticks to the fiction that he is merely studying abroad for an unspecified period of time. Perhaps that's why so many spiritually yearning Chinese feel no qualms about visiting Dharamsala for an audience with him—and why they used to leave packets of Chinese yuan as donations.
The local court will examine the evidence presented by Indian police and rule on whether a criminal case should go forward. "At no point of time His Holiness was ever called or examined by the investigating agency," said a statement released on Thursday from the Karmapa's office, which reiterated that he had no involvement in any of the order's financial affairs. Several of his followers have also been charged with conspiracy, a crime that can carry a two-year prison sentence. Meanwhile, a series of self-immolations by Tibetan clerics this year has underscored the desperation many Tibetans feel about their lives under Chinese rule. A past filled with religious strictures and persecution was precisely why the Karmapa said he escaped Tibet for India. Now, the Himachal Pradesh court will have to decide whether he will experience a difficult future in his new home, as well.
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Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche - Using panic attacks for meditation


A clip from "Joy of Living: A Public Talk" DVD, Recorded in August, 2007. In this talk based on his groundbreaking first book, The Joy of Living (Harmony Books), world-renowned Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche invites us to join him in unlocking the secrets behind the practices of meditation. Working with neuroscientists at the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, he provides clear insights into modern research indicating that systematic training in meditation can enhance activity in areas of the brain associated with happiness and compassion. He has also worked with physicists across the country to develop a fresh, scientifically based interpretation of the Buddhist understanding of the nature of reality. Mingyur Rinpoche weaves together the principles of Tibetan Buddhist, neuroscience, and quantum physics in a way that will forever change the way we understand the human experience. More information at: www.mingyur.org
Video Rating: 4 / 5




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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST
Sean Jones, buddhist monkCourtesy photoSean Jones is now a Buddhist monk in Cicero, Ill.
KALAMAZOO — Growing up in Mattawan, Sean Jones was known for his hockey skills and playing electric guitar in an alternative rock band.
Today, he's a Buddhist lama in a Chicago suburb.
The transition from Mattawan lad to Cicero lama started in 1994, when the Dalai Lama visited the University of Michigan, where Jones was a college freshman majoring in anthropology and religion.
Jones was struck by the Dalai Lama's charisma and compassion, as well as the tenets of Buddism.
"(The Dalai Lama) inspired me to search for wisdom within myself rather than looking outwardly," said Jones, who graduated from Mattawan High School in 1993. "He made me think about the importance of compassion and listening to my heart instead of focusing on material success."
Jones realized, he said, that Meditation "wasn't just a bunch of things to believe in. The Buddha himself said to test it out for yourself (rather than believe everything he said)."
He joined a Buddhist center in Ann Arbor and continued to practice the lifestyle after moving to Chicago in 2000.
Then nearly 10 years after seeing the Dalai Lama, Jones quit his job as in hospital administration and spent three years in virtual isolation at the Buddhist retreat center in upstate New York.
In 2009, Jones became a Tibetan Buddhist lama and is now director of a Buddhist center in Cicero.
"(Being the director) is a responsibility and people can usually handle it for two or three years at a time — and I was nominated," Jones said.
He described being the director of the temple as the business aspect of running a spiritual center, and being the lama as the spiritual aspect. The lama takes care of the programming and the curriculum at the Buddhist center, including meditation instruction.
"I'd hope not to have to be the director (for too long)," Jones said. He said he would rather take care of the spiritual side of running the temple, helping people learn Buddhist teachings, rather than paying the bills.
Center Attendant Mickey Johnson has known Jones since 2000.
"With Sean, there's no ploy for power; he's just very humble," Johnson said. "He tries to facilitate practices at the center, but he'd never consider himself a teacher.
"I doubt you'd find anyone with anything negative to say about him. He's a real likable guy," Johnson said.
Mattawan childhood
Growing up, Sean Jones was a smart, curious child, says his father, Clarence Jones.
Sean Jones said he played hockey from kindergarten through his senior year of high school. He said he stopped playing when he started college because he didn't want to play on the men's league in Ann Arbor.
He also played an electric guitar in an alternative rock band called Leather Elephant in high school. They used to play shows in the Kalamazoo area, including Harvey's on the Mall and all-ages shows at the former Whole Arts Theatre.
But there also was a hint that Jones was not a typical teenager.
"When Sean was in the 11th grade, we (my wife and I) bought him all new clothes for Christmas. He took them all back and bought used clothes at Goodwill," Clarence Jones said, laughing at the memory.
After graduating from Michigan, Jones moved to Chicago and found a job as an administrative assistant in the anesthesiology department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
But he left that job for a three-year stay at the Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, N.Y.
"I never really thought I would actually do the retreat," Jones said.
But, he added, "When you make a commitment to something, especially something you believe in strongly, no matter how difficult it is, it is important to see it through."
His father, Clarence, said he was surprised when his son told him that he was going to spend three years at the retreat.
"I couldn't understand why (he chose to go to the Buddhist retreat), because I know nothing about Meditation," Clarence Jones said. "I was shocked."
Jones' 32-year-old brother Matt said his sibling is very dedicated to his spiritual growth.
"I couldn't do it. You have to be really dedicated (in order to make it through the retreat)," Matt said.
Return to Chicago
Jones started the retreat process by enrolling in a two-month program to help him and 10 other Buddhist students adjust daily schedules to resemble the one they'd have to follow for the next three years.
They had to wake up earlier and get less sleep than they were used to in order to prepare to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at 10 every night at the retreat, he said.
"You definitely feel confined," Jones said. "The moment they closed the gate, it started to snow and you would definitely feel like you weren't going anywhere."
During his 1,000-day stay, Jones had only 10 other Buddhist students and teachers for company. They had no access to telephones or the Internet to keep in contact with friends and family; the only method of communication allowed was writing letters back and forth to people outside the retreat.
"(Visiting my son at the temple) was scary," Clarence said, describing the building as being surrounded by 20-foot-tall walls, "so, it's like he's locked in."
Jones came back to Chicago soon after leaving the retreat in 2008 and was able to get his job back. His family said the retreat didn't change him.
"It's weird; I had a feeling that when he came back form the retreat, he would be the same," Matt said.
After he returned to Chicago, he became the lama and director of the Karma Thegsum Choling Buddhist temple in Cicero, Ill.
His teacher from the retreat asked him to join the center after their resident lamas left for other states.
"He wanted me to share what I had the opportunity to learn and put into practice. I hope I am able to do that in some small way," Jones said.
Although a lama is usually considered a teacher in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Jones said he doesn't consider himself to be one.
"Connecting people who are interested with the great masters of this lineage (the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyu Lineage) is important to me. I never portray myself as a teacher or anything special. I'm just trying to share the wonderful gifts that Meditation and this lineage has given to me," Jones said. "I'm a professional student forever because I'm always learning."
The Kagyu Lineage is one of four Tibetan Buddhist lineages. The others are the Nyingma Lineage, the Sakya Lineage and the Gelug Lineage.
Jones spends time with new members at the Buddhist center to help them learn about the teachings and rituals.
He also remains open to other faith traditions. Proving that, he was recently married — in a Catholic wedding. They've already gotten a Buddhist blessing.
Even though his son has been a Buddhist for many years now, the traditions still seem confusing to Clarence Jones, although he recognizes that his son has achieved a distinguished position.
"They bow down and kiss his hand," Clarence said about the Buddhists at the Cicero temple. "Whatever his position is, they look at it as something great."
Contact Holly Deal at hdeal@kalamazoogazette.com or 269-388-8553.
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15 Buddha Buddhist: University of Metaphysical Sciences


This satsang video is sponsored by University Of Metaphysical Sciences UMSOnline.org. Christine Breese, Ph.D. (http is the founder of UMS, which offers Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate DD and Ph.D. degrees in metaphysical subjects.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST
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Calcutta News.Net
Sunday 27th November, 2011
Amid Chinese objections, a four-day Global Buddhist Conference began here Sunday to mark the 2,600th year of Buddha's enlightenment, with the Dalai Lama saying the meeting has given a 'crucial opportunity for Buddhists' to interact with one another.
China had reportedly objected to the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama taking part and urged New Delhi to cancel the meet, attended by about 900 Buddhist scholars and others from 46 countries.
A televised address by the Dalai Lama, who made India his home in 1959 after fleeing his homeland, was made available at the conference in which he welcomed the need for such gatherings.
'The conference has provided a much needed and crucial opportunity for the Buddhists to meet,' he said. 'We need to foster and encourage exchange of knowledge and experience.'
The Dalai Lama, who lives in Dharamsala, is expected to come to New Delhi Nov 30 for the valedictory address.
India's refusal to axe the Buddhist meet has reportedly led to the postponement of boundary talks between special representatives of the two countries in New Delhi, coinciding with the Buddhist conference.
The organisers had invited President Pratibha Patil to inaugurate the conference and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a guest of honour. But the two decided not to attend.
China has strong sensitivities about the Dalai Lama, whom it regards as a 'separatist'.
A week ago, the president's office called the organisers to tell them it may not be possible for Patil to attend the function, a well-placed source told IANS.
Instead, Sikkim Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh presided over the function and Karan Singh, a scholar and president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was the guest of honour.
A 40-strong contingent of Chinese Buddhist scholars was expected. But with Beijing's objection, only eight have come, Ashok K. Wangdi, a member of the organising committee of the conference, told IANS.
'It's unfortunate, this attem! pt to gi ve a political colour to a religious function',' said Tempa Tsering, Dalai Lama's chief representative here.
Added Wangdi: 'The overriding theme of the conference is to commemorate the 2,600th year of Buddha's enlightenment. The conference aims at evolving a collective Buddhist response to pressing global challenges like climate change, violence and pressures of modern living.
'It is first and foremost a religious event. We are very upset by China's attempt to politcise it,' he said.
Among the countries which have sent representatives to the conference are Taiwan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Mongolia, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar.
India, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, is home to nearly eight million Buddhists, according to the 2001 census report.

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Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST

Photo by Vanessa Karam
By Danny Fisher
History seems to be in the making in Burma as Luc Besson's new biopic The Lady, about National League for Democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, screens in New York and Los Angeles (where I saw it) this week for Academy Awards consideration. Hillary Clinton became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Burma in over fifty years last week, signaling that the recent "reforms" in the country, which has been ruled by a brutal, repressive military dictatorship since 1962, might be real. (Though violence against ethnic minorities flared very shortly after her departure, and many, many political prisoners remain in the country—including U Gambira, the leader of the 2007 Buddhist monastic uprising known as the "Saffron Revolution.") The aspect of Secretary Clinton's visit that received the most attention was, of course, her meeting with "Daw Suu," who was released from her latest house arrest just over a year ago. (She has spent a total of 15 of the last 22 years under house arrest.) With the world focused again on "The Lady," as she is known within Burma, the arrival of a major motion picture about her is timely to say the least.

The Lady helps the viewer come to understand Daw Suu (played by Michelle Yeoh) and her nonviolent, Buddhist-influenced leadership by focusing squarely on her marriage to the late Oxford Tibetologist Michael Aris (David Thewlis). The daughter of the assassinated General Aung San, a revolutionary who was key to gaining Burma its independence from Britain, Daw Suu spends her days as wife and mother to Alex (Jonathan Woodhouse) and Kim (Jonathan Raggett), and her nights finishing her own Ph.D. and writing and reflecting on her father and her country. Looming over their quiet life is the possibility that someday Daw Suu, given her family history, may play a role in the shaping of her country. That possibility becomes a reality when her mother Daw Khin Kyi (Marian Yu) falls ill. Daw Suu rushes to her bedside just as the 8.8.88 uprising – the massive, student-led demonstrations against the military government that ultimately resulted in a violent crackdown, claiming the lives of over 3,000 protestors – occurs in Rangoon. Daw Suu is subsequently approached by students and intellectuals in the movement: they know that they need an imposing face (and prime minister candidate) for their National League for Democracy, and believe that it can only be her. She accepts and goes on to be elected in a landslide, only to have the junta nullify the results, threaten her life, place her under house arrest, cut her off from the family, and undermine her work. All the while, Daw Suu insists on nonviolent response, leading through powerful, inspirational example.
Meanwhile, the film also tracks Michael and the boys back in the U.K., frequently kept from wife/mother, and their efforts to adjust to their new reality and serve the cause as best they can. Michael recruits help to nominate his wife for the Nobel Peace Prize (which she receives in 1991), negotiates personally with the generals, and coordinates with such figures as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker to apply pressure where it is needed.
The film takes an absolutely devastating turn (just as the real story did) when Michael is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which the generals attempt to leverage against Daw Suu. Despite entreaties from and considerable efforts by Pope John Paul II, the UN, the Dalai Lama, and others, the two are forbidden from being together as Michael dies; the generals won't allow Michael into the country, and if Daw Suu leaves she will not be permitted to return. Here, the vision, idealism, and considerable sacrifices of this family on behalf of a nation of oppressed people, is brought into starkest focus.
Yeoh, the Malaysian-born star of Ang Lee's Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies among many others, is nothing short of miraculous. Not only does she completely transform into the Daw Suu we all recognize – it would not be an overstatement at all to say that it's as though she's channeling her – but she also manages to convincingly bring out those aspects of her inner and interpersonal life that have not been so public. It's a robust, heartrending, simply astonishing performance that not only does justice to the film's subject, but will probably also stir many viewers to go out and learn more about the real-life "Lady." (There couldn't be a higher compliment for Yeoh, who, personally inspired by Daw Suu, was the driving force behind getting this film made.)
Though Yeoh's performance alone would be enough to make it a must, The Lady contains a second remarkable piece of film acting in David Thewlis' take on Daw Suu's late husband. Best known to American audiences as Harry Potter's "Professor Lupin," Thewlis comes through with what is perhaps the most affecting performance in his distinguished career as the devoted Michael Aris (and also his twin brother Anthony). In the final analysis, The Lady is less about an individual than it is a marriage – the title may be a bit of misnomer, in fact – so he's every bit as important to this story as she is. Thewlis exquisitely conveys the intelligence, patience, longing, adoration, and dedication of his character. He breaks your heart.
As director, Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) is predictably right at home with the more suspenseful aspects of the story and in depicting the horrors of vicious Generals Ne Win and Than Shwe's junta. Additionally, as he demonstrated with Léon: The Professional (his best film), his storytelling panache is often very well suited to emotionally-charged material: as unusual as the pairing of material and director may seem here, his unique visual sense often serves The Lady quite well indeed. One breathtaking, richly metaphoric moment, for example, has Daw Suu lighting a candle on the floor beside her mother's bed in Rangoon General Hospital, at once bringing a much-needed quality of warmth and personality to the seemingly hopeless surroundings, and sending hoards of cockroaches fleeing underground. In addition, the re-enactment of the real-life moment when Daw Suu faced down a potential firing squad is at once pitch-perfect and a quintessentially Besson moment. (It was this incident that also inspired the iconic U2 anthem to Daw Suu, "Walk On".)
Though Rebecca Frayn's script wisely keeps the drama focused on Daw Suu's sacrifices in terms of her family, it's flat, without much in the way of compelling dialogue (mostly it's used to telegraph information). In addition, the film contains just enough flashes of genuine greatness to leave the audience wanting more. One beautifully performed scene, for example, which depicts the frustrated Kim and the distraught Daw Suu speaking by phone as Michael dies in hospice, brilliantly captures the tension between agape love and family love that is at the very heart of this story. Daw Suu awkwardly and unnecessarily tries to explain to her son (and herself) the reasons that she's not there with them, as Kim listens in adolescent silence, clearly struggling with the impending loss of his father, the absence of his mother, and the hopeful vision of a democratic Burma that the whole family shares. It's a powerful moment of conflicting, messy emotions, one of a handful in the film, which suggest the possibility of a much greater work of art. These scenes represent The Lady at its best; in between, though, this is not necessarily 2011's most scintillating piece of cinema.
But it all works nonetheless. (At the screening I attended, the soft sounds of sobs and sniffles in the theater permeated all of the scenes intended to elicit such a reaction.) What's more, The Lady isn't trying to be Citizen Kane. Indeed, it's after the final scene fades out that the real mission here is perhaps most apparent. The first end title card notes that over 2,100 political prisoners remain behind bars in Burma, including 17 video journalists – several of whom contributed footage from within Rangoon specifically for use in the film. In addition, the credits have a "thank you" to certain persons within Burma for assistance with the film, noting that, for their safety, they cannot be identified by name. The Lady is first and foremost a passion project by film artists wanting to educate audiences about the still-dire human rights situation in Burma, and the truly extraordinary sacrifices of those trying to change things. It's "edu-tainment," activist art, and, clearly, everyone involved in the production is OK with and primarily committed to that.
The movement for democracy and human rights needed a film like this, for those unaware of the situation to go into and emerge educated, inspired, and motivated. They will. In a recent interview, Besson talked about screening the film with Burmese refugees, who wept while watching. Referring to this effect on those who have a lot riding on the success of the film, Besson said, "I'm a happy man." He should be: The Lady is exactly what it needs to be.
Click here to see all our coverage on The Lady, including a trailer for the film.
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Buddhist song-Song of Repentance 懺悔歌


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