Photos: Andy Karr’s contemplative view of Brazil

Photos: Andy Karr’s contemplative view of Brazil

Photos: Andy Karr’s contemplative view of Brazil

Posted: 10 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT

Andy Karr, co-author of The Practice of Contemplative Photography: Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes, has just returned from teaching a photography workshop in São Paulo, Brazil this past weekend. He shared with us some photos of the event taken by his host, Dharma/Arte magazine publisher Carlos Inada, as well as the photos below, which Karr snapped in São Paulo.

"The practice of contemplative photography is a method for revealing the hidden richness and beauty of the phenomenal world; revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary," Karr said about his trip.

"Teaching this practice on a first visit to São Paulo, Brazil was both ordinary and extraordinary. The softness and inquisitiveness of the participants was extraordinary (not to mention the feijoada, a most traditional Brazilian dish, and the caipirinhas, Brazil's national cocktail). At first it was hard to get beyond the excitement of the exotic, but after a couple of days we were back on the earth, surrounded by buildings and cars, people and trees, sky and pavement, and, once again, the practice brought out the richness of this ordinary world," he said.

Carlos Inada is pictured in the last photograph.

For more from Karr about contemplative photography, check out Buddhism and Photography: What's the Connection? which includes a video interview and an excerpt from The Practice of Contemplative Photography.

See also: A Way of Seeing, another selection from the book published in the May 2011 Shambhala Sun magazine.

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May 10 in NYC: Nicholas Vreeland’s historic appointment to be celebrated

Posted: 10 May 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Photo via The Tibet Center

The Tibet Center in New York City will host a reception in celebration of Ven. Nicholas Vreeland's appointment to position of abbot of Rato Monastery, becoming the first Westerner to take over leadership of a Tibetan monastery. Vreeland was appointed to this leadership position by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and will assume the office on July 6, 2012.

The reception will be held at 145 Ave of Americas, #2A, at Spring St, New York City, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. For more information on this reception and historic appointment, see the Religion News Service press release.

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Chikudo Lew Richmond names two dharma successors

Posted: 09 May 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Kuzan Peter Schireson & Chikudo Lew Richmond

Earlier this month, Kuzan Peter Schireson and Rinso Ed Sattizahn went through the dharma transmission ceremony with their teacher, Chikudo Lew Richmond, in the Soto Zen lineage of the late Shunryu Suzuki roshi. In an article published at Sweeping Zen, Schireson said this about his teacher:

"I've worked closely with Lew for about five years now, so there's lots to thank him for, but the one thing I must say is this: if it not for Lew, I really don't know if I would have ordained as a priest and completed my training in the Suzuki Roshi lineage."

"His kindness, insights, and Vimalakirti style of embodying the Dharma encouraged me to deepen my practice in ways I hadn't envisioned," Schireson continued. "He helped me understand that ordaining as a priest was not about robes, the outward formalities, or the archetypal aura that I associated with the role. That the essence of priest practice was the practice of love and compassion, from the inside out. I came to understand that I could ordain, practice, and teach as myself. For that I am deeply and especially grateful."

For more on this story, please see the original article over at Sweeping Zen.

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U.N. Celebrates Buddhist International Day of Vesak

Posted: 09 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT

By John Laing, edited by Jim Luce, Daily Kos, May 7, 2012

New York, USA -- Vesak - signifying "Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and His Parinirvãna (passing away) - is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. In an era where the world is darkened by multiple conflicts and natural and man-made calamities, the Buddha's message of non-violence, understanding, compassion and peace, is powerfully relevant. 

<< Ban Ki Moon with the Sri Lankan Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona in the General Assembly.
Photo: Sri Lankan Mission to the U.N.

The United Nations celebrated the International Day of Vesak on May 7, 2012 at the U.N. General Assembly Hall. 

Visakha in Pali means the sixth month and is known as Vaisakha in Sanskrit. People in Thailand call it Visakha.  Visakha Puja means the chantings and offerings initiated in the sixth lunar month.  However, as people in Sri Lanka have called this event Vesak,  the United Nations too have adopted Vesak as the official term and have officially recognised it as one of its International Day, as stated in the U.N.'s GA Resolution 54/115 of 2000.

Since then, the International Day of Vesak has been commemorated annually at the United Nations Headquarters as well as its offices worldwide. The unique feature of the celebrations is that each year a different Permanent Mission to the United Nations hosts the event. The Vesak event this year included cultural activities, supported by a number of Buddhist and non-Buddhist countries.
 
This year's Vesak Day was also commemorated with a series of events organized by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York with the generous assistance of other missions.  The heads of the United Nations bodies along with other senior officials of the UN system attended the occasion. 

Permanent Representatives of Member States also attended the event and a number of them addressed the gathering.  A large number of Buddhist monks from around the world also participated, along with religious dignitaries from other major religions.

The holy day of Vesak is observed traditionally by Buddhists in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, and Indonesia.  Interestingly, the decision to agree to celebrate the Vesakha as the Buddha's birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950, although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition.

Following the special commemorative event in the General Assembly Hall, cultural performances was held at the Visitor's Lobby of the UN, depicting the rich Buddhist heritage of the organizing Member States. The day concluded with a food festival hosted by the organizing Member States, representing delicacies from over 19 nations.

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RSA Animate -- The Secret Powers of Time

Professor Philip Zimbardo conveys how our individual perspectives of time affect our work, health and well-being. Time influences who we are as a person, how we view relationships and how we act in the world. View the full video of Professor Philip Zimbardo's talk at the RSA.

Video Rating: 4 / 5




This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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