Back to the heart of Jonah Lehrer’s “Imagine”

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• Back to the heart of Jonah Lehrer’s “Imagine”
• His Holiness Visits Lamdon School and the Ladakhi Muslims in Leh
• Pema Chödrön’s “virtual retreat” goes viral

Back to the heart of Jonah Lehrer’s “Imagine” Posted: 31 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT The latest hubbub in the literary world — or at least the world of literary nonfiction — is all about Jonah Lehrer and his book, Imagine: How Creativity Works. Lehrer was a well-known staff writer for the New Yorker, but resigned that post yesterday due to the revelation that he had included in the book Bob Dylan quotes that, unfortunately, weren't by Bob Dylan at all. These quotes, about Dylan's songwriting, were fabricated by Lehrer himself. That's bad news for the author but not necessarily for the book, which has already sold some 200,000 copies. And being that the book is nonfiction, a James Frey / A Million Little Pieces-style backlash probably isn't in the cards. So while Lehrer is on to the next phase of his career, his book remains out there with much to (legitimately) tell us. So do check out "Tapping the Creative Mind" — Christian McEwen's feature review of Imagine from our September issue, which is just hitting newsstands this week. As McEwen, the author of World Enough & Time: On Creativity and Slowing Down, writes: "Jonah Lehrer is no Buddhist, but Imagine is packed with images and anecdotes that reflect the meditative experience. [...] At the very least, it reminds us just what a rich and turbulent brew creativity can be, that 'seething cauldron of ideas,' as the psychologist William James once called it, 'where everything is fizzing and bobbing about in a state of bewildering activity.'" Preview "Tapping the Creative Mind" here. Read More @ Source

His Holiness Visits Lamdon School and the Ladakhi Muslims in Leh Posted: 31 Jul 2012 12:01 AM PDT Leh, Ladakh, J&K, India, 27 July, 2012 - On this fourth visit to Lamdon Model School since the mid-seventies, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a warm reception by Mr. Eshey Tondup, the Principal, who showed him two new buildings: a dental clinic dedicated to the memory of the late Roy A. Kite, Jr. from France, whose longstanding contribution to the students' welfare His Holiness remembered well and a science block with three new Chemistry, Physics and Biology laboratories. During his last visit to Lamdon school, in 2009, His Holiness urged the administration to provide such science facilities so students could gain practical experience of science. He offered financial help for them to do so and was deeply impressed with what has been achieved. His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes a gesture during his visit to address the Leh Muslim community organized by the Muslim Coordination Committee Leh Ladakh, J&K, India, on 27 July 2012. (Photo by Rosemary Rawcliffe). In his talk to students and staff, His Holiness stressed the need to take a holistic approach to education. Modern education is very good at developing the brain but this should not be at the expense of traditional values that are important for developing a good heart. He also commended the use of traditional dialectical debate and reasoning, not only in the study of religion, but also in the study of science and other modern topics. He explained the necessity of examining what you learn from teachers or read in books carefully and repeatedly in a logical way that really deepens and reinforces  your understanding. His Holiness went on to say, "Of course education is essential for Buddhists too. The proper way to practise the Buddha's teaching is to investigate reality. We must make fullest use of our human intelligence, and in that context, a scientific approach, which is primarily concerned with examining the external world, is helpful. However, the Buddhist approach does not rely on external instruments, but employs the human mind to investigate reality through concentration and analytical meditation." His Holiness referred to the dialogues he has engaged in with contemporary western scientists for more than thirty years. As a consequence a number of scientists have begun to take an interest in the workings of the mind and emotions, which are explained in great detail in the works of the great India masters of the Nalanda tradition, such as Nagarjuna. His Holiness concluded by expressing the hope that in the remaining 80 years or so of the 21st century students from Lamdon Model School will make a significant contribution to the cause of peace and happiness in Ladakh, India and the world at large. From the Lamdon School His Holiness went to visit the community of Ladakhi Muslims at Idga, Leh. His Holiness the Dalai Lamalistening to a student describe an electrical resistance experiment in the physics lab during the inauguration of a new science building funded by The Dalai Lama Trust at Lamdon Model Senior Secondary School, Leh Ladakh, J&K, India, on 27 July 2012 . (Photo by Tenzin Taklha/OHHDL) Children welcomed him with smiles and clapping hands and the local mullah received His Holiness at the door. His Holiness explained his thoughts about secular ethics, the basic human values that we find taught in all religions, but he said that Muslims and Buddhists should meet to discuss what they have in common to further the cause of peace and harmony between them. He pointed out that love, compassion, tolerance, self-discipline and contentment are shared values in all the world's major religious traditions. Regarding self-discipline, His Holiness teasingly remarked that Buddhists had something to learn from their Muslim brothers about abstention from alcohol, which provoked widespread laughter. He asked how many Muslim families live in Leh and learned that there are about a thousand, with a population of 12,000 or so Muslims in the city altogether. On their part the Muslim elders were grateful to His Holiness for his visit and his efforts to strengthen the bond between the various faiths, particularly the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Ladakh, which they regarded as especially significant during the holy month of Ramdan. His Holiness is going to Padum, Zanskar 29th - 31st July, where he will teach the Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva and the Eight Verses for Training the Mind. Read More @ Source

Pema Chödrön’s “virtual retreat” goes viral Posted: 30 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT Pema fans wont want to miss her feature article in the November '12 Shambhala Sun, available in early October. Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön recently celebrated her seventy-sixth birthday, and the folks at the Pema Chödrön Foundation decided to honor the day by arranging a "virtual retreat" that fans worldwide could take part in. So how'd it go? Smashingly! As the PCF tells us: "From Ukraine to Uganda, and from Tajikistan to Tibet, friends and students of Pema Chödrön from around the world gathered together in their homes and local centers on July 14 in honor of her 76th birthday. Pema had filmed a teaching just for this birthday retreat before she entered her own retreat for this entire year. Remarkably, more than 11,000 people from 101 countries gathered with many thousands more in their own communities. There was no cost for the retreat and teachings, but the many birthday offerings that were received went toward the building of a three-year retreat center, to be called Pema Chödrön Drubde, for the nuns of Tsoknyi Gechak Ling in Nepal." For more, visit the Pema Chödrön Foundation online. And read the best of Pema's teachings from the Shambhala Sun on our exclusive Pema Chödrön Spotlight page. Read More @ Source

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