SF Zen Center Supports the Number “350″ and International Day of Action to Stop Climate Change Oct 24

SF Zen Center Supports the Number “350″ and International Day of Action to Stop Climate Change Oct 24

Posted: 22 Oct 2009 02:43 AM PDT

Justin Michaelson writes about San Francisco Zen Center's commitment to learn and educate about climate change, and their involvement with 350.org. "A basic tenet of Zen practice is to do no harm to self or others. This intention extends out from meditation practice into actions within social and political realms. A recent event in the Green Gulch community offered a time to gather together to contemplate and educate about Climate Change in a creative and positive way." They recently gathered to take a photo for 350.org. You can read here why that number is significant, and what the Green Gulch community wants to do about it.

Yoga and Hinduism

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:58 PM PDT

Douglas Groothuis, a long-time verbal sparring partner of mine, has recently posted a review of a video that argues, in Groothuis' words, "There is no yoga without Hinduism and no Hinduism without yoga."

Let me begin with our areas of agreement: though there are some points of contact between Hinduism and Christianity, particularly in relation to ethical issues, there are also serious points of disconnect. Furthermore, it is obvious that yoga as a discipline has strong Hindi roots. But this, it seems, is where the good Dr. and I must part paths.

The essential claim is that, say, doing Baddha Konasana, Prasarita Padottanasana, Paschimottanasana, or Marichyasana III essentially invokes in some form, to quote Groothuis, "reincarnation/karma, maya, nirvana, the author of the Vedas...Brahman...[and/or] Atman...as one with Brahman". Yet these are all common stretches for runners and athletes. I myself did all of them for years and years before I knew anything about Hinduism, Buddhism, or yoga and they were very effective in releasing tension in my muscles. Yet, so the claim seems to go, the very fact of my doing them (along with deep breathing to help my muscles relax, which is a physiologically demonstrable causal connection) made me, in the words of the publisher, one of the "leading missionaries of eastern religion in the west". Or dancers, when they do Natarajasana, are being drawn to the evils of Hinduism and spreading its dogma to the world. Or gymnasts, when they perform Tittibhasana, are really hidden agents of the 'Eastern agenda', spreading the truth of Brahma to the world (which also makes balance beam, where this is done most often, one of the primary gymnastic evangelistic tools). Or, last but not least, when pilates instructors ask their students to do Paripurna Navasana, they are secretly initiating them into Hindi religion.

All sarcasm aside, it seems obvious that the poses themselves are not what is so essentially Hindi as to require an invocation of Brahma to make sense of them, let alone perform them. Perhaps it is the order of the poses, say in doing a Sun Salutation, that makes these bodily poses essentially Hindi. The Sun Salutation, however, is just one set of possibilities and yoga instructors within most traditions are encouraged to depart from it. I've been in many yoga classes where we didn't do a single Sun Saluation or any other Veda-required sequences (though there are no such things). So neither the poses individually nor in sequence seem to be essentially Hindi in nature.

Perhaps, then, it is pranayama, such as ujjayi breathing, that is thought to be essentially Hindi in nature. Here it is good to point out, much like in relation to the poses, that some form of pranayama is done naturally, as in the oft-heard advice to "take a few deep breaths" when hot headed or the mind is racing (when the breath is fast and shallow) or to take quicker and deeper breaths (like a bellows blowing on a fire) to enliven the mind and body when tired (when the breath is slow and shallow). The natural (i.e. non-religiously dependent) fact is that breathing is closely tied to our emotional and mental life: the depth and rhythm of our breathing accompanies and makes possible all of our emotional relations, whether it be the shallow and fast breathing of fear and panic or the slower and relaxed breathing of contentedness. Seeing and utilizing this relation in 'breath work' requires Hinduism no more than it requires atheism, though both may be brought into it. Yes, when one invokes the chakras and meridians when discussing how the breath works, one may be said to be giving Hindi views (or Buddhist or Taoist or Confucian or etc.; there are many traditions that such a discussion may be drawing from). But breath work itself does not essentially require Hindi thought.

So the acts themselves, when taken on their own, are not essentially Hindi in nature, both because we do many of them naturally without any inclination of Hindi philosophy and, more importantly, because intention plays a central role in understanding the meaning of any movement. In my own classes, for example, if I were said to take any religious approach, it would be Buddhist, not Hindi. But, with that said, I 'require' a few set of 'beliefs' as essential to my own practice and to that which I give to my students: first, that there is such a thing as observation. Second, that, with that observation, we can examine the mind and the body/breath. Third, that the students examine their body and mind as they move through the different asanas and try different kinds of pranayama. Fourth, and finally, that they accept and use whatever they see as beneficial in what I teach (what gives them more strength, flexibility, and calm) and either disregard or further test what seems to lack any particular benefit. The last 'requirement', while intended to be inherently anti-dogmatic, acknowledges the fact (that I and many other yoga teachers have seen again and again) that every body is different, has different needs, and will resonate with some poses/practices more than others (physically, emotionally, or mentally). I am no more evangelizing for Hinduism (nor Buddhism) than I am evangelizing for CUTCO (which sells excellent knives, by the way).

The centrality of intention is particularly important when you discuss the "fitness instructors" that teach 'yoga' at various fitness centers throughout the US. The large majority of them teach "flow yoga" which consists of a few hours of training that ties a yoga sequence to upbeat music, transitioning from pose to pose with the beat, thereby making one certified to teach it at various fitness centers. Within this training the instructors learn nothing of Hinduism or yoga's history (as you do with Yoga Alliance approved teacher training, where yoga's history and how it has been appropriated by different schools [Hindi and otherwise] are taught) and do not integrate any formal pranayama or meditation techniques with the practice (they follow 'objective' beats in the music, not the flow of the breath). If this is the kind of training that is given to the "leading missionaries of eastern religion in the west", when they are completely ignorant of that which they are supposedly evangelizing (and not just in the 'I'm a believer but don't really know my religion' kind of way, but complete and utter ignorance), then this is an exceedingly poor (completely destitute) programmatic spreading of the religion that could gain 'converts' only by accident.

So, for the discerning Christian, the task is to find a teacher who teaches with an intention that fits their particular belief systems, as you will find some that explicitly teach chakras and such. If any Christian (or Hindu or Jehovah's Witness or atheist or etc.) comes to my classes, they will not find even thinly veiled references to Hinduism (or Buddhism), but a systematic use of the completely natural (i.e. non-mystical) powers of observation and movement in order to find and alleviate the body and mind's blockages/tensions. No more, no less.

The Vinaya Pitaka

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 05:30 PM PDT


Sukihotu

It is a privilege to live in a multi racial country like Malaysia. Here I lived amongst people of different ethics. Which brings along a diversity of culture, language, food, traditions and religion. Among the religion that thrives in Malaysia is Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, Skism, Bahai and others.

As I look around me, I find that most religion has it's own set of body that governed their order. Like for example we have the Jabatan Agama which carries out the order of the Islamic Syariah law in this country for the Muslim. Then we also have the Singham which looks after the welfare of the Samy (Hindu priest) and temples for the Hindus. We also have the United Church which does the same for Christians in this country. And as for Buddhism in this country, we have the Sangha council to look after the interest of the Buddhists.

But, what I want to stress here is that, each council body takes care of the interest of it's community. But I notice that in Buddhism we have something extra. That is the Vinaya Pitaka. An order formed by the Buddha for the Monks and Nuns in the monastery. There are 227 observations a monk should practice and 311 observations a nun should abide to.

Besides learning the Dhamma in the monastery, the monks and nuns follows and practice the Vinaya Pitaka diligently.

I would certainly appreciate such Vinaya Pitaka because in my job as a researcher, I know that gaining knowledge is just academic. It is of no value to us if we do not practice it. It is only through actual personal experiential, can one fully understand the enjoy the yield of such observations.

I am not a monk yet, therefore I do not have the experience of practising the Vinaya Pitaka. But I looked forward to the day I enter the Sangha to taste it for myself.

Metta Cittena
Uncle Bugs
22nd Oct 2009

Inquiry: They are too caught up in ideology

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 07:00 AM PDT

They are too caught up in ideology. (Conservatives in the US when they support approaches that research shows are not working, and don't support approaches that research and examples from other countries shows are working. It is not only stupid, it shows dishonesty and a lack of compassion and alignment with reality.)

  1. True?
    Yes.
  2. Sure it is true?
    No. This too is just an opinion, and quite one-sided as well.
  3. What happens when I believe that thought?
    • I get agitated. I make them wrong and myself right. I get caught up in stories showing how I am right and they are wrong.
      • They support programs that all research shows are not working, such as abstinence-only and DARE. They don't want universal health care, even if examples from other countries shows it works far better than what they have in the US. (Higher quality of care at less cost, accessible for anyone.) They don't support policies that creates a more egalitarian society, even if all research and examples from other countries show that egalitarian societies function better in all respects - including safety, trust, reduced crime, health and well-being.
      • They set their own ideology higher than human life. They set their own ideology higher than more informed, kind and wise decisions. When they preach abstinence and don't promote or make it easier to use contraception, they set up a situation where unwanted children are conceived, which in turn leads to abortions. When they promote the DARE program instead of programs that work, they set up a situation where young people get into drugs even if it could have been prevented. When they sabotage any attempts to move in the direction of universal health care, they condemn large number of people to bankruptcy and preventable illness and death.
    • I take it further. They are not only wrong, they are stupid, misinformed, lack compassion, out of alignment with reality, dark hearted.
    • I seek out views that align with my belief, and avoid views that clash.
    • I feel good about being right, and agitated since they don't get it. There is stress, tension, discomfort, restlessness. A sense of separation. Isolation. Of not belonging when I am in the US, or think about living there.
    • I tell myself they get what they want. They support strategies that creates a ruthless, unequal and unkind society, and that is what they get. And the very people who support it are the ones who suffer from it, just from having to live in such a society, or more directly if they lose health insurance or work, or are exposed to violence due to poverty and desperation.
    • I even want them to suffer, so they get to experience the consequences of their views. (And at the same time feel compassion and want them to not suffer.)
    • What do I fear would happen if I didn't have that belief? I fear I would see the validity in their views. Not only that, I fear I would go over to the "dark side" and agree with their views.
    • How likely is that to happen? Not very likely. I grew up in a culture with a very different orientation, and I see that it works far better in every way, so I am not likely to support a diametrically opposite system. I can (easily) acknowledge the validity in their views, understand where they are coming from, recognize that it makes sense for them, and still not agree that it is a good course for society. I already do that in many areas, so can do it here as well.
  4. Who am I without it?
    • Receptive. Receptive to the validity of their views. Receptive to the ways it makes sense to them.
    • Curious. Curious about other approaches that may acknowledge the validity of more views, including theirs.
  5. Turnarounds.
    • They are not too caught up in ideology.
      • Hm. I guess they want to be caught up in it, so they are getting what they want. (At some level at least, even if it brings discomfort.)
      • They believe stories, so get caught up in them. It is a natural dynamics.
      • What is happening there has infinite causes. Who am I to argue?
    • I am too caught up in ideology.
      • Yes. That is more true. When I have that story about them, and believe it, I get caught up in my own ideology. I am the one who take stories as more important than what is more honest for me. I am the one who get fundamentalist about it. It is right here.
      • In general, it is true as well. I easily attach to viewpoints without checking what is more honest for me.
    • They are too little caught up in ideology.
      • Right. It would help me notice my own beliefs if they were more caught up in their own. It would intensify the situation, trigger my own hangups.
      • They want to, so could go further.
      • If they were, they would get the consequences of it more clearly. They may recognize the dynamics more easily for themselves.
    • They are too caught up in pragmatism.
      • Hm! This one is more difficult to find.
      • Again, they want to be caught up in ideology - it may feel safe, be a way to avoid fear, give a sense of community, give a sense of knowing what is right and wrong and so on - so pragmatism tends to ruin their project. (And for me as well, where I am doing the same.)
      • When I believe my own stories about them, it is more convenient if they act according to it. When they are pragmatic, it ruins my stories about them.
    • My thinking is too caught up in ideology.
      • Yes, especially when it believes itself.

Additional beliefs: They are dishonest. They lack compassion. They are not aligned with reality. They get what they deserve. I know what is best. I know the best direction for society.

tagged:   

Sogyal Rinpoche in Seattle Dec. 11-12!

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 12:24 PM PDT

We are pleased to announce that tickets for Sogyal Rinpoche's teachings Finding Peace and Stability in a Troubled World, taking place December 11-12, 2009 in Seattle, are now on sale!

The acclaimed author of the spiritual classic, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Rinpoche is known for his remarkable ability to present the heart and essence of Tibetan Buddhism in a way that is authentic and profoundly relevant to the modern mind. He is known for his warmth, love, and penetrating insight.

He will be teaching on:

  • Discovering inner peace and contentment
  • The essence of the teachings of the Buddha
  • Meditation techniques that lead us to understand the true nature of mind
  • Methods for bringing forth the true nature of mind

These timely and precious teachings will take place at Seattle Unity Church, 200 8th Ave. in Seattle.

Ticket prices range from $100 – $150 depending on section.

To purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/84715

More information about Sogyal Rinpoche and the event is available at this website:
http://www.sogyalrinpocheinseattle.info/

To learn more about Nalanda West and to see a calendar of our meditation, classes, and events, please visit:
www.nalandawest.org

Please help spread the word about these beneficial teachings! Share the gift of inner and outer peace with your friends and family, and forward this email to your networks.

Gratitude to the Teacher

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 10:01 AM PDT


In Buddhism one thing that we can always be grateful for is the teacher. Ajahn Sumedho has frequently referred to his teacher, Ajahn Chah, with great fondness and gratitude, acknowledging the debt that he owes him. A great teacher like Ajahn Chah (or Ajahn Sumedho for that matter) is easy for a sincere Buddhist to recognize, having received his wisdom, compassion and practical advice on walking the Path. I too feel much gratitude towards Ajahn Chah, as well as Ajahn Sumedho, Douglas Harding, Daisetz Suzuki, and many, many others. But these are not the only teachers that I have had in my life: not by a long way.


I myself am a teacher here in Thailand, and know only too well some of the misbehavior and disrespect that those in this profession must tolerate at times. And, casting my mind back to my own school days, I can recall some of the naughty stuff that I got up to. I also remember the teachers and the advice and care I received from (most) of them. I am thankful for their guidance. Yet, teachers are not only those formerly given the title like school educators and monks ('ajahn' means 'teacher' in Thai); there are many other people in life who deserve the title, one way or another.


What about our parents, or whoever played those roles during one's childhood? The years of time, effort, work, and love spent trying to make a good future for their offspring, often not appreciated by the latter at the time. It's no wonder that Buddhism encourages gratitude towards one's parents. Friends too can play an important part in teaching us the safer route through life, or at least the more joyful, with their support and companionship. I have learnt much from my wife also over the years of our marriage. Thank you, darling!

It's not only those we know well who can be our teachers, however. What of the stranger who says something that has a profound effect, perhaps encouraging a radical rethink of the way one is living? (I recall such an event many moons ago when a drunken woman told me that if I was really a Buddhist, I wouldn't be sat inebriated puffing away on a cigarette and chatting to her! It took a few years for that to really sink in, but as a teetotal, non-smoking Buddhist these days I can look back with thanks for her opinion.)


Our dogs Leo & Lion have been a genuine source of Dharma too, despite being unaware of the fact – at least they look unaware of it, anyhow. It's hard to tell, really! The attachment and suffering experienced due to their various misadventures have been opportunities for reflection that have shown the reality of the Noble Truth of Suffering and its origin. Mosquitoes, snakes, flies, stray dogs, early morning cockerels waking one up – they can all be teachers of the way things are (the Dharma), if we stay alert.


And let's not forget the weather. As I write this it's pouring down outside, which is a bit premature for this time of year in Northeast Thailand. The rain is teaching me about impermanence and imperfection, on how unsure everything really is, something Ajahn Chah constantly emphasized. A couple of years ago I bumped my head and had stitches in it, and then returned to the scene of the accident and thanked the low ceiling for a lesson in mindfulness! Even an awful tragedy like the aftermath of the recent storm in the Philippines that's apparently killed many human beings – not to mention other beings – can be a teacher to humanity. Not that this reduces the compassion and sympathy that we might feel towards the poor people involved, of course.


What does all this boil down to really? Spiritual teachers, educators, family, friends, lovers, associates, strangers, animals, inanimate objects, and events can all contribute the cultivation of wisdom and the development of compassion. In a nutshell, life is the teacher, with each moment a potential moment for awakening to the Dharma, and realizing the Truth for ourselves. With this in mind, let's express our gratitude to the teacher, to life itself, in all its wonderful, terrible, inspiring and frustrating forms. Let us bow to this life that gives us the opportunity to learn.

Lets Rip Apart Some Books!

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 10:13 AM PDT


I cant believe that I even started this one...

I can't believe that I even started this one...

Over at Barbara's Buddhist Blog, Barbara mentioned that…

A few days ago I came across an article by an alleged Christian scholar named James Beverly explaining Buddhism, and as pain goes it's on a par with fingernails scratching a blackboard. (Beverly is the editor of something called Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions. I've requested a review copy from the publisher so I can survey the damage.)

I won't go into her explanations, which were clear and concise, but rather point to the fact that most Buddhist bloggers should be doing this.  Request a freakin' review copy of shit that interests you or pisses you off.  Then, tear it apart like the bunch of wolves we are.  I am luck enough to get review copies at the library once in a while but I plan on addressing the publishers directly on books that are coming out that I think are either good (seemingly), interesting (seemingly) or just plumb fucking awful. 

Lets start with this one and have some fun!

Cheers,

John

The Way of Mindfulness: A winter meditation immersion retreat

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 09:59 AM PDT

santa cruz mountainsOur good friends at the FWBO's San Francisco center are holding a winter meditation retreat. The annual winter meditation immersion retreat is held in silence, simplicity and spaciousness among the magical redwoods and madrones of the Santa Cruz mountains.

The program offers sustained periods of sitting and walking meditation, periods of instruction and guidance and the experience of living with a like-minded community of those curious to go deeper into meditation practice. Participants range from beginners just introduced to meditation to seasoned practitioners. Those introduced to meditation through an introductory course or drop-in class are welcome to join the retreat.

The four presences of mindfulness, body, feelings, mind and dhammas (the nature of experience) will be part of this year's teaching and practice exploration, using two classic and comprehensive mindfulness teachings from the Buddha: the Anapanasati (Mindfulness with Breathing) and Satipatthana discourses.

How to Register
Registration deadline with full payment or $100 deposit: Sun, Dec 7

The retreat starts at 7pm on Monday, December 21, and ends at 12pm on Wednesday, December 30. A simple dinner will be served between 6 & 6:30pm on the first night of the retreat.

Sliding scale: $550-$450, plus optional donation for teachers and the cook. Paying the higher end of the sliding scale helps others come on retreat at a lower rate.

The venue is about a 2 hour drive from San Francisco. After you register and pay the deposit you will receive information about location, carpools, what to bring, etc. by email. To register online, visit our website.

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600th anniversary celebration of major Tibetan monastery

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 08:05 AM PDT

Xinhuanet gives an extensive accounting of the activities surrounding the celebration.

They report that, "more than 10,000 believers have gathered at a leading monastery of Tibetan Buddhism near Lhasa in Tibet over the past three days to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the founding of the temple. A range of activities have been held during the three-day celebrations to mark the anniversary of the Ganden Monastery, including a commemorative ceremony, Tibetan opera performances and Buddhist services."

Sakyong expresses support for ministries and departments of peace

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 07:15 AM PDT

The Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, has expressed his support for the worldwide initiative to urge countries to establish ministries and departments of peace. He issued the following statement in conjunction with the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica last month:
"Years hence, when every country has a Ministry of Peace, people will look back and ask: 'What took us so long?' After all, we have a ministry for almost everything else: health, education and so on. How odd that, of all things, we have no ministries of peace. Peace is the key to accomplishing the rest. 

"Peace is the global imperative. The huge challenges we face will not be resolved through aggression. Aggression got us into this global crisis in the first place. Now, even the survival of the biosphere is under threat. We are not going pull back from this catastrophe by using the very same mindset and methods that bought us to this brink. Nor is this a crisis we can resolve through good wishes alone. We need a coordinated global plan which will bring together the brightest minds, the best plans and the most gifted leadership. The backbone of that plan will be the Ministries of Peace." 

At present three countries have established ministries of peace: Costa Rica, Nepal and the Solomon Islands. There are hopes that Canada might be the next nation to do so. The President of Shambhala has written to the leaders of all Canadian parties on the Sakyong's behalf. The full text of the letter follows. 

If you wish to know more about this initiative globally, please visit the website: Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace. 

If you wish to know more about this initiative in Canada, please visit the website: Campaign to Establish a Canadian Department of Peace 

For both international and Canadian information, you can also contact Sherab Violetta Manoukian <sherabvman@in-pactgroup.on.ca>. 

Shambhala Centres who wish to be active in this, or who would like to receive the letter to the leaders of Canadian political parties in French, can also contact Jean Sirois, former director of the Ottawa Shambhala Centre: <j.sirois@videotron.ca>. 

To the Leaders of All Canadian National Political Parties, 

I have the honour to transmit to you the following aspiration from the Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, the supreme head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, headquartered in Canada, in support of the initiative to create a Canadian Department of Peace. 

This statement has been issued in conjunction with the Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica in September 2009: 

"Years hence, when every country has a Ministry of Peace, people will look back and ask: 'What took us so long?' After all, we have a ministry for almost everything else: health, education and so on. How odd that, of all things, we have no ministries of peace. Peace is the key to accomplishing the rest. 

Peace is the global imperative. The huge challenges we face will not be resolved through aggression. Aggression got us into this global crisis in the first place. Now, even the survival of the biosphere is under threat. We are not going pull back from this catastrophe by using the very same mindset and methods that bought us to this brink. Nor is this a crisis we can resolve through good wishes alone. We need a coordinated global plan which will bring together the brightest minds, the best plans and the most gifted leadership. The backbone of that plan will be the Ministries of Peace." 

– The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche 

I am writing to you now, as the leaders of all the national political parties in Canada, to urge your support for this peace initiative, both on a national and global level. On the global level, this initiative is being spearheaded by the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace and, in Canada, by the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI). 

Finding and remaining at peace is the heart aspiration of the great wisdom traditions and noble societies of the world. In common with many others, Shambhala Buddhism believes we can pursue a genuine path to peace by sensing and harnessing the transformative power of our basic human goodness. Such a view is central to Shambhala's outlook and practices, which are dedicated to disciplines of personal and social transformation. Both are necessary to dissipate prevailing tendencies towards fear and confusion and open the way to cultivating peace in our lives and our world. This is a genuine and practical basis for effective compassionate action, so sorely needed in this time of escalating global uncertainty, change, conflict and alienation. 

As the Sakyong stated when presenting the first Living Peace Award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Peace is not a choice for some; it is imperative for all. It is the only way forward for humanity and our planet." 

Peace cannot be won in the abstract but is earned through diligent effort that respects the experience of others and from that ground, listens, learns and communicates — a living practice of genuine human engagement. This quest for living peace cannot wait. Now is the time for people and societies of good faith to step forward assertively to place the campaign for peace in the forefront of our thoughts and efforts. 

Shambhala wholeheartedly endorses significant advancements to build a culture of peace in our era. The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace is perhaps foremost among them. Shambhala believes we can and should play an active role in this and similar civil society efforts which have so much in common with our vision and mission. 

We are also supportive of the efforts of CDPI. The mandate of the Minister of Peace would be to reinvigorate Canada's role as a peacekeeper and peace builder, advancing nonviolent responses to domestic and international conflict. This would include: the establishment of a civilian peace service in Canada; the development of peace education at all levels, including post-secondary peace and conflict studies; the development of early detection and rapid response processes to deal with emerging conflicts; international leadership to abolish nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, to reduce conventional weapon arsenals, and to ban the weaponization of space as part of a worldwide transition from war-based to peace-based economies. 

We are delighted that there was a Canadian delegation to the 4th Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace held in Costa Rica in mid-September. Oscar Arias, president of Costa Rica and Nobel peace laureate himself, hosted the conference in this, the third country to launch a Peace Ministry. We hope that Canada will soon follow. 

In anticipation of your supportive response and commitment to action, I send you every good wish, 

Richard Reoch 
President of Shambhala

(This announcement was from the Shambhala News Service)

Which voice in your head do you trust?

Posted: 21 Oct 2009 06:11 AM PDT

In this short video, Srimati talks about how to know which of the competing voices in our head to trust. She suggests listening to the inner guidance that leads towards expansiveness and freedom.

SrimatiSrimati is a freelance spiritual teacher, writer and co-founder of Thrivecraft Coaching, and a former member of the Western Buddhist Order.

She is currently engaged in publishing her whole body of work via books, articles, CDs, films, and the internet. Her aim is to contribute accessible and relevant spiritual intelligence to mainstream modern life and business.

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