Thich Nhat Hanh video

"...sit like a mountain, and breathe like a flower..."
"..love is an attempt to understand someone.."
"Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand new hours to live."

A bird in hand

The Titmouse and the empty peanut shell

The Titmouse and the empty peanut shell(inspired earlier this morning during backyard bird/chipmunk feeding session)

I threw an empty peanut shell halve to a titmouse(bird)

once it realized the shell was empty it simply sat it down

and went back to attention

back to resume beginner's mind

it didn't throw a fit

it didn't raise a fuss

it simply sat it down

it let go of the empty shell and moved on

it didn't get out of shape over its expectations of what should've been in the shell

it just waited for me to throw a peanut....just as it did the first time

my toying with the idea of possibility

(insomnia inspired - telling myself the things below)
Possibility

i think about possibility
possibility got us this far in our collective/social evolution
it allowed for those moments of connection and growth in humanity's relationship
ending of slavery, civil rights, social justice movements...

it allowed for those moments of union, brotherhood
in those moments of kindness and unconditional love from family/friends/lovers

it brought us here
it allowed for infinite number of outcomes...

life is open

We think the worst sometimes to prepare ourselves from falling, from being disappointed
Why not imagine the possibility of not getting our way...and not falling down from that or being disappointed?

possibility allows for horrible moments, but look at how much more has worked out
this outweighs the small amount that didn't


life is open

its wide open....

We tell ourselves that things are bound/preparing for the worst to protect ourselves from ALLOWING OURSELVES TO FALL...as if we're two separate people in one. One part of our psyche desires an outcome, while the other part ALLOWS the fall from perceived failure as correct response based on traditional thinking. We don't have to allow ourselves to fall at all, but its easier said than done to avoid it.

possibility got us here....imagine what can be, if all of this is possible
focus on possibility in all areas of life......don't give up.......bounce everytime if you can get yourself to and remember to do so.

hmmm

Just to post a not so clear blog, I'll blog journal style. I too, feel at times....the pressure to post a blog when my mind has a certain amount of clarity....as to not baffle or add to others' confusion in life. haha.....while reading a fellow blogger's page today we had a small discussion about this.

I'll just write here, to remind myself of things....as a meditation of sorts.
If my life was great, if i were a pretty boy who didn't have any inclination to question himself because he never had to, if things were easier.......I probably would not have gained interest in Eastern thought. For my life, Zen and the like.....the teachings that help us cut to the core of it without giving a belief that we "must" believe to gain a heaven or something. ....these things have kept me alive i think. There are many drugs out there that I was headed to abuse. So, Zen and the like has a different quality of meaning for myself. We all create a different sense of meaning, because its our story we're telling ourselves. I am telling myself a story all the time. That is "one hand clapping." The reason i say it that way is because there is a saying, "beware the one hand clapping," that is referring to only hearing one side of a story/issue.

• The reason we read or study zen or anything....sometimes we miss the reason because we're separating our intentions of studying the teachings......and our intentions studying ourselves. We don't catch that separation...because its subtle. So, remaining in the background is a set of unseen/unwatched/unstudied intentions. Do we study the teachings to make us feel better? Do we study ourselves to catch the things that we get hung up on? What are we looking for? Are we looking for something in the future? Or are we with the things in this moment? I say that we're all fighting to pay attention in our own lives and that's enough to worry about......studying our own self is enough.
  

We live and we learn. Live........then reflect.......live some more........then reflect.
Here are some human things about me:
I still complain about women and how fickle they are in WV. How they pick the jerks and shrug off men who treat them nice/decent. I still get involved in arguing about politics. ....especially about this health care issue. I have researched for many hours and have concluded what Wendell Potter has said, but didn't have to tell me. Although, hearing it from him excites the heck out of me. yes, I'm for a public option! I also get frustrated with Mormonism, Christian "vanity plate" syndrome(people calling themselves xians but not trying to live up to it, instead just decide falling short and saying they're saved and christian is enough to go around running their mouth about everyone else...looking down their nose at everyone). I fight to get inspired.....maybe I should just take the baby steps I've mentioned before. My discipline is out the window at this point, so its going to be a great uphill battle. However, with the many teachings, insights, and friends to mirror and share in my life....i think i can change my life and get back momentum. Things are different these days.

In the end, I know that all these things are dust bunnies.....but its our job to tend to It while we're here. Take care, start over from where you are any time....the present moment is all we ever have. Just keep starting over if need be.

Zazen and UUC short post

I'm thinking of starting a sitting zazen practice soon. Also, there is a local mediation circle that I might check out. I think I need to meet different kinds of people, and I've never been to this place or the UUC(Unitarian Universalist Congregation). I've heard nice things about both. The UUC is very socially conscious and active in community.

I won't abandon old friends, but hopefully will make new ones. Its not always easy to meet folks who are into Eastern thought or what not...

Interviewed UK myspace friend about universal health care

Just today, I messaged a UK myspace musician friend asking about the NHS and his feelings about the necessity for universal access to medical care for citizens of his country. He obliged and I'm very happy to share. My questions weren't great, but I greatly appreciated him taking the time to answer them.

He copied my questions just above his answers:

Jeremy!
Happy to oblige. Im not particularly right or left wing, so heres ny views for what they are worth:


1. Can you tell me, (i'll pass it on) how you feel about your health care system? pros & cons?


Ok its not bad. It used to be a lot lot better, tho, but now we have so many illegal immigrants in the country or legal ones from Europe who dont pay taxes as they are unemployed, theres not enough contributions going into it. So in recent years treatments and service has fallen. However, when your ill, get injured, suffer with something....its great not having to worry about paying for treatment.



2. Also, could you explain how it feels to know that your country takes care of everyone(whether or not they have money), when it comes to medical needs?


I think I feel proud of our country for it. However, illegal immigrants shouldnt get treated and I dont think immigrants from other countries who have paid less than a years taxes into our fund should get free treatment....



3. Do you feel Universal Health Care for everyone is necessary for the well-being of the country overall??


Yes



4. Do you have any suggestions on how to sell the idea of an NHS in the US?


Nope....
(end of his reply)
-------------------------
I can see where illegal immigration would take a toll on the money.....but.....Universal Health Care(single payer) or at the very least this public option(not free) they're talking about would be one step closer by giving everyone access to buying health insurance and competing to pressure private insurance(less care/more profit) companies to lower their prices. We already have socialist programs, and for us to be scared of becoming nazis or commies over taking care of each other's medical issues is ridiculous. We have public schools, SOCIAL security, medicare, unemployment benefits, ....you name it.....it could be called socialist. I could argue that churches & their collection plate are socialist. I could argue that our tax system is socialist. If we didn't have the tax system in place, we'd be in trouble. We're interdependent.......no matter what the "haves" tell us, we need each other. They use the "S" word to distract and shut down the debate. We have to decide whether we're all in the same boat or whether we believe some people should die because we weren't fortunate enough to be born rich or in a family that has access to insurance. If we keep the "pick yourself up by your own bootstraps" attitude, our country will stay divided and FALL. Sometimes we have to pick each other up.............we need either a public option or the better(but most difficult) idea, universal health care. A public option would help a lot.....but the only reason people feel safer with it, is because its not the full universal health care. If it were full universal, the politicans who are making money for campaigns from Health Insurance companies, they'd throw such a fit.......and fill people with so much MISINFORMATION, it would be hell. So, it may take a while, maybe even quite a few years.....who knows? It will happen...because the ethic of taking care of our neighbors is in many religious traditions and with each generation, the young will see hypocrisy and inconsitency and perfect this union....................................hopefully.

I may be back with more questions and answers from the same UK fellow.

PS - watch the movie "Sicko"! I can't say it enough.