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 24 Jan 2008 @ 09:58, by jazzolog. Relationships
Beginners, make your will firm and strong: twenty-four hours a day, wield the sword of positive energy to overcome demons and curses, cutting off psychological afflictions. Look continuously into a saying, and you will spontaneously discover the light of mind, containing heaven and earth, every land completely revealed.
---Chien-Ju
When you try to set your mind to it, you miss it. When you stir your thoughts, you turn away from it. If you do not try and you do not stir, you are living in stagnant water. What do you do?
---Zen saying
The world is a passage back to God, that is the only reason it is here.
---Michael Murphy
This rather infamous picture was taken last year at a Gangsta Party on Martin Luther King Day at Clemson University. [link]
A couple weeks ago I wrote on an interest that developed in childhood about faraway places and people of other nationalities and races. I titled it Full Frontal Feminism, after Jessica Valenti's book, because I credit that interest for my involvement in civil rights from the late 1950s on. Almost immediately I heard from a friend of mine here in Athens, who teaches American National Government, The Politics of Law, Constitutional Law, Constitutional Politics, Civil Liberties, and American Political Thought at Ohio University. She urged me to join college faculty around the country to ask students to stay away from "Race Parties" that were being planned by kids. Since they get a day off, why not party on and get loaded to celebrate?
I thought about it for a while and took a look at an invitation to one that was being set up off campus here. It said there'd be plenty of fried chicken and 40 ounce cans of malt liquor, and all the party-goer had to do was dress up as his or her favorite Black stereotype. OK, sounds very American collegiate...but is it any more wrong than that? Were people of Greek derivation angry about Toga Parties? Would I be mad about an Erik The Red party, at which kids would dress up as Swedes in fur rugs and helmets with buffalo horns sticking out---even though I know no Swede actually ever wore such a helmet? Didn't all peoples have to go through this crap when we came to the Land of the Free?
What was the intention of the party? That's what I wanted to know...I mean, besides an excuse to get blasted. Martin Luther King DID like fried chicken, and college kids like to dress up for theme parties. What's the harm---as long as there is a kind of tribute to the culture honored in some way? It bothers me that the minstrel tradition and Amos 'N' Andy, where whites dressed up in black-face (and even some blacks did to emphasize stereotypical features) and spoke in dialect, are looked down on. I mentioned in the previous article about the banning in the United States of Disney's Song Of The South. Isn't all that going too far?
But isn't this different? I admit that I've welcomed the Martin Luther King holiday to finish cleanup from Christmas and recover a bit more from that hectic season. However, our family always spends time listening to the words of Dr. King and usually music inspired by the work that he did and the mission of his life. We reflect on the fact he was assassinated for this here in this country, murdered as were other leaders who advocated Change during that time. I'm not at a place where I could go to a party about such things, unless it were a pretty serious gathering.
Nevertheless, I still wasn't ready to raise a stink about kids having parties. There is something to celebrate about what progress has been made for civil rights. I can get into partying about the contributions of Black Culture. I like it better if there are Black people there and we all enjoy each other. The best parties I ever went to were the mixed explorations we enjoyed in the mid-60s. Will I ever forget 50 people packed in my living room, dancing to 45s until dawn, and then out came the vacuum cleaner and everybody cleaned the whole place before going home? How about that barbecue at Shugie's front lawn in Greenwich, and the low lights and Arthur Prysock LPs indoors? Man, celebrating race can be beautiful! More >
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 22 Jan 2008 @ 04:25, by a-d. Spirituality
Posted by/A-d because I believe -just like James does in the Power -and hence necessity- of prayer, as well as in SYNERGY.... "The sum of the (Synergistic) Total, is greater than the sum of its parts" -or something like that... hehe...Consequently, I want as many as possible to join Redfield's Global Projects. You need to click on the link here. [ [link] ]
Also.... James says at the bottom of this article: " So keep passing the word. I believe we are making a big difference." ...and I believe he is right about that! : )
...and here is James! "When we think of prayer, questions always arise. If the divine creator behind this world is omnipotent, wouldn't this Being know what is needed before we do and give it to us? Why doesn't he? What is the purpose of prayer?
Some spiritual traditions deal with this issue by assuming God requires prayer as a test of loyalty or conviction before help is granted. Other traditions hold that prayer is merely an exercise in communication and reverent listening, and that all outcomes follow some divine plan and are outside our influence anyway.
But today, I believe a new consensus is forming based on our direct experience about prayer. Dr. Larry Dossey in his classic book, Healing Words: The Power of Prayer
and the Practice of Medicine, surveyed the best of existing prayer research and found several important findings: One is that the longer and more intensely people pray, the greater the effect. Another is that the greater the number of people praying, the more powerful the outcome.
But he also found something else: the more affirmative and faithful the prayer, the more it works, which may be the most important finding of all. Certainly a prayer in which we ask for help is effective, but there is something more powerful and centering that happens when we voice prayers in a more affirmative way.
Look at the Lord's Prayer in the Christian tradition for example. It is not, "Will you give us our daily bread?" It is expressed as an affirmation, "Give us our daily bread." It is not, "Please let your kingdom come." It is "Thy kingdom come," uttered as an expression of faith.
I think what we are discovering is that we have more influence in the outcomes of our lives than we ever thought possible. When we affirm that something will be given to us in our lives, or that some outcome will occur with others, we are directly engaging an energy of creation that flows through us into the world and acts to bring about our request. What seems to be happening spiritually is that we, in our free will, are placed in this world to help accelerate divine evolution. Like it or not, we are in a position of co-creation.
Thankfully, these affirmations or injunctions are weighted on the side of the good, and the just. I think we are finding that prayers outside a greater divine intention in the world don't work as well, but they still can have an influence, especially when we think and thus assign negative characteristics to others.
When we make negative assumptions about others, we actually feel the effects of the pronouncement in ourselves; it's like an energy of prayer that flows though us first as it flows into the world. Saying someone is crazy is to have a prayer effect that calls for them to be exactly that way, crazy. This tends to bring the exact same craziness into ourselves.
Never before have we so understood the old adage, "Be careful what you pray for." Our thoughts and prayers have the energy to bring into existence our intentions, and so our responsibility is clear. We have to engage only in positive affirmations in all situations -- in conversations, in our most hidden thoughts, and certainly in group efforts to amplify this power to uplift the world.
You'll notice in our biweekly prayer group that we pray for only one outcome: that others in the world will come closer to the divine within themselves and thus become more connected with divine intent and proper action in the world. This assumes that every person who opens up can be redeemed in an instant, and insures that our prayer will bring about the most positive outcomes without worrying that we are praying for the wrong things or for the wrong side in a conflict.
It's the only way to further human evolution in the world.
So keep passing the word. I believe we are making a big difference."
******************************
Now that you've come this far; click on "more" and read Redfield's other article:
'The Emergence of Worldwide Prayer Networks' More >
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21 Jan 2008 @ 20:58, by vaxen. Medicine, Healthcare
I know I'm not supposed to do this but the Chaplains situation so impressed me that I felt I had to post it post haste. I trust he'll understand and forgive me this slight transgression of copyright as really, if you read this, I think you'll understand what so impresses me about this guy. I'm not easily impressed, either, by anyone or any thing.
If you pray or meditate, and after having read this, I hope you'll keep the Chaplain and his daughter in your prayers and meditations till some light comes into the situation.
That being said do, please, continue on to the Chaplain's letter. Hope you, too, will be blessed in reading it as I have been.
Thanks,
Vax More >
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 16 Jan 2008 @ 14:31, by jerryvest. Medicine, Healthcare
Social capital means more than a buzz word, more than invoking the mantra: It takes a village to raise a child. It means being willing to ask: what does it take to build, to restore, to sustain that village? It means building an infrastructure of trust and reciprocity and engagement, often in situations where distrust and alientation hold sway.(No More Throw-Away People - Edgar S. Cahn)
I am starting a group to organize and improve our mental health system in America and use the many scattered resources--organizations, professionals, patients/clients and others to help with the design and plan. This may sound like a very bold plan, but it is important for us to identify, organize and improve health systems when they are flawed, corrupt, and cause harm.
I have been invited to work with our New Mexico professional organization(NASW-NM) to examine the impact of the DSM, Insurance Industry, Big Pharmas, psychiatry/psychology on our licensing requirements in my profession of social work. I have observed that the licensing boards that are appointed by the Governor determine the requirements for professional practice and for supervision, often without discussing them with the schools of social work and professional organizations. Consequently, these boards invariably determine the curriculum priorities that must be taught in order for the students to pass their exam requirments, perhaps without realizing the impact of their decisions.
We have found that students who are taught psychiatric-psychological practices such as the DSM classification system (a flawed, unethical and unscientific program that classifies, codes and labels patients)as described in this log and several of my previous discussions, will pass the test. When special courses on the DSM are not included in the curriculum the student rate of failure is very high. However, why should our profession abdicate our valuable resources--ethics, values, skills, knowledge and best practice methods and replace them with questionable, unethical and irresponsible practices?
Perhaps the answer to this question is that money, power and control rules. I believe that once our public clearly see these corrupt relationships that exist with the mental health-insurance industries, the Big Pharmas, psychiatry and all of the related professional organizations that we can get the suppport to improve the quality of services and ethical health practices for our consumers. It is very unfortunate that these organizations and professionals have forgotten or ignored our primary premise and principles we agreed to when choosing social work as a profession--the dignity and respect we hold for our clients, our primary concern for our client, community and society and, to 'cause no harm!'
I am looking for persons interested in joining this group, provide case examples, secure colleagues and others with integrity, recruit others interested in helping to build a new or integrative health plan, and offer creative ideas that we can put into action plans at the local, state, national and global levels.
All helping comments are invited for sure.
Note:
Later this week I will start my new career as a clinical social worker with the US Army, Ft. Bliss, Texas. I am hopeful that I can work with the reintegration program (Warrior Program) for soldiers and their families using 'integrative health practices' that I have discussed in my logs. Thanks to all of you who have supported and joined with us as NCN members and our Global Touch Project.
The picture of Crying Princess was drawn by Ariana, my 10 yr. old granddaughter. I can tell you that I can shed many many tears over the serious wounds and experiences of our Warriors. I'm sorry that most politicians will never know the complete story about the pain and suffering that they have caused our soldiers, their families and our communities. Please thank every soldier you see in the community for their devoted and dedicated professional service to our Country.
I love this short video that Ariana made -- Karate Adventures. She has also introduced several videos discussing Mindfulness and Not being Accidental
[link]
Jerry More >
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16 Jan 2008 @ 11:00, by vector8. Recreation, Fun
So I was having a conversation with my mother.
"Do you realise you use the word "like" when you speak?" she said
"Do I? I wasn't, like, aware I was doing it," I said.
"You've done it again!"
"Sorry, mum. At least, like, now I can be more aware when I speak." More >
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 14 Jan 2008 @ 19:59, by quinty. Politics
Is he for real? John Kerry seems to think so, closely echoing his message when he endorsed him the other day in South Carolina.
Is he, Barack Obama, a new Lincoln or FDR or is he merely another Huey Long? He is, undoubtedly, one of the best political orators who has come along in a long, long time. He is, in fact, an extraordinary orator. More >
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14 Jan 2008 @ 12:44, by vector8. Spirituality
When I didn't hear my mother getting ready for church this morning, I figured she'd changed her mind. When she woke up she told me she had a splitting headache.
"I'm sorry to hear that," I said.
"Thanks."
As I know my mother believes in taking tablets I said, "Have you taken anything for the headache?" More >
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14 Jan 2008 @ 10:16, by swanny. Environment, Ecology
Jan 14, 2008
Earth
Monday
STANDARD TIME MAY BE CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING
The engine of standard time may be causing global warming, thus we
have to slow things down to restore the Earth
normal temperature and carbon cycle
but how and by how much. But on the bright
side we may have inadvertently found a means of climate control
as there would seem to be a "direct" correlation between standard time/societal speed and planet warming.
A. Jonas
[link] More >
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14 Jan 2008 @ 00:57, by skookum. Farming
I know for some of you it is way too early to think about gardening. More >
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 13 Jan 2008 @ 13:16, by jhs. Children, Parenting
"What nonsense are you telling the kid?" I challenged the rabbit the yesterday.
"If you'll be a child again, you'll understand." was his dry response.
"No point in ACTING OUT polarities if it's enough to raise the energies in oneself," I said.
"You got that right, But there is a gray zone where one must start to act, at least starting, in order to convince the soul that the spirit is serious about its claims. After all, it is not that you as a philosopher would be a friend of Sophia, it is that SHE is befriending YOU. And sometimes she only arrives if you're willing to demonstrate in action what you raised in your mind."
"You mean the attitude is the cause of events, NOT the other way around, like people say. Or, a lil' sloppy: Shit happens only if you are ready to be pissed off"... More >
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