Filmmaker Arthur Klein examines the philosophy and reality of yoga in a compelling documentary. After becoming a devotee of the ancient art in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks, Klein traveled the world to explore how yoga has affected others. From a charter school in South Central Los Angeles to wrestler Diamond Dallas Page's yoga class for American soldiers in Iraq, Klein reveals how this ancient practice continues to bring harmony to the world.
Showing posts with label global peace index. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global peace index. Show all posts
Friday, November 11, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Buddha's Peaceful Protest
Seven, Amber Dorrian, CC Liu (Wisdom Quarterly)
(serenescentsations.com)
(serenescentsations.com)Peaceful demonstrations, anti-war protests, sit ins, teach ins, and the like have a long history in Buddhism. The Buddha's own life holds one great example that may have been the model for Burma's Saffron Revolution as Buddhist monks rose up to defy the totalitarian Burmese regime. He repeatedly and peacefully came between two neighboring kingdoms to prevent war. He occupied a spot by the river to bring peace. Eventually, however, he realized that their karma was such that he could only put it off. He had the penetrating insight to eventually realize that. We do not. So we are wise to continue our demonstrations indefinitely.
What peace looks like, which is what NYC's Z Park can look like if the peace is won.
The Buddha's "sit in" on the Rohini river to prevent war became a "teach in."
War is exhausting itself. Peace is a rest. Peace is easy. Peace is natural. War opposes peace. Peace does NOT really oppose war: It just is. Peace that "opposes" war is not peace, just more war.
Peace is a state in the absence of conflicts. Nonconflict is just a base, not a goal in itself. Beyond peace we want harmony, happiness, growth, development, opposition, cultural evolution.
Conflict is neither good or bad except that what we do with it (how we respond) makes it so. What is the cause of war and peace? Each is due to the various motives in our heart/mind.
The happy resolution (repose) of thoughts that fall under the categories of greed, hate, and/or delusion certainly lead to peace. Permanent peace will only come when one has completely eradicated these mental defilements. Wars will cease and peaceful dialogue between individuals will lead to a world of peaceful and harmonious living.
Why Occupy, why Rebel?
What peace looks like, which is what NYC's Z Park can look like if the peace is won.- Thus have I heard. At one time petty squabbles arose between the farmers on both sides of the Rohini river. The river served as the boundary between the Shakyan [where Siddhartha grew up before setting off on a spiritual quest] and the Koliyan kingdoms. Each side was trying to divert as much water as possible to their fields. Finally, these conflicts led to a major confrontation between two armies. The Buddha becoming aware of this arrived on the scene. At first just his presence forced the sides eager for war to rethink their actions. But their selfishness, anger/fear at one another, and ignorance about what was to be lost as a result of war brought them again to the verge of war.
The Buddha's "sit in" on the Rohini river to prevent war became a "teach in."- The Buddha exhorted them on the calamitous results of war and the many advantages of arriving at a peaceful resolution and just settlement. In this way, war was averted and peace restored. It is said that the Buddha has so far been the only religious teacher to visit a battlefront in person to act as a mediator that averts war which, once triggered, never really plays itself out. People, groups, and ideologies want to retaliate even centuries later. Why? It is because the roots (greed, hate/fear, delusion) that led to war have not been addressed at all.
War is exhausting itself. Peace is a rest. Peace is easy. Peace is natural. War opposes peace. Peace does NOT really oppose war: It just is. Peace that "opposes" war is not peace, just more war.Peace is a state in the absence of conflicts. Nonconflict is just a base, not a goal in itself. Beyond peace we want harmony, happiness, growth, development, opposition, cultural evolution.
Conflict is neither good or bad except that what we do with it (how we respond) makes it so. What is the cause of war and peace? Each is due to the various motives in our heart/mind.
The happy resolution (repose) of thoughts that fall under the categories of greed, hate, and/or delusion certainly lead to peace. Permanent peace will only come when one has completely eradicated these mental defilements. Wars will cease and peaceful dialogue between individuals will lead to a world of peaceful and harmonious living.
Why Occupy, why Rebel?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
"Peace One Day" in 3 minutes (video)
International Peace Day (video)
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE THE WORLD MORE PEACEFUL?
WILL YOU TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE THE PEACE WITHIN YOUR OWN FAMILY?
WITHIN YOUR WORKPLACE? WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY?
THE SMALL STEPS WE EACH TAKE TOWARDS PEACE CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT. IT JUST TAKES THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT A REALITY.
SO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY AND POST YOUR IDEAS ON THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE AND KPFK'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
WILL YOU TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE THE PEACE WITHIN YOUR OWN FAMILY?
WITHIN YOUR WORKPLACE? WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY?
THE SMALL STEPS WE EACH TAKE TOWARDS PEACE CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT. IT JUST TAKES THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT A REALITY.
SO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY AND POST YOUR IDEAS ON THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE AND KPFK'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
- Social Media Week promotes International "Peace One Day"
- By joining forces with social media outlets, Peace One Day hopes to...Facebook, Social Media, Twitter, Video, International Peace Day...
- International Day of Peace (squidoo.com)
- Take a quiz and find out how much you know about International Peace Day!
Feministactivist is an activist dedicated to equality of all people with a special focus on gender issues including reproductive justice, sexual violence, and strategic nonviolent action.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Why are Americans still unemployed?
Wisdom Quarterly
An American worker puts the final touches on a beautiful smile (@berto/Flickr.com).
Aesthetic Realism states that there will be no economic "recovery" until economics -- making money, creating jobs -- itself becomes ethical, based on goodwill rather than on the common ill-will that has been dominant for centuries.
This grand view points to a road map that Republican B.S. Obama (judged on his actions not his public relations campaigns) for the U.S. economy.
What steps could be taken to create jobs? There are many. We have done it before. After disastrous wars of the past -- and we have pretty much been involved in conflict almost without interruption for 200 years, but these dots are not connected by mainstream history books even though information on most of our invasions, covert wars, conquests, and prolonged occupations are well documented -- we had recovery programs.
An American worker puts the final touches on a beautiful smile (@berto/Flickr.com).Aesthetic Realism states that there will be no economic "recovery" until economics -- making money, creating jobs -- itself becomes ethical, based on goodwill rather than on the common ill-will that has been dominant for centuries.
This grand view points to a road map that Republican B.S. Obama (judged on his actions not his public relations campaigns) for the U.S. economy.
What steps could be taken to create jobs? There are many. We have done it before. After disastrous wars of the past -- and we have pretty much been involved in conflict almost without interruption for 200 years, but these dots are not connected by mainstream history books even though information on most of our invasions, covert wars, conquests, and prolonged occupations are well documented -- we had recovery programs.
There was the G.I. Bill. There was a massive movement to employ artists. There was once even a space program. We built bridges, a massive highway system, reservoirs, scenic routes, a rich library system, civic institutions, all of which we collectively call "infrastructure." The world and we are happier when we focus within.
But some element in power -- a shadow government that pulls strings at the White House, Pentagon, CIA, and other centers of power -- prefers to look for happiness without.
What is the meaning of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? It certainly does not mean happiness. We are not happy, and we were never promised happiness. Just its pursuit. So let's pursue it here. And when we grow happy, strong, and fabulously affluent, lets help others with no strings attached.
Those strings get us in a lot of trouble "policing" the world, subverting other governments, creating untold pollution and misery. Let's keep it in our pants. And our pockets will runneth over with riches to share with everyone around us. Is it a Cold War we need? Why not a Hot Peace? Let's wage peace!
And as the first act of peace, let's employ our own citizens to help our own citizens.
So why are Americans still unemployed? It seems obvious.
This misery is the way the "powers that be" (which include the international bankers, the Obama administration, the war profiteers in their corporate jobs, the major industries, all of which may be referred to as, however secret its members may be, the "Military-Industrial Complex").
So before you find yourself at your neighbor's throat or blaming those darn economically-pressured immigrants, or becoming a violent xenophobe demanding a scapegoat (ala 1945), look for the real culprit. Nothing that is happening today is happening by accident or necessity. It's someone's plan. And THE PLAN is going well.
Would that they made another plan -- rather than blaming biblical prophecy and the angry, vengeful God of our Judeo-Christian society. There will never be peace without until there is peace within. So that puts the onus on us to peace out.
"The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members."
- These roads need fixing.
- These walls need painting.
- These cities need planning.
- These national parks need salvaging.
- These corporations need regulating.
- (Of course they don't want regulation, who does?)
- The space above us needs exploring.
- Plants need planting.
- Farms need diversifying.
- The environment needs cleaning.
- Animals need caring.
- Kids need raising by the community.
- Teens need tutoring.
- Prisoners need rehabilitating.
- Parents need help.
- Elders need teaching opportunities.
- Bread needs baking.
So why are Americans still unemployed? It seems obvious.
This misery is the way the "powers that be" (which include the international bankers, the Obama administration, the war profiteers in their corporate jobs, the major industries, all of which may be referred to as, however secret its members may be, the "Military-Industrial Complex").
So before you find yourself at your neighbor's throat or blaming those darn economically-pressured immigrants, or becoming a violent xenophobe demanding a scapegoat (ala 1945), look for the real culprit. Nothing that is happening today is happening by accident or necessity. It's someone's plan. And THE PLAN is going well.
Would that they made another plan -- rather than blaming biblical prophecy and the angry, vengeful God of our Judeo-Christian society. There will never be peace without until there is peace within. So that puts the onus on us to peace out.
"The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members."
- And if your son/daughter is a CIA functionary or soldier, tell him/her to come home and stop following illegal orders to kill, disrupt, rape, terrorize, drug, and sow fear throughout the world.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Rep. calls for end to War on Afghanistan
In September 2001, Rep. Barbara Lee was the only lawmaker in either chamber of Congress to vote against the 2001 resolution [belatedly] authorizing the "use of force" in Afghanistan.Today [after the Obama administration's extrajudicial killing of Osama], she is a leading advocate for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. She is also for repealing the authorization that grants a president the authority to use force without a formal "declaration of war" issued by Congress.
“While the head of al-Qaeda is no longer around, we have to really address the root causes of terrorism and understand that we have to refocus our resources and our strategy in a way that begins to get us out of Afghanistan,” Lee says. Democracy Now! also speaks to filmmaker Robert Greenwald about his "Rethink Afghanistan" campaign and journalist Anand Gopal, reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan. More
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
"Karma to Nirvana" premiers at NY filmfest
Karma: The New Revolution
A new film titled Karma: The New Revolution explains the role of Karma in golfer Tiger Woods’ apology. It explains the role karma played in the death of entertainment icon Michael Jackson and highlights how Karma Yoga has helped individuals overcome the credit crunch, cancer, and crime. Filmed in over a dozen countries, it is presented by Acharya Zen, who was reportedly quoted as saying: Karma and redemption go hand in hand and in Verse 173 of The Dhammapada, the Buddha states that "a person who makes amends for mistakes can light up the world like the Moon emerging from clouds." This suggests that Tiger Woods can redeem himself by following the Buddha’s last words "Be lamps unto yourselves" (Appo deepo bhava) or, as the film's tagline runs, “Take Charge of your Destiny!”SETI will survive, claims astronomer
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