Doug Dillon's Blog, page 49
January 17, 2016
Compassion & Empathy in Psychology and Buddhism
Excellent work, so much so that I had to do a review and post it for the benefit of others. Highly recommended.
A Book Review
Author – Lorne Ladner, Ph.D.
A Washington, D.C. clinical psychologist in private practice
Director of the GUHYASAMAJA Buddhist Center in Northern Virginia
Harper San Francisco, 304 p.
Even though author Lorne Ladner is Buddhist and combines concepts from his spiritual practice with professional psychological guidance, you don’t have to be Buddhist to find value in his words. This book is a beautiful blend of East and West that truly gets to the heart of how the implementation of compassion in one’s life can lead to happiness.
Essentially, Ladner presents compassion as a vital part of psychological stability and viable spiritual practice. Smoothly written, this book plunges right to the heart of daily living and shows how working on relationships of all kinds through the use of compassion ends up being beneficial to all.
Ladner uses examples from his own life and offers readers very practical exercises in the enhancement of their compassionate outlooks. These sample chapter titles give you a taste for what he has to say: “Compassion for Yourself”; “Seeing Through Projections”; and “Joyfully Losing an Argument”.
To be perfectly honest, I found this book of such tremendous value that I took all the underlining I did in it and created a little mini-handbook that I still refer to periodically. The author’s words rang so true for me that I occasionally send quotes from his work out over Twitter. In closing, I’ll leave you with these words from Ladner, my favorite:
“Heartfelt kindness toward someone who has just treated you badly has the clean, pure feeling of a cool creek in the high mountains.”
Click here to find this book online.
###
If you found this article useful, and are interested in the edgier aspects of the mind and spirit, you might find my latest book of interest.
Titled, as you can see, Carl Jung, Hauntings and Paranormal Coincidences, it uses the great psychiatrist’s own paranormal experiences as jumping off points for some of my own life events and those of other very reliable people.
Listed below are direct book links to some of the larger book retail outlets in the English-speaking world where you can find it:
Amazon.com, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon India, Amazon Australia, Barnes and Noble, Kobo (Canada)
January 13, 2016
Best Stained Glass in St. Augustine, Florida
A wonderful studio for the production of stained glass is what I discovered when I wanted to get a unique gift for my daughter.
A panel in the works.
I found this place after fruitlessly searching St. Augustine gift shops for a small piece of framed stained glass to hang in a window, one that would show some sort of scene from that historic city.
Here’s the name, address and phone number:
St. Joseph Ministries’ Architectural Stained Glass Studio
2745 Industry Center Rd. # 6
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-669-5388
Sister Diane and St. Augustine artist, Gary Stehli
That name means just what it says. The studio is a ministerial outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine. And for 31 years, Sister Diane Couture has been running the place, producing exquisite pieces of art, doing restoration and preservation work, and offering classes, seminars, DVDs and workshops.
After the loss of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Sister Diane and her crew completed a commission for a stained glass window at the National Shrine in St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City. And this studio has preserved stained glass works “from little known artists to great masters such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Mayer Studio in Munich.”
Amazing and incredible.
When I contacted Sister Diane, she didn’t have any ready-made stained glass depicting St. Augustine, but she was willing to make one for me. Surprisingly, she worked with my budget and created a product that greatly exceeded my expectations.
The finshed St. Augustine composite.
In the end she was able to include representations of
the Castillo de San Marcos
the St. Augustine Lighthouse
a lion (from the Bridge of Lions)
and the huge cross where the Spanish first set foot in what would become the oldest city in the United States in 1565.
All of that on a circular piece of glass 18 inches in diameter for a fair price.
I couldn’t be more pleased. Sister Diane was a delight to work with and a true credit to the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Completed works, including mine in the lower right.
Click the links below if you would like more information about . . .
January 10, 2016
Historic Stained Glass Gifts, St. Augustine, Florida
A wonderful studio for the production of stained glass is what I discovered when I wanted to get a unique gift for my daughter.
A panel in the works.
I found this place after fruitlessly searching St. Augustine gift shops for a small piece of framed stained glass to hang in a window, one that would show some sort of scene from that historic city.
Here’s the name, address and phone number:
St. Joseph Ministries’ Architectural Stained Glass Studio
2745 Industry Center Rd. # 6
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-669-5388
Sister Diane and St. Augustine artist, Gary Stehli
That name means just what it says. The studio is a ministerial outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine. And for 31 years, Sister Diane Couture has been running the place, producing exquisite pieces of art, doing restoration and preservation work, and offering classes, seminars, DVDs and workshops.
After the loss of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Sister Diane and her crew completed a commission for a stained glass window at the National Shrine in St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City. And this studio has preserved stained glass works “from little known artists to great masters such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Mayer Studio in Munich.”
Amazing and incredible.
When I contacted Sister Diane, she didn’t have any ready-made stained glass depicting St. Augustine, but she was willing to make one for me. Surprisingly, she worked with my budget and created a product that greatly exceeded my expectations.
The finshed St. Augustine composite.
In the end she was able to include representations of
the Castillo de San Marcos
the St. Augustine Lighthouse
a lion (from the Bridge of Lions)
and the huge cross where the Spanish first set foot in what would become the oldest city in the United States in 1565.
All of that on a circular piece of glass 18 inches in diameter for a fair price.
I couldn’t be more pleased. Sister Diane was a delight to work with and a true credit to the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Completed works, including mine in the lower right.
Click the links below if you would like more information about . . .
January 9, 2016
Best Art in St. Augustine, Florida
A wonderful studio for the production of stained glass is what I discovered when I wanted to get a unique gift for my daughter.
A panel in the works.
I found this place after fruitlessly searching St. Augustine gift shops for a small piece of framed stained glass to hang in a window, one that would show some sort of scene from that historic city.
Here’s the name, address and phone number:
St. Joseph Ministries’ Architectural Stained Glass Studio
2745 Industry Center Rd. # 6
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-669-5388
Sister Diane and St. Augustine artist, Gary Stehli
That name means just what it says. The studio is a ministerial outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine. And for 31 years, Sister Diane Couture has been running the place, producing exquisite pieces of art, doing restoration and preservation work, and offering classes, seminars, DVDs and workshops.
After the loss of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Sister Diane and her crew completed a commission for a stained glass window at the National Shrine in St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City. And this studio has preserved stained glass works “from little known artists to great masters such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Mayer Studio in Munich.”
Amazing and incredible.
When I contacted Sister Diane, she didn’t have any ready-made stained glass depicting St. Augustine, but she was willing to make one for me. Surprisingly, she worked with my budget and created a product that greatly exceeded my expectations.
The finshed St. Augustine composite.
In the end she was able to include representations of
the Castillo de San Marcos
the St. Augustine Lighthouse
a lion (from the Bridge of Lions)
and the huge cross where the Spanish first set foot in what would become the oldest city in the United States in 1565.
All of that on a circular piece of glass 18 inches in diameter for a fair price.
I couldn’t be more pleased. Sister Diane was a delight to work with and a true credit to the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Completed works, including mine in the lower right.
Click the links below if you would like more information about . . .
January 8, 2016
Paranormal Beliefs & Understanding
On my walk around the neighborhood this morning shortly before sunrise, a brilliant full moon hung low in the west just above a tall, billowing thunder head. Illuminated by the unseen star we call our sun, it struck me how thoroughly many of us human beings tend to divorce ourselves from the natural world as we becoming increasingly technologically advanced. Not a new concept, of course, but this morning that thought magnified the perceptions I had on another walk just a few days ago.
Before I continue, here’s a moon picture to get you in the mood, courtesy of NASA. If you haven’t been to their website before, give it a try and play around with the universe for a while.
On that other walk I mentioned, it was right after the break of dawn. So quiet. Unusually quiet. No wind. Nobody up yet. No other walkers. No dogs barking. Totally still. Then an owl started hooting nearby, followed by the continuous throaty chirping of a tree frog across the street.
Here’s one that sometimes lives in a potted plant my wife keeps just outside our front door.
A toad joined in the chorus with his own unique song and within seconds, a few birds sang their versions of wake-up calls.
Five minutes later, birds everywhere seemed to awaken and filled the air with special appreciations of the morning. All that lasted for about ten minutes and then stopped almost as if orchestrated.
After a short gap in sound, somewhere a dog barked just as a car with its lights on rounded a curve in the road coming towards me. In the far distance, a truck engine revved up. Next, a hollow crash like a dumpster being dropped disturbed the peace as only a dropped dumpster can. Also in the distance, the murmur of traffic on nearby I-4 somehow quickly became apparent—time for our civilization to overshadow the natural world.
In thinking now about those two walks in the early morning, I’ve been increasingly comparing them to brief episodes where I’ve experienced something that might be considered supernatural or paranormal.
My conclusion is actually a reinforcement of something I’ve believed for a long time now. For what it’s worth, here it is. Just as how many of us in the developed world find ourselves separated from nature, for an even longer time, we have increasingly separated ourselves from a part of nature that we now call the supernatural or paranormal. In lifting ourselves out of superstition and ignorance, we as a species have also cut ourselves off from things that are a very natural and normal part of our heritage.
So, do yourself a favor. The next time you see the moon or hear an owl hoot, see if any of what I’ve said touches a place deep down inside you.
###
If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more about this subject, you might like to take a look at one of my latest books.
Titled, Carl Jung, Hauntings and Paranormal Coincidences, it uses the great psychiatrist’s own paranormal experiences as jumping off points for some of my own life events and those of other very reliable people. Many of these stories take place in St. Augustine.
Listed below are direct book links to some of the larger book retail outlets in the English-speaking world where you can find it:
Amazon.com, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon India, Amazon Australia, Barnes and Noble, Kobo (Canada)
January 7, 2016
Developing Compassion – A Buddhist Guide
Excellent work, so much so that I had to do a review and post it for the benefit of others. Highly recommended.
A Book Review
Author – Lorne Ladner, Ph.D.
A Washington, D.C. clinical psychologist in private practice
Director of the GUHYASAMAJA Buddhist Center in Northern Virginia
Harper San Francisco, 304 p.
Even though author Lorne Ladner is Buddhist and combines concepts from his spiritual practice with professional psychological guidance, you don’t have to be Buddhist to find value in his words. This book is a beautiful blend of East and West that truly gets to the heart of how the implementation of compassion in one’s life can lead to happiness.
Essentially, Ladner presents compassion as a vital part of psychological stability and viable spiritual practice. Smoothly written, this book plunges right to the heart of daily living and shows how working on relationships of all kinds through the use of compassion ends up being beneficial to all.
Ladner uses examples from his own life and offers readers very practical exercises in the enhancement of their compassionate outlooks. These sample chapter titles give you a taste for what he has to say: “Compassion for Yourself”; “Seeing Through Projections”; and “Joyfully Losing an Argument”.
To be perfectly honest, I found this book of such tremendous value that I took all the underlining I did in it and created a little mini-handbook that I still refer to periodically. The author’s words rang so true for me that I occasionally send quotes from his work out over Twitter. In closing, I’ll leave you with these words from Ladner, my favorite:
“Heartfelt kindness toward someone who has just treated you badly has the clean, pure feeling of a cool creek in the high mountains.”
Click here to find this book online.
###
If you found this article useful, and are interested in the edgier aspects of the mind and spirit, you might find my latest book of interest.
Titled, as you can see, Carl Jung, Hauntings and Paranormal Coincidences, it uses the great psychiatrist’s own paranormal experiences as jumping off points for some of my own life events and those of other very reliable people.
Listed below are direct book links to some of the larger book retail outlets in the English-speaking world where you can find it:
Amazon.com, Amazon Canada, Amazon UK, Amazon India, Amazon Australia, Barnes and Noble, Kobo (Canada)
January 4, 2016
Florida Ghost Hunter Community Unites
Paranormal Unity Day 2015
Saturday, January 9, 2015
Fellsmere, Florida (Just north of Vero Beach, exit # 156 off I-95)
Fellsmere Auditorium
22 S. Orange St.
Sponsored by Offthetrails Paranormal Investigators (OPI) and The Florida Bureau of Paranormal Investigators.
Florida Paranormal Investigation Teams from around the state are invited to a free conference. Dinner and an investigation to follow.
A wonderful opportunity to learn from others by sharing experiences, thoughts and ideas.
Schedule
The Conference:
1:00 – 6:00 PM
At the Fellsmere Auditorium (Located in the Old Fellsmere School)
Presenters
1. Andrea Perron – Owner of the House featured in the “A Haunting in Connecticut,” and depicted in the movie, “The Conjuring.”
2. Doug Dillon – Paranormal author specializing in the haunting of St. Augustine, Florida. Speaking about “The Nature of Coincidences.”
3. Rich Valdes – Demonology.
4. Bob Cenkner – Client follow-up and Cleansing Techniques.
Dinner:
6:15 -7:45 PM
Marsh Landing Restaurant
44 N. Broadway, Fellsmere
A Paranormal Investigation:
8:00 PM until whenever.
At the Old Fellsmere School (where the conference will take place)
$10 per person.
For further information, contact:
Mary Jo Fister or Greg Bush of OPI @ 772-267-2034.
Click the following for information about
St. Augustine, Florida, Stained Glass
A wonderful studio for the production of stained glass is what I discovered when I wanted to get a unique gift for my daughter.
A panel in the works.
I found this place after fruitlessly searching St. Augustine gift shops for a small piece of framed stained glass to hang in a window, one that would show some sort of scene from that historic city.
Here’s the name, address and phone number:
St. Joseph Ministries’ Architectural Stained Glass Studio
2745 Industry Center Rd. # 6
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-669-5388
Sister Diane and St. Augustine artist, Gary Stehli
That name means just what it says. The studio is a ministerial outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine. And for 31 years, Sister Diane Couture has been running the place, producing exquisite pieces of art, doing restoration and preservation work, and offering classes, seminars, DVDs and workshops.
After the loss of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Sister Diane and her crew completed a commission for a stained glass window at the National Shrine in St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City. And this studio has preserved stained glass works “from little known artists to great masters such as Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Mayer Studio in Munich.”
Amazing and incredible.
When I contacted Sister Diane, she didn’t have any ready-made stained glass depicting St. Augustine, but she was willing to make one for me. Surprisingly, she worked with my budget and created a product that greatly exceeded my expectations.
The finshed St. Augustine composite.
In the end she was able to include representations of
the Castillo de San Marcos
the St. Augustine Lighthouse
a lion (from the Bridge of Lions)
and the huge cross where the Spanish first set foot in what would become the oldest city in the United States in 1565.
All of that on a circular piece of glass 18 inches in diameter for a fair price.
I couldn’t be more pleased. Sister Diane was a delight to work with and a true credit to the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Completed works, including mine in the lower right.
Click the links below if you would like more information about . . .
January 3, 2016
Florida Ghost Hunter Training 2015
Paranormal Unity Day 2015
Saturday, January 9, 2015
Fellsmere, Florida (Just north of Vero Beach, exit # 156 off I-95)
Fellsmere Auditorium
22 S. Orange St.
Sponsored by Offthetrails Paranormal Investigators (OPI) and The Florida Bureau of Paranormal Investigators.
Florida Paranormal Investigation Teams from around the state are invited to a free conference. Dinner and an investigation to follow.
A wonderful opportunity to learn from others by sharing experiences, thoughts and ideas.
Schedule
The Conference:
1:00 – 6:00 PM
At the Fellsmere Auditorium (Located in the Old Fellsmere School)
Presenters
1. Andrea Perron – Owner of the House featured in the “A Haunting in Connecticut,” and depicted in the movie, “The Conjuring.”
2. Doug Dillon – Paranormal author specializing in the haunting of St. Augustine, Florida. Speaking about “The Nature of Coincidences.”
3. Rich Valdes – Demonology.
4. Bob Cenkner – Client follow-up and Cleansing Techniques.
Dinner:
6:15 -7:45 PM
Marsh Landing Restaurant
44 N. Broadway, Fellsmere
A Paranormal Investigation:
8:00 PM until whenever.
At the Old Fellsmere School (where the conference will take place)
$10 per person.
For further information, contact:
Mary Jo Fister or Greg Bush of OPI @ 772-267-2034.
Click the following for information about
Florida Ghost Hunters Conference 2015
Paranormal Unity Day 2015
Saturday, January 9, 2015
Fellsmere, Florida (Just north of Vero Beach, exit # 156 off I-95)
Fellsmere Auditorium
22 S. Orange St.
Sponsored by Offthetrails Paranormal Investigators (OPI) and The Florida Bureau of Paranormal Investigators.
Florida Paranormal Investigation Teams from around the state are invited to a free conference. Dinner and an investigation to follow.
A wonderful opportunity to learn from others by sharing experiences, thoughts and ideas.
Schedule
The Conference:
1:00 – 6:00 PM
At the Fellsmere Auditorium (Located in the Old Fellsmere School)
Presenters
1. Andrea Perron – Owner of the House featured in the “A Haunting in Connecticut,” and depicted in the movie, “The Conjuring.”
2. Doug Dillon – Paranormal author specializing in the haunting of St. Augustine, Florida. Speaking about “The Nature of Coincidences.”
3. Rich Valdes – Demonology.
4. Bob Cenkner – Client follow-up and Cleansing Techniques.
Dinner:
6:15 -7:45 PM
Marsh Landing Restaurant
44 N. Broadway, Fellsmere
A Paranormal Investigation:
8:00 PM until whenever.
At the Old Fellsmere School (where the conference will take place)
$10 per person.
For further information, contact:
Mary Jo Fister or Greg Bush of OPI @ 772-267-2034.
Click the following for information about
