Andrew Furst's Blog, page 115

Dialectic Two-Step – Will Human Suffering Ever End?

Dialectic Two-Step  is an ongoing series of my thoughts on questions that come my way.

Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two. - Octavio

Will Human Suffering Ever End?

Response:  Everything that has a beginning has an end. It’s also true that anything that has happened before can happen again. Happiness, sadness, pleasure, and suffering ride our consciousness like birds on the wind. They come and go and come again.

Some of the more fortunate among us may succeed in the cessation of suffering, but that success will pass as they do. Each generation may learn from and build on the success of their parents, so there is reason for hope. But, it is also true that catastrophes will set us back and mindlessness remains the norm.

It is the nature of humans to manifest discontent, dissatisfaction, and suffering. It is the price to pay for our marvelous wiring. We notice, we learn, we develop habits, we lose touch, and we become separated from the source of our bliss. Finally, separated from bliss, we become dissatisfied.

But our great salvation is embedded within this cycle of failure. It comes by returning to the beginning of the cycle – noticing and learning. Returning to beginner’s mind as Suzuki Roshi put it.

So I’ll answer your question in a way that is paradoxically cynical and hopeful. No, human suffering will never end. But, because this is true we will notice it and maybe even do something about it.

 

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One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

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Twenty Minute Meditation – Cliff House Labyrinth

 One  Minute Meditations is an ongoing series of short videos, poems, and commentary intended as a meditation.  Offered as an opportunity to step back from your cyber routine and settle into a more natural rhythm, if only for a minute.

Cliff House Labyrinth

Today’s meditation of the Cliff House Labyrinth is the longest I’ve offered to date.  I’ve been asked by many to offer longer ones, so here is what I think will be the longest I will ever produce.  Being a fairly empirical Buddhist, I’m relying on the MBSR research that indicates that meditations longer than 20 minutes do not offer any significant increased benefits. The other reason I think its worthwhile to limit the length is that if you have the luxury to sit and watch this for 20 minutes, you should get off the computer and sit on a cushion, or take a walk in nature.

This video is of me doing the lovely labyrinth at the Cliff House Hotel in Ogunquit, Maine.  Before my father-in-law passed away, we were shuttling him back and forth to Maine for his stem cell treatments at Dana-Farber in Boston.  We decided on this trip, we’d stop and spend the night at this beautiful hotel, swim in the pool, and take in a show. The morning we left it was gorgeous and clear. Among other things, I walked the labyrinth.

These videos are produced for those of us who spend an inordinately large amount of time in the cyber-world.  They are not a substitute for unplugging from your devices and taking a stroll near trees, water, or a patch of unkempt grass.  Getting out into the world - touching, smelling, hearing, and seeing nature is the best way to reconnect with our prime purpose.  

What is our prime purpose? We are feeling and sensing machines.  We are the universe looking back on itself. We are witness to the wonders and dangers of living in this corner of the cosmos.  We are the seekers looking for connection a little further beyond yesterday's borders and boundaries.

But sitting and staring at the screen robs us of the sustenance that we rely upon for wonder and sanity.  These videos are an opportunity to bring the sensations of nature to you, while you're in the cyber-world. Its an opportunity to relax your gaze, resettle your posture,  and regain some depth in your breath.  Listen and watch the video and allow your self to open up and recharge.

Most of these are best viewed in full screen

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First Name:

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In addition to a monthly email you can also subscribe to the following weekly series:
One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

If You Watched The One Minute Meditation, How Do You Feel? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. 

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Sunday Morning Coming Down – He Was A Friend Of Mine

Sunday Morning Coming Down is an ongoing music  video series.  The songs fit my definition of music for a lazy couch bound Sunday morning.

He Was A Friend Of Mine

I’ve never been a fan of “On The Road Again”, but Willie Nelson has got some fine music in his catalog. I first heard this on the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack.

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One Minute Meditations
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Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

 He Was A Friend Of Mine

traditional folk song

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
Every time I think about him now
Lord I just can’t keep from crying
Cause he was friend a friend of mine

He died on the road
He died on the road
He never had no money
To pay his room or board
He was a friend of mine

I stole away and cried
I stole away and cried
Cause I never had too much money
And I can’t be satisfied
He was a friend of mine

He never done no wrong
He never done no wrong
He was just a poor boy
Long way from home
He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine

Every time I hear his name
I just can’t keep from crying
Cause he was a friend of mine.

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Is Religion Bad? – Say What?

Say What?  is an ongoing series of laconic exchanges on Buddhism in the format of a comic strip.

This shirt is dry clean only. Which means... it's dirty. - Mitch Hedberg 

Is Religion Bad?

A Few Words On Is Religion Bad?

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First Name:

Last Name:

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In addition to a monthly email you can also subscribe to the following weekly series:
One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

The post Is Religion Bad? – Say What? appeared on Andrew Furst.

History – Tiny Drops

Tiny Drops is an ongoing iPhoneographic series. The images represent moments of noticing on my part.  For you, they are an offer to pause, observe, and take that noticing into your life.  All photos are mine unless noted otherwise.

These works by Andrew Furst are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

History

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In addition to a monthly email you can also subscribe to the following weekly series:
One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

 FIVE LIMITLESS THOUGHTS

May all living beings have happiness and its causes

May all be free from unhappiness and its causes

May all dwell in equanimity, free of attraction and aversion

May all quickly find the great happiness that lies beyond all misery

May all enjoy inner and outer peace now and forever

NAMO AMITOFO

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Quote – Shinran on Turning the Mind

Shinran on Turning the Mind

 

Turning the Mind

 

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Modern Koans – What God thinks about Buddhist?

Modern Koans is an ongoing series that recognizes that good questions are often more important then their answers.

The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man. ― G.K. Chesterton

What God thinks about Buddhist?

Recently I posted a comment to someone else’s blog post. A kind Christian commented what they thought God thinks about Buddhist.  Here’s how the conversation has gone thus far.  

Comment: As a Christian, I don’t think God will hold it against you for following the wisdom of The Buddha. Much of Jesus’ teaching seems to be koan.

Response: Thank you, it’s a nice thought and I appreciate the sentiment. But this is one of the things that puzzles me. Can we say what God would or would not hold against us? Let’s dig into it a little.

If it were possible to understand God’s intent, we’d have a couple of ways of knowing

1. He can speak to us – e.g. the Bible (Father)
2. He can appear to us in person (today and any other day we need him) (Son)
3. Or he can be part of us and guide our way (Holy Ghost)

If we use the Bible as a reference, your sentiment doesn’t jibe with John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”?

I think non-theists generally have ground to stand on when they say that God doesn’t or can’t appear to us as a personal God.

If he were part of us guiding us there might be some room to wiggle around in. This is where I’m sympathetic and where I gather your sentiment arises. Perhaps here is where we can find some common ground.

What do you think? Can we know God’s thoughts, intentions, etc? Is it blasphemy to claim to? Is there common ground between Buddhism and Christianity? Or does John 14:6 preclude any compatibility?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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First Name:

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In addition to a monthly email you can also subscribe to the following weekly series:
One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

  

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Quote – Shinran on Vow and Name

Shinran on the Vow and Name

 

The Vow and Name

 

The post appeared on Andrew Furst.

One Minute Meditation – Immanent Circumstance

 One  Minute Meditations is an ongoing series of short videos, poems, and commentary intended as a meditation.  Offered as an opportunity to step back from your cyber routine and settle into a more natural rhythm, if only for a minute.

Immanent Circumstance

A view of the fountain in Post Office Square in Boston.  It is designed by Howard Ben Tre and titled Immanent Circumstance

These videos are produced for those of us who spend an inordinately large amount of time in the cyber-world.  They are not a substitute for unplugging from your devices and taking a stroll near trees, water, or a patch of unkempt grass.  Getting out into the world - touching, smelling, hearing, and seeing nature is the best way to reconnect with our prime purpose.  

What is our prime purpose? We are feeling and sensing machines.  We are the universe looking back on itself. We are witness to the wonders and dangers of living in this corner of the cosmos.  We are the seekers looking for connection a little further beyond yesterday's borders and boundaries.

But sitting and staring at the screen robs us of the sustenance that we rely upon for wonder and sanity.  These videos are an opportunity to bring the sensations of nature to you, while you're in the cyber-world. Its an opportunity to relax your gaze, resettle your posture,  and regain some depth in your breath.  Listen and watch the video and allow your self to open up and recharge.

Most of these are best viewed in full screen

Get Each Week's One Minute Meditation in your email box

First Name:

Last Name:

Email address:

In addition to a monthly email you can also subscribe to the following weekly series:
One Minute Meditations
Tiny Drops (Photography series)
Compass Songs (My Favorite Poems)
Dialectic Two-Step
Modern Koans (interesting questions)
Sunday Morning Coming Down (Music Videos)
Relics (Timeless Republished Articles)
Say What?
Quotes
Verse Us (Poems I Write)

If You Watched The One Minute Meditation, How Do You Feel? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. 

The post One Minute Meditation – Immanent Circumstance appeared on Andrew Furst.

Verse Us – The Old Revolution – A Poem

Verse Us - Poems I write: haiku, senryu, mesostics, free verse, random word constructions, I might even use rhyme or meter once and a while.  

The Old Revolution

Our future was built on revolution.
A mythos of courageously vanquishing of the empire.
Such is the birthright of our citizens.
Our history created us in its image.

Villains seeking conciliation
must bear the title and charge
of treason.

Wielders of swords and rifles
stand immortalized in every town square.
Liberty or Death proclaims the stone and bronze
in which they are cast.

What will be the names of these great black men,
who crush the oppression of the old revolution?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I’ve started reading James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son. This poem was forced out of me after the first few pages of reading. This might be the first time I think I actually get the insidiousness of  *isms. In this particular case the book is about racism, but Baldwin hints at much broader themes here. Please read this book.

 

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