Andrew Furst's Blog, page 16
May 28, 2018
Is Identity an Obstacle to Enlightenment?
Identity: Is it better to have some or none at all? Is it always the obstacle to enlightenment or is it only a problem when there is craving and clinging to one?
Response:
The identity arithmetic you describe is besides the point. Our identities are important and limiting all at the same time.
My identity as a father is important. As a father, I make decisions for the benefit of my family, not just for myself. It’s one of the best identities I have.
I also play the part of an independent thinker; someone who doesn’t necessarily buy the status quo. This identity is often troublesome. It’s mouthy, contrarian, and self centered.
Being the father, I don’t always take care of myself. Sometimes being an independent thinker pays off.
Knowing the purpose and function of our identities is enabling. With them we can craft a happier life.
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Some of the time, when I feel the tug of suffering on my heartstrings, I’m able to wake up, notice an obsession with a particular identity, and let it go. Sometimes I double down and I amplifying the suffering. When I identify as a failure, I end up in a downward spiral.
Identity is natural to humanity, we cannot part with it in the same way we would not part with our hands. They are both tools. A skilled craftsman knows the purpose of a tool. They know how and when to use it. Knowing the purpose and function of our identities is enabling. With them we can craft a happier life.
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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
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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May 25, 2018
Song by Bill Knott – Compass Songs
by Bill Knott from ALL MY THOUGHTS ARE THE SAME selected short poems volume one 08_16_07
When my shadow falls off of me
I yell “So long!”
But when I fall off my shadow
It cries “Long so!”
It seems obvious
That one of us
Is either falling wrong
Or calling wrong.
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Compass Songs is an ongoing series of works by poets that I enjoy. Poetry, as the Zen Masters have said, is like a finger pointing to the moon. It speaks the
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May 23, 2018
Moon Over Little Italy (Baltimore) – Tiny Drops (Photography)
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Moon Over Little Italy (Baltimore)
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All Tiny Drop photos Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
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May 22, 2018
Does Buddhist Philosophy Work? – Modern Koans
What is your experience in applying Buddhist philosophy in real life?
Response:
My experience is that Buddhist philosophy has proven its worth. For me, suffering would have taken its course and led me to an untimely death had I not had the good fortune to learn of and take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
I first entered the stream by way of physical suffering. I had fractured some vertebrae and had taken on the practice of hatha yoga as a way towards healing. The Buddhist approach spoke to my temperament. For whatever reason, the Hindu path did not.
The direct impact of the eightfold path (with a heavy reliance on meditation) was a reduction of physical pain. But the effect didn’t end there. It then became an introduction into the subtle aspects of the mind-body, and has grown to a free flow of insight that comes from getting out of my own way.
I wish that everyone might have the opportunity to see and experience the benefits of Buddhist Philosophy’s deep insights.
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I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Modern Koans is an ongoing series that recognizes that good questions are often more important than their answers.
The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man. ― G.K. Chesterton
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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May 19, 2018
Streamlet – Tiny Drops (Photography)
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Streamlet
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May 16, 2018
The Theophany – The Latest in the Shadowbox Series
I’ve had a fairly productive winter creating a shadowbox series. This one is titled The Theophany.
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The Theophany is the term for the baptism of Christ. It is a part of the Gospel that has always been interesting to me. I’ve modeled this collage on the Russian Orthodox icon for the event. It contains several important characters in the story.
I’ve found that religious texts offer the most when we look at the cast of characters and try to relate to them, especially in the context of your own circumstances. In the center is Christ, probably the least interesting and unrelatable character in the picture. Don’t get me wrong, he has an extremely important role in the story, but if you try to get to the meaning of the story directly through Christ, it won’t be terribly relevant (unless, of course, you can relate to being the Messiah).
The Seer
To me the most important character is on the left. St. John the Baptist. Why? You should spend some time learning about him. He is, for all intents and purposes, the man who starts Jesus’ career. He is the Sam Phillips of the story. St. John is a burlap wearing, tortured ascetic. In many ways he was a mad man. A homeless man, ranting that the end is nigh, that the Kingdom of God is upon us. You get the picture and probably have an experience with such a person in your lifetime.
I have had a lot of experience with people with mental health issues in my family and professional life. I’ve spent a little time serving homeless people. There is a spot in my heart for those who suffer from this type of affliction. They are much more complicated than their symptoms. They’ve grown up too early, and have been shunned, forced into the shadows. They are unique observers of this world.
To make the Theophany more personal and relevant, I’ve used the image of Mr Butch. An icon of Boston’s Kenmore Square of the 1990’s. He was a homeless man, who could be kind and caring, and unpredictable. Though I never witnessed anything but kindness or indifference in his behavior, he lived in a world that people like me don’t understand and probably wouldn’t tolerate well.
The Witnesses
On the left, I use two images to personalize the angels witnessing the baptism.
The first angel, on the bottom, eyes buried in an iPhone, is represented by the archangel Michael, the angel who kills Satan in Revelations. I see him as the busyness of theology and institutional religion. The archangel’s distraction can be viewed as you like. A few thoughts include the preoccupation of religious institutions with power interfering with its all but hidden power to lead people to salvation. The image is richer than anything I might ascribe to it. I’ll let you ponder it.
On top, I use the google icon for “you are here” as the face of the first angel. I direct the viewer to take up this vantage point in the image. To view the Theophany in personal terms, as though you were there witnessing the vision of the holy ghost that Christ experienced at the hand of St. John/Mr. Butch.
This and other shadowboxes are for sale here
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May 13, 2018
Beede Falls – A Two Minute Meditation
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The trip to Beede Falls was one of several waterfalls I visited in the Winnipesaukee area the weekend of July 4th 2016. This is a lovely little falls with a big shallow pool to cool off in on a hot summer day. It’s a little off the beaten path, but a nice visit if you’re in the area. The nearby town of Center Sandwich is also lovely.
The falls themselves drop over a ledge allowing you to sit behind the water and look outward. It’s something of a secret hideaway. Meditation is like this in that we can go to a “secret place” for some peace and perspective. Of course there is nothing secret about the spot behind the waterfall or meditation, except that they can only be appreciated on a very personal level. It’s up to us to take on the experience and to glean its insights.
There’s a metaphor in there for life, I’m sure.
Beede Falls, Center Sandwich, NH.
The Waterfall Series - A significant part of the minute meditation series are these waterfall videos I've been taking for many years now. Most of the falls are in my native New England.
If you're a waterfall chaser here, I highly recommend the New England Waterfalls Guidebook. It's the best way to locate, select, and get to the falls.
Click here to see a map of the waterfalls I've visited as part of the minute meditation series.
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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.
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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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.
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May 10, 2018
Pure Land Buddhist – What Do They Believe?
What are the main beliefs of Pure Land Buddhism?
Response:
The shortest answer could be this: faith, vows, and practice
Faith – Faith in the Buddha’s way. Not blind faith, but a faith in the sense that we develop confidence with each passing day that the sun will set in the western sky. Faith in the truths of suffering, the causes of suffering, and a path away from it. Faith in our Buddha Nature.
Vows – The aspiration for rebirth in the Pure Land, for the blossoming of our Buddha nature, for realizing our natural propensity for contentment, equanimity, joy, and compassion.
Practice – Acknowledging Other Power as the source of our liberation. This is done by reciting the name of the Buddha – Amitabha – with the sincere desire for rebirth in the Pure Land – Sukhavati – the land of bliss.
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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
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
Subscribe to My NewsletterJoin me for a little peace through reflection, art, video, sound, and poetry
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May 7, 2018
ESPecially Nuts? – Say What?
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Say What? is an ongoing series of laconic exchanges on Buddhism in the format of a comic strip.
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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May 4, 2018
No Escape – Verse Us (Poems by Me)
No Escape – a blackout poem.
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Verse Us - Poems I write: haiku, senryu, mesostics, free verse, random word constructions, I might even use rhyme or meter once and a while.
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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