Toledo Buddhist

Time to shave the head and get ready to recieve the sangha for Sesshin!  There is some pretty intense weather on it's way, so some may wisely choose to opt-out, but for those who make it out I anticipate a memorable, deep snow retreat... The Zafu's are loaded...   Lovely, lovely...

I saw one of those enlightenment quotes on Facebook today: "When you are enlightened, you’ll realize that what you see and what you’ve been seeking to understand in the world is an illusion. There’s nothing to understand, nothing to gain, nothing to achieve. It’s just to be."  - Ratanjit S. Sondhe So I was compelled to write an 'enlightenment poem' in reply:  "That you three are Pugs  there is no mistake.  I give you my love,  and you piss me a lake." - Rev. Rinsen Time for me to clean up the mess...

Tomorrow begins the Guitar Conclave! Here is the blurb: A  weekly group guitar master class with Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik, Saturdays from 1pm till we're done. These meetings are intended for my current or former University students or other adult guitarists who can already play but wish to expand their fretboard awareness, reading ability and improvisational capacity.  Send me a note if you would like to participate,                                              space is limited! I'm looking forward to this as an opportunity to get my music students together and work as a group on the barriers that we all face as artists and musicians, as well as the guitar specific stuff that is just so cool... There is a facebook group for it here if you are interested in joining it as well.

This Dharma Talk was recorded during a Zazenkai at the Toledo Zen Center on October 25th, 2009.  Discusses the dark side of religion, Hitler, and Mass-Thinking. The Drinking Gourd Podcasts are made possible by listener donations.  Please visit thedrinkinggourd.org to make a contribution. http://thedrinkinggourd.org/becoming-the-buddha-of-you

ReBlogged from Monkey Mind, Thanks for this James Ford: Buddhist blogger NellaLou has posted this. I'm copying to all. Hope others will continue the project... The blogger and activist known as Sandmonkey, who many of us have been following for the past 10+ days has been taken into custody in Cairo Egypt. It has been reported that his arrest was due to his final blog post on his website which has now had the account suspended. Many people have copied it and are mirroring it around the world... Sandmonkey’s last post is entitled Egypt, right now! Since posting this NellaLou has gained contact with Sandmonkey.  He had been badly beaten but is at least as of now free. You can follow communications from him at NellaLou's  Smiling Buddha Cabare t. This last article of Sandmonkey blog, before arrestation and censure ! PLEASE COPY IT, SHARE IT ! Thursday, 3 Feb 2011 Egypt, right now! I don't know how to start writing this. I have been battling fatigue for not sleeping p