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ART

TASHI MANNOX – MASTER OF CALLIGRAPHY

Art plays a very important role in the practice of transformation, not only to inspire, but to present sacred imagery for visualisation meditation. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition in particular is rich in sacred art and a means to transcend and liberate, says Tashi Mannox in this interview.

DOUGLAS J. PENICK – INTERVIEW

“I don’t quite know why but towards the end of his life, I promised Trungpa Rinpoche, I would bring the stories of Ashoka Maharajah, Gesar of Ling, the Yong Le Emperor and Prince Shotoku Taishi to greater prominence in the West.”
Read the interview with Douglas J. Penick here.

ARTMONEY – A GLOBAL CURRENCY WITH A COLLECTIVE HEART

Imagine a world in which everyone can make their own money. All bills are 18 x 12 cm. You can use it as real money to buy food. In fact, Artmoney was invented in 1997 as an art project aiming at cleaning up the filthy path of real money with the broom of art. The utopian hope was to create a platform, where all people are worth the same, and anyone could make their own money gain freedom from financial slavery.

IN PRAISE OF TARA

Jason Espada read his exquisite poetry in praise of Tara, the female buddha of compassion:
Spiritual beauty bringing light, giving hope, removing obstacles, calming fear, pacifying suffering, and protecting, bringing harmony to every surrounding circumstance, bringing life, health, happiness, good fortune, and stability.

THE SONG TO SING RIGHT AFTER WAKING UP

Here is a meditation song to sing right after waking up. Such a song can resonate into every moment, every action, and give strength to make a day better by connecting with love and genuine presence. It comes from Padmasambhava, and the tune is original, the same as Tulku Urgyen sang in Tibetan, but the words are translated into English. Erik and I just recorded it this morning after waking up. Everyone is invited to use the song.

LAST THINGS

In the moments just before dusk the light lengthens, lemon-gold, over the grass: swells, then billows flags of flame tearing in the wind, wave after wave of ochre and umber resounding on the shores of evening, and finally becomes a thing almost incarnate—the clear flesh of the orchid evaporating on its stem might be the opposite of this— and thoughtless you reach to touch it so it thins, fades, and is gone.

A SOLDIER’S STORY

We began by viewing each other as enemies and ended up holding hands—a young college student and a broken soldier holding hands together in the brightness of early winter. I give his story to you now because it’s all I can do to relieve the heavy tenderness I still feel for him to this day.

SYLVAN DROPS

As each forest decreases, as each piece of woodland is developed upon, our collective perceptual band-width narrows just a little bit more. As Sylvania recedes outside, that sylvan drop inside our hearts, that distilled essence of forest enchantment within us, somehow seems to evaporate away too.

FORGETFULNESS

With life’s ceaseless hurdles, I imagine my dear fellow being banging their pity head on pillows, supposedly hitting their skull hard, wracking their brain, wondering and almost wishing that it pop out, frantically to see what is there that makes one forget.

HOW THE GREAT STUPA BECAME & REMAINED AS REFUGE

Guru is heart, guru is luminous, substanceless mind-essence. By the virtue of his or her own training and devotion to benefit beings, the guru in human form embodies heartmind, and by embodying it brings it out in those with eyes to see and ears to hear, who also have a body alive enough to feel their own life and what is around. Like the real authentic guru himself or herself, heartmind remains ungraspable and indefinable, even as a person.

SOFT-SPOKEN GUIDE OF DAZZLING MAJESTRY & FEROCIOUS ABANDON

Homage to the sole protector, Wish-fulfilling vase of goodness. Reliable Guide who knows. Dazzling King of utter beauty. Ferocious Destroyer of all hesitation. Hear our longing cries for help.
Precious, supreme bhikkhu. Of soft words and gentle gestures. Careful steps and immediate attention. Your hands reach out for us. Every time we trip up and begin to fall again.

WHITE TARA IN THE NEW YORK CITY

Recently I saw a high-quality giclée print from an original appliqué thangka created by the artist Leslie Nguyen Temple. I was entranced by the image entitled, “White Tara in New York City” and knew that Leslie and her husband Terris had collaborated on large-scale works for many years with the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and that he took a keen interest in their personal artwork as well.

ECHO

Feed the dog, or it will bark, says the ego, says about itself. Mind itself creates worlds as its own echo. Mind has no form,… Read More »ECHO

THE TANTRA OF COFFEE

A treatise on coffee making, use and imbibing the action with additional importance. Humorous poetry by Lama Rangbar: The Chariot of Amrit Substances Which Leads to the Arising of Bodhi-Mind by Tasting.

IMAGINE A MUSICAL COSMOS: IS REALITY A FANTASY?

In Europe, since ancient Greece, scientists and artists of all times have studied and gone to great lengths to liken musical systems and the cosmic order. The idea has come to be called names such as, The Harmony of the Spheres and the science of harmonics. To be fair, this tradition or the philosophy of a musical cosmos is now widely regarded as a form of numerological mysticism rather than science.