If you believe in God...you might be a muslim.

There are a lot of misconceptions in the world.  I’m finding a whole new Islam since I’ve started reading the Qur’an.  Actually, if I’m being honest, it’s very much like reading the Bible.  I’ve come across Adam, Moses, Abraham, Mary…and many other celebrities of the Bible.  They are all extremely important.  So where’s the big difference?  Well, as far as I can tell, there isn’t much.  One HUGE point of contention is the idea of the trinity.  Muslims believe Jesus was from a virgin birth, enlightened to the truths of God, is highly regarded and important in the Islamic faith.  From my perspective, Muslims believe God is unimaginable:

“He is God, the One.  God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs.  He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” 

So what do else do Muslims believe that other faiths also believe?

• They believe in God.  The same one who created earth, although they do not believe the earth was created in 7 days.  It is written as the earth being created in 6 days, but the Arabic word used for days, could be eons…so who knows?

• They believe in angels.  The angel Gabriel was responsible for bringing the Qur’an to Muhammad (peace be upon him).

• They believe the Torah was given to Moses, Psalms was given to David, and the Gospels were given to Jesus from God.  So the Islamic scripture includes these three books, as well as the Qur’an.  They believe man has corrupted the previous truths sent from God, and that the Qur’an will not be corrupted.  That is why you must learn Arabic to truly understand the Qur’an.  I personally think it’s pretty cool the text has been unchanged since its origination.

• They believe in judgment day, when all people will be judged according to their belief and deeds.  I think there is a lot of misunderstanding here.  The Islamic view is not that only Muslims go to heaven.  God is one, he doesn’t care if you are Christian (as long as you believe God is the only God), if you are Jewish (as long as you believe God is the only God), if you are agnostic (as long as you believe there is only one God), Hindus…I think you have too many Gods, you might have a problem.  (sorry, not my rules)

• They believe in Al-Qadar, which is basically predestination.  This is a hard one from me to wrap my mind around.  Muslims believe we have free will, can choose right or wrong, and we are responsible for our choices.  But, they ALSO believe that whatever God wills to happen, will happen.  That seems a little contradictory to me…you be the judge.

• Just as Moses had the 10 commandments and the Jewish faith has its 613 mitzvot (commandments),  Islam has its 5 pillars.

1. Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, and Muhammad is God's Messenger
2. Salat: ritual prayer five times a day
3. Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy
4. Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan
5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime (but only if one is able)

(Seems simple enough to follow, right?  Well, I have found that 5 prayers a day is a VERY difficult habit to cultivate!)

Just as there are many differences within each religion, there are many differences between each religion.  What I think is often overlooked, is how similar they all are.  It’s like getting upset your neighbor opted for the red mustang instead of the blue one you like…if we weren’t so busy being ignorant to the big picture, maybe we could get along better.  I know I’m a broken record here, but if we could all try to understand other points of view, we might not have such a hard time reevaluating our wrong perceptions. 

This is barely the tip of the iceberg, and I intend on going into more detail, but football is on…

Al-salaamu alaykum friends.

 

 

Don't believe everything you hear on TV

The wise ones say the opposite of what we know as true, is also the truth.  The proof is in the pudding, as they say.  I have been hearing a lot of news about the Islamic faith, and I have no idea where they are getting their information.  I don't mean to point fingers, as I'm pointing to the TV, but some people (politicians, people on the news, some Christian pastors), not going to say who, spew a lot of crazy speculative talk.  It's not for me to say if its sheer ignorance or out right lying, but it seems far from what I have found so far.

I started reading the Qur'an in August.  I was really excited about meeting with some members of the local masjid, but after a few unsuccessful tries, I decided to look into podcasts to get a pulse on the western styling's of Islamic faith.  Initially, the majority of the podcasts I found were in Arabic.  Many had English translations, but were hard to hear.  After some creative searching (and a few weeks), I finally found what I was looking for.  The one teaching I did follow for the whole month was no drinking...so it wasn't a total loss.  Sad to say, however, that this month I will be enjoying the sinful libations.  Mostly because water gets really old at band practice.  Because I blew half the month searching, I decided to give it some more time. So lets call September my actual month to learn about Islam.

Most of us know, not because we looked ourselves, that Islam is misogynistic.  We know how to pick them out in public because they are wearing a turban, and that they pray to a different God than we (read: Christians/Jews) do.

What you may not know is there are Islamic feminists and notable female scholars.  Did you also know that many religions (Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, and Islam) have denominations who wear turbans?  I didn't until a few minutes ago.  And as far as I can tell, Allah is the same God Christians and Jews pray to.

It'll be a quick one tonight kids, if my facts don't look right I hope you check it out for yourself.  And then again, the opposite of what you know is also true.

Khuda Hafiz friends.

An end to homelessness...I wish.

As it came to an end, I realized how wrong my perception of being homeless was.  I've learned some people hate living on the streets while others choose that path.  Some are happy, others not so much.  Some want help, others feel bad asking for it.  Looking back, it's silly to think it would be any other way.  I mean, people are people.  Assholes make a choice to be assholes, grateful people make a choice to be grateful.  Being homeless is just another factor of who we are (or aren't).  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't wish some of the stories I heard on anybody, but life is what is it and things happen.  It was great seeing how people are able to turn bad situations and find the silver lining.  That, my friends, is what its all about.

Last month I had the pleasure of volunteering at the Hope Center.  Its a pretty cool organization.  They do a lot of good for the needy people of Lexington.  They offer housing, a hot meal at dinner and lunch.  They also have a van that drives around town to local churches to hand out sandwiches throughout the week.  While there, a lot of stereotypes were shattered.

1.  There was going to be a disconnect between volunteers the people coming to eat.  Not even close.  Although I did feel out of place wearing and self conscious about wearing my dress clothes from work.  The majority of the kitchen staff were residents of the Jacobs house (which is a part of the Hope Centers services) which is a house for men recovering from substance abuse.  I thought it was pretty cool, and a great experience, for these men to give back to the community while they are going through a lot themselves. 

One of the guys volunteering on the line with me was a former "graduate" of the addiction program.  It took him 2 rounds to stay clean, but assured me there would be no 3rd time.  He was so great to work with.  He filled me in on everything the Hope Center does around town.  He was given a maintenance job with the Center after completing his time in rehab, and now runs the grounds crew year round.  I got the feeling that he was a great mentor.  Super easy to talk to and he knew just what to say to the folks coming in for a meal to get a smile.  I on the other hand, didn't have that quality. 

2.  These folks were going to be gross and dirty freeloaders.  Mostly not true.  There were a handful of people with visible uncleanliness, but honestly, the majority of the people were everyday folks.  I found out that a lot of these folks have some sort of income, but not enough to live on.  It was eye opening to see people with jobs, men who worked to support family, and of course, people without homes coming together to get a hot meal.   A good majority of the people said thanks as they came through the line, about half made sure to say thanks as they left.

As the crowd dwindled, and I was told I could head home, I kinda felt like "that's it?"  Don't get me wrong, it was great being involved with something like that, but I felt a little bummed that I got to go home to a meal quite a bit nicer than breaded meat, heated vegetables and a roll.  I felt guilty for not doing this before.  It seemed silly that every day we throw away more shit than we can count while others are barely scraping by. 

I also know that there is only so much you can do.  Maybe I felt bad for being more of an idealistic talking soapbox than a "walking the walk" kind of guy.  Maybe feeling that way isn't such a bad thing...trying to be better is nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other.  Keep on keeping on, as they say.  It's interesting how the idea of perseverance and getting through hard times is a highly valued trait in todays world...unless you don't have a place to call home.

I mean, a lot of people are struggling to get by everyday.  Imagine hearing a story about a man digging in dumpsters to pay off his mortgage and college tuition, shit, we might think they were saints.  But take away that house and now you are a detriment to society?  Forget the fact that you might generally be a good person, trying to do the best you can with life's circumstances, working on improving your situation, and yet some just call them all "freeloaders".  Productive right?  Seems that perception holds more weight than reality.

Obviously, some are trying to get by with doing as little work as possible.  What I have seen is the people that dig through dumpsters for food, or cans for money; the woman who stands all day in the hot sun asking for help; the man playing a broke ass guitar for a bite to eat; they all work a lot harder than me.  Seriously, give them a chance.  Let them prove it to you they are worthy of a hot meal, or a high-five, or anything you were going to throw away anyway.  If you give them a chance, you might be surprised. 

I think a helpful step in the right direction is to understand that we are a couple of mishaps away from being in their position.  All of us, every single one of us.  I'm trying to keep an open mind, I want to see the good in people, but sometimes its really hard.  I've heard practice makes perfect, so that's what I'm shooting for.  I need to keep practicing compassion...We need to keep practicing compassion. It's not going to come from any religion...not that it can't, and not because there aren't good people doing their best to make it happen, but because it needs to be accepted across the board, and we seem to struggle finding common ground between different faiths. 

Compassion comes from you, me, and us.  Maybe you learn it from your faith, or your family, but it does no good unless you practice it.  And not just every once in a while, or when you feel like you need a pick-me-up...but every time you think about it.  It needs to be something we do AND something we teach.  To our kids, to our neighbors, to strangers...to people who need it, and those who aren't looking for it. 

Side note:  My son Rowan was not pleased when I gave his bread to someone in need around our neighborhood.  He will learn someday...hopefully.  And not because I don't intend to practice what I preach, but because that kid has a serious love for Panera.

We need to do it because its the right thing.  It's the right thing for the right now, and hopefully this whole compassion thing will really take off in a few generations.

Soap box over.
For now.

Gun shot stories and eating with friends

I can't stress this enough...two things actually. I am by no means a saint, or really even that great of a person. That's number one....let me repeat....I am a real shit head sometimes, and by no means do I intend to come off as anything more. Number 2: we don't take care of people enough. I know there are a multitude of events that can lead to someone living on the streets, I'm not naïve to think we can end homelessness, but we can be a lot more available to people and help when we can. It doesn't have to be money, get creative and think about how you can help...even if its just once. I really believe that the best way to be happy is to help make those around you happy. I studied it in the Dharma, and again in the Gospels. People are happiest when everyone is taken care of and helping each other. But there are always going to be tough times, I was reminded today the importance of helping each other out.

There are places around town that have areas where people live on the streets, and I notice some of the same people around the places we eat regularly. I thought it would be a great learning opportunity this month to take people out to lunch or dinner and hear their stories. One of the downsides is that I am starting to get a little stalker-ish . I find myself cruising the neighbor before stopping to eat, or sometimes I will park and walk around for a little bit normal to see if I come across anyone I can chat with who happens to live on the street. This weekend I met D. D was a VERY interesting guy. He was looking like he had a rough night, and told me he had a long way left to walk home. What he preferred was that I give him 4 dollars, but was appreciative of getting something to eat. Along the way to grab a bite at Jimmy Johns, we stopped when D ran into an old high school buddy. To make a long story short, D and his buddy start telling me some crazy stories about getting shot. His friend starts showing us his fresh scars, staples still intact, and then D started taking off his shirt to show a huge scar down the front of his whole torso/belly. I am listening to the crazy stuff that happened to these guys, and part way through the conversation, I realize all the other pedestrians are walking past us with some serious looks of "what the F" mixed with a little fear. And then I realized I was a part of the scary group.

I started to play the stories in my head of what I thought the other people could be thinking. Not about D and his buddy, but about ME. I don’t really blame them. I mean…the beard, the old jeans, dirty hat, the same boyish good looks as that criminal that made a big splash on the internet…I scream street person (at least today). Then it became a bit funny to me. How these people (assuming they are half as judgmental as I can be on a good day) could have made up their own stories about me, and how I should get off the street, get a job...yet how far from reality that would have been. I realized all of us at some point have done the same thing...and had likely been way off from the actual reality of the situation.

Imagine how many times we have walked past a group of people on the street and assumed the worst about someone. Probably caused us to cross the street a little early, or went out of our way to avoid the group of people. Maybe they don’t notice it, but maybe ey do, and maybe it would brighten the hell out of their day if more people said hello. I can tell you, I am getting more and more comfortable talking with some of the people on the streets. I’m not as afraid to ask questions now, and I’m learning some valuable lessons. Most people seem to reciprocate with a nice smile back, some say hi, one guy mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

So D and I had lunch, but he had to run before I finished my food. It couldn’t have been five minutes later, as I’m eating, 2 guys come in and ask me if I was the guy buying lunch. They told me they wouldn’t say who told them, but they were told the guy with the red beard in JJ’s was buying people food. One guy was in a wheel chair, and the other looked like he woke up on the ground…turns out he did. I told them as long as they didn’t go around telling everyone I was the bearded guy buying lunch, lunch was on me. We sat and talked a good 30 minutes. The man in the wheelchair went by "coronel Ben" and his buddy whose name I have forgotten (steve? Maybe?).

Coronel told me he used to do mission work overseas with his wife when she got sick. Before she died of leukemia a number of years back, they moved back to Kentucky for treatment, and the medical bills did him in. He was on the street for a couple of years before he lost his leg to frost bite, sleeping outside during the winter. He told me he finally has his shit back together. He works for a local homeless shelter now and they give him lodging across town. His friend Steve was extremely appreciative the whole meal. Turns out he was a fellow Illinoisan, who traveled to Kentucky to follow the love of his life. He told me he had been a street person for quite a while. Steve helps out Coronel Ben by pushing him around where he needs to go. Coronel Ben helps make sure Steve stays out of trouble and translates things for him, as Steve cannot read. (friends helping friends...I knew already I was going to like these guys) He kept telling Coronel that good things happen to good people, and was really shocked that someone would buy him lunch for no reason. It's was an equally sad/good feeling watching someone get so excited/emotional over a sandwich.

Steve says he can sometimes make up to $15 a day, but it’s not uncommon for the folks who live on the street to give each other a few bucks when they need it. He told me the meal at JJ’s was good karma because he had been trying to do the best he could with what he was given. He tries to give to his fellow street people, and he said there is a woman he tries to make sure gets something to eat everyday. He had a lot of good advice, he made sure to drive this point home: Quit giving the fucking homeless donuts! Steve says more people need better/nutritious food. I never expected to meet a foodie street person.

But, I also realize it’s a possibility these guys made it all up. Maybe it was all a story. Even if it was all made up, I'm so happy I had the opportunity to hang out with these guys. They taught me a lot about life on the streets, and gave me a lot of laughs for the day. A lot of people argue that "these people" are a bunch of bad eggs, Steve says its about 2-10% of the homeless population. He also warned that those 2-10% are really bad people, and when you get a slight inclination that you are with a bad egg...don't second guess your instinct and get the hell away from them.

I think its common to project negative stereotypes onto people who are thought to be somehow less important than we are. The problem isn’t just the stereotype, the problem is we think the some people are somehow less important. I live Steve's idea about eating better foods, and it makes me happy to see others eat better, so for now I'll keep trying to feed anyone that needs something good to eat.

the happy and the homeless...sometimes one in the same.

Hello internet-land.  This month’s community focus is on homelessness.  I wanted to take a break from the understanding of religion for a bit and focus on another really important part of any community.  After digging into religion a bit more, I’m happy to be back to chopping wood and carrying water.  It’s nice to be able to put the purpose into practice more than the past few months of studying and listening.  After my time of trying to understand Christianity, I see a lot of similarities between it and Buddhism.  A common theme, is taking care of one another, and this month will put that to the test.

Side note: June was a really great month.  We were fortunate enough to be able to meet up with family and friends, and relax and explore Colorado and Utah.  I was really hoping to start my homeless focused month in June, but knew because of vacation I would have limited time to spend planning, participating, and helping.  So this month I decided to devote time to helping out the homeless, and others who need a little help.  I am hoping to be able to get some perspective by hanging out and visiting with my fellow Lexingtonians.  I hope to get some perspective on the different ways we can help the homeless in/around the neighborhood.

So far, the stories are usually sad, but sometimes really great.  I had lunch with a really nice guy, Tom, last week.  He cruises around town in a bicycle he converted to run on gasoline.  He helps support himself by playing an electric guitar with an amp ran off a 9V battery.  Tom has an excellent outlook on life, at least from what I can tell from our chat, despite the fact he has no place to call home.  When you think about the Toms in the world you have to really appreciate how lucky we are.   I never think twice about having enough to eat, where I am going to sleep, or how I am going to afford to get around town.  Yet I find myself getting frustrated at the little, insignificant things in life.  I’m sure Tom gets frustrated too, but here he is taking a beating from life and circumstances, all while managing to keep a big smile on his face.  High-five Tom, high five. (full disclosure:  Tom and I did not, in fact, high five....yet)

I’m glad to have met Tom to help remind me that despite all the shit life is giving us, we can still choose to smile.  I’m also reminded that some people have it really rough, and it’s our job to help bring them up.  Sometimes I can’t buy someone something to eat, but sometimes I can, so why not?  I’ve gone back and forth about the best way to “deal with homeless people”.  Should we give them money?  Will they spend it on booze?  We've all heard/said: I’m not going to give those lazy people any money! It’s a personal decision, but I keep coming around the fact that it’s not about what I think anyway, so just give if you can.  I can only help what I do, but I think food and clothes are basic things everyone should have.  Drunk or not, I can't think of anyone who doesn't deserve a healthy meal or some clean clothes every once in a while.

There are a lot of ideas about how I can help out this month.  I have started using my cup holder as my change-to-give-away holder.  I have actually seen the same guy quite a few times on my way home from work, and he seems appreciative every single time.  I feel bad because I always ask his name, but can never remember it…I can’t even think of it now.  But we usually have a little chat, and he has told me he can usually find a place to sleep at his friends, but uses the money for food.  I used to be cynical towards this type of situation.   I always “knew” that person was going to get drunk off my hard earned money.  Maybe this guy is doing the same thing, but maybe he isn’t.  Maybe he actually uses it to eat, and maybe he eats better than me, I know if it was me…I’d make sure I had enough to eat and THEN buy some beer.  But to each their own is how it goes.  So let me work on trying to be a better me.  And to do that, I need to get better at giving; I just gotta make sure to keep that judgement stuff at the door.

I’m excited about the new people I will meet along the way this month, and I am really looking forward to seeing what I can do to help a little more.  Tom told me about a guy in town who works as a pharmacist at the local hospital.  He picks up Tom and another half dozen people 2 Fridays a month and takes the group of guys to his house where they hold a bible study and he lets everyone shower at his house.  I’m so happy to have people like this living in town.  Fortunately, Tom was able to give me his number, and I hope he doesn't mind me hanging out some Friday.

 

Till next time kids.  If you think about it this month, do me a favor and try and give a smile or say "hi" to someone less fortunate.  I can't say how they will react, but I would bet if brightens your day.

The wise men

I've mentioned before the bible study group with the retired ministers.  I finally finished up my time with them.  (not really, it's taken me a few weeks to finish this up)

What did I learn at the bible study?

Jesus can do good things in peoples lives.  I heard a lot about Jesus in the time spent with the wise men.  They love that guy!  All of them seem to really believe that Christ was driving the ship, so to speak, and playing a significant role in their lives.  And to be honest, I admired that about them.  Their job has been to essentially help other people with their problems in life through the teachings of Jesus, God, and the Bible.  Ministers don't have all the answers, and these guys made it known often they knew less than most.  But they all seemed to really believe what they were saying, and what they were saying was if you have a problem, Jesus is the answer out.

I believe them too, for the most part.  I've said this before, but if you have a positive outlook on life and use the teachings for the better, you will absolutely be happy as ten dudes.  And I believe that as long as you can muster up the strength to keep the belief alive (faith as the wise men called it) the happiness will continue.   Not feeling generous?  Jesus has an answer for that.  Wanting to punch your neighbor out?  Jesus has an answer for that.  Can't get naked images of the neighbor with the majestic beard out of your head?(ladies, I'm happily married)  Jesus has an answer for that too.

A good amount of our discussions were about the difference between living like a good Christian and being a follower of Christ.  My point of view comes from the idea that calling yourself a Christian is nothing more than that...words.  Christianity, in a broad sense, is still an evolving set of beliefs, and for good reason.  As times change, attitudes change, technology changes, interactions change (we Buddhists call it impermanence) and therefore, the teachings need to be changed. I believe its a good thing, and it's happened a lot in America.  Some religious views needed to be changed, from interracial marriage, to same sex marriage, and todays craziness with mega-money hungry churches.  But I digress...

So what is a good Christian?  Saying you are a follower of Christ (or you have a personal relationship with him), or living like a good Christian?  Or does it have to be both?  We all have the same life problems.  Missing lost loved ones, stresses of work and family life, low self esteem, whatever it may be we all deal with them in our own personal way.  Jesus, and the other teachings, can give help and hope to people dealing life's problems.  But it seems at times what you want becomes the message.  When you want to make a lot of money, you might have to skew some teachings to still feel good about yourself, but look at the mega churches, it can be done...Praise Jesus!  So clearly JUST saying you have a relationship can't be enough right? 

Most of the wise men agreed you have to believe Jesus died for your sins to get to heaven.  I challenged them by asking (I've heard this many times before) if one could still get to heaven if they never heard of Jesus.  Most agreed if you lived a good life, were searching for the truth, but never knew of Jesus that God would still let you in.  So living like a good Christian is all you need!?  Not exactly.  I heard Desmond Tutu say it was "silly" to think that the Dalai Lama would get to heaven and God would express his gratitude for all of his good deeds but would ultimately be shunned from heaven for not acknowledging Jesus as the son of god and the one true way to heaven.  I couldn't agree more. 

But they didn't see it that way.  Until I expressed my belief that you don't have to ever say his name, if you use him as an example in your daily life.  Look at Thich Nhat Hahn and how he has contributed to Gods people.  I can't help but think the Dalai Lama completely understands the good in Jesus and his teachings.  I'm sure he has used the power of the holy spirit (most likely calls it by another name) with his fellow Christians to do good deeds.  Maybe he doesn't call it "being Christian" (although many monks consider being a good Buddhist the same as being a good Christian), maybe he doesn't claim Jesus to be his lord and savior, but he is probably one of the few people on earth today that is even close to living like Jesus asks you to.  So how do you see it? 

The group discussed people as individuals within the Christian community, and what we all understood is that a good Christian isn't good 100% of the time.  This was another issue I couldn't get past in my young and know-it-all phase (trust me: the know-it-all phase isn't gone yet, to the chagrin of my wife).  I feel like the bible study helped me realize the middle ground of Christianity.  On one hand, no one can live up to the expectations of Jesus.  On the other hand, you don't have to...he is very forgiving.  This promised forgiveness is great, if not used as a blinder to avoid thinking about selfish actions.  But, If you try to live just like Jesus, society is going to kick your ass and call you a crazy person.  Turning the other cheek, loving your neighbor as yourself, helping the poor, sticking it to the man...that stuff doesn't fly today (and it will likely get you voted out of congress)  This is America son.  Land of money loving, freedom forcing, civilian suppressing/killing ...we aint got time for that.  But its OK!  All you have to do is "have a relationship with Jesus".  Ask for forgiveness and you shall receive it.  (But I digress...again)  It's difficult to find your way in todays society with its constant barrage of distractions.

The moral of the story: find your own truth.  Teachers are excellent resources (even bad teachers), but no teacher can show you the truth...just what direction to look.

My understanding of Jesus

It was a nice run being Christian for the month.  I really found a new appreciation for some of the practices, some of the practitioners, and a few of the modern philosophical teachers.

What did I learn?  A lot.  Do I feel more like a Christian?  Yes and no.  On one hand, I learned a lot of valuable things, listened to a lot of inspiring sermons/teachings, and met some pretty impressive individuals.  On the other, I found my interpretation of this new information to distance me from the possibility of being a true Christian.  I can see the truth in the teachings, and I understand the importance Christianity has in the world, but I can't fully buy the notion Jesus is the only way.

My understanding of Jesus:
I understand the importance and significance of Jesus' role in Christianity, but I also understand everything we know about him was written by man.  It was interesting to read about the historical Jesus, and if you haven't done any research on the topic you might find it educational (no matter your religious leanings).  What I found most interesting was how the story of Jesus may have lead him to be the son of Christianity.  That may seem silly to you, but I was brought up with all the great stories about Jesus healing the sick and helping the poor.  I was taught what the gospels told us about Jesus, how he was man and God, how he died for our sins, how through his grace we could find our place in Heaven. 

The more I read about the history, surrounding the time and place of Jesus in the world, the more I started to find myself doubting.  I am not intending  to sway anyone's opinion on the subject.  I hope that if you are reading this as a Christian you do not get offended, just as I hope any non-believers reading this do not think I am championing any anti-Jesus message.  I do, however, feel like its important to hear multiple sides to a story and make your own opinions about the matter.

What new (for me) information caused me to doubt? 

For one, Pontius Pilate was a real dick. 

"Concerning Jesus’ executioner, Pontius Pilate, we have a considerable body of data that contradicts the largely sympathetic portrayal of him in the New Testament. Even among the long line of cruel procurators who ruled Judea, Pilate stood out as a notoriously vicious man. He eventually was replaced after murdering a group of Samaritans: The Romans realized that keeping him in power would only provoke continual rebellions. The gentle, kindhearted Pilate of the New Testament—who in his “heart of hearts” really did not want to harm Jesus is fictional. The New Testament depicts Pilate as wishing to spare Jesus from punishment, only to be stymied by a large Jewish mob yelling, “Crucify him.” The account ignores one simple fact. Pilate’s power in Judea was absolute. Had he wanted to absolve Jesus, he would have done so: He certainly would not have allowed a mob of Jews, whom he detested, to force him into killing someone whom he admired." (Joseph Telushkin. Jewish Literacy.)

Secondly, there are historians that claim the writers of those times often would describe people in ways that embellished ideals to portray a person.  For instance, my wife is an excellent mother.  So in those times I would have written a story about her taking in all the homeless children of Lexington,  feeding them all and becoming a mother to all of them.  The point is to explain that she is a loving mother, but the stories often times were skewed to make a point.  One author explained that this was not intentional, but just the way of the times.  So it is possible that some of the scriptural accounts about Jesus were dressed up a bit, to help get the point across. 

To be honest with you, I am completely ok with that.  It doesn't make the teachings less special, it doesn't make the truth less real, and it doesn't mean you can't use it to find whatever you are looking for.  The Jesus I read in the Bible was a spiritual superhero.  That dude was rad, and understood what it takes to live life (Unless, of course, your idea of having what it takes to live life includes living past 33).  It's sad to see being a good Christian sometimes comes down to saying you believe in a story about a man, written by men, that could never find words to reveal the true essence of what they were trying to describe.  When can we look past the notion that it has to be "this way" or "that way", and see that living the teachings is what makes you a good Christian?  Who knows, maybe I'm way off...the opposite of what you know as true can also be true.  Maybe you really can live your life selfishly and be saved by nothing other than asking for forgiveness.

Thirdly, I can't fully get behind the resurrection story.  Not because I believe it to be made up, but because I know it "could" be made up.  There are other parts of the bible I can't fully get behind either: People living 900 years, seven headed dragons (I've also read it as "beast"), Noahs Ark, Genesis...that'll do to make a point I suppose.  I've heard my problem is a lack of faith.  I would disagree.  I have faith that people who follow the teachings of the bible can make the world a much better place.  I found faith this month that many wise Christians are doing fantastic things in the world.  In fact, my faith in Christianity has probably never been higher than since I started reading C.S. Lewis and listening to the teachings of the retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu this month. 


So this is where I am at on the whole Jesus thing.
1.  He is possibly the son of God, though I'm not going to bet my life on it.
2.  We don't know as much about the historical Jesus as we think we do (at least I don't)
3.  His teachings seem legit.
4.  Following him with all of your heart will make the world a better place.
5.  He would be ashamed of what people have done in his name.

Feel like I'm missing something, or I am way off base? (there is so much more I didn't have time/room for)  Make a comment.  I love the discussions.

Christianity...just like coming home.

What better month to be a practicing Christian than Easter season?  I'm sure if you're a practicing christian you would argue every month is a good month to be practicing.  So how do you go about being a "good practicing christian"?  That's a tough question, and a loaded one at that.  So this month I set up a few rules.

1.  Going to church.  I plan on attending church each week. 

Growing up and baptized methodist, I am looking to check out other styles of churches, ones that offer a different flavor of christianity.  I went to the Vineyard Church a few weeks ago with a couple of friends.  It was a really nice church, (disclaimer: Any place that has free earl grey tea is hard to talk bad about) and the first I have attended that had a band, which was nice.  I was curious about the message, but I found it to be pretty inspiring.  A lot of talk about being better people, helping community, and nothing about fire/brimstone/hell.

Today I attended church with my family and grandparents at the methodist church I was baptized in.  It was nice being back, and I was grateful to be there with my grandparents, but I wasn't as inspired by today's service as much as the one I attended in Lexington.  To be fair, I had my children there, so a good part of the time was spent keeping paper out of Em's mouth and wondering if Ro would say the word "butt" outloud.  What didn't really "do it" for me was the structured agenda of it all. Sit, read, stand, sing, call and response, THEN a sermon, then more reading. I didn't really feel like I had time to think for myself and soak it all in.  I don't want this to be a negative thing, but it didn't give me what I liked about The Vineyard.  The Vineyard was like listening to someone in your family.  Christian ideals were definitely preached, but in a way that connected it to the community, and allowed me to reflect on how to be a better person.

2.  Attend a weekly bible study group.

I feel so fortunate and grateful for the group of guys I get to hang out with this month.  Randomly, I was hooked up with a pseudo bible study group consisting of 7-8 retired preachers.  Thinking about a bible study was a daunting task.  I wasn't really interested in my idea of a traditional bible study (I probably have the most untraditional view of a traditional bible study).  I thought my time constraint would not allow me to get a whole lot out of it.  Would there be open discussion?  Would we be going through one book of the bible?  Would I be preached at?  Would they even let me in if they found out I subscribe to the buddhist tradition?

What I wanted was an open forum.  A place where we could shoot the shit, talk some Jesus, and debate the christian ideals that seem to drive wedges between community members.  And that is EXACTLY what I got myself into.  These guys are great.  Granted, they are still trying to save me, but they sincerely treat me like one of their own.  We have pretty lengthy discussions, I feel completely comfortable explaining my true thoughts on christian teachings, and the guys answer my questions without any detectable traces of judgement.  It's nice to know guys like this were building ministries throughout the country.  We obviously have some major philosophical differences, but we all want the same thing.  For those of you who have a really negative view of christians, I have to tell you there are some really great christians out there.  A year ago I don't know if I would have believed how great my conversations with a self-proclaimed conservative christian could have gone.  But here I am hoping you get the opportunity that I have had so far this month.

3.  Pray.

This is the one thing I was sure would be easier than it has turned out.  Obviously, praying is not a difficult thing.  I have been somewhat serious with meditation up until now, and praying seemed an easy alternative.  Well....it wasn't.  Praying in the morning to start the day...no problem.  Praying at night before I go to bed...should be easy, but I seem to forget most nights before lying down to sleep.  Saying a little prayer before a meal has proven to be the most difficult for me.  The big issue is my forgetfullness.  But when I do think about it at lunch, I get self concious about it.  I sometimes think to myself  "this is going to be a good one"  or "hot damn!  I'm feeling the love and Im going to include everyone that made this meal possible".  Then reality sets in.  I start to think to myself...is anyone going to stare at me when I do this?  I wonder if they were like my former self and think what I'm doing is silly.  Then what happens is my extravagant grace turns into a few second of thanks.  (the ministers assure me any grace is better than none...maybe its more of a self dissapointment I let unsubstantiated thoughts get in the way)

4.  Read/listen to expand my understanding

I have been hitting the podcasts pretty hard on my drive to/from work.
CS Lewis is my new free time favorite.

Any other suggestions?  I have a book by Ravi Zacharias that was loaned to me, but I'm just not sure its in the cards.  I'm sure he's a great man, but I listened to a few of his talks on podcast and he didn't do it for me.

So that's what I have been up to this month.  Looking forward to continuing, and improving, my understanding on the subject over the next week and a half.  I hope everyone who practices had a great easter.  I hope all of you who don't did as well.

Stay Blessed.

Call it what you want...there is no God.

Did you know there are many different types of "atheism"?  The internet says so, and it's never wrong.  I grew up in simpler times, times when you could be a believer and non-believer.  So easy, but like I've discussed before, nothing is permanent.  The non believers have apparently joined more modern times and tried to overcomplicate things. Now there are a lot of hip and cool new ways to not believe in a higher power.

Atheism

Atheists deny that atheism is a religion.  They do not believe in any God/Gods/supernatural powers.  The internet (in its infinite wisdom) reveals that "An Atheist has no specific belief system. We (atheists) accept only that which is scientifically verifiable. Since god concepts are unverifiable, we do not accept them."  Obviously this is an oversimplification.  There are many different views on atheism.  The one common theme is the belief there is no God figure, but I would argue they DO, in fact, have a belief system...just not one the incorporates an omnipotent being running the show.

Agnostics 

Agnostics believe that our knowledge is limited to the natural world and we are never going to know if God exists.  They tend to be skeptical of all/most things related to theology.  Some take the stance that they don't know if God exists or not, others seem adamant that no one will ever be able to understand.

I used to describe myself as agnostic.  It was my ideal place to deal with both believers and non-believers.  It was like I could have my cake and eat it to.   (By no means am I debasing Agnosticism, I personally described myself this way because I wasn't really sure what I believed and it was an easy out)

Free thinkers

"free-think-er n. A person who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief. Freethinkers include atheists, agnostics and rationalists. No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. To the freethinker, revelation and faith are invalid, and orthodoxy is no guarantee of truth." - Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.

This is not fully hitting the mark, but this seems to relate to some Buddhist teachings I discussed previously.

Humanism

"Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead." - Kurt Vonnegut.

"Humanism is a progressive belief that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity." - American Humanist Association

Bloggers note: this is an "ism" that I can really get down with.  I also had the pleasure of joining an online humanist forum.  What I found was a group of people interested in making Lexington a better place.  There were discussions of local fundraisers, many community building opportunities(I'm looking forward to a family bowling get together), and discussions on how to help families in need, and discussions on where to learn more about humanist ideas.  Sounds like a church community...without God of course.  And full of people I am happy to share my community with.

Naturalism

 

"Naturalism is a metaphysical theory which holds that all phenomena can be explained mechanistically in terms of natural (as opposed to supernatural) causes and laws. Naturalism posits that the universe is a vast machine or organism, devoid of general purpose and indifferent to human needs and desires...naturalism neither denies nor affirms the existence of God, either as transcendent or immanent. However, naturalism makes God an unnecessary hypothesis and essentially superfluous to scientific investigation. Reference to moral or divine purposes has no place in scientific explanations. On the other hand, the scope of science is limited to explanation of empirical phenomena without reference to forces, powers, influences, etc., which are supernatural." - The Skeptic's Dictionary

 

Rationalism

"The mental attitude which unreservedly accepts the supremacy of reason and aims at establishing a system of philosophy and ethics verifiable by experience, independent of all arbitrary assumptions or authority." - American Rationalist


So what is all the fuss about?  What makes us so afraid of atheists and where do these negative feelings come from?  I'm not going to pretend it doesn't happen, because it does.  I have talked with quite a few people about atheism recently and I have witnessed first hand the stigma that can accompany it.  Lucky for me I was only atheist for a month, I don't know how you full time non-believers do it. 

It seems that somewhere along the way the dialogue became more about being on the "right team" versus the "same team" (ironic, considering the other major religions consider us all Gods people)  As long as there are people fighting for their view to be the right one, as long as there are people unwilling to listen to another perspective, as long as people use their beliefs to justify their fears; ignorance will continue to negatively influence our communities.

In case you missed it, no where in any of these definitions does it say atheists don't believe in good, they just don't believe in god.  I can think of many reasons why someone may denounce religion. (more on that with my next post)  I cannot think of any reason living a moral/productive/fulfilling life has to be mutually tied to a certain belief system, however. The reality of it all is that regardless of their reasons to believe in what they do, they have the capability to love, to be loved, to help, to cooperate, to do good.  And anyone focused on making a positive impact on my community is ok in my book...regardless of what happens to them when they die.

Survey says...atheists are not to be trusted

It's true, recent studies have shown that some people have a pretty negative view of atheism.  Half of all Americans polled said they would not vote for an atheist president.  Studies report many people do not consider atheists as trustworthy as other Christians and Muslims.  Some argue that people who believe God is watching over them are more likely to behave morally.  I believe that people who praise a higher power can certainly use their faith to bring awareness to a better life...but to say atheists are not trustworthy folk, is a dangerous way to see the world.

I have not been able to get to know many new atheists this month, but I have done some reading up on atheist philosophy and other educational perusing of the world wide web and I have discovered an amazing truth.  Atheists seem to be just like everyone else.  They have beliefs, and some hold them tighter that what is healthy.  Some of them seem to genuinely care about a multitude of the worlds problems, and some seem to think the "others" are the bat-shit crazy ones.

Atheists seem a lot like people.  Real people, people with problems, people who meet with other like minded people to try and save the world (or school...or city), people who see the beauty of community.  From what I can tell, a common thread of all people is to want to belong.  So we hang out with like minded people, which is great...so long as we keep trying to expand our personal bubble to include other people who aren't quite like minded.  What we may find is these unlike-minded individuals are more like us that we originally thought. 

So where does this negativity come from?  Probably a lot of places, in a lot of different forms, but one commonality is ignorance.  I'm not talking about bad people necessarily.  Ignorance has many shapes and sizes ranging from down right damaging and completely made up to a simple lack of updated information.  But here is the good new friends, I have something special coming up for you!  (not really, just a lot of information that is mostly new to me)

Be warned.  I have been studying atheism for over a month now, with the help of my smart phone AND the internet.  Clearly I know my stuff, but in the case that I write something incorrect, please correct me.  And when you are correcting me, please try to be helpful...otherwise you might end up looking like one of the crazies.

This stuff can get complicated

I have already written about what drew me to studying more about Buddhism.  It seemed to make sense with how I saw the world.  As I was really getting into Buddhist principles, I started to remember the crazy stuff I had heard at Sunday school.  (I was definitely pissed over the whole Noahs Ark story for a while...I promise I'm all better now)  So here I am getting ready to jump into the Buddhist deep end when out of no where the "simple" stuff gets complicated.  Out of nowhere I'm blindsided with chanting, and reincarnation, wrestling with the idea of there being big-man-upstairs kind of god, and I did what any good little Buddhist wannabe does.  I read more, and the more I read the crazier the stories got. 

Finally I got to the point (I can't remember what book it was in) where I realized it was all just the finger pointing at the moon.  That's when I started to see the great things I loved about the Buddhist teachings were in the teachings I heard in Sunday school as a kid.  Unfortunately, at that time the stories never stuck. (which probably could have saved me a lot of stress and money growing up)  It helped to see how the Buddhist lineages were very similar to the different Christian denominations, and how the Buddhist stories were pointing to the same truth as the ones in the Bible.

Just as in other religions, Buddhism has its fair share of "denominations".  I am going to try to discuss two.  The major branches in Buddhism are the Theravada (school of the elders) and Mahayana (the great vehicle).

Theravada tradition:
More conservative and said to be the closest representation of early Buddhism. 
Nirvana is achieved through your own diligent work.
You seek nirvana for yourself to achieve enlightenment.
The purpose of life is to follow the Buddha's teachings until final enlightenment, in which you are never reborn into the world of suffering. (reincarnation until you become enlightened)
Will be reincarnated based on Karma, based on this, and previous, lifetimes.
Once you reach enlightenment...POW! that's it.

Seems gloomy, but the Theravadins eat that gloomy stuff up!  They believe when you can see the true nature of things there is nothing substantial left in the world.  And when that happens, don't let the door knob hit ya' son, it's time to peace out.  I feel like its similar to Christians realizing that, compared to heaven, there is really nothing remarkable here for us on Earth.

Mahayana tradition:
Seeks enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, and to become a bodhisattva.
Bodhisattvas are people who right before achieving nirvana, stay here in this world to help all others become enlightened.
Infused with different cultural influences, while keeping the core teachings of the 4 noble truths and eightfold path.
There is a belief in reincarnation, but the interpretations are numerous and depend on the teacher
They believe all beings are Buddhas already, they just haven't awakened.
The goal of the bodhisattva is to help all others attain Buddhahood, which in turns opens them to the highest realization of the true nature of things.

More of a friends helping friends vibe, and I can dig that.  But helping people isn't just "it".  You still have to master the inner peace the Buddha found to help others in the best way possible.  That's why giving gifts can still lead to suffering.  If you give something and you expect something in return ( praise, money, benefits, happiness, forgiveness) you will likely find some negative Karma down the road when the outcome doesn't match your expectation.  But if you can find some inner peace and give something away without wanting anything in return...well my friends, that is when helping others truly helps you.  Trust me, you don't need to be enlightened to feel good giving gifts.  Giving just to give, and for no other reason, is good enough.

The type of Buddhism I have been following is Zen.  It is under the Mahayana umbrella, and it is one that I have seemed to stick with for a while now.  It's the most simplistic version that I have come across.  I get most of my understanding of Zen from the Vietnamese Zen Monk Thich Nhat Hahn.  (there are numerous reasons you should look into him).   If I have time, I will try to write a bit about Thich Nhat Hahns take on Zen.  He is a smart man and seems to have a great outlook on life.

buddhism: basic teachings and the difficulties of following them

So what is Buddhism? Religion-ish philosophy maybe?  First things first, Buddha is not a god. He was a prince, as the story goes, who (to make a long story short) went on to become enlightened (Buddha literally means "enlightened one").  Enlightened to what you ask?  The true nature of the cosmos, the world, the inter-relationship of all things. 

The Buddha taught the 4 noble truths.

1. Suffering is universal

2. Suffering has an origin

3.Suffering can cease

4.There is a path out of suffering

 

Pretty vague right?  Well it actually can get pretty complicated.  I'll try to give you my simplified take on it.  Suffering is universal, we can all relate to that.  Suffering in the Buddhist sense isn't just the obvious: fear, pain, disease, having to watch Dora the Explore with (or without I would imagine) your kids.  It also encompasses the desire for power and money, addictions, other mental and physical limitations we all have.  So we have all experienced some sort of suffering...in fact, it's a daily (moment to moment) occurrence.

 

The Buddha taught that all of our individual suffering has an origin.  He linked all of our suffering to attachment.  We as people are really good at trying to keep good things in and bad things out.  The result is attachment.  Attachment is everywhere in our lives.  We are attached to our ideals, our identities, our cultural norms, and we are always clinging to the things that bring us happiness and trying to fight/shut out everything else.

 

The good news: all this nonsense can be stopped, and the Buddha has the way out.  He lays it all out in the Eightfold Path. 

1.  Right understanding: seeing the true nature of things

2.  Right intent: acting from a place of love and compassion

3.  Right speech:  clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful communication

4.  Right action: the five precepts (refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, intoxication which leads to carelessness)

5.  Right livelihood:  ethical principle of non-exploitation

6.  Right effort:  consciously directing our efforts to good deeds for yourself and others

7.  Right mindfulness:  Developing awareness

8.  Right concentration:  sometimes thought of as meditation.  "Samadhi"

 

You can find a lot more information with a quick search of the topic, but for the purpose of a quick explanation, you can see its a moral standard of living that can lead to a happier life.  The results of practicing the eightfold path is enlightenment/nirvana.  Seems to have the same effect as the 10 commandments.  Live a moral/helpful life and you will find peace.

 

Seems simple enough, but I'm finding it very difficult.  The mind is an awesome and totally f''ed up thing (at least mine is).  Since starting meditation more seriously I can see some of my habits and how they contribute to a less happy me.  The really crazy part about my brain, now that I have more understanding of what things lead to happiness/suffering, is I can't always keep up the practice. (really I CAN, but my damn brain is persuasive and I CHOOSE not to)  I will make conscious decisions at lunch time about what place has the best fresh ingredients and how I'm going to avoid soda this time because that damned HFCS is going to kill  us all.  And truthfully, I have the best intentions, but then I completely lose my focus and the next thing I know I'm tasting the delicious dr. pepper in my mouth when I realize "you really should have gotten water".  I also know deep down that I should throw the soda out and get some water, but my brain has been trained to get what it wants for a long time.  It clings to the idea that I deserve the soda because it will go with the meal, it wants the instant gratification of the sugar rush and all the sweet memories attached to drinking soda, all the while trying to convince myself that this drink that I know is not benefitting my health, environment (insert any other reasons soda is bad) and yet I do it anyway.  Realize that all of this happens during 10 minutes of my lunch...its ridiculous how many times my ego/brain wins throughout a typical day.  Mindfulness is great, but a bitch to keep.

 

When you really think about what we do to ourselves and each other on a day to day basis, both physically and mentally, it's hard not to see the truth in the first noble truth.  The key is to do a little self investigating to find the roots or your problems.  Remember, bad things do not happen to us...things happen to us and we decide the rest.  If you are filled with fear, hatred, aggression, anxiety...the things that happen to you look awfully grim.  If you are filled with love, compassion, mindfulness of yourself and others, things look like life.  And fortunately for us, life can always be a wonderful teacher and a beautiful thing.

 

 This is just a quick overview of my take on Buddhism.  Just like Christianity and Islam, cultures have taken the basic truths and transformed the teachings styles to suit different times in history.  This leads to many different forms of Buddhism, with even more interpretations of what the Buddha actually meant.  I will try to do an overview of some traditional interpretations of Buddhism and to answer some common questions I have heard about Buddhism.

In the mean time, if you have any questions, let me know...I will try to answer them the best I can.

Namaste

 

 

February: Chopping wood and carrying water.:

Have you ever seen the Morgan Spurlock TV show 30 days?  The basic premise of the show is that it puts two people in the same house for 30 days.  Usually one person moves in with another person (and usually with his/her family).  The interesting part is that the two people have completely different views on a particular topic.  A few of Nicki and I's favorites were the border patrol guy who was blatantly opposed to illegal immigrants who lived with a family of illegal immigrants and when Morgan and his wife lived on minimum wage for 30 days.  It sparked a lot of cool conversations and really made me think about how fortunate my family and I are.  It also made me realize that everyone on every episode was just trying to be happy and do what they felt was the best for their family.  It was around that time when I started to think more about our community in Lexington and how I could get more involved. 

It was also around this time I started reading more about Buddhism and found it very interesting.  What I really enjoyed about Buddhism was the simplicity of it all, and what really drew me to actually practicing the teachings was the try-it-for-yourself approach to becoming a better person.  The Buddha essentially taught to investigate everything, even his own teachings.  If it feels good and helps people without harming anyone else...keep it up.  If for some reason suffering is an outcome...stop doing it.  The more I read, the more interest I had in other religions.  I always felt there was something greater than us, but went through many phases on how to make it "fit" to my liking.  I read the New Testament and shocked myself when I really enjoyed it.  I have come to believe that love and compassion is "it", "the truth", or whatever else you want to call it.  You may call it God, Allah, Nature, the Holy Spirit, mindfulness, common sense, non-sense, but none of it matters without love and compassion.  I believe all religions point to it, but in different ways, and with different traditions.

I started to put my beliefs into practice and started to spend more energy being helpful, trying to cause less suffering in the world:  I tried to only buy used things when I could help it, I started giving things away, I tried to be more helpful, I wanted to try and see things beyond what I have been told and taught my whole life.  What I found was that I was much happier.  Actually, I don't think I was "happier".  I realized how grateful I was for the things I have, and that helped me realize that the things that make me unhappy don't have to. (disclaimer:  I'm not trying to be holier than thou, in fact, I am honestly at the point where I can now see how my actions cause a lot of suffering in others, and am nowhere near the point where I have the ability to always abide by my own set of morals)

So how does community come into all of this?  Like I said before, I have the feeling that most religions preach the same message using different messengers.  I also see how people sometimes are blind to the fact that what they see as truth may look different through someone else's eyes.  If we could get back to the basics of each religion I think we would find we could all be doing a lot more for each other.  My assumption is that each religion calls for each member of the community to help lift up those who are in need.  So instead of assuming, I want to find out for myself.

I am going to try to spend each month this year learning and living with a different group of people.  The plan is to spend the next few months learning about different world religions by practicing each tradition for one month.  My hopes is to spend the month doing some educational reading, participating in each traditions customs, and hopefully attending weekly meetings.  What better way to understand how to help others than trying to see what is important to them and what they believe in?  I want to start with the better known religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Atheism.  My hopes is to spend the other months learning how to volunteer with other communities in town including the homeless, LGTB, and hospice.  It's early in the year, time will tell how this year will pan out.

This month I will focus on Buddhism...specifically Zen.  There is a weekly meditation group that meets in town each Sunday, followed by a group led Buddhist discussion.  I plan on continuing my sitting meditation for the rest of the month, and will try to apply the principles of the teachings into everyday life.  My goal is to blog a few times each month.  It helps me hold myself accountable to the year long project and hopefully someone will find some of this information useful.  I don't have big plans for the blog, but I have no doubts someone may take this (or something I write) out of context, or personal.  My intentions are not to judge.  I do have a tendency to get pretty passionate about things, and I have no intentions to sugar coat things, but hopefully it will lead to some nice discussions both on and offline.  So please if something offends you, let's chat about it.  If something I say isn't how you understand it, feel free to correct me.  If you have any information to help me along my path, don't hesitate to tell me about it.

Namaste.

and then there was one...

Apparently, habits die hard.  Truth be told, I've been consistent with only one of the three goals of the month.  I have been able to sit and meditate for at least 15 minutes a day, but I have gotten a little slack on the working out and no processed foods.  I'm probably stretching/exercising about 4-5 nights a week...one night turned into mandolin night, so not a total loss.  I have been pretty good with no preservatives, but twice I caved and went with the burrito over the bowl at Chipotle.  And we also HAD to go to Dairy Queen for a celebratory treat after we bought a new (to us) car.  Other than that Nicki has been making some really good meals, and we have started back on juicing here and there.  The juicing continues to surprise me with its deliciousness, although tonight's was pretty awful. 

I have decided to focus a little more on the meditating this month, but will continue to do my best to avoid preservatives and exercise everyday.  I am still trying to make getting up early a habit, unfortunately my bed is really cozy in the morning.   Most of my sitting has been happening at night, but I would rather sit first thing in the morning.  Its not only a nice way to start my day, but I find myself more mindful throughout the rest of the day.  Before the new year I was sporadic with sitting, in both consistency and length of time.  Now I sit for 15 minutes, which used to seem like forever, and find myself thinking about the time much less.  There have actually been a few times in the past week when I sat the full 15 minutes without thinking about checking on the timer. 

In the past, I have played around with different types of meditation, but have currently settled on zazen, specifically susokukan (counting meditation).   In a nutshell, I count from 1 to 10 with each in and out breath.  Originally I thought the purpose was to just sit and not think, but the more I tried to not think, the opposite happened. (I had read this many times before, but guess needed to find out for myself).  Now I just sit, breath and count.  When something comes up that I don't need to think about, I try to go back to the breath and start counting again.  I will tell you when I get in the groove, the counting works really well at keeping myself from getting distracted...but the moments in the groove are few and far between.

Now that I have decided to focus more on sitting this month, I am going to start increasing the time I sit each day, and branch out and try a few other kinds of meditation.  For the rest of this week I plan on dabbling in some guided meditation.  I have tried this once or twice before, but I thought it was a little corny...maybe this time will be different. 

For anyone interested in Zazen...google that spiat, you might find it a good read.

Nice to meet you 2014

Looking back, 2013 was a pretty excellent year.  The joys of family, along with the addition of miss Emmersyn, and other happy times far outweighed the stressful ones.  Last year I thought I would continue the blogging, but it wasn't in the cards.  I also planned to continue the monthly resolutions, but lost the urge after the first month.  With a new year comes new learning opportunities, so this year I'm going to make an effort to keep at it for the year.  And my hopes is that blogging about it helps me to keep it up. 

Like a lot of people, I go pretty nuts at the holidays with stuffing my face with delicious and not-so-great-for-me foods.  In addition to that, I pretty much stopped most of my regular stretching exercises. Now add in a bit more soda and booze than I usually partake in (thank you Mrs. Clause for the Blantons!) and you can understand why its time to get back on track in the health department.  Unfortunately, my family doesn't get back into town until tomorrow or Friday so there is no rush to start today,  but I've decided to eat only "real food" again.  Meaning no preservatives, artificial nonsense, or other genetically modified shenanigans allowed this month. 

Since my insides are going to be taken care of this month I thought it unwise to neglect the rest of the body, so this month I will also be trying to do at least 30 minutes of stretching/exercise/vigorous activity (I'm looking at you Mrs. Shelton) a day.  I have also been doing a little meditation in the past year, and I feel like now is a great time to try to make it apart of my daily routine.  I generally feel more relaxed right after sitting meditation but I never take the step to get up early and sit.  So why not go for the trifecta and sit 15 minutes everyday to start my morning?  I'm hoping 15 minutes leads to upwards of 30 minutes, but as a rule for the month I will meditate at least once a day.

It's an ambitious start to the year, time to create some new positive habits and keep the needle pointing in the right direction.