Atom Syndicated Feed Link Added. UPDATE: RSS Feed Added As Well

UPDATE: I have also added an RSS feed just below the atom feed on the bottom right side of the screen.I have been pretty clueless as to syndicated feeds but I got an email from a reader wondering if I had one. Well, I have a FeedBlitz subscribe box but that's only for email subscription so I finally added the atom link down on the bottom right side of the blog screen. I hope that this helps those looking for my feed. Let me know if it isn't working and I'll work on it some more. Thanks!!Enough business...

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The Candle of Inspiration

The glowing flickering light cuts through the darkness as the sharp diamond of the Dharma cuts through the blackness of delusion. It stands as a beacon--burning sharp and bright to remind me of the insight that comes from the pure awareness of mindfulness. Each time I look upon it I smile and remember to breath. I bow to the Buddha within the candle. Thank-you for this teaching and reminder. I stand humbled by the awesome yet peaceful nature of Oneness.May all beings light a candle and feel its...

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Cambodia Cracks Down on Evangelicals

Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- The Cambodian government has clamped down on Christian groups and is seeking to limit religious activities by other non-Buddhist organizations, which it says disrupt society. A directive from the Ministry of Cults and Religions states that "Christians are prohibited from visiting people's houses ... knocking on the door and waiting to say 'the Lord has arrived'." Distribution of religious literature will also be confined to churches, which now must be approved by the ministry...

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Two Buddha Movies in the Pipeline

As many of you know, a major motion picture is in the works portraying the life of Siddhartha Gotama the Buddha. However, now there is a second one in the works.The first film titled simply, Buddha is said to be in pre-production as of now, however, regular production is said to begin sometime this year. This is the movie whose script is based on Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Old Path White Clouds--which is fabulous book by the way. In addition, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has given his blessing to the...

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Mantras and Meditation

Buddhists recite mantras for various reasons--though some eschew mantras altogether.For myself, I mostly recite mantras and gathas before and during meditating. They are great tools that aid me in relaxing my body and preparing my mind and lungs to allow for the deep breathing that is so important in most forms of meditation. They unite the body, speech and mind to aid in maintaining mindfulness. As we know, It is quite difficult to maintain mindfulness during meditation if our body, speech and...

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Thich Nhat Hanh to Give Public Talk in Denver and Retreat in Estes Park, CO

The Venerable Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh will be returning here to Colorado USA to lead a retreat and give a public talk in Denver. For those who are in the area--you really should take advantage of this occasion to see one of the most enlightened people alive today. Here is the information:SUBJECT: "Our Environment: Touching the Gift of Life."WHEN: Wednesday August 29th, 2007WHERE: The Temple Buell Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex in downtown Denver.TICKETS: Adults ($35),...

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Hindu Chaplain Shouted Down in U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three protesters disrupted a prayer by a Hindu chaplain on Thursday at the opening of a U.S. Senate hearing, calling it an abomination and shouting slogans about Jesus Christ. It was the first time the daily prayer that opens Senate proceedings was said by a Hindu chaplain. They shouted "No Lord but Jesus Christ" and "There's only one true God," and used the term "abomination."James: One man was heard saying, "Lord Jesus forgive us for allowing the prayer of the wicked."Barry...

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CSI and Other Violent TV and Film

Over the last 5 years or so I have seen a disturbing rise in interest of violent movies and television shows. Take for example the CSI franchise--yes, I say franchise because this show about fictional cases regarding Crime Scene Investigative units have three different versions of the show.They consist of the regular CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. These shows are violent and often gory. The fact that there are three versions of this show tells me that there are a lot of people interested in...

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Happy Birthday H.H. Dalai Lama!!!

Happy continuation (birthday) day Dalai Lama!!! He was born July 6th 1935 which makes him 72 years old. Despite his age he seems to be going strong as he travels the world as much (if not more) then a rock star. His lips form a relaxed but sincere smile that reflects his strong aura of serenity and innocence.This is one of my favorite photos of the venerable monk. There is so much compassion, kindness and wisdom in that face. His eyes appear to be doorways to enlightenment and sparkle with happiness...

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Happy Interdependence Day America

I recently received a kind email from a Linda Anderson Krech who works with the fascinating ToDo Institue. The institute addresses the mental health issue from a Buddhist, alternative view which is something I'm very interested in as I live with a brain disorder myself. That being said Linda sent me a link to a wonderful article on the American Independence day and INTERdependence. It is a fairly long article so I will just copy and paste a section of it here to wet your curiosity to read it it...

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Are the Six Realms of Buddhism Real?

I personally do not believe that the six realms are actual "places" that exist outside of ourselves. That being said, I do not know for sure that they do not exist outside ourselves but I'd rather focus on the here and now then what "might" happen. I see these "realms" as states of consciousness being in our present awareness created by the power of our deluded minds. After all we are not just reborn upon our physical death--we are reborn a new each moment of our lives in the here and now. It seems...

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