A local singer I really liked, Lhasa de Sela, died a few days ago. I didn't even know she was sick (breast cancer). She was only 38. From the US originally she was raised in Mexico but moved to Montreal many years ago and was quite well known here. She was such an original talent and sang in English, French, and Spanish.
"give me symphonies, give me more than the life I see..."
It's Sunday but I have some work to do. And I'm procrastinating. I did a bit of work this morning earlier, but the snow is crazy outside and not sure I really want to be adventurous (read: wet) right now.
Here is a paragraph from Deepak Chopra’s book The Third Jesus.
Prayer isn’t magic. It’s applied consciousness. You cannot expect God to fulfill your request unless there is an intimate connection with spirit. Jesus was keenly aware of this, since he lived from the source of reality and therefore could change reality at will. The closer our connection with God, the greater our spiritual power. (100)
I see the following almost on a daily basis.
Person 1 is having a difficulty, perhaps an illness or death in the family.
Person 2 says, “I’ll pray for you.”
I fear that the phrase “I’ll pray for you” has become some sort of cultural convention, much in the same way a person asks another how they are doing without waiting for the truthful answer (or actually giving a truthful answer).
I believe many people pray as if it is a visit to God’s wishing well, especially in times of illness. What I have seen personally is that many people seek or offer prayers to be cured, as if God should pick them for today’s magical cure without any effort—spiritual or otherwise—on their part. The same holds true for many people that face tremendous personal difficulty. Often these people pray for help, but they do nothing to contribute in the Divine response. They ask and expect an answer like a spoiled child waiting for their gift.
Prayer is a Divine relationship. It is nurtured by constant communication and goes both ways—God to person and person to God. Chopra talks about formatting one’s prayer as to elicit a response from God. This is an interesting way to look at prayer and I believe one that can help people advance in their spiritual development.
Person 2, rather than tossing the “I’ll pray for you” coin into the well, can pray to God for guidance on how they can help Person 1 through their difficulty. Person 1 will benefit more from this help than the empty “I’ll pray for you” or the equally helpless “You’re in my prayers.”
1st International Conference on Other Centered Approaches
Co-sponsored by Amida USA, Todo Institute, Institute for Buddhist StudiesBuddhist Churches of America - Center for Buddhist Education
::contact conference@amidatrust.com
Berkeley CA February 19-21 2010
In the Chair
Greg White
Keynote Speakers
Caroline Brazier UK * Clark Strand NY * Gregg Krech VT * Daijaku Judith Kinst CA
Also
Yaya de Andrade BC * Kazuo Yamashita Japan * Franco Acquaro HI * Carol O'Dowd CO
Other centeredness, a principle derived from Buddhist psychology, transcends the boundaries of psychological schools and religious categories. That mental and spiritual well-being should be a function of the quality of one’s engagement with and ability to appreciate others is not exclusive to any one school or tradition. Here many contemporary concerns converge. Issues in ethics have other-relatedness at their core. Issues in ecology have our concern for the object-world in view. The practice of mindfulness raises the question 'mindful of what?' Yet psychology as practiced is generally heavily focussed on 'self'. In this conference we will present how focusing attention on what is not self - on others - is the key to a change of paradigm in therapeutic and spiritual practice.
::continue reading http://lotusinthemud.typepad.com/sujatin/2010/01/new-directions-in-buddhist-psychology-1st-international-conference-on-other-centered-approaches.html
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Kordan, I’m still befuddled. When I finally sat down for a proper listen of Longing, my immediate thoughts were “where did I go?” and “how long am I staying for?” As I’m sure I mentioned in previous reviews, the power of Kordan lies in their ability to transport listeners to a strange, rich realm of multi-sensory experiences. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration; but for most of us, whose lives are defined by shopping malls, mid-size vehicles, Starbucks lattes, and the occasional wild night of domestic brews and bar darts, Longing feels like a vacation from the mundane. We will never be this hip, but for roughly half an hour we can pretend.
The Longing is essentially an elaboration of Fantasy Nation, Kordan’s first EP released July of last year. Same bag of tricks, that is. Dizzy, spacious sound layers over a steady beat—at the core, dance grooves with an experimentalist complex. Where Fantasy Nation tapped the club vein, Longing searches for the abstract quality of pop music. Listening to the album is like listening as a musician attempts to define city or love or life simply in audio. Of course, this reads pretentious, as does any creative adventure that involves conceptual thought. The reason I’m not harder on Kordan is simple: despite the possible pretense, I can’t imagine the band playing any other style of music than this ultra stylized pretty. There’s truth in purposeful cool, even if it’s easy to spot the GWBs (Girls With Bangs) and BWGs (Boys With Glasses) somewhere in the crowd.
Thanks to production magic or magic hands, “Fantasy Nation” and “Tokyo Tears” softened a bit from their EP debut: flavors steeped, mechanics fine tuned, less thrust more lust. Actually, compared to Longing, Fantasy Nation sounds decidedly reduced, as though Eisele and co. were practicing for grander occasions. Such is the occasion. Besides “Fantasy” and “Tokyo,” tracks like “Mirror” and the haunting “Shinjuku” stand out while in sum, the album remains fairly amorphous. Eisele’s distant vocals amidst the instrumental mixed bag keep Longing interesting, but I wonder what’s next for Kordan. Logically, the progression favors total ethereal bliss (as it is, the lyrics seem secondary), but I accept all bets.
For now, the band keeps busy with live shows in and around New York City. Visit their Website / Myspace / Facebook for more information. The Longing is set to officially release in February of 2010. You can preview the album here.
01/02/2010 21:38:20 ♥ lara (
/lara206.vox.com)
♥
kordan.tv ♥ myspace.com/kordantv
feels like I'm back in Alaska, not Atlanta.
since when is it okay for a man (or woman) to walk around in the mall with his finger in his brain, er, nose? #ewww
Within you is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.
~ Herman Hesse
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