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Jul. 5th, 2006
What a wonderful experience!
Jul. 5th, 2006 08:18 amWe are back from elphaba's wedding weekend in Florida. It was truly, truly wonderful. Just amazing on all counts. It was such a appreciated reprieve, as well.
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I have no more serious plans or responsibilities for the rest of the summer and I'm not making any, either. I just want to get the book done, stay caught up on the rest of my fieldwork and notes, stay healthy/in shape and get the house in decent shape. So mote it be!
( Read more... )
I have no more serious plans or responsibilities for the rest of the summer and I'm not making any, either. I just want to get the book done, stay caught up on the rest of my fieldwork and notes, stay healthy/in shape and get the house in decent shape. So mote it be!
Buddhist wisdom
Jul. 5th, 2006 09:18 amIf you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
~His Holiness The Dalai Lama
My thoughts:
Compassion never hurts, but it's not the same as being continually mild. Sometimes compassion is firm, unpopular action. Mostly, I think compassion means acting in a way that offers respect for self and others, seeks to avoid delivering gratuitous or unnecessary pain and maintains as its highest goal the greatest possible good for all involved.
One's enemies, or those who have hurt you badly, are indeed great teachers. They are excellent teachers on many counts: they never fail to expose and needle your weaknesses so that these are more readily visible when you pay attention. They often expose your shadow self, your own lapses in wisdom and the places in you that urgently need to grow. Often, they provide excellent guidance on what not to do and how not to do it: when I wonder what actions I should take in a particular situation, I often start out by asking myself what {two or three people in particular} would do in this situation. Then, based on my answer to this question, I know exactly what not to do. If I am in doubt about something, I ask, 'Hmmm, could I see {above designated people} doing this?" If the answer is yes, I relegate that action to the "Likely to End in Disaster" pile.
It's not an altogether bad thing to have among your past acquaintances a "Compass that Always Points South" or two.
Sometimes it's a great accomplishment to simply refrain from harming someone. There are people whom I just can't help. I am very glad to simply be able to stay my hand where they are concerned. Refraining from unproductive hostile action is very, very useful and I'm relieved and glad to be able to do it...
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
~His Holiness The Dalai Lama
My thoughts:
Compassion never hurts, but it's not the same as being continually mild. Sometimes compassion is firm, unpopular action. Mostly, I think compassion means acting in a way that offers respect for self and others, seeks to avoid delivering gratuitous or unnecessary pain and maintains as its highest goal the greatest possible good for all involved.
One's enemies, or those who have hurt you badly, are indeed great teachers. They are excellent teachers on many counts: they never fail to expose and needle your weaknesses so that these are more readily visible when you pay attention. They often expose your shadow self, your own lapses in wisdom and the places in you that urgently need to grow. Often, they provide excellent guidance on what not to do and how not to do it: when I wonder what actions I should take in a particular situation, I often start out by asking myself what {two or three people in particular} would do in this situation. Then, based on my answer to this question, I know exactly what not to do. If I am in doubt about something, I ask, 'Hmmm, could I see {above designated people} doing this?" If the answer is yes, I relegate that action to the "Likely to End in Disaster" pile.
It's not an altogether bad thing to have among your past acquaintances a "Compass that Always Points South" or two.
Sometimes it's a great accomplishment to simply refrain from harming someone. There are people whom I just can't help. I am very glad to simply be able to stay my hand where they are concerned. Refraining from unproductive hostile action is very, very useful and I'm relieved and glad to be able to do it...
(no subject)
Jul. 5th, 2006 10:41 pmMy throat is swollen and painful, I'm leaking mucous and I feel like crap.
Anyone who is planning on visiting Geo should avoid me like the plague right now. Anyone who doesn't want to get sick should avoid me, actually.
I think I brought Kayla's cold home with me.
Anyone who is planning on visiting Geo should avoid me like the plague right now. Anyone who doesn't want to get sick should avoid me, actually.
I think I brought Kayla's cold home with me.