U.S. Prison Population – We’re Doing Something Wrong

I’ve been aware that we lead the world in percentage of citizens incarcerated, but it didn’t hit home until I saw the picture associated with an article about how the State of California will reduce it’s prison population by filtering many of them into the regular population and to county jails. Somehow that picture, which I could [...]

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Honoring Those We Disagree With Without Giving Up Our Values

I’ve recently discovered the radio broadcast OnBeing. It’s one of those great broadcasts that makes you glad we support American Public Media and Public Radio. Hosted and produced by Krista Tippett, it’s an absolutely amazing series of conversations about key issues we, as a society, face today. So far my favorite has been the discussion Tippett [...]

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What Might A New Dream Be Like?

If what is needed is to change the dream of western civilization as the Pachamama Alliance in deep cooperation with the Achuar People war tell us and as Awakening The Dreamer Symposiums work for and as Four Years Go and The Shift Network, Barbara Marx Hubbard and a multitude of others point toward, what might that new [...]

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Thinking About Food & Hunger

What I’m reading: The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability My friend Ellie, who blogs at Minding The Middle Aged Middle, suggested I read The Vegetarian Myth. It’s turned out to be one of those books I wish I hadn’t read but I’m glad I did. It’s distressing, to say the least. First of all, I’m not [...]

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Holding Paradox and a Dangerous Paradox

Jonathan Fields keeps posting things I want, even need to know. In Bryan Franklin’s Most Dangerous Question on Earth he shares a video of Bryan Franklin talking about Holding Paradox. Aimed more or less at business, I found this concept inspiring and hopeful. The video is about 20 minutes long. His question at the end, followed by a [...]

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Memorial Day – A Terrible Sadness

As I’ve grown older and more inclined toward peace, I’ve noticed that we in the United States seem to glorify war. We speak of the good war when referring to WWII and the greatest generation when talking about the men and women who fought on ‘our’ side. While I understand that something had to be [...]

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The Goal, The Vision, The Purpose

I’ve been struggling with just what it is I’m trying to do with this blog. Of course, I want to change the world! But that’s one of those self-important, ego driven ideas that can send me back to bed to eat cookies or popcorn. I mean, what does ‘change the world’ mean? It means there’s [...]

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What Would It Be Like?

What I’m reading (one essay a day before meditation): Engaged Buddhist Reader What would it be like if I really knew the trees outside my window and those in the rain forest were my lungs – making it possible for me to breathe? What would it be like if I knew the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster was [...]

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Petting The Cat – A Gatha

When petting the cat I vow with all beings To be doubly sure I’m petting the cat Gathas or short prayers, I write, hopefully in the style of Robert Aiken, aim to bring attention to everyday events. The gathas are linked to each other by having an identical second line, which by inference also speaks to [...]

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A Real Economic Measure

One of the books I’m reading: Engaged Buddhist Reader What if we asked “How many people are getting a balanced meal?” instead of “How much has our economy grown?” What if we asked about how many people are fed well about people world around as well as here in the United States? The idea isn’t [...]

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