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what’s happening at east west. . . .

There’s an East West Special Event this weekend-the 15, 16, 17 June 2007-called Calm Birth: Teacher Certification.

It’s presented by Robert Newman, and it says, “Robert Bruce Newman is the developer of calm birth a new childbirth method based on his more than 20 years of apprenticeship with Tibetan meditation teachers and doctors, western doctors, childbirth educators, midwives, nurses, and doulas.”
www.calmbirth.org

After the births of Sebastian and Sophie I started thinking a lot about the importance of coming into the world in a gentle and loving way. It seems that our western society is now striving to make that happen. It’s taken a long time, maybe our crawl in that direction is picking up some speed. Having a gentle, more loving and caring birth is a great way to enter the world.

Note: What happened? – After years of servicing the Greenwich Village area, and all the recent renovations, East West closed. Happily, right around the corner is Namaste Bookshop at 2 West 14th Street, NYC.

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sophie

Sumi and Toshi have a beautiful daughter. Her name is Sophie. A wonderful name. Yes? She was born on 22 May 2007 in NYC. Sophie’s my granddaughter. And we’ve been getting acquainted these past few weeks. She entertains with all of her many expressions. I wondered what she was thinking about as I held her last week. Where did she come from? What will she want her life to be?

Have you noticed the attention babies get when they’re in a public place? Not many people can resist their charming ways. Even when they’re simply sleeping, people enjoy watching them. They’re easy-usually. When they’re crying, it doesn’t take much to restore order. Sometimes it’s a guessing game, but you get good at it after awhile. Their innocence makes us want to hold them and look at them. A baby trusts 100 percent that all needs will be met, and is happy with what we would call the bare necessities-milk, sleep, diaper change, a smiling face-that seems to be it. And lots of love. Love, everyone’s birthright it would seem, and Sophie gets it in abundance.

A new life. Imagine that!

Here’s to you, Sophie.

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part of the journey

Do you think about death – your own – every so often? Not to be morbid or dampen your day in any way, but, since death is a part of life, to be comfortable with it makes sense. The ancient truths are there to guide us, and now, more than ever before, there are many books on this subject in most bookshops. And that’s great since there are many benefits from getting acquainted with death, and believing and trusting that it’s simply one of the routes we naturally take as part of our journey. Being comfortable with the fact that we’re not here to stay, at least in the same form, in no way subtracts from our present life; it enriches it, and life becomes sweeter when we understand and accept. To realize that it’s a natural part of life, brings new meaning to life. If we’ve given no thought to death, if it takes us by surprise, it can set us back and take awhile for us to get our bearings.

In one of Osho’s books, he’s written that sound is the first sense to enter at birth and the last to leave us at death. When I read that I thought of the times I was at the bedside of someone I loved who was dying. It seemed even though the person was more on the other side than this side, somehow s/he was listening and understanding. My father was in a coma during the last hours before he died. In his room at that time was an older nurse, and when my sister and I arrived. she saw us wondering what we could do for him, and suddenly she said, “Go on talk to him. I’ve been a nurse for many years. I know he’ll hear you.” So we did. On looking back to that time, I sensed she was right. After my father’s death I read LIFE AFTER LIFE by Dr.Raymond Moody. At the time, it was just what I needed. And sometime after I picked up MANY LIVES MANY MASTERS by Dr. Brian Weiss.
www.osho.com
www.lifeafterlife.com
www.brianweiss.com

At my cousin Viv’s apartment in NH, I saw on a bookshelf, LIFE AFTER DEATH THE BURDEN OF PROOF by Deepak Chopra. In this book he touches upon things he learned growing up in India. Dr. Chopra writes, “The soul’s trajectory is always upward. Any suffering on the astral plane, even the most tormenting hell, is only a temporary detour. . . . and he says, “. . . that reminds me of what we can choose to bring to dying. Grace, calm, a patient acceptance of what’s to come: These are all qualities that can be cultivated, and when they are, death is a test we will not fail. Our fault is not that we fear death but that we don’t respect it as a miracle.” And also, “Right here and now we are surrounded by an infinity of planes. If you could shift your awareness into a higher frequency, you could be with the angels this very minute, . . . .” www.chopra.com

Michael Roll: The Scientific and Rationalist Case for Life after Death, has some very interesting things to say in a video on the website www.rense.com. www.cfpf.org.uk

There are numerous excellent books about death on the shelves of all those bookshops. Which one would call to you should you go looking?

“Impermanence is the universal law.” -Swami Bashkarananda to Alexandra David-Neel
www.alexandra-david-neel.org

“Make the universe your companion, always bearing in mind the true nature of all creation-mountains and rivers, trees and grasses, and humankind. . . .” Matsuo Basho, poet-pilgrim 17th century

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trying to understand

On Stuart Wilde’s website, www.stuartwilde.com, I came across a site he recommends: www.rense.com. I figure it’s vital to try to understand what’s happening in the world, you know, hear the nitty-gritty of all sides. To do this it’s necessary to garner different opinions, well-researched opinions. And SW’s recommendations are reliable. Feast your eyes on www.rense.com, the whole of it, scroll the list of articles and videos. What do you fancy reading? There’s nothing to lose in reading and thinking differently. We can see things more clearly when we get away from the usual and go down a different path. Another perspective is refreshing; there’s always something new-lots-to know and understand about the world we all live in.

Lately I’ve been thinking about those people who are running for the White House. They are planning on spending a billion or so dollars to do this. How about that! There’s so much to learn about the world, and there are times when it’s necessary to go to different sources for this, to stray a bit from the run-of-the-mill stuff.

On to another subject: do you know that Jung said he wished he had fifty years to study the I Ching? I had the book at one time, but wasn’t prepared to delve into it then. I’m ready now. My first I Ching book was by RIchard Wilhelm and I saw his name on TGShiddenmysteries. So I googled Richard Wilhelm, then clicked on RIchard Wilhelm the Marco Polo of the Inner World of China. It said of Richard Wilhelm, among other things, “his 1923 translation of I Ching stands head and shoulders above the rest.”

This from youtube in referring to the industrial revolution, “2007 the world population surpasses 6.6 billion as the majority of people now live in cities than in rural areas, changing patterns of land use.” Whew! Speaking of numbers, a lot is being written about the great numbers of tourists traveling the world and that many World Heritage sites are being damaged. The Nov/Dec 2006 National Geographic Traveler had a lengthy article on World Heritage sites, 830 of them, and how they’re managing, or not, with the vast numbers of tourists visiting them daily. People are in the world and enjoy traveling. What’s the answer to this? Well, it seems to center on the countries where the World Heritage sites are located taking greater responsibility for the guardianship and upkeep of these sites. And we, too, as tourists, need to be mindful of how we traipse on these sites, how we use the land when visiting.

Ah, what a gripping, captivating, fascinating, thought-provoking, certainly not boring, world it is!

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my architect-a story about a son’s journey

My Architect is an inspiring documentary about a son wanting to know his father, the architect Lou Kahn, who died alone in the men’s restroom at Penn Station in NYC without any identification. This fascinating man traveled extensively, designed beautiful buildings around the world; seemed to be appreciated and understood more so in the east than in the west; was the father of three children, and was loved by his wife who said, “Lou owned nothing, books and that sort of thing. He didn’t care about money.” She went on to say that, “he could have been a billionaire, but. . . .”  He also had two mistresses who loved him, and two children from those two relationships.

Nearing the end of the movie there’s an interview with Indian architect B.V. Doshi, who said to the son, Nathaniel, that, “Lou had reached that state of superconsciousness where for him everything was alive, and everything was in the state of transformation. . . .”

Israeli-born architect, Moshe Safdie said of Lou Kahn, “. . . he was a very spiritual person . . .  ” and, “he was a real nomad and as tragic as his death was in a railroad station, it was so consistent with his life.” After watching the movie I sensed that if Lou Kahn were to send word to us, he’d probably say he had no problem with dying alone at Penn Station.

Architect , Shamsul Wares when interviewed in Dhaka, Bangladesh cried as he spoke of him, and had extraordinary things to say about Lou Kahn, the man, the architect, the nomad, and the way he lived his life.

We follow Nathaniel as he pieces together the life of his father. Through numerous interviews, and journeys around the world, and in seeing the beauty in the magnificent buildings his father designed, he finally understood his father . . . well, as much as anyone can understand another.

This is not a razzmatazz, can’t catch your breath kind of movie. Rather it’s about a wildly interesting man who lived life on his own terms.

it’s a beautifully-made documentary. Good job Nathaniel.

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

“The real does not die, the unreal never lived. Set your mind right and all will be right. When you know that the world is one, that humanity is one, you will act accordingly. But first of all you must attend to the way you feel, think and live. Unless there is order in yourself, there can be no order in the world.”  –  Nisargadatta Maharaj

 

 

 

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mr. moody

You don’t know the person we’re going to discuss here, so I feel I can write freely. And if he were to read this, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t think this was about him. I’ve known him for a awhile. Actually I met him abroad and we’re email friends at the moment. However, the relationship is a tiring one because from one day to the next his mood changes, and you don’t know where you fit insofar as his thoughts go. It could be pleasant; it could be stressful. Probably we all know someone who tends to cause havoc merely by the way s/he internalizes. They stress over something that should have been forgiven and forgotten. There are many things he should have, could have, forgiven and forgotten by now. Yet these things return like waves upon the ocean. In the past, we’ve had conversations about this, but always with him you’re right back where you started. I’m ready to throw him overboard, or at least delete his emails.

Is it a big ego that clouds his capacity to see that there’s no time to sulk in this life? Or is it the opposite, his little feelings about himself keep him focused on himself. Geez, whatever it is, he’s got to find a way to stop the nonsense. His children are all adults. He has money; you could say he’s living the good life. So, why not enjoy it all? Life should/could be wonderful for him.

I’m not being unkind; he’s had many chances to change. I think it’s rather important to walk away from someone who refuses to forgive and forget. Anyway, I’ve a feeling that people have had to forgive and forget many times over in their relationship with Mr. Moody. Ah, when I think of all the exciting emails he could be writing because his life should/could be fantastic – if he’d just get out of his head.

I’ve made a pact with myself and it’s this: If I have to, I’ll forgive and forget over and over, and I’ll live life this way til the day I breathe my last breath. Life is a work of art in progress, and it shouldn’t become joyless and heavy. What’s the point in wasting our precious energy by being mumpish?

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cell phones and telemarketing companies

Have you gotten an email saying by the end of May 2007 all cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketing companies? And if you don’t want this to happen to you, you’re to call 888.382.1222, the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry.The email goes on to say that it only takes a minute to do this and it’ll block your number for 5 years, and that you’re to call from the cell phone number you want blocked.

If you go to the website, www.donotcall.gov you’ll see the words, “Those claim are not true. In fact, federal law prohibits telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. You may place your pesonal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry, but there is generally no reason to do so.” Also it says that “Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at the website.”

If you get an email pertaining to cell phones and telemarketers, and feel a need to know more, check out www.donotcall.gov.

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overkill

I was sitting on the edge of the tub late last evening, soaking my foot trying to pamper a beginning blister or two gotten from lots of weekend walking with the wrong shoes. Suddenly the word overkill came into my mind from nowhere, and it hovered there. So I started playing around with the word wondering where it would lead. Perhaps previous conversations with people on separate occasions brought this word to the surface. Dictionary.com defines overkill as, “an excess of what is required or suitable . . . .” What comes to your mind when you hear this?

Hmm! Does it seem to you that there’s an excess of just about everything you can think of? For instance, if you want to take a yoga class, and you can’t stand the hot yoga your friend likes, where do you begin to look for a class? There’s so much out there. Do you just keep joining classes until you find the right one for you? And have you looked at the shelves of soaps? And shampoos? The lotions and potions? All the over-the-counter stuff for “health care”? All the money spent on buying the wrong products. As I go on and on I’m finding this quite fascinating because when stopping long enough to think about it it’s all part of the complicated world we live in.

Look around and you’ll notice that many women have trouble finding pants that fit properly. Finding the right pair is not easy for most of us. So sometimes we settle, and that’s funny because, with such an array of choices, it’s strange to have to settle for something not quite right because we can’t find what works. I’ve passed by empty fitting rooms in stores, and noticed big piles of pants on the floor, some pants are inside out. Customers probably wore themselves out trying to find pants that fit. It should be a simple matter, however, there’s simply too much of everything. And a lot of it doesn’t work. And sifting through it all takes lots of energy, patience and time.

Spas used to be special. Now they’re everywhere. Some good; some not so good. The thing about the not so good is that, unless you hear otherwise, you end up spending money and time to discover that it’s not good. Glitz and ads are not indicators that a place is great.

And yes, another thing, shoes. I brought a pair of shoes to a cobbler who’s very good at what he does, and because I was complaining about the new shoes I’d just bought, he went on to say that the quality of shoes is not what it used to be, that so much is mass-produced as in just get it to the marketplace. Even some so-called designer shoes, expensive ones, don’t have the quality they once had.

It’s entertaining (many words could be used here, but let’s just say entertaining) to go on and on thinking about the excess we see everywhere; it tends to put things into perspective. And that could be a good thing. It’s a bit thought-provoking to get into the why of excess we find all around us. If we were to go deeper into the why of it, what would we discover?

It’s good to be aware. Right?

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fun & sun in aruba

And I got chills reading your blog, Michael. Because there you are at a beautiful resort in Aruba with Alicia, and friends and acquaintances, eating, drinking, most likely there’s dancing and good conversation. It’s an absolutely beautiful evening. You leave because Sebastian is ready for sleep, and you both walk slowly along a path, you find a place to sit, there’s a cool breeze, you watch your baby fall asleep in your arms, and the laughter and chatter of your fellow party goers enjoying a good time reaches your ears and you smile, the stars have filled the sky above. And there you are completely relaxed – totally aware and immersed in the present moment – and appreciating all of it. And you feel blessed. And Sebastian’s lucky to have a father who sees beauty and joy in these kind of moments.

“The moment your attention turns to the now you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace.” -Eckhardt Tolle
www.eckhardttolle.com

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please explain the obsession

Sometimes it seems that the media is trying to make the Trump family the new American royalty. We’re traveling the same road as with the Kennedy clan. On and on we go with the stream of books, magazine articles, interviews, tv, news items, and perhaps soon, movies galore. Or is it Donald Trump himself who is trying to make this happen? What’s the constant need to hear what the Trumps are up to? We don’t need royalty-like people in this country. Wasn’t one family enough for one lifetime? Why can’t they just fade out of the limelight they so greedily desire. Why are posters of Donald Trump’s face plastered on trains, sides of buildings, billboards, etcetera around NYC? Enough I say, enough. I say this smiling, I’m not actually hot in the collar over this, just amused. But do you not feel that it gets boring and tiring to have to look at that face everywhere you turn? And now hints that his children are followling the same route as their father. And why do we need this? The hair joke is worn out. That face always has that-posed-for-a-picture expression. What is the point? Don’t we need a break? Oh, it smacks of the stuff of the Kennedy obsession all over again. Can someone please explain the obsession to me?

Then again, perhaps what I’m really thinking is that we need to focus on our own lives, and not get caught up and obsessed with someone else’s life. The media plays a huge part in the way people view the world. To not buy into this has its own rewards.

“Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you; unfold your own myths.” -Rumi
www.mevlana.net