My Oyster

My Little Buddha comes home to Columbia Heights...

That is him on the balcony outside my bedroom.

I think this part of the neighborhood needs a bit more buddha and a little less aggression.  Maybe he will help us all be a bit more zen here on our block.  Just in time for school - across the street - to start on Monday.

I actually have been looking for some time for a Buddha statue to sit outside my bedroom.  I have a beautiful wood cross on the balcony downstairs and wanted a Buddha for upstairs.  

I found this Buddha today at Dragonfly down in Logan Circle. 

I love seeing him looking in at me.  Well, he isn't really looking.  His eyes are shut and he is meditating.  But I do smile and feel a calmness when I see him.  Just as I wanted.

'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees...

...Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Yes, even though here in Maine, the trees are not yet "full-blossomed" - they are not even near blossomed or even thinking about starting to blossom - we still had an Easter full of joy.

Chris joined Ma, Tut, and I for brunch along the Kennebec River in Bath. 

The river was deep blue with some ice floes floating around.  Beautiful to gaze out on, but brrr.

Good Friday in Siciliy...

Pilgrims, Good Friday Procession, originally uploaded by zeitspuren.

I love this picture - the somber faces and subdued lighting.

I found it on Flickr. The caption there says "Devotees of the "Adolorata" Madonna, during the Good Friday Procession of Trapani, Sicily."

I have never heard of Trapani and I think the Adolorata Madonna is the "sorrowful" Madonna. But I am not sure.

No matter. Today is Good Friday and it is a perfect pic.

Passageway to my mind...

Today I had an acupuncture treatment on my "Third Eye".  See above.

You can see three needles in my face.  I actually had some in my legs and feet too.  The needle between my eye brows is at the Third Eye.

The actual Chinese translation for this acupuncture point is Yintang or “hall of impression”.  The “Hall” is defined as a corridor or passageway.  An “impression” is defined as a strong effect produced on the intellect, emotions, or conscience. So, Yintang is the entrance or passageway to the mind.

 

“Hall of impression” is an appropriate name for this powerful point, which is used to calm the mind, enhance one’s ability to focus, soothe emotions, promote sleep, and relieve depression.

I got this treatment today because I have not been sleeping well this week and am needing to focus.  Let's hope it works.  I think it will.  I seem to respond well to acupuncture. 

The Art of Being Human...

Tian Tan Buddha, originally uploaded by .kaishin..

I finished this Shambhala Buddhism weekend course today.  The Art of Being Human is the first of five sequential weekend programs, called The Heart of Warriorship.

OK, I did leave an hour early so I could get home and see the Patriots play (and win) - but still - it was a long and intense weekend.  And a good one.  I am really glad I did it and that I stuck it out.

Shambhala Training is a secular program with an emphasis on how we develop genuine confidence, humor and personal dignity within the complexity of our lives today.  It also provides a foundation and discipline in meditation practice.

And over the weekend, there were hours and hours of meditation practice.  There also was some very good discussion of Buddhist principles and Shambhala practices.

I think I will be taking another class up here in Maine and one down at the center in Washington.  It's good stuff.

My Buddhist Weekend Continued - This is much harder than I was expecting...

Who? What? Where? Zen? Why?, originally uploaded by Jerri Johnson.

Today I meditated from 9am to 6pm.  Sitting on the floor.  Legs crossed.  Meditating for 9 hours.  All day.

OK, to be fair we had some breaks and we sat on cushions (on the floor), but still.  That is a LOT of meditating and a lot of floor time.

I like meditating.  I have not done it for long or very much, but I do appreciate it's power.  It's about learning to ignore those thoughts that interrupt your focus.  It's a discipline that allows you to be more self-aware, to uncover your basic nature - unadulterated.  Not mixed with any impurities.

But today. I was ready to give up by lunch.  I was fidgety.  My bum hurt.  My back hurt.  I could not stay focused.  But I stuck it out.

The instructors compare this intensive two-day introductory class to a foreign language immersion program.  Sink or swim.  Not for the faint of heart.

I am going back for more tomorrow.  But I think I will leave a bit early - so I can catch the Patriots football game.  There must be limits...

My Buddhist Weekend...

My Friday night begins a weekend long Buddhist retreat or training session. I am not sure what to call it. I sleep in my own bed, but go to the Shambhala Buddhist Center in Brunswick all day tomorrow and all day Sunday.

I drove down to Brunswick to get things started tonight.

The course is called "The Art of Being Human" and it introduces participants to the Shambhala teachings and to the practice of sitting meditation.  There were at least 20 people there tonight.  Mostly women.  A mix of ages - though you could tell it was taking place in a college town.  Smattering of students.  Very preppy New Englandy group.

The woman who will be running the training all weekend introduced us to it tonight - and to herself.  I think it will be interesting, but doing meditation from 830am to 600pm tomorrow and the next day will be a challenge for me - which I guess is the point.  But I am looking forward to it. 

I have become more and more interested in Buddhism and so this weekend should be a bit of an adventure.  I will let you know how it goes...

P.S.  the foto above, which I think is amazingly beautiful, came from hurleygurley on flickr.

Today was my first acupuncture treatment...

I liked it. 

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous.  Despite the fact that my acupuncturist is a friend and we had done an in-depth intake discussion last weekend, I was noticeably anxious.  I really don't like needles.

I am trying out acupuncture for a couple reasons.  I am hoping it will help with some specific physical ailments - but more-so because I like the idea of balancing one's spiritual energy - or Qi.

Qi is a fundamental concept of traditional Chinese culture. It is believed to be part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of “life force” or “spiritual energy.”

Traditional Chinese medicine asserts that the body has natural patterns of Qi that circulate in channels or meridians.  Symptoms of various illnesses (not just physical) are often believed to be the product of disrupted, blocked, or unbalanced Qi movement through the body's meridians, as well as deficiencies or imbalances of Qi In the organs.

Acupuncture uses small diameter metal needles inserted into the skin and underlying tissues to reroute or balance Qi.

So today I was there for about 90 minutes.  Much of that time was prep - taking my pulse(s) - I think there are six different ones in Chinese medicine.  Also marking and being sure of where to insert the needles.  Where they go depends on what the treatment actually is. 

Today, my treatment was an initial cleansing of sorts.  Getting rid of junk (physical, mental, spiritual, etc. - I think) I have picked up over the years.  Sort of cleaning up and building a foundation for more and different treatments to come. 

I had several (6-7) needles in today for about 20 minutes.  In my stomach, thighs, ankles, and chest.  It wasn't painful - but I did feel it when the needles were inserted. When one needle was stuck in my thigh, I jumped and shrieked a bit.  It didn't hurt, but the sensation startled me.  I was told it was the needle hitting some Qi.

I have to say, during the 20 minutes I felt a LOT of sensations - particularly in my legs and stomach.  I was just focusing on my breathing - kinda meditating.  I am pretty convinced that my Qi was affected - both by what I felt while the needles were in and how I felt after - very calm.  happy.   I also went straight to my Chisel class at the gym and for the first time, my knees did not ache.

So I will pay attention to how I am feeling over the next couple days and go in for a different kind of needle treatment on Saturday morning.  Stay tuned.

Acupuncture...

I think I am ready to try it.  I have had an interest for some time.  I like the holistic approach of treating not just the current aches and pains (and I have many) but striving more for overall health and wellness - mind, body, and spirit.

Today I sat down with a friend who is training to practice acupuncture at a local school.  She is now in her residency and so can practice with supervision by some very experienced teachers.  We had a nice chat at Busboys and Poets.   I could start as soon as tomorrow, if she has an opening.

I am looking forward to exploring acupuncture a bit and seeing how it fits with trying to change from a reactive approach to health (i.e. getting a prescription every time I get sick) to a more preventative and holistic approach to good health.  And my employer covers these types of alternative medicines, which is awesome. 

Happy Holi Eve...

This is a painting from the Smithsonian collection here in Washington.  It depicts Krishna-Radha and Gopis celebrating Holi.

Tomorrow (actually today - the 4th) is the annual and popular Hindu spring festival.  It takes place over two days in the later part of February or early March.  It falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon). It is also called the Festival of Colors. In this festival main emphasis is laid on the burning of Holika or lighting of Holi. The origin of the traditional lighting of Holi is attributed by some to the burning of demonesses like Holika, Holaka and Putana who troubled little children or to the burning of Madan according to others.

Tonight I went with Atul to a Khush-DC (gay south asians) dinner and party to celebrate Holi.  There was also a tribute to five women for their efforts to advance the equal rights and visibility of South Asia's GLBTQ community.  It was a nice evening and really reminded me of the diversity here in Washignton and of the gay community.  Both are nice places to call home.