NAVIGATION

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GEIFN | MIXING | Media | September 2022

Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. Welcome to Thai solar calendar 2565.

Sharing a timely aspiration:
“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.”
Florynce Kennedy, American lawyer, radical feminist, civil rights advocate, lecturer and activist (1916-2000 CE)

If having no reason to celebrate this month, here are 3 prepared earlier:


And those with time are welcome to explore concepts of Refuge and different ways to look at it. 

Usual conditions apply: words and concepts are conditional things that point to a 'reflection of experience'. They are limited and do not adequately describe the 'full experience'. Like the moon's reflection on a lake's surface, it is not the moon.
 
Impermanent Definition
The definition of refuge changes depending on:

  • our starting point in this life, 
  • current clarity,
  • our current needs,
  • anticipated future needs, and 
  • ripening karma (consequences from previous thoughts, words and actions). 

Beginners: 
Refuge is a 'place' where we feel valued, loved and safe. For the benefit of ourselves. It might be a memory, saying, person or group. If don't already have a refuge, find one – a refuge is useful as a 'you' plan in uncertain times.
 
Intermediates: 
Refuge is a 'place' we have made: ourselves and those in our company feel valued, loved and safe. It might be a presence, resources, service or group. If haven't already made a refuge, make one – a refuge is very useful as a 'me' plan in certain and uncertain times.
 
Advanced:
Refuge is a 'place' wherever we are: ourselves and those in and out of our company feel valued, loved and safe. It might be leadership, skill, generosity or inclusiveness. If not already a refuge, act like one – a refuge is useful as a 'we' plan in all times until full realization when acting is no longer necessary, the state is lasting. (The time is always certain. There is only one moment, this moment, full of unrealised potential and any thing can happen.)

Remember: information may contain misunderstandings, deliberate omissions and complete fabrications. Accept nothing blindly. Test for usefulness: if useful keep; adapt for personal circumstances if necessary; or if unuseful discard. Be your own guiding light.

The following monthly curation from publicly available information is offered below for consideration.


Topics

  1. Guest Sings
  2. Stream Jives
  3. Wisdom Reconciles
  4. Media Writes
  5. TED Talks
  6. Music Challenges
  7. Acknowledgments

    1. Guest Sings

    Approx 5 min presentation

      4. Media Writes

      Approx 5 min reads

      Intro
      Genevieve Quigley explores place, belonging and visible representation when recounting why "I was told ‘they don’t hire people that look like you’: Michelle Lim Davidson” via The Sydney Morning Herald

      Robyn Doreian explores gender, identity and vocation with "QI’s Sandy Toksvig: ‘I’ve known I like women since I was four’” via The Brisbane Times

      John Shand explores place, people and reconciliation when recounting how "Archie Roach’s music helped heal not just his own wounds, but those of countless others” via The Age


      Intra
      Kate Halfpenny explores parenting, pandering and humour to explain why "‘We were not into pandering’: Sometimes it’s best to tell it to kids straight” via The Brisbane Times

      Evelyn Lewin explores empathy, humility and sustainable relationships in "Could the ‘nice guys finish last’ myth be hampering your relationship?” via The Brisbane Times 

      Dennis Passa explores gender, identity and presentation plus other reasons why "‘I’d like to help someone by telling my story’: Green finds liberation in transition” via WA Today


      Inter
      Rachael Dexter explores access, opportunity and infrastructure adaption in "All charged up: Councils push for kerbside car charging” via The Age

      Karl Quinn explores gender, acceptance, presentation over discussing her new film at lunch when "‘Maybe you don’t want to thrash about like an eel’: Talking sex with Emma Thompson” via The Age

      Arani Ahmed explores gender, presentation and belonging recounting when "‘I believed that if I was Bengali, then I couldn’t be queer’” via The Age


      Multi
      Garry Maddox explores genuine creativity, skilful film making and leadership overcomes "Setbacks, star wars, sackings: How director George Miller plays Hollywood hardball” via The Age

      Jess Ho explores migration, childhood and meeting parental aspirations, recounting from her name book "As a child of immigrants, my choice was clear: be a doctor or be a disappointment” via WA Today

      Benjamin Law talks dicey topics Money, Religion and Bodies with Fatima Payman and "Why our first hijab-wearing Muslim senator wants a cuppa with Pauline Hanson” via The Brisbane Times


      All
      Dilvin Yasa explores mortality, avoidance and open secrets recounting how "My aunt wasn’t told about her terminal illness. Her final gift said it all” via The Age

      Benjamin Law explores dicey topics politics, money and death while "‘We’re all in the queue’: How writing helped Indira Naidoo understand death” via The Brisbane Times

      Richard Jiman explores existence, evolution and explanation in "Why Richard Dawkins doesn’t fear the ‘great nothing’ that awaits at the end" via WA Today


      Togather
      Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon explores finances, planning and unforeseen events describing reasons for and "What happens when you ask for free financial counselling?" via The Sydney Morning Herald

      Jim Bright explores the role of talent, training and timing with "Who do you aspire to be? Having a hero can be good for your career” via WA Today

      Surendra Verma explores identity, language and belonging when recounting "A smack that taught an atheist to respect religion” via The Brisbane Times


      Nobly
      Waleed Aly explores generosity, spirit and towards sharing a brighter future, reasons why "Statement from the Heart is a gift to the nation, not a grab for power” via The Age

      Pirooz Jafari explores people, place and persistance in this extract of his new book recounting how "Dreaming big while bombs fell all around me? It seemed absurd” via The Sydney Morning Herald

      Associated Press explores gender, poverty and equity as "No more ‘period poverty’: Scottish law makes sanitary products free” via The Sydney Morning Herald




      6. Music Challenges

      Approx 30 min presentation + reflection times

      If desired, a short selection of publicly available material on a chosen theme for personal reflection. 

      For best results, sit comfortably with a straight back, have headphones in a shared space, after each clicked link, allow a little reflection with your personally-held view before clicking on the next link.

      Get ready to Reflect!
      Choose your playing level:
      Be introduced at 1.
      Be soothed at 2-4.
      Be shocked at 5.
      Be inspired at 6.
      Fuller illumination 1-6.
      You be the judge. Or not.

      Cryptic Clue:
      What are some ingredients making up my 'me'?
      1. Inspire
      2. Perspire
      3. Collaborate
      4. Engage: Test for personal circumstances, if useful keep, if unuseful discard, if exceeds needs, share mindfully
      5. Endure: Adapt for present times without sacrificing intent
      6. Endear: (Inspiring Others To Tend the Flame) live/ demonstrate/ inspire/ teach experience with others

      This challenge is serving Food, Touch, Taste and Time.

      food
      [fewd]
      From late Old English fōda, of Germanic origin; related to fodder.
      1. any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth. Ie, we need food and water. Ie, they had eaten their food and slept. Ie, baby foods. Ie, food shortages
      2. (figurative) an inspiring experience. Ie, music is food for the soul.
      3. (figurative) something that warrants serious consideration. Ie, food for thought

      touch
      [tutch]
      From Middle English; the verb from Old French tochier, probably from a Romance word of imitative origin; the noun originally from Old French touche, later (in certain senses) directly from the verb.
      1. an act of touching someone or something. Ie, the hairdresser's touch on the client's shoulder was hesitant. Ie, you can manipulate images on the screen at the touch of a key. Ie, expressions of love through words and touch. 
        • the faculty of perception through physical contact, especially with the fingers. Ie, reading by touch. 
        • a musician's manner of playing keys or strings. 
        • the manner in which a musical instrument's keys or strings respond to being played. Ie, Viennese instruments with their too delicate touch. 
        • a light stroke with a pen, pencil, etc.
      2. a small amount; a trace. Ie, add a touch of vinegar. Ie, they retired to bed with a touch of flu. 
        • a small distinctive detail or feature. Ie, the film's most inventive touch. 
      3. a distinctive manner or method of dealing with something. Ie, later they showed a surer political touch. 
        • an ability to deal with something successfully. Ie, getting caught looks so incompetent, as though we're losing our touch. 
      4. (Rugby & Soccer) the area beyond the sidelines, out of play. Ie, the player's clearance went directly into touch. Ie, the idea was kicked firmly into touch by the authorities. 
      5. (informal, dated) an act of asking for and getting a loan or gift from someone. Ie, I only tolerated this relative because the bore was good for a touch now and then.
      6. (Bell-ringing) a series of changes shorter than a peal. 
      7. (archaic) a thing that tests the worth or character of something. Ie, you must put your fate to the touch.
      8. come into or be in contact with. Ie, the student leaned back so that only two legs of the chair touched the floor. Ie, the dog had one paw outstretched, not quite touching the ground.
        • bring one's hand or another part of one's body into contact with. Ie, the actor touched a strand of their hair. Ie, the conductor touched the passenger on the shoulder to indicate the stop was nearing. 
        • come or bring into mutual contact. Ie, for a moment their fingers touched. Ie, we touched wheels and nearly came off the road. 
        • strike (a ball) lightly in a specified direction. Ie, the player touched back a cross-field ball. 
        • (Geometry) be tangent to (a curve or surface) at a certain point. 
      9. handle in order to interfere with, alter, or otherwise affect. Ie, I didn't play their records or touch any of their stuff. 
        • cause harm to (someone). Ie, I've got friends who'll pull strings – nobody will dare touch me. 
        • [usually with negative] consume or use (food, drink, money, etc.). Ie, the pint by their right hand was hardly touched. Ie, in three years I haven't touched a cent of the money. 
        • [with negative] used to indicate that something is avoided or rejected. Ie, they were good only for the jobs that nobody else would touch. 
      10. affect or concern. Ie, a tenth of state companies have been touched by privatisation. 
        • (of a quality or expression) be or become visible or apparent in. Ie, the voice was touched by hysteria. A wry smile touched their lips. 
      11. produce feelings of affection, gratitude, or sympathy in. Ie, the captain was touched by the team's loyalty. 
      12. (informal) reach a specified level or amount. Ie, sales touched twenty grand last year. 
        • [usually with negative] be comparable to in quality or excellence. Ie, there's no one who can touch this student at lightweight judo.

      taste
      [tayste]
      From Middle English (also in the sense touch): from Old French tast (noun), taster (verb) = touch, try, taste, perhaps based on a blend of Latin tangere = to touch + gustare = to taste.
      1. the sensation of flavour perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance. Ie, the wine had a fruity taste. 
        • the faculty of perceiving taste. Ie, birds do not have a highly developed sense of taste. 
        • a small portion of food or drink taken as a sample. Ie, try a taste of cheese. 
        • a brief experience of something, conveying its basic character. Ie, it was their first taste of serious action. 
      2. a person's liking for particular flavours. Ie, this pudding is too sweet for my taste. 
        • a person's tendency to like or be interested in something. Ie, they found the aggressive competitiveness of the profession was not to their taste. Ie, since retiring, I have lost my taste for fancy restaurants
      3. the ability to discern what is of good quality or of a high aesthetic standard. Ie, they have delightful taste in literature. 
        • conformity or failure to conform with generally held views concerning what is offensive or acceptable. Ie, that's a joke in very bad taste. 
      4. perceive or experience the flavour of. Ie, they had never tasted ice cream before. 
        • have a specified flavour. Ie, the coffee tasted of acorns. Ie, the spinach tastes delicious. 
        • sample the flavour of (food or drink) by taking it into the mouth. Ie, the waiter poured some wine for them to taste. 
        • eat or drink a small portion of. Ie, they tasted course after course, but was unable to eat very much. 
      5. have experience of. Ie, the team has now tasted victory at home.

      time
      [tyme]
      From Old English tima, of Germanic origin; related to tide, which it superseded in temporal senses. The earliest of the current verb senses (dating from late Middle English) is = do (something) at/with/by/in/for a particular moment.
      1. the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. Ie, travel through space and time. Ie, one of the greatest wits of all time. 
      2. the continued progress of existence as affecting people and things. Ie, things were getting better as time passed. 
      3. time or an amount of time as reckoned by a conventional standard. Ie, it's eight o'clock Eastern Australian Time. 
      4. (Time or Father Time) the personification of time, typically as an old man with a scythe and hourglass. 
      5. a point of time as measured in hours and minutes past midnight or noon. Ie, the time is 9.30. 
      6. a specific moment or definite portion of time allotted, used, or suitable for a purpose. Ie, the scheduled departure time. Ie, shall we fix a time for the meeting? 
      7. a generalised favourable or appropriate time to do something. Ie, it was time to go. Ie it's time for bed.
      8. (a time) an indefinite period. Ie, travelling always distorts one's feelings for a time. 
      9. (also times) a portion of time in history or characterized by particular events or circumstances. Ie, Victorian times. Ie, at the time of Galileo, Ie, the park is beautiful at this time of year. 
      10. (also times) the conditions of life during a particular period. Ie, times have changed. 
      11. (the Times) used in names of newspapers. Ie, the Oxford Times. 
      12. (one's time) one's lifetime. Ie, I've known a lot of characters in my time. 
      13. (one's time) the successful, fortunate, or influential part of a person's life or career. Ie, in my time that was unheard of. 
      14. (one's time) the appropriate or expected time for something, in particular childbirth or death. Ie, the children seemed old before their time.
      15. an apprenticeship. Ie, engineering officers traditionally served their time as fitters in the yards. 
      16. (archaic) a period of menstruation or pregnancy. 
      17. the normal rate of pay for time spent working. Ie, if called out at the weekend they are paid time and a half. 
      18. the length of time taken to run a race or complete an event or journey. Ie, the runner's time for the kilometre was 5 mins behind the leader's. 
      19. (British) the moment at which the opening hours of a pub end. Ie, the landlord called time. 
      20. short for full time. Ie, the player scored the third five minutes from time. 
      21. (Baseball & American Football) a moment at which play stops temporarily within a game. Ie, the umpire called time. 
      22. time as allotted, available, or used. Ie, we need more time. Ie, it would be a waste of time. 
      23. (informal) a prison sentence. Ie, the person was doing time for fraud. 
      24. an instance of something happening or being done; an occasion. Ie, this is the first time I have got into debt. Ie, the nurse came in four times a day. 
      25. an event, occasion, or period experienced in a particular way. Ie, the neighbour was having a rough time of it. 
      26. (mathematics) pluralised expression symbolising multiplication. Ie, eleven times four is forty-four. 
      27. the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music, as expressed by a time signature. 
        • Ie, tunes in waltz time.
        • Ie, tempo at which a piece of music is played or marked to be played.
      [Practice]

      Optional
      -- Chant Mantrastyle

      Who am I? Are we just the fruits of our parents' loins?
      Is the answer hidden in plain sight in the old wise saying "you are what you eat"? And is this only limited to food? Or is it the weight of the output minus input minus waste?

      What about potentiality of a touching lived experience or being touched by the story of a skilful narrator?

      What about the transformative nature in having a taste of a different way or stage of life? How does the weight of others' expectations shape our experience? Or the absence of who we loved and lost or never found in the first place? 

      An individual's length of Time is unknown, easily lost and therefore precious. Timing is everything. Keep track, waste it or use mindfully according to individual preference.

      Why? Why not?
      Start today. 
      As the case may be.
      Or not.





      7. Acknowledgments

      Reconciliation
      Acknowledging traditional inhabitants of Cities of Port Phillip and Glen Eira are the Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation. Respect is offered to past, present and future elders of all spiritual traditions. May we find together a generous way to accommodate those in need of refuge. Let us be cool, strive individually and together to overcome inequality, violence, disengagement, tragedy and injustice wherever it may be. Let us honour, savor and enjoy results of mindful effort so more thrive peacefully with less effort in our place called home.

      Invitation to Support Content Creators
      The music/stories/videos have been sourced from public domain. If you like any of the content, please consider buying directly from online marketplaces to support creators and truth telling in the public interest.

      Caretaker Disclosure
      Words and concepts are conditional things that point to a 'reflection of experience'. They are limited and do not adequately describe the 'full lived experience'. Like the moon's reflection on a lake's surface, it is not the moon, nor the experience of gazing up at the darkened sky transformed by the presence of a full moon. It is in the eyes/ears/nose/mouth/touch/cognisance of the beholder.

      This curation is an interpretation of the universal basis of re:lig:ion (Latin = again:uniting:energy). This email invites a sharing of countless thoughts, words and actions wishing, causing and receiving less Suffering and more Happiness. For benefit initially of the individual increasing in beneficiaries until it includes all across the 3 times and 10 directions. As each case may be. Or not.

      It is not personal, it just the way things are.