[Edited extract from public address]
Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. Welcome to Berber Calendar Year 2975.
Sharing a timely aspiration:
"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences."
Audre Lorde, American writer, womanist, radical feminist, professor, and civil rights activist (1934-1992 CE)
If having no reason to celebrate this month, here are 3 prepared earlier:
- July: NAIDOC Week (Australia)
- 18 July: Nelson Mandela International Day (International)
- 30 July: International Day of Friendship (International)
This edition, we reflect upon an Ancient Indian concept of Ānāpānasati/Ānāpānasmṛti/Mindfulness of Breathing(Pali/Sanskrit/English) and different ways to look at it. A form of Buddhist meditation originally taught by Gautama Buddha. Mindfulness of breathing develops the link between interiority of understanding the mind with considered attitudes and activity in daily life.
With Theravada view, mindfulness of inhalation and exhalation is a part of paying attention to one’s body in quietude, and recommends meditation as a means of cultivating the Seven Factors of Enlightenment:
- Sati/Mindfulness (Pali/English)
- Dhamma vicaya/Analysis
- Viriya/Persistence, which leads to
- Pīti/Joyfulness, then to
- Passaddhi/Serenity, which in turn leads to
- Samadhi/Concentration and then to
- Upekkhā/Equanimity.
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.
Read on intrepid Mixers, and let's see what is to discover this edition. Subscribers decide if anything is useful.
Topics List
1. Guest Sings
Approx 5 min presentation
2. Street Jives
Approx 2 min presentation
3. Wisdom Reconciles
- Kiyanosh Sahebi: 2024 RAW Comedy National Grand Final (8 mins)
- CNBC Explains: What is Asean? (5 mins)
- Top Master: Google Quantum Computer Rewrites History After Analyzing K218b (30 mins)
- Australian Story: The early signs of dementia that Jim missed for years (30 mins)
- Australian citizenship: Government and the law in Australia - Part 3 (6 mins)
4. Media Writes
Approx 5 min readsIntro
Jane Rocca explores literature, impressions and impactfulness when "The book that changed me: Hannah Kent, Sarah Wilson, Hilde Hinton and more” via The Age
Nicole Elphick explores identity, connection and belonging as "Star of ABC hit The Newsreader mines real-life family drama for new project” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Sheriden Rhodes explores place, people and possibilities recalling how "Chappo didn’t like Shakes when they first met. Now, they’re ‘like brothers’” via The Brisbane Times
Intra
Henrietta Cook explores presenting symptoms, diagnosis and treatment when going "Beyond the knife: How public hospitals are diverting patients away from surgery and into therapy” via The Age
Nicole Precel explores maths, numeracy and learning when calling to "Cut the fluff’: Fixing primary school maths one problem at a time” via The Age
Tony Wright explores place, people and purpose with "A message stick, aching feet and great expectations as truth walk ends” via The Age
Inter
Victoria Laurie explores identity, connection and belonging with a call to "‘Find things in common’: After a cancer shock, Pat Dodson has words of hope” via WA Today
Nell Geraets explores creating, content and constructive engagement in "Is this the end of faceless internet trolls? How one ‘mumfluencer’ is turning the tables” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Luke Heeney and Sarah Davis explores learning, innovation and context seeing "Trump’s war on innovation is a golden opportunity for Australia, if we’re smart enough to take it” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Multi
George Brandis explores power, authority and leadership as "King Charles and Pope Leo defend US Constitution from Trump” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Lenny Ann Low explore courtship, continents and contentment recalling how "He was a management consultant; she’s a Harvard grad. Now they sell pre-owned clothes” via The Age
Nick Dent explores artistry, perspective and expression when reviewing Brsibane’s Gallery of Modern Art’s Wonderstruck in "Yayoi Kusama’s Obliteration Room is back. This time, it’s a house” via The Brisbane Times
All
Cameron Woodhead and Tony Way explores identity, craft and expression when reviewing "Feminist funfest takes a laugh-out-loud swipe at superhero culture” via The Age
Shona Hendley explores households, membership and contributions with "‘They’re like therapy animals’: How backyard chooks made a comeback” via The Brisbane Times
Angus Dalton explores place, people and participation in "The Australian scientist helping to re-write the story of civilisation” via WA Today
Togather
Nicole Abadee explores identity, connection and belonging in "They’d been friends for decades – then they applied for the same job” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Nicole Precel explores childhood, homelessness and education recounting how "Annie was 17 when she slept on a park bench. All she cared about was school the next day” via The Age
Linda Morris explores people, place and passion to “‘Like nothing you have seen before’: Meet the artists entrancing New York” via The Age
Nobly
Carolyn Webb explores selfless, consistent and loving unconditionally as "King’s Birthday Honours shine light on years of unheralded human decency” via The Age
Michael Lallo explores place, people and purpose revealing "How SBS evolved from ‘clogs and cooking’ into our most innovative broadcaster” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Lauren Ironmonger explores community, connection and camaraderie in "‘It’s a classic win-win’: The ways volunteering does you good” via WA Today
5. TED Talks
5-20 min presentations- Cecilia Guan: The benefits of fostering beginner's mind (13 mins)
- Noeline Kirabo: 2 questions to uncover your passion -- and turn it into a career (11 mins)
- Maya Shankar: Why change is so scary — and how to unlock its potential (14 mins)
- Lillian Faderman: Harvey Milk's radical vision of equality (6 mins)
- Jon Youshaei and Michelle Weise: How do you prepare for jobs that don't exist yet? A work expert and a YouTuber answer (28 mins)
6. Music Challenges
Approx 30 min presentation + reflection timesIf 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 is a way to come together for peace's sake?
- Inspire
- Perspire
- Collaborate
- Engage: Test for personal circumstances, if useful keep, if unuseful discard, if exceeds needs, share mindfully
- Endure: Adapt for present times without sacrificing intent
- Endear: (Inspiring Others To Tend the Flame) live/ demonstrate/ inspire/ teach experience with others
This challenge is consolidating cohesion, conniving, census, catastrophe, collaborate & certainty.
consolidating
[con’so’lih’dayt’ing]
From early 16th century = combine into a whole; from Latin consolidare, from con- = together + solidare = make firm; from solidus = solid.
verb
cohesion
[co’he’shen]
From mid 17th century: from Latin cohaes- = cleaved together, from the verb cohaerere, from co- = together + haerere = to stick.
noun
conniving
[con’nyve’ing]
From early 17th century: from French conniver or Latin connivere = shut the eyes (to), from con- = together + an unrecorded word related to nictare = to wink.
adjective
census
[sen’suss]
From early 17th century (denoting a poll tax): from Latin, applied to the registration of citizens and property in ancient Rome, usually for taxation, from censere = assess. The current sense dates from the mid 18th century.
noun
catastrophe
[ca’tas’troe’phee]
From mid 16th century = denouement; from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē = overturning, sudden turn, from kata- = down + strophē = turning; from strephein = to turn.
noun
collaborate
[cole’lab’oh’rate]
From late 19th century: from Latin collaborat- = worked with, from the verb collaborare, from col- = together + laborare = to work.
verb
certainty
[sir’ten’tee]
From Middle English: from Old French certainete, based on Latin certus = settled, sure.
noun
[con’so’lih’dayt’ing]
From early 16th century = combine into a whole; from Latin consolidare, from con- = together + solidare = make firm; from solidus = solid.
verb
- make (something) physically stronger or more solid. Ie, the first phase of the project is to consolidate the outside walls.
- strengthen (one's position or power). Ie, the company consolidated its position in the international market.
- combine (a number of things) into a single more effective or coherent whole. Ie, all manufacturing activities have been consolidated in new premises.
- combine (a number of financial accounts or funds) into a single overall account or set of accounts. Ie, consolidated accounts.
- (mainly British English) combine (separate pieces of legislation) into a single legislative act. Ie, the Companies Act 1948 and subsequent enactments were consolidated by the Companies Act 1985.
cohesion
[co’he’shen]
From mid 17th century: from Latin cohaes- = cleaved together, from the verb cohaerere, from co- = together + haerere = to stick.
noun
- the action or fact of forming a united whole. Ie, the completed work radiated cohesion.
- (Physics) the sticking together of particles of the same substance.
conniving
[con’nyve’ing]
From early 17th century: from French conniver or Latin connivere = shut the eyes (to), from con- = together + an unrecorded word related to nictare = to wink.
adjective
- given to or involved in conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful. Ie, a heartless and conniving person.
- secretly allow (something immoral, illegal, or harmful) to occur. I was not involved in the conniving of falsified documents.
- (usually connive to do something) conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful. Ie, they were conniving with bank officials to launder money.
census
[sen’suss]
From early 17th century (denoting a poll tax): from Latin, applied to the registration of citizens and property in ancient Rome, usually for taxation, from censere = assess. The current sense dates from the mid 18th century.
noun
- an official count or survey, especially of a population. Ie, the Australian Census is conducted every 5 years.
catastrophe
[ca’tas’troe’phee]
From mid 16th century = denouement; from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē = overturning, sudden turn, from kata- = down + strophē = turning; from strephein = to turn.
noun
- an event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster. Ie, an environmental catastrophe. Ie, inaction will only bring us closer to catastrophe.
- something very unfortunate or unsuccessful. Ie, the tax would be a catastrophe for the industry.
- the denouement of a drama, especially a classical tragedy.
collaborate
[cole’lab’oh’rate]
From late 19th century: from Latin collaborat- = worked with, from the verb collaborare, from col- = together + laborare = to work.
verb
- work jointly on an activity or project. Ie, they collaborated with each other on numerous hotel projects.
- cooperate traitorously with an enemy. Ie, during the last war they collaborated with the invaders.
certainty
[sir’ten’tee]
From Middle English: from Old French certainete, based on Latin certus = settled, sure.
noun
- firm conviction that something is the case. Ie, they knew with absolute certainty that a solution would be discovered soon.
- the quality of being reliably true. Ie, there is a bewildering lack of certainty and clarity in the law.
- a general air of confidence. Ie, a petitioner exuding certainty.
- a fact that is definitely true or an event that is definitely going to take place. Ie, the passing of the act made a general election a certainty.
- a person that is certain to do or win the specified thing. Ie, the home favourite was expected to be a certainty for a gold medal.
[Practice]
7. Acknowledgments
Reconciliation
Acknowledging traditional inhabitants of Cities of Port Phillip and Glen Eira are the Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung 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) or bodhicitta (Sanskrit = Awakening Consciousness). 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. Or not. As each case may be.
It is not personal, it is just the way things are.
