[Edited extract from public address]
Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. Welcome to Armenian Calendar Year 1474.
May there be festive in your season and yee-ha in the New.
Sharing a timely aspiration:
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
Maya Angelou, American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist (1924-2014 CE)
If having no reason to celebrate this month, here are 3 prepared earlier:
- 3 December: International Day of People with Disability (International)
- 10 December: International Human Rights Day (International)
- 20 December: International Human Solidarity Day (International)
This edition, we explore a different way of looking at Loving Kindness. This can be known to others by many names like Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Grace and Compassion.
With an Awakening Mind view, living beings exist in a closed loop of unlimited Suffering called Dukkha/Samsara/Unsatisfactoriness or Suffering (Pali/Sanskrit/English).
Every-day and every-one experiences in mind disturbances that can be transformed in mind to be free from this Suffering.
No individual exists in isolation from environment, others or activity of others. We are interconnected, and intradependent on past and prevailing conditions (also known as dependent origination). These inter-connected conditions are called Khamma/Karma/Causality, (Pali/Sanskrit/English).
One way to understanding this dependent-origination is the path of Metta/Avalokiteśvara/Loving Kindness/Loving Eyes (Pali/Sanskrit/English). Put simply, a practice to cultivate the ability to see/hear all beings and their suffering as equally deserving to be free from suffering.
Full realisation is called Bodhicittuppāda/Bodhicitta/Buddha Mind or Awakening Consciousness (Pali/Sanskrit/English).
Right and wrong coexist with their fusion child neutrality – just different expressions of limitless Suffering. None exists inherently without the others in a state of conditioned existence.
If you want positive things, do positive things. If you want negative things, do negative. If you want mixed, unpredictable and uncertain results, do no thing and this is called neutrality. Neutrality does not mean that things will not change, it is just that the individual abdicates self-determination by delegating decision making to others, circumstances or environment.
Life is precious, short and fragile. Although death is certain for all living things, the precise timing is uncertain. For example, did you know that for every minute spent in shock, anger or denial, 60 seconds of happiness was lost, missed or foregone?
There are many ways to transform our individual disturbances by cultivating Loving Kindness. Here is another one: a daily or regularly calling to mind this dedication:
“May all our positive energy today
Extend out like a great ocean
Bringing less Suffering, peace and happiness to all.
May less Suffering and great peace begin here.”
Fake it until you make it? Loving Kindness is not exclusive to any religion, time, gender, race or expression but an active state of feeling connected to, concern for and peacefully coexisting with. To share in collective benefits, starting with the individual, growing and sharing surpluses with familiars, then neighbours until benefitting all beings.
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.
Topics List
1. Guest Sings
Approx 5 min presentation
2. Street Jives
Approx 2 min presentation
3. Wisdom Reconciles
- Jay Wymarra - Deadly Funny National Grand Final 2019 (4 mins)
- Rex Krueger - The amazing invisible detail (10 mins)
- CrashCourse: Existentialism: Philosophy #16 (9 mins)
- Asian Boss: What the Hell Is Happening in Cambodia? (30 mins)
- The Moth: Lt. Dan Choi: Made to be Broken (14 mins)
4. Media Writes
Approx 5 min readsStephen Lacey explores aging, camaraderie and belonging and other reasons why "These mates meet up twice a day. There’s one topic they won’t chat about” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Benjamin Law talks dicey topics Death, Politics and Money with Suzy ‘Eddie’ Izzard discussing "‘Some people just enjoy hating’: pushing for the world to be a better place” via The Age
Dani Valent explores gender, difability and teamwork recounting when "At 14, Brett gave his sister a note and hid in the bathroom. Then she knocked on the door” via WA Today
Intra
Gemma Di Bari explores loss, absence and presence when "My friend may have died, but I only have to remember her and she is there” via The Age
Anne Summers explores gender, equity and agency recounting when "Fifty years ago, I wrote a bestseller about sexism in Australia. So, what’s changed?” via WA Today
Ben Buckland explores place, pilgrimage and pursuit when "You have to work for this travel experience, but the result left me awestruck” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Inter
Jordan Baker explores education, learning and engagement where "TikTok generation meets Socrates: Is this the new education battleground?” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Ryan Winn explores science, innovation and sustainability in "It took a teacher to put CSIRO tragedy in a nutshell: Why would her students pursue science?” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Lauren Ironmonger explores gender, identity and connection when "Teen boys are struggling with mental health. Here’s what they want you to know” via The Brisbane Times
Multi
Helen Pitt explores people, history and overcoming in "Rachel didn’t want to tell her great-grandmother’s story. Now strangers thank her for it” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Tim Elliott explores companionship, camaraderie and competition in "Bruno and Otto are identical twins. They’re also among Australia’s top weevil experts” via The Age
Benjamin Law explores dicey topics Religion, Sex and Bodies with Larissa Waters who “…believes in the goodness of humanity. She lost a little faith after this” via The Brisbane Times
All
Simon Caterson explores natural, interaction and skill when reviewing a new book revealing "The widespread deception taking place all around us: nature” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Andrew Leigh explores intelligence, artificial and sentience when reviewing a new book that discusses "Has the creation of superintelligent AI set us on the path to extinction?” via WA Today
Benjamin Law talks dicey topics Sex, Money and Death with Dennis Altman who “...cried every day for a year after his partner died. One week changed all that” via The Age
Togather
Noel Towell explores childhood, precursors and early intervention in "The schoolyard plan to stop at-risk students from turning to crime” via The Age
Anson Cameron explores place, timing and perspective when asking "Am I a genius, a giant, a lunatic or a dinosaur? It all depends” via The Brisbane Times
Jane Sullivan explores identity, connection and belonging reviewing a new publication revealing "A visionary world of star maps, spider threads and animal spirits” via The Age
Nobly
Liz Gooch explores power, privilege and purpose are some of the reasons why "Amanda carries a taser, mace and a pistol. She’s not a gang member, she’s a US librarian” via WA Times
Emily Chantiri explores diversity, workplace and sustainability revealing why "‘I wouldn’t be a good employee’: The jobs in which neurodiverse workers shine” via The Brisbane Times
Nick Galvin explores identity, connection and belonging when answering ”Why the world can’t get enough of Kaylene Whiskey’s pop desert art” via The Age
5. TED Talks
5-20 min presentations- Oz Pearlman: The art of reading minds (15 mins)
- TED-Ed: Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad (6 mins)
- Isabella Tree: 3 tips to make your world beautifully wild (12 mins)
- Terry Kupers: What happens to your brain without any social contact? (7 mins)
- Two US Governors — a Democrat and a Republican — on Why There’s Hope for Democracy (20 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:
- 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
recycling
[re’sy'kling]
From late Middle English: from Old French, from late Latin re- = back, intensifying, focused + cyclus, from Greek kuklos = circle.
noun
- actioning or processing of converting waste into reusable material. Ie, a call for the recycling of all plastic.
- waste material set aside to be recycled. Ie, recycling is collected on a weekly basis. Ie, | I forgot to take out the recycling.
- converting (waste) into reusable material. Ie, recycling car hulks into new steel.
- returning (material) to a previous stage in a cyclic process. Ie, the synthesis of other proteins causes recycling of amino acids
- using again. Ie, the authors reserves the right to recycle their own text.
discomfort
[diss’com’fort]
From Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘dishearten’): from Old French desconforter (verb), desconfort (noun), from des- = expressing reversal + conforter = to comfort
noun
- slight pain. Ie, the patient complained of discomfort in the left calf.
- a state of unease, worry, or embarrassment. Ie, the remarks caused me discomfort.
- something that makes a person feel physically uncomfortable. Ie, the runner's neck hurt and feet ached, but the physical discomforts were the least of their worries. Ie, the discomforts of air travel.
- make (someone) feel uneasy, anxious, or embarrassed: he appeared to be discomforted by the questioning.
- make (someone) physically uncomfortable; cause slight pain to. Ie, I am often discomforted at night by pain in the knee joint.
discombobulation
[dis’com’bob’you’lay’shen]
From early 19th century (originally US): probably based on discompose or discomfit.
verb
- disconcert or confuse (someone), Ie, this attitude totally discombobulated the late arrival.
discompose
[dis’com’pose]
From late Middle English (in the general sense) = put together, construct: from Latin dis- = expressing reversal + Old French composer, from Latin componere, influenced by Latin compositus = composed and Old French poser = to place.
verb
- disturb or agitate (someone). Ie, nothing seemed to discompose the Team Lead.
discomfit
[dis’com’fit]
From Middle English (in the sense) = defeat in battle. From Old French desconfit, past participle of desconfire, based on Latin dis- = expressing reversal + conficere = put together
verb
- make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed. Ie, the teacher was noticeably discomfited by the student's tone.
empathise
[em’pah’thyse]
From early 20th century: from German Einfühlung from Greek empatheia, from em- = in + pathos = feeling.
verb
- understand and share the feelings of another. Ie, counsellors need to be able to empathize with people.
interconnectedness
[in’ter’con’nect’ed’ness]
From Latin inter- = between, amid + connectere = fasten together (from con- = together + nectere = bind) + Middle English -nes, -nesse, ness = the state, quality or measure of being.
- The state of being connected with each other; intertwined; connected at multiple points or levels. Ie, the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. Ie, a growing awareness of our global interconnectedness.
- interdependent; mutually dependent; reliant on one another.
[Practice]
Optional
-- Chant Mantrastyle
Why? Why not?
Start today.
As the case may be.
Or not.
7. Acknowledgments
- Acknowledging traditional inhabitants of City of Port Phillip are the Boonwurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. Respect is offered to past, present and future elders of all spiritual traditions.
- Services and program delivery is culturally safe to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, aesexual and questioning (LGBTIQA+).
- 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.
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.
