[Edited extract from public address]
Best wishes for less Suffering, more Happiness with Good Health and Time to Enjoy it. Welcome to Myanmar Year 1388 ME (Myanmar Era).
In case no one has said it lately, thankyou for being you.
Sharing a timely aspiration:
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
Marie Curie, Polish-born and naturalized-French physicist and chemist (1867-1934 CE)
If having no reason to celebrate, here are some prepared earlier:
- 2 October: International Day of Non-Violence (International)
- 17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (International)
- 24 October: World Development Information Day (International)
Individuals are trapped in a limitless and endless cycle of Suffering until the Individual frees themselves from their Suffering. There are many ways to liberate oneself from Suffering, here is another one.
This edition, we explore the Ancient Indian Buddhist concept of Bodhicittuppāda/Bodhicitta/Buddha Mind(Pali/Sanskrit/English). Also known in English as enlightenment-mind, awakening mind, Buddha Mind or Buddha Nature.
From Bodhi = awakening, enlightenment + Citta, from root cit = that which is conscious (i.e., mind in/with/of consciousness). Generally, an aspiration, view or state of mind until realising full Awakened Mind, embodying non-selfish generosity, empathy, and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings.
To live is to feel. This ability to feel means “pleasure, pain or pass”. Misunderstanding this is a root cause of Suffering. 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.
These conditional qualities have intensities of giving, taking or holding Suffering. And directions like leading to, away from or returning along the path of freeing oneself from Suffering.
The problem is not right or wrong or who did what to whom but their Root Causes of Suffering sometimes called Ignorance.
Or not.
The opposite is Bodhicitta – intention, repeated application and reliable deliverance of less Suffering until fully awakening lasting Peaceful Coexistence. This is where Love, Belonging and Joy lives.
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| Unpuzzling Ignorance to Awaken Bodhicitta |
We do not need to know Pali or Sanskrit or be Buddhist to use this way. The concepts will exist in some way or another in whatever language and whereever you are right now.
It is simple, if one wants less-Suffering, think, say and do things that cause less-Suffering. It is not important what causing less-Suffering is called. What is important is that less-Suffering is chosen, caused and the consequence. Starting with the individual, growing in surpluses, sharing with a greater number of beneficiaries until including all. Or not.
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
- Play School Story Time: Finding Our Heart read by Tony Armstrong (7 mins)
- Dropouts With Zach Justice: Josh Johnson Is the FIRST Black Person Zach Justice Has Ever Met (55 mins)
- BBC World Service: Troublemakers – Drugged, Framed and Detained (50 mins)
- [Caution: some mild swearing] Taylor Tomlinson with Jay Jurden: Crowd Confessions Hartford Compilation (12 mins)
- ABC Australia: From the secret ballot to compulsory voting: how Australia reinvented voting (8 mins)
4. Media Writes
Approx 5 min readsNick Galvin explores identity, belonging and connection in "Poignant portrait honouring ‘second mother’ collects prestigious photographic prize” via WA Today
Jane Cornwell explores gender, workplace and union recounting when "My mother was a flight attendant in the 1950s. This is what it was like in the golden age of aviation” via WA Today
Matt Wade explores gender, households and teamwork in "What 24 years of data reveals about the secrets of a long, happy relationship” via The Brisbane Times
Intra
John Bailey explores people, place and purpose in "You probably never wonder who’s packing your parcels. Perhaps you will now” via The Age
Kimberly Gillan explores agency, consent and accountability in "How to talk to teenage boys about sex, according to experts” via The Age
Benjamin Law talks dicey topics Sex, Politics and Money with Nell in "‘I think the universe wants us to be friends’: Why it took Nell and Kylie Kwong two years to get together” via The Age
Inter
Ross Gittins explores sovereignty, globally and interconnectedness in "Stop complaining. Australia’s in good economic shape (mostly)” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Kylie Northover explores gender, fantasy and unaccountability reviewing a new book recounting when "Jon Ronson’s son was lured to a creepy castle. What happened next inspired his book about men in crisis” via The Age
Melissa Fyfe explores gender, connection and belonging in "Anger’s not something that women have been allowed to have’: Why Myf Warhurst is done playing nice” via The Brisbane Times
Multi
Myffy Rigby explores identity, place and people when "‘It took its toll’: The price Sherry-Lee Watson paid for her shot at acting success” via The Age
Courtney Kruk explores identity, illness and ignorance recounting how "In the grips of Sir Joh’s moral panic, Felicity made a life-changing call” via The Brisbane Times
Konrad Marshall explores waves, passing and overcoming in "The heartbreaking question Mick Fanning asked his mum after losing three brothers” via The Sydney Morning Herald
All
Paridhi Jain explores independence, interdependence and the family way in "Wealth isn’t just in your bank account. It’s in your relationships” via The Brisbane Times
Brooke Boney explores attraction, interaction and sustainability in "At what point do our differences turn into relationship deal-breakers?” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Lauren Ironmonger explores story, listening and reflection when "After a terminal diagnosis, this simple act brought Matthew joy” via The Age
Togather
Nell Geraets explores play, connection and belonging when "Arcade games are making a comeback – but not in the way you’d think” via The Age
Karl Quinn explores persona, passion and progressive when "Kylie Minogue promised a great AFL grand final show, and she delivered” via The Brisbane Times
Indigo Lemay-Conway explores collaboration, collective and market "A lonely hearts club’: The Sunday market where people shop by torchlight” via WA Today
Nobly
Margot Saville explores gender, relationships and role modelling in "‘Do we want a world that reflects a kind of tech-bro zone? I don’t think so’: Suzie Miller on raising sons” via The Age
Sue Williams explores identity, connection and belonging when reviewing a biography of Emily Kame Kngwarreye in "She didn’t start painting until her 60s. Now she’s considered our most important artist” via The Sydney Morning Herald
Margaret Paul explores identity, connection and belonging as "Community Connectors program credited with reducing antisocial behaviour in Frankston” via ABC News
5. TED Talks
5-20 min presentations- Jahna Cedar: Balancing Cultures: Walking in Two Worlds (17 mins)
- Daniel Allen: How funky workwear breaks down mental health barriers to save lives (16 mins)
- Swatee Jog: Who Wrote Your Mind? The Architecture of Belief (10 mins)
- Ajit Narayanan: A word game to communicate in any language (16 mins)
- Brendan Pang: The easiest thing to be in this world is YOU (15 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
tickling
[tick’ling]
From Middle English = be delighted or thrilled: perhaps a frequentative of tick, or an alteration of Scots and dialect kittle = to tickle (compare with kittle1).
verb
- lightly touching or prodding (a person or a part of the body) in a way that causes mild discomfort or itching and often laughter. Ie, tickling the cat under the ears.
- of a part of the body, have a sensation of mild irritation or discomfort. Ie, my throat had stopped tickling.
- touch with light finger movements. Ie, tickling the safe open took nearly ninety minutes.
- catch (a trout) by lightly rubbing it so that it moves backwards into the hand. Ie, the skill of a poacher tickling a trout.
- appealing to someone's taste, curiosity, etc. Ie, here are a couple of anecdotes that might tickle your fancy.
- causing (someone) amusement or pleasure. Ie, they were tickled by the idea.
- an act of tickling someone. Ie, my parent gave my chin a little tickling.
- a sensation like that of being lightly touched or prodded, Ie, I had a tickling sensation between my shoulder blades.
eviscerate
[eh’viss’er’ray’ting]
From late 16th century: from Latin eviscerat- = disembowelled, from the verb eviscerare, from e- (variant of ex-) = out + viscera = internal organs.
verb
- disembowel (a person or animal). Ie, the goat had been skinned and neatly eviscerated.
- deprive (something) of its essential content. Ie, myriad little concessions that would eviscerate the project.
- (Surgery) remove the contents of (the eyeball).
distal
[dis’tall]
From early 19th century: from distant, on the pattern of words such as dorsal.
adjective
- (Anatomy) situated away from the centre of the body or from the point of attachment. The opposite of proximal. Ie, the distal end of the tibia.
- (Geology) relating to or denoting the outer part of an area affected by geological activity. Ie, the distal zone is characterized by pyroclastic flow deposits.
proximal
[prock’sim’ mall]
From early 19th century (as a term in anatomy and zoology): from Latin proximus = nearest + -al. In geology, usage dates from the 1930s.
adjective
- (Anatomy) situated nearer to the centre of the body or the point of attachment. The opposite of distal. Ie, the proximal end of the forearm.
- (Geology) relating to or denoting an area close to a centre of a geological process such as sedimentation or volcanism.
proclivity
[pro’cliv’ih’tee]
From late 16th century: from Latin proclivitas, from proclivis = inclined, from pro- = forward, down + clivus = slope.
noun
- a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition towards a particular thing. Ie, a proclivity for hard work.
luminal
[loo’mih’nall\
From late 19th century: from Latin lumen = opening.
noun
- (Anatomy) the central cavity of a tubular or other hollow structure in an organism or cell. Ie, an example of a luminal process is when the stomach empties food into the lumen of the small intestine.
luminescence
[loo’mih’nes’sence]
From late 19th century: from Latin lumen, lumin- = light + -escence = denoting a state.
noun
- the emission of light by a substance that has not been heated, as in fluorescence and phosphorescence. Ie, honey fungus produces a ghostly greenish luminescence.
kismet
[kiz’met]
From early 19th century: from Turkish, from Arabic qisma = division, portion, lot, from qasama = to divide.
noun
- destiny; fate. Ie, what chance did I stand against kismet?
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.
