©Osho Zen TarotThe generous man enriches himself by giving;the miser hoards himself poor. — Dutch proverb With last night’s collapse of the American auto industry bailout (for now), and so many other factors that point to a deepening recession, we are all very jittery about what cash we do have. How, then, can we give … Read more
Charity by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. — Maya Angelou As I discussed last week, according to Moses Maimonides’ hierarchy of giving, the most virtuous form of charity is that which enables the recipient to become self-reliant. And anonymous giving is more … Read more
© Lisa MertinsWhen we cast our bread upon the waters, we can presume that someone downstream whose face we will never know will benefit from our action, as we who are downstream from another will profit from that grantor’s gift.— Maya AngelouWinter Solstice is less than two weeks away and, as I have in past … Read more
Think globally, act locally.— David Brower, founder of Friends of the Earth, 1969Winter Solstice is less than two weeks away and, as in past years, my response to the holiday intensity is to create for my visitors a daily haven of calm and an oasis of peace. But peace comes from our actions. So with … Read more
These three ways lead to the heavens:asserting the truth,not yielding to anger,and giving…— Dhammapada, verse 224 Right now, if I get one more email that’s fairly vibrating with fear and anger regarding the economy, Sarah Palin, John McCain, and on and on, I think I might have a case of the vapors. Yes, I am … Read more
Today is the Equinox, taken from the Latin for “equal night.” It is the Autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, and the Spring equinox below the equator. In both cases, today consists of exactly twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness. At 11:45 this morning (Eastern time), the Sun will be directly above … Read more
Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest. — Douglas Jerrold (1803-1857) Over this weekend, I suggest that you to prepare for the brilliant, loving energy of the coming Harvest Moon. These are the last few days of the increasing Moonlight, a time of expansion … Read more
What we plant in the soil of contemplation,we shall reap in the harvest of action.— Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) Although most of us live in worlds that seem very far from the Earthy rhythms, seasonal awareness still runs deep in our bodies and blood. In these days of supermarkets, easy access to food from around the … Read more
Please do not offer my God a peanut.— Apu, from The Simpsons Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival that celebrates the birthday of the great Hindu God, Ganesh. Also known as Ganapati and Ganesha, He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is the Lord of success, destroyer of evils and remover of obstacles. … Read more
As you have sown, so shall you reap.— Marcus Tullius CiceroAccording to Dan Furst’s Hermes World Calendar, in the Zoroastrian calendar of ancient Persia, the day before the Sun exits Leo and enters Virgo is considered the climactic moment of Solar radiance and power, and is celebrated as the first day of the New Year. … Read more