A different kind of F-word

"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute."

calling out for compassionate awakening

I generally do not use this blog to post responses to high profile news cases but I was just SO struck by the headline regarding a possibility in the Trayvon Martin case. This is a case where a black male teenager in Florida was walking home with candy and an iced tea, yet had no weapon on him but he ended up shot to death by another Florida citizen.

The part that makes me so frustrated, while the whole situation is terrible and sad, is that if Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon, is convicted of a hate crime, he could be sentenced to death. This demonstrates exactly how our society fails to rehabilitate people who are suffering from any number of psychological issues. Killing Zimmerman sends a message to impressionable people in our nation, children and others, that "An eye for an eye" is an acceptable method of handling the suffering of human beings. The death sentence is archaic. We need, as a society, to come up with better solutions. Essentially, "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Trayvon should never have been killed, obviously. But now that he is gone, there is no need to perpetuate murder. State sanctioned murder is one of the sickest kinds there is. Let us awaken to the reality that compassionate solutions can lead us to the kind of society that the vast majority of us dream about.

day to honor your mother

these days of token appreciation are funny. on one hand, it is nice to have a special time set aside for a specific person or intention, but then of course there is the idea that we should honor these people and hold those intentions year round. when it comes to "mother's day" I feel how it connects to earth day...not because the inventors of the holiday intended that but many people on the planet feel that this earth is our mother and if you have a terrible relationship or no relationship with the woman who birthed you or raised you, maybe you can spend today immersed in a beautiful, natural place and honor that experience, connect to the planet that you are inherently connected to and will return to- maybe "she" is your mother, at least in one sense.

2 points

1. Fixation

It is not generally a good idea to fixate on anything-- yourself, another person, an issue, etc.
The distinction to be made is fixation versus focus. When you fixate, you cannot make progress, you cannot move a situation forward, you cannot improve. When you focus, you can do all those things and more.

falling in love can involve a fixation-- on an idea of eternal love, other fantasies...

or it can be a chance to focus and to grow/change

2. everyone is is student and everyone is a teacher

some just have more to learn, some have more to teach, but all of us are both.

for the seekers

Who would want to be responsible for the Ultimate Truth...for no mortal being is meant to contain such a thing or to be endowed with the responsibility to share it or hide it...

who would want political power, for how could anyone be sure it would not corrupt them?

why seek power over other beings, instead of just control of your own state of mind?