A Song for All Beings

Wonderful.

 

(Thanks, Dorothy.)

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We Could All Use a Little Validation

Best narrative short from the Cleveland International Film Festival.

 

(Thank, Ellen!)

Happy for No Reason: Young Elk at Play

How cool.

(Thanks, Bob!)

Doing Time, Doing Vipassana

If you haven’t seen the movie “Doing Time, Doing Vipassana,” it’s incredibly inspiring.  And it’s now on youtube in five parts.

For more on yoga and meditation in the prisons, this Wikipedia link has a lot of information.  If you’re interested in doing prison work here in the DC area, let me know and I can connect you with some very active and inspiring people.

One of My Homies: Father Thomas Keating

I had the opportunity to meet Father Thomas Keating at the Garrison Institute at a conference a few years ago on inter-disciplinary traditions where I was leading yoga and meditation and could take part in the sessions. He was teaching about “Contemplative Prayer.”

I loved his explanation of how he got started into this.  Someone asked if they could use a room to teach meditation in their church.  Attendance was so high he got alarmed and starting attending.  From his own practice he has managed to articulate what is essentially ‘mantra’ meditation into a format that has made it accessible for countless people.

He has a wonderful transmission.  When he taught at the conference it was clear he was giving a talk he’s given thousands of times, but he used that as a way to personally connect with each person through eye contact.  I was touched and inspired by his friendly and caring nature.

(Thanks, George!)

Happy for No Reason: Classical Music with Shining Eyes

A real treat.  Wait till you have about twenty minutes to enjoy. Benjamin Zander is a passionate, engaging speaker who transmits joy and possibility.

(Thanks, Sheila.)

Happy for No Reason: Home Alone

You never know what your dogs are up to when you’re away from home.

(Thanks, Sylvia!)

Testing the Fun Theory

Can we change behavior by encouraging fun?

Interview with Karen Armstrong

Here’s a link to an interview between Karen Armstrong and Tavis Smiley.  As Don, who passed this on to me, said in his email, “Interestingly, she makes many of the same points the Dalai Lama spoke of in the compassion portion of his teaching Saturday.”

Here is the link to the PBS interview (video).

By the way, Karen Armstrong’s book “Buddha,” blew me away.  Highly recommended.

(Thanks, Don!)

Happy for No Reason: Rain and Thunder

Quite wonderful.

(Thanks, Smaudrey!)