"Barbara O’Brien’s wide-ranging account of Zen history is conveyed with a master storyteller’s ability to keep the forest from getting lost in a myriad of trees. Wearing her scholarship lightly, she blends just the right amount of skepticism about her hagiographic sources with a deep appreciation for the Dharma." — Barry Magid, author of
Nothing Is Hidden and
Ending the Pursuit of Happiness Order here!
Thank you, maha!!!!!
That brought a bit of joy to my heart!
And joy trumps tRUMP news!
Oh, wait!
I don’t think this song will make everyone happy.
I’m sure tRUMP’s white supremacist fans would hate this song!
SUCK ON IT, BIGOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was great, Maha. Thanks.
Thanks!!
A video of people of color doing a wonderful, beautiful thing is a powerful statement.
Pretty Cool!
Thanks for this Maha! You’re now my choice for Secretary of Enlightenment in Obama’s third term!
Very beautiful inspiring music provided that it’s not played at an ear-shattering volume by your neighbors and it becomes impossible to hear yourself think. My local Police Department has afforded me two options. A. Move to another location. B. Wear special ear plugs. Imagine how beautiful and peaceful it could be in your own neighborhood if you were exposed to cars driving by all night blasting music so loud that your windows rattle. Sleep? A thing of the past.
Tom — I once lived on the bottom floor of an old house that had been converted into two apartments, and my upstairs neighbors played Latin music at ear-splitting volume pretty much day and night. On occasion I had to go upstairs and ask them to turn it down because I was trying to talk on the phone, and couldn’t hear the other party over the music. So I understand what you’re saying.
However, when you’re not at home, or when your neighborhood is quiet, you don’t have to keep the noise going in your head. Turn it off, and let it go.
Maha, I’ve tried to “Zazen” it away for over thirty years now. This might be difficult to understand: There is NEVER a quiet time in this neighborhood. The local police refuse to enforce the noise ordinance. They tell me that it’s time to move on. Last weekend was particularly horrendous. It is well documented that exposure to noise at this volume is a form of torture. After living in this house since childhood, I now realise that the only sensible option is to move to a new location. I consider myself to be a politically progressive person and it pains me that it might be necessary to do what 90 percent of my neighbours have done. I am a strong believer in integration but unfortunately for health purposes I must consider the possibility of escape. Thank you for your kind response. I’ll try to not let “it” rent space in my head. The best, Tom H
Tom,
I lived in a basement apartment in Queens, NYC, and the neighbors above me played their pop music so loud, I couldn’t even hear my TV.
So what I did was, I took my speakers, pointed them up at the ceiling, and played Beethoven, Mozart, and Wagner’s “Ring” cycle – among other classic music pieces – as loud as my stereo would allow, until they finally relented and turned their music down a couple of notches!
YAY!
Tom — Re gulag’s suggestion, maybe you should make friends with some bagpipers.
These folks are playing for keeps. With two car windows smashed so far as a result of calling the Police about the noise, my position has now become passive by necessity. Battening down the windows and installing ear plugs is the only option for the time being.Labor day is just around the corner. Can hardly wait! ps. Tried the Bagpipes years ago. Didn’t work