Though it may not reflect here, I really have been picking up on my leisure reading. As you can see from the new additions to my sidebar (over there ----->) I've added the books I'm currently reading for pleasure. I'm loving Pride and Prejudice though it is taking me a long time to get through it because I keep accidentally killing the batteries on my Nook.
I'm also reading Mindsight. I'm not usually into "personal transformation" type books. In my opinion they're usually all full of gimicks, and really any personal transformation gimick can work for someone if they just pick a path and stick with it. I'm giving this book a chance, though, because it comes highly recommended by a friend who also happens to be a psychologist. Since I'm a very rational and controlled person, she said she was sure I'd really like this book. I just started it yesterday, so we'll see.
I imagine it will take me a long time to get through both of these books. While I used to put down a book every few days, those days are long behind me thanks to every increasing work and parenting duties. It's a little sad, but really, I'm ok with it. I'm going to enjoy my work and my family right now, and read when I get a spare few minutes (which right now is about 10 minutes a day for Pride and Prejudice and 5 minutes a day for Mindsight).
At bedtime, we're reading Punky The Last Olympian from the Percy Jackson series. We've loved all the books so far and expect this one to be just as good. On her own, Punky is devouring book after book. A lot of them are Goosebumps books, of which I am not a fan, but hey, reading is reading!
And to put Flintstone to sleep, every night we read It's Time for Bed and It's Time to Sleep My Love. I love the rhythm of the prose in each one.
MacGyver just finished Ender's Game and is now picking back up with The Alchemist as well as attacking a large stack of Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Urban Farm and Handyman magazines.
I also read Urban Farm, Working Mother, Natural Living, and various law journals when I get a chance.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Schooling Myself: Political
I've mentioned before that I don't often comment on politics in general because I feel the topics are more complicated than most people give them credit for and I don't have the time or the energy to collect enough information to feel completely confident in my opinion. And I think people who buy into the over-hyped spinmiesters are complete tools.
This morning, I was listening to discussions on the radio of President Obama's Jobs Bill as well as some of the Republican proposals. My thinking (based solely off what President Obama and the Republican Candidates said about their own proposals)? I think it makes a hell of a lot more sense to put money into building schools and roads - putting teachers and construction workers back to work - than it does to tear apart our environment and sink the nation deeper into the oil pit. That said, I'm sure there is a heck of a lot more to each plan, but I do know enough to say that I instantly bulk at the idea of using environmental destruction as a tool for economic advancement.
But, really, that's about as far as my knowledge goes. So I started thinking that maybe, just maybe, I should add a book to my reading list that will educate me a little about economics and politics. Something a little less pop-culture than Freakonomics - not that I'm knocking it.
So I've added a new book to my list:
The Price of Civilization by economist Jefferey D. Sachs examines the widening income gap between the rich and the middle class and looks at the reasons why middle class growth has basically died in the last couple decades. If you click on the image of the book above, you can read an exerpt.
Even though it intimidates me a little, I find economics facinating and am looking forward to digging into this book as soon as I finish up one of the other 3 I'm reading right now. Anyone care to join me? I would love to start a little mini book club (as in this one book and stop - I like my book club committments limited to one book at a time).
Heaven knows I found the information about farm subsidies in Menu For The Future extremely enlightening.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to join me in reading Price of Civilization, you can check out an interview the author gave on NPR here.
This morning, I was listening to discussions on the radio of President Obama's Jobs Bill as well as some of the Republican proposals. My thinking (based solely off what President Obama and the Republican Candidates said about their own proposals)? I think it makes a hell of a lot more sense to put money into building schools and roads - putting teachers and construction workers back to work - than it does to tear apart our environment and sink the nation deeper into the oil pit. That said, I'm sure there is a heck of a lot more to each plan, but I do know enough to say that I instantly bulk at the idea of using environmental destruction as a tool for economic advancement.
But, really, that's about as far as my knowledge goes. So I started thinking that maybe, just maybe, I should add a book to my reading list that will educate me a little about economics and politics. Something a little less pop-culture than Freakonomics - not that I'm knocking it.
So I've added a new book to my list:
Even though it intimidates me a little, I find economics facinating and am looking forward to digging into this book as soon as I finish up one of the other 3 I'm reading right now. Anyone care to join me? I would love to start a little mini book club (as in this one book and stop - I like my book club committments limited to one book at a time).
Heaven knows I found the information about farm subsidies in Menu For The Future extremely enlightening.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to join me in reading Price of Civilization, you can check out an interview the author gave on NPR here.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wellspring of Magic
We just finished reading Wellspring of Magic by Jan Fields as Punky's bedtime story. I did not love this book. It wasn't horrible, but it had nothing at all to set it apart or recommend it.
It was an extremely formulaic story that unabashedly pandered to princess fantasies. There was a princess for all the most common princess sterotypes - the mermaid, the animal princess who can talk to bears, the dancing princess, and so on ad nauseum.
I can tell that Punky is finally outgrowing her princess phase
At the very least, I can say the girls in the story were decently strong female characters. If only in as much as they didn't need rescuing. Throughout the book they used their *ahem* "talents" to work through their problems.
This book might be better suited as an easy read for a child just getting into chapter books than as a family read at bedtime. I neither recommend for or against this book. Take it or leave it.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sex Ed: It's So Amazing!
When I was pregnant, Punky started asking questions. Nothing too risqué, nothing particularly specific, but it was clear that she was curious.
The first time she asked, I wascompletely unprepared a little surprised. I pulled up some handy internet images of the good old female reproductive system (internal) and promptly bored the curiosity right out of her with talk of cells and tubes and gestation. I also answered her question of just how the baby would get out of my stomach. That pretty much quelled the curiosity at that point. An important note on this was that she asked about the pregnancy. She did not, at that point, ask about sex.
But I knew the questions were just around the corner, and I needed to get my act together. I have been a HUGE proponent of fully comprehensive, age appropriate sex education since college. Accurate, comprehensive Sexuality Education is THE MOST effective method, bar none, to protect our youth - not only from teen parenthood and STIs, but also self esteem and relationship issues, prejudice, involvement in risky situations - a whole gambit of things related to sexuality throughout life.
I will TRY to refrain from turning this into a rant about how unbelievably vital good Sex Education is for our youth (EVEN THOUGH IT SO TOTALLY IS) and how completely ineffective and DANGEROUS abstinence-only Sex "ed" is. Just take my word for it. I researched the heck out of this topic in college - hours and hours of pouring over various studies, statistics, and evaluations of programs. The facts are absolutely clear: Comprehensive Sex Ed is the answer.
So I knew I had to get on top of things for the next round of questions from Punky. And I knew the questions were imminent. It was clear she was hitting an age full of curiosity about boys, relationships, and S-E-X.
I’ve been a UU for a long time, and one of my very FAVORITE things about the UU church is that it has its very own whole life, comprehensive Sexuality Education program, OWL (Our Whole Lives). The program has been highly praised by many organizations not at all affiliated with Unitarian Universalism. Many people bring their kids JUST FOR this program. OWL is awesome. Punky was in OWL for a short period of time in Brooklyn, but she was much younger then.
Sadly, our current UU church is too small to support an OWL program, so I was on my own. There are a lot of brilliant resources available online for parents to create their own Sexuality Education programs. But, to be quite honest, as a pregnant full time working mom, I was looking for a little faster fix. And I am IN LOVE with what I found:
After a whole lot of research, I ordered Punky this book:
It’s So Amazing is the second in a trilogy of wonderful Sexuality Education books for kids. I just wish I had found out about them sooner so I could have started her with the first one! This book is what’s amazing. The entire book is colorfully illustrated and every single page is engaging. The text is simple and straightforward – it doesn’t condescend, confuse, or titillate. And it has every detail I could ever imagine Punky wanting at this age – to include information on different kinds of families (step, adoptive, homosexual, etc.), promoting love and tolerance for all, and information on good and bad touching and AIDs. It is COMPLETE.
The first time she asked, I was
But I knew the questions were just around the corner, and I needed to get my act together. I have been a HUGE proponent of fully comprehensive, age appropriate sex education since college. Accurate, comprehensive Sexuality Education is THE MOST effective method, bar none, to protect our youth - not only from teen parenthood and STIs, but also self esteem and relationship issues, prejudice, involvement in risky situations - a whole gambit of things related to sexuality throughout life.
I will TRY to refrain from turning this into a rant about how unbelievably vital good Sex Education is for our youth (EVEN THOUGH IT SO TOTALLY IS) and how completely ineffective and DANGEROUS abstinence-only Sex "ed" is. Just take my word for it. I researched the heck out of this topic in college - hours and hours of pouring over various studies, statistics, and evaluations of programs. The facts are absolutely clear: Comprehensive Sex Ed is the answer.
So I knew I had to get on top of things for the next round of questions from Punky. And I knew the questions were imminent. It was clear she was hitting an age full of curiosity about boys, relationships, and S-E-X.
I’ve been a UU for a long time, and one of my very FAVORITE things about the UU church is that it has its very own whole life, comprehensive Sexuality Education program, OWL (Our Whole Lives). The program has been highly praised by many organizations not at all affiliated with Unitarian Universalism. Many people bring their kids JUST FOR this program. OWL is awesome. Punky was in OWL for a short period of time in Brooklyn, but she was much younger then.
Sadly, our current UU church is too small to support an OWL program, so I was on my own. There are a lot of brilliant resources available online for parents to create their own Sexuality Education programs. But, to be quite honest, as a pregnant full time working mom, I was looking for a little faster fix. And I am IN LOVE with what I found:
After a whole lot of research, I ordered Punky this book:
And, yes, it talks about intercourse. I was extremely impressed by how this was handled. Two sentences, factual and matter-of-fact. They provide all the information while leaving you without making a huge fuss out of it. Out of this whole huge beautiful book, only two sentences go to “the act,” and that’s all that are needed. But every word of the book is worth reading.
The book couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Punky was starting to hint around that she wanted to know how the baby actually went IN, and she obviously knew it was something salacious. She was super excited when I gave her the book, and she loves it. We read the first couple chapters together, then I cut her loose to fill her curiosity on her own, but she knows she can come to me with any questions. The funny thing is, I’m not sure she’ll have any. The book is just that good.
I can’t recommend this book enough, and I’m already looking forward to getting the next book, It’s Perfectly Normal for her in a year or two (not to mention the first book, It’s Not the Stork for when Flinstone gets a little bigger).
Now it’s time to open the discussion. How did/will you teach your kids about sex? What sort of sex ed did you get from your parents and/or school?
For more information about Sexuality Education, please check out:
And
Friday, September 30, 2011
What We're Reading Now
When you walk through the front door to our house, directly in front of you on the left is a long, old table. Under the table is the cave where shoes and reusable grocery bags live. On top of it, you'll find a random assortment of objects waiting to be returned to their proper homes or things on their way into or out of our house. It is where keys live, it is where my cover for work sits when I'm home, it's where library books await return, and where bills and junk mail go to die.
This table also features The Stack (also refered to as "The Pile"). It is a tall, teetering tower of reading material that was either started and abandoned or is waiting it's turn. The Stack is my version of a To-Read list. It's not all inclusive, but I don't think I could ever come up with an all inclusive list in any format. Right now, The Stack includes a couple issues each of Urban Farm magazine, Working Mother magazine, Natural Living magazine, Parents magazine, The New York State Bar Association Journal, The American Bar Association Journal, The Animal Advocate, UU World, and probably a couple other random magazines I've picked up here and there. And there are books. A bunch of them. A couple of them are MacGyver's, but most of them are mine, and honestly, I can't even remember what they all are right now. I know there are a couple Janet Evonovich novels for when I need something light. I know there are a couple of Ecologically minded books I've recently acquired in there. I'm pretty sure there is also a smattering of other novels that looked good and made it onto the pile.
But I've barely touched it the last couple weeks. The Stack has grown and grown, and it had begun to taunt me. To tease me and torture me with good things waiting to be discovered. "Touch, explore, READ ME," it beckoned every time I walked by.
But we were SO busy, and there just. wasn't. time.
Isn't that always the case? I mean, when IS there ever time for reading for pleasure in the life of a working mom? On the commute? Nope, I don't live where there are trains anymore, and sadly, I can't read and drive. In the tub? HA! I can't even remember the last time I had time for a relaxing bath (meaning one where no one - Flinstone or MacGvyer - ended up in the tub with me). Before bed? To be quite frank, I usually do other things for pleasure at that time - or a pass the frig out as soon as I come within 2 feet of the bed.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not in some sort of black whole of reading. I actually read a TON. I read for work all day long. Of course, given the choice the stuff I read for work wouldn't be at the top of the list - or even on it. I catch random articles here and there through news feeds. I read blogs when I've decided I've earned a break during work. It's just the books and magazines in The Stack (and on my Nook, and scattered randomly throughout every. room. of. the. house.) that were getting to me. I mean, even just a few weeks ago I was reading more. I read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (which was AWESOME, by the way, highly recommend). I used to make it through at least one magazine a week, dragging them along in the diaper bag or keeping them tucked underneath my placemat at the dinner table (not that I would ever read during dinner - that would be a big no-no, but in the morning while I drink my tea, etc).
But the last couple weeks I've just been go-go-going every moment before work, at work, and the second I walk through the door. It's probably Fall. I've been super motivated to get things done lately and have about 600 projects in mind, but just keeping up on the housework is enough to keep me from ever picking up a book.
Actually, lately, I've been the only one in our family not reading. I mean, we are all readers, but usually I'm way out front reading 2 books and 3 magazines at once, leaving a trail of devoured items in my wake. But right now MacGvyer is reading Ender's Game in addition to his usual diet of Popular Science, Urban Farm, Popular Mechanics, and Handyman. We're reading Punky Wellspring of Magic at bedtime, and she has to read 20 minutes every evening for school PLUS 5 books/chapters of books for every half hour she wants of mindless screen time (TV or computer/DS games). Even Flintstone can often be seen toting one of a dozen Dr. Seuss board books around the house at any given moment, though his idea of devouring a book is a little more literal at this point. He's finally liking to actually sit and have [short] stories read to him, and we read him Time to Sleep, my Love at bedtime.
EVEN BOO - who reads approximately one book every 2 or 3 years - read about 5 books while he was here.
So I really need to step up my game. I started Pride and Prejudice on my Nook a while back; I'm going to work on finishing that off. I've finally broken into The Stack again and pulled out an issue of Working Mother and an issue of Urban Farm. I'm taking back my morning tea time - it's only 10 minutes, usually, but it is 10 minutes of complete quiet when I can just sit and drink tea and read.
That is, unless Flintstone continues on with his new plan to get up when I get up every morning . . . ;-)
What are YOU reading right now?
When do you find time to read?
What are you reading as a family?
What are your kids reading?
This table also features The Stack (also refered to as "The Pile"). It is a tall, teetering tower of reading material that was either started and abandoned or is waiting it's turn. The Stack is my version of a To-Read list. It's not all inclusive, but I don't think I could ever come up with an all inclusive list in any format. Right now, The Stack includes a couple issues each of Urban Farm magazine, Working Mother magazine, Natural Living magazine, Parents magazine, The New York State Bar Association Journal, The American Bar Association Journal, The Animal Advocate, UU World, and probably a couple other random magazines I've picked up here and there. And there are books. A bunch of them. A couple of them are MacGyver's, but most of them are mine, and honestly, I can't even remember what they all are right now. I know there are a couple Janet Evonovich novels for when I need something light. I know there are a couple of Ecologically minded books I've recently acquired in there. I'm pretty sure there is also a smattering of other novels that looked good and made it onto the pile.
But I've barely touched it the last couple weeks. The Stack has grown and grown, and it had begun to taunt me. To tease me and torture me with good things waiting to be discovered. "Touch, explore, READ ME," it beckoned every time I walked by.
But we were SO busy, and there just. wasn't. time.
Isn't that always the case? I mean, when IS there ever time for reading for pleasure in the life of a working mom? On the commute? Nope, I don't live where there are trains anymore, and sadly, I can't read and drive. In the tub? HA! I can't even remember the last time I had time for a relaxing bath (meaning one where no one - Flinstone or MacGvyer - ended up in the tub with me). Before bed? To be quite frank, I usually do other things for pleasure at that time - or a pass the frig out as soon as I come within 2 feet of the bed.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not in some sort of black whole of reading. I actually read a TON. I read for work all day long. Of course, given the choice the stuff I read for work wouldn't be at the top of the list - or even on it. I catch random articles here and there through news feeds. I read blogs when I've decided I've earned a break during work. It's just the books and magazines in The Stack (and on my Nook, and scattered randomly throughout every. room. of. the. house.) that were getting to me. I mean, even just a few weeks ago I was reading more. I read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (which was AWESOME, by the way, highly recommend). I used to make it through at least one magazine a week, dragging them along in the diaper bag or keeping them tucked underneath my placemat at the dinner table (not that I would ever read during dinner - that would be a big no-no, but in the morning while I drink my tea, etc).
But the last couple weeks I've just been go-go-going every moment before work, at work, and the second I walk through the door. It's probably Fall. I've been super motivated to get things done lately and have about 600 projects in mind, but just keeping up on the housework is enough to keep me from ever picking up a book.
Actually, lately, I've been the only one in our family not reading. I mean, we are all readers, but usually I'm way out front reading 2 books and 3 magazines at once, leaving a trail of devoured items in my wake. But right now MacGvyer is reading Ender's Game in addition to his usual diet of Popular Science, Urban Farm, Popular Mechanics, and Handyman. We're reading Punky Wellspring of Magic at bedtime, and she has to read 20 minutes every evening for school PLUS 5 books/chapters of books for every half hour she wants of mindless screen time (TV or computer/DS games). Even Flintstone can often be seen toting one of a dozen Dr. Seuss board books around the house at any given moment, though his idea of devouring a book is a little more literal at this point. He's finally liking to actually sit and have [short] stories read to him, and we read him Time to Sleep, my Love at bedtime.
EVEN BOO - who reads approximately one book every 2 or 3 years - read about 5 books while he was here.
So I really need to step up my game. I started Pride and Prejudice on my Nook a while back; I'm going to work on finishing that off. I've finally broken into The Stack again and pulled out an issue of Working Mother and an issue of Urban Farm. I'm taking back my morning tea time - it's only 10 minutes, usually, but it is 10 minutes of complete quiet when I can just sit and drink tea and read.
That is, unless Flintstone continues on with his new plan to get up when I get up every morning . . . ;-)
What are YOU reading right now?
When do you find time to read?
What are you reading as a family?
What are your kids reading?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thoughts on Buddhism
Originally posted:
Jun 7, 2011 4:14 PM
The long title of this post is Thoughts on Buddhism from an unqualified Unitarian Universalist Pagan.
MacGyver has been contemplating changing religions. He has a sort of love-hate relationship with Unitarian Universalism. He loves the searching, exploring, accepting aspects of it, but he also has a craving for a "deeper" spirituality, if you will. He believes in the 7 Principles, but he desires something more. In truth, Unitarian Universalism can sometimes become a little lacking on the spiritual side. It very much depends on the congregation, and the one we belong to now leans heavily to the Humanist.
Many UUs "supplement" their UU faith with other faiths they are believers of. I am a UU Pagan. MacGyver has been exploring a similar path.
He decided to explore other religions to see what spoke to him, starting with Hindu and Buddhism. We were unable to find any books on Hindu here (annoying), so he started with Buddhism. He bought two books. Then he promptly got busy with school, work, PTO, soccer, the repairs to the house/fighting with the insurance company, and the mountain of other things he tackles on a day to day basis, and the books have only been sporadically touched.
By MacGyver, at least. I can't keep my hands off of books - even when I don't "technically" have time to read them. So I've been reading a page or two a day of Buddhism: A Breif Insight.
At first, I was totally on board. I thought, "Man, this book is converting me. I'm going to have to become a UU Pagan Buddhist." I believe in reincarnation; I have for years. The idea of Kharma really speaks to me. I am moved by any religion that focuses on doing right by the world as a means to improve one's self and the world at the same time. Obviously, the focus on refraining from cruelty is one I can really, really get behind (many, many Buddhists are vegetarians).
I also loved that (according to this book), Buddism does not hold that this is the only civiliazation and the only time. Buddhism posits - much like physics and astronomy might posit - that worlds rise and fall, all over space, time, and dimensions - if you will. I love this great step outside the rigid bounds of "God made this, and this is it." (please don't anyone get offended by that simplization, it was only meant to be demonstrative of the preceding point not judgemental of any religion). I love that view.
The first of the "Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism is the truth of suffering. That life, by it's very nature, is suffering. Life on Earth cannot exist with out it. This is true. I believe this.
But as I delved further into the Noble Truths, it started to lose me. Not intellectually. I still understand what it's saying, but it certainly doesn't speak to me.
At this point in the book (and I'm not through with it, so in a week I may have to post a retraction ;-)), the discussion turns to freeing oneself from the cycle of rebirth by freeing giving up desire. That I can buy into, a life of minimal desire is usually good for the soul and for those around you. By giving up desire, one is able to free themself from the cycle of rebirth, to free themself from suffering. And that is where the wheels start to fall off for me.
I realize that I don't want to be freed from suffering. It is for all my suffering that I can appreciate all the wonderful things in my life. For every ounce of pain and unhappiness I have experienced, moments of joy and pleasure have been that much sweeter.
This book claims that Buddhism does not have a concept of a soul, so to speak. I haven't 100% wrapped my brain around what it means by this, but is seems to indicate that the bundle of desires and Kharma that passes from life to life does not carry with it any essence of personality.
I don't like that, either. If anything carries forward from life to life, I would expect it to be the core of who I am. I would like to believe that I will encounter the same loved ones again and again, though we may never know it in life. I believe in cycling up. I believe in building up a morality and that morality carrying forward and effecting where we come out in the future.
But I cannot strive to achieve oblivion. I know that any educated Buddhist could explain to me that Nirvana is not oblivion. Other sources cast is as a state of permanant happiness and knowlege. That doesn't sound bad at all. But it still implies being severed from concern for the state of other beings. Because that would be a desire. And concern for others in the form of desire causes suffering. So to attain the utlimate enlightenment would - in my mind - sever that connection.
And that I can't fathom as a desireable state.
Perhaps my soul is just not mature enough. I am certainly not about to acheive enlightenment in this life, with these beliefs.
And maybe my take on Buddhism is so far skewed. As I said, I haven't finished the book yet. At this point, though, I'm not there. I want to believe in Kharma and reincarnation. I believe in meditation and the release of desire. I am continually striving to remove as much cruelty as possible from my life.
But if there is an ultimate truth, to me, it's a place where my soul can exist with the souls of those I love, wherever that may be - Heaven, Nirvana, Svargam, or a freaking castle on Mars.
Namaste,
Blessed Be,
Amen.
MacGyver has been contemplating changing religions. He has a sort of love-hate relationship with Unitarian Universalism. He loves the searching, exploring, accepting aspects of it, but he also has a craving for a "deeper" spirituality, if you will. He believes in the 7 Principles, but he desires something more. In truth, Unitarian Universalism can sometimes become a little lacking on the spiritual side. It very much depends on the congregation, and the one we belong to now leans heavily to the Humanist.
Many UUs "supplement" their UU faith with other faiths they are believers of. I am a UU Pagan. MacGyver has been exploring a similar path.
He decided to explore other religions to see what spoke to him, starting with Hindu and Buddhism. We were unable to find any books on Hindu here (annoying), so he started with Buddhism. He bought two books. Then he promptly got busy with school, work, PTO, soccer, the repairs to the house/fighting with the insurance company, and the mountain of other things he tackles on a day to day basis, and the books have only been sporadically touched.
By MacGyver, at least. I can't keep my hands off of books - even when I don't "technically" have time to read them. So I've been reading a page or two a day of Buddhism: A Breif Insight.
At first, I was totally on board. I thought, "Man, this book is converting me. I'm going to have to become a UU Pagan Buddhist." I believe in reincarnation; I have for years. The idea of Kharma really speaks to me. I am moved by any religion that focuses on doing right by the world as a means to improve one's self and the world at the same time. Obviously, the focus on refraining from cruelty is one I can really, really get behind (many, many Buddhists are vegetarians).
I also loved that (according to this book), Buddism does not hold that this is the only civiliazation and the only time. Buddhism posits - much like physics and astronomy might posit - that worlds rise and fall, all over space, time, and dimensions - if you will. I love this great step outside the rigid bounds of "God made this, and this is it." (please don't anyone get offended by that simplization, it was only meant to be demonstrative of the preceding point not judgemental of any religion). I love that view.
The first of the "Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism is the truth of suffering. That life, by it's very nature, is suffering. Life on Earth cannot exist with out it. This is true. I believe this.
But as I delved further into the Noble Truths, it started to lose me. Not intellectually. I still understand what it's saying, but it certainly doesn't speak to me.
At this point in the book (and I'm not through with it, so in a week I may have to post a retraction ;-)), the discussion turns to freeing oneself from the cycle of rebirth by freeing giving up desire. That I can buy into, a life of minimal desire is usually good for the soul and for those around you. By giving up desire, one is able to free themself from the cycle of rebirth, to free themself from suffering. And that is where the wheels start to fall off for me.
I realize that I don't want to be freed from suffering. It is for all my suffering that I can appreciate all the wonderful things in my life. For every ounce of pain and unhappiness I have experienced, moments of joy and pleasure have been that much sweeter.
This book claims that Buddhism does not have a concept of a soul, so to speak. I haven't 100% wrapped my brain around what it means by this, but is seems to indicate that the bundle of desires and Kharma that passes from life to life does not carry with it any essence of personality.
I don't like that, either. If anything carries forward from life to life, I would expect it to be the core of who I am. I would like to believe that I will encounter the same loved ones again and again, though we may never know it in life. I believe in cycling up. I believe in building up a morality and that morality carrying forward and effecting where we come out in the future.
But I cannot strive to achieve oblivion. I know that any educated Buddhist could explain to me that Nirvana is not oblivion. Other sources cast is as a state of permanant happiness and knowlege. That doesn't sound bad at all. But it still implies being severed from concern for the state of other beings. Because that would be a desire. And concern for others in the form of desire causes suffering. So to attain the utlimate enlightenment would - in my mind - sever that connection.
And that I can't fathom as a desireable state.
Perhaps my soul is just not mature enough. I am certainly not about to acheive enlightenment in this life, with these beliefs.
And maybe my take on Buddhism is so far skewed. As I said, I haven't finished the book yet. At this point, though, I'm not there. I want to believe in Kharma and reincarnation. I believe in meditation and the release of desire. I am continually striving to remove as much cruelty as possible from my life.
But if there is an ultimate truth, to me, it's a place where my soul can exist with the souls of those I love, wherever that may be - Heaven, Nirvana, Svargam, or a freaking castle on Mars.
Namaste,
Blessed Be,
Amen.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
One Reading Related Bullet
Good Morning! How are you this lovely Friday? I'm doing pretty well. I'm certainly glad it's Friday, but man did this week fly by! Being the boss is time consuming!
Have I mentioned that I'm the boss? I think I have, but just in case, here's a quick recap on what's going on with me and the rest of the Cheap Wino Fam lately:
- When Capt PaperClip left, I took over as Officer in Charge (OIC) of my section, then they started giving me more personnel. I am now in charge of four officers, four enlisted Marines, and one civilian paralegal. Ok, honestly NO ONE is in charge of Snarky Paralegal. She runs the show. She's been here for over 15 years and has been doing this for over 33, so really, I'm not in charge of her ;-)
- Not only am I CivLaw OIC (responsible for the 43 opinions we have currently waiting to be written), I'm still the Review Officer (in charge of all post trial review and documents), and the Special Assistant US Attorney for the base. So I'm busy.
- As The Boss, I got a lovely new corner office. With it's own full bathroom. AND windows on two walls. How fancy is that? MacGyver has already stocked me up with four plants to keep in nice and bright, and so far, I'm liking it. Though I still find it a little odd to shower in my office after PT . . .
- Punky is rocking all over the place. She was one of 9 second graders selected for the Gifted and Talented program at her school, and she's reading at the upper end of a 4th grade reading level (as in she's thisclose to a 5th grade reading level).
- Then she had to go and spoil my Nerd Mommy pride by asking if she could join cheerleading. I said no. I always thought I'd let my kids participate in any activity they showed interest in, but the feminist in me just can't deal with it. I told her that when she's old enough to buy the uniforms herself, she can join whatever team she wants. MacGyver suggested she do swimming instead, and she was all about that. Yay.
- Flintstone can stand on his own now. It only lasts about 10 seconds at the longest, but he's pretty stable. I'll be chasing him all over the place long before I'm ready.
- Thank you for all the lovely comments on the new header! I'm not super impressed with it, but I needed a change and I was getting fed up with trying to make the image in my head into reality. For now, I'm happy with this. Maybe one day I'll have a little more time to devote to the task, and I'll come up with something perfect.
- I'm getting out of work early today, and MacGyver and I are going on a real, 100% kid-free date! Granted, we've gotten to go on a few since Flintstone was born, and this one is an afternoon date, but I don't care. I'm going on a date! Truth be told, I'm a little sad to leave Flintstone behind for the 4 -5 hours when I could be playing with him (don't tell MacGyver! :-P), but I'm sure it will be worth it.
- I have so much more to say! I have been so bad at keeping up on the blog lately! But I'm out of time!
Here are some crappy phone super cute pictures of Flintstone to tide you over until I can scrounge another post:
Uh oh, we have a thumb sucker on our hands - but it's sooooo cute! And he only does it once in a great while. I'll start worrying when it becomes more regular. At least he doesn't run around with a pacifier in his mouth most of the time (not that there's anything wrong with that, I just hate having to clean them every 10 minutes).
Beach Baby. He loves splashing in any kind of water.
He LOVES Daddy's tickley scruff.
Helpin Mama with the laundry!
Have an amazing long weekend All!
Originally Posted:
May 26, 2011 3:08 PM
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