Dependence

I went to a Tuesday meeting of the Forum on Orthodox Spirituality at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity on the Upper West Side of Manhattan today. I have been going to most meetings since 2008. Father Frank Frangos, who has two Ph.D's and teaches religion a Saint John’s University in Queens,, presided. As usual, I liked or agreed with most of what he had to say, but not all. He was a bit rushed. For instance, he said that Hinduism is the oldest religion. I would not think this is true, unless he meant of the major religions: For instance, How do we know if we have record of another religion but we have not found it, or if pre-oral civilizations had their own religions?

He showed clips from Bruce Almighty. I the past, he has used The Matrix and Star Trek. He showed how Bruce's trying to play God caused chaos. I like how we must work with God, but we must to be entirely dependent on God like children. In fact, we have our will and choice, and must take risks at times; the future is uncertain. He also used DNA to show how some atheists turned to loving God after appreciating DNA, which symbolizes rules, law and order. To me, as I have written before in this blog, almost everything all the time is a yin-yang balance. Nature is not only ordered: There are earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and volcanoes, and larger animals tear apart poor little small ones. (Yes, this "must happen for order, but it can be argued God did not need to create this stuff, which can be viewed as ugly.) In DNA, there are continuous mutations that must be continually repaired by DNA enzyme. Mutations may lead to cancer, or to evolution. I thought this in the moment and then thought how this is a metaphor for having to break the rules once in a while for growth, progress, and, yes, new rules. Slavery used to be legal once, after all, and was approved of in the Bible. The point is, use religion as your roots, and look at other's ideas and yourself, and branch out.

What I liked is his emphasis on those who go to Church and go through the motions such as the Holy Sacraments, fasting, etc., yet do to know Jesus Christ, and to those who turn to religion only during tough times.

The group is a great group and if anyone wants information on visiting to a free Tuesday session, let me know.

What Is Work?

They peer at you with beady eyes, waiting to attack, drowning in the ecstasy of their misery and ancestors' conversations of hard work and suffering. They ready to spring at your neck in case you are having too much fun, and, especially if you are earning money doing it! How to be nice to these bleeps while being powerful and straight is the subject of another blog post, but for now I will focus on the topic of work. It has been on my mind after an ordinary ignoramus made a comment to me months ago, and curiously, is a major topic of Oprah Winfrey's recent O Magazine issue. Perhaps this is a sort of serendipity -- alike minds think alike. Martha Stewart, another wealthy woman, was on the Oprah show recently. These too work and play hard -- another yin/yang balance I'd like more of and wanted since a child. Oprah gives millions to others, and employees people, and has her share of homes, clothes, jewelry, food and more. She has her healthy ego too, putting her good ol' self on the cover of her magazine.

Working hard has its merits. Who wants to be a lazy bum? At the same time, you can do what you love and have fun. And, think: If one is extra smart and talented, they may not have to kill themselves to do the same work another does, and they may do so a lot quicker. Yes, some people have to pay the bills. With some creativity, intuition and imagination, they can begin hobbies that grow to be lucrative. They will be self-expressed and have fun.

Think more: Oftentimes, what looks like fun, like dance, is the result of hours of hard work. And it is also fun and self-expression for some, not to mention magic, inspiration and a way to make a difference!

Think more: Everything is work. If you read a book, have an experience or watch a television show and are conscious or present so that you grow, you are working. And if you use this for further work in which you get pay, good for you.

Church of the Holy Family UN Service New York City, September 16

I went this Thursday to the service before the first meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). Bhante from the Queens Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihalra in Hollis HIlls told me ab out it. He is so sweet. I did not see him there. Actually, I saw few Non-Christian clergy. I saw a rabbi. In the seats were a Muslim woma and Asian Indian woman, and in the back of the room stood a Buddhist monk. Attending were the Archbishop of New Tork City Dolan and the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon. To my dismay, there were no Greek Orthodox leaders. There were a Russian and Armenian priests.

My first impressions were that it was a pompous ceremony of men in weird costumes. I did not like that there were no female religious leaders. I realized I can have a more positive perspective and switched to that I can make a differece in this, and that people are at least trying to get together for common peace consciousness. I went beyond my resignation and cynicism to join them.

In the reception, I talked to several religious leaders and a graduate student who wants to make a difference in interfaith work. We will team up next week.

Buddhist Vihara Visit

Since 2002, I have been going to the Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihara occasionally to meditate on Wednesdays. The Clintons have been there, and cute balding Bhante represents them at the United Nations. I went this Wednesday, following my intuition. I went into the zone, just a little while, and it was great at the end. I had a slice of pizza going up the hill; I guess I combined the Italian parts and Indian parts of Eat, Play, Love. I thought of this later. Bhante invited me to a September 16 prayer service of different religious leaders to start the year. This is in line with one of my Impossible Promises from the Power and Contribution Course of Landmark Education.

I am Greek Orthodox, not fundamentalist. I think exploring good ideas from other faiths is great. I love the ceiling at the center, full of paper lilies that have faded with time. I went through a rough time years ago, and it’s one of the places that got me through it. Now they rearranged the lilies in a way I don’t like, but they are still great. There is a balcony opening to the back of the center. It is up on a hill, by the side of Hillside Avenue. North of Hillside Avenue, houses are more expenses. South, where I live, they are less expensive. On the balcony, you just see tree tops and water towers, and Grand Central Parkway, a beautiful highway I enjoyed when I had a car. You also see the back yard of the neighboring house, with a beautiful tree house where children play. The overall energy is great.

There was a ceremony upstairs, so he talked in the kitchen. I sat next to Bhante for most of it. I don’t like how faith groups make desire wrong. I see both sides of many areas, and believe in a yin-yang balance. You can be a slave to desire, as alcoholics are, or you can find Truth, Love and Beauty there like in a sacred kiss, or appreciation of beauty. He did make good points, however: We keep pursuing what is beautiful – books, sounds, smells, tastes great, what our mind likes. Rather than desire in a lustful sense, I thought of my subway experience. After interviewing for a job where they had no money to pay me until and if they get clients, and being upset over thinking someone I’ve had feelings for just came back from Europe with someone, I just wanted to nap on the subway. I had in front of me two teenagers talking in a way and about what I did not like, and a woman with a battery-mouth behind me yapping in a foreign language ceaselessly. Finally I saw another seat to move into for a few minutes. In mindfulness, part of what Bhante referred to was accepting, although he said “tolerating” afterwards. I really believe in expressing emotions, and there is nothing wrong with them unless they overtake you for a long time or you hurt someone, I get that I could have been accepting then. Other times I am loving or just neutral o the subway. The key is not to make myself wrong either way or analyze too much.

I also thought that one can have a seventh sense, after sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and the mind as they categorized it: spirit. What do you do if your spirit actually feels or cares for another who is away? Could it all be a delusion as Buddhists say? Could it be too a lot of drama, like in Most Greek songs? I lean toward thinking it is a combination. Sigh. Ah. Silence.

New York Times: Your Brain on Exercise

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/your-brain-on-exercise/

More later

Bible Quotes from Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude

by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone

This attitude can empower one when "negative" situations occur.

From page 338:

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Romans 13:13-14.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23

Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. Mark 9:24

According to your faith be it unto you. Mathew 9:29

Faith without works is dead. James 9:20

What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24

If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Ask and it shall be give you; seek ad ye shall find; knock ad it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7

Naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Matthew25;32-35

Go ye into all the world. Mark 16:15

For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. Romans 7:19

For what I would, that I do not; but what I hate that I do. Romans 7:15

Silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give thee. Acts 3:6

The love of money is the root of all evil. I Timothy 6:10

Thou shalt not steal. Exodus 20:15

A Tree

In walking through a park, I remembered a thought from about a year ago. I always appreciated trees. There are millions, yet no two, even of the same species, are alike. To me there is a metaphor there for religion and spirituality: To me it is best to be grounded in your religion, spirituality and/or life philosophy, yet learn as you live, be open-minded, and take the good from other traditions and cultures. I am Greek Orthodox, yet am not big into the right/wrong, black/white, either/or mentality. For instance, I believe that, if one's heart and soul are straight, being gay is not a sin. Another example is that fasting can be good but is not necessary if you are experiencing growth and spirituality. You get to choose during different fasting periods.

Trees are especially beautiful and majestic when the branches are long, curved and even gnarled, reaching, reaching, stretching, expressing, being themselves.