Today’s quote is from Joanna Macy, the eco-philosopher and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology whose books include World As Lover, World As Self: Courage for Global Justice and Ecological Renewal and Mutual Causality in Buddhism and General Systems Theory: The Dharma of Natural Systems. This is it:
The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe.
This from Amnesty International:
The BP Oil Spill has devastated the Gulf Coast, a vulnerable region still trying to recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita five years ago. The total recovery cost is unknown but residents are already facing destruction of coastal wetlands and wildlife, unknown long-term health effects and a devastating economic blow to two major industries: fishing and tourism.
Impacted communities face a long recovery process. Human rights standards guarantee the right of people to be informed of and to participate in the decisions that may affect their rights. Gulf residents have a right to participate not only in decisions pertaining to the recovery process, but also in assessing the potential impacts of future projects on health, access to clean water and livelihoods. A Gulf of Mexico Independent Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, with voting representation for communities of color and low-income communities, and guaranteed funding for its work, would be a strong vehicle for ensuring that participation.
Send messages to your Congresspeople here.
Find out more at Amnesty International.
Today’s dharma quote is yet another from the Vidyādhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939-1987), whom I first quoted and wrote a little bio for here. The hat must be tipped once again to the Chronicles of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which always offers great quotes from the Vidyādhara:
The sitting practice of meditation allows a sense of solidness and a sense of slowness and the possibility of watching one’s mind operating all the time. Out of that, a sense of expansion slowly begins to develop and, at the same time, the awareness that you have been missing a lot of things in your life. You have been too busy to look for them or see them or appreciate them. So as you begin to meditate, you become more perceptive. Your mind becomes clearer and clearer, like an immaculate microscope lens.
Today’s quote comes to us from the great Tibetan saint Jetsun Milarepa (1052-1135), whom I previously quoted and wrote a little biography for here. This is it:
Rest naturally, like a small child.
Rest like an ocean without waves.
Rest with clarity, like a candle flame.
Rest without self-concern, like a corpse.
Rest unmoving like a mountain.
