Archive for May, 2009
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
Richard Dawkins as Bodhisattva?
The Guardian’s Ed Halliwell skilfully weighs in on Dawkins’ fundamentalism: I doubt it was his intention, but in 100 years time Richard Dawkins could be hailed as a prime architect of 21st-century religion. Though strident to the point of comic fundamentalism, the New Atheist diatribe has not only laid bare the irrationalities of believers, but [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Monday, May 11th, 2009
Got Spirituality?
Elizabeth Debold, senior editor at EnlightenNext magazine, discusses this weekend’s seminar in her most recent blog post. Andrew Cohen and Ken Wilber did their first audio internet-based seminar—bringing the much loved Guru and Pandit dialogues from EnlightenNext magazine live into homes around the world. (There were over 600 who signed up for the seminar, hailing [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Monday, May 11th, 2009
Podcast: ISmile217 – In All Ways, Deeper
Of all the driving forces behind an authentic spiritual practice, none is more important than the willingness to go deeper. Rather than meaning that we need to move anywhere, going deeper means that we must continually surrender to the source of our impulse to move. We must constantly face what is arising, in other words, [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Podcast by Michael McAlister
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
What is prayer?
One of the simplest influences on my early practice was a line delivered by a very unassuming Zen priest. She told me that unlike prayer, which was like talking to God, meditation involved nothing other than listening to God. Listen. Listen with your full mind and you will learn exactly what the Universe is trying [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Theory & Practice,Writing by Michael McAlister
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Got Religion?
Over at the Intent.com, Yumi Sakugawa points out something I’ve noticed for some time in our sangha: In new research highlighted by an article on the ABC news site today, more and more young Americans are less likely to go to church or identify themselves by any organized religion. According to the article, between 30 to [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in Theory & Practice,Writing by Michael McAlister
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
Consequential Karma
The Director of the Interfaith Center of New York, Matthew Weiner, offers up some thoughts over at the Huffington Post, where he gives a fairly unsophisticated presentation of karmic consequence. Barbara O’Brien offers this assessment: [Mattew] Weiner takes the position that because Buddhism does teach that a life begins at conception, Buddhists are somehow being [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Interfaith,Theory & Practice,Writing by Michael McAlister
Monday, May 4th, 2009
This Isn’t Buddhism
Here’s an unfortunate, but all too common, miss. So many would be new practitioners of Buddhism see it as an avoidance when in fact it’s anything but. Buddhism when practiced authentically is about being totally intimate with one’s total experience. Unfortunately, Andrew Sullivan exacerbates the misconception when he points to Slate’s John Horgan’s offering as [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
Daughter’s Bad Manners Offer Insight Into Origin of the Universe!
I recently pointed out on my Twitter account that my daughter, when asked what the Big Bang sounded like, offered up a raspberry and a giggle. Fine by me. Makes sense and I respect the inherent wisdom of my eighteen month-old daughter. Then I read in The Guardian that recent scientific study shows us: In [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
Genius Equals Practice
I remember early in my meditation practice when a wise old priest whispered, “Practice is enlightenment.” I felt like laughing at her, but I was trying to be as respectful as possible every moment I was on the temple grounds. Of course it was another thing entirely getting in my car and driving home to [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
Rule Check: Business Cards Made of … Meat?
What would Buddha say about having your business cards seared onto meat? We start with 100% beef jerky, and SEAR your contact information into it with a 150 WATT CO2 LASER. Screw die-cutting. Forget about foil, popups, or UV spot lamination. THESE business cards have two ingredients: MEAT AND LASERS. Bows, Crispy on the Outside
No Comments » - Posted in Writing by Michael McAlister
Friday, May 1st, 2009
Who Does the Dalai Lama Admire? … George W. Bush
I wonder how today’s exchange at MIT will shake up the wider Buddhist community in the US? Audience member: “Can you give us an example of a leader we should look up to as a positive influence?” Dalai Lama (after thinking for a few seconds): “President Bush. I met him personally and liked him very [...]
No Comments » - Posted in People,Writing by Michael McAlister
Friday, May 1st, 2009
Dalai Lama: Being Smart Does Not Make You Happy
Michael Paulson and James F. Smith of the The Boston Globe report on the Dalai Lama’s visit to Cambridge: After the Dalai Lama slipped off his shoes, crammed his crossed legs into a too-narrow chair, and unceremoniously blew his nose, the world’s most revered and honored Buddhist monk offered a bit of wisdom for the [...]
