Kudos to The Buddhist Blog

I must give props to The Buddhist Blog for a recent post which I take heart in. The title of the post is Time is not a Factor and it speaks directly to my belief that I will 'buddhify' in my own due time and that there really is no rush. Not an excuse for me to be lazy, but something to take heart in.

I remember an interview I read with Pema Chodron talking about how wild her mind is and this was one of the the most heartening things I'd ever heard. Sometimes we build up our gurus to be heroes when they are just like us. Some of us are Buddhas and we just don't know it yet.

Renegade Buddha you are now on my list!!!

A little ways back - I was tagged by Precious Metal in a blog post relating to sharing 7 random or weird things about yours truly.

I made a goof up in my linkages in inviting others to participate and thank Renegade Buddha for pointing out that I made a gaffe.

For this.. Shazaam- Your tagged.

To refresh - here are the rules...

• Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
• Share 7 random or weird things about yourself.
• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
• Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Latest book on the go- "Buddhism is not What you Think'- Steve Hagen

OK. So we've all seen the bumper sticker "Buddhism is not What you Think" (Admittedly, I never did like the 'My dogma ran over my karma' one)

Last week, I picked up a book by Steve Hagen with the same title and I must say, I like what I'm reading so far. The book focuses upon an examination of reality and how we perceive and misperceive our world.


The book starts with the following warning (which sets it apart from all of the feel-good, self improvement books that I tend to read!!) :


"This is not a feel-good, self improvement book about how to become more spiritual. It's an intensely practical book about how to live our daily lives openly and honestly, with wisdom and compassion. It's a book about being awake to Reality- about being human."

The author, a Zen teacher who was a student of Dainin Katagiri Roshi is currently head teacher at Dharma Field Zen Centre

Sorry for the lack of posts, I just died

My final 'One Year to Live' class was last weekend and I must admit, blogging has been one of the last things on my mind since dying (symbolically dying, dear reader)

There always seems to be so much to do. So many books to read, movies to see, weddings to plan, work to do, activities to go to, so on and so on. If this had been my last year, I'm not so sure if I did such a great job at slowing down and enjoying my final days. I did however, live with passion and decrease the amount of aggression and pain in my life. Step by step, I'm becoming more patient with myself in being a lazy mediator and a grade B dharma student and there is a refreshing calm that comes from not putting so much pressure on myself and just being in the moment.

Engaging in the One Year program was the best decision I made last January. As dragged down and lost I was, I'm glad I participated and faced death straight on. I learned so much about myself and bonded with the small group of women who participated in this journey with me.

I still have so many questions about death and dying as well as plans to be made (putting off writing the will and still can't decide on whether I want a DNR order or not) I'm still attached to this body and cling desperately to this life but I feel much more comfort and trust in the process of dying more than I ever did. Dying is as natural as living. What could be more exhilarating?

Please The Jam- tour all of Canada

This is a message to Paul Weller and The Jam..

Please tour the rest of Canada and not just Vancouver...

Thank you for listening.

Britney's obituary

On the night before my final "One Year to Live" class, I just heard the news report that the media outlets have prepared Britney Spears obituary in the event that she dies in the next little while. The unstable former pop-princess has given many reason to worry and her erratic behaviour causes many to declare the 'Brit-DeathWatch'.

I spent this past week working on my obituary. Nothing fancy. No stories of big showstopping performances in lacy knickers or furry bras. No tales of 50 minute marriages. No tales of Hummerseated pantyflashes on my behalf.

Just me.

I want a Beatles song played at my funeral ("Blackbird"). I have a bunch of photos of me looking goofy in grade school which I won't mind sharing with those who attend my service (while I'm alive, I'd prefer to save myself the horror of their release although they may already appear on Facebook- gasp!)

I want a party. No crying allowed. I'm Irish so a true Irish/Buddhist wake/sukhavati serves me fine. Invite Father Peter McKee (he rocks and has been present at many a wake I'd attended as a child). Make sure my Shambhala and Nalandabodhi peeps are representin'.

Please make sure my mom doesn't dress me in taffeta or teddybear printed pajamas. No one let them play 'Stairway to Heaven'.

It's weird knowing that tomorrow you are (symbolically) going to die. I had a flash of how powerful it is to be alive today while walking with Mr. TMcG and it was the most exhilarating feeling I've ever known.

I can only hope that Britney can feel the power of feeling alive. I don't think we should leave Britney alone.. I think we should do tonglen for her.

Now you know me...

I often feel weird when people say that they read my blog. Then I feel even weirder for feeling weird.

Canada Tibet Committee- New Website

If you haven't been on the Canada Tibet Committee's website recently, I'd encourage you to stop over and have a gander at their gorgeous new design.

I was struck by the choice of photos used on the site and how vivid the visual experience truly is. Quotes from H,H. the Dalai Lama are featured throughout the site and help to further express the importance of this organizations work in preserving Tibetan culture in Canada.

If you are not already a member or sponsor, please consider a donation to this worthy cause.

A weeks worth of randomness...

Quick recap on what I've been up to in the past week...

I watched muchos programmos including..

• An awesome concert by The Sainte Catherines on bandeapart
• Bob Mould's live concert DVD Circle of Friends which has confirmed that me and Mr TMcG will be headed of to Toronto in March to check out the live show (like we had any doubts!!!)
• Caught up on some Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche's talks on 'Dying Well'
  
• Generation Lost- Rise Against's first DVD with concert footage and a super documentary which confirmed my belief that they are such a nice group of boys!
  

I almost hopped a flight to see Lagwagon at a free show in Toronto but some shady shenanigans from their pasts kept them from being able to cross the border.

Went to see Jim Gaffigan- who made me giggle

I worked a bit on my homework for my final "One Year to Live" class in developing a powerpoint presentation to sum up my life so far and give closure to it all. No easy feat there! Many people in the class are working on bristolboard posters and scrapbooks but being the big geek I am- I chose to do it digitally. Between this project and working on finalizing my will, these are two of the most difficult things I've done. EVER!!!

My friend AS made me laugh hysterically with her cat-poop-drapery story. I wish she blogged this kind of stuff.

I almost finished one of the most brilliant books..."The Healing Power of the Mind" by Tulku Thondup

"This book is an invitation to awaken the healing power of mind through inspiring images and sounds, mindful movements, positive perceptions, soothing feelings, trusting confidence, and the realization of openness. The healing principle on which these exercises are based is the universal nature and omnipresent power envisioned in Mahayana Buddhism. Yet for healing, we don't have to be believers in any particular faith. We can heal body and mind simply by being what we truly are, and by allowing our own natural healing qualities to manifest: a peaceful and open mind, a loving and positive attitude, and warm, joyful energy in a state of balance and harmony."

I didn't sit as much as I'd have liked to...

Popdeck - Cool skateboard deck art

Cool skateboard deck art always cheers me up.

I love this concept. It's like Threadless for skate decks.

Popdeck

Change...

Change kinda sucks.
Attachment isn't too cool either.

Birth, old age, sickness, death.