Decked out like a Peep

Oh yeah, you know I'm talking about Peeps on Good Friday.

I looked online to see if anyone has made Jesus Peeps, but I didn't find any.

It's Easter weekend. This means most of nothing to me, since I'm Buddhist, but I do get the vibe of resurrection/renewal/rebirth (the Christians didn't invent that shit, y'know). This Sunday I plan to make our family's holiday staple: lasagna. I will also watch Mary Poppins on TV, and definitely I will watch Jesus Christ Superstar at some point.

I bet when I check the mailbox I'll have an Easter card from my brother and his wife. Funny how they think it's still appropriate to send me these religious cards on Christian holidays that I don't celebrate. I'm sure this Buddhism thing is just a phase I'm going through (at the age of 42, after 9 years), and eventually I'll find my way back to Mother Church. Not to be confused with Mother Russia.

Mom's been gone a week. Doesn't seem possible. Seems like a lifetime ago, but also seems like yesterday. It's weird how extreme emotion bends time like that.

My brother and his wife and my nephew were here for a few days. After everyone left, the apartment seemed awfully empty. Even more so now that Bizarro has gone back to work. I have the week off but I am saddled with so much stuff I gotta do: laundry, donations from Mom's things, thank you cards, figuring out where to put Mom's Xmas stuff that I don't want to get rid of, closing her account at the bank... All made worse in my mind by the fact that we got dumped on with snow yesterday and last night, so it's nasty out there and I just don't want to deal with any of it.

I spent yesterday reading the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, which was very helpful to me in sorting out "the aferlife." Because of my RC upbringing, my years as a Pagan, and my present Buddhist belief system, I was having a hard time figuring out what the afterlife is all about. I don't think it's something anyone can say definitively "this is what it is." I do think it exists, and I do think souls or conciousnesses travel in an intermediate stage, and are reborn if their karma demands it. According to Tibetan and Catholic traditions, the living can help the souls of the dead by praying for them to reach their highest potential (Enlightenment, Heaven, or at least a positive rebirth experience).

Last night we watched International Ghost Hunters and I realized that I am uncomfortable watching that stuff. If there really are spirits or parts of spirit energy trapped somewhere, it seems awfully mean and disrespectful to nag at them, poke them with a stick and make them perform for the cameras, just to "prove" their existence. Maybe what those spirits or spirit energies need is help finding their way to where they belong (if that's even possible). At one point on GHI, Dustin explained that he wanted to give the alleged ghost a chance to tell his story - which I though was admirable at least. To acknowledge the grief with which that person died and let him know that he's not forgotten. Hmm... but I have to rethink what I really feel about those kinds of shows (esp. the ridiculous "Ghost Adventures" and "Most Haunted").

To those who don't believe in such things at all, I realize it's a bunch of hogwash. Regardless of others' doubts, I'm willing to say prayers for my Mom and Dad in the afterlife, which I believe can only do good.

I miss Mom so much - it's an undercurrent. I'm not pulling my hair out and crying (that was in the first few days) but I'm finding it hard to get back to life with all it's ups and downs. For now I just want to stay huddled in my apartment with a good book and a cup of tea. Problem is, as long as the piles of stuff are staring me in the face, I will feel uneasy about not doing them. That's the Elsie in me! I have to smile at that.

Riddle me this...

A question for anyone else interested in paranormal -

Why is it that only Christian or Catholic rites of exorcism are deemed to work? No one goes to a Buddhist lama when they think they are haunted by a demon (and yes, Buddhists do believe in the spirit world, especially Tibetans). I wonder about that - is it because most people at least recognize Christianity and can therefore receive a psychological placebo effect?

What a guy...

(No disrespect intended, of course. I'm a Buddhist, myself, and thought this was adorable.)

Take a moment...

This passage is from the book "It's Up To You," by Dzigar Kongtrul. It's subtitled "The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path."

As appreciation grows, it brings a tremendous sense of inner satisfaction. This is felt in the heart as a rich, rich feeling. If we don't feel this inner satisfaction, it shows a lack of appreciation for what we have. When mind dwells on what we don't have, we never have enough. A mind caught up in poverty mentality is missing the point.

...It is very difficult to rise to the occasion of being rich, powerful, respected, or loved because we feel split inside. On one hand, we want it all; at the same time, we feel undeserving. This gives rise to all sorts of confusion and insecurity.

May all beings benefit!

Year of the Earth Rat

Tomorrow marks the lunar new year, celebrated in many Asian countries. It's the Chinese Year of the Rat, or in Tibet, Earth Rat.

I am reposting the inspirational words of one of the Kagyu lineage's highest lamas, Kenting Tai Situpa. These are words I need to hear and live by, particularly the part about not engaging in negative, harmful or meaningless actions." That breeze? It's me turning over a new leaf.

"End of every Year is the Beginning of next Year, and the significance of this serves as a constant reminder of a very great truth.
The End of year is an opportunity to look back at the deeds of individuals and an opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of not repeating negative, harmful and meaningless actions. Every New Year can be a wonderful opportunity to resolve not to repeat the same. On the other hand , if an individual has performed more positive things which might have contributed benefit to others and to the world, then you should rejoice that merit and should dedicate it for every sentient being for Peace and ultimately for limitless liberation.
Every New Year is also an important occasion and it is the time that we should generate a pure mind and takes a serious commitment for the coming year to generate more positive, compassionate, meaningful and beneficial intentions and actions for every sentient being to bring this world into a better condition with more harmony then past years.
May every one have healthy spirit, healthy body with great positive success!
May every Universe including this world have healthy environment!
May every sentient being become a recipient of blessing from every enlightened being to benefit every sentient being for their achievement of Ultimate and Limitless Peace!

With Sincere Prayers,
The Twelfth Kenting Tai Situpa
The Head of the Palpung Monastic Congregation of the Vajrayana Buddhism

How far will they go?

I caught this headline this morning and it struck me as both sad and ridiculous at the same time. Maybe the Catholic Church could take a page from these Japanese Buddhists:

Buddhist Fashion Show in Japan.

Catching Up

Monday is my work-from-home day. Lots of grading, lesson planning and prep work for the week. Even more so this week - I'm being observed and I have to turn in a formal lesson plan, rather than my usual hand-written notes. And of course I'm leaving for Boston on Thursday for my friend's wedding, so that puts a bit of a crunch on the beginning of the week. Nothing I can't handle, though.

Breathing the same air as His Holiness the Dalai Lama last week has made me a better person. I'm feeling a little less combative in general, not as ready to see a confrontation even when there isn't one. I realize I've spent a lot of time being pissed off about nothing, and not able to see the bounty that is in front of me. Sort of like the 4 of Cups in the tarot deck.

I'm starting to think about the holidays - esp. Thanksgiving because I'm not sure if we're having dinner here at our place, or if we are going to Cleveland to be with the Bizarros. I sure hope we find out soon what the plan is, because I have some logistics to work out if we're doing dinner here. Yes, I know it's only ("only") Oct. 15, but I will be out of town for the next two weekends in a row, and then it will be November. Yikes!

Auspicious Rain

It is raining, which means the temps will finally come down to normal for this time of year. And, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is in town! I am looking forward to seeing him and hearing him speak tomorrow.

Today was another day of hair-pulling at Out of Town University. Once again, the air con was busted in the building where I teach, and the classroom was, according to the thermostat, 80 degrees. Stifling - no fan, nothing. Just hot air and 17 bodies packed into a room only meant to hold about 20.

I also forgot my key again this morning, which isn't a catastrophe because I can just get the spare key in my boss' office, but how embarrassing is it to have to ask for it a second time? I need a better system.

We were offline for a couple days over the weekend - the wireless contract finally ran out and we hadn't yet set up the Road Runner stuff. So Saturday night I went to go online with the cable and it wouldn't go. At all. I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Time Warner/RR (most of which was on hold) only to have them tell me that it must be something with the "business contract" so it was up to me to figure out what the problem was with my apartment manager (since the apartment complex provides the service). Luckily, the manager was able to get the RR guy down here on Monday and figure out what was wrong (took him an hour). The shitty thing is that the 2nd modem is in the living room - and my desk is in the office. Of course Bizarro has the modem in the office by his desk. So for now my computer sits uncomfortably in front of the fire place until we get a wireless router for this puppy.

Oh, and the other thing that happened Saturday night - I cleaned the kitchen and refrigerator, put a bunch of stuff down the garbage disposal -- only to have it all regurgitated into the tub. RotoRooter was out here at 10:00 at night at the behest of the emergency on-call maintenance dude. The plumber was really nice and I asked him whether he investigated paranormal activity in his spare time like those TAPS guys. He laughed and said "No, but I love that show. Those guys are awesome!"

All in all not a bad week so far, although I haven't done any writing in days and days. It's a busy time, and I'm really looking forward to having some time over the winter to write and work on my film.

Ah well, time for some hot cocoa.