Author Archives: dharmadancer

From the talk on Aug. 17

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Here is the poem by Hafiz:

Castrating an Ego

The only problem with not castrating
A gigantic ego is

That it will surely become amorous
And father
A hundred screaming ideas and kids

Who will then all quickly grow up
And skillfully proceed

To run up every imaginable debt
And complication of which your brain
Can conceive.

This would concern normal parents
And any seekers of freedom

And the local merchants nearby
As well.

They could very easily become forced
To disturb your peace;

All those worries and bills could turn to
Wailing ghosts.

The only problem with not lassoing
A runaway ego is

You won’t have much desire to sing
In this sweet
World.

Some science articles that show how we perceive continuity and permanence in our perceptions despite that they are not:

Auditory Illusion: How Our Brains Can Fill in the Gaps to Create Continuous Sound (Nov. 27, 2009)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125134655.htm

Now You See It, Now You Know You See It (Dec. 21, 2009)
http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/11/091130131329.htm

More Than Meets The Eye (Oct. 10, 2006)
http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2006/10/061009031340.htm

Why Does The World Appear Stable While Our Eyes Move? (Feb. 18, 2008)
http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/02/080215103316.htm

New Study Suggests The Brain Predicts What Eyes In Motion Will See (Aug. 29, 2009)
http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/08/090825112834.htm

Links to the talk this evening

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Here are links for the talk we listened to tonight by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche at Spirit Rock in July:

Neuroscience of Meditation & Joy of the Present Moment, Part 1 of 2

Present Moment Awareness & The Neuroscience of Meditation, part 2 of 2

Here is a link to his website where there are some video teachings by Mingyur Rinpoche:

http://tergar.org/

And here is another talk by Mingyur Rinpoche from Buddhist Geeks:

Meditation is Good for Your Life

And an article from the NY Times:

Special daylong on August 21st with Robert Cusick

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The Buddha advised that we should remember often that we are of the nature to grow old, we are of the nature to become sick, we are of the nature to die, we will be separated and parted from all that is dear and beloved to us.  Being human means that all of us are touched by death – our own and of those we love. This doesn’t have to be bad news. Understanding the impermanent nature of life and the inevitability of death can open us up to appreciate and embrace the preciousness of each moment and to let go when we get entangled in the small, unimportant stuff that contributes to our stress and suffering.  We can experience life more vibrantly and fully – embracing both the joys and sorrows that come our way.

Please join us for a day of meditation on the topic of mindfulness of death as a subject for contemplation and concentration led by Robert Cusick.  The daylong will start at 9am and will end at 4pm.  There will be periods of guided and silent meditation as well as time for discussion.  Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share for lunch.  There will be a limited number of cushions – please bring your own, if possible.  For more information, please see the flyer:

Robert Cusick Daylong Flyer

This day is offered freely for all to attend – donations will be gladly accepted.