The Dharma, sutras, and commentarial interpretations of interest to American Buddhists of all traditions with news that not only informs but transforms. Emphasis on meditation, enlightenment, karma, social evolution, and nonharming.
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Up the mountain that is Lake Avenue in Pasadena into Altadena (north of Colorado Blvd. and the 134/210 Freeways) is a magical mural. We painted it under the visionary direction of Impact ArtistEkaterina Sky (Instagram). It has a secret purpose. It is a giant golden sun surrounded by shooting beams of red, white, and maroon lines that produce a stroboscopic effect. One takes a meditative seat in front of it on a yoga mat or towel, under the shade tree of what remains of Oh Happy Days Vegan Cafe and the city's Old Post Office parking lot.
Don't "try" to try; just do it. It's as easy as that.
Using the brilliant gold disc as a Buddhist kasina (disc) or Vedic Hindu mandala(or yantra-chakra), the lines producing a sensation of entering the disc, blurring then erasing the line between subject and object. It is a kind of nondual (advaita) experience of "oneness" in the sense of a Beholder blending with the Beheld.
Can't "concentrate" (unify the mind, gather the faculties to stay on one thing)? Use binaural beats with headphones while softly viewing the disc and doing nothing else.
I hear Chicago's "Colour My World" when I start to sit
Does the world suck, Winston?
In the West we say, "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder." And so it is. Or at least it can be. Surely, when we feel happy, the whole world seems sunny and sweet. When we're afraid, it may seem cold and grey, dingy like the world did to Winston Smith in George Orwell's dystopian Nineteen Eighty-Four. Is the world this way or that?
Who knows! It might be a utopia. We never see it objectively; we are always looking at it subjectively. So removing the difference between the two and becoming ONE with it, even for a moment, is very instructive for how the world and our experience of it has really been working.
The secret to meditative absorption, what the Buddha called jhana (Sanskrit dhyana), which literally translates as "meditation," is happiness. There is no "way to happiness," some wit once said. Why? It is because happiness is the way! Happiness and singlepointed attention on certain objects leads to piti, a blissful welling up of joy from within. It isn't that the world has changed and given us permission to be happy. It is that our cultivated happiness has all of a sudden bloomed and blossomed, sprouted and shot up. It is a kind of rapture, or better to say an effervescence.
If stared at long enough, with a soft focus not tightness, it moves on its own.
Artist a work play.
Recently someone on Wisdom Quarterly called it a very pleasant "body buzz" (Michael Taft). The whole body tingles and seems to levitate or at least become very light when we take ourselves lightly. It IS possible to feel that floaty feeling when we no longer take things so seriously and instead just let them be. That's what McCarthy said to do in that Beatles' song. "Mother Mary [Magdelene] comes to me, whispering words of wisdom..."
I can't "do" it! No, you can't. But it (jhana) can happen when we set up the circumstances for it to arise by itself, like garden. No one can garden, that is, no one can make a plant grow. But anyone can set up the circumstances for a seed to sprout and a plant to come out of it. Leigh Brasington says it's deceptively simple. Stop "doing." Just attend to the object.
Samadhi is a super-conscious coherent stillness of unification.
However they are, that's okay. They have to be because we are allowing, not opposing, accepting, not fighting, seeing clearly rather than distorting or trying to make them some other way. The Buddha's Path to Freedom, path to mental purification, starts with this level of absorption that is employed in "clear seeing" (vipassana). There isn't one or the other; there's both. There is no pyramid peak without a solid foundation.
Oh, I see it now, at my third eye.
Absorption (blissful sustained attention) is that base. The peak is insight, clear seeing. So whatever we can do to still the mind and turn it into a laser beam of attention rather than the scattered, weak, diffused, dingy, and easily distracted fluorescence of our dull glow is a good thing to be doing -- Ashtanga (Eight Limbs of Yoga) and the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. (Why do they call it "noble"? The word is Aryan, and it literally means "Enlightening," so we should call it the Ennobling Eightfold Path, the practice of which brings us to bodhi and nirvana, awakening and the ultimatetruth.
We are going to return soon to film a music video with the mural. Then we are going to move it. It's portable. So this free meditation is a limited-time offer. At the next stop it will have its QR code to listen to the prayers embedded behind the gold. Do you know what alta means in Spanish? "High." Not because it's above Pasadena, but because it's a place for a natural altered state.
Who is the Mother of Wisdom in ancient proto-India? It is Shari (Sari), mother of Śāriputra (Upatissa, the "Son of Sari"), the Buddha's chief male disciple declared "foremost in wisdom," the counterpart of Khema, the Buddha's chief female disciple declared "foremost in wisdom." In Vedic Maha Bharat and later in Hindu India, the Goddess of Wisdom is known as Saraswati. In Europe and the West (list of knowledge deities), we say it is the Goddess Sophia. But the Gnostics knew that long ago. And this "Sara" seems reflected in the Aryan ("Enlightened") Taras, goddesses in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.
Mary Magdalene: The Divine Feminine Returns and the Truth They Tried to Bury
(The Gnostic Eye) What if everything we’ve been told about Mary Magdalene is a carefully crafted illusion to deceive us?
For nearly two thousand years, her true story was hidden—buried beneath deliberate distortion, deception, dogma, and legend.
Let's unravel the real history of Mary Magdalene, the Lost Gospels, the Gnostic Gospels before them, and the rise of the Divine Feminine—revealing why her wisdom was so threatening to the early Church, and how her true teachings could change everything we thought we knew about Jesus Christ, spirituality, and the sacred feminine.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Why they lied about Mary Magdalene
04:13 – Lost Gospels and the Suppression of the Divine Feminine
08:49 – The Seven Demons: Spiritual Transformation
13:20 – Forbidden Teachings, Sacred Bloodline, and the Real Holy Grail
17:48 – Why Mary Magdalene’s legacy matters now (and what was hidden)
Discover the secret role of Mary Magdalene in the life of Jesus the Nazarene (possibly Essene), the suppressed Gnostic texts, the real meaning of the “seven demons” [or levels we must all ascend for real salvation], and the mysterious clues left in ancient art and legend.
We’ll explore her connection to the Holy Grail, the sacred bloodline theories (the real sacred vessel/Holy Grail Dan Brown pointed to), and the powerful spiritual truths the Church tried to erase.
Whether we’re seekers, history buffs, or drawn to esoteric wisdom, this video is a gateway to the truth they tried to hide about Magdalene.
There is a good life, that of a nomadic hippie -- free as the wind (no savings), enjoying free love, doing whatever one wishes whenever one wishes, feeling good, dropping chemical-assistance anytime (haunted by addiction). That may have been true in the 1960s and 1970s; it is less true now. There's a superficially similar but much better life, that of wandering ascetics like the Buddha, Mahavira, and others in the sramana movement. What is the difference? Underlying motive. Both may be spiritual seekers, but only one is likely to make any progress. Why? Vice and drugs make one possible, whereas the other relies on virtue and restraint.
The word śramaṇa is pronounced /shra-ma-na/ like the English word shaman, a wandering aiming for spiritual development through simplicity, voluntary poverty (relinquishing everything), and often penances or austerities in the misguided attempt to subdue "sin" and evil and develop virtue and self-restraint. Of the many schools and teachers at the time of the Buddha that rebelled against the devotional functions of temple priests (brahmanas), only three seem to have survived to today, Buddhism, Jainism, and wandering yogi sadhus.
Trash recipes
Assortment of dumpster diving finds (wiki)
If one is going to eat "trash," and we do not recommend it, put drugs and drug paraphernalia away, put down the phone, tell pimp or madame you will call them later, and dive into a dumpster, preferably in a group with someone holding a flashlight. Panhandling is a better option, as is eating things growing naturally from trees as well as wild edible plants from the park or other public places. There are always also charitable organizations offering food. But all those sources having failed (and people will usually give food even if they refuse to give change), pick clean greens. Avoid all meat and dairy. Give everything the sniff test. Keep any food found in cool place, which should be easy in SF because it's usually cold at night. Boil over burning dumpster fire or one of those hobo oil barrels. Do not boil a shoe or old boot as that provides no nutrition and is likely to have toxic industrial products, plastics, dyes, and dioxin. Ask a John or Jane to cook or to offer food. Stand by the exit of a restaurant and ask for leavings before customers trash them. Seek public social services. Get a side job at a restaurant that doesn't mind employees eating extras. Finally, pretend you're in lockup, jail, or prison and consider all the jailhouse delicacies crafty and creative inmates dream up. By the addition of crumbled potato chips (which are full of deadly acrylamides in the best of circumstances) seems to make anything palatable. Avoid sugar (particularly high fructose corn syrup) and glutens (wheat, barley, rye, oats, and buckwheat, all of which have very harmful plant lichens that destroy the gut lining and lead to deficiencies, according to Dr. Joel Wallach).
A better way to be a nomad: wandering asceticism
The śramaṇas [a] are people who labor, toil, or exert themselves for some higher or religious [spiritual] purpose [1, 2], a "seeker, or ascetic, one who performs acts of austerity [tapas]" [3, 4, 5, 6].
Looking down on UC Berkeley and SF
The śramaṇa tradition includes primarily Jainism [7], Buddhism [8], and others such as the Ājīvika [9, 10].
The śramaṇa religions became popular in the circles of alms-gathering mendicants from greater Magadha (the adopted home of the Buddha) that led to the development of spiritual practices [11], as well as the popular concepts in all major Indian religions such as saṃsāra (the endless cycle of rebirth and suffering) and moksha (liberation from that cycle) [12, Note 1].
SF is very liberal and full of compassion
The Śramaṇic traditions have a diverse range of beliefs, ranging from accepting or denying the concept of an eternal soul, fatalism (that all things are preordained) to free will, idealization of extreme asceticism (penance) to that of family life, renunciation, strict ahimsa (non-violence), and vegetarianism to permissibility of violence and meat-eating [13, 14]. More
Los Angeles’s collapsing streets: a city in crisis as the homeless take over block by block
(Discovery Globe - Life Documentary) Aug. 2, 2025: HOA KỲ. In this urgent street documentary, let's explore the reality behind the headlines as Los Angeles homeless communities grow larger, block by block.
Glittering Hollywood: The Home of Dreams
Once known for ambition, sunshine, and opportunity, L.A. (aka Tinsel Town) is now recognized as a city in crisis, where LA's collapsing streets reflect deeper problems beneath the surface.
What was once temporary has become "structural" (systemic, a permanent problem)—an unfolding homeless crisis USA in one of America’s most iconic cities.
Captured throughout LA at night, this footage reveals a hidden world shaped by urban decay, growing encampments, and the visible homeless takeover of sidewalks, parks, and business zones.
With each passing week, more areas fall into block by block takeover, changing how the city looks, feels, and functions.
As poverty in LA surges and public service systems strain, the reality of LA's decline becomes harder to ignore. The rise of LA's tent cities in every direction—from Skid Row to Venice Beach—signals a long-brewing social collapse of California now erupting in plain sight.
These changes aren’t isolated; they form part of the broader seedy side of America, where prosperity and suffering share the same streets.
The crime in LA increases alongside the growing instability. As emergency services struggle to respond, parts of the city are left with little protection or support. In many places, urban decay LA defines the new normal, where infrastructure breaks down and basic needs go unmet.
Through real interviews and firsthand footage, we trace how the LA homeless population adapts, survives, and expands amid the chaos.
This street documentary does not seek blame—but rather seeks understanding. From the fall of LA's collapsing streets to the expanding takeover, the footage examines how long-standing economic gaps, housing shortages, and social fragmentation have fueled the homeless crisis now overtaking the West Coast’s largest metro area.
By highlighting the interconnected issues of poverty in LA (and California's second city, San Francisco), the social collapse of California, and the USA's decline, this documentary invites reflection on what the future holds—not only for LA, but for urban centers on the edge.
The images of LA at night tell a deeper story—one of resilience, desperation, and the urgent need for systemic response.
📌 Please note: Thumbnails are crafted to capture attention and spark curiosity. They are designed creatively and may not always represent the video’s full content. We appreciate understanding and hope viewers enjoy what we’ve put together. This video is intended to provide insights for educational and informational purposes only. The content draws from a variety of sources—news articles, forums, social media posts, and public commentary—and aims to present a range of perspectives. While we make every effort to ensure reliability, this is not an official or definitive source. We encourage viewers to cross-check facts, explore multiple viewpoints, and remain thoughtful and discerning when engaging with online content.
📌 This video does not aim to attack or judge any person, group, or country. Instead, our goal is to foster meaningful reflection and learn from the complexities of real-world events. #homeless #homelesscrisis #homelessness #losangeles #california
This is why scientists are terrified of China's prehistoric mega structures and unexcavated pyramids
(Incredible Stories) In this chilling deep dive, we explore 20 massive ancient archeological sites across China that defy logic, challenge technology, and remain cloaked in silence.
From the impossible engineering of the Longyou Caves (formerly filled with water and only revealed when local villagers sought to drain them) to mysterious burial pyramids locked beneath military zones, these structures are more than relics. They're unsolved threats to our understanding of history.
Why are experts and Chinese authorities afraid to investigate further? What secrets are too dangerous to uncover? Watch now and find out what lies buried in China’s forbidden past.
Incredible Stories, Aug. 12, 2025; CC Liu, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
This video looks at the Buddhist teaching of “not-self” [that ALL things are impersonal] alongside insights from modern neuroscience.
Let’s see why the constant feeling of [me, myself, and] “I” may not be a fixed entity [remaining fixed through time] but an impersonal process the mind creates moment by moment.
Let’s learn about the Five Aggregates clung to as self —
and how they shape the idea of a personal self. Modern brain science also points to the same conclusion: There’s no single control center in the brain that is “I.”
This isn’t about denying life, being confused by it, or falling into nihilism. It’s about understanding the true nature of experience and freeing ourselves from unnecessary ignorance, attachment (clinging), aversion, and tremendous amounts of suffering. What could set us free? The Truth sets one free.
It's a practice, not a theory of origins.
[For anyone who foolishly says that because there is no self there is nothing, there is the profound ultimate truth of Dependent Origination, that all things that come to be come to be dependent on causes and conditions and not without them. But just as these things, these elements or ingredients, are not the constituent-composite-thing that seems to come into being when they come together, just so the only thing that really comes into being is unsatisfactory. It is ignorance (illusion). It is radically impermanent (in constant flux and hurtling towards destruction). Seeing this with clarity, with right view (vipassana, lit. "clear seeing"), the mind/heart lets go of what it was previously clinging to so fiercely. It is, according to the Buddha, on according of not seeing the truth of Dependent Origination that we continuously wander on through uncountable lives in search of pleasure, pleasant distractions, and fulfillment without find anything but unsatisfactoriness. But if I'm not my thoughts, who’s thinking them? Buddhism's answer changes everything and it can be verified, which leads to enlightenment in this very life!]
Let’s walk through the practical path of Virtue (Ethics, Morality, Kind), Stillness (Calm, Singlepointed, Concentration), and Wisdom (Insight, Right View, Enlightenment), leading to clarity and a deeper sense of freedom.
03:16 - What we’re made of
09:14 - How the mind creates the story of “me”
14:13 - When we let go completely [because we have seen things as they really are], peace reveals itself
19:05 - Life without the “self” — not “empty” but free
What really happens after death, according to Buddhism?
Rebirth leads to me.
This in-depth reflection explores the nature of rebirth, karma, the final moments of consciousness in one life before rearising in the next, and the 31 Planes of Existence (reduced to Six Realms in Three Spheres and countless worlds)—not as distant beliefs, but as states of mind shaped by intention.
Based on early Buddhist texts, this teaching points beyond the idea of a fixed self and reveals a deeper truth: liberation begins not at death, but in this very moment. [If we were to understand Dependent Origination, this moment itself could be the moment of realization and awakening to the Truth.]
00:00 - Who are we—before we ask where we’ll go
04:23 - What shapes the path after death?
09:18 - What are the [31 Planes of Existence, summarized as Six Realms, and countless] worlds of rebirth?
14:47 - What happens in the last moment of consciousness?
19:56 - The final answer: beyond maps and destinations
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: At [Buddhism Podcast] channel, we are committed to sharing the beauty and wisdom of Buddhist teachings with the purpose of education and inspiration. All our content is created with deep respect for the historical Buddha’s teachings, aiming to promote understanding, mindfulness, and compassion in everyday life.
Our goal is to present the values and practices of Buddhism in a way that is accessible and beneficial to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. We do not seek to influence or alter anyone’s faith but simply to offer insights into the timeless wisdom of Buddhism as a source of guidance and positivity.
This channel is a space for learning, reflection, and connection, guided by the principles of respect, kindness, and truth. If you have any feedback or concerns, we welcome open and respectful dialogue. Thank you for supporting our mission to share the meaningful messages of Buddhism with the world." #BuddhistWisdom #NoSelf #SpiritualAwakening
Mirror self memes (tenor.com); Buddhism Podcast, Aug. 10, 2025; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
Female teacher arrested for sex with underage male student in school 40+ times [bodycam]
Villain, cheater, Christian hypocrite, athlete, mean girl, stuck up, child molester (Instagram)
I groomed him when he was 14, and then he cheated on me with a teenybopper HS girl.
.
I'm not a cheater. I was in love with the child.
(Criminal Minds Uncovered) July 5, 2025: All individuals mentioned in this video are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Chicago, ILLINOIS. On March 16, 2025, Downers Grove police pulled over a vehicle. This wasn’t a routine stop. They were targeting the driver, 30-year-old Christina Formella, a special education teacher and soccer coach at Downers Grove South High School.
The felony allegations (when she was 28 and the boy was 15) surfaced when the boy's mother discovered disturbing text (sexting) messages on her son’s new iPhone.
When Christina Formella, a Downers Grove teacher and coach, was charged with sexual assault of a student, her story "splintered" across the internet. The flood of TikTok and tabloid coverage of Formella’s felony case has fractured into a thousand different story lines and angles, breaking the image of one woman into discrete villainous archetypes: the predatory teacher, the ungrateful cheater wife, the high school mean girl, the evil athlete, a perversion of Christian schooling. With each new rendering, viewers, readers, and TikTok users can be shocked and outraged and titillated again. Formella’s case: Instagram
*No, it's probably not, and anyway his name is a pseudonym to protect the baby victim of his teacher's villainous predation. Strangely, it seems to be legal for a minor to have sex with a teacher given that they are innocent victims and nothing more.
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