Japan Zen simple with Grandma Kinoe

Bodhidharma must be kidding because there's so much we can do, beginning with appreciation

(Lizzy Grant) Before she was Lana Del Rey, she wrote "Gramma" (about bad boy Axl Rose) #LDR

Japanese grandmother leads simple Zen life

(Japanese Grandma Kinoe) Living alone in the Japanese countryside: a day in the life of 93-year-old Grandmother Kinoe.

• 

  Minamoto Yoshiie at Nakoso barrier

  Wisdom Quarterly: Gramma Kinoe, should Lana Del Rey keep obsessing about love, relationships, men, lesbian summer crushes...
• Grandma Kinoe: What's a summer crush?
• WQ: It's like when, you know how sometimes at the all-girl schools in Japan you get carried away admiring the little uniforms they make us wear, and two students get, um, carried away?
• GK: Oh, you mean rezu-dōseiai (女性同性愛者).
• WQ: I guess. Lana just does it for attention and to be inclusive of her big LGBT fanbase.
• GK: What's a fan base?
• WQ: It's sort of, never mind that.
• GK: I mind that!
• WQ: It's like a base, for a fan, or fans.
• GK: Oh, you mean tessen (鉄扇) like for war.
• WQ: Yes, exactly. Look, you're living the "Zen" life. What's it like? Shouldn't you move to a temple nunnery-monastery (zendo) where everyone practices proper form, slows down, and goes the Way of the Tao, with the flow and wu-wei (noninterference)?
• GK: You mean seppuku (切腹, harakiri [ritual suicide])?!



Why does J art look cartoonish?

• WQ: No, no, like royal forms and formalities but in a dojo, bowing and turning, taking your shoes off and sitting correctly for zazen on zafu and zabuton, meditation cushion and mat.
• GK: Oh, you mean go to the senbutsu-jō (選仏場)? I can do that in the comfort of my own home...if my darn grandkids didn't keep filming me for these silly YouTube videos. What is a you tube anyway?
• WQ: It's like a tube for you.
• GK: Oh, you mean shiso-arabiki (粗びき) [sausage].
• WQ: No, no! That's pig slaughter and offal; YouTube is more like crockpot TikTok pig butchering and awful.
• GK: What's offal/awful?
• WQ: YouTube is. It's really gone downhill since all the corporate Google censorship.
• GK: OK, OK, enough chit-chatty. Let's listen to soothing music and talk about 21 healthy foods to add to diet.
• WQ: Yeah, good idea, Gramma.
• GK: "Gramma"? I'm Kinoe! Why does that girl keeping calling me "Gramma"?
• WQ: She's trying to perfect her practice of wabi-sabi (侘び寂び).
• GK: Oh, that makes sense! Good for her. Good luck, Lezzie!
• WQ: No, Grandma! It's Lizzy or Lana now.

Healing sounds of Japanese Zen

Healing sounds of Zen • eliminate negative energy • calm body and mind

Zen: The Art of Simple Living

Zen: The Art of Simple

Editor/translator Allison Markin Powell (shown here smiling) and author Shunmyo Masuno have 4.6 out of 5 stars (with 3,688 reviews) for this handy little guide. Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying life by a Japanese Buddhist priest who embodies the wisdom of Zen.

Drawing on centuries of wisdom, renowned Zen Buddhist Shunmyo Masuno applies the essence of Zen to modern life in clear, practical, easily adopted lessons -- one a day for 100 days. Discover how:

• lining up our shoes after we take them off can bring order to our lives
• putting down our forks after every bite can help us feel more grateful for what we have
• spending time barefoot can strengthen our bodies
• planting a flower and watching it grow can teach us to embrace change
• going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory.

Author Zen Priest Shunmyo Masumo

In Zen: The Art of Simple Living, readers will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by [moments of appreciation and] making small changes -- to what we do, how we think, how we interact with others, and how we APPRECIATE the present moment (yes, this one right NOW).

[This is what the historical Buddha called sati or "mindful awareness," diligence, vigilance, conscientiousness, wakefulness, and MINDFULNESS].

With each task, we open ourselves up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm. More

Maybe centenarians are what they eat?

(PhytoWise) 21 foods that make Japanese people virtually immune to any illness for longevity

1. natto (whole fermented soybean)
2. miso (fermented soybean paste)
3. tofu (vegan soymilk bean curd cheese protein)
4. edamame (young saltwater boiled soy pods)
5. shoyu (umami savory soy sauce)
6. tsukemono (lactic acid pickles, sauerkraut)
7. [taiyaki] (murdered cooked fish)
8. sashimi (murdered raw fish, omega fatty acids)*
9. wakame, nori, and kombu (mineral-rich seaweed)
10. shirasu don (bowl of warm rice, calcium topping)
11. daikon winter radish (enzyme-rich)
12. beni imo (Okinawan-purple-sweet potato, anthocyanins)
13. shiitake and other mushrooms (dried savory beta-glucan)
14. goya bitter melon (bitter gourd, Momordica charantia)
15. J-rice (white and brown, polished and whole integral)
16. soba (buckwheat noodles, gluten-free with its own toxin)
17. matcha (green tea, phytonutrient-rich, antioxidant catechins)
18. yuzu (flavonoid-rich citrus zest, usually for warm soaking)
19. wasabi (horseradish vegetable with antimicrobial powers)
20. umeboshi (salted fermented citric acid apricot-like plum)
21. [*hemp seeds (raw Cannabis sativa, protein, EFA-rich): Gummy 'flower' on 4/20? Cannabis (ma huang)].

(Dan Martin) Eat like it's Japan every morning (one simple prep)

Unseen Japan: magical land of many worlds

UNSEEN JAPAN | The Secret and Incredible Places in Japan | Travel Video

(World Travel Doc) May 16, 2026: This documentary is a guide through the most extraordinary places in Japan, perfect for planning a trip. Discover wonderful Buddhist Japan through spectacular images and fascinating stories for an unforgettable journey through unseen places that will leave viewers breathless.

I think it's very wabi-sabi. Good work!

01:48 - Yakushima. 04:20 - Ishigaki and Yaeyama Islands. 07:09 - Shirakawa'go. 09:46 - Koyasan. 12:44 - Ise. 15:29 - Hakone. 18:15 - Nikko. 20:59 - Kanazawa. 23:42 - Takayama. 26:37 - Japanese Alps/Nagano. 29:28 - Mount Fuji. 33:14 - Kamakura. 36:12 - Yokohama. 39:03 - Tokyo. 43:12 - Kyoto. 47:09 - Arashiyama. 49:54 - Outro – Japan Beyond the Postcard.

Is this "hardcore" enough for you, American Zen Priest Brad Warner, the punk-monk?

• Egypt's Book of the Dead buried for thousands of years (MSN)
• Jeadora: ZenChic bra, seamless sexy push up wireless brassiere
• Grandma Kinoe; Lana Del Rey (as young Lizzy Grant); Shunmyo Masumo, Allison Markin Powell; Healing Zen Sounds; PhytoWise; Dan Martin; World Travel Doc; Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Happy National Muffin Day (2/20)

Think of something more universally loved than muffins? Can't be done (except maybe chocolate chip cookies). The beloved muffin deserves a day of its own, and for that we have February 20th. It’s National Muffin Day! "English muffins," with the prominent nooks and crannies from the sourdough, have been whipped up in kitchens as far back as 1,000 years ago in Wales, and American style muffins have been around since the 18th century. Muffins are a bad breakfast on the run, a better substitute for toast during brunch, and an easy sugar treat to make and give as a gift to people we don't like. Sugar is bad. How is any American going to celebrate National Muffin Day? Eating a face full of muffins probably, but there are ways of making this gluten-toxic treat good and good tasting. Here are a few ideas for toasting this usually bad when spectacular-when-baked good. Make it vegan, gluten-free, add blueberries and nuts, and serve it with a side of raw hemp milk or almond. nationaltoday.com

Happy Int'l Hot and Spicy Food Day

International Hot and Spicy Food Day

Is "American Chinese food" Chinese food?

• VIDEO: Vui's Kitchen on Hot and Spicy Food Day 2026

Favorite: green curry over rice

There is a world of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. What is so good about vegan and vegetarian Thai and Indian foods, Chinese and Korean? Curry? No, it's that they are spicy and flavorful. But even Chinese food has a hot source call Szechuan. Mexican food (like sauteed fajitas) is the most popular cuisine in the USA. Why? It might have something to do with the spicy, freshness, crispy crunch, and health benefits -- greens, chiles, lemon, peppers, beans, and whole grains (at least in the original indigenous form). Many Buddhist countries, which are renowned for their calm, cool, and collectedness -- sure do offer a lot of spice. It is the characteristic of hot place, particularly tropical ones like Theravada Sri Lanka.

• INTERNATIONAL HOT AND SPICY FOOD DAY - January 16, 2026 (National Today)

Better than meat? Plant-based proteins

Chef Gordon Ramsay makes spicy cauliflower vegan dish

• 5 regions known for ultra-spicy dishes and countries where the heat is much milder (MSN)
• CC Liu, Crystal Q., Imogen, Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, VEGAN TEST KITCHEN

New Year's Eve Celestial Ball (12/31)

WHAT HAPPENED?

Where did these DJs learn to move us?

Through the gloom of clouds and mist, muddy streets and threats of "rain," we made our way to big house in Shadow Hills in the Foothills of the Valley. It was warm and bright inside, pulsing with lights and DJs. In a room to the right were throw pillows, tapestries, chocolates of all kinds and the massage area. On the ceiling was a map of the night sky in colorful lights or a psychedelic representation of it anyway. We gathered in a giant circle that spanned three rooms and the dancefloor, spilling into a fourth, for introductions. Pick a word that represents the year we are leaving. Introduce yourself to the person on your left, mimic their every move, share deeply. Raw vegan foods and cheesecake by Rawsheed were cooling, and warm curries were bubbling. Hibiscus tea filled a punch bowl with stevia and lemon essence.

Kinship Yoga 108 Sun Salutations

There was socializing all around in every room and a long primary dinner table set to serve two dozen people as others retreated to an adjoining room to eat, talk, and plan their karaoke, dancing, and singalong routines. The massage room became a healing chamber with too many signing up too late as hours rushed until the ecstatic moment of the countdown: 10, 9, 8...2026 was on its way. Is this happening simultaneously in New York, or did it happen three hours before? It's already tomorrow in Oceania and Australia. Dancing, screaming, hoots and howls to welcome in the new year, it's something Gatsby might have overseen from West Egg. Where's Daisy? She's dancing somewhere.

Ecstatic Dance with Sita Das Ji

Others are developing mindfulness and meditating, healing and letting go, and the drizzle has stopped down below in the Basin and Valley that is Los Angeles. People settled into corners for deep talks about the environment, human potential, psychology, saving the world, lamenting the Levant, and strategizing for paths to health and greater prosperity.

This is a good crowd with Vanessa and Annie outdoing themselves. Not since this past summer's pool party in Beverly Hills and book release has a compassionate celebration been so celebratory. Everyone was full, and it was approaching 2:00 am as we cleaned up, hugged, and meandered back down to the City of Angels.

Annie Vandenheuvel | Meetup

This 2025/2026 New Year's Eve is a Silver and Gold Celestial Ball hosted by Annie Vandenheuvel (Fruitful) and Vanessa Marsot (vegansofla.com) in Los Angeles.

Enter the glittering world of Arcana and find your Tarot Dreams. Once you arrive, find a host of figures to illuminate your chosen path. Draw in ultraviolet colors on the walls of your inner landscape.

• New Year's Eve Vegan Celestial Ball
• Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, 8PM-1AM
• Sunland-Tujunga, Shadow Hills, L.A.

Fashion inspiration from famous vegan (plant-based) men | Watson & Wolfe

Start 2026 by watching the 14th Dalai Lama's NYE message of peace #Buddhism #love #fypシ

What the f*ck do DJs actually do-do-do-do?

24 Hours With: Charlotte de Witte at Tomorrowland EDM Rave in Belgium, Europe, 2025

Kindness [to the environment and all its animals and human-animals] makes us stronger

• FREE TO RSVP: (Disclosure Project) New Year's Eve Celebration, Los Angeles, Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:00 PM | Meetup
• (Nature Center) New Year's Eve Vegan Celebration, Los Angeles (SF Valley), Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:00 PM | Meetup
• (PasaDharma) New Year's Eve Vegan Celebration and Ball, Los Angeles (Valley), Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 8:00 PM | Meetup

World-class vegan influencer Vanessa Marsot

Purchase a vegan food ticket ($40) to receive Alchemical creations by Chef Rawsheed (Facebook) and special elixirs. Appetizer, a main course, and dessert are all included. Or just come to party ($15).

Everyone in attendance will be provided an elixir of sparkling cider for the midnight toast. A DJ will be playing for our dancing pleasure at this ball between open mic and karaoke sets. Bring instruments!

To practice METTA, I became vegan. 😁

Tip jar massage will be available. Come dressed like a celestial Devi in silver or gold outfit for the ball. Or dress however you feel inspired with comfort as the goal.

Strut down a glittering catwalk in vegan ball attire for everyone to admire. (Please consider ahimsa, "non-harming," and avoid wool, silk, fur, leather, and feathers stolen from tormented animals).

• RSVP TO ATTEND:
• Meetup.com/vegansofla...
• Vegans of Los Angeles
• Vegan Spirituality | Meetup
• Celebration of Fruit Group | Meetup
• Retreats | Ellora Wellness

Will somebody kiss me right at midnight?

DETAILS

Massage is mind-body healing.

Payment for the food ticket due by Dec. 29th. Address of location given upon RSVP by Dec. 30th. Venmo: @Vanessa-Marsot Zelle: 818-383-5998 PayPal: vmarsot@gmail.com. Questions? Contact Vanessa at (818) 383-5998 or Annie at (310) 892-9617.

This event is advertised on multiple sites, so the Meetup numbers do not reflect the total number attending?

DISCLAIMER: Event organizers assume no liability; all participants do so at their own risk. By attending, you agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's leaders liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or as a consequence from a group activity.

No cooking tonight. We have a vegan chef!

(BOSH!) Here are nine vegan party recipes (perfect for New Year's Eve or Day) 🎉

Patrik Baboumian celebrates first vegan decade | PETA

• Vegan Foodbank Volunteer Day (Sorting Day), Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 10:45 AM | Meetup
• Vegan New Years Potluck, Sat, Jan 17, 2026, 12:00 PM | Meetup
• Charlotte de Witte at Tomorrowland Belgium 2025 (main stage closing)

Vegans of LA (vegansofla.com)

• Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen B., Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

National Nachos Day (cooking recipes)

(The Vegan Roadie) Lois Ellen Frank on Indigenous cooking

Chips, Beyond Burger, dairy-free shreds, spices

Nowadays, one can find a sheet-pan dinner recipe for pretty much any flavor that one craves. But before all of these existed, there were nachos.

The original sheet-pan meal can be found on virtually every bar and diner menu across the country. While nachos are now a popular Tex-Mex dish, they're a distinctly Mexican creation. Texas?

• (Yeung Man Cooking) Ultimate Vegan Nachos Recipe

(TYT Sports) Bass Pro Tackle Shop, Odessa, TX

Invented in 1940, nachos were born when Ignacio Anaya, nicknamed "Nacho" (which is short for the Spanish name Ignacio, from the Latin Ignatius), threw together a quick snack of

• corn (chips)
• dairy (cheese)
• chili (jalapeños)
• veggies (tomato, black olives, cilantro, guacamole)
• protein (pinto beans, Beyond Burger crumbles)

to sate the hunger of some guests visiting the restaurant he worked at in Piedras Negras ("Black Rocks"), Mexico.

The dish was an instant smash and quickly took hold in other restaurants before Texas-based businessman Frank Liberto created ballpark nachos in 1976, making them even more popular and readily available in the United States.

Nachos are typically eaten as a side or an appetizer, but with some careful doubling-up of ingredients and a few additions, they can become a hearty lunch or dinner.

The beauty of nachos is that while they have a few classic elements and ingredients, they can also serve as a vehicle for creativity and new flavors -- made fully vegan with full flavor.

So if anyone has ever had the urge to mix up a dish of nachos, here are some tips needed to make this dish even more special. More

• It's also National Men Make Dinner Day - What is it? How to celebrate

99 - Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky with Lois Ellen Frank (Keep On Cookin' Pod)

(The Vegan Roadie) March 11, 2024: Keep On Cookin' Podcast with Dustin Harder. Let's go plant-forward.

Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky

This enriching cookbook celebrates eight important plants Native Americans introduced to the rest of the world: corn, beans, squash, chile, tomato, potato, vanilla, and chocolate/cacao—with more than 100 recipes.

When these eight Native American plants crossed the ocean after 1492, the world’s cuisines were changed forever. In Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky, James Beard Award-winning author and Chef Lois Ellen Frank introduces the splendor and importance of this Native culinary history and pairs it with delicious, modern, plant-based recipes using Native American ingredients.

Native plant based cookbook recipes

Along with Native American culinary advisor Walter Whitewater, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky shares more than 100 nutritious, plant‑based recipes organized by each of the foundational ingredients in Native American cuisine as well as a necessary discussion of food sovereignty and sustainability.

A delicious, enlightening celebration of Indigenous foods and Southwestern flavors, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky shares recipes for dishes such as Blue Corn Hotcakes with Prickly Pear Syrup, Three Sisters Stew, and Green Chile Enchilada Lasagna, as well as essential basics like Corn Masa, Red and Green Chile Sauces, and Cacao Spice Rub.

The “Magic 8” ingredients share the page—and plate—to create recipes that will transform our world.

BOOK: amzn.to/49HTAgA. Lois Ellen Frank: bio.site/redmesacuisine. IG: lois_ellen_frank. Dustin Harder: dustinharder.com IG: @thedustinharder David Rossetti: davidrossetti.com. IG: @drossetti

Drunk?? Vegan BBQ for 4th of July

Go easy on the fruit juice: olives are fruit, and their juice is oily, but fake imitations abound.

David Bowie, would you like a drink? - No way!

Avoid the toxic gluten; there are many other things to coagulate and bind

Best Healthy Vegan Veggie Ground Meat Substitute

What about getting drunk for holidays?

Let's have a party with our sober veggie friends!

(The Hidden Truth Library) June 26, 2025: What if every drink we take dims our inner light and stalls our soul’s evolution? In this eye-opening video, we uncover the hidden spiritual cost of alcohol: ancient wisdom we’ve never heard, the energetic block it creates, and why mystics throughout history treated it as a toxic sacred taboo to be avoided. Discover how to break free, reclaim inner power, and truly awaken higher consciousness. #SpiritualAwakening #AlcoholTruth #MysticalWisdom

• We’ve been LIED to: Alcohol and spiritual awakening – The FINAL Truth