Monday, August 29, 2022

Spain's Buddhist cave meditation community

Beth Upton (bethupton.com), Sanditthika Community on FB; Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Guru Viking, you ask the best questions!
Beth Upton is coming to the end of her brief time in the UK and heading to Spain. She is happy to let everyone know that she will be taking a well-deserved break offline for a personal retreat from August 15th-22nd and will be back online from the 23rd onwards.

Sanditthika Meditation Center | Facebook
As well as looking forward to time offline, she is excited to get to Spain to continue working on the new community home. They are currently fundraising for Sanditthika Meditation Community (Join the community – Beth Upton), and she is delighted to announce that they are already nearly two-thirds of the way to reaching their target of 30,000 euros!




Thanks to all who have already offered generous support to this Dharma project. They will be busy this summer using donations to work on the legal and administrative side of the project, in preparation for their second round of fundraising, such that we can move forward with buying the land as soon as possible.

For those who have not yet done so, please consider making a donation. If unable to offer financial support, then support the cause by spreading the word far and wide.

Guru Viking, ginger interviews (audible.com)
In other news, she wants to let everyone know that she recently recorded a podcast with Guru Viking. It is always a pleasure to be interviewed by him, as one can count on him to raise some interesting topics.

In this podcast they touch on topics such as community, finding a natural balance in practice, and her sex life.

Tuesday August 9th will be the next group interview. These online sessions offer the chance not only to ask questions about one's own meditation, but also to listen and learn from the questions of others.


These group sessions are open to everyone and are also a good option if one is having difficulty booking a one-on-one Zoom appointment with her. Book a place at the group interviews up to a month in advance.

On Friday August 12th, 8:00-10:00 pm UK time, she will be hosting the next full moon gathering. These gatherings are a great opportunity to come together to deepen our connections to the Dharma and to each other.

This month's gathering will be on the topic of anger and its role in our Dharma practice. Everyone is welcome! Book a place at the gathering. Although she is taking a week offline in August, there will still be plenty of availability later in the month.

Book a regular one-on-one Zoom appointment with her up to two weeks in advance. As ever, all of Beth Upton's work is given on a donation basis. For information about some ways in which she and her work can be supported, take a look at bethupton.com.

With much metta and gratitude

"Chasing the Phallus," Bhutan (2022 doc)

Ananda (Dharma B Meditation), Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Chasing the Phallus || Bhutan documentary
(Norter) March 21, 2022. Why would the people in the last Himalayan Buddhist kingdom, now turned over by the king to a people's democracy, still continue the old custom of venerating penises or Shiva's lingam? The male member is a potent symbol of fertility, but even allegedly celibate monastics get in on the worship. Do they masturbate? Do they take on tantrikas (female assistants in sexual tantric yoga)? Do they just imagine and obsess on what they now no longer use? Is it just symbolic for virile (viriya) power?


Why do some Buddhists worship penises and wear them as a charm on a necklace?
(The Ultimate Learning Tricks) June 19, 2019. The "God of Fertility" is a phallus in Buddhist Bhutan and Thailand.

COMMENTS:
  • (Don Karara) Shivling (Shiva's lingam or phallus symbol) is the same concept with a few variations.
  • Tashi Wangchuk(Tashi Wangchuk) I heard Lama Drukpa Kinley was kind of a rebel master who went against the rigid and set Vajrayana monastic establishment, in which the Buddha's teachings seemed to be inaccessible to lay people. He shocked everyone by these types of teaching or something like that.
  • (I.P. Freely) Are y'all serious? I can't imagine talking about my Willy in polite company or graffitiing it on my house or temple. This is wild, man.

Neil Armstrong saw ETs on moon (NASA)

Science Channel, Aug. 25, 2021; Pfc. Sandoval, Sheldon S., Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Neil Armstrong’s search for an ancient library in the Amazon
(Science Channel) NASA's Unexplained Files. Stream full episodes of NASA's Unexplained Files: discoveryplus.com/show/nasa... Subscribe to Science Channel: SubscribeScienceFacebook.com/ScienceChannel, Twitter.com/ScienceChannel, Instagram.com/ScienceChannel...

British rockers Kula Shaker: "Tattva" (music)

Kula Shaker (Sony Music); Seth Auberon, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Om the primordial sound
LYRICS: "Tattva" (by Kula Shaker) Tattva, achintya bheda abheda tattva/ Like the flower and the scent of summer/ Like the sun and the shine/ Well the truth may come in strange disguises/ Send a message to your mind/ (Chorus)/ At the moment that you wake from sleeping/ And you know it's all a dream/ Well the truth may come in strange disguises/ Never knowing what it means/ (Chorus)/ For you shall be tomorrow/ Like you have been today/ If this was never ending/ What more can you say?


Govinda as Krishna (Wikipedia)
MEANING
: “Tattva” depicts a deep and mystical understanding of a central Vedantic Hindu concept called tattva in Sanskrit, which can be translated as “thatness” [or “suchness”]. This track was first released in the UK on January 1, 1996 as “Tattva (Lucky 13 Mix)” then reissued on June 24th as a re-recording on Kula Shaker's album K with a different sleeve and track listing. It reached #4 on the UK Singles Chart and #10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the USA. Pink Floyd’s riffs from “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” were sampled on the track but not credited (Genius).

(Kula Shaker) A quarter century ago, this was the official video for "Tattva," taken from the debut album K by British rock group Kula Shaker under the heavy influence of Mother India. They returned in 2016 with a new album and a European tour (kulashaker.co.uk). Music videos by Kula Shaker performing (C) 1996 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.

Conspiracy to destroy Ancient Iraq (video)

Jimmy Corsetti, Bright Insight, 7/30/22; Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
Sumerian Lammasu of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, circa 700 BCE (Trjames/Wikipedia)

Ancient Iraq is a massive conspiracy...
(Bright Insight) The only thing more bizarre than a 16 foot (nearly 5 meter) tall statue depicting a five-legged human-headed bull with wings -- which, by the way, was carved out of a single massive piece of stone, weighing some 40 imperial tons, or 80,000 lbs. -- is how and where they were found

They were buried, consumed in earth almost as if they had been devoured by some sort of cataclysmic mud-flood event.


These spectacular yet ominous Ancient Sumerian winged-bull sculptures are known as the Lamassu and are among the remnants of the Assyrian Empire, which made up the heart of Ancient Mesopotamia, commonly referred to as the Fertile Crescent.

The only thing more bizarre than the statues themselves, or how and where they found them, is the deliberate, continued, and systematic destruction of Ancient Iraq along with the rape, kidnapping, and forced marriage of Yazidi women and girls, following the genocidal extermination of Yazidi men and boys by mercenaries paid to wipe them out.

Let’s not forget, this just happens to be the very land that has long been referenced as the so-called "Cradle of Civilization," the very place where the Sumerians emerged.

ABOUT: Bright Insight with Jimmy Corsetti is a YouTube channel. Follow and support me on these platforms where he can speak his mind and share the TRUTH:

Sounds True: When Grief Lands with Love

Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Amber Larson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

"When Grief Lands with Love" with Sherry Walling
"Being able to sit in meaninglessness without losing a basic belief in meaning, it's a little bit tricky to do. But I think to have a worldview that says, 'At my core I believe that life is meaningful. I don't see it right now. I can't grasp it right now, but I believe that eventually I will."
—Dr. Sherry Walling, Ph.D.
 
(Sounds True) As a therapist, Dr. Sherry Walling knew all the "right" things to say to help people in grief. But when she lost her father to cancer and her brother to suicide within six months of each other, she had the unfortunate chance to encounter two types of mourning up close — the slowly unfolding terminal illness and the sudden and stigmatized death by suicide.

Touching Two Worlds
She had a profound realization: We’re getting grief all wrong. In this podcast, Sounds True Founder and Host Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Walling about her new book, Touching Two Worlds: A Guide for Finding Hope in the Landscape of Loss, and how we each have the power "to go all the way into our grief to find where it lands with love."

Tune in for this compassionate conversation on:
  • Navigating the duality that exists on the opposite spectrums of our lives
  • The healing practice of writing about our experiences of grief
  • Overcoming the stigma and silence around suicide
  • The just-world hypothesis and how traumatic events change our view
  • Accepting limitations in life while taking responsibility for finding our own sense of meaning
  • Accessing a sense of calm and grace to release the unresolved shock of grief
  • Finding closure versus the place "where grief lands with love"
  • AUDIOLISTEN NOW
"With so many of the folks that I work with when they encounter their own grief," explains Dr. Walling, "it takes them down a dark, deep tunnel. And I'm hoping that by sharing a little bit of my own submersion in that world... I hope they'll know a little bit about what it takes to move through those feelings, to embrace those feelings, and to find their joy in the middle of those feelings."

Sounds TrueIf anyone is experiencing grief that is painfully recent or in the more distant past, we hope that this week’s conversation brings comfort and support.

With you on the journey,
Your friends at Sounds True

Sounds True P.S. Discover more about Sherry Walling and her new book, Touching Two Worlds: A Guide for Finding Hope in the Landscape of Loss. Sounds True Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Pinterest Sounds True Blog

Self-defeating behaviors hold old traumas


These self-defeating behaviors keep old childhood traumas alive and activated
Don't make me cry. I just calmed down.
(Crappy Childhood Fairy) Aug. 29, 2022. Most treatments for childhood trauma focus on what was done TO us. What we also need to heal are the behaviors that are SO common for people who grew up abused or neglected -- behaviors that sabotage our lives and our healing work right now in the present.

Have CPTSD (complex or childhood post-traumatic stress disorder)? Free tools: bit.ly/2vwqSRYCOACHING: New Programs Open Now: bit.ly/3bqKBHm.

Best Online Course for Beginners:
CONTACT:

Why did they do that to me as a child?! That was a long time ago. What am I doing now?

  • Contact Anna and Her Team: hello@crappychildhoodfairy.com
  • PARTNER PROGRAMS (that receive commissions on referrals and recommend services Anna knows and trusts.)
  • NEED ONLINE THERAPY? BetterHelp can connect participants with a licensed, online therapist. betterhelp.com/CCF
  • NEED HEALING FOR OVEREATING? Here's the program to follow: tuneclick.brightlineeating.com...

Vocal coach analyzes King Diamond (video)

Elizabeht Zharoff (YouTube, 7/2/21); Gina Marie Guarnieri, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

King Diamond "Sleepless Nights" REACTION AND ANALYSIS by Vocal Coach/Opera Singer
(The Charismatic Voice) Who was ready for a falsetto screaming undertaker in a top hat with a bone cross microphone stand? Metalheads were. Fans have been screaming for an analysis of rock singer King Diamond, specifically "Sleepless Nights." Elizabeth Zharoff, on the other hand, was not. What a fascinating experience she was set up for, one that chilled her to her bones. Thanks to all. Let's join professional opera singer E.Z. as she listens to King Diamond for the very first time as he performs "Sleepless Nights” live at the Fillmore in San Francisco in characteristic Satanic rock opera style.

Performed by King Diamond (the band) with words and music by King Diamond (the man). Watching the original video without interruptions is recommended. Here's the link: youtube.com... Metal Blade Records some love: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSld... Need more King Diamond. Check it out: smarturl.it/songsforthedeadphil

Check out a full line-up of merch: thecharismaticmerch.com
🎧 Elizabeth’s favorite headphones 🎧: imp.i114863.net/zayoEM
🧑‍🤝‍🧑Patreon: patreon.com/thecharismaticvoice
📰FREE Newsletter: eepurl.com/gz7Z_z

COURSES 🎵MUSIC APPRECIATION COURSE🎵 Want to understand how to listen to and appreciate music more? My Music Appreciation course is now live. Take a look at thecharismaticvoice.com 🎶DEMYSTIFYING SINGING🎶 EZ's intensive 7-week course on vocal foundations includes weekly group sessions and private lessons. Learn more at thecharismaticvoice.com.

ABOUT: Elizabeth Zharoff is an international opera singer and voice coach, with three degrees in voice, opera, and music production. She's performed in 18 languages throughout major venues in Europe, America, and Asia. Currently based somewhere between Los Angeles, California, and Tucson, Arizona, she spends her days researching voice, singing, teaching, writing music, and recording tons. She also plays Diablo and Dungeons & Dragons. Want a free voice lesson? Sign-up to WIN at mailchi.mp/thecharismaticvoice...

Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

#KingDiamond #Reaction #TheCharismaticVoice

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Journey w/ Robert Thurman in Bhutan (film)

Journey with Robert Thurman; Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Journey with Robert Thurman in Bhutan
(Journey with Robert ThurmanJourney with Robert Thurman in Bhutan: Buddhist Teachings and Meditations in the Land of the Thunder Dragon takes viewers on an inner and outer journey into the heart of the last remaining Himalayan Buddhist kingdom as it transitions into the world’s newest democracy.

Largest Buddha in Bhutan
Explore Vajrayana Buddhist Bhutan's sacred sites and temples, where Professor Thurman offers Buddhist teachings and meditations that illuminate central principles of Buddhism, and why it's essential for achieving Bhutan's goals of Gross National Happiness (GNH instead of GDP, "Gross Domestic Product").


To purchase the film, visit journeywithrobertthurman.com. Music SONG: "Flowering Seed." ARTIST: Dopekick. ALBUM: Something a Little Different.

I'm moving to Finland: PM Sex Scandal (video)

The Telegraph;  Jimmy Dore Show; Ismo; Amber Larson, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Finnish PM Sanna Marin parties hard at private event in leaked social media videos
PM Sanna Marin (Bernhard Ludewig)
(The Telegraph) Finland, Scandinavia, Aug. 18, 2022. Hot Prime Minister Sanna Marin, 36, has faced criticism after being caught on camera dancing wildly -- while possibly on drugs -- to music at a private event posted on social media. Critics have questioned her professionalism, while others have praised her "work hard, play hard" behavior. Others have called for her to be drug tested, which she now has, while claiming to have never tried drugs.

Comedy from Finland

ISMO the Finnish comedian (ismo.fun), voted the funniest man in the world of 2014, got famous on Conan. Here he explores the many meanings of the English word "ass," which refers not just to the mule but the human posterior and so many other things that it's boggling. Social: facebook, instagram, twitter.

Latest headlines: Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle, and culture.

Penis worship in USA and Bhutan (video)

Nilmani Parth Films, 12/18 Wet Leg; Nicki Minaj; Big Latto, Dua Lipa et al.; Big Freedia, Jax; Ashley Wells, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Crystal Q., Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Why is the penis worshiped in the Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan?
(Nilmani Parth Films) Most of the penises (human phalluses) painted on houses or suspended from rooftops in Bhutan are larger than life. But they come in many sizes, color schemes, and embellishments.

Our US penises are usually medical models.
Some have ribbons tied around them like colorful holiday presents. Others are coiled by potent dragons. A few even have eyes and a little mouth to breathe. They typically feature hairy testicles, from full on Yeti-style to neatly trimmed. And, of course, all are fully erect as would never be allowed in the USA outside of hardcore films. (Apparently the "hard" in hardcore is a reference to erections being present in the film). There are many stories related to Drukpa Kunley's act of sexuality.

#Phallush I had wonderful time in #Bhutan, exploring its rich Buddhist culture and spiritual heritage. Visiting Bhutan is a must at least once before dying, otherwise one might never see what a happy country looks like. Follow on Instagram to see photos from Bhutan: instagram.com/nilmaniparth


Wet Leg: "Chaise Longue" (official)
(Wet Leg) Summer 2021. Is it Rumspringa for the Amish of Ohio or the Pennsylvania Dutch? This alternative song is a big hit from the eponymous album Wet Leg out now on Domino Records (wetleg.ffm.to/wetleg). It's a grammatically correct alternative pronunciation of longue (lounge, that special kind of sofa we call a chaise recliner).

Stream "Chaise Longue": smarturl.it/ChaiseLongue. Follow: Website: wetlegband.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok. Domino Record Co: YouTube: smarturl.it/DominoYT. Website: smarturl.it/DominoRecordCo, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Directed by Wet Leg.

Nicki Minaj: "Super Freaky Girl" (explicit)

"BDE" by Big Freedia (feat. Jax) official

(Big Freedia) November 2021. Big Freedia made an explicit song with Jax (of "Victoria's Secret" fame) called "BDE" ("Big Dick Energy" based, apparently, on Latto's mega hit song). This is the official music video for their effort.

Stream the #BDE EP: bigfreedia.ffm.to/bigdivaenergy. Big Freedia Tour Dates: bigfreedia.com/tour. Big Freedia: instagram.com/bigfreedia #BDE #BigFreedia #Jax


Latto: "Big [Dick] Energy" (official)
(Latto) September 2021. Stream/download the song or stream/download the album 777. Put on headphones for a simulated 360 Reality Audio experience 🎧 (#360RA). Subscribe for more official content from Latto: latto.lnk.to/YouTubeSubscribe.

“Big Energy” was mixed with an immersive #360RA experience in mind, so use headphones for the full effect. Stream “Big Energy” in full 360 Reality Audio, now available on Tidal, Amazon, and Deezer. Register at the link below to redeem a 3-month free trial. *Quantities are limited, while supplies last. The official YouTube channel of Latto. Subscribe for the latest music videos, performances, and more. #Latto #BigEnergy #BigLatto #360RA.

Director: Arrad. Executive Producer: Andrew Listermann. Producer: Kevin Boston. Production Manager: Erica Nagai. DP: Michael Stine. Editor: Cal Laird. Color: Bryan Smaller. VFX: Scissor Films. Production Company: Riveting Entertainment.

The Vagina Museum, England

Vagina Museum Team; Ashley Wells, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly
Summer's almost over, but we have plenty of things happening to thrill and excite you. Here's a peek at our September events, along with a few things that might be interesting to you...

In-person events

 

Self Care and Sisterhood Workshop with Skaped


Monday 5th September, 6PM
Throughout our days we’re busy with hustling and bustling, so we wanted to slow things down and reflect and thank ourselves for all the work we do as individuals, and as a collective. Self care and sisterhood workshop is a way in which we will unpack the mountains of labor we perform, and simply devote time just for ourselves. We want to recognize all the love that we hold, and in turn, give ourselves some of that love too! In order to do so, we’ll create a supportive space for us to chat and embroider.

This workshop from Skaped is open to anyone who relates to the label 'woman', be they non-binary, cis, trans or genderfluid. As such, inclusion in this event is based on self definition - there will be no gatekeeping.

Fighting the Sex Misinformation Crisis with Sophia Smith Galer


Thursday 15th September, 7.30PM
Sophia Smith Galer, multi-award-winning reporter and author of Losing It, exposes a worldwide sex misinformation crisis where a vacuum of sex education allows myths about our relationships and our bodies are allowed to proliferate. She explores how everyone from your partner to your plastic surgeon may proliferate inaccuracies about sex, and what we can do to counter mis and disinformation - as well as the obstacles standing in our way preventing us from doing so.

Femigami Workshop


Saturday 17th September, 7.30PM
Femigami specializes in hosting playful and thought-provoking workshops using the art of origami to create unconventional paper creations (including vaginas and penises), whilst facilitating conversations around body image, feminism and wellbeing. These unique workshops aim to breakdown stigma and normalize our bodies so that we can feel more comfortable and confident in our everyday lives. Femigami workshops aim to be inclusive and welcoming to all genders. Workshop attendees have ranged from 10 to 80 years old (no one is too young or old to enjoy making Femigami!). In this particular workshop, we'll be celebrating Sexual Health Week and we will be joined by an RSE teacher to get an insight into the sex and relationship education young people receive today, how it's changed and invite you to think about how it might look in the future.

Pub(e) Quiz


Tuesday 20th September, 7.30PM
For the first time since 2020, we're bringing back the quiz-sterics live and in person at the Vagina Museum! Flex your trivia muscles and win prizes in this vagina-themed quiz night that will test your knowledge of the notorious V.A.G. Trust me, the prizes will be like nothing you'd get in any other pub quiz.

Free resources for young people

The UK's leading gynecological cancer prevention charity, The Eve Appeal, have launched their ambitious new gynae health schools' education program called Know Your Body. Know Your Body is a set of inclusive, interactive, age-appropriate and evidence-based lesson plans on anatomy, menstrual health, HPV and cancer and FGM (developed in collaboration with the National FGM Centre). The resources were made for 5–13-year old's and are available for teachers, parents, youth workers and young people to download for free: knowyourbodylessons.org

Virtual events

Period Drama!


Saturday 24th September, 7PM
Join us for a very special online event, getting up close and personal with Georgian women and people with vulvas: what they wore, how they washed themselves and their clothes, and how they coped with menstruation, menopause and disease.

This event is a collaboration between the Vagina Museum and Jane Austen’s House, tying into their respective exhibitions: Periods: A Brief History and Jane Austen Undressed.

We’ll be joined by dress historian and Regency dress expert Hilary Davidson for a deep dive into Georgian undergarments – from bare bottoms to heaving bosoms – and by the Vagina Museum staff for a physical examination of how we coped with our bodies in the Georgian era. We’ll finish with a pop quiz and there will be plenty of time to ask questions, chat, fun (and a little Jane Austen!) along the way.

Cliterature: This Is Pleasure


Wednesday 28th September, 7PM
Cliterature, the Vagina Museum's book club, offers you a generous and satisfying fingering through the feminist pages. We’ll include a mixture of fiction, non-fiction, essays and poetry. Everyone is welcome and we’re open to book club suggestions. Our book club is led by trustee Niharika Jain.

Our September read is This is Pleasure by Mary Gaitskill. A provocative, nuanced novella about power, consent and friendship - and a masterful fictional contribution to the #MeToo debate. This is Pleasure is an extraordinary work by one of the world's finest writers, and achieves more in 15,000 words than most full-length novels. Following the unravelling of the life of a male publisher undone by allegations of sexual impropriety and harassment, and the female friend who tries to understand, and explain, his actions, it looks unflinchingly at our present moment and rejects moral certainties to show us that there are many sides to every story.
Vagina Museum events

Abortion Rights Activist Bootcamp


Want to be a pro-choice activist but don’t know where to get started? 

Abortion Rights UK wants YOU to join their first ever Activist Bootcamp training program! Get tailored training and support from some of the most experienced abortion rights experts in the UK, design and lead your own grassroots activism project and gain experience in campaigning.

People aged over 18 of all genders and backgrounds are welcome to apply.


Stay tuned, as we'll be announcing more of our charity pop-ups very soon! If you're in the area this Bank Holiday weekend, join us for a pop-up from International Association for Premenstrual Disorders on Sunday, or the Lady Garden Foundation on Monday.

Warmest, deepest, wettest wishes,
The Vagina Museum Team X