Interconnectedness

U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's inspiring speech on the power of connectedness as a sign of a new global society.

Gusto for Gassho

"The handshake is thought by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hand holds no weapon."

- Wikipedia entry on "Handshake"

DEADLY HANDS

Considering the recent announcement by the World Health Organization that the H1N1 flu virus (formerly known as "Swine Flu") is now an official Pandemic see: CDC on H1N1 Flu, I think it's time we start re-thinking some of the old-fashioned, generally accepted western traditions regarding modes of greeting. For example, what used to be considered a "gesture of peace," - the hearty handshake, now has the potential of being a "weapon of mass destruction," in the hands of an infected person!!!

Having studied and practiced Japanese Buddhism - I became very aware of the deeply-rooted cultural greeting practiced in Japan and other parts of the eastern world. Instead of the handshake, their custom is to press the hands together and bow toward the other person. I think it's time that this practice, called Gassho, started gaining ground in the west - not just among the hippies and new agers - but as a standard greeting for all social events.

I'm sure at first that the practice would be viewed as quirky or strange amongst our family, friends, and peers - but once we get over this initial social discomfort at the adoption of a "foreign" practice, I'm sure it would become generally accepted, and possibly the best form of greeting.

I think that most people would also be happy to drop the handshake habit when they realize it's strange, barbaric origin. I have to admit that after I discovered the supposed origin of the handshake as a gesture of peace because it revealed to the other person that you had no weapons, I felt embarrassed to shake anyone's hand - what a strange, warped perspective on the meaning of peace!!

"Everyone has Buddha nature, the potential to become a Buddha. Because of this we treat all with highest respect and greet them with gassho, a bow. It think this is a wonderful teaching - to respect others."

- Gyomay M. Kubose, The Center Within, p. 4- 5

Beside the benefit of potentially reducing the spread of disease, there are of course many other reasons to perform gassho.

• It is a sign of humility, by giving honor and respect to others
• It encourages a sense of openness and friendship (as opposed to the attitude of someone checking for "hidden weapons!!")
• It prevents the occasional, painful crushing of innocent fingers by the gregarious relative. (in loving memory of my Uncle Ernie - a gentle dock worker with incredibly strong hands - who brought me, as a young boy, to tears many times, with his "hearty" handshake.)
• It helps avoid a lot of social awkwardness between men and women.
• Children love to do it - and it makes more sense to them than shaking hands.

However, gassho is not just a matter of "how you use your hands," it also has tremendous potential in subtle ways that we, at first, may not be aware of:

WORLD PEACE BEGINS WITH GASSHO

"....Gassho is not necessarily shown only by its form-the putting together of the hands and bowing. Without the form there is still gassho. Gassho begins in each individual's mind-the mind where we are able to respect others. When a husband respects his wife and vice versa and when parents respect children and vice versa, there is the foundation for peace. Virtue is not our own; virtue always has neighbors. This is how the attitude of gassho can start to vibrate in our environment. It is through gassho that we can fulfill the Buddha nature within us."

- Gyomay M. Kubose, The Center Within, p. 4- 5

illustration: "Gassho" by Laurie Ledingham (www.laurieledingham.co.uk)

The Twitter of Optimism

SUCCESSFUL CONVERSATION

I've only been a user of Twitter for a couple of weeks now and although I was skeptical of it being anything more than a novelty, I have been surprised by my experience.

Sure, there are a lot of users who basically report every meaningless movement in their daily routine - but there are others who use it as a vehicle for sharing their street-level experience of the world; a kind of "wonder at life" alert; as if they are walking through a crowded market in a foreign land with a four year old; "Look at that!  What's that? Why are they doing that?" 

It has given me a sense of connectedness with the world while maintaining a sense of protected anonymity. 

It is the ultimate symbol of an expanding world that has become closer to each of us - and with it comes the air of optimism that the world is indeed becoming one community, beyond all the political and ideological boundaries. 

With on-line networking apps like MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and now Twitter; as people around the world share their momentary personal experiences of life and we become aware of how alike we all are in our reactions - we can hope that we may be able to transcend our cultural differences and begin truly communicating with each other. 

In the words of one of my favorite composers, Pete Ham of Badfinger:  "Successful conversation, will take you very far."

"There is no real perfection 

There'll be no perfect day 

Just love is our connection 

The truth in what we say  

There's no good revolution 

Just power changing hands 

There is no straight solution 

Except to understand  

So listen to my song, of life 

You don't need a gun, or a knife 

Successful conversation, will take you very far  

There is no real perfection 

There'll be no perfect man 

Just peace is our connection 

For giving all you can  

There's no good kind of killing 

Just power taking life 

It's all good blood that's spilling 

To make a bigger knife  

So listen to my song, of life 

You don't need a gun, or a knife 

Successful conversation, can take you very far  

So listen to my song, of life 

You don't need a gun, or a knife 

Successful conversation, can take you very far  

Successful conversation, will take you very far 

Successful conversation, will take you very far"

"Perfection" (c)1971 Pete Ham

Resolution

" A way of limitless life requires on our part openness, generosity and simplicity. Above all, it requires commitment. Not commitment to a cause or ideology but commitment in our own lives to the simplicity of the daily return to the roots of our own existence, a commitment to respond to life with attention, to create the space in our own lives to live fully. What we learn in meditation , in the silence of it and in the simplicity of it, is that we have nothing to fear from the commitment to creating this space......What we all find in the experience of meditation is that our horizons are expanding, not contracting, and we find, not constraint, but liberty."

- Dom John Main, "Moment in Christ"

At this time of year I am usually still clinging resolutely to the list of new disciplines or attitudes that I intend to develop or improve in the new year.  

I have traditionally made these "New Year's Resolutions" by January 1st, and by as early as January 15th, I have wandered off track and found myself back in the same routine of behaviors and attitudes that are just part of me - the part that I always desire to change.  It's frustrating.

So why do I do it?

This year I realized that the problem with resolutions is perhaps more with how I've defined the word, and the resulting sense of constraint that comes with it. 

I've always applied the idea of resolutions to determinations, or strong intentions. However, there are other meanings:

For example, 

• In Music: Resolution describes the sound, or voice of a note moving from dissonance to consonance or vice versa. It creates an emotional response in the listener as it releases the tension or drama in a passage of music.
  
• In Communication: Resolution describes the process of moving from multiple points of view into a mutually agreed perception or decision.
• In Photography: Resolution describes the process of bringing an object into clearer view, either through focus or image quality.
• In Science and Logic: Resolution describes the process of solving a problem or analyzing the elements of a compound.

There are several other meanings - but the one that I like for my purposes today is:

Resolution: The act of analyzing complex notions into simpler ones.

So, this year, my resolution is singular. It is to simplify the complex notions that I have about life and all its parts and to resolve it into a wholistic way of living fully in the present. 

I am commiting myself to practice, as much as possible, a discipline of daily meditation. Sitting quietly, focusing on my breath and drawing my attention to the present moment, and letting mental distractions pass me by for twenty to thirty minutes, twice a day.

MANY IN BELIEFS, ONE IN PRACTICES

As I've studied various religions I've found that although in beliefs they differ widely,  in spiritual practices, for the most part, particularly in contemplative prayer,  - there is much unity. 

It is a shame that the art of contemplation and meditation has become associated with "Eastern" esoteric mysticism these days, because there is much historical evidence of its practice in Ancient and Eastern Christianity. There are tremendous similarities between the spiritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Mystic Judaism, Islamic Sufism and Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. In fact, there is evidence of direct shared influences between them as their ancient cultures mingled with each other along the "Silk Road."  

MEDITATING FOR PEACE IN 2009

If Buddhists, Christians, Moslems and Jews gather together for silent meditation without discussing doctrines, (i.e. the things that are believed but not provable), there is peace between them. I've seen it......

Note: There are many styles of meditation. Here's a link to the World Community for Christian Meditation website that has links to more information.

Recently, after a brief but profound period of silent meditation I felt led to write in my journal:

"Be your true self for the benefit of others"

I'm considering that as my resolution for 2009 - I'll keep you posted.