Obama's Healthcare plan... Opt out or is there another way?

I just received an email from a right winger who is encouraging me to opt out of the Obama's health plan. This I agree with, but after looking at the site where the "opt out" form resides I cannot agree with the foundation of their desires and what it might or might not accomplish, nor do I agree with what is being proposed; so I wrote this back ...

Sir, I’m not a communist or socialist, but I’m a not a right wing nut either. Yet something needs to get done…

As is, the medical establishment has screwed us big time, insurance it out of sight, we can't afford to come out of pocket, so what do u suggest?

Like it or not some form of socialized medicine must be put in place, one that permits (demands) people care for themselves or “not care” and die, it’s ok with me…

To permit people to self-destruct and then expect me to pay for their ten last years of life under the “care” doctors, hospitals, hospices, is crazy. Whatever happened to responsibility?

The right wingers talk about being independent from the government all the time, yet they abuse themselves more than most, they smoke the most, drink the most and eat the most crap. So I don’t want their way, I don’t want Obama's way, I want a way that truly makes sense and forces people (if they want assistance from the government or me) to care for themselves or die on their own dollar…

Thanks for listening…. gabriel

http://www.subtlethings.com

Are you stuck?

I have a question. “Has wisdom ceased, revelation stopped, was there a time somewhere in the past when knowledge was capped?"

For years I was deeply involved with the fundamentalist christians, they believe when the bible was completed the canon closed, god stopped speaking to us. That all needed information was contained between the pages of the bible and anyone who said they "heard from god" was deceived, that those messages were from the devil. BOO!

I know know many who know me here are not fundamentalist christians and don't carry that around with you, but let me make an observation....

In the buddhist community, I'll only speak of them now for they are who I'm most familiar, but I would not be surprised if you find it also relates to the practice you may be involved, or one you know of...

I have been chastened more than once; first as a chiristain, now as a buddhist for saying, asking, “why do we continue to do things as they were done 1000, 2000, 5000 years ago?” Their answer to me, “this is truth, this was seen by such and such a lama, an enlightened being, the buddha said it, etc etc.”

I say that before there was (you fill in the gap) there was something else, and when the new thing arose it became "truth" so why if at that moment people were willing to accept change (btw this is the nature of all things) why do they now stay so attached to the past.

Is there not a perpetual stream of consciences passing by each moment, is not space "information" and is not that information fresh each moment? Then why not from the foundation of what was can we not make was is?

I say, no reason, none other than our propensity toward attachment, attachment to a teacher or teaching that offered us something we like, something that may have touched us. It is like tasting ice cream for the first time and falling in love with vanilla, it being your first taste, then forever putting up your nose to every new flavor Ben and Jerry creates. Oh want a waste of good information and great flavors...

This is what we do, at least many of us... I for one have been tired of it for 30 years, at times for the sake of fellowship (it is a lonely road I walk) I'd return, returned just to find myself asking the same question, “why with all this ice cream pouring from space am I still eating only one flavor, one that by now is old and tired, one that no longer relates to my palate?"

Imagine if we stopped at the horse or rubbing two sticks together.

I'm not trying to rewrite anyone’s life or practice, just see me as one who shouts from my sixth story window alerting those of what I see from my vantage point

I love you all....

Be wise, be clear, be happy, and please be brave... gabriel

Owning?

Who can own a tree, the ground we stand on, the air we breathe, water we drink, the seeds we sow?

Guess what, someone either already owns these things or is trying hard to soon become their owner...

Be careful of what you give up, once given up is very very hard to get back...

We are human beings living on our planet, our home, should we not be able to live, bred, eat off of, and live off of it, no change?

Now wouldn't "that" be returning to the garden, a sweet sweet revolution...

Don't lose your spark, the essence of your true self. It is what sings oneness, oneness, oneness...... How can we be one with something that is no longer our own...

sad smiles...gi


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h54rRq2SAv0

Kill to stop killing.......

Do we kill to stop killing?

There are groups of Buddhists who take the line "helping and protecting others" (from guru yoga) completely out of context from my view. Let me ask, should we have a great buddhist army, locked and loaded, ready to kill, in order to protect? I think not...

To protect from a buddhist view (my buddhist view) i...s like the Mahakala's protective energy, which is to protect us from wasting our lives, to protect our practice, our clear view so we will not to waste this prescious opportunity, this life. Taking martial arts classes, spending time at the gun range, etc, are all fear based activities., this time is better spent "coming to know oneself."

We know there will be suffering, we cannot stop it, it is useless; instead we what must protect is our view of what the suffering means, and allow it to do its work in our evolutionary journey...

JMHO...gabriel

Creators, gods and fantasies............

These concepts are not good for a clear mind.. Awaken!

It's up to us what will happen, we are not cosmic toys, victims of space, nor puppets in some show. We are independent arisings; we create our life a moment at a time... Take back all responsibility, it's all about you, you are the "creator."

Have a great day of manifesting all you are and see... gi

Selling credibility, deceiving oneself and others...

Can we trust those who say they're teachers?

How do I say this without offending my some of my new friends... I probably can't.. So...

Deepak Chopra was once credible, now he has become a profiteer, selling certifications in things he has no right doing, has no qualifications to teach and certify, especially in four to seven days...

He has sent out hundreds of so-called Chopra Certified instructors... I'm sorry, I know a few of them, they can't keep their minds still for a moment, they are not qualified, and will not/cannot lead you to mindfulness and for sure not to enlightenment...

http://www.chopra.com/ytt

He's selling $$$ them a piece of paper and his name, that's it; for he cannot take people with no background and teach them anything in such a short time. Then he takes photos with them for their web sites, to help offer them credibility and bring in "customers". Shame on him... I feel sorry for the "instructors” for they believe they've learned something worthwhile and real, and the worse for the poor students of these "instructors" who will pay them for their help. This is not real and a rip off. If you love this man I hope you don't feel attacked, this is not my purpose.

This is happening all over... The "Science Qigong” people do the same nonsense... The master I trained with will not teach you to stand correctly in a weekend... It just can't be done...

Meanwhile people with no skills at all become experts in days.... Scary, sad, should be illegal. It is a scam...

I was a martial artist, began at 15 yo, so years ago when I moved to Fla I looked to see what was going on, in doing so I walked into a local school to find 13 yo with black belts, these kids could not punch or kick, yet they were awarded "black belts.” When I came up we could not even take the exam until we were 16, and even then few were awarded one...

This is why the Asians protected their practices, why for centuries they would not permit them to be taught to non-Asians... They knew what we now see, that this is what would happen, that the capitalists would sell their lineage for a dollar, worse yet, the students never get what they pay for, for their impatience has made it impossible; the teachers saw this and began giving these things away for a price in a fraction of the time required... This I know for I have been bold enough to ask, almost getting physically attacked for my queries, but a few did answered honestly saying “these people will not wait four years to become a Black Belt, if we do not offer them belts and tips on belts regularly they will leave.” I say let them go.... This practice is destroying lineages, old long lines of teachings/disciplines. Too Sad.

gabriel

http://www.subtlethings.com

Meditation.. what is it, why do we do it?

In order to answer both we must first hear what the Buddha said concerning all things, wisdom and...

Buddha said towards the end of his incarnation

“I have offered 84,000 teaching (I believe a number that is meant to say many many) something for every being to use, but don’t believe a single word I said unless it agrees with your rational mind, if not disregard it.” (the gabriel translation)

So with that in mind let’s talk about it... In the world of meditators, those with vehicles, the Tibetan Buddhists have developed the greatest number of ways to transport oneself “to the other side.”

So let us see what they say about mediation. Considering the complexity of their practice their answer is straight up; their word for meditation translates “to get to know oneself, one’s mind”... or I would say “getting to know the nature of one’s mind, or how your head works...”

So when we sit what are we watching? I know some would say we watch nothing, or what arises, or the stream of consciousness, and I have no problem with any of it, but to me the most important item that pertains to our development is “how we work” viewing this offers us much information and a little peak, a tiny ah ha into “the way things are” for we learn very quickly just how reactive, judgmental, and how we add dialog/commentary to every moment, everything we see, hear, experience... Few just live it... smiling....gi