Friday, May 31, 2013

May 13, 2013

May 31, 2013


(Please Read: Google has reintroduced the thumbnails at the bottom of the photos after you double click on any image. All photographs are mine unless otherwise noted.)

   This blog was never posted and all it has are a few potots I took two weeks ago while enjoying the on rush of Spring here in Maine. 

   Lee and I will be in Grand Manan until the 9th so I will not post until the following Monday. This is vacation time and we will be staying at a cottage on the ocean called "Dorothy." I believe I posted photos on these pages from our time there last year.

   In Buddhism "Metta" or Loving Kindness is a worthy practice that can bring peace and equanimity to troubled times in life. Here is a brief version of the Metta Prayer:

-Metta Prayer -
May you be held in the heart of lovingkindness
May you be free from inner and outer harm
May you be well
May you have ease of well-being
May your life be of service to all beings
May you come to know great and natural peace

May you awaken and be free


   Here is a full sung version of the Metta Sutra as sung by Imee Ooi offered as a meditation piece. The full translation is at the end of this post after the cartoon. It is easy to follow as the Pali and its English translation are side by side. 

    Click here:   https://www.box.com/s/35etms0fbkura84avpdy  

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Where I live, physically and sometimes emotionally 

All below is without comment as Spring is to be enjoyed










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Some humor:


It was a heck of a retreat last week

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The Chant Of Metta - Sung by Imee Ooi

Aham avero homi
abyapajjho homi
anigho homi
sukhi-attanam pariharami

Mama matapitu
acariya ca natimitta ca
sabrahma-carino ca
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Imasmim arame sabbe yogina
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Imasmim arame sabbe bhikkhu
samanera ca
upasaka-upasikayo ca
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Amhakam catupaccaya-dayaka
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Amhakam arakkha devata
imasmim vihare
imasmim avase
imasmim arame
arakkha devata
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu


 Sabbe satta
sabbe pana
sabbe bhuta
sabbe puggala
sabbe attabhava-pariyapanna
sabba itthiyo
sabbe purisa
sabbe ariya
sabbe anariya
sabbe deva
sabbe manussa
sabbe vinipatika
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Dukkha mucantu
Yatha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu
Kammassaka

Puratthimaya disaya
pacchimaya disaya
uttaraya disaya
dakkhinaya disaya
puratthimaya anudisaya
pacchimaya anudisaya
uttaraya anudisaya
dakkhinaya anudisaya
hetthimaya disaya
uparimaya disaya
sabbe satta
sabbe pana
sabbe bhuta
sabbe puggala
sabbe attabhava-pariyapanna
sabba itthiyo
sabbe purisa
sabbe ariya
sabbe anariya
sabbe deva
sabbe manussa
sabbe vinipatika
avera hontu
abyapajjha hontu
anigha hontu
sukhi-attanam pariharantu

Dukkha muccantu
Yatha-laddha-sampattito mavigacchantu
Kammassaka

Uddham yava bhavagga ca
adho yava aviccito
samanta cakkavalesu
ye satta pathavicara
abyapajjha nivera ca
nidukha ca nupaddava



May I be free from enmity and danger
May I be free from mental suffering
May I be free from physical suffering
May I take care of myself happily

May my parents
teachers, relatives and friends
fellow Dhammafarers
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
May they take care of themselves happily

May all yogis in this compound
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
May they take care of themselves happily

May all monks in this compound
novice monks
laymen and laywomen disciples
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
May they take care of themselves happily

May our donors of the four supports
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
May they take care of themselves happily

May our guardian devas
in this monastery
in this dwelling
in this compound
may the guardian devas
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
May they take care of themselves happily


 May all beings
all breathing things
all creatures
all individuals
all personalities
may all females
all males
all noble one
all worldlings
all deities
all humans
all those in the four woeful planes
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
may they take care of themselves happily

May all beings be free from suffering
May whatever they have gained not be lost
All beings are owners of their kamma


In the eastern direction
in the western direction
in the northern direction
in the southern direction
in the southeast direction
in the northwest direction
in the northeast direction
in the southwest direction
in the direction below
in the direction above
may all beings
all breathing things
all creatures
all individuals
all personalities
may all females
all males
all noble one
all worldlings
all deities
all humans
all those in the four woeful planes
be free from enmity and danger
be free from mental suffering
be free from physical suffering
may they take care of themselves happily

May all beings be free from suffering
May whatever they have gained not be lost
All beings are owners of their kamma

As far as the highest plane of existence
to as far down as the lowest plane
in the entire universe
whatever beings that move on earth
may they be free from mental suffering & enmity
and from physical suffering and danger






Tuesday, May 28, 2013

May 28, 2013

May 28, 2013

(Please Read: Google has reintroduced the thumbnails at the bottom of the photos after you double click on any image which will bring up the photos in full screen. All photographs are mine unless otherwise noted.)


   I am back from an eight day retreat in the Jesuit House that goes by the name of "Eastern Point" located in Gloucester Massachuettes. It is a fifty plus room house where myself, forty seven other retreatants and the staff spent the days in silence, with the exception of daily Mass and meetings with a Spiritual Director once a day. Over the years I have done many retreats of this duration where I treasure the silence and the chance to meet God by seeing more clearly where I block God out from daily life in the busyness of the world we live in. 

   Most people I tell of this kind of experience seem somewhat apalled by the idea of spending so much time in silence. In actuality this is an easy retreat to go through as books, journals, CD players with earphones, and the house itself with many places to comtemplate along with magnificent grounds to walk and enjoy make it a generally good experience. The Buddhist retreats on the other hand are something that I am not ready to try. Nothing is allowed for a minium of ten days (the basic starter retreat) by way of books, journals or any writing materials, and the days are spent in meditation - sitting and walking, in complete silence. For me, a yet to try event if I become ready to take the advice of my mentors in Buddhism and go on such a retreat. 

   I did work the directions of a course I am taking on "Photography As A Christian Contemplative Practice." A few of the photos I took in this context are posted this week. The first picture is the house I was in so you can see something of the place. The rest are about looking and trying to see something of the "Reality" of what is always in front of me. A parting of some of the veils so to speak. I added several poems I wrote while there by way of something of an explanation of where I was at in my ponderings. 
   

The House


Five A.M. from the window of my room.

            - Thinking –

In the Howling Storm of Love,
Of what use is the intellect –
Analyze what?
Reason what?

Annihilation in this Weather
Is the opening of the heart –
Allowing God to escape from the tomb we built
By opening the long closed doors that never had a key.

Think less, be often.

                                             Bill Lagerstrom,  May 15, 2013



Waiting for the internal weather to ease up.

- Refuge -

God has put me in the Refuge of Confusion.
A strange country, full of unknown and known Truths,
All in The Image of The One who once chased me down dark streets –
The Face of the Love, the Lover I now seek.

Deliverance from chains that bound me to myself,
Standing at the door of God's Very Self –
Myself, messy, confused, an unsightly life,
Brought here against my idea of comfort, into God's Discomfort.

This is God's Presence?
"Yes."
Why am I disoriented?
"Yes."
Is this You Lord?
"You tell me."

                                                 Bill Lagerstrom,   May-15-2013


Even in the seeming dark places of our internal landscape
we can find wonders of beauty and light



Simplicity


Weathering the storm 
is the act of hanging on,
staying rooted,
 and 
standing face into the wind.

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Some Humor:


The Old Dog Bill on retreat in a bad moment

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and below

Why we retreat from the world occasionally



Peace until next week,  Bill Lagerstrom