Kumare: Hinduism, Buddhism, Yoga, and more

Last updated on: December 21, 2012 at 4:40 pm By Justin Whitaker

Kumare, or Kumaré (or Kūmāré), is a movie about American spirituality on the fringe. However, the more we look into American spirituality, the more we see that the ‘fringe’ is growing. Fast. The old stalwarts of American religion: the Catholics and the Protestants, are increasingly disenfranchising their members, thus steering themselves into a future of ineffectual obscurity. Denying women’s rights, protecting child-molesters, blaming the deaths of children on homosexuality, the list could go on. Institutionalized religions, for all the many wonderful... Read more

Yoga Bags, Family, and Christmas (UPDATED)

Last updated on: December 20, 2012 at 8:03 pm By Justin Whitaker

I’ve been on break for travels this last week, plus grading, paperwork, and time catching up with family, hence the long break from blogging. Now, home in Montana, my brain is soaked in good food, card games, and Montana’s beautiful big skies. Blogging, or writing anything for that matter, doesn’t come easy. Breaks are good. Academics rarely get ‘true’ breaks. There is always something hanging over our heads. A friend of mine posted one of those vintage card memes recently that... Read more

Global day of Solidarity for Tibet

Last updated on: December 11, 2012 at 12:43 am By Justin Whitaker

Today, December 10, is Global Human Rights Day. Activists around the world are reaching out and stepping up their efforts. And with over 100 self-immolations now in Tibet, this region, currently occupied by China, is a chief area of focus. The latest such immolation is a 16 year old girl in the Tibetan province of Amdo, currently ruled as China’s northwestern province of Qinghai (click here for a map and pre-1959 history). According to news reports, China’s only response has been to... Read more

Rainer Maria Rilke & Allen Ginsberg

Last updated on: December 10, 2012 at 2:34 am By Justin Whitaker

I have been busy slaving away (sometimes happily, sometimes not) on student essays and exams these last few days. Hence the lack of blog posts. Nevertheless, the abundance of material piling up that I would like to share here has grown almost exponentially. Zen drama, Tibetan immolations, Burma’s Muslim genocide, the Orthodox Pope doubling-down on the environment, where is one expected to find all of the time? Meanwhile, these two (below) have been sitting in my ‘to do’ pile for a... Read more

Mitt Romney seeks Buddhist Counsel (Video)

Last updated on: December 5, 2012 at 11:55 pm By Justin Whitaker

Mitt Romney has “invested in a high-paid soul-searching team to help him weigh his possibilities” according to the satirical news site, the Onion. Mysteriously, however, the report never mentions the monks, pictured here, which include one Theravadin monk along with what appear to be three Tibetan monks (one wearing the characteristically Geluk yellow hat of the “pandit” or learned person). The report continues: “The talented group of life-purpose consultants, which Romney is expected to pay more than 6 million dollars... Read more

Neuroscience and Buddhist Meditation

Last updated on: December 5, 2012 at 12:43 am By Justin Whitaker

One of the very endearing aspects of Buddhism for many Westerners is the Buddha’s encouragement that we “come and see” for ourselves. It is, in the early texts at least, a religion of practice, of personal cultivation, and intellectual curiosity and satisfaction. It’s a religion for idiots who screw up a lot, but who aren’t afraid to keep trying and are willing to work at it. In my early years as a Buddhist, through the help of a succession of wonderful meditation... Read more

Religious Experience in Early Buddhism – a lecture by Richard Gombrich

Last updated on: December 2, 2012 at 3:25 pm By Justin Whitaker

The Oxford Center for Hindu Studies has a lecture by Richard Gombrich very much worth listening to for those interested in early Buddhism. Gombrich is, for those who do not know, perhaps the greatest expert on early Buddhism in the world today. I highly recommend all of his books, lectures, and articles, many of which are available on the web for free. As I have on my ‘books‘ page: Another author I’m very fond of is Richard Gombrich. His book on Theravadin... Read more

Are you a Buddhist Wanker (Jerk)? – (Humor)

Last updated on: December 2, 2012 at 2:41 am By Justin Whitaker

Self-described Spiritual Wanker Mark Walsh takes us through diagnosing a spiritual wanker and some potential cures. It reminded me a bit of my recent review of the wonderful book, Dispirited (blog here). Walsh criticizes ‘spiritual’ people for using insider language, dropping Tibetan, Sanskrit, (and he even mentions Pali!), when common English terms would clearly suffice, and more importantly, the normal English terms would be understood by everyone. I like the video because he is humble enough to admit that he... Read more

Palestine Today – Tibet Tomorrow?

Last updated on: November 30, 2012 at 2:15 pm By Justin Whitaker

This was the image posted today by the Tsampa Revolution facebook group. That group states its goals as being, in part: The goal and aims of this page is to provide news, information and updates about the ongoing situation in Tibet. Along with being a source of information, we want this space to provide Tibetan Freedom activists with online tools and tactics to amplify the message of Tibetans inside Tibet. Overshadowed in the UK by the Leveson Report and in... Read more

Buddhist Political Action: Robert Thurman’s Meme (UPDATED with petition)

Last updated on: December 5, 2012 at 1:16 pm By Justin Whitaker

Watch Prof. Thurman’s video below and then go here (the Whitehouse epetitions site) to add your name. In just 2 days that petition has gathered nearly 1000 names with little real publicity. Sign and spread the word. Watch Professor Robert Thurman’s discussion of the contemporary situation in the US Congress, where Republicans have signed a pledge to not raise taxes. According to wikipedia, the pledge “was signed by 95% of all Republican Members of Congress and all but one of... Read more