ISHMAEL’S CHILDREN IN AMERICA: A SONG OF ISLAM James Ishmael Ford 3 January 2016 Pacific Unitarian Church Rancho Palos Verdes, California When I was a young Zen monk living in a monastery in Oakland, we were informed that we were getting a VIP visitor. His name was Samuel Lewis, and while he was mostly known as a Sufi master, he had also been acknowledged for his insight by spiritual teachers in a number of traditions, one of which was Zen.... Read more

It was on this day in 1521 that Pope Leo X excommunicated the troublesome Augustinian friar Martin Luther. Sometimes you just have to clean house… Read more

A fascinating lecture by Jeff Wilson, Buddhist scholar and Shin priest on what Mindfulness has come to mean in Western culture. As a small bonus link here to a good summary of the talk and a reflection on it by another Buddhist scholar, the wonderful Justin Whitaker. Read more

Somewhere between the beginning of October, 1919, and the beginning of January, 1920, Isaak Yudovich Oximov was born in Petrovich in what today is Russia. The exact date is in fact not known. But, in later years, after he grew up, he took to celebrating his birthday on the 2nd of January. His family immigrated to the United States when he was three years old. His Americanized name was Isaac Asimov. The young Isaac’s family owned a candy store, actually... Read more

This past twelvemonth had its ups and downs. Some very good ups. For Jan & me quite the year, taking the first deep steps into our retirement from our professional lives. Also, losses. I think of auntie a lot. Quite the year. For the planet, also a mixed bag. In case you’ve forgotten, here is a somewhat sanitized accounting. True, sometimes its hard to see how we human beings are going to make it. Still, there is a way through.... Read more

And, in case you’re interested, here are a few more words on Youth. As the film ended, I saw that we had watched a movie where everyone in the audience remained seated until the credits had all run. Normally we stay until they start naming the food trucks, by which time I’m squirming, and Jan, too, has seen enough. In part because of how the film credits played, but mainly because I was so entranced, not really ready for it... Read more

Ellas Otha Bates was born on this day in 1928. As a child his name was changed to Ellas McDaniel. But, we know him as Bo Diddley. Bo Diddley is generally acknowledged as a key player in the transition from blues to rock ‘n roll. The litany of those who acknowledge his influence include Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and, oh yes, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. One of the greats. No doubt… Read more

Life continues. It does seem things are precarious. Well, at least for those of us who breathe oxygen. For those who are concerned with technical accuracy this precariousness is probably not a lot worse than at many times since we living things appeared about three and a half billion years ago on this lovely little rock spinning around a middling star at the edge of a midsized galaxy pretty much in a corner of nowhere. Sadly, tragically, our personal interference... Read more

Zen priest and sometime Punk rocker Brad Warner points out that it was today in 1970 that George Harrison released My Sweet Lord. It instantly shot to number one on the charts, the first by a post Beatles’ band member. Later there was a lawsuit for copyright infringement in his use of the melody. Harrison claimed it was loosely based on the hymn O Happy Day, but the copyright holders for Ronnie Mack’s He’s So Fine, prevailed in their claim.... Read more

Earl Kenneth Hines, American jazz pianist and bandleader, mentor to the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, best known to us as Fatha, was born on this day in 1903. Read more