There actually appear to be two dates in the solar calendar dedicated to Parinirvana, the anniversary of Gautama Siddhartha’s death. Both in February, the one on the 8th and the other, more common, I gather, date on the 15th. Me, I plan on taking advantage to celebrate this twice. The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is clearly, at least by my reading, a digest of his teachings composed with an eye to the continuation of the community he led. I have little doubt... Read more

I no longer recall when I first heard the verse. But, somewhere early on it became the great pointer for me, an invitation to something I didn’t fully understand, but which I fully desired. A special transmission outside scriptures, Not founded upon words and letters; By pointing directly to one’s heart mind We see into our own true nature and attain Buddhahood. It was sung to us by Bodhidharma, it was sung directly into my heart, it was a beacon... Read more

I was just “friended” as they say on Facebook by an old seminary friend, as in friend. He was on the Anglican path and ended up going off to Oxford, and we lost track. Glad for social media and the re-connect. I’ve long had a soft spot in my heart for the Episcopal Church, as they say, a bunch of Unitarians with a sense of style. Of course that’s not really true, and within that “true” why I’ve never crossed... Read more

Charles Lindberg was born on this day in 1902. Best known as the first person to fly solo from America to Europe, and with that the first person to be in New York City one day, and in Paris the next. Handsome and young, the acknowledgments rolled in. Already awarded the Legion of Honor, because he was in the US Army Air Corps Reserves, he became only one of three (I believe) awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for non-combatant... Read more

Today the church is closed down due to the snow storm raging across New England. We’ve also canceled this evening’s Zen meditation. Jan is in Long Beach working on the condo, while auntie, the cats and I are sitting together to watch the 1993 film Groundhog Day. A perfect way to spend February 2nd. (Breaking news: it has been announced here in the more or less real world Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning…) Groundhog day is a delightful... Read more

Thomas Merton was born on this day in 1915. One hundred years, today… While it is conventional among Christian churches to acknowledge their holy ones on the day of their death, when they go on to the heavenly reward, me, I vastly prefer acknowledging their birth. After all it is the dawn of something, and with Merton, one can argue he symbolizes a special birth, of a new era of interfaith dialogue, and more. His engagement with the spiritually mature... Read more

It was on this day in 1948 that Mohandas Gandhi, called the Mahatma, the great heart was assassinated. Someone worth recalling at any time, but these days perhaps we need to remember him even more… I recall when Jan & I went to see the movie Gandhi that it was an international affair. For reasons I no longer recall there were in particular a lot of Indian nationals at the screening. But, at least in my memory, the world was... Read more

Twas on this day in 1845 that “the Raven” is published in New York’s Evening Mirror… Read more

Turns out that the antiquarian Horace Walpole coined the word “serendipity. It is first found in a letter dated 28 January in 1754 that he sent to the American politician and education reformer Horace Mann. Mann, as anyone who follows my blog knows, was also a fervent Unitarian and a founder of the First Unitarian Society in Newton, where I served as minister for a bunch of years. The pleasant coincidences just pile up… Read more

Maurice Dollison Jr was born on this day in 1941. He may be better known as Cash McCall. And best known for When You Wake Up… Happy birthday, Cash! Read more