A SOLSTICE SONG The Briefest of Christmas Meditations 22 December 2013 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Immediately before coming here to Providence not quite six years ago, I served for a number of years at our Unitarian Universalist congregation in Newton, Massachusetts. The church building in Newton is a masterpiece designed by the renowned Gothic revival architect Ralph Adams Cram. In fact I thought I’d never serve in a building quite so magnificent again. As you... Read more

For simple things that are not simple at all 
For miracles of the common way…
 Sunrise…Sunset 
Seedtime…Harvest 
Hope…Joy…Ecstasy 
For Grace that turns
 our intentions into deeds 
our compassion into helpfulness 
our pain into mercy 
For Providence that 
sustains and supports our needs 
We lift our hearts in thankfulness
 and pray only to be more aware 
and thus more alive. Gordon B. McKeeman I’ve just learned that Gordon McKeeman has died. He was ninety-three. I heard of his death and I... Read more

Gone sitting A few words on going to a Zen retreat. By James Ishmael Ford I don’t usually broadcast that I’m going to a Zen retreat. As an old Zen hand I’m reluctant to tell non-Zen friends, because when I do, too often the response is something along the line of, “Boy, I could use some downtime myself.” Me, too. But that is far from a description of a Zen retreat. My spouse Jan begins preparing a couple of days... Read more

Peter O’Toole (1932-2013) Read more

MADIBA: THE SEVERAL FACES OF NELSON MANDELA A Sermon by James Ishmael Ford 12 December 2013 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal... Read more

There’s a Facebook meme going around inviting people to list their favorite ten books – or, rather ten books that feel significant in one’s life without deeply thinking about it. I’ve noticed among my friends the larger majority list as one of those most important the Tao Te Ching, that lovely little book of aphorisms from the mists of Chinese antiquity. Attributed to Laozi (or, from my generation Lao Tzu), putatively a librarian in the royal court. The biggest problem... Read more

At the Boundless Way 2013 Rohatsu sesshin there were teisho by BoWZ senior teachers Melissa Blacker, David Rynick, Josh Bartok and James Ford. Those and talks by several senior dharma teachers are recorded here. Or, if you would rather… Read more

Junior Wells was born on this day in 1934… Read more

Five days with friends facing into the great matter at Boundless Way Zen Temple‘s 2013 Rohatsu sesshin. Read more

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