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I wanted to use Eihi Dogen’s wonderful summation of practice as the “text” for my sermon at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, yesterday. As I reviewed the text in the variety of translations available at the Zensite (what an amazing resource the Zensite is), I realized that while it is a straight ahead pointer, to really read it one probably needs some basic familiarity with Buddhist and Zen terminology. So, I composed my own interpretation, or perhaps appreciation, or,... Read more

SHOWING UP  The Practice of Presence Within Liberal Religion 18 September 2011 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text    To project your self into the world is delusion. To let the world present itself as yourself is awakening. Eihei Dogen, Genjokoan A while back there was a Zen story that made the rounds of the Buddhist blogosphere. Here’s a version. Once there was a famous Zen monastery on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in central New... Read more

Riley B. King, better known a B.B. was born on this day in 1925… Read more

Glen Darwin Camp died in July. He was eighty at the time, and left a legacy that was admirable. His work included seven years as a policy director for the state department in Europe (where he met his wife Elly) and teaching, ending up as a professor of international relations and political science at Bryant University in Rhode Island, where he served for thirty-one years. He was a social firebrand, an activist of the first water. He helped establish several... Read more

a lovely rendition… Read more

Hardly expect otherwise from Ron Paul. But the response to his response. Now that’s scary… Thank you, Knut, for the pointer Sad. Sad… Read more

To hell with the politics, just for a couple of minutes. Let go of ascribing responsibility, just for a couple of minutes. Me, just for a couple of minutes Just thinking of the kids. And the firemen, and what they stand for… I still think we’re all New Yorkers… Thank you Spike Lee. Thank you State Farm. I rarely think positive thoughts about a commercial, but this one sure works for me… Read more

TEN YEARS AFTER A Meditation on 9/11 11 September 2011 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island All I have is a voice To undo the folded lie, The romantic lie in the brain Of the sensual man-in-the-street And the lie of Authority Whose buildings grope the sky: There is no such thing as the State And no one exists alone; Hunger allows no choice To the citizen or the police; We must love one another or die.... Read more

I’ll post my sermon on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 later today after it has been preached within my congregation. But, two things have crossed my screen that I thought worthy for the early morning of this day. First, from a dear friend, a Zen priest. “…a stanza from W.H.Auden’s “September 1, 1939,” shared this morning on one of the teacher listserves:  All I have is a voiceTo undo the folded lie,The romantic lie in the brainOf the sensual man-in-the-streetAnd... Read more