A MEDITATION ON ROSIE THE RIVETER The Divine Feminine and Liberal Religion and a Vision for a New World 8 November 2009 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text The spirit of God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn, to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead... Read more

Killing the Buddha is one of my favorite religion blogs. Check ’em out, they’re in the list to your right… This is an example. As someone almost always in bed well before The Daily Show & the Colbert Report air, I rarely see their shows. But thanks to the Buddha killers, we’re all warned… http://www.hulu.com/embed/jdOPMihzu0PcKnnB6pAJkw Read more

On the Utter, Complete, Total Ordinariness of Mu 2 November 2009 A Teisho by James Myoun Ford Benevolent Street Zendo Boundless Way Zen The Case A monk asked Chao-chou, “Has the dog Buddha nature or not?” Chao-chou said, “Mu.” Wu-Men’s Comment For the practice of Zen it is imperative that you pass through the barrier set up by the Ancestral Teachers. For subtle realization it is of the utmost importance that you cut off the mind road. If you do... Read more

By somebody’s calculation, on this day in 355 the Roman emperor Constantius II, appointed his cousin Julian a Caeser, which by this time in the history of the empire was a junior emperor position. It would lead five years later to Julian becoming Augustus of the Roman Empire. The brevity of his tenure as Emperor, a mere three years, together with his reaching intellect and his pagan restorationist desires, leaves us with one of those great “what ifs” of history.... Read more

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The Very Short Sutra on the Meeting of the Buddha and the Goddess Thus I have made up:Once the Buddha was walking along the forest path in the Oak Grove at Ojai, walking without arriving anywhereor having any thought of arriving or not arriving and lotuses shining with morning dewmiraculously appeared under every stepsoft as silk beneath the toes of the Buddha When suddenly, out of the turquoise sky,dancing in front of his half-shut inward-looking eyes, shimmering like a rainbowor... Read more

Jan and I awakened this morning to learn the referendum to reject Maine’s legislation to recognize same gender marriage passed. Jan sighed. I felt a wave of anger. This was so wrong. And of course, our feelings are nothing compared to those of so many people who have suffered from prejudice and worse legal sanction, and have once again seen their neighbors reject their full humanity. This is so sad. So sad… Now I know the wave of history will... Read more

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THE STORY OF THE ELDEST PRINCESS A Life in Stories A story loosely adapted from A.S. Byatt’s story Together with a Homily by James Ishmael Ford 1 November 2009 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Cathy: Here we are, at the time which in the ancient Celtic calendar is known as “Summer’s end.” In more recent Western spiritual calendars it has become the time to recall all those who have died, and particularly those who became examples for us and... Read more

In A. S. Byatt’s lovely story “The Eldest Princess,” all the eldest princesses magical companions are wounded. I read of these encounters and my mind reeled. I think of all my magical companions, really my spiritual guides over the many years, the ones who were actually of use on my way. Not one of them without a wound. One ate too much. Another had anger issues. Another liked the opposite sex way too much. Some whose wounds were, are so... Read more