Nothing like the classics. This is probably my favorite. And, of course, while lacking the technical amazement of flying penguins, there is something about just a good story line… Happy April 1st! Read more

Written and sung by Loni Lorraine Baur, formerly a nun at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Read more

THE QUICK AND THE DEAD A Reflection on Death and the Spiritual Path A sermon byJames Ishmael Ford 29 March 2009First Unitarian ChurchProvidence, Rhode IslandText Look, the trees are turning their own bodies into pillars of light, are giving off the richfragrance of cinnamon and fulfillment, the long tapers of cattails are bursting and floating away over the blue shoulders of the ponds,and every pond, no matter what its name is, is nameless now.Every yeareverythingI have ever learned in my... Read more

Last night Jan & I drove up to Boston to watch the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Blind Boys of Alabama at the Boston Symphony Hall. (So much UU history took place there. Clarence Skinner’s Community Church worship packed that hall. And of course the consolidation ceremony between the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church in America took place in that hall…) A lovely and moving experience. Basically Preservation opened for the Blind Boys, although there were some... Read more

Among the listservs to which I belong is one for Zen teachers in the West. Right now there is a bit of a debate going on over the usage of monk (nun) or priest for those ordained within the Japanese inheritance. This is a bone of contention because “normative” ordained Buddhist leadership follows the vinaya tradition established by the Buddha himself. A heavy claim and a heavy load for those who believe there are other reliable models of leadership on... Read more

For me the dialog between Unitarian Universalism and (Zen) Buddhism is the place where I have found my life, meaning, and direction. That is why I return over and over again to these two themes here in this blog, and elsewhere… Today is the birthday of Joseph Campbell, and I consider him one of the reasons that dialog has been able to take place and be so fruitful. Here’s why… I suggest that Unitarian Universalism has two principal aspects, what... Read more

I found this at Marcus’ Journal, one of my favorite bloggers. Marcus tells us The Samadhi Treatise of the Treasure King was composed in China by Miaoxie in the fourteenth century. This particular version was translated by Marcus’ teacher, Chong Go Sunim. Apparently another version of this text has been floating around the Kwan Um School for ages, incorrectly attributed to Master Seung Sahn’s teacher’s teacher Master Kyong Ho. An important text worth reading by anyone hoping to walk an... Read more

They Say Seth Swift, the first minister of Nantucket’s Unitarian church has never left… I just so love New England UU congregations. You guys out in the mission fields have no idea how cool our churches are… Read more

Don’t you just love Youtube? Read more

I believe the short answer to the “question is nothing sacred?,” is yes. Here’s a slightly longer response. If you feel you’ve come in to this movie before, you’re right. This is one of my favorite drums to beat… The kick off is how I’ve been taken to task by a commenter on my happy use of the word God to stand for sunyata. In the past this position has tended to annoy theists, who see that while I’m happy... Read more