What's everyone reading?

Raven

Yesterday I started reading "Peace is Every Step" by Thich Naht Hahn. It's so good! I could have gobbled up the whole thing but mindful reading is something I'm working on.

Jason

The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyesvsky.

Raven

Ooh excellent choice @Jason It's on my hit list. (Have you read Crime & Punishment? Also fantastic!)

As far as non-practice books, I'm reading The Game of Thrones. Actually, "devouring" might be a better word.

Jason

No, I only read part of it before giving it away to someone as a gift. I've read some of his shorter stories, though. By far one of my favourite authors. I hear the The Game of Thrones is excellent, as well. Haven't had a chance to read them, though.

Raven

The Game of Thrones is awesome. It's like a combination of "Braveheart" and "Robin Hood" with a dash of pseudo-supernatural. However - and I NEVER thought I'd say this - I found it good to watch season 1 of the series before reading the first book. There are a lot of characters!

Dakini

I'm reading: "Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences In a Quantum Reality", about studies that have been done on different types of "psi" phenomena, and the physics that explains them, and "Bo and Bon", a comparative study of Siberian shamanism and Tibetan Bon tradition.

Raven

So just a little light reading over tea then, @Dakini?
In seriousness, have you learned anything interesting so far?

Arjquad

I'm reading a book called Retribution it's about the final year of WW2 in the pacific from the Japanese perspective. Im only 50 pages into it (only 500 to go!) and I am enjoying it alot.
Another book I'm reading is A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa times to Present it is also long, about 300 pages but it is really fascinating and is extremely detailed. It covers everything from religious, cultural, technological and political changes.

AMH

Dakini, this is right up my alley. I may check that out on my nook. I was married to a psychics guy for many years. It sank in somehow, I finally finished the Biography of Einstien and liked the physics stuff as well as the personal.

I am not reading anything right now, just can't focus. I am working on more writing and when i do that I don't read.

Dakini

What impressed me was that some of the studies on psi phenomena are open-and-shut cases. The author asked one of the researchers why there hadn't been more publicity about the results of the study, why had it been sort of pushed to the back of a couple of science magazines, and the answer was that fear kicks in when one's worldview is challenged. That's why the scientific world is ignoring some of these results.

Fear. I had no idea.

And here's a surprising fact: "The Parapsychological Association was elected an official affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1969, marking the first mainstream acknowledgement of psi research as a legitimate scientific enterprise."

They think that the reason people sometimes experience forebodings of danger involving loved ones who are a long distance away has to do with entanglement theory. Scientists have observed that photons, neutrons, and other subatomic particles, after interacting together, continue to mirror each others' state even when separated at great distances, even in space.

Yeah, Heerdt, go for it! The author is Dean Radin, a scientist at the Institute for Noetic Studies. Anyway, psi phenomena are real, it looks like certain segments of the scientific community are just waiting for everyone else to catch up with and accept the news.

Jeffrey

@Dakini, that sounds neat...once they design a psi powered appliance I am sure it will come into the general public?

I'm reading the first two of the middle discourses on access to insight... I am reading it every day trying to assimilate it into my being... I like to repeat things so it becomes assimilated by myself such that I will remember it in my day to day affairs.

Dakini

They have bicycle-powered appliances. I'm sure that in time, they'll find a way to harness the energy of the human electromagnetic field, but I don't think you'll be able to run your fridge off it.

Yes, repetition is good. That's a good idea, to read some of the Canon on a regular basis.

AMH

Super easy, I gotta say I love the nook. I am a book junkie and this is so instant.

The other thing i want to read is the newest Stephen King about the Kennedy assasination. I love Stephen King, not necesarily beneficial to my Buddhist preactice.

TimeIam

Zen mind, Beginner's mind
Dropping Ashes on the Buddha
To Meet the Real Dragon
The Demon in the Freezer(it's about smallpox)
and I just finished The Cobra Event(it's about a terrorist trying to release a deadly super-flu)

zombiegirl

Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions by Gloria Steinem.

Dakini

Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions by Gloria Steinem.

Hey, give us a review when you're done, ZG! :wave:

Lady_Alison

The Game of Thrones is awesome. It's like a combination of "Braveheart" and "Robin Hood" with a dash of pseudo-supernatural. However - and I NEVER thought I'd say this - I found it good to watch season 1 of the series before reading the first book. There are a lot of characters!

Me too!

Lady_Alison

The quran. Anne bishop's the black jewel trilogy. Assassins creed....and eckhart tolle on audio.

seeker242

I'm reading about what other people are reading in a forum post called "What's everyone reading?"

Arjquad

The quran

I've read most of it, how are you liking it so far?

Lady_Alison

I am amazed at how many ways it can be interpret...i think god speaks in riddles..

Lady_Alison

The quran

I've read most of it, how are you liking it so far?

Raised roman catholic, studied for years classical philosophy, history archeology and bible...converted to islam...but am very liberal and sufi...that's where I am

Lady_Alison

Now interested in the practical aspect of buddhaism

Dakini

Hey, Lady A, tell us about Sufism! Whenever I see a TV program about it, it always sounds so Buddhist. Please share.

Lady_Alison

From my childlike understanding there are three different branches of islam. Sunni, which is 90% and they follow the law and obligatory practices, which is all good. the shia, which are fundamentalist and interpret the quran to meet their end...this sect is partially to blame for the stereotypical bombing muslim that the media portrays...they believe they are descendants from ismael...abrahams son with the egyptian hand maid hagar.....

Sufi is not definitive in their practice and the main belief is what jesus taught: it's about the spirit of the law. It's about interpretation, not dogma.

they are also not satisfied with daily mundane practice of sunnis...they believe that the experience of heaven of allah can be lived and felt everyday.

jll

I highly recommend books by Godwin Samararatne.

Lady_Alison

So it is why I am interested in budhaism...because I have reached a point where I.m not happy just following rules and guidelines to meet my god.

I want a romance, I real relationship here and now .

Most people wait to meet their god, but I already know he's real... buddhaism teaches thru mediation how to be in touch with the aliveness of your body, and the aliveness of each moment...in that space of peace I believe, that is god.

Lady_Alison

Or I could be insane. Lol...it's the simplest way I can explain it.

In many ways buddhaism has added to my belief and returned my innocence.

Lady_Alison

Hey, Lady A, tell us about Sufism! Whenever I see a TV program about it, it always sounds so Buddhist. Please share.

Before I forget, thank you for your advice. Blessings:-)

Dakini

they are also not satisfied with daily mundane practice of sunnis...they believe that the experience of heaven of allah can be lived and felt everyday.

They're the mystical branch of Islam, aren't they? They're into experiencing the Divine directly.

BaileyD

Counter Clock World by Philip K. Dick

Lady_Alison

BltYes that is correct...they also teach through poetry and music, dancing dervish...some practice extreme forms where they beat their chests until they bleed (i don't agree with this action ) others practice ascetic living...

Etc

Dakini

I've heard rumors of some extreme practices. I think whenever you have people getting their inspiration through mystical experience, weird stuff can crop up. I've been reading about the Gnostic Christians. Some of the sects were freaky.

Lady_Alison

I think that religions across the board would be amazed at how much we have in common...

Dakini

That's the thing. So many commonalities.

Lady_Alison

I am drawn to buddhaism because of it's gentle approach to finding that state of heaven here on earth. Right action, is what muslims call good deeds.

Lady_Alison

I've heard rumors of some extreme practices. I think whenever you have people getting their inspiration through mystical experience, weird stuff can crop up. I've been reading about the Gnostic Christians. Some of the sects were freaky.

John the baptist, jesus and john the brother of jesus...were ascetics.

Similarities..i would not doubt that they came accross eastern teachings of buddhaism in their time.

Dakini

I read that it was a Muslim who was born and raised in Inner Asia, around those oasis towns north of Tibet that were centers of Buddhism, who founded Sufism. It was in the time of a sort of Arab empire, when they spread east through Afghanistan and into Turkestan.

Dakini

Thomas, too, "Doubting Thomas" was a Gnostic, they say. I imagine that most of Jesus' disciples would have been, no? A bunch of them went east after the Crucifixion, too.

Lady_Alison

I can find the exact writing describing that for you tomorrow, it's midnight where I.m at and everything is dark in my house.

Yes jesus was a gnostic of a small jewish sect...i believe qumranian
Not sure you spell that right...

I will look for you tomorrow.

Dakini

Qumran, that sounds familiar. He was an Essene, they were a mystical sect of Jews.

I was about to ask you what time zone you're in! lol! See you tomorrow.

Thanks to Raven for this great thread. I hope we haven't hijacked it. We're having fun.

Lady_Alison

Correct. I will work on it tomorrow...you are spot on ...jesus was tired of the bull shit that the priestly class of sketsis pharisees saducees and their scribes where teaching the lay jews.

He taught the spirit of the law...the golden rule the beatitudes and faith in god. his teachings of seeing god as a father was radical...the jews held god as this far away being they didn't want to anger...

Jesus taught thru parables, the quran speaks in riddles, zen buddaism uses koans (i believe)...to speak not to the ego or intellect...but the soul.

Jesus was voted as God at the council of nicea about 325 ad...with one vote against it...

(yawn)

Goodnight I will post books and links tomorrow.

Lady_Alison

If you want a good basic monotheist understanding of the abrahamic faiths.

Ie, judaism, christianity, and islam...i came to these conclusions in my own life.

I knew there was a god, but who?i couldn't accept faiths that had many deities...because I wanted to get down to the source. I also believed that god would have left us clues.

The world's largest faiths all branch from abraham in genesis, who had two sons issac and ishmael.(yes, he also had a third wife keturah, but I don't want to get into that).

Issac branched into judaism, but I couldn't be a jew because my mother isn't a jew. To be jewish you have to be born into it. It is an exclusive religion, but monotheist.

Jesus had a huge problem with that, that is why he went and taught the samaritans and romans..the branch of christianity is a jewish sect that does not adhere to jewish scriptures and strict law. His followers went out to share the news: salvation is not just for the jews.

For all their books the torah and bible could be summed up into a. Belief in a single god b. The golden rule.

I wasn't satisfy.

I found the quran which is basically laws on how to please and love this god and how to live in community.

It contradicts the bible in the aspect of the way it is interpreted...jesus was just a man and prophet, he was not killed only made to seem so. Remember barabas, who was let go? (his name translates son of god)

The quran supports the idea of life on other worlds, science, it explains how an embryo is created in the womb, it pushes reason and reflection in all areas of our life.

Jihad means battle that begins with the self. Kill your desires.

Too many to list.

90% of muslims are sunni and liberal. They practice the book and tradition. They condemn the actions of fundamental shias because muslim and islam translate into submission and the way of peace with all beings.

Sufism interprets all religions and seeks understanding and the spirit of the law. They are monotheist and believe in all prophets in all religions...but yearn for a living relationship with allah, through ascetic practices.

Sufism seems very buddhist.

I'm 28 so I am only wise enough to know that I don't know everything. In fact it is dangerous to pretend you do...that is the problem with spiritual leaders...

I could be wrong, ask me in another 50 years... But spirituality is gentle and must be easy to explain to a five year old.

That is where I am right now.

NomaDBuddha

I'm reading 'Comparative Anatomy of Domestic Animals' volume one . I have to study hard these days, as the dreadful exams are coming soon.

Lady_Alison

Lol I am studying human anatomy and physiology...maybe we should take notes on similarities.

I'm reading 'Comparative Anatomy of Domestic Animals' volume one . I have to study hard these days, as the dreadful exams are coming soon.

Lady_Alison

I'm reading 'Comparative Anatomy of Domestic Animals' volume one . I have to study hard these days, as the dreadful exams are coming soon.

Good luck... Vets are awesome

NomaDBuddha

Thanks

zen_world

Six Yoga of Naropa...If you are in tantric Buddhism, it is a must read imo...

ajnast4r

recently i've been listening to audio dharma instead of reading... currently listening to a collection of talks by Thanissaro Bhikkhu called 'Basics'. "A graduated series of 50 Dhamma talks for meditators, starting with breath meditation and leading through issues of discernment"

http://dhammatalks.org/mp3_collections_index.html

Gui

Molloy by Samuel Beckett
Shobogenzo by Dogen

I read Molloy to save my sanity from reading Shobogenzo and I read Shobogenzo to save my sanity from reading Molloy.

Gui

I shouldn't joke around so much. I am enjoying Shobogenzo very much. I agree with what I heard about Dogen's basic premise from some Brad Warner book I had read. I wanted to read the source for myself. I am finding it not difficult but timely to read. I read a few pages then have to let it sit a while to let it sink in. And I'm not ambitious at all so I am in no hurry. Has any of you read this?