(#166/365) Offerings

"Invisible suffering is the latent suffering that is present in all that we are, in the guise of ignorance, attachment to the self, and a false perception of reality" - Matthieu Ricard


Title: Interior suffering
Flickr User Gloire81

You Are Here

About a month ago - David and I were at an open studio and the artist was handing out what he called "buddhist buttons" at his studio. There in his studio was a basket full of old fashioned red poker chips, with the simple white words printed on them, "YOU ARE HERE." He explained that it was a play on the tourist maps that always have a red dot and those words. A strong part of buddhism is the emphasis on the now - on living IN the moment. So the red dot in your pocket reminds you that indeed - every moment of everyday - you are here. right here. in this moment.

I carry two other talisman in my pocket... a beautiful polished stone from the Hermit's Grove in Kirkwood, WA. It reminds me of my roots in the ferny forests of the NW and reminds me of my love of nature. The other is a 50 peso coin that I've owned since childhood. I've carried it in my pocket for decades almost reflexively. I like being reminded that no matter how mind boggling it is - my past does stretch out behind me and helps me keep grounded.

What my mind is wrapping around this morning is the combination of the items - a reminder of the now, a reminder of the past - and a reminder of where I came from. I try to keep my right pocket empty but for these items. and they are a constant reminder of my path. I've always considered the peso coin a talisman - that there was a reason why it remained with me with so many other things (particularly from my childhood) were purposely left behind. and that recently they've been joined by two other things that constantly remind me of my place and my path in the world - can't be (or at least it doesn't feel like) a coincidence.

Do you have talismans or objects you keep on your person or out in plain view that bring on emotional reactions or feelings? I'd love to hear about it.

reason #9493499293 never to eat at McDonalds

Now with 100% more homophobia and bigoted "Christian" management. Apparently it's okay for gays to come to McDonalds in Europe - but not in the United States.

From Joe.My.God.:

A gay-positive McDonald's ad running in France has made international news and brought the company condemnation from American evangelists. But the Christianists needn't worry, McDonald's Chief Operating Officer Donald Thompson says that commercial will never run in the United States.

McDonalds Chief Operation Officer Donald Thompson

"I've never shied away from the fact that I'm a Christian. I have my own personal beliefs and I don't impose those on anybody else. I've been in countries where the majority of the people in the country don't believe in a deity or they may be atheist. Or the majority of the country is Muslim. Or it may be the majority is much younger skewed. So when you look at all these differences, it's not that I'm to be the judge or the jury relative to right or wrong. Having said that, at McDonald's, there are core values we stand for and the world is getting much closer. So we have a lot of conversations. We're going to make some mistakes at times. (We talk) about things that may have an implication in one part of the world and may be the cultural norm in another part of the world. And those are things that, yes, we're going to learn from. But, you're right, that commercial won't show in the United States."

Well Mr. Thompson - good luck with that. Your salty, fatty, obesity causing products aside - this is just pisses me the fuck off.... I will never eat McDonalds again.

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UPDATE:

by my own admission here? yeah.... with this post I'm probably being a hysterical foaming at the mouth fag without thinking about it.

I don't eat at McDonalds anyways....

but seeing someone do that "I've never made it a secret that I'm a Christian" pandering?

(head explodes)