I’ve studied through the slogans a dozen times in my life;
these are my musings on the slogan currently, what comes up on the day that
I am posting the slogan, not a formal interpretation.
For that reason they are less about straight Buddhist teachings,
and I think able to be shared with most practitioners of other faiths or no faith
(unless yours doesn’t allow you to read any other tradition.)
If you have time and the inclination, I published the WHOLE  thang here!

“#50: Don’t be swayed by external circumstances.“

Never has it been harder not to be swayed by external circumstances.
The news depresses me, angers me.
It is MOST upsetting that it appears MOST of the people in power are
only interested in their bank accounts, not the health of their children’s future.

I’m struggling with this one, so this morning I am doing the work, glad for this reminder…
Remember that when I am at a loss for what to send out,
I send the image of a sunflower, which is positivity…

“Breathe in my anger, Send out sunflowers.
Breathe in my sadness, Send out sunflowers.
Breathe in the polar bears environment collapsing…
Send out safety to all sentient beings.
Breathe in the Oil companies that pretend to care about the bears… and Inuits… and others (getting harder to stay focused in my sitting meditation)…
Send out enlightenment, wakefulness…
Breathe in the “news” organizations that won’t tell the facts…
Send out sunflowers…
Breathe in the anger I have for the people who do not care about the homeless…
Send out warmth, shelter, food…for both the homeless and those that don’t care.”

It is the best I can do.
I am barely able to be sincere at all in sending out any kind of compassion.
These are truly terrible times.

Long go, Chagdud Rinpoche said,
“One can have a little bit of hope.”
I think I need to be swayed by the beauty in the world.

The beauty of Yo-Yo Ma and James Taylor.

In this weekly commentary on the lojong, I am interested in hearing about
YOUR life or how the lojong affected you or your practice awakening in some manner.
For more info about why, go here.

 OE or OKINA NOTEBOOKS (my favorite journals, also known as Cadic)

Okina Journal, Blackwing pencil.
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