new book

From the publisher’s website: David R. Loy has become one of the Buddhist worldview’s most powerful advocates, explaining like no one else its ability to transform the sociopolitical landscape of the modern world.

In this, his most accessible work to date, he offers sharp and even shockingly clear presentations of oft-misunderstood Buddhist staples-the working of karma, the nature of self, the causes of trouble on both the individual and societal levels-and the real reasons behind our collective sense of “never enough,” whether it’s time, money, sex, security… even war. Loy’s “Buddhist Revolution” is nothing less than a radical change in the ways we can approach our lives, our planet, the collective delusions that pervade our language, culture, and even our spirituality.  

Review in Buddhadharma Magazine:  This new book “…might have a flashy title, but it is a serious and substantial book that poses real challenges to the reader. The book builds on a theme that Loy has working on for several of his last books—namely, that the three poisons are so intricately built into our society (greed in the market economy, anger in the military industrial complex, and delusion in the fame-chasing omnipresent commercial media) that awakening needs to happen in the social as well as the personal realm. This places the book firmly in the realm of Engaged Buddhism. However, its overarching theme concerns how to ensure that the Buddhadharma survives and flourishes in the West. Loy argues with conviction that in order to have relevance in the West, the dharma must find the middle way between its many traditional Asian forms and the contemporary Western feel-good consumerism that characterize much of today’s spiritualism.”

To order directly from Wisdom Publications at 20% off list price, click here.

reluctant marauders

War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death  (documentary)

Excerpt from a review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat: to view a clip and read the full review at an amazing website, click here.

Begins with footage of General MacArthur at the end of World War II predicting an era of peace. But since then we have seen the United States make war, not peace, in Korea, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Gulf, and Iraq. 

Successive presidents and policy makers in Washington have tried to convince the public that war is always the last resort. “We will seek no wider war,” said President Johnson. “The United States does not start fights,” said President Reagan. “America does not seek conflict,” contended President George H. W. Bush. “I don’t like to use military force,” said President Bill Clinton. “Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly,” stated President George W. Bush. And each of them, like the present administration, came up with a catch phrase (”the axis of evil”) to justify military intervention. 

Directors Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp of the Media Education Foundation have adapted Norman Solomon’s book of the same title into a documentary film, which includes archival footage of American officials and media disseminating pro-war messages. Narrated by Sean Penn.

roy scheider

According to the NY TIMES, Roy Scheider, a stage actor with a background in the classics who became one of the leading figures in the American film renaissance of the 1970s, died today in Little Rock, Ark. He was 75, had suffered from multiple myeloma for several years, and died of complications from a staph infection. At the time of his death, Mr. Scheider was involved in a project to build a film studio in Florence, Italy, for a series about the history of the Renaissance.

I enjoyed his solid acting in major and minor roles in such films as Klute, All That Jazz, Jaws, French Connection, Deer Hunter, Naked Lunch, and Russia House. He received several Academy Award nominations and, in recent years, became politically active. Asides from fans and friends, he leaves behind his wife, three children. and two grandchildren. May all be at ease.

freedom from fear (book)

Freedom from Fear is an essential book for all who interested in learning more about Burma and about the inner strength that Aung San Suu Kyi draws on to continue the nonviolent struggle for democracy for her people.

Compiled by Aung San Suu Kyi’s husband, Michael Aris, with a foreword by Vaclav Havel, this volume includes a wide selection of writings: essays, letters, speeches, and interviews. The book provides a background on Burma’s political, intellectual and literary history, and includes a moving yet unsentimental biography of the author’s father, Aung San.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Laureate (1991), human rights activist and leader of Burma’s National League for Democracy, was detained in 1989 by the ruling military junta and remains under house arrest in Rangoon. Originally published in 1996, this book is a revised edition with a foreword by Desmond Tutu.

ISBN13: 9780140253177

east and west

Rob Preece has written a book that I’ve been waiting for. Drawing on Buddhist teachings and Jungian psychology, he charts the path of ‘individuation,’ the coming into our own which C.G. Jung saw as our becoming a psychological “individual.”

To my naïve ears, Buddhist practice (Zen in particular) emphasizes letting go and emptying in order to free ourselves from suffering. It offers a path but not a process. As trainee practitioner we joke about an ancient master’s exhortation to “Die on the cushion!!” and another’s that “sitting is the way.” In short: just you meditate long and hard and you’ll get there. After eight years of practicing, the “how” and the “where” are still vague notions to me. [I'm showing my ignorance very nicely, thank you.]

Fortunately I have sat with compassionate and wise teachers over the years who generously offered tools and techniques, but resisted my longing for “more psychology.” I probably missed most of what they gave me since I was (am) preoccupied with sorting through the messy mess of being human.

As a practitioner in the Tibetan tradition for 35 years and a psychotherapist for 22, Preece points to the important difference between a path and a practice. “We could say that a spiritual path is more structured and doctrine-centred, while its underlying psychological process is more organic and person-centered. While these two are radically different, they are intrinsically interwoven.”

Preece situates the process of individuation “at the heart of the path of the bodhisattva, one who dedicates his or her life to attaining buddhahood for the welfare of all sentient beings. Although not couched in terms of individuation, Buddhist understanding offers a path of practice that profoundly supports the process” (p.10-11).

Rob Preece (2006). The wisdom of imperfection: the challenge of individuation in Buddhist life. Snow Lion Publications. Click for the author’s website.

what’s cooking you?

Doris Dörrie, the director of Enlightenment Guaranteed, has made another film with a Buddhist angle, this one about Espe Brown. Many of you (or your hippie-friends) know the man as author of the Tassajara Bread Book which introduced thousands to the joys of breadbaking back in the 70s and 80s. The Vancouver Film Festival announced the film thus: 

“The art of Zen and vegetable preparation is at the heart of director Dörrie’s delightful documentary. Brown became the head cook at the Tassajara Mountain Centre in California when he was in his early 20s, and has been practicing the art of Zen Buddhism and cooking for more than 40 years. As a chef, he is typically short-tempered and exacting, but as a Buddhist master he is exactly the opposite.

“Doris Dörrie sets her camera on Espe Brown as he travels, offering cooking seminars based upon the principles established 800 years ago by Master Eihei Dogen Zenji, the founder of the Japanese Soto-Zen school. From washing rice, to preparing vegetables, every action could be a path to Zen. A charming taskmaster who regularly punctures his holiness with moments of self-deprecation and humour, Espe Brown’s observations on modern culture, cooking and human foibles are often as acerbic and hilarious as they are profound. A COMPLETE JOY OF A FILM.”

women in buddhism

The Buddhist women’s movement represents an astounding 300 million women worldwide; increasingly, many women are embracing the discipline both as a tonic to the frantic pace of modern life and a more nurturing alternative to some Western religious practices.

Women Practicing Buddhism born out of the conference, “Women Practicing Buddhism: American Experiences,” held at Smith College in 2005, is a kind of mosaic portrait of the movement, a compelling chorus of voices that includes prominent Dharma teachers and noted writers, artists, activists, and healers, both Eastern and Western.

The book centers on personal issues and practices, exploring women’s particular experiences of Buddhism as it spreads throughout North America and takes root in new contexts. Typical of the essays is bell hooks’ evocative “Moving Beyond Gender,” which offers an inspiring picture of how Buddhism gave her fresh perspectives on life.

source: publisher’s blurb

movies to watch

Loretta Downs is an award-winning gardener, end-of-life-care practitioner, keynote speaker, graduate student in gerontology, and a fellow graduate of the Metta Institute. Busy?! She sends her impressisons of two current releases that deal with issues of interest to us all. 

The Savages is about the adult children of Lenny Savage, played by Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose estranged, aged father has developed dementia and must be moved from Sun City, Arizona to a nursing home in Buffalo, N.Y. where they live. The film illuminates their relationships, which are fraught with confusion, conflict, denial, hope, disappointment, and healing. 

There is a distressing scene about Advance Directives that explains why discussing them before you need them makes perfect sense. Whether you identify with the Savage children as caregivers, Lenny Savage as he loses control of his life, or the healthcare professionals who serve them, this film will give you a great deal to think about. [See also review in the Chicago Tribune.]

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, a true story about the Editor of Elle Magazine France who, at the age of 43, suffered a stroke which rendered him paralyzed except for his left eyelid. His mind was fully functional and with the aid of extraordinary caregivers he wrote a book about his captivity, one blink at a time. Yes, this is a true story. It is visually beautiful, often breathtaking to watch. [French with subtitles; see also review in the New Yorker.]

I saw the films back-to-back and was struck by the contrast and comparison of the healthcare institutions, the medical professionals, the reactions and responses of loved ones, and the ultimate issues of quality of life and inevitable death. As art imitates life, these award-winning films explore as many ethical issues about contemporary end-of-life experiences as they raise. They also inspired me to update my advance directives. (end of review). Click for information on Advance Directives in Canada and the USA. Do you have yours in place and up-to-date?

For reviews of other “spiritually literate” films, see post of Wednesday, January 2nd.

“spiritually literate” films

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat maintain a website of resources for spiritual travellers. Below are their choices for “best in 2007.” The site offers detailed reviews of English-language and foreign films (including the fine The Diving Bell and the Butterfly also reviewed on January 6 above).

Amazing Grace: inspiring drama about a zealous abolitionist in eighteenth century England who models moral heroism.
Away from Her: superbly acted drama (superb Gordon Pinset, graceful Julie Christie with Olympia Dukakis strong supporting actress) about a long marriage that is tested externally by Alzheimer’s disease and internally by the chords of attachment. See also review in Rolling Stone.
The Kite Runner: about the pain of lost friendship, the yearning for forgiveness, and the freedom that comes from making amends. See also review in the New Yorker.
Lars and the Real Girl: about the kindness and hospitality extended to a lonely young man from his Christian church and his whole community.
In the Valley of Elah: evokes compassion for the soldiers in Iraq serving at great danger to their bodies, minds, and souls.
Michael Clayton: thriller about corporate malfeasance that reveals what it is like to face life-shattering moments.
Freedom Writers: an idealistic teacher breaks down the walls separating her students from each other and enables them to celebrate their unity in diversity.
Once: An Irish film about a guy and a girl barely making ends meet who collaborate on a musical project that enriches them both in surprising ways. See also review in Rolling Stone.