November 19, 2006 by mike.

Sure! Of course! And it can be haven as the material dimensions of a small blue planet start to squeeze us.

Herewith, courtesy and credit to Katagiri-Roshi: From Returning to Silence - Zen Practice in Daily Life.

Gassho, Sensei.

Ritual is constantly painting a portrait of our life, setting in motion the interactive commuminon between us and the universe. Without ritual we cannot do anyting. The poem “To Paint the Portrait of the Bird” by Jacques Prevert, is a good example of the interacting communion of appeal and response that is rutual or the essential nature of repentence:

First paint a cage

with an open door.

Then paint something pretty

something simple

something beautiful

something useful

for the bird.

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November 19, 2006 by mike.

Tip of the hat to genius and agent provocateur - Laurie Anderson.

This small blue planet seems like a bit of a fractious place these days.

The Israeli’s are committing genocide against the Palestinians.

The US is engaged in a disorganized genocidal approach to Iraq, Iran, and we may want to start up again with Nicarauga soon.

The Russians have their foot on the throat of the Chechans.

People’s revolutions are turning countries to the left in Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile and even slightly left in the United States of Amnesia as Gore Vidal puts it.

The Right-Center (fascist?) government of Mexico has the gloves off with the common people of Oaxaca.

Iran and Korea are trying to muster a nuclear weapon stash, the United States has decided to help India increase its nuclear arsenal.

Yikes! What a mess for a small blue planet.

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