No mud, no lotus…

It's the Moon's day . . . another lovely Fall day in TulseyTown

Doing my part, until I can't.

Today is Armistice Day, originally a remembrance of the end of World War I in 1918, expanded to Veteran's Day in the U.S. to honor all military veterans.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified, was dedicated today in 1921 at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

[R]emember, every step toward progress in American history came after the darkness of defeat...it is our turn to pull up our socks and get back in the fight....Americans do not want a country where political parties each field their own team of billionaires who then squabble over how to divvy up the spoils of government...if Democrats want to earn back the trust of working people and govern again, we need to convince voters we can – and will – unrig the economy. – Elizabeth Warren.

Reckoning and rebuilding in the fog, when there are no fog-lights and no quick fix.

No mud, no lotus. – Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

How might anger, hatred and delusion—the mud of these times-- give rise to a growing compassion and wisdom in our world? – Tara Brach

Voce

Creation speaks.

I hear wind in the Fall leaves.

Cold breeze brings bird song.

— jab

The Unexpected Way

It's Sol's day … a sunny, calm, lovely Fall day in TulseyTown . . .

…there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths. – Mark Nepo

[T]he will of the majority does not embrace all interests in a society, which must be protected equally. That is the reason for constitutional rule as the founding principle of a liberal polity. – Nathan Gardels, “Illiberal Democracy Comes To America,” in Noēma, November 7, 2024.

The backlash begins. Trump voters are shocked to learn that tariffs will raise consumer prices – Heather Cox Richardson, Letters From An American.

Consider John Prine's advice: Blow up your TV, move to the country, eat some peaches, and try to find Jesus on your own.

If [any health care system] does not consider which elements of life it overlooks, we can slip from a stance of genuine scientific curiosity into a mere prescriptive formula. From that point on, it can become a box to shut people into rather than a sophisticated approach to helping them. – Ana Todorović writing for Psyche.

Enlightenment and clarity of the mind occur only in response to endeavoring in The Way, which ripens the conditions of your practice. It is not that the sound of [the rain] or the color of blossoms that are vivid. Although the sound of [the rain] is wondrous, it is heard at the moment when it hits the leaves. Although the color of the blossoms is beautiful, they do not open by themselves but unfold in the light of springtime. Studying The Way is like this, attained when conditions come together. Although you have your own capacity, practice The Way with the combined strength of the community. Practice and search with the one mind of those, known and unknown, who've joined you on The Way. Thousands are with you in this very moment. – after Zen Master Dogen

I Go Down to the Shore

I go down to the shore in the morning

… and I say, oh, I am miserable,

what shall –

what shall I do? And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me, I have work to do.

– Mary Oliver, “I Go Down to the Shore” in A Thousand Mornings, Penguin Press, 2012,

Horizons are everywhere

It's the Satyr's day . . . Southerlies and clear skies return to TulsyTown today...

Poet Anne Sexton was born on this date in 1928 Newton, Massachusetts.

Today is the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the “night of broken glass” in 1938 when German Nazis coordinated a nationwide attack on Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues.

And in 1989 the Berlin Wall came down in Germany.

The coming months and years will be a roll call for fearless journalists, and we don’t know how many will answer. But as we enter an era of deepening national madness, there will be essential stories to tell. – Mark Jacobs

Open invitation

We find ourselves on the other side of a threshold facing a future that is dark and unknown. Around us, the world continues to face immense challenges—conflicts, divisions, loss, and a shared longing for peace and justice. These are heavy times, and feelings of anguish, anxiety, powerlessness, and even despair are deeply felt by many. In response, the Center for Action and Contemplation has issued an open invitation for a time to be together in stillness and reflection on Tuesday, November 12 from 7:30 – 8:00am PT, 9:30 – 10am CST (3:30 –4:00pm GMT).

In this world, few people look with the eyes of compassion, and so we are cruel and merciless toward each other. The weak are always oppressed by the strong. [Yet] love and understanding can ease the suffering of all beings. The truth is the truth, whether or not it is accepted by the majority. Therefore, I tell you children, it takes great courage to stand up for and protect what is right. – from “The Wounded Swan,” excerpted from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha. Parallax Press, Berkeley, California, 1999.