Westspit Braddock Bay

Sunday, September 19, 2010

The Gate is Now



Japanese Arrow Bamboo is just too strong a plant for most people, but it's beautiful . . . .

"The underlying fabric of the world sustains us" . . . this is a statement from "The Buddha," a film that describes the origin of Buddhism, a world view with ideas that are deeply ecological, interdependent, linked. . . then take a turn toward the human condition.

"The gate is now" refers to the concept that paying attention opens the inner door ~ outer and inner life touch at this gate of attention. To the extent that you pay attention to this moment, you have access to the universe within. Though this back-and-forth process, reality reveals itself without reasoning.


The inner life, the spirituality, the 'religion' of the buddhist is only 'taught' through the living, human being who 'walks, talks and laughs.'

All of the benefits of this approach to life are available to everyone, every moment and forever without allegiance to a doctrine, a theory, a dogma.

"Strive on untiringly,' Buddha said. His ideas, more a philosophy than a religion, arose in the fifth century BCE. For most of my life I have been taught to rely on, depend on and turn to 'reasoning' to back up my observations. Reasoning's foundation, logic or coherence, helps observation become science, a textbook agreement among us to approach things with prior evidence-based thinking and recording.



Science can be a buddhist practice when approached as continuous striving and review.


Spirituality is mental . . . an inner peaceful place, a sanctuary for our feelings, thoughts and observations, where even suffering and torment find a place.


The gate is now . . .the world is revealing continually . . .inner peace is at hand.

Posted by Barbara

Sunday, September 05, 2010

immerse yourself . . . .


Take a look at this exceptional video clip of waves washing ashore in Wayne County, New York . . . .
Pultneyville shore --- ChristinelikeCamera

Posted by Barbara

Friday, September 03, 2010

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Pea Soup: Great Lakes backstory

You be the judge. Photo take August 31, 2010 Braddock Bay, Lake Ontario southshore
Why we're in gridlock about what's happening to the Great Lakes and who is in charge . . . 





  • 2009: President Obama anoints a 'czar' to over see the "Great Lakes Restoration Initiative" which seeks to fund many, many studies, programs, etc. etc. - hey, NY, where are you on this list?



  • 2008: the Centers for Disease Control never released a report, "Great Lakes Danger Zone" indicating the long, sick relationship between the water, its pollution and human health.




  • 1990-1999: we were too busy putting in computers to notice what was going on, but in the long run, computers will probably pull us out of this 'transboundary' mess.


  • 1987: Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1972 was amended by protocol -- US and Canadian governments sign this Protocol promising to report on progress and calling on the International Joint Commission to review "Remedial Action Plans" in what are described as 43 "Areas of Concern."


  • 1978: Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement addendum promised a commitment to work together to rid the Great Lakes of "persistent toxic substances."---Hmmm . . . same year Love Canal comes to light.




  • Meanwhile, for decades, we are at the behest of the shipping industry, the mining industry, the chemical and allied industries who were just 'getting rid of waste', the lack of water treatment, runoff from agriculture, lawns, etc. etc.