LOVELIGHT
Magazine
*****
August 2006***Vol. 3, no. 8
****
Managing Editors: Richard
Shining Thunder Francis and Ada Maria Francis
*****
Contributors to this issue: Paul Bowen, Jim Dwyer, Chris Finer, Mick Gallagher, Sandra
Grubb, David Hem Sagar, Steven
McDaniel, James Mitchell, Teresa Ramsey, Kathy Rice, Rumi, Ty Scharrer, Karleen
Sell, and Geoffrey Stoermer.
LOVELIGHT
MAGAZINE: WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
Lovelight magazine is free. It comes directly to your inboxscreen
once a month, to bring a little sunshine into your life. We hope to bring you at least a few
laughs, in the "Humor Therapy" section. But life, as we know, is not all laughs. So, we hope also to share with you some
pleasant and sweet thoughts-- and maybe even some life-lessons. If you see any jokes that make your roar
or cry with silly humor, please send them along to us.
Lovelight wants to promote peace and
harmony. We would also love to aid
you personally to overcome any problems that you might have. If you are working on any religious,
psychological, or spiritual problems, we encourage you to write to us at rmfrancis@juno.com
We also want to present
"miniparables" to help you grow. So, if you come across any wise or touching pieces, not
copyrighted, fairly short, please share them with the efamily. Please send them to the magazine, at
the same address. Also welcome are
practical tips that can make life easier or safer. We also welcome short pieces on personal philosophies,
interesting facts, wordplays, and spirituality, especially those that emphasize
the value of compassion and other forms of Love. We reserve the right to make whatever changes that we deem
necessary or desirable before inclusion in Lovelight magazine.
Your email name/address will not be
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Share it with all your friends, and all others. Please use it on your websites. Also, if your friends are inclined,
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This is published as a "light"
introduction to spirituality. It
is designed especially for those who have little or no interest in the "heavier"
aspects of spirituality. Indeed,
it has proved useful to reach many with no compelling interest in the subjects
of agapology (the psychology of Love) or the Way of Love (spirituality). And it is also great, fun reading for
all the rest of us!:) This
collection would make a sweet gift for a loved one. Happy reading!:)
*****
*****
SNORTS, CHUCKLES, AND MILK OUT THE NOSE: HUMORTHERAPY
Sexomania and Other Oddball Facts, sent in by Chris Finer
In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to
have sex with animals,
but the animals must be
female. Having sexual relations with a male
animal is punishable by
death. (Kill all the gays! J )
In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman's genitals, but is
prohibited from looking directly at them during the examination. He may
only see their reflection in a mirror.
(Hand me that mirror J )
Muslims are banned from looking at
the genitals of a corpse. This also applies to undertakers. The sex organs of
the deceased must be covered with a brick or piece of wood at all times. (A
brick??)
The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation. (They might be cutting off the wrong
anatomical part! J )
There
are men in Guam whose full-time job is to travel the countryside and deflower
young virgins, who pay them for the privilege of having sex for the first
time. Reason: under Guam law, it is expressly forbidden for virgins to
marry.
In
Hong Kong, a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband,
but may only do so with her bare hands. The husband's illicit lover, on the
other hand, may be killed in any manner desired.
Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, England but only in tropical fish
stores. ( No wonder the tropical
fish have such bug eyes! J )
In Cali, Colombia, a woman may only have sex with her husband, and the first
time this happens, her mother must be in the room to witness the act. (Makes
one shudder at the thought.)
In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, it is illegal for a man to have sex with a woman and
her daughter at the same time
In Maryland, it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one
exception: Prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only "in
places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the
premises."
Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.
The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and
always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
Starfish don't have brains.
Blessed are the cracked: for it is they who let in the light
***
Monument to the "Shrub" sent in by Sandra Grubb
Dear
Friends and Relatives:
I have the distinguished honor of
being on the committee to raise $5,000,000 for a monument of George W. Bush. We
originally wanted to put him on Mt. Rushmore until we discovered there was not
enough room for two more faces.
We then decided to erect a statue of
George in the Washington, D. C. Hall Of Fame. We were in a quandary as to where
the statue should be placed. It was not proper to place it beside the statue of
George Washington, who never told a lie, or beside Dick Cheney, who never told
the truth, since George could never tell the difference.
We finally decided to place it beside
Christopher Columbus, the greatest Republican of them all. He left not knowing where he was going,
and when he got there he did not know where he was. He returned not knowing where he had been, and did it all on
someone else's money.
Thank you,
George W. Bush Monument Committee
P. S. The Committee has raised $1.35
so far.
HOW OLD ARE YOU? sent in by
Mick Gallagher
Have you ever been
guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, "Surely I can't
look that old!" Well, you are gonna love this one.
I was sitting in the waiting room for
my first appointment with a new dentist when I noticed his diploma hanging on
the wall. It bore his full name;
and I suddenly remembered a tall, handsome dark-haired boy with the same name. He had been in my high school class
forty-some years before. I
wondered whether he could be the same guy I had a secret crush on way back
then. When I reached the treatment
room, I quickly discarded any such thought. This balding, gray-haired man, with the deeply lined face,
was much too old to have been my secret crush-- or was he? After he examined my teeth I asked if he
had attended Morgan Park High School.
"Yes, I did. I'm
a Mustang!" He said, gleaming with pride.
"When did you
graduate?" I asked.
"1959. Why do
you ask?" he answered.
"Well, you were
in my class!" I exclaimed.
Then that ugly, old
wrinkled son-of-a-bitch asked, "What did you teach?"
***
BLONDS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, sent in by Ty Scharrer
A blonde worked for a company. She was a little confused about paying
an invoice. Her boss was also
confused. So he asked her, "You
graduated from college, didn't you?"
She
replied, "Yes, with honors !"
He then explained that he was having a
small problem with an invoice and needed some help: "If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much
would you take off?" he asked.
The blonde thought a moment, and replied, "Everything
but my earrings."
***
BRING ON THE
RELIGIOUS BUCKS, sent in by Ty Scharrer
This may come as a surprise to
those of you not living in Las Vegas, but there are more Catholic Churches than
casinos in Vegas. Not
surprisingly, some worshippers at Sunday Services will give casino chips rather
than cash when the basket is passed. Since they get chips from many different casinos, the
churches have devised a method to collect the offerings.
The churches send all their collected
chips to a nearby Franciscan monastery for sorting. Then the chips are taken to the casinos of origin and cashed
in. This is done by the chip
monks.
Didn't even see it coming ... did
you?
***
CYBERILLITERATES, sent in by Chris Finer
Tech support: What kind of computer do you have?
Female customer: A white one.
**
Customer: Hi, this is Celine. I can't get my diskette out.
Tech support: Have you tried pushing the
Button?
Customer: Yes. Sure. It's
really stuck.
Tech support: That doesn't sound good;
I'll make a note.
Customer: No, wait a minute. I hadn't inserted it yet. It's still on my desk. Sorry.
**
Tech support: Click on the "my
computer" icon on the left of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?
**
Customer: Hi. Good
afternoon. This is Martha. I can't print. Every time I try, it says, "Can't
find printer." I've even
lifted the printer and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer
still says he can't find it.
**
Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore.
Tech support: Are you sure it's plugged
into the computer?
Customer: No. I can't get behind the computer.
Tech support: Pick up your keyboard and
walk 10 paces back
Customer:! OK
Tech support; Did the keyboard come with
you?
Customer: Yes
Tech support: That means the keyboard is
not plugged in. Is there another keyboard?
Customer: Yes, there's another one here. Ah, that one does work.
**
Customer: I can't get on the Internet.
Tech support: Are you sure you used the
right password?
Customer: Yes, I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it.
Tech support: Can you tell me what the
password was?
Customer: Five stars.
**
Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a screen saver on my
computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears.
***
SILLY DOMAINAMES, sent in by Chris Finer
Everyone knows that if you are
going to operate a business in today’s world you need a domainame. It is advisable to look at the domainame
selected as others see it and not just as you think it looks. Failure to do this might result in
situations such as the following (legitimate) companies.
1. A site called ‘Who
Represents‘ where you can find the name of the agent that represents a
celebrity. Their domainame is www.whorepresents.com***2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge
base where experts can exchange advice and views at
www.expertsexchange.com***3.
Looking for a pen? Look no further
than Pen Island at penisland.net***4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at
www.therapistfinder.
Com***5. Then of course, there’s the Italian Power Generator company
www.powergenitalia.***6. And now, we have the Mole Station Native Nursery,
based in New South Wales (that's in Australia): www.molestationnursery.com***7.
If you’re looking for computer software, there’s always www.ipanywhere.com***8.
Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church. Their website is www.cummingfirst.com***9. Then, of course,
there’s these brainless art designers, and their whacky website:
www.speedofart.com***10.
Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at www.gotahoe.com
***
SECRETS OF INTERNATIONAL
FLIGHT, sent in by Karleen Sell
A distinguished young woman
on a plane asked the priest beside her, "May I ask a favor?"
"Of course,"
answered the priest. "What
can I do for you?"
"Well, I bought an expensive hair dryer that is
well over the taxfree limits; and I'm afraid they'll confiscate it. Is there
anyway you could carry it through Customs for me?"
"I would love to help you,. But I must warn you: I will not
lie."
"With your honest face, no one will question
you."
When they got to Customs, she let the priest go
ahead of her.
The official asked, "Do
you have anything to declare?"
"From the top of my head down to my waist, I have
nothing to declare."
The official thought this answer strange, so asked,
"And what do you have to declare from your waist to the floor?"
"I have a marvelous little instrument designed to
be used on a woman, but which is, to date, unused."
Roaring with laughter, the official said, "Go ahead!
Next!"
FUTURE HEADLINES?, Sent in by Ty
Scharrer
In the year 2525:
Ozone created by electric cars now killing
millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia.***Baby
conceived naturally - - scientists stumped.***Iran and Iraq still closed off;
physicists estimate it will take at least 3000 more years before radioactivity
decreases to safe levels.***Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can
now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.***
Notorious ne'er do well George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036, with elections bought by daddy.***Postal
Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery
to Wednesdays only.***A $75.8 billion study shows that: Diet and Exercise are
keys to weight loss.***Average weight of Americans drops to 250 pounds.******New
federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be
registered by January 2036.***IRS
sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.***Florida and Ohio voters still having
trouble with voting machines.
***
PUNGROAN, sent in by Ty Scharrer
A marine biologist developed a
race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were
fed a steady diet of seagulls. One
day, his supply of the birds ran out; so the biologist had to go out and trap
some more. On the way back, he
spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and charged
with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.
***
Politicians and chickens, sent
in by Jim Dwyer
Farmer John was in the egg business. He had several hundred young layer hens (called pullets) and
eight or ten roosters, whose job
was to fertilize the eggs. John
kept records; and any rooster that
didn't perform went into the soup pot.
That took a lot of time; so he bought a
set of tiny bells and attached
them to his roosters. Each bell
had a different tone; so John could
tell, at a distance, which rooster was performing. Now he could sit
on his porch and fill out efficiency reports by just listening.
His favorite rooster
was Butch. But one morning, he
noticed that Butch's bell hadn't
rung! The other roosters were
chasing pullets. The pullets, hearing the roosters
coming, ran. To his amazement,
John saw Butch holding his bell in his beak, so it wouldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job, and walk on to the next.
John was so proud of
Butch, he entered him in the county fair and Butch became an overnight sensation. The result: The judges not
only gave Butch the "No Bell Piece Prize." They also awarded him the "Pulletsurprise" as
well. Clearly Butch was a politician in the making. Who
else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most highly
coveted awards on our planet by being best at sneaking up on
the populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention?
***
NIGHTMARE WRITING, sent in by
Geoffrey Stoermer
Every
year, English teachers from across the country can submit their collections of actual analogies and
metaphors found in high school essays. These
excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers across the country. Here are last year's winners:
1. Her face was a perfect oval,
like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.***2.
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like
underpants in a dryer without
Cling Free.***3. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.***4. She
had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it
throws up.***5. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.***6. He was as
tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.***7. The little boat gently drifted across
the pond exactly the way a bowling
ball wouldn't.***8. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty
bag filled with vegetable soup.***9. From the attic came an unearthly
howl. The whole scene had an
eerie,
surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy
comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.***10. Her hair glistened in the rain
like a nose hair after a sneeze.***11. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed
lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland
at 6:36 p.m traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed
of 35 mph.***12. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket
fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.***13. John and Mary had never
met. They were like two
hummingbirds who had also never met.***14. The ballerina rose gracefully en
Pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire
hydrant.***15. He was deeply in love.
When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage
truck backing up.
*****
*****
BROTHER BABY HIPPO LOVES BROTHER TURTLE, sent in by Chris Finer
A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves
on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old
tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials
said.
The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and
weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki
River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore
when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, before
wildlife rangers rescued him. "It
is incredible. A
Less-than-ONE-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old,
and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother',"
ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.
"After it was swept and lost
its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the
tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist
added. "The hippo follows the
tortoise exactly the way it follows its
mother. If somebody approaches the
tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological
mother," Kahumbu added. "The
hippo is a young baby. He
was left at a very tender age; and by nature, hippos are social animals
that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.
*****
*****
LOVELETTERS FROM BUDS, PALS, AND FRIENDS
From Ty Scharrer
To Shi, From Ty:
Greetings, my friend!
I just finished listening to your radio broadcast. I bet the Republicans listening to your broadcasts were squirming in their seats. … The right wing radio talk shows have manipulated the masses of our country to accept war, extreme debt, and the loss of personal freedoms.
Keep up your fine work.
Ty Scharrer
From
Teresa Ramsey:
I am feeling
like Divine Mind, Buddha Mind has more set the law of karma into motion, and we
create our suffering. The ripples
from negative karma can extend a
long long way until we 'wake up' and sort of 'run to meet our karma.' From my view, the suffering child is fortunate indeed if the
parent is loving and guides her
through compassion and love into a life of right choice, right action. The ripples are changed by the interaction of-- what's the
word besides a "repentant heart"?-- forgiveness and love. All those qualities you mentioned. I do think one of the most potent sentences besides "I love you" is
"I am sorry."
Love,
tkr
***
NATURE'S ANTI-BUG TIPS, from
Kathy Rice:
Dearest
Shi,
Great
tips in this month's Lovelight on dealing with our tiny crawling and
winged
friends. I have a couple more
suggestions:
The
first is something my Mother use to do when we'd go camping: She'd cut
Cat
Tails after they have turned brown, no not from your neighbor's tabby,
but
from around ponds and streams. Cut
them long, and then stick them into
the
ground around your yard, when you are planning to entertain outdoors,
then
light the tops and blow them out.
They will continue to smolder very
slowly,
and the bugs will stay away.
It's free, poison-free, and nature-friendly all the way around.
The
second is a trick a dear friend showed me. Each spring and fall we are
inundated
with ants making their way into our house from cracks in the
concrete
foundation. She showed me that by
placing baby powder along the
walls
where they come in, that the ants can't make it past the fine talc and
end
up going elsewhere. After a time,
once they've quit trying, you can
clean
up the "white lining" until the next seasonal march. It's wonderful
because
it doesn't have any adverse effect. Your pets, and you aren't dealing
with
poisons of any kind.
Hope
these suggestions can help others….
Love,
Kisses & Hugs to You Both,
Kathy
***
RADIOPROGRAM, from Hem Sagar, our friend in India:
Dear
Francisji and Adamariaji,
Namaste and Sneham!!! [Divine greetings
and Love.] What good news from you that "High Spirits" is back
With
a new offer. I am so excited to
hear that. Brother, keep it up! You are doing a fine job.
Shanti [Peace,]
Bhai [younger brother] Davidji
*****
*****
Color and Feng
Shui, Sent
in by Chris Finer
Becoming familiar with the elements and their
colors will be a huge benefit when putting together your space.
Black represents
water and is the color of the North, career section of any space. Black should never be used on walls,
carpets or ceilings and roofs. The
color black is used as a water symbol; works best as an accent. Do not used as a large splash of black
in any one area. Black roofs
symbolize water on the mountain and is considered damaging and unlucky. Next time you replace that roof go red,
gray or green.
White is a
yang color and considered as prosperous because it symbolizes metal as in gold
coins. There are two sections of
the home that are considered metal elements, West and Northwest; and thus,
white will greatly improve these areas. Having ceilings and walls white, and then using other colors
to enhance the compass direction of that room area, is the best application of
all around balance.
Red is the
color of the South and of fire. All
shades of red from light pink to the bright Chinese red will bring great
fortune when used properly in the South. This will assist in bringing fame, fortune and great
reputation.
Green
represents Wood and the color of the East and Southeast.
Green will improve family relations as well as
cash flow and investments when used properly in the compass point in the home
or office.
Blue also
represents water and is best applied in the North, East and Southeast, Never
overdo blue since water should never be activated in large quantities; and keep
all water features out of bedrooms.
Small hint, if you are having relationship
challenges, look around the bedroom and remove yang energy such as water,
plants, electronics and mirrors facing the bed.
Purple is
great for the Southeast in enhancing wealth. The richer, luxurious colors such as plum and lavenders give
the wealth a big boost
Yellow
represents the Earth element; it is the largest element in any one space; for
it occupies 3 different areas: The
Southwest, Northeast and the Center of the home or office. Earth colors actually vary from all
shades of yellow, orange, browns, tans and will enhance relationships, health
and spiritual or academic growth
To sum up the compass points and their colors lets
review.
North-blue
and black. Northeast-yellow, orange and browns. East-green. Southeast-green and purple.
South-red........ Southwest-yellow, orange and brown........ West-white, silver and gold. Northwest-white,
silver and gold.
Colors are a powerful Feng Shui tool, and a happy
addition to any space.
*****
*****
BUDDHISM AND SEXUAL MONOGAMY (LOYALTY)
Based on
notes from James Mitchell
One of the most
treasured of the very few spiritual items still left in Western culture is
sexual fidelity. Some have
suggested that Buddhism, in the name of "escaping from suffering,"
should relax and even ignore these standards of morality, even though they are
expressions of sincere maitri (Love)
and karuna (compassion).
Mitchell writes,
"The topic under consideration… came from an ex-colleague of mine.
He… recently published an article/essay in Tricycle Magazine (May
3rd Issue) entitled, "The Opposite of Jealousy." The
article/essay is the point of controversy…. I have a few reasons why I'm
interested in challenging this published article/essay.
First, it is a
misinterpretation of Buddhist Psychology and one of its core teachings, i.e.,
Brahma-Vihara or "The Four Sublime Abodes:" equanimity (upeksha),
loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), and altruistic joy (mudita).
Particularly, the author focuses on altruistic joy and how it can
transform jealousy in the context of relationship. The
author's version… has bypassed or forgotten to specify the challenge of
sexual jealousy….
Second, the fact that
a leading Buddhist magazine would give such a viewpoint press-time in the face
of essential Buddhist Psychology, i.e., Atthangika-Magga (Eight-fold Path),
fans the flames of tanha (craving) instead of understanding its rising and
passing away. The eightfold path is the path to purifying and breaking
the habits of mind by following sila (virtuous living), samadhi
(concentration), and panna (wisdom). I do not think the middle path would
be called the middle path by manipulating an outgrowth of its teaching, Brahma-Vihara
for instance, to mean that one of its components (i.e., altruistic joy) is a
valid way to explore, support, or have sexual relations with more than one
person.
Lastly, The gist of
the article/letter is to explore "the transformation of jealousy through
the cultivation of sympathetic joy" as a means to "bolster the
awakening of the enlightened heart" through "emancipating embodied
love from possessiveness" by loosening sexual constraints from
conventional monogamy. By letting this 'transpersonal' interpretation of
Buddhist Psychology have acceptance or giving it power to generate so-called
dialogue, what are we actually telling our progeny or supporters of the middle
way? Is polyamory [multiple sex-partners] the way of the future? An
honorable or wholesome modicum for sexual expression?
If the writer
ultimately believes that "the greatest expression of spiritual freedom in
intimate relationships does not lie in strictly sticking to any particular
relationship style-- whether monogamous or polyamorous" then what makes
his point so compelling for publication? It is seemingly obvious he would
like to see the loosening of sexual constraints (polyamory) as an integral part
to relieving suffering in relationships….
Contrarily, I believe
the author authentically believes his viewpoint is cutting-edge and that it
would be helpful, yet I don't agree with his viewpoint because it is
antithetical to the actual practice of Buddhist Psychology. The writer
accurately points out the Buddhist perspective of skillful means (upaya) and of
the… nature of Buddhist ethics to eradicate the suffering of self and
others. Will these skillful means achieve the eradication of suffering by
challenging the conventional form of intimate relationships, which mainly
includes applying altruistic joy (mudita) to transform jealousy and legitimize
polyamory? I think the fundamentalist Mormons would agree with the
author's perspective. Has anyone seen the Spring 2006 HBO program,
"Big Love"?... I suggest he limit his viewpoints to his
followers or the field of marginalized Transpersonal Psychology. However,
if the author is serious, then should his 'contrary' view be given more
consideration or laughed off as pop psychology for the promiscuous?
Just because 'you can' or because 'you have the thought,' it
doesn't make it a wholesome idea or that it belongs to the path of
purification. Otherwise, it is not Buddhist but rather transpersonal.
Perhaps the author should find another written context to justify his beliefs
in polyamory and the eradication of suffering….
I
also don't like that the author is representing East/West Psychology in a
widely read Buddhist magazine. I, too, come from East/West Psychology but
am disinclined to couple it with such transpersonalized views of spiritual
development. I would like to see challenges to what I see as unhelpful.
*****
*****
Selections from the novel Ydnas, written by Dr. Paul Bowen, used with permission.
[10,3]Since it can (with
sufficient effort) be made relevant to some of the issues we have been
discussing, I hereby send you another episode of my divinely inspired novel, Ydnas:
“A bit of humor is good
evidence that a scripture is truly divine.”***For a second time, Ydnas
addressed a group…. “Today, won’t talk about my own ideas,”
she said. “I will read from
scripture… from the Church of Magda. Not trying to convert you to this church, not saying this
scripture contains perfect truth. Maybe
interesting, maybe makes you think, wonder. Hope so.”
…“Church
of Magda has maybe two thousand people. Big scripture, the Prophets of Magda, says it has words from their god. God is called ‘Magda.’…
Prophets…. They say Magda
has many names, many churches. They
say there is another god, called “Maderpin,” sometimes called
“the Divider.” Maderpin
wants mortals to be against each other…."
Opening
the book to a place marked by a ribbon, Ydnas began to read:
Listen
respectfully to Maderpin, when he says to you that you are imperfect; but do
not believe him. Why would I, your
father and mother, have created you with flaws? There is no flaw in my love for
you, nor is there any flaw in my ability to fashion you as I see fit.
Therefore,
you are without flaw, and so are all of your brothers and
sisters…….
You cannot escape your own nature. Cherries are not picked from a cakefruit
tree, and cakefruits are not picked from a cherry tree. If you are intrinsically flawed, your
actions will inevitably be flawed as well.
Therefore,
try to have faith that I who made you am not incompetent. Do not hesitate to do what seems right
to you. The sun does not hide her
light, and neither should you. If
you truly respect me, you will not be ashamed of displaying my work, just as it
is. Do not be ashamed to be seen
naked, either in body or in soul.
And if
you should find yourself thinking poorly of others, remember that they too are
my creations, and that I can alter or destroy them at any time; therefore,
since I have not done so, I must love them just the way they are, no matter how
puzzling that may seem to you. And this is true; I do love them all, even the
injured, the stupid, the sick, the insane, the evil, the incompetent, and yes,
even the dogmatic. If you do not
find them worthy of love, then you must think that I am mistaken.
Even
Maderpin, the Divider, is my own work. You should therefore love him, as do I. I made him to test you, and he is doing
so, faithfully and single-mindedly. He’s very good at what he does. He offers you a suggestion, and you are
always free to say “No.” If you say “Yes,” that is your doing, not his.
For
similar reasons, I suggest that you not offer me advice when you pray. If you pray for something that I am
going to do anyway, it is pointless. If you pray for something that I would not have done anyway,
then you apparently think I am stupid.
In
general, I suggest that you not pray in a spirit of calculation. If you pray, let it be an exclamation! For example, if you love me, then pray,
“Oh, Magda, how I love you!” If you hate me, then pray, “Oh,
Magda, how I hate you!” Yes,
it is natural for you to hate me from time to time; that is the way you are
made. If you hate me, but you do
not say so, do you think I will not know? I know better than you the thoughts that agitate your mind,
not only those on the surface, but those that lurk in the depths. Do you think I would be insulted by
words, but not by the thoughts behind them? Do you think I am especially pleased when you lie to me, hide
your anger from me, and flatter me? Fear not: no reprimand, whether in words or in thoughts, will
bother me, for I know with absolute certainty that I am utterly without flaw. Besides, I made you so that you would
hate me from time to time; why then would I be angry when you do so? So go ahead, and express yourself
honestly.
Likewise,
it is pointless for you to give me gifts. It is all mine already…. And please, don’t try to
bribe or wheedle me! You will only
be embarrassed later, when you think about what you have done.
Try to
remember that there is no flaw in the world I have made for you. Everything in it is good, beautiful, and
right. I know that it is hard for
you to see it that way. This is
not a flaw in you, there is a reason for it. I made you to be fallible. So if you realize that you have fallen into the error of
seeing the world otherwise, or any other error, do not be angry at yourself;
you are doing just what I made you to do. Just continue with your life.
Those
of you who are poor will often be angry at me, or at the world that I have
made; but the fact is, that it is easier for the poor to enter into Paradise,
for they eat real bread, and know that it is real, or they eat nothing, and
know that it is nothing; whereas the rich consume nothingness, and think that
it is real. For this reason, it is
easier for an elephant to live in a thimble, than it is for a rich person to
enter Paradise. By ‘entering
Paradise,’ of course, I mean realizing that you are already there; for
what would I create, except a Paradise?
Concerning
wealth, my advice is, that if you have a choice, you should live simply and
comfortably, if you can do so without harming others; but there is no reason to
make things worse for yourself than they have to be.
Look at
yourself; you were clearly made to sense, to think, to judge, to speak, and to act, and to do all these things
in community. Do those things. It won’t require a terrible
effort, if you don’t get in your own way.
It even
makes sense for you to love those who injure you, since in reality they too are
without flaw. If someone injures
you, it is pointless to injure him in return; that will not take back what he
has done. In fact, nothing you can
do can change the past, so get on with your lives! Let the past be a source of wisdom, and nothing more.
If you
realize that those who injure you are without flaw, you will spontaneously love
them. If anyone were truly and
deeply injured, it would be those who deliberately injure others, for they are
deluded: they are angry at a perfect world, and they hope to improve it by
trying to damage parts of it. They
are like sick people who hallucinate demons attacking them, and flail about
wildly, injuring those who are trying to help them. Would you want to change
places with such a person? But
that is just what revenge and retribution amount to.
Insofar
as you are not hallucinating, then, you will love those that hate you, heal
those who injure you, and stand by those who fail you. In fact, it is just those who can use
your help.
Why,
then, you ask, should we strive for good and against evil? The answer is, that you do not need a
reason, for it is in your nature to do so, as it is in the nature of water to
run downhill. And what would it
be, to give a reason? It would be
a demonstration that it is good to be good, and bad to be bad. Does anyone really need such a
demonstration? The one you see as evil merely has a different idea of what is
good.
Everyone
you encounter has something to teach you. The more different someone is from you, the more he has to
teach. Some people think that they have many terribly important things to teach
others, but nothing to learn from them. How strange! If
in doubt, I suggest that you learn first, then teach, for you will have fewer
painful regrets this way. Also,
what you have to teach them will emerge spontaneously; your life will be your
teaching. It is not necessary to
make plans to teach them something, or to put your teaching into words; in
fact, you don’t even have to think about teaching; it will happen by
itself.
But you
are not here just to teach each other; you are here to help one another, and to
accept help from one another, in various ways. That is why you are imperfect: those who are perfect need no
help. To help each other, you must
respect and trust one another, in various ways. If you do this, then it will become obvious that this is
Paradise.
So
listen respectfully to Maderpin when he tells you to struggle with one another,
but don’t feel obliged to do it."
Ydnas
closed the book and looked up. “That
is all I read today,” she said.
“I would like us to be quiet for a few breaths, and then, maybe
you say something."
*****
*****
COLOR YOUR HOME
"GREEN," from the Union of Concerned
Scientists
Since you already devote
a lot of thought to choosing the right color and finish of paint, stain, or
varnish, don’t forget to consider the product’s environmental
impact at the same time.
The most significant ingredients in this
regard are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), nine percent of the airborne pollutants that form
ground-level ozone-- smog--come from the VOCs in paint. The EPA advises caution when using
products that contain VOCs because exposure to these compounds can cause eye
and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and
memory impairment.
In addition, many oil-based products
contribute to further environmental damage because they are derived from
petroleum. Extracting and
processing this non-renewable fossil fuel contributes to air and water pollution.
Alternatives
Disposal
What you do with your
finishing/decorating products once your project is finished is a critical yet
often overlooked decision. Follow
the tips below to greatly reduce the environmental damage these products can
do:
Related Links
EPA—Volatile
Organic Compounds
EPA—Remodeling
and VOCs
Healthy
Home Plans—Non-Toxic Paint
Green
Seal—Wood Finishes and Stains (pdf)
St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District—
Potential Household Hazardous Waste Products
*****
*****
POETRY CORNER
Poems submitted by Steven McDaniel and R. F.
My Lady Goddess
*******
My Lady,
The fullmoon,
Rises from Mother Earth
In polychromatic splendor,
enfolded and dressed with
Clouds of lightfog. Her other face is
As sweet little Sister Flower.
She weeps for us,
And her tears fall
Gently from gray-cotton clouds.
She loves me in my lover,
And I fall ever more deeply
In sweet Love.
I gasp as she lifts me
Into the galaxy.
She touches me
In my dear sweet friend,
And the heart is flame,
Warm and bright.
I hold her faces
Inside the head.
I feel her Love;
I am her Love.
She is my brother,
Who calls me to poetry
And reminds me that
The whole world is Rumi incarnate.
She is my lover,
Sparkling and glowing with warm
Love.
For my Lady is everywhere,
For she is Love.
Selection from Rumi, sent in by
Steven McDaniel
O, the sky who turns above
our head!
In love of the sun, you share the same mantle with me.
By God you are in love - and I shall tell what reveals your secret:
Inside and out you are radiant and lush.
You do not get soaked in the sea, you are not bound to the earth;
You do not burn in fire, and are
not disturbed by the wind.
O the millstone! which is the water that makes you turn?
Tell me! perhaps you are a wheel made of Iron.
You turn one way and make the earth green [with raindrops] like paradise;
Then you turn the other way and uproot the trees [in storm].
The sun turn the other way and uproot the trees [in a storm].
The sun is a candle and you a moth in action;
Weaving your web around this candle….
O dutiful wheel [of the sky!] you
are safe from harm.
Everything is a pretext, there is
love and nothing besides love;
Love is the house of God and you are living in that house.
I will say no more, for it is not possible to say;
God knows how much more is in me crying out to be told.
*****
*****
"HIGH
SPIRITS" RADIOPROGRAM REINCARNATED
We had assumed that the call to do a local
radioprogram had run its course.
Following the signs as they were at the time, we ended our radiocontract
with wcky radio. But changes were
brewing beneath the surface.
During the second week of July, we received a call from the radioguy
with whom we had worked, Scott
Fitzgerald. He invited us back to
do a show again, and made us an offer that was literally irresistible. Long story short, we are enjoying a
reincarnation of the previous show, "High Spirits" on wsai 1360,
am. It begins on Sunday, at 8
pm. (Later, the timeslot might
change to starting at 9 pm, but nothing is set in concrete.) The phone-numbers for this call-in show
are 749-1360 (local) and ld: 877-345-3779. We are starting the previous Love Education Team, in which
we are asking our friends to donate only three dollars per week. So, if you would like to join the Love
Education Team, by making a promise to donate this, please write to us
immediately, at: rmfrancis@juno.com
When you join, acknowledgment will be made in
our "sister magazine," the infosheet called the "Universal
LoveDigest." Please get in
touch with us immediately!
Note: As of July 30, 2006 we signed only a
four-week contract for this show.
So, come August 20, we will be looking for work! J
*****
*****
LOVELIGHT MAGAZINE: COLLECTION FOR THE YEAR TWENTY-OH-FIVE
We are thrilled to announce, after
a long wait, the release of The Light of Love, Volume 2. So
many of you have expressed deep appreciation for the humor and wisdom of Volume
1, all the issues of Lovelight magazine
for twenty-oh-four. Now, you can
have all twelve issues of Lovelight
magazine for 2005, all in a single paperback book. This book costs $5.97, so you can afford to order extra
copies for gifts and for friends.
Loads of great humor, wisdom, practical tips, and miniparables. Would make an excellent "stocking
stuffer" for Christmas. Order
now! Order from: rmfrancis@loveministries.com
*****
*****