Magia Bella: bella-magic.com

If you are an omnivore, tell me: have you recently witnessed or been part of the production of killing and butchering the meat you eat?

It’s been my philosophy that if you’re going to eat meat, you should know first-hand, witness and/or assist at least once in the process of how your meat comes to your table. It’s a tall order, I realize. I have yet to do it as an adult, but that time will come soon. I’ve been invited to hunt feral pigs that are destroying a friend’s property. I am raising chickens for eggs and eventually, meat. I am planning a purchase of a pasture-raised cow for future consumption. And I find that I quake inside with the thought of doing my own butchering.

If it weren’t for the many food intolerances I suffer, I’d become a vegetarian once again. Unfortunately, being vegetarian would severely impact my health, so it’s not an option at this time. Thus, I need to walk my talk if I continue to eat meat. I believe it’s only fair and just.

There are some animal rights advocates who believe that hunting wild game is the only humane way to provide meat for the table. Their reasoning is that the hand-raising of animals who then come to trust humans, then stressing the animals with the production of death, is a huge violence to both the animal and the human. I can see how this could be true.

On the other hand, I (and many others who are non-agrarian in industrialized nations) have long been divorced from the production of food. So the above paragraph may be a romantic notion, afforded by this era’s relative prosperity.

I will take up my friend’s offer to hunt the feral pigs. I will eventually kill and butcher my own chickens. It may turn out that with prayers for the animal and gratitude for what they give me, I will find my place in the cycle of life and death, and be at peace. We shall see.

photo credit: Another Pint Please…

Between the low-level migraine (can still function, but light hurts) and getting wing-beaten by one of the geese (don’t ask), gonna have to pass on posting anything requiring much thought on my part. Have a good day, all.

photo credit: kimberlyfaye

NaBloPoMo is one intimidating mutherfarker. I’m sitting here at the keyboard, thinking “uh…. uh…. ” and having no bloody clue what to write. Should I write about taking care of the farm animals? How cold it got last night? What is the real purpose of the is web site and blog anyways?

My spirituality is interwoven densely with day-to-day life, and I’m grateful for it being so. It does create a conundrum, however, on how to write about it. If I wrote about day-to-day life, anyone coming to this blog for specific insights into Feri or secular Buddhism would have to wade through many posts to find small nuggets of anything potentially useful. Then again, I think of our Tradition elder, Victor Anderson, and how he taught via rambling discussions on whatever was on his mind. I have found - in teaching one-on-one - that this is how I end up passing on knowledge as well.

With the above in mind, once again I come back to “what is this blog for?” Gonna let that question rest in the alchemical space of the inner compost pile for awhile, and see what becomes of it.

photo credit: solylunafamilia

The half moons on the horizon above the hills this fall have been amazing. Golden yellow, they bring to mind Tibetan skull cups (the pic to the left is one of those cups).

Not sure what else to say. 6:00 AM is way too early to write coherently. How about some bad haiku?

Half moon on the rise
Golden yellow, light streaming
Fills my heart with joy

photo credit: Poorfish

I forget from whom I first heard “body trumps spirit”, but the phrase is proving it’s truth (yet again) tonight. I’ve one helluva post-election energy hangover. Can’t think of anything else to write. Off to make a pot of coffee.

photo credit: magnoid

I’m overjoyed by the win of President-Elect Barack Obama!! This has been a great day in the history of the United States of America. “Sí se puede!”

May we as citizens pull together and start making some progress on the issues facing our nation: economically, socially, and environmentally. Blessed be, y’all.

photo credit: Eli Juicy Jones

This election season has found me in various stages of anger, fear, self-righteousness, condescension, rage, desperation, hope, smugness, and utter confusion. I look at what some of the folks on “the other side” of my political preferences are saying, and son-of-a-gun, they’re saying many of the same things “we” were saying during election season last year.

My intellect understands that pundits get their fame and money from generating outrage. My intellect understands that there are many that gain from pitting “two sides” against each other. My intellect also understands that many are doing the best they can to understand, but also get caught up in the political hyperbole. My lizard brain reaction, however, gets caught up in fear for the survival of my beliefs and desires for particular outcomes, and wants to punch out the next person who tells me a blatant untruth about my preferred candidate - not unlike the fear and anger the “other” is experiencing at this time.

I want better for myself. To not only be able to sit with compassion for my own reactions during this election, but to do so also for those I consider as “other”. To remember that (re)acting from a place of fear and anger will often get one nowhere with the “other”. To remember with equanimity that the cycles of contraction and expansion on a cultural/social level take decades, generations, to work themselves through. Then looking in the micro mirror, to know that the changes I want to see within will also take time. Damn, this lesson has been a tough one this year.

May best possible outcome come forth from this election. May all be safe during the process. May you get your ass out and vote.

photo credit: Viqi French

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ~ Matthew 7:13-14

Doubt everything. Find your own light. ~ Siddhartha Guatama Buddha

These two passages relate to each other, or at least they do in my particular version of reality. The spiritual paths we first embark upon are there to give us training, skills and guidance. Those who have walked before us can provide feedback and progress markers. Ultimately, however, only our lonely selves can walk the path that leads to enlightenment.

Finger points at the moon. Don’t look at the finger. Look at the moon. ~ Siddhartha Guatama Buddha

This occasionally pisses me off. When I’m feeling stressed out, problems overwhelming, life out of control, I want answers, dammit! Someone, somewhere, has got to know what the hell’s going on, and what I should do about it. Well, yes, someone does. And if I just slow down, take a minute, an hour, a day, and breathe… I will know what’s going on. I will know what to do. And only I can follow through.

So remember: narrow is the way, because only you can walk it.

The wise man only wants you to have insight into things, so that you have your own light.
But you don’t want insight, you want clear cut instructions.
You don’t want to see yourself, you want to be guided.
You don’t want to accept your responsibility toward yourself.
You want to throw the whole responsibility on the shoulders of the master, on the shoulders of the wise man.
Then you feel at ease.
Now he is responsible; if something goes wrong he is responsible.
And everything is going to be wrong, because unless you take your responsibility, nothing is ever going to be right. ~ Osho

photo credit: hr.icio

October 31st and November 1st: come and gone. I’d plans to set up candles, add pictures of my beloved dead, cook some food, toast with wine. All came to naught. Most quarter and cross-quarter holidays come and go with very little formal observance, but this holiday I had much to grieve. It would have been a good time to do so.

Perhaps I’ll perform a belated observance sometime this week. Or perhaps not.
photo credit: Paco CT

This blog is in definite need of serious lovin’. Because I’ve been neglectful, I’m gonna join in NaBloPoMo, and write a post here every day for a month. Some posts will be inspired, but most will probably be profane. All will be about life as I currently wade through it, windshield wipers working furiously to clear my sight. This post will also be backdated to November 1. That means I’m only behind by two posts… time to get to gettin’.
photo credit: mbgrigby