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In this podcast, Michael invites us to lose everything, especially ourselves. As ominous as this may sound, he goes on to suggest that in allowing ourselves to truly face the fact that, sooner or later, everything will be taken from us. Letting this recognition in to our conscious experience primes us for Awakening, even in the midst of hell.

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Earlier today, elephant journal reported that Obama was keeping a prayer shawl from the Dalai Lama in his pocked during the inauguration.

I then got this email from a friend of mine:

From: “Richard C. Blum”
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:40:46 -0800
To: Lodi Gyari
Subject: The Inauguration

Dear Lodi:

I hear that during the ceremony you were on the phone to Kathmandu; presumably to Norbu.  You will be delighted to know that I had a kata at my house that His Holiness had given me.   I offered it to President
Obama before the ceremony.  I said that I could get it delivered to him
later.   He said, no, that he was going to take it and have it with him;
in fact, it was in his pocket when he was sworn-in.  Please let His Holiness know.

I’ll talk to you soon.

Best personal regards,

Dick

“Dick” is Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s husband, Richard Blum. I guess he should know. Of course, I can’t vouch for the email’s authenticity. Then again who, other than our egos, cares?

Ann Althouse, offered up this analysis of the botched oath of office.

The Chief Justice in fact screwed up the oath. The Constitution requires:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Roberts left out the word “faithfully.” (He also said “President to the United States.”) Obama saw the mistake and stopped himself to give Roberts a chance to fix it. Roberts redid the line, remembering to throw in “faithfully,” but putting it in the wrong place — after “President of the United States” — and, this time, Obama went along with the wording. Close enough, I guess he figured. I wonder what Barack Obama was thinking. Maybe: Some textualist you turned out to be!

Let no one think Barack Obama made the mistake.

In some silly way, that moment of uncertainty offered such a glimpse into the humanness of the moment. Of course, maybe Roberts is still bummed about the fact that Obama voted against his confirmation.

Update: It’s been reported that Roberts later approached Obama at lunch and apologized for his mistake. Obama laughed and accepted his apology.

Update #2: Anyone interested in some linguistic geekiness over this issue must read this. Amazing.

While I often refraign from making political matters the centerpiece of a day’s blogging, today I was overcome with the enormity of historical significance. Unfortunately, my wife, child, dog, and I couldn’t be in DC as we would have liked. So we watched on tv, online, via twitter, and in our own hearts and minds.

What I saw was not a dream.

I saw a uniquely American narrative play itself out. I saw America, herself, show up to Obama’s innaugural moment with a certain grace, optimism, and fire. I saw my daughter asleep on my wife as it all unfolded, unaware of history’s weight. I saw the faces. All those faces. I saw tears run down people’s cheeks and saw through the beautifully distorted imagery that my own created in these very eyes. I felt warmth come from the bundled up parents holding their children up to see the prize of our patience and purpose. I felt renewal and gratitude for the chance to live now. I felt hopeful that we as citizens of this country AND this world might be able to open even more fully to what is while wisely and compassionately leaning in to what can be.

Andrew Sullivan offers some nice Zen-inspired observation of the Innauguration.

I just came across an interesting link from The International Buddhist Society of Pennsylvania called “Dharma for Kids”. Interesting because my wife and I, along with several other parents in our sangha, have started to actively ask questions about how we offer the Dharma to our little ones. Do we have to reinvent, ahem, the wheel or is there really good curriculum out there? Who’s uncovered a way to best offer an integral approach to Truth for a young audience?

We’d love your comments and suggestions on this. Bows.

In this podcast, Michael discusses the issues surrounding teachers, teaching and the mistaken belief that an Awakening experience is the end of the spiritual journey.

Infinite Smile » ISmile202 – The Halfway Point.

Stuart Davis courageously (and hilariously) takes on the implications of our sexuality, ahem, co-arising with desire and identity:

A little awareness goes a long way… toward ruining everything. I used to bang groupies. It was fun. I became a little more aware, and BAM, now I can’t even enjoy an internet Bukakke sight without my heart going ‘That’s Suffering. In disguise.’ If I could find the earholes to my soul, I would plug them.

via Stuart’s Blog