I had this this past Saturday (April 21, 2007):

Zorba's Greek and Middle Eastern Restaurant's (Zionsville, IN)
Mediterranean Pizza
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http://www.googoosh.tv/mp3.html

In the temple, I realized that this particular kind of life required an odd bravery--the kind of whole-life commitment I'd previously associated only with social activism. Before, like many Westerners, I thought that Buddhism encouraged us to ignore worldly problems. I imagined the goal of meditation was to avoid our emotions, perhaps depositing ( Read more... )

Bi-culturality in the US a couple of excerpts from David Mura's (Japanese-American) essay, "Strangers in the Village":

"Although generalizations like this can sometimes be misused - more about this later - American culture defines white middle-class culture as the norm.  As a result, Blacks and other colored minorities, must generally ( Read more... )

Buddhism and the Blues
Buddhist psychology's core techniques of meditation and awareness may have much to offer ordinary Westerners.

By:Hara Estroff Marano

To most people Buddhism is an ancient Eastern religion, although a very special one. It has no god, it has no central creed or dogma and its primary goal is the expansion of consciousness, ( Read more... )

Belly dancer, Reema Joseph Samaha, who was killed in Virginia Tech shootings:


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or something similar:


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or two.  I can't manage to not find other projects to be involved with.  After my move down south, I will be playing in an Arabic ensemble with Denise (Oud, vocals), and Taletha (flute, nay).  I hope to have a saw sam sai by the time we do our first performance, but who can say.  I'll play cello until then.

I've also been invited to play with a ( Read more... )

So we've had our first rehearsal with Dale on a new Bulgarian tune (as well as a handful of traditional Middle Eastern tunes).  It's a kopanica (also: kopanitsa) dance tune in 11/16.  Sounds something like the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA0_msUQhZw
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_xBg8pRZSA

Sweet Buddha, I really love ( Read more... )

Side view. The little cottage behind (to the left) is also ours--that is where my mae will be staying until we take her back to Thailand where we will have a second Buddhist wedding ceremony.


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