samsara
the air is still tonight
has the world died
or is yet to be reborn
©2015, poem and illustration, Jamie Dedes, All rights reserved
Page 112 of 131
The B Zine, Volume 1, Issue 3, Table of Contents with Links
The B Zine
BE insired … BE creative … BE peace … BE
Volume 1, Issue 3
a publication of Bequine Again and The Bardo Group
Biographies of our Core Team and our Guest Writers are HERE.
The stunning watercolors used to illustrate this month’s cover page are the work of Gretchen Del Rio, all rights reserved
Our theme this month:
The Divine Feminine
Bringing balance to the imagining of God or the essential energy of the universe, we celebrate the Divine Feminine in both her ethereal and more earthy manifestations.
Our lead feature by Rev. Terri Stewart suggests a spiritual practice (The Divine Feminine) for doing this. She’s also shares a feature with us (Words Into Action) that includes links to worthy charities to help us give our compassion legs. On the most ethereal level, we move on to a chapter from Niamh Clune’s cult classic, The Coming of the Feminine Christ.
We present a collection of poems and features that celebrate the more earthy feminine spirit by honoring: mothering (Their Compassion Has Legs), nature/Mother Earth with an acrostic poem from Corina Ravenscraft: sisterhood with Priscilla Galasso (Celebration of Femininity) a grandmother (The Divining Trunk by Karen Fayeth); wife (one poem by James Cowles and two poems by John Anstie); and those men touched by the Sacred Feminine, The Blessed Mother (Gentleman of the Old School, a short poem).
Under General Interest we have deeply moving and spiritually profound account from a new contributor, Father Dan, a Spiritan priest (Roman Catholic), about the lessons he learned from his brother, Christopher, who died prematurely.
Musician and poet/writer, Marilynn Mair (If You Would Still Believe, poem) and our resident shaman, Michael Watson (The Year Turns, essay) move us into this new year with hope and inspiration.
Under general interest we have poems from several poets including Imen Benyoub, James Cowles, Joseph Hesch and Victoria C. Slotto. We have two flash fiction features, one by Joseph Hesch.
For a tidbit of something on the light side, we present another new guest contributor, Sue Vincent. Grab your sides for more than a few giggles and laughs with Twelve Things Your Grandparents Said …
On behalf of all of us here, many blessings in 2015.
Jamie Dedes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
” The Divine Feminine”
Lead Features
The Divine Feminine, Terri Stewart
Words Into Action, Terri Stewart
Book Excerpt
The Redemption of Eve (from The Coming of the Feminine Christ), Niamh Clune
Photo Essay
A Celebration of Femininity, Priscilla Galasso
Feature Articles
The Divining Trunk, Karen Fayeth
Their Compassion Has Legs, Jamie Dedes
Flash Fiction
Luminous, Liliana Negoi
Poetry
Tree Cathedral Acrostic, Corina Ravenscraft
Quan Yin, Victoria C. Slotto
Haiku for My Wife, James Cowles
And I Love Her Still, John Anstie
“The Lamb” (AKA “Devotion”), John Anstie
Gentlemen of the Old School, Jamie Dedes
“General Interest”
Feature Articles
Chris Reminds Me, Father Daniel S. Sormani, C. S. Sp.
The Year Turns, Michael Watson, M.A., Ph.D., LCMHC
Flash Fiction
How Skinny Girls Survive, Jamie Dedes
Tears for Icarus, Joseph Hesch
Poetry
While Listening to Mozart’s Requiem, Imen Benyoub
If You Would Still Believe, Marilynn Mair
Rose-Tending, James Cowles
Train Wreck, James Cowles
Warrior in a Place of Ghosts, Joseph Hesch
Blessed Are They Who Mourn, Victoria C. Slotto
Photo-stories
Turning Night Into Day, Naomi Baltuck
Special Delivery, Naomi Baltuck
Humor
Twleve Things Your Granparents Said …, Sue Vincent
Volume 1, Issue 1, November 2014
Volume 1, Issue2, December 2014
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
Friday Photo Finish: Bird of Paradise
“The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited kindness and benevolence that makes no demands for its sustenance and extends generously the products of its life and activity; it affords protection to all beings, offering shade even to the axe-man who destroys it.” attributed to The Buddha
Thanks to my much treasured friend, Mick B. for this wonderful quote. It reminds me also of the visions of a generous nature sharing often stunning beauty amid the dreck of city life: the intrusive metal posts and gates with their rusty chains; the garbage, dust and dirt; the sometimes awkward or sterile architectures housing human beings boxed and stacked twelve or more stories high.
This lush and colorful bird of paradise is thriving in the squalor of a bank parking lot alongside some smelly dumpsters belonging to the bank’s neighbor, a pizzeria.
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Rest in Natural Great Peace This Exhausted Mind
As we honor the closure of 2014 with celebrations both spiritual and secular, may our spirits rest in “Natural Great Peace” and may that peace perfume the greater world around us.
We usher in this season with one of The Bardo Group’s most popular posts as both a gift and an inspiration.
Meanwhile, on behalf of newly birthed The Bardo Group/Beguine Again collaborative, best wishes for a rich life of mind and spirit in 2015.
Volume 1, Issue 3 of our arts and spirit eZine, The B Zine, will publish on January 6.
Many blessings,
Jamie Dedes
“Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags are a common sight in Sikkim. The concept is truly beautiful. Prayers are written on flags and put up. The wind plays its part in letting the flags flutter and the symbolic reciting of the prayers.
I made this painting of prayer flags across a frozen Tsomgo (Changu) Lake on 22 June 2005.” Painting and text belong to: Naresh Kumar Agarwal, a gentleman talented in both arts and technology and committed to using his skills and wisdom in the service of humanity.
♥ ♥ ♥
MEDITATION
Rest in natural great peace this exhausted mind,
Beaten helpless by karma and neurotic thoughts
Like the relentless fury of the pounding waves
In the infinite ocean of samsara.
Rest in natural great peace.
Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche
You’ll have to link through to YouTube to view this beautiful and healing meditation.
♥ ♥
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Photograph of Nyochul Khen Rinpoche courtesy of Rigpa Wiki.
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Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche or Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje (Wyl. smyo shul mkhan po ‘jam dbyangs rdo rje) (1932-1999) was such a consummate master of Dzogpachenpo, and such an authority on the teachings of Longchenpa, that his disciples regarded him as Longchenpa in the flesh. He was the teacher of many of the younger generation of lamas, as well as a number of western Buddhist teachers. He became one of Sogyal Rinpoche‘s most beloved masters. MORE
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 