Under Stony Pine

02022-07-13 | Ideas, Lx, Philosophy | 3 comments

This is related to my recent post Rituals, Customs and Sentiments.

For a moment let’s pause all arguments for or against a higher power of any kind. What is left then are actionable techniques that work. They work because humans have experimented with them for millennia. Here is a quick list I wrote down while sitting in a park, under these marvelous Stony Pine trees… It’s an incomplete list, I am sure, but there is a lot here that could be taught to people of any or no faith.

1. practice
  1. meditation
  2. prayer *
  3. yoga
  4. training compassion
  5. service
    1. feeding hungry
    2. attending to ailing
    3. cleaning
    4. cooking
2. ceremony or rituals
  1. lighting incense
  2. lighting a candle
  3. fasting
  4. wearing special clothes, robes, or covering head
3. gratefulness
  1. meal prayer/giving thanks for food
  2. daily reflection/giving thanks for people/situations
4. movement, esp. synchronized or done in a group
  1. dancing
  2. tai-chi in the park
  3. bowing
  4. gestures
5. music!
  1. singing together, hymns
  2. karaoke?
  3. listening to music (Bach on a church organ!)
  4. chanting
6. architecture
  1. sacred buildings
  2. sound!
  3. scale!
  4. libraries?

* I think that prayer can be a practice and is not limited to communicating to a higher power. A prayer can be the focusing of one’s attention. It can be an expression of gratitude and thanks. It can state one’s intent.

3 Comments

anne on 02022-07-13 at 7:44

sweet
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- anne on 02022-07-13 at 9:08
  
  can we always be nice/sweet?
  
  Most likely not – but it sure is worth trying – imo.
  
  From your posts , you make an excellent effort. I enjoy reading them.
  
  When I listen to your music – it feels sweet.
  Reply
anne on 02022-07-14 at 8:37

I have a sweet story to tell (otherwise might forget)

I live near a river – 100 mile river. Parts you can fish in – other parts, – a good pair of water shoes will get you to the other side.

The other day – i saw an egret fishing. Sat by the river to get a better look. …bird was on other side and further north. When the egret saw me …took off but then decided to land south of me but still on other side – very interesting bird to watch. Next moment a frog hops on the stone beside me and we are both watching the bird, which now takes off again and lands in front of us – about 2 arm lengths away. We just marvel at the bird. Frog hops away and egret starts to take off. Like a kids story – very cute.

Today – i went back to the same spot waited but my friends did not show up :)!
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