recovery links

Some worthy recovery related blogs of note:

anon-recovery-archive

A very indepth blog with deep and rich resources compiled over 20 years focusing on sponsorship.



Meg Moran A dear friend of mine publishes a very popular blog dealing with some very current subjects

So long, not enough time to make it short

The other day I was reading a book and I came a cross a quote that said something to the effect that this letter is so long because I did not have time to make it short.
I wish I would have paid attention to who said it but at least I am actually stating that this is not my own idea.

This is quite often a problem that I have in my life. Not only when ripping out long winded emails and other forms of written communications but also in other layers of communications. Take now for instance. I am sitting at a coffee shop. Lap top in hand. Not even looking at the screen. Watching people going by listening to two different conversations while typing the stream of thoughts in my head. Not even looking down at the screen as my fingers dance across the screen. The word processing program will automatically spell check as I type and I don’t even really care what I have just typed.

As fast as I can type the letters will just appear on the page and then I can instantly push a button and publish it un filtered on the web.

This in a way is very freeing. In a way it can be devastating. Should we practice restraint of pen tongue and fingers? What if I get angry and rip off an angry flash or blip of word and do not even read it and post it up.

It can be forever remembered in a database to be pulled up and tagged to me

I guess I can say that I did not type it. But that wont fly. It can be traced back to me via an IP address.

Things move much faster in this world of ours. We are truly connected we always have been and this is just another layer of communication.

Oh well.

Just another rant and rave from beyond.

Something shiney just distracted me so I will end this for now.

Diamond Sutra

Latley I have been facinated with the Diamond Sutra.

The text of which can be found at the following web site:

http://http://www.buddhistdoor.com/resources/sutras/intro_diamond.htm

Text from the web site:
"The full name of the Sutra in Sanskrit is Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is the most popular Sutra of the Prajnaparaamita scripts, probably next to The Heart Sutra. Please note that the latter is just an extract from a chapter of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is one of the principal texts amongst Ch'an schools in China.
The Sutra illustrates in details the concept of emptiness that everything exists, without exception, in this phenomenal world has no real substance by itself. This characteristic is known as 'no-self'. The word 'diamond' is used to describe the durability and firmness."

I have placed this link here so I can easily access this information.

RM_LG_CC

FF for LG CC
run to each point
then take the quest
take keys

Mixing Fun and Thought - Boldly going where no man has gone before

An interesting site that utilizes voting and making fast mini sites to get your point accross.

The public then votes on what you have to say.

This link is an example of a thought provoking example of an awareness that I had when I was a child.

I was 8 or 9 and watched Star Trek. Somehow I grasped the concept of faster than light speed travel. While it is not physicaly possible, it is still possible to think about it from a logical stand point.

I am not sure where this awareness came from.

I mean think about it. You are moving FASTER than light.

If you had headlights on the vehicle that you were traveling in and you turned them on you would arrive at the destination before the light from the vehicle would get there.

Take it a step further. Covering such vast distances. I had the realization about just how large the universe was. How small the earth was and in turn how small I was.

I am not quite sure how I came to this point of view and to this awareness.

The next question came... where is God. Where is that guy "UP THERE" where us UP THERE?

Perhaps it was because I spent more time watching Star Trek. Sure I had been exposed to the bible and what not but Mr.Spock was more tangible to me. I liked the green chicks that Kapin Kirk was chasing around and I wanted a tribble for a pet.

I went out sat under a tree and started to stare up into space.

I contemplated some of the episodes of Star Trek when they would rubber band around the sun and time travel back and forth. Remember this was Pre - Movie star trek. This was not even the Episodes where they used some alien technology.

This was just using some daring manuver with the good old USS Enterprise.

BING BANG BOOM.. They were not only moving faster than light they were moving back and forth through time.

I then began to contemplate the greater issues of IF we could SHOULD we move around in time.

Star Trek also brought up the issues of Multiple dimensions - Again pre Deep Space 9 which brings in Worm Holes. We have the episode where we have the Evil Spock.

All of this really opened my mind and seemed to always create more questions which lead to questions which lead to questions.

What I liked about this was the spirit of the crew who seemed able to find an answer to the question at hand. They never knew what they would face and they "BOLDLY Went where no man went before"

Life is sort of like that you know.

Any way..

Check out this real life example of what somehow Star Trek showed me a while ago.

A tiny Glimpse

Progress Quest -

http://progressquest.com/oobag.php?name=MaroX%20FlashMonkey

At its heart, Progress Quest is a Massively Multiplayer Online RPG; but to brand it solely with that label sells its genius short. The developers of Progress Quest clearly had one goal in mind when creating their title: to create the ultimate dungeon hack, the definitive online RPG. They took a look at existing RPGs like Everquest, Asheron's Call, and Dark Age of Camelot, and asked themselves: what works? And more importantly, what doesn't? The result of their streamlined efforts is a title that drills to the core of the RPG experience, offering all of the benefits of the genre while minimizing or removing entirely the negatives.

Progress Quest's gameworld is fully featured, offering all of the standard features RPG fans have come to expect: an in-depth character creation system with a variety of original races and character classes, a detailed backstory and in-game scripted sequences, an endless supply of enemies with random item drops, a robust spell list with upgradeable spell levels, a complex equipment system, nd a series of intelligently generated quests that feed into the overall narrative. Watching your character slowly climb up the global rankings, competing against other players, is undeniably rewarding.

What Progress Quest eliminates is the repetitive, mind-numbingly boring gameplay that has defined this genre for so long. Clicking your left-mouse button until your fingers burn from carpal tunnel syndrome, camping out for hours waiting for a single, elusive enemy to respawn, starting a new character only to find yourself hopelessly outclassed by higher level characters who play for twelve hours a day - all of these flaws that plague other MMORPGs have been addressed with a single, brilliant stroke of Progress Quest's revolutionary gameplay paradigm. Progress Quest's soon to be emulated "fire and forget" technology places all gamers on equal footing, keeping the game balanced and enjoyable for gamers of all skill levels and dedication levels. Whether you only play Progress Quest and hour a day, or decide to quit your day job and "Powergame" for fourteen, there is a place for you in the world of Progress Quest.

Loving-kindness - Forgivemess

"Please put the attention on the breath.

Have forgiveness in your heart for anything you think you've done wrong . Forgive yourself for all the past omissions and commissions. They are long gone. Understand that you were a different person and this one is forgiving that one that you were. Feel that forgiveness filling you and enveloping you with a sense of warmth and ease.

Think of your parents. Forgive them for anything you have ever blamed them for. Understand that they too are different now. Let this forgiveness fill them, surround them, knowing in your heart that this is your most wonderful way of togetherness.

Think of your nearest and dearest people . Forgive them for anything that you think they have done wrong or are doing wrong at this time. Fill them with your forgiveness. Let them feel that you accept them. Let that forgiveness fill them. Realizing that this is your expression of love.
Now think of your friends. Forgive them for anything you have disliked about them. Let your forgiveness reach out to them, so that they can be filled with it, embraced by it.

Think of the people you know, whoever they might be, and forgive them all for whatever it is that you have blamed them for, that you have judged them for, that you have disliked. Let your forgiveness fill their hearts, surround them, envelope them, be your expression of love for them.
Now think of any special person whom you really need to forgive. Towards whom you still have resentment, rejection, dislike. Forgive him or her fully. Remember that everyone has dukkha. Let this forgiveness come from your heart. Reach out to that person, complete and total.
Think of any one person, or any situation, or any group of people whom you are condemning, blaming, disliking. Forgive them, completely. Let your forgiveness be your expression of unconditional love. They may not do the right things. Human beings have dukkha. And your heart needs the forgiveness in order to have purity of love.

Have a look again and see whether there's anyone or anything, any where in the world, towards whom you have blame or condemnation. And forgive the people or the person, so that there is no separation your heart.

Now put your attention back on yourself. And recognize the goodness in you. The effort you are making. Feel the warmth and ease that comes from forgiveness."

May all beings have forgiveness in their hearts!

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/forgiveness.htm

Basic Buddhist - Online Information and Links

This Online Study Guide is a graduated course of study in Buddhism. The entry level is a Basic Buddhism Guide, followed by a comprehensive course on Buddhist Studies for Schools - primary and secondary levels. The main feature of this guide is a self-study course based on the Historical Buddha, His Teachings, Buddhist History and Culture, and supplementary study material.

The Big Book Online Fourth Edition

http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_tableofcnt.cfm

© Copyright 2006 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Digital Prayer Wheel

I have always been fascinated with the concept of merging together technology and spirituality.

In my quest to find and or experience truth ( which can be a tricky word in itself) I have stumbled upon the Buddhist though process.

One of the amazing things about this thought process is that it is very PRESENT and in the NOW.

If something is not T with a Capital T true then it is not valid.

I am providing a link out to a simple concept for anyone who wants to follow it on a topic which at first glance may seem very mysterious and OLD how ever when one dives deep into it and can suspend their crystallized belief and look at it with out any belief at all it is quite a fascinating idea.

The digital prayer wheel.

I have been having to deconstruct my own beliefs as I have walked down an interesting path. First I had to come at all belief systems from a blank slate. I had an immediate aversion to anything spiritual. My gut reaction was one of distrust and hate.

Then I moved through doubt and feeling stupid that I was practicing anything at all.

Then I had some sort of weird shadow from the past be it cultural and societal pressure to conform to an imposed belief system.

Once I was able to get to a point where I could see the practice and or thought process for what it was for myself then it became interesting.

Again, I am not saying that anything that I say is right or wrong... it simply is what it is.

Now on to the digital prayer wheel.

For more information please visit:

Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer) Om Mani Padme Hum, invites the blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion.

They also believe you can produce the same effect by spinning the written form of the mantra around in a prayer wheel (called "Mani wheels" by the Tibetans). The effect is said to be multiplied when more copies of the mantra are included, and spinning the Mani wheels faster increases the benefit as well.

Unless you are already familiar with Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheels, we'd like to suggest that before reading more of this page, you look at Dharma Haven's main page on Mani wheels:

The Prayer Wheel



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, has said that having the mantra on your computer works the same as a traditional Mani wheel. As the digital image spins around on your hard drive, it sends the peaceful prayer of compassion to all directions and purifies the area.

Animated images like this one are digital Mani wheels which can be placed on Web pages. Similar animated graphics can be used for Mani-wheel screen savers.

This page offers information on how to install several types of digital prayer wheels on your computer:



http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/digital-wheels.htm#Overview

Maro X - Guild Wars Info Page

This is a page with Quick Links out to GW related info:

Guild Wiki Links-



Guild Wiki Builds Page - Main Page to builds off of Guild Wiki.

Category:Armor quick references There are 14 articles in this category on this page. There may be more articles if this category spans multiple pages.

International Campaign for Tibet: Tibet: His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Five Point Peace Plan

Tibet: His Holiness the Dalai Lama: The Five Point Peace Plan
The Five Point Peace Plan
In 1987 the Dalai Lama proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan for the restoration of peace and human rights in Tibet. The plan called for:

Transformation of the whole of Tibet into a zone of Ahimsa, demilitarized zone of peace and non-violence.
Abandonment of China's population transfer policy, which threatened the very existence of the Tibetans as a people.
Respect for the Tibetan people's fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms;
Restoration of and protection of Tibet's natural environment and abandonment of China's use of Tibet for the production of nuclear weapons and dumping of nuclear waste;
Commencement of earnest negotiations on the future status of Tibet and of relations between the Tibetan and Chinese people.
In 1988 the Dalai Lama elaborated on the fifth point, proposing a concrete framework of negotiations. Tibet, he suggested, should become fully self-governing under a democratically elected government. China could maintain responsibility for the overall foreign policy of Tibet and, until such time as the Tibetan zone of Ahimsa is set up, following a regional conference on peace, China would also be permitted to maintain a restricted number of troops in Tibet for defensive purposes only.

These proposals were well received internationally, although the Chinese rejected them. At least, until the June 1989 crackdown on China's democracy movement, however, the Chinese indicated a willingness to talk in its communications with the Tibetan government in exile. This willingness was, it is now believed, in large part due to international pressure on China to negotiate with the Dalai Lama. Once again, communication between Beijing and the Tibetan government in exile has opened up but nothing substantive has resulted.

In August of 1993, two Tibetan representatives traveled to discuss the possibility of substantive negotiations. However, no major advances were made. Instead the Chinese only reiterated their empty statement that they are willing to discuss anything other then independence, while at the same time refusing to respond to any such initiatives by the Dalai Lama.

Current Situation

Today the situation in Tibet is increasingly tense. The influx of Chinese increases; peaceful demonstrations in Lhasa and elsewhere take place despite the strong and often violent reaction of Chinese security forces. Thousands of Tibetans are imprisoned for their political or religious activities; torture is carried out regularly on detainees; Tibetans are rarely permitted to leave the country and access to Tibet by exiled Tibetans is limited. China has just opened Tibet to tourism, both individual and group, and to wider economic development. The "economic miracle" of China does not apply to Tibet, however, since the only community that is benefiting from economic incentives is the Chinese community. Indeed, the Chinese authorities are so worried that Tibetan political activity might disrupt business and public relations that repression in the major towns - and at the major monasteries - is very tight.

In recent years, and especially since the award to the Dalai Lama of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the concern shown by governments in Europe and the America, in particular, has grown considerably. A number of parliamentary bodies have passed resolutions condemning human rights violations in Tibet and calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with the Dalai Lama's plan. Heads of state, foreign ministers and other political leaders have received the Dalai Lama and his representatives and have shown a desire to be of assistance in promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and thereby contributing to greater peace in the entire region. However, pressure tactics by China have thwarted efforts to make substantive headway to resolve the issue, and Tibet has continued to pay a terrible price for the failure of the world community to seriously challenge China on its behavior there.

International Campaign for Tibet: Tibet

International Campaign for Tibet: Tibet

Marginalisation and exclusion

Fifty years after China's invasion, Beijing is intensifying its control over Tibet and its approximately six million Tibetans.

Tibetans are facing increasing marginalization as their economy becomes integrated with China and its population of 1.3 billion. They are losing out under the 'Western development' strategy, a massive campaign launched in 1999 to improve infrastructure in China's thinly-populated west, including Tibetan areas of China. The Chinese government has constructed a railway across the Tibetan plateau to Tibet's capital, Lhasa, which will increase the numbers of Chinese commercial migrants into Tibet, resulting in the further militarization of the region and accelerating the exploitation of Tibet's natural and mineral resources

China's fast track economic policies in Tibet, based on a political agenda, are directly linked to the repression of the Tibetan people. They are the most serious modern threat to the survival of Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity.

The Chinese government claims that it is pouring money into health and education to benefit Tibetans. But the majority of Tibetans who live in rural areas do not have access to adequate or affordable health care and are still suffering from easily treatable conditions such as malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, or even the plague.

Education facilities and opportunities for the Tibetan children are minimal and many Tibetan parents cannot afford schooling So they send their children into exile to study at Tibetan schools in India. Often education that is available in Tibet suppresses Tibetan religious or linguistic identity.

Religion and culture

Approximately 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples, and their contents were partially or fully destroyed from the period of the Chinese invasion and during the Cultural Revolution

The repression of Tibet's culture and religion continues today. Tibetan Buddhism is an integral element of Tibetan national identity, and measures used to implement Chinese government religious policy have been harsh.

China, which promotes atheism, aims to undermine the Dalai Lama's influence in Tibet and maintains strict control over monasteries and nunneries. Political campaigns or "patriotic re-education" require forced denunciations of the Dalai Lama, and there are restrictions on religious pilgrimages. Obtaining a religious education remains extremely difficult or impossible in Tibet.

Tibet's religious heritage has made a profound impact worldwide and has a unique contemporary relevance. The Dalai Lama has pioneered a dialogue with scientists on human consciousness, drawing on ancient Buddhist texts, and Tibetan Buddhist lamas teach across the globe.

The tradition of peaceful co-existence in pre-occupation Tibet among Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims serves as a model of religious tolerance, and the Dalai Lama's efforts to promote interfaith understanding continues to this day.

Over the past 50 years, Tibetans have expressed their resistance to Chinese rule through the assertion of their cultural and religious identity. Following the Cultural Revolution, they rebuilt monasteries and temples in Tibetan communities. Today, Tibetans worship at secret shrines to the Dalai Lama, express their dissent through pop music or poetry and protect their Tibetan identity by keeping their language and traditions alive.

Political repression

The Chinese government severely restricts the rights of Tibetans to exercise human rights as provided in the Chinese constitution, including the freedoms of speech, press, association, and religion. Reading an autobiography of the Dalai Lama or talking about freedom to friends in Tibet can be classified as 'endangering state security'.

Tibetan political prisoners endure harsh prison conditions, including torture, deprivation of food and sleep, and long periods in isolation cells.

"When they were torturing us it was literally as if they were trying to kill us. Prison guards would hit and beat with all their strength. Once after we all shouted 'Long live the Dalai Lama' they started to kick and beat us so much that the ground was covered in blood."

- Ngawang Sangdrol, 28, paroled in 2002 after 11 years in prison for peaceful protests

Environment

With an average elevation of 14,000 feet, Tibet is the highest country on earth. Tibet's fragile high-altitude environment is increasingly endangered by China's exploitative policies.

This matters to the rest of Asia and the world. Five of Asia's great rivers have their headwaters in Tibet and nearly half the world's population lives downstream. Deforestation in Tibet has already been linked to severe floods in the lower reaches of the Yangtze in China.

The high plains, forests and mountains of Tibet are home to rare and endangered wildlife such as the snow leopard, blue sheep and Tibetan antelope (chiru). Due to extensive resource extraction, poaching and unsustainable development, these ecosystems and many of their species are now endangered.

The forced settlement of nomads is wiping out a unique way of life, increasing poverty and contributing to grassland degradation.