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My Journey of Conscience

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Buddhist

2015-01-19T16:06:18-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Re-establishing a Healthy Narrative

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:06 pm By Domyo Burk

It's been three weeks since I last posted. Life and death have conspired to keep me very busy within the sphere of "my own" life, although as I discussed in Flexible Spheres of Operation, I think we might all be better off if we stopped drawing the line between "my life" and "that which is not my life." Still, at times like the last few weeks, my activity often feels rather small and limited. When I'm very busy with what I identify as my "work," or with taking care of my home or family, life can take on a rather aimless quality. I'm just dealing with the next thing because it's there. My actions are necessary, not optional, so I don't as readily connect them with my deeper aspirations or sense of purpose. My perspective shrinks. Writing helps wake me back up... Read more

Practical Challenges to Helping

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2015-01-19T16:06:48-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Up Close and Personal with Acute Need

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:06 pm By Domyo Burk

Two weekends ago I volunteered at a place that serves meals to people experiencing homelessness in downtown Portland. It was a nice thing to do, but I had an ulterior motive: One of the things I've identified as essential to my journey of conscience is encountering, in person, what I'm calling "acute need." This means venturing out of the realm of ideas - even good ones - and exposing myself to people who are suffering in a concrete way. Read more

Taking Action In Person

2015-01-19T16:07:45-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Flexible Spheres of Operation

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:07 pm By Domyo Burk

I haven't had a spare moment to post about my journey of conscience for over a week, and it's taught me something about the importance of letting my sphere of operation be very flexible. One week I am contemplating a sincere response to suffering on the scale of climate disruption, and the next week I am sharing sacred space with friends, sitting next to the body of a dear man who had just passed away after a long, painful illness... Read more

Practical Challenges to Helping

social responsibility

2015-01-19T16:08:12-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Bursting the Mindfulness Bubble

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:08 pm By Domyo Burk

In my experience, a partial understanding of mindfulness can lead to an unfortunate restriction in one's experience of life - to the detriment of self and others. It can invite us to create a manageable mindfulness bubble around ourselves - reaching no further than our immediate surroundings, existing only this moment, and centered on our body... Read more

Relating to the World

2015-01-19T16:08:40-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Finding What Social Action to Take

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:08 pm By Domyo Burk

I felt vaguely ill at ease as I went to meet my friend in the nearest coffee shop. My dis-ease had nothing to do with her - I was simply aware of being in a state of dissatisfaction with respect to my life and zen practice around questions of social action and responsibility. Doubts had arisen, and my confidence was shaken. However, after many years of zen practice I have started to embrace and even look forward to such times, because they mean something new is happening in my life... Read more

Taking Action In Person

2015-01-19T16:09:10-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Wisdom, Compassion, and Action – Three Essential Ingredients

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:09 pm By Domyo Burk

In order know how to become a more responsible global citizen, I need to organize my thoughts and feelings. Over the last couple weeks the infinitely long list of things I could do, change, get involved in, or study has started to sort itself into three broad categories: wisdom, compassion, and action. In my tradition of Zen,all three of these areas of human experience are considered essential to the bodhisattva way of life... Read more

Zen Teachings & Practices

2015-02-20T10:28:06-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Renewal in the Silence of Meditation

Last updated on: February 20, 2015 at 10:28 am By Domyo Burk

Although I'm wrestling with all kinds of questions in this journey of conscience, I am fortunate to be doing so in the context of an established meditation practice. Getting caught up in activity can invite me to assert the self against the world, especially when I care deeply about the activity. The space of meditation, at least Zen meditation, involves a realignment of the self with the universe... Read more

Zen Teachings & Practices

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2015-01-19T16:09:59-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Giddy with Active Hope

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:09 pm By Domyo Burk

The most useful resource I've encountered so far in my journey is a concept called "active hope." It's presented by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone in their book, Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in without Going Crazy. I confess that I buy a lot of books I never finish, but I finished this one! There are plenty of people out there with recommendations for how to best think about or live your life... Read more

Zen Teachings & Practices

social responsibility

vision

2015-01-19T16:10:30-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Too Much Need! I Can’t Focus

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:10 pm By Domyo Burk

This blog has been going for almost ten days now, and I confess I haven't actually done anything yet. No decisions about what cause to devote myself to, no changes in my lifestyle... I'll get there, but it's so hard to focus! I find myself wondering about what presents the most dire emergency. I don't want to concentrate on one thing and end up ignoring something more important... Read more

Relating to the World

2015-01-19T16:10:52-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Venturing Beyond the Palace Walls

Last updated on: January 19, 2015 at 4:10 pm By Domyo Burk

Whether or not my conscience feels clean or dirty depends largely on where I'm looking. If I remain focused on my fairly pleasant, personal everyday life, I feel pretty good. If I look further out in space and time, it doesn't take long for me to start feeling my actions are out of sync with my most deeply held values... Read more

Relating to the World

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