Greatest Enemy of All

King Udayana to the Buddha: "I have never lost a fight with anyone. Because I always win, I put my faith in war and combat."

The Buddha's response: "Great King, so far your enemies have been trifling. Great king, there is another enemy, greater and more vicious than them."

"The great enemy is the affliction called the belief in a self."

 

Online Meditation During the Pandemic

Our daily lives and our practice are being tested as we are practicing "social distancing" during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's exciting to see one community (Aloha Sangha) still values sangha and practice. To that end they are offering online meditation.

This gives me a chance to connect while apart. This also gives one time to reflect on community when apart. Is there value in personal physical connection or is virtual connection as valuable? What is the true value - the process or the ritual practice? Or both? Things to meditate on.

Join in (on 3/26), if possible.

Stay healthy, stay on the right way, stay strong, and stay sitting...

Easy Espresso On the Go

Coffee is my life. Rarely a day goes by where I don't drink it upon awakening and at some point in the afternoon as a pick-me up. I even enjoy it as a dessert with ice cream.

Now you can see why I was excited when I received an espresso maker for the Holidays. Of course I already have multiple ways to make coffee (pour over, Nespresso machine, espresso machine, French press, and Moka espresso maker). But the idea of making espresso on the go was appealing.

Beans, Water, and Pressure
The main ingredients to making espresso are ground coffee, hot water, and pressure. With the minipresso NS all you need are ground coffee cartridges and hot water. The pump will let you create 8 bars (or 116 PSI) of pressure (incidentally, 8 bars is eight times the pressure at sea level).*

The minipresso I have uses espresso cartridges by Nespresso (hence the NS in the model name). Wacaco (the manufacturer) also makes a model which allows you to tamp your own ground coffee. We are fortunate now that other coffee roasters make espresso pods for Nespresso. Hence the Peet's coffee pod pictured here.

My espresso pump came with a protective case and a small brush to clean grounds out. It's an attractive black.

The Process
Making an espresso with the minipresso is rather easy:

1. Remove the built-in cup and unscrew the top chamber.
2. Place cartridge in the cutter chamber.
3. Screw top back onto coffee chamber.
4. Pour heated water into bottom chamber up to fill line.
5. Screw bottom back into main body.
6. Turn minipresso around and unlock the pump.
7. Pump water through the cartridge; this takes awhile and needs to be done above the small cup or other vessel you will be drinking the coffee out of.

Assessment
I was genuinely impressed at how easy this espresso was to make. It didn't create a huge mess. The taste and smell of the espresso was divine. It creates a quality crema and is not difficult to pump. One issue I need to resolve is that the coffee was not hot enough to my taste. I add half and half which is cold so that makes matters worse. The manual recommends pre-heating the minipresso chambers before pressing the coffee. I tried this and it made a huge difference, along with heating up my half and half. There is some discussion about the best method for pumping the piston: some recommend pushing, holding a second and waiting a second after you release the piston. Others recommend waiting 10 seconds after six presses. Cleanup simply requires running water through the chambers and drying it out.

I recommend the minipress NS for those who love espresso and have easy access to hot water and Nespresso-style cartridges. It makes great-tasting espresso and is rather non-complicated and reliable. Enjoy!

*The industry standard for an espresso machine is 9 bars of pressure, and while this can create a respectable espresso, many argue that 15 bars makes the best brews.

My Fur Son

Feb. 21, 2019

My "furry son" is named Mortimer. He is an 11 year old wirehaired fox terrier. He needs a fur-cut real bad, but the groomers are too busy to see him until early March. Mortimer is loving, faithful, and very curious. He enjoys eating bananas, peanut butter, apples, and whatever you are eating. He is my constant companion when I am home. Walks are not a favorite for him; he'd prefer a ride in the car. Mortimer used to live with two cats when he called Minnesota home. When Mortimer moved to Hawaii, over five years ago, the cats didn't come along.

Mortimer is an art critic. You can find his writings at Mortimer's Memos.

----

Mortimer Reginald Fairfax crossed the bridge on Feb. 27, 2023. He lived over 15 years and spent all of them save 8 weeks with us.  In his final years, he had many health issues, from a heart murmur, blindness, possible deafness, and kidney disease. He slept more and more and started displaying signs of dementia in the last year of his life. He will be missed but has earned his final rest.

2019

Happy New Year!

 

Here’s hoping the new year is filled with progress, joy, and personal growth. 

Baking meditation

Meditation can be found in simple daily endeavors. Be present in each task, from gathering the ingredients and baking utensils, to measuring the flour. 

Baking requires creativity and structure. The two may seem at odds, but they work in harmony to replicate a scone from a recipe.

One can even become present in the tasks conducted while the scones bake: cleaning the kitchen and your baking tools. 

Baking teaches patience, appreciation of skill, and the love of making things. 

Enjoy my pictures. I hope they share my pleasure of baking. 

Temple Stupa Meanings

This is a useful image to help us understand these Buddhist symbols often found at temples. 

Mindfulness

I have been lucky enough to lead a small group of students and occasionally a faculty member in a weekly mindfulness meditation session at work. Here's a good post I noticed today.

5 minute Buddhist

The late Harold Ramis has left us with a great "cheat sheet" for Buddhism that I intend to borrow and make use of. The concepts it makes reference to need fleshed out and it's not suitable for the pure novice, but it is a nice simple and succinct list for a practitioner.

Enjoy!

/\ (palms together)

Lost Opportunities and Divergent Futures

Today I found myself missing Rodney O. Lain (aka iBrotha). I knew Rodney back in 2000-2002. That was an exciting and different time for Apple and the computer industry. The iPod had just been introduced; Apple had oppened their first Apple Stores (Rodney was at the opening for the Mall of America); and the commercials on TV demonstrated the rivalry between the PC and Mac. I was a sales support (Mac evangelist) hired on a temporary basis. I worked at BestBuy, CompUSA, and Micro Center. OS X and the iMovie were all the rage.

I met Rodney a few times and always found him energetic, smart, and engaging. Who knew deep down there was a man fighting for his life? In June 2002 he took his own life. I find myself thinking of all the missed opportinuties because of this senseless end. What future might the Mac, Apple, and Rodney had if he were still with us today?

I know as a Buddhist we are trained in the art of the moment. But the moment finds me remorseful and reminiscient. This could mean Rodney continues to live in my life, giving me the chance to pull upon my memories of this creative, thoughtful soul. He still inspires and angers me. Althought he is here in spirit, I wish I could hear him speak out against contemporary issues and read his railing against The Man. I can only pull from my inner thoughts to bring Rodney back.

Peace, iBrotha.

TIME FOR CHANGE Progress involves moving forward. In the case of a job this can be both professional movement and physical movement. Starting in late October I will be moving from one county law library to another. Why the change? Career, mostly. It is a great time in my career to take on more responsibilities. I will become a manager, have 2 branches, and a larger budget.
	“Everything changes, nothing remains without change.” Buddha

Ringing Flowers

The temple bell stops.
But the sound keeps coming
out of the flowers.

- Matsuo Basho (1644-94)

Bells in Buddhism

The bell from the Chion-in Temple, cast in 1633, is the heaviest in Japan (74 tons)

Significance of Ringing a Bell

According to Tibetan Buddhism, ringing the bell represents an offering to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas in order to accumulate positive karma. Also, the bell represents wisdom, so ringing the bell is the sound of wisdom which purifies confusion. Other significance states prayers can be released by the ringing of a bell.

Wind chimes are thought to be good luck in parts of Asia and are used in Feng Shui. They produce pleasant ringing sounds and are hung by the windows during hot humid summers in order to bring cooling relief. Wind chimes were often hung around Asian temples and thought to attract peaceful spirits while protecting against evil forces. Early on, Buddhists adopted wind chimes and wind-bells into various rituals and the chimes were hung in large numbers on temples, shrines, pagodas and caves. 

Tibetan tingsha (or Ting-Sha) are small cymbals used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. Two cymbals are joined together by a leather strap or chain. The cymbals are struck together producing a clear and high pitched tone. Typical sizes range from 2.5–4 inches in diameter. Tingsha are very thick and produce a unique long ringing tone. Antique tingsha were made from special bronze alloys that produce harmonic overtones.

Samsara

Is the continuous flow of life and death the question or the answer?

Samsara and the Buddha

Zen of job searching

What is the way of searching, preparing and securing the Right Job?

I will meditate and get back to you on this, but in the meantime enjoy:

1. Bitter Lawyer (cartoon)
2. Advice: "Give up!"

The Three Jewels

Triratana

aka Three Gems, Three Treasures, Three Refuges, or Triple Gem

The Three Jewels are:

• Buddha

depending on one's interpretation, can mean the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni) or the Buddha nature—the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings;

• Dharma

the teachings of the Buddha; and

• Sangha

The community of those who have attained enlightenment, who may help a practicing Buddhist to do the same. Also used more broadly to refer to the community of practicing Buddhists.

Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Jewels

Welcome

A new blog
Everything has a start and all things are new once.  It is a great time of expectations and hope.  A moment when all things are possible but paths must be chosen. 

Beginnings - Introductions
I am a Buddhist.  I was raised Lutheran.  I am sure this will frame and explain my unique perspective.  Please feel free to explore and share your ideas with me as I make this self-journey.

I am a 40-something, Caucasian American male.  At present I am a law librarian for a government library.  I am also a lawyer of over ten years experience.  I offer these facets to help describe who I am and the road I have travelled.  I reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Winter is an opportune time to meditate and cogitate on your life, situation and purpose.  I shall use this quiet, restful time to reflect, meditate and explore.  Come along with me and drop a line now and then to share your ideas and thoughts along the way.

Goals
I don't know if a librarian has blogged about Buddhism but that is what the context of this page shall be.  I set for preliminary goals the following:

1. Learn and share these teachings about the Buddha and Buddhism
2. Grow while learning
3. Foster a discourse with myself and others during my journey