Social networking sites
like facebook, livejournal, and myspace,
are based on relationships called "friendship".
One sends a friend request to another person,
and if they accept it, you both become friends!
Have you ever been "de-friended"?
Strangest damn thing.
I've been de-friended at least 3 times,
"I don't want to be your friend anymore!"
I've had a couple of people refuse my friend request,
similar thing.
It occurred to me that Web 2.0
allows us to act out as
Cybernetic 2 Year Olds!
Because that's how the child acts,
full of fear,
and all alone against an evil world,
feeling powerless,
and acting out of utter desperation,
extracting the biggest gun in the arsenal,
the greatest threat which can be mustered.....
I DON'T WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND ANY MORE!!!!
A pretty smart fellow about 2,500 years ago
invented this system of non-violent communication
and technique for happiness called Dharma.
It's so simple!
Basically a breathing and sitting exercise...
He suggested that when we experience
some kind of relationship pain,
we should spend some time,
quietly sitting,
and honestly wishing the other person
loving-kindness and happiness.
This Dharma-dude would suggest
that this practice (called Metta)
heals relationships and helps
make peace in the valley.
Dharma-dude would say,
let all people be your friend!
Let all people be deserving of compassion.
Wish that all people find happiness.
Spend some time with this,
as one might say a prayer.
This Dharma practice has been shown
as having been transmitted and refined for millennia,
to be very effective about bringing about
peace to the practitioner,
(even to people who are very disturbed,
very angry, very sad, very depressed.
Trust me here...:)
A researcher at the University of Oxford
Prof. J. Mark G. Williams says there have been
several studies which have shown
meditation to be highly effective,
as a treatment for depression,
better than many or most drugs.
And the teachings suggest
when done by enough people,
this inward-turning practice
quite concentration, relaxation,
breath-body focus...
truly brings about peace in the valley
in an ever expanding circle.
It is highly effective at bringing happiness!
It works for most people.
Try it and see!
Happy people don't wage wars!
If you want instructions on how to meditate,
I would suggest any of the following teachers
in the Vipassana technique:
Noah Levine, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg,
Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana,
or Jack Kornfield.
--
Bill Huston
Binghamton NY
Phone: 607-321-7846
Email: WilliamAHuston at gmail
Bio: http://binghamtonpmc.org/bio.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1133803981
Blog: http://WilliamAHuston.blogspot.com
Myspace: http://myspace.com/MrMouthyMan
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