Thursday, October 8, 2009

Funny or not

Received the following jokes on marriage. Finding them funny or not depends on your attitude and mood...


WHY AM I MARRIED?

You have choices in life:
You can stay single and be miserable, or get married and wish you were dead.
__________

At a cocktail party, one woman said to another, 'Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the
wrong finger?'
'Yes, I am. I married the wrong man.'
__________

A lady inserted an ad in the classifieds: 'Husband Wanted'.
Next day she received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing: 'You can have mine.'
__________

When a woman steals your husband, there is no better revenge than to let her keep him.
__________

A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished .
__________

A little boy asked his father, 'Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?'
Father replied, 'I don't know son, I'm still paying.'
__________

A young son asked, 'Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?'
Dad replied, 'That happens in every country, son.'
__________

Then there was a woman who said, 'I never knew what real happiness was until I got married,
and by then, it was too late.'
__________

Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
__________

If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say -- talk in your sleep..
__________

Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at
all.
__________

First guy says, 'My wife's an angel!'
Second guy remarks, 'You're lucky, mine's still alive.'
__________

'A Woman's Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for: Wisdom, To understand a man, to Love and to forgive him, and for patience, For his moods. Because Lord, if I pray for Strength I'll just beat him to death'
__________

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Upcoming October events in DDMBA

Sharing the following email with you:

Dear Friend,

DDMBA Ontario regrets to inform you that our “Chan Movie” event scheduled for Tuesday October 13 from 10 am to 12 pm and “Potluck + Movie Discussion” from 12 pm -2 pm have been cancelled, due to various difficulties.

Note that this change does not interfere with, or alter, the other events that have been scheduled for Venerable GuoXing and Venerable ChangWen’s events in October.

We welcome everyone to join us for the many other exciting events that will be held from Thursday October 8 to Tuesday October 13. These include:

• One Day Buddha Name Recitation Chan Retreat – Oct 10, 8am – 8pm (Chinese only):
- due to limited space, registration for this event is required. To register, please email meditation@ddmba-ontario with your name and telephone number

• Great Compassionate Repentance Ceremony - Sunday Oct 11, 10 am – 12 pm (Chinese only):
- followed by Potluck Lunch from 12 – 2pm

• Dharma Teachings:
Dharma Talk: “No Birth and No Death” -, Thursday, Oct 8, 7 – 9pm (Chinese/English Translation)
Sutra Explanation: “Diamond Sutra - Not Abiding Anywhere, Give Rise to Mind” - Tuesday Oct 13, 7 – 9pm (Chinese only)
Sutra + Daily Life: “Vimalakirti Sutra – Seeing Perfection in Imperfection” – Friday, Oct 9, 2 – 4pm (Chinese only)
Chan + Daily Life: “No More Worries” – Sunday, Oct 11, 7 – 9pm (Chinese only)
• Afternoon Tea with Venerable Guo Xing: Sunday, Oct 11, 2 – 5pm

Together with Venerable Guo Xing, enjoy great Chinese tea specially prepared by experienced tea teacher Darrin Wong.

And, if you are looking to attend this year’s 3 Day Retreat, be sure to submit your 3 Day Retreat Application to meditation@ddmba-ontario.ca ASAP, to reserve a spot at Mount Alverno Retreat Centre for October 8-12.

For more details, please feel free to visit our website, at
http://www.ddmba-ontario.ca .

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the cancellation. Thank you again for supporting DDMBA Ontario, and hope to see you soon.

With Palms Joined
DDMBA Ontario

--


Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Life is short

Sharing the following email with you:


BARBIE DOLL has her 50th birthday this year.......?



Tweety Bird is 60 years old!


And what about all our other ....

CHILDHOOD SUPERHEROES?

SUPERMAN...

Thor...

Wonder Woman (touch of menopause here I think?)...

Batman and Robin...

SPIDERMAN...


Life is short, break the rules, forgive sooner, love with true love, laugh without control and always keep smiling.

Maybe life is not the party that we were expecting, but in the mean time, we're here and we can still dance.....


--

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

World Yogasana Championships & Yoga Training Courses

In case you are interested:

1. World Yogasana Championships Mumbai, India January 8th, 9th & 10TH, 2010

The World Yogasana Championships in Mumbai, India are organized by The Yoga & Culture Association of Maharashtra (Mumbai), sponsored by Life Mission, Gujarat, India and conducted by the renowned Lakulish Institute of Yoga of Gujarat State, India.

The World Yogasana Championships have been organized for the specific purpose of encouraging youth’s participation in Yoga. Why Yogasana competition? It is well recognized throughout the world that youth are both attracted to and highly engaged in competitive sports activities. Yoga is our cultural heritage gifted by God and the sages and it seems both practical and sensible that for preserving this rich heritage, Yoga should be propagated among youth as a sport activity. Yoga practices and dietary observances are an unparalleled means of achieving a disciplined body and mind and the Yamas and Niyamas are a way whereby youth can understand the importance of moral codes of conduct.

Why the World Yogasana Championships ?

While Yoga has its cradle in India, Yoga has, indeed, become universal. And while Yoga is not a religion, it is safe to say, that all religious prophets, irrespective of whatever religion they followed, unfolded the Truth from within through Yoga practice.

And yet Yoga is seen in the West, almost exclusively, as a series of deep stretching postures and physical exercise. Without reference to its historical and spiritual context, Yoga has been grossly misrepresented and it is therefore both timely and necessary to draw the attention of our youth and foreigners, alike, as to the real context of Yoga.

By first interesting and encouraging youth to engage in Yoga as a competitive sport and experience its benefits first hand, it is anticipated that ultimately they will be much more inclined and interested to delve into the true meaning and heritage of Yoga. India’s cultural heritage is also to be well exhibited at the World Yogasana Championships.

The Yogasana Championships are to be held in Mumbai January 8,9, & 10th, 2010 and the host organizers are providing foreign Yoga participants in the Championships free Mumbai hotel accommodation, free meals and free daily local transportation to and from the site of the Championships / hotels throughout the Championships duration.

Your association members are encouraged to send interested individuals to participate in the Championships. Full details for registering can be found at Life Mission’s website: www.lifemission.org.


2. Yoga Training Courses Offered at Limbdi, Gujarat State, India

Both Certified and Non Certified Training Courses are being offered in India by the renowned Lakulish Institute of Yoga in January, 2010 at Life Mission’s Rajrajeshwardham Ashram at Limbdi, India. The Certified Courses are three weeks in duration, the Non Certified two weeks:
January Three Week Certified Course: January 12th – February 2nd, 2010
January Two Week Non Certified Course: January 12th – January 26th, 2010

This is an exceptional opportunity to take in authentic India classical Yoga teaching as taught by the Masters; an unparalleled opportunity for profound inner transformation; and an opportunity to see and experience India The cost of the three week course, including room and board and local travel sightseeing trips is only $1200 U.S funds. The cost of the two week Non Certified Course is $900 U.S. Funds.

Course attendants are strongly encouraged to attend the World Yogasana Championships in Mumbai, India January 8th, 9th &10TH, 2010 as they are both informative and entertaining.
Training Course attendees are being offered free room and board in Mumbai during the Championships to enable them to view the entire event before embarking from Mumbai to Limbdi.

For more details : e-mail Dennis konchak: lifema@telus.net or Telephone Dennis at 250-954-0073 in Canada. Also, see Life Mission’s website: www.lifemission.org. for full details.

--

Monday, September 28, 2009

University of Toronto-News from Religion in the Public Sphere

In case you are interested:


RPS LUNCHTIME READING GROUP: FALL 2009
Noon-1.30pm, Room 318, Jackman Humanities Building, 170 St. George Street – Pizza lunch provided
  • Thursday 15 October: "God's Zeal: The Battle of the Three Monotheisms", by Peter Sloterdijk. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are now called upon to adjust their relations from peaceful coexistence to dialogue: zealous collectives must become parties in a civil society. [More details…] [Download poster]

  • Friday 20 November: "Why I Am Not a Secularist", by William E. Connolly. Many liberal secularists reject any interaction between politics and religion. Connolly argues that secularism’s pursuit of freedom and diversity too often undercuts these goals through its narrow and intolerant understandings of public reason. [More details…] [Download poster]


RPS FACULTY FELLOWS – CALL FOR PROPOSALS: ART AND THE PUBLIC CONTESTATION OF RELIGION
Submission deadline: 9 October 2009
Music, drama, visual arts, and literature are among the most ancient of media for the staging of religious questions and controversies. Newer technologies—radio, film, video, digital media—have multiplied the avenues for artistic expression in public spheres while also fuelling religious imaginations. At a day-long workshop in March 2010, the four RPS Faculty Fellows will foster interdisciplinary conversations about how the arts, across diverse eras and traditions, have made space for the public contestation of what counts as religion, heresy, and 'secular' critique. [More details…] [Download poster]


RPS SERVICE-LEARNING INTERNSHIP COURSE: RLG492H, WINTER 2010 – ENROLMENT OPEN
For third- and fourth-year undergraduates, from any discipline, who are interested in the study of religion. Students will experience first-hand how religion enters the public sphere in such areas as non-profit organizations, education, public policy, and health care. Goals of this public service are to have students participate in developing policy, communications, and programming in public, professional settings where religion is a focus (or at least an element) of the work at hand. Students will critically reflect on their experience of working with professionals and their "clients" in public settings where religious diversity is at play. [More details…] [Download poster]

--

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

Sharing the following email with you:


Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

1.
Every person as cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2.
Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3.
When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4.
When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional
deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5.
To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6.
Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also
destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.
Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8.
Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9.
When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10.
Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to
spread to other sites.

11.
An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply..

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better
alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with
unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is cidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which
are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is
a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.


12.
Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up.

13.
Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14.
Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15.
Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16.
Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.


Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed ArmyMedical& nbsp;Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners,instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.


This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.

----

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

DDMBA Ontario: Chan 3 Day Meditation Retreat, October 9-12

In case you are interested:

DDMBA Ontario: Chan 3 Day Meditation Retreat, October 9-12


Dear Friend,

Dharma Drum Mountain (Ontario) Buddhist Association is pleased to announce that Chan Teacher Venerable Chang Wen will be coming to Toronto to lead a 3 Day Chan Meditation Retreat. The retreat will take place at Mount Alverno Retreat Centre, starting from Friday evening October 9 until Monday afternoon October 12, 2009.

This 3-day retreat is an excellent and important opportunity for individuals to deepen their practice of Chan together, including periods of sitting and moving meditation, Dharma talks, walking meditation and work periods. Surrounded by nature, Mount Alverno Retreat Centre is also an ideal setting for Chan practice. With streams running through the compound and walking trails among the trees, it is tranquil, serene and awe-inspiring, especially during the season of Fall colours.

Please note that registration for this retreat is required. Retreat costs, including meals and accommodation, total $180 per person. Retreat applications can be found on our website, http://www.ddmba-ontario.ca. Retreat Application and payment should be received no later than Wednesday September 30, 2009.

A deeply transforming experience for your body and mind - Don't miss this rare opportunity! Suitable for any level of practitioners.

**Please watch for other Chan events guided by Guo Xing fashi and Chang Wen fashi from Oct 8 - 13. Details coming soon…****


Amituofo!

Chan Buddhism 3 Day Retreat
When: Sat. Oct 10 - Mon. Oct 12, 2009
Where: Mount Alverno Retreat Centre, Orangeville, ON
Cost: $180
Transportation: Carpool Can Be Arranged
Language: English (with occasional translation to Mandarin for clarity purposes)

About the Teacher: Venerable Chang Wen is a resident teacher at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center and monastic disciple of Chan Master Sheng Yen. Although a Westerner, he lived in Taiwan before and is fluent in both English and Mandarin.

--