Lotus and Guanyin Mantra - Free Buddhist Wallpaper for PCs and Mobile Devices

A design featuring the lotus symbol and 'om mani padme hum' mantra associated with Avalokiteśvara/Chenrezig/Guanyin/Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion.

Looks like I've gone fuzzy and New-Age on you all ;)
Well, I just thought I should do something out-of-the-box after two dark wallpapers.

Many thanks to fontfabric for generously making the wonderful font 'Lot' available for free.

240x320 (Smartphone)

320x240 (Blackberry)

320x480 (iPhone/iPod Touch)

1024x600 (Eee PC/Netbook)

1280x960 (4:3 Monitor)

1440x900 (Widescreen Monitor)

Bill Maher's 'Religulous' on YouTube

Bill Maher's fascinating documentary 'Religulous' can be seen on YouTube in its entirety, split into ten chunks of around ten minutes each.

This film is more Atheist polemic than impartial report and makes for scary, riveting viewing.

Maher's antagonistic interview style can get a bit annoying at times when you want to hear how the interviewee is going to respond, but it's hard to feel sympathy for some of these guys, the way they set themselves up for a punch(line) - Maher's a comedian doing his job after all.

I would have liked to have seen Maher take on some Wiccans, New Agers, modern cults (there is a brief, very funny swipe at Scientology) or perhaps even followers of Asian religions, but he clearly has an axe to grind with the monotheistic big three.

Watch 'Religulous' on YouTube

PS. Also found an interesting clip of Bill Maher talking to David Icke about reptilians. Being an 80s child, this always reminds me of "V"  :)

I iz posting from your future, Twitterfeed

Just a quick note about teething problems I had with Twitterfeed.

It's a great idea - it tweets any RSS feed you care to give it, so I'm using it to get posts from this blog onto Twitter automatically.

Thing is, for the first few attempts it wouldn't update at all.
Turns out I'm in a timezone (Japan) ahead of wherever the Twitterfeed server is located (UK, I think). After changing the update frequency to 'every 24 hours' in the advanced settings and leaving it for a day, my new blog posts appeared on Twitter just fine. Must be enough of a lag to cover the time difference or sumfin'.

Hope this helps others with the same problem who are searching for a solution.

The Computer as Mindfulness Bell

I'm guessing that like myself, you spend most of your waking and working hours in front of a computer. It's easy to get lost in unfocussed, aimless web surfing, flicking between windows, re-re-re-checking your mail and, er, endlessly fiddling with your desktop wallpaper ;)

Sometimes we may resent being stuck at the PC, which causes unnecessary resistance and self-generated tension. If being there is unavoidable, how do we make something good and worthwhile of it? How can it be of benefit to us?

We can actually use the computer as part of our mindfulness practice, to centre us and pull ourselves back to the here-and-now and our immediate surroundings.

Here are a few links to software and websites that can be used as a Mindfulness Bell. Whenever the chime goes off, just stop whatever it is you are wrapped up in, focus, relax, take three deep breaths and bring yourself fully into the present moment. Also be sure to check your posture!

Workrave (Windows, Linux)
http://www.workrave.org/welcome/
This is my personal favourite. It's actually designed to prevent RSI and eye-strain, locking down the computer at set intervals and giving you exercises to do, but you get three-for-the-price-of-one if you use it as a prompt to be more mindful as well.
The Mac equivalent is probably AntiRSI, though I haven't used it myself.

Mindful Clock (Windows)
http://www.mindfulnessdc.org/mindfulclock.html

Flash Mindfulness Bell (Web)
http://www.fungie.info/bell/
Just set up as desired and leave it open in a browser tab.

Bizarre Beethoven/Gospel/Rap version of the Heart Sutra in Japanese

The title says it all... howzat for a multicultural fusion?

The Three Jewels - Free Buddhist Wallpaper for PCs and Mobile Devices

My second wallpaper design is a symbolic representation of the Three Jewels, Treasures or Refuges of Buddhism.

The Kanji from top-to-bottom, left-to-right, are for Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

More information on the Three Jewels at Wikipedia

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320x240 (Blackberry)


320x480 (iPhone/iPod Touch)


1024x600 (Eee PC/Netbook)


1280x960 (4:3 Monitor)


1440x900 (Widescreen Monitor)

Hatsuhinode and a Happy New Year!

At around 6:30 this morning I walked up to the top of a local hill to watch the first sunrise of the new year (hatsuhinode), as is the tradition here in Japan.

I ended up taking waay to many pictures. But just look at that big, warm, radiant sun - providing for all life without discrimination!

So what next? Now is a time for renewal, reworking, rethinking and realignment.
In Japanese there is a saying - 'Ichinichi Issho' - literally 'One Day, One Life' or perhaps better translated as 'each day is one lifetime'.
Just think what we could accomplish and what effect it could have on our immediate environment if we applied ourselves fully and mindfully to the next 365 lifetimes! ;)

May we greater realize the practice of Dharma in our daily lives throughout 2010 and beyond.

Wishing a happy and fruitful new year to all!

The Four Immeasurables
May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness which is without suffering.
May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from both attachment and hatred, holding some close and others distant.

How to Pratice Zazen

"Gudo Nishijima, an 80+ year old Japanese Zen teacher describes how to practice zazen."

'Air Sampai' - Virtual Worship at Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

Saw this on Japanese TV this morning.
It is now possible to pay a visit to Kyoto's famous Kiyomizu Temple without budging from in front of your computer.
English subtitles are included.
Don't forget to do your squats for the full experience :)

http://air-sampai.jp

Gasshō - Free Buddhist Wallpaper for PCs and Mobile Devices

My first upload is a Zen-themed wallpaper. The Kanji read 'Gassho'.
For further reading on the symbolism of this gesture see Notes on Gassho & Bowing, by Maezumi Roshi .

240x320 (Smartphone)


320x240 (Blackberry)


320x480 (iPhone/iPod Touch)


1024x600 (Eee PC/Netbook)


1280x960 (4:3 Monitor)


1440x900 (Widescreen Monitor)