Stµpa Dhøøpa †®aVel †emPle

The travel temple took it’s maiden voyage and all I can say is, “©osmic wheels” Doug and I have been wO®king hAr∂ on ge††ing the t®Avel †emple rea∂ie∂ fO® ßµ®ning mAn. We’®e hoping to pA®k on Lineage at 8′O©lo©k.

Mosaic Altars

Cactus Buddha Altar

A peek at the new mosaic altars I have been doing. To see more of the NEW altar mosaics …, go NOW ravenMosaics.
size 18″x25″ ©2009 pErryhOffman magentaRaven.com ™

Mosaic Portal

Newly grouted mosaic portal, with ganesh and buddha with birds. Handmade ceramic birds and buddhas, smalti, glass and tile.

 

Incense on fire.

Grouted the magic mosaic portal today..

Elephant power.

Birds, buddhas, wars and artists, health insurance and same sex marriage…

Today, the raven leaping into flight from the telephone pole in front of our house in Santa Barbara. Relevance?! Yesterday I had health insurance for one afternoon, or the promise of it coming February first. Today my husband’s employer says NO. Yesterday I received an email from another country that made me sad… because people don’t GET IT !?! I am so bloody tired of justification for mass genocide on this planet. It’s NOT about your little country or your little religion or your big country or your big religion it’s about the world coming together in peace, to share it’s LIMITED resources, feed everyone and live happily ever after like all the REST of the animals do on the planet. Oh yes some of the animals may kill each other to eat, but NO lion or dolphin in a fish feeding frenzy or tiger or dog or rabbit or rattlesnake EVER organized genocide like the human animal. We need to stop justifying murder of ourselves. We are such idiots. We speak of god. We don’t know g_d. If we knew g_d, we’d shut our cake holes and put our weapons down and stop killing each other. The insane planet… if you believe there is g_d ?!?! Did he speak to you? Did he come to you in a dream? Did he whisper in your ear to pick up weapons? tell you to kill people that are just as afraid as you are??? just as insecure??? hungry? Now California is jam-packed with EVERY different person you can imagine. and we’re not without our problems, but we’re not all killing each other because of our god-damned religions! If we can get along, so can YOU. Your leaders are screwed up in the head… just like ours… just like theirs. I appoint Canada to make peace in the world, the only civilized country that knows how to NOT do stupid things! 

So that leads me to a video I spied on Youtube that blew me away… an event curated by non other than dAviDbOwie, here’s Laurie Anderson singing Only An Expert.

Only An Expert

Now only an expert can deal with the problem
Because half the problem is seeing the problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

So if there’s no expert dealing with the problem
It’s really actually twice the problem
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now in America we like solutions
We like solutions to problems
And there’s so many companies that offer solutions
Companies with names like Pet Solution
The Hair Solution. The Debt Solution. The World Solution. The Sushi Solution.
Companies with experts ready to solve the problems.
Cause only an expert can see there’s a problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only and expert can deal with the problem

Now let’s say you’re invited to be on Oprah
And you don’t have a problem
But you want to go on the show, so you need a problem
So you invent a problem
But if you’re not an expert in problems
You’re probably not going to invent a very plausible problem
And so you’re probably going to get nailed
You’re going to get exposed
You’re going to have to bow down and apologize
And beg for the public’s forgiveness.
Cause only an expert can see there’s a problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now on these shows, the shows that try to solve your problems
The big question is always “How can I get control?
How can I take control?”
But don’t forget this is a question for the regular viewer
The person who’s barely getting by.
The person who’s watching shows about people with problems
The person who’s part of the 60% of the U.S. population
1.3 weeks away, 1.3 pay checks away from homelessness.
In other words, a person with problems.
So when experts say, “Let’s get to the root of the problem
Let’s take control of the problem
So if you take control of the problem you can solve the problem.”
Now often this doesn’t work at all because the situation is completely out of control.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

So who are these experts?
Experts are usually self-appointed people or elected officials
Or people skilled in sales techniques, trained or self-taught
To focus on things that might be identified as problems.
Now sometimes these things are not actually problems.
But the expert is someone who studies the problem
And tries to solve the problem.
The expert is someone who carries malpractice insurance.
Because often the solution becomes the problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Now sometimes experts look for weapons.
And sometimes they look everywhere for weapons.
And sometimes when they don’t find any weapons
Sometimes other experts say, “If you haven’t found any weapons
It doesn’t mean there are no weapons.”
And other experts looking for weapons find things like cleaning fluids.
And refrigerator rods. And small magnets. And they say,
“These things may look like common objects to you
But in our opinion, they could be weapons.
Or they could be used to make weapons.
Or they could be used to ship weapons.
Or to store weapons.”
Cause only an expert can see they might be weapons
And only an expert can see they might be problems.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

And sometimes, if it’s really really really hot.
And it’s July in January.
And there’s no more snow and huge waves are wiping out cities.
And hurricanes are everywhere.
And everyone knows it’s a problem.
But if some of the experts say it’s no problem
And other experts claim it’s no problem
Or explain why it’s no problem
Then it’s simply not a problem.
But when an expert says it’s a problem
And makes a movie and wins an Oscar about the problem
Then all the other experts have to agree that it is most likely a problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

And even though a county can invade another country.
And flatten it. And ruin it. And create havoc and civil war in that other country
If the experts say that it’s not a problem
And everyone agrees that they’re experts good at seeing problems
Then invading that country is simply not a problem.
And if a country tortures people
And holds citizens without cause or trial and sets up military tribunals
This is also not a problem.
Unless there’s an expert who says it’s the beginning of a problem.
Cause only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

Only an expert can see there’s a problem
And see the problem is half the problem
And only an expert can deal with the problem
Only an expert can deal with the problem

How to be happy in a recession.

While reading a page from AstroBarry I saw this link to an article Deepak Chopra wrote for the SF Gate. Here it is:

How to be happy in a recession.
When a box turtle is crossing the road and it hears a car coming, it reacts by drawing in its head and feet, contracting for protection. Evolution has kept turtles alive for hundreds of millions of years that way. What works as a natural defense isn’t much use, though, when a Yukon or Explorer is barreling toward you. There are times when contracting inward is the very worst thing you can do.

That’s true now in the recession that economists see barreling toward us — the road noise has gotten alarmingly loud already. But as the economy contracts, we must resist our natural reflex to contract with it. Instead, we need to do the opposite. Expansion is the best way to survive any crisis.
The lesson should have sunk in after 9/11, when the whole country learned what it means to contract with fear, anxiety, suspicion, and distrust. We felt threatened by a vast, unseen enemy, which was magnified as large as fear itself.
Fear deprives people of choice. Fear shrinks the world into isolated, defensive enclaves. Fear spirals out of control. Fear makes everyday life seem clouded over with danger.

A lot of people are approaching the economy that way, and not enough leaders are warning them that it’s the worst possible reaction.

To be happy in a recession means, first and foremost, resisting all the threats that fear possesses. Don’t obsess anxiously over what you could lose. Don’t reduce your world to a bank account or a 401k. Isn’t there an upside to losing some “consumer buying power”? To be honest, we went too far with consumerist mania. By any measure this is an inordinately rich country, and instead of mourning sagging profit margins, can’t we use the current slowdown to ask what makes for true personal happiness?
Relationship. Gratitude. Appreciation. Compassion. Mutual regard. Strong social connections. Love you can trust.
I don’t know why it takes a crisis to bring out those fundamental human qualities. But it often does. We all realize that the next video game, the next new car, the next flat-screen TV means nothing compared to the rewards of relating to other people. Yet we live as if the opposite is true. The pursuit of happiness is blocked just as much by indulgent over-consumption as by an economic downturn. More, in fact. An impoverished country like Nigeria recently scored number one in a survey of the happiest countries on earth, while the U.S. has never broken the top ten in any such survey.

Some may protest that expanding and becoming more human is all well and good if you have a job but totally unrealistic if your livelihood is threatened. I don’t think so. Whatever happens, the worst-off will be the ones who need more compassion, kindness, and relating to. They will need real coping skills, not a show of group pity.

There’s a lot more to say about how to be happy in a recession, but the main thing is to remind yourself that it’s possible. Refuse to contract just because the economy does. You have the tools to be happy in the worst of times. They’re just hidden under the box your new iPhone came in.

Deepak is the author of over 50 books on health, success, relationships and spirituality, including his latest novel, “Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment,” available now at http://www.deepakchopra.com. He is an Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management.

MILK

I am emotionally blown away by the film. Milk. I lived in San Francisco for 25 years. I lived on Castro Street a block away from Harvey’s camera store. He was an incredible sweet man to know in the neighborhood, always a smile. Shopped for film at his store, back in the day when there was NO digital. One thing that impressed me in the movie was a small, small part, showing Cleve making phone calls to rally people together… WOW, he was using a telephone. He couldn’t rally the troups with a click on facebook, he had to pick up the phone and DIAL !!! This film was like a piece of my life I am blessed to say. Blessed that I am still here to see the possible progress. I’ll not forget the day the riots broke out and the police cars burned at city hall. As I sit here at my computer today, MARRIED to my man, I am sad for the ignorance and hate that still exists and also joyous for all we’ve been through and for the small step forward we have made. Remember to use your anger and sorrow wisely and never give up the struggle to be free… for everyone. PEACE … and for another poignant view, Jackadandy’s got a story too.

In case you hadn’t read this on facebook, this is my button that I wore in San Francisco, 30 years ag0, proudly electing the first OUT human being to office.

Buddha Buddha Buddha

Thank you Shirley, Jill, Lindsley, Gam, Gayle and Joan for the beautiful buddha. Shirley heard me say “We need that buddha for our reception” as we browsed the outdoor little India shop on State Street. Shirley got together with the rest of the girls and her family and bought us the buddha as a wedding present. VERY generous and thoughtful!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you !!! May this buddha bestow blessings of love, joy and abundance on all of you and all who come into its presence. Love you madly!!!

Front Page Santa Barbara News Press

This morning our neighbor called over to us, to tell us she put our picture from the paper in our mailbox. Click the newspaper for a larger image.
For more wedding pictures click this.

5 Days til we wed…neelo najma and nisho and kylie reMix

7 Days til we get married.

Doug Smith, do you take Perry Hoffman…

Here’s the music video for the 7th day before the fair, sweet, glorious, historic and loving day…No one can take our love away. Certificate or not. We have love. I give you Barry White and Pavarotti singing together, You’re the First, the Last, My Everything… And yes, I do know what I’m putting on the blog on THE DAY