Accumulating Karmic Merit in the New Year

"Glossary of Buddhism. Merit (Sanskrit: puṇya, Pali: puñña) is a concept considered fundamental to Buddhist ethics. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts."  -Wikipedia

Karmic merit in Buddhism is similar to the beatitudes and other Catholic teachings from my parochial upbringing, like the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Basically, the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit it is a spiritual guide of good deeds practiced when one receives the sacrament of Confirmation by committing to a set of virtues strengthening one's faith in Christ.

In Catholicism I was taught that habituating these traits would offset the tendency to indulge in the 7 deadly sins (envy, sloth, wrath, lust, pride, gluttony, and greed), certainly sending me straight to hell for my propensity to sin. At least with the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit there was a chance I would get a get out of hell card by serving penance in Purgatory. This dualistic dogma always made me feel I could never be good enough because my sinful ways would always outweigh any benignity I practiced.

Then, through listening to a CD by Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, I heard this quote from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche:  "Blind to the mind's true nature, we hold fast to our thoughts, which are nothing but manifestations of that nature. This freezes awareness into solid concepts, such as I and other, desirable and detestable, and plenty of others...Once you have recognized the true nature of reality, which is empty and at the same time appears as the phenomenal world, your mind will cease to be under the power of delusion. If you know how to leave your thoughts free to dissolve by themselves as they arise, they will cross your mind as a bird crosses the sky -- without leaving any trace."

This quote shattered the parochial concepts I had of good and bad, saint and sinner, and heaven and hell. Practicing karmic merit is not for me but for the benefit of all sentient beings. So, what are some simple ways of practicing good karma? Here is a partial list I found at WikiHow:

-Smile. Smiling makes people feel good about themselves and makes your workplace, school or home a more positive environment.

-Help in little ways. Like, for example, holding the door open for someone behind you or picking up a dropped pencil.

-Do the right thing even when no one is looking. They may not know, but karma always knows.

-Donate to charity tins. You know, those tins at the cashier that donate to the children's hospital and such? Think of all the good that money does. If everyone donated their spare change to charity tins, the world would be a better place.

-Take time to talk to different generations. Older and younger people know lots of cool stuff you probably don't, and you'll make them feel good too.

-Recycle. You've seen that commercial. You can take them into most stores and they'll give you 5 cents a pop can. You can even give that money to a charity tin! Two good deeds in one day. Doesn't that make you feel better?

-Listen. When people talk about their problems, it makes them feel better. Don't offer advice. Don't give opinions. Just listen.

-Little things help a lot. If you simply say hello to that shy girl at the back of the class, if you are kind to those you aren't a huge fan of, if you let someone use some of your lunch money and not ask the next day for the money you lent, if you're at the store and see a $0.50 pin your friend would like and buy it: These are the things that help make you a good person. Not only will you get karma points, but you will have a better reputation.-Give compliments. It's like smiling with your voice. It makes people feel better and more confident. But don't just compliment - be thoughtful in finding something you truly appreciate or adore, and mean what you say.

-Relax. Stress and tension can lead to illness - it's a proven fact. Relax, and acknowledge why your life is wonderful.

-Love. Love life, love friends, love family, love yourself. Love makes the world go 'round.

-Wisdom. Search for Wisdom. Through wisdom you make better decisions. Great decisions lead to great outcomes and thus an awesome life.

My list:
-Meditate, pray, or do some form of spiritual practice every day.
-Think of and do more for others.
-Be kind, have patience, encourage, and offer help.
-Take the time to be present,even when you want to run.
-Recognize, refrain, relax, and resolve not to commit offenses.
-Realize we have group and individual karma. 
-Share your money, gifts, and uniqueness with the world.
-Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. 

Happy New Year!

Mika Brzezinski's Back Peddling

"Brzezinski had been discussing the avalanche of sexual harassment allegations against powerful men in recent weeks on "Morning Joe" when she said that Halperin, a friend of hers, "is more than willing to meet with his accusers and apologize [to] them face--to-face."
"I've actually tried to offer him to them," Brzezinski said. "They don't want to talk to him. They don't want to talk to him." 
"In our discussion about sexual harassment this morning, I said some things that hurt people," she added. "In the case of Mark, my goal today was to start a conversation about hearing from the men whenever we can, but I realize that it is not my place. It isn't my call to make, and for that I am truly sorry. As a victim of sexual assault, I understand that each individual's case is different. This is up to the victims, some of whom I've been in contact with. My hope is for all of us to come together to support the brave women who speak out and help make workplaces safer as we continue this difficult conversation in the months and years ahead."-CNN

Dear Mika,
      In spite of your position, power, fame, and money, you do not speak for those of us who have been victims of sexual harassment and/or sexual assault. Thinking it was your job to protect one of your rich predatory male friends by offering his victims a chance to personally speak to him so he could apologize is incredibly arrogant, hurtful, and downright deluded. Though you claim to be a victim of sexual assault, you are clueless to the term identification with the aggressor. Protecting your friend, Mark Halperin, by callously interceding on his behalf shows you have no sensitivity whatsoever to the women who endured his harmful behavior and who are still struggling to recover. Your belief that a shallow, contrite apology from him would make his victims feel better demonstrates you have sided with the aggressor over his victims. By publicly deriding the women he perpetrated his acts upon is why the 'me, too' movement has exploded: like many, your thinking that this can all go away with a simple mea culpa undercuts the seriousness of all of his offenses and gives your offender friend the license to be absolved without consequences with a requisite, "I'm sorry". This is abhorrent to those of us who have experienced any degree of sexual defilement and are seeking .
     I will no longer accept trite apologies from anyone protecting people for their sexually exploitative behavior. Personally, I hope you are terminated from MSNBC for your shame-based remarks belittling the brave women who brought out your friend's predation. Maybe spending time volunteering in a rape crisis center will provide you with the insight you need to think before you speak.
    So long, "Morning Joe", I will no longer be viewing your program.
     
      

TRUMP'S POST MODERN NAZI PROPAGANDA: THE SEVEN WORDS THE CDC CAN NO LONGER UTTER

"The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation's top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases — including "fetus" and "transgender" — in any official documents being prepared for next year's budget.
Policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta were told of the list of forbidden words at a meeting Thursday with senior CDC officials who oversee the budget, according to an analyst who took part in the 90-minute briefing. The forbidden words are "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based." -The Washington Post

Dear Mr. Trump,
         Let's hope if you have a heart attack or stroke from eating the copious quantities of junk food in your preferred diet, that the physician treating you sees how 'vulnerable' you are, that you are 'entitled' to her or his care, that they do not discriminate against you because of your diverse beliefs, God forbid is not a transgender physician, and uses science or evidence based treatments (like stem cells from a 'fetus') instead of voodoo or any other form of unproven therapies.