CrankyBuddhist   the learning never ends …

Nechung Puja with Lama Lobsang Palden
Tuesday morning, 8:45-11:00
1741 W. Columbia Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
ELECTION DAY PUJA: Tuesday, November 4, 8:45-11 AM
Please note that this practice will include an outdoor fire puja and will last at least 2 hours.
Everyone welcome

Dorje Drakden

Lama Lobsang will perform a Nechung (Dorje Drakden) Puja, which includes a tea offering, a fire puja, and prayers to the wrathful protectors Mahakala and Yamantaka. The traditional purposes of these ceremonies include clearing negative obstacles and cutting through negative emotions to reveal the truth. We will perform these pujas while holding the intention that Barack Obama will be elected president, visualizing not only the deities but also the future President Obama. If you would like to contribute something to the practice, please bring a traditional offering of black tea, alcohol, or natural incense (sage, juniper, cedar, sweetgrass). Donations are welcome.

Your Voting Information
Chicago citizens, look up your voter registration status and view the full list of Chicago polling places at the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago’s website.

Democracy Now! Report on Electronic Voting Machine Malfunctions
Just days away from the election, the battle is on for voting rights. Early voters across the country are reporting long lines and problems with electronic voting machines. Republicans, meanwhile, continue to file lawsuits that could stop thousands from voting. DN! spoke to Harvey Wasserman of Free Press and Brad Friedman of the Brad Blog on October 29. To read, listen to, or watch the whole story click here.

Video the Vote 2008
Video the Vote is a national initiative to protect voting rights by monitoring the electoral process. They are asking citizens to document election problems as they occur. They will distribute their footage to the mainstream media and online to make sure the full story of Election Day gets told.

CNN Voter Hotline
If you have a problem voting or see a problem, call the CNN Voter Hotline at 1-877-GOCNN08 (1-877-462-6608); CNN will report on some of the calls.

Free Video Download of Slacker Uprising
Michael Moore’s new documentary about the youth vote, Slacker Uprising, is available for free on his website.

A Zen Master looks at Same-Gender Marriage
Robert Aitken Roshi, a widely respected American Zen teacher, applies the classic Buddhist teaching of the Four Immeasurables: loving kindness, compassion, joy in the attainment of others, and equanimity, in an argument for the legalization of same-sex marriage. Read his blog entry here.

Barack Obama
All things Barack Obama

This information was received via email from the Buddhists for Obama group affiliated with www.barackobama.com

Late last night, while leaving a long senate meeting, I was walking down the steps in the Nebraska Union. I pulled my hat out of my coat pocket and out with it came my coin purse, which promptly hit the landing and spilled coins everywhere. Without hesitation, two people came to help me pick up the change. One young man even put down his cell phone and ran half way up the stairs to help gather what couldn’t have been more than two dollars in pennies, nickles, and quarters. It made me so absurdly happy. … read the rest over at Buddhist in Nebraska

I’m siting this post because it is the complete opposite of the one I wrote this morning. Maybe I need to move to Nebraska?

That’s the fundamental attitude in Zen. It’s important to take careful aim. But you can’t ever know where your practice will lead. Don’t get all flamboozled if it flies over the cliff and lands in the ocean. … Brad Warner of Hardcore Zen talks about the expectations of being a Buddhist.

My parents are leaving their church. They feel the United Methodists have been too accepting of homosexuality. They have not attended in weeks. I wonder what they must do with their Sunday mornings now. I have no doubt my father sleeps in. My mother probably reads the morning paper and works in her craft room until Dad gets up and rumbles something about going out for breakfast. I wonder when they will find another church.

… From homosexuality to faith to reincarnation, read the whole thing over at Buddhist in Nebraska.