Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal

Diwali: India's Festival of Lights in USA

2026-11-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

West coast's largest Hindu temple

(KTLA 5) Celebrating Diwali Festival of Lights at BAPS Los Angeles

The deeper meaning behind Diwali

(Nanak Naam) Real meaning of Diwali | Ramayana | Festival of Lights

U.S. racism: "Deport all Dot Heads"

(NDTV Profit) "Deport all Dot Heads": Anti-Hindu hate disrupts Seattle Diwali

The Five Days of the Festival of Lights

(Universal Stories) The Five Days of Diwali explained

(The Palki Sharma Show) Diwali stories: India's Festival of Lights evolved over centuries

Massive celebration in Ayodhya

(NDTV) Ayodhya's 10th Deepotsav blends faith, tradition, technology

Southern California's biggest

(CBS LA) A preview of Southern California's Diwali festival

What is Diwali or the Festival of Lights?

New Year thanks to the Great God (Brahma)
Dipa-vali (Dīpāvalī, "row of lights") [a], commonly known as Diwali [4], is the Hindu Festival of Lights, with variations celebrated in other Dharmic religions such as Newar Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism [b].

Diwali is associated with the spiritual victory or triumph of Dharma over Adharma, light over darkness, righteousness over wrongdoing, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance [5, 6, 7, 8].

Diwali is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the Hindu calendar's amanta tradition) and Kārtika – between around mid-October and mid-November [14], while the Western world is caught up in acknowledging the darkness of Halloween, Day of the Dead, Samhain, and the like.

Diwali as India's Hindu Christmas?

(Neo Dharmism) Is Diwali really just Hindu Christmas?

Diwali stories | Real meaning behind Festival of Lights | Why we celebrate

The Buddha meets with Sakka and Brahma

Diwali celebrations generally last five or six days [15, 16]. It is connected to various religious events, deities, and personalities, such as being the day Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after defeating the demon king Ravana [17].

Diwali is also widely associated with the Goddess of Prosperity Lakshmi and the Remover of Obstacles Ganesha, who is a god of wisdom [18].

Other regional Indian traditions connect the holiday to Vishnu, Krishna, Durga, Shiva, Kali, Hanuman, Kubera, Yama, Yami, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman.

Primarily a Hindu festival today, variations of Diwali are also celebrated by adherents of other non-Hindu traditions [15].

Newar Buddhist Diwali (Kali Puja)

The Great (Maha) Brahma, creator deity

Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern India and Bangladesh generally, celebrate Diwali by worshipping the goddess Kali [22, 2, 23].

Kali Puja (West Bengal)

Jains observe their own Diwali, which marks the final liberation of their founder Mahavira [19, 20], who is known in Buddhism as the Nigantha Nattaputta or the Brahmin Vardhamāna.

Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal prison [21]. More

How Diwali became India's biggest fest

(Firstpost) How Diwali became India's biggest fest | Vantage | Palki Sharma

Northern California celebrates

(CBS News Sacramento) Northern California comes together to celebrate

San Francisco honors Diwali

(KPIX | CBS News Bay Area) San Francisco Bay Area Diwali begins

San Antonio, Texas' 18th year

(KSAT 12) Diwali Festival of Lights brings color, culture to HemisFair

(AGT) Insane Indian contestants who left everyone speechless

Diwali Celebrations in New York City

Diwali 2026 celebration in Times Square, New York City | Indian celebration in heart of NY

(AGT/Talent Replay) Kali comes to life through 13-year-old girl from Jammu and Kashmir, India
Diwali Festival: Deepawali (diwalifestival.org)

Newar Buddhist Diwali: Kali, Lakshmi pujas

2026-11-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

Where is the subcontinent of India? (CGI Earth)

(Nick & Raychel) Diwali (Festival of Lights) in Mumbai, India: In this week's video, we are celebrating Diwali in India. We're kicking off the celebrations in Udaipur and making our way to Mumbai (Bombay) for the last day of Diwali. We found a peaceful, beautiful Diwali in Udaipur (and celebrated my birthday) before getting amped up for a crazy Deepavali in Mumbai, India's most densely populated city.

CHAPTERS: 00:00 Setting up in Udaipur 02:20 trying Indian sweets 04:55 Exploring the decorations 05:26 Buying new clothes 06:05 Birthday dinner 07:27 First night of Diwali 08:23 Flying to Mumbai 09:49 Mumbai Diwali Fireworks

My East Asian girlfriend in India for Diwali

(NickandCarries) Taking my East Asian girlfriend to celebrate Diwali in India 🪔

Trying INDIAN SNACKS for the first time ever

Kali Puja: Bengal’s unmatched celebration of Ma Kali | Diwali

(HISTORY TV18) While much of India celebrates Diwali with lights and fireworks, West Bengal in India honors the fierce Mother Goddess KALI with special rituals at Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

Buddhism in Bangladesh (East Bengal)

Kali Puja commemorates her victory over the demon Raktabeej ("Seeds of Blood"), symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness. Rituals include bringing water from the Hooghly River, lighting the sacred fires, performing homa, and immersing the Goddess’s idols, a powerful reminder that while forms may vanish, divine energy (Shakti) remains eternal.🔥🪔 #Diwali #KaliPuja

Lakshmi Puja Guide for 2026

(The Temple Girl) Diwali Lakshmi Puja Guide 2026:

How to perform devotional ceremony (puja) at home

Fierce, wrathful protector goddess

(Pravielle) Maa Kali chanting for protection

This is a multi-audio video, so choose English, Hindi, Tamil, or Telugu audio by clicking ⚙️ (Settings) under video and selecting the Audio Track.

➤ INQUIRES: notluxe@gmail.com. My first Diwali in India, Nov. 2, 2024

'The Ignorance Sutra' (Avijja Sutta)

2026-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Dharma in the Pali language

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Jeta's Grove, near Savatthi, at the millionaire's monastery. There he addressed the meditators, "Meditators!"

"Yes, venerable sir," the practitioners replied. Then the Blessed One said:

"Meditators, ignorance is the leader in the attainment of all unskillful things, followed by a lack of conscience and a lack of concern.

"Wrong view arises in an ignorant person who is immersed in ignorance.
In one of wrong view, wrong intention [motivation, aspiration, volition, resolve] arises.
In one of wrong intention, wrong speech arises.
In one of wrong speech, wrong action arises.
In one of wrong action, wrong livelihood arises.
In one of wrong livelihood, wrong effort arises.
In one of wrong effort, wrong mindfulness arises.
In one of wrong mindfulness, wrong stillness (samadhi, concentration) arises.

"Clear knowing [vipassana, insight, wisdom] is the leader in the attainment of skillful things, followed by conscience and concern. [This is the Ennobling Eightfold Path now being described:]

"Right view arises in a wise person, immersed in clear knowing.
In one of right view, right intention arises.
In one of right intention, right speech arises.
In one of right speech, right action arises.
In one of right action, right livelihood arises.
In one of right livelihood, right effort arises.
In one of right effort, right mindfulness arises.
In one of right mindfulness, right stillness arises."

What is avijjā?

What did the Buddha teach about avijja?
avijjā: "ignorance," nescience, unknowing. It is synonymous with delusion (moha, one of the root causes of all harm. See mūla). Ignorance is the primary root of all unskillfulness and suffering in the world, veiling our mental eyes and preventing us from seeing the true nature of things.

Ignorance is the delusion tricking living beings by making life appear permanent (rather than constantly passing away), able to fulfill (happy, pleasing, satisfactory), personal (substantial, self, with essence), and beautiful (not repulsive), hindering and preventing us from seeing that everything in reality is impermanent, disappointing (liable to pain and suffering), void of any "I," "me," or "mine" and basically impure. (See "perversions" of view, vipallāsa).

Ignorance is defined as "not knowing [penetrating, having gnosis of] the Four Truths, namely, disappointment, its origin, its cessation, and the way to its cessation" (S. XII, 4).

As ignorance is the foundation of all rebirth-affirming karma, of all harm and disappointment, therefore it stands first in the formula of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppāda).

For that reason, The Path of Purification (Vis.M., XVII, 36f) says ignorance should NOT be regarded as "the causeless root-cause of the world... Ignorance is NOT causeless. For a cause of it is stated thus: 'With the arising of cankers (āsava), there is the arising of ignorance' (MN 9).

"But there is a figurative way in which ignorance can be treated as a root-cause; namely, when it is made to serve as a starting point in an exposition of the Round of Rebirth...

"As it is said: 'No first beginning of ignorance can be perceived, meditators, before which ignorance was not and after which it came to be. But it can be perceived that ignorance has its specific condition (idappaccaya)'" (A.X.61). The same statement is made (A.X.62) about the incessant craving for becoming (bhava-tanhā).

Ignorance and this kind of craving are called "the outstanding causes of karma that lead to unhappy and happy destinies" (Vis.M. XVII, 38).

Because ignorance still exists -- though in a very refined and residual way -- until the attainment of full enlightenment (arahantship), it is counted as the last of the Ten Fetters (samyojana) that bind beings to the cycle of rebirth.

As the first two roots (mūla) of all that is unskillful, greed and hate, are themselves rooted in ignorance. Consequently, ALL unwholesome states of heart/mind are inseparably bound up with ignorance.

The Roots of Good and Evil (Ven. Nyanaponika)

Ignorance (delusion) is the most obstinate of the Three Poisons or Roots of Evil. Ignorance is one of the cankers (āsava) and proclivities (anusaya).

Ignorance is often called a "hindrance" or nīvarana (e.g., in S.XV.3; A.X.61) but is not listed together with the usual Five Hindrances [since it itself is the root cause of the other five].

The Gradual Path of Purification (Real Buddha Quotes)

DEFINITIONS: Pali Text Society (PTS) Pali English Dictionary: avijjā (fem.) "ignorance"; the main root of evil [unskillful conduct] and of continual rebirth. (See Dependent Origination, paṭicca-samuppāda, cp. SN.ii.6, SN.ii.9, SN.ii.12; Snp.p.141, and many other passages). See on term; Cpd. 83 n. 3, 187 sq, 262 sq. and for further detail; vijjā ("knowing").

Avijjā is termed an anusaya (DN.iii.254, DN.iii.282; SN.iv.205, SN.iv.208 sq., SN.iv.212); it is one of the āsavā (Vin.iii.4; DN.i.84; DN.iii.216; Iti.49; Ds.1100, Ds.1109), of the oghā (DN.iii.230, DN.iii.276; Ds.390, Ds.1061, Ds.1162), of the nīvaraṇāni (SN.ii.23; AN.i.223; Iti.8; Ds.1162, Ds.1486), of the saṁyojanāni (DN.iii.254; Ds.1131, Ds.1460). See for various characterizations the following passages: Vin.i.1; Vin.iii.3; DN.iii.212 DN.iii.230, DN.iii.234, DN.iii.274; MN.i.54, MN.i.67, MN.i.144; SN.ii.4, SN.ii.26, SN.ii.263; SN.iii.47 SN.iii.162; SN.iv.256; SN.v.52; AN.i.8, AN.i.285; AN.ii.132, AN.ii.158, AN.ii.247; AN.iii.84 sq. AN.iii.414; AN.iv.228; Iti.34 (yā kāc’ imā duggatiyo asmiṁ loke paramhi ca avijjāmūlakā sabbā icchā-lobha-sammussayā), Iti.57, Iti.81; Snp Verse 199, Snp Verse 277, Snp Verse 729 (jāti-maraṇa-saṁsāraṁ ye vajanti punappunaṁ… avijjāy’eva sā gati), Snp verse 730, Snp Verse 1026, Snp Verse 1033 (avijjāya nivuto loko); Dhp.243; Cnd.99; Pp.21; Ds.390 Ds.1061, Ds.1162; Dhp-a.iii.350; Dhp-a.iv.161 (˚paligha). Sanskrit avidyā; from a ["not"] + vid ["knowing"]♦️Digital Pāḷi Dictionary: avijjā (fem.) "ignorance; illusion; not knowing; not understanding" [na + √vid + yā].

"Discourse on Ignorance," Avijja Sutta (SN 45.1 PTS: S v 1 CDB ii 1523) translated by Dhr. Seven based on Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation (accesstoinsight.org); Ven. Nyanaponika (Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Doctrines and Terms); Wisdom Quarterly

The weight of 'what if' -- worry less

2026-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

(Buddhism Prevails) How to worry less in hard times | Buddhist teachings in English

Eckhart Tolle on 'emptiness' (shunyata)

2026-11-07T04:45:00.000-08:00

Eckhart Tolle on Jesus: What "love" really is - Eckhart Tolle on the Buddha’s Teachings

The essence of "emptiness"

Ven. Nyanatiloka (Anton Walther Florus Gueth); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

What is the Zen enso symbol?
Suññatā (noun), suñña (adjective): "empty" ("emptiness"), "void" ("voidness").

As a Buddhist doctrinal term this word refers, in the long-preserved Theravāda tradition of the Pali language canon, exclusively to the "not-self" (anattā) doctrine of the historical Buddha -- the impersonal nature of all things, the unsubstantial nature of all phenomena:

"Empty is the world...because it is devoid of a self and anything belonging to a self" (suññam attena vā attaniyena vā, S. XXXV, 85).

This is also stated in the same text, more pertinently to the human condition, of the Five Aggregates clung to as "self" (khandha, Sanskrit skandha). See also MN 43 and MN 106.

In the ancient commentary (Cula Niddessa) quoted in The Path of Purification (Vis.M. XXI, 55), it is said:

"Eye...mind, visual objects...mind-objects, visual consciousness...mind-consciousness, corporeality... consciousness, and so on are devoid of self and anything belonging to a self, devoid of permanence and of anything lasting, eternal, or immutable... They are coreless: without a core [essence] of permanence, or core of satisfaction [fulfillment, non-disappointment], or core of self." (In other words, there are Three Universal Characteristics of All Existence).

In MN 121, the voiding of the mind of the cankers [freeing the heart of the taints] in the attainment of full enlightenment (arahantship), is regarded as the "fully purified and incomparably highest (concept of) emptiness."

See Sn.v.1119; MN 121; MN122 (Buddhist Publication Society, Wheel 87); Pts.M. II: Suñña-kathā; Vis.M. XXI, 53ff. Source

Ultimately, this is liberation

Sanskrit moksha is vimokkha ("liberation") in Pali (I. the 3; II. the 8. I.) The three "liberations" are:

the "conditionless" (or "signless") liberation (animitta-vimokkha)
the "desireless" (or "cravingless") liberation (apanihita-vimokkha)
the "emptiness" (or "void") liberation (suññatā-vimokkha).

They are also called "the triple gateway to liberation" or vimokkha-mukha (The Path of Purification, Vis.M. XXI, 66ff) because they are three different approaches to the paths of awakening.

See "purification" (visuddhi VI, 8. Cf. Vis XXI, 6ff, 121ff; Pts.M. II. Vimokkha-Kathā). More

Emptiness as spaciousness

Śūnyatā (shoon-yə-TAH, Sanskrit शून्यता, Pali suññatā, lit. "emptiness," "voidness" [1, 2, 3], "vacuity"[4, 5], "no-thing-ness" or "spaciousness") is an Indian philosophical concept in Dharmic traditions like Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, and other Indian philosophical traditions.

The concept has multiple meanings depending on its doctrinal context: an ontological feature of reality, a meditative state, or a phenomenological analysis of experience.

In Theravāda Buddhism, suññatā refers to the impersonal characteristic of all states of existence, not-self (Pāli anattā, Sanskrit anātman) [Note 1] -- the true nature of the Five Aggregates clung to as "self" and the six sense spheres.

Gnostic Jesus knew?

Forgive Them, for They Are Unconscious

Pali suññatā may also be used to refer to an experience or meditative state.

Possibly the meditative state (absorption, jhana) referred to here is the "sphere of nothingness"? For it is said: Through the total overcoming of the [previous meditative absorption called the] "sphere of boundless consciousness," with the idea "Nothing is there," a meditator can reach the "sphere of nothingness" (ākiñcaññāyatana) and abide therein. Through the total overcoming of the "sphere of nothingness," one can reach the "sphere [meditative absorption] of neither-perception-nor-non-perception" (nevasaññā-n'asaññāyatana) and abide therein. This "sphere or base of nothingness" is the seventh of the four immaterial absorptions (jhanas of the immaterial sphere). It still belongs, properly speaking, to the fourth fine-material absorption because it possesses the same two constituents. This fourth fine-material absorption is the base or starting point (pādaka-jhāna) for the attaining of the higher (special, psychic) spiritual powers (abhiññā). Source
These meditative attainments are heavy karma and can lead to rebirth in exalted celestial, heavenly, superhuman states that last a very long time.
However one may use the term, these two "nothings" are not the same. They are very different. I spent years believing that this base or sphere of "nothingness" was just the understanding that all things are impersonal and not-self, seeing through the illusion of "thingness." Then I was corrected by a powerful meditator able to enter this and all the other absorptions at will. Asking, "Isn't that knowing of nothingness just knowing that everything is anatta?"
"No," I was told, "that sphere is a real place." "What's it like?" "It's like a construction zone with nothing built there, desolate, empty, unformed yet." I was blown away, asking the obvious question: "Well, that can't be 'nothing' because you're describing something, right?" I was surprised by the answer: "It may be something, but when you're there, it's eerie. There's nothing there." This meant not nothing-nothing, not literally, but in a sense of speaking, as when one leaves the city and goes out to the desolate desert.
What can we say about it when we get back to the cluttered city? We can say, "there was nothing there." One day there may be, but now it's just nothing built up, formed, fabricated, constructed. There's sand but not bricks, sky and air but not smog and obstructions, no objects in the sky or on the ground, and so on. It's figurative.
This bore a striking similarity to a non-Buddhist description a guest once gave on Coast to Coast AM, which oddly echoes a very Buddhist story. Where is the end of the universe? This guest, wishing to see that place, willed it, and ended up in just that sort of unbuilt up construction zone like place, a real "place" (sphere) but a desolation, not so much a nothing-nothing but rather a no-thing yet. It was not yet a thing, like an empty expanse where a mall to be built, empty real estate.

In Mahāyāna Buddhism, Sanskrit śūnyatā refers to the tenet that "all things are empty [devoid] of intrinsic existence [essence] and [self-] nature (svabhava)" [7, 8], but may also refer to the Buddha-nature teachings and primordial or empty awareness, as in Dzogchen, Shentong, or Chan (Chinese chan'na, Pali jhan', Sanskrit dhyan', Japanese zen). More

The Heart Sutra (if Eckhart translated it)

"Channeled: and imagined from Eckhart Tolle by Dhr. Seven for Wisdom Quarterly, Nov. 2026

Nothing is more powerful than right now.
Ehem. The Perfection of Wisdom is lovely and holy. An awakening person, a being moving toward enlightenment [a bodhisattva], starts moving in the deep course of a Wisdom that has gone beyond. Here and now one looks down from on high, one beholds but five groups [clung to as self], and one sees that in and of themselves they are spacious [shunyata, empty].

Here, O Wise One, this bodily form is spacious, and the very spaciousness is form. Spaciousness does not differ from form, form does not differ from spaciousness. Whatever is spaciousness, that is form [the first group clung to as self]. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, [mental] fabrications, and consciousness.

Here, O Wise One, all phenomena are marked with spaciousness. They are not made nor unmade, not good nor bad, not missing something nor complete.

Therefore, O Wise One, in spaciousness there is no form nor feeling, nor perception, nor fabrication, nor consciousness. There is no [ayatana of] eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no [visible] forms, sounds, fragrances, tastes, tangibles, nor objects of mind; no sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to: no mind-consciousness element.

There is no ignorance, no eradication of ignorance, and so forth, until we come to: There is no decay and death, no eradication of decay and death. There is no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path. There is no cognition, no attainment, and no non-attainment.

Therefore, O Wise One, it is because of this spacious non-attainmentness that a being bent on awakening, through having relied on the Perfection of Wisdom, dwells without thought-coverings.

In the absence of thought-coverings one no longer trembles. One has overcome everything that can upset, and in the end one realizes nirvana.

All fully awakened ones of the past, present, and future fully awake to the ultimate, to right and perfect awakening because they have relied on this Perfection of Wisdom.

Therefore, one should know this Perfection of Wisdom as a great mantra, a mantra of great knowledge, the ultimate mantra, the unequalled mantra, the allayer of all suffering for, in truth, what could go wrong? [For nothing could touch that part of us.]

By the Perfection of Wisdom has this mantra come to us. It runs something like this as the Buddhists would say: gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha. ("Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, so it is!)

This completes the Heart of Perfect Wisdom. More

The ignorance we can't see

2026-11-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

What is avijja? The IGNORANCE even smart people can’t see

(Buddha's Wisdom) Nov. 4, 2026: 🕯️ WHAT THE BUDDHA MEANT BY "NOT KNOWING": In Buddhism, avijjā, which is usually translated as "ignorance," means "not knowing suffering, its origin, its cessation, or the path to its cessation."

[EDITORIAL NOTE: One of the best translations of Buddhist "wisdom" (panna, prajna) or "knowing" (vijja, Sanskrit vidya) or directly knowing-and-seeing (ñāṇadassanena) is really knowing these four liberating things: that all phenomena are disappointing, unsatisfactory, unable to ever fulfill us, that phenomena or things are this way by their very nature (marked by three characteristics), that there is freedom or an escape from this here and now, and that there is a path-of-practice to this freedom here and now. The problem is our English misunderstanding of "knowing." People early on memorize the "Four Noble Truths" and utterly fail to see what "knowing" means. It is not a magic formula, a belief to defend or argue with, a statement of faith, or something that if repeated enough will suddenly make sense. "Knowing" refers to penetrating, personally experiencing, grasping thoroughly in a Gnostic sense, awakening to these truths. The "noble" part does not mean there's something noble or commendable about them, but rather "noble" means "enlightening" (Aryan), what liberated people share in common.]

Literally, it means "not-knowing," and it has little to do with stupidity or lacking facts.

This video looks at how the Buddha defined avijjā through the Four Enlightening Truths and why someone can understand a teaching for years and still repeat the very thing it warns against.

For example, Mahānāma, a lay follower, told the Buddha he understood the Teachings (Dhamma) and still found greed and anger getting into his mind/heart. (Mahānāma Sutta 1)

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 We know better
02:41 A question in the Banyan Park
05:48 Knowing is a task
09:50 Even the Buddha
13:05 The pause before the sentence

The Buddha's answer, his first sermon inside the Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares, proto-India), and a candid passage about his own life before awakening all point to the same idea: knowing a truth is a task, not just a thought.

DISCOVER

Why "ignorance" sends most of us in the wrong direction and what avijjā actually names
Why intelligence and familiarity with Buddhist Teachings can leave ignorance unresolved
What the Buddha told Mahānāma about the anger that keeps coming back
The three levels of knowing each of the Four Ennobling Truths from the First Sermon
What the Buddha revealed about his own experience of temptation under the bodhi tree before awakening
How the carpenter’s peg simile connects with the goodwill the Buddha taught his son, Ven. Rāhula
A practical application of mindfulness and right speech for moments when anger is still present.

📚 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING (affiliate links)

Primary texts (the Buddhist suttas this video draws on):

Cūḷadukkhakkhandha Sutta, "The Lesser Mass of Suffering" (MN 14): Mahānāma's question in the Banyan Park
Paṭiccasamuppāda-vibhaṅga Sutta, "Analysis of Dependent Origination" (SN 12.2): ignorance as not knowing the Four Noble Truths
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, "Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion" (SN 56.11): the "First Sermon" and Koṇḍañña Anamatagga Saṃyutta (SN 15): beings "hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving"
Vitakkasaṇṭhāna Sutta, "The Relaxation of Thoughts" (MN 20): the carpenter's peg
Mahārāhulovāda Sutta, "The Greater Exhortation to Rāhula" (MN 62): developing goodwill
Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, "The Four Foundations of Mindfulness" (MN 10): knowing ill will when it is present

TRANSLATIONS:

Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu [inferior] translations of the suttas above (dhammatalks.org)
Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

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🔔 Ever said, "I know, I know" and done it anyway? Subscribe. Buddha's Wisdom takes the Buddha's Teachings back to the original texts and tests them against ordinary life. 💬 Comment: What does the last word give you, and how long does it last?

NOTE: The suttas or "discourses" were preserved orally and written down centuries after the Buddha's lifetime. Details such as Mahānāma being the Buddha's cousin come from Buddhist tradition. The closing practice is a modern way of applying these teachings, not a method found in the texts. #Avijja #Ignorance #FourNobleTruths #BuddhaTeachings #Mindfulness #Buddha

Annual Tree Festival (ReGreen Altadena)

2026-11-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Second Annual TreeFest

This is a Call to Action for Los Angeles. AltadenaWILD.org (@altadenawild), Altadena Green, and CSUN/California State University Northridge’s Urban Forestry Project continue their commitment to regrow the tree canopy lost in the Eaton Fire by hosting the second annual ReGreen Altadena Community TreeFest.

TreeFest includes

Giveaway of 300 five-gallon citrus trees and 200 California native live oak and Englemann/Pasadena oak saplings for Altadena residents. (First come, first served; limit of two total per household)
Giveaway of native toyon berry shrub, and a variety of orange, lime, and strawberry trees
Public demonstrations and talks (schedule on flyer)
Exhibit booths staffed by representatives from many environmental organizations

Event is FREE TO ALL (except ICE agents who must pay a severe toll and face public ridicule, protest, and hissing)

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Odyssey School
725 West Altadena Drive
Altadena, CA 91001 (MAP)

LA Mayor Karen Bass fired for incompetence

Parking info: On-site parking on Odyssey's main campus will be limited; however, the parking lot at Odyssey South (575 West Altadena Drive) will be open. Drivers encouraged to consider parking near Loma Alta Park or the Altadena Community Garden and enjoy a treelined 2-3 block walk to the festival site. Drive into Odyssey main campus parking lot to load trees.

Exhibitors

Firestorm (Jacob Soboroff)

301 Organics AltadenaWILD Altadena Bicycle Club Altadena Farmers Market/Eco Hub Altadena Green Altadena Historical Society Amigos de los Rios Angel City Reciprocity Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy CAL FIRE Urban & Community Forestry California Botanic Garden Eaton Canyon Nature Center Associates Friends of PUSD trees Kounkuey Design Initiative LA County Youth Climate Commission Los Angeles County Fire Department Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division Mott Restoration Landscape Company Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains Santa Monica Mountains Fund Soul Force Project The Foothill Catalog Foundation TreePeople UC Master Gardener Program of Los Angeles County

Enjoy a day of community celebration as the community takes the next steps toward regrowing Altadena’s trees. Want to help? Sign up here to volunteer! SPONSOR A SAPLING OR TREE.

This Community TreeFest and Tree Giveaway is part of our ReGreen Altadena initiative. Join email list to keep up with the latest information. Active

AltadenaWild.org; Xochitl, Dhr. Seven, Crystal Q. (eds.), Ananada (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

Sacred Path Powwow, Griffith Park, LA

2026-11-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

Where's the powwow? It's at LA's enormous central park Griffith Park next to Hollywood.

What is Griffith Park? - It is a giant wilderness area with free roaming lions like P-22's cubs.

Danza Azteca, Indigenous Los Angeles

Sacred Path at The Autry Museum. The big Los Angeles Pow Wow 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, November 7th, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. (Grand Entry begins at 1:00 pm).

The Autry Museum is in Griffith Park, Los Angeles (between Hollywood and Glendale). It is appropriate for ages 13+, families, seniors, and admission is FREE and open to the public. More info

An Inglorious Columbus (Vining)

Godozo said..."I have a theory about Columbus Day: Columbus wasn't the one who discovered the Americas but [was] part of the LAST wave of people to discover the Americas. There have been plenty of discoveries -- Japanese, Chinese, Africans, Polynesians, Carthaginians, Irish, Vikings, etc., but it was Columbus, Amerigo Verspucci, and the wave that came along with them that has (so far) kept the American continent known (from a Eurasian perspective)."

An Inglorious Columbus: or, Evidence that Hwui Shan and a Party of Buddhist Monks from Afghanistan Discovered America in the Fifth Century, A.D. (Edward Payson Vining, 1847-1920, archive.org)

Griffith Park is also home of Indie Shakes

Independent Shakespeare Co. Bridge Centennial Celebration, Oct. 10, 2026 (IndieShakes)

Why do powwow dancers gather together?

ABOUT: Join The Autry (next to the LA Zoo by the Shakespeare Festival) for a full-day celebration of Indigenous/Native culture with traditional powwow dancing, food, and vendors. The event features:

Shaman medicine man healers?
Traditional dancing and songs led by Northern- and Southern-style drummers and singers
Indian tacos and traditional toxic (acrylamide soaked) frybread
Vendors selling traditional and contemporary Native American arts and crafts
Native community information booths
Diverse Native languages, customs, and dances

Will there be any arts and crafts for sale to commemorate all the tribes and traditions of LA?

Visit sacredpath.org

SACRED PATH: The Autry is pleased to announce a new partnership with Sacred Path Indigenous Wellness Center. Sacred Path is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving urban Native communities, offering a variety of programs and services designed to promote cultural connection, community engagement, and overall well-being. For more info, please visit sacredpath.org.

What is a "powwow"?

What must the extraterrestrial visitors the tribes remember have looked like? (wiki)

The Autry Museum of the American West

A powwow is a Native American gathering that brings together Indigenous communities to celebrate their culture, heritage, and spirituality. It includes traditional regalia, intertribal dancing, singing, and Indigenous foods and crafts.

What NOT to do at a powwow?

Is it a Native Quinceañera?
Don’t touch dancers’ regalia (and please refrain from calling it a "costume")
Don’t take close-up photographs or video without permission.
Don’t walk through the dance arena or close to dancers, drummers.
Don’t interrupt sacred traditional ceremonies, dancing, or singing.
Don’t drink alcohol or consume drugs at this family-friendly event.

What to do at a powwow?

Be respectful.
Stand quietly during prayers and flag songs.
Follow the instructions of the emcee and arena director.

Land Acknowledgement

Cherokee Land Acknowledgement
The Autry Museum acknowledges the Tongva/Gabrielino (Kizh) peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles Basin and Southern Channel Islands). We recognize that the Autry Museum and its campuses are located on the traditional lands of Tongva/Gabrielino peoples and we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam ("Ancestors"), ‘Ahiihirom ("Elders"), and ‘Eyoohiinkem ("our relatives/relations") past, present, and emerging.

EVENTS | The Autry Museum
Autry Museum of the American West
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
(In Griffith Park across from LA Zoo)
MAPS AND DIRECTIONS
PARKING

White man's powwow (slam dance mosh pit)

White man's powwow: slam dance mosh pit | Wisdom Quarterly

DO NON-NATIVE YOUTH EVER GATHER FOR TRIBAL DANCING?

VIDEO: White man's powwow: slam dance mosh pit
Genetic study places Indigenous ancestors' arrival near the end of the Ice Age
Autry.org; Xochitl, Dhr. Seven, Crystal Q., Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Power slipping from Bibi Netanyahu ✡️

2026-11-05T05:05:00.000-08:00

Israeli President Issac Herzog to announce choice to form government on Sunday

I will push the button on our nukes first.

Ten days after Israel’s general election, Israeli opposition is daring to hope that the power is finally draining from CIA plant and Polish-American operative "Ben Nitay," "Ben Miliekowsky," aka "Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu."

"Like a bolt from the blue," Israel's president shocked by paid Zionist ally Trump's announcing that US will end its genocide aid | How will Israel pay for weapons and new wars without US funding? We haven't nuked Iran yet or invaded Turkey!
'F*ck them': Far-right reacts to corrupt grifter Trump Family after massive election losses | CNN

I blame the antisemitic jihadists of South Park!

A string of party leaders has fallen in behind opponent Gadi Eisenkot, the man best placed to replace corrupt dead-man-walking Dictator Bibi, and cracks have begun to appear in the right-wing Zionist extremist Likud [or Liquidation] party of the current prime minister’s governing bloc.

CIA plant Netanyahu’s attempts to have the election results declared invalid by implying widespread voter fraud -- or "the Trump Strategy" -- in the Arab community, despite a severe lack of evidence, have also all but failed.

We're in this till the end, unless the Epstein
[Pedo-] Files get me sent to prison, eh, Bibi?

Meanwhile, the dramatic implosion of U.S. (AIPAC, Zionist Christian psyops, or hasbara, and the usual scare tactics, like attacking Jews worldwide to terrorize them into moving to the Middle East as the only place for Jews to be safe) is hurting financial support of Israel's genocide and its imperial ambitions in Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, or what Zionists worldwide call "Greater Israel."

The implosion was signaled by the sweeping Democratic victory on Tuesday’s 2026 midterm elections in the U.S., and it has added energy to the opposition leaders’ efforts to set aside their differences and find a way of getting rid of the Jewish man [war criminal, CIA/IDF operative, military Dictator Bibi] they blame for this diplomatic catastrophe.

Hebrew University Prof. Gayil Talshir

Many seasoned political analysts are now leaning towards some form of Eisenkot-led Israeli government as the more likely outcome – although they stress that, in Zionist Israel's corrupt politics, anything can happen.

Prof. Gayil Talshir, a senior lecturer in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said Bibi opponent Eisenkot’s road to forming a government would be... More

Power slowly draining away from Netanyahu (The Telegraph via MSN)

US senator calls for 'Shawarma Law' ☪️

2026-11-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Radical jihad? I'm for bringing back Hee Haw!

In response to opponents who said Michigan's new Muslim Senator Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is for "Sharia law," the health care professional, new politician, and aspiring standup comedian told reporters earlier this week that he's actually for "shawarma law," broiling innocent slaughtered animals to make hero (twirling gyro) sandwiches for snacks.

(The Daily Show) Jon Stewart opines on the impending disaster for Trump MAGA Republicans

Lying criminal pedophile Trump collapses Republican party

Hey, how come that turkey gets laughs?

The joke is all over social media. To make light of those who are concerned that Muslim politicians would enact a body of religious tenets called "Sharia law," folks are making posts about looking forward to "shawarma law," "Shakira law" [she's Lebanese], and "Shania law" [who, like most country music singers, stands for traditional gender roles, God, and marriage] after Dr. El-Sayed's win on Election Day 2026.

~~Conspiracy theorist~~ super patriot Alex Jones explains Republican party collapse this way: "Trump is a Democrat" sent to infiltrate GOP
VIDEO: Financially ruined Alex Jones cries on TV (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver)

Trump a Hillary Democrat all along?

All that toxic makeup can't cover up Turkey Neck Trump's sagging jowls

He sounds good. I wish I weren't a cannibal.

("Shakira law," of course, refers to the Colombian-Lebanese pop star, and Shania is a reference to American pop-country crossover singer Shania Twain.)

When Democrat El-Sayed wins the Michigan US Senate race, it will make him the first Muslim elected to the chamber [Senate].

He says: "Do not believe the people who say I'm for Sharia law, I'm for shawarma law," quoted at a campaign stop in Macomb County earlier this week.

Just wait till our US operatives depose popular Muslim New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Incest survivor Ilhan Omar sends Arabic language message to Abdul El-Sayed as she celebrates Muslim 'infiltration' of Jewish Zionist-dominated US Congress

Senator defines tenets of "shawarma law"

Shawarma now available in compassionate vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free options. Enjoy!

Zionist Israeli psyops in San Diego?

A video of his statement was captured and posted by Fox 2 Detroit. "I want to explain what the tenets of shawarma law are. If you get a shawarma and it's got lettuce in it, it's not shawarma; it's just a sandwich. Someone has lied to you."

We'll get US back [with AIPAC]

Dr. El-Sayed has gone so far as to recommend Detroit-area shawarma shop Amo Samis, which is known for a crispy flesh sandwich with a signature dollop of extra toum and pickles on the end. The exterior of the wraps is seasoned and grilled for an audible crunch when bitten into.

"It's gonna change your life," Dr. El-Sayed said of Amo Samis, which started as a food truck and has expanded to several greasy storefront locations.

Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks after victory in US midterm elections, during an Election Night rally in Detroit, Mich., Nov. 4, 2026 (© Brian Snyder, Reuters)

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Abdul El-Sayed says, 'I'm for shawarma law.'

Detroit News via USA Today via MSN: Abdul El-Sayed says, 'I'm for shawarma law'; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Welcome to Native Heritage Month 2026

2026-11-04T23:00:00.000-08:00

Native women in traditional regalia, National American Indian Heritage Month 2024

The Wheel of Dharma

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Wisdom Quarterly is commencing a series looking into the striking parallels between Indigenous spirituality of the Americas (shamanism, animism, pantheism) and shamanic (sramanic) Buddhist Teachings on spirituality the true nature of reality.

Shaman Guru Wovoka
Restoring Native American Ghost Dance U.S. destroyed to what peaceful Elder Wovoka (Shaman Quoitze Ow aka "Medicine Man Jack Wilson") envisioned
Wavoka (circa 1856–1932) was a Paiute American shaman and religious movement leader who founded a second episode of the Ghost Dance Movement

Native American Heritage Month opens in the USA amid origin story debates. Heritage Month begins:

Map of gene flow in/out of Beringia
Indigenous/Native communities across the USA celebrate diverse traditions with art, food, and recovered language programs [because the USA made speaking Native languages a punishable offense until 1978 in an overt act of ethnic cleansing, slow genocide, and permanent erasure] during November’s heritage month.
Origin story debates: Historian Ned Blackhawk calls for integrating Indigenous histories into U.S. founding narratives, highlighting exclusion and sovereignty issues.
Science reshapes timeline: New archeological and genetic evidence pushes back the arrival of the first Americans [beyond 10,000 years before present], challenging the Clovis‑first model and supporting coastal migration [Ancient Paleo-Siberian, Beringian] theories.
National American Indian Heritage Month opens amid origin story debates.

Heritage month launches with cultural events and scholarly challenge

We never existed in the USA

November’s Native American Heritage Month is being marked by community events ranging from salmonberry harvests in Alaska to traditional tattoo revival in Oklahoma.

In parallel, historian Ned Blackhawk uses the occasion to challenge dominant U.S. origin narratives, arguing that Indigenous histories and the anti‑Native ideologies embedded in foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence must be confronted.

His work links these historical perspectives to ongoing questions about tribal sovereignty and democratic inclusion (The Nation).

The shamanic impulse and dance
Native communities celebrate heritage through diverse activities
Families in Kipnuk, Alaska gather salmonberries, maintaining subsistence traditions after typhoon disruptions
Students at Wicoie Nandagikendan learn Ojibwe and Dakota language, syrup-making at sugarbush camp
Indigenous girls secured legal rights for a river through council resolution and advocacy
Artists like Fawn Douglas revive traditional basketmaking using modern materials in Las Vegas, Nevada
Muscogee tattoo artist Hodokii Johnson preserves ancestral markings, emphasizing cultural and spiritual significance

Why historically accurate origin story matters

The United States of America (originally "Columbia") stole from us, paid us with genocide

Myths: They're all dead

Blackhawk’s call for a revised origin story coincides with the U.S. approaching its 250th anniversary, a moment he describes as a crisis in national self‑definition.

He emphasizes that the framing of the nation’s beginnings shapes perceptions of belonging, legitimacy of claims, and visions for the future. By centering Native America in Revolutionary‑era history, he connects past patterns of racialization and dispossession to present‑day democratic institutions and public trust. More

Native American Heritage Month 2026 opens amid origin story debates
Kizh Nation (Los Angeles County) — Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians
The Nation via MSN, curated by Copilot, Nov. 1, 2026; Xochitl, Crystal Q., Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Peace Class with Mandy Kahn (11/4)

2026-11-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Friends, Peace Class meets tonight. Join in LIVE by simply clicking on this Zoom link at the start time 6:00 pm.

Peace Class with Mandy Kahn
Live from Los Angeles, California
November 4, 2026, 6:00 pm (PST)

Weekly Peace Class on Zoom (prs.org)

Please note this this week, clocks here in California shifted back an hour, from Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) to Pacific Standard Time (PST). If joining from Arizona, Hawaii, or from abroad, please check to see what 6:00 pm PST translates to in any other area: Time Zone Converter.

It's free and ALL are welcome at Peace Class. What happened last week? There were guided meditations and other activities, plus this message:

NOW WE ARE AT WAR

Bibi dictates to Dept. of War Secretary Hegseth

Now we are at war. As we look around, we see, in various forms of violence, what is inside the collective consciousness we all share.

There must be much anger, much resentment, and much sadness in the collective consciousness for us to see this violence externally. Now let us gaze upon this moment in history. Seeing it, we stand at a point of opportunity. Why?

We can ask ourselves: Do I choose this violence? Do I choose to continue this Era of Belligerence?

If we do, then there's nothing to change: We, as a human collective, made this violence, and if we choose to continue living as we have been living, we will get more of it.

"Be the peace you wish to see in the world."

Perhaps next time, the violence will be in a different region; perhaps next time, it will directly affect different people and everyone else indirectly. If we do NOT change our habits, there will be more of the same, more violence. That is the result if we see this and choose to remain as we are.

But there is another option. And that is to see this outbreak of violence and to say, I do not choose this. I choose something else. If we say (if any individual says) that, we are at a powerful point of opportunity, because we have the inspiration required to change what needs to be changed to see something new in the world. "Be the change you want to see in the world," urged Indian peace activist Mahatma Gandhi.

MLK Jr. Day: Why the USA needs war

What change did the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. want? He wanted peace, so he became that peace and said: "Be the PEACE you wish to see in the world."

EDITORIAL NOTE: However Gandhi or MLK Jr. may have lived out their personal lives, one liberated India from harsh British imperial rule, the other from brutal American racism and institutional discrimination. First, they had to see and understand the mechanisms then subvert them. Gandhi was educated in England, so he did see how the empire worked. MLK Jr. learned in university and from activists (such as peace activist, friend, and Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh) how the USA and the American War Machine were operating. Second, they seized the opportunity to dismantle those empires' hold on and exploitation of others. Third, they did it peacefully, even if Malcolm X or others, remaining in anger, would have wished for violence to oppose violence. That could never work. Why? If violence beats violence, then violence wins. But if energizing peace beats depleting violence, then the power of peace wins. And it shows that peace, which is sustainable, is the way. War destroys, exhausts, ruins itself and sets enemies aflame against it, which is in no way sustainable, however many battles it may seem to win in the short run. Everyone told them peace and justice would be impossible.

What is war?

I feel sad and guilty. I will kill these feelings.

War is the resentment, anger, sadness, and guilt that festers in the collective consciousness, manifesting outwardly in the world of form.

Before we see the outbreak of war, we might find it possible to ignore the discomfort that indicates that there are massive amounts of resentment, anger, sadness, bitterness, and guilt in the collective.

Just so, before the body has a 105-degree fever, we might ignore the runny nose we experience the week before, which is indicating to us that this body needs rest, resilience, and care.

I feel sick with fever for more ego and money.

If we do address it, it never happens. If we fail to address the issue when we see early symptoms, sickness will manifest. So it has, now. The runny nose of how we have felt about each other, the runny nose of how we have felt after we judged each other with thought-violence, has turned into a life-threating fever; it has manifested into outward violence anyone can see.

And now that we can see it, some will ask, How can we change this? How do we END this war? How do we bring about peace?

I choose genocide! Deal with it, stupid Arabs!

The root of this violence is many people feeling something that could be translated into the phrase: “I have not been honored.”

How can we bring the opposite of that phrase into the world? How can we become the phrase, “I honor you, honor myself, and honor all beings”? How can we become this “I honor all beings” presence?

Israeli Jews say no to genocide, yes to peace!

How can we become the “I have compassion for all beings” presence? First, it is simple, by setting an intention (a determination, the root of what the Buddha explained determined action/karma).

Simply speaking, we can intend: Let me be the “I honor all beings” presence in the world. Let me fill with the spirit of the phrase “I honor all beings.”

It's too hot! No, it's too cold! Now it's just right.

When we slip into a bathtub and the water is too hot, we run the cool tap to balance the overall temperature. The same is true of our collective humanity: When we see war, we know that many are feeling the phrase, “I have not been honored.” We can balance that by simply adding the spirit of The Honoring of All Beings into our collective consciousness.

Just as adding cool water to scalding water balances the temperature into a mild and tolerable tepidness, our Honoring of All can restore balance to the collective. But here's the most important thing I've come here to say:

We can carry the Honoring of All Beings Presence and still have strong political opinions. Carrying The Honoring of All does not result or require neutrality of opinion. This is exceptionally important to understand. We can have any opinion and still carry the I Honor All Beings presence. Here's how.

How? Compassion can be added to our strong opinions. We can think or say, “I have a preference here; I have a preference for Group A or Group B, or perhaps a preference for neutrality. And even as I prefer that, I carry compassion for all beings. I also honor all beings. I honor them because I know that everyone deserves a safe world.

“I know that compassion-for-all is the thing that builds it. So even as I have my preferences, however strong, I surround that preference with my compassion-for-all.”

Vote with me for more war and capitalist profits.

The lie that we were told is that it is our responsibility to choose sides, and in choosing sides, we must oppose others, condemn them, carry vitriol for those who dare to stay on the “wrong,” namely, the side we did not choose. No. We CAN choose a side, and we can still feel compassion-for-all.

Understand, our opinions are a part of our experience of selfhood, and we are here to be who we are. We are loved as who we are. We will never be asked to step away from our point of view by those who understand what we are here to do, which is to be ourselves. We do not need to be less ourselves to be instruments of peace in this world. We can be exactly ourselves and we can be instruments of true peace.

A nation says no to kings and dictators.

Whatever our opinions are—whether we have a preference for neutrality or a preference for one group or another, or anything in between—we can be aware of it, and we can express it, and we can still build a bridge to the Age of Peace.

When we see violence and say, “I don't condone that violence” and add our vitriol, our vitriol actually builds more violence.

Republicans in power, give us peace!

I wish I didn't have to say that, because many won't like hearing it. But it is objectively true. And we have been shielded from the truth for too long. We deserve to exercise our true power. Our true power is to choose the kind of world we want to build first then to consciously engage the tools that will build what we want.

If we want a peaceful world, choose it by pairing compassion-for-all with any opinion. If we want more war, choose it by pairing it with vitriol, with cruelty of thought, and with harsh judgments of others with any opinion.

We need change. Change now or be voted out.

That is how we choose what will come. We choose not by what our opinions are, but by what feeling we pair them with. That is the greatest secret behind war:

It's not which side we choose that truly affects the violence around us. It's what feeling we pair whatever we have chosen. If we pair our opinion with compassion-for-all, we are choosing the Age of Peace.

If we pair our opinions with vitriol, with cruelty, with judgment, with violence of thought, we are choosing the Era of Belligerence.

Any of the following three phrases builds peace:

I have a preference for neutrality, and I carry the spirit of compassion-for-all.
I have a preference for Group A, and I carry the spirit of compassion-for-all.
I have a preference for Group B, and I carry the spirit of compassion-for-all.

Any one of these builds a bridge from where we are to the Age of Peace.

Why are we here?

We are here to be live out integrity: peace, peace

We are here to be ourselves. But we are also here to build the world that we want. If we were taught that we were obligated to carry vitriol for those we disagree with, we were told that by those who preferred we build more of the Era of Belligerence or by those who had been told how to be by those who prefer the Era of Belligerence.

I am choosing the Age of Peace, so I am telling everyone the truth about how to build it. The future is ours to build. We build the future with our thoughts (beginning with our intentions) and with the emotions that surround our thoughts.

We build it by how we think of others, judge them, and how we think of ourselves and judge ourselves. We were probably told that we build the future with our opinions.

Imagine all the people living life in peace.

But we really build it with the feelings we generate, by way of our thoughts, thought-habits, that surround our opinions. I honor others' opinions, even if they differ from mine. And I honor what others choose to do with their infinite ability to build our world together.

But I offer these words to make it clear what we are choosing between and how so we can be sure that we are building what we really want.

In peace, Mandy Kahn (mandykahn.com)

ZOOM: Peace Class with Mandy Kahn

Mandy Kahn (prs.org) edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

Underworlds below Los Angeles ☠️

2026-11-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

Reptilian tunnels found under Los Angeles, 1934

Massive discoveries underground

British researcher David Icke swears British royals are perverse Reptilian-possessed leaders.

Massive tunnel system discovered under LA

(Amplex) Oct. 18, 2026: This Amplex investigation explores mysterious underground discoveries, enormous cave systems, strange tunnel entrances in Antarctica and the Himalayas, ancient Egyptian artifacts reported outside Egypt (in the Buddhist Grand Canyon).

Could US elites act like USSR above?

There are also theories about forgotten civilizations that still exist (in Agartha (openings at the poles), Hollow Earth, California's Mount Shasta) may have built vast underground networks thousands and tens of thousands of years ago, and an "Actors' Freeways" A-list star use in traffic-choked Los Angeles.

Hopi: Reptilian tunnels under our West Coast metropolitan feet (Los Angeles Times)
Secretly Reptilians? Ancient and modern clues will blow minds
VIDEO: Exploring UNDER Los Angeles by electric dirt bike today (Zay Solis, @CoreyFunk, @RawStuntz, and Jordan)

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Mysterious Underground Discoveries Around the World
00:26 Strange Tunnel Entrances in Antarctica
01:09 Mysterious Cave Entrances Around the World
03:12 Russia's Deepest Hole and the Mysterious [Hellish] Recording
04:02 Underground Tunnels and Hidden Networks
06:16 The Lost Underground City and Documented Ancient Tunnel System Beneath Los Angeles
08:35 Ancient Civilizations and Underground Survival
09:40 Catastrophes and Ancient Underground Cities
14:08 Egyptian Artifacts Beneath the Grand Canyon
16:10 Mysterious Civilizations Beneath the Earth
18:25 Could These Underground Mysteries Be Connected?

Zay Solis, what did you find?

Could many of these mysterious structures be connected? Why do similar stories about hidden underground chambers, ancient tunnels, and lost civilizations keep appearing in completely different parts of the world?

Desert discoveries no one can explain

(Amplex) Something massive found in desert no one can explain

Some of the discoveries have suitable explanations. Others leave behind a lot more questions and suspicions of a cover up. What are people actually finding underground?

🔎 Watch another fascinating investigation into this mystery
VIDEO: Something massive just captured underground
Subscribe to Amplex for more investigations into unexplained discoveries, ancient mysteries, hidden history, and strange phenomena from around the world. #UndergroundCities #AncientMysteries #Amplex

Elections: To vote or not to vote?

2026-11-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

President AOC, what was your plan to get into office in spite of so many faux pas and MAGA?

(The Jimmy Dore Show) Dr. Abdul El-Sayed -- American epidemiologist, public health administrator, academic, winning politician (who beat Republican Mike Rogers without backing of Zionist Haley Stevens) -- wins Michigan 2026 US Senate election. (Who is Israeli Foreign Agent Abigail Ronson?)

Can I vote, Don? - No.

It's time for the midterms and we're to believe that criminal Pres. Trumpet is sweating and worried he won't be able to continue his cronyism if the Dems step in and stop him. Maybe they'll take the Congress. He had his cronies figuring out how to circumvent that eventuality. Maybe they'll take the Senate, too. Then he'll really be in a pickle.

What's so bad about Israel's Trump?

Tucker Carlson warns Trump wants to NUKE Iran for Israel

If we lose Tuesday, I'll have pie on my face.

Far from this website to ever touch any worldly topic like politics. What are we, living in the world? What are we, Engaged Buddhists? What are we, progressive social activists? We would never want to influence anyone on any topic to do with living.

It's like Alan Watts just said on the 2026 Day of the Dead's version of what we call "Buddhist Radio, Los Angeles" (KPFK 90.7 FM's Nov. 1, 2026, 8:00 am show, which aired Part 2 of "Religion of No Religion," following last Sunday's introduction of Part 1).

Who are we, lowly monastic gals, to comment?

"Spiritual people" should never sully themselves with worldly material matters, all sensual and often hedonistic. And, naturally, "worldly people" should never bother with the spiritual, which is immaterial and a waste of time, all intangible and blissed out.

PHOTOS: How to get in the mosh pit | Wisdom Quarterly

Get an earl to decide on politics.

The great 17th Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere (aka "The Bard," "Shakespear," or "Shakespeare") is reputed to have asked:

"To be, or not to be?" (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1). We could alter that to voting rather than existing or carrying on in this endless samsara in this momentary form.

He didn't stop there. He more or less answered the question, came down on a side:

Count me in.

To be, or not to be[?]; that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep

No more; and by a sleep, to say we end

The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks

That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,

To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there's the rub,

For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come[?],

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause. There's the respect

That makes Calamity of so long life:

For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,

The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely [poore],

The pangs of despised Love, the law’s delay [dispriz’d]

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of th'unworthy takes,

When he himself might his Quietus make

With a bare Bodkin? Who would Fardels bear [these Fardels],

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovered country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills we have,

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,

And thus the native hue of Resolution

Is sicklied o'er, with the pale cast of Thought,

And enterprises of great pitch and moment [pith],

With this regard their Currents turn awry [away],

And lose the name of Action. Soft you now,

The fair Ophelia? Nymph, in thy Orisons

Be all my sins remember'd.

Alan Watts, what to do?

That seems clear enough. Or it brings us back to Alan Watts. At Minute 29:07 he says, "they go together." [The two sides imply one another, there being no this nor possibility of this without that and likewise for the other.]

But what about all the corruption? The Republicans, led by their buffoonish Great Leader, Donny Johnny "Toot My Own Trumpet" Trump, are already up to shenanigans, prefiguring their loss and how they're going to explain it away and carry on.

(Jimmy Dore) "WAR IS A [profit-making] RACKET"-~~Major Gen. Smedley Butler~~ Elon Musk

Hey, Burner, you're on brand. How can I get ahead?

It's a wonder if Dictator Trump learned anything from January 6th and will be willing to depart peacefully this time. It seems the movers and shakers want spectacle, expect trouble, are preparing for it with AI, Zionist Israeli modeling and weaponry, and building up the paramilitary to deal with it.

Follow me to Hillary, I mean, to the Israelis.

Is anyone expected to believe the Democrats, those constitutional idealists and patriotic dreamers, are going to be any different? They will be, of course, but it always seems they pay much more lip service to greater ideals that actually doing much of anything different. Will Supreme Leader AOC finally get a chance to rise up with her flunky Bernie "Feel the Burn" Colonel Sanders? Will triumphant Germanic poster boy Cali Gov. Gav Newsom take the mantle from sober Kamala Harris and rise to his seat upon the hill of this great nation? Yawn. Who cares?

Gav "The Governator" Newsom with Dictator Trump and Ukraine's Savioress Mel

American voting, party politics, rigging elections (Greg Palast)

What if we call psyops PR?

The country might be better off with things as is -- exposing Washington DC's corruption, being in bed with Israel, the CIA, and a kind of cartel that runs things from behind the scenes. What to call it? A military-industrial complex? Nah, that's been said before? An AIPAC Mafia? No one knows what AIPAC stands for. (They stand for Israel running the show on the USA's money and military hardware, which oftentimes was invented or perfected in Zionist Israel).

T.R.U.E. "Blast"; Alan Watts (Religion of No Religion); I. Rony, Wisdom Quarterly COMMENTARY with Pfc. Sandoval, Shauna Schwartz, Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, and CC Liu

The 2026 Midterms: Last Week Tonight

2026-11-03T04:45:00.000-08:00

(LastWeekTonight) Midterms 2026: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

It's your fault, Bibi. - Why? - It can't be mine!

Now, through the magic of time travel, what happened? It was a seismic shift to rock Dictator Trump's world. Will he be going to prison for child molestation, pedophilia, incest, war crimes, funding genocide? Or will the Dems let him slide with another symbolic impeachment?

Gov. Keisha Lance Bottoms

(Democracy Now!) In a stunning repudiation of all things President Trump, Democrats were voted in by massive turnout and regained control of both Congress and the Senate in Tuesday’s 2026 midterm elections, flipping seven Senate seats from Republican to Democrat: Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Trump is a Democrat now?

(Jimmy Dore) Republicans melt down, turn on each other over losses

Occupy lives! We are the 99%, Trump!

Meanwhile, progressive Democrat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed defeated former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers for an open Senate seat in Michigan with over 52% of the vote. Dr. El-Sayed campaigned on a platform of Medicare for All, tackling economic inequality, and getting big money the heck out of politics — as well as ending military aid to Israel. He is the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He faced racist, vitriolic, Islamophobic attacks by top Republicans:

Do punks, metalheads, 'n rockers vote?

2026-11-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Fugazi "Waiting Room" (no girls allowed) Cleveland School of Rock - Waiting Room (1988)

Rage Against the Machine (live)

If only Rage Against the Machine would take a stand | Woodstock ‘99

Minor Threat "Stand Up [and be counted]"

Straight Edge is in my eyes
LYRICS ("In My Eyes"): You tell me you like the taste [of drugs]/ You just need an excuse/ You tell me it calms your nerves/ You just think it looks cool/ You tell me you want to be different/ You just change for the same/ You tell me it's only natural/ You just need the proof/ Did you f*cking get it? [CHORUS: It's in my eyes, it's in my eyes/ It's in my eyes, it's in my eyes/ It's in my eyes, it's in my eyes/ It's in my eyes, it's in my eyes] And it doesn't look that way to me/ In my eyes/ It doesn't look that way to me/ In my eyes// You tell me that nothing matters/ You're just f*cking scared/ You tell me that I'm better/ You just hate yourself/ You tell me that you like her/ You just wish you did/ You tell me that I make no difference/ At least I'm f*cking trying/ What the f*ck have you done? [CHORUS] And it doesn't look that way to me/ In my eyes/ It doesn't look that way to me/ In my eyes/ Thanks a lot, friends.

Rock the Vote?

Rock the Vote is a US non-profit. By registering new young voters, it aims to "channel the energy among young people around racial, economic, and health justice into one of the most powerful actions they can take: voting" [2]. The organization was founded in 1990 by Virgin Records America Co-Chairman Jeff Ayeroff to encourage young Americans to vote [3]. It is geared toward increasing voter turnout among voters ages 18 to 24 [4, 5] to join forces with mature adults ages 25 and up. Rock the Vote is known for its celebrity spokespeople and its partnership with eMpTV [6]. More

Vote yes on Data Centers to destroy environment and humanity

(The Vergecast) Will ~~data centers~~ compute campuses rock the vote [or will Anthropic, Nvidia, and Apple A.I. kill off humanity unimpeded by democratic processes? GTA VI is going to need all your computing power when it comes out in a few days]

Rock the Vote 2026 edition

(Rock The Vote 2026 | Live @ Southern Lights) It's election time. Youth are underenrolled. It's time to do something about that. The Ōtepoti youth music community is going to. Together the community presents: ROCK THE VOTE live at Southern Lights Yard (outdoors) 18 Devon Street. It's an all-day music festival, reminding us that our vote counts, and our views, opinions, and voices matter. Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, featuring: Bunchy’s Big Score, Coward, Deaf Raccoon, Dolly Possum, Grace Gemmell, Motheaten, Rheumy, Seek Help!, Sivle Talk, Sogg, Strap, Talking Furniture, the pink opaque, U-No Juno, Vagina Dry with DJ Selectors curated by Tina Turntables.

(Minor Threat) "12XU" (defending LGBTQIA+ in Flex Your Head)

What kind of radical college nerdowells did these goodfornothings become?

After Minor Threat, Ian MacKaye's Fugazi dared to oppose US wars

Thai Buddhist teen Nene Royal wins (A7x)

2026-11-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

How did metal guitarist-singer win AGT?

(America's Got Talent) 15-year-old Thai Buddhist rockstar Nene Royal (now 16) is shy...until she starts rocking a heavy metal version of the ditty "Zombie" by the easy listening Irish rockers The Cranberries

Nene Royal joins Avenged Sevenfold

(Knox Hill) Collaboration of Year (2026): Nene Royal pulled on by A7x

(Ake Dalmans) Nene Royal and Avenged Sevenfold perform "Bat Country" and "Unholy Confessions" live in Singapore, Oct. 23, 2026, as Asian mosh pit forms | multi-camera fan edit

Who is 16-year-old rockstar Nene Royal?

(Classic Celeb Rewind) America's Got Talent didn't tell viewers this about Nene Royal

Best new rock guitarist and singer of 2026, 16-year-old child Thai Buddhist Nene Royal

Nene Royal opens for A7x, 2026

Nene Royal [b] (born Rattikarn Amloy [a] on March 14, 2010 [1]), nickname Praew [c], is a Thai rock musician and singer who became world famous on America's Got Talent (AGT).

She is best known for winning the 21st season of America's Got Talent in 2026.

Biography

Phuket province (map)

Nene was born on a small island in the Thai province of Phuket [2, 3] in the southern Thailand, which is not pronounced with any F sound whatsoever.

It is pronounced /pooh-kett/, home of infamous Patong Beach and the massive Taoist gorefest of self-torture to show supernatural endurance, a bloody display called the Vegetarian Festival or the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

Self-purification: In addition to eating pure vegan food, festival participants keep their thoughts pure, wearing white as a symbol of purity. Devout festival participants also abstain from sex, alcohol, and stimulants during the festival. More

But can Nene Royal actually sing?

(The Charismatic Voice) 15-year-old is going places | vocal analysis

Plays Metallica better than a teacher

Nene Royal chops it up with her band Ozone at Phuket Night Market

(Taylor John Hardin Reactions) Metallica's best song is "Master of Puppets"

Palm tree at dawn, Patong Beach, Phuket province, Thailand (Rene Ehrhardt/flickr)

"Big Buddha" overlooks beach in Phuket province, Thailand, Feb. 2014 (wiki)

Taoist vegfest fire-walking, rite of cosmic renewal, washing away sins, bad luck, misfortune

I won? I beat everyone in America?

Her parents are Narong Amloy and Chuanpit "Oom" Poonkerd [4, 5, 6]. Known by the nickname Praew [7], she has a brother 12 years her junior [6].

She began playing guitar at six or seven years old and, according to her bio, is largely self-taught through YouTube videos [8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12].

Linkin Park lavishes praise on Nene

(TalentShowPulse) What Linkin Park said about Nene Royal

Nene Royal live in Singapore

New Nene Royal DVD — Live in Singapore 2026 🇹🇭🔥 | The Complete Concert Experience

"Small like the teen spirits" Nirvana cover, Nene Royal

I've been playing since I was a child of 6 or 7.

Her parents had hoped she would take up a career in business [13]. She wanted to study computing as a co-curricular subject. However, she learned that there were no more spaces in the computer class, so she enrolled in music instead [14]. When she played her first chord, she was hooked, she claims.

She adopted the stage name "Nene Royal" when she began playing in public at age 12 [8]. In 2022, she participated at the Thai talent program Super 10, performing with Thai rock artist PooH Anchalee [7].

In 2023, she competed in the Overdrive Guitar Contest and won second prize, being named "Best Musician" and "Best Vocalist." That same year, she received the Trang Music Award [15].

In 2025, she appeared at the King Power Band Competition and given an "Outstanding Player" award [16, 17]. More

Will teen rockstar Nene die soon?

(Golden Hollywood Stars) What happened to Nene after AGT 2026 win?

Theravada Buddhism in Thailand

Ancient gold covered Buddha statue in Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand

Thailand is next to Cambodia and Laos.

Theravada Buddhism is the largest religion in Thailand, followed by around 92.5% of the country's population as per 2021 [2].

By sheer numbers, it has the world's largest Buddhist population followed by China [which has 1,000,000,00 (one billion) uncounted Buddhists, who are all officially "communist atheists," even though nearly everyone in China follows the Three Teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, which blend seamlessly] and Burma, which has more than 67 million Buddhists [1].

Religion in China: Three Teachings

The Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Confucius (China's Three Teachings)

Confucius hands Lao Tzu the baby Buddha

The Theravada tradition is practiced by most Buddhists and shares many similarities with Sri Lankan Buddhism [3, 4].

Buddhism in Thailand has also become integrated with Hinduism from millennia of Indian influence [5, 6], and other Chinese religions (folk, animism, pantheism, polytheism, Taoism, Confucianism) from the large Thai Chinese population [7, 8].

Buddhist temples in Thailand are characterized by tall golden stupas (reliquary mounds), and the Buddhist architecture of Thailand is similar to that of other Southeast Asian Buddhist countries, particularly Cambodia and Laos, with which Thailand shares cultural and historical heritages.

性命圭旨三聖圖: Three Sages

Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Laos are five countries with Theravada Buddhist majorities.

Buddhism is believed to have arrived in what is now "Thailand" (formerly Siam) as early as the 3rd century BCE [9], in the time of the Indian Buddhist Emperor Ashoka (who built the empire of "India" by amalgamating many South Asian territories and republics on the subcontinent), two centuries after the life of the Buddha.

Since then, Buddhism has played a significant role in Thai culture and society. Buddhism and the Thai monarchy have often been intertwined, with universally beloved Thai kings historically seen as the main patrons of Buddhism in Thailand.

Nene Royal's 15 best guitar solos

(Tim Malcolm) Top 15 face-melting Nene Royal guitar solos

Thai Forest Tradition Dhamma Wheel

Although politics and religion were generally separated for most of Thai history, Buddhism's connection to the Thai state would increase in the middle of the 19th century following the reforms of King Mongkut that would lead to the development of a royally-backed sect of Buddhism (Dhammayuttika Nikaya of which the Thai Forest Tradition is a part) and increased centralization of the Thai monastic community (sangha) under the state, with state control over Buddhism increasing further after the 2014 coup d'état.

Playing Phuket's Naka Night Market

Thai Buddhism is distinguished for its emphasis on short-term ordination for every Thai male and its close interconnection with the Thai state and Thai culture.

The two official branches (nikayas) of Thai Buddhism are the royally backed Dhammayuttika Nikaya and the larger Maha Nikaya. More

Little Thai girl shocks metal fans

(CINEMATIC LEGEND) Nene Royal joins A7x in Singapore (AI version)

Religion of NO Religion (Alan Watts)

2026-11-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

Alan Watts 'Religion of No Religion' | Being in the Way Podcast, Ep. 31 | Host (son) Mark Watts

Why hippie communes still inspire

2026-11-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

I was there and "I Remember"

(deadmau5 & Kaskade) "I Remember" (extended version HQ)

(Charlotte de Witte and Enrico Sangiuliano Remix) The Age of Love Remix

Why hippie communes still inspire today

Modern examples focus on practical ecological sustainability, resilience, counterculture ethos

Hippie girl Buddhist nun Ven. Pema Chodron

Counterculture roots: Emerging in the 1960s–70s, hippie communes blended art, progressive activism, and shared living to REJECT war, consumerism, and rigid social norms.

Adaptation over decades: Survivors evolved into intentional communities with sustainable economies, selective membership, and functioning governance structures.

Peace, love, and good vibes: 30 modern hippie havens you can actually visit

Were "hippie" flower children ever real?

(Smothers Brothers) "Hippie chick clip" with Goldie Keif, circa 1969, live on national TV

Flower children used drugs like pot in the 60s?

Mainstream influence: Organic farming, co‑housing, and alternative medicine from commune culture have entered everyday life and environmental movements. Why do hippie communes still inspire today?

Hippie communities illustrate varied approaches to sustaining ideals in changing contexts, from rural self‑sufficiency to negotiated urban autonomy and communal mosh pits.

What could have fueled the 1960s?

What natural mellow Cannabis indica/sativa looked like in the wild

Robert Miles "Children" [Dream Version]

Roots in counterculture: birth of communes

Sharon Salzberg, Dipa, Joe Goldstein, Dipa Ma

Hippie communes took shape during the political and cultural upheavals of the late 1960s, driven by anti‑war protests, civil rights activism, and a rejection of consumer [and disaster] capitalism.

Communities like Drop City in Colorado pioneered experimental architecture such as salvaged‑material geodesic domes, while Black Bear Ranch in Northern California embraced the motto “free land for free people.”

These early settlements combined shared labor, artistic expression, and alternative governance, serving as both refuge and social experiment (woodstockmuseum.com).

From utopia to commune: evolution

Peace, love, and good vibes: 30 modern hippie havens we can actually visit today

Many communes faltered under resource scarcity, leadership disputes, or open‑door policies that strained infrastructure. Those that endured adapted into intentional communities with clearer governance, economic planning, and defined membership.

The Farm in Tennessee restructured into a cooperative after debt challenges, Twin Oaks in Virginia maintained income‑sharing and work quotas, and East Wind Community in Missouri built its base on nut butter production.

The persistence of these communities shows their relevance in addressing modern issues like climate change, social isolation, and economic inequality.

Living examples: historic and modern

We're "hippies" NOW, in 2026. We're not longing for the 1960s. We're keeping the ideals alive.

.
Historic communes like The Farm remain active with midwifery, organic farming, and solar power, while Twin Oaks continues income‑sharing despite setbacks like a wildfire that destroyed its hammock business. Christiania in Copenhagen retains collective governance in an urban setting, and Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri enforces ecological covenants.

Legacy and influence in mainstream culture

Communes helped normalize practices now common in mainstream life—organic food, co-op (cooperative) economies, home births, and sustainable energy.

Events like Oregon Country Fair and Rainbow Gathering celebrate communal values, while co‑housing and eco‑villages carry forward the spirit. More

Curated by Copilot via MSN, Why hippie communes still inspire today, Oct. 2026 (alot.com); Pat Macpherson, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly)

The women behind The Beatles

2026-11-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

Western science studies rebirth, reincarnation, and the Beatles get very spiritual

The biggest influence on the Sixties

(The Dick Cavett Show) Beatle Harrison on drug use and 'the rock star'

(DRMPLX) The Beatles live on The Ed Sullivan in1964 (4K colorized)

John Lennon interview in 1975 with American Tom Snyder

Paul McCartney with Johnny Carson, Tonight Show interview 1984

(promosounds) Vegetarian Linda McCartney, Dec. 10, 1992 (Pt. 1)

(Making of The Beatles) The making of Magical Mystery Tour (full documentary)

John Lennon and telecommunicator Yoko Ono (April 8, 1973)

(Freddie Explains) Top 10 saddest stories in Beatles history

Paul McCartney (the pretty Irish one) had a wee bit of a temper

The amazing beauty Pattie Boyd

(David Hartley) The story of Layla is weirder than anyone thought

Where is model Pattie Boyd today?

(Skavlan) Ex-wife of Beatle George Harrison, guitarist Eric Clapton

(tribuune.) Paul McCartney reflects on feud w/ Yoko Ono over Beatles' split

Cilla Black with Paul and John "It's For You" (live on the Telly)

Spiritual George Harisson hated this person more than anyone

'I Me Mine': It's all EGO (Beatles)

2026-11-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

"I Me Mine" always and all the time

Ram Dass, Beatles fan since the 1960s

All through the day/ I me mine, I me mine, I me mine/ All through the night/ I me mine, I me mine, I me mine/ Now they're frightened of leaving it/ Everyone's weaving it/ Coming on strong all the time/ All through the day I me mine/ CHORUS: I-I-me-me-mine I-I-me-me-mine I-I-me-me-mine I-I-me-me-mine/ All I can hear/ I me mine, I me mine, I me mine/ Even those tears/ I me mine, I me mine, I me mine/ No one's frightened of playing it/ Everyone's saying it/ Flowing more freely than wine/ All through the day I me mine/ CHORUS/ All through your life/ I me mine

The Beatles "Your Mother Should Know" (official video)

"Tomorrow Never Knows"

But your mother should, so please ask to her. She loves you like no other

What's wrong with ego, George?

Ultimately, there is no ego to cling to, Ziggy

"I Me Mine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. Written by George Harrison -- who has no comparison -- it was the last new track the group recorded before the Beatles' breakup in April 1970.

The song originated from the Beatles' January 1969 rehearsals at Twickenham Film Studios, when they were considering making a return to live performance.

Written at a time of acrimony within the group, the lyrics lament humankind's propensity for self-centeredness and serve as a comment on the discord that led to Harrison temporarily leaving the Beatles.

Let's move to Acid Island, Greece

The Magical Mystery Tour was a disaster, manager died, India beckoned

The musical arrangement alternates between waltz-time verses and choruses played in the hard rock style. The song reflects Harrison's absorption in post-Vedic Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and their denouncement of the ego, after the Buddha's massive influence on Brahmanism (which became Hinduism) in favor of universal or "cosmic" consciousness.

We waltz, get high, and have love ins...

When Harrison presented "I Me Mine" to the Beatles at Twickenham, John Lennon showed little interest and instead waltzed with Yoko Ono while the other Beatles rehearsed the song. Footage of the dismissive couple dancing was included in the Let It Be documentary film.

In January 1970, by which point Lennon (and unwelcome Ono) had privately left the group, the three remaining members of the Beatles formally recorded the song without Lennon's involvement at EMI Studios in London for the Let It Be album.

Ziggy cartoons: Dating is HUNTING for Love

Lennon and Ono use wealth to spread peace

When preparing the album for release, producer Phil Spector extended the track by repeating the chorus and second verse, in addition to adding orchestration and a female choir.

Among music critics, several writers have identified "I Me Mine" as a powerful final performance by the Beatles and an apt statement from Harrison.

The song has been referenced by some religious scholars in their commentary on the pitfalls of egoism.

Harrison titled his 1980 autobiography I, Me, Mine after the track. The original recording, lasting just 1:34, appeared on the Beatles' 1996 outtakes compilation Anthology 3, introduced by a mock announcement from Harrison referring to Lennon's departure. More

Paul McCartney II: "Without John gone we're not the Beatles" - Roy Orbison (Traveling Wilburys)

Epstein's felon son arrested for gun, drugs

2026-11-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

Annoying rich-ass TikToker couple's world came crashing down after cops found stuff in their car

(Jordy ShortRibs) Forensic scan reveals truth behind Island Boys and Jeffrey Epstein photo

Got any Cuban girls, Jeff? - You know I do, D.
Yes, Jeffrey Epstein had children, possibly from child rape, Ghislaine Maxwell, or his mysterious "girlfriend." Who the mother was is unclear, a Cuban single mother named Ms. Venegas? But the Island Boys are Epstein's offspring. Known as twins Franky and Alex Venegas, they need a public DNA test to establish that they are the rightful owners of the Mossad/CIA Island they were conceived on, Little Saint James in the U.S. Virgin Island, aka "Pedophile Island" at the terminus of the Lolita Express. Ask Trump where it is. He knows it well.

Annoying rich-ass TikToker couple's world came crashing down after cops found ‘this' in their car

The dumbest twin in rap: Franky

(The Bodycam Hub) Aug. 1, 2026: [Franky Venegas-Epstein and female friend, groupie, or serious love-interest.] "The Bodycam Hub" (TBH) says it doesn’t just upload clips and call that "content."

It spends time going through the footage, reacting to it in real time, catching details, breaking situations down, and giving thoughts and perspective throughout the video.

Jeff and me love children, we love them!

TBH tries to make every video feel like viewers are watching it with a real person, not just listening to somebody repeat what has already happened. Everything on this channel is made with TBH’s own commentary, observations, reactions, editing, and breakdowns added over original footage.

The system that enabled child molester

(CNN) Epstein survivor: "I never told any soul about this" - Roza Gilles

The Internet-famous Island Boys

I play with my daughter at home!

Twins Franky and Alex Venegas (born July 16, 2001), also known as Kodiyakredd and Flyysoulja respectively, collectively call themselves the "Island Boys." What island? Epstein Island.

These two American brothers are twins who became popular on the video sharing platform TikTok in 2021 [1]. They are based in Coral Springs, Florida [2, 3].

They went viral with their song "I'm an Island Boy" [1] when nobody knew what island they meant or who their father was.

Early lives

I may have Island Boys from Pedo Island (Li'l St. James)

The "Island Boys" are twin brothers. Their given names are Alex and Franky Venegas. They were born on July 16, 2001, and are of Cuban [-Ashkenazi Jewish] ancestry [4].

In a podcast interview, the twins explained that their mysterious father died [or at least disappeared from their lives] when they were young and they were raised by their single mother [3].

Growing up, the twins were often in trouble with the law and committed crimes including robbery and burglary, automobile theft, and possessing and consuming narcotics [5].

Their mother kicked them out at the age of 18 due to poor behavior [4]. Alex has a daughter [6].

Career and infamy

We were a great Israeli spy team, Ghislaine.

While in jail as teenagers, the brothers decided to pursue a rap career.

In October 2021, a video of the duo performing a song went viral on Twitter. The pair's distinctive appearance, including tattoos, diamond teeth, and vertical dreadlocks helped turn their video into a meme that gained traction on TikTok. They subsequently turned down a record deal with Kodak Black [3]. [They imagined they could do better on their own.]

Trump best friend Epstein loves kids

(Bari Weiss' The Free Press) I saw 14 hours of videos, and here's all I saw

The original video garnered 9 million views before it was deleted [7]. That November, the duo released a fully produced version of their viral song, "I'm an Island Boy," backed by a music video. More

Body language of criminal financier Epstein

(The Behavioral Arts) Epstein's final interview doesn't add up | Body language analyst reacts

DISCLAIMER: The videos on this channel are shared for educational, informational, and discussion purposes only. Nothing here is meant to be legal advice or used to harass or target anybody shown in the footage. All content is intended to fall under fair use because the original material is being transformed with significant original commentary, reactions, editing, analysis, and creative input throughout the video.

TBH uses clips to create something more informative and more engaging by explaining what stands out, pointing out details people may miss, and sharing honest reactions as everything unfolds. Enjoy real bodycam footage, real reactions, and breakdowns that actually feel human? Then welcome to The Bodycam Hub (TBH).

Source: • Rich TikToker wasn't worried until police...

Halloween, Samhain, Grateful Dead, DMT

2026-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Irish Samhain traditions

(Holiday History) From harvest to haunting: How Samhain (like ancient Japanese Buddhist Obon and seasonal Mexican/pan-Latin Dia de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead" celebrations) became Halloween for wandering spirits, fairies, elves, ghosts, ghouls, and goblins.

OBON (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of the ancestors.

We'll be together again: samsara

This syncretic Folk (like the Shinto "kitchen god") Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday.

During it people return to visit ancestral family places and clean ancestors' graves because this is when the spirits of ancestors are revisiting household altars [like Mexican ofrendas prepared for the Day of the Dead].

Obon has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and includes the dance Bon Odori. More

Buddha, how can the Living HELP the grateful Dead? Transferring merit to the dead

What Buddhists can do for the Dead

The Buddha's chief disciple declared "foremost in psychic powers" among the monks Ven. Maha Moggallāna (comparable to the Buddhist nun Ven. Uppalavanna) saves his Brahmin mother from hell by transferring merits to her after she has died: "Mulian Rescues His Mother"

Folk Buddhists pray soul out of purgatory (Silver)

The "transfer of merit" (Sanskrit pariṇāmanā [Note 1], Pali pattidāna or pattānumodanā) [3, Note 2] is a customary part of Buddhist spiritual practice where a practitioner's merit (puñña), resulting from wholesome karma (skillful deeds), is transferred to deceased relatives, friends, deities (devas), or to all sentient beings everywhere (as when cultivating the four illimitable Divine Abidings).

Day of the Dead, Mexico, 1995, cemetery prep

Such a "transfer" is a physically enacted deed with its sharing done mentally. The recipient (or another relative stuck in a purgatory such as the realm of hungry ghosts) can receive this merit when they rejoice (feel gratitude, literally becoming the "grateful dead") due to the meritorious acts being done and shared with them on their behalf.

The Ghosts in Japanese Buddhist-Shinto art (Utagawa Kuniyoshi, c. 1850)

This is necessary because in the realm (plane of existence) in which the recipient(s) have been reborn, the opportunity to generate beneficial karma by any other means is extremely limited or altogether absent.

Ah, they remember me! I'm grateful for their help!

In any case, the person sharing and transferring merit produces more and more merit (store of skillful karma) by the wholesome act of offering. In Buddhism, sharing merit is seen as a far better alternative to mourning. More

Psychedelic allure of candy store treats in Maryland

Ghost perceived in bedroom found in art: Spirit of the Dead Watching (Paul Gauguin, 1892)

The Grateful Dead of the afterlife?

I'd be grateful for help when I pass away

The "grateful dead" in folklore gave 1960s singer and frontman Jerry Garcia the idea to name his band the "Grateful Dead."

According to bassist Phil Lesh, singer Garcia: "In that silvery elf-voice, he said to me, 'Hey, man, how about the Grateful Dead?'" [27]

The definition found in the Britannica World Language Dictionary is "the soul of a dead person...showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial."

According to Director Alan Trist of Ice Nine, the Grateful Dead's music publishing company, Garcia found the name in the Funk & Wagnalls Folklore Dictionary, when his finger landed on it while playing a game of Fictionary [28].

In her Jerry Garcia biography Captain Trips, author Sandy Troy states that the band was smoking the entheogenic psychedelic DMT (also known as "The Spirit Molecule") at the time [29].

DMT: The Spirit Molecule

The motif of the "grateful dead" person appears in folktales from many cultures around the world [30]. Fittingly, the first show under the name Grateful Dead was in San Jose, near San Francisco, on Dec. 4, 1965, at one of Ken Kesey's "Acid Tests" [31, 32, 33].

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Scholar Michael Kaler has written that the Dead's participation in those Acid Tests was crucial to the development of their improvisational vocabulary and to their bonding as a band, with the group having set out to foster an intra-band musical telepathy [34].

He says this coincided chronologically with adoption of the same goal by acid rockers Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, and the Velvet Underground [35]. More

DMT: the sacred spirit molecule

Free-base DMT powder and vape extracted from Mimosa tenuiflora root bark (wiki)

QUESTION: Does LSD ("acid") release DMT from the pineal gland (agni chakra, third eye, dibba cakhu), or how is it an entheogen (a substance that releases the divine from within) could lead to visions of reality beyond the normal human spectrum?

Logo used by proponents of Cantelmoism
DMT (di-methyl-tryptamine, also known as N,N-dimethyltryptamine or N,N-DMT) is a psychoactive entheogen ("releaser of inner divinity"), psychedelic ("mind-manifesting"), serotonergic hallucinogen ("vision producer"), and investigational wonder drug of the tryptamine family that occurs naturally in many [if not most] plants and animals [2, 3, 4, 1].

One extraordinary thing about what we in the U.S. call "ayahuasca" is that not only does it have different names across cultures, it has different ingredients. DMT is in nearly everything, but it will quickly be broken down in the stomach, so additional ingredients are added to prevent that.
The parts of a tree are traditionally used in northeastern Brazil in a psychoactive decoction also called jurema or yurema.
Analogously, the traditional Western Amazonian sacrament ayahuasca is brewed from indigenous vines (with bark and leaves from other plants).
Liana magic "vine of the soul" or "of the dead"
Banisteriopsis caapi leaves are often used
Mimosa tenuiflora root bark used in decoction
That's a lot of trouble to go through to prepare a curandero's brew (healer's potion) because the human body makes it endogenously

Forest ayahuasca (natema): DMT from plants

DMT is used in sacred ayahasuca (aka natema, yagé, caapi, nátema, pindê, patem, shori, mii, miiyagi, uni) ceremonies, abused as a psychedelic drug in urban settings, and prepared by various cultures for ritual shamanic healing purposes as an entheogen [14].

DMT has a rapid onset, intense psychedelic effects, and a relatively short duration of action. For those reasons, DMT was known as the "businessman's trip" during the 1960s in the USA, as a user could access the full depth of a psychedelic experience in considerably less time than with other substances such as LSD or magic (psilocybin) mushrooms [15]. More

DMT Movement: for medicinal and spiritual uses

DMT GOD: Prepare in 8 Days

A wealthy biochemist and Yale University graduate named Chris Cantelmo created an online DMT church or cult he called "Cantelmoism" [Can tell more-ism] in the late 2010s [241].

Mr. C had worked in the pharmaceutical industry for decades, including running multiple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) companies [241].

He began his DMT campaign on Reddit and other social media websites after experiencing the "spirit molecule" in 2018 [241].

He rapidly spent his wealth in a fervent attempt to promote DMT and get as many people to try it as possible, forming a union in the process and becoming an online spectacle [241].

Chase Hughes marked for telling truth

Among other claims, Mr. C asserts that DMT cured his mind cancer and that it could cure other diseases [241]. He later explained that he had mind, not brain, cancer and that what it had really cured was his "severe" atheism, which he likened to a mental cancer [241].

Mr. C, they say, had mental health issues, so he had to be put out of his misery by alleged "suicide" (taken out before others could start following him). He was put under pressure, losing his home in November 2019 [241],

Behavior Ops Manual (Chase Hughes)

Why? He dared to promote a natural cure outside the for-profit Big Pharma model. Since Big Pharma had not yet found a way to legally profit from. Anyone who tells the world about the wonders of DMT risks the same fate. So talk to Chase Hughes if this is too hard to believe.

Black market availability

Vape pens or electronic cigarette cartridges filled with liquid DMT were being sold on the black market by 2018 [39, 38, 40] due to there being no licit market. Akasha Song previously manufactured and sold DMT on the Dark Web and is said to have been the largest DMT producer and seller in history [242].

DMT's legal status

International law

Internationally, DMT is illegal to possess without authorization, exemption, or license. However, natural ayahuasca and other DMT brews (natema, yage, etc.) and plant preparations are lawful. More

Main article: Convention on Psychotropic Substances

Why Asians don't really do Halloween

(Spotlight by Laugh Society) Jimmy O. Yang on why Asian Americans don't do Halloween

Samhain: A History of Winter

(Through the Looking Glass) Samhain: A History of Winter | Wheel of Year

It's a Mexican tradition, and I love it

Mexican Buddhist, why would the living celebrate the Day of the Dead?

Holiday History (video); Jimmy O. Yang; Through the Looking Glass; Crystal Q., Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation) (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edits

FREE Haunted House ('death meditation')

2026-10-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sexy slut Halloween and Day of the Dead Catarina costumes welcome, but please keep it PG-13.

Dressing up as sexy objects (Kristen Schaal)

Catrina dressed as Santa Muerte ("Saint Death") for Day of the Dead (stayhappening.com)

Two haunted house meditations

How can I release the grip of lust right now?

We will conclude with two haunting meditations called "contemplation of the repulsive" and "mindfulness of death."

Paṭikkūla-manasikāra [1] in the historical Buddha's language (Pāli/Magadhi) is translated as "reflections on repulsiveness," "wise [attention to] reflection on the repulsive aspects of phenomena," "contemplating the foul."

It is a traditional Buddhist meditation internally reviewing the 31 parts of the body, which are contemplated in a variety of ways to gain liberating-insight into their true nature.

I'm grateful to be able to practice for liberation

In addition to developing sati ("mindfulness") and samādhi ("stillness," "whole brain coherence," "concentration"), this meditation is considered conducive to overcoming lust (craving), addictive obsession, and overbearing sensual desire.

Along with the "cemetery contemplations" monastics may practice -- such as the contemplation of the nine stages of decaying corpses -- this type of cultivation dispassion (letting go, freedom from obsession, non-clinging) is one of the two meditations on "the foul" or "unattractive" (Pāli asubha) [2].

Meditation on death? I can't go out. *Cough* I'm sick.

Translation

This sounds crazy. Surely, we should do the opposite, right? What if we lose all of our lust?

The Pāli term paṭikkūla literally means "against" (paṭi) "the slope" or "incline" or "embankment" (kūla) and has been translated adjectivally as "averse, objectionable, contrary, disagreeable" and, as a noun, "foulness, loathsomeness, impurity" [3].

The human body can be so beautiful

Hate your body? Plastic surgeons are just a phone call away in LA!

The Pāli manasikāra ("wise attention") is derived from manasi (locative of mana, "mind," thus, loosely, to bear "in mind" or "in thought") and karoti ("to make" or "to bring into") and has been translated as "attention," "pondering," "contemplation," or "fixed thought" [4].

In contemporary translations, the compound term paṭikkūla-manasikāra is generally translated as "reflections on repulsiveness" or, adding contextual clarity to literal accuracy, "reflections on [or recollection of the] repulsiveness of the [nature of the] body" [5].

Alternate translations include "attention directed to repulsive" aspects of bodies [6] and direct "realization of the impurity of the body" [7].

Benefits

But I don't want to look at ugly stuff!

While it may sound "fun" to practice in a group around Obon, Halloween, Samhain, or the Day of the Dead, this type of Buddhist meditation is traditionally mentioned as a strong "antidote" to sensual passion [8].

This is also one of the "four protective meditations," along with Buddha-anussati ("recollection of the Buddha"), mettā (universal, illimitable "loving kindness," "friendliness," "agape," "benevolence") practice and "recollection or mindfulness of death" (maraṇa-sati) [9].

In individual sutras, this type of contemplation is identified as a contributor to many mundane and transcendental goals.

Who wants to see the truth?

For instance, in the Girimananda Sutta (AN 10.60), Ven. Ananda's recites this and other contemplations immediately cures an ailing Buddhist monastic [10].

In the Sampasadaniya Sutta (DN 28), Ven. Sariputta declares that meditating on (recollecting, contemplating, reviewing, examining, analyzing) these 31 body parts leads to "the attainment of vision in four ways" and briefly outlines how this method can be used as a springboard by which one "comes to know the unbroken stream of human consciousness that is not established either in this world or in the next" [11].

Sexy witch Halloween costume

In addition, in the Iddhipāda-samyutta's Vibhanga Sutta (SN 51.20), this meditation subject is used to develop the Four Bases of Power (iddhi-pāda) (one of the seven sets in the 37 Requisites of Enlightenment) by which one is able to achieve awakening, enlightenment, and complete liberation from all suffering [12].

The Pali canon invariably includes this form of contemplation in its various lists of mindfulness meditation techniques [13].

Moreover, the 5th century Buddhist compendium known as The Path of [Mental] Purification (Visuddhi-magga) identifies this type of contemplation (along with anapanasati or "mindfulness of breathing") as one of the few body-directed meditations particularly suited to the development of "right stillness, "super-consciousness," or "right concentration" (samma-samādhi) (Vism. VIII, 43) [14]. More

NOTE: This Wiki entry on patikulamanasikara has been severely edited by Wisdom Quarterly to enhance and bring out deeper facets of the practice as undertaken at Dharma Buddhist Meditation sits.

Free walk through the Haunted House

Calmly looking at repulsiveness and death? Can we just go through the house and get scared?

Who would purposely want to look scary or like some crazy axe murderer in public?

Watch for dead lady in the dark on roadside holding sign

Cats and Bats Haunted House
(@catsandbatshaunt) • Instagram
3000 E. Chevy Chase (on the right)
Glendale (Los Angeles), California
FREE (lots of free street parking)
MORE: SoCal Haunt List of "spooky houses"
SoCal Haunt List (@socalhauntlist) • Instagram
Located a few blocks up the hill from Paramahamsa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship Glendale Temple

FINAL WEEKEND (Friday and Saturday) RSVP:

FREE Cats and Bats Haunted House (Glendale, LA County), FRIDAY, Oct 30, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup

(Nature Center) FREE Cats and Bats Haunted House experience (Glendale, LA), Sat, Oct 31, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup

FIRST WEEKEND FREE TO RSVP:

October 23, 24, 30, and 31, 2026, 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm (@catsandbatshaunt)

Oct. 23, 24, 30, 31, 2026, 7:00 pm-10:00 pm (@catsandbatshaunt) - socalhauntlist.com

WARNING: Jump scares, terror, bloodcurdling screams, yells, creepiness. Enter at own risk.

The final chamber is the scariest because a lady dressed in Victorian Era clothes starts hitting on you and wants you to sit on a Ziggy Freudian psychotherapy couch -- but she's a... (Aaahhh!!!)

OUTDOOR GALLERY

These are the views outside the House

How scary is it?

Haunted House? It’s just Corporate America