Marijuana Prohibition

Marijuana is a plant used throughout history for industrial and recreational purposes since 7000 BC (yes thats 7000 years before Jesus). It has been used to make rope, paper, clothes, essential oils, food and of course to get high for many many years without any real threat to mankind. Marijuana has been made illegal just recently (it's been illegal 1% of the time mankind has known and used it) and many are starting to wonder "Why is the government spending our hard earned tax money fighting such a harmless drug", and they wonder for good reason. I have read that America is slowly accepting less harsh punishments for marijuana use, it will become basically decriminalized within the next few years due to pressure to use resources more wisely during the upcoming economic depression. Canada has decriminalized it completely, this way users who are caught with small amounts aren't given life altering criminal records. When a person is given a criminal record it creates problems with finding jobs and careers, so Joe over here can't get hold a job because of background checks, and because of this Joe may be forced to resort to criminal activities (selling drugs or stealing). So in a sense, this can be counter productive to the economy and society in general. While millions are being spent each year fighting marijuana distributors and cultivators on the legal front, marijuana use continues to grow more and more popular.

Now the next smart move would be legalization, if the government would tax marijuana being sold, they instead of spending millions, they would make millions. Ultimately this takes the power out of the hands of drug lords and organized crime leaders. Many people don't realize but because marijuana is illegal, it's easier for underage children and teens to purchase marijuana from drug dealers then it is to get alcohol, because theres no age limit on illegal drugs.

The laws put in place to protect us from the dangers of marijuana are harming society more then anything, things need to change.

Genetically Engineered Food

We have come to a point in our technological timeline where big changes are going to have to be made, we live in days when the poor starve awhile the financial middle and and upper class of are rewarded for staying small and being able to eat lots of food and gain little weight. We waste food, electricity, gas, and a wide range of other commodities with no or little concern about our own efficiency in these areas. We sit around all day on tv's and computers (yes im doing this now), and drive our fancy cars where we need to go, yet we eat several times more food then a poor African farmer who works hours upon hours per day to barely make ends meat. In almost all poor countries there are many who are willing to work in the fields as farmers to bring in some income, but the land is too dry, the rain too infrequent, the soil to salty and the plants are just not equipped genetically to handle the harshness of some of these environments.

The answer could very well be genetic engineering, genetic engineering is the process of modifying the genetic makeup of an organism to give it special traits which would benefit its growth in environments which normally it would not survive in. Evolution has used this to a lesser extent to help species survive and evolve, but now we have the technology to work hands on with genetic material and modify it to our liking. Many may consider this some sort of abomination or evil technology because technically only god can create life. But with religion aside this technology, like all technology will have positive and negative effects on the environment and the world.

If scientists can create special crops for certain areas like Africa, not only will Africa have enough food for itself, it will be able to take export much of its produce to other countries for relatively cheap; from there other less fortunate countries can buy this inexpensive produce. This is in turn may not solve but will aid in the problem of starvation. Genetically modified food is becoming increasingly popular in the cultivation industry and would be an excellent thing to invest in. Although some believe that GE foods are dangerous, GE foods are closely regulated and studied more then any other food.

“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” - Mahatma Ghandi

Some Zen Koans

A Cup of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"



The Thief Who Became a Disciple

One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras a thief with a sharp sword entered, demanding wither his money or his life.

Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that drawer." Then he resumed his recitation.

A little while afterwards he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I need some to pay taxes with tomorrow."

The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave. "Thank a person when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man thanked him and made off.

A few days afterwards the fellow was caught and confessed, among others, the offense against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a witness he said: "This man is no thief, at least as far as I am concerned. I gave him the money and he thanked me for it."

After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and became his disciple.


Right & Wrong

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again bankei disregarded the matter. this angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they woudl leave in a body.

When bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may somewhere else to study if ou wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

Muddy Road

Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.

Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.

"Come on, girl" said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?"



Not Far from Buddhahood

A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you ever read the Christian Bible?"

"No, read it to me," said Gasan.

The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And why take ye thought for rainment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these... Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."

Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man."

The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Gasan remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood."

Altruism: Altruism & Sikh

This was taken from wikipedia, but I thought it helped depict a good lesson in the art of war and compassion.

Altruism is essential to the Sikh religion. In the late 1600s, Guru Gobind Singh Ji (the tenth guru in Sikhism), was in war with the Moghul rulers to protect the people of different faiths, when a fellow Sikh, Bhai Kanhaiya, attended the troops of the enemy. He gave water to both friends and foes who were wounded on the battlefield. Some of the enemy began to fight again and some Sikh warriors were annoyed by Bhai Kanhaiya as he was helping their enemy. Sikh soldiers brought Bhai Kanhaiya before Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and complained of his action that they considered counterproductive to their struggle on the battlefield. "What were you doing, and why?" asked the Guru. "I was giving water to the wounded because I saw your face in all of them," replied Bhai Kanhaiya. The Guru responded, "Then you should also give them ointment to heal their wounds. You were practicing what you were coached in the house of the Guru."

It is important to practice compassion and altruism even during the heat of a battle, you can not fight fire with fire. It is pointless to go to church every day and be exposed to such positive wisdom and then go on with daily life and get angry at people, and do things the bible says not to do. It is good to know about what is right and wrong, but it's a lot more challenging to incorporate good will into your everyday mindset.

The Umbrella Effect

One night I had a very symbolic dream that really stuck with me, I'm not good at remembering dreams (although they are often very kick ass) but this one stuck with me.

I was in the middle of the forest, it's pitch dark and there is no light to be seen. My eyes adjust to the darkness over time and I am able to make out several trails before me. Not knowing where I came from, where I am or even where I'm going it would seem to me it makes no difference which trail I pick. I start walking down a random path and it begins to pour rain all. It slowly become colder and colder and doubt about my trail choice starts to spread within my mind. I continue to walk only because I have two choices... walk or stay put, but staying put wont get me anywhere so I walk, step after step, through mud puddles and cold streams crossing my path. I see something in a distance and as I come close to it, I find out that is another person. I look at his face and what is see is the face of someone who has given up in his search for light and warmth. At this point I don't know what to do, I can barely walk myself but on the other hand I don't want to leave him alone; I do what feels right and pick him up and carry him with me, this ultimately slows me down due too frequent rests and lack of energy and stamina. I eventually come across another person, this time it was a girl, she was still walking slowly but had an expression on her face that said she was close to giving up, I ask her to join me on my journey and she accepts, just having someone to walk and talk with seems to give both me and her hope as we both carry the first guy I met. Everyone I come across in this dream is worn out and it shows in their eyes. Theres not much a person can do in such a situation, I can only carry so many people along with me, so I look around and surprisingly enough I find an old umbrella; this umbrella isn't going to solve the mystery of what were doing here or why it's so damn cold and dark, but its enough to keep the rain off me and those around me. I hold the umbrella up for me and my friends, the umbrella keeps the rain off us, this in turn helps us become dry, and although we won't feel warmth, we become less cold, making our journey into the unknown a bit more tolerable.

So if you find yourself in the rain, lost, cold and frustrated, find yourself an umbrella and hold it up for you and your friends.

“He was so benevolent, so merciful a man that, in his mistaken passion, he would have held an umbrella over a duck in a shower of rain” - Douglas Jerrold

Altruism: Divine Path

I guess I'll start this post with a quote rather then end it with one, seems appropriate.

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness." - MLKJ

In a world where egotism is the dominant state of mind, altruism seems like a rather noble yet difficult transition for most people. But consider if you will a world where you do not need to worry about your own well being because everyone around you is doing that for you; all you would need to do is look out for everyone around you also. Instead of finding happiness and fulfillment in your own self accomplishments try to find self gratification through the unconditional giving and helping of others. It is very rewarding to see a smile on a friends or family member's face because you did some small favor that just happened to make all the difference in their day. We tend to wait until someone is in dire need before actually lending a hand. I think this is wrong, we should be able to prevent problems from happening to friends and family by always lending a hand and paying close attention to their mental, physical, and spiritual well being.

I know one might think "what does just one favor do in the long run?" but to that one person you helped, it could mean the world, you could have very well helped them out during a great depression and that kindness might just have been enough to save their lives. The Butterfly effect comes into play in these kinds of situation, you may not be the direct cause of saving someones life, but through the butterfly effect you may be the butterfly that flaps it's wings and creates a hurricane of positive change in a persons life, and that is a noble cause if you ask me. So every time someone does something kind and generous towards you, join the cause and do 3 acts of generosity towards 3 other people.