Tom Sawyer on sun 18 apr 04
I'm a firm believer that everyone has the right to their own stupid =
opinion.
Personally, I hope for the day when John Lennon's song imagine is the =
rule.
That said, that may be a stupid opinion. My reason for breaking in on =
this
topic is that I finished reading "The Five People You Meet When You Go =
To
Heaven" a few weeks ago. It really is inspirational for all matters of
belief and philosophy. A real must read..
Tom Sawyer
tsawyer@cfl.rr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Lee Love
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 11:42 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Now and Zen: was: The Passion of The Craze
On 2004/04/18 8:08:41, Sam wrote:
> I am sorry if you all have had bad experiences with folks who profess=20
> to be "religious" - just remember that they have faults (sins) like=20
> anyone else. NO ONE on this earth NOW is perfect. Please do not=20
> judge me
> (period) and please DO take the time to get to know me.
Hi Sam. Nobody spoke against the practice of religion,
not me nor Tony. Actually, I was studying to become a Zen Priest
before I became a potter. How could I be against religion? If you
ever visited my web site you would know this is true:
http://mashiko.org (check out the Jizo bottles, patron Saint of
travelers, pregnant women, the dead, etc and my Shaker quotes.)
My initial motivation to becoming a potter was to make =
cremation
urns for people with the same care as the nailess pine casket
that my Zen teacher's body was laid in, during his funeral. I made
this decision at the funeral in 1990. So far, I have only made urns
for pets. I am approaching the level of work where I feel I can make
them for people.
I am also writing a book on Zen practice and craft.
It is one of the reasons I argue for a diversity in approaches to =
art,
craft and pottery making.
You missed our point. Let me speak for myself: I am against
the misuses of religion, because I value religion. We get in trouble
when we try and promote non-religious things in a fundamentalist.
ideological, and pious manner. The test of this attitude is in
reflected an ability to accept other valid and reasonable ways of doing
things. Another mark is the use of fear instead of knowledge to
influence people.
I heard a an enjoyable interview with an author yesterday.
His name is Jacob Needleman and has written a book titled: The
American Soul, you can read more about it here:
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/Books/americansoul.htm He is greatly
alarmed about the misuse of religion by our political leaders in the
last 25 years and the way FEAR has been used to control us. Here is
a little quote from the web page.
"At the heart of /The American Soul/ is a call to rediscover the =
timeless
truths hidden within the founding vision of the American nation. =
Embedded in
the ideals of democracy, individual liberty and freedom of conscience is =
a
view of human nature that echoes essential aspects of the wisdom that =
has
guided every great civilization of the world. Free of all religious and
philosophical dogma, and liberated from all historical and political
clich=E9s, this uniquely American vision has the power to speak again to =
the
modern world's need for meaning and community."
Like America, Clay Art is a diverse community. This is why
I object to the presentation of any aspect of working in clay as being =
"The
One True Way."
As I mentioned in my last post, I made an offering at the
beginning of my firing yesterday. I set the little offering bowls
next to a ceramic image of Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen school
of Buddhism. Because I was raised Christian and am now Buddhist, I
understand how important tolerance and diversity are.
Lee In Mashiko
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Lee Love on sun 18 apr 04
On 2004/04/18 8:08:41, Sam wrote:
> I am sorry if you all have had bad experiences with folks who profess
> to be
> "religious" - just remember that they have faults (sins) like anyone
> else. NO ONE on this earth NOW is perfect. Please do not judge me
> (period) and please DO take the time to get to know me.
Hi Sam. Nobody spoke against the practice of religion,
not me nor Tony. Actually, I was studying to become a Zen Priest
before I became a potter. How could I be against religion? If you
ever visited my web site you would know this is true:
http://mashiko.org (check out the Jizo bottles, patron Saint of
travelers, pregnant women, the dead, etc and my Shaker quotes.)
My initial motivation to becoming a potter was to make
cremation urns for people with the same care as the nailess pine casket
that my Zen teacher's body was laid in, during his funeral. I made
this decision at the funeral in 1990. So far, I have only made urns
for pets. I am approaching the level of work where I feel I can make
them for people.
I am also writing a book on Zen practice and craft.
It is one of the reasons I argue for a diversity in approaches to
art, craft and pottery making.
You missed our point. Let me speak for myself: I am against
the misuses of religion, because I value religion. We get in trouble
when we try and promote non-religious things in a fundamentalist.
ideological, and pious manner. The test of this attitude is in
reflected an ability to accept other valid and reasonable ways of doing
things. Another mark is the use of fear instead of knowledge to
influence people.
I heard a an enjoyable interview with an author yesterday.
His name is Jacob Needleman and has written a book titled: The
American Soul, you can read more about it here:
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/Books/americansoul.htm He is greatly
alarmed about the misuse of religion by our political leaders in the
last 25 years and the way FEAR has been used to control us. Here is
a little quote from the web page.
"At the heart of /The American Soul/ is a call to rediscover the
timeless truths hidden within the founding vision of the American
nation. Embedded in the ideals of democracy, individual liberty and
freedom of conscience is a view of human nature that echoes essential
aspects of the wisdom that has guided every great civilization of the
world. Free of all religious and philosophical dogma, and liberated from
all historical and political clichés, this uniquely American vision has
the power to speak again to the modern world's need for meaning and
community."
Like America, Clay Art is a diverse community. This is why
I object to the presentation of any aspect of working in clay as being
"The One True Way."
As I mentioned in my last post, I made an offering at the
beginning of my firing yesterday. I set the little offering bowls
next to a ceramic image of Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen school
of Buddhism. Because I was raised Christian and am now Buddhist, I
understand how important tolerance and diversity are.
Lee In Mashiko
Lee Love on mon 19 apr 04
Tom Sawyer wrote:
>That said, that may be a stupid opinion. My reason for breaking in on th=
is
>topic is that I finished reading "The Five People You Meet When You Go T=
o
>Heaven" a few weeks ago. It really is inspirational for all matters of
>belief and philosophy. A real must read..
>
> =20
>
Hi Tom,
I did a search for the book you recommend and I can't find it on the we=
b or at Amazon.com Do you have an ISBN or author? =20
There is a whole 42 page pamphlet at Jacob Needleman's web page, titled=20
Two dreams (you need acrobat to read it. If you don't have acrobat,=
I can send a plain copy)
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
I think what he says about dreams corresponds to positive and negative a=
pproaches to religion. I share the first paragraphs of the essay:
On Dreams:
>"Both in its everyday usage and in its etymology, the word dream include=
s two radically opposed meanings and points in two radically opposed dire=
ctions of human life. A dream is a vision of truth, of what can be and ou=
ght to be; it shapes our fundamental intention and purpose; it calls us t=
o the life we are meant to live and the good we are meant to serve. Such =
is Jacob=92s dream (Genesis 28) in which he is given to see the entire co=
smic order with God above commanding and promising him the fullness of a =
sacred life on earth.
>
>And a dream is a deception, a night creature of mere seeming; or a dayli=
ght phantom that draws us away from the reality of the present moment,idl=
ing the engines of our psyche and spirit in imagined pleasures or terrors=
=2E Worse yet, a dream is an illusion masquerading as a vision, as when w=
e say of someone that his or her goals are =93only a dream.=94 Not only i=
ndividuals, but groups and collectivities, including nations and even who=
le civilizations, may come under the sway of such dreams. History offers =
many examples=97too many. We need only look at the bloody tracks of our e=
ra=92s dreams of national, racial, or religious superiority; or its somet=
imes hypnotic submission to economic and scientific ideologies=97all fuel=
ed by the suggestibility of the crowd. And if we turn further back in his=
tory or look toward other cultures throughout the world, we will be aston=
ished at the spectacle of the fantastic dreams that have dominated the mi=
nds of the peoples of the earth, dreams that lie at the root of the unive=
rsal plague of war."
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
Judith S. Labovitz on mon 19 apr 04
author is Mitch Albom (same man who wrote Tuesdays With Morrie...Detroit=20
Free Press sports writer.....
judy in windy but beautiful mid michigan
At 08:08 PM 4/19/04 +0900, you wrote:
>Tom Sawyer wrote:
>
>>That said, that may be a stupid opinion. My reason for breaking in on this
>>topic is that I finished reading "The Five People You Meet When You Go To
>>Heaven" a few weeks ago. It really is inspirational for all matters of
>>belief and philosophy. A real must read..
>>
>>
>Hi Tom,
>
> I did a search for the book you recommend and I can't find=
=20
> it on the web or at Amazon.com Do you have an ISBN or author?
>
>
>There is a whole 42 page pamphlet at Jacob Needleman's web page, titled
>Two dreams (you need acrobat to read it. If you don't have acrobat,=
=20
>I can send a plain copy)
>
>http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
>
>
> I think what he says about dreams corresponds to positive and=20
> negative approaches to religion. I share the first paragraphs of the=
essay:
>
>
>On Dreams:
>
>
>>"Both in its everyday usage and in its etymology, the word dream includes=
=20
>>two radically opposed meanings and points in two radically opposed=20
>>directions of human life. A dream is a vision of truth, of what can be=20
>>and ought to be; it shapes our fundamental intention and purpose; it=20
>>calls us to the life we are meant to live and the good we are meant to=20
>>serve. Such is Jacob=92s dream (Genesis 28) in which he is given to see=
the=20
>>entire cosmic order with God above commanding and promising him the=20
>>fullness of a sacred life on earth.
>>
>>And a dream is a deception, a night creature of mere seeming; or a=20
>>daylight phantom that draws us away from the reality of the present=20
>>moment,idling the engines of our psyche and spirit in imagined pleasures=
=20
>>or terrors. Worse yet, a dream is an illusion masquerading as a vision,=20
>>as when we say of someone that his or her goals are =93only a dream.=94=
Not=20
>>only individuals, but groups and collectivities, including nations and=20
>>even whole civilizations, may come under the sway of such dreams. History=
=20
>>offers many examples=97too many. We need only look at the bloody tracks of=
=20
>>our era=92s dreams of national, racial, or religious superiority; or its=
=20
>>sometimes hypnotic submission to economic and scientific ideologies=97all=
=20
>>fueled by the suggestibility of the crowd. And if we turn further back in=
=20
>>history or look toward other cultures throughout the world, we will be=20
>>astonished at the spectacle of the fantastic dreams that have dominated=20
>>the minds of the peoples of the earth, dreams that lie at the root of the=
=20
>>universal plague of war."
>
>
>
>http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
>
>
>
>Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
>
>___________________________________________________________________________=
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at=20
>melpots@pclink.com.
>
Tom Sawyer on mon 19 apr 04
The author is Mitch Albom. The following website is for Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786868716/103-6700764-5175031
?v=glance
Great book
Tom Sawyer
tsawyer@cfl.rr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Lee Love
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 6:09 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Now and Zen: was: The Passion of The Craze
Tom Sawyer wrote:
>That said, that may be a stupid opinion. My reason for breaking in on
>this topic is that I finished reading "The Five People You Meet When
>You Go To Heaven" a few weeks ago. It really is inspirational for all
>matters of belief and philosophy. A real must read..
>
>
>
Hi Tom,
I did a search for the book you recommend and I can't find
it on the web or at Amazon.com Do you have an ISBN or author?
There is a whole 42 page pamphlet at Jacob Needleman's web page, titled
Two dreams (you need acrobat to read it. If you don't have acrobat, I
can send a plain copy)
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
I think what he says about dreams corresponds to positive and
negative approaches to religion. I share the first paragraphs of the
essay:
On Dreams:
>"Both in its everyday usage and in its etymology, the word dream includes
two radically opposed meanings and points in two radically opposed
directions of human life. A dream is a vision of truth, of what can be and
ought to be; it shapes our fundamental intention and purpose; it calls us to
the life we are meant to live and the good we are meant to serve. Such is
Jacob's dream (Genesis 28) in which he is given to see the entire cosmic
order with God above commanding and promising him the fullness of a sacred
life on earth.
>
>And a dream is a deception, a night creature of mere seeming; or a daylight
phantom that draws us away from the reality of the present moment,idling the
engines of our psyche and spirit in imagined pleasures or terrors. Worse
yet, a dream is an illusion masquerading as a vision, as when we say of
someone that his or her goals are "only a dream." Not only individuals, but
groups and collectivities, including nations and even whole civilizations,
may come under the sway of such dreams. History offers many examples-too
many. We need only look at the bloody tracks of our era's dreams of
national, racial, or religious superiority; or its sometimes hypnotic
submission to economic and scientific ideologies-all fueled by the
suggestibility of the crowd. And if we turn further back in history or look
toward other cultures throughout the world, we will be astonished at the
spectacle of the fantastic dreams that have dominated the minds of the
peoples of the earth, dreams that lie at the root of the universal plague
of war."
http://www.jacobneedleman.com/TwoDreams.pdf
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
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