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Let’s Get Real; Clinging to “Impermanence”

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-18-07: When I was 17, I read a book by Philip Wylie that changed my life. Why an adolescent would be attracted to a book named, An Essay on Morals, is a little mysterious, and how such a book came to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: Buddhism, clinging, desires, Gil Fronsdal, impermanence, morals, Nirvana, Philip "Wylie, Roko Sherry Chayat, Theravada, Tibet, Tricycle, Tulku Thubten Rinpoche, Zen

The Same but Different: Continuity and Change

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-17-07: Yesterday I briefly mentioned the importance of daily routines, and here it is another day. When I woke up this morning, I found myself in the same bed I went to sleep in, still of masculine … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: brain, Buddhist, computer, continuity, true nature of mind

Love, Love, Love: The Need and Evolution

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-16-07: At some point I'll talk about the importance of daily routines, but for now I'll just note that I read something every morning to remind me of the nature of reality as I understand it. These … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: Amma, brain, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, David Harp, decisions, Hindu, hormone, meditation, neurotransmitter, science, suffering, thoughts, Tricycle

Who’s in charge? Facing Reality

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-15-07: A few days ago I talked about Clark Strand's article in the Fall, 2006, issue of Tricycle. He's writing about his take on a variety of Buddhism called "Pure Land," whose adherents recognize … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: AA, awe, brain, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, decisions, intention, motivation, Naturalism, powerless, Pure Land, responsibility, self, surrender, thoughts, Tricycle, Zen

Living Longer Without Fearing Death

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-14-07: I discovered this video on the NYT today. There's a link beside the video to an article that goes into more detail. One of the subjects mentioned is the effect of caloric restriction on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: Alzheimer's, Buddhist, caloric restriction, death, disease, Dr. Roy Walford, health, longevity, memory

What Knows? The Brain and the Self

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-13-07 In the post on 05/11, I talked about the brain being a decision-making mechanism. An interesting thing about that is that the brain doesn't know how it makes decisions, any more than it knows … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: Antonio Damasio, brain, decisions, vision

The Beauty of Things as They Are; Reality vs. Fantasy

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-12-07: I'm just getting around to the Fall, 2006 issue of Tricycle, and I find two articles with apparently similar but actually opposing views. One is called "Letting Go," by Judy Lief—a worthwhile … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: acceptance, anxiety, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, fantasy, happiness, imagination, insecurity, pot, reality, Tricycle

What’s the Point? Language In Perspective

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted on 05-11-07: To continue with yesterday's topic. If all the people who are saying, "Stay in the moment," are really saying, "Don't verbalize," what's the point? Our use of language is a major part of being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: brain function, causality, choice, conditioning, free will, identity, language

Be Here Now; The Complexity of the Present Moment

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted 05-10-07: One of the first books I ever read on meditation was Be Here Now, in the early 70's. Since then I've seen many references to staying in the present moment, paying attention, mindfulness, etc. but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: attention, brain, complexity, consciousness, meditation, perception

Buddha the Scientist; Faith vs. Free Will

March 4, 2008 by Norm Bearrentine Leave a Comment

Originally posted 05-09-07: I was re-reading the Summer, 2006 issue of Tricycle the other day, and found myself annoyed, again, by an article by Thanissaro Bhikkhu called "Faith in Awakening." What provoked me was this, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2008 Tagged With: brain function, causality, conditioning, free will

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What This Site Is About

When I realized that the idea of god was a joke, I thought that was the end of the story. Later I found that Christianity had shaped my values, and while some were worth keeping, many had lost their foundation—the meaning of life, for example. Something similar happened when I realized that the idea of free will was a joke, and I’ve spent the decades since both those realizations discovering and editing what Julia Galef calls the “orphan beliefs” they left behind. It’s a tricky business, and this blog has been a chronicle of my efforts to puzzle it all out, including reviews of related books. I hope you find it helpful.

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