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Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:00:01 -0800

Some Basic tips on Stumble Blogging

1. Make the font size larger and easier to read, I can't count how many profiles I've passed over because the text was too small. Besides Large text is easier to read and more eye catching.
2. Post a picture using photoblog nothing catches the eye better than a good picture
3. If it's your original post add some links at the end for further reading, i.e Wikipedia, Amazon etc.
4. Post at least one sentance comment for websites, I and probably most stumblers just pass over Blogs with nothing but web addresses

That's it

Thanks
D.

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/13077175/

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:14:18 -0700

Books that Changed My Life Pt2

7. Selected Dialogues of Plato: The Benjamin Jowett Translation
Written by Plato
What should be the beginning of Any person's education; a foundation of wisdom and knowledge.
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/library/display.pperl?isbn=9780375758409

8. Basic Writings of Nietzsche
Written by Friedrich Nietzsche

Particularly 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' (contained within this edition)- Nietzsche picks up where Plato left off, stating that man must strive and evolve beyond our ignorant,primal and instinctual tendacies
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/library/display.pperl?isbn=9780679783398

9. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Frankl was a prisoner in the Death Camps of Nazi Germany, and because of this experience he develops a modern psychological philosophy on the Human Condition and the meaning of life.

10. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

I wish I had found out about this book when I was young,instead of my late twenties, an excellent novel for inspiring a young mind to think about the world around them.

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/13075889/

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:55:03 -0700

Books that changed my life Pt1

1. Hagakure: The Book of the Samauri by Yamamoto Tsunetomo and William Scott Wilson
Basic lessons to live by Wisdom,Honor,Courage,Humility,and most of all Learning to live life in it's immediacy, for the only important moment is right now; the past you cannot change and the future depends upon making wise decisions quickly.
http://www.amazon.com/Hagakure-Book-Samauri-Yamamoto-Tsunetomo/dp/4770029160/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-0747235-6321726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191214344&sr=8-1

2. The Dharma Bums (Penguin Modern Classics)

The Dharma Bums (Penguin Modern Classics) by Jack Kerouac
Poetry and Philosophical/Spiritual life lessons, in one package, the Buddhist equivalent of a bible or Koran.
A narrative of Buddhist philosophy and poetry, through they free thinking lens of beat author Jack Kerouac. http://www.amazon.com/Dharma-Bums-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141184884/ref=pd_bbs_9/102-0747235-6321726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191214616&sr=8-9

3. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (Paperback - 1971)
A very German philosophical interpretation of the life of the Buddha.
http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/B000CBT0XA/ref=sr_1_22/102-0747235-6321726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191214843&sr=8-22

4. Meditations
Written by Marcus Aurelius
Translated by Gregory Hays
Stoicism and Plato's Philospher King embodied in one of Rome's Greatest leaders.
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/library/display.pperl?isbn=9780679642602

5. The Dhammapada: Verses on the Way Written by Buddha and Glenn Wallis
Poetry Philosophy, and Spirituality all in one package, truly one of the worlds most important religious texts.

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/library/display.pperl?isbn=9780812977271

6. The Human Zoo: A Zoologist's Study of the Urban Animal By Desmond Morris

A zoologist's interpretation of the the society in which we live.

* Also he hosted a fascinating tv series check it out on Google Video.

http://www.amazon.com/Human-Zoo-Zoologists-Animal-Kodansha/dp/1568361041/ref=pd_bbs_5/102-0747235-6321726?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191218196&sr=8-5

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/4541891/

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 22:04:17 -0700

"Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way." Charles Bukowski (poet/author)

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/4474945/

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:45:07 -0700

"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl

*Frankl was a prisoner in the Death Camps of Nazi Germany. Using the experience he developed through his experience in the camps, he developed a modern psychological philosophy on the nature of the existence of man. Through this he postulates that the suffering that we must all endure, is a universal truth of the human condition, and is endurable with the right viewpoint. ---The following is an account from his book, on his philosophy of how to mentally survive the horrors of life in the Camp.

"As we said before, any attempt to restore a man's inner strength in the camp had first to succeed in showing him some future goal. Nietzsche's words, "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how," could be the guiding motto for all psychotherapeutic and psychohygienic efforts regarding prisoners. Whenever there was an opportunity for it, one had to give them a why - an aim - for their lives, in order to strengthen them to bear the terrible how of their existence. Woe to him who saw no more sense in his life, no aim, no purpose, and therefore no point in carrying on. He was soon lost. The typical reply with which such a man rejected all encouraging arguments was, "I have nothing to expect from life any more." What sort of answer can one give to that?

What was really needed was a fundamental change in our attitude toward life. We had to learn ourselves and, furthermore, we had to teach the despairing men, that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."

"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/4144740/

Fri, 12 May 2006 09:33:40 -0700

SOCRATES TEST OF TRUTH

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear or are about to repeat a rumour. In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say.

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and. . . "
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.

Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"
"No, on the contrary ..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really ..."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?"
The man was defeated and ashamed.

http://Dharmabum27.stumbleupon.com/review/4065842/

Mon, 01 May 2006 21:12:48 -0700

A discourse on the universal importance of compassion.

Metta Sutta or Heart Sutra

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.