Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Inner Passage in on Issuu.com


The link is: http://issuu.com/koshinzen/docs/112409_print_regular_size__update_inner_passage

The inner Passage is a collection of poems, essay's, and photo's by ko shin, Bob Hanson

a work in progress, more to be added, I am sure our trip down under will awaken many things. What will be the spiritual gifts of this journey? We will see...

Enjoy, a raw creation, very little checking, just the muses speak and the photo's show the journey of the inner passage we all take or realize if we want...have a great journey. Nov. 30 Karen and ko shin are on their way to Melbourne...keep in touch!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Why do we not sign the treaty to stop land mines

Living in the present-Mindfulness Thich Nhat Hanh

Help Bat Nha Monastery http://helpbatnha.org/



http://helpbatnha.org/ Help bat nha Monastery, be grateful for peace....

Saturday, November 21, 2009

A Story from Melbourne on the Parliament

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/encounter/stories/2009/2735563.htm

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Peace for All People - Palestine



The violence of Israel must be stopped. Peace for Palestine

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Hiding Palestinians the truth- Israle again is at it

A Special Sabbath message Nov 14, 2009

Monday, Karen will leave for Thailand, Bangkok to be with our friend who is recovering, very well by the way, from a gender change operation this past week. It has been a long and sometimes difficult journey which has now come to the beginning of a new journey for her. We are so blessed that our friend has gone through with this in such a fine way, with dignity and freedom that has taught us in a new way what these words mean for all. To be a contractor, as our friend is, in one of the poorest rural counties in Wisconsin most your life and in the last three years decide you are going to be who you really are is a witness of grace and strength that speaks to all of us. One day she told me that her business had continued to grow in the community where she has been for many years as a man. A witness to the humanity of people here or wherever they are. Her local congregation has been supportive as well, along with her family & friends.
Karen will be with her for a week and then come back home for a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration, no I did not hit a wild turkey, we bought one, and then on the 30th we both head for another exciting event in our lives, the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia and after that a few days with friends in New Zealand will then home for Christmas, a New Year, and more exciting things in 2010, my 70 year!

Check out the Parliament web site, the issues to be discussed and celebrated and all the others wonderful events of this meeting from Dec 3-9, 2009:

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/

The article below, interestingly came out in the NYT today. Sarah reminds me of our good friend Symantha, determined, compassionate, strong & daring. What a witness of humanity to us all, I cry not out of sadness but joy for them both and for all my sisters and brothers who make this journey in secret often, but then come out to be who they know in their hearts and souls who they are. What a gift of grace for all humanity. Thank you Sarah! Thank you Symantha!

Generation B - A Work of Courage and Determination - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/fashion/15genb.html?_r=1&hp

Have a wonderful Sabbath Time whatever your spiritual practice and a wonderful Thanksgiving. We do have so much to remember daily that we can be grateful for, even though these are difficult times for so many. May there be health care for all people in this world. May we finally lean that war does not work, peace does and move out of Iraq and Afghanistan. May the leaders of this world talk and act for peace, justice and compassion for all people and may we care for the earth and all its creatures for coming generations and life times.

Peace and love in this moment and always, ko shin, Bob Hanson

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Buddha taught....


“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”The Buddha (563-483 B.C.)

3 shots and....

Three Shots…and…
He heard three shots. It was late and given where he lived, not unusual. Jimmy lived in the city; some call it, or did the ghetto. He preferred central city, but it is the same. The shots were close; at least they felt that way. Jimmy ran to the window and carefully pushed the curtain back and saw a body lying on the sidewalk, just down the block from his two-up. He ran to call 911, but the sirens were already loud, maybe coming around the corner from the precinct.

He ran back and took one more look, Oh god he thought, that looks like Ali, his high school friend and classmate. The reality of that discovery brought a sense of fear to his mind. “What should I do?”

It did not take him long to move. He grabbed his coat and ran down the stairs and out in the street. By then most the hood was there. Screaming, fear, and anger filled the space where everyone was standing. Staring at the body, Ali was gone, dead at a very young age, what happened?

Jimmy knew that Ali and his family were often the brunt of cultural hatred. People, if they meet someone different, think their dangerous, or something. Since 9/11 it had gotten worse. “Why? Why my friend, a Muslim young person?” The Hood was so culturally mixed. “It doesn’t make sense” He thought.

It was a sad night, Jimmy hardly slept as I am sure his neighbors experienced the same sense of fear, loneliness and anger. Everyone knew that someone in the hood was not happy with an Arabic family living nearby. Could that be the reason, or was it theft or a promise broken. Ali was a friend but not a close kind of brother.

Everyone showed up for the funeral at a Mosque on the other side of the city. It was nice, but different as funerals go. What a way to learn and experience another spiritual practice. Three shots, a young life, what now? Jimmy took the bus home, a strange sense of quietness over took him. He had learned something about life today, death has a lesson for all of us. Three shots, silence broken, life take, & life continues…Ali, thanks… (Nov. 2006)

ko shin

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Patricia Smith Reading in the 2008 Dodge Poetry Festival Saturday Night Sampler - 9/27/08

Dodge Poetry Festival



You might want to go to youtube and see many more poets at this festival, enjoy!

Here is one of my poems from hopefully a new book, "Inner Passage"
Walk the Path…

What does it mean to walk the path?

What does it mean to be compassion?

Not dominating but compassionate

Not fear, but acceptance

Not exclusion but inclusion

Not war but non-violence, peace

Not hate but love

Not judgment but open and honest conversation

We no longer need to be lost, but our found,

Is this my karma, or, the Path?

The answers, no not answers but the moment

is where I experience all of this and more…then…

Move to the next one, free, open, it’s just a breath away…

Tuesday, November 3, 2009