Moon

 

Secretly,
by the light of the moon,
a worm bores into a chestnut.

This world?
Moonlit dew
flicked from a crane's bill.

It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; 

and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon.

 

• Watching white moon face
• The stars never feel anger
• Blah, blah, blah, the end

We cannot see the moon
and yet the waves still rise

Since I'm left here alone,
I'll make friends with the moon.

The hood-wearer
in his self-created darkness
misses the harvest moon

As the moon flies west
the flowers' shadows
creep eastward.

By such pale moonlight
even the wisteria's fragrance
seems distant.

The moon still appears,
though far from home:
summer vagrant.

Thin from its journey
and not yet recovered:
late harvest moon.

Occasional clouds
bless tired eyes with rest
from moon-viewing.

The moon having set,
all that remains
are the four corners of his desk.

The moon so bright
a wandering monk carries it
lightly on his shoulder.

The moon departs;
frost paralyzes the morning glories.

Pear tree blossoms
whitened by moonlight

Outlined in the moonlight ...
who is that standing
among the pear trees?

By such pale moonlight
even the wisteria's fragrance
seems distant.

Leaves
like crows’ shadows
flirt with a lonely moon.

Harvest Moon - September 2024

 

Harvest Moon

 

The Harvest Moon appears from September Wednesday 18 to Thursday 19 

The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, 

One thing that sets the Harvest Moon apart from other full Moon names is that it’s not associated with a specific month, as the others are. 

Instead, the Harvest Moon relates to the timing of the autumnal equinox (September 23, 2024), with the full Moon that occurs nearest to the equinox being the one to take on the name “Harvest Moon.” 

This means that the Harvest Moon can occur in either September or October, depending on how the lunar cycle lines up with the Gregorian calendar.

The Harvest Moon does typically occur in September, taking the place of the full Corn Moon. 

However, it occasionally lands in October instead, replacing the full Hunter’s Moon.

For several evenings, the moonrise comes soon after sunset. This results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, which was a traditional aid to farmers and crews harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the “Harvest” Moon!

There are just a little over 12 complete Moon cycles every year, on average (there being about 29.53 days in a synodic month). The Harvest Moon isn’t like the other Moons.

• Usually, throughout the year, the Moon rises an average of about 50 minutes later each day. 
• But for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the northern USA, and only 10 to 20 minutes later farther north in Canada and Europe.

Additionally, the Harvest Moon rises at sunset and then will rise very near sunset for several nights in a row because the difference is at a yearly minimum. It may almost seem as if there are full Moons multiple nights in a row!

While September’s full Moon is usually known as the Harvest Moon, if October’s full Moon happens to occur closer to the equinox than September’s, it takes on the name “Harvest Moon” instead. In this case, September’s full Moon is referred to as the Corn Moon.

This time of year—late summer into early fall—corresponds with the time of harvesting corn in much of the northern United States. For this reason, a number of Native American peoples traditionally used some variation of the name “Corn Moon” to refer to the Moon of either August or September. Examples include Corn Maker Moon (Western Abenaki) and Corn Harvest Moon (Dakota). 

Friday the 13th

 

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition.

 It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. 

2015 had a Friday the 13th in February, March, and November, 

 will happen again in 2026;

 2017 through 2020 had two Friday the 13ths;

 2016, 2021 and 2022 had just one Friday the 13th, 

as will 2025; 

2023 and 2024 have two Friday the 13ths.

A month has a Friday the 13th if and only if it begins on a Sunday.

Unluckiness of "13"

One source mentioned for the unlucky nature of the number "13" is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. 

The trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the 13th guest, and arranged for Höðr to shoot Balder with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.

 "Balder died, and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day."

 This major event in Norse mythology caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky.

The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of Jesus' last supper and crucifixion in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday.

 

I'm more than ever of the opinion that a decent human existence is possible today only on the fringes of society, where one then runs the risk of starving or being stoned to death.

 In these circumstances, a sense of humor is a great help

 I love him whose soul is deep, 

even in being wounded, 

and who may perish through a minor matter:

 thus he goes willingly over the bridge. 

I love him whose soul is so overfull that he forgets himself,

 and all things are in him: 

thus all things become his going under. 

I love him who has a free spirit and a free heart:

 thus his head is only the guts of his heart;

 his heart, however, causes his going under. 

I love all who are like heavy drops falling one by one out of the cloud that lowers over man:

 they herald the coming of the lightning,

 and as heralds they perish.

 In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. 

In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit.

 You know more than you think you know,

 just as you know less than you want to know.

 It's strange how pain marks our faces, 

and makes us look like family

 Atonement is powerful; 

it is the lock on the door you close against the past.

 It does not follow, because our ancestors made so many errors of fact and mixed them with their religion, that we should therefore leave off being religious at all. 

By being religious we establish ourselves in possession of ultimate reality at the only points at which reality is given us to guard. 

Our responsible concern is with our private destiny, after all

 In modern physics, there is no such thing as "nothing."

 Even in a perfect vacuum, pairs of virtual particles are constantly being created and destroyed. 

The existence of these particles is no mathematical fiction. 

Though they cannot be directly observed, the effects they create are quite real. 

The assumption that they exist leads to predictions that have been confirmed by experiment to a high degree of accuracy.

 "Nothing" does not exist 

  Imagine if we had no secrets, no respite from the truth. 

What if everything was laid bare the moment we introduced ourselves

 A lot of people experience the world with the same incredulity as when a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat.…

We know that the world is not all sleight of hand and deception because we are in it, we are part of it.

 Actually we are the white rabbit being pulled out of the hat. 

The only difference between us and the white rabbit is that the rabbit does not realize it is taking part in a magic trick.

 This heart within me I can feel, and I judge that it exists.

 This world I can touch, and I likewise judge that it exists.

 There ends all my knowledge, and the rest is construction

 evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; 

that it has the power to make of us not simply victims, as nature and accident do, but active accomplices

 Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possiblities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom.

Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what the may be; 

it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, 

and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familar things in an unfamilar aspect

 

The question has often been asked; 

Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? 

It does not matter what you call it. 

Buddhism remains what it is whatever label you may put on it. The label is immaterial. 

Even the label 'Buddhism' which we give to the teachings of the Buddha is of little importance. 

The name one gives is inessential.... 

In the same way Truth needs no label: it is neither Buddhist, Christian, Hindu nor Moslem. It is not the monopoly of anybody. 

Sectarian labels are a hindrance to the independent understanding of Truth, and they produce harmful prejudices in men's minds

 Attaining consciousness is connected with the gradual liberation from mechanicalness, for man is fully and completely under mechanical laws

 . The gods either have power or they have not.

 If they have not, why pray to them?

 If they have, then instead of praying to be granted or spared such-and-such a thing, why not rather pray to be delivered from dreading it, or lusting for it, or grieving over it? 

Clearly, if they can help a man at all, they can help him in this way.

 You will say, perhaps, ‘But all that is something they have put in my own power.’ 

Then surely it were better to use your power and be a free man, than to hanker like a slave and a beggar for something that is not in your power. 

Besides, who told you the gods never lend their aid even towards things that do lie in our own power? 

Begin praying in this way, and you will see. 

Where another man prays ‘Grant that I may possess this woman,’ let your own prayer be, ‘Grant that I may not lust to possess her.’ W

here he prays, ‘Grant me to be rid of such-and-such a one,’ you pray, ‘Take from me my desire to be rid of him.’

 Where he begs, ‘Spare me the loss of my precious child,’ beg rather to be delivered from the terror of losing him.

 In short, give your petitions a turn in this direction, and see what comes.

 faith is like opening the faucet. 

We can open it a lot, a little, or not at all

 Every existing thing is born without reason,

 prolongs itself out of weakness,

 and dies by chance

 Fate isn’t one straight road…

there are forks in it, 

many different routes to different ends. 

We have the free will to choose the path

 

Few among men are they who cross to the further shore. 

The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.

 

What you don’t know won’t hurt you. 

A dubious maxim: 

sometimes what you don’t know can hurt you very much.

 

Healthy introspection, without undermining oneself; 

it is a rare gift to venture into the unexplored depths of the self, without delusions or fictions, but with an uncorrupted gaze.

 A person whose desires and impulses are his own—are the expression of his own nature, as it has been developed and modified by his own culture—is said to have a character. 

One whose desires and impulses are not his own, has no character, no more than a steam-engine has character

 Research suggests that we start to recognize our mother's voice from the womb around 31 weeks. 

As soon as we're born, our language skills begin to develop. From birth to six months, we mostly coo, cry, and murmur as the vocal cords mature. Then we advance to babbling, until words start around 18 months. 

Eventually, words lead to sentences and soon, we forget the time when we couldn't speak at all.

 Children are less afraid to say what they're feeling than adults. It's only as we get older that we learn to censor ourselves. 

Maybe we do it because we're simply afraid to rock the boat. Or maybe we're terrified that by saying what we feel, or asking for what we need, we will cause more trouble than there is to begin with. 

So we choose over and over again to tamp down our voices, to stuff it so far down it can make us sick, until we can't anymore and we have to let it out. 

Even if it's the hardest thing in the world.

 The human brain contains roughly one hundred billion neurons. 

Alone, these neurons would only allow us to retain about as much information as a flash drive.

 Fortunately for us, our neurons connect and combine, creating a web that exponentially increases the brain storage capacity. In fact, this process creates so much space that we can store the equivalent of three million hours of video content. 

So why can't we remember everything we try to commit to memory? 

Our brains are constantly adapting to the present moment. Our brains can override information we no longer use with newer, more relevant ideas. Our brains make these decisions for us, whether we like it or not. 

They help us hold on to the things that matter and make space for whatever the future may hold.

 Genetics, diet, exercise. 

All of these factors have shown to be the key determinants of longevity. 

But researchers discovered another way to predict our live spans: our zip codes. 

In some cities, a few blocks could increase the likelihood of dying 30 years earlier. 

Where we live determines how we live. 

And how we live matters more than you might imagine. 

No matter where we live, we all wish for long, healthy lives for our family, for our loved ones, for our children. 

But even if the odds are in your favor, predictions are only part of the picture. 

We live in a world where everything can change in the blink of an eye. You could be on top of the world one minute but you never know when the rug might be pulled out from under you. 

When that happens, which it inevitably will, all you can do is hold on. 

And hope it won't end you.

 When an infection destroys a cell, the surrounding cells signal each other to wall it off. 

They isolate the infected cell to prevent it from spreading and harming other parts of your body.

 The isolation is temporary but important. It gives your body time to trigger your immune system and stop the infection from spreading. Until isolation is no longer needed. 

Much like the cells in our body, humans often isolate to avoid harm. 

The truth is, no single part of the body can thrive on its own. Your organs work together as a system. They'll compensate for each other when one gets weak. 

People can do the same for each other, stepping up when someone else is down.

 Isolating ourselves often makes us feel more alone.

 We're usually better together, 

even when we're struggling.

 Years ago, a New York physician discovered a gene mutation that causes congenital insensitivity to pain, or CIP. 

It's an extremely rare condition that blocks people from feeling pain. 

Sounds good in theory, but pain is important. It tells the body when it's in danger and helps keep it alive. 

Put your hand in fire, get burned and you learn not to do it again. 

Or, put another way, living hurts. As long as you're hurting, you're living. We know this. 

Pain is an excellent teacher. And life is full of sayings that remind us of its upsides: "Growing pains. Labor pains. Happy tears. So good it hurts." 

Pain warns us. It protects us. 

And most of all, pain makes us appreciate life's pleasures. 

Cherish good company, good health, savor the moments after the hurting, when you're all better, pain free. 

At least for a while.

 In 1963, Dr. Thomas Starzl performed the first five liver transplants. 

One patient bled to death on the operating table. 

The other four died within days. 

As a result, the operation was considered too dangerous to be performed on humans and liver transplantation was suspended worldwide for the next four years. 

It wasn't exactly an auspicious start for a surgery that has saved countless lives. 

Progress doesn't happen overnight and setbacks are all but inevitable. 

Sometimes, it can make you feel like Sisiphus, endlessly pushing the same boulder on the same hill. 

But where we would be if doctor Starzl hadn't persevered to perfect the liver transplant, if he had let the setbacks win? 

As tempting as it can be to throw in the towel, sometimes you have to take the obstacles as they come

 and find a new path forward.

 At the height of the Great Depression, Harvard scientists started tracking students in hopes of discovering the key to a long and happy life. 

They looked at participants' mental and physical health over 75 years. It is the longest study of happiness to date. 

75 years and all they did was confirm what we've known since the beginning of time. 

The most powerful predictor of health and happiness is the quality if our relationships. Strong relationships protect us. 

Loneliness, on the other hand, can be deadly. 

Over the course of our lives, our relationships ebb and flow. We get together, break up, move away, or fall out of touch. 

It's prolonged periods of loneliness and toxicity that wreak havoc on our health, our brain function, and our longevity. 

Sometimes, being alone can be so terrifying that we trap ourselves in harmful relationships.

 But in order to really thrive, you've got to be ready to cut and run. 

Your life just might depend on it.

 Researchers say the average length of a dream is two to three minutes. 

But many people experience their dreams as hours, if they can remember them at all. 

The science of dreaming has been questioned for hundreds of years. Some hypothesize that dreams are our way of processing real events that occur when we're awake. They may also serve as an outlet for repressed hopes and desires. 

Neuroscientists introduce a new theory every few years. 

But honestly, no one knows why we dream or why we have nightmares. We just hope that after the dream, we wake up. 

Some people spend their lives trying to make a dream come true. They set a goal, then make a plan on how to achieve it. It works for some people. 

But for others, it's not so easy. As hard as you work towards the dream, it can feel like the whole world is plotting against you. As you get further away from it, you cling to any sign of hope. 

And the longer it takes and the more it costs you, you start to consider whether you should give up.

 Do you find a new dream? 

Or do you stick to the one that started you on this journey in the first place?

 Research suggests that up to 40% of our day is spent acting out existing habits rather than making new decisions. 

From sleep to personal hygiene to diet and exercise. 

Some of our habits serve us well. 

Others can be more complicating. 

If you want to change a habit, behavioural scientists suggests starting small. Make one minor adjustment over time, it creates a domino effect that helps us make bigger chances down the line. 

Make a radical change and you've set yourself up for failure. 

The principle of the domino effect is a double-edged sword. It can help us build healthy habits but it can lead to destructive tendencies as well. One small misstep becomes one bad habit. 

Of course, none of us is perfect and so much is out of our control. 

All you can do is make the best choices available to you and hope they don't come back to bite you.

 

A med school professor once said, the hardest decision in surgery is knowing when to abandon a repair and just remove the whole organ. 

If a spleen is shattered, we'll take it out to protect the rest of the body. Same with a section of colon or small bowel. 

The human body can survive a fair amount of loss. 

People live without an appendix, a kidney, tonsils, and more. 

The body finds ways to compensate for what it's missing but it will eventually reach a breaking point. The body can only give up so much before it no longer works at all. 

Much like with surgery, life is full of calculated risks. 

We often make sacrifices in hopes of better outcomes. Not every gamble pays off the way we hoped. 

So we ask ourselves, "What are we willing to give up? 

What can we leave behind? 

What do we need to live? 

What makes life worth living? 

What are we willing to put on the line when a life is at stake? 

How much are we ready to lose if things don't break our way?"

 If you want to make progress, put up with being perceived as ignorant or niaive in worldly matters, 

don't aspire to a reputation for sagacity. 

If you do impress others as somebody, don't altogether believe it. 

You have to realize, it isn't easy to keep your will in agreement with nature, as well as externals.

 Caring about the one inevitably means you are going to shortchange the other