Jukai Ceremony - My Vows

Some folks were curious about what the Jukai Ceremony that I took place in this weekend meant. It is a formal ceremony in which Boundless Way students share their commitment to the precepts in community. “Taking the precepts” (jukai) with a teacher who has received Dharma transmission from his or her teacher is a way to publicly acknowledge commitment to this way that is beyond words and forms. We vow together to embrace the actual circumstances of our lives, and to enter fully into whatever we encounter.

The precepts were originally designed as guidelines for living a life that supports and deepens practice in everyday life. They can also function as an endless source of contemplation and help us to continually awaken to the universal nature of reality that we call Buddha Nature.

Underlined are the formal vows. Beneath each vow is my own response that I wrote for the ceremony.

I take refuge in the Three Treasures

I take refuge - not as protection or shelter, but to commit myself to this path without reservation; to rely upon my faith, as a person would a raft. These truths sustain me as I encounter the currents of Samsara.

Taking Refuge in the Buddha

“I take refuge in the realization that everyone is a Buddha. Each of us is capable of experiencing full awakening just as we are. We are each perfect though this nature is hidden from us by the veil of our own illusions.”

Taking Refuge in the Dharma

“I take refuge in the truth of Buddha’s realizations. I will practice the path of the dharma without preference, recognizing the impermanent and interdependent nature of all life that is manifest in each moment. I strive to embody these teachings daily and serve as a vessel for the dharma legacy.”

Taking Refuge in the Sangha

“I take refuge in the unity of all living beings, those who share the path of dharma and those who do not. I seek to nurture harmony in my own life and in those lives I encounter. I rely upon my spiritual community, my dharma family - coming together to practice with dedication.”

First Pure Precept: Not Creating Evil

“I will refrain from causing suffering by not acting out of greed, anger and ignorance”

Second Pure Precept: Practicing Good

“I will affirm life and manifest truth through the discernment and practice of skillful action”

Third Pure Precept: Actualizing Good for Others

“Recognizing the unity of existence, I will endeavor for the welfare of all beings. May my compassion for others guide my actions.”

First Grave Precept: Not Killing

“I vow to affirm life with my thoughts and actions. I will embrace a reverence for all things, even as I must consume life to sustain my own.”

Second Grave Precept: Not Stealing

“To possess something is to believe it is permanent and solid. To obtain something is to see oneself as separate from it. Realizing the impermanent nature of the universe, I will strive to not grasp thoughts or forms, letting each moment serve as an opportunity to let go.”

Third Grave Precept: Not Misusing Sex

“Sexuality, like the Buddha nature in all things is the essence of self-realization. As an act of love and trust, it embodies the unity of existence. In the effort to cultivate compassion, I will not use sexuality to manipulate or harm others.”

Fourth Grave Precept: Not Lying

“I commit to manifest truth in my speech. I will refrain from speaking falsehoods by remaining aware of my interactions. May my efforts to speak without self-serving intent, allow me to practice ethical speech and foster honesty with others.”

Fifth Grave Precept: Not Giving or Taking Intoxicants

“Embracing the truth in every moment, I will refrain from intoxicating attachments - substances, actions or thoughts that delude the mind and cloud full awareness.”

Sixth Grave Precept: Not Discussing the Faults of Others

“I will refrain from speaking of other’s faults, vowing to communicate in a way that is beneficial, truthful, aware, and deliberate. I will seek to see the Buddha nature of all beings”

Seventh Grave Precept: Not Elevating Oneself While Blaming Others

“Addressing my own insecurities, I will take responsibility for my thoughts and actions and seek the truth without blame.

Eighth Grave Precept: Not Sparing the Dharma Assets

“The dharma is both abundant and formless. I will deny the illusion of separateness and give generously of myself.”

Ninth Grave Precept: Not Indulging in Anger

“To escape the cycle of suffering, I will seek to actualize harmony in myself and others. Seeing anger for what it is, discord brought about by expectation, I will practice embracing the present moment without desire.”

Tenth Grave Precept: Not Defaming the Three Treasures

“I vow to keep the Three treasures – the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha clear in my mind and present in my life daily. My practice will be to recognize that no action is ordinary, but each moment contains the opportunity to manifest the Buddha way and serve all living beings.”

Food: Recipe - Apple-scented Oatmeal and Buckwheat Porridge

[Modified From Whole Foods]

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
2 cups pure apple juice
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick

Method

Put oats and groats into a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, put juice, water and cinnamon into a small pot and heat over medium heat until hot.

Carefully add hot juice mixture to oats and groats and return to the heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and oats and groats are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon, ladle into bowls and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 10oz/283g-wt.): 210 calories (15 from fat), 2g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 43g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 15g sugar), 6g protein

Food: Recipe - Best Vegan Omelet Ever!

At least in my opinion that is. Sick of tofu scrambles, I decided to take the leap and try concocting a vegan omelet. And eventually, after much slaving away, Eureka!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Let me know what you think!

Makes: 16 small omelets

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

16 oz of firm tofu, mashed

1.5 c of chickpea flour

.5 c onion, chopped

2 T soy sauce

1-2 T tahini

2 T baking powder

1 c water

Pepper to taste

Any minced add-ins (parsley, peppers, chives, etc...)

Let’s Get Started:

First, stir the flour and tofu together. Then, add this mixture the remaining ingredients (minus your add-ins and). Blend until mostly smooth. Add more water if needed. What you are aiming for is like a slightly thick pancake batter.

Pour small circles on to a medium-hot non-stick griddle or pan. Add the add-ins on top. Let them cook undisturbed until the edges brown and the centers are somewhat firm. Then, delicately flip. This is why you don't want to make them too big, lest they crumble. Cook until the bottoms are browned also. Ta Da! You have yummy-ness.

Featured in Pulse Magazine's 2011 "People to Watch"

Generally, I like it.

There were a few discrepancies - the major one being I'm aiming for Family Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, not to become a psychologist. Its NSNA/MASNA not MSNA. And I don't know if I would describe myself as a relief worker..

The Article

01.11 People to Watch in 2011
(http://www.thepulsemag.com/wordpress/2011/01/111-people-to-watch-in-2011)

By Tine Roycroft, Rachel Bryson-Brockmann, and Jennifer Russo

It’s that time of year again ~ resolutions, fresh starts, and Pulse’s “People to Watch” issue. This year, we’re featuring 11 exemplary local individuals who are making a name for themselves and for Worcester County itself ~ they are students, artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, visionaries and more, all working towards making our community a stronger, more united, more vibrant one. Choosing these individuals was not an easy task, as we received so many nominations for outstanding people doing outstanding things. But please join us now in congratulating “The Eleven” we did choose for their contributions thus far and in looking forward to what this exceptional group is sure to accomplish in the future. What better way to start off the new year?

-------

Rhiannon Doherty

29, Relief Worker, Worcester

It took going across the world to find her true purpose in life.

After a stint in the Peace Corps, stationed in Ba, Fiji, Rhiannon Doherty realized she wanted to help take care of people.

“People kept coming up to me and asking, ‘What’s wrong with me?’”

She wanted to know the answers, and she wanted to help.

Doherty, 29, came home to Worcester and enrolled in the nursing program at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science.

Though she had experimented in a number of different careers ~ including acting, modeling, and teaching theatre ~ she felt strongly that she needed to reach out to those in need.

“I needed to do more to make a difference, to do something concrete,” she said.

Now, she’s the community outreach chair for the Massachusetts Student Nurses Association, where she encourages individual chapters of the MSNA to be more active in their communities through health fairs, screenings, fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and the like.

She’s also a member of the Red Cross’s disaster action team. Trained in relief work, she responds to local disasters, helping to provide food and shelter. “We are the first to the scene of a disaster to provide immediate relief assistance,” she explained. “This could be a small house fire in the middle of the night or assisting with a shelter for many during a local ice storm.” Her personal interest is mental health medical care in shelter situations, as one day she hopes to become a psychologist.

Doherty also has plans to continue doing relief work, either nationally or internationally.

Doherty stresses it doesn’t take a lot to make someone feel a little better. “With a sense of humor, you can make patients smile and feel normal again,” she said. “It’s important to act with compassion and think of the whole person.”

Food: Eat with Intent - Soy Milk

After doing a bit of research about the 'net, I found one site to be invaluable for locating a non-GMO, organic, worker-friendly source for soy products: Cornucopia Institute.

This site said that of all the brands one might choose from for soy milk, the best was Eden Foods.


From Cornucopia Institute:

Eden® Foods readily shared contact information for the farmers who grow organic soybeans for their EdenSoy (soymilk) products. Based on our follow up research, we have no reason to question their claim that all soybeans used in their EdenSoy products come from American farmers with whom they have long-term and stable relationships. The farmers whom we contacted are dedicated to organic principles, and very much appreciate Eden Foods’ commitment to supporting their diverse organic farms.

Eden® Foods does carry four products that do not contain USA-grown soybeans; these are traditional Japanese specialty products, imported from Japan. The four products containing non-USA grown soybeans are their Natto Miso, freeze-dried tofu, Tekka sauce and Ponzu sauce. We appreciate Eden® Foods’ honesty in sharing with us that these four products contain soybeans that are not USA-grown.

Eden® Foods rates very highly because, in addition to sourcing only USA-grown soybeans for their soymilk, they test every incoming load of soybeans for GEO (genetically engineered organisms) contamination and use only pure food ingredients for flavoring (using real vanilla extract instead of natural flavors).

Note: consumers may wonder why Eden® Foods products do not carry the green “USDA Organic” seal. Eden® Foods’ explains: “Though all EDEN organic food is grown, handled, processed, and certified in a way that meets and exceeds the requirements for using the 'USDA Organic' seal, Eden chooses not to use this seal on its food labels. In short this seal does not approach Eden's standards for organic, in practice or in spirit.”

Eden® writes:

“We are an independent natural food company offering authentic organic family farm food since 1968. Dedicated farmers nurture more than 75,000 acres. Each food is prepared as if for our children, with no irradiation, no preservatives, no chemical additives, no food colorings, no refined sugars, and no genetically engineered ingredients - just the best that can be found.

EDENSOY is 100 percent USA family farm organic soybeans and grain. We visit each farm, the fields, and families regularly. Ingenious tending over decades provides vital soil producing food that brims with energy, flavor, and vastly superior nutrition.

Soy protein requires thorough cooking to transform it into easy to assimilate food. EDENSOY is made at our certified organic plant employing 240 continuous quality control checks and decades of research how best to choose and prepare soybeans. From double reverse osmosis purified water, to a patented enzyme invalidator, to Swedish aseptic packaging, every step contributes to greater value.

Food: New Mission - Eat With Intent

After watching Food Inc. and doing a bit of research, I have decided to make more informed and deliberate choices about what I consume and how I participate in food economics.

To this end, I have decided to choose one food that I eat on a regular basis and try to determine the most responsible and ethical source for the product each week.

Keep an eye out, all findings will be blogged. And as always, I would love to hear anything you have to say on the matter.

Food: Must See Film!

I encourage everyone to take a few moments out of their life to view this important documentary that traces the origins of the foods we eat everyday and the impact of their production on our bodies, our communities and our environment.


This film was a very moving experience for me. It was painful to watch animals suffer needlessly, to witness individual workers abused and to hear of farmers being degraded. It was a very valuable experience that has motivated me to take a more active part in my food choices, beyond my veganism.

My plan is to try and research a single food in my diet each week to uncover a responsible and ethical source.

Road Trip 2010: Pittsburgh, PA - Day 2

Pittsburgh, PA

Our second day was more laid back than the first. I was up earlier than other folks so I putted about the house, meditated and did some reading. Once Sean was up, we went to Starbucks so I could grab some coffee.

Once our day was started properly, we headed out for lunch at a well-known vegetarian/vegan hot spot called The Quiet Storm (5430 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh).The place has the feel of a 1950’s dinner with all the vegan milkshakes an animal lover could want (I had the

pumpk

in pie one). They offer a wide variety of diner-like items, including their famous homefries.

The neighborhood around Quiet Storm was interesting. The backbone of the area was a bit rundown with neglected old Victorians, but there bright strea

ks of an upcoming eco-minded artsy community showing through. Every so often you’d spot a very modern looking building housing some arts or environmental initiative group.

It really was something to see. Also, there we saw the

Kubideh Kitchen, which is a take-out restaurant that only serves cuisine from countries that the United States is in conflict with, created by Conflict kitchen.

Then we needed to satisfy our sweet-teeth and off to Oh Yeah! Ice Cream Parlor (232 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh) we went. This place is astounding. Something like a vegan-friendly Coldstone on steroids. 100+ mix ins! Seriously. Everything from M&Ms to hops and hot peppers. And they always have vegan waffles.

Only a few moments of respite before we left to visit a good friend of Sean’s, Poroma. A short drive and we were there and the two of them caught up on old times. We hit up a nearby bar, The Fox and the Hound (Ste 2002, 8000 McKnight Road, Pittsburgh), for a few drinks. They weren’t very strong so we did have to make up for that in quantity. The waitress, however, was amazing. But, that may have had something to do with us flirting. Maybe. Then, b

ack to Poroma’s to chat some more and then home again to bed.

Road Trip 2010: Pittsburgh, PA - Day 1

Hoboken, NJ to Pittsburgh, PA

Our stay in Pittsburgh with friends, Tom and Jen, lasted a few days. This allowed us to do a few more touristy things and eat more (always very important).

On our first day, we slept through breakfast, having arrived on our kind hosts' doorstep at 2 am. After we all were up and about, we decided to grab lunch at a place called The Juice Box. (735 Copeland St.
Pittsburgh). Its a small place with smoothies, juices and wraps. Rumor is they do vegan waffles on Tuesdays and Sundays. I had a smoked tofu curry wrap that was quite good with a really lovely fresh fruit cup. The smoothies folks got were delicious also.

Then to our next destination: The Andy Warhol Museum.

This museum was a unique experience. Of the 12,000 works contained in the museum, I would venture to guess that over 40% had something to do with copulating or eliminating. No joke. I should say that I am not the biggest fan of popart. I have very

specific types of modern art that I favor. But he’s an artist of note and it was worth the price of admission.

I was mostly familiar with his more famous work; portraits, and reproductions of soup cans, so a lot of the fetured art took me by surprise. One exhibit called Silver Clouds, featured helium-filled balloons that moved with the aircurrents and you could play with them. It brought out some of the tongue in cheek humor, I thought. I learned a great deal in my short tour. Things I didn’t know: Andy Warhol was gay, had his own TV show, directed films and was shot (with one bullet through something like 5 organs) but survived.

After that intense exposure, we all needed something inherently soothing... cupcakes. We walked a bit to the Dozen Bakeshop (807 Liberty Ave), which offers a weekly calendar of cupcakes on special that features a different vegan cupcake everyday. I had a tasty vanilla cupcake with a buttercream lemon frosting. Brilliant.

Before heading back to our temporary home, we drove to The Duquesne Incline, a working museum that has provided rapid public transportation since 1877. It had beautiful views of the city and all of its fantastic bridges.

For dinner we decided to stay close to the house and grabbed some Thai from a familiar haunt of Jen and Tom's. Thai Cuisine (4625 Liberty Ave. Bloomsfield), did not disappoint. Although I ordered simple faire, fresh rolls and tofu satay with peanut sauce, it was really well prepared and our server was great!

Road Trip 2010: Hoboken, NJ

Providence, RI to Hoboken, NJ

Off and running (if a bit behind) Sean and I made it down to NJ with only one small near-death driving experience in NYC. We survived and made it to Amber Lea's place, where we caught up on the missed years and then promptly crashed.

The next day we decided to spend a bit more time in the area so we could go into NYC and grab some food. This pleased me greatly, as New York City has a large variety of vegan foodstuffs (check out: SuperVegan Guide to NYC)

We took the PATH in and then rode the Metro to get around. First stop: Lunch.

We had lunch at a 'SNICE (45 8th Ave. New York). I got a fantastic "chicken" caesar salad wrap. Sean grabbed a Tempeh Ruben.

We stopped at Caracas (93 East 7th Street, New York) to try the arepas that Amber Lea raved about. I got an arepa with plantains, baked tofu and avocado. Fantastic. I would love to try my hand at making one of these at home.

Next up: Ice Cream. Our destination was Lula's Sweet Apothecary (516 East 6th Street. New York), a entirely vegan ice cream shoppe. I ordered a 'Drumstick' flavored ice cream that used a non-soy cashew/coconut base. It had cone, chocolate and peanut chunks and brought me straight back to childhood. Sean got a blackberry softserve with butterscotch ice cream and Amber Lea grabbed a chocolate and peanut butter malt. All were pleased with their choices.

Most of our day was spent wandering the streets of West and East villages with Amber Lea. Goofy photos were taken and amazing vegan food consumed.

A great start to the road trip.