Apollo Lemmon on

Food Experimentation and Spirit

This evening I decided to put together a stir fry with all the fresh vegetables I could find. I enjoy experimenting when I cook, so I mixed an assortment of spices together for the base and added tomatoes, orange and red peppers, mushrooms, onions, Mexican style imitation ground beef and bean sprouts. I was very pleased with the results, perhaps more so than with any other stir fry experiment I’ve done.

Also on the topic of food, today I remarked that I would like some chicken wings while at work because there was a sign above where we were sitting that advertised a chicken wing night in the long closed bar. I immediately added that it would have to be immitation chicken. One of my co-workers asked why I wouldn’t just indulge and even after I explained my vegetarianism she still thought I should have real chicken. Is it so hard to believe I’m a devoted person?

I must note now that I very much enjoy Trident’s new Splash line. Vanilla-mint and strawberry-kiwi are delicious. I’ve been an avid gum chewer since well back into juniour high. My taste has changed slightly in that time, with my perennial favourite Max Air always having a place though my lemon, cherry and cinnamon trends and my new liking for Splash. I’m always interested in new flavours, so let me know what you’d recommend.

My friend Alisha (who I must finish a website layout for) recently pointed me toward Daily OM, a “daily source for nurturing your mind, body & spirit.” Some of the articles are a bit watered down, and all are quite brief, but there’s still some good to be found there. In my short look around I found “Goddess of Infinite Compassion,” “Messengers of Light,” and “Selected Relations” to be memorable.

I have a great deal of respect for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and that is only increased when I read more of his words. He is truly an extraordinary human being and one of the greatest leaders we are blessed with. I included one of my favourite quotes by him in a recent entry and now wish to share another I’m finding especially important at the moment.

“I would like to explain the meaning of compassion, which is often misunderstood. Genuine compassion is based not on our own projections and expectations, but rather on the rights of the other: irrespective of whether another person is a close friend or an enemy, as long as that person wishes for peace and happiness and wishes to overcome suffering, then on that basis we develop genuine concern for his or her problem. This is genuine compassion. Usually when we are concerned about a close friend, we call this compassion. This is not compassion; it is attachment. Even in marriage, those marriages that last only a short time do so because of attachment – although it is generally present – but because there is also compassion. Marriages that last only a short time do so because of a lack of compassion; there is only emotional attachment based on projection and expectation. When the only bond between close friends is attachment, then even a minor issue may cause one’s projections to change. As soon as our projections change, the attachment disappears – because that attachment was based solely on projection and expectation. It is possible to have compassion without attachment – and similarly, to have anger without hatred. Therefore we need to clarify the distinctions between compassion and attachment, and between anger and hatred. Such clarity is useful in our daily life and in our efforts towards world peace. I consider these to be basic spiritual values for the happiness of all human beings, regardless of whether one is a believer or a nonbeliever.”

I’ve been meditating on compassion lately and noticing my failings in cultivating it. It’s often hard to notice our selfish moments and to disarm those actions that are selfish, but it’s necessary to better ourselves and to truly be part of the healing of this world. I hope to build the strenght to engage myself more deeply in cultivating true compassion.

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