theworsthorse.net: horsefeed

Just got this CD, “Revolution of Compassion,” in the mail. Wasn’t sure what to make of it. Will admit to a mix of high hopes and skepticism.

It was recorded by Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo, a female Western Dharma teacher of the Nyingma School, with Broooklyn’s “Totally Killing It” productions. As her bio reads, she was “the first Western woman recognized and enthroned as a Tulku or reincarnate lama in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. [... She was] recognized by HH Penor Rinpoche, HH Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche and Dzongang Rinpoche.”

The verdict? Haven’t heard it all yet, but — so far, so good! It’s got a sort of ethno-techno vibe, with a dubby world flavor, but many of the lyrics are concerned with the dharma (cultivating bodhicitta and wisdom; understanding emptiness), and even feature (sometimes exclusively) actual Tibetan mantras. The album is dedicated “to the liberation and awakenings of all sentient beings.” (It’s always refreshing to own a CD wherein all the thank-yous are not to agents and sponsors.)

Gonna keep listening to it, and hopefully, give it a more proper review sometime in the near-ish future. In the meantime, if you wanna buy it yourself, go here. (You can also hear bits of it here and on Jetsunma’s MySpace page.) There’s a lot of new Buddhist-inspired music coming down the pike: Shambhala. Firstborn. Pacific Sky Burial. And this. The Horse wants to cover it all if we can.

So stay tuned.

PS: Extra-credit points go to Ursula Ward, who’s half of Totally Killing It, and designed the CD package. It looks DAMNED good!

Many thanks to James Ishmael Ford, Zen teacher and human being extraordinaire, for this gift:

It’s a silicone bracelet that says “I take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.”

James found it “in a bowl at the counter of the
Institute for Buddhist Studies bookstore in Berkeley” (California) on a recent trip there.

I dunno; maybe silicone bracelets are already passe. But they’re so cheap, and done well, they can be great reminders. Like dime-store dharma tattoos!

Thanks, as always, James.

Reader Norbert Huebner, who sent us a picture of and info about the infamous Dalai Lama doll, just sent us this shot. He writes:

Hi TWH!

I went to Hamburg in July to attend a lecture by HH the Dalai Lama during his 10-day stay in Germany. Right opposite to the tennis stadium where the speeches took place (see photo) was the huge official bazaar offering the usual merchandise: tons of books, singing bowls, malas, statues, cushions and the inevitable prayer flags.

Among all the souvenirs were these Shakyamuni mousepads (”For your Optical Mouse”) that caused some raised eyebrows among visitors. While probably not as offensive as the notorious Buddha doormat [see above post], it’s a foolish idea at best in a place visited by serious buddhists from all over the planet.

Thanks again, Norbert!

Now, as you probably know, we’re all for irreverence in healthy doses.

Let’s just say that this aint that.

This Dharma-Burger comes from eagle-eyed contributor Norbert Huebner, who’s sent a couple of posts now.

It’s an ad for the “notorious Buddha doormat,” first (from what we can see) commented upon here.

Truly and unbelievably stupid, isn’t it? What could the people at this manufacturer have been thinking?
Thanks again, Norbert!