Dharma Today

As Rob has mentioned in lecture a few times already, what's relevant for us today about what we're learning is the post-Beat aspect of the Beat Movement. We can ask ourselves what we can do in order to keep its roots alive.

We can start by looking at what Dharma means for us today. According to Marilynne Chophel, " 'Dharma' is a Sanskrit word that means teaching, truth, that which supports, sustains, and upholds. The truth of things as they are, it is likened to the ground one stands on. Dharma is that which remedies, alleviates, heals, and restores. To align with dharma puts an end to conflicts and brings about unity and harmony. It helps us to untie all and develop love and interconnectedness. It is the underlying truth of all spiritual traditions."

We all have a spirit of Dharma within ourselves but it is often difficult to recognize it. Throughout Dharma Bums, Ray and Japhy are able to awaken their spirt of dharma by means of writing/poetry, traveling, backpacking, hiking, meditating, Zen and even drinking. What can we do? Can we do the same?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz5v-xP1xQI

^climbing the Sierra Nevadas is one way :)

-Monica (group A)