Introduction
Thor Odinson
The Immortal Lord of Storms

reetings mortal. Upon this page thou shalt find that which Odin, High Lord of Asgard, son of Bor, hath declared matters of flesh, unworthy of his ponderance. Take pleasure whilst thou art able; for fleeting are the days and numbered are the hours of those born of woman; and knowest thou not when the reaper shall draw nigh upon thee.

Seriously though, you will find here the interests, opinions, and religious beliefs of a practitioner of Yoga and Agnostic Buddhism - Rex the Yogi.

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Namaste.

About Me...
Family: I have been married since 1994 and have two boys twelve and ten years old. I have one brother who has two children about the same age as mine. My father is deceased, and my mother is sixty-seven.
Residence: I was born in Knoxville, TN and have lived here all of my life.
Work: I am a barber. I own Mulberry Street Barber Shop in Loudon, TN. I have worked there since August 22nd 1992. My past employment includes:
  1. Newspaper delivery for the Knoxville News-Sentinel
  2. Grocery bagger and cashier for Krogers
  3. Pizza delivery for Mr. Gattis
  4. Lumber and seasonal departments at Handy Dan
  5. Cashier and custromer service desk at Lowe's
  6. Pizza delivery at Dominoe's Pizza
Education: The educational institutions I have attended are as follows:
  1. Sterchi Elementary School
  2. Gresham Junior High School
  3. Central High School
  4. State Technical Institute at Knoxville
  5. Pellissippi State Technical Community College
  6. Knoxville Institute of Hair Design
  7. The University of Tennessee
Religion: I was raised in the Baptist Church. In my early twenties I began to question my faith. I discovered Episcopal Bishop and author John Shelby Spong, found a path out of the mindless literalism that the Baptist Church demands. I became an Episcopalian when I got married. I continue to experience a ongoing spiritual evolution and now consider myself an Agnostic Buddhist.
Theory about life: I believe the purpose of our existence is to achieve liberation from the ego and to assist others in doing the same. The teachings of both the Buddha and the Christ can be summarized as such.
Political view: I am an economic conservative. That is, I believe in Ronald Reagan, supply-side economics. It just makes sense to me that the more money people are allowed to keep, as opposed to sending it to Washington, the better the economy does because we are either going to invest that money or spend it. Either of these choices are superior to giving it to the politicians in Washington. Congressional Budget Office numbers prove, time and time again, that when taxes are lower the federal government experiences increased tax revenues. As a result, I normally vote Republican.

Having said that, let me also state that I am a social liberal. If there were a viable third-party alternative to the Republican Party, I would vote for that party. I do not like the fact that the Republican Party is tied to the religious, Christian right. It is a soft form of theocracy when religious beliefs, beliefs that are wrong by the way, are allowed to influence public policy. The Republican stance against stem cell research is a perfect example.

So I guess I'm a Libertarian with a conservative slant. I just can't brint myself to vote for Democrats though.
Favorite movies: Kill Bill 1 and 2, Pulp Fiction, Gladiator, The Last Samurai, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Favorite television: Dancing with the Stars, The Biggest Loser, Ghost Hunters, CSI, NCIS, Dr.G Medical Examiner, Destination Truth, Supernatural
Favorite books: My favorite books are listed below in their own module.
Hobbies: Yoga, guitar, getting tattoos, website construction, introspection, observing and investigating the ego
Favorite quote: "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the Kingdom of Heaven is in the sky', then the birds of the air will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea', then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom of Heaven is within you; and it is outside of you. When you know yourselves, you will be known; and you will understand that you are children of the Living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty; and you are the poverty."

- Jesus of Nazareth as quoted in the third chapter of the Gospel of Thomas
Favorite music: Modern folk, new age, adult alternative, some hard rock, Natalie Merchant, Edie Brickell, Suzanne Vega, Alanis Morrisette, Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Megadeath, John Denver, Jim Croce, old Rush, ELO, Radiohead
Siddhartha Gautama - The Buddha
"Do not go after the past, nor lose yourself in the future. For the past no longer exists, and the future is not yet here. By looking deeply at things just as they are, in this moment, here and now, the seeker lives calmly and freely..."

"But if there is no other world, and there is no fruit and ripening of actions well done or ill done, then here and now in this life I shall be free from hositlity, affliction, and anxiety; and I shall live happily."

- The Dhammapada
Jesus of Nazareth - The Christ
"If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the Kingdom of Heaven is in the sky', then the birds of the air will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea', then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom of Heaven is within you; and it is outside of you. When you know yourselves, you will be known; and you will understand that you are children of the Living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty; and you are the poverty."

- Gospel of Thomas 3
Yoga Resources

Contents

Introduction

Back in 2004, I felt I needed to engage in some type of exercise, but something new and different. I had lifted weights, jogged, and practiced martial arts several times throughout my life; and I didn't want to do any of those again. I decided to give yoga a try. I found a copy of Richard Hittleman's Introduction to Yoga at a local used book store and made up my mind to undertake yoga.

For about two years I practiced yoga off and on but was not that serious about. I just did the asanas the best I could and gave no thought to meditation, diet, and breathing exercises. Finally in 2006, I got serious about yoga and have been going at it regularly ever since.

I am now hooked. I cannot imagine not practicing yoga. I just wouldn't feel right. I would get that "sluggish" feeling, the feeling runners say they get when they have to take a couple of days off from jogging for whatever reason.

I do not claim any mastery over the art. I suspect even the master yogis would not be so bold. I have, however, made some significant progress since 2006 and look forward to progressing more as the years go by. Hopefully, someday my spine will be as limber as the models on the cover of Yoga Journal.

I have compiled here some yoga links, photos, and videos. Namaste.

Yoga Links

Yoga Goals

I set my goals for the upcoming year sometime around September and begin working on them in October. My yoga goal "year" runs from October until the next October. Here are my goals for 2008/2009. Green text indicates an accomplished goal.

  1. Crow pose without forearm pads.
  2. Side crow pose.
  3. Eight angle pose.
  4. Improve on scorpion pose.
  5. Improve on side crow with extended legs.
  6. Learn/improve on revolved triangle pose.
  7. Learn/improve on revolved side angle pose.
  8. Improve on one-legged pigeon pose.
  9. Improve on peacock pose.
  10. Become more consistent with daily pranayama and meditation practice.
  11. Learn/memorize chakras and chakra theory.

Rex the Yogi Asanas - Photos





























Rex the Yogi Asanas - Video

Asanas - Other People's Video

Various Links and Stuff

I have collected here some stuff that I have written. I also have some stuff that I took off the internet that was written by other people. I just found it interesting, so I stuck it here. You could say this is a type of "blog"/links list.

If you don't already have it (which you probably do - I don't know of anyone who doesn't), you will need the free Adobe .pdf reader for some of the features in this section. You can obtain it by clicking here. ".pdf" stands for "portable document format" and is readable on all version of Windows and Mac.

Buddhism/Existentialism

I like Buddhism. I find that its core teachings - the importance of knowing and transcending one's ego; impermanence; suffering; non-existence of self; karma; craving; aversion; and the unsatisfactory nature of all objects of craving, aversion, and attachment - are logical, rational, and provable. Buddhism is, in a nutshell, the science of introspection.

I cannot, however, call myself a Buddhist. I will have to settle for the term "Agnostic Buddhist". Buddhism has, like most other belief systems, myth and legend attached to it which are unprovable; and I, therefore, find myself in the position of having to reject various Buddhist beliefs (reincarnation, the seven types of re-birth, various cosmologies, etc.).

I have included in this section various Buddhist, Humanist, and Existialist-type links. A kind of mixture of various truth. Enjoy.

Liberal Christianity

I also cannot call myself a Christian. To do so requires that I accept certain mythical (the virgin birth, ressurection, ascension, second coming, etc.) and just plain false (innerancy of the Bible, a six-thousand-year-old earth, a six-day creation, etc.) beliefs that simply are not true. I can, however, look beyond the literal words of the Jesus story and find a man who, like the Buddha, taught awareness and transcendence of one's ego. That's about as far as I can go. I can say that when you read the core thoughts, words, and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth (not the made-up, post-Jesus thoughts of the early Church), you are witnessing the quintessence of God.

  • John Shelby Spong For those seeking to experience Christianity in a new and vibrant way, Bishop John Shelby Spong offers fresh spiritual ideas. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive voices for progressive Christianity.
  • Jesus Seminar and the Westar Institute - Westar Institute is a member-supported, non-profit research and educational institute dedicated to the advancement of religious literacy. Westar's twofold mission is to foster collaborative research in religious studies and to communicate the results of the scholarship of religion to a broad, non-specialist public.
  • Jesus is a Liberal - Our Mission is to promote the Integral Koan (TM), holistic meme, and the original belief and understanding that Jesus IS a Liberal, and to their very core His teachings outline a Liberal, Progressive, Tolerant, Loving, open minded, holistic, and sustainable vision for our World.
  • Whosoever Online Magazine - Whosoever Ministries, Inc. exists to provides a safe and sacred space for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians to reclaim, rekindle and grow their relationship with God.
  • Religioustolerance.org - By informing people about various religions, their range of beliefs, and their historical development, we hope that people's understanding and tolerance will increase, while bigotry will decrease. We also hope that our readers will better understand the good and evil practices in their own faith tradition, and be motivated to work towards needed reform.
  • The Center for Progressive Christianity - The mission of The Center for Progressive Christianity is: to reach out to those for whom organized religion has proved ineffectual, irrelevant, or repressive, as well as to those who have given up on or are unacquainted with it; to uphold evangelism as an agent of justice and peace; to give a strong voice both in the churches and the public arena to the advocates of progressive Christianity; and to support those who embrace the search, not certainty.
  • Progressive Christians Uniting - Progressive Christians Uniting is committed to equipping individuals and congregations for the work of transforming society through the radically inclusive gospel of Jesus Christ.

Miscellaneous

Music, Videos, and Widgets

Music Playlist

Adult Alternative & Rock

Meditation/Yoga Music

YouTube Videos

Buddhism Video Playlist

Guitar Video Playslist

Music Video Playlist

Widgets

Daily OM

Favorite Books

Comments are from Barnes and Noble, Amazon customer reviews. Click the image to go to the Amazon page for the particular book.

Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture
by John Shelby Spong

This book changed my life. After reading this book, I am liberated from having to try to justify a literal interpretation of so many of biblical stories. Bishop Spong has pointed out why such literal interpretations are impossible, by showing the historical context and motivations of those who put those stories on paper. And he has beautifully shown us how it doesn't matter whether we can interpret the stories literally or not! What matters is what we learn from those stories, the lessons God wants us to learn, and the most important lesson of all is to love one another - - even those with whom we don't agree and of whom we don't approve. My prayer is that those caught in the fundamentalist trap of using the Bible to judge and hurt others will take Bishop Spong's words to heart and embrace the loving message of the Bible, to realize that every person on this planet is a child of God and should be treated with love.
This Hebrew Lord: A Bishop's Search for the Authentic Jesus
by John Shelby Spong

In This Study I Found A Lord, a center for my being. Behind the supernatural framework of the first century...I discover a life I wanted to know; a life that possessed a power I wanted to possess; a freedom, a wholeness for which I had yearned for years."Illuminating the "figure who stands at the center of all the Christian Church is," John Shelby Spong explores Jesus under the light of the Hebrew tradition into which he was born. Candid, personal, and soundly argued, this is Spong's spiritual and intellectual pilgrimaged to the Christ he discovered in Jesus of Nazareth.
Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus
by John Shelby Spong

John Shelby Spong, bestselling author and Episcopal bishop of Newark, NJ, challenges the doctrine of the virgin birth, tracing its development in the early Christian church and revealing its legacy in our contemporary attitudes toward women and female sexuality.
Ressurection: Myth or Reality?
by John Shelby Spong

Using approaches from the Hebrew interpretive tradition to discern the actual events surrounging Jesus' death, Bishop Spong questions the hitorical validity of literal narrative concerned the Ressurection. He asserts that the resurrection story was born in an experience that opened the disciples' eyes to the reality of God and the meaning of Jesus of Nazareth. Spong traces the Christian origins of anti-Semitism to the Church's fabrication of the ultimate Jewish scapegoat, Judas Iscariot. He affirms the inclusiveness of the Christian message and emphasizes the necessity of mutual integrity and respect among Christians and Jews.
Why Christianity Must Change or Die: A Bishop Speaks To Believers in Exile
by John Shelby Spong

I've always liked Bishop Spong, mostly because his faith journey has been similar to mine. Not only that but we are trying to breathe new life into Christian doctrines that, in today's world, are becoming increasing unbelievable. After the discoveries of modern physics and biology, as well as the horrors of the last century, the God of orthodox Christian theism--while continuing to be compelling for many--is still a hard sell for others. And it's this later group that Spong is writing for. He calls them 'believers in exile.' They have left the church or are silently sitting in the pews biting their tounges because they can't say the creed with conviction: the modern world has made it unintelligible. Yet these same people are still wanting to stand within the Christian tradition, if only it could make sense and be relevant to their lives. The old God, along with its doctrines, have no power over their lives, probably because of the infinite distance between the first century understanding of the world and a twenty-first understanding of it. Like many theologians who no longer stand in the 'orthodox' camp, Spong undertakes the task of re-defining Christian doctrines in the light of contemporary knowledge. God, Jesus, resurrection, the Christian life--all are given a new meaning. Yes, it may not look like the Christianity of old, but Spong is wrestling with the texts and traditions that have been handed down to him and, along with contemporary scientific knowledge, is trying to make Christianity believable for contemporary men and women who hunger for transcendence but who don't find it in the traditional paradigm.
Into the Whirlwind: The Future of the Church
by John Shelby Spong

Spong invites the church to renew its thought in response to the rigors of the post-modern era. Argues that it is only by holding up every doctrine, every belief, every practice to the light of rational inquiry that we can determine which ones have withstood the testing of our times. A provocative, radical, and liberating book intended to raise questions, open debate, and bring difficult issues into the arena for public debate and consideration. Spong believes that if Christians don't face these issues within the church then those outside the church will consider the church irrelevant.
101 Myths of the Bible: How Ancient Scribes Invented Biblical History
by Gary Greenberg

The use of the word "myth" in the title of this book is perhaps unfortunate. Readers who associate the word "myth" with falsehood may pass this interesting book by. The author has examined the biblical stories that we are all more or less familiar with and located earlier versions of those same stories in other cultures, particularly that of ancient Egypt. The evidence turns out to be surprisingly compelling.

This is not a book that attempts to debunk the Bible, but rather treats the stories sympathically. While this approach may offend the strict literalistic reader, other believers will be struck by the mythic power that these stories possess. It is also true that the open-minded reader will be impressed by the evidence that connects Bible stories to earlier accounts of the gods of the Egyptians and others. To me this was fascinating stuff!

One more point: The organization of this book makes it very easy to read. By having each chapter deal with a very specific story or "myth" and by presenting the antecedent myths and related evidence with the confines of the chapter, this book is very easy to read. One can turn to any chapter at random and read it with a complete understanding of the author's contention on that particular story. This makes the book an easy and informative read.
Bible Prophecy: Failure or Fulfillment?
by Tim Callahan

Tim Callahan has done the rational thing and examined hundreds of verses from the Bible claimed to be "prophecy" to see if they meet four simple tests:
1) Is it true, false, or too vague to be specifically interpreted?
2) If true, was it written before or after the fact?
3) If written before the fact, was its fullfillment something that could be logically predicted based on the knowledge of the time?
4) Was the prophecy directive or deliberately fulfilled by someone with knowledge of the prophecy?

There is not a single "prophecy" that meets these four tests. Maybe that seems obvious to many, but at a time where fundamentalists are trying to shut down all challenges to their view that the Bible is "inerrant", it's about time someone looked at what is actually written there to see if it is really true or not.
Biblical Nonsense: A Review of the Bible for Doubting Christians
by Dr. Jason Long

Biblical Nonsense is a broad look at the tremendous problem of associating divinity with the world’s most popular book. This part-philosophical, part-scientific overview explores the Bible’s divine treachery, scientific mistakes, historical errors, false prophecies, and comical absurdities. Biblical Nonsense also expands beyond these standard reasons for skepticism by tackling the rationale behind the emergence and perpetuation of Christianity, psychological and sociocultural reasons that drive Christians to cling to their beliefs, and illogical methods of argumentation invoked in the defense of the Bible.

Author Dr. Jason Long is a former Christian who condenses the most significant biblical problems into this single volume. Unlike other books in the field that delve into only one topic, this manuscript, comprehensible even to those who have never opened a Bible, is a full-fledged attempt to demonstrate that God’s supposed word is a product of human minds, not divine inspiration. Dr. Long’s fresh experiences in the church and advanced levels of educational enlightenment make him the perfect individual to present this vehemently unpopular, yet undeniably appealing topic.
The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
by Sivananda Yoga Center staff

A highly regarded organization for yoga studies and practices, the Sivananda Yoga Center created the first edition of The Sivananda Companion to Yoga in 1983. Since its publication, it has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide and has become a standard text for both yoga students and teachers.

Now with fresh, colorful pages throughout, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga remains the classic guide to yoga. With easy-to-follow instructions, inspirational teaching, and detailed illustrations, this authoritative guide covers every aspect of the yoga lifestyle, including relaxation, exercise, dietary guidelines, breathing, and meditation. Whether you're using it in conjunction with a class or on your own, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga can help you
Buddhism: A Concise Introduction
by Huston Smith and Phillip Novak

This is a marvelous introductory book to the basic tenets of Buddhism by the well-known writer Huston Smith, whose magisterial book The World's Religions has sold more than two million copies. The first half of this book is an expanded and updated version of the sections on Buddhism from the World's Religions. Though there has been a shift in emphasis between the two: the big book focused more on Mahayana Buddhism, in this new book, the emphasis is more on Theravada Buddhism, with a useful chart delineating some of the differences and similarities between the two major schools of Buddhism.

The second half of the book is all new and was largely written by Philip Novak, one of Smith former doctoral students who is now a professor in his own right. His focus is more on the growth and spread of Buddhism in Europe and the amazing way in which Buddhism has evolved in North America. A tribute to its remarkable resilience in the face of cultural forces.

Although many of the basics of Buddhism can be picked up online, or by consulting any decent encyclopedia, the discussion of concepts like the our Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, Nirvana and the Three Marks of Existence goes beyond the essentials and brings out a number of new and important points
Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante H. Gunaratana

Mindfulness is not an easy concept to explain in words yet H. Gunaratana does a nice job of doing just that. First and foremost, this book is a beginner's guide to the practice of Vipassana (or Insight) meditation. Having it's roots in the Gutama Buddha's life over 2500 years ago, Vipassana meditation is a skill that takes only a short while to learn but a lifetime of dedication to master.

The introduction gives a brief look at the roots of the practice and tells the reader that meditation is intrinsically experiential so the best way to get started is to just sit and try it. In the following chapters, Gunaratana helps the reader to understand exactly what meditation is and what it isn't. From there he goes into more detailed instructions as to what your mind and body should be doing while you meditate. This is accompanied with useful tips on dealing with problems that may arise in your practice, including the 5 major hindrances that nearly all meditators face. The book wraps up with a more in depth look at exactly what "mindfulness" is and how to "take it from the cushion" and integrate it into our daily lives.
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path
by Bhante H. Gunaratana

In this much-anticipated "sequel" to his 1993 meditation guide, MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH, Bhante G. recognizes that understanding the Buddha's teaching requires effort. "It is certainly much easier," he writes, "not to strive, not to change, just to take life for granted, and to continue in whatever patterns of thought and behavior have become your comfortable habits" (p. 247). Bhante G's new book may be read as a "complete guide to happiness," summed up in the eight steps (p. 1) of the Noble Eightfold Path: "skillful understanding" (pp. 25-55), "skillful thinking" (pp. 57-89), "skillful speech" (pp. 91-108), "skillful action" (pp. 109-132), "skillful livelihood" (pp. 133-148), "skillful effort" (pp. 149-192), "skillful mindfulness" (pp. 193-222), and "skillful concentration" (pp. 223-245). These eight steps are the spokes of the wheel of clarity, Bhante G tells us, and he encourages us to "set the wheel spinning" through our daily practice (p. 51) with the goal of finding "inner light, inner brightness, inner warmth" (p. 251).

Bhante G. is a good teacher, and he illuminates his discussion with interesting anecdotes. "The present moment is your teacher," he writes in the same straightforward style as his previous book. "Turn it into your personal laboratory. Pay attention. Investigate. You alone can generate wisdom in yourself" (p. 253). "Walk the path for yourself," he tells us. "The path is spread across all the experiences of your life as you cultivate increasing skillfulness in thought, word, and deed" (p. 256). This is a "sequel" that stands on its own, and like MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH, this book is sure to become a trusted dharma resource on my bookshelf reserved for life-changing books.
Daily Wisdom: 365 Buddhist Inspirations
by Josh Bartok

Josh Bartok and Wisdom have crafted an exquisite pocket masterpiece that can serve to guide and shape each and every day with its mix of aphorism and insight. I have found this book to be part of my morning "quiet time" in which I reflect, read, and meditate. Though I don't particularly care much for the inclusion of Zen quotes (I'm not a big fan of Zen - hey, just say what you mean and mean what you say, don't talk in circles.), I consider Bartok's work indispensable.
How to Meditate: A Practical Guide
by Kathleen McDonald

This book has enormous value for anyone who wishes to begin a meditation practice. Kathleen McDonald is a nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, but I feel that this book offers useful advice to anyone of any spiritual persuasion. I have to disagree with some of the other reviews who feel that this book is for aspiring Buddhists only. Meditation can be correctly seen as a highly effective technology that can be employed to tame the mind. In fact, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated that Tibetan Buddhism exists somewhere in between science and religion.

I also want to comment on the warmth with which McDonald has crafted this text. She writes with great simplicity, yet she manages to impart a great deal of valuable and sophisticated information. If a book can be described as being " friendly ", that would certainly apply here. Clearly interested in creating a book that in no way intimidates or overwhelms, her approach is gentle and reassuring. This is a wonderful book!
HTML for the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS
by Elizabeth Castro

This book is significantly better than it's sister book, DHTML and CSS for the World Wide Web. The book lays the foundation, step by step, for understanding HTML tags and how to use HTML and CSS to lay out your pages and to get them formatted the way you want. The examples are practical and based in the real world. The text is very easy to follow and is easy enough for beginners to use. And the reference portions at the end of the book are excellent.
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Cool Quote of the Month

Real peace will arise spontaneously when your mind becomes free of attachments, and when you know that the objects of the world can never give you what you really want.

- Theragatha