Some "humastes" from vacation

"Humaste" is a word that, AFAIK, I invented two years ago while on vacation, at least in the form I use it. It's the secular humanist version of "namaste" and a direct riff on it: I recognize and salute the human in you because of the human. in me.

As a secularist, I don't agree with the idea of namaste in general and also see Gandhi's use of it along with "harijan" to be condescending or patronizing to Dalits, untouchables, "scheduled" castes, outcastes, etc.

That can include recognizing the ugly, or even in a degree, the bad, in others, along with the good, the true and the beautiful, because that's all par of being human.

I don't believe that these salutes will increase any non-existent karma in any way. I just want to offer them.

So, first, humaste to the "it girl" of a couple of weeks ago.

Second, humaste to the mom of the apparent special needs kid (he looked about 18, and not sure whether his needs were more physical or mental) on the beach at Crescent City, California.

Third, humaste to the apparent homeless in Eureka, California, bundled up against a Scotland-like summer night.

Fourth and related, humaste to the people gathering driftwood sticks to either sell to others or to use themselves for driftwood art in Crescent City, as you scrabble forward through semi-subsistence level living.

I thought secular recovery groups were more scientific

It’s all right and good for a group like Lifering Secular Recovery to bash Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous for their reliance on a higher power, confession of sins, etc.

But, for Lifering to have the founder of an acupuncture-based addiction clinic as a principal speaker at its annual convention is, at least least, a bit uninformed and at the most, a bit hypocritical.

For the real poop on acupuncture and acupressure, read the Skeptic’s Dictionary.