Impermanence

Robert Frost said he could describe life in two words:  "It changes." A wonderful illustration here of one year in 120 seconds from a fellow's balcony in Oslo, Norway.  Very cool technique - time lapse video.

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(Thanks, Christa.)

The Power of Intention

Clarifying and remembering what is most important helps us stay awake. A little example:

This last retreat I gave a talk on Impermanence. I tried a different slant on the topic and in the face of 120+ people and nursing a headache, I thought I'd done a pretty darn good job.   Afterward I found myself basking in a warm, self-congratulatory vibe.

Then Tara asked me if I'd like some feedback.

I immediately felt defensive and tight.  After a few breaths later, though, I remembered my intention: to stay awake and open.  Her feedback was direct, clear and while I felt a little deflated, her observations were right on and I'll carry them forward.

One version of the Bodhisattva vow:

"May whatever arise serve the awakening of heart and mind and be of benefit to all beings."

This remembering can open us again and again to the here and now, no matter how challenging.

The following clip speaks to the power of remembering what is most important.  I wish there was more footage than just the last few seconds of the school children hugging Nick.

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(Thanks, Pete.)

Back from Retreat

Mindful walking was more like mindful skating while not freezing.

A marvelous five-day New Year's Retreat, not without challenges.  Bitterly cold winds made it difficult to be outside and a meditation hall with the creakiest floorboards possible added to the mix.  I also had a five-day migraine and spent much of my time managing my energy so I could show up for the group interviews, yoga classes, private interviews and my dharma talk.

But the collective intention and sincerity of the group generated a powerful forcefield of good will and it seemed many came away deeply touched by our shared practice.  This is truly the best game in town.

I leave in a few weeks for my own retreat - 30 days at Spirit Rock in California and look forward to being immersed again soon.

The teachers on a lunch break. Jonathan Foust, Hugh Byrne, Tara Brach and Pat Coffey.

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The New Year's Retreat

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Digging out from the blizzard of '09.

Today we pack up and head out to the New Year’s Retreat.  This year we’ll have 120 people attending for the whole five days.  I suspect we’ll have both sides of the coin.  A large group builds a lot of energy as we practice for five days in silence together.  We’ll also probably be treated to an unprecedented symphony of sniffs, coughs and sneezes.

I’m looking forward to the week, which will be paradoxically quite busy for me.  I’ll be leading mindful movement sessions twice a day, facilitating group interviews, private interviews, leading some sits and giving a talk on “Impermanence and The Body.”

Enjoy your week.  Happy holidays!

Deep Dharma

Here it is:  The essence of all spiritual practice. [youtube]vnRqYMTpXHc[/youtube]

The first time I saw Louis Armstrong was before going off to elementary school.  He was on the Today Show and my father had us all stop and listen.  I never heard such music and what facial expressions!

(Thanks, T.)

Kim Peek Dies

Ever wonder if you are living up to your potential?  That's probably one of the biggest fears that can haunt me. Kim Peek, the character on which Dustin Hoffman based his character in the movie Rainman, died recently.  The following is a compelling story of both mind and heart.  Keep your hanky nearby.

What is possible in the human brain?  This story also touches on what's possible in the human heart.

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A Take on Namaste

Here is a wonderful perspective on the word "Namaste."  I remember when I first heard the expression.  I was about twelve and the concept of the 'light within me salutes the light within you' struck something inside. Years later, living in spiritual community for a few decades, "Namaste" and "Jai Bhagwan" were part of the culture in which I lived and the expression of course lost some of it's sharpness.  This video makes it quite real again.

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(Thanks, Elizabeth.)

Surf-ace / Service dog

As I've been thinking of the 'immeasurable' states of kindness, compassion, love and joy, I've noticed how they tend to arise in the absence of greed and aversion.  Stories of kindness touch us all. Do you know how when you watch a video with somewhat shmaltzy music and you KNOW you're being set up for some emotional heartbreak, but you can't help it anyway?  That would describe this video of reject service dog who found a new calling.

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Time, Chance and Purpose

My father, who served in the trenches on the front lines of WWII, sometimes speaks of the randomness of events and how the mind tries to manufacture stories in order to make sense of it all.  Having had a few NDE's (Near Death Experiences) myself, I'm not sure what to make of them. This is a pretty wild montage of fantastic timing and some events that could have been tragic but somehow were not.

Miracles?  Chance? The result of prayer?  Karma?

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(Thanks, George.)

Inspiring Kindness

This is pretty funny, but also touching in how much concern and caring this Christmas display  engendered! Christmas display

"The good news is that I truly outdid myself this year with my Christmas decorations.  The bad news is that I had to take him down after two days.  I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.  Great stories.  But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55-year-old lady who grabbed the 75-pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy).

By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that.  My yard couldn't take it either.  I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

(Thanks, Matt and Christy.)

Go Sangha Go!

It's all about the team. This week I was speaking on the topic of 'Cultivating Sangha,' or the power of affiliating with like-minded community.  When we associate with people who want what we want we can gain inspiration and support way beyond what we can do individually.

When we identify ourselves as separate from others, there is a natural 'clenching' and defending.  This is sometimes in Western Buddhist circles described as "selfing."

When we do manage to drop the petty sense of "I" and "mine," magical things can happen.  Buddhist psychology speaks of the emergence of the four 'immeasurables' - the states of love, joy, kindness and compassion that arise in the absence of small-mindedness.  But something else happens, at least when you apply this on the basketball court.  You win more games.

I don't follow basketball closely, but I ran across this wonderful article about Shane Battier, a professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets.  His record of blocked shots, shooting percentages, etc are less than impressive, but when the statisticians looked closer, they noticed that when he played, everyone else on the team got better.

Here's a great New York Times article you might enjoy about Shane Battier, entitled "The No-Stats All-Star."  I found this article inspiring and enlivening.  Now that they can measure the impact players have on others rather than just their personal stats, I think this might usher in a new way of playing basketball.

If we could measure this off the court, it might also usher in a new way to live together.