Life in a Day

For me the essence of Tonglen practice is remembering "Other people feel this too." When I touch into pain or joy, knowing that I am not alone connects me to the mystery of the shared journey.

This looks like an amazing tribute to this embodied adventure.  The first comment on the page:  "If aliens came to earth, I would show them this movie."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT_UmBHMYzg

 

(Thanks, Ellen.)

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Genuine Success

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Climbing a ladder is one thing.  Making sure your ladder is against the right wall is something totally different. A great teacher I once encountered said, "The higher up you are in an organization or the more responsibility you are carrying, the more you need to be on retreat."

When we rely on the executive function to make important decisions that affect not just our lives but the lives of those around us, we have to find a way to create healthy distance from the day-to-day details to reflect on what is most important and intuit what is next.

I had the good fortune to speak at Tony Mayo's leadership group.  Their focus is on 'vitality, service and outstanding performance'.  Mindfulness is a key to his approach to conscious leadership.

If you feel the need for executive coaching and working with like-minded leaders, Tony is accepting a few new people in his course this January.  I am impressed by the caliber of his presence as well as by the participants in his group.

More information here, including videos, podcast and articles.

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At least 31 flavors

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The truth is the truth and yet it seems to have infinite flavors. I'm just back from a retreat with Tara and Anam Thubten.

While in the context of a classical Theravaden schedule - walking and sitting meditation, social silence, group interviews, mindful movement - retreatants also got a blend of teachings from the Tibetan perspective with Anam, Tara's western Buddhist psychology perspective and to complete the mash up, my own blend of mindful movement and commentary.

As Joseph Goldstein writes so beautifully in his book, One Dharma, all these views emanate from the same source.

This blending of teachings, experiences and cultural perspectives resulted in a sense of great friendship and camaraderie.  Anam will be leading meditation and giving a talk at my class in Arlington tonight.

 

 

Mindful Action

If you feel called to explore mindful social action here in the DC area, please read on:
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World events are unfolding in ways that portend both increased suffering and also the potential for dramatic transfomation. For many Dharma practitioners, this has aroused a strong and growing interest in spiritual activism--in bringing the teachings and practices of mindfulness and compassion to bear on the challenges facing people around the globe.

On Friday, December 9, (7:30 - 9:30 pm) at the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church in Washington, DC (3401 Nebraska Ave, NW--directions), we will be meeting to explore ways in which we can act together to create a more compassionate community and world. We hope you will join us.

 

One exciting initiative being launched in the Washington area is a campaign to make Washington, DC, a 'compassionate city.' The global Compassionate Cities campaign comes out of the Charter for Compassion developed by Karen Armstrong and other spiritual leaders. It seeks to restore compassion to the center of morality and religion and make compassion a 'clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world.'

 

For Dharma practitioners committed to cultivating peace, compassion and love in our own hearts and in the world, the "Compassionate Washington DC" campaign provides a potentially important vehicle for developing and coalescing our efforts in practical ways.

 

Active initiatives underway and others that could be developed as part of our Buddhist contribution to a Compassionate Washington DC campaign are:

  • Efforts to teach mindfulness and compassion in schools in our area (currently happening through Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, iBme)
  • Mindfulness classes in local correctional institutions (already underway through IMCW's Insight on the Inside program)
  • Training in meditation and mindfulness for returning veterans
  • Bringing mindfulness activities to the Occupy events through regular meditation programs (already underway through the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and others)
  • Efforts to develop and influence local and national actions and policies to express our love for the earth and address climate change
  • Responding to the needs of the poorest of the poor worldwide, e.g. through efforts such as Buddhist Global Relief, founded by Bhikkhu Bodhi
  • Other possibilities....

 

We hope you will join us on December 9 to plan and promote activities to bring mindfulness and compassion more actively and consciously into our community and world.

 

Please let us know by responding directly to this message, (e-mailhughgbyrne@yahoo.com) if you plan to come to the meeting on December 9. We will then send more information.  Once you RSVP, we will send you a set of four questions for reflection and focus in preparation for our discussion. If you would like to be part of this effort but cannot attend on the 9th, note that in your reply to receive the questions.

We look forward to hearing from you and working together to bring the wisdom and compassion of Dharma teachings and practices more fully into the world.

 

Warmest wishes,

 

Hugh Byrne & the Compassionate Washington DC Dharma Team

Gratitude

At dinner many years ago a guest, (I swear it's true) named Kabir said, "Isn't the shortest and highest prayer just two words -- 'Thank you?'" I remember that often.  Gratitude changes everything.

A short film on gratitude:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2ofrX7jAk&feature=player_embedded

 

(Thanks, Ellen.)

Beautiful

Over the years a lot of folks have asked about the soundtracks to my CD's Art of Relaxation and Energy Awareness Meditations, as they work so beautifully with the guided experiences.  I had originally wanted to go with a dual binaural soundtrack, but when I started working with Mark Kelso, who created the soundtrack and produced the CD's, I knew there was nothing like having such a sensitive and creative presence such as Mark to draw the listener ever-deeper. Mark has some new CD's out and they are truly wonderful.  Here's a simple video that features one of his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3Vs5jaT88

You can read more and order CDs or follow links to tunes here at Mark's site.

He's masterful.

 

 

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Equanimity and Joy

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Equanimity and Joy are two of the 'immeasurable states.'  When we experience them there are no limits to how vast they extend. I gave a talk this week on Equanimity, which is on my podcast or streaming here.

But here is an inspiring expression of limitlessness in the face of hardship.  Get out your kleenex for this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=W86jlvrG54o

 

(Thanks, Bob.)

 

Oust Who?

John Foust is our county supervisor.  We've exchanged emails a few times regarding local issues and we've always admired each other's last name. Last night after the elections, Alex went out and picked up some of the signs and they were on display for me when I headed outside this morning before sunrise.  Quite the shock.  Here are the two sides's signage.  I must say, "Oust Foust" is a great slogan.

I'm excited to deliver these to family members at Thanksgiving.

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MTTI Launches

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The Meditation Teacher Training Institute's two-year training started this weekend with 60+ participants.  What a wonderful group of dedicated teachers.  This is the first regional training of it's kind and I'm amazed to think what it will be like for the DC Metro area to have such caring teachers taking it to the streets here. We generated a list of the populations these folks feel called to serve and literally gives me goose bumps to think of the healing potential being unleashed.  Folks are drawn to work with those who are incarcerated, youth, hospice, those working with addictions, those working on the corporate level, those who feel marginalized and don't have access to these transformational practices and teachings.

It's an honor to be part of this journey.

 

Freedom from Suffering

I'm enjoying the six-week series I'm leading with Dr. Gary Kaplan at the Kaplan Center for Integrative Health.  Particularly since I've had a four-day migraine.  I've really had to practice what I've been preaching these last weeks. Along those lines, I gave a talk at the recent week-long IMCW Fall Retreat entitled "Transforming Your Relationship to Pain."  It's now up and available for streaming or download through iTunes.

Here's the link.

May you be free.  Or at least free-er.

 

The Fruits of Compassion

This week I spoke about how we can train not just our mind through attentional training, but also our heart. Where your attention goes, the energy flows.  Consciously generating kindness and compassion for yourself, those in your inner circle, your society and even to your enemies can result in profound inner and external change.

I was ruminating on this during the week when I ran across this from an old ashram buddy:

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Retreating

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You just can't estimate the value of stepping back from daily routines and habits. Our daylong retreat last Saturday included hours of silent meditation, two movement flows, two deep body scans, time sharing silence and words as we explored what happens when we both relax and pay attention.

If you can wedge a retreat into your schedule, do it!  As the saying goes, 'the more dynamic your rest, the more dynamic your activity.

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Small Changes

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I'm a bike freak. I've had many bikes over the years, mostly trying to modify them to fit my 6'5" frame.  I could never get very comfortable on them as much as I wanted to.

Way back when I completed my Peace Corps stint in Niger, West Africa, I built a bike up and attempted to cross the Sahara Desert from south to north.  The dust and sand got so bad I would have to repack the bearings again and again.  This was before mountain bikes and sealed bearings.  (The harmattan winds and hot season came early that year and got the better of me.  I realized later the sizzling sound in my ears was my brain deep-fat frying.

I've had a folding bike and recumbent bikes, which are simply amazing.

When I moved to Northern VA I was limited to trails, so had to give up my recumbent.  After a fair bit of research I discovered a cool kind of bike which is starting to make waves.

This is a modified RANS semi-recumbent that functions as a cargo bike.  You can fit six full grocery bags in the panniers, enough kit for a long trek or enough to go 'condo camping' for the day.  It's extremely comfortable and actually quite stable on the trails.

I got mine at the ultimate emporium for non-ordinary bike enthusiasts here in the DC area, Bikes at Vienna.  John Bruno is the owner.  They'll take good care of you and let you explore their selection of recumbents, trikes, folders and cargo bikes.

 

There's a documentary in the works on cargo bikes and it suggests how the little things we do to cultivate greater sustainability make all the difference.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yy3kXIaKp8&feature=youtube_gdata_player