More on Transforming Pain

Part two on pain this week. The blurb:

Pain is a messenger.  When you can investigate the arising of sensation and how you are relating to it, new possibilities can arise.  It's helpful to remember that whatever your experience may be in any moment, when you remember that "Other people feel this too," a sense of "I" and "mine" can fall away and open up space inside.

Podcast here and online streaming here.

 

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I Be Me

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When I was 15 I learned Transcendental Meditation and it profoundly changed my life.  Almost immediately I felt more empowered and creative. iBme is dedicated to bringing meditation to the next generation and they are doing amazing things.

iBme Mindfulness Programs Transform an Oakland Public High School from Inward Bound on Vimeo.

 

Click here for an article on some meditation classes I led at Whitman High School (in the Washington Post).

 

 

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Transforming Your Relationship to Pain, Part 1

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Last year I did a few six-week series called "Transforming Your Relationship to Pain" with Dr. Gary Kaplan of the Kaplan Clinic in Mclean, VA.  They were powerful and juicy. Since then we've wanted to do them again, but we are both so busy it's been hard to schedule.  In this three week series on "Buddha and the Body" I thought I'd offer two talks on the subject.

Here's the blurb on the podcast:

Pain is inevitable.  Suffering is optional. Is this true?  This talk explores the fundamentals of how pain works and after a few minutes of energizing movement led by Jovinna Chan, you'll explore two pragmatic meditations for shifting your relationship to unpleasant sensations.

To Be or Do?

Two podcast episodes this week.  #1 is a guided meditation exploring three forms of breathing, from willful breathing to contemplation of natural breath.

This week's talk is part of a series on "Buddha and the Body.  When it comes to cultivating embodied presence, how should you pay attention?

This talk explores two practices that rest on the far edges of instruction.  The 'sitting of strong determination' requires strict attention while 'surrender meditation' is all about letting go. There are a few guided experiences with questions and comments with suggestions as to how you can find your 'sweet spot.'

Streaming here and podcast here.

 

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On Diversity

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We had a powerful two days with Ruth King on Diversity.  She's a fireball.  If you'd like to learn more about her work, this is her link.  She'll be at the New Year's Retreat doing private interviews.

Our capacity for interpersonal transformation truly comes from our capacity to sense what another's experience is like for them.  It was in sixth grade when I first heard the expression, "Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins."  It struck me then and remains true.

Or as I think Sri Nisargadatta put it, "To see self in other and other in self" ....

 

 

 

Seeing the Other

We're heading into a full weekend on Diversity with Ruth King in the Meditation Teacher Training Institute this weekend.  I'm always a bit nervous before I dive into this topic as it's so fraught with pain, but I am always grateful for the adventure. Tim Wise offers some profound words on the passive formulation of racism, patriarchy and other forms of supremacy.

As a blue-eyed white guy with a private school education and an advanced degree, these teachings are always helpful.

http://youtu.be/QURlpIxb_wM

 

Two new talks online

 

I've got two new talks online from recent weeks.  The first is called "Cultivating Equanimity."

The flower of mindfulness practice is equanimity, the capacity to allow your experience to be exactly what it is - no matter what it is.

The second talk (from this week) is "On Gratitude and Giving."  This talk explores what gets in the way of gratitude and how you can actively cultivate this state.  Post-Thanksgiving, it's interesting to reflect on your experience of the ratio of two opposites:  Gratitude and Complaining.  When I pay attention I notice it's actually a little meter that moves from moment to moment.

With a little practice we find that these somewhat rare states of equanimity and gratitude can be cultivated.  iTunes podcast here and direct streaming here.

 

 

Cold Water Paddling

It's cooling dramatically, but we still get a few warm days here and there.  There are disadvantages in being self-employed, but one of the advantages is the creativity that comes around time-management.  I had a conference call mid-day and as it was going to hit 50 degrees around that time I brought my stand up paddle board down to the river, put on my waterproof gear and headed upstream.  About 45 minutes later I found a nice place in the middle of the river to stop and settle in for the call. Leaning up against a warmish rock, I plugged in my headphones, did the call and headed back in time for my next meeting.

Back, with images

About a month ago I was heading out for a pre-sunrise walk with my trusty Canon 60D and 70-230 L-series zoom, which has to be one of the most amazing lenses around. (A deep bow to Kevin McDonough, who traded it for all my video equipment a few years back.) As I headed across the parking lot at Riverbend Park I heard the sickly sound of the camera bouncing on the asphalt.  The camera was fine, but the image stabilizing motor took a hit and I had to send it in for repairs.  It's back and I'm inspired to get out more with this long lens.

Part of the hiatus was neglecting to post any images here.  I thought I might catch up with a little retrospective as I never really stop shooting.

 

The following is from Kripalu Center, where I led a three-day retreat earlier this month called "The Transformative Journey" with my friend and colleague Shobhan Richard Faulds, who is now back in the saddle as Kripalu's CEO.

Many years ago I walked up to one of the residents who was standing here and staring off into the horizon.  He turned to me and said, "I stop here every morning.  This my biofeedback device. If it isn't beautiful, I know there is something wrong with me."

That's the Stockbridge Bowl below and most of the land here is protected.  I shot the following with my iPhone 4s with the panorama feature.