Generosity

When I was head of curriculum at Kripalu Center I once tried to get Bo Lozoff, founder of the Ashram Prison Project and author of "We're All Doing Time," to come and present at a conference we were hosting. "I'm going to screw things up for you," he said. "I'll come, but it would have to offered by donation."

Though we were an ashram and non-profit, the only model we had was charging for program and services.  I looked into how we might accommodate him and, well, we couldn't.  It turned out he had a conflict anyway, but I took the opportunity to ask him about how he managed to teach this way.

"These teachings are priceless," he said.  "How can you ask a set fee?  Everything we offer is by dana - or donation.  Sometimes it's tight and scary and sometimes someone will put a check for $3,000.00 in the collection bowl.  I'll tell you this, though - we have always gotten by."

I resolved that I might do this ... offer my classes freely and trust that I might be supported.

When I moved to DC I had my opportunity.  I offered yoga and meditation classes free with a suggested donation.  IMCW's retreats are offered freely.  You just pay room and board and make a donation to the teachers.

Initially I was pretty tight about it as I do depend on this income, but mostly, I love the practice.  I know there are many who come to classes and retreats who would not be able to if there was a set fee.

My classes and guided meditations are offered freely through my podcast on iTunes.  I'm touched when I get an email or a mention of it and recently a most generous person emailed me from California asking if he might help cover the costs of distribution.

Wow.

I've been blessed with a lot of support and generosity.  It's affected how I give. I am now a huge tipper particularly in places like Subway as I'm more sensitive to those who are serving.  I am much more inclined to share my small fortune with others.

I really like the feeling of being generous.

So I was surprised and touched by this table card from Panera.  How can one not feel positive feelings toward this company and humanity in general?

Panera Dana

 

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Join a telesangha!

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One of the age old issues around a meditation practice is cultivating consistency. The Buddha described the process of awakening as 'swimming upstream,' not just against your own innate conditioning, but against the conditioning of the culture.

That's why over the ages folks have gathered in collectives.  If you want something, align with others who want the same thing.

A brilliant solution that provides support and uses technology in the best way: telesangha!

The brainchild of Mo Edjlali, the founder of ZenCEO, this has been tested over the last year and is ready to support more practitioners.

http://youtu.be/I7ym23QZnOI

 

Go here for more information and to sign up.

 

 

 

RIP Cheyla

While I was on retreat, our little pup Cheyla passed.  I called her a 'substandard poodle' as she was the runt of the litter.  She had a host of health issues and if it wasn't for a monthly injection to keep her immune system going from Addison's disease, she'd be long gone.  Six years of prednisone led to congestive heart failure and after a satisfying hike last week, she gave up. This is one of my favorite shots from last spring when I thought she was leaving us.

I conspired to give her many 'best days ever' and truly she had many of them.  She graced us with an unfailing sweet, cheerful presence.

 

RIP chey

One Breath at a Time

I am on my way home after a transformational nine days with amazing Kripalu yoga teachers for the program “Exploring the Energy Body: Teaching Pranayama and Meditation.” There is nothing like immersion into a safe, inspired community with a deep commitment to serve. Many thanks to everyone, our 58 yogis, an amazing staff and to co-director Larissa Carlson, pranayama master extraordinaire.

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Our Nervous Guest

Given we've got three dogs, two of them rather hypervigilant, I can't quite believe how brazen our local fox can be.  The other morning I was doing standing meditation facing the deck when I noticed the activity.  First the fox made a run for the squirrels under the feeder, coming quite close to capturing one, then it turned it's attention to the errant seeds under the bird feeders. This wonderful winter coat will soon give way to molting, when the foxes start looking scrawny again.

Check out the coat.

Waking from the Dream of Thoughts

J teaching - Version 2When I slow down and pay attention to thoughts I'm always struck my how shameless my mind is.  There is no rat hole it won't go down. To my great relief I have found with practice I simply don't quite believe what I'm thinking quite as much.

This week's talk explores some strategies for snapping out of unrelenting identification with the thinking process.  The sound is a bit off as we had a big group but no audio amplification, so I had to project my voice more than usual.

Here's the blurb:

How do you wake out of the trance of thinking?  This talk explores three strategies: 1) Consciously shift your attention to your immediate sensory experience, 2) actively investigate the veracity of what story you might be believing and 3) turn your awareness to thoughts of kindness and compassion.  The good news?  As soon as you realize you are lost in thought, new possibilities arise.

iTunes podcast here and online streaming here.

 

The Dharma of Relationships

J teaching - Version 2A new talk this week and a guided meditation coming soon.  I covered Tara's Wednesday night class in Bethesda as she was on the road  speaking at a conference. "Relational dharma" is a powerful practice ... using relationships as a way to wake up.

Here's the blurb:

Unless you live in a cave and have concierge service, you most probably interact with people each day.  Wisdom teachings tell us to 'see self in other and other in self.'  But how?  This talk explores some practical strategies for cultivating empathy, compassion and skill in how you relate to others and use your relationships to wake up.
iTunes podcast here and online streaming here.

 

Transforming Your Relationship with Fear

J teaching - Version 2This week's topic is a favorite.  Anxiety and fear are old friends of mine.  For much of the most recent month-long meditation retreat I attended I felt like I was simmering in a stew of constantly churning old and new worries.  Over time, the anxiety dissipated and about six months later Tara said, "You know, you seem generally less anxious than you used to be."

A lot of people notice that pleasant bi-product of meditation.  You learn to discern between anxiety that's helpful and anxiety that is pure hallucination.

Here's the blurb from this week's talk in Arlington:

Anxiety and fear, if unexamined, leave you unsteady and dissatisfied.  When you can name a fear and investigate it with kindness, new possibilities emerge.  This talk explores what happens in your brain and nervous system when you feel fear as well as some practical, pragmatic strategies that can lead to radical transformation.

iTunes podcast here and online streaming here.

 

A Year of Living Mindfully

20120628-095256.jpg Seven years ago I left my scene in the Berkshire Mountains to move to DC.  I had lived in our around intentional community for a few decades.  I had never lived in a city and had some trepidation about moving to a place where I knew no one and no one knew me.

I noticed that DC is not a 'casual city.'  Everyone seemed to on their way somewhere, and in a hurry.

I wondered if there might be any interest in developing a sense of community dedicated to deepening practice and created something I called "A Year of Living Mindfully."  I was inspired by Stephen Levine's work, "A Year to Live," where he imagined that he would be dead in a year, and described his inner process.

To my delight, there were folks interested and I'll be starting my sixth "Year of Living Mindfully" in April.  I have been amazingly blessed by the richness of this experience.  As I often say, to be surrounded by sincere, authentic, kind practitioners who share an intention to wake up is as close to heaven as it gets.

You can read more about the program here.  Applications are due March 1.  There are some prerequisites, but feel free to check with me if you have any questions.

 

The Dance of Concentration and Mindfulness

J teaching - Version 2It was great to be back in Arlington after so long on the road.  Our exploration this week explored the classic teachings on Concentration and Mindfulness. Concentration is developed through willful practice and effort.  Mindfulness, or non-judging awareness, blossoms through relaxation and patience.

Though they work intimately together, certain practices result cultivate one or the other.

Finding the practice that works for you is part of what my friend Pat Coffey calls developing yourself 'as a contemplative artist.'

These posts include the guided meditation as well as the talk.  iTunes podcast here and online streaming here.

 

Intentions and Actions

It's another year and we naturally tend to revisit  what we want in the year ahead. This week's talk on Capitol Hill is entitled "Intentions and Actions."   It was a wonderful turnout down in St. Mark's 'whine cellar' to start the new year.   The blurb:

The most important thing," Shunryo Suzuki famously said, "is to know what is the most important thing."

Short term intentions can be enormously helpful when you are going through a challenging time. Long-term intentions also serve to provide clarity around actions - not just the actions which will support your goals, but clarity regarding actions from which you might exercise restraint.

iTunes podcast here and online streaming here.

 

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Scenes from the Retreat

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110 meditators for five days.  Good medicine.  A few images ...

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Pat Coffey, Hugh Byrne, Tara Brach, Ruth King, Jonathan Foust:

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Each participant takes part in two small group sessions.  They can be quite powerful, almost ethereal, which inspired me to edit this image of my room:

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After five days of silence (other than the small groups which meet for about an hour) it can be a challenge to enter back into speaking.  Small groups making the transition to mindful speech:

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Dharma Rap Song

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Back in the ashram, once a year, we had "Fun Day," a day dedicated to, well, fun.  We slept in late, ate ice cream, did a lot of group adventures during the day and had an evening of skits and songs. Back when rap was just coming out, it was violent and rough.  I decided to try my hand at a dharmic rap song and with my friend and colleague, Mark Kelso aka Hansaraj on synthesizer, we did it for about 350 residents, complete with a dance interlude.

I did it one more time in public, at Mark's wedding with Todd Norian on keyboards and Time Brenner on drums.  With professional back up, it was almost passable.

Almost.

At the retreat, I had no backup, so I slapped together a little rhythm loop on my iPad.  Pretty rough, but pretty funny.

Imagine, during the chorus, Tara Brach, Hugh Byrne, Pat Coffey and Ruth King leaping out of their meditation seats to chant and pose.

iTunes podcast here, download/streaming here.

Aligning Your Life with Your Heart

Here's the talk from the New Year's Retreat.  I had the honor of batting cleanup with the final talk of the retreat on New Year's Eve. The blurb:

The closing talk to the New Year's Retreat, 2012.  Spiritual practice is a blend of willful effort and conscious surrender. When the sense of "I" and "mine" drops away, compassion arises effortlessly. Sometimes your capacity to live with an open heart is effortless. Sometimes it requires a clear intention.

 iTunes podcast here and download/streaming here.