Category Archives: recycled + repurposed

sharing, reblogging, spreading collective wisdom

#mindfulness over #madness: tending to the issues in our tissues or “the grinch tries yoga”

The Grinch had a little something extra behind that exhale!
And, yes, whether a belly-deep laugh or cry,
such a release can happen as we unlock and move tension through the body.

 

toward wholeness: “song of myself”| walt whitman

 Song of Myself 
[select verses]

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me
as good belongs to you.

 Clear and sweet is my soul,
and clear and sweet is all that is not my soul.

Welcome is every organ and attribute of me,
and of any (wo)man* hearty and clean,
Not an inch nor a particle of an inch is vile,
and none shall be less familiar than the rest.

I am satisfied—I see, dance, laugh, sing;

In all people I see myself, none more and not one a barley-corn less,
And the good or bad I say of myself I say of them.

I know I am solid and sound

I exist as I am, that is enough
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content

Do I contradict myself?

Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

~Walt Whitman
Song Of Myself (full poem)
*[punctation ( ) mine]

toward wholeness.project6050
toward wholeness: race, faith + gender matters in mental health | project 60/50 ~ 14 nov 2014|

Let us celebrate ourselves,
and sing ourselves
We are large,
We contain multitudes.

Zen(x)Mas: Our Very First Family Holiday Card

Happy Zen(x)Mas + Buddhist Blessings!
My dhamma4mama view of the season…

t scott-miller's avatardhamma for mama*

image

No tree. No lights.
No wrapping paper or gifts (from mom or dad, at least).
No Santa.
And, this year, no snow…
Which is, as my 4 year-old son declared to his dad this morning, the sole factor dictating whether this “quintessential” winter holiday can happen (especially for us Michigan natives): “It’s not Christmas because it’s not snowing!”

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The Zen(x)Mas Way

“Buddhist Blessings + Merry Christmas!” My sister, in all her silliness, affected a sacchrine, almost-pious, and breathy tone when I answered her call this morning. (I could tell she’d been cackling to herself while rehearsing this greeting in her twisted head.) We immediately burst into laughter!

Our families know that we are staunchily against the holiday madness that often prevails in the seemingly endless weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. We’ll watch the holiday-themed movies and generate some cheer over food and drinks in the company of loved ones…

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good spiritual friends: walking the path together

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When a fellow member of my running group shared this image and quote with us all, I was “AUM-ing” and “AMEN-ing” at the simple truth of this message. The 8 miles I logged this morning in the company of friends made every step easier. Laughter, insights, wise counsel and encouragement filled every moment of our two-and-half hour excursion.

It did not matter that everyone could not go the full distance.

Showing up, being committed to ourselves, and supporting others in the commitments they make to themselves is the stuff that running buddies and good spiritual friends are made of!

It is a treasure to have partners who help keep us accountable, on the pavement and on our chosen life paths, as we make bold proclamations for our self-care and aspirations. In my twenties, I longed for this type of loving support and was grateful to find it when I needed it most. Just as crucial — I learned through those relationships (and continue to refine through my dharma practice) to be the same kind of friend I value.

Becoming a good spiritual friend (kalyanamitra or kalyanamitta in Sanskrit/Pali) takes time, experience, maturity, skillfullness, discernment, the willingness to be vulnerable and, in turn, to bear witness to vulnerability in others. It demands that we learn not to “co-sign crazy” (a mantra and rule that I lovingly and frequently remind friends, old and new, will be upheld)! Rather than join in on a rant-and-rage session or hold our tongue when a friend is out of order, we invite these dear ones to pause and look deeply when they are caught in harmful/unskillful patterns. We shine the light — helping them wade through the muck toward clear intentions and possible resolutions. We ask what they think they need or, when they’re uncertain, simply step back while offering to be there whenever they are ready to work through it. But other situations require that we share our direct observations because our friend’s perspective may be the source of the difficulty.

For those who lament the lack of sleep or time to relax, we support them in finding moments of peace. If they say they’d like to exercise more often, we invite them out on a walk. For the friend who has difficulty asking for help, we remember to reach out first. We learn better than to give the workaholic or the people-pleaser, who can’t say “No,” one more task to juggle.

The good spiritual friend learns to see clearly and to respond wisely to the need or challenge in the moment. No dictating, judging, or chiding. They deliver the appropriate support with compassion and understanding. They help us to go deep in our self-inquiry, to acknowledge our true desires and quiet fears, and to live authentically and wholeheartedly.

They sweeten the journey and cheer us on as we come back, again and again, to our true selves.

More on Spiritual Friendship

Kalyāṇa-mittatā  [definition]
Admirable Friendship
Mitta Sutta

embodied practice: caring for ourselves + others

As sanghas around the globe are breathing deeply for our beloved Thây who is recovering from his recent hospitalization, I am remembering this beautiful practice that he teaches, which my dharma sister has shared with our community over the years: Second Body Practice.

“Our practice is not an individual practice.
We practice with other people, we practice with our Sangha.
The Sangha is also our body…
The practice of the second body is one way we take care of each other in the Sangha.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

View/Download Thich Nhat Hanh’s article in The Mindfulness Bell Issue #24: Taking Care of Each Other.

 

[18 March 2020 | Content updated to include quote + link to the .pdf of the original article.]

 

embodied wisdom: on self-acceptance

selfacceptance.chinese calligraphy

~ from Mentoring: The Tao of Giving and Receiving Wisdom
by C.A. Huang + J. Lynch

In Body Awareness Bootcamp, practitioners are invited to “go deep to come home” and awaken clear comprehension and compassionate action (small steps, sustainable choices).  Home, to the center of the self: the heart, where the seeds of self-compassion, self-acceptance, and inner wisdom are bathed in breath and awareness. The invisible thread of breath connects body, heart and mind. As breath blossoms in the body, with our skillful effort, the heart and mind becomes synced with the steady and subtle song of breath. Space is created for all to unravel and unfold into its full expression. Toxins and tensions are freed and released. We feel rooted, connected and resilient enough to embrace our whole selves.  We gently shine the light upon the neglected parts, remembering all that makes us complete. Nothing is left out of our loving awareness. Now we freely bloom.

breathing beauty into the world: a mindfulness practice for children (who are learning to see with eyes of compassion)

Each day I rise, waking to a world of possibilities.

I breathe and smile, happy and ready to learn, grow and share.

I see the sky, sun, clouds above me.

I see the earth, plants, water below me.

I feel the air around me.

I breathe and smile, knowing that I am in the world and the world is in me.

I choose to see beauty in myself, my family, my friends, my neighbors, my teachers, my community, and all living creatures.

I choose to speak words from my heart that are true, helpful, inspiring, necessary, and kind.

I choose to act from my heart in ways that are helpful, healthy, inspiring, and kind.

Even when I do not feel or act my best (whether I am sad, scared, confused or angry), I remember to place my hands on my heart and breathe.

I smile, knowing I can begin anew.
I can ask for help and comfort from those I trust and love.

Each night, I rest, thankful for all that I learned and shared.

I see the sky, moon, stars above me.

I see the beauty all around me. I breathe and smile, knowing that I am in the world and the world is in me.

[originally written Fall 2012 + published on dhamma4mama* 2013]

This writing has multiple sources of inspiration:
  • My experiences as an aunt, mother, and substitute teaching assistant for a preschool program;
  • My experiences as a practitioner and teacher of yoga and meditation, which is rooted in my practice of Zen Buddhism in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh;
  • My dear friend TaNesha Barnes, who asked me some time last year to create an affirmation for Beyond The Surface, the critical thinking and social justice academy she literally built in her own backyard!  A 21st-century embodiment of Wonder Woman, TaNesha is a mother, entrepreneur (t. barnes beauty), educator and social justice advocate with a clear heart-driven mission to empower students to become “global thinkers for equitable living.” When she recently posted the draft version of this piece (typed one late-night and stored as a memo on my BlackBerry) on Facebook, I was not only honored that she announced it would be recited daily in her upcoming program, Breathing Beauty Rites of Passages for Black Girls, but also compelled to add some long-awaited finishing touches! I am so deeply grateful to have lived, learned and grown up with TaNesha over the last 19 years and, on this 50th anniversary of the March on Washington (#MOW50), am excited to continue collaborating with her on programs that merge spirituality and wellness with social justice.

 

#TheSuchnessofSangha: on “sitting together” ~ thich nhat hanh

Sitting alone is wonderful. Sitting with a friend makes meditation easier.
There is a Vietnamese saying that goes like this: “When you eat rice, you need to have soup.”
When you practice mindfulness, you have to have friends.
When we sit together, we generate a collective energy of mindfulness that is very powerful…
The collective energy is very supportive and effective in helping us gain insight and transform difficulties.
As a practitioner we can benefit from that energy to help us embrace our pain and our suffering.
You can silently say, “Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Sangha, this is my suffering. Please brothers and sisters, please help me to embrace this pain and this suffering.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh from “How to Sit”