Events

  • Thu
    14
    Jan
    2021

    INTRODUCTION
    TO TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, January 14, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    TOPICS INCLUDE: 
    THE INTELLECTUAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY
    NEEDED TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGES WE FACE;
    A "REACTION" VS A "RESPONSE"
    DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING JUDGMENTAL VS USING DISCERNMENT
    WHAT IS "HOLDING SPACE"?
    THE BENEFIT OF WATCHING THE MIND
    AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

  • Thu
    14
    Jan
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION & RESILIENCE
    BOOK CLUB
    Beginning Thursday, January 14, 2:00-3:30pm
    Email Betsey (betsey@betseydowning.com) to reserve your space.
    The Book Club is free, but you must reserve your space.

    Join Betsey and a group of kindred spirits in a book club focused on developing the mental and emotional skills we need to meet the challenges of this tumultuous time, with maturity and resilience.

    The more grounded, calm, and compassionate we become, the greater our resilience.

    Humanity is at a crossroads.  We all know it.  We are destroying the habitat that gives us sustenance, and supports all life.  We are facing a Climate Emergency, catastrophic loss of ice, staggering biodiversity loss, and an increasingly threatened food supply.  The pandemic threatens our economy and continues to spread.  Researchers and scientists have stated that if we continue on this path, collapse is a likely outcome.

    Barbara Marx Hubbard’s statement, “Evolve or die”, comes to mind here.

    We may choose to “Evolve”, but what does that look like?  Evolve into what?  Many spiritual teachers note that as a species we are at an adolescence stage of development.  Our task is to grow up … and to grow up fast!  What kind of maturity do we need in order to rise to the challenges we face?

    How can we bring forth the best within ourselves?
    How can we respond, in head and heart, so that we are steady and grounded?
    And could we also serve as a beacon of sanity for others?

    How can we be grounded in reality and at the same time be open to possibilities?
    How can we become a “Possibilitarian”?

    Come explore these important issues with us!

    We’ll use the book, Training in Compassion Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong by Norman Fischer, as our guide and springboard for discussions.  We’ll take our time with the book, reading it over approximately 6 months, to absorb and apply the teachings in our daily lives.  We’ll also practice mindfulness and develop a community of support for having conversations of significance.

    Very practical, this book focuses on how to train the mind so we have more compassion and resilience, with a goal of these qualities becoming the way we are and the way we live on a daily basis.  The book is based on a highly revered Tibetan Buddhist text from 1200 CE and has been translated by many great teachers.  It contains 7 Principles and 59 slogans, or aphorisms, that are antidotes to mental habits that cause suffering.  We will read and apply a few of the slogans for each session.

    The Book Club sessions include the following:

    • Read 6-8 pages in advance of each session, and use the “slogans” in daily life; specific slogans will be given for each session in advance
    • Discussion of our experiences in applying them
    • Short mindfulness practice
    • Breathing practices
    • Discussion of a wide range of related topics (see below)
    • Guided meditation

    The Compassion & Resilience Book Club begins Thursday, January 14, 2021, 2:00-3:30pm with an Introduction; no reading necessary for the Introductory session.

    • Meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays
    • No obligation; attend as long as it’s beneficial for you
    • Only requirement: read the pages and come with an open heart prepared to discuss

    And since just about everything is related to how our minds think and how our hearts feel, we’ll explore a wide range of topics, which may include:

    • “Holding Space”
    • Response vs reaction
    • Connecting with others at a level deeper than belief systems
    • Keeping a “circle of connection” when processing challenging issues
    • Using everything as an opportunity to “wake up”
    • “Radical responsibility”
    • Recognizing our perceptual filters
    • Intuition and how to develop it
    • Non-dual philosophy
    • Synchronicities, grief, death, quantum physics, seeding the future and more!
    • Note: no blaming, shaming, or complaining! No conspiracy theories.

    Email Betsey (betsey@betseydowning.com) to save your spot.
    The Compassion & Resilience Book Club is free, but you must reserve your space to attend.

  • Sun
    17
    Jan
    2021

    MAKE-UP SESSION for the
    INTRODUCTION
    to TRAINING IN COMPASSION & RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB

    Sunday, January 17
    2:00-3:30pm, EST
    Email Betsey at the address above for the Zoom  link.

    TOPICS INCLUDE: 
    THE INTELLECTUAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY
    NEEDED TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGES WE FACE;
    A "REACTION" VS A "RESPONSE"
    DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING JUDGMENTAL VS USING DISCERNMENT
    WHAT IS "HOLDING SPACE"?
    THE BENEFIT OF WATCHING THE MIND
    AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

    The Book Club is based on the book:
    TRAINING IN COMPASSION,
    Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong
    by Norman Fischer

    The Book Club meets ON ZOOM on the 2nd and the 4th Thursdays of the month,
    and continues for 6-7 months.

  • Thu
    28
    Jan
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, January 28, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATION FOR THIS SESSION:
    In your daily life, observe your mind: notice judgements, reactions, and responses.
    Note any times you’ve been able to “Hold Space”.
    Practice sitting mindfulness and see what you discover about your mind.
    Read the Introduction to the book: pages ix to xx, which is background information on the author and training the mind.

    INFORMATION SHARED:
    Full definition of Namaste
    For more information on the Grandmothers see Netoflight.org
    Grandmothers meditations
    (unfortunately it does not include the Container meditation)
    Carl Jung quote:
    "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate".
    Book that Wendy recommended:
    Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices
    to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity and Joy
    by Shauna Shapiro

     

  • Thu
    11
    Feb
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, February 11, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATION FOR THIS SESSION:
    Read Chapter 1: Resolve to Begin, pages 1-8
    Recommended: get a journal or notebook for writing what you're learning about yourself 
    Practice sitting mindfulness with nonjudgmental curiosity and kindness,
    and see what you discover about your mind
    QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION:
    In what ways have you trained in the preliminaries in your life so far?
    I
    n your daily life, when did you choose a response rather than a reaction?

  • Thu
    25
    Feb
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, February 25, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION:
    Read in Chapter 2: Train in Empathy and Compassion, pages 9-19,
    through slogan 2, See everything as a dream.  
    Recommended: get a journal or notebook for writing what you're learning about yourself 
    Practice sitting mindfulness with self-compassion, curiosity, and kindness,
    and note what you discover about your thoughts 
      QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION
      Describe absolute bodhicitta in your own words.  How does it differ from relative bodhicitta?
    It’s helpful to write your ideas in your journal.
    What does slogan 2: "See everything as a dream”, mean for you?  How do you see it in your life?  
  • Thu
    11
    Mar
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, March 11, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION:
    Read pages 20-23, slogans 3, 4, and 5.
    Practice sitting mindfulness meditation; see guidelines on p. 153-156, last 4 pages of the book.
    Practice self-compassion and kindness.
    QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION:
    What gifts does the Universe want to bring forth through you at this time?
    What lessons or insights have you received during the past year?
    What does it feel like for you to “rest in the openness of mind”? (slogan 5)

  • Thu
    25
    Mar
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, March 25, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION:
    Read pages 24-27, slogan 6: in post-meditation be a child of illusion
    Practice sitting mindfulness meditation, with kindness and self-compassion
    In your daily life, periodically pause for 3 deep breaths and "rest in the openness of mind", and savor returning to yourself (see page 23 for more details)

    QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION:

    What does Fischer mean by “in post-meditation be a child of illusion”?
    How would you describe that concept in words that resonate with you?

     

  • Thu
    08
    Apr
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, April 8, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT TIME:
    Read pages 29-39, slogan 7 & 8
    Practice meditation 4 or more times a week
    Consider asking one of these questions at the end of your meditation:
    * What gifts does the Universe want to bring forth through me at this time?
    *  What does the Universe want from me today?
    *  What advice does my Higher Self have for me today?
    *  What do I want from the Universe today?
    Explore the “sending and receiving” practice, as detailed in the reading.

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    This was the final blessing we recited in our March 25 session:
    May you be safe and protected
    May you be healthy and strong, and
    May you be happy and at peace.
    This blessing epitomizes one of the most important “secrets of life” (in order to be happy and at peace).  What is it?
    How did you respond emotionally when you did the “sending and receiving” practice?

     

  • Thu
    22
    Apr
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, April 22, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION:
        
      *  Read pages 39-50, slogans 9, 10, and 11.
    (For yoga practitioners, note the similarity to yoga concepts in these slogans!)
     Practice sitting mindfulness meditation, 4 or more times a week, with kindness and curiosity  
    Consider asking one of these questions at the end of your meditation:
    (Feel free to substitute another word for “Universe" if you prefer: my Higher Self, All That Is, the Divine, etc.)
    *  What gifts does the Universe want to bring forth through me at this time?
    *  What does the Universe want from me today?
    *  What advice does my Higher Self have for me today?
    *  What do I want from the Universe today?
      Observe how the "three poisons” operate in your mind and life.   
     
    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS: (Contemplate and journal about these questions)
    Give an example of how you could apply Slogan 9: Turn things around in your life.

     How could you apply greater “patience” in your life, as the author discusses in slogan 11?

     

  • Thu
    13
    May
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, May 13, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION:     
    *  Read pages 45-62, slogans 12-16
    Practice regular sitting mindfulness meditation
    As a way to deepen your connection to your Higher Self / Intuition,
    consider asking one of the questions we've used previously.  See the April 22 list above.

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    What does Slogan 12: “Drive all blames into one” mean?  What is an example of how you’ve done this in your life?
    How can you amplify Slogan 13: “Be grateful to everyone”?  What happens in your life when you do?
    Slogan 16 says, “Whatever you meet is the path”.  What does that mean for you in your life?

  • Sun
    16
    May
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, July 22, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

  • Thu
    27
    May
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, May, 27, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION    
    *  Read pages 63-80, the chapter on Make Practice Your Whole Life; slogans 17 and 18
    and practice with the slogans throughout the 2 weeks between our meetings
    *  C
    ontinue with regular mindfulness meditation practice
    *  Use mindfulness to observe yourself in daily life and practice “Holding Space” as often as possible. (If you want a refresher, the concept of "Holding Space" is presented In the first session in January; toward the beginning of the recording)

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    In Slogan 17, Reproach is the 4th strength.  How are you working with Reproach in your life?
    What does Fischer say is the benefit of spiritual practice at the time of death? 
    Have you ever been with someone at the time of their death?  What was that experience like for you?   
  • Thu
    10
    Jun
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, June 10, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION    

    Read pages 81-106, slogans 19-26. Notice that with slogan 23, we are moving into The Discipline of Relationship;
    interestingly, only about 25% of the slogans are about relationships, the vast majority are about the inner mental training
    we need to do first in order to have good relationships!

    Read the slogans soon, so you can be contemplating them as you go about your life, walk your dog, as well as during meditation, etc.

    Continue with regular mindfulness practices

    The Namaste greeting we so often use means, "The Light within me honors the Light within you" or "The Divine in me bows to the Divine in you" or "The soul in me honors the soul in you" (choose any version of Namaste you resonate with!).  How many people can you honor each day by silently saying this to them? ...  Even people you hardly know and just casually interact with.

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    Slogans 19-22 are: There's only one point , Trust your own eyes, Maintain joy (and don't lose your sense of humor), and Practice when you're distracted.
    Reflect on which of these is most significant to you at this time in your life and why.

    Slogans 23-26 are the first four in the Discipline of Relationship: Come back to basics, Don't be a phony,
    Don't talk about faults, and Don't figure others out.
    Which of these 4 is the most surprising or challenging for you, and how could you work with it?

     

  • Thu
    24
    Jun
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, June 24, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION
    * R
    ead pages 106-123, slogans 27-38.
    * Recommended: read the slogans soon, so you can be contemplating them as you go about your life,
    drive to the store, walk your dog, or journal, as well as during meditation, etc.
    * Continue with regular mindfulness practices

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    Reflect on which two slogans in 27-38 are most significant to you
    at this time in your life and why.
    Which slogan would improve your life the most if you were to adopt it fully?
    Which of these is your biggest edge, and why?

     

  • Thu
    08
    Jul
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, July 8, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION
    * R
    ead pages 125-138: Living with Ease in a Crazy World, slogans 39-49.
    *  Continue meditation/mindfulness practices
    *  Contemplate the Prayer of Your Soul by John O'Donohue and make notes of what speaks to you

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    * Make a note of 3 passages (written explanations) in the slogans that inspire you, to share in your breakout room
    * What is the one intention to correct all wrongs?
    * Which slogan, if you practiced if fully, would change your life the most?  What's stopping you from doing that?

     

  • Thu
    22
    Jul
    2021

    TRAINING IN COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE BOOK CLUB
    Thursday, July 22, 2021
    2:00-3:30pm, EST

    PREPARATIONS FOR THIS SESSION
    * R
    ead pages 138-148, slogans 50-59 and the Afterword
    * Develop a ritual to begin your meditation/mindfulness practices
    * Write a draft of the Prayer of Your Soul; see John O'Donohue's prayer in Resources to inspire you

    CONTEMPLATION QUESTIONS:
    * Which slogans in Living with Ease in a Crazy World speak to you the most?
    * What are the most significant understandings that you'll take with you from the Book Club?
    * In what ways are you more compassionate and more resilient now than you were before the Book Club?