Blue Pill, Red Pill?

I recently finished the novel, "Night," by Elie Wiesel. Anyone who has read this slim holocaust memoir knows it was not easy. The reading was precipitated by a personal commemoration of the author, for Elie recently died at the ripe age of 87 years. Also, my momma, who knows my heart well, gave me the book. It had sat on my book shelf for years until I was most recently ready to read it.

Now, before you go thinking this is a kill-joy blog article, no-sir-eeeee. Remember IC Truth #3: everything no matter how challenging has the ability to be transformed. Elie Wiesel is a shining North Star example of this certainty. The day I finished the book, I dedicated my morning to sitting with what I had learned. I did this in my garden of course, and as I sat by my pond, in addition to holding Elie Wiesel's story close, I noticed the hummingbirds came around, as did the nuthatches, chickadees and all other kinds of joyful critters. I smiled, and pondered these competing realities--the destruction of a race of people juxtaposed with all the beauty of this natural world. Both exist--one heart-breaking, the other heart-sustaining--such interplay is constantly present. How to reconcile these realities?

I recalled this month's Inner Constellation theme--Co-creation--and grabbed my notebook as a poem took root...

Ground to Soften
©August 4, 2016 Karla Johnston InnerConstellation.com

The novel, “Night,” by Elie Weisel—
I’m reminded my every thought of impatience, anger, intolerance,
waters the larger seed of cruelty growing in the world today.
Annihilation of Jews (and anyone not conforming to radical Islam) is happening this moment.
Tears escape the corner of my eyes, seeking ground to soften.

The other side of human possibility: tenderness, joy, understanding
water seeds of freedom,
which, in the choice to cultivate, loosen cruelty’s strangle hold.
Do I wish to be grounded in the killing field
or tend the garden of humanity with compassion and mercy?

Germination starts within,
it grows within. 


How do I reconcile competing realities? My answer--germination starts within, it grows within. More questions follow--Am I more able to Co-create and practice goodness and generosity because I live healthy, happy, strong and free? Do I have a responsibility to do so, due to my good measure? 

As this month of August stretches toward the end, I continue to answer my heart questions. Relying on Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community and my support network of family and friends, I know answers will come and Co-creation will be the result: germination starts within, it grows within. 

Bless you, wise Elie Wiesel, for your continuation of insight, compassion and hope. 

Co-Create...Say WHHHat?

Thanks to dear Mike Pape, LTMC member and sweet presence, for suggesting August's Inner Constellation theme of co-create. As I sat to write the practice blessings* to send for the week, you know how it goes...the muse slipped in. I heard a single word...animator...and the creative juices began a'flowin' until !bam!--co-creating in practice!

Animator
©2016 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

It was instructed and breathed, “Receive the Holy Spirit…”

Sacred life, nonstop
pours through these bodies
requiring nothing except to be alive.

Yesterday, I saw a baby take her first breath,
and today discussed with colleagues how to assist those taking their last.

Deep Mystery
propels body, speech, mind,
actions and consciousness….

Breathing in, I’m aware of sacred life;
Breathing out, I vow compassion, peace and understanding.


May this offering continue to water the seeds of goodness within. I look most forward to exploring co-creation this month of August and practicing the North Stars of compassion, peace and understanding along the way. 


*Monday-Friday 2-4 line email send. Short, sweet, promoting the practice of engaged compassion throughout your day. Please contact me if you'd like this gift from me to you. 

The Moon's Question to Hafiz

The Moon's Question to Hafiz
©2016 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

"Is it true that our destiny

Is to turn into Light

Itself?" *

Moon, Faithful Lover,

You continuously scour, then fill

With pure effulgence 

This awe-struck heart to the brim.

Your love-making is simple: 

Sit close,

Be still,

For any surface, once saturated with Light

Cannot help but overflow

with brilliance. 

*lines from Hafiz’s poem, “Faithful Lover”

60 Million Refugees

I typically don't comment on political hub-bub going on, but something struck me this week that I keep going back to, which usually means it's time to write it out. After the Republican Convention, President Obama was asked to comment on Donald Trump's speech on the worsening terrorist situation in the Middle East spreading into US and Europe and this was one of his replies:

...this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn’t really jibe with the experience of most people. I hope people the next morning walked outside and birds were chirping and the sun was out, and this afternoon, people will be watching their kids play in sports teams and go to the swimming pool and folks are going to work and getting ready for the weekend.

I truly thank President Obama for so clearly confirming for me the importance of two things:

1) We must open our eyes and not turn away from the suffering in our world. The above statement is only applicable if one lives in the US! Here is a startling fact--at present we are experiencing the highest number of refugees in human history--over 60 million people are attempting to flee horrendous conditions. Do they walk outside and hear the birds chirping and sun warming their skin? Watch their kids play sports and go to the swimming pool? This leads us to number 2 point of thanks....

2) Engaged Compassion is a North Star worthy of consideration for our times - we must consider engagement with what is going on in the world, not turning away or being happy enough with our small piece of security here in the United States. How do we do this? By being mindful, i.e. aware of conditions with our neighbors and with compassion and understanding comprise a solution. In this quest of engaged compassion, I discovered a few links to check out. Please be inspired, and perhaps practice the North Star of engaged compassion:

Refugee Team Makes it to the 2016 Olympics

CARE website

CARE Facebook Page

Have a beautiful week, yes the birds are chirping and sun is shining. Soak it up! At the same time, there are many striving for life and for the world to notice and do something to help. Perhaps when you're all nourished and loved up, consider practicing engaged compassion--I would love to hear what you discovered.

Harmony in the Midst of Dissonance

Last night's drum celebration was awesome, celebrating the 2 year anniversary for Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community and the continued strength and harmony of our community! We're just getting started as this coming Sunday is our Summer Mindfulness Retreat . As a community, we've been deeply touched by all the events going on across our country and world: shootings in Orlando, the loss of lives and suffering in the black communities, Dallas police shootings and most recently, last night's attack in Nice, France. Our theme for summer retreat is "Harmony," and the question naturally arises--how can we practice harmony in the midst of such seeming dissonance? 

We will be exploring answers to this question on at Retreat on Sunday. As a loose preparation here is one definition of harmony to use as our guide: 

Harmony - the blending of simultaneous sounds or voices of different pitches or qualities. 

Being a singer, I strive to recognize the lead vocalist. If this is strong, all kinds of harmonies can branch off and actually strengthen the lead with their support. If there's a voice that doesn't quite hear the harmony or is unskilled in producing a similar vocal range, the blending will not be in accord. In fact, this off-key voice will tend to pull others away and distract entirely from the ultimate production of sound. Every day we encounter different voices, different perceptions and clashing events. When these happen, can we still recognize, remember and maintain the lead?

Sunday's Summer Retreat will be a time to nourish the lead of compassion and understanding, a time to strengthen ourselves, our loved ones and our community. LTMC looks forward to diving into the question--how can we practice harmony in the midst of dissonance? We will explore Right View--noticing when suffering arises in ourselves and others and practicing not making the suffering worse...ie carrying the lead.

It is said that one of the greatest gifts we can give another is our freedom. LTMC looks forward to another year of practicing and strengthening freedom, please consider joining us, we would love to hear your voice.  

Independence Day

Freedom is an inside job, ya'all. It's natural to think of the Declaration of Independence today as we celebrate its signing in 1776--life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--inalienable rights that America was founded upon. If we don't have reverence for life and freedom, then we can't begin to pursue a happy life. 

I think of Thich Nhat Hanh's eloquent definition of Reverence for Life in the first of the Five Mindfulness Trainings:

Reverence for Life 
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world. 

I've been pondering freedom today and thinking about living a life free of tension, I'm talking 100% free of anxiety, worry, fear, you name it. Is it possible? Inner Constellation clients are familiar with one of my favorite questions to ask--"What's keeping you from being 100% absolutely free?" The following helps us answer that question:

1) Recognize - when there is tension, slow down, look deeply, and take time to care for yourself and others. Often we push ourselves or push others in the direction we wish them to go, rather than...

2) Calming the Emotion - once tension is recognized, we can bring relief right away through the use of our breathing, our thinking, our actions and our words. This is the practice of peace and nonviolence, toward oneself and others. It's a choice and a necessary one on the path of freedom.  

3) Inspire - don't stay in the tension, recognize all the other conditions of goodness available, be grateful and recognize beauty, it surrounds us always, even in the midst of utter chaos.

As I finish writing this, a BBC news feed scrolls across my phone: Iraq suicide bomb attack, 165 dead in Baghdad. Three days of mourning has been issued. Freedom starts within. I come back to my Inner Constellation: recognize, calm, inspire. What do these events mean to me in light of Independence Day? Song, dedication, the sound of the bell, beginning a poem to set my intention....May all beings be happy, may they be healthy and strong, free from inner and outer harm, may they live in their world with ease and grace....*


*Lines adapted from the Metta Sutra

July 14: Celebrate LTMC's 2 Year Anniversary!!!

You're invited to join us for an evening of celebration! The native drum has just returned from Sundance Ceremony in Croyden, Utah and is ready to bless LTMC's continuation and initiate our Summer Retreat the following Sunday, July 17. We'll be singing inter-tribal songs and Sundance Ceremony Songs in celebration of the summer season when dancers and singers come together with prayers for the people and communities. This promises to be an extra special night. Visit our FB events page to join, invite friends and find out more:

https://www.facebook.com/events/713904325416298/