February’s Learning Resources

FEBRUARY

Finding Belonging

As our awareness of our interconnectedness expands, so too does our sense of belonging in the world. This month, through exercises focused on our individual and shared stories, we explore how we can open our hearts to experience an expansive sense of love and true connection. We’ll look at the four “immeasurable” qualities of Compassion, Loving-Kindness, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity. 

📚Suggested Resources and Activities: 

✨Monthly Learning Circle Spotlight: This month we would like to feature our friends in the Warriors of Love Learning Circle! They meet Thursday nights and were the first Learning Circle to form from a “Connection Despite Distance” course. They have been together since March 2020, and are still going strong!

 

One of their members, Mati Muñoz, has an inspirational story to share from her circle: “I love my Warriors of Love Learning Circle! One of the best things, and it surfaced clearly the other night, is that we realize that no matter how we feel, it’s always good when we get together. To be more specific, regardless of the fact that two members could not be present due to practical reasons, the remainder of us who showed up felt we did NOT want to be there to begin with. Every member expressed previous discomfort, tiredness, moodiness, all kinds of icky feelings that told us “I don’t feel like participating!” But because we have made the agreement of “Come as you are,” each one of us internally decided to show up no matter what. Well, as expected, we all felt much better after the “check-ins” and after expressing our feelings to each other. That, to me, is one of the highlights and wonderful accomplishments of the Circle, the support we offer each other and the space provided to just “be” ourselves in a social context, the comfort and trust in the realization that we are all safe in each other’s presence. I feel that a lot of the psychological and social problems we face as humans have their root in isolation and ignorance of our mutual interdependence.”

ONE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 

Article Read: “Finding Our Way to True Belonging” by Brené Brown

Once we belong thoroughly to ourselves and believe thoroughly in ourselves, true belonging is ours.” This is just one wonderful gem of wisdom that Brené Brown has to offer in this article.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What stood out to you from this article?
  2. What does “true belonging” mean to you?
  3. In what aspects of your life do you feel true belonging? To yourself? Your community? Our world?
  4. Which stories are living inside of you from your “wild heart” or from your “weary hurt” that are asking to be shared or shed?

Meditation Practiced: Shamata, Sympathetic Joy, and Loving Kindness with Lama Tsomo (12 minutes)

Keep Learning

January 

The Gift of Community

Having spent the dark winter months reflecting on our personal practice and spending the holiday with friends and family, embrace on the new year with an appreciation for both self-compassion and compassion for others, focusing on our interconnectedness and what it means to live in community.

March  

Tackling Stress 

Modern life brings unprecedented stressors, from personal challenges to global ones like climate change. Shamata helps us expand our mental awareness of the causes of stress, allowing us to cultivate a greater sense of calm in our lives and find the joy that is always available.

April

Practicing Inclusion + Nonviolent Communication

Examining race and identity, empathetic connection with others, what is life really like for others. Drawing from How to Be An Anti-Racist, we’ll take a closer look at the practice of Loving Kindness.  Treating people of all backgrounds and identities with fairness and respect is an ongoing journey for most of us, including our team at Namchak. We share our experience with the practice of non-violent communications, which teaches us how to listen deeply to our own needs as well as those of others, helping us connect to our innate compassion.

May

Meaningful Work

Our personal practice isn’t just for ourselves, but for the benefit of others too. We dive into the meaning of work, consider our gifts, and examine work as an environment to practice being in community and contributing to the greater good.