on wedsnesday night, i once again had the privelege to hear a talk given by pema chodron. she's an american buddhist nun who teaches a combination of western and tibetan buddhism. she's also one of the foremost teachers of shambhala international...the buddhist organization i practice with. i first fell in love with her teachings when i first moved to the city 7 years ago, and picked up a book called "the wisdom of no escape". it planted some very revolutionary seeds in my fertile little brain. then, a few years ago during a super tough time, another book of hers, "when things fall apart" was totally a life raft. i actually dare to say i'm incredibly happy most of the time these days, and in large part it's due to the lessons i've learned from pema and my practice.
anyway, she's this cute little 60 something lady, who speaks with incredible presence and humbleness, while at the same time cracking self-effacing jokes and poking fun at neurosis.
she spoke at grace cathedral, this phenomenally beautiful and ancient episcopal church here in sf. and the place was packed. considering the topic, i'm not surprised.
she was speaking on aggression. predictably, she opened the talk mentioning the state of world affairs....there's always aggression happening, but right now it's in our face 24/7. but instead of talking about aggression like it's something "out there" to be managed, by creating structures like "homeland security", she talked about it from it's beginning root. RIGHT. HERE.
in you. in me. and just what we can do about that. without beating you over the head with dharma, i'll just give you a couple of nutshells.
we can try, and choose, to break the chain of aggression wherever we might be in it. we can choose to stop, instead of going with our own habitual kneejerk reaction. to pause. and actually allow our selves to feel the heat of our own anger and annoyance, instead of rushing to find and force comfort a.s.a.p.
and she also mentioned a quote...that when old culture is dying off (and that seems to be what is happening with the world), the people that will be part of creating the new culture, will be the people who are unafraid to feel insecure.
unafraid to feel insecure.
i know what that means to me. what does it mean to you?
anyway, she's this cute little 60 something lady, who speaks with incredible presence and humbleness, while at the same time cracking self-effacing jokes and poking fun at neurosis.
she spoke at grace cathedral, this phenomenally beautiful and ancient episcopal church here in sf. and the place was packed. considering the topic, i'm not surprised.
she was speaking on aggression. predictably, she opened the talk mentioning the state of world affairs....there's always aggression happening, but right now it's in our face 24/7. but instead of talking about aggression like it's something "out there" to be managed, by creating structures like "homeland security", she talked about it from it's beginning root. RIGHT. HERE.
in you. in me. and just what we can do about that. without beating you over the head with dharma, i'll just give you a couple of nutshells.
we can try, and choose, to break the chain of aggression wherever we might be in it. we can choose to stop, instead of going with our own habitual kneejerk reaction. to pause. and actually allow our selves to feel the heat of our own anger and annoyance, instead of rushing to find and force comfort a.s.a.p.
and she also mentioned a quote...that when old culture is dying off (and that seems to be what is happening with the world), the people that will be part of creating the new culture, will be the people who are unafraid to feel insecure.
unafraid to feel insecure.
i know what that means to me. what does it mean to you?
VIEW 18 of 18 COMMENTS
typhon:
To do what you like even if it ain't the norm. Beautiful entry. 
pedigree_chump:
how's the climate on planet tigerlily? i miss your journals 
