Sangha of Auspicious Companions

May 17, 2012

a project of ServiceSpace

A Cab Ride I’ll Never Forget

“Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One night I took a fare at 2:30 AM, when I arrived to collect, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80’s stood before me.” { read more }

Be The Change

Approach an uncertain moment with courage and an openness to skillful generosity.

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I want to let you know about an upcoming opportunity to work directly with the teachings in my new book Emotional Chaos to Clarity. I will be leading an intensive weekend retreat at Esalen Institute that will explore how mindfulness and intention can empower you to live more skillfully and provide a sense of purpose in your life. Here is a description of the retreat:

Emotional Chaos to Clarity Weekend Retreat
Esalen Institute
Big Sur, California
June 8-10, 2012

Do you lack clarity about your life’s direction? Do you feel that you’re unable to cope with difficulty when it arises? Does emotional chaos get in the way of making good decisions and acting wisely? If so, you’re not alone. Most people have one or more areas of their lives that are impacted by the emotional chaos of reactive mind.

You don’t have to be caught in emotional chaos. Imagine feeling a sense of ease and well-being each day of your life regardless of whether life is pleasant or difficult. This is possible when we learn to apply mindfulness and intention to our daily experience. Through cultivating responsive mind, we free ourselves from the turmoil that emotional chaos causes.

In this weekend workshop, you will be guided through a process of personal inquiry to identify where emotional chaos is adversely affecting your life. Through an exploration of the components of skillful living, you will be shown how to recognize and act from your core vales, gain wisdom from pleasant and unpleasant experiences, and cultivate an inner life in which love can flourish, even if your outer life is filled with challenges. Through teachings, small-group discussions, and participatory exercises, you will be introduced to a set of life skills that can profoundly improve your ability to respond to difficult situations and help you discover renewed enthusiasm for life.

To register for this weekend retreat, visit the Esalen Web site.

I hope to see you there!

Phillip Moffitt

SELF-SOOTHING DURING DIFFICULT TIMES — A sample of the life skills that you will learn in this weekend retreat:

When a difficult situation of memory arises, it is essential that you be able to self soothe in order to respond skillfully.
1. Go someplace quiet where you won’t be interrupted and sit comfortably.
2. Notice the unpleasant sensations and feeling that are present in your body and mind.
3. State to yourself, "This difficulty feels like this." For instance, "Having a broken heart feels like this."
4. Recognize that in this moment you are suffering, and have compassion for your suffering.
5. Notice if you are adding to your suffering by criticizing or judging yourself or making up a story about what is happening.
6. To calm yourself, focus your attention on your breath.
7. Observe that you are not only this difficulty and that you have other thoughts and body sensations.
8. Finally, notice that these thoughts and body sensation are always changing. Seeing that this is true, the feeling of difficulty you are experiencing must also be subject to change and is not permanent.

Copyright (C) 2012 Life Balance Institute. All rights reserved.

RESPECT FOR WHAT WE SEE

Honesty without kindness, humor, and goodheartedness can be just mean. From the very beginning to the very end, pointing to our own hearts to discover what is true isn’t just a matter of honesty but also of compassion and respect for what we see.

May 16, 2012

a project of ServiceSpace

Staying Sober Through Service

What does making coffee at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have to do with staying sober? A whole lot, according to recent studies that show that the physical and psychological benefits of service also benefit those with addictions. Addicts who help others, even in small ways – such as calling other Alcoholics Anonymous members to remind them about meetings or making coffee – can significantly improve their chances of staying sober and avoiding relapse. The story of Victor M., as told in this article from the Greater Good Science Center, highlights one man’s journey from addition to sobriety through small and simple acts of kindness. And for Victor, the rewards extend beyond being sober for five years: “I get to watch guys get better – there’s nothing better than that.” { read more }

Be The Change

Reflect on your own addictions, minor or major; does increasing the level of service in your own life have a positive effect?

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May 15, 2012

a project of ServiceSpace

The Art of Motivating Employees

“Could a simple five-minute interaction with another person dramatically increase your weekly productivity? In some employment environments, the answer is yes, according to Wharton management professor Adam Grant. Grant has devoted significant chunks of his professional career to examining what motivates workers in settings that range from call centers and mail-order pharmacies to swimming pool lifeguard squads. In all these situations, Grant says, employees who know how their work has a meaningful, positive impact on others are not just happier than those who don’t; they are vastly more productive, too.” This article shares more of the fascinating results of his extensive research. { read more }

Be The Change

Watch this fascinating talk visually unfold before you through witty and beautiful illustration, as acclaimed author, Dan Pink makes a case for the hidden truth of what really motivates us. { more }

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To receive Phillip’s weekly teaching,
click here:
http://www.lifebalanceinstitute.com/
dharmawisdom/dancing-with-life/
teaching/gradual-path-cessation

May your study of this material deepen
your meditation practice and inspire
your dance with life.

If you are interested in studying Dancing with Life
in more depth, sign up to receive your on-line
study guide and other supplemental materials.

May 14, 2012

a project of ServiceSpace

Offbeat Graduation Speech Gets Standing Ovation

2012’s Baccalaureate speaker at the University of Pennsylvania was an unconventional choice for an Ivy League school. To address their newly-minted graduates, aspiring to dazzling careers, they picked a man who has never in his adult life, applied for a job. A man who hasn’t worked for pay in nearly a decade, and whose self-stated mission is simply “to bring smiles to the world and stillness to my heart”. This off-the-radar speaker launched his address with a startling piece of advice, followed up with four key insights gleaned from a radical 1000 km walking pilgrimage through the villages of India. As he closed his one-of-a-kind Graduation Day speech, the sea of cap and gowned students rose to their feet for a standing ovation. The full transcript follows: { read more }

Be The Change

In a world increasingly moving beyond the speed of thought, remember to travel today at the speed of thoughtfulness.

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 114,577 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other ServiceSpace projects include:

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