Sangha of Auspicious Companions

December 10, 2017

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Social Bite: Cafes Helping People Out of Homelessness

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to forget about our homeless population. In the United States alone, in just one night there are over half a million homeless people, a quarter of whom are children. Worldwide, an estimated 100 million people are homeless, with a total of 1.6 billion are lacking adequate housing. Scottish entrepreneur Josh Littlejohn wanted to make a difference in these statistics by starting a social business, which is a business invested in a particular cause, where the profits go to paying off business costs, charity, and bettering the community. To find out more about Social Bite, Littlejohn, and social businesses, read on. { read more }

Be The Change

Many organizations who work with the homeless are looking for volunteers, and soup kitchens tend to need extra help over the holidays. If you live in a city where you frequently cross paths with those less fortunate, consider offering them a sandwich, cup of coffee, or even five minutes of your time. You never know the powerful impacts you can have on other people. For more ideas visit the Mother Nature Network. { more }

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December 9, 2017

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The Greatest Danger

“Thich Nhat Hanh was asked, “what do we most need to do to save our world?” His answer was this: “What we most need to do is to hear within us the sounds of the Earth crying.”…What disintegrates in periods of rapid transformation is not the self, but its defenses and assumptions. Self-protection restricts vision and movement like a suit of armor, making it harder to adapt. Going to pieces, however uncomfortable, can open us up to new perceptions, new data, and new responses.” Joanna Macy shares more in this powerful essay.
{ read more }

Be The Change

What breaks your heart in this current time? How can you interface with this experience in a way that fosters transformation and insight?

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December 8, 2017

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Who Do You Choose to Be?

There have been other historical times that were volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, and leaders arose to guide people through them. We are again in one such time. Margaret Wheatley calls on each of us to step forward to serve, rather than withdraw into denial and self-protection. She implores us to become leaders who create islands of sanity where good work still gets done and people enjoy healthy relationships in the midst of chaotic conditions, fierce opposition, and heart-breaking defeats. Wheatley describes the sane leader as someone who has unshakable faith in people’s capacity to be generous, creative and kind and who creates the conditions for these capacities to blossom. She believes that even if we fail, we can be satisfied that we did the work well. She asks if we are ready to serve. Answer her questions to find out. { read more }

Be The Change

Reflect on the questions Wheatley poses in her article and discuss them with colleagues, friends or family this week. { more }

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December 7, 2017

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How Nature Makes Us Healthier and Happier

Studies show that communing with nature is beneficial for your health and your life socially, psychologically, and emotionally. The article in Yes Magazine discusses what these research studies have found regarding the benefits nature provides. { read more }

Be The Change

Spend some time with nature this week, whether it is going for a walk, visiting a nature preserve, or smelling wildflowers, and observe how nature begins to make you feel. For more inspiration join this Saturday’s Awakin Call with environmental advocate Sharyle Patton. RSVP and more details here. { more }

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December 6, 2017

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At the Tip of Time’s Arrow

Close your eyes and imagine this moment, right now, as the tip of an arrow called eternity. What do you see? What do you imagine? What do you sense but have no words for? Dive into this meditation on time by Nicos Hadjicostis and look through his eyes into the infinity of time and what implications is has for how you live this very day. { read more }

Be The Change

Close your eyes and imagine yourself at this “tip of time’s arrow”. Let that understanding settle into your innermost self. Express your gratitude for the miracle of the present moment in whatever way bubbles up.

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December 5, 2017

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Lunar Wisdom: An Interview with Anthony Aveni

According to cultural astronomer Anthony Aveni at Colgate University, the moon and the sun are in a cosmic dance that defines our very relationship to life. Yet in modern western culture, we barely know the moon’s cycles, nor pay attention to the effect it has upon us. Aveni has explored the meanings attributed to the sun and the moon in cultures around the world and contrasted that with our own. What he has discovered sheds light on our own understanding of the meaning of existence. He says, “The celestial players re-enact for us the human drama, with implications for our understanding of male and female, light and dark, good and evil, night and day.” Consider Aveni’s research as you look at the moon and its relationship with the sun. It may open the mind to the power of the universe and your part in it. { read more }

Be The Change

Take the time to notice the moon in the sky for the next 28 days…Where it is, when it rises and sets, what you feel in your relationship to it. What lessons does the moon have to teach you about life?

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December 4, 2017

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Suiseki: The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation

It’s a tradition in Japan: suiseki are natural stones that suggest natural scenes or animal and human figures. The stones should not be modified and are displayed as found (a single cut is allowed). When someone finds a stone that embodies such a quality, it’s collected and a display base, usually wooden, is crafted for the stone to sit upon. The tradition arrived from China where scholar’s stones had been collected and appreciated as early as the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century. In this interview, Masahiro Nakajima and Janet Roth, president of the San Francisco Suiseki Kai, discuss the depth and meaning in this ancient art. { read more }

Be The Change

Take a minute and select a stone to ponder. Can you feel its depth and quiet simplicity?

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