Sangha of Auspicious Companions

October 19, 2016

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A Filmmaker, a Mountain and a Moment of Truth

Andrew Hinton, Emmy award-winning filmmaker, embarked on a vision quest with the intention of becoming a “man of integrity, a bridge between two worlds.” He notes, “how our culture lacks deep rituals that mark the transition to manhood, and how easy it is without them to get lost somewhere between boy and man. And of how, maybe twenty years late, I am here to finally step across.” Alone in the Oregon mountains, completely removed from civilization, Hinton confronts the impediments standing in the way of his journey toward his authentic self, including, most importantly, himself: “My mind turns to fear. All the things that have held me back ultimately lead there. I suddenly decide to take off my shyness like an old coat I no longer need and leave it behind. I ceremoniously remove it, and set it down carefully before walking on.” { read more }

Be The Change

Who are you? Consider how you answer this question. Today, spend some time pondering what your core essence is. For more inspiration read about Andrew Hinton’s award-winning film, “Tashi & the Monk”. { more }

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October 18, 2016

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Leadership & Authentic Self Esteem

“There was a time when we believed self-esteem to be the royal road to flourishing…However, later studies showed that increases in self-esteem did little for our happiness or performance, but ample for our egos. Professor Roy Baumeister’s work with self-esteem showed that we’d been raising a generation of narcissists who went on to wreck havoc in their lives and in their workplaces. It now appears that we’d been building the wrong kind of self-esteem — the kind that is contingent on external factors such as social approval, success or attractiveness…However, authentic self-esteem is different. It’s a feeling of worth in our abilities and qualities. As such, its not conditional upon external evaluations — instead its an inner security that provides us with the courage to step out into the world and do the right thing…This is especially important for leaders of today.” { read more }

Be The Change

What is one inner quality that you value about yourself? Spend some time appreciating and honoring that quality and how it gives you strength and shapes who you are.

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October 17, 2016

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Teen Creates App So Bullied Kids Never Have to Eat Alone

It’s the stuff of school nightmares: You walk into the lunchroom, and can’t find a place to eat. You go from table to table, only to be told you can’t sit there. You feel like everyone’s looking at you, and your face flushes. This was the lunchroom scene not once but many times for Natalie Hampton in her old school. It felt lonely, embarrassing, and so awful that Hampton had to leave. While it doesn’t happen in her new school, Hampton wanted to prevent other kids from ever having to experience it. Her solution? “Sit With Us,” an app that helps kids find a friendly spot to sit. Willing kids volunteer to let app-users sit at their table. Those wishing to find a seat can do so confidentially. Thanks to kindness and a clever use of technology, eating alone at lunch can be a thing of the past. { read more }

Be The Change

How many kindness-encouraging apps do you have on your device? There are plenty out there. Consider downloading one if you haven’t already.

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October 16, 2016

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The Giving Season

“I was recently the recipient of an incredible act of anonymous kindness. It came from out of nowhere, at exactly the right time. The magnitude of the gift moved me to tears, and I was so grateful and profoundly moved by the generosity of my unknown benefactor. But I was also sure there had been a mistake. In the midst of this beautiful act, I am ashamed to admit that I was momentarily overcome by feelings of unworthiness. I simply couldn’t believe I was deserving of such radical kindness.” When an act of anonymous generosity spurs writer Jennifer Merlich to participate in 40 Days of Giving, she begins to dance that blurry line between giver and receiver, and discover profound insights. { read more }

Be The Change

Start your own experiments in giving this week! For inspiration, this site offers an abundance of stories and ideas. { more }

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In Other News

• KarmaTube Video: Whistling in the Wind: Preserving a Language Without Words
• DailyGood: 5 Habits to Heal the Heart of Democracy
• Awakin Reading: Reengineeing Our Patterns

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October 15, 2016

Small Acts of Kindness

Featured Kindness Stories

	She went to help her but instead, a girl who had nothing helped her overcome her emptiness
	His mother’s unselfish hospital wish helped him spread kindness
	They weren’t traveling together but she rushed forward to get their seats together

Idea of the Week

October 15, 2016

a project of ServiceSpace

How to Talk to Strangers

Kio Stark enjoys interacting with people she doesn’t know. Not in an “anonymous acts of kindness” sort of way, but in an adventurous way. Author of the book, “When Strangers Meet: How People You Don’t Know Can Transform You,” Stark has always been fascinated and enamored by the experience of interacting with strangers. Most people don’t give these encounters a second thought, but Stark encourages people to take notice of how special they can be. If we reframe them as learning experiences and things to cherish, they become very meaningful and even worth going out of our way to try to have. With mindfulness and reflection, one can discover empathy, moments of connectedness, joy, self-knowledge, humility, or more. In this excerpt from her book, Stark suggests five “expeditions” to take on a quest for an encounter with a stranger, sure to yield unpredictable yet rewarding results. { read more }

Be The Change

Today, start a conversation with someone whom you might have ignored or brushed past before. For more on this subject, watch Kio Stark’s TED talk. { more }

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October 14, 2016

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Whistling in the Wind: Preserving a Language Without Words

The last speakers of a language without words reside on La Gomera, one of the smallest islands in Spains Canary Islands. “El Silbo,” a whistled communication used in rural and isolated areas, is dying out as islanders embrace digital communication and move to cities and the mainland. Even so, El Silbo has a firm place in the island’s culture. Some of La Gomera’s schools are teaching the language and in 2009, UNESCO declared it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This video shares more. { read more }

Be The Change

Does your family have an intangible cultural heritage you’d like to preserve? Pass it on to the next generation.

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Whistling in the Wind: Preserving a Language Without Words

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October 13, 2016

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The Gift of Danger: Lessons from Aikido

“As I began to practice aikido, there were indeed moments when my own energies blended with those of another person and I had a taste of what I had hoped to find. But often I reacted unthinkingly when someone grabbed at my arm or struck toward my head. Id try to muscle through or, just as tensely, hold back from moving. As I witnessed these automatic outbreaks of fear and hostility, I began to recognize the truth of Morihei Ueshibas assertion that the mind of contention within myself was the real, or even the only, enemy.” In her mid-fifties Mary Stein began practicing aikido. Now in her eighties she continues to be an inspiration to many. This excerpt from her book “The Gift of Danger” shares more about the profound principles behind aikido and their application to daily life. { read more }

Be The Change

Try and identify ‘the mind of contention’ within yourself as you go through the week. And the next time you’re in a confrontational situation, try applying the aikido mindset to it and see what happens!

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