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Welcome!
Here in the mid-Atlantic it’s been hot.
Beyond hot.
With the heat index over 100 for much of this month, I get out on the river as early as I can and still come back soaked in sweat. It's a bit disconcerting to be paddling in water that feels not just tepid, but alarmingly hot.
Our ecosystems and environment feel so fragile right now. It seems more than ever, given the drama of heat, weather and the upheavals in our society, it's on us to pause, find our center and respond from presence.
Best wishes to you in your practice and in your life.
Upcoming Events
August 1:
Evening Class at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington Learn More
August 7:
The Still, Small Voice Within: Meditation, Focusing and Intuition Training at Kripalu Center (5 days) Learn More
August 8:
Evening Class at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, Guest Teacher Learn More
August 15:
Evening Class at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington Learn More
August 17:
YLM8 Evening Session Learn More
August 20:
Daylong Retreat: A Meditative Journey Learn More
August 22:
Evening Class at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington Learn More
August 29:
Evening Class at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington Learn More
Some Recent Dharma Talks
I sent out a survey awhile back asking for topics I might explore in an evening talk on Monday night in Arlington. If you're in the mood to listen to a talk, you might find one of these three recent ones of interest. On Non-Attachment to Non-Attachment Who doesn't want to feel free, spacious and at peace? Its a most worthy goal. We have all experienced moments when we are deeply at peace, aware of the vastness of it all and the mystery of this life. Spiritual practice gets tricky, though, when you get attached to that state of freedom and bliss. This talk explores the states that get in the way of presence and how to recognize them. You will also explore the importance of tracing back your desires to ensure they are in alignment with your deepest intentions. How to Embrace Challenge as a Spiritual Practice Recent studies indicate that stress is not necessarily what kills you. Its your attitude toward the stress. If you think the stress is good for, it will be good for you. This talk explores not just the power of clarifying what you really want, but looking closely at how you can change your attitude toward your challenges. You will also explore some strategies that can help you embrace the obstacles that make you more resilient. How to Stay Focused on What is Most Important Have you noticed how hard it is stay focused with so much information coming at you all the time? This talk explores the transformative power of a concentrated mind. It also explores how and why you lose focus. When you really want something and you are committed to it, you are setting yourself up for both challenges and breakthroughs. Having a map and a sense of best practices can make the difference between staying stuck and opening to entirely new possibilities. You can subscribe to my iTunes podcast here, check out talks on youtube here. If you have suggestions for a talk, please do let me know. And if you have time or interest, please offer a review of the podcast on iTunes. Thanks!
Fresh Photos
Cormorants and herons dominate the river this time of year. A few perspectives:
A cormorant heads up river at sunrise.
An annoyed heron leaves its perch.
Another annoyed heron. Something itches.
Me flying at 3,000 feet. Banking toward Provincetown just above the clouds.
A rock-solid vriksasanaa (tree pose).
Four cormorants decide its time to roll.
Stealth bomber cormorant.
Ta-daaaa!
Video: My Paddleboard Set Up for Photography and Video
Here’s a quick and dirty video as to what I use and carry on my paddleboard. I love the paddleboard as it’s so light and quite stable with a tripod. I love the zazen position that affords good power but great posture for meditation. I have a list of the items I use on my site. Geek Alert: All video was shot with the iPhone 6s Plus with an 18mm Moment lens. (I gave up trying to edit the video on my iPad and put it together in Final Cut Pro.)
The Energy Intensive: Meditation, Yoga and Breathwork at Kripalu Centers
September 29 - October 2
For the past fifteen years or so Shobhan Richard Faulds and I offer up a highly experiential and frankly, a pretty intense retreat at Kripalu Center.
Some call it ‘classic Kripalu,’ in that much of what we do is highly experiential and draws on the core Kripalu teachings that explore how to develop greater awareness of the play of energy (prana) and awareness (chitta).
Though you don’t have to have extensive experience in yoga, the three-day retreat is intensive in nature and includes social silence. You’ll explore in-depth Kripalu Yoga with it’s roots in tantra and raja yoga.
You’ll learn how to open body, heart and mind through carefully sequenced guided experiences that take you deep inside as well as in relationship with fellow retreatants. Many participants take this retreat again and again and you’re welcome to join us.
To learn more and to register:
Click Here
Latest from the Blog
My Paddleboard Set Up for Photography and Video
How to Stay Focused on What is Most Important
Falling
How to Embrace Challenge as a Spiritual Practice
Humiliation
That Book You Gave Me?
Greetings from Jonathan Foust: Intuition and Mindfulness, Conscious Relationships, The Still, Small Voice Within... Fresh Photos and More
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program
My wife, Tara Brach, and Jack Kornfield will be offering a Mindfulness Meditation Certification Training in 2017. This program has been years in the making, and promises to be a gold standard in secular programs for teaching awareness and compassion-based practices. The two year professional training will include three 5-day residential retreats, a monthly mentoring session, monthly live q/a phone sessions, and a teaching practicum. One of the prerequisites for this program is their 7-week online Power of Awareness training, next offered starting November 7, 2016 (you can register now). Enrollment for the Teacher Certification Program is opening now. More information is available at: www.MindfulnessMeditationCertification.com. If meditation has transformed your life, you may feel drawn to deepening your own practice and bringing these practices and teachings into the world.
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iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.