Greetings from Jonathan Foust: The Ten Perfections... The Still, Small Voice Within... Fresh Photos... and More

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The Potomac River has been in flood stage for over a month.

  It's a muddy vortex of whirlpools, floating trees and unrelenting current. Ducks, geese, mergansers and cormorants have left for calmer waters. Due to the morning gloom I've missed the seasonal images of pollen-laden air backlit by the sunrise.

Nature is, if nothing else, an improvisor.

The flowers are heavy with color, the green of things is as green as it ever could be and the frogs, peepers and snakes look happy as the bogs have expanded their territory. The other day on a hike a monster snapping turtle saw us, turned with surprising speed, and slid back into the muck.    

The Ten Perfections

  I'm exploring a set of classic teachings I've not payed a lot of attention to before: "The Ten Perfections." If there ever was a list that looked like it was customized for ruthless self-judgement and a feeling of eternally falling short, it would be this one.

Perfection? What does that even mean?

I've come to see how when you cultivate these qualities they shine like the polished facets of a gem. Rather than the 'thou shalt not' perspective, you can view these as descriptions of a fully integrated and thriving life.

Here's the list: * Generosity and Giving of Oneself

* Morality and Life-Supporting Conduct

* Renunciation and Letting Go of What is Not Needed

* Wisdom and Insight

* Energy and Vigor

* Patience and Tolerance

* Honesty and Truthfulness

* Determination and Resolution

* Loving Kindness and Empathy

* Equanimity and Serenity   Swami Kripalu spoke about how inter-related these observances can be. Like a string of beads, if you pick up one bead, the others naturally follow. When you look at these more closely, you can see how interdependent they are.

If you cultivate generosity, you'll naturally find your conduct toward yourself and others more life-affirming.

If you let go of what's not truly needed, you'll naturally be less distracted and see more clearly into the nature of reality.

If you'd like to catch any of these talks, here's what I've got so far on both my podcast and on youtube:

1. How to Cultivate a More Generous Heart

2. How to Align Your Actions with Your Goals

3. How to Let Go of What's Not Aligned with Your Heart

4. How to Cultivate Wisdom and Insight      

Tuning in to the Still, Small Voice Within

  When someone tells me their relationship is ending I can't help but ask "When did you know it wasn't going to work out?"

I'm no longer surprised when people say, "I had a feeling at the beginning."

How many times have you ignored your sense of what is best for you? How many times have you agonized over a decision, torn by all your options and the opinionated voices in your head? How many times have you wondered what your life would look like if it was less driven by fear?

If you are interested in exploring and developing the relationship between meditation and intuition in your life, this five-day residential program in the Berkshire Mountains is a blend of inner-focused practices with being in the community of our retreat as well as the Kripalu community.

At Kripalu you'll enjoy wonderful people, amazing food and a smorgasbord of supportive activities ranging from talented hands on healers to yoga and dance classes, swimming in the lake and hiking.

This topic has been a passion of mine for decades. I always look forward to this retreat and love sharing the discoveries and insights that come from sincere, focused inquiry in a safe and supportive environment.

If this feels like a match for you, I hope you can join me in connecting your capacity to 'see clearly' with a deep dive into the most important questions in your life. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me.

For more information and to register.

Fresh Photos From This Month

The flooded river means I was a landlubber this month.   A snapping turtle heads back to the primordial ooze.   The eaglet is now a juvenile and about ready to launch.   Tripped out fern.   Tripped out Persimmon flowers.   Tripped out Coleus.   Peony about to explode.   Exploded Peony.   More rain in the forecast.      

Video: The Still, Small Voice Within: Meditation, Focusing and Intuition Training

  Here's a short overview of The Still, Small Voice Within retreat in July.        

Latest from the Blog

How to Cultivate Wisdom and Insight

700,000+

How to Let Go of What’s Not Aligned with Your Heart

How to Align Your Actions with Your Goals

The Second of the Ten Perfections

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      iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

700,000+

As I was uploading last week’s talk I noticed the podcast has been dowloaded over 700,000 times.

I’m grateful to the technology that helps get these talks out there and to those who listen, comment and offer donations, thank you!   The technology hub:  

    iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

The Second of the Ten Perfections

This week I gave a talk on 'sila,' the ethical guidelines for practitioners.

While most ethical guidelines are variation of "Thou Shalt Not," I wanted to offer this beautiful re-working of the five precepts from Tech That Han.

These are in regard to:

1. Abstaining from killing 2. Abstaining from taking what is not freely given 3. Abstaining from sexual misconduct 4. Abstaining from lying 5. Abstaining from intoxicants

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. They are a concrete expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love, leading to healing, transformation, and happiness for ourselves and for the world. To practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on that path, we are not lost in confusion about our life in the present or in fears about the future.

Reverence For Life

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.    

True Happiness

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and reverse the process of global warming.

True Love

Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.

Loving Speech and Deep Listening

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

Nourishment and Healing

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.     iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

Greetings from Jonathan Foust: Cultivating a Generous Heart, Fresh Photos... and More

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  Last fall a pair of eagles decided to make their home nearby on an island on the Potomac River.

I got to watch them build their nest, tend their eggs and just the other day, got a first look at their offspring, a healthy, curious and lively eaglet.

We've got babies everywhere these days.

Despite the struggles in our culture right now, it's helpful to remember that not only does life go on, but there is a freshness and openess that comes when we embrace the here and now.    

Should You Sit or Should You Move?

  "I can't sit still when I meditate!," Sarah complained. "It's like you described it... my mind is like a caffeinated chipmunk! How can I meditate when my mind is on fire like this?"

There's a classic line that says, "Enlightenment is an accident. Meditation makes you accident-prone."

You can't make 'enlightenment' happen. But you can create the most optimal environment possible.

If you've got a lot of tension and stress in your life, you may find some active, mindful movement is the best way to prepare your mind for meditation and the subtle art of 'non-judging awareness.'

Movement helps you release the deep-seated tensions in your body. When you contact the places inside where you feel tightness, congestion, stagnation and enervation you can notice them and breathe, relax, watch and allow. Chances are you may feel some of those sensations start to shift, change, diffuse or soften.

Have you noticed your meditation feels deeper after you exercise or do some yoga? Your body has probably dumped some serious tension and has allowed you to feel more calm and centered.

When I'm keyed up, anxious or stressed and have, say, half an hour to practice, I may take ten or fifteen minutes to move mindfully. Then when I sit, I feel more present, less at war with my mind.

And more 'accident-prone.'

If you live in the DC area and would like to explore how to balance movement, meditation and relaxation in your life, you might like to check out a daylong retreat I'm offering on May 13th.

It's called "A Meditative Journey: Mindful Movement, Meditation and Deep Relaxation"

 

Cultivating a Generous Heart

  I learned something about generosity the other day.

My friend Tony and I went out for dinner at the Waterfront in Washington, DC. I had just given a talk to a gathering of business professionals interested in meditation.

We found a Chinese restaurant where I felt sure I could find something vegan.

While we had a great time hanging out, my plate of vegetarian Pad Thai was not only meager, but tasted like something you'd dump into a bowl dry and then add hot water. I counted three pieces of vegetable and roughly four crushed peanuts.

Tony's dish was a little bigger than my fist and looked unremarkable on all counts.

No drinks. No side-dishes. No dessert. $60.00.

$30.00 for a dish that cost about $2.98?

First I was incensed. Then I was resentful.

When pen in hand, perusing this outrageous bill, I paused, pondering the tip.

Wait a minute. The serving staff did a fine job. They'd taken our order on time, didn't mess it up, checked back a few times to ensure we were OK.

Was I going to punish these people for these rip-off prices?

Years ago, inspired by some cool people in my life, I decided I wanted to be a generous person. A well-wisher of all.

One place I could practice that was in tipping. I always erred on the side of generosity and noticed not only no ill effect, but three things:

1. Pleasure at the anticipation of being generous.

2. Pleasure at being generous.

3. Pleasure on the reflection of being generous.

I ended up giving a big tip and in retrospect, I'm grateful the servers didn't have to bear the brunt of my anger. Does that mean I'd go back to that restaurant? No. That I'd tell others to go? No. That I might write up an honest review? Yes.

Being generous does not mean condoning bad behavior. It doesn't mean not standing up to bullies and injustice. It does mean you 'look for the good,' as my friend James Baraz says.

The practice of generosity means that you move from a self-centered person to new possibilities. I recently gave a talk called "How to Cultivate a Generous Heart," the first of ten talks on the "Ten Perfections." You can catch it here on iTunes, here on the web and here on youtube.

Other recent talks this month:

Making It Happen vs. Letting It Happen

The Power of Humility

How to Be with Sickness and Pain      

Fresh Photos From This Month

  Last fall, two eagles started ferrying in nest supplies.   They worked hard and fast putting together their new home. The nest is now the size of a small car.   The first sighting of our new neighbor.   The bluebells were stunning this year. Acres and acres.   Big morning sky over the Stockbridge Bowl in Western MA.   The Great Blues have staked out their turf.   Fresh chlorophyll in the morning light.      

A Meditative Journey: Mindful Movement, Meditation and Deep Relaxation

Here’s a little introduction to the "Meditative Journey" retreat I’m leading this month.

Latest from the Blog

How to Cultivate a More Generous Heart

The Eaglet Has Landed

Settling In for the Night

Breath, The Mystery and Science

Making It Happen vs Letting It Happen

The Power of Humility

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      iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

Settling in for the Week

We're settling in for seven days of silence and intensive practice here at Pearlstone Retreat Center. Over 100 participants giving it their all.     A few images on arrival:   All the sessions begin and end with the ringing of bells so participants can relax and follow the flow of the day without watching the clock. A pause in the bell-ringer orientation.

When you're on retreat you take part in two group meetings and have one 1:1 with a teacher. Other than this, you're immersed in silence. Heaven for some, hell for others. My interview room.       The 'campus' here is on 160 acres and includes a farm with goats, sheep, chickens and gardens. A moment of zen on a hike.    

    iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

The Dentist

Two images from the dentist yesterday:     The surreal landscape beyond my feet.     Looking up just a bit higher on the wall, why do I always feel so bad about myself?  

    iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

I'm Not Intimidated

Well, maybe a little.    

  iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

The Eaglet Has Landed

First sighting of the eaglet. Out of focus, but there it is!    

  iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

Settling In for the Night

I do regular visits to the eagle’s nest, ether paddling under the sycamore or hiking along the river.

I’m struck by the diligence of the parents.

One watches carefully, making adjustments in the nest, always present to their safety.    

Now that the eaglets are a bit stronger and bigger, sometimes one parent will perch nearby while the other hunts.    

I’m eager to see how they engineer first flight for the eaglets.  

    iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

Breath, The Mystery and Science

I’m just back from Kripalu Center and the Energy Intensive - and a wonderful gathering of like-minded folks.

One of the features of the retreat is doing some intensive breathwork that can be quite transformative.

Participant lie down and do ‘circular breathing,’ with full inhalations and deeply relaxing exhalations. They are supported by a breath work 'coach' as they go through their journey.

Many reported powerful and even mystical experiences.     Big New England Sky  

The day after we had a great conversation about what actually happened during the breath work session.

A Pulmonary specialist suggested some of the symptoms could be explained this way: Hypocarbia -- exhale blows out CO2 and shifts PH of blood, producing acute respiratory alkelosis Dehydration -- increased breathing eliminates water and body heat Blood pressure drops, which also lowers body temperature Hypoglycemia and hypobelimio-- low blood sugar and low potassium from eating lightly

All this may be true. Yet there was an almost universal sense of powerful releases of deep-seated tensions and profound shifts in brainwaves states that set the stage for insights and new possibilities.

The fusion of science and ‘spiritual’ practice has brought forth not only a deepening understanding of how the brain works, but has also helped establish these practices in mainstream culture. The Marines now practice meditation, it’s part of school curriculum and ‘best practices’ for many corporations wanting their staff to be both happy and productive.

I’m eager to learn more how shifts in consciousness happen and this mystery of the mind/body connection.

"Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”

― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark     iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.    

Greetings from Jonathan Foust: Desire Leads to Attachment, Mindfulness Daily, Fresh Photos... and More

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  It’s Spring in the mid-Atlantic!

Geese are pairing off and claiming their turf on the islands. The eaglets are a few weeks old and being served up fresh food from doting parents. Our lactating fox comes by more often to search for uncracked sunflower seeds under the bird feeder.

And there’s pollen. Lots of it. And mud. And baby snakes everywhere. And vicious little fast-moving mosquitos.

Good news? Bad news? Who knows?

I wish you well into this new season of change.    

Summer Residential Programs

  If you’re looking for powerful retreats where you can get away and and take a deep dive, here are a few programs I’m offering at Kripalu Center:

The Energy Intensive: Meditation, Yoga and Breathwork (three days)
April 13-16

This is a "blow out the tubes" intensive where you’ll explore a range of practices and a powerful form of transformational breathwork, all in the context of social silence and a great community.

The Still, Small Voice Within: Meditation, Focusing and Intuition Training (five days)
July 2-7

What is the most reliable and direct way to tap into inner knowing? It has a lot to do with the kinesthetic intuition - how your body holds information. This five day immersion takes you through practices that help you calm and clear your mind, formulate the questions most important to you and powerfully develop your capacity to both listen and interpret what arises.

Guiding Meditation for Transformational Yoga Teaching (nine days)
July 21-30

For yoga teachers working toward their 500-hour professional training certification, this is an immersion into using meditative language in asana as well as an experiential training in simple and profound meditation techniques.

For more information and to register, click the banner to learn more:

 

Desire Leads to Attachment

  Attachment leads to suffering.

But are all desires 'bad?'

In a recent talk on Desire and Addiction, I explore this phenomenon through the lens of the four essential principles that inform Buddhist psychology:

1. The fact of stress and suffering.

2. The cause of stress and suffering.

3. The cessation of stress and suffering.

4. The path - practices, observations and restraints - that lead to the release of stress and suffering.

Anything you do that reliably takes you away from the ‘here and now' could be described as an addiction. That includes substances as well as the subtlety of thoughts and stories.

What is the antidote?

Two things:

Wisdom is your capacity to see clearly and recognize when you are less than fully alive.

Compassion is your capacity to hold your experience with empathy and kindness.

One of my go-to addictive patterns is worry.

As far back as I recall, I worried. A lot.

One particular memory stands out. I think I was about six or seven.

My aunt and uncle were visiting our farm in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country for the holidays. They were both English professors, as was my father. During the meal the conversation moved toward esoteric Phd dissertation topics.

After dinner I remember sitting on the smoke house roof feeling sick and desperate.

"What am I going to do my dissertation on? All the good topics will be taken by the time I get there! What am I going to do to be successful? If there are no good dissertation topics, should I be a doctor or a lawyer?"

But then another thought popped in.

"What if I helped people? Could I be someone who helped people and survive?"

That question kicked off a new set of possibilities. Maybe I could be someone who helped.

That new 'desire' fueled my interest in service and set the stage for an amazing life journey.

So perhaps not all desires are bad. 'Wholesome' desires can be expansive and heart-opening.

We are ruled by desire, and some of them are wonderful.

You desire inner peace. You desire to provide for your family. To be more compassionate. To be more awake and kind.

In my second talk, Desire and Liberation, I take a closer look at 'wholesome desires.'

There is still a 'self' desiring wholesome states. Ultimately, one could argue, that 'self' evolves and/or perhaps dissolves.

But until then, it can be helpful to reflect on what you desire that opens your heart, expands your consciousness and opens up new possibilities.

Desire and Addiction Website, iTunes and YouTube

Desire, Addiction and Liberation Website, iTunes and YouTube      

Fresh Photos From This Month

  Frisbee, anyone?   Hunting for the family.   Momma Fox   40 Arctic Tundra Swans stopped by for a week or so.   Heading north for breeding season.   The eaglets have hatched!   Geese are pairing off on the islands.   Warm weather coaxed the Blue Bells out, then froze them pretty solid.   Preening at dawn.      

Seven Breaths: Scenes from the Potomac River in March, 2017

If you’d like explore two minutes of Coherent Breathing, this video guides you through seven long, slow deep breaths with some scenes from the Potomac this month.

Mindfulness Daily

  If you want to establish or revitalize your mindfulness practice, Tara and Jack Kornfield have created a a wonderful program to get you into action. Called Mindfulness Daily—it is a 40 day, 15 minute a day course, that will systematically deepen your practice of mindfulness and compassion.

It’s low cost and effective... here's the link.      

Latest from the Blog

Getting the Shot

Romancing the Swans

Passing Through

How to Be with Sickness and Pain

Desire, Addiction and Liberation

Desire and Addiction

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please signup here.

      iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

Getting the Shot

I heard that when the movie "The Bridges of Madison County" came out, lots of photographers went to see the film in which Clint Eastwood plays the role of a National Geographic photographer.

There’s a scene where he’s driving to a shoot location and the sun is rising in great glory in the background.

At that moment, a gaggle of professional photographers started shouting, “Too late! Too late!”

Nature photography is all about light. It usually means arriving in the dark to get set up before the first rays show up.

This shot represents a fair bit of what nature photography is all about. Arrive at dusk, make sure you’re warm enough, get in place and then wait to see what the light reveals.

  Subscribe to Jonathan's podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-foust/id455422434?ign-mpt=uo%3D4         iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

Romancing the Swans

It’s always a question when it comes to editing photos: “How much should I manipulate this image?”

Shooting flying swans against a mud-brown background never works that well. So I played with it.

The original image didn’t look much like this, but this is pretty cool.   Subscribe to Jonathan's podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-foust/id455422434?ign-mpt=uo%3D4         iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

Passing Through

Each day on the river is a reminder of change.

Recently we hosted a flock of about 40 Arctic Tundra Swans - for about two weeks.

I would float as close as I could get. They ‘talk’ constantly with whistles and coos what I can only describe as ‘puppy dog’ sounds.

Who knows that they are talking about, but they are pretty absorbed into the conversation.

They are call ‘whistling swans’ for the characters whistling sound int heir wings.     When you get close you can hear the group conversation.   Lounging on a warm afternoon. The Eagles are now in active egg-tending mode.   Heading north at dawn.         Subscribe to Jonathan's podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-foust/id455422434?ign-mpt=uo%3D4       iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

Greetings from Jonathan Foust: Forgiveness and Letting Go, Dancing with the Heavenly Messengers, Fresh Photos... and More

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please signup here.

  Robert Frost said, "In two words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life...It changes."

This winter here in the mid-Atlantic is so warm the trees never went dormant. The slightest warming results in fresh pollen. A few days ago the spring peepers at the pond were so loud I had to shout over them to be heard. The fox look surprisingly plump for mid-winter.

I’ve have been working on a talk about change recently and started paying particular attention to my reactions. Some changes I love and some freak me out.

Transcendent of the flux of change lies a capacity to observe without judgement and to react without fear.

May we all come to know that place more intimately.    

Summer Residential Programs

  If you’re looking for powerful retreats where you can get away and and take a deep dive, here are a few programs I’m offering at Kripalu Center:

The Energy Intensive: Meditation, Yoga and Breathwork (three days)
April 13-16

This is a "blow out the tubes" intensive where you’ll explore a range of practices and a powerful form of transformational breathwork, all in the context of social silence and a great community.

The Still, Small Voice Within: Meditation, Focusing and Intuition Training (five days)
July 2-7

What is the most reliable and direct way to tap into inner knowing? It has a lot to do with the kinesthetic intuition - how your body holds information. This five day immersion takes you through practices that help you calm and clear your mind, formulate the questions most important to you and powerfully develop your capacity to both listen and interpret what arises.

Guiding Meditation for Transformational Yoga Teaching (nine days)
July 21-30

For yoga teachers working toward their 500-hour professional training certification, this is an immersion into using meditative language in asana as well as an experiential training in simple and profound meditation techniques.

For more information and to register, click the banner to learn more:

 

Forgiveness and Letting Go

  Henry David Thoreau refused to pay poll taxes for six years because he objected to money going to the war and to support slavery.

For this he was jailed.

His good friend, writer and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson allegedly came to visit him and asked: "David, what are you doing inside this jail?

Thoreau responded: "Ralph, what are you doing outside this jail?"

I’ve made some comments on politics in this newsletter and in some dharma talks, notably a talk called "How to Keep Your Heart Open During the Election".

I got some feedback. Some of it was trolling with a truly nasty edge, some was tinged with anger and exasperation, but a lot was thoughtful. I’ve done my best to understand the points of view from each person and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be in dialog.

There’s a story of someone asking a wise, non-dual teacher, "What do I do about others?"

The teacher responded, "There is no other."

I take that to mean that any perception we have of others is simply a reflection of ourselves.

It’s been hard sometimes to listen fully and ensure that I have heard what another has said and to contemplate their message fully without judgement. The result, though, is that I feel more enriched and full.

I despair at the escalating levels of anger, violence and intolerance in our culture.

The more reactive I get, the more I need to find a place of inner stillness and steadiness.

If I’ve offended you in any way with my unskillful rhetoric, I ask your forgiveness.

It’s my hope, even in these times of escalating discord, we can continue to let go, forgive and look for commonality.

I recently gave a talk entitled "Forgiveness and Letting Go as a Spiritual Practice."

It explores the ‘science’ behind forgiveness and a reflection you may find helpful.

Podcast link | Youtube link      

Fresh Photos From This Month

  A week on retreat. The Meditation Hall at the Forest Refuge.   Off for breakfast. The Eagles are now in active egg-tending mode.   Punked out Mergansers.   Gull invasion. This time of year they show up to eat the early hatching larvae.   Fat Feasting February Fox.   A shot of Wild Turkey at sunrise.   Morning shift change.      

Video: Observations from My Retreat at the Forest Refuge

This is short clip with images and impressions from my winter retreat.

Dancing with the Heavenly Messengers

  You’re gonna die.

And get sick. And probably get old.

A great yogi once said, "The greatest wonder in the world is that everyone dies. The second greatest wonder in the world is that no one thinks they will."

How do you want to live, knowing you will die?

That’s the meat of this talk. If you only have a few minutes, it starts off with a few short jokes if you’d like a little hit of humor in your day.

For the Website, follow this link for the podcast, and this link for youtube.      

Latest from the Blog

What Happens When You Do an Unstructured Retreat and Get Settled In

My Mind on a Meditation Retreat

Dancing with the Heavenly Messengers

Forgiveness and Letting Go as a Spiritual Practice

Four Things I Learned on My Winter Retreat

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      iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

How to Embrace Change in Your Life

Special PODCAST: This talk explores the reality of change and how you can shift your relationship to what is happening in your life.   You’ll learn how change is an essential fact of reality, how you can learn to embrace change and what it means to live in a world that seems to be changing faster and faster.   Subscribe to Jonathan's podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-foust/id455422434?ign-mpt=uo%3D4         iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

What Happens When You Do an Unstructured Retreat and Get Settled In

My Mind on a Meditation Retreat

Greetings from Jonathan Foust: You Are Who You Hang With, Four Questions To Ask When You Want to Make Something Happen... and More

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please signup here.

  Post-election I’ve been host to quite a few emotions, among them frustration, anger and dread.

I know it’s on me to keep my heart and mind open. Wisdom and compassion are lofty goals, but require diligence and ruthless self-inquiry.

I didn’t make it to a march this month as I was on the road teaching. But I heard from many around the world who joined in demonstrations or watched closely and felt transformed. Everyone I talked to spoke how their heart was buoyed by a sense of camaraderie and a shared sense of purpose.

As much as it is important to find those who resonate with our values, we also need to remember that the ‘other’ is not the enemy.

All beings, without exception, want to feel happy, safe and free.

May we remember that ... and find our path to skillful action in these trying times.    

Upcoming Event

The Energy Intensive at Kripalu Center

  Thursday, April 13 to Sunday, April 16, 2017

In recent years the Energy Intensive at Kripalu Center has booked up with a wait list.

I thought I’d give you advanced notice of the next one if you’d like to reserve your place. I’ve been co-leading this program with Shobhan Richard Faulds for about 15 years.

We’re not kidding when we use the word "intensive." Your day starts at 6:00AM with yoga and ends around 9:00PM most days. (Integral to your experience, though, are deep relaxations, breathing sessions and meditation. Most people feel much more alive and rejuvenated at the end of the three days.)

You’ll explore practices that are designed to raise both energy (prana) and awareness (chitta), culminating with a practice of circular breathing that can be quite transformative.

If you’re looking for a three-day program blow off stress and renew, this is a great one.

To learn more, click the banner below:

   

You Are Who You Hang With

  I saw a report that stated the following:

1. Think of your five best friends.

2. Average out their incomes.

3. It's probably your income.

I read that and immediately thought , "I need new friends."

The point of the report was that you resonate with those with whom you spend the most time.

If you want to be a musician, for example, hang out with people who are passionate about music. Practice together. Listen together. Learn from each other. You'll be touched by their passion and probably, at times, inspire others with your passion when they are struggling.

If want want change fundamental habits, learn anything new or develop mastery in any area, it requires:

* Sustained attention

* Associating with like-minded people and,

* Getting feedback.

What would happen if you devoted a year to cultivating non-judging awareness? That's the idea behind A Year of Living Mindfully.

The Year of Living Mindfully is not a book club. It's not discussion group. It's not me giving lectures about being fully alive.

It's about community. It's about learning techniques and practices that deepen your capacity to be with whatever arises in your life with greater wisdom and compassion. It's about sustaining attention on what it means to be fully awake.

I'm privileged to offer the ninth year of this 12-month course. If you're interested, check out this link, and sense if it's a match for you in your life.

I know what a profound difference it can make.

Applications are due March 1.      

Fresh Photos From This Month

  It’'s a blessing to start a new year off with a retreat. With fellow teachers Anam Thubten, Tara Brach and Hugh Byrne.   Weather systems of the mind. It went from this to blue skies in about four minutes.   The Eagles have landed. It looks like they are committed to this nest for their little ones.   Bottoms up. Geese feeding at the base of an island.   On the watchtower. Vigil at first light.   Another morning vigil, shot from the bank as the Potomac has been at flood stage recently.   Flying to Denver. How would you describe this scene to someone 150 years ago?      

Video: A Short Clip about the Year of Living Mindfully

Learn more about this year's program.

An Extraordinary Opportunity to Participate in a Research Study

  This is an amazing study and I could not recommend it more highly.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University are seeking individuals with a regular, long-term meditation practice to participate in a research study looking at the combined effects of meditation and psilocybin, a psychoactive substance found in sacramental mushrooms of some cultures. The study will investigate psychological and brain processes underlying such effects.

Volunteers must be between the ages of 25 and 80, have no personal or familial history of severe psychiatric illness, or recent history of alcoholism or drug abuse.

To discuss the possibility of volunteering or to learn more: Phone: 410-550-2253

Email: meditation@jhmi.edu

Website: www.hopkinsmeditation.com

Confidentiality will be maintained for all applicants and participants. Principal Investigator: Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D., Protocol: NA_00047665      

Four Questions To Ask When You Want to Make Something Happen

  Feel something calling but you’re not sure how to make it happen?

After a lot of hemming, hawing and seesawing, this is the year I’m called to write what I think will be a book.

Here’s how the process unfolded for me using four questions I list below:

1. I want to write what I think will be a book.

2. I know it ain’t easy and I have a pretty good idea of how tortuous this process can be. (I never heard an author say, "This book was effortless.")

3. I am a good enough writer to know I’m not a great writer. I easily get distracted or overwhelmed by other commitments I’ve got in play. I’ve never written anything this complex before.

4. If I’m going to be successful I’ll need someone who’s done this before to help me plot out how to do this efficiently, someone skilled (and patient) to coach me with the writing, cheerleaders and allies with whom I can commiserate and not least, discipline and daily focus.

If I had that? I think I can make this happen!

Here are some questions to contemplate when you’ve got a project or a goal in mind:

1. What do you really, really really want?

2. How much do you really, really really want it? What kind of pain are you willing to endure to get it?

3. What is your weakest link?

4. What are the support systems that will help you to manifest this?

If you’d like to hear more, here are the links to this talk, "Start Again: How to Refresh Your Intention and Your Attention", for the Website, follow this link for the podcast on iTunes, and this link for youtube.      

Latest from the Blog

How Your Body Serves Your Full Awakening

I am Home

Where the Geese Say

Start Again: How to Refresh Your Intention and Your Attention

Four Questions to Ask When Practicing (Retreat Talk)

Weather Systems of the Mind

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please signup here.

      iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.

I am Home

something called me here to this fragile sycamore for now I am home

        iTunes podcast here, online listening here, stitcher here, and Jonathan’s YouTube channel here.