Special PODCAST:
This talk explores how cultivating humility can transform your life and your effectiveness in the world.
You’ll learn about the formation of the self, the nature of selflessness, what it’s like to be selfless in your work and relationships and how to find the balance between healthy self-esteem and humility.
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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.
Frisbee, anyone?Hunting for the family.Momma Fox40 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 Dailyit is a 40 day, 15 minute a day course, that will systematically deepen your practice of mindfulness and compassion.
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.
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.
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores ways you can more mindfully be with physical stress and suffering.
You'll learn about the inevitability of sickness and pain in your life and some fundamental teachings and strategies for being fully present in difficult times.
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores the relationship between desire and liberation.
You’ll learn how your desires can be informed by fear as well as by compassion, kindness and love and how liberation may simply be the absence of any and all desires.
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.
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores some elemental teachings on desire and it’s relationship to addiction.
You’ll learn how stress is part of the human condition, how you tend to get caught in reactive patterns to stress, the key to finding inner peace and some thoughts about the practices that lead you to greater freedom.
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.
To receive a monthly newsletter, 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 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.
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.
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.
Special PODCAST:
This is short clip with images and impressions from my winter retreat.
If you’d like to here more of the nitty gritty, here’s my talk, "Four Things I Learned on My Winter Retreat"
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores how to find freedom in relationship to sickness, old age, death and embracing ‘reality-based’ practices.
You’ll learn how deeply investigating these phenomena helps you to savor and celebrate this life and to re-dedicate yourself to live your life fully.
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.
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores the transformative power of forgiveness and letting go.
You’ll learn about the consequences of not letting go, how to motivate yourself to change, the technology of forgiveness and what it means to cultivate a forgiving heart as a personal practice.
Subscribe to Jonathan's podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-foust/id455422434?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores four insights I had from my annual winter retreat at the Forest Refuge.
You’ll learn about how to use inquiry to explore what it is you truly know for certain, how to see more clearly into your conditioning, how to turn directly to that which is between you and feeling free and a way of exploring the nature of ‘self'.
To receive a monthly newsletter, 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
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?
Special PODCAST:
This talk explores how cultivating humility can transform your life and your effectiveness in the world.
