How can I make amends for horrible things I have done?

Are there some acts so awful that they can’t be forgiven? Are are acts so terrible that amends are impossible?

Are they possible for people who cause harm? For people who get physical? For Russian soldiers even? Why? You might ask. It makes no sense you might conclude. Bad people deserve my anger.

But wasting my life-force on the energy of anger is a waste. Better I use my energy for good. Do you think?

Here’s one example of giving love to a person who did great harm. It is offering love and forgiveness to a man who murdered 5 children.

A Vietnamese monk went so far as to extend his heart and help a former American soldier who killed his own countrymen, Vietnamese children.

Donald FleckDecember 18, 2022Comment

Learn Mindfulness for Relief and Ease

The Mindfulness Workshop starts January 24, meeting in-person near Carnegie Hall

This 8-Week workshop is proven effective by research.

This is mindfulness in Medicine

Contact us today to find out if this is a good match for you

Donald Fleck has taught this workshop more than 50 times. He has many happy grads. Here are a few of their assessments,“

Your class was probably a turning point in my life.”

Donald FleckDecember 12, 2022Comment

Why we decided to teach mindfulness in-person.

The accepted fact is that we face a trifecta of dangerous viruses this winter.

But we don’t need to totally isolate.

True, we’ve had 2 years to learn all the advantages of online learning.

So Why Are We Teaching The Mindfulness Workshop In-Person Now?

1. We know there are high quality masks that prevent virus’s getting through. If you wear one of those, you’re safe.

2. We’re teaching in a room with air conditioning and windows. If the class wants, we can get the air circulating.

3. If the City sends an alert to avoid indoor group meetings, we will switch over to online.

4. Learning mindfulness in-person is more effective and more satisfying than online. Let us explain this one.

Getting to Know the Breath

In this meditation, we'll work with the breath in different ways - in movement, in breathing exercises, and by simply observing the breath - in order to observe the effects on our body-mind.

MIchelle MorrisonAugust 28, 2022Comment

Attitude of Gratitude

How do we counter "negativity bias," or the mind's tendency to focus on what's wrong about a situation rather than on what is positive? How can we train ourselves to acknowledge what might be hurting or broken, but not allow ourselves to spiral downward into resentment or depression?

MIchelle MorrisonJune 1, 2022Comment

Stopping & Calming

This session, led by Michelle Morrison, focuses on "Stopping and Calming" - Thich Nhat Hahn's way of describing śamatha, which is an essential aspect of meditation practice. We will set down our projects and worries, and rest our bodies and minds, so that we can restore ourselves and gain insight into what is truly important.

MIchelle MorrisonMarch 20, 2022Comment

Mindfulness of Body - Enjoy

Please join us Friday for 30-minute Friday Mindfulness at Noon.

We will practice with a Body Scan, evolved to include gentle movement.

Noticing one part of body. Then gently tightening nearby muscles, then releasing and noticing again. Noticing changes, enjoyment, and any wish for a different relationship to the body.

But nothing to achieve, just a new way on listening.... to the body.... who knows what stories it has to tell.

Donald FleckFebruary 17, 2022Comment

Coming Home to the Breath - Nothing to Accomplish

Meditation should be as easy as a child dreaming nice thoughts, but we run into our active minds, our worried minds, we have distractions, we worry we’re not doing it right..... there are so many ways we can lose self-compassion and increase our personal stress.

Donald FleckFebruary 13, 2022Comment

Working With Judgment when caught in depression, anxiety or stress

These days we get caught in judgment all the time.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see things clearly, without being caught in evaluations?

Judgment is a human characteristic, developed over many generations as our species learned to survive in the jungle. We needed to know what was safe, and what wasn’t. Who was safe, and who wasn’t. Judgment is deeply ingrained in our consciousness.

We can’t get rid of it, but we can learn to manage it.

We can train with Mindfulness to manage it.

Donald FleckJanuary 28, 2022Comment

MINDBLOG

Learn Mindfulness for Relief and Ease

The Mindfulness Workshop starts January 24, meeting in-person near Carnegie Hall

This 8-Week workshop is proven effective by research.

This is mindfulness in Medicine

Contact us today to find out if this is a good match for you

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