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Greetings friends~As we be together in this political moment, I wanted to offer some of the dharma teachings and practices that I have been leaning into. One of which is sharing poetry, so first a poem.For When People Ask by Rosemerry Wahtola TrommerI want a word that meansokay and not okay,more than that: a word that meansdevastated and stunned with joy.I want the word that saysI feel it all all at once.The heart is not like a songbirdsinging only one note at a time,more like a Tuvan throat singerable to sing both a droneand simultaneouslytwo or three harmonics high above it—a sound, the Tuvans say,that gives the impressionof wind swirling among rocks.The heart understands swirl,how the churning of opposite feelingsweaves through us like an insistent breezeleads us wordlessly deeper into ourselves,blesses us with paradoxso we might walk more openlyinto this world so rife with devastation,this world so ripe with joy.Honor the wisdom of your body. Our bodies are wise, they feel and respond to the information coming in through our environment. In the single unified field of embodied awareness, all response is welcome. All response is more information.To honor the body's wisdom is to make space to feel what you are feeling, to drop into the body and allow the sensations, feelings and emotions that are present to be experienced and processed through the body's awareness.I want to name that we are experiencing abuse of power on a national level and attempts to undo basic practices of equity and care for folks with already marginalized identities and our earth. This may activate trauma responses or nervous system alerts in our bodies, responses of fear, freeze, rage, fight, anger, grief and overwhelm or feelings and sensations that are hard to feel/name. What practices help you tend to your body and nervous system, to feel and listen to your emotions?Bayo Akomalfe quoting a Yoruba saying says: The times are urgent, slow downMeditation and mindfulness help us presence what we are actually feeling and transmute emotional reactions into wisdom, compassion and right action.This is a process of recognizing what we are telling ourselves, what thoughts, memories and worries are being triggered—and coming back to our direct experience—here— in this living present. The four foundations of mindfulness is one way of touching into the different realms of our experience, they are:Feel your bodyFeel you feelingsBecome aware of mental activity (remember we don't have to believe our thoughts)Rest in Awareness itselfArt, exercise, body movement practices, eating good food, taking in beauty, breathing deeply, being around others with regulated nervous systems like (meditation, yoga, art spaces, therapy, natural world) are other important ways to care for, nourish our bodies.Insight Practice—The dharma teachings remind us that right here, in our present experience, in the imminence of this—there is a refuge that can't be taken away. All the koans point us back here.We ask—who is it that is aware? What is this? Not merely as an existential inquiry, but as a way to remember ourselves back to the truth of who we are.In times of crisis, angst, hopelessness and fear our true nature is right here. Aware, open, deeply grounded, whole.Zen awakening reminds us that we can know this freedom in any situation.Sometimes when things are stripped away, when we are truly facing uncertainty or crisis, we are more available to this level of the teachings—what remains when even your sense of security is called into question?what remains when everything is taken away?Reflection on Impermanence—Hakuin Zenji likened impermanence to a black fire. We don't see it coming, so we are surprised when conditioned things change. Before the Buddha died he reminded his disciples that all compounded things are subject to vanish. Our bodies, our relationships, our work, our societies—are subject to change. Whatever is happening now, will change.In Buddhism we are invited to contemplate impermanence as a regular part of our practice life. When we do this, we see or remember that everything we love or depend on is of the nature to change.All beings are a life-cycle, they were born, they will die. It can be powerful to view each being like this, to see their birth and death within whatever their present expression is. Civilizations, societies also have a birth and a death.There is this teaching from Ajahn Cha, who apparently had this favorite cup that he always insisted on using when he gave formal talks. He would admire the beauty of the cup publicly. Once a student asked him about the teaching of non-attachment and impermanence in relationship to his cup. Ajahn Cha said, it is because I know that this cup will break someday that I love it so much.Impermanence can help us connect to what truly matters, to our love for this dynamic and wild life, and all the elements it contains.Four Divine Abodes—Loving kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity—these are qualities we can cultivate and dwell in—a clear and stable mind, a heart grounded in love, compassion and joy. Its actually quite subversive to practice the four boundless qualities of the heart-mind. To remember that we are interconnected, and that it is not our responsibility alone to save the world.When you don't know what to do, practice Loving kindness for yourself, for others, for the planet, for our world. For all beings who are experiencing fear. For all beings who are caught in greed, hatred and delusionHatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law.—the BuddhaDharma Protectors—Ask for help from the Bodhisattvas, Jizo Bodhisattva has this vow to enter any hell realm and guide beings to liberation. Ask Jizo to protect those who are most vulnerable, including parts of yourself!Vows—Stay connected to your vows. I find in times of stress, uncertainty, fear or confusion if I turn towards the bodhisattva vows, my personal vows clarify and deepen. Many of us may not have vows that we have articulated for this life, but may have a felt sense of calling, direction or orientation. Leaning into what matters, and drawing strength from this kind of north star orientation is essential for our hearts.Sangha—Thich Nhat Hanh said that the next Buddha is the Sangha. It has long been known that awakening and spiritual maturation happen in community, side by side with each other. We are stronger together. We just are.The more that we can rest into spiritual practice not being about achieving some kind of personal fulfillment, the more rich and meaningful spiritual practice becomes. I would say the same thing about living, if we are living for ourselves as a community of beings—life has a richness to it. Let's let our sense of community extend to include the entire world—the entire cosmos.Take refuge in community, and let yourself stay open to discovering more community in your life!Creativity—Make Art, Share Poetry, Sing, Dance, Illustrate, tell stories, make food for those you love, make time for creative expressionArt-making is an embodied practice.Art is healing, it opens us up to the different parts of ourselves and connects us to the collective.Art is a way to process and practice being imperfect.When we create, we are in touch with creation on an embodied level, love is being expressed through our being in all its various shades and colors.Art allows breakthroughs, something that has never been is given life.As systems crumble before our eyes, something new will be born, will rise from the ashes. Our creativity is part of that process. Trust that.In a Dangerous Time by Rosemerry Wahtola TrommerI think of the bonesof the unsung rib cage,the way they protectthe heart. How bone,too, is living, how it constantlyrenews and remakes itself.I think of how ribs engagewith other ribsto expand, to contract,and because they dotheir solid work,they allow the heart to float.This is what I want to do:to be a rib in this bodyof our country,to make a safe space for love.There is so much nowthat needs protection.I want to be that flexible,that committed to what's vital,that unwilling to yield.I'm Amy Kisei. I am a Zen Buddhist Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, budding Astrologer and Artist. I offer 1:1 Spiritual Counseling sessions in the styles of IFS and somatic mindfulness. I also offer astrology readings. Check out my website to learn more. I currently live in Columbus, OH and am a supporting teacher for the Mud Lotus Sangha.Below you can find a list of weekly and monthly online and in-person practice opportunities.Weekly Online Meditation EventMonday Night Dharma — 6P PT / 9P ET Join weekly for drop-in meditation and dharma talk. Feel free to join anytime. Event lasts about 1.5 hours. ZOOM LINKMonthly Online Practice EventSky+Rose: An emergent online community braiding spirit and soul10:30A - 12:30P PT / 1:30P - 3:30P ETnext Meeting March 9th with JogenIn-Person in Columbus, Ohio through Mud Lotus SanghaSpring Blossoms Daylong Retreat Sunday March 9 at Spring Hallow Lodge in Sharon Woods in Columbus, OHInterdependence Sesshin: A Five Day Residential Retreat Wednesday July 2 - Sunday July 6 in Montrose, WV at Saranam Retreat Center (Mud Lotus is hosting its first Sesshin!)Weekly Meditations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amykisei.substack.com/subscribe
I so wish I would have done it before. Thought it was too woo woo and fluff. Why it's so important to share this with you. I'm struggling and hope it will help me as well as you.I'm struggling with stress - chronic stress, anxiety and anxiety attacks. This year will be 5 years as a caregiver. I have had the pleasure and privilege of taking care of my loved ones through their health challenges and struggles and many moments of joy. But you know as well as me, this caregiver job can take quite the wear and tear on your physical and mental health. But reality is, if you wait until the time is right to take care of yourself, it will never come. And if it does, embrace it. For me, one crisis or challenge kept coming. Again, I know you can relate. So let's get back to my intro. It's not something my family practiced. It seemed silly and woo woo. But my friends have been doing it and have seen huge results. But I kept telling myself I can't sit still. I can quiet my brain. Have you figured it out? It's meditation. The beautiful thing was I turned on some nature music off google sat on the floor. I felt my shoulder rest, I also felt like I was floating. I never felt that before. When we meditate, we lower our stress levels, we get to know our pain, we connect better, we improve our focus, and we're kinder to ourselves. When we pay attention to our breath, we're learning how to return to, and remain in, the present moment—to anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgement.The practice takes patience. While meditation isn't a cure-all, it can certainly provide some much-needed space in your life. And the most important tools you can bring with you to your meditation practice are a little patience, some kindness for yourself, and a comfortable place to sit.Here's why to meditate:Understanding your painLower your stressConnect betterImprove focusReduce brain chatterThe practice is simple. Find place to sit that feels calm and quiet to youConsider music or noise cancelling headphonesSet a time limitNotice your bodyFeel your breath Notice when your mind has wandered Be kind to your wandering mind Close with kindnessConsider what you want to do afterwards Meditation may offer a solution to the growing need to reduce stress in the midst of busy schedules and demanding lives.Although there isn't a right or wrong way to meditate, it's important to find a practice that meets your needs.There are nine popular types of meditation practices:mindfulness meditationspiritual meditationfocused meditationmovement meditationmantra meditationtranscendental meditationprogressive relaxationloving-kindness meditationvisualization meditationNot all meditation styles are right for everyone. Meditation can offer general health and mental/emotional benefits:lower blood pressurereduced stressbetter sleepimproved emotional regulationincreased focusenhanced moodreduced aggressiongreater adaptabilityhealthier aging processa greater sense of empathy and connection with othersI wish I would have started this practice years ago. Here's to more zen and less stress. Here's to more prayer and less anxiety. Here's to quieting the brain and allowing in joy.
Is There Something In This? with Scott Dooley & Jason Chatfield
Welcome back to another episode of Is There Something In This? with your old mates Scott Dooley and Jason Chatfield.Subscribe, rate and review in on iTunes!2 LIVE PODCASTS ANNOUNCED: April 9th @ Caveat, NYC - Special Mystery Guest Tix: Caveat.nycMay 17th @ NCSFest, California - Special Guest Bob Mankoff! Tix: NCSFest.comCheck out our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ITSITpodcastThis week:Jason is sick in the bodyFeel like a dogParallel thinking sizzlePlane crash cannibalismAsking for a thousand analsZoo Animal EscapesWill McPhail's posesMs ControversyDools can't DunkOther National EmergenciesThief or Home contents aggregatorDeath on vacationDools would be mates with Jay ZCat working in an officeThe long goodbye with a pizza guySuperheroes giving directionsSunk Cost BiasPop-up storesCosthumouslyCruise GinJuuling BanjosVapistsPSA: You Can't Do an Australian AccentPenultimate White at a weddingKeith Haring Chalk Outline GuyArtists before they were famousThe MoMa MurdersSuggestions this week:Steve Fabricant, Comedy Cellar Manager and his vegan chicken dinnerAlex Knowlman and his pointless robot assistants, feat/ The. most. 2019. sentence. ever. written.Ed Steckley's selfie-galleriesMona Lisa with Snapchat filterMore Gilmore Girls ChatJustin Gillett's Dogwhistle ideaCourt Carthy's Cat Monetisation PlanToby the pig - This is my year!Thanks to @jimmypatch for his illustrations of our episodes!@k89kelly and her hair of the dog salonGet your official ITSIT merch on our Facebook page Copyright Disclaimer:We're inviting you into our living room, don't walk out with our lamp. Please don't steal our jokes. All original content is © Copyright 2019 Jason Chatfield & Scott Dooley for "Is There Something In This?" All rights reserved.We welcome you to download and play the podcast and share with others for personal use; please acknowledge "Is There Something in This?" Podcast as the source of the material. You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
For episode #29 of the DC House Grooves Meet the Locals Podcast, we've got an excellent mix from DC based rising star Dansman, recorded live at Midnight Project with Steven Tang, Andy Grant, Dansman and R&B on February 20 2016. If you follow DC House Grooves, this set was recorded right before Andy Grant's set that same night. "This mix was recorded live at one of DC’s most consistently exciting warehouse affairs, Midnight Project. There is a certain sense of freedom at these events, and I am very grateful and honored to have been invited to play. It truly was a special evening. I’ll be playing next for my party #BODYFEEL in Flash Bar on Friday, March 11th. Throe and I are pleased to present our special guest, Savile, who is a resident at the esteemed Smart Bar Chicago. After that, you can find me opening for Carl Craig at Flash on Friday, April 1st." #BODYFEEL at Flash March 11: https://www.facebook.com/events/918969558217640/ Carl Craig with Dansman at Flash: Official Movement Pre-Party: Carl Craig, Dansman at Flash SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/dansmanmusic Facebook: http://facebook.com/dansmanmusic Resident Advisor: http://residentadvisor.net/dj/dansman Twitter: http://twitter.com/dansmanmusic
In terms of influence, Dansman began his electronic musical journey with the likes of DJ Tiesto (the “Magik” mix series) then moved on to such luminaries as the Chemical Brothers, before settling onto the bleeding edge of underground house and techno. Now, Dansman takes as much joy from listening to Top 40 Rap/R&B as he does listening to unreleased white-labels fresh from Bucharest, making him uniquely qualified to know what people want before they know themselves. A rising comet in the DC scene, Dansman has honed his skills for over six years, playing sold-out shows in shotgun bars for tens of people. His popular #BODYFEEL party series, founded with cohort and longtime platonic lover, Throe, blends an urban aesthetic with airy techno and has featured such artists as Bambounou, Girl Unit, Peverlist and Kowton, and the White Material crew. With a monthly residency at DC’s hottest underground club, Flash, Dansman improves his profile with every record played. DANSMAN (FLASH, #BODYFEEL | DC) http://soundcloud.com/dansmanmusic http://facebook.com/dansmanmusic http://residentadvisor.net/dj/dansman http://twitter.com/dansmanmusic
We've been fortunate enough to get receive some amazing mixes lately, but this one really stood out from the crowd. While this podcast series is intended to showcase mixes from Washington DC based DJs whatever their style, our personal tastes lean towards mixes on the more underground end of the spectrum which take you on a journey through the rich variety house music has to offer, while still maintaining a solid dance floor vibe. This mix from Throe hits all the right buttons, starting off with some real deep house, building the vibe as it heads into techno territory towards the end. More like this please! In his own words: "I wanted this mix to properly reflect what I listen to on a regular basis; thus, it features songs across a very broad range of sound. There’s definitely more restraint and a narrower scope involved when playing out vs. messing around at home, and so I took this mix as an opportunity to bridge together disparate tracks that I normally wouldn’t have the chance to. In it you’ll hear songs both new and old, dark and light, and moody and frenetic. Ultimately, it’s a progression from one end of a spectrum to another. It’s not the tightest mix ever, but my hope in the end is that it’s captivating. Enjoy!" You can catch Throe next playing alongside Dansman at the monthly #BODYFEEL party in the Flash Bar on November 21st: https://www.facebook.com/events/911893795561052/ Then the next week at the Dance Loft in Washington DC on November 28. Worth checking out! Throe on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/throemusic Throe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/throemusic/