RSS Subscribe Deepening community and manifesting kindness
“The success of our community, and its future, is going to depend heavily on the visible and ‘feelable’ kindness that is in our mandala,” said the Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche, at the concluding session of the Fourth Shambhala Congress, which took place in Halifax in November. “We can be doing a lot of things right when it comes to programs, but if there is not a feeling of kindness, nothing is really going to stick.”
The Sakyong’s Council has now formally decided that the key strategic objective for the immediate period, in line with the Sakyong’s wishes and the aspirations expressed by the Congress, would be to “deepen community and manifest a culture of kindness.”
The aim of this post is to invite anyone in the Pacific Northwest Shambhala community (or beyond) to participate in a collective contemplation of what it means to deepen community and manifest a culture of kindness.
What inspires you about your local Shambhala community? How does kindness manifest there? What do you find challenging―or even alienating? What else…? Join the discussion in the comments section below. All respectfully expressed thoughts and feelings are welcome.
For related pre-Congress discussion, see the post Exploring community.
Tags: community, kindness, Pacific Northwest, Shambhala Congress 2009
December 27th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Pema Chödrön explains maitri (commonly translated as “loving-kindness”) in this five-minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s-rRMUl04I
December 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
One of the slogans that evolved during my daughter’s early years was “it’s better to be kind than be smart.” It seems like with young children there is such a focus on helping them to be smart, sometimes it is hard to see where our conventional approaches cultivate kindness. Is it that we can only deepen our connection/sense of community through kindness (with a good dose of prajna)?
December 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
We know from the teachings that prajna and compassion are inseparable — that *actually* becoming smart leads inevitably to compassion. Which reveals a lot about the kinds of “intelligence” we cultivate that lead us to a snarky attitude of separation and continual critique. (I know of which I speak!) What is hardest for us to realize is that our “intelligence” isn’t actually very intelligent. Indeed, if we were truly intelligent, we could see through the concepts that maintain our false sense of superiority (or inferiority, for that matter). With actual intelligence, actual precision, our angry heart would soften instantly.
I agree with Dori. All brands of fake intelligence should be boycotted in favor of kindness, genuineness and engagement.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Of more than 80 buddhist organizations in Vancouver, The Shambhala Centre is one of the only ones that is literally a storefront - that clearly welcomes newcomers to drop in. That “outer” aspect of our centre can create a challenge. Sometimes it feels like we maintain a revolving door, and there is a temptation to retreat into the “inner” and “secret” aspects of our sangha. But as difficult as it can be to keep the flower facing outward, and as easy as it is to let that energy blowing in and out of our door to be distracting, it’s an essential practice, I feel.
When I first came to the Centre, I didn’t experience it as kind and welcoming. I now spend a lot of time working to make it feel kind and welcoming, and yet I know that for many who take the courageous step to walk in the door, it can be a frightening, lonely step and for some it still doesn’t feel all that welcoming. Kindness is a practice at every level of activity.
December 28th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I think it would be very profitable if Buddhist believers looked into the Bible for insight to our and the earth’s current condition- a fallen world under a curse of sin we caused in the garden of Eden.
The situation is so impassibly bad that only God Himself can correct it- witch Christ did by dying for this world .
He said ‘ no man comes unto the father except through me’ because only uncursed blood will pay for sin .
I hope you check it out
the red pill
the blue pill
the gos pill
December 28th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I’m wondering about the difference between Shambhala Centers that might produce kind people and centers that express kindness. We are surrounded by such an individualistic culture that producing kind people (or shunning those who don’t appear to be kind) is often the unreflective starting point. What would “organized for kindness” look like?
December 28th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Following up on John’s comments, I wonder whether/how constituents of individual kindness―impartial warmth, openness, clear-seeing, patience etc.―might manifest culturally in an organization.