September 26-28
Our own happiness is directly linked to the happiness of all beings in the world. We all know this; and in these troubled times we would like to be more compassionate, generous, and kind. But this is more easily said than done. We often wonder how to balance our needs for self care and self reflection with the needs of our families, society, and the Earth. This balance is what Gail Straub calls the rhythm of compassion. Likening this rhythm to the in breath and out breath of meditation, Gail believes that when we learn to follow our unique rhythm, compassion blossoms in profound and inspiring ways.
In this workshop , based on Gail's critically acclaimed book The Rhythm of Compassion, now used in prisons, hospices, universities, corporations, and activist communities as a guide for more compassionate living , we'll discuss how to put our compassion into action, how to make it real in everyday activities , caring for a child, an aging parent, a difficult family member, a troubled co worker, as well as social justice and ecological causes. We'll explore four qualities of mature compassion , a quiet mind, an open heart, presence, and radical simplicity , that help us follow our rhythm.
We'll look at the most common obstacles to genuine compassion , busyness, fear, control, rationalization, and the "fixing it" syndrome , and discuss the spiritual tools that can help us overcome these barriers. In order to deepen in compassion, we'll wrestle with these compelling questions: How do I develop the courage to face suffering , my own, my family's, and my community's? How do I establish boundaries in caring for someone so that I am not driven by guilt or duty? What do I do when the suffering of the world overwhelms me and I feel nothing I do makes a difference? Our time together will be highly experiential using guided meditations, journaling, lecture, and small group sharing. We will also take time to be with the earth and experience the magnificent autumn beauty at Rowe. A special treat will be the opportunity to attend a concert on Saturday evening with New England folk singer songwriter storytellers extraordinaire, Gordon Bok and Margaret MacArthur. See description on page 47.
Gail Straub is a highly energetic, vibrant and delightful citizen diplomat. For more than 20 years, she has taught the concept and practice of empowerment, which has become a major part of the culture and vocabulary of change. She and her husband David Gershon co-founded Empowerment Training Programs and co-authored Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It. This work has been translated into five languages and used worldwide as the basis for empowerment support groups. Her training model was adopted by The Chinese Women's Federation, the largest women's organization in the world. Gail co-directed the First Earth Run, a global peace initiative involving 25 million people and 45 heads of state, which raised several million dollars for UNICEF. In 1992, Gail designed Grace: A Spiritual Growth Training Program, for those who wanted to integrate spiritual development with social and ecological responsibility. Based on her work with hundreds of students in North America and Europe, Gail wrote The Rhythm of Compassion: Caring for Self, Connecting with Society, and The Circle of Compassion: Meditations for Caring for Self and the World. Currently she is working on her next book about spiritual mothering. We are delighted to welcome Gail back to Rowe.
"In showing how our personal well being is inescapably intertwined with the fate of all beings and the planet as a whole, Gail speaks with a voice of total authenticity, great compassion, and a seasoned understanding of all the challenges, joys, and dangers that one is likely to encounter along the path of service." John Welwood, author, Love and Awakening, Journey of the Heart
"Gail Straub's clear eyed compassion is grounded in years of both spiritual practice and social action. Defying our tendency to separate the souls longings for self growth and social justice, Gail poignantly demonstrates the truth the heart has always known: that true self care takes us deeper into the world and caring for the world takes us deeper into the essential self." Oriah Mountain Dreamer, author, The Invitation