Coming Out of Hibernation....

It's March.  Daylight savings time is here.  Time is marching on.  I called this blog "Coming Out of Hibernation," but I've been busy, doing stuff, going places.  I think we all have been busy.  It's more like my brain has been hibernating.  A kind of on hold, or something.

It's pouring outside, a reminder that March is a terrible weather month.  I find it best to have low expectations of March weather.  Best to think of it as a winter month.  That way you are thrilled with a 50 degree sunny day.

But you know Spring is out there.  The sun is closer and I know sunny days are coming because you see there's this daffodil outside the door and it decided to bloom.

Training the Mind to Lead a "Compassionate Life"

          I wrote this blog this fall for a class I was in at WCSU.  It is startling how these lessons are applicable to what we are going through as a community. Take a moment and read through it.  Then maybe share it with someone who might need it.  This blog appeared in the Danbury Patch in October.

Training the Mind to Lead a "Compassionate Life"

by

Kat Barton

          We’ve been talking a lot about compassion in preparation for His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s visit to WCSU.   But what does it mean to live a compassionate life? 

            Compassion is defined as the sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.  In other words you are aware of another’s distress AND you want to make it better.

            In the Dalai Lama’s book “The Compassionate Life,” he discusses the Eight Verses for Training the Mind that summarizes the key teachings on both wisdom and method.

            Verse one focuses on holding dear all other sentient beings.  The main point is to develop an attitude that allows you to feel all sentient beings are precious.

            Verse two builds on the idea of holding sentient beings above self. Thinking of others as superior provides a basis for restraint.

            The third verse rejects negative thinking.  The Dalai Lama goes on to explain that it is important to cultivate mindfulness from the beginning.

            The fourth verse continues on the negative theme focusing on those who suffer negativity or pain.  Cultivating empathy is the goal with this teaching.

            In mind training the fifth verse discusses accepting defeat without anger. 

            The sixth verse talks about disappointment from the acts of someone we’ve trusted and rather than reacting with outrage that we look at this as an opportunity to learn.

            In the seventh verse the student takes on the suffering.

            In the eighth verse we are cautioned not to allow worldly concerns such as fame and wealth become more important than leading a compassionate life.

          “It could be said that the Eight Verses for Training the Mind contain the entire essence of the Buddha’s teachings.” ---His Holiness The Dalai Lama

          His Holiness the Dalai Lama will speak on Oct. 18 and 19 at Western Connecticut State University, and the public is invited to a free showing (video simulcast) in the Ives Concert Hall, 181 White St. To help promote this opportunity, WCSU students in the Writing and Linguistics Department's Advertising, Copywriting and Promotions class created a Twitter page. and they are writing this blog daily.

Do you know where your jeans come from?

Take a moment and check, read the labels in your clothing.  You might be surprised at some of the places your jeans and t-shirts have been. 

Over the past few weeks, there have been two major fires in Bangladesh resulting in 123 deaths.  U.S. Retailers like the Gap, Wal-Mart and even high-end fashion like Tommy Hilfiger make clothing there.

           

The experts say we don’t care.  We don’t care enough to pay more.  A teenage Bangladesh girl named Lovely is hoping that we do.

It was February 23, 2006,  Lovely was 11 years old and working in a garment factory in Bangladesh, when her life changed forever. The factory where she was packing socks caught fire. There was never a fire drill.  Exits were locked. Panic and chaos spread with the fire and 63 workers died and 150 were injured.  Lovely was left with injuries and can no longer work, a burden to her family, with not enough to eat.

But hey, that was a great deal you got on Black Friday.        

Lovely has found the courage to speak out and has started a petition online.  She’s petitoning H&M, Wal-Mart and Gap to commit to a real fire safety program that will save the lives of the Bangladeshis who sew the clothing that we wear. You’ll find the petition www.change.org, search for Lovely from Bangladesh.

Guilty Of Going To School Pakistan’s Daughter, Malala Yousafz

It’s been over a month since Malala Yousafzai was shot on her way home from school.  Two of her classmates were also wounded that day.  The girls were guilty of going to school. 

Malala is an activist for girl’s education in the Taliban ruled area in Pakistan who blogged for the BBC about the fear of living under the Taliban. Her blogs became a rallying cry for girl’s education.

On October 9^th the Taliban boarded her school bus, found her and shot her in the head.  The nation of Pakistan was stunned along with the world.  The prayers of a nation were for the future of this young girl. 

Malala was nominated to receive the Children’s Peace Prize and was awarded the National Peace Prize by the Pakistani Government. Currently there is a campaign to have her nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, visit www.change.org and take a stand with Malala.

Malala is recovering from her injuries in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, in the UK.  It is not known yet if she will fully recover. 

“One defiant ‘NO’ can break the silence of fear,” Malala Yousafzai

Wake up!

Dear Friends,

I have decided to wakeup Graceful Planet Living again.  I just completed two articles for two different classes I am taking that I feel good about and that fit with the theme of this blog.  I have been thinking about Graceful Planet Living lately and what that means and plan to post here more often.

Breathing in, breathe out...

Day 21 The Pursuit of Happiness

That's what it's all about, our pursuit of happiness.  A healthy lifestyle, eating well, exercising and have strong personal relationships, that's what we all strive for in our lives.

 According to a recent study the following are the
 10 Most Enjoyable Activities:

Listening to music
Playing with children
Attending a sporting event
Hunting, fishing, boating, hiking
Parties or receptions
Purchase of personal services
General out-of-home leisure
Cafe or bar
Sports and exercise
Worship and religious acts

That's a nice list.  Listening to music is one of the most enjoyable activities because people report being happier when they're listening  to music and it's associated with very low levels of stress.  Playing with children is tied with listening to music and actually increases happiness more than listening to music, but has slightly higher stress levels.  Watching TV falls somewhere in the middle of the list, however, on average 15 -17% of our time is spent watching TV.

The more time you spend around friends and family members the more likely you will have a nice day.
Create your own happiness list!  And start pursuing your happiness!

Source Well Being the Five Essential Elements by Tom Rath & Jim Harter

TheGraceful Planet                                 Eat Play Live

Day 20 - New Discoveries!

It is day 20, you have been reflecting, taking good care of yourself, eating well and exercising.  Have you discovered something new about yourself?  

Self -discovery never ends.  Hopefully we continue to grow and try new things.  I find as I grow older and wiser my interests grow and are more creative.  It takes courage to try new things and to put yourself in new situations.  The challenges we face when we do this expand our horizons and allow us to learn more about ourselves.

In our daily practice, we are reflecting on what has worked for us during our 21 day journey.  Take sometime to think about what practices you would like to continue and make apart of your lifestyle.

The Graceful Planet                           Eat Play Live