1. Mature self-knowledge
1.1. Define:
1.1.1. Self-observation - thoughts, emotions, beliefs, values, relationships, see through self-deception, defensiveness, ego structures, acknowledging faults and limitations, Know thyself (Socrates)
1.2. Tools for cultivating
1.2.1. Counseling, journaling, meditation,
1.3. Links
1.3.1. Stanford Journal of Philosophy
1.4. Inner Life, requires practice,
1.5. "Self-knowledge, when it reaches its full potential, becomes the basis for very radical inner change. Mature self-knowledge happens when we move beyond denial - denial of our faults and limitations, our buried motives or hidden agendas- and beyond judgment of others, beyond projection on othes our own need for inner work." Br. Wayne
1.6. Seven levels of transformation: consciousness, will emotions, character, imagination, memory, action,
2. Other thoughts
2.1. Logistics
2.1.1. Venue
2.1.1.1. Up to 50
2.1.2. Dates
2.1.2.1. Monthly - 3 mo?
2.1.2.2. Start Jan 16th or 23rd?
2.1.3. Marketing
2.1.3.1. FB Page, email
2.1.4. Cost?
2.1.4.1. Donation
2.1.5. Potluck, dialogue, and time for reflection?
2.2. Questions
2.2.1. Reflective Q's
2.2.1.1. How did we do?
2.2.1.2. How did we fulfill the vows/elements? Were we contemplative? Humble? Did we listen well? Etc
2.3. Ethical dilemmas
3. Simplicity of life
3.1. Non-consumerism, poverty?, uncluttered by property or money, wealth and power, focus on what is essential, strips away distractions, related to justice,
3.2. Links
3.2.1. "Simplicity of life concerns our relationship with the planet, the natural world, other species, and other human beings.... Simplicity of life is an inner focus on what is necessary. " Br. Wayne
3.2.2. Wikipedia
3.2.3. "We must simplify our lives if the Ecological Age is really to take root. When we voluntarily embrace a sipler lifestyle that does not require squandering our precious resources, degrading the environment, oppressing other species, and depriving the poor, simplicity of life reveals itself concretely as a great generosity of spirit." Br. Wayne
3.2.4. "Live simply that others may live"
3.3. Questions
3.3.1. What interferes w/ living a life of simplicity?
3.3.1.1. Technology? email, texting, consumerism, need for being well-entertained, noise, commercials, fast pace of living
3.3.2. Q: How do you live simply?
3.3.3. Barriers?
4. Prophetic voice
4.1. For what? social and environmental justice
4.2. Duty/obligation of conscious beings, esp when we see great harm
4.3. "The prophetic voice vigorously acknowledges the unjust events and policies that cause enourmous tension, misery, and dislocation in the lives of countless numbers of people. Wars; the plight of refugees (most of whom are women and children); unjust economic, social, and political conditions that enrich a small class of rulers while oppressing the masses; threats to the enviornment - all are matters that should evoke the moral voice and our willingness to respond. We no longer have the luxury of ignoring the many challenges to justice in all its forms. We have a universal responsibilty to apply the moral or prophetic function whereever we see justice disregarded, threats to world peace, oppression by states against its people or a neighboring nation, or some other danger as yet unforeseen." Br. W
4.4. "If men or women who are leading rich inner lives cannot or will not respond to events and situations that require them to do so - such as cases of injustice, oppression, and environmental degradation.... An atttitude of 'busienss as usal' simply reveals a bankrupt moral and spiritual authority in the face of grace moral evil, such as exists with Tibet.
4.5. History of prophecy - prophets
4.5.1. Modern examples: gandhi, King, Tutu,
4.6. Engaged in the world, emerges out of contemplative altitude (depth) and humility, attention to BOTH the authentcically transcendant (that is, truly aligned with "God") and attention also to the immanent/practical. Wayne said the first step in this process is inquiry (like Meditation-- asking "who am I?" "What is this all about"). The second step, that arises naturally, is the Contemplative state. The contemplative state is the DISCOVERY that you are not alone but are in a RELATIONSHIP with the transcendant. The contemplative enters a relationship with the divine-- call it I/I, I/Thou, I/It, whatever. This relationship is a communing of the divine with the embodied, and, FROM that relationship emerges a natural Prophetic Voice-- that you THEN have something to share, something to say, that connects the immanent (embodied) and the transcendant (coming from "God" etc.) in an effective way for other folk etc. (Kurt)
4.7. 3) Are you speaking of the "authentic Self", the "I-i" where the Self, devoid of ego, speaks from the perspective of the unitive Kosmic good, true and beautiful, regardless of personal effects? 4) Are you speaking from the integrated I-i where both Selfless Self and little self consider what is best for self, community and planet? Lynne
5. Selfless service and compassionate action
5.1. Should this just be "service"? or sacred service?
5.2. Links
5.2.1. Charter for Compassion
5.3. Questions
5.3.1. Examples - how treat homeless, poorl mother theresa,
5.3.2. Q: How do you serve?
5.4. Commitment to social dimension,
5.5. "This is a form of actionthat , as the Bhagavad Gita so powerfully emphasizes, does not seek a result; it is not attaches to the possible fruits of any action, so it is not performed with any purpose in mind other than to respond to the perceived need in the moment. Selfless ervice doesn't come easily. It is something one must learn through education and practical experience." Br. W
6. Interspirituality
6.1. Definition
6.1.1. Unitive Awareness
6.1.2. Interconnectiveness
6.1.3. Sharing or ultimate experiences, spiritual insights, spiritual practices and resources across traditions,
6.2. Mysticism
7. Actual ethical and moral capacity
7.1. Define ethics, morals
7.2. Connection between living the spiritual life and moral capacity. wisdom - action, inner transformation - outer transformation
7.3. Awareness of and relationship between beliefs, principles, values, & ethical behavior. Ability to act from this integrative perspective
7.4. Links
7.4.1. Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration - Parliament of World Religions
7.5. Internal locus of control, self-directed
7.6. Moral Codes - "stepping stones to spiritual dignity" W.T. to "interior freedom"
7.6.1. Universal across traditions - can look at diff codes from diff trads
7.6.1.1. Buddhism - 8 fold path, 5 precepts
7.6.1.2. Hinduism/Jainism - ahimsa
7.6.1.3. Judeo-christian - 10 commandments
7.7. Br. Wayne's contemplative or mystical character: wisdom, sensitivity, shifting from self to others, accepting others as they are,
8. Spiritual practice
8.1. Q: What works for you?
8.2. Practices
8.2.1. Meditation, centering prayer, silence, lectio divina, zen, vipassana, tm, tibetan buddhist, yoga, martial arts, mass/liturgy/conventional prayer, devotional spirituality, chanting/singing, dance,
8.2.2. General trends
8.2.3. Specific practices
8.2.4. New node
8.3. "Spiritual practice, the work of our transformation, is the means of inner growth and change toward human maturity glimpsed in the best of religous experience." BR. W
8.4. Links
8.4.1. Tree of Contemplative practice
8.5. New Definition; "Spiritual practice is how the mystic approaches the inner self and relates to others, the world, nature, and the cosmos. Spiritual practice is the cutting edge of radical interior change and the basis for profound self-knowledge to emerge in our lives." Br. Wayne
8.6. "technology of inner change"; "devotions along are insufficient, must be contemplative;
8.7. The goal is the same: integration and transformation
9. Solidarity with all living beings
9.1. Interconnectiedness - essential fact - unity of reality, being, all seen & unseen, interdependence, validated through science
9.2. Inherent worth
9.3. Links
9.3.1. Wholeness & the Implicate Order - Bohm - Holograms - example
9.4. Questions
9.4.1. Q: Vegetarianism, pesticides, driving cars, using energy, ecocide,
9.4.2. Ecocide,
9.4.3. How do we apply the knowledge of interconnectedness daily? How is it seen in our lives? What implications does it have for our global society?
10. Humility
10.1. Links
10.1.1. Wikipedia
10.1.2. New node
10.1.3. New node
10.2. "Humility of heart is a great treasure because it keeps us honest, cutting away self-deception, falsehood, and inauthenticity." Br. Wayne
10.3. Define humility
10.4. Questions
10.4.1. New node
10.5. Honesty and self-truth, related to what is, rather than what seems to be Br. Wayne; egoless understanding, as opposed to false self's projections, foundation of the spiritual journey which must be grounded in the truth of ourselves.
10.6. "Humilty of heart is closely related to egolessness. Egolessness is to live out o fthe depths of the heart in a spirit of kindness, mercy, love, and compassion.... It is really love animating the person's motives, actions and ways of regarding others."
11. Deep Nonviolence
11.1. Traditional practices - ahimsa, wiccan rede, golden rule,
11.2. Examples - Gandhi, Jainism, King
11.3. Links
11.3.1. Wikipedia
11.3.2. Organizations
11.3.3. Nonviolence International
11.3.4. Center for Nonviolent Communication
11.3.5. Seville Statement on Violence
11.3.6. Universal Declaration on Nonviolence
11.4. Questions
11.4.1. How does this practice further our path to peace?
11.4.2. How do we resolve situations of harm? HOw do we respond when somone hurts us or those we love or other beings or the planet?
11.4.3. Are we stuck with violence? Is it innate to the human species? How do we change a violent behavior pattern?
11.4.4. What are barriers to nonviolence? ego, defensiveness, reactivity, external locus of control, unconscious stuff, habit, threat,