When The Universe Responds Posted by Helen Kimura, Jun 26 2019 A little over 2 weeks ago, on a very nice and warm Sunday, my daughter, her friend, and I decided to go to the beach. It was also the day before their 8th grade graduation. Beaches were crowded that day, so it took us a while to find parking and eventually a tiny beach below a rocky cliff to spend our afternoon. Soon after setting down our things, the girls went into the water to play. I began spreading out my space on the beach, hoping to relax and meditate. But I quickly noticed the 2 couples to my left, caucasians with beer in their hands and tattoos on their arms, talking and laughing. I watched my mind as it judged them and began to feel annoyed. A series of other random negative thoughts about them followed. I was about to close my eyes and meditate on this....Then, this happened: About ... Read Full Story

Building Bridges: One-Day Retreat In London Posted by Trishna Shah, Jun 26 2019 Nipun and Jin-Wei's latest visit to London last week offered us yet another wonderful opportunity to come together for a One-Day Retreat, where we collectively explored the theme Building Bridges in Times of Disconnection. Around 55 changemakers came together at our home in Pimlico from places near and far including Paris, Vienna, Australia, India, Brighton, Hertfordshire, Chippenham and all over London, to plant seeds of goodness in our hearts and co-create a more kind, compassionate and generous world by being the change we wish to see. This was the first of several gatherings planned for Nipun and Jin-Wei's visit and seeded many beautiful ripples over the course of the day. "Understanding is the bridge between two minds; love is the bridge between two souls." -- Matshona Dhliwayo Building Bridges with Love Jane and Kelly welcomed everyone into the space with their warm hugs and heart garlands as we circled up for 30 minutes ... Read Full Story

Awakin Harrow, With Nipun Mehta & Gandhi's Grandson! Posted by Mita Shah, Jun 25 2019 Among the flurry of events during the last weekend in London, we held an Awakin Circle with Nipun in Harrow: And at the very last minute, we learned of an additional guest that was joining us -- Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Gandhi! We feel blessed to have been part of this very special evening -- with friends like monk Jin Wei from California, Kai Sawyer from Japan, Krish Raval OBE from our local community and host of other inspirations. Nipun anchored the evening around the message of: ‘It’s not what we do but who we become from what we do and what are we seeking through that becoming process. The size of what we all do doesn’t matter because we are all instruments of the same grace.’ We are sure yesterdays grace has inspired us to reflect and connect deeper into life and the evolutionary process of becoming. May we continue to ... Read Full Story

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: Kindness Posted by Ameeta Martin, Jun 25 2019 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: Kindness Disrupts. Performing daily random kind acts can disrupt our lives and businesses positively through human engagement. A KindSpringer (who also happens to be a CEO) below writes that "in today's zero-sum-game mentality, where somebody wins and somebody loses, kindness acts remind me that there can be another way, even in business. With kindness, everyone profits!" - Ameeta

The Heart Is The True Kabba Posted by Trupti Pandya, Jun 22 2019 During our last visit to Brahma Vidhya mandir, Pavnar, I remember having a conversation with Usha Tai around ego and relationships. To expand on the idea, she shared about one of the practices that they follow in the ashram, Sarvanumati i.e., consent of all. This meant that from the smallest to bigger decisions, all were made only after everyone in the ashram comes to the consensus. There are thirty of them living in the ashram for many years practising the same principle. She explained further with an example, saying, “If I want to conduct a workshop at the ashram, the proposal will be put across everyone in a meeting. If everyone agrees to it, I will go ahead. But if even one person is not willing to have that workshop, the event will be kept on standby. Unlike the majority, where 51% wins against 49%, which happens in a democracy. 49% ... Read Full Story

Strangers Stopping Strangers Posted by Randall Amster, Jun 21 2019 So this is a true story, improbable as it may seem (the best ones are always like that!). I wish I could make up things this inspirational... A couple of years ago I was driving across the Arizona desert on I-40, heading from the central highlands to Las Vegas to catch a flight back east. I'd driven this stretch many times before (having lived in the desert for almost 20 years), but a few years on the east coast must have dulled my desert survival instincts, which became apparent on this journey. The landscape I was traversing is beautiful and foreboding all at once; it draws you in, even as it casts you out. I suppose this sense of being lulled in might explain how I made the critical mistake of gambling on a rental car dashboard gauge and running out of gas in the middle of nowhere (literally, there's a town ... Read Full Story

She Was No Other, But My Sister Posted by Avni V, Jun 20 2019 [Last weekend's retreat on Being with the Other, needless to say, was such a sacred way to spend time together with so many beautiful souls. One of my highlights was reconnecting with this formative experience I had shared in the circle! Thank you, all, for holding space.] Being with the Other brings up an old story. 12 years ago, during my first few years in DC, I was at a party, and had met an African American man, and after a sweet conversation, we had decided to stay in touch. As many of us prepared to left there was a fight outside over a *parking spot*! I had to run back in to grab my coat which I had left upstairs. As we heard the shots and the commotion, many of us stayed inside to try to stay safe and calm, but the voices inside didn't find refuge so easily. Things somehow quickly escalated ... Read Full Story

Two Personal Experiments Posted by David Bullón, Jun 20 2019 As we gear up for an upcoming Laddership Circle, I was reflecting on some of my experiences when I participated in a circle few years ago. One of the biggest learnings was how the circle challenged me to engage personal values-driven experiments in my life. I used to walk to work. One week, our circle was invited to notice things that you don't normally notice. As I was walking to work, I saw an elderly woman who was walking with her walking stick. She was a little stuck on a step in one part of the sidewalk, unable to move forward. I noticed this, and there automatically arose in me a desire to help her with the step. So I went and helped her up the step, which turned into helping her walk across the street, and then into helping her walk to the hospital. Then I realized, why is this woman walking ... Read Full Story

My Bodhi Trees: Jacaranda In Bloom Posted by Jyoti , Jun 20 2019 At the Santa Clara Awakin Circle this week, a new-comer sat in front of me and in his share mentioned the awe he experienced at the purple blooms on trees around the Bay Area. It was as if he had read what was on my mind as all through the week, I too had been attracted to these Jacaranda trees. Everywhere I went, amongst all the green trees, there would be a shock of purple bursting forth, showing off its majestic and unique, if short lived, beauty. I had actually stopped more than once simply to get a closer look and enjoy the exuberant displays. In the presence of these magnificent trees, I could clearly hear my inner voice declaring, this was my Bodhi Tree. I could see myself happily sitting under it, endlessly, until I was enlightened to my Buddha nature. What would it take for me to offer up my gifts to the world with the same enthusiastic and uninhibited presence?

HeArt Circle: Looking Nature As A Mirror Posted by Trupti Pandya, Jun 19 2019 This Sunday, many of us got together for our first HeArt circle after a break of five months at an open garden to experience some time with nature which was this month's theme. The silent hour was accompanied by a few peacock singing and some jogging footsteps passing by our side. Siddharth shared, after silence, when it was art time, the first thing he searched for was a quiet place to be by himself and picked up crayons to get into a child-like mode. While thinking about nature, he later shared that the very first thought that came to him was that it is always present. Immediately the all-seeing eye came to his mind, which he made at the center. From his recent 10-day meditation retreat, he remembered that nature is nothing but earth, water, air, fire, and space and how universal and interconnected they are within and without. The four ... Read Full Story

Being With The Other; Moving Towards Wholeness Posted by Mia Tagano, Jun 19 2019 I love this quote by Rumi – “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there is a field. I'll meet you there” --- I am always interested in places of commonality. When I was asked to attend the “Hands Head Heart” retreat in Banyan Grove recently on “Being with the Other” – I thought, is “other” the right side or the wrong? And, how does the field in between hold the “others?” Is it a mutually agreed up space? Is it one that is built over time as in a bridge? I am not sure but I am interested in the questions and especially happy to be invited to this particular exploration. Saying YES to the invite was an easy decision. Of course truth be told, I am pretty much unable to say NO to any requests of Audrey, Nipun or any of his family for that matter. When someone ... Read Full Story

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: The Good Posted by Ameeta Martin, Jun 19 2019 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: The Good Samaritans. How do you define a good Samaritan? Are we mostly generous only when it is convenient for us? Most opportunities to respond with gentleness and kindness come out of nowhere and often happen, quite unexpectedly. The stories featured this week of strangers stepping in to be good Samaritans when the need arises, invite us to push our boundaries and deepen our own practices of kindness. -Guri

Buy Them A Pie! :) Posted by Dal Miranda, Jun 17 2019 [I'm so grateful for the weekend retreat at Banyan Grove, on "Being with the Other". I came home and mounted my retreat name tag next to my "Welcome Home" sign. Every morning, I can look in the mirror and say welcome home to myself. Below was my share at the retreat, in case some of you might be able to relate to it as well.] When I was first thought, "Oh, how do I create the 'other' in my life?" I wasn't sure. But then as I'm sitting here, I realized how much I other myself. And then, I thought how much other people make me feel othered. I'm biracial. My mother is Caucasian, my father is Filipino and because of their divorce, I was raised by my mother. When I was sixth grade, at a parent-teacher meeting, I remember my teacher telling me, "That can't be your mother. She's white." I ... Read Full Story

All Power To The Imagination... Posted by Randall Amster, Jun 17 2019 A few weeks ago, I found this old wheelbarrow abandoned and headed for the landfill, so I brought it home to see if it could find a second life. My 5-year-old daughter and I wound up rehabbing it in the garage with random spare parts, and now it proudly lives next to our chicken coop. It even wheels, and sometimes helps with light work around the yard. Someone recently asked how we fixed it, and before I could answer them my daughter said, "I know! We fixed it with ... imagination!" Which, even after 20 years of teaching college classes, is pretty much the best response I've ever heard to an end-of-semester question... I guess this feels like it should be a metaphor for something larger (feel free to fill in what that might be), but the real story is just that it works!

Nuggets From Sunita Puri's Call Posted by Rish Sanghvi, Jun 15 2019 Last Saturday, we had the privilege of hosting Awakin Call with Sunita Puri. Sunita Puri, M.D., is a palliative care physician and writer. She writes about what she has learned while working and practicing medicine “in the borderlands between life and death.” Dr. Puri stands in the tension between medicine’s impulse to preserve life at all costs and a spiritual embrace of life’s temporality. Her memoir, with stories of patients and families, has been called "a stunning meditation on impermanence and the role of medicine in helping us to live and die well, arming readers with information that will transform how we communicate with our doctors about what matters most to us." Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, and she has appeared on PBS. A Yale College, Oxford University, and UCSF Medical School graduate, Dr. Puri was born ... Read Full Story

Remodeling My Inner Home @ Banyan Grove! Posted by Tessa Urbanovich, Jun 14 2019 I arrived at Banyan Grove for the 2019 Animal Activist Meditation Retreat with a few expectations. I knew that for about six days, I would be physically quiet (the most physically quiet I had ever been in my life!). I knew that I would sit down and try to focus on my breath for many minutes every day, and that I would probably experience withdrawal symptoms from mindlessly clicking around on my phone. I also knew that there was a possibility that this retreat could wring out some of the stress and anxiety hanging out in my heart and brain. I was right about a couple of these things. Definitely, I was right about being challenged by the silence. Personally, I identify as a “connector” (euphemistic for “compulsive talker” 😉), and I feared what would happen in my brain if I didn’t tell people what I liked about them, express all ... Read Full Story

When The Kind Souls Go Posted by Bradley Stoll, Jun 13 2019 I watched this short video at a museum here in San Jose, Costa Rica. This was spoken with peace and clarity at the end: When the kind souls go. From the Earth we are. From the Earth we come. And to the Earth we will return​. When I heard it I immediately thought of many of you. On how we belong to the Earth...the Earth doesn't belong to us. The Indigenous people of Costa Rica seem to understand this better than most others. Maybe it's that way throughout the world. I'm still learning.

Zilong Coming To Town! Posted by Diana Chen, Jun 13 2019 [I thought all of you might enjoy this post on Instagram. :)] Meet After Mindfulness Urban Retreat Speaker Zilong Wang. Zilong grew up in China, studied in Germany, and attended Hampshire College in USA, where his self-designed major was “Logic of Capital vs. Logic of Nature: Understanding Marx and Darwin”. After graduation, he bicycled solo for over 5,000 kilometers across USA, listening to "Moby Dick, Quran, and Bible" during the day, and knocking on strangers’ doors to stay for the night. â € â € After working for two years at a leading consulting firm focused on environmental sustainability, he answered the calling to go on a bicycling pilgrimage around the world for inner cultivation and for the ecological and spiritual awakening of our time. He ended up cycling for over 10,000 kilometers through a dozen countries, visiting spiritual centers and intentional communities, while keeping up daily Vipassana meditation and practicing small acts of service. More recently, ... Read Full Story

KindSpring Weekly: Spotlight On Kindness: End Of A Posted by Ameeta Martin, Jun 11 2019 Latest issue of 'KindSpring Weekly' newsletter is themed Spotlight On Kindness: End Of A Tunnel. Life is not always easy. Sometimes that glimmer of light in a long tunnel seems really far away, and it's hard to imagine being able to come out on the other side. Especially during those rough patches, a kind word, a small act, or loving support can go a long way. It serves as a match to ignite the indomitable will present in all of us, to push through, to see beyond the current situation. -Guri

Losing By One Goal... And Winning Posted by Vishesh Gupta, Jun 11 2019 Recently read this insightful reflection from high schooler, Arnav, in response to the question, "What is one of your core values?" One core value of mine is integrity and ethics. [...] I learned this value throughout the various experiences I have had throughout my life at school, playing sports, and in other competitions. I have been faced with countless opportunities where I could have cheated or bent the rules for my personal gain. However, I have never taken them, and I feel like those experiences have helped me grow. Time and time again have I seen students cheat on tests and even steal tests early so they can get A’s. I realized that that is completely wrong and at the end of the day, does not help anyone. They don’t learn the concepts correctly and end up failing the next tests, and in competition they do not feel the true ... Read Full Story