Workshop Details

Every thought affects the world around us. In the thirteenth century, Zen Master Dogen wrote about this using the metaphor of water: "Some see water as the seven treasures or a wish-granting jewel; some see water as a forest or a wall." In what we choose to see and how we frame it, we create the world around us. By choosing to focus on mindful awareness, we can respond to stimuli rather than react, and thus develop resiliency and create positive outcomes. This is tangible; it begins with ordinary people and their own mindfulness practice, through which we return to our original luminous awareness, like clear water. This course combines Zen practice with creative approaches that support mind/body health to discover inner resources and create positive outcomes in everyday life. Activities include Zen practice, kido (chanting meditation), and personal journey work. Using techniques from Riz Virk's book, Zen Entrepreneurship, we will explore how to bring the creative process into the flow of work, through leadership that is aligned with the rhythms of life. We will also use group journeys, sacred ceremony, and metta meditation to harness the power of group consciousness for the purposes of personal and societal transformation.
Recommended reading: Padma, Zen Practices for Transformative Times; Chodron, Comfortable with Uncertainty.