Dharma Bum

It seems only yesterday I used to believe
there was nothing under my skin but light.
If you cut me I could shine.
But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,
I skin my knees. I bleed.
- Billy Collins

Pilgrim

Okinawa Soba, Pilgrim.

Undercover Anti-Bullying Teams Workshop - June 10th

Mike Williams the developer of the undercover anti-bullying teams concept is coming to California and will be giving a workshop in Riverside on Friday June 10th from 2pm to 6pm. The event will be held at the Unitarian Church Hall, Riverside, 3525 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92501.

You will learn how to effectively combat bullying in schools through setting up undercover anti-bullying teams. This tried and proven method works in elementary schools, middle schools & high schools. It uses peer groups to quickly transform bullying relationships without the need for punishments. The workshop will include practical information about establishing these teams, monitoring them and documenting success.

To register send name, phone, email & $40 to John Winslade, 1009 E. Pennsylvania Ave, Redlands, 92374.  

Dharma Bum Reader Profile - Fr. Jerome Cudden

Fr. Jerome Cudden is a Roman Catholic Priest in the Dominican Tradition.  Ordained in June of 2007, he is currently the associate pastor at St. Dominic Church in Los Angeles (Eagle Rock), CA.  www.saintdominics.org/index.cfm.

I have known Father Jerome over 16 years now. I knew Father Jerome when he wasn't yet a man of the cloth. We used to hang out at the Newman Center at Arizona State University pretty regularly for various reasons. Eventually he found himself wandering into a Mass, and the rest is history. God works in mysterious ways.

Over the years Father Jerome has been a regular guest at the Hoffhouse as he traveled around for his work. Now God, and the Dominicans, have moved him to Eagle Rock where I hope to be able to see him more regularly and attend a Mass or two in the coming months. DB is happy to have him as a regular reader. I'm sure he's praying for me after some of my posts!

 

Done

To all my friends graduating this month...

Sit

Tonight we kicked off the first sit of the re-start of HB Meditation/Ocean Eyes Zen. It being Mothers Day, a few people that wanted to come couldn't make it, but I was fortunate to have Susan, Samantha and Kai in attendance. Practicing in community makes such a difference, and they made it great. I look forward to catching up next week with those that weren't able to make it tonight. Please feel free to drop in on us anytime, just email me for details. Some pics..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meditation - This Sunday!

I wanted to post a reminder that this sunday is the re-start the sitting group that meets at my house at 5pm. I've already had a few RSVP's so it looks like we'll be off to a great start.

The format will be a little talk about meditation, a sort of "how to" for the beginners, and then a 20/25 minute meditation followed by conversation.

So if you have been looking to start a meditation practice, have heard about all the benefits of meditation and don't know how to get started, or have been looking for a community to practice with, please come join us and bring a friend. We have plenty of room. Shoot me an email for directions, etc.

We also have a Facebook page for more info. I hope to see you on May 8th!  Following is a few pics from the past group..

Awe

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Via

Trauma and Narrative Therapy -- Michael White

It seems that Dulwich Centre is starting to move forward with some great looking social media efforts. Via the new e-zine they have made available this hour and half video of Michael White doing a workshop on trauma and narrative therapy.

Jack Saul, the Director of the International Trauma Studies Program (ITSP), has recently made available a video-recording of Michael White teaching in New York in April 2007. We were honoured to host Michael White in the Spring of 2007 for a two-day workshop on Trauma and Narrative Therapy, and in collaboration with the Michael White Archive are in the process of putting video selections on the web.

Explorations: An E-Journal of Narrative Practice

I received notice today that the latest edition of Explorations: An E-Journal of Narrative Practice is now available.

Check it out at this URL:

http://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/e-journal.html

Some features to note are that it includes a book review from A CSUSB student, Felipe Barba, and another review from Dr. Lorraine Hedtke. There is also a new E-Zine section with a series of video links and other materials.

It is also my understanding that the E-Journal is open to works in progress so if you have some writing you want to float by John Winslade, go for it.

To Hold

So we're dust. In the meantime, my wife and I
make the bed. Holding opposite edges of the sheet,
we raise it, billowing, then pull it tight,
measuring by eye as it falls into alignment
between us. We tug, fold, tuck. And if I'm lucky,
she'll remember a recent dream and tell me.

One day we'll lie down and not get up.
One day, all we guard will be surrendered.

Until then, we'll go on learning to recognize
what we love, and what it takes
to tend what isn't for our having.
So often, fear has led me
to abandon what I know I must relinquish
in time. But for the moment,
I'll listen to her dream
and she to mine, our mutual hearing calling
more and more detail into the light
of a joint and fragile keeping.
- Li-Young Lee

I'm a million different people from one day to the next

Awake.

Awake. Hello anxiety and fear. I know how to wash you away.

 

Sent from my iPhone

Death Snips Proud Men

by Carl Sandburg

Death is stronger than all the governments because the governments are men and men die and then death laughs: Now you see ’em, now you don’t.

Death is stronger than all proud men and so death snips proud men on the nose, throws a pair of dice and says: Read ’em and weep.

Death sends a radiogram every day: When I want you I’ll drop in—and then one day he comes with a master-key and lets himself in and says: We’ll go now.

Death is a nurse mother with big arms: ’Twon’t hurt you at all; it’s your time now; you just need a long sleep, child; what have you had anyhow better than sleep?

Community

Some of the discussion in today's PoMo Conversation reminded me of this quote. Great conversations today.

The idea of community is without doubt the liberal equivalent of the conservative notion of “family values”— neither exists in contemporary culture, and both are grounded in political fantasy. - Critical Art Ensemble

 

It is obvious that many women have appropriated feminism to serve their own ends, especially those white women who have been at the forefront of the movement; but rather than resigning myself to this appropriation I choose to re-appropriate the term “feminism,” to focus on the fact that to be “feminist” in any authentic sense of the term is to want for all people, female and male, liberation from sexist role patterns, domination, and oppression. - bell hooks