Join us for a monthly gathering of the Namchak sangha.
This month’s Learning Circle gathering: Tuesday, November 23rd
6pm-7:30pm MST (click HERE to view in your time zone)
November’s Theme – Seeing Clearly. As our awareness of our interconnectedness expands, so too does our sense of belonging in the world. This month, through exercises focused on our individual and shared stories, we explore how we can open our hearts to experience an expansive sense of love and true connection. We’ll look at the four “immeasurable” qualities of Compassion, Loving-kindness, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity.
Each month, in this peer-led gathering, we will come together as a community to meditate, share, and connect around our practice. This gathering closely follows our Learning Circle model including individual sharing and check-ins, small discussion in break-out rooms, full group discussions and group practice. We often include a group activity such as watching a video or reading an article together. The culture of this event encourages active participation, but participants always have the right to pass.
We will share the monthly theme, resources, and discussion questions with our community ahead of time. We invite you to submit ideas for monthly themes and discussions that you would like to explore as well!
Our Community Agreements
In order to co-create a brave, inclusive, anti-oppressive and learning-centered space, in our community we each agree to:
- Be inclusive of diverse opinions and backgrounds through treating each other with respect and appreciation.
- Commit to words and actions of non-harm within our group interactions.
- Learn by immersing in these practices and giving them a real test drive.
- Hold personal sharing in confidence.
- Be present, practice mindful listening, and do not offer unsolicited advice.
- Allow for equal sharing of voices as well as the right to pass.
- Take care not to speak for others in the group.
- Assume good intent and come from a place of curiosity and care.
- Come as we are with permission to be “raggedy.” Perfection is not expected although personal responsibility always is.
- Be mindful of and take personal responsibility for our own biases including the use of language that may “other,” “cancel,” or dehumanize any person, groups of people, and/or their experiences.
- Use the “Ouch/Oops” tool to address hurtful comments and language in the moment and to allow space for repair. *
We aspire for this sangha to be a place of refuge.
*Ouch/Oops . This is a tool for addressing hurtful comments/language in the moment. If someone says something hurtful, anyone can bring attention to it in the moment by saying “Ouch” and then explaining what was hurtful. If it is a word choice issue, be sure to give the first speaker the chance to rephrase and try again (remember, it’s okay to be raggedy, and we are all assuming good intent!) When someone says something that comes out wrong or hurts someone else, they should start with “Oops” – first, acknowledge the impact of their words, and then try again. This can also be done outside of the event if someone feels an “Ouch,” but does not feel comfortable sharing it with the group at that time.