It’s widely accepted that the more we give, the more we receive.

That’s certainly been true for me.

Take my formative event as a mindfulness teacher:

After lunch, I'd been washing up the big pots in the soup kitchen on Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. We'd served hot soup to a hundred poor or homeless people. Many in ragged clothes, dirty, smelly. Some remarkably well dressed but needing the handout of free food nevertheless.

Then, as I left to return to my office, it happened.

I was inspired by a recent teaching by Tara Brach on mindful listening. A link to her 12-minute video is here and also below. I recommend it..

Here is what Tara inspired in me:

It has been said that "Hearing is through the ears, but listening is through the mind and heart.”

Even when we do pay attention, we often hear rather than listen.

Is there someone you have a hard time listening to? Perhaps a colleague, friend, or family member?

Have you developed strategies to avoid listening to this person, like doing the dishes while you hear, or going through your least essential emails?

When a person isn't listened to, they can become irritable and reactive.

One of the things badly missed in these times of pandemic is Human Touch.

No matter how much we get used to machines and technology, we as humans need human touch.

One of the most underrated yet influential human touches is ”A HUG”.

A good hug has the power to uplift our mood, cut down stress, reduce depression, and a lot more.

But the million-dollar question is, can we hug each other when social distancing has become the new normal?

The good news is: Yes, we can, but mindfully.

Still, there will be some degree of risk as long as the virus is around. Please consider your personal risks.

Perhaps it’s helpful to balance the risk against the emotional gain.

We’ll have a 15-20 minute meditation followed by sharing about mindfulness practice. 30 minutes in all. It’s free. It’s Fridays at noon. It’s on Zoom. It’s intended for people who have learned mindfulness but want some more practice. Taught by Donald Fleck and Michelle Morrison.

Are people self-centered if they think about themselves all the time? Is it being selfish?

Sigmund Freud, Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, introduced the idea of ego as a part of the self that regulates between the wild person that wants everything without delay (the id: libido, envy, desire) and the very restrictive self that says: don’t do anything terrible, you’ll get punished (the super-ego). For Freud, the ego was always trying to make peace between the two other forces.

Are you afraid of intrusive thoughts while meditating?

Do you often feel "I just can't concentrate, I'm no good, I can't do this." And that story often is unsaid, as it feels too imperfect to say out loud.

What if I, as a mindful teacher, say that having intrusive thoughts while trying to concentrate is normal and all right?

With social distancing we realize how much we need human touch.

A good hug can bring joy, especially in these times.

Sometimes this joy is greatly needed.

We need a way to have some contact, but more safely, because the virus is strong. So here’s a safer way to hug, mindfully.

Daylong mindfulness meditation retreat on Saturday, July 11. Learn mindfulness or just practice. In this time of Covid-19 and action for racial justice, join us to explore awareness of our deep interconnection. Taught by mindfulness experts Donald Fleck and Michelle Morrison. Suitable for beginners and advanced meditators. On Zoom worldwide. $10

How will we respond to the killing of George Floyd? We do not presume to know what actions are needed. We feel each person has that answer within themselves and that mindfulness can help clarify what is there already.