How do we experience joy when it feels like the world is crashing all around us?

Being human isn't easy. We are subject to illness, loss, pain and death. And we are living at a time of unusual complexity, with problems that threaten our survival as a species. How do we hold joy in the midst of that? Should we?

In popular culture, Buddhism's investigation of suffering can be misunderstood as discouraging or excluding joy. Actually, Buddhism supports developing a relationship to both joy and suffering that allows one to hold these two intense and fundamental aspects of life with equanimity and wisdom.

In this day of silent sitting, walking, metta (lovingkindness) practice and relational practice in dyads and groups, we will be exploring our capacity to hold our pain and joy so that we can increase our resiliency and vibrancy in the midst of engaging with our world. Because one of the challenges is that we feel separate and alone one of the focuses of the day will be to explore expanding our ability to receive and offer Metta as a way to deepen our experience of interdependence. No prior meditation experience necessary. All are welcome.

Please bring your own lunch + outdoor wear for walking outside, weather permitting. Meditation cushions and chairs are provided.

This event will be held at Good Medicine Collective and is co-hosted with Open Door Meditation Community.

Phoenix Soleil is an artist and trainer and meditation teacher committed to creating more compassion and redemption in our society. She has many years of formal meditation practice on retreat, where she focuses on cultivating self-awareness and compassion for all beings. In her work, she uses Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a form of compassionate communication that supports us to attuning to our feelings and values. Whenever possible she invokes her background in conscious dance, Laughter Yoga, acting, and the expressive arts to build healthy, authentic, joyful, and engaged communities of all ages.