Spirit Rock recently activated the solar array that has been installed over the last several year. With the 350 panels, the retreat center will be generating more than enough power to run the center– from the sun! I am happy to be part of an institution that pays attention to renewable energy and our impact on the earth.
May 2014 A specific application of mindfulness that will help us all is in the area of walking and the area of driving. There has been an increase in pedestrian accidents and deaths in many cities. Our constant connection to our phones and checking emails and texts while driving and crossing the street might be a contributor. Another cause could be our impatience and stress while driving. Either way please pay attention in these circumstance, for your own benefit and the benefit of other forms of life!
Aug 2011 I’ve spent some time this summer clearing out some old boxes of letters from the days in which, well, people actually wrote long handwritten letters! It gave me some appreciation for the time it took to write them, the patience for the letter to arrive, and then the waiting for a response. Technology is great (enables this web communication to take place with people all over the world!) but there is something to be said for taking more time with people, in person or in writing than the speed of email, texting, ot tweeting inclines us towards. So here’s to giving each other full and deep attention in friendships and relationships, whether in conversation or in written correspondence…..try it and see what happens! Here’s a talk I gave on Dharma and Technology.