Message from our Wise Communication guide Mary Wade:
Dear Friends,
Hello, and how are you faring? Many of us are missing our people---friends, family, the Mountain Stream sangha, coworkers. Some of us may be facing difficulties with health, work or other upsets…things we can’t change.
If useful to you, you’re welcome to email me (mwade@gmail.com) with your thoughts/questions on practicing kind and wise communication in these challenging circumstances. Here are kindness-inspired wishes (metta), for this time:
o May we offer one another support, in whatever ways we can. May we all receive the goodness of intending to be wiser and kinder with ourselves and others.
o May we find renewed connection with dear ones (even if this needs to happen on facetime/zoom, by phone, or by card or letter).
o May we find time to be in the calm beauty of nature, awakening to spring.
o May we see how the world changes when all human beings become quieter, when people must “shelter-in-place.” May we find deeper understanding of what “taking refuge” truly means.
I miss you all and feel the absence of our Wise Communication meetings. Hopefully we’ll gather in person in May or June. Mountain Stream and I agreed to postpone our April 16th meeting (meeting virtually wasn’t an option, this time). Please continue to check Mountain Stream’s website, mtstream.org. See the calendar on the program page for updated information.
A brief meditation on “appreciative joy” is attached to this email. “Mudita” is one of the 4 heart qualities, also called the “4 immeasurables.” We had planned to explore “appreciative joy” together this Thursday. You can also find some suggested practice resources. May these help sustain you.
I and Mountain Stream’s program team welcome hearing from you about what could work for you for our future meetings (format, dates, etc). If you have ideas to share with the program team, please email me soon. Because folks are often away during summer, we hadn’t plan to hold meetings then. But with changed circumstances, we may want to meet at least once this summer… if and when in-person meeting becomes possible.
With heart-felt wishes for your well-being,
- Mary
Mary Wade
Guide, Wise Communication group
Mountain Stream Meditation
mwade25@gmail.com