Love Your Enemies
June 29 - 30 ,2024 |
Robert Thurman & Sharon Salzberg
In this workshop, through discourse, discussion and meditation practice, we will reflect on how we view love. Love often isn’t seen as a power but as a terrible weakness. Love may be associated with giving in, being subservient, or having no boundaries. But when we investigate the energy of love, it has a real strength to it. Lovingkindness isn’t about forcing ourselves to feel a certain way or pretend everything is just fine. Rather, when we can recognize that our lives have something to do with one another, we realize we live in an interconnected world. That there is a “we-ness” underneath all the self and other and us and them we experience. Because that is an essential truth of life, that stance has power…the power of being fueled by the truth. It’s time for more “ussies” and fewer selfies.
We will also reflect on the nature of an enemy…outer, inner, secret, and most secret enemies that appear in our lives, that we need to come to terms with and develop a relationship with that doesn’t disempower us or leave us feeling overwhelmed or depleted. From that place we can take steps away from the rigid, prevailing "Us-versus-Them" animosity, embrace intensified interconnection and celebrate diversity. We can transcend the notion that rejecting enmity implies weakness, and seek creative solutions to conflicts. With a different vision of belonging, we won’t be so lonely anymore. Together, we can pave the way for a global shift towards a more compassionate and united world.
Can't attend the live sessions? Re-Plays are Provided!
Robert A.F. Thurman
Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as Co-Founder and President of Tibet House US | Menla in service of HH Dalai Lama & the people of Tibet.
A close friend of the Dalai Lama’s for over 50 years, he is a leading lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, activist, translator of Buddhist texts, and writer of popular Buddhist books. His most recent book is Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Freindly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life
In partnership with Nena Thurman, he now focuses on making Tibet House US and its Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa a global center for the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhist healing arts and sciences of body, mind, and spirit, dedicated as a complement to the work of its patron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
To learn more: www.bobthurman.com.
Sharon Salzberg
Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher and New York Times bestselling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974.
She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA and the author of ten books including NY Times bestseller, Real Happiness, her seminal work, Loving Kindness and her most release by Flatiron Books, Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection.
Renowned for her down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and hosts the podcast: The Metta Hour.
To learn more about Sharon visit: www.sharonsalzberg.com
