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We have been working diligently to provide increased support for practitioners living beyond the Monastery gate. Our largest endeavor has been the creation of the Reflective Listening Buddies program, launched in late August. This program pairs individuals over the phone once a week to practice Reflective Listening, a communication technique that assists presence and awareness during conversation. This provides people with two opportunities: to process current practice issues with a compassionate listener, and to practice being a compassionate listener within a safe, privileged environment. Already people are talking about the tremendous benefit this program has brought to their lives.
If you would like to participate in this program, please send an email to thezencenter@livingcompassion.org. The only requirement is that this be orchestrated through the Zen Monastery Peace Center. We ask people to use this idea only under the guidance of the Monastery, not on their own.
As another way of supporting practice in the world, we have created a structure for communication between the generous people facilitating sitting groups across the country. Once every six weeks the sitting group heads gather on a conference call to look at the challenges and opportunities arising from their work with sitting groups and to share their own practice with others carrying the same responsibility. The “far-flung Sangha” has never felt closer or more unified.
Our most recent ambition is to offer an internship program for short-term periods of intensified practice at the Monastery. We imagine a three-month curriculum that includes training in meditation, in the fundamental tools of awareness as we practice it, and in facilitation skills, with the support of groups with the monks and regular individual guidance. This idea is in its infancy as yet, and we will keep you informed as it develops.
We expect opportunities to practice to continue to grow over the next year, so stay tuned.
 Zambia is one of the twelve poorest countries in the world. Kantolomba compound is the poorest slum in Ndola, Zambia’s second largest City. Living Compassion is committed to the transformation of this four-squares kilometer home to 11,000 people (more than 3,000 of them children.)
The Bridge Walk, an annual fundraiser for the Africa work, was our most successful to date. By the end of the day the tally—including all donations that came in leading up to the Walk and given at the event itself—exceeded $75,000! There are monies yet to be counted and several far-flung fundraising events yet to happen. We are confident that when all is said and done, we will have met our goal to raise $100,000. Thank you and congratulations to all of us!
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, September 8, 2007, and join us in San Francisco for this fun and inspiring annual event.
Our six-months goals for Kantolomba:
- Continue growing our school and lunch program
- Provide mosquito nets
- Take the first steps to establish a Roving Medical Clinic
- Dig a well to provide pure, free water to the community
- Get the sewing cooperative solidly established
- Begin importing products from the local microbusinesses
- Establish a garbage collection program
Please check the website for updates on our work in
Kantolomba.
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Have Daily Peace Quotes delivered to your Inbox
To support our intention to practice and spread peace and compassion, Living Compassion emails Daily Peace Quotes to all who request to receive them. The quotes are short and are attributed to people from diverse cultures, spiritual traditions and views. These are quotes that are for peace, not against anything. Please join us:
http://peacequotes.livingcompassion.org |
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As attention resides with awareness and awareness holds
attention, peace is.—Cheri Huber
Living Compassion is committed to the work of “Transforming Lives, Ending Suffering.” There is nothing more important than the teaching and practicing of moment-by-moment awareness, compassion, and peace. That’s why we are telling the stories of peace, sharing practices of peace, and teaching peace in our online Virtual Peace Center. New additions are posted regularly. Make it a practice to visit it often! If you know of wonderful stories of peace and good news, please send them to peace@livingcompassion.org.
Our goal is to make these stories, teachings, and practices available in an International Center for Peace in Assisi, Italy. What better audience than the four million pilgrims from every corner of the world that visit this tiny place of peace every year? We are seeking three or four loans of $250,000 each so that we may purchase the building and begin. One offer has already been made. Do you know someone who would participate with us in this way?
Keep It Simple, Living Compassion’s mail-order business, is expanding its product line with sustainability in mind. You will soon find new products available, such as travel mugs and water bottles to minimize the amount of cardboard and plastic in the world; products from Africa that support micro-businesses in the slum of Kantolomba, Ndola, Zambia, that Living Compassion is working to transform; and microfleece jackets from recycled pop bottles. Our focus is toward environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
See the website for all your gift-giving needs. As an bonus, with every purchase we provide a complimentary Peace Quote screensaver for your computer with stunning photos from the Monastery and inspiring quotes.
Open Air Talk Radio with Cheri Huber is a weekly call-in talk show featuring Zen teacher Cheri Huber and hosted by Michael Gray. Open Air with Cheri Huber broadcasts at www.worldtalkradio.com on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:00 PM PST.
Join in on the conversation! The toll-free call-in number for the USA and Canada is 866-613-1612. For callers in other countries dial 001-858-268-3068.
http://openair.livingcompassion.org |
