​"Spirituality I take to be concerned with those qualities of the human spirit—such as love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of harmony—which brings happiness to both self and others. While ritual and prayer, along with the questions of nirvana and salvation, are directly connected to religious faith, these inner qualities need not be, however. There is no reason why the individual should not develop them, even to a highest degree, without recourse to any religious or metaphysical belief system. This is why I sometimes say that religion is something we can perhaps do without. What we cannot do without are these basic spiritual qualities."  The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Ethics for the New Millennium 

​



​For those of you who noticed, I haven't gotten back to my 3-part series around toxic spiritual teachers and programs, being safe out there, and my personal experience of leaving a recent Kripalu yoga teacher training.  I found myself deeply impacted by what happened. I since did some in depth research while holding conversations with others around toxic teachers,  unsafe programs, and what it means to be a teacher or leader.

What do we do when a teacher, such as Chogyam Trungpa (and then his son, Mipham’s) sell a powerful spiritual program, and  "is recognized for playing a pivotal role in the transmission of genuine Buddhadharma to the West," do not live by what they teach? In fact they abuse students and their role as teacher. I do explore this in my next blog since there are too many examples of yoga teachers, and other spiritual and self-help teachers who lived in significant contrast to what they claim to be teaching. 

​Because my latest book, The Clue of the Red Thread delivers a clear message on the importance of the inner journey for those in leadership roles, I found myself deeply saddened by a promotion of inner work at Kripalu with what I considered a serious lack of attention to honest conversations and shadow work. There are an overwhelming amount of yoga teachers and other spiritual teachers that not only do not walk their talk, they abuse their roles.  And there is a sickness of silence that is encouraged in certain programs because they don't believe they can sell their product (yoga classes or spiritual development) if they own their shadow (past and present).

"Pema Chödrön responded by stepping down from her clergy position. In a letter posted to the group’s news service in January, Chödrön said that she was 'disheartened' by Mipham’s (Chogyam Trumpa's son) announced return. She had expected him to show compassion toward the survivors of his abuse, she wrote, and to do “some deep inner work on himself.” But it was the support from the board, she added, that distressed her more. 'How can we return to business as usual?' she wrote. 'I find it discouraging that the bravery of those who had the courage to speak out does not seem to be effecting more significant change in the path forward.'   from,  Survivors of an International Buddhist Cult Share Their Stories: An investigation into decades of abuse at Shambhala International  By Matthew Remski , September 28th, 2020
​
The research and conversations I have had over the past few months will show up in (I hope my next) blog (now enough material for a small book); I just haven't felt ready to share.  Part of my reluctance is that we are all dealing with so much difficulty and suffering with our climate crisis, the PANDEMIC, divisive politics, racial injustices, hate crimes, gerrymandering and voter suppression, and the very present-day threat to women's rights.  (I will say here that because we have all these difficulties, teachers and leaders should be held to to the highest accountability and integrity). 

So in the meantime . . .  know that there are remarkable souls who are showing up and offering true paths, who are breaking the silences and speaking out to power (be it to a board of a spiritual center or to the local legislators) and who are doing their own inner work. Who recognize that there is always shadow work to be done.  Always. 

In the meantime know that there are new species being discovered, that there are farmers farming, that there are immigrant stories to celebrate, that generosity comes in many diverse packages, that there are many simple ways to connect, benefit others and add to the beauty of this shared world.  

In the meantime, take care my dear friend.  And let me know what you are up to so that I can share that in my next blog (2 of 3!) in our Community Conversation section.

You Know When It's Time to Go

You know
when it’s time to go:

that involuntary
sense
of hesitation
discovered
inside
what only looks
like your
own body,

a hesitation
like a movement
in itself.

Your reluctance
to hear
the call
as much
an invitation
as if
a door
had opened

in the broad
heavens
and called
you through.

Your unwillingness
to hear the
birdsong
another kind
of listening,

and
the complete
inability
to speak

such a clear
and articulate
understanding
of what you
want.

Even in the midst
of thinking
you’ll
never be ready

even when
you feel
you have never
deserved
that freedom
to go

even under
the comforting
illusion
that you
never had
a single speck
of faith
in what you want

you have
already packed,
your silent
reluctance away
lifted your ear
to the morning
birdsong

and before
anyone
can wake

you are
out the door,
down the road
round the corner
and on your way.

​–From David's forthcoming book of poetry, Still Possible. To be published in winter 2021. © David Whyte and Many Rivers Press

BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR LIFE (rather than the effect) on line class.  Click HERE for more information. 

“Don’t mistake my finger for the moon.”  The Buddha
 
Buddhism offers a myriad of formulas, teachings, practices, sutras, and meditations. Three major Buddhist texts (like bibles), with their own countless sutras and teachings. Most are multi-layered and complex. Many emphasize awakening to your True Nature; all rely on practicing kindness toward oneself and others. My personal practice, found in the Mahayana tradition, is the Lo jong teachings, which is translated into 59! pithy slogans. And this is just in Buddhism, then there’s all the other religions, spiritual practices, yogic traditions, psychological and transformational programs, healing therapies and self-help formulas. There are even books and classes on how to be an atheist.  
 
Each approach worked for at least one person.   

“Don’t mistake my finger for the moon;”  don’t mistake the teachings or formulas for direct experience. 
 
Don’t practice meditation to wake up; wake up to the practice of meditation. 
 
Don’t write to prove something; write to explore, discover and express yourself. Write to share yourself. Don’t force a scene or try to make something happen. Let the mystery unfold as you write. (You have nothing to prove and everything to share).
 
Don’t try to write like someone else or follow someone else’s “sure” technique of success.
 
My main message to writers is this: let the writing prompts or teachings take you where they will. Open to your own personal experience and knowledge. Your own ideas.  Your moon. Trust your personal experience above all else. 
 
With teachers (from the Buddha to William Strunk jr.,) notice what they have to say and what resonates with you, let the rest go. Don’t mistake their finger for The Way.  Be brave. Fumble and discover as you go.  There really is no there to get to anyway. Yes, you will complete a poem or book, but that is in no way the Nirvana or finish line of one’s writing life. And the poem or book is just a pointing finger for someone else to go find their own moon; their own experience.
 
I walked at sunset last night. The sky a brilliant orange messenger, a reminder that the moon the Buddha pointed to is right here in this sky. 
 
That moon is in my heart.
 
And in yours. 
 
Write about that.
 
As a writer you are a Buddha pointing.  Your words are pointing to something for you and your readers.   What are you pointing at?  Write about that. ​

FREE  Writing RETREAT: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10th
I am offering a Free Virtual Retreat.  We start with an hour LIVE talk on The Truth About Lies:  Writing Fiction that sends a Message.  9:00 am . I will give several writing prompts for the day.  This will be just for my writing tribe, you, and we will follow with a half day (optional) retreat! Then we will meet up for another hour at the end of day to share in a closing circle. You in?   Simply RSVP to me.  I will be at Stewart Lake pavilion from Noon to 3:00, come visit and write! Meet up in a closing circle at 4:00 via ZOOM. 

A monthly EMBODIED Writing & Living Series
1st Wednesday of each month, 6:30 to 8:15 CST.  Live. An evening of writing prompts with a transformational theme, meditation and breathwork, with simple body awareness practices.  Starts Wednesday NOVEMBER  3rd (Please contact me to get on list). Donations welcome but not necessary. (6 month series).
 

​FREE webinars through Oregon Public Library: Writing Your Story series.  A popular webinar/U-tube on Embodied Writing:  Click HERE. 

My Write-by-the-LIGHT class & workshop in October is full, so sign up for this month-long class in MARCH