PAUSE ON PURPOSE: Compassion

Join us for this exciting launch of PAUSE ON PURPOSE, a three part lunch break series that will focus on insights from spiritual teachers across the globe and across tradition.

This won't be your typical book club dialogue but will be a 30minute focused gathering covering a specific theme/area of spiritual development. Attendees should come if they want to grow in a deeper level of awareness and connection, learning tools to practice their values in action and cultivate more inner peace.

Our first focus area is Compassion and we will be pulling from the book Step by Step by Maha Ghosananda -- a Khmer Buddisht monk whom I had the pleasure of being introduced to while working in Cambodia with Asian peace builders across the region. This is a short and sweet book of his Meditations on Wisdom and Compassion. While he comes from a Buddhist background, the insights shared can be applied to all and we invite you, regardless of religious orientation (or no religious orientation), to join us!

Please note that this Meetup will take place VIRTUALLY. It will begin promptly at 12:05pm and last for 30 minutes so that anyone can attend during their lunch break while still having time to handle any other personal tasks before getting back to the office.

Knowing how much stress and anxiety is often created from peoples work environments, our hope in creating this series is that it be a quick yet powerful time of reorientation during your day -- surrendering negativity and overwhelm to be transformed into inner peace and clarity. Spirituality is a key part of all of our lives and our larger development -- whether you believe in God, Buddha, Allah, Mother Nature or Social Justice, we believe that in order to thrive we must see ourselves connected to something bigger than just ourselves. This series is not intended to preach or train in any one tradition but to offer lessons learned from elders who have cultivated great inner strength and resilience.

As 30minutes will go by quickly we ask that you please be on time. If you haven't read the book it is not a problem as we will focus on the larger theme, using the book simply as support in exploring the theme. Expect us to begin with intros to get to know one another, then move to a brief "teaching" on the theme. The rest of the time will be a mixture of reflection questions, group discussion, paired sharing and activities for you to apply the learnings to your life and practice the skills.

Warmly,
Akwese

JOIN THIS VIRTUAL EVENT:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/643322203

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WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Online PDF: Im not sure this is the full book but its a good chunk of it. https://www.buddhaland.de/attachment/2778-step-by-step-pdf/

ABOUT

Step by Step offers an invaluable collection of meditations on wisdom and compassion. These are drawn from author Maha Ghosananda's experience as a meditation master and international peacemaker.

Maha Ghosananda has been called the “Gandhi of Cambodia” and the “Buddha of the Battlefields.” In the wake of the Depression and World War II, Khmer nationalism began to stir, bringing with it social upheaval, riots, and terrorism.At a young age, Maha Ghosanada became a novice Buddhist monk and studied at monastic universities in Phnom Pen and Battambang.In 1969, the U.S. began bombing Cambodia and that country became engulfed in civil war and social disintegration. Once the Khmer Rouge took power, Buddhist monks were denounced as part of the feudalistic power structures of the past.Maha Ghosananda, who was in a Thai forest hermitage during this time, was one of the few monks to survive the brutal torture and murders that followed–nearly 2 million Cambodians, or almost one-quarter of the entire population. In spite of this unimaginable tragedy, Maha Ghosanda continued his ministry for peace by leading a 125-mile Dhammayeitra across Cambodia to begin restoring the hope and spirit of the Cambodian people. The Dhammayeitra continues to this day.