Greetings Dear Community,
Words don’t seem sufficient to describe the tender array of life happening right now… internally and externally… for many of us. At this moment, the human condition feels fully exposed. It is revealing the complexities, the messiness, the uncertainties… along with the beauty, the joys, and the possibilities.
Following the U.S. election results, I felt a primordial need in my body to simply be together with others. Thankfully, our kindred friends at
East Bay Meditation Center hosted a timely event a few days later called “Love, Power, and Liberation” with Dr. Angela Davis, Lama Rod Owens, and Prentis Hemphill (
watch recording here). Many in our community gathered with 1400 others at the Oakland Scottish Rite Center (plus 1500 more streaming online) to soak in the precious and necessary wisdom offered by the wonderful panelists. The intergenerational nature of the conversation allowed a dynamic dialogue that enlivened the four elements within my body. I welcomed the waters of shared grief. I felt the fire of inspiration. I sank into the groundedness of spiritual connection. I observed the relief of our collective breath.
Lama Rod Owens asked the audience, “How do we start creating communities where we are deeply concerned about the wellbeing of other people?” Lama Rod and Dr. Davis continued on to discuss the wisdom of the Black Liberation Movement revealing the importance of developing a collective practice for keeping our sense of possibility and freedom alive. Especially through creating joy and art.
Here at Braided Wisdom, we are seeking to co-create this collective practice grounded in shared values, vision, and hope. In these pivotal times, we believe it’s essential to reconnect to joy, expanding our circles, and embracing more beings instead of isolating ourselves. We are being called to rise together, to support and uplift one another in collaboration and unity. This is a moment to dream and create collectively, to weave a tapestry of connection and possibility that sustains us all.
At one point in the evening, the entire auditorium broke out into a group karaoke singing “How Deep Is Your Love”! I looked around the entire room and all I could see were beautiful smiles and laughter being shared.
I thought to myself, “This is it. This is community care. THIS is the medicine.”
We hope you will continue to cultivate community care with us. We welcome you to explore the variety of ways you can join our effort to build care, healing, and liberation for all beings.
“The greater the challenge,
The greater the fire and the greater the purification.
While external liberation may not be possible in our lifetime,
Our internal liberation is not dependent on it.”
- Venerable Dhammanada Bhikkhuni
With gratitude,
