Recovering from Over-Doing

Two years ago, in a The Seeker’s Dungeon prompt, Sreejit asked us to fill in the blank in this sentence: “I am a Recovering _________.” There was no doubt in my mind what my behavior would be. If I was at a 12 Step meeting, I would say: “Hi! I am Karuna, and I am … Continue reading Recovering from Over-Doing

Recovering from Over-Doing

In this week’s Dungeon Prompt, Sreejit asks us to fill in the blank in this sentence: “I am a Recovering _________.” There was no doubt in my mind what the behavior would be for me. Using the Alcoholics Anonymous introduction, I will say: “Hi! I am Karuna, and I am a recovering over-doer.” As I … Continue reading Recovering from Over-Doing

Challenges for Growth Prompt #11: Overcoming Resistance

Overcoming Resistance This week’s challenge is: “Today I do something I’ve been resisting.” A co-therapist I used to work with often told clients that it may take 75% of the time one is in therapy to do 25% of the work that needs to be done. The remaining work is likely to be completed much faster. … Continue reading Challenges for Growth Prompt #11: Overcoming Resistance

Overwhelmed by the Violence?

Sreejit’s Dungeon Prompt this week asked us to address these questions: In many countries where guns are not legal the police also don’t carry guns themselves – only the military does. In America, because guns are so widespread, we couldn’t even conceptualize an unarmed police force. But now, with the full militarization of the police, … Continue reading Overwhelmed by the Violence?

Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: September 12-14, 2018

Choices Nonattachment (or not) I often say that the only joke I remember is Question: Do you know how to make God laugh? Answer: Tell him your plans for your life. Since we don’t even know what’s around the next corner, when we make plans, we have no way of knowing if we will be able … Continue reading Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: September 12-14, 2018

Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: September 7-11, 2018

Attitude On my first day in Amritapuri this year, I noticed a man wearing a t-shirt that said “let go” on the front. Since my blog is named Living, Learning and Letting Go, his shirt caught my eye and my interest. A few days later, he asked me if I was having a good day or a … Continue reading Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: September 7-11, 2018

Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: August 19-23, 2018

Western Cafe I started helping my daughter Chaitanya in the Western cafe on August 19, my second day at the ashram. The first four days, I buttered the bread that would be cooked on the grill. On Thursday, August 23, I started doing a 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. shift calling out cafe orders as they … Continue reading Living and Learning in Amritapuri, India: August 19-23, 2018

Greenbelt Restoration Work Party: July 25, 2018- Practice in Flexibility, Persistence, Letting Go and More

Preparing for and leading the July 25 work party was a perfect opportunity to practice flexibility, letting go, non-attachment, staying in the moment, equanimity, persistence and a host of other values that I haven’t yet identified. At times, the challenges seemed endless. Perhaps the first challenge occurred two weeks before the event when I fell … Continue reading Greenbelt Restoration Work Party: July 25, 2018- Practice in Flexibility, Persistence, Letting Go and More

Greenbelt Restoration Work Party: July 5, 2018

The July 5 work party was very small, probably because I scheduled it for the morning after the 4th of July holiday! Two GreenFriends members and four student volunteers from a UW Environmental Science class participated. The GreenFriends members served as team leaders, teaching the students what they needed to know, doing organizational work, and … Continue reading Greenbelt Restoration Work Party: July 5, 2018

One Step at a Time

In April, my neighbor John and I started doing some clearing of invasive plants, mainly ivy and blackberry vines, in the Greenbelt site that is to the north of ours. Members of Earth Corps had cleared parts of that site 10-15 years ago. They had also planted evergreen trees, native shrubs and ground covers. I … Continue reading One Step at a Time