Tuesday, May 7: Matthew Brensilver on balancing Compassion & Equanimity followed by discussion (with Jay Ford)

“Sometimes it may feel that if I open to compassion, then it is going to end in suffering. But maybe
COMPASSION only ends with suffering when it is not counterbalanced with EQUANIMITY.” (Matthew Brensilver)

This week, Jay Ford will share another short “dharmette” offered by IMS teacher Matthew Brensilver on the need to balance “compassion” with “equanimity” in one’s practice of the Dharma. This is part of a longer series Matthew delivered on “Assertive and Receptive Qualities of Mind.” The question might be put this way: How do we keep our hearts open to the suffering in the world without being lost in a sense of helplessness? In this talk, Matthew contends that “equanimity is love in the face of the endless ungovernable nature of samsara and suffering of this realm. …But it is not a closing.” 

Schedule Tuesday, May 7

6:30-35: Announcements
6:35-7:05: (Lightly) Guided Meditation
7:05-7:15: Walking meditation
7:15-8:00: Matthew Brensilver on balancing Compassion & Equanimity followed by discussion (Jay Ford)

Upcoming Schedule
May 14: Tess Wise, On Dependent Origination (pratityasamutpada)
May 21: Beth Agnello, My Path to Practice [schedule change]
May 28: Marc Farrow, Mindfulness in Nature
June 4: Tess Wise, The Dharma and Dealing with Difficult People

Special Announcements

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR WSDC’s Fall Meditation Retreat WITH DAVID CHERNIKOFF (Sunday, August 18 to Thursday, August 22).The retreat (Topic:The Spirit of Service)will take place at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center (SFSPC) in Stoneville, NC. For more information or to register, go to THIS LINK on the WSDC website. See retreat poster below as well.

-We are continuing in-person meetings at The Shepherd’s Center – 1700 Ebert Street, Winston-Salem, NC. When a program will be shared on Zoom, the link will be provided in the weekly newsletter. To subscribe to our weekly newsletter, go to “Subscibe” on the menu.