News in the last two days

Bay Bridge

Bill's mom went into hospice, as did another friend's mom. Allison and I will be teaching the MBSR class Wednesday.

Chris, my dad's wife of 30+ years, is getting a lung biopsy on Monday. 

My mom drove into a shopfront window. (No one harmed.) But she still plays tennis. 

I was coughing like crazy this morning, finally hacked up some bloody phlegm. (Very little blood, like one drop.) It's hard to cough up blood, it feels thick, it takes a lot of coughing! It occurs to me that at the moment I have the symptoms I was meant to look out for: fatigue, coughing, and coughing blood. (Other ones were weight loss and shortness of breath.) On the other hand everyone I talk to says they're tired, too...am I tired from cancer, teaching, dust allergies, traveling? I've been traveling continually since October. The MBSR class on Weds, drop-in intro to meditation last night, practice day tomorrow (description below.) I don't know. It's all guesses. I'll go to a doctor if my cough stays this bad for a while. 

DAY RETREAT: RENOUNCING AND RELAXING

Sat, March 16, 9:30am to 3:30pm, led by Suvarnaprabha

Renunciation, or letting go, has long been an important part of the Buddhist tradition. While the idea may not sound exciting - perhaps reminding us of all the things we don't want to renounce - the practice is intrinsic to spiritual practice. Really, we let go in some way every time we meditate, each time we see, even in some small way, into our relationship to our world. It is part of how we know - and can relax in the knowing - that nothing and no one - are ours. Letting go, releasing our clenched fists, is what allows us to truly grow, give, understand, and love.

The day will be a mostly silent meditative and bodily exploration of letting go. We will do sitting meditation, some of which will be lightly guided, and other useful practices, such as a body awareness, chanting, and gentle movement.

Suvarnaprabha has been deeply interested in renunciation, relaxing, and letting go for a long time - especially since she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer over a year ago. She has taught courses and retreats at the SFBC for over ten years, as well as internationally and at SF County Jail. She also teaches meditation for stress reduction in the wider community. She is currently writing a memoir of the last year, exploring, among many other things, this practice day's themes.