Tag: Reflections from Gil
I am happy to report that the wonderful completion of the first yearlong Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy training ended. Teaching this with Kirsten Rudestam and Susie Harrington, this program is the fulfillment of a longtime dream of mine. 23 people participated, each with a unique and inspiring orientation toward this relatively new field. Inspired by the success of the program and the important role eco-chaplains have for the huge environmental challenges of our times, Kirsten, Susie, and I are starting the second…
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The horrific killing of George Floyd is heartbreaking. For the loss and unimaginable sorrow of his family and community, I offer my condolences. To Black people in the United States who live every day with the real possibility of violence, police brutality, and an ongoing onslaught of racism, we at IMC regret we have not done more to counter the tide of rising racism. The heart-wrenching police brutality toward peaceful protestors reveals the very deep wound that racism is for our…
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Message from Gil In 2010, together with members of the IMC community, I helped start a non-profit called Insight World Aid (IWA) in order to provide medical and humanitarian aid to impoverished communities. I am still actively involved with IWA which during this time of a COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda has donated $2,200 to the Uganda Buddhist Centre, led by Abbot Venerable Bhante Buddharakita, a regular teacher at the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. This money allowed the center to…
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Q: I notice I feel anxious after I watch or read the news. What can I do? A: It can be helpful to choose to be intentional about when and how to watch or read the news. That is, choose a time when you can be reflective and discerning about the news. Don’t be a passive recipient of what you read. Before learning the news, do something wise and supportive. This might be meditating or spending time outside. Then sit…
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In an extended discussion of the Buddha’s ethical behavior, the suttas contain the following description of how the Buddha speaks. On Sunday, December 1 I read this as part of a talk addressing one of the most important visibly public issues of our times, i.e., how we speak to each other in our society. Buddha’s Way of Speaking Abandoning false speech, The Buddha refrains from false speech. A truth-speaker, He is reliable, trustworthy, non-deceptive. Abandoning malicious speech, The Buddha refrains…
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