And in Appleton a very interesting project has been underway and is now pouring the waters of compassion on all who visit this interesting exhibition. A mosaic of compassion.
The Appleton Compassion Project is a community art project involving 10,436 Appleton Area School District K-12 art students. In Fall 2010, participating students received a 6-inch-by-6-inch art panel to draw or paint their idea of compassion.
The inspiration behind the project came from Richard Davidson, PhD — a University of Wisconsin-Madison brain researcher who has found that those who practice compassion have measurably healthier brains. What’s more, Davidson’s research shows that compassion can be learned, and should be practiced, as a skill. “A little more joy might be within everyone’s reach,” says Davidson.
My thought and pondering is on the process of this project. That’s the involvement of a community in a collaborative endeavour. Could it be that working together can in itself be an expression of compassion? Certainly so if one thinks of compassion as acceptance . In my experience there needs to be lots of exercising acceptance when working with others on a project. Living in community, monastic community in my case, is a huge expression of compassion now I think about it….
Enjoy the show and thanks to the person who lead me to this most interesting effort. After my own heart.
This evening I had a little bit of time to follow up on a link to a Huffington Post blogger which eventually lead me to this interesting project in…Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. Now then, just where abouts is that?
And in Appleton a very interesting project has been underway and is now pouring the waters of compassion on all who visit this interesting exhibition. A mosaic of compassion.
The Appleton Compassion Project is a community art project involving 10,436 Appleton Area School District K-12 art students. In Fall 2010, participating students received a 6-inch-by-6-inch art panel to draw or paint their idea of compassion.
The inspiration behind the project came from Richard Davidson, PhD — a University of Wisconsin-Madison brain researcher who has found that those who practice compassion have measurably healthier brains. What’s more, Davidson’s research shows that compassion can be learned, and should be practiced, as a skill. “A little more joy might be within everyone’s reach,” says Davidson.
My thought and pondering is on the process of this project the involvement of a community in a collaborative endevour. I think working together can in itself be an expression of compassion. Certainly if one thinks of compassion as acceptance. Lots of exercising acceptance when working collaboratively.
Enjoy the show and thanks to the person who lead me to this most interesting effort. After my own heart.
The huge black cast iron tea kettle was swinging wildly on its hook above the Muker Tea Shop. The wind was that strong. Even so a small group, including a dog, walked in Upper Swaledale today. From Keld to Muker and back with a stop of lunch. Brrr was it cold! We were a bit early in the year to see the wildflower meadows however the photographs on this site show the area really well. It is well worth a tour of the site, the photographs are really good.
The drive to Keld reminded me once again how very close I am to this wild country of Yorkshire. Stunning at any time of the year. But best of all, today, was the opportunity to walk and talk with members of the Sangha. To test out my thoughts and learn too. Wonderful. Another Grand Day Out and thanks particularly to Nic for organizing the event for us.
In a car park, Calw Black Forest. Calw is the birthplace of Hermann Hesse.
Since my last entry I have traveled! (Southern Germany to North West England, with an over night stops in The Netherlands and Northumberland). AND A dead hard drive brought back to life. (Who said the professionals know everything!) A couple of days rest and recovery. Several loads of laundry. Several hours trying to fathom knitting pattern instructions….(photo of garment to follow.)
Yes, I am recovered enough to sit and type this. I am inspired by the comment asking if my return to England meant I stopped writing posts! No, the posts must go on. Ideally I like to write every day and if not that every other day.
” . . . it is not for me to pass judgment on those prisoners who put their own people above everyone else. Who can throw a stone at a man who favors his friends under circumstances when, sooner or later, it is a question of life or death? No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.” p. 68.
Think of The Netherlands and think bicycles. The sit up and beg type, as we term them in the UK. Heavy, utilitarian and well…very upright. Nothing mountain bike about the Dutch bike! All ages are out spinning along and somehow I sense that the Dutch go into a different zone when they are peddling. Alert and fast while at the same time seemingly profoundly content. This evening a couple sped past side by side and close together, the chap had his hand on the girls waist. A variation on strolling hand in hand in the evening shadows. At speed.
While I am in The Netherlands for the next five days I’ll be watching out for bikes dressed up with flowers as you see above. The practice has become quite the thing I understand. And in an interesting switch of power on the roads, here it is the motorists who are nervous of the cyclist and not the other way around.
Bike it you’ll like it! A slogan from times past when we cyclists of Manchester took to the city streets on mass to lobby for more cycle lanes.
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
