Exploring Power
Recorded on: July 16th, 2008
Posted on: September 22nd, 2008
Speaker: Roshi Joan Halifax
Show: 95
Roshi Joan Halifax opens this dharma talk to kick off the annual Upaya women’s retreat
entitled, “In the Shelter of Each Other”. The theme this year is the exploration of the
Power both the shadow and the light . She also introduces and we hear brief words from
several of the faculty including Zuleikha, Mayumi Oda, Barbara Tedlock, Colleen Kelly,
Beate Seishin Stolte, and Cynthia West.
Zen
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Thank you for your time
I listen to your discussion on the topic of power. I notice that all of the discussion seemed to revolve around the effect that power has on us.
I reflect on the theme of power, I find that power erupts from relationships, between people, groups or internally.
I am an artist, a painter. I consider my practice and ultimately viewing art to be a process of call and reply. I exert myself, I push my brush onto the canvas, I am making that call. The painting replys, its language is visual and it reflects. When I view a painting, its voice exerts itself on me and I reflect, my language is emotional.
I feel that power resides in the call, the reply is a reflection. The call also requires intention, motivation. I try to exert myself (make my call) with a voice of Kindness, compassion and wisdom.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I just listened to Exploring Power as my meditation before leaving for class. Power is also inspiration to move into this world with confidence that I am fully awake, alive and ready for whatever comes. I also feel that a major cost of power is loss of relationship. Loss of relationship with the core of one’s essence of being which disintegrates possibility of relationship with others… all others, people, animals, trees, creepy crawlers, birds, rocks and the list goes on as does one’s attention.