Unbroken Wholeness Integrating Social Justice Emotional Healing And Spiritual Practice

Distilling a lifetime’s insights on the triangle of healing emotional pain, social justice work, and spiritual growth, veteran activist and educator John Bell shares personal stories and reflective practices to help us on our path of personal and collective transformation Unbroken Wholeness brings an integrated lens of social justice, trauma healing, and spiritual practice to the work we do in the world and the pressing concerns of our times. Collectively, these writings help us access a view of the world as unbroken, even in the face of obvious suffering and disharmony. With searching questions and easy-to-follow practices, Unbroken Wholeness offers a way for activists to apply mindfulness and insight to bring about healing for seemingly intractable social divisions. “Skillfully handling our emotional pain about the world while cultivating a joyful and kind heart helps us navigate the troubled waters of our life,” says John Bell. Continuing the peace work of his teacher, the Vietnamese social activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, John Bell brings forward the importance of cultivating a practical yet visionary, ennobling view of humankind when engaging in the “mud” of daily difficulties that gives rise to the lotus of an enlightened, compassionate heart.

“A holistic vision breathtaking in scope.”—Frances Moore Lappé Distilling a lifetime’s insights on the triangle of healing emotional pain, social justice work, and spiritual growth, veteran activist and educator John Bell shares personal stories and reflective practices to help us on our path of personal and collective transformation Unbroken Wholeness brings an integrated lens of social justice, trauma healing, and spiritual practice to the work we do in the world and the pressing concerns of our times. Collectively, these writings help us access a view of the world as unbroken, even in the face of obvious suffering and disharmony. With searching questions and easy-to-follow practices, Unbroken Wholeness offers a way for activists to apply mindfulness and insight to bring about healing for seemingly intractable social divisions. “Skillfully handling our emotional pain about the world while cultivating a joyful and kind heart helps us navigate the troubled waters of our life,” says John Bell. Continuing the peace work of his teacher, the Vietnamese social activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, John Bell brings forward the importance of cultivating a practical yet visionary, ennobling view of humankind when engaging in the “mud” of daily difficulties that gives rise to the lotus of an enlightened, compassionate heart.

In Worlds in Harmony, the Dalai Lama explores the nature of suffering and its release through compassionate action. The book focuses on the understanding that a deep awareness of our shared desire to avoid pain leads to an awareness of our responsibility to relieve others of suffering. Worlds in Harmony offers the reader insight into the relation between awareness and right action, and bridges personal consciousness and global concerns. With the knowledge that insight is of no use unless it results in action, the Dalai Lama teaches ways of being, thinking, and acting in the world that are based on equanimity and understanding.

The Dalai Lama represents a great culture centered on a wisdom tradition that has survived intact into modern times. And the fragility of our times is demonstrated by the fact that even that culture survives only in exile. Science and technology have brought immense control over nature, but power without wisdom is dangerous. We need to balance our modern capabilities with an ancient wisdom. His Holiness the Dalai Lama often speaks of the interconnectedness of all things. In a sense, that means we are all in this together. He has said, also, that just because these times are so dire, it is a great honor to be alive now, at this moment, on this planet. It is we who bear the responsibility, who face the challenge, who must take care of the planet, not just for ourselves, but for the future and for our children.

It's popular in modern society to use psychological labels, spiritual bypasses and outside-in modalities to override experiences that are too uncomfortable for us to consciously feel. However, this way of functioning keeps us in an inwardly divided state, and therefore constantly searching outside ourselves for the intimate inner connection we need in order for us to deeply heal and spiritually awaken. Conscious Whole Being Integration, in contrast, is an approach that encompasses the natural integrative relationship that already exists between deep psychological healing, bodymind awareness, and spiritual awakening as a means of bringing you into alignment with your natural rhythms. This book will guide you in taking an inward dive into your own inner terrain; feeling, moment to moment, your unique relationship to the thought patterns and beliefs that have constructed who and what you perceive yourself to be. It's only through this direct experience that you can learn to consciously feel and engage all levels of your being-physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual-to bring about the natural and seamless integration of your soul's journey.

In "Sacred Therapy, Estelle Frankel takes a fresh look at the central myths, metaphors, and spiritual practices of the Jewish tradition, explaining how people of any faith can draw upon this rich body of teachings to gain wisdom, clarity, and a deeper sense of meaning in the midst of modern life. In an engaging, accessible, and compassionate style, Frankel brings together tales and teachings from the Bible, the Talmud, Kabbalah, and the Hasidic tradition as well as evocative case studies and guided meditations to create an original, inspirational guide to emotional healing and spiritual growth. Frankel demonstrates the universal applicability and wisdom that is hidden in Jewish sources, and she also presents a way to incorporate these spiritual insights into the practice of psychotherapy. Showing us how to skillfully weave together personal and sacred narrative, she reveals how we can transform our vulnerabilities into strengths and restore a sense of coherence in our lives even when things seem broken or shattered. The ultimate goal of both psychotherapy and spiritual practice, she says, is to open our hearts fully to life-to the raw and painful as well as to the beautiful, joyous, and sacred dimensions of existence-for wholeness is reached only when we can embrace and integrate the contradictory and often fragmented aspects of our being. At a time when so many people are searching for ways to bring greater spiritual depth and meaning to their lives, Frankel offers a powerful and authentic vision of how to do just that.

Based on four retreats that Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh led specifically for people of color, this book is for people of all colors, backgrounds, and experiences who have ever felt excluded or alienated, or anyone concerned with issues of social justice. Although Together We Are One is based on teachings given to Buddhist practitioners of color, readers of all backgrounds and walks of life will find it an inspirational and practical guide. In chapters focusing on honoring our ancestors, developing understanding and compassion, and seeing the world in terms of interbeing, Nhat Hanh shows how meditation and the practice of looking deeply can help create a sense of wholeness and connectedness with others. Chapters are interspersed with mindfulness practice exercises and the personal stories of skilled writers, such as Larry Ward (author of Love’s Garden), Sr. Chan Khong (author of Learning True Love), and Rev. Hilda Ryumon Gutierrez Baldoquin (editor of Dharma Color and Culture), about their discovery of a spiritual path, their experience of finding balance, overcoming obstacles in an unpredictable world, and maintaining and sharing insights. Together We Are One is a valuable addition to the unique expression of Buddhism in the West. As in all his writings, Thich Nhat Hanh does not suggest we replace traditional beliefs and customs with Buddhism, but rather emphasizes that a mindful approach to daily life and interactions can help overcome misperception and separation so that we might honor and transcend our differences. Nhat Hanh’s primary focus highlights the basic how-to’s of Buddhist practice, such as mindful walking and eating, the practice of Looking Deeply, and a never before published multicultural version of the Touching the Earth Ceremony, making them accessible possibilities for a better everyday life. A companion movie to the book, featuring Thich Nhat Hanh's retreat, can be found at www.colorsofcompassionmovie.com

This is the ebook version of One Buddha Is Not Enough. How do we learn to believe in ourselves and not just rely on our spiritual teachers? Based on a retreat that Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh organized but then couldn't attend, One Buddha Is Not Enough is a book on how to become your own teacher and create your own community where you might least expect it. It offers fresh and original insight from emerging Buddhist teachers on topics such as how to handle grief, strengthen our relationships with family and friends, deal with anger and other strong emotions, and find happiness in the present moment. Through letters, stories, poems, calligraphies, and photographs, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his unique insights on illness, health, and different healing modalities. One Buddha Is Not Enough is a true expression of American Buddhism. We already contain all the insight and wisdom we need--and we're surrounded by the people who can help us on our journey. Sometimes all it takes is a wake-up call to remind us of what we are capable.