To offer this series of Hakomi Half days on a donation basis is one of my small gestures toward addressing social inequities and working toward a brighter world. You are welcome here.
Online Hakomi half-day dates for winter/spring 2023:
Saturday, 28 January, 4pm-7pm Pacific Time
Saturday, 4 March, 4-7pm Pacific Time
Saturday, 1 April, 4-7pm Pacific Time
More dates coming soon!
These workshops are offered by donation.
Here’s what to expect:
This session will begin with a guided mindfulness practice, followed by a Loving Presence practice or two, to help everyone to quiet and relax the body and mind. This will be followed by a short break and then I will offer a demo of a Hakomi session with a volunteer participant. We’ll make time to have a discussion about the session afterwards.
Each session will be kept small to help foster a sense of community and intimacy.
Donation as the Practice of Generosity: The Dalai Lama says that one of the best things we can do to be happy is to practice generosity and kindness. On the surface, I would like to make this workshop accessible to everyone, whatever their income. On a deeper level, I believe that there is a certain magic about generosity. I am offering this workshop as an act of generosity. It is a way to honour all that I have received in my life, including many years of having the great good fortune to work with Ron Kurtz, and to receive his generous teachings. The practice of Hakomi and the practice of generosity are strongly linked for me, and I am happy to share this practice in a way that will ripple out to benefit others. I invite you to join me in your own act of generosity. At the end of the workshop, I will invite you, using mindfulness, to explore what a generous donation would look like/feel like for you. I will leave it to you to make the donation that matches what would give you a feeling of generosity. For those who have the means, cash donations are welcome. For everyone present, encouragement is given to practice generosity after our session in a way that feels right to each participant. In this way, our time together will touch others in our local communities, as well as those who could attend the group.
What participants have said:
Mel, from Taiwan:
Thanks again for the session and safe space. I really appreciate our time together. I sent a bit of flow over. Your generosity has also flowed into my week.
I went to the beach yesterday and it was covered in trash. I’ve been to this beach many times and there’s always some trash but this was the worst I’ve ever seen it. Even the water was dirty.
I was sad and disappointed. Then I felt the water’s message coming in loud and clear. It was teaching me how to take care of it.
I spent some time cleaning. That small act inspired others to pitch in, too. This tiny boy kept coming over to me with his dad and handing me trash, so cute!
Then later that night, when I was taking out the trash, I spotted my neighbor. She’s probably in her late 70s and she was slowly putting on her slippers and carrying her small bag of trash. I signaled to her that I could take it down for her. She was so grateful. She was probably relieved that she didn’t have to go down a few flights of stairs and walk outside in the middle of the night.
In Taiwan, you have to take out your own trash and recycle unless your building pays for someone to do it. The pick-up trucks only come at certain times. In our neighborhood, they come at 9 PM.
I generally consider myself a kind person, but yesterday felt different. After reading your email, I realized that what you shared on our call about generosity had left an imprint. My mind just now caught up to the wisdom my heart and body absorbed.
Feeling much gratitude / hahõbana.
Basia, from Vancouver Island, Canada:
Money is tight for me these days so I’m not feeling moved to make a financial donation at this time. I can however share my story of paying it forward.
I was feeling lonely and sorry for myself this morning. Instead of dwelling on that, I decided that performing an act of generosity would likely make me feel better. On my block, there is disgusting bathroom litter that has bothered me for weeks. I had called city Blaws requesting that it be picked up but there had been no action. Overcoming my belief that they should do it and my resentment that they hadn’t, I headed out, gloves in hand to pick it up. It only took me about 15 minutes, I had the loyal company of (my dog) Angus watching over me and felt much better when it was done.
The additional spin-off ( which I’m learning that there always is with acts of kindness), was that I had the longest conversation that I’d ever had with a neighbour I’ve lived near for 14 years. When I bumped into her, she was tending to two properties that had been affected by a house explosion on our street in February. Due to neglectful insurance and restoration companies, nothing has been done. The properties have been a constant target of trespassing and crime ever since.
We talked about how we could band together as neighbours to put pressure on the responsible parties. We exchanged emails and I offered to join in any work parties or emailing that I can to support the cause. And voila! No more lonleiness and isolation! I got my need for connection and belonging met and was of service in the process. Thank you so much, Marcia, for reminding me that the pathway to change can literally be as simple as just stepping outside our doors.
Identity-based vulnerabilities: I have decided to offer this series of half days on a donation basis, in an effort to make Hakomi accessible to more people. Since the pandemic, I have been looking into issues of social justice and equity, and want to do what I can to participate in addressing this reality. I understand that many people experience identity-based vulnerabilities which could make a practice of Hakomi feel difficult or nearly impossible. Having grown up with considerable white privilege, I am a beginner at understanding the depth of discrimination, distress and unease that is experienced by those who identify as BIPOC, gender creative, or otherwise non-conforming to dominant culture. Please know that you are welcome here!
I am going to keep this workshop small to build a sense of intimacy and community. Please send me an email as soon as you can if you are interested in attending, and I will let you know if there is still space, and will send you the zoom link: marciaburton369@gmail.com
I look forward to working with you!
Islands Hakomi Educational Network 