A couple of years ago I read a New York Times opinion piece on How to Cultivate Joy Even When It Feels in Short Supply by Rev. Tish Harrison Warren. And I was reminded that in Christian traditions the 40 days of Lent are supposed to be followed by 50 days of JOY!
Even for folks who are not Christian, Lent is popularly known as a period of penance, it is a practice of self-denial. You might have friends that give up things like chocolate or alcohol. I know folks who only have bread and water for 40 days.
I think there is something powerful to giving something up.
I also think there is something magical to the active practice of joy.
And I know that neither is easy.
This is a reason why I find structures like liturgical calendars or the cadence of lunar cycles, to be helpful ways for humans to return again and again to the most important lessons. To remember and remember again. To breathe, practice and pray our way into the stories that give us meaning and belonging.
The Commitment
Three Weeks of Tonglen March 10- 24
We will start our meditation practice with 3 weeks of Tonglen, which is a practice that turns us towards the parts that hurt and transforms that into goodness for the world. During these three weeks we will also commit to giving something up.
Three Weeks of Loving kindness Easter Sunday, March 31 - April 21
On Easter Sunday we move into a meditation on loving kindness and we replace abstinence with giving. We commit to a daily act of kindness. You can get as creative as you want in finding an intentional small way to show kindness every day. A loving text, a deep listening moment, a compliment or affirmation of someone’s effort, a held gaze with a true smile. But it has to be one thing more than what you would normally do each day.
Practicing Together
Throughout our six week commitment we will have many ways to stay connected. None of these are a requirement, but there is something powerful about doing this work in community. I strongly encourage you to be a part of these:
Text: I will send you daily text reminders through a shared group on signal.
Morning Meditation: There will be a zoom room for meditation at 7:45AM East on most days. The first 20 minutes will be for quiet sitting. The last 10 minutes will be for guided Tonglen or Loving Kindness meditation.
Sunday Gatherings: Our online Sunday gatherings will be from 9:30AM to 10:30AM East
Cost: There is no cost for this program. But we will pass around a virtual donation basket each Sunday. We want to kindle a recurring practice of reciprocity.
I am really looking forward to this.
* If you are among the people who are justifiably triggered by Christian hegemony in our culture, I want to lovingly invite you to relax into this invitation. We are coming together in an act of ecumenical syncretism. We are claiming for ourselves what is good and worth preserving in the wisdom of humanity’s traditions. Also, here is a reading for our practice together.