Welcome Scaries #18
Because it's Sunday Night Again 🫤
Welcome Scaries is now sent on the 2nd Sunday of each month. It started because so many of us experience nervousness on Sunday nights in anticipation of the coming week and all we have to do. The intention is to offer your difficult feelings—your Scaries—kindness, instead of fighting with them, resenting them, or trying to get rid of them. This idea of befriending your feelings comes from an old story about how the Buddha invited his enemy to tea rather than trying to defeat him.
→ Read all the Sunday Scaries in the Meditation with Heart archive!
Last week, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my friend, the artist Michael Davis to see Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet. It’s a collection of 12th-15th century sculptures of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, paintings of deities like Chenrezig (aka Avalokitesvara), and incredibly precise and detailed mandala drawings.
Like all Buddhist art, these works aren’t simply decorative, they’re devotional— intended to inspire wisdom and compassion in the viewer, and create a connection with the teachings of the dharma. And though many of them do, none are as effective as the installation, Biography of a Thought, by contemporary artist Tenzing Rigdol. His large, colorful painted panels on the walls and floor of the exhibit entryway include traditional imagery and familiar symbols to reflect the difficulties facing our modern world—global warming, armed conflict, racism, and greed. And it’s filled with hope for the possibility of using our knowledge and technology to help us understand and celebrate our deeply interdependent world.
When the Buddha died, for a time his followers represented his presence by an empty chair. Tenzing Rigdol revives this beautiful tradition, showing us that he’s still here today, the teachings are still effective and relevant, and through them we have the means to rediscover our own compassionate and wise Buddha-nature.
If you’re in the NYC area, please enjoy this amazing work — it’s on view until January. If you’re unable to visit in person, you can watch a video of the artist discussing his work here.
And now for our monthly positive and useful links. May they be of benefit:
→ Yes, Interdependence is Real: I nearly fell over when I saw this photo. It’s a swarm of bees resting on a rhinoceros. Evidently, it’s common practice — when the bees are on their way to a new hive, they stop and rest here. How do they know it’s safe? How does the rhino know they won’t harm him? Such is the beauty and mystery of inter-being, my friends. Found on Reddit here.
→ All Humans are Human: Many of my students are men, and even the most successful struggle with painful self-criticism, shame, and fear of being vulnerable. This contributes to our current epidemic of male loneliness, which doesn’t get talked about enough. Thanks to writer Elise Loehnen for discussing this with therapist James Hollis. Story here.
→ The Ministry of the Stove: Quakers worship together in silence. With this video, you can gather with the South Starksboro Friends at their meeting house in Vermont, while they sit quietly with just the sound of their wood stove. Watch it here. (H/t to Ando of the sublime Silentium substack.)
The theme for October is Befriending Powerful Emotions 🪴
If you haven’t joined us yet, you can listen to Week 1 here.
My new book will be released on February 4! Pre-order it here. And save the date for the book launch party on March 7!
I hope you’re taking good care of yourself on this Sunday night. If your Scaries are active, take some time to listen to your body and heart and give yourself some patience and kindness. I’m hearing my Scaries right now — we just got back from a lovely visit with my mother-in-law, but driving into (and out of) NYC is nerve-wracking. So I’m taking some deep breaths and feeling my feet on the floor while I’m writing this, and will take a quiet walk to settle myself as soon as I finish.
May your week be easy and loving. May you recognize your gifts and share your blessings. May it be so!
Take it light.
Metta+++,
Kim✨
Thank you for sharing Kimberly. I won’t get to NYC before January so I’ll use the link you provided so I can experience them too. The photo of the rhino with the resting bees is A M A Z I N G!