As our practice matures, we increasingly intend, and have the capacity to take whatever arises in our lives as part of our practice. We explore what makes this intention hard to implement and what supports taking everything as part of a learning process.

As our practice matures, we increasingly intend, and have the capacity to take whatever arises in our lives as part of our practice. We explore what makes this intention hard to implement and what supports taking everything as part of a learning process.

After a review of some of main themes related to taking everything as learning, we look especially at what qualities and practices support taking everything as learning. Including mindfulness, equanimity, confidence and faith, heart practices, setting intentions and using the imagination to stay open to possibilities.

In the contexts of our practice of examining the nature of self and of a recent conference on "Othering and Belonging," we look at ways that we create an "other." We may do this in terms of social groups (according to race, age, gender, religion, ability/disability, educational level, etc.), interpersonally, or in terms of parts of oneself (I "other" my fear or shame or brilliance). This week we focus on "othering" (the "other" is often noticed, but not really known or seen), how to track our own ways of othering, and how to work with and transform othering, opening to greater compassion, wisdom, and connection.

After a brief review of the theme of "othering", we look some more forms of "othering" and how we practice in examining "othering" in ourselves. We then explore the area exponentially in an exercise, followed by discussion.