Choosing Hope

with Tenzin Chogkyi, Mary Doane, and Greg Morris 

In this installment of the “Listening with Curiosity” series, we will look at how we access hope and keep our sense of purpose and our motivation alive in challenging times. Whether it is the recent election, our political polarization, the climate crisis, or issues that are more personal such as relationship, work, or health challenges, we can often feel overwhelmed and not know where to begin.

Instead of resigning ourselves to our current situation, we can dream and build new possibilities. This is hope in action. In this way, hope is an energy source that resides in each of us. And the choice is ours – to keep hope alive or to give in to doubt and despair on one hand, or naive denial of the challenges we face on the other, and let hope fade away

In this morning of conversation, we will explore ways of managing some of the difficult emotions many of us may be feeling in these challenging times, and we will collectively harvest strategies for keeping our hope and motivation alive. This session will include a short talk, breakout rooms with prompts for guidance, and a large group conversation. All viewpoints and perspectives are welcome!

Join us in person at 2929 24th street
Registration required. Registration limited!

We will be using the format suggested by an organization called Living Room Conversations which offers a simple, sociable and structured way to practice communicating across differences while building understanding and relationships. We will be meeting in small groups with specific prompts and guidelines to allow for deep sharing and listening. Rather than debating or convincing others, we take turns talking to share and learn, and be curious. No preparation is required, just come with an open mind and curiosity!

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Tenzin Chogkyi  (she/her/hers) is a teacher of workshops and programs that bridge the worlds of Buddhist thought, contemplative practice, mental and emotional cultivation, and the latest research in the field of positive psychology.

Tenzin is especially interested in bringing the wisdom of Buddhism into modern culture and into alignment with modern cultural values such as racial and gender justice and environmental awareness. She feels strongly that a genuine and meaningful spiritual path includes not only personal transformation, but social and cultural transformation as well. She has been exploring the presentation of traditional teachings using modern pedagogical methods such as experiential exercises, dialogue and small group interaction.

Tenzin is a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training, a secular compassion training program developed at Stanford University. She also teaches the Cultivating Emotional Balance program, a secular program using contemplative techniques drawn from Buddhism for managing emotions, developed at His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s request. 

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Mary Doane  is the Supervising Instructor of Education Programs at Zen Caregiving Project where she started as a hospice volunteer before becoming a training facilitator and volunteer program coordinator. Mary’s practice on and off the cushion is grounded in common humanity and her personal experience as a family caregiver deeply influences her work.

Mary holds dual instructor certification in Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT™), from Stanford University School of Medicine, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) as well as the Compassion Institute (CI), where she serves as a mentor to emerging instructors. Mary trained in Buddhist chaplaincy through the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and is also a certified instructor of the Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) program, a secular program developed at His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s request.

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Greg Morris (pronouns: any) is a student and practitioner of bhakti yoga and Advaita Vedanta, as well as a student and devotee of the Tao Te Ching and the four gospels of the New Testament. A lifelong peace advocate and bridge-builder with childhood grounding in Unitarianism, Greg offers their spiritual practice as the foundation of their work as a teacher, as a coach, and as a management consultant specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. 

Greg is grateful to be the recipient and beneficiary of several healing modalities, most notably Rosen Method (Marion Rosen, Robert Harry Rovin), Transformational Bodywork (Stephen Allario, Fred Mitouer), Holistic Sexuality (Marina Romero), Interpersonal Dynamics (David Bradford), and psychotherapy. Greg is a certified teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT™), a secular program developed by Stanford University’s Department of Neurosurgery under the guidance of Geshe Thupten Jinpa and at the request of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.