 Dharma practice is a personal pursuit that is wholly realized by association with the community – the Sangha composed of fellow practitioners. This month, the DharmaPunxSF Sangha celebrated 333 weeks of shared practice. We love the Sangha's brilliance and diverse perspectives. Thank you, Jeff, for facilitating weekly groups and inviting guest teachers to share insights and guidance since 2018. This year, people around the globe are challenged by greater uncertainty. Jeff is dedicated to teaching the dharma and meditation. While all voices are welcome, DharmaPunx SF is generally a space free from politics, which provides a welcomed reprieve from angry rhetoric and fixed views. Jeff is leaning into talks emphasizing loving kindness (metta) practice as a wholesome remedy for fear accompanying uncertainty. But metta is not a cure-all for the dis-ease in every local or global community. It does not take much effort to tap into suffering – experienced individually or collectively. We are reminded of the classic song “Ball of Confusion,” a 1970 hit by the Temptations. “Ball of Confusion. Oh yeah, that’s what the world is today.” Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon Politicians say more taxes will solve everything… It’s a great tune, and the full lyrics are worth a Google search. As DharmaPunx, we are committed to rebellion defined by the heart practices of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity: Metta ~ Karuna ~ Mudita ~ Upekkha  Noah Levine’s teachings and his classic book, Heart of the Revolution, are sources of inspiration.
The resilience of the Sangha is a living and evolving testament to the potency of heart practices. This does not mean we turn away from suffering or deny the expression of righteous anger. Jeff has discussed anger as a motivator for change. He recently shared that what distinguishes medicine from poison is - the dosage. It does not take much anger to inspire change. When consumed by anger, we become outraged, intoxicated by a potent emotion. We are encouraged to avoid harmful reactions and instead respond to the associated pain with compassion. What is the appropriate response when we are the focus of hate? How do we practice outside of our reliable communities, in situations where we don’t find wise friends to have our backs? What can we do for our friends who are more vulnerable to tyranny; our elderly parents, our children, and our neighbors? This is not advice; it is a list of suggestions that have worked for us, and we have listened to the wisdom of the Sangha… Put the pedal to the mettaL
Never Give Up. The tyrants in our lives only succeed when we comply. The sangha provides a container for growth and stumbles. Hopefully, each of us can identify wise friends who share appreciative joy when life is defined by successes and reliable support when everything feels like a ball of confusion. Note: If you are experiencing distress, anxiety, or unbearable suffering, please reach out. Refuge Recovery is another wonderful resource for those impacted by all types of addiction. There are meetings every day of the week. It is an anonymous program that utilizes the principles of Buddhism to alleviate the suffering associated with addiction.
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