We are looking for someone to come to the Center and help us as a zoom assistant this fall. Its a great opportunity to work closely with me and you will get a lot of value just from that. Plus you will be able to participate in workshops, as long as the zoom station is under control, and get the contemplation intensive for free and participate. (We don't do zoom for that workshop) If this sounds like something for you please send message me back here so we can talk about it and see if you are a good fit. Looking forward to working with you. Best, Brendan

Thanks @Ethan Martin for helping with the community session yesterday. In case you missed it heres the video so you can follow along and get some value.

Great community session led by Ethan yesterday! During the session, I realised a simple truth: I have no idea what another is experiencing. Of course, right? The last time I thought about it was when I was a five-year-old child. Then I learnt to make conclusions about others' experiences and take them as true - it was part of becoming an adult. It is so obvious to me now: The only way to get a taste of another's experience is by asking them to describe it, and hoping they describe it truthfully. Perhaps, if I'm sensitive and attentive, I can experience their experience, prompted by their description - but I have to listen first. I like to ask other people questions about their experience, and this recognition takes my curiosity much, much deeper. It's not just what we think of each other. We may be holding reality in completely different ways. We may be seeing different colours. I may be seeing dragons, and you won't know :) How interesting!

Thank you to everyone who contributed today. I had a great time working with people on my private group call. Some of the topics we discussed include: - The Principle of Responsibility - Facilitation tips - Challenging assumptions  - How to contemplate, starting from NO assumptions - Contemplating Absolute matters - Investigating a paradox

There is an insight I'd like to discuss with you guys! I've been contemplating Emotion recently. Not individual emotions, but the entire domain: What is Emotion? What is the stuff it is made of? Does it have a connection with the body? I was influenced by this idea from somatic psychology that emotions show up in the body, and so, I took them to be more real than thoughts. I took this idea literally. I thought: "Hmm, the body is an object, and if emotions show up in the body, then they must be as real as the objects. Maybe that's how the movement of the hormones feels!" Suddenly, it occurred to me that emotions are a type of thought! They are nowhere - not in the walls of the room, nor does my stomach suddenly change colour when I get angry or happy. They seem to influence the body, but so do verbal thoughts. Just like verbal thoughts are viewed as happening in the head, emotions are viewed as happening in different areas of the body. That connection is a belief! So, there are different types of thought: inner voice, remembering, staging a scene, creating images, knowing how a door works, and... emotion! I'm curious about your feedback on my contemplation. Is there anything I'm not seeing?