“Being with Dying” training course -22nd May, 2016
During today’s council, I was recalled one memory through statement of one teacher, Jyoshin-san.
Last April, in Nara, Japan, Roshi Joan Halifax mentioned about mindfulness during GRACE program.
She didn’t criticized Mindfulness movement at all, but she mentioned we should go forward to the next stage.
She said there was a missing point in mindfulness practice.
It is “compassion”.
Today, we had two lectures.
One is ethical aspect of care of the dying which was presented by Dr. Cynda Hylton Rushton. This concept is very important to set priority because it is related to moral sensitivity, discernment, motivation, character and action which influence to caregiving directly.
Another was Neuroscience of focused attention, executive function, perspective shifting and mind wondering by Dr. Alfred Kaszniak. We can train brain network through mindfulness training in short period of time (7 weeks for example), he told us. This is pretty much great. However if there is no ethical foundation in the training, what happens? It can be dangerous…
Again this is very similar concept to yoga philosophy. Yamas & Niyamas (the path of ethical discipline) are very important for yoga practice because it’s the foundation of yoga which is way of life. If you practice yoga without understanding Yamas & Niyamas, it can be harmful for you. Tiwariji always says about this. We should practice and learn these until we really understand practically, not intellectually.
I feel “Being with Dying” training course is totally different from other course which practice only mindfulness technique. This training is the foundation of life long practice. This is the first step for my journey.
However, the most wonderful point of this course is the mixed practical style of eastern and western approach. This course is based on scientific point of view with ancient contemplated practice.
I have been getting very useful and important hints for introducing yoga to not only medical practitioners but patients in this course.
What a wonderful integration this is! East meets west, really…
Gratitude.
I really like intensive course like this. It makes me content not only intellectually but practically. Nice! (These are all my understanding. So it might be wrong. Don’t trust anything blindly. Always Tiwariji says to me. haha)
