I consider myself to be a mellowed type A due to many, many years of practicing both meditation and yoga – I truly believe I would be in sad shape had I not kept my practices up. It’s really important to stop and take a pause, especially in an urban setting. Our lives can be on auto hyper drive, which drains the nervous system and keeps our minds very pre-occupied. Being in our own heads too long takes us out of reality, out of the present – don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to underrate thinking – it’s obviously important – but a balance between being in the head, and being in the world is a good one to seek!

It’s by staying awake in the world that we can actually make a difference. If we see what is going on around us, feel the feelings and see the needs ( of ourselves and others ) we can take thoughtful action, take good care.

I’d love to meet any of you who – like all of us involved in School for Compassionate Action -  understand the necessity of practice and  pauses so that we might better help others. We’re holding a FREE morning of meditation and information about our workshops and trainings at the Tibet House on September 18th 10-12. No registration, just show up and meet others interested in taking action in our communities.

Thank you to Well and Good for a well written article by writer Lisa Held : http://wellandgoodnyc.com/2010/08/26/yoga-buddhism-and-psychology-training-yogis-to-heal-communities/

And to our friends at Yoga Activist for their informative site and help in spreading the SCA word! http://www.yogaactivist.org/300-hour-advanced-teacher-training-for-communities-in-need

To all of you who DARE TO CARE _ Thank you!!

Jill

Bringing back a SYSTEM of CARE to our health care system

An important change we could make within our health care system, is to bolster both the system and care aspects that are sorely lacking right now.

A system – includes collaboration, communication, and the appreciation and recognition of individual insights.

The word system comes from the Latin word systema, which means “whole compounded of several parts or members, that interact or are interdependent entities forming an integrated whole.” ( wikipedia ) A recognition of interdependence is lacking in most areas of health care and at risk youth care in the United States right now – we subsist – barely, on disparate, however intelligent, areas of specialty that do not interact, share or work for the common good of the individuals we seek to serve.

We all know that our system isn’t working – and it can be overwhelming to try to change or repair a system so broken, especially at an individual level. What we can do is respond with alternative means, and that’s what we have done with the School for Compassionate Action.

I know from personal experience, having been chewed up and spit out by the healthcare system, that getting angry about anything isn’t productive. Responding with an alternative however, is a way not only to provoke positive change, but stay internally healthy at the same time. Anger will just eat away at us, rendering it impossible to motivate compassion.

Many of us need outside assistance- better or more information about what might help us with our physical and emotional needs, and some inspiration to keep trying. SCA is dedicated to teaching, educating and assisting those who may be in need in our local communities. We are a collective and collaborative group of people willing to share information and create change.

The SCA training and model of care is a response to current lack of competent ’systems’. We provide body and mind education, self care techniques and classes for those who are helping others – social workers, therapists, clinicians, healthcare providers and teachers – so that they will continue to stay vital while doing their work.

We train therapists, social workers, yoga and meditation teachers, school teachers etc. – to utilize body and mind awareness practices in their work – safely and effectively.

We teach in hospitals, alternative to incarceration facilities, nursing homes, clinics, and schools – directly offering yoga, meditation and quality emotional support to populations in need in our community.

Changing the current system may be simply instigating new systems where ever and when ever we can – in this vein, I hope you’ll join us in what we are doing right here and right now!

Jill