Week Two

Week 2 __________________________________________________________ April 3, Monday – Guest Jen Moore April 5, Wednesday – Review Monday activities and discuss readings Read: Thich Nhat Hanh to page 84 and hooks pages 15 – 49. Optional: Hanh page 85 to end. Turn In Wednesday: 1) word 2) one page reflection on Monday’s class and the readings  

(1) course logistics: assignments, group book Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies [historical, Mariposa sisters in Dominican Republic] Angelou, Maya. I know why the caged bird sings [autobiographical] Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine [about families on my mother’s reservation] Grace, Patricia. Cousins [about Maori women in New Zealand] Morrison, Toni. Beloved [very heavy and sad content about a slave mother] Walker, Alice. The Color Purple [about black women in rural Georgia in early 1900’s] Wallis, Velma. Two Old Women [old Athabascan story takes place in Alaska]  

(2) walk outside for 10 minutes (set timer on your clock) a. Note how you feel as you walk, physically, mentally, emotionally b. Identify specific sensations c. Perceive everything about what you observe, you may wish to focus on one thing d. What ‘value’ or ‘metaphor’ or ‘mental formation’ do you ascribe to what you are perceiving?  

(3) In groups of 3 or 4, take turns listening (3) In groups of 3 or 4, take turns listening. This version by Charlene Apok. “This values reflection and thoughtful consideration of others’ words. Listening is an act of love. It is purposeful engagement that isn’t reactive and hones skills that are opposite from those of talking.” a. Set timer for 5 minutes. Each speaker can end sooner but try not to go longer than 5” each. b. Take turns having only one person talk about the prompts below… c. Listeners should do nothing but listen – no questions, no interruptions, no responses about the talker between speakers, no conversation about the talking at the end. Just Listen. We will revisit this next week.

1 “To be loving we willingly hear each other’s truth and, most important, we affirm the value of truth telling.” bell hooks 2. “In true love, you attain freedom.” (for yourself & that which you love) Hanh 3. The notion of ‘self’ is a cultural construct that has various values and meanings. How can self-love be perceived differently in a society that values individuals and individual freedoms versus one that values balanced interconnectedness and relations. 3a. “The object of your practice should first of all be yourself. Your love for the other, your ability to love another person, depends on your ability to love yourself.” The Buddha 3b. “Women say, “You have to love yourself before anyone can love you at all,” and that seemed like solid advice, until I wondered what advice like that means to a person who is from a collective culture? The self signifies something plural for me.” Mailhot

(4) Share thoughts on this week’s class activities and readings.