I'll miss you.? Have a great couple of weeks.??

Fred and I can’t join OC today. We’ll miss seeing everyone but hope to join you in a couple of weeks. Lois

Hi All.? The Open Create group will be meeting this Saturday.? The link is now? on the ZCD calendar (thanks, Joel!)? I look forward to sharing how we keep the creative spirit alive.

Thank you, David, for this lovely and heartfelt posting.? I am reminded that metta practice is very much an in the world practice.? With gratitude (and a virtual hug)? Francine

Hello friends -

I want to share a practice that has sustained my family and I throughout the pandemic quarantine and the increasingly turbulent environment in which we're living. I call it "Five Hugs Practice." The practice is simple: everyday, you give five hugs to someone or someones throughout your day. Not five hugs apiece. Just five total hugs. It sounds simple at first - five just isn't that many. But as we go about our days involved in work and our day-to-day activities, the time passes quickly, and morning soon turns to afternoon then to night and then to bedtime. Before you know it, your day is over and you haven't given or received that personal, physical attention that we all need as human beings. In fact, I bet if you examine most of your days, you will likely find that you average fewer than three hugs per day. Most days you may be at zero.

For my family, this practice has been critical for our well-being. There are eight souls in our home - two parents, two kids, a grandparent, two cats, and a dog. It is crowded, to say the least, and nerves are easily frazzled and patience is at a premium. Unintended slights turn into day-long battles with anger, resentment, and frustration. And this is where Five Hugs Practice really shines.?

When I make the practice a priority, it brings my stated intention to love those around me front and center to my mind. Intention is no longer passively running in the background, but rather becomes a conscious and necessary positive action I take during my day. I have to stop what I'm doing at a particular moment, look my loved one in the eye, and reach out and give them a loving embrace. It requires my immediate and unclouded focus on this moment right now, and we fill that moment with absolute love and affection. And then I have to be mindful to maintain that practice throughout the day - one hug is not enough, and I have to work to keep focus on my intention.?

There is science behind this practice. Take a moment to read this:?

And in time of quarantine when we are all cooped up together, it can be easy to lose patience with your housemates, whether they're your family, friends, or just simply a roommate who pays half the rent. But I think you'll find it becomes increasingly difficult to remain angry or frustrated or resentful towards someone when you're lovingly putting your arms around them and supporting each other in this most basic of human interactions. Five hugs practice allows the us to release greed, hatred, and ignorance and to let love, compassion, and empathy naturally flow through us.??

I recognize that not everyone is as fortunate as I to have company during these times, and that making physical contact with others may not be realistic. While it is not an even substitute, I respectfully suggest you fill the void with alternate means of communication to affirmatively reach out to others to express your love, support, and gratitude. Make a phone call, send an email or a text, or simply give a socially distanced "I appreciate you" to your neighbor. Commit yourself to to a few moments each day where affirmatively love yourself for your innate goodness and beauty, and then dedicate your energy and intention to an expression of love that will sustain you and those around you. This is more than basic metta practice which is done on your own. This is where the metta practice rubber meets the road - look someone in the eye and let them know they deserve to be healthy, happy, and safe, and that you are thinking of them. I promise that you will help not only your own mental health, but will provide emotional sustenance to those around you.

I look forward to the day when we can all gather again and I can give each of you the hug and love you need and deserve. Until then, do not let the quarantine or our seemingly disintegrating world deter you from reaching out to all beings to share the limitless love contained within you. Now more than the world needs bodhisattvas to help relieve the suffering every single one of us is enduring. Five hugs practice (or a similar proactive reaching out) is a simple and realistic way to actually reduce your suffering and that of those around you, and I hope you will join me in this endeavor.

With a great big hug to each and every one of you.....

David? ?

As we have all been affected by the fires around our nation, some of us more directly than others, I wanted to pass this along.?

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Hey Fred. Wow! Those are beautiful! I can see the music and looks like an elephant at first glance... Maybe I can see them in person some time. Thanks for sharing. ?

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hey is anyone else having trouble signing on?

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Quick reminder- the Open Create group meets on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Please join us this Saturday at 1 pm, using the link in Bill's notes.

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OPEN CREATE MEETING 8/22/2020? 1-2pm? Zoom Meeting

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Attendees:????????

??? Francine Campone - Host

?????????Bill Hamaker

?????????Fred & Lois Becker

??? Doug Viener?

??? Jim Long

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Discussion on Francine by John Green talking about drawing 170,000 circles. Group discussed how drawing, painting, stitching etc. repetitive patterns puts one into a flow state similar to or same as meditation.

Share Session: Doug shared lettered chalkboard piece.? Bill shared drawings of mother-in-law’s cross collection.? Fred shared news of his latest work going to a gallery.? Lois showed off finished rag rug.? Francine showed newest collage and recycled fabric rope.? Jim shared latest watercolors done on yupo paper.? Discussed our hopes to one day do an Open Create show at the temple!

Next meeting will be on Saturday, September 5 at 1pm.

Post your art, ideas or instructions for projects on our shared Google folder:

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 385 368 403

Password: 754300

All are welcome to this week's Open Create.?Consider a look at this short video by John Green talking about drawing 170,000 circles (it's embedded in a blog by Austin Kleon)? ?

All are welcome to this week's Open Create session.? Please feel free to join and share what you are creating.