I think you explained it very well Sun. Pema's commitment to finding her way to insight about her feelings. Her steadfastness is impressive. The contrast to the Vipassana teachings is interesting. I think I can see value to both of them even though I have limited to no knowledge of their teachings. I am keen to learn more.

My first response to what you have both shared is to consider that currently I use distractions to stabilize and come down from feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I would include mindfulness as a distraction technique. Leaving the trigger behind me as I walk to the river or identify images etc. But it doesn't prevent the feelings from coming back equally as destabilizing. Perhaps in that context what Pema teaches could take away the need for distracting oneself from the overwhelming emotion. Interesting either way. Thanks for sharing.

I like the idea of rotating facilitating the cyber-sits. I like the idea of doing the same thing so if you are up for it Sun I look forward to your lead this go around. Perhaps when it is my turn again I can have something chakra related to offer.

I am still keen to come together weekly. If so then our next get together will be this Wednesday, April 6th, 6pm PST - 9pm EST. Sun taking the lead.

Interesting you should mention community building Lavie. That was actually one of my strengths when I worked at the college. Community among the students as well as by building partnerships to strengthen the capacity of community organizations to better serve or students and other interest groups in the community. Until you put it in that context I never really thought about the similarities with my own neightbourhood community.

I am not sure if I mentioned this in my previous post but as I canvassed the neighbourhood other then my immediate neighours (who like me are avid gardeners so we interact a lot especially during gardening season), for the most part I had seen the others from the neighbourhood passing by my house now and then. Whenever I was working in the garden on the street sides we would exchange at least a smile or stop and talk for awhile about the weather or the garden.

Depending on the season I would sometimes invite people to pick some cherries or apples, offer plants I was breaking up or thinning fro the garden or seeds from spent blossoms. In the fall I would give apples to the kids walking to school and distribute bags of apples to my immediate neighbours. Anytime I can share is always as much a gift to me as it is to anyone else.

There was a time when my symptoms prevented me from doing any of that. If I saw someone coming I would immediately move to a section of the garden further away so I didn't have to acknowledge them.

If people couldn't place me right aways as soon as I told them where I lived their first response was to comment on the garden. It was pretty cool and a huge boast to sense of comfort. I came home smiling because I had talked to so many people and no anxiety during or after. That is huge for me.