Even with a compassionate heart and the best of intentions, our interaction with others can be clumsy, ineffective, and even counter productive. In the Buddhist tradition, developing skillful means is an important addition to the cultivation of wisdom and compassion.

In meditation, we can start with gentleness and precision to see the situation clearly beyond our own filters and habitual patterns. But when we re-enter the activity of our everyday lives – it becomes important to know what action will be truly effective – perhaps more so now than ever.

“Traditionally when we talk about using skillful means to create positive outcomes, we are referring to four strategies that help shape a good intention into a skillful action:

• Pacifying aggressive situations
• Enriching impoverished situations
• Magnetizing isolating situations
• Destroying harmful situations."

Excerpt from Awakening from the Daydream: Reimagining the Buddha’s Wheel of Life by David Nichtern

This workshop will include meditation practice and instruction, talk and discussion. Open to all levels.