November/December 2024
Qigong & Mindfulness Newsletter
The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives might be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
From The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry (Counterpoint, 1999)
Seeing the Other as US
Dear Friends: No matter how you may have voted, we have all been bombarded for months with harsh ads, constant begging for money and time, and a growing division across party (and sometimes, family) lines. As much as we love our democracy, I think we can all agree that this election process takes its toll on us, albeit in different ways and degrees.
So my hope for each of you is twofold: Go easy on yourself. Give yourself time to notice what you are feeling and sensing in your body, especially your heart center. Be still and listen deeply. Let action arise from this place of wise heart-wisdom.
Secondly, go easy on ‘the others’. Do your best to see our shared humanity amidst different views. Give people the benefit of the doubt, knowing we are each doing our best given what we ‘know’ (or think we know). Yes, share your ideas and fears truthfully, but not until you have taken time to listen to what keeps someone else up at night.
“The only way we will birth a multiracial democracy is if we hold up a vision of a future that leaves no one behind, not even our worst opponents.” -Valerie Kaur
If you find this challenging, you are not alone! I’ve sprinkled some inspiration into this newsletter that may help, including a process called “The Work” by Byron Katie, quotes from spiritual and contemplative leaders, links to local and national organizations with resources for uncertain times, and some loving-kindness phrases to practice using toward yourself and others.
Above all, let kindness prevail, dear friends – you never know what a difference a small act of kindness can make in this troubled, beautiful world.
Blessings on your gatherings this season, and may your inner light shine through to others,
Sandy Salvo
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“If you choose solidarity, instead of pulling away from those you once suspected, avoided, vilified or rejected, you see them as neighbors. You smile. You talk. You try to collaborate for the common good in whatever ways you can.” - Brian McLaren
Loving Kindness Phrases for
Times of Uncertainty
by Sandy Salvo
May I be free from harm and worry.
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May I be well in body, mind and spirit.
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May I live with peace and ease.
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May I be guided by the divine light within.
(After repeating these phrases several time, begin to expand them out to loved ones, the greater community, even those with whom you disagree, and eventually to all living beings by simply changing the second word to: 'May you...', or 'May all beings...').
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Find more resources here:
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“Contemplation embodies compassion. The more we are transformed in compassion, the more we act with compassion toward others.”
—JAMES FINLEY
The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world.
There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents.
Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt ..
Leo Buscaglia
Art by Deborah Gregg
“We cannot always see the path toward the good; often it seems that evil has won the day. Yet, even during our worst times, there are opportunities to facilitate human flourishing through the creative exchange of ideas, authenticity, culture and religious expression.”
-Barbara Holmes
Mark Your Calendars:
Mindfulness Meditation
Pop-Up Sessions
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Harbor Wellness Center , Middleton, WI
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November 27, 11am: Gratitude Meditation
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December 18, 11am: Winter Solstice Meditation​
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Check out Greater Madison Conscious Communication Communities of Practice website.
You will find some of your Qigong buddies facilitating this important work!!
Cross Plains Area
Mindfulness Meditation Group
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All are welcome to join this open learning community focused on exploring mindfulness meditation practices to cultivate compassion and mutual understanding while enriching our personal faith journeys. No experience necessary.
Meeting monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month, 6:30-7:45pm on a drop-in basis at various outdoor locations for the summer, weather permitting. Our back-up location is St. Martin's Lutheran Church, 2427 Church St, Cross Plains, WI.
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November 18 lead by Pastor Maggie
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December 16 lead by Sandy Salvo
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Questions?
Contact Sandy
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Come as you are. Come when you are able.
The Work
Sean Fargo, one of my mindfulness mentors recently highlighted Byron Katie as one of the most impactful teachers in the world of mindfulness and noted that Time magazine describes her as "a spiritual innovator for the 21st century”.
Katie’s process, known as "The Work," is a method of self-inquiry that invites us to challenge our most stressful thoughts and beliefs.
It consists of four transformative questions that can open up entirely new ways of thinking and being, all grounded in peace and presence.
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Is it true?
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Can you absolutely know it's true?
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How do you react / what happens / when you believe that thought?
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Who would you be without the thought?
Her teachings remind us that suffering doesn’t come from our circumstances, but from the thoughts we attach to them. How empowering is that…?
Check out more on her website: https://thework.com/
Weekly Qigong Classes:
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Monday 9-9:45am CT: Qigong via Zoom
Click Here for:
Monday 9am Qigong w Sandy via Zoom 2024
Meeting ID: 871 8831 7798
No Class November 25.
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Wednesday 8:30-9:15am: Qigong at the Lake
Meet near the Boathouse, Marshall Park, Middleton
Outdoor classes will resume in Spring 2025!
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Refer a Friend, Get a Free Class Yourself!
Any time you refer a friend who tries a free Qigong class, you will receive a free class yourself! It’s that simple - you keep track on your own. Let’s keep spreading the word about this amazing form of self-care!😊
Suggested Qigong Class Fees for 2024*
- No Inflation Increases Here!
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One-time drop in: $12/class
Class-Pass Bundle of 6: $54 ($9/class)
Class-Pass Bundle of 10: $80 ($8/class)
Class-Pass Bundle of 15: $102 (6.80/class)
*These rates apply to weekly online Zoom classes (Mondays, 9am) and weekly outdoor classes April-October (Wednesdays, 8:30am). Feel free to mix ‘n match as your schedule allows.
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Payment Options:
Or mail check to:
Sandy Salvo :: 7521 Oak Circle Dr, Middleton, Wisconsin, 53562
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Venmo option available by request.
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Two Options for 2025!
Transitions and New Beginnings Retreat
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February 7-9 Moon Beach Camp, St. Germain
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APRIL 4-6 St. Anthony's Spiritual Retreat Center, Wausau
Read comments from 2024 Retreat Here
Courage Changes Things
Embodiment teacher and therapist Prentis Hemphill names courage as an essential element for positive change:
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As we look at the world around us, it is clear that we need large-scale change. But it will not happen without risking something of ourselves, perhaps by seeing ourselves honestly, by stepping up to lead, by speaking out, by feeling discomfort as we move outside our usual patterns. We shape change in such moments and transform ourselves in the process. Courage changes things and courage changes us. It’s how we become. I have found that there is a “right-sized” fear inside any vision for change, and in taking courageous action we develop a part of ourselves that can talk back to and hold the fear without letting it lead. Guided—and inspired—by what we care about, we become able to express our courage and act.
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Read more at: Center for Action and Contemplation