The focus of this conversation is on our relationships with dogs, and more broadly, all beings. We look at what Thich Nhat Hanh called interbeing, and what happens when we shift our attention from self to who are we together. Tara is joined by Mark Drucker, an animal lover who works in digital media and is founder of lovedog.com, and Drew Webster, a dog behavior consultant par excellence. In this recording, Tara is being interviewed for their podcast and found herself deeply impacted by the conversation. She reports that she and her 6-month-old pup, Niki, play more. Her attention has deepened and she is more awake in their relationship, and of course that extends out to the world of relationships. So whether you have a dog, cat, favorite tree, or human to practice on, bringing attention to interbeing means more belonging, aliveness, and love. lovedog.com Mark Drucker - Mark is the founder of lovedog.com. He’s accrued over 25 years of executive, marketing/sales, and content creation experience in the print and digital media arenas. Mark has always been a dog and animal lover. He’s raised two Golden Retrievers, and in July 2023 adopted a 4-year-old Labrador Retriever named Hank. Mark is from New York where he built his career in publishing. He records this podcast in Boulder, CO where he’s lived since October 2022. Drew Webster - Human Senior Partner; CDBC - Drew has two decades of experience as a dog behavior consultant, adjunct professor at University of Denver, developer of behavioral programs and an endless list of key relationships with the leaders and experts in the canine training and behavior arena around the world. The website: lovedog.com Tara’s episode: https://lovedog.com/podcast/homecoming-being-present-with-our-dogs/ The Podcast page on Lovedog.com: https://lovedog.com/podcast/

Short Reflection & Guided Meditation | Earthworm Practice for the Anthropocene II | Online Wednesday-Mornings

What is Natural Awareness? This talk gives context for accessing and playing with a type of mindfulness that is open, spacious, luminous, and boundless. Natural awareness connects us to "awareness of awareness." The talk begins with an explanation of the spectrum of awareness (using some entertaining props) and includes on the spot glimpse practices.

Dharma Talk (Group Q/A is not included)

A meditative reflection, followed by a silent sitting, followed by further reflections.

00:07 Q1 You use the term energy more than I have heard it used in dhamma discussions. Can you say why it is important? 10:03 Q2 Where would you place craving for stability within the three types of tanha? 16:23 Q3 You said that citta arises from name and form. Can you say more about how and why? 26:37 Q4 How do you think one might continue to cultivate citta as we age and with Alzheimers, dementia etc.? 31:18 Q5 Regarding medically assisted suicide, doesn’t it break the first precept? 36:35 Q6 What are some useful practices for going to sleep?

This short meditation describes how we use RAIN to work with our emotions. RAIN includes: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture, and Not Identify with. We also practice with RAIN on the spot, working with any difficult emotion that is present.