"The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." Audre Lorde
Dear Ones,
Welcome to my most favorite month.....May!!!!!
May is a huge month for me and my family: it's the month of my birthday, my mom's birthday (celebrating her 75th this year!), my parent's 52nd wedding anniversary, and just a few days shy of a May birthday, but still made it in as Taurus', we welcomed a set of twins into our family on April 28th. My parents' 3rd and 4th great - grandchildren.
And with all of this joy, there is still the complexity of the world we're living in; the sickness, the death, and the delusion. I'm holding tight, and holding strong with the 10,000 joys and the 10,000 sorrows...how are you, Dear Friend?
NEW Weekly Offering! Embodied Wisdom: Dharmette + Movement + Meditation Wednesdays | May 6, 13, 20, 27 | 5:30 - 6:45pm
Mondays | May 11, 18, 26 | 5:30 - 6:45pm
Online | Register Here Can't choose between the online yoga class or the online meditation class? Now, you can have it all! For the month of May, I'll be sharing a 75 minute Embodied Wisdom: Dharma + Movement + Meditation class every Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 - 6:45pmEST. These classes will be led through a trauma informed lens, and will be accessible to all bodies and all levels of practice. I'll be on about 10 minutes early if you want to sign on and say hi!
*The intention is to just offer these through May, but let me know what you think.....
I'll be back at the Community Meditation Center in NYC for their Sunday morning Dharma Gathering! CMC endeavors to eliminate divisive “us and them” mentality. Everyone is part of the community as soon as they walk in. There are no categories and no membership. All are welcome without regard for race, religion, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, economic or social status. Just bring an open heart, an open mind, and the courage to grow.
So you know how I'm always wanting to do things in New York and San Francisco on the same day? Well, now I finally am! For my friends on the west coast, and you night owls on the east, I'll be teaching at Marin's Virtual Sangha at 9pmEST / 6pmPST on Sunday, May 31st. This will be my first time teaching this late, so....
Marin Sangha is a mindfulness meditation (vipassana) group in Marin County that puts special emphasis on living the dharma in daily life.
NEW 4 Week Course! Exploring the Paramis as a Practice of Liberation Thursdays June 18th - July 9th, 2020 | 6 - 7:30pmEST
Online | New York Insight
*There is a Discount Code for POC | LGBTQI+ until May 18th.
The 10 paramis are qualities or states of heart and mind that lead the way to liberation and joy…yes, joy! As antidotes to some of our biggest mental obstacles, they work together, enabling us to deal with everything that life throws at us — they are some of most useful Buddhist teachings for bringing the path of awakening into everyday life. We’ll be exploring these 10 perfections through study, discussion, leaning on the wisdom of the body, and formal meditation practice.
Join Booker for a 4 part online course exploring these qualities so that we can realize our full potential, bringing the highest benefit to ourselves and others.
The brahmaviharas, or “divine abodes”, are some of the Buddha’s primary heart-teachings. These qualities of the heart are: metta (loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (joy), and upekkha (equanimity). They are sometimes referred to as the “levelers of social barriers” as they provide the remedy to social conflict and the balm for the wounds brought on by systems of harm and oppression. To explore heart practices during these times takes a fierce vulnerability; the ability to consider joy and to keep an open heart in the face of sickness and death, and to protect the heart and mind from being colonized by the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion.
This daylong will be a way to explore how we can cultivate these states of heart and mind in our own personal practice – giving us the opportunity to live with more ease as we move through this world.
Needing a Bit of Support Right Now?
MNDFL Mentoring is Back!
MNDFL Mentoring is an opportunity for folks to work with me directly to support them in deepening their mindfulness-based practice. Mentoring manifests differently with everyone I work with, so schedule a 15 minute Chemistry Call, and we’ll see if we’re a good fit. I'm looking forward to holding and guiding you in your practice.
Connecting with Communities A few times a month, I have the great honor of (now virtually), stepping into the worlds of different industries to offer a keynote address, a workshop, or a training. It's such a beautiful reminder of our shared need to be seen, heard and our experiences reflected back to us. Here are some folks I got to spend time with last month.
I joined the kids from Food and Finance High School to talk and offer some tools around working with stress and cabin fever during this time. This is part of their mindfulness group Calm & Connected, started by Brian Simmons, their Dean of Mindfulness and Restorative Interventions. You can check out my session as well as sessions with Sharon Salzberg, Sebene Selassie and Kate Johnson
Black Women Alliance is dedicated to cultivating a sisterhood of women committed to growth, positive change and "Wellness on Every Level." I sat down with Kriste People's for their Moving Conversations Online series, to explore the importance of self-care, being in community, resourcing ourselves, and re-prioritizing rest as a means of healing in these days of pandemic - and beyond
I have a total professional crush on social workers...I just do! Such an honor to go back to my roots of supporting the sustainability of folks on the frontline, at the Center for Urban Community Services. These 35 amazing beings are in direct service to some of the most vulnerable populations through this supportive housing residence in NYC.
Our mailing address is:
Leslie Booker
PO Box 132
New York, New York 10031
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