Compassionate Rebel

By: Gwendolyn Alley aka Art Predator

Jan 02 2013

Tags: Buddhist art, inspirational art, inspirational quotes, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, new year resolutions

Category: Fiber Arts, thangkas

4 Comments

When you are alone,
watch your mind.

When you are with others,
watch your mouth.

–Tibetan saying from Lambre: Dawn of Enlightenment by Lama Choedak Yuthok

As a doctoral student in Community Psychology, Liberation Psychology and Ecopsychology at Pacific Graduate Institute, I am spending my winter break from teaching writing at Ventura College writing three papers of my own, all due the first Saturday in January.

And I am really struggling with these papers, my mind racing all over the place and getting no where fast, so this reminder to watch my mind is very timely.

This advice makes for a good new year’s resolution as well. In 2013, I am going to mind my mind and my mouth.

In 2013, I am also going to make time for a 30 minute or more walk or walking meditation each day. Yesterday, January 1, it was a snow shoe hike up Rock Creek Canyon in the eastern sierra. Today I’ll put on my snow shoes again for a quick jaunt in the woods. Tomorrow, it will be a walk back home my the beach. I tend to get too “busy” but I know that taking walks is one of the best activities for my mind and for my body so I want to return to this practice in 2013 of going out, usually at sunset, to marvel at the day and let my mind roam where it will and trust that it will return to me a wealth of inspiration far greater than what I would have found sitting at home staring at my computer.

What are your 2013 resolutions? What are your intentions for the coming year?

Pictured above is a silk applique thangka by Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, one of the only westerners trained in this rare Buddhist art. His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave his blessings to Leslie’s work and encouraged her to make images that speak to the spiritual aspirations of people across religions and cultures. Leslie’s  fascinating story is the subject of the acclaimed documentary film, Creating Buddhas: the Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas. Leslie mentors a select group of students around the world through her Stitching Buddhas Virtual Apprentice Program, and her Weekly Wake-ups (of which this is one) provide a thread of inspiration to set your week on the path to awakening.

Related articles

• Thich Nhat Hanh: No mud, no lotus. (compassionaterebel.wordpress.com)
• Krishnamurti: You Are The Guru, You Are The Leader, You Are Everything (compassionaterebel.wordpress.com)