"

Compassion is a verb

"

- Thich Nhat Hahn

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2012

February15:  Second Harvest Food Bank

Feeding Hungry People in Eastern Washington

Introduction to Second Harvest and tour of facility

Jason Clark, Executive Director, Second Harvest Food Bank

Harvard University's Pluralism Project:  Skyler Oberst
Compassion makes us happy, too:  John Hancock
Report on Dalai Lama invitation

January 18:  Northeast Community Center Hillyard

Compassionate Care in Hillyard

Northeast Community Center:  Mission, Activities & Motivations

Tracy Swank, Assistant Director

Documentary Film:  I Am

iamthedoc.com/thefilm

 

2011

December:  Virtual Gathering

November 16:  All Saints Lutheran Church

Compassion in our own Neighborhood

Pastor Alan Eschenbacher

allsaintslutheranspokane.com

The Fig Tree article, "Friends of Compassion gathers diverse people, learns about homelessness"

Minutes

 

September 21:  Volunteers of America Crosswalk

Homeless Shelters and Services in Spokane

Background - Homeless:  John Hancock

 

Minutes
 

July 20:  The Community School 

Organizational Review and Intention Setting 

Minutes (download pdf)
 

June - no gathering

May 18:  All Saints Luthern Church

Compassion for Animals in the Natural World

Intro to Lutheran Community Service:  Pastor Alan Eschenbacher

allsaintslutheranspokane.com

Connecting with Animals and Self:  Eric Mitchell

Navajo Nation, Bitterwater Clan
Cultural Specialist at the Healing Lodge of the 7 Nations

Uncertainty about Hunting:  Jimmy Smith

Founder, Heartsong Retreat Center

Ecological Compassion:  The Beaver Solution

Amanda Parrish and Joe Kennon, The Lands Council

landscouncil.org/beaversolution

Compassion for the Rule Breakers:  The System Called "Corrections"

Roseann Lasater, Prison Manager, retired
Venerable Thubten Chodron, Sravasti Abbey Prison Dharma Outreach

sravasti.org/programs/prisonprogram.html

Russell Kolts, Professor of Psychology, prison researcher

ewu.edu/CSBSSW/programs/psychology/psych-faculty/Russell-Kolts.xml

Craig H., former inmate

 

February 16:  Unitarian Universalist Church

Compassion for Young Children:  Their Needs and Our Opportunity

Sue Wright, EWU Dept. of Sociology, Children's Studies Program Director

ewu.edu/CSBSSW/programs/childrens-studies.xml

Jane Sloan, mother, grandmother, and Circle of Security proponent

Melanie Luedders, Co-Director Plum Tree School (Waldorf/Steiner preschool education)

plumtreeschool.com
 

January 19:  Spokane Islamic Center

Welcome and Islamic Center Information:  Yousef Kaddoura
Circle of Security:  Dr. Kent Hoffman

Clinical consultant for attachment related interventions at:

University of Maryland
University of Virginia
Tulane University

circleofsecurity.org

Minutes

 

2010

December 15:  Unity Center of North Spokane

3 Goals of Friends of Compassion 

Compassion as Corporate Opportunity:  Karen Feltes

Avista Corp., Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Officer

 

November 17:  Lincoln Center, Landau Room

 

October 20:  Hutton Settlement

Discussion about compassionate opposition to intolerance

Habits of Mind and Heart:  Cindy McMahon, Principal

Havermale Community High School

Mini Workship - Religious Pluralism:  Kathryn Julyan

Lecturer, Eastern Washington University

 

September 15:  Spokane Falls Community College

Mission & Goals of Friends of Compassion:  John Hancock

Karen Armstrong's Compassion Concepts:  Skyler Oberst & Ven. Chonyi
Mission and Goals of Friends of Compassion:  Ven. Chonyi
The Fig Tree - Mission & Parctice:  Mary Stamp

thefigtree.org

Minutes (download pdf)

August 18:  Gonzaga University, Jepson Center

Hosted by:  Gonzaga Office of the VP for Global Engagement and the Institute for Hate Studies

Spokane Islamic Center- mission, practice & NYC:  Saleh Algiadi
Art of Happiness & Personal Path:  Diana Riggins
One Peace, Many Paths:  Joan Broeckling
Mormon Church - background, compassion and action:  Dave Ross
Justice & Compassion:  Dr. John Shuford

Professor of Philosophy, Gonzaga

Alternative Courts / Smart Justice:  Breean Beggs, attorney

Minutes (download pdf)
 

July 21:  St. Ann's Church & Rectory

"Embodying, educating, and encouraging compassion in action"

Universities:  Kathryn Julyan

Lecturer, Eastern Washington University

Compassion Research Project:  Dr. Russell Kolts

Professor of Psychology, Eastern Washington University

Minutes (download pdf)
 

June 16:  Spokane Buddhist Temple

Goals & Organization

Announcements:  Venerable Chodron

Sravasti Abbey:  sravasti.org
Ven. Chodron:  thubtenchodron.org

Goals & Organization:  John Hancock

Compassion Practice:  Redhawk

The Deep End talk radio show:  1280kptq.com/pages/thedeepend.html
Voiceless Choir:  covenantchristianspokane.org

 Minutes (download pdf) 

May 19: Unitarian Universalist Church 

Organizational First Meeting lead by John Hancock
Minutes (download pdf) 

The project to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama for a series of events in Spokane has generated strong endorsements from diverse sectors of the region. The enthusiasm is not just for the Nobel Laureate himself, but for the values he embraces and for the possibility of giving compassion a visible place in the region's civic affairs. Rotary 21 and Sravasti Abbey, co-sponsors of the invitation, recently learned that His Holiness is unable to accept the invitation at this time. But the proposed two-year plan to explore compassionate action has developed a momentum of its own. An organization and structure are now forming under the title of Friends of Compassion. Implementation of the ideas can have a positive effect on the community and could open the door for His Holiness to accept an invitation in the future.

For 5 months, members of Rotary Club 21, Sravasti Abbey, and others have worked with people of faith, education, government, social services, and business on a framework to discuss kindness and compassion for others. This central question arose: "How can institutions, not just persons, act compassionately?" The Dalai Lama's message of tolerance, personal responsibility, and charity has provided a unifying commonality. Many organizations are now pursuing community advancement, and all express ideals of compassion in their own language. Friends of Compassion seeks to harness this positive energy for common good, in the pursuit of civic goals and local needs.

The project began with the discovery by Downtown Rotary Club 21 of a Buddhist teaching class presented by Venerable Thubten Chodron at the Airway Heights Correctional Facility. She is the leader of a mountaintop Abbey near Newport, Washington, and is known internationally as a leading teacher and author on Buddhist practice in the English-speaking world. Rotary funding has now assisted the Abbey with the distribution of her video teachings to prisons throughout the US. Her speech comparing Buddhist philosophy with ethical practices of Rotarians electrified the Club, and launched this project.

Many people who came together as planners and advisors liked each other, as well as the message of compassion. From the start, the potential for collaborative support grew as quickly as our friendship. We have discovered much commonality in the compassionate ideals expressed in religion, education, spirituality, law, philosophy, parenthood, psychology, and social services. To advance these ideals, Friends of Compassion will embrace diversity, encourage personal and organizational development and practice of compassion, and endorse local and regional endeavors.

Downtown Rotary Club 21 has been practicing "Service Above Self" since 1910. Its 350 members form one of the largest of the 33,000 Rotary clubs all over the world, representing 1.3 million members in service to their communities and to the world. The fountain in Riverfront Park in Spokane is the largest of its recent projects.

Sravasti Abbey is a Buddhist monastery cultivating and doing its best to practice the values of non-harmfulness, mindfulness, compassion, respect for nature, and service to living beings. We conduct teaching programs, retreats, and seminars at the Abbey and around the world.

For more information contact

John Hancock, Project Chair, Downtown Rotary Club 21 (509)244-8559