Contemplating consumerism

Exercises to Dispel the “Hungry Ghost” Cravings – Part II (First part of this series happened on October 8th, 2016)

Date: Saturday, January 14, 2017 (2 to 5 pm followed by optional potluck)

Location: Kritee-Imtiaz’s home in South Boulder (Please RSVP by email)

Often people correlate contemplation with sitting meditation, and a watching of the mind and breath without attachment.  However, in this time of constant motion, deadlines, and overcrowded schedules, a more active  and ongoing implementation of contemplation seems necessary.

In this meeting, through experiential exercises, we will explore how to monitor our thoughts and cravings in a hectic environment. We will focus on applying Buddhist teachings to our lives in this consumer culture in which our desire is exploited and our cravings are purposefully magnified. And we’ll examine how contemplative practices can call societal norms into question and so we can cultivate a culture of change one person at a time. Needless to say that the exploitation of our fleeing desires contributes to our socio-political and ecological crises.

Stephanie Yuhas who teaches Ecopsychology and Religious Studies at Naropa University will lead us through several exercises to help confront and address the consumer impulses we face in a society of excess and availability. She will share strategies for transforming our relationship to the stuff we collect and the feelings of attraction and aversion that motivate these cravings. This afternoon will draw on Stephanie’s years of teaching eco-psychology and a forthcoming article to appear in The Arrow titled “Attraction, Aversion and Consumerism: A Contemplative Exercise to Challenge our Desire Nature.”