Facing North: Navigating Turbulent Times
The past months have revealed so much—some things we’ve suspected, some things we’ve resisted, and some things we never imagined could be possible.
Remember the old Chinese curse? May you be born in interesting times.
Orenda Healing International believes that we’ve definitely reached those “interesting times”—and we’ve asked ourselves how best to confront the challenges we’re facing—as individuals and as members of local, national, and global communities. How do we deal with this maelstrom of unpredictability, this sandstorm of change?
A good friend in Mendocino, on California’s North Coast, used to approach every unpleasant development in his life with the comment, “Guess it’s time to face North.” Asked what that meant, he explained that if you try to run away from the north wind, it attacks you from behind—sends its icy fingers down your pulled-up coat collar, pushes you before it—perhaps to places you wouldn’t want to go. But if you turn and face it, it’s like diving into the wave when you’re surfing. It looks scary, but it’s really the only safe option. Just as in surfing or hiking along the chilly Mendocino headlands, our best option is not to run from the negativity growing in our country and around the world, but to face it head on.
Just how to do this is the theme of Orenda’s first webinar. Our guest speakers discuss the challenges we’re facing now—from climate change, global warfare, local and national political unrest, and troubling new diseases to widespread suspicion of “the other.” They share their practices for achieving calm in the midst of chaos, maintaining one’s center, and serving as guides for those who feel lost in the storm.
Our Free Spring Webinar: Facing North is over. But you can still view it on our website. You’ll even be able to download your own copy of the recording! While there’s no charge for the download, we welcome your generous donation to help support our work in the world.
Join the Webinar mailing list here for a link to the video and for information on our future webinars and other offerings.
Guest Speakers
Alan Levin, LMFT. Founder, Sacred River Healing, Tomkins Cove, NY
Murshida Dr. Ana Perez-Chisti, PhD. President, SUFI Universal Fraternal Institute, Orinda, CA
Dr. Bahman Shirazi, PhD. Professor, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA
Jan Edl Stein, MFT. Director, Holos Institute, San Francisco, CA
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