“Fierce compassion”–inspired by the Vajrayana understanding of a wrathful protective deity–seeks to integrate compassion with ethical accountability and trauma informed right action. This program draws on compassion practices shaped by five Black Women Buddhists teachers–Tina Turner, Alice Walker, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Melanie L. Harris, and bell hooks. These practices are grounded in an understanding of the innate worth and value of the person harmed and the full humanity of the person who has done harm. They invite a strength-to-love, non-violent approach that frees the person harmed to do the important work of self-healing through compassion, wisdom, and right perception. Dwelling in wisdom can reveal fresh insight in response to questions that arise in response to our suffering: why must I suffer?; how can I endure this suffering?; and why did this person harm me?
Non-violent forms of fierce compassion point us to healing the places in us that have been harmed, empowering us to be agents of compassion, anchored in hope. For this reason, our time together will include Buddhist chanting, music of the Black spirituals tradition, grief writing, and contemplative practices of prayer, breathing, and walking meditation.
Program Format: This program will include dharma talks, guided meditation, and singing as well as ritual, and small and large group discussion.
Assistant Teacher: Aishah Shahidah Simmons(she/her)