“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, singing, ritual, and small- and large-group discussion.
Transportation Assistance: In an effort to make our campus more accessible, we will share a ride-share sheet specifically for this program. We will also provide a single van shuttle ride to and from BCBS on opening and closing days (from Boston South Station to BCBS and from BCBS to Boston South Station) for those who are unable to find a ride using the ride-share boards. The page and van pickup information will be shared upon registration.