After this Fall 2019 Interbeing project I learned…
- how to observe life around me mindfully without boundaries or reservations
- that interbeing is connection, connection is mindfulness, mindfulness is interbeing
- that in all my moments of suffering, I had forgotten I was a leaf, a flower, a part of a greater, deeply rooted whole
- that nature truly is loving and kind, that nature makes our interconnectedness easier to realize
- that everything I feel and have ever felt is and was felt across time and space; the same energy, just manifested in different ways
- that our afflictions are not our enemies, but parts about ourselves and our lives that we have yet to understand
- through interbeing that my past and future are inextricably linked to my present
- Everyone conceives of Interbeing differently and that is part of Interbeing
- How we see a situation depends on the lens we use
- A new way of thinking about the natural environment
- We can choose how we see and what something means
- Even when we can’t change something, we can be mindful and mindfulness provides a way to move forward
- That we tend to describe and interpret interbeing through a transactional lens i.e. the earth providing value to us and us to earth
- that we can see inter-being in traditionally anthropocentric things and vice versa.
- that Mother Earth has provided us with the simple conditions of happiness and livelihood
- that interpersonal inter-being doesn’t have to be about responding to trauma or connecting the dots but can be simple recognition
- other interpretations of interbeing
- The same situation can be perceived in different ways.
- Interbeing can come about in so many contexts, not just between people or between yourself and nature.
- Intentions and impact are different, but both matter.
- Interbeing is not some perfect state which we aspire to but never reach, rather, it is accessible in intention and practice.
- People understand interbeing in different ways, and that is okay.
My understanding about interbeing shifted from… to…
- from a perspective that centered human interaction to a perspective that encompasses all of my surroundings as well
- from being within a religious framework to a choice that aligns with a way of living— not defined by religion or ideology
- from perceiving it to be a form of political resistance against the state to being a global call for peace, empathy, and understanding
- from mere compassion to vulnerable, reciprocal compassion
- from filling every empty space with dialogue to appreciating the silence that already fills them
- from working towards a future perfection to embracing the past and present imperfections
- from the flower that blossoms and thrives in the mud to the flower itself, the mud itself, the rain and sun themselves, and every other factor, together and at the same time
- from it having form to a boundless energy
- from me to us
- dispersed to integrated
- simple and certain to ambiguous and complex
- from a stagnant, idolized paradigm to an accessible, adapting state.
- from a temporal mindset that only occurs when you are explicitly thinking about it to a more fluid state/lifestyle.
- from centering human relationships with the Earth to centering the interconnectedness of the relationships between all beings.
- from only associating Interbeing with untouched, pristine natural places to understanding how Interbeing can be practiced and realized in urban areas
From all the participants, I learned…
- that water does not separate us like people think it does, rather it connects us (there are no boundaries, water does not disintegrate)
- the textures of interbeing are not distinct from one another— they overlap as concepts and lived experiences
- that time is not a limiting boundary of interbeing— examples of interbeing in the past still serve as examples of interbeing in the present
- what it is to be a wave within a larger ocean
- ow interbeing, too, must cross borders and oceans and language barriers, but with such ease and such grace
- how the seeds of Interbeing grow just the same if not more beautifully in the soil of my kin-sake
- that there truly are communities far and wide trying to understand and live by these same lessons
- that time lends to more experiences from which to learn, but age doesn’t dictate when to learn and how much to learn
- the beauty of silence
- the value of mindful sharing academically, emotionally, and spiritually
- to construct an environment in tune with other people’s thoughts, feelings and self
- how vital acceptance of self is to collective connectedness
- to accept that interbeing is messy and imperfect
- that good intentions matter
- that patience is the first step
- that we are connected, even when we are unaware
- that listening is the way to understand
- that swimming in the river can be seen as interbeing.
- that interbeing can simultaneously be very simple and very complex
- that every interaction is an opportunity to reflect and learn.
- that there is a very diverse set of people practicing and studying Engaged Buddhism around the world.
- how our country and environment can shape our relationship with and interpretations of the practice
- that oatience and forgiveness are necessary.
- that simple questions don’t mean simple answers.
- that listening to listen, not just to respond, is really important.
- that while we may practice mindfulness and interbeing in our own individual ways, there is something incredible in the collective nature of our intentions and actions.
- that ven just meeting people twice over video calls, it’s incredible what we were able to share in.
(RC, EN) DY (PDF) JC (PDF)
Dr. Kathy Yep 