The Quiet Power That Sustains Us

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” — His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Tending the Garden of Your Heart

There is a story about anthropologist Margaret Mead, perhaps apocryphal but still deeply illuminating. She was once asked what she considered to be the first sign of civilization. The student who posed the question expected an answer like clay pots, farming tools, or the use of fire. But Mead’s response was unexpected. She pointed to a healed femur, a thigh bone that had been broken and mended. In the animal kingdom, a broken leg is often a death sentence. Unable to flee predators, hunt for food, or reach water, an injured animal is left behind. But a healed femur tells a different story. It means someone stayed with the injured person, tended to their wound, carried them to safety, and cared for them through personal sacrifice. “Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts,” Mead explained.

Last month, several members of the Myndtree community gathered for our annual potluck picnic. Beyond the joy and connection of our own circle, the park was alive with quiet gestures of care. Grownups cheering at soccer games, grandparents gently pushing strollers, friends leaning on each other through laughter and tears. When we pause to truly notice, we see how countless small acts of love and compassion sustain the fabric of our larger world: parents nourishing their children, healthcare workers tending the sick, activists amplifying silenced voices, and caretakers supporting aging loved ones. It is through these acts of selflessness that humanity has always endured.

When I first envisioned hosting Myndtree’s inaugural overnight retreat, this truth sat at the heart of my intention. The teachings on the four Brahmaviharas - loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), appreciative joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha) - offer timeless remedies against the forces that fragment us: anger, greed, hatred, and aggression. With this theme in mind, I was fortunate to have found the perfect setting for our gathering at the serene Mount Madonna Center, nestled in redwood-covered hills overlooking Monterey Bay. If your life allows, I warmly invite you to join us September 5 – 7 for our retreat, Tending the Garden of Your Heart. In our fast-moving world, even a short retreat can offer deep nourishment and a chance to reconnect, reset, and remember what matters most.

As I write this, I’m preparing to step into a two-week silent meditation retreat this Sunday. After months of outward-focused energy, I’m ready to turn inward, deepen my practice, and rest in stillness. I think of retreats as spring cleaning for the heart and mind. Just as we clear out clutter from our homes to create space and order, retreats allow us to refresh our inner world. For me, they are a vital ritual, gifting me with renewed inspiration and insight that I can bring back into my life and work as a meditation teacher.

May we all continue to express our love and compassion, remembering that they are not extras. They are the quiet power that sustains us all.

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