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Windhorse Journal Podcast

Author: Windhorse Community Services

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The Windhorse Journal’s mission is to inspire compassionate approaches to recovering sanity.

We do this by creating an evolving forum dedicated to exploring contemplative psychotherapy and the creation of therapeutic environments for the wellbeing of all persons involved. We envision this to be a rich dialogue among people with lived experience, family members, psychology professionals, and anyone interested in whole person-mental health and the diverse expressions of human sanity.
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Dear Listeners, This Podcast series on the Windhorse practice of Basic Attendance explores the discipline as an expression of the wisdom, compassion and resulting reciprocity that can manifest in ordinary human relationships when cultivated within a ground of openness and relational warmth. I came to the Windhorse approach after graduating from the Naropa Institute—now University—in 1980, and I had the good fortune to be around when this was being envisioned with other Naropa graduates. My attraction to this vision and practice had to do with the emphasis on a person being fundamentally sane and healthy, as well as to the importance placed on having an engaging and supportive social environment as they work with their current life challenges. It also met my need to continue working with others in a setting where I could include my practice and understanding of Contemplative Psychotherapy. My exposure to the first Windhorse Team that had formed was at a social event in the therapeutic household of the “client”, and I was struck by the mutuality of connection among all members of the Team, including the so-called “client”. There was such a felt sense of closeness and camaraderie among everyone, as well as warmth and acceptance. It felt so wholesome to be in this environment. As a result, I became involved with this approach and was fortunate to be an active member of Maitri Psychological Services (as the Windhorse organization was named then) through its duration in the 1980’s. The presentations and ensuing discussions included in this Podcast represent a window into the range of experiences that can occur when a Team member and “client” are spending time together for their Basic Attendance shifts. I have always felt that the possibilities of what can arise and be included during a shift is only limited by the collective and mutual imagination of the Team member and the “client” at that time, given that the entire community where it is taking place is available as a support and inspiration for their engagement. As a result, they can engage in household activities like attending to the physical environment, food preparation, or making art, to name a few possibilities. Also, activities can occur outside of the household, which could include taking classes together, going to the gym or for long hikes. The examples shared in the Podcast quite beautifully express the invitation to be present to what is arising within oneself and the “client” in the environment. This, to me, is the ground of the Basic Attendance practice, as an experience and expression of the co-presence between the Team member and the “client”. And given the Team member’s sensitivity, this can unfold into very poignant and intimate relational sharing. So, the Art of this Practice—and it is precisely that, rather than a recipe or list of techniques to apply—is a very human endeavor which can bring out the best in each person. The invitation there also is to face the full range of one’s experiences—i.e. fears and joys—as this unfolds, in a relational environment that supports this. We hope you enjoy this Podcast about these intimate and potentially healing encounters. Thank you for joining us, Kathy Emery
Dear Listeners, Welcome to today’s podcast, the conclusion of our five-part series of Julia’s first-person recovery story. By its nature, what’s being told here is certainly unique, as each person’s journey is completely individual. But in this case, the highly unusual nature of our series goes further, as her team—Janneli Chapin, Jack Gipple, and Chuck Knapp—are also sharing their perspective, making this a truly rare opportunity to experience the multifaceted inner workings of a recovery journey. We had originally planned to have this series end after four segments. However, once we’d finished with the original plan, Julia recognized that there was a bit more we needed to discuss–having to do with looking at recovery altogether—what it meant to her, and its “moving target” nature. This led us into looking at what it took for her to actually want to recover, and the conditions at hand, including luck. There’s a tremendous amount to learn from this series, but probably the most important takeaway is about the power of healthy, honest, and committed therapeutic relationships. Over the arc of their work together, the team helped her to rouse her natural courage to keep stepping back into the wilderness of change, and to eventually tolerate feeling more healthy—and more loved—than she had in a very long time. Julia’s wonder at how she made it out of such entrapment gave rise to so much gratitude and love on her part—actually, on everyone’s part. That in itself will make listening to this podcast well worth the freight—a heart-opening glimpse into the kind of love that can come out of sharing a recovery path. In wrapping up, let’s come back to Julia’s original inspiration for sharing her story, which is her question: could I be a voice for those still suffering? We didn’t know how this series would play out when we first began, but now that we’re done, I would most emphatically say YES—you, Julia, have been a voice for those still suffering! And most importantly, you’ve offered something to our audience which could be truly lifesaving, what Joanne Greenberg calls “our most prized possession: hope”. Thank you for making this journey with us,
Hello friends and listeners, I am so glad that you are here, and I hope that you will enjoy today’s podcast. Hopefully you have had the opportunity to watch the first 3 podcasts.  I was very excited to have been given the opportunity to make these podcasts with Windhorse, and in particular with Jack, Janneli and Chuck. In 1992 I took a medication that triggered a severe bipolar episode that sent me spiraling into a nightmare that lasted more than 20 years. You can hear about many of my experiences on the first 3 podcasts as Jack, Janneli , Chuck and I discuss our relationships over the first several years that we worked together. In fact, my relationship with my Windhorse team was only a part of a 23-year treatment plan that also included my psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Green. In many ways, my severe illness—and some of the treatments I was given by the mental health system—made my condition more difficult for me to manage, and without the continuing support of my Windhorse team and Dr. Green, I probably wouldn’t have survived. I am thrilled to be able to make these podcasts all these years later. It is a real gift for me to look back upon my relationships with Jack and Janneli and see how I was able to rely on their support to help me re-learn life skills, develop coping abilities, and learn to live again as a productive member of society. This was an amazing experience, certainly for me, but hopefully for anyone who wants to bear witness to the strength of the human spirit, and to one’s potential to recover and flourish if given the opportunity, the relationships, the skill and the love. I realize that everyone is different, and I was incredibly lucky. Some people might have every opportunity and still not make the recovery that I was able to achieve. I know that. But I also know that without Jack, Janneli and Dr. Green being the primary figures on my team, I wouldn’t be here today. Many years ago, in about 2000, I started to write a book, which was also instrumental in helping me to heal. This book, ‘Raging Innocence’ is available online on Amazon, and goes into my life history in much greater detail. I hope if you are interested, you might consider reading it. In my book, as well as on these podcasts, I discussed the many negative and harmful experiences I had while being a patient in several in-patient psychiatric hospitals. The mental health system, while it generally means well, is flawed and needs major re-evaluation and educational input for those workers who get overwhelmed or burned out by contact with severely mentally ill patients.   On several occasions, while hospitalized, I was intensely and unnecessarily traumatized. On occasion, this was intentionally carried out by disgruntled mental health professionals who were unable to deal with my repeated self-mutilation. It is my hope that this series of podcasts, and my book, will shine a light on the quality of care that is given to mentally ill patients. I am hopeful that the care I was given by my Windhorse team will be an example of what is possible and what should be aspired to. Those relationships are what allowed my fragile mind to recover, gain strength, and soar. Thank you for listening, Julia
Dear Listeners, Welcome to today’s podcast, a first-person recovery story which we believe is a unique contribution to the resources on extreme state psychology—particularly around the phenomenon of cutting. In Part Three of this five-part series, we again join the members of Julia’s long-standing Windhorse team—Janneli Chapin, Jack Gipple, and Chuck Knapp—as they discuss the 12 years of their working together, along with her psychiatrist, Dr. Green. Today’s dialogue covers a wide and dynamic arc. Beginning with the horror and helplessness of Julia’s former life having almost completely dissolved—still an uncomfortable reality all these years later. But in the depths of this meltdown, aspects of her health began to unmistakably emerge. Ordinary life was becoming more real—always powerful medicine—with checkbooks and keeping house. With this, glimpses of confidence began to flicker into view as she was feeling the uplift of small but sure successes. And Julia was also finding ways for her mind and body to reconnect, which brought forth a surprising array of positive consequences. Finally, as she reflected on this period where her natural sanity was beginning to flourish, Julia summed up the key to her healing: “the most important thing of all: relationship.” What’s presented here is a beautiful emotional landscape of honesty and love—the kind that only exists in of such a powerful recovery path, especially at this stage. This is a rare glimpse into the working heart of a therapeutic team. Thank you for joining us
Dear Listeners, Welcome to today’s podcast. In Part Two of this five-part series, we once again join the four members of Julia’s long-standing Windhorse team as they continue to discuss their stark experiences and the realities of her recovery—particularly as this conversation takes them more vividly into her experiences of cutting. Speaking with unusual directness about the dynamics they experienced with each other and with the larger mental health system, this open-hearted discussion explores the power dynamics that harm and those that heal. Again, they speak about—and most importantly, model—the fundamental source of healing: genuine relationships and the care that held them together on their shared path of healing. Please be aware that in this discussion, Julia shares details of her cutting that may be uncomfortable to listen to. But we included them as we’re confident that her candor and courage in sharing will create a powerful opportunity to learn more deeply about the state of mind that produced such acts of self-harm. Thank you for joining us, Jack Gipple
Welcome to today’s podcast, a first-person recovery story which we believe is a unique contribution to the resources on extreme state psychology—particularly around the phenomenon of cutting. The arc of our story begins with Julia, who’s lost in a hellish life predicament, feeling “intrinsically ruined”—with no sense of a way out. At this point, pretty much everything she’s known as reliable reference points have been lost, and her confused acts and thoughts are only begetting more confusion and pain. Making matters worse, the trauma that lies at the root of her extremely dangerous cutting and suicidality is being compounded by systemic abuse—even as she’s looking for help. Life has truly become a nightmare, and any hope she once had has evaporated in the heat of her turmoil.
Dear Listeners, In this podcast, four long-time Windhorse practitioners discuss the 4th (and last) principle of recovery: “No matter how disturbed a mind has become, recovery is possible.” Gabrielle Bershen, Jack Gipple, and I (Marta Aarli) share our insights and experiences of working for over 20 years on Windhorse teams, with host and moderator, Chuck Knapp. The conversation touches on the loss of connection with self, others, and the world—and the unique path each person walks to reclaim and reintegrate those parts of themselves that are innate but covered over by confusion. Each team works to recognize the client’s impulses toward health and support them in synchronizing with themselves through authentic relationships with the team members. This provides an antidote to isolation and loneliness while respecting each client’s choices as they build their confidence and reassemble their life—which can take a very long time. Each person’s recovery will be their own, and it may not look like what others want for them or what society defines as a normal life. Every team is a unique healing environment, a co-creation between a client and their team members. These principles are part of what makes the Windhorse approach so unusual—and the profound, long-term work that is possible in this setting. We hope what you hear leads to greater understanding and empathy. Marta Aarli
Dear Listeners, Anyone who’s considered the territory of recovery from extreme mental states knows this to be a vast and subtle topic. And if this is a concern of yours, it’s also critical to reasonably understand—otherwise you may not recognize some of the key patterns as they’re occurring. This podcast is the third in a four-part series. Senior Windhorse clinicians Gabrielle Bershen, Marta Aarli, and I (Jack Gipple)—along with our colleague and host, Chuck Knapp—take a deeper dive into the Windhorse assertion that “Recovery is the path of discovering and synchronizing with one’s own health and sanity.” The four of us have worked together over two decades on scores of Windhorse teams. This podcast reflects the depth of our shared experience as we discuss a number of interconnected topics: starting where you are, the individual genuine path of recovery, creating conditions of recovery but without a guarantee of recovery, finding confidence, cycles of recovery and regression, the long arc of recovery, and finally, the choice between the solitude of illness and the challenge (and courage it takes) to tolerate living in the world of consensus reality. These and more subtle aspects of recovery from extreme states of mind are the substance of this conversation among Windhorse clinicians and old friends. We hope you find it engaging and enlightening. Jack Gipple
Dear Listeners, Welcome to this podcast discussion that explores the integration of the Windhorse approach with Dialogical Process that derives from Finland’s Open Dialogue treatment approach. We are also fortunate to publish here an original paper by Phoebe Walker, The Evolution of Dialogic Practice within the Windhorse Project, that provides substantial background for this exploration. Chuck Knapp and I recently hosted this discussion with Phoebe Walker, Cat Sargent, and Elise White. Phoebe, Cat, and Elise have each received extensive training in Dialogical Process while working as clinicians with Windhorse Integrative Mental Health, Northampton, MA. They and others in their home center have been working on the integration of these two clinical approaches for the past twenty years. We appreciated their willingness and readiness to accept our invitation to explore their work with such enthusiasm. Both approaches to healing communication have areas of deep overlap. Both place a high value on authentic human dialogue that tolerates uncertainty, is open to hearing all voices as distinct yet interrelated, and intends to clarify the truth of emerging social realities. Both are an intentional shift from “doing to” a person in mental extremes to “being with” the person with one’s embodied, responsive presence. This shift in stance frees the therapists’ awareness to be more in the on-going process of communication, rather than fixed on preconceived goal ideas of what should and shouldn’t happen. Both Windhorse and Open Dialogue share an abiding conviction in the inherent health in all people. This provides trustworthy ground for shared open inquiry that helps everyone involved to change and grow toward health. Thank you for your interest in the Windhorse Journal. Our team hopes you find this podcast and paper engaging and stimulating. Initially, you may feel you are passively absorbing the information and emotional energy of the five of us from a distance. As you go on, you may begin to naturally resonate in the dialogue field with us. We are all then changed by this encounter. May we listen well and read well, Jeffrey Fortuna
Dear Listeners, Welcome to this podcast, which is part 2 of Co-Presence: The Legacy of R.D. Laing. Again, our group of distinguished guests includes Nita Gage, Michael Thompson, Fritjof Capra, and Jeff Fortuna. If you’ve been fortunate to already hear part 1, you know you’re in for another feast of the mind and heart. I had the good fortune to meet “Ronnie” Laing in 1987, while he was in Boulder as a guest lecturer at Naropa University. Though he was obviously brilliant, I didn’t really understand Laing’s impact on the field of western psychology until meeting Michael Thompson in 2015, when he invited us to the conference that he, Nita, and Fritjof had organized at the Esalen Institute—titled Laing in the 21st Century. My immediate and unmistakable experience of that gathering was that I’d just walked into a group of people that felt like a family I was meeting for the first time. I also had to laugh to myself, wondering where I was when the brains got passed out. While just scratching the surface of his profundity, the atmosphere that Nita, Michael, and Fritjof created was an actual transmission of Laing’s mind and work: the spirit of open inquiry, passionate interest in ideas, high-octane intellectual discourse, a wide bandwidth that runs the gamut from ancient Greek thought to cutting-edge work with psychedelics, all moving fluidly from in-the-moment personal experience to societal and large system perspectives. Capping it all off, this conference was held at Esalen, which meanders along the beautiful Pacific cliffs at Big Sur. Now having become a yearly event, these conferences embody the atmosphere Laing attempted to create in his therapeutic work—according to those who knew him well—including never missing the point that having fun is part of expanding our understanding of mind and how the world works. A core element in the Laing Conference atmosphere is the acceptance of how we all, maybe especially Laing himself, naturally experience sanity and neurosis; it’s simply an aspect of being human. As part of that last point, “othering” someone for having extreme state experience is not just failing to understand mind and confused mental states, but it’s actually a deeply violent act. Beyond that, our family structures, society, and world politics are at least as confused and violent, but it’s what we’ve become familiar with, thus being “normal.” Being well ahead of his time, Laing was at times quite tortured with his insights. Even so, he always remained passionately interested in shaking the world out of its sleepy acceptance of “insanity and violence as normal.” Though not always easy to tolerate for those around him, raising awareness—attempting to wake the world up—was Laing’s way of expressing love and compassion for the world.  Listening to this podcast conversation will offer a small glimpse into the legacy of R.D. Laing. I hope you follow your curiosity further into the individual work of Nita, Michael, Fritjof, and Jeff—all available on their websites. And if you really want to treat yourself, I highly encourage attending one of their conferences at Esalen. May it have as much of a transformative effect on you as it’s had on me. Thanks for tuning in, and happy listening.
Welcome to this podcast discussion of the life and times of RD Laing. Dr. Laing was an iconoclastic 20th century psychiatrist who was a noted author, teacher, social critic, philosopher, poet, and jazz pianist. You are about to experience the first half of a lively discussion among three of his long-time students and colleagues as they recall and share intimate experiences of living alongside this remarkable man. Our three guests are Nita Gage, Fritjof Capra, and Michael Thompson. They are now masters of their own respective fields who are deeply connected with each other over decades shared in their extended Laing community. I regard these inspiring people as first-generation legacy-carriers of Dr. Laing’s discoveries and teaching. I felt honored to join this dialogue since I also worked alongside Dr. Laing during the summers of 1985 and 1987 when he was a scholar-in-residence here in Boulder, CO. It was during these few months that I experienced his deeply humane and authentic way of being with patients—and those of us beside him—that he termed ‘co-presence’. Dr. Laing was keenly interested in joining Buddhist meditation with the psychotherapy encounter to make manifest the natural co-presence of both persons. The essential qualities of this co-presence include safety to be fully honest, complete freedom of experience, and non-transgression (meaning no harm to the other). Co-presence would turn out to be one of his final gifts as Dr. Laing passed away at age 62 in 1989. This discussion begins with an exploration of what is important to know about RD Laing, which not only invokes his memory but also provides the viewer with direct glimpses of what it felt like to be with him. The participants then share a broad range of challenging experiences of learning with Dr. Laing and what their relationships with him were like. The question of Dr. Laing’s legacy and lasting influence is woven into this discussion. Dr. Laing’s charisma and cultural fame are fading with time. Yet his pioneering work with mindfulness that can charge the therapeutic encounter with authentic presence inspires many of us to continue that work. There are far too many other dimensions to Dr. Laing’s philosophy, social criticism, and therapy approach to describe here. To learn more about Dr. Laing’s work, you can read two papers published in the Journal of Contemplative Psychotherapy, which are archived on the Windhorse Legacy Project website. Dr. Laing wrote: Hatred of Health, during his stay in Boulder (1987) You can also click here to read a retrospective interview that Edward Podvoll, MD, gave “In Memoriam” that discusses Dr. Laing’s persona and contributions We hope you are able to return, in the near future, to experience the second half of this provocative discussion. Thank you for your interest in the Windhorse Journal, and in promoting authentic relationship in all aspects of life.
Welcome to an opportunity to listen to a spontaneous discussion about the Lojong slogan training with a wonderful teacher. In this discussion, Polly Banerjee Gallagher and I join Dungse Jampal Norbu to address a few of these slogans and how they may be of use in society today and in the Windhorse community in particular. We discuss some slogans—such as “Don’t be so predictable” and “Don’t wait in ambush.” Dungse-la, as he is referred to in this discussion, and the group bring up Tonglen as a thread that runs through these slogans and how that practice (of taking in suffering and giving compassion) informs and deepens each one. The word ‘lo-jong’ translates as “training the mind.” The slogans traditionally consist of a list of 59 pithy reminders about compassion and self-awareness. The slogans are at times deceptively simply, while offering a window into seeing one’s mind in relation to self and other. I haven’t always focused on these teachings, but whenever I take a fresh look, they are instantly useful in my life. I love how these short lines can really stick in my mind and can be reflected back by moments in my day. Wherever I get too comfortable with my routine and go to sleep, these slogans seem to know how to wake me up and remind I can slow down and show up. Raised in a Buddhist family and now a teacher in his own right, Dungse-la is an authority on these teachings; we were lucky to speak with him on this topic. This was a short time together, but I feel lucky and appreciative of the opportunity to share this conversation with the community and the larger audience of the Windhorse Journal.
Here is the second part of a discussion about Healing Discipline, published by the Windhorse Legacy Project. This new book is an edited collection of three seminars given by Dr. Ed Podvoll in the mid-eighties. My connection to this book is as the managing editor for the Windhorse Legacy Project. Jeff Fortuna and I have spent the last year transforming Ed’s raw lectures into a readable—hopefully relevant—book, with notes and introductions. For me, this has been an interesting lesson in translation. Many of the teachings Ed shares on Buddhism and psychology were taught to him. He then applied them in his own way, transforming them through his own experience. With the original transcripts in hand, Jeff and I had to decide what to keep, cut, and clarify in our own way in order that the teachings felt current and applicable to us. The intent was to translate the essence of the material for a modern audience, not robotically preserve the literal past. I hope you feel invited to do the same sorting and applying; what here feels relevant to your personal and clinical life? In this episode, you can hear the group doing this for themselves. The gem that always shines out to me in the section on counter-transference, which the group discusses first, is Ed’s warning about the urge toward rescue, cure, and professionalism—poisons to the therapeutic relationship. The group also discusses the somewhat esoteric concept of bardo but are quick to point out—as Ed does—all the ways this somewhat science-fictiony concept (to quote Blake Baily) is happening all the time. We are always in-between something, waiting … for a pandemic to end, for better health, for someone else to change. The group discusses how these in-betweens are cyclical opportunities to let go, dig in, wake up.
I would like to thank you, dear listener-viewer, for finding your way to part 1 of this most recent podcast entry to the Windhorse Journal. Our panel discusses the book Healing Discipline, which has just been published as an e-book on the Windhorse Legacy Project website. The book is an edited collection of a three-seminar series taught by Dr. Edward Podvoll at Naropa University in 1985-1986. This is an exploration of three core areas of interpersonal healing: dream work, authentic communication, and life transitions. It seemed fitting for me to write the introduction to this first part of the podcast, as it involves a discussion of both contemplative psychology and dream awareness practice as it relates to working with extreme states of mind. Both of these areas of investigation are very dear to me, having studied and practiced them over the years with some depth and dedication, and having recently written a sizeable paper on dream work in psychotherapy.    So, it was to my great personal discomfort (even horror), that I found myself at a total loss for words on more than one occasion during the taping of this podcast, most notably during the discussion of the dream seminar! But having the opportunity to watch the unedited “rushes” before writing this introduction, I was struck by the care, kindness, patience, and gentle encouragement demonstrated by my fellow podcaster-friends.  My “dream” after taping the entry was that I’d somehow bombed, failed in my ability to communicate an understanding of the material properly, and the encroaching nightmare was that I may have singlehandedly turned viewers off to this gem of a book that elucidates the kind of work we do at Windhorse so beautifully. But the truth is that I wasn’t that bad, and my pod-mates—perhaps because I was able to absorb and act out in a fumbling, twitching, stuttering manner their own personal anxieties and inner demons—spoke to the wisdom of this book with exceeding intelligence, radiance, and confidence. Although I don’t want to do another one of these podcasts for at least 5 years, it was really fun. Please enjoy our full-spectacle discussion of Healing Discipline. You won’t regret it!
Dear Listeners, Welcome to the continuation of a conversation about Inclusion, moderated by Chuck Knapp. Participants Sorin Thomas, Anne Marie DiGiacomo, and Polly Banerjee Gallagher go deeper into the question of how and why some ways of being get marginalized. In a particularly poignant shift, they each address having internalized messages about aspects of their own identities as inferior, and how that can lead to unintentionally inflicting harm on oneself. Also, they consider how some identities get overemphasized for their difference while others are erased—both forms of disregard for the uniqueness of each person’s experience. Finally, Sorin, Anne Marie, and Polly ask how—at the organizational level—we can do better to welcome people and voices that have not been well represented where decisions are made. We hope that this conversation prompts you to look within as well as beyond—to find compassion for yourself and a warm, broad embrace of others.
Dear Listeners, Welcome to a conversation about Inclusion, moderated by Chuck Knapp. Participants Sorin Thomas, Anne Marie DiGiacomo, and Polly Banerjee Gallagher consider the fears and faulty premises that lead us to value some identities and marginalize others. Binaries blind us to the range of human experience, causing needless suffering to those who don’t fit in the narrow band of acceptability. Windhorse’s contemplative roots remind us that what seems real or solid is illusory. In our work, we engage with people whose states of mind have been deemed pathological. A more expansive view allows us to acknowledge that mental health exists on a spectrum, and we are all capable of extremes. Sorin reflected on this theme of the space between binaries:  I grew up in-between. Between cultures on a U.S. naval base in southern Spain, between working and middle class sides of family, between genders. When I co-founded Queer Asterisk in 2016, I knew that in my clinical and educational work, I wanted to speak to the complexities of identity. I wanted to be a bridge person—helping people navigate scary or unfamiliar territory with curiosity and compassion. Today, I provide educational trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion with a focus on supporting professionals to better understand and effectively serve everyone they encounter in their work. These issues are close to my heart. Those of us who live on the margins of society carry deep wells of wisdom, which—if cultivated—can benefit the lasting health of all of us. We hope that this conversation brings a bit of that wisdom—and a move toward lasting health—to you. Lori S. Heintzelman
Dear Listeners, We are fast approaching six months since Windhorse Community Services altered the ways we function in our day to day lives due to COVID-19. The podcast Rinpoche recorded with myself, Jack Gipple, and Chuck Knapp as the moderator on March 13, 2020 remains not only relevant, but also crucial to take to heart. The first part (054) was offered by The Journal on March 20, 2020 where Rinpoche addressed our growing fears of the unknown virus with a tenderness and compassion toward ourselves and others. In part 2 of our conversation, Rinpoche offers his heart advice on how to work with our minds when the urge may be to isolate ourselves as a means of protection. Although we are cautious not to be in person with one another, it is important to stay connected by alternative means available to us in order to feel the warmth of others in our lives. Rinpoche encourages us to realize that whatever comes up in our minds is natural and that we have the opportunity to allow compassion and kindness to arise in order to soften our attitude toward ourselves and others. At the time of this podcast, I remember feeling my vulnerability and uncertainty of how we might be impacted as an organization and individually. Now in the midst of it, I am drawing on Rinpoche’s example of self reflection of utilizing the vulnerability, anxiety, and uncertainty as a way to connect with others who are also inevitably going through similar states of mind. My wish is that those who hear Rinpoche’s words find some comfort and take solace in the fact that we are all in this together. Polly Banergee-Gallagher
Dear Listeners,  This week, we return to part two of the discussion published on May 16th, Lungta in the Time of Corona: Leadership During a Crisis. This recording took place on the first of May, 2020. That day I sat in my kitchen, about a month into this new “sanitized and separated” way of life, and pondered if my mountain internet was functioning enough to record a “Zoom podcast.” Nonetheless, I quickly became absorbed by this conversation that gracefully discusses the layers of vulnerability as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic: a consistent, invisible force, spreading throughout every aspect of life. This conversation exemplifies compassionate leadership—that holds space for reality while simultaneously offering seeds of hope. This offering brings together leaders of Windhorse Community Services and its sister entity, Windhorse Elder Care: Polly Banerjee Gallagher, Jack Gipple, and Stephanie Kindberg—joined by moderator Chuck Knapp. They invite us to appreciate this reminder of impermanence, of both the good and the bad, the fear and the pleasantries, and to remember what Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche discussed during his talk at Windhorse in March 2020: that “the present moment is the safest place to be.” As the conversation carried on, I became increasingly aware of the mysterious, novel fears and anxieties that had been creeping into my own body and mind as similar sentiments swept across many parts of the world. I had yet to let myself relax into it, to accept the communal vulnerability and sadness these circumstances were presenting. While exploring tangible approaches to maintaining some semblance of balance, Stephanie reminds us of the value of intention and routine, Jack recommends media hygiene, and Polly describes using Zoom “to not isolate in isolation.” We recognize the safe and comforting things that remain within our control even when a rabbit hole of unknowns threatens to swallow us up.  They also delve into the less tangible—yet equally important—suggestions for awareness: with the exchange of suffering within our homes, communities and throughout the world; and how to maintain a radical trust in our natural inclinations towards health, sanity and balance.  You will find within these words a reminder that although we may—at times—feel alone, we are all going through some version of this together.  Whether it is relaxing into putting germs aside for just one moment to offer a client the freedom to send a kiss to their husband through your cell phone (tune in to hear this heartwarming story from Stephanie Kindberg), or seeking connection from those you trust, there are so many valuable and uplifting ways that we can find faith within each moment and maintain consistency amidst inconsistent times.   Although life has dramatically continued to change since this recording took place, it provided me with comfort and timeless wisdom.  I hope that it gifts you with a similar sense of relief, and acceptance within this momentous challenge of our human experience.  Enjoy and take care,  Elysa Polovin 
Dear Friends, Welcome to today’s Journal entry, which begins with a heartfelt conversation among Windhorse Community Programs members—moderated by Chuck Knapp and JoAnn Burton—about coping with the pandemic from the perspective of the Hero’s Journey, a notion made popular by Joseph Campbell. In addition to the podcast, we’re so pleased to be offering a paper recently written by JoAnn Burton, titled, Hero’s Journey of Recovery: A New Narrative for People with Long Term Mental Health Issues. Between first-person accounts of our experiences of the “hero’s journey” in the podcast, and JoAnn’s paper, this entry presents an unusual opportunity to learn about what we know to be powerful help for those of us on a path of recovery. Each of us has an inner hero. Some of us were fortunate enough to have parents who nurtured our little inner hero and helped point us in a good direction in life. Others of us had to figure things out for ourselves and came to understand that we needed help. Sometimes, it takes a while and many wrong paths to find what is most useful. And those who are willing to guide us become trusted mentors and allies. Of course, dragons confront every traveler on such a journey, and coronavirus has been our particular foe since March. As you will hear from Alicia, Joe, and myself, we have needed to “suit up and show up” for the obvious external threat and those inner dragons produced by our own thoughts and fears. The Hero’s Journey surely gave me a compass with which I could direct my steps. Thank you, JoAnn, for encouraging us to find our inner heroes, and showing us how to do that! Our own inner hero is there waiting for each of us. If you haven’t found yours yet, you will. Dig in! Laura Hale
Dear Listeners, Community Programs is, by its very nature, a place for Windhorse clients and staff to connect, learn, and celebrate together. When COVID-19 hit our hometown of Boulder in early March, and we all dispersed to our homes to protect our physical health and that of those around us, Community Programs was called to re-invent itself. In the words of Laura Hale, Peer Support Specialist, facilitators and participants had to “find structure out of ether.” Connecting in person was no longer an option, yet the need to connect was of utmost importance. Many of our community members found the initial isolation and stay-at-home orders overwhelming and downright frightening. So, with the help of Zoom, and the flexibility and persistence of our staff and clients, Community Programs became virtual pretty much overnight. We even found that a virtual format resulted in more community participation and an expansion of programming. Clients and staff dropped into Dinner Club, Yoga, or the Stress Management Class from the comfort of their own home and, in the words of Alicia Mandel in the following podcast, there was still connection with one another on the “spiritual and emotional level”, even when a physical connection was absent. Fast forward two months to the current podcast, in which we drop in on a conversation amongst those that have been living this reality: JoAnn Dorio Burton (Community Programs Administrator), Joe Calcagno (Peer Support Specialist), Alicia Mandel (Client), and Laura Hale (Peer Support Specialist). From losing connection to community, employment, and a sense of safety, these resourceful and resilient people discuss the journey from shock to adaptation to—in the words of Joe Calcagno—transformation during this time. Through anecdote and honest reflection, they paint a picture of how this time has been challenging yet enlightening. They reflect upon how they get through each day and how each has worked with their thoughts and utilized their coping skills ‘tool box’—not only to empower themselves but to support the greater Community Programs community. It is easy to get lost, overwhelmed, and siloed while isolating. However, this podcast illustrates the profound human potential to overcome atrophy simply by tuning in, daring to connect, and—in the words of Laura Hale—”not wasting precious peace of mind” by focusing on things outside our control. As Joe Calcagno puts it, “this wasn’t a vacation I necessarily wanted to go on . . . but all you ever want to do is try to get better.” Have a listen and take care of yourselves, Judy Halloran
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