Oren Jay Sofer has a post on his website that includes suggestions on how to navigate holiday conversations. He looks at some of the problems that might arise for us in family conversations during the holidays, especially when family members disagree about religion and politics. He posted the article in December 2023, but the situations he describes are very relevant today. He makes a number of suggestions of ways to be more mindful and compassionate in our conversations during the holidays. You can find his article here: How to Navigate Holiday Conversations
Robin Wall Kimmerer is a botanist and ecologist. She is also a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and employs indigenous knowledge in her research. Her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, did an excellent job of discussing indigenous and scientific ways of viewing our world. She has a new book out, Serviceberry, that deals more directly with how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world. Dan Harris of the Happier meditation app recently interviewed her about the book and her ideas. The interview is entitled “The Antidote to Not-Enoughness”. Its emphasis on gratitude, generosity, and indigenous views of nature, is very timely for the Thanksgiving holiday and Native American Heritage Day. You can find their interview here: The Antidote to Not-Enoughness
Insight Dialogue is the practice of learning to be mindful while speaking and listening. The Insight Dialogue guidelines are a great supplement to the Buddha’s suggestions on questions to ask ourselves before speaking. The guidelines are simple phrases that we can call to mind in the middle of a conversation to foster wise communication. You can find those guidelines here: Relational Practices