Big Hill & Oyster

❤️ Compassion ❤️

What is it?
How does it feel when we offer it to ourselves?
What impact might it have when we offer it to others?
How open are we to receiving it?
What does it look like in action - at personal, social, and structural levels?
Why is it important at each of those levels?
How can we enable it?
How can we reduce the barriers to it?
How can we create compassionate communities?
What small actions might we personally take right now, to contribute to a more compassionate experience - within ourselves and across the globe?

So many questions… and for the past week I have contemplated on them and engaged in discussions about them with 150 scientists, researchers, monastics, authors, practitioners, community leaders, and compassionate souls from around the world.

This was a transformative gathering, hosted by the Mind & Life Institute at its 2024 Summer Research Institute (SRI), at the Garrison Institute in upstate New York.

What a gift to experience this residential with inspiring, warm-hearted, passionate, and truly incredible individuals who brought and offered their whole selves to having open conversations about creating and co-creating more sustainable, generative ways of being in the world and with each other.

Thank you Mind and Life! I am eternally grateful for being accepted into this program. I am changed because of it. I commit to continuing my compassion work (not only in my work as a narrative therapist but as a human being), and to expanding my actions and impact further.

Now more than ever, it seems there’s a significant shift in education… in the broad embedding of First Nations’ perspectives and pedagogies via the national curriculum and its place-based focus for implementation.

It was an honour to moderate the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s (QCAA’s) panel discussion of respected education experts (The Murri School; Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation; West Moreton Anglican College; First Nations Strategy and Partnerships, Qld Dept of Education) at its inaugural Reconciliation Week event yesterday at Brisbane City Hall.

The insightful session was packed with themes of:
* hope AND action
* doing things differently (if we want a different outcome)
* we’re in this together…who do we want to be, as Australians???
* the value of professional AND personal reflection to reconciliation
* building community relationships as the foundation of progress (schools, please make time for your educators to make these connections and do this community engagement work AND please remunerate those community connections and contributions appropriately).

About 30 primary school kids performed an Aboriginal dance 🖤💛❤️ AND a Torres Strait Islands dance 💙 💚 🤍, and a young Traditional Custodian offered who Welcomed us to Country - in Yugara/Yuggera language! Wow 🤩

Great to be amongst the portofbrisbane’s Operations team yesterday morning and experience the soulful Welcome to Country from Turrbal songwoman, Baringa Barambah.
Reconciliation Week bringing people together. 🖤💛❤️

After Reconciliation Queensland's Annual Gala Dinner - the first since last year’s ’No’ vote - and after opening to the wisdom, hope, and compassion of the panel discussion members - I’m even more excited about what’s ahead and the contribution I can make.

After spending Reconciliation Week this week in Meanjin (Brisbane), I'll be continuing a journey of contemplating reconciliation at the week-long immersion program: Awakening Compassion in Times of Division: Breaking and Coming Together, hosted by the Mind & Life Institute in upstate New York.

I have personally experienced, and witnessed through my work as a counsellor (Big Hill & Oyster), this 'Breaking' and 'Coming Together' happening at EVERY LEVEL... within ourselves, in our close relationships, across our communities, and across cultures.

Now is time to ‘Awaken Compassion’. Please come and explore how we might be able to do that - TOGETHER - at the BrisWest Centre’s Sunday Brunch (Paddington, Brisbane) on 21 July.
Info and tix are available at https://events.humanitix.com/insights-wisdoms-and-learnings-from-a-global-compassion-community

Sunday Brunch - Insights, Wisdoms & Learnings from a Global Compassion Community | Humanitix Get Tickets on Humanitix - Sunday Brunch - Insights, Wisdoms & Learnings from a Global Compassion Community hosted by The BrisWest Centre. BrisWest Centre, 132 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD 4064, Australia. Sunday 21st July 2024. Find event information.

Yes! So much love and compassion today! So many young Australians supporting a better future. That made me smile. ❤️ Where, or in what, or from who, did you experience love today?

At some point during the past decade, I started seeing with eyes of love. Now I can’t stop. I see love and beauty in everything, everywhere, and in everyone. What made it possible, I think, is that I started seeing myself in more loving and more compassionate ways. That makes me smile ❤️. In what ways do you love and honour yourself? (Image is one I took recently during a walk with friends through the Yarra Valley. This graffiti was on the outside of a public toilet block).

In an era of relentless busyness and endless striving to achieve, I so appreciate pausing for a loving, non-work conversation. I so appreciate receiving unexpected phone calls from awesome humans who make time to connect for a chat. It especially makes me smile when I hang up from the call and feel my heart bursting with love and pride as I reflect on what a beautiful man my nephew has grown into. Is there someone in your life who would appreciate a call from you today, just to connect and let them know you’re thinking of them? (And an old, favourite pic from a family holiday on Minjerribah for some visual nourishment).

I smile (and usually giggle with blissful delight) every night when I climb into my bed. I loooove travelling AND I loooove coming home and sleeping in my own bed with my own comfy pillows too.
And I also love my print from Aboriginal digital artist, Isabella Eurell,

I woke unexpectedly (and very unusually) at 5am this morning. I was soooo happy that I did, because this was the view out of my villa window. I’ve been smiling all day thinking about that moment alone. (Image is not photoshopped at all! I promise!)

What a day! My cup is full, and it’s overflowing!!!
So so many things made me smile today, including the best ever work commute (flying over the Great Barrier Reef). The image doesn’t do it justice. It is breathtaking. More, much more, on that to come.

In my work as a counsellor, I see a diverse range of people. Today was an extraordinary day when I happened to work predominantly with young adults and teenagers, many of them First Nations people. As I reflect on my day, I smile, because I know our future is in good hands. Youth today are savvy and insightful and wise and energetic. Raising two young men of my own, I also feel privileged to work with some very inspiring individuals and groups of young people. (I wasn’t on Minjerribah today. I took this photo a few weeks ago. Nothing to do with the youth I worked with… just a visual that also makes me smile).