About Constance
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Working with Constance
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Constance's Gratitude
Gratitude
Roll over the image to learn more about each aspect of Constance's life for which she is grateful.
Adyashanti
Adya is a powerful teacher. When I spoke with him in 4-2008, he said to me, "With that kind of willingness, you can not be stopped." I suddenly saw that there are no barriers and felt encouraged to go further and deeper. The freedom he shared about awakening gave me permission to ask questions openly and practice diligently. His books and internet satsangs are a continued source of support.
Ruby
Ruby is a sweet companion, ever reminding me of unconditional love and forgiveness.
Sayadaw Thuzanza
I met Sayadaw Thuzanza in Malaysai. He training in insight and loving kindness meditation made him a perfect heart and wisdom teacher for me. His radiant smile was a welcome gift each day as I did intensive and continuous vipassana meditation for 40 days under his guidance. He is a dedicated teacher under Sayadaw Pandita's supervision. He verified my progress in insight while on retreat with him.
Sayadaw U Pandita
Sayadaw Pandita is the leading teacher in Bruma, and very careful in who he picks to lead a meditation center. After reading his books, and attending a 10 day retreat that was taught in his lineage, I felt I needed to get to a meditation center as soon as possible, so I booked a flight to Malaysia. He put Sayadaw Thuzanza in charge of the center in Malaysia.
Sayadaw Pandita was in the center toward the end of my stay. I was able to meet him and discuss practice and hear his dharma talks. Talking to him is like breathing, a breeze in the wind, he sees right through you.
The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw U Sobhana
After reading Daniel Ingram's book, it was important to research the background of Mahassi. I discovered that he was one of the highest scholars to translate Pali and Sanskrit from the oldest known texts of the Buddha. This means that he was highly trusted and reknown among his peers and had a very strong understanding of the texts and practices. With this in mind, I started to read the suttas that he had translated and study his works in detail. I found this to be very reassuring and clear in supporting practice. I was finding something that finally made sense and was doable.
When I found his little book: Practical Insight Mediation, it felt so clear: like I had known this before all along but had simply forgotten. This led to my signing up for a ten day retreat as soon as possible. I didn't know where to turn to, and in consulting a web site I found a retreat in my area coming up and signed up right away.
Amita Schmidt
I contacted Amita after deep insight and the need to harmonize the energetic field within the body more. I appreciate her strength and support for working through trauma. My childhood was not easy, and there are some patterns that need to be worked through.
Eugene Cash
Eugene has been a source of support in the Community Dharma Leader Program. His insight into working through the Hara, and developing the subtle senses to see misalignment in the energetic field have been helpful.
Books and Library
I've read thousands of books over the years. Many authors have been like close companions. Their names are on my tools page. The local library has a huge collection and I use it constantly.
Reading a book is like sitting with that person, it has a certain resonance. It so important to tune into the that resonance from an author. IN 2006, I found I had started to read only books by or about enlightened masters, and that connected me with an arc of awareness, and continued to expand. I could hardly get enough of the books on awakening which led to more reading on Buddhism and Christian contemplative processes.
Jack Kornfield
I attended a 30 day retreat with Jack in March 2009. He was very helpful in sharing his strength and wisdom.
Gina Sharpe
Gina is a supportive mentor in the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program. I feel honored to continue to get to know her.
Daniel Ingram
I discovered Daniel's book on the internet and started to use it immediately in the most innocent and clear way, making fast and steady progress in insight. On retreat, I read the noting practice instructions each day and followed them to the letter. Conversations with Daniel were open and to the point, very efficient and practical. I occasionally perused the wiki associated with his work for some tips. I found that intensive practice was the most helpful guide and informed way to learn.
What I especially like from Daniel is his openness and encouragement that anyone can realize the fruits of the path, and to continue to connect with others that have anything at all to offer in terms of support. He is all about abundance and opening up traditions so that one can practice fully and completely without confusion.
Thanissarra
Thanissarra is a supportive mentor in the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program. I feel honored to continue to get to know her.
Larry Yang
Larry Yang is a supportive mentor in the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program. His training for diversity and looking at underlying assumptions continues to be helpful.
Trudy Goodman and Gil Fronsdal
I sat a month-long retreat at Spirit Rock in March 2009 with Trudy and Gil on the teachers platform. They were my primary guiding teachers and incredibly supportive as new openings quickly emerged. I also worked with John Travis some of the time, and was fortunate to meet with Jack Kornfield as well. The whole teaching team, the dharma talks and the environment are attuned to awakening. They are organized and it is a good place to go. At the end of this retreat I started to consider the CDL Program. Trudy is my sponsoring teacher and supports my teaching practice.
Woodwork
There are so many artists that I have worked with, especially Lee Washington, a wood shop teacher and Keven Showell, a wood carver. From Lee I learned to pay close attention, concentrate or you'll loose your fingers and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. With Kevin I learned how much beauty is revealed by subtraction, let the wood breathe, and this brought up the
via negativa
practice in working.
The wood is also my teacher.
Carol Bly
I worked with Carol alone from 1997 until a year before her death when we were working together on my memoir. She often sent me boxes of books and told me to READ! Then, she encouraged me to think and to think-critically and carefully. Then, she encouraged me to write. That still doesn't come easily for me, I tend toward visual artistic expressions more readily. Her process was to encourage the truth saying in all things, be passionate, be accurate. When I write, I can't help but think of Carol.
Friends and Family
My primary practice has been in parenting. It is a 24-7 job. I chose to be a stay at home mom and make sure our children had the creative support they needed. I did freelance web site design from home and rebuilt our house. The children's father has also been a huge source of learning and comfort to the whole process. Whenever I asked a question to a teacher I always felt I wasn't asking just for me, it was for us.
Artists and Artwork
My favorite art form is bead embroidery, and as I slide the thread through the bead I feel this sensation of emptiness and a glowing awareness as the eye organ meets the bead object. A teacher, Charles Stately, an American Indian, here in Minneapolis taught me the practice I use today.
Mostly I learned with Charlie, that there is perfection in imperfection and imperfection in perfection.
The beads are my teacher.
I have rebuilt our home from scratch, we gutted out house, and so I must add that our house and the building project has also had a huge rubbing affect upon me over the years.
The house is my teacher.
Comedy Improv: I studied with a variety of local and national teachers, and especially Louie Anderson, who taught me to just do what you love, and share the love. The entire process of life is really just improv all the way anyways, so why not play with it, and see what happens!
Christian Contemplatives
I went on regular individual silent retreats at a farm run by Franciscan nuns who provided wonderful food and an open atmosphere to explore and sit with spirit and be honest with healing, grieving, and enjoying life as it is. From 2004-2006, my visits became more frequent. I feel so grateful for the warmth and support I received at the farm.
In 2009, after a great deal of clarity resulted from following Buddhist meditation instructions, I returned to Christian contemplative practice and a retreat with Bernadette Roberts. Already I had been receiving the clarity of how the traditions are just traditions, the insights are basic and cross all boundaries, and are fundamental to everything. Being at this retreat helped me to see that what ever practice I do is my own unique path and that is true for everyone.
Students and the 12 Steps
My background as an addictions counselor and working in the twelve step program brought me many sponsors over the past 28 years, and many sponsees too. I am continually grateful for the people and the offerings of the program.
The people that come to visit are an ongoing source of learning and as I pay close attention to them, and the wisdom arises, and it seems to be mutually beneficial.
Anne Wilson Schaef
I worked with Anne closely from 1988 until 1993. Even while I was pregnant and nursing I participated in her trainings and working with her at intensive retreat settings. I was in her advanced training and then needed to stop and stay home and be more with my children. I continued to travel to intensives, and as I raised the children I brought them both with to reinforce the training both for myself and the children in honesty with others, be kind and be aware of ones deep feelings, and feeling state. The intensives are a wonderful place to raise ones awareness for the process one is going through and let go of self consciousness around feeling and thoughts.
Dharma Field and Norm Randolph
I started attending Soto Zen meditation sessions regularly in 2007. I also took the precepts with Steve Hagen in 2008, because Steve was the head teacher. I found support with Norm Randolph, and his wisdom and relaxed way of teaching Zen. This led me to further sesshins and more intensive practice. I continue to meet with Norm when he is available and enjoy his open support.