Appleton Compassion Project

Happy Mother’s Day!

“I drew my mom because I showed her compassion when I helped her clean the dishes.” —Delaney Clark, 2011

Tune in next Friday, June 19 to this important webcast.

Save the date! Richard Davidson of the Center for Healthy Minds and Healthy Minds Innovations will take part in a free livestreamed event with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, hosted by the Mind & Life Institute next Friday, June 19th. The conversation will explore insights to heal from current collective suffering resulting from the pandemic, systemic racism and more. Integrating contemplative wisdom and science, the conversation will consider how crisis can be an unprecedented opportunity to shift human consciousness and embrace our shared humanity.

Register here to receive a reminder and direct link to the free livestream event. https://www.mindandlife.org/healing-today/

The Power of Compassion in Oshkosh’s Paine Art Center and Gardens.

“Tibetan Portrait: The Power of Compassion” is now on view in the Paine’s Main Gallery.

The photo series by Phil Borges, social documentary filmmaker and photographer, explores what has happened to Tibetans and their culture since China’s invasion of the independent, Buddhist nation in 1950. Accompanying narratives of Tibetan individuals, including the Dalai Lama, share their compelling stories and shed light on their commitment to the practice of compassion in the face of oppression.

“Tibetan Portrait: The Power of Compassion” is on view February 9 – May 19, 2019. Make plans to visit at www.thepaine.org.

The lead sponsor of the exhibition is Community First Credit Union. Photo by Ken Cravillion Photography - Oshkosh Wedding Photographer

Don’t miss this extraordinary exhibition in Oshkosh.

Opening Saturday, February 9, “Tibetan Portrait: The Power of Compassion” features the portraits and stories of Tibetan individuals, from nomads of the remote Himalayas to the Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism. The exhibition leads up to a week-long visit of Tibetan monks this March! Make plans to visit at www.thepaine.org.

Community First Credit Union is the Lead Sponsor of the exhibition. Photo courtesy of Phil Borges Productions: Storytelling for Social Change.

Great work in Montana!

New project teaches students kindness and empathy Bozeman schools will have a new program this year teaching mindfulness, kindness and empathy to K-12 students.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama wearing a cap and holding a football presented by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during their meeting at his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on April 10, 2018. Photo by Ven Tenzin Jamphel

Dalai Lama: Our Future Is Very Much in Our Hands

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/opinion/dalai-lama-despair-future.html?referer=https://t.co/jDwrl4iPte?amp=1

nytimes.com How do you cope in a world gone mad? By remembering that we are all one in being human.

In my opinion, compassion is helping others in any way. It could be anything from helping someone with their books to going to a country in need. My image represents lots of darkness but in the middle of that there is a light colored path. This represents the little bit of help that there might be for those feeling hopeless. This path leads to a beautiful sunrise that represents a new beginning. I chose this because I thought it applies to a lot of the problems in the world. I made this with mosaic. --Anoymous, 7th grade

Compassion is Life, Compassion is love. Compassion is the only thing thing that keeps the world running. It is the sympathy for others that makes us human in this horrific world we reside in. It is nothing, but yet it is everything. It is inside you and me and it grows with years. Its a shining light that emanates from within.
--Whitney Ryan, 8th grade

"Mandela Mandala" (detail)
Cast Iron "Compassion Project" Manhole cover by Rob Neilson

Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.
--Nelson Mandela

My tile represents a hand with plenty of tints of color. The colors are there on the hand to show all the different types of people we have in the world. Hand in hand, the world can change to help those in poverty. In the background, lies a rainbow. The rainbow to me represents unity. It represents unity because rainbows show up after bad storms or bad weather.
--Estelle Thao, 12th grade

I am happy.
--Mekhi Thomas, 1st grade

Compassion is like a tree. A person, like a branch, reaches out to help others. Every time a person branches out to help others it shows the love humans have for one another. Compassion is showing someone the light in the darkness. Without compassion our world would never see peace.
--Andrea Lindert, 12th grade

I chose the word because it makes me think of compassion the most. I think you need hope to be compassionate.
--Anya Checkalski, 3rd grade

"There are many reasons for us to be hopeful.'
--The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-dalai-lama-why-im-hopeful-about-the-worlds-future/2016/06/13/e380973a-30a2-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html

This is symbol of what I do for others. I like to snow blow. I am thoughtful because I help people. I like to help.--Davonte Harvala, 6th grade

Compassion means everyone coming together and helping one another in times of need. My image represents compassion by having two hands reaching for each other, and it also shows that when we come together we will always have peace. I chose to do this image because I think we should all reach out to someone in need and help them get through their struggles.
--Hannah Kluball, 7th grade

Compassion means to take care of one another, being there for each other. My image represents compassion in two ways. One way is that we should give the world a hand to keep it clean. The second way is that we all live in the same planet so there is no reason to have a war. We all have one life, one world, one chance to give a hand in need:)
--Maria Reynoso, 8th grade

I chose to paint a scene of a poor homeless boy laying down on the ground in Somalia. This makes me feel compassionate because he looks to be about my age, and I wouldnt want to be in his position. It makes me want to help somebody, not just him, but anybody. This is what I think compassion is truly about, wanting to help people, not just feeling sorry for them.
--Cerise Siamof, 7th grade

I chose to create this painting because I want to see more of communities working together. I want to see people giving each other a hand and helping each other out. I also created this idea because the hands are of different races. And if we have faith in each other, we will plant a beautiful flower with many different colors.
--Nang Yang, 10th grade

The Dalai Lama to return to Madison for his 10th visit on March 9

http://host.madison.com/news/local/the-dalai-lama-to-return-to-madison-for-his-th/article_dd434b99-cc4e-59c9-8c29-241a0315cf73.html

host.madison.com He is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion at Overture Center.

To me, compassion is the ability to be completely selfless; to love another and have a deep consideration for their well being without having to think about it in a self beneficial way. Compassion spreads and continues through others eternally. Even a small act of compassion can have a very large effect, much like a small drop of water having the capability to create a huge ripple.
--Abigail Bautch, 9th grade

Don't miss Dr. Richard Davidson at Lawrence University in Appleton TODAY at 11:10am (Lawrence Memorial Chapel)
http://thor.lawrence.edu/calendar/main.php?view=event&eventid=AAAOxXAAVAACBiGAAD

Please see the Hands Over the Fox page and practice compassion for all those effected by the tragic events in Menasha last Sunday. In that spirit, we post this powerful reminder that, when connected, we can be a powerful and positive force for good.

Compassion is using your passion to help others by connecting with them. By holding hands, we become connected. We share ourselves with one another. We reach out to one another with compassion until we are all connected.
--Stephanie Lietzke, 11th grade

Martin Luther King Jr. acted as a beacon of hope to countless people that were segregated in America. He also served as a symbol to the world of peace, harmony and compassion.
--Anonymous, 9th grade