GLOW WEBINAR
June 20 2020
Can you recall a time someone made your day? What was it that spilled your cup of gratitude over? It’s likely that it wasn’t anything big. A stranger’s smile on the street. Someone opens the door for you on a rainy day. A neighbor calls to check on you during coronavirus lockdown. Your child washes all the dishes in the sink. A small act of kindness can make a world of difference on a grey day — but can it really change the world? Classic economic theory assumes humans only aim to maximize self-interest; yet in this talk, Audrey will point to an array of examples, both from her own experience and that of a greater ecosystem of volunteers, where the opposite has blossomed. When our systems rely on our innate kindness, it unlocks a profound inner transformation that changes our way of being, and unlocks a virtuous cycle and culture of generosity.
In times of pandemic, the resilient power of kindness has only intensified. When the UN Secretary General called for global ceasefire, over a dozen countries immediately signed on. In South Africa, two rival gangs called a truce to come together to deliver groceries to vulnerable
families. In India, a 12-year-old girl emptied her piggy bank to feed abandoned animals. In the U.S., a woman living out of her car brings food to the homeless. In the Middle East, the Gaza Strip and Israel work together to supply face masks.
This conversation will dive into Audrey’s journey of leading with kindness, designing for inner transformation, and tuning into our collective potential to redesign our systems with the fuel of compassion.
Speaker : Audrey Lin, is a pilgrim of life. Her unconventional journey has been witness to a variety of settings — from studying nonviolence and social change at UC Berkeley to working in an internet startup to serving at a Buddhist monastery, embarking on a walking pilgrimage in Silicon Valley, teaching in schools, volunteering at the Gandhi Ashram in India, innovating for “compassion quotient” alongside intellectual quotient, and nurturing small acts of kindness in daily life. Audrey is a longtime volunteer with ServiceSpace, an incubator of projects that support a gift culture. She’s a co-visionary behind its virtual “Laddership” circles, a six-week virtual fellowship to support leaders (who hold questions like “What’s love’s business plan?”) to more effectively lead with selfless love. Most recently, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, she along with a team of volunteers have been nurturing an online platform, KarunaVirus.org, to amplify stories of courageous kindness — of everyday people choosing love over fear.
Follow Up Webinar About Kindness-Activities:
Towards the end of this webinar, Audrey would propose a “Kindness Activity” for the participants to do. The participants can share their experience of having performed the “Kindness Activity” in the follow-up webinar on June 27th 2020, and have a chance to discuss this with Audrey and all the other participants who come forward to share it.
If you would like to share your experiences and be featured in the follow-up webinar, please write to glow@heartfulness.org.
Overview and Takeaway:
- Can small acts of kindness make a difference?
- What happens when selfless love becomes an organizing principle?
- How do we lead with inner transformation?
- Opportunity to share
Who Should Attend
Anyone curious about living and designing for values like compassion, kindness, gratitude, and service.