Paying Attention

When we see a dog -- our own pet or another dog -- do we really see that dog? Or do we see memories of other dogs, other interactions with that dog, ideas about what dogs should be?  The same with other people: do we see them as they are in that moment, or do we see them primarily through the filters of our assumptions, thoughts, experiences?  Perceiving the world mostly through our filters can mean we don't really relate to what's in front of us. We worry about what might happen.  We get involved in our own stories about what's in front of us, instead of really experiencing or appreciating what's there.  How might we become more aware in the moment, less in thrall to patterns and pressures in our minds?  Jone Johnson Lewis, the leader of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, is the speaker.

There is a concurrent Sunday School for Ethics for children.