Session 6: Being Self-Aware • On the Path to HECK

You are invited to engage at whatever distance feels right today
You are not required to speak, share, or explain anything
Noticing is enough — meaning can come later
Silence, confusion, and resistance are valid participation
Take what is useful and leave the rest
The Questions for Discernment and Homework are optional and meant to serve you, not pressure you. Do as much or as little as feels right.

Where do you find your own sense of belonging? Of purpose? Where do you find Transcendence? How do you formulate and tell your own story to others?
What conditions in your life have shaped your capacity for kindness and altruism? What practices help you expand that capacity?
In her talk, Abigail Marsh defines altruism as “a selfless act intended to benefit only the other.” If the outcome is the same, is there a difference between giving with the expectation of getting something in return (even a “thank you”) versus giving without the expectation of getting something in return?

Create a list of ‘acts of random kindness’ that you can perform, with no expectation of getting thanked. For example, pay for the order from car behind yours in the drive through lane, or pick up some trash in the road as you walk by it. Strive to perform at least one act per day, as invisibly as possible.
For a full day, make a concerted effort to meet everyone’s initial eye contact by smiling. If that goes well, continue it for another day. Repeat.
Make a list of the gifts that you have to offer to others. What resources, availability, knowledge, and skills can you afford to ‘give away’? Who could benefit from those gifts? How can you and those that could benefit get together?