Boundaries As Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnecting
With Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle
Thursday June 25 2026
7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST, 8 pm Central, 9 pm EST)
Pay-From-The-Heart
Session 3 of 6 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for other sessions in the series: Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times
You want to be available. You want to be generous. You want to show up for the people in your life.
And yet—you’re running on empty. You say yes when you mean no. You give more than you have. You end conversations feeling drained, resentful, or vaguely guilty.
If boundaries feel like walls you don’t want to build, this session is for you.
What We’ll Explore
This session moves from internal steadiness to relational clarity. We’ll reframe boundaries—not as walls or defense, but as energy management. A form of self-care that actually supports connection.
In this hour together, we’ll explore:
- Why boundaries are essential for sustainable caring—not a failure of generosity
- The difference between walls (disconnection) and boundaries (healthy containment)
- How to recognize when your energy is being drained—and what to do about it
- Practices for protecting your energy without shutting people out
- How clear boundaries actually deepen trust and intimacy
You’ll leave with tools for staying connected to others without abandoning yourself—and a clearer sense of what’s yours to carry and what isn’t.
This is session 3 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for future sessions Staying Whole: Meditation Tools For Fragmented Times series.
Session Details
- Date: Thursday June 25, 2026
- Time: 7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST, 8 pm Central, 9 pm EST)
- Format: Live online via Zoom (recording available)
- Cost: By donation (Dāna)—everyone welcome regardless of financial circumstances
What to Expect
Each session in the series weaves together:
- Teaching grounded in Buddhist wisdom and 35+ years of practice, adapted for real-world application
- Guided practice you can use immediately and return to between sessions
- Reflection & dialogue with others navigating similar terrain
- Integration tools designed for daily life, not just the cushion
Part of the 2026 Staying Whole Series
This session is the second of Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times, a six-session online drop-in series running through 2026, offering practical tools for inner steadiness, relational resilience, and community belonging. Each session stands alone, so you’re welcome to join just this one. And if this resonates, the series continues on June 25 with Boundaries As Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnecting
Learn more about the full series here
Your Guides For The Series
Duncan Cryle has practiced meditation and Buddhist Dharma for over 35 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Sensei. He was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and a resident since 2018. Duncan has been teaching for over 20 years—with Awaken in Toronto, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”), and through Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness program. Through the intense work of living in intentional community—navigating conflict, collaboration, and collective decision-making—he’s learned firsthand what it takes to stay whole in fragmented times. He also spent many years in senior business roles pioneering workplace mindfulness, and now consults with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on building mindfulness, resilience, and trust.
Karen McAllister has practiced meditation since the 1990s and studied Buddhist Dharma for over 25 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. She was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and has been a resident since 2018. Karen has been teaching meditation and mindfulness for over 13 years through Awaken in Toronto, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”), and Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness and Money & Spirituality programs. Through the ongoing practice of living in intentional community, navigating relationship, conflict, and shared responsibility, she has learned firsthand what it takes to stay grounded and whole in uncertain and changing times. Alongside her teaching, Karen serves as Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky and leads the funding of the Temple project, supporting a long-term vision of refuge and deep practice for generations to come. She is also the founder of Mindful Money Coaching, where she supports people in the helping professions and mission-driven fields to transform their relationship with money, bringing awareness to how they give, receive, and steward resources in alignment with their values and purpose.
... And special guest teachers from the Clear Sky onsite Sangha
Clear Sky’s onsite team have a rich diversity of experience and many years of deep spiritual practice. During this series we’ll benefit from bringing in other voices to add depth and range to the exploration.
