Near the time of Winter Solstice, this reflection will include teachings on the importance of ritual in our spiritual lives, plus stories, songs, poetry and teachings of the Buddha on the themes of darkness and light.
Momentum – the sense that the Dharma is taking hold and guiding us forward – is essential to our development as practitioners. It is key to experiencing confidence, satisfaction and genuine pleasure in meditation and life.
What are some of the factors that influence sustaining and cultivating Momentum? What are the factors the support expanding Momentum outside of our meditation practice and into our relationships and daily activities?
These questions will be the focus of the presentation and our discussion this evening.
Vulnerability is a scary word. We believe that if we become vulnerable, we will lose control of the narrative that has defined ourselves, our judgements… our control over our lives. Our stories have defined us, yet we rarely ask if these stories are helpful or even true. Practicing mindfulness on the cushion and daily life could also be defined as learning to become vulnerable. The result of having the courage to be vulnerable allows genuine joy, contentment and ease to arise.
Tonight we will briefly summarize four practices that allow vulnerability to arise. The upcoming mini-retreat will go into much greater detail about meditation methods and daily practices which foster and support these four special qualities of mind and heart… letting go/forgiveness, gratitude, boundless friendliness and equanimity.
In the Maha-parinibbana Sutta, we learn what occurred during the last few months of the Buddha’s life. We will explore a few episodes from this sutta and examine some of the Buddha’s compassionate teachings during this poignant time leading up to his death.
EQUANIMITY PHRASES from SIM Senior Teacher John Travis:
May I accept things as they are.
May I remain in peace, and let go of expectations.
May I find the inner resources to remain present and be kind to myself and others.
May I see my limits compassionately, just as I see the limitations of others.
No matter how I might wish things could be otherwise, things are the way they are.
Whether I understand it or not, things are unfolding according to karma.
I wish you happiness and peace, but cannot make your choices for you.
I will care for you, but cannot keep you from suffering.
All beings are the owners of their own karma. Their happiness and unhappiness depend upon their actions, not my wishes for them.
Although I wish only the best for you, I know that your actions, not my wishes for you, will determine your happiness or unhappiness.
I care about your pain, but cannot control or eliminate it.
May I offer love, knowing I cannot control the course of your life, suffering or death.
May I offer my care and presence without conditions, knowing they may be met by anger, gratitude or indifference.
Awakening, or Enlightenment, is considered the point of liberation when a practitioner exits the Wheel of Suffering associated with daily life. The biographies of those who practiced directly with the Historical Buddha are filled with stories of Awakening and Enlightenment…while meditating, listening to a dharma talk, during the course of daily monastic life.
It’s reasonable to ask if this profound notion of liberation – where the mind is purified of all obstacles, limitations and suffering – is relevant and realistic today for the community practitioner?
This evening will explore the meaning and different models of Awakening or Enlightenment. It will examine a working model that may help us reframe our understanding and experience of this important potential in our lives, and provide for a more satisfying practice and life.
Humans love stories. Part of the path of practice is to not only help us see the unspoken stories in our lives but also to help us discern whether they support greater freedom or not.
Humans long for peace in our lives and in our world. In our practice of boundless kindness (Metta in Pali), we say, “May you be peaceful.” So, what are the conditions that lead to peace in the outer and inner worlds? The Buddha counseled rulers about outer peace, and gave many instructions to practitioners about inner peace. We will examine these instructions and see how we might apply them to bring peace for ourselves, those around us, and our world.
I will go through the five aggregates — they are the essential explanation of the human condition: Body, feeling, perception, and mental formations…in the elusive consciousness. I’d look at these as the description of our human condition.