Perception is one of the proximate causes for mindfulness to arise. Perception is also the source of concepts, confusion, and papanca, the proliferation of thoughts that causes us to suffer. This evening, we will explore the many facets of perception and the distortions of perception, with the intention of allowing this powerful capacity of the mind to free us from clinging.
Equanimity, and the unique form of happiness that accompanies it, is considered one of the most important qualities of mind and heart in Buddhist practice. It is frequently misunderstood. And how to be Equanimous can sometimes seem confusing or beyond our skill or capacity. Understanding how to cultivate a realistic, practical form of Equanimity seems like something that could help all of us given the conditions in our country and the world.
Join us this evening to examine these questions:
What are the characteristics and qualities of Equanimity? And Equanimous Happiness?
Why is this quality of mind and heart considered so valuable in meditation, daily life and relationships?
In what ways does Equanimity differ from, and is related to, the other three “higher emotions” of Loving Kindness, Compassion and Sympathetic Joy?
How do we develop Equanimity as a readily available resource for dealing with the challenges of life?
You might want to review the essay on SIM’s website entitled “The Practice of Equanimity – The Balanced Embrace of All Experience.” This basic essay will serve as a jumping off point for our exploration on Thursday evening.
Everyone has heard the phrase “being your own worst enemy” which points to the way we can sometimes use negative self-talk to sabotage or hold ourselves back from progress on the path. This talk will highlight the importance of befriending our own mind and accepting it rather than fighting it. Then, as the meditation master Dipa Ma once said, “it ceases to be a problem.”
Gil Fronsdal writes: “Some people have a strong tendency to resist change of any type, including new perspectives and understandings.” “Not me” we might think, “I know about impermanence.” But this practice teaches us that “knowing about” a concept is quite different than “living into” an experience or insight.
While a general understanding of changes in the seasons may be helpful, a more precise awareness can reveal the discomfort that accompanies the transition from one moment to another. Given that change is built into this human life, our practice of using the practice of meditative awareness to work with transitions, uncertainty, and discomfort can serve us well, especially in difficult times in our lives and the world. Further, it can also reveal that change itself can bring great benefits.
This evening will be an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to uncertainty and change and to learn from each other about how to work with them.
Why do we practice, and how do we practice, in a life that keeps moving, changing, and asking things of us, especially in times like these, when the world feels intense, fast, and fragile?
If there is a goal in meditation practice, perhaps it could best be described as inner transformation of the heart. In Satipatthana Meditation: A Practice Guide, Buddhist scholar Bhikkhu Analayo writes, “Meditation practice should result in an improvement in the way we are, how we relate to others, and how we deal with outer circumstances.” He also describes this as “a genuine opening of the heart to the qualities of kindness and compassion.” During this talk, we will explore this further, with the aid of stories and poems, and perhaps discover ways it might manifest in our own experience.
SIM’s mission is to integrate meditative awareness into all aspects of daily life. The core faculty will explore this topic together on this evening. Walt, Diane, and Rich will reflect on their own daily life practices and leave plenty of time for reflections from the community.
This talk explores how we get swept away by reactivity or sink into disconnection, and how practice invites a steadier, more open way of meeting experience.