One of the attractive aspects of Buddhism to many of us is that it does not require blind faith in a teacher or the teachings. However, in several suttas, the Buddha referred to faith as a type of wealth or treasure. And Bhikkhu Bodhi has said the significance of faith is that it “serves as a spur to practice.” There are at least three different types of faith described in our Buddhist tradition, including bright faith, verified faith, and unshakeable faith. We will take a look at these and other facets of faith.
Just as life is happening all around us, so is death. Human beings appear to be the only species that are conscious of our mortality. Yet most people ignore this fact of our existence, preferring to put efforts, thoughts and practice on “more pleasant things”. We want to “wake up”, to let go of our endless attachments and experience contentment and ease in our lives. Paradoxically, facing the death of our loved ones and ourselves, is one of the classic Buddhist teachings for accepting the truth of existence and waking up to impermanence. It is also a teaching that can greatly reduce and perhaps even eliminate the biggest delusion of all… that everyone else will die, except me.
This daylong retreat may not be suitable for those with anxiety, trauma or those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one.
“Acceptance” is a quality of mind and a continuing relationship with experience that is a pre-condition for genuine inclusion, forgiveness, conflict resolution and healing. It plays an even more foundational role as a basic element underlying the psychology, teachings and methods of Buddhist practice.
During this evening we’ll explore the definition and meaning of Acceptance from a practice perspective. What does Acceptance look like in action as part of the method or process of meditation? And transitioning meditative awareness into daily life? How does Acceptance change the fundamental dynamics of mindfulness? How does it empower us to see more clearly and make better choice and decisions? We’ll work with a number of familiar situations to explore these themes.
The subject matter of this evening is appropriate for all stages of practice.
This talk title changed from “The 7 L’s of Spiritual Practice” to “The Divine Abidings: Radiation and embodiment of the four brahmaviharas in meditation practice“.
There is no denying it… loneliness is an epidemic in our world today. Ironically, the more diversions that come our way, i.e. access to entertainment, social media, easy access to shopping — apparently the lonelier we are becoming. Out of loneliness, we create stories about ourselves which are often distorted, which lead to further suffering. How can we address the issue of loneliness effectively? Can loneliness be eliminated in our lives? Should it? What can loneliness teach us about truly connecting with ourselves and as well as establishing meaningful connections with others? A lot to consider!
The historical Buddha famously told his attendant Ananda that Sangha, the community of practitioners, “is actually the whole of the holy life.” In the Upaddha Sutta (SN 45.2), he explains that this is because “admirable friendship” helps one to follow the Noble
Eightfold Path. In this time of multiple overlapping crises, we may be tempted to come to Sangha for refuge from the sometimes overwhelming worldly winds swirling around us. Is this consistent with following the Eightfold Path? As lay practitioners, when do we step away from the conflicts around us and when do we use the practice to engage with the world? Bring a spirit of inquiry to this evening; there will be plenty of time for discussion of this challenging and rewarding topic.
Using teachings from Ajahn Chah and the Thai forest tradition elders, we will explore how the mind gets caught and how to develop clarity, equanimity and freedom.