The Essential Role of Context or Framing in Buddhist Practice

Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren

Context – the set of ideas, beliefs and principles which guide our understanding of ourselves, others, our relationships and how the world works – shapes our experience, our assessment of our experience and the choices we make. Context, in very real and tangible ways, determines how we relate to our experience.
In most cases, we don’t give context a second thought. It is the unseen foundation or groundwork of experience that lies just below our normal perception of events.
Buddhist practice involves a conscious and determined re-framing of the context we use to experience and relate to events. The elements of this re-framing – the ideas and principles – are significantly different than the psychological and emotional viewpoints that dominate conventional thinking. Some elements are radically different. In Buddhist practice we refer to this re—framing process as the “Cultivation of Right View.”
During this evening we’ll look at several areas of difference in fundamental context or View between conventional and Buddhist viewpoints; and how those differences translate into significant differences in how we relate to and understand experience – particularly suffering and satisfaction.
Please try to attend this evening if you plan on attending the one-day retreat Dennis will be leading on Saturday, September 28th. This evening will lay a helpful foundation for your experience of the one-day retreat.

Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.

Thursday Night Talk Dana
“Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
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