Tag Archive for: Rich Howard

02/27/2020 “Awareness, Effort, and Right View” with Rich Howard

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HANDOUT: Awareness, Effort, and Right ViewDownload

Google “mindfulness” and you’ll find this definition (from Psychology Today): “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present.” On the other hand, Burmese monk and meditation teacher Sayadaw U Tejaniya titled one of his books “Awareness Alone is Not Enough.” What else is needed? Won’t it be complicated? With all the approaches to mindfulness floating around, it may be a challenge to know how to practice a simple yet effective form of awareness that leads to insight and eventually freedom. With reminders from Sayadaw’s two most recent books, “Collecting Gold Dust” and “Relax and Be Aware” as well as his classics, we will look at the wider context of Awareness/Mindfulness/Attention: how it might differ from some of the popular notions, how it fits in the Noble Eightfold Path, and how it supports our search for freedom. This evening will be a good preparation for the retreat on February 29*.

* The daylong retreat on February 29 was themed “Awareness Practice and Inquiry”. Although the retreat talks were not recorded, here are a couple of related handouts that Rich Howard wanted to share with this post.

HANDOUT: Right Attitude for MeditationDownload
HANDOUT: Collecting Gold DustDownload
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01/09/2020 “The Five Reflections” with Rich Howard

The Five Reflections: The Adult Facts of Life

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Handout: Five Reflections (.pdf)Download

The Five Reflections are that we are subject (1) to aging, (2) to illness, and (3) to death; (4) that we will be separated from all that is dear to us; and (5) that we are responsible for our own actions and destiny. Many Buddhists throughout the world take these as a daily practice, a reminder that everything is impermanent and that loss is never far away. The historical Buddha recommended reflecting often on these facts “whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.” On this evening of reflection and discussion, we will examine each of these “adult facts of life” and explore our relationship to them.

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12/26/2019 “Dana in Theory and Practice” with Rich Howard

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Dana is one of the core practices of our Insight/Vipassana tradition, and it is fraught with potential baggage. On this evening, we will examine dana and related concepts (giving, generosity, renunciation), its place on various Buddhist lists, and how it might fit into our contemporary practice. Rich will include some of the classical stories of dana from the Pali Canon and invite discussion of how this practice, which like many Buddhist practices runs “against the stream” of current American culture, has been working for you.

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10/17/2019 “A Lump of Foam: The Five Aggregates” with Rich Howard

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The five Aggregates of Clinging are an excellent means for seeing the three universal characteristics: impermanence, conditionality/insubstantiality and suffering/stress. This phrase is repeated like a mantra in the many suttas about the aggregates: “This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.” We will discuss how to use the aggregates in our daily lives to foster insight into how we suffer.

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08/15/2019 “Pilgrimage, Devotion, and Uposatha” with Rich Howard, John Phelps

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How does our practice include the warmth of heart, expressed freely in devotion? Sometimes it may seem as if Buddhism’s intention to relieve suffering and be awake to the way things are, in Western practice centers, sidesteps the personal intimacy of devotion that we see in Asian temple life, and in other faith traditions. To whom and what is devotion given? What can we learn from others, and from attending to our own longings and gratefulness? Rich and John have been exploring this topic and will invite our participation in that exploration.
After the presentation, Rich Howard and John “Boogie” Phelps hosted an evening of meditation and chanting as long as people wanted to stay (up to midnight). In many Theravada countries, special practice days are observed in line with phases of the moon, called Uposatha. On this full moon day, folks were are also invited to practice the eight precepts. Chanting books were provided.

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06/20/2019 “Wisdom” with Rich Howard

 

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This talk concludes Rich’s series on the three root defilements (greed, hatred, and delusion) and their antidotes. Wisdom is the way out of Delusion, which we discussed on June 6. While we may picture wisdom as only available far away, it is right here inthis moment, waiting to be discovered. We will explore the different kinds of wisdom in the Buddhist tradition and the ways by which wisdom grows and benefits our practice and all beings.

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06/06/2019 “Can We Be Aware of Delusion?” with Rich Howard

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This evening will be the latest in Rich’s exploration of the three roots of suffering – greed, hatred, and delusion – and how to work with them. Since delusion is always present along with any of the unskillful mind states, it is especially important to recognize it and get to know its unique flavor. But how do we know when we’re deluded? Wouldn’t delusion prevent us from knowing we are deluded? Let’s look at these questions together in a spirit of inquiry.

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03/14/2019 “Patience: Antidote and Perfection” with Rich Howard

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Building Rich Howard’s talk on anger last month, this evening’s presentation will explore the Buddhist view of patience. In his recent book “Perfecting Patience: Buddhist Techniques to Overcome Anger,” the Dalai Lama writes, “The only factor that can give refuge or protection from the destructive effects of anger and hatred is the practice of tolerance and patience.” So, first we will look at this function of patience as an antidote.
We will then look at patience as one of the Paramis, qualities we need to cultivate and develop to be truly free. The Historical Buddha called Patience the highest virtue, so we will look into this important but seldom appreciated mind state. This will also be a good opportunity to inquire into the linked practices of refraining from harmful activities and cultivating healthy ones.

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01/03/2019 “Vision and Intention” with Rich Howard

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The vision of Sacramento Insight Meditation recognizes that “development of insight meditation and meditative awareness leads to a life of clarity, balance, and peace expressed in the forms of generosity, wisdom, compassion, and ethical conduct.” As we look forward to a new year, let’s explore our own intentions around developing our practice and how that might be expressed in action. Let’s also discuss how SIM might support individual and community well being in 2019.
The full statement of SIM’s Mission, Vision, and Means may be found at https://sactoinsight.org/about-us/. You may want to review these statements to prepare for this discussion.

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09/20/2018 “Starting Over” with Rich Howard

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Senior Teacher Kamala Masters reminds us, “Starting over is the practice.” Reflecting on this simple instruction has many implications: self-compassion, patience, and an encouragement to gentle, persevering effort. We will explore the practice itself in a guided meditation to start the evening, then discuss the many lessons to be learned from this seemingly simple instruction. Bring your beginner’s mind!

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