On Solstice, Ayya Anadabodhi speaks about enduring darker moments and difficult aspects of self that have momentum by applying sati (mindfulness) to gradually return to the light.
We start with settling for about 8 minutes followed by about the same time with basic mindfulness practice. Then we explore "moderate" experiences of pleasant or unpleasant when they occur, whether a bodily experience, an emotion, or a thought (or a mix), experiencing pleasant or unpleasant and seeing whether there follows wanting (or not wanting) and reactivity (habitual grasping or pushing away). We close with some reflection on what we explored, with an emphasis on skillful aversion: Was some of the not wanting skillful? Unskillful? What do we find in some daily life examples of aversion? This exploration is related to the talk given a short time later.
This talk explores vedanā within the framework of dependent origination, highlighting the role it plays in shaping habitual reactivity and suffering. It shows how mindfulness of feeling tone reveals the moment where suffering is conditioned—and where freedom becomes possible. By learning to meet vedanā directly, we cultivate equanimity and the capacity to relate to all experience with balance and ease.
We start with settling for about 7-8 minutes followed by about the same time with basic mindfulness practice. Then we explore "moderate" experiences of pleasant or unpleasant when they occur, whether a bodily experience, an emotion, or a thought (or a mix), experiencing pleasant or unpleasant and seeing whether there follows wanting (or not wanting) and grasping (or pushing away). We close with some reflection on what we explored: Was some of the wanting or not wanting skillful? Unskillful. This exploration is related to the talk given a short time later.
