A Dhamma talk on coping with environmental stress by practicing the third foundation of mindfulness - mindfulness of mind. This talk was given as part of the regular monthly series of talks to the Berkeley area Aloka Vihara community.
A Dhamma talk on the joy of practicing internal and external mindfulness. This talk was given as part of the regular monthly series of talks to the San Francisco Dharma Collective.
After reviewing three foundations of Wise Speech--the four ethical guidelines for skillful speech, presence and mindfulness during speech, and the practice of empathy--we explore, on the basis of these foundations, how to be skillful during difficult or challenging situations of speech and communication, whether involving two individuals, a group, or a larger society. We identify eight perspectives, practices, and capacities that support skillful speech during such difficult situations.
Establish strong mindfulness that can act as a frame for shifting states of mind. Go easy on the mental content letting it all pass through. Aware of a basic luminosity, or vibrancy, assess what is needed to encourage citta – goodwill, patience, dispassion.
Exploring the role that perception and volitional mental formations play in constructing identity, and can easily lead to proliferation when there's no mindfulness
Suffering is not the end of the story. We can get lost in our suffering. But we can also be witness to bravery and the possibility of life. Mindfulness can help us live wisely amidst difficulties.
Returning to the First Noble Truth and the five clinging-aggregates, exploring clinging to the body as a source of dukkha and opening to impermanence as an antidote
