Chanting of: Invitation to the Devas; Karaniya Metta Sutta - followed by sitting meditation. Period ends with short chant in Pali - impermanence and death reflection.

Through non-reactivity to pain we can begin to understand its true nature and gain insight of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-self.

Although impermanence is the underlying reality of existence, we have trouble accepting loss especially of those we love. The Buddha said to contemplate every day that we will be separated from everyone and everything near and dear to us. This talk explores why and how to do that.

The Buddha taught that there are five preconditions necessary for the development of meditation practice in seclusion—good friends, virtue and restraint, engaging in talk on the Dhamma, wise effort, wisdom. These preconditions, presented in the Meghiya Sutta, are developed progressively and support one another, with wisdom as the crowning jewel and chief. This talk explores the importance of wisdom for revealing the impermanent nature of all things. With the clarity of wisdom we discern the arising and passing of phenomena. This insight into impermanence undercuts habitual delusions that perpetuate blindly grasping and clinging transient things. Wisdom is important at all stages of the path. At the beginning of our practice, we need wisdom to discern the right direction, clarify our purpose and learn skillful methods; we need wisdom in the midst of the practice to make the many adjustments that sustain us on this path; and the path culminates in the wisdom that leads to release. With wisdom, we will see the changing nature of all things, and understand how we construct our perception of reality, discern the four noble truths of suffering, and recognize how we can realize the end of suffering.

We first look at the nature and limits of concentration, in part through the story of the Buddha. We then see how stillness developed in concentration, in relationship to the (relatively) still object, is brought to changing objects for the purpose of clear seeing of impermanence, suffering, and not self, leading to freedom.

Approaching, accepting, smiling with the nature of impermanence and uncertainty

The quality of equanimity is a significant factor in coming to terms with impermanence and its manifestations: agin, illness and death. Learning to find balance with regard to the reality of change is explored

Seeing life through the eyes of impermanence. How it affects our urgency for liberation.

We all have had experiences of impermanence, suffering, and not-self, but we haven't been able to generalize these as universal characteristics of conditioned things. Meditation instructions guide us to do so, allowing insight to arise. Examples of naturally arising "insights" which occur on retreat.