Exploring mindfulness of breathing with a relaxed and receptive approach, to help strengthen sati / mindfulness and samādhi / stability of mind

Mindfulness of breathing has been the most widespread meditation in Buddhism since its beginning. It is included within mindfulness of the body and offers specific benefits as well. The talk also describes some of the obstacles practitioners may encounter with this technique.

Since so many of us struggle with self-judgment, what practices and tools will help us find more self-compassion and cultivate more joy? In this talk we explore the roots of self-judgment, and the ways in which mindfulness, loving kindness, and the recognition of our shared humanity and inner goodness can work together to alleviate the critical mind and promote joy and resilience.

This first day instructions guides students who are just starting out with their practice. We learn to find our meditation anchor and work with distraction.

Developing facility with the indriya – faith, energy, mindfulness, collectedness and discernment – supports awareness of skilful states flowing and fulfilling themselves within a mindful embodiment.

Self massage helps body awareness arise. With mental intention, alternately directing and releasing activation energy around the body, we increase connectivity and provide a broad basis for mindfulness.

We start by acknowledging the mass shooting in Texas that occurred yesterday, in the context of our practicing with fear, following up an earlier guided meditation and sharing (not recorded) related to the shooting. We then look generally at the three core ways of practicing with fear, going into some depth on each: (1) cultivating mindfulness and clear seeing (wisdom), (2) working with the heart practices, and (3) acting skillfully. We then focus on how the process of awakening typically involves at each new stage an opening to fear, and also mention some of the dynamics of the "Dark Night of the Soul." Lastly, we look at how to explore and work with fear related to our social world, in terms of the three ways of practicing with fear. There follows a period of discussion.

Hindrances can be cleared through ‘mindful direct awareness’ – sati sampajañña. Such working through what blocks the potential of citta, demands humility, since it is not one’s personal self doing the work. Body is a key and potent resource.

Sati-mindfulness, or bearing in mind – is the third indriya. It is a powerful ally for liberation. With this we come out of old habits and find freshness, meaning, potency. You feel where your strength arises.

Exploring what Awakening or Nibbāna means, then exploring some words by Thomas Hubl to explore how sangha or community can develop mindfulness, mutuality and mirroring as a support for insight

We review briefly some of what we covered in the last session (April 27) on practicing with fear. We then explore the various types of fear reported in the group, what we find bringing mindfulness to hear, particularly what's experienced in the body and in the mind, and the importance of having antidotes to fear, when the level of fear is at a high level and our usual practices are not effective. We also point to the way that as we develop and move into new areas of learning, we also often open up to new fears that are part of the new territory. We close with a period of questions and sharing.

mindfulness of breathing with particular emphasis on becoming aware of pauses and beginnings

When I first entered the monasteries in Thailand and Burma, I was taught everything is anicca (impermanent), dukkha (unsatisfactory), and anatta (no-self). The reason these were repeated over and over again is because if you see these, you see with the eyes of wisdom. Because everything is changing, the more you cling and hold on, the more you suffer. To free ourselves, we need to quiet the mind through some mindfulness in meditation. Then, instead of identifying with the changing conditions, we learn to release them and turn toward consciousness itself, to rest in the knowing. My teacher Ajahn Chah called this pure awareness, "the original mind," or resting in "the one who knows." As the Jiddu Krishnamurti said, “It is the truth that liberates, and not your efforts to be free.” With practice, we discover the selflessness of experience; we shift identity. We can be in the midst of an experience, being upset or angry or caught by some problem, and then step back from it and rest in pure awareness. We let go; we release holding any thought or feeling as "I" or "mine." We release the whole sense of identification, and the conditioned world is just anicca (impermanent), dukkha (unsatisfactory), and anatta (empty of self) -- it has nothing to do with our true nature. We learn to trust pure awareness itself. This is one of the ways Ajahn Chah taught about liberation. Awakening is always here and now. Practicing this way, your life is transformed.

How the nothing of feelings becomes the something of objects and further exploration of the third and fourth foundations. Plus a guided meditation on the third foundation

These two ancient sutras fuse seamlessly together/explore how the body (form) becomes formless when we don't infuse the body with knowledge or remembrance

How something becomes nothing with the release of knowledge and remembrance.

After a brief review of last week's exploration of the relationship of Buddhist practice to Passover, Easter, and Ramadan, we explore a theme that is part of those holidays, and central to our practice--how we work with fear and anxiety. We look at the centrality of such practice, and the different types of fear, distinguishing the unskillful aspects (such as confusion, reactivity, and the continual repetition of negative narratives) from the at times skillful aspects (such as recognizing danger). We then suggest ways of bringing mindfulness to fear, as well as ways of understanding and responding to fear.

Fully established mindfulness that is aligned with the dharma allows the mind to become so still that an intuitive felt sense of awareness can arises that knows it knows awareness is like this...

From Harris Park. Meditation on mindfulness of the breath. Dhamma talk about Mahasi techniques e.g. noting, where to watch the breath, influence of Japan in early twentieth century Buddhism, Satipattana Sutta parts, Mahasi and the evolution of the stages of insight.

Not an economic critique, but looking at the basic moral attitude of greed/acquisitiveness and antagonistic competition and the consequences. And the role that Mindfulness, especially Mindfulness and Stress Reduction plays.

The Buddha suggested reflecting regularly on five aspects of life called the Five Reflections (also called the Five Remembrances). This talk focuses on what he called "the most supreme of all meditations": mindfulness of death or maranasati. Although contemplation of one's death might seem unsettling or scary, when undertaken as a conscious practice it can be extremely enlivening and even liberating.

Bringing awareness to the quality of mindfulness itself, and as needed, infusing it with kindness, compassion, appreciation or equanimity

Instructions about mindfulness of emotions and difficult mind states.

Moving into the inter-reactive, inter-responsive world we can become distracted, scattered. Seeing the seeds or tendencies to act in worldly ways contributing to disparities and lack of fellowship, we hold our attention suitably, living with others calmly and peacefully.

Short instructions and guidance for investigating mindfulness of mindfulness itself

Exploring how these two work together to strengthen discernment about what's skillful, and what's unskillful. Includes some ways of working with more entrenched or intense afflictive mental states, bringing wisdom and compassion to them to help them release.

40:19 Q&A (questions are précised) 40:33 Q1 History and geography teach us that ten thousand years ago people were living in filth, like animals. Yet the scriptures speak of many thousands of eons of lives. How are these [two very different time frames] possible? 43:00 Q2 Could you please give more tips and advice for real beginners in meditation? 50:08 Q3 Regarding the four foundations of mindfulness, is there one which is more important? 53:57 Q4 I have come to see doubt as a most important hindrance in my practice. I even doubt the existence of that thing called enlightenment. How can I get rid of that? 58:46 Q5 Regarding sense restraint, can you say more about practicing with sound here. 1:07:54 Q6 How can householders go deeper into vipassana with the limited time in their lives? 1:12:31 Q7 Could you clarify how we would do the Buddho mantra in our daily tasks

This talk explores the topic of Clear Comprehension (sampajañña in Pali) a powerful Dharma teaching on four different aspects of practice. In the Satipatthana Sutta the Discourse on the Four Foundation of Mindfulness, with regard to each foundation, the Buddha says the following: "Here, bhikkhus (practitioners), a bhikkhu (practitioner) lives contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome, in this world, covetousness and grief..." Clear comprehension means more than just having bare attention. Understanding and applying these four facets of Clear Comprehension can support a real deepening of our Dharma practice.

How to practically Meet Life with Awareness and Wisdom through mindfulness practice

This talk explores the basics of mindfulness from the perspective of attention, attitude, and intention. It touches briefly on the five hindrances and includes a story about an exploding egg. Good for beginners!

Mindfulness of Body and Breath Instructions - 1st day of a retreat

The thinking mind conceives, weaves into being other people and self; it’s very convincing. But there is a choice – you can refer to things, people, situations – or you can refer to where faith arises. Turn to that faith-vehicle and let the energies and the tonality of faith, generosity and virtue shape mind (or ‘heart’ citta). Then you find a proper basis for mindfulness.

Guided standing meditation and instruction on mindfulness of feeling tone (Vedana)

Metta to easy person, self and to all.

If we want to bring our intelligence, creativity and love into our relationships and world, we need to be able to access an inner refuge of presence. This talk explores how, when we’re reacting from anger, clinging or fear, to pause, reconnect to the immediate experience of “just this” and remember the love and awareness that has room for the changing waves of life.

An exploration of the second establishment of mindfulness

Please join us for this 8-week “32 Parts of the Body” meditation class that has rarely been taught in the West. This practice will cultivate deeper insight into the true nature of the body and most importantly to help see through the identifications, conditionings, beliefs, and narratives – the erroneous view of self. It has also been used for healing illness. Various methods will be taught to strengthen mindfulness of the body and to explore the mind/body connection. Each class will consist of silent and guided meditation, chanting of the body parts and small and large group discussion. These teachings and practices will help develop greater clarity, wisdom, and compassion; and foster the depth of practice.

Please join us for this 8-week “32 Parts of the Body” meditation class that has rarely been taught in the West. This practice will cultivate deeper insight into the true nature of the body and most importantly to help see through the identifications, conditionings, beliefs, and narratives – the erroneous view of self. It has also been used for healing illness. Various methods will be taught to strengthen mindfulness of the body and to explore the mind/body connection. Each class will consist of silent and guided meditation, chanting of the body parts and small and large group discussion. These teachings and practices will help develop greater clarity, wisdom, and compassion; and foster the depth of practice.

Guest teachers Robin MacFarland and Tufumoena’i Lesu’i from the Cabrillo College Anatomy lab taught today’s class. They offered an anatomy presentation. Please join us for this 8-week “32 Parts of the Body” meditation class that has rarely been taught in the West. This practice will cultivate deeper insight into the true nature of the body and most importantly to help see through the identifications, conditionings, beliefs, and narratives – the erroneous view of self. It has also been used for healing illness. Various methods will be taught to strengthen mindfulness of the body and to explore the mind/body connection. Each class will consist of silent and guided meditation, chanting of the body parts and small and large group discussion. These teachings and practices will help develop greater clarity, wisdom, and compassion; and foster the depth of practice.