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.

While the 3rd and fourth foundations of mindfulness can be taught as their own separate topics, it can be very useful to look at the language and instruction given in both of them together. In the 3rd foundation we rest mindfully in all cognitive and emotional states as they arise and pass with the courage not to change them. In the 4th foundation of mindfulness we use this deeper intimacy from the 3rd foundation to act most skillfully in how we let go of suffering states and welcome wholesome states.

Meeting dukkha with mindfulness and compassion

Understanding how we're relating to our thinking, and learning how to not be bothered by our thoughts

Beginning by steadying awareness on the breath, then physical sensations, then opening to sounds

Exploring the quality of mindfulness itself, and the benefits of using different modes of mindfulness to keep the mind in balance

Practising recognising, allowing, feeling and teasing apart emotions (RAFT)

Bringing awareness to emotions and using the acronym RAFT to stay present with the experiences in the body and the mind

Reflecting on the day's themes and practices of mindfulness of the body and dharma confidence, exploring these through the practice of standing meditation

Exploring how body sensations can be an early warning system that reactivity is taking over; and the benefits of bringing mind and body into harmony with each other

Progressing from mindfulness of breathing to mindfulness of the body, bringing awareness to physical sensations