A talk from the first full day of a retreat exploring how to deepen a sense of enjoyment, grounding and collectedness through cultivation of the five Jhana factors.
It’s an important aspect of our practice to keep in balance. When we bring awareness to this sometimes hidden factor, we can more easily adjust, relax, and support our mind and heart to stay present. This should be an easeful exploration that I look forward to sharing with you.
When we live from our mental control towers, we are in a trance that confines our life. These two talks look at the primary ways we are conditioned to leave embodied presence, and the consequence of unlived life—being cut off from our vitality, intelligence and compassion. We then explore the teachings and practices that guide us to reconnect to our senses, and the sacred presence that underlies all lived experience.
We open to our full naturalness as we awaken the senses. This brief meditation guides us to open all the sense gates, and in that openness, experience the pure aliveness and awareness that is our essence.
NOTE: listen to the full talk: Part 2: Refuge in the Wilderness – Coming Home to Embodied Presence.
The first of the Four Establishings of Mindfulness - Mindfulness of the Body - is taught extensively in the Pali Canon. With various contemplations, the Buddha taught us to use the physical body and breathing as a vehicle for samatha (tranquillity) and vipassana (insight), all the way to complete liberation.
Refuge in relational wisdom- Embodying tender awareness in nature supporting our practice. The social networks of trees and how they share resources- redistribution of wealth.
This meditation includes relaxing and awakening through the body, widening the lens to include sound and then letting life live through us, receiving all that arises in open awareness.
When we live from our mental control towers, we are in a trance that confines our life. These two talks look at the primary ways we are conditioned to leave embodied presence, and the consequence of unlived life—being cut off from our vitality, intelligence and compassion. We then explore the teachings and practices that guide us to reconnect to our senses, and the sacred presence that underlies all lived experience.
