This season is one of celebrating the light and love that is our unifying source. And yet at these times our society is being forced to face its deep patterning of racial oppression, amongst other expressions of violence. These two talks investigate the process of turning against ourselves and others, and how intentional and deep presence can heal the suffering of separation.

This talk examines how the mind names or assigns qualities or characteristics to the things we contact. How it relates and draws associations to similar things we have known...and what it is like to attach to that.

Listening to the unique but common struggles of others; Ajahn Sucitto on a 40 year retreat; some personal history of how Ajahn came to meditation and his early struggles; thank you to all participants; coming from a place of gratitude; being firm with all the reasons that we throw up not to practice; take a little time every day to sit and breathe; it's as important as eating or bathing every day; the citta goes one way - it does not go down, it goes up. “Thank you for your determination and your company and your honesty in the practice. May you all progress and develop and may your cittas rise to happiness and peace.”

Review thoroughly how your mind works; the world is created by the mind in this very body; seeing uncertainty; using the body to receive and allow the citta to calm; see how the citta sits on its worry and flies on its desire and is carried along by its fear; the citta sankhara never stops creating reasons why it has to keep going just a little bit further; watch how craving paints the world with beautiful but very thin paint. You can do it, you can see it. Pause, check, be aware.

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