The qualities of metta-lovingkindness-the essence of metta is simply connection. Exploring the habits of mind that obscure the natural recognition of non-separation which are desire and ill-will.
Renunciation of the activities and relationships in our daily life is one of the chief supports of meditative deepening on retreats. Because renunciation is the active practice of non-desire, it leads to greater peace and happiness.
Often without realizing it, painful emotions, like fear or anger give rise to the conviction that "something is wrong". When instead we receive our inner weather with an acceptance and wise attention, we reconnect with our national compassion and wholeness.
Through suttas and stories that teach us how to recognize and work with mara, we find that self judgment, temptation and fear can become Dharma gateways.
This talk combines fifteen years of my work in Alzheimer's Disease and the practice in Buddhism. How to wisely prepare the mind and heart for dementia. Dedicated to my father who died of Alzheimer's Disease.
Intention shapes our reality and is an essential part of the Buddha's Eight-Fold Path. Explore how the practice of intention -- remembering what we cherish -- can energize and guide us on the spiritual path.
If we learn to act from intuitive wisdom, rather than our ideas of how we should act, we can make wise choices that will lead to a balanced mind and a compassionate relationship to life.
We are constantly searching for that which will free us from our anxiety. By investigating the energy of grasping onto things, we can begin to let go and come to know deeply the difference between ordinary happiness and true happiness of the Buddha.
This talk explores the role of heart practices in general, and the brahma viharas in particular, in our overall dharma practice. When we ask, "Is insight enough?" our answer might depend on our relation to the bodhisattva ideal.
Connecting the Buddhist values of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion with another spiritual axiom: "Love everyone, serve everyone, and remember God."
When we let go of our habitual strategies of greed and aversion, we discover in meditation a spaciousness that can be unsettling at first. As we explore the openness, we find our refuge in an awareness that is the very nature of the mind.
As we invite the qualities of generosity and gratitude into our lives, they help us to gladden our hearts and minds, becoming the seeds of joy in the journey of awakening.
