Day 2, Module IV: Mindfulness of the Body

Day 2, Module II: Mindfulness of the Body

We continue to explore the intersection of our more inner practice and our practice with the larger world, including the U.S. post-election world. Our starting point is seeing how widespread and predominant the emotions of anger and fear are in our society. We look particularly at the nature of anger and how to practice with it, especially in terms of our own anger but also in terms of the anger of others. Anger, it has been said, is the most confusing emotion in Western civilization, seen often over the last 2500 years sometimes as both entirely as negative and sometimes as a quality that manifests, for example, in the Jewish prophets, Jesus, and God. There's a confusion also among Western Buddhists, who may have conditioning related to aversion to anger combined with following problematic translations of terms like dosa (entirely negative in the Buddhist context) as "anger" (not entirely negative in the contemporary Western context). Based on these explorations of the nature of anger, we look at how to practice with anger individually, especially through mindful investigation of anger and how anger can lead either to reactivity and the formation of reactive views of self and/or other, or to skillful action. We also explore practicing with the anger of others through empathy practice. The talk is followed by discussion and sharing, including of the experiences of practicing with anger from several people. The meditation before the talk includes a guided exploration of an experience of anger in the last third of the meditation period (the meditation is also on Dharma Seed).

We begin with basic instructions on settling, developing concentration, and mindfulness, with a few reminders to be present. Around 2/3 into the 40-minute meditation is a guided exploration of an experience of anger (the theme of the talk that follows is on understanding and practicing with anger).

Reflection on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness

Treasure the silence within and listen attentively. Where else can we find the spiritual heights but within our own heart? In one moment of pure presence, we discover the joy, patience, mindfulness and 'kindfulness' that open our eyes to the truth of what we are. And in the goodness of time, there’s an emptying out. It's almost by unlearning what we’ve learned that we can see the blank screen of nothingness in the mind and know pure consciousness itself. This transcendent awareness becomes our refuge. We no longer look for refuge in other people, nor in ideas, concepts, occupations, travels, wealth, information, anything of the world. The heart is overjoyed in simple homage to the breath we breathe right now. This is waking up through wisdom power – pure presence ever transcending.

Vedana, the second foundation of mindfulness, is our simplest response to an experience; a raw effect of an emotion.

Morning Instructions on the first foundation of mindfulness, centering the Karaniya Metta: the Buddha's Words on Loving Kindness.

It's important for our teachings and practices to help orient us in relationship to all parts of our lives, including the larger social and political dimensions of our lives. In this session, we explore one core teaching and one central practice that together help us to respond skillfully to differences in political views. The teaching is that of dependent origination, particularly the sequence from contact to grasping. We see how the two forms of reactivity, grasping and pushing away (each potentially manifesting in many ways) result from pleasant and unpleasant feeling-tones, when there is a lack of mindfulness and background habitual tendencies. We can see how the underlying pain, for example, of many working-class people (economic pain; and the pain of feeling disregarded, left behind, and/or not respected), or the pain related to anxiety about changing gender roles, can, especially when manipulated by those in power who provide scapegoats, lead to reactivity. After presenting a model of empathy practice as crucial for bringing our practice to interacting with those with different views, we can also, through such practice, tune in with compassion to the underlying pain, and have a sense of the deep genuine needs, in our examples, for economic well-being, respect, and clarity around gender. We explore all of this in an exercise with the "empathy map," which is followed by discussion. (There were several files shared via screen sharing during the talk. These files can be accessed below and potentially downloaded, by clicking on the "Q" under "Documents," and looking for documents 229, 273, 274, and 275.)

After setting the posture and tuning into intentions, we have a short period of settling, typically through the breath or some other anchor. Then there is guidance to tune into the feeling-tone, especially when there is a "moderate" level pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tone, noticing tendencies to move to wanting/not-wanting or grasping/pushing away--the two forms of reactivity. We can also, when there is reactivity, tune into the pleasant or unpleasant "beneath" the reactivity, finding, for example, some compassion when there is underlying pain. Near the end, we also explore being with all feeling-tones for a very short period of a few minutes.

Vipassana, also known as insight meditation, is training in bringing a clear mindful attention to our moment-to-moment experience. We begin by relaxing through the body and then resting attention with the breath – or some other sensory anchor – and allowing the mind to settle. Then we open to whatever is predominant or calling our attention – sensations, emotions, sounds – meeting each arising experience with a clear, kind attention. The gift of this process is discovering balance in the midst of the changing flow, and gaining deep insight into the nature of reality.

Review of the first three foundations of mindfulness, followed by a guided practice using these different objects.

The Buddha invites us to 'Live in Joy', touching its source in our own hearts. Mindfulness allows us to clearly see subtle joys and how to cultivate them: joy sustains the heart and leads to liberation. This retreat explores reliable kinds joy that are accessible in every moment, opens our eyes to unexpected sources of joy, and explore the role joy plays in temporary awakening. Knowing the doorway to this nourishment can support us in daily life, and in the challenges of our times.

Beginning with the Buddha’s teaching of Anapanasati, a general guidance on mindfulness with the breath & how it carries mettā

Mindfulness of Death practice supports us facing fear of death, living with intention and aligned with our values, avoiding common regrets at the end of life.

Includes meditation & dharma talk. Group Q/A has been omitted.

Guided Meditation on the first three foundations of mindfulness: kayanupassana, vedananupassana, and cittanupassana. Emphasis on working skillfully with mind states and heart states.

After guidance on the basics of our practice--developing stability and concentration, and cultivating mindfulness--and a period of silent practice, there is additional guidance, related to the later dharma talk, on noticing any experiences of reactivity and on exploring moderate or greater experiences of pleasant or unpleasant.

Most of us know the suffering of feeling separate from others. In this guided meditation, we explore how we can re-open our hearts by intentionally bringing a caring mindful presence to our own vulnerability, and then extending that presence to include others. When inhabiting that presence, we are able to respond to relational conflict and distance with a growing creativity and love.

Mindfulness of Feeling Tones Using Breath, Body, Sounds

Cultivating mindfulness of feeling tones and becoming aware of their changing nature

Mindfulness inside and outside, the step of open, and relationship as the object.

This talk explores how the four foundations of mindfulness can be richly experienced and cultivated in nature meditation retreats. Nature provides in particular a rich arena to cultivate an embodied awareness and to explore vedana, citta and the nature of reality.

Let faith be our foundation for a mindfulness that never tires of examining how we are within us. We may eat well, dress well, and look good but what is the real state of the mind? Day by day, finding safety in virtue, aware of the right qualities that direct, protect, and teach us to root out unworthy habits, let us harvest the profound joy and goodness of this life. It’s not how much we work or gain but how well we honour the noble Dhamma as servants of selflessness and human kindness.

Contemplating our mortality personally as well as learning how Buddhism utilizes Mindfulness of Death as a gateway to Awakening. The Advice to Anathapindika gifts us with the deeper teachings on letting go of attachment; letting go of our identity; letting go of life!

Reflection and what mindfulness is and how it can be developed

Day one settling in the first foundation of mindfulness of breath and body sensations.

This talk offers reflections on the dimensions of mindfulness of breathing that are explored in the Guided Meditation entitled: A Few Dimensions of Mindfulness of Breathing

Reflections about the dimensions of mindfulness of breathing that are explored in this guided meditation are offered in the dharma talk entitled, Discovering the Home of the Breath.

Ways mindfulness can help lessen afflictive emotions.

After settling our attention through concentration and/or mindfulness, there are further instructions in noticing any reactivity (involving grasping or pushing away in a more automatic way at the levels of mind, body, or emotions), then in attending to the feeling-tone (especially a moderate or a little greater sense of pleasant or unpleasant), and lastly in recalling an experience of reactivity in the last few days and exploring it with mindfulness.

This talk is structured around the acronym H.O.M.E. which stands for: Honoring our true nature, Opening to embodied awareness, Mindfully letting go, and Engaging with wholesome habits, all of which guide us to come home to ourselves in a way that benefits both our own lives and those of others.

How remarkable it is that mindfulness helps us investigate reality and how we relate to it starting from the Building Blocks of our experience

This is a fairly lightly guided meditation on ways to practice with a sense of mystery, linked with the talk on this theme. After grounding in posture and intentions, basic instructions in developing stability and concentration, and then in mindfulness, are given, with later periodic suggestions on ways to practice with a sense of mystery.

Instructions on mental noting, a guided meditation and a 20 minute talk on learning to take care of what's happening now, and now, and now.

Questions are précised: 01:17 Q1 You mentioned during meditation to start with breathing out. I noticed in my own practice that I don't fully breathe out. In fact breathing out intentionally is more exhausting. How can I be more balanced? 12:27 Q2 I have a mental pattern with deep roots, obsessing over details like the entomology of words that arises when I get panicked or upset. This seems to give me some respite from the panic. Can you offer any advice? 19:02 Q3 I feel both sense of fatigue and desire for connection. I'm confused about how to be with this desire because my mind tells me I should go out and connect with other people. But this isn't the point of meditation is it? How can I understand this tension between internal and external needs in this case? 25:03 Q4 In the last retreat I would wake up not knowing who I am and dream about somebody stabbing my heart. These feelings returned when I went back to domestic duties. In my dreams I am lost. How can I move past this black hole? 30:02 Q5 For me it's very difficult to be mindful every minute every second of my daily life. I do my best. It's easier on retreat or in a monastery. Can you comment? 36:17 Q6 The state of becoming entails grasping and craving then suffering. How can one abide in non becoming?

A few words on mindfulness, a guided meditation, and a few words on walking meditation

The Buddha taught that mindfulness is the most direct way to overcome suffering and realize the highest happiness. This talk explains power of mindfulness and why it is so liberating.