This talk explores vedanā within the framework of dependent origination, highlighting the role it plays in shaping habitual reactivity and suffering. It shows how mindfulness of feeling tone reveals the moment where suffering is conditioned—and where freedom becomes possible. By learning to meet vedanā directly, we cultivate equanimity and the capacity to relate to all experience with balance and ease.
We start with settling for about 7-8 minutes followed by about the same time with basic mindfulness practice. Then we explore "moderate" experiences of pleasant or unpleasant when they occur, whether a bodily experience, an emotion, or a thought (or a mix), experiencing pleasant or unpleasant and seeing whether there follows wanting (or not wanting) and grasping (or pushing away). We close with some reflection on what we explored: Was some of the wanting or not wanting skillful? Unskillful. This exploration is related to the talk given a short time later.
An invitation to drop into the body and meet this moment without contention, this talk explores how mindfulness becomes a doorway to recognizing the sacred in everything and an opportunity to learn to be well with what comes and goes because when we can actually meet the moment, that's where our power lies.
Life is sometimes like a roller coaster. You can choose to scream at the ups and downs or apply a balanced mind and enjoy the ride. How do we stay calm and balanced in the face of happiness and pain?
