Every moment we are planting seeds of suffering or seeds of happiness. Through mindfulness, we are cultivating letting go and generosity (non-greed), kindness and love (non-hatred) and clarity and wisdom (non-delusion)

This talk begins with the 3 kinds of Dukkha and Tanha (Craving). It then outlines how mindfulness transforms Dukkha through (1) HOW we focus, (2) WHAT we focus on and the (3) VIEW we take in our focus.

Loving awareness - mindfulness and compassion arising together

Relationship of mindfulness, equanimity, and emotional regulation

Based on the earlier meditation, we examine the importance of reflection on and mindfulness of, impermanence, both gross impermanence and moment-to-moment impermanence; why it's difficult to be deeply aware of impermanence; practices to explore impermanence; and deeper understandings opened up by practices with impermanence.

Mindfulness meditation leads to insight into the nature of our hearts and minds, revealing an inherent clarity, openness, and ease. This course includes exploration of the intention behind practice, an introduction to insight (vipassana) meditation techniques, instructions for working with common obstacles, an overview of the practices of lovingkindness, and a discussion on how mindfulness can be part of one’s daily life.

the doors to the deathless; right view the essential reference; that which can arise and be gladdened; 11 doors or entry points –4 jhanas, 4 bhrama-viharas and three immaterial states; the Buddha advised meditators to “absorb”, rather than concentrate / tightening up; a sponge must absorb to open up, not contract; need to drench ourselves in withdrawal; viveka, vitaka, vichara, piti and sukka; in the body; using wise (rather than hard or tight) attention; withdrawal from unwise attention; intention (the inclination of the heart) comes before attention and replaces immature lunging in or irresolute attention; make the intention one pointed as the mind settles down and the attention will follow; necessary wise preparation; a wise cow in the mountains; shortcoming of language; tracking the breath through the body, its beginnings and endings; a careful and deliberate enjoying is to be encouraged; open and soften; spread it through the body by directing it; first jhana; seeing the presence and absence of hindrances and learning though the simplicity of the experience of it; it’s like THIS now; not rushed , not biased or corrupted by the mind turning things upside down/ getting things wrong; appreciate the comparative slowness of the dawning quality on the citta; the open moments; pausing at the end of things; what’s helpful now?

coming out of self view; bringing forth energy; recalling the spiritual faculties; applying wise energy regardless of the system used; calm as a consequence of faith and confidence; two recollections; don’t let the citta be bound by historical or domestic considerations; willingness to do the work; feeding the citta; mindfulness of the body, the inevitable decay of the body; what is it that evades or finds truth uncomfortable; differing views of Samadhi; the” I-am” looking for support; learning to push away the hindrances through experience; noticing craving, ill will and resistance; using metta, compassion, mudita, upekkha to approach unification of the citta by removal of the 5 hindrances; now is the time to rise up to it; restlessness, boredom, doubt; know them as they are not as myself; this is not worthy of this citta; using the wisdom factor to find appropriate attention; who is that?; feel how it is; going beyond thought; discernment of the release of grasping; the shift moment and the growth of confidence in it; noticing the struggle to find something; what about the measurelessness/ the sign-less?

This day of Insight Meditation will follow the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness, Concentration and Love, illustrating how each of us can move from clinging and attachment to freedom, from confusion to clarity and from tension to ease of well-being.

This day of Insight Meditation will follow the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness, Concentration and Love, illustrating how each of us can move from clinging and attachment to freedom, from confusion to clarity and from tension to well- being.

This one slogan can be a reminder of how to sustain mindfulness as we leave the retreat. What we’ll notice is that most of the time, right now there is dukkha caused by the underlying ‘me’ sense. Meditation is an essential part of our spiritual training, but not the only part. Working in community is an invaluable aspect of spiritual training – it provided a context where we can get past the ‘me’ sense and get to the ‘we’ sense.

How to work with sexual desire/energy; self-guilt; what does ‘body in the body’ mean; mindfulness while sleeping; stepping back is a precursor to meditation; is inner chatter harmful; doing without tanha; what to do when mind becomes quiet; balancing doubt and faith

In the spirit of beginning again and with a renewed zeal for the promised goal of a mind liberated from suffering and a heart available for impartial compassionate response, this day is spent practicing Mindfulness and Metta Meditation.

In the spirit of beginning again and with a renewed zeal for the promised goal of a mind liberated from suffering and a heart available for impartial compassionate response, this day is spent practicing Mindfulness and Metta Meditation.

New Year's Retreat

How to contemplate on death and sickness; “Russial doll”contemplation of body; how to practice for insight; mindfulness as a refuge in busy city life

Liberation requires clearing citta of its contracted state. We can learn to care for our citta, to know what lifts and steadies it to bring it out of contraction. In meditation we try to concentrate and feel even more constricted. Opening up the body and accessing the vitality that comes from mindfulness of breathing can have a calming effect.

An essential element of mindfulness practice is to cultivate a willingness to be with our experience just as it is. Consciously cultivating qualities of deep-rooted acceptance, kindness, and interest in our experience supports freeing our minds and opening our hearts.