Gil’s first connection to Buddhism in Santa Cruz goes back 49 years, two years after he was introduced to Zen Practice. His involvement with Buddhism in Santa Cruz has been an important part of those next 49 years. He shares his personal stories and lessons from his half century adventure with Buddhist practice in Santa Cruz and beyond.
In the First Noble Truth the Buddha encourages us to turn towards dukkha, acknowledge it and understand it. This is essential for awakening, for freeing ourselves from bondage. This talk contains stories about how one might do this, ending with a brief intro to the process "Feeding Your Demons."
This guided meditation establishes mindfulness through the Arriving Sequence (a part of the Naturally Arising Practice Method - dharmaground.org/teachings) before turning toward objects of experience. The practice then cultivates embodied knowing, sensing the space within and without, and eventually opens to the vastness of consciousness knowing space. This spacious knowing supports a freedom from grasping, allowing experience to pass through while remaining grounded in well-being.
