Guided Meditation, New Year's Retreat at Applegate Jesuit RC, CA

Teachings on the power of the heart

New Year's Retreat at Applegate Jesuit RC, CA

This talk explores the Buddhist archetype of the bodhisattva and its universal quality across spiritual and other traditions of commitment to the transformation and awakening of one’s own heart for the benefit and freedom of all beings. The civil rights movement in the U.S.—and the role and courage of Rosa Parks and other ordinary people—is presented as a ‘bodhisattva movement’ and a model and encouragement for the challenges we face today.

How our practice and our actions can have influence in the world.

PLEASE NOTE: 'The Mirrored Gates' is a set of talks (recorded by Rob from his home) attempting to clarify, elaborate on, and open up further the concepts, practices, and possibilities explained in previous talks on imaginal practice. Some working familiarity with those previous teachings will provide a helpful foundation for this new set; but a good understanding of and experiential facility with practices of emptiness, samatha, the emotional/energy body, metta, and mindfulness is necessary and presumed, without which these new teachings may be confusing and difficult to comprehend.

Advice for retreat - what is dharma?

After retreat we return to a world of duties and responsibilities. Don’t forget your duty to the Buddha who gave us Dhamma, the way out of suffering. Integrate your life in terms of the 8-fold path. Give particular attention to speech. Pause and consider, place something carefully with a mind of goodwill for someone else to hear.