Morning chanting of the three refuges and the eight precepts.(8/4/01) Evening chanting of metta and sharing of merit at the end of a day of Dhamma practice.(8/31/01)
Pain and loss are inevitable occurrences in our lives, but the self-torture that often follows--the "second arrow" we habitually shoot at ourselves--is entirely avoidable.
It takes so much compassion to be with the letting go we have to do to
come into peace with the difficult truths of life. This talk explores
ways we can cultivate compassion in our practice and in our lives.
After our initial and excitement encountering the Dharma, reality hits us and our practice may appear to stagnate. How can we renew our inspiration and reawaken our enthusiasm for practice?
Opening the heart through consciously allowing ourselves to touch and
be touched by all of life, including the difficult, dissolves the
defensive armor of separation; this allows us to receive life's
nourishment and discover true inner strength.
