Mind can be useful, but keep it in its place, the world of abstractions. It doesn’t do well in the living organic world. Meet the inconclusive impossibilities of life with heart’s fundamental quality to open and include.
A review of the key teachings – how to practice with body, heart and mind in a way that leads to liberation. Firming up faith, restraining from unskillful habits, exerting the mind in skillful investigations, enjoyment and contentment of the mind.
The development of insight comes from feeling experience as it arises. Detachment, dispassion and relinquishment enable the allowing of phenomena, witnessing of change, and letting go of making it personal. We’re able to be truly present and in touch with what’s happening.
The stories we hold about ourselves or others will determine our actions, through fear or inspire us to act with courage and commitment. This talk includes Andrew Harvey's brilliant reading and thoughts on Rumi's poem "Passion"
How can we avoid the pitfalls that Mara sets for us on the path? Develop Sati (mindfulness) to act as a gatekeeper that can recognize the earliest signs of delusion, ill will, and greed. At the same time, cultivate paññā, wisdom and sharp discernment to protect against unskillful speech, conduct, and intention or thought. These foundational practices will be both refuge and rescue from the snares of Mara!
The beginning of insight is knowing what’s helpful and not, recognizing causes and conditions. We learn to meet difficult thoughts and feelings in skillful ways. Calming the body, using gentle and receptive gestures, we learn to listen to and soothe the crazy mind. One starts to see that negative experiences are not the problem but the sense of self that identifies with all of it.
We’re conditioned to make a self out of sense consciousness, but everything simply arises out of causes and conditions. We practice with right view and deep attention to meet what arises directly, see it as phenomena arising and changing.
