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Retreat Dharma Talks
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Cultivating the Empty Field
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| Hybrid Retreat: Online and In person - Our experienced reality is a weave of consciousness – of feelings, impressions and responses that interact and co-arise with a world that seems to be outside us. However, in Buddhism, ‘self” and ‘world” are aspects of an interconnected cosmos. This cosmos is a field within which we can cultivate sacred, Dhamma qualities that heal, harmonise and empty the field of grasping and its consequent suffering.’ This retreat was open to practitioners with previous experience of at least 3 meditation retreats. |
2024-02-21 (6 days)
Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat
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2024-02-23
How we know who we are
54:58
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Examining the mechanisms of the body-mind we see the absence of identity and the presence of experience in consciousness.
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2024-02-23
Q&A
51:13
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Q1 Is chi a teaching of the buddha? How does it affect dhamma practice? Q2 12:25 How do you know when the body is telling you something? Q3 20:25 When sitting if truly inspired thoughts arise, do we treat them the same as we would any other thoughts? Letting them go? Is there no value in storing them for later contemplation? Q4 24:31 Attention and intention, which comes first? How does restraint work in relation to these two for well-being? Q5 36:15 I've heard teachers translate upekkha in other words other ways other than equanimity. Equipoise or perspective, clear perspective. Do you have any insights you can share please? Q6 40:26 I investigate the causes of my suffering. Sometimes I get the impression that some of it may have been handed over through body memories by past generations. Sort of unfinished business. Can you comment on this? Q7 43:04 Can you comment on the importance of rituals and symbols, and one's ancestral language and healing tools. How can they be used to transform whatever I may be carrying from my ancestors? Q8 48:43 Can you speak more about the power of craving?
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2024-02-24
The satipatthāna
47:33
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Ajahn Sucitto
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The framework of body, feeling, heart, and phenomena arising is helpful and can be continued throughout the day.
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2024-02-24
Q&A
43:11
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Q1 Yesterday I had this thought that there is no shame in suffering. I'm wondering what is noble about the noble about the suffering in the first noble truth. Q2 06:17 Could you differentiate between awareness and consciousness? Q3 16:18 Please speak about bowing. Q4 20:39 Do you start and end your day with any reflections or recollections or practices? Q5 28:03 What is happening when right view and release become partially obscured again after right view has been attained? Why is it becoming obscured? Is cultivation of the empty field the main practice then and purification? Q6 33:32 It's taken several retreats to uncover this tremendous sense of guilt. When it arises it makes sense to avoid reconstructing the stories. the habit is to shut down the feeling. It appears as a pain in the chest. It shifts to holding back tears. Is this karma rather than the person?
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2024-02-25
Practicing with direct experience
39:04
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Examining direct experience we go deeply, beyond the constructions, finding in the heart that which is worthy of praise and emulation. This generates sangha, a living teaching.
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2024-02-25
Q&A
16:02
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Q1 This person says that they are very sensitive and that things like traffic signs, noises, imperfections and the bustle of reality disturbs them. Do you have any advice? Q2 01:23 Could you comment on aging, sickness and death. Most of my friends and myself are in their late 70s or 80s and want to be more skilled in working with different stages and pain so as to be as prepared as possible for the dying phase.
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