Beginning this two week retreat with the encouraging words of the Buddha from two discourses: SN 46.1 The Himalaya and AN 9.1 Awakening.

"A mendicant develops and cultivates the seven awakening factors depending on and grounded on ethics, acquiring great and abundant good qualities." This reflection points out several ways that virtue supports us in our practice, as the "water for arahant soup".

After establishing mindfulness and scanning through the body, this guided meditation addresses the 5 hindrances and describes a natural progression through the 7 Factors of Awakening.

"It's like when the heavens rain heavily downhill to fill the hollows ... they fill the ocean," starting with the factor of associating with noble people, factors are fulfilled all the way to Nibbana. AN 10.62 Craving

Establishing mindfulness and turning to investigation of whatever is present in this moment.

Mindfully and kindly bringing attention to the body parts on the traditional list plus.

Wearing away the defilements using the Buddha's method for effacement MN 8, including the 5 hindrances.

A short reflection on letting go of resentment through investigation and bringing in metta.

Infusing our investigation with an atmosphere of loving-kindness.

The arising, persisting, non-arising and vanishing of the 5 hindrances and 7 awakening factors are based on causes. What are they? And, how can we use them to starve the hindrances and fuel the awakening factors? (SN 46.51)

How can we develop the awakening factor of energy without trying to accomplish something, without coming from the personality view and our long conditioning to achieve?

The Buddha's instructions on how to develop the 7 awakening factors all the way to realization of Nibbāna.

There comes a point when we don't need more information, we just need to practice and to come to the practice with a willingness to work our way through whatever challenges arise. This includes the doubt that we can awaken, that we can do it. In the story of Culapanthaka, a monk who seemed unlikely to absorb the Buddha's teachings, awakens. It is a reminder that we can, too.

Chi Gong to "shake off" tension in the body and ground the body with a mindful body scan that ends in sitting meditation.

How can we stop our habit of reinforcing the first two fetters: personality view and cultural and social conditioning that bring us suffering and keep us in ignorance?

How do we change the habits that continually bring us suffering? This is a reflection based on SN 3.13 "A Bucket of Rice" and a personal experience providing some ideas on how to let go of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair, anger, resentment, righteous indignation, and so on that keep us bound up in suffering, pointing to Nibbāna here and now.

Tips on cultivating the awakening factors of piti (joy) and tranquility (passaddhi) and encouragement to follow your intuition.

Our experience may not match what we've read in the suttas or heard teachers describe. The encouragement here is to use the teachings as guideposts and learn for ourselves what works and what doesn't.

We know there is a need for letting go when we experience suffering, but how do we do it? When we find that we can't let go just because we want to, we need to know how to put in the causes and conditions so the practice ripens in letting go.

The Buddha's step-mother and most senior bhikkhuni, Venerable Mahāpajāpati, came to him for a teaching in brief that she could use for ardent practice. We can use this advice to guide our practice today and our relationship with the world.

These meditations were taught to the Buddha's son Rahula (MN 62) on the elements: earth, water, fire, air and space, followed by the advice to develop meditation like each of these of these elements so that whatever might be experienced by the mind, likeable or dis-likeable, that would not invade the mind and remain.

Seeing our life through the lens of Dhamma instead of through the perspective of Personality View.

A detailed look into recognizing the sense of self in action and "stepping back" to the Dhamma perspective.

Guided meditation (following Chi Gong practice) beginning at the root chakra paired with mindfulness, traveling up through the chakras and awakening factors for visualization and investigation.

Dispassion, cessation, delusion, Buddhas before Shakyamuni, Piti all night long, sharing merit and metta practice

Observing phenomena in light of the three characteristics of existence: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self and the arising of wisdom as described by Ajahn Chah. Readings from "Stillness Flowing" - pages 201, 373-374, 534-535

Readings from "Stillness Flowing" (biography of Ajahn Chah by Ajahn Jayasaro) describing practicing with the three characteristics for insight into the true nature of reality ('Beyond the Monkey' pgs. 375-379) and how it takes us to the end of the path.

A reflection on the teaching of Ajahn Ganha: "We have to do good for the sake of goodness. We observe the precepts for the sake of keeping precepts. When we practice samadhi meditation, we practice for the sake of meditation. When we cultivate our wisdom, it is just for the sake of cultivating the wisdom. Then we can gain the peacefulness of mind and wisdom at the same time."

Sound of Silence, tranquility and equanimity, not-self, for goodness sake, samadhi sensations, letting go in meditation, realizing Nibbana and sticking around afterwards.

Readings from chapter 8 of the Udana (1-4) on Nibbana, followed by reflections on the path and practice.

A few sentences of summary on the morning reflection on Nibbana and the Path.

Identifying the appearance of the 7 Awakening Factors in meditation with Mindfulness of In-and-Out Breathing as a basis.