We begin with a period of settling, developing greater samadhi or concentration, and then move to mindfulness practice, including giving some attention to noticing moderate or a little greater levels of pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tone. When we notice pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tones, is there any tendency toward grasping or pushing away, in habitual or automatic ways? We then explore gratitude as a practice, simply reflecting on ways that we are grateful, first for aspects of our own lives, and then for aspects of the wider world. This is followed by opening with mindfulness to some difficult or painful aspects of our world, whether close to home or farther away, inspired to see and be with what is painful through wisdom and care. We end with a return to mindfulness practice for a short time. (This guided meditation is related to the talk that follows, honoring the life and work of Joanna Macy.)

The deep sensitivity of wholesome feelings in the service of loving kindness and insight.

In this talk, Shaila Catherine encourages meditative investigation and curiosity to know the mind well. The teaching is based on AN 6.131, that instructs meditators to know 6 things (sensual desire, feelings, perceptions, taints, kamma/action, suffering) in 6 ways (the phenomena as it appears, causes/origins, diversity, outcome/effects, cessation, and way leading to cessation).