Reflections on working with difficult emotions, including fear. Stories and poems too!

Guided meditation of awareness of the messy mind, being aware of consciousness brings fearlessness. Dhamma talk on papañca with reference to The Honey Cake sutta MN18 and Concept and Reality by Ven. Ñāṇananda's analysis of MN18 16.1. How venerable Kaccāna presents a sequence where the self slowly emerges, creating the person who then is beset by papañca; nouns turn to verbs.

Questions précised - 00:10 Q1 When we take refuge, what are we taking refuge from? 00:48 Q2 The path is to end suffering. Why don’t we look at suffering and enquire what it is. Perhaps we will see it is our own creation and this may be easier than the longer way. 05:30 Q3 Is all sadness, all anger suffering or is suffering the feeling of being pulled down … into an ocean for example? 07:37 Q4 I am a retired solider and I don’t this this kind of self-actualization, “who am I”, I don’t think we can ask in our profession. What advice can you give? 17:25 Q5 In Mahayana very often liberation is spoken of as a state of painlessness, fearlessness and “one taste”. What does the Pali tradition say about this apparent 24-7 blissful state? 24:32 Q6 What does it say in the Pali canon about Ananda giving Buddha this food? How is it interpreted in the Southern tradition? 27:30 Q7 You mentioned Ajahn Sumedho dealing with anger. When we deal with intense emotions is it a good way to exercise patience endurance and use whatever practice works so you can skilfully navigate the situation? 29:56 Q8 I need a little clarity about consciousness beyond the simple meaning of awareness. Particularly in jhana practice, how does one understand infinite consciousness? 31:59 Q9 Regarding meditating on compassion, we are advised to expand it to all living beings. Do you have any advice? I find it difficult to engage with people I have never met. 36:32 Q10 Could you elaborate about the liberative relationships you spoke of? Put simply, my kids and grandchildren are overseas and I miss them. How can I deal with this better?

Questions are précised - 00:24 Q1 In the enquiry we’ve are doing there are moments of recognition - let’s say, out of our usual conditioned responses, but then always a tendency to identify what that moment is. That attempt doesn’t go anywhere. Is it because that moment of recognition is not recognizable through the five sense? 9:32 Q2 If I summarize my enquiry for myself: “What am I at this present time?”, is this a good instruction to carry with me? 14:08 Q3 Working through the understanding of not me, not my body, etc there is still this feeling that “I know”. In terms of stream entry, is that “I know” still possible? 23:03 Q4 I would like to know more about what the Buddha said about the liberation of the heart as well as the process of liberation from passion. Can you say more about this process? What about the process between death and the next birth? 34:57 Q5 How does our investigation of non-self relate to such issues in conventional reality, such as the problem of climate change? 41:57 Q6 I meet a lot of Buddhists who seem to focus exclusively inwards. Is there a reason for that and is there something we should do to guard against it? 44:55 Q7 You wrote: “That which is threatening to the ego is liberating to the heart.” Can you elaborate on that? 54:23 Q8 Can fear be a catalyst for liberation?

Simplicity is not about wearing one colour, shaving your head or fasting but rather a way of mental fasting. When we choose simplicity, we have time to stop, and to observe and study the mind. We see the extent of our suffering and the origin of it. This is of great value to us. Start simplifying on the outside, then slowly draw inward to see the complex world of our ideas, thoughts, fears, longings, and attachments. Stop defending our vulnerability and investigate it. Make time for what is precious. Simplicity reveals the silence and sameness of life that can help us discover the deepest truth of our conditionality and the way to free ourselves from it. That is our work. No one else can do it for us

00:33 Can you please explain the significance of the phrase “the four pairs, the eight kinds of noble beings”; 03:11 The suttas talk of a body witness. What does this mean?; 05:10 Are consciousness, awareness and citta the same thing?; 15:13 Can you speak more about the aggregates please – rupa, vedena, sanya, sankara, vinnyana? 24:03 Could you explain context and purpose in relation to sampajañña / clear comprehension? 29:52 What is meant by “mindfulness preceding the object”. Does this precede the knowing of a specific phenomenon? 32:12 Why does the mind often feel it needs to be comfortable in order to settle? Do we need to relinquish this need? 37:51 Sometimes I get the feel g the breath doesn’t want me following it; 41:22 Some teachers suggest experiencing the breath as a concept rather than a physical sensation. Did the Buddha emphasize one over another? 46:45 I have a lot of fear arising and I send it metta-karuna but samadhi seems to make it stronger; 50:27 Pease speak about the hindrance of doubt, particularly self-doubt; 55:25 Can you speak about compassion and emptiness of self.

Gratitude is like breathing in – letting ourselves be touched by the goodness in others and in our world. Generosity is like breathing out – sensing our mutual belonging and offering our care. When we are awake and whole, breathing in and out happens naturally. But these beautiful expressions of our heart become blocked when we are dominated by the fear and grasping of our survival brain. This talk explores how we can facilitate the evolution of consciousness with the deliberate cultivation of generosity, and ends with a guided meditation on gratitude and generosity.

How blessed we are to walk this path of awakening into the vast frontier of the mind. We discover unimaginable treasures using our inheritance from the Buddha and directing ourselves with the compass of compassionate wisdom. This walk is internal, silent, hidden. We are learning to actually see with new eyes – clear and far-sighted – but well-attuned to our penetrating task of exploration and discernment. What has felt painful and fearsome really holds powerful antidotes to pain and fear. What we most valued pales when compared to the joys of pure awareness, and of knowing and sharing the true gifts of our humanity.

Meeting fear with mindfulness, courage, and wisdom can lead to peace, happiness, and final freedom