We first focus on the importance of the practice of wise speech and then review three foundations of such practice: (1) developing presence in the midst of communication; (2) working with the four guidelines for skillful speech developed by the Buddha; and (3) integrating our practice to be mindful and skillful with thoughts, emotions, and body states with our speech practice. We then introduce a fourth foundation, empathy practice, aiming to understand and connect with another, exploring the roots of such practice in the innate capacity of empathy. We then identify a simple yet basic practice of tuning into someone's emotions and "needs" (or what matters to someone), based on the work of Nonviolent Communication (developed first by Marshall Rosenberg). A discussion follows, particularly examining bringing these practices into challenging interactions. (Materials on emotions--or feelings, needs, and an "empathy map" are given below, under "documents.")

A guided practice for bringing the participation of all aspects of our lives, physically and mentally. The simile of a symphony conveys the essence of centering and gathering with the conductor's baton bringing together all musicians - Holistic approach.

Description pending

Questions are précised: 00:00 Q1 What do you mean by “re-wilding your mind”? 19:59 Q2 What’s the relation between pitti, sukka and chi. 25:05 Q3 Which comes first after sense contact, sannya (impression/ perception) or vedena (the feeling)? 28:00 Q4 Does the third sattipatana (the establishments of mindfulness) only include citta of mano / manus? 34:21 (LB) Q5 How to contemplate the “gunky” parts of the body – the organs that get diseased etc. 41:35 Q6 I have a sense of the experience of annica like a connection to dynamism. Impermanence has a very time bound quality to it. 42:31 Q7 How can one develop one’s yoniso manisakara to keep attention turned inwards?

Practicing with the characteristics – Differing temperaments and inclinatons, different axis of practice – Three Gateways of Liberation (vimokkha-dvāra / vimokkha-mukha). Usages of the term 'nimmita' in the suttas and their application – rather than the stock commentarial reference to the Visuddhimagga's understanding of the term. On the practice of 'neither dwelling on signs nor dwelling on their details'. Practicing with anicca -> signlessness (animitta-v.) | Practicing with dukkha -> wishlessness (apaṇihita-v.) | Practicing with anattta -> suññata-v.

Description pending

Description pending

A guided meditation through previous steps up to gladdening the mind with different methods, with insight, awareness of mind, with metta and other serenity practices.

Unplugging our normal drivers and moving into retreat can be an uncomfortable experience. Use it as an occasion to strengthen presence through embodiment.

The day starts with a sense of decisive engagement but confusion frequently masks this and we get run by external conditions. Breathing is an animate centre that allows perspective.

This course examines the Buddha’s teachings on the five spiritual faculties of confidence, energy, mindful awareness, stability of awareness, and wisdom. It is the development and balancing of these five faculties that provide the force that moves the mind from faith to wisdom and release.

This course examines the Buddha’s teachings on the five spiritual faculties of confidence, energy, mindful awareness, stability of awareness, and wisdom. It is the development and balancing of these five faculties that provide the force that moves the mind from faith to wisdom and release.

Overview of the third tetrad, emphasis on the first two steps whith three approaches to experiencing the mind, and a samadhi and insight wasy to gladdening it.

We examine first the Buddha’s teachings about awakening, We see how he understands the process as involving two processes. We are mindful of and work through what gets in the way of touching our natural awakening—greed, hatred, and delusion (or the two forms of reactivity—grasping after the pleasant and pushing away the unpleasant, along with ignorance about the nature of impermanence, reactivity or Dukkha, and not-self). We also develop those qualities which both support and manifest awakening, qualities identified in the teaching of the Seven Factors of Awakening. We see further how the Buddha at times identified the nature of awakened awareness as “signless, boundless, all-luminous,” and trace similar accounts of awakened awareness in the Thai Forest tradition and Tibetan Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā. Then we ask the question about whether these wonderful teachings and associated practices are sufficient for awakening in the contemporary world. We point to how such teachings and practices are crucial but also need to be complemented by and integrated with a contemporary map of awakening, identifying forms of contemporary conditioning (and greed, hatred, and delusion) that are not found in the traditional account. Broadly speaking, we can identify two inter-related core areas—a first identifying more “psychological” conditioning, and more “social” conditioning (for example, around gender, race, sexual orientation, age, etc.). The talk is followed by discussion.

Basic instructions in developing concentration and stability, on the one hand, and mindfulness, on the other, are given in the context of the teaching of the Seven Factors of Awakening; concentration and mindfulness are two of the seven factors. We also explore inquiry or investigation, a third factor, in the context of mindfulness.

A guided practice of the steps leading to experiencing the mind (step 9) and g;addening the mind (step10).