Steady the heart by not picking up the signs of crisis or anxiety. Instead use the simple and steady body rhythms and signs that hold the heart. Make the heart the priority.

In the sensory world, boundaries, signs of separation and comparisons must be experienced. But entering the heart realm, we can experience the boundlessness of the brahma vihara.

Detecting and clearing the hindrances. (References: SN46.55 available here: https://suttacentral.net/sn46.55/en/bodhi?reference=none&highlight=false)

In meditation we open an energy domain with discernable material and immaterial aspects. We meet, widen and soften to this experience, providing a pragmatic healing and protection against life's vicissitudes.

How to bring happiness to the heart and find the balance of allowing unhappiness to be known.

Includes a 6 min introduction of its significance. A video version is available here: https://youtu.be/GkFvLoQhB8g

Puja is a form of praising and honouring. It is the nimitta of the citta, flavoured with a sense of lineage and gratitude.

00:00 Can you speak more about compassion / karuna?; 05:06 How does equanimity support compassion?; 15:32 Is there such a thing as displaced compassion?; 22:26 Please say more about walking meditation and the breath; 23:36 Please speak more about the internal process of sila and dana; 39:40 What is the role of kamma in the interplay of right view and right intention? 48:34 Are nimittas important?

As a metaphor, a circle provides a necessary sense of coherence and boundary where you can enter and establish an abiding place for practice in all body postures.

Puja and retreat structure allow energy to settle, be contained and the heart can bring forth what is meaningful in the present moment. Lingering there, sati allows access to the power of the heart.

Our ignorance of citta's nature allows craving for objects to arise, diverting the citta towards sense objects, rather than finding and resting in itself. Awareness is key to noticing and understanding this.

Skilful use of fields – of precepts, skills, virtues, relaxing the sense of self and releasing the citta from it.

In a collaborative practice with others, we relax our individualities. It sets the view, tone and energy through which we can understand and purify our own kamma.

Training precepts provide ancient themes for spiritual development, establishing boundaries of restraint. They are guardians of the world creating happiness for yourself and others.

Offering presence, offering support to our gathering includes both hard work and joyful activities. We preserve skilful states of mind by remembering the big picture - supporting an oasis of trust, peace and virtue.

Refuge is refuge in balance and harmony, what we have in common, rather than the individual. The precepts are a voluntary taking on of training rules for mindfulness.

Recollecting, stabilizing and spreading awareness over ethical sensitivity allows action in stillness and stillness in action. Thinking is just the breath of the brain, arising and passing. Pausing to find the still point.

Q1 OO:04 Does kamma in its wider implication presume the concept of rebirth? Q2 17:09 Doesn’t the need for goal orientedness in life work against practice? Q3 21:34 During meditation can I approach a personal issue that requires attention? Q4 26:17 Is it possible to be fully present with an open heart? Could you explain that please? Q5 29:35 Does slow mean mindful? Isn’t it intention that’s important? Q6 33:58 Could you talk more about annata and self please? Q7 20:14 Q8 Why does standing meditation seem more effective than sitting? Is there a time or situation where standing is recommended over other postures? Q9 43:58 How can I give back living more than I take living in Switzerland? Q10 45:22 In developing samadhi, is it possible to have periods where we have to refocus more on bodily sensations and drop the external? Q11 48:19 How can we reflect on God and Christ in dhamma practice? Q12 51:09 Restlessness is my most frequent hindrance. How do I deal with it? Q13 52:19 I contemplate death daily and often get a heavy heart about being separated from my two children. How can I come to peace with that? Q14 57:38 Could you do a brief summary of your top five wisdoms? Q15 1:03:52 If QiGong is so relaxing and low energy why do I sweat?

Practice means moving out and returning repeatedly, discovering the end of the world – our kammic predicament - that must be experienced internally, “in this very body”.

Recognizing the primary importance of the internal domain is essential for right view. Unlike other species we can cultivate love and wisdom, to benefit all creatures coming after us.

Meditation instructions are often interpreted as paying pointed attention. But wide attention allows energy and mind to decompress. Cultivating a cool awareness of the body is the key to this.