This line from poet Galway Kinnell reminds us of the possibility of meeting our inner life with a loving, healing presence. When we do, we loosen the trance of unworthiness and reconnect with our intrinsic goodness. In turn, we can offer our blessings to others--serving as reminders of the awareness and love that can blossom in all beings.
We bring in further practices and perspectives to help us work with "enemies" or "difficult persons" including various ethical, body, heart, and mind practices. We close by examining how we may sometimes project onto others our fragmented parts and thus use practice with enemies as opportunities to find greater wholeness.
A Brahma Vihara talk that emphasizes the importance of equanimity as the foundation for metta, compassion and appreciation. Also the relationship of Wisdom and Equanimity as mutually causal, and how wisdom both sustains equanimity and is a reflection of equanimity.
Insight into conditionality as the core of the Buddha's awakening; reading of and reflection on the first discourse; the process of the four: embracing dukkha, letting go of craving, experiencing the stopping of craving, cultivating the path.
We will use the Four Foundation of Mindfulness as a frame of reference to support the understanding of our relationship with our inner and outer environment.
Definition of dukkha; dukkha and pleasure; "fully understanding" dukkha; the Buddha and Nagarjuna's understanding of the five bundles as not self; definition of tanha (craving); clinging and narcissism.