We often hear that the heart of the teachings and practice is to connect wisdom and compassion, clear seeing and the kind heart, developing what Jack Kornfield calls the "wise heart." Yet such a connection or integration can be challenging in several ways. First of all, we have major conditioning in modern Western culture to separate the "mind" and the "heart" (or emotions), as well as the body. Also we find tendencies in the Theravada tradition to see Metta practice as separate from Insight practice, as in the way that Buddhaghosa in the influential text, the Visuddhimagga, lists Metta practice as a form of Concentration practice, and in some of the ways that Metta is taught as a complement to insight practice in the West. In this talk, we begin to explore what it might look like to integrate more fully Metta and wisdom, mindfulness, and insight, both in formal practice and daily life. The talk is followed by discussion.

Q1 In samadhi, kāyasankhāra unifies with cittasankhāra. In this state what does the citta feel like? 16:25 Q2 Having associated wanting with a negative connotation I have been habitually suppressing my wants/ desires so sometimes it is hard to know what I want when it comes to important decisions. 31:41 Q3 During meditation is it OK to let my body move back and forth as I feel being pulled by a subtle energy flow. 33:00 Q4 Regarding death practice, do you have any advice? 39:52 Q5 When one becomes too comfortable in walking it becomes monotonous and the mind becomes dull but that’s not what we want, right? Any suggestions? 43:07 Q6 How do we practice dhamma in our daily life, especially in a hectic environment?

Dacher Keltner, Ph.D. is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, a scientist and the co-director of the Greater Good Science Center. He has authored a number of books, including bestselling “Born to be Good” and most recently “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life”. Our conversation covers the biological, evolutionary and cultural bases of human goodness and the centrality of awe in the human experience. We explore the blocks to experiencing our full potential, and ways we can cultivate our innate capacity for finding wonder, love, creativity and beauty in our daily lives. Learn more about Dacher’s latest book at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622175/awe-by-dacher-keltner/

00:13 Q1 Sense restraint and diligence in daily life: I'm motivated to practice when there's suffering, when life is fine I slacken off and indulge in sense pleasures. Please advise. 28: 14 Q2 Questions on sleepiness: How to deal with sleepiness on waking up in the morning? I take a lot of caffeine to avoid sleepiness. Is there an alternative? How can I be mindful all the time? 40:46 Q3 When I sit the body collapses and the energy required to straighten the body makes it hard to feel relax. Any advice? 44:44 Q4 I have a compulsive need to feel liked and even try and force people to like me. What can I do? 52:55 Q5 Nama rupa vinayana (name form and consciousness). Can you explain more about this please?

Cultivating a wise relationship to thoughts and thinking in meditation and in daily life

Participant questions are précised and read into the file. The reading does not communicate the emotion that was frequently beautifully present: 00:08 Q1: I started listening to your recordings maybe in 2020 and it just really resonates with me the way you explain the citta. I just have never heard it described in quite the way you do, it all makes sense. So just to say thank you for this. 01:11 Q2: Could you speak about the bowing - what you are doing and how to do it. 05:56 Q3: I don’t have words to express my heart but thanks. The silence this morning … there’s something about it … The process is so intriguing, so beautiful, so thank you all everybody. 06:22 Q4 I so appreciate your clarity. You have helped me to understand things that I touched into years ago. And I went down cul-de-sacs not understanding. I am so grateful to have come into contact with you. 08:32 Q5 It’s been a difficult year for me and with your teaching I feel like an instrument that has been retuned. I feel I can play now or sing. 08:49 Q6 I want to say I am very grateful to be here and it seems that I have probably done some wholesome actions along the way. Sometimes when I look at my life I look at the difficult things that have happened to me and now I see I need to also look at the beautiful things. 09:21 Q7 For the last 10 years I have been struggling with daily practice and now I see better that practice is not just for half an hour but it’s 24/7 and I have to do my best. 11:15 Q8 You’ve talked about practicing with the paramis. I don’t know what they are. Is there a text you could recommend on this? 11:59 Q9 I just wanted to thank you and everyone for the silent presence and especially to thank you for how you led us into silence. 12:17 Q10 I just want to add that the QiGong was really special and added a lot. Thank you for that. 12:35 Q11 Who is your teacher in QiGong?

This talk unfolds teachings on sila, Buddhist ethics. It will explore the precepts as the heart of the Path, and share how we can use them to stay awake in daily life.

00:42 Q1 How can one protect one’s axis/ centre after a retreat is over? 11:55 In daily life my system gets stuck in a previous experience with someone. Although they have left, the turmoil is still there and I feel stuck.

The family retreat 2023 at Spirit Rock focused on the Eightfold Path. This talk was on Samadhi-- or Wise Cultivation through Mindfulness and Meditation and was specifically geared to parents. How can parents practice mindfulness right in the heat of in daily life? Can we practice when we’re getting kids ready for school or putting them to bed, or fighting with our teen or when we're worried about them? Mindfulness can offer incredible tools to support parents in staying present, connected, awake, and in right relationship with our children, partners, and self.