A discussion of Equanimity and confidence and Mindfulness

Q1 How can we reconcile joy and dispassion? How are nipita and virago supposed to feel? 11:55 Q2 Are the 16 steps of vipassana meditation the result of calmness meditation, or is it a wise directing of attention as a goal? 17:59 Q3 You mentioned to notice the space between the in and out breath and the out and in breath. When I do that my breath seems to get more shallow and I feel a threat and start coughing. 22:32 Q4 Something seems to keep kicking in the breathing process. What should I do? 23:18 Q5 How to be less demanding, to maintain the highest quality to do well, but less demanding, e.g of expectations of others?

We start with settling for about 8 minutes followed by about the same time with basic mindfulness practice. Then we explore "moderate" experiences of pleasant or unpleasant when they occur, whether a bodily experience, an emotion, or a thought (or a mix), experiencing pleasant or unpleasant and seeing whether there follows wanting (or not wanting) and reactivity (habitual grasping or pushing away). We close with some reflection on what we explored, with an emphasis on skillful aversion: Was some of the not wanting skillful? Unskillful? What do we find in some daily life examples of aversion? This exploration is related to the talk given a short time later.

Metta as renunciation and chanting to end the evening.

00:10 Q1 Can you say something about handling concerns about people quarreling, people sick, family members? 08:40 Q2 I get a vibration in my body that progresses up through the body. It produces a peaceful and equanimous feeling. Why is this happening and what should I do next? 13:27 Q3 I get warmed when I engage in standing meditation. What's happening? 13:43 Q4 During one meditation when one attains full concentration and calmness, how does one feel in mind? What does one hear? What is the colour when one closes one's eyes? Do we still feel breathing? What's happening? 16:16 Q5 When I sit I get a sudden jolt. Is this sloth and torpor. 16:41 Q6 Why does thinking about revenge although unwholesome, feel good?

The spacious field of awareness has the capacity to know any experience without reactivity. Through connecting with a mind that is vast like the sky, we can see all objects arising and passing without entanglement.

Q1 In the case of someone who doesn't take the three refugees or five precepts but is a good person and does no harm, can they become an arahant? 02:35 Q2 Can you elaborate on your comment 'pain is impersonal'? 23:43 Q3 It's said it's needed to straighten one's view and establish one's virtue before cultivating santipatthana what are the signposts to look after? 30:47 Q4 when doing walking meditation my eyes tend to lock on to visual objects in front of me. And when sitting, even with the eyes closed, my eyes seem to strain and look internally and I feel tired and tense how do I de-focus my eyes? 34:54 Q5 during city meditation my body moves forwards and backwards. What should I do? 36:55 Q6 I've been going through my diaries in order to discard them. Some entries bring up things I forgot and some are strongly disturbing. I meditate on these but is it wise to carry on this process? I'm not ready to throw the diaries without going through them.

00:00 Q1 How does anapanasati fulfill satipatthana and how does satipatthana fulfill the bojjhanga? 05:27 Q2 Do we intentionally steady the sankhara or do they settle themselves? 14:59 Q3 How do I develop the maha-citta / the great heart? 22:40 Q4 When sitting inside and close the eyes I feel confined. However if I sit outside, I close my eyes and enjoy it. Am I attaching or not? 28:40 Q5 How can I use the sound of silence as my meditation object? 32:18 Q6 I feel a density or solidity in the head. How can I dissolve this? 49:57 Q7 Can you relate the breach of precepts to karma? 53:07 Q8 I am currently learning a type of QiGong which strictly prohibits eating meat and I feel better. But Buddhism allows me to eat meat. What should I do?