After receiving many dharma talks and and expanding mindfulness into the 3rd and 4th Foundations of mindfulness, it is important to intentionally return every now and then to 1st and 2nd foundations of mindfulness. This keeps us grounded in the body as a continual pillar of our practice.
The Buddhist teachings on the 7 factors of awakening guide us on the our path. The awakening factors of mindfulness, curiosity, energy, joy, tranquility, gathered mind, and equanimity are supports for the gradual training of the heartmind. Developing the sense of trust in the path and the support of discernment in meeting each moment with kindness and wisdom.
Beginning by orienting to appreciation as a support for settling the body, heart and mind into well-being
(note: due to a technical glitch, the recording stopped after the first set of instructions and the ending instructions weren't included)
The importance of cultivating dharma joy or well-being, which includes qualities such as ease, warmth, happpiness, contentment, gladness, delight, bliss, as supports for the path to freedom
Sunday afternoon dharma talk on the treasure of generosity and interconnection in our lives (Susie) and the liberative process catalyzed by generosity (Jeanne).
Establishing awareness of the body sitting, then experience of breathing, attuning to the rhythm of receiving and releasing, and gently letting go of involvement in thinking
In truth we are in a stream of every changing experiences, both internally and externally. AS we develop greater mindfulness and concentration we see through our direct experience everything which arises also passes away. This is the true nature of all conditioned phenomena. Waking up on our Buddhist path reveals our streaming nature, and this is one way of describing the process of becoming a stream enterer.
Short reflections on the preliminary processes of this retreat: orienting to steadiness and stability, and noticing what gets in the way; sensitising ourselves to the stress of self-referencing thought-patterns, and to the ease that becomes available when they're released.
Sunday morning instruction and meditation begins with generosity as a living liberation practice of non-clinging, and moves to a guided sit in generosity toward the self (Jeanne). This sit ends with guided instruction in walking with an attitude of offering generosity (Susie).
Saturday afternoon guided practice in gratitude for subtle pleasant experiences and in the importance of supporting our meditation through noticing these pleasant states. The sit ends with a guided meditation and walking instruction in experiencing the body through the senses. (Jeanne)
