The talk is about the next chapter 5 of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. This chapter is about the three disciplines: not causing harm, gathering virtue, and benefiting others. The title is translated has been translated as Vigilant Introspection or Guarding Alertness.
There is a saying: The road to hell is paved with bad intentions. From the Buddha we learn the path to freedom arises from wise intentions. Yet because we habitually grasp after what will immediately relieve or comfort or please us, we often do not listen to our deepest intentions. We forget that in this brief life, what matters most is loving presence. This evening of talk and guided meditations invites participants to examine intentions in their relationships, and to reflect on living from a more awake connection with our heart.
How do we keep our practice fresh? If we are stuck, how do we renew our practice? Reflecting on a just completed time of retreat, we explore four ways of renewing our practice: (1) finding ways to touch our deeper motivations, (2) cutting through habitual psychological patterns, (3) grounding further in the body, and (4) touching our awakened qualities.
