We awaken a present heart by relaxing with the breath, and bringing the kindness of a smile into our bodily experience. This meditation ends with offering blessings to our inner life and all beings.

Reflections on what it has meant to find true refuge, by experiencing the generosity of Sangha through grief, through isolation and through their wisdom.

Teachings

Vortrag & Geführte Meditation | Klimakrise & Sinnstiftung 1/5

Recorded Zoom Session

This recording also includes Laura Bridgman

If it’s helpful, you can whisper in the back of your mind “ease” or “calm,” as suggested by Thich Nhat Hanh. Try to meet every breath with lovingkindness and loving awareness. Wish calm and peace for beings everywhere, far and near. Rest in stillness and love.

There’s a truth and reality deeper than conflict. We are not the stories we tell ourselves. How do we touch our measure of suffering? With a forgiving heart. Step out of the tyranny of self-judgment. Forgive yourself for being a learner in this life. Three principles of wise forgiveness of others: 1. Forgiveness is not weak, naïve. It’s not "forgive or forget." It takes real courage. Forgiveness does not condone what happened nor allow it to continue. 2. Forgiveness is not quick. It is often a long, difficult, tender process of the heart digesting the pain of what happened. 3. Forgiveness is not for them—it’s for you. It’s about our own heart not being chained to the past. Sometimes it's your loving heart that opens your broken heart. We can let go. We can put down the burden of resentment. We can live with a gracious heart.

What is not personal Karma and what is. What is the kamma that leads to liberation or continued becoming. How does Rebirth fit in. Kamma means acts and the results are properly called vipaka. Karma is now the popular word for results, your come-upance.

This recording also includes Ajahn Jutindharo.

00:54 Q1: Thank you for guiding me and introducing me to chanting for my father every morning. I've been doing it every day and Dad has been happy to hear my chant. My problem is now I remember many chants by heart and I seem to do it quite automatically. Sometimes when I was chanting I caught my mind running through my schedule of the day, what I have to do or where I have to go and what I have to prepare for my online meeting etc. I am trying to pull my mind back but when I was in trance stage of chanting it happened again! Please advise, thank you. 07:01 Q2: In the Cūḷasuññatasutta, the Buddha goes into details about his meditation on emptiness. He says that he practices it himself. Indeed it's one of the few meditations he really goes into such instructional description. Can Ajahn tell us more about it and tell us how we can use this meditation ourselves? In particular is this a meditation or contemplation? And if so, is it conducted in one section or are the different parts different stages of achievement? Thanks. See also Part 2 - Sutta upon Emptiness - 29 Sept 2021 as follow-on from Q2 41:38 Q2: I wonder why all Buddha images have "hair" or some sort of covering on them (Mahayana, Theravada and Tibetan alike). Monks in general all have clean shaven heads and it's also a requirement for a "left-home" person. 44:06 Q4: I would like to know if we should always dedicate merits after daily chanting/ meditation? Should we always include all deceased parents/ relatives & those living who are close to us? What happen if the list is long? What is the best way to make dedication? 46:20 Q5: Must one develop right concentration through meditation or can one also attain to jhana stage in daily activities? In fact, I am curious, how will one know if he/she has reached jhana stage? Thank you.'

How, as LGBTQAI2S+, can Metta help us heal from internalized homophobia? A few words and a guided meditation

1st morning instructions and guided meditation

This recording also includes Laura Bridgman