This is the first of a series based on cultivating the wholesome states that I share in my Awakening Joy Class. I intend to explore these principles from a more traditional Buddhist perspective and show how they reveal Buddhadharma as a path of happiness. I’ll be suggesting techniques that can be practiced in daily life in addition to formal meditation.
This first week we’ll explore the theme of Intention. “Intending is karma,” said the Buddha. Through intention we create our reality. The clearer we are on our intention, the greater influence we have on the direction of our lives.
It's very challenging for our daily lives to be places of deep transformation, yet many of us want this. After looking at one of the challenges, we explore three ways to meet the challenges: 1) knowing what is important 2) taking "our bodies as our monasteries" 3) learning to "break the mirror", get unstuck, over and over again. For each of the three ways, a dharma reading and a poem are given.
The training precepts can be utilized for living the dharma in daily life, but to be most effective they need a foundation of faith and intention. Also, by stating the precepts positively and in an expanded fashion, we can find new opportunities for mindfulness and insight.
