Following the Buddha's teaching of meeting life with clear comprehension, wisdom, and compassion.

That which can be liberated is citta – sometimes translated as mind, heart, awareness. The gateway to citta is feeling. “All dhammas converge on feeling.” But mental feeling is chronically suppressed or ignored because it’s inconvenient. If we enter citta appropriately we have access to that which is deeply agreeable – patience, compassion, goodwill. As a result of this sympathetic resonance, citta can be stimulated to wake up to its own potential. Citta is the only one that can liberate citta.

Part 3: Joy – blossoms in the moments our hearts open boundlessly to reality, to the 10,000 joys and sorrows. This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the habitual patterning that blocks our full realization of these innate capacities, and the understandings and practices that nurture their unfolding.

Part 2: Compassion – the tender resonance of heart – awakens as we allow ourselves to be touched by our shared vulnerability. This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the habitual patterning that blocks our full realization of these innate capacities, and the understandings and practices that nurture their unfolding.

An exploration of the two wings of awakening with an emphasis on compassion and self-compassion.

Part 1: Lovingkindness – We awaken our natural lovingkindness by learning to attend to and take in the goodness of this life. This series reflects on four primary expressions of an awake, wise heart: lovingkindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. In each talk we explore the habitual patterning that blocks our full realization of these innate capacities, and the understandings and practices that nurture their unfolding.

Exploring skillful relationships to pain, with a focus on compassion. (Segment 8 of 9. For more audio talks in this series, please contact Oren.)

Starting the Anandwan Work Retreat where we will bring compassion into our work with the leprosy affected and other peoples outcast from their families and societies. Reflections on fabrication of self and world, and how to bring the immeasurable Brahma Viharas into a skilful way of perceiving.

Compassion for a good friend currently experiencing pain

A recap of the four brahma vihara practices, and introduction to compassion

Guided Meditation, New Year's Retreat at Applegate Jesuit RC, CA

An overview of compassion; what supports it, and what gets in the way

This talk and guided meditation includes reflections on how cultivating compassion towards ourselves is essential for our own well-being and happiness—and a key to opening our hearts to the suffering of others. It concludes with a guided self-compassion meditation.

We are conditioned to go into a limbic trance—an emotional reactivity to life within and around us—that keeps us identified with a limited, separate sense of self. This talk helps us to identify the flags of trance, and to bring a healing attention that frees us to live our moments with creativity, wisdom and love. Includes the RAIN of Self-Compassion. (from the 2017 IMCW New Year’s Retreat)

Shaila Catherine discusses the importance of developing mindfulness of emotions and mental states. Human beings have the capacity to experience a wide range of emotions—they may be subtle or intense, unwholesome or wholesome. Working with emotions requires energy and courage to be willing to face the raw fact that this mental state is present. We can become aware of, and work skillfully with, any emotional state including anger, hate, gratitude, fear, sadness, calmness, insecurity, contentment, grief, tranquility, lust, compassion, loneliness, jealousy, envy, restlessness, peacefulness, faith, love. Emotions are changing mental states that arise in conjunction with every perception. When we are mindful of emotions we drop the conceptual narrative of the story line and investigate how the mind operates. What conditions nourish each mental state, and what conditions cause them to end? How do these mental states affect the clarity of our perception? We can observe the dynamic interaction of emotions and the body, and learn to work with emotions in conjunction with their somatic manifestations. We might gather ideas for investigation by reviewing the detailed Abhidhamma categories of mental states and the factors that constitute each state, or we might simply observe the arising and ceasing of mental states in activity and our meditation.