On the Fourth of July, we look at the relationship between the freedoms opened up by the dharma, the teachings and practices of awakening, and by the promise and actuality of democracy, at this time of peril for democracy in the U.S. and elsewhere. Can we imagine a spiritually-grounded democracy? To respond to this question, we examine the vision of democracy, remembering both some of the words of the founders and the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "America is essentially a dream, a dream as yet unfulfilled. It is a dream of a land where people of all races, all nationalities and all creeds can live together as brothers and sisters." We also explore the vision of dharma and awakening, including the Buddha's creation of a community separate from the prevailing caste system of his time. Yet we also need to look at the many "shadows" of both democracy and dharma, which obscure the vision and prevent its full realization. We end by pointing to a number of ways to renew, develop, and practice our visions of "spiritual democracy" in the different parts of our lives.

Guided Meditation

Questions are précised 00:00 Q1 When the body or place doesn’t seem like a safe place to be, how can we take refuge in the heart? 04:01 Q2 I have been experiencing a flight – fight response recently, triggered perhaps by the pandemic. Everything seems to get trapped in the brain although I have been meditating for years. It seems to be a bit of a fight. Do you have any advice please? 12:39 Q3 The pandemic mode seems to continue and these small text messages are very quick and short and I feel lost, not catching up to the mind states of others. How can we do body practices in this situation? 18:39 Q4 There is so much to worry about these days and it seems almost hopeless sometimes. My meditation helps, but how can I be more consistent with the practice please? 23:31 Q5 I’m a psychologist working with people who have experienced severe trauma. Do you have one or two suggestions as to how I can help other people to clear energies that affect the heart and body? 28:54 Q6 I have relationship issues with my sister over how she treats our mother. I have spoken rather harshly to her about this and she has stopped talking to me. How can I deal with this please?

Incessant thinking is like a vehicle whose wheels have left the ground. Presence can be anchored by mindfulness of the body; this allows the heart safety from agitation and reduces addictive longing for sense stimulation.

Uncovering the refuge of awareness.

How much of our lives do we live distracted and dispersed? Diverted away from being gathered, sensitive, and present. When we divide our attention, we move away from wholesomeness and fulfilment. We drift from freedom into dukkha. Guided meditation and talk with questions and responses in the Online Dharma Hall of Gaia House.

The Body and the puppy dog mind.

meditation on mindfulness of breathing. Bhante's trip to Sri Lanka. Q+A: Buddhist view on the body. Spiritual sadness (nirāmisa domanassa). Buddhist view on the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Facts about first bhikkhuni ordination at Ajahn Brahm's monastery. Meditation and difficult emotions.

How capitalism is trying to commodify your attention, and how recovering it is a reclamation of your power and purpose in this world.

One way of understanding meditation is a letting go of the habitual clenching of thoughts, the clenching that resists emotions and pulls away from aliveness itself. This meditation guides us in letting go, first through the body, and then practicing letting go of thoughts and relaxing and resting in the changing flow of experience. The blessing of letting go is a homecoming into the truth and wholeness of what we are, a realization of reality, and freedom.

Cultivating a surrendering presence allows us to release the identity of a small, separate self, and open to the truth and fullness of who we are. These two talks explore misunderstandings about surrender (such as the fear that we will become passive or condone injustice) and the practices that create the grounds for surrender, emotional healing, transformational activism and spiritual freedom.

We explore further a number of skillful practices and dharma resources for situations involving polarization, differences, and conflict, whether internal, relational, or collective that were identified in the previous week. Two days after last week's talk, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade; we start by examining the nature of polarization at the social level. We look also at the possibility of belonging, community, non-polarization, and moving toward Dr. King's "beloved community," in the midst of differences. Then we focus further on the centrality of empathy and listening to those with different perspectives, offering empathy practices that complement the other practices identified in the talk. The talk is followed by discussion.