In the First Noble Truth the Buddha encourages us to turn towards dukkha, acknowledge it and understand it. This is essential for awakening, for freeing ourselves from bondage. This talk contains stories about how one might do this, ending with a brief intro to the process "Feeding Your Demons."
This guided meditation establishes mindfulness through the Arriving Sequence (a part of the Naturally Arising Practice Method - dharmaground.org/teachings) before turning toward objects of experience. The practice then cultivates embodied knowing, sensing the space within and without, and eventually opens to the vastness of consciousness knowing space. This spacious knowing supports a freedom from grasping, allowing experience to pass through while remaining grounded in well-being.
Introducing the fourth tetrad of mindfulness of breathing and the contemplation of impermanence. Through close attention to the changing nature of breath, sensation, and everyday experience, we can move from an intellectual understanding of impermanence toward a more direct knowing that supports letting go, presence, and freedom.
Short Reflection on the 1st Vipallasa & Guided Meditation including parts of a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye| Earthworm Practice for the Anthropocene IV | Online Wednesday-Morning