Listening to the earth through the soles of the feet asks attention to be more attentive, receptive.. [6:35] Walking Instructions: Notice the intention to move first. How is the body going to walk?

Shifting gears from the fast paced speed of the world we’re invited to take up nutriment for careful attention – yoniso manasikara – to dispel hindrances. Widening the focus of attention and mindfulness of the whole body allows mindfulness and concentration to naturally develop.

PLEASE NOTE: 'The Mirrored Gates' is a set of talks (recorded by Rob from his home) attempting to clarify, elaborate on, and open up further the concepts, practices, and possibilities explained in previous talks on imaginal practice. Some working familiarity with those previous teachings will provide a helpful foundation for this new set; but a good understanding of and experiential facility with practices of emptiness, samatha, the emotional/energy body, metta, and mindfulness is necessary and presumed, without which these new teachings may be confusing and difficult to comprehend.

Learn to tune into these 3 languages that are happening all the time, but we don’t hear them. Mind language (thought) overwhelms and corrupts; learn the language of the heart and body.

Finding true orientation often begins with disorientation from the known. We look for orientation that can take us through birth, aging and death when everything is always changing. It’s Dhamma, the unconditioned, no need to hold on. That’s the ultimate security.

Maintaining the practice through all of life. Based on the Sutta; Two Sorts of Thinking; Dvedhāvitakka Sutta (MN 19).

PLEASE NOTE: 'The Mirrored Gates' is a set of talks (recorded by Rob from his home) attempting to clarify, elaborate on, and open up further the concepts, practices, and possibilities explained in previous talks on imaginal practice. Some working familiarity with those previous teachings will provide a helpful foundation for this new set; but a good understanding of and experiential facility with practices of emptiness, samatha, the emotional/energy body, metta, and mindfulness is necessary and presumed, without which these new teachings may be confusing and difficult to comprehend.

Impermanence--The Body--Views and Opinions--The Self-Awareness

Authentic kindness must include the life within us. These two talks examine the movement from an armored to a free and loving heart. The first looks at how we can awaken from the trance of unworthiness and establish a genuinely caring relationship with our inner life. In the second we explore how self-kindness awakens us to the heartspace that naturally includes all of life. This talk is dedicated especially to youthful listeners on this solstice evening.

This guided practice awakens a relaxed and friendly attention that rests in the breath and opens to whatever is arising. We deepen that presence with the intention to truly say “Yes” to experience, allowing life to be just as it is.

PLEASE NOTE: 'The Mirrored Gates' is a set of talks (recorded by Rob from his home) attempting to clarify, elaborate on, and open up further the concepts, practices, and possibilities explained in previous talks on imaginal practice. Some working familiarity with those previous teachings will provide a helpful foundation for this new set; but a good understanding of and experiential facility with practices of emptiness, samatha, the emotional/energy body, metta, and mindfulness is necessary and presumed, without which these new teachings may be confusing and difficult to comprehend.

The Talk explores three ways that we can transform Fear into Love: Naming & Welcoming, Releasing Reactivity through the Nervous System, and Lovingkindness. The Talk ends with a moving true story of one woman's journey from fear into love & the service she offers to the world out of her understanding.

Instructions on breath, body and senses, thoughts, and emotions.

Expanding metta practice from the usual other beings to phenomena itself. Based on Rob Burbea's work.

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.

How metta transcends self & other, and opens us to emptiness.

Inspired by the darkness of the earth, we are guided by a sense of the darkness as suggesting: 1) stopping and stillness; 2) being with difficulties; 3) opening to unknowing and mystery; 4) generativety, creativity and fertility and 5) luminosity.