Developing energy and effort in our practice is crucial. In its mature form, effort becomes “effortless” but on the way, we need to support our practice’s energy both generally and moment-to-moment. We look at the traditional teaching of the four “wise efforts,” adding some contemporary metaphors, especially drawn from Kayakins.
A personal understanding of 7 aphorisms from the 7 points mind training offered to the young adults at a retreat at IMS. Consider all phenomena to be a dream. Don't brood over the faults of others. Don't be swayed by outer circumstances. Be grateful to everyone. Explore the nature of unborn awareness. Always rely on a joyful mind. Don’t expect a standing ovation.
We review some of the main themes of transforming judgments – the nature of judgments and four main ways of working with judgments, using mindfulness, inquiry, and heart practices. We add some exploration of the cultural dimension of judgments and how to combine inner work on judgments with outer response and how to combine inner work on judgments with outer response.
Often in spiritual traditions desire is seen simply as something to rid ourselves of, but there is a very important place for it on the path. We need passion. And we need both to understand desire and to know freedom from desire.
