Walt Opie was first introduced to insight meditation in 1993 and began sitting retreats in 2005. Currently, his most influential teachers include Bhikkhu Analayo, Joseph Goldstein, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and Gil Fronsdal. Walt is a graduate of the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program, as well as Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders program. He has led sitting groups for people in recovery and served as a volunteer teacher in several California prisons.
One of the seven factors of awakening is investigation-of-dhammas (or phenomena), which includes an attitude of patient curiosity or keen interest. This important factor works together with strong mindfulness to help us discriminate between the wholesome and unwholesome mind states present at any given moment. The Buddha described this as one of the key qualities that led to his awakening. This talk will explore how we can better understand this factor and begin implementing it more in our practice.
In the Honeyball Sutta (MN 18), it says, "What one perceives, that one thinks about. What one thinks about, that one mentally proliferates (or complicates)." And this mental proliferation often leads to "evil unwholesome states" which can cause harm and suffering. When we bring mindfulness to the subtle realm of perception, we start to see more clearly without adding anything extra. This is where equanimity comes in, allowing us to meet life with fewer preferences and with greater mental balance.
The Buddha often pointed to craving as the cause of our suffering. Walt explores how craving arises and how we might come to the end of craving. Ajahn Sucitto said, "In fact, our craving is about something we don’t have... The source is the ‘not having.’" When we start to see this with mindfulness and clear comprehension, we have more freedom to choose healthy habits over unhealthy habits, and we can begin to value the wholesome over the unwholesome. This can eventually become the condition for great happiness.
Walt begins this talk with his experience of the Golden Buddha, and goes on to explore non-clinging as a way of unveiling our own inner treasure. He offers concrete examples of impermanence in daily life which support letting go.
