Donald Rothberg, PhD, has practiced Insight Meditation since 1976, and has also received training in Tibetan Dzogchen and Mahamudra practice and the Hakomi approach to body-based psychotherapy. Formerly on the faculties of the University of Kentucky, Kenyon College, and Saybrook Graduate School, he currently writes and teaches classes, groups and retreats on meditation, daily life practice, spirituality and psychology, and socially engaged Buddhism. An organizer, teacher, and former board member for the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Donald has helped to guide three six-month to two-year training programs in socially engaged spirituality through Buddhist Peace Fellowship (the BASE Program), Saybrook (the Socially Engaged Spirituality Program), and Spirit Rock (the Path of Engagement Program). He is the author of
The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World
and the co-editor of Ken Wilber in
Dialogue: Conversations with Leading Transpersonal Thinkers.
We review some of the main themes covered in the first session on this theme, in the context of a series of talks on five ways that “things are not as they appear.” We first examine in more depth some ways that we see through the lens of the personal self. We then explore how we also see through the lens of our social conditioning, particularly focusing, on this morning when students are walking out of their schools and universities to point to the need to respond to gun violence, on ways that we don’t see, for various reasons, many of the roots of gun violence clearly.
Marisa Handler and Donald Rothberg give an overview of the nature of the "Dark Night." Marisa speaks particularly about her Dark Night experiences; Donald gives a brief account of the Dark Night in the work of St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), a Spanish Christian mystic who coined the term (“La noche oscura del alma”) in his writing, and then looks at how elements of the Dark Night appear in shaman's accounts of their initiatory experiences as well as in Buddhist tradition.
Our Practice is to "wake up" from being asleep and not seeing our lives and experience clearly, with wisdom. We explore four ways that we see in a distorted manner, and explore the first two in this session, pointing to practices to help us see more clearly in these two areas.
We review and expand several perspectives on the relationship between knowing and "not knowing" (or openness) and three core practices of not knowing: (1) in mindfulness practice; (2) in listening to others (and oneself); and (3) in challenging transitional phases of one's life, when significant concerns in one's life are not resolved or clear. In the context of the third type of practice, we explore the "Dark Night," first named by the Spanish mystic, Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591), which may be briefer or longer, in terms of some of its dynamics and some suggestions on how to work with it.
We explore the centrality of the practice of "not knowing," that helps us to move from ordinary knowing to extraordinary knowing. We examine both the obvious value of many kinds of knowing and the shadow side of knowing, including its habitual and often addictive nature. Then we look at three ways of practicing not knowing: (1) in our mindfulness practice; (2) in listening to others as a practice; and (3) in being with transitional periods in our lives, when some important aspect of our lives remains unresolved.
We look from several perspectives at the nature of metta. We then identify several ways that metta practice develops, as we deepen in samadhi (concentration); as we learn to "lead" with our awakened hearts; as we work through difficult states, emotions, and unconscious material that may block metta; as we integrate metta with our wisdom and embodiment; and as we bring our metta practice out into the world.
Framing practice broadly in terms of our individual, relational, and collective practice, we explore on New Years Day the meaning of letting go and setting intentions, being in touch with visions. We end with a short ritual of letting go and setting intentions.
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.
After a review of the basic qualities of equanimity and five main practices to cultivate equanimity, we focus on two ways in particular that equanimity can be confusing and/or become distorted: (1) when equanimity is not integrated with the awakened heart, and (2) when equanimity is more aloof and not responsive and active. As equanimity develops, it becomes rooted in a deep, compassionate, responsive, and unshakeable awareness.
Continuing after our exploration of the first parami, generosity, with examining the last parami, equanimity-- what it is, and some ways to cultivate great equanimity.
Donald Rothberg first gives an account of the connection between the core of Buddhist practice and the nonviolent traditions of Gandhi and King. He then poses the common critique of nonviolence—that it doesn’t work with dictators, authoritarian governments, and situations of pervasive violence, that “it wouldn’t work with Hitler,” while telling some stories of actual highly effective nonviolent resistance against the Nazis. Tiffany Easthom, the Executive Director of the Nonviolent Peaceforce, an organization working to protect civilians and foster dialogue in situations of violence, then gives an extended account of the organization’s work, with a PowerPoint presentation (attached pdf file available at this site). She covers both the basic principles and strategies of the organization and a number of accounts of its work in various countries where there is violence, ranging from South Sudan to Syria to Myanmar.
After some further examination of the nature of samadhi practice, we look at the “three ways of seeing that liberate,” focusing especially on impermanence (anicca) and dukkha, with some attention to not-self (anatta)
We review the core teaching of the Two Arrows in terms of individual practice, and then understand its application in the social context as exemplified by Dr. King's nonviolence.
We explore the powerful teaching and how it might be understood and practiced, this week more in terms of individual inner practice, and next week, more in terms of interpersonal and social action.
First, there is a short account of the various types of meditative practice that complement more outwardly-oriented nonviolence training and that could constitute more inwardly-oriented nonviolence training. Then there is a brief introduction to metta practice, along with guidance in this practice.
We explore ten ways of responding, internally and externally, to “opponents,” particularly those with radically different views, whether a family member, co-worker, or fellow community member, on the one hand, or those in the public realm.
We explore the nature of equanimity, why equanimity is important, several ways to practice equanimity, and some of the challenges of developing equanimity.
In this second talk following Donald’s five weeks in Israel/Palestine, we focus first on how to bring our practice to difficult and sometimes stuck places generally, whether individual, interpersonal, or collective. What helps? We then, with a deep breath, examine the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the aim of bringing empathy, compassion, understanding, and other aspects of our practice to what we interpret as a conflict between two traumatized peoples (albeit an asymmetrical conflict in which one side has much more economic, social, political, and military power). How do we understand, approach, and transform such inter-generational trauma? Some initial steps are identified, again with the suggestion that the dynamics are similar to many less complex but still very difficult and stuck situations of an individual or interpersonal nature.
In the first of two talks reflecting on just returning from five weeks of teaching and traveling in Israel/Palestine, we start to explore two themes: (1) identity in the context of Buddhist teachings about anatta and Donald's experience of being with many people in Israel with very similar East European Jewish ancestry; and (2) how to understand, be with, respond to, and transform unresolved and tragic historical trauma and suffering, found both with Jewish Israelis and Palestinians both in Israel and the occupied territories. A second talk will continue this exploration.
We explore one model of how we follow the trail of judgments, studying them closely, and eventually accessing their generation by (relatively) unconscious limiting beliefs. At a later point, the transformation of these limiting beliefs and the integration of such transformation in daily life become possible.
An overview of the nature of the judgmental mind, the distinction between judgment (in the sense of being "judgmental") and discernment, how the judgmental mind is transformed, and some of the tools and perspectives important in this process of transformation.
We explore a powerful teaching found in variants in many traditions, from the Gita to Chuang Tzu to the book of Job to the teachings of the Buddha to Gandhi. This teaching could be expressed as bringing together, paradoxically, committed action and non-attachment to outcome. The Gita and Gandhi spoke of disciplined action without attachment to the fruits of the action. The Buddha pointed out the ways of getting attached through the Eight Worldly Winds. We explore the nature of the teaching and some ways to practice it, as well as what a mature expression of the teaching looks like. There is also discussion.
An overview of the importance and nature of engaged practice in our times, using the traditional Buddhist framework of training in wisdom, meditation, and ethics. We point to what such training means traditionally as well as to several aspects of each of these dimensions of engaged training.
After a brief review of the first two sessions in this series, we explore three foundational practices for deepening daily life practice, first (1) grounding in awareness of the body, and (2) taking challenges (internal and external) as practice. We then explore experientially (3) a practice of stabilizing in mindfulness and then carrying out an activity with as much awareness as possible, then returning to mindfulness, then bringing awareness to another activity.
We continue to explore a number of ways to deepen practice, here particularly focusing on having a broad view of practice, that includes formal meditation, but brings in many dimensions of practice, some traditional, some more contemporary. We explore evolutionary perspectives on the nature of contemporary practice.
At a time when there is a great need for us to have a sense of practice in all the parts of our lives—our individual consciousness, relational life, and social engagement—we explore the powerful vision of integrating Buddhist practice and traditions of nonviolence; each has its strengths and weaknesses. We do so by pointing to the shared heart of Buddhist practice and the nonviolence of Martin Luther King, Jr.—identifying four main areas: (1) the “optimistic” view of the deep goodness of human nature, (2) the understanding of reactivity and “passing on the pain” as the roots of dukkha (or suffering) and violence; (3) the grounding in an ethics of non-harming and nonviolence; and (4) the centrality of lovingkindness (metta) and love that is ultimately extended to all.
Reflections on some of the main themes of a just-completed retreat, focusing especially on several themes related to daily life, including our relationships, to information, doing, time and intention.
We continue to explore the nature of integrity in a life of practice, identifying challenges to integrity and engaging in dyadic inquiry to illuminate one's own relationship to integrity.
We explore some of the different dimensions and meanings of integrity in our practice at this time, including looking at some of the challenges to integrity and how we work with such challenges. We continue to keep the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as one reference point in our inquiry into integrity, and include an audio excerpt from his final speech, in Memphis in 1968.
We review the deep intention of both Buddhist practice and the life and work of Dr. King to bring wisdom, love, and skillful action to all parts and all moments of our lives. We then look at how this results in a life of integrity, of wholeness, in terms of the Noble Eightfold Path, on the one hand, and the extension of the "love ethic" to the social and political dimensions of life by Dr. King, on the other. We look at the challenges of Dr. King's stance on Vietnam, and listen to an excerpt from his "Beyond Vietnam" speech at the Riverside Church in New York on April 4, 1967.
Metta practice offers a radical approach: To bring the wise, kind, and embodied heart to every moment and to every situation, even when things are difficult. Yet there are a number of challenges to such practice. These challenges are identified, and suggestions are given on how to work with these challenges.
We explore the shared heart of the approaches of Buddhist practice and of the life and work of Dr. King (playing a recording of Dr. King reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"), pointing to how their integration is crucial to respond to the needs of our times.
This time of greatest darkness is a time, when we may, like the earth, stop much of our outward activity, going inward for the sake of renewal and return. As we settle our minds, bodies, and hearts, we open to the generative and fertile darkness and stillness of the unknown and the difficult, and to the gifts, insights, and light that manifest through such opening.
After a talk continuing to explore the need for contemporary versions of the Bodhisattva, we engage in reflection and ritual, developing personal vows for ourselves as Bodhisattvas in training, and expressing them before the group (the latter is not in the recording).
We explore the contemporary need for a new kind of Bodhisattva, one dedicated both to awakening and to helping others. We examine the Bodhisattva's resonance with the indigenous shaman and the Jewish and Christian prophets, and identify some of the qualities and capacities in which the contemporary Bodhisattva trains.
We first explore further the "three ways of seeing that free" (examining the "three characteristics" of phenomena), with particular emphasis on a practically-based overview of anatta (not-self). We then see how samadhi practice and insight practice develop, as they progress, toward a third mode of practice--opening to "awakened awareness" or "radiant mind." We look at the nature of awakened awareness, and point to several practical methods of accessing awakened awareness.
We explore the nature and importance of samadhi (or concentration) practice in the context of the sequence of the three core practices of the retreat—samadhi practice, insight practice, and opening to “radiant mind.” We also examine a number of ways to engage skillfully in samadhi practice, including in the context of several core challenges to such practice.
The day before Thanksgiving, we explore the nature and practice of generosity and gratitude and how they are interrelated. We look at both individual and cultural dimensions of these two qualities.
A guided meditation exploring experience increasingly without a sense of self, through mindfulness of the five "aggregates" (khandhas or skandhas): form, feeling-tone, perception, thoughts and emotions (and other "mental formations), and consciousness.
A talk, followed by discussion, helping us to understand this time we have entered, after the 2016 election, and pointing to our core practices and understandings as our foundations and guides.
We often say, "Let no part of your experience be left out of your practice." Okay-- how about "practicing with the election"? We explore 5 ways to focus our practice in this context, through (1) practicing with views and positions; (2) developing empathy; (3) working with difficult emotions; (4) seeing the world through the lens of our practice; and (5) acting.
After a review of last week's overview about the nature of empathy and empathy practice, we explore working with some of the challenges of such practice, and what a high level of empathy looks like.
We explore the nature of empathy and its importance, the biological basis for empathy, what gets in the way of empathy, several ways to practice empathy, and what empathy looks like when highly developed.
In the context of the current election campaign as well as the context of our daily lives, we explore how to understand and practice with our views, opinions, and interpretations. We first look at the nature of views, the Buddha’s teachings on views, and three main ways to practice with views, with particular attention to being mindful of reactivity (attachment and aversion) in relation to views. We then examine the nature of empathy and how to cultivate empathy in relationship to others (and ourselves), including those with different views.
After a review of our previous practices with everyday views, we explore more subtle views, including, including the methods of the Buddha's Middle Way, Nagarjuna, and Zen.
We continue to examine the nature of views and attachment to views, exploring the Buddha's pragmatic approach and working with an exercise to go more deeply into views, attachment to views, and what helps us be less attached to views.
After a review of the nature of the judgmental mind and the inner practices to transform it, we begin to work with how to practice with judgments in the context of interaction and communication. We start with looking at views and our attachment to views, offering three practices for the next week.
We combine a review of the nature of reactive judgments related to social conditioning (particularly related to social hierarchies such as those connected with race, gender, class, sexual orientation, etc.) with an outline of some ways to transform these judgments (pointing to the need also to transform the associated power structures).
Partly with the reference point of recent violence in Orlando, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Dallas, we explore the nature of judgments related to social conditioning. We look at judgments, both conscious and more hidden (in "implicit bias"), related to social hierarchies based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, etc. We suggest some initial ways to practice.
After a review of the basic framework used for transforming judgments, we explore how to investigate judgments in multiple ways that take us toward opening up the hidden unconscious roots of judgments.
After a review of what we've covered in past talks, we explore the four stages of transforming the judgmental mind, focusing more on the 2nd through 4th stages.
After a brief account of the nature of the judgmental mind, we explore (1) a more direct way of working with judgment through mindfulness, inquiry, reflection, etc.; and (2) a more indirect way of working with judgment, through cultivating awakened states and resources.
Sylvia and Donald introduce John Namkung, a practitioner of the Wednesday community at Spirit Rock. John reflects on why he decided to help the refugees. He presents photos and videos of his experiences in the accompanying PowerPoint presentation.
After a review of the nature of the judgmental mind and how to practice with it, we consider how the perspective of neuroscience can inform our practice of transforming the judgmental mind, both those judgments that are more personal and those that are more social in origin.
We examine the nature of the judgmental mind, its relationship to discernment, the importance of working with the judgmental mind, and some practical ways to begin transforming the judgmental mind.
We explore further the nature of samadhi practice, then examine the relationship of samadhi practice and insight practice generally. We focus for most of the talk on practicing "three ways of seeing"--seeing impermanence, dukkha (reactivity, unsatisfactoriness), and anatta (not-self)--with an emphasis on practicing with seeing impermanence.
A remembrance of Donald's mother, Bernice, five weeks after her death (4 weeks were in retreat), identifying the main spiritual themes of her life (love and family, music and beauty, and social justice), and exploring the dynamics and sequence of Donald's grieving process.
After a brief review including practicing with "gross" impermanence (and death), we focus on (1) practicing with more subtle, moment-to-moment impermanence, (2) or some characteristic challenges to practicing with impermanence, and (3) on how practicing with impermanence takes us more deeply.
Based on the earlier meditation, we examine the importance of reflection on and mindfulness of, impermanence, both gross impermanence and moment-to-moment impermanence; why it's difficult to be deeply aware of impermanence; practices to explore impermanence; and deeper understandings opened up by practices with impermanence.
Guidance for bringing metta practice from the retreat into our daily lives, in these three inter-related areas, bringing in the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the last part of the talk, at the time of his birthday and the public celebration of his birthday.
Metta practice carries a profound intention: To bring kindness and an awakened heart to all beings and all situations in our lives. We explore the nature of this intention, and some of the main ways that metta develops: through a basic stabilizing of our lives and awareness, particularly in living ethically, and in formal practice, as concentration develops; through a process of purification of that which blocks or stands in the way of metta; and through an integration of metta in our lives, to the point where metta is less a doing and practice, and more a way of being, which we then bring into the world.
We explore through reflection and a ritual, the process of renewal - stopping, opening to both the difficult and the beautiful, letting go and setting intentions.
After a brie account of the nature and centrality of "insight" in our practice, we focus on one core area of insight-studying and practicing with dukkha, interpreted as reactivity. Ten ways of such study and practice with reactivity are offered, leading to a deepening of non-reactivity.
At this wonderful retreat time of the Winter Solstice, we explore ways that we might open to and embrace the darkness in a number of ways, note how darkness leads to light, and, as well, invite the light.
We continue the investigation of the nature of fear, and the skillful ways to work with fear, both internally and externally, bringing in further emphasis on compassion, empathy, understanding and learning from those who have faced fear deeply.
An exploration of the importance, personally and socially, of practicing with fear. We work especially with these tools: (1) mindfulness and the study of fear (What is fear? How does it manifest in the body, emotions, and thinking); (2) heart practices like metta and compassion; and (3) developing wise and skillful responses.
We expand last week's exploration of practicing with reactivity, identifying eight further ways of practicing with reactivity in its many manifestations--individual, relational, and social.
As we face multiple crises, yet also open to new transformations - inner and outer- a new type of spiritual practitioner is needed, who is able to connect inner and outer transformation. Echoing the Buddhist bodhisattvas, Jewish prophets, Jesus, many indigenous leaders, Gandhi, King, and Dorothy Day, among others, the "new bodhisattva" follows a new kind of training which is outlined.
