I try to convey that the wisdom and compassion we are looking for is already inside of us. I see practice as learning how to purify our mind and heart so we can hear the Buddha inside. In doing so, we naturally embody the dharma and help awaken that understanding and love in others we meet.
I try to use the formal teachings as a doorway for people to see the truth in themselves. I feel I'm doing my job when people look into themselves to come to their own deep understandings of the truth, access their own inner wisdom and trust in their "Buddha-knowing," as Ajahn Chah called it, which is different from their intellectual knowing.
The Buddha-knowing is a deeper place, underneath the concepts, which is in touch with the truth, with our seed of awakening. I want practitioners to have more and more confidence in, and familiarity with, that deeper place of knowing. It is accessing this dimension of our being that becomes the guide to cutting through the confusion caused by greed and fear. We have everything we need inside ourselves. We do not need to look to a teacher when we remember who we really are.
Mary Oliver wrote: "Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too was a gift." When life brings us unwanted suffering it's sometimes possible to use the experience to deepen our wisdom and compassion, what has been called "grace disguised as obstacles."
Strong identification with self often leads to an insecurity that can manifest in two extremes: someone hungry for recognition, validation and praise or someone who is shy, lost in self-judgment, and afraid of being exposed as an impostor. Both of these are all too human. There is a middle path where one knows ones worth and appreciates their wholesome qualities while not identifying with them. This talk explores how practice can support a wise understanding that allows us to just be ourselves and know that is enough.
It seems that the interplay between ignorance and consciousness is an on-going dance--within ourselves, in our relationships and within our society. Understanding this dance can help us hold it all with greater equanimity.
(At the time of the talk James was under the impression that the UK vote in process would have the country remain in the EU. As it turned out the vote ended up the other way.)
This link below goes along with the theme for this week’s talk:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/broadway-stars-orlando-tribute-song_us_5768ea6de4b0fbbc8beb8b7b?sectio=
The paradox of awareness is very profound and yet very simple. Sometimes it comes naturally to the surface when we are fully present in the moment and no longer lost in thoughts or mental projections. Pure consciousness is neither high nor low, neither pleasant or unpleasant, neither good nor bad.
Ajahn Chandako, an Amaravati monastic who is the abbot of Vimutti Buddhist Monastery in New Zealand. Ajahn, who is US born, has been a monk for 25 years and brings a deep, clear, playful attitude toward practice. Join us for a rich evening of dharma.
Most of us know the feeling of self-consciousness when faced with a new situation or meeting new people.
How can we relax, just be ourselves and really enjoy the connection?
We’ll explore simple practices to allow our authentic self to shine through.
Join us for an evening of practice and dharma.
It's hard not to view ourselves through our accomplishments, possessions or attributes, even when circumstances change. How can we see through those temporary conditions to realize our true nature?
In order to cultivate true well-being we need to learn to open to all the suffering in our lives. Living with integrity and learning how to forgive ourselves and others are essential supports in this process as well.
The process of awakening joy starts with the intention to place well-being at the center of your life. Mindfulness is then utilized as the basic tool of a joyful life.
Ayya Yeshe has developed the Bodhicitta Foundation to support the empowerment of women and children from the previously ‘untouchable’ caste in Central India.
The talk started with this YouTube video at ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOpZ3kpIJU ) of her work.
To learn more about her work, go to the Bodhicitta Foundation at ( http://bodhicitta-vihara.com/ )
Bodhicitta Foundation is a socially engaged charity that helps ex-untouchable Indians – a community that was previously enslaved and forced to do the most demeaning kinds of work for little pay. They also help slum people, offer a women’s job training center, sewing, English computer classes and have a children’s study center. In addition they offer counseling for domestic violence, have a malnourished children’s program and offer basic medical and housing assistance.
Devadatta, the Buddha's cousin and brother-in-law, joined the Order in the early years with good intentions. Over time his jealousy and obsession with power turned him into the Buddha's main enemy. This dramatic story, reading like a Hollywood screenplay, gives us lessons in just what hunger for power can drive someone to do and the Buddha's wise responses to the various threats he faced.
This daylong includes general talks on the theme of cultivating equanimity into your dharma practice. In addition to the talks and discussion, I offer the following practices with instructions that can be used to incline the mind toward equanimity (edited to remove lengthy periods of silence during the guided meditations):
Practice #1 - Seeing things as they are
Practice #2 - Looking through the lens of impermanence
Practice #3 - Looking through the lens of vedana
(feeling tone; 2nd foundation of mindfulness)
Practice #4 - Equanimity with Big Mind meditation
Practice #5 - Equanimty using traditional Brahma Viharas phrases
Besides learning how to work with various emotions and reactions that come up in response to various events, it's important to hold an inspiring vision of possibilities so that we are motivated to work toward that desired outcome. Dharma concepts such as Clear Comprehension of Purpose can be applied to help us create an inspiring vision. Joanna Macy's Active Hope and Andrew Harvey's outline of current positive developments that give one hope are included.
Hello Friends,
I'll be continuing the series of Sacred Activism talks on how to bring our dharma practice to working skillfully with current events. We've explored compassionate action ("The Line Between Politics & Moral Imperative") and humility ("We Don't Know What We Don't Know").
I hope you join us.
In our response to unsettling news we can easily react with self-righteousness, sure that our "dharmic" view is the "right one" and feeling superior to those who act in ways we don't understand. But the Buddha asked us to put aside any such arrogance. Through genuinely trying to understand another's perspective, we can cultivate true humility for our ignorance of their reality and greater understanding about the thinking behind their actions. Then our response, which might be one of fierce compassion, is not coming from hatred and ill will but from compassion and wisdom.
This talk includes some thoughts on white privilege as well as Andrew Harvey's brilliant audio clip on Sacred Activism.
These days as the political rhetoric gets heated and a feeling of unpredictability and potential violence grows practitioners may ask: "What is the appropriate dharmic response?" Is there a time when political involvement becomes a dharmic activity? And, if so, how can we be engaged in a skillful way as an integral part of our practice?
James guest is Catherine Ingram, long time vipassana practitioner (with James on his first retreat in 1974 and IMS staff member in the 70's) as well as beloved non-dual teacher. After her talk and dialogues with the audience, James and Catherine have a conversation about applying the non-dual perspective in daily life situations.
In addition to formal meditation, the Buddha gave 5 supports for one's dharma practice (Meghiya Sutta) In addition, other attitude for deepening practice are offered.
With so many strategies and messages about how to practice, how do we know the "right" way to practice?
The Buddha said ultimately you should "be a lamp onto yourself." This comes down to trusting the wisdom inside.
How can we discern the wisdom voice from the voices rooted in fear and confusion?
Every moment we are planting seeds of suffering or seeds of happiness. Through mindfulness, we are cultivating letting go and generosity (non-greed), kindness and love (non-hatred) and clarity and wisdom (non-delusion)
The Buddha encouraged cultivating, maintaining and increasing wholesome states in his teaching on Wise Effort. He also said to notice the gladness connected with these states. This helps create the conditions for the highest happiness to be experienced.
Most of us have a strong habit of not measuring up to our idealized standards of who we would like to be. Understanding this habit with compassion and learning to skillfully work with it as practice can become a potent doorway to awakening.
We can appreciate good guidance but ultimately we need to learn how to listen to the Buddha or Quan Yin right inside. Includes the Buddha's five strategies for dealing with distracting thoughts.
Holding practice as more than just working with suffering but as a cultivation of wholsesome states that open the heart and create the conditions for the highest happiness.
"James guest tonight is Joseph Bobrow, a respected colleague and Zen teacher, who's work with veterans has been a major contribution in helping them heal from the trauma of war. Joe very movingly talks about his work and his book: Waking Up from War - A Better Way Home for Veterans and Nations.
It’s said that it is better to live with a moment of loving-kindness than 100 years without it. We might feel contracted or armored but just one tender moment where the heart softens even a little can be an opportunity to open us.
Sometimes, when the news gets heavy we can overlook all the goodness around us. When things seem overwhelming, it’s important at times to balance out the 10,000 sorrows by tuning into the 10,000 joys and remembering it’s not all one way or the other.
Hope you join us.
Like many, I was speechless upon hearing the news of the latest senseless mass shooting in San Bernardino. When we hear such incomprehensible news that breaks the heart or we are going through our own personal heartbreak, how can we hold it all? I don't profess to have the answers, but perhaps we can explore together in a useful way. I hope you join us.
"The grateful heart not only includes appreciation for all the wonderful blessings in our life but also opening up to our pain in the context of gratitude."
This talk is about the importance of courage in our practice. In stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we discover an inner strength and confidence that allows us to transform fear into aliveness, realizing our full potential.
How your practice can unfold as you leave retreat includes seeing it as a path of happiness; value of opening to suffering; learning to listen to the truth inside and expressing your caring as compassionate action.
Dharma practice is not only about learning to be with suffering. Cultivating wholesome states and noticing when they're here is an essential part of practice that leads to the highest happiness. This talk includes some teachings of the Buddha on how to develop happiness in our lives.
Wise effort includes developing and maintaining and increasing wholesome states. When anger and outrage are the source of our action we’re headed towards burnout and despair. When we come from caring and love, our actions are not only energizing for us but magnetizing for others.
This talk given during the 3rd Annual Earth Care Week is about doing our part to contribute to the healing of our planet from love not fear. It includes opening up to the reality of the dukkha while seeing the possibility of being part of growing consciousness that's increasingly gaining momentum.
How your practice can unfold as you leave retreat includes seeing it as a path of happiness; value of opening to suffering; learning to listen to the truth inside and expressing your caring as compassionate action.
Last week we spoke of practice as a process of purification, refining impurities of mind like a goldsmith refines and purifies gold.
This week we’ll explore how the mind is refined by understanding how to balance three qualities that all need to work together.
With Metta,
James
One way to think of dharma practice is as a path of purification. The talk uses a discourse by the Buddha's as a way to describe this process. We can see how, little by little, over time we are purifying the mind and heart. The key is to keep facing in the right direction as we develop increasingly wholesome thoughts, words and actions.
We are inspired by the goodness of others. Even more, their example motivates us to do good ourselves. The term "Elevation Response" is used in psychology to describe this phenomenon. The talk describes three people whose lives are inspirations and whose examples can help us bring out the best in ourselves.
We get very attached to things as if they were extremely important (e.g. your basketball team winning a championship or a conflict with a friend). However, in the bigger scheme of things all of these seemingly crucial things can be held in the wider, wiser perspective of impermanence. A parable from Buddhist teachings helps illustrate this essence of true equanimity and wisdom.
The Buddha said that hatred never ceases by hatred, but only by love. How can we heal from interactions with others that have hurt us or closed our heart? Once we learn to hold what has happened in a wise way, the heart can open and transform the hurt into compassionate understanding.
James along with Kerry Nelson, who is with Spirit Rock's Green Group and Sean Munding, from our community, are the speakers.
Sean will be enthusiastically heading our Berkeley Community's own new Green Committee.
We will be exploring using our practice to meaningfully address the issue of climate change.
Many influences shape the thoughts and perceptions of how we view ourselves and the world.
Some result in a fear-based perspective that leads to suffering. Others create more clarity and love in our mind and heart.
Can we consciously choose which ones will determine how we lead our lives and is it possible to not be run by deeply ingrained habits that no longer serve us?
Much of the time our actions are motivated more by concern about what others think about us than what our own truth is.
What would it be like to not be ruled by those thoughts?
After practicing for one month, what have we learned to apply in our life as we go home, or carry us through the next month as we continue our practice?
With so many different approaches to practice how do we know if we're doing it "the right way?" And how can we decide which of the many voices in our mind to listen to? This talk includes the 5 strategies offered by the Buddha to work skillfully with distracting thoughts.
Comparing and judging is a deeply ingrained habit pattern that's present until full enlightenment.
How can we hold it wisely and work with it skillfully?
Dharma practice is not only about learning to be with suffering. Cultivating wholesome states and noticing when they're here is an essential part of practice that leads to the highest happiness. This talk includes some teachings of the Buddha on how to develop happiness in our lives.
The practice can be seen in terms of balance and an unfolding process. The Five Spiritual Faculties - Faith, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration & Wisdom - describe both of these perspectives.
The one thing that is certain in life is its unpredictability. Having an awareness that inner and outer circumstances could change in a moment can inform our lives in a profound way. Rather than living with vigilance and fear an on-going understanding of the fragility in life can lead us to more wakefulness, appreciation and freedom.
A talk focusing on the possibility of changing the direction of our lives and the importance of giving people an opportunity to thrive. This talk includes excerpts from Sean Kyler, one of the graduates give his moving valedictorian speech through a program that supports prison inmates getting their college degree.
It's one thing to remember and cultivate gratitude for the blessings in our life. But it's even more profound to experience the possibility of a grateful heart even in the midst of difficulties.
We are continuously faced with decisions in our lives. Some are minor while others are more significant. How can we skillfully choose between all the options?
In examining the mind we can see the insubstantiality of our thoughts and the mysterious ground of emptiness from which they arise. This talk includes songs from the Tibetan classic Flight of the Garuda which explores the nature of awareness--empty of substance but at the same time fully awake.
Even though we know that jumping on a particular thought train might lead to trouble in the mind, we can still hop on. How can we wake up and more consciously choose before taking the leap?
The external pressure to accomplish and keep up we may feel from others is usually not as burdensome as the internal pressure we put on ourselves. How can we see through this self-created suffering and live our life with more ease?
