Short Reflection & Guided Meditation including a poem by Matty Weingast

In this second part of a two-part set of talks, we first review briefly last week's talk, including the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation (including the development of concentration, mindfulness and insight, and the heart practices), and ethical practice. We then identify two further contemporary areas of practice: Psychological work of different kinds (including psychotherapy, various forms of "shadow" work, examination of one's social conditioning) and social engagement that extends ethical practice. We also identify some of the deeper dimensions of traditional practice, including the deepening of concentration practice in the jhanas, the three modes of liberating insight--seeing impermanence, reactivity (or dukkha), and not-self, the opening to non-dual awakened awareness, practices transforming the body (as in tummo practice), and the resting in non-doing. The talk is followed by discussion.

Connected with the later talk giving a contemporary map of our practices, we review four foundational practices: (1) developing concentration (samadhi); (2) cultivating general mindfulness, (3) cultivating mindfulness of impermanence; and (4) a heart practice developing kindness, compassion, or other heart qualities. This is followed by two brief reflections on one's practice.

A talk on unworldly pleasant vedana — the kind of ease and contentment that doesn't depend on anything going right. We trace how letting go registers in the body as pleasure before the mind has words for it, and learn to stay with it, let it spread, and receive it rather than manufacture it.

This dhamma talk, guided meditation, comments, questions and responses was offered on August 15, 2026 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!” 00:33 - GUIDED MEDITATION 15:56 - DHAMMA TALK 48:50 - COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

This morning reflection invites a spacious, receptive awareness without looking for a particular experience or trying to make understanding happen.