Yuka Nakamura has practiced Buddhist meditation since 1993 in the Theravada, Dzogchen and Zen traditions, and has been trained as a teacher by Fred von Allmen. Living in Switzerland, she teaches meditation and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
The teaching on the four ennobling truths speaks to our lived experience. It addresses the existential fact of facing suffering, pain, stress, and conflict in our lives and offers a way to understand the causes and conditions that lead to suffering and to the end of suffering. The four ennobling truths can guide us in our practice.
The Buddha emphasized intention as the key to happiness and peace. However, often we are not aware of the intentions behind our choices and actions. Based on the Dvedhāvitakka Sutta the talks discusses the unwholesome intentions of sensual desire, ill will and cruelty and the wholesome intentions of renunciation, lovingkindness and compassion. It also discusses central aspects of mental cultivation.
Compassion is a central quality of the heartmind that enables us to meet and to respond to suffering in a skilful way . It is both the ability to deeply resonate with suffering and the motivation to alleviate it - in ourselves and in other beings. Compassion frees the mind from unwholesome mindstates, opens the heart to the interconnectedness with all beings and in this way also supports the unfolding of wisdom.
Vedana - the feeling tone of every experience - has a huge influence on our choices and behaviours and plays a crucial role in the creation and perpetuating of suffering. For this reason it needs to be recognized and understood. Based on the Salla-Sutta, the sutta about the dart, the talk explores how the mind gets caught in reactivity and thus adds further layers of suffering. It is through the understanding of the impermanent and conditioned nature of Vedana that the mind attains liberation from these reactive patterns and finds equanimity with regard to all Vedana.
What are the roles of mindfulness - sati - on our path? The talk describes five central functions of mindfulness on the basis of the similes that the Buddha used in the Pali canon. It also touches on the development of sati.
How can we meet the ecological crises facing our planet without falling into denial, grief or cynicism? Acknowledging the Dukkha can awaken a sense of urgency, samvega, that gives us the energy and courage to rise to the challenge and seek ways of responding skilfully. The talk addresses three areas: Developing wisdom and skills, acting from wisdom and compassion, connecting with others and engaging in our communities and societies.
