Starting with a meditation connecting us to the natural world around us, and the many kinds of conscious beings that may be there, we explore bringing back animist understandings of the world and the Dharma that have been lost in our modern psychological, individualistic practice.

Starting with a meditation connecting us to the natural world around us, and the many kinds of conscious beings that may be there, we explore bringing back animist understandings of the world and the Dharma that have been lost in our modern psychological, individualistic practice.

Begins with a 20m meditation & is followed by a dharma talk. (Group discussion has been omitted.)

In the first part of a two-part talk, we first identify the value of having a comprehensive map of our practice, and how a contemporary map builds on traditional maps but includes dimensions of practice not identified traditionally. We then explore the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation (including the development of concentration, mindfulness and insight, and the heart practices), and ethical practice--while briefly mentioning (more next time) two further contemporary areas of practice: Psychological learning of different kinds and social engagement that extends ethical practice. The talk is followed by discussion.

Connected with the 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 pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tones, and being mindful of any ensuing reactivity (grasping after the pleasant and pushing away the unpleasant in relatively unconscious, automatic, and habitual ways); and (4) a heart practice developing kindness, compassion, or other heart qualities. The guided meditation is followed by a brief period of discussion.