We explore the nature of the spiritual journey, using three reference points: (1) Mary Oliver’s poem, “The Journey”; (2) the life of the Buddha; and (3) the experiences of our own journeys. The journey goes from taking life for granted through questioning, looking for something deeper, leaving the habitual, going through challenges and “purification,” awakening, and then a return.
As we are poised to return from one or two months of practice, we consider a number of supports for continuing our practice in all the parts of our life, whether more individual, more relational, or more collective, including the archetype of the Bodhisattva, which can inspire us to connect inner and outer practice.
This innovative talk describes the process and advanced practice of Integrating our Insights, including types of insight, what the mind does immediately after an insight, teasing apart the clinging & the natural impulse to integrate insight, how to test the insight, how to include & purify 'the clinging that remains', and learning to live the insight.
The entire path can be understood as a cultivation of the ability to let go. In this talk, we explore this core quality of renunciation in Buddhist practice: What it is and what it isn't, what we let go of and how, what supports the maturing of renunciation. We include some specific suggestions for ways to practice renunciation in lay life as well.
This talk is an offering of one of the discourses from the Majjhima Nikāya (MN 140) in which the Buddha gives a disciple named Pukkusāti, who has never met the Buddha and doesn't know he's talking with him) a powerful teaching on the destruction of all suffering.
Offered on the Spring Equinox Full Moon, the Talk opens with stories & metaphors of the Moon, and then moves into exploring a map of practice from the Thai forest tradition from the perspectives of theory, practical application and guided practice.
Sati (Mindfulness) - MahaSati (Great Mindfulness) - Sati-Panna (Mindfulness Wisdom) - Panna-Vimutti (Wisdom which leads to Release).
