We begin with a brief introduction to the theme of this evening’s talk on the foundations of our practice—avoiding “unskillful” or “unwholesome” actions and states of mind (and knowing how to practice when they arise), on the one hand, and developing skillful or wholesome qualities, on the other. There is then a guided practice, linked with the talk theme, focused on developing (1) concentration (samadhi), (2) mindfulness (sati), and (3) awareness of reactivity, developed in part by noticing how we relate to what is moderately pleasant or unpleasant.
The Buddha placed patience first when he summarized the whole path (Dhammapada 184) as the felt texture of wise effort. The question is what is the heart is doing while the time passes. With the hen who warms her eggs, Sona's lute, and an old trumpet player in the desert; a talk on how the heart opens: not by pushing, but by keeping something warm.
