We review briefly the last two talks and explore three ways of practicing: 1. Investigating self when it appears; 2. Opening to experiences of not-self; and 3. doing "heart practice" like lovingkindness and compassion to balance our being as we do more deeply.
In this talk I will explore Wise Speech and how it relates to freedom as taught in the 8 Fold Path and the 5 Precepts. We will also take an open and compassionate look at our own behaviors around Wise Speech through the lenses of identity and cultural context.
After a review of last week's overview of exploring self and not-self, we look at five aspects of self: 1. a more neutral sense of "mere I" 2. Cultural conditions to be a particular kind of self; 3. the social self related to others 4. the wounded or stuck self; and 5. the subtle aspect of separation from other things are person. We suggest practicing to explore these five varieties.
