A talk given on the closing morning of retreat that lays out the way to live with wise intentions for liberating our habitual tendencies and living an awakening life.
Unless we understand how we cling to the conditions of our mind and body as "me", we will live within a narrow and confined view and miss the revelation of our true beingness.
A simple and clear exposition on the Buddha's insights into releasing, grasping and suffering. This is the release that opens our heart to great compassion.
How to work with self-loathing and doubt. How the Noble truths lead to freedom. How the Buddha guides us on the eight-fold steps on how to live our lives, train our minds and grow in wisdom. The Dhamma is most excellent in the beginning, middle, and end.
Just as we garden, tending out plants and pulling weeds, so we need to cultivate the ground of heart and mind. Uprooting obscurations and dealing with hindrances are part of this work.
When we identify with our cruel inner critic, this undermines our capacity for kindness towards ourselves and others. Inclining the mind towards metta points us towards our own innate goodness.
First we find our outer refuge in sacred spaces in the triple gem, and through establishing a ground of trust we can let go, taking refuge in awareness itself where everything we need for awakening is available.
This talk focuses on the development of 5 of the 10 Paramis: generosity, truthfulness, equanimity, renunciation and wisdon - how they are both innate and also elemental beautiful qualities on the path.
