The first of four lectures on the Four Noble Truths, including poetry from Jane Kenyon, Judith Viorst, and Wislawa Szymborska. Emphasizing the First Noble Truth of Suffering.
The Buddha describes how the intoxication with youth, health and life fell away. What allows for our intoxications to fall away? How does letting go happen? How do we cultivate awareness, kindness, presence and understanding that allow for the alchemy of release?
Mindfulness of the body has the breath at the center and includes all four postures, movement, speaking, listening, feelings and all activity. We can practice mindfulness of the breath and also mindfulness with the breath - developing an enlarged awareness. This practice can take us all the way to enlightenment.
After sharing a personal story about suffering and the end of suffering, the talk outlines working with "the darkness" and cultivating the light in terms of working with hindrances, physical pain, strong emotions, & cultivating happiness & compassion; the talk concludes with an introduction of Prajnaparamita.
The earth at the winter solstice invites us to embrace the darkness - as a stopping and stilling, an entry into the unknown, a being with difficulty, a fertile and generative source - and invite the light that comes out of the dark. We connect these themes with our practice and suggest particular further ways to practice at the solstice.
The earth at the winter solstice invites us to embrace the darkness -- as a stopping and stilling, an entry into the unknown, a being with difficulty, a fertile and generative source -- and invite the light that comes out of the dark. We connect these themes with our practice and suggest particular further ways to practice at the solstice.
