Amana Brembry Johnson has been a student and practitioner of multiple spiritual traditions throughout her life. Her journey of Vipassana practice and study began over 10 years ago as a result of the early People of Color Retreats offered at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She completed the Community Dharma Leaders Program at Spirit Rock in 2017 and is currently a participant in the groundbreaking Spirit Rock Teacher Training Program (SRTT). Amana leads meditation and teaches contemplative yoga that interweaves the wisdom of the Dharma with movement. She mentors and coaches practitioners who wish to deepen their practice and understanding of the ancient wisdom teachings. An accomplished visual artist, Amana creates imagery that exposes emotional and spiritual barriers of the heart as gateways into kindness, compassion and self-love.
The five spiritual powers are essential accompaniments that guide us into deepened realizations of liberation. Each faculty is an active power that is soverign in its own domain, but also pairs with another to effect balance. As a whole unit, the 5 faculties work together to strengthen our resolve, by establishing inner balance and harmony. In this way, they cultivate our capacity to see each moment clearly without the residue of external conditioning.
To follow the thread of kindness and friendliness along the middle path, you will see that Metta is the road map that leads to internal freedom. It is a guiding light that weaves itself through every aspect, every step, along this path of liberation.
Our world is on fire and in desperate need of compassion and care. Lovingkindness frees the heart so that compassion can arise. Compassion gifts us the courage to be moved by suffering, and to move towards it rather than away from it. When we meet suffering the journey towards liberation begins.
Awareness of the feeling tone of Vedana can lead to liberation from the proliferation of stories that imprison us in a state of discomfort and suffering.
