Our sangha’s all day Spring retreat was held today, with ten members able to attend. In addition to the benefits of simply practicing together for a more extended period – sitting, walking, eating meditation – we also had the opportunity to focus on the least examined of the classical three poisons that erode the quality of our lives: delusion. Joey shared a number of perspectives which converged on this difficult and elusive topic.
Sky Dawson: Connecting with Life (delusion) http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/199/talk/17524/
Jack Kornfireld’s compilation “The Buddha is Still Teaching,” on Dipa Ma’s “no problem” teaching.
Rodney Smith, “Stepping out of Self-Deception: The Buddha’s Liberating Teaching of No-Self”, pp. 4-7, xiii-xiv, 20-22.
Rick Hanson, “The Practical Neuroscience of Buddha’s Brain,” pp. 216, 110-111.
Mary Oliver, “When I Am Among the Trees,” from her book “Thirst”
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
Burlington Buddhist Sangha 