“Remove the veil, so that I may see what is really happening here, and not be intoxicated, by my stories and my fears”
Elizabeth Lesser
Teaching through stories and a deep understanding of human psychology, Tara Brach describes how our brains are wired to turn away from what is truly happening and fixate on anything else. Particularly when it comes to observing our own selves, we often engage in subtle or overt blame and judgement — often in the name of self-improvement. Any self judgement prevents us from seeing what is true and real. Buddhism describes the importance of practicing both sides of the sword of awareness: keen self awareness, AND radical acceptance of what we find. In seeing, and accepting what is true and real inside ourselves, we find true safety, and can live more openly, spontaneously, and love more freely.
This week, Lorilee guided our sangha, making space for a deep conversation about the ways in which we react to and hide from the world around us through fear, aversion, and doubt. She played an excerpt from a talk by Tara Brach entitled, “Radical Self-Honesty: The Joy of Getting Real”, which you can listen to here:
Burlington Buddhist Sangha 