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First Sit to First Jhana
Following the path of meditation from the initial stages to more advanced practice can be greatly aided by clear descriptions of how practice can change along the way. Don utilized a dharma talk by Tina Rasmussen to share highly specific guidance on the techniques and markers of progress along the way. You can listen to the talk here: Read more
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Discovering our own Buddha Nature
That each person has an inherent capacity for awakening, or an already awakened consciousness or Buddha Nature is at the heart of the teachings of Dōgen Zenji, the founder of Sōtō school of Zen. Michael guided our exploration this week of some of the pathways by which Dōgen invites us to discover our own Buddha Read more
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Discovering Stillness
Stilling the mind connects us to a tremendous sense of wellbeing. This is not something we can do, but something we can allow and become. So the skillful question is: Living in a world filled with distractions, busyness, to do lists, etc, what can we do to create the ease and environment to allow our minds to Read more
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Antidotes to the Hindrances
Bringing awareness to our experience, we will eventually notice the motions of the mind that are known in Buddhist thought as the Five Hindrances. Desire and aversion, ill will, restlessness and worry, sloth and torpor, and doubt appear and disappear, mixing in a complex alchemy that can seem, at times, to take over our life.k Read more
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Joy Why Choose it? and How?
In times as edgy and dark as these might seem to many, Joy seems a remote possibility. But discovering Joy is an essential part of the Buddha’s teachings: it’s even one of the Seven Factors of Awakening, not to be omitted, or even set aside as something shallow or less noble. How might we cultivate joy, and Read more
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Steps to Awakening
The underlying method of Buddha’s teaching is one of cultivating conditions, rather than hoping for a miracle. Even Awakening itself is a matter of causes and conditions, which means that it can be cultivated. The Seven Factors of Awakening, as we would suspect, begin with mindfulness, leading to exploration, energy, joy, tranquility, samadhi and finally equanimity. Don led Read more
