Though we may imagine that conflict and awakening are opposites, perhaps even mutually exclusive, Joey guided our explorations of how fully experiencing Conflict itself can lead to Awakening. Central to the presentation was a talk by Tara Brach, which can be accessed here:
Michael guided our reflections today, centering on a Dharma talk by artist and dharma teacher Marcia Rose, from the Forest Refuge, in which she explored the elusive and central experience of Not-Self in Buddhist practice. Each time we look at this topic, different perspectives seem to be revealed, which is perhaps why Rose titles her talk “Through the Looking Glass.”
Rebecca guided our reflections on the Third Noble Truth and Nirvana, drawing on Joseph Goldstein’s “Mindfulness,” thus connecting with last week’s exploration and offer new perspectives as well.
The topic today was Nirvana, and Sam guided our reflections on this topic which, by definition, is beyond words and thoughts. Still, we had a fruitful exploration, as Sam shared excerpts from several different dharma teachers and sages on the topic, including
“Nirvana and Transcendence” by Rob Burbea
http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/210/talk/11974/
and
“Your Original Face” by Stephen Batchelor (4/19/2013).
As a way of offering perspective on Pema’s teachings on moving beyond isolation and neurotic self absorption, Joey brought to bear teachings by Tara Brach from a talk titled “Landlocked in fur”
Wendy guided our reflections as we take in the final one of Pema Chodron’s six talks on Getting Unstuck: “Taking Your Practice into the World.” How can we take what we learn on the cushion about the relief of suffering out into our daily lives? If you’d like to listen to this talk, click here:
Nancy guided our reflections as we took in the fifth of Pema Chodron’s talks on Getting Unstuck: “Tools for Liberation.” This talk furthers exploration of skillful means to deal with shenpa, the basic underlying hook of suffering, and you can listen to it here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ss0mj8sf4az9q32/Pema%205%20Tools%20for%20Liberation.mp3?dl=0
Margaret framed our reflections as we listened to the 4th talk of Pema Chodron’s “Getting Unstuck” retreat. Here Pema continues her exploration of how one encounters, understands, and eventually moves beyond the force of ‘shenpa’ which underlies the suffering in our lives.
You can listen to this talk by clicking here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ug0q0xdbpx4aq52/Pema%204%20Enjoying%20the%20Process.mp3?dl=0
Lorilee guided our reflections this Sunday, as we listened to the third of Pema Chodron’s talks in her Getting Unstuck series, titled “Meditation: the Path to Enlightenment.” You can access that talk by clicking here https://www.dropbox.com/s/4h0b9rortg2zh52/Pema%203%20Meditation_%20Path%20to%20Enlightenment.mp3?dl=0
Discussion centered primarily about the ways in which the experience of shenpa precedes even suffering. It is the primary contraction which gives rise to suffering and to our attempts to relieve it (in ways that only perpetuate that very suffering)
This Sunday Payton guided our reflections on the second of Pema Chodron’s talks in the series titled “Getting Unstuck.” Her dharma talk, titled “Exploring the Itch,” explores the key concept of Shenpa – a pre-conceptual impulse that lies beneath dukkha itself and gives rise to both suffering and unskillful strategies we resort to in order to evade suffering. Since we are in a series of six talks, if you’d like to ‘catch up’ by listening to this talk before coming to hear the next one, click here
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ml93mz62vymag9e/Pema%202%20Exploring%20the%20itch.mp3?dl=0
