Author: Payton Swick

Jack Kornfield, founder of Spirit Rock meditation center and one of the principal bringers of vipassana meditation to the west, once found himself having to explain, at length, to the Dalai Lama how it could be that, in the West, an individual could not like himself, could find herself unworthy of others’ love, or could stumble at the first step of the metta meditation as it is taught here: “May I be happy, may I be free of suffering, may I find contentment and ease.”

There may be many explanations for why this is such a widespread phenomenon, but rather than looking to the causes, Lama John Makransky has spent years of deep study in buddhism and psychology finding a way of opening us up to a non-egoic path to self love.  And even if we are at ease with the metta meditation, and not caught in self-deprecation, this can bring us real benefit.  

Michael A guides our reflections this Sunday, utilizing Lama John’s guided meditations, designed to open this aspect of the whole person.

The materials on which this Sunday’s presentation is based can be found on the website of the Foundation for Active Compassion.

Lama John Makransky’s framing talk and guided meditation are contained within the first session of a seven-week course he gave at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, spring/summer 2020.
https://foundationforactivecompassion.org/media/watch/a-secure-core-of-compassion-and-awareness-for-insecure-times/

The introductory frame and guided meditation are from 4:52 to 39:00 and Makransky’s follow-up review/reflection continues to 49:00.

Lama John also refers to printed instructions which can help recall the details of practice for this and subsequent meditations. Those instructions of the various phases and varieties of this meditative tradition can be found here:
https://foundationforactivecompassion.org/media/read/meditations-of-sustainable-compassion-and-wisdom/

At the bottom of the frame is a downloadable practice guide for the entire path of this practice. Read the tips at the end of the practice guide, and then take it slow, cultivating a thorough practice.

Today we have available a wide range of sitting meditation practices. Although what each practice emphasizes may vary, they usually begin with the instruction to take one’s seat and assume one’s meditation posture:  we begin by tuning into our bodies. This past Sunday, Denise guided our practice, taking us deeper than we may be accustomed to going into this fundamental basis of practice.  

Denise writes, “I was recently reintroduced to the power of establishing and maintaining a stable yet dynamic posture as a central part of meditation practice using Will Johnson’s guide The Posture of Meditation (1996). Focusing on posture as the central focus of meditation was a powerful experience and I realized it was time to revisit some of the ‘basics'”.

The posture of meditation exercise Denise led closely followed one guided by Sunada Takaga, who is an order member in the Triratna Buddhist community. Takaga led this meditation on retreat for women who have asked to be ordained. You can listen to this practice here. The actual exercise begins at about 11:00 minutes into the recording.

Denise also read from the poem “Clearing”, by Martha Postlewaite.

Finally, a poem by Tsongkhapa:

The Human Body at Peace with Itself

The human body, at peace with itself,
Is more precious than the rarest gem.
Cherish your body – it is yours this time only.
The human form is won with difficulty,
It is easy to lose.
All worldly things are brief,
Like lightning in the sky;
This life you must know
As the tiny splash of a raindrop;
A thing of beauty that disappears
Even as it comes into being.
Therefore set your goal;
Make use of every day and night
To achieve it.

from: ‘Readings From The Refuge Tree of the Western Buddhist Order’ – compiled an edited by Lokabandhu and Cittapala.

This Sunday’s sangha continued our dialog on the important theme of race which has been a deep topic of the past few weeks. Jeff H shared a recent talk by Tara Brach titled “A Courageous Presence with Racism.”

Jeff says,

The topic is important to me. I have black family members and coworkers about whom I care, but have not taken personal action to end racism and heal America. I thought that it was enough to just not be a racist. I am ready to take action in the hope that my 9-year-old nephew may have a brighter future than he would under the status quo. It is important for me as a practitioner and member of the Sangha to do the inner work necessary to take skillful action. Together we stand a better chance of getting it “more right” so I welcome the continued dialog.

The link to the Tara Brach talk is here: https://dharmaseed.org/teacher/175/talk/62054/

A recent reading list of books on issues of race: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/06/a-reading-list-on-issues-of-race/

A short piece written by a white man with black family members: “Dear White People: 6 Guidelines for Impactful Actions in Support of the Black Community”: https://www.jediheart.com/blog-posts/dear-white-people-6-guidelines-for-impactful-actions-in-support-of-the-black-community

Jeffrey followed Mike B.’s presentation of Reverend angel Kyodo williams’ talk on the theme of Practice, Justice, and Social Change with a continued focus on racial justice and the experience of being white. We watched the video Color of Fear, in which a multi-racial group of men confront a white man’s blindness to his own racial identity and its impact on them. 

Full Color of Fear Video link (1:20)

Jeffrey’s much shorter edited version. (44 min.)

Rev. Williams states, 

“The necessary bias that the [white supremacist] system requires in order to be perpetuated has permeated our sanghas—our spiritual communities—and in this very moment, we are called to put aside business as usual.”

https://library.angelkyodowilliams.com/social-justice-buddhism-excerpt-from-radical-dharma-w-omega/

Williams believes that one cannot get Awakened without getting “Woke”, that is, understanding the social and historical roots and mechanisms of white supremacy. 

How do we Get Woke around the ways that white supremacy conditions, infects, permeates our practices, structure, ways of understanding, ways of communicating here, in this place? This space, this sangha? 

Discussion largely centered around the video.

More Resources

• NYT article on reparations (from Ginny)
• Reminder: Mike B. posted Essex teen Tilly Krishna’s 30-Day calendar of personal acts of anti-racism
• Dismantling Racism article (from Ginny) (Jeffrey: I just read this, it’s amazing! Highly relevant to the challenge implied in Rev. Williams’s quote above)  

The minds and hearts of most people these days are filled with feelings and ideas about how we can find our way to a more just society. Yet trying to deal with the problems themselves is often quite difficult, unless we have a deeper source of wisdom to draw upon than those that are circulating in public discourse. This morning, Mike B. explored these thoughts along with a recorded interview with Zen teacher and activist angel Kyodo williams.

The interview is available here: https://onbeing.org/programs/angel-kyodo-williams-the-world-is-our-field-of-practice/

Other links shared during our very lively discussion include:

• Seven Day’s article on Tilly Krishna’s calendar: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/essex-teen-creates-30-day-anti-racism-challenge/Content?oid=30566483
• White privilege article Margaret mentioned: https://psychology.umbc.edu/files/2016/10/White-Privilege_McIntosh-1989.pdf
• Link from Ginny on actions white people can take in this moment:  https://www.jediheart.com/blog-posts/dear-white-people-6-guidelines-for-impactful-actions-in-support-of-the-black-community
• The “fingers of white privilege” video that Margaret shared: https://www.tiktok.com/@allisonholkerboss/video/6833184953233149190?lang=en
• A little reflection by Chas Dicapua that Margaret referred to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8A3Ts83Yaw&pbjreload=101

A recent and increasingly popular trend in Buddhism is “pragmatic” or “hardcore” Buddhism as exemplified by the teachings of Daniel Ingram.    Sam guided our exploration of this development by playing excerpts of video interviews with Ingram as well as some short readings from his book “Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book”.  

The first excerpt was from:  Buddha at the Gas Pump [batgap.com  #235] with host Rick Archer.

The second excerpt was from: fitmind.co , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWUV7hZE0BU&feature=emb_rel_pause  with host Liam

A third excerpt (that wasn’t played during Sangha) was hosted by Guru Viking:  guruviking.com #14.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke7fteuXOA8 

Interview #40 is also with Ingram, a “pandemic edition”

Daniel Ingram’s book is available for free, with other stuff, on his website: integrateddaniel.info The second edition of his book is available here: mctb.org 

This week’s Sangha explored Samatha, which, broadly speaking, is the practice of meditation with the intention of developing calm and tranquility.  Samatha is one of the key approaches to Samadhi, often translated as “concentration”, but better be thought of “a state of collectedness”. 

Margaret skillfully led the session, including a guided meditation by Chas Dicapua, available here: https://dharmaseed.org/teacher/43/talk/61042/

We also listened to excerpts from a talk by Chas, which can be found here: https://dharmaseed.org/teacher/43/talk/61043/

The daily reflections by Chas Dicapua can be found on the Insight Meditation Society YouTube page. We listened to one of these:

(These can all also be found on the IMS page on Facebook)

During the discussion, Denise recommended the following book in connection to the relation between physical tension and mental trauma:

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk 

When we endeavor to practice metta, we may be drawn to the gentle side of lovingkindness.  However, there is another face of kindness that perhaps gets overlooked but merits a deeper exploration and attention: fearlessness.  This Sunday, Jessica built on last week’s discussion on kindness and compassion, sharing a talk by Christina Feldman who offers that the fearlessness of metta is best cultivated when there is fear – which feels especially relevant for these times.

The talk is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/teacher/44/talk/26115/

A very influential part of the talk was the poem “Kindness”, by Naomi Shihab Nye from her book Words under the Words, which you can read below:

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

From Words Under the Words: Selected Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Naomi Shihab Nye.

How do we stay present to the suffering around and within us and not lose heart?  This time needs us – the world needs us.  As we navigate the many unknowns in this time of pandemic and experience the world around us grasping for assurance and stability (often through blame and judgment) it can be difficult to stay connected to our hearts. This week Ginny focused our time on cultivating the practice of Lovingkindness or Metta, offering ourselves, our loved ones, difficult people and the whole earth tenderness and care.

The talk we heard was “Directional Metta Practice with Jesse Maceo Vega Frey” from a Vipassana Retreat at IMS and is available here:

https://dharmaseed.org/talks/audio_player/337/34426.html

Here are some quotes that Ginny included:

Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis upon which your mind is established.  

(SN 12.40)

---

The thought manifests as the word;

The word manifests as deed;

The deed develops into habit;

And habit hardens into character.

So watch the thought and its ways with care,

And let it spring from love

Born out of concern for all beings.

The Buddha; From Lovingkindness – Salzberg p. 6

---

Now is the time to know
That all that you do is sacred.
Now, why not consider
A lasting truce with yourself and God.
Now is the time to understand
That all your ideas of right and wrong
Were just a child’s training wheels
To be laid aside
When you finally live
With veracity
And love.
Hafiz is a divine envoy
Whom the Beloved
Has written a holy message upon.
My dear, please tell me,
Why do you still
Throw sticks at your heart
And God?
What is it in that sweet voice inside
That incites you to fear?
Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.
This is the time
For you to compute the impossibility
That there is anything
But Grace.
Now is the season to know
That everything you do
Is sacred.

Now is the time – Hafiz

In struggling with the many current unknowns, we are reminded that we can face anything if we focus on the present moment and meet what comes our way with equanimity.  Equanimity is a key spiritual faculty which allows us to face the known and the unknown, the ecstasies and the despairs, with steadiness and lightness. Equanimity helps us engage with life from an unlimited and interconnected perspective.

This past Sunday, despite Zoom having some technical difficulties, Eveline masterfully brought this topic into our discussion. She played a talk by Stephen Fulder that explores deeply the role of equanimity in our practice and life, how to develop it and use it to let the world in, not keep it out.

The talk is available here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/audio_player/589/56385.html