Sam led the discussion, focusing on the three heavenly messengers – old age, sickness, and death. Excerpts from the following dharma talks were used (all available on dharmaseed.org):
1) Heavenly Messengers by Narayan Liebenson , 3/23/06 – first 13 min.,
2) Natchiketa and the Lord of Death by Jack Kornfield, 9/10/12 – first 9.5 min,
3) Mystery and the Graciousness of Uncertainty by Jack Kornfield, 7/22/13 – first 14 min
In addition, the three poems we reflected on are here:
Margaret guided exploration of Perception. This third of the five skandhas relates us clearly – or not sometimes so clearly – to the outside world. To what degree are we subject to the biases of our perceptions, and to what degree can we gain clarity and perspective on our own distortions, thus taking a step toward genuine freedom?
Jessica led our reflections today,focusing on the ways we can meet negative emotions which arise habitually. Excerpts from a dharma talk by Tara Brach on Self-Compassion provided perspective for the discussion. For the full talk, click here
http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/175/talk/18874/
This Sunday, Anne B guided our reflections, investigating how our practice ripens as we dedicate ourselves to it over time. Contributing to the discussion were excerpts from Spirit Rock Teacher Anna Douglas, speaking on “What Changes as We Practice?” That talk can be found at
Wendy guided our reflections today, anchoring our focus in excerpts from Pema Chodron’s talks in “No Time to Lose: a Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva,” which is also available in print from Shambhala publications. Pema’s presentation is structured around the provocative epigrammatic observations of Shantideva, the 8th century Indian Buddhist teacher of such enduring influence. His project of dismantling our tendencies toward anger is rooted in helping us to see how extensively and quickly flashes of anger harm us, and can in a moment dismantle long stretches of cultivated virtue.
Jackie traced for us the historical connections of Yoga and Buddhism, beginning from the Vedas and moving forward through the Upanishads, the teachings of Gautama Buddha, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, which contain among the offered methods of contemplation some of those that Prince Siddhartha would have studied and practiced before his enlightenment vigil at the Bodhi Tree. In addition to the historical perspsective, Jackie guided us in some basic pranayama breathing and a restorative yogic pose, the traditional sivasana or corpse asana.
Rebecca guided our reflections this morning, centering them around a recent talk by Jack Kornfield: Who Am I? the Question of Identity, which explores how the practice of loving awareness allows a profound shift of identity from a small limited sense of self to spacious wisdom.
http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/85/talk/18757/
This morning, Nancy led our reflections on the four Divine Abodes. We first listened to excerpts from a talk by Sylvia Boorstein alerting us to the distinctions between loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity and their near enemies.
http://rogernolan.blogspot.com/2010/06/near-enemies.html
After a discussion, and tea, we ended with a guided meditation on loving kindness by Aya Khema
Chris and Shery prepared the elements which guided our reflections for the day. Excerpts from Tara Brach’s talk on Practical Dharma for Stressful Times set our discussion going, and we closed with her guided meditation on setting intention. Both are available at
Nancy led our practice for this meeting of the sangha, focusing on Anatta, or Non-Self, and drawing from several teachers. Beginning with an understanding of Anatta as framed by Ayya Khema, in her book Who Is My Self?. Wisdom Publications, 1997. p 153- 154, we then moved to an extended guided meditation by Ayya Khema, drawn from her book When the Iron Eagle Flies. p. 82-95. Excerpts from John Peacock’s talk “Being a Not Self,” also helped develop perspective. That talk can be found at
http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/91/talk/16783/
And Thanisarro Bhikkhu, brought the whole question of ego-development as we understand it in the west into relation with the non-self as understood in Buddhism. See his Head and Heart Together: Bringing Wisdom to the Brahma Viharas. p. 60-61. This entire book can be downloaded for free as a pdf file at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheartbook.pdf
And finally, these words from Zen Master Dogen:
To study the Buddha way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly.
(( BACKGROUND: Dōgen Zenji Dōgen Kigen (1200-1253) was the founder of the Soto School of Japanese Zen. Often considered the greatest philosopher of Japanese Buddhism, he was also a man of immense literary gifts. Dōgen’s masterwork Shōbōgenzō (“Treasury of the True Dharma Eye”), from which the present case is taken, is sometimes regarded as a treatise on deep ecology. COMMENTARY: Dōgen isn’t deceived when people speak of the Buddha way. He knows it’s the self they’re really talking about. To study the way is another thing entirely. Go for a walk in the woods, pick up a seashell on the shore—the earth rises to meet your feet, the shell carries itself from the beach in your palm. We don’t do anything alone, because alone we aren’t anything. Everything together adds up to nothing, and that nothing continues endlessly—eternal, joyous, and free. VERSE: Items on Dōgen’s To-do list: Study the self To forget the self, Forget the self, and bring Myriad beings back to life.))
