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Anne B led our reflections on the question of Karma and Identity, using as a jumping off point a talk on that topic by Tony Bernhard at Spirit Rock.

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/182/talk/6788/

Nancy let the sangha in using the Five Recollections as a way of examining the question of our karma.  ” The Buddha recommended that every person should recollect these five facts every day. They are well known to us, but we like to forget them . We like to pretend that these five experiences do not really exist…

The five recollections are these (in English and Pali)

Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection

(LEADER):

Handa mayaṃ abhiṇha-paccavekkhaṇa-pāthaṃ bhaṇāma se:

Let us now recite the passage for frequent recollection:

(ALL):

Jarā-dhammomhi jaraṃ anatīto.

I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.

Byādhi-dhammomhi byādhiṃ anatīto.

I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.

Maraṇa-dhammomhi maraṇaṃ anatīto.

I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.

Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānā-bhāvo vinā-bhāvo.

I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.

Kammassakomhi kamma-dāyādo kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-paṭisaraṇo.

I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.

Yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi.

Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.

Evaṃ amhehi abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ.

We should often reflect on this.

– – – —-   – – – – —– – – – —

A video of this chant of the five contemplations can be found at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTjggNeEyjA

This is a contemplation  and not a meditation…

In meditation we try to focus and become on-pointed on the meditation subject, so that the mind eventually becomes very calm, serene and one-pointed, and gains power and strength, in order to realize insights.

In contemplation we take one subject which is a universal fact, not an individual problem, and see how it applies to us. We try to see how we react to that universality. Only our own reaction imbues the fact with importance to us.”

 Nancy also used a guided meditation I read comes from Ayya Khema. (1991) When the Iron Eagle Flies: Buddhism for the West (pp 33 – 36). London, England:  ARKANA, Penguin Books Ltd.  pp.34 – 36.

Michael offered a presentation on the Buddhist theory of causality, known variously as Dependent Co-Arising, Inter-Dependent Co-Origination, Dependent Origination, etc.  Using the famous depiction of the Wheel of Life, in which the Dependent Co-Arising is depicted in 12 phases (the 12 nidanans) on the outer circle of the wheel, we discussed the inter-relation of cause and effect from various perspectives.  If interested in following up on Buddhist Causality, see Ajahn Thanissaro’s “The Shape of Suffering” for a complete treatment.  Wikipedia gives an adequate summary of the schematics of the Wheel of Life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra

Beginning a month of presentations on different aspects of Karma, Joey shared her own reflections on Karma and Intention, and also brought excerpts from several buddhist teachers, anchored in a talk by dharma teacher Greg Scharf

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/229/talk/17659/

 

Anne B hosted this session which featured a talk from Tara Brach about meditation in times of stress, that we might explore together how we get through tough times as meditators.

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/175/talk/13010/

 

Sam offered a presentation on The Present – an all important, sometimes elusive, and often provocative dimension of the dharma.  In addition to excerpts from Rodney Smith’s talk titled “Perpendicular Universe,”

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/148/talk/1865/

Sam shared a poem by Rumi (The Present and The Presence) and quotations from Tony Parsons and Christina Feldman, provided in the attachment below

Sangha3-3

 

Joey guided our reflections during our second session on Equanimity, the Seventh Factor of Awakening, asking that in advance we notice those moments when we LOSE equanimity – the circumstances, the triggers, the possible causes – to help us to find ways in which a genuine equanimity can be cultivated in our lives.

Joey’s own reflections were complemented by excerpts from a talk by Winnie Nazarko

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/315/talk/17681/

 

Payton guided our reflections on Equanimity, which is both the Seventh Factor of Awakening, and the Fourth Brahma Vihara.  Special attention was given to distinguishing Equanimity as it functions in Buddhist practice from other factors which seem to resemble it but undercut its deepest functioning.  Supporting this investigation was a portion of a dharma talk by Winnie Nazarko

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/315/talk/17681/

 

 

Michael guided the second session on Concentration as a Factor of Awakening, offering two guided meditations (one as taught him by Ajahn Thanissaro, the other in the tradition of Ajanh Sumdeo) which might help one easily sink into samadhi.  These bracketed a recorded talk on concentration by Gil Fronsdal.

http://zencast.org/zencast-404-right-concentration

 

Nancy led our first session on Concentration as a Factor of Awakening today, using an easy yoga asana, a guided meditation from Ayya Khema, and suggestions to practice drawn from her own experience at a jhana retreat with Leigh Brasington.

Here’s a 15 minute loving-kindness meditation by Ayya Khema similar to the one used

http://media.dharmaseed.org/recordings/1996/06/19960629-Ayya_Khema–lotus.mp3

And you can find over 300 talks by Ayya Khema on DharmaSeed.org

http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/334/