Here we are again, whip lashed by the rise of the Delta variant just as many of us thought the worst of the virus was in the rear view mirror. How do we navigate with no reliable ground? This talk explores how to walk where there is no ground and how to find freedom even when the rug is pulled out from under your feet.
This talk is from the first night of my first in person retreat in 1.5 years (due to Covid).
Beginning June 14 we will be back at our physical space at the Nashville Friends Meeting, 530 26th Ave. N. Meeting every Monday. Fully vaccinated only for Phase 1. Masks optional. A zoom option will remain available. We start at 7 p.m. with a 30 minute meditation session, followed by a dharma talk and q&a, usually led by our guiding teacher, Lisa Ernst. All levels of experience welcome. A zoom options remains available.
For questions, email onedharmainfo@gmail.com
A magnificent bewilderment of stars – when the mind drops in a moment, thoughts fall away into nothing. We realize the ephemeral quality of life and how small we really are. The mind is bewildered into the great, expansive realm of not knowing.
Just as there are three types of suffering in Buddhism, there are three types of happiness. How do we reconcile the two and get the most from these insights?
“Because of emptiness, all things are possible.” – Nisargadata How do we live it, or get to know this teaching experientially in our lives? Especially as the energy begins to “tip forward” toward reopening, reconnecting in person and resuming some elements of what we think of as normal. This talk includes a guided compassion meditation at the end.
Right now it may feel you’re in limbo, no fixed location. Perhaps a sense of optimism, yet also the push and pull of staying and going forward, no real directions that make sense. Like being lost and not having any way to navigate. But the dharma is the ultimate navigation system to help us reset and find our way.
Metta, or lovingkindness practice, teaches us that all humans have the same needs for safety, well being, and freedom from suffering. The practice of offering kindness to an indifferent person in particular led me to a deeper exploration of what “neutral” or “indifferent” really means. It has completely changed my perspective and expanded my practice. Perhaps it can for you, too.
We all need a little humor right now and the “cat lawyer” delivered. This is also a good time to review the classic teachings of the Anapanasati Sutra as a foundation for meditaiton, from basic mindfulness of breath to full awakening. This talk also includes a 10 minute guided metta meditation.
