Dear Friends, Turning now to Sally Armstrong’s talk, “Facets of Equanimity,” which looks at some ways to categorize the many ways equanimity is part of our meditation practices. Sally again mentions her list of lists. I don’t have her handout, but it likely incorporates items similar to those listed here:https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/dhamma-lists/ I appreciate her invitation that each of us… Read More »
Dear Friends, Continuing with Kamala’s talk, “The Five Spiritual Faculties’ relationship to Equanimity,” and in particular her comments on the faculty of effort and energy. This effort and energy is balanced. Kamala shares an analogy from Sayadaw U Tejaniya: This is not like a 100-yard dash, it’s more like a marathon. Kamala describes the qualities as patient and… Read More »
Dear Friends, I’ll start today with Kamala’s next talk in the retreat, on the topic of The Five Spiritual Faculties’ relationship to Equanimity. Kamala starts the talk by sharing a teaching she received from Sayadaw U Pandita: Equanimity is like a chariot being pulled by five horses. In the lead is Mindful Awareness. Behind that are a pair… Read More »
Dear Friends, Continuing with the talk from Kamala Masters, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes” and adding another “good news Monday” segment… In the talk, Kamala shares a quote from Don Juan to Carlos Castaneda and then relates that to equanimity: This is what Don Juan said to Carlos Castaneda, “The art of being a spiritual warrior is… Read More »
Dear Friends, Continuing with the talk from Kamala Masters, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes“ Kamala poses a second question we can ask ourselves.How can we stay aware yet compassionate towards ourselves when we do react? She says, We oftentimes judge ourselves after [reacting]. Then we’re paralyzed again, because we did or said something, it caused a kerfluffle,… Read More »
Dear Friends, Continuing with the talk from Kamala Masters, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes“ Kamala poses a question we can ask ourselves.How can we stay open and connected when it’s so hard? One equanimity phrase she introduces to help foster this openness and connection is from Ajahn Sumedho:“It’s like this.” Kamala explains, Just taking in what’s going… Read More »
Dear Friends, Continuing with the talk from Kamala Masters, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes“ Kamala mentions the eight worldly conditions. They are: Gain and loss Fame and disrepute (when Adrianne Ross was in Saskatoon last October, she described this as “being seen and being ignored”, which might be more relateable) Praise and blame Pleasure and pain Here’s… Read More »
Dear Friends, Kamala Masters starts her talk, “Equanimity-Seeing the World with Quiet Eyes“, with a quote from Howard Thurman: How may we work in the world courageously and intelligently, on behalf of a decent world, without despair and complete fatigue? What are the resources available for … rehabilitation and renewal? That [we might] be able to look out… Read More »
Dear Friends, A talk by Joseph Goldstein this summer started with this quote from René Daumal’s Mount Analogue: Keep your eye fixed on the way to the top, but don’t forget to look right in front of you. The last step depends on the first. Don’t think you’re there just because you see the summit. Watch your footing,… Read More »
Dear Friends, As this month of reflection draws to a close, I’m going to circle back to the beginning of the book, where Christina Feldman presented how these practices work together to support one another: Kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity are a family of qualities that support, strengthen, nourish, and balance one another. Immeasurable kindness teaches us a… Read More »
Dear Friends, Christina Feldman closes out her chapter on equanimity by looking at its aspect as “the fruition of kindness, compassion, joy, and understanding in an unshakeable liberation of the heart.” (page 127) In this section, Christina digs into the process of perception, and how there can be tendencies in this process where we may lose equanimity. She… Read More »
Dear Friends, This weekend, I sat a retreat led by Jeanne Corrigal. The topic was “Coming Home: to dharma, to love, to ourselves, and each other”. It was a beautiful retreat that brought together teachings from Buddhist and Indigenous traditions. One of my key takeaways was in reconnecting to the wisdom that comes from an embodied knowing –… Read More »
Dear Friends I’m on retreat this weekend, but I’ve queued up this message to keep you company until I’m back on line on Monday. There’s a poem I appreciate from Kay Ryan: The Niagara River As though the river were a floor, we position our table and chairs upon it, eat, and have conversation. As it moves along,… Read More »
Dear Friends, I’m on retreat this weekend, but I’ve queued up this message to keep you company until I’m back on line on Monday. The “worldly winds”, the vicissitudes – these terms describe what most of us have experienced. There’s a standard list of eight, listed in opposing pairs:Pleasure and PainGain and LossPraise and BlameFame and Disrepute I… Read More »
Dear Friends, We now get to dive into the fourth of the brahma vihāras, equanimity. Christina Feldman describes some of the meanings associated with this term: The Pali/Sanskrit word [commonly translated as] “equanimity” finds a number of different translations that endeavour to capture its meaning: “to look over,” “to be a guardian of,” to see with patience and as… Read More »
