Dear Friends, To close our month, a poem from Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, who gives us six words to consider our path going forward: Thank you for being part of this month-long exploration of the eightfold path. I enjoyed this opportunity to study, reflect, and practice with you, and I hope you found it of benefit as well. Special… Read More »
Dear Friends, In a course on the eightfold path I took with BCIMS a couple years ago, the reflection document included this reminder: “the practice of Right Livelihood is not an effort to live up to an externally imposed set of rules in order to not be shamed, but an ongoing inquiry into how to better align with… Read More »
Dear Friends, Oren Jay Sofer has previously offered a summer class on Wise Speech, which blends mindfulness and nonviolent communication. In this summer’s class, the first week’s practice suggestions included this reflection: Be mindful of your inner narrative. Are you aware of thinking? How do you speak to yourself? Is it truthful, kind, helpful, and appropriate? I think… Read More »
Dear Friends, In one of his talks, Gil says, “right view is the orientation, the frame of reference, the insight into the changing nature of this life of ours.” He then gives an example, that I often notice in my own thought patterns: I might think that I’m having a lousy day. And the concept of lousy days… Read More »
Dear Friends, The fifth faculty is paññā, often translated as wisdom, and Gil offers other words like discernment or insight.https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/11407 Although the word “wisdom” may sound lofty, it’s a faculty we all possess. Gil says “as we settle in and listen deeply, … our psychophysical system will begin to discern what’s happening. We’ll begin to see more and… Read More »
Dear Friends, The fourth dimension of saddha that Gil Fronsdal examines is trust. He talks about trust in the Dharma, which he says comes from a word meaning “to support.” As we practice, … we discover that more is going on within us — processes and patterns of life deeper than anything we could engineer, organize or make… Read More »
Dear Friends, In Questions and Answers, Jill and DaRa respond to some of the questions that participants had written. Today and tomorrow, I’ll pick out a couple of their responses that have resonated with some of my own questions about the practice. One question was about the hindrance of doubt: Confusion is at times, natural. For example, not… Read More »
Dear Friends, In insight meditation, we often practice cultivating four specific qualities of the heart: kindness (a.k.a. metta, loving kindness, goodwill, friendliness), compassion, joy (particularly joy in the joy of others, a.k.a. mudita), and equanimity (having a balanced perspective). In some circles, my fellow practitioners and I have discussed that this list could include a fifth quality: gratitude.… Read More »
Dear Friends, I think many of us come to contemplative practices like meditation and mindfulness from a place of suffering, discontent, pain, grief, disconnection. We are looking for some relief. At least that was true for me. And through practicing, I have found certain deeply ingrained patterns that contribute to painful states, and the body/heart/mind is learning different… Read More »
Dear Friends, with great kindness inspired by Gnossienne 2, by Erik Satie the way morning suntouches the sunflower leaf–you may say that’s not kindness,it’s just how it is. exactly.let me love like that Rosemerry Wahtola Trommerhttps://ahundredfallingveils.com/2019/08/26/with-great-kindness/ Somedays, it might feel far away, but kindness is a natural state we can access, and it’s something that we can cultivate… Read More »
Dear Friends, One of my favorite retreat traditions is to drive down to Shelter Cove, California, to go on a retreat with Susie Harrington and her co-teacher at a special place along the Lost Coast. After the retreat, I have a lovely drive back. I camp along the way, and at the retreat site. The last time I… Read More »
Dear Friends, This poem brings me a smile: One Attempt at Efficiency after an idea planted by Gabrielle Louise it never worksthis trying to exhale and inhaleat the same time ~ Rosemerry Wahtola Trommerhttps://ahundredfallingveils.com/2016/02/06/one-attempt-at-efficiency/ One of the most common ways to cultivate mindfulness is by turning attention towards the breath. This is something we can do any time,… Read More »
Dear Friends, There’s a beautiful poem attributed to Hafiz: It Felt Love HowDid the roseEver open its heart And give to this worldAll itsBeauty? It felt the encouragement of lightAgainst itsBeing. Otherwise,We all remain Too Frightened. Hafiz and Daniel Ladinsky. The Gift. New York, Penguin / Arkana, 1999. (You can hear Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer sing a beautiful rendition… Read More »
Dear Friends, You may have seen this meme before: a stick person is walking with a dog (or sometimes a child or other person). There is a thought-bubble from each. The person’s bubble is full of people, cars, music, food, clothes, mail, gadgets, etc. The dog’s thought bubble reflects just the scene ahead – trees, sun, earth. The… Read More »
