A retreat forms an integral part of the cycle of a practitioner's life. To retreat means to step out of the deep ruts of our normal daily life and encounter the world anew. Imagine skiing in the mountains after a fresh snowfall, where we are no longer conditioned by the well worn tracks of the inner landscape of our mind. We see the opportunity available to us in new ways and in a new light.
A retreat is not something new but forms part of an old tradition of reconnecting with what is most sacred in life. What we now think of as 'holidays' were holy days, during which we devoted time and energy to the sacred. The modern day idea of vacation means to leave behind or vacate, again the idea of stepping outside of our normal routine and daily habits.
There is something deep in our psyche which longs for renewal and rejuvenation. Many people all over the world embark on pilgrimages to seek out and reconnect with this sacred way of being. That renewal happens when the unseen becomes seen, when that which has gone unrecognized becomes apparent.
The point of that journey isn't to have some great experience, but to rediscover the very ground of our being and to arrive at the center of which that very journey unfolds. Often we find ourselves reminiscing about the good ole days, but what we truly long for is a genuine path that leads to pure presence, in which we can tap into the wellspring of our own renewal and reconnect with the openness, generosity, and kindness that give our life purpose and meaning.
Clarify your practice. Let your practice clarify you.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
"Whatever arises must cease."
"Whatever is subject to arising is subject to cessation."
This was the phrase that Kondanna uttered after hearing the Buddha's first sermon on the four noble truths. To which the Buddha replied, "Kondanna understands. Kondanna is one who understands it all."
This seemingly insignificant exchange occurs at the end of the Dharmachakra-pravartana sutra but it points to exactly what the Buddha was trying to illuminate, the wisdom of dependent origination.
That which changes is impermanent.
Whatever is impermanent is subject to dissatisfaction, or dukkha.
Whatever is conditioned is empty of inherently existing.
The three seals of impermanence, dukkha, and emptiness or not-self form the basis for understanding all the Buddha's teachings. If you understand these three seals, you are never far off from the Buddha's insight into the nature of the self and reality.
These are not complicated principles. They are accessible in our present experience. They are readily taught without dogma, even small children can observe how things are subject to change.
Much has been taught and can be taught about Buddhist philosophy. Simply understanding these three seals is enough to give rise to a greater understanding of the world around us, and insight into our own nature.
Contemplate these three seals with the four noble truths and you have a complete path to awakening.
This was the phrase that Kondanna uttered after hearing the Buddha's first sermon on the four noble truths. To which the Buddha replied, "Kondanna understands. Kondanna is one who understands it all."
This seemingly insignificant exchange occurs at the end of the Dharmachakra-pravartana sutra but it points to exactly what the Buddha was trying to illuminate, the wisdom of dependent origination.
That which changes is impermanent.
Whatever is impermanent is subject to dissatisfaction, or dukkha.
Whatever is conditioned is empty of inherently existing.
The three seals of impermanence, dukkha, and emptiness or not-self form the basis for understanding all the Buddha's teachings. If you understand these three seals, you are never far off from the Buddha's insight into the nature of the self and reality.
These are not complicated principles. They are accessible in our present experience. They are readily taught without dogma, even small children can observe how things are subject to change.
Much has been taught and can be taught about Buddhist philosophy. Simply understanding these three seals is enough to give rise to a greater understanding of the world around us, and insight into our own nature.
Contemplate these three seals with the four noble truths and you have a complete path to awakening.
Friday, January 25, 2019
February Meditation Workshop
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Monday, January 21, 2019
Heal yourself before healing others.
There is this story that I like from the Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane. The story is about this interaction that takes place between Gampopa and his teacher Milarepa.
Gampopa founded the Kagyu tradition in Tibet back in the
eleventh century. He was a doctor who lost his wife at a young age and then became a monk. He studied under the Kadampa tradition until he met his root teacher Milarepa.
Milarepa is the famous yogi of Tibet. He lived up in the mountains wearing only
a white cotton cloth, was known for his practice of inner heat or tummo, and that he gained enlightenment in one lifetime. Milarepa was also famous for his songs of awakening or dohas, which
have inspired countless practitioners to this day.
One day Gampopa was sitting in his cave meditating all day
and Milarepa asked him how long his meditation sessions lasted. Gampopa said he
usually sat for six hours at a time.
Milarepa asked him what he experienced during that time.
Gampopa responded,
"Nothing at all- a great void.”
Milarepa exclaimed, "You fool! How can you sit
for six hours and experience nothing at all? You are suppressing yourself,
resting in an indifferent, neutral state- pleasant as it may be. Give up this
so-called practice and begin according to my instruction."
Milarepa then sang a song about genuine practice:
The ultimate view is to observe ones
mind, steadfastly and with determination,
Buddhahood cannot be found outside, so contemplate your own
mind.
Behold and watch unborn awareness, how can common meditation
match it?
The ultimate guru is Buddha-mind within, do no seek it
elsewhere.
Recognizing ones true nature as
dharmakaya,
Swiftly actualize immanent Buddhahood.
When Gampopa heard this song, he was humbled and immediately
said he was going to renounce his monk robes and become a cotton clad ascetic
just like Milarepa.
Again, Milarepa chastised him, "You
fool, don't copy others! Each one of you must follow your own
spiritual path."
Then Milarepa sang a song about the original monastic state-
One of letting go, surrender, simplicity, solitude, and
recognizing the truth of selflessness.
At the end, Milarepa said, "Heal yourself, good
physician monk, then you will naturally heal others. My teaching is mine, yours
must be yours. Do whatever is necessary in order to evoke it from within."
Friday, January 18, 2019
Upcoming Meditation Workshop
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Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:
Sunday, January 20, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (PST)
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Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Lifetimes after lifetime.
Whether you realize it or not, right now you are cycling through endless cycles of birth, death and rebirth.
A door opens. A chance encounter. A new dawn.
The play of life unfolds in moments. Constantly searching for the next one perpetuates the cycle of becoming. We all have the habit of trying to make something of ourselves, not seeing what we already are.
A door opens. A chance encounter. A new dawn.
The play of life unfolds in moments. Constantly searching for the next one perpetuates the cycle of becoming. We all have the habit of trying to make something of ourselves, not seeing what we already are.
Monday, January 14, 2019
Mid-life breakthrough.
To have reached our destination,
to have traversed the path, accomplished our aims.
Just beyond where we are is where we want to be.
As such, we are divided amongst our self,
forever thirsting for things just beyond our reach.
Although we long to have gone beyond,
the journey to freedom takes place right in the middle of the path,
in the midst of our own life.
The mid-life struggle is the mid-life call to being present in the life you have created,
and to put aside your thirst and yearning for things beyond yourself.
We awaken in the middle of life to the way things are, not the way they could be.
to have traversed the path, accomplished our aims.
Just beyond where we are is where we want to be.
As such, we are divided amongst our self,
forever thirsting for things just beyond our reach.
Although we long to have gone beyond,
the journey to freedom takes place right in the middle of the path,
in the midst of our own life.
The mid-life struggle is the mid-life call to being present in the life you have created,
and to put aside your thirst and yearning for things beyond yourself.
We awaken in the middle of life to the way things are, not the way they could be.
Friday, January 11, 2019
A requirement for learning to let go.
You probably find yourself in situations that you don't want to be in. Even now, you might not be happy with the way things are.
The Buddha gave us a very simple instruction for dealing with this discontentment.
Understand your dissatisfaction.
Let go of the arising of reactivity.
Behold the cessation of arising.
Practice the path.
Understanding and looking deeply into your dissatisfaction and discontentment is the first step. Sometimes, being stuck is a requirement for learning to let go.
The Buddha gave us a very simple instruction for dealing with this discontentment.
Understand your dissatisfaction.
Let go of the arising of reactivity.
Behold the cessation of arising.
Practice the path.
Understanding and looking deeply into your dissatisfaction and discontentment is the first step. Sometimes, being stuck is a requirement for learning to let go.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
A single thread over a lifetime.
There’s a thread you follow.
It goes among things that change.
But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die;
and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
~William Stafford, The Way It Is
There is a thread in life that moves through you and in you. We notice it most when we are fully present and embodied, in moments of fullness and joy. This thread is to be the person we are called to be in the world, the person we see in ourselves inwardly, but don't manifest outwardly.
There is an ancient notion that each of us has an innate genius that is waiting to be recognized and expressed. The Buddha called this innate genius, which is the nature of our own mind, the tathagatagarbha, or buddha heart.
When we are introduced to this idea of innate genius or our buddha heart, it comes with exalted images and big ideas. We'll be buddhas after all, then we can really do something meaningful and important. Our buddha heart encased in the shroud of self is forever held back and limited. We sense this notion of opening up to something greater, but get caught up in our own self-limiting talk and fear. Hold on to what we know, or open up. That is the tension that we always carry.
Sensing this innate genius present in us, we have feelings of uniqueness and yearn for authentic ways to express ourselves and to be in the world. This thread of insight into our true nature runs through our whole life, but it takes a lifetime to work through. This thread is always unfolding, and yet we always feel tied up.
In the moments where we recognize our innate buddha heart, we experience freedom and complete openness to the world around us. In that space, we recognize the tremendous responsibility we have and know that the hardest work to accomplish is not outside ourselves, but working through the practice of trying to carry that presence and responsiveness into every area of our life.
In the beginning, we struggle because we can't seem to grab this thread that is our own innate genius or buddha heart. Once we do grab it, we struggle with how to carry that into our life.
Monday, January 7, 2019
Imminent revelation.
There are moments that are always presenting themselves, moments to lend a hand, moments to share a kind word, moments to help or guide those who are struggling along the way. At times we recognize our capacity and resourcefulness and act with genuine kindness. Most of the time, we find ways to hold back and keep moving along in our own lane.
Pure presence or awareness (Tib. rigpa) is completely open, receptive and responsive. It is an awareness in which we are not holding onto anything. This genuine presence places us in a world of imminent revelation, where we become active participants in the ongoing creation of the world around us.
The ego would have us move away from the present out of fear, uncertainty and hesitation. Ego seeks to be distracted or to escape, leading us into worlds that don't exist around us, in which we are further disconnected and disembodied.
In this sense, awakening to greater presence connects us to the fundamental creativity that is a continually unfolding reality. This elusive yet ever-present creativity can only be witnessed in a state of open and receptive awareness, in which the play of the world and beings moves like a dance in the pavilion of space.
We can catch glimpses of this in our ordinary waking life. We all have moments when we are open and receptive, catching moments of insight and divine inspiration. But soon we close in on thoughts, wrapping ourselves in stories and ideas that insulate us from what continues to unfold around us.
Imminent revelation is reality revealing herself to pure presence. It is a tender witnessing of the uniqueness of this present world. Its very nature is beyond thought, word or expression, and yet in those moments we find the words and the actions that need to be expressed.
Of course the ego would not have us be so generous. The ego would tempt us to hold back, to give a little less, to not be quite so vulnerable. "Next time you can do something remarkable," as the beacon of light that is genuine presence fades into hiding and not being seen or heard.
Recognize when you are being called to presence
and when you are shutting down and holding back.
Go beyond yourself.
Step into a world of imminent revelation
and do the thing that needs to be done.
Pure presence or awareness (Tib. rigpa) is completely open, receptive and responsive. It is an awareness in which we are not holding onto anything. This genuine presence places us in a world of imminent revelation, where we become active participants in the ongoing creation of the world around us.
The ego would have us move away from the present out of fear, uncertainty and hesitation. Ego seeks to be distracted or to escape, leading us into worlds that don't exist around us, in which we are further disconnected and disembodied.
In this sense, awakening to greater presence connects us to the fundamental creativity that is a continually unfolding reality. This elusive yet ever-present creativity can only be witnessed in a state of open and receptive awareness, in which the play of the world and beings moves like a dance in the pavilion of space.
We can catch glimpses of this in our ordinary waking life. We all have moments when we are open and receptive, catching moments of insight and divine inspiration. But soon we close in on thoughts, wrapping ourselves in stories and ideas that insulate us from what continues to unfold around us.
Imminent revelation is reality revealing herself to pure presence. It is a tender witnessing of the uniqueness of this present world. Its very nature is beyond thought, word or expression, and yet in those moments we find the words and the actions that need to be expressed.
Of course the ego would not have us be so generous. The ego would tempt us to hold back, to give a little less, to not be quite so vulnerable. "Next time you can do something remarkable," as the beacon of light that is genuine presence fades into hiding and not being seen or heard.
Recognize when you are being called to presence
and when you are shutting down and holding back.
Go beyond yourself.
Step into a world of imminent revelation
and do the thing that needs to be done.
Friday, January 4, 2019
Student-teacher relationship.
The student-teacher relationship forms part of an ancient tradition that involves learning how to be present in the world and serves as the glue that holds communities together from generation to generation.
The teacher or mentor represents lived experience and holds a body of knowledge. The curious novice is someone on the threshold of life, waiting to step into a way of being in the world and contributing to the world in meaningful ways.
The role of the mentor is to recognize and awaken the innate potential of the student. Between the mentor and student there is a transmission of knowledge and a bestowal of blessings that deepen the inner life of the student and provide a ground for the inner work to be done. The mentor stirs the voice of the student, allowing them to find the words that they were previously unable to express or were just beyond their reach. The elder raises up the life-force, or lung-ta, of the novice, giving rise to greater presence and power. Power here isn't power over others, but the power of recognizing our inner wealth and resourcefulness.
In this way, the mentor lights up the path, inviting the student into the world in a deeper way. Like a candle in the darkness, the student learns how to tend their own flame while discovering that they can share their light with others and nothing is lost. The novice slowly learns to recognize their natural qualities and finds their own gifts, gifts that can be brought out into the world and shared with others.
The student at the threshold is required to take that first step to cross over to the other side. That moment marks taking a stand for that which is authentic and true. It signifies taking the responsibility and initiative necessary to traverse the path to its very end. The mentor is not there to save the disciple. The mentor asks the disciple to free themselves so that they can live in the world in a greater way. Between them, teacher and student, they reveal the nobility of the buddha heart amidst the struggles of living in the world.
In this way, the student-teacher relationship forms the very heart of the culture of awakening.
The teacher or mentor represents lived experience and holds a body of knowledge. The curious novice is someone on the threshold of life, waiting to step into a way of being in the world and contributing to the world in meaningful ways.
The role of the mentor is to recognize and awaken the innate potential of the student. Between the mentor and student there is a transmission of knowledge and a bestowal of blessings that deepen the inner life of the student and provide a ground for the inner work to be done. The mentor stirs the voice of the student, allowing them to find the words that they were previously unable to express or were just beyond their reach. The elder raises up the life-force, or lung-ta, of the novice, giving rise to greater presence and power. Power here isn't power over others, but the power of recognizing our inner wealth and resourcefulness.
In this way, the mentor lights up the path, inviting the student into the world in a deeper way. Like a candle in the darkness, the student learns how to tend their own flame while discovering that they can share their light with others and nothing is lost. The novice slowly learns to recognize their natural qualities and finds their own gifts, gifts that can be brought out into the world and shared with others.
The student at the threshold is required to take that first step to cross over to the other side. That moment marks taking a stand for that which is authentic and true. It signifies taking the responsibility and initiative necessary to traverse the path to its very end. The mentor is not there to save the disciple. The mentor asks the disciple to free themselves so that they can live in the world in a greater way. Between them, teacher and student, they reveal the nobility of the buddha heart amidst the struggles of living in the world.
In this way, the student-teacher relationship forms the very heart of the culture of awakening.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
The ground of generosity.
Each of us has gifts we can share with the world- gifts of kindness, compassion, understanding, dignity and respect. Authentic presence is the ground of such generosity, the more deeply we can be in the world, the greater the gifts that we can share.
Presence is a channel through which we meet the world and through which creativity and inspiration may flow. Pure presence enlivens our own life, but also serves to wake up and benefit the lives of others. We must learn to deepen our presence in order to carry our gifts into the world and truly bring benefit to others.
The biggest challenge to being deeply present and sustaining our open awareness is a sense of holding back or holding onto something. When we find ourselves hesitating, caught up in uncertainty or fear, those become a weight on us and we end up having a dull presence or not being present at all. When we are in this state of diminished awareness, we often feel stuck or even depressed, as if the very things we are holding onto are holding us back.
When we learn to work with hesitation and fear, recognizing them as a call to deepen our presence and let go of our fixation, we can start to regain the ground of our generosity. As we learn to remain in this ground and gain confidence in it, we will naturally start to share kindness, compassion and insight. When we learn to share these gifts without hope or expectation, we discover that our awareness actually expands and that nothing is lost by being freely given.
Nowadays, everyone tries to capitalize on their gifts, turning them into careers or businesses. This is a slippery slope, because in an effort to commoditize our gifts, we often sell ourselves short and devalue the very thing that is most meaningful in our life- our very presence in the world.
Presence is a channel through which we meet the world and through which creativity and inspiration may flow. Pure presence enlivens our own life, but also serves to wake up and benefit the lives of others. We must learn to deepen our presence in order to carry our gifts into the world and truly bring benefit to others.
The biggest challenge to being deeply present and sustaining our open awareness is a sense of holding back or holding onto something. When we find ourselves hesitating, caught up in uncertainty or fear, those become a weight on us and we end up having a dull presence or not being present at all. When we are in this state of diminished awareness, we often feel stuck or even depressed, as if the very things we are holding onto are holding us back.
When we learn to work with hesitation and fear, recognizing them as a call to deepen our presence and let go of our fixation, we can start to regain the ground of our generosity. As we learn to remain in this ground and gain confidence in it, we will naturally start to share kindness, compassion and insight. When we learn to share these gifts without hope or expectation, we discover that our awareness actually expands and that nothing is lost by being freely given.
Nowadays, everyone tries to capitalize on their gifts, turning them into careers or businesses. This is a slippery slope, because in an effort to commoditize our gifts, we often sell ourselves short and devalue the very thing that is most meaningful in our life- our very presence in the world.
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