When we move away from rigid notions of who we are and our preoccupation with the self, we start to appreciate our interconnectedness and our lack of a truly existing, independent self. Realizing selflessness eliminates our sense of separateness and loneliness and replaces it with a sense of awe and connection.
Living out the wisdom of selflessness is what we call living a spiritual life. The opposite is to live a focused on me and mine.
There is nothing magical about living a spiritual life. Nothing to believe or imagine. Living a spiritual life means to be more humble and down to earth, more human.
A life of egotism revolves around a fabrication and a fantasy of the self. A life of selflessness requires that we are authentic and true.
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Still time to register for the upcoming meditation workshop on Exploring the Mind. See you this Sunday at 10am in Capital Hill!
Clarify your practice. Let your practice clarify you.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Friday, July 19, 2019
Sudden vs. gradual path
We can speak of two paths on the journey of awakening and self-discovery, the gradual path and the sudden or instantaneous path.
The gradual path is built on the perception that where we are is not where we want to be. The result that we are seeking is in the distance, not fully evident, just beyond us. Progress along the gradual path demands effort and work. Studying, learning, contemplation and meditation are required along the way. Drip by drip, we gain more understanding and insight.
The sudden path is built on the principle that the result is fully evident at this very moment, it is simply unrecognized. The moment we fully realize the freedom of the nature of mind as our own natural condition the result becomes fully evident and manifest. The truth of cessation is not some far off attainment, we are able to be directly introduced to the unconditioned nature of reality.
The difference between the approaches is significant and the methods of instruction vary. Don't be satisfied until you understand the practice. Demand clarity in your practice. As you clarify the practice, your practice clarifies your understanding of your own nature and the nature of reality. At any point along the gradual path, one can be receptive and open enough to experience the sudden path.
Gradual and sudden aren't exclusive paths. The gradual supports the sudden. Once the sudden opens up the gradual is left behind.
The gradual path is built on the perception that where we are is not where we want to be. The result that we are seeking is in the distance, not fully evident, just beyond us. Progress along the gradual path demands effort and work. Studying, learning, contemplation and meditation are required along the way. Drip by drip, we gain more understanding and insight.
The sudden path is built on the principle that the result is fully evident at this very moment, it is simply unrecognized. The moment we fully realize the freedom of the nature of mind as our own natural condition the result becomes fully evident and manifest. The truth of cessation is not some far off attainment, we are able to be directly introduced to the unconditioned nature of reality.
The difference between the approaches is significant and the methods of instruction vary. Don't be satisfied until you understand the practice. Demand clarity in your practice. As you clarify the practice, your practice clarifies your understanding of your own nature and the nature of reality. At any point along the gradual path, one can be receptive and open enough to experience the sudden path.
Gradual and sudden aren't exclusive paths. The gradual supports the sudden. Once the sudden opens up the gradual is left behind.
Monday, July 15, 2019
Forging the path ahead.
The path starts right where you are.
You can follow the footsteps of those who have gone before you, but your path is not going to look exactly like theirs. You'll meet your own problems and challenges. You'll enjoy ease and contentment, as well as difficult times.
The journey of self-discovery and awakening is forged based on your own experience.
You'll share that journey with others. You'll travel with others who have a shared kindred purpose. You meet a variety of travelers on the path- teachers, spiritual friends, partners, mentors, students. Some of these travelers will walk with you for a lifetime, some for just a short way.
There is no end to the journey ahead. No accomplishment, and no non-accomplishment. The result is the path. Continue with confidence in liberation.
Clarify your path. Let your path clarify you.
You can follow the footsteps of those who have gone before you, but your path is not going to look exactly like theirs. You'll meet your own problems and challenges. You'll enjoy ease and contentment, as well as difficult times.
The journey of self-discovery and awakening is forged based on your own experience.
You'll share that journey with others. You'll travel with others who have a shared kindred purpose. You meet a variety of travelers on the path- teachers, spiritual friends, partners, mentors, students. Some of these travelers will walk with you for a lifetime, some for just a short way.
There is no end to the journey ahead. No accomplishment, and no non-accomplishment. The result is the path. Continue with confidence in liberation.
Clarify your path. Let your path clarify you.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Upcoming Meditation Workshop: Exploring the Mind
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Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:
Sunday, August 4, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (PDT)
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Monday, July 8, 2019
Removing the mystery of meditation.
Understanding the mind and the nature of reality is often profound and difficult work. Understanding how to train the mind shouldn't be.
The path of meditation is very rational and practical. Once you have the basic tools and a working basis for understanding your own mind, you can develop a high degree of self-sufficiency in your practice. Just as a mechanic is able to properly diagnose a problem and fix it, you should be able to discern the quality of your meditation and to know how to correct it.
The advantage of having this type of self-sufficiency is that when we are meditating, it is really just us and our mind. No one has a better view of the situation than you. We can ask questions and get direction from other people, but the work has to be done ourselves. Internal confusion must be eventually be resolved through your own practice.
Learn how to meditate. Learn the key elements and tools involved in the practice. Develop familiarity and agility working with the mind. Based on your own experience, give rise to confidence in your practice. Continue to explore deeper.
The path of meditation is very rational and practical. Once you have the basic tools and a working basis for understanding your own mind, you can develop a high degree of self-sufficiency in your practice. Just as a mechanic is able to properly diagnose a problem and fix it, you should be able to discern the quality of your meditation and to know how to correct it.
The advantage of having this type of self-sufficiency is that when we are meditating, it is really just us and our mind. No one has a better view of the situation than you. We can ask questions and get direction from other people, but the work has to be done ourselves. Internal confusion must be eventually be resolved through your own practice.
Learn how to meditate. Learn the key elements and tools involved in the practice. Develop familiarity and agility working with the mind. Based on your own experience, give rise to confidence in your practice. Continue to explore deeper.
Friday, July 5, 2019
Trying to find your self?
Have you ever lost your car keys? You know they are somewhere, but everywhere you look you don't find them. The act of not finding your keys perpetuates the cycle of looking, until eventually, hopefully, you find your keys.
What about when we look for a self?
When you look for the self as an independent, truly existing identity, you don't find it. The self is dependent and conditioned by the world around us. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as an agent or actor, you don't find it. Every intention and choice is predicated on something else, there is no agent who functions autonomously independent of the environment or situations. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as the experiencer or witness behind the continuum of your life, you don't find it. The subjective experiencer must experience some thing, so by its very nature experience is compounded and dependent. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as the awareness that knows oneself, you don't find it. Awareness isn't a thing, there is no location, no essential beingness, nothing to hold onto. Self-knowing awareness doesn't find a self, what it finds is selflessness. There is no ground of awareness, awareness is empty yet luminous cognizance.
Search for the self until you don't find it. When you don't find the self, you discover selflessness. Stabilize that experience of finding empty but luminous cognizance, which opens the door to the path of meditation.
. . . . .
Still time to register for the Meditation Workshop this weekend.
Hope to see you on the cushion!
What about when we look for a self?
When you look for the self as an independent, truly existing identity, you don't find it. The self is dependent and conditioned by the world around us. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as an agent or actor, you don't find it. Every intention and choice is predicated on something else, there is no agent who functions autonomously independent of the environment or situations. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as the experiencer or witness behind the continuum of your life, you don't find it. The subjective experiencer must experience some thing, so by its very nature experience is compounded and dependent. Keep looking.
When you look for the self as the awareness that knows oneself, you don't find it. Awareness isn't a thing, there is no location, no essential beingness, nothing to hold onto. Self-knowing awareness doesn't find a self, what it finds is selflessness. There is no ground of awareness, awareness is empty yet luminous cognizance.
Search for the self until you don't find it. When you don't find the self, you discover selflessness. Stabilize that experience of finding empty but luminous cognizance, which opens the door to the path of meditation.
. . . . .
Still time to register for the Meditation Workshop this weekend.
Hope to see you on the cushion!
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