Mindfulness isn't about pretending to be peaceful, it's about being real. Don't be afraid to be completely yourself. You are good and the world is waiting for you to stop believing otherwise.
A meditation on finding comfort in the simple goodness of this moment, followed by a talk about feeling alone with the task of being ok in the world, followed by a meditation to locate the comfort and care that reassures us that it's safe to let go.
Day 1 sitting instructions. Very short practice suitable for beginners emphasizing relaxed relationship to the objects of attention, balanced attitude, and how to set appropriate expectatioins about unintentional thinking during meditation.
The image of a bird flying is offered as a way of bringing together the big picture of the Satipatthana Sutta teachings, with the three characteristics as the environment the bird is flying in. The three characteristics are then situated in the refrain of the Satipatthana Sutta, which is seen as a practice from nature, to reveal our inner nature. This teaching is applied to our lives through exploring how to work with self judgement. The talk ends exploring this practice in the world, for the benefit of all beings.
The four wise efforts are explored as a path to freedom with the hindrances. Several practices are offered for each effort, with particular emphasis given to abandoning unwholesome states that have arisen, through a relationship of non-clinging. The talk concludes with reference to Indigenous Elder Stan Rushworth and the thought that working with the hindrances shows us a way of showing up in a sacred way in the world.
