January 21 – Meditative expressions of equanimity
Dear Friends, Continuing with Sally Armstrong’s talk, “Facets of Equanimity,” looking at some of the ways equanimity might be experienced in our meditation practice. She states, “Any moment of true or clear mindfulness has equanimity in it.” You can hear this balance of equanimity in the definitions of mindfulness Sally shares. Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it. ~ Sylvia Boorstein, It’s easier than you think: the Buddhist way to happiness Mindfulness brings the qualities of poise, equilibrium and balance to the mind, keeping it sharply focused, with the attitude of sitting back and watching the passing show. ~ Joseph Goldstein, The Experience of Insight: A Simple and Direct Guide to Buddhist Meditation As Kamala reviewed in…
January 28 – Equanimity
Dear Friends, I’m on retreat until Tuesday afternoon, but I’ve queued up some emails to keep you inspired while I’m away. The seventh factor of awakening and the fourth quality of the heart are both called “equanimity”. I’m not sure if the two are the same thing. I get the sense that they are, but that we are looking at this quality from two different angles – from the angle of mindfulness/wisdom (equanimity as a factor of awakening), and from the angle of love, compassion, and joy (equanimity as a quality of the heart). When in deep states of concentration, equanimity is a skill to help us keep our focus balanced. Bhante Gunaratana writes, If we find that the mind is sluggish, we intensify our mindfulness and investigation in order to rouse our energy and restore balance. If the mind is overexcited, we focus on increasing our joy, tranquility, and…
January 27 – Seven positive qualities (part 2)
Dear Friends, I’m on retreat until Tuesday afternoon, but I’ve queued up some emails to keep you inspired while I’m away. Yesterday, we looked at the first three of the seven factors: mindfulness, investigation, and energy. Today, we’ll look at the next three: joy, tranquility, and concentration. Joy As our mindfulness deepens, we investigate, and then that rouses energy. When the energy is strong, joy arises. Bhante Gunaratana describes five types of feelings of joy: minor joy – makes our body hair stand on end momentary joy – like lightning flashing moment after moment showering joy – descends on the body and then disappears, like waves breaking on a seashore uplifting joy – lifts the body (perhaps even literally) all-pervading joy – suffuses every part of the body He says this joy is not the same as pleasurable feelings of everyday life. You may have experienced moments like this type…
January 26 – Seven positive qualities
Dear Friends, I’m on retreat until Tuesday afternoon, but I’ve queued up some emails to keep you inspired while I’m away. Bhante Gunaratana starts chapter 12 of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English with the Gilana Discourse. One of the Buddha’s senior pupils was very ill, so the Buddha went to visit him and asked how he was doing. Mahakassapa said “I am not bearing my illness well. My pain is very great, and it shows no signs of decreasing.” The Buddha then said, I have taught seven factors of enlightenment. When they are carefully developed, they lead to realization and perfect wisdom … What seven? Mindfulness, Investigation into phenomena, Energy, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration, and Equanimity. The story continues: Hearing these words, Kassapa rejoiced… Then and there, Mahakassapa rose from his sickness and his ailment vanished. I read this part of the chapter earlier in the week, when I was…