Greetings All,
I hope that you are all well and happy. I want to inform you of some major changes in the meditation group.
From now on the meditation on a Sunday night at Rushing Water Yoga will change to be led by Paul Cheek, the studio owner. Here is his description of what will be offered:
The format will change to chanting from 7-7:30 and meditation from 7:30 -8. People can come to one or both of the practices. The meditation will be in the Yogic tradition - similar to what the Buddhists call "mind like sky." So in other words it will be just sitting. Donations will be accepted for the Inter Faith Treasure House, the Living Yoga Program or the YWCA's Safe Choice program.
The offering will continue to be free. Please consider supporting Paul as he sets this new practice up.
For my part, I would like to continue to offer a vipassana based practice for those who wish to join me. I am still working through options, but for now I have decided that I will offer a monthly metta meditation at my house on the first Sunday of every month. I know that my place is a bit of a trek for some of you, which is why I have decided to start monthly and extend the length of the sit. I have felt for a while that it would be nice to meditate for longer and get a little deeper, and I think that this will give us the opportunity to do so.
The first Monthly Metta Meet (MMM?) will be on Sunday, March 6th 2011 From 7pm to 9pm. Those who wish to stay after for tea and chat will be free to do so. I will kick any stragglers out at 10. If you have a cushion then please bring it, but if not I will have a few spares and there are always the comfy chairs :)
Please email me chris (_at_) cjrobson.com for further details and the location.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Latest NW Dharma News
For news about what is going on in the local Buddhist community check out the September/October issue of the Northwest Dharma News.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight
This video (about 18 minutes long) is a 'must see' for all meditators. I'm not going to comment much about it -- it speaks for itself.
Chris
Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions -- motion, speech, self-awareness –- shut down one by one. An astonishing story.
If the embedded video above doesn't work for you, you can click on this link.
Chris
Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions -- motion, speech, self-awareness –- shut down one by one. An astonishing story.
If the embedded video above doesn't work for you, you can click on this link.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Three Excellences
Update: If you would like to learn more about the three excellences, then you can read more and follow along with a fully guided meditation on the Dedication of Merit here.
The three ‘excellences’ (sometimes ‘supremes’, excellencies or ‘frames’) give us a framework in which to place our meditation practice. As a basic framework it is very simple, it just says that we should develop a ‘perfect’, ‘virtuous’ or ‘supreme’ beginning, middle and end to our practice.
The perfect beginning is to start with the Supreme Preparation by developing Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta translates as awakened heart-mind. We develop an awakened heart by practicing the four ‘immeasurables’ of loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity. Notice that this practice opens our hearts to others, the best way to prepare for meditation.
During our practice we are to develop Supreme Attitude towards it. The supreme attitude is that of non-attachment to results. For many people this appears counter-intuitive – we might have come to meditate to relax, calm our minds, lower our blood-pressure or become enlightened – surely we should keep our minds on the goal? The reality is that if we become attached to the outcome, our grasping keeps us from entering the space where any of these fruits might occur. Our attitude should therefore be of non-attachment to results, simply doing the practice because that is what we have committed to ourselves, not holding out for a particular outcome. Doing this is incredibly liberating, and allows us to deepen our practice without the stress or distraction of grasping for specific results.
The final stage of our practice is the Supreme Conclusion – of giving away any merit or benefit we may have gained through this or any other practice. This underlines our non-attachment to results – if we have generated any result (‘merit’ as it is called in the writings), we selflessly offer it for the benefit of all living beings. There are many ways to do this, most traditions have a verse or chant for the dedication of merit. Here is a simple one that you can use in your practice:
May all beings — without limit, without end —
have a share in the merit just
now made,
and in whatever other merit I have made.
May they attain
liberation,
and their radiant hopes be fulfilled.
Incorporating the three excellences can greatly deepen your practice, focusing you on working for the well-being of all others, and liberating you from the stress of trying to ‘achieve something’ in your practice. Look outwards, let go and be generous – that is the most excellent way to practice.
Chris
Monday, February 18, 2008
Introduction to Metta Bhavana
“Metta Bhavana” meditation practice is one of the oldest and most beloved practices there is. Today, over two thousand years since its introduction, many thousands – if not millions – of people around the world practice it regularly. For many people this is their main meditation practice, that they spend their whole life developing.
So what is “Metta Bhavana”? Metta is the Pali word for loving-kindness, goodwill, love or friendliness. Bhavana is the Pali word to cultivate, or to “make happen”. Metta Bhavana is thus the practice of cultivating loving-kindness.
The underlying idea here is that our emotions are choices. We aren’t just passive beings whose emotions spring up purely because of what happens to us. Instead, we can make choices about how we react and feel to what goes on around us. This is incredibly empowering. We don’t have to feel slaves to our emotions – we can learn to choose the emotions that are best for us.
Metta practice thus helps us get into the habit of choosing loving-kindness. This loving-kindness is special, in that it is unconditional. It is not dependent on how others behave, or what we hope to get in return. It just is.
Traditional Metta Bhavana practice goes through a specific series of steps. Here is an overview of the whole practice:
Calm your body and mind.
Take time to sit and relax in your posture, with a straight back and a firm connection with the chair or cushion. Allow your mind to calm, as thoughts arise acknowledge them and let them be.
Develop Metta for yourself.
We start by developing a feeling of loving-kindness or goodwill for ourselves. When you first start it may be helpful to start by recalling a time that you felt good about what you had achieved and your place in the world. Develop that positive feeling by repeating the mantra “May I be well, may I be happy, may I be free from suffering”. Then acknowledge that you deserve to feel that for yourself even when things aren’t going so well, even if you feel lost or that you’ve messed up. Practice giving yourself Metta, unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a friend.
In the next step we bring to mind a friend, someone who is easy to feel positively about. When you start it is best to choose someone who you don’t have any ‘complex’ feelings for, so initially avoid anyone you are attracted to, or who is dead, or who you have complex family relationships with. Again, offer them Metta, reciting the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. As you do so, you will probably be reminded of some of their quirks or faults, but still offer them Metta, understanding that you give Metta not because of what they do, or what you personally get out of the relationship, but you give it unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a neutral person.
We now bring to mind a ‘neutral’ person, someone who we can recall, but who we know nothing or little about. Maybe it’s a person who works at the supermarket check-out, maybe it’s someone you pass on your way to work. Whoever it is, offer them Metta, again reciting the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. Remind yourself that this Metta is unconditional – you know nothing about this person, they could be a saint or a criminal, but you still offer them Metta unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a difficult person.
We now bring to mind a ‘difficult person’ – traditionally and ‘enemy’. This is someone who we find it hard to feel good about, for whatever reason. Yet we offer them Metta in the same way, unconditionally, regardless of what they have done or what the effects of their actions have been on us personally. Again we repeat the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. Again, it is unconditional.
Bring them all together.
We now bring all four players together, imagining that we are standing together with them in a room. Our self, the friend, the neutral person and the difficult person. We offer each person Metta in turn, noticing our feelings as we do so. We try to equalize the feeling between each person (including our self), so as to make it truly unconditional.
Spread Metta to all sentient beings.
The final stage of Meta practice is to gradually expand the circle of those who we are offering Metta to. We give Metta to those in the town we are in, then spread outward to the state, the country, all countries, the whole world, out to the whole universe, wishing that all sentient beings everywhere be well, happy and free from suffering – unconditionally.
Metta Bhavana practice is a very powerful practice, and as you work with it you will change the way you look at the world and interact with the people in it. It can be a difficult practice, so don’t feel discouraged if you struggle with any of the steps. Keep at it – you will slowly build a habit to “choose Metta”.
Chris
So what is “Metta Bhavana”? Metta is the Pali word for loving-kindness, goodwill, love or friendliness. Bhavana is the Pali word to cultivate, or to “make happen”. Metta Bhavana is thus the practice of cultivating loving-kindness.
The underlying idea here is that our emotions are choices. We aren’t just passive beings whose emotions spring up purely because of what happens to us. Instead, we can make choices about how we react and feel to what goes on around us. This is incredibly empowering. We don’t have to feel slaves to our emotions – we can learn to choose the emotions that are best for us.
Metta practice thus helps us get into the habit of choosing loving-kindness. This loving-kindness is special, in that it is unconditional. It is not dependent on how others behave, or what we hope to get in return. It just is.
Traditional Metta Bhavana practice goes through a specific series of steps. Here is an overview of the whole practice:
Calm your body and mind.
Take time to sit and relax in your posture, with a straight back and a firm connection with the chair or cushion. Allow your mind to calm, as thoughts arise acknowledge them and let them be.
Develop Metta for yourself.
We start by developing a feeling of loving-kindness or goodwill for ourselves. When you first start it may be helpful to start by recalling a time that you felt good about what you had achieved and your place in the world. Develop that positive feeling by repeating the mantra “May I be well, may I be happy, may I be free from suffering”. Then acknowledge that you deserve to feel that for yourself even when things aren’t going so well, even if you feel lost or that you’ve messed up. Practice giving yourself Metta, unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a friend.
In the next step we bring to mind a friend, someone who is easy to feel positively about. When you start it is best to choose someone who you don’t have any ‘complex’ feelings for, so initially avoid anyone you are attracted to, or who is dead, or who you have complex family relationships with. Again, offer them Metta, reciting the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. As you do so, you will probably be reminded of some of their quirks or faults, but still offer them Metta, understanding that you give Metta not because of what they do, or what you personally get out of the relationship, but you give it unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a neutral person.
We now bring to mind a ‘neutral’ person, someone who we can recall, but who we know nothing or little about. Maybe it’s a person who works at the supermarket check-out, maybe it’s someone you pass on your way to work. Whoever it is, offer them Metta, again reciting the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. Remind yourself that this Metta is unconditional – you know nothing about this person, they could be a saint or a criminal, but you still offer them Metta unconditionally.
Develop Metta for a difficult person.
We now bring to mind a ‘difficult person’ – traditionally and ‘enemy’. This is someone who we find it hard to feel good about, for whatever reason. Yet we offer them Metta in the same way, unconditionally, regardless of what they have done or what the effects of their actions have been on us personally. Again we repeat the mantra “May you be well, may you be happy, may you be free from suffering”. Again, it is unconditional.
Bring them all together.
We now bring all four players together, imagining that we are standing together with them in a room. Our self, the friend, the neutral person and the difficult person. We offer each person Metta in turn, noticing our feelings as we do so. We try to equalize the feeling between each person (including our self), so as to make it truly unconditional.
Spread Metta to all sentient beings.
The final stage of Meta practice is to gradually expand the circle of those who we are offering Metta to. We give Metta to those in the town we are in, then spread outward to the state, the country, all countries, the whole world, out to the whole universe, wishing that all sentient beings everywhere be well, happy and free from suffering – unconditionally.
Metta Bhavana practice is a very powerful practice, and as you work with it you will change the way you look at the world and interact with the people in it. It can be a difficult practice, so don’t feel discouraged if you struggle with any of the steps. Keep at it – you will slowly build a habit to “choose Metta”.
Chris
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