The description for the brief April 20th Insight Timer live event with the same title as this blog post was a sutta snippet: Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, “This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie “Don’t say that, Ananda. Don’t say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship,Continue reading “Friendship: The Whole of the Spiritual Life”
Tag Archives: dharma
(Holistic) Physical Therapy, Buddhism, Sobriety And Alternative Education With Melissa Mayer
[5/2/2022 UPDATE: Uploaded overlooked mp3 for the non-youtube podcast version] Physical therapist and writer Melissa Mayer joins the podcast to talk about her life, work, and various topics of mutual interest like Buddhism, sobriety, travel, healing, service work, meditation and education. From Melissa’s bio I have been practicing physical therapy for over 13 years inContinue reading “(Holistic) Physical Therapy, Buddhism, Sobriety And Alternative Education With Melissa Mayer”
Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For March 2022
[4/29/2022 UPDATE: Zero Pāramitā Challenge provided (to me) for Month 8 / April 2022 yet and 5/23/2022 UPDATE: same thing for the month of May and presumably ongoing unless — barring other possibilities — readers and listeners see a new Pāramitā Challenge from the source and/or a new post/podcast published on IntegratingPresence.com] Expediency, supreme enlightenment,Continue reading “Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For March 2022”
Being In And Of Nature
The description for this now edited recording of the March 28th, 2022 Insight Timer live event “Being In And Of Nature”: Weather and Insight Timer systems permitting I’ll speak to the challenges and benefits of practicing meditation in nature, under a tree and/or just simply being outdoors. Maybe some practice too I start off withContinue reading “Being In And Of Nature”
Studying And Practicing With “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power” (SN 51:20): Introduction; The Sutta’s Key Encapsulation Paragraph & A Translation Reading (1 of 7)
One reason this blog post and podcast series came about could likely be due to my meditation practice becoming stale and now provides an outlet for a somewhat more advanced level where details are dived into. If and when exploring this sutta on your own, it’s recommended to drop the intricate, sometimes tedious language I go into here to the fullest extent possible. It’s important to remember my intent here of placing plenty under a spiritual microscope to merely visit modes of deconstruction and analysis for study and (formal) practice possibilities, not as a general normalized mode of living. And while I go into minute details pertaining to this sutta please keep in mind it’s likely more helpful not to keep considering this sutta in isolation but within the broader context of the Buddha’s (other) teachings.
Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For February 2022
Sangha, criticism, the two truths, service to others, emptiness, generosity, conduct, non-clinging, non-harming, energy, the three unwholesome roots, and clarity round out the main topics for February 2022, month six of “The Pāramitā Challenge”. See also Months 1-3, Month 4 and 5. Instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions toContinue reading “Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For February 2022”
Being Seen. Being Heard. Being In Silence, Eyes Closed.
On Sunday January 23 I did the above titled Insight Timer live event with this description: What does it mean to really be seen? Really be heard? To be in silence with closed eyes? Which of these is crying out the most for more nourishment from you & from/for those in your life? Let’s takeContinue reading “Being Seen. Being Heard. Being In Silence, Eyes Closed.”
Multi-month Pāramitā (Perfections) Challenge For January 2022
Meditation, concentration, contemplation, intoxicating substances, cravings, awakening, wisdom, and future Buddhahood round out the main topics for month five of “The Pāramitā Challenge” in January 2022. See also Months 1-3 and Month 4.
In addition to contemplating topics about the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, this challenge also includes precepts, the (10 Abodes from the) 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.
Instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions to be generous, moral and ethical while arousing faith in the Triple Gem then seeing where/when confident and where/when in doubt.
What are thoughts? Are dreams like thoughts?
The January 11, 2022 Insight Timer live event description explaining the title questions: Let’s powwow for 30 minutes or so on these two questions from my “Distortions and Dreams” event to address any parallels between thoughts and dreams. We may even do some mindfulness of thinking meditation To save time, the short answer is IContinue reading “What are thoughts? Are dreams like thoughts?”
Multi-month Pāramitā (Attainments/Perfections) Challenge For December 2021
Apparently November 2021 was a break so December is month 4 of “The Pāramitā Challenge” (which I previously wrote and spoke on the first three months.)
In addition to contemplating topics about the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, this challenge also includes precepts, the (10 Abodes from the) 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.
Instructions are to journal contemplations resulting from observed intentions, opportunities, and actions to be generous, moral and ethical while arousing faith in the Triple Gem then seeing where/when confident and where/when in doubt.
This month includes the Pāramitā on diligence, the Right Speech precept (also doubling as a past Insight Timer live event) and the middle stages of the 10 Abodes from the 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva.
Integrating Presence 