Tag Archives: practice

January 2021 Insight Timer Live Events: Smiling, Thoughts/Dreams, Interviewing And Really Being Seen And Heard

See full post for links on how to attend:

*(Authentic) Smiling (Practice)*
Revel in the power of real life smiles discussed virtually (for 15 minutes or longer perhaps). I invite participants to share smiles and experiences as I relate a somewhat brief formal practice of smiling on near daily walks a couple of years ago. — 10:00am Central – Thursday, January 6th

*What are thoughts? Are dreams like thoughts?*
Let’s powwow for 30 minutes or so on these two questions from my “Distortions and Dreams” event and also address the other question: What are the parallel between thoughts and dreams? We may even do some mindfulness of thinking meditation — 9:00pm Central – Monday, January 10th

*Live Meditation From Fat Cat Longevity* — 6:00pm Central – Wednesday, January 12th

*Interview Me (or Ask Any Kind Of Question About Anything)*
For 15 minutes (or more) I challenge myself into the awkward waters of not talking much until participants interview me or ask about anything. It’s also OK just to spectate. Example starter question: what’s something you’d like to ask someone, anyone, but for whatever reason have chosen not to (yet) — 12:00pm Central – Wednesday, January 19th

*Being Seen. Being Heard. Being in Silence, Eyes Closed.*
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 take 15 minutes or so to bounce these around with perhaps some mindfulness of hearing & seeing meditation — 2:00pm Central –Sunday, January 23rd

Review And Instruction Suggestions For The Four Postures Meditations (Live Recordings From Two Insight Timer Live Events)

This is an edit of two 15 minute Insight Timer Live events at 11am and 11pm Central on November 10th, 2021 about instruction suggestions for meditating with the four main postures of sitting, standing, lying down and walking. This was inspired by a request for walking meditation instructions during my recent months’ silent Insight TimerContinue reading “Review And Instruction Suggestions For The Four Postures Meditations (Live Recordings From Two Insight Timer Live Events)”

December 2021 Insight Timer Live Events: Eye Gazing; Mindfulness of Speaking; Distortions & Dreams;

*(Virtual) Eye Gazing*
Grab a partner or gaze into my virtual eyes while I gaze at the camera and we chat about the ins and outs, ups and downs, and knowns and unknowns of this beneficial yet sometimes intense interaction — Thursday December 9 – 3:33 pm Central

*Distortions and Dreams*
A 15 minute side glance at making New Years resolutions by exploring the barraging of barriers of distortions and the ups and downs of (some) dreams — Thursday December 16 – 6:00 pm Central

*Mindfulness of Speaking*
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it helpful? Is it the right time? For 30 minutes we’ll explore these guidelines for wise and skillful speech and share stories, challenges, insights and do some practice — Monday December 20 – 6:00 pm Central

Practice-In-Place Roundtable | (10/26/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guests Lydia Grace and Joanne Muir)

For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny and I hosted a open roundtable on “Practice-in-place” with fellow Insight Timer teacher Lydia Grace and Joanne Muir. The term “Practice-in-place” comes as a wise meditative response to “Shelter-in-place” induced by reactions to Co-V.

While we touch on many topics we mainly discuss ramifications in now using more technology in our practices and sessions.

Questions To Assess The Office Of The Director of National Intelligence’s ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Assessment Report’

[4/9/2022 UPDATE: Pentagon releases 1,500 pages of secret documents about shadowy UFO programme after four year battle https://www.the-sun.com/news/5053632/us-government-releases-1500-pages-secret-documents-ufo-programme and https://www.livescience.com/ufo-report-human-biological-injuries and some claiming all these documents available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lL1b6yHJ_A7bnNEANhKq2w9Y0uuieWh4%5D I previously wrote about preparing the general public for mass disclosure, how such a thing may be gone about, and some of the questions, challenges andContinue reading “Questions To Assess The Office Of The Director of National Intelligence’s ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Assessment Report’”

Towards Everyday Implementation Of The Universal Beautiful Mental Factors

Dhamma and meditation teacher Beth Upton — who’s other chats I’ve posted — recently held a three part event with Dharma Gates called “Truth, Suffering and Liberation”. I’ve edited out most everything except my responses to Beth’s questions and her responses to me so please watch the full video at the end of this post especially if requiring more context.

Beth read an excerpt of the Aggañña Sutta about the origin of human kind on planet earth then linked our suffering, caused by the defilements (dramatic depicted in the sutta) to the Buddha’s antidote: the The Universal Beautiful Mental Factors (sobhanasādhāraṇa). Beth then offered a short teaching followed by a guided meditation and discussion on her condensed and more practical version of these Mental Factors from the Abhidhamma which are:
• Faith
• Mindfulness
• Non-greed
• Non-hatred
• Morality
• Balance
• Tranquility
• Lightness
• Softness
• Flexibility
• Uprightness/Authenticity/Truthfulness
• Proficiency

This post includes my responses (in an edited video) to Beth’s group-guiding questions along with a few new written responses.

Breath: Questions for Contemplation; Perceptions and Practice Ideas

March 13, 2023 Update: Part 2 of this Breath: Questions for Contemplation; Perceptions and Practice Ideas is now available for purchase on Insight Timer as the five-day Progressive Breath Awareness Booster course and is entirely free for Plus members (which includes a 1-month free trial). Day one is free for everyone: https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/progressive-breath-awareness-booster or the easy toContinue reading “Breath: Questions for Contemplation; Perceptions and Practice Ideas”

Sub-commentary for ‘A Blueprint of Enlightenment: A Contemporary Commentary on Dōgen Zenji’s “Gokudō Yōjinshū” (Guidelines for Studying the Way)’ by Gien Inoue

At Confluence Zen Center’s recent five year anniversary gathering and book signing in Maplewood, Missouri, I picked up a copy of A Blueprint of Enlightenment: A Contemporary Commentary on Dōgen Zenji’s Gokudō Yōjinshū (Guidelines for Studying the Way) by Gien Inoue translated by Daigaku Rummé and Keiko Ohmae. [Also available via Amazon.] Having attending ConfluenceContinue reading “Sub-commentary for ‘A Blueprint of Enlightenment: A Contemporary Commentary on Dōgen Zenji’s “Gokudō Yōjinshū” (Guidelines for Studying the Way)’ by Gien Inoue”

Why We Practice | (8/25/2020 — Introducing: ‘Ask Us Anything’ With Denny K Miu)

This “pilot” of sorts called ‘Ask Us Anything’ marks the start of a monthly, open-audience, open-discussion with co-host Denny K Miu mostly about meditation practices and related topics. Our format isn’t set in stone, but it may gel more over time. We may invite guests. Audience members may talk more. We may freestyle with zeroContinue reading “Why We Practice | (8/25/2020 — Introducing: ‘Ask Us Anything’ With Denny K Miu)”