The pitch for this minimally edited February 16, 2023 Insight Timer live event: I invite participants and expats to share travel wisdom while I share what I’ve noticed about Denmark so far comparing and contrasting with the United States where I’ve lived my whole life. Then using all this to explore how to leverage suchContinue reading “Podcast | Travel And Moving To Expand Perception And Awareness”
Tag Archives: samatha
Meditation Support Language: Some Alternatives For “Ignore”
Samatha is one meditation method, training or technique for cultivating samadhi. Sometimes samatha instructions are given to “ignore” everything except the meditation object in order to build the muscle of being able to focus on, place attention on, and then remain on a single meditation object for long periods of time with the intent toContinue reading “Meditation Support Language: Some Alternatives For “Ignore””
What Is Meditation? | 11/2/2022 “Meditation Q & A With Wendy Nash” #02
We primarily address what meditation actually is while spiraling up, around and back on this topic to also include, amongst others: examples of what is and isn’t meditation; mind training; intention; familiarity with the mind; heart qualities; wisdom; aspiration; samatha; ego; Chittamatra or Yogācāra via the statement “emotions are thoughts”; scoundrels; conceit; foolishness; belonging; emotional mirroring; etc.
Podcast | 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.
Podcast | 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.
Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 6
For the (early) non-personal Buddhist symbol of a lotus, why is it said a blue one can’t be used? Are there any trickster(s) (archetypes) in Buddhism? Perhaps Mara or Devadatta? Why or why not? Can techniques leading to a non-dual state also provide a condition for susceptibility to unwholesome mind control especially if and whenContinue reading “Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 6”
Podcast | Multi-month Pāramitā (Attainments/Perfections) Challenge For August, September And October 2021
When presented with “The Pāramitā Challenge” I accepted and here we are. In addition to the Pāramitās or Perfections, so far, the challenge also includes precepts and the 52 Stages of the Bodhisattva Path and Bodhisattva vows.
So far, 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.
I’ve not taken Bodhisattva vows, and so with little instruction in Mahāyāna Buddhism, apart from maybe a smidgen of the zen stuff, there’s the benefit of beginner’s mind is a nice way to put it. I shoot from the hip with a lot in this recording and will often use a Theravada lens and a lot of inquiry as I ponder out loud. It may come off at times as criticism and sometimes it may actually be, but these are mostly solo efforts at summonings what is really meant by the material.
Materiality And Mentality | (7/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guest Beth Upton)
For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything LIVE” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny and I chat with meditation teacher Beth Upton most significantly about the Dependent Origination link Nāmarūpa, or Materiality and Mentality, which, according to Wikipedia, is “used in Buddhism to refer to the constituents of aContinue reading “Materiality And Mentality | (7/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guest Beth Upton)”
Chán, Zen And Yi Jin Jing | (3/30/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)
For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny and I reprise Zen, dig into Chán and primarily present Yi Jin Jing in light of its importance for linking body and mind. Show notes are as follows: (From Denny with the bulk of his notesContinue reading “Chán, Zen And Yi Jin Jing | (3/30/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)”
Integrating Presence 