Amidst so many changes and so much loss this year, many of us are grieving. We may be grieving the loss of a loved one, of our own health, of a job, or even a way of life. Come gather in community to explore how we can meet our grief with tenderness, create space to mourn and heal, and draw strength from our longing.
(Please note that this live stream experienced some technical difficulties, so the recording has been edited accordingly.)
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In challenging situations, we can lose our ground. Not knowing what to rely on, we are liable to reactivity, either withdrawing or lashing out. Fear and anger are very human reactions to what we perceive as injustice or threat. While there is no need to condemn us for experiencing them, our hearts might yearn for…
This week’s topic is “Deepening and Developing Unconditional Friendliness”. Metta, translated as unconditional friendliness, is a powerful and transformative attitude. When we relate to ourselves, others and experience with metta, reactivity and ill being dissolve and wisdom and wellbeing grow. During this week of practice we will deepen the practice and application of metta, as well as the understanding of how it impacts experience.
This week’s theme is: Identifying the Many Masks of the Inner Critic
Often we think of the inner critic as the constant nagging inner discourse which dismisses our good qualities, questions our lovability, and our potential for goodness. Being a master/mistress of disguise, the inner critic takes on many forms; it wraps our decision making process in veils of doubt, pushes us into compulsive activity, traps us in paralysis, and distorts our views on others.
Luckily, the Dharma path offers us tools to meet this painful heart-mind dynamic. This week we will practice summoning qualities like wisdom, kindness, equanimity, concentration, appreciation, compassion and inquiry, in order to meet our inner critic in a skilful way.
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The Suttas, Sutras and Shastras tell us that we can dislodge and extinguish what the deluded mind has created. There is a common thread through them all… we should realize the emptiness of all conditioned phenomenon. Let’s step into this discussion together to look deeper into the mind that realizes emptiness as the gateway to…
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The great Black American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder once sang, “Love’s in need of love today.” His words couldn’t be more true as we face a global community struggling with war, poverty, illness, climate instability, and the rise of political authorities and governments who do not seem to be grounded in compassion or kindness….
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Many are referring to this time as apocalyptic. Fair enough. It can seem as though everywhere we turn a dismantling of some sort is in the works. While we might intellectually feel able to embrace the change upon us, for many it can be easy to fall into overwhelm, hopelessness, even despair. What do the…
In this week of practice, we will follow the Buddha’s advice to tune into the oneness of our existence and the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and space. Practising in this way can nourish a sense of groundedness, freedom, and belonging-while opening pathways to collectedness, joy, and insight.
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Finding a comfortable body posture when meditating is a crucial element in our practice. We can use our bodies as a way of experiencing change and impermanence. In this session, we will be looking at ways to make our bodies comfortable for meditation – both standing (if appropriate for your body) and sitting. We will…