samadhi practice

from Dining Room at the BCBS (2011/02)

The next four months I'll be exploring and sharing the practice of samadhi. As well as reading the blog and tweets, you are invited to participate by joining one of the online groups for deepening practice and attending our retreats.

Our practice themes will include, in order:

• What is Meditation?
• Mindfulness of Body
• Mindfulness of Feeling
• Mindfulness of Mind
• Mindfulness of Mental Objects
• Jhana
• Brahma Viharas
• Right Effort
• Working with Mental States

These themes follow the structure of the Integrated Study and Practice Program offered by the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. They will enrich work we have already done and encourage deeper investigation.

highest blessings

If you find any one of these blessings in your life dwell with it awhile. What will arise is gratitude in the heart. Just choose one - or one at a time. Some may not apply to you, may not even seem like blessings. In this case just skip over. Recognizing any in your life is an acceptance of that blessing. Paying attention to blessings naturally facilitates their further arising, their increase and their deepening.


These are the Highest Blessings

For all those who are concerned for happiness
and ever long for peace,
what are the Highest Blessings?


avoiding those of foolish ways
associating with the wise
and honoring those worthy of honor

These are the Highest Blessings


living in places with of suitable kinds
with the fruits of past good deeds
and guided by the rightful way

These are the Highest Blessings


accomplished in learning and craftsman skills
with discipline, highly trained
and speech that is true and pleasant to hear

These are the Highest Blessings


providing for mother and father's support
and cherishing family
and ways of work that harm no being

These are the Highest Blessings


giving with dharma [Truth, Integrity] in heart
offering help to relatives and kin
and acting in ways that leave no blame

These are the Highest Blessings


steadfast in restraint and shunning evil ways
avoiding intoxicants that dull the mind
and heedfulness in all things that arise

These are the Highest Blessings


respectfulness and humble ways
contentment and gratitude
and hearing the dharma [truth, wisdom] frequently taught

These are the Highest Blessings


patience and willingness to accept one's faults
seeing venerated seekers of the truth
and sharing often the words of dharma

These are the Highest Blessings


the holy life lived with ardent effort
seeing for oneself the noble truths
and the realization of nibbana [freedom]

These are the Highest Blessings


although involved in worldly ways
unshaken the mind remains
and beyond all sorrows spotless, secure

These are the Highest Blessings


they who live by following this path
know victory wherever they go
everyplace for them is safe

These are the Highest Blessings


Mangala Sutta - to hear the monks of Abhayagiri Monastery chant the Highest Blessings follow this link  http://www.abhayagiri.org/medium/highest_blessings_2009/

destiny remains our choice

"Our destiny remains our choice." 
Barack Obama State of the Union 20110125

I had a message from a friend, Solange, suggesting we consider a day a month without electronic devices. We did this a few times when our son was growing up. These were very beautiful days. They deepened and enriched our relationships.

Pulling the plugs (in various ways) are opportunities to stop and see what is happening right now.  We can't all get away for retreats, but we can bring some retreating into our lives. Every time we do so we see something new. We see the beauty in small things. We see things that have been bothering us that we couldn't even notice because we were so busy. With some unplugged days, we can reorient our lives before stepping again into the flow. Stepping in with greater awareness and with broader vision, less deluded by the appearance of things.