Appamada

Join us on Monday nights: https://appamada.org/main-calendar Luzu Faces the Wall: Case: Whenever Luzu saw a monk coming, he would immediately face the wall. Nanquan, hearing of this, said, "I usually tell them to realize mastery before the empty aeon, to understand before the buddhas appear in the world; still I haven't found one or a half. Luzu that way will go on till the year of ass.”

00:00:20 - Dharma Talk - Trust 00:24:49 - Laurie Offers a Dharma Activity 00:25:54 - Participants sit for 3 minutes, then share for 2 minutes each (Groups of 3) ( minutes total) 00:26:06 - Laurie Invites Feedback

“Losing the Trail” ~Noah Charney. These Trees Tell a Story: The Art of Reading Landscapes. Yale University Press; New Haven and London: 2023. Pages 25-26. Following the trail is the easiest way to be lost. Sure, that trail might takes us to a preordained destination faster, but we’ll have no idea where we are when we get there. While we’re on the trail, we lose track of what’s around us and where we are in space—we are lost. We put our trust in the trail, ceding responsibility. We give up our awareness, our senses, our minds. Our interface with the landscape boils down to just two numbers: the total length of the trail and the distance we’ve traveled. Staring at the path a few feet in front of us, we are not fully engaged with the surrounding world. Step off that path and suddenly we have to look up. Look at the shape of the land and decide how steeply we want to climb. Look at the trees in the distance and pick a target to walk toward. Keep looking behind so that we will recognize the forest when we en

2024-08-26 | Depth In Practice | Book of Serenity-Case 22 Yantou's “Bow and Shout” | Thomas Cleary by Appamada

Dharma Teachings for us today: • Suffering and dissatisfaction are woven into the fabric of life - of losing and finding/breathing in - breathing out • Freedom and beauty are equally woven into the fabric of life - of losing and finding/breathing in - breathing out • The liberating realizations of the Buddha ~ everything changes and everything is interdependent - help us understand this weaving and this fabric - which is nothing more than losing and finding/breathing in - breathing out • All of this is already being lived out in every moment whether we notice it or not. The reality of life is just this everyday living, and when we can relinquish our small, individual perspectives we are better able to offer our care in the world — losing and finding/breathing in - breathing out

2024-08-19 | Depth In Practice | Book of Serenity-Case 21 Yunyan Sweeps the Ground | Thomas Cleary by Appamada

2024-08-18 | Dharma Talk | Great Expectations | Ann Lipscomb 00:00:26 - Dharma Talk - Great expectations 00:20:09 - Ann Offers the Dharma Activity 00:22:41 - Participants get into pairs for 22 minutes - 2 minute sit - 5 minutes to write - 15 minutes to share 00:22:51 - Ann Invites Feedback

Beautyland: A Novel: Marie-Helen Bertino

00:00:26 - The Universe Loves a Good Question 00:07:11 - Sitting with Joko Beck 00:09:10 - Reflections 00:18:14 - Ellen continues with the Dharma Talk 00:28:27 - Questions: 1/What has been a question that has guided your practice? 2/What has been your experience of asking questions?

2024-08-12 | Depth in Practice | Noble Truths, Noble Path | Bhikkhu Bodhi by Appamada

The way is long – let us go together; the way is difficult – let us help each other; the way is joyful – let us share it; the way is ours alone – let us go in love; the way grows before us – let us begin. R: recognize A: accept I: investigate N: non-identification

00:00:48 - Becky opens up the session 00:12:18 - Becky invites people to briefly share their experience with singing 00:29:07 - Becky leads everyone in singing 'Simply Breathe' 00:35:27 - Reflections on singing 'Simply Breathe' together 00:42:43 - Sitting for 30 minutes 00:43:19 - Becky leads everyone in singing The Four Practice Principles 00:45:53 - Becky begins to bring the class to a close - and invites reflections

00:00:26 - Dharma Talk - ‘Moshan Lioran- The Mountain and the Path’ 00:11:04 - Sitting Together - 'Like a Mountain' 00:14:47 - Koan - Guanxi Xian 00:21:34 - Jessica Invites Thoughts and Discussion

2024-08-05 | Depth in Practice | Noble Truths, Noble Path | Bhikkhu Bodhi by Appamada

2024-07-30 I Inquiry I Loving our Mortality I Suzanne Kilkus by Appamada

2024-07-29 | Depth in Practice | Noble Truths, Noble Path | Bhikkhu Bodhi by Appamada

2024-07-23 I Inquiry I Coming Home I Trudy Johnston by Appamada

2024-07-22 | Depth in Practice | Noble Truths, Noble Path | Bhikkhu Bodh by Appamada

00:01:14 - Poem - What is Our Life About - By Ezra Bayda (see Below) 00:17:39 - Laurie Explains the Dharma Activity (see Below on YouTube) 00:19:34 - Participants go into pairs for 26 minutes Exercise Get into pairs. Decide who will speak first Each person will take 10-15 minutes to do the clinging exercise separately Each person will share their experience of the exercise with the other for 5 minutes. Return to group 1. Think of a time (it could be now when you were caught in the illusion of a separate self. Not the worst situation, something small. 2. Notice the clinging that arises. Recall without judgment your feelings sensations. and state of mind 3. Practice letting go by relaxing the tightening of the mind and body. It is a relaxing of your grasp on how you want things to be. Say to yourself, "I don’t need things to be my way. don’t need them to be any way….content either way, because no matter what happens, the universe is truly divine 1. Notice the clinging that arises. Recall

Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment, and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. ~David Whyte