Charlotte Center For Mindfulness // Podcasts

Please join me for a short contemplation and practice with a poem from John Welwood: Forget About Enlightenment Sit down wherever you are And listen to the wind singing in your veins. Feel the love, the longing, the fear in your bones. Open your heart to who you are, right now, Not who you would like to be, Not the saint you are striving to become, But the being right here before you, inside you, around you. All of you is holy. You are already more and less Than whatever you can know. Breathe out, Touch in, Let go. By: John Welwood

The 4th Noble Truth is all about a path that leads out of suffering. At its essence, it is about developing skillful habits, named in the Eightfold Way, that support us in living a life that brings greater well-being, and ultimately has the potential to lead to the end of suffering. Today is an overview perspective, and next week we begin to look into the details.

In this practice, we start with allowing a settling to the system with use of a primary anchor and then move to practicing with a changing moment by moment choiceless awareness.

Today we use the anchor of the breath to explore an expanding stability and continuity of awareness that supports our life.

Today we look at a very practical application of the first 3 Noble Truths. This is through the lens of Judson Brewer’s model of shifting gears for understanding our stress inducing habits.

Join me for a short sharing and meditation from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, True Love: We have to learn the art of transforming compost and flowers. Look at the flower: it is beautiful, it is fragrant, it is pure; but if you look deeply you can already see the compost in the flower. With meditation, you can see that already. If you do not meditate, you will have to wait 10 days to be able to see that. You look deeply at the garbage heap with the eye of a meditator, you can see lettuce, tomatoes, flowers. That is exactly what the gardener sees when he looks at the garbage heap, and that is why he does not throw away his waste materials. A little bit of practice is all you need to be able to transform the garbage heap into compost and the compost into flowers. The same is true of our mental formations, which include flowers like faith, hope, understanding, and love; but there’s also waste material like fear and pain. The flowers on its way to becoming refuse, but the refuse is also on its way to becoming a flower. This is the non-dual duality principle… : There is nothing to throw away.

Please join me for this shorter sharing and meditation recorded from the Monday Mid-day Meditation. Today I draw from Philip Simmon’s book, Learning to Fall: We have all heard poems, songs, and prayers that exhort us to see God in a blade of grass, a drop of dew, a child’s eyes, or the petals of a flower. Now when I hear such things I say that’s too easy. Our greater challenge is to see God not only in the eyes of the suffering child but in the suffering itself. To thank God for the sunset pink clouds over Red Hill — but also for the mosquitoes I must fan from my face while watching the clouds. To thank God for broken bones and broken hearts, for everything that opens us to the mystery of our humanness. The challenge is to stand at the sink with your hands in the dishwater, fuming over a quarrel with your spouse, children at your back clamoring for attention, the radio blatting the bad news from Bosnia, and to say “God is here, now, in this room, here in this dishwater, in this dirty spoon.” Don’t talk to me about flowers and sunshine and waterfalls: this is the ground, here, now, in all that is ordinary and imperfect, this is the ground in which life sows the seeds of our fulfillment. The imperfect is our paradise. Let us pray, then, that we do not shun the struggle. May we attend with mindfulness, generosity, and compassion to all that is broken in our lives. May we live fully in each flawed and too human moment, and thereby gain the victory.

I recently finished a retreat in which every meditation started with the instruction to “get comfortable.” In this practice today, we experientially explore the wisdom and compassion of this teaching in all moments of practice.

In continuing our exploration of the 4 Noble Truths, we move on today to the 3rd Noble Truth– there is a path out of our suffering. Teacher Ajahn Sumedho says this about studying the 3rd Noble Truth: Do not feel as though you have to embrace any particular teacher’s interpretation of [the 3rd Noble Truth]. Instead, let it be an open question, a mystery, and live the question: what is possible in the way of freedom for me, right now, in this moment, just as I am.

We finish our exploration of the 2nd Noble Truth today, a foundational teaching of Buddhist psychology (which is how I relate to these teachings– a beautiful study of the mind that is infinitely practical for learning how we can let go of suffering). In today’s session, I draw again from Phillip Moffit’s book, Dancing with Life.

The Second Noble Truth states that the most proximal cause of our suffering is clinging, craving or greed. In this talk, we look at the importance of orienting ourselves with curiosity and interest in growth as opposed to self-judgment for being “greedy.” Understanding what is underneath the reactivity of greed can allow the natural responsiveness of heart to support the need for growth and change.

In this meditation, we move through the senses and body to ground our awareness in heart and Earth. At one point, I name what is on the exact opposite side of the Earth from where I sit in Charlotte NC, USA. If you are somewhere else and want to know for your location, here is a place you can find out: Antipodes Map

We continue our exploration of the 4 Noble Truths, a foundational teaching of Buddhism. These teachings are a powerful study of the mind– what causes suffering and what relieves suffering. An old story called the Monk and the Samurai makes a great introduction to the 2nd Noble Truth.

The 2nd Noble Truth is that the most proximal cause of suffering is clinging. Sitting meditation is a powerful place to explore ways in which this might be true for you and how to work with the clinging mind.

This week I share a talk I gave for a program from Temple Beth El. The invitation was to talk about healing the mind from religious, spiritual and mindfulness perspectives.

This week we we continue our exploration of the First Noble Truth through a story from Rachel Naomi Remen’s My Grandfather’s Blessing. In this story she draws on 3 useful questions which she suggests short daily contemplation: What surprised me today? What moved me or touched me today? What inspired me today?

From guest leader Colleen Faltus: In this week’s meditation we explore the wisdom of the body. As Valerie Kaur says, “One of the most vigilant spiritual practices is finding the seconds of solitude to get quiet enough to hear the wise person inside us.” Quieting our inner and outer worlds provides the much needed peace and calm to hear the wise words of our bodies. In this session, we explore how to tap into our inner wisdom and listen carefully to what our bodies are telling us.

Today we had a guest speaker, Colleen Faltus, who shared beautiful resources for using our breath, body or movement for tapping into the wisdom of the body.

Today we start our exploration of the Four Noble Truths with the first one– in life, there is suffering. While seemingly simple and straightforward on the surface, learning to reckon with this truth has a radical potential for transforming how we meet life in all of its complexities and realities.

The teacher asked his students, does it hurt more to be shot by one arrow or two? Of course, two. The first is what has already arisen, what is unavoidably already here. The second is the one we shoot into ourselves in reaction to the first. In this meditation, we use an anchor for grounding and support for exploring opening with wisdom and kindness to the first without contracting into a suffering story of the second.

In our continued exploration of Buddhist psychology, today we explore the myth story of the Buddha’s life and how it relates directly to understanding our own personal causes of suffering and the path to our healing.1-13-21

We need to look deeply in order to see our true nature and the true nature of the Earth. We need to look deeply to see that we are the Earth. With this insight, love will be born. Our love and understanding will heal us and heal the Earth. -Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh offers beautiful “Touching the Earth” meditation practices. This meditation is a modified version.

This meditation offers an invitation to explore 2 of the “Three Marks of Existence”– impermanence and the interrelatedness of impermanent arisings.

In this sharing, we look at the last of the 3 Marks of Existence– the reality of suffering in life. This is so easily misunderstood as pessimistic or a negative view on life. But in practice, when we follow the radical potential in this teaching, we begin to understand how a clear, wise seeing of suffering present is a natural doorway to compassion.

In this talk, we explore what’s referred as one of the three “mark of existence,” the concept of non-self. We look at it through the lens of a translation that I prefer, “nothing exists in and of itself, without dependencies,” and in particular not only on the widened ethics that arise naturally through this understanding, but also a certain quality of joy that opens to us when we understand the world and all that is in it in this way.

In this meditation, using the breath, we explore the quote “nothing exists in and of itself, without dependencies.”

Today we start with a short vignette on dandelions from Anthony de Mello’s book “The Song of the Bird, followed by a sharing by Michael J Fox and how he works with having Parkinson’s. I don’t look at life as a battle or as a fight. I don’t think I’m scrappy. I’m accepting. I say “living with” or “working through” Parkinson’s. Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation — it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it. I look at it like I am a fluid that’s finding the fissures and cracks and flowing through. … Optimism is really rooted in gratitude. Optimism is sustainable when you keep coming back to gratitude, and what follows from there is acceptance. Acceptance that this thing has happened, and you accept it for what it is. It doesn’t mean you can’t endeavor to change. It doesn’t mean you have to accept is a punishment or penance, but just put it in its proper place. Then see how much the rest of your life you have to thrive in, and then you can move on. Michael J Fox

Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation — it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it. I look at it like I am a fluid that’s finding the fissures and the cracks and flowing through. -Michael J Fox

Today we explore the old story of Two Monks and the Lady as a way of deepening our understanding painful ruminating thought and how to cut through that habit.

It is very helpful to begin to see how the unconscious mind categorizes all moments in some version of pleasant, unpleasant or neither pleasant or unpleasant, also called feeling tones. If we are not aware of this process, then the feeling tone can set off a cascade of reactivity. Learning to catch the feeling tone of any given moment opens the possibility of a choice in how to respond to any feeling tone arising. This meditation practices with learning to see into the feeling tone of any moment.

In this sharing, I draw from Shinzen Young’s teachings on equanimity as non-self-interference and a radical permission to feel. We look at this in very practical ways of what does this mean for a moment of tangled reactivity and how to work in real life with these concepts with some skillfulness. When feelings are experienced with equanimity, they assume their proper function as motivators and directors of behavior as opposed to driving and distorting behavior. – Shinzen Young  

In this practice, we open to letting thoughts be thoughts, feelings be feelings, body sensations be body sensations without adding to a story about any of them. This practice is very useful for learning a skillfulness with untangling our reactivity in life.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters is a much beloved poem from Portia Nelson. In my years of working with this poem, my understanding of it has radically changed, and that has been so helpful with orientating myself in a useful way with the world as it is: I I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in. I am lost … I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out. II I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place but, it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out. III I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in … it’s a habit. my eyes are open I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. IV I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. V I walk down another street. -Portia Nelson My additional chapter: III I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in … it’s a habit. my eyes are open I know where I am. It is my fault. It still takes a long time to get out. Eyes open in the darkness of the hole is often where the deepest learning is possible…  

In this meditation, we practice with opening the sense doors– sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and mind– for grounding practice.

This meditation draws from a poem by Mary Oliver, I Have Decided: I have decided to find myself a home in the mountains, somewhere high up where one learns to live peacefully in the cold and the silence. It’s said that in such a place certain revelations may be discovered. That what the spirit reaches for may be eventually felt, if not exactly understood. Slowly, no doubt. I’m not talking about a vacation. Of course, at the same time I mean to stay exactly where I am. Are you following me?  

In this podcast episode, I draw from a beautiful book called, Learning To Fall, by Phillip Simmons. Simmons was diagnosed with ALS at age 35 and given 5 years to live. He wrote this book at 9 years on the “blessings of an imperfect life.”

In this meditation, we start with standing movements to release tension and connect with breath and body. This is followed by a short sitting practice.

This week we look deeper at the movement from worry to care– worry, as a fear based reactivity and care, as a wise strong compassionate connected responsiveness. This movement is a powerful support in challenging times. I share Joseph Bruchac’s version of The Chenoo, a story of a man-eating ice giant from the far north and a young woman who faced him, as a metaphor for understanding both the reactivity and responsive sides of ourselves and where our deepest strength lies. When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see, or hear, or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate. Peace that rises triumphant over war. Injustice that proves more powerful than greed. So, in all that you do in all of your life, I wish you the strength and the grace to make those choices which will allow you and your neighbor to become the best whoever you are. Fred Rogers    

In this talk, we explore practices to support ourselves in the midst of a challenging Election. These include resourcing in the good, intentional planning with media consumption and practicing with “Don’t Know Mind.” Here are some of resources I would like to share: How to Survive Election Night and Beyond: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/election-day-toolkit/ Stability in the Storm, A Pre-Election Day Meditation Sit with Sharon Salzberg, Mon 11/2 at 7p: https://www.dharma.org/spe20/ Don’t Know Mind and the Election of Our Lives: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/dont-know-mind-election/

In this final week before the Election, grounding and resourcing practice can be an important support to our well-being. This meditation starts with some gentle stretching and then moves into a sitting practice. Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace. – Fredrick Buechner

For this short sharing and meditation, please have some small bit of food available, such as a couple of raisins. Contemplations before eating from Thich Nhat Hanh: This food is a gift of the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard and loving work. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive this food. May we recognize and transform unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed and learn to eat with moderation. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet. We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, build our Sangha, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.

Excerpt from St Francis and the Sow, by Galway Kinnell The bud stands for all things, even for those things that don’t flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness, to put a hand on the brow of the flower and retell it in words and in touch it is lovely until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing.

In this sharing I explore lessons from both the Virginia International Raceway and Thich Nhat Hanh on opening to life well in all conditions. The Two Promises from Thich Nhat Hanh: I vow to develop understanding in order to live peacefully with people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to develop my compassion in order to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals.

This is a shorter sharing and practice with the sound of silence. This is a practice that has been offered in many meditation and spiritual traditions from around the world. Much of my sharing is drawn from a book by British monk, Ajahn Amaro called “Inner Listening.” The book is a lovely short read that is available for free download at: Inner Listening

In this longer combined talk and meditation, we will more deeply explore the practice sometimes called “the sound of silence.” It is a practice that has been offered in many meditation and spiritual traditions from around the world. Much of my sharing is drawn from a book by British monk, Ajahn Amaro called “Inner Listening.” The book is a lovely short read that is available for free download at: Inner Listening  

Jack Kornfield offers the observation that at the end of life, our questions become very simple– Did I live fully? Did I love well? Meditation becomes a opportunity to learn to live into these questions now.    

We think sometimes of compassion as a quality that we “should” be accessing if we are “good.” There is a totally different way of understanding compassion instead as that quality of being that brings us sanity, strength, courage and even ease in the midst of difficult situations.

There is a radical freedom offered in practice when we learn to open in all conditions. From the book, “Thoreau’s Ecstatic Witness,” comes this account of Henry Thoreau from his sister, Sophia, in his last couple of months before dying of tuberculosis in his early forties: One friend, as if by way of consolation, said to him, “well, Mr. Thoreau, we must all go.” Henry replied, “when I was a very little boy I learned that I must die, and I set that down, so of course I am not disappointed now. Death is as near to you as it is to me.” … I feel like saying that Henry was never affected, never reached by it. I never before saw such a manifestation of the power of spirit over matter. Very often I heard him tell his visitors that he enjoyed existence as well as ever. He remarked to me that there was as much comfort and peace in perfect disease as in perfect health, .… The thought of death, he said, could not begin to trouble him.

It is very helpful to feel into how a true open mindfulness or loving awareness doesn’t discriminate or have preferences for what it is knowing in awareness. In this practice, we explore feeling into the relationship of loving awareness, preference and no-preference.

Join me for this short reflection and meditation on the usefulness of goodwill in challenging times.