Seattle Insight Meditation Society

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. 

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. 

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. 

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life.

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. 

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. 

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life.

The path of awakening emphasizes both inner development and the embodiment of that understanding in every area of our life. Christina answers questions related to the 4th lecture. (Note: only Christina's answers are included; she repeats or refers to the question before she responds.)

This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/702/Default.aspx

When many of us think of love we think of compassion, but love has many faces, compassion being just one of them. Compassion is the natural response of love to suffering, and love is the warm hearted connection with everything. In order for love to continue its compassionate response, we have to allow suffering to be experienced. If we turn away, love’s response will be obstructed by our aversion, and we will act from our aversive response rather than our compassionate one. Like all openings to love, compassion requires our stillness of being, which to the ego feels like being defenseless and vulnerable. The ego would rather move toward reaction than be defenseless, so it breeds hostility and indignation as its counter response to suffering. This puts “us” back into control and then “we” set out to do something about this outrage. But if we forestall this fear reaction and sit for a while within the vulnerability and stillness of suffering, a truer and more interconnected response emerges. We realize that the world is broken apart by a 1000 acts of righteousness but comes together only through love. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/700/Default.aspx

Class 5 in a series of 5 classes with Steve Armstrong, assisted by Vance Pryor. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/701/Default.aspx

Class 4 in a series of 5 classes with Steve Armstrong, assisted by Vance Pryor. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/699/Default.aspx

Listening is a direct link to the heart, but it is often used in the service of the mind. Listening can be defined as meditation since the definition of meditation is receiving whatever is arising. So formal meditation is essentially identical to listening, but listening can be internal only, external only, or internal and external at the same time. Simultaneous internal and external listening is essential when we listen to one another. We have to be able to know the difference between what we hear (external) and what we think (internal), and that requires practice and intention. This is especially tricky in conversation when our commentary is running along side the verbal message coming in. Yet it is possible to detect the intrusion of our internal narrative on our listening, and this discernment can help us become more continuously present throughout the day. Birthing the heart is not a part time affair and what better way to make it continuous than to use each interaction as the very expression of our life’s work. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/697/Default.aspx

This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/698/Default.aspx

Class 3 in a series of 5 classes with Steve Armstrong, assisted by Vance Pryor. This talk is also presented in video here: http://seattleinsight.org/Talks/BrowseTalks/DharmaTalk/tabid/90/TalkID/696/Default.aspx