Seattle Insight Meditation Society

This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1162

Practice and Reflection We can think of Nama Rupa (name and form) as the label we place on something and the impulse to act relative to that label. This often becomes a fast trip into reactivity and wanting. Practice pausing when you find yourself in a state of reactivity. What label are you assigning to the target of reactivity? Notice the impulse of movement or action embedded in that label. Can you imagine a different conditioning around that object? How would this shift your reactivity? This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1161

Practice and Reflection Notice how consciousness usually has a narrow quality when it feeds into a sense of struggle, resistance, or wanting. Practice allowing consciousness to be wider and more expansive. Not holding any one thing too strongly allows it to become less bounded and restricted. What happens to the sense of self when consciousness widens and broadens?  

This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1159

Practice and Reflection This week, notice how consciousness has a fluid quality. Depending on what is predominant, we shift back and forth from eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mental consciousness. Can you intentionally shift which of these six consciousnesses is highlighted? Practice this when caught in mental consciousness, particularly if flavored by worry. What happens when you shift your attention to one of the other five types of consciousness? This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1157

Practice and Reflection: Consciousness, Dependent Origination Bring attention to when you are reactive or emotional. Reflect [on how] contact triggered that reactivity. See if you can recall a particular thought, sound, sight, sensation, smell, or taste. Without that contact, would the reactivity have arisen? Now more subtly, try to recall the consciousness or awareness that was receptive to that contact. For example, if the trigger was a word, hearing consciousness was engaged. See if you can sense the flavoring of that consciousness that inclined you toward reactivity. This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1155

This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1154

Practice and Reflection: Dependent Origination, Sankharas Sankharas are Volitional Impulses that express Ignorance. To explore this in practice, bring attention to your daily life choice points, areas where you decide to do one course of action instead of another. This can be as simple as following a train of thought or responding to an email or text. Reflecting either at that decision point or afterward, can you sense the intention behind that action? Can you discern if that choice flows from ignorance or wisdom? Broaden the definition of action to include thinking, speaking, communicating or moving your body. This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1153

Offered by Tuere Sala at SIMS at University Friends Meeting House, Feb 3 2020 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1152

Offered by Tuere Sala at SIMS on 2020 January 20 Reflections and Practices: Dhamma is the undefended fact, and facing facts is fundamental to Dhamma growth. Many times, it is more convenient to pretend the facts do not exist. Turning away does not eliminate the fact; it sustains its damaging effects through repression. Look at your life and see which facts you allow in and which facts are denied. Notice the fear that turns you away from the fact and how this fear competes with your Dhamma understanding. Is it fear of change, fear of insecurity, or fear of mortality? Consider contemplating the phrases, When this exists, this naturally exists; due to the arising of this, this consequently arises; when this does not exist, this naturally does not exist; due to the quenching of this, this consequently is quenced. Throughout the month, check to see if you notice this understanding. Can you see how certain occurrences are conditioned by the existence of other conditions? Be adventurous in your practice. There is no right or wrong way to understand this. All that is needed is a willingness to listen to your body and heart this month.  This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1139

Offered by Rodney Smith as part of a two-day non-residential retreat at Nalanda West, 2020 January 19 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1149

Offered by Rodney Smith as part of a two-day non-residential retreat at Nalanda West, 2020 January 19 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1150

Offered by Rodney Smith as part of a two-day non-residential retreat at Nalanda West, 2020 January 19 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1151

Offered by Rodney Smith as part of a two-day non-residential retreat at Nalanda West, 2020 January 19 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1147

Offered by Rodney Smith as part of a two-day non-residential retreat at Nalanda West, 2020 January 19 This talk is also presented in video here: https://seattleinsight.org/Talks/Talk/TalkID/1148