Chapter 22 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
Directing attention to what you want in life Ken: This evening is the twenty-second class in the Then and Now series, March 18, 2008, and we are continuing our discussion of bodhicitta or awakening mind. Before we begin I would like to say thank you to all of you who’ve been sending in donations because […]
Chapter 21 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
Working with similes for awakening mind Ken: This is class twenty-one, March 11, 2008. Today we’re discussing awakening mind, which is kind of a big topic. So I left you with some homework from our last class which was about sitting with a set of twenty-two similes for awakening mind. How was this for you? […]
Chapter 20 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
Experiences with wholesome and unwholesome actions Ken: Okay, March 5th, session twenty on Then and Now. This evening we will begin to look at the generation of bodhicitta or awakening mind. The exercise that I left you with was to consider, or actually do, or consider doing an unwholesome action, and what happens in your […]
Chapter 19 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
The three jewels: outer, inner, and secret Ken: This is the nineteenth class in Then and Now, February 26, 2008, looking at refuge, the vow of the individual freedom leading into the bodhisattva vow. Last week we looked at the three jewels. Looking at them, as they say in the Tibetan tradition: the outer, inner […]
Chapter 18 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
In what do you trust? Ken: February 19th. This is the eighteenth class in Then and Now. Last week we looked at loving-kindness and compassion. This week we’re going to be looking at refuge. At the end of last week I gave you very briefly two or three things to think about and to reflect […]
Chapter 17 of “A Trackless Path II”
Mind-killing Ken: If I’m correct it’s Friday, August 13th. A Trackless Path II, morning session. Actually this will be our last recorded session. Tomorrow, as I talked about last night, we return to “the full catastrophe,” though some of you may have thought this retreat was the full catastrophe. I assure you it isn’t. [Laughter] […]
Chapter 16 of “A Trackless Path I”
No extremes Ken: Friday, September 4th, A Trackless Path, morning session. When one comes towards the end of a retreat, there’s a very natural tendency for the mind to start working, anticipating, thinking about things. And one can recall Tilopa’s instructions, which are in here, on page 13. Let go of what has passed. Let […]
Chapter 16 of “A Trackless Path II”
Teaching is a role, not an identity Ken: August 12th Thursday, A Trackless Path II, evening session. See, getting better all the time. How many of you find yourselves in some way in teaching roles? Oh, almost half of the people. Okay. So, that’s what I’d like to focus on. We don’t have to focus […]
Chapter 15 of “A Trackless Path I”
Awakening mind Ken: Thursday September 3rd. A Trackless Path morning session. Janet, you have a question. Janet: I’m wondering if there are some specific practices for developing and sustaining awakening mind? And in particular if you know that you have a tendency toward despair that sort of throws you off that course, is it best […]
Chapter 17 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
NOTE: The following talk was recorded on February 12, 2008 and is the 17th class in the Then and Now series. Due to technical difficulties the recording started a few minutes into the session, as participants share their experiences with the previous week’s guided meditation on loving-kindness. Experiencing the kindness of others Art: … the […]
Chapter 15 of “Mind Training in Seven Points”
Q&A Ken: This is mainly a question and answer period. So where should we start? Rebecca? What’s in a name? Rebecca: I was curious about your Tibetan name, Lodrö Gyatso. Ken: Yes. Rebecca: Can you tell us what that means? Ken: Lodrö Gyatso (Tib. blo gros rgya mtsho) means Ocean of Intelligence. Students: Ooohhh! [Laughter] […]
Chapter 15 of “A Trackless Path II”
About the retreat interviews Ken: Thursday, August 12th, A Trackless Path II, morning session. That’s three days in a row I haven’t said April. The last couple of days, we’ve been focusing on some of the subtle technical aspects of practice, coming out of The Wisdom Experience of Ever-present Good in the Ganges Mahamudra. These […]
Chapter 14 of “A Trackless Path I”
Going beyond Ken: Wednesday, September 2nd, A Trackless Path, morning session. Most of the religions that developed over the last couple of thousand years, certainly the early ones, were oriented to a significant extent or formulated in terms of transcending the human condition. This was because—this is part speculation on my part—people would have experiences […]
Chapter 16 of “Then and Now: A Commentary on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”
Patterns can drive both virtuous and non-virtuous actions Ken: Two or three things to do this evening. First is to talk about your experience with the exercise that I left you with at the end of the last class, which is to explore the experience of doing one or more of the ten non-virtuous or […]
Chapter 14 of “Mind Training in Seven Points”
Use one practice Ken: Guidelines. Does anybody else have the sense that time sort of stopped for the last ten days? It’s like, you know, just here. Reminds me of the three-year retreat where you just did the same thing every day. And one day you’d look out your window, and it’s spring. And another […]