Last week, we started learning about the “Four Divine Abodes” for the mind. The first one is unconditional love, which doesn’t expect anything in return. This week, we look at the other three: compassion, joy, and equanimity.

I would like to let a master explain what metta is and how it fits in with Buddha’s teaching and meditation practice. So, I am reading you today from the book “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” by Thich Nhat Hanh.

In today’s talk, we are blessed to welcome Bhante Vimalaramsi and hear him speak about life, meditation, the 6 R’s, and how to keep a light mind. The talk includes a very informative and inspiring Q&A session.

What does mindfulness and meditation have to do with social change? There is no doubt that we need to come together to find ways to transform, change and heal our society and our institutions. But how can we change anything if we are not aware of what’s going on? How can we change the world if we do not also change ourselves?

It is no news that there is deep pain and suffering in our society and in our communities. Being part of the minority community and as a first generation immigrant who grew up in New Jersey, recent events have been personally intensely disturbing. But all of us are deeply affected because we are all human beings, first and foremost, and we are designed to live in peace and love with our fellow human beings.

Last week, we started learning a story from the Upakkilesa Sutta. The Buddha walked away from a monastic dwelling when a peaceful togetherness wasn’t possible any longer. He had tried to appease the quarreling parties, but was faced with the response to basically mind his own business.

It’s a very real story, taken seemingly out of our modern life.

Over the last weeks and months, I’ve been hearing a particular Sutta being referred to on a few occasions. Sutta (in Pali) or Sutra (in Sanskrit) is a discourse of the Buddha, an original sermon if you will. While reading the suttas directly is mind blowingly inspiring to me, I feel lots of resistance to read them most of the times. I think that this is mostly because of the older language and rare words used.

Alright, I know that the title is a bit over the top. But I want to present to you a method that I have begun practicing lately that has given me instant relief. No, it didn’t entirely make the problem go away but it gave me a new energy and a sense of resilience and even confidence that I can handle it.

You have heard this many times - you are your biggest enemy. And you are the only one who can make you happy. It’s in your hands. No one else is responsible for your happiness. “You’re the boss”, as Venerable Robina says.What exactly do I mean when I say “we are our own biggest enemy”…

In today’s talk, Cristof introduces the Death Contemplation meditation that helps to calm and free the mind in meditation.

In today’s talk, we tackle the fourth meditation hindrance, restlessness, when it appears during our meditation. Read/watch these helpful AGM method that Cristof introduces in today’s class.