In today’s episode, we begin by discussing the subtle art of preparing dhamma talks for meditation retreats. Later, we ask, Do humans have an instinctual orientation towards compassion, kindness, and love—or do we only get there by pushing past our darker impulses? Still later, we explore exactly how much we should trust our children, and how much we should trust ourselves, as mired as we are in this whirlwind turd-storm of not-knowing. Finally, we reflect on whether one can identify the mothering instinct in dhamma practice and, if so, can we also identify a fathering instinct? Just before we close, Jess will lead us in a riff on “metta” or “loving-kindness” practice, in which we are invited to imagine an ideal mother figure, as a way of calling forth the ideal maternal qualities that may be hiding in our own minds and hearts.
Topics touched upon for your consideration:
Brainwashed by the Buddha. | The best day is the last day. | Softening up some yogis. | Shapely phantoms in empty space. | Finally, somebody named my face! | Lunchtime at the instinct buffet. | Let your face fall off. | Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream. | Awareness for the rest of us. | An inner yes. | Why don’t I go in and put some pants on? | What we agreed to in being born. | An innate potential for goodness. | 13th century shit-stick shtick. | This is how the Buddha wipes his butt.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:23 — 69.0MB)
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