Against The Stream

In and of itself, money is nothing more than paper and metal to which societies have assigned great meaning. Yet it has become a necessity for most of us. We need money to survive in the modern world. Regrettably, the human tendencies toward greed and jealousy often turn money into a source of suffering.

We are constantly fed messages about how money equals happiness. But money never equals true happiness. It affords us comfort and pleasure, but that is all—and pleasure isn’t the same thing as happiness. The proof, should we need it, is that rich people suffer too.

As with everything else, money is not the problem; it is our relationship to money that causes us to suffer.

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'. We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). LINK in episode notes.

In and of itself, money is nothing more than paper and metal to which societies have assigned great meaning. Yet it has become a necessity for most of us. We need money to survive in the modern world. Regrettably, the human tendencies toward greed and jealousy often turn money into a source of suffering.

We are constantly fed messages about how money equals happiness. But money never equals true happiness. It affords us comfort and pleasure, but that is all—and pleasure isn’t the same thing as happiness. The proof, should we need it, is that rich people suffer too.

As with everything else, money is not the problem; it is our relationship to money that causes us to suffer.

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'. We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). LINK in episode notes.

How do we bring mindfulness into all aspects of our being, of our activities? One of the core traditional ways we get the training off of the cushion and into activity, is walking meditation.

How do we bring mindfulness into all aspects of our being, of our activities? One of the core traditional ways we get the training off of the cushion and into activity, is walking meditation.

When we practice mindfulness and allow sexual energy to be the object of awareness, rather than allowing ourselves to be a slave to the libido’s every request, we begin to relate to sexuality rather than from it.

Sexual suffering is caused not by the energy itself, but by our own inability to understand and skillfully deal with that energy. At its most unskillful extreme—as manifested in all of the rape and sexual abuse that occur daily in this world—sexuality is closer to violence or hatred than to love or beauty. But even those of us who are attempting the spiritual path—doing our best to pay attention, practicing our meditation and mindfulness, and trying to be as compassionate and skillful as possible—still struggle with intimate relationships, though such relationships are a tremendous source of joy.

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'. We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). LINK in episode notes.

When we practice mindfulness and allow sexual energy to be the object of awareness, rather than allowing ourselves to be a slave to the libido’s every request, we begin to relate to sexuality rather than from it.

Sexual suffering is caused not by the energy itself, but by our own inability to understand and skillfully deal with that energy. At its most unskillful extreme—as manifested in all of the rape and sexual abuse that occur daily in this world—sexuality is closer to violence or hatred than to love or beauty. But even those of us who are attempting the spiritual path—doing our best to pay attention, practicing our meditation and mindfulness, and trying to be as compassionate and skillful as possible—still struggle with intimate relationships, though such relationships are a tremendous source of joy.

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'. We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). LINK in episode notes.

Finding a community to practice with is important on several levels: we need like-minded people to inspire us, to support us, and to challenge us when we get stuck. The Buddha felt that community was so important that he included it in the traditional ritual of “taking refuge,” or committing to the path of freedom. Committing to that path, dedicating our life to going against the stream, consists of committing to awakening (Buddha), finding out the truth about reality (dharma), and participating in community (sangha).

This chapter in 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries' follows up the application of the Four Noble Truths and the Buddhist Eight Fold Path; the development of wisdom through loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness leads us to the question, “How do we live this Eight Fold Path? How do we make this our life?”

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'.

We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). Link in Episode notes.

Finding a community to practice with is important on several levels: we need like-minded people to inspire us, to support us, and to challenge us when we get stuck. The Buddha felt that community was so important that he included it in the traditional ritual of “taking refuge,” or committing to the path of freedom. Committing to that path, dedicating our life to going against the stream, consists of committing to awakening (Buddha), finding out the truth about reality (dharma), and participating in community (sangha).

This chapter in 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries' follows up the application of the Four Noble Truths and the Buddhist Eight Fold Path; the development of wisdom through loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness leads us to the question, “How do we live this Eight Fold Path? How do we make this our life?”

This Buddhist Dharma Talk is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'.

We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). Link in Episode notes.

From the perspective of inner rebellion and personal freedom, we need to form communities that include spiritual revolutionaries of both more and less wisdom and compassion than ourselves.

Since the freedom we seek is a relational freedom, freedom from suffering that is not dependent on isolation or silent meditation experiences, community allows us to put into practice wisdom and compassion toward all beings—even the annoying members of the revolution.

This 30-minute Buddhist guided meditation is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'.

We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). Link in episode notes.

From the perspective of inner rebellion and personal freedom, we need to form communities that include spiritual revolutionaries of both more and less wisdom and compassion than ourselves.

Since the freedom we seek is a relational freedom, freedom from suffering that is not dependent on isolation or silent meditation experiences, community allows us to put into practice wisdom and compassion toward all beings—even the annoying members of the revolution.

This 30-minute Buddhist guided meditation is based on 'Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries'.

We’re making all of 'Against The Stream' available for free on our blog (one piece at a time). Link in episode notes.