(Seattle Insight Meditation Society) The Kalama sutta fits very nicely into the discussion on freeing awareness completely from any inward or outward authority. In the most radical statement possible the Buddha severs all ties from any dependency, essentially saying that freedom is not possible if one leans in any direction whatsoever.

Rodney Smith: Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: Independent Seeing

More and more, the teaching practice takes me into the community where I engage directly with students.  My focus right now is on bringing the continuity of the Dharma into the market place.  Although retreating is an important form for self-knowledge, I find myself less interested in the immediate results of a retreat and more interested in helping students investigate their relationship to the ups and downs of their everyday life.

Nature, death and spontaneous freedom continually interweave  themselves into my  teaching.  From the forest of Thailand, where I spent several years, I bring a deep awareness of the healing quality of nature into my teachings.  Relaxing into our true nature allows us to realize what it means to be a human being.  It is here we find a resting point, a counterbalance to the speed and turbulence of our culture.

My work in hospice brings a sense of urgency into my teaching.  Working with the theme of death and dying reveals the here and now of life to us, how important it is to open to each loss, change and transition that marks our path.  Life is precious.  We need to awaken without hesitation. 

Many of us crave to be more calm and centered.  We know that life has more to offer than this fleeting material world.  For each of us, the Dharma offers an immediacy of freedom for which we do not have to strive or wait.  In practice, we can learn to relax deeply into the moment and rediscover spontaneous freedom.

Religion & Spirituality

Buddhism

More and more, the teaching practice takes me into the community where I engage directly with students. My focus right now is on bringing the continuity of the Dharma into the market place. Although retreating is an important form for self-knowledge, I find myself less interested in the immediate results of a retreat and more interested in helping students investigate their relationship to the ups and downs of their everyday life. Nature, death and spontaneous freedom continually interweave themselves into my teaching. From the forest of Thailand, where I spent several years, I bring a deep awareness of the healing quality of nature into my teachings. Relaxing into our true nature allows us to realize what it means to be a human being. It is here we find a resting point, a counterbalance to the speed and turbulence of our culture. My work in hospice brings a sense of urgency into my teaching. Working with the theme of death and dying reveals the here and now of life to us, how important it is to open to each loss, change and transition that marks our path. Life is precious. We need to awaken without hesitation. Many of us crave to be more calm and centered. We know that life has more to offer than this fleeting material world. For each of us, the Dharma offers an immediacy of freedom for which we do not have to strive or wait. In practice, we can learn to relax deeply into the moment and rediscover spontaneous freedom.

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Rodney Smith: Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: Independent Seeing

Rodney Smith: Satipatthana Sutta, Fourth Foundation: Independent Seeing