Spirit Rock Meditation Center: dharma talks and meditation instruction

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We begin by reviewing some and expanding last week's introduction to practicing to transform the judgmental mind, including clarifying our language and the way that in English "judgment" can ambiguously mean either an expression of the judgmental mind or a non-judgmental discernment. We identify examples of the judgmental mind, and point to how it can be understood in terms of the sequence of contact to grasping (and pushing away) in the Buddha's teaching on Dependent Origination, how negative judgments (in the sense of the judgmental mind) typically come out of unacknowledged or unprocessed pain. We also point to how our practice with the judgmental mind, as it goes deeper, begins to identify "limiting beliefs," often from childhood, that generate our most chronic judgments. We end the talk with naming a number of ways to practice with the judgmental mind. The talk is followed with discussion.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) After a period of settling and general mindfulness practice, we invite noticing and being with any expressions of the judgmental mind (here called "judgments") if they occur. In the second part of the guided meditation, there is also a more direct investigation of a selected judgment, exploring it at the levels of body, emotions, and thought, and seeing whether any underlying painful or difficult experience can be noticed. We close with a brief three-part self-compassion practice (from Kristin Neff).

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Introduction and lightly guided meditation.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Liberative, or Transcendent, Dependent Arising describes an arc that runs from suffering (dukkha) to liberation, including many beautiful qualities like faith, joy, and tranquility. It shows how the mind gradually untangles through a lawful process.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Reflections on the four noble truths, particularly on craving (tanha) and its abandoning.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) Begins with a 30m meditation and is followed by a Dharma Talk

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center) We frame the session in terms of there being three main inter-related aims of our practice: (1) developing wisdom and insight, (2) cultivating the kind heart and compassion, and (3) acting skillfully and ethically in all the parts of our life. In this context, it's interesting that having insight can still be connected with reactivity; it's possible to be both "right" and see something clearly, and be obnoxious.

We look at one major way in which insight can be enmeshed with reactivity--what I call "the judgmental mind." We first clarify how "judgment" in English is ambiguous, sometimes meaning judgmental, sometimes meaning discerning without reactivity. The judgmental mind combines typically some kind of noticing, insight, observation, etc. with reactivity, and the key to transforming the judgmental mind is to work through the reactivity, using multiple tools.

The last part of the talk outlines our major tools for transforming the judgmental mind, and invites next week's practice. We then have a discussion.

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)