The teaching, relevancy and understanding of Karma, which is one of Buddhism's central themes, is really quite accessible and even quite ordinary. It's not something to be believed in, but rather it is to be understood as we come to see and know it in operation. Karma is 'action' or 'deed'. In the context of the Dharma it is defined as "action based on intention". This talk explores how through clarifying and purifying our intentions via mindfulness based Buddhist meditation practice we can free ourself from the actions that repeatedly throw is into suffering……free ourself from repeatedly being re-born into the realm of suffering.

The beginning of a healthy response, rather than unconsciously dropping into old reactive patterns in relationship to afflictive emotions is born out of clearly connecting and a non-judgmental knowing rooted in kindness 'this is how it is in this present moment'. We explore a few specific hues of the rainbow of emotional states in this Dharma Talk.

The deep knowing & living with impermanence is a gateway to freeing the mind – freeing the heart. The only thing that we can really know for sure is the constancy of change. It's the most basic fact of our existence. Nothing lasts…nothing stays the same. So paradoxically the only thing that we can hold onto is the intuitive insight of impermanence, which arises out of direct experience within our practice and eventually brings a great relief and lightness into our life. We no longer need to haul around such a heavy load.

What are the seeds that bring you to practice? What moves and inspires you towards practicing…and what along the way of your practice keeps urging you towards sustaining & deepening in your practice? Samvega is the movement of the heart/an inner response…both within our formal meditation practice as well as outside of our formal practice times.