The opening talk for the month of April explores themes of how our practice can be a resource during the pandemic, as well as key suggestions for orienting to practice while living or working at home.
This talk explores both physical and emotional suffering in the form of unpleasant experiences, giving detailed explanations on how to be with these with mindfulness. It also explores where real suffering is and how we can experience freedom even when life is unpleasant or painful.
The motivation for practice changes as our initial ideas about what we "get" out of it, meet frustration. As delusion is exposed and let go of, real practice begins.
The idea of cultivation (Bhavana) is the key to Buddhism. This talk relates this concept to the development of the four foundations of mindfulness, especially the first.
Motivations powers dharma practice. Its depth and purity determine what other mental factors and paramis are brought forward in meditation. This talk contrasts what "mainstream" motivations provide, contrasted with a deeper drive to understand.
Based on SN: text on the topic and extracts from Nyanaponika's booklet, elaboration is made on the four main causes of life, i.e. food, mental volition, contact, and consciousness.
