Awakening and Buddha

Links to the chapter of the book on which the rest of this page is based.

•  Awakening: Buddha: Book,  Audio 

Recordings

• Scroll down to the Growth section of this page for links to talks and guided meditations led by Buddhist teachers.   Choose one, then listen or watch.

Refuge in Buddha Nature

• Compassion

• Wise Concentration

• Wise Intention

Lists

• Recovery Dharma Glossary

• Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

• Ten Pāramitās: Perfections or Wise Practices

• Five Hindrances: Craving, Resentment, Sloth, Worry, Doubt

• Four Heart Practices: Kindness, Compassion, Equanimity, Appreciative Joy

Mindfulness of Body

Pause several times a day for 30-90 seconds to do a mini-scan of a section of your body

• Head to shoulders

• Shoulders to arms

• Chest to bottom

• Hips to feet

Equanimity Mantra Practice

Repeat a supportive phrase 

• May I find peace exactly where I am

Sitting Practice

Take time to sit in meditation

• Breath & Body Recording 

• Compassion: Script | Recording

If you need inspiration with this part of the practice, return to the Inquiry heading on the Title Page of the Practice Guide

Buddha Nature | Inner Wisdom

This practice will help you cultivate a sense of trust in your own goodness and trustworthiness. 

Choose one of these words to work with.

1. Generosity (dāna), 

2. Morality, virtue, ethics (sīla), 

3. Renunciation, Letting go (nekhamma), 

4. Insight (pañña), 

5. Energy, Effort (viriya), 

6. Patience (khanti), 

7. Truthfulness, Honesty (sacca), 

8. Resolution, Determination (adhiṭṭhāna), 

9. Loving-kindness (metta),

10. Equanimity, Serenity, Contentment (upekkhā). 

Study the word.

• Look them up in an online dictionary

• Search for talks on Dharmaseed

 Reflect on a past action of yours. How did that demonstrate this quality?

• Meditate

• Write reflections in a journal

• Share insights with a wise friend

If you have trouble thinking of examples, ask wise friends or mentors about their observations of you regarding these qualities

Ability and Confidence

• If you chose to walk this path how might you do it? 

• What might be obstacles to working with The Practice? 

• What are some resources or responses you could use to respond to these difficulties?

• Have you ever been successful with something like this in the past? 

• What ideas do you have for how you could get started? 

Determination and Resolution

Self-Doubt can arise especially in situations where we are vulnerable - such as making casual conversation before or after a meeting - or as we consider picking up the phone to make an outreach call. 

Recall other times when your attempts to connect with others have been successful. Your brain might try to diminish those successes.  Continue to return to your breath and your thoughts with curiosity, kindness, and compassion.  

Practice Partners

• Ask new friends if they would like to be practice partners, or if there is an active Practice Partner's subgroup.  Ideas include:

  • A Daily text: "sat for x minutes" 

  • A Daily phone call, 10 minutes or less - to celebrate practices over the past day and intentions for the next day. 

Choose meeting formats, literature, meditations, and teachings while remaining true to our program.

• Trusting We are Enough to Wake Up
  La Sarmiento
  2017 IMCW Fall Retreat - Intimacy with Life 

• Meditation: Gratitude and Generosity | Jack Kornfield | Spirit Rock Meditation Center 

• Poem: Awakening - Bellingham IMC - 10:40

• Talk: You Already Care - Vinny Ferraro 

• Talk: Honoring the Call to Awaken - Jonathan Foust - IMC Washington DC 

• Talk: Anatta and Self Forgiveness - James Baraz - IMC Berkeley

• Talk: Equanimity - Dale Borglum  - Insight Timer

• Meditation:  Cultivating an Inner Metta Mentor - Nikki  Mirghafori - IMC Redwood City

• Talk: Namaste - Honoring the Light in All Beings Tara Brach - IMC Washington DC 

• Talk: Wise Speech and the Path of Awakening Donald Rothberg - Spirit Rock MC

• Talk: Equanimity - Spirit Rock

• Article: Cultivating Equanimity - Barre Center IMC

Retreats

• The links to these specific retreats will be repeated throughout the Practice Resources section of this site.  You can focus your listening on these talks as you work through the Recovery Dharma Program.

• Insight Meditation Retreat 2022
  Mindfulness Meditation and Heart Practices
  James Baraz, Tempel Smith, JD Doyle
  Spirit Rock Meditation Center 

Zen

Talk: Taking Care of Anger  - 17:50

Recordings from people who are members of communities that are currently underrepresented in Western Buddhist sanghas will be pulled from the list above and highlighted here.