Fall 2011 Shamatha Retreat

Uplifted and inspired. If you want to start the week in this way, I recommend this podcast. This afternoon Alan explained one feature in common between the 3 practices of settling the mind in its natural state, awareness of awareness and empathetic joy. In the first one we withdraw the tentacles of identification that say "this is mine, I am such and such...". In the second one we go into the heart of the matter, to the actual experience of being the agent through our "cognoscopy" of withdrawing and releasing the awareness. In the third one we take the innate identification, usually limited to I and mine to make it unlimitedly benevolent by taking delight in all good fortune and virtue, wherever it is. Empathetic joy counteracts depression and low self-esteem, and balances the mind. The meditation (21:22) consisted of taking delight, step by step, from transient good fortune of others to the enlightenment of the awakened ones. Beautiful! Then there were interesting questions (47:00) about the relationship be