Introduction to Chapter 6 – Zoom Link, Reflections + Course Readings

Welcome to Chapter 6 in the Heart of Wisdom – Cultivating the Heart’s Garden With Seeds of Wisdom!

In this chapter, we will consolidate many of the themes we’ve been working with in previous chapters. In a nutshell, our deepening practice will reveal our unique patterns of resistance towards the conditions of life. And a big part of contemplative wisdom is about developing discernment to understand which conditions we can influence and which we cannot. 

The Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, put it like this:

“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…”

In opening to the bitter experience of resistance, we also open up the sweet potential that comes from transforming our relationship to resistance. 

Here are the main Practice Themes in Chapter 6 – Cultivating the Heart’s Garden With Seeds of Wisdom.

    • Resistance. Any practice, not just Yin Meditation, but any practice of real transformation will expose and reveal our unique patterns of resistance. This is actually good news. In revealing these habituated patterns of resistance we can begin to release ourselves from their conditioning.
    • Improvisation. The key to really discovering the depth of the Dharma in your own practice is to truly make the practice your own. The “functional approach” to meditation involves creatively working with a variety of tools that support calm clarity. Please improvise with a spirit of play – or trial and error – and discover what works best for you.
    • Unstructured Meditation. To really make the practice one’s own, it’s important to let go of guided meditations and anything else that imposes too much structure. Please sit each day for a duration of 30 minutes or more. Within the Four Foundations of Yin Meditation, improvise with the tools we’ve explored and really make this practice your own.
    • Journal. Please reflect on your meditation sittings and spend some time journaling about what you remember from them. Begin with what you remember most easily, but be interested in the various ways Resistance might arise and what it was like and what happened in the meditation.
    • Questions. For this week’s discussion session, please email your questions to josh@joshsummers.net
    • Zoom Link for Q+A: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87938464449?pwd=SGdocjBYTVZHVDJISUR3LzB0WUhRZz09
    • Time: Nov 27, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

I look forward to hearing about your practice. 

With metta

Josh

Course Readings.

Pages 60-80, with special attention to pages 72-80 in  Mindfulness Manual