Author: Loshi

Good and bad in Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism Lama Shenpen Hookham
Student's Question

Why does it sometimes say in Buddhist teachings to give up both ‘the good and the bad’. Surely we should strive for the good and reject the bad?

You are right that we have to strive for the good and reject the bad. The question here is what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’. It means we have to give up the mind that gets attached to what it perceives as good and that reacts against what it perceives as bad. From the point of view of that kind of reactive mind, it has to learn to just relax and let whatever happens happen… Continue reading Why does it sometimes say in Buddhist teachings to give up both ‘the good and the bad’. Surely we should strive for the good and reject the bad?

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Buddhist meditation, Tibetan Buddhist Meditation, Lama Shenpen Hookham
Lama Shenpen Teaching, Meditation

What is The Meditator’s Verse?

Here, there is nothing to remove and nothing to add. The one who sees the truth of being, as it is, By seeing the truth, is liberated. In our group meditation sessions at the Awakened Heart Sangha, this verse is read out by the person leading the session (the Omzay), about five minutes before the end of each session. It is a verse from the … Continue reading What is The Meditator’s Verse?

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Student's Question

Why can an insight arising in meditation cause panic?

The panic reaction is as deep as samsara [the endless cycle of birth and death] itself. There would be no samsara if there were no panic. Sometimes we let things get so close to the edge that the panic manifests as raw panic and we have to start working with the reality of that – not running away or trying to avoid it. Continue reading Why can an insight arising in meditation cause panic?

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Lama Shenpen Teaching, Video Teaching

Video teaching: Overview of Lama Shenpen’s Living the Awakened Heart Training

Lama Shenpen gave a teaching in November, giving an overview of her Living the Awakened Heart Training, describing how Dharma is taught in the Awakened Heart Sangha. In the video Lama Shenpen explains all the different areas of practice and training, and how they relate to each other and the tradition. Continue reading Video teaching: Overview of Lama Shenpen’s Living the Awakened Heart Training

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Lama Shenpen Teaching

What is the difference between commitment and not seeing the reality of  impermanence?

If impermanence meant that everything changed all the time so there is no point in doing anything, then life would be pretty meaningless wouldn’t it?
What gives life meaning is connecting to our Heart Wish and aligning our intentions with it.  As we align we commit to a particular direction and then let go into that direction and see what happens.  When we make a commitment to others we want them to believe in and trust our commitment to our intention and for them to co-operate with us on that basis.
Continue reading What is the difference between commitment and not seeing the reality of  impermanence?

Loshi