Spring 2011 Shamatha Retreat

In this final session, Alan brings us back to the first immeasurable of loving-kindness with a guided meditation which focuses on loving-kindness first for oneself, and then spreading out to all begins. Thank you for listening to these podcasts. If you have found them of value, please consider donating to the Santa Barbara Institute.

Editor's Note: Due to multiple recording errors, this afternoon's podcast is an optimized recording from an iPhone. Because of this, it is difficult to hear clearly. My very sincere apologies. If anyone can improve the quality further, I would love to publish a better version. Please email Lizzy at podcasts@sbinstitute.com if you are interested. Also, Alan requests that transcriptions of the afternoon sessions from the past two weeks be created. If you are interested in transcribing one or more afternoon sessions, please email ksnow@sbinstitute.com with the name of the podcast you want to transcribe. This will be of great benefit to many people. This afternoon, Alan first guides a beautiful meditation that integrates shamatha, equanimity, compassion, and loving-kindness. He then summarizes the pith points of the last two days of discussion on the development of science and its relationship to the science of the mind of Buddhism. After that, [55:00] Alan gives us tips for integrating back into the "outside

This morning, Alan first speaks about Dharma practice during periods of transition. This is followed by an unguided meditation, which is not included.

Although there are two more days of retreat, this is our last afternoon session. Alan begins by jumping right in to a guided meditation in which he "puts us through the paces" of the three types of mindfulness of breathing, settling the mind in its natural state, awareness of awareness, and, finally, vipashyana. This is followed by a long question and answer period. [26:55] Alan answers these questions from the group, particularly focusing on the final three questions. 1. I have noticed during the retreat how the English language, with personal pronouns an integral grammatical structure, both serves to assist the development of a concretized sense of self/ego and duality, and then becomes like their protector. (I understand most languages represent individuals or groups to a lesser or greater degree (except for Thai, Burmese, and Japanese).) I experimented during the retreat with not using "I, me or mine" and it showed just how deeply ingrained the constructed sense of the world and self is in language.

This morning we begin with an unguided meditation (not included in this recording) and then Alan answers the following questions from the group: 1. Could you clarify the terms mind, awareness, and consciousness? Do you use them interchangeably? 2. You mentioned sem and rigpa. What about lo?

This afternoon Alan leads a guided meditation [6:25] that integrates the three different methods of vipashyana as taught by Padmasambhava. After the guided meditation [31:40], Alan talks about the history and development of science by answering the following questions: 1. When did the different schools and interpretations of scientific discovery occur? 2. How did natural philosophy develop into science? 3, How did scientific materialism occur? 4. When did scientific materialism become state religion? 5. Do all branches of science share the same worldview?

This morning, Alan speaks about skillful means for evaluating our practice and determining whether our aspirations are being fulfilled or not. The following unguided meditation is not included.

In this afternoon session, (today's morning session did not include any guidance or teachings and was not recorded) Alan Wallace continues to teach on vipashyana. We begin this afternoon with a 24-minute meditation [1:10] with guidance from the direct words of Padmasambhava. After the meditation, Alan elaborates and gives commentary on the text, which is available online. We conclude the session with a brief (7 minute) guided tonglen meditation.

This afternoon, we review the teachings from Saturday afternoon (#84) and practice in the same way. The unguided meditation is not included. There is no question and answer; instead, Alan gives some final remarks after the ~55 minute dharma talk and meditation period. Link to the notes from this talk: http://sbinstitute.com/PodcastNotes/Vipashyana%20Instructions.htm

This morning, Alan reminds us to continue to "downshift" and loosen up if we find we are unsatisfied with the quality of our meditation. This brief introduction is followed by an unguided meditation, which is not included.

This afternoon Alan continues with a second method of vipashyana, "Engaging in the Search for the Mind," again from Padmasambhava's "Natural Liberation," with reference as well to Tsongapa's teachings on the same subject. The dharma talk lasts most of the session, and we conclude with a final seven-minute silent meditation (included), followed by final remarks.

We will continue to go right into unguided meditation sessions in the morning (not included in the recording), followed by brief Q&A. This morning Alan answers one question: 1. In awareness of awareness, I find it difficult to relax, although I am quite concentrated. I notice tension keeps creeping in. Is this common?

This afternoon, Alan ventures into the realm of vipashyana with an introductory teaching. He draws from Padmasambhava's "Natural Liberation" and instructs us on a basic vipashyana technique. The opening talk lasts 55 minutes, and the following unguided vipashyana meditation is included. After the unguided meditation [1:23:05], Alan continues to elaborate on the value of contemplative introspection and observation. He concludes with a special message for podcast listeners, which begins at 1:42:00.

This morning's session is an unguided open practice, followed by brief Q&A. The meditation period is not included. Alan answers these questions: 1. In awareness of awareness, how can I most effectively release medium excitation other than relaxing more? 2. In settling the mind in its natural state, during the period of "in the seen, let there be just the seen," I'm still aware of my breath as well as thoughts arising. What to do? 3. In settling the mind in its natural state, there are now longer and longer intervals between thoughts. What should I be doing in these gaps? Think? Let it be?

Alan begins this afternoon session with a profoundly wise and skillful dharma talk on the deepest kind of equanimity: that which is viewed from the perspective of rigpa. This 55 minute talk is followed by the unguided meditation (not included) and one question from the group: Sometimes I rephrase your guided meditation questions to suit myself. Is this okay?

This morning we return to the final phase of the awareness of awareness practice: exploring this awareness spatially. Alan first reviews the technique for the practice. The unguided meditation is not included.

This afternoon, Alan Wallace sets up a meditation on equanimity, or uppekha, in two parts. First, bringing to mind situations in our lives that arouse aversion and craving, then imagining maintaining equanimity, and reflecting upon right action in those situations. Second, attending to a wide array of beings with equanimity, allowing the awareness to settle and seeing who comes to mind. During the opening talk, Alan also reviews the four types of enlightened activity. The unguided meditation is not included in the recording. Question and answer begins at 38:14 in the recording. 1. I'm confused about your statement that we go to the substrate consciousness without baggage. Did you mean our baggage is dormant? 2. Can you offer any tips for a distracted mind during meditations on the four immeasurables? 3. I've been spending a lot of time practicing on my back, and I think I may need to do this on an ongoing basis. Are there any practices you've taught that can't be done on the back? 4. Can you talk brief

This morning we continue with the practice of awareness of awareness. Alan first gives an introduction, then brief final remarks after the unguided meditation. The unguided meditation is not included in the recording. All meditation sessions are 24 minutes long.

This afternoon Alan Wallace again sets up an unguided meditation on mudita, or empathetic joy. He first gives a 40 minute dharma talk about skillfully attending to one's own virtues without reifying oneself in the process. The unguided meditation is not included in the recording. Alan then answers this question from the group (begins at 42:38 in the recording). 1. Can you speak more about emptiness?

This morning Alan Wallace again introduces the practice of shamatha without a sign, or awareness of awareness, as taught by Padmasambhava. We are instructed to look right into our actual sense of being an agent. The following unguided meditation is not included in the recording.