Appreciative Joy Online Retreat
Saturday, Feburary 25
Morning Session: 10am - 11:30am EST
Afternoon Session: 1pm - 2:30pm EST
Evening Session: 4pm - 5:30pm EST
-appreciative joy…..
-appreciative joy, along with lovingkindness, compassion & equanimity, is one of the four sublime abidings....
-appreciative joy is the heart’s response to our own goodness and the goodness in the world….
-when the heart recognizes goodness, it responds with appreciative joy….
-the mental/emotional quality of gratitude gives rise to the sublime attitude of appreciative joy….
-as the Buddha teaches, the cultivation of apprecitive joy is integral to the process of awakening.....
-appreciative joy is the proximate cause for the qualities of concentration....
-skill for cultivating appreciative joy…..
-there are three elements to the skill……
1-reflection on blessings….
-we reflect on the blessing of our goodness and the goodness in the world….
-there are four primary ‘categories of blessings’……
1-the blessing of our goodness….
-in Buddhist practice, our goodness is found in the three elements of our ‘merit’:
-our generosity….
-our virtue….
-the degree to which we’ve been able to follow the five precepts….
-the degree to which we’ve been able to develop in skillful action and relate to others with kindness….
-our meditation…..
-specifically, the effort we put forth in the service of abandoning what’s unskillful and cultivating what’s skillful…
-our goodness in developing meditation is found in the effort and determination we put forth (not the results we achieve)....
2-the blessing of other beings…..
-including....
-parents....
-teachers....
-dharma friends (kalyana mitta)....
-friends/family....
3-the blessing of the dharma….
-the teachings of the Buddha ... the path....
-the quality of dharma....
-the qualities of goodness....
-the quality of awkakening, nibbana....
-the heart....
4-the preciousness of life…..
2-cultivating gratitude….
-when we reflect on the blessing of our goodness and the goodness in the world … this gives rise to the quality of gratitude….
3-cultivating appreciative joy….
-the sublime attitude … the quality in the heart….
-we develop appreciative joy by….
a) reflecting ... using fabrication …
b) connecting to a felt sense …
-modes of practice ….
-in meditation….
-brightening the mind…..
-in meditation, we prepare the mind for concentration practice by brightening the mind ….
-reflecting on our goodness and the goodness in the world….
-as described above…..
-during meditation, we might further brighten the mind by reflecting on the blessing of the dharma….
-this is an especially useful tool for deepening concentration…..
-as the end of a period of meditation we might brighten the mind by reflecting on the blessing of our effort & determination….
-in all postures…..
-in all postures, we can reflect on our blessings and cultivate appreciation….
-general reflection.....
-when there is an opening, we can touch in to the reflection....
-opportune moments....
-when we take skillful action….
-when our goodness is manifested….
-when we interact with admirable friends.....
-when there is a tendency to darkness….
-skillful actions….
-we develop appreciative joy by taking certain actions….
1 -developing our good qualities…..
-by developing our ‘merit’….
-practicing generosity, ethical conduct, meditation….
2-associating with wise/admirable beings….
3-hearing the dharma….
-going to a dharma class….
-reading/listening to the dharma….
4- nature…..
-going into nature, the Buddha said, is the easiest way to brighten the mind…..
-reflection:
-how else can we cultivate appreciation in the course of our days....?
-what activities bring brightness to the mind & heart....?
-readings.....
-"Taking Joy" (from The Skill of Living)
Saturday, Feburary 25
Morning Session: 10am - 11:30am EST
Afternoon Session: 1pm - 2:30pm EST
Evening Session: 4pm - 5:30pm EST
-appreciative joy…..
-appreciative joy, along with lovingkindness, compassion & equanimity, is one of the four sublime abidings....
-appreciative joy is the heart’s response to our own goodness and the goodness in the world….
-when the heart recognizes goodness, it responds with appreciative joy….
-the mental/emotional quality of gratitude gives rise to the sublime attitude of appreciative joy….
-as the Buddha teaches, the cultivation of apprecitive joy is integral to the process of awakening.....
-appreciative joy is the proximate cause for the qualities of concentration....
-skill for cultivating appreciative joy…..
-there are three elements to the skill……
1-reflection on blessings….
-we reflect on the blessing of our goodness and the goodness in the world….
-there are four primary ‘categories of blessings’……
1-the blessing of our goodness….
-in Buddhist practice, our goodness is found in the three elements of our ‘merit’:
-our generosity….
-our virtue….
-the degree to which we’ve been able to follow the five precepts….
-the degree to which we’ve been able to develop in skillful action and relate to others with kindness….
-our meditation…..
-specifically, the effort we put forth in the service of abandoning what’s unskillful and cultivating what’s skillful…
-our goodness in developing meditation is found in the effort and determination we put forth (not the results we achieve)....
2-the blessing of other beings…..
-including....
-parents....
-teachers....
-dharma friends (kalyana mitta)....
-friends/family....
3-the blessing of the dharma….
-the teachings of the Buddha ... the path....
-the quality of dharma....
-the qualities of goodness....
-the quality of awkakening, nibbana....
-the heart....
4-the preciousness of life…..
2-cultivating gratitude….
-when we reflect on the blessing of our goodness and the goodness in the world … this gives rise to the quality of gratitude….
3-cultivating appreciative joy….
-the sublime attitude … the quality in the heart….
-we develop appreciative joy by….
a) reflecting ... using fabrication …
b) connecting to a felt sense …
-modes of practice ….
-in meditation….
-brightening the mind…..
-in meditation, we prepare the mind for concentration practice by brightening the mind ….
-reflecting on our goodness and the goodness in the world….
-as described above…..
-during meditation, we might further brighten the mind by reflecting on the blessing of the dharma….
-this is an especially useful tool for deepening concentration…..
-as the end of a period of meditation we might brighten the mind by reflecting on the blessing of our effort & determination….
-in all postures…..
-in all postures, we can reflect on our blessings and cultivate appreciation….
-general reflection.....
-when there is an opening, we can touch in to the reflection....
-opportune moments....
-when we take skillful action….
-when our goodness is manifested….
-when we interact with admirable friends.....
-when there is a tendency to darkness….
-skillful actions….
-we develop appreciative joy by taking certain actions….
1 -developing our good qualities…..
-by developing our ‘merit’….
-practicing generosity, ethical conduct, meditation….
2-associating with wise/admirable beings….
3-hearing the dharma….
-going to a dharma class….
-reading/listening to the dharma….
4- nature…..
-going into nature, the Buddha said, is the easiest way to brighten the mind…..
-reflection:
-how else can we cultivate appreciation in the course of our days....?
-what activities bring brightness to the mind & heart....?
-readings.....
-"Taking Joy" (from The Skill of Living)
| skill_of_living_taking_joy.pdf |
-"More Joy" (from The Skill of Living)
| skill_of_living_more_joy.pdf |
-"The Lessons of Gratitude" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Keeping your mind on the Teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, your virtues, you will arrive at joy, rapture, pleasure without doubt. Then, saturated with joy, you will put an end to suffering & stress.
(SN 9.11)
"Furthermore, there is the case where you recollect your own generosity: 'It is a gain, a great gain for me, that — among people overcome with the stain of possessiveness — I live at home, my awareness cleansed of the stain of possessiveness, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in being magnanimous, responsive to requests, delighting in the distribution of alms.' At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting generosity, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on generosity. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed senses pleasure. In one sensing pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.
"Mahanama, you should develop this recollection of generosity while you are walking, while you are standing, while you are sitting, while you are lying down, while you are busy at work, while you are resting in your home crowded with children.
(AN 11.13)
-listening.....
-"Keeping the Mind Bright"
-"The Goodness Within"
-"Knowing Our Goodness"
-"Self Confidence"
-"Art of Reflection"
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: pdoobinin@gmail.com
(This is the preferred method. Please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks so much for your generosity!
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: pdoobinin@gmail.com
(This is the preferred method. Please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks so much for your generosity!
