Tuesday, October 14, 2025
VIa Daily Dharma
Daily Dharma
Meditation is not merely a useful technique or mental gymnastic, but part of a balanced system designed to change the way we go about things at the most fundamental level.
If each person is not fundamentally separate from other beings, it follows that the suffering of others is also one’s own suffering, that the violence of others is also one’s own violence.
Letting go of expectations and recognizing the nature of cyclic existence do not entail becoming cynical. Derisively thinking “I can’t expect anything of anyone” is not a virtuous or realistic attitude that helps us on the path to enlightenment!
The thought is the thinker. There is no one behind it. The thought is thinking itself. It comes uninvited. You will see that when there is a strong detachment from the thought process, thoughts don’t last long.
Questioning in a meditative way doesn’t demand an answer. We come to this art of inquiry with an attitude of openheartedness. We familiarize ourselves with silence, because wise questions and fruitful responses arise out of silence.
Establishing a meditation practice where we become intimate with the elements offers us a way to connect to the presence of nature within ourselves, seeing over time that we are nature, not something separate from it.
When you try to ignore something or push it away, it actually seems to have a larger and more unrelenting presence. But when you turn toward and pay attention to the discomfort, it loses power over you.
Open to what is. Let go of those add-ons we’re conditioned to pile on: Don’t be afraid of what you are feeling.
If you look at the facts of something and write down your thoughts, you find that those thoughts lead to certain feelings, and those feelings lead to action. If you can practice new thoughts, you can change outcomes for yourself.
With our mindful walking we enter into a direct communion with the earth and with the ancient practices and rituals of the cultures buried beneath our highways and skyscrapers.
The Daily Dharma App is now available!
Via GBF \\ "Living With Integrity" with Steven Tierney
A new talk has been added to the GBF website, podcast and YouTube channel:
Living With Integrity – Steven Tierney
In this talk, Steven Tierney emphasizes living with integrity as the core of Buddhist practice.
He helps us reflect on living a meaningful and compassionate practice that is responsive to our unique life situations while benefiting both ourselves and others.
Steven defines integrity as aligning thoughts, words, and actions with core values while living for the benefit of others.
- Integrity means wholeness and completeness, derived from Latin meaning "whole"
- Encourages self-reflection and internal alignment with personal values
- Moves us beyond intellectual understanding to embodied practice
Practical Applications
- Replacing to-do lists with "to-feel" lists (focusing on desired feelings rather than tasks)
- Reducing doom scrolling and social media consumption
- Practicing "We Care" - balancing self-care with caring for others
Buddhist Practice in Daily Life
- Emphasizing that Buddhist teachings should be verified through lived experience
- Promoting engaged Buddhism that flows from contemplative practice
- Living the Bodhisattva vows through everyday interactions
Key Concepts
- Upaya (skillful means) - teaching in multiple ways to reach different people
- Nimbleness of spirit - knowing when to speak up versus when to listen
- Being present and compassionate rather than getting overwhelmed by external events
Steven concludes by referencing the Buddha's belief in the innate nobility and compassion of all beings, suggesting that negative qualities are learned rather than inherent.
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Enjoy 850+ free recorded dharma talks at https://gaybuddhist.org/
Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Appreciative Joy
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