Homework, Week One -- Perfect Just As You Are

This week's homework for our Four Immeasurables class has two parts:

1. Make a list of people or animals who, when you think of them, you spontaneously feel a sense of openness, tenderness, expansion... in other words, love. It can be only one person or animal, and they may be living or dead.

2. At some point during your daily sit, take at least two minutes and experience receiving love. You may think of a particular situation or experience in the past when you felt complete, unconditional love. Bring it to mind and sit in the experience of receiving love.

Pema Chodron mentioned that if you're visually oriented, you might want to see light rays coming from that person and absorbing into you. You may also consider adding Dr. Martinez' biocognitive technique of including a physical sensation. He recommends crossing your arms and caressing your arms with a gentle stroke of your hands. Another method that works well for me is to apply the palms of my hands -- one to the heart chakra and one to the throat chakra.

When I tried Dr. Martinez' method yesterday, the memory arose of lying down with my head in my mother's lap as she caressed my head. It was a vivid sensory and emotional experience, so it gave me plenty to work with. This morning, I tried the chakra method and a different experience arose. The important note is to make it a felt experience, not conceptual.

Then notice what arises for you in the experience of receiving love. Do you open? Shut down? Expand? Resist? Are there reactive emotions that arise? If so, bring them into your attention and breathe with them. Feel yourself supported in your chair, feel your back to the wall or chair, relax your jaw, and continue in the experience of receiving love.

And if you'd like, come Friday night ready to share what you're noticing. We'll receive the practice on cultivating lovingkindness at the next class. Have a great week!

Perfect Just As You Are: New class with Luminous Mind

Perfect Just As You Are
Buddhist Practices on the Four Limitless Ones:
Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity

An 8-week series beginning Friday, October 23, 2009

Fridays, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
1716A Linden Avenue in the Belmont/Hillsboro
neighborhood of Nashvile | Click here for map

Following on the heels of our special event with Dr. Mario Martinez, our next series will focus on embodying the Four Immeasurables in our direct experience.

Our study will center around audio teachings by Pema Chodron in her brand-new series, "Perfect Just As You Are." We will listen to the teaching, discuss it together, and integrate the practice through meditation, with relevant books available for reference. Dr. Martinez will stay in touch to help us with any questions of how to integrate the practice using biocognitive techniques.

This series gives practical methods for integrating love, compassion, joy, and equanimity in our immediate experience. It is appropriate for anyone, no matter what spiritual path or lack thereof. Since the series is so accessible, new people can get something out of coming, even one time.

Description of "Perfect Just As You Are"

Spiritual practice, Pema Chödrön teaches, has nothing to do with self-improvement, since, as the course's title claims, you're already perfect right now. The limitless qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity are your deep-down, ultimate reality, and those are qualities that can't be improved upon.

If you're not feeling particularly kind, compassionate, joyful, or equanimous at the moment, take heart: the Four Limitless Ones are there like seeds, waiting to be cultivated through practice-and, being limitless, they're rich enough to be worked with for a lifetime. This intensive program of study and practice provides the tools you need to access these radiant states and to nurture their growth for sake of all beings, including yourself. Here's some of what you'll learn:

• How cultivating the Four Limitless Ones is the antidote to depression, irritation, and isolation
• Basic meditation instructions to get you started in the foundational practice
• A wealth of guided meditations for generating these radiant qualities to yourself, others, and the world
• Writing and reflection exercises to bring the Four Limitless Ones powerfully into real life
• A simple chant you can use to create love and good will around yourself
• Powerful on-the-spot practices you can use throughout the day, even when there's "no time to practice"

The program fits perfectly with any other kind of meditation you're doing or with other spiritual practices. And since no previous knowledge of Buddhism is required, it's also ideal for those new to spiritual practice.