Coogee Buddhist Group

Take Hold of Your Life

On Tue, 3 June, 2014 - 07:30
Dhammalata's picture
Dhammalata
Hi Fellow Coogee Meditators

The Buddha said that just as the oceans of the earth have but one taste, the taste of salt, so too his teachings have one taste; freedom!

So what does it mean for a human being to be free?

In my own experience quite of lot of this freedom has been finding a way out from the self-centred, narcissistic knot that I had tied myself into. A knot that was formed and tightened by my relentless struggle to get as much of the loot life has to offer and to push away as much of the stuff I didn’t like. This push and pull is very strong and sets up habits that very much dictate who we are and how we direct and manage ourselves.

And most of us will have experienced how hard it is to then change our habits! Often it’s not easy to even see what our habits are; it’s only a crisis or conflict that mirrors them back to us.

Imagine living a life where you are endlessly creative, where you meet change with poise and equanimity and where you experience deep and imperturbable contentment. Your mind is so malleable and your heart so at ease that whatever life throws up we are able to meet it with equanimity: not with resignation but with the freedom and joy that flows from one who dances lightly and confidently with reality.

Freedom cannot reside with acquisitions of any form; one day we will have to give them up. Instead freedom lies in understanding with more and more clarity that life is delicate, impermanent and infinitely precious. The art of savouring life whilst also embracing its transitoriness is a path to freedom!

I’ve been thinking a lot about our Coogee Meditation Retreat (weekend of June 20 – 22) and I’m excited about the idea of using this time to explore freedom in the context of our own situations; our own lives. Reflecting on what our ideal life might look like, identifying the challenges to experiencing it and then making connections as to how meditation can speak directly to this quest.

I’ve just finished listening to an excellent talk on meditation by one of my favourite order members by the name of Padmavajra and I’d like to share some of his inspiration on the retreat.

I urge you to seriously consider coming on retreat with us. We already have a lovely group attending and it will be all the richer for your company.

Please join us for a relaxing, meditative and inspiring weekend in our tranquil retreat centre on the banks of the Georges River in Minto Heights: friendship, inspiration and yummy vegetarian food!

Please see attached flyer for detail and send me an email to let me know you’r coming. I will try to assist if you need lifts out there.

Meditation this week: The Metta Bhavana 7 – 8.30

Invitation to Play Croquet this Long Weekend!

The Coogee Croquet Club are hosting us for an introduction to croquet this Sunday at 10.30 am. All are very warmly invited to attend (with partners and friends)

Please let me know if you want to join us so that I can advise them of numbers

Log in or register to take part in this conversation