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Teacher
Ying Chen
Format
Two live-online classes
Dates
Fridays, May 29 and June 5, 9:00 am – 11:00 am PT
Description
Where does the heart go for refuge? This simple but powerful question has been quietly lingering in me (Ying) for a while.
It’s an uncommon question, yet it opens a door. Without it, much of our life runs on habit. We reach, we avoid, we manage. Some of us take refuge in getting what we want. Others take refuge in pushing away what we don’t. Most of the time, we move back and forth between these two, rarely stopping to look more closely.
As described in the Pāsarāsisutta (MN 26), before his awakening, Gotama saw this clearly. He recognized that people were caught in patterns that were never truly satisfying, yet they kept repeating them. This recognition set him on a different path, one that led beyond the endless pursuit of fleeting conditions. He discovered a way of living with a heart and mind that are no longer bound by the cycles of Saṃsāra.
In this two-part series, we’ll explore the question of refuge in a direct and experiential way. We begin by grounding ourselves in the Naturally Arising Practice Method. From there, we investigate: when things are difficult, uncertain, or joyful and delightful, where does the heart actually turn?
Through meditation, reflection, inquiry, and experiential practices, we’ll begin to recognize the difference between habitual refuges and a more reliable one. There is the possibility of discovering a refuge that does not depend on the ever shifting and changing conditions, and learning how to live from that alignment in everyday life.
These sessions include a guided meditation, teachings drawn from the Pali Canon text and brought into modern life, reflective inquiry, chanting, and time for shared “reports from the field,” with responses from the teacher.
Model of Mutual Support
This program is offered in the Buddhist tradition of dāna, which means freely giving. When you register, you will see donation options ranging from $15 - $250. However, you are welcome to offer any amount you wish below or above this range. Finances need not be a barrier to participation. Any offering is gratefully accepted, tax-deductible, and supports both the teachers and Dharma Ground.