Heart Wisdom With Jack Kornfield

An exploration of the ways in which the quiet mind and open heart lead to wisdom, depth, and love. Our practice itself is an act of Love that gives us the ability to be present for all of humanity. Our growing capacity to feel our joys and sorrows allows us to live more freely in the energies of our life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack sits down with fellow podcast patrons, Duncan Trussell and Dustin Marshall, for an in-depth discussion about navigating some of the darkest corners of the emotional spectrum. We are encouraged to open to Love, despite the innate vulnerability and collective insecurities that inevitably arise. In cultivating the Witness, we are able to step outside the drama of our lives, creating just enough space to approach our suffering without getting lost in it. A wonderful exploration of our inherent worthiness regarding our capacity for Love, and the small steps we can take toward the healing our hearts and minds in the most hopeless of moments. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A gentle reminder that the possibility of awakening exists in every moment, and in every circumstance. Liberation comes not through suppression or by fighting against ourselves, but rather by resting where we are, at peace with the world as it is. We can all sense the potential for bringing compassion to ourselves and the world around us, and need only be reminded through the power of practice.     See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack outlines the Ten Perfections within Buddhism that naturally arise in the stillness and steadiness of our practice. These qualities can be developed and applied in any situation and are extremely useful in bringing the path of awakening into everyday life. They are not meant to be a means for perfecting oneself, but rather a reminder of the true nature to which we can always return   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In embracing our humanity, we move into the pure awareness of our own true nature, learning to live wisely and discovering freedom and compassion regardless of circumstance. The path is not about attainment, but rather an opportunity to recognize the patterns of life and begin to align ourselves with its flow. Jack shares the ways in which we can live with a wise heart in the midst of impermanence, with ease amidst the dance of life. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack describes the beauty of the awakened mind and heart that arises naturally when we can empty ourselves of the burden of identity. The reality of the present is all there is, and in fully embodying this understanding we move into an open and spacious realm of creative insight and joyful expression. Finding what it is that brings us to life, moves us deeper into the Dharma and sharing that energy with the world is a profound statement. We demonstrate our liberation by offering it to everyone we can, using the awakened heart as our compass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack weaves a tender web of allegorical expression regarding our natural call toward compassionate action. We learn to not seek satisfaction in the results, but in the value, rightness and truth of the work itself. We can’t bring the rain, but we can offer to plant the seeds of our heart’s best intentions. A spacious meditation closes the talk, in which we are invited to uncover our own unique Bodhisattva vow. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In practice there is an invitation to shift from the real-time experiences to the spacious and open heart of wisdom, ease, and graciousness. Through dedication to our practice we begin to find the trust necessary to remain present no matter the circumstance. As this presence grows, the factors of enlightenment such as mindfulness, joy, and equanimity slowly emerge. The awakened mind and heart are awaiting you, asking only that you make the effort to acknowledge their presence.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The mysterious quality we call Love involves stepping out of the body of fear and allowing something bigger to be born in us, all the while acknowledging and loving that smaller sense of self. Though we understand it to be our true nature, we must also recognize the necessity for practice in sustaining this openhearted awareness. Once brought to life, we learn to nourish that deeper part of our being, offering the appropriate respect and response to all of humanity See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In meditation and in our spiritual life there grows a kind of trust in our capacity to open, to change, and to transform no matter the circumstances we face. The shift of identity comes in recognizing that the smaller sense of self is not who we really are. The original nature of the mind is pure knowing, and through this understanding we begin to find the joy of the liberated heart. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jack continues his discourse on the nature of the freedom that is our true being. It does not arrive through the rearranging of circumstance or the discipline of self-improvement, but in the acknowledgment and allowing of all of life’s movements. The aim is not passive acceptance, but rather a relaxation that fuels the energy to respond as necessary. In knowing when to hold on and when to let go, we embody the gracious and honorable presence that characterizes our deeper self. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Freedom is not found in certainty, but in the wisdom that comes from seeing and embracing life as it is. Jack explores the different ways that freedom can be embodied and fully represented through the nobility of Spirit that is born into every being. When we uncover this freedom, to be who we are, to serve others, and to care for the world, we discover that it was our purpose all along. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pilgrimage is the journey of renewal, an opportunity to shift and broaden our perspective of the world around us. Through this active form of spiritual practice we are able to step out of the smaller envelope of identity in order to witness and embrace more of life’s mysteries. Who we really are is exposed in the light of these novel experiences, and our potential for expansion and personal growth is naturally illuminated... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“When Love meets sorrow it becomes compassion” As we become silent we start to awaken to the mystery of this human realm. We begin to open to and acknowledge all of the unfinished business that often permeates our being. Through practice we can learn to offer love in the presence of pain. In these moments of loving-kindness we feel a connection to the web of life and discover the more objective nature of our struggles and sorrows. As Jack explains, no matter what level you are practicing on, you cannot fully open without compassion. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“What we’re looking for is where we are” - Dharma speaks to the ways in which we choose to navigate the uncertainty of our time on this planet. Can we learn to live in joy amongst all that this great unknowing has to offer? Jack guides us through some of the key principles of the awakened heart, encouraging an attitude of graciousness toward the mysterious nature of our existence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A spacious walk through the shifts of identity that often occur as we move from the smaller sense of self into that place of loving awareness, the ‘one who knows’. This opening can be understood as the entrance point to Awakening. Though it may be unfamiliar and often times uncomfortable, it is ultimately necessary for moving beyond the limitations of the separate self. Jack provides us with a map for this new territory, and reassures us that the intelligence of the heart will lead the way, even through the darkest corridors. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spiritual practice requires of us a kind and devoted attention to the opening of the body as well as the heart. We cultivate the necessary space through a quieting of the mind, and invite a sense of compassion and openness into the heart. We can then listen to better understand how to become ourselves what we want the world to be. There is a profound offering in our commitment and dedication to becoming the most beautiful human beings that we can be. At the root of this offering is the desire to allow spiritual practice to be the tool with which we tend to the garden of the heart. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What attitude can we carry into a world of conflict and difficulty that will allow us to treasure and fully embody the work we do in practice? In this talk, Jack details the teachings of the Bodhisattva - a commitment to the welfare and awakening of all beings. We are encouraged to find our deepest intention, the most beautiful thing we could do with our life, and to let that be our reference as we move out into the world. Through ‘deep knowing and deep intention’, we begin to embrace a sense of the sacred in everything we do. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The spiritual path seems as much a journey of becoming who we are, rather than attaining some elevated sense of self. But what circumstances must arise in order for us to honor our particular incarnation, and to then do something beautiful with it? Crisis, trauma, and retreat are just a few of the potential catalysts, and our task is to simply recognize and accept that which has served to encourage our own efforts along the path. We begin to see that it is often just a matter of remembering and reminding ourselves of the different ways that we are brought to freedom and joy in our own lives. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The heart needs poetry much like the Earth needs rain. It is the music, the harmony, and the bearer of truth throughout our life’s journey. To uncover our poetic sensibility is to begin to find the rhythm of language that matches the beauty of the world around us. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.