Spring 2012 Shamatha Retreat

Beginning the Second Cycle. While keeping the emphasis on relaxation, Alan suggested balancing three groups of practice as you would with the three food groups. First, shamatha for cultivating attention, stability, clarity. Second, the wisdom group since insight acts an antidote to delusion and ignorance -- studying and reading that which helps an understanding of the practice. In formal sessions and in between sessions, we practice the third group: that of cultivating the heart. In this practice, there’s a vertical dimension related to faith and devotion and a horizontal dimension focusing on our fellow sentient beings through the practices of the Four Immeasurables. He also gave an interesting talk addressing the topics of precognition, remote viewing and recall of past lives. Meditation starts 11.42 Meditation ends 35.40 Question and answer starts 51.26