Alan Wallace Shamatha Teachings Fall 2010

Once again, Alan shared with us some very inspiring reflections about our own capacity and potential. Remembering a question from H.H. Dalai Lama: What is our deepest impulse? He answers that our deepest impulse is caring. Caring emerges from within, so the potential of wanting to have happiness and be free from suffering is already there, but it’s blocked, it has barriers. The cause of these barriers is grasping on “I”, “Me” and “Mine”. So besides the well known practices like Tonglen, the practice of Shamatha can let come out this limitless potential. Having said that, we should question ourselves: what can we do to help us and other people, to be more ethical, benevolent, to cultivate our minds and hearts? Are we going to be content just the way we are? How can I be of greatest benefit? Alan then continued with a beautiful meditation which culminated with a detailed response to a question about rebirth.