Florida Community of Mindfulness

The Buddha was often consulted by the kings of the principalities of India in his day, leading him to develop 10 guidelines for good leadership and creating a healthy society, our teacher Fred said in a recent Dharma talk. While the current news is about the "No Kings" movement in the U.S., the issue is bigger than political views and relates to all levels of political or other types of leadership, he said. 

Buddhism is about the big picture. Inner transformation of society is ultimately the answer. Society is an interactive process. All human beings have a mix of wholesome and unwholesome qualities in their minds, and what  manifests depends on the responsibility we assume for developing wholesome qualities. We can blame leaders for their failures without noticing we have any of the same qualities in us. 

Leaders set examples in the way they conduct themselves and treat others. The quality of leadership affects how we are as a people, and the quality of society affects the heath of our leaders. 

It comes from both sides. A leader who is moral will affect the population. If a leader nurtures the unwholesome, the unwholesome will grow in society.

We may not be able to change our leaders, but we can change ourselves. That’s our responsibility. It is harder for an unhealthy ruler to lead if the culture of the country is living according to these 10 values. 

The values the Buddha recommended for a ruler or leader are: generosity (willingness to give away wealth and resources for the benefit of others), moral, ethical character, self sacrifice for the benefit of others, honesty and integrity, gentleness and caring about the wellbeing of others, self control and austerity, shunning luxury, lack of anger and resentment, nonviolence, freedom from envy or grudges, and willingness to rule according to the will of the people.

Following a three-day retreat led by Guo Gu at the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Guo Gu and Fred Eppsteiner answer a variety of questions from the audience, some highlights of which included the following advice:
• The foundation of meditation practice is to relax the body, cultivate contentment, and develop focused curiosity on the breath.
• Habit energy causes the mind to replay past scenarios; transforming this requires shifting feeling tone and compassionate visualization.
• Finding common ground in times of division requires being grounded oneself, cultivating right view, and responding with wisdom and compassion.
• Success and failure are uncontrollable outcomes; focus on controlling effort and understanding causes and conditions.
• Meditation should be enjoyable and tailored to one’s psychophysiological type, ideally with teacher guidance.
• Managing strong emotions like anger and fear requires building mindfulness strength gradually, recognizing early signs, and physical grounding.
• Spiritual practice deepens during unstable times as people seek stable ground beyond societal distractions and consumer culture.

Milarepa is one of the most renowned practitioners in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and most beloved by lay people. The story line of his life encompasses his difficult childhood, his vengeance seeking adolescence and young adulthood, his turning away from the “black arts” with repentance for his past deeds, his embrace of the Dharma Path, his conflicted and difficult relationship with his Dharma teacher, and his sincere and committed meditation practice that ultimately flowers with enlightenment. Overall a life that demonstrates that no matter what the “baggage,” healing and transformation is available to everyone.

Most of Milarepa's teachings were preserved in the form of poems that he spontaneously sang to those who came to him for teachings. These Dharma song poems are true jewels of the Buddhist tradition. Fred shares and comments on some of his favorites in these two Pop-up Teachings at the Florida Community of Mindfulness.

Milarepa is one of the most renowned practitioners in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and most beloved by lay people. The story line of his life encompasses his difficult childhood, his vengeance seeking adolescence and young adulthood, his turning away from the “black arts” with repentance for his past deeds, his embrace of the Dharma Path, his conflicted and difficult relationship with his Dharma teacher, and his sincere and committed meditation practice that ultimately flowers with enlightenment. Overall a life that demonstrates that no matter what the “baggage,” healing and transformation is available to everyone.

Most of Milarepa's teachings were preserved in the form of poems that he spontaneously sang to those who came to him for teachings. These Dharma song poems are true jewels of the Buddhist tradition. Fred shares and comments on some of his favorites in these two Pop-up Teachings at the Florida Community of Mindfulness.

In this teaching to students at the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Fred presents a profound Buddhist teaching, focusing on two central ideas: the metaphor of the "host and guest" and the concept of "gladdening the mind." The teaching of host and guest, drawn from Chan Buddhism and illuminated by the insights of the Chinese master Shu Yun (Empty Cloud), explains that our true self is like a host—stable, present, and unchanging—while our thoughts, emotions, and experiences are like guests—transient, illusory, and constantly coming and going. The host remains unaffected by the guests, embodying the true nature of awareness or consciousness, while the guests represent illusory thoughts and feelings that arise and pass away. Recognizing this distinction is foundational for spiritual practice and mental well-being because it helps reduce suffering caused by over-identification with fleeting mental phenomena.

In this second of two talks on the Buddha's teachings on the Four Nutriments, Angie gives an introduction to the nutriments for the mind: Sensory impressions, volition and consciousness. Our aspiration for the type of mind we wish to cultivate is paramount in making choices for a diet that will support our true happiness and wellbeing.

In this first of two talks introducing the Buddha's teachings on the Four Nutriments, Angie introduces the first nutriment, edible foods. She reflects on her personal journey toward a healthier relationship with her body and food, emphasizing how unconscious eating habits often stem from emotional needs or past trauma. Through mindfulness practices, she shares how shifting perspectives can lead to healthier choices that nourish both body and mind. 

Highlights
• Mindful Consumption: It is important to be conscious of WHAT and WHY we consume—not just food, but also thoughts, emotions, and media—since they all impact our well-being.
• Emotional Eating: Many people use food to numb emotional pain or fill a void left by loneliness, stress, or past trauma.
• Body Relationship Shift: It can be very helpful to reflect deeply on how we view our body if we are to make a shift to seeing it as a sacred vessel deserving of love and care.
• Guided Reflection: A meditation invites participants to reflect on their relationship with their bodies—whether seen as an object of pleasure, tied to ego, neglected, or honored as a vehicle for purpose.
• Community Sharing: Attendees shared insights about viewing the body-mind connection as inseparable, embracing balance over restriction, and navigating wellness in a world full of conflicting health advice.
• Mindful Eating Practices: Mindful eating practices were shared, such as those offered by Roshi Jan Chozen Bays in her book "Mindful Eating" (e.g. “What kind of hunger am I feeding?” (e.g., eye hunger, stomach hunger, heart hunger), gratitude eating practices, and more).

Fred introduces the 2022 biological documentary of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, "A Cloud Never Dies," then leads the sangha in discussing this beautiful and profound video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRObW9noiVk). Fred reminded us of Thich Nhat Hanh's (Thay's) teaching that we have the opportunity of making this the century of spirituality but there has to be a great awakening, and the great awakening is within each of us. While we may wish to see change in the world, Thay always taught that change begins within us, and it is our responsibility to individually wake up, to put these wonderful teachings into practice, and to manifest them in our own relationships and lives.