Florida Community of Mindfulness

Fred Talks about FCM's 3 Paths of Practice and Answers Questions from the Audience (2017)

June 9, 2017 

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner explains that both happiness and unhappiness are conditions of our mind. He says that mindfulness is essential to develop so that we can be aware of whether we are cultivating wholesome or unwholesome mind states.  In this way, we can be sure to cultivate only wholesome mind sates which give rise to a happy mind.  He goes on to explain how we must practice where we are in our spiritual development, not where we wish we were. Although the path is about cultivating the skills that can take us from where we are now to where we want to be, we must begin with acceptance and unconditional love toward ourselves, exactly as we are right now.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (6 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (5 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (4 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (3 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (2 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

The Fundamentals: The Four Seals of Buddhism (1 of 6) (2019)

Non-residential Retreat | October 2019 

In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.

The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.

Guidance for Life: The Ten Major Mahayana Precepts (2019)

October 19, 2019 

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on the Ten Major Mahayana Precepts also found as the "Ten Precepts of a Zen Peacemaker" and how we can reflect & practice with them to be a guide leading us along the path in our everyday life.

Transformation Only Occurs in the Present (2019)

October 6, 2019 

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on two quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh's "Understanding Our Mind."

Regard All Phenomena as Dreams and Examine the Nature of Unborn Awareness (2019)

August 18, 2019

In this Dharma talk, Fred Eppsteiner discusses the unconditioned mind with slogans from "The Great Path of Awakening". The first slogan discussed was "Regard all phenomena as dreams." Although our experiences seem real, they are actually as impermanent as a dream. The second slogan discussed was "Examine the nature of unborn awareness." If everything is arising from the mind, what is the nature of the mind? Fundamental awareness is not all the things that you think about, it is the one that sees. That awareness is quiet, at ease, open, and unconstricted. These qualities are always available if we turn to that which is aware.