Florida Community of Mindfulness

Is It True? Questioning Our Experience of Reality (2019)

August 4, 2019

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner begins by discussing recent mass shootings from the point of view of understanding how external actions arise from people's minds. He further explains that if we truly want to change the external unfolding in our society, that the Buddha teaches us we must transform the minds of the people in that society. Then Fred goes on to discuss the importance of challenging our experience of reality. Although our 5 senses are always based in the reality of the present moment, our thinking mind constantly skews this direct experience, coloring it with our own conditioning and reference to our self. Because of this, Fred encourages us to challenge our experience by asking ourselves if our story about it is true. He further guides participants to look deeper into not only whether the story is true, but to see who is aware of the story in the first place.

Our Hidden Stories: Understanding the Impact of the Storehouse Consciousness (2019)

July 28, 2019

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses the Yogacara model of the mind. He explains that although there is an objective, consensual reality that can be experienced through our five senses, most of the time we live in an unreality manufactured by our mind. He explains the 6th sense of the thinking mind, and how our thoughts, memories, stories, and emotions that color the reality of the present moment are arising from what is termed the storehouse consciousness. When we understand this process occurring unconsciously and cultivate mindfulness, then we can begin to challenge these thoughts about reality that often bring us suffering. The basic question to ask is "Is it true?". It is very important that we have the fundamental willingness to be aware that reality and our thoughts are not the same. Our meditation practice allows us to see the difference.

Differing Between Mind and Its Appearances (2019)

June 15, 2019

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on Khenpo Gangshar's text, Naturally Liberating Whatever you Meet: Instructions to Guide You on the Profound Path.

Lojong Mind Trainings: Don't Misinterpret: Changing Afflictive Mindstates (2019)

November 3, 2019 

In this Dharma talk to students of the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner continues the series on the Lojong (Mind Trainings) teachings explaining slogan 44: "Learn the three difficult points" and slogan 52: "Don't misinterpret" and how we can live our life in an Awakened way by changing our afflictive mindstates.

Lojong Mind Trainings: Lojong Slogans to Assess Our Mind's Development (2019)

September 22, 2019 

In this Dharma talk to students of the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner explains the Lojong teachings within the point "The Extent of Proficiency in Mind Training": 1) All Dharma has a Single Purpose and 2) Of the Two Judges, Rely on the Principle One so that we may be able to assess our own mind's development along the path. 

Lojong Mind Trainings: What is the 'Single Purpose' of All Dharma Teachings? (2019)

June 30, 2019

In this series of talks, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of the slogans offered in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its' pithy sayings that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life. These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to lovingkindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings. Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation. In this particular talk, Fred discusses the practice of Tonglen as it is presented in this text, and the slogan, "All Dharmas have a single purpose."

Lojong Mind Trainings: Essential Mind Practices of a Bodhisattva (2019)

April 28, 2019

In this series of talks, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of the slogans offered in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its pithy sayings that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life. These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to loving-kindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings. Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation. In this talk, Fred focuses on two of these slogans. "Drive all blames into one," and "Be grateful to everyone."

Lojong Mind Trainings: Change Adverse Conditions into the Path (2019)

In this series of talks, Dharma  teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of  the slogans offered  in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its' pithy sayings  that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life.   These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to loving-kindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings.  Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation.

The Lojong Slogans on Absolute Bodhicitta (2 of 2) (2019)

In this series of talks, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of the slogans offered in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its' pithy sayings that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life. These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to loving kindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings. Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation.

 

 

The Lojong Slogans on Absolute Bodhicitta (1 of 2) (2019)

In this series of talks, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of the slogans offered in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its' pithy sayings that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life. These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to loving kindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings. Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation.