Florida Community of Mindfulness

The Dharma of Scrooge (2021)

12-19-21

In this Dharma talk, Fred Eppsteiner relates the story of the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens', "A Christmas Carol." Through this story, Fred explains how we can all transform the suffering we experience from living a life devoted to self into a happy, meaningful life filled with love and compassion for others.

Core Values of the Florida Community of Mindfulness (2021)

12-12-21

The Florida Community of Mindfulness has a very clear vision and mission that it seeks to realize. It also has eight essential principles, or "core values," that underlie, motivate, shape and guide the community. In this talk to students of FCM, teacher Fred Eppsteiner more deeply describes the core values of Awakening and Community.

Learning How to Love (2021)

11-21-21

Dharma teacher Fred gives a talk during a retreat titled "Learning How to Love."

In this four-day retreat, Fred guided participants in the teachings and practices found in the Buddhist tradition that train our hearts and minds to become vessels of love and understanding. No longer hoping that a change of heart will happen spontaneously or become a random occurrence, we practice developing the ability to generate the heart of love and compassion in all life situations and relationships. We also looked at those historical mind states and self-centered orientations that sabotage the loving heart and establish barriers.

Personal Boundaries and the Buddhist Teachings On No-Boundaries (2021)

The Practice of Zen is Awakening: Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh - Part 2 (2021)

October 24, 2021

In this talk, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner continues to shares with us early teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh found in Thay's writing "Zen Keys." Thich Nhat Hanh tells us "The aim of Zen Buddhism is a clear vision of reality, seeing things as they are, and that is acquired by the power of concentration. This clear vision is enlightenment."

 

The Practice of Zen is Awakening: Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh (2021)

October 17, 2021

In this talk, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner shares with us early teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh tells us "The aim of Zen Buddhism is a clear vision of reality, seeing things as they are, and that is acquired by the power of concentration. This clear vision is enlightenment." 

Thay goes on to teach, "Mindfulness is the energy that sheds light on all things and all activities, producing the power of concentration, bringing forth deep insight and awakening."

 

Teaching stories from the Chan/Zen traditions (2021)

9-26-21

In this Dharma talk, Fred Eppsteiner shares stories from the Chan/Zen traditions to help us realize how to put into practice in our daily life compassion and understanding.

Not All Present Moments Are The Same (2021)

9-19-21

During this talk, our teacher, Fred Eppsteiner, shares with us Zen & Chan teachings on the importance of the present moment and how not all "present moments" are the same. Fred also shares with us about the Dharma Transmission Group, and several members of the group share their experiences from the past three years in the group.

Reflections on a Wisdom Retreat (2021)

9-12-21

In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner shares with us the meaning and significance of a Wisdom Retreat. We also hear sharing from four FCM members who were on this week's retreat.

Since the time of the Buddha, countless teachers have pointed out the innate simplicity and spontaneous wisdom of our true mind. Unfettered by conditioning and emotional reactivity, this mind has the capacity to guide and support us spontaneously in living an awakened life. Directly experiencing the mind and all the things that appear in it (especially the self!) as empty of any substance or solidity allows one to break through into the totally open and spacious mind nature. This is the basis of true transformation.

Prescription For Our Times: The Second Noble Truth (2021)