‘True Freedom
– Beyond happiness and sadness‘
Led by Martin Evans and Randula Haththotuwa
Let autumn be autumn ..
Let summer be summer…
Air… o so faithfully – here
bearing the change of the seasons
yet, so light it freely flows
not hoping for spring when its autumn…
or being in winter when its summer.
Fully displaying autumn in autumn..
and fully displaying summer in summer…
Air…o so faithfully – here
bearing the change of the seasons
yet, so light it freely flows.
Have you tried turning autumn in to spring? and summer in to winter?
It’s like asking a chilli plant to give you mangoes – you would say how foolish.
You will surely only suffer.
When we experience pleasure, we say it is fine to be happy to laugh- yet, when we experience pain – we expect not to feel sadness, not to cry?
So where does freedom from suffering truly lie?
Is it in not crying? Is it in always being happy?
Or is it when we let go -let go of the resistance to feeling sadness? let go of getting swept away in the sadness? let go of the resistance to move away from sadness? So, is the suffering in the sadness or happiness? or is it in how we cling to or run away from sadness or happiness?
So why is there a resistance? what are we afraid of?
Is it because we do not see sadness for what it is? is it because we do not see happiness for it is? How do we see clearly? How do we begin to understand?
Is it then that we stop seeing a difference between happiness and sadness – a difference between crying and laughing?
Can we then go beyond this existence of happiness and sadness?
Is it there that lies true freedom from suffering?
Structure to the day
You can start joining the online group at 9.25am and there will be a short orientation talk at 9.35 am. The day finishes at 4.30pm.
The day includes periods of guided and silent meditation practice with a break around midday, followed by reflections on the theme, opportunity for personal reflection in small break out groups and Q & A.
Please click here for a more detailed programme
Those new to Buddhism or to this tradition are welcome.
Registration
Booking is required for online Days of Practice during these times of social distancing. We will email you an online registration form few days before the day. Please let us know your email address if you would like to receive it, alba.amaravati@gmail.com.
Joining on the day and further guidance
Further instructions on online days of practice can be found here
