Independence Day
This 4th of July Sunday, we'll be celebrating Independence Day with special music and some great fellowship among our community. We will also continue our study of Pema Chödrön's "When Things Fall Apart," celebrating the freedom we learn from the introduced Buddhist philosophies and practices.
Join us for an unforgettable Independence Day Sunday in person or online. You will not regret it.
Watch & Listen
Sermon Notes
Invocation
Part Four: Time and Eternity
by Emily Dickinson (Complete Poems [1924])
NO rack can torture me,
My soul ’s at liberty.
Behind this mortal bone
There knits a bolder one
You cannot prick with saw,
Nor rend with scymitar.
Two bodies therefore be;
Bind one, and one will flee.
The eagle of his nest
No easier divest
And gain the sky,
Than mayest thou,
Except thyself may be
Thine enemy;
Captivity is consciousness,
So’s liberty.
Book Talk Series
“When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times” by Pema Chödrön
Sunday, May 23, read chapters 1–4
Sunday, May 30, read chapters 5–8
Sunday, June 6, read chapters 9–12
Sunday, June 13, read chapters 13–16
Sunday, July 4, read chapters 17–20
Sunday, July 11, read chapters 21–22
Chapter 17 – Opinions
“The basic principle of Truth is that the mind of each individual may be consciously unified with Divine Mind through the indwelling Christ.” (Charles Fillmore, Revealing Word)
“Just as the Buddha taught, it’s important to see suffering as suffering. We are not talking about ignoring or keeping quiet. When we don’t buy into our opinions and solidify the sense of enemy, we will accomplish something. If we don’t get swept away by our outrage, then we will see the cause of suffering more clearly. That is how the cessation of suffering evolves.” (110)
Chapter 18 – Secret Oral Instructions
“We continually find ourselves in that squeeze. It’s a place where we look for alternatives to just being there. It’s an uncomfortable, embarrassing place, and it’s often the place where people like ourselves give up.” (115)
“We liked meditation and the teachings when we felt inspired and in touch with ourselves and on the right path. But what about when it begins to feel like a burden, like we made the wrong choice and it’s not living up to our expectations at all? The people we are meeting are not all that sane. In fact, they seem pretty confused. The way the place is run is not up to par. Even the teacher is questionable.” (115)
Chapter 19 – Three Methods of Working with Chaos
No more struggle
Poison as medicine (passion, aggression, ignorance)
Everything is enlightened Wisdom
“Approach what you find repulsive, help the ones you think you cannot help, and go to places that scare you.” (121)
Chapter 20 – The Trick of Choicelessness
“Trungpa Rinpoche’s Sadhana of Mahamudra describes the samaya of body, speech, and mind in a beautiful way: “Whatever is seen with the eyes is vividly unreal in emptiness, yet there is still form.” It goes on to say that this is none other than the appearance of our teacher. “Whatever is heard with the ears is the echo of emptiness, yet real.” And these ordinary, everyday sounds are the utterance of our teacher. All our thoughts and memories, “good and bad, happy and sad,” all “vanish into emptiness like the imprint of a bird in the sky.” All these constantly arising thoughts are the mind of our teacher. This is where we begin to be introduced to the fact that our teacher is not separate from our experience. We realize that there is no alternative to the experience that we have. Our experience is the only experience there is. This is the ultimate teacher.” (131)
