Illuminating the art of paying attention, Jack shares hilarious stories and mindful insights around how we can let go into the present.
This Dharma talk from March 13, 1989 at Spirit Rock Meditation Center was originally published on DharmaSeed
“To learn the art of paying attention requires some practice, that we learn how to sit and steady ourselves, to steady our bodies, and listen with a steadiness of heart, to actually be with what is here in our experience—pleasant and unpleasant, beautiful and ugly. That’s what sitting is about, really, is to sit and be with the 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows, to see them, feel them, and let ourselves be as we are.” – Jack Kornfield
In this episode, Jack artfully illuminates:
- How your spiritual path is truly in your own hands; other’s can point the way, but you must walk it
- The Buddha’s four aspects of Right Effort
- Learning the art of paying attention, and applying this to sit with life’s 10,000 joys and sorrows
- The Samurai way of going through the path of fire
- Jack’s hilarious personal experience solving koans on Zen retreats
- Letting go into the present moment (while still acting in the world)
“As one Zen master says, ‘Just put it down, put everything down. Just be here and forget about the past and future. That’s enough.’” – Jack Kornfield
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as. a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Dive into Jack’s ongoing dharma offerings and transformational online courses on the new JackKornfield.com
Listen to more from Jack:
Tune into Ep. 109 of Heart Wisdom: This Too Shall Pass
Learn about Living with a Peaceful Heart in Ep. 91 of Heart Wisdom
Check out Ep. 90 of Heart Wisdom to learn about Healing Through Loving Awareness
Listen to more Stories That Open the Mind, Mend the Heart and Lead to Joy with Jack Kornfield in Ep.92 of Heart Wisdom
Tune into Ep. 102 of Heart Wisdom: The Wisdom of the One Who Knows
Check out Ep. 1 of Heart Wisdom to gain wisdom on Impermanence
Art via Dilok Klaisataporn