Lama Surya Das explores the ways in which our egos allow our innate and limitless awareness to get caught up in the trees of our desires and fears.
Show Notes
The Bottom Line (Opening) – We look at the bottom line principles of truth and love in the Buddhist tradition. Lama Surya Das examines how these qualities open us to a panoramic awareness of what is.
“This is the bigger picture. Not getting caught up in the trees, but glimpsing the whole forest at once. Not being lost in the trees, but also having the bigger picture in mind as we negotiate relative decisions and turnings amidst the alleys and byways of skyscrapers – the big forest.” – Lama Surya Das
Caught in the Trees (7:35) – There is a natural quality of love and compassion that in each of us that recognizes ourselves in others. Surya Das looks at how our egos allow us to get caught up in the metaphorical trees of our desires and aversions.
“In Buddhism selfishness is the main poison. Egotism is the main culprit, which means the delusion of separateness.” – Lama Surya Das
Practices of Freedom (18:00) – How can we recondition our selfishness? We look at how a daily spiritual practice allows us to set aside our egos, even if only for the moment. Lama Surya Das explains how the repetition of this practice clears away the obscurations of our inner nature and panoramic awareness.
“Many times a day. Taking a breath, breathing out, looking at the sky. A few seconds, a minute – how long does it take to reconnect to the view, to the Buddha within, to your own true nature? A few quickies, instead of a few longies. A few seconds, a few times a day, please try it.” – Lama Surya Das
Explore what it means to live your practice in every moment with Francesca Maximé and Lama Surya Dass on Ep. 62 of the Awakening Now Podcast
