If you’re just joining us for this month’s theme, please read the earlier posts:
→ Introduction
→ Week 1 Instructions
→ Week 2 Instructions
→ Week 3 Instructions
Last weekend, I was at the Garrison Institute for a retreat with Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme, known as both Khadro-la and Khandro Rinpoche. She’s a wonderful teacher and a longtime student of the Dalai Lama, and her program was entitled “Peace through Exceptional Wisdom and Compassion” — which I think is probably the most important topic and practice we can study right now, given the state of the world and the divisive dynamics in our society.
Unsurprisingly, Khadro-la talked about how important it is to avoid ignorance, hatred, fear, disconnection, anxiety, greed, grasping — all of which cause suffering in ourselves and create the problems we see in the world today. But she also emphasized the importance of happiness, and encouraged us to take refuge in the true causes of that happiness — our inherent capacity for connection, kindness, and love. She explained that we can trust such happiness because it is based in truth, and reflects the reality of interdependence, impermanence, and change.
Khandro Rinpoche encouraged us to pay attention to these moments of gladness and ease, and use them as protection against future suffering and as a motivation for practice. Smilingly, she told us, “You should say to yourself, ‘I like this! I want more of this! I want to be happy and I know that freedom can be attained!’”
As the weekend progressed, I realized that being happy is the same as enjoying your life — because the meaning of both are to let yourself recognize the pleasure of generosity, patience, contentment, empathy, steadiness, and all your other beautiful qualities, and using this understanding as an incentive to expand your capacity for them. Khandro Rinpoche encouraged us to pay attention to these moments of release and ease, and to use them as protection against future suffering and as motivation for practice. She told us, “You should say to yourself, “I like this! I want more of this! I want to be happy and I know that freedom can be attained!” And as I sat in the quiet meditation hall in the afternoon, I experienced this — a simple feeling of happiness, that wasn’t about getting what I wanted or being different than who I was or making the world be the way I think it should be. It was simply about being who I truly am — who we all truly are — a being with the potential for boundless wisdom and compassion for myself and all living beings.
In today’s meditation, we’ll get in touch with our loving awareness through stillness and mindfulness, and consider those moments when we truly felt happy — so we can allow ourselves to enjoy our life, now and in the future, for ourselves and for all beings.
→ Read about last summer’s retreat here.
→ Watch the video of Khandro Rinpoche’s retreat (and other events) here.
→ Our bi-monthly meditation sessions begin soon. Learn more here.
Going forward, how will you stay connected to real happiness? Make a plan that includes formal meditation practice as well as daily life exercises like keeping a daily list of moments free from suffering to encourage and cultivate your true heart and mind, and enjoy what you have and what you don’t have.
In ordinary life, gaining wealth, food and shelter brings some pleasure at a physical level but not at a mental level. The worst suffering is mental suffering. Therefore, we have no choice but to learn how to transform such suffering. To do this, one needs to transform the mind. Wealth, rank and position can never handle or deal with mental suffering. Even having a large number of friends or guardians does not help because when faced with mental suffering, nothing can help except for mind-training.
—Khandro Rinpoche (Rangjung Neljorma Khadro Namsel Drönme)
My dear friends, you’ve cultivated so much goodness and merit through your practice this month! I wish you to continue to truly enjoy your blessings, your good heart, and your precious life.
Don’t forget that all the meditations this month will continue to be available to until our next theme starts on Monday, July 7th, so be sure to listen to them while you can.
When you become a Paid Subscriber you can access the audio archives, and you’ll support the free version of the newsletter and enable others to access the teachings too!
May all suffering from extreme temperatures be safe and protected from harm. May all have shade, water, and rest. May our loving efforts create loving efforts, and may our bravery never fail to alleviate the suffering of all beings. Sabbe satta sukhi hontu. May it be so!
Metta+++,
Kim✨
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