Today we focus on step four of James Baraz’ 10 steps to awakening joy: how to find joy in difficult times. We discuss how to balance a sense of equanimity with compassion for the suffering of the world, and how cultivating joy at an individual level can support healing at the collective level.
Henry Shukman, the guiding teacher of Mountain Cloud Zen Center, joins Forrest and me to explore self-transcendent experiences, relaxing self-identification, and the warm heart at the core of Zen practice.
We all want to be truly happy. The question is, how? In Buddhist practice, the “how” includes gradually transforming the mind – the seat of clinging in all its forms – to increase the causes of happiness and reduce the causes of suffering – ultimately, to complete Awakening.
Here is a glossary of terms from the Wise Brain Bulletin written by Rick Hanson and Richard Mendius.