Thank you Gil Fronsdal
Like many of you, I too am an “E-Sangha” member of Gil Fronsdal’s community. When I first heard Gil Fronsdal teach, I sensed that he was a special man with a great heart, and deep compassion. Gil’s teachings have resonated with me and many others. Although he may not know it, Gil’s talks are the most freely proliferated teachings in Buddhism ever. That makes Gil Fronsdal a significant figure in the history of Buddhism. Gil’s life and work is helping people transform their lives. I believe that he has changed our world. When one life is transformed, and the seed of happiness, loving kindness, and compassion is planted, it grows and nourishes the individual, the family, the work life, the community, and the world.
Every hour of Gil’s Dharma talks we listen to, is an hour of Gil’s life. It’s an hour of Gil’s compassion, kindness, and dedication to his community. These hours are very very numerous. This wonderful teacher is dedicated, and very committed and for that we can be very very thankful.
Gil’s teachings are given freely, and 100% Dana supported. For this community to abide , it takes one act of kindness at a time. Please read Gil’s letter and know that we too in the “E-Sangha” are also invited to participate in this community. Remember, being in the “E-Sangha” isn’t about downloading free talks from the internet. It’s about giving to each other. It’s about the practice of generosity, and compassion for everyone.
Thank you my “E-Teacher” Gil Fronsdal. Your work is great, peaceful, kind, compassionate, and very dedicated. Because of that, I am peaceful, compassionate, and very dedicated to help you, help others.
peace,
Amber Star
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A Letter from Gil Fronsdal
Annual Fundraising letter from Gil Fronsdal
Dear friend of IMC,
Twenty-five years ago a few people began to meet in Menlo Park on Monday evenings to practice mindfulness meditation and listen to Buddhist teachings together. They planted the seed that grew to become IMC. Not only do we have an active center, we also have a “virtual community” of thousands who listen to our talks online through Audiodharma, iTunes and other websites. This is remarkable given that all our programs, publications, and online Dharma talks are offered freely. Our growth is clearly the result of the generosity of the many people who have benefited from what our community offers. Those of you who practice with us, who volunteer, and who financially donate to IMC all contribute to the field of generosity and goodwill which sustains us. Our programs are open to anyone to participate as they can and as they want.
In this annual fundraising letter, I first and foremost want to express my great gratitude to all the people who practice with and support IMC. For me, our community is a wonderful expression of the liberation, compassion and love that the Buddha pointed to. I never could have imagined I would be teaching in such an inspiring community based on the most meaningful values found in Buddhism. Many, many thanks!
IMC is fortunate to have a well cared for building, an expanding range of programs, an extensive online offering of talks, and enough support to offer residential retreats every year. The donations we receive from this end-of-the-year fundraising letter are significant means by which we finance our online offerings, our center and our growth, including how many residential retreats we can offer.
I invite you to donate to IMC. If you do, we will use your donations skillfully and will measure our success by the amount of well being we’re able to bring to the world. We hope to support increasingly more people in their practice to ease suffering and find freedom.
You can find more information on how to donate by visiting:
http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/annualfund/
With gratitude and best wishes,
Gil Fronsdal
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Meditation Gear [Hivelogic]
My friend Dan Benjamin, has a great post about meditation gear on Hivelogic.com
I’m very interested in Dan’s meditation timer:
My favorite timer, and the one I use currently at home, is the Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen. It has a removable 6-inch brass bowl-gong which is struck by a little hammer for a warm, sustaining tone. There are several modes (progressive alarm, interval timer for meditation/yoga, chimes on the hour, etc.), and it also works well as an alarm clock.
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Audio Dharma (Gil Fronsdal)
We are pleased to announce that we have a new Audio Dharma Podcast feed , Gil Fronsdal Channel. This podcast will be updated (usually weekly) with all the current talks by Gil Fronsdal. These are the same talks available from Audio Dharma podcast main feed, but filtered for Gil Frondal talks. -Enjoy
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The Balance of Mindfulness
Gil Fronsdal of Insight Mediation Center, Talk given September 9, 2009
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Non Conflict
Gil Fronsdal talks about how “non conflict” is one of the central themes in Buddhism. Recorded at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California on Sept. 2, 2009.
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Buddhist Geeks 2.0
Vince Horn founder and host of Buddhist Geeks, a wonderful podcast, is seeking support in the form of “micropatrons” to help expand Buddhist Geeks even further.
Buddhist Geeks would like to offer more premium content for free, produce a digital magazine, and plan a conference next year called BuddhaDharma 2.0. The information on the Buddhist Geeks website will explain all of the details.
It’s such a generous act to offer the personal sacrifice required to do this kind of work for the online Buddhist community. Let’s help enable this by extending our generosity to Vince and Buddhist Geeks. Please help with your support by becoming a patron of Buddhist Geeks.
Links:
BuddhistGeeks.com
Buddhist Geeks Podcast
BuddhaDharma2.0
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Being One’s Own Teacher
by Gil Fronsdal
The Kalama Sutta is a much-quoted discourse in which the Buddha radically challenged most sources of religious authority. The discourse is often read as a warning not to seek truth outside of oneself. It is quoted and misquoted as teaching that we should not believe anything unless we know it from our own experience. While the Buddha does advise reliance on what can be known through direct experience he does so in a particular and limited way.
Continue reading ‘Being One’s Own Teacher’
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Last night we were informed Thich Nhat Hanh is in Massachusetts General hospital with Pneumonia. He is eighty three years old, and still teaching the Dharma to his beloved Sangha. I met Thay almost two years ago to the day on August 18th 2007, and I will never forget being in his presence. He is a beloved teacher, and we wish him a quick recovery. Here is a hand written letter from Thay to his Sangha:
Continue reading ‘Thich Nhat Hanh, we are with you, you are with us.’
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A talk by Jack Kornfield, on The Bodhisattva. More videos, meditations and articles available on Jacks site.
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Buddhism, the Dharma, and ones practice is a personal and individual relationship and experience. It is a relationship between you, your teacher, and the Dharma.
Buddhism has it’s roots strong in the west. It has been here for a long time. Some are concerned that Buddhism is being “secularized”. I believe this so called “secularization” is an indication that Buddhism and the Dharma is even further permeating our society.
When one learns the truth from a mindfulness or mediation only practice, from a Tolle book, or some “secularized” source, this is just as well, if it suits this individual to end their suffering. The truth comes in many different ways, but when one opens this door, it still leads to the truth. All of these doors can lead to a healthy western Buddhist practice.
We have wonderful innovations in publishing technologies to deliver the Dharma, such as podcasting, and varying flavors of teaching approaches emerging here in the west, but there is no new truth emerging. There is no truth 2.0. Ultimately, it is the Dharma, and teaching of the Buddha, ending delusion one person at a time, and that journey starts where I started this message, by the individual; between the teacher, the Dharma, and the practice, and this is very accessible here today in the west.
If you follow the teachings of the Buddha, it is not about attachment to a religion. “Find your own light”, and eventually you do not need the teachings. When the truth is in your heart, and seen by your own eyes, you do not need it described to you any longer, it is no longer your religion, it is your being, and that is freedom. That freedom is available to you here in the west.
Be diligent in your practice. Find your teacher, and find many. If you feel your not getting the whole truth seek more. You may need many teachers to experience the full Dharma. Even the Buddha himself used many techniques. You will find a rich soil here in the west to plant your practice.
I’m thinking very positive about Buddhism in our society. There has been a major change in our culture. Buddhism is changing western society, not the other way around. Let me repeat that, Buddhism is changing western society, not the other way around.
I’m happy to say that Buddhism is very alive and well, in the west. May it help you find your freedom, and experience the true wonder of life.
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Letters
From Todd, a Listener of Zencast :
I really want to thank you for having Zencast.org and providing these podcast that you do. Wish I did live in the California area so that I could visit you guys and See it all in person. But these podcasts are about as good as being there.
I want to thank all that are involved with bringing these great podcasts to the world.. I don’t know all of your names but please accept my greatest thanks.. I do know the below teachers, and thank them by name, but everyone involved thank you. You have given so much.
Gil Fronsdal, I have to admit has help me and my middle son the most.. Jack and Tara are great too.. But Gil has really said alot of things I really needed to hear. And has really helped me to connect more with my Timmy so that I could reach him. My middle son Timmy is Autistic. While I love all three of my boys very much. Timmy has been my greatest challenge and my greatest teacher.
Alot of people are unfamiliar with Autism they hear a little bit about it on the news or they might of even seen rain man.. Both don’t give the full story or really show the challenges to overcome.. If I had to sum up what is Autism. “Its being trapped in your own mind, without knowing how to communicate to the outside world” Or maybe I should rephrase that.. They try to communicate but the outside world doesn’t know how to listen to them.I guess you could say that about any one person, but it is more extreme with a child with autism.
Your podcast with subject such as meditation, mindfulness, and calming the mind, and most important compassion. Have really helped me to speak Autism with my son.. And for that which you have taught me , I am so thankful to all of you that provide these podcasts.
I use to want to cure my son, now I know I was the one in need of cure. And these podcast where the medicine I needed. Thank you so much.
If I was ever to request a podcast. It would be how to do we help people with special needs. I am not sure if Buddha had any experience with this but would love to hear how he dealt with it.
I know Compassion is the key, because that is what has worked with Timmy and, all of my sons. Timmy is still non-verbal, but he speaks alot to me. He has gone from being a distant child to one that sits in my lap, or gives me a kiss before he sleeps. He will sit in my lap as I meditate , while my youngest sits on my head.. :> No my meditations are not quiet but they are beautiful thanks to my children. To me that is a miracle. And your teachings have been a part of that..
Thank you so much and keep this up, you are bringing good things to this world..
Todd
This Letter was made public with permission from Todd.
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Hivelogic, a website about discovering quality, living more efficiently, and leading a simpler, more mindful life, has a wonderful post on how to Start a Meditation Practice, with some good sound advice, and resources.
Over the years, a daily meditation practice has completely transformed my life, helping me to be happier, more effective and productive, and less reactive to daily difficulties.
…
No matter how old or young you are, no matter what’s going on in your life, or how little time you may have to devote to it, it’s likely that a meditation practice will be of great benefit to you.
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A Tribute to Alan Watts
A Tribute to Alan Watts
From the Les Project
He died in 1972, I believe. For the time, I would imagine that he was well-known in some circles, though not ‘famous famous’ – I doubt he ever made the Johnny Carson Show, if you catch my drift.
He wrote 27 books in his lifetime, and He loved to talk, and he talked mostly of philosophy, of different religions, and of his own observations on life and it’s significance. It sounds a bit boring, and perhaps some of them were if lectures aren’t your cup of tea, but he spoke with a warm and certain English accent that almost always had a hint of a smile in the voice, and he had an entertaining way of presenting his topic, veering off into small eddies of interest here and there, yet never losing his main point.
Continue reading ‘A Tribute to Alan Watts’
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