Easing Awake with Doug Kraft
Sifting through the earliest records of the Buddha's talks, we find a simple, elegant, and powerful practice. When he died, his teaching became an “ism”, Buddhism. As it spread into other countries, cultures, and eras his teachings or “map” was copied and re-copied. Shortcuts and alternatives were added and deleted. Compared to the versions of his teachings most widely known, his original meditation emphasized: Tranquility: an open, receptive awareness favored over highly focused, one-pointed concentration; Simplicity: loving kindness, serenity and insight all integrated rather than treated as separate practices; Stages: the practice matures through stages, each of which builds upon and goes beyond earlier stages (or “jhana”); Ease: relaxing as more important than striving. These podcasts are dedicated to this approach to meditation and daily living. I call it “easing awake.”
Easing Awake with Doug Kraft
Buddha and the Human Experience
•
Doug Kraft
•
Season 3
•
Episode 3
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
The essence of what the Buddha taught is universal; it shows up in other places, including contemporary poetry and lyrics. He discovered wisdom deep in human experience. Buddhist practice starts with the notion that nothing needs to be fixed. When we get ourselves out of the way, we turn toward difficulties and then relax into them. There's love, wisdom, clarity, and flow with us already.