This is beautifully put. and part of me expects to break down in tears as these questions resonate. and part of me feels compelled to push, just a little, to test or taste the boundaries, to hold the precious things of my life and ask of each one, "is it this? is this the thing am I willing to give anything for?" and then wondering, do i need to let go the things for which the answer is a fairly clear "no"? That seems almost a given. But the reaction! These things that are not precious seem to act as if they are. But it's not them, it's not even me. It's just attachment. Maybe. So the question of discernment arises for me again: how do I distinguish such attachment from the true calling, the genuine answer to the question of what would I give my life for. Presumably, that is the work still to be done.

Soryu Forall Talk Excerpts

What are you willing to do anything for? What is so precious that it's worth giving this life for it? 

These are the questions our teacher Soryu Forall urged us to answer for ourselves. In the last retreat before he leaves MAPLE for a few months, he reminded us in the most uncompromisingly honest way the dire need of truly answering with clarity.

This excerpt is from a talk that was given at a silent retreat in June 2021. 
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The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

What Is Your Precious Life For? - Soryu Forall

Inner Peace World Peace - Clip

The Monastic Academy just completed their retreat experimenting with meditation and Circling, an interpersonal meditation form.

Resident Steven Jango-Cohen had an experience in the retreat where he saw that, when it comes down to it, he doesn't always trust the path. He discovered when he does trust the path, a trustworthy part of himself emerges in the practice of authentically relating to others.

Here he leads the Sunday Sit focusing on the question: Who is the real you?

(Parts of exercises in this talk edited out of respect for privacy)

Sunday Sit -  Steven Jango-Cohen - Am I Being Fake Right Now - 10.29.2017

Soryu Forall gave this talk at the Monastic Academy on 04.26.2018 to residents and guests

How can we be liberated from the most destructive cult(ure) the world has seen? How can we prevent this cult(ure) from destroying life on earth?

(MAPLE Ethos #11) Forging a New Future

Video of the Birthday Circle Exercise in this audio can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNGldfaqlI4

We often use words like love and compassion, but what do these words actually mean?  Is it possible the foundation for love is our attention? What we pay attention to is what we protect and perpetuate.

 In anticipation for our October circling retreat, Monastic Academy Assistant Teacher Peter Park led an exploration of attention in connection with ourselves and others in practices of circling.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/circling-relationship-meditation-retreat-monastic-academy-october-2018-tickets-48673906966?aff=erelexpmlt

Sunday Sit - Attention As Love - Peter Park - 09.11.2018

Christopher 'SanShin' Russell has been enthusiastic (and wary) about technology-assisted meditation for the past decade.

On 01.06.2018 He led a talk, guided meditations and Q&A on technology and meditation.

Elements of the 1st guided meditation were inspired by links below, and the 2nd guided meditation featured sounds also listed below, created by Jogen Salzberg of Great Vow Zen Monastery


Sunday Sits https://www.centerformindfullearning.org/sundays/
Bhante Sujatha http://www.bhantesujatha.org/love-in-action/
Blue Lotus Temple http://www.bluelotustemple.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_meditation
http://www.shoyeido.com/product/kyoto-autumn-leaves-kyo-nishiki/daily-incense 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18041606
https://store.heartmath.com/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shinzen-week-long-retreat-november-neuro-mindfulness-tickets-48673088518#
https://www.shinzen.org/
https://education.musc.edu/MUSCApps/facultydirectory/Short-Edward
https://www.bodhineurotech.com/
https://e-meditation.com/
https://choosemuse.com/
https://www.brightmind.com/
http://homepracticeprogram.com/
https://www.lifepracticeprogram.com/
https://biohackersummit.com/2016/10/15/dr-rhonda-patrick-health-benefits-of-sauna/
http://www.hannesbend.com/index.php?/current/myndful/
http://www.hannesbend.com/index.php?/bs/eclipse/
https://www.chacmc.org/technology

Cell Phone Meditations
https://www.mindful.org/simple-mindful-cell-phone-practice/
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/11/the-binge-breaker/501122/
https://www.mindful.org/simple-mindful-cell-phone-practice/
https://www.mindful.org/addicted-to-your-phone-try-this-practice-phone-in-hand/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-art-now/201410/cell-phone-meditation
https://www.tujawellness.com/a-meditation-for-cell-phones/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/well/mind/how-to-be-mindful-with-your-phone.html#commentsContainer

https://www.zendust.org/about/bios/jogen-salzberg-sensei
https://www.mixcloud.com/jogen-adam-salzberg/

https://www.sciencealert.com/how-blue-wavelengths-light-affect-retinal-cell-tissues-eye-disease?fbclid=IwAR1OJ5IVDFBxxbqku20_PTtmPesW3vZ7fnPU9gH4N6JxvkflD0QiJpxyk4c

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Science-Enlightenment-How-Meditation-Works/dp/1591794609/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CHVHX68XNKZW8YYSPT80
https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/155/
http://mikeysiegel.com/
https://www.jaysanguinetti.com/

Sunday Sit - Cellphone Samadhi (Technology And Meditation) - Christoper SanShin Russell - 01.06.2019

We tend to question the validity of texts such as the Avataṃsaka Sutra, that can be so unfamiliar that they seem meaningless. Yet we don't often question the world we live in, one largely made up by the human mind. It's a world where, for instance, nature is being turned relentlessly into money—the real turned into the imaginary. It can be hard to see clearly that we are giving up our power to this story of money. With even just one breath, we can cut through extraneous thinking and stories to be with what's real again.

This talk was given at a silent retreat in April 2019 on Easter. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening. It references the First Stage in the Ten Stages from the Avataṃsaka Sutra, but knowing the text is not necessary.
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The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

Real Or Imaginary? - Soryu Forall

While celebrating the Buddha's attainment of full liberation, it's helpful for our spiritual paths to recount the trials and tribulations he had encountered on his. It's helpful for us to remember that he was a real person like us.

This is part of a talk that was given at a silent retreat in May 2019. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening.
-----
The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

Three Stories from the Buddha's Path - Soryu Forall

One of our all-time favorite parts of a talk by Soryu Forall. He draws inspiration from his love of pie to offer teachings on how belief systems such as religions and ideologies function that may be delightfully unexpected. 

This is part of a talk that was given at a silent retreat in February 2020. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening.
-----
The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

What Pie Can Teach Us About Spirituality - Soryu Forall

There is so much knowledge to learn in both the material realm and the spiritual realm, that it can be easy to get lost there. Even Kyōgen, one of the great Chinese Zen (aka Chan) masters, had trouble with this earlier on his path. Fortunately, he also had a great master for his teacher, Isan, who helped him find his way back—by refusing to answer questions for him. 

This is part of a talk that was given at a silent retreat in November 2020. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening.

Corrections for the Cantonese pronunciations (in this system, 'j' is pronounced like 'y'):
- Kyōgen Chikan - hoeng1 jim4 zi3 haan4 香嚴智閒
- Isan Reiyū - gwai1 saan3 lin4 jau6 溈山靈祐
- Hyakujō Ekai - baak3 zoeng6 waai4 hoi2 百丈懷海
- Nanyō Echū - naam4 joeng4 wai6 zung1 南陽慧忠
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The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

The Answers Are Not Out There - Soryu Forall

Through a personal story involving a challenge to eat a dozen donuts, Soryu Forall shows how the stories we tell and the ways we talk to ourselves have an enormous impact on how we live. 

This is part of a talk that was given at a silent retreat in February 2019. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening.
-----
The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

We Live the Stories We Tell - Soryu Forall

How can we keep doing all this inner work that can be so challenging and confronting? Soryu Forall offers guidance and inspiration from the life of the great Chinese Zen master, Seppō (aka Xuefeng in Chinese), who was also one of the most hopeless cases in Zen history. 

This is part of a talk that was given at a silent retreat in December 2019. This is a time for the MAPLE community to focus exclusively on awakening.
-----
The Monastic Academy is a training center dedicated to creating wise, powerful, and loving leaders who are an unstoppable force for social and environmental peace on Earth.
If you're interested in learning more, go to our website monasticacademy.org

We are accepting applications for 2-3 month-long apprenticeships. The training will provide you opportunities to dive deeply into mindfulness practice in community, working, and dedicated sitting periods. The apprenticeship is FREE with room and board provided.
Learn more here: www.monasticacademy.org/apprentice

All You Need Is To Not Give Up - Soryu Forall

A Modern Monastery (Mindfulness & Leadership Training Center) in Lowell, Vermont https://www.monasticacademy.com/

What Is Your Precious Life For? - Soryu Forall

Monastic Academy

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