Weekly Guiding Teacher Reflection

Dear Common Ground Friends,

I feel a great debt of gratitude to the people of Burma or Myanmar and more generally the Buddhist culture of Southeast Asia for being such faithful stewards of the Buddha’s teachings for so many centuries. We are the direct beneficiaries of generations of practitioners in Southeast Asia who practiced as best they could, derived deep benefits from their Buddhist practices, and passed on their insights to the next generation. This is how these practical and profound teachings end up at a center in the Upper Midwest in the 21st century. This Saturday I will be leading a daylong retreat centered on the teachings of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, a Buddhist monk from Myanmar, who has been an important teacher for Shelly Graf and me. Sayadaw (a term of respect that refers to a monastic teacher) teaches a style of practice that encourages a relaxed, continuous recognition of whatever the mind is naturally aware of. Sayadaw emphasizes a clear comprehension of how the mind is relating to the moment. To build momentum, he encourages us to develop a continuity of awareness throughout the entire day, not just during formal sitting sessions. We develop insight by discerning that all mind and body activities are simply a natural process unfolding. We learn to be aware of both skillful and unskillful attitudes that naturally arise with a receptive, kind, and easy manner. Over time, sincere practitioners develop great confidence in one’s ability to always return to a wise present-moment awareness that knows, ‘It is like this now, this experience is being known.’ Liberating wisdom naturally and gradually follows.

Wishes for Deep Insight and Healing All Around,
Mark Nunberg
Co-Guiding Teacher