The Preciousness of this Human Birth
with Liz Reynolds
According to Buddhist wisdom, achieving a human birth is a rare and immensely valuable event. And yet, with the Buddha's directive to become intimate with the ways that life offers suffering, so often the preciousness of our human lives becomes lost in the difficulties of our lives and in a whirlwind of busy-ness and achievement. In this evening together, we'll contemplate the concept of 'samvega,' a Pali word that conveys the sense of urgency that can arise when we are gifted with glimpses of the fleeting and fragile nature of our lives and of the fragility of our precious Earth. Following a guided meditation reminding us of our belonging to the natural world, we'll touch on this emotion of 'samvega,' imagining how the Buddha experienced it, and reflect on the capacity of all humans to awaken and connect with deeper wisdom and clear seeing.
Resources
-Braiding Sweetgrass -Robin Wall Kimmerer
-"Meeting the Divine Messengers" - Bikkhu Bodhi: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_32.html
-Chiggala Sutta: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.048.than.html
-Thanissaro Bhikku's "Affirming the Truths of the Heart": https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/affirming.html
-Homage to the Buddha & Three Refuges: https://app.box.com/s/vq4i5em008bvg5ppn3vy01sacy1dwxp1
-Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in without Going Crazy - Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone