Speaker: Doug Larsen. Doug describes the challenges and blessings of living as a retreatant at Samten Ling. The physical, financial and social demands, and the spiritual gifts that come from the practices and from the energy of the land itself. He describes how HH Dilgo Khyentse first identified Samten Ling as the site to establish the Sangha, the interactions with the elements and animals on the land, and the daily rhythms of retreat life ordered by the lunar cycle.

Speaker: Joey Waxman. Joey refers to two recent Link talks to trace the causes that recently led him to experience a sense of heaviness about samsara. One talk, given at Losar by Dungse Jampal Norbu, explored the importance of cultivating disillusionment with samsara. The other, given last week by Jennifer Shippee, expressed appreciation for the capacity of Indian culture to accommodate and embrace all experiences without rejecting anything. Disillusionment requires us to develop a sense of sadness or “kyoshe”, which is associated with renunciation, by recognizing the suffering of samsara. This disillusionment might give rise to a sense of heaviness. However, as Jennifer’s talk suggests, we can see India’s capacity to accept all experience as a metaphor for the nature of mind: when purified of self-importance and ignorance, it, too, is capable of embracing all experience without suffering. If we realize that all beings have Buddha nature, and therefore the capacity to be enlightened, we can maintain cheerfulness as we cultivate disillusionment.

Speaker: Jennifer Shippee. Jennifer reflects on the value of taking the time to feel and appreciate gratitude. Pausing to appreciate the natural intelligence of our buddha nature enables us to feel a connection to all beings. It lightens our load and softens our hearts. Instead of rejecting feelings, situations, and people, we can make the choice to find a way to feel grateful for them. Doing so helps us overcome our kleshas, reduce our aggression, and cultivate a peaceful heart. This does not mean we should not exercise discernment. But by exercising discernment without aggression we can maintain an open-hearted perspective that allows us to embrace all experience.

Speaker: Dungse Jampal Norbu. Dungse-la explores service from the perspective of the Dharma, reminding us that we have a responsibility to apply our good merit and skills through service to others. The proper motivation for this is not guilt or self-importance, but interaction with the world through bodhicitta and a growing freedom from our habitual patterns through the practice of service.