Portland Friends of the Dhamma

Luang Por Pasanno addresses those present and on Zoom for the Annual Celebration on creating the conditions for wise reflection (yoniso manasikara), skillful reflection, skillful attention, drawing close to good friends, and creating community.

After precepts and still meditation, Luang Por Pasanno gives instruction for walking meditation.

Visiting Retired Abbess Gyokuko Carlson reflects on themes of fatherhood, change, the magical transformation of meditation and its power to undo knots, like stinking fish, within us. She encourages the acceptance of our humanity, body and mind, as part of our practice.

Jessica encourages turning the mind toward the Dhamma and true awareness of how things really are, rather than how things were in the past or how we fear they are. She reminds us we are held by the Dhamma, the community, and our friends. She encourages realizing that others might not feel safe and to act with compassion by holding others where they are and creating trust.

Sakula considers the present moment, what now is, how stories and becoming take us out of the moment and are the source of suffering.

Debbie Stamp, a lay teacher and resident of Abhayagiri Monastery for 23 years, addresses Sunday Sila. She reflects on a year of changes in her life, some that we have all faced and some specific to her life. She reflects on adapting.

Sakula reflects on a retreat with Luang Por Sucitto and his teaching on wholesomeness. She shares readings from Buddhadhamma by Phra Prayudh Payutto. Beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end.

Jessica compares the framework of poetry to living in response to conditions within the Dhamma as taught in the Ajahn Chah lineage.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Sakula draws on Luang Por Pasanno’s teaching and a story from her life with her own mother. She draws the arc of a life’s relationship healed with the Dhamma.

Sakula leads Sunday Sila with some in person attendees for the first time in a while. She reflects on welcoming changes in our lives according to the practice, recognizing impermanence and uncertainty.

Sakula addresses Sunday Sila. She reflects on how to let the teachings into the heart based on teaching by Luang Por Pasanno on mindfulness and compassion.

Guest lay teacher Cittasubha addresses Sunday Sila, reflecting on the presence of the Buddha’s teachings everywhere. We grow by receiving teachings and then reflecting on them. She shares how to listen to Dhamma with the help of Ajahn Munindo.

Jessica asks what it would be like if instead of asking, “How are you?” we were to ask, “What are you reflecting on lately?” How can we understand one another through the lens of wise reflection, yonisomanasikara? A story of reflecting with children.

Jessica Swanson addresses Sunday Sila. How do we move through life on the path in the Dhamma interdependently?

Jessica Swanson leads Sunday Sila online. She reflects on why she is drawn to the Thai Forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism and what makes it special.

Sakula discusses the benefits of the practice of recognizing when we naturally feel goodness and intentionally feeling goodness. She reflects on the suffering of being entangled in our fears and ways of dealing with our triggers.

Sakula reflects on the need for a strong community to hold goodness and generosity for one another. She reviews AN 4.31, a teaching on the Four Wheels.

For Sunday Sila, Jessica reflects on the path, suffering, grief, and love after the death of her family cat.

Ayya continues the study of the Highest Blessings, Mangala sutta, using multiple translations and takes more questions. The days closes with a chance to chant the sutta with fresh understanding.

Ayya begins the study of the Mangala Sutta, The Highest Blessings (Snp2-4). Using multiple translations, she elucidate these instructions for living a blameless life, free of remorse.

During the daylong event Ayya guided the group in meditation in preparation for study. The meditation is presented in its entirety.

Ayya Santussika met online with Portland Friends of the Dhamma and practitioners from all over the Western Hemisphere. The day opened with an introduction and the taking of the five precepts.

Sakula explores how to be truthful to oneself, open up, be present with others in a skillful way, and experience the joy in the moments of eternity. She addresses the Sunday Sila gathering online.

Sakula leads Sunday Sila and responds to a line in Ajahn Munindo’s book. She provides encouragement for coping with our turbulent times by creating space, avoiding our patterned reactions, being present with our feelings, and finding a skillful response.

Ayya Medhanandi continues with the daylong session of the Ever Present Refuge. Death may serve as a reminder of impermanence as well as an encouragement to learn the Dhamma and find the unconditioned.