Floyd Platton
Led by Venerable Losang Samten, or by one of our senior teaching students when Losang-la is out of town, mantra meditation, shamatha (calm abiding) meditation, Vajrayana guided meditations and visualizations, and traditional Buddhist prayers typically comprise the first hour of our Sunday mornings. Then, following a short break for light snacks and light conversation, we continue for a second hour of Dharma practice and teachings, often on a given text, and animated by lively discussion, friendly debate, questions and answers. Our Sunday mornings are truly wonderful. A donation of $10 for non-members is suggested.
While Rinpoche is on his annual summer retreat in Dharmsala, India this month (returning August 7th), our Sundays flourish under the guidance of our senior teaching students and friends. This week, senior teacher Floyd Platton leads our meditation practice. Our smaller 'summer sanghas' are uniquely wonderful, and an excellent way to learn and practice the dharma in the company of good friends.
Floyd's theme for discussion this week is will be Appearance-Emptiness. What does the teaching that "everything in our world appears and exists...but is not what it seems to be," mean? To understand this is the heart of Buddhist teaching, and is essential to extricate our mind from the illusions that cause us so much unhappiness.