Summary: Today we re-started the 4I cycle with Loving Kindness. Specifically, we focused on motivation and how it has the power to make things possible or impossible, achievable or not achievable. The introduction was around this motivation and its power, while the outro contains a great several-part question by Malcom on the different methods of Shamatha, their pit falls, changing between methods, etc. It is a very concise explanation of the three methods we cover in this retreat, how they interrelate, and how it is possible to use them all cohesively. Also at the end there is a very precise explanation on how to correctly do the practice of Awareness of Awareness (spurred by a question from Noah). Alan utilizes his trusty sensory deprivation tank example and leaves the object of this practice quite clear. So if you like Awareness of Awareness but aren't sure if you are doing it correctly, the last 15 minutes or so of this podcast might clear many doubts! I might add that today we had quite a few doses of uplifting and informative humor scattered throughout, so hopefully it will add some icing to your mood as it did to ours! (As opposed to these Monkey-Deities' apparent mood in the photo of the local Chinese temple taken by Ivan) Feliz día de las madres en Mexico! Las queremos mucho y las extrañamos!
