Rob Burbea - Emptiness, Postmodernism, and Sacred Participation
Nov 25, 2019
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Meditation teacher Rob Burbea discusses emptiness as a path beyond postmodern nihilism, emphasizing participatory perception and the limitations of cognitive deconstruction. He explores hidden commitments, the middle way between existence and non-existence, and the necessity of practice to realize deeper dimensions of emptiness.
Emptiness leads beyond postmodern skepticism to vibrant sacred participation.
Perception is participatory & shaped by fabricated ways of seeing.
Emptiness offers a middle way between existence & non-existence.
Practice is essential to realizing deeper dimensions of emptiness.
Deep dives
Importance of Emptiness Concept
Emptiness, a central concept in Buddhism, is explored in-depth in this podcast episode. The significance of understanding emptiness as the absence of independent reality is emphasized. Different interpretations of emptiness and its implications in perception and consciousness are discussed, highlighting the need for a comprehensive view of emptiness.
Practice and Perception
The podcast delves into the practice of deconstructing and reconstructing perception through meditation. The dual process of unfabricating and fabricating ways of looking is crucial in understanding emptiness and reshaping one's perspective. The importance of developing skill in deeply experiencing the emptiness of emotions, ideas, and metaphysical constructs is explored.
Navigating Mindfulness and Self-Concept
The episode touches on the intersection of mindfulness practice and the concept of anattā or not-self in Buddhism. There is a discussion on how mindfulness training can lead to deconstruction of the self and thoughts, potentially complicating personal responsibility and emotional intimacy. The balance between deconstructing and understanding the self's complexity is highlighted in mindfulness practice.
Soul Making and Creative Perception
The concept of soul making alongside the exploration of creative perception is briefly mentioned in the podcast. Emphasizing the interplay between unfabricating perception and artful reconstruction, the discussion delves into the depth and breadth of practice in reshaping one's worldview and engaging with different perspectives.
Exploring Various Perspectives on Emptiness
The episode also addresses the variety of interpretations of emptiness and the need for a gradual and thorough approach to understanding it. The complexities of perceiving emptiness in relation to time, awareness, and experiences are highlighted, stressing the importance of engaging with different levels of unfabrication in one's practice.
Engagement with Emotions and Responsibility in Practice
Practitioners actively engage with emotions and self-responsibility in mindfulness practices, emphasizing participation and involvement rather than detachment or dismissal. The teachings encourage freedom by balancing deconstruction and construction, self and not-self, and emotion and quieting emotion. Practitioners are guided to navigate a spectrum of experiences, moving fluidly between self and no-self, emotions, and thought, fostering a deep understanding and exploration of the self.
Emptiness Practice and its Impact on Cultural Perspectives
Emptiness practice offers a lens to deconstruct cultural frameworks and hidden allegiances, providing insights into entrenched perspectives and societal dynamics. It allows for a fluid exploration of different mental models and perspectives, promoting agility in meaning-making and agency. The discussion also highlights the interplay between emptiness practice and societal challenges, emphasizing the role of playfulness and potency in navigating complex ecological and existential crises.
On this episode I'm joined once again by meditation teacher and author Rob Burbea. For this conversation Jamie Bristow and I talk with Rob about his approach to emptiness, and how it can be a route beyond postmodern nihilism and into a vibrant and sacred participation in the world.
We talk about:
An overview of the ‘ways of looking’ approach to emptiness,
the participatory nature of perception & the world,
how perception gets fabricated through our participation,
the limitations of a purely cognitive deconstruction ala postmodernism,
how Rob would define emptiness if asked about it at a cocktail party,
How emptiness reveals a path beyond post-modernity,
how hidden commitments limit our ability to explore perspectives,
the unavoidability of participation and the impossibility of neutrality,
the middle way between existence and non-existence, how this approach to emptiness offers a way forward in a ‘post-truth’ world,
how your experience right now is constellated by your way of seeing (whether you know it or not),
and the necessity of practice to realize the deeper dimensions of emptiness.
Seeing that Frees [Amazon]
Rob on the Deconstructing Yourself Podcast
2009 Emptiness Retreat Dharma Talks
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