Ep, 247 – Living the Dharma

Jul 15, 2024

Jack Kornfield discusses navigating spiritual cycles, living the Dharma, embracing openness, stillness, and intimacy. Talks about Rumi's wisdom, Buddhist meditation on death, overcoming self-judgment, and the Dalai Lama's advice on life reflections.

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INSIGHT

Embrace Natural Spiritual Cycles

Spiritual life follows natural cycles of opening and closing much like breathing or flowers closing at night.
Jack Kornfield emphasizes flexibility and honoring the cycle you are in rather than forcing a fixed way of being.

ANECDOTE

Love Happens In Moments

A moment of frustration led to Jack killing a fly, which made him reflect on love being expressed in each moment.
Love is not done in generalities, but always in specific moments with people, animals, or nature.

INSIGHT

Spiritual Practice is a Journey

Spiritual practice is a journey involving encounters with inner 'dragons and demons' and a continual process of opening and letting go.
Practice involves recognizing changing seasons in life and accepting that clinging to silence or peace can cause suffering.

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Revealing how to smoothly navigate the cycles of spiritual life in openness, stillness, and intimacy, Jack explores the transformative beauty of living the Dharma.

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“There are different cycles. They are natural for us. We breathe in and out. Our heart opens and closes. Your heart isn’t supposed to stay open all the time, even flowers close at night. So don’t get some idea you’re supposed to be some certain state or some certain way. It’s more about flexibility, listening, and honoring what cycle you are in in your life.” – Jack Kornfield

In this episode, Jack mindfully explores:

Navigating the cycles of spiritual life
Spiritual practice as a voyage, a journey
Openness and the necessity of letting go
What we can learn from the change of seasons
Cultivating the courage to live a spiritual life
Rumi’s poem of the wisdom of the bird in the trap
The peace of rejecting nothing whatsoever
How Jack had to work his way down the chakras instead of up
Embodying and experiencing your feelings
Stillness, simplicity, intimacy and reconnecting with the earth
A perspective-shifting Buddhist meditation on death and good deeds
Overcoming self-judgement and unworthiness
Non-attachment and commitment in relationships
A tantric master’s wisdom on overcoming burnout
The Dalai Lama’s surprising advice to Jack

“When you look back over your life, what really matters is, ‘How well have I loved?’ And that love is never done in generalities. It’s always done in a moment with a tree, or a spider, or a person that you meet, or a person close to you.” – Jack Kornfield

“In some way in life, that’s all that people around us want if you look—people mostly just want to be listened to and acknowledged.” – Jack Kornfield

For free teachings and meditations from Jack delivered to your inbox weekly, along with new courses, upcoming events, and more, sign up for Jack's newsletter at JackKornfield.com/newsletter

This Dharma Talk recorded on 7/14/1990 was originally published on DharmaSeed.

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